My Blog

03.26.06. Sunday; Well, not many things are new here as usual. Things will be calming down again, I think it gets really busy and then really slow for me. So I should get things done when it is slow!

I will be teaching the high school class once a week, it will be the 2nd grade of high school. That would be the class I really like. So I am really happy about that. They are great students and they study hard. It is great to have them in class.

I will also be getting Sky Life, the satellite tv system here in Korea. After watching my collection of movies over and over again and realizing that there will be no World Cup games on in HamAn, I decided to get it. It will only cost me 25$ a month which would be less than an hour of teaching at HamAn High School!!!! So I decided to have some sanity in my life, get the tv stations and be able to watch some things in English.

Other than that, just the usual routine of teaching at the middle school. AH BeopSu (the smaller school I go to on Monday with 20 kids in a class) wants to do an extra class on Monday so that will also be some extra $ for me. I figure I should save now while I am in the country with not much to do so that I can really enjoy myself when I move.

When I move next time I will go to another bigger area (hopefully) and I will be able to take some cultural classes, learn somethings like cooking or art or traditional crafts. And I will be able to meet some Koreans and improve my language skills. Right now I am focusing on creating lessons and learning how to teach in the middle school.

I am happy about my work, it does feel good. With the exception of a few things everything is ok here.

Will write more soon. Hope you are enjoying the stories from Korea and will try to write another one as soon as possible, or as soon as I have something else to write about.

Mary

03.22.06; Wednesday, This has been a VERY busy week. Last Friday they told me that the Gyung Nam Education Office Supervisor was going to come to see me teach on Wednesday. I had to do a lot of papers for them and since it was the first time they really asked me for that much work I figured I would just do it and not complain. I prepared a 1st grade middle school lesson. Then on Sunday they informed me that they wanted a 2nd grade lesson and with a PowerPoint presentation. So I had to change the entire thing.

Well, that is over. The supervisor didn’t even come to the classes (which was fine by me!) and I do not have to worry so much anymore. Poor teachers looked so tired today from preparing classes and cleaning the school and everything.

Not much has been happening here in the small country town of HamAn! Nothing ever really happens. Tomorrow I will be getting satellite TV, and it will only cost me about 20$US per month. That is not bad compared to the US with 100$!!!! I will have some sports channels, some movie channels and will be able to watch something on TV and relax. I am sick of all the DVDs I brought from the US (and I have over a hundred now)!!!

More news later. Thanks to those who responded to the big e-mail I sent out. If you did not receive it then send me your e-mail address and I will send it to you.

More later,

Mary

ps. Forgot to mention that I wore a skirt today… yes you read that correctly "I wore a skirt!!!!" And when I walked into the teacher’s room today they commented on it. Then throughout the day various students said things about that. They said "Shocking!" "Beautiful" One class even said "Where is Mary?!"

They will not see me in a dress until the day I leave the school!!!!

Monday, March 13, 2006; Tomorrow is White Day in Korea. For those of you who do not know (probably all!) it is part of Valentine’s Day in Korea. On February 14, the girlfriend will give her boyfriend chocolate. Then a month later, the boyfriend will give the girlfriend flowers and chocolate.

Well, I got to go to a soccer game yesterday. Gyung Nam FC, in ChangWon started a team and yesterday was opening day. The score was tied, the weather was freezing but I was having the time of my life. I love going to games. I also have a jersey from the team for future games. After returning home, I got lolly pop flowers, and a bottle of perfume.

Today, I went to BeopSu and the teacher practically begged me to do an extra class for the students there. So I will be arranging my schedule to fit it in while I am there. I love the students there so it won’t be too bad and they will have 1 extra class per grade a month so planning won’t be too bad either.

Things are ok here although I must say that I am a bit homesick. This is the longest that I have been away from home, it has been a year and 3 months already. I will be returning in August or around there for anyone who would like to know.

School is not bad. The students learned a lot from last semester, mostly they are just used to my classes and my speaking. So this semester the second and third grades of middle school are easier to teach. I have found that if I am firm with the boys that they are easier to control.

Tonight I had a memorial service for Ahpoh. After I came home I prepared some food, and did a little ceremony at my house. I think there actually is a temple here but I don’t think I can get there on foot. Amazing that it has been a year since that happened.

For those of you who do not know about that… a year after someone passes away it is customary to have a memorial ceremony for them. In Korea they also have these memorial ceremonies. It is just a time to honor the spirit and think about the times spent together.

Well, as always I hope you are enjoying this site and I will try to post more now that I have a bit of extra time. Miss everyone,

Mary