Just one of those days

It was one of those 'hump days' that seemed more like trekking over a mountain than getting over a hump.
It started slow. My first class for the 2nd grade (8th graders) was slow and boring. My lesson plan for their grade this week is pretty much a snore. Then things got interesting....

I have been ad libbing my 1st and 3rd grade lesson all week.

1. I lost my flash drive with all my photos and lesson plan extras.
2. The copies I requested were completely messed up (The 3rd grade lesson had half the first grade lesson on the back. My co-teacher blames me for not having the sense to check it. I told her 'Yes, I will check it, now, that I know the copy people are idiots. .').
   

This time the ad libbed lesson went downright horrible. My co-teacher for that class is the head of the English teachers. When the bell rang and the students were clamoring out of the classroom she looked at me with a coy smile and said, 'Justin? We need to talk.' Great. Ugh. You don't have to know any English to know that look.

As you all know I don't take criticism well. When it comes to authoritative criticism, I am a hard headed, stubborn man with a serious attitude problem. I sure picked the wrong culture if I am going to continue to have that attitude. Korean women are very blunt. They are not afraid to tell me how I messed up. Solutions on the other hand don't come as easy. But they will critique you. Not because it's their job. Because it is a part of their culture. Even the little girls do it(I'll tell you about that later). So, I put on my best smile and tried to take it like a man.

I know what you're thinking. I'm gonna blow up, right? Believe it or not, I didn't. Now, the smile went away after everyone got into the bashing. But I wrote down their criticisms along with a couple realizations of my own. They, also, commented on my profuse use of facebook and my headphones. The teachers that I share my office hate how absorbed I am in facebook and music. Admittedly, I am guilty as charged. I am on the good book most of my break time because it's my only contact with my friends, family, and other native teachers, most of whom don't have a cell phone. And for those of you who know me really well, the internet is like my I.V. drug. I can't live without it. Anyway, they stated they were too intimidated to talk to me when I was like that. I told them to please interrupt me. I am easy to talk to. Please don't be sensitive about asking me questions. Let's be honest women are the same anywhere you go. No offense ladies. But nagging and being overly sensitive are cross-cultural feminine traits. Men and boys are the same, too. Well minus the fact that Korean boys fondle their friend's hair and hump each other in the hallway. Usually not at the same time. And Korean men drink themselves under the table so fast that they have to carry each other home all the time. Kind of funny.

After my humbling, they asked me if I had any criticisms for them. In a mild, humbled voice I replied, 'No, as you can tell I'm still trying to stabilization myself. I am having so much trouble with my own teaching that I can't focus on yours.' (That comes off a little bitter when you write it huh?). And the conversation abruptly shifted.

Apparently, they want me to find them articles in English to read then discuss with me the following week for half of our Wednesday meetings. No, I am not going to give them sports articles or comedic articles about '5 Great Things You Didn't Know Came from Tragedies' from cracked.com. I am looking for articles in the NY TIMES, Seattle Times, CNN, etc. And they wanted a book list from me. I suggested 'Mice and Men' by Steinbeck and they quickly refused my offer. One of them was claiming it's 'too boring.' If you can't appreciate the simplicity of Steinbeck's characters and symbolism you cannot appreciate American literature. Bold statement about an admittedly pretty basic, short book. Back to the topic, what a role reversal! They quickly went from bluntly criticizing my teaching to wanting to pick my brain and learn from me. I was humbled. But I was ressurected with a new perspective about my job.

I am not teaching these children anything new. I am not here to conduct the sole English course. I am basically an English Conversationalist. I serve little use but to be a talking box. The students come to me to speak and hear me speak. The teachers see me more as a resource for them not as a teacher. So, my job is very simple. Teach the kids how to speak proper English with some slang thrown in. And for my own sanity be fun. Essentially, I Keep It Simple, Stupid (Makes a good tackling technique, too). This is a good thing for me.

Today was rough but a lot of good came out it. My attitude is still lingering. But I am more humble. I realized my place in school. And I got to release my frustration playing basketball at a court not too far from my house or my school. Here's to you Endorphins. I love you. You are my best friend. You always know how to make me smile when I'm sad. I hope we see more of each other soon.


NOTES (THESE ARE ACTUALLY THE BEST PART OF THE LONG-WINDED POST):

Today, one of my kids wrote something very interesting during an exercise. The exercise was making a complaint. The sentence read: 'I dont like _____ because it is _______.' I was going around the classroom sneaking a peek at the girls' papers when one caught my eye.

It read like this:

I don't like (My name in Hangul, Korean writing) because it is very long nose.
Brutal little girl. I laughed loudly. Then I corrected her writing. 'May I correct the English?'

"I don't like JUSTIN because he has a VERY LONG NOSE like Pinocchio." She was shocked mainly because I recognized my own name in Hangul.

When it came time for certain students to read their sentences aloud. I made sure she was one of them. I got a real kick out her sentence. That really made my afternoon more bearable. She is a pretty funny kid.



I am going to be terrible at basketball when I return to the states. I'm like a super speedy godzilla on the court here. Maybe, I'll get better at badminton.


Asian driving? Still sucks. When you ride in a car here it's like OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!! then since everyone is an awful driver it all miraculously works out at the last second. LIKE WTF just happened?! No one ever gets pulled over either!