Ego Tripping

The weather has been really schizophrenic lately here in Korea. Today was another rainy day, which we have been getting a lot of, but for every rainy day there is a sunny one. One of my co-teachers told me that March is usually crazy like this. I heard it has been similar in the States with all the snow and such.

Anyway, the last week has taken a lot out of me. It was kind of hard to sleep and wake up at the right times the first few days of school. On the first day I was so nervous the night before I only got one hour of sleep. But I haven't taught yet, so I really should have worried less. The first week has been pretty carefree though, but nothing was as memorable as the first day.

I don't know if I said this before, but I work at Songjeong Girls Middle School. My school has 1000 students, ages about 12-15 years old. So on the first day our entire student body and faculty had an assembly to welcome the first years to the school. When I entered the gym the vice principal told the teachers to stand at the wall in the back. So when the students saw me walking through the crowd to the back of the room, all eyes were fixed on me and the kids were gasping. I didn't know what was up; the kids are well off enough that they probably go to private English institutes. They probably see foreigners often. But having one as your teacher, being able to talk directly to one in your own school, and having him be a young guy in a girls school? The attention was pretty intense. And, of course, the teachers had to be introduced on stage by the principal himself....

The teachers were split into groups, so when my group was called up to the stage I had a chance to look at all of the students at once. When I looked, all eyes were on me. Then I saw that, in a special place on the second floor, the parents of the first year students were also there! I tried hard not to show my nervousness. When the principal called out my name, I stepped forward and bowed to the kids and their parents. The place erupted with clapping, cheering, and the loudest, high pitched girlish squeal I have ever heard. (after talking to the rest of my friends, similar things happened to every one of them) At that point I felt like a rock star. The attention hasn't waned yet though, and its a real ego trip to be here.

Walking through the halls can be dangerous. I have to watch when I go to the bathroom or to the administration office. If I enter the hallways during the students' time, the 10 minutes between each period, I get swarmed by girls with questions, giggles, and creepy stares. The first years will wave and say "Hi!" then usually run away. The second years will say "Hello..." and wait for you to respond, then run away. The third years are usually very embarrassed, probably because they are very socially aware at that age, but one brave one actually said "Hello. How are you?" to me on the stairs. Many times, when I walk away, I will hear "Handsome!!" yelled from down the hall (again, rock star status)....

One last thing, which is probably the cutest and most telling thing about how scared these kids are of speaking English to a foreigner. In groups they will come up to you and be brave, but if singled out they will enter panic mode. One group of second years knocked on and opened the door to the teachers office, only to find that most of the teachers were in class and I was one of the only ones there. One of them thought that they were all going in, but when she looked back she saw her friends were staying put. When I looked at her face she gasped loudly and turned her whole body around to face the corner. She looked like she was thinking of the quickest, least embarrassing way to get out of the situation. How funny is that! I wonder how it will be when I am in the front of the classroom, trying to get the kids to speak English.

My co-teachers are all really friendly and hospitable. The two that I will be working with the most speak excellent English and are very open to helping me with my lesson plans. One of them has been teaching for two years so far, and this is her first year at Songjeong Middle School. The other is a contract teacher, which means she isn't licensed but her job is less stable. The rest of my teachers are a little older, but just as easy to work with. It is a real blast going in every day and talking to all of the staff and students. I hope it stays this good all year.

Well that's about all I have time to talk about right now. For the time being I have internet in my apartment, so I can talk a little more often. Monday I teach my first class so wish me luck!