Cranes, trains, busses and pains, OH MY!

I am hoping that I can start this post with a Video of the Lion Dance but we will see how it goes :-P

Wednesday 1 September:

Down the road from my place

My Building - called Narabil

I finally have met all my co-teachers though I am yet to visit all the schools, which will happen from tomorrow. Sunday was an exploration day for Ashli and I. We went to find the train station and the bus terminal (TIP: GET TO KNOW YOUR SCHEDULES AND KNOW HOW TO READ THE WRITTEN LANGUAGE-It will make your life that much easier when/if you go to a foreign country.) Sunday night, after a mammoth internet session at the local coffee shop that I have been going to since I got here, Colleen, Sandy, Ashli and I went and had supper at a traditional dumpling restaurant. Sandy generously paid for supper so I owe her one. We got 2 sets of dumplings: One (for the jews reading this) was like “Parogan” (like a pie) filled with kimchi and a rice mix, the other was the same fillings but in a much softer, chewier pastry.

Monday bright and early (6am) i got up to have a slow start to my day before (thankfully) meeting my main Co-teacher (Mrs Won) at the bus stop to go to school. The bus fares range from KW 1200 – KW 1600 depending which school I am going to, though as I will mention I have arranged a lift scheme for my 2nd School (Yeogang Middle School, where I teach a total of 8 hours in the week on Monday and Tuesday).

Me with my 1st Bus ticket -
ALL BY MYSELF!!!
 (Note: Snazzy tie, right, right?)

I digress...

The bus ride to Gogeoung Middle School (My Main school where I teach on Wednesdays and Fridays) took about 25 min and I was escorted straight into the principle’s office. By this point I was helluva nervous! His office was HUGE, bigger than my flat, with like 5 double seater leather couches in it! It was so funny and a bit endearing, he did his research on SA and all he talked to me about was Madiba and racial and gender discrimination. I have had SO MANY cross communication talks about the economy, religion, and philosophy it is scary and as you can imagine there is a lot that ACTUALLY gets lost in translation, LOL! So I met the Principle of school 1 and then went to meet my 2nd grade students (I think). 7 in the class, but they were all very shy and I had not quite worked out how I was going to intro myself. However, I started to do it in Korean and as I found out, all the kids loved the idea, some mocked me for my slow pronunciation, but it’s cool. If it relaxes them, that relaxes me. I only got to meet one of the 3 grades at Gogeoung,so I will meet the rest on Friday.

ALL MY Schools Surounds look like this from 360 degrees!

Following staff intro’s (of whom, I remember none!) I was taken to the English room and found two new individuals sitting there. We were brought coffee and grapes (Koreans have coffee and grapes (story about that later) as a dessert and snack, like we have chocolate and chips, thus the coffee is super sweet) and I was intro’d to the 2 others who I found out were my other 2 co-teachers: Mr Shin from Yeogang Middle school and another lady, whose name I missed from Imgo Middle school (Where I teach once a week on Thursday). It was so weird when you know 5 people in the room are talking about you and only you, but you have no idea what they are saying. I was then escorted by Mr Shin to his car where we then drove to his school via Yeoncheon, so that he could show me the direction I need to take the bus the next day. I met all the staff and all the kids. The 3rd graders were of the lowest standard overall while the 2nd were the best. All the staff and I were very shy on day one, but we warmed up on day 2.

My work space at Yeogan

Yeogang has staff as follows: Mr Lee (VP), Mr Lee (Science and my tennis coach), Mr Park (27, PE), Mrs Yoon (Technology and Home Ecc), Mr Shin (English), Mrs Kang (Korean), Miss Lee (Maths), Mr Woo (Moral Philosophy), Miss Kim (Office Assistant) and finally The STUNNING Miss Kim (24, Social Studies. She along with Mr. Park stay in Yoenchoen, so on Mondays I get a ride home with her (nice!) and on Tuesdays with Mr Park. On Tuesday she asked me to call her “Jade” as that is what her name in Korean means in English and that is what the last English speaker called her.).

Mr Lee having a whack!

On Monday and Tuesday, I was dropped straight in with a conversation class each for the advanced students in the 3rd and 2nd grades after my day was finished. I had no idea what to do as I was given no warning, so I played music from Korean pop groups (ShinEE, BoA, Big Bang, and a couple others) and Danny K and Jesse Clegg for some SA representation, and got them talking. I also talked to them about the World Cup and Sipiwe Tshabalala, hehe. They are a hyper bunch and keep reverting back to Korean, so I keep having to stop them! I also found out about “THE ANNOYING ORANGE” on YouTube. It’s really stupid but take a look, and make up your own mind! The kids need to be put in their place in a manner of speaking as they just ignore the teacher and he ignores those who are not listening. I don’t want that for when I teach so will try use a system to make sure I can actually teach.

Some of my goodies :)

My work space at ImGo - yes that is facebook!

I had to get to my 2nd school by bus on Tuesday morning and walked 40min in my smart clothes to the bus terminal, arriving in a sweaty heap expecting to find one of my co-teachers there to help me but it was just me... Mrs Won was supposed to be there but never pitched. So I wipped out my phrase book, and opened it to “Can I get a ticket too ______” in this case Impo Terminal and handed my book to the cashier as I pointed to the phrase. She printed my ticket and wrote the bus number and departurte time in English on the back and I hopped on hoping that I was not going to Deagu/Seoul! Luckily after about 20min I heard Impo , got off and saw Mr Shin waiting for me. I said I would rather not have that walk to the terminal in the mornings so I have arranged with Mr Park that he will pick me up outside Dunkin Doughnuts at 8am from now on Mondays and Tuesdays. I was very pleased to learn (For now at least) that despite the warning the corporal punishment is still popular in Korea, I have not seen a teacher raise a hand yet, as I really don’t know how I world feel or how I would handle that situation. The classrooms in the school are quite nice but really hot. I am making some SA Pics and flags to put up in the English class’ sof all my schools. The staff room is air con’d which is awesome and I have my own desk across from Mr Shin. Grapes are very popular but I have learnt, FRIUT HERE IS EXPENSIVE! I do have some Kiwi, banana and apples in my fridge. Korean grown grapes are different – the skins are much harder and you know how seeded grapes in SA are quite big, these aren’t and have at least 3 seeds in. Korean’s split the grape, sick out the sweet part to eat and throw the rest away. They all thought I was a little strange eating the whole thing ;)

On Monday night I got a ride home from Jade and it was... scary. We would be trying to communicate and she would suddenly take her hands off the steering wheel and put her arms in “The thinker” pose when she was trying to think of the English word to speak to me, and we would drift to the side, then she remembers it and grabs the steering to correct her line on the road! I never looked at the road at all on that drive as I didn’t want to see how close I came to a car crash :-P

One of the stalls at the Market held on any day that ends in a 2/7 in the month.

I found out about and am now part of male bonding on Tuesdays. All the male teachers (excluding Mr Woo BUT including the Principle and Groundsman: Mr. Hong) play Tennis. I will never pre-judge people based on their western assumed culture again! I knew I was not good but they really were awesome to watch. I played 3 doubles sets. The 1st with Mr. Lee (Science) and lost 6-3, the 2nd with the principle and lost 6-1 (Fail!) and the 3rd with the VP and lost 7-5. We played on a clay court and I got progressively better as we went. I tried to go buy a racquet but found out the cheapest costs $100. I didn’t have enough cash so will do it another time.

Those are LIVE eels! Just at one of the market stalls...

After having a shower I went and had supper with Mr. Park and the 2 Mr. Lee’s and found out that that is going to be the ritual on Tuesday after Tennis :) Our main course was basically Little Octopi (like proper with tentacles and suckers!!!) with carrots and other things in the sauce. They told me: “In Korea, we like drink LOTS!”

Then they asked – “Octopus spicy. You ok?” I said: “Yeah sure, I like spicy!” Little did I know...

DAD: What you call “fiery”, HAS NOTHING ON THIS! I like my spicy food but I was close to crying! :-P Thankfully I was not the only one wiping my brow, blowing my nose and drinking water or beer with every mouthful! I guess that is why the Korean culture likes drinking – NUMB EVERYTHING SO THAT YOU CAN EAT!

We also had 2 helpings each of entrée’s of Rice, Aubergine, Sweet Potato, Mini Eggs, green salad, another salad thing and Kimchi. Again we discussed religion, politics, Apartheid and philosophy-so trippy! I found out that on Friday I am coming to a staff gathering that happens at the end of every week and it sounds like they are all going to get thundered! If you have seen “Shanghai Noon” or “Nights” and remember how Jackie Chan is when he is drunk in the movie... I reckon that is how the VP is going to be! The science teacher will just smile A LOT more even though he is smiling constantly. And Mr. Park, well he is the wild card! One thing I do know is that I will come back from Korea willing to drink a lot more beer! Mr Park has declared that I am his “Hyoung Nim” because he is older than me, in Korean Culture he is like my big brother and If I have any problems I must give him a call (when I have a cell – story to follow...

I love the staff at my second school and am glad I spend 50% of my time there.

Who has ever seen a Butcher where
the logo has a smiling cow? Anyone...?

Another more disturbing food fact, THEY DON’T DO CHEESE!!! I have ONLY found pre-sliced, processed cheese and it is expensive so I think I will be without toasted cheese for a year :( :( Some American franchises are popular: Baskin Robbins (I found out from Ashli is an amazing Ice Cream place), Dunkin Doughnuts, Paris Baguette, Burger King, Star Bucks, Cos-co... and apparently (according to an American crowed I met yesterday at E-Mart and Cos-co (Like Makro) there are a lot of American Products, though they tend to be more expensive.

ImGo Middle school (Both Pics in this section)

1st truely Western Meal since I got there :Chicken Burger and chips (or fries for the Americans)

Today I went to apply for my ARC (Alien Registration Card) in Deagu. I met my head co-teacher at the bus stop at 8am and we took the 1hr 25 min bus trip into Deagu, where we then walked for about 40min before we found the Immigration Office(IO) (Home Affairs). It was really hot and humid, so every 10 min my Mrs Won couldn’t handle it so we went into department stores to sit in Air con’d rooms for a little brake. I was fine to go and just do what we needed to do but I get that she is older than me and found it a little tough. During our walk (NOW PAY ATTENTION-I will say REFER BACK later) I asked and got confirmation that we would sort out my internet and another Bank account with KEB bank (At the moment I am with NH Bank – the account set up for us during Orientation but I was told KEB have good exchange prices). We finally arrive at the IO after Mrs Won got lost 3 times (IN HER HOME CITY!!!) and she was clueless on what to do. Someone came to help us but she was determined to jump the queue to the Immigration desk, so ignored the helper. When she saw the helper eventually we started to fill in my form that I needed to use. I needed 2 things from that form: 1. Alien Registration, 2. Changing my Visa from single to Multiple entry. SHE KNEW THIS. I will get back to that...

Note: Chips (Fries) are called "Potato Stick" in Korea which I think is awesome!

PUPPIES!!! SO CUUUUUUTE!

Pretty right? It was outside the train station
and it is just plastic covered in lights

Reminders of home! Pics of my family are next to my bed

Sandy (Left) Colleen (Right)

She looks at the form and has no idea how to fill it in – EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PLAIN AS DAY IN ENGLISH AND KOREAN!, so I just ignore her and start to fill it in. I needed her help to tell me my address, the schools address, and the schools phone number, but she couldn’t remember any of it. Eventually after looking for stuff in her bag she could help me. Then it is time to pay... PAY? She didn’t tell me to bring any money!?? Luckily I had some cash on me. I pay and get the required 2 tax stamps, though realise that I need 6 stamps (According to info from another Native English speaker). I question her about what I was paying for and what she was doing for me, but her English is not so good and she has no idea what I was asking. We hand in my form and ask again, “Have we done the 2 things I needed done with me Visa or not?, What are we doing here?” By this point I am frustrated and sounding like it in my voice. Luckily the immigration officer speaks some English so I speak to her and she said my ARC is sorted and paid for but I had not paid for my Multiple entry yet and she didn’t know I needed to change my Visa status, so she will do that for me and I had her my passport. (I will get it back with my ARC in 2.5 weeks – but I am still very nervous that I do not have any form of Identification on me for now) So Mrs Won had not done anything I had requested. You could almost see the smoke coming out my ears. I get told I need KW 50 000 for a multiple entry change on my visa. I don’t have enough money. And she would not lend me any. So now I am going to have to go back to Deagu when I have my passport back to change that (WITHOUT MRS WON!). If not I can try upgrade my Visa at the airport but that is risky. Before we leave: “Sit, we rest”. REST!!!! She has done nothing for me for the last 40min, what does she need rest for? So we rest. Then we leave and I ask about internet and bank accounts (REFER BACK) and suddenly she changes her tune and says, “I can’t get Internet or open my new account until I get my ARC in 2.5 weeks. I give up and say ok. THIS MEANS: I am going to use other people’s internet (as I said at the start) for 2.5 weeks before I can sit in my own flat with net and a phone.

Ashli and I

Next chapter: We are now going home and we sit at the bus stop and she says: “You go bus and change bus in (Town the name of which I can’t remember) and go back Yeongchoen. I stay in Deagu”. I snap. I don’t know if that got across in translation but I did. I stopped her and said “NO. STOP. You are putting me on a bus – that’s fine, BUT you want me to change busses in a town I have never been too before with a language I can’t read yet. No. That is not good!” After about 10min of trying to find out what her plan was for me, she said,” No-ok, I go (Unknown town) I show you Yeonchoen Bus. Then I go back Deagu bus.”AND THIS IS THE LADY WHO IS HANDLING ALL MY IMPORTANT AFFAIRS!!! Needless to say I was so glad to be away from her for the rest of my day once I had changed busses. For the rest of my day I bought some stationary and looked for a tennis racquet (The cheapest one I could find was $100 – so will keep looking).

That evening Ashli, Sandy, Colleen and I went and had a fried chicken supper at BBQ Chicken(See Pics of us 4 at supper above) and then went to meet up with the other foreigners in the area, as every Wednesday they get together for Drinks. We met a cool little drinking hole and found out that there were 2 other South African’s in the Area: Dirk and Lindsey both from Cape Town. I also met Darius (A large man from the states who is writing a cook book), Lori (from England), Rob (Former Bar tender from US), Nic, Michel (I think – from the States) and a couple of other people. Interesting bunch – being around them made me feel like I was back at O-week in 1st year Varsity. AND the way they talk about partying and drinking sounds like I never left Rhodes! There is apparently some huge party in Deagu on Sat night for foreigners and they suggested we (the new crowd) go. I am still deciding.

Thursday 2 September:

Me at the Train Station! That whole thing was covered by flowing water, wicked cool...

I can like to flower! HA HA HA!

This was a day of another bus adventure. I knew I had to catch a bus from the terminal again so I gave myself time to get there and left extra early. Though as I set foot outside IT STARTS TO POUR WITH RAIN!. I have an umbrella, which kept my shirt dry and most of my backpack and laptop but My pants got SOAKED through. No co-teacher in sight to help me (AGAIN) despite being told someone will be there to help me. Then I have to get a ticket again – An elderly man comes to help me and gets me a ticket after I told him I needed to go to ImGo . Again hope I get on the right bus. When I get on and elderly lady seemed interested in my trials and starts nattering away in Korean and gestures me to sit next to her. She was helping me so why not! Then she asked me (after me staring confused a coupe times) what religion am I, she is Christian and that was about all I understood of everything she said to me. At this point I stand up to put on my smart shirt and green tie over my T-shirt (I had kept them in my bag as I knew I would get wet walking to the bus terminal though I thought it would be from sweat) and start rolling up my sleeves and she takes my arm and rolls up my sleeves for me! She was so sweet. A child dressed in a grey uniform got on the bus and she pointed to him and I assumed that she was telling me to follow him as he was from my school. So I sat next to him and got across that I was English Song-san-nim (Teacher) for ImGo Middle school. Turns out he was one of my students, so when he got off the bus I followed him.

Small park in the middle of the City.

I got into the teachers office and found out that I was supposed to meet Mrs Yoon (my co-teacher for the school) at the Yeongchoen Terminal where she would give me a ride in. SOOOO, she was waiting at the terminal for me while I was actually at the school. I WAS NOT TOLD THIS BY MRS WON!!! I felt so so bad, but she was really cool about it and I think we are going to have an awesome working relationship. She speaks very good English, which helps.

The school itself is cool, tough again small. Grade 1 has 7 boys in the class, Grade 2, 21 girls and boys mixed and Grade 3, 21 mixed. I sent some emails and watched her teach today. She is really good I think but the students were so unmotivated. 3 of the 3rd grade class slept straight through. After asking her about that she said she can’t keep them interested if they don’t want to be, so she has stopped fighting that battle. If it gets bad, she will try and council the students in question. I was so impressed with the discipline in her classes. WAY BETTER THAN YEOGAN! We had such a nice chat at lunch and have worked out how we will work together and will work out the kinks later. My first lessons will be about me and SA. I got the school calendar and, I have so many days off! This is mainly because of holidays and exams. When those days happen I have permission from the principle to not have to come in. I got to go home at 4 as my last class is still undecided. AND THAT is how half of this post came to be. Off to my main school tomorrow – busses again, though this time I know I will be doing it by myself. Then Saturday it is off to Deagu to explore!

ASSA!! (Korean Phrase for: Awesome)

Stay tuned ladies and gents for the next instalment of Geoff’s Asian Adventure!