Wow, so I just went to eat lunch with 2 of my other English teachers, both Korean. We arrived before the kids did and the teachers seemed happy along with some of the other non-English teachers that I would eat lunch at the school cafeteria. Im getting the impression the teacher before me did not have a good camaraderie with the other teachers. Apparently he moved his desk to the English speaking room, which is now my classroom, and didnt eat with them.
Anyway the reason im writing this is because as we were eating more and more students began to pile in, its a big lunch area and the school is about 1600. The noise that began as i got up and walked out of the cafeteria was ridiculous. Not trying to brag but you would have thought that a rock star had just shown up. Kids were goin insane and yellin and waving. It was hard not to have a smile on my face.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Godzilla has arrived
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Arrival
Yo yo yo
So yesterday I left orientation and got on a bus to go to a hotel in Incheon, where I am now living. Took a little over an hour to get there and then i met my main co teacher. A co teacher will be the Korean teacher who teaches the glass grammar, reading and writing. I am considered the English conversation teacher. My main job will be speaking with the students when they come to my class.
Anyway, I met my main co teacher, her Western name is Lucy and she was amazed by how tall i am. From there she had another one of my co teachers, Diana, come to pick us up and went directly to the school to meet my vice principal because the principal was gone. They then showed me my office which I will share with other English teachers, however none of them will be my co teachers. I will have 7 co teachers, 3-4 is average but someone at orientation had 22, yikes.
We then left and they took me to my apartment. It is about a 15 min car ride and a 20-25 min bus ride. I will mainly take the bus each day. We arrived at my apartment and Lucy and Diana helped me settle in a bit. We then went back downstairs and Lucy showed me my area a little bit, bus stop, department store, food places, etc.
We then went out to eat at an Italian place just across the street from my Apartment. They were very curious to know if it tasted like actual Italian food. I got something that looked like pasta with meat sauce and it tasted very good and like back home.
I then left with Lucy to go to the department store, Lotte Mart. Its about 2 blocks from my house and i bought some stuff like toilet paper, drinking water, they dont drink from the faucet, and some other stuff.
We headed back and I left Lucy to go to my apartment. Its on the 12th/top floor, penthouse what!!! Its bigger than what i was expecting, not exactly sure how to describe it. Hopefully I can put up some pics soon to show. Started unpacking but it was already 9 and i had to go to school, the next day/today/Friday.
I am currently at school. I will start teaching in 2 weeks. Today and next week I can just observe other teachers teach and begin to decide what I will do for my first week of class. Each week I will have to come up with 2 different lesson plans. One for each level I will teach. Hope to go out tonite and meet some new peeps.
One love
B-Rad
So yesterday I left orientation and got on a bus to go to a hotel in Incheon, where I am now living. Took a little over an hour to get there and then i met my main co teacher. A co teacher will be the Korean teacher who teaches the glass grammar, reading and writing. I am considered the English conversation teacher. My main job will be speaking with the students when they come to my class.
Anyway, I met my main co teacher, her Western name is Lucy and she was amazed by how tall i am. From there she had another one of my co teachers, Diana, come to pick us up and went directly to the school to meet my vice principal because the principal was gone. They then showed me my office which I will share with other English teachers, however none of them will be my co teachers. I will have 7 co teachers, 3-4 is average but someone at orientation had 22, yikes.
We then left and they took me to my apartment. It is about a 15 min car ride and a 20-25 min bus ride. I will mainly take the bus each day. We arrived at my apartment and Lucy and Diana helped me settle in a bit. We then went back downstairs and Lucy showed me my area a little bit, bus stop, department store, food places, etc.
We then went out to eat at an Italian place just across the street from my Apartment. They were very curious to know if it tasted like actual Italian food. I got something that looked like pasta with meat sauce and it tasted very good and like back home.
I then left with Lucy to go to the department store, Lotte Mart. Its about 2 blocks from my house and i bought some stuff like toilet paper, drinking water, they dont drink from the faucet, and some other stuff.
We headed back and I left Lucy to go to my apartment. Its on the 12th/top floor, penthouse what!!! Its bigger than what i was expecting, not exactly sure how to describe it. Hopefully I can put up some pics soon to show. Started unpacking but it was already 9 and i had to go to school, the next day/today/Friday.
I am currently at school. I will start teaching in 2 weeks. Today and next week I can just observe other teachers teach and begin to decide what I will do for my first week of class. Each week I will have to come up with 2 different lesson plans. One for each level I will teach. Hope to go out tonite and meet some new peeps.
One love
B-Rad
Orientation
Hello all,
I just got done with a 4 or 5 day orientation about working and becoming a better teacher. It was kinda troublesome getting to the orientation area because the directions were a little vague. I had to ride a bus into Seoul and from there I got off at the stop they told me to and was completely confused on where I had to go from there. I waved down a cab and he knew where i needed to go so i eventually reached my destination. During the next few days I made some pretty good friends with some other guys, 2 in fact who live in Incheon with me.
Throughout the course of each day we had 2 morning classes, a lunch break, and then another 2 classes in the evening. These classes covered a wide range of topics from lesson planning to class activities to working with your co-teacher. In the evening we would have classes learning the Korean alphabet and helpful Korean phrases, most of which i have forgotten.
Orientation went by really fast but at the same time it seemed like it felt as though i had been there for a long time. Each night my friends and I would go out and explore a little bit of the city around us. We never really made it that far but went to about 5 or 6 different bars. Here when you go out to a bar they expect you to buy food as well. They do not expect each person to buy food but instead they expect groups of around 4 or so people to buy like an appetizer. Sometimes you can haggle your way out of it but not always. Also one night after the bars we went to a karaoke place. Its a lot different here then back home. We could bring in hard liquor, i think, but not beer. We had a group of around 15 people and we went to a room and paid for that room for an hour. We had a curfew every night at midnite so we couldnt stay out too late. They do have some stuff called soju out here. Its absurdly cheap and vodkalike but you can pour it in your beer and its really good.
Overall orientation was amazing and im sad that its over and im now away from some of my buddies, but now i will be able to go and travel around different areas in Korea and actually know people.
Until next time
I just got done with a 4 or 5 day orientation about working and becoming a better teacher. It was kinda troublesome getting to the orientation area because the directions were a little vague. I had to ride a bus into Seoul and from there I got off at the stop they told me to and was completely confused on where I had to go from there. I waved down a cab and he knew where i needed to go so i eventually reached my destination. During the next few days I made some pretty good friends with some other guys, 2 in fact who live in Incheon with me.
Throughout the course of each day we had 2 morning classes, a lunch break, and then another 2 classes in the evening. These classes covered a wide range of topics from lesson planning to class activities to working with your co-teacher. In the evening we would have classes learning the Korean alphabet and helpful Korean phrases, most of which i have forgotten.
Orientation went by really fast but at the same time it seemed like it felt as though i had been there for a long time. Each night my friends and I would go out and explore a little bit of the city around us. We never really made it that far but went to about 5 or 6 different bars. Here when you go out to a bar they expect you to buy food as well. They do not expect each person to buy food but instead they expect groups of around 4 or so people to buy like an appetizer. Sometimes you can haggle your way out of it but not always. Also one night after the bars we went to a karaoke place. Its a lot different here then back home. We could bring in hard liquor, i think, but not beer. We had a group of around 15 people and we went to a room and paid for that room for an hour. We had a curfew every night at midnite so we couldnt stay out too late. They do have some stuff called soju out here. Its absurdly cheap and vodkalike but you can pour it in your beer and its really good.
Overall orientation was amazing and im sad that its over and im now away from some of my buddies, but now i will be able to go and travel around different areas in Korea and actually know people.
Until next time
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Flight and stuff
Hey everybody,
Currently holed up in some hotel in Incheon waiting til saturday to go to my orientation in Seoul. Flight was as terrible as it would sound. We flew over the Artic which was kinda weird i guess, and that was also the 6 or so hours i slept. They fed us twice, once right away and then the second time with about 4 hrs left in the flight. Had a choice between American or Korean food and of course i choose American. Had a HUGE exit row area, i could have laid down if they let me, which was super awesome. At the airport there were some very helpful people that directed me to where i needed to go, lets hope it stays that way. The information people at the airport called the shuttle for my hotel to come pick me up. That is where i currently am. Although it was dark when I arrived you could tell this was a pretty urban area. The hotels entrance is super tiny and the hotel isnt much better. Already hit my head on the door frames twice, gonna have to get used to ducking i guess. Anyway its about 7:30AM here, 5:30PM back home. Gonna try and force myself to take a nap now and wake up later so i can get used to the time difference as soon as possible.
much love
Brady
Currently holed up in some hotel in Incheon waiting til saturday to go to my orientation in Seoul. Flight was as terrible as it would sound. We flew over the Artic which was kinda weird i guess, and that was also the 6 or so hours i slept. They fed us twice, once right away and then the second time with about 4 hrs left in the flight. Had a choice between American or Korean food and of course i choose American. Had a HUGE exit row area, i could have laid down if they let me, which was super awesome. At the airport there were some very helpful people that directed me to where i needed to go, lets hope it stays that way. The information people at the airport called the shuttle for my hotel to come pick me up. That is where i currently am. Although it was dark when I arrived you could tell this was a pretty urban area. The hotels entrance is super tiny and the hotel isnt much better. Already hit my head on the door frames twice, gonna have to get used to ducking i guess. Anyway its about 7:30AM here, 5:30PM back home. Gonna try and force myself to take a nap now and wake up later so i can get used to the time difference as soon as possible.
much love
Brady
Thursday, October 7, 2010
13 Days and counting
So for those who care ill be leaving to teach english in South Korea for a year on October 20th. I know very little details as to what exactly will be goin down, where ill be livin, or who i will know. Should be exciting and i hope to keep everyone updated here.
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