Work Work Work

Whew. I feel like I haven't taken a breath since last Wednesday. I also feel like I start almost every post here with a sentence about how the time is flying, but I honestly mean it. I've been so, so busy, at work and outside of it, that I just blinked and a whole week went by.

Work has been an emotional roller coaster lately. I think I've mentioned this before, but I have a lot of lesson-planning to do every week. I can never get it all done at school, so I'm often working at home nights and weekends. It's been getting pretty stressful; I'm always tired after eight or ten hours at school, and I have the pressure of constant deadlines too - I have to have 5-9 new lessons every single week, and I can never get ahead. So there have been some really late nights when I've been racking my brain for hours, trying to think of activities and games that are purposeful and match the textbook's target vocabulary, as well as new and interesting enough to make 20-35 middle schoolers forget how cool they're trying to be and actually listen to me. Anyway, there have been some of those nights lately when I really hate this job, and get really homesick, and consider starting a prison-style tally system on the wall by my bed to count down the days until my contract is over.

However, as I said it is a roller coaster so there are parts of my job that I do really enjoy. I've gotten some nice compliments from some of my co-teachers about some of my recent lesson plans and classroom activities, and that they and the principal noticed that I'm working really hard and putting a lot of effort into my classes. It's really uplifting to hear something like that, especially when you're struggling.

My students often make my day too. They definitely don't always like to listen or behave in class, but outside of it they are really friendly and interested in me, because I'm new and different. I'm even enjoying my harder classes more now. I don't usually look forward to the C-level (lowest level) classes, because neither their behavior nor their English comprehension are great; but I'm getting more comfortable and confident with teaching now, so even they have been a little better lately. Jeil Middle School has also started an English Club during the lunch hour every day - my co-teacher Bosun is in charge of it and I sometimes go and hang around too. At first I was afraid it would mean more work and lesson planning, but I basically play cards and gossip with the girls, and we listen to English music or watch Sponge Bob Square Pants on the big screen. The students are super funny and I learn a lot from being around them, and they are forced to practice their English with me, so it's a win-win situation.

So anyway, that's how work has been lately. As I said, I've been staying busy outside of work as well. My co-teacher Sook-hee is in charge of a club at school where the students meet after classes or on weekends to do different activities, like hike or see movies. I had mentioned to the principal earlier that I like going to musicals and concerts and the opera, and last week this club went to see the musical Jekyll and Hyde so I was invited along! The performance was in English (with Korean subtitles), by an American company, at a nice new theater at Keimyung University. Bosun went too. We had a nice meal brought in to the school around 6pm, and we all ate together and then left for the theater. It was such a cool, fun thing to do with my coworkers and students, and the school paid for it!

I have other things to talk about (I'm a little behind on my blogging) but this is long enough for now! I'll try to get caught up here and put up more pictures in a few days, so come back soon!