Speed Knitting

So I was on the subway going towards Angok in Insa-dong to meet Chorong and her friend Gannah for Halloween when I saw a miracle. It was a bundle of yarn, that soon went from tissue-size, to napkin-size, to hot-mitt-size, to hand-towel-size, to scarf size, all in under a 30-40minute ride. This ajuma was going to town with her loop-style needles. Loop, loop, loop, swoosh....it was just fascinating watching her go. Every now and then she would pause to lick the blood off of her finger.

We decided to meet at Holly's Coffee, just outside exit 1 of Jongno3ga station and walk to our destination. Chorong had picked out this perfect little cafe called Four Seasons that was all decorated in Halloween paraphernalia. Each of us even picked out a mask or hat to wear while a spider would rest by our dinner. Smoothie and salad for me. It was more of a late night snack. But, those fresh tomatoes couldn't have tasted more delicious. Obviously they don't really do fresh around here unless you buy it yourself, which normally, I don't. Shame Halloween was on a Sunday. I heard there were awesome parties in Hongdae that night. Lame 'ole me had to get back on the subway by 10:30pm to catch the last train to Oido.

So I think I passed on my Emart guy to someone else. I didn't really have a chance to give him a chance before someone else wanted him. But I could always offer another night.. I had dinner with Justin (works at English Village in Daebu-do) and Aaron (third cousin) at Emart prior to our encouter with Emart guy. I had bibimbahp (as always), Aaron had gal-guk-soo (warm noodle soup), and lame-o Justin arrived an hour and half earlier and ate without everyone.... Well, I passed the torch, and Emart guy is no longer mine. Hmmm...we met once. Justin didn't even like the book we bought together. He said it was too difficult. Speaking is low, spelling is non existent, but reading and understanding are fair. I can spell Korean words better than he can spell English ones...but I also think that spelling Korean words are easier because the letters only have one sound.

Pretty sure I'm going to this burger place tonight. Just gonna check out the others that will be there. Don't get excited. With all the weight gain from rice, rice cakes, rice noodles, rice pasta, rice other things, bread, and other starchy foods, along with the absence of exercise, really kills the whole eating whatever you want vive. I just had a giant rice cake with crushed red bean on it. Apparently this teacher's mom's house (she lives in the country) burnt down during the hurricane this summer and the school gave him 600,000W to help. So, to say thanks, we all got rice cakes. I didn't help him...so that's sad that I get a rice cake. I feel pretty lame about that. I mean, how can I say no when they give me rice cakes? Especially for that reason! Rice cakes are a way of celebrating here...babies, new apartments, marriage, new years, thanksgiving, most likely christmas....anything really. That, and chopchae. Chopchae are sweet potato noodles (kinda like jelly..super chewy) that have been pan fried in seasame oil and soy sauce with vegetables (usually mushroom, carrot, and seaweed).

Chorong invited me to one of her relative's weddings this Saturday. I haven't been to a Korean wedding before. Well, I went to one when I first came, but they also were people I didn't know and it was mainly westernized. I will meet her at Sinchon station at 1pm. The wedding should last until 4 or 5pm. Then, we will head to Itaewon for some Salsa classes. Actually, its all Bichata, but I have no idea what that is, and my computer didn't let me google it last night. For 25,000W, it will be interesting and entertaining for sure. I think most of the gang, whoever that will be, will go out dancing after class (10pm or so). Great night for a Saturday, since Sundays I have to be on the train by 10:30pm so I can get home. I might ask my visa buddy Amanda if I can crash at her place. She lives and works in Itaewon. Or, I might be lame and tired and go home. Who knows...I'll keep ya posted.

Sounds Koreans have difficulty making because they aren't found it the Korean language: F, Ph, V, I (as in igloo), R, and th. "North" sounds like "nurse," "very" sounds like "berry," "Phone" sounds like "pone," "sick" sounds like "seek," "race" sounds like "lace," and "coffee" sounds like "copy." It's as if they have their own English language...oh wait, that's what we call Konglish. That's certainly a challenge for any ESL teacher of any language....finding, learning, and listening for, the accent. Ahh..phonemic awareness... super important for this reason, but also super boring to teach.

I just catch things as they come. "Don't say Englishie," "It's not habu, it's have," and so forth. Today we worked extensively on the "st" verses "th" sound. They look at the word "fourth" and wanna say "fourst" which then sounds like "first."

Before I move on, I would just like to say there is this cute little chubby boy in one of my classes. He is the teacher's pet for sure. Always telling others to be quiet, always answering questions, always trying to speak in full sentences, and always trying to speak English even when he is not sure. That class is pretty bad too, so it's as if he is my only student. I figure, as long as he is participating, I don't care all that much about the others. They can chime if they want. He is just so adorable!! Everyday after class he comes up to me and says "bye-bye teacher." Too bad I can't take him home with me....such a polite little boy.

I think over the course of my time teaching with Min Chan, he has learned that I get really irritated and angry when I can't control the students. There have been a couple of times where I've had to sit out for a class and let him teach because I couldn't take it anymore. It's as if you let every animal at the zoo loose for a play day...except there's 35 six-graders instead. Seunghui would always ask me how class was, and I would never lie or sugar coat the truth. Min Chan is a very nice man who is always concerned about me and how I am doing, but because of the lack of communication due to the obvious language barrier, working with him has been quite frustrating at times. Seunghui would always ask me about that as well, and again, I didn't lie or sugar coat. I don't know how much Seunghui and Min Chan talk, but class is getting more manageable these days. I wouldn't say easier; I wouldn't say better. But definitely more manageable. Min Chan will speak more firmly to those who need it, and discipline those who step out of line. He is beginning to reinforce my rules. I think I'm even getting less irritated by his constant chiming in with Korean that isn't needed. Just needed to let that go. I can't be the best of the best and the greatest world-changing, innovative person out there..... I don't wanna eat my words, but that is how things have been going anyway.

My morning letter, well, Min Chan loves it. A couple weeks ago I began leaving out words, and putting blanks there instead for the kids to fill in. Now, I am adding misspelled words into the mix. They love the challenge and Min Chan thinks the idea is marvelous.

I am preparing for our Nov. 18th open class. Open classes usually happen in the afternoon so that other teachers can come watch. This open class is just with one of the six grade classes, and will be taught out of lesson fourteen period two. Greeting, letter, rules, topic, key phrase, listen and recall scenario, number scenario sentences recalled in order and read, read and answer questions concerning a short paragraph, fill in the blank, and "go fish" game...BAM! Done!

My lessons for afterschool (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) have been quite short. Greeting, vocabulary, key phrase, practice using key phrase & vocab, short story, and "pass the ball" game. So, to fill in gaps, I have been teaching them songs or nursery rhymes. They have been taught "five little monkeys" from the get-go. But now I am teaching them "teddy bear, teddy bear," "baa baa black sheep," and "wheels on the bus." They love it when they have motions or movements to do along with the song.

As always, love to all. To be continued....