Tuna Wraps!

So I always find random reasons to blog, but each reason is so short, I never end of blogging about anything. Like the first week of school, one of kids pooped his pants 'cause Seunghui wouldn't let him go to the restroom. Yes; a six-grader. Last night I saw a family buy pizza, sit down to eat it, and proceed to put on plastic gloves before touching it. Well, the husband didn't. He scarfed (and I mean scarfed!) down like five pieces or more. Yes, I do stare, but in a less obvious kinda way. And you know what, I think it's totally ok because Koreans stare at foreigners all the time. There are these toys that the kids can ride in the food court that will randomly say English words like mailbox, refrigerator, and monkey while you are eating. I LOVE this crepe place at Homeplus!! Yeah, I'm sure since it doesn't have rice in it, on it, or that comes with it, Koreans just eat it as a snack, but many nights it's my dinner. They have all kinds of tuna in Korea. Regular, light, dark, in oil, in water (rare and more expensive when you find it), spicy, vegetable sauce, etc. I tried the dark tuna packed in oil the other day...after draining of course. It was so soft and delicious. No wonder their tuna wraps are so good! I've also learned to make most of my cream dressings from yogurt from being here because that is why Koreans do for salads (cabbage salad with a fruit/yogurt/mayonnaise/mustard dressing is a typical side dish at restaurants)...smooth and creamy!!

My kids are very good this year, with a couple of bad apples in the bunch. Korean students don't follow directions. They work, write, or play while the teacher is talking. So, I am teaching my students to follow my directions, and reprimanding them for not doing so. T: Please put your pencils down. S: Yes. T: Pencils where? S: Pencils down. It works like a charm now. Well, for the most part. T: What are my two directions (as I'm holding up two fingers)? S: Listen & Repeat. Like I said, for the most part this is working. Some students still answer "How are you?" with "It's sunny." Those poor students can unfortunately not be helped, so I must go on while Seunghui or another Korean teacher helps them.

Yesterday I had just gone through the whole giving directions speal (which takes a while for EFL kids). They were to listen to the CD-rom scenario only. After listening, they were to write and fill-in-the-blank on their lesson cards. So, when I said "Please take your pencil and fill in your lesson card," this boy apparently didn't hear me. So, when this boy saw his friend pick up his pencil, he said, "Pencils down!!" Seunghui and I starting laughing!! Well, at least he was trying his best to follow directions and make sure his friends did too. For the most part, I have to say I enjoy my kids this year. The are eager to learn and willing to participate. Crowd control is sometimes an issue, but the point is to get the other students to help me do just that, which often works. It's not just not having MinChan as a "co-teacher" this year, or having Seunghui (yah!) instead, but it's teaching classes on my own that gains me respect with the kids. Plus I give them presents, points, and stickers :) That, and I give my teachers homemade candies and store bought pastries often. Koreans like gifts, so I try to please~

Oh man!! I wanna give out my lab results for all the world to see! They are beautiful and I am so proud~ Liver, renal, fasting glucose, and cardiac tests all for around $20!! Nice!! So, here goes for those who know or care: AST 30, ALT 25, BUN 11.6, Creatinine 0.93, Cholesterol 163, HDL 60, LDL 83, trygliceride 67, TSH 1.65 (kinda forgot what this is. I think it's a hormone thing), and I'm slight anemic, but not enough to worry to much about (I don't care for the pork and other red meats here in Korea). Yah for me!! Dentist on Saturday and Orthopedic to check out my scoliosis next week or so. Getting all squared away before I go home. Might even make a visit to the lady doctor...eeekk! What we'll do for cheap healthcare^^

Seunghui and I just had an interesting conversation on the death penalty... It's good for her though I suppose. She evens mumbles in English, which is funny. Her printer was printing a lot of material and I heard her say "stop, stop, stop" to her printer..hehe! We are watching Desperate Housewives together this afternoon because she has become addicted to it, and I figure I can help her (no Korean subtitles on Megavideo!!).

This weekend I'm gonna be heading up to Gangnam early enough to find me a Subway restaurant (that is, unless I make some skype dates first). A good teeth cleaning at 2:30pm, and then hanging out with a friend from NC by the name of Ach Lee. Gangnam is apparently a happening place in Seoul to go shopping and such. Then on Sunday I am hoping to go hiking with my co-teacher SunSil (who's husband is on business in China) and her kids. However, I am awaiting her reply. She said to me, "Well...I usually do housework on Sunday, but....that would be nice." Koreans are so cute and shy about things. I'm not sure what to call her, but when asked what I should call her around the kids, she said Mrs. Moon. I guess I will go with that unless told otherwise. She told me in teacher's class this past week how out-going she is and how much she loves the outdoors. In fact, she invited me to a free baseball game on April 5th & 7th. I'm not super into baseball or anything, but she's really sweet and I wouldn't mind her company on a school night.

Ok..I'm sure most have heard by now due to my Facebook post, but I got two job offers from, what appears to be the same place, in London. The first email was quite vague, and, while the second one clarified some details, it was as well. Here is what I know. I would be working as a dietetic technician with food and education (it specified that I would need good English skills) in a demonstration from London, France, Belgium, Norway, Wales, and the US with a company known as Edmiston Hotels & Yachts. I would need to sign a two year contract that would include, but apparently not be limited to, my ridiculously good pay, free accommodation, free flight ticket, no tax, insurance, and three months vacation. I would work from 8am-6pm Monday through Friday and 10-4pm on Saturday and Sunday. So I should really like this job if I take it because I will be there all the time. I thought I would get a flight ticket paid for to the States during holiday, but unfortunately, I was wrong. I was told that they would like me there in two weeks, and I replied that it would be impossible because I would need to finish my current contract in Korea, as well as go home to see my family. I'm awaiting his reply. If you are confused and have questions, don't worry, so do I. I have clarified as much as they have. The pay seems unreal. I'll make sure to keep you posted.