blog #2

Being an elementary school teacher is fun, hilarious, and challenging. Especially when the kids barely know what their teacher is saying. Yesterday was my first real experience standing in front of the class and actually teaching. Mostly the class consisted of simple sentences and phrases, correcting pronunciation, board games, and answering questions. The questions could be the best part: Do you have a girlfriend? Do you play soccer? Do you like cheese (jess was asked the same question)? But today some kid asked me if I knew anything about Bio-technology. He was a god damn fifth grader; even if I did the child would have had no comprehension of the vocabulary I would have responded with. Korean kids say the dandiest things. They are cute no matter what questions they come up with, so I just laugh and try to talk slow enough so that I can be understood.

The most challenging thing in Korea, more-so for Brian and Jess than for Duck and I, is finding a meal that one really wants. Meal decision is more difficult for Brian and Jess because they are vegetarians’ and cannot simply eat anything on the menu. Although every meal has been very delicious, you never know what you are going to get. Ordering usually consists of getting up out of my chair and pointing to a picture (if I’m lucky), or Korean symbols on the wall. Last night was the group’s first big bust, we strolled into a restaurant, and in this particular restaurant there were no pictures. Keep in mind at most places when you are seated they stand at the table and expect you to know what you want. So we try to ask for a minute to decide, we all receive a blank look and a nonchalant walk away. 5 minutes later we have all made up our plans:

mine: stand up and point at some symbols on the wall, all I knew is that it costs 4,500 won
Duck: point to a dish on the table next to us
Jess and Brian: having looked up seafood on the cell phone dictionary, try and ask for seafood.
Well no Bop (rice), so that instantly shot down Ducks meal as well as mine. She gave Brian and Jess a firm look, like she had no idea what they said. So all of us quickly stood up and walked out. Then we found a more suitable restaurant (with pictures of course).

Well who would have guessed it…..? The funniest shirt I have seen is made in Korea and it reads (sorry if this offends anyone [William]). “My Mexican works for less than your Mexican,” the funniest thing about the shirt, is that the Korean girl that bore the quote most likely had no idea what it said.