Certificate of Alien Registration: check

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I feel like I'm running out of stories! But oh well, your comments have encouraged me to keep writing.

I guess I'll open with this. Today I got to work around 3. Now that I'm getting the hang of it, I feel comfortable showing up a little later. I still need the hour to prep, make copies, print, etc. Around 3 15ish another teacher came in and asked if any of us wanted to go down to the kimbap shop and get some food to bring back up and eat. I wasn't too hungry but I had been wanting to check out this shop where everything is apparently really cheap and pretty good, and not far from the school. And it was Friday so I was like, oh well, forget prepping. Ha ha So I went with Ben and he ordered some kimbap rolls and I ordered some dumplings. I went without the kimchi and had pork instead. So we wait about 15 minutes for mine to finish, and Ben taught me how to order. No one speaks English in this place and there are NO pictures so there is no way I could have attempted ordering on my own. We pay and walk back to school. We're riding up and up as usual on our 7 story journey in the elevator. Suddenly, BAM SCREECHING GUNFIRE going off all around us. We both duck and cover, the elevator shakes and them comes to a sudden halt. (I should warn you now, there were no guns involved, it just sounded like it) We look up, quite scared, and I'm trying to get on my tippy toes because it feels like the entire elevator is about to DROP 6 floors. We push open door button, we push close door button, we push level 7 button, we push level 1 button. NOTHING. The lovely ladies voice usually coming from the speakers: no more. It's just silent. I start laughing because I have no idea what else to do and replaying the look on Ben's face forces me to burst out laughing. We were so freaked out at first though! Anyway, we sat on the floor of the elevator and ate our kimbap and dumplings for about 20 minutes. Ben called our boss who called the maintenance man. Meanwhile, the kids showed up for class and we here them all screaming as they climb up 7 flights of stares. It was quite funny. We were half way in between floors when he opened it so we jumped down to the 6th and then walked up the stairs. Good times.

I had my worst class so far the other day. It was miserable and almost made me cry. Two boys...probably about 13. They don't want to be there, and they especially don't want to be there with me, a girl. I've tried to be nice to these guys, tried to ask them questions, be friendly, get them to talk. Nothing. They stare at their books and do not respond. To ANYTHING I say. Maybe a one word answer. It's completely miserable because this is the highest level. We are supposed to be discussing/debating, and they won't speak. I ask them what they like to do: nothing. I ask them what they want to talk about: nothing. So I start teaching the material. They don't respond. I give them their HW review test. One gets a 5 and one gets a 6....out of 20. Most kids are freaking out, nervous, terrified of getting low scores. These 2 don't study, they don't review, and they both got F's for homework. Didn't even crack open their books. I have no idea what to do with them. After about 30 minutes of me looking like an idiot trying to pull words out of these kids, I was like okay great..."read the next 10 pages in the textbook and complete the 2 page outline in your workbook...have fun and good luck." Neither of them said anything, they just sat there with their books in front of their face. The next 3 hours was very similar to this, and it's all supposed to be interactive. I gave them the in-class quiz. The one that I can't stand scored a 1 out of 8. He won't respond. I said, "hey H*****, are you doing your work? Do you need help? Have you finished?" Nothing. Won't respond. NO CLUE what I ever did to this kid but it just about pushed me over the edge. I was getting hot, I know my face was red and I wanted to punch him. And I kind of wish I would have. Okay, ya, no I don't but seriously...I could barely handle it. The entire night was miserable and I have these 2 boys every week. I don't know what to do with them. One of them is a good kid, he's just confused and trying to decide whether or not he's going to be a bad kid. I have his brother in another class and they are both good boys, but when this H***** kid is around, he's a jerk. Anyway, don't want to spend much more time talking about it. It was miserable and I'm already nervous for the middle of next week when I see them again. They might not show up. I told them they were wasting my time and there's and that if they wanted to read the text book by themselves they should stay home because it would save a lot of money.

I do not regret it either.

On a better note: Looking forward to the weekend! Hiking all day tomorrow! And then going to Daejon (the town south of us) Saturday night to hopefully meet up with some people I know from home. We have no cell phones so it should be interesting.

Oh, semi-exciting. I got my first green card! Yay!

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Photos

Washing machine
Still trying to figure out what any of this means

Class pics
Had to add all 3 attempts here so that you guys could understand how awkward this is. Do you see the girls hiding behind their hair? Why is this so miserable for them?

Take 3
All terrible. Failure.

Teacher Bethany and Squidworth
This is what I found on my board. A nice drawing of me...with teacher Jake, who they say looks like Squidworth from SpongeBob. They are not nice. Do you believe me yet?

This is kinda cool I guess
Ben and I waiting in the elevator

Lunch
in the elevator

Comments

[Jeanne Curtis]

I just wrote a long comment and then accidentally deleted it...ugh! So, glad to hear you are a official alien!! And that you got out of the elevator without real guns being fired! All the food shots make me think that I will bring a suitcase full of food when I come!! About the jerks, what happens if they fail and is there anyone to consult about it? Don't let them get you down! I missed skyping with y'all this weekend. Emily and I got online about 9 last night but you were out of town. Did you meet with your friends and then spend the night? I hope you had a great weekend and have a great week! I guess if all the kids were good it wouldn't be normal! Love you!! Jeanne

[Stephanie]

INSANE!!
You are adding so many crazy stories to your life... I can't believe you were stuck in an elevator and were able to be like, "hey, let's just eat our lunch"! :o) Love it! That surprises me about the kids. I think it might be the Korean culture. The Korean kids that go to the school in China are similar in that way and you just have to break through the shell and figure out what gets them going. But the tough love is good and definitely needed!!! Don't let that be a reflection of you.. you're doing an awesome job and you are a great teacher!!

[Nyrie]

Ugh I want to fly over there and give those boys a piece of my mind! Is there anyone you can talk to for advice? Is anyone experiencing a similar situation? Today I almost cried in class too....a kid that tends to be a troublemaker came unprepared and was goofing off in class. I was repeatedly and probably too kindly telling him to stop, stay on task, ect. I finally lost my cool when he asks me to go to the bathroom right as we were starting to take notes. I said, "Absolutely not! You can't come to my class unprepared and misbehave and expect me to let you go to the bathroom!" So a few min. later he asks again! I couldn't believe it so I said, "No! And don't ask me again." Well he gets up and LEAVES THE ROOM! The whole class is looking at me whispering wondering how I am going to react. I wanted to CRY...and leave the room too! I could never imagine doing that when I was a student...the nerve!! So I call the vice principal to go find him and talk to him. Later when I talked to him, he told me that he didn't think what he did was wrong and if he had the chance he'd do it all over again!!!! When things like that happen, I just remind myself of the encouraging and rewarding experiences I have had, and move on! Hang in there Bethany!! And don't be afraid to ask for advice!!