VIPS...our first staff dinner

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March 29th 2007

Published: August 8th 2007

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footloose and fancy free

staff dinner at VIPS

My lovely boss and me...

Well, now that I am finally home and have changed into something more comfortable...wait, let me rephrase that, something that fits, here is a little update. Tonight was a very special occasion and commemorates my first month in South Korea to a tee. My boss took all the staff, foreign, Korean ( including all the TA's) out for a huge supper. There are about 27 of us total that work at Sullivan School and I got a chance to see the bill after....phewww, too rich for my blodd. The place we went to was called VIPS...not pronounced V.I.P.s but VIPS just like it is spelled. It was a steak and lobster place with an all you can eat buffet/salad bar. Needless to say that after a long day of teaching and a long month of mostly Korean food, which I love, it was nice to finally have a taste of home! We all got to choose anything that we wanted for a meal, plus the buffet and salad bar were included. I had a juciy Tenderloin steak and baked potato. The steak was nothing compared to what Alberta beef is but it was pretty tasty. And this buffet was unreal!

staff dinner at VIPS

Duskim, Christine, Adam and Grace teacher

Anything you wanted, it was there. I am so grateful to have the boss that I do! She treats all of us so well and for her to take all of us out was just so unexpected and a great way for all of us to have a little fun and get to know the Korean staff better. She paid of $700.00 for this meal! That just goes to show you how wealthy she is. I heard that the kids that I teach pay almost as much as $30,000/year to go to Sullivan, and that there were over a hundred foreign applications of teachers wanted to come to teach there. So, needless to say I consider myself pretty lucky to be at the school that I am and not some shady scam house! A few of the previous Sullivan teachers came out with us too, Damian and Mark. They are really fun to hang out with and are both staying in Korea to work at other jobs. Mark got a sweet position teaching at one of the universities...her works 10 hours a week and get 5 months paid vaca! Sick hey! And Damian is working for Korean Air, teaching pilots

staff dinner at VIPS

Korean staff...my TA is the lady in the middle...Julia teacher

English, works a little more but gets paid outrageously. So I am keeping my eyes out for any sweet jobs that come my way.
Other than that, just been workin' like crazy and lovin' life! I am starting Korean lessons next week. They are offered through the Korean Cultural Federation at no charge ( huge benefit!) and more good news is that I have figured out how to work my shower so that I get more than two minutes of hot water. A huge accomplishment if you don't know how to read or speak Korean. So, I am off to enjoy a hot shower and some well deserved rest on my very full tummy. Hope all is well back in Oil Country...

Oh one more thing, I experienced my first thunder storm in Korea yesterday! It was insane... I have seen many storms in my life but in the city, the lighting is unreal. And it gives a whole new meaning to "when it rains it pours" because here the rain is terrential downpour!! Good thing I have an umbrella...(haha it doesn't even help that much)...
until next time, keep fit and have fun!

Much Love,
Trena