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Published: March 6th 2008
Cheese!
Sunny, whose sweet disposition is fitting of her nameMy 2nd and 3rd days have been better than the first. Thank you to everyone who has sent words of encouragement- it really means a lot more than you could know. Yesterday my classes went a little smoother, but I got an unexpected surprise. At 4:30, while in the midst of teaching my Tues/Thurs afternoon class one of the Korean teachers informed me that I was not teaching the 3-6pm group like I had been told, but instead would take the 4:30-7:30pm class. I have no problem doing what’s asked of me, don’t get me wrong, but it was the last night Mom would be here, there was no way of contacting her to tell her I would be home 2 hours late and I knew she would be worrying about me. Luckily, this small group of kids (just 5 of them) is great. Again, all girls and one boy. They are extremely proficient, and we studied such concepts as complete predicate, simple predicate, subject, and verb, as well as sequencing, hypothesis, prediction, and evaluation; concepts many American students older than this would have difficulty with.
I got home a little before 9pm and Mom had dinner ready to go.
The ever-excellent chef, even in foreign countries with no kitchen supplies, put on a fabulous spread of sautéed bok choy with olive oil and garlic, Asian pierogies, ramen noodles, and hot tea. It was such a nice little dinner- I asked her to stay so she could cook for me every night (and morning!) but alas, she could not. Her reason; “I have to fly to Paris next week.” Ha ha. She’s crazy, gotta love her. I went to bed soon after, exhausted from my 14 hour day.
Today, after struggling not to lose it after saying goodbye to Mom, I had a really nice day. My kids are WONDERFUL and I am so, so, so grateful. I hear other teachers yelling at their students to be quiet, not hit, stay in line, and keep their feet off the walls. (Although, I have the feeling the kids don’t misbehave to the degree that would warrant such constant nagging) I feel such pride when I walk my kids to the lunchroom and they don’t so much as veer off course. Of course they are not perfect, but I can’t imagine a better group of kids. And my afternoon students, who
are much more comfortable with English always say, “May I…” when they need to get a drink or go to the restroom. When they enter the classroom they always smile and say “Good morning, Erin Teacher!” with such enthusiasm. It’s a shame that simple words like “please”, “thank you”, and “Hello!” completely thrill me, for I so rarely see or hear proper etiquette in the States. I wonder, is the rest of the world like this? Respectful and pleasant? Are we just a country of rude, unruly, and raunchy people? Even parents, despite our ability to speak the same language, have made it clear how much they appreciate and respect the teachers. And this (as you teachers reading this know) is a stark contrast to the way teachers are treated by parents in the U.S., who blame the schools for everything from poor grades to promiscuous activity by their children!
This is my first night alone. And, surprisingly, I don’t mind as much as I thought I would. I made myself some dinner, graded some essays, and enjoyed some Peanut Butter Girl Scout Cookies and Lipton Tea for dessert. Today, one of my little girls started crying, and although
Playtime
Copying my writing on the board during playtime... for fun! I couldn’t understand anything she said, I did hear “Mama” and realized she missed her Mom… I gave her some water, wiped her tears, hugged her and told her it would be ok, and I think, maybe, I was telling myself the same thing. Being away from home is hard, but this is my home now, and I have to make it feel like it. I can’t wait to get our things out of storage. Having pictures frames with family, familiar blankets, and our favorite funny flicks will make it seem that much more “ours” and not like we are camping out in a foreign place.
Well, that’s all for now, folks. I am going to read the book I stole from Mom, “Eat, Love, Pray” (BC knows this one!) which I highly recommend to ANYONE ever thinking of a life change or major traveling. I’ll leave you with a quote my Dad (the wisest man I know!) included in a letter to me regarding how I should live my year here. OK, love you all! -Erin
"Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."
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Kathy Schilling
non-member comment
Flying Solo
Oh, Erin, I love reading about your days. I know each one will get better and that you will make this time away from "home" something to remember. You certainly have wonderful kids and I wish our teachers were treated as well as you will be treated - respect??? That's a word needing much more practice in the States! Stay well, say hi to Dan and enjoy your book! I'm reading it right now as well! BC book for sure! xoo Kathy