Impressionable Minds

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My students - the photos were taken a few months earlier when I was less blog-focused.

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Photos

The I3 Goofs
These sillies are in Elementary Grade 5. SeungBum is in back, Peter is on our left, Timo in the middle, and Mark is on the right. Timo hasn't yet graduated to I4 - but he remains usually enthusiastic, occasionally dramatic and complainy. Mark and Peter left MoonKkang last month in pursuit of less fun Hagwons - math hagwons and computer hagwons, and SeongBum, sadly, graduated into I4 prematurely.

Amy, Sandy and Hannah.
"Why are the girls so much better than the boys!?" I complain half-joking to my classes - but it's true - in terms of penmanship, understanding, focus, and often wit. Amy in the middle - is BRILLIANT and driven and does not take offense to being corrected. The skinny glasses girl is Sandy - she is not fond of English - it doesn't come easily to her. As far as I can tell - she'd doodle and sketch all day and be thrilled to do so. She tries in class and shrugs her shoulders sadly when she's asked a question - but she's not angry or too frustrated not to smile at my provocations, or my pleading. Hannah - half in the photo - is very sweet, not as quick to learn as Amy, but very motivated. She desperately wants to please, and doesn't want to stand out from the crowd.

Sweet Hannah
Must be adored by her parents. - Not spoiled, very innocent, giggles when she's not focused on perfecting her grammar.

The Youngest Crew
My first class on Mondays, Thursdays and my third class on Wednsdays - these Elementary 4 boys are hysterical, and sometimes difficult to control - and still tickled pink by learning goofy English phrases and parroting them. From our right to left - JinHwan, wonderboy Joshua, and hot-cold Austin.
The three boys will hide somewhere in the classroom under their coats before I open the door and then giggle and roll on the floor hysterical when I pretend to think they're absent. It's been months of this trickery and still, it hasn't become old (for them).

Amy and Somi
Same E4, I3 class. Somi is the brilliant one in this class, and Amy tries hard but can't quite get as excited about English. Somi, meanwhile, could easily go to the US right now and quickly become fluent.

Embarrassed
but secretly thrilled to be photoed.

Joshua will level with you.
"Teacher, you're too silly, stop that please."

Never a serious moment.
Austin's camera lust.

Bundle of Trouble
He'll lie straight to your face and giggle when other students out him. He's funny, very smart, but has a cackling evil side that makes me wrinkle my nose at him about once a class.

Bum Su
When he was still a happy child - he's been teased repeatedly by the other boys and now seems jaded. He is less happy-go-lucky, and doesn't put half as much effort into my class as he used to.

Bum Su and Rooney
Originally, Rooney kept his Korean name - Jin Woo - but when his best friend Hyeong Jin changed his name to Beckham, Rooney followed him. Jin Woo is very smart and tries in class mainly because it makes the time go faster.

E6 Maturity
These I3s - Terry (glasses) and Alex - are hysterical. Terry has told me detailed stories - with pathetic grammar - about each of his injuries, and Alex has rolled his eyes, slapped his forehead and tried to correct Terry's mis-speakings. Sometimes I can just sit back and listen to them banter in Konglish. They're some of the few younger students that don't have to always be reminded to speak English.

E6 Loves
These girls are WONDERFUL - although they are such best friends - they are always caught whispering in Korean to each other. From the same class as Alex and Terry - Lilly and Julie (glasses) are also very motivated to perfect their English.

Night on the Town
In the taxi on our way to Woo-Bang Tower - less beautiful and unearthly than our Pearl TV tower in Shanghai. Food was unimpressive, but it was a great change from on-surface restaurants:)

At the MoonKkang Soccer Game
To keep warm - friends posed for photos - here is Barry, Ji-Min, Dana and Lauren doing a double heart (and I'd like to think it's aimed at me, not the soccer players behind me.)

My Tylers
These two are my co-workers. They are the only two Tylers in MoonKkang and I have to put up with both of them - to others I call them Tall Tyler and Spiky Hair Tyler, but in person it's "hey you" with a point.

Old Skool
At our favorite bar/club/pool house - Liz, Dave and I snap photos to capture a typical Saturday night in downtown Daegu.

Travel Preparation
DELHI!!! - In February. More to come about that.