Update

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I haven’t written in awhile as I have been so busy, but I found some time to sit down and write a blog entry. I have been here for about 6 weeks now and am finally settling down. It is starting to feel more comfortable as I am developing a routine. For my own sanity I need to have a weekly routine over here in Daejeon. I have started getting back into running and a normal sleeping pattern. Work is exhausting however. Teaching English to kindergarten is not an easy task. There is so much prep work involved because you need to be well prepared for every class. If you have any time left over or you are unsure of what to do, the kids go wild since controlling children that only know limited English is not the easiest task in the world. It feels like I am running a marathon when I am teaching, it is go, go, go and then at night prep, prep, prep. I am hoping things will settle down here eventually once I am all caught up. Kids Club is the worst though as it is intense English and you have children in your class that do not want to be there. Then you get contradictory advice from your co-teachers and the director. At the moment my job is taking over most of my life and I find this is a very similar story when I talk to other English teachers. You leave everyday with the feeling of what can I do better tomorrow and what did not work today. You get tested on your English everyday and realize that no matter how slow and clear you are speaking, it is still too fast and most kids do not understand. Every day you have the students who shake their head that they understand, but they have no idea what is going on. I feel that this experience can only make me a better teacher when I go back to Canada.
Besides that, I have found Costco over here in Daejeon. They have a very similar food place with cheap hot dogs! Mmm! It is my little escape heaven. Going there brings me back to Canada for that little bit of time, plus I can find a lot of food that I have been missing. It has made meal making a lot easier. Plus I asked my director for a microwave as all I had was a stove, and I was given one. That also made meal time more pleasant. I have to say that I do like being able to ask the directors for anything and they will get it for you. I have been lucky enough to find a place to take free Korean language classes. It is nice as a friend of mine from back home and I have our own tutor. The only not so nice thing is that she speaks many other languages and she is picking it up at a quick rate. Me, not so much and I find I do not have the time to sit there and study Korean as my tutor wants me to do. I am sure I will pick up a few phrases and that is all I can ask for. It is nice though as there are other foreigners there that we met and went out for a drink with at Santa Claus after class. That is a foreign pub here and it is a great place to hang out. We met so many people from all over the world and felt very comfortable. All I can say is a great crowd hangs out there and it has a very chill atmosphere. It was nice to find somewhere to go and meet people as you see foreigners all over the place, but most keep to themselves. They are not the type to go out of their way to meet people as I think they have a life here already. It is nice to meet a few people here to go out and do exploring with, or to even just go to the movies with. I find it interesting how a couple of weeks ago I would sit at home so bored and now on a Saturday night I get to decide what I would like to do. It is such a nice feeling! I am looking forward to this weekend though, the zoo, Korean class and then out for a few drinks!
I have to say that over the past few weeks I am surprised at how much I have adjusted to life here. I thought that it would always feel more like I was on a vacation to an extent, but it is starting to feel like reality. Thinking about things I still think that the cars here drive ridiculous, however, I have joined the Koreans with just darting out on the roads and going when I can. I have learned that they have crosswalks here and they do have walk signs, but they mean nothing! Never trust them because you always have those cars that feel they are more important than your life and will go through red lights. The influenza scare here is in my opinion blown out of proportion. Many people were the masks all day, we must sanitize our hands every second it feels like and the children’s temperature is constantly monitored. The slightest increase in their temperature and off to the doctors they go. They have also asked all teachers to limit their outside activity and would prefer it if you only left your house for food or work. They feel that on weekends you should just stay home and not expose yourself to the germs. I understand that there are so many people here and everything is so crowded that if one person gets sick, they will all get it but they should still be able to live their life. Most foreign teachers are not allowed to leave the city, others not the country. Luckily my director feels that the foreign teachers can decide for themselves on what they want to do. I am also thankful that the law got changed so that if you do get the influenza they have to send you to the hospital for 10 days and cannot deport you. This is what a few hogwans were doing if a foreign teacher got ill. Another law put into place is that if a student becomes ill they must close the hogwan for a minimum of 5 days. Talking about being sanitary, I find their slipper wearing here to make no sense. They say that it is for sanitary reasons that you must wear one pair in the hallways and corridors, another pair in the classrooms and another pair in the washrooms. I find it such a hassle to change slippers all the time, but here is the interesting part, the students do not need to wear slippers at all and walk around the school in their socks all day. Would they not carry germs as well? With the bathroom slippers, all the teachers wear the same pair of plastic slippers in the bathroom. However, my co-teacher has developed ‘itchy foot’ which is this condition that they get and she caught it from the slippers. We both now sneak into the bathroom with our hallway slippers on because we do not want to put our feet in slippers that so many other people wear. A bonus is I have gotten used to a lot of the food and do not even question what it is anymore. I have also started to learn how to cook more food at home and made a real yummy supper tonight. I do like their food here, but my body misses protein and does not like all the carbohydrates. I am in the process of finding a happy medium. I also find all the people here super friendly and really like all the cashiers, they are all so helpful! I now have all my point cards and am getting a very full wallet. I have also started to do some of the free aerobic classes along the river and may start yoga here soon. I also had a very interesting taxi experience. We were driving along a small, narrow road when another car came in the opposing direction. Jessica and I sat there and watched as the cab driver and the other vehicle’s driver argued about who would back up to allow the other one through. My goodness they need bigger roads. The weather here is gorgeous now. The leaves are all turning; there is very little humidity and a nice breeze. Walking outside is so nice with the sun beating down, but you are not feeling like you are going to pass out. I have never seen such a beautiful autumn! Gorgeous! I am really looking forward to winter and hopefully getting to go snowboarding and hockey starts! I have found fellow Canadians that love their hockey so we will watch together. I should start doing my planning for my Busan and Japan trip, so much to do.
I am hoping to get out here soon and take more pictures! When I do I promise to post them. My advice for this blog is that if you want to do something, you should do it! Life is too short to live with regrets and to feel trapped in your life. You learn so much about life and yourself when you push yourself to limits. I never thought that I would be able to say that I live in South Korea but by pushing myself I can now say this is my life!
Ta Ta
C

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Comments

[Laurie Hodson]

JUST DO IT!
Was so very pleased to see this comment in your blog Chantelle. Though there are associated risks, "just doing it" increases the odds for a sense of genuine accomplishment in life. The corollary too: with risk comes the certainty of failure along the way. We learn from our failures and as you will discover the recovery process can be so very rewarding. We are proud of you. Take the time to have some fun along the way. Grandma and Grandpa

[Traci Sharpe]

I am so proud of you chantelle
Hi Chantelle: After reading your last blog I just had to send along my comments. First of all, thank you so much for sending your blogs to us all, what with your busy schedule that you have. You have given all of us, along with myself, the dream that we have all had of going to a foreign city and to work there WOW. In your blogs we can all share with you your hopes and dreams of what it is like to live and to work in a foreign country. For that I thank you Niece I for one know exactly what you mean about being prepped for your students the night before. If you are not organized and equipment for the kiddies the night before there is no way you can wing it the next day if need be. Now does that make sense? This to me Chantelle shows me that you are a great teacher, and you should take pride in that. Yes one day it will get easier because all this prepping will help you in the future. Good for you girl. Teaching the younger grades does keep you on your toes, that is why I always stayed in the younger grades. I love being with the kids one on one, that is why I always stayed as an Educational Assistant because I didn't want to fuss with all of the paperwork of IPPS etc, but wanted to be with the kids. So I give you kudos as I for one know how much work you as a teacher have to put in, and know, as who you are Chantelle, exactly how much you put in and it is more than is needed. You do more than is needed in that you go above and beyond the call of duty, as you are a 24/7 teacher. Be proud as I am of you Chantelle, we need more teachers around like you. You are AWSOME, and it shows. I loved your advice at the end of your blog this time. This advice came from someone who is living it, so it comes from the heart. That is Awsome Chantelle, and one day you will be able to publish these blogs if you so choose too. You Grandma Hodson has kept each and every one of your blogs as she is along with myself, so very proud of you. We know exactly how busy you are, well at least I do, so that is why I so appeciate your blogs. It keeps us close at heart, and of mind. Thank you again for remembering us all in your blogs. You take care, and until next year. Love ya Auntie Traci

[cavell]

hockey in korea
I can't wait for your comments on this sport and the fan re-action. I really enjoy reading your blog, you write as if we were sharing a conversation, well done. You always answer my questions, ha. I am sure those students enjoy your big smile each day they see you. I am sure learning english with you as the teacher is for sure pleasant.