Today was the first day in a new series. These run over four weeks then go onto the next set of four weeks. Being the first day everyone was a bit busier than normal so I came in a bit earlier. On my desk was a schedule updated from the one I got last week. I now have two extra breaks, the last class on Tuesdays and Fridays.
My mood was great all day and I hope it was passed onto my students. It's going to be a great help because I am pretty tired of the work I'm doing and as I'm leaving soon lack some motivation. Also a lot of my co-workers have breaks where once we had none so I'm pleased for them too as it gives us all more time to sort out the things we need to. I'm really looking forward the break as it replaces a class with just three Middle school students.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Laptoe woe
My laptop has effectively died over the weekend. While it still works, the screen has broken making it basically impossible for me to see anything. The problem started three months ago and got steadily worse. Being away from home I am bound to my laptop as my primary source of entertainment, information and contact with the 'outside world'.
With just three months to go before my time is up in Korea I won't be buying a new one until I get back home to England. I hope this will partially liberate me from an over reliance of computers but I doubt it! Luckily my wife has a laptop which although is old and creaky does work.
With just three months to go before my time is up in Korea I won't be buying a new one until I get back home to England. I hope this will partially liberate me from an over reliance of computers but I doubt it! Luckily my wife has a laptop which although is old and creaky does work.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Night out with co-workers
Wednesday was a works night out and the first we've had in months. There was no special occasion apart from the fact that we've not been out on one for a while. I think most of us had a very good time and we all think we should do it more often.
There's been a lot of stress at work this year especially for the Korean teachers and we all let off some steam. We went to a new restaurant and had a selection of meat dishes washed down with booze. There are a few newish teachers at my branch and it was good to get to know them even if I felt a bit worse for wear the next day.
There's been a lot of stress at work this year especially for the Korean teachers and we all let off some steam. We went to a new restaurant and had a selection of meat dishes washed down with booze. There are a few newish teachers at my branch and it was good to get to know them even if I felt a bit worse for wear the next day.
Monday, 21 February 2011
Taekwondo with kids
It's finally dawning on me that if I want to get my 2nd dan taekwondo black belt I'll have to do it largely by myself. It is a similar story to when I got my hapkido 2nd dan as the motivation has to come from within to improve but there are some differences
Two weeks ago our class time changed from to 1:40pm. This is good and bad. Good because there is no excuse to not go to class unless I am very sick. In fact my body is fully awake by that time I am ready to go. Bad because we will be training with kids.
Before the time change we had the Winter vacation where we trained at 11am with the kids because school was closed for a month or so and we hardly did any training. We played a lot of fun games but there was no intensity and naturally the kids don't and probably cannot take the classes seriously. I admire my taekwondo Master for his patience! It was cold at the time so I didn't mind too much. Vacation is over but we're still practising with children.
For an hour the kids are running around, playing shouting and being kids. I once had a dog that in the evenings ran around the house tiring itself out. This is exactly what the kids at taekwondo are doing. I half think that their parents send them there so that they can burn off all their energy making them manageable in the evenings.
This is OK, but class is now very difficult. The warm up has changed from fifteen minutes of good stretching to five minutes. My body needs a lot of daily stretching otherwise I will pull a muscle or just not be able to move freely so to counter this I am stretching first at home. The kids also don't respect your space when you are practising.
The intensity has gone. As most of the children don't take the class as seriously as I do so we are not pushing or being pushed hard enough. It's a fine balance that our Master has to find. I need to improve technique now but it's not been happening lately. I am now hearing what I heard a lot in my second year of hapkido, "self training." This is fine but difficult when a bunch of kids are running all over the show and throwing balls and bumping into you. At least I have the motivation to improve and a goal to reach for. If I get the chance to take the test AND pass then I will feel like I've earned it.
Two weeks ago our class time changed from to 1:40pm. This is good and bad. Good because there is no excuse to not go to class unless I am very sick. In fact my body is fully awake by that time I am ready to go. Bad because we will be training with kids.
Before the time change we had the Winter vacation where we trained at 11am with the kids because school was closed for a month or so and we hardly did any training. We played a lot of fun games but there was no intensity and naturally the kids don't and probably cannot take the classes seriously. I admire my taekwondo Master for his patience! It was cold at the time so I didn't mind too much. Vacation is over but we're still practising with children.
For an hour the kids are running around, playing shouting and being kids. I once had a dog that in the evenings ran around the house tiring itself out. This is exactly what the kids at taekwondo are doing. I half think that their parents send them there so that they can burn off all their energy making them manageable in the evenings.
This is OK, but class is now very difficult. The warm up has changed from fifteen minutes of good stretching to five minutes. My body needs a lot of daily stretching otherwise I will pull a muscle or just not be able to move freely so to counter this I am stretching first at home. The kids also don't respect your space when you are practising.
The intensity has gone. As most of the children don't take the class as seriously as I do so we are not pushing or being pushed hard enough. It's a fine balance that our Master has to find. I need to improve technique now but it's not been happening lately. I am now hearing what I heard a lot in my second year of hapkido, "self training." This is fine but difficult when a bunch of kids are running all over the show and throwing balls and bumping into you. At least I have the motivation to improve and a goal to reach for. If I get the chance to take the test AND pass then I will feel like I've earned it.
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Sleeping more, time to go?
Recently I've been waking up late almost every day and it's been screwing up my days. I'm normally a light sleeper but not any more I guess. I am normally someone who gets up between 9-10am but over the past week it's been an hour or three extra hours of sleep and I don't understand why. I'm not overworked, not mentally or physically tired and there is nothing stressful going on with me right now. Perhaps I am just tired of being an ESL teacher in Korea.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Chocolate Day
Yesterday I got chocolate from some students. All girls because yesterday was Valentines Day and in Korea it is not uncommon for girls/women to give boys/men some chocolate. On White Day (March 14th) it works the other way round but with candy. A gift from a kid is fairly rare for me. I get gum or small snacks from time to time (Koreans are often willing to share food) but chocolate or anything else is something I don't usually get, nor do I expect any gift.
I don't teach Kindergarten, am not female, don't teach in a public position and am not a pushover with my students. From my experience of five years in Korea it is those teachers who get gifts so to get something was a nice surprise because it was unexpected and probably undeserved. Some kids here are really generous, interesting, wonderful children and it is those that I will miss when I leave and not the chocolate.
I don't teach Kindergarten, am not female, don't teach in a public position and am not a pushover with my students. From my experience of five years in Korea it is those teachers who get gifts so to get something was a nice surprise because it was unexpected and probably undeserved. Some kids here are really generous, interesting, wonderful children and it is those that I will miss when I leave and not the chocolate.
Monday, 14 February 2011
Snowy day in Daegu
Snow once more again in Korea. Today's TV reports claim that some areas have snowfall up to 50cm. Not so bad here in Daegu but it's stuck and is heavier than I have seen in previous years - over the past twelve months the snow has been much heavier than it was when I arrived in 2005.
The younger kids are finishing school about this time so hopefully they can enjoy the snow while it lasts. I nipped out for a few photos and it's already turning to slush. Maybe this is the last snow I will see in Daegu whilst I am here.
One of my c0-workers is currently making the long journey back to Puerto Rico for a vacation whilst three more are back in the office today. Puerto Rico, China, Vietnam, Daegu. I really could do with a holiday.
The younger kids are finishing school about this time so hopefully they can enjoy the snow while it lasts. I nipped out for a few photos and it's already turning to slush. Maybe this is the last snow I will see in Daegu whilst I am here.
One of my c0-workers is currently making the long journey back to Puerto Rico for a vacation whilst three more are back in the office today. Puerto Rico, China, Vietnam, Daegu. I really could do with a holiday.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
8 days a week
Nipped into my regular coffee shop today and noticed it's opening times. They do work hard in Korea!
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