So today my co-teacher Jacky took me to see the school for the first time. It was a really cool experience. We went into the building and the first person we saw was the vice-principal of the school, whom she introduced to me. I said hello and nice to meet you in Korean while bowing. I was so nervous. Then we went into this little area where she changed her shoes. Here in Korea, you wear a different pair of shoes inside the school. Everyone takes their shoes off when they go in and put on a different pair to wear inside the building. I was watching too, as the students came back from recess (i think) and all had a bag in their had where they kept their second pair of shoes. Anyways... so then she took me to all 5 floors of the school and introduced me to all the teachers, counselors, assistants, technicians etc etc etc. It was a bit overwhelming, but everyone seems super nice. They all smile a lot. Jacky also showed me where my desk will be. I think I will be very comfortable here.
Then came lunchtime! She told me I should stay for lunch and then I could leave whenever I wanted. So we had lunch. It was a strange experience for me as we were walking to the cafeteria because all the students take out these carts where all the food is in the middle of the hallway when the bell rings and that is where they serve the food and then they go inside the classroom and eat there. The teachers have an actual little room where they eat. Then men sit together and the women separate. The food was really good. I had some kind of potato thing, rice, soup, kimchee and dried squid. and yogurt. All simply delicious. It's a good thing I know how to use chopsticks quite well ( i think) otherwise, eating would have been a real challenge. To my surprise, they use metal chopsticks. My first time using these. At first I was struggling a bit, but I think I will get the hang of it rather quickly.
Also today I got a cell phone! this is actually a good story. originally one of the teachers from the school was going to give me a phone she no longer used and i was going to put a new sim card in it and just do a prepaid phone type thing. When we got to this phone place though (Jacky and I ) the guy told her that that phone was not meant to be for pre-paid service and they talked for like 10minutes (all in Korean, which i understood nothing of) Anyways... in the end, the guy was super nice and sold me HIS cell phone, which he had bought, never used, and so was new- which could be used for the pre-paid card. So i paid 10,000won which is little less than $10 for the brand new phone and then put 30,000 won of credit in it. which is good for a bit over an hour of talk time . or 5 cents per text message. good deal. Especially since I will only be using it for emergencies, if i get lost, or to contact people once in a while. So yeah, that was super nice of him to do that- he didn't have to. But Jacky told me that he told her he was doing it as a kind of welcome in Korea.
In summary- so far i have found Koreans to be super nice people. Though I am at the moment not able to communicate I am sure as I learn more I will find more fascinating things about them.
So for the moment, what I need to do is review some lesson plans, think of how I will want to set up my classes and study Korean hardcore. I would like to be able to converse with the other teachers in lunchtime sometime soon. It is really awkward being there and not being able to contribute to the conversation, or at least understand it.
till next time
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