I really have some punk-ass students. Today was the first day I co-taught the 1-4 class with Mrs. Jun and many students were bright and enthusiastic, but too many others were just awful. I have never seen anything like the behavior here!! One male student kept flipping off Mrs. Jun and just chanting, "Shut up, shut up, shut up," and she didn't really do anything at all. It's like what you imagine teaching in Compton would be like after watching Dangerous Minds or something (except you don't have to worry about getting shot). The level of disrespect is just mind-boggling. I don't know how I will ever get used to it. It's depressing to realize that there isn't a single day I can look forward to having NO "bad classes." M-F respectively, I have 3, 1, 2, 2, and 3. That is 11 out of 21 classes that are "bad." And a lot of the "good" classes have some individual bad students. It gives me a headache and a stomachache and makes me want to go home.
Focusing on a more positive note: I *finally* got Internet installed in my house last Friday!! It was a glorious occasion, I nearly burst out of my skin, I was so happy. I immediately skyped Matty and spent the rest of my weekend (since I'm nearly broke anyway) catching up on TV from the US. Big giant props to June from my teachers' orientation who informed me of the incredible program that hides my IP address so Hulu is tricked into thinking I am not in a foreign country. I actually went for a "run" on Sunday afternoon; I put this in quotes because it lasted all of 10 minutes and reminded me just how out of shape I am. I definitely need to start a consistent and gradual increase in running time. I can't even imagine lasting 30 minutes at this point, let alone an hour.
I am counting down the days till my first payday. Just one more week till May 17!! I can't remember the last time I wanted to be paid so badly. Oh, I can't wait to begin budgeting and paying off credit card bills... and who would have ever thought I'd say that sentence. I also cannot wait to get my used car at the end of June... it feels so far away right now but that really will be my second-most-glorious day in Korea after the installation of Internet. And then I can look forward to visits from family and friends. And then winter. I'm trying to pretend that part isn't going to happen :-P
Soon I am going to start using this blog to record some interesting cultural insights that I've gotten since moving here: for instance, the distinctly Korean trait of pointing out other people's flaws, the truly fascinating and bizarre courting/relationship situation in this country, and the phenomenons of couple-T and drinking makgulli while hiking. Oh man, I really need to try and get some photos of couple-T before I write about it. It is simultaneously creepy and hilarious. Can't wait!! :)
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