Odds and Ends of Korean Beginnings

If you read through to the end, I will tell you my new address. Or, you can jump to the end now and begin to write me that note you've been meaning to.

The 2012 school year has officially begun. Classes resumed last week. Because 23 out of 30 students left the kindergarten, the school has been reorganized. My duties have changed from English teacher to everything teacher.

My favorite class is art. We have been experimenting with painting with ping pong balls. The students used spoons to play hockey or straws to propel the balls across the paper. I hung the finished paintings today and I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Andy (6yrs)

Neo, Kate and Ryan (7yrs)

Sally (6yrs)

7 year old class

6 year old class

Part of working at the main branch of Feinschule is presenting textbooks and sample lessons at seminars four times a year to teachers from other branches. Someone decided that I should present the Treasures textbook. Two weeks ago, without ever having seen the book, I presented this textbook, giving example lesson plans and advice for teaching. Two days later, I began teaching the text book. This Saturday, I have to present the textbook a second time to a different group of teachers. The school has lost the unit that I have to present as an example. Thus, I've still never seen the particular material I will talk about. Only in Korea, does no one think this is absurd.

Luckily, I live in a country where I can comfort myself with lattes, meat on a stick and deep fried desserts. Here's my choice for comfort food of the week.

Delicious stick meat with with a gooey rice cake center.

Note: Those are not my beer bottles in the window. Some beer-guzzling ALT, who was eventually fired, left them behind. I'm not sure how long they've been there and haven't worked up the courage to touch them yet. Oh, the joys of inheriting a company apartment that was hastily packed up, (not really) cleaned and left by its previous occupants.

On a happy note, I leave for Japan this coming Sunday morning. My ex-supervisor, Ishida-sensei, will be married on March, 20th. Some of you may remember that she helped me obtain my Japanese driver's license and took me to meet her parents. She's having a traditional wedding and has invited me to wear a borrowed kimono for the affair. I'll be sure to take many photos.

I'm beat tonight and have a busy day tomorrow. As promised, here's my address.  I will be delighted by your letters, postcards and packages.

Please send packages to Feinschule:

Highverasvill 3F 864-3
JangHang 2-Dong, Ilsandong-Gu
Goyang-Si, Kyounggi-Do
Korea
411-380

Please send letters and postcards to my apartment:

Box 905
Hyundae Eddrebo Officetel 852
JangHang Dong, Ilsandong-Gu
Goyang-Si, Kyounggi-Do
Korea
410-837