Children away from home
Let me first say, " I have a new found respect for teachers". I have wanted to do everything under the sun to my 80 kids. I have some that I just love and look forward to seeing. Then I have others that I want to just back hand or piston whip because some of these kids think they hard. If I had to pick a favorite class it would be my HI KIDS 1-5 (This means they are 7-8 years old and have some back round in English). I have a girl names Sarah 1 who I just love. She is the funniest of my students and always tries to be like me. For instance, I had a bobby on my shirt and she takes it and tries to braid her hair while she is standing in line. I t was the custest thing to me because half my kids still run up and touch me and look at thier hand for a few minutes trying to figure out what's going on. It still shcoks me that there are kids in this world that believe my skin color can come off, or that we are all from Africa. The story the kids believe right know is I am Obama's sister, since there can only be a handful of black people in the world. I can get made because they are so innocent about it. Honestly confused.
I do have a couple of children in my class that I really just want to have the hand of Jesus come over before I get me a paddle. I might have to call Phoenix and get prayer over the phone for some of these children.
My son and shopping
Well it was my son's birthday this weekend. It was hard to handle here. I was truly having a hard time. He told me he was turning 5 and was having a great time with Grandma Mimi. I was happy to hear him happy. He is a great little guy. My friend Hana helped my spirts by taking me late night shopping. 1:30 in the morning to be exact .
Let me be the first to say my original reports about the shopping was wrong. Real shoppers come out at night. These people shop until 5 in the morning. Shopping in the daytime sucks. They dont have the good stuff out and the vendors ain't thinking about your little money. Thier big money is midnight. Whole families be out shopping. I got the cutiest LV for about 35 cuz the lady liked my hair. I even found a big girl shop. I brought this cocoa colored sweater that was the business. I was super excited.
Cooking
I have final cooked something on my hot plate. Jerk pork. Now I am not exactly sure what pafrt of the pig I ate. Truth be told I am still praying it really was pork. Put Jerk seasoning on it and it is the business. It cooks really fast being cut so thin. I was hungry and 7 minutes later I was straight.
Showering
There is no medium, there is no in between, it is scolding hot or cold. You get a brief minute where the water is now, then Baam, scolding hot, painfully hot water. I have been playing with this water thing for about week and can't find a middle ground. I miss bath tubs. They have public baths, but you have to be naked. Bucking naking. In a room full of people you dont know being stared at because you dont look like anything they have ever seen. My chest is big in the States, in Korea I am asked how I stand up straight. Now being naked and being stared at is just not high on my list, so I will be bathless until I figure and alternative out.
That is it for me. I have homework and I have a crappy illness. From what I understand it has to do with yellow dust season. It is all the pollution from China blowing over into Korea. I have to buy a mask. At least that is what I have been advised to do. Love and blessings.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Teaching and additional info
I made it. My first week of teaching is over. Well, it went better than expected. Most of my classes have kids that are great. My first day was a little rough. I had some kids scared to death for the first 10 minutes. After I offered them a stamp for a response the kids were cool. The school gives the kids a stamp book and when they fill it up they get gift cards and other prizes. It works. You take a stamp from these kids, it is the end of the world.
I will say my only beef may have been a translation issue. Now a teacher who shall remain nameless, walked around me to another teaacher that had been teacher for 3 years and asked him to enlighten my on the workings of level 3 kids class, because I didnt know what I was doing. Now being a nice guy he tried to difuse the situation by saying she didnt speak English that well and meant nothing by it. This still did not stop me from wanting to catch her in the parking lot. I got over it and now just play music to avoid the miss understanding.
Apartment
For those that have space issues: Do not read this section. I live in a room the size of my dad's walk-in closet. It is maybe 400 sq ft. My shower is over my toilet and my kitchen consist of a hot plate on a counter, a sink, and a fridge on the side. There is no stove. Let's just say I have learned the beauty of a good McDonald's or KFC run.
I would also like it to be said that I had a not so clean person living here before me. My bathroom was orange. It was the scariest truck stop looking bathroom I had every seen. I almost passed out I was scared. I called Jacob (foreigner teacher liason) and told him "I will not set foot in that bathroom". He was a nice guy and had cleaning ladies clean the whole room and the school paid for me to stay in the hotel another night.
Black Folks
Aparently, Asia is the land of Africans. I have ran into more West Africans here then I have in the States. They kind-of scary. They look at you like they want to hit on you, and then they girl up and send they boy over or they just keep walking by hoping that you will speak to them. I don't do sissie's, if you cant hit on me, you scary and not my type.
I have found an honorary sister, Hana. Hana is a Korean girl that has been around black folks for a little bit of time (she dated a brother). Now she has read some of the best black novels. She has one of the best selections of black authors I have seen for a non black person. Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Jerome Dickey, Maya Angelou, the list just keeps going. She has read these books and has some interesting views about these books. She has been mad cool so far. Special shot out to her moms for paying for the best sushi ever. It was a great meal. Hana wanted to serve live octopus and it died the morning we were supposed to eat it. Her mom felt bad and paid for all 9 or 10 of us to eat at this fancy sushi place. It was the business.
Shopping
Eel is the business here. I have seen more eel skin stuff. It is the business. I am having snake skin shoes custom made in April. I am super excited. I might have some boots made too. Korea is not the place for big girls unless u plan on getting stuff made. It is not as cheap as China. China is still holding the title for the best prices. No offense but Koreans are snobby. A selling point, it is made in Korea, not China. Look here. It is Asia. It really isnt that much better. I think Koreans are the white people of Asia. The problem is Korea is really dirty (streetwise). They are the cleanest people in thier space, but they have the dirtiest looking neighborhoods. Can you say Nogales or any other scary part of Mexico?
The bootlegs aren't that good. So far, I found better quality and deals in the Fashion Distict in LA. I have only been two places so the score card for goods is not out but so far Korea is rating poor.
Well that is all for me. I am good. Havent found a food I like yet. Korean food alright but I might die of hunger if i dont find something I really want. Had some Mexican food. Note: this is Korea not Mexico. It was good for people who don't live in little Mexico (Phoenix). Let me stop, the food was good. Not what I am used too. Love and blessings.
I will say my only beef may have been a translation issue. Now a teacher who shall remain nameless, walked around me to another teaacher that had been teacher for 3 years and asked him to enlighten my on the workings of level 3 kids class, because I didnt know what I was doing. Now being a nice guy he tried to difuse the situation by saying she didnt speak English that well and meant nothing by it. This still did not stop me from wanting to catch her in the parking lot. I got over it and now just play music to avoid the miss understanding.
Apartment
For those that have space issues: Do not read this section. I live in a room the size of my dad's walk-in closet. It is maybe 400 sq ft. My shower is over my toilet and my kitchen consist of a hot plate on a counter, a sink, and a fridge on the side. There is no stove. Let's just say I have learned the beauty of a good McDonald's or KFC run.
I would also like it to be said that I had a not so clean person living here before me. My bathroom was orange. It was the scariest truck stop looking bathroom I had every seen. I almost passed out I was scared. I called Jacob (foreigner teacher liason) and told him "I will not set foot in that bathroom". He was a nice guy and had cleaning ladies clean the whole room and the school paid for me to stay in the hotel another night.
Black Folks
Aparently, Asia is the land of Africans. I have ran into more West Africans here then I have in the States. They kind-of scary. They look at you like they want to hit on you, and then they girl up and send they boy over or they just keep walking by hoping that you will speak to them. I don't do sissie's, if you cant hit on me, you scary and not my type.
I have found an honorary sister, Hana. Hana is a Korean girl that has been around black folks for a little bit of time (she dated a brother). Now she has read some of the best black novels. She has one of the best selections of black authors I have seen for a non black person. Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Jerome Dickey, Maya Angelou, the list just keeps going. She has read these books and has some interesting views about these books. She has been mad cool so far. Special shot out to her moms for paying for the best sushi ever. It was a great meal. Hana wanted to serve live octopus and it died the morning we were supposed to eat it. Her mom felt bad and paid for all 9 or 10 of us to eat at this fancy sushi place. It was the business.
Shopping
Eel is the business here. I have seen more eel skin stuff. It is the business. I am having snake skin shoes custom made in April. I am super excited. I might have some boots made too. Korea is not the place for big girls unless u plan on getting stuff made. It is not as cheap as China. China is still holding the title for the best prices. No offense but Koreans are snobby. A selling point, it is made in Korea, not China. Look here. It is Asia. It really isnt that much better. I think Koreans are the white people of Asia. The problem is Korea is really dirty (streetwise). They are the cleanest people in thier space, but they have the dirtiest looking neighborhoods. Can you say Nogales or any other scary part of Mexico?
The bootlegs aren't that good. So far, I found better quality and deals in the Fashion Distict in LA. I have only been two places so the score card for goods is not out but so far Korea is rating poor.
Well that is all for me. I am good. Havent found a food I like yet. Korean food alright but I might die of hunger if i dont find something I really want. Had some Mexican food. Note: this is Korea not Mexico. It was good for people who don't live in little Mexico (Phoenix). Let me stop, the food was good. Not what I am used too. Love and blessings.
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