New Contract. New Term.

We found out Wednesday what classes we'll teach for Fall Term starting this Monday. Excited to have more reading classes - it's funny because I was initially trained in Listening but I've come to enjoy reading a lot more, especially with the higher level classes. Sometimes Listening is hard to stretch out with the huge amount of time we have, but Reading is easier to stretch out with discussions of the articles and really just talk to the kids.

I am teaching one of the lowest level classes for the first time, so slightly nervous about that only because I was spoiled with speed and large discussions with my high level classes this term. It will be quite an adjustment slowing down my speech, making sure all the young kids are on task, and figuring out how to teach it since I was never trained for this class.

One aspect I'm most looking forward to is having some kids from this term or a previous term again. A lot of my hilarious, witty, and/or sarcastic boys are in one of my many reading classes. Can't wait to practice and use my dry sense of humor, a sense of humor not fully appreciated or understood in Korea unless you've traveled or seen Western humor in films or TV.

Speaking of humor, I saw Bridesmaids Friday as it's finally come to Korea. I expected more focus on all of the bridesmaids, but overall still a very very funny movie. Again, this kind of humor, especially considering some of it is crass, is not always the same kind of humor Koreans generally watch. They laughed, but not as hard or often as four Americans.

Happy One Year!

I did it. I made it in Korea for a year. Cannot believe it.

Gotta love Facebook. Lately it's shown me my old status updates from a year or two ago. It's amusing to see how things have changed. Two years ago I was starting my senior year of college - and not excited for the final rigorous year that is the middle grades cohort. Last year I was nervous and excited to be flying out here. Today my status is about crazy GRE dreams... curious to see where I'll be next year.

More reflections later... time to go celebrate via trick illusions museum. Ha!

New Contract

It's done. It's official. This past Friday I signed my contract to re-sign for six more months. Nothing big. Nothing fancy. Just a quick signature after seeing what was different this contract.

Last week my branch manager asked if I could stay nine months instead of six perhaps as a way to save the branch money in lieu of hiring a new teacher, but also to raise my salary more. As much as I love the idea of more money, the money is not worth the extra time. By the end of February I will undoubtedly be ready to return home for good.