okay first, yeah i'm still pissed. I won't go into it here 'cause I ranted about it elsewhere, but in short - when I call J Lee he has his OWN explaining to do, let alone about Mrs Lee. So will update about that as and when.

I shadowed classes all day yesterday with Lily, and dude it was AMAZING. We were managing two classes at once through the entire day, so I met and dealt with about 200 students in all. Because it was two classes at once and mostly of two different levels at once the time was taken up for the most part by playing activities and games that made the children think and still have fun and keep occupied. There were a few rascals but otherwise they were lovely. I had such an amazingly fun time with them.

We had a kimbap break at around 8pm because [yet again] we worked late, not getting home until about 10pm. I had a word with Mrs Lee in the car, and requested that we can try being friends rather than her assuming a motherly position over me. The quote goes something like "I'm 22, not 5, and I have a mother already. She does a great job. PLEASE don't worry about me. PLEASE don't take offence, but I can look after myself and choose my own friends." She said m'kay, and then instantly said :| at my knowledge of how to use the subway XD she actually said - did your friends bring you home when you were in samseong on monday? i said no, i came home alone. she said :o! what bad friends. i said :o! what sensible friends! they live in Ansan and I knew how to get home perfectly fine on my own. she said: really? wow! i said: /)_-; Because really, the subway system in korea is SO difficult with it being identical to London's setup. Ehhh. We'll see how it goes. She Officially Approves of the fact that I'm making friends with a few people at the school - which I would've done whether she approved or not, 'cause really. well.

Today she picked me up ...wait for it... wait wait... on time. First for everything, eh? I got to school this morning by 7:45am and dual-taught a class with Lily of 4th and 5th graders. They were brilliant :> and then I sat around for ages 'cause fridays are weird and ambiguous and all i did was hoover and vacuum and chat on free internet [yay for free internet] ...i've now sat at this computer desk so long it's officially "mine" and stella has moved her desk to be in the room with me XD lily's been punted out, almost XD... and then... Then. We met the School Board.

And wasn't. that. fun.

We went in to face the formally laid out table, sat down. Then Stella was reamed and harangued to within an inch of her life after introducing herself in english - they don't SPEAK english >> but they wanted to check she could speak English O.o. It's her first teaching job. They then had the nerve to tell her she wasn't elegant enough to be a teacher and it wasn't definite that she's been hired yet, and they don't think she's qualified enough to teach the children. [of course this was all in korean so I heard about this later] and then they moved on to me. I spoke in English, obv, and we went through my qualifications - and then they harangued me about having no educational qualifications and whatnot. I said - does the TEFL not count? ...TEFL? oh. TESL. Yes. TESL. Nobody told us you're doing a TESL. [aren't I here through a TEFL company? ho hum... maybe I should ask J Lee! oh yeah, maaayyybe] and then they said maybe I'm not qualified --- I don't know if they said I wasn't elegant enough or whether they said I wasn't hired yet like Stella - that wasn't said to me and nobody's SAID it was said, so I'm assuming for now I've passed the meatgrinder and I'm onto the board for pounding into a tender pulp.

So then we all left them, and bitched between the three of us - Celine came down as head of dept too - and to act as translator - like omg assholes D:! i can understand them being concerned 'cause obviously we're teaching a lot of kids, but there's no need for them to be downright rude y'know?

A bit later we headed down for lunch - just as the board of teachers were going in - and all SIX of us turned on our heels and walked away XD and waited until they'd gone, and then went to have lunch. Nobody likes the board. Everyone thinks the principal is cool though - which he is. He didn't harangue anyone.

After we lunch-munched, it was back into school and the extra classes - not many today - just for students who missed or things that were cancelled. I had a class with Amy and four students, half of the time we were finishing their work book, and half of the time it was a free conversation class with the kids asking me [more 4th and 5th graders] various questions in english - and through Amy in Korean when they couldn't understand. We talked music, we talked tv, we talked movies, they asked if I can read Hangul and if I have a boyfriend - to which I said :o! that's a secret! do you ask a teacher if she has a boyfriend? :o! to which they all said :o! no ._. and it was all good XD and then to finish they all had a treat 'cause they finished the book.

Celine's grandmother [? i think] owns a Korean traditional teahouse, so I think next saturday we're going to go along there so I can see it. I'm getting a taste for Korean tea - I've never been a big tea drinker, but I'm drinking it so much here by assoaciation that it's just growing on me. Same with a few things - remember that grape drink I said was bearable but I didn't really like it? Well I do now. I also try to drink a Vita500 every day to make sure I get all my Vit C. And 'cause it's yummy. And maybe cause some bottles have little pictures of Bi on the side and I still feel the novelty of picking up stuff he endorses that previously I'd only seen from the other side of the world ;)

Amy and I are loosely planning a trip to Hongdae? University to check out the indies bands knocking around there, and generally explore. Music really DOES make the world go round, yo. It's like I always said. And she's studying Japanese by herself for two years, so I think I'll get mum to send me my jpnese books over as originally planned so we can maybe work on it together. I need to refresh and studybuddies are always funky.

It WILL be nice, I'll admit, to have someone in Incheon I can explore with - so I'm glad Mrs Lee's yelling attempts haven't switched my ZOMG I MUST NOT DO ANYTHING SHE SAYS EVARRRR buttons to "on"... these girls are too nice not to spend time with yo.

I start teaching officially on Monday and I am frothing at the bit now, like woah. I can't wait.

....there is a little boy frogjumping around my room.

And potentially trying to molest his brother. HAHAHA their parents came back and they sat down like angels.

Seriously. If you'd asked me a few years ago if I even LIKED kids, let alone end up working in an elementary school, I'd've LAUGHED atcha man. Laughed and said kids? vas ist das? i speak not your lingo, bambino...

but now? i seriously think i could fall in love with this.