well, it's been effing ages since I've used this blog. but now I'm in korea, and for some reason the computer lab that I regularly use has a block on livejournal, but blogger is kosher so I figured why not just use this again.





things are going well. I'm really enjoying the teaching. the first couple of days were a bit rough, since I got very little orientation and just kind of jumped in without more than five minutes before each class for tricia to explain the material to me. but, after a couple of days I've got a good grasp on how to teach from these books, and yesterday I felt like I really was teaching, rather than just blindly groping, and it was a lot of fun. these kids are more self-motivated than american kids. even the ones with behavior problems are extremely eager not only to learn but to prove that they know their shit. So you'll have the same kid, within two minutes, crawling on the floor and then leaping up to throw his hand in the air and answer a question. they are hilarious, and I love the process of working through language barriers. I always have...I love listening to the ways that non-native speakers use english, and how many times it makes more sense than the actual english grammatical rules do. teaching ESL is something I definitely might consider looking into when I get back to the u.s. .





last night we went to an open mic at one of the english-friendly bars in town. it was interesting getting a peek at some of the ragtag group of westerners in daegu. all in all I wasn't that impressed. this girl who tricia already knew sat with us, and she was awesome, I'd definitely like to hang out with her some more. but the rest of them might as well have been in any given bar in new york...the same girls with their scripts that last about ten minutes before they have to start repeating themselves until they're drunk enough to go home with whatever dude has attached himself to them for the night. the same dudes doing their best to act smooth and not pulling it off very well. some tall, bespetacled, self proclaimed "social dungeons and dragons player " took it upon himself to warn me about the people teaching in korea, telling me that people are here for three reasons: either they are here for the money, they are here for new experiences, or they are running away from something. a fairly obvious observation. he presented it as though it was inside information, saying that you never know about anyone, never know what they're hiding. "You don't know what I'm hiding," he said (these words may not be exact but the general idea is there). "You don't know what I'm hiding either." I said. "You're right, fair enough," he said. then he told me that he was there that night to get his two friends laid. I said, "so you're playing wingman." he said, "no, not exactly wingman," and I said "so you're a pimp." he said "no, I'm not a pimp, I don't know any women," clearly not understanding that I meant that he was pimping out his friends. then he asked me what my "angle" was there that night, and I said "Dude, I'm just here to hang out, drink beer and listen to music." shortly after that he went away, and I was happy. that is why I don't generally talk to strangers in bars. it is, more often than not, a waste of breath. although that particular exchange provided some mildly amusing dialogue, I must admit.





I've begun a pattern of getting up around 8:30 every morning, which is fabulous because I don't work until 2:30, so I have all this time to get things done before work and to arrive fully awake, alert, and on top of my game. I can't believe that my first week of teaching is more than half over already, and that I've adjusted as quickly as I have. I expected a couple weeks of anxiety and discomfort, but apparently that is not to be.





and david bowie does my soul good, I tell you. mwah!