First day in GwangJu

Yep, I did my first day at school. The kids are sooo ADORABLE! They all came out to ask who I was. All peering around corners and through the door windows to see the new English teacher. Teacher Wendy I am now called. Tee hee. So I went around every half hour to different classes and did the same thing (a game). Man, I really need to figure out how to not talk as much and give very short and clear instructions. Flashback from CELTA class. All the things I'm seeing and experiencing. And I need to find a way to be stern with them, not to let them get away with stuff like speaking Korean in class, even if the Korean teachers do.

YuGen (Eugene) is the head teacher it seems, and SHE is really sweet. She showed me around and can speak English quite well. She has been at this school for 2 years, she said.

The kindergarten kids are my favorite so far. There was one boy who had really cool hair...a big long piece in the front that was majenta! Awesome! One little girl is just a doll....literally looks like one. She came up to me to untie her vest. I need to get a picture of her. Two little pigtails on top of her head. Adorable!!

The school has 4 floors, and I'm going to be getting a LOT of exercise here. It's nice to walk. It's been a while! Damn those cars anyway! But I must say, I saw the funniest thing this morning on the way to work. One of the many motorcycles went by, a guy piggybacking a girl with the music blasting, and he was wearing PINK SLIPPERS with mickey mouse on them! I laughed so hard! Well, as much as I could on the street without looking completely insane!

Speaking of slippers, I love how this country works with them. I hate slippers usually, I just feel that they're a pain, but here I really quite like them. I think the difference is the floors all hardwood. It feels clean and hygenic.

So I went shopping last night for something for breakfast. Learning money is interesting. Not really feeling like I know how much I'm really spending. What I'm going by so far is when Jacob (the guy that got me the job in LA) gave me 10,000 won, he said that was equal to 10$. So I got some barley, (i was thinking rice...oh well), some milk, crackers, orange juice (mum, there's so much oranges - mandarins , rather, that I won't get sick if I have them everyday which I'm sure I will be.!!)

Oh, and there's eyelashes EVERYWHERE! lol. These girls must be pros at applying them! And sock hanging out on the sidewalks every second store it seems. Vegetable merchants on the sidewalks too. Live eels in a basin squirming around for lunch...yum. NOT!

Samsung and LG everything. I'm not complaining! The scale of the buildings are so interesting. Very scaled to the people that live here. I really like it actually. It's down to earth in a way. Canadian/American stuff is all so big box and unfriendly. Ha...listen to me. But I really do like the proportions. Stores are built so close to the sidewalk. I'll have to take a picture of it...hard to explain right here.

The apartment buildings are everywhere and very tall and narrow. They have huge numbers on the ends, and a symbol that is different. I can see how Asians are familiar with the small sizes in Vancouver...but even those must seem large to them, or at least normal.

I am trying to analyze or pay attention to what jet lag is all about. So far it seems to be okay. I just feel a bit fuzzy somewhat...like i could be stoned or somthing! ha ha. I'm trying to drink as much water as I can.

The smell in the air...that's what is interesting. How do you describe something like that? It's like cabbage or something. Thank God it doesnt smell like mothballs like I thought it might. I think I'd go insane after that...or get to love it or something wierd like that. Anyway...the time that is bad for me is ...well like this morning I was fine, then I came online to see what time it ws in Canada...and I saw how far away I was from home, and I felt like puking. Like that panic attack I described previously. I'm glad that I'll be working and keeping busy cuz if I dont then I'll feel like getting sick or something. I especially felt this when I thought of certain special persons that I am away from. Day at a time...

Well, I should go and do some preparation for tomorrow. I have to look through the teaching books to see what to teach ,and what level to teach what. One thing I'm a bit nervous about is how to keep those kindys attention. Everything has to be quick and happening or else they'll lose interest and run off. Eeek! It's funny that I've just been thrown into this.

So I signed the contract with Shim today and gave him my papers. He asked me iabout Kwantlen University College...because of the 'college' part. He was skeptical that it was a university. Nope. So I will have a few worrisome weeks until my E-2 visa gets done. I will be going to Japan as soon as he gets the papers back from the ambassador who checks it out on my end. I am legal to stay in Korea for 6 months without a visa, and a year with one. I wish I could have get clearer answers from everyone about how this worked...but I'm here now, and will make the best of it. I got Shim to sign a note that said that he will send me to Japan etc...so that eases my mind SO much. And I got a copy of the contract that we signed too. Thank goodness I did that. I wouldnt let him have the contract until I had a copy. Dont want to take chances on that. Same with the note for Japan.

I can hardly wait to go to Japan to see what the differences are. I havent seen anything really traditional here except for a gondola with a traditional Korean structure and roof down the street. Everythign is quite modern, in a Korean way. All the bannisters and railings are usually metal. Even in my building they are, and floors in the hallway that I think are granite. man I should really know that. Oh, and Alison, you know that puky granite that is in that hotel downtown Vancouver that we went to your wedding thing there? It's here too....hahaha! I laughed when I saw that. Can't escape that ugly stuff that looks like poo! Lmao!!!!

You know what's funny, I have no idea what I'm going to do because my suitcases are so huge, an dthis room is so small. They look like pieces of furniture!! I dont know what do to about that yet.

Oh, and I LOVE the bathrooms with the wet room concept. Just a hand held shower and a porkchop sink and counter (for the people who dont knwo what a porkchop counter is, it's a counter that is in the shape of a porkchop. Narrow orver the toilet, an dlarge for the sink.) The color of the matierial is wierd. I cant' figure out what it is. Stone or plastic or something . It's yellow.
I can hose my whole bathroom down which is quite nice feeling I must say.

I have to get myself an alarm clock soon. I asked Shim to give me a wakeup call this morening. I thoughtt I'd be sleeping for ages, but I woke up at 8 am Korea time. Hmmm. I wonder what will happen tomorrow morning.

K I want to keep going for a long time...but I dont feel liek I'm making any sense right now.
Love you all...
Wendy