Funny Kids

Yesterday while I was waiting at the light with all the rest of the munchkins from my school, this one little grade 1 boy (grade 7) was just staring at me like he does in class too.

I really wonder what is going through his mind when he is in stare at the waygook mode.

So I'm waiting. He's staring. I say hi. And he musters up "are you my English teacher?"

Inside I'm thinking, DUH I'm your English teacher! but just tell him yes I am. He's so little and cute.

Just now, the boy who is on garbage can duty in our teachers office gave me a "don't mention it" when I said thank you to him.

Asa!

Don't mention it!? Where did you learn that!?

I'm pretty sure you didn't learn it from the grade one teacher because I'm pretty sure HE doesn't even know that.

They are SO funny sometimes.

Gross

In the elevator tonight with my bike, coming home from work I smelled a foul, foul odour.

It was aweful.

There was another dude in the elevator with me but it was bigger than body odour.

Uh! I can't stand it! It's aweful!

I get out of the elevator and it seems to be following me. What!?

I rode through a fresh pile of poo apparently on the way home and now it's sitting comfortably on my bike tire. Uh! GROSS!

So now, the entire hallway of the 5th floor smells like shit!
hahhahhaa

sorry neighbours

Weekend in Pusan

Pusan is my new favorite place in Korea.

Since arriving here I have always wanted to go there. Why?

Because of Haeundae beach. Being a Pisces, a water sign, I crave

to be near water and feel so great when I am.

And I also heard it was a really neat city. Good food, good people, just good.

And it is.

The beach is amazing, the food was amazing, everything was just great.

I was there to participate in a 10k run with my friends, we call ourselves Waygooks on the Run, for breast cancer. Or as some like to call it, "running for titties". I'll stick with breast cancer.

Having not run a full 10k since our last race together which was in October I think, I was pretty nervous.

As were the rest of the girls.

But as per usual, we all did great and had a good run.

I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter whether or not I actually train for a 10k, I always seem to come in at the same time.

Aside from the 5 hour bus ride to get to Pusan, everything else was wicked.

I might have to move there.

I think this entry is boring. sorry

?

So I'm sitting here at my desk watching other teachers try to print something, realize that there is no paper, go to the other room where there is a photocopying machine, take paper from it and then load the printer.

But the problem is, there is very little paper in the photocopier and we're going to need more very soon anyway so WHY NOT just go and get more bundles of paper!
Or ask a student!

These are the little things I just don't understand.

I have to go get some paper now.

Dr. Steve

Steve-O!

I think you think that I lead an exciting life over here in Mokpo but really, I don't! hahaha

I admit, there are more stories I could post about crazy, random situations I encounter and I will work on that!

Just for you.

Well, and mom.

I am going to Pusan this weekend to run 10k on sunday. Pusan is the 2nd largest city in Korea and is supposed to be really cool and I've always wanted to go there.

With many bus rides and chances to be noticed, I'm sure I'll have a few stories to post next week.

I could really go for a massage right now from you too!! The adjuma's walking on my back just doesn't cut it!

A little Korean craziness

Korean students run on VERY little sleep.

A friend posted a really interesting (peer reviewed) article on facebook about the "sleep/wake patterns among Korean teenagers".

Some facts:

In the higher grades, some students leave for school as early as 6:55am

71.1% of students attend additional classes in the evening. More than 1/3 of students attend night school until later than 10pm and 14.3% until past midnight.

Korean parents do not tend to impose sleep on their children if they are engaged in study-related activities. In fact, they often encourage their children to sacrifice sleep time for additional study until they are too sleepy to study.

There is even a widespread phrase advising 12th graders that they will pass (the college entrance exam) with 4 hours of sleep but fail with 5 hours of sleep.

Yikes!!

man, I was such a lazy bastard in school.