Hit By the Full Swing of Things Like a 2x4 to the Head!

So it's been a bit since we wrote last and there is good reason for it. School is in full session now, and we found the climbing wall that's 10 minutes from our house...and Rebs is sick. In fact, we've been passing it back and forth for about a week and a half now. No fun, except to see who can make the biggest, most colorful loogie.

Yes, teaching is kicking our butts right now. it's not so much the teaching as it is the planning and prepping and re-adjusting to lower functioning classes. i find myself scratching my head a few times a week trying to figure out how to relay my English message about English to a Korean student that isn't understanding. Sometimes I draw stick people. The creative part of my brain is working doubletime.

In the midst of all this was my birthday yesterday. I thought about de-friending some people on facebook because of so many messages (not really). It was a blessing to be reminded of how many people were thinking about me, even if just for a moment. To celebrate, we went downtown to a nicer restaurant/coffee shop for some italian food. I got the spaghetti with mozzerella and it came in two square chunks next to the pasta and sauce. Made me laugh, but that's just Korea for you.

I'm finding 3-day weekends can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessings I think are obvious, but the curse comes when you realize that you've played all weekend and have to jump back into the same busy routine that you did last week, cramming 5 days of work into 4. Eventually we're going to have to slow down and probably take (at least part of) a weekend off. But not this weekend because Chris Sharma, one of the great names in rock climbing, is going to be climbing here in Korea. I've never met the man, but I expect to feel something like a 6-year-old does on Christmas morning. I'm very excited and may lose sleep. I can't help it, it's just how I feel.

So this will have to be it for now. I have a class in about 10 minutes. And if anyone reading this is wondering why I have time to write a blog but Rebs hasn't written you back, don't take it personally. She has 2 more teaching hours than me, and her schedule is set up in a way that she doesn't really get much of a break.
-----dusty--<><--

Do What You Love - Love What You Do

I feel like we’re slowly settling into our life here in Gangneung. The last few weeks have been wonderful. We have now met all of our students for the semester. They are your typical youthful, energetic college kids. Campus is buzzing with vitality. Clubs are beginning and new relationships are forming everywhere. Often when walking across campus between classes, my thoughts are interrupted as I hear a student shout my name (Professor Rebecca). When I turn and look, they wave at me with abundant excitement. It makes me smile and sometimes laugh. Sometimes, they run up to me with some food or just to say hello. Usually, they bow. It’s weird. What a vibrant and refreshing place to spend my time.

Next week will be our first full week teaching all of our classes. I’m looking forward to getting into a groove with my schedule. So far, I love my job. I love my students, I love my co-workers, and I love my work environment. I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this. It just doesn’t feel like work to me. I wake up each day excited to go to school. Just when I start to feel tired and worn out, I’ve got a three-day weekend to rest and play.

My superiors treat me with respect and credibility and I am given a lot of responsibility. Distinguished Korean professors treat me as a peer. I’m incredibly honored to be associated with these individuals. Don’t they know I’m just a silly girl inside merely playing the role of professor? What do I know? I guess part of me feels as though I’m not a real professor. But I am. I just haven’t had to work so hard to get to this level. I am an expert at speaking English and I grew up in America. I have the ‘right’ accent and come from the ‘right’ place. It’s an attribute that so happens to be in high demand here and is given extreme admiration. I’m unworthy.

At the start of the semester we are given textbooks for our classes but are allowed to determine for ourselves how to utilize them. We can work at whatever pace we want as long as our students feel like they’re learning English. Virtually, I have unlimited freedom to be creative. Courses with foreign English professors are very focused on conversation and speaking skills so classes tend to be very social and interactive. This allows me to have a lot of fun with my students. At the end of the day I come home tired, but with a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that my work matters. I’m so fortunate to have been blessed with this opportunity and responsibility.

My co-workers are all awesome. I love the kinds of people that academia attracts. There is such diversity among us yet we are all like-minded in many ways. There are 18 or so foreign English professors. They all seem intellectual in some form or another. Some are clever and witty, some are highly intelligent, all are educated, and I would say most are scholarly. All of them seem to enjoy life in Korea. Living here isn’t so much about the money or the time off. It’s ironic: we make more money and receive more time off than most foreigners who are in Korea specifically for those reasons. Regardless, I feel like I am in good company. My co-workers seem quite satisfied and at peace with their lives’ here. Many of them have been here for years. Many of them are married to a Korean and plan to stay here permanently. All of them seem to have good things to say about working for Kwandong University.

There is so much more I could write about but this seems to be a good stopping point for tonight. It’s late. Dusty is snoring next to me and I’m really sleepy. I suppose this will have to be enough for one night.

Peopling

We finally got to do some socializing this weekend and it's been really good and fun to get to know people better. The pace of Gangneung is so much more laid back and thus far, the people seem to follow suit. Every other professor we've met seems to be pretty relaxed about life. Even in a large group, we don't have to have a plan or know where we're going next or when. At times in my past, this would have bothered me. But at the moment, I'm really enjoying it. It allows me to relax and be myself. I think I get anxiety over wanting to please others sometimes, so seeing everyone mesh so well together was awesome for me.

All we really did was eat dinner at a Shabu-shabu restaurant (thin sliced beef that you dip into a boiling pot of vegetables) and then go for a drink afterwards. So simple, but yet so fun. I think I've been nearly desperate for interaction with other people, that last night was a breath of fresh air for me. Everyone seems really alive and thoughtful (in the sense that they think before they speak and what they say tends to show signs of intelligence and depth). I really think we're going to get along well with the people we work with.

Tomorrow, we're meeting up with another professor who goes with his (Korean) wife to a Korean church. They have people in the service who do English interpretation. So since we don't stand out in a crowd here enough as it is, we'll be the ones with the big head sets on while the pastor is speaking. I really am grateful, though, to have to opportunity to worship God with other people who are doing the same, regardless of what language it is or what country we're in.

A Moment of History

There's something about history that fascinates me. If you've known me for very long, you know that I'm somewhat partial to the 1960's movement and the hippie scene. I just watched a movie called "Gonzo" about the life and work of Hunter S. Thompson. Have you ever just read or watched something and it just hits you, like the way it is explained represents you in some way, but much better than you could ever explain it yourself. That kind of how I feel about this movie, except that I'm more of an admirer than an mimicker or doer.He was in the time and place in this world that fascinates me the most, living a life that in another life I could have lived and enjoyed--that of a writer and/or a star. He was in every way fascinating. So if you get the time, you might enjoy it too (It is rated R though, so not for the faint at heart).

Back To School

We started class today. That was actually one of the smallest parts of the day. I spent about an hour and a half between 3 classes (two university and one children's), and the rest of the time getting organized. It was fun to be back working again after 4 months of not. It was fun meeting all the other professors. Many of them seem really interesting. Off the top of my head, a couple of them seem to be into educational theories and the stories behind them, a couple of the girls are really nice and are into outdoorsy stuff like us. One of them is even a climber. One guys is from Australia. I haven't met anyone from Australia that I didn't like; they just have this laid back, fun-loving vibe to them. Another guy seems like a big kid, though much smarter. He just is a little goofy and likes to have fun with himself (not in any perverted way). It was good for me just to talk with other people who I know I'll be spending a decent amount of time around. There is another guy who seems pretty active whom I could picture playing tennis or squash with in a break between classes.

After 2 weeks of hardly any contact with other foreigners, it was a breath of fresh air to shoot the breeze for a bit. It's also been nice to sort of ease into our classes this week, with no freshman classes due to level tests and only talking through the syllabus with the others. So all it left for me today was a 50 minute class with intermediate level 5th graders for the Kid's English program. Also, we get free dinner for teaching the kid's program. Just another way to save a little while we're here.

We still haven't got a couch yet, but have a bed that suits us nicely, and twinkle lights around the ceiling to make it cozy. Rebs is in the bedroom reading while I type. Even though it's pretty easy and straightforward, the first day on the job usually tires anybody out. I'm sure in a couple weeks, we'll have a routine down that works well for us and we won't be getting home pooped. Our first three day weekend starts this Friday and I don't think I'm going to know what to do with myself. It'll be here before I know it.

I've included a few pics of our apartment and this one of us on the beach that Rebs described in the last post for you all to see. It's alot easier to show you than try to describe every detail. Hope you like them.