second day of school

First day of teaching is over here. It’s a little early to make any broad generalizations, but after first couple days, I can say:

• Teaching kids at a much lower English level. They’re all excitable and of course they’re amazed that I’m tall and have hazel eyes, but they can’t say much more in English than “Hi teacher” or “Nice to meet you.” That said, teaching seems really nice. I think I’m going to enjoy it. My co-teacher has a lot of experience and seems really nice. I think I’m gonna like it here. That said, I could see the Devil outside my door and think, well, “I think I could take him."


• You knew it was gonna come back to food with me; the kids eat in their homerooms here, with their teachers. Lunch food is good and very cheap. Today we had a chicken stew, kimchi, strawberries, rice, all for under $2. Yesterday rice, kimchi, apples, seaweed, some meat. I love Rialto but I don’t miss dried food that is made of who knows what. Fresh ingredients is where it’s at.


• Kids are very polite here. I’m sure part of that is a cultural difference or the fact that it’s early days yet. I imagine the kids will be better behaved than my gangstas with hearts of gold in Rialto, but I guess we'll see. There's something to be said for ignorance. It's good not to know what people are saying about you because perhaps you wouldn't like what they were saying anyway.


• I really wish I could speak more Korean. This year there are of course fewer native English speakers with me so I will have to do even more listening. It's frustrating to hear conversations that sound like a lot of fun and everyone else is getting into....and I sit there grinning like a doofus. It’s only two days of school so far so I’m sure I’ll get to know some of my co-workers better anyway, but it's frustrating. And if I practice, I’m sure I can learn Korean. And if I don't, as Led Zep says, it's "Nobody’s Fault But Mine." I like that-it puts me the responsibility on to me.