Haters!

So twice now I have been insulted about my choice to come to Korea. Once quite brazenly (though apologized for later, jury is out on how genuine that was...) and then again in a more subtle yet still biting way.

And I have to say I don't get it. I really don't. I think it's pure ignorance, or (dare I say) jealousy? (I go with the first though). If anyone thinks what I am doing here is a cop-out or is in any way avoiding my life I urge them to come try it. Try to teach kids English. Try to live in a country where few people know your language and survive the day. Where the food tastes different. Where even the written characters are different. Where addresses don't work the same way! Where a white face is rare and you get stared at! THIS IS NOT AVOIDING LIFE! I am experiencing new things, learning a new language, making new friends, trying new foods, and lets not forget, working really freakin hard! This experience is going to aid me in my life in so many innumerable ways. This isn't a vacation! This isn't some side step or a wasted year to file away as a loss. THIS IS MY LIFE.

I can't help but think the kind of people that look down on me for this will have the most horrible mid-life crisis you can imagine.... or maybe not. Maybe they will be perfectly content in the ho-hum routines of daily life. Never move, never change, never do anything but have a "career". Puff up their chests and go "I have a career!" Well great. Good for you. Me too. Who cares? You think you are better for staying on a set path? What is it about a "career" that is so great? Is it money? I'm making enough for my means. Is it the hard work? Check on that. Is it the... who knows? But it isn't any of that. It's the idea that "this is what I'm supposed to do and I am doing it so I am good. You are not so you are bad." And for people like that... wow. What a strange view of the world THAT is. "Supposed to do according to whom?" is always the question on my mind. Who sets these rules? Your parents? The governement? Your teachers? In the end none of it matters. No one is going to give you a gold star for staying on the track any more than they'll give me one for going off of it. Though I'd say I'm taking a different track rather than going off track.

But that's the way it always goes huh? The ones that are different get persecuted for it. I like to be different. I spent my childhood wishing to look like MORE of a minority or have read hair, or be awkwardly tall, or ridiculously smart. How awesome it is to be different! And here, I am different. And it suits me quite well. Because for the most part, I am a likable different here, or at the very least neutral. I'm not a weirdo... as far as they know. ;) And if they don't like me that's fine. I don't have time to deal with people that don't like me any more. I wasted so much of it worrying about it already. Time to learn to rise above it.



Just had to get that off my chest. On to thinking about more important people. Like the kids in my classes. As of now some are failing. It is quite bothersome to me. I will have to bring everything up to shape. This transition from the last teacher to me hasn't been easy for any of us, especially with me giving tests I hardly know anything about. For the next tests I hope to raise the scores. I so want to be a good teacher. And I will be.

It is a great challenge to get a group of kids who have already been in school for hours, possibly to other private schools before or after mine, and then have an impending mountain of homework from each and every teacher, to be interested in learning. I wouldn't be so motivated either! So this is my task. My challenge for this year. To make a bunch of overworked kids excited about English. Or at the very least, paying attention and doing well!


How could anyone think being a teacher is a anything BUT a career? Even if only a temporary one...

In any case. I am very happy with my choice to come here and there is really no need to care what anyone else feels about it.




OH YEA!! And I'm a registered alien now. Got my card today. Now I can open up a bank account and get a cell phone. Woohoo! I kinda like being an aaaallllliiiieeennnn!!! ooooooooo!!!