Busan & Back

View of the Busan's Famous Fish Market

Last weekend I took my first trip out of Seoul to Busan, a southern port city of Korea famous for its beaches and laid back atmosphere. I went to visit Glenn, Jenn, and other CDI people I had trained with. After our week of training, half of us were placed in Seoul and the other half were spread out throughout Korea. A large group of 12-15 went to Busan. When I first agreed to teach with CDI, I requested to be placed in Busan. Coming from 4 years of living in NYC, I was ready to take it easy and be at the beach. Unfortunately or fortunately, I was placed in Seoul. It's not the beach. It's still the city, but I am happy. As I say about NYC, "There's always something to do." So since our separation, Jenn and I have been wanting to get all the girls from our Coatel room together. We really lucked out because we, as 4 girls randomly placed into a hotel room, ended up clicking and really liking each other. I came down from Seoul, My Khan came down from Daejeon all to visit Jenn in Busan. Christie couldn't make it because of finances --as we've all experienced. Thanks CDI.

Busan was amazing. The weather was not on my side though. Coming from a summer of backpacking in SE Asia and tanning on the beaches of Thailand and Bali, I was ready for some beach action in Busan. It was overcast and rainy, but it didn't hold me back. I left Seoul on the slow 5 hr train at 11pm. It was so hectic getting to Seoul Station because I end work at 10pm and traffic on a Friday night is insanely hectic. Wesley, a co-worker of Christie's, and I made it with 3 minutes to spare. Thankfully, he brought his computer and we watched 30 Rock during our long trip. Time flew pretty fast. Glenn and his friends picked me up at Gupo Station in Busan at 4 am.

I stayed with Glenn, a guy I met at training--but that's another story. Jenn and My Khan weren't shy to remind me of it. All of the CDI friends from training got together at Haeundae Beach. Busan is a large city of 4 million people surrounded by mountains. Although smaller than Seoul, it is very spread out making cab rides just as long. When we got there, I had to jump into the water. The water felt like the Atlantic Ocean does at the Jersey Shore. It was still worth it to go though. Surprisingly, none of the Koreans wore bathing suits. They all wear t-shirts and shorts and play in the water. Foreigners are the only ones in bathing suits. Chris, Wesley's boyfriend, brought his soccer ball and we kicked around for an hour. It felt really good to kick the soccer ball around again since I haven't touched on in so long. That evening, Glenn and his friends took us to Hwamyeong, their area in Busan, to a galbi--an all you can eat Korean barbecue. That evening, we all went to Swan's apartment. She held her birthday party at her house because she lives on the beach and has an amazing place. It was like a huge CDI reunion. I got to see all the people I had met from training as we clinked our soju bottles and aloe drinks. That night as we were walking on the beach, it rained very hard. Sadly, Glenn and I had to go home and end my Busan beach experience.

The next day, I met up with Jenn and My Khan as promised. They had been giving me a hard time for hanging out with Glenn so much, so I owed it to them. We met at a famous fish market in Dolgoji, Busan. It was huge. Apparently, the best time to go is early in the morning when the boats are unloading and vendors are fighting over prices. We saw various things from octopus, squid, fish, eel, barracuda, and sea penises! Afterwards, we walked around the clothes market. I picked up some huge brown sunglasses for 5000 won! The day was amazing. That evening, Glenn surprised me with dinner and we watched movies. It really is great to watch American movies again since I don't have my laptop or a DVD player!

Fish Market CD Cover.

My Khan & I enjoying some fish market street food.

Old lady just waiting for some business.

Jenna, Me, My Khan, Jenn on the docks.

Wishing I could stay in Busan, a trip is always a trip because it has to end. I left Busan on Monday morning on the KTX bullet train (2 hrs and 45 min) back to Seoul. All in all, the trip was great. I got to see friends from training, my girlfriends and the major sights of Busan. I'm sure I will be back very soon.

Topic: Teacher is Grandpa

Today I had to be a "mean" and "strict" teacher. In my first class, I made a group of 3 girls stay in class during their break. For the second break, I made one of the 3 write "I will not interrupt class" fifteen times on the board. First, she asked me what "interrupt" meant. I can't believe I had to resort to the "sentences" punishment. Good thing she wasn't resentful. She actually participated and laughed at my jokes. After she finished the sentences, I had to ask her if she would ever interrupt in class or not pay attention--putting it in simpler terms.

One student in the same class is constantly yelling answers out of turn, speaking Korean, and calling me names. Today, I decided to make an example of him in class. For our Topic, Major Details, & Minor Details mini-lesson, I used Fred as the example topic.

T: Fred is skinny
MD1: He exercises a lot
md: He plays a lot of sports and runs 10k a day
MD2: His eating habits
md: He eats bacteria and only drinks water

They all laugh and snicker through the demonstration. Fred yells, "Teacher is fat! Teacher is grandpa!" I ignore the fat comment by saying, "Of course I am. I am 100 years old and you are 11." I then have to use:

T: Teacher is Grandpa
MD1: Teacher was born in 1266
md: Teacher has to use a cane and has no teeth
MD2: Teacher is old
md: Teacher has grandchildren and drinks soju and smokes

Since when is "grandpa" an insult. I remind them that the older you are, the wise or smarter you are. Fred continues to cheer, "Teacher is grandpa!"

Exhausted from my elementary school children, I look forward to the much milder middle-school Bridge Reading students. For the past few weeks, we've been reading about photosynthesis, genetics, and now dinosaurs. I only have 8 students, which to the novice teacher, should be much easier to handle than the 16 elementary school students who have the shortest attention span. Usually this class is very attentive. Either they are completely disrespecting me or they feel a lot more comfortable around me. our class was so broke because they would constantly ask me how much questions were worth for the in-class quiz and what my favorite black singers is--one guys asked if I knew who was Bone Thug n' Harmony! Then, two boys sitting across the room from each other kept making faces and speaking Korean. What really just made my night was when Unknown--yes, that is what he chose for his English name, went over to Max who was sitting at his desk and hit Max's cheek with a full fist. I could tolerate all the other disturbances and interruptions, but a boy actually hitting another student was out of my reach. I ha to remain composed and in control, but my face was definitely in shock, disbelief, and amazement. Could I have stopped it? I had walked right into it. Why didn't I thrust my arms before the punish or furthermore, my body? I'm sure my students think I am incompetent. I am such a passive person that I just watched it all unfold like a train wreck. I tried to get the 2 boys to go to the office, but neither budged. I had to relinquish my authority and beg another more senior teacher to help me. She made both boys follow me to the office, which I asked if I needed to go with them--rookie mistake. Already 40 minutes behind in our lesson, the other students were reluctant to take their quiz and were also shake by the incident. Apparently, Unknown has been trouble for every other instructor he's had. Gina, the other teacher that helped me, asked me afterwards if I was alright and why was I not more aggressive about the situation. Never did I expect to discipline while teaching Korean kids, but kids will be kids anywhere in the world despite the "well-known" acknowledgement that Korean kids are angelic pupils. Now, I don' t know how I will gain that class' respect as an authority figure. Our term will probably continue in dysfunction and tension between the 2 boys in that class of 8. They will probably question my teaching ability and continue to test my patience. Hopefully, I'm just thinking the worst and the matter will be forgotten a week from now especially when the middle-school kids leave CDI at the back of their mind and struggle through mid-terms.

Take that! Maybe I should get a bonus?

CCTV Review of Memory English Class: Elementary School

A better class from Shadiyah than what I have previously seen. She was more interactive than before and she not only asked more questions but also better questions. It is apparent that Shadiyah is trying to get better and it is paying off.

CCTV Review of Memory English Class: Middle School

A much better middle school performance from Shadiyah than before. She was more engaging, asked more questions, and truly put an honest effort into making a connection with the students. Hopefully all her hard work will pay off, and she will continue to improve.

GLORY! I knew I wasn't that bad of a teacher. Let's hope my CCTV reviews of Bridge Reading: Middle School is good too. Word around our branch is that these classes are the worst!

Triangle Kimbap, 7-11, and Budongsans

So for the last month I have been eating at By the Way, 7-11, and Family Mart--Seoul's convenience stores. It isn't has bad as it sounds. I can get sushi-like meals for less than 1000 won or $1! I have moved on to the hole in the wall eateries or diners where my menu options have expanded to include ramen, udon, kimbap, and other staple Korean dishes. I have actually found a neighborhood diner open 24hrs. The ladies who work there know me as "The Mexican," probably referring to my darkness. They know exactly what I order every time: either kimbap or tuna kimbap.

Kimbap

Preparing Kimbap

So after 2 weeks of living at the Coatel Hotel, CDI decides to kick me out or make me pay $80/night. I wanted to avoid the CDI Realtor because I had heard that he found you crappy places and you would also have to pay him 250,000 won. I tried to go around myself to the budongsans or realtors. Most of them do not speak English and I am left looking like a monkey creating over the top hand gestures and facial expressions. After 2 days of fruitless attempts at finding my own apartment, I had to resort to the awful CDI realtor. When I met him, he did not have the flare you expect from a realtor. He was abrupt, rude, and did not even ask me my preferences. At one point, he asked me, "Shadiyah, why is your skin burnt?" WOW. This guy tells me he went to Canadia University insinuating that he's a western educated man. Who's ever heard of Canadia University? I had to explain to him that I am filipino and that I love the beach. In two days, he took me to see 5 villas and officetels. As a foreigner with no idea how to go about living in a new country, I expected to be shown places that are at least semi-furnished with an air conditioner, refridgerator, and stove. He was showing me places without any of these nor beds or washing machines. Coming out to Korea with $1000, getting these things are not a priority. Paying rent is.

After living on Christie's floor for a week and suffering a stiff back and joints, I gave in to Mike and settled on a villa in Taereung. I had to pay him the 250,000 won realtor fee for his absent mindedness and awful selections. My villa is decent though. I have 3 rooms (living/bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom). Everything was furnished except for the bed. I am really glad the kitchen is separate because I don't want my apartment smelling like food, although I live above a restaurant. I have 3 other neighbors that I have never met. Whenever they open their doors, I open mine to catch them, but they always end up slamming it and hiding. I guess this is how its gonna be for the rest of the year...and we have such a nice rooftop for parties! Maybe I will catch them when we're doing laundry since we share the washer. This area is the beginning of Nowon-gu, the Special Education Zone of Seoul. In other words, the newest section of Seoul dedicated to young families with lots of money who send their kids to a hagwon or academy everyday of the week except for Sundays. They go to math, science, english, and even sports academies in addition to going to school. Every week, I ask my students what they are doing the next weekend or what did they do the past weekend. Their reply is always "study Teacher."

Gongneung-dong (Area) of Nowon-gu (County)

Well, Taereung is a nice fit for me, especially since Christie lives on the next street! It really has made the transition easier having a girlfriend near by. Since living in Taereung, Christie and I have had multiple wine nights accompanied by Korea's finest --fried chicken! It is uncomparable to the US. The Korean fried chicken is by far the best fried chicken I've ever had. For 5500 won, I can get 8-10 pieces with various sauces and white kimchi, pickled radish--a staple of Korean eating. I've enjoyed where we live. We live near a university so there are a lot of young people. There aren't a lot of families, but senior citizens decked out in hiking gear or biking gear. It's so embarrassing when I run by the river and the old people are running faster than me! My community has really taken us foreigners in. They love it when we come in and try to speak Korean and they know we are good sources of referrals because I always tell my friends where the best fried chicken is, cheap groceries, or best take-out.

Norebong or Karaoke

Wig Night in Itaewon (Popular Foreigner Area in Seoul)

Subway Ride: Sitting in the Old People Section

Street Food: Everything is 50 cents & Delicious

Enjoying meat on a stick from a food stall

Eating our first Korean soups during Training Week

Red Mango: Famous Yogurt in the U.S.

*Frozen Yogurt was invented in S. Korea

Here it comes...

So after Week 1, I had both good and bad feedback about my classes. My Memory English classes (lower mid-level) were pretty good. My head instructor said I am great with them, but I need to pick up the pace. Today (end of Week 2), he comes into my classroom and has a 1 on 1 with me. So he comes in smiling asking if I have checked my e-mails. At this point, I'm thinking he's just being friendly and asking if I wanted to mock teach tomorrow for our workshop. The subject line reads: CCTV Review Week 2. Yikes! So I try to keep myself composed and crack a joke to let him know I'm going to be calm about this. He gives me a few minutes to read over the 3 paragraph e-mail. He apologizes for the length and the tone, but he just wanted to let me know that I am no doing a bad job, but I do need to work on my middle school classes...the dreaded rocks. Apparently, I am not being hard enough of them, yet I'm suppose to try to keep them happy. Oxymoron? These little d'entents just amaze me. I want to be open-minded about the criticism, but it really is hard when you are trying to motivate middle-schoolers who have been school for 10 hours already and then have to endure 3 more hours of you screaming, "CIRCLE THE TRANSITIONS!" Hopefully next week's feedback will be better.