shameless

yesterday i walked to school, sulking. i was tired and the rainy weather only made me feel more so. it's mid-term time which means that my students have begun to care a little less. they also seem to have the attention spans of goldfish and i don't blame them. i think i've one foot dangling in the lazy goldfish bowl, too.

i didn't necessarily dread teaching, but, i wasn't looking forward to it. my students, however (only 5--my favorite number to teach) were energizing and too cute for me to remain crusty. it's in this class that i feel like we are true collaborators in education, rather than having such a distinct separation between teacher and student. this class, i shameless admit, is one of my favorites. (shhh!!!) i'm also shameless in it. i completely lied to them. (again, shhhh!!!)

last wednesday, i told them that if everyone completed all of their homework assignments, i'd treat to them bread. no just any ole bread, but tasty rolls with cheese and nuts. (it may sound weird, but it's quite yummy!) and guess who forgot to buy bread!!! how embarrassing. i couldn't tell my students that i forgot, so i lied. i flat out lied and said that i put the bread in my locker and since my co-workers and i share food, they must've thought they could eat it. yep. so i blamed my co-workers. i'm such a role model. luckily, when i told them that they were entitled to bread next week, they cheered. note to self: don't forget to buy bread...good grief.

spring blossoms

what the book

not too long ago i went to the itaewon neighborhood, which in seoul, is known as foreigner's delight--delightful indeed! my friend and i had a culinary feast at an indian restaurant! there's "hooker hill" which i didn't check out (next time, next time) because my mission was to specifically investigate a new and used bookstore called, "what the book." ha! i love plays on words! i've returned to my voracious reading ways and it feels so good to read! TO READ!!!!! to have the mental energy and time and space to read...it is awesome. i've finished reading all over creation by ruth ozeki (who also wrote the fabulous book, my year of meats) and norwegian wood by haruki murakami. next on my list is kim edwards' the memory keeper's daughter. i love books!


i also love food. eat & drink? yes please, thank you.

63 skydeck

my "amelie" moment

yesterday, i saw a blind man walking in the middle of the road. a parking lot attendant approached and guided him in the right direction towards the station. overhearing this, i told the blind man that i was also going to the subway station so we could walk there together. i put my arm in his and he stopped using his guide stick. the day was beautifully spring, sunny and crisp. i told him in korean, "nice weather today, don't you think?" my accent was a dead giveaway to my non-nativeness and he replied, "you're not korean, are you?" i smiled, and said, "no, i'm an english teacher." when we approached the steps, i warned him to step down or step up. i helped him get his ticket and walked him to his waiting spot (we were going in different directions) where he thanked me and we said goodbye. it's moments like those that make me feel peacefully connected to strangers, where kindness is given and received.

mirror mirror...

koreans are constantly checking themselves out: fixing their hair, picking their teeth or simply admiring themselves. on the street, most definitely on the subway and just about anywhere else. there's no shortage of reflective surfaces, they are everywhere! check me, checking mirrors out:

the stairwell at work:

bowling fun:

in an elevator:

at the yeoido subway station:

at the 63 skydeck:

genius

my students say some of the funniest things. this is irony at its finest. when a student gives an excellent answer, i'll compliment him with an exuberant, "yesssss!" and, being sincere, modest (ahem) obnoxious and a bit too proud, sometimes, he, the student, proclaims to the class, "i'm genius."

uh, excuse me?!?!
"you're genius?" i ask. smugly, he nods yes.
then, i write the sentence "i'm genius." on the board and ask the class to correct it. someone usually inserts an "a" in the sentence. "i'm a genius."
a-ha! i smile, that's right! remember, i tell them, if you are a genius, don't forget the "a!" it's silly how many times i have repeated this genius lesson. geniuses schmeniuses!