Back and finally resting

I've been back now for almost 3 weeks.  I'm surprised by that fact actually, as it's gone by so quickly.  I've been busy I guess.  Upon returning from the US, I rested for a couple days and repacked for a week on a hillside with 100 winter English campers.  I had no TV and very limited internet access during that time, but luckily was so busy I rarely thought about it.  The facilities were alright, though I had to wake up extra early if I wanted a warm shower separate from the students, and the curriculum was more fun and less grueling than I expected.  I also couldn't have asked for a better Teaching Assistant, Scott.

With a schedule from 9am to 9pm, you'd think you'd be exhausted - and I was, honestly - but classes included clay art, dance, pop-up cards, a quiz show, and board games alongside the usual pronunciation, letter writing, speaking, reading, and drama classes.  (I lump drama in with the other dull subjects because it was just too difficult for the kids.  I mean, the same plays as the middle schoolers used the week before??  I don't think so.  Little 3rd-6th graders just can't memorize that much, nor do they have the attention span to want to!)  But, as I've said, I was happy with how the week went over all.  There was a good mix of fun and non-fun stuff, some cool activities, and the kids got to speak a lot of English.

Scott & Sonja's (self-named) English Student Army shortly after receiving their diplomas

Aside from the drama class, the kids also had to memorize and perform a song and dance routine masterminded by you-know-who.  I'll post a video below.  My students did much better on the song in rehersal, but they were very tired when it came time for the final performance.  Their drama still needed work but they really pulled it together at the last minute.  I was very proud of all their hard work and ultimately they took 3rd place; Each kiddie earned $2 in tiny paper money to redeem for candies at the camp shop. 

The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Performed by Scott & Sonja's English Student Army at Gijang County Winter Camp 2009

Then after all that, not realizing how tired I was, I quickly dropped my things at home and took the train to Daegu to visit a friend for the weekend.  BIG mistake.  I was only viable company on Friday evening before the crash.  All day Saturday I felt icky and that night I had planned to return to Busan to sleep it off, until a friend phoned and said she'd unexpectedly be in Daegu, and did I want to show her around my old stomping grounds?  Well, of course!  I'm always up for a party, plus I wanted to see these girls.  So, although I was having a terrible night waiting to feel better and instead feeling incrementally worse, there I was out on the town.  Whatever, I'm young right?  (Yeah, right!  Everyone I meet these days is like 20.)  Finally, Sunday saw me on the train back home and falling asleep by nine. 

This week I'm only teaching 1.5 hours on Mon, Wed, and Fri, and though I've been asked to "desk-warm" at my school the rest of the school day, there's no one there and nothing to do so I've been coming home after my class.  The real kicker is that the office is basically the same temperature as it is outside with no hope for that to change until the semester begins again on Feb. 8th.  Those of you who know me at all can attest: my absolute least favorite state of being is cold.  So, until something more exciting happens, I'll wave goodbye.

(In the future, look for:  DMZ tour, diving with sharks at Busan Aquarium, more articles published, and of course tales of misadventure in ROK!)