School Blues

High excitement at school? Only for a few hours.

I know its only Wednesday, I have have only been here for a few days, but I have a pretty good feeling this may be what the rest of the year holds. I know I said I was going to give a blow by blow of the days, but as every day so far has basically been the same I will give you a taste of the timetable and what I do...

Daily breakdown

7:00 - wake up

I set my alarm for 7am, but in all honesty normal people could easily get up at 7:45 and still make it in plenty of time. I fluff around, eat breakfast (a piece of toast with weird grape-seed butter and strawberry jam), have a shower, do my hair and make up (a must), get dressed, make my bed and then leave. All the while I watch the Australia Network on t.v so I know what's going on at home. I left the house today at 8:15is and was still here a bit early.

8:30 - School time

I need to be here by 8:30, and there are already students wandering around. The class bell goes at 9am and the students have time in their homerooms before coming to class. There is an English classroom here, I will take some pics or do a video or something, I just want to check with my co that he doesn't mind. I think he would be fine but you never know...

First class

This morning there was no class at 9, but Monday and Tuesday there were students dying to come to class first thing. My co-teacher and I walk into the room together and the kids are supposed to already be there sitting and ready to learn. They would rather play in the hallway and go in when they HAVE to. On Monday my co rearranged the seats so the students are now sitting in small groups rather than in lines (much much better for learning), so when they come in they go to their respective groups. There is kinda a group competition going, so hopefully that will encourage them to speak more English. 

Each class runs for 40 minutes, and there is about 10 minutes between classes. I have no idea what time the morning classes are over exactly, as the clock in the classroom doesn't work and it never occurs to me to check my watch. But there are 3 classes before lunch, and 2 after lunch.

Lunch

Like I said, I dunno what time lunch starts, but either way I need to be back in the teachers room by 1pm. 

Lunch is eaten in a huge cafeteria, where you walk over to a rack full of metal trays with indentations in them where the lunch ladies scoop your food. There are cutlery buckets with metal chopsticks and metal spoons (no knives or forks, so i'm forced to use the chopsticks lol), which you grab and then head over to the lunch ladies. 

There is always rice and some kind of soup, and there is always kimchi (pickled spicy cabbage = gross) and then a bit of something else. Te first day the 'something' was potatoes, then pork, and today tofu. The school lunches have actually been kinda tasty, and today the rice was a fried rice rather than plain. So there you go. 

Food scraps go in a big bin, and you put your cutlery and tray on a wheely bench when you are done. Then wander around until time for class.

Afternoon classes

To be honest, the kids are over it by this point. Which is rubbish because I really have no idea what they do in the other classes but they sure as hell don't do much in English. Either way, they seem to be more easily distracted in the arvo. There are either 1 or 2 classes after lunch depending on the timetable. Either way, I am done teaching by 2-2:30pm, which would be fine if you can go home. But no, I need to sit here until 4:30 and it is driving me crazy! Its ok today because my co has had to go do something, but with him sitting there I can't exactly sit on FB all arvo :s

I need to find out what to go is here, because as much as I like not having to do anything, it is driving me crazy having nothing to do for hours every day. I am sure that as I get into this whole teaching thing he might let me plan some lessons, but until then I sit here getting more and more drowsy and feel like a snooze. 

Hometime

I am well and truely packed up and ready by 4:30. In fact, I am at the gate by then. I figure if anyone asks I can say my computer clock must be fast or something lame like that. I then walk home (10 minutes) get changed, and sit on my bed. I need to find a social life here in Songtan! I really don't want to have to catch the bus/train every arvo just to hang with people, so I need to meet some people here to hang with. Yesterday I wanted to go for a walk but the rain was terrible so I stayed inside and played online. Today the weather is waaayyyy nicer so I will wander out for dinner tonight and get out and about. 

And this is pretty much what I have done the last few days. This is school.

Highlights so far?

Yes, there have been a few. I love that every student says hello to me. They greet me with "Hello Teacher Bonnie" and then run off. 

I got told by one girl today I was so beautiful (awwww). 

My co teacher asked the class the other day who thought I was the most beautiful teacher and they all put their hands up (awww again - but as if they would say no, their teacher asked them)

One girl had an obvious light bulb moment when she figured out 'your welcome' comes after 'thank you'

Another girl pronouncing "December" like an Aussie, not an American

Anyway, its 4:23 so I better get ready to run out the door! I'd hate to be here alone in an empty classroom any longer than I have to be. Better to be alone in my own house lol...

If anyone has anything specific they want to know, shoot me an email or FB me, and I will try and get something specific... I can be a rambler and not get to any point so I do need to be steered sometimes haha.

More tomorrow i'm sure!

xoxo