How to pack your shirts

Coming to Korea? Here is how to pack your shirts.

Gubongsan

The Cheonan Haze

If I thought work kept me busy before, I was living in a fantasy world. I have traded making fancy looking lesson plans for keeping detailed grades of my high school students. Grading books, worksheets, classes that are behind, classes that are ahead, test taking days, teacher workshops, extra after-school classes, and loads of paperwork have become my new world. That said, I am so happy with it. I actually feel like a real teacher again.

One of the most fantastic things about my new job is the freedom I am allowed. I have a coworker, who teaches half of my classes in a different room, that I collaborate with and we make everything from scratch. There is no book, there are no rules, and there is no right or wrong.

Working for EPIK/SMOE was a great experience, but I don't believe I will ever do it again. The amount of rules and "hand holding" that comes with working for the government really stifles education in my opinion. We are doing unique, and innovative things with these high school kids that would never be allowed in a public school. The English level of these students is also quite high, so that is opening the door for loads of lessons I couldn't dream of teaching to my elementary kids.

Anyway, I am working hard for the money (which is more in abundance now :) ) and life is good.

First Day at Bugil

I just got home from my first day at Bugil and it was wonderful. Granted, everyone is running around like chicken's with their heads cut off...but it was a great change of pace from teaching for SMOE. We are literally constructing everything from the ground, up with our classes.

Today's schedule consisted of me teaching two classes (which I was late for), sitting around and discussing the rest of the year's schedule with my coworkers, and taking a tour of the school grounds. It also consisted of having to eat in the girl's cafeteria and getting to experience one of the most hilarious things that has happened yet in Korea: Three exchange students from Texas walked through the cafeteria and almost started a riot due to their handsome young Justin Bieber good looks. The girls were screaming like Elvis had just shook his hips on stage for the first time.

All in all, I am so excited about this year. I don't have internet in half my class rooms, some TVs don't work right, and the blackboards are weird "non-chalk chalk boards," but it's all amazing and I am so happy that I took the position at Bugil!

Moving to Cheonan

I always get this strange feeling the night before I move somewhere. It's like everything is about to change, even though I am just moving my belongings from one apartment to the next. Granted, I am changing cities, changing jobs, and practically having to re-learn where the nearest grocery store is.

I think what I am most excited about is the new area. Even the thought of staying where I am in Seoul just kind of depresses me. Not that this is a particularly bad area, I just feel that staying here would have stomped all over me having the most amount of adventure as possible in South Korea. Nowon-gu: check it out and keep on moving.
Also, I plan on leaving the next teacher moving in my apartment little notes. What will be on these notes you ask? These notes will contain little tips about this apartment, secrets about this area, and hints for how to live like a baller in Gongneung. Pretty much everything I wish I was told when I moved here.

Anyway, I am super excited to get to Cheonan, start my new job, and be WAY closer to Daejeon (heres looking at you Mich).

Cafe Drama in 이대

Recently, my friends and I got the chance to visit a place called Cafe Drama, located around Ewha Woman's University. Basically, it is a cafe where you dress up, take pictures, and act-a-fool...for 30 minutes to an hour.

The rules of the cafe are as follows: First you must purchase a drink. They have all kinds of beverages that run from 4,000 - 7,000 Won. Second, you pick out the outfit you would like to wear. They have lots of traditional Korean Hanbok, wedding dresses, warrior armor, an officer's uniform, and a couple other Korean looking outfits. The outfit prices range from 30,000 - 70,000 Won (pricey, I know). You are then given 30 minutes - 1 hour to walk around the cafe and take pictures in your costume.

The cafe has about 12 different scenes and places for you to pose for your photos. Want to pose as a rock star on the red carpet? Check. How about in an old ancient Asian setting with a bird cage? Check and check. Cafe Drama also offers professional light kits to get your picture just right. That said, we felt like the entire place was a little too dark and could have used MORE lighting.

So was it worth it? While the prices were WAY too high, we did have a lot of fun. If you dig dressing up and taking pictures, this is the cafe for you. If you dig just drinking coffee, steer clear.

Directions: Coming soon.

Big Bang Big Show 2012

We just got our tickets booked for Big Bang's Big Show this March! It is going to be the second time I've seen them in concert and it should rock some socks. Check it out: