영어선생님이에요

Today my Vice Principal told me my teaching style has greatly improved. In fact, she said I deserve a certificate for being a real teacher.

And yet...I have mixed feelings about this statement...

One is joyful and the other one is resentful.

I'm well aware that I wasn't exactly a teacher when I first started out back in September. Before then, I'd taught only two classes with another English teacher. Outside of that, I've only given presentations to my peers (woo, class presentations~!). So, to hear that I've improved is fantastic!

But...why didn't she give me any tips or suggestions on how to get better?

Yes, I have a TEFL and TESOL certificate that say I am qualified to teach English to non-English speakers, but let's be honest...attending classes, drafting lesson plans, reading methodologies...theory is one thing, and the practical is a whole other beast.

Some days I struggled, other days I was able to keep my head over the water. There were even some days that I could stand in the water with confidence. Those first six months were rough, but they were doable. I'm proud that I was able to achieve what I have.

But...a little help would've been great. Not going to lie. Especially since I never really knew what I needed to ask to improve. Knowing what I do now, it was getting to know the students and having them know me. It was through this process that I was able to figure out what kind of teacher I was.

I connect with my students by being silly with them. I get my students improving by sticking to a routine. Heck, even the usage of my minimal Korean has shown my students that as they try to learn my language, I'm also learning their's. I kid you not, the second I told them to get out their 공책, they not only flipped out, they got more attentive.

Did I have to learn Korean to be a better teacher? Maybe. For the position that I am in, at the school that I am in, it did make me a better teacher. Had my circumstances been different, it may not have been what made me "better".

What did make me a better teacher was the amount of time I've put in for my students and for myself. I feel that at the beginning, I'd only been doing half of that. I was putting in too much effort for one of those, and it was hurting me. Until I figured out my balance, I wasn't doing anyone any good. Not my students, and definitely not me.

Six months to get comfortable in a new land.

Six months of teaching young children to first get comfortable with English.

Six months from when I left everything that I knew.

I can now say, with confidence, I am an English teacher.

영어선생님이에요.

#SaveOurToya

Week 10 - Korean Bathhouses

I really shouldn't worry about not having something to post about. Because every week, I do something or see something that is blog worthy. Work was rough this week, but I also went to a Korean bathhouse and relaxed like nobody's business.

Between the two, I'm sure you can guess what I'm gonna talk about it (you know, if the title of the post didn't give it away...)

You: "Oh, you took a bath? Good for you."

Ha!

I didn't just take a bath. I took a bath with 30 other women. 

Well...basically.

We weren't all in the same bath, but I saw more naked people in 1 hour than I ever have in my whole life combined. It was quite the experience!

Many of you back home must be wondering just what am I getting myself into over in Korea?

It's not signing myself up for an unexpected trip unknowingly...at least not in this post. I purposefully agreed to go to the Korean bathhouse, or as it is known in Korea a 찜질방. And yes, I knew I would be stripping down naked where other women can see me. I did not go into this blind.

I went into this experience as one should, open-minded. A 찜질방 is a very common and popular place for Korean families to come and relax or have a weekend getaway. And while I'm not Korean, and trust me, we all knew that I wasn't, I didn't feel singled out or uncomfortable. 

Being Black in America comes with a lot of extra baggage that your forced to deal with whether you want to or not. And being staring at, no matter where I go or what I do, is quite common.

Get ready to have your mind blown, but I think I got less stares in the bath than I did on the street.

Crazy, right?

Here I am, naked as the day I was born, getting less stares, where I could literally stand in the middle of the street, conservatively dressed, and be the focus of people at all times.

It boggles the mind.

That aside, I had a great time! I was at the bathhouse to celebrate a friend's birthday, which may sound weird, but I low key wish I had thought of it first. I was so relaxed after a month of teaching and adjusting to my new life here in Korea.

We also stayed the night and were never short of snackage or good conversation. I do wish, that I hadn't been as tired as I was. I was so tired that my contacts were doing the thing where you can't see anything.

By the time we checked out, my body was completely relaxed, my vision was back, my skin was ridiculously smooth, and I was ready to face the day in a way I haven't in quite some weeks!

My advice is this: if you ever find yourself the chance of going to a bathhouse, go! It might be a little nerve-wracking (what with the naked part...), but you won't regret it!

#SaveOurToya

I hope you had a great birthday Matt! Though the 찜질방 threw me for a loop as a birthday location, you chose well~! May this year bring your many experiences with even better memories!

Week 5 - Finals...ugggghhhhh

This week's post is going to be rather short. I'm not gonna lie. It was a little hard to sit down and write a post for today. Not because it was emotionally draining, I was just really- really busy.

Between preparing for Finals, taking my final, going to Seoul, meeting the Ambassador, Dynasty Bonding, and seeing Mamma Mia 2, I didn't have much of a chance to sit down and write out a post.

Each of these highlights deserve their own post, but I'm ready to move to the next part of my time here.

My placement.

This time next week, when my Week 6 post goes up, I will be settling into my placement!!!

That statement deserves three exclamations marks- I don't care what you say.

But, I should give some spotlight to what I went through this week.

Finals- Oh my gawd. I think I failed. I barely understood anything on that exam. What
evvveeeeennnnn?!?!? The night before, I studied for a eight hours, but nothing stuck. It was really bad. I'm just going to leave it here.

Seoul- We took a train to Seoul, which was fine. But I think I need to get better shoes. My feet would start hurting almost immediately. Taking the subway here includes lots of standing, lots of stairs, but barely any money. So, there are small favors there. We went to Seoul to go to the Fulbright Building, KAEC is one of the few (very few) commissions that has their own building, where we heard a doctor explain extra medical things to us. Good stuff to know. But afterwards, we went to the embassy for a pool party and had American food again. Which was great! And it was at that time we met the Ambassador.

2018-19 Fulbright Korea Cohort at the Embassy pool party

Dynasty Bonding- Took up most of my Sunday, so there wasn't any time to write my post.

Mamma Mia 2- It was such a feel good movie~! I'm glad I went. Anni and I decided to hop over to Megabox and had quite the experience. Garlic popcorn. That's all I have to say on that front.

I'll do better next post! See you around, Fam~!

#SaveOurToya

Guess What...

At the end of the month, I will be holding my first lesson. Together with another ETA, we will be holding a small lesson (by small, I mean 45 mins in length) and I am excited and nervous at the same time!

Ugh, this feeling is lowkey frustrating!!!!

Having never taught a class and using what skills I've picked up while getting my TEFL certificate and certification in TESOL, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my partner and I will be fantastic and awesome. 😎

Which we totally are.

But...nerves are normal and natural. Just...gotta...get to the point where I'm in the classroom and doing the thing.

The teaching thing.

...!

In other news, I hope to take part in all of the activities outside of the classroom that FEP will be holding in addition. These kids sound like an awesome bunch already.

And who knows! Might end up teaching one of them one day...

Keep your fingers crossed for me~!

#SaveOurToya

Posting Schedule

In my efforts to be an adult,  I made the decision to commit to a posting schedule. And after looking at my Orientation programming, it looks like it'll be easiest for me to post on Sundays for the next six or so weeks.

Now, that doesn't mean I won't be posting during the week, but I hope to have at least one post up by Sunday!

But there. Voila. This post is my commitment to you and myself.

Sunday is post day. 

#SaveOurToya