First Day of School (Part 1: Getting to Gunsan)

Date: 10/25/2010

Today’s recap

At teacher’s desk: 2.57 pm

So, Insu Park (one of my co-teachers) picked me up at the hotel this morning and drove me to a newer section of Jeonju, which the English Teacher Coordinator’s office was.  She is very nice and I believe I will have two or three classes where I am her co-teacher once a week. 

We went to the 3^rd floor and meet Joon Jeon—the lady I actually had the interview with way back in the middle of the summer.  She said she was so glad that I could finally get over here and was pleased to meet me.  I actually did not speak to JaeChung Lee—just to Joon.  She will actually be my “case worker”—I think JaeChung Lee is actually too far up the ladder to deal with me (unless I become a problem—cough).

We were actually only at the office for 20-30 minutes before we went back downstairs, went to the restrooms, and got in the Car for Gunsan. Ms Park pointed out that it was harvest time and I could see all the farmers in the field with their scythes hand cutting the Yellow Rice.  She told me that the actual rice will be processed for humans, but the stems and roots were put in the giant white bags and used to feed the Cows for the long winter.  I was also very surprised that all the street signs were in Korean and English.  Here are some photos:

First sightings of Gunsan!

I will I admit that I didn't really know what to expect.  Half of me was thinking I'd be in some remote village without electricity (I'm sorry!  I just didn't know!) but the other half of me refused to let myself think too big because I didn't want to be disappointed.  Better to have low expectations and be surprised, then have high hopes and be disappointed.

To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised:

It was a very easy drive—maybe it lasted an hour, but it really didn’t seem that long. 

We get to Seoguhn Middle School and my first sight is ORANGE!  All the student’s change in to orange track suits to have gym.  And it’s a bright, macaroni-n-cheese orange.  Urg…I’m in enemy territory.  Good thing I have my Gamecocks hat.

Ms Park takes me to the teacher’s room where she shows me my desk. (I think this is how it is) Unlike the US, the teachers that don’t have a homeroom have a desk in this room.  It has a computer, a place for files, 4 teacher editions books, and a couple draws with odd and ends.  I get to see the teacher before me—there are some pictures in one of the drawers.  She looks shorter, with long dark brown hair, and is married to a tall American man.  Apparently she and her then-boyfriend came over together and last year they got married. 

Ms Park then introduces me to Ms Kim, who will be my main co-teacher.  I basically am under her guidance and if I have any needs/problems I can ask Ms Kim.  She is a very slender, pretty woman with curly long black hair.  More about this amazing woman later.

Ms Kim and I head off for the hospital for our health checks.  I could not have done any of this on my own—but particularly I could not have done this next part.  Unlike the road signs, which all have English sub-text, the Hospital has none (except for a poster in the dentist’s office for teeth constructive surgery…). 

We head up to the Registration & Payment counter, grab a ticket.  We were #155.  It took 2 seconds and then we went up and MS Kim explained that we were both going to get an exam (She actually had to get one too, because every 2 years Korean teachers need to get checked up, or something).   She filled out basically all the paper work (I had to write my birthday date, my name, and nationality—and that filled out my form.  It asked for phone numbers and addresses and such, but Ms Kim just put her info—I think).  We proceed to the next room that basically just had a bunch of stations.  Many people were actually getting health checks. 

So, I proceed to have my blood pressure taken, chest measured, eye sight tested, hearing tested, chest x-rayed, urine sample taken, color detection tested, blood drawn, and teeth checked.  It wasn’t really that bad, except for the urine part.  Because Ms Park and I had used the restroom, and I hadn’t had anything to drink since breakfast, I really didn’t have any in me. 

Then Kim and I had back to school to eat lunch in the cafeteria.  It was super noisy (I now understand, if Korean kids are like English kids, why Mom likes her quiet.  I think I too will learn to love to listen to nothing).  The lunch consisted of a couple dishes: rice (of course), a chicken and rice cake in a red paste, kimchee zucchini and (maybe?) squid, a sour kimchee of cabbage stalks, and a red pepper and bean sprout soup.  I liked the chicken and race cake thing…

Next, back to the teacher’s room.  I have to put on these really painful slippers—they’re for the guests.  There are little bumps on the footpad – supposed to make them orthopedic or something, but in stead they just hurt.  Luckily, later, when I laughing tell Ms Kim that the shoes are a little painful, she find Marisa’s old shoes and I steal those for the afternoon).

Oh, on the way back to school, from the hospital, Ms Kim tells me that both she and Marisa attempted to contact me a couple weeks ago.  When I pulled up the hotmail account I do indeed find both their emails.  I take it as a very good sign that Marisa didn’t put anything like, “DON’T COME!” in her email—she was very polite.  In fact, Marisa has been at this school for 2 years.  Good sign.  Ms Kim emailed me because she wanted to help me find an apartment.  That the ones the Gunsan English Coordinator had picked out were “very far away”—this was a warning for what was to come.  More later.  Just remember that Ms Kim is pretty freaking awesome.

Sitting across from my desk is a 25 year old male teacher who know “Hello” “How are you?” and “I Love you” in English.  He is introduced as my “future boyfriend” because we are so close in age. 

I am told Marisa will be coming in tomorrow to say hello to me and goodbye to everyone.  They seem to really like her.  I’m very excited to meet her.             

I then have my first class with Ms. Kim.  My impression: LOUD!  Kim says that all the teachers think this calls is the worst so probably not a great introduction but still good.  It basically was question and answer session.  All the kids wrote questions on a small sheet of paper and then Ms Kim asked them to me and I answered.  The more popular questions were: How old are you? (Older than you) and Do you have a boyfriend/Are you married? 

Everyone seems very interested in my single status.  Practically every other person tells me that I am beautiful and then they ask if I came over with anyone/am I married.  Both Ms Kim and Ms Park told me that I will get along fabulously with the male students because they will all fall in love with me. 

The young girls wanted to hear about Charlie (my younger brother).  One of the questions was “Do you have a sister?”  I think in aims for seeing if a hot American teenage girl was coming to visit, but when I said, no, I have a brother, I think I just unleashed an Asian fury that will not be contained.  The girls proceeded to pump me about him, with squeals of laughter and excited clapping after each progressive answer.  Is he tall?  Yes—we had to figure out what 6 ft 2 inches was in cm, but when I held my hand above my head and said, “This high” they loved it.  How hold was he? 18—Raucous laughter and high fives.  I said he plays soccer—Charlie might have just become a super star.  And the coup de grace—he’s single.  I had four girls come up to me after class and say they want me to bring Charlie to South Korea so they can meet him. 

The first day of school went really well.  Everyone seemed very nice.  Extremely polite and helpful.  I have 4 co-teachers, but the person I will be working with mainly is Ms Kim (or she is the one I go to if I have any questions).