Hangookin Trail Korean Life at a Glance Part II

Its not called LAND OF THE MORNING CALM for nothing. Its the best time I have in Korea by far. This is the only time that there is relative peace and tranquility surrounding Gumi. Right now is the only time I have to feel good about my life and see where I want to go from here. My heart seems to follow the clock. As the time gets closer to work I begin to sink and my heart slowly aches. Work isn't a pleasant experience for me its just mass confusion and somehow or another problems find me. I don't like all the unnecessary drama that unfolds at work because there is nothing I can do to solve it and sometimes I feel completely worthless and my work isn't worth the paycheck that I make.

Sometimes I wish I lived in a bigger city like Seoul where I could disappear and do something new everyday. I wouldn't catch the attention of everyone in my community. I personally don't like the small town feeling I have because there isn't much that I get to do in my community. I am always the outsider looking in and there isn't anyone who really wants to invite me in.

The Small Town Feeling

Here I am each morning and I get to see the same familiar sites and sounds each morning. The casual passer Byers to the big time yuppie sleazy businessmen who flaunt their standing with a wave of the necktie and dak's apparel.

As I stroll along my way to Breakfast I pass the Da Bong area where the "coffee Ladies are about to begin their daily tasks. I will admit I only notice them because of their fancy clothes and special scooters. What their job duties are I am not really sure but as a tea waitress I think they are invited to "special parties"
Maybe for the sleazy business people who hide behind their computers, and their briefcases all day. One way or another its just a part of the daily ritual.

The Hustling and Bustling stirs up quite a hub bub of sporadic behavior in the busy streets of this small town. This often leaves me discombobulated. A car backfiring incessant honking to taxis who I used to refer to as predators who are just looking for a quick ride and the fix for the taxi drivers who often act like junkies. After being rooked many times by my director I have lost the respect of Directors and upper class business people who think that they know what's the right way of doing things. I see them as people who are just con artists ready to get ready to do the dirty job for the day with no sense of what the consequences are or the effects it will have on the employees. I see it as a corrupt society who is just not only a male dominated society but a society who is driven only for self interests at the expense of anyone that will come into their system.

Day in Day out I stand immobilized by the idle transgressions that go on at work.

Pressurized Atmosphere

ACADEMY VENDETTAS

MWF classes are typically the same its a mad dash to just finish get in get out. THE KID LINE UP its a comparison to cows getting ready to do their final dance to the Butchers music heading off to the slaughterhouse. When you enter my class you are going to listen or be punished. The kids lack interest in anything I do. I have to do the same monotonous routine everyday. Vocabulary please, Workbook please, Whats this Whats that. I have even started asking them in Korean because I am so bored.

People say that Routine is what makes us closer to perfection but I think it is also a step closer to insanity. Habitual Ways make us more toned but also hinder our growth I think.


Classroom Time
Time is arbitrary. I have broken it down into allotted times
5 minutes Vocab
5 minutes fun--Attendance, catch my breathe,
20 minutes of lecture
5 minute homework check
5 minute wrap up
5 minute wrap up is my Tirade of what I hope to see happen. Sometimes I think it works but most of the time it doesn't. Getting more homework is a bad social stigma and just a way for them to go home and complain to their parents but unfortunately it doesn't help my mindset. I still feel bad for not really teaching them. Save my energy though that's the thing that is crucial. After I am nearly done with my lecture the kids lose interest in me and class and begin to drift into oblivion which will get me into trouble. I have been on the verge of falling asleep because it bores me half to death.

Ways at Work

The class operates on a music program. 45 minute sessions and then marks a new class. I have heard the same songs for 11 months I think I will go insane not hearing Where's Roy or 3:15 Song most of these songs are so ridiculous. It would be nice to hear a change. I wish there was an American Holiday that we actually cared about soon but there is none.


Tuesdays and Thursdays I really get to see the business side of Yale Academy. Miss Jeong does two things that stick out to me. One is the clanking of Coffee mugs she is getting ready for some meeting that's meant to bring in a new kid/kids or solve a problem about one of the kids. She takes a tray of coffee cups into Room 207 Mr. Jeongs office where he meets with parents and children in hopes of bring in an extra amount of money for the month. Its all in the name of the business game but I can't help but feel its got a twinge of dishonesty. The facade is I have an Academy that works on a level up process, I have a Foreigner who teaches English in the Classroom and your son or daughter will be given a few sets of books. The truth is though is that they are just like coffee grounds where they will eventually just blend into the coffee and Yale can just drink it up.

Today I heard about a complaint about me because the book is too hard for her to understand. The irony is, is I stop the class every 10 minutes and ask them if they understand. This girl is drawing pictures, The other girl copies verbatim from the Textbook this isn't learning or teaching. I have two students who actually learn from me... oh how I miss Jully.

Mr. Jeong is figuring out his business move and I am on one of my breaks. Surfing the Internet and writing my Emails. I am supposed to write 17 emails in 45 minutes. I am a fast typer so I can finish in 30. I wrote some personal emails and checked basketball scores. He is teaching a class and I know this is wrong but if I can't go out and do something worthwhile except sit in front of the computer and write emails then I will play. Email writing is something that I have to do every Tuesday and Thursday. I have to write a letter to kids who can barely speak English and make it kind of long and basically its just so the parents can see that I am sending an email.

There are many loopholes though. I think I have at least 40 kids who dont have an email address, at least another 40 emails that dont work and another 20 or so who don't care. The 5 students who write me rarely write to me. I am supposed to waste my 45 minutes writing emails and it angers me that there isn't more details put into this. I could write one form letter a week and make everyone job more easier. I could put more time in my class work, making tests etc. But I play by Dr. Doks rules so thats how it goes.



KOREAN NIGHT LIFE
I have been downtown a few times after getting off of work at 8:30. I n Gumi its not a very happening place. I think that people back home would be shocked for me to say this. Most of the people in my hometown haven't been exposed to seeing so many women dressed up in a "suit your fancy" provocative manner. Some of them being Prostitutes. Businesses are still open so you could go shopping even though its a rather small shopping district. People are throwing Sex Ads around like none other. The streets are plastered with posters of come to this club, drinks, women, blah blah blah. Its like everyone in Gumi is lonely and just looking for a good time. These people are sleazy in their dressed up way. I wouldn't buy business from them simply because its degrading to my namesake. I am so happy that I am myself and I have more riches than the most fashionable people in Gumi. I dont think that Koreans have a sense of Propriety when it comes to decency. Bikers or Business men just throw flyers every where (helter skelter) with no sense of purpose. its aggravating to say the least that not only are they littering but they seem so desperate for attention that it comes off as flaky and classless. I don't have respect for people who don't try to change the system but rather just stay the same. When people talk but don't walk they are losers. Anyways, Downtown is like a Mosh Pit. It seems to be dangerous at times as cars and people are found all over the place even when its an inappropriate time for a car to be driving down the street. Where there's a Will there's a Way but for Korea that's an overstatement. Its a free for all that's for sure.



~~Conclusion

Well thats part of my life for you. Its now morning and I am having a few extra time since I got up a little earlier than I usually do I am keeping plentifully busy and today being Friday I got to prepare for my long weekend jaunt ahead of me. This will probably signify the end of my streak of consecutive days in a row written but such is life. Its time for me to prepare for my BUSY class day another hectic day awaits me.
~~~~~ Life is what you make it and I plan on living it well. I have been held in a ramshackle type of situation and have overcome all odds with many fences left to jump over. I am trying to build a bridge right now and doing it as well as I can more on that later...