A New School Year

March 3rd marks the beginning of the new school year across all of Korea. It also marks just 7 weeks before I'm finished in Korea and get to go home. The first day in school involves an opening ceremony, where you are introduced to the students. It was nice. When I was introduced (I'm always last, in English because my last name begins with "Y" and in Korea because I'm different) the students clapped and yelled and said "cutie." It was a good feeling.

We have a new principal. I'm hoping that the new principal will end up resulting in better treatment for me during these next 7 weeks. I have no way to tell. I don't think anyone has an opinion yet of the new principal.

I have a new co-teacher also. I don't quite understand this one. I was told that because the freshman enrollment numbers were so low, that we'd be getting rid of an English teacher and a math teacher. Well, Ms. Park (my co-teacher who is very nice but super annoying) left, and Ms. Heung is here in her place, so I don't know what that accomplished. Ms. Heung seems to have a personality that isn't going to mesh so great with me, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Good news is that she spent time at the University of Michigan studying for a bit, probably as part of this study program they have here that lasts only 4-6 weeks. Her English is good enough. I feel bad for the woman though. She had me go to a class with her, and she tried (bless her heart) to teach the class as an "English-only" class. The poor woman had no idea that she was assigned to the worst school in the area. She has no idea what she's supposed to do with the kids. What a rude awakening.

Nothing else is going on in school. There is no real schedule yet, since they wait until the last minute to do anything, so as a result, I don't have a schedule for another week or so. I think I won't really have any classes to teach, which isn't really a problem for me.

Oh, a piece of news from my city. Apparently a foreign teacher was busted for selling drugs. I don't know anything else. Is it any wonder that I don't like to hang out with these people? I hope I find out who it was.