23/29. One of those weeks that gets better as the weekend approaches... and myself and Garry celebrated Samgyeopsal (BBQ Pork) Day (3 March) 4 days late.

Uncertainty at the start and a underwhelming feeling after last weekend... Anna rings Garry to quiz him about his performance, and there is a general sense of everyone being out for their own interests. Large changes to the teaching schedule, culminates in a new timetable handed out on Friday - which benefits the native English speakers more.. Less lessons, but longer... same classroom time, but hopefully more quality time. The Korean teachers now have to teach in solid blocks and they seemed disgruntled about it. We suggest alternative practices and we get listened to... things change and we feel empowered. I feel lucky. My month's wage will have no huge deductions, least of all the 4% tax. On top of that, I am encouraged to vary some of my upper-level lessons. I am given another IC class, due to the apparent success of the other 2, and am trusted to select a new textbook, from a local store, by myself. I can play games and dress them up as educational. I can surprise the kids but treat them fairly. There is just about the level of trust and responsibility I want from a job... ok, maybe a little bit more responsibility would be good... but I am left alone to get on and do my job... and help is always at hand. I get on with pretty much all the staff and I don't expect too much. Occasionally, things happen too last minute, but that can happen in any place of work. I believe this is the best job i've ever had and this is only the start of my teaching career.

The weekend arrived, Portsmouth dumped Man Utd and Barnsley dumped Chelsea out of the FA CUP (did you know that in the early stages of the competition, Dereham beat Fakenham Town 12-0 ?), and in Hamilton, New Zealand, Ryan Sidebottom took a hat-trick to bring England a sniff of victory... unfortunately this was completely superceded by England's 2nd innings dismissal for 110, chasing 300 to win. Spartan, instead of Sparta!! Does anybody get that joke?? ... Thought not.



Anyway, I have spent today (Sunday) making - 'A bad dream?' - a video of my arrival in Korea, which i have now uploaded - see videos. In addition, here is some prose, summing up my current thoughts on my job...


If you can keep your better classes when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on the Korean staff.
If you can trust yourself and be trusted to make decisions
and also to be given an allowance for doing so
If you can wait and not get tired with Phonics classes.
Or, being misunderstood, don't let misunderstandings fester.
Or, being laughed at, don't let the names hurt you, nor the frustration lash out at the
wrong student.
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise, for then you will have more classes fostered upon you.

If you can teach - and make them learn something by laughing.
If you can give them choice but not let them get the better of you.
If you can play games - but always make them educational.
If you can balance your triumphant lessons and disastarous lessons,
and not expect too much of kids learning a foreign language.
If you can quietly suggest better ways of working, without making too many demands,
or complaining constantly.
Twisted by lonely wretches who would rather be drinking wine in solitude and building firewalls and burning bridges instead of building bridges.

Or not be too surprised when a PC or a Photocopier is broken, or realise that you are working with wornout tools;

If you can make at least one imaginative lesson plan work per day
And risk failing to teach them anything
Or lose your shoelaces at the start of every day
And never breathe a word to your boss
If you can pacify your heart and keep eating kimchi
to serve your digestion, and keep physical as well as mental health.
And not start sentences with and, however, or but.
And earn enough money to have weekends in Seoul and still be able to save.

If you can talk to bar staff and make them realise that you just want a drink or visit the tombs of Shilla kings, while making pilgrimage to lost historical treasures.

If neither Scott in Junior 1/4 nor Tony in Junior 1/3 can hurt you;
If all the kids can count with you, but none can predict your next impression.
If you can fill the unforgiving minute with a game of hangman,
or sixty seconds' worth of Andy and Euri dialogues
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!


apologies to Kipling.