Hello lovely readers!!! I hope your week has been going smoothly with no hiccups to throw you off. I'm sitting at my desk watching my 6-3 students studying for a little quiz we are giving them, and I just feel really happy and lucky to be here having a few pages and maybe even a chapter in their books of life.

I was really dreading going to school today. I've been sick since Tokyo, because it ended up being rainy and cold for 3.5/5 days and I didn't pack for that kind of weather. Also, I'm just feeling lazy since having so much time off, but today one of my students reminded me of why being here is so wonderful, and as most inspiration goes it wasn't intentional.

There is this student who is pretty quiet, doesn't say much in class, and really doesn't make much of an impression at first glance, but today I got to discover a little part of him. There is this English speech contest going on, and I am one of the four judges. The kids have been turning in their essays to my co-teacher, but today she was somewhere and Hyun turned it into me. I was just going to glance at it, to see what his precious thing is (the topic of the essay) and I was really captivated by his writing because I didn't expect such deepness in his words. It was a really beautiful essay, and it just made me feel honored to have been able to read it, and I am so excited to hear the other speeches next week. I also have to give one as well, about my life, teaching, and the things that are precious to me. It will be nice to let the kids learn more about me, and to learn more about them in return.

I look around the classroom and I wonder what each of my students stories are. What are their families like, where do they see themselves in the future, what dreams do they have, what are they afraid of...and so on. I'm a curious person about everyone and everything, but we don't always get to know another person's story, and sometimes they just don't want to share or they're afraid to.

You think you know someone, but you've barely scraped the surface of them, and people change too. Reading about his precious things made me realize I have to dig deeper, look a little harder, and don't assume someone is some way until they show or tell me. It was a nice moment on this sunny Thursday afternoon.

That's the thing about life, we assume someone is someway, and miss out on getting to know who they really are, even when their just your students. It's funny how little moments can have a such a big impact.

Wishing you a fantastic rest of your week!!!

Be blessed,
~Lola O.~

P.S. Travel posts will be coming your way soon!!!

The hardest part of teaching for me, is when I have to give directions for an activity. Even the simplest directions can go wrong depending on...everything...

Just finished teaching for the day. Mondays and Tuesdays are my longest/worst teaching days. It is just nonstop, and I barely have time to rest or think. The only break time is during lunch time. It's not a big deal for me..just tiring. I know that once Tuesday is over, my week will only get better. Today has just been an extremely long Tuesday.

Lately, I have been feeling really tired no matter how much sleep I get. I'm not sure if it is all due to me being anemic, or because I am constantly doing something. Teaching definitely tires me out, but usually only when I am teaching 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. They require a lot more energy (usually class management) than my 5th and 6th graders. Mondays and Tuesdays are mixed days for me. I teach 3rd (M(1)/T(2)), 5th( T(4)), and 6th (M(3)) plus I have two hours of afterschool on Mondays. By the time I get home on those days I just want to eat and sleep the rest of the day away.

Okay, so today I had my 3rd graders, two classes first thing in the morning. They were loud, cute, and fun as usual. Then I had four classes of 5th graders the rest of the day. We were doing the last period of Lesson 3, and I was in charge of the game part. Basically it was an information gap activity where the students had two strips of paper with object names on it (pen, book, bag..etc). They had two identical pictures. In the first picture, they can place the objects wherever they want. Then in the second picture they have to ask each other Where is the (object)? and then place the object where their partner tells them. So the first picture matches the other student's second picture.

Only the first class understood how to do this activity, in the other three classes it was confusion upon confusion. I felt mostly frustrated with myself. I really wished that I spoke Korean well enough to help them understand what I am saying. I know a bit of Korean, so it helped in the end, but honestly I can understand and relate to the kids being frustrated when they don't understand something. I took Korean for a semester in college and sometimes I would have those same blank stares of confusion mixed with frustration. I don't want the kids to rely on Korean to understand what is going on in their English class, but I do believe using some Korean is a good idea when all else fails. Most of the time we only use English unless it is a hard activity. This activity turned out to not be as easy as we had thought.

I explained the directions one more time, and basically pointed at the picture going cut strips, stick stick, anywhere in Korean. Then after they did that, I explained the second part. In the end (after three variations of the directions) it worked out, since my co-teacher and I walked around  and helped them as they did it. I don't know I just felt a little bit like a failure today. My energy is gone, and my mood is a pale blue right now.

Inside I was feeling all frustrated, and thinking about how I can be a better teacher next class, when some of the students came up to me with their big smiles, and happy faces. Giving me high fives and saying "See you on Friday!!!" Their happy smiles were/are contagious and I returned them feeling a bit lighter.

I realized two things today...
One, teaching is full of stumbling blocks both as the teacher, and as the student. We have to decide whether or not we are going to stay down, or rise up and try again next time. I'm going to try again next time, and take the things I noticed and learned today with me.

Two, communication isn't just about words. My body language and attitude make a big difference. I want to do my best to stay positive for myself and my students. I want them to understand that I understand it can/will be confusing and frustrating at times, but no matter what trying is better than not trying.

I hope my students are learning from me as much as I am learning from them. I am thankful for their positivity, smiling faces, and enthusiasm everyday. I guess I've had it pretty easy so far, because today is the first day I have felt like this. I know that there will be more days where things are a little off kilter, I just hope they will be few and far between.

This is just one of many moments where I am stumbling an figuring out how to get back up again. I know other expats that are teachers can relate to this feeling of failing their students. So any tips or advice would be great. Less than two hours to go, I think I will watch something funny after dinner with a friend. Laughter, always makes me feel better. That, and dessert:)! Thanks for reading...kind of a somber post.

Be Blessed,
~Lola O.~

Seoul Geum/Keum San Elementary School. I can't find any info on it, but I guess today I will know when my co-teacher takes me there. I will have updates about orientation and etc once I have some time. Pray that I have a nice/flexible/young co-teacher and a nice/clean apartment in a super safe and pretty area. I leave in a few hours to start the real journey in Seoul and it is both exciting and scary.

This week has been like a comfortable cocoon of new and old. But, everyone here has at least one thing in common, we are all foreigners to this land for the most part. Today, I depart from this safe zone, and jump in the unknown with hope that it all works out for me. I'm ready to do this. I'm ready to take this leap and dive into teaching. I'm ready to explore and experience everything that comes my way. I am ready to triumph, fail, and make mistakes while learning from each one. I am ready to leave my comforts behind and create a life and a home for myself in this country for a year. I am ready to be an expat, and let Seoul and S.Korea know who I am.

Wish me luck:)!

Be Blessed
~Lola O.~