Unending adventures.

FYI: This is going to be another one of those jumbled, random posts about, well, random parts of life, so be warned - this is not my best writing.

I am Rachel Teacher, hear me... teach?

Last week, as I was standing at the front of my classroom in the middle of a lesson, I had a revelation. I am a teacher. whoa. that might seem obvious to you and I may have mentioned this epiphany a few times, but it still hits me.  Not only am I a teacher at a high school in Korea, but I am finally comfortable in front of my classes.  I don't get nervous before a class or get flustered when I fail to speak in perfect English.  No, I'm definitely not a perfect teacher or even close to it, but I am a teacher. crazy.

Yesterday I was walking home and I heard someone say "Teacher" like they were trying to get someone's attention. Without a thought, I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around toward the voice.  It was a little boy, and he just wanted to say "hi" but after I said hi and continued walking, I realized how instant it was for me to respond.  If someone would have said that 6 months ago, I wouldn't have taken notice.  I guess I really am a teacher.

What Just Happened?

Often in my life here, I will witness something or experience something and I'm usually left with the question of "what just happened?" Usually I post them on facebook or at least jot them down in my journal, but I want to share some with you. Here are a few of those things that make my day or make me shake my head in wonderment.

• Walking home, I saw an older Korean man taking a nap in the doorway of his shop.  He was laying on potato boxes, using an empty crate as a footrest, and (I kid you not) a small watermelon as a pillow. 
• On the way back from the gym, a whole posse of elementary school boys all on bikes went past me and almost knocked me over on the sidewalk.  I'm pretty sure they would be the "bad" kids from the Outsiders, minus the greasy hair and adding a few years.
• The teacher who sits directly in front of me, often will whip out his harmonica during lunch and play a little diddy.  One time he pulled out a jump rope during a break, went outside and I could hear the click-click of the jump rope as he had a lil work out during his break...still in his slacks and sparkly tie.
• While running to Duryu Park, I had to run through a group of older men blocking the sidewalk.  Instead of just staring, they made a tunnel (like cheerleaders do with their hands) for me to run through and cheered for me. Best Korean run ever.
• Students aren't allowed to eat in my classroom and I called a student out on opening a bag of chips while I was lecturing.  She put them away, the whole class laughed together, and at the end of class, she comes up, hands me a chip and says sorry!
• You just leave your trash and recycling out by poles along the streets (I'll do a post about that later) and old Korean women and men come and pull out the recycling.  However, they're stealthy about it.  I brought out a couple of cardboard boxes one day, ran back up to my apartment because I forgot something, and less than 3 minutes later when I came back down, the boxes were gone. Sneaky!
• Iced instant coffee is a production.  I've watched teachers take a full 5 minutes to make iced coffee. Here's what I can tell as the proper way: powder in cup, little bit of hot water and stir to dissolve, then add ice and cold water, and stir vigorously so that your metal spoon clanks against the side. for 5 minutes.
• "The two supermarkets now almost five years, and this operation, which seperate the two drops keep its distance from the supermarket five years had two supermarkets my have made money twice." a direct quote from one of the high school essay paragraphs I had to correct...where do I even start with that?!
• I may have taught 2 classes with my zipper accidentally down one day. whoops.
• One of the lunch ladies doesn't like me losing weight apparently, because she notices what food I have taken and then makes me take more.  If I don't do it myself, she will put it on my tray.  She's also very proud of me and speaks in rapid Korean and smiles really big when I take spicy food.
• At the gym, there is a big, buff dude (rare in Korea!) who comes in and looks like he's about to die on the stairmaster.  Frequently, he pulls his shorts up so that they look like underwear.  It's hilarious to watch people's reactions...it's like a car wreck...you genuinely want to look away and spare yourself, but yet you keep glancing.
• and many, many more but I will save those for next time. :]

Slackerville.

As life has gotten more routine, my picture taking has dwindled.  I still carry it most places, but I'm not as quick with the draw of pulling it out and snapping away.  That being said, I am determined to take more pictures and share more with you, because who doesn't like a little visual stimulation when they read a blog?  Here are a few recent pictures and will have many more soon!

Dinner and drinks for Loren's birthday!

Favorite coffee shop downtown - they give free garlic toast!

Live band near Kyungpook University

Amy! soon to be China travel buddy!

random view on my walk home from school.

fruit and pork. what a combo.

Bus for a daycare. I don't really get it, but I like it.

Infamous Ann&Andy coffee shop!

Inside Ann&Andy - the owner and my friend, Vivian!

my desk in the teacher's room

rainy day - Mom, Dad and Sarah...doesn't this remind you of when we built the house and all that mud?!

Teacher's room...my desk is to the right of this one.

snuck these when everyone was out :]

well dear friends, that's all for now! I'm off to the Mud Festival in Boryeong this weekend so I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures and stories after that!