Somehow a month has passed and no blog update. So be prepared for super long newsy post.
The first day of school started on March 2nd and I was given the books and the grade levels (third and sixth again). Now it has been a scramble to gather materials and make lesson plans. Both new co-teachers are great and energetic. So that is a bonus.
My third graders are quite difficult this year. There are many students who cannot even say "Hello" and there are a few students who can tell me that they went to the park and rode bikes all weekend long. I also have quite a few students with ADHD and other special needs that Korea just doesn't seem to understand.
My sixth grade classes also have more special needs children in them compared to last year. Again I have that huge gap between students who do not know their ABCs and students who can read and write almost anything I put in front of them. These gaps make classes extremely difficult because we are struggling to keep the advanced kids occupied (of course they won't help other students) and to help the less advanced students.
Other than school. I have sadly, only been to Cheongsong twice since Christmas. I missed seeing the river frozen over, but I came last weekend to see the trees begin to bud and some of the trees begin to bloom. Cheongsong is quite beautiful this time of year, and I imagine will only get more so. Our adventures in Cheongsong include: a trip to Andong (including the movies), a trip to Jinbo (finally located the famous Cheongsong penitentiary), getting startled by a good-sized rat, and discovering newly laid frog eggs being protected by their parents.
Matt has come to Seoul all of the other times. Just when we think we are running out of adventures, we manage to find some. We made ginger ale, made some pretty good banana pancakes reminiscent of Vietnam, discovered the red light district (the one near my house), went on a journey to find greeting cards that took us through alleys in Dongdaemun (finding a disturbing row of pet stores selling chickens, cats, dogs, birds, fish, turtles, lizards, pigeons, all stuffed into tiny un-kept cages) and Namdaemun (only to find a better store just up from the red light district). We also paid another visit to the Bau Haus.
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| Vandals take Seoul |
I also had a great time Thursday with my old University friends Trevor and Rody. They were in Seoul for just a few hours, and we all managed to meet up and have dinner. It was great to see them even if it was for just a couple of hours.
I will try to write more often, these blogs get too long when I don't write!
