"SHOW AND TELL" OR "BUY ME A SILK, LACY, NIGHTGOWN"

I couldn't decide on the title so I went with the 2 I wanted. I only slept about 2 hours last night but I am dedicated to Yoga. I went for the 5th day in a row. I still stink at it. The older man was there with his wife and he fell asleep. Boy, was he snoring loud. The woman on the mat behind me was sleeping too. Don't these people have homes? If I wanted to sleep, I'd stay in bed but that's just me. Maybe it's a little known Korean custom to sleep during Yoga class. Or they reached the maximum relaxation point and just passed out.

After surviving the class I was waiting to get my shoes. One of the teachers comes up to me and starts carefully looking at my neck. I figure she's looking at the scars from the biopsy and the carotid endarterectomy. Then she sees the scar on my chest and asks me what it is. Now she doesn't speak English but I knew what she was asking. Actually she does know a few words in English such as "relax", "eyes", and "you have the makings of a great yoga master".

With motions and easy English I explain that I had heart surgery and they replaced 4 arteries. I lifted up my pant leg to show her the scar where they took the vein from to replace the arteries and I told her that it went from my ankle to my groin. (I wasn't going to take my pants off to show her). She was quite amazed. I then put my pant leg down.

Then she starts talking with some of the other women in the class and lifts my pant leg up to show them. What am I, a show and tell piece? Actually I didn't mind but I was quite surprised because that's something North Americans don't do. And Oriental people are supposedly modest and reserved and picking up the pant leg of someone is neither modest or reserved. I asked Jason if what the teacher did was typical of Koreans and he said it wasn't strange. However, I don't trust anything he says or even know how much he understands what I say. His English is good for someone who has never been outside Korea to an English speaking country, but I can tell by some of his answers that he doesn't understand the meaning of what I say.

Today was payday. I haven't been paid yet. They do an automatic transfer to my bank account and when I asked Kelly she said she had to ask Miss Moon if it was done. She knew it wasn't done yet. Then I asked again and she said Miss Moon had left. I told her it had to be in the bank by Monday and she assured me not to worry. I have to transfer some money to the States and I want to do it on Monday. I know what will happen. I'll go into the bank on Monday and the money won't be there. Then I'll have to stand over them while they deposit the money. Of course I could be wrong, but I wouldn't bet on it.

There were no exciting language lessons today. In fact, I'd say I barely taught. I wasn't in the mood or have the energy. I was getting a little annoyed with the 4PM class because I'm trying to teach them how to read (which they should have known before they ever met me). I have 6 kids in the class. Three of them know the letters and the sounds and the other 3 are slow at it. Two of those can be taught (I think) but it will take a while and I have half the class who already knows so that's a problem. Then there's one girl who is either an idiot who never pays attention or has A.D.D. I wrote Kelly a note about her because I think she should find out if this girl has a "real" problem and isn't just a pain in the ass. She's not wild, she just has no attention span. Kelly said she got the note when I asked her and looked at it. LIAR! I wrote A.D.D. on the note and I would wager she doesn't know what that means. I'm not even covering my ass, I'm just trying to do a good job and keep her up to date with what I learn about the students. However, she'll give the kid A's and make the parents happy. Of course, if I was a parent I would want the truth about my child. But there I go again wanting too much.

As I was leaving school tonight Kelly told me to have a good time in Seoul and to buy her a nightgown. I said, "what kind, silk"? She said, "yes, silk and lacy". Yup, top of my list. She's not flirting (I'm 99% sure of that) but it annoys me when she says things like that. I'm far from a prude and coming from someone I liked it wouldn't bother me. But because it's her, it annoys me. I really need to ease up on my dislike or I'll have to leave the school.

Kelly finally took the kindergarten kids away from me. I only have to spend 1 day a week with them and I'm sure that's just so the parents know the foreign teacher spends time with them. However, all I'll be doing is babysitting and ignoring them. I have no desire to try any more with them, and I don't really like most of them. I know that's not right but what can I do. Jason is in there with me at the moment and he can't stand them. He says they have no respect. But ha, ha, he's their teacher now. What they need is a real kid's teacher to work with them, but you can't hire someone for just an hour class a day.

The downside of losing these kids is my hours shift. I was basically working 3 to 9 and now I'll be working 4 to 10:30 with an hour off some days in the middle of the day. That means I won't have dinner until 10:45PM and that stinks. I've tried to switch to a more normal schedule because I have to get up for Yoga and it's worked mostly. However, 10:45 is late for dinner and wind down time. I will be too hungry by then too. However, I'm still within the agreed 30 working hours and I realize if I don't do kindergarten I have to teach some other class to make up the time.

My 8PM student (18 year old girl) is really horrible in English. I know I said that, but every time I see her I just can't get over how little she knows. I like her and wish I could just wave a magic wand and she would be better. She'll be going to university next year to study theatre but I don't think she'll be doing any English acting. We are now moving her to 7PM because she's the only 8PM student. She'll be in a class with kids between 12 and 15 who are all far better than her. I hope being around these kids will be okay and she picks up some things. I'm worried it might be a touch awkward. But I won't worry about it too much.

Six hours and 20 minutes until my bus for Seoul leaves. I'm excited. American food. Donuts. Mmmmmmmmmmn. I'm not taking my computer (I'm so good at leaving it behind) so no posts this weekend. I'll have to save them up for Monday. And hopefully I'll have some decent pictures to share.

Leah has 2 wedding showers for her this weekend. I hope she has a great time and knows that I'll be thinking of her as will her sister who will be in Cuba and her Bubbie who feels awful to not be there with her at this time. I'm really looking forward to seeing Elana and Leah in June. I love you two so much and I don't care who knows it. (As if everyone didn't know already).