ANOTHER GWANGYANG VALLEY MONDAY

Ah Monday. The hopes and dreams of a new week. Here in Gwangyang city a new week brings the same old, same old. Same kids, same issues, same lousy food, same moronic employer, and same small pleasures.

I didn’t sign up for yoga this month. I’m still sick and I won’t be here the whole month so I didn’t want to spend the money for a month of yoga. I have every intention of joining a class in my new city of Paju when I return from my Texas hiatus. Only 40 days until I go to Texas. If Noah could survive a flood for forty days, I can survive Korea for 40 days.

I told Jason (the Korean English teacher) that I quit. He didn’t know. He didn’t say much about it. I think he’d like to quit. He’s mentioned it before. I told him that it’s much easier for me because he lives here and has a family so he just can’t pick up and go. I asked him to not tell Kelly I told him and he agreed. I believe him because he had told me that he’s not happy before.

One of my students at 4PM is a boy of about 11 or 12 who I like. He could never read and didn’t even like to try. Today I noticed that he read, and he is one of the best readers in the class. I have no idea when this transformation occurred. I would have loved to have asked him, but he wouldn’t have understood my question. I wish I could take some credit for it, but I don’t think I can. However, I will settle for minor miracles.

In my 7PM class I had 2 kids present and 3 absent. The 2 present were middle school boys who are nice kids that I like. We basically did nothing because I start coughing when I talk. In fact I start coughing when I don’t talk. I asked them to tell me seriously if they thought their English was better today than 3 months ago. They said yes. I said, “no, tell me honestly”. They told me their English was better. I think it is and it’s nice to know that they think so too. I do feel I played a small part in that.

The middle schools have a 2 to 3 day test next week. It’s a huge test and there is a lot of studying going on. The school ran extra classes this weekend for the kids to study. I asked someone who was there this weekend what they did and I was told that they did a practice test. I said they could have stayed home and did that. I don’t think I’m supposed to say things like that.

One boy went to academy on Saturday for 10 hours, from 2pm until midnight. And then on Sunday he went for 7 hours. It’s bloody insane. I asked him if he thought it helped him and he said no. I believe him. Some of these parents must be nut cases. From my viewpoint, things like this border on child abuse.

I know I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but I really am going to miss my conversations with some of these kids. I find them so informative. I love talking to the girls who have pride in their country. I was going off on a riff tonight about how stupid I thought it was to have English signs on stores and things like that, when no one speaks English. I think it’s dumb to have store names in English when we’re in Korea. The girls agree and they think it’s supposed to add some sort of glamour to the store. I just say we’re in Korea and there is no need to have English in a city where there are no English speaking tourists or workers.

They were telling me how crazy it was in 2002 when Korea hosted the World Cup. That must have been wild. The World Cup is in Germany this year but when Korea plays, the whole country supposedly pretty much shuts down so everyone can watch. The schools are closed and I think that’s great. The only thing I can relate to that is the 8th game of the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and Russia. I remember that while the schools weren’t closed, classes were cancelled and TV sets were put in the cafeteria so all could watch. I’m told that everyone wears a red shirt and something else that I didn’t understand. Good thing I like red since I’ll be buying a red shirt and waving the Korean flag when they play. (And I am bored to tears by soccer).

I don’t know if Kelly and I are talking. I’m saying little to her but I always say little to her. She is saying little to me but she rarely says a lot to me. I don’t know if it’s my imagination or there is something in the air. I am waiting until May 11th to get her to go cancel my visa so the new school can apply for the new visa. Pay day is May 10th so I want that pay and if she doesn’t get over to the immigration office on the 11th, I won’t work. I’m sure it won’t come to that, but I want to be prepared. I also have other weapons such as my private tutoring which is illegal for me to do. What can they do to me? Throw me out of the country? If I don’t change jobs that would be fine. But, they can also fine Kelly heavily since I’m her responsibility and she allowed the private tutoring to take place at her school. Always have some dirt available for dishing out at times like these.

I’m going to Seoul this weekend. I leave on Friday as there is no school on Friday. It will be a sightseeing and junk food trip. My friend Nuong and I will see some sights and I’ll visit with Robert too. Perhaps he’ll even fork over the DVD’s he’s supposed to have copied and mailed to me. If he wasn’t over six feet and weigh about 100 pounds more than me, I’d pound him into dust. (Just joking big guy). Maybe I’ll sick Nuong on him. She is under 5 feet and weighs about 100 pounds less than me. Okay, maybe not 100 pounds less but I think if she stood beside Leah, people might look at Leah and say, “who’s the fat chick”?