Aug 20, 2013

The honeymoon days are over now


.I have spent the majority of today at my desk , alone in my classroom. Not a great combination when you are already feeling many mixed emotions. When I arrived in Feb I was warned that we would all go through an emotional rollercoaster as well as experiencing what they call the "honeymoon phase" where everything is new and exciting. I managed to escape the emotional roller coaster in the first few months , but today it has finally caught up with me. Its amazing how much can change in 6 months .The people you met at orientation that you thought you would never speak to again are now infact your closest friends or the people that you thought you would remain closest to but are now just part of the happy orientation memories .For the first time since moving here I am starting to realise how important it is to have a support system and perhaps thats why im struggling today , because I feel that mine has shrunk rather drastically. I view myself is a pretty independent person when it comes to my emotions and dealing with them. There are very few people im willing to confide in when it comes to matterws of the heart and today I wish those people were here. So often we enter into a friendship or relationship and give it our all expecting it to be reciprocated only to discover that infact its been one way all along. This is becoming more and more evident to me in Korea. I know that how im feeling is temporary and it will pass but today more than ever I miss my family , and the people that are always there for me no matter. Today I am missing home and everything that is familiar . So today I am resorting to the person that can put a smile on my face Dr Seuss.


You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

x





Aug 2, 2013

Semester 1 done and dusted

Today officially marks the end of my first semester at Geunhwa High school with my last day of Summer camp finishing at 9 pm tonight. I am most definately ready for my 12 day break. It really has been one jam packed ,fun filled first 6 months at the convent. From fashions shows in class to running races at sports day , to awesome field trips around gyeongju, the principle forcing me to drink beer out of our trophy and getting to do my 64 minutes for Madiba with my students . These are just a few of the memories and incredible moments I have been lucky enough to experience thus far. I have been able to get to know my students on a level that I never thought would be possible. Co workers that have become more than just people that I work with . They have become my mentors and friends.I feel incredibly blessed. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was standing on stage infront of 800 students frightened as ever. Now almost 6 months later , I am only full of smiles


Summer camp has been a wonderful eye opening experience for me.Despite the strange hours , 4-9 I have really enjoyed being able to work closely with the students and doing activities with them that encourage their creativity and allow them to really express themselves in a way that is usually not allowed in an academic classroom.Its given me the chance to observe my students true talents and give them the encouragemnet that they need to continue building on those talents. Investing in some new english board games turned out to be a really good move.My students are now all hooked on Uno , monoply , guess who and pictionary! Fruit salad making and getting fed fruit by my students like a greek goddness was another winning lesson! But the lesson that I really feel had the most significant impact on my girls, Glee. Glee is known for their wonderful moral messages behind each episode and so I decided to base one of the lessons on the Glee episode " Born this way" The episode that spreads the message of loving ourselves just the way we are with flaws and all.
The objective of the lesson was for the girls to think of something that they are shy about or do not like about themselves and then had to accept it as something that makes them special and unique . They then had to make a poster with a word on it that described the aspect of themselves that they did not like. In order to get them to embrace their flaws I got them to sing along to the Queen of self love, Lady Gaga's "born this way". I hope that in some way that lesson has helped them to gain a little more self love for themselves.

I never imagined that I would settle in so well or be this happy at my school in Korea. But I am. This school has become my family . I look forward to semester 2 and all the crziness that it brings with it.