Sunday! Finally a blog post. My first in fact. I know i promised this 6 weeks ago, forgive me...i am actually rubbish. Sorry.
My excuse? I'm easily distracted and have been busy(ish). I'm working at a school in a small town called Dogye. Its sweet, though i wish for the beach or/and the bright lights of the city, just now and again. But i am close to hiking and skiing, and the beach even if this is somewhat intersected by a long and winding BUS TRIP OF NAUSEA AND PAIN. My town is the only coal mining town left in Korea. I open my window in the morning and am faced by a big mountain (half trees, half coal). The locals are nice, if a little too traditional in their values. I will elaborate on that another time. The town is a little dirty because of all the coal. Don't leave whites to dry outside. They go grey. My town isn't too rural. We have a big supermarket, lots of restaurants and some bars, and a fine bakery. I will save my rant about food another day, it deserves its own entry.
My school is an elementary school, the students are generally great. My first graders are brilliant. They get excited about everything. EVERYTHING. When they giggle my stomach contorts with glee. They really like learning. At some point in the very near future i'll teach them 'No more monkeys jumping on the bed' and maybe i'll post a video of them on here or something to show you what I'm going on about. I'm going to savour these months with them though, it all goes terribly wrong at grade 2. I swear they become possessed. Really i do. Fortunately this possession seems to subside at grade 3. Maybe school sees sense and call in Father Merrin to carry out exorcisms at the end of the school year. Not that i've given up on them, after this post i shall draw up some kind of plan to get us through the few months before grade 3. I might have to steal/buy some holy water as back up. Grade 3 to 6 kind of blend into one. The 6th graders cry a lot. The word 'test' sends them into a frenzied fear. Last week I taught them the word 'quiz'. This seems to produce less tears. I really want to teach them English. Hopefully i am/will become a good teacher; I'm working on it i really am. My principal on my first day told me they were hoping for another American; obviously i was flattered. I'm often get corrected on my pronunciation and word choices. 'Autumn????? Autumn?! How dare you say such a word.'
My apartment is pretty sweet. Its small but fellow teachers of Dogye tell me i've been pretty lucky by Dogye standards. For the first time ever i am living by myself and i like that a lot, pajamas have become irrelevant :D The walls are water stained and ever so slightly mouldy but the imminent arrival of all my old posters will make that go away a little. I'm a two minute walk away from the school. I'm feel pretty lucky on the whole.
Since being here i have visited a fish market, climbed a tiny segment of Mt Seourak, been educated at the Sokcho Film Festival (I bloody love Sokcho) and explored a giant cave (Hwansangul). Oh and i partied in Hosan and went swimming in the East Sea at 1am. Brilliant, brilliant. Yesterday was my favourite day so far. I went hiking in the Taebaek mountains. Autumn has begun and the leaves are just starting to turn red. The mountain was incredible. We hiked for about 5 hours. I have the biggest ever blisters on my heels (my Achilles tendons are nearly on display) but it was all worth it. Excellent company, amazing food . I felt all warm inside when i finally got to bed last night and it wasn't due to the beer that I'd been drinking.
Do you want some photo's? Did i promise photos? Have some photos. Happy Birthday. If you've even got this far through, i reckon you'll get bored after photo number 3. Not another bloody mountain i hear you moan.
Love love.x
