the eighth angry dwarf
'snapshots of Korea'
our apartment is in the midst of dozens of filing cabinet buildings that make Korea look like a big domino set waiting to be knocked over. in each of these apartments is a speakerphone which is often used to offer announcements. we'll be watching tv or reading or something, and a voice will blare out around our home, uninvited. it's in Korean, so none of us understand it. we have no options for turning it down either. the way we usually find out what they're announcing is that our hot water will be non-existant for a few days or our power switched off for a few hours. incredibly irritating that we can't turn off the announcements that are basically useless to us although i suppose it's a good way of recognising that SOMETHING may happen some time soonish. then again, what about if no ones home? why don't they write a note about scheduled maintenance and put them in residents mailboxes? i'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why not.
a few weeks ago, our class schedules changed completely and classes i had been teaching since i arrived in this fair country were dismantled and reset like a lego set. the result, for the students, has been mixed, in my estimation. some kids ended up in classes that are too advanced and other kids know everything already. imagine how those kids feel. they're either bewildered or bored or both. some finish 10 mins work in 3 mins and wait for 20 mins for the others to catch up before they can all move on. luckily (for me), most of the kids are sweethearts and WANT to keep doing their work.
that said, i've struck a massive snag in one class. there's 3 kids who are little shits, to use a guidance counselling term, and with 10 others who are wonderful students, these 3 ruin my day. in the space of 6 classes (3 per week), one kid has gone outside every day for at least half the class. yesterday, my boss walked him back to class and said he promised to be good. within 5 minutes, i booted him out again (okay, i didn't actually boot him, but i did have to push him out the door). so yay, my new name is Angry Teacher. alright.
and i have no more kindergarten kids. my girls have been moved into a new class with a new teacher, which i'm kind of gutted about. it's probably a good move for them, schoolwise, as the 2 of them got all of my attention, but maybe misused it. now they have to share a teacher with more students, which will take some effort. i miss them though. ah well, as Tsung Tzu said, if you love something, set it free, and if it comes back to you, drop napalm to cover it's retreat.
our apartment is in the midst of dozens of filing cabinet buildings that make Korea look like a big domino set waiting to be knocked over. in each of these apartments is a speakerphone which is often used to offer announcements. we'll be watching tv or reading or something, and a voice will blare out around our home, uninvited. it's in Korean, so none of us understand it. we have no options for turning it down either. the way we usually find out what they're announcing is that our hot water will be non-existant for a few days or our power switched off for a few hours. incredibly irritating that we can't turn off the announcements that are basically useless to us although i suppose it's a good way of recognising that SOMETHING may happen some time soonish. then again, what about if no ones home? why don't they write a note about scheduled maintenance and put them in residents mailboxes? i'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why not.
a few weeks ago, our class schedules changed completely and classes i had been teaching since i arrived in this fair country were dismantled and reset like a lego set. the result, for the students, has been mixed, in my estimation. some kids ended up in classes that are too advanced and other kids know everything already. imagine how those kids feel. they're either bewildered or bored or both. some finish 10 mins work in 3 mins and wait for 20 mins for the others to catch up before they can all move on. luckily (for me), most of the kids are sweethearts and WANT to keep doing their work.
that said, i've struck a massive snag in one class. there's 3 kids who are little shits, to use a guidance counselling term, and with 10 others who are wonderful students, these 3 ruin my day. in the space of 6 classes (3 per week), one kid has gone outside every day for at least half the class. yesterday, my boss walked him back to class and said he promised to be good. within 5 minutes, i booted him out again (okay, i didn't actually boot him, but i did have to push him out the door). so yay, my new name is Angry Teacher. alright.
and i have no more kindergarten kids. my girls have been moved into a new class with a new teacher, which i'm kind of gutted about. it's probably a good move for them, schoolwise, as the 2 of them got all of my attention, but maybe misused it. now they have to share a teacher with more students, which will take some effort. i miss them though. ah well, as Tsung Tzu said, if you love something, set it free, and if it comes back to you, drop napalm to cover it's retreat.
posted by the Emperor Fabulous at 8:10 PM
3 Comments:
Wow, there's really an uncontrolable speaker in your apartment? That's funny. Is there a poster on the wall of big brother?
I like your dominos image. I can see it.
never thought of it like that. . . hope there's no cameras in the bathroom. or the bedrooms. or the lounge or the kitchen.
or the elevator
Post a Comment
<< Home