Inappropriate Conversations

The last few weeks there have been a ridiculous amount of 4-letter words and f*bombs in my classroom.  I have a sneaking suspicion as to why this is but I don’t want to risk getting any of my co-teachers in trouble so I will keep my opinion to myself.  Regardless of the reason, it’s difficult to be classy (and composed) when a ten-year old Korean child who can barely hold a conversation in English shouts out, “what the hell?” when he is asked to redo an assignment.  It’s funny.  And bad.  But mostly funny.

Time Management and Other Failures

Time management has never been a trait that I possess.  I could break this down to a fundamental lack of organization in my life (just look at my desk) and a slight case of A.D.D.  Basically, I have the complete inability to create an organized system, and even once I do then I can’t focus on any one thing long enough to actually complete it.

Anyone who has observed me trying to clean house can attest to this.  I wash three dishes, then hang my laundry, then straighten the book shelf. Next, I’ll wash a few more dishes, start an email, load the washer and mop the floor. Finally, finish the dishes, make my bed, finish the email, clean the countertops. etc, etc.  It’s not that I get distracted by the TV or telephone or anything else, I simply can’t stay concentrated long enough to finish anything in one sitting. Or standing as dishes may be concerned.  This is my self-diagnosed A.D.D.  It’s simply how my brain has always been wired and believe me, it frustrates me far more than it frustrates those around me. Hence, why I make lists. Things get done with a list.

Jindo Island, May 19-20

This past weekend, LA and I took a short trip to visit our friend, Jessica, who has relocated from Daejeon to Jindo Island.  I am going to write two entries about this because 1. The trip was amazing for me and 2. This little rural island in southwest Korea was a far different experience than anything I have seen here before.  This will be the fun vacation-y blog.

Because both my wonderful animals are currently being medicated for their respective ailments, neither of them were deemed kennelable (totally a word) by our vet.  I wasn’t willing to postpone the trip because I had already rescheduled twice on her for Charlie’s issues, so I had to make a decision.  Charlie stayed home with the dog sitter (and enjoyed lots of BK french fries) and Messi came with me.  I thought having the mommy/son bonding time would be good for us since we haven’t had that yet. He’s also about 1/3 the weight of Charlie so he travels much easier..

Charlie the Immortal

It's no secret that I like to play this little "Charlie is immortal" game.  I know that he isn't but right now I need him to be.  So, yes, Charles the Amazing Wiener Mutt is Immortal.  I realize it's completely ridiculous and denial and blahblahblah....let me have this one, okay?

Recently someone has started interfering with my little immortality game. The past month we have spent a particularly large amount of time at the vet, much medication has been administered and he's spent an unfortunate amount of time rockin' the "cone of shame."  He's been a good sport about all of it, as he always is, but as of this morning, I'm over this.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

This story is a bit old but I never got around to writing about it.  This is one of my prouder moments in life.

I have this student.  We’ll call him Terry.  He can be an amazing student at times and at others he can be an absolutely hot-headed little terror.  Teaching him is always like walking on eggshells because he goes from amazing to terror in about 3 seconds flat.

One day, Terry had extra time before going home so he came to my classroom to talk with me, as many students do.  We were talking about what we were going to do on our upcoming weekend (him- study, me- animal shelter) when he just looked at me with absolute amazement and said, “Teacher, you respect Korea.”  Hmmmm. Knowing that what I understand that sentence to mean and that what he meant it to be are probably two very different things, I asked him to explain.

Charlie and Messi

Now that Charlie and I have had Messi in our home for a little over two months, everyone is settled in and I figured it was time for an update. 

I love these dogs. Love.

 

Ten seconds earlier…

816 Meters

In the mountains, the shortest way is from peak to peak: but for that you must have long legs.”  Friedrich Nietzsche

 

816 meters = 0.507038893 miles

It seems so little when put into terms like that.  However, the irony of hiking up a mountain is the guaranteed bonus that you will have to climb down an awful lot in order to hike up to the top.  Clearly Mother Nature is not very linear.