I am very "yuh-yoo" (easy-going)

3:41 PM Jmo 1 Comments

Like I've said before: orientation days are packed. Yesterday I had lectures totaling up to 7.5 hours. The days are long and tedious but the information is extremely important and once you are sitting down listening to what the speaker has to say it's a no-brainer why you are in that chair.
Yesterdays lectures covered: Class Management, Secondary School Curriculum, After-School Camps, Cooperative Learning, and Korean. Each lecture is given by a current EPIK teacher with years of experience and know-how. Very helpful, resourceful, and preparative. The lecturers are extremely honest and do not sugar coat anything. Anything. They are very blunt and let you know exactly what to expect. The good and especially the bad. For example: The Classroom Management lecturer informed us that there is essentially no discipline/punishment system in the Korean Public Schools. You can not send a student down to the principle's office -even if they threw a book at you. Excellent. Am I back in Mt. Clemens already!? haha Grrrreat..
With the bad experiences comes a wave of good. Many of the lecturers only planned to stay here in Korea for a year contract like the most of us. But some have been here for up to 15! I don't plan on that! I think I have a friend or two back home who would kill me, haha!
But, it's safe to say that the atmosphere, people, and lifestyle of Korea can be addicting. I've yet to really experience that. With the curfew, wake-up calls, and strict schedule it doesn't even feel like I've left The States. I could use a big, heaping, spoonful of culture shock right now!
Last night, after Korean class, I did manage to sneak away with a few friends. We stepped past the "foreigner bar" and made our way down the street bumping into one of our lecturers. He took us to this unbelievably cute "house" bar where everything was in Korean. No English. :) Safe to say he had to order for us. The conversation was great. The two girls I was with were backpacking pros and shared stories of 3-week, 20 city, European binders and couch-sleeping across the US. And here I thought I travelled...! Casey, the experienced EPIK teacher, gave us the heads up on some things to do and not do while here, places to see, how to budget traveling even further abroad (Thailand!!!), and more of what to expect as being an EPIK teacher. It was great -though cut short because of our embarrassing curfew. Arggh.
But! Today is going to be amazing! Today we have a field trip that includes a pottery village and museum. Can't wait. I'm actually heading out to breakfast right now and will be on my way shortly! :)