One month in

I'm almost one month into my new job at Taepyeong Middle School, and so far I really like it. I teach about 1,000 students from age 13-15 (Korean age 14-16). Their English is pretty good. They have the students divided into A, B, and C level, and so I teach A level classes and then B/C combined. A lot of the C students are incredibly low level to the point where some of my first graders are better at English than third graders. People said that middle schoolers have no souls, and they were partially right. The low level third graders are pretty impossible to deal with. It drives me nuts because they show up without books, pencils, anything! I get pretty annoyed with how irresponsible, and mostly, how unrepentant they are about it. They just look sullen when I ask where are their materials for class. They think they are just sooooooo cool and jaded. I wish I could tell them bluntly that guess what? Ignorance isn't cool. Ignorance isn't going to get you a good job or a good life. A friend of mine who teaches high school used to tell his lazy students they'd better start practicing their "7-11 imnidas" (Welcome to 7-11) for their future employment. It's also tough because I have to teach the stuff in the book, which is really lame. If I could teach whatever I wanted, I could try and teach them stuff they might find interesting, but it's not easy to teach the requirements and make it fun, especially when they waste so much of my time with me disciplining them (re: no books, talking, brushing their hair, etc). Anyway, maybe we'll make progress, who knows.

Speaking of the book, Korean English books are so unintentionally funny sometimes. It's like no one edits them! Take this for example:

A: You'd better not call people names.

B: Why not? I thought that was OK.

A: Calling names may kill people.

Yeah, that actually happened.

So you may remember that I've been referencing back problems as of late. I finally just went to an English-speaking chiropractor because it was getting ridiculous. Nothing I was doing was making me better. Dr. Lee is definitely my hero - I am so much better. I'm even getting feeling back in my foot! I have another appointment Wednesday and Saturday, and he said if I'm doing well on Saturday then he'll consider ending our appointments. Dr. Lee is a real character - he used to have a practice in Naperville, actually. The other day I was on the massage table waiting while he was working on another patient, and the way the office is set up is that you can't see the patients, but they're not in separate rooms, just temporary walls. So Dr. Lee starts asking this guy if he's married or single or whatnot, and the guy says no, he might be married to his job but that's it. So Dr. Lee starts hollering over the partition: "Theresa! Are you single?" Yes, Dr. Lee, I am. "So is Matt! Have you had dinner yet?" Yes, Dr. Lee, I have. "No, you're supposed to say you haven't so you and Matt can go get dinner!" No, Dr. Lee. I'm in a committed relationship with my lower back pain. We've been together for awhile now. I filed for divorce but he's refusing to sign the papers. "Haha! Theresa, what is your phone number?" Confidential, Dr. Lee. "But what if Matt wants to text you?" Matt is a stranger, Dr. Lee.

Cue Dr. Lee finishing up with his patient, then leading him out and demanding we be introduced. Too funny.

At my next appointment Dr. Lee got on my case about not giving this Matt my phone number. "Theresa, he is a nice guy! He's English and works for Hyundai. You should listen to me when I am matchmaking." I guess he's just the one that got away then, Dr. Lee.

In other news, the saga of me trying to fix my broken body continues. I'm getting Lasek eye surgery in two weeks! So excited. My friend got his eyes done at a clinic about 40 minutes from where I live, and I went for a consultation last Saturday. I can't believe it, but I am sooo excited.

This week my students have midterms, so I'm off Wednesday and Thursday. Also today is a public holiday, so I'm off as well. Just living the dream.