Dad is coming!

So today I have learned that my dad is coming to Korea in July! How exciting is that? I'm going to have to start planning ASAP to make sure we only do the most exciting things. He'll be eating kimchi like a champ in no time, right Dad?

In other news...

Some of my students still look at me as though they've never seen a foreigner before, which of course is not true. Yesterday I was helping one of my second grade boys, and as I leaned over to write something in his book, one of my boys decided to tentatively reach out and stroke my hair and ask, "Teacher, gold hair is real?"

Another one of my first grade girls is irrationally obsessed with me. In between classes she's always peering through my door and waving. She finds me in the hallways and in my office all the time and asks me simple questions like, Do you like pudding? Do you like spring? I like spring. This happens roughly ten times a day. She's also constantly restraining herself from reaching out and touching me, though she'll usually sneak a quick touch on my ring or hand as though she just can't help herself. I find it pretty amusing, though the incessant questions are a bit much when I'm trying to move quickly from my office to the classroom or whatever.

The informatics teacher (who is in charge of scheduling) gave me a year long English schedule. He is so nice! I felt pretty bad about making him do extra work. I specifically said he didn't need to translate it, but maybe that bit got lost in translation. I'm going to see about buying him some kimbap or something as a thank you present.

I was really happy today because I was teaching my second graders something, and I explained what I wanted them to do then told them to start. Then I walked around to the group tables and asked them if they understood, and they actually said no. I was so pleased because usually they won't admit it and just say yes so I go away, then they sit around and don't work. So then I reexplained and they got it, and it was great.

On Monday I had five classes, and they were possibly the worst string of classes I've ever had at this school. The students just refused to focus and were acting like complete brats. My head teacher, Hyejeong, who is a great teacher and a lovely person, is my coteacher for the worst behaved class that I have. She always has excellent control of her classes, but she's also a nice teacher. Strict, but funny and energetic. Anyway, our class was late, they didn't have their books, and they had no desire to focus. She actually asked me to step out of the room for a minute because she wanted to talk to the students. The teacher I replaced said that happened to her once, so I figured Hyejeong wanted to discipline the students. I waited outside, and I could hear her yelling at the students. I was scared, and I wasn't even in the room! It's nice when my coteachers take charge because it's pretty hard for me to discipline the students because they can't understand me that well. They don't know what the words "focus" or "concentrate" mean, and even though I know it in Korean, my Korean is unintentionally funny (foreigner and all) so it kind of diminishes the effect.

Hyejeong's last name is Oh, and in Korean it's last name first, then first name. Once I brought it up to Hyejeong that her name is a bit Abbott and Costello (I didn't mention that in particular), but I was saying how it's funny because when I want her attention, sometimes I'll say, Oh, Hyejeong, do you have a minute? And it's funny because the other teachers will go up to her and say, Oh Hyejeong Teacher... She thought it was funny.

Lastly, there are apparently teachers' clubs at my school. One is a barista/chocolate making club run by the science teacher, one is some club that I don't know what it is, and one is a photography club run by the art teacher (I think he's the art teacher. He's definitely a third grade teacher.). Anyway, so today Hyejeong was like, Theresa, we have teachers' clubs... Are you interested in joining? I was like, Sure! I'd really like to be in the photography club, actually. Do you think it's okay that I don't speak Korean? She was like, Sure I don't see why not. I'll send a message to the art teacher.

That's how I found out that the "photography club" is actually just a clever ruse in which all the male teachers in the school are in this "club" that never meets to learn photography, but does meet occasionally to booze and chat. Yep, that sounds Korean all right! I'm now in the "club" but I don't know how this is going to go. I told them just to let me know if they ever actually meet for photography. I wanted to be in the barista club but it was full. They sent out a message and I'm fully in the "photography club," but I'm pretty sure one of our female gym teachers is in it too, so I don't feel as awkward.

I passed my Korean test on Monday! It was kind of a review class for me, but it was good because now I feel like I really know that stuff.

It's been nine days since I twisted my hair.