My First Day Teaching!

 I'll spare you all the details about my few days living at a Love Hotel (which is, as it sounds, a hotel for the express purpose of having sex in and leaving), or the hospital visit to make sure I didn't have AIDS or a drug addiction (I don't), and jump right into what I came to Korea for in the first place-

Teaching!

   It was...new. Since I'm the only one with any background in English, they gave me the most classes to do- 29. And since I'm the new teacher, I had someone sitting in most of my classes. I started out with a class of 4-year-olds, and I'd say my oldest group is about 14. I have to say that I felt like I went through the day running with my head cut off.

The youngest class protested homework because the teacher before me broke the rules and didn't assign them any.  (Important to know is that the parents EXPECT homework and have and will call the school to ask what it is or complain if their child came home without any).

One of my classes DID NOT want to talk unless called upon by name (I was assured that it's just the age group).

And of course the one class where I was left by myself I totally rocked it (if I do say so myself).

I know it's my first day and I should expect some growing pains, but I walked home just feeling like maybe I'm not cut out to be a teacher. The person observing me would take over class at will. I got through all of the work set for the class, the kids behaved for me and did their work, and no one came to me with any sort of complaints but...I just feel like I didn't meet my own expectations. I know that when I watch the other teachers I'm looking at people with more experience who have been in the game longer, but I can't help but compare myself to them.

Oh and in the last 15 minutes of the day my boss said "10 minutes~" and walked away....which apparently meant "I want to see you in my office". So she waited in her office for all that time and then stopped me when I was leaving to ask why I didn't go see her? Miscommunication for the win!

I really hope that I adjust or am doing better than I think because I really do kind of like it here. I'm not the type of person that came to Korea to vacation for a year and just happen to HAVE to teach during the week, I've really always wanted to be an English Teacher. Hopefully tomorrow is easier!

   ~N