ok...the airport has officially gotten old
ok...here's more of an update because the giddiness of going home has since worn off and waiting in the airport has gotten really old.
So, newsflash...I'm in an airport. Incheon International to be exact. In 1 hour I'll be boarding a plane heading for Vancouver (Ban-a-cou-ba) where I will sit on my ass and wait a further 4 hours before hopping a plane bound for the marvelous town known as Campbell River.
So, I will have waited here for a grand total of 3 hours + 8.5 hour flight (hopefully) + 4 hour ass-sitting in Vancouver + 45 minute flight to the Riv = 14 hours and 15 minutes. The giddiness I was feeling previously is fading as the realization of the journey I have ahead of me sinks in.
I bitch, but deep inside I'm still giddy...don't fret (or think I'm horrible for complaining about going home for Christmas).
Life's been good lately, but we all really need a break from work/Korea. My children tolerance has been reaching critically low levels. It's necessary that we all re-charge before embarking on our next month of teaching...intensives...
duh, duh...DUHHHHH
Intensives occur during the kid's winter and summer vaations. Teachers either get 2 or 3 3-hour-long classes a day. We see the same kids every day, for 20 days (as opposed to our normal seeing different kids on alternating days). It's good to get 3 classes since you get killer OT, but it sucks your will to live since you're at work from 8:30-8 every day...game face on.
Just as with last summer intensives, I got 3 classes. It's alright, I asked for it. The money is sweet and really, what else would I do between 5~8 pm M~F? It's just really, REALLY draining to be "on" for that long. I teach English, but I'm also an entertainer...as are all teachers.
I'm actually pretty excited (read: people are tired of hearing me talk about it) because I'm teaching a really low, younger aged level. They're Basic 3 which means they have their ABCs and most phonics down pat...now we work on vocabulary and sentences. I do VERY well with these levels...bring on the sing-a-longs!!
I get back on the 1st and start work on the 2nd. First class lesson plans are already completed and handed in, but I need to do a shitload of worksheets and figure out essay topics and discussion questions for my higher levels A teacher's work is never done!! At least I'll be in Canada where I'll have some time to do this. I plan on hitting up some stores to get supplies and making a few posters while I'm home. It's not a beach in Thailand like most of my Korea friends are chillin' on right now, but it'll make my life a helluva lot easier when I'm back in Korea.
mmmm....the first weekend we get back is the Youngdo staff party. There are 20 branches in Seoul and area. Mine's the biggest with 28 teachers, but most are still pretty decent sized schools. I figure there'll be about 200ish teachers there plus Korean staff. It should be a good time. After that there's an ice-fishing trip through this tour company here for foriegners. It'll also include snowmobiling and sledding/skating.
uhh....people have left (again) and new people have come (again). Such is life though in this random world in which I reside. The land of instant gratification also comes with its downsides. A lack of stability in a social circle being one. I'm very lucky to have found 3 fabulous girls who make my day-to-day glorious. We'll all be together until Ginny, Jen and I leave the end of August for China. We'll be leaving Lyndsay behind to brave Korea for a few more months. Leaving in body only, never in spirit.
It's weird though, the day-to-day changes that occur here, and become normal. I can't explain. I can't even start to try to explain the things that are so weird, yet seem so normal. Relationships change, start and end with such a frequency. ...I dunno.
On that note, sombre as it was, except it isn't for me...hard to explain. I shall leave you. It's almost time to board a plane and continue this journey.
See ya'll state-side!!
p.s.
I really don't know if that saying (state-side) only applies to military, but whatever. I'm surrounded by enough of them that I should totally be allowed to use it.
posted by Krista @ 4:59 p.m.
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