Initial observations of Korea after a week
Okay, I've been here more than a week (10 days, actually), but the title still works.
First off, I am somewhat regretting my decision to come to Korea. I had a pretty decent offer from Missouri, and I should have just taken that. Sure, the pay wasn't great, but it was back in the states, and I would have been getting experience in my chosen field of communication. Instead, I'm in a very unsettling environment, teaching students who really make me feel like they don't want to be here, and that becomes really bothersome after some time.
What am I doing? I'm teaching English and debate. Mostly English. The lesson plans are not put together by me, but by someone else and they're mostly unclear most of the time. It's not unusual when I end up spending two hours before a class reading up on the material because that's the first time someone has given me access to the reading material. Then I have to prepare what is already a designated lesson plan that rarely ever come out right when actually teaching the class. It makes me look like it's me that's unorganized, and I really feel stupid sometimes when I have to teach this way. For the most part there's little consistency, and it makes me feel bad for the students. But at the same time, this lack of consistency also makes me feel bad for me as well. So I try to do the best I can, but it is really not enough.
The woman I work for is massively passive-aggressive, the kind of person who gives you limited information and then rolls her eyes whenever you ask her a question. It gets to the point where you don't want to ask a question, but then you realize you have to, so you have to go into a mode where you feel like a moron for asking the question because you're going to be treated like a moron in the response. I don't even think she knows she does it, but when I've tried to circumvent this behavior, it never succeeds.
My days off are split, which is not always the greatest thing in the world. If I was 19, it might be cool, but it doesn't work at my stage of life. I kind of need TIME away from work, not a few moments before having to go back to work. Plus, after the first week, the days off are already becoming "negotiable", in that my big boss came to me with those reassuring words of "You teach essay class on Tuesday, no?" meaning "I want you to work on your day off". I'm a creature of habit, so breaking the habit for bizarre changes really doesn't reflect well on me, and it makes it harder for me to become comfortable with my environment.
Food. I can't find certain things that I wish I could find to make my life so much more pleasant. I like soda. The soda here is like drinking battery acid without the kick. Diet sodas all taste the same, almost as if they have one big vat and they fill all of the different diet brands with the same junk. I'd kill for a 2 liter of diet dr pepper right now, but that entity does not exist in Korea. They have regular Dr Pepper, but not diet. I also can't find so many different frozen brands that would have made this trip easier. A 10 pack of bean and cheese burritos would be a godsend. Hot pockets, oh how I miss thee. I managed to find Eggo Waffles, but I had to hike to Costco to get them, and it was literally the longest road march I have ever made in my life. That's not the kind of trip you can take and then carry something that far back. Especially if it is heavy. Which brings me to water. The local emart has water, but to buy it so that it's cost effective, you have to buy large bulk water, and carrying it home is a nightmare. I carried a six pack of 2 liter bottles yesterday from Emart, and let's just say that I was exhausted by the time I finally managed to get home. I need to find an alternative to this, but my little brain hasn't come up with it yet. I don't yet trust the local water to even do a brita filter system, so I have to figure out a way to get bottled water home.
Interactions with the locals: Not great. Mostly I find them evasive rather than friendly. When working with the locals, I've found them to be annoyingly unreliable. You talk to someone and that person indicates that he or she will do something, and then when that times comes around, nothing happens. You find the person, and then he or she acts like you're asking them something for the very first time. It gives me the impression that the only way to survive here is to not rely on anyone for anything, because you're going to have to somewhat assume they're not going to come through for you no matter what.
Other than that, my recent difficulties involve the fact that this place is way too expensive. I'm barely surviving. It's also really hard to find anything you need, like an index card, certain kitchen items, soft toilet paper, and all sorts of other things. I'm sure they're here somewhere, but good luck finding them unless you already know a source.
Right now, I'm trying to survive until my first paycheck (the 10th, which is exactly a month and a day since I got here). Until then, things are really kind of sucking.
Stumble It!
First off, I am somewhat regretting my decision to come to Korea. I had a pretty decent offer from Missouri, and I should have just taken that. Sure, the pay wasn't great, but it was back in the states, and I would have been getting experience in my chosen field of communication. Instead, I'm in a very unsettling environment, teaching students who really make me feel like they don't want to be here, and that becomes really bothersome after some time.
What am I doing? I'm teaching English and debate. Mostly English. The lesson plans are not put together by me, but by someone else and they're mostly unclear most of the time. It's not unusual when I end up spending two hours before a class reading up on the material because that's the first time someone has given me access to the reading material. Then I have to prepare what is already a designated lesson plan that rarely ever come out right when actually teaching the class. It makes me look like it's me that's unorganized, and I really feel stupid sometimes when I have to teach this way. For the most part there's little consistency, and it makes me feel bad for the students. But at the same time, this lack of consistency also makes me feel bad for me as well. So I try to do the best I can, but it is really not enough.
The woman I work for is massively passive-aggressive, the kind of person who gives you limited information and then rolls her eyes whenever you ask her a question. It gets to the point where you don't want to ask a question, but then you realize you have to, so you have to go into a mode where you feel like a moron for asking the question because you're going to be treated like a moron in the response. I don't even think she knows she does it, but when I've tried to circumvent this behavior, it never succeeds.
My days off are split, which is not always the greatest thing in the world. If I was 19, it might be cool, but it doesn't work at my stage of life. I kind of need TIME away from work, not a few moments before having to go back to work. Plus, after the first week, the days off are already becoming "negotiable", in that my big boss came to me with those reassuring words of "You teach essay class on Tuesday, no?" meaning "I want you to work on your day off". I'm a creature of habit, so breaking the habit for bizarre changes really doesn't reflect well on me, and it makes it harder for me to become comfortable with my environment.
Food. I can't find certain things that I wish I could find to make my life so much more pleasant. I like soda. The soda here is like drinking battery acid without the kick. Diet sodas all taste the same, almost as if they have one big vat and they fill all of the different diet brands with the same junk. I'd kill for a 2 liter of diet dr pepper right now, but that entity does not exist in Korea. They have regular Dr Pepper, but not diet. I also can't find so many different frozen brands that would have made this trip easier. A 10 pack of bean and cheese burritos would be a godsend. Hot pockets, oh how I miss thee. I managed to find Eggo Waffles, but I had to hike to Costco to get them, and it was literally the longest road march I have ever made in my life. That's not the kind of trip you can take and then carry something that far back. Especially if it is heavy. Which brings me to water. The local emart has water, but to buy it so that it's cost effective, you have to buy large bulk water, and carrying it home is a nightmare. I carried a six pack of 2 liter bottles yesterday from Emart, and let's just say that I was exhausted by the time I finally managed to get home. I need to find an alternative to this, but my little brain hasn't come up with it yet. I don't yet trust the local water to even do a brita filter system, so I have to figure out a way to get bottled water home.
Interactions with the locals: Not great. Mostly I find them evasive rather than friendly. When working with the locals, I've found them to be annoyingly unreliable. You talk to someone and that person indicates that he or she will do something, and then when that times comes around, nothing happens. You find the person, and then he or she acts like you're asking them something for the very first time. It gives me the impression that the only way to survive here is to not rely on anyone for anything, because you're going to have to somewhat assume they're not going to come through for you no matter what.
Other than that, my recent difficulties involve the fact that this place is way too expensive. I'm barely surviving. It's also really hard to find anything you need, like an index card, certain kitchen items, soft toilet paper, and all sorts of other things. I'm sure they're here somewhere, but good luck finding them unless you already know a source.
Right now, I'm trying to survive until my first paycheck (the 10th, which is exactly a month and a day since I got here). Until then, things are really kind of sucking.
Labels: Korea
Stumble It!
posted by Duane @ 6:05 PM
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