A Day in the Life

Hey, sorry about that last post, I just had a bad day is all. Manners are manners are manners, and were I living back home in Canada, I'm sure I could post something daily about lack of manners. I was just really shocked at the bus-blocking-badass who actually made an aggressive lurching motion toward the bus driver on the way back to his car yesterday. It reminded me of being in Karen's car a couple weeks ago and actually hitting a guy who bolted out into the road. We were going slow, though. The guy stood there screaming at us for a couple minutes before running off.

I don't have the best manners either. Sometimes I have to fart in class, so I get up, let 'er rip, and then walk fairly rapidly around the class in circles so it'll be hard to pinpoint where the smell comes from, if it is a smelly one. I told Elizabeth this before, and she laughed and laughed, because it turns out she does the same thing! Ha ha ha.

Actually, a couple weeks ago I was out shopping with her. We were walking along at Lotte Mart when she suddenly lost step with me, so I turned around to see what happened.

She was standing behind me with a big smile on her face, and then she made this funny pose: leaned to one side, stuck her hip out the other direction and brought both her hands, as if folded in prayer, up to the side of her face. I laughed, and asked her what she was doing. She caught up with me again and confided, "I parted."

"What?"

She made a raspberry sound and hand motioned air coming out of her ass. "Ohhhhh, Farted!" I laughed, and asked what was up with the strange pose. I told her in Canada, that pose usually means "I'm sleepy," and asked if farting makes her sleepy. She laughed so hard, she almost cried.

Now, in the staff room, I can always make her laugh when I make that silly pose, and the others don't know why we're laughing.

Things were pretty good at work today. I like Thursdays. It's the one day of the week I get off an hour early because I'm not teaching the last class. Things ended last week on a real downer vibe. The Korean teachers were all tired and ticked off about the extra classes they picked up. While Liz ands I taught our last classes, Judy talked with Karen about how maybe Karen could take back one of the classes she gave up a week before. When I heard that I was really surprised. Ballsy! I wondered over the weekend what was going to happen come Monday. Turns out Karen ordered them to do as they're told. Yeeeeaaaah. I mean, she was nice about it, but she got the job done. Good for her! She really is a very kind woman - I like her very much, and think she is finding it a little difficult to completely assume the duties of Director, the title which her husband used to hold. Her husband is also a very kind man, but when he was here and involved with the school, all important decisions were deferred to him. Karen was more like a co-teacher and friend to the rest of us, and transitioning from pal to boss seems challenging, especially since it's her nature to be sweet. She still is, but now she's showing some backbone in matters which might make the employees grumble. Good for her!

Yes, yes, perhaps I should be more sympathetic to the K-Teachers, but they were given the option to pick up the extra classes, and are being compensated monetarily for their extra work. I felt bad hearing that they wanted to reneg on their agreement after only one week, saying they were so tired. At my old school in Masan, the Korean teachers had to clean the school, washrooms included, everyday. I'm just saying, they could have it a lot worse working for a mean old money grubbing kinda boss.

Anyhow, we're nearing the end of the week, and my desk is covered with birthday presents. So far, I've gotten Lucy's ceramic snow globe bear, another pre-loved ceramic bear, a big pre-loved heavy glass fish, a pre-loved ceramic cat holding a "roach clip" (which you're supposed to put a photo in) 2 "shaapuus" (mechanical pencils,) 2 little notebooks, 2 pencil cases: one box-style and one pink-Barbie-style, a package of 10 Christmas themed pencils, a ceramic blue box made to look like a present, and a big stuffed blue and white plush dog. I'm making out like a KING I tells ya. Awww - it's very nice of the kids. I've also got a Chu-sok present of a package of 2 Pierre Cardin hankies embroidered with flowers. My grandmother will enjoy them.

My middle school girls had a party for me today in class. It consisted of a bottle of Coke, about six bags of "snacks" tore open, and a "cake" made of these:

mmmmm, yummers. It was very nice of them, actually. They also gave me the Barbie pencil case and X-mas pencils I mentioned. When Judy called last Saturday to arrange what time we were meeting for dinner, she asked if the middle school girls were at my apartment. I said no, what? Turns out, they were planning on coming over to have a surprise birthday party at my pad. I told Judy to hang on a minute, while I hurried to close my door which was open a little to get a breeze through here. My apartment was messy, and I was still in my pajamas. Company would just not do! (Last year, about 8 middle school girls showed up at my place on my birthday. I bought them pizza and they ended up cleaning my apartment!)

Karen told me she had called one of the students mom's to thank her for the Chu-sok handkerchiefs, and the mom told Karen how much the little girl loves me. This past summer, the family was trying to plan a trip, and the little girl didn't want to go because it meant missing my class. As if! Sweet.

In other news, my spaghetti tonight was outstanding. Perfectly timed and perfectly cooked, I had hot veggie laden meatball sauce over al dente "thin" spaghetti topped with real Parmesan with a side order of golden brown garlic bread made from a tasty baguette.

I've also turned my co-workers on to sandwiches, and today brought them sliced smoked chicken with lettuce, fresh sage, alfalfa sprouts, and a little pineapple dressing on sliced multi-grain bread. All in all, a great day.