Feinschule Field Day

Last Saturday, our school rented out the sporting grounds of a nearby public school and had a full-on field day. We spent the morning playing games, and I'm happy to report that I have not, in any way, lost my competitive edge. I literally terrified my team, along with their parents, into making sure we took gold. There wasn't gold to take, unfortunately, but we had our (my) pride to keep intact! Other than a fierce game of tug-of-war in which half of the kids were injured/sobbing and one teacher was left with a sprained ankle, we had a blast! After lunch, I taught them all a completely professional line dancing routine, as well as the good ole macarena. We finished off the day with a Halloween costume contest.








My favorite Korean family! All with matching homemade costumes that say, "Roy! I love Feinschule!"
















All the fun and games makes for some sleepy children...














Best costume ever! I think he's a joker of some sort...

















ROY!!!
















Getting ready for some 3-legged racing...















Mother and daughter!















"When I grow up, I want to be a Princess!"

Rabbit Class

Most days of the week, before I have to bury my head in writing, editing, and re-editing drama curriculum, I get to teach my favorite class in the whole world. They're 4 yrs old (American age 3), they're adorable, and even though one of them hasn't stopped crying the entire month that she's been here (you'll see what I mean), I love them to death. I introduce to you: Rabbit Class.

V-V-V...

You know how in the Harry Potter Books everyone is afraid to say the word “Voldemort” and they’re all like, “V…V…V…he who should not be named” because they’re so terrified of him they don’t even want to say his name? I, too, have a “v” word that gives me such a feeling.

V-V-Visa. (I just gave a terrifying shutter.) I don’t want to say it, I don’t want to think it, I don’t want to hear any one else say it, I don’t want to see it written down…I want to take the word, rip it into a million pieces, stomp on it, throw it against a cactus a few times, let the sick kid in school vomit all over it, then tie a massive anchor to it and throw it into that spot on the ocean that covers the deepest hole on earth and let it sink, sink, sink into oblivion until it gets eaten, digested, and excreted into nothingness by a giant squid.

Get my drift?

Yet again, this malicious little word has made my life full of stress and complications as Korea changes all of their rules concerning v-v-v-oh, you know what I mean. I need an FBI Criminal background check! Me! Accused of being a criminal! (I realize that I shouldn’t take it personally, but it’s so intrusive!) And it can take 3 months to get it! So I have consequently spent my week frantically getting my application for a federal background check in (which included a lovely trip to the police station to get my fingerprints taken), and then making calls, searching websites, and desperately finding a loophole in the new rules so that I can get back into the country after Christmas. And I may have cracked the case! I'll keep you posted.

I think it’s to the sauna for me tonight…

Baby, I've Got a Plan

Anyone catch the Kanye West reference in my subject? Last night, my entire bike ride to and from Ali's place (yes, I got a bike!) I was shouting out his new song "Runaway" like the good ole days of shouting out Alanis Morissette on the lawn mower back on the farm. What is it about Kanye that always makes me want to where a bright orange suit, where a crown, and dance with a bunch of ballerinas? (SNL last week anyone?)

But, reference or not...I do have a plan! I had a nice long meeting with my boss this week about my future in Korea. And I'm coming home for Christmas, people! It'll have been about a year and nine months since being home. I've just paid for my tickets and there is nothing stopping me now! Step away Korean children, Carolyn Teacher is going home! I'll be landing in Omaha on Thursday, December 23rd and coming back to Seoul on January 8. A little over 2 weeks to eat as much oatmeal, cheese, licorice, and guacamole as possible. Ah, it will be grand.

And as for further life plans, my last day of work in Korea will be June 3rd. Then the plan is to do some traveling this summer and gear myself up for grad school at Columbia College next fall. It's so strange to have an end date to living in Korea. I'm always wondering what I'm going to do next, when I'm going to leave, and now that I know, I have this overwhelmingly sad feeling inside just thinking about it. Last night on my bike ride through the back streets of Ilsan, I was just taking everything in -- the same blue trucks everyone seems to have here, the GS marts on every corner, the Korean kids out playing WAY past a normal bedtime, the friendly building guard who always give me a huge smile and "ANYONG HASEYO" every time I come home -- I'll have lived here 3 years by the time I leave and I feel like this is just what I know now. This is my life. It's comfortable and it's mine. Despite the fact that I've spent so much time wondering what's next, I'm just not ready to go yet. Hopefully I will be in 8 months.