Packed Week

Last week was our one week where we didn't have to travel to Seoul for class. We were transitioning from 1st term to 2nd and we ended up with a week "vacation."  Monday & Tuesday were regular teaching days, but Wednesday my school had Sport's Day. This is the day where all the students get to participate in sporting events all day long with all of the classes competing against each other. This year's winners received money coupons for the school store, so the competition was intense. My job was basketball scorekeeper (my annual post). We couldn't have asked for better weather: mid-seventies and sunny with a slight breeze!

The students stretching in formation on Sport's Day.

After the students went home, the female teachers played a practice game of kickball against the high school teachers in anticipation for the Teacher's Sports day which was scheduled for Friday. The high school teachers won but it was still fun to be out in the fresh air. Immediately after the game, I rushed home, showered, and met my rural schools' PE teacher for dinner with his family. He wanted his 2 young sons to have a chance to meet a foreigner, so he invited me over for a nice dinner. The family was very sweet and I had a great time.

Mr. Kim, the PE teacher at my rural school and his family.

Thursday was a rainy day so our school festival day was a bit damp. We started with a school-wide quiz show in which I was asked to participate in the reading of the English portion of the quiz. Next the students enjoyed all sorts of Korean snacks and then they were free to head to the various booths set up around the school. Some included: nail art/face painting, arm wrestling, Bingo, darts, water balloon fighting, balloon animal making, and even a "guess the teacher" contest in which teachers brought in old photos of themselves. Luckily my mom was able to scan a few of my baby photos to me, so the kids and teachers got a kick out of seeing those.

Several of my students getting excited for nail art/face painting.

My baby board.

The water balloon fight area.

Friday was "Private School Teacher's Sports Day" for all 35 of the schools in our province. Luckily this year it was held in our city, so we had a 10 minute bus ride to the school where it was being held. The forecast was saying rain but when we woke up there wasn't a cloud in the sky! (So sunny in fact that I ended up with sunburned cheeks!)  Our team won our 1st round of kickball, only to be eliminated in a close 2nd game. The teachers who weren't playing were either cheering us on or eating the tasty snacks that the mother's group had prepared for us. Other activities included tug of war, soccer, and badminton. After awards were given to the winning schools, we headed to a tasty restaurant for a nice dinner. Some teachers then headed to a karaoke-style song room, but I headed home instead. I actually ended up pulling a hamstring in our intense game of kickball, so have been on the mend since then. 

Daesung Middle School teachers after Sport's Day.

Saturday morning we woke up early and headed into Seoul to begin a new round of classes. They include International Business and Economics. The IB prof is from Syracuse and is very interesting, while the Econ prof is from a Korean Think Tank in Seoul. For the next 4 weeks we'll be in Seoul 4 times a week, and after that it'll only be twice a week until July 14th. Time will fly by for sure! This morning I woke up early and headed to the traditional Korean medical doctor, or acupuncture. Hopefully the hamstring will be back to normal in a week or so! 

We want to wish a Happy Memorial Day to everyone!!!