방학식

Today is the last day of the first semester, which means I'm just hours away from starting my vacation. I got my second semester material all ready, so I was planning on just vegging in front of the computer without a worry...until a student's father came into the office with his son's report card. The student had gotten A's in every single subject except for English with an 89.4% B, and my writing assessment grade was responsible for that. So, naturally, the father wanted to speak with me, the Native English teacher who isn't supposed to speak Korean, let alone to students' parents.

I had pretty much damaged the student's chances of getting into a foreign language high school, so he was wondering if I could be 'understanding enough' to change the grade. He's doing all of this AFTER the test correction period and AFTER the final report card grades have been sent out. So basically, the father was in no position to ask for such a change, to me, on the last day of the semester. But my heart goes out to him anyway even though I wouldn't have been able to change anything even if I had decided to.

I'll never forget the worst psychology class I ever took in college called Research Methods. The class was insanely boring and the professor was unusually strict. He made it clear on the first day of class that anything under a 90.0% would be a B. Even an 89.99% would be a B. Straight up. And of course, I had fallen victim to that hypothetical situation with an 89.6%, but I knew better than to ask for a higher grade. The rules were rules, and the professor was an a-hole for making those rules. So yeah, I feel for that student and his father, but he can't always have daddy talk to the big bad teacher for him.

I wonder how many students have written about me in their blogs.

The vice-principal has officially dismissed us! Vacation starts NOW.

Thought of the Day: Grades
Song of the Day: Xzibit-What You See Is What You Get

To This Day

I used to hate being called 'Stupid.' Even if it was just a joke, I used to hate it. I think the only way I stopped letting it get to me was when I accepted that I was and could be stupid and that it was okay. I guess there are a bunch of other words that have replaced 'stupid,' but I'm learning to accept those too and overcome them one by one. I think we can only accept our flaws when we know that we are still accepted. And that's really liberating.

Thought of the Day: Heel Pain
Song of the Day: Audio Two-Top Billin'

The Green Line

I take Subway Line 2 aka 2호선 aka 지옥선 (the Hell Line) practically every single day every single week. It's one of the busiest and crowded subway lines in Seoul due to its circular route, so it can get pretty nasty during rush hour. As a result, I try to leave 10 minutes earlier than I normally have to just so that I can beat the bum rush. I've been able to time it well enough to get a seat every morning for the past two months or so, but my streak broke today when a lady strategically placed her body just a couple of inches closer to my unmarked territory to unofficially qualify for the seat that opened up just four stops after I had gotten on. If I don't get a seat by Guro Digital Complex, I won't be sitting for a while.

Sitting during rush hour is so important. It's the difference between sitting first class and getting tossed around with the cargo. You can read, pray, and sleep without having to stand, shove, sweat, and step on shoes. You appreciate it so much more during the summer months and even more on the rainy days. That's why you gotta be extra quick on your toes whenever you're coming up on a transfer station. Cause once a seat opens up on that train, everyone's antennae go up and one lucky lottery winner cashes in the prize right away. You just have to pray that no grandma walks in with heavy groceries and a cane. But for the most part, the elderly know better than to take the Hell Line at the most hellish hours.

You build a lot of character on that Green Line.


Thought of the Day: Sonata
Song of the Day: Scarface-In Between

War and Peace and Neutrality

Tonight, the English teachers were supposed to meet for a friendly dinner now that the final exams are over and the semester has nearly come to an end. Unfortunately, the ongoing conflict between a few of the teachers prevented more than half of the teachers from coming out. They've had a number of meetings to find some resolution, but in the process more feelings were hurt and past scars were reopened. One teacher even took a one month leave to restore her physical health that suffered from her poor mental and emotional health. There have been a number of individuals who have tried jumping into this burning building only to come running out with burn marks. It's a very messy and childish situation.

I'm in a very interesting position being the foreign teacher who has the eyes and ears that no other teacher has. Since I teach with each of the English teachers every week, I guess you can say that I have a slightly wider perspective on the situation. But like Switzerland, I don't get involved in others' wars, and I do everything to remain neutral and see how everything unravels. If you were to ask for my two cents though, I would say that at least one person needs to swallow their pride and work towards some form of apology. Truth-telling has been done, but now there has to be room for acknowledgement and forgiveness. Otherwise, our English department will remain volatile and unstable like the North and South Korea situation...with Switzerland having dinner all alone.

Happy 3rd of July, Egypt.
Happy 4th of July, America.

Thought of the Day: Egypt
Song of the Day: Dr. Dre-Keep Their Heads Ringin'