The Most Delightful Photo Shoot in English Zone History

Next Thursday, we have an open class.  That means that other teachers can come watch a lesson, as well as an official from GEPIK, which is the office that oversees English education in our province.  So, I guess it's a big deal.  We've been preparing for this class for the last week and will even practice parts of the class beforehand to make sure it goes off without a hitch.

Our lesson is over practicing shopping dialogue that we've already taught the students, so for the first part of the lesson, we're reviewing that dialogue.  We wanted to find pictures online of certain shopping situations, but when that proved more difficult than expected, Ruth Teacher suggested we stage a photo shoot with EB teachers instead.  I was immediately in love with the idea.  So, we enlisted the help of the always-willing-to-bend-over-backwards-to-help-us Mr. Shin and one of the co-teachers who also teaches Math, KyungNam.  We set up a make-shift store in Dionne's classroom of things that Dionne has been using to help her teach the shopping dialogue (in the world of ESL, it is referred to a realia, though that is not in fact a word...) and went to work.  Hilarity ensued and my day was made.

I suppose you'd have to know these people to understand just how delightful the following pictures are, but it is worth noting how stiff, rigid and proud many Koreans tend to be, especially in professional situations.  Though our school seems to be much more laid back and fun loving than many other schools, I was surprised about the gusto and full-on hilarity with which Mr. Shin and KyungNam approached this favor we asked of them.  The fact that these teachers were willing to make fools of themselves, not only to help us out, but for the students and teachers from other schools to see, speaks volumes about the character and big hearts of my co-workers.

Here are the highlights:

In other news, I just got back from a gut-stuffing session at our neighborhood all-you-can-eat meat grilling place with Dionne and Scott.  What a delightful evening.  Good conversation and amazing food was topped off with the discovery that the mother of the proprietor stalks the patrons and gnaws on their untouched rib bones after they leave.  Reason 1293810417 why I LOVE Korea - people do things that you never, ever, not in a million years would ever expect or even try to guess. 

Today was the day before final exams so Dionne and I just gave all of our classes study halls.  A girl in our first class called my name so I approached her desk to talk to her.  After a discussion about what she was studying, I noticed that she and her desk partner were air drying their socks on the top of their desk (it's monsoon season - soggy socks are miserable - just ask Forrest Gump.)  When I pointed out the socks, the student nonchalantly replied, "Teacher.  It's okay.  No smell." 

During the next class, my pal YeSeul (she pronounces her name like Yessir and shoots me guns whenever she sees me - we're real tight.) offered me a saltine cracker saying, "Teacher, you have snack?"  (She was coached by a couple of her friends as to what to say.)  When someone corrected her a few seconds later, she apologize, saying, "So sorry Teacher.  She.  (she pointed to her offending friend) Give bad information!"

Later, a girl asked us permission for her friend to use the restroom by saying, "Teacher.  She is bathroom"  Dionne responded, "WHAT?  She is a BATHROOM??"  Raucous laughing ensued.

I just can't get enough of this place.