Born in the USA Wednesday

So yesterday took a turn for the weird after I'd finished blogging about nothing special happening. Mr B. was really frustrating me yesterday. Every time it was my turn to teach, he'd start talking. He'd talk over me, while the kids were doing activities, and then even while the listening exercises were playing. Obviously, the kid can't listen to the activity and to him. It was so rude and just bad teaching! What's more, he doesn't just talk while I'm teaching, he messes with the students. He hits them, throws things at them, makes them sit on the floor - all while I'm in the middle of speaking. I understand he feels he needs to discipline them, but could he at least wait until I've finished my sentence? The absolute worst one yesterday was while I was explaining a new activity, he walked over to a boy, dragged him out of his chair, picked him up, turned him over and hung him upside down and shook him. The kid didn't seem all that bothered, but it was so incredibly disruptive. I almost walked out of the classroom. It's like I need to send Mr B out into the corridor - he is WAY more disruptive than the kids.

Possibly even more annoying (though not quite) was that when I tried to tell Andy about my frustrations he started talking about how that's how it's done in Korea, and power hierarchies and stuff. I was just like "I don't care why! Sympathise with me!". Lesson learned: don't discuss frustrations with Korea with Koreans.

Anyway! Today is a new day. I had to sit through three classes of Mr B talking to the students in Korean. Again. I'm starting to think that even if this school can keep me, I might change jobs. I'm not sure the extra money and vacation time is worth my slowly fading will to live.

But! Something sort of exciting happened today! And, wonder of wonders, I knew about it before Mr B! A new boy is at school for two weeks, and he's from New York. This is his dad's old middle school, but the Kid was born and raised in America, so he's a native English speaker. We had a brief chat this morning, and he's over here with his family on holiday. He can speak Korean, but I think not SUPER fluently. Anyway, the poor kid has to come here to school for two weeks during his holiday, mix with a bunch of Korean kids and take part in this education system, which has got to look really strange to someone fully educated in the American system. What's more, he has to come to English class - which is just stupid! Anyway, Mr B. didn't know he was there or who he was, but the rest of the class told him. So, Mr B makes him get up and introduce himself in both English and Korean, only in true Mr B style, the instructions he gave were hopeless, so the kid didn't know what he wanted. He stumbled through it in the end, but I really felt for him. Also, resulted in this classic dialogue:

Me: So, how many students are in your school back home?

Mr B: 13? Yeah. 13?

Me: No, how many students...

Mr B: Oh, two days?

Me: No, this school has 160 students, how many does your's have, Josh?

Josh: Hmm, about 600.

Mr B. Oh.

Also, there's a sheet I now have to sign EVERY DAY to say I'm at work. I used to just have to fill it in and get it signed a couple of times a week, but the VP has decided I have to do it every day now. So he has to sign it and Mr B has to sign it. So I now have to chase them both down every fucking day. Today, the VP was in the office and not Mr B. The VP is harder to pin down, so I went to get him to sign off on today before getting Mr B's signature. Well, he would only sign it after Mr B had. Seriously, dude? It's to say I'm at work today. I'm standing right in front of you. At work. Why does it matter who signs first? Sign my sheet! But no. 

We must remember:

Anyway, I'm going for a big run/walk after work today - this frustration needs to go somewhere!

Today's five:

1) I brought one of my favourite movies to work today. Everyone is gone from the office (it's 2pm), so I'm going to watch it!

2) Curried chicken drumsticks for lunch. At last - real, recognisable meat! From a real animal!

3) Wednesday is nearly done (work-wise), so I'm over half way to the weekend!

4) I got a bunch of new pillows for my bed and reading is now ridiculously comfortable. 

5) That picture of the hyena on the t-shirt always makes me smile.