Field Trip!

Dad...all I can say is I'm sorry I forgot my camera! You would have loved to supervise this trip. What a day not to remember my camera. We took a really fun field trip to the Samsung Transportation Museum (http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/kyonggi/451) that had a great collection of antique cars. I was lucky enough to get another teacher to take one picture with my class in a car. But, actually it wasn't just my class...another lady pulled a 100% Korean move and just as my entire class was climbing in with cameras ready, she shoved her entire group of children in with my class! Then she proceeded to wait until my class was "finished" taking pictures and got out so that her class could get a nice, organized picture with only her children in the car. Thanks lady...hope your picture turned out well, because I have a bunch of no-name (but cute) Korean children in my photo now (that I've actually cropped out, but have lost the fun car effect).

Can you tell I'm getting a little bitter with Koreans yet? :) I've actually never felt such irritation with people in my life until I moved here. It makes me feel terrible! Don't get me wrong...I enjoy many Korean people, those who don't push and shove, make conversation on the street just to practice their English, provide help when you clearly need it, and the tiny old ladies that smile and call you cute. Those Koreans get me really excited about being here. But, jeepers people! The next bus is coming in less than 15 minutes and the next subway car will be here in less than five. The world will NOT stop functioning because you don't get on the one that's here RIGHT NOW...and you WILL get on this one, because you all pack in like sardines anyway...SO WHY ARE YOU PUSHING ME!? Or why are you pretending like you don't see me standing in line at the check-out. Is it really necessary to walk right in front of me and put your items down on the counter when I've been waiting in line for 10 minutes? Where do you have to be so quickly that you can't get in line right behind me when I'm the last person in the line? If you all needed to be somewhere that was so important, you should have left earlier! My dad told me I need to learn to say something to people when they do this. I do know how to say, "excuse me" in Korean, but I'm just afraid that if I actually stand up for myself and say something, that they'll turn around and start spouting off at me in Korean...they're also not afraid to make a scene like that in public...at all! So, I always just stand and take it. The only time I don't mind is when I'm already on the bus/subway and an elderly person needs a place to sit. Then, pushy or not, I'm always happy to give up my spot. I guess if I'm never going to say anything, I might as well stop complaining about it since I have another four months until I come back to the 'Minnesota nice' crowd. But, thanks for letting my vent a bit via blog!

So...that was a bit of a side track from the car museum field trip, huh? All in all there's not much to say except that it was a complete blast! It was a nice bus ride away out into the country where we got some well needed fresh air and enjoyed the entire morning of Kindergarten wandering around the museum, pushing demonstration buttons, and picking our favorite colored cars. It was so fun to let loose and feel completely responsible for them while we were there. And just to boast a tiny bit, I was an extremely proud teacher walking around with a class of seven year old children speaking all English when they were surrounded by many Korean (speaking) children and adults. How cool is that?! It was a great break in the week on a Wednesday. Other things that I was/am looking forward to were the monthly test today (Monday), which means we do no school work all afternoon, and Children's Day next Wednesday when we get the entire day off! Keep an eye out for what I'm up to on my day off...hope it's something fun!