Hooker Hill

Some buddies and I were walking in Itaewon recently on our way to meet up with some friends at a drinking establishment.  We were walking up a hill with some bars and clubs on either side of the road.  Two hookers ran out of a building, latched on to my sweater, and attempted to drag me in towards their party zone.  I resisted, and got away safely.  Fast forward and my friend and I are sitting down together when two hookers and this older, larger, unfortunately scantily clad woman begin asking us questions like if we were looking for a good time.  My friend thought it would be funny to ask how much.  It turned out that it was funny.  For a few minutes we had a pretty heated debate about how their first offer was outrageous, and how our counter offer was insulting to their... profession?  The conversation of course ended with us walking away with our pants on and wallets just as heavy as when we started, without ever having an intention to change that.

I'll have... whatever is going.

Today I was walking with my very beautiful friend  past a restaurant that smelled delicious.  It was a fried chicken place.  We walked in and decided to sit down.  A nice Korean dude came over and started speaking to us, asking what we wanted to eat in Korean.  We said something to the effect of "yes" and he left.  Next, we thought it would be a good idea to order some beer.  Apparently we already did.  He came back with some beer and some fried chicken.  Well that was easier than I thought.  With a couple nods of the head, and no idea what was going on, we managed to order exactly what we wanted.  We either caught a lucky break, or that waiter was some kind of sorcerer... Also my friend is single, and looking.

Pork...something

I haven't written in awhile.

I think I'll talk about what I had for dinner.  I ordered "pork ... something" and waited for my food.  Along came a free bowl of kimchi; a hardboiled egg; some sea weed flakes; sea weed cut up like green beans at thanksgiving; tofu, shrimp, and clam soup; a large bowl of rice; a pot of tea, and a fully cooked and glazed fish.  And the actual meal.  11000 won, shared between 2 people, so 5 dollars canadian for the most fulfilling meal I have had in this country.  And no tax.  Or tips.

WAAAAAAA

After making a 12 year old cry like a rainstorm in front of all his friends in class today, I thought it would be appropriate to shed some light on the sensitivity of Korean children. 

 

Ben Teacher: "Ok, take out your books, and turn to page 35."

Kid: "No."

Ben Teacher (looking austere but more importantly giving this delinquent a chance, maybe expecting a "nothing nothing nothing"): "What did you just say to me?"

Kid: "No."

Ben Teacher: "Get out of my class."

Kid: "No."

Ben Teacher (getting off of chair to open the classroom door, and then sitting back down on chair): "Get out of my class."

Kid: "No."

Ben Teacher: "(kid's name) get out of my class.  NOW!" (trying to/succeeding in/ looking scary.  Also lunging self at kid with the wrath of khan)

Kid (regretting birth/ whining like a little "mom are you reading this?"): "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA."

I don't know if I have ever seen someone literally burst into tears before.  Anyways I went up to his desk, took his book, and threw it into the hallway.  Along with his dignity.

This was most definitely not the first time I have 'made' a kid cry in my class over the 6 weeks I have been teaching thus far.  

I teach science class once a week to some 7 year olds.  We were making windmills by blowing wind through a straw and having a paper with slits in it turn in circles.  One kid thought it would be a nice idea to come and show me that he got his working.  He started to blow the air and spit that had been camping out in his mouth over the preceding minutes into my face. 

Ben Teacher (receiving a face full of stupid kid spit): "Don't blow into my face."

Kid: "WAAAAAAAAA"

Really?

When the preschool kids are bad, and yell, and fight each other, you put an angry face beside their name on the name tag board.  3 angry faces and your sorry behind has to eat lunch in another class.  Option A, you eat all by yourself.  Option B, you eat in front of another class as they ridicule you to your face... depending on how I feel that day.  A couple of days ago this one kid had accumulated 2 angry faces from being his usual obnoxious self in class.  When we were walking back to class from the washroom somehow he thought it a good idea to physically strike another kid while I was watching.  Fast forward  through all the yelling that I have learned to enjoy, and I'm giving out the kids their lunches.  When I get to his I say "Follow me" as I walk towards the exit of the class.

Kid: "WAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

That one makes more sense.

Currently the most well behaved kid in the class.

He had option B.

Ben Teacher: "Stop yelling or I will give you an angry face."

Kid (yelling): *yell*

Ben Teacher (takes angry face, puts it beside kid's name)

Kid: "WAAAAAAA"

Oh, come on!

By the way this is the kid who cried in my class the first 3 days in a row I started teaching at this school.

Ben Teacher (still learning about kids' English proficiencies, and makes a test for the class that is way too hard for their level) 

Kid: "WAAAAAAAAA"

Oops...

Sorry.

Ben Teacher: "Please walk, don't run."

Kid (runs, takes a giant spill all over the floor, breaks glasses): "WAAAAAAAA"

Ok, that one wasn't my fault.