So it’s the day after Thanksgiving and in Korea, of course, it’s just another day. I am realizing how much I like American holidays after all, now that they are utterly absent from my life. It’s not even about the extra time off, though I could definitely use a four day weekend right about now. I guess I enjoyed dressing up and partying (Halloween) and chillin with the fam (Thanksgiving) much more than I realized. It’s funny how these traditions become so much a part of you over the years that you simply take them for granted. They come every year, after all. But not this year. I have spent time abroad before, obviously, but I didn’t miss any holidays except St. Patrick’s Day, which I was never too fond of, anyway. Besides, I was surrounded by Americans who celebrated all of these events, so I was never too isolated from the United States. Here is a different story…I am missing more significant holidays, and I have no one to share them with me. It doesn’t really bother me, honestly. I am just surprised to find that I miss them so much over here.
I did get the day off today, but not because they wanted me to have a happy Thanksgiving. The students had to take a test, so there were no English classes today. Unfortunately, I still had my afternoon class to teach. I hate the time, but it’s been a good class so far. The students are almost all girls and are highly motivated to learn English. That is, until today, when I had six surprise students show up. Three of them are quiet, intelligent girls in my sixth grade class, but the other three were rowdy, insolent boys who instantly formed a belligerent group with my other two boys. I seriously wanted to kill them today. The other two boys already had attitudes and almost refused to do anything I asked, and now they had numbers to back them up. I am so glad I only have to teach this class four more times, tops. Why do they have to try to kill me on Fridays, when I already want to go home, lie down, and never get up? Why, why, why? Choi Hyun Moon gave them all a stern talk at the beginning, but it didn’t really help and now my perfect quiet and obedient and fun class is utterly ruined. He tried to tell me that they boys were shy and were acting out in the way they thought was manly to conceal their shyness, but I think that’s bs. I think they were forced into my class, either by parents or teachers, and are determined to learn nothing. And they just may accomplish that. It’s not like I have any power over them, anyway.