My first school day was pretty exciting.  I got to the Hapjeong Day Care at 10:00 am.  I have three classes, 4, 5 and 6 year olds.  I leave at noon.  None of the teachers there speak English...or in extremely limited amounts.  They stayed in the rooms while I read to the children and while we did songs.  They only interjected when the children started getting unruly.  The 4 and 5 year olds were fine with learning basic phonics, but the older kids already know their ABCs and need something more advanced.

Then, I get back on the subway and go to Ewah Women's University stop, walk down to a church that houses the Sinamoo After School Program from 3:00-4:30.  The teacher I am replacing, Thomas, also a Korean adoptee, was there and actually taught the class for me, so I could take notes and observe what he was doing.  Then we spent some time talking about where I should go with the class.  He has a very dynamic teaching style...completely unlike my style.  But hopefully, I'll be able to help the children learn. 

So, on Monday, because I had a little time between classes, I decided to time myself and see if I would be able to make the Wednesday schedule which will add a 12:30-2:30 school stop, with six classes of 20 minutes each!  Yikes.  I got a little turned around on Monday, so I hope I will be able to navigate it without  issue tomorrow.

I'm basically off (no teaching) on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  My house mom suggested that her grand niece, Suhyuhn, could use some practice speaking English.  She is a really bright 9-year old.  Takes music, tae kwon do, drawing (draws very well), and attends private school where they are taught English.  Her parents (both doctors) would like her to practice speaking English, as she is shy about her English, so she doesn't want to use it.  I guess the mom doesn't speak English, but her halmoni (grandma) does (who also happens to be Angela's sister).  (Did you figure out the connection?)  So, I will be working with Suhyung on T, Th, and every other Saturday from 3-5 (so much for my free days). 

Anyway, she lives in a completely different part of town.  I must take a train about six stops, transfer, and then take a different train another four stops.  It was easy to find and right across the street from the "Galleria Mall."  It's an unusual mall, in that it is all super designer names and brands (Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik, etc.).  I've never seen such a collection under one roof.

Food of the Day is manduguk.  Mandu is essentially like a Chinese pot sticker.  Guk is soup.  The mandu I had the other evening was "king mandu" so it was the size of my fist...very large.  We were served four each...no way I could eat them all.  The filling was a mixture of tofu and vegetables and maybe some pork.  It was really tasty.  Add a little kimchee to the broth for heat and flavor, and voila!  (Not sure what the Koreans would say to that.)  I look forward to trying other mandu, as they are not always served in soup.  Sadly, I forgot to take pictures.

If you have Facebook, you have already seen this picture, but if not, I will tell you about it.  I made a little pitstop the other day, and in the public restroom I opened the stall door and found this!  I wasn't sure what to do, other than snap a picture in wonder, and laugh about the little device installed on the divider that provide the "water" sound.  I think it is totally hilarious.  It wasn't until I left the stall that I saw on the front of the door is not only an occupied/vacant sight, but also a drawing of the "squat pot" or a regular toilet.  I'll be more aware next time, for sure.

I've now met so many Korean adoptees and other Korean Americans.  It's really awesome. It's been great talking about our lives and experiences.  There are several other ladies arriving from the US very soon with whom I have been in contact via Facebook.  I am looking forward to meeting them in person.  We all have this unique connection, and it's great to be around people who have "been there, done that" kind of.  We all have had some very similar experiences and questions, and it's liberating (it's late so that's the best word my tired brain could drum up) to know we're not the only ones.