I have SUCH a good teacher voice

Today, I felt like a real teacher for the first time. The class that just let out, my low-level Continuing English class, has quite the mix of ages and personalities, ranging from 2nd to 6th grade, and they can really get crazy. Today, I had to break up a near fight between two boys because one of them was sitting in the other's seat, AND I had to yell at them to be quiet. I think they got the message from my face and the tone of my voice, because they went dead silent. It was AWESOME. I think this is one of the little secrets of teaching that actual teachers won't tell you - it is REALLY cathartic to yell at the kids when they are acting up.

Yikes that makes me sound mean. Clearly I should not be an elementary teacher. Muahahahahahahahaha.

In other news, it warmed up a little this weekend! But it's cold again now, so...suck. On the upshot, this weekend I went from absolutely zero plans to actually having things to do on both days! On Saturday, I met up with a friend I met at GEPIK Orientation in Songtan, where he teaches, for dinner and boozin' it up. Songtan, incidentally, is where the actual location of Osan AB is, so there are a TON of American servicemen and -women there...it's basically "little America". It's nice to know that there's a vague outpost of America out here, when I need it, but for now I'm comfortable being in the "real" South Korea.

Sunday I (completely randomly) ran into one of the other foreign teachers who lives in Osan when I was on my way to do some grocery shopping, so what started as an hour's or so trip out ended up being the entire afternoon and evening. It's so nice to have company on Sunday afternoons - it helps to stave of the long, dark tea time of the soul. 10 points to whomever picks up that reference.

Looking forward, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, and while I don't have huge celebrations planned for tomorrow night, I will be doing a quick lesson in all my classes (4th grade and high-level Continuing English) on the culture of the day abroad. This weekend, though, my recruiting agency is having a party for all the KorVia people teaching in ROK, so I'll be going to that for sure, and then maybe staying in Seoul for the big St. Patrick's Day festivities there. Apparently they light up Namsan tower (the largest building in Seoul) green in honor of the holiday. Not as awesome as dyeing the Chicago River green, but pretty cool nonetheless, no?