23rd September, I got my Visa

6 weeks after returning to Korea. Many troubles, stresses, worries, concerns, frowns, disbeliefs, frantic calls, frantic emails, what if's, but what if's, lots of that's not fair's and why does it take so long's and I have finally be given my second year visa. It's such a relief and such a change in emotions that yesterday I had a short period of mild depression. I have spent most minutes of the day worrying about all of this. Now I have nothing to worry about. It's strange how the brain likes to be troubled sometimes, or it at leats gets used to the idea of stress and then chokes when it doesn't have any.

I'm happy, thank you to all those who participated in the process - NO THANKS to the UK Metropolitan system and their friends at the NCI..... Sort your system out, ummm, umm, NOW

Alice

Please focus on the girl looking at you..... Her name is Alice.

I thought it was about time that I wrote a piece about one of my babies. I have taught a number of kids in the past 13 months, but my current BLUE class kids are the ones that have segmented a bigger percentage of my heart. Alice is today's case study. Before I proceed, I will however, not be referring to her as a case study. She's one of my babies.

The term 'babies' is obviously a play on words. I didn't impregnate a Korean women, or many for that matter, all those years ago. I like to use 'babies' a number of times throughout the day. It can be implicated to ridicule an infant. If they're behaving below their accumulated years then I will ask them "Are you a baby?". This results in an uproar of laughter from the endearing classmates, therefore striking a message to, from now on, act your age. On the flip-side I use 'Baby' and 'babies' in order to deliver my affection to them. At lunchtime, a number of the kids, decide that they will take a long time to eat their food and in the process of this, they play with it, or in Alice's case, secretly deposit it onto the floor. Cunning. So, as an incentive to a quickly eaten meal I reward them with 'baby time'. I think I have mentioned this before. It simply means I cradle them like a newly born and swing gentle from side to side, for about 30 seconds, then we both get bored and move onto the next adventure.

Anyway, I'm drifting away from Alice. I have taught Alice from day one. When I first graced the wooden floors of Kids Herald back in August 2008, Alice was one of the 5 VERY small babies that was looking up at me I was escorted into RED class. I was petrified and I'm sure she was as well. Alice is properly one of more substantial cute kids of the entire school, past and present and optimistically, the future. To explain. There are an abundance of cute kids throughout. But their cuteness waivers as they grow or as they are molded into perm-babies by their mothers. (Perms - some kids get given perms by their mother's - disgusting behavior, but deeply amusing when they walk into school styling their new wave)

Alice has maintained her cuteness since day one. It's the kind of cuteness that gets her out of so many situations. Arguments flare up on a daily basis and Alice, with a slice of pure genius, tilts the head to one side, frowns (whilst holding the infamous cute rounded eyes), and squeaks out a little "Teacher". Every teacher in the school knows what she's doing, but none of us have the ability to conquer it. Her biggest sin is depositing food onto the floor at lunchtime (as mentioned above). Most kids swallow all their culinary delights. Alice is the solitary exception. Every day, once the masses have digested and departed the class, there is a scattering of un-chewed foods splattered around her vacated seat. Christine Teacher and I both know it's her and have even seen her doing it. But! Why shout at her? If she doesn't want to eat a bit of spicy, boiled and fermented cabbage, then so be it. She's young, she'll learn.

Another thing I love about Alice is that I also teach her sister Wendy. Wendy is two years older than Alice. Their sisterly love is very strong and warming. I regularly use ask them how their sibling is doing. With Alice being the younger, she's is frequently mentioning Wendy's name. One day I asked Alice to write "I Love Wendy". Just a time filler before next class. She wrote "I love Wenby". Alice has always struggled with the d-b, b-d concept. I pounced on this error like a newly born would do to it's food source (nipple). Immediately, and from then on, I would always ask "How's WenBBBBy?"..... It sends her potty. As predicted Wendy isn't too keen on the purposeful error either.

Alice is currently doing very well and is progressing exceptionally. I have at least 5 months left of teaching with Alice. Then she will promote to her third and final year of kindergarten. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to teach her in her final year. We'll see........

Here are some snaps......


This is Alice in my first few weeks..........


Frowning and cute round eyes. I told you......


Taking a nap.


Taking a fall on sports day......


And finally, a more grown up Alice. Taken last week.

Stuff

Quick update. I have been able to work since the expiratory of my visa. On going to the immigration office, on the 4^th September (my last legal day of work), we took all the required documents minus the elusive criminal check. They gave me around 14 days to hand in the final piece, then I would be granted my visa renewal. They also kindly let me work in this limbo period. However, if the elusive document doesn’t arrive on or before the 22^nd of September, then I will have to reapply for a new visa number. A process that takes around two weeks and entails leaving the country. I won’t be able to work at all during this period. So two weeks of lost payment.

Anyway, I’m remaining positive and eagerly awaiting that pivotal email or phone call from my father, divulging the news that he has the gold dust in his hands.

Since I have been back in teaching mode life has been great. I’m finally settling into my humble abode. I have even started drawing up plans for moderations here and there. But I’m patient enough to wait until the dust has settled over the visa malarkey. a slight change from my first year, besides the new home, is a new gym. Another teacher in the neighbourhood works out at a gym around the corner from the one I have been sweating at for the pat 8 months, I thought I’d try out the new set of weights and cardio machines. The freshness of the new gym has given me a timely boost to my new keep fit regime. You may recall a few months ago I declared that I wasn’t drinking as much. Well I have taken it to levels of, some might say stupidity – others might say intelligence, either way, I get a warm feeling inside after just a glass of red or a big bottle of beer. My tolerance is somewhat less. So this along with my new enthusiasm for working out, I have maintain my slimmer waist line. Confirmation in this was witnessed today as I, for the first time in my life, bought a pair of trousers with a 32” waist. I almost kissed the, may I add male shop assistant, as he bagged up my 32’s…….

I had a request to divulge my morning routine yesterday. Here it is.

Bearing in mind that I start teaching at 9:30. I set my alarm for around 8:15. I then put a 5 minute snooze on, but about 20 seconds later, I get the anticipated “miss the snooze alarm” paranoia and jump up from my cosy pillow. I turn on my laptop and check for GOOD NEWS about my criminal record check. I then gulp down a glass of vitamin C tablet laced water and start cutting up a huge pear. Koreans have massive pears. Very juicy and always refreshing. I then iron a shirt of some sort. I have a selection of maybe 8. I tend to rotate about 4 of them, as the other 4 post some kind of frustration during the day. I’m thinking of just throwing them out to be honest with you. I’ll let you know. Then I pack my bag, plug in my headphones, debate with myself and my i-pod on what I will listen to and then set about my 20 minute walk to work. “No Shower?” you ask. I have a shower the night before. I’ve discovered that, significant to the summer months only, that having a shower before bed considerably and effectively reduces my body temperature enough for me to fall asleep without the aid of air conditioning.

That’s the gist of my routine.

This weekend sees the second instalment of a Cheosuk holiday for me, in Korea. Monday off and Tuesday morning off. No major plans. Might head to the beach for some quiet time. Might not. Decisions will be made based on weather, and instinct. I thought it would be nice to throw a few pictures up here of life at school. I won’t label them or divulge any details. Just enjoy the smiles and faces. Apologies for any typos or grammar errors, I can not be bother to red over thiss. I just wan’’t to pist it and got to bid and sloep.

My New House - INSIDE!!!

The pictures tell the story. One kitchen, one bedroom, one bathroom, one living room and then little bits here and there that connect all the above.















I'm in the process of buying a rug for the living room, enlarging some of my self-taken photographs of Korea, then framing them, then drilling them to the wall and finally decorating open and bland spaces with a collection of cheap and nasty bargains and those delicate and spontaneous finds that you discover in the quietest of moments.

Therefore, another, updated collection of pictures to follow.

I'm still waiting for a piece of paper.