I spent this week feeling alternately ill and bitter. Korean society isn’t one that believes in resting. Last weekend I started to feel slightly sick, like I was coming down with a cold. In the end I did come down with a cold, quite a rough one at that. Sadly my contract of indentured servitude does not allow for things like illness. So despite the fact that I couldn’t breathe properly and couldn’t stop sneezing long enough to say entire sentences, I still spent my entire week at work.
Even if you just have a cold, and the best medicine would be a day of rest they send you to a doctor, and then tell you to come back to work. All week, all I really needed was a day off, but there was no time for anything like that. So I went to work as usual. Then since I was “well” enough to go to work, I figured I was well enough to go to school. So I would go sit in my Korean class and pretend to learn. However, it is very difficult to concentrate on a different language when the inside of your head is so fuzzy that it’s difficult to think and speak even in English.
It was definitely an interesting week. My students weren’t that great. They were a bit hyper, which is understandable. These poor kids have been in school since last March with only a week of vacation in the summer and a week in the winter. They are 5 years old. I’m 25 and I am completely sick of school. I have no idea how these poor kids are coping with everything. And they have about 20 more years of solid education before it will all be over. I heard President Obama applauded the Korean educational system in his State of the Union address this week, but if he understood what their system actually entails, he wouldn’t speak so highly of it. Sure it’s probably better than the American educational system, but at least American kids get the chance to be kids. These poor kids are in school from the moment they turn 4 until they are 24. They are put in huge classes, and expected to study 12 hours a day. Their science and math scores are through the roof, but their creativity and imagination are phased out around 3rd grade. So far out of the three places I’ve lived in the world, I would want my own children to be educated in England.
A few days ago, Korean Immigration started sending me daily text messages reminding me that my visa expires in 30 days. I really should figure out what I am doing come March. I’ll let all of you know as soon as I do. I’m hoping to stay in Korea for another year, but that’s all in the hands of Korean immigration right now. If they will accept me without a new criminal background check. Keep you fingers crossed for me.
This week I was having another American craving. I really wanted burritos. Alas, the fixings are a bit hard to come by, but I made due. I went to the grocery store, and managed to find tortillas, lettuce, salsa and a small extremely expensive block of Colby cheese. Alas no refried beans or sour cream were available. So I got some chicken and fried it up fajita style. Then I found some plain yogurt to use as a substitute for sour cream. When all was bought, cooked, and finished, it was delicious and practically like home. Although rather a bit more expensive.
Well. That’s my week. I’m going to spend the rest of my evening resting up for the two days of work I have this week. Huzzah for Lunar New Year, it’s bigger than Christmas. Happy year of the Rabbit everyone!
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