I’ve officially finished teaching classes in Korea. Vacation is approved so after tomorrow, I’m absolutely free from having to show up to school. All I have to do is wait for my flight, pack up, send stuff home, banking errands, clean my apartment, etc

I went through a period of mourning last week when I realized I was leaving Korea, but my sadness is long gone. All I feel when I’m walking the hallways of my middle school and sitting in my desk is excitement. This is the opposite of last year when I was at my first school. I think it is the realization that I can’t, and shouldn’t, be in Korea for that long anyway. And I have plans when I go back to the States.

The staff (for the most part) and the students (for the most part) have been great and helpful. I’ll start with the students. I really liked them. These kids have a sharp, witty sense of humor and I love that. They can be such punks but I am even wittier and funnier than them and that always keeps them in check.

This school had the misfortune of being on the news for rowdy graduates last year after commencement (grade 3 students stripping other students’ clothes/uniforms off, almost naked) so it’s possible I might be staying here until about 6:00 to help “patrol” (screw that. I’m outta here by 4:30).

And the staff…there is one person in this school that has screwed me over a couple of times and that is the school accountant. She is, well…  I’ll just have y’all guess it. Will not outline every detail, but I’m simply not fond of her and some of the bullshit excuses I heard on why she sent me my paycheck late a couple of times (which is typically unheard of in a Korean public school - nope! Late payments DO happen.)

I could’ve been a lot closer to my colleagues at this school but…yea. They are really nice though. Met with the principal yesterday perhaps for the last time, and we shook hands and hugged. This was meaningful to me because she’s such a chill principal. I have never met the principal of my previous school, at least face-to-face (I’ll talk about him and my previous school some other time), so I was pretty happy to see her.

I have plenty of errands and tasks to finish by the end of this week but I’ll continue to write about my last moments in Korea until my flight. If I’m not bored.

There is a chance I might be moving to Ilsan and I’m quite excited.

I hope to get a nicer apartment and I would gladly give up living in Seoul for that.

Earlier today, a student told me how to pronounce ‘Seoul’ correctly. Seo-ool. Suh-uuul. In fact, I’m going to spell it out exactly in that manner, so I can remember to pronounce it properly at all times.

…Actually, this is for all of you too!

To ____.

Whenever I have a disagreement with another person at this school, whether it’s a student, another teacher, or staff member, you ALWAYS take their side. Why am I always wrong? Is it because they’re Korean, and my opinions as a foreigner don’t matter? Is it because of a stupid hierarchy issue? I am so sick of this. You side with students when they’re clearly wrong and did something troublesome in class, such as using their cell phone when their homeroom teacher was supposed to confiscate every phone from every student for the day. I told one of your classes, including you, that I never firmly promised a stupid “cookie party”. It was a joke. I told you numerous times to translate that it was a joke. Why didn’t you translate? Why did you choose to argue with me about a party that I never promised? These kids already feel entitled to sleep, throw paper, and write on the desks in class. They do it right in front of you and you don’t do shit. Are you telling me this is all acceptable? Wow, God forbid I don’t give them cookies for their bad behavior.

And when we have a discussion, don’t interrupt me. It’s very frustrating to reiterate my main point ten times. I’m not even exaggerating. Ten times. That’s ridiculous!

I know you read this<3

No love,

J