Back to School Again

So I started school again about a week ago. But I haven't had any classes yet! I'm actually kind of bored. There is only so much that a person can do in a day to prep for classes. Just like with the semesters prior, I have a whole new schedule. But this year, I am teaching 5th and 6th grade! I get to keep my darling 5th graders that I have grown so close to in the past year, as well as get my 6th graders back. I taught them last fall when they were in 5th grade.
My schedule is jam-packed, though. I have 4 classes back to back every day and 5 on Fridays. This is because I have 7 classes total, and each class meets three times a week.  On the other end, I don't have any after-school classes this semester. I couldn't have any because it would have put me over my 22 contracted hours. I will be a little sad to see it go, but now I can put all my attention and energy into having really good classes. And because of this, I will have at least 2-3 hours every day of solid desk warming time. I can plan lessons, make games, and do whatever else I want! Which includes studying Korean, but you know how that goes.

One Day Back, and I'm Moving

A few months back, my old host mom and I talked about the fact that they wouldn't be hosting again due to the space restrictions in the house and that my host sister needed her room back. That was completely understandable. So I sadly said goodbye to my house and my family way back in July, knowing that when I returned I would be living with a new family. They still live close and it would be easy to go over for dinner sometime, and I still teach at the same school the kids go to, so I know I don't have to worry about it.

What I didn't know when I left was who I would be living with when I returned. So about a week before coming back, I was finally told. I'm living with the family that hosted the other ETA last year. This was good news. I knew that I would be in good hands. She had nothing but good things to say about the family last year.

Well, they live up the side of a mountain, which is cool but kind of annoying since I have to ask for rides in and out of town, instead of walking like last year, but the house is beautiful and I have a spectacular view from my room. I even have my own bathroom! Now that's amazing. The family is great (I'll formally introduce them in a future post) and I am getting along with them right away. The baby (3-year-old) is so cute and all three of the kids seem to like me already. Just like last year, my family wanted to do something with me this year on my first day in the house. So we went to the DMZ. I'm sensing a theme. Last year the Peace Bell, this year the DMZ. Despite it being a half-hour from my town, I haven't actually been yet, so I was really excited to go and check it off my list. We just went to an observatory so there wasn't anything too exciting but I saw North Korea. I wasn't allowed to take any pictures but that doesn't mean I didn't take pictures of other things. It was a really nice day out and afterward we went to a restaurant for lunch and picked up the things I left at my old homestay. By the evening I was settled into my new home, and I'm so excited for the year ahead.

AND...............We're Back!!!

After a looooooong flight, I'm back in Korea and ready to hit the ground running this year. As a second year, I didn't have to come to orientation until the second to last day. This was wonderful for my vacation since it gave me about a month home, but it's not great for meeting and getting to know the first years. I think this may be more important, simply because the number of renewees is minimal compared to the amount there were last year. And by that I mean, my cohort had about 80 people in it last year. A group of people that got to know each other and bond over the 6 weeks at orientation, but this year there is a new group of 80 strong and just us few who are left from last year. We are given 24 hours to get to know a whole new group of people. Regardless, it was still really nice being able to go home and then being back at Yonsei for a day. I was able to meet the new ETAs that will be teaching in Hwacheon, including the other ETA that was placed at my school. They are all so kind and I'm so excited to start working and hanging out with them. It also feels a bit odd since I have already been here for a year so I'm their friend but also a pseudo-authority on Hwacheon.

I think I'm really ready to tackle this year. It feels almost like last year was a tutorial and this year I am actually playing the game. But that just means that I have more places to see, things to do and memories to make. I think I'm ready. We'll just have to wait and see on this one I suppose.

This year, I'm also teaching 5th and 6th graders so I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories to tell from there as well.