No Time to Study!

And yet here I am writing this blog entry during one of my chances to study haha. Priorities right? We have a speaking test tomorrow that is left over from our mid term last week. We basically have to write out a script and then present it to the teachers. Mine is about half as long as it's supposed to be because I'm all about efficiency. I combined a lot of the requisites into single sentences. I'll just end up saying some stuff I know and I'll be fine.

Today was busy yet again. We had class 9-1 as usual, then at 1 we had to go to another building for a dormitory safety presentation. Then class again from 2-4. Luckily I sat on the end of one of the rows and the guy who was going to give the presentation came and said I didn't have to stay because I'm not staying in the international dorm. That gave me time to go get some lunch.

Well this morning one of the ladies who cooks in the cafeteria we normally go to told me that I need to try something else because I'm eating the same thing every time. Mind you I'm the type of person that finds what they like and sticks to it. But I'm also a good little boy and I do what I'm told. SO! Lunch was 똔가스 라면 (Ddon Ka Seu Ra Myeon) basically this is spicy ramen soup with pork cutlet in it. So good!

Gimme dat ddonkasu!

I went straight American style today and ate with a fork. Normally ddonkasu needs to be cut so I didn't know what I would need. Next time I'll use chopsticks for sure. I honestly had to blow my nose twice during this meal. It's a pretty normal occurrence now that my nose runs when I eat, even if it's not spicy. However, this was pretty spicy. I wonder if that will ever end. Maybe I just have years of garbage in my body that is finally being purged. Who knows?

So after lunch was that 2-4 makeup class. I went to our normal classroom and no one showed up. I wasn't really surprised since the board had no room number on it so they could be anywhere. Maybe they got caught up in the safety presentation and were running late. Maybe our teacher caught them on the way and directed them to another class and they forgot about me. I went looking around and found them in another classroom. I walk in and sit down and there's another teacher! One that I don't know, and BOY IS SHE SURPRISED TO SEE ME.

Luckily all my classmates know me so they're like it's chill. I sit down and we're into some review, which is awesome cause it's stuff I need. We take a test which I got a 90/100 on, and then during the first break Li Ting Ting leans over and says "why are you late?". I did my best to explain that I was in the other classroom and no one came and got me, but as she kept asking and being confused I started to realize that this wasn't a makeup class. It was the class that the students looking to get into the university take twice a week. Sweet.

Welp, here are my options. Leave during the break and risk a ton of confusion and looking like an idiot. OR I can stay in class and ride it out and look like an idiot. I chose the latter. I also hope no one remembers this. Ahhh classic Carl. Hey in my defense there wasn't really any indication that it wasn't a makeup class. Since everyone but Nathan and I are in the class the teachers sometimes forget to single us out and let us know we don't have to go. Also, the review was actually good, so it ended up being time well spent. Where was Nathan in all of this you ask? Well he didn't attend school today so I was the lone American representing.

Right after class I had to hop over to the K-PACE center to help with the student's English conversational class. I'm feeling more confident there now that I've been around and know the teachers better. Also this week was a carbon copy of last week's activity since they have the groups split. We built rockets! As you will see in the picture, there is a rubber band attached to the end so you can stretch it back and propel it across the room. Pretty sweet!

A rocket that a student gave me.

Following English conversational class I headed back to the dorm with the students to drop off my books. Then I met up with Heavy G and An Hyo Sang at 8 Ho Gwan. I was determined to show the lady that suggested I have some soup this morning that I listened. So I ordered 김치 똔가스 나베 (Kim Chi Ddon Ka Seu Na Beh) which is basically spicy Kimchi soup with that tasty ddonkasu in it. She was actually the one who made my food so she was happy with me. Yay!

If lunch and dinner look similar it's because they are!

It was fitness center time, so Heavy G drove An Hyo Sang and I there and dropped us off. I helped the students workout along with the other RA's and then we walked back to the dorm. Now here I am working on the transcript for my speaking mid term and talking with students. Visiting other rooms and conversing in both English and Korean as best I can. It's pretty interesting, it keeps me sane with all the studying I've been doing. That's about all. Tune in tomorrow to find out about my mid term! Thanks for all the support guys, it means the world to me.

Korean Word/Phrase of the Day: 팔 (Pahl) Which is arm...as opposed to 발 (Pahl) which is foot. Have fun hearing the difference in that one.

TL:DR I'm in Korea.