and now that that's out of the way, onto more important things...

Jongsung picked me up during my lunch time to take me to the train station to buy tickets and to the immigration office to pick up some stuff for Nastasya. Between the two we went to lunch at Han's Deli. Jongsung ordering a hamburger steak (basically like a hamburger patty... this one had a pretty spicy teriyaki sauce) got us on the topic of mad cow disease... again. Here goes the conversation (In this scene Jongsung will speak perfect English for your easy reading pleasure!):

Jongsung: All restaurants in Korea are supposed to post what country their beef comes from.
Me: Because of mad cow disease?
Jongsung: Uh. (Korean way of saying yes)
Me: I really don't think mad cow disease is a huge issue in Korea anymore. I mean... I was a little concerned at first because there weren't a lot of regulations, but now there are a lot of regulations about the beef they import from America.
Jongsung: Really?
Me: Yeah! I've been eating American beef all my life and I'm not sick! Actually... there haven't been too many cases of mad cow disease in America!
Jongsung: Oh... that's because... well, you know DNA?
Me:  Yeah....???
Jongsung: Well, American DNA is different from Korean and British DNA.
Me: Uhhhhhhhh....
Jongsung: That's what I heard.
Me: Uhhhh........ I think that's scientifically impossible.
Jongsung: Really?
Me: Yeah, because... well, for one reason, America is made up of people from all different countries! Do you believe me?
Jongsung: Uhhh.... yes. (very skeptical look on face)

I recognize that some ethnic backgrounds are more susceptible to certain things like... sickle cell anemia in people of African descent and such... but unlike mad cow disease, sickle cell anemia is an inherited condition.

So, once again this leads me to the conclusion that I absolutely need to make up a Korean medical rumor. I mean... if people believe this, as well as eating dog meat helps with humid weather, eating eel is good for man's health (as in stamina... if you know what I mean), and the king of Korean medical rumors... FAN DEATH, then I can certainly make up some crazy rumor that the people of Korea will take very seriously! But what should I say?

-L.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/thecuriouscaseofbenjaminbutton/

http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/boya/large.html

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/takeout/trailer/

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/theedgeofheaven/trailer/

watchoo think?

I've hit my 8 month anniversary in Korea today... now that I'm 3/4 of the way done with my contract I've been thinking...

I'll definitely be in Korea next year... I'll almost positively be in Yeosu again... but should I stay at my school? I fear that the temptation to stay at my school mostly comes from it being comfortable. I could make more money elsewhere and potentially be more happy. Here are the options I'm seeing right now:

Stay at my school
Positives:

• I love my students
• Most of my lesson planning would be done
• I would get a little bit of a raise
• Most of the time the school lets me do my thing... and they are pretty flexible to my needs
  

Negatives:

• My school is a bit cliquey... teachers at other schools need to move every 3 years but because my school is private, the teachers can stay as long as they want. People definitely have their social groups and I don't feel like I'm part of any of them.
• *Some* of my co-teachers are really unhelpful... the begrudgingly come to my lessons if they come at all
• I work a lot more than a lot of teachers. teaching 25 hours a week is pretty exhausting, especially when I have to be at school for 8 1/2 hours... I can't go home and rest or anything.
• I don't always get treated like a teacher at the school, so much as just a foreigner... they won't even put air conditioning in my room... well, they said they don't know if they can... (all the other teachers have it)
  

Find a Hagwon Job:

Positives:

• Hagwon's generally pay better
• I think I can teach privately legally
• I only have to be at work while I'm teaching... potentially a 6 hour day
  

Negatives:

• Hagwon jobs are less secure... they are a business and can close at any moment
• Even though i can teach privately legally... the hours make teaching privates a bit difficult... you can work until fairly late at night
• the hours 1-7,8,9,10pm... ick
• A LOT less vacation. 2weeks vs... 3 1/2ish months

Find another public school job:

Positives:

• Change is fun.
• Might have better co-teachers
• Could be at a more flexible school
  

Negatives:

• Would kind of be a slap in the face to my current school.
• Might not have better co-teachers
• Might not have a more flexible school
  

Teach privately (legally I think) full time:
Positives:

• I could potentially make a lot of money. (35-50$ an hour... 35$ an hour is $3500 a month)
• I could set my own hours.
• I would be my own boss
  

Negatives:

• That's a lot of lesson planning.
• It's not as secure (obviously)
• I would have to pay for my own apartment (but would probably move in with Tony and Ste... so the cost wouldn't be too high), insurance, flights, no end of contract bonus...
• The hours would probably be later (similar to Hagwon hours) because I have to wait for kids to get of school.

Hmmm.... I don't need to make a decision yet... my school has already told me they want me to stay and I think they're willing to negotiate my contract... give me time off for the Christmas season perhaps? a bit more pay... I will most likely move in with Tony and Ste as well.

-L.