drinking with my korean co workers

Tuesday (5/4) there was a dinner party for the new teachers.  My co teacher said I didn't have to go, but I thought it would look bad if I didn't go, and anyway, the person I had a date with that night had canceled.  I had heard a lot about after work dinner parties and that there's a lot of drinking and if getting drunk is acceptable here, then I don't mind drinking.  Wednesday we didn't have school (Children's Day), so there was no excuse not to drink. 

They didn't waste any time getting the soju flowing.  My co teacher sent me over to the principal to pour him a drink, then he poured one for me.  Then I had to drink with every other old guy who was with the principal.  Then it seemed like every other male teacher there wanted to have a drink with me, so I drank a lot more than I wanted to.  Eventually me and a bunch of the other male teachers went to a noraebang.  They got several women to hang out with us.  I didn't really like it.  I don't want some woman around who is only there cause she is being paid.  I tried to sing a couple songs but I was too drunk, I had never been to a noraebang before, and I couldn't find anything I knew well. 

After that a smaller group of us went to another bar and ate some more and drank some more.  It was absolutely unnecessary to eat and drink more.  I really don't remember much else about the night except that I got lost walking home.
 
I don't think i did or said anything too stupid and everyone else was pretty drunk too.  I heard its ok to get drunk at these things, and Koreans like it, but still I was nervous about going to school Thursday.  I was worried maybe I made a fool of myself or something.  But just about everyone I was drinking with seemed to be friendlier.  The only stressful thing is everyone knows my name and I can't remember anyones name.  I was introduced to everyone my first days here, but I didn't remember most of them.  Tuesday night I was too drunk to remember.   

1st week teaching

It's my third week here, but only my first week of teaching.  It was mostly ok.  No major problems.  I haven't taught every class I will teach, and I didnt teach any of the teacher classes.  A few of my classes were really bad, but most were good. 

Making lesson plans is the biggest stress I am having.  Today one of my co teachers finally gave me some more input about what I should do during my classes.  He is telling me to play games, show movies (whole movies or just small parts?) and play music and give the students the song's lyrics. Have they really paid all this money to get a foreigner at their school just to show movies and play games?

2 weeks done

I've been here two weeks now.  It's gone ok so far.  Last week I didn't teach, I was just supposed to plan my lessons, I guess.  I didn't get much guidance.  And since my co teacher is always so busy it took all week to do what probably could have been done in one day if she would have just talked with me and helped me like she said she would.  With other things she is ok.  It's just the lesson plans that she has not been too helpful with. 

the weekend

I had a date with another woman Friday.  I went to her city and we had dinner and drank soju.  It was the first time I have had soju.  In the US I rarely drink, but I have heard Koreans drink a lot and I wanted to try soju.   I thought maybe we would just have one bottle, but she just kept getting more.  We had a couple bottles then went to another restaurant and had a few more bottles.  After we were both really drunk we went to a motel where we had unsatisfying drunken sex. I spent the rest of the weekend sick and hungover. 

first date in Korea

I had a date last night.  I met her online.  She barely speaks English, but I didn't mind cause she was pretty good looking.  It's hard to say how things went cause there was such a language barrier, but we have plans for next week.

1st week

I've been here a week now.   I don’t know how this is going to go. 
My co teacher is really helpful in some ways.  The first two days she helped me get set up with some things and introduced me to the teachers and some students.  The next 3 days I had orientation in Anseong-si, which was mostly a waste of time.  It seemed intended for people who are already teaching.   

This week I have to make my lesson plans.  I was hoping i would get some help today, but my co teacher had a full schedule today so I didn’t talk to her much.  I wasted most of the day.  I just don’t know what I am supposed to do.  How many classes will I teach?  What is their level?  Will I be teaching by myself or teaching with my co teacher?  Will I be working with all the English teachers?  I just have no idea what’s going on. 

I'm in Korea!

I had to frantically clean up my room and all my stuff and pack the day before leaving.   At the end I was just throwing stuff in my suitcases an hour before I had to go to the airport.  I took two suitcases packed to the maximum weight, a carry on suit case and backpack both packed to the maximum weight.  I still didn't have room for everything, and also forgot a bunch of stuff cause i was so rushed.