Making out

My co-worker, Steve the New Yorker, is basically a decent guy. He is young, but he is working hard at becoming a good teacher, does extra stuff for his class, and will try to get his co-worker (that would be me) pain relievers when she has cramps. So all in all, he isn't a jerk. But he really really really wants a Korean girlfriend. Actually I think he just wants a girlfriend.

So we are leaving work: Sae-min, Fiona, Steve the New Yorker, and me. It is Thursday so we are talking about the weekend, and Steve is mentioning some of the bars he wants to go to. Apparently if you wear a NY hat, many women will come up to you. I don't know, as I'm not that interested in getting women in bars to come up to me. But he is, so I'll take his word for it. While we were walking, Sae-min noticed that he was carrying the book "Making out in Korea" She started to ask him why he had the book. I think he actually blushed. He started protesting that the book was actually quite helpful for just getting around. He stammered a bit, and kept justifying the book. "No no really, you can catch a taxi, and find out where a bus is going, what to order in restaurants, really it isn't what you think" "My Korean friend gave me the book, no really" He then proceeded to explain that the term "Making out" means "getting by" which is technically true, but not what either he or the authors of the book had in mind. Plus he wasn't actually fooling any of us. I would kind of feel sorry for him if I could contain my laughter long enough. I do hope his friend from Deagu works out. He isn't a bad sort. Oh and by the way he asked me to mention that as far as the Korean government is concerned he is very healthy.

The sempiternal rain is really getting me down. It didn't rain this morning, so I was able to get my walk in. The mini-hibiscus on the bushes fared much better than the big hibiscus. They were almost decimated, with only a few blooms standing bravely in sentinel around their fallen comrades. The lilies and the floppy yellow flowers are gone. But perhaps there are new flowers waiting in the wings. The grass bridge across the stream is almost complete, with a few trickles getting through. The cranes and dragonflies abandoned the morning, but the walk was still quite pleasant.

Work was good, although my students are getting nervous about their presentations at the end of the month. I'm only worried about one class, and I think most will be just fine. We really aren't there to be stern judges. It is amazing how normally talkative and boisterous kids can suddenly become so quiet and shy when they have to get up in front of people. I'm glad our school does this though, because being able to speak in front of people is a very valuable skill in any language.

There is tension in paradise though. The head teacher, Cindy, and Sae-min are having some problems. I don't speak enough Korean to know the details, but sometimes the air is positively thick. I feel bad because I genuinely like both of them. I'm sure some way or another they will work it out, but I wish I could ease the stress a bit.

I have to go in for a couple of hours tomorrow, and finish up writing the materials for the intensive class. I have some really good ideas, and I'm glad Cindy gave me the task. It makes me feel good that she is trusting me with something that important so early. I can't believe I haven't been here for a whole month yet. I really like the school, and I feel like I've been there a long time, but in a good way.
And so it goes.