Teaching has been great!!

My walk to work only takes me about 10 minutes. I usually carry an umbrella ever day. I use it during the day too! It keeps the harsh Asian sun off my sensitive white skin.

Gwangju has a population of about 1.5 million. That is a big number, but it never seems crowded in Bongsundong (my section of town). I will show some pictures of Downtown and then you will see some real bustle!!



Here is my school, Avalon (below). One floor above me is a smaller private school for young elementary students. It is owned by the same company, so we will occasionally mingle for lunch.

Lunch! For 40k won a month (around 35 dollars) I get meals. A lunch and a dinner. There is a little smaller building built on to the roof. This has been great! It has allowed me to try more knew Korean foods than ever possible on my own. This will surprise people who know me. I realize I am famous for staying away from "busy foods." But the Koreans have been impressed by my love for squid, and willingness to consume whatever is put in front of me (unbearably spicy food aside). I have also been able to avoid anything resembling food poisoning!




You get used to seeing a lot of signs in Korea. No space is wasted! If there is a wall, there is a sign or ad on it. I enjoy this, because so many of them have cartoons! I knew I would like this country, when I saw a sign for the police, It there was this little weird police/person cartoon character.












Here are my fellow Korean and English speaking foreigners hard at work! They are very good to us...they keep the air on all day. This means that a few of them use blankets while they work.

The air is ALWAYS on in my class rooms. every day a skinny 80 pound student will raise their hand and say "teacher, cold, turn air off." I just stare and shake my head. "Teacher will never turn the air off. If the air is off, will become cranky and give more detentions." If I want to get their attention, I make it one degree colder. They hear the beep, look up and gasp!