Hello Richard Teacher and Samantha Teacher

Well only a few days in and we are many classes in to our year of teaching English in South Korea. We landed on Sunday at 4.00pm, and was met by John the agent at the airport. He drove us though to Suwon where the school is based, about 40 minutes from Seoul. I was impressed enough that he had a DVD in the front of his car, never mind when I realised it was a TV, and he could receive many channels. A little worrying that he spent a lot of the journey watching the TV rather than the road.

We arrived at the school and met Mr. Ho, who gave us a quick tour of where we are teaching. Then off to see our apartment. It is only a 5 minute walk from the school, and well proportioned. You walk into a large enough entrance and kitchen area. Off here is the bathroom, a good sized living room, the bedroom and a storage room. Through the living room is the balcony come utility room. The place has all mod cons, and will more than do as our home for the next year.

That night we had a little wander around our local area. I'd spotted a place that had a sign that said HOF outside. I knew that was Korean for BEER. So we headed there for beer and food. An early night, that night, as we were tired from the trip and also had our first meeting at 9.00am on Monday.

Monday came and we got to meet the teachers we took over from. We shadowed them for the day, sitting in on classes, to see how things were done. It is very intense. We teach kindergarten in the morning for an hour, then the older children in the afternoon from 2.00pm. Our classes are every hour, for 50 minutes with only 10 minutes between each, so very intense. Some nights we don't finish until 8.00pm on a night. It all does fly by though, which is good.

That night we went with Fiona, one of the teachers we have taken over from, to meet some of the other English teachers working in schools near to us. We all had a traditional Korean meal, a couple of beers and a shot of Sujon (dodgy spelling), the traditional Korean liquor. Once again an early to bed, as we were still shattered from the whirlwind of it all.

Tuesday came and went. However this was our last day with the teachers, so they let us run some classes to build our confidence. On the whole it went OK, and we felt ready for going it alone on Wednesday. That night we met some drunk Korean high school teachers at Buckly's, the bar/restaurant across from the school. Shows that nothing changes whichever country you are in.

Wednesday, our first day going it alone. On the whole it was fine. A little problem of getting to know your class, and the level they are at, and how to pitch things. There are the odd one or two disruptive students, but that is to be expected. They are only kids afterall. And wherever you are in the world, kids will be kids. Most are really on the ball, which helps you to know where you are at in the course work, as they are more than ready to point it out. That night we just crashed out at home. I'd had a really late class, and was worn out.

Thursday, a holiday day already. Independence Movement Day, so no school. It gave us time to catch up with ourselves a bit. We went on the bus to the local Lotte Mart supermarket and got some shopping in. It is weird being here, as unlike when we where in South East Asia, it all looks so familiar, with a surreal alien twist. Mostly western in many ways, and so so alien in many others. Having no Korean is making things a little hard, so a lot of pointing and hand signals get us through. Despite their desire to learn English everywhere, not many ordinary workers speak it. Plus the total lack of roman script makes it even harder. WE MUST LEARN KOREAN!

Today it's Friday. Back to school, back into it again. They say that it may take us a good month or so to really settle into the job. Which is fine. I really want to get a little Korean sorted as so as possible, to help in class communication. Also learning everyones name, despite them all being given English names, is going to take a while. Oh, here's a fun fact... We have had the chance to name some of the new intake. So there are now kids running around Korea names after friends and family, as well as all the locals who go into the Arden Arms.