Revisiting the past

Was both frustrating and amusing to watch the Korean teachers from the kindergarten ransacking our old school for all the books/resources they could gather together, while we watched in the background shaking our heads in full knowledge we would not be using half of the things they were grabbing.

From a personal point of view it was very strange to be visiting the school again. Even though we were only there for a month, this was where we first got settled in Korea and to go back there was almost like going back home. Or maybe putting on a smelly - yet familiar - old sock. Either way, it was surreal seeing my handwriting still on the white board in my old classroom, seeing Greg's Batman mask he made for Halloween, seeing Alun's name written on an old post-it. And yet the place was turned upside down; all the TV screens had (naturally) been taken away, the teacher's room was a bundle of papers and scraps from the free-for-all at the end of term, and there was mould growing on some of the food that had just been left to lie out in the dining room. It's like we all got up and left without a second thought. Actually on second thoughts, that's what did happen. (Left: post-bombed ex-teacher's room)

I had a brief word with the kindergarten headteacher about our working hours, though it seems that she's not keen to let us off mid-afternoon as we'd originally "agreed". Although many advertised jobs tend to finish late, it's definitely the principle of the agreement that frustrates me rather than the hours themselves. Having said this, we are currently working a 45 hour week, which to me is pretty unacceptable for a gap year job. Still, she knows how I feel about it and is supposedly working around letting us off early some days of the week once the new school year starts, but for now it's 9-6 all the way.

On a different note, Lauren and I headed into Itaewon to the 3 Alleys Pub for the Thursday night pub quiz. Having the first round as identifying "famous" aeroplanes, we didn't hold high hopes for our score, however we got approached by several old men (definitely a bit of an old man's bar this one) with their "witty" yet nonetheless amusing banter. Was great to have a proper English (or American) meal and not to feel obliged to buy food with our drinks; felt like I was right back at home, though not necessarily in a good way ;) (Right: the bar of the 3 Alleys Pub)