Wednesday ...

I totally jinxed it with my last post. I swear, this job is a roller coaster ride. Except that cliche doesn't fit completely because you can get off roller coasters. And even in a roller coaster you know that you're pretty much safe.

I'm not implying that it's unsafe here (please don't freak out!). It's very safe in Seoul. But you're strapped in to a roller coaster. I'm kind of operating without a clue. Or a seatbelt, if I feel like riding the cliche train (I don't. Is riding the ___ train a cliche? Yargh!!). Anyway, the point is, every time I think I've got a handle on my job, something happens to yank me off my feet (cliche count: 6).

Last post, I felt like maybe I was getting a feel for the kids (cliche count:7). And that's partway true; they do like me more. But the reason the class was so much easier to teach last week was that one of my students was on vacation. She's not a problem child (8), but still. The minute Amy was back, she wouldn't stop speaking Korean, and everyone else started up again. I would say something about bad apples, but I'm trying to avoid more cliches (nice try, Janette, cliche count: 9).

Anyway, my job doesn't suck, but it's quite the challenge. And if just one of my children is gone for the day, everything is so much easier! Today the sweetest, most obedient student was gone, and everyone was easier to handle. That doesn't make any sense. Shouldn't her shining example (10) be lifting the cumulative goodness in my class?

Also, Wednesdays are Science day. The kids love science class. I don't know why, because they have the lamest projects, and they take ten minutes. We're supposed to stretch it to half an hour, and most teachers manage to make it last all afternoon. I still haven't gotten that far. Anyway, I have nightmares (11?) about science class. Today was a good example of why. The kids were good, I had control over them, but our project involved a dark blue dye. What kind of idiot decides that they want to give three and four year olds their own bottles of dark blue dye? Who is trying to ruin my life (cliche count: 12) ? Thank goodness, no dye got on anyone, but that was because I doled out ink with the miserliness of Scrooge (maybe 13; it's hard to say).

Okay, so that's about it. I'd better stop whining before I make anyone think I'm unhappy. Or the count gets too old (too late! Just for that, we're bumping you up to 15).