Week Two and Counting

The first week of torment by children was surprisingly tolerable, at times it was even fun.
Generally, our students have a positive attitude towards the teachers and studying, so are usually a pleasure to teach. It's the 12 hour work days that are so draining. The other teachers are an interesting and friendly mixed bunch of old Korea hands, mercenaries (like us!) and real career teachers from overseas. Apparently we even have one physicist among us, although this does beg the question, 'why are you here?' This guy talks constantly and loudly about his many skills, including his multilingual ability, his unmatchable teaching and his prowess in science.

Portia and I are roommates and we share a large and quite comfortable dorm apartment. In the first week of camp, at 6.45 every morning, the camp director's voice (accompanied by music) blared a jolly morning greeting out of a loudspeaker embedded in our wall. Considering that work didn't start until 8.30, this was a step too far. Later that week, we disconnected the speaker with a screwdriver and a Leatherman. Ah, peace at last.

At the weekend, when our precious single day off came around, Portia and I went for a mountain hike with some of the other teachers. Korea has some stunningly beautiful natural scenery when you get outside the city. Clean and green, it reminded me of home. Not China home, real home.