Stop Signs are Optional

Song of the Moment: "Sinners like Me" - Eric Church

#4: In America there are rules for driving. Americans have to obey posted speed limit signs, stop at stop signs, wear their seatbelts, obey traffic lights, etc. In Korea all of those things are considered just a suggestion. Cab drivers consider stop signs optional, do not use turn signals and honk at every vehicle coming or going in either direction. Koreans drive however they want to and strangely there are VERY few accidents.

#5: Speaking of driving...Koreans also do not obey any kind of child safety laws while driving. Americans put kids in car seats or booster seats and belt them in the back seat. Koreans have the kids in their lap while driving. Yup. WHILE DRIVING. Safety is just a suggestion.

Yesterday was my first FULL day of teaching by myself. 7 classes of preschool aged kids sure is demanding. It does however remind me alot of home. At home my mother runs a daycare out of our house. During the day the kids are taught basic preschool skills such as colors, shapes, abcs, pledge of allegiance, etc. My kids are taught basically the same thing just in a different way. Repetition is what gets through to these kids. Saying the same thing in a book over and over and over again and having them repeat it eventually sinks in. Is it a little annoying? yes. Does it get the job done and help them learn? Absofreakinglutely. I've got a feeling i'm definatly going to earn my paychecks!

Last night was also my first night at a foreign bar named Beetoven. I walked in and felt like I was in a time warp at Cheers. It really is a place where everybody knows your name. The atmosphere kind of reminds me of a mix between the Chug and Herot back home in Muncie. Busy and smokey but homey. Totally love it.

The big news of today is that I finally FINALLY get to move into my own apartment. I have been moving around to different apartments since I arrived on Sunday and I am so beyond done with that shit. I want to go somewhere to unpack my suitcases, hang up my clothes and do what I want without worrying i'll offend someone because...shock of all shocks...i'm not Korean!!! This time tomorrow I will be (hopefully) settled in with a list of things to get to make it more like home.

Well...so far so good. I'm 5 days in and so far no breakdowns or crying. They say if you last 2 weeks without doing that then you're golden. Looks like we'll just have to see.