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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

12-11-13 Exams, Encouragement Notes, and Joohyun's Birthday

9:15 AM I'm better!

Got to school just fine on this snowy morning. Spent all my desk-time putting together encouraging notes (with chocolate attached) for my favorite kids, as they go into their final exams. I got through 27 notes, then realized I'll have to do it in stages. In five minutes, I'll go upstairs and deliver the notes to the kids in 2-7 and 2-8, then start to work on the next batch.

Whyyyyy do I have so many favorites? I couldn't think of one kid before another would pop up in my mind, then another and another.

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11 AM: Operation: Deliver Letters was halfway a success! Turns out, my 2nd-grade kids are partially in the 1st-grade wing, so I can't find half of them. I was walking down the hall looking puzzled about why 1st-grade Prince-Woobin was in the room where I expected to find 2nd-grade Artist-Joohyun to give him his birthday present, then suddenly I was nearly tackled to the ground by a backhug.

This could only be one person.

BY. I told him to be careful because I was unsteady on my feet--a full Monday of vomiting and a Tuesday of sleeping does not make for a strong teacher. But he told me he was really stressed about his tests, so I gave him a special envelope. I only had pink envelopes enough for 4 special notes, so those were made out to BY, HH, BH, and Seongmo while everyone else got regular notes.

The Special Notes, With Personalized Messages And Chocolate.

BY was so overcome with gratefulness, he wrapped me up in an American-Style bear hug. It was the first real hug I've gotten from a kid here, and it was so sweet.

I wandered off slowly to find the other kids, having written notes for only 2-7 and 2-8's kids. 

Notes Looked Like This.

Got notes to Danhee, Duyeol, Changyo, a very happy Taehoon and Jiwoong, and a couple others in Chil-Ban (2-7), but just when I thought I hadn't left out anybody, Sujin got VERY upset that he was left out. Darling, I got you a birthday present, doesn't that count for something? Yes. It means I have to keep showing my love for all eternity. That is our deal.

Junho saw me in the hall, then grabbed my wrist when I held up my hand for a wave. This is a very "K-drama romantic leading man" thing to do, because for some reason the guys in these shows are always catching heroines by the wrist, not the hand, and tugging them along behind them. It's never considered high-handed or pushy either; romance must involve a clear show of who's in control, obviously. Then he followed me down the hall, right by my side, gazing wistfully at my face until I had to start laughing (he was doing it for the laugh, not for serious). He tried for another hug, too. Kid is on a roll, today.

Up in Pal-Ban (2-8), Hyungmin came up, looking like of course I had brought a note for him, and luckily I had, or this slightly cocky kid would have been very let down. Jinbong mournfully asked for a note, as did Tan-Gimin, a kid who has never talked to me before but who was so invested in getting a note, he spelled out his name for me.

Had to pass by Jeonghee and Jinseop and tell them that theirs was coming later, that this round was only for Chil-Ban and Pal-Ban. They looked sad yet resigned to their fate of waiting. What have I started? And that's without even giving Joohyunnie his birthday present!

"Butterfly In The Sky, I Can Go Twice As High...
Take A Look, It's In A Book...Reading Rainbow!"

The little pink basket in which I carry notes to students:

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11:50 AM: Got envelopes to Byeonghyun, Seongmo, and HH, whoop-whoop! And got notes delivered to Gimin, Jinbong, Jinseop, Jeonghee, Donghyuk, Seongmin, and Seonwoo, who wailed like a banshee when he got his note. Boy does not do modest, quiet reception of gifts. He rubs it in everyone's face then does the Macarena while shouting "I got something and you didn't!"

And now Taehyun wants a note. And Tan-Minwoo (who is A-class, but not A-Class Minwoo, or B-Class Minwoo, or 3rd-Grade Bows-To-Me-Minwoo).

And the 1st-graders want notes. You try looking into Necktie-Jangyeop's sweet, wide eyes and telling him why he doesn't have a note! I was not expecting to see my 1st-graders on the 2nd floor! Back to the shuffle of preparing notes. :-)

The DemonClass boys were all hurriedly re-introducing themselves to me, since Hyungminnie was smart enough to ask the question, why are some boys getting notes and others not? The answer, in broken Korean was, I'm giving them to boys whose names I know. Suddenly everyone wants to be known. The time for slinking to the back of class is over; she needs to make our acquaintances.
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3:15 PM I'm home! After lunch, the kids were all going to leave anyway, so our VP told me to go home. He also left two tangerines on my desk for me. He is my uncle, after all. He told me never to eat convenience-store kimbap again, and I think I'm following the family advice.

My lunch co-ordinator called me over to eat with her and also told me, in Korean, to stay away from convenience store kimbap.

Got Taehyun his note. Jiwoong asked where his note was, just to see if I was paying attention--I poked his shoulder and told him he'd gotten his earlier. Got Sujin his note, whereupon he heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Had to explain to KBR-Teacher that I didn't teach afterschool on Monday because I was asleep for 80% of the day and vomiting for the other 20%. Somehow, word didn't get around to the right people that I was out of pocket.

When I called Joohyunnie over to my office to get his birthday present, he came with 5 friends in tow and looked so happy, he was beside himself. He asked when my birthday was, then repeatedly told me that he would get me something for my birthday. "Teacher, I will remember!" This child is so beautiful, you don't even know. Ever since I took an interest in his art, 3 months ago, we've been fast friends.

3rd-floor boys bathroom was leaking copious amounts of cigarette smoke after lunch. You are so wily, boys. We adults will never notice that you are smoking, nope, not us. Nothing shall give away your crafty plans! Except, you know, the smell. And all that smoke.

Love-You-Sungjae has buzzed all his hair off and it looks nice. Guide-Jaewan has added red to his hair and started curling parts of it, so he has gone from a gorgeous boy to a somewhat-off-kilter-looking gorgeous boy. He sacrificed good hair in the name of Experimentation, but that is what youth is about.

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