9:15 AM
Feeling fine. Yesterday, I got really good news in the midst of trying times--I still have my exact same job here at this school next year. This is miraculous because the English teaching program of my city is being downsized. The high school teachers are being transferred to elementary (which is a massive change for them), and the middle school teachers all have to work at two schools.
Except me. Out of 8 middle school teachers, I'm the only one getting to keep my exact job.
Praise the Lord. I feel like I've been given a present, the present of peace and security. I didn't want to move to a second school. That would mean bus rides and two different student bodies to memorize and never really belonging to a school. Some teachers enjoy having two schools because it means you don't have a lot asked of you.
If you have two schools, you don't get asked to do extra work or get pressured to participate in school events, because you're only in each place part-time. You get more vacation days because you get vacay for each school instead of just for one. It's a sweet deal for a lot of people, but I wouldn't want that. I like belonging to one place, knowing the co-workers and the kids. And I get to continue doing just that! How lovely.
Also, I passed my Korean exam! I got a 2 (High Beginner) when I expected to get a 1 (Basic Beginner), and I couldn't be more thrilled! I printed off copies of my certificate and started showing them to everybody--JY and KBR, and I trotted down to the first floor office to show Mr. B the results, as well as the Vice Principal. In the hall, one of the older guy teachers congratulated my on my score.
Pretty sweet, right? Over two years of study, and I finally get an official government-sanctioned piece of paper saying that I'm well on my to really knowing this awesome language I've begun studying. Right now, I'm studying to take the Level 3 next year. They say the 3 is super hard--full of essay-writing, etc. I definitely don't think I'll be ready for it until next fall, but I already have study plans in place to get me to that level. :-)
One of the 1st-grade babies that I don't know stopped me on the stair case to offer me a snack of chips. I took one and chatted with him for a bit, and it was a good moment.
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