Dear Sal...
As the Temperature continues to rise, my body continues to fail to adjust. I was warned that the summers in Daegu would be hot, but this is ridiculous. And apparently this has been a cool one. While most people thrive in the heat, I wilt, missing English summers of lukewarm weather, occasional rain and of course, working less. After two weeks of three morning classes I'm slowly getting used to my eradicate sleep scheduled. I imagine I will finally get used to it just in time for them to finish at the end of the month.
Yesterday morning, I came into my class room after the arduous journey to work in the early morning sun, seeking sanctuary from the heat. Usually my class room is a haven of cool refreshing air, but not today. When I arrived I found it as hot and uncomfortable as it was outside. In Korea, I have learned the joy and everyday necessity of the greatest invention of all time, air conditioning. I ran to the front desk, where the only member of Korean staff was. "Amy, Amy, air con, no work. I die!"
As you can see, my English has gone down hill somewhat when it comes to communicating with the Koreans I work with, who speak little to no English. Amy looked up at me, uttered something in Korean, smiled and went back to her work. After a moment of confusion so did I.
I sat in my class room desperately trying to prepare my lessons. Printing tests, class handouts and other documents, but found myself unable to focus on the simplest of tasks. The more I moved around the warmer my body became and the more and more I sweated. With only moments before my class was due to start, just as the bell rang in fact, the air con sprung to left admitted a burst of cold air and my salvation. Thank the lord. This unimaginable nightmare latest nearly a whole fifteen minutes... which was far to long, I pray this never happens again.
I have a new menace in the class room, the mosquito. Korean children are generally very on edge as it is. The sight of a dog on the street that's bigger then a cat will send them jumping into the road. Apparently ending ones life is better then crossing the path of mans best friend. Insects however, are worse. If a lone mosquito is seen flying round the class room my students go into hysterics. They will jump out of their seats, run to the other side of the room and even scream. Its lucky my class room has no windows, otherwise I'm sure they would throw themselves to their own deaths.
This week, during one of the brief five minute breaks we have, I left my class to escape the sounds of the children talking a mile a minutes in their native tong. Upon returning I discovered my class room filled with a toxic smoke. The Korean teacher, in all her wisdom, had literally filled the room with bug spray. Making my class inhabitable for over fifteen minutes, all for one lonely mosquito. For the rest of the day I had a uncomfortable tickled in the back of my throat.
Needless to say, I have taken control of all insect related incidents now. I have become quite adept at swotting the little bastards before the children even know they're there.
love, hugs and will you just ignore the bloody thing!
Samuel James.
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