Procrastination goes global

Now, don't jump to conclusions here folks. I know I have a serious track record with procrastination, but in this instance it had nothing to do with me. What I refer to is, of course, my open lesson, which was supposed to take place last Friday, but was delayed because, for lack of a better answer, my co-teacher is a lazy cunt. The details are now to follow.

Obviously I wrote all about the tirade from Monday in my last post. So naturally I rolled into school on Tuesday expecting more shouting and dirty filthy lies, but nothing of the sort transpired. She didn't say a word to me about the lesson until very late in the day when she asked if it was done and when I said it wasn't, she asked if it would be done by Wednesday and that was that. I don't get it. If time was so of the essence yesterday, why is everything so laid back today???? I'm assuming most jobs are like this, but it still feels like some crazy shit out of the Animal Kingdom, where she is just asserting her dominance and laying out her territory, then backing off once roles have been affirmed and such. Frustrating. Anyways, Wednesday rolls around and I'm done, the lesson is ready. Thursday is supposed to be a practice run through then Friday is the real thing. So I thought. The co-teacher pulls me aside sometime Wednesday to explain that we need more time and would it be okay if we push it back several weeks. I agree, even though I'm ready to get this joke of a class out of the way. Reason given for the delay: we didn't get the paper lesson plan out a week in advance (solely her fault as she told me jack shit about it beforehand), and that most teachers will be busy with finals and won't be able to attend. REAL reason for the delay: It had fallen to the co-teacher to actually do some work (as I had finished everything that had been asked of me) and she simply couldn't get it done in time. As far as I've heard, all she is going to be doing is a stupid survey of the students and their feelings toward English. Yep, that right. Final tally: Eric does all the brainstorming, finds all the outside materials for the lesson, constructs it, then creates the worksheets and lesson plan, while the co-teacher does a survey (which as far as I know, is still waiting to be accomplished). Sounds pretty even to me.

At least I'm not alone in thinking she's a knob. Tuesday night I was driven home by one of the other teachers from school and they talked, as best as they could, about how much they disliked my co-teach. This teacher had gotten into a nasty argument with her for about an hour earlier in the semester, which was trumped by my scuffle by an additional hour. I had no idea I had wasted that much time trying to speak to this woman. Anyways, the teacher explained that she usually does this whole passing off of all her work to underlings thing. But we spent the rest of the time talking about how she is a bulldog, in appearance and demeanor. Good to know I'm not alone in my feelings on this matter. She really is a douchebag, no matter what language you speak.

Of course, my contract is drawing to a close and this means ass-kissing on her part to convince me to stay. It just so happens that this ass to mouth exchange coincided quite nicely with our dispute. Monday: "Eric, why don't you do any work? You are always listening to music and never working!!" Wednesday: "Eric, could you please stay another year? We would really love for you to stay another year. Please say yes." Funny shit. Course, as usual, she tried her underhanded guilt trip shit to try and get me to stay. "Ohhh Eric, the students really, really like you. They would be really sad if you left." True obviously, but on a major decision that involves the direction in which my life goes for another year, there is only one person whose feelings I regard and he's a tall, gangly motherfucker from northeast Wisconsin. I'm obviously talking about Brian Butch, former center for the Badgers. And Butch told me to drop this school like its hot. Butch is a pretty fly mofo. So when Butch talks, I listen. When I spilled the news today, the co-teacher responded by saying "But what about all your friends here?". I responded by explaining that I have friends in South America and China and Japan,etc so I want to see them too. Her response: "Ohhh, you have a lot of friends." Hahahah. Yeah, well, I'm kind of a big deal on a global scale now. I just wish the woman would come at me professionally with these proposals, rather than going underhanded and trying to prey on my emotions and my good nature. In case you were curious, I explained that my reason for leaving is that I want to see the world and I can't possibly stay in one place for more than a year. I didn't explain the exact reasons why I can't possibly stay in Yangpyeong for another year, as a few would have directly involved her.

Not really anything crazy happened this weekend, just another trip to the blues club, where we gutted it out till closing and were rewarded with a round of tequila shots from the owner/guitarist and our choice of final songs (Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray). Entertaining, but not really anything too story worthy. Instead I'll focus on my amusing students, since they've been absent from posts for a while. The Japanese hating kid had a really on week as far as comedy goes. His crowning moment was when he slunk (no lie, he doesn't walk most of the time, just slinks) into the teacher's office and handed me a note that read, "I'm dying for a piece of candy. Please save my life." I about fell out of my seat when I read it. The candy in question was not really candy, but vitamin c drops, but he didn't care. He's also taken to cussing almost all the time, in English or Korean. Today, because he asked and I'm a bad influence, I taught him "chinga" and "hija de puta", which are Spanish equivalents of "Fuck" and "son of a bitch". I like to think of it as opening an impressionable mind to the wonders and beauty of other cultures. No need to thank me, just doing my part.

And so ends another week. This week looks to be quite slow, as finals take place Wednesday through Friday. The trip to Busan is on for this weekend, so look forward to exciting tales of sun and fun for next week. Until next time.