Gettin better?

The kids came to my door, knocked and rang the bell as 6 this morning! Freaked me out I thought it was Nicole and I had overslept. When I saw what time it was I just went back to sleep. They came two more times after that, before it hit 9. aaghhh! Nicole came to my house around 10:30 today and she brought me to the school. We waited 20 min for the bus, it was late, idk how late, Nicole couldn’t explain the bus schedule to me and apparently neither could anyone else. Easy enough to get there, it’s the last stop on the bus route, literally, we got off and the bus did a U-turn. Jenny was there and I met the vice principal, head teacher and two more teachers, I think. Then the head teacher went to the principal’s office then he got us and everyone straightened up before walking into the principals office (they call him the president and treat him like it). He had a nice office. Really nice, welcomed me and then kicked us out kinda. I don’t think we’ll be having many conversations but he seemed nice enough to me if we ever get the chance. I gotta figure out what to call him. Then I saw my classroom, it’s a science lab so there are globes, human models and science stuff all around but I’m happy, it’s pretty nice. Jenny explained my schedule and what papers I have to fill out, gotta turn in lesson plans everyday for the following day and sign in everyday. Tried to fill out a paper but Nicole had to do it cuz I couldn’t read or follow directions. Then we left. I’m excited about the whole thing. There were some kids reading in the library (which was such a cute nice library) and it’s their summer break! I hope all the kids are so well mannered and smart.

So since most people are sleeping while I’m awake and don’t get any responses I’ll write to myself or letters that I’ll send once I get internet. First I’d like to express the strange feeling of not being able to do anything. It’s frustrating but it’s more of an experience rather than something to get upset over, at least now because I’ve had someone to help in most situations. Today I wished so hard that I could understand all the conversations around me but couldn’t. At school I told Nicole what to say to the principal before I met him so that wasn’t an issue, it went over pretty well. But then he spoke back to me and I had not a clue what he said. About ten conversations were held in front of me about me and I could only make out – English teacher, Singwang, American, Italian, Jamaican, English and no Korean. People have to tell everyone that I’m an English teacher from America and then explain why I don’t look American. Then the have to explain why I don’t answer them when they speak to me. From the voice tones and gestures I figured out that the story of the lady and me and how I cried was told at least 5 times. So now I’m embarrassed but every woman on the block prolly heard and has my back. My mentor teacher made me show her the mom’s house and she very politely but strictly told her not to come to my house, ever, if she did the cops would be called. I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go over when my teacher told me that’s what she came for but it looked like it worked. On the way out the lil girl rode in and she explained it to her as well. I felt a lil bad but Jenny said they’re not good ppl and sometimes they just don’t understand when to stop. Idk how things will go when I see them on the street, I mean we live two buildings apart, but we’ll see. Majority of reactions to the story have led to pity faces toward me or “she’s crazy” or “so sorry” so I don’t feel so bad about it all.

I still get almost teary every time I see my Ju-In Ajuma (landlady) cuz she’s kinda like my Korean mom. She lives the floor above me, works on the first floor, has keys to my house and is kinda responsible for everything. She makes me miss my mom! I havn’t talked to her in a week and I’m so sad. I cry when I think about it so I’ll stop…

Another thing that got me emotional today was when Nicole handed me the phone while we were waiting for the bus. I figured it was my mentor teacher, Jenny, cuz that’s the only other person I talk to but it was Eunjeong!! I was so surprised and so happy I almost cried again. She said she missed me and then she put Jihun on the phone and hearing her voice made me get emotional, I could barely talk but she asked how I was doing and invited me to visit them this weekend. I said I’d try and I gotta figure out how to get there. I’d love to see them but I have got to get over this crying mood that I’m in.

I’m confident that I can make it to the school by myself on thru. I’m not so sure I can handle waiting at the bus stop. Everytime I go in there, ppl talk to me and about me. Usually it’s all old ladies but Jenny took me a lil bit ago and old men kept saying hi in English and Korean, they got so loud we had to go outside to finish our conversation. A few ppl commented to Jenny about me. She ignored most of them but one shocked her and she told me an old lady asked if she was my mother-in-law. Everything is everyone’s business around here. Something else to get used to.

I’m going to go outside to check my messages again before it gets dark.

Hopeuflly I wont have much to write about between now and tomorrow. I’m hoping to have my neighbor, Lim, over tonite even if it’s just for a lil bit. May be I’ll be lucky and she’ll invite me over so I can eat! (no fridge = no food)