It's been 6 months since I wrote a letter to my grandparents back home in Australia, and with not really sleeping last night, due to thinking about if I should seriously leave or not, it was a struggle. My English has really gone down hill in the past two and a half years, and when writing a six page letter, it really shows. My handwriting sucks, and so does my spelling (I used to be able to spell 2.5 years ago). Anyway, I got that done, and went to the post office. I had 9 photos in the envelope too, and it ended up costing me 1,030 won.
On the way to the bank, I had a random kid who decided that it would be funny to call out "pig" at me several times at the top of his lungs, because I'm overweight, and because I'm a foreigner. I ignored it. Not much I can do, when it comes to racism, in a country that doesn't know what racism is. Got to the bank, to pay my phone bill, and then went to work.
I got to work a bit early today for 2 reasons. I was half way though cleaning/rearranging my class room, and I wanted to get it done. Also, I wanted to talk to the boss before classes start, so that I could tell him my decision. This is kinda how it went down.
Andy: Can I talk to you for a moment?
Boss: Sure
A: I know that you've given me a month to decide if I want to stay or not. I couldn't sleep last night, because I was thinking about it a lot, but I have come to a decision, and I think I should tell you now, so that you have more time to get organised.
B: Sure. What did you decide?
A: I've decided that I will go back to Australia, at the end of the contract in October.
B: I see.
A: I wanted to tell you now, so that you have more time to get prepared.
B: Yes, it takes some time to get all the bureaucratic things done.
A: Yeah, I know.
And with that, I gathered my photocopying, and walked back to my classroom.
I informed more classes about the changes in the rewards systems, and about not having birthday parties in class. I told them that it comes out of my pocket, and that I don't have enough cash anymore. but then, 5 minutes later, they ask about my Japan holiday, and that is one reason why I don't have cash. ㅋㅋㅋ
My 3rd class was interesting today. Interesting in a bad way. In this class, there is one kid who fucks around a bit, annoys people, and wastes everyone's time, including mine. Let me try to set the scene.
This kid had already lost his chair within the first 5 mins for swinging on it. He refused to get up, after being told repeatedly, so i lifted out the chair from under him. So, he stayed on the floor, rather than standing up. I didn't care. But eventually he had to stand up, so that he could see the board. He was doing well, for about 5 mins, and then he started to annoy students by putting his hand in front of their faces, while they were writing, to make them flinch.
I told him to stop, in which he did, for about 5 seconds. During those five seconds, when I turned around, to continued to put his hand in front of students' faces to make them react, but the last time he did it, he must have thought that it was a good idea to put an art knife in his hand and do the same thing.
The type of knife I'm talking about.
The student who saw the knife inches from her face, jumped up and screamed. So, obviously, I turn around, and I see him, standing so close to his desk, and the art knife, with blade exposed, on his desk. I knew what had happened straight away, and had it confirmed by the girl student when she said "*students' name here*" then "칼" (Korean for knife), and then acted out what had happened. I looked at him, and he looks at me with the same look he often gives, when he's trying to get out of trouble, or getting out of work.
I was so fucking angry (and still am)!
I don't give a fuck who you are, how old you are, and they type of knife. You DO NOT put any kind of sharp implement in anyone's face!
But, I kept my cool. I told him to get out, in my "pissed off, but calm" voice (which has even scared adult teachers from when I was working in Australia), to get out (in Korean - 나가라). Him, being a smart-ass replied "어디로?" (to where?).
"To the boss' class." I said, in my deep, cold voice.
He froze, and just stood there. So, I got up, and stood behind him, and started to push him towards the door. He leaned back into me, resisting not to go. So, i just pushed harder, and got him into the boss' class, and sat him down. I said to the boss, "I don't want him in my class.", and then left and returned to my class. If there's one thing I can't stand more than being an absolute fuckstick, is not having the balls to face up to your own fuckups.
The boss returned about one minute later, and said, "What did he do? He doesn't know what he did wrong?". So, i explained to the boss, everything what I have written here (just in less detail *^^*).
Okay, granted, This kid is "the" kid that fucks around every class, but has never taken it to this level. Sure, I've got the balls to say that it is partly my fault, because I have let is idiotic behaviour carry on for long enough. But like I said before - I don't give a fuck, you DO NOT pull knives on anyone. Not on my watch, bitch!
After I explained to the boss, the boss left, and that kid did not come back into my class. When the class finished, he did not come back to collect his things. I just put his stuff in his bag, and put it outside the door. I did not see that kid for the rest of the day.
In my class, I run a simple rewards system, where students has a piece of paper with 36 squares on it. If they study well, and behave well, they receive stickers. If they fuck up, I take stickers off. It's that simple. Most kids get this. So, because of this incident, his piece of paper has been taken off the wall, and replaced with this:
Not only that, he will now be sitting alone. He will not have access to his pencil case or anything else, expect for a pencil and eraser that I give him. He will not be getting up out of is seat to sharpen his pencil. Basically, the little trust I had, is now gone, and he is running in the red, and even that is an understatement. He needs to know what he did was wrong, and deal with the consequences of his actions. Also, by the way, I know that the date is until the 9th of June, and that would make it about two and a half weeks from today. If It's exactly two weeks, one that day, I will be in Japan, so no-one gets any stickers anyway.
As I was leaving work, I talked to the boss outside for a moment, while he was having a smoke. I told him that what the student did was totally not acceptable, and the boss replied with something like "That's just him messing around." "There is a big difference between messing around, and someone putting a knife in front of your face. He needs to learn some respect and manners, because I don't think he's getting it from anywhere else.", is pretty much what I said, and not that note walked off to get some dinner.
I chose a good day to tell the boss I'm leaving.
I got my money out of the bank yesterday. I have saved 1,100,000 Korean won (about $1,100) for my 5 day holiday. It should be enough. I'll change some at the airport in Incheon, and the rest in Japan somewhere. I know I should have got it from a bank, so that I'm paying less fees than an Exchange Point at an airport, but there is only one back in town, and going to change money in Gwangju is a half day process (gotta get there, get to a back, and then come back), and with my cold lately, i can't be bothered.
Started getting clothes ready for Japan. Gotta was some as well. Just gotta pack it all in my suitcase, along with everything else. Will probably be done Sunday or Monday. I'll be taking everything to work Tuesday, and will be on the next bus out of here to Gwangju, to stay in Gwangju Tuesday night, since my bus to Incheon leaves at 6:40am.
