End of November...
and only 4 months left. Now that its such a short time, I feel like it will go by very fast. In just a few weeks time it'll be Christmas and then there will be a New Year.
I really want this New Year to come because this year sucked. Next year just really better be better.
T. texted me, invited me to Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday night. I said I'd go. A bunch of the people I'd met at the pub a few weeks back will be there. What to bring? Hm...
Rob invited me to his housewarming party on Sunday but I declined because I really doubt I'll be up for it after Saturday's party.
I met Kevin at the pub the other night, C. was there as well along with some others. But Kevin. was quite drunk actually and kept putting his hand on my leg, telling me how attracted he was to me; asking me where he was sleeping tonight, his place or mine.
It got tiring after a while; always asking him to remove his hand and telling him the same thing.
He apologized the next day on FB messenger and I met him at the pub last night and he was far better behaved, though I wonder if he'll stop going out for pints with me when he realizes I'm serious and gives up. O, well, there's nothing I can do about that.
He called a couple of his friends from Finland who are here studying Mechanical Engineering and they came. We drank and talked with them for a bit; young guys, good manner.
C. was on his way but I wasn't waiting; there's no way on God's green earth I'm going to spend another moment chasing after sb. who doesn't want me, thank you very much.
On the diet front, I've lost absolutely nothing this month. Thank God I didn't gain any though! Considering how much drinking I've been doing. I've not exercised in....what over a week and a half? Have to get back on it, time is running short to reach my goal.
I met Laurie and Woody in Itaewon on Sunday and we went for brunch at Suji's. I really liked it, the food more than the atmosphere. We went to the second level, there were huge windows everywhere overlooking the city, the ambiance of the place was so classy, I felt...I'd arrived. I like Seoul a lot for those kinds of places. Berlin's Chocolate martini's, and everytime I take the subway in, I pass Seoul Grand Park and the Museum and the Race Track and I think: 'I have to check these places out one day!' I could definitely do another year here and never see everything I want to see. I've never even been to Hongdae or that island Anne-Marie keeps telling me I should see: Dokdo, I think it's called.
I picked up a magazine from one of the restaurants in Itaewon and circled at least 7 different groups I was interested in joining...so much to do here. Salsa dance classes Sunday afternoon, Taekwondo, book groups, hiking groups, learning Korean, Photography shops. Ah, but most cost money, I'll have to wait until I get a new job in the New Year.
My hogwon job just convinces me more and more that I have to get an MA TESOL and work at a university where's it's far more stable and you actually get vacation! And the administration leaves you alone to do your job.
I taught the dreaded LONDON 2 class last week; got so angry at the rude boys that finally I became violent and physically grabbed two of the by their coat fronts, fisted up, lifted them up fast and strong, and kicked them out of the classroom. When I told Kevin (manager) he said: "o, really?" I could tell he disapproved but yesterday when I taught them...hm, good as gold. Just needed a little discipline the little shits. ;)
Sometimes they don't believe me, because I'm a foreigner. take for instance the case of the psycho student I taught in the summer in M5 class. A boy about...13 or 14...sitting in listening class, doing nothing except playing with his exacto knife! Staring at it, running it across his wrist lighly over and over again. And when I tell him to put it away he just gives me a challenging look. Well, I'm not going to try and take it away from him! I can tell a mile away this kid is nuts. Seriouly, mentally disturbed. So, I tell Kevin about this and he takes the kid out of the class, has a talk with him and later says to me, "it's okay, he was just cutting a thread off his shirt."
WHAT???
He believes the kid instead of me! Yeah, he cut a thread off his shirt 20 minutes ago and has since been sliding it over his wrist. But whatever, just left it alone.
Fast forward to last week. Sara, the korean teacher I like quite a lot and have become pretty good friends with, comes into the teachers room, shaking her head. "M5" she says, "that student."
"Oooh, I say, yeah, he's crazy."
"Yeah!" she says. "What's he doing now?" She askes me to peek through the class window and tell her.
I say, "He's sleeping on his desk."
Then she goes on to tell Kevin that the guy is crazy. that he's been playing with the exacto knife in her class and whispering in Korean: "kill. kill."
Seriously!!!
Not long after, this boy "quits" the school, but the moral of the story is, this only happens when a KOREAN teacher complains about a student.
It annoys me.