Middle school starts back up tomorrow. Figured it’s as good a time as any to update
you on my summer. My middle school had a
summer break between July 23 and August 21. This is a break between semesters, as opposed
to a break between school years like in America. During that month, I had seven days off per
my contract. For the other days, I
worked at an English summer camp held at a local elementary school (I can actually
see the school from my apartment).
Although I was working, it was a nice to change things up a bit. And, I did manage to fit a lot in…
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| Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Vietnam
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| Enjoying the sunset in Halong Bay! |
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| The beautiful countryside of Sapa! |
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| Loving the terraced rice fields of Sapa. |
After Halong Bay, it was an overnight trip on a train to get
to Sapa. The countryside of Sapa was
breathtaking! Trekking through the
countryside was the highlight of the trip for me. Just look at the pictures, and you’ll see
why.
Another interesting thing about the trip was the traffic in
Hanoi. Hanoi was our starting and ending
point, as well as a mid-trip stop, so we spent a fair amount of time in
Hanoi. Most people ride motorbikes in the
city, and there are basically no traffic rules.
Crossing the street is unreal…it’s a human frogger game. There is no way to really describe what it’s
like. Just YouTube “Hanoi traffic” and
prepare to be amused and amazed.
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| Hanoi traffic...be on your toes at all times! |
All in all, Vietnam was a great experience! So glad to get to experience another part of
East Asia!! Check out my album on
Facebook to see more pics.
SCUBA
Certification
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| Off the coast of Haeundae Beach |
I have wanted to get SCUBA certified ever since my first
diving experience on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia back in ’96. However, I never quite had the time or money
to do it. Now I have both! It was a very cool experience. I’m looking forward to exploring another
world. My first dive as a certified diver
will be with Karla Schottle. She’s
coming for a visit and arrives on September 1…CANNOT WAIT!!!!
Summer Camp
Working the English summer camp was a great experience! It gave me exposure to the elementary level. As would be expected, students whose parents
are pay for them to attend a summer English camp are at a little higher
level. For the most part, they were
eager to learn and participate, which is a bit of a switch from my middle
schoolers. On the other hand, they are a
little whinier and needier than my middle school students. There are goods and bads to everything. I am thankful for the experience,
though. I want as much exposure to the
teaching environment in Korea I can get.
Heck, I want as much exposure to everything Korea that I can get. That’s why I’m here!
So, tomorrow I start back at the middle school. Part of me is ready because I’m looking
forward to getting my routine back and seeing my coworkers, who are truly
fabulous people. Part of me is not ready
because middle schoolers are a bit of a tough crowd. I’m still figuring them out, and I’m sure
they’re still figuring me out. In that
process, we have good moments and some less than desirable moments. Luckily, the good moments shine brighter. It’s all part of the process of experiencing
a whole new culture! J
Well, that’s the recap of my summer! I am still loving life in Korea and soaking
up as much as I can. I continue to make
Korean friends and enjoy learning about the culture. There are so many amazing things about Korea
and Koreans. Can’t wait to see what I
learn next…
