Doctors, Oil Heaters and Plasma Screens
So i went to the Doctor's office last Friday to get a number of things checked out. It turns out i have two compressed vertebrate in my back (i think that's the term) and that's why my feet get a little numb when i'm running/working out. I also got some other medication and some tests done. All for $83 which would have cost a lot more if not for National Health Care.
I love National Health Care (i know, it's like i just shit on the Flag or something for saying that according to the Conservative types). Any problem is so cheap to fix here. Getting cavities filled is like $25 at most! Which reminds me i really should see a dentist when i come back.
Still, i hate going to the Doctor. Not because i'm squeamish or don't like being poked and prodded, but because i sorta see it as a sign of weakness in my body. See, i haven't been sick (not so much as a cold and certainly not the Flu) for around 9 years. Apparently this is quite remarkable. So, when i do have a medical need, it feels like i'm losing my touch or something. Regardless, going to the Doctor's here can be quite a pain because you have too find one who can speak enough English to diagnose and treat you. One could always try and bring in an interpreter, but my medical problems are mine and my doctor's busines--not anyone else's. Having said that, there is a Clinic in Seoul which is specifically founded to treat foreigners which is nice. Not nice is that it can easily take an hour or more to get there
School has been going well. No more problems with my co-teacher. Today i brought some fresh ground coffee for the teachers there. I made it pretty weak for them as I know they are not used to the Real Deal, but it was still too strong for them haha. I am mighty! Hear me ROAR!
The kids are great except for my dumb-as-posts Fourth Graders who still say they can't understand me. I say they just don't try hard enough as i make things as utterly simple and easy for them as possible. I shouldn't expect miracles with kids that only get 40 minutes of English a week, but i expect at least some retention. Teaching them is so frustrating and soul crushing. My 5th graders are great though! In every class there's at least a few who really seem to "get it" and my class participation has actually gone up in recent weeks compared to the pulling teeth i had to do at the beginning of the semester. It's odd as they should all just be going nuts to get to Winter Vacation next week--I must be preety radsome! hehe. Or it could be my incentive scheme where students get a sitcker for each question they answer and if they get 50 stickers, they cna come to my exclusive English Pizza Party or get candy for each 10 stickers they earn. It seems to work pretty well actually.
An odd thing i've noticed at my school is that heat is apparently a precious, preciouos commodity in the winter time. I'm lucky in that my classroom has central heating, but they only seem to turn it on for 2 or 3 hours a day. Subsequently, i'm always cold!. Recently, i took a gander at the other classrooms and noticed something peculiar--museum piece oil heaters. These relics of the looks-like-19th-century are in many classrooms. Standing in the middle of the room is an oil heater which has a pipe sticking up 10 feet from the top, anchored in place by wires stretching to the four corners of the classroom. What's especially strange is to see big screen hi-def TVs and computers in the same classrooms. It's like one of these things doesn't belong.
I really should update more as my updates just seem to get way too long. Peace out homies.
So i went to the Doctor's office last Friday to get a number of things checked out. It turns out i have two compressed vertebrate in my back (i think that's the term) and that's why my feet get a little numb when i'm running/working out. I also got some other medication and some tests done. All for $83 which would have cost a lot more if not for National Health Care.
I love National Health Care (i know, it's like i just shit on the Flag or something for saying that according to the Conservative types). Any problem is so cheap to fix here. Getting cavities filled is like $25 at most! Which reminds me i really should see a dentist when i come back.
Still, i hate going to the Doctor. Not because i'm squeamish or don't like being poked and prodded, but because i sorta see it as a sign of weakness in my body. See, i haven't been sick (not so much as a cold and certainly not the Flu) for around 9 years. Apparently this is quite remarkable. So, when i do have a medical need, it feels like i'm losing my touch or something. Regardless, going to the Doctor's here can be quite a pain because you have too find one who can speak enough English to diagnose and treat you. One could always try and bring in an interpreter, but my medical problems are mine and my doctor's busines--not anyone else's. Having said that, there is a Clinic in Seoul which is specifically founded to treat foreigners which is nice. Not nice is that it can easily take an hour or more to get there
School has been going well. No more problems with my co-teacher. Today i brought some fresh ground coffee for the teachers there. I made it pretty weak for them as I know they are not used to the Real Deal, but it was still too strong for them haha. I am mighty! Hear me ROAR!
The kids are great except for my dumb-as-posts Fourth Graders who still say they can't understand me. I say they just don't try hard enough as i make things as utterly simple and easy for them as possible. I shouldn't expect miracles with kids that only get 40 minutes of English a week, but i expect at least some retention. Teaching them is so frustrating and soul crushing. My 5th graders are great though! In every class there's at least a few who really seem to "get it" and my class participation has actually gone up in recent weeks compared to the pulling teeth i had to do at the beginning of the semester. It's odd as they should all just be going nuts to get to Winter Vacation next week--I must be preety radsome! hehe. Or it could be my incentive scheme where students get a sitcker for each question they answer and if they get 50 stickers, they cna come to my exclusive English Pizza Party or get candy for each 10 stickers they earn. It seems to work pretty well actually.
An odd thing i've noticed at my school is that heat is apparently a precious, preciouos commodity in the winter time. I'm lucky in that my classroom has central heating, but they only seem to turn it on for 2 or 3 hours a day. Subsequently, i'm always cold!. Recently, i took a gander at the other classrooms and noticed something peculiar--museum piece oil heaters. These relics of the looks-like-19th-century are in many classrooms. Standing in the middle of the room is an oil heater which has a pipe sticking up 10 feet from the top, anchored in place by wires stretching to the four corners of the classroom. What's especially strange is to see big screen hi-def TVs and computers in the same classrooms. It's like one of these things doesn't belong.
I really should update more as my updates just seem to get way too long. Peace out homies.
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Good luck with an exit row, tall man
it was because i caught poison ivy hiking