Wednesday… Oh Wednesday

This is my first week working at my new school. I have already had some really great experiences. I am excited to start off the year and am ready to see what this year holds. First off you all should know that Korean schools are very different from American schools. On the first day of school the students come go to a few classes then have to clean the school. They sweep, clean the windows, wipe down walls… I thought this was very strange, but it is very common. Another thing I was very surprised to hear, one of the foreign teachers told me not to worry if one of the teachers brings a student into our offices and hits them. Yes the school systems still use physical punishment. Last year a student caught a teacher on his video phone beating another student, so now the home-room teachers have to take the students cell phones at the beginning of class. All the students wear uniforms. The students show more respect for their teachers probably due to the fact that they know what their punishment could be. While I would never choose to hit a student, I have been told that if I have any problems that I may tell a Korean teacher or can use another form of punishment like running, push-ups, chin-ups, ect. I have not and hope that I do not have to use these forms of discipline. All of the teachers have been nice. Sometimes I feel as though I am an outsider. In more ways than one I have felt like as soon as I walk in or out of a room I am being talked about. It is very hard because I want to befriend the Korean teachers. But I feel as though it will not be as easy as I would like. I feel a little alone sometimes and do not enjoy it very much. I hope to make friends with my co-workers and will be able to call them friends.