It's that time again...

On Monday, the new teachers arrived and it started to feel real. Then they were assigned their classes. Then I started to let the new teacher teach. It's starting to feel pretty real right now. Tomorrow morning I will say good morning to my 6-year olds (by Korean standards, really all but two of them are 4 years old) for the last time. This is not the last time I've said goodbye to a class (I can't count them on one hand anymore), but it seems to not be getting any easier. I've had my current group for 6 months - 121 days (not including tomorrow) according to our daily popsicle-stick count. I realize I've probably spent more time with them than anyone else in that time and they truly do feel like family. From my shy students whose infrequent smiles can change my day from a bad one to a good one, to my good-intentioned but ultra-hyper students, I will miss the whole lot of them more than I care to admit. I've tried to tell myself that they will forget me within a week and that I shouldn't worry about them (and I don't, I feel I am leaving them in capable hands), but it's still difficult to face the fact that I won't get to joke around with them, or to see them (all) reading.

Enough of the sappy stuff. To be honest, it's been a good run with Plum Class version 2.0 (as it was with 1.0 for the first 12 months), and truly I cannot complain about all of the benefits I've got on the side (a pay cheque for doing something you enjoy is never a bad thing). So I go to bed tonight, knowing that tomorrow will be a tough day. But the sun will still rise on Saturday.

A big thank you to all of my students (in alphabetical order): Aiden, Alicia, Caroline, Claire, David, Eddie, Eric, Felix, Flurrina, Henry, Jenny, Jessie, Ji You, Jodie, Jun, Kevin, Lucy, May Yoon, Sally, Seo Won, So Yeon, and Tony (all the Plums). They constantly pushed me and never let me forget how vigilant I need to be in everything I do (in a good way). Tomorrow I will say good bye to most of you. I hope we will not forget each other...

2주후에 캐나다에 갈거예요. Goodbye Party in Seoul

Last Friday, my school had a goodbye party for the teachers (including myself) who are going back to Canada. Since the staff knows I've been trying to learn Korean, I felt obligated to say something in Korean. Due to a busy schedule I didn't have time to memorize anything (like I had done once in the past when I met my students' parents). Here is what I read at the party, with a simplified translation.

한국에 18개월동안 있었어요.

2주후에 캐나다에 갈거예요.

벌씨 시간이 지나간 갓이 믿어지지않어요.

행복한 시간이었어요.

그리고 슬픈 시간이었어요.

그러나 전반적으로 나는 나의 시간을 여기에서 즐겼어요.

저는 유승 선생님 과 미애 선생님 과 햬진 산성님 과 정선

선상님 과 명실 선상님 그들의 도움울 감사하고 싶어요.

또한 경미 선상님이 가르치기에 관하여 많이 가르쳐주었어요.

감사하고 싶어요.

모두와 같이 그녀가 보고 싶어요.

알파뱃 스트릿에서는 나의 시간을 젛은 방범으로 저를 바꼬었어요.

여기에와서 기뻐요.

I've been in Korea for 18 months.
In two weeks I will be going to Canada.
I can't believe that the time is already over.
We've had happy times.
We've also had sad times.
But overall, I've enjoyed my time here.
I'd like to thank Teacher Heather, Teacher Miae, Teacher Jin, Teacher Claire and Teacher Myung Shil.
I'd also like to thank Teacher Betty. She taught me a lot about teaching.
Like everyone, I will miss her.
My time at Alphabet Street has changed me.
I'm happy that I came here.

And yes, if you're wondering, I can read it all, but no, I didn't write that on my own (an online translator and some help from a Korean speaking colleague did the trick).

I leave 2 weeks today and before I go, I'll write something to sum up my experiences here (since, this blog is dedicated to my working/living internationally). Just thought this would be interesting. Who knows, maybe I'll learn enough Swahili to say goodbye like this when I leave Tanzania (or at least Morogoro).