Due to the preparations for exams, I only had to teach 2 classes (we watched a Mr. Bean video for most of it too).
After school I had been invited to play in a male faculty vs. male student soccer game. I was actually looking forward to it a few weeks ago when they scheduled it, (even though I'm not very good at soccer). Since I injured my back, I decided it would be best not to play. I was a good spectator and got the students who were watching to do cheers in English.
Following the match, the male teachers all got together and set up an outdoor grill next to the school. A handful of guys brought out a slew of side dishes, and the main dish: grilled eel (구장어 이) and pork-neck (목살).
I was a bit wary at first about the eel, but it was FANTASTIC. If you add a little salt or some spicy pepper paste it's even better!
We even kicked back some beers and soju, while some of the men broke out their cigarettes for dessert. Add another reason I love Korea. If this happened in the US someone would be fired, and a parent would sue the school. Yet, the bad side of it -- some of the teachers were a little drunk and then started talking with the taekwondo students who got out of practice late. I'm sure the kids are used to seeing some teachers a little drunk - it's no better than the majority of their fathers.
Even my principal made a comment about how Koreans love to drink. He said: "Russia numbah-one drunken, then Korea, then Canada, then America." He's pretty much right with that one.
After the dinner we piled into a van and drove the 1/4 mile to downtown Sanbon to a bar to finish off a couple pitchers. Surprisingly, I did not get drunk at all in this escapade like last year, but was probably the most sober person there.
It was really great to bond with some of the teachers, particularly a new teacher who is about my age and loves baseball. I have a feeling we'll be good friends, and can't wait to go to a game with him this spring.
My principal and one of the head teachers later challenged Jordan and I to a game of "pocketball" (pool) where the losing team would have to pay for the time. Luckily, I was the most sober and made a lot of my shots. We beat them both times and further proved how awesome us westerners are.
The rest of this week will be pretty slow. The 1st and 2nd graders are away for a 3 day field trip to go hiking and traveling to a traditional Korean village a couple hours away. I watched them load up the fleet of 10 buses and had to take a photo on my cell phone:
I wished I was going to see some amazing places, but then I remembered I would have to help babysit 500+ students on a field trip for 3 days! Now, I'm so happy I'm NOT going!
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