All in.

Well, the students are seeking revenge.

Every time they call me "cute", I tell them, "I'm not cute -- I'm cool. Cool teacher. Not cute teacher."

Due to all of the ignored "Teacher I not monkey"/"Teacher I not animal"/"Teacher I not cute -- handsome boy", they've decided the best response is to call me Cutie.

Cutie. Fucking. Gag. Today I even got, "Oh, my princess!"

Do I look like a fucking princess to you? No. And I have the name of a fucking queen, thank you very much.

They're just mad because I beat them all at arm wrestling, after they claimed all week to agree with "men are stronger than women". I won't be defeated. I can give worse nicknames than "Monkey", boys. You better watch out.

God. They were terrible today. I asked my co-teacher about it, because in American schools, during midterm week, things get quite somber and grumbly. Not so, Korea. The boys are fucking animals during test weeks. She explained that it's more than likely because they're being driven like slaves at home by mothers all weekend, and see the school day, in fact, as a release of energy.

Great. Thanks, Eomma.

The angelic after school class was really cool, though. I keep trying to hang on to them as some evidence of reasonable doubt that the nightmare class is entirely my fault. I've really come to the conclusion that most of the trouble lies with the old hag teacher, and the fact that they are her students. Her classes are fucking out of control, and she does very little to try to fix the problem. Most of the boys' English has surpassed hers, or will soon.

Still, it'd be nice to hold sway as a teacher on my own. I'm working on it. I was telling Mike on Friday, while we waited for the train, that I feel like the most adequate experience I have to call on for this situation is in training animals. I feel like I've got to break their wills. So, for the next couple of weeks, I'll be cracking the whip as hard as I can. I can't take two+ more months of this bullshit out of them.

Maybe I expect too much. I walk past other teachers' classrooms and hear and see the boys being total beasts, while the teacher mostly ignores them and continues to drone on into the microphone. But I don't like being ignored, and I don't like feeling like I'm wasting my time. It's not asking too much for them to at least be quiet while they don't listen to a word I say.

I don't care if they don't like me, and I'm trying not to care if they don't like my class. But I will find a way to make them shut the fuck up and show a little respect. At least for the sake of the students in that class who actually give a shit.

Hm. Anyway, that's too much negativity for today. Today was mostly good. And now the sun is peeking out again, after a small rain shower. So I'm going to run to the store and try to buy a camera. Everyone say a little prayer that this one won't break or disappear within the year. I'm going all in this time. Please, please, please....