10.15.2010

Two year anniversary, Geronimo the mouse.

Yesterday, just before midnight, I realized that it was my two year anniversary with Korea. I don't think I've ever had a two year anniversary before. Maybe she's the one?

Let's not talk nonsense, now. But I am excited to be celebrating my anniversary weekend by bringing it all back home and showing some amazing young ladies around my stomping grounds. Honestly, after basically nothing but Seoul weekends since I've been back, going down to the tiny local and sitting around people watching, saying hello to everyone whose names I can't remember, and having everyone tell me, "Lijuh! Long time, no see!" sounds just about perfect. And I've conned Whiskey into coming all the way out earlier in the day for coffee. I'm like a one-woman Incheon foreigner tourist bureau!

And, as a result of various calamities this week, most of my weekly appointments ended up canceled. Which means that today, on the day normally reserved for all kinds of domestic duties,

  • My apartment is clean (save for the rabbit's cage and bathroom)
  • My fridge is stocked
  • I've got quality coffee in the cupboard
  • My sheets are clean and drying
  • My laundry is done
Don't even know what I'll do with myself tonight, to be honest. Although I have begun reading a lovely book called 제로니모의 환상 모험 3: 판타지 기사단과 신화의 세계로. Yes. It is a children's book. But it's a big ass, 300 page children's book and it's been pretty slow going so far. My student's think it's the best payback ever for that time I had to teach a reading class based on books selected by the MOE, which included a Little Bear's Best Friend. I apologized to them profusely at the time and explained that it wasn't my fault and/or choice. I don't know why they've held a grudge.

Someone needs to sort out the situation with age appropriate, simple books available for second langauge learners. For real. If I could write fiction worth a damn, that would be my next harebrained scheme. Seriously. Just so I wouldn't have to ever make sixteen year old boys sit through reading Amelia Bedelia ever again. Or read about Geronimo the fucking mouse, myself.

If anyone has any suggestions in that vein.... you know what to do.

Also, I just ran into another co in the downstairs office. She said she heard about my "bad news" yesterday. Her advice? "Liz Sem... sometimes there are people like this around us. We must ignore them." Truer words may have never been spoken. Right on, Co.

But yeah. So. What was my point? Oh. Two year anniversary, house in order, free time to myself tonight and a lovely weekend with friends planned. Work was shit this week. But I think I'm going to make it through.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree completely about appropriate level stories for second language learners... but what do sixteen year old boys read about anyway? I remember being forced to do some really lame "appropriate age" French lessons about Celine Dion as a teenager. It would be a challenge to come up with something appealing and yet still appropriate to a school setting (ie no boobs, which I'm pretty sure are high on the list for sixteen year old boys everywhere).

I'm no Picasso said...

The problem is that the people coming up with "age appropriate" material are often really, really far from whatever "age" is in question themselves. And it's hard to make something age appropriate that's also timely. I bring in comic books all the time, because the students will actually sit there and try to force themselves to puzzle through them, but the language is WAY too full of idioms and figures of speech.

A lot of the graphic novels I know of would be perfect, if it weren't for the fact that they weren't written with second language learners specifically in mind, and the language in them is too high level. If someone took those same concepts and simplified the language (which would be a snap), that would do I think. At least for my boys.

MikejGrey said...

God. Two years? Where does the time go. Wish I was still there sometimes Lizzo. You know what the year anniversary means, right?


Of course you do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYCzDhaRV60

I'm no Picasso said...

I was seriously just thinking how I wished you were here for this weekend. It doesn't seem right to celebrate an anniversary without you. We should be in the back corner of the Goose successfully ordering beers without an issue and asking for more popcorn in Korean. Eating at ANY FUCKING RESTAURANT WE WANT.

MikejGrey said...

We should be. Hell. Drink some Stellas for me. I miss Wangalbi and Dalk Galbi night. Sigh. I had some bulgogi here and it was fine and all but man the ambience was shit. I need old men yelling in the corner playing go stop and people eyeballing me like I shouldn't be there.

Another year comrade. Another year another donut.

Anonymous said...

The Happy Hocky Family. It's probably way too basic but whatevs. It's a children's book but not meant for children. Or what about Joey Pigza books? Or maybe Hatchet (but I haven't read it).