Christmas and New Years in Korea!

 

It's that time of the year when you get 4 Holidays in 4 months!  It is really a great time of the year, and typically one which creates many amazing memories with family and friends.  Here is my second half of the holiday season in Korea.

The school year here is set up a bit different than what I'm used to.  The year ends in Winter (not summer as in the U.S.), so not only are the students excited to start winter break, the 6th graders are getting ready to graduate (and by that I mean not paying attention in class and running around the school like maniacs).  Most of the teachers have Winter break off from school, some get to "desk warm" which is a nice way of saying sitting at your desk all day doing whatever it is you do at a desk for 8 hours.  I am not your typical teacher (I'm sure you already knew that), so I actually have class all Winter long!!  I have to teach 4 different English Winter camps totaling 5 weeks!  At first I was a bit shocked to hear this news and a little.....ummmm....not ecstatic we'll say.  After some time I came to the realization that this really couldn't have worked out better, and here's why.

Detective Camp: Prior to their knowledge I will be tying them up.

These camps are different than normal classes b/c you can teach whatever and however you would like to.  There is no textbook, so you come up with everything.  I admit it sounds a bit daunting at first and it is to an extent, but I've heard this is an opportunity to think outside the box and really have some fun with the students.  I will be teaching with a Korean teacher for the first 3 camps and the 4th camp is a writing camp I am teaching on my own.  Classes go from 9a.m. - 12p.m. and when I have my own writing class I go from 9a.m.-10:30a.m. (then I'm off for the day).  Since I am swamped during break the Principle said I can take my vacation during February, which is when actual classes start back up.  I also get an additional week of vacatoin as it's the Chinese New Year in February.  I'm one and a half weeks in and so far the camps have been going great.  


Week 1 Camp:  Detective Camp.  Students have to solve a crime, unfortunately Eric Cooke and Paul Bernardo have committed a terrible crime and the students must figure out how and why.  This consisted of them running around school going on a scavenger hunt, walking through the classroom blindfolded, and obviously being tied up with rope and trying to escape.

Sometimes it's the only way

This is week two of camp, my Co Teacher and I are doing Diary of a Wimpy Kid English Camp.  This consists of watching the movie, taking quizzes about the movie and making bouncy balls (obviously).  We have snacks and a juice break every class, and go out for lunch everyday.  So far camps have been great!  Come February, when real classes start again I'm bailing off to the Philippines for 3 weeks!  Boom!

They were frighteningly good at this.

Blindfolded...not his real eyes.

Christmas time was strange here.  Students weren't that into it, besides the fact there was no school.  All the kids refer to Santa Clause as Grandpa Santa...and that's just weird.  Christmas here is celebrated as a "couples holiday" which I guess means you go on a date with your significant other and exchange gifts.  I wasn't going to stand for this, so I made my afternoon classes listen to Christmas music and decorate our room.  I taught them about how we celebrate Christmas back in the States and why.  Then I went and bought all my Co-Teachers gifts.  I wasn't entirely sure if this was appropriate because being a couples holiday I didn't want them to take this the wrong way...especially as they are all married and/or male.  They were all very thankful and excited about the gifts, so that went over well (I think).


Christmas Eve was pretty much opposite of how I normally spend Christmas Eve back home.  Back home we have dinner at my Grandmas and relax watching Christmas movies until midnight mass, then off to bed.  In Korea we went into the city and bar hopped, spreading Christmas joy until 3:30a.m.  

Spreading Christmas Joy, Christmas Eve.

Christmas day consisted of a nice breakfast (as far as nice breakfasts go around here...which they don't really), and a Bloody Mary bar.  My friend Mary (no relation to the bar...that I'm aware of) and I ate and drank all day while watching Christmas movies (her first time watching Elf and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation....so kind of a big deal).  
I really missed being home with the family.  I definitely missed seeing their faces as they opened the ridiculous gifts I always buy for them.  Thank goodness for SKYPE, I was able to talk to everyone and hear about how excited they were to open the gifts I had ordered for them (sarcasm).  

Christmas day bloody bar.

 
  New Years Eve, I've always kind of thought of this as an overrated Holiday, but none the less a good excuse to grab your friends for dinner and drinks, so this is exactly what we did.  Proper way to end the year with a final meal of chicken and beer (and soju), then find a bar with the best countdown to the New Year!  First time I've had an issue counting down to midnight (not counting booze related issues), I can count in Korean...I realize now I cannot count backwards in Korean.  

Christmas morning breakfast.

Clearly Round 2

One last thought.  I love Korean culture.  I love everything about it, but I want to explain one of my favorite parts of this culture and that's 2nd, 3rd and if you're really lucky 4th round.  Koreans love to eat, and they love to drink, this is one of the biggest ways they bond.  When you go out with Co-Teachers, Principles, Korean friends, Mom and Dad, literally anyone...remember it is a marathon and not a sprint.  This is very important to remember, and to plan accordingly.  After the first dinner you will likely go to a bar, or 노래방 (which will always include more drinking, just accompanied by terrible singing), then round 2.  Round 2 is exactly like round 1 in the sense that you are having a full meal and full rounds of drinks.  After this you may go to another bar or shoot some pool first, but then, you will have round 3.

Round 3.

Now shockingly round 3 is exactly like the first two!  You will eat and drink like it is the first time you have done so all night!  It's amazing...and awesome (as long as you have planned accordingly).  My favorite of all the rounds, and the most evasive...round 4!  If you are lucky enough to make it to this round you surely will not remember it.  This is only my favorite round because it usually consists of random Koreans you have managed to converse with at this point, and it for sure makes for the best pictures!  I promise this round will destroy you the next day...for a lot of reasons!  

And here you have round 4!

P.S.  Happy birthday Father!  You're by far my favorite dad!  Cheers to you!