Flexibility/Fury

If there's one definitive thing I've learned about myself while living in Korea, it's that I need to work on being more flexible when it comes to changing plans.

Though it should have probably ceased bothering me by now, I find myself incredibly annoyed when, two minutes INTO my class, no students or co-teacher have shown up, and it's left to me to find out that there was a last minute schedule change. I come to school dressed in a nice dress and heels and I'm informed of a surprise volleyball tournament (which I have to play in regardless of my outfit). I show up to school in jeans and a shirt only to go on a "walk" (hiking up a mountain) and split my pants. Or, as I'm getting ready to leave at the end of the day, my co-teacher informs me that there is a mandatory staff dinner and I have to cancel my evening plans. It has been happening on a regular basis (3-4 times per week) for almost a year. My old co-teacher, Ellen, was a little better about informing me about these events, giving me about 1-2 days notice of important events. Kim (my current co-t), however, is absolutely terrible about giving me notice, and it's pretty much the most infuriating part of my job. Yes, worse than naughty kids.

It's like she doesn't seem to understand that I have a life and other things to do outside of school. If anything, teaching is almost an afterthought to me, the space between weekends. It's not to say that I don't enjoy my time spent with the teachers, but she gives no consideration to my life. When I show up to school on a volleyball day in a dress and heels, and every other teacher is in sweats and sneakers, I look foolish, and I can't even convey to anyone else that I wasn't informed.

Well, the big one happened. About a month ago, I requested my allotted 8 vacation days off starting next Tuesday, even got them signed off by both my co-teacher and the Principal. It's not like I'm going anywhere special, but I wanted to have the time to spend with Sean and Eve before they leave, and everything was squared away. This morning Kim informed me of a "mandatory teachers hiking retreat" about three hours away, for three days and two nights. It starts, as you may have guessed, on Tuesday! Dumbfounded, I retrieved the paper Kim and the Principal had signed showing my vacation had been approved a month ago. I stated I couldn't go, I would be on vacation. Her response? "Use your vacation time to come on the retreat." Uh, no thanks! I said I had plans and I absolutely couldn't change them (not true). She said "everyone will be upset but it's ok."

How about a little notice next time?! Every time this kind of thing happens, I really try to hold it together and kindly explain that I need more notice than she gives me, but she just isn't getting it. Just the daily frustrations of a teacher in Korea....

More later when I stop banging my head against the wall!

<3M