See the Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom

Hi Folks,

A few things:

- The cherry blossoms and other blooming trees are in full bloom now. They're slowly starting to shed their petals as well, which makes the days look so idyllic. There's a few cherry blossom trees at my school which are short enough to be smelled. It's so pretty :)

- Today was really warm. Spring is definitely coming. Everyone was out for a walk today because the weather was so nice.

- My kids seem to like me. I'm a little surprised. I've been hearing reports that they've been asking for me in some of Hyeong Ah's classes. They think I'm handsome and kind. I can only laugh at what a huge difference this must be for North American male elementary school teachers....

- I finally had a chance to meet with the principal at my school the other day. We're trying to get something figured out: I started this current contract on February 1st. Around the beginning of March, I, along with all the other TaLK scholars in this province, were informed that vacation days could now only be taken within the contract period, and if we didn't use them, we lose them.
Now, I was allotted 3 vacation days last contract, and I didn't use any of them.
This semester, I was allotted 7 vacation days, and I've used 1 so far. Therefore, you think I'd have 9 available (3+6), but my principal doesn't want to let me use last contract's vacation days because he thinks I'm not allowed, and if he signed off on those 3 days, he could get in trouble. Fair enough. He asked me to bring him proof that I'm allowed to use those 3 days this semester as well.
Now, this is a little surprising for me, and I will try to get those 3 vacation days through some mysterious wording in my contract (it uses "may" instead of "must" for example, and nowhere does it mention vacation days cannot be rolled over or banked). Not to mention, if I knew about this policy, or if it was clearly explained, do you honestly think I wouldn't have taken those vacation days? I'm not dumb...

Anyway, that's a long explanation for a complicated problem. However, there is some good news. I was able to get approval for the remaining 6 vacation days I am owed this contract period, to be used at the end of July.

- Today on the bus ride home, the driver was playing English music. What song should come over the waves, but Rocky Mountain High, by John Denver. What a great song! It really lifted my spirits.

- Today after lunch, I convinced Hyeong Ah and Mimi to go for a walk around our newly paved running track at school (they're putting AstroTurf on the field this weekend). Many children started swarming around me, wanting high fives, and begging me to say "Anyeong haseyo" (Hello), and they were trying to get me to race them, but I wasn't feeling it. Maybe another day kids. One l'il girl, who I've never met before, came bouncing over and said hello quietly and then just stared at me. Then she took my hand and we walked for a little bit. Sigh, I love my job :)

- Today on Facebook, I noticed that my sister was in a picture wearing a pink shirt in support of Anti-Bullying Day. Hyeong Ah and Mimi were very impressed, they think she's really great.

- In terms of my classes, I feel like I'm in the middle of a creative dry spell right now... I just don't have any good ideas, and it takes me forever to make lesson plans these days. I used to just crank them out, and now I have a mental blockage...

- Some of my most advanced students got sucked into hagwons (after school academies, or private cram schools) recently, so I will no longer be seeing them in my class. Some hagwons are not nice places. Hyeong Ah told me that some hagwon teachers will hit the kids with a cane or a book for disobeying or not handing in homework or studying. There's pressure on these little kids to go to hagwon class and not be late, partly because it's hagwon rules, but also because their parents are paying big bucks for them to go to these businesses. It's for that reason I have a few students who are always fearfully hurried and agitated in my class, leaving halfway through--"Teacher, finish? Hurry!"

- Today I was co-teaching with Mimi. We were practicing "This weekend I will..." and one girl announced she "will eat a snack" but with the Korean accent it sounds like "I will eat a snake", lol