No, Really, I Am an American

Okay, yeah, I’m hella tired (yes, I did just write that) but I thought I would post quickly.

I had my first day of teaching without any obs. It didn’t seem to go so bad; I taught two lessons of Foxes and Golfs (translation: students more proficient in English) and managed to give a quick grammar lesson. Still not stellar teaching by any standards as far as I’m concerned, but I got the message across all right.

I’m on the 14th Floor, which is a busy one and is where all the Chinese teachers are located, too. Now, I’m not the sort of person to just jump into conversations or strike one up with people I’ve not been formally introduced to really. That and there are so many people, it’s not whoever I try to talk to is going to remember me. I kinda smirked to myself and wondered, “I wonder if none of the other English teachers are talking to me because they think I’m a Chinese teacher.” I made this quip to my roommate and she chided me for being shy. She’s probably right, but I’ve been conditioned by you lot back home so much that I couldn’t help but think it’s ‘cuz I’m Asian.

We ate at a beef hot pot place called AsianDays - thus successfully not cooking. It’s right by an English Pub. Something about the fact that there’s an English Pub run by Japanese doesn’t seem right to me. Anyway, I met Darya’s friend Angela and Braden came to eat with us, too. It was a fun experience, expensive, but worth it. There was ice cream to be had thereafter from Hagaan-Daz. (”But if she wins, we get ice cream…”)

I also read about the stuff that’s going on in the Philippines right now. I mentioned to Braden this morning about possibly visiting since I’m so close and he mentioned that now is NOT the time to do so. After a quirked brow, he handed me the newspaper. Sucks to be in Manila right about now…but I really do hope that my cousins and such are safe.

I’ll write more again soon. We’re checking internet options and prices so soon, I’ll have a better connection and be able to write more.