Maple Bear woes

I've heard from the grape vine that Maple Bear is declining fast, like North Korea's food supply! Morale is low and new management, after John the American director was canned, wants the ESL teacher's to meet Korean parents, one-on-one, and be a part of the planning for Western style holidays and such. Enrollment is low and some teachers have had their schedules reduced. My old IEP3 class was canceled. All is not well in Suwon.

Although conditions in Korea can be funky and uncomfortable at times for foreign teachers, there are so many benefits that make me appreciate the time I've lived in Korea. For example, the general feeling of safety at night. You can walk or ride your bike without the worry of harassment or impending mugging. The easy hours of work that enable you to often stay up late and socialize with friends or wake up early to experience the "land of the morning calm." To understand the latter, you need to be there and feel it. The lack of stress of owning a car or getting around to your destinations. Korea has excellent and very affordable transportation. The way that Korean people like to eat, drink and share their food with you. Imagine being on a public bus and being offered food or snacks. Never here on the bus here in America! Forgettabout it. The grass is always greener, I suppose, in hindsight.

Maple Bear in Suwon

Maple Bear has gotten some of my respect. I heard through an anonymous contact, that the American Director is leaving! He got demoted to a full time teacher! Yeah! I guess HQ read the many complaints about him and the owner of the institute took action! Many people are happy and rejoicing some 6,990 miles from L.A. I send a (90's style) "shout out" to my (80's verbiage) "homies," man! Nice! (pronounced in the Korean way as "Nice-u-A") .

Too bad that other lump of a human being is still there! Ugh. They can't make them any more meaner and uglier than that. And my other nemesis is gone, but you faithful and poised blog reader, knew that already. So many details!! It's a great day!

I miss my students

Hello blog readers! I dreamed about my cute students this week. Little Euro, Emma and a few others from my kinder and lunch classes. It made me sad! I miss them. I don't miss Suwon or Maple Bear but I miss my favorite kinder kids.

I thought about shipping them some candies to the school and having the new teacher give them the treats during snack time or lunch but I think that would make them feel sad and miss me. It's best not to contact them. I know they're okay and having fun. It's funny how they grew on me.

I can still hear Euro's voice say "I know that you know." She would say that, often in response to me saying, "I know..." Sometimes she would pretend that she didn't understand the assignment and I had to sit down next to her and help her. Or how Emma would stand behind me and mimic my moves while I would look for her in the classroom knowing that she is behind me! Or Sunny's cute way of speaking Korean and English in one sentence and communicating really well at that! Or how the kids during lunch would be so excited when I sat down and ate with them, talking to them. Hmm. My kids!

My last week at this Canadian Maple Leaf Hogwan

Well, the school in its management brilliance has asked me to work two days before I leave next week. It seems that the two new teachers, a married couple, don't arrive until August 17th and the Director needs to figure out how to cover or combine different level classes with three teachers leaving and one new teacher here. I told him that I will work next Monday (possibly) and Tuesday (definitely) and leave Suwon on Wednesday (you bet I will) for Los Angelez. Reminds me of that Arlo Guthrie song: "Coming into Los Angeleez, bringin in a couple of keys...don't touch my bag, if you please, Mr. Customs man..." Yes, blog reader I am going to smuggle in two kilos of kim chi through customs. Watch me, now!

Of course I get paid for my time working. I am helping them out because they need me and I feel okay about doing that. Plus, I get to see my favorite class one last time. Oh, those stinky little kids! By helping the school out, I am also helping Bernard and others who may be asked to work more hours and since I was planning on spending money in Seoul for two days shopping, I figure I could save some cash, earn some cash and help out my fellow prisoners!

All the teachers and teacher assistants, who are Korean, filled out these anonymous surveys two months ago and sent them to HQ. This hogwan is a Canadian franchise, BTW. Did they ever read the complaints and comments about management? I talked to a lot of teachers here and they unloaded on paper a host of things that should make HQ raise their eyebrows and take some action!