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2 December 2004
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KLB - Trudging Along



The rash is all but cleared up, thanks to those pills I got, I guess.

Same old confusion between Cathy and I at work. She gets all worked up and flustered by what I consider nothing. I mentioned to her that the kids were noisier than usual during C class this afternoon...which really didn't bug me. But apparently Cathy thought I was enraged. She kept the kids after school - I had no idea why at the time - and so I awkwardly put on my jacket and got ready to go as she and the kids watched in silence.

When I got home, Julie told me Cathy called upset, worried I was angry at her and the kids. I really had no idea anything was amiss, and I thought Cathy had kept the kids late because she had something to tell them. Apparently she berated them for angering me and she felt horrible as if she is failing in her job. I just laughed at this because she's always getting all worked up over nothing. In fact, she spends half the day in a perpetual state of panic, running back and forth, yelling "no Korean!" and "minus one point" and keeping kids after class to scold them during her breaks. The only thing she does that's of any use to me is make copies.

Now she's complaining she has no time to make copies because I don't get to work early and, during breaks, she has to talk to the kids, call the parents and try to find kids that are late. I've already told her for the tenth time I refuse to leave my house earlier than 11:30 to get there by 1:00. As it is, that's 3 hours of travel time per day, which I don't complain about except when she/they tell me to come early. This is the only complaint they have had about me, that I know of, and I've offered to find another job if this is so important. The agency said no, and they really want me to stay, of course. Since Cathy lives nearby the school, it's very easy for her to get there early and open the classroom and whatnot, so I don't understand what the fuss is about.

Besides, in my opinion, making copies - which she only has to do once or twice a week since we normally use a book - can be done any time (for example, in the thirty minutes that she's there before class starts) and she doesn't have to be in the room yelling "no Korean!" every 15 seconds...in fact, the less she's in the room, the better. The kids are confused as to who is in charge, and half the time I am too. I've given up on worthwhile communication with her, because she never knows what I'm talking about. This is because her English isn't fluent and when I do say anything to her she gets flustered and upset, thinking there's something terribly wrong (as was the case today) when in fact I'm just mentioning something or sharing an idea.

Now that I think about it, everyone involved with this program makes a mountain out of a molehill...it's just three classes with 15 kids in each class. Seems to me a pretty basic concept: students come to class, I teach them English, they go home...too bad they have make it so complicated.


Well, enough ranting about that. Time to get some grub. We had a big pizza last night. Tonight, I guess it's Korean food, maybe kalbi tang, mmm.


[Update] I sent a message to Cathy not to worry and eveything is fine. Julie and I picked up some bagels, tomatos and sliced ham and made delicious ham and cheese bagels with caesar dressing. Now we're going to watch "Secret Window" a movie based on a Stephen King story. (Just watched it and man that was one ridiculous movie.)

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