Things here could be a little better. Since getting John, our new teacher, things have been a little rocky. I thought he
was ok, when I first met him, but it's just been slowly going downhill. First of all, he decided to live with Clinton and I.
He's really clean, which isn't a bad thing, but there are plenty of other things that are annoying both myself and Clinton.
Well...maybe me a little more me, but I'm trying to be patient. He talked to me one night and told me pretty much in that
teacher tone that I shouldn't have the tv above volume 10 after 11 and that I pretty much can't watch talk shows like letterman past 11 either. I sat there attempting to not get angry, but couldn't help it. He chose to live with us, and now it's like we have to walk around on tip-toes after a certain time. It's more than a little irritating, especially because I have
seniority and have been here much much longer and Clinton and I work nights, so we generaly stay up later. I understand that he works mornings and needs his sleep, but he decided to stay with us, not the other way around. He could have gone to the other bigger, quieter and nicer apartment. Joe and Nadiya are in bed early and both work mornings. I won't even get into that he's already eaten some of my import food (things from home that are
expensive and really difficult to get) more than once.
Than there's the fact that he signed a 15 month contract, which he didn't have to, and quickly anounced to us westerners that he really doesn't like it here after a mere 2 and a half weeks. He said he would try to last until the end of the school year (March). Uh....ok?! What the fuck, was basically what has been running through our minds. He knew what he was getting into when he signed the contract. It is a mainly kinder teaching position with lots of song and dance shit and occasional Saturdays once a month. It's his first time anywhere in Asia and it is different, but he doesn't seem like he even wants to try to adjust. It's funny because he was thinking of Peace Corps or this. This is a cake walk compared to Peace Corps. I really don't get what is so bad about things here....but that's just me.
Ah....how could I possibly forget that he's already missed 2 days of school in a mere span of 3 weeks. He thinks he's
sick, but Clinton and I don't think he knows the difference between a small cold and that "I can't get out of bed" feeling.
It wouldn't matter so much, but if he's "sick" and can't/won't come to school, that means that one of us has to teach his
classes plus our own classes. What it boils down to is one of us going to school at 9:30am and being there till 10.
He tried to balk on an open class the other day too. It's something we do to demonstrate all the things that a class has learned after finishing a book. It's a lot of show and smiles, but it's really rather important for school image. Why the hell wouldn't you go to your own classes open class, especially when the parents don't know you and would like to meet you? Beats the hell out of me.
He also tried to get out of a Saturday speech contest 2 weekends too. All he had to do was sit there and judge.
Clinton and I MC'd the damn thing. That's when I got bitchy and told him it wasn't something he had a choice about. Maybe I shoudn't care so much, but when he does a shitty job with something, it does somewhat reflect on the other foreign staff. That and if we have to work 12 hour days so he can be "sick" and really not be it get plenty fucking bothersome.
The last straw of my patience came this past Sat. when I got home late and was simply putting my groceries from Seoul away and he came out and told me to not "rustle" the bags so much. I was like...uh, I can't really help it, but I'm finished now!?! To this he added questioningly, why was I grocery shopping at 2am? Um...I wasn't! I was in Seoul and was out for a little while and some of the stuff needed to be refridgerated after I returned. Yeah, it's 2am, but it is Sat and I can't really help a little bag rustling. I also thought menacingly...and by the way, who cares if once again the smallest little thing woke you up?! I could tell he thought this was his right to yet again tell me how to behave in my own house. To this, I added, in my own bitchy tone, because I couldn't take it any more....You know, you CHOSE to stay in this house, knowing that Clinton and I are night people! His only response to that was that it was complicated! Uh, yeah, sure......You had one bag, I added. He got the point. All he had to do was move that one bag over to the other house and he would have been done. Instead, the complicated part was that our bosses had to get him a closet, move the bed and move an extra fridge to our house because he decided to stay with us. I went to bed angry and woke up still angry.

So....whew....that's life for now. Trying and trying with all my might to get used to this new arangement at our apartment and at school.