Second Week of Camps

The second round of students had a much higher English level, which made things infinitely more pleasant. Add to that the fact that they also brought their mothers, making them a much quieter and eager bunch of kids. The mom's were shy at first, but eventually a couple were even willing to play "Pin The Tail on the Donkey" (the kids loved it, and even wanted to play some more after class. I'm pretty sure it was because I made everyone spin around then try to pin the tail. After a while, they were coming up and spinning themselves before I could put the blindfold on them)!!
Yesterday Mrs. Lee was talking to a bunch of mothers standing around in the office. They were all gesturing at me occasionally as they talked; of course I hadn't a clue what was being said. After they left Mrs. Lee explained to me that they were saying how surprised they were that I was a nice person, and how in the future they wouldn't try to avoid foreigners if they saw them. Hahahahahahahaha. Foreigners can be pretty scary for a lot of Koreans. Whenever I'm walking around Naju, I can get lots of smiles and hello's, but I sometimes get just as many stares and old ladies giving me a wide berth so they don't have to come near me. I've also startled my share of old guys as well. There's a little path between really old houses that I like to take to get to Geumsong Mountain, and sometimes I feel like I'm the only waygook that has ever walked down that street!! Once as I passed a really old man on that path as he came out of his house, he looked up at me and gasped. Then stared for a while, of course.

And I'm waaaay off topic as usual. So yeah, I've really enjoyed the winter camp, even though I'm jealous about everyone else already being on vacation. Now that I've done actual classes for the winter camp, I'm NOT looking forward to going back to the usual English Town schedule! So boring!! Monotonus!

ps: tomorrow I'm flying to Thailand. This is verging on inane, but last night I had this weird ream that I was at a party in my bathing suit (of course I was the only one, just to add in that embarassment element!)... an omen of things to come?