Just Another Day in Paradise...

NOT.

And yes, I realize my use of "NOT" was something used by elementary and junior high students in the 90s. But, it felt so appropriate to write...

"Just another day in paradise"--a phrase used often by a graduate school professor and one that I have since added to my repertoire of expressions that come out every now and again. Though, this one is usually reserved for moments of sarcasm... Which brings me to the purpose of this post: to vent.

Having returned to Jinju Monday morning at 4am after well over 24 hours of travel to get here, and on top of that having the worst cold and sinus infection I've experienced in years (and one that's still going strong seven days later), it's understandable that I'd be a little off-kilter, so to speak. So, going to sleep last night at 7pm and waking up at 2am was not a huge surprise today, which just so happens to be the first day of school.

Wide awake in the middle of the early morning hours, I thought it would wise to check up on my American bank account online and go over what damage I did while home. It didn't take me long to notice, to my great surprise, a $257 debit card transaction--that occurred in GUATEMALA. If ONLY I had the powers to actually have transported myself from the top of a snowy mountain (where I happened to be on the day of the purchase), skis and all, to sunny Guatemala and spend $257, and THEN return by the end of the day to get a few more runs in and make it back home for dinner. If only.

So, not only was I awake starting at 2am, I then spent the next few hours on Skype making phone calls to my bank and such to try to sort this out. They better get me my money back! It's fraud, I tell ya! FRAUD!

I was able to pass the hours until I arrived at school this morning at 8:30am, only to find that I had been moved to another desk. All of my stuff was put in boxes and thrown in the corner of the office. I, however, had expected this to happen (since it did last year). And, it's the Korean way.

Then, I try my best to inquire about the day's schedule and my class schedule. I didn't expect much from the day, being the first day of a new school year, but COME ON! Not a single person could tell me what is going to happen today or if I will even have any classes today. Then I was told that I'd be teaching first and third grade instead of first and second (7th and 9th grade instead of 7th and 8th)--but only for this semester. That I'm actually happy about because it means I'll still get to teach some of my favorite second grade students from last year. But then, the biggest surprise of them all occurred...

(SIDENOTE: In actuality, almost nothing surprises me here anymore. Even this.)

I was asked to teach on Saturdays, because the school had screwed up the scheduling for English classes. If I would agree to teach on Saturdays, then THEIR mistake would be fixed. My answer? An immediate and not-taking-it-back "No." They were NOT pleased--but it's not in my contract and NOT my problem!

Needless to say, I'm tired, hurting and very grumpy right now (and it's ONLY 10:30am).

I'm hoping things turn around and the next six hours here at school are slightly less... ambiguous and dramatic.

On a more positive note, and despite my foul mood, I AM happy to be back and see my students. I've had a nice long vacation full of lovely people and places and now welcome the routine and oncoming spring weather into my life. And once things settle down I have no doubt I'll once again be saying to myself on a daily basis "I love my life."