The End Is Near

(The teacher as chef/party host)

A couple of weeks ago, my director informed me that I would be throwing my own going-away party at my apartment for my students. Although I was a bit perturbed at the prospect of preparing and funding my party, and hosting it myself (which certainly means more cleaning than would otherwise be necessary) it turned out to be a great time. The students from my favorite class showed up, along with some of my new roommate's students from the local GnB. I prepared some makeshift nachos (it's difficult to find the necessary ingredients in Korea):














and some bruschetta, which was a hit with some students, and with my director, but which others found disgusting.














My director brought a cake, another student brought another cake, and it seemed like everyone brought some sort of food. In the end, we had one giant feast! Also, all of my students prepared some small presents for me. I received a photo album of our antics in the class, a new charm for my cell phone, a few bouquets made from colored clay, and a small janggu, one of the instruments involved in samulnori:














Later, my director and the GnB students departed and I was left with my students who wanted to prepare rabokki for me (basically a spicy dish made with ramen noodles, rice cake, and odeng, a.k.a. fish cake):














The kids played cards and watched "Home Alone" on CGV while I, ever the responsible adult (ha!), did the dishes and cleaned up from the party. As stressful as work has been lately, these are the moments that I hope I remember when I leave, and the times that I am happy to be a teacher over here. This year has taught me that I really enjoy working with children and I hope to be able to do so in some capacity in the future. Here are the girls bidding me farewell: