Kindergarten graduation

I started working full time last week, but last week and this week the other foreign couple is still here, so we've been shadowing them/teaching a few classes of our own.  It's been a little hectic because the schedule keeps changing, and also the kindergarten kids are graduating, so sometimes instead of class they have been rehearsing, then yesterday we had to go to the actual graduation.  It was pretty adorable, and I'm attaching pictures.  They have these uniforms that look like they're going to play golf.  And the schedule has been a bit crazy, but it is made unnecessarily so because we're in Korea.  It doesn't seem like anyone knows what's going on.  We ask, and they never have the schedule for the following day until about 7:00 at night.  Part of it is the language barrier, but partly I think it's just in their culture to not be clear about things.  Yesterday I thought I was teaching a class in Ben's room, but this little 6 year old girl, Dana, came up and took my hand and said "Soojee, this room!" and led me to Ashley's room.  I was checking my own schedule to confirm, so Dana took me over to the schedule pasted on the wall, which is in Korean, and pointed out where it said which classroom I'm supposed to be in.  Thank goodness for Dana.

This weekend the school has a retreat.  It's all the teachers from our hogwan, plus all the kindergarten teachers. I don't know how many people that is, all together.  Maybe 70?  It's sort of a reward/chance to bond with people.  Of course, we haven't actually been told anything about it, we've just heard through the grapevine that we leave Saturday morning.  They do it every year, and there is a competition among the schools for a prize.  There's a dodgeball game, and some sort of dance presentation.  It should be interesting.

Next Monday Ben and Ashley leave, which we're sad about because we really like them.  I would like for them to be our friends the entire time we're in Korea.  However, it does mean that the teachers' room will be less crowded, Brady and I will get our own desks, and we'll move into their apartment.  I'm looking forward to that, to being able to settle in to the place we'll be for the next year.  We've been packed into one bedroom at Pamela's apartment, and it's impossible to really unpack or get set up.

This is Amber.  She is my favorite.

Nina.

The one who looks like she's eating lemons is Dana.

There were some tears.