First Staff Dinner
So I've been in South Korea almost two weeks, it feels like I have been here so much longer and yet it has gone by so fast.
My first week of teaching went really well. I don't have a full schedule as of yet because I still have to go to the other two schools I will be teaching at. I love my main school Sang Yang Middle School. All the teachers, not just my co-teachers are so nice. I feel like a part of the community, even though I can't communicate easily with most of the staff.
I enjoyed and survived my first staff dinner. Hehe, if you don't know much about staff dinner parties in South Korea, let me fill you in. South Korea has many traditions, including when it comes to drinking. Drinking is basically a must at staff dinner parties, it would seem rude not to. It is also customary to pour drinks for new members of the staff and to the eldest staff. It is rude to refuse. Being a new staff member meant that there was an endless supply of alcohol filling my glass. The only way to prevent it from being filled was to constantly keep some in my glass as to make it look like it was full.
I was also instructed on how to properly do the glass exchange and pour that happens when someone offers you a drink. The elder person hands you their glass, you must take the glass with both hands. They fill the glass and you drink, turning your head away from the elder person (it is a polite gesture to turn your head away from someone older than you when drinking alcohol). Then you give the glass back with both hands and then pour them a drink in that glass, pouring with both hands. It is important to use to two hands when passing or pouring something, it is also a politeness thing.
The food is delicious! It's so healthy and yummy!
The one in the pink shirt is Mrs. Shin. I love this lady! After this party ended, she and I went to the one of the corner stores and picked up some beers and sat in front of the store and talked. She has made me feel so welcome here and I really look forward to working with her this year.
Please keep in mind that these parties happen during the week. This party happened on a Thursday. We all had to teach the next day. This one at least ended at a decent hour. Other foreigners have told me that their staff parties have gone into the wee hours of the morning, and they still have to teach the next day. Let's just say some of their co-workers are a little green around the gills the morning after.
Needless to say there was a lot of alcohol but I managed to make it home and be ready for work the next day, feeling pretty good. Thank you young liver.
My first week of teaching went really well. I don't have a full schedule as of yet because I still have to go to the other two schools I will be teaching at. I love my main school Sang Yang Middle School. All the teachers, not just my co-teachers are so nice. I feel like a part of the community, even though I can't communicate easily with most of the staff.
I enjoyed and survived my first staff dinner. Hehe, if you don't know much about staff dinner parties in South Korea, let me fill you in. South Korea has many traditions, including when it comes to drinking. Drinking is basically a must at staff dinner parties, it would seem rude not to. It is also customary to pour drinks for new members of the staff and to the eldest staff. It is rude to refuse. Being a new staff member meant that there was an endless supply of alcohol filling my glass. The only way to prevent it from being filled was to constantly keep some in my glass as to make it look like it was full.
I was also instructed on how to properly do the glass exchange and pour that happens when someone offers you a drink. The elder person hands you their glass, you must take the glass with both hands. They fill the glass and you drink, turning your head away from the elder person (it is a polite gesture to turn your head away from someone older than you when drinking alcohol). Then you give the glass back with both hands and then pour them a drink in that glass, pouring with both hands. It is important to use to two hands when passing or pouring something, it is also a politeness thing.
More of my co-workers. These pictures were all sneak attacks. All those green bottles are soju. The drink of choice in Korea. There were a lot more of those lined up by the end of the night.
Please keep in mind that these parties happen during the week. This party happened on a Thursday. We all had to teach the next day. This one at least ended at a decent hour. Other foreigners have told me that their staff parties have gone into the wee hours of the morning, and they still have to teach the next day. Let's just say some of their co-workers are a little green around the gills the morning after.
Needless to say there was a lot of alcohol but I managed to make it home and be ready for work the next day, feeling pretty good. Thank you young liver.
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