Oh, Thank God...

Phew...

Moving to the Sinking City

I actually already posted about this on facebook, but what hell, this is the point of this blog anyway right?

Next month I'll be starting a new job in Shanghai. I'll be working at the Shanghai Korean High School (original, no?) teaching a few conversational English courses, as well as a lit and comp class. I'm looking forward to it. 

For the past year and a half I've been teaching at what is called a 'training center'. It's essentially a night school with students from all walks of life who come to study/practice their conversational English. There's little prep involved and no homework, but rather comes down to your ability to entertain, hold good discussions and think on your feet. I actually really like the job, but I've got it down and I'm ready to move on to something a bit more challenging. 

This new gig should be just that. The school is a high school for the children of Koreans living and working in Shanghai. (There's a Shanghai American School, Shanghai British...you get the point.) A lot more responsibility but a more professional experience. 

One big challenge is the fact that I'll be teaching Korean kids and not Chinese people. I hang out with Chinese people, my girlfriend is Chinese and I speak Chinese. This makes teaching Chinese people a joy. We have a lot to talk about. For that reason, this new deal should be challenging, but in ways I'm glad for it. I can get my learn on while simultanesouly getting my teach on. 

Anyway, I'll moving down to the big (gigantic) city mid February and trying to get at least a bit settled before I start working. Shanghai is a crazy place and albeit a bit chaotic, I'm still looking forward to the change of environs.

Oh, and the salary is over 2x what I'm making now, which is rad. And even more rad, although my first semester is a probationary period and I therefore won't get the first break, if I stay on, I'll have 2, (read em, 2) 6 weeks paid vacations a year. 

Yeah, that's right.

 

Globular Clusters

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to say hello and happy late new year. Everything is well here in Raleigh, NC although a 5o foot pine tree fell into our back yard and obliterated my glass deck table. We were lucky to not have been outside when it came down and also lucky that it did not do any damage to the house. It was quite a site, but didn't end up being all that bad because we got to cut it up with a chainsaw and now we have firewood for a long time.

It's actually been really cold down here for the last week and the forecast is calling for 2 inches of snow on tuesday. I was informed by the locals to make sure I go to the store and pick up some bread, eggs, and milk. I was also told that almost nobody would be coming into work for the next couple of days because the roads would be so bad. I just laughed out loud and thought to my self I guess I'm supposed to stay home while it snows 2 inches and make french toast.

Wiiiiiiiiii

we got one!!! the boxing is kick ass! i also got the wii fit, so i'm gonna tone my fine curves.

anyone is free to come visit kyle and i to play our wii. we have beds, food, and drinks. :)