Getting New Glasses in Korea!

After hearing about how cheap and easy it was to get new glasses here, Jenn and I finally decided to get some for ourselves. We headed to the nearest store near our homes, called Davich Optical chain store. We think they mean DaVinci, because the Korean lettering translates to: "Davichi." 

So we walked in, and told the store guy we wanted new glasses. After giving the both of us free eye exams, he showed us how the store was organized. There were glass displays of eyeglass frames, and each display had a different value. Jenn and I looked at the cheapest displays first of course. =D 

It took a while for us to decide what frames we wanted, because there were so many, but eventually we did. Afterwards, the store guy asked us what kind of quality lens we wanted. I showed him my old glasses lenses to compare, and he just kind of looked at it in disgust and said, "No, low quality." (How did he know I got it from Wal-Mart?!?). Anyway, when we found out how cheap it was to get the highest quality lenses, we did! 

After that, the only thing left to do was wait while they made our glasses for us. We sat down, they made us some coffee, and after about half an hour, they were ready. Here is the cool part, the guy had this tub full of beads? and using that, he was able to change the frame of the glasses to match our face. So he would put the glasses on our faces, see if it fit, and then dump the glasses into the tub of beads to adjust it accordingly. Jenn and I just thought that was really cool. Afterwards, they gave us a membership card, a free calendar, and a free coffee mug! We love free stuff! Oh, and best of all? How much did we pay for this? Let's recap: Eye exam, new frame, new lenses, and all high quality? 70 bucks! That's it! What can I say, there are some things Korea just does better, and this is one of them. We also highly recommend DaVich Optical (http://www.davich.co.kr/index.html) to anyone who is in Korea and thinking about new glasses. The store guy was incredibly nice, and everyone was so helpful. 

Things my students say part III

Hi everyone! Fluke and I got new glasses!! (Post about that later...) and since my new glasses are much different than my old ones, I had some pretty funny reactions from my students. 


Student reactions on my first day of wearing my new glasses...


Student: Oh, teacher! new glasses!
Me: Yes! I have new glasses. Do you like them?
Student: Yes, of course! They look like mine :)


S: Oh! (points to glasses) Nice! (thumbs up)
Me: Thank you!


S: Oh, Jennipa teacha...you have new glasses.
Me: Yes!
S: talks in Korean to friends...and doesn't say anything else to me :)


S: Teacher! Why new glass?
Me: Why do I wear new glasses?
S: Yes.
Me: I wanted new glasses...and now I see better!
S: Oh... Good!


S: Looks at me for an awkward amount of time trying to figure out what is different....and then walks away.


S1: (points to glasses) glass? (looks to friend)
S2: new glass? (S1 and S2 look to S3)
S3: New glasses!
Me: Yes! I have new glasses! (I knew they would figure out what to say, so I waited for them to figure it out together)


Ok...that's all the ones I can remember! Because the students come to my classroom, I am able to welcome them at the start of every class. I always say, "good morning!" or "hello!" A few of the students and I have special routine greetings. Because I welcome the students this way and they are used to it, whenever they want to tell me something, or ask me something, they have the opportunity to do so before the bell rings. When they noticed my new glasses, they were able to speak enough English/use body language to have a short conversation. Overall, my favorite conversations are when a small group of students work together to say what's on their minds. Between 2-3 of them, they are always able to tell me what they want or ask me their question. It makes me feel good too because they work so hard to tell me in English instead of going to my Korean co-teacher for help to translate. 


I always learn something from the students during the conversations too. In the past two days, I've realized that the students need to learn the word... "glasses!" ^-^*


And here's a pic of us in our new glasses!

Thanksgiving in Korea!

I know this post is a little late...but better late than never, right?!!? So...how do a group of English teachers manage to have a Thanksgiving dinner?


First, someone sees an advertisement in a Daegu English magazine on Facebook advertising turkey delivery Thanksgiving weekend. This makes the idea of having a real turkey dinner possible! Next, we decide whose tiny apartment would fit all of us (mine), plan to make a trip to Costco the Friday before our celebration, pay for the turkey, and wait for over a month for the holiday to arrive! Here's pictures from our party!!

The feast!

My plate...

Fluke's plate...

Pumpkin pie, apple pie, cheesecake, and a ton of whipped cream!!
Oh, and you should know that dessert was after a 2hr movie break after dinner!
This is what everyone's dessert plate looked like! ^-^*

Amazing apple pie from Costco!!

We bought the dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and Caesar salad dressing from Costco. We used gravy packets and stuffing mix sent from home. I made garlic mashed potatoes in 2 batches because I don't have a pot large enough to make it in one. Fluke carved the turkey, which was delivered right on time. And that basically covers our Thanksgiving meal~


Now we have to think about our Christmas plans! I'm thinking a nice dinner out...because then there's no dishes! heehee Anyway, Thanksgiving was a huge success! The best part was that we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving in October at a Canadian owned restaurant/store and then U.S. Thanksgiving about a month later :)


Ok, now I have to think about funny things my students say! Fluke's stories are awesome, and I know I have some good ones too...if only I can remember them!


Bye everyone!
~Jennifer

Things my Students Say No.2

Back with some more!


Walking through the hallways today, a 7th grade girls stops me and says
Student: "Teacher You! Saturday, I see you. Glasses. No!" 
Me: Ummm...
Student: "You...no glasses today?"
Me: (Aaah, she saw me on Saturday getting new glasses!) "Yes, no glasses today...contact lenses!!"
Student: "Ah, very good. Lenses!?! Teacher, you no wear glasses. Lenses only ok?" 
Me: Ok....?
I guess she didn't like me in my new glasses :(


In class last week, I finally taught a student to say "Nice to see you again." The past year or so, he has been saying "Nice to meet you" every time I see him. First thing he says to me when I walk in today, "Nice to meet you Teacher!" Sigh...


Talking to another English teacher about class, we look up and see an 8th grade girl looking at us intensely. She notices us looking and nods her head wisely at what we just said and says, "Yes...I understand Teachers." We weren't even talking to her!


Bad students have to carry a little slip of paper, and teachers in each of their periods mark down whether or not they are great, good, average, bad, or very bad. At the end of the day, I assume they show their parents? Anyways, one of my better students in 2nd period asked me to sign his, and I did, marking down "good." I noticed that the teacher for 1st period had put down "bad" and I asked him why.
 He said: "Oh, Art is 1st period. Very terrible. I don't like." 


Teaching my 9th grade class about how to use the word "recommend." 
Me: Can anyone recommend a good Korean singer for me to listen to?
Boy: Yes! I recommend G.NA.
Me: Great. Why do you recommend G.NA? 
Boy: (looks at all of his friends before saying this) She is very glamorous! (At which point, the whole class starts to laugh...)
Me: Ummm. (I turn to my Korean co-teacher and ask her what "glamorous" means). Blushing furiously, she says that it means that G.Na has a very big "chest." ^__^