Monthly Review: Month 2

We've been in Seoul two months now. That same length of time five times more and it'll be time to come home again. Still doesn't seem too bad. Perhaps in the icy grip of winter time will pass at a more noticeable pace. Sixteen point six recurring per cent of the way there in any case. The summer program is finally over, which means student numbers are back down to normal levels thank goodness. Last week I had three free periods, this week, some people have up to 20. My schedule is slightly different as I'm going to be on evening shifts for the foreseeable future, but it's still pretty good. I'm teaching nutrition. The school are throwing some kind of party/meal for us this weekend in honour of our oh-so-hard work over this last month. We do deserve it though. It isn't going to be that busy again until Christmas I'm relieved to say - although this does mean I will almost certainly be working Christmas day, which ain't so good. Developments of the month: the dress code is to be sharpened up so I guess I'm going shopping soon. Thongs and singlets (translation: sandals and vests) have already been banned, as have shorts, and as soon as the hot weather ends, t-shirts will be out too. If jeans are ever outlawed I'll be coming home as I hardly have anything else to wear! Katie is coming to visit in a week! She'll be staying with me for a couple of weeks (or until security find her and kick her out as the issue of visitors is hotly controversial) so I should finally get round to doing all the touristy things that we haven't bothered to do just yet. I'm very excited. I'll probably know in a week if Emma's going to be sticking it out here with me or not. Honestly, I don't mind either way. That may sound harsher than I intend, so I'll qualify. Obviously, it is great having her here, and I'd probably never have come here by myself; but on the other hand, hanging out with Emma all the time inevitably means spending less time bonding with the other teachers, so maybe it'd be good for me being on my own out here... By all accounts, homesickness is due to kick in another month, but I'm personally not seeing any signs so far! Four of us (me, Christa, Cade and his friend (even if she stays, Emma would prefer to do something cheaper herself)) are planning to go to Japan in October during our week off; hopefully having this to focus on will allay any homesickness that does start to kick in around this time, if it does at all. Me and Emma have started giving salsa lessons to some of the other teachers in the school's dance studio. First one was yesterday and I think everyone enjoyed it. We're planning on doing it every Sunday until the director finds out and bans us. Note that this is entirely selfish - we just want people to come to salsa bars with us so of course we have to get them up to standard first! Oh, and it's still roasting outside.