And so, just like that, it's over. Two months remain before I head back to Ireland, but I've taught my last class in Sangju Elementary School. I came into work this morning, having planned my lessons for the day. Two hours after coming in, I was told that all lessons were off, the semester was closing, and we could go home after a brief teacher's meeting at noon. Still thinking I had to 'desk-warm' next week, the principal wished me a 'happy vacation' and bade me farewell. Holy Shit! No work until the 9th of January, when I start my two-week Winter Camp at English Town. And after that? Nothing, probably. I might get called in for a few days around the students' graduation ceremony in February, but whatever happens, I'm at leisure for the next ten days.
It would have been nice to know this in advance; I could have booked a few days abroad. However, with flights home looking ominously expensive, maybe it's best to save a few quid for my Grand Tour of Europe. I can also work full-time on the novel, and make sure it's well and truly completed by the time I come home. It's a little bit of a poignant departure; I can't really remember how I felt on my first day in Sangju Elementary. Wide-eyed, taking it all in; enjoying the near-hysterical attention from the kids and polite greetings from teachers... Part of me being hugely confused and wondering how the fuck I was going to manage this job.
Like any job, it became a routine, and once I found out where to get decent resources and how to effectively manage the curriculum, I settled into it. 21 months, 17 co-teachers, roughly 700 students, hundreds of weird CD-ROM dialogues, songs, role-play activities and Power Point games later, I'm done. I was looking forward to finishing up, because it's been a hectic few months since late August, with extra classes all semester. I've had no real break, aside from two days for Chuseok in September. I've been a little stressed out over the last couple of days, and now it feels like a weight has been lifted. Time to recharge the batteries.
Its not the time to wax nostalgic, as most of what I've enjoyed in Korea has occurred outside of the 영어실, and outside of the countless hours mindlessly browsing the web in my office, but I will have fond memories of the school. It's been a relatively easy ride, and my first year was particularly special, with 'Patrick' and his mates looking after me, making sure I was getting involved in things, and welcome to join in the general 'mischief' outside of school hours. Some of the students have been great, and I've had a good rapport with them, in general.
But that's that. The kids will be someone else's responsibility next year. Another foreigner will be in my seat, probably wondering what kind of irresponsible slob had 'Championship Manager' and 'Sonic 3' installed on the work computer.
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