Shopping to Look and Act the Part

Gracious. Where to start...



Meeting the ETAs

I met with a few of the other ETAs in Boston this past week. We talked about our understanding of Korean language and culture, our reasons for going, our excitement and our concern. I'm relieved. I mean, I thought they seemed like personable, easy-going people from meeting them online, but internet personalities are not always the same as an in-person personality. However, everybody was fanTASTic.

• Nicole is a Korean adoptee and was our fabulous guide; she lives in the city, so she had us travelling the public transportation like no other. She seems like a great mind to pick, and might end up being the default Big Sister (언니) for the group, since she's got more real-world experience than those of us fresh-out-of-college kids. She has two semesters of Korean class like I do, so I'm hoping we get placed at the same level so that I know someone in the class.


• Sarah shares my interest in Korean culture and history. She and I have a lot in common, from studying at large universities to our shared sarcasm and blunt honesty. She is hilarious and seems very laid back. She also has two semesters of Korean class, so she's another one I hope I get in my language class at orientation.


• Jessamyn signed up for the adventure aspect and seems totally ready to tackle the craziness in Korea. She's a real sweetheart and a smart girl. She's the only one of us that had any reason for being an ETA, really, since her major is directly related to teaching English. She had to leave early because she still had graduation (congrats!) but we'll be seeing her again soon enough.

But back to the concerns, for me, my biggest concern is probably the teaching aspect. I feel obligated to make a positive impact on the kids, but I have no idea how or where to start.

Until this week!


I visited a teaching supply store and was absolutely amazed at the amount of things I could use there. I picked up, among a lot of other things:

• Stamps with English phrases (Good Job, Nice Work, Wonderful, etc)


• Workbooks on idioms and short stories


• New Hampshire and holiday themed posters

Walking out of the store with my giant white bag filled with teaching materials and lesson plan ideas, I felt like just maybe I'd be able to pull something off. Maybe.

If I could act the part, I should look the part. I have a limited non-existent work wardrobe. I've never really needed one, since research labs don't exactly have a dress code. Or care, even if they did have one. So I bit the bullet (see look, there's an idiom) and invested in some nice professional outfits.

I'm excited to finally feel prepared for this, even though I still have a month of panic attacks and anxious waiting before I even get to Korea.