Extra Teaching Assignments

There are a couple opportunities to make extra through the MOE here, which I decided to take this past weekend.  I made extra money 4 days in a row this past week! 

• I had a training course for 12 hours last Wednesday and Thursday in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).  This one was not an option, but I was compensated 20,000 Won a day for transportation and food, but it only cost 4,000 Won in bus fair and the money I would have spent on dinner anyways.  I learned a few new techniques that I can use in my classroom, and gained a better understanding of what the other native English teachers are doing in Ulsan.

• On Friday I participated in the "English Village" that I signed up for a few weeks ago.  That paid 80,000 Won for just 5 hours.. of playing guitar!  It was great, the day before I was told to bring my [co-teacher's] guitar and be prepared to play 2 different children's songs.  I arrived at Ulsan Grand Park on the other side of town for the festival, and found that 3 other native English speakers like myself were also working (2 of whom I already knew).  The set up was like a little festival with many tents for the students to visit, and our tent had 4 activities for students.  There was a story reader, a magic show, a Halloween themed ghost sucker making table, and then me playing sing-a-longs.  It was very cool, I know "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "The Hokey Pokey."  At one point someone requested B-I-N-G-O and I didn't know it, so during some down time I looked it up on someones smart phone, so now I know 3 children's songs!  It was fun but was quite tiring.  I caught a break though and had the morning to mostly relax since my 6th graders were taking mid-terms.  I left the school at 11:30, got lunch and did the English Village from 1-5.  Pretty cool getting paid double to play guitar for 4 hours!

This is the area right outside of our tent where I did the sing-a-longs.  From the left is my friend Maury, a wonderful MOE lady Shin He San, a very nice Korean worker Joon Young Jeung, my friend Pete, and then myself in the front.

Maury and I actually sang the songs together, and this is us with 4 of the children.  She was a huge help in teaching the dances (right arm in.. right arm out.. etc.).

• On Saturday I was a judge in a English Speaking Contest at a school I'd never been to before.  I got a ride with my co-teacher Mr. Cheung who was involved in the competition, and when I got there 3 other Native English teachers were there, all three of which are my good friends from a post or two ago!  It was pretty cool to be the judge and debate moderator, and I got paid 50,000 Won to do this from 1-5.  It made for quite a busy and tiring week, but I had some really good experiences and some extra cash!