New Years Resolutions Cheonan, Korea Rep.

Cheonan, Korea Rep.

I’ve been AWOL for a few months I know! Things have been more than crazy with the dogs and the shelter fundraisers and bottle feeding puppies and trying to squeeze some teaching in there somewhere! More of that to come later…if I ever find time!

Since we are nearing the end of 2011, I thought I would spend the last week of school teaching the boys about New Year’s resolutions and achieving their dreams. The Grade 3 boys will be going on to high school next year so they are feeling excited and nervous. I feel sorry for them having to start all over again as the small fish in a big pond and think I much prefer how I went to school: seven years at primary school and five years at high school. Much more stability!

My New Year’s resolutions for 2012, which I shared with my students, are the following:

– To learn to read and speak Hangeul (Korean)

– To see more of Korea

– To finish my online TEFL course which is taking far too long.

I asked the boys in their last lesson to write down three resolutions for 2012, as well as the best and worst things that happened in 2011.

Here is a selection of a few of their answers:

“My New Year’s resolutions for 2012 are:

– To learn English

· Sexy (huh?)

· To study harder

· To help my parents

· Get girlfriend (there were quite a number of these!)

· To grow taller

· To grow to 180cm

· To gain weight

· To weigh over 55kg

· To lose weight (all the boys who said this look a perfectly normal size to me!)

· To go to supermarket (fun times!)

· To get good grades

· To make many friends

· House please (OK…)

· Buy bike

· To learn English harder and be a good student for you (Aaawww!!!)

· To make happy parents and good luck (Same student as above – what a sweetheart)

· To live to 2013 (Good one!)

· To read 220 books

· To be master of Starcraft

· To play more computer games

· To play less computer games

· To watch the whole series of “Band of Brothers”

· To stop AV (“What’s AV?” I asked. “Adult video” was the reply.)

· To stop smoking

· To stop drugs (Me: do you really take drugs? Student: No, it’s a joke. Me: Whew!)”

“The best thing that happened in 2011 was:

· Nothing (that sucks)

· Kim Jong Il died

· I won 1 million won

· I got a puppy from my aunty

· I bought a bike and I bought a North Face Noosi jacket

· I went to Cheonan Water Park

· Nice new teacher (I believe that was me!)

· Freedom in Libya

· I made a girlfriend

· I got a part-time job and earned some money.”

“The worst thing that happened in 2011 was:

· Nothing

· I became single

· I hurt my wrist

· I got bad grades in the school exams

· I didn’t get taller

· The maths exam was terrible

· Met Mr. S homeroom teacher.

· Tsunami in Japan

· I had digestive problems on Christmas day

· I lost my money (5,000WON)

· I met (insert name of the boy seated next to him)”

The one that I liked the most was written by one of the naughtier boys in one of my Grade 2 classes:

“My New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 are:

1. To be a good student at school

2. To be a good son at home

3. To be a nice person

The best thing that happened in 2011 was: I went to Jeju Island.

The worst thing that happened in 2011 was: To move away from my mother.”

Personally, the best thing that happened to me in 2011 was that I came to this country and subsequently so many wonderful things, people and animals came into my life. I am so grateful for this opportunity, I realise that I am a very lucky girl.

Wishing you all a 2012 as good as my 2011! Happy New Year!!