Part 2

I've been mentally composing this post through a long, quiet day at school, and it was the picture of eloquence (is that a mixed metaphor? what's the equivalent expression for sound?). Now, though, I'm in a jetlagged stupor, but determined to commit this entry to bytes if only to keep myself awake a little longer. With a sleep deficit that rivals the one in my bank account, I might actually go to bed if I thought it would help, but I'd just be perpetuating the cycle, and turning in at 8:30 is not something I want to make a habit of.

Neither is boarding 14-hour flights. Any subsequent East Coast-East Asia travel is going to involve a West Coast layover, for sanity's sake. Once again, I was very lucky yesterday (or was it the day before?), scoring a window seat with magnificent views, and a sweet elderly couple as seatmates. We did go over the top of the Earth, never really leaving daylight, and it was clear most of the way, affording a look at the North Pole and its environs. There are some nifty formations up there (land? snow?), and I feel privileged to see it all. Nonetheless, being confined in an airplane for 14 hours is a whole new kind of crazy, and watching the little electronic airplane get progressively (but so slowly!) farther from New York is just that much more traumatic.

At first, hearing Korean made me nauseous, watching North America disappear from under me made it feel as if my internal organs were all bolting in different directions. Once in Seoul, though, it was as though I'd never left, albeit in a considerably less buoyant way than I felt in New York. (and why is sleep so elusive on an interminable plane ride, but so readily indulged in on the Airport Limousine bus?) I am resigned. With an occasional inner scream. 25 weeks to go. And no more nourishing meals, purring cats, loving arms, or wooded walks. It's not so bad. It just seems like it.

And so for the first day of the rest of my life here. I got to school 1/2 hour early today, to find Ms. Cho, with whom I have a spotted history, making herself at home at Terrie's desk. Terrie's old desk. Terrie has given up being my liaison, for reasons I'm not privy to, so Ms. Cho is now the person to whom I'm to direct all questions, although she will be gone for 3 months on maternity leave beginning in April. There was also somebody completely new at Mr. Kwon's desk, so I've lost my 2 best advocates/helping hands. The news was better from there, however. I don't have to teach this week, so the hours of fretting and the madcap PowerPointing this morning were unnecessary. EEP doesn't start until March 24, and my signing away my Saturdays will really only affect 6 of them. The new English teacher is nice, speaks English very well, and lives in my neighborhood. And Terrie and Mr. Lim, the teachers with the best discipline, will now be teaching 3rd grade, the kids with the worst, so maybe it will be somewhat less hellish than last year. On top of everything, the NY teacher continuing ed requirements that I've been searching for for years are readily available on Wikipedia. Who knew?

Oh, and by the way, RCSD...those "diverse" kids studying in that charming little picture on your website...are IN Korea.

I'm losing the battle with sleep. Should REALLY go for a walk, but...