Sometimes I choose to walk, but this takes about 40 minutes. In the morning, I usually prefer taking the bus so I don’t get too tired before school starts.
A lot of my students take the same bus, so they often see me and say hello. The bus is usually very crowded, so I have to stand the whole time. Luckily, I’m used to public transportation and use it often in the U.S., so I’m good at keeping my balance when the bus moves. Drivers in Korea can be a little more fast-paced than in the U.S. They sometimes change lanes quickly or stop suddenly, so it can be harder to keep your balance on the bus!
8 am
Around 8 am, I arrive at school and am usually greeted by some members of the student council. These students wear neon colored vests and help greet students and teachers, check uniforms and organize everything before the start of the school day.
Once I walk inside, I put my outdoor shoes in my cubby and change into my indoor slippers (my Crocs). Then I go to my desk to get ready for my first class.
All the teachers sit together in a shared office called the 교무실 (gyo-moo-shil), which means “teachers’ office.” When I arrive, I greet the other teachers by saying, “안녕하십니까?” (ann-yeong-ha-ship-ni-kka), which is the formal way to say “hello.”
I then walk up 3 flights of stairs to my first period class. Each class is 50 minutes long, and the students in the first period are usually pretty sleepy and not awake yet. So, this class begins with me waking them up and asking them how they are feeling.
9 am
After my first class, I go to my next class.
