Farwell Teachers Meetings: Senior Week Nostalgia

I cannot think of a better way to describe the teacher farewell parties in Korea than to compare it to that of senior week in college. Drunken antics, last chances for office romance, and a lot of dinners/organized activities that lead to debauchery. Sound familiar? This past week marks the transition time for many teachers, bidding farewell to a school they have worked in for 2-3 years.

In Korea, unlike America, teachers are required to change schools every 2-3 years. It gives teachers an opportunity to teach in different locations and changes things up in the school. Differing from America, where the curriculum is not set specifically, this is much more feasible. Moreover, people embrace the change rather than in America where teacher retention rate is of the utmost importance for a school's reputation.

In turn, teachers create community by frequently going to teachers meetings-which consist of dinners, drinking and debauchery. During the week before the New Year starts, a vacation mind you, things get extra saucy.

Coffee date lover-He's been layin low, perhaps in attempt to woo me during his last week at our school. I must say I did not notice his presence, until it was the end of the first round. I accompanied my co teacher to a table where the following conversation took place.
CDL-you look so beautiful. Your earrings are new I have never seen them on you before. *

*This is true; the earrings were a birthday gift from Alex. I never knew coffee date lover was so perceptive, or that he looked at me enough to understand and know the extensive jewelry collection I posses. Sick I tell you, I don't even know what earrings have worn and not worn.

He continued to pour me a hearty shot of soju-describing in broken English that it was the amount of tears he would cry from missing me. No wonder I am getting so soft in Korea-we all get so sentimental here. I wondered if it was my cue to poor a glass and tell him how many tears I would shed? I did no such thing.

Following that awkward conversation, a man who I have seen in passing but never spoken to looks to me and just says, "Lauryn I love you." Reminiscent of my middle school boys I laughed. He got very serious and stated "NO SERIOUSLY NOT COMEDIAN I LOVE YOU." I laughed again. To which he responded deadpan "I have a wife."

We all set out, my co teacher and the three men left at dinner. Somehow I ended up hand in hand with coffee date lover and "Lauryn I love you" man. I have to assume he is leaving the school as well. It's their last chance to make a move-if not now when, I suppose. But, trying coyly to set me up with coffee date lover, another teacher pulled "Lauryn I love you" man away and I was walking hand in hand with coffee date lover. I suppose it's better to be loved, but still oh so awkward. I broke away for some noribang and was able to hold my own in drinking noribang. That's right-drinking noribang was instated by the head teacher. The rules are simple-sing a song you pass. If you opt out of singing, you must pay a financial penalty and drink for as long as people deem appropriate. Once again, behavior reminiscent of senior week debauchery-except your respected boss is wholeheartedly engaged and partaking in the antics.

Clearly everyone means well and these stories pose no real threat to me. Though the overt nature of some teacher's interactions with me provide great humor in my life.

I also learned one thing from this event. Never attempt to go grocery shopping after a teacher's meeting while drunk in country where you don't speak the language well. You end up buying vegetables that look like celery but are in actuality something totally different. I attempted to make my bisque and it was not until I cut into the green crunchy veggie, of which I still have no clue what it's name is, that I realized it smells and tastes different. So much for picnics.