I was informed, today, that we had a banquet dinner to attend for school. Receiving any type of advanced notice for such occasions is not common, so I don't even expect it, anymore. I even had 1/2 plans to meet a friend but I texted and said "can't make it. school din." 'Nuff said from one foreign teacher to another - it's understood that you don't decline these invitations, no matter how much of an inconvenience the "last-minuteness" of it is.
I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the evening, however. Not only did we sit in chairs instead of mats on the floor (which is great and all, but for my out-of-shape-non-flexible-butt, it gets pretty uncomfy at these functions 'cause they last foREveR), but the food was super yum and the company couldn't have been better. After we ate dinner, a dj played songs for us to sing to - so, different groups of people would get up to sing. I conned my co-teacher MinKyung into going up there with me to sing "Footloose" and SuYeon and Mrs. Oh also came up as the backup dancers. It was hilarious. It was a lot of fun. Now, I'm quite accustomed to being "visual" in any way possible, teaching my Korean kiddos, 'cause you simply have to be. So, when the part, "kick off your Sunday shoes" was on, I'd kinda kick up my feet and tap my shoes. Anyone who has ever danced with me knows that I'm a goofball and I just do stupid stuff, anyway. But, later, the principal demanded all teachers get up to dance together to a specific song, and he kept pulling different people to the center of the circle...You know how the 'dance-off' scene goes - you dance in the middle for a little bit, then move out of the circle for someone else to get some unwanted attention for a while. :) Well, when he had ME go to the center, he kept tapping his shoes and pointing at me to do it, so at that point, I felt really stupid, because he must not have picked up on it that I was just jackin' around when I did it earlier... but I did it anyway. HA! (I even felt my face get hot. lol.)
For anyone who didn't know, drinking is Korean custom. Period. :) There is a whole ritual where someone will come to you with shot glass and a bottle of soju (or a nice bottle of whiskey!) in hand; they hand you the shot glass, pour a drink, you drink it (if they are older, make sure you turn your back while you drink it, out of respect - I just turn my back on everyone, just in case - haha - don't want to step on any toes :) ) and then you hand them the shot glass, pour them a drink (with two hands, don't forget!). And there ya have it...in a nut shell. So, of course, out of respect for my co-teachers and elders in general, I grabbed a bottle of soju (ew. ew. ew. lol) and went to them to offer them a drink. Of course, out of respect for me, they offer one back. So, you can bet I use my hand motions on this one - I hold up my hand and leave about 1/2 inch of space between my thumb and first finger, and pretty much hope like heck they know I mean "just a little, please." lol. If it's whiskey, I don't bother with the hand motions. lol. :)
It was a good day. I didn't even have to use my A.K.
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