First day of school

Contrary to the rainy weather (a first for me), today- Friday, March 2nd- was EXCITING as it was the first day of school!

At 8:20am, the Opening Ceremony for grades 3-6 started in the chapel/event auditorium. All Korean teachers sat together, all "foreign teachers" (as we're called) sat together, and all students sat together in school uniform by grade level.

Similar to some U.S. school assemblies, the smiley principal introduced the Administrative staff, and then everyone stood for the pledge of allegiance to the Korean red-white-blue-black [flag] followed by everyone singing the national anthem's first verse (minus foreign teachers of course), accompanied by a teacher on the grand piano. Hesitantly, unsure of protocol as a foreigner, I put my hand over my heart for the pledge as the Koreans did, figuring that at least it was my way of demonstrating *respect* for the flag; a couple other foreign teachers did the same.

Next, the principal introduced all the teachers by grade level. We went up on stage, bowed when our names were called, and stood next to our well-dressed Korean counterparts. Finally, the principal gave a lengthy speech, in Korean, during which the students became increasingly fidgety and restless. Kids are kids everywhere! When I pointed to those goofing off and motioned, "No!" for them to stop, they got the message.

After the Opening Ceremony, the students went to their classrooms with their Korean teachers. An hour later, we foreign teachers spent 40 minutes with our students in their classrooms to go over rules, go over their English names, and learn a little bit about them. Then we turned them back over to their Korean teachers. Shortly after, they were done and left school.

In the afternoon, we all attended the Opening Ceremony for 1st-2nd grades. This time, however, those of us who don't teach these grades didn't go to their classrooms afterwards. Instead we had time in the Foreign Teachers' Office to prepare for next week. 

Monday will be our official full regular day of school. Yes, I'm nervous, *and* excited!