Bicycles and False Intimidation

The morning with the kindergarten kids was short an easy since the first two classes were eaten up as a part of our field trip to learn about bike safety.

We went back to the same facility where we learned about road safety to do some bike safety. Again, the first part was a presentation held entirely in Korean, ad this time the foreign teachers couldn't escape to ride the bikes. They were Frozen branded bikes that looked like they may be crushed like an aluminum can under our weight. Then there were the plastic tricycles that had arm rests, so you couldn't even physically fit in one unless you we're a child. I'm a bit thankful we stayed away from the bikes since it would've made the whole concept of bike safety look bad if teachers were just off flipping tiny bikes without helmets in the background of the presentation.

The kids took turns cycling around a track meant to replicate real roads. They had street lights, crosswalks, parks, almost everything. What they were missing was actual cars (for safety, I'm sure). Cars in Korea area bit interesting for a couple reasons, most notably they park everywhere, everywhere. Not just the sidewalk/grass parking I saw in Australia, but along the curved curbs in intersections ;thus enhancing blind spots. They line alley ways creating a maze formation for other drivers. In fact it is so tight in these alleys that drivers stick bits of foam on the sides of their cars to stop from being swiped up against.

So, really none of these kids are ready to handle the streets yet.

The highlight of the afternoon was actually just a relief.

The last classes of the day there is only one class of students at the school. Originally there was one class of 6 and one of 4, but scheduling changed it in one class of 10. Now the three foreign teachers take turns teaching that class. So two will finish teaching at 4pm and one will keep going until 6:30pm -tonight that was me.

The class was all high school age boys, and they weren't exactly easy to work with. I figured I got lucky since there were only 6 students in the class, the trouble makers must have been sick.

After the second class I learned that 4 students had dropped out s there actually were only 6 students. All three classes went really well. It's like I won the lottery or something.