Today was good. Had the whole morning off but opted to go in to watch on of the semi-directors teach. Just to see if I was in the ballpark. As it turns out, I very much am and that was reassuring indeed.

Then, as I was chatting with office-mates and getting some copying together (in some ways the most difficult part of this job is the endless copying) the word came in that my Alien Registration Card had landed and I was off to the bank to get set up there. It wasn’t the bank I wanted, but it will do. I may go back later and change banks. Came back to finish the copying and put some stuff together for my evening class, Academic Writing.

Man, is that the best class ever. I had heard all kinds of scary things about different levels and expectations. When I got there were only four women sitting there, which means no matter how different their skills were, it would be no problem to teach. launched into a lecture about the writing process and all the bullshit came back. I could talk about how to write for weeks. Unfortunately I had to wedge in some time for them to actually write. ;-)

I was a bit worried about one older woman – she had a mask and gloves on and wouldn’t answer much – I had her pegged for an evil ajumma (because, you know, after two weeks here I know everything). But as I gave them some pair work to do she became increasingly animated and when I had them do a writing sample she started writing happily away. I collected the writing samples and they were better writers than most of our ESL students were at Swamp Valley College. I was happy to see that not one of them went off on the “I kept my baby” track (Which I noted/named at my old college when I noticed that if I used abortion as a paper topic at least three single-mothers would completely ignore the actual question and go on some rant about how they had kept their baby and therefore women who get abortions should be killed)

And with only four students I’m going to be able to really work with them. On the spot I decided this was a case for a portfolio, and I sent them away with a short homework assignment.

think I’ll do a bit of work from the workbook (because it has silly tests and crosswords), and give at least one test on that (Koreans love tests) but most of the work will be in assignment and then rewrite. I have no idea why BPU gave me this awesome class, but I am properly thankful. ;-)

I’ve just graded my four (4!!!) papers and the “ajumma” is a wildly fluid writer. Long, loping sentences, when she makes a mistake she self-identifies and fixes them. My heart, it swells mightily; just the way the oversized heart of a fat man would right before it exploded.