Day 84: On Saturdays

As mentioned in passing on Day 90, my Saturdays are usually spent in Gangnam, where I teach an English class for adults. As these classes, the other teachers and the students have become such a big part of my experience, I thought I'd talk about I got these classes and what my Gangnam Saturdays are usually like. Today was an exception, as class was canceled for Buddha's Birthday and I spent the day chilling with John and Cody in Suji.

I first was introduced to the Saturday English Class, or as it was known then, Matthew's Club, by my good friend Travis. Travis is sadly long-returned to the States by now, but this was just when he was about to leave. Travis, Blake and Heather deserve an entry all to themselves at some point, but we'll just say for now that they are three of the coolest people I've known, and are missed greatly.

Anyway, Travis pulled me aside at Exit one Friday and told me that he had an opportunity for me. Next day, I was in Sinchon with him meeting Ian and Bin. Two weeks later, I was in Gangnam teaching the Matthew's club class, and for the introduction I owe Travis a great debt. Eventually, Bin split the group off from Matthew's Club, renaming it "Bean's English" and running things himself.

A typical Saturday would see me leaving Suji around 1:00 in the afternoon, hopping on a bus to Gangnam, often with Jeff, another English teacher for the club. Then, we'd meet Ian, Ashley, Meghan, Rachel, Kevin and Haeran at Dunkin' Donuts for Korean lessons. Ian and Ashley would alternately praise me and make me feel stupid in Korean for about two hours, and then the English class proper begins on the other side of the subway station, in a facility rentable by the hour for classroom-type activities.

I originally taught the most advanced students, including Ian, in English, but since we've added new classes and teachers and shuffled everything around, I now teach one of the lower-level classes, as the first native English teacher after they graduate from Bin's class. It's a very enjoyable class, almost entirely discussion-based, and lots of fun to teach.

After class, we always go out for food and drinks, at a number of regular location. Sometimes we go for "second round," at another location after that, sometimes "third round" ... you get the picture. It is unfailingly a wonderful time and I consider these folks to be great friends of mine.