The Classroom

The building in which I teach is right next to the dorm that I live in. The building is 4 stories tall and there is also a basement that has a small gym, pool & ping pong room, plus a café (noodle shop). In the center of the building is a large marble staircase. No elevator.

It has been awhile since I’ve seen an elevator. I know that they have them here. There was a beautiful one in the Inchon airport; I didn’t recognize it as an elevator. Nearly every aspect of it was glass. I think that was the last one I saw. Korea just doesn’t respect the disabled like America does, but few countries do. Korea, relatively, isn’t that bad. There are a few ramps and handicapped parking spots. Also, I do see a few people in wheel chairs or walkers. It’s comforting to see once you start thinking about it. In Spain I saw very few. It was quite a socialist country but if you were disabled you could leave the house. I don’t know how a disabled person could survive in Madrid.

Back to the building, the third floor is where the International school has its classrooms and above that is the NPU office. It’s pretty nice, the only thing on the top floor is our office. I have my desk with my name on it, plus an old computer with pirated software on it. I walk up those large stairs about five times a day. Haven’t fallen yet.

The classroom is pretty nice too: stylish desks and chairs, good computer hooked up to a flat screen and a projector, nice lighting and white board… It’s set up for about 30 students. In the sophomore class, there are 10 students and in the freshman class there are 27. They’re all pretty friendly and not very formal with me like I kind of hoped for. It’d be nice to be this great respected professor and they listen and write down every word that I say. Oh well, maybe in China.

I’ll talk more about the school later. There’s a lot to say. I also want to write about their efficiency with energy use. Though I’m busy planning for my upcoming courses and the trip to China, I’ll probably get to it soon. There’s lots of surprise holidays coming my way.

--------
OK just to be clear, the students are respectful to the school and instructors but not much more than I was right after high school.