Wednesday, July 02, 2008

전지현을 만났어

Advanced 3 at SKS started yesterday. When I arrived at school yesterday, I noticed something quite different. Notices were pasted around the school. The notice informed us of our course teacher and classroom. We were also instructed to gather at the school hall at 7pm (for the opening ceremony). Things weren't like that before. Previously, we could only find out about our teacher and classroom at the notice pasted outside the admin office. After knowing the exact classroom to go to, we just find our way there and wait for our lesson to start. I was so used to starting the first day of a new term without fanfare and then suddenly, I was surprised yesterday.

At about 10 mins to 7pm, students were ushered, by our teachers, into the hall. We were made to form columns, in front of the stage, according to our class. There are 7 classes this term, namely Elementary 1-3, Intermediate 1 and Advanced 1 and 3. Obviously missing are Intermediate 2 and Advanced 2. Once everyone had settled down, our school principal was invited to the stage for the opening address. He asked if he should speak in Korean or English. Almost all the students replied, "영어로" (in English). He then asked if he is to speak in Korean, how many students can understand. Only one student raised his hand. He looked like a foreigner by the way and everyone laughed when he did that because we knew he was joking. I guess our principal had no choice but to address us in simple English. The opening ceremony was a very simple affair which lasted only about 10 mins. Now that SKS has made it a routine to start each term with an opening ceremony, perhaps I should ask our principal to have a "graduation" ceremony for our A3 class at the end of this term.

After the ceremony, we followed our teacher to our classroom at Block B Room 3-3. It is back to big classroom, a reprieve for me after having to endure being squeezed into a small room during A2. While waiting for the rest of our classmates, who were apparently late, we chit-chatted with our teacher. This was how our teacher introduced herself. "I am the real Jeon Ji Hyeon. The actress, Jeon Ji Hyeon, is fake. Actress Jeon Ji Hyeon is actually born Wang Ji Hyeon. She copied my name and then shot to fame at my expense.", She said jokingly. I believe it was not the first time she gave that sort of introduction. She probably said the same thing to all her previous classes because, just like she said, people will forever remember her after that. From our chit-chat, I got to know that Ms Jeon is also teaching the primary 6 class during the day. Primary 6 is a very important level in SKS as the school has set the target for all their Korean students to make it into the top 30 secondary schools in Singapore. I guess the teacher who is assigned to the class should naturally be the best in SKS. If that is true, this term is set to be a very beneficial term for all of us.

It was a long wait for the rest of our classmates. Once a while there would be someone opening our classroom door only to quickly close it again. It was apparent that they got the wrong classroom. Their classroom is probably Block A Room 3-3 and ours is Block B Room 3-3. Frankly, Block A or B is rather meaningless because SKS is just one building. The school could well end the confusion by re-numbering their classrooms. Anyway, our teacher told us that her hometown is Busan and Haeundae is like 5 mins drive away from her home. She is definitely one proud Busanite because she spoke so fondly about Busan. Busan is no doubt a beautiful place but I am not really interested in knowing where to go in Busan since I am just back from there a few months ago. Actually I am more interested in learning Busan 사투리 (dialect). I have already dropped her hint to teach us to speak like Busanite.

The final count for our class size is five. Just enough to make a class. I was so grateful when our last two classmates reported for class. If not for them, A3 may just have to be closed. Anyway, its history now. Our first lesson was quite packed. We did two listening passages, learned a nursery rhyme, played word guesing game and practised two grammars "~지" and "~고 해서" all within one and a half hour. When our lesson ended, we were the last class to leave the school. It was a good start, with good teacher and good classmates. What else can I ask for? I shall stop here for now as I need to do my homework and study for tomorrow dictation.

4 comments:

  1. oh! u got my teacher!! hahahaha. :D

    she's a nice lady. :)

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  2. You will have to say she is nice cos' she bought you a cake. Remember? Haha...

    ReplyDelete
  3. haha. cake aside, she's really nice. :D

    ReplyDelete