The Fire Drill and a day off

Tuesday:

• The biggest highlight of the day was THE fire drill.  So on Monday we had a drill for the fire drill.  I've heard rumors about how fire drills worked in Korean schools, but I was still unprepared/blown away. It was announced that at 2:00 we would start it and I would have no class because of it.  2:00 came and all of us in the office had to go outside.
• When we got there, we were briefed as to what will occur (at least I think this is what happened since it was all in Korean).  I was pretty distracted by all of the students hanging out of the windows and waving/seeing what was going on.  All of the teachers were outside so basically all of the students were inside without any adults, which is another thing that would never happen in the states.  Then we headed back inside and waited for it to officially begin.  I walked back inside and my co-teacher told me she had that she couldn't join me since her task was to shout "Fire! Fire!" throughout the hallways. And she told me I shouldn't be laughing and smiling so much since it was supposed to be serious.
• Next thing I knew some of the male teachers were getting a fire house set up and taking it outside.  Then it started.  I don't remember exactly everything that happened because it was just sensory overload.  Teachers were shouting, the PE teacher was outside soaking the front of the building with the fire hose, students were running outside towards the basketball court to get a good view of the action, and I was just standing there trying to take it all in.  I managed to make my way outside and I looked up to see what exactly the PE teacher was hosing down and I saw some purple smoke spewing from the fourth story window.  Apparently someone set off a smoke bomb to simulate the fire. I couldn't control myself as I burst into a fit of giggles.
• In the midst of my laughing, I hear my name being called from behind me.  I turned to see three of my students standing in the middle of the parking lot waving at me and shouting "Fire!" Then I saw an ambulance flying into the parking lot and heading directly towards my friendly but oblivious students.  I started shouting at them and waving them towards the basketball court before they get mowed down and one of the Korean teachers also warned them to get away and they finally did.
• I was then motioned to go towards the gazebo where a few of the other teachers were at and I just watched what happened.  A fire truck came after the ambulance and they also got their hose out and started soaking the school.  By this time, the purple smoke bomb has gone out so it's just spraying the school for fun.  Then I see someone in the corner of my eye and it appears to be a student being carried off by two teachers in a stretcher to the ambulance where he is loaded in. Eventually the fire truck discontinues the soaking of the school and leaves the premises with the ambulance and we all calmly head back inside like nothing happened.  This concludes the most interesting and hilarious fire drill I have ever and probably ever will see.
• I also went out to lunch with a few teachers beforehand.  Only my co-teacher was an English teacher so they all did not really speak English expect for a few words here and there.  So it was mostly just me eating a fish soup and nodding and smiling. I would answer some things here and there through my co-teacher.  We all really wish we could speak with each other and my co-teacher has told me this before, but unfortunately, it really isn't possible with our language abilities :( We are still trying though and we are planning on meeting at least once a week or so to try it out and see what we can do.  It can be very frustrating sometimes when we all really are interested in getting to know each other but simply don't know how.

Wednesday:

• I have a day off!  I slept in very late, woke up and had a small breakfast, did some laundry, got some lunch, and have pretty much been loafing around.  I had a break because students are taking another test of some sort so I have no classes.  A couple of my host sisters friends came over.  I was putting my laundry on the drying rack and I hear a bunch of girls come to my door and say "Hello" and then I hear one "Hey what's up?" in perfect English and with no Korean accent. I looked up and saw all Korean school girls, but apparently one of them has lived in Canada for several years so she is completely fluent and doesn't have an accent at all!  Just goes to show you that you never know who speaks fluent English here!