lock-in 11/11/11

It's Friday and tonight we're having the lock-in for the high school students.  The teachers and 11th grade students want to celebrate my birthday, so I got to choose the movie selection. I voted for the original Star Wars series, since so many students haven't seen it yet.  As a large cultural icon, I figured it'd be worth seeing.  Hope they like it.

Easing into the evening, there's a lot of Pepero sticks and even cake! Woo! Pepero is a  Korean pretzel stick snack, coated with chocolate, made by Lotte. They made up the holiday, Pepero Day, to celebrate 11/11, much like Hallmark invented some of it's own holidays. Good for sales. Today is particularly special with the 11/11/11 deal. I bought some sticks for my students earlier in the day. Movie is on, time to watch!

Well, mid-way through the second movie, the room is only half as full of students as it was for the first movie. I guess their generation just isn't with it. It has action, but it feels old, less professional in some ways. That's part of what I like about it.  I tried explaining to them that Luke Skywalker isn't the figure of interest to culture... it's Darth Vader, and Han Solo.

Finished the second movie! I'm not sure anyone can last through the third. I'm drowsy and feel like we should just call it a night, maybe finish the marathon during breakfast. Floating the idea, I'm quickly shot down. No! We'll watch all three, by golly! Ok ok! And here's a cake and birthday song for us November births! How kind! The other teachers got me some handy gifts. I'm surprised by their thoughtfulness.

Now in the third movie, and there's one student among all of us teachers. He's trying to fight the sleep that keeps him nodding off.  All the other students are in the hallways and rooms, playing games, talking and eating ramyun.  I take breaks from the movie now and again to see how the non-watchers are doing.. no worries. Time to finish up this movie.

Alright, students are now either talking or napping in various places, and it's 4am. I'm really tired, and regret having my contacts in instead of my glasses. Sandy, bleary. Because of a series of recent student murders in the area (from the University), plus the guy who "suicided" (which I mentioned a couple posts back, possibly murder), we are under orders to keep all the doors locked and not go anywhere all night. I'm sure it's paranoia, but I'll abide, scratchy, tired eyes and all. We're easing onto 5:30am and they've started making waffles in the kitchen for when it is breakfast time.

6:15am, time to let myself have a nap. The teacher's lounge has a beckon-some sofa.

7:15am, and almost all the students are gone. I missed breakfast. Wandering through the nearly empty school I can see that everything is cleaned up already. Amazing what can happen in a single hour.

I head home for some sleep. Waking, dozing, waking, it's time to go to a singing practice.  Three other teachers and myself are going to be performing next Saturday for the Thanksgiving festivities. This is one of three singing deals I got myself into. It's fun reading music again, and doing harmony parts. We have four part harmony, so I need to hold my own.  I love all this singing.

Time to rush, joining the Filipinos and some other nation-ers for char (meat skewers) and karaoke!  The meat is ok, but part of me feels like they're giving us the bad stuff. Chicken isn't cartilage.  I burn the toast which is on skewers as well. Terrible at this nonsense. Good fellowship, though. On to the singing!

The noraebang/ktv/karaoke place is the same one I've always gone to with the filipino group (I think this is my fourth time).  We get right into the familiar ones: the Carpenters, Mulan (the animated movie), BeeGees, and on to other more diverse stuff (Africa by TOTO).  Lots of fun. I think I'm getting better at singing loudly, with control. One of the filipinas dedicates a song to me, and I try not to reveal my discomfort. It's a very love songy song. We're here to celebrate my birthday. (c:

Sorry I don't have pictures included, I actually do have pictures from these events but they're still on the camera.