SUMMER WORK
RETREAT

 

 

This is something I need to remember to do more often. I've discovered a whole new, not so happy side to myself when it comes to dealing with teaching children who either don't want to be taught or who are just too hyper to be taught. I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed, in part because of misbehaving and overly hyper children, but a larger contributor was actually stress from the higher ups at work (I won't get into the nitty gritty details except to say it was an issue with our school's director who was overworking everyone, but he has since been fired which makes everyone much happier). So I was at this point of almost breaking down when the school principal announced a work retreat (for everyone except our troublesome director). The principal's parents owned a small motel up north in the countryside at which they kindly offered to host us for a weekend.

 

We left Friday night after work (probably around 8) and didn't arrive at the motel until 10. We were greated by our principal's parents who were both amazing people. They had prepared a wonderful feast of some basic Korean foods and also barbequed us up some hot dogs and some pork ribs (YUMMMMM!!!!!!). Needless to say it was delicious. We enjoyed our feast out back on the porch. After dinner was finished some of us went over to enjoy the view (the motel was on the water front of a river) and others decided to break out the soju (Korean alcohol) and relieve stress the Korean way. Needless to say I did not participate in that part. We stayed up pretty late talking. A few of us snuck of to bed early (2am) while others held out a little longer (3:30am...that was me) and the rest didn't make it to bed until around 4:30am.

This was the view from my room :) Relaxing, isn't it?

We had a nice little porch area (I was on the first
floor.)

Here's a view from the outside.

And here's the outside at a different angle.

All of us enjoying the amazing food!

More yumminess :)

We all woke up the next morning, some of us to some surprises...

David got the brunt of the attack.

Here he is showing off his battle
scars at the dock.

We had originally planned to leave around 11 the next morning after a nice breakfast and a walk around the neighborhood. But after the boys discovered there was a dock nearby with boats and other water games available, they convinced some of us to stay behind and enjoy the water a little. I was a little sad I couldn't go swimming, but we hadn't been informed the motel was by the water so no one packed swimming stuff. The boys got by with their shorts, but unfortunately I had brought jeans and my long batman pj bottoms were not exactly made for swimming...But I had fun anyway :)

Our group :) Don't we look happy?

The boys. Pretty handsome bunch, yes?

Getting ready for some fun in the water.

Shoving off.

And they're off!

We got some nice spray while out boating :)

Some more fun and games on the water.

This one was quite the experience (the boys had to do it a dozen
times until they got it right).

 

I don't know exactly what this contraption is called, but I took some videos of them trying it out. I have more than what I uploaded (mostly of them trying and failing). The hardest part was them jumping and falling in sync with the other person.

 

One of the first attempts.

 

 

Still trying to get it right.

 



 

And finally success!!!

 

So that was our work retreat. We didn't do a whole lot, but it was an absolutely glorious escape from kids, work, stress, and the city. Sometimes you just need an escape :)