Joel: It's Tuesday afternoon and currently in my classroom the end of year cub scouts party is beng held - Bo Hyun is also the scout leader. There are over sixty kids squashed around eight large tables blowing out candles on huge fancy cream cakes despite the fact it's nobodys birthday. Beforehand there was a presentation ceremony in the main hall but now they're all stuffing their faces on crisps and chocolate in the English classroom, I'm tucked away in the little office. I popped through briefly and tried some cake but I think now I'll leave them to conduct the clean-up operation without me.

Our temple stay was a facinating experience that will stay with me for a long time. I went there with an inquisitive open mind and a healthy respect for Buddhism but was surprised by a number of things. The monks were far less serious than I'd expected and the two who spoke at length to us both demonstrated a real sense of humour. I suppose you need it to get up at 3:45 every morning - especially in winter. But they were cool. And they seemed less iscolated from the modern world than I'd probably thought. One of them spoke about the difficulties of dealing with pressure from friends to drink soju when eating out in Seoul. The image that gave me of this shaven headed Bangladeshi in full robes out in Hongdae isn't one I'm fully sure I've got fully accurate, but there you go. They clearly take their Buddhism very seriously there, despite a slight divertion from traditional methods in the use of electric kettles, PC's and DVD players, all of which were in use in the complex. I wonder if any of them would secretly like an ipod? I'm sure they could find some of their mantras on Limewire.

But it was great to experience first hand the lifestyle they lead there. The chanting, the meditating and the prostrations particularly. My legs were up to doing the 108 prostrations but my body just isn't supple enough to cope with kneeling for any sustained period of time. It was a real killer at 4:30 in the morning to be squirming around the floor of a temple trying to find a comfortable position that gives the appearance of apropriate respectfulness. I didn't even come close. My experience definitely enhanced my respect for and understanding of Buddhism but I suppose it did leave me feeling that, like all religions, it's only really going to be appealing if you're generally unhappy with your life and are looking for something else. I suppose I'm just lucky that, right now, I am pretty happy. Nonetheless, Buddism rocks dude!!!

Since returning to school last week I've discovered there are going to be a few changes. On the last day before thw winter break, my principal declared at the staff meeting his intention to transform Bucheon-Dong into the best elementry school for English in the whole of Gyeonggi province (the rough equivilent of the North-West of England). He plans a lot of changes and when term started again last week, Bo Hyun was keen to find out my plans for next year so I told her we were leaving. The Korean teachers often change roles at the end of every year and she is currently deliberating about whether to request a different role herself. I think now, with the principal's new goal (I think he may be setting his sight a bit high but that's just me) and my departure bringing in a new native teacher (which could be a tricky adjustment for her if the new teacher is a bonehead) she plans to request to be homeroom teacher, which could leave me working with another new Korean English teacher for the last two months we're here. Of course, none of this is decided yet. The system works as follows: each teacher has to submit a form outlining the position they would like to begin in the the new term on March 2nd, then the principal decides who he would like to do each job before making an announcement on February 27th/28th. So, if you do the "math", that leaves approximately two days for each teacher to prepare for their new role, which could be massively different from the role they have now. Seems a bit crazy to me anyway.

Anyway, last night, I went out for dinner with all the teachers from my school. A kind of end of year dinner and a chance to say goodbye to some who are leaving. At he end, as we were about to leave, ther principal requested that I go over and have a drink with him. We shared a glass of Soju and then, with Bo-Hyun as translator, he asked about my plans. When I told him, he replied that he appreciated our situation and understood that we're a long way from home. Of course, we haven't mentioned a word about Thailand to anyone, partly because that's not concrete anyway, but it was good to get the whole thing out the way. I'm glad he didn't take offence to me rejecting his generosity and turning my back on Korea which, although it sounds ridiculous, I had thought was a possibility.

So now I have to prepare for an eight-day Spring camp to begin on Friday. I really can't complain. It means that I'll be back on three-hour days for two weeks. Could be much worse - much, much worse.