I've just started with this new Korean kindergarten here in Shanghai, and so far it's going OK. I'm the first (and the only) English teacher, which means that there is quite a bit of pressure, especially in these first few days, when the parents stay to watch the classes.

For the time I'm there, I have to be a 100% Bubbly All-smile Teacher, which I have to admit, is thoroughly exhausting. This is especially true with the younger ones (3 to 4 years old), who are very inclined to just run around which make them a nightmare to manage. Even the simplest games fail spectacularly. My incapability to understand what they say in Korean doesn't help. The only things which appear to engage them are songs, drawing and watching kindergarten videos. The older students (up to 7 years old) are much more responsive to me as they already can communicate a bit with me in English.

It is such a joy to see the children react postively to you, laugh gleefully, learn and have fun in general, but the amount of energy you must put in is enormous. Hopefully it'll get better as they get used to me. And if it doesn't, it'll be for only two months anyway, if it were for much longer, I'd probably 'burn out'...