Did that just happen........

Today I had what I am referring to as one of my Top 5 weirdest experiences working at a Kindergarten in Korea. (I might actually have to publish a list with pictures on here in a future post because I promise, it would be an entertaining read.)


We knew there was going to be a fire drill at 11:30. I strongly suggested that we asked if we were allowed to warn the kids about this fire drill, since we have never had one and also never ever discuss what to do in the event of a fire. Clearly if left unwarned, the kids would freak out, there'd be tears, it would be weird...

SO.

I told my kids we were having a fire drill. I explained that its so so fun and not scary. I told them how excited they should be because sometimes my kids scare easy.

I drew a picture of a clock at 11:30 on the board and at about 11:28, we turned our chairs with the back to the board and stared at the clock with our hands on our ears. I reminded them when it rings, we stand up nicely, we don't scream and we follow Kristen Teacher outside. "So so easy! So so FUN!"

The bell rang, we exited the building and ended up in the parking lot.

Once outside, my boss started speaking to the kids in Korean (all serious instructions to them are in Korean/many still don't speak English since the school year only started 2 months ago). In my mind, all that's being said is "So guys, hey, how are ya, we're outside because this is what we do if there's a fire. You did a great job. Let's go inside." Finished.





And then I see it.

PLEASE click to enlarge. There is a bus driver setting a fire in the parking lot of our school in the middle of our FIRE SAFETY lesson........

Immediately, I love this. I'm excited. I can't wait to see what's next. I didn't even notice the fire extinguishers when we walked outside until my boss pointed at them and told the teachers to demonstrate how to put out a fire.

I am very excited to cross off "Use a fire extinguisher" from my mental bucket list. I make a bee-line to the closest one and assume the position.

Stop talking and let me do ittttttt.

I WILL SAVE YOU CHILDREN!!!!!! 

Sadly, my extinguisher failed (making it the forth out of 5 present extinguishers to be faulty... Ask me about how safe I feel here after the Fire Safety demonstration...)

It got very smokey very quickly.

And we all re-entered the building smelling like smoke.

And this kid got fire extinguisher fluid in his hair lmao

In closing,

Although I have only had one fire "drill" (even though its not a drill because 'drill' implies practice, and this was clearly a real life fire situation) while working in Korea, I must assume the following:

*Fire drills in Korea are merely, as everything else, photo opps to get some great pics for the website

*In Korea, you shouldn't assume that there won't be a real fire during your fire drill

*Bus drivers, and this has been proven to me many times, will literally do anything that they are told

You cannot tell me that any of these are untrue because 100% of my fire drill experiences have proven these to be facts.

Today was weird.