It's October Already?

I've been neglecting this blog since I created it sometime ago.

There has so much that has happened this past few months. The only thing I can think about nowadays is: "Wow, where has the time gone?" and "What's going to happen when I graduate?" Over the summer I was crazy and not only did I do SPOP but I also took 20 units through UCI Extension to obtain my TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language Credential. It was intense. I was in class, the gym, at SPOP, or hanging out with the homies the entire summer.

The TEFL Certificate Program was pretty cool, we had a bunch of classes that included theory, teaching practice, grammar, and all these other classes. I still need to brush up on my grammar a bit more, however. I've always been doing my research on teaching opportunities abroad when I graduate and it seems that South Korea is the place I want to go through the most. I've heard of programs like EPIK and SMOE that the government offers. I know one the SPOP Coordinators is doing SMOE right now and that's the program the job placement assistant person at UCI Extension recommended.

I also need to get myself a conversation partner. I should do that sometime this week.

Recently, I started a new job as a server at a Taiwanese restaurant called Guppy House in Irvine. I had to train in Hacienda Heights, about forty minutes away, for three days and then we started at Irvine two weeks ago. The first day the restaurant opened was crazy. I was yelled at by customers and by my manager. Customers got up and left because of the chaos we had that first day and to top it off, we had a dine and dash. I felt so bad.

But it started to get better. Much better. I started to learn how to serve better, speak to customers, learning the menu a bit more, smile a lot more, all the good stuff. I realized that, as a server, if I don't smile - how can I expect my customers to smile?

If you don't smile, then they have won. It's amazing what a smile can do, it might even make someone's day. I hope I have while at work. Actually, I hope I do everyday.