I had no idea what ‘desk-warming’ was until I dame to Korea. At first, I thought the term was kind of stupid, but now I realize it fits perfectly. Desk-warming is when you are contractually obligated to show up at your school but you don’t actually have to teach any classes, so you just sit at your desk all day long. Is it called this because you’re camped out on your office chair kind of like a mother penguin or other type of bird nesting on top of its eggs? I kind of feel like a penguin right now. But only because it’s kind of chilly today.

People online are always whining about desk-warming. “Ughhhh, I’m so bored. I would rather be teaching. Blah, blah, blah.” Yes, it’s true that desk-warming can sometimes be boring, and you need to make sure you get up and walk around every so often so you don’t develop blood clots in your legs, but desk-warming is such a godsend. 

For example, today during work I will update my Tumblr, respond to a lot of emails I’ve been neglecting, find a place to go out for dinner and drinks in Apgujeong tonight, go shopping on GMarket, watch some TV shows, nap in the English room, play games on my phone, and maybe go buy some groceries. I am getting paid to do this. And I might work on some lesson plans if I feel like it.

The office is soooo nice now. There are only a few other teachers here, and we’re all quietly doing our own thing. All I can hear the soft sounds of papers being shuffled and keyboard keys being tapped, and there are rays of bright yellow morning sunshine streaming in from the windows. Pretty sure I’m about to fall asleep any minute now. Zzzzzz.