From the Mixed Up Files of a Substitute Teacher

Obsession (not the perfume)

2011-07-16T23:09:00.002-05:00

A friend and I were in St. Louis's Loop district and passed by a store front that featured a tall vase made up of noses and a shorter vase that was boobs. Both caught my attention (while one caught his attention more than the other) and I mentioned that I loved how quirky they were, but would prefer to display the boob one over the nose one (the nose one was slightly creepy) I love weird and quirky decorations. I own several pieces (a six foot mummy by the "name" of Horas and a tin suit of armor I call Sir Griffith to name two of my favorite pieces)

This lead to a discussion of odd objects that we almost cannot resist wanting or wishing to imitate (for example my dad has a collection of meat grinders he plans on turning into lamp after seeing one made and a cousin turned non-working kitchen appliances into lamps). My major obsession would be picture frames,vases and blankets. My mother is all about dishes. I know a gal who cannot pass up a sale of office supplies (she cleans out her closet to donate most of them twice a year, but still buys knowing she might never use, but never knowing when they will come in handy); and a guy who has at least three dozen sets of socket wrenches. When my brother was younger he loved flashlights and batteries and a cousin has scissors of every shape, size, colour and edge.

Anyway, a discussion of quirky obsessions ensued. I just thought it was interesting how everyone seems to have things they cannot seem to pass up and always tend to look at beyond the "typical" (jewelry. shoes, books for example) and I am not meaning actual collections (water globes or animals or touristy souvenirs) When we polled the group with us people admitted to being "obsessed" with: hangers, pens, manicure sets (nail clippers/files etc), ribbon, empty beer and wine bottles (quoted: "they may come in handy for something")... hmmm I wonder how soon we should be calling the Clean House team or Hoarders?

Royal Fever

2011-07-05T20:40:00.001-05:00

Let’s talk about royal fever – specifically of the British variety. Let’s even begin by digressing slightly. Why are we (collectively as American’s) so obsessed with the British Monarchy? The monarchy has been merely ceremonial for a few hundred years, but still we wait and watch and judge and wish: to see the hats, to curtsey, to try to get a guard to smile. My best guess is that as a European nation it is whom America is closest too. Britain is the divorced Great Uncle to the United States and though we are no longer related we know we have to still support him while he lives.

Speaking of living, NEWSWEEK, has a cover on which they have aged the former Princess Di and placed her “walking” with the current Princess of Wales. I remember Diana’s death; it was after The Notorious B.I.G. and before Mother Teresa’s. One is near saint-hood, the other remains true to his name and Diana is still causing controversy. Why does her death and her sons’ wedding cause so many Americans to stay up late and set TIVO’s? Is it the psychological representation of what can never happen to an American girl? The closest thing America once had to Prince was JFK JR. and I still remember when his plane crashed. Grandma, Aunt Sis and I were garage sale-ing and when they heard we had to rush home and Grandma didn’t move from the TV for days. She kept saying it was just like when his father passed.

I was not yet born for the wedding of Charles and Diana, but upon asking people who were I found that most of them had stayed up to watch. These same people watched her funeral and mourned her as once Americans mourned FDR. Somehow they are a part of the collective us. Of course it helps that the media helps by featuring these weddings and funerals (from JFK through Will and Kate).

I admit watched the Royal Wedding. I judged her dress and the ceremony. I waited for the kiss. I bought the Vanity Fair and Special Edition Times magazine talking about the wedding. I have now bought the controversial cover of Diana and Kate. I wonder if our (my) infatuation will end or deepen as the only monarch several generations have known (Queen Elizabeth II) passes, Charles abdicates (as he will most likely do due to his marriage to Camille and overall disgrace his subjects hold over him), Harry also marries and finally William and Harry continue the Windsor lineage.

Someday I will return to London. I will continue to study the monarchy and hope to get a glimpse of the Queen someday. I will not read an article about reality TV shows or listen to Charlie Sheen rant on you-tube, but I will wish to attend an event that might allow me to cross paths with the eligible Prince Harry and famiy…

Cannibalism in Middle Schools

2011-05-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

“Let’s eat Grandma!” vs. “Let’s eat, Grandma!” the first was the grammatically correct choice of 7 per 10 of my English students. Correct grammar might just save the life of your grandmother…

"everything else is Asia"

2011-05-04T21:21:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time a friend and I drank in a bar and meet a man who said that “everything was Asia” with the exception of a few select countries. Today I learned that old drunk Dutch men are not the only people who have trouble with geography… did you know that:

Mexico is not part of North America or South America. (To be fair we asked if they thought it was part of Central America and they were able to correctly state that Central America is not a separate continent…) They connected Mexico with Spain and correctly stated that Mexico couldn’t be part of Europe (though their reasoning was that it was larger than Europe and thus couldn’t be part of that continent…) In the end we never were able to decipher who they believed Mexico belonged to, but I think I finally got him to understand that Mexico is part of North America.

However, (oh yes, there is still a however) one of the arguments he continued to lobby against Mexico being a part of North America is that it is not ‘civilized’ because you cannot drink the water. To which another student piped-up “What about Canada?” thinking that Canada was not civilized either (as she explained: it has moose) and knowing it is a part of North America would render the idea that only civilized nations are part of the North American continent.

I hope that he plans on never venturing farther than necessary throughout his life.

Truth and Ignorance

2011-05-02T09:06:00.001-05:00

Now pre-teens are my favorite, they have been given just enough knowledge to be dangerous to themselves and those who listen to them. They have a wealth of information all around them, but only seem to remember and know the most illogical information…

Some more wisdom: this time from health class:

If a woman is raped her body goes into shock and she cannot conceive… so having abortion if raped is not justifiable because you can’t get pregnant from rape

The former sums up a twenty-minute conversation about abortions in health. A rape scenario was proposed with a woman’s right to choose or not to terminate her pregnancy based upon emotional trauma. A student voiced her opinion as above stated while several other students agreed…

Oh and on the subject of health class do you know how twins are formed? I will give you a hint: it is not because an egg cell splits into two or that two eggs get fertilized…but a matter of cloning! That’s right… Scientists figured out cloning during the 50’s and that is why we have twins. Triplets and beyond are a glitch in the cloning system and fraternal twins are experiments on choice features that will soon be offered to everyone who wants to design their child.

I'm Back...

2011-04-27T22:25:00.001-05:00

Howdy.

Again a hiatus of sorts, but I cannot apologize as there was not enough time, energy or enthusiasm to participate in the blogosphere. However, I am going to try again-ish. So today I am going to enlighten the readers on the wisdom of our middle schoolers:

Teacher: “Who can tell me about the war of 1812?”
Student: “The war of 1812 wasn’t fought in 1812.”
Teacher: “Can you expand on that thought?”
Student: “Well, the War of 1812 was actually fought in 1949 when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.”
Teacher: “Excuse me? Is that supposed to be funny?”
Student: (dead pan and serious as if feelings hurt) “Huh?”

Now I have gone over and over this conversation with the teacher this occurred with. And the fact that this student is who he is makes the difference. This student does not get ‘funny’ has no concept of humor and seriously believed that he knew what was going on that day in class.

And while we are in the realm of history and geography here are a few more of m favorite moments:

Student 1: “Did we get potatoes from the Irish?”
Student 2: “No! We got them from God!”
(no comment… what kind of follow up can you really give… other than a “Stop talking)

Student 1: “How do you spell Mississippi?”
Student 2: “The river or the state?”
Student 3: “why does it matter they are spelled the same!”
Student 2: “nu-uh!”
Student 3: “w.o.w…”

This went on for about five minuets with various members of the class chiming in and me wanting to see how far it might go thus saying nothing. Finally we wrote it out on the board to visualize the correct answer…

Poetry? Opinion needed

2010-12-12T23:10:00.001-06:00

“I love this cultural hell that tests my youth.” ~Claude McCay

Middle School … Jr. High
interim adult and child
I.S.S. In School Suspension
like Ginuwine one Last Chance.
A complete vacuum
occupying space between cubic zirconia
adorned ears. Vocabularies of panicking
aspidistras. Alpha Preteens moving
gravitational forces of exclusion.
Black holes of pop culture. Wannabes
self-respect left on Daddy’s one night sta-
nds bathroom floor with Mommy’s boyfriend.
If it happens before puberty it doesn't count.
With absence we find other amusements.

a small rant

2010-12-12T23:09:00.001-06:00

You shoulda been more “pacific!”
Really? How Pacific do you want me to be, cause I prefer to be Atlantic…”

*instead of saying specific…they didn’t understand the sarcasm…

Today I am kinda worried and pissed off at some of my middle school students. Their ignorance and rudeness can really cut through the heart some days. For some of these children their really is no hope and or others they will get more than they can imagine, but they have to make it through their preteen and teen years…

A lesson in “old school”

Topic of discussion: Courtious. Who, what, when, etc…

Me to class: “Can you name some people who are courteous?”
Class: “Eminem”
Me: “really eminem is courteous? What has he done to make you say that—you have to explain it to me…
Class: “well he can be sometimes…”
Me: “Who would you say is not courteous then?”
Class: “Rhianna”
Me: “So, Rhinanna is not courteous, but Eminem is?”
Class: “maybe…”
Me: “What about Martin Luther King Jr.?”
Class: YEAH! Defiantly”
Me: “How about Gandhi or Mother Teresa?”
Class: “who’s they?” “Oh ya, Gandhi..but who’s Mother Teresa? …She old school or something?

Lesson 2 “Who Cares”

Topic of Discussion: Personal Responsibility

Me to class: “Anne Frank…who can tell me about her?”
Boy 1: “isn’t she that girl…lived in a house?”
Rest of Class: *look of puzzlement… familiar name-ish, but really no clue”

So I talk about Anne Frank…the following day…the same conversation…

Final Lesson: “AIDS”

As was WORLD AIDS DAY and I support the idea that with more resources by 2015 the spread of AIDS could be completely controlled and possibly eliminated. According to the International organization for the awareness and prevention of AIDS over 33 million people have HIV/AIDS and almost 3 million of those are children under the age of 15.

At the mention of /reading of the word “AIDS” the kids FREAK OUT!!!

“I don’t wanna be talkin’ bout no AIDS”
“Can’t you get that by touchin people”
“Your supposed to be my math teacher today…what’s AIDS gotta do with math?”
“AIDS is nasty…you nasty talking bout it!”
“Ha! What a flame: (“new” slang term I learned basically to put a person down) I can tell people “you got AIDS” GREAT idea”

Which leads me to the final part of my rant today (outside of the grammar rant I will add later) That I am so tired of hearing the “FLAME FEST” that goes one between students (supposedly playful banter that is derogatory)

“Your chin; your face; your lips; you fat; that’s gay/you gay; your daddy; your momma; and my favorite: you ugly (simple and to the point)

What really gets my goat is that they get angry when someone says something about them, but it is always “just a joke” when they say something about another person. I have broken up fights for a person beating another at hangman and one for saying that they are too stupid to put together a certain puzzle. I have also consoled three people today who ended up bawling over the superficial comments made by a peer and written up three who solved the problem of “verbal banter” with fists.

I am so worried and frustrated that you can only do so much for and with the kids to try to combat these issues. They are living by negative examples with a mentality of “everyone is against me and I am what the universe meant by amazing”…

Post Thanksgiving

2010-12-12T23:06:00.000-06:00

As, again and always I have been slacking in the promised story department. In reality you cannot be as disappointed as I am because the kids have giving me some amazing stories to share… in the wow did that really happen sense! But first we have also missed a holiday---Happy Belated Thanksgiving! And in the spirit of thanks I would like to share with you Thanksgiving as told by a reading class of 6 year olds:

Thanksgiving si ged. (Thanksgiving is good)

I like Thanksgiving when I can play-I like to play on Thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving because it is special and we can cook and we can be thankful and we can be my favorite day and we can have friend and we can be good friend and we can be kind.

I’m thankful for water.

Thanksgiving is my favorite year.

Thanksgiving is fun. You can cook. You can make all kinds of things Thankful for you and me. You can look pretty. I am thouful (thankful) for me. Are you thouful (thankful) for me

Thanksgiving is my favorite thing to do.

Mariam Estelle

2010-11-19T08:52:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned for pictures with Santa!

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo...

2010-11-14T22:36:00.000-06:00

While purusing one of my favorite sites (Mental Floss) a sentence was shared:–”Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.” now as I was terribly confused I enquired further and found this:

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.–is actually a valid and grammatically correct sentence.

To understand the above sentence, you need to know that the word “buffalo” appears as three different parts of speech:

1. adjective – Used to describe a variety of buffalo from the city of Buffalo.
2. noun – A bison animal.
3. verb – To bully or intimidate.

This sentence becomes a little easier to understand if you substitute “bison” for the noun version of buffalo, and “bully” for the verb version of buffalo:

Buffalo bison Buffalo bison bully bully Buffalo bison.

Here is another way to understand what the sentence is saying:

THE buffalo FROM Buffalo WHO ARE buffaloed BY buffalo FROM Buffalo, buffalo OTHER buffalo FROM Buffalo.

I am still confused.

Repression is sometimes a good thing...

2010-11-05T10:15:00.000-05:00

It is a semi-formed Deja-Vu; just recently flashbacks have become their vivdest. See, the middle school that I attended is where I have been a “math” teacher for the past week. The first time I subbed it was a little weird, but it was a short assignment and was surreal, but uneventful; I mostly noted the differences between then and now. However, this is the week before Halloween. And I have been here for five steady days with the same group of students and teachers.

What have been vague subconscious memories of first time experiences and adolescent extremes are flooding back as I walk the halls, see familiar faces and recognize friends and myself in the unchanging examples of pre-teen youth.

There are still the “Breakfast Club” clichéd. The ones who push the limits, who don’t care and who just want some attention. I find middle school the easiest and most fun of the grades to teach in the U.S. right now. They test a teacher. Testing limits of patience and inner strength, this same patience and strength, which allows for men to climb Mt. Everest. They want attention, freedom and for the future to be today. It is this drive for the future and their determination to drive towards breaking the will of the folks around them that make for such an interesting day.

The Halloween dance is tonight. There are still the students who think it is too lame to attend. The ones who are “super excited and have the best costumes ever!!!” and the ones who will go, but make fun of it the whole time they are there.

I remember that my Uncle Charlie chaperoned the eighth grade Halloween dance. I remember when my friend Irene freaked out the night we had a sleep over when her then boyfriend, Travis, admitted to smoking pot. Irene broke up with him and I was intrigued, but he told me I wasn’t allowed to try pot. I wasn’t that type of girl. I remember painting the murals that still adorn the walls. The first heartache, the first adventures of trying to do everything…It all came back this week—memories of awkward moments that have been repressed for years and that I will repress again tonight, because why would anyone want to go back when they can keep moving forward?

2010-11-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time I stopped living in Korea. Homesick for my family (guilty for causing them sadness) and a decent shower (not that they didn’t have good showers, but you would have to be there to really understand) and great Mexican food I returned to St. Louis…Now I am a substitute teacher and an Elf as Bass Pro (again)…It is these newer stories that will entertain you…they certainly entertain me!

Also...

2010-09-29T11:25:00.001-05:00

How did my blog end up as a spam post for folks from China? I might have to start a new when I am seriously posting again...

Update? ish

2010-09-29T11:22:00.001-05:00

There is no way to really catch up after my anti-internet bit. So I will start fresh…I am less inclined to my culture shock, but still having difficulty remembering words such as “water,” “right,” “left,” and “really.” The bowing at everybody is becoming less frequent and I am not as shocked when stores give you bags without having to pay for them.

Anyway I worked at Gold’s gym. I no longer work at Gold’s gym. I am substitute teaching. I am still cleaning and working on the house to earn my keep. And mostly I am restless; fighting the urge to be selfish and go in the spring. I doubt I will win against myself.

And so it goes...

2010-08-05T23:30:00.001-05:00

2010-06-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

When can I do what I want without guilt?

2010-05-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

If I do it I am hurting my family. Hurting them hurts me. When does being selfish win?

2010-05-17T10:31:00.001-05:00

I am feeling strangely optimistic today, but I’m sure that will pass with anything that does not go my way very soon. Nothing is really changing, but I am accepting things a little better and trying to make some decisions: mostly about where to go/not go and what to do; though truthfully I am no closer to an answer than I was. I do feel sorry for the ones around me who have to deal with the ups and downs, but I always feel bad for anyone that has to deal with that.

Okay well try to have a swell day!

Ramblings on Strength of Character...

2010-05-11T00:14:00.001-05:00

I wish I could have the confidence to be as strong as Amanda…as the ones who beat cancer, death/ life threatening anything. To persist and move on as the ones who have survived devastating natural disasters destroying homes and families. They rebuild and fight for their lives again. I would be the one who cannot forget the past enough to build a new future. I am my Grandmother, Aunt and Mother. (not meant to be offensive -just a fact of depression) Correction I am the one who is having trouble forgetting the past to build a new future.

I wish I did not have the guilt that wanting to live life as I choose brings me because I am deserting and leaving my family. I want to be able to set out without that guilt keeping me from entirely experiencing the moments that are truly spectacular in life. I want to not feel selfish every time I go to a friends house to hang out and my Mom is at home alone while my dad is in class and my brother is out living on his own.

But as I whine and wallow I know that my problems are NOTHING compared to people suffering from the real problems of the world. I am just a 23 year old who was living and working abroad to try to pay the bills she cannot pay for goofing off for four collegiate years and who doesn’t know what to do next. I have a roof over my head and family and friends who love and support me (really thanks again to some of you)…

Why do I let the depression get to me???

Do you ever have that dream you are walking down one path and you see what seems to be a shortcut through a swampy area and so you tramp off the path in a semi excited manner thinking you will be to the ends sooner than expected. However, the terrain shifts, muddier and soggier ground slowing you down and at one point you are stuck; wondering if it is worth continuing. You let the ground begin swallowing you. You know you are not really ready for the end, but the more you struggle with it the tighter it holds you as you wait for the sun to dry the swamp so that you can resume your progress. All you can do is wait and listen and watch…

At night I have trouble sleeping. Dreams filled with subconscious worries, fears and doubts. There are no regrets in the truest sense as this too shall pass. It has just been two months, but the reverse culture shock and the hating and the wishing and wanting are not going away…If you have yet to see Avenue Q you should it is most of my friends and my life in song with puppets. I am trying to find the positives…I really am…I will…

Do you know how much I admire your strength? Your love and compassion? How much of an inspiration you really are to me…Thank you and you and you…

Obligatory Quick Catch-Up

2010-04-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

I haven’t written since Uncle Manuel’s death. Mostly there is little to say. I miss having a classroom full of kids-the best part of being abroad was the kids. I miss the respect for self and learning that the children had. I am “working” at Gold’s Gym. The children there have little to no respect for themselves or each other. They also have a hard time speaking English. “I wants paper.” Is what I was told/asked for…again I just don’t understand.

I did make it to Wichita and some Wichiaians made it to STL. It was wonderful to see and do and talk to all of them again. I miss being around Wichita and all of the college folks…

None the less things have been fairly busy-ish and boring-ish to some degree. I expected to be going abroad again around this time and find myself working here in Florissant and interviewing for possible longer term employment here in Florissant and even looking at serious schooling again (masters in education or athletic training…my death studies will have to wait for a doctorate)… If you have information on Thailand, or someplace tropical without the TEFL certificate requirement then please let me know…or if I can get the money together I will be doing a TEFL masters in Thailand…

There’s your update…not very interesting but something to read…

Tribute

2010-03-18T19:02:00.001-05:00

Two weeks home today. And I am exhausted right now. The first week was basically jet lag free(!), but for two days I have begun to drag. Luckily my excuse isn’t only jet lag. Our family suffered the loss of a man who was so full of life that even in death he was the party.

This man was my Uncle Manuel. He was Mexican. He was 70 years old. He was told he only had weeks to live—five years ago! He is the man who taught me to be skeptical, to properly shoot tequila and to laugh loud and hearty. He never met a stranger or showed anyone anything but love and even when he was in pain he was comforting them around him. I could watch his hands work for hours as he would upholster this and that while whistling mariachi tunes and singing a happy ditty. He will live in our hearts and what he has taught us we will teach to the next generation. He was amazing; his legacy and influence already spans generations and will never be forgotten.

Back on Amercian Soil

2010-03-18T19:01:00.001-05:00

I know that I had things to type and may get to them eventually when things finally begin to settle down. Quick note to those that were able to come to my welcome home party a while ago now---THANKS it was a wonderful evening and a great chance to begin to catch up and see everyone.

Home at last

2010-03-05T21:55:00.000-06:00

Home at last Home at last...a reflection piece on that soon, but first some stuff pre-"home at last"

I am currently 90% packed. I have a few things I could be doing, but am wondering which of those things are worth doing. I am at capacity of caring beyond this moment. I am dreading the bus ride followed by a flight a flight and a flight. According to my itinerary I will arrive in St Louis a mere 7 hours after my initial flight or 13 hours from the time I leave my apartment here in Gwang-Ju. However, 17:30 in St. Louis on a Thursday night is 8:30 Friday morning to me currently thus giving me closer to 26 hours of travel time…UHG!

I am rather happy with being finished packing before I have to actually leave the apartment and should I become ambitious in the next few hours I can go to a coffee shop or some other place and post or wait until I go to the airport. We will see what happens…

In the mean time I have composed a couple of “top numbers” for you to enjoy. They are like top ten’s, but most categories do not have ten items…

Top Cabbies:
1. By far my favorite cabbie this year and it will be VERY hard to ever beat him out is the Cabbie from Insadong to Iteawon in Seoul who played and sang us (Brooke and Sarah in the back seat and I in the passenger) 50 music and tried to say I was like Rita Hayworth. This is the same guy who asked me to marry him and for a kiss and almost got into an accident looking in the rearview mirror at Brooke and Sarah naming them various stars and having to show us his “best driver award.” What tops the cake is that as he dropped us off at our destination he kept staring at us and then we heard that sound of car on car. He drove away still looking at us into a car that was pulling around him. It was both drivers faults for the accident, but I still feel a little sorry for “Elvis.”

2. Number 2 is harder to place. It is actually a tossup between this one and the number three guy… Running late to work on a slightly chilly morning meant catching a cab with Lindsay also running late that morning. As we climb in our driver puts away a piece of paper only to pull it out again seconds later at the stop light and play us a song with it. He continues to serenade us all the way to school. He even tried to show us how he was able to play said paper flute and when he actually had to drive he decided that a traditional Korean folk-song would wake us up. The best part is I was able to get video of this one!

3. As I said this one and number two are a bit of a tossup due to personalities of the drivers. The Kia Tigers had just won the Korean Championships a few weeks before and so baseball was on everyone’s minds. When my cabbie asked where I was from (America) he started to talk in Konglish (half English half Korean) about his favorite major league team the LA Dodgers. He was able to half discuss all kinds of stats and players in detail and even was asking me about my favorites and then MLB vs. Korean baseball. Unfortunately for him the short rainy distance was too short so he circled around and around my neighborhood for an extra 20 minutes and only charged me basic fare (so it was going to cost me 3,000 won until he started driving around and it was up to 10,000 won but he only charged me 2,200 won total (think of 1,500 won as 1 USD)).

4. Sometimes I wonder how often people might repeat cabbies. I think I have a couple of times, but am unsure due to language barrier. On the way to work one rainy morning I happened to have a cabbie who spoke English well and who was very fun to talk with and then a few weeks later I rode with him again…It is kinds weird to have him remember me and our conversation, but still has me thinking about what stories cabbies could be giving people…

5. One night we were trying to coral ‘Naje to get him home from downtown. ‘Naje wanted to smoke int eh cab and asked the driver if he could. It is rare that a cabbie will say yes, but this one did. For the rest of the ride Naje and him smoked and sang Korean pop songs with the windows rolled down and the volume up.
6. Some of the cabbies are just interesting. Some will try to tell you their story. Many have said English is hard, but they try to learn it. One guy really stuck out to me. He is a cab driver and his wife is a nurse and he sends his son and will send his daughter to English academy to be able to get further in the world through English speaking.

7. This one was very recent: we are cruising along and the driver starts to laugh says “Pongu” heeheehee and then I smell something…and then it happens again. The driver says “Pongu” (fart) and starts to laugh for the three more minutes I have to ride with him…

8. The cabbie that Brandon was able to direct to Hooker street so that those of us in the backseat could “proposition” the girls with whistles and cat calls…
Honorable mentions: All the cabbies who didn’t mess around and got me to my destination quickly and safely with very little trouble understanding me or listening to directions and didn’t try to swindle me…

And so it ends...

2010-02-28T22:18:00.000-06:00

And so this chapter is finished. I will not lie; when my girls teared-up my eyes watered some. As much trouble as I would have with some of those kids…I loved my kindergarteners and respected my elementary students.

Brandon was “easing my mind” last night. He told me that though there had been problems what redeemed me was the love and devotion I showed to the students; mine and others. Very few of the teachers would go down and use their free time to play with the kids. It was nice to hear that something seemed to make a difference.

Graduation was chaos, but no more than it could have been. Johns Hopkins and MIT’s Korean dance was fabulous; though with fog, lasers and a snow machine how could it not have been. For my Animal House the kids didn’t put on their best performance, but the energy and fun was apparent which is what truly matters; and the parents were happy. I received quite a few flowers afterwards and many compliments overall which is what you want to hear: that people who spent thousands of dollars on their child to learn English are happy with LCI and their children’s accomplishments. All the teachers were able to say nothing but good things about how the kids did. And then we were done…

Of course, much like last year we had a restaurant to ourselves nearly for all the LCI employees to eat and drink and cause chaos of our own. Maneerat-Teacher gave us a long speech that even her husband was commenting on it being too long (though most of it was telling people to shut up, but when you work with kindergarteners it is hard to keep our attention for more than five seconds at a time…) Any way during this speech to get our attention she would hit a spoon against a bottle and then she broke the bottle while holding it…It was awesome…bridges were burned and goodbyes were said.

We went downtown. Kidnapping Maneerat and Won Jon Nihm. At some point, much like a year ago this time, I fell asleep on the bar at Soul Train, towards the end of the evening I learned that I left my jacket at the place we had eaten and Won Jon Nihm gave me his…then he took it back and held onto my arm and told me it was time to go home and flagged me a cab and put me in it with some others people who he also felt were done for the night…This is a man that I have amazing respect for:

He takes care of two schools and his family. He has seen me in the hospital numerous times. He has the driest humor and wit. He bawled over the death of the former president of South Korea last May. He gets happy and drunk and shy and loves what he does. His family welcomed me into their home at Chuseok and would have again for Solnal (which I really should have done to find out how much money I would have received). Though there are cultural differences and problems he tries to help.

I am going to do some photo editing. Graduation and post graduation and my last week with the kids of LCI. Then I will go to a coffee shop and post this and, hopefully, post pictures. Then I will be preparing to leave Korea and see my family back home.

"Reflective" Piece

2010-02-23T06:14:00.000-06:00

One year. One year ago I almost didn’t get on a plane to come here to Korea…I am both glad that I did and angry that I did not.

In truth it was not the best decision I made. To feel forced into having to come due to economic hardships and cabin fever. However, what I have learned and many of the experiences I will take away do allow for it to be a worthwhile trip.

I thought I came with no expectations. I tried to come with no expectation, but it was that lack of expectations of a “come what may” ness that failed me. Exactly what I told my interviewer on the phone happened. When he asked “What would make you unfit to teach or to be able to stay here?” my answer was the feeling of isolation. That feeling of isolation is Korea. Koreans do not let you get close to them. Do not be fooled to think you have the exception (granted I know there are one or two percent…but…)

As much as I whine and complain I have had some amazing times and have learned so much.

I know now that my time abroad is not finished, though, unfortunately, Korea is now tainted with a negative energy that I am not sure I will be able to overcome for some time. My positive energy is returning with each passing day towards a more optimistic future.

More to come…kids-new teachers and goodbyes as well as a couple of other things…

One Year...WOW

2010-02-23T06:01:00.000-06:00

One year and three days...

a better post to come...sorry

internet out again at home...

2010-02-18T04:45:00.001-06:00

I don’t even know where to begin. I should have been writing some of the stories from the past two weeks down or typing them up and saving them as I have in the past because I know there were several postable kid tales.

One I remember is that we learned about a cross (the word corresponding to the shape) and one of my students was able to link it to church (Happy Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday!) Anyway it turns out that several of my students got o church. Oliver asked if ‘I go to church (with prayer hands) every week I go to paradise not bad place?” (the closest word he knew the translation of due to other learning circumstances and I applaud him for the connection) All I could answer was if he believed so then okay (P.C-Let it Be) His response was to get up off the floor jump and shout “Olleh! I go paradise!”

Kay went to the Philippines. She told us that the “beach clean but city was veeeerrry dirty. Very not good.”

Finally, this past weekend was a major Holiday weekend. It was Valentine’s Day (Happy Belated one to you all) as well as Solnal or Chinese New Year! (Welcome the year of the Tiger). In response Brooke and I went back to Thailand for a few hours (stupidly) to surprise our friends and find us the peace and calmness needed to make it through a few more chaotic weeks until graduation.

The only regret I have is that I choose to go for such a short period of time instead of trying for a longer stay when my contract was up. The purpose for going was seeing the people we met there over our last vacation. We didn’t tell them we were coming. Our hotel (not planned this way) over looked their restaurant and one of the first sights we had was seeing them practice for the performance that night. We changed and cleaned up and walked to our reserved table at the front to the shock and surprise of our dear friends. For the next day we hung out with them the whole time: drinking and talking and playing that night and on the beach the next day and the same the next night until we had to leave for the airport.

It was even sadder than the first time we had to leave them. There were two moments when everything in the world was perfect. The first was as we were arriving at our hotel the taxi-moped driver cut down the road that housed the very first hotel we stayed in last December and then to the main beach road. As we speed around a car I could see the speedometer hit 90 kmp and as I looked out to the beach a beautiful bright orange-red sun was setting over the Pattaya City sign and reflected in the water. It felt like I had come home to a familiar and loving place. The second was as I watched Brooke and Jit play in the water and was talking to (S)Top on the beach the next day. It was so comfortable and, again, familiar, relaxing- a light breeze, our topless woman next to us, hot Japanese men and Thai men surrounding us, vendor walking up and down the beach…Two perfect moments that made the trip worth it…and the looks on their faces as the realized that we had come to surprise them…

ANYWAY…only a few more days to go…We are gearing up for the end full speed ahead…

Sorry...

2010-02-02T07:25:00.000-06:00

As I am in the melancholy way I wrote poetry...It is very rough, but since I have been posting everything on here anyway:

Loyalty

A Great Dane sitting by an empty dish
Watching the door, waiting for someone
A car is heard, a door slams, a man stumbles in
A yelp, a thud, a curse
Hesitant to re-approach, another yelp
Great Dane limping, licking a dry dish
Cooked food wafting towards a hunters nose
Again a yelp, a curse, an ever heavy limp
Football scores echo off plaster
A hand falls free ready to caress
a satisfied “grr” as bottles pile up,
a yelp, a yelp, a yelp
A Great Dane sitting by an empty dish…

1 little, 2 little, 3 little Groundhogs

2010-02-01T16:41:00.000-06:00

Happy Groundhog's day...at least I am counting it as groundhogs day here before trusty Philidelphia dude is woken up in a day...I am going to count on my kindergarteners having no shadows so that winter will be goine waaaaay before the six weeks that are offically left are finished-how about today?

Want vs. Need vs Have to makes a difference

2010-01-27T05:24:00.000-06:00

In one month (today is the 27th) I will technically be finished working in Korea. That is the date of our graduation and the following Tuesday is the start of a new semester…But this post inst going to be about me…It is about my amazing Kindergarteners and the beginning on what I am sure will turn into many more posts about how they have grown in the last year…

This month my kindergarteners have been discussing countries, continents, cities, oceans and etc. I never brought up the discussion of Haiti in my kindergarten class due to translation issues and I was unsure if, even for Korea, they were old enough to be aware of it (remember in the states they are 6/7 years old). Today my kids impressed and surprised me. Kay asked me where Haiti (pronounced like I and T—IT) was on the map. Once I realized she was talking about Haiti our class went on to discuss the earthquake and helping people and sick people and people dying for almost 45 minutes. They have a big problem listening to each other and they clamored over each other to tell me what they could try to tell me in English about what they knew about the earthquake.

We also discussed the riddle of the sphinx with more enthusiasm than I have seen on their faces in a while. They are finally getting into better parts of English for those that like to talk and want to be able to discuss different topics.

My kids are super obsessed with Egypt and mummies. Obama and Harold are obsessed with Dracula and Romania (it is their favorite country). Dan barley likes anything that is not Korean, yet he has traveled to five different countries already in his life and loves to tell about those places. He also talks constantly about “my twins” his little twin sisters. Billy has to be convinced that things in video games are not real. Rocky will stutter his way through telling us all about how he saw something on a video game or TV or in a book then looked it up and finally is attempting to describe it and tell us all about it in English. They all love to show off what they can do and talk about.

Today was a day when we completely went off topic, but they proved to be strong individuals who need to have more of that freedom to try and talk out things so that they can learn more of what they are interested in. Their knowledge of off the wall things reflects me in the tangents we go off of in class. Let them ask me about mummies and the pyramids and the difference between kings and pharaohs and though it is challenging to explain in their limited English they grasp onto what I am trying to tell them. Rocky described gladiators that fought in the Roman Coliseum when a picture of it was shown in class-and as I gave him the English he took it to heart because he wants to know it. My kids are better at talking about the universe and the world than furniture because they WANT to know the words and talk about space and could care less about furniture (even if furniture is technically more important)…
P.S. video of the discussion on Haiti coming soon!

Learning about English

2010-01-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

So, as an English Teacher I would expect myself to have a decent grasp of the English language, but I find myself wondering if English could become any more complicated day after day. How did we ever learn gerunds, infinitives, past participles and certain blends…It can be ridiculous sometimes. Sometimes I find it hard to explain some things to my students and so I go in search of the answers in any reference form I can. I compiled a list of some of my favorite “facts” about English (I should cite these, but am far too lazy for that-if you request references I will get them for you!):

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

The word "set" has more definitions than any other word in the English language.

"Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und."

"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

The combination "ough" can be pronounced in nine different ways; the following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable. Microsoft word doesn’t recognize uncopyrightable as an actual word.

Bookkeeper is the only word in the English language with three double letters next to each other.

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

Quarter of a Century=Me!

2010-01-25T08:24:00.000-06:00

So, yes I realized it, but no I didn’t until today-- I turned 25-25 days ago according to Korean age. Too bad it wouldn’t hold up in the states lower car insurance, rental cars, the dreaded quarter century mark.

I thought I would try to more thoroughly explain how to calculate your Eastern Asian age:

Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and several other Eastern Asian countries believe that upon your birth you are a year old and then your age is determined not by your birthday, but by the year; your age begins at conception. So if you are born in December you are one year old, but then immediately turn two in January; though if you are born earlier in the year your age is more appropriate thus giving the one to two year discrepancies (January to January is a full year).

Some Southeastern Asian countries: Thailand, Cambodia and Laos usually consider the year as a whole so, if in 2010 you will be 24, you are 24. Most change their age based upon the Gregorian/Western calendar, but some wait for the Lunar New Year. Mongolia actually bases age on Full Moon counts since conception for girls and New Moon counts since conception for boys. I have a Mongolian friend who is almost three years older than the western world would see her due to extra full moons the last two years.

I hope that this is clearer.

It is a confusing idea, but one that effect how we look at ourselves as foreigners in these countries. Koreans especially are very age conscious and prefer to be and are expected to be with people within a year of their own age. That is not the same with Thai, but Thai are more aware of age due to the respect given and received even within a social group. I have not found the age issue as prominent in “Western” society as far as social groupings; usually the issue only arises within relationships and intimate couples.

three short observations about the kids...mostly afternoon

2010-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

I really wish I had some good CUTE kid stories to be able to type and post for you, unfortunately most of them are better told right now.

However, an interesting observation for people to consider and I am not sure if I have mentioned it before, but here it goes: Korean people have a want and need to be whiter than an albino from the North Pole. They can’t stand the sun and think westerners are crazy for wanting the “luxurious” look we define as tan.

When discussing the Haitian occurrence and global awareness with kids in many of my classes today many of them expressed shock that people are helping the Haitians out because “they look like Africans.” I asked what that had to do with anything and Sarah said well “nothing, but their skins are darks.”

“Huh?”

“they have skin darker than korean…”

“what does that have to do with helping them out if they have no food and water and etc.?”

“well….” And no answer could come. The kids did nod there hears when I asked if the colour of skin was okay to judge people about and guess who they are and then I got on a soap box and lectured them for a good ten minutes and realized they were even more lost than when I started…It happens… Overall, it was rather disturbing to hear the kids talking like that…

Another idea that I had to try to keep explaining to the kids because it was an article in our book was tipping. Koreas for the most part, don’t tip. It is a part of their culture not to as it is a part of ours to do so, but the kids just couldn’t understand why you would give them extra money for doing their job (Korean service is different from ours though too. You often are responsible for your own drinks and the utensils are on the table and there is a “come here button” rather than a waiter always coming around when you don’t need them and never when you do…) It was, again, interesting to try to get them to see it not as just an action, but as a culture thing of gratitude…

Lastly, we teach several different kinds of chapter books to our older students. Recently we began more of a fairytale style book with love, kissing, and hugging! Oh, MY!!! Now, the eight/nine year olds are indifferent to it. No, they don’t like the actual idea of kissing and hugging and love, but they still accept the idea of other people liking it. However, the ten/eleven year olds are the exact opposite. Kissing, Hugging, and Love are all (their favorite word and not exactly how we would use it but workable…) DIRTY! I told them to wait a couple of years and talk to me again because I could guarantee that they would not always think love was “dirty”…. They can crack me up sometimes…

"I'm metling" (said the building?!)

2010-01-20T07:38:00.000-06:00

The weather was a warm 52 degrees F today. The warmest it has been since November and the buildings are thawing and melting. That’s right I said buildings. Korean buildings are concrete and marble which means that they absorb the cold. This absorption of cold and the warmer weather caused a well known phenomenon known as condensation to occur. However, it occurred on the walls, windows, doors, floors, stairs, banisters, toilets, boards, elevator and everything else not introduced to a heater in the past three months. Basically, a flooding occurred due to the amount of condensation the interior of the building was producing.

The sadness of the world…

2010-01-15T17:51:00.000-06:00

2010, a new year, a new decade…starting off in tears---

-Haitian earthquake…prayers, blood and hope for a better tomorrow goes out to them…

-Grandpa Snow’s death…again prayers and memories of love and good times goes out to the Snow family…

-Several people who are heartbroken over break-ups and lost loves…prayers and hope

Nothing but Graduation

2010-01-15T17:43:00.000-06:00

I have been back in Korea for two weeks now…. And that sums up what is going on. The kids aren’t being super cute for me to share any stories.

We are working on our graduation (which I could post for you…we’ll see how ambitious I get today) Not only do each of the classes do a graduation skit with song and dance and ridiculous costumes (wait till you see what I copied from the order book) but each kids also has to learn a Korean dance and an ending song. There will also be recitals for the violinists, drummers, ballerinas and a couple of other I forget at this time.

All of our efforts are going to make this the PERFECT event for the parents and kids. They will be hiring an MC and people to do this and that and the other. It is amazing what they do for presentational purposes. Oh and I had to re-do most of my dances this week because they were “not Korean enough” too American in style (?!?!)…

Thailand continued and finished

2010-01-09T20:46:00.001-06:00

Again Continued:

Obviously at the end of the day we did not venture forth to Bangkok and spent the night with our friends at their apartments. They took me to eat at a street vendor for pork ramen (for me without the pork) and fixed it up with pepper, vinegar, sugar and more pepper. I was even to my surprise able to eat it with chopsticks!

Also, Bird began to teach us Thai and we had to talk what we could in Thai to them. He wrote it in our notebook and made us practice…Bird Teacher he was or Khou Kroo Bird—fabulous!

So at the dawn of the eve of the New Year I found myself getting ready for bed. After a short nap Brooke and I were touristed by Jit and (S)Top (two of the actors) to a floating market just outside of town. It was a pretty amazing site to see these platforms and “buildings suspended over the water and people selling things from boats and brown murky water that just brought the whole thing into perspective. We ate by visiting different side vendors including quail eggs, coconut something, fruit, silkworms, crickets (some of these things were not Brooke and me or even usually (S)Top, but mostly Jit who was a bottomless pit)…It really was fascinating to watch and see and have a native telling us what to try rather than depend on our own guesses. After a few hours we had to return to the city so the boys could go to work. Brooke and I went shopping and got ready to go to their show.

Again the show was amazing to see; the gracefulness and precision-beautiful. When the puppets made their audience rounds they stole Brooke’s camera and made her follow it up on stage and “kiss” the three actors to get it back. Afterwards they had one more “show” to prepare for and Brooke needed to go to the hotel so I went to Samsbar on the beach to watch the fireworks and have the traditional tequila at midnight.

We all met up with “Happy New Year” greetings at the restaurant in time for the party to start and the special show. The special show was (our boys) dressed up as the Wonder Guns a spoof of the pop group Wondergirls and they performed Nobody, Nobody. We had at least three other performances including the boss dressed up in drag. After the “ceremony” part was over we danced, danced, danced, and watched the sun come up.

Again we were in no shape to leave and find a hotel in Bangkok, so we stayed and had a relaxing day of nothingness on the beach. Finally, we meet up with Bird and Jit on the beach for the final night of learning Thai and relaxing with our friends who weren’t sick or too tired.

The last day was spent on the beach before going to the airport and ending up back here in Korea.

None of this gloss over can truly convey the spirit that retuned to me in Thailand. It was such a warm, inviting and friendly place. Brooke and I made friends on the beach who shared food and stories like you would never see in some places and the Joe Louis Company made us feel as if we had known them for years and years. Thailand was rejuvenating and filled with hope. I feel I could live that dream forever.

Thailand Continued--day 4 and 5

2010-01-08T20:21:00.000-06:00

Continued—

At the beginning of the fourth day I was not in the mood to spend another day on the beach. I felt that I was wasting my time and energy doing nothing; if I am in the amazing country I should be learning and absorbing its great history right? So Off I went to a tourist trap to really rejuvenate myself by walking in a park and taking photos of rock formations boasted to be a million years old (The million Years Stone Park and Crocodile farm/albino/tiger zoo).

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful park filled with vibrant greens whites, purples, blues and this that and the other. The zoo/farm part, however, made me physically sick. The way they treated/treat the animals would make PETA into a monster of animal’s rights, but we are not in America. They treat animals differently, sadly…I would go into more detail and will if you ask, but why bring every down…

Needless to say, I stayed in the park section most of the time (after some pics of the other sections). I did get the chance to pet a crocodile, an elephant (I figured as the national symbol of Thailand I should while I was there) and a four year old tiger (which I wanted to do so badly). I even had the chance to bottle feed a four month old tiger cub and if I didn’t mention it in my last post I held a baby lemur. I loved getting to interact with the animals; I just wish the animals had better conditions to interact with me in…

After the park I returned to Pattaya and having made myself sick over the animals I relaxed on the beach for an hour and in the hotel room for about 30 min. Brooke and I made plans to go to a restaurant with Traditional Thai dance and puppet theatre that night. A little detail/background information: Joe Louis (place name/person name) is a direct descendant of the royal puppeteers. His family and he are the only people in Thailand who can authentically make these traditional puppets based upon the originals from hundreds of years ago. The dance company works directly under the King Sister. Even the youngest performers have studied dance professionally for sixteen plus years. They could really make these puppets come alive and especially that first night the dancers’ energy, pride and enthusiasm radiated from their performance.

Now, you are going to assume I learned all of that by reading a program, but the theatre hosted no information about who and what they were other than and world famous theatre and restaurant. Several things happened during the performance. One: Questions kept occurring to us about different aspects of the performance-mine more technical and hers more personal, but enough to make us wonder how we might be able to talk to the actors. Two: A couple of the actors kept watching us and “playing” with us through the floral pieces that made up the scenery/”backstage” area. Lastly: we found out were their dressing rooms were and that they were rather accessible to be able to go up to and talk to …

So we made a stop in the bathroom on our way out debating whether or not to approach and see if any of them spoke English and could answer our questions. While there one of the dancers came in and we started to talk to her and she took us to a better English speaker/kind of a leader-ish of the group who answered all of our questions and even took us into the dressing rooms to see the puppets and masks. We even got to hold the one puppet (12-ish pounds) and see these beautiful costumes and designs up close…After 30 minutes or so we were still talking and it was time for the company to leave so they invited us to go with them: Saay, Bird, (S)Top, Jit, Hugo, Gun, and several others (only a couple spoke English a lot of translating back and forth happened)…They had never before had foreigners so interested in what they did on stage or in getting to know them—Saay said kindred spirits brought us together.

They took us dancing and introduced me to a Thai specialty called Ya Dong which is equivalent to moonshine-made locally and sold locally and tasting like a blend of bottom shelf tequila and bottom shelf whiskey left to ferment…it was disgusting, but very nice of them to introduce me properly to Thai culture. They asked us to return the next night and after a day on the beach that is what we did. That night we had Iranians, French, Thai, American (Korean), Russian, German, and British represented at some point or another. The ones that played shy the night before were more vocal and entertaining. It was another great night.

The problem was we were supposed to be leaving for Bangkok the next day. Truthfully at that point I had given up on historical culture and was enjoying learning about theatre and general Thai culture and Brooke just didn’t want to leave the beach and our new friends asked us to stay through New Years…so we did…

TO BE CONTINUED

Thailand vacation part A...An Overview of Days 1-3

2010-01-07T07:56:00.000-06:00

So I have been debating where and how to start relating my adventure in Thailand. It was, overall, an amazing and rejuvenating experience. I guess the best is to start at the beginning-ish…

First, I have to admit that I wanted to back out of the trip. I was rather sad about not being able to spend the holidays with my family back home. Then I made my peace and decided to ignore most of the holidays and postpone them…so on Christmas eve after working a late I rushed home, showered and finished packing my bag in time to meet Brooke at the Mini-stop and catch a cab to the bus station.

Our original plan had been to catch a later bus and make it to the airport just in time for our flight, but the last bus to run between Busan and Gwangju left us with six hours so we decided to sleep in the airport. We found that a rather normal goal until we arrived at the airport and found it completely shut down and in the 30 degree F range outside. So we had to return to the bus station and chilled in a McDonalds for five hours.

In all fairness we were not the only people who slept in the McDonalds that night. Many a drunk came and went and slept and puked. We even had a slight scare with a stalker-ish guy who found us more interesting to watch than late night Korean tv…but finally we made it to Thailand and Pattaya a little more than half way through Christmas day…

It was a beautiful 80-90 degree F (and yes I was still wearing the same hoodie that I bunked down in- in freezing Korea) and we took another bus and a tuk-truck to our hotel (which wasn’t really what we expected or wanted … false advertising)…But not a bad deal we walked around tried to find some food and marveled at all the sights before settling in for the only night of sleep we would get the rest of the week.

Day two was satisfying. We were up rather early and sat on the beach for about 12 hours. We ate fresh fruit of all different sorts and varieties and people watched…ALL DAY (that’s right Roz would have been going nuts with all the people to watch)…The only extra-ordinary things to note were that I kinda went on a long rant about wanting cold fruit. I am not sure the origin of where cold fruit comes from, but I definitely think cold fruit just tastes better.

As for the people watching their were cute kids, topless older lady german, hotties and old fat men in speedos, and vendors who would walk the beach up and down selling a little bit of everything-basically the souvenirs came to you! And the oddest of foods…

Day three began in much the same fashion. We had stayed up rather late walking/shopping/and watching the night before and went to bed late not caring as we would spend the day in the sun and fresh air resting on the beach the next day (at around 3 am that would be the earliest night).

That night we again wondered around and found the pier and the big party to the count-down of 2010 (Thailand needs no excuse to party, but give them one and they do it right) We also hit the major red-light like districts and meet Thai Elvis (one of the two nights we would see him) and several Trannies…Also a cowboy magician and Pirate Johnny Depp playing the champagne glasses…It was fabulous fun.

Oh and I got to hold a lemur—like a monkey with no tail that clinched onto whoever was holding it-super cute! We also began to make plans for the next night…again around mid-early morning we would roll into our hotel and catch an hour before hitting the beach.

Day four would be different in it was the first day I did not spend on the beach, but began it with a day trip…

TO BE CONTINUED--

Christmas Eve in LCI

2010-01-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

Wish I knew where to begin to tell about everything that has happened in the past 12 days. I will have to do it one step at a time, but even then it will be slow and probably take a couple of days/weeks. I am sorry and hope that you will stay with me as this time goes. I will start back at Christmas and LCI before we get to the Thailand expedition.

On Christmas eve you found a jolly set of foreign teachers ready to get the day of “party” over with and the vacation started. Luckily for us the day began with a field trip to see the Korean Children’s version of Beauty and the Beast complete with Lasers and blonde wigs (note to ALL Korean’s blonde will never be your colour). Needless to say I spent most of the show trying to find some semblance of theatre “norm” as taught in my western centered world. Not that the kids didn’t love it and weren’t completely enthralled by it, but the lighting particularly was not something pleasing to a western theatrical sense. However, it was an experience worth having.

Afterwards we went back to the school and had Christmas parties for the rest of the day. My one afternoon class had asked to learn American lyrics to Christmas carols and then we caroled around the school much like I did in my French class once upon a time. Santa Matt and Santa Bill, two helpers of jolly St. Nick stopped by to deliver some presents to the kids and finally we said our Happy Holidays and went off to enjoy the vacation.

As soon as the day was done I tried to pretend it was no longer Christmas. It broke my heart to not celebrate as I wanted to, but the trip I had the chance to take made it all worth it…

Welcome to 2010

2010-01-03T07:08:00.000-06:00

A year ago I made a decision to come to work in Korea and now I have just returned from a trip to Thailand that was so amazing I am second guessing whether it was an intense moment of imagination...

I am editing pictures and typing up posts in between trying to rest up to go back to work tomorrow

56 days and counting give ro take 10

For tonight

2009-12-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

I sahll have stories and tales to post about the children's Christmas, but for now I will tell you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...67 days and counting...I will forget that it is the holiday season because my heart is celebratinging it back home with ya'll...to Thailand I go...

Silk Worms Roastin' on an Open Fire...

2009-12-21T05:56:00.000-06:00

I can't get the smell of silkworms roastin' out of my head tonight...gag me with anything else please...

And

I was approached by Jehovah witnesses…TWICE! All this while looking at a book in the children’s section about a dog’s poop (major best seller here and maybe will come home with me because it is pretty off the wall…) …………………………..

And

I learned today that in reality for most English teachers English is our second language and sarcasm is our first, but Korean don’t get our sarcasm and take it as off the wall humor that go with their off the wall styling; it works well.

All the neccessary Christmas Dinner moments...

2009-12-20T09:33:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day to celebrate the season as close as we possibly could being in South Korea and away from true family. We had the mad cook (Brooke), the creepy annoying uncle (Brandon), the overly dramatic cousin (myself), the drunken host (Jeremy), the kid (Chris), the not sure who he is but he is here every year discussing politics (Steven), the newlyweds (Vincent and Alia), the wants to cook something obscure but cooks it wrong (Matt), the one who leaves early (Bill), the sane one (Liam), TMI guy (Charles), and in our case of being in South Korea- the “token” Korean girls (Party Girl (Jeremy’s girlfriend), Quasi (Brandon’s girlfriend) and Quasi’s roommate (name unknown).

It was a pretty complete day for the sake of who and what. Jeremy bought a turkey to fry up in his oven and jerry-rigged as few this and thats to help make an edible turkey with the help of Brooke and me. There was also makeshift stuffing, mashed potatoes, spinach ravioli, sweet potato fries, instant gravy, “Popeye’s” biscuits, green bean casserole, steamed veggies, kimchi, beer, wine, peanut butter blossoms, and hotdogs. (something might have been left out, but sorry if so.) Conversation roamed far and wide to include a little of everything including porn and farts.

Though it is so hard to be away it was in the spirit of Christmas that the idea was celebrated and the gathering held in a country whose only idea of Christmas is the commercialization. We even managed to work a prayer in without offence to anyone. People joined together to cook, clean, take naps, entertain and get sick/taken care of. In the true Christmas spirit it was clichéd as any special on TV and will live in the hearts of the sentimental.

Welcome Winter with Snow on the Ground

2009-12-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

It has been snowing on and off for almost a week. At the peak last week we woke up with several inches accumulated and a bunch of kids very excited to play and fight in the winter wonderland created. No matter your age it seems snow holds a magical fascination. A bright white transformation into cliché and nostalgia; images of innocence and romance and fresh life.

Interesting to note...My city at least doesn’t plow, it brushes only the busiest of roads. It also doesn’t salt or really do anything other than say “good luck” to you in the face of the snow.

Also I was again taken to the ER for passing out. Again after being really sick for several hours. I swear that I must have been anti- South Korean in a past life and South Korea knows that and is trying to pay me back. Anyway…I am better-ish now and am working on it…

Decorating

2009-12-13T07:39:00.000-06:00

Began to decorate my apartment for Christmas today; it is nowhere near finished, but a start is a start. Also am almost done with my Christmas cards and am going to try to dash to the post office to send them off tomorrow (or Tuesday)… All I still need to find is a nativity or to make some sort of nativity it is the representation of the hostile take-over of the Winter Solstice from the Pagans and a staple in my decoration needs. I found a little angle for the top of my tree that looks like a Western girl wearing a hambok (traditional Korean outfit) it is cute…my tree is actually made out of lights and framed by lights as trees and such are pretty expensive over here and I bought one for my classroom at school that I spend over half my day in. Anyway, I will be breaking my facebook hiatus and post some pictures sometime this week.

Also, Happy Hanukkah day three…

Friday Night Livin Right

2009-12-11T07:48:00.000-06:00

You have been in Korea too long when you do something that doesn’t seem weird until after its done and you are thinking about it. Part of my Friday evening was spent drinking in a Laundromat with friends waiting for clothes to dry. Looking back it seems a weird thing to do, but at the time it made sense to do laundry and as people stopped by to run to the mini-stop on the corner and buy booze to help us wait.

Snooker

2009-12-08T07:07:00.000-06:00

I got to watch snooker today. Yippee!

Moments like these keep me going most days--

2009-12-08T06:55:00.001-06:00

“I don’t like showers I like dinosaurs!”

“I am sick. I have a stomach.”

The following is part of the example summary in our writing book for my ten year olds:

“Bouncing Balls by Cindy Buck…Bouncing up and down looked exciting. They kept riding until the balls began to pop. I envy Bob because he had bouncing balls. I think bouncing balls are very good. I want to have bouncing balls too.”

I blame the media for giving me a dirty mind.

2009-12-07T07:19:00.000-06:00

My gut said to say no. My head said to say yes...Lets hope it wasn't indigestion.

Humans are, essentially a selfish breed…

2009-12-06T02:34:00.000-06:00

So, they are asking if I want to stay/trying to get me to stay one more year. They are a little worried about my overall attitude sometimes (I don't follow blindly and ask too many questions), but really like me overall.

I told them no.

They are offered me first year seven year olds again and to teach the theatre program in the afternoon; plus a pay raise, overtime raise and a better apartment; making for a tempting exchange-a guaranteed job and way to pay bills next year. Truthfully, I wouldn’t mind going home and seeing my family and friends and then coming back to Korea, but I don’t want to come back to LCI.

Tomorrow I will tell them no again.

But it feels selfish to do what I want and not what I should to keep bills being paid.

Korean style Christmas

2009-12-06T02:33:00.002-06:00

Christmas in Korea. Wow. Once again I will begin trying to explain Korean Holiday but first will compare it to the familiar way Americans and Europeans celebrate it. American Christmas begins somewhere around late July; the stores begin to rearrange shelves and put up little this and that or all o the winter holidays. By the end of October one is usually unsure if Halloween and Thanksgiving are just roadblocks Christmas wishes to plough over. In Europe, many of the cities hosted giant markets transforming the middle of their town somewhere beginning in late November. You could also find most stores Holidays out.

Now I am in Korea. Korea seems to be a few years behind (as it is in many things) in the over abuse of Christmas. You can find the signs and people greeting you in Santa Suits in Lotte Mart (out “target”), but their entire selection of decorations and cards can be found in a 1.5mx5m space (for those of you not metric savvy that’s 6x20 ft). The other major department store doesn’t even have that much. Many places do have a tree and some ornaments or some form of acknowledgement of Christmas, but the look of decorations that can be found in Grandmas oldest boxes. And the prices are unbelievable to me. Lights, trees, and ornaments all very expensive and not of the quality we would willingly pay in the states.

I am eager to see some more areas to see how they are decorating and handling the holiday. The downtown is lit up most of the year anyway and Shinsagae is overly fashionable and even Seoul might be a trip worth seeing Christmas in. I will be posting pictures of the kids helping to decorate our classroom at school. It looks fantastic and soon I will be doing something with my room. I will also be scanning some Christmas cards, while others you will get yourselves to see. Some of them are just super special.

Class Picture Chaos

2009-12-06T02:33:00.001-06:00

So, Friday became not just picture day, but portrait day that would put my senior pictures shoot to shame. After we took our class photo the kids did group shots of twos, threes, fours and then they began the individual shots.

First they had them in their LCI school uniforms, then normal everyday clothes and finally they put them in these little tuxes and white dresses. For my class alone it took two and a half hours of unorganized chaos, plus all of the other seven year old classes. They were using four different classrooms to change and shoot in and keep people in. Pure and Utter chaos!

Why do seven year olds need five different outfits plus several poses in each outfit? Not to mention the photographers scared the kids a little so while they were trying to take the photos the teachers were running back and forth trying to make them laugh and trying to help dress and undress the kids and trying to keep them calmed down and doing something.

Trying to stay positive

2009-12-02T04:41:00.000-06:00

I feel it is time to post again. I have as usual been having internet trouble, but that is the easiest to control of the problems that have occurred and keep trying to get them fixed. Due to a negative attitude based on stupidity of non-communication I don’t have a lot to say about much. Last weekend we, again, said goodbye to a teacher that has been a great source. Priya went to travel Asia for three weeks before heading back to Canada for a while to be with family and such. She will be missed.

Also, we bought/booked/confirmed and have an e-ticket for ten days and eight nights in Thailand over the Christmas and New Year Holiday...more info when I have it...

The main update to come will be me describing Korean Christmas stuff and talking about decorating with the kids.

Happy Thanksgiving from teh Land of the Rising Sun

2009-11-27T18:56:00.002-06:00

For only a second time in my short life I find myself without immediate family on Thanksgiving. That year a wonderful friend and I had Italian food before I took a train and got stuck in a Parisian subway station for a night. After calling home and talking to people I bawled only to be comforted by a security guard who told me I had to keep moving as it was too dangerous to sleep. Later I discovered I was in a remote section of Charles De Galle airport and slept in the airport area until I could resume subway and train travel.

This year has been harder to handle in some ways and easier in others. I am missing everyone back home so badly that I almost won’t be able to call… (I am sure I will, but just thinking about it is making me tear up)…Today’s good part included trying to introduce my kids to some of the “staples” of Thanksgiving food for many Americans. All of my classes were able to taste turkey for the very first time (deli-meat style) as well as pumpkin pie. My morning kids were given apple pie, rolls and green bean casserole to try also. It was a funny mixed reaction to some of the foods. Most of the kids wouldn’t try ANYTHING at first. Finally one tried and said turkey was good and everyone tried. Only a two didn’t really like it. The kindergarteners really weren’t into the pies and casseroles, except Billy who loved it al l and wanted seconds and tried for thirds. The nine year olds liked the pie better than the turkey and my ten year olds almost said no. the 12 year olds seemed to like pumpkin pie, but not apple sauce which they tried the night before for the first time.

Also I shared with the foreign teachers (a lunch time treat) and with the Korean teachers. It was pretty hilarious to watch them eating our “Thanksgiving” meal with chopsticks. And green beans are not really a Korean food and got mixed reviews. It was definitely hard to barley acknowledge Thanksgiving and was so weird that no one else really seemed to try to do anything. There will be a foreign bar doing a Thanksgiving style dinner this weekend for some of the community and obviously I did something, but why more didn’t I feel I shouldn’t be surprised over and I guess it is not surprise, but a lonely ennui-ed feeling without family and closer friends to enjoy time together with.

Splish Splash I was takin a swim long about a Saturday afternoon!

2009-11-27T18:56:00.001-06:00

Finally went swimming Saturday afternoon. My afternoon student, Kitty, has been asking for me to join her since May and the weekends she asks about and we try to set up never seem to work out. Finally, it has been more crunched with the idea that we HAVE to get going. So, this weekend we finally did. We got to the pool and to note: there is NO modesty in the women’s locker room or sauna, they chill with EVERYTHING on display .Also t he pool requires swim caps for everyone and suggest goggles as well. There wasn’t much of a lifeguard on duty-as in not one at all out in the pool area.

So Kitty and I headed out to the pool and it is all set up in rows and everyone is swimming laps. And that is what we basically do for just over three hours. Swim up and down the pool; race back and forth, piggyback back and forth (I “carried” her on my back), kickboard back and forth, and jump up and down back and forth. My swimming ability is not what it used to be so “running” proved faster against Kitty (though in little kid spirit she still usually beat me).

We had two different older Korean women ask if I was her Oma (mom) and several others laughed and asked if we were having fun (which we obviously were). My loud laugh almost got us removed from the pool and my cheekbone is bruised where her knee accidentally hit it while we used my camera as a dive-find object.

Around the two and a half hour point I realized how wrinkled my fingers were and to answer your question Aunt Sis, Aunt Prim and Grandma: Yes, Kitty’s fingers were wrinkled too as were everyone else’s in the pool… and your other question I will not answer in this blog, but will tell you in person…

Over all three hours was a little too long, but it was super fun and made Kitty very happy and her mother very happy.

Again, internet is back on

2009-11-27T18:52:00.000-06:00

So, again my Internet was out for a week. It is really getting old, but we will see what happens in the mean time I am posting a couple of posts from this past week. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and I am sorry that I missed it.

Bought our ticket for Thailand. 10days and 8 nights of ??? we will see what happens...

the kid story of the day makes this post worth it

2009-11-18T05:17:00.000-06:00

The key to getting things done is a little procrastination, but never procrastinating by going on facebook. I am feeling a little guilty about how lousy I am typing things up and I am also still really busy, but not so much busy for school stuff anymore so I am giving myself some time to do things such as update anyone who might be reading. I have finally begun trying to seriously learn Korean. In the past eight months I have attempted to several times only to be thwarted by my own stupidity and laziness. My main goal is to be able to read it. I can speak enough to get myself into trouble and maybe out of it, but to read the characters would be helpful and so I am buckling down (as you can see form me spending the first ten minutes typing this out)…

Also we are working on finishing up our graduation skits and having them win final approval. My two are a G-rated Animal House and a Top Gun, both very roughly based on their movie counter parts. When I have more info I will post it…

Four of my students have been studying and prepping for tests and interviews at THE elementary school to go to in Gwang-Ju called Samyook. Today was the day that those four went and tested and interviewed. It is really important that all of the students that applied get in for the image of LCI and we will find out in a week. I am keeping my fingers crossed. My Chris is the biggest worry of our entire school. Crossed fingers…

Finally our "kid story of the day:"

Trying to joke and explain cancelled I said that if North Korea nuked Russia Sponge Bob might be cancelled tonight and school might be cancelled tomorrow. Triston asked me to write a letter to North Korea to nuke Russia so he doesn’t have to go to school tomorrow; everyone else in the class seconded the idea.

Tuesday Highlights

2009-11-17T07:33:00.000-06:00

Question: What do you want to be when you grow-up?
Answer 1: Heeheeheeee a Transformer…
Answer 2: A mommy and a doctor.
Answer 3: Optimus Prime. No, uhh… I want to be Optimus Prime. (one of the transformers)

Conversation as found in a listening comprehension audio section: (listen and answer questions)

Person 1: Can you help me this weekend?
Person 2: Sure I can. What do you need help with?
Person1: My cat got stuck in the tree in our back yard.
Person 2: Oh No, that seems like some bad luck. I will be happy to help you on Saturday. Should I come to your house around 10 o’clock am?
Person 1: That will be perfect. I will be very busy all week.
Person 2: That is not good news and it is only Tuesday.
Person 1: I know and I have to go. Thank You very much and see you early on Saturday.

“Teacher you are very funny people.”

“Jim likes to wear a white bathroom.”

One more thing

2009-11-12T06:11:00.000-06:00

Scary thought I was looking at the Full Moon Party Thailand website and it had this banner on it:

49 days, 2 hours, 48 minutes, and 14 seconds left until New Year 2010

11/11 Holidays times two

2009-11-12T05:45:00.001-06:00

Happy Veterans Day to those back home (THANKS!).

Happy Pepero Day to Korea.

Two great holidays. One thanking and honoring those who keep our nation wonderful; the other celebrating the fact that it is 11/11.

Yes you have read that correctly. The whole purpose of this Korean Holiday to to give a special kind of candy that looks like the number one. You can also give baguettes I was informed because they too look like the number one, but mostly people give pepero. Pepero is a wafer like stick dipped in chocolate made by a famous manufacturer (Lotte) in 1983. Supposedly the company denies starting the holiday and insists they just noticed sales around this time jumped and, thus, didn’t discourage the holiday.

So, yesterday we played with pepero sticks. The kids pretended to sword fight with them, smoke a cigarette, and use as a wizard wand, the adults played with it in less innocent of ways.

Lost in Translation

2009-11-12T05:33:00.001-06:00

Indian Summer is surrounding us with warmer days and cooler nights. The leaves are still changing and falling and the kids are not interested in learning about American Thanksgiving and not listening to a word anyone says because it is that time of the year. That time where they have been in school for too long and we have to buckle down and get to work, but the kids only want to play and are showing just how smart some are and how dumb others are…

A break from my whining:

“Dan- Do you have any pets?”
“Yes! My twins!” (with a big smile and no idea why I started laughing at his answer)

Chanel lipstick: 82,900 won (90 USD) Victoria brings and is playing with in class. Puts it on me and asks for me to lip print her and the class with CHANEL lipstick—we played with 90 DOLLAR lipstick! Only in Korea…

Gina: “Cassandra-Teacher, here…” (puts something small and hard in my hand)
“OH MY! Dude! It’s a tooth! GINA! Whaaa? When?”
“Just now in class…”

The third year seven year olds are getting to the point they can begin to learn and understand idioms (word or phrase with a non-literal/real meaning) So now the hallways are filled with them either explaining what “over the hill”, “tie the knot” or “cross my heart and hope to die” mean or asking you whether you are “wearing your birthday suit.” This is, of course, on top of the other amounts of outdated slang we already teach them to say and the random things that already come out of their mouths: “dude,” “super duper,” “mullet,” “knucklehead,” and etc…

We use a book series called Junie B. Jones. She is a kindergartener and the series progresses through at least first grade. She is an early 90’s brat. On top of being so weird and having to help explain random events/puns (a guy’s name is Vallony and she says it is her favorite kind of sandwich) she also has really bad grammar and what we would consider a little kids way of talking (pasketti instead of spaghetti). Recently these books cause me to try to explain what the purpose, meaning and words of the Pledge of Allegiance. They laughed at me as I tried to remember the whole thing then sat in awe as I tried to explain it all…The next book had her singing “My Country Tis of Thee” with the words “My country tizzy bee sweet land of liver free.” It took me two classes to remember all the verses correctly. I felt like a bad American.

Hmmmm???

2009-11-10T05:24:00.000-06:00

Basically I am over the swine flu, but not over how I was treated by management throughout the whole ordeal-during and after and currently…

It has been a challenge for me to have stayed in Korea this long and sometimes it has proved rewarding, but I can’t even hide out with the kids anymore…

I just want to be on a plane right now…

Which is worse:

Staying because leaving would be a sign of weakness?

Or

Accepting that you are sometimes are weak?

Swine Update

2009-10-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

So it looks like our school has been hit and with my Korean luck staying in true form so have I. I was registered and given the drugs for the flu. One of out six year olds look to have the flu as well. The school is supposed to be shut down once three people have it...here's to hoping it doesn't come to that. I am supposed to stay home most of tomorrow as well and go back to the doctor on Thursday morning. I just want to play with my kids again and am worried about how much i played with them on Monday while being sick...and all the people I work with! It is mostly precaution I know, but highly inconvenient---

Three in One Thanks to the Swine Flu Scare

2009-10-26T22:29:00.000-05:00

Soooo, It, of course, has been a while since I updated. Today I have the rare chance of updating while I should be at work due to the fact that I have been sent home sick-with the fear of the swine flu and contact with the children. It is mostly precautionary, but also a little annoying. I want a day off on my terms…not because I am actually sick. Anyway…If I really do have the swine I will keep you posted, but it is probably going to be a disappointment that you will stay more than a degree away from a H1N1 victim.

So what have I not told you about---My Birthday…thanks again to those who remembered. Originally I had planned on going to Everland-or Korea’s Disneyland, but that fell through with too much hassle so Friday night we “pre-partied” at midnight we celebrated with a gourd and some white Russian-four years now and three continents! Saturday I got my hair done and a student surprised me with a little party – ate some cake with chopsticks! Finally we went to Indian food and a live band at one of the better bars downtown. When the band was informed of my birthday they sang happy birthday to me in the style of the Ramones—pretty exciting and fun dancing and such. The night ended when a couple of fights broke out between various people. But who doesn’t have a good fight for the night.

Last weekend LCI hosted a “Family Hiking” event for the morning kindergarten students. It was last minute planned so not as many families were able to attend, but over all there was still an excellent turn out. We arrived way early and walked a trail that ended up being longer and more difficult than planned so we had to re-plan out a trail and set up stations were the children and parents stopped and did some sort of activity along the path. Then there was an area to eat and finally an outside company hosted music and games. I was in charge of being one of the “faces of LCI” basically Bryan form the other school and I had to take family photos with the students. I have never been in so many photos before. It was a pretty good day.

I will type up a few more posts as the day goes on so that all I will have to do is past them into the blog and hopefully I will be able to update some of the side panels and facebook photos later as well. In the mean time I am going to go ahead and take this time to rest…slee..zzzzzzzzzzzzz

One more thing about Chuseok and I'm done-ish

2009-10-21T07:51:00.001-05:00

Wednesday before at school:

Something I forgot to mention was that the Wednesday before our holiday the children at school came dressed in their Hamboks and together we took pictures and make a traditional treat called (songpangyong)… it is some sort of flour something mixture with sugar sesame seed mix inside that you broil and eat. I think they are greasy and not that wonderful, but most Koreans go nuts for them and the kids LOVED eating and making them at school.

Day 2 …

2009-10-21T07:47:00.001-05:00

I know it has been weeks. It is really hard for me to describe the second day because, to me, I felt more intrusive and (because I am that kind of believer) more owerful of a tradition than to be able to fully describe. Many families visit the grave site of their ancestors on Chuseok; The Yang family had visited in the weeks before so as not to have to on the day of (a little disappointing for me, but handy for the family) instead we gathered and began to prepare the food we had cooked the day before around 7 am. Most was taken to their downstairs, but one table was set up in the Mothers dressing room where she did the prayers and bows by herself in front of a mirror. The food when eaten from her “table” is said to be good to eat if you are wanting to bear healthy sons. Overall no one could really tell me why she worshiped by herself other than a tradition of separation of the men and women. Most of the women continued to prepare food while the men and children participated in the ritual of worship and thanks to the ancestors for bountiful harvest and health. Brother number one showed me a book he used to help him with the correct placement of the food on the tables and a quick reminder guide for how to conduct the ceremony.

Traditionally the entire family also would have worn their hamboks, traditional Korean costumes, but only the Patri-Matriarchs of the family and some of the younger children did for this occasion.

Over all the family was amazed by me and my ability to stay and participate for what they felt was so long, but to me the whole thing was a fascinating anthropological cultural study. Whenever and wherever I see the old and new-tradition and westernization collide with tension I don’t believe is really found in the same way anywhere else it holds me in my own form of suspense for days. This experience with Chuseok was just that way. Harry Potter was playing on the TV while the Patriarch began the ceremony and the children had to be called away and repeatedly told to turn it off with it finally only being put on mute.

There isn’t much more to really say about it…I am still processing it weeks later—the opportunity that I had and the reactions of people who heard that I did so. Most were fairly negative. Between the idea of joining our bosses household for it and for giving up my holiday time people did not understand. I need to take the time, again, to thank my family for raising me to be comfortable in almost any home; for making us take our shoes off and help out in any way we could at any house we walked into. Maybe some would not approve of this approach of forwardness, but it is all I have known.

A few little notes about coming and going, that I have noticed before, but really noticed with a family. If you are leaving everything stops and the whole family (almost) will see you off with no hugs or kisses, but lots of bowing and maybe a pat on the shoulder or back. I noticed at work that all of the teachers when a parent is leaving our main “office area” will always “see” a parent off or at least stand up and bow them out as they are going, in America you would say your goodbye to who you where talking to and be gone most likely with a handshake or hug for those more intimate. The kids are very affectionate and touchy feely with some of us teachers because we have conditioned them to be so, but in the outside world of Korea they do not touch each out for the most part. It is very interesting. So much is very interesting…

Waiting....

2009-10-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hey, Sorry. Part two of Chuseok is on its way. I am having a little trouble writing it and I am so busy (as October always seems to be) at work this week. I will have them done soon. In the mean time don't forget to check out pictures on facebook and let me know what else I can be talking about... Seriously, the rest to come...

Celebrating Chuseok Day 1

2009-10-05T08:59:00.001-05:00

I am not even sure where to begin telling you about this experience…but some background would be good.

Chuseok is a traditional Korean holiday billed by Western society as “Korean Thanksgiving,” and it is in some ways, but that of course simplifies and narrows our view of the event. They dress up in traditional outfits and buy extra food and prepare it all a day in advance. However the simplification comes in that we do not have a ritual thousands of years old spent in reverence to our dead. Though this family did not this year due to time constraints with in-law families most will visit the tomb site of their ancestors to bow clean and bow some more; with a few chants thrown in for good measure.

Now that you have an idea of what it is-ish let me tell you how I even got invited/invited myself along… LCI was given an additional day off for Chuseok than most places-We had Thursday as well as Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So Brooke and I were heading off to Busan to spend three days on the beaches before it gets too cold to hang out on them. When I went to tell Maneerat goodbye on Wednesday night we started to talk about the holiday. She was complaining about the work she had to do and I said that I would have loved to experience it and that it didn’t seem like anymore work that when my family back home celebrated a holiday/got together. So she invited me over. “Really?!” I was worried about what the rest of the family might think as she didn’t clear it with anyone and then she was worried Brooke would be angry that I wanted to cancel Busan…but it all worked out….When she told Won Jun Nim he laughed and laughed and laughed …

Skipping over a restful day Thursday—Friday morning meet at LCI at 9:30 and wait for Maneerat. She was running very late and so Bpa (“household help”) came and brought me to their apartment. It was a very modern and large apartment-nothing special. We were headed to Bongsondong when Brooke called so we turned around and picked her up. We arrived at an actual house within the city. I never thought I would see inside an actual house in Korea in the middle of the city. It was a beautiful clash of old and modern and tradition and in general a fascination throughout my visit, ut more on that later.

When we arrived we have to great the head of the house first off and everyone inside it. And this goes for everyone and no matter whether you have already done it once that day you do it every time you come and go. For this story I will pretend that Won Jun Nim is my brother so his parents (the heads of the house) are Mom and Dad. Mom was worried that I: a) would keep Maneerat from working by distracting her. b) would not be a good cook and mess everything up. c) distract other people. d) not understand what was going on get bored and leave. Mom overall became very impressed with me in a short time which Maneerat was shocked about as it takes time usually. Anyway all of the daughter-in-laws help prepare food for the next day. The sons of the family and their wives are all referred to by numbers the oldest being 1, followed by 2, 3 Maneerat and Won Jun Nim are 4, and then 5. So that is how I was introduced to everyone in the family (nieces and nephews where 1’s 2 and so on meaning the second son of the first brother).

Anyway: Our first task was preparing jalapenos for stuffing. Which I should mention was set up on newspapers on the dining room floor…that’s right we prepared the food on the floor… Then peeling some sort of turnip like thing with a bark shell. Then stuffing the shelled jalapenos with a pork and…mixture then rolling them in flour dipping them in egg and warming them up. Then we had to break for lunch. It was so amazing to me to actually see a “normal” Korean meal set up on a dining room table. In old fashioned form the men ate first then a second wave of men then the non-working women of the family and the children (and as a guest they slipped me in during the second wave of this) and finally the cooking women. Prior to our time to dine Maneerat gave us a tour of the house. Mom is a buyer meaning she sees something and she buys it. She has stuff from all over the world-an eclectic collection of everything and a very old gaudy style that was fabulous and to see actual mother of pearl inlayed wardrobes in use…three rooms worth of them…

After our tour and still prior to lunch Brooke left with Won Jun Nim, but I stayed around. I had promised Maneerat that I would- and I really wanted to experience fully what it was like to participate in a traditional family event. I think I have to thank Brooke for leaving as that made me look even better, but I think they were impressed by this time no matter what. Afterwards we went back to the peppers. This time we kind of made an omelet with them as we rolled them in egg-peppers in a blanket…this is when the family and Maneerat became really impressed after a couple I was doing as good as Maneerat and it had taken her several years to do it correctly. When we finished we began to clean up and clean and clean. Then we took a break and waited for dinner.

The sister-in-laws asked me to hang around and started to talk to me a little then (1 spoke some English and 3 and 5 could understand some of what I said though couldn’t speak any). Anyway after a couple of hours rest – except stirring and flipping the “leave to simmer” food we started dinner and let the waves come again. Mom finally sent us home (Maneerat, Ayoung and Juwon (her daughters) and me) due to feeling that I shouldn’t have to sit around waiting to clean up after working so hard that day (though really it was more sitting and waiting for people to eat than working). Anyway she sent us home with an invitation back the next day.

Giant wasp causes mass panic in kindergarten class

2009-09-27T09:15:00.001-05:00

Tuesday September Gwang-Ju LCI

A wasp of never before seen size caused mass panic Tuesday afternoon when some 7 year olds spotted it. After finally convincing their teacher that an “extremely big bee” was in the class room after about 10 min of speculation she tried to kill it herself. “I’ve never seen a wasp as big as a finger” said Cassandra-Teacher, of Saang-Chon-Dong. After failing to be able to reach the wasp and fearing angering it to the point of attacking the children she called in reinforcements. Brandon-Teacher, also of Saang-Chon Dong, “The biggest fucking wasp; man that thing was huge…bigger than my little finger and tough.”

Brandon-Teacher advised to make the kids quietly be removed from the room. Cassandra-Teacher said she was “extremely proud of how quietly and nicely the children reacted to the situation.” They lined up quickly and quietly and went to the playroom with Chris-Teacher while Brandon and Cassandra-Teacher went to into Johns Hopkins to fight. After attempting several serious blows the Wasp took refuge in the lighting fixture. In a later afternoon class Chris-Teacher was able to finish it off. “I didn’t believe what they [Brandon and Cassandra-Teacher] said about the size of that thing.”

Thankfully no party other than the wasp was injured in the battle. Thanks to the courageous effort of the teachers and particularly well behaved children.

***Update
Wednesday September

Two more wasps and one bee of still rather large size was spotted and sacrificed for the safety of the children of Johns Hopkins class. Where the insects are coming from is still under investigation; however all possibilities are being looked into and more updates will be given with any new information.

One, Two, Three thoughts as go to bed

2009-09-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

I miss good cereal and morning star farm products.

I am homesick and think it will only get worse through the holidays.

As soon as I am awake/have enough time I have a couple of wonderful stories from the kids.

Baseball and Karaoke

2009-09-20T04:45:00.001-05:00

A pretty good weekend on this end of the world-- yet sad too; I missed a fantastic party back home (I am sure that is was and can’t wait for the details…

Saturday night a couple from a neighboring school had a “house party” at their apartment. They have a triple room place that is good sized. It was nice to see newer people in a conversational setting rather than the bars where you have to shout to be heard and such.

Saturday started early and weirdly enough—A students mother treated Brooke and me to fake eyelashes. They took about an hour to put on and hurt every once in a while. I keep joking that I was “forced” into it by Brooke and Kitty’s mom as it would never have been my original idea to do them; they look like mascar-ed eyelashes a little thicker than mine normally are and though they do look okay I do not plan on becoming an eyelash whore…

Afterwards we had delectable salads and soup at Outback and went home for a while to get ready for a Kia Tigers game!

The Tigers are currently in first place and they beat the LG Twins 9-6 after a fairly exciting and eventful game. Cody, Lindsay, Evan, Teresa, Tina, Terry, Liam, Chris and his girlfriend (visiting form Japan) Amy, Brooke, Bill, Sarah, Aiden, Jeremy, Brian, Young (a Korean friend) and Kasey were all part of the group. It was a good game. Afterwards we went to the University area to eat. Jeremy’s friend Party Girl joined us around that time and after we ate many of us lost our Nori-bong virginities.

A Nori-bong is a singing room. Basically you pay to sit in a room and drink/eat and sing karaoke. It was ridiculous and hilarious and absolutely a blast. Finally we closed then night downtown at Speaks and Songs our numbers dwindling to Liam, Tina, Cody and I.

I have slept through most of Sunday, but plan to go out and do some laundry and will clean a little when I return. Oh well…I am satisfied with that type of day.

Good News for the easily amused

2009-09-16T08:36:00.000-05:00

Good news for the easily amused--a toy is back in my life that always makes me giggle and if today, yesterday and the day before are any indication then it is a toy that will ALWAYS make me laugh!---

Take half a hollowed ball made out of rubber and flip it upside down; then POP! What a simple concept. What a stupid thrill to wait for it to pop and try to catch it in the process. I remember Keith and I playing with them for spurts on and off as we would re-discover them around the house after time after time. And what should I re-discover years after Momma threw the last one away? The joy of annoying my afternoon kids by playing with theirs when they are taking a test. There seems to be a phase as everything else in the world and these “poppers” are the current thing here…I think it is hilarious because I haven’t thought about them in a while.

Another thing that is fun is trying to remember all the words and actions to camp songs. I am still working on it and having fun with the ones I can remember.

Oh and I am going back to five days of overtime a week! I was given a tutor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. His name is Sam and he has been studying for a couple of years, but isn’t where he should be/where he needs to be for the classes so I am going to be working with him/on him for an hour every other evening. We will see what happens I guess…

Swine Flu Panic at LCI-

2009-09-12T21:27:00.001-05:00

Caution all kindergarteners. When you get off the bus and up the elevator shoes off, slippers on and wash your hands. Drink only out of the paper water cups and dispose of them in the trash cans. Use the hand sanitizer your parents are sending. Use the bottled water your parents are sending. Don’t listen to your teachers when they say to cover your mouth and stop picking your nose as that definitely won’t help stop the spreading of germs, but wearing a mask throughout class will help if it is of a thick enough material.

In all seriousness the swine flu has shut down one private school in Gwang-Ju after three children really did get sick from the swine flu and there have been several kids who actually know a kid at from an elementary school nearby that has it (two degrees for me-three or four for most of you! (if you don’t get this reference we can no longer be related or friends))…I it a serious enough situation it is also a little funny how they are handling things. Korean’s are all over the place in sanitation and non sanitation and it is pretty hilarious from my western sanitary conditions.

Normal Korea sometimes...

2009-09-12T21:23:00.000-05:00

So, I just had the best breakfast burrito of my life. Most likely because I haven’t had one in so long, but still: scrambled egg, some mild cheddar, green pepper and salsa wrapped in a warm flour tortilla…mmmmmm.

Basically since my refrigerator is working I bought salsa and tortilla(s) at the foreigner food store when I was downtown yesterday and it really hit the spot this Sunday morning. I am getting myself awake and ready to go to the park on another gorgeous day and tonight will clean and prep laundry for tomorrow.

I was finally able to get at least part of what I needed to replace and fix my camera a little and that makes me giddily happy. One more stop maybe next weekend or the one after will have me really happy again as far as my baby goes…

Friday night was yet another Teacher’s dinner hosted by our currently rarely seen bosses. It was raining so we had to have it inside, but still a good time was had by all. Saturday Brooke and I shopped a little downtown before Liam’s birthday party started. TGI Friday’s, a whale cake from Baskin Robbins and then a night of drinking, talking and pool/darts at Crazy horse seemed to allow for an enjoyable birthday-I know that I at least had a good time.

The weekends have been nicely full lately. Last Friday night was dancing all night at Speakeasy and then club Volume and then this weekend with the events and finally next weekend looks like another Kia-Tigers baseball game (and they are first in the league!). .. September is already flying by…damn….

Update

2009-09-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Labor Day (belated on my end)…End of summer and the holiday that marks the start of the busy holiday seasons.

Momma said that I have been neglecting you all on that side of the world and if you feel that way I am sorry. I finally got my internet working-ish again and have been busy at work and with work. There also isn’t as much to be reporting anymore than repeats of what I have told you before (though there may be some god new ones coming up? Maybe)

News that I do have:

I received a new student in class last Monday. Her name is Lori and she is actually a six year old who tested higher and had to be put into some open class. She is a little quiet, but not really shy. She already reads some and is doing better than my class dunces at the moment.

Last Saturday I was woken up by a phone call of screaming students. About eight LCI students and their mothers were in the park and wanted their teachers to play with them. So we did for about 4-5 hours. It was nuts, but fun to interact with them in a non-formal environment and in a way they actually learned while we played because we would still correct their grammar and then yesterday they came in talking a little better because of it (future tense practice).

To come when I am not in a hurry to do work for school: Swine flu panic; fake id needed

Some Kid Stories

2009-08-24T06:11:00.002-05:00

Kid Stories:

There haven’t been as many good cutesy kid stories or even that many disturbing ones until this last week:

My kids have always kind of realized that I have boobs, but last week they realized that they can be vocal about it in English. “Cassandra-Teacher chest! Heeheeheeheehee” (with hands to make their own chest…) As I am scolding Billy for this (he started it and the other boys followed suit) Dan points and says “Me mommy (hands to form boobs on him) Twins and sister (he has a set of twins at home that are about 6-9 months old and a sister around 18 months) feed (mouth suckling motion) sometimes me too (suckling sound and motion again) very yummy!” so if you didn’t catch that my 7 year old told me that he still occasionally breast feeds from his mother when she is feeding one of the other three babies. I questioned him further and asked the Korean teacher to confirm and it is not just a story. I am still in a little shock about it.

Second story of a little bit of shock and disgust-I had a seven year old poop in his pants! Harold is the only student who has ever had this problem of not making it to the bathroom. He asked after it happened this time. We are sitting and reading and all of a sudden some of the kids start to freak out “yuck! What’s that smell? Smell bad teacher!” and I am wondering what they are talking about and it is bathroom time so maybe someone farted and I order them to line up where they really really start to freak out. Harold in the front has a pungent odor coming from him. I check and my head falls. He pooped his pants. So, after sending him to the proper places to get cleaned up I taught my children special vocabulary: emergency, accident, poop and fart.

Rocky will often say “come and get me baby” and “Cassandra-teacher silly (girl or woman)” recently he has taken to saying “Come and get me silly teacher” somehow last week in the playroom he said “Come and get me sexy woman” now I would have chalked that up to my hearing in a loud environment if Velina hadn’t ask “Sexy? what sexy? Sexy?” and Chris (my student not the teacher) goes “silly no sexy!”

What else to tell about the kids…This is the best for now...

Another Seoul Weekend

2009-08-24T06:11:00.001-05:00

Went to Seoul with Brooke and Sarah. This is our second ‘girls day’ trip of shopping and eating and talking. This time we focused on real breakfast food (though still no-where as good as anything found in America or what I can start making myself once I am positive my fridge won’t go out again) and we ate Subway multiple times (though it wasn’t as good as the one Terry and I ate at on vacation).

We spent a lot of time in Insa-dong this time. Which I have been to, but Sarah and Brooke had not which drained some energies and so instead of going to one of the other areas we planned on we headed back to Itaewon. The cabbie we were graced with was an absolute character. He had old 50’s country on the radio and kept naming off 50’s country and pop and told us he used to be a disco dancer; the kicker is that everytime he finished naming someone he would hit my arm and told me I was his “Sugar, Sugar” and had the boobs of Ingrid Bergman. Sarah and Brooke were having a great laugh through all of this. “Are you married” he asked at which time I am sure that he would have tried to find a drive through chapel if they existed here. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, after we paid and got out he was in an accident! (We think he was looking at us instead of the traffic as another car cut him off! It was aweful…).

Finally we got books and food and drank tea (rested up) and a final tour of an early closing set of shops. I accomplished none of what I wanted to get and see, but it was a great day. I was able to get some great books and found an amazing deal on some tops that are totally Korean. I even found a ton of gift ideas for the upcoming holidays that I should have gone ahead and started buying…

Sunday was also a great day. Just cleaning and laundry and sleeping and reading…I really hope that my internet is working again soon and such.

Obligatory 6 month mark reflection piece...

2009-08-21T04:45:00.000-05:00

So, once again/still I am having internet problems. So I spending the first part of my Friday night at Holly’s coffee shop (a place I adore) to use their internet again. On the up side, my fridge might be partially fixed and I am heading to Seoul for a window shopping trip --mostly due to my lack of funds recovering from last month still and because I can still have a great time hanging out with the girls who decide to go. First a reflection post as today marks me here for six months:

Six freakin’ months. Half a year. Not even a full percentage of the average persons life, but enough to be amazed at how fast time comes and goes (as I often am and as I am often reminded).

What I love: The kids (92% of them); the music; fruit soju (I will not lie about that one I am slightly addicted); the fashion (or lack thereof due to their ability to wear anything-and I mean anything and make it look amazing;; Korean’s ability to be eating kimchi and BBQ at 7 am; seeing a person walk through Lotte Mart (target) in scrubs dragging their IV with them; misspelled and/or grammatically incorrect Non-Korean Language (English and French) on everything from clothing and notebooks to menus and billboards; service (they extra things you will get at restaurants or randomly packaged with the food); traveling around the country; meeting many new people and learning about Korean culture.

What I don’t love and don’t hate, but feel is worth mentioning: gimbop (rolled rice/seaweed with [for me] radish (not pickled, but something like it) carrot, egg, cucumber, and various other vegetables sometimes (I really enjoy it, but cannot believe that it is healthy and sometimes just doesn’t hit the spot); THE GOOD-walking out the door and finding a taxi waiting ( so handy ) THE BAD-the cheapness of the taxi’s (because it encourages me to use more often);

What I hate: My lack of discipline in learning more of the language to be able to communicate more effectively and my lack of mastering reading the language; Not being able to participate and see my family daily; How I feel that I am always on a 9-5 ish schedule since I cannot communicate to call in repairs (internet/fridge) myself; how much I love sleep in a place that rarely sleeps; the smell(s); pickled everything; the mold; not having a dryer or an oven (mostly a dryer); fruit flies (this is not a new development)

What I am learning: Patience, patience, and if I didn’t remember to say it-patience; that what teachers really do at this level is the same as animal trainers-only their pupils can’t back talk; we not only teach language, but also culture; that I am reaping what I sowed-aka karma is a bitch with an iron fist (meaning things I did my kids are doing);

I am sure there are many things I am forgetting to write about. Over all I just cannot believe that it has been so short yet so long a time over here. So there it is the customary marker column…

Other things I just thought of as I finished up: Communal foods, squatting toilets, bar soaps and tie-dyed dogs—all under the still in disbelief category.

Summertime and the lovin' is easy...

2009-08-10T05:09:00.000-05:00

This is a little long...sorry, but it is the whole week...Hope it is detailed-ish enough...

Summer Vacation…Traveling Korea for one week. Well not really traveling Korea; it was more like a couple of days in Seoul and a couple of days in Busan with a stopover back in Gwang-Ju for a night between the two. Over-all, vacation was FAB-U-LOUS! Maybe not the grand adventure going to another country or having better planning could have offered, but relaxing and chill and fun is all I needed…

Friday night:

Schools out! Ate downtown with Brooke and bought tennis shoes. Meet up with some of the guys including a newly returned Jeremy! Head home to get a little sleep…

Saturday:

Up early to finish laundry, begin packing, and went to Kitty’s (a student) Mom’s hop for a manicure. Meet up with Terry for lunch and finished laundry. Packed up and headed to Seoul! Arrived and found our hostel…it was really nice, clean, amazing shower, and comfortable. After settling we headed to Itaewon for Indian food. There is this place I went to once before that I adore.

Afterwards we hit up some bars there. Unfortunately, for the budget conscious that we had to be, drinking in Seoul was hard. The best and cheapest we found was a Canadian (bring on the jokes) bar called Rocky Mountain Tavern that had the cheapest drinks and great atmosphere. We also hit up some “pub,” tried to find a seat in Woodstock, which offered live music, and in honor of the band we later were going to see Oasis (“the bar you had in mind”)…Finally after beginning to fall asleep in Oasis (no patrons, comfy couches and easy listening music) we headed back to our hostel.

Grabbing a night cap from the family mart we stopped in this little gazebo-ed park right down from the hostel to finish off the night; however that was not to happen. At the gazebo “slept” two very drunk guys. One was semi-conscious enough to say hi and the other vomited onto his shirt sleeve. Sometime later three other guys show up; they happen to be the not passed out friends of the sleeping guys. We begin talking…We head out to a place where more beer is ordered and chicken (always chicken). Finally around 5 am we return to our hostel to catch a few hours of sleep.

Favorite moments of the night include:

Over hearing “…and then he said he had a girlfriend; and so I was like, hell no! get out of this cab, get out right, fucking, now!”

Explaining the difference between hick and redneck and explaining why (the drunk Korean guys) shouldn’t use the “n-word”

Terry explaining English to me on the bus ride

Sunday:
Forced up by the desire to see Oasis in concert, but not happy about it from the late night before, (Terry can be an absolute baby about getting up…) we headed to the subway after a quick bite from Starbucks. The Jisan Valley Rock Festival offered a free bus to Jisan Valley at the end of the yellow line. It took us almost 2 hours to get to that spot though; Terry slept and I dozed, but mostly kept watch for the line changes and such; we finally caught a bus and slept our way to the festival another hour away.

Once at the drop off it was somewhere around (?) 2 or 3- ish; the festival was about a 1.5km walk from where the Seoul bus dropped us and so we trekked (not a hard one and the streets were lined with people trying to sell all sorts of things). Hundreds of people of every shape size and color together (We even managed to run into Mark (Bongsongdong co-worker)) …Asian Kung fu Generation was playing as we entered the concert area and we wandered a bit to get our bearings. Finally, Terry decided on some food and we sat for a while enjoying the atmosphere and music. Patti Smith absolutely rocked the early evening concert; we thought she would be hard to beat, especially with as temperamental as Oasis can be, but Jet had a great set and Oasis played a full 90 minute set with classics, a few new and mostly the arrogant stage presence they are infamous for.

After the concert I had a temporary panic attack when we thought we would not be able to get back to Seoul due to lack of buses, but that was sorted out when we realized what exactly was going on…(though I am not sure now what it was)…Anyway we passed out again on the bus and then taxied (almost too cheaply we don’t know how that happened) back to our hostel where once again we had a night cap outside and went in…

MONDAY:

I was all ready to go bright and early the next morning. I was in a tourist mood; that was one of my goals in Seoul was to get some of those tourist things “out of the way.” So I finally got Terry roused and headed to the tourist help area of the hostel. Danny (the director) was very helpful; he also thought Terry and I were married.

“Your husband is still sleep? How long have you been married?”
“Wait, what? No, no we are not together…just friends-co-workers”
“Oh…sorry, my mistake…”

So, Terry and I went to Subway (it was amazingly fantastic); a palace; a shrine; tried to find another palace; walked along the stream and finally a market area before heading to meet up with Charles (the Korean-American co-worker who “lives in Seoul”)

After a subway ‘where are you” adventure we headed to the “it” area for night life and at that point in the day late afternoon life. Unfortunately, with university on break and Charles recovering from a two day whirlwind trip in Tokyo with his cousin the night would be a little slower than we thought it would; but that was okay. We did drinks and dinner and coffee and almost had our fortunes told. (It closed at midnight, however, and we made a decision to do it about a minute before. Terry won a stuffed penguin at a little carnival booth and gave it to me. After saying goodbye to Charles and making it back to our area we once again had a nice nightcap at the gazebo and sauntered off to bed.
Tuesday:

Terry had it in his mind to go back to Gwang-Ju so he packed his things when we finally got moving, but I was committed to one more night. For lunch we ate bad Tex-Mex in Itaewon before going to the War Memorial museum. It was absolutely huge; and we only toured the outside. It was also one of the best displays I have seen for honoring not just the Korean military, but the military powers across the world. There were some moving tributes to the fighters of the Korean War.

Later I dropped Terry off at the Express Bus terminal and wandered around some of the different shopping districts and the river walk again. Made it to another palace (just the outside grounds as it was closed) and to Insadong (been there before and was surprised at the construction occurring) I meet several different sets of people who tried to talk to me for one thing or another and one even gave me a little phone charm that was a bottle of “Cass” beer (since it’s my name…) around midnight I headed back and sat outside at the gazebo for a final night before goodnight.

Wednesday:

Nothing terribly exciting to report; I headed back to Gwang-Ju after a relaxing morning in Seoul. Laundry and re-packed for Busan trip. Walked around our downtown area just because and had a great dinner at my favorite little California Roll.

Thursday:

Headed to Busan mid morning, it took more than five hours to get there due to heavy traffic and then another hour by subway to get to my hostel area. Checked in, changed and etc then headed to Shanghais/Texas street to meet up with Terry and Matt. What was once the Chinese quarter has been taken over by Russians. Terry was propositioned for new beautiful cloths and told that he had very ugly cloths on (to be fair the shirt he was wearing makes him look like Shaggy form Scooby Doo; though it really is a nice shirt). Anyway. After walking for a bit Onaje came into twon and we meet up with him near our hostel for dinner. Starting by Quizno’s subs and walking around for a while looking for something else we ended up back at Quizno’s.

Poor Terry got himself burnt that day; he made lobsters look white he was so burnt. It was pretty funny for a while, but then he started to feel the heat exhaustion that drinking and time can cause. So we went to a familiar Miller Time to wait for Lisa. Lisa is a gal we meet at Mud Fest two weekends before. She was to take us to what is now my favorite Korean club/bar (almost beating D’Alla in Maastricht, but you cannot demote your first love): Ghetto. Ghetto was right around the cornor from out hostel and had the cheapest drinks in town: 1,000 won (a little less than a dollar) shots and 2,000 won beers. You also had the option of ordering an entire bottle which several of the groups of patrons did that night with tequila.

Now a few more things to know: Lisa and I were two of maybe a half-a-dozen to a dozen girls in the bar that night, but there were many guys so our guys now refer to this night as Gay Night. Second as two girls, foreigners, who danced a lot and very well we had no problem getting attention that night. As we were dancing shots were being put into our hands; it was crazy. Around 530 we wound up at McDonalds and a little after 6 I was getting ready for bed in the hostel.

Friday

I was up pretty early for being our so late and headed straight to the big tourist beach. It was a little overcast and cooler, but still a nice day to lounge by the water. Haeundea (spelling) is the biggest and most popular beach in Korea and there was no shortage of people there on Friday. Koreans are so afraid of the sun they have umbrellas set up all along the beach that you have to rent (basically you rent a spot on the beach). I finally found a non-umbrellaed area at the far end of the beach where I set up shop for the day; which means that I read until I napped and read and napped.

Around 1:30 ish I did venture to the bathrooms and to find some food and who should I run into? Matt and Terry following Manila, Won Jon Nihm, Manila’s parents, and all three children! I said hi to all and briefly considered a road trip across Busan to the big fish market, but decided on more beach time.

Around 7-ish I headed back to meet Onaje for dinner. ‘Naje had decided to visit a temple that day. We thought it would be a nice night to go to a closer smaller beach that had a bridge that is all lighted up and such. It was gorgeous/fabulous etc. I happened to feel/get really sick though later that night and headed back to the hostel leaving ‘Naje to fend for himself at the Family Mart.

Saturday

After waking up slowly from such a rough night of being sick I attempted to rouse Naje who had wanted to be roused. I spent most all morning waiting for him (which was a mistake). Eventually we both were able to begin moving and headed to the UN Memorial Cemetery for the Korean War. You may not know this, but I am a little obsessed with death and cemeteries and this one did not disappoint. It was mostly peaceful and fascinating.

There were only two times by calm was broken while there. Once was when a group of kids began to play in the Unknown Soldiers waterway and took off all their cloths (kinda pissed me off that the parents didn’t bother to control them). The second was more powerful. While looking at the names on The Wall of Remembrance a couple asked me what nationality I was. I, of course, told them American. They asked if I knew anyone who fought; again I said yes. Then they said Thank You and walked away. I was in awe of this younger couple.

Another memorable moment at the cemetery included seeing the grave of a man who served in WWI, WII, and died in Korea. The cemetery home to a little less than 40 US Soldiers, yet we had the most deaths outside of natives for the war.
Post cemetery we ate and changed before heading down to Haeundae again. This time for the kick off of the big Sea Festival they host ever year. There was a huge stage with all sorts of popular and semi-popular Korean Pop groups performing and a pirate ship circling the bay. After a time we meet up, again, with Lisa and a Steve, Aiden, and two Chris’s (none of which are any relation to our Steve, Aiden or Chris). We hung out on the beach and watched the mass of 500,000 plus people moving and grooving and settling in for a night on the beach. It was chaotic and fabulous. The evening “ended” with a spectacular fire-works show over the water. A while later we decided that dancing was in our future and we headed to “my” area to the Ghetto.

Now a quick story about Naje and his crocs: he is a follower of the croc and for some illogical reason, though logical at the time, he decided to buy a two dollar pair of flip flops and ditch his crocs. Within half an hour he regretted this decision. As we left the beach and trekked that street again, what was still there on the side of the road, the crocs! It might be a “had to be there” to understand moment, but it was hilarious.

Arriving at Ghetto was very different from Thursday night. It was packed and came with a cover charge of 5,000, but you got a free drink with it (so free still just an obligatory drink). Once again shots came freely and with more people in the place more often. It was hotter than the August midday sun as we danced and danced. Finally, I split off a little and made my way to the balcony that had a little bit of the outside breathable air coming in. Some of the others just went outside. There were some Koreans and several Indians (literally form India) students who I started to dance with. It was mad crazy throughout the night.

Waaaay later while trying to find out where everyone went we ended up in a Hookah Bar upstairs. It was relaxing. Later yet we found ‘Naje being woken up at the Family Mart and having lost his camera yet again. We did finally find the camera, but not until after Naje pissed many off and we got into a bit of a scuffle. It was pretty bad. Lisa and I ended up again at McDonalds and then I got into my hostel by waiting (oh I forgot to mention Naje had lost his keys the night before and stole my keys from me that night). I showered and headed back to Gwang-Ju which was a great idea because people had trouble getting in later in the day due to high traffic and etc. So that is my Sunday as well.

Since I didn’t sleep I still could Sunday morning as part of Saturday. On the bus I meet up with this Finnish chick that was backpacking through Asia and slept about an hour before arriving in Gwang-Ju. I showered and cleaned up and meet Brooke in the park and then slept. Forever. Vacation was nothing as big as what some people did, but it was fairly satisfying. Nothing major happened (Oh except getting my pant leg caught in an escalator…I almost forgot about that…sorry—got my pants leg caught in an escalator and they had to tear/cut me out of the subway in Seoul.) Nobody was really injured-other than pride- and we all had a good time. So there is most of the story…

Overload

2009-08-10T04:58:00.000-05:00

So much time goes by so fast that I am unable to keep track anymore. To be fair, my internet has been down so I have not been able to post as I really have wanted to this last week. However, to be honest I am keeping myself busy with a little bit of play and a lot of work (really...it just seems like more play since that is more interesting to write about)...

What is the next post to come (about five minutes after I finish this one) will be from Vacation Week now over a week ago...

Due to monetary restraints and procrastination I had to stay in Korea for break, but it was still Korea. And on top of that I made sure to not spend any more time than necessary in my native area so it was spent in Seoul and Busan. I can barely illustrate how much fun I had and will be sure to be posting more than just the basics when I get a chance/remember something interesting to add. As it is there should be more than enough to keep you busy imagining a week with insane people (myself included).

Other quick news to keep you updated: We are losing two teachers today. One I am not on great terms with, Michael; and the other has become a great friend/older brother, Onaje. It will be a very different environment in the office. We have also gained three new employees: Tasif, Cody and Lindsay. Tasif will be heading to the Bongsongdong School and the other two will be taking Michael and Onaje’s classes. We will see what happens.

Okay now that I have written a small book as an intro read about my vacation and wait for photos on some website…I will keep trying to not do so bad with posts and such you can shoot me later.

Three guys, one gal and a whole bunch of spa-quality mud

2009-07-21T10:25:00.001-05:00

So, when I heard about this festival I thought…hmmmmmmmmmm…and then I decided that I had to go. It is a ten day festival and die to other things happening I thought weekend two was better…So Liam, Terry, Onaje and I ventured forth to the Boryeong Mud Festival last Saturday morning. And we are not just talking any dirty ol’ mud, but pumped in from the medicinal healing Boryeong fresh water pure mud site.
Boryeong is about 2 hours north of Gwang-Ju-right on the water. We were going kinda blind, some of them hung-over and under prepared (how better to go?). Gathered and left on a bus around 11am arrived and such by around 2 pm; a brief stop at E-Mart to secure Terry some sandals and swim-trunks and another brief photo op that included an overturned scooter; and went to seek accommodation. We found it not a hop skip and a jump from the beach and festival’s main street for a decent price for one room (four people) a bed, a mat and a hot shower/working toilet (my only two requirements were the last two!).
After arriving and securing such accommodations we toasted to the future weekend and headed to the beach. It was cloudy and very windy, but the temperature was still perfect and as soon as we had gotten off the bus you could feel a difference in the air quality and overall “freshness” of the salt water. First a dip in the salty sea and then down the beach to the “mud painting stations” instead of, as I had thought, a big mud ditch where you get all muddy; they have little stations filled with mud being pumped through a hose with paint brushes tied on to paint yourselves with mud. That is exactly what we did, as well as fight and paint each other in random manners with it as well.
Highlights of the rest of the afternoon include: getting free mud soap; mocking statues; Liam winning a hammer from the basketball carnival booth; having a random Korean man call us all pretty and take individual pictures with us on the side of the road; using a squatting toilet for the first time; having a family ask to have their picture taken with us; catching a runaway ball then losing the runaway ball to the wind on the beach and Liam taking off after it (a had to be their moment that I will love remembering—ball gone before realizing the ball is gone Liam has the shoes off and is after it and half a mile down the beach chasing it, lost it a few more times, lost sight of him completely and finally getting it back only for Onaje to forget to hand it over to the “guard” and us losing it again.); drinking on the street; washing off in the ocean and cleaning up in our room-deciding who got to use the bathroom first via “Rock-Paper-Scissors” (I won!); going back out and eating at the “Restaurant for Foreigners” (which was a tent area with hamburgers/hotdogs and etc type food); getting air-brush tattoos; stopping by the Hip-Hop jam and stopping by a bar; going back to the hotel to rest until the rave began; going to the “rave” and being rained out due to the monsoon season; meeting some people in the convenience store inviting them back to our place and drinking/talking with them all night.
It was a fabulous beginning and day. I was sooo exhausted by the end of the day (early morning). Sunday I was awake super early and the boys were very passed out, but bided my time, and finally the management reminded us of check out time 11 am and we gathered our things and headed to sit at the beach. It was gorgeous sunny day Sunday and, of course, more people were out and about because of it. Terry and I decided that the water was too much to resist and changed into some clothes, left Onaje and Liam sleeping with our belongings and headed to the sea. For the next five hours we alternately spent the time in the water (a break for lunch/breakfast) in the water and in the water. Finally, we did change and dry off and sit with Liam and Onaje for a while walked around a bit and basically “sunbathed” some more…sunscreen didn’t work on to parts of my back and I am super sun-burnt their and poor Liam and Onaje’s legs got it pretty bad form the sun moving over the trees we were under.
We came back exhausted, dehydrated (salt water-really…for some of us) and very glad for the experience.

More later…sad for Onaje; chicken flesh; new camera; upcoming vacation…

There might be...

2009-07-15T04:38:00.000-05:00

There might be a humidity problem in your apartment when...

---A tootsie pop melts

---Your peanut butter melts

---Your pillow sours from going to bed with wet hair

---You weekly belach your ceiling to kill tha mold

---You daily bleach your bathroom to kill the mold

---Your gum melts

---Even a direct fan on your laundry means a 24+ hour dry time

---Leaving an open package of crackers overnight is the equivalent of dropping them into a river and trying to eat them the next day

I am sure there will be more to come...I am trying to do better with this writing thing!

Reading Time

2009-07-14T07:39:00.000-05:00

These are books I read when I was in pre-k/kindergarten and elementary school (and to be honest last summer when I was unpacking that box from the toy closet) and some I am now reading to “my kids.” There are a few listed that I am waiting to find to read to the kids. And there are some that I forgot to type down. A couple I do not remember reading, but I do remember seeing them and it is exciting to hear the kids excited about them. Also, if you are a children’s book fan, a parent of a boy, or named David; you should check out the “David” series by David Shannon…they are fabulously hilarious.

Where the Wild Things Are

Goodnight, Moon

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Love You Forever

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

The Grouchy Ladybug

The Little Engine That Could

There Was an Old Lady (Classic Books With Holes)

The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Strega Nona

If you give a Mouse a Cookie

SERIES:
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Bernstein Bears
Curious George
Franklin
Magic School Bus
[Little critter] (? The hedgehog-looking ones)

Lastly, Sadly, here are some books that I haven’t seen to be able to read to the kids…yet…

Dr. Seuss

Oh me, Oh my ...

2009-07-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

So, where to start?

We had a teacher in-service day last Friday. Many things talked about and etc. How, What, etc to do things in classroom and little behavior things. We had some fun (Yugoslavia—had to be there moment), we had some guilt (oops! forgot that was wrong), and some curiosity (are they referencing me?). Over all it was nice, as is usually is to have both of the schools together foreign teacher wise and see and talk to them.

Afterwards we went to Outback for lunch as we had a two and a half hour break! I love the salad I can get from there…and their bread is delicious. Anyway the reason I mention this is that our one co-worker Vicki goes there all the time; several times a week and is very well known. After we are given our bills and are getting ready to pay the waiter comes back and tells us that he has to adjust the bills—10% Vicki Friends—we were given the Vicki discount! It was awesome.

Oh, earlier in the week I swept poker night! I am very proud of myself for that…I was kinda tired of playing thinking that pocket eights sucked, but maybe something could come of it; scared when a queen came out and he kept betting, but then got trip eights…so went with it. Onaje was pissed, but oh well. Played another game and one that second “fairer” he said with ace-jack and then flopped a jack with ace high so it worked out.

KID STORIES:

Last week for the fourth of July we made these little fourth of July vests for the kids art project. They were red and white striped with blue color, “buttons” and “pockets.” Super cute on them! So while we were finishing tying the elastic to them and getting them on the kids some had the vests on and some didn’t. All of a sudden Dan and the ones with the vest said “I America-You Korean!” pointing to Harold who had no vest on yet. I thought it was the cutest thing and laughed so hard...

The kids have this obsession with being first to sit, stand etc; but instead of saying first like I tried to teach them they got it in their head that they are zero. “I’m zero” “No, I’m zero” then someone else starts to defend the first one “No, [name] zero” and a third pips up “No, [name 2] zero” until I tell them that all are zero and to be quiet and good.

I might have mentioned before that I use the word silly and knucklehead to describe my kids. It turns out that some of the older kids liken those words to a negative “crazy” and we are not allowed to use them. Luckily I am teaching my kindergarteners that they are usually good words when I use them and we use them. But the point I am working towards is that the kids are using those words to begin to describe how a fox might look in a book, or how they drew the facial expression on a person to be. It is cute when they use it.

I have discovered that I am anit-the-word-“Fine.” “How are you today?” “Fine, thank you.” I don’t know why I am now anti that word with the kids, but I realized I never taught my kindergarteners that word. They are using the words exciting, wonderful, fantastic, hungry, so-so, and disgusted (which I only sort-of taught after a student used that word on his own!) I love the fact that they use stronger words to describe themselves each morning.

KINDA KID-ISH STORIES

First one is mostly for my brother…The kids here (and adults too presumably) eat raw ramen noodles like they are potato chips. They have some sort of flavoring (usually something with shrimp-how they love shrimp here) and they eat it raw. Why this one is for Keith is that he eats raw ramen sans flavoring in the states.

Next: I teach a book called “I Can Write” there are three in the series and I am using book three for a class. The unit is called “Letter to Santa” now the kids know who Santa is and all of that, but the things in this book which I have to attribute to culture differentiation is really funny to me. We leave Santa cookies and milk; we might leave the reindeer carrots, but according to this book you can leave him donuts, orange juice, pickles and assorted other things that, to me, see odd. I guess it is good that Santa doesn’t get cookies form everyone all around the world; that could get kinda boring after a while, but pickles and orange juice just don’t feel like a winning combination.

Finally, one of my kids got a paper cut the other morning. It wasn’t bleeding, just a little line of red that didn’t come off on the tissue. I thought it would be okay. Cleaned it “kissed it” and sent him back to his seat; two seconds later he was back; same thing again and again. Life was over for him. The next day another girl had the same thing happen, until they got one of those magical band-aids life could not go on. I wish that paper cuts where the biggest problems as far as hurting oneself any of us had to deal with ever. What a wonderful world that would be when only a paper cut could destroy your world, just like when you where seven…

What can I say when thoughts are hard to organize

2009-07-05T09:26:00.000-05:00

Update another week...

We celebrated the fourth of July by bbq-ing and setting o fireworks. There were close to twenty people at some point on Liam and Chris’s rooftop. It was a highly enjoyable evening.

Brooke came back this weekend. A new guy arrived from Jersey; his parents are Korean so his visa and situation is different than ours and he will only be working part time in the morning. We had our first fire/quite with Iman and I think that Michael will be leaving us soon as well.

Next Friday our morning kindergarteners get to go “camping” at a water park while the foreign teachers get to host an in-service.

I cannot afford to travel big right now so for our holiday in a few weeks I am planning a “best of Korea” tour and hitting a couple of festivals including fireworks, mud and beach party. It should be well worth it.

I am also having camera trouble so fixing that is happening so that more pictures can be taken and had. I am relatively miserable without one as you might be able to imagine.

A story or two...

2009-06-27T21:09:00.001-05:00

I wish I had some great stories to tell you…Life is becoming routine and busy which, for me, is nice. I like busy and the routine is just that the same groups of us hang out. My kids continue to amaze me every day.
Kay, my little tom-boy, is torn between Oliver and Sean for who she is better friends with and “in love” with that day. The boys cannot stand any affection, but still crave it when they see Victoria or Velina asking for it. Music makes out days go round and round. They love to sing and dance and we are working on mimicking my movements. It is prep for graduation in another 9 months.
All of my boys are in alpha-male mode most of the time. There are many fights and rifts between them, but are learning that I will not tolerate the fighting they do not have to like each other, but they will endure each other’s company in class.

My afternoon classes and I have been having more fun than usual. In my 3:00 I was being asked odd questions; the annoying type: “Why” this and that. So I have created a set of three Roman God-ish Characters that sit around and explain/control the why’s of the world in ridiculous manners. I just need to name them; the main one is a really big guy who speaks slowly with over enunciation of his words and smokes a lot-a drag between each word. His left hand guy is a sniveling weakling of a man who is a plain idiot and his right hand man is eager to please and overly enthusiastic.
It turns out that Sunday the sun shines, hence the name; Monday is “my first” day (roman god-ish #1), hence Monday; thusly Tuesday is two; they weren’t sure ‘when” Wednesday was; Thursday is third (because they forgot when Wednesday was); Friday was the day they fried things; and finally, on Saturday they sat. The kids ate it up! And we will have them back once a week to answer different questions.

Sleep before Type except after Drinks

2009-06-23T06:37:00.000-05:00

I have been neglecting my duty to let people in on my life in Korea. I want to say sorry, but I can’t because usually instead of sitting in front of a computer lately I have been here and there and enjoying this place at last.

I looked around my kindergarten classroom today and felt genuine adoration towards them…It was fabulous.

When I am not at school I am with some of the greatest people to have fun and hang with; poker nights, coffee nights, drinking nights, sleeping nights,--the feel of “routines” being formed.

We had to say a semi-goodbye to Jeremy last weekend. After seven years at LCI he has decided to move on and teach again (rather than mostly administrative) at a local university. He will have a couple of months vacation and will be back to harass us all in August. His party from LCI was supposed to be costume so there was a little bit of dressing up from people, but nothing elaborate. Chris, Liam and Terry the “new guys” decided to dress up like Jeremy, Brandon and Matt, “the vets.” It was all in good fun. I bandaged myself up and came as myself after a year at LCI.

Poker nights have gone well enough the past two weeks. Last week getting a little out of hand on starting time and re-buys and etc. but it was well worth it. So far I have finished 3rd, 2nd, and 3rd again; and the professional player (Onaje) has been taken out by a beginners luck (Chris).

I know that as I was sitting in class waiting for the kids to finish some work I thought of a dozen stories to tell about them and what we do. I don’t really have anyone to blame except myself for not sitting down to do this lately. Four months today. Four months. Everyone is speculating what about the next 8 and I think it will go by so fast that we won’t have a chance to breathe anymore than we already have.

I will do better…I am sorry…I am going to do some “work” and sleep for the first time in days.

Breif note of June Week 3 (hopefully ith more details to come when I am awake)

2009-06-21T00:34:00.001-05:00

In the last week: I have been hit by a taxi; felt up by a doctor while my male boss watched; had an extended conversation with an ultra-sound technician who spoke excellent English; had a nice slow coffee night; had a very humorous poker and bar night; misses a field-trip cause I couldn’t handle the bus ride; said goodbye to a new/good friend; saw two dawns from Turtle Liquor in Sang-cheon Dong.

June Week 2

2009-06-13T22:16:00.000-05:00

I really wish I knew where week 2 of June went (that is how we do our lesson plans and everything else here based on what week of the month it is).

Monday I worked on classroom decorations and went out with the boys (Terry, Liam, Chris and eventually Onaje). One the way to the restaurant (called Turtle Liquor—really!) I ran into the mom of one of my students so I had to stop and say hi and “introduced” my fellow LCI teachers.

The next day Kitty came to school and said “Teacher--You saw my mom last night?”

“Yes, I did.”

“You were with your boyfriend?”

“No, I was with Chris-teacher, Terry-Teacher and Liam-Teacher.”

“One is your boyfriend?”

“No, Kitty…”

“So boyfriends you were with. Okay Teacher.” And skipped away.

Tuesday was more preparation work for Parent-teacher conferences. And Wednesday I met up with Sarah for coffee and she went with me to get dinner at this California roll place downtown. It was fabulous; rice, pepper/sesame seeds and seaweed wrapped around cream cheese, avocado and cucumber and finally drizzled with a spicy green avocado sauce. Delicious!

Thursday was an exceptionally interesting night. Brandon decided to host a (hold-em) poker night. A week before Brandon came up and asked me if I was in/up for poker. “Hells ya” was my reply and that was all I’d heard. Then on Monday Onaje said that it was a guys only thing. I said cool Brandon must have changed his mind and that was fine. Brandon called later that evening asking if I was still in for Thursday night. I told him what Onaje had said and he said well it is, but I am including you if you want since you are not a girly girl and know how to play. “Will the others be cool with that if they are expecting a boys night?” “Who cares it is my place,” was his response so that is where I ended up Thursday night.

We brought chairs and drinks (mekju for the guys and soju for me). They ordered pizza when we arrived. There were six of us: Brandon, Matt, Onaje, Steven, Liam, Chris and I (plus Pongu who doesn’t count since she didn’t buy in). Turns out that Chris had never played before and Onaje is a hard core amateur which made for an interesting evening. $10 buy in; Onaje out first on a lucky hand from Chris who then took everyone else out— Matt, Liam, Steven, me and finally Brandon—Beginners freakin luck!

Friday was more of a relaxin thing and finishing up what I needed to get done for conferences. Saturday I looked hot and professional for the parents and “talked” to them all assuring them that their students where bright good and smart and sweet. Well, technically, Julie teacher talked to them after translating what I said from English to Korean and back again. Only one set of parents didn’t really use the Julie-teacher and several of the parents understood some English, just not enough to be without help. It was nice to get to meet them.

Afterwards I cleaned…rested and went out with Liam and Terry and eventually Onaje joined us. Wow Bar here before heading downtown and seeing Priya and Lucas and a British Chris and several new people. We danced, we drank, we got sick, we passed out, we danced some more, we threw up some more we got people home, we hung out, we were hungry (but no food)…All in all a good night. Now it is noon and I am going to do something…laundry piled up and trash to take out and E-mart to stock up on stuff…

Oh an electrician did something new again to my place so we will see what stays on and what doesn’t. Though I do hope that it is all going to stay on…Anyhoooooo Have a Swell day!

A Teachers Only Field Trip

2009-06-06T21:35:00.000-05:00

Rafting was nothing like expected and yet hilarious because we had to make it that way or people coulda been real pissed off, but I am jumping ahead.

Our bosses rented a charter-type bus for the day to transport 40 some-odd employees 2 hours away to the place we were going. When we got there and off the bus we had some pretty upset people who thought that they were not going to have to go rafting and then did have to go…So they life-vested, helmeted, and oared us up after using a whistle to coral and make us stand-up and sit down (I think for head counts, but it was really weird and many shooting jokes ensued.
We were also forbidden to bring the drinks with us on the raft…disappointment and anger rang through the crowd, but in reality once we got on the raft there was no time to drink.

Finally we were to make it into 8-9 people groups to raft together. Ours consisted of 1 guy I did not know (Korean teacher), Jihn (from our M-School a Korean-English teacher) Jeremy, Terry, Sarah, Aiden, Chris, Liam, me and the Guide. What we didn’t take into account was the fact the river was a little low and that all together a whole group of foreigner’s weighs twice as much as a group of Koreans so we should have mixed it up better as one of the other boats did. But all of our getting stuck and having trouble with the instructor was made fun by us making fun and joking etc. That is the true point. Towards the end there was a run and dive thing that reminded you of a cross between America’s Funniest Home Videos and a Japanese Game Show. We were able to also just swim and that was nice. Finally we stormed the other shore and changed and some got to ride ATV’s (too long a line at first and not enough bikes people lost interest). Lastly we were allowed to shoot 10 Paintball pellets.

For the final part of the day we got back on the bus and went to eat. Kimchi, fish, crab stuff and then people had brought stuff for hamburger/hotdogs and they fried that up and ate that too. Watermelon was cut, beer was consumed and the bus ride home was spent jovial and sleeping by half and half of the bus.

Home and shower-not too bad sunburn (just the parts missed by sunscreen on arms and my knees. Hope to get copies of pics from Sarah and Aiden and from Brandon soon, and have a couple to post from my cameras, but they have the whole truly waterproof thing going on with theirs. Anyway---maybe not the best actual rafting trip, but who can resist fun people and water sports.

Ya know its gonna be an adventure-some-day when...

2009-06-05T10:35:00.000-05:00

You know today (Friday) is going to be a good day when you step- on-a- rat…

Oh you read that right.

I stepped on a rat this morning as I walked into work and down a flight of steps. I was once told that in London you are never more than 1.5 meters (6 ft.) away from a rat, but I have never seen one in person. Today I stepped one. I thought I could feel its fur through the flip fops and across the side of my foot as it scampered to the corner of the stairwell which I ran through before peeking around and taking pictures.

Following that I had a great morning class—circle time was fun and energetic; Obama celebrated his birthday; we did some math and went to the playroom; and Friday’s are science days so today we made a pan flute and played it!

My afternoon classes were uneventful and for “my” overtime class we played the telephone game and heard a John Henry Tale in which he didn’t die (a first that I can remember). I also found out that my reading spead is around 300 words per min. because we were testing the kids speeds so they tested mine. I thought it was cool enough.

Finally, as the work day drew to a close-I cleaned up some of my desk and went to ask my boss a question about tomorrows rafting trip during which I was invited with Chris and Liam to go beer and watermelon shopping followed by dinner. I agreed. So we went to Lotte Mart and bought enough beer for 40 people and chips and 4 watermelons. After we dropped off the car to the school Manila-teacher took us to eat at this nice Korean place and, as usual, tried to get us drunk.

While there Chris mentioned being completely serious all of next week. I said he couldn’t do it. A wager was born. Several ideas were thrown out finally we decided on a point scale type thing. $50 (well won) for the week if he can be serious-no laughing/joking etc. for the entire week and vice versa—all to be paid in drinks at the end of the week. Basically $10 (won) per day that can go either way. ---

Finally, we stopped at E-Mart on the way home. Chris and Liam bough water guns and some balls to through around and Chris also bought a watermelon as part of a joke for another teacher. However I thought we were a joke in the making-two guys and a girl in E-Mart at midnight on a Friday buying water guns, and a watermelon…

Like I said it has to be a good day when it starts out with stepping on a rat…

New, Old and Transition

2009-06-02T08:17:00.000-05:00

I almost fell asleep in my class today even though I technically got more than enough sleep last night and the preceding nights and days. I am also working on making my room fabulous for the kids and for the parent teacher conferences next week. Lastly, I took over Brooke’s overtime while she is on vacation for the month of June. Also, they are changing some classes around so my 6pm class now has three people in it and may even go down to two people.

We are taking care of silkworms in our classroom for an extended science project this month. I named them Cheech & Chong and one is already cocooning. The kids are really excited about them and love to watch and look at them all of the time.

More on parent conferences; an explanation of what English Village is and a BBQ-ing story after my nap (meaning when I have time…) I am trying to edit photos still and have/want to get my classroom set up to be more and more comfortable as time goes on for the kids and me. Does it really surprise anyone that I want pictures and writing and etc etc on the walls of the classroom and for the kids to be very comfortable and happy overall?

The kids are having fun and I am having fun and most of the fellow teachers seem to be having fun. … After months have gone by I am learning (accepting) not to stress over what they are and are not doing; just keep repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating …. You get the picture and I think I may be too. Scary ain’t it…

Chopsticks-Alternative Usages

2009-05-31T10:43:00.000-05:00

Wow…I will never be able to stop marveling at how fast time seems to go by usually.

Something that has nothing to do with anything as to life in general…A goal I have made for myself while over here is to find 100 different uses for chopsticks other than to eat with them (which I am having a little –very little – success learning to use) So far I have used them for

1.A Splint for my wrist
2.Chris has used one to aid shaving
3.A skewer for kabobs (grilling not eating so it is on the list)
4.Hair Accessory
5.Decorative
6.Drumsticks
7.Backscratcher
8.Opening plastic wrapped foods
9.Help with a troublesome knot
10.Mixing/stirring

More ideas to be collected—Any suggestions?

Making Enemies

2009-05-31T10:41:00.001-05:00

Thursday’s have become Enemy Day at work. It is between Chris and I (started in jest carried through because it is fun). Basically Chris and I are not friends on Thursday’s and prank each other. The “first” week he brought in two bandages and tied my chair to my desk drawers. He also wore his own brace and even sported one around his head. I just played some mind games did I or didn’t I do something…This past week, however, I created a vanity on his desk. Brooke helped to set it up on Thursday morning and Sarah help choose some things to buy the night before. He is so particular about his hair and his hair-gel. I got some paper to cover his desk with little hearts on it, a mirror shaped like a heart with gold frame, curlers, manicure set, pink sparkly comb and we added around that his hair gel, lotion, flowers left over from teachers day, some tissue, and some “make-up.” Final touches included kissing the mirror and leaving him a little note from his “girls.” It was fabulous!

Lions and Tigers and Bears-- Oh My!

2009-05-25T09:41:00.001-05:00

So last Wednesday was another field trip for LCI Kindergarteners...

On the outskirts of Gwang-Ju there is a place that reminded me of a haunted/abandoned fun-park from somewhere between the late 50’s to mid 70’s. This place is called Family Land. It is full of bright colors and a large area of land that houses relics of what must have been “high-tech” at least for Korea I assume. It made me a little sad. More sad later-first…Family Land is the host of our nearest Zoo. That was the true part of our destination Wednesday morning, of course, we (teachers) loved the fact that we were going to a zoo—animals! Hells ya!

So we travel for 45 min on a rather warm bus. The kids are already hot, hungry, thirsty and whining; we arrive and have to walk a bit from the entrance to the park itself; the kids are more hot, it is now past the usual snack time so they are very hungry, it is three bathroom breaks past their normal schedule so they have to pee and they are hot I repeat. Anyway they get a bathroom and water and we are given permission to head off for an hour and look at the animals.

Off the classes head; splitting up and moving around to see different things and not be in each other’s way. The kids liked most of it. They got to see animals that they love to see, but it was (well not really really hot) for them t was hot and the animals were not in a playful and moving mood. I do not blame the animals for just lying there. It seemed they had no fight left in them.—Sidebar: I have become very used to seeing the “natural” habitat style that most of the zoos in the US have begun to design themselves around. An idea that animals don’t do well enclosed in a 15x15 ft. box when that is not what they were bread for. Unfortunately, that is still the style of family Lands Zoo here. The hippo had tank barley big enough for it to fit into; all the big cats had 15x15 cells; the chimps’ cages were even smaller, but a little taller. They had dogs: huskies and labs and that was really weird to me.

Lastly, what broke my heart the most: the elephants. The elephants allowed for two interaction options at the zoo. One was that you could ride the elephants; what was sad was that they were chained to the ground with no water or food option near standing in piles of their own feces waiting for people to ride them. The other was a little less sad, but still awful for the health of the elephants (but a fun thing for the kids) was that you could purchase carrots to feed them. The problem is that with so many little kids the animals freaked out a little with the loud noises and sudden movements, but the kids were not to be settled down.

Overall it was very interesting to be able to see and compare the zoo and the kids enjoyed seeing the animals; the tiger was even feeding on chicken when we visited it. We got to picnic and ride the “train” back to the buses when we were all done and like I said the kids had fun which is what is important. We don’t know what Junes field trip will be, but rumor has a water park as our July destination.

One more story that came from that day: for teachers day I received some 40,000 W sunblock whitening lotion. I thought it was just sunblock, but no it literally was “whitening” lotion. It had make-u-ish stuff as well as SPF to bleach your skin. I am pretty pale as it is and am a little surprised that a parent thought I needed to be paler-of course they did say that I was not as pale as I was when I arrived…This culture sometimes…Oh and one last completely unrelated topic: a student made me/showed me how to make and origami camera today-it is super sweet!

Memorial Day Salute---

2009-05-25T09:10:00.000-05:00

Too sappy and not very well written, but I am in a nostalgic mood---:

It is amazing the work, honor, sacrifice that goes into giving up your life for your country. And really the influence is so much more far reaching than one can imagine-tripy even.

Who we are; what we do; all can be traced back to the fights and grudges of “old men” and soon what will start being old men and women. We have veterans day for the living so “today” --today we have memorial day to celebrate the lives of the dead and their continual influence on all of us…Thank You not to just those in the United States Armed forces who have given family to sometimes honorable means and sometimes worthy causes; not every fight is worth it, but every person who dies doing what they believe in makes that fight worth it… Memorial Day is not only for those in the military and thus you an use the following two ways--As once was said: “All Gave Some; Some Gave All” and still do today. Our hearts are always with those who have influenced us and passed.

I blame it on Mono (?) thats a good excuse right?

2009-05-24T10:37:00.000-05:00

It is really late Sunday. Usually I am tired on Saturdays and allow myself to sleep, but this Saturday I had to work and then went downtown. Sunday was pretty much spent in a coma of exhaustion. I feel guilty for wasting a day, but will be better off at work due to the sleep.

Lots of stories to type up and tell; last week we went to the zoo and had an event to raise awareness for the other LCI school at Bong-Song-Dong called English Village.

I also took somewhere around 1000 pictures in four days. My name is Cassandra and I have a picture taking problem.

I also have an exhaustion that leads to procrastination problem. I will have stories posted throughout this upcoming week about the latest events and pictures edited and posted. One last thing:

The former president of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, committed suicide on Saturday. Many of the people really liked him and there already seems to be another backlash against the current president who is not liked. Manila (female boss) was talking last night about how Won-Jon –Nim (her husband and my other boss) had wanted to call off the English Village because of it. She had to convince him that going ahead is what was best for the business and etc. all the money and time spent and the teachers/kids involved. A couple of the teachers were crying over it too. I felt bad that I was feeling unaffected; that most of us (foreign teachers) were feeling unaffected.

Teacher's Day; Seoul Shopping and Pay-off

2009-05-18T08:43:00.000-05:00

I’ve been bad; I am sorry/ I know. I should be typing more, but I have been so exhausted by the end of the day that I have been coming home and either falling asleep or zoning out about to fall to sleep.

Teachers Day: A Day that celebrates students love for their teachers and parents who want to, possibly, bribe them into being nicer to their kids. I did not get a lot, but what I got was very personal gifts from my students. Victoria wrote a long note and picked out some nail polish, she notices my nails often; Dan wrote a very sweet note; Oliver’s Mom sent him with some earrings; and Billy’s mom sent a lotion for scars because “I fall a lot;” Lyna gave me a ring; and Kitty’s mom sent flowers and earrings and another manicure (she owns a shop). Several other little nick-knacks show an appreciation and love of our students including lotions, flowers, and candy. Others received everything from afore mentioned candy and flowers to Dior make-up and expensive Nike shirts. It was very interesting to see what value was placed on different things and people.

Saturday: A little back story first-Brooke wanted to shop in Seoul before she went home for a month; Sarah wanted clothes; I will use any excuse to spend time in Seoul (but I wouldn’t want to live there-where would I then go to get away?) So Brooke and I decided-Sarah and I had coffee Thursday and she jumped on the wagon, or in this case, bus up to Seoul. Another part of the back story: I had to buy two tickets because I lost the first one I purchased during a taxis ride oin Thursday night. Friday I re-purchased that ticket-Sad Day-.

Saturday morning: on the bus at 6:35 arrival in Seoul 10:30; Goal: Itaewon (a favorite) to shop and see…Food consumed throughout day: Mexican; Tofu Burger (with eggplant and zucchini! delicious!) and my first Cold Stone ice cream (vanilla with straw, ras and blue berries!). Shops: mostly clothing and souvenir; plus being shown the two foreigner food stores and the foreigner book store…Basically a “girls” day of shopping, eating and gossiping. Armed with Dior lip gloss (from one of Brooke’s students) and umbrellas/a hoodie to stay dry-ish (it rained ALL day and not just a light drizzle, but gushing downpours) we spent an entire day with the rule: no regret and no questions. It was fabulous.

Today (Monday): I was almost brought to tears today by a couple of my students; for the first time my students all really wanted to be in class and talked, talked, talked this morning. Their writing and workbooks, though slow going today, haven’t looked better. They joked and bantered with me. “Silly Sandra-Teacher very, very silly” and then several of them came up to me in the play room and gave me hugs and kisses and told me “very, very love you Mamma-Sandra-Teacher…” I couldn’t believe it.