The coolest thing happened a few weeks ago when I was at school in the morning sending an email to my friend Ken in NY. He emailed me back on his Blackberry saying that he was having dinner at a Korean restaurant in NYC at the very moment I emailed him (9am for me is 8pm in NY). I immediately replied back with several useful Korean phrases to say while in the restaurant. Things like: "mul juseyo" (water please)
"mek ju juseyo" (beer please) "ma shi sa yo" (delicious) Thank you, good bye, etc. He emailed me back thanking him for the quick crash course in Korean phrases, and I just smiled thinking how wonderfully amazing and great the world in which we live in is now due to technology & the internet. Especially the internet. My top favorite sites have become: www.wikipedia.org the most amazing online encyclopedia where you can look up virtually anything and get a quick, thorough, historical, and factual overview. Everything from the story of Jesus and how Christianity was formed to Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto, info on books, movies, actors. The Korean War, countries, biographies, etc. I love the way it's laid out in a succinct, biographical, report-like manner. I also love www.dictionary.com which helps me learn many new words that I come across from doing the crosswords in the book that Flo gave me. The internet (google) also helps "assist" me in looking up certain clues that I'm stuck on. Like this one "Best Picture of 1970" starts with a "P". I was helpless here, so I looked it up and discovered it was......anybody care to guess??? (6 letters)............PATTON. I love the fun investigative process I'm using to look up facts, figures, people, movies, music, words, etc. on the internet. The other most favorite site of mine nowadays is: www.youtube.com You can watch virtually any music video of any song ever made; watch clips from movies, TV shows, funny bloopers, cartoons, inspirational and touching speeches, etc. Just go to this site and type in any thing you have a desire to see, watch, or listen to. Simply amazing.
I've really been enjoying Korea here lately. Because of the nice, beautiful spring like weather, I've been able to ride my bike to school in the mornings each day which takes me about 10-15 min. often times I find myself passing the slow moving cars & buses that are stuck in traffic on the main road that runs through town. Dan (my neighbor from UK) also rides his bike to school as well.
I had a fun, random occurrence this past Sunday in Busan.....
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Today we had a GREAT Sports Day!
Today was such an awesome fun day of being outside in the gorgeous, warm, sunny, spring like day! All the elementary schools from Miryang gathered inside the soccer/track & field stadium for one full day of sports events & competitions. There were 5 middle schools and 5 elementary schools that came to cheer and show their school spirit for their fellow classmates. When I first arrived at 11am, the principal of my school invited me to sit down and eat/drink with him and the other male principals, administrators. They poured me a beer, ate some rice cakes and tomatoes. Later I went up to the stands to join the other teachers and students who were baking in the warm sun. They all looked so cute in their color-coordinated outfits, waving their colored bottles (noise makers) in the air. Each school had a different theme, style, and music routine that they cheered to. The events these kids participated in were AMAZING. They had the relay race, 100 meter dash, long jump (into a long sand pit), high jump, shot put, etc. I was so impressed with the quality and caliber of the kids participation as well as the professional grade equipment they used. The stadium is very nice and was built in 2001 to prepare for the 2002 FIFA World Cup that was hosted by Korea & Japan.
One thing I found surprising was how many people (both students & teachers) complained of how hot it was. To me, it was a beautiful, crisp, bright, sunny, spring-like day (probably 70 degrees). To me, if was refreshing to be out in the sun, getting some color on my face and arms, etc. But to see these teachers bundled up, wearing gloves, hats, towels, scarfs, hoods, etc. was hillarious to me. The Korean women can't stand the sun (they love white skin) and will cover every inch of their body to block out the sun. The funniest was seeing this teacher with a black North Face jacket, with the hood pulled tightly over her head, and her hands tucked back under the long sleeves of the jacket. I laughed at her and asked her, faceticiously, if she were cold.
This is actually one of the first things I can honestly say I've seen Koreans (esp. teachers) complain about. Because it's a very suppressed society, I notice that many people don't raise their voice, balk, or speak their mind at anything that occurs. They just very politely accept things as they come, bear & grin any task that is asked of them. I personally thinks this leads to a culture of very suppressed people, who push down their feelings, bite their lip, and just do what they are told like good little soldier boys & girls. In America, they (the administration) wouldn't be able to get away with half this stuff. I had actually been wondering recently if their was 'anything' that the Koreans would vocally complain about (speak up for). I have not really much complaining, bickering, or resentment from any of the Koreans since I've been here. This once again, is attributed to the vast cultural differences btw. Korea and many western countries like the US. So it was kind of amusing for me to hear the vocal, whiny, grumpy complaints about how "uncomfortably hot" it was. If they are complaining this much about it being 70-75 degrees, clear, breezy, etc. what are they going to be like in June, July & August when it's stifling hot, humid and in the 90's? They will just complain more, or stay inside with the air conditioning on.
This discovery actually made me chuckle a bit, because of all the possible things that most westerners would tend to complain about back home (school administration, meetings, schedules, paperwork, projects, the Koreans instead tend to put their focus, frustration, and complaints into something they have absolutely NO CONTROL over like the weather. This cracks me up!! My friend Christina said it perfectly:
"they complain about the weather because nobody has control over it so they're not hurting anyone or wont get in trouble by complaining"
I agree completely with this statement. Christina is doing so great great by the way. She is taking Salsa dance classes with us on Saturday night's and she has also been taking Korean classes each week. She's so good now, that she actually writes a summary (journal) of what she did for the day in Korean!!! Wow, I was so impressed to see that she actually writes full sentences, thoughts, ideas, etc. in Korean. I'm excited because I can write Florinda's and my name in Korean. But to actually write full, complete sentences, wow, you go girl!!
One thing I found surprising was how many people (both students & teachers) complained of how hot it was. To me, it was a beautiful, crisp, bright, sunny, spring-like day (probably 70 degrees). To me, if was refreshing to be out in the sun, getting some color on my face and arms, etc. But to see these teachers bundled up, wearing gloves, hats, towels, scarfs, hoods, etc. was hillarious to me. The Korean women can't stand the sun (they love white skin) and will cover every inch of their body to block out the sun. The funniest was seeing this teacher with a black North Face jacket, with the hood pulled tightly over her head, and her hands tucked back under the long sleeves of the jacket. I laughed at her and asked her, faceticiously, if she were cold.
This is actually one of the first things I can honestly say I've seen Koreans (esp. teachers) complain about. Because it's a very suppressed society, I notice that many people don't raise their voice, balk, or speak their mind at anything that occurs. They just very politely accept things as they come, bear & grin any task that is asked of them. I personally thinks this leads to a culture of very suppressed people, who push down their feelings, bite their lip, and just do what they are told like good little soldier boys & girls. In America, they (the administration) wouldn't be able to get away with half this stuff. I had actually been wondering recently if their was 'anything' that the Koreans would vocally complain about (speak up for). I have not really much complaining, bickering, or resentment from any of the Koreans since I've been here. This once again, is attributed to the vast cultural differences btw. Korea and many western countries like the US. So it was kind of amusing for me to hear the vocal, whiny, grumpy complaints about how "uncomfortably hot" it was. If they are complaining this much about it being 70-75 degrees, clear, breezy, etc. what are they going to be like in June, July & August when it's stifling hot, humid and in the 90's? They will just complain more, or stay inside with the air conditioning on.
This discovery actually made me chuckle a bit, because of all the possible things that most westerners would tend to complain about back home (school administration, meetings, schedules, paperwork, projects, the Koreans instead tend to put their focus, frustration, and complaints into something they have absolutely NO CONTROL over like the weather. This cracks me up!! My friend Christina said it perfectly:
"they complain about the weather because nobody has control over it so they're not hurting anyone or wont get in trouble by complaining"
I agree completely with this statement. Christina is doing so great great by the way. She is taking Salsa dance classes with us on Saturday night's and she has also been taking Korean classes each week. She's so good now, that she actually writes a summary (journal) of what she did for the day in Korean!!! Wow, I was so impressed to see that she actually writes full sentences, thoughts, ideas, etc. in Korean. I'm excited because I can write Florinda's and my name in Korean. But to actually write full, complete sentences, wow, you go girl!!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
New Semester Brings Lots of Changes at Milju in Miryang
Well it's been a long time since I've written and I have so much to share with everyone. Let me first start by saying how wonderful it was to have Flo come out here and spend her 2 week vacation with me. We really did have a magical, fun, and adventurous time together. It was fun to be able to show her around my town, go to my school, play volleyball with all the teachers ("nice bodyline" they would say to Flo), go hiking, singing in Nore Bang (Karaoke Room), bowling, etc. Two things Flo forgot to mention was going to Bugok Hawaii, a "beautiful" (kinda old) resort area that contains many bubbling hot natural springs. The water here is so therapeutic and rich in minerals, that I could feel the smoothness of the minerals on my skin the second I dipped my hand in. It felt like soaking in an Epsom Salt hot bath. We enjoyed the amenities of the indoor/outdoor co-ed Jungle Spa sauna where we enjoyed the lush surroundings of bamboo tree, palm trees, etc. We saw part of the acrobatic dance show and enjoyed a delicious pork BBQ dinner.
The other exciting thing I took Flo to was Dr. Fish (fishee in Konglish). This is a place at Home Plus (Target type store) where you can dip your feet in one of three different pools that contain these "very hungry" silver fish that will nibble at your feet, ankles, toes, EVERYWHERE!!!! After 20 minutes of getting this constant tickling sensation, you dry your feet off and enjoy your pristine, dead-skin free feet (the fish supposedly eat the dead skin off your feet). This is a wild experience only to be found in Korea as far as I know. Flo was brave, and made it though 20 minutes worth (we went twice b/c we didn't bring the camera the first time hehe).
2008 School Semester Update:
So now that the New School Year started on March 3rd, there has been lots & lots of changes since we broke for winter break back in December. First of all my main co-teacher, Sunny, who was responsible for picking me up, getting me settled in with a cell phone, bank account, etc. got transferred to another school. There is a law in Korea which prevents teachers from staying at any one school for more than 5 years. This caused a great deal of shuffling amongst many teachers & administrators. The vice-principal left (he got promoted to Principal at another school). The 1st Grade teacher got switched to the 6th Grade, while the other 1st Grade teacher (Moonlight) left Korea, sold her house, took her two young boys, and her husband and moved to China! She got hired to teach English at a school in China. Moonlight had been at Milju Elementary for 5 years and had to switch schools, so she took this opportunity to transfer her & her entire family to China. This is the typical, last minute, running around routine that is very common in Korea. I didn't know who my new co-teacher would be until one week before the semester. Mintzi taught 4th Grade last year, and is now the full-time English teacher with me. And since the gym teacher married the 6th Grade teacher, they both couldn't stay at Milju because there is a rule (whether unwritten or not) that "says" a married couple can't teach/work at the same school; so she transferred to another school down the road. But the craziest off season move (in my opinion) was the Music teacher (a very talented, musically gifted woman) who was asked (told/forced) to become the Science teacher. Can you believe that?? To go from teaching music, (a very creative, right-brained, artsy, imaginative, feeling based subject) to Science (a very left-brained, a very logical, detailed oriented, fact-based subject) seems complete wild, extreme, and unfathomable. They are at two completely different ends of the spectrum!! But this is the way it works at all elementary schools here. Any teacher is (should be) qualified to teach any subject and any grade level. My co-teacher now, had no idea that she was going to selected to teach English with me and she was surprised when they picked her b/c she felt that her English wasn't that strong. This is what I find so remarkable about these Koreans. They are so creative & resourceful, and willing to jump right in and help out wherever needed. For example did you know that a few years back when the Korean government was in a financial crisis, the Korean citizens VOLUNTARILY collected money to donate & give to help out the government. Can you believe that?? This is the strong, patriotic, nationalistic fervor many Koreans are proud to live by. Also during the 2005 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Conf) the city Busan asked the citizens to please refrain from driving their cars on alternating days. They used an odd/even system based on people's license plate; WOW!!!
There are definitely a few things I had to get used to as the new semester started in March (new school year for Koreans). The 6th graders from last have graduated and are down the block at the Middle School where Ken (English teacher from Liverpool) tells me kids are well behaved & good in class, speak English well, etc. But he says the only problem with my kids are that they are ALWAYS asking for candy: "Teacha, teacha, candy please!" I can't imagine why they would say that....ooops ooops, sorry Ken. I guess I spoiled them a little too much during my first 6 months here.
Let's see, what other changes can I tell you about....Oh yes, how can I forget one of the most exciting changes (at least for me anyway) is that we got NEW silver metal lunch trays in the cafeteria. What's really exciting is that these new trays have SIX slots for food whereas the old one only had FIVE slots!!! I'm telling you, that was one of the biggest highlights of the new semester. And extra serving of some yummy, savory, Korean dish for me to enjoy each day! Yippee!! I'm proud to say that I'm still wiping my tray clean each day when it comes to school lunches.
The 3rd graders (2nd graders from last year) are now being introduced to English for the first in their public school careers, and needless to say, it's a real trip!! So so basic, simple stupid stuff like: "Hello Zeeto, Hi Julie" "Bye-bye Minsu, good bye Mina" Lots of cute little songs and chants to keep the kids attention. The basic goal in 3rd & 4th grade is to get these kids EXCITED to learn English. And from the looks (reactions) of my children, I'd say I'm accomplishing that task quite successfully. Like another English teacher said, "I can't believe they pay me for doing this!" Karri from Canada says the secret to teaching elementary school, is to not be embarrassed to act like a little (a big) kid. To jump up & down, making funny faces, gestures, body postures, etc. the wilder, the sillier, the better. I can't agree more with Karri; 3rd & 4th grade kids are my absolute FAVORITE grades because I feel totally at peace, comfortable, and fully self-expressed and in my element with these students. They are so young, impressionable and are so pure & innocent. They are has concerned about "looking good" as the 5th & 6th graders are. Because of my experience here in Korea & the time I spent substituting in NJ, I have decided I want to obtain y Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education (K-6). This is shocking for me to actually want to go into elementary education b/c of my horrific experience back home. My very day substituting was a nightmarish, experience. These wild, little, crazy 8 year old 3rd graders ran me ragged for the entire day. I was so shell shocked, that I began to wonder whether I was getting my "payback" (paying my karma) for all the many times times I spent torturing my substitute teachers when I was in school.
But now that I've been working work young elementary kids for so long, I really feel as if I am finally finding my calling in life. It's just so clear to me that this is what I'm here for. I'm finally discovering the gifts the God has given me, and am open cultivating the gifts that God has blessed me with.
The expereinces that I incur everyday at school are a true miracle, blessing, and treat for me. Everything from from the kids yelling my name, saying hello to me from the classroom windows, to having one boy grab my hand, hug me, and jump into my arms, wrapping his arms around me while he is suspended in mid air. Today I had several students come to my desk and say: "Darren, teacher, I love you". They don't really know what it means, but it's nice to hear. Than, last week I had a young lil 2nd grader, smile at me, say hello, and then stick his MIDDLE FINGER in the air at me!!! I smiled back, a bit in shock, and said "Don't do that!!" (haji ma!!! in Korean) I just had to walk away shaking my head & smiling at just what had happened. You definitely can't take things too seriously when dealing with these kids, esp when they have no idea what it means, and are just copying what they see on TV.
I'm also excited to report that because of this new dance move that I've been mimicking from one of the hot new Korean pop bands, I've gained even more increased fame & popularity, esp. among the girls. The song is called, "Baby one more time" by Jewelry and they do this one move move where you wave your right arm up and over towards your left and until your two index fingers touch. I'm getting many requests from my students asking me to sing this song & do the little dance move. It works really well after we finish the "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" song. They all put their hands over their mouths and gigglein awe. It really doesn't take much to impress Koreans (esp the kids).
The other exciting thing I took Flo to was Dr. Fish (fishee in Konglish). This is a place at Home Plus (Target type store) where you can dip your feet in one of three different pools that contain these "very hungry" silver fish that will nibble at your feet, ankles, toes, EVERYWHERE!!!! After 20 minutes of getting this constant tickling sensation, you dry your feet off and enjoy your pristine, dead-skin free feet (the fish supposedly eat the dead skin off your feet). This is a wild experience only to be found in Korea as far as I know. Flo was brave, and made it though 20 minutes worth (we went twice b/c we didn't bring the camera the first time hehe).
2008 School Semester Update:
So now that the New School Year started on March 3rd, there has been lots & lots of changes since we broke for winter break back in December. First of all my main co-teacher, Sunny, who was responsible for picking me up, getting me settled in with a cell phone, bank account, etc. got transferred to another school. There is a law in Korea which prevents teachers from staying at any one school for more than 5 years. This caused a great deal of shuffling amongst many teachers & administrators. The vice-principal left (he got promoted to Principal at another school). The 1st Grade teacher got switched to the 6th Grade, while the other 1st Grade teacher (Moonlight) left Korea, sold her house, took her two young boys, and her husband and moved to China! She got hired to teach English at a school in China. Moonlight had been at Milju Elementary for 5 years and had to switch schools, so she took this opportunity to transfer her & her entire family to China. This is the typical, last minute, running around routine that is very common in Korea. I didn't know who my new co-teacher would be until one week before the semester. Mintzi taught 4th Grade last year, and is now the full-time English teacher with me. And since the gym teacher married the 6th Grade teacher, they both couldn't stay at Milju because there is a rule (whether unwritten or not) that "says" a married couple can't teach/work at the same school; so she transferred to another school down the road. But the craziest off season move (in my opinion) was the Music teacher (a very talented, musically gifted woman) who was asked (told/forced) to become the Science teacher. Can you believe that?? To go from teaching music, (a very creative, right-brained, artsy, imaginative, feeling based subject) to Science (a very left-brained, a very logical, detailed oriented, fact-based subject) seems complete wild, extreme, and unfathomable. They are at two completely different ends of the spectrum!! But this is the way it works at all elementary schools here. Any teacher is (should be) qualified to teach any subject and any grade level. My co-teacher now, had no idea that she was going to selected to teach English with me and she was surprised when they picked her b/c she felt that her English wasn't that strong. This is what I find so remarkable about these Koreans. They are so creative & resourceful, and willing to jump right in and help out wherever needed. For example did you know that a few years back when the Korean government was in a financial crisis, the Korean citizens VOLUNTARILY collected money to donate & give to help out the government. Can you believe that?? This is the strong, patriotic, nationalistic fervor many Koreans are proud to live by. Also during the 2005 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Conf) the city Busan asked the citizens to please refrain from driving their cars on alternating days. They used an odd/even system based on people's license plate; WOW!!!
There are definitely a few things I had to get used to as the new semester started in March (new school year for Koreans). The 6th graders from last have graduated and are down the block at the Middle School where Ken (English teacher from Liverpool) tells me kids are well behaved & good in class, speak English well, etc. But he says the only problem with my kids are that they are ALWAYS asking for candy: "Teacha, teacha, candy please!" I can't imagine why they would say that....ooops ooops, sorry Ken. I guess I spoiled them a little too much during my first 6 months here.
Let's see, what other changes can I tell you about....Oh yes, how can I forget one of the most exciting changes (at least for me anyway) is that we got NEW silver metal lunch trays in the cafeteria. What's really exciting is that these new trays have SIX slots for food whereas the old one only had FIVE slots!!! I'm telling you, that was one of the biggest highlights of the new semester. And extra serving of some yummy, savory, Korean dish for me to enjoy each day! Yippee!! I'm proud to say that I'm still wiping my tray clean each day when it comes to school lunches.
The 3rd graders (2nd graders from last year) are now being introduced to English for the first in their public school careers, and needless to say, it's a real trip!! So so basic, simple stupid stuff like: "Hello Zeeto, Hi Julie" "Bye-bye Minsu, good bye Mina" Lots of cute little songs and chants to keep the kids attention. The basic goal in 3rd & 4th grade is to get these kids EXCITED to learn English. And from the looks (reactions) of my children, I'd say I'm accomplishing that task quite successfully. Like another English teacher said, "I can't believe they pay me for doing this!" Karri from Canada says the secret to teaching elementary school, is to not be embarrassed to act like a little (a big) kid. To jump up & down, making funny faces, gestures, body postures, etc. the wilder, the sillier, the better. I can't agree more with Karri; 3rd & 4th grade kids are my absolute FAVORITE grades because I feel totally at peace, comfortable, and fully self-expressed and in my element with these students. They are so young, impressionable and are so pure & innocent. They are has concerned about "looking good" as the 5th & 6th graders are. Because of my experience here in Korea & the time I spent substituting in NJ, I have decided I want to obtain y Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education (K-6). This is shocking for me to actually want to go into elementary education b/c of my horrific experience back home. My very day substituting was a nightmarish, experience. These wild, little, crazy 8 year old 3rd graders ran me ragged for the entire day. I was so shell shocked, that I began to wonder whether I was getting my "payback" (paying my karma) for all the many times times I spent torturing my substitute teachers when I was in school.
But now that I've been working work young elementary kids for so long, I really feel as if I am finally finding my calling in life. It's just so clear to me that this is what I'm here for. I'm finally discovering the gifts the God has given me, and am open cultivating the gifts that God has blessed me with.
The expereinces that I incur everyday at school are a true miracle, blessing, and treat for me. Everything from from the kids yelling my name, saying hello to me from the classroom windows, to having one boy grab my hand, hug me, and jump into my arms, wrapping his arms around me while he is suspended in mid air. Today I had several students come to my desk and say: "Darren, teacher, I love you". They don't really know what it means, but it's nice to hear. Than, last week I had a young lil 2nd grader, smile at me, say hello, and then stick his MIDDLE FINGER in the air at me!!! I smiled back, a bit in shock, and said "Don't do that!!" (haji ma!!! in Korean) I just had to walk away shaking my head & smiling at just what had happened. You definitely can't take things too seriously when dealing with these kids, esp when they have no idea what it means, and are just copying what they see on TV.
I'm also excited to report that because of this new dance move that I've been mimicking from one of the hot new Korean pop bands, I've gained even more increased fame & popularity, esp. among the girls. The song is called, "Baby one more time" by Jewelry and they do this one move move where you wave your right arm up and over towards your left and until your two index fingers touch. I'm getting many requests from my students asking me to sing this song & do the little dance move. It works really well after we finish the "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" song. They all put their hands over their mouths and gigglein awe. It really doesn't take much to impress Koreans (esp the kids).
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