I'm sitting at my desk. I hear the squeaky voice of a 6th grader I know in the stairwell. Why is he here, I think. Then more voices pour down from the upstairs classrooms and into the stairwell. Why are all the 6th graders here so suddenly?
Awww. The sixth graders are going to a middle school today. I don't (of course) have all the details, but it sounds like some sort of field trip. I week or so ago, one 6th grader told me that they would all find out which middle school they'll be going to on some day in January. Perhaps this is that day. But it seems strange for them to all be meeting at school in order to visit their future middle schools. Maybe it's like a shuttle service provided by the elementary school. Hmm. I'll have to ask when they come back.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Monday, January 14, 2013
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Preparations
I've been thinking of creating a memory book and having my students sign and write messages in it. I especially want the 6th graders to write in it since I haven't seen them (in my class) in weeks. It feels weird that I didn't get to work with them that much. I was really looking forward to teaching them during the second semester because I personally feel that my teaching skills (and class lessons) sucked at the beginning.
Something happened during summer classes, and it suddenly got a bit easier to teach the kids, to work with them. Something must've clicked, because I began to relax a bit and handle things better. The kids who've stuck with me all year willingly come to class even if they can't stay a long time. Most of these kids are ones who were terrified of trying to understand what I was saying. They've been the hardest to teach (especially with regards to attention spans), and so any improvements made with them are big accomplishments in my book.
So, I was thinking the same thing with the 5th and 6th graders. They were some of the hardest to teach, especially in the beginning. I thought, Ok! This second semester will be better. I understand more things now. However, their attendance rapidly declined. There were a few days where a bunch of students would randomly show up to class 15 minutes late. It's really overwhelming when you have to create an activity on the spot like that. Ah, *sigh*
Well, despite difficulties, I really had fun getting to know them. I really hope that if they want to keep in touch, that they won't hesitate to talk to me in the future. It seems like school and studying become such a big focus after elementary school (not that the elementary school students are slacking at all!) I want to tell them, "If you have questions about English, or just want to practice talking, you can ask me!" I mean, they already know me, right? There's also the fact that I can practice Korean with them, hehehe. Yes, mutual benefits!
------
In other news:
Sometimes I spot kids on their way from the cafeteria. They work in teams (the smaller ones, at least) to carry the basket of milk cartons up tho their classrooms. They see me and say hi. It's funny that students will shake their head (as if to say no) when their hands are full. Dear kids, there's no need to wave your head. It's not a requirement to say hi. You can just. say. hi. :D
Be careful of flying trash bags. I was walking down a neighborhood street one morning, on my way to the bus stop, when a trash bag flew over the high school's brick wall. It landed about 5 feet in front of me. I stopped, wondering if I should shout, 야! (Yah! or Hey! in English) to the person on the other side. Then, I figured they were probably done tossing bags, so I started to walk again. Then another bag flew. I stepped around the area and continued on. Why had I been walking so close to the wall in the first place? This road is like a large-ish alley, but when cars drive by, I have to move over to the "gutter" area to avoid getting run over. My coat hood is large enough to block peripheral vision and distort sound (I can't tell which direction some sounds are coming from when it's up). Rather than walk with it down and get an earache from the cold wind, I just walk close to the wall. It should be said that this was the first time that I walked by at the same time someone was throwing garbage bags over the wall.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Something happened during summer classes, and it suddenly got a bit easier to teach the kids, to work with them. Something must've clicked, because I began to relax a bit and handle things better. The kids who've stuck with me all year willingly come to class even if they can't stay a long time. Most of these kids are ones who were terrified of trying to understand what I was saying. They've been the hardest to teach (especially with regards to attention spans), and so any improvements made with them are big accomplishments in my book.
So, I was thinking the same thing with the 5th and 6th graders. They were some of the hardest to teach, especially in the beginning. I thought, Ok! This second semester will be better. I understand more things now. However, their attendance rapidly declined. There were a few days where a bunch of students would randomly show up to class 15 minutes late. It's really overwhelming when you have to create an activity on the spot like that. Ah, *sigh*
Well, despite difficulties, I really had fun getting to know them. I really hope that if they want to keep in touch, that they won't hesitate to talk to me in the future. It seems like school and studying become such a big focus after elementary school (not that the elementary school students are slacking at all!) I want to tell them, "If you have questions about English, or just want to practice talking, you can ask me!" I mean, they already know me, right? There's also the fact that I can practice Korean with them, hehehe. Yes, mutual benefits!
------
In other news:
Sometimes I spot kids on their way from the cafeteria. They work in teams (the smaller ones, at least) to carry the basket of milk cartons up tho their classrooms. They see me and say hi. It's funny that students will shake their head (as if to say no) when their hands are full. Dear kids, there's no need to wave your head. It's not a requirement to say hi. You can just. say. hi. :D
Be careful of flying trash bags. I was walking down a neighborhood street one morning, on my way to the bus stop, when a trash bag flew over the high school's brick wall. It landed about 5 feet in front of me. I stopped, wondering if I should shout, 야! (Yah! or Hey! in English) to the person on the other side. Then, I figured they were probably done tossing bags, so I started to walk again. Then another bag flew. I stepped around the area and continued on. Why had I been walking so close to the wall in the first place? This road is like a large-ish alley, but when cars drive by, I have to move over to the "gutter" area to avoid getting run over. My coat hood is large enough to block peripheral vision and distort sound (I can't tell which direction some sounds are coming from when it's up). Rather than walk with it down and get an earache from the cold wind, I just walk close to the wall. It should be said that this was the first time that I walked by at the same time someone was throwing garbage bags over the wall.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Happy Birthday
Last week, it was one of the first grader's birthdays. This kid was throwing a birthday party. I didn't see it start, but soon everyone in the classroom was holding little paper cutouts. Invitations. By milk-break time everyone in class was talking excitedly. This party was such a big deal that several students took the time to tell me all about it.
"Shannon Teacher, Lotte Mart! 2!"
"Two," I asked? Two students looked at each other for a moment, then agreed to make hand movements simulating going up the flat escalators (those moving sidewalks, only they're elevated) in the store.
"Upstairs," I asked? They almost nodded. They weren't sure. Then I moved my fingers as if to walk up the stairs, and pointed up.
"Yes, 2!" Alright we were on the same page. What's happening up on the second floor?
After much more charades and random Korean/English words, they had successfully told me the event, location, time, and persons hosting. It was the hardest I think I'd ever seen them trying to speak English. Well, that's not quite true. There have been instances where these little guys hastily attempt to tell me who's been fighting in the hallway. They give me all the details in the form of replays. Who started the fight, how it was started, where they are now. Still, I felt especially proud of them for telling me about the birthday party because they had to think of altogether different English words, and rather than be satisfied with sound effects, they took the time to think of the words to say.
While all this explaining was happening, it seemed like every kid in the classroom pulled out their cellphones to call their parents about the party. They looked like little businessmen and women, seeing when they had an opening in their busy schedules. One of the students, whose mom is the 3rd grade teacher down the hall, called his mom while she was teaching to ask about the party. Why couldn't he just walk down the hall and ask? Better yet, why couldn't he just wait until lunch time to talk to her when she wasn't busy? I left the classroom and saw her standing in the hallway, on the phone. Ridiculously funny.
You know, I've heard that Korean birthdays are celebrated differently from western cultures. I haven't experienced a Korean birthday party yet, but I've heard that it is the birthday boy/girl who pays for everything if they want to, say, go out to dinner with friends. I find this strange. Shouldn't friends/family pull together to do something special for the birthday girl/boy? Another thing I've learned is that its customary to eat seaweed soup on your birthday. I don't know the exact details, but I believe it's a traditional food because it's what the mother would eat while she was pregnant (for the baby).
Well, I like seaweed soup, provided it has bits of cooked beef floating around in it. Though, since my birthday falls in between Christmas and New Years, I wonder who I'll be spending it with. You see, Christmas in Korea is a dating holiday, and New Years is spent watching the sun rise in the East. I have a feeling people will have plans (as always).
'Til next time,
-Shirby
"Shannon Teacher, Lotte Mart! 2!"
"Two," I asked? Two students looked at each other for a moment, then agreed to make hand movements simulating going up the flat escalators (those moving sidewalks, only they're elevated) in the store.
"Upstairs," I asked? They almost nodded. They weren't sure. Then I moved my fingers as if to walk up the stairs, and pointed up.
"Yes, 2!" Alright we were on the same page. What's happening up on the second floor?
After much more charades and random Korean/English words, they had successfully told me the event, location, time, and persons hosting. It was the hardest I think I'd ever seen them trying to speak English. Well, that's not quite true. There have been instances where these little guys hastily attempt to tell me who's been fighting in the hallway. They give me all the details in the form of replays. Who started the fight, how it was started, where they are now. Still, I felt especially proud of them for telling me about the birthday party because they had to think of altogether different English words, and rather than be satisfied with sound effects, they took the time to think of the words to say.
While all this explaining was happening, it seemed like every kid in the classroom pulled out their cellphones to call their parents about the party. They looked like little businessmen and women, seeing when they had an opening in their busy schedules. One of the students, whose mom is the 3rd grade teacher down the hall, called his mom while she was teaching to ask about the party. Why couldn't he just walk down the hall and ask? Better yet, why couldn't he just wait until lunch time to talk to her when she wasn't busy? I left the classroom and saw her standing in the hallway, on the phone. Ridiculously funny.
You know, I've heard that Korean birthdays are celebrated differently from western cultures. I haven't experienced a Korean birthday party yet, but I've heard that it is the birthday boy/girl who pays for everything if they want to, say, go out to dinner with friends. I find this strange. Shouldn't friends/family pull together to do something special for the birthday girl/boy? Another thing I've learned is that its customary to eat seaweed soup on your birthday. I don't know the exact details, but I believe it's a traditional food because it's what the mother would eat while she was pregnant (for the baby).
Well, I like seaweed soup, provided it has bits of cooked beef floating around in it. Though, since my birthday falls in between Christmas and New Years, I wonder who I'll be spending it with. You see, Christmas in Korea is a dating holiday, and New Years is spent watching the sun rise in the East. I have a feeling people will have plans (as always).
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Thursday, November 22, 2012
On The Side...
This week so far has been filled with evening events. On Tuesday, my school had another hweshik. Near the end of the dinner, people began changing tables as usual, moving to exchange drinks and chat. At some point, one lady who works at my school (I'm not quite sure what her title is, but she works with the principal and vice prinicpal often) came to sit at my table. Her English isn't very good and so with the help of other teachers she asked me questions about universities in the U.S. Which universities were the best for a major in chemical biology? Well, of course, I had no idea. I told her so, but I also told her I'd look it up for her. Her son wanted to study in the U.S., she said. Chemical genius, another teacher said. There was a moment where the the translating teachers were trying to figure out how to translate the Korean word for chemical biology.
At school the next day, I had time to spare, so I set to work researching. It began with looking up the meaning of chemical biology. Was it it's own major, or was it part of a bigger subject? I'd never really heard of a chemical biology major before, but it seemed completely possible to exist. Turns out, the phrase "chemical biology" is still relatively new in the U.S. There are several schools and research facilities that offer special courses in chemical biology today, but most schools only offer it as a single class (if at all). As my research went on I became uneasy. I compiled a list of every university that offered undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical biology. The list of names featured top tier universities (Harvard, Yale, etc.) Sure, they called him a genius at dinner last night, but was he looking to go to the most expensive schools in the U.S.? Still, I continued making the list.
Before leaving school, I printed out the list and went to go give it to her. There wasn't time (or any translators nearby) to go explain the list to her, however, and besides, she wasn't at her desk. I settled for writing my thoughts and an explanation of the list at home that night.
I went out to pay bills that evening and paid a visit to the phone shop. I asked my Korean friend, if I wrote a short explanation down on paper, could he translate it for me. He agreed, so I explained the situation (as well as my concerns) to him. We worked together on the translation, and I soon had a nicely written, printed note to give the lady at work.
Today is the day I give her the note. She is busy ... teaching... or something, right now, so I'll have to wait. I hope that my efforts will be helpful.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
At school the next day, I had time to spare, so I set to work researching. It began with looking up the meaning of chemical biology. Was it it's own major, or was it part of a bigger subject? I'd never really heard of a chemical biology major before, but it seemed completely possible to exist. Turns out, the phrase "chemical biology" is still relatively new in the U.S. There are several schools and research facilities that offer special courses in chemical biology today, but most schools only offer it as a single class (if at all). As my research went on I became uneasy. I compiled a list of every university that offered undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical biology. The list of names featured top tier universities (Harvard, Yale, etc.) Sure, they called him a genius at dinner last night, but was he looking to go to the most expensive schools in the U.S.? Still, I continued making the list.
Before leaving school, I printed out the list and went to go give it to her. There wasn't time (or any translators nearby) to go explain the list to her, however, and besides, she wasn't at her desk. I settled for writing my thoughts and an explanation of the list at home that night.
I went out to pay bills that evening and paid a visit to the phone shop. I asked my Korean friend, if I wrote a short explanation down on paper, could he translate it for me. He agreed, so I explained the situation (as well as my concerns) to him. We worked together on the translation, and I soon had a nicely written, printed note to give the lady at work.
Today is the day I give her the note. She is busy ... teaching... or something, right now, so I'll have to wait. I hope that my efforts will be helpful.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Thursday, November 1, 2012
TaLK Day
Note: I've decided to explain TaLK Day by recycling. Below are bits of all the conversations and posts I've made since I found out I'd have to help host this year. Hope it's not too confusing.
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---
Below is part of an email to my mom about TaLK Day:
Well, this has been a super long post! 'Til next time,
-Shirby
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---Noooooo~! I have to do TaLK Day! Both my mentor teacher and I are crying. *big sigh* ... 화이팅! T_T
My class is going to have a Skype session Oct. 30 at 2PM. Is anyone available at this time? I need someone who will absolutely do it (not forget), because this is for TaLK Day. Officials will be present during the class. o_O---
If it's someone from Texas, it'll be around midnight between Monday and Tuesday your time. If you can do it, I'll give you more info.
My school is hosting an open class where teachers from other cities will be invited to view a 40 minute ESL class. My topic will be self-introduction (meeting someone new). The class will be a mix of 3rd and 4th graders. Their English skills ranging widely. Some students are also shy about speaking.---
The Skype session will 15 minutes long. During that time, students and the guest (you) will take turns asking and answering questions. The teacher will guide the conversation.
I'll make a short list of questions to pass to the students. I'll also send this list to the guest. Questions may include, "What is your name," or "How many sisters do you have?" You can ask the same questions multiple times. Assuming all things go well (internet connection, video streaming smoothness, sound, etc.), the whole thing should be really easy and fun for both the students and the guest. I just want to give the students a chance to talk to another native-English speaker. They can practice describing themselves to you. Hopefully each student will be able to ask (or answer) at least one question. ...Oh, I'm not sure yet, but I might have around 12 students.
The Skype session is scheduled for 2:18 PM (Korean time) in the lesson plan, but I'll want to connect with the guest early to save time. Also, I'll need to do a test run sometime before October 30 to make sure things will run smoothly.
If you're still willing and able to do this with my class, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!
Here is the info. Please let me know if you're still able to do it after reading. If more than one person is able, I'll pick the person at random.---
I flipped a coin and you won. I'm going to ask the other person if they'll be on standby.---
Shall we schedule a day where we can do a test run? I think Tuesdays/Thursdays are best if we do the test run at the same time that the class will be held. However, I'd like to hear what works best for you.
Thanks for volunteering!
What times are you available???---
The classroom I use is shared with my mentor teacher, so I can't come in and do test runs whenever I please. I WILL, however, see if I can hook my laptop up to some internet cord in another room if possible. (That way I won't need to worry about interrupting her).
The following are some questions I'll give them. They may come up with their own questions during class (so you've been warned). To answer them, you can repeat the question. Ex. What's your favorite food? "My favorite food is ___." Or you can just answer : Meatloaf. Then I'll have to explain what meatloaf is...lol.---
[insert loud scream]---
Why am I freaking out? TaLK Day is tomorrow!!!!!!!! Only 30 mins tomorrow to practice/talk to/ retunite with kids I haven't taught since last semester. Let us work together and be comrades, kids! Even if just for one day... please? T_T *deeeep breath*
[minutes before the mock class]---
S: see you soon! >~<
T: Correct
S: my students are eager to see you ^^
T: Oh god, lol
T: Who calls whom?
[a few hours after the mock class]
S: Thomas, first of all let me say thank you very very very much for participating with my class. Sorry but something went wrong with the camera and it wouldnt connect, so i just disconnected. i wasn't able to stop the class and tell you about it so that's why i said the quick goodbye. my class was really happy to meet you! i'll talk to you again later. sorry again for the weird ending!
[the next day]
T: It was no problem for me. I had fun, and the kids were kinda adorable.
S: kinda adorable... lolol
T: Like that one girl who looked at me as ran back to her seat
S: lol oh yes. the one girl who asked you if you liked ice cream. she was too shy to get out of her seat, but when you asked her to repeat the question, she shouted it from her seat. so everyone started laughing and you still couldn't hear her. but it was funniest cuz she shouted "DO. YOU. LI.KU. I.SU.CU.REEM."
T: Well there was times when the sound just went quiet
S: oh really?? hmm. I'm still wondering what happened w/ the camera. cuz my MT was holding it, but she kept waving it around when students were walking up. maybe there was a sound and motion overload
T: Which is why I kept asking you to repeat
S: yeah, well that was fine. everything worked out pretty well considering. it could've been worse, for example.
T: it could have. i thought it went fantastically
S: yaaay~ XD thanks again, seriously.
T: it was no problem. I just felt bad for the lost of connection at the end. plus the parents got a kick out of my doing ganganm style when they brought it up
---
Below is part of an email to my mom about TaLK Day:
Yesterday (around midnight Monday, your time) was TaLK Day. As I told you before, I had to teach in front of supervisors from the Education office, as well as other TaLK scholars, their mentor and co-teachers. They said I did well.I did a Skype chat with my friend Thomas from UTSA (whom you've met before during one of the many dinner gatherings at our house haha). We were able to get through many questions, before some technical difficulty with the camera happened, and we had to quit the conversation short. There was about 15 mins of class left so I had to fill time with a role-play game. I'd only thought of it the night before, but hadn't planned a game in any detail so much of it was very last-minute.I recieved a lot of praise, as well as constructive criticism. I'm really glad it's over and that I was able to do it. I'm glad my students were able to participate (many of them were really shy once they tried to speak to Thomas).What did I do to avoid nervousness? The night before, I listened to a song from Kiki's Delivery Service to calm my nerves. hahaha Then, the day of, I decided to ignore all the visitors during the mock class. I tuned them out and just focused on the students. So, after the students were dismissed, all the nervousness and adrenaline just rushed out and I was nervous and shaking a little and looked tired (people were telling me i looked nervous and tired).
Well, this has been a super long post! 'Til next time,
-Shirby
Friday, September 28, 2012
A Day In The Life...
I woke up two hours earlier than usual so I could finish two separate lesson plans that will be due today. One was a bit of a surprise. I was only given one day to write it all out. The other is one I forgot about (but shouldn't have), and consequently ended up doing at the last minute. Still, everything (for the most part) is finished. It's just a matter of formatting for the first, most important lesson plan, which will be used for TaLK Day.
Why didn't I work on this important work yesterday? Well, I tried. Sort of. The teachers that I hold "secret" dinners and outings with sprung a secret dinner last night. It was the first one in several months, and despite any negative or uncomfortable feelings I develop during our gatherings, I look forward to these dinners. For me, they are like once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Uncomfortable feelings would include not understanding most of the conversation because it is all in Korean. I overlook these things for the sake of culture, and a chance to maintain friendships I'm sure I won't regret having later. ...We stayed out for a few hours (dinner, game station .. you know, batting cage, whack-a-mole, etc...then a bar where we played darts). I must say that it was my first time trying a (virgin) pina colada, and it tasted so much better than the pina colada-flavored juice I'd accidentally mistaken for pineapple juice and bought earlier in the week. But I digress.
I walked home, turned on my computer, and (first mistake) lay on the bed. Even though you should never sit somewhere super comfortable when getting ready to do important work (if you're already drowsy), I think sitting anywhere else wouldn't have made a difference. Sure enough, I found myself dozing after typing every few sentences. It wasn't even midnight, but I decided to sleep and wake up early. So catches us up to today's story!
I left the house feeling pretty ready for the day. Today, though a busy day for sure, is the last day of the week, and the beginning of a 5-day weekend. Chuseok (kind of like a Korean Thanksgiving) is this weekend, and there's a national holiday on Wednesday, so nearly every school will have a 5-day weekend.
I walked to the convenience store to recharge my bus pass. It takes a minute at most. Afterwards, I continue down the street, and this man (who must work at the Wedding Hall he's always standing in front of) appears suddenly and greets me. I've tried avoiding talking to him, or walking by the wedding hall in general, but it's really difficult. This road is the road I have to take... and besides, I hadn't seen him in several weeks. He stops me and asks me my name (since, by now, he's greeted me at least twice before). I ask him his name (I hope I can remember... but I hope more that he's not dangerous) in return. He tries saying something, else, but I don't really understand if it's Korean or English. I tell him, "Have a good day," and walk away.
Then, I continue to the bus stop, where a halmoni (a grandma-aged lady) handed me two mints after standing with me for a few minutes. I'd done a good job of not noticing if she was staring at me (I've been practicing this, because honestly, I tend to notice everything, and it'll be good for my health if I learn to ignore a few things). I was just minding my own business, drinking choco milk, so I was genuinely surprised when she got up from the seat and walked over to me. She didn't say anything, just smiled and handed them to me.I gratefully took the mints. I thanked her politely in Korean. I was feeling all happy when a strange thought entered my mind, like the bad angel on your shoulder, whispering in your ear. Maybe she's thinking this girl'll have bad breath after eating and drinking all that she's going to have bad breath. I'll save her from such a fate! Why'd I think such a crazy thought? Ha, because Koreans have a lovely habit of brushing (sometimes communally) after most (if not all) meals. All the teachers and students head to the bathrooms with their brushes and paste after lunch each day. It'd been twenty minutes since I brushed my teeth, and already I was sipping on chocolate milk. Guilty self-conscience.
I get to school and all the kids and teachers are wearing hanboks. Oh yes, I remember. There was a message about this to all the teachers yesterday. I'm not sure why, exactly, they're wearing them today. Maybe because of Chuseok coming. When I sat down at my desk, I heard a student whisper something to another 1st grader. "Shannon.... hanbok...." was all I heard. .... Ah, yes, child. You've realized that I'm not wearing one? Well, I don't have one. Don't make me feel bad. Get back to your work.
Today was the first time I saw the first graders take a test. They separated their desks and up walls so neither they nor their neighbors could cheat. Still, I saw kids attempting it from time to time. The test looked hard. I saw a lot of kids staring at their papers. I wonder what it was about.
Now, lunch is in 20 minutes, and the kids are listening to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" on repeat. They have to learn this song for some performance (did I already mention?) later on next month. It's so cute hearing them say, "Hush my dah-ling, don' feah my dah-ling, the lion sleeps tonight!" They're learning well.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Why didn't I work on this important work yesterday? Well, I tried. Sort of. The teachers that I hold "secret" dinners and outings with sprung a secret dinner last night. It was the first one in several months, and despite any negative or uncomfortable feelings I develop during our gatherings, I look forward to these dinners. For me, they are like once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Uncomfortable feelings would include not understanding most of the conversation because it is all in Korean. I overlook these things for the sake of culture, and a chance to maintain friendships I'm sure I won't regret having later. ...We stayed out for a few hours (dinner, game station .. you know, batting cage, whack-a-mole, etc...then a bar where we played darts). I must say that it was my first time trying a (virgin) pina colada, and it tasted so much better than the pina colada-flavored juice I'd accidentally mistaken for pineapple juice and bought earlier in the week. But I digress.
I walked home, turned on my computer, and (first mistake) lay on the bed. Even though you should never sit somewhere super comfortable when getting ready to do important work (if you're already drowsy), I think sitting anywhere else wouldn't have made a difference. Sure enough, I found myself dozing after typing every few sentences. It wasn't even midnight, but I decided to sleep and wake up early. So catches us up to today's story!
I left the house feeling pretty ready for the day. Today, though a busy day for sure, is the last day of the week, and the beginning of a 5-day weekend. Chuseok (kind of like a Korean Thanksgiving) is this weekend, and there's a national holiday on Wednesday, so nearly every school will have a 5-day weekend.
I walked to the convenience store to recharge my bus pass. It takes a minute at most. Afterwards, I continue down the street, and this man (who must work at the Wedding Hall he's always standing in front of) appears suddenly and greets me. I've tried avoiding talking to him, or walking by the wedding hall in general, but it's really difficult. This road is the road I have to take... and besides, I hadn't seen him in several weeks. He stops me and asks me my name (since, by now, he's greeted me at least twice before). I ask him his name (I hope I can remember... but I hope more that he's not dangerous) in return. He tries saying something, else, but I don't really understand if it's Korean or English. I tell him, "Have a good day," and walk away.
Then, I continue to the bus stop, where a halmoni (a grandma-aged lady) handed me two mints after standing with me for a few minutes. I'd done a good job of not noticing if she was staring at me (I've been practicing this, because honestly, I tend to notice everything, and it'll be good for my health if I learn to ignore a few things). I was just minding my own business, drinking choco milk, so I was genuinely surprised when she got up from the seat and walked over to me. She didn't say anything, just smiled and handed them to me.I gratefully took the mints. I thanked her politely in Korean. I was feeling all happy when a strange thought entered my mind, like the bad angel on your shoulder, whispering in your ear. Maybe she's thinking this girl'll have bad breath after eating and drinking all that she's going to have bad breath. I'll save her from such a fate! Why'd I think such a crazy thought? Ha, because Koreans have a lovely habit of brushing (sometimes communally) after most (if not all) meals. All the teachers and students head to the bathrooms with their brushes and paste after lunch each day. It'd been twenty minutes since I brushed my teeth, and already I was sipping on chocolate milk. Guilty self-conscience.
I get to school and all the kids and teachers are wearing hanboks. Oh yes, I remember. There was a message about this to all the teachers yesterday. I'm not sure why, exactly, they're wearing them today. Maybe because of Chuseok coming. When I sat down at my desk, I heard a student whisper something to another 1st grader. "Shannon.... hanbok...." was all I heard. .... Ah, yes, child. You've realized that I'm not wearing one? Well, I don't have one. Don't make me feel bad. Get back to your work.
Today was the first time I saw the first graders take a test. They separated their desks and up walls so neither they nor their neighbors could cheat. Still, I saw kids attempting it from time to time. The test looked hard. I saw a lot of kids staring at their papers. I wonder what it was about.
Now, lunch is in 20 minutes, and the kids are listening to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" on repeat. They have to learn this song for some performance (did I already mention?) later on next month. It's so cute hearing them say, "Hush my dah-ling, don' feah my dah-ling, the lion sleeps tonight!" They're learning well.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Surprise, Surprise
This morning, I walked up to the school and saw some of the kids dressed in highlighter-yellow jackets. There was a huge, 2-story firetruck behind them. I stopped and stared. A fire safety demonstration? Why were these kids so lucky as to get to go into the truck, climb up to a top balcony, and rope down the side, landing on thick safety mats? All I remember from my childhood fire safety demos is visiting the station and watching the guys drive the truck around, stop somewhere far away, and spray high-pressured water in the field nearby. "You can try it," my mentor teacher told me. I politely declined. Don't ask me why. I don't know if I'm really not interested, or if I'm just upset and the unfairness. Either way, the truck's gone by now. When the 1st graders came back to the classroom, one of them acted out what happened inside the truck. Something about it being really dark inside, and looking around, and finding a direction to walk in. At this point of the charades story, he was dogpiled by two other classmates, and I couldn't hear the rest of it.
Work at school's getting a little bit trickier... for reasons I didn't expect.
Last Thursday was Sports Day at school. I found out late, that I'd be participating in it. I'd be running in a relay race. Oh, really? When? Well, I got most of my information from other students. I'd be partnered with 6th grader? Ok.... So, in the end, I participated in this race, though I didn't really understand how the race was orchestrated. I didn't understand who won or lost, just took the baton and ran when it was my turn. Don't get me wrong, it was really fun. I'm glad I got to participate. I even got some compliments from some 6th graders after the race. Still, I'd have liked to known what was going on so I could enjoy the race better. I'd tried so many times to get info from the others, but no luck. Let's just mark this down as another one of those "don't ask questions, just do it" moments.
And yet again, I am discovering that the students have to learn and perform English pop songs for some sort of special day in the near future. My mentor teacher told me a bit about it. A few bits of important information here and there. "Actually, you have to do this, but I will help you." ... I was asked to come up with a list of pop songs for grades 1-2 and 3-6 to learn. Songs with dances were best. I had a day and night to pick the songs, so the next day I came to school with a decent list of songs. Turns out none of them were good. Well, honestly, I thought SOME of them were good. Not "too fast," or "complicated," like she said they were. She ended up picking a song she knew. The kids don't like it, but I think they won't have a problem learning it. This story is still ongoing. Today, I picked "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" for the 1-2 graders. She OK'd the choice, but I'll have to come up with a dance for it. Well...I hope I can come up with something good, and worthy.
Oh, and so I think all of my classes, from now until the performance day, will be used to practice the song and dance routines. Does that mean I have to make a lesson plan for October...? I'm looking forward to this upcoming Chuseok holiday. Hopefully it will give me some time to think.
One final thing to mention. The evening of Sports Day, I said my goodbyes to the teachers and got ready to head the bus stop. My mentor teacher stopped me and told me I had to stay. She and the other teachers would first have a meeting, and then we'd all go have dinner together. Ok, I thought. I went to the gym-a-torium to play on the piano while they had their meeting. After awhile, I saw my mentor teacher walking out of the other building, heading to her car. Oh, I thought, maybe she's pulling her car around. I'd better get going. In the time it took me to walk down the stairs into the courtyard, she had driven away towards the restaurant with some other teachers. I called her phone. "Oh! Shannon, what happened to you?" "I'm here at the school. Did you forget about me?"
Before making this phone call, the kindergarten teacher spotted me and told me to wait for her. She'd drive me to the restaurant. I relayed this info to my mentor teacher, and headed to the restaurant with the kindy teachers instead. After dinner, all the teachers were gathered out front (like usual), laughing and chatting and discussing what they'd do after dinner. My mentor teacher was one of the few who didn't drink during dinner, yet she somehow disappeared. I thought she'd walked off with the first group of teachers who were heading to the noraebang, so I headed over with the second group. When I arrived and saw she wasn't there, I realized she'd forgotten me again. The next day at school, she asked me how I'd gotten home. I told her the other teachers had kindly helped me get a taxi. She explained something about being tired and going to pick up her husband before heading home. End of conversation, literally. No apology. Well, I'm not sure how to take that.....
It's lunch time so I have to stop writing. TTYL
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Work at school's getting a little bit trickier... for reasons I didn't expect.
Last Thursday was Sports Day at school. I found out late, that I'd be participating in it. I'd be running in a relay race. Oh, really? When? Well, I got most of my information from other students. I'd be partnered with 6th grader? Ok.... So, in the end, I participated in this race, though I didn't really understand how the race was orchestrated. I didn't understand who won or lost, just took the baton and ran when it was my turn. Don't get me wrong, it was really fun. I'm glad I got to participate. I even got some compliments from some 6th graders after the race. Still, I'd have liked to known what was going on so I could enjoy the race better. I'd tried so many times to get info from the others, but no luck. Let's just mark this down as another one of those "don't ask questions, just do it" moments.
And yet again, I am discovering that the students have to learn and perform English pop songs for some sort of special day in the near future. My mentor teacher told me a bit about it. A few bits of important information here and there. "Actually, you have to do this, but I will help you." ... I was asked to come up with a list of pop songs for grades 1-2 and 3-6 to learn. Songs with dances were best. I had a day and night to pick the songs, so the next day I came to school with a decent list of songs. Turns out none of them were good. Well, honestly, I thought SOME of them were good. Not "too fast," or "complicated," like she said they were. She ended up picking a song she knew. The kids don't like it, but I think they won't have a problem learning it. This story is still ongoing. Today, I picked "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" for the 1-2 graders. She OK'd the choice, but I'll have to come up with a dance for it. Well...I hope I can come up with something good, and worthy.
Oh, and so I think all of my classes, from now until the performance day, will be used to practice the song and dance routines. Does that mean I have to make a lesson plan for October...? I'm looking forward to this upcoming Chuseok holiday. Hopefully it will give me some time to think.
One final thing to mention. The evening of Sports Day, I said my goodbyes to the teachers and got ready to head the bus stop. My mentor teacher stopped me and told me I had to stay. She and the other teachers would first have a meeting, and then we'd all go have dinner together. Ok, I thought. I went to the gym-a-torium to play on the piano while they had their meeting. After awhile, I saw my mentor teacher walking out of the other building, heading to her car. Oh, I thought, maybe she's pulling her car around. I'd better get going. In the time it took me to walk down the stairs into the courtyard, she had driven away towards the restaurant with some other teachers. I called her phone. "Oh! Shannon, what happened to you?" "I'm here at the school. Did you forget about me?"
Before making this phone call, the kindergarten teacher spotted me and told me to wait for her. She'd drive me to the restaurant. I relayed this info to my mentor teacher, and headed to the restaurant with the kindy teachers instead. After dinner, all the teachers were gathered out front (like usual), laughing and chatting and discussing what they'd do after dinner. My mentor teacher was one of the few who didn't drink during dinner, yet she somehow disappeared. I thought she'd walked off with the first group of teachers who were heading to the noraebang, so I headed over with the second group. When I arrived and saw she wasn't there, I realized she'd forgotten me again. The next day at school, she asked me how I'd gotten home. I told her the other teachers had kindly helped me get a taxi. She explained something about being tired and going to pick up her husband before heading home. End of conversation, literally. No apology. Well, I'm not sure how to take that.....
It's lunch time so I have to stop writing. TTYL
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
6th Grade Shenanigans
I made a candy box (decorated it with pictures and words) and filled it with candy my mom sent from home. There's only one opening; it's only big enough to slide your hand in. I put pockets on the sides filled with "easy" and "hard" questions (and some action commands). A student must correctly answer a question on their own to get a surprise candy....
Today, one kid pulled out the slip of paper that said "Sing for 30 seconds." Dismayed, he begged for 3 seconds. Another kid volunteered to do it and, at my command, started singing the Three Bears song (a Korean song).Despite volunteering, it must've been a little embarrassing for him. He sang it so fast that there were still about 20 seconds left. The other kids started shouting suggestions for what he should sing, so in 30 seconds he sped through about 3 songs.
Two sixth graders chose the "Dance for 30 seconds" slip of paper. They told me, "We'll do a traditional Korean dance," and swayed their arms back and forth while singing in Korean. A third kid brought them some maracas, which they began using halfway through. Sadly, I did not get this on camera. Maybe next time. XD
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Lunch Lady at School
Man, this lady's been an interesting character since I got here.
First, she didn't talk to me. Only stared and whispered to other teachers about me. She watched me eat (or not eat) the foods on my tray. One day, we ended up taking the same bus to school. ...Actually, I'm pretty sure this happened on more than one occasion, but it wasn't until the last occasion that she talked to me once we got off the bus. During that time, she ... well, as usual, I can only guess about half of the conversation. We talked about Korean vs. English language. About how when people meet, they'll ask "Have you eaten?" rather than "How are you?' ... Oh, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I've got this story right. I could be mixing the lunch lady with the store shop owner from my bus stop. But I did talk to the lunch lady as we walked to school one day. She even threw in some English words.
Since that day, she's been doing more than just watching at me while I eat. Now, sometimes she'll walk over to my end of the table and wipe it clean, then lean in close and tell me, "Mani meogeo" in a really serious voice. Which means eat a lot, or enjoy the meal, depending on the way the person says it. I used to nod and smile, but after hearing it said with such a serious whisper and piercing eyes, I'm not sure I want to eat a lot. She started saying this to me after an encounter one day with myself, her, and my mentor teacher. At lunch on that day, she asked my mentor teacher if I liked Korean food and what I thought of the spicy parts, etc. So after that, she started telling me to eat my food. At first, I understood this, because some days I really didn't like half of what was on my tray, and would skip eating it. Other days, I would eat everything and completely clean my food tray. I took her message to mean, "Please try everything. Please eat as much as you can, and go for seconds if you really like it." At this point though, I feel like I should be allowed to not eat something if I don't want to.
In the last week or two, she's added more to our interesting encounters. She now explains the names of everything on my tray. Honestly, I really appreciate this guesture. I truly thank her (a much older lady) for taking the time to teach me Korean in this way, to let me know what I'm eating. However, this also bothers me a bit. I selfishly think, where was she at the beginning of the school year when I really wanted to know what everything was. I mean, now I already know what half the stuff is.
Of course, I could try and tell her which foods I like and don't like after she tells me their names. ...But, I feel like if I deepened the conversation, I'd end up being dragged back to the lunch line and having my tray refilled. I don't mind talking to her, but I think if she could, she'd have me doing a whole lot more eating and explaining each day if I let her talk to me. Hah, actually writing all this is making me laugh. It's funny but I could actually develop a love-hate relationship with this lady. For now though, maybe I'll just mention to one of the other teachers how unnerving the lunch lady can be at times.
'Til next time!
-Shirby
First, she didn't talk to me. Only stared and whispered to other teachers about me. She watched me eat (or not eat) the foods on my tray. One day, we ended up taking the same bus to school. ...Actually, I'm pretty sure this happened on more than one occasion, but it wasn't until the last occasion that she talked to me once we got off the bus. During that time, she ... well, as usual, I can only guess about half of the conversation. We talked about Korean vs. English language. About how when people meet, they'll ask "Have you eaten?" rather than "How are you?' ... Oh, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I've got this story right. I could be mixing the lunch lady with the store shop owner from my bus stop. But I did talk to the lunch lady as we walked to school one day. She even threw in some English words.
Since that day, she's been doing more than just watching at me while I eat. Now, sometimes she'll walk over to my end of the table and wipe it clean, then lean in close and tell me, "Mani meogeo" in a really serious voice. Which means eat a lot, or enjoy the meal, depending on the way the person says it. I used to nod and smile, but after hearing it said with such a serious whisper and piercing eyes, I'm not sure I want to eat a lot. She started saying this to me after an encounter one day with myself, her, and my mentor teacher. At lunch on that day, she asked my mentor teacher if I liked Korean food and what I thought of the spicy parts, etc. So after that, she started telling me to eat my food. At first, I understood this, because some days I really didn't like half of what was on my tray, and would skip eating it. Other days, I would eat everything and completely clean my food tray. I took her message to mean, "Please try everything. Please eat as much as you can, and go for seconds if you really like it." At this point though, I feel like I should be allowed to not eat something if I don't want to.
In the last week or two, she's added more to our interesting encounters. She now explains the names of everything on my tray. Honestly, I really appreciate this guesture. I truly thank her (a much older lady) for taking the time to teach me Korean in this way, to let me know what I'm eating. However, this also bothers me a bit. I selfishly think, where was she at the beginning of the school year when I really wanted to know what everything was. I mean, now I already know what half the stuff is.
Of course, I could try and tell her which foods I like and don't like after she tells me their names. ...But, I feel like if I deepened the conversation, I'd end up being dragged back to the lunch line and having my tray refilled. I don't mind talking to her, but I think if she could, she'd have me doing a whole lot more eating and explaining each day if I let her talk to me. Hah, actually writing all this is making me laugh. It's funny but I could actually develop a love-hate relationship with this lady. For now though, maybe I'll just mention to one of the other teachers how unnerving the lunch lady can be at times.
'Til next time!
-Shirby
Random Happenings of the Week
Yesterday, I
guess one of the staff members brought sandwiches to school. When I went to say
hello to the principal, she shared some of her sandwich with me. Even though, I
suspect she didn't like the sandwich, it still made my day. We hardly get to
talk to each other, let alone share things. On an average day, I pop my head in
and say hello (안녕하세요) to her first, then the
vice principal, before making my way to my mentor teacher's classroom. At most,
if she's in her office, she will smile and reply with a yes (네)... or sometimes 네, 안녕하세요 and
quickly turn back to her work. This is as far as our daily interactions get,
unless there's a special occasion and she's not completely surrounded by the
higher-ranked staff. So yes, this moment felt special. She beckoned me in and
offered me some of her sandwich (and even some juice... which I stupidly turned
down. I don't even know why. ... Maybe I felt like I shouldn't take too much
from her at one time, even if she was offering). She sat down with me at the
couches beside her desk, and I told her they were delicious (in Korean). She
seemed happy about that, and said some things in Korean which I can only guess
were details about where she'd gotten the sandwiches from. I nodded as if I
understood every word, telling myself I'd ask one of the other teachers about
it later. She's a really pretty, nice, respectable lady, my principal. I truly
wish I could get to know her more. It seems like one thing that will be a bit
impossible while I'm here.
One of my 6th graders asked me about racism the other day. Really, I was
supposed to be teaching, but students were coming and going in such an
annoying fashion that all I could do was casually converse with the two
students who were sitting
down in front of me. One of them came up and asked me if I knew about... I
couldn't understand his pronunciation. I asked him if he knew how to spell it.
He nodded and wrote it down- rasism. I tried my best to explain it to
him. I don't know how much he understood, or why he even asked me in the first
place. What happened in life that such a word was in his head? I'm not sure if
he was asking me about racism in general or specific situations. It's sometimes
hard to ask students, "Why?" because they might not have enough
vocabulary to answer. I told him to ask his teacher about it too if he was
confused.
I think I told you about the coffee shop that was built near my home. I'm
curious about how their business is going. Actually, I've only visited there
once since it's opened. I still favor the coffee shop a bit further away
(because it's cheaper, and they have hot chocolate). Still, this week I'd been
walking past the store quite often. (Usually, I have to walk the other way down
the street). I figured I should visit them once again. After grocery shopping,
I dropped my things off at home, grabbed a book and walked over to the shop. It
was empty at this time--
...I'm sorry, I've momentarily lost train of thought. A first grader just
procured an imaginary laser sword, and sliced me up. Give me a moment to put
myself back together....
-- Yes, there wasn't anyone in the shop at that time. I walked up to the
counter and the lady quickly ran to get her son(?) who could speak English.
Now, I tried to speak in Korean with her and her son before, but I guess they
insist on him using his English skills. I didn't even get a chance to order before
she rushed off to get him. I ordered some chamomile tea and a cookie, and told
them I'd drink in the store. As the lady made my tea, the son asked if I liked
chocolate. I said yes, then paused. Oh no, what if they put chocolate in my
tea? I stopped him and asked him what he meant. He asked again, and I said yes
hesitantly. Then he went to the freezer and pulled out a handful of bite-size
chocolates, put them into a dish, and placed the dish on my tray. Free
chocolates. I paid, thanked them, and went to sit down with my tray. About five
mintues later, the lady came over with a plate of sliced toast (strips, like
french toast strips, but this was just regular toast) and a small side of
whipped cream decorated with chocolate syrup. Wow. Before me lay a dish of
chocolates, a plate of toast with a sweet dip, a cookie, and a cup of tea. I
thanked her and dug in.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Special P.S. Thanks, Katie, for keeping up with these. I hope they don't all sound bad, or all good. I'll do my best to write about all my adventures, good or bad or in between! :)
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Personal Space, Please
Sometimes I wish there was a cubicle wall. That way, the kids wouldn't bump into me on their way to the teacher's printer. That way, the students wouldn't hide behind my chair and poke me from behind. That way, the students wouldn't use my desk as their writing space, their play space. That way, I could lay my head down on my desk and rest without worrying the kids. They think I'm crying, lol.
My desk and my mentor teacher's desk are very close together. Her printer sits on a small, rolley cabinet in between the two desks. Quite often, she has the students wait in a line by the printer and pick up whatever paper comes out of it. Worksheets, definitely. Yesterday as they waited in line, the kids began fiddling with the things on my desk, rifling through papers and picking stuff up. They like to ask me questions, ask for my attention, ask me to play with them while they wait in line. Then, when the line ceases to become a line, and instead becomes a cluttered mass of first graders, they get pushy. The people in the front of the line push their way through the mass of people to get back to their seats. There is little sense of personal space. Actually, this is true for Koreans in general, not just my younger students. If you need to get somewhere, you push your way through. If it's a serious enough accident that you bumped into someone, only THEN do you apologize.
Well, I like the interaction. I enjoy talking to them, and having them try to explain things to me using mumbles and guestures (and finally, Korean, when they get impatient). However, sometimes, I just want to work in peace, to hide away for a little while. I never thought a cubicle wall would sound so appealing.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
My desk and my mentor teacher's desk are very close together. Her printer sits on a small, rolley cabinet in between the two desks. Quite often, she has the students wait in a line by the printer and pick up whatever paper comes out of it. Worksheets, definitely. Yesterday as they waited in line, the kids began fiddling with the things on my desk, rifling through papers and picking stuff up. They like to ask me questions, ask for my attention, ask me to play with them while they wait in line. Then, when the line ceases to become a line, and instead becomes a cluttered mass of first graders, they get pushy. The people in the front of the line push their way through the mass of people to get back to their seats. There is little sense of personal space. Actually, this is true for Koreans in general, not just my younger students. If you need to get somewhere, you push your way through. If it's a serious enough accident that you bumped into someone, only THEN do you apologize.
Well, I like the interaction. I enjoy talking to them, and having them try to explain things to me using mumbles and guestures (and finally, Korean, when they get impatient). However, sometimes, I just want to work in peace, to hide away for a little while. I never thought a cubicle wall would sound so appealing.
'Til next time,
-Shirby
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Weekend
It's super early. Why am I here at school so early...? Ugh....
Actually, I had to come early to turn in my lesson plans for July. There wasn't any way to email them to my MT over the weekend, so I had to come in to turn them in. It's about 2.5 hours earlier than when I would usually get to school.On a normal day, I come to school an hour earlier... so today, I'll be waiting longer than usual for my classes to start. I should've brought my book.
I might get drowsy by the time my class rolls around. I couldn't focus on my work last night so I stayed up past 2 AM finishing the lesson plans. The night before, I had to get up early after walking around town for about an hour (it must've been an hour). This past weekend was amazing, by the way.
One of the other TaLK scholars hosted a paragliding trip in the next town over. Unfortunately, this weekend was the beginning of the rainy season. To signify such an occasion, it rained all day Saturday, the day of our scheduled excursion. However, all was not lost. On Saturday- oh, by the way. A bunch of other scholars came from other provinces for this trip. It was nice to see some people I hadn't seen since orientation.- so, on Saturday, we went to a clay-shooting range and an aquarium that had recently been built. We (especially those who had travelled really far) prayed for a break from the rain tomorrow. We decided that if the rain stopped the next day, we could all wake up early and go paragliding before everyone had to return home. It worked out.
Before heading to Danyang (the neighboring town with paragliding), everyone met up in Jecheon. We all ate lunch together, travelling by foot through the pouring rain. Two scholars left that day, deciding that they wouldn't have time to get back home if they stayed 'til Sunday. The rest of us boarded a bus after lunch and headed to Danyang. After the aquarium, some of the scholars stayed in a hotel in Danyang, while the remaining (including myself) decided to stay (for "free") in Jecheon. Before I caught the bus back to Jecheon, I ate dinner with the scholars who were staying in Danyang. We had galbi and sam gyeop sal, in case you were curious! :P
This is the part where I was walking around town all night. I caught the bus back to Jecheon, decided to grab some more money from the bank before heading home, and ended up walking to two different banks (back-tracking, even) before I arrived home. The bank closest to my home wouldn't allow me to take out a smaller amount of money, so I had to walk in the opposite direction to a different bank. I should probably write a post about how banks work in Korea. There are different fees, and rules for taking out money, depending on the time of day and day of the week.
Anyways! ...Got home, did some lesson planning, went to bed and woke up early the next morning to catch the first bus back to Danyang. Success! It was cloudy, but there was no rain. Two vans came and picked up the group and we went paragliding! We split up into teams because some people needed to leave soon after they paraglided. The paragliding story itself should be saved for a new post, as this one is getting quite long. Here's a video of my paragliding jump! Enjoy!
'Til next time!
-Shirby
Actually, I had to come early to turn in my lesson plans for July. There wasn't any way to email them to my MT over the weekend, so I had to come in to turn them in. It's about 2.5 hours earlier than when I would usually get to school.On a normal day, I come to school an hour earlier... so today, I'll be waiting longer than usual for my classes to start. I should've brought my book.
I might get drowsy by the time my class rolls around. I couldn't focus on my work last night so I stayed up past 2 AM finishing the lesson plans. The night before, I had to get up early after walking around town for about an hour (it must've been an hour). This past weekend was amazing, by the way.
One of the other TaLK scholars hosted a paragliding trip in the next town over. Unfortunately, this weekend was the beginning of the rainy season. To signify such an occasion, it rained all day Saturday, the day of our scheduled excursion. However, all was not lost. On Saturday- oh, by the way. A bunch of other scholars came from other provinces for this trip. It was nice to see some people I hadn't seen since orientation.- so, on Saturday, we went to a clay-shooting range and an aquarium that had recently been built. We (especially those who had travelled really far) prayed for a break from the rain tomorrow. We decided that if the rain stopped the next day, we could all wake up early and go paragliding before everyone had to return home. It worked out.
Before heading to Danyang (the neighboring town with paragliding), everyone met up in Jecheon. We all ate lunch together, travelling by foot through the pouring rain. Two scholars left that day, deciding that they wouldn't have time to get back home if they stayed 'til Sunday. The rest of us boarded a bus after lunch and headed to Danyang. After the aquarium, some of the scholars stayed in a hotel in Danyang, while the remaining (including myself) decided to stay (for "free") in Jecheon. Before I caught the bus back to Jecheon, I ate dinner with the scholars who were staying in Danyang. We had galbi and sam gyeop sal, in case you were curious! :P
This is the part where I was walking around town all night. I caught the bus back to Jecheon, decided to grab some more money from the bank before heading home, and ended up walking to two different banks (back-tracking, even) before I arrived home. The bank closest to my home wouldn't allow me to take out a smaller amount of money, so I had to walk in the opposite direction to a different bank. I should probably write a post about how banks work in Korea. There are different fees, and rules for taking out money, depending on the time of day and day of the week.
Anyways! ...Got home, did some lesson planning, went to bed and woke up early the next morning to catch the first bus back to Danyang. Success! It was cloudy, but there was no rain. Two vans came and picked up the group and we went paragliding! We split up into teams because some people needed to leave soon after they paraglided. The paragliding story itself should be saved for a new post, as this one is getting quite long. Here's a video of my paragliding jump! Enjoy!
'Til next time!
-Shirby
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Dinner and the After-Party
I bet you're wondering what happened to the rest of the story? I'll tell you!
After the badminton game, there was a teacher's dinner. I wrote this email to my mom about it. Below is a CNN article that further explains my experience.
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http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/drink/business-travelers-guide-drinking-korea-213012?hpt=ias_t4
'Til Next Time,
-Shirby
After the badminton game, there was a teacher's dinner. I wrote this email to my mom about it. Below is a CNN article that further explains my experience.
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On Wednesday all the teachers and staff played badminton together. Korean schools (teachers and staff) like playing sports games together, and many schools like competing with each other! I don't know if we'll compete with any schools. After the game, we all went out to dinner. This dinner was just like the first one at the beginning of the school year, but a little different. Besides it being a school dinner, we were also welcoming one teacher and saying goodbye to another. The current second grade teacher was a substitute (which I hadn't known until the day before this dinner), and had been hired from the first day of school. The original 2nd grade teacher was on maternal leave from having a baby. In Korean culture, drinking is a big part of these dinners. In the past, man or woman, people couldn't refuse drinks/toasts, etc. from superiors during these dinners. However, today, it's become more acceptable to turn down a drink (although men still get pressured to do so). Foreigners are not completely held to these rules (especially if their religion forbids drinking), but they are still encouraged to share in this culture. A lot of the Korean-American male TaLK scholars are treated as locals in this case. This drink that I'm talking about is usually soju in a shot glass, and there's a ceremonial way of sharing it. The youngest pours for the oldest first, and the oldest drinks. Then the oldest pours for the youngest (into the same cup) and the youngest drinks it. There's even a special way to drink and pour, which makes it "a korean thing." So anyway, I feel like I have to explain the whole culture thing to you, but I will just continue with the story. In the past, I've been able to avoid these "drinking encounters" with superior staff and other people at dinner by simply avoiding eye contact, or talking to people whenever it looks like someone might come over and ask to share the drink. Oh, but this time, the vice principal called my name when I didn't make eye contact with him. I ended up having to do this ceremony with him, with guidance from my mentor teacher. He reluctantly only filled the bottom of the glass because I kept asking him if he could pour water instead. In an effort to not be completely rude, I poured for him and drank when he poured for me (it's only done once between people). Ah, but now I know that if I go to another dinner, he will try and get me to do the ceremony toast again and drink a little more than last time. I can't help but think " this is war!" and i have to battle against or negotiate with this part of Korean culture. Well! That was the biggest bit of news. After the dinner, we went to a noraebang (no-reh-bahng....literally "singing room") (a building with many different sized rooms for people to rent and sing karaoke). I embarrassed myself singing in front of everyone with a squeaky voice because I was really nervous and the song was a little too high hahahah. They didn't seem to care. Everyone took turns singing.
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http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/drink/business-travelers-guide-drinking-korea-213012?hpt=ias_t4
'Til Next Time,
-Shirby
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