Dinner with the Parents

Dinner tonight went pretty well. Of course, I was a bit nervous having dinner with the parents of one of my students (Anne, from my favorite class), but at least Gary and Cate were along, as well as Rosie (Cate's delightful daughter) so I wasn't completely put on the spot. Anne is a sweet little girl, and her parents are quite nice, but it was important that I represent the school well, which put a little pressure on me.

We went to a charming little Chinese restaurant, which I was very glad about. I love Korean restaurants, but it is so much easier to make a good impression when you get to sit in a chair, as opposed to the floor. Of course, we used chopsticks, which I'm still not as dexterous with as I would like to be (though vastly improved from when I first came).

There were loads of new foods for me to try (served in courses), most of which I thought were fantastic. I've gotten to the point now where I don't even bother to ask what I'm eating anymore, so I have no idea exactly what ingredients were in each thing I ate. The dumplings with stir-fried peppers and chicken were yummy, as were the sticky sweet potatoes, pickled radishes, and the sweet and sour pork. Best of all were the ginormous shrimp with a light, sweet, buttery coating. Normally I'm not a shrimp fan, but these were amazing! My soup was pretty good, albeit a bit odd: there were pieces of tentacle from some species of sea creature, which I found very difficult too eat (too rubbery for my liking). Of course, the main dish of chajang myon was great (even though I had that for lunch). There was one other dish involving shrimp that I tried and, while it was not a smash hit, it was acceptable to my palette.

The trouble came with a seemingly innocent vegetable and shrimp dish that involved a great deal of broccoli. I personally consider broccoli to be the second greatest among vegetables, so I was eager to try this new dish. Nothing in its appearance prepared me for what was to come. In short, that dish was cruel and vindictive! It was very spicy to begin with, and then I bit into some unidentified crunchy object that was so hot it brought instant tears to my eyes and made me almost desperate enough to tear my tongue out of my mouth and throw it across the restaurant. As I was being observed by Anne's parents, I had no choice but to swallow and try to downplay just how much agony I was in. The side of my tongue is actually still sore from whatever it was I bit into.

Aside from that one mishap, and the one water chestnut that chose to dive into my lap rather than my mouth, dinner was a success. Anne's parents seemed pleased with us teachers, and I thought both of them were very kind. It was also nice to get to spend a little extra time with two of my best students, both of whom are really fun little girls to be around.

One thing continues to amaze me though: I can't figure out how Koreans can stay so small and yet eat so much at each meal! Every Korean I've met can out-eat me easily, yet I'm like Behemoth next to them! It must be all the stairs they put everywhere.

More Pictures of Spring Being Born

It's getting prettier and prettier every day here in Gyeongju, now that spring is finally getting out of bed.

Cate and Mark gave me a bike, which I finally figured out the kickstand on, so today I rode home from school instead of walking. It felt terrific. It's the perfect temperature out, so you don't need a coat, but you don't get sweaty doing anything active, either. Perfect weather for bike riding! I'm planning to leave a little early for my afternoon classes so I can take advantage of the weather and have a bit of a ride.

This evening, three of us teachers are going out to dinner. We're being taken out by the parents of a student that we all have. I'm a little nervous, since I will be kind of on display tonight, but I anticipate good food and a general good time. We're going to a Chinese restaurant. I'm hoping to have something I haven't tried yet.

Spring Is in the Air

On my walk back to school to teach my afternoon classes, I had the delight of seeing brand new yellow blossoms springing up on the trees. Aren't they lovely? I can hardly wait to photograph what it looks like when they all burst out in glorious profusion.

I really enjoy my walks to and from school each day. I pass so many beautiful sights each time, and I find myself leaving home earlier than I need to each day, just so I can savor my walk a bit more, and have that extra moment to enjoy something that catches my eye.

My Clothes Have Been Known to Excite Small Children

It is gorgeous outside today. The sun is bright and cheerful, the sky is a happy light blue, and it's warm enough to go without a coat. Naturally, I felt the need to dress accordingly, so I put on my brightest red shirt this morning. I had no idea what delight my shirt would have for my kindergartners (they are a rather unpredictable bunch).

When I walked into my first class, with my four little cuties that speak next to no English, I was greeted with cheers of "Hello! Red! Red! Hello, hello!" The kids paid much closer attention than normal, so I'm wondering if the shirt had anything to do with it. After class, Jay, my slowest little boy, came and sat with me for a few minutes and kept pointing to his shirt and then mine, saying "red." (He was also wearing a red shirt.) I was so delighted to hear that he has learned something!

In my next kindergarten class, I was greeted with more cheers: "Hi Teacher! Teacher red shirt! Red!" As with my first class, I seemed to hold their attention much better than usual. So either English was much more fascinating today, or kids like red shirts.

After class is over, the kids play together while waiting for their parents. Today, as often happens, they got a bit too wound up and there was soon the sound of crying. It was little Jay, and he came barrelling into the office, ignored the two Korean teachers, and threw himself into my lap. I almost started tearing up myself! He wanted comfort from the foreigner! I can barely communicate with the kid, and yet he likes me! It was a very special moment for me.

I have reached the conclusion that although kindergartners are twice the stress and three times the work of my other classes, they are not without rewards. Kindy kids give the best hugs, for one thing. They make you want to pull your hair out one minute, and then the next minute they do something so unbelievably cute and/or sweet that you wish you could bottle the moment and preserve it forever. They are really lovable little monsters!

On Friday, when Mark and I got back from Daegu, he took me to lunch at a Chinese restaurant that serves excellent chajang myun (noodles in a dark sauce with beef). It was Kids' Day at school, so Cate and two other teachers took the kindergartners out to lunch at the same restaurant Mark and I were at. The kids saw me immediately, and began shouting excitedly, "Stiff-unnie Teacher! Hello Stiff-unnie Teacher!" (By the way Mom and Dad, thanks for giving me a name that not a single Korean can pronounce.) It felt great knowing that just the sight of me excites my little pupils. It felt even better knowing that I didn't have to eat with them!

A Lovely Sunday

Last night my director, Cate, stopped by to invite me on a picnic today, which I eagerly agreed to. So today she and her husband Mark stopped by just prior to eleven and picked me up. Next we picked up their daughter Rosie, one of my students, and Angie, another of my students. Then we set off for Bulguksa Temple, a gorgeous Buddhist temple located near here.

It was a beautiful drive to Bulguksa, lasting probably close to fifteen minutes. I saw parts of Gyeongju that I had not yet had a chance to see, and of course we passed many of Gyeongju's famous tombs on our way. Once we got there, we had a yummy picnic lunch of homemade kimbap and fresh strawberries. Kimbap, for those unfortunate individuals who haven't heard of it, is rice, vegetables, and crab wrapped in seaweed, and it is totally delicious. (Click here to see what it looks like.)

After lunch, Cate, the girls, and I went to explore the temple. It was stunning, and I am still kicking myself for forgetting my camera. Cate advised me to go back there for Buddha's birthday, so when I do, I'll get pictures. In the meantime, click here to go to a website that tells about it and has a few descent pictures. They really don't do it justice though; the colors of the buildings are so much more vibrant. I, of course, was fascinated with the history of the area as well.

After Bulguksa, we drove high into the mountains, on winding roads that would have paralyzed my grandmother with fear. The views were spectacular, although I would have enjoyed it more if Korean driving didn't make me so nervous (how they avoid accidents is beyond me). Our second temple was Seokgulam Grotto, a Buddhist shrine built in a cave in 751. I believe the cave is also man-made. Click here to go to someone else's website, which has some good pictures. (Note to my non-techno-savvy relatives: If you click once on any of the pictures, they will get bigger and easier for you to look at. The same goes for any pictures posted on my blog.)

All in all, it was a terrific way to spend a day. I got to see some gorgeous places (why the heck did I have to forget my camera?!?!?!), I got to spend time with my very kind director and two of my best students, and I got to eat kimbap. No complaints from me!

The Best Laid Plans...

Today I had to go to Daegu to register with the immigration office. On the drive there, weaving through the hazy, blue mountains, I found myself reflecting on the series of events that brought me here.

It's funny: one year ago, I thought for sure 2008 would find me in Kalamazoo, attending Reformed Baptist Church and spending all my free time with Duper and the rest of the gang. Two years ago, I knew for certain that at this time I would be finishing up my master's degree in public history at UNC Wilmington. Five years ago, I thought I would have my bachelor's degree from PCC (not Liberty) and be teaching a history class in a private school in the USA right now. Ten years ago, I was convinced that by age 23, I would be married and have at least one child.

Life is very unpredictable. The very dreams that are built upon one day are ground into sand the next. Ideals are clutched tenderly and moments later discarded like rubbish. The best laid plans are carefully sketched out, and then later completely abandoned. Sometimes, I trade in my plans for something better, and sometimes just for something different. Often after years of dreaming, when the dream finally becomes reality, I find that the dream was better.

It was a very long, very complicated road that brought me here to Korea. I had to make a few U-turns, met a few dead ends, and even took a few detours, but I guess most of it has been worth it. A few of the detours, I could have done without, but all in all, I am at last finding my way. I am very glad that my road has taken me to Korea.

Ever since I was about three years old, and first became aware of other countries, I have dreamed of living abroad. As much as I have always wanted it, however, this was never really a dream I thought would come true. I always imagined this would be my "untold want," such as Whitman wrote of. Asia never even entered my mind until I studied East Asia in my junior year of college. Even then, I was fascinated, but never thought I would actually go there. I didn't really consider Korea seriously until about July of last year, and I kept putting the thought out of my head until November, when it refused to leave my mind and took permanent root. And now, mere months later, here I am. This is my new dream, and for a change, the reality is better.

As we drove back from Daegu, back through through those same enchanting mountains, I could hear familiar song lyrics in my mind:

"Climb ev'ry mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow ev'ry by-way,
Every path you know.

Climb ev'ry mountain,
Ford ev'ry stream,
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dream..."

"My Bonnie" Has Broken My Body!

Ugg...my legs are so sore today that I am finding it unpleasant to do anything but sit. I played too many active games with my students yesterday, including "My Bonnie" (several times). "My Bonnie" is a great leg workout - you play/sing the song "My Bonnie," having everyone stand or sit whenever there is a word starting with "B" or "O." I had my second kindergarten class and two phonics classes do it, and the kids loved it. Loved it so much, in fact, that they begged to do it multiple times. Thus, my thighs are considering mutiny right now! Living on the fourth floor is not a good thing today!

My kindergartners were monsters today. They had way too much energy, and not much interest in learning, plus I am having a dickens of a time trying to teach the second class the concept of "this" and "that." It got very frustrating for me, especially owing to the language barrier. I managed not to take out my frustration on the kids, which was one small triumph. I'm going to spend a few hours online tonight and see if I can find some better methods for teaching kindy kids.

I had a major triumph yesterday in my last class, which features my most disobedient students. I got them to be almost silent! I also, I believe, have somehow earned their respect, which I suspect is why they listened when I asked them to be quiet. I had a difficult decision to make in the beginning of that class: two students did not do the homework that I assigned, even though it was short and simple. I was faced with the choice of either maintaining discipline or showing mercy. Discipline can earn respect, but sometimes mercy goes farther toward establishing trust and a better relationship. I chose to show mercy, although I explained that both students would be punished the next time. I think I made the right decision.

All in all, I have found so far that I like teaching. I think I'm doing well with most of my classes, but I do feel a bit inept with two of them. I guess I'll just have to sacrifice a bit more of my free time to hunting down new games and new methods. If I am going to be a teacher, then, by golly, I am going to be a good one.

TPR Saved My Life!

TPR (Total Physical Response) is the greatest game ever created for poor, frustrated ESL teachers struggling with kindergartners! I should know. I used that game today with my littlest kids, and it was a resounding success. Not only did they love the game, they also learned a couple of basic commands far faster than they would have in a lesson.

TPR is easy to teach, too, which is necessary with that class. All you have to do is shout out commands, and the kids follow them. For instance, today I had the kids doing "sit down," "stand up," "hello," "open," "close," and "walk." They had so much fun that it never occurred to them that they were actually learning. Tomorrow, I'm going to use TPR again, but with new commands added. I highly recommend this technique to any other ESL teachers.

On the Street Where I Live

I finally got around to taking some pictures of Gyeongju on my way back from teaching morning classes today. Click here to see the street I live on. I promise I'll try to take some pictures of the downtown and the school soon.

Another Snow Picture

I snapped this picture as I was walking past one of the tombs on my way to school yesterday. That white hill is actually the tomb. Normally the tomb is grass-covered, but the snow made a very pretty change, I thought.

We got a bit more snow in the afternoon yesterday. I was right in the middle of listening to a student read aloud from the spell-binding ESL classic "Big Pig's Hip", when my other students began shouting "Teacher, Teacher, look!" I looked up, and saw ginormous snowflakes whizzing down to the ground. It looked almost like a blizzard for a few minutes! By the time I went home (around 8:00 PM), most of the snow had melted, and there is very little of it remaining today. It's so sunny out now that I figure what's left of the snow will be gone by noon or so.

Look What I Saw This Morning!

When I awoke fifteen minutes ago and stumbled out to my refrigerator, the last thing I expected to see was this! All of Gyeongju is blanketed in pristine white. What a surprise! It had actually been getting a bit warmer, and the other teachers were talking of spring yesterday.

I don't think we'll be seeing spring any time soon! And of course, it won't be overly pleasant having to walk to school in this (with even more coming, it looks like). Still, my mind is buzzing with different ways I can use this sudden snowfall in my lessons. I just had a great idea for a game for my second batch of kindy kids.

First Full Day of Teaching - Can I Take a Nap Now?

Wow. I am really tired. As in, I-feel-like-I-just-swam-the-English-Channel tired. It was, shall we say, rather hectic today. I had ten classes to teach, and I had to do the lesson plans as well. Then there were the mistakes that so enrich each new experience...

To start with, my first batch of kindergartners know absolutely no English. Imagine keeping a bunch of three and five year olds entertained for an hour, while actually teaching them something. Now imagine not having the ability to communicate and still having to do all that. Imagine trying to teach them a new game. Imagine trying to read them a story. Yeah, it was difficult to say the least. At least they're well-behaved and quiet.

My next batch of kindy kids are very energetic and have a good grasp of English. Unfortunately, I did not have the right book to teach them with. So, I learned my first lesson in improvisation. I reviewed with them, read a story, sang songs, and oddly enough, they liked it and I held their attention. Whew!

I ran into a problem later when one of my classes had been switched, and Cate forgot to tell me. After a few frantic moments, we got it sorted out. Actually, I'm delighted about the switch because it means I get to teach a terrific class of five little smarties who have an excellent grasp of English. I can carry on good conversations with them, and all of them are very eager to learn more. It is so rewarding to teach kids who want you to teach them.

My only other trouble was actually just the potential for trouble. All of my bad kids are in my last class, so I expected far worse than I got. I was very lucky today and was able to keep them on task, but I certainly felt the tension and worry the whole time. These kids are smart too, but they hide it well sometimes. I want them to learn, so I have to stay even more motivated than them, which I know will prove hard since they lack the eagerness of most of my other classes.

I learned a lot today. I figured out some techniques that work well, and I think I have accurately assessed which students I can depend on to help move the class along and set the right speed. I also learned just how great it feels to get mobbed by a bunch of adoring six-year-olds all trying to hug me at once.

Funny story: I picked up some microwave meals at the store today and decided to try one for lunch. It looked like a tasty chicken and rice dish, which it was. Unfortunately, it was an exceedingly hot tasty chicken and rice dish, so my lips were still tingling almost an hour later! It would really help if I could read Korean.

Pictures of My Apartment

I finally got unpacked, and I took a whole bunch of pictures of the new place. Click here to see what my apartment looks like.

As I said before, it is much bigger and nicer than I had expected. I tried to get a few shots of the ceiling, because it is really neat to look at, but I couldn't get it all in one shot. I did take one close-up of the neat ceiling lamp. I also took a few shots of the great view from my place. I love being able to look out the window and see a mountain.

I get quite a few channels on my TV, most of them in Korean. I do get CNN, which is nice if I want the news in the USA. It's kind of fun watching Korean shows, too. Koreans are so expressive when they talk, that often I can figure out what they're saying without having any idea what the words they're using mean.

A Trip to Daegu or Korean Charades

On Thursday morning, I had to go to Daegu to get a medical exam, as part of the new requirements for foreign teachers. It turned out to be a thoroughly amusing venture that would have made a great comedic play.

Cast:
1. Stephanie - A young English-speaking foreign teacher, who speaks no Korean
2. Mark - The director's husband, a Korean-speaker who speaks no English
3. Several Korean-speaking doctors and nurses, who speak no English
4. Cate - A cheerful director of a small school, who speaks both Korean and English

Setting:
South Korea - A hospital in Daegu, a bus, and a small school in Gyeongju

Scene One:
After a one-hour bus ride and a short, harrowing taxi ride, Stephanie and Mark arrive at the hospital. Stephanie is slightly nervous, but hides it well (she hopes). Mark motions for her to sit, while he talks to one of the receptionists. After getting in two wrong lines, he finds the right one and gets the necessary paperwork. He motions for Stephanie to join him. Using the best hand signals and gestures, he communicates to her what she must fill out (name, birth date, passport number). Then there comes a checklist, which he boldly attempts to fill out on his own. On one question, he glances at Stephanie and bursts out laughing. Stephanie realizes that Mark is probably answering some very personal questions about her, and restrains a giggle (stay tuned to find out what the question was).

Scene Two:
In an examination room, using only hand gestures and Korean phrases that Stephanie does not understand, a nurse manages to test Stephanie's vision and hearing, takes her blood pressure, weighs her, and measures her height. For reasons known only to the nurse, she also decides to measure Stephanie's bust (which both puzzles and amuses Stephanie). The first examination is now complete.

Scene Three:
Stephanie is led by Mark into another room for a chest X-ray (people certainly seem interested in her chest today). A doctor says something to her in Korean, which she responds to with a blank look. The doctor motions to Mark, whose face takes on a classic deer-in-headlights expression. Mark looks frantically at the only woman in the room (besides Stephanie), who takes Stephanie behind a curtain and pantomimes removing her shirt. Stephanie nods in understanding, but has one important question. Using a very creative form of charades, she is able to communicate the word "bra" to the nurse. The nurse nods, and Stephanie's question is answered. The X-ray is taken successfully.

Scene Four:
In yet another examining room, yet another doctor uses more charades to explain to Stephanie what he wants her to do with an empty cup. Later, he draws some of her blood, but neglects to give her a band-aid.

Scene Five:
On the bus back to Gyeongju, Stephanie discovers blood dripping down her arm and hurriedly shoves a tissue up her sleeve.

Scene Six: (several hours later)
In a small school in Gyeongju, just before the last class of the day, Stephanie is startled by the realization that something is up the sleeve of her sweater. Expecting a spider or something equally hideous, she is relieved to discover a very bloody tissue.

Scene Seven:
Stephanie, Mark, and Cate gather around a table in the office of the school to have their dinner, which has just been delivered via motorcycle. While they happily munch the tasty Chinese noodles, Mark relates (in Korean) the events of the day to Cate. Suddenly Cate explodes into laughter, nearly choking on her food. When she recovers, she reveals to Stephanie what the question on the checklist (that Mark had to answer on his own about Stephanie) asked: "How many times have you had sex in the past month?" The scene fades out as Stephanie nearly dies laughing.

My New Digs

I just got moved in to my apartment today, so at last I have my own internet connection and can post at more convenient times, without adorable little Korean children interupting (although the interuptions are usually cute).

I like my place. No boring white walls, the ceiling is pretty cool, and I have a lot more space than I expected. I love how I keep getting surprised by things being better than I thought they'd be. Take my director for instance: I knew she seemed nice in her e-mails, but I had no idea what a sweet, caring, considerate, and fun person I would be working for. I just think the world of her! And the other teachers all turned out to be so much warmer and friendlier than I thought they would be. I wasn't expecting coldness, by any means, but I thought it would take more effort from me to make friends here. I love happy surprises!

I haven't had half the problems I thought I would run across here. The food, which I thought would pose problems, has been almost entirely delicious. I haven't dealt with loneliness because other people have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and have looked after me. I haven't gotten sick from all the changes; in fact, I feel better than I've felt in over a month! The jet lag I expected never really happened. I just slept in my first day and went to bed early that night, and I've felt fine every since. No hint of exhaustion. Even teaching my first class wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I wound up having a great time with the kids. I'm still expecting to be homesick in a few weeks, but maybe I'll get a happy surprise there, too.

Coming here is shaping up to be one of the smartest decisions I have ever made. I feel so grateful for how wonderful it has been so far, and for the great experiences I'm going to have.