Obama on the North Korean Attack

Oh no! If only Ilsan weren't so close to the North Korean border. I'm registering at the US Embassy pronto...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100524/ts_nm/us_korea_north_obama

Flower Festival Field Trip

I survived my second seminar (despite finding out that I couldn't use my mac 2 minutes before it started and frantically transfering everything onto the Korean PC, preventing all of the videos I had edited and formatted for my computer all week to open in my presentation...), and I couldn't be happier that it's over!

I have lost all function of my right hand due to over-use of my computer mouse. Anytime I move my index finger, or brush the top of my hand, it sends a shooting electric shock all through my hand and arm. :( So rather than carrying on with my attempt to write this blog solely with my left hand, I will post pictures of the field trip we went on with our kids a few weeks ago to the Ilsan Flower Festival.














Nothing like a tooth falling out somewhere in the park to make for an interesting day.


































This is my school!
















All of the kindergartners from Feinschule...

Seminar #2

It's one of those weeks when I can't help but wonder if my job is worth the stress. It's seminar week. Which means that Saturday morning, I have to wake up at 5:30am and head to Daechon (a city a few hours south of Seoul), and give my hour long presentation on the drama program I'm creating to over 100 people who want to be entertained. It's not really a presentation so much as a performance. I sort of feel like I go up there, smile really big, do a little dance, sing a little song, pull up volunteers who so totally don't want to be on stage, and try to make them as un-bored as possible.

It's also one of those weeks where I feel really conflicted with how I feel about my work. I like the responsibility and being important and I really love that I'm creating and purposeful. I hate the stress that comes with it at times, and I hate that I'm creating and placed with all of this responsibility in such an unorganized, anxiety-filled environment.

Mostly, I'll just be glad when I open the door to my apartment Saturday evening, throw on my yoga pants, pour myself a glass of wine, and take a deep breathe knowing that another seminar is over.

The Girls Take On Ganghwa Island

Last weekend, us girls headed west to Ganghwa Island for a weekend of grilling, seaside gazing, raw fish eating, noraebong belting, and attempted hiking. It was refreshing, it was peaceful, it was great to be with the girls, and it was a seriously sweet little corner of Korea. See my full album here.










The ocean.

















Natalie, Joy, Amanda, Mary Soo, and me.












We spent the afternoon walking along the ocean.














We were right in the middle of the Korean countrside.












Cherry Blossoms!



















Magnolia trees.











So much raw fish we didn't know where to start...













Rockin' out the noraebong.

Old Tea Shop

I was writing a post for our Adventure Teaching blog today, and I thought I'd share it on mine as well.

A couple of weeks ago, we were strolling through the shops of Insadong when we stumbled down a small alley and came across a small place called ‘The Old Tea Shop.’ We made our way up the winding staircase (possibly the creakiest little staircase I’ve ever walked up), and entered into a haven of tea and birds. Yes, birds! This little tea shop is filled with the aroma of wonderful tea, antique furniture, and the sounds of birds chirping from every corner.

I’ve really never experienced anything like it. I was so mesmerized by the countless little colorful birds flying around the shop, resting on the windowsill, and proudly parading little strands of toilet paper to their secret hiding places, that I nearly forgot to order my tea. I’m glad I didn’t! I ordered the Quince, which was wonderfully sweet, citrus, and refreshing. Ali got the Jujube, which was strong and bitter and definitely not for the faint of heart! They had an extensive tea menu (almost as extensive as their collection of birds!) and it all seemed to be made with love and care.

The whole shop, from the birds to the antique rickety wooden benches, is glowing with vibrancy and eccentricity. As the sun warmed us while we drank our tea and the birds commanded the room with their incessant chirping, I looked out as the light was hitting the old Korean rooftops and thought... “Now this is Korea.”

Observe My Class

I don't think there's anything more awkward and unnatural than trying to teach while a group of 'observers' watch your every move taking notes. One of the many privileges (because there's so many...ha!) of being the head branch of a 40 school franchise is all of the many schools that come watch our classes with the hopes of learning how to teach the curriculum. It. Sucks. They sit in the back of the classroom staring at me the entire time. Meanwhile, I'm trying to act 'normal' and 'natural' which, let's face it, just doesn't happen when other teachers are observing everything you do.

Here's what a normal class for me looks like: I spend a good chunk of it yelling and using fear as a tactic of discipline (you're not allowed to judge until you try to put on a play with a class of 4 year olds who don't speak your language), and using bribery in the form of stickers to get kids to do what I say. These sorts of things just don't fly when teachers have flown all the way from the south coast of Korea to get useful teaching tips.

This, along with the non-stop video taping of classes (which are then uploaded to the website and has in turn made me famous in the world of Feinschule) has really turned me into a much less effective teacher. How am I supposed to get kids to learn when I can't yell and give them the glare of death when they aren't listening?

Seriously.

Good Morning, Seoul!

Nothing starts my day off like the moment I turn onto the little side street that my school lies on, and I hear, yelled from the sidewalk..."Good morning, Seoul!" Never fails. Every morning. The source is a jolly old Korean man, in a bright yellow vest, riding his bike on the small side street back and forth all day, giving out parking tickets. I'm pretty sure that the "Good morning, Seoul" comes from a radio show he hears in the morning, because he doesn't really seem to understand that the 'Seoul' part doesn't work with people. He makes me laugh every morning. I've now also started saying, "Have a good night!" at the end of the day on my way home, which he now says to me as well...usually in the morning.

Last weekend, a bunch of us went bungee jumping and paintballing, all in one day. I had already done the bungee jump, so I geared myself up for my first ever paintballing experience. It was in the woods. It was intense, colorful, and competitive--what could be better? (Winning could be better--we lost 4 out of 5 games...) I still have the memory etched into my brain and the bruises etched into my skin. Fortunately, the shot that nailed me in the face, somehow managing to hit the only spot on my face slightly uncovered by the mask, didn't leave a welt.