Looking Up

Yesterday was Sports Day for my school, and it was my duty to keep watch of one class of children. There I was, out on the field standing behind the long line of children as they did their salute to the Korean flag. The parent's were in the bleachers looking down at their children and us. As I stood there I couldn't help but look up at the Korean flag and the big blue sky behind it, and wonder just how I got here. Thinking, how did I get to this point in my life where I was standing on Korean soil, participating in a National celebration with these people, certainly gave me a profound feeling.

Perhaps, my deep thinking was due to that the night before I didn't get very good sleep. The days leading up to Sports Day were kind of stressful. There has been one particular student who we haven't been able to "crack." What I mean is that he has been misbehaving a lot and doesn't seem to respond to anything we have tried yet. My frustration peeked when I talked to his homeroom teacher who wants us (the foreign teachers) to figure out on our own how to help him. I generally disagreed with her that it is not only up to us to manage him, when she has a role in it too. But we agreed to work on it together and find solutions.

This job, although essentially a lot better than the ones I have had in the past, is still full of typical Korean workplace troubles. I haven't escaped from poor communication and confusion. However, because of my experience I know how to handle it more. At work I try my best not to blow up when there are last minute changes, or in this example when no one is really clear on punishment policies. Yet, it seems the stress is still within me, and that is why I didn't sleep well Wednesday night.

I have come to realize that we just need to have a group meeting on what we can do for the little boy, and so that does mean I need to research methods for teaching "challenging" students. (My mom had a more technical term for it, but I don't remember).

Really though, I have today off and don't go back to work till next Wednesday. So I really just want to get back to that realization I had on the field of understanding where I am in the world.

Till then...

Happy Children's Day
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Buddhist's Birthday.

Sports Day 2010

Last week was Sports Day at my school. The teachers and students were busy preparing for the two days of fun and competition out on the field. I enjoyed seeing sports day last year at my other school and so looked forward to watching this one.

I was excited to see the decorations and overall happy expressions on the kids.

Since my students were participating I had the day off from classes. I watched as they went through the usual routine of singing and then exercising. Last year one of the students fainted while this happened. But seemed like these kids pulled through.

They played the usual games such as relay races.

I really had a good time just spending it with the 6th grade students. They can be a lot of fun to hang out with.

One fun game they played was a kind of piggy-back race. Students would hold up one student on their back while a few others guided them around. On the head of the hoisted students were a hat with a balloon on it. The hat had powder inside. The goal was to pop as many balloons as possible on the other team.

Certainly a game I never played in elementary school, and looked like a lot of fun. However, though they left this game to the boys and the girls sat this one out.

Apparantly, one of the classic items of Sport's day in Korea is pets being sold to the children near the school. I found this out as I checked out the street vendors selling soda, snacks and toys. Along with such pets as mice, hamsters and rabbits were chicks. Yes baby chickens!

I asked the students about this and inquired why someone would want a pet baby chicken. Making the point that it grows up to be an adult chicken. They told me that they are sick and usually die after a short time. What was more shocking was the way the sellers handled these animals. When moving them from one carton to the next they just dumped them in or picked them up and threw them. Even the students were gasping at the sight of this. Although I wasn't sure kids would really buy them a lot of them did. 

After talking with my coteachers I was told selling chicks was a common thing during sports day and usually they just die after a few days. 

Interesting! Back to the sports. The 6th graders were at it again, this time playing a 8-legged race game. From the looks of it this was reserved for the girls.

At the end of all the games a large crate was brought out. Inside were gifts and the Mom's and Grandma's of the students were able to "fish" for a present. The truth is there was a small student inside hooking the gifts. I know all this because the English dept. got stuck wrapping all the gifts and preparing them. 

Sport's day was a real hoot and the best part was not only the chicks but spending quality and relaxed time with my students. That's the hard part about teaching 6th grade, no matter whether you stay at the school they end up leaving for Middle school.

Till next year, I guess (wherever I will be).

**Check out the video**

World Cup Mania: My experience

Last Saturday, Korea was up against Uruguay in the World Cup. All around the country you could see the devotion Korean people have towards their country. I went out with one of my new friends from Orientation to watch the game.

First we stopped at a cafe for Pat Bing Su and a game of scrabble.

Strawberry flavor~

and coffee flavor~

We spotted a funny sign on the window ~

The game was about to start so we packed up and headed to the streets where the bars and chicken houses were.

Certainly I could tell the game was on as I saw bars packed and people sitting out in front watching. Before this I saw the mania on TV and wondered what it was like to walk past it. Certainly there is a great feeling of togetherness and community. Therefore I enjoyed taking part.

What I liked best about this event was that whole families were there.

Then we moved on to a cafe to watch the game and take in the atmosphere. 

While I watched I took some footage and from that I made the following video. 

As you can see it was a lot of fun and also very interesting. I walked home alone along the river near my house and admired the neon reflections in the water.

I couldn't help but think about how amazing it feels to be here and capture those moments with a friend. Yet at the same time I suddenly missed my family and familiar places across America. I was grateful for so much and hopeful for much more. Thank you Korea!

Korean Fever

It is World Cup time and never in my life have I ever been in such contact with people so devoted to their soccer (football) team.

They are so devoted that there are thousands in Seoul gathered to cheer the team on in the rain. The TV has been flooded with Pro-Korea commercials and songs, like these:

Tonight they are playing against Greece and already winning. JH is here at the seat of the couch rooting for Korea. I happen to have a little Korean flag and every time something good happens he shouts the chant and waves the flag.

It sure is exciting and gives me something to talk about with the coteachers at work. 

Go Korea~!

World Baseball

I am a baseball fan. Grew up with it in South Florida, when my Mom would take us to the Marlins games. Also my brother played baseball all the way up through high school.

So I have been having a good time keeping up with the World Baseball games going on.

The best part is watching Japan vs. Korea because they are rivals on so many levels. Plus it is even more fun to watch BK get all hot and bothered over what happens when they play together.

But some think it's kind of boring due to that Korea has been playing against Japan too much lately.

Still it will be fun to watch. Kicks off Tuesday (Monday time in USA).

Japan is now headed to the World Baseball Classic championship game to defend its title against Korea in the fifth meeting between the two countries in this tournament. The teams split two games in Pool A at the Tokyo Dome and split two games at PETCO Park in the second round.

Overall, Korea holds a 4-3 advantage in two Classics, although Japan defeated Korea in a single-elimination semifinal game three years ago on its way to the inaugural championship. Korea defeated Venezuela, 10-2, in the other semifinal game on Saturday.