Ice Skating at City Hall

Went ice skating at City Hall last night. Though it was exhausting, it was marvelous! Super cheap too... only 1000 won per hour!!!


Zane, me, Janis, Sara, Philip - We had a blast!


My camera doesn't like to take pictures at night...


A silly photo shoot with Sara and Hil during our 30 minute break while they were cleaning off the ice with a "zamboni" (a new word that I learned last night from a dear Canadian named Janis).


Trying to do our teacher faces when we give "the look."


Not sure what this one was supposed to be... timid???


Making a Korean heart with Janis. Love this pic!


The ice rink - when it was NOT crowded (which was when we were leaving, lol).


So beautiful...


I love ice skating!

Thank you Mr. Chung!

Perhaps some of you have wondered if I still see the fruit man (or "umbrella man" as my mom affectionately refers to him). Rest assured, he is still alive and well... and I see him most days on my way home from work.

Today he asked me about "Indiana Jones" and "America" and "Christmas." I figured he was asking me if I'd be going back home to Indiana for Christmas. I told him that I'd be staying here, but would be missing my family. I then pulled out a picture of my family to show him. He seemed to enjoy it quite a bit... and was surprised (like many other Koreans) by the size of my family. Our conversation was interrupted by another customer, so I hurried on my way... until I realized that I had bought fruit, but left it with him when I rushed off! Oh dear... lol.

After quickly returning to claim my fruit, I headed back to the Co-op... then started to panic because I couldn't find my key chain - which contains my room key, alien registration card, and T-money card (used for getting on and off the subway). I have often wondered what I would do if I lost it...

I rushed back to Mr. Chung's fruit stand (for a third time), breathing somewhat panicked prayers as I went. Fortunately when I arrived, he had my key chain in his hand (PRAISE GOD) and was digging in his bag for something. I looked at him quizzically and he just said, "Tape-uh." He was attempting to repair the tearing plastic inside my worn Bethel College card carrier. Such a dear man...

Oh yeah, I'm a teacher... in KOREA!

I've received several reminders recently that I'm living and working in KOREA...

• Last week, I was informed late Thursday night that I would be teaching a 3 week intensive course for students during winter vacation - 4 hrs. of class each day with the same students (Usually I only teach 1 lesson each week for 45 minutes to 22 different classes of students). Immediately after being informed of this new responsibility, I was asked what I would be teaching on. (Talk about having to think on your feet!) Then, Friday afternoon at lunch, my teachers asked me for a rough outline of my class plans for winter vacation. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed and informed them that it was impossible (one of their favorite words here) for me to make a rough outline at such short notice.
  
  ** Fortunately, God has blessed me with kind, compassionate co-teachers. After some tears (from stress and cultural challenges) and honest communication, they realized that it was unfair to made such great demands on such short notice. My co-teacher also clarified what she meant by rough outline (a much less formal plan than what I originally thought). She apologized to me (a BIG thing) and was very kind and encouraging.
  My co-teachers probably think I'm the most emotional person ever... it seems like almost every week, I find my eyes tearing up about something. Bring on the Kleenex! I think living in another culture like this for an extended time just makes me more sensitive, perhaps? I really am thankful to be here, though!
  

• Monday I took a two hour nap at school (had been feeling kind of sick and so exhausted I could hardly read my computer screen). They actually have a room designated solely for teachers to nap! Hard to believe, huh? One of the teachers slept even longer than I did - if you can imagine! Only in Korea...
  
  **This is one aspect of Korean culture I'm quite thankful for!
  
  
• They told me it would happen. I went to teach one of my 3rd grade classes on Tuesday and was shocked by the silence in the halls. There were no students to be found! I soon found out that they were on a field trip for the day. Since the 1st graders were taking exams most of the week, this meant that I didn't have any classes to teach on Tuesday, but still stayed at school, of course. Another day this week, I went to class and began teaching for a good 10 minutes, only to have another teacher come in and inform me that the "time table" was changed. She was supposed to be teaching and I was supposed to arrive 2nd period rather than 1st.
  
  **Sometimes I find myself being really surprised by my reactions. Although it does get frustrating to be the last one to find out schedule changes, usually it works in my favor. Having the extra time to relax and work on lesson planning was a blessing. Also, on the upside, I received an email this morning from one of my co-teachers informing me of the time table changes for the day. Significant improvement! I appreciated her consideration so very much!
  
  
• Wednesday I was informed that I would be teaching EVERY DAY of winter vacation - the same students, four hours each day. (So, the 3 week course that I found out about last week quickly doubled and turned into a 6 1/2 week course!!!) Talk about overwhelming... Perhaps I should dedicate an entire blog post to this... it was quite an eventful day. Thursday I found out I would only be teaching during the month of January.
  
  **I am overwhelmed again and again by the power of prayer. More to come on this in my next post...
  

• Today (around 3:15 pm), my co-teacher informed me that she needed copies of all of my lesson plans and worksheets from the entire semester - immediately. Apparently all of my lesson plans needed to be turned in to the district superintendent this afternoon. It didn't throw me too much because I have the hard copies and electronic copies easily accessible in my files. So it was simple to just whip out my binder and make copies. I'm thankful God made me to be an organized person! It really wasn't a problem... just made me chuckle at the last-minute urgent requests (they seem to be quite frequent).
  
  **Within a half hour, my co-teacher and I had a nice thick stack of lesson plans and worksheets bound with a pretty looking front cover. I'm amazed by how quickly things can get done to accommodate "emergencies." Oh dear... lol.
  
  
• Although I often wish I could understand Korean for communication purposes with my teachers and daily life outside of school, there are many moments when I'm thankful I don't understand. Usually, these moments are when I'm in the classroom with my students. This may seem surprising, but allow me to explain. Several of my students feel quite free to shout profanities (in English), make obscene gestures, and write inappropriate words on their desks, the walls, and class papers(my school is very dirty - in more ways than one). I discourage this behavior but have not yet found a very effective method for dealing with it (sometimes I think making a big deal about it is worse than ignoring it). However, I say I am thankful that I don't understand Korean because I think I would probably be shocked with a lot of the things that they say to each other and talk about. I'm not completely naive... but I'm thankful that I don't understand it all. I don't know if any of that makes sense...
  
  
• On a positive note: I had a student come apologize to me today! My last 3rd grade class of the day was incredibly rowdy, disrespectful, and talkative. It takes more energy than I can even begin to describe to try to control the students sometimes (especially when my lesson plan goes so perfectly with some classes and completely fails with others). I was quite frustrated with them and let them know that I was disappointed in their behavior. However, after school, I actually had one boy come to my desk and apologize for the behavior of his class!!!!!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!?! I was SHOCKED... and really touched. It was incredibly encouraging after such a rough and exhausting class. Praise God for students that actually care. A breath of fresh air...

Yes, I think it's safe to say the "honeymoon stage" of culture shock has worn off... There are many good things about Korea and I'm thankful to be here. Just noticing more of the challenges lately...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!!

Christmastime is here... and it's starting to show! The big shopping centers in my neighborhood are decked out with bright lights. The Co-op (my building) has lighted garlands in the front of the building and inside the lobby. I have even got my own little corner of my room decorated for Christmas:


You may take special note of the nativity set that my Aunt Rose sent me... along with goodies to make sugar cookies (compliments of my dear Aunt Rosalyn)... and my 2,000 won humble little Christmas tree. I'm quite happy with my little Christmas corner. =)

Saturday afternoon, we had the opportunity to volunteer at Dongbu Senior Care Center (basically, a really nice nursing home). Sara joined our small group, which was marvelous! It was certainly challenging to communicate, particularly since most of the seniors knew no English - and I know very little Korean! Definitely a stretching experience, but good, nonetheless. Afterward, we went out for dinner, followed by a lovely Tree Decorating party at Janis'!


Zane, Janis, me, and Sara - We were pretty excited to start decorating! (Janis found this tree stuck under her bed when she arrived in Seoul). It was great fun to decorate!!!


Working on tying the strings to the bulbs... which proved to be quite a challenging task. Pictured here: Sara's head, Kate, Vince (our small group leader), Daniel, Zane, Janis, and our lovely Christmas tree.


Our finished product - which we were quite proud of.

After decorating the tree, we all sat and enjoyed some lovely "Yuletide Moments," as Mr. Kistler (my physics teacher from high school) would have called them. It was a nice time of sharing... I was especially excited because I got to tell stories from China!!!

At the conclusion of our decorating festivities, Janis came home with me to spend the night because her hot water was out. Although we were kind of tired, it was a nice time to spend getting to know each other more. I'm so thankful for her friendship! =) We made pancakes together Sunday morning before she hurried back home to finish getting ready before church.


On Sunday evening after dinner at one of the malls in Yongsan. We couldn't keep from singing, Walking in a winter wonderland! We had REAL snow... it was big and beautiful... and definitely made us giddy! Oh how marvelous!

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Such a Girl...

This is a completely girly, non-important post, so don't feel obligated to read unless you are Cheryl Birkey or Jana Eberly.

As some of you may be well aware, it usually takes me a long time to make a purchase... and I like to bargain shop. (My Grandma is perhaps most familiar with this - as she witnessed it throughout every shopping day we ever shared together as I was growing up). So, I had it in my mind that I needed a new winter coat because my (fake from China) Northface isn't very professional looking and I sometimes have to wear my winter coat in class. (Our school hallways aren't heated and I often have to walk in between buildings to get to class... and sometimes the students leave the windows open during class - making it even colder). Also... as useful as my Northface is, it isn't very pretty. Yes, I'll admit it... the vain part of me wanted a pretty coat. I wasn't sure if I would actually go through with it though, since I don't like spending money very much.

But, after a month of thinking about exactly what type of coat I wanted (colors, style, and cost), I finally made a purchase. It happened last Friday on my way home from school - passing one of the thrift stores by my school. I wasn't sure when I would buy the coat or where I would find it - but as I passed by this thrift store, I saw it hanging in the front window. The very coat I had been imagining!!! Of course I had to stop...

So, I entered the store and tried on the coat. I did the usual almost-talk-myself-out-of-it routine and almost put it back because I was afraid it might not be warm enough. Then I heard my mom and Jana both saying - Holly, it's less than $20 and exactly what you were wanting! Stop being so silly. So, after the storekeeper offered me some oranges and a cookie (some nice Korean hospitality), I made the purchase. I was quite excited about it, to be honest. (I know, I know... such a girl!)

Anyway, I immediately dropped it off at the front desk of the Co-op (my building) to have it dry-cleaned.

On Sunday evening, I picked it up. With dry-cleaning, the total cost of my coat was 31,000 won. According to the exchange rate at the writing of this blog post, the grand total is $21.02. Much less than I was expecting to spend. Not bad, huh?

So... here it is:

It matches all of my scarves (one of my criterion). I'm really thankful for my new coat - it is such a blessing!!!

Anyway, thanks for putting up with my silly girliness... I only have one more confession concerning the realm of vanity. Yesterday, I finally broke down and bought a small mirror for my desk. If you were in Korea, you would understand. ALL of the teachers have little mirrors at their desks. When I first came, I thought they were incredibly vain. It turns out, that Korea is a country of mirrors. They are EVERYWHERE. I like to think it is because with all of the red pepper paste (especially in the beloved kimchi), it is easy to get red pieces stuck in your teeth, so it's important to check and make sure. Though that may be part of the reason, I'm not sure it can serve as the full explanation for all the mirrors. Regardless, I finally decided to buy a mirror so that I can check my teeth when necessary. The mirror is pink and cute.

The end.

Namdaemun Market

Last Saturday, a few of the girls and I decided that we needed to do some Christmas shopping... at Namdaemun Market! It was our first visit - and certainly won't be our last. Definitely a lot of fun (but also kind of draining).




This market brought back SO many memories of China. I tried bargaining again. But... I either lost my skills or they aren't quite as eager/desperate to bargain here. :-/


At the imported foods market - notice that this Vegetarian Meal Ready-to-Eat bag (approved by the US government) is made in Evansville, IN. Guess who I thought of? Miss Nora Whelan!!!

'
Yes, Mom. This is raw meat (perhaps frozen, I don't remember) and cheese just sitting out - for who knows how long. Rest assured, I kept my Korean won tucked safely inside my pocket - no purchases for me, thank you very much!


Inside a little tea store with Kay, Janis, Sara, and Cassi. We tried Oh-mi-jah tea. It is my new favorite tea! They call it a "Five-Taste Tea" in English - because it apparently hits five different taste buds. SOOO delicious! I stocked up. =)


Yep, selling fish in the midst of everything else at this multi-purpose market that never sleeps. For some reason, open-air markets motivate me to want to learn a language more than anything else that I've experienced thus far. Hmm... (by the way, I'm pleased to report I can read most Korean words now - at about the speed of a kindergartener). =)

Looking forward to returning to Namdaemun in the future. We probably didn't even see a quarter of the market... but left early because we were hungry and needed to hit up Insadong (one of my favorite traditional Korean places).

Musings from a First-Year Teacher

How does one respond to a student that flat out refuses to do what you ask them to do - multiple times? For example, Students I need you to move your desks into groups of five - quickly! I had a few students respond to me in this manner: No (accompanied with a defiant stare). I've been experiencing frustration and anger more frequently than I ever expected to encounter in teaching. I have so much to learn... it is quite challenging to respond calmly.

I've decided I'm really tired of trying to talk over 35+ voices each class. Fortunately, I found a bell at the Daiso (similar to a Dollar General) store last night for 2000 won (less than $2 USD). Hopefully it will improve the situation.

I also have started assigning homework more frequently to unruly classes. I wonder if I will have the reputation of being a strict teacher next semester (instead of a super-lenient one). I've also started taking away cell phones. Can you believe some of my 3rd graders were talking (not just texting) on their cell phones during class this week?!!!! Most teachers take cell phones away for an entire week. I think I will start instituting that policy as well (it seems so harsh... but they are only in middle school - I'm sure they can survive without their cell phones for one week).

Unfortunately, I had some very sad experiences in my classes this week as well. Sometimes I forget what it was like being a middle school student. Sometimes I forget how mean kids can be at that age. Saw several instances of it this week... which is sad. It's hard to know exactly how to deal with it.

Amidst the challenges, there are some amusing anecdotes I keep forgetting to write about:

• A few weeks ago, I felt like Anne of Green Gables (although it might be more appropriate to say Anne of Avonlea). I had a class put a large fake spider on top of the computer mouse before class. They were eagerly waiting to see if I would freak out. I noticed it before putting my hand on it... and I think my reaction disappointed them. I merely dropped it in my basket and gave a disapproving look (inwardly laughing at their attempts and somewhat worrying if it would be real next time...). I think they were most disappointed that I wouldn't give the spider back to them at the end of class.
  
  
• Last week, when I was having my students color Thanksgiving turkeys, I noticed one of my first grade boys coloring his entire turkey gold. Our conversation went like this:
  Wow you have a very yellow turkey!
  No, Teacher. My turkey is gold.
  Why is it gold?
  Because it is VERY expensive!!!
  I couldn't contain my laughter. SOOOO cute!
  
  
• This week, we did a Jigsaw activity. Basically, students had to brainstorm words that started with certain letters... and then had to define and explain them. At different points, it almost felt like we were playing a HUGE game of Catch Phrase. Anyway, some of the definitions that students came up with were so dear! For example, do you know what a pencil's friend is? An eraser. I wish I would have written down the rest of their definitions. I definitely plan to use this activity more often in the future.
  

A small glimpse of what goes on during our ten minute breaks in the first graders' building:

Definitely running FULL speed.


It's very normal to see kids hang all over each other - wrestle, squeeze, punch, kick, etc. (It is especially common with the boys - although I wouldn't put it past several of my girls).


More running/falling/jumping...

Like I said, this is just a small glimpse. I really wish you could see it for yourself. It is definitely a different culture... One teacher told me this week that if we can make it through teaching at this Cheongryang, we can teach anywhere. Apparently, it's one of the rougher schools in Seoul. I don't know... it is in a poorer section of town, but I feel like it is a pretty safe school. Although last week, my last class period on Friday was canceled because there was a fire. Some first graders were smoking in the bathroom and it caused a little fire, I guess. It's sad... Maybe next semester I'll do a lesson on HEALTHY CHOICES.

Although I find myself lamenting about the challenges in teaching, I am thankful for them. It's somewhat rewarding to have a job that has challenges... challenges where specific growth and improvement can be seen and measured. The good thing about teaching 22 different classes is that I have a good variety of students - all the way from my dreadful 3-10 class to my perfect model 1-7 class (I really do mean perfect if you can believe it)! Having good classes with students that are eager to learn help to balance out the negative classes. Teaching is such an adventure!