A Concert

One of my first community cultural events took place tonight at the park right next to my neighborhood. I had been walking around the park earlier today and saw that something was being prepared at the buddhist temple on the top of the hill. I heard the music start around 6. They had a Native American band come and play and the picture right here was the intermission- a Korean Choir. It was a beautiful day, and to end it with an outdoor concert in the cool evening at a temple with some good music just made my week. I only wish the people would have started dancing. There are those terrible moments when its not quite appropriate to start dancing but the music just calls to you, and you think can't anyone else hear that? They didn't or at least didn't show it. Oh well.

Humor

Funny things are bound to happen when you work with kids all day. One of my favorite moments thusfar took place yesterday. Well I walked into my 3 o'clock class just like any other day only to my confusion this day three little nine year old middle fingers were raised to my entry. I knew as I stepped further into to class that more than the immediate appearance was to be understood. That was apparent in the girls smiling faces. It was my to great relief and laughter to find that they were showing me their new fingernail decorations. Strange that they didn't show their whole hand but for some reason only a few fingers were decorated and the middle was the obvious star of the show. Kids. I've found a weakness in my moody kindergartener, Sarah...Knock knock jokes. And so it goes.

Some Sights from Spring

Saturday

I apologize now as it has come to my attention that people could not post comments unless they have a blogger account. I have changed it so that anyone may post a comment. I hope this will encourage you to respond to any thoughts or to tell me how cute my kids are.

Yesterday was test day for April. Fridays are always wonderful. I have two breaks in the afternoon and on test day all I do is give a test. Its a nice change of pace after a week of consistent teaching. That and only working till 6 lets me feel a bit more relaxed. After class yesterday I went out with two other teachers to play some soccer. It is always a great thing to get out and do something active after teaching all week. We played at a local middle school where there is a dirt field with some goals and basketball hoops. Some Korean pastors joined us midway through our time. They were still in their suits, but they had no qualms letting us take some shots on them in goal. It was a lot of fun. I made the best shot I have ever taken...a left footed drop shot that hit up in the left top corner. Had to share that moment of glory with all of you.


Here is a picture of my most...excentric student, Andy. I have told stories of him before. All said and done he is a fun kid. He has a way about him of always seeming aloof. He is usually aware of things going on around him, he just sees it in an interesting light. All the kids here like to look at the teacher's arms because we have hair on them. Andy always grabs my arm when he can to feel the hair. He also takes a liking to my neck and could be seen to be choking me but he really just exploring. Here he is on our field trip last friday with his rally cap. I love it. More pictures to come.

More

Here are some more pictures. The first two are views in both directions from my old apartment. They can give you a little feel for the edge of town. This one shows a middle school and its field. You can see a little hill right below the mountain range in the distance...beyond that a ways is the center of town. A common theme throughout the city and I suppose Korea is the presence of high rise apartment buildings. Obviously the picture is taken from one. You see the three on the left and one on the right. Building up rather than out.


This view is to the left out towards the airport.
I used to watch planes take off and trains cross the horizon. The big convention center is pretty new. This is basically the edge of Gwangju. The city just seems to stop right on the other side of the center. I ran to the hill on the left one day. You can get a pretty good view of the city from there.
Below are two pictures from the mountains. One view of the city and another in the other direction towards more mountains.
Enjoy.

Pictures...finally

So I finally got a usb cable that fits the camera my friend gave me. And thus here are some pictures from the past few months. Ill put more on later to stretch out the effect.
This is a picture from my first apartment that I lived in for the first two months. Two other teachers live there now. Its a nice spacious place with a good view. Ill put pictures of the view up later. I hang out over there every once in a while. Its a long walk. I made it last night and it took me about a half an hour. Its nice and quiet at night except in the bar areas. Every once in a while you see a random guy relieving himself on the sidewalk. Its not a big thing here. The first few times I wasn't sure where I was...yes a city with 1.5 mil people, but yeah its cool to just go on the side of the sidewalk .

This is my new apartment. I am currently sitting at the computer you see typing for you. The sliding door opens up into a little kitchen and if I were to turn the camera to the side you would see a little door for a bathroom. Its not too bad. I've hosted two people at a time before. Its difficult seating but you can work it out. Its a little bigger than it looks, Im standing a few feet in to take the shot. I just got the computer desk, i was using the little table to its right, which was very wobbly so I am happy about that.



This is my morning class. Seated from l-r: Thomas, Vincent, James, Joon, Jenny..Top Chad, Andy, John, Cassie, Ayoung, Sarah, and Hannah. I love them all. This picture is from the field trip we took on Friday. Rain kept us from going on Thursday. It was fun even though we were only there for maybe an hour or two. It was good, because all we really did was look at big rocks like the one you see. Apparently there are people buried under them or in them... something historical. Andy fell in the mud and got his pants all soiled. Sarah didn't smile like usual. Joon lost himself in the grand sights of the ground. It was fun.


This is a picture of Gwangju from Mudeung mountain. Its a big city. I live on the far side towards the other mountain range. There are plenty of mountains to climb and look around. I went a week ago and saw some nice sights. I can catch the bus to the base of the mountain and hike for the day. And then catch another bus right back home. Its really nice to have an escape from the city right on its edge. Thats all for now. More pictures to come. Hope you enjoy them. Peace.

4/09

This was a fun weekend. I spent friday night with two other teachers. I've started to have some good conversations with these two. They are a couple from New Mexico. We've been talking about a trip to China for our break, but thats a ways away. It's nice to have some good friends here to sit and chat with during lunch and go hiking with on the weekends. That was yesterday. Then last night at around 12 my friend texted me and told me to come to his new place. I decided to forsake the wisdom of regulated sleep and make it a night on the west side of town. I ended up spending the night there after some amazing kalbi- meat wrapped in leaves with some spicy red sauce. Then I hung out there with my friend and his wife. This afternoon we were looking for something to do, so we ended up buying a baseball bat and some balls and gloves. We had a little batting practice with some other friends and realized that the baseballs we bought were less than quality. That or we're all on steriods. Both of them lost their covers after a few quality hits. It was a good time.

Im looking forward to my first field trip on Thursday. It could be really fun or it could be very stressful with a few less than focused kids. Lets just pray they can keep their eyes on our group half of the time. It would be a dream come true. That's all for now. It's getting late and I should crash. Peace

4/05

Starting my fourth month now. I think I'm starting to get into a grove. This week has been good. Weeks pass by like nothing. Its alway friday before I can change my pants. Then its alway monday before I can put them back on...not literally. But it flies by. I am happy to say I have a real desk now. I am here typing in the corner of my apartment. This has been my night... 1. rearranging the room with the new furniture, 2.making and eating a nice bowl of spaghetti, 3. typing up a worksheet for my 3 oclock class, 4. preparing for other classes, 5. wtching the daily show, 6. writing a small composition for my new online Arabic class. In case your wondering some things I get into on weeknights. Its really nice with this desk. I feel like i have much more room, and that its being effeciently utilized. Today was Korea's arbor day. I planted seeds with all my students and got many pictures. Its pretty crazy how many trees have been going in at the nearby park. It looks funny with all the stabilizing poles.

Most mornings the past few weeks as I walk to work I have passed groups of old ladies who seem to be hand airating the ground. Its an interesting sight at 8 in the morning. I'm wondering where they're from and how they come upon such an activity. How are they paid... is this a yearly deal? I don't know. I don't have a lot of cultural advisors to teach me about the bottom of the Korean economic system.

I am starting to be recognized as a regular at several shops/ markets/ restaurants. If I could speak better Korean I would feel better about these relationships. There's a lady at one restaurant I visit at least twice or thrice weekly who I might call my Korean mother. She always goes out of her way to take care of me and two other teachers who frequent her place with me. She knows what we want and always gives us an extra roll of gimbap...basically sushi. I'm also a weekly regular at a stand for these little rice cakes. Two weeks ago the lady there had my order ready before I walked to her stand. Its a good feel. No matter how strange you are (myself a tall, big nosed miguk saram[american]) its always nice to be known and familiar to someone.

Ill try to be more on the ball here. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for reading. Im not sure who is, but its flattering that you do. Peace.