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.

3/24

Sorry again. It can be a challenge to make myself sit down to write cohesive thoughts. I suppose much time has passed since my last post. Well what's to report? Day to day life. Kids are crazy. I have this one 7 yr old, Andy. He is my funniest kid. He always wears this striped blazer with other oddly colored pants. He's a bigger kid, not fat, but as one teacher remarked, he has a sort of "old man stomach" that is just always out in front of the rest of his body. He's got one of those personalities that is always aloof. Like today he was my special helper, and he would hand each workbook out to his friends with an outstretched arm as he looked off in the other direction, as though he was striking a pose. But that's just Andy. I can't help but lose it in the middle of teaching sometimes.

Last weekend I went to a dance club with some friends and saw some of the best dancers I have ever seen. We were there for about and hour when about 5 Korean guys took the floor and had a classic dance off. They had some moves, and I can say that one rose above the others. For those of you into dancing, I wish you could have seen it. Its hard to understand where they learned to dance so well. Maybe theres a subculture Im not aware of here. Quite possible.

So tonight all the staff was taken out to eat by the director and we had sangupso- or grilled pork...they bring it out and cook it on your table and you wrap it in leaves with different sauces. It was very good. I've had it a few times before. But this was the full out Korean experience. Most bosses take out their staff and they eat sangupso and get drunk. No Im not smashed, I could be. I had a few drinks. It was interesting to see the dynamics of many drunk co-workers. It was a good time. After we went to a nori bong- karayoke room. I had fun. It was a fun cultural experience. Tomorrow I'm going to a Korean class we're having at the school. Hopefully I'll learn how to ask how to say things in Korean. I definetely think I could take much better advantage of many situations in learning Korean if I mastered that. I think I might go on a run tomorrow afternoon. Its time to test the knee and enjoy the warm weather. Its starting to turn green.

I had a girl throw up today. That was an event. We were about ready to have our snack... luckily she didn't make it to the table. It's awful because parents will always send their kids sick to school. I've had one girl who's basically been sick all week. Its likely she got Jenny sick. At first I though she just had a really bad sneeze, but she was crying and I realized it was wet all along the wall. So i have officially been initiated in the area of bodily fluids. Some of the 4 yr olds from other classes often need help with their pants also... so many days Im an official pants puller up-er. Its a funny business, working with kids. I suppose it keeps you down to earth. No wetting of the pants yet, but we've come as close as tears. Thats all for now. Peace.

3/12

Sorry for the long spell of quiet. Much has transpired since I last wrote. Its a new school year with new students and many new teachers. I have a new morning class with 12 students. They are third year students, so they have a better grasp than most in the school. They are seven years old. I also have about 20 afternoon students. Its been really busy trying to get organized for this semester. We didn't learn what classes we were teaching until Monday morning when we came to school. That was fun. Im very glad I've been here for a while now. I feel like I have a grasp of the schedule, and how to attend to kids. 12 kids is a big change from 5, but I think its a nice dynamic.

Its been funny as the third most experienced teacher at the school. Everyone asks me questions and for the most part I feel like a veteran, usually i am able to assist with things. Yesterday I went with some new teachers to the city market, to get some produce and become better acquainted with the downtown area. It was nice to lead the Korean speaking, even though my Korean is quite sparce. My best area is reading right now. Im picking up spead with reading, even though I still don't know what it means. But it helps for menu's, directions, etc.

Last weekend I went to Seoul. I went without a map, book, or any helpful guide--thinking I would find one when I got there. No such luck. So my weekend was basically just a big random walk around the city, looking for interesting things. I had gotten direction to the sole Middle Eastern restaurant in Seoul...a nice place owned by a Palestinian, Yassir, and his brother. I had some falafel and opted out of the sheesha, seeing that I was alone and would have to shell out 14000 won-$14. Next time. I talked with the owner briefly in a sort of introduction, and promised to come back to talk over some sheesha on my next Seoul trip. He directed me to a cheap place to stay- a sauna.

Staying at a sauna. So if you've ever been to a sportsclub/turkish bath/sauna you will know that you can go there for to sit in a sauna, take a bath, get a massage, etc. I was somewhat familiar from past experiences, but I never knew you could sleep in such a place. There's a small room with a four foot ceiling above the baths where you can come if your really into relaxing and sweating or just being too drunk to go home to sleep. For myself, I was not in either state at the time. I just wanted a cheap place to sleep, and I suppose thats what I found, just with discounted sleep also. I don't know how long I slept, but it wasn't long. So it was good that I got a good start to my day, at about 6:30. But I spent the whole day taking many of the 8 subway lines around the city and walking in search of interesting sights. I did know about Namdamun market,( a big market downtown). So thats where I ended my day. In between I just looked at the map in the subway station and saw some pictures of traditional Korean temples and palaces. They were nice, I suppose, still in the tourist vein and thus slightly against my taste, yet something to do. At the "big palace" as I shall call it, two Korean guys about my age asked to come along with me wherever I was going (which was a mystery to me). They spoke decent English and wanted to practice their speaking. So we walked around and they explained the sights more clearly to than the tour guide I was following -with a group of eastern Europeans. We went out to eat and then had some tea at a tea shop. Oddly enough you can have Chrysanthemum tea, and yes it tastes just like the flowers smell. I had decided to go home sat night so as to get a good night of sleep and a day of relaxation before school. So after a nice afternoon with my new friends I departed for Gwangju.

Sunday was a magnificent day. I went to the park to read. There I met and old man with whom I exchanged my Korean knowledge as he shared his English skills. He taught me some words and reviewed the days of the week, and alphabet. I hope to meet him again. He said that he works at the park. He used to be the headmaster of a school. It is a beautiful park on a hill, where from the top of a pagoda you can see most of the city. When it gets warm I plan on spending more evenings there reading, and enjoying the sound the Korean recorder, played occasionally by a man with skill enough to inspire me to buy one. Yes, I bought a bamboo recorder, and have yet to produce a sound, but I plan on working on it. Maybe Ill ask the man for lessons.

Thats enough writing for now. If you're interested I have decided to start another blog...basically my thoughts on current events, politics, life, etc. I feel the need not so much to vent but to create any dialogue I can about issues that I understand to be more critical than people seem to notice. So if you like http://responsibilityandreverence.blogspot.com/ I welcome any comments, questions of clarification, condemnation.

2/25

Graduation is on Monday. Finally! I was told to cease all other activities to practice our graduation performance. It was absolutely treacherous to force my kids to do absolutely nothing but repeat their lines, sing, and dance to the song. Well see how it turns out.

There are a lot of changes coming. Korean schools start their new year the first week of March. So some schools finished this week and will have a week of vacation. We have Graduation on Monday and then one day of school on Tuesday and then we get a little break. Thursday and maybe friday all the new teachers, me too, will have a sort of training period. Three new teachers have come in the past week. I think we have 2 or 3 more coming. Three of the "veteran teachers" contracts' run out this week so they are leaving. Then I found out yesterday that another quit and will be finished on Tuesday. And now another teacher is saying he's going to quit. There is a lot of frustration among the teachers about the work. I guess there's just a lot of little things that we have to do that most teachers in Korea don't have to think about.

Anyway, things are changing. Ill be getting my own apartment this Wednesday. Ill also be inheriting a computer from another teacher. So email and this should be easier.

The new teacher I've been living with the past week or so, Brandon, is a pretty cool guy. He's from Southern CA, but has been living in Tennessee since school I guess. He and I have some similar interests. He's was a history major. We've had some long talks about the big three: Politics, Economics, and Religion. He's in to Wendell Berry so there's some common ground to be shared. It was pretty exciting to hear that name in the midst of one of our earier conversations.

So my latest fun experience came last weekend outside the big convention center next to my apartment building. Competitive team jump rope! Yes, three teams of about 14 men all decked out in full uniform. I watched them each go through 2 times. They were being video taped with two announcers, cheerleaders, smoke...the whole deal. There was a small crowd. I couldn't figure out what it was all about. I was thinking maybe Church teams, maybe intermural, but I can't piece those together with the full production. It was great. Good times in Korea.

I've done a bit more reading this week. For those interested check out Kahlil Gibran Secrets of the Heart. Good stuff.

Well Im thinking I might look for a bus to jump on today, just to get around the city or state. I don't know, I just need to see some different scenery. Talk to you again soon. Happy Birthday to my sister Kate. A quarter century! Wow! Just a little public announcement for anyone who forgot, take her out partying.

New Life

So it only makes sense that if you have your worst day on Monday...it should be followed by your best day on Friday. This whole week has been a sort of progression towards discipline and student-teacher understanding. Yesterday I was able to give all my students their 3 stars for the day. I believe they all had fun in science, and there were less than the usual amount of disturbances. The best part of my day was at the end of the morning class when my most troublesome student Alex raised his hand with something very exciting to share with me. I knelt down to listen and he told me that his dad was coming home. His face was as bright and sincere as I have seen it. It was a beautiful moment. Besides my best behaved student, Christine, trying to "dung-chi"* me it was a wonderfull day.

*The Dung-chi- a classic Korean move where the index fingers are put together like the classic sunday-school steeple position, the fingers then seek your posterior.

The most difficult task on hand is preparing for the kindergarden graduation in two Monday's. Basically the kids have to memorize all these lines, songs and dances and perform them in front of the whole school and their parents at this big celebration. Mind you these kids are 6 and under. My kids are doing farely well in my opinion but they must be perfectly prepared. So most days we go through the whole performance 3-5 times. It is very monotonous and my kids easily lose interest. But I have been instructed to cease several activities until graduation to make sure they are prepared.

On Tuesday I got a new student, Joshua. It is very difficult trying to include him as we practice for graduation. I basically let him sit and play with puzzles and do all sorts of things students are never allowed to do. You encouraged to be lenient with new students so they stay.

After graduation it seems I will get a new class with probably 10 or 11 kids. I might get my original 5 but it will be different regardless.

Yesterday a new teacher, Brandon, arrived so for the next week or two he will be my roomate until I move into another apartment. Everything is getting mixed up as new teachers come and old teachers leave. Another teacher and I will be getting singles closer to the other teachers and the new teachers will get our doubles. Im glad to be moving closer to the other teachers. And I will have a place to myself where I can do my work in solitude. Brandon is a smoker and so was Ben, it hasn't been bad, I don't mind too much. But it will be nice to not have that smell.

I will get a cell phone this weekend. There have been many complications for my friend whose wife has tried to set it up for me. But it sounds like today or tomorrow I will be able to receive calls and get in touch with people when I need to.

I just got a haircut. I was looking a bit scraggly but i think im good now. That was only my 3rd time to a real barber. Usually I take care of my own hair with my mom's help. But I guess I have a job now. I hope you are all well.

Salaam

Note to self: Teaching is demanding and exhausting. This I knew only in words before this Monday. Monday I felt physical pain from teaching. My head was like a mellon shell containing a bowling ball. So I decided to take what proved to be the best medication...9 full hours of sleep. So its just tough to control 5 and now 6 five year olds. I need to find better ways to harness their energy into positive ordered energy that is conducive to learning. A buddhist monk was talking about teaching on TV last night and he had some good insights. Im learning. Thats all I can do right now. So I am giving my first test this Friday. And evaluations are due next week, so its a busy time. I just hope that I am giving my best. Several aspects of being a teacher do not come naturally to me but I do believe in committing myself to figure out how to make up for those weaknesses.

Yobeoseyo

So I'm learning more and more about my job. I had been wasting a bit of time in class because I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to be doing. After I was thrown into my afternoon classes, I was basically concerned with getting through the scheduled things they put before me, and I wasn't so much focused on adding much commentary(teaching). Now Im feeling a little more loose to teach and explain rather than just run through the schedule. So things are getting better.

This week we got a good bit of snow, its basically all melted now, but it was snowing all day on Monday and Tuesday, fairly hard. I got to watch the Super Bowl with the other teachers on Monday night. It was on at 8 in the morning before I went to work but one of the teachers taped it so we had a party that night. I must say...the Steelers? Come on now.

Ill be getting a cell phone today. My friend is selling me his so that I will be able to be in touch with people. I don't have a phone at the apartment so if I ever need to call anyone I have to go down 15 floors outside to a pay phone, and no one can ever reach me. So Its a pay as you go deal and doesn't sound too expensive. Right now its a necessity. And if anyone is dying to talk to me you can probably reach me there for an unknown fee.

Right now Im downtown with my friend Kyle, we tried to go to an orphanage for the second time, but the people we were going to meet didn't show up. I guess we should email them next time. Ill be opening a bank account next week so I can have my paycheck sent there. Payday was yesterday, but unfortunately I didn't have an account set up . Banks are closed on the weekends and the hours are such that the only time I can go is during my lunch or afternoon break.

I would just like to say congratulations to Egypt for winning the African Cup yesterday. Unfortunatly they have not shown any of the Cup here. They only show English, Korean, or French League and World Cup reruns from 2002...Soccer for those unaware. To win in Cairo...ah I wish I could have been celebrating on the streets last night!

Not too much new. Its just a constant process of learning my job and getting to know the kids. Thanks to all who have sent mail I love it. I miss you all very much.

Here's something

I think this is a speech worth looking at if you have time to look at it. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/bononationalprayerbreakfast.htm

New Year's Day

Today is Sunday, January29-- the Lunar New Year. I started celebrating this morning with a bowl of ramien, and a book. I moved one of my couches out onto my back porch and soaked in the morning sun. One of my favorite things thusfar has been my porch. As it was in Cairo, here in Gwangju I have an apartment with an amazing view of my immediate neighborhood. To my left I can look in the direction of downtown. Off in the distance is Mudongsang Mountain. I went there yesterday for some hiking with another teacher. Im not sure how tall it stands, but it is impressive, taller than anything on the Atlantic Coast. To my right I can see probably twenty miles out. In that space are a mixture of apartment buildings, the convention center nextdoor, open fields, Gwangju International Airport and large byways. My two favorite things to sit and watch are planes taking off from the airport, and a long stretch of train tracks way out in the distance that eventually passes behind a small mountain range.

Yesterday as I said I went with my friend to the mountains. It was quite a relief to find a place where people are not stacked on top of each other. We stopped in a small Buddhist temple that brought back to mind numerous religious sancturies with the powerful smell of incence. It was one of of three small temples- basically rooms- built in a square with an open front. The colors and artistry of the buildings were amazing. After our short stop there we went for a short hike. The best thing was coming upon the sound of running water in a small stream running down the mountain. The sound of running water remains for me a beautiful sustaining presence I cannot imagine living without. That and the sound of birds (blue, black of a likeness I have never seen) were all I needed to know that I will be spending more than a few weekends there.

So on Friday all the kids came to school in traditional Korean dress. It is a tradition here that on the Lunar New Year, the children and youth dress in this way and visit their family to bow before their elders (grandparents, aunts, uncles) and then receive money in turn. So for school the director came into each of the classes and sat with the teachers as the kids bowed before us and the director then gave them 1,000 won ($1) . So apparently thats one tradition that is taking place today. Most stores are closed, and it was very quite as I went for a walk around dinner time. Many families go to visit graves of elders on this day which are mostly found in the mountains or on small hills throughout the city.

Friday I was also gifted with a gift-card from my morning classes parents. Apparently this is something I should expect as a perk of teaching. Kid's often come to school with candy or other foods as gifts for their teachers. I was taken a little aback in that the certificate was 100,000 won ($100). But it is for a big department store that I get my groceries at. $100 dollars of groceries is very nice. The director also gave all the teachers socks for the New Year. And let me tell you they are the nicest socks I have ever worn.

So its been fun teaching afternoon classes. I don't know if I talked about them last time. The kids are great. They're not the complete handful 5 kindergardeners are. I get to choose songs to sing in class with my 4 oclock class. Last week was U2. I haven't decided on this week. But it will be fun to break out some Matisyahu, maybe Bob Marley, etc. Last week was very stressful because I wasn't going into class with much instruction. I had to ask the students what I was supposed to be teaching most of the time. It's not too bad, a lot of the kids are very trustworthy, obviously going against natural impulses to get out of work.

So I still have one more day of rest. I suppose I might take the metro out the mountains again. It's a struggle to study my Korean in the apartment. Last night I went downtown to a coffeeshop to study. I need a place where I can't be distracted by soccer matches, world news, or MacGuyver on the TV. These are common themes on Korean TV, along with Friends, Ghostbusters, Tom Cruise, Arnold Swartzeneger, and reality shows.

So for now I have the apartment to myself. Ben gave the dog to a Korean friend. I can't say Im all that disappointed. Though it was nice to have someone waiting for you when you come home. I might be moving to a single apartment when new teachers start to arrive sometime in February. I'm not too sure I'll prefer that option(its hard to beat the space and view I have), but it is a gift to have my rent covered and any place to live in.

I think I've given you enough to read for now. It's nice to sit down and just write for a while. Hope you're all doing well.

Ha

Ok, so I just wanted to send something out quick to say that Im still here. Life has picked up at a rapid pace the past few days. On Saturday I went for a morning walk and when I came back, my roomate, Ben, was about to leave to go home to NY. His brother has fallen very sick and his parents wanted him to come home. So he took a taxi to Incheon and flew out for NY on Sunday morning. So after my shock settled, I found myself alone in a two bedroom apartment. A day later I found myself with all his afternoon classes. Thus the past few days I have been trying to figure out what he's been teaching from other teachers, as well as my classes.

Despite the sudden shock of being thrown into new classes and expected to teach material I can't prepare for usually until Im in class, I love these classes. The students are relatively advanced, aged 10-12. Yesterday, I found out we are supposed to listen to and sing a song in my 4 oclock, so I printed out the lyrics for a song on the only cd I have here at school- U2 -Vertigo. I love it! Its even better than singing The Monster Mash in my morning class.

So with all this new work Im getting home around 7:45, cooking a quick dinner, and doing evaluations/preparation/ and grading until 11pm. And then I get up a half an hour early to come in and get what I didn't done. I don't think it will last too much longer, but it is very stressful for the time being.

Im doing well otherwise, just going a little crazy with so many things spinning around my head. I got around a bit this weekend seeing more of the city. Still played soccer on sunday, but I should definately give my knee more time. Weekend soon, and three days for the Chinese New Year. So I hope to find some time to email soon. Sorry for those waiting for replies.

Alright Im going to go cook some dinner and try to get done this work before 10. Not as much tonight. Peace.

Finally Sitting Still

Ok, so now that I have some time, I am at an internet cafe. Please feel free to email. I do have time to send some replies, its just very hard for me to start new correspondence, especially doing most of my emailing from work.

So Korea is interesting. I am able to stay inside a foreigner bubble. Its really hard to practice any Korean out on the street. Its just not like Egypt where people are running up to you from left and right. And being in the school all day Im expected to focus on English, obviously.

I have had some time to get to know my fellow teachers. They're pretty cool people. 6 other guys and one girl. A few teachers will leave in a month or so and well get some more, maybe well have 10 in all then.

I like waking up at 8 for work every day. Its nice to sleep in a bit but not too late. My roomate and I walk to school- maybe a ten minute walk. Every day we walk by Dunkin Donuts and Im always tempted to go for a Chocolate Glazed. I haven't yet. We start class at 10 after doing some prep for class or working on our lesson plans for next week. Im learning all that fast. I get my kids from a room upstairs and do my best to help them walk slowly and quietly. Everyday the two girls in my class, Angelina and Christine, show me their missing teeth and the new loose ones. Angelina has lost one of her bottom teeth and has two more loose ones. Christine has lost her two bottom middle teeth and has 3 more loose. Every day that is the first thing I see. All morning I try to keep Alex, a hyperactive 5 yr old, quiet and still. Only a few threats phase him. I have an hour lunch break from 1230-130. The teachers always eat out at local restaurants. Cheese Ramien and Pibimbap are my favorite thusfar. In the afternoons we have art, or games, or science. Science is the best. Then after 230- two days a week I tutor a 5 yr old named Lenny. He has a hard time with f,v,th, and l/r sounds. The first day I just tried to get him to speak. But today he livened up a bit. Its crazy because kids are worked hard here. They come to our school, then they go study Chinese, they take piano lessons, math, etc. They pack it in early. So its kind of hard to want to be strict with kids who are tired or restless.

When I don't tutor Lenny I write word explanations for flash cards were making. They don't have an afternoon class for me yet, so I fill in with that and other miscellaneous prep work.

I go home at 7:30 sometimes 6 and then I make dinner, watch CNN, soccer matches, other interesting Korean TV. Ill read a book, sit with my dog-Gus and drink tea. Thats a regular day thusfar. Today I decided to come to this cafe. My first time in one, its not so much for internet, but games. Im hearing a lot of gun shots right now...my favorite.

Hopefully this is giving you all something to read. Its nice to be able to write for more than 5-10 minutes. Hopefully your all doing well. Thanks for reading. Peace.

Tuesday

So this weekend I went downtown and walked around with another teacher. We went through a big market with lots of clothes, fish, squid, and rays for sale. I thought that would be interesting to cook up a ray sometime. Well see. Then on Sunday my roomate and I went to play soccer at a university. A group of foreigners have a team. I think Ill play pretty regularly when my knee feels better. Ive had some more trouble with my IT band. But it was pretty cool. There were a lot of guys from the UK, some from Canada, Belarus, Australia and a few other places. I had a good time. This week Im on my own with the students. So I should get going to class. Ill try to sit down when I don't have to be somewhere, soon. Peace.

First Week

Its been an interesting, learning first week. I arrived last Wed night in Gwangju at about 1 am. Since then I have been training under other teachers, basically just observing their classes. Right now I only have a morning class, which I started teaching yesterday under another teachers supervision. Ill probably do that again today, and then tomorrow I will teach on my own. My kids are so cute. I have five 5 year olds (William, Christine, Alex, Angelina, and Charles-given english names). In Korea they count age differently so they say they are seven.

There is still snow on the ground from about a month ago. They don't have plows here so they removed the snow from the road with backhoes and other tractors, but a lot of the sidewalks are still iced over. So I slip my way to work every day.

I like Korean food, but kimchee will have to grow on me. Its interesting learning Korean customs, like taking your shoes off in restaurants and every other public space. Exchanging money with your right hand exchanged while your left hand holds your right elbow. I've definately broken my share of rules already, but those mistakes prevent future ones. So Im really just trying to get something on this blog. Ill give it a try now. Most of the page Im looking at is in Korean so its hard to know what to click. Here we go.