A Relaxing Weekend

This weekend I had a great time and managed to stay rather close to home. On Friday, after school I headed into Seoul and stayed overnight in a hostel near Cheonggyecheon, which is the man-made stream in the heart of downtown Seoul. Therefore, on Saturday morning I had a beautiful morning run along the stream. It was suprisingly serene and peaceful in the morning. The run actually reminded me of being home because the park kind of feels like High Line Park in Manhattan with the buildings on both sides of you as you walk. I didn't bring my camera on my run but here's a shot of the river courtesy of google.

After my morning run I hopped on the subway and headed over to Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) to see the Tim Burton exhibit. It's the same exhibit that was previously at the MoMA in NYC. Last time I went to the museum the staff was preparing for this new exhibit. Even though I arrived at the museum only half an hour after the museum opened the place was already swarming with people. I never knew Tim Burton had such a strong Korean fan base but apparently he has a bit of a cult following in Korea just like in the States. The exhibit was broken up into several rooms and I actually had to wait in a line in each room to be able to see most of the pieces on the walls. The exhibit was extremely well done and highlighted Burton's films as well as his smaller, original works. Some of my favorite pieces were the short poetry he wrote and illustrated while growing up in Burbank, California. It was just so quirky, creative and yet somehow poignant.
For example, this is a poem he wrote in high school. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take any photos within the exhibit so I don't have the accompanying illustration.

"No one knows what I'm thinking

No one knows what I'm drinking

No one knows what pills I swallow

No one knows that inside I'm hollow

No one knows that I'm speaking

No one knows that my brain is leaking

No one knows,

They can't see

No one knows, especially me"

It's pretty heavy but I guess I liked it because it clashed a little with my view of Tim Burton when entering the exhibit and allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of him as a person. Here are some of his sketches that were the only things I was allowed to photograph on the outside of the exhibit. I thought they were pretty neat as well. 

After the museum I headed to tutoring. Unfortunately, only three students showed up this week. It's really discouraging to have so few North Korean defectors showing up for our classes when we put so much time into planning them. This week we had five teachers and three different lessons for various levels but only our three highest students showed up and they were late. Frustratingly, there's not much we can do to control this. The students actual English teacher encourages them to come and tries to give us a head count prior to each lesson but more students always say they are coming than actually show. I guess that's part of the challenge of teaching on a Saturday and having it be a two hour class.

Before heading home on Saturday I met my friend, Rachel, and her aunt and uncle for dinner. We ate Korean style shabu shabu, which was really interesting. The boiling pot of water is a super spicy broth and of course after you cook all the meat and vegetable you add noodles and then rice to the pot. Koreans sure do know how to eat a lot- I sometimes feel like every meal is a marathon. It was great to spend time with Rachel and her family. I have slept over their house a few times and generally see them fairly often but hadn't seen them since December because of winter break. They were a little disappointed I wasn't coming back to sleepover after dinner so we made plans to have a sleepover next Saturday.

Rachel and I with her aunt

On Sunday I spent a relaxing day in Chuncheon at my co-teacher's house. When I arrived SooJin and her husband prepared lunch while I played with her two daughters. I really like spending time with Hwanhee and Sohee and relished the opportunity to color and play pretend with them. We then all ate a delicious lunch that SooJin and her husband slaved over. I was so impressed and felt so honored they went through so much trouble for me. We even enjoyed a bottle of wine with our dinner, which is a rarity in Korea.

Our feast

After lunch SooJin and I chatted and played with the girls outside. It's finally warming up here (although it did briefly snow this morning...) SooJin's family has been such a source of support for me and I'm so glad I spent the day with them. I really look forward to spending more time with them this semester. We are even planning a two day trip to the coast for June!

Dancing in Daejeon

This weekend two of the Hwacheon girls and I made the trip from Hwacheon to Chuncheon to visit our friend, Amber, for her birthday. We all left school a little early on Friday so that we could make the three hour trip in time for a wonderful dinner cooked by Amber's host mom. After dinner we met up with a few other Fulbright friends to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Amber's birthday and just being together. It was really nice to explore Daejeon, especially since Hwacheon has absolutely zero night life. I was stunned by the number of Western Bars (ones that don't make you order food and pay as a large group) and clubs. There is not a single Western Bar in Hwacheon. I was also amazed at how many foreigners we met at the various bars. I sometimes forget just how many foreign English teachers are in Korea.

A group of us at a bar in Daejeon

On Saturday, I was able to meet up with a few more Fulbright friends. A few of us met up at the river in Daejeon and watched two friends play Ultimate Frisbee. There was an Ultimate Frisbee match this weekend between our friend's team from Gwangju and the local Daejeon team. It was funny to see all the Koreans gawk at the foreigners playing Ultimate Frisbee as they walked by. Ultimate Frisbee is definitely a western sport and the teams are almost exclusively foreigners. That night we indulged in a western meal of burgers and fries, which was unbelievably satisfying. I realized I hadn't eaten Western food since sometime in January when I was in China with my family. Therefore, I was long overdue. Luckily, we also went out for American-style brunch on Sunday. One of the benefits of living in big cities is definitely the food. There are no authentic western restaurants in Hwacheon.

The weekend was really fun and relaxing. It's nice to be able to cut loose and reconnect with other ETAs. Most of us are faced with similar struggles in the classroom, in our home stays and just in Korea more generally and it is helpful to be able to discuss these challenges. Additionally, it's very refreshing to be able to fully let your guard down and not worry about representing America well. It's often very exhausting constantly trying to please everyone around you. Fulbright really instills us with a drive to constantly represent America well and be aware of how our actions can be received by our schools, home stay and communities. Although it's important to be mindful of one's behavior, it's also quite challenging to always be putting on a good face. Therefore relaxing weekends like the one I spent in Daejeon are very important!

Videos, Videos, Videos!

Here are some videos that I've been meaning to share. The first is a video of one of my third grade classes. The textbook that we use has the students (and me) sing and dance to pretty funny songs so I decided to share one of the songs with you.

I also finally got a video file of my interview on the news and uploaded it to youtube so you can view it here. My interview is at the 4.50 mark but you can also enjoy me dancing in the background throughout.

Hope you enjoy!

The Downsides of Being a Foreigner

A long, long time ago I wrote a post about all the reasons I LOVE being a foreigner in Korea. The post was basically about the celebrity treatment foreigners sometimes get from acquaintances and complete strangers which ranges includes free food, special privileges, patience, extra doses of kindness, taking photos and more. Although I still enjoy many of these perks and am enjoying my time in Korea I don't think I'd be giving a balanced perspective if I didn't also explain the downsides of being a foreigner in Korea. Also, just like last time many of these things apply more explicitly to me because I fit the stereotypical image of a Westerner.

1. People sometimes treat you like you are dumb- Many times since my Korean is not perfect people will treat me like I am brain-dead in an attempt to help me. Although, they have the best intentions it is often very patronizing and frustrating. For example, many times people will tell me how amazing it is that I can use chopsticks. Others will ask how I manage to take a bus to Chuncheon (45 minutes away) alone. Additionally, many times when I am at a restaurant, clothing shop, coffee shop, etc. if I do not make a choice within the first two minutes the employee will just decide for me, which leads me to number two...

2. People change your order at restaurant- I cannot even count the number of times waiters have just changed my order without telling me out of a belief that foreigners 'don't eat' whatever it is I ordered. Most of the time it is because they believe the food is too spicy for foreigners and instead of trying to ask they just change my order for me. This even extends to people who know me well including my host family and co-teacher. Despite them seeing me eat spicy foods many times (sometimes they have previously seen me eat the food I ordered) they still modify my order without telling me. Again, this stems from them being nice but just turns out to be pretty annoying.

3. People always assume you want to talk to them- When I have the time I really do not mind when Koreans come up to me and ask me questions about myself. It's often very nice and comes from a genuine curiosity about foreigners and a desire to make sure foreigners like Korea. These same conversations can be a tad bothersome though when I don't have free time and am in a rush or when I'm just not in the mood to talk in Korean. Having conversations in Korean can often be very exhausting and draining since I have to think so hard to be able to keep up with the conversation. Nevertheless, these conversations happen all the time and I never feel quite comfortable excusing myself for fear that the Korean will assume all foreigners are rude and standoffish. For some reason, these conversations frequently happen to me at the gym and there have been numerous times when I'll be tapped while on a treadmill and asked to stop so that a person can talk to me. One time an older woman who did not speak English talked to me for 45 minutes at the gym and even made me look at her house. It was very frustrating because I then had to leave the gym to meet a friend for lunch- so basically I went to the gym talked to a strange woman and then left. These conversations also can quickly get uncomfortable if the Korean asks for my phone number as well.

4. People always want you to teach them English- This one is a little tricky to explain. Basically, it is sometimes hard to know if people are being nice to you and trying to be your friend out of a genuine interest in you and your friendship or out of a desire to learn English. Since speaking English is very important in Korean society many, many Koreans want to learn English. Therefore, many Koreans are eager to spend time with foreigners. This can be really nice at times but it can also be difficult to feel as if you are being used. For example, my host father will say things like 'It's very important that you write us letters from America so EunChan can practice his English'. To me, this implies that the most important part of me living with them is an increase in my host brother's English, which isn't really the greatest feeling. Also, many times people will invite me over to their house and then ask if I will talk to their kid for an hour or so to help their English. Some of my Korean peers will also text me telling me they want to be able to do so-and-so in English so will I correct their grammar or will I read something they wrote? Many times these things aren't a big deal but it occasionally makes me feel lonely and isolated to feel like my Korean friends and acquaintances like the fact that I speak English more than they like me.

5. People stare at you and talk about you in front of you- Despite the large number of foreigners in Korea, many Koreans have very little interaction with foreigners. Therefore many times when Koreans see me, especially in more rural areas they stare at me for extended periods of time. This normally doesn't really bother me but it is worth mentioning. People also often comment on my looks and actions in front of me, namely they will watch me eat and comment on the different foods I eat. Again, it doesn't really bother me but is kind of funny. Koreans are also amazed when they are talking about me and I respond. Many Koreans are shocked when Western-looking foreigners can speak any Korean.

6. You have to listen to offensive things- This one is largely a part of being a cultural ambassador and for the most part doesn't so much bother me as make me cringe. Here are some of the outrageous things Koreans have asked me/said to me after they find out I'm American:
"Do you own a gun?"/ "Does your family own a gun?"/ "Do I need to own a gun to visit America?"
"Wow, you are not fat. I thought all Americans are fat."
"Foreigners can't eat vegetables"
"Foreigners only eat meat"
"Americans eat pizza, fried chicken and hamburgers every day."
"Does your hair turn black when you get old" (Some Koreans believe people with blond hair are born with gray hair and it turns black as they age- I have no idea where this comes from but I've gotten it more than once)


That's about all I can think of and I just want to stress that I recognize that almost every one of these annoyances comes out of kindness on the Koreans part.They just happen to also be a bit bothersome and sometimes lead me to wish I could just blend in for a day!

First Week of School

All smiles at the end of the day Thursday (we both have no classes Friday)

So I just finished my first week back at school and it was a fabulous week. I always forget how exciting the first week of a new school year is. All the students seemed to be happier than normal and were definitely caught up in the thrill of being a year older and having a new teacher and class. This semester I am teaching 3rd and 5th grade instead of 5th and 6th grade. I was really nervous about teaching 3rd grade since this is the first time they are studying English but my third grade classes this week went extremely well. My co-teacher and I want to really focus on increasing the rigor of the third grade curriculum because we believe it will help minimize the ability gap. The ability gap is currently very large because some students have studied English at home and in hagwons whereas others have never studied it before. Therefore, some students do not know the alphabet and basic phrases like hello, goodbye, my name is _____ whereas others can have simple conversations. Previously the third grade class was simply oral for the first semester but my co-teacher and I had the students writing and informally learning the alphabet the first day. Despite the former teacher’s hesitations about our changes the lesson went extremely well. On the first day we had all of the third grade students learn how to write their name in English by having them make nametags. I think the task helped students begin to learn the letters of the alphabet and connect the letters with the sounds they make which is an important first step in learning to read. My co-teacher and I also decided to give the students chapter study sheets with key vocabulary words and phrases. We also leave space for them to rewrite the words and sentences to practice more with the alphabet. I hope these changes help our lower students catch up to their peers.

My fifth grade classes also went well but were much more similar to my classes last semester. I think it’s also helpful that I’ve already taught the second half of their curriculum because I have a much better understanding of where they need to be by the end of the school year. Hopefully the great first week turns into a great first semester!

Also just an interesting difference between American and Korean schools. In Korean schools the teachers switch grades and classrooms every year. They even switch where the classrooms for the various grades are. These changes also involve specials teachers. For example, the music and PE teacher from last year are now both classroom teachers. I believe the schools do this to try to mix up the grade dynamics but I can’t help but believe that teachers would be more effective if they taught the same grade multiple years in a row. I just think you’d have a much better understanding of where the students are developmentally and you’d be able to reuse and improve upon lessons from the year before. Who knows though- maybe I just think this because I’m used to the American model.

This weekend I’m getting back into my old routine. This Saturday is the first weekend of the tutoring program for North Korean Defectors. I’m excited for this semester because we are supposed to have significantly more students. Then again, that is what we were told last semester so I guess we will see what happens. It is hard because the program is optional for the students and is on a Saturday so they often have conflicts. I guess only time will tell what our class ends up being like.

Saying Goodbye

So today is officially my last day of winter break and I have very mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am very excited to get back into the classroom. I've really missed my students and teaching in general. Plus, I recently found out that this semester I will be teaching grades 3 and 5 instead of 5 and 6.  This will be quite a challenge because the 3rd graders will be studying English for the first time. They will not even know the alphabet! This is very different from last semester when all of my 5th and 6th graders could read and write. I'm a little nervous about working with the 3rd graders but am also very excited for the challenge! 

The end of winter break also marks my return to Hwacheon. I'm really sad about leaving my Chuncheon host family. I did not expect myself to grow so close to the Kyeong family in only a month. The mom and her son, Kyu Yeon, and I just spent so much time together this month and I've really come to consider them family. The three of us would have so much fun sitting around the house playing cards, doing puzzles and just hanging out. It really was similar to being home with my own family. I felt so comfortable in their home. Yesterday, I took the family out to VIPS to have a farewell lunch. VIPS is an all-you-can-eat Western style buffet that is very popular in Korea. It was a really great ending to the month and they really appreciated my generosity.

My unni and I at VIPS

The whole family!

This morning after breakfast I was driven to the bus station where I had to say goodbye to my family. I was a lot sadder than I was expecting- especially when my unni so sweetly handed me a bag of snacks in case I got hungry on the one hour ride home. The small gesture just reminded me how much she has taken care of me this past month. My host mom walked me to the actual bus and waited beside it until it left. The two of us looked like we were in some cheesy rom-com with her standing outside the window of the bus and the two of us waving and tearing up. I am so fortunate to have been welcomed into their home and I am so excited to go back and visit often. Despite the dramatic goodbyes this morning, they do live only an hour away!

Kyu Yeon and I made walnut-cranberry bark for Lunar New Years