Wednesday, June 26, 2013

It's not just a stereotype, okay! Korean kids are extremely good at math! A classic case of students outsmarting the teacher...

It's not just a stereotype, okay!  Korean kids are extremely good at math.

In one of my all-boys classes, the students are one lesson ahead of everyone else.  Next week they have exams, so I decided to create a review game.  I downloaded a Kung Fu Panda PowerPoint Bomb Game...which is totally awesome, by the way.  

Anyway, the kids loved it.  I divided the class into 5 teams.  Each team had 10 seconds to answer the question, otherwise another team could raise their hand and steal their points.   

In the Kung Fu Panda realm, there is a lot of risk.  Sometimes, you get unlucky and you lose your points. Sometimes you can trade points with another team.  And then sometimes, you can win a Golden Peach and win a jackpot of 10 points!  The game is very fun...but for the teacher, there is a lot of addition and subtraction, and dividing points in half.  Anyway, I started getting confused about how many points my students had.  The genius math nerds immediately caught my math error!  They are like the math police!  "Teacha Teacha, no! Thirty-six, not thirty-five!!!"  I was so embarrassed that these kids were smarter than me.  I just complimented the kids..."Oh, good eye, I didn't notice that!  I am glad you're paying attention"--a weak attempt to cover my embarrassment!  

I forgot the importance of "being fair" when you're younger.  Earning points is like life or death when you are a kid.  And since I am bound to make another math error in front of my students, I am going to change my policy. From now on, I am just going to have the kids tell me how many points they earned.  They can practice saying numbers. That way, it's a win-win.  They practice saying their points, I just write the number I hear on the board.  

Volunteering at Daejeon Paws Dog Shelter

Last weekend I volunteered to work at Daejeon Paws dog shelter! It is a non-kill shelter run entirely on donations. My theatre group donated all of our proceeds to the shelter. The donation made the Korean woman who runs the shelter extremely happy, but donations alone are not enough. Last Sunday, my friends and I helped her walk her dogs, get them some exercise and social time with humans! The dogs were so cute, but some of the dogs you could tell had been treated poorly...they seemed nervous when people wanted to touch them!
My friends and I went in a big group, walking our dogs and picking up poop! We got quite attached to the little doggies. We decided to give them all names to fit their personalities and hairdos. I named my dog Jonathon, only to find out later that his given name was 'Hamlet'.  So later he became 'Jonathon George Hamlet'! Then there was Chewy, Marilyn, Doris, and Mo. All such sweet dogs.
We were all amazed at how clean this woman kept the shelter. The shelter is basically her house, but she cleans it so much, it hardly smells at all! We watched her clean up with fire! Our jaws dropped as she burned the cages with fire to get rid of any stench! That Korean lady really touched my heart! She works so hard taking good care of those dogs!
We were all very moved and we plan on going back a few Sundays a month to walk the dogs again!
The wonderful Korean woman working hard taking care of these dogs!
'Jonathon George Hamlet' and me
Lynne and 'Chewy'
Lindsay and I cuddling a bunch of doggies!
Lindsay and 'Marilyn'
Jo and 'Jonathon' together---'Jonathon' looks so happy!!! Awwwweee!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Teacher's Day!

I was showered with appreciation and gifts from my students on Teacher's Day!
From sweet little notes to carnations to rice cake...I love this holiday!

Meeting Hong!

Today I had the pleasure of meeting my friends of my Aunt Margaret Ann and Uncle Marvin!  Hong, her husband Chris, and their son Orion spent the afternoon with me in Daejeon! We had Korean BBQ and Bingsoo for dessert!  Visits like these are always appreciated and make the world feel a little smaller!

Buddha's Birthday!

You know why Korea is so awesome?  Because we got Friday off from school to celebrate Buddha's Birthday!  My friends and I headed south to Busan and honored Buddha by have a wonderful time on the beach, singing along to my ukulele, dancing with sparklers on the beach, and kayaking in the ocean! 

Haeundae Beach at dusk!
It was bathing suit weather, and these Koreans were all bundled up, hiding from the sun!  So funny!

New friends!

If I lived in Busan I would make a point of going to the beach every day!  It was so beautiful!



Kayaking in the ocean!

And we're off and away!

My twin in a onesie!

Could I be any happier!?!
 
What a night!
Happy Birthday, Buddha! --with sparklers on Gwangali Beach!
My friends, Jo and Ellen!

Directing my Middle School Debate Team!

 I had the wonderful honor of working with 9 middle school students very closely on the debate team.  The kids worked their butts off coming up with rebuttals and solid arguments ...and then memorizing almost all of it.  We practiced after school for weeks...sometimes til 9:00pm and I gave up my weekend to come to school and practice!  The kids didn't let me down.  After all that hard work, I was so proud of them for making it to the semi-final round at the English Debate Competition in their district!  Also, at the beginning of debate club, the students were very separated by gender...but by the end of the two weeks, I saw them all bonding and talking together!  It was...kind of heart-wrenching!
At the English Debate Competition with my team!  So proud!

An awesome group of kids!  We got really close!

Out for Bingsoo after school to celebrate!

Korea: makes you do crazy things like join a theatre group on a whim.

One of the best decisions I have made so far in Korea has been auditioning for a play.  After practicing for 2 months we performed a show called "Overheard".  Overheard was a production composed of 6 short plays that all took play inside coffee shops.  All of the little plays consisted of dramas that could be overheard by the occasional eavesdropper. The plays were about "romance, psychics, illicit affairs, the occasional metaphysical vortex, and Killer Fortune Cookies."  They short play that I starred in was called "Anything for You" about two girlfriends that met up for lunch and had a little chat about...well...having an affair!  It was a a very funny script, and I really enjoyed playing an uptight, slightly neurotic friend.  I met some wonderful people while doing the show.  The two directors, Jo Krukowski and Lynne Van Der Merwe, were really fun to work with.  I met lots of interesting and talented people from so many different backgrounds in the play.  Also, all the money we made was donated to a local Dog Shelter called "Daejeon Paws".  We were very excited to send them a 475,000 Won donation!  Here are some photos!
My new best friend and director, Lynne from South Africa!

Delectable gifts from our loving and supporting Korean fans!

The bar we performed in had this lovely stage!  It was a very "intimate" theatre!

The bar was called "Free Bird"

Two splendid actresses!

Director, Jo, counting all the money.  She donated all of the money to Daejeon Paws--a local Dog Shelter!  Such a good cause!

Another fabulous actress pretending to steal the money!

Me--holding my ticket!

The awesome cast I got to work with!



Holding my lovely bouquet of flowers from my dear Co-teachers!


Friday, June 14, 2013

Japan has got it going on!



Taking advantage of a few days off school, I bought a cheap flight to Japan so I could finally meet my little cousins, Misaki and Kento.  I figured I should seize the opportunity since Japan is only a 2 hour flight away from Korea.

My second cousin, Jim, and his lovely Japanese wife, Chiaki are living in Yokohama, Japan.  It is about a 30 minute train ride from Tokyo.


When I arrived in Japan, it was about 11pm.  Navigating through the subway system with Jim, I encountered a wild night life, filled with fashionable, rebellious hair-styles, short skirts, and make-up.  I had the sensation, "Whoa...Japan has got it going on!"  The night was young, and I almost stepped in a pile of puke in the subway station. 

I arrived at Jimmy's apartment and the next morning I got to meet little Kento and Misaki for the first time.  They are the cutest kids I have ever seen.  I must be because they are half Japanese.




Jimmy and Chiaki are living in the beautiful port city of Yokohama!  We spent the first day in Japan exploring Yokohama from the Landmark Tower!  We took a super fast elevator to the top floor and had a stunning view of the city.
When we got home, Chiaki made okonomiaki. It is like a traditional Japanese pancake with all sorts of veggies in it.  On top you drizzle Japanese BBQ sauce and Japanese mayo and then you sprinkle bonito flakes!  It was so delicious!  I could eat okonomiaki every day!

Okonomiaki
 Despite Japan's healthy cuisine and small portion size, by the end of the week I noticed my cheeks looked a little plumper!  Here is some of the fabulous food I enjoyed in Japan:
Edamame



Jimmy and I made our way to a section of Tokyo known as "Shibuya".  It seemed like a very happening place!  I heard awesome music and saw many interesting hairstyles, hair colors, fake eyelashes, and mini-skirts!  It looked like the place the be.  Unfortunately, I thought it would be rude to take pictures of the stunning Japanese women that I saw.    
This guy sand wonderful traditional Japanese music!  It was very chill.  There was a sign that said, "Shibuya Paradise."
Some legendary dog that was a loyal pet and savior...something like that!
The bright red Tokyo Tower--during the day!

The best sushi I have ever had! 

Modern building in Tokyo!  I can't remember what it was for...
Asakusa Temple--beautiful!
Jimmy and I walked around Asakusa and saw a million beautiful temples.
I love this style of roof!
After a long day, Jimmy took my back to Yokohama where I had the best sushi in the world!  It came to us a conveyor belt...you can't have it any other way!
Just choose a plate off the conveyor belt!  Pay per plate! Nom Nom Nom!
Fish eggs--this one was my favorite!  The eggs popped like bubbles!
Raw egg and fermented bean...it turned out to be much tastier than I thought!
Raw tuna!  
Which sushi should I devour first?
The biggest intersection in Tokyo--near Shibuya!

Japanese girls singing and dancing in sync!  So cute in their high  pitch voices!
Tokyo Tower in the evening!
Tokyo Tower at night!
All in all, it was a brief trip to Japan...but I really enjoyed it and would love to go back some day!  Go to Japan if you get a chance!