I hate getting observed by administration when I teach. As a people-pleaser, I get nervous, start to sweat, and have the irrational fear that I will be fired the minute they leave the door. Silly, but my face turns red and my body temperature DRAMATICALLY increases. Especially during DROP-INS!!!!
Today was that glorious day when my new boss walked in the door unannounced.
Great! Stop sweating, focus, keep teaching something.
My class was right in the midst of a discussion about showing compassion. I was attemtping to teach my students about the complexities of the human race when I started talking about the onion model and like its crinkly layers, human beings are the same way. The sea of blank faces made me switch over the next natural food item with layers: Snickers. They eagerly starting listing all the layers, but seemed stumped when they got to the chewy part. After 15 seconds of silence, my principal yelled out from the back, "NOUGAT!"
I smiled and proceeded to talk the "inner nougat" we all have and to be sensitive to the "inner nougat" of others. Compassion in a nutshell. Or candy bar for that matter.
Luckily, he only stayed for two more minutes and walked out the door. I walked to lunch not sure if he thought I was a genius teacher or absolute moron.
When I arrived at lunch, my boss was there. AGAIN. I smiled bravely at him. He smiled back at me, gave me a pat on the back, and thanked me for the "engaging" lesson. I held my head up a little higher, enjoyed lunch with my co-workers, and said a million silent thanks to God for inventing the Snickers bar and helping me find a little piece of my "inner nougat". :)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
ebb and flow
People tell me this is about the time it hits. It pangs, like a sharp dagger, at weird, odd, inconsistent times throughout the day.
Homesickness in unusual forms. Tonight I went grocery shopping and it felt weird to not have the Saturn nearby. I don't mind having to shell out money for a cab, but I miss driving. I can call people from the States, but it already feels odd, like a distance has set in. I have no idea where and what my family and friends are doing right now! I think life as I knew it starting to feel far away and the control is starting to slip further and further away. It's unsettling and hits as the oddest times. People tell me it hits about this time. I didn't realize but I have been gone for a month already. The "vacation" mentality is starting to ebb away. I am just trying to stay afloat and enjoy it. I live in Korea and better get used shelling out won for a taxi.
Homesickness in unusual forms. Tonight I went grocery shopping and it felt weird to not have the Saturn nearby. I don't mind having to shell out money for a cab, but I miss driving. I can call people from the States, but it already feels odd, like a distance has set in. I have no idea where and what my family and friends are doing right now! I think life as I knew it starting to feel far away and the control is starting to slip further and further away. It's unsettling and hits as the oddest times. People tell me it hits about this time. I didn't realize but I have been gone for a month already. The "vacation" mentality is starting to ebb away. I am just trying to stay afloat and enjoy it. I live in Korea and better get used shelling out won for a taxi.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
still getting my feet wet
Week two is almost over. I am still getting my feet wet in this strange and new country, but everyday something makes it feel a little bit more like home. I am used to seeing everything written in Korean (still cannot understand it), smellling kimchee, fish, and other strange smells on my quick walk to work, and crossing the street in hopes of making it alive to the other side. I like that I am starting to casually toss Korean phrases into my everyday vernacular. (Including Canadian and South African phrases-eh!) I look forward to slinking into my hard bed at the end of an arduous day of teaching, running with my cross country team, and trying a new restaurant somewhere near the school. Life is good thus far in Korea.
During the last two weeks I have encountered many unique cultural experiences in Korea. I have savored many new dishes at the local restaurants near school. My favorite food here for some reason is pickled radish. I absolutely LOVE pickled radish. My new friends think I am crazy, but luckily they serve it at every meal and no one touches it. I guess it just means more for me. I still cannot handle spice, but put on a brave face and swallow it fast. Mul (water) is gulped down very quickly after eating! I went to my first Korean baseball, but ending up talking and not paying attention throughout the entire game. Not much changes with me and pro sports. My cousin took to me to the Korean bath house for some chat time in the sauna and hot tubs. You'll have to call me to get more details on my experience there. :)
I went to Seoul with four other girls from school for shopping and dancing last weekend. We visited the neighborhoods of Itaweon (the foreigner's district), Insadong (great market!), and the Coex Mall. I definitely ran out of Korean won, but a trip to an English speaking bookstore was worth the entire trip. Well, maybe the pastrami sandwich in Itaewon was worth it as well....
My favorite thing I have experienced so far is the people. I walked into TCIS with ten other new teachers and an instant bond was formed. We share meals, lesson plans, and participate in a bible study together. I could not have come at a better time. I also love getting to know my extended family. My cousin Kirsten and her parents work at the school. It has been such a delight to play basketball with her and go out for endless mocha shakes. I have also managed to make a new Korean friend named Hyun Ju. She took me downtown for dinner and some shopping on Monday. She is shaky with her English but so excited to speak with a foreigner!
Week three is coming up fast. I look forward to a "family fun day" with the staff on Saturday morning, an afternoon of pottery making ,and norebang in the evening. Somewhere in all this excitement I will attempt to lesson plan. :)
During the last two weeks I have encountered many unique cultural experiences in Korea. I have savored many new dishes at the local restaurants near school. My favorite food here for some reason is pickled radish. I absolutely LOVE pickled radish. My new friends think I am crazy, but luckily they serve it at every meal and no one touches it. I guess it just means more for me. I still cannot handle spice, but put on a brave face and swallow it fast. Mul (water) is gulped down very quickly after eating! I went to my first Korean baseball, but ending up talking and not paying attention throughout the entire game. Not much changes with me and pro sports. My cousin took to me to the Korean bath house for some chat time in the sauna and hot tubs. You'll have to call me to get more details on my experience there. :)
I went to Seoul with four other girls from school for shopping and dancing last weekend. We visited the neighborhoods of Itaweon (the foreigner's district), Insadong (great market!), and the Coex Mall. I definitely ran out of Korean won, but a trip to an English speaking bookstore was worth the entire trip. Well, maybe the pastrami sandwich in Itaewon was worth it as well....
My favorite thing I have experienced so far is the people. I walked into TCIS with ten other new teachers and an instant bond was formed. We share meals, lesson plans, and participate in a bible study together. I could not have come at a better time. I also love getting to know my extended family. My cousin Kirsten and her parents work at the school. It has been such a delight to play basketball with her and go out for endless mocha shakes. I have also managed to make a new Korean friend named Hyun Ju. She took me downtown for dinner and some shopping on Monday. She is shaky with her English but so excited to speak with a foreigner!
Week three is coming up fast. I look forward to a "family fun day" with the staff on Saturday morning, an afternoon of pottery making ,and norebang in the evening. Somewhere in all this excitement I will attempt to lesson plan. :)
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
il, e, sam......
The last few weeks have been joyous, spontaneous, aggravating, frustrating, and completely awe-inspiring. Everything here feels so new and exciting I can hardly contain myself sometimes. Other times I feel absolutely overwhelmed, burst into tears, and want to take the next flight home. People that have traveled and lived abroad say this is completely normal. Who knew a rollercoaster of emotions would be universally felt by so many?!
In an effort to detour this blog from becoming my pensive journal, I intend to share some cultural experiences and lessons with the infamous top ten list since I have arrived in Daejeon almost two weeks.
1. eating octopus during the shabu-shabu dinner (a bit chewy and tasted like chicken)
2. singing Korean style of karaoke- called naribong- so glad to know I can sing to Britney Spears and do my dance moves in another country
3. cars win. pedesterians don't. kamikaze corner is a block from our school. great.
4. separating garbage to a point of insanity, yet there is garbage all over the streets. haven't figure out that one.
5. it's rude to blow or even touch your nose in public, but spitting in widely accepted, even encouraged. i truly love korea for the reason alone.
6. everyone points and stares, but it is ok. i can't help but feel famous when all the little children in my apartment complex yell out "HI" in english and i respond back with hello in korean. they giggle ridiculously
7. eating kimchee and fish soup for breakfast. i think i will stick with oatmeal and save the rest for dinner.
8. bowling in korea- the shoes still smell!!!!
9. people- i now have friends that are korean, korean-american, korean-canadian, south african, australian, indian, canadian, chinese-canadian, and american (even a few from minnesota!) the cultural diversity is refreshing and amazing
10. chusok vacation coming up at the end of september....the struggle of choosing between Thailand or the Korean island of Jeju for my week long vacation.....
School starts on Monday and I look forward to finally meeting my students. I am somewhat prepared, but I only teach two classes on Monday. I love this schedule! Pictures to follow soon!
In an effort to detour this blog from becoming my pensive journal, I intend to share some cultural experiences and lessons with the infamous top ten list since I have arrived in Daejeon almost two weeks.
1. eating octopus during the shabu-shabu dinner (a bit chewy and tasted like chicken)
2. singing Korean style of karaoke- called naribong- so glad to know I can sing to Britney Spears and do my dance moves in another country
3. cars win. pedesterians don't. kamikaze corner is a block from our school. great.
4. separating garbage to a point of insanity, yet there is garbage all over the streets. haven't figure out that one.
5. it's rude to blow or even touch your nose in public, but spitting in widely accepted, even encouraged. i truly love korea for the reason alone.
6. everyone points and stares, but it is ok. i can't help but feel famous when all the little children in my apartment complex yell out "HI" in english and i respond back with hello in korean. they giggle ridiculously
7. eating kimchee and fish soup for breakfast. i think i will stick with oatmeal and save the rest for dinner.
8. bowling in korea- the shoes still smell!!!!
9. people- i now have friends that are korean, korean-american, korean-canadian, south african, australian, indian, canadian, chinese-canadian, and american (even a few from minnesota!) the cultural diversity is refreshing and amazing
10. chusok vacation coming up at the end of september....the struggle of choosing between Thailand or the Korean island of Jeju for my week long vacation.....
School starts on Monday and I look forward to finally meeting my students. I am somewhat prepared, but I only teach two classes on Monday. I love this schedule! Pictures to follow soon!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Leaving, holiday, and lights in my new city
Well gang, I have arrived in Korea and just woke up to my third full day here. It’s funny but every morning I wake up and think I am in a Latin American country. My ninth floor window faces into a courtyard with a myriad of windows looking into mine (no curtains yet) and the morning disorientation makes me think I hear Spanish in the morning!!!
The days leading up to my departure were somber, tense, and tearful. I didn’t want to leave the comforts of my home and give up simple luxuries like going to the local Starbucks where they know my high maintenance order of a cold soy white mocha with no ice but put in a hot cup, finding the products I like at Target, being able to find shoes to feet my gargantuan and sweaty feet, and having the luxury of a cell phone to call my galpals to talk about my latest romantic escapade.
After a tearful goodbye with my father I sullenly walked into the airport with a heavy heart. The weight of my decision started to come crashing down as a major reality check. Two years?! Who moves away out of the country for that amount of time? I still in my heart of hearts feel like I am only moving away for three months and I will get to travel the whole time. But it dawned on me I am moving across the world to teach students five days a week, grade endless amounts of papers, and struggle right alongside with the students over present progressive participles. Ironically that thought brought great comfort. Not everything was going to be THAT drastically different. Kids will be kids, and I will be their teacher.
In spite of the anxiety of leaving the States the anticipation had started to wear thin. I was ready to get going and plant my feet up on the footrest of the airplane. After flying through Chicago and Dublin (I MUST go visit that country someday!!) and I was more than elated to arrive in Europe. I told a dear friend once I was “sick” of Europe, but I have spent enough time away and it felt so good to be back.
I spent my time in Switzerland having endless girl talks with my mom, sister, and one of my best friends from college, traveling to the Swiss cities Bern and Thun, having fondue with some old coworkers and my old boss, spending nights drinking litchi beer up at my favorite bar called the Top Pub (one particular night drinking A LOT of wine, grapefruit beer, and flaming sambuca shots), and going on sunny bike rides through the mountains. Most of all I spent time NOT thinking about my big move and just enjoying my family and friends.
Well, that's not exactly true. OF COURSE I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE BIG MOVE. Have you ever heard of the iceberg theory? I saw a poster at the dentist office once that explained the analogy that many people only see the tip of the iceberg, but so much more lies beneath. Eventually the time came to actually discuss and ruminate on my reasons for going. In a tearful discussion with my friend Stephanie I told her my iceberg theory of going overseas. One-tenth of the reasons revolved around the cliché answer of wanting to go on an adventure. Many other reasons lie beneath the tip of the iceberg: getting to see Christianity alive and thriving somewhere other than stoic Lutheran waves of Minnesota, experience the opportunity to teach at an elite academic school outside of America, meet expats of Western descent that want to live outside of their countries, seeing other neighboring countries and get stamps on my passport, craft my writing skills about adventures, continue the personal focus that started this past year of getting to know myself more, and finally, the chance to meet as many interesting people as possible.
All of these reasons lie beneath the tip of the iceberg.
Those reasons stuck with me on the way to the airport. After a tearful goodbye with my mom and my sister, I was off on a 22-hour flight journey. I flew from Geneva to Qatar and spent a four hour layover in Doha. I have to admit I was a bit nervous flying in that region of the world, but I was astounded to see so many nationalities in one setting! The Doha airport is very transient and I had a wonderful time sipping on iced coffee and people watching. I hopped on another place to Shanghai, then FINALLY to Korea. I felt a bit jetlagged when the representatives from my school came to pick me up. I fell in and out of sleep until we arrived in Daejeon. I had not prepared myself for culture shock at all. As I entered upon a city I immediately felt it was cross between a mini-L.A and Vegas, except everything was in Korean. Lights flickered everywhere at a frenzied pace that would whisk anyone back to Times Square. Korea has raging humidity in the summer and I was dripping with sweat as I took the elevator up to my ninth floor apartment that reeked of kimchee and who knows else.
Welcome home?!?
The first day was awful, or at least the morning was awful. I hated Korea. It was hot, sticky, and NO ONE SPOKE ENGLISH. It took us over an over to find a bank. How silly we must have looked walking around aimlessly with our guidebooks asking everyone on the street for directions. All those poor Koreans looked at us in confusion, smiled politely and bowed, but just went on their way. Kirstin, my roommate, and I looked wide-eyed in disbelief at each other. What had we done? Did we really want to do this to ourselves? Nevertheless, we made it to the bank! Somehow as the day progressed it got much better. A nap, dinner with a lovely couple from the school, two more fans put in our apartment, and a trip to the Homeplus store to buy household goods somehow made me feel much better.
We even managed to make a friend our first night! Some girl walked up to me and said in broken English “YOU ARE TALL!” For the next ten minutes Kirstin and I went back and forth with this girl named Hyun Je (not sure how to pronounce the name) and eventually exchanged email addresses with her. Our first Korean friend! She agreed to teach us Korean in exchange for some English lessons. It has put a permagrin on my face over the last few days. Slowly but surely we have managed to work our way around the city and communicate with people. We made friends with the neighbor kids that practice a kendo stick dance routine on the roof opposite our apartment. We even chatted with the pizza guy down the street and took our first taxi ride around the city!
Today is our last “free day” before school orientation starts. It has been nice to get the place in order by spending ten hours ironing clothes, watching whatever English channels we can get, and walking more around our neighborhood. I hope my pictures download properly. If not check out my facebook account. An-yangee-keseyo!!! (Goodbye in Korean!)
The days leading up to my departure were somber, tense, and tearful. I didn’t want to leave the comforts of my home and give up simple luxuries like going to the local Starbucks where they know my high maintenance order of a cold soy white mocha with no ice but put in a hot cup, finding the products I like at Target, being able to find shoes to feet my gargantuan and sweaty feet, and having the luxury of a cell phone to call my galpals to talk about my latest romantic escapade.
After a tearful goodbye with my father I sullenly walked into the airport with a heavy heart. The weight of my decision started to come crashing down as a major reality check. Two years?! Who moves away out of the country for that amount of time? I still in my heart of hearts feel like I am only moving away for three months and I will get to travel the whole time. But it dawned on me I am moving across the world to teach students five days a week, grade endless amounts of papers, and struggle right alongside with the students over present progressive participles. Ironically that thought brought great comfort. Not everything was going to be THAT drastically different. Kids will be kids, and I will be their teacher.
In spite of the anxiety of leaving the States the anticipation had started to wear thin. I was ready to get going and plant my feet up on the footrest of the airplane. After flying through Chicago and Dublin (I MUST go visit that country someday!!) and I was more than elated to arrive in Europe. I told a dear friend once I was “sick” of Europe, but I have spent enough time away and it felt so good to be back.
I spent my time in Switzerland having endless girl talks with my mom, sister, and one of my best friends from college, traveling to the Swiss cities Bern and Thun, having fondue with some old coworkers and my old boss, spending nights drinking litchi beer up at my favorite bar called the Top Pub (one particular night drinking A LOT of wine, grapefruit beer, and flaming sambuca shots), and going on sunny bike rides through the mountains. Most of all I spent time NOT thinking about my big move and just enjoying my family and friends.
Well, that's not exactly true. OF COURSE I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE BIG MOVE. Have you ever heard of the iceberg theory? I saw a poster at the dentist office once that explained the analogy that many people only see the tip of the iceberg, but so much more lies beneath. Eventually the time came to actually discuss and ruminate on my reasons for going. In a tearful discussion with my friend Stephanie I told her my iceberg theory of going overseas. One-tenth of the reasons revolved around the cliché answer of wanting to go on an adventure. Many other reasons lie beneath the tip of the iceberg: getting to see Christianity alive and thriving somewhere other than stoic Lutheran waves of Minnesota, experience the opportunity to teach at an elite academic school outside of America, meet expats of Western descent that want to live outside of their countries, seeing other neighboring countries and get stamps on my passport, craft my writing skills about adventures, continue the personal focus that started this past year of getting to know myself more, and finally, the chance to meet as many interesting people as possible.
All of these reasons lie beneath the tip of the iceberg.
Those reasons stuck with me on the way to the airport. After a tearful goodbye with my mom and my sister, I was off on a 22-hour flight journey. I flew from Geneva to Qatar and spent a four hour layover in Doha. I have to admit I was a bit nervous flying in that region of the world, but I was astounded to see so many nationalities in one setting! The Doha airport is very transient and I had a wonderful time sipping on iced coffee and people watching. I hopped on another place to Shanghai, then FINALLY to Korea. I felt a bit jetlagged when the representatives from my school came to pick me up. I fell in and out of sleep until we arrived in Daejeon. I had not prepared myself for culture shock at all. As I entered upon a city I immediately felt it was cross between a mini-L.A and Vegas, except everything was in Korean. Lights flickered everywhere at a frenzied pace that would whisk anyone back to Times Square. Korea has raging humidity in the summer and I was dripping with sweat as I took the elevator up to my ninth floor apartment that reeked of kimchee and who knows else.
Welcome home?!?
The first day was awful, or at least the morning was awful. I hated Korea. It was hot, sticky, and NO ONE SPOKE ENGLISH. It took us over an over to find a bank. How silly we must have looked walking around aimlessly with our guidebooks asking everyone on the street for directions. All those poor Koreans looked at us in confusion, smiled politely and bowed, but just went on their way. Kirstin, my roommate, and I looked wide-eyed in disbelief at each other. What had we done? Did we really want to do this to ourselves? Nevertheless, we made it to the bank! Somehow as the day progressed it got much better. A nap, dinner with a lovely couple from the school, two more fans put in our apartment, and a trip to the Homeplus store to buy household goods somehow made me feel much better.
We even managed to make a friend our first night! Some girl walked up to me and said in broken English “YOU ARE TALL!” For the next ten minutes Kirstin and I went back and forth with this girl named Hyun Je (not sure how to pronounce the name) and eventually exchanged email addresses with her. Our first Korean friend! She agreed to teach us Korean in exchange for some English lessons. It has put a permagrin on my face over the last few days. Slowly but surely we have managed to work our way around the city and communicate with people. We made friends with the neighbor kids that practice a kendo stick dance routine on the roof opposite our apartment. We even chatted with the pizza guy down the street and took our first taxi ride around the city!
Today is our last “free day” before school orientation starts. It has been nice to get the place in order by spending ten hours ironing clothes, watching whatever English channels we can get, and walking more around our neighborhood. I hope my pictures download properly. If not check out my facebook account. An-yangee-keseyo!!! (Goodbye in Korean!)
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