I
wanted to write a blog about my weekend in Gangneung and the
orientation I attended Monday through Wednesday, but I checked my email
first. In talking to Michelle I summed up everything that I had really
wanted to say about each of them, sooo here is the excerpt (because I'm
lazy and it doesn't make sense to write the same things twice):
"Over
the weekend I went to the east side of
Korea for a wedding. It was beautiful! It was right on the east sea,
and there was an entire street along the shore of coffee shops! The air
was clean, you could actually see into the distance... And all of the
cherry blossoms and other flowers are in bloom right now. Even the city
is beautiful. I had just met the bride that day- she went to school in
Australia with my friend Sio. She and her now husband were so
accommodating! After the ceremonies and a little nap, they spent more of
the day with us. They took such good care of us! They are lovely people
and definitely new good friends.
She made me want to become someone like her, who could just so easily
make others feel welcome.
"I was only back in Bucheon for a night before I
left again Monday morning to go to orientation. It, too, was out of the
city. Although, this place was in a valley. We listened to many
lectures, some of which were absolutely hilarious! One speaker was an
Australian and in his introduction he hit every stereotype of the
attendees. Oh, I was laughing so hard that I was crying! And then when
talking to a girl from England, he mentioned how every British person
always seems to apologize in their manners or way of speaking when they
meet an Australian. Hahaha, he offered her the microphone and said,
"Colonize this." I was crying again. I met a few other teachers there
and learned a few different methods I would like to put into my classes.
I just got back into Bucheon today."
The
orientation was helpful! In spite of all the complaints that it should
have happened sooner, I don't think it will be too difficult to
integrate the new methods, videos, and general knowledge into the
curriculum. We stayed at Hanhwa Resort in Yangpyeon. It was pretty nice.
The food was awesome! Oh, I love food. In the class we attended on
motivating your students by using what motivates us, I came to terms
with the fact that food is a definite motivator for me. But regarding my
students, I think I'll stick to my other types of motivation. I would
say that the orientation was helpful and worthwhile.
I
do really want to go back to Gangneung, though. It was absolutely
beautiful! The trip isn't too bad, either. It's about a 3.5 hour bus
ride, but we stop halfway to use the restrooms and get snacks. :)
I have pictures from each place on my phone, and I will add them in sometime soon!
Ta ta~
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Cute Students and New Adventures
Hahaha, okay. Before I begin, I would like to tell a quick story about what happened a moment ago. I was walking back from lunch with a group of 6th grade boys when one of them says, "Kaitlin teacher is cute." I would like to note that I look like one of my third graders today, so I considered that fair play. Another one goes, "Beautiful woman!" after all of the ooh-ing from the rest of them. Here comes the reason why I'm telling this story. Then they begin to hum Ave Maria. Haha, I almost died! Since when did 6th grade boys know Ave Maria? And when was it related to beauty? :)
Today has been wonderful. My third graders were putting their hands up to mine and then interlocking their fingers, so I said, "high-five!" so that we could move away from this cosmic palm-touching and onto something more active and fun. Ha, but then again I also like high-fives as much as they do, so I'm sure that is the real reason.
I guess you could say that this has been a pretty good week! I went to a piano concert with a friend on Wednesday in Seoul. Her performance was fantastic. I always find myself being pulled into the music, and then into my own head, when I listen to something that really moves me. I think of an idea or two for paintings, and do a little soul-searching. It was like listening to a few of A Silver Mt. Zion's songs, except that this was live and not only could you listen to the music and think, Ah, I know that feeling, but you could also see her facial expressions as she played. It was truly inspiring.
Yesterday I went to 노량진 (Noryangjin) with the 6th grade teachers. It houses a famed fresh fish market with more fish and funny-looking things than I had ever seen in one place before then. They picked out three types of fish that were cut sashimi style (raw, about 1/4" thick, 1" in width, and 1 1/2"-3" long) as well as some shrimp (head and everything). We went upstairs to enjoy the food we had picked out. The raw fish was wonderful! I even liked the shrimp, which was cooked. I was surprised, though, that it didn't bother me to take off its head. We ate the fish with soy sauce and wasabi. I would love to do it again! We then moseyed to a bar that had cream beer. It was delightful! It almost tasted like cream soda... That is something that I would definitely want to have again.
It was a really nice day. We got off in 여의도 (Yeouido), where the cherry blossom festival was held last week, before grabbing a taxi to the fish market and the trees were in bloom! The first time I saw these trees made me realize how much I really do love Korea. When I told my co-teacher at dinner last night that I could see myself here for another year, she said that I should renew my contract with the school, then. Which really meant a lot! And I am terribly fond of the students and teachers I have been lucky enough to get to know. It seriously feels like every day is a reminder of how fortunate I am with my location. When we were eating the shrimp, I was being really meticulous and slow about peeling them and so one of the teachers peeled one for me. It's not a huge gesture and the others say that she is the most motherly of them, but it still made me feel really good. :)
And the feeling won't stop, I'm sure, at least any time soon. This weekend I am going east into the country with a friend for a wedding. A woman she knew growing up is Korean and is marrying a Korean man, so they are getting married here. I'm really excited to watch/be a part of it! But again, this is something I'm sure I will write about in retrospect.
Thank you all for reading. It means a lot to me!
Today has been wonderful. My third graders were putting their hands up to mine and then interlocking their fingers, so I said, "high-five!" so that we could move away from this cosmic palm-touching and onto something more active and fun. Ha, but then again I also like high-fives as much as they do, so I'm sure that is the real reason.
I guess you could say that this has been a pretty good week! I went to a piano concert with a friend on Wednesday in Seoul. Her performance was fantastic. I always find myself being pulled into the music, and then into my own head, when I listen to something that really moves me. I think of an idea or two for paintings, and do a little soul-searching. It was like listening to a few of A Silver Mt. Zion's songs, except that this was live and not only could you listen to the music and think, Ah, I know that feeling, but you could also see her facial expressions as she played. It was truly inspiring.
Yesterday I went to 노량진 (Noryangjin) with the 6th grade teachers. It houses a famed fresh fish market with more fish and funny-looking things than I had ever seen in one place before then. They picked out three types of fish that were cut sashimi style (raw, about 1/4" thick, 1" in width, and 1 1/2"-3" long) as well as some shrimp (head and everything). We went upstairs to enjoy the food we had picked out. The raw fish was wonderful! I even liked the shrimp, which was cooked. I was surprised, though, that it didn't bother me to take off its head. We ate the fish with soy sauce and wasabi. I would love to do it again! We then moseyed to a bar that had cream beer. It was delightful! It almost tasted like cream soda... That is something that I would definitely want to have again.
It was a really nice day. We got off in 여의도 (Yeouido), where the cherry blossom festival was held last week, before grabbing a taxi to the fish market and the trees were in bloom! The first time I saw these trees made me realize how much I really do love Korea. When I told my co-teacher at dinner last night that I could see myself here for another year, she said that I should renew my contract with the school, then. Which really meant a lot! And I am terribly fond of the students and teachers I have been lucky enough to get to know. It seriously feels like every day is a reminder of how fortunate I am with my location. When we were eating the shrimp, I was being really meticulous and slow about peeling them and so one of the teachers peeled one for me. It's not a huge gesture and the others say that she is the most motherly of them, but it still made me feel really good. :)
And the feeling won't stop, I'm sure, at least any time soon. This weekend I am going east into the country with a friend for a wedding. A woman she knew growing up is Korean and is marrying a Korean man, so they are getting married here. I'm really excited to watch/be a part of it! But again, this is something I'm sure I will write about in retrospect.
Thank you all for reading. It means a lot to me!
Monday, April 16, 2012
안녕~
So here we are again, haha.
This past weekend I ventured into Seoul with thousands of others to see the cherry blossoms. Sadly, the weather has held onto its last bit of winter air for longer than normal so the flowers haven't really bloomed. We saw several trees that were showing half of their blossoms, but a great deal of trees have yet to bloom. The general consensus is that they will be here in another week or so. I thought it was a rather romantic trait, though, that spring here comes with the flowers... And not just the cherry blossoms! Small yellow ones that I cannot remember the name of right now, and trees that give large white or purple/pink flowers. And then there are always the ones planted into the soil in gardens to see, too!
Before the flower festival in Yeouido, a friend and I went to the Seoul Museum of Art around City Hall in Seoul. Their 2011 acquisitions were really great! I was drawn into some of the paintings to the point of leaning as far as I could over those little lines on the floor that you're supposed to stand behind. It felt wonderful to be there. I don't think that I could properly articulate the sense of self and satisfaction, along with the inspiration, that that museum was able to give to me. There were also a lot of great installations on the second and third floors. I regret not taking down the names of the artists, but I was just so enamored that I forgot I had pen and paper, haha.
For a change of pace... This blog has largely become past-tense since my coming to Korea, but I will be going to a wedding with a friend this weekend! It is out in the country so we'll stay there for the whole weekend. I'm so excited! I can't wait to take a bunch of photographs. I have really been jonesing for some woodland inspiration. I need backdrops for these drawings in my head. I haven't done any on the toned paper I bought yet, but I've done a few sketches...
I am also going to a fish market to eat raw fish with some of my co-workers on Wednesday! That should be interesting... :) I'm also really excited for that. So much is happening this week! Tomorrow, too, I am going to a show with a friend that I am expecting to be beautiful. I know this is all a bit vague, but I'm getting good at past-tense, and I'm sure I'll want to fill in the details once it happens.
Last note- COSTCO. It exists and it is wonderful. Unlike the dull, sullen Costco stores in North America, the Costco stores here sell cheese you can find nowhere else, have carts that take two people to push, offer samples of dumdum suckers and mentos, and sell booze. And then everything else is basically the same. But it still almost feels like Christmas.
Till next time :)
This past weekend I ventured into Seoul with thousands of others to see the cherry blossoms. Sadly, the weather has held onto its last bit of winter air for longer than normal so the flowers haven't really bloomed. We saw several trees that were showing half of their blossoms, but a great deal of trees have yet to bloom. The general consensus is that they will be here in another week or so. I thought it was a rather romantic trait, though, that spring here comes with the flowers... And not just the cherry blossoms! Small yellow ones that I cannot remember the name of right now, and trees that give large white or purple/pink flowers. And then there are always the ones planted into the soil in gardens to see, too!
Before the flower festival in Yeouido, a friend and I went to the Seoul Museum of Art around City Hall in Seoul. Their 2011 acquisitions were really great! I was drawn into some of the paintings to the point of leaning as far as I could over those little lines on the floor that you're supposed to stand behind. It felt wonderful to be there. I don't think that I could properly articulate the sense of self and satisfaction, along with the inspiration, that that museum was able to give to me. There were also a lot of great installations on the second and third floors. I regret not taking down the names of the artists, but I was just so enamored that I forgot I had pen and paper, haha.
For a change of pace... This blog has largely become past-tense since my coming to Korea, but I will be going to a wedding with a friend this weekend! It is out in the country so we'll stay there for the whole weekend. I'm so excited! I can't wait to take a bunch of photographs. I have really been jonesing for some woodland inspiration. I need backdrops for these drawings in my head. I haven't done any on the toned paper I bought yet, but I've done a few sketches...
I am also going to a fish market to eat raw fish with some of my co-workers on Wednesday! That should be interesting... :) I'm also really excited for that. So much is happening this week! Tomorrow, too, I am going to a show with a friend that I am expecting to be beautiful. I know this is all a bit vague, but I'm getting good at past-tense, and I'm sure I'll want to fill in the details once it happens.
Last note- COSTCO. It exists and it is wonderful. Unlike the dull, sullen Costco stores in North America, the Costco stores here sell cheese you can find nowhere else, have carts that take two people to push, offer samples of dumdum suckers and mentos, and sell booze. And then everything else is basically the same. But it still almost feels like Christmas.
Till next time :)
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