Brushing your teeth, Korea-style

Dear toothbrush users:

One would think that brushing your teeth is done the same way around the world. Koreans, however, have amused me with their odd toothbrush habits and obsession with brushing their teeth. If you find that you're becoming obsessed, perhaps you too are assimilating into the Korean culture faster than you expected!

Everyday after lunch, the bathrooms crowd with students and teachers fighting for a sink to brush their teeth. Back home, I don't think I once saw someone brush their teeth after lunch, despite dentists saying that brushing 2-3 times per day is acceptable. I guess they opt for the 3! 

Yet, why is it that so much of their toothpaste actually has sugar in it?! I don't understand. If so many Koreans believe so strongly in oral hygiene, why would they put sugar in it? A toothpaste company conspiracy to have them buying more toothpaste and scrubbing more often to deal with the cavities? Splurging at the foreign food mart is worth it when you can get your Colgate or Crest, sans sucre. 

Why am I addressing you toothbrush users today in particular? Well, I've been in 2 random conversations just today within the course of a couple hours... and both about toothbrushes: 

In one of my classes this morning, I told them to take out their pens and I was beside one student and he pulls out a toothbrush. I look at him and he looks at me for a second and we both just started laughing. It was one of those random hilarious “you gotta be there” moments. I love how students will forget to bring a pen to class, but they will NEVER forget their toothbrush. 

Then, in the afternoon, I had such a funny conversation in the hallway with an older male English teacher (I often do have odd conversations because of the language barrier). Yes, I may be a foreigner, but toothbrushes are not foreign to me. I know what a toothbrush is and yes, I know it is good to brush your teeth. 

Mr. Kang: Hello Leana! (walks up to me all the way from the end of the hallway)

Me: Hello!

Mr. Kang: Do you see this? (holds up a toothbrush)

Me: Yes…

Mr. Kang: Toothbrush. Paste.

Me: Yes (awkward smile)

Mr. Kang: You know it?

Me: Yes, toothbrush with toothpaste.

Mr. Kang: It is good, brush. Do you agree?

Me: Yes, I agree. It is healthy. It is good to brush your teeth.

Mr. Kang: You brush teeth? (brief pause) I get you a toothbrush. Come.

Me: No thank you, I have one (point upstairs).

Mr. Kang: Really?? Ok. (surprised look) Bye Leana.

Me: Have a nice day! (crack up laughing as I walk away)

And thus ends my letter to you toothbrush users. I may be a teacher, but I'm learning every day. Lessons of the day for us? 

1. Brushing your teeth is good.

2. Sugary toothpaste is not.

3. Carrying a toothbrush with me might make me look less like a foreigner here.

Until next time,

~Leana

T Minus 4 Months… and the best is yet to come!

Dear South Korea,

You have shown me and taught me a lot – about teaching, about culture, about you… Aside from teaching (which is the main reason I am here – but let’s face it, exploring a country and its culture and meeting other people is a huge part of teaching abroad!), I realized that I have done SO much since coming to Korea. Yet, there is also a ton of stuff I still want to do! Now that the warmer weather is coming, I feel like there will be a whirlwind of things for me to do and I know I need to take full advantage of my 4 last months. So, here’s a list of what I have done and what I am still hoping to do!

What I have done while in Korea:

Non-teaching:

Ø  Try lots of different Korean food (I.e. kimchi, various jjigaes, bossam, all the side dishes, dolsot bibimbap, lots of different street foods, roasted chestnuts, jujube fruit, Korean BBQ, bulgogi, ttakgalbi, etc.)

Ø  Attend the autumn Lantern Festival in Seoul

Ø  Camp and hike at Seoraksan national park/mountain

Ø  Hit it up Gangnam Style in Gangnam, Seoul

Ø  Celebrate Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving

Ø  Visit Doekjeokdo (Incheon island)

Ø  Visit Muido (Incheon island)

Ø  Go to beach parties on various beaches/islands in Korea

Ø  Hike lots of mountains

Ø  Buy a tent and go camping

Ø  See old Korean palaces

Ø  O.D. on kimchi XD

Ø  Visit Alex Ginn in Daejeon!

Ø  Go to CoEx Mall, the largest mall in Asia (with an aquarium, theatre, kimchi museum, etc.)

Ø  Explore the international district of Seoul, Itaewon and try out lots of the fun foods there

Ø  Buy fruits and veggies for myself in outdoor markets from independent vendors

Ø  Go to the Philippines for winter vacation

Ø  Do a pub crawl organized by a friend

Ø  Go to Insadong, a traditional, cultural district in Seoul with lots of tourist attractions

Ø  See the cherry blossoms bloom in the Spring – Biking in Gyeongju among the cherry blossoms and various cultural/traditional Korean sites

Ø  Visit the War Memorial Museum of Korea

Ø  Have picnics

Ø  Get drunk off of soju

Ø  Attend a (well actually 2) Korean weddings

Ø  Do an overnight home stay with a Korean family

Ø  Wear a traditional hanbok

Ø  See a live taekwondo show

Ø  Do 5 months of taekwondo lessons + get my yellow belt

Ø  Get a 3-month gym membership

Ø  See a k-pop concert

Ø  See a soccer game (or football for the non North-Americans :p)

Ø  Go skating in Seoul

Ø  Learned to snowboard (tried it for the first time!)

Ø  Went skiing (for Korean New Years)

Ø  Attend the annual Santacon – hundreds of people dressed as Santa/Mrs. Claus, singing Christmas carols in Seoul’s subways and doing a bar crawl to celebrate Christmas

Ø  See lots of Buddhist temples

Ø  Stay in a pension in the mountains for Christmas celebrations with my Incheon family

Ø  Explore traditional (preserved) Korean villages

Ø  Learn how to make some Korean dishes: Kimbap, Fishcake soup, O-ma-rice-uh, Bibimbap, Kimchi fried rice, etc.

Ø  Go to the Trick-Eye Museum (in Hongdae)

Ø  Go to norebang (karaoke) – many times!

Ø  Go to a cat café

Ø  Go to a jimjilbang (public baths where you are naked)

Ø  Go to various game bangs (rooms): wii game bang, PS3 bang, board game bang, multi-bang, dvd bang…)

Ø  Visit Chinatown in Incheon

Ø  Shop in the HUGE (and cheap!) underground markets

Ø  Get a massage (in Myeongdong)

Ø  Go to Namsan tower

Ø  Go to lots of Western (foreign) bars

Ø  Attend an apple festival and go apple-picking in an orchard

Ø  Go to the zoo (once in Daejeon and once at Seoul Grand Park)

Ø  Swim in the Incheon Sea

Ø  See Korean military on duty (e.g. at a beach on the airport island; at the top of a mountain near the North-Korean border on a hike…)

Ø  Get sick and be treated in the “Korean way” – heated ginseng drinks, flu capsules, Vitamin C crystals and tea!

Ø  Have a Korean language exchange partner

-      Learn survival Korean!

Ø  Go caving (in Chungju area)

Ø  See live Korean music

Ø  See Stars (a band from Montreal) play live in Hongdae, Seoul

Ø  Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Seoul at a St. Paddy’s Festival

In Teaching:

Ø  Teach “English Conversation and Culture”

Ø  Teach “Extensive Reading Class”

Ø  Help re-vamp the Extensive Reading class curriculum for the 2^nd years, including bringing in new (non-guided-readers) reading material that is more authentic and interesting/motivating for students, as well as more creative methods for teaching Extensive Reading.

Ø  Teach “Student Mentoring” to intermediate+ level students

Ø  Teach various adult classes: a Parents’ class, 2 English Teachers’ classes, a non-English Teachers’ class and a Book Club group

Ø  Taught a drama-lit after-school class called “Performing English Literature”

Ø  Teach 3 English camps (during winter vacation): “Step-Up to English” (beginner level), “Practical English Camp” (intermediate level) and “Interview & Essay-writing Camp” (to prepare advanced students for university and job-hunting)

Ø  Have my classes do a language-cultural exchange (via recorded video messages, skype, etc.) with Canadian students (my brother and his friends who are high school students).

Ø  Help a student having a personal crisis

Ø  Learn to co-teach effectively – learn what makes for good and what makes for poor co-teaching

Ø  Judge in an English pop song contest

Ø  Teach with no textbooks and be creative in my teaching J

Ø  Experiment and challenge myself in my teaching practice

Ø  Receive love letters, notes, gifts and compliments from students (hahaha…)

Ø  Teach 2 open classes (observational classes that are filmed and open to other teachers from my school and other schools, parents, admin, the vice-principal, etc.)

Ø  Talk to students about the education system, their experience and their opinions to begin my research into education systems around the world

Ø  Visit Songdo International School for a day and get a personal tour to learn more about international school education + make some good contacts

Ø  Develop lots of teaching material that I can use in the future too!

At the top of Seoraksan after a day of intense hiking!

T Minus 5 Months (EXACTLY) until I leave Korea… Here is what I still want to do while I’m here!

Non-teaching:

Ø  Visit Wolmi-do (Incheon island)

Ø  Visit Ganghwa-do (Incheon island) – see the ginseng fields and rice paddies

Ø  Visit Busan!!

Ø  Explore and camp on Jeju-do, the southern, subtropical island of South Korea

Ø  See the volcanoes (on Jeju)

Ø  See bizarre museums and parks (I.e. Dinosaur Park, the Teddy Bear museum and the Sex museum on Jeju)

Ø  Do (and map out) a street food adventure to explore the best street food in Seoul

Ø  Explore Dongincheon fish market and eat fresh fish at a restaurant there

Ø  Got to the world-renowned, annual Boryeong Mud Festival

Ø  Do a temple stay with Buddhist monks for a weekend

Ø  Visit Seoul’s flea markets (I.e. Hongdae’s flea market, the Philippino market, etc.)

Ø  Go to music festivals, like World DJ Fest! (May 17-19)

Ø  See a baseball game

Ø  Visit the DMZ (de-miliatarized zone at the South Korean-North Korean border)

Ø  Buy and eat watermelon in Gwangju

Ø  Go to a dog café and a sheep café

Ø  Opt for the typical Korean convenience-store patio “bar” over a regular bar one night

Ø  Learn to make a couple types of jjigae (Korean stew) and the base for different soups and stews

Ø  Have a rooftop party on top of an apartment building

Ø  Visit the National Museum of Korea

Ø  Visit the Education Museum of Korea

Ø  See the Botanical Gardens

Ø  Experience and survive (hehe) a Korean monsoon (or heavy rain), which their summers/rainy season is notorious for.

Ø  Visit the notorious Dokdo (maybe!) – A controversial topic - Is it Japanese or Korean?

Ø  Go to Tokyo, Japan for summer vacation!

Ø  Pay it forward to the next teacher here, like the teacher before me did J

In Teaching:

Ø  Do a unit about cultural definitions of beauty and have my students question and challenge their own beliefs about what beauty is and its importance

Ø  Create a pen pal program with my student mentoring class

Ø  Teach Creative Arts in English as an English immersion program (after-school and also maybe as a summer camp)

Ø  Lead and score English speaking exams

Ø  Do various informal interviews with Korean students and teachers as well as other expat teachers; Also, take videos, pictures, research, field notes, etc. to learn as much as I can about the Korean education system

Ø  Visit at least one other public school and perhaps even a hagwon

Ø  Create a master file of useful ESL teaching material (my own as well as borrowed) for myself and for whoever comes to Buheung High School after me

-      Also, load up some of my favourite lessons and teaching material that I have created onto Waygook.org

Ø  Continue to challenge myself and grow as a teacher

I’m sure there are still more things that I could add to my list! I can’t wait to see what the next 4 months have in store for you and I, Korea.

Yours truly,

~Leana Banana 

How Koreans Tie the Knot: White dresses, Hanboks and Big “Bali Bali” Buffets

Dear all the missus-es:

The cherry blossoms are in bloom, I heard birds this morning for the first time in months and I no longer need to turn my heat on... Springtime FINALLY seems to have arrived. And with it? A whole slew of weddings in Korea.  In fact, I’ve been invited to a few already! Even though I attended a Korean wedding in the fall, I only got to experience the post-ceremony wedding photos and the buffet lunch afterwards. This past Saturday though, I got to see my first Korean wedding ceremony. I had a vague idea of what to expect beforehand, but now that I’ve been to two weddings, I thought I’d share with you how Koreans tie the knot!

The first wedding I went to in the fall was for a bride and groom that I did not know – I only knew the bride’s aunt (and her aunt’s family) - the family with whom I did my Home Stay program with in October. They were so kind to invite me along so that I could experience a Korean wedding.  

The wedding this past Saturday however, was for a bride who I know quite well – a Korean English teacher who works at the same school as me. Noori was absolutely gorgeous in her white and sequined strapless gown. When guests arrive at a Korean wedding, they greet the bride and may take a photo with her, so I went to say hello and congratulate her. Just for this day, I learned how to say “You look beautiful!” – “Nomu ye-bo-yo!”

Noori walking down the aisle and laughing at me taking a picture of her! SO beautiful!

The ceremony began at 2pm and I said hello to a group of teachers from my school and a bench full of high school students invited by Noori.  By a wonderful coincidence, I happened to sit down next to a Korean teacher who teaches English and speaks very fluently – with an interesting mix of a British, American and Australian accent.  Even though it was all in Korean, she gave me a play-by-play update of the wedding ceremony. Being a Protestant ceremony, it was 40 minutes, a little longer than I am used to, but I noticed that the ceremony is almost identical to Western-style ceremonies with a priest. The father walking the daughter down the aisle, the bible scripture, the vows... however, one different thing was that the mothers wore their hanboks and sat at the front as witnesses.

They also did the traditional “cutting of the wedding cake” right in front of everyone after the signing of their names. To end off the ceremony, there were two musical performances: a couple sang a serenade for them and then... *drumroll* Noori’s homeroom class performed a k-pop love song medley with dance moves. It was such a sweet thing for them to do and I know they rehearsed a lot. The bride was definitely tearing up by the end!

Following the ceremony, there was a photo-taking session with anyone who wanted to be in pictures with the bride and groom. I can’t even fathom a guess at how many photos they must have been in. Weddings (W) = a time for lots of pictures AND Koreans (K) love taking photos; therefore, according to my basic mathematical skills and the following formula whereW(P) + K(P) =  X, X must be a very large number of photos (P)!

Most guests, including me, went downstairs to the buffet hall at 3pm to get lunch. In order to enter, you must present a buffet ticket, which you essentially “buy” beforehand. Instead of wedding presents, in Korea, you give an envelope with money that is really like paying for your meal.  In my opinion, it’s not very personal and not as kind of a gesture as the gift-giving at western weddings and wedding showers, but I suppose it must really help the families afford the wedding. The minimum amount people give is usually 25,000 won (under $25), but if you know the families better, then upwards of $50 or even $100 per person is given. It was worth it though! It was a massive buffet with food ranging from Korean to Japanese to Italian to American-style pizza and steak. I finally tried the sweet Korean rice drink and it was very tasty – why did I wait so long to try it? I think I ate enough for 2 or 3 meals, but I don’t care! I skipped dinner later because I was still so full!  During the buffet, similar to at a western-style dinner reception, there were a couple of speeches (although it lasted only about 2 minutes at each of the Korean weddings I attended) and then the bride and groom walk around the tables to greet and thank everybody. The difference though, is that they change from their western-style dress and wear traditional Korean hanboks. Here is a picture of me with the bride and groom in their hanboks!

So, you ask, was there music and dancing all night long? Unfortunately... no. Koreans seem to have a “bali bali” (meaning go-go-go/rush all-the-time) lifestyle that doesn’t even take a hiatus or siesta for such an important event as a wedding. Like a conveyor belt, the wedding halls pump out multiple weddings and buffet lunches per day, so by 5pm, within 2 hours of the ceremony ending, everyone had left the buffet hall and was on their merry way, their cameras and bellies equally full.

In terms of other similarities and differences, I also learned that most Koreans take honeymoons, just like many western newlyweds. Additionally, the night of their wedding, they generally go to a hotel and the following day they officially move into a new home together, which they spend the months before preparing and decorating.  Traditionally, it is the groom’s family who pays for the house or begins the payment, whereas the bride’s family prepares the interior of the house, decorating and buying all the appliances and furniture.  Before the wedding, there are also some differences. Bridal showers are generally nonexistent, however often there are get-togethers of some sort, and I believe they are slowly becoming more common.  And don’t even think about bachelorette or bachelor parties – I’ve asked several Koreans, and these are even rarer. Perhaps the risqué side to this culturally western tradition, especially as portrayed in movies, is what has inhibited its popularity.  I would sure bet the movie, “The Hangover” didn’t do well to encourage this aspect of western culture in Korea!

So, the verdict on which style of wedding I prefer? Despite having delicious food and an entertaining ceremony, Korean weddings just aren’t quite as fun as Western-style ones.  To me, a wedding just doesn’t seem like a wedding if you don’t have the big reception. Bring on the music, dancing, drinking and friends, am I right? Isn’t it supposed to be the biggest party of your life? 

Korean Bangs (“bongs”) – Rooms with a twist!

Dear Korean bang (“bong”):

It has been my pleasure to visit you on several occasions, and a variety of you too, at that. You’ve provided me with everything from belting out karaoke tunes to bathing with naked Korean women in hot, relaxing ginseng baths to playing video games with an unlimited supply of ice-cream. What more do I need from life? 

Sure, you sound regular - “Bang” translated is simply “room”. But you’re more than that. You’re a room with a twist.

Korea is home to a multitude of types of “bangs”: Jimjilbangs, game-bangs, PC-, norebangs, DVD-bangs, multi-bangs and so on.

Here’s a rough guide, because seriously “Bangs”, you confuse us foreigners.

1)      Jimjilbang: These are public bath houses where you ... *take a deep breath and just accept it*  are naked.  You separate the men and women of course, but this culture is just so different from many western cultures that it can take some getting used to. However, soon us foreigners become experts, strutting around in our birthday suits like we were born here too. Jimjilbangs are full of a variety of saunas, baths of differing temperatures and differing minerals (such as ginseng), mineral stone beds and aromatherapy rooms. It is definitely invigorating to go between the hot and cold baths. Massages are also available for extra money, as are other spa services. Despite being nervous the first time because I’ve never experienced a culture so comfortable with being naked in front of people of the same-sex, I wasn’t scared off completely by it. Nobody was gawking at me as I walked in, as I had feared they would. Everybody just went about their own business, enjoying the baths. Many Koreans actually don’t shave the nether-regions, so us foreigners really don’t need to feel embarrassed by anything! A lot of the women actually used the time to socialize with the friends they came with whilst bathing, which seemed a tad odd at first, but it’s all part of the culture and what they’re used to. I believe there are some jimjilbangs that cost as little as 6,000 won, but I’ve only been to the one in Yongsan, in Seoul (one of the most famous jimjilbangs – it actually reminded me of Vegas with its eccentric decor) and it cost about 12,000 won. This is still a steal though, if you think about it, especially if you choose to sleep there overnight! Just be warned, maybe bring an extra pillow or blanket because sometimes what they provide isn’t comfy enough to get a decent sleep. I’ve been twice so far to you and I’ll definitely come back!

2)      Game-bang: These have private rooms, often separated with a curtain, where you can play video games and/or board games. I’ve been to two different wii-bangs in Bupyeong on Culture street (about 4 times total!) as well as a PS3-bang once in Bupyeong, where I played FIFA. I’ve also tried one with only board games in Seoul that was not as much fun, simply because there wasn’t a good selection of games in English. Game-bangs often provide customers with a free drink or sometimes unlimited drinks and snacks, depending where you go.  They cost anywhere from 3,000-10,000 won (with most I’ve seen being around 4,000 won) and that usually covers 1, 1 and a half, or 2 hours of playing time. Great for a chill night with friends!

3)      PC-bang: I’ve tried a PC bang once, but just like I had been warned, it was a little smokey and dark, and not the type of place I wanted to spend a lot of time.  These are not what you want if you’re looking for a “cute” internet cafe. The computers were very nice though and the internet was much faster than the 3G on my phone! And it was quite cheap – 1,000 or 2,000 for an hour, which passes by fast when there are no windows or clocks (casino vibe perhaps?) It was full of Korean boys and men either hardcore-gaming around the clock or surfing the internet, laughing loudly at their screens in annoying outbursts. Will I go back to you, PC-bang? Probably not... unless my laptop decides to quit on me *knock on wood*!

4)      DVD-bang: The name is self-explanatory – come here to watch a dvd in a little private room, often equipped with a couch and pillows or sometimes even a bed. It cost around 12,000 won for the one I went to (so 6,000 each if you go with 1 other person). These are notoriously known for being a place young Korean people go with their boyfriends/girlfriends for “alone time” (because of strict cultural taboos in unmarried couples). Not sure how much of the movies they actually watch...! I HAD to check it out once because of my undying cultural curiosity. The English movie selection was just ok, slightly lacking, but I settled on a horror film and got comfy! However, it was slightly disturbing to see a garbage can with a box of tissues beside it... erm.

5)      Norebang: Pronounced “no-ray-bong”, this is probably the most entertaining and the most popular of all the “bangs”. Translated literally, it means “singing room”, which you know better as “karaoke”.  They are literally everywhere. Koreans are CRAZY about norebang and it is one of their most common night pastimes. An average night out involves dinner out and/or a hof-style bar, other bars or a club where Koreans get mighty drunk off of soju, followed by a singing session at a norebang. The rooms are private and soundproofed, so no need to be embarrassed in public – only in front of your friends (or co-workers, if your school tends to invite you along, as is pretty common in Korean schools). They range in cost, often 5,000-15,000 won per hour, depending on how classy the place is. Sometimes they give you complimentary snacks or a drink too. My warning? Don’t go if you have a headache – the booming karaoke can be a lot when you have a room full of drunk people singing! You are definitely worth a visit (or a lot of visits!) while in Korea!

6)      Multi-bang: Just like it sounds, this type of “bang” has multiple things to keep you busy. I also had unlimited drinks and snacks with my friends – even ice-cream! I visited you in Daejeon and although my friends and I only used the wii, you also had board games, dvds and karaoke. No hot baths though. Sheesh. Way to fail on being 100% multi-bang! :p

Anyway, I’m off to my own “bang” – bedtime for me! Thanks for all the memories. Until next time, “Bang”,

Yours truly,

~Leana

North Korea? Who? – A Normal Waygook-ing Wednesday

Dear family and friends back home:

Thank you for being so concerned and checking up on me the past couple of weeks :) But pleeeaaaase, don’t panic! The South Koreans certainly aren’t! Life is going on normally. The streets of Seoul are still bustling with Koreans and tourists and DMZ tours at the SK-NK border are still being scheduled. The stop light on my way to school still turns to the walk signal at precisely 8:15am, the ajumma on my street is still selling her delicious-smelling fish-shaped red bean cakes and the Paris Baguette owner still chimes in with a friendly “An-nyong-ha-se-yo!” when I walk in. And of course, I haven’t abandoned the school full of students. English classes are going on as normal. This week’s Conversation & Culture class? Konglish in Korea: The incorrect, bizarre and funny.  

Yet, staying informed is always important in my books, so now my daily routine involves a look at the latest news online. I try to mix it up – look at the Korean news, the BBC, American news, CBC… The differences in how the portray the situation can be quite amusing. Here’s a sampling – a video from US media today that discusses how NK has officially shut down the industrial park that links the two Koreas economically at the border: 

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50144533n

While it does seem like it is a little more serious than it has been in the past, the Koreans I talk to are still not worrying, especially the Koreans in their 20’s and up who have lived through these NK threats countless times as part of a plan to "intimidate" the south.  Some younger ones, such as the first year high school students (about grade 10) that I teach, are less "blasé" about it though because they are younger and haven't lived to see all the threats in the past half century.  This past week, when asking them if they felt worried at all, some said not at all, some said they don’t follow the news and some said they feel just a little worried because it seems a little more serious than in the past.

As in the past, NK is making a variety of threats – verbal throw-up and insults, threats to test missiles, threats to end economic ties, threats to launch nuclear missiles… It is all because they want the UN to lift sanctions and because they want monetary aid from the international community - most people don't believe they would actually wage full-out war.  This latest morsel of news (that was quite blown up and sensationalized by the international community yesterday) is that NK has warned foreigners to leave SK because it is unsafe, threatening that a war could begin as early as… today? The most plausible reason behind this is the economic downfall that would transpire from such a collapse of the tourism industry and expat working community.  Of course NK doesn’t care about the foreigners – they want economic aid from SK and other countries. Here is an article from CBC about this: 

North Korea urges foreigners to leave South Korea

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/09/north-korea-warning-evacuation-tensions.html

Part of the logic in the “lack of panic” in SK is that South Koreans know North Korea won't use a nuclear weapon on South Korea because that would also greatly affect North Korea (being neighbours) - if they do any small attacks (IF), it would probably be smaller scale and at the American military base. In that case, I would not be affected and could quickly head south if need be (from Incheon there are buses and whatnot, so you wouldn't even need to go through Seoul). If anyone has to worry, it's the USA (and southern Canada) in my opinion. If NK uses their nuclear weapons it would most likely be against the US... If this is naïve, I welcome any and all comments – like I said, I’m trying to stay informed, so if you have other opinions, I’d love to hear them!

And yea, the media sensationalizes things a lot... but yes, I am thinking about it, watching/reading the news every day and staying informed. 

I don't want you to worry about me (I know, easier said than done), but maybe if you watch this video, your mind will be a little more at ease J :

High Tensions on the Korean Peninsula:

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3727471.htm

On a final note, you may find this interesting to contrast the two Koreas and put them into perspective:  

Taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/datablog/2013/apr/08/south-korea-v-north-korea-compared

Just another day - Happy Hump Day!

~Leana

Dear Buheung High School:

I’ve survived my first month of the new school year with you! It may seem odd to westerners how the students enter a new grade at the beginning of March, instead of September, but I suppose it does make a lot of sense since 2013 is still fresh and February was the Lunar New Year.

Walking into you (*the school – haha this letter-writing perspective can make for a bizarre read*) that first week back and seeing all the new first year high schoolers (like grade 10s in Canada) gasping in awe and excitedly running up to me to say hello to the “waygook” teacher is nothing short of amusing. I felt like a celebrity all over again. Want to feel beautiful? Want a pick-me up? I walk through your halls and will receive everything from low bows, to cheerful waves and grins, gifts of Korean candies and endless compliments about how beautiful my hair, skin, eyes and even nose are! One boy bowed so low the other day that he almost fell over. And one other boy came right up to my face, his eyes staring deep into mine and used what little English he knows… “Woowww, Teacher, beautiful eyes”.  

Despite having been here for 6 months (halfway mark in Korea!!) at the beginning of this new school year and having already become comfortable at my school, there have been many changes that have made 2013 new and exciting. I’m now teaching an Extensive Reading class for second years. I was skeptical at first about it (why have a native English teacher teach reading, not speaking, when a Korean teacher can do it well?), then excited (about the opportunity of making changes in the reading material to include things other than boring and tedious graded readers), then brought back down again when the realities of the Korean testing system made me realize it may be impossible for me to do everything I want to do in this class… It has been an interesting journey and learning curve. Needless to say, I am enjoying it more than I expected and many of the students, especially the girls’ classes, have impressed me. But, ah, the other teachers assure me nervously that “their English is very low… lower than in other high schools… what do you think?”  I think they need to read authentic English. I think they need to be exposed to English that will actually make them interested in English. I think they need to enjoy it. How else will they even want to put any effort in? I showed them a variety of places they can find and read English: some blogs, social-networking sites, funny English signs, ads, menus and t-shirts, horoscopes, newspapers, personal/love ads, song lyrics, gamebooks, comics, magazines… the list goes on! And I definitely succeeded in hooking a lot of them! Then of course I hear the bomb AFTER being told I can use these other “authentic” and “fun” materials. The graded readers are easier (in terms of vocabulary), easier for assessment and seem to be of a more “elite” status in preparing them for the notorious Korean exams. I may be slightly bitter about it, but I’m determined to find a way to slip some of this into the curriculum whenever possible. Rawwr! I shall!

In addition to this change, I’ve also been teaching 2 after-school first-year Conversation & Culture classes. These kids make me excited to teach them. Their personalities, participation and enthusiasm, despite being a low level in English make me want to try hard for them. My Conversation & Culture classes with the second years are much different. I know all the students already, so we’ve already got a connection going and they understand how I teach. This year they are making country teams/groups and even more than ever, I’m infusing culture and global education into my curriculum.  No textbook for my class – no problem! I think I actually prefer creating everything from scratch and challenging myself to meet their needs, what I think they should learn and what they want to learn. There are always challenges with the apathetic students, the sleepers and the talkers in these classes (I’ll post you a letter about this later), but I feel like they’ve improved immensely since last year. Or maybe I’m also improving too? :p I’d like to hope so! My student mentoring classes are also very rewarding. These students are more advanced in English compared to the rest of their grade and they’ve been picked by their homeroom teachers to join my class for an extra challenge and to cater to them more.  I have the 15 of us sit in a circle around some desks and we have an intimate, comfortable space. I find these classes allow me to experiment with my teaching methods and activities and have made me realize what I wish education in schools would become. This new school year has been busier, but somehow I also feel happier. I feel more invested and more connected to you and your students. They’ve become MY students too.

What makes teaching here at your school so interesting is the variety of classes that I teach. I get to teach adults too: Two English Teachers’ classes, a Non-English Teachers’ class and a Parents’ class. In this latter one, there were 8 moms that came to this week’s class and all are at different levels (which makes it difficult), but we have a nice, comfortable conversation class and laugh a lot! Each week, one person brings a snack for everyone and I provide the tea/coffee!

I’ve wanted to post about my teaching experiences for quite some time now. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I’ve learned a lot about the Korean education system from being with you, Buheung. And there’s still a lot I have yet to learn. I’ll “mail” you some more letters soon.

TGIF!

Signing off,

~Leana