Carrie's Parents Come to Seoul

Carrie's parents at JJ Don Don.

Jongno Beers

Enjoying a beer in Jongno.... are we seeing a theme here?

Insadong Parade

If you missed this one... wait 5 minutes!

Pour me a cold one, Darryl.

Slips of the Tongue

I hear so much bad English that bad English sometimes metamorphoses into good English, and very rarely bad English is so bad that it turns into good bad English, or naughty English. These are the times that I laugh hysterically and my class looks at me like the crazy waygook that cackles on for no reason.*

I will update this as they role in, but two are popping into my head right now.

1) Cue James who has a low understanding of English. He likes the verb "to be" although he always uses the form "is". If he were to tell you his favorite verb is "to be" he would probably say, "James is 'to be'." He would also look at you after saying this with a very proud look on his face like he just discovered plutonium.

Anyways, James can read so he has something going for him. He can read and retain for 5 minutes or so, so I usually have him and his classmates memorize a dialogue and present it to the class. James has partnered with one of the many Kevins. Today's lesson: jobs.

James: Who is that man?
Kevin #24601: He's my father.
James: What does he do?
Kevin #24601: Guess. He grows vegetables everyday.
James: Aha! He's a fruit.
Kevin #24601: Bingo!

I laugh because James has that look on his face like he just discovered the new world. I say, "farmer James, it should be farmer."

2) This one was hilarious the first time I heard it, but now I spearhead the problem because so many kids make the same mistake with this book. I just can't hear the innocent 8 year-olds say it anymore.

The storybook is designed for early phonics reading and has repetitive text throughout the book. Most of the kids can sound out the words if they really try, but usually just resort to looking at the picture to figure out what the words say. The book is called "Where are you going?" and it repeats ad nauseum, "I'm going to the ... where I can ..." About halfway through the book the little storybook girl heads into the barn where she can blow a horn. Unfortunately, there's a horse in the picture, and "horn" and "horse" are phonetically very close, especially
for these little EFLers. I laughed the first few times, but now I just feel dirty.

More to come.

*note: this look is very similar to the normal crazy waygook look except for a slight tilt of the head and an unblinking silence

Cryin'

In my short time teaching, I have had my share of cryers. Sometimes it seems for no reason they are suddenly crying. One minute I am teaching the short vowel I, and everyone's happy, and when I move to O and turn around, someone is crying. But I had never had a bawler, that is, until today.

I had an especially difficult class today that has been progressively slipping from my grasp. They are tumbling down to the depths of insubordination. I can't get them to do anything. So today I went to class with a new approach: friendliness. It didn't take me long, however, to find out this wasn't going to work. The first sign was that they wouldn't even sit down next to each other.

As much as they dislike me, they hate each other. Brian hates Cosmo, Cosmo hates Jonny, Jonny hates Cosmo, Michael Jr. hates Jonny and everyone hates Brian. This makes seating arrangements in my class of four difficult. Today it came to a head. After saintly help from my Korean teacher and my director I had the class sitting and, to some extent, studying. Then disaster struck.

Brian had been taking jibes at Cosmo all day and now Cosmo was crying. What was I to do? I stood up for Cosmo and told Brian (the bully) that I was going to contact his parents. Tick, Tick, Tick......... BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRINNNNNGGGGG. The bomb went off! I haven't heard whaling like that since I wasn't allowed to see Police Academy 6 in the theatres when I was 9 years old. It was like I just set off a nuclear meltdown; I didn't know what to do! I felt like yelling, "there's no crying in baseball!" I was out of my element.

No harm though, if I have learned anything, it is that kids seem to bounce back pretty quickly from just about anything. It's me that hangs on or holds grudges. I am sure tomorrow they will have forgotten about it and will be back to their old selves: monsters.

"A farmer learns more from a bad harvest than a good one." - Chinese Proverb

Lotus Flower Equals Asia

Lotus flower outside a temple in Seoul.

Inside the Buddhist Tenple's gardens there were many beautiful scenes, including this one captured by Carrie's cute camera.

Temple in the City

Carrie and I went to an old Geisha house that is now a Buddhist temple. It was an excellent getaway while remaining in the city. Again, Carrie had to drag me out, but I am glad she did. I just need a little encouragement.

One Nation, Two Countries

If I have learned anything over my months here in Korea, it is this truism: Korea is a land that lives in tragedy all the time. Koreans live in a gentle sorrow which is relentless. This became more real to me on my recent tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which arbitrarily separates this pennisula.

Imagine your neighbourhood being sliced in two. On one side is you and perhaps, if you are lucky, a few family members. On the other side are the rest of your friends and family. For political reasons, you can not speak to them, visit them, or communicate to them in any way. Not only this, but you would not even know if they are alive. This is the situation many Koreans live with every day.

Before I went to the DMZ, I knew the facts. I knew that Koreans were a single race people, that they have very strong family bonds and track their heritage back generations, and that the armistice line is arbitrary, but putting these things together in a meaningful way never came to me. But now it has.

As I looked out the window of the Joint Security Area (JSA) meeting room at a North Korean People's Army soldier standing almost shoulder to shoulder with his bretheren, the Republic of Korea soldier, I realized that the two men speak the same language, have the same heritage, and could possibly be cousins or decendents of a common ancestor. I also caught a small glimse of the real tragedy on this pennisula and the wounds they must feel.

JSA Meeting Room

In the JSA meeting room. A few North Korean officers took some interest in us tourists and had a peek in. The man standing at the end of the table is a South Korean soldier standing in the ready position. Outside were 3 North Korean soldiers and 2 South Korean soldiers. 

The Crew

This is the crew at the school. This was the last day for Joy and Jin. They were on their way and I say, "Good luck!"

Seoulful Canada Day

Canada Day in Seoul, June 27, 2004. Good times. I had a water balloon throwing contest with my partner Kyler, went solo on the watermelon eating contest and had my share of Molson Canadian on this hot summer day. 

Here's me holding Canada's manufactured pride. I am really Canadian. Right 

Carrie enjoying the celebrations.