The Weekend

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year. Congrats, I am going to skip this topic of updates since it seems every other expat already cared to do so. In other news it is 26 January which means the following. . .

1. This past weekend we went to an ice festival in Hwacheon. I caught two fish and then proceeded to whack them against the ice to "lessen their suffering." At least they tasted good. Photos will be shared soon.
2. I have just passed 5 months in Korea and am starting to look seriously at prospects for August when I plan to return. The plan of course is changing week by week and my options seem similar to those I had this time last year. On that same note I submitted my first fellowship application as of last Monday!
3. It snowed in the city this weekend and Korea has yet to discover the snow plow.
4. I went to church with Grace and Tom last weekend, it was refreshing to be in the environment. We then went to lunch with Tom's family and I was sent home with two months worth of sweet potatoes!
5. My birthday is in one month and I have mixed feelings about entering the next year of life.
6. My little cousin and aunt both got facebook accounts in the past week.

Samores and Champagne

The inauguration of Barack Obama took place at 2am on Wednesday 21 November here in Korea. Several of us gathered at my apartment and drank champagne and roasted samores over the two burner range to celebrate the occasion. Huddled around the laptop I streamed the video off of the NY Times website for a live broadcast of the ceremony. It looked very cold on the mall, although I am very jealous of the 1.9 million people that made it out for the ceremony.

We had contemplated going to Unlce Don's (local bar for expats) to ring in the occasion, but




. . . it was cold.

"But Teacher, who would be President if North and South don't fight?" Well Lucy Jeong. . .

If you've already heard this story and are now reading this, I apologize for the repetition.
Thursday afternoon I walked into the office, before being reminded that it was the first day for monthly tests, I saw the brown paper envelope laying on my desk. Of course I look forward to my monthly National Geographic! You can read practically everything online and more, but having the slick glossy pages to flip through and being able to underline, cut and examine in different lighting can only be delivered through print. This month there is an article about escaping from North Korea. North Korean refugees who decide to flee from the country are forced to leave from the Chinese border. Once across the Tumen River they face increased danger in China, where if discovered they are arrested and returned to North Korea. In a question of international law and refugee status China believes they are seen as economic migrants.

Human rights organizations and various foreign leaders, particularly in the United States and the European Union, are urging China to honor its international agreements by treating the North Koreans as refugees, a status they're entitled to because of the punishments they face if deported. But China maintains that the defectors are illegal "economic migrants."

South Korea is considered the safe haven and about 15,000 refugees have made it to the Southern part of the peninsula since the 1990's. They are required to enter South Korea by traveling through China to Thailand in order to seek asylum.

In one of my classes the kids wanted to watch a movie. . .instead we discussed the situation to the North in the remaining 20 minutes of class.


Additional Links of Interest

• Youtube video following a North Korean family defect to Thailand (20min)
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Monthly Test

Every month in South Korea we get to conduct a standardized test for the children of this school. It tests what they have learned over the last month and tends to send some children into panic mode. Most of the kids however are used to the monthly testing so they will buck up and bubble in the scantrons. My favorite part of the test is when they are all finished and they argue over what movie to watch. Sometimes I give them options, but usually I bypass the most recent Madagascar/Disney/Pixar film and we watch one of the many classics such as Mary Poppins, Fern Gully or any of the other mid 1990 Disney animated films.
Next week we are giving the kids level tests, I told you they love tests in this country. Level tests send off a couple more whistles because they are only given every four months or so and determine if the child will move up or down a class. They were moved up a week this time, for God knows what reason.
The other reason I "LOVE" monthly/level tests are for the wonderful writing prompts that I have to grade. Here Poly can ruin a usually wonderful writer by demanding a response to prompts such as "What is your favorite time of the day or of the year?" The blase responses I get to grade, based on a standard scale, are often boring and do not show half of the talent most of my students have for writing. On monthly tests however there are occasionally a few students who understand the redundancy of such questions and write responses that said my in to laughing fits.


More to come!
-Ellen

Back in Seoul

I love Sunday mornings. They are by far my favorite time of the week. Along with Friday nights, I love both equally, but for different reasons.

I recently visited the Humanscape exhibit in Seoul. I was delighted to see some of Julia Fullerton Batten's work at the exhibit. Along with several other photographers that I have taken note of. The display is at the Old Seoul Train Station and the dilapidation of the building enhances the charm of the displays.

Welcome to the year of the OX

Year of the OX

Pictures. . .

Japan Photos