Long-Overdue Update

    It has been far too long since I've posted, and for that I apologize. I've been busy -- that's the short explanation. I want to fill in the gap and tell about what's gone on since I started teaching, but it is just too much, so I'll have to jump ahead and fill you in later.

  To sum up: teaching has been quite a challenge for me. I spend more time on classroom management than on actual teaching. 2nd grade and 3rd/4th grade (combined class) are the worst. The other classes are not too bad, though there is still a general lack of respect. Even so, I love the kids and they seem to like me. They are pleasant outside of class.

 I have met a lot of people and I am enjoying getting to know them better. After a tough day/week of teaching, meeting with a friend for dinner is so refreshing to me. When I think of these growing friendships, the time I have left here seems terribly short. I want to relish all the time I have with them. For now, many are only a short bus ride away. Others take more effort to see - a bus or train ride of an hour or two. Right now that seems far, but I know that it's nothing compared with the distance when I leave.

  Yesterday and today were so good -- a welcome respite after a rough few days (Wednesday and Thursday!) You see, the former TaLK scholar who was placed at the same school I am at now, is back in Korea. We've talked a little bit already via Skype and Facebook, but Friday was the first time we met in person. She came with me to the school to visit the students, and we talked a lot. It is amazing how much alike we are. Though our personalities and backgrounds are very different, we are now so much of one mind. We met again today to talk, and boy, we sure talked! For dinner we were joined by one of her former co-teachers. We all enjoyed talking together and the meal was great.

  After all the talking yesterday and today, I feel so encouraged. I see light. I see hope.

  I've struggled to stay hopeful when I see no improvement in my classes. I've worked often in frustration, seeing no fruit. I still trust God to work it all out for good, though I can't see how. Now... I see a new glimmer of hope. I feel like improvement is attainable. It is all in God's hands.

Sports Day [back post]

Getting ready to start

     My school's Sports Day (field day) was held in the beginning of May. I was looking forward to the day, partly because I wouldn't have to teach that day. My co-teacher, Jooyoung, and I arrived early in the morning as preparations were still underway -- kids were carrying chairs out to place them under newly-raised shelters as teachers directed, set out prizes, and arranged various other things. As I walked into the school building I was handed a bright red t-shirt that matched what all the other teachers and students were wearing. So I changed quickly, then went back out to the field.

   I felt a little useless then, deaf to the meaning of the chatter swirling around me. But before long, the parents, grandparents, and other sundry supporters had gathered, students lined up in rows by grade on the soccer field, and the festivities began.

   They started by singing the school's song and the Korean national anthem. It is a slightly odd experience to be a foreigner standing in a crowd of people as they are saluting their flag and singing their nation's anthem... hands over hearts... I am an observer. I am not a citizen here -- as if that fact were no clear enough already. It's an interesting experience.

   Next they did groups stretches, and some students received rewards. The rest of the day, they alternated between activities with the students, parents, teachers, and various different combinations thereof.

Kindergarten footrace

Even though my participating mostly consisted of taking pictures, I was nearly as exhausted as the others by lunchtime. I guess just the heat was enough to tire one out. Combine that with the early morning and physical exercise, and you have a good recipe for exhaustion. Lunch was pleasant -- I was so hungry! It was also nice to be able to go home early that day (right after lunch). Upon returning home, I just wanted to sleep.

Parents carrying K-2 on stretchers for a relay

   It was a fun day, but very tiring. The kids played hard, and the parents and teachers were great sports in participating and cheering on the kids.

Bamboo Festival [back post]

Panorama of the festival grounds

    My co-teacher A Jin and I were in the bus on our way to school. We often talk in the bus all the way there and all the way back -- unless sleepiness silences us. For the first few months, even though I usually disliked the commute from Gwangju to my school, I looked forward to Fridays because of those conversations.

On this day, we were chatting as usual when I mentioned that on Saturday there would be a festival that I was interested in going to. I asked if she was free that day, and she said yes. So before the ride was over, we had decided to go to the festival together.

 We met at the bus terminal the next morning. The bamboo festival is held in Damyang, which is not far out of Gwangju. It took around an hour to get there. We strolled around the grounds together, conversing easily, and I even bought a couple things to bring home as gifts. Around noon we stopped at a lovely shaded bench and shared a simple picnic lunch. Throughout the day, I kept running into people I knew, all fellow TaLK scholars. It was fun to see them there.

Bamboo forest (and A Jin)

We also hiked through the bamboo forest for which the area is famous. It was a pleasant hike, though the trails were crowded thanks to the festival. The forest is beautiful, and so peaceful.

It was a great day. I so enjoyed spending time with A Jin without having to think about classes at all.

On the bus on the way home, I saw three more TaLK scholars, all Kiwis. I talked with them nearly the whole way back. They asked if I knew any good restaurant nearby in Gwangju.  In another moment of spontaneity quite uncharacteristic for me, I decided to eat dinner with them in downtown Gwangju. They were excited when I mentioned First Nepal, Gwangju's one and only Indian/Nepali restaurant. So we went there, sans A Jin (who had other plans that evening). The Kiwi TaLK scholars didn't live in Gwangju, in fact, they weren't even from the same province, so I slipped into the role of host, leading them around my city.

We arrived downtown with no trouble... But to my embarrassment, we had to wander around for a while, because I couldn't find the restaurant! Just before giving up, and as I was calling a friend of mine to ask for directions, we found it. I was relieved, and we were all happy to finally order some food. I think that once they had sampled the food, I was forgiven for leading them all over downtown. I enjoyed the food, but I think I got even more enjoyment out of seeing how much my dinner companions savored their food. They were great company.

It was a well-spent Saturday indeed.

A Jin and I in the bamboo forest