Alright, all of my classes and exchanges have started, so I can officially say I'm in the full swing of the semester. Fall has graced us with its presence. Sunday, we had temperatures in the mid 80's only to be quite surprised by low 60's on Monday. I'm not sure if I'm ready for fall quite yet, but I guess I better get ready!
This semester, I have 7 hours of exchanges with 13 different exchange partners. It is about half of the number of exchanges I had last semester. I am really happy to have this smaller number because I can get to know my partners better and be able to find what they need to work on in their English conversation skills. My exchange partners range in ability from only being able to speak in very simple sentences to asking for help on SAT prep reading passages. I hope I can help all of my partners improve over the semester.
I started my Korean listening class, which is in a separate program from my other two Korean language classes. It is in what is considered the Chinese program, because most of the students are Chinese. It is a more intensive course, so I was anticipating this course with both excitement and a bit of apprehension. My teacher in the course is very sweet, yet she is quite thorough in her teaching. My classmates are all very sweet and are very hard working. So far I feel a little ahead of the class, but I am going to make sure I stay on top of my work to keep that.
My other language courses are going well so far. We are still trying to find a groove for the class considering we all come from different abilities with the language. My business class has been quite interesting as well. We discussed Korean culture last class in order to understand the background of the business world in Korea.
Some interesting statistics that were presented in class (not all may be completely up to date, but they are correct as of March 2011)
1. Korea has the 2nd highest suicide rate. I have discussed this before, but the pressure Koreans are placed under and the stigma towards mental illnesses can lead people to this tragic decision. From the example that really hit home for me (the SCH student who jumped from the Korean dorm last semester), the student was mentally ill and was never diagnosed because of the stigma. I don't think this will improve until society emphasizes self worth and does not reject people for their imperfections.
2. Korea has the highest cancer death rate in the world. The most common cancer is stomach cancer. I don't really understand why Korea, with free health care and modern medicine, is 1st in cancer deaths. I also found it interesting that stomach cancer is higher than both breast and lung cancer in Korea.
3. Korea has the highest youth smoking rate. I can believe this considering every Korean guy (apart from a couple) I know at school here smokes heavily. Cigarettes are really cheap ($3 a pack) so guys smoke like chimneys.
4. Korea is 1st in broadband internet. This is easy to see pretty much as soon as you land in Incheon: everyone pulls out their smartphones and starts chatting with someone on their webcam. The fact that 10 year olds are carrying Iphones around is a testament to the way in which Korea has embraced innovation. Technology is everywhere!
5. Korea is 1st in students completing higher education. The culture is very competitive with parents trying to give their kids an edge on their peers. It is expected that children will go to college and it is strongly encouraged for them to continue their studies afterwards.
6. 1st in Alcohol and 1st in Wine and Whiskey imports. There is a very prominent drinking culture in Korea. From college majors having meetings where students drink to coworkers going out for drinks and singing karaoke, alcohol has a very influential role in Korean society.
7. 3rd in Automobiles and 11th in GDP. Korea has the 59th largest population, yet from the hard work of the Korean people, they have developed itself into one of the movers and shakers of the global economy. Korea is an export focused country that has built itself from a 3rd world country 60 years ago into one of the main economies in the world.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Chuseok and a Roommate
I am back at school from my Chuseok adventure. This year, I had about five days off, so I spent three days in Seoul with the Wasmunds and then visited Busan for two days. It was quite a whirlwind, traveling from the northernmost point of the country to the southern tip. It was definitely a great display for me of the beauty of this country I have called home for over a year.
I hadn't seen the Wasmunds since I left for Taiwan, so it was great to catch up with them and share stories from my trip. I also received updates from Lily and Olivia about VBS from summer, school, and Lily's new Ballet class. I stayed at the Wasmunds home, so I got to be a part of the family for a few days. It was nice to have homecooked meals and the play with the girls. They taught me some of their dances from VBS, played games, and read a lot. I am amazed by how curious the girls are about everything, constantly asking questions that I would have never thought of at their age. I think it will be very interesting as they grow to see how they learn and develop. They are very smart and love to learn, which makes me believe that they will do great things.
One of the coolest things for me was when Lily brought out her completed Explode the Code book, the same book that I learned phonics and writing. Talking with her about combining letters to create words by "sounding it out" brought back so many memories for me of writing my first letters very carefully with my mom sitting beside me. I feel like that journey of learning that I started at my kitchen table with that first book continues to this day as I study here in Korea. It is a pretty cool concept to think of how far you come from those early steps, yet the love for learning continues.
While at the Wasmunds, I also had the chance to visit Jongmyo Shrine and a Hanok Village. Jongmyo is the Confucian shrine where the ancestral tablets of the Kings and Queens of the Joseon dynasty are kept. It is that last East Asian nation where this Confucian tradition of caring for the deceased royalty remains. Every May, the Korean government carries out the traditional ceremony that would have been continued by the king. It consists of scholars bringing the tablets out of their shrines, preparing food for the kings and queens, and placing it for them "eat." After an assigned span of time, the food is consumed by the scholars, indicating that the deceased leaders have blessed the coming year for the nation. It is an interesting perspective on filial piety: the king would carry this out in gratitude to his ancestors and in return they would bless his coming year of rule. It was an interesting place to be sure. There were two buildings that looked like large Asian style warehouses that are used to house the ancestors. It displayed for me again just how much Confucianism is embedded and embraced in this culture.
I went to the Hanok Village with Matt and the girls. It consisted of relocated traditional houses and several traditional games to try in celebration for Chuseok. It was fun to see the festivities for the holiday and watch the girls curiously explore every corner of the village.
After my visit with the Wasmunds, I went to Busan. I took the slow train, which still only took five hours to travel from the top of the country to the bottom. For this Midwesterner, I found that quite amazing. Busan was lovely: warm weather, hostel right on the beach....doesn't get much better than that! I had the chance to visit one of my dad's old colleagues from New Jersey, Les Miller, who now teaches at a university in Busan. He has lived in Korea for twenty years, so we had a lot of stories to swap! It was neat to meet someone in Korea who could relate about cultural differences and knew my family.
While in Busan, I also went to one of the larger fish markets, a temple located on the cliffs overlooking the ocean...GORGEOUS, and one of the nearby islands overlooking the city. The temple was a beautiful display of architecture and nature combined with such grace. It was the first temple I have visited since travels to Taiwan and Hong Kong, so it was a nice reminder of the nature of Korea Buddhist temples: places of calm serenity, reflections of the Korean Buddhist philosophy.
After a great break, I made my way back to school Thursday for class on Friday. I came back to my dorm to find my roommate had moved in. I had been told my roommate may move in late, but I was beginning to wonder two weeks into class if this roommate was a figment of everyone's imagination. I was happy to find that I had a roommate, it is very strange to be in a room alone with half the space empty, awaiting the existence of that second person. Her name is Hajeong. She is a Senior, 22 years old, meaning that for the first time here in Korea I have a roommate who is older than me. She is very nice, but like many seniors preparing for graduation (which is in February), she is quite busy.
Next week I start exchanges and my Korean Listening class. I am looking forward to finally being in the full swing of things.
I hadn't seen the Wasmunds since I left for Taiwan, so it was great to catch up with them and share stories from my trip. I also received updates from Lily and Olivia about VBS from summer, school, and Lily's new Ballet class. I stayed at the Wasmunds home, so I got to be a part of the family for a few days. It was nice to have homecooked meals and the play with the girls. They taught me some of their dances from VBS, played games, and read a lot. I am amazed by how curious the girls are about everything, constantly asking questions that I would have never thought of at their age. I think it will be very interesting as they grow to see how they learn and develop. They are very smart and love to learn, which makes me believe that they will do great things.
One of the coolest things for me was when Lily brought out her completed Explode the Code book, the same book that I learned phonics and writing. Talking with her about combining letters to create words by "sounding it out" brought back so many memories for me of writing my first letters very carefully with my mom sitting beside me. I feel like that journey of learning that I started at my kitchen table with that first book continues to this day as I study here in Korea. It is a pretty cool concept to think of how far you come from those early steps, yet the love for learning continues.
While at the Wasmunds, I also had the chance to visit Jongmyo Shrine and a Hanok Village. Jongmyo is the Confucian shrine where the ancestral tablets of the Kings and Queens of the Joseon dynasty are kept. It is that last East Asian nation where this Confucian tradition of caring for the deceased royalty remains. Every May, the Korean government carries out the traditional ceremony that would have been continued by the king. It consists of scholars bringing the tablets out of their shrines, preparing food for the kings and queens, and placing it for them "eat." After an assigned span of time, the food is consumed by the scholars, indicating that the deceased leaders have blessed the coming year for the nation. It is an interesting perspective on filial piety: the king would carry this out in gratitude to his ancestors and in return they would bless his coming year of rule. It was an interesting place to be sure. There were two buildings that looked like large Asian style warehouses that are used to house the ancestors. It displayed for me again just how much Confucianism is embedded and embraced in this culture.
I went to the Hanok Village with Matt and the girls. It consisted of relocated traditional houses and several traditional games to try in celebration for Chuseok. It was fun to see the festivities for the holiday and watch the girls curiously explore every corner of the village.
After my visit with the Wasmunds, I went to Busan. I took the slow train, which still only took five hours to travel from the top of the country to the bottom. For this Midwesterner, I found that quite amazing. Busan was lovely: warm weather, hostel right on the beach....doesn't get much better than that! I had the chance to visit one of my dad's old colleagues from New Jersey, Les Miller, who now teaches at a university in Busan. He has lived in Korea for twenty years, so we had a lot of stories to swap! It was neat to meet someone in Korea who could relate about cultural differences and knew my family.
While in Busan, I also went to one of the larger fish markets, a temple located on the cliffs overlooking the ocean...GORGEOUS, and one of the nearby islands overlooking the city. The temple was a beautiful display of architecture and nature combined with such grace. It was the first temple I have visited since travels to Taiwan and Hong Kong, so it was a nice reminder of the nature of Korea Buddhist temples: places of calm serenity, reflections of the Korean Buddhist philosophy.
After a great break, I made my way back to school Thursday for class on Friday. I came back to my dorm to find my roommate had moved in. I had been told my roommate may move in late, but I was beginning to wonder two weeks into class if this roommate was a figment of everyone's imagination. I was happy to find that I had a roommate, it is very strange to be in a room alone with half the space empty, awaiting the existence of that second person. Her name is Hajeong. She is a Senior, 22 years old, meaning that for the first time here in Korea I have a roommate who is older than me. She is very nice, but like many seniors preparing for graduation (which is in February), she is quite busy.
Next week I start exchanges and my Korean Listening class. I am looking forward to finally being in the full swing of things.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
CELA Travels to India and concludes
This week, the final week of camp, brings us to India! Petrea wrote most of the curriculum, so we once again had a contrasting form of course materials. She did a great job writing some interesting lesson plans, I think because she had visited India a few years ago and found it very interesting. Some of the most notable lessons included: Indian dress which included trying on a Sari, cooking Naan with Judy, playing Cricket with a Cricket paddle (quite different from baseball), and Indian music.
I had group C, the same group I had the first week. It was nice to come full circle and teach that class of very thoughtful kids again. My group really liked making Naan, especially eating it! They also like playing Cricket, especially the girls. The boys tried to swing like in baseball, but it is a completely different kind of game. The girls caught on how to swing and scored a lot of runs for their teams. They also seemed interested in the music class, where I included a few videos of snake charmers which they found very intriguing.
For Bible School, we taught the Easter story. Petrea suggested we watch a video about Easter and then review the story in the Bible verse station (the part that I taught). The video taught the Easter story with a bit of a strange spin, so I pretty much had to retell the story during our time. I'm not sure how much it stuck with the kids considering they heard the story in two very different contexts, but it is a step. We played musical chairs to help remember the verse, which was a lot of fun and really helped them remember.
On Thursday, we devoted the class time to first landing our "plane" in Taiwan, bringing our trip around the world to a close. We then taught the story of Grace (Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and its relevance in our lives) We had been preparing for this class for about a week, seeing that it would be our last chance to display to our students why faith is so important to us and how we want to share that hope with them. Cana with the help of Erin translated "The Father's Love Letter" into Chinese for the class. We also made a worksheet with the story of Grace and questions concerning it. We also had a craft that had a verse about God's unending love to make in class.
I was concerned that my class may not understand the concepts that I was trying to display to them. Cana can speak Mandarin and Petrea has worked with these kids, so I feel like they would be able to reach their groups well. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give my group understanding and give me the words to say. I took my time teaching this lesson because I felt like it was the most important. We first read the story of Grace and worked on the worksheet. I was quite surprised by their responses. Many of them gave me very genuine and thoughtful answers. Reiterating some of the aspects of the story in questions, I received many answers that were spot on. Even with a language barrier and many foreign concepts for this culture, I feel like seeds were planted. Do I know exactly where they are faith wise? No, but I know that every journey begins with a step and I think that many kids took their first steps in that class. When will they take the next step? Maybe next week, in year, or fifty years. I don't know, but I do know that I was an instrument for that journey to begin or continue, and someday another person will continue where I left.
Friday was our last day of camp and our final field trip. We visited a rice noodle factory, which included a yummy snack of cold noodles. We then visited an oyster farm. We made a craft with oyster shells and then searched for shells in an oyster-less pool. It was fun to get muddy and explore with the kids. The final place we visited was a park adjacent to the beach. We walked to the beach, spotting a wind farm on the way. The beach was rocky, so we just walked along the coast. It was quite bittersweet to spend this last day with the kids. After a month of teaching, playing, and laughing with them, it was hard to say goodbye, especially with so many asking "You're coming back next year right?" After goodbyes with the kids, I had to say goodbyes to my coteachers at CELA. That was equally as hard. In four short weeks, we have all become very good friends. We have traveled around Chiayi county together, had countless dinners together, and had discussions about faith, life, and a variety of other things. I found that I witnessed to my coworkers as much if not more than the students, which I was not expecting but was glad that the opportunity arose.
My last night in Taiwan was spent at Friday night Bible study at the Lutheran church in Chiayi with the fellow Christians of the city. It was a nice way to end this experience, bonding with the body of Christ in this place. After the Bible study, I ran to the night market with Erin for one last walk around this very Taiwanese place. Scootering back to the Practice Hotel, it hit me how much I will miss Taiwan. It is so different from Korea, but I find it beautiful in its own way. Life moves at a much slower pace than Korea and people have a very honest way about themselves. It will be strange to return to the very plugged in, fast paced culture in Seoul after spending a month in small town Taiwan.
After packing and goodbyes at the practice hotel, it was time to head to the airport. My flight for Hong Kong was scheduled for about 8am the next morning, so Cana and I left on a bus for the airport around 2am. It was a very long journey, especially since we didn't sleep before the bus and didn't want to sleep on the bus to make sure we didn't miss anything. We arrived at the airport around 6am. I checked in and said goodbye to Cana, who would board a plane for the USA later that morning. Cana and I were partners in crime teaching at the camp from start to finish. In that time we were able to work together, discuss matters of faith and current events, and learn more about Taiwan together. She encouraged me in my faith by her genuine love for God. I will miss her very much and hope that someday we can work together on another trip.
So this journey has come to an end. There are so many things that I take away from this experience.
First, I was reminded that there are so many things that are universal, namely:
1. Regardless of the culture, kids are kids
2. The desire for a connection with the Creator and a means of salvation after death is the fundamental search for every man.
Second, it is important to open your eyes to every aspect of a culture in order to understand the big picture. The more I learned about the way of life, religion, and history of Taiwan, the more I could see why my coworkers and students thought and acted in the way they did.
Third, unexpected situations will occur, but it is those events that are really meaningful. I did not expect that our ministry to the teachers would be a prominent as it would, but because of that, the two Christians in the office will be having a Bible study with the other teachers at the request of the non-Christian teachers.
Fourth, God's timing is not what I expected, but He can see the big picture and I am merely an instrument to reveal a piece of that picture. This is something that I have been learning through LAMP and now here in Taiwan. While I can't see the seeds grow and blossom, I was a part of planting them to be nurtured by the other teachers at CELA. It is my prayer that each of the children and teachers of this camp will grow in faith in the coming years.
I had group C, the same group I had the first week. It was nice to come full circle and teach that class of very thoughtful kids again. My group really liked making Naan, especially eating it! They also like playing Cricket, especially the girls. The boys tried to swing like in baseball, but it is a completely different kind of game. The girls caught on how to swing and scored a lot of runs for their teams. They also seemed interested in the music class, where I included a few videos of snake charmers which they found very intriguing.
For Bible School, we taught the Easter story. Petrea suggested we watch a video about Easter and then review the story in the Bible verse station (the part that I taught). The video taught the Easter story with a bit of a strange spin, so I pretty much had to retell the story during our time. I'm not sure how much it stuck with the kids considering they heard the story in two very different contexts, but it is a step. We played musical chairs to help remember the verse, which was a lot of fun and really helped them remember.
On Thursday, we devoted the class time to first landing our "plane" in Taiwan, bringing our trip around the world to a close. We then taught the story of Grace (Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and its relevance in our lives) We had been preparing for this class for about a week, seeing that it would be our last chance to display to our students why faith is so important to us and how we want to share that hope with them. Cana with the help of Erin translated "The Father's Love Letter" into Chinese for the class. We also made a worksheet with the story of Grace and questions concerning it. We also had a craft that had a verse about God's unending love to make in class.
I was concerned that my class may not understand the concepts that I was trying to display to them. Cana can speak Mandarin and Petrea has worked with these kids, so I feel like they would be able to reach their groups well. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give my group understanding and give me the words to say. I took my time teaching this lesson because I felt like it was the most important. We first read the story of Grace and worked on the worksheet. I was quite surprised by their responses. Many of them gave me very genuine and thoughtful answers. Reiterating some of the aspects of the story in questions, I received many answers that were spot on. Even with a language barrier and many foreign concepts for this culture, I feel like seeds were planted. Do I know exactly where they are faith wise? No, but I know that every journey begins with a step and I think that many kids took their first steps in that class. When will they take the next step? Maybe next week, in year, or fifty years. I don't know, but I do know that I was an instrument for that journey to begin or continue, and someday another person will continue where I left.
Friday was our last day of camp and our final field trip. We visited a rice noodle factory, which included a yummy snack of cold noodles. We then visited an oyster farm. We made a craft with oyster shells and then searched for shells in an oyster-less pool. It was fun to get muddy and explore with the kids. The final place we visited was a park adjacent to the beach. We walked to the beach, spotting a wind farm on the way. The beach was rocky, so we just walked along the coast. It was quite bittersweet to spend this last day with the kids. After a month of teaching, playing, and laughing with them, it was hard to say goodbye, especially with so many asking "You're coming back next year right?" After goodbyes with the kids, I had to say goodbyes to my coteachers at CELA. That was equally as hard. In four short weeks, we have all become very good friends. We have traveled around Chiayi county together, had countless dinners together, and had discussions about faith, life, and a variety of other things. I found that I witnessed to my coworkers as much if not more than the students, which I was not expecting but was glad that the opportunity arose.
My last night in Taiwan was spent at Friday night Bible study at the Lutheran church in Chiayi with the fellow Christians of the city. It was a nice way to end this experience, bonding with the body of Christ in this place. After the Bible study, I ran to the night market with Erin for one last walk around this very Taiwanese place. Scootering back to the Practice Hotel, it hit me how much I will miss Taiwan. It is so different from Korea, but I find it beautiful in its own way. Life moves at a much slower pace than Korea and people have a very honest way about themselves. It will be strange to return to the very plugged in, fast paced culture in Seoul after spending a month in small town Taiwan.
After packing and goodbyes at the practice hotel, it was time to head to the airport. My flight for Hong Kong was scheduled for about 8am the next morning, so Cana and I left on a bus for the airport around 2am. It was a very long journey, especially since we didn't sleep before the bus and didn't want to sleep on the bus to make sure we didn't miss anything. We arrived at the airport around 6am. I checked in and said goodbye to Cana, who would board a plane for the USA later that morning. Cana and I were partners in crime teaching at the camp from start to finish. In that time we were able to work together, discuss matters of faith and current events, and learn more about Taiwan together. She encouraged me in my faith by her genuine love for God. I will miss her very much and hope that someday we can work together on another trip.
So this journey has come to an end. There are so many things that I take away from this experience.
First, I was reminded that there are so many things that are universal, namely:
1. Regardless of the culture, kids are kids
2. The desire for a connection with the Creator and a means of salvation after death is the fundamental search for every man.
Second, it is important to open your eyes to every aspect of a culture in order to understand the big picture. The more I learned about the way of life, religion, and history of Taiwan, the more I could see why my coworkers and students thought and acted in the way they did.
Third, unexpected situations will occur, but it is those events that are really meaningful. I did not expect that our ministry to the teachers would be a prominent as it would, but because of that, the two Christians in the office will be having a Bible study with the other teachers at the request of the non-Christian teachers.
Fourth, God's timing is not what I expected, but He can see the big picture and I am merely an instrument to reveal a piece of that picture. This is something that I have been learning through LAMP and now here in Taiwan. While I can't see the seeds grow and blossom, I was a part of planting them to be nurtured by the other teachers at CELA. It is my prayer that each of the children and teachers of this camp will grow in faith in the coming years.
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