May's Schedule

Date: May

This is my schedule for the month of May.  It is crazy.  The first 3 weeks have a total of 9 non-teaching days (either holidays, school sports days, or school field trips).  I see my Monday classes 2 times, but I only see my Tuesday class once, and I don't see Thursday's classes at all.

So confusing!  I feel bad because I don't actually plan on teaching any of the "book lessons" because there's no way to keep everyone on the same schedule.

So, to explain the breaks:

May 5: Cinco De Mayo--err...nope.  Children's Day
May 6: Oku Middle Schools' Sports Day
May 10: Buddha's Birthday
May 11: 2nd graders leave for their School Field trip (I only teach 2nd graders on the 11th)
May 12: 1st graders leave for their School Field Trip (I only teach 1st graders on the 12th)
May 13: 3rd Grader's Field Trip (Everland!) (And no classes at Oku, so I think I'm going to Seoul with the 3rd graders! YEAH!)
May 16 & 17: National Holidays.  (I'm not sure exactly what the holidays are...but we have no school)
May 19 & 20: Seohyung Sports Day (Oku does not have class on the 20th--for some reason--so I will be at Seohyung celebrating Spring by playing sports outside).

Yep, that it!  Crazy, huh!?!

A Model For A day

Date: April 17, 2011

In April, I got a chance to do something pretty fun.  I got to be a model for a day.  There is an international photography contest in Gunsan, and they were looking for a foreigner couple to get dressed up and be models.  I was lucky to get a email from a friend asking if I wanted to do it--and I immediantly said yes!  (What American girl doesn't have some sort of dream to be a model?)

So, bright and early on a Sunday Morning I woke myself up and headed over to the hair stylist that had been arranged for me earlier that week.  I was actually pretty nervous about getting my hair done (don't really trust Korean hairdressers with my hair, and after seeing the place when we made the appointment, I was a little more nervous):

It was an old school Mom and Pop shop.  And I do mean "old school" in every sense of the word.  It was a little dirty...I don't want to know when the last time the lady cleaned her equiptment, but I wasn't going to be high maintance about it.

So, I arrive on time, with a smile, and get ready to get my hair done basically the first time in Korea.  Of course, she wouldn't start until I had finished a cup of instant coffee.  While i was sipping away (realizing, that "Oh, she's not going to start until I finish this") she pulls out the bunsin burner and sets up by my chair.  And then she turns it on and sets some OLD SCHOOl curling irons in the fire.

I couldn't help myself.  I got up out of my chair and got my camera.  Logically, I know this is how curling irons started out as--but seriously--in Korea, one of the most advanced technological places on Earth--to have a lady still using old school curling irons, definitely threw me for a loop.  It made me smile and realize that it was going to be a fun day.

So, I finish my coffee and keep my camera in my lap--because there are more pictures to be taken.  How exactly does one curl hair with these throw-back curling irons, anyway?

 Surprising, it is super effective.  I tried to figure out how to say "Curls do not stay in my hair" but never really could get it simple enough in my head.  So, I just watched as she slowly made my BOARD straight hair hold a curl:

This is how she did it:

She takes a chunk of hair and then puts two pieces of gauze on either side.

Then with the small crimp she slowly clamps on my hair (and the gauze) and winds up.

Next, she takes the big curler (which is like a shealth for the smaller curler) and works her way up the hair.  I don't think she just keeps curling around and around, like modern day curlers, but actually unclamps and twists and reclamps.  I'm not sure if that makes any sense, maybe it was one of those "You had to be there to understand" moments. 

 After about 15 minutes: Bamb!  Model ME!

 Then she pins my hair back.  This is a traditional Hanbok Style Hair Up-do.

And let me tell you..she made this thing to LAST!  L. A. S. T.!!!  I was schelacked, hair sprayed, gel-ed, and pinned into place.

I get picked up by the Korean who was helping us (Matt and I--the foriegner couple) and driven to the model site.  I get changed into my Hanbok and am all ready to go.

Finished product!!

In case you were wondering, this is my changing room: the belly of a WWII airplane. 

We are taking the photos at the local "Theme Park."  Not a roller coaster park, but a park dedicated to the city's reason for being build: being a harbor city.  Gunsan is right on the coast and boast a pretty impressive military history (I guess.).  So, there is a small, outdoor museum dedicated to this military history.  They have a big ship, a bunch of airplanes, and some tanks.

We start the day off with a parade (I think Koreans like their parades).

My "Dressing Room" and sample of the types of "displays' they have at this "Park/Museum."

I spent the next 6 hours smiling for the camera.  It was a lot of fun--and not hard work at all.  I felt a little silly posing, and getting a bunch of attention.  I think my favorite comment of the day was, "Wow, you look beautiful--even for a foreigner!"  Yeah, jeeze, thanks!

 I had camera envy--my little point and shoot was soooo out man-powered that it was ridiculous.  Every single camera present was one of those super fabulous Canon or Nikon Master Cameras.

But, it was awesome.  It was one of those "I didn't expect that to happen" moments that I will never forget.

The Korean man in the middle is Mr. Oh.  He is a magazine photographer and was our "Set Director" for the day.  It was really fun to have him direct us around the park, putting us in various poses and positions.  I think one Korean photographer came up to him afterwards and said he was getting the best pictures of his life because of Mr. Oh's directions.  

The two Korean girls are the local Cherry Blossom/City Beauty Pagaent winners. They are in high school...

It was an International contest--there was a bunch of people who had taken the boat from China that morning.  This lady was one of them.  They wanted a picture with us.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Date: April 27th, 2011

Hey Dad!  Happy Birthday!

Love, Maggie and Seohyung Grade 2 Class 6!

PS:  Just a little funny:
When I asked my students to record this, I explained that it was my dad birthday.  I wrote his birth year on the board.  Mr Kim looked at the date and went, "Really?!!" I double checked to make sure that, yes, I did have the correct date on the board.  I did.  Then my students (who are infinitely better at math than I will ever be) started in with some "Chinja?!"  (Korean Translation: Really?!)  One of my lovely students went, "He...!...started early!!!"  "He too young!"

So, there you go, Dad!  A very young birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Little Brother

Date: April 28, 2011

Just a little something for Charlie!

생일 축하!!

<3 Maggie and Seohyung Grade 2 Class 6!

Fire Drills

Date: April 18, 2011

I was finishing up lunch and headed back to my teacher's room when one of my co-teachers, Mrs Bae, tugs on my arm and says, "Come here!"  (meaning, come this way!)  I happily follow her, she wants to talk, I'm totally game.  And then we round the corner to the back of the school and I see what she wanted to show me.

The 1st Graders are learning fire safety.  I think the pictures explain themselves.  I was actually very jealous.  It is a stupid reaction, but part of me went, "I've never used a fire extinguisher!"  But then the grown-up inside of me smacked the baby part of me and said, "Grow up and Go GET YOUR CAMERA!"

YAHHH!!!!

 Now, I know learning how to use a fire extinguisher is very important in case you need to ever use it in real life.  But I think the Koreans are on to something here.  I mean, when you need to put out a fire, you don't stop and read the directions on how to use the extinguisher.  Yes, I think I have vaguelly been told how to use an extinguisher--I think, maybe--but in any sort of panic, I probably would totally forget what I had been told.  At least these kids have actually removed the pin, aimed and fired (err...extinguished).

So, for anyone who is interested: Here are the steps, in picture format:

Step 1: Remove Pin

Step 2: Aim (Nozzle up)  Step 3:  Squeeze the trigger.  

 The canisters were dying when I arrived so here is Mr Jong changing a hydrant.

So, just a little school fun on a normal Monday morning!

Cherry Blossom Festival

Date: April 17, 2011

I met up with some students for the local Cherry Blossom Festival last Sunday.  Cherry Blossoms were just starting to bloom so we had a good time just walking around.

The Cherry Blossoms are very beautiful.  At home, I have never really seen an abundance of the flowers so to see so many pretty pink and white blooms is beautiful.  They last only a very short time (after they fall, the trees turn to green) so you have to be ready and willing to go take lots of walks during Spring Time.

The entrance into the festival.  Gives a pretty good first impression, yes?

I walked around, waiting for my students/friends to show up.   There was a Pumba Performance going on.  There is not a direct translation of the word "pumba" into Englihs, but basically they are traditionally beggar people from way back when in Korea.  Now they are entertainers at local festivals where they (I think usually men) dress up in beggar clothes or cross dress.  They make a type of taffy that they sell throughout the hilarity.

A cross-dressing pumba performer.  He is very obviously fake boobs.

A "beggar" pumba

 As a foreigner I stuck out in the crowd...and very quickly I was pointed out by the pumba people.  The beggar pumba was selling taffy in my part of the crowd and he quickly started show me various parts of his costume.  Not surprisingly, he lifts up his shirt and shows me the lock on his zipper.  He moves his hips back and forth, showing me how it sways.  (It does not refer to the lock).

 The "lady in red" quickly also points at me and directs the audience to look at me.  I give a weak wave and answer the obgliatory questions: "Where are you from?" "You English teacher?"  "Are you single?"  I am single, so I say yes.  This gets the pumba men to go a little crazy.  The "lady in red" wants to also show me "her/his" surprise under his skirt.  S/He has a little red pepper on that dangles, there, that, surpise, squeezes water.

It was all in good fun, and I got some free taffy out of being the entertainment.  

 I met up with Seo Young and Min Jee after the Pumba performers and Seo Young quickly says, "Oh, yes.  Korean culture."  and ducks her eyes--like she is embarrased.  I think the Pumba are great.  I quickly assure her that I loved their show and redirect the conversation so that we can find some food.

We walk past a full pig on a spicket:

 It is some sort of Som gyup (like som gyup sal--one of my favorite korean foods, but this is the authentic version).

We sit down in the tent and quickly order some pig ribs.

Yummy yummy!

 They were a little expensive, but I really didn't care. It was one of those "cultural things" and frankly, we are at a fair.  All things are going to be pricey!

We finish with walking around, so we go looking for the cherry blossoms--that is the reason we are here!  We find a nice row of trees and proceed to take a bunch of pictures. Seo Young and MinJee are quiet shy (sometimes, actually, they are only shy in front of a camera)--so it took me some luck and lots of attempts in order to get some great pictures.  But the girls are beautiful and we had a lot of fun.

So pretty!

She doesn't know i'm taking a picture, otherwise she would never be dancing...hehe!

I like this one a lot.

Shy korean!

Very Gangster Minjee!

 My turn!

Smell the pretty flowers