Immersion

It's the third week and I am growing accustomed to the seaweed. The last school week flew by. I'm still deciding if it's because I'm getting into a groove with the students, or because I ended up getting a French press coffee pot and enjoyed the black fair-trade beans of Costa Rica.

Walking down the street, I've noticed things I would never see in the States. The dining joints, all likely to be considered 'hole in the wall' if found in the US, serve fairly good food. It is priced reasonably and most of the time I enjoy it. Many places even have your meal in a fish tank outside the front of the kitchen/on the patio--so you know what you are eating, of course. They do drive on the right side of the road, but they don't walk on the right side of the side walk. When I was walking downtown on Saturday, a friend and I heard a high pitched shrill. We looked to our left and saw a man off of his motorcycle, still wearing his helmet who was also standing next to a crouched woman. She was shrieking with every exhaled breath. I ran over and saw her squatted in front of a little boy, about 5 years old. The boys mouth was bleeding and I could tell he had fallen on the pavement, face first. Initially, I thought he was on the motorcycle and had fell from the seat. Yet, in actuality, the woman (mom) was walking with her two sons when the motorcyclist drove by and knocked the boy down--face down. Teeth down. Danielle comforted the mom while I yelled for a taxi. He was taken off by his grandparents and I stood there, feeling my teeth and touching my mouth--thankful that my teeth were still there.

On a lighter note, I love the school because it's organized and I work with wonderful people. However, as I think more about how--as classes are not only teaching English--but also of American learning/teaching methods and topics. For example, in my Kinder Class, we have an hour dedicated to "Immersion". We spend the hour learning about what is polite and/or traditional for America. (odd?) Fridays, we spend the time learning about folktales ("Folktale Fridays"). This month it's called, Konji and Patchji. This is the Korean Cinderella. Konji has a beautiful glass slipper, loses it and falls in love with the young king. Hm.... I don't recall getting a lesson on the historical tales originating in China, Africa, etc.

During one of my preps, I finally got my computer to record the noise and images with my camera. So, I've attached some photos and videos of my class room. We did Phonics in the morning and just getting started with the long vowel sounds.

As for my own immersion, I actually have been studying my Korean notes. This is a great way to get the kids' attention because when I say something in Korean, (even if it's just pointing out that I know what nose and eyes are) they all go, "Whoooaaa!" I proceed to tell them that they had best not be speaking anything except English here--because I'll know!

During my first grade class, I got a kick from the answer to one of the prompts. The class, Vocabulary, had a 'fill in the blank' page. To show them how to do the practice work, I went over a couple of the examples. The question went, "If I could travel anywhere, I ____. " (Travel being the vocab word.) I awaited for their responses. Then, Woojin--a quick-mouthed boy who knows he's smart--answers, "Saudi Arabia!" ... "What?" I answer, "Why Saudi Arabia?" ... "Well then I go and get oil and sell it." Uh huh, of course. Figuring that that wasn't such a bad idea and quite humored at his response, I grinned. I should have got that one, eh?

As for recreation, the Saturday Frisbee game was colder this week. However, I was excited because I did get a free, new pair of cleats from one of the players. However, in crossing the river on big square rocks, I was jumping from one rock to another and they slipped out of my hand! In a moment, they were 10 feet away from me. AH! Given a warmer day, although the water is so murky I wonder where it comes from, I would have jumped in after them. But just as the thought came to me, it left me because of the chill in the air. I made it across and waved goodbye to the new, shiny red cleats--thinking only of what I'm going to say to my friend when I show up in my tennies next week. "Ugh ... it was a tough fight with the river! ... Life or death ... I just couldn't hold on to them without falling in the rapidly flowing currents that would wist me away forever!"