Oil Spill

There was a massive oil spill over here about a week ago. It happened on the West coast of Korea in the Yellow sea. I hear that it's the worst oil spill in the history of Korea. I also hear it could take up to 30 years for it to completely clear out of the water and for everything to return back to normal.

I was invited by one of my adult students to go help clean up some of the damage today. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was happy to help!

We left at 7:30 a.m. Bright and early in the morning! Soyeon and I were both so tired we slept most of the way. When we arrived, the smell of oil was very strong, but it wasn't obvious where it was coming. We all had to climb into these gray jump suits that made us look like a family of bears... or Oompa Loompas. We also had to wear masks, rubber gloves and rubber boots. After we were all decked out, Soyeon and I couldn't stop laughing at ourselves. We looked ridiculous, and it was hard to move.

After finally gearing up... we walked down to the beach and got to work. It was some of the most tedious work I have ever done. It is fortunate that most Koreans are VERY good at squatting for long periods of time because that is how one had to be positioned for the majority of the time spent there. I, however, am not that good at squatting. My back starts to hurt as well as my knees and just about every other joint in my body... so now I feel like a big knot.

The tide was out while we worked and our job was to collect as much oil off of the beach as possible. This was done by shoveling up the oil directly off of the sand and also soaking the oil up from the water using these square spongie thingies.

I spent most of my time squatting down next to Soyeon on a patch of beach raking the oil off of the sand with a tiny little spade shovel. It was tedious. I also helped strategically place and lay out the square spongie things that soaked up the oil... but that's about it. I was definitely expecting something a little more physical or involved... but, after a while, I started to realize the magnitude of what had happened...

Oil is a strange and powerful substance... and imagine a HUGE tanker dumping every last bit of its oil out into the sea. The sand was just saturated with the oil and without help from people like Soyeon and all of the people who went today, it would NEVER go away. The work is tedious, but that's why it's so important that people are willing to do it. The oil was just everywhere. There was no escaping it. After about 5 minutes, the shovel I was using was completely covered in oil. If I licked my lips, I tasted oil, if I smelled my hair, I smelled oil. I just wish good things could be as pervasive as oil is. It just gets into everything and it doesn't like to come off!

After about 41/2 hours of work, it was time to call it a day. We waddled back to the bus, took off all of our gear, climbed on the bus and almost immediately fell asleep. Even though the work wasn't as physical or strenuous as I was expecting, it was still tiring.

It was so great to be able to help out with something like this. It was like going on a mini missions trip while in Korea. I loved being able to help, I just wish I knew how to speak Korean! I think one thing I'm learning while living here is how to appreciate silence. I definitely talk a LOT less than I did before. Silence is a good thing. I appreciate being with people and being comfortable in the silence.

Here are a few pictures of the oil spill sight!

Love you, miss you, praying for you!

Hil

This Post is Dedicated to Kong Changok

I would like to dedicate this post to my co-teacher Kong Changok.

Here's why:
This teacher, despite my best efforts (at the beginning I didn't like her and I thought she was pushy), has looked around, made room I didn't know was there and plopped herself a place in my heart. If I had one person who I can count on, one person I look to as a sort of "Korean Mom" she is that person!

Now, let me tell you a little story! Yesterday, we only had a half day of school because of finals. I asked Kong Changok if she would help me at the post office and then we planned to go out to lunch together. So, the lady drives me to my apartment to pick up my packages, drives me back to the post office, helps me figure out what to do at the post office (actually, she did everything while I stood around and looked dumb) and then takes me out to lunch. I actually paid for lunch, which I had to do by stealing the bill and running up to the cash register before she could get there! THEN, she takes me out to a coffee shop and then to a movie! Wow!

I love this woman! She and I really connected last night and it felt like I was hanging out with my aunt or something like that.

Then, today we had an English teachers meeting. UGH!! Now, there are 8 English teachers, including me. And, I have talked to all of them and feel fairly comfortable with all of them. But, I think that a few of them are afraid of me. I sat with Kong Changok, Yu Mikyung and Han Jeongah for lunch. Those women seem to like me and don't seem to be too afraid of me... so lunch was nice.

BUT THEN... we went for coffee. And, we had a meeting. I had a lot to say, I have strong opinions and ideas about what I want. Unfortunately for me, the meeting was held in Korean! SO FRUSTRATING!

It's interesting. Even though I didn't understand a word of what was said, I knew what was going on. I could sense it. It makes me wonder how much of communcation is language, how much feeling connected to someone has to do with language.... but anyways. The teachers had to decide who was going to teach what grade. Now, if the teacher is going to be a 7th grade teacher, then they are going to be my co-teacher. So, the teachers need to really consider if they want to teach with me, if they are prepared to give up half of their classes for me to teach, if they are willing to work with my ideas and communicate with me about class and school and everything else that should go into co-teaching! I knew, even before going to this meeting, that Kim Seonhee and Lee Kyeonhee teacher would want to teach 7th grade. However, these two are the worst candidates among all of the Korean English teachers because... Kim Seonhee doesn't speak much English and Lee Kyeonhee... doesn't do much at all!

I could feel Kong Changok and Yu Mikyung fighting for me. They tried. Kong Changok told me afterwords that she told the other English teachers that whoever taught with me needed to be people that could communicate well with me... they didn't take the hint. It's ok. I like Kim Seonhee's co-teaching style. She's a good co-teacher. And, I'm used to Lee. I also gained a new co-teacher, Kim Heeyeong. I'm really excited to work with her. She's so sweet and a hard worker. But, my classes won't be leveled, and I'm not sure how much I'll be working with each teacher. I hope it's at least the same amount with each teacher...

But, the thing that really has me worried... the thing that I'm really disappointed about is that I'm no longer connected to Yu Mikyung or Kong Changok in any concrete way! Before, because they were my co-teachers, I had a great excuse to talk with them and seek them out. Now, I don't! And, on top of that, Kong Changok's desk will move next year! If she moves to the other building, I seriously think I'm going to cry! I kept telling her tonight after the meeting that I didn't want her to go. I wanted her to stay near me. I was trying to express my dependancy on her without sounding too pathetic, but I don't know if I succeeded... I think she just knows now that I look at her like my Korean Mom! *Sigh* I'm such a baby!

Ok, well, this is a long post! I hope you're all well! Love you, miss you, praying for you!

Hil

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Shout out to my Dad... Happy 49th!

It's been an extraordinary week. I had speaking tests with my students and today through next Tuesday are finals. EASY and I get to go home at 12! YES!

So, despite my students fear of speaking to me, their bad breath, and my sleepiness, we got through all of the speaking tests. For the most part, I was pleased with their performance. Of course, I learned that a few of my students can't even read, one of my students smokes, and most of them don't brush their teeth, but hey, no one is perfect!

I had a fabulous day on Wednesday. I only had to teach two classes. One class was my highest level class that I teach with Yu Mikyung. By Tuesday, I was already done with my speaking test for this class and so I was able to play a game with them. It was a board game where all the students had to do was make a sentence using the past tense of the word that they landed on. It went SO well! All of my students participated and were getting SO into the game! My co-teacher was amazed with how well the game was working! I was so pleased!

Later on that day, Mikyung came to my desk to ask me some questions about English. She was reading an article and needed some clarification on some points. It was a little difficult to explain to her what a second and third cousin was, but we got it figured out! After that, she sat and talked with me for quite a while. She really opened up to me. And, in a way, apologized for her mood swings. It was really nice.

Then... after lunch, another English teacher came over to my desk and started chatting with me. I found out, after a while, that she isn't a Christian, but she's slightly interested. I really like this teacher. She is so good, so genuine and sweet. I talked with Inji (Inji is a Christian) about it afterwords, and we both agree that she would be a great Christian. I hope she finds some interest in the faith soon. She seemed slightly open to it when I brought the topic up!

Then, on Wednesday evenings, I always have bible study. Some weeks, this is the highlight of my whole week! It's always great to be able to met up with people who can really relate to what I'm going through and share our lives and experiences together. It was a small group this week, but it was still good! Posted below is a picture of most of the members of my bible study!

From right to left, back to front, Trevor, Will, Nate, Rachel, Jess, Me, Jess, and Alicia.

Trevor and Rachel are married. Nate and the Jessica in front of me are married. Trevor, Rachel and Alicia are from Canada. Nate and Jessica and Will are from Tennessee and, of course, Jess and I are from good ol' Indiana!

Today was also a good day, considering that I was able to leave school at 12 and take a much needed 3 hour nap! It was glorious! Tomorrow promises to be a good day as well!

I hope you are all as blessed as I am. I love you all, I miss you all!

Hil

I'm Updating, I'm Updating!!!

oK! For all of those people who are impatient about my updates... here it is!

I want to talk today about the Korean education system... First of all, you should all know.... it sucks!

Koreans focus on memorization, rote learning and objective interpretation. They just want the students to spit back out the information that they pump into them... and trust me, they pump the info into them!

They don't believe in intrinsic motivation, they're just content with spoon-feeding the kids what they need to know. They don't care about comprehension or critical thinking. I think this is the worst possible form of learning there is. My whole career choice was based on my love for critical thinking and subjective interpretation. I HATE THIS FORM OF LEARNING!

Also, most of the teachers carry around big sticks. I, in fact, carried around a stick for a while. But, I did so that I could point to things on the screen and bang it on the table so that students would stop talking and listen to me. However, after one of my co-teachers asked to borrow my stick so that she could BEAT a student with it, I stopped carrying it around.

Yes, these teachers beat students... they beat them with sticks. Normally, they wack them on the back of their calves, sometimes in the back of the thighs. I've witnessed several beatings... sometimes the students cry, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the teachers seem to take pleasure in the beatings, sometimes they don't.

I, personally, don't beat students... it is against my principles... and besides, I might be too tempted to wail on them when I'm especially made and cause some real damage! The educational system here "does not allow teachers to beat students" HA!! It's the same kind of rule that banns students from having cell phones.

*Sigh* Things here are just really different.

On a positive note. I think I've turned a corner with one of my co-teachers. She doesn't speak great English, and though she's been really sweet and lovely to me, she's always been really afraid to talk to me. However, lately, she's been really making an effort to talk with me and communicate more with me. I'm really excited!

And, I've found out that she is a magician. This week, we had speaking tests. Therefore, all of the students must be quiet while their classmates give speeches in English and I grade them. One day, a student was talking during one of the speeches and my co-teacher without talking and with her stick, made this student stand up, walk to the back of the room and turn around and face the wall. It was amazing. I was inspired!

WELL, I hope you are all doing well. I love you and miss you all TERRIBLY! And, I promise to try and update more often! Scouts honor!

Hil

Looking for Shoes here is like Hunting for Pheasant...

Most of the time you can never find any, and the few times you do, they're hens.... or in the case of shoes, they don't fit! But, every now and then... you get one... or you find some (shoes) that work just perfectly! I found some shoes today... red and blue Nike's....

ANYWAY!

I had an interesting week. Nothing extraordinary... but I found myself grumpier than normal all week long. The reason... I hate surface relationships! What a cause for someone to be grumpy; I mean, at least I have friends, right? What more could you ask for in a country where you can't even communicate with 90% of the population!

But, I find myself longing for depth to my friendships with my co-workers. I think this is frustrating for everyone involved.... they don't speak perfect English... it's work for them to communicate with me.... I don't speak ANY Korean... it's work for me to communicate with them! I can sense that we like each other; that we're curious about each other and that we care... but there are no words. We're reduced to beating on our chests in frustration.... I'm not even kidding!

Last week, some of my colleagues and I were talking about different things. One teacher has MOUNDS of work to do and no time to do it. Another has family problems that are difficult for her to deal with. One said things along the lines of; "I am so busy. I have no time for anything but work. I'm so tired, but I have to work. But, it's ok." the other said something like; "My son is sick again. I worry about him so much. I don't know what to do. Sometimes I am so tired of having to take care of him all the time. I am stretched too thin. But, it's ok." We all noticed how, even though our lives are difficult and things are hard, everything is still "ok!" We know it's not "ok", we know that it's hard. But, we don't want to put pressure on anyone else to have to do anything for us... so it's ok.... when really... it's not! It's not ok! I wish there was more I could do to encourage my co-workers, to help them out. But, I don't know what to do other than pray. I don't know.

On a lighter note... I almost died on Friday. Ok, that doesn't sound like a lighter note, but it was really funny! Jess and I went shopping together on Friday. I was looking for shoes and ended up with a hat and a scarf, but anyway.... on our way home, we both bought a beverage from a vending machine in the subway. I got some juice and Jess got some.... chewy juice (her juice had chunks of fruit in it... it's quite good really!). We were talking and.. honestly I don't remember at all what she said, but right after I had just taken a big gulp of my juice she made me laugh.

Now, I was faced with two choices. I could either spit up all of the juice that was in my mouth onto the subway floor in front of a ton of people... or I could choke down, and nearly die from, the ENORMOUS amount of juice in my mouth and hope for the best. Looking back, I think it would have been more sensible to have just spit the juice out... but I didn't. I managed, somehow, to keep it all inside of me and suck it all down my lungs.

Now, you have to understand that I had a BIG mouthful of juice. It was like a... my cheeks are bulging with juice, huge mouthful, half the can, sort of gulp!

I had to lean against the wall. I was wheezing! I had snot coming out of my nose... I can tears coming out of my eyes... I was drooling all over the place! I couldn't stop coughing! Every time I breathed in, you could hear all the fluid in my lungs.. all the juice bubbling in them! There were a few moments there when I honestly though... "I'm going to drown! I can't breath! I'm going to die from choking on juice!" What made it even worse was I couldn't stop laughing and neither could Jess! I was laughing and crying and coughing and choking all at the same time!

Honestly, who does this? I mean... who chokes on juice in the middle of a crowded subway? I've always wanted to be one of those kinds of people who never lose their dignity. One of those kinds of people who are always graceful and composed... I'm always a dork! Boo for being a dork! I blame my father!

Well... I think that's all for this time! More later, and hopefully more pictures of my co-workers. One of these days I'll get all of my co-teachers to sit for a picture together! They're so hard to track down!

Please pray that I'll continue to have a better attitude at work and a positive mind set towards my students. I miss you all and think about you constantly!

Love you!

Hil

P.S. Did you know that many of you have Korean twins???? Last week I met a Korean version of Aunt Holly... she's a teacher too, which makes it even better!

Ok, peace out, for real!

Not Since My First Few Weeks Here Have I Wanted to Blog this Badly!!!!

I was struck with how normal my day was today. Just an everyday, day. I mean, I get up late... normal, right? That happens in normal life. I go to school, I teach. I lesson plan, I teach. I talk with my colleagues, I teach, I learn a little Korean. My days are so normal.


BUT I"M IN SOUTH KOREA!!!!


Yesterday I was able to talk with one of my co-teachers. I want to lesson plan with her because she has the most advanced class and I need to be able to keep her students busy. So, she comes to my desk and we plan. I like this teacher so much. She is so cute and she is the one that helped me when I was sick. She took me to the doctor and took care of me. She also helped me at the bank. So, basically, this teacher knows a lot of my very personal and private information.


Our lesson planning took probably 10 minutes, but we talked for probably 45. It's difficult here for me in strange ways. I have a support system of Americans, Canadians and New Zealanders that I can talk with if I need to, but it's nice... so nice... to have Korean friends too. I want this teacher and I to be friends but, I don't know how to get to know her better. I don't' know what to do (other than get sick; which she jokingly suggested) to be able to spend more time with her.
I told her this:


"I'm not very good at dropping hints."


"Dropping hints?"


"I'm not good at being subtle... I'm a very direct person."


"Oh, oh yes. You're not good at going around a topic. Me either. I'm direct."


"Yes. We call that beating around the bush!"


"Yes, yes! I know that expression."


I told her that I wanted to get to know her better, but that I didn't know how. I struggle here because I need a support system. My old support system all live in the U.S. I need a new one. But, I know from experience that when a foreigner comes to a different country, it's harder for the natives to feel really interested or devoted to getting to know the aforementioned foreigner. The natives all have a support system already. The natives have a life here, hobbies, interests, families, friends. I just have an apartment.... a small apartment.


I'm hopeful now. Sometimes I'm amazed at how much honesty is just so much more beneficial than "dropping hints" or playing games. I think it just takes a little courage to be vulnerable... I think a lot of people see vulnerability as a weakness... but it's not! It's honesty. I appreciate honesty so much! My co-teacher, Yu Mikyung, opened up to me a little, and I feel so privileged to know a little bit more about her. She's so surprising to me.


Below is a picture of me with two of my co-teachers and another English teacher. The two teachers I am standing between are my co-teachers. In the picture the one on my left is Yu Mikyung, the one on my right is Kong Changok. They are the two I have most contact with... they are both very important in my life here! I just can't get over how much of a GIANT I look like compared to these women. I normally don't feel that huge next to them... but my GOSH, I'm ENORMOUS!!


Well, peace out! More to come soon!

Two Taxi Rides!

Ok folks, hang on for the ride because this is a dusey! Also, be warned, there's converstaion about VOMIT.. so if you have a weak stomach, refrain from reading!

In the past two weeks I've had to take a taxi home because the subway's stop running at 12 and the buses stop running at 1. Now, I've been meeting with friends for coffee and at each meeting the time seems to just slip away from us and before we know it... it's past 12. I find this slightly frustrating because it feels like I have a curfew... which I don't appreciate!

Now, last weekend, I had been out to dinner with one of my adult students and she and I had dinner at a restaurant and then I had left to meet up with friends from church. The longer the night went on, the more my stomach started to hurt, and the less comfortable I felt. But, I don't often get to see these people, so I just sucked it up and went on with my evening. But, by the time I finally caught a taxi to go home, I knew something was wrong... as in I had food poisoning and a bathroom was going to be needed in an urgent way, soon!

Now, I'm uncomfortable folks. Like, I'm focused on not barfing, but this taxi driver was just chatting away at with in Korean. I just kept saying "Ne, ne." (this means yes in Korean) but I had no idea what he was talking about. Soon, it's clear to me that he's circled the block... several times, to rack up my fee and it's also clear that, if the taxi ride lasts much longer I'm going to loose it all over the back seat. (Not to mention that this man drove like a bat out of hell and anyone would have felt sick after riding with him!)

Finally, 13 dollars later, he pulls up to my street, I pay him and get out. I'm half way up my road when dinner decides it doesn't like my stomach, and it lands all over the street. Now, I know it sounds (and it looked) like I'm drunk! But, honest to goodness, I had no liquor in me, just poisoned food.

To finish the "sick" story, I called one of my co-teachers and she came and took me to the hospital. She took good care of me... I think she treats me like a niece... I like her very much. And, I got better.

Now, last night, I had to take another taxi home. I was visiting with my friend, Rachel, and, again, the time just got away from us over coffee. However, this taxi ride was the SO MUCH FUN!

Almost the entire way, this taxi driver and I are speaking to each other in my broken Korean and his broken English. He taught me new words, he corrected my bad pronunciation, he told me when the buses stop running... he was GREAT! I told him that I was a "Hakkyo Sungsamnim!" (School teacher) "Ahh... Sungsamnim! Chweyo!" (Oh, teacher! Good!) And then, after a I learned a few more Korean words, I told him "Nonun, chweyo Sungsamnim!" (you are a good teacher!) "Ani, nonun chweyo!" (No, you are good!) *Sigh* It was just fun. I never knew taxi drivers could be so amiable. I think I have a new friend!

Well, that's all for this time! I hope and pray that you are all doing well and are safe back in the U.S. I miss you all and love you more than words can say!

Hil