One Week Down
It's early Saturday evening. I'm sitting on my bed listening to Anne Murray sing "Snowbird" and writing this blog entry. I received a couple of emails from people in Montreal and Ottawa who say that there's been quite a dumping of snow back there. Still no snow here and no, I don't miss it.
Well, I now have a little idea of what it feels like to be a Rock Star! Yesterday after one of my classes, a boy at the back held up a blank piece of paper and said, "autograp-uh?". I said, "Sure." Before I knew it I was surrounded by just about all thirty kids with blank pieces of paper for me to sign. Sheesh!! Then, word that I would sign blank pieces of paper spread like wild fire and in my next class it was the same thing all over again. The novelty of having someone from Canada in their midst will no doubt wear off in a little while and then I'll just be, "That guy."
Today I woke up around 6:30, as usual, but had no where to go. I turned on the tv and watched a little of this and that, had a couple of cups of coffee. One of the teachers at the school brought in a bag containing apples, peanuts, cherry tomatoes, and oranges. He told me the day before he would bring me some apples...I was under the impression that he grew them. But I asked someone and was told that he had bought all this stuff for me. I'll have to invite him to lunch or buy him some SoJu (some kind of rice wine that's very popular here).
I spent a few hours working on the student handout booklet for the English Camp (Dec. 26-Jan. 20) that my co-teacher and I are doing. There will be 4 sessions of 5 days each. That's not really much time so it has to be pretty focused. The booklet will end up being 25 pages or so with sections on nouns, pronouns, and verbs. There will be a couple of stories, some worksheets for the kids to do, and some sing-a-longs. I'll bring my guitar ...I've been practicing a few pieces : "Amazing Grace", "You Are My Sunshine" and a couple of others,
Around noon I was feeling a little hungry, so I got dressed and for the first time I walked into town. My first time venturing into the town of Haman by myself. It took me about 30 minutes to walk there and amazingly enough, I didn't get lost! Not too hard...all I had to do was follow the Chilwon river.
(View of Haman as I walked into town)
When I got to town I went directly to the elementary school to take some pictures. I forgot that the kids have a half day of school on Saturdays. Luckily I don't have to work on Saturday, but there were some other teachers around.
Some Students In Front of the main building at Chilwon Elementary School
I wanted to find someone who would join me for lunch, but they were all too busy. I hadn't gone to a Korean restaurant (Shiktang) alone and didn't really know what to order. Well, I know a few things that I like, i.e. Kimchi, Meh Oon Tang (spicy fish soup), and rice (of course!) but ordering food in a Korean restaurant is different.
My Lunch!
One sits cross legged at a low table on a cushion on the floor. You order something from the menu like Kimchi and it comes with soup, rice, at least one meat dish and other stuff that I really can't identify except that it's usually vegetable. All really healthy stuff ! I knew I wanted Kimchi because I've really come to love it, but they didn't have the spicy fish soup. Oh well! I ordered Kimchi and before I knew it I had more food on the table than you could shake a stick at. I've gotten a lot better at using chopsticks, but I was having problems eating the fish in front of me. The cook saw that I was having problems and she came by with sanitary gloves on and proceeded to take the meat from the bone for me. Koreans like spicy food and some of what I ate was very, very spicy, but all of it was delicious! Total cost for that spread about $4.00
It's dark now, but I think I'll take another little walk. This time I'll go in the opposite direction. I see some lights and maybe there's a coffee shop or something. Till next time....
I'm still having trouble remembering people's names. I know maybe a half dozen students by name. By the end of the year I won't know them all, but I will know many of them.
I went for a walk tonight in search of SoJu...apparently the alcoholic drink of choice for Koreans. I walked towards the lights at night and found it there in a store. Here is the poem it has inspired..
What would he say?
What do I care?
Who am I?
My name, it is Pierre.
Two out of two
But only one knows my name.
Three out of three
But only one knows my pain.
One out of two
Doesn't see me anymore.
One out of one
So, where is J54?!
One father, two fathers, three fathers, four
One mother, two mothers, three mothers, more.
A million miles away
Drinking SoJu all alone.
I pinch myself.
And see I am at home.
One soul divided
much more than I can tell.
One heart ,disheartened
Going back to the well.
When it's time, the body just slips away
The soul simply finds itself
In just a different way.
Okay, another poem..
I am Percheron!!
It's a feeling deep within my soul.
I've walked the hills of Nor-man-dy...
But, still I am not whole.
I know not who I am
But, a wanderer is what I be.
Destined to find solice.
Near the salty, salty sea.
How many fathers could it take?
How many mothers to make?
A sperm survives ...
no more does it roam.
A lone man walks ...
through the chilly night
At last! A light! It's home!
I'm moving to my apartment on Monday, yes!
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