Just call me clutzy!

So 2 weeks ago, while doing night warmers in the auditorium I fell. A student was speaking korean in the back of the auditorium and I decided to walk over the rows of children to tell the one student to "STOP SPEAKING KOREAN" in person. As I stepped over the rows of children, I got my foot caught in one of the students jacket hoods and hit the ground. The way I fell was... well dramatic to say the least... I let out a yelp and then put my hands out to stop my face from hitting the floor. Instantly, all 350 students fell silent, the teachers began to laugh, and my supervisor asked if I was alright. Other than being extremely embarrassed and a little sore... I was fine... or so I thought. When I fell, I put my hands out and in turn locked my elbows... well for the last 2 weeks my right hand has been quite sore... and finally after a lot of pushing from Paula I decided to go to the hospital before work. It turns out that because I locked my elbows when I fell... I fractured my Carpal (sp) Tunnel Bone (aka Scapula.. I think) in my wrist. So I am now the proud owner of a soft (and removable thank G-D so I can shower and brush my hair) cast for the next 4 weeks. The color is not exactly desirable (navy blue)... but I am going to beedazzle it up. Oh well... call me clutzy! Atleast it was entertaining.

BABY I'm booked!

So I am now officially giddy! I just finished booking my flight home to Canada for my vacation. I am going to be flying Cathay Pacific and will be home for about 10 glorious days! I am leaving Korea on June 3 at 10am and will in Canada on (since we are a day ahead) June 3 at 9:55pm! I will be having one 3 hour layover in Hong Kong... and will leave Canada (to do my itinerary in reverse) on June 14 at 11:40pm! It is now real and I am soooooo excited! I honestly can't wait to be able to understand everything... to see my family... to eat Canadian food... to go shopping for clothes that will actually fit... to see my friends.... to.... just be home! Well my vacation starts in T-minus 72 days!
Cheers!

Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang

On Saturday I started my TEFL Course with the University of Cambrige and all I can say is that I really believe that I am getting my money's worth. The day was divided into 2 sections... the first was lesson planning and contxt,co-text, dialogue, etc... the info provided in those sessions were helpful and got me thinking about how I could utilize that information to better develop my class... then the second part of the day was learning a new language. Usually the course will teach you the language of your host country (Korean) but since there were several Koreans in the class (an unfair advantage) we were all taught Thai. It was challenging, interesting, frustrating and confusing all rolled into one. Overall it was an informative session and in turn helped me identify with my students, who at sometimes have no clue what I am saying to them either.
I am currently on night shift at SEV, which means my day starts at 1pm and finishes at 9pm. Night shift is a lot more relaxed, since after 6pm nighttime game activities (such as Kareoke, movie theater and Xbox) start. Well last week, as a night activity, I was assigned to Library. This is one of the most hated roles by students and teachers a like.. since well it can be boring. So I decided that I would try something different and play up my strengths. Since I started in an acting environment growing up... I decided that I would do storytelling with the children. Scholastic is one of our sponsors, so in the Library there are tones of Canadian children's books... and Robert Munsch is one of them. Having grown up with the amusing stories and children's books of Robert Munsch, I decided that I would try my hand at "Mortimer" and "Love you Forever". For those of you who aren't familiar with this author... Robert Munsch writes stories that are interactive and amusing... and well after teaching the students what to say (eg. "CLANG, CLANG, RATTLE-BING-BANG GONNA MAKE MY NOISE ALL DAY!) we read the story together. Aparently, the school has never had such a good response about nighttime Library, that I was asked to write down my lesson pan for further teachers to emulate. I am honored that they enjoyed what I did... I just believe that you should play up your strengths... and place yourself in the students mind.. if you would find something fun or conversely boring... well then you should or shouldnt do it.
Cheers!

Yellow Dust

Things are progressing quite nicely here at the Village. I am making a valient effort to be more social with the people I work with.. I mean for a while it was just Paula and I against the world... and though that is nice... I have gained a snobby reputation... one which I am trying hard to rectify.
Work is going pretty good... I just got evaluated for my class and received all ABOVE AVERAGE and OUTSTANDINGS on my instructing... so it is good to know that I am doing a good job and am job secured for a while.
I start my TEFL Course (offered through the Cambrige University) tomorrow. Overall the course is going to be really demanding... but I know that in the longrun it is going to help me become a better instructor... all the while improving my grammar.
I am organizing with the Army Red Cross here in Korea a CPR/First Aid course for the teachers and supervisors at the Village. It is just so important that all of us know what to do in case of an emergency.
Yellow Dust season has started in South Korea... and boy are my lungs taking a beating. For those of you who arent familiar with the dust... Yellow Dust is from the chemical factories in China. During March-June the wind carries the toxic dusts across North Korea and into the South. People are warned on bad days to wear masks... and we are advised to avoid the rain. On really bad days... Dust Warnings are broadcasted and we are advised to stay inside... try telling 350 students that even though it is beautiful outside they can go out.... oh well... other than a bit of weasing so far I am surving without much complications.
Overall things have been really good... I am begining to psyche myself up for my journey back to Canada in June... I am really looking forward to seeing a lot of people... and I am working a shopping list of all the things that I totally miss from home (Tim Hortons Cappucino, Crunchy Bars, Ravioli.... yummmm).
Cheers!

My day at the DMZ

So yesterday, Paul, Kerry, Paula and I went on a DMZ Tour. We all got up at 6am (to be at the station for 8), then boarded a tour bus and made our way to Paju and then to North Korea. The tour lasted about 7 hours... and though it was soooo cold! it was totally worth it. The information (though it was very anti-North) was extremely interesting... but it was also pretty upsetting... I mean I know that things are tense... but to actually see them... well it was alarming. Anyways here are the photos of our trip.

Paul, Kerry and Paula on the Tour bus. To take the tour there were clothing requirements. Because we were going to be going into North Korea we were not allowed to wear: jeans, track pants, army colours, sandals, sleeveless tops, tank tops... and the list goes on.

Me at the Unification Bridge. This is where the North and South exchanged POWs after agreeing to no longer use force in the war (yes.. so technically they are still at war). Aparently, South Korea returned over 80,000 North Korean POWs, while North Korea only returned 13,000 American and South Koreans. So every year, at major holidays, families that have lost relatives journey here to pray and offer their respect.

Paul and Kerry at the Unification Bridge.

Paul and Kerry in the Third Tunnel. This is one of 4 tunnels discovered by the UN and South Korea that the North have dug since agreeing to a cease fire (there are rumored to be at least 20.. though not all pf them have been found). With this tunnel, the North claimed that they were digging the tunnels for coal and even went as far to paint the walls black to back up their claims. This tunnel though could hold upto 13,000 (I think) troops and is only 52km away from the heart of Seoul. Now, the tunnel has been blocked with a concrete wall on the North/South border, with each side holding its own tour. To get down the tunnel (350m) we took a monorail system, but to get up... we walked (I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN... though it was worthwhile just to say that I did!)

Kerry, Paul and Paula looking into North Korea. It is pretty sad... any of the landscape that did not have trees was North Korean property. Because the people of the North are so impoverished, they have cut down most of their trees for fuel.

The DMZ Continued

This is a North Korean soldier standing guard. There were sooo many rules before we could enter the Joint Security Area (JSA), like we could not smile, wave or make any hand gestures at or in the direction of the North Korean soldiers.
The North and South have a rivalry going about who is more important. When one country builds something, the other retaliates with a bigger and better one. For example, this is the North Korean flag in what the South refers to a propaganda village. Aparently, not a soul lives in the actual village, but workers come day in and day out to turn on the lights and play anti-American and South propaganda. The flag pole is over 160m tall and the flag is 30m long. This was built in response to the South Koreans putting up a pole that stood 100m tall in their territory.
Paul, Kerry, Paula and I at the JSA.
The concrete slab is the border of North and South Korea. The North side (which I am standing on) consists of only dirt, while the South is rocks. The soldier that you see is a South Korean. They have to stand like that (with one eye and leg on the enemy) in 30 minute rotations all the time. Picture of the JSA. The JSA is run by the United Nations, so on our tour we had to wear UN badges. Before we were allowed to enter the JSA we all had to sign a liability waver saying that if we die from enemy artillary, they held no responsibility (it was very heartwarming)... though they do claim that no one has been injured in the 30 years of tours.

Pictures from The DMZ Continued

This is the Bridge of No Return and the site of the deadly axe murders. Aparently, Soldiers on the South Korean side had difficulty looking into the North Korean territory due to a large tree. So 3 American Soldiers were ordered to chop it down. While they were cutting, North Korean soldiers crossed the bridge and murdered the 3 Americans with their own axes. The picture below is the monument dedicated to the soldiers that lost their lives on that day.
These are pictures of Paul, Kerry, Paula and I with some of the South Korean soldiers.
Below: Paul and I standing infront of the North/South Border.

Overall the tour was really good. It was extremely informative and quite fun. But it did make me think... before that day I had never realized how close the border actually was... to see the North Korean side bare of trees was heartbreaking... to be told not to veer off the path because of land mines, well that was just plain scary.... and to see how, though they were not fighting, that even today in the 21st century, a cold war is still going on. Overall, it was a very exhausting and emotional day.... but extremely worthwhile.

National Pavilion

These are the posters that I created a while back for the National Pavilion (Canada).

Saying Goodbye

Though I really love the time that I am spending here and the people from all around the world that I am meeting... a difficult part of this journey is when your friends move on. This time is not only emotional because they are leaving... but it also causes you to question what you yourself will be doing once your "stay" is up. Here are some of the pictures taken at Geoff's goodbye bash.



Paul and me at CHEERS

Paul and David hamming it up at Kareoke

Andrew, David and Paul (I love David's Cheshire Cat grin)

Geoff and I (He is going to Australia to be with his little Girl)

Paula, David and I at CHEERS