My apologies for my blog posts being out of order. I'm not sure how to fix it.
Anyway, here's a picture of one of the keyboards at school showing Korean letters too.
Chao for now,
ELTer now in the U.S.A.
.Korean+keyboard.jpg)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Blog Posts Out of Order
Dear Blog Readers,
My apologies for my blog posts being out of order. I'm not sure how to fix it.
Anyway, here's a picture of one of the keyboards at school showing Korean letters too.
Chao for now,
ELTer now in the U.S.A.
.Korean+keyboard.jpg)
My apologies for my blog posts being out of order. I'm not sure how to fix it.
Anyway, here's a picture of one of the keyboards at school showing Korean letters too.
Chao for now,
ELTer now in the U.S.A.
Coffee Shops - pictures!
Just wanted to post more pictures from coffee shops and cafe's. What's the difference in terminology anyway?
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| Notice the spelling of "smoothie"... |
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| Take out menu from Art Espresso Cafe |
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| coffeesmith in Busan |
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| Cafe Flue Friends sign |
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| Cafe Flue Friends (Why 'flue'?!? Doesn't sound appetizing...) |
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| Cafe Seattle, yes, with KFC's sign reflecting in the window (Busan) |
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| Dunkin' Donuts, baskin robbins, and "coffee and fry" (Busan) |
Coffee Shops
Some are chains, some aren't...
There are American ones: Dunkin Donuts,
Starbucks, Krispy Kreme...
European-sounding ones: Paris
Baguette, Tous les Jours, Cafe Pascucci, Cafe Bene...
Other chains: Angel-in-us Coffee, A Twosome Place, 7th Heaven, Holly Coffee, Bean Cafe...
Are these chains?: Cafe Friend, TalkHolics, Beans and Books, Art Cafe, Hello Kitty Cafe... |
| Gallery Cafe |
Close by, I like to support two that aren't chains: Soul In, and the new Gallery Cafe.
Most offer fresh fruit smoothies (during the summer) with just fruit and ice, no sugar or anything else added! Smoothie flavors: kiwi, mango, watermelon, strawberry, green melon,and my favorite: Persimmon!
Many offer lattes: green tea latte, sweet potato latte, brown sesame seed latte, and my new favorite: honey-ginseng latte!
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| Waffle with fruit and ice cream! |
Most of course offer the regulars: Americano, Cafe Latte, Cappaccino, etcetera.
As for a "hot chocolate," sometimes it's called a "Choco Latte," and sometimes a "Hot choco."
Anyway, back to coffee, I asked my Korean friend why there are so many coffee shops. He said, matter-of-factly, Korean women LOVE their coffee! Hm... I can see how Korean women drive the market... But also, it must be something to do with the fact that sugar is so addicting and most of the drinks at coffee shops are *far* from sugar-free or low on sugar!
Why then are coffee shops open so late?!? One of my favorite local coffee shops doesn't open until 10am, regardless of what day of the week it is! But it's open until 10pm and I see people in there ordering caffeinated beverages at 9pm at night! Well, it goes back to the Korean way of life - up all night, and up early too! Go go go! After being in the hot humid air in the summer, I too felt like rushing into whichever closest shop just to feel cool air and most likely it'd be a coffee shop, and of course a dripping wet cool ice coffee looks appealing to anyone on a sticky sweaty summer day! Now of course, after being outside in the frigid humid winter air, I want to rush in for a nice warm "noke-cha latte" (or Green Tea Latte).
It seems there are several reasons that coffee shops are popular: the sugar, the air conditioning / heating, the way of life here- requiring one to do all things fast- and maybe the desire to be seen chillin in a coffee shop sippin a drink. Or maybe it's the need for a relaxing calm or cool atmosphere, away from the sounds of the street noise, and in an environment made with love and care.
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| "...There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved." |
Things I'll Miss
Things I'll Miss About Korea
sides (refillable, bottomless side dishes served at every meal)
heated floors
bus system
Korea fun, cutesy, or insulting socks
.jpg)
stickers
ATM machine that updates your bank book for you
cafe's
stationary "book" stores at which you can buy erasers, pencil cases, stickers, etcetera
Art Box - a store that sells stationary, fun alarm clocks, cell phone and hair accessories, etc.
using chopsticks
Korea's health care/insurance
acupuncture for $5-$10 per treatment!
Green Tea Latte
soy bean paste stew (even though most foreigners hate the smell and don't like the taste either)
how safe I feel despite being in the *city*
spa/bathhouses
bowing out of respect
the open-air MARKET
the PEOPLE of course!
sides (refillable, bottomless side dishes served at every meal)
heated floors
bus system
Korea fun, cutesy, or insulting socks
.jpg)
ATM machine that updates your bank book for you
cafe's
stationary "book" stores at which you can buy erasers, pencil cases, stickers, etcetera
Art Box - a store that sells stationary, fun alarm clocks, cell phone and hair accessories, etc.
.jpg) |
| I luv U chocolates from Artbox |
Korea's health care/insurance
acupuncture for $5-$10 per treatment!
Green Tea Latte
soy bean paste stew (even though most foreigners hate the smell and don't like the taste either)
how safe I feel despite being in the *city*
spa/bathhouses
bowing out of respect
the open-air MARKET
the PEOPLE of course!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Count Down: 0 days after today (late post)
Monday, February 18, 2013
Errand Day!
I thought the bank would be the most complicated errand today. It wasn't; it was the easiest!
The most complicated errand was going to the LG store to cancel my phone. After many trips to an from the LG store, and 3 hours of working on cancelling my phone, I finally finished about 5:30pm, and after paying $305!
IMPORTANT NOTE to those interested in teaching/working in Korea:
Careful of the cell phone thing! I wasn't told when I first got my Korean cell phone that the contract was for 27 months, and that breaking the contract early by canceling my phone would cost me this much!
If you're going to get a Korean cell phone, be SURE you have someone with you who speaks English well and Korean well and who will take the time to ask your questions and get you answers about the details to that you don't get screwed over by the phone contract system!
Errand Day!
I thought the bank would be the most complicated errand today. It wasn't; it was the easiest!
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| My AWESOME but EXPENSIVE LG phone |
IMPORTANT NOTE to those interested in teaching/working in Korea:
Careful of the cell phone thing! I wasn't told when I first got my Korean cell phone that the contract was for 27 months, and that breaking the contract early by canceling my phone would cost me this much!
If you're going to get a Korean cell phone, be SURE you have someone with you who speaks English well and Korean well and who will take the time to ask your questions and get you answers about the details to that you don't get screwed over by the phone contract system!
Count Down: 1 day after today (late post)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Today one of my dear close friends, also a foreign teacher at the same school, helped me for a few *hours* to pack my things and clean. CK - THANK YOU!
.Korean+bbq+restaurant.jpg)
Today I ate Korean bbq for the last time with 3 foreign teacher friends. "Seaweed - I will miss you!" I commented during dinner. Here's a view of the entrance to the restaurant.
Today one of my dear close friends, also a foreign teacher at the same school, helped me for a few *hours* to pack my things and clean. CK - THANK YOU!
.Korean+bbq+restaurant.jpg)
Today I ate Korean bbq for the last time with 3 foreign teacher friends. "Seaweed - I will miss you!" I commented during dinner. Here's a view of the entrance to the restaurant.
Count Down: 2 days after today (late post)
Saturday, February 16, 2013 - Day of Farewells
Today I said, "Goodbye" to the Soul In (coffee shop) owner, the dollar store man and woman, the lady at the place where I used to buy 2 liter water bottles for 800 won, and to the acupuncture doctor, to my Korean friend (the doctor's niece), and to her mother, and to the foreign teachers.
I'm discovering that goodbyes are more necessary than I'd thought but not easy. I've never been good at them in the past. I usually brush over goodbyes, make them fast, or don't say them sincerely, or don't allow myself to be present when I'm saying the words...
When I said, "Goodbye," to the dollar store people, the woman came from behind the register and gave me a hug and started getting teary-eyed.
The lady who sells the 800 won water surprised me by saying, "Go-ma-wa-yo" which, I believe, is the now-we're-friendly version of "thank you." How sweet!
Today I ate lunch with my Korean friend; we had soup and rice cooked in stone pots (see picture). She gave me gifts too! Wow! I'm constantly flabbergasted by Koreans generosity, and by how unaware I've been that they have become a big part of my life.
I have so much to pack and clean still and I'm still feeling sick but I know it will all work out because it must.
Today I said, "Goodbye" to the Soul In (coffee shop) owner, the dollar store man and woman, the lady at the place where I used to buy 2 liter water bottles for 800 won, and to the acupuncture doctor, to my Korean friend (the doctor's niece), and to her mother, and to the foreign teachers.
I'm discovering that goodbyes are more necessary than I'd thought but not easy. I've never been good at them in the past. I usually brush over goodbyes, make them fast, or don't say them sincerely, or don't allow myself to be present when I'm saying the words...
When I said, "Goodbye," to the dollar store people, the woman came from behind the register and gave me a hug and started getting teary-eyed.
The lady who sells the 800 won water surprised me by saying, "Go-ma-wa-yo" which, I believe, is the now-we're-friendly version of "thank you." How sweet!
Today I ate lunch with my Korean friend; we had soup and rice cooked in stone pots (see picture). She gave me gifts too! Wow! I'm constantly flabbergasted by Koreans generosity, and by how unaware I've been that they have become a big part of my life.
.soup+and+rice+in+stone+pot.jpg) |
| Stone pot, soup, cutting kimchi |
I have so much to pack and clean still and I'm still feeling sick but I know it will all work out because it must.
Count Down: 3 days after today (late post)
Friday, February 15, 2013
Today was amazing.
Little Noah came back today for the Closing Ceremony, even though he technically isn't a Samyook student anymore as he transferred to another school last week. (Why would a parent transfer a student to another school the week before school ends? Good question!) I was happy to see him! Even though he was a pain to manage, he won my heart. All of them did, even those who don't know it, like Andrew who was always causing problems in class.
Sad - said goodbye to students on stage, and again in the classroom. I agree with the other foreign teachers - one of the best things about Korea has been my *students* and my time in Korea has taught me sooooooo much!
Ellie gave me a pair of lovely earrings!
.white+chocolate+from+Ellis+with+my+name.jpg)
Ellis gave me handmade chocolates on which she wrote *my* name!
Louis' mother gave me homemade high-quality lotions!
I will miss my students!
Also today, after school, I met up with my previous Korean teacher partner, Jessie. I'd forgotten how well we get along. Oh, I wish I had more time! I wish I'd contacted her sooner to see her more! But I'm grateful to for our last supper together.
Today was amazing.
Little Noah came back today for the Closing Ceremony, even though he technically isn't a Samyook student anymore as he transferred to another school last week. (Why would a parent transfer a student to another school the week before school ends? Good question!) I was happy to see him! Even though he was a pain to manage, he won my heart. All of them did, even those who don't know it, like Andrew who was always causing problems in class.
Sad - said goodbye to students on stage, and again in the classroom. I agree with the other foreign teachers - one of the best things about Korea has been my *students* and my time in Korea has taught me sooooooo much!
Ellie gave me a pair of lovely earrings!
.white+chocolate+from+Ellis+with+my+name.jpg)
Ellis gave me handmade chocolates on which she wrote *my* name!
Louis' mother gave me homemade high-quality lotions!
I will miss my students!
Also today, after school, I met up with my previous Korean teacher partner, Jessie. I'd forgotten how well we get along. Oh, I wish I had more time! I wish I'd contacted her sooner to see her more! But I'm grateful to for our last supper together.
Count Down: 4 days after today (late post)
Thursday, February 14, 2013 - Happy Valentine's Day!
Yes, Korean celebrates it commercially by selling cards, chocolates, and the like.
.v+day.jpg)
Today some of my students gave me Valentine's Day gifts of sweet treats, and a small figurine of a Korean woman in a red wedding outfit. During break I shared some of the chocolates with my students. I wanted to eat them too but I'm sick.
After the last class, sweet Kyle nearly brought me to tears as he left the room. "Thank you for teaching me, Abby Teacher," he said. Melted my heart. That kid will change for better the lives of many!
I have a fever of 100d Farenheit. The acupuncture doctor says I have "influenza." Because of being sick, and tired, I decided to stay home and not attend the final school staff dinner. Then, not only was I feeling yucky in my body, I also felt disappointed in not going. Oh well...
Only one more day, of half of a day anyway. Tomorrow is Closing Ceremony. Tomorrow I have to give a short goodbye speech in front of the whole school. Tomorrow is the last day I will see my students and most of the Korean staff. Tomorrow is the end.
Yes, I feel maudlin.
Yes, Korean celebrates it commercially by selling cards, chocolates, and the like.
.v+day.jpg)
Today some of my students gave me Valentine's Day gifts of sweet treats, and a small figurine of a Korean woman in a red wedding outfit. During break I shared some of the chocolates with my students. I wanted to eat them too but I'm sick.
After the last class, sweet Kyle nearly brought me to tears as he left the room. "Thank you for teaching me, Abby Teacher," he said. Melted my heart. That kid will change for better the lives of many!
I have a fever of 100d Farenheit. The acupuncture doctor says I have "influenza." Because of being sick, and tired, I decided to stay home and not attend the final school staff dinner. Then, not only was I feeling yucky in my body, I also felt disappointed in not going. Oh well...
Only one more day, of half of a day anyway. Tomorrow is Closing Ceremony. Tomorrow I have to give a short goodbye speech in front of the whole school. Tomorrow is the last day I will see my students and most of the Korean staff. Tomorrow is the end.
Yes, I feel maudlin.
Count Down: 5 days after today (late post)
Wednesday, February 13, 2012 - Activity Day
Today was "Activity" day, which means all 28+ students are in the classroom at one time, and I'm to have them doing an activity for 40 minutes during which they're supposed to use English. Today's activity started quite differently as if they knew what I was about to say. Today for activity, I officially said, "Goodbye," to all 29 of them.
As usual, I started talking and some of them started wiggling and not paying attention. So I stopped and waited.
"Sit down, Jacob," I said. Then I smiled at him and added, "That'll probably be the last time I say that to you." He smiled back at me, knowingly.
"I have something difficult to tell you. I am leaving Korea..." I started. Even though I had a speech somewhat written out, it didn't come out clearly like I wanted. Still, I tried. "Why?" asked Sally. "Good question," I answered. I tried to explain that even though I love Korea and hope to return some day, I have scholarship money towards education in the United States that expires soon. I told them I need to go back to school to learn how to be a better teacher, and to use the money before it expires.
Too, I told them that they were a part of my LIFE dream. For as long as I can remember, it had been my dream to live and work abroad for at least one year. They helped me in achieving my dream. Also, they changed my life! I can't articulate yet how they've changed my life but I know they have...
After telling them this, I had them sign a Korean flag for me with their English and Korean names. Some of them even wrote short sweet messages.
After school, I went to the main branch of my bank to set up an electronic transfer to make sure it would go through. It went smoothly.
Even though I'm counting down the days, I still feel like I'm in denial about leaving so soon.
Even though I officially said, "Goodbye" to my students, and almost got teary-eyed, I'm having a hard time realizing I'm moving away so soon.
Today was "Activity" day, which means all 28+ students are in the classroom at one time, and I'm to have them doing an activity for 40 minutes during which they're supposed to use English. Today's activity started quite differently as if they knew what I was about to say. Today for activity, I officially said, "Goodbye," to all 29 of them.
As usual, I started talking and some of them started wiggling and not paying attention. So I stopped and waited.
"Sit down, Jacob," I said. Then I smiled at him and added, "That'll probably be the last time I say that to you." He smiled back at me, knowingly.
"I have something difficult to tell you. I am leaving Korea..." I started. Even though I had a speech somewhat written out, it didn't come out clearly like I wanted. Still, I tried. "Why?" asked Sally. "Good question," I answered. I tried to explain that even though I love Korea and hope to return some day, I have scholarship money towards education in the United States that expires soon. I told them I need to go back to school to learn how to be a better teacher, and to use the money before it expires.
Too, I told them that they were a part of my LIFE dream. For as long as I can remember, it had been my dream to live and work abroad for at least one year. They helped me in achieving my dream. Also, they changed my life! I can't articulate yet how they've changed my life but I know they have...
After telling them this, I had them sign a Korean flag for me with their English and Korean names. Some of them even wrote short sweet messages.
After school, I went to the main branch of my bank to set up an electronic transfer to make sure it would go through. It went smoothly.
Even though I'm counting down the days, I still feel like I'm in denial about leaving so soon.
Even though I officially said, "Goodbye" to my students, and almost got teary-eyed, I'm having a hard time realizing I'm moving away so soon.
Count Down: 6 days after today (late post)
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - Market Day!
Background: During the school year, all teachers give out small Samyook stickers- with the school name on it- to students who behave well, get good grades, do what they're told, etcetera. Then, at the end of the school year, they can turn in their Samyook stickers for prizes such as bouncy balls, angry bird stuff, Dora the explorer stuff, stickers, pencils, erasers, pencil cases, neck pillows, nail decals/stickers, magic trick kits, and of course lots of sweet snacks/treats.
So today was the big day - Market Day! It was fun to see which students picked what. I wasn't surprised that Tony, a high-level student, picked a board game.
After school, I embarked on Mission nearly-Impossible: obtain all medical records from the hospital in English.
Long story short, I went to this one particular hospital at least 10 times during my year in Korea. They did many tests, so many I lost count. I LOVE Korean health insurance which allowed for all these tests and doctors' appointments!
Anyway, after 3 long tiring hours of walking to and from two buildings 3 times each, and talking to 3 different doctors in 3 different departments/sections of the hospital, I received in English my paperwork. In the end, I was so tired I didn't check to see what kind of info the papers had on them. Funny thing - I received 3+ pages of detailed notes from Dr. Lee, whom I'd seen only 2 times for a total of maybe one hour. Compare that to the one page, one liner of notes from Dr. Kim whom I'd seen for *days* worth of medical work, totaling more than 70 hours. No, doesn't make sense.
.from+Kimi.jpg)
I saw Kimi too, whom I'd met back in August when I stayed overnight at the hospital. She works there. She remembered me and gave me chocolates and said, "Goodbye..." It was so sweet of her!
I also saw Mr. Hwang; his mother and I shared a hospital room together.
How funny to have seen so many people today whom I hadn't seen since August...
Background: During the school year, all teachers give out small Samyook stickers- with the school name on it- to students who behave well, get good grades, do what they're told, etcetera. Then, at the end of the school year, they can turn in their Samyook stickers for prizes such as bouncy balls, angry bird stuff, Dora the explorer stuff, stickers, pencils, erasers, pencil cases, neck pillows, nail decals/stickers, magic trick kits, and of course lots of sweet snacks/treats.
So today was the big day - Market Day! It was fun to see which students picked what. I wasn't surprised that Tony, a high-level student, picked a board game.
After school, I embarked on Mission nearly-Impossible: obtain all medical records from the hospital in English.
Long story short, I went to this one particular hospital at least 10 times during my year in Korea. They did many tests, so many I lost count. I LOVE Korean health insurance which allowed for all these tests and doctors' appointments!
Anyway, after 3 long tiring hours of walking to and from two buildings 3 times each, and talking to 3 different doctors in 3 different departments/sections of the hospital, I received in English my paperwork. In the end, I was so tired I didn't check to see what kind of info the papers had on them. Funny thing - I received 3+ pages of detailed notes from Dr. Lee, whom I'd seen only 2 times for a total of maybe one hour. Compare that to the one page, one liner of notes from Dr. Kim whom I'd seen for *days* worth of medical work, totaling more than 70 hours. No, doesn't make sense.
.from+Kimi.jpg)
I saw Kimi too, whom I'd met back in August when I stayed overnight at the hospital. She works there. She remembered me and gave me chocolates and said, "Goodbye..." It was so sweet of her!
I also saw Mr. Hwang; his mother and I shared a hospital room together.
How funny to have seen so many people today whom I hadn't seen since August...
Count Down: 7 days after today (late post)
Monday, February 11, 2013 - No School because of National Holiday (Lunar New Year)
Today we had no school because yesterday was the first or second biggest national holiday in Korea: the Lunar New Year, and today was a travel day for many Koreans. They travel to see family, and pay their respects. Even though the holiday was technically yesterday, I think they make today a day off too because the Koreans need a day to travel back from wherever they went for the holiday, and they need time to recuperate before returning to school, academies, and hogwans.
What do you think? Does this make sense?
Some of the teachers who are staying longer came by my apartment today to take food stuff and other extra things. Good thing I started moving sooner than I have in the past. It's always a longer process than I anticipate...
While walking by myself up the road to the "Green Food Zone" store to buy more spinach, I smiled at the semi-blue sky and looked at everything around me as I always do, with the same thoughts as usual passing in my mind. "Ooh, those snacks on sale look good. I wonder if they're traditional Korean snacks?"
Today we had no school because yesterday was the first or second biggest national holiday in Korea: the Lunar New Year, and today was a travel day for many Koreans. They travel to see family, and pay their respects. Even though the holiday was technically yesterday, I think they make today a day off too because the Koreans need a day to travel back from wherever they went for the holiday, and they need time to recuperate before returning to school, academies, and hogwans.
What do you think? Does this make sense?
Some of the teachers who are staying longer came by my apartment today to take food stuff and other extra things. Good thing I started moving sooner than I have in the past. It's always a longer process than I anticipate...
Count Down: 8 days after today (late post)
Sunday, February 10, 2013 - Lunar New Year / 설날 (pronounced "Seollal")
새해 복 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year!
Today, most of us foreign teachers went to the principal's house for New Year's lunch!
.Korean+traditional+snacks+at+principal%27s+house.jpg)
First, we chowed down on delicious homemade food that his wife and another female family member had been spending hours preparing. We sat on their floor at low tables that they brought into the living/family room (main room you see when you walk in, with a tv, and veranda off the side with healthy plants, and a nice view).
The feast included "cha-cha" mandu, waldorf-like salad, red bean cake like things called "jim pahng," delicious omelettes (without cheese) with sauteed onions and things inside, served with a squeeze bottle of Korean ketchup (more delicious in my opinion than American ketchup) for us to put on top if we wanted, and of course the obligatory new year's sliced rice-cake soup, which I think is so yummy and soothing! Fresh raw slices of carrot and sweet potato were also served. To drink: Tropicana sparkling fruit juice of some kind, or traditional rice shitkkaye drink (also in a can). For dessert, Korean traditional snacks were put before us, some made of green pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, and others of other kinds of seeds (left side of plate), plus some made of rice (right side of plate), and mandarin-looking tangerine-like fruits.
While stuffing myself, I wondered why they - the principal and his family - were not eating with us. Apparently they'd eaten earlier...
When we could eat no more, conversation turned to Korean games. The principal then brought out his "yoot-nori" sticks and taught us how to play. Here he is drawing the board on which we placed 4 white pieces, and 4 black pieces.
We then played, half of us on the "white" team and half on the "black" team. Wow - it was fun to see who got competitive; the principal was very competitive! The first game - our team won. During the second game, I was kind of wondering if we - the team opposite the one on which was the principal- were supposed to let him and his team win. Luckily I didn't have to think much about it because his team won. Therefore, it ended well; each team won once.
It was a delightful way to celebrate the Lunar New Year!
새해 복 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year!
Today, most of us foreign teachers went to the principal's house for New Year's lunch!
.New+Year%27s+day+lunch+at+principal%27s+house+.jpg) |
.Korean+traditional+snacks+at+principal%27s+house.jpg)
First, we chowed down on delicious homemade food that his wife and another female family member had been spending hours preparing. We sat on their floor at low tables that they brought into the living/family room (main room you see when you walk in, with a tv, and veranda off the side with healthy plants, and a nice view). The feast included "cha-cha" mandu, waldorf-like salad, red bean cake like things called "jim pahng," delicious omelettes (without cheese) with sauteed onions and things inside, served with a squeeze bottle of Korean ketchup (more delicious in my opinion than American ketchup) for us to put on top if we wanted, and of course the obligatory new year's sliced rice-cake soup, which I think is so yummy and soothing! Fresh raw slices of carrot and sweet potato were also served. To drink: Tropicana sparkling fruit juice of some kind, or traditional rice shitkkaye drink (also in a can). For dessert, Korean traditional snacks were put before us, some made of green pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, and others of other kinds of seeds (left side of plate), plus some made of rice (right side of plate), and mandarin-looking tangerine-like fruits.
While stuffing myself, I wondered why they - the principal and his family - were not eating with us. Apparently they'd eaten earlier...
When we could eat no more, conversation turned to Korean games. The principal then brought out his "yoot-nori" sticks and taught us how to play. Here he is drawing the board on which we placed 4 white pieces, and 4 black pieces.
We then played, half of us on the "white" team and half on the "black" team. Wow - it was fun to see who got competitive; the principal was very competitive! The first game - our team won. During the second game, I was kind of wondering if we - the team opposite the one on which was the principal- were supposed to let him and his team win. Luckily I didn't have to think much about it because his team won. Therefore, it ended well; each team won once.
It was a delightful way to celebrate the Lunar New Year!
Count Down: 14 days after today (late post)
Monday, February 4, 2013
Today went well. It was good to see my students again! Noah gave me his orange at lunchtime. I kept the picture he gave me of his cat at my office desk. Tony Y. gave me chocolates and a really nice lip balm from his dad's trip to Europe.
.jpg)
This morning there was snowy sleet stuff on the ground so everyone was out "plowing" the roads with brooms, cheap plastic shovels, garden trowels, or whatever they could find. Nope; I haven't seen a snow plow here.
For dinner I ate the homemade pork bone soup that my Korean friend's grandmother made. Delicious!
Today went well. It was good to see my students again! Noah gave me his orange at lunchtime. I kept the picture he gave me of his cat at my office desk. Tony Y. gave me chocolates and a really nice lip balm from his dad's trip to Europe.
.jpg)
This morning there was snowy sleet stuff on the ground so everyone was out "plowing" the roads with brooms, cheap plastic shovels, garden trowels, or whatever they could find. Nope; I haven't seen a snow plow here.
For dinner I ate the homemade pork bone soup that my Korean friend's grandmother made. Delicious!
Count Down: 9 days after today (late post)
Saturday, February 9, 2013
.my+apt.jpg)
Today I started to pack. It's always a bigger process than I anticipate.
Also today, I went to dinner with teacher friends at Bon Bon's Italian restaurant. Yummy!
I'm grateful for my relatively good health, my smart phone, my friends here, my warm apartment, and my finally-fixed toilet!
.my+apt.jpg)
Today I started to pack. It's always a bigger process than I anticipate.
Also today, I went to dinner with teacher friends at Bon Bon's Italian restaurant. Yummy!
I'm grateful for my relatively good health, my smart phone, my friends here, my warm apartment, and my finally-fixed toilet!
Count Down: 10 days after today (late post)
Friday, February 8, 2013
Today I had to say "Goodbye" to my L.A. students, all 20 of them who didn't already know I'm leaving. They asked, "Why?!?"
"Am I leaving because I got scared on signing on for another year?" I asked myself. No...
I told them, honestly, that I'm leaving because I will go to Panama in March, and Myanmar this summer to teach. Also, I need to go back to school to learn how to be a better teacher, but that I hope to return to Korea.
I asked them to each write me a short note. Just now I read their notes and got teary eyed.
After school I went to acupuncture for the second-to-last time.
Today I just enjoyed watching my students play scrabble (words like "god," and "shoes" were on the board), and had fun playing "Jenga" with one student who apparently has a blog about dogs. She loves dogs and seems to know more about dogs than I know about any one topic!
Today I had to say "Goodbye" to my L.A. students, all 20 of them who didn't already know I'm leaving. They asked, "Why?!?"
"Am I leaving because I got scared on signing on for another year?" I asked myself. No...
I told them, honestly, that I'm leaving because I will go to Panama in March, and Myanmar this summer to teach. Also, I need to go back to school to learn how to be a better teacher, but that I hope to return to Korea.
I asked them to each write me a short note. Just now I read their notes and got teary eyed.
After school I went to acupuncture for the second-to-last time.
Today I just enjoyed watching my students play scrabble (words like "god," and "shoes" were on the board), and had fun playing "Jenga" with one student who apparently has a blog about dogs. She loves dogs and seems to know more about dogs than I know about any one topic!
Count Down: 11 days after today (late post)
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Science day. Students really got into making their own board games using vocabulary from their science books. Cool! The group names were fun too: Bidibapa, Nature, and Strong Ladies were a few of them.
One of my students asked which was more correct for their board: "go up the ladder" or "go up a ladder." I was impressed by her question!
Another group asked me the name of one of the characters in Star Wars but I couldn't answer him because I don't know! (Bummer!)
Today was also the last day of "After-School" English classes. Here are pictured 4 of the 5 students I had. This picture is from earlier on in the school year when it was one of their birthdays. I'm going to miss these outstanding intelligent hard-working caring kids!
Science day. Students really got into making their own board games using vocabulary from their science books. Cool! The group names were fun too: Bidibapa, Nature, and Strong Ladies were a few of them.
One of my students asked which was more correct for their board: "go up the ladder" or "go up a ladder." I was impressed by her question!
Another group asked me the name of one of the characters in Star Wars but I couldn't answer him because I don't know! (Bummer!)
Count Down: 12 days after today (late post)
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Today I told my 29 students I'm leaving Korea and probably not coming back. I almost cried. It was difficult. In a way, my heart was closed because I was afraid of showing emotion. They asked me why I'm leaving. I responded, "Good question!" I thought to myself, "I've been asking myself this for quite some time without really knowing why..."
I told them it's partly because I have scholarship money to go back to school that I must use before it expires. I told them I need to go to back to school to learn how to be a better teacher. (Indeed, I want to get my masters, in teaching of some sort - probably ESL - and my AmeriCorps Education Award expires 2014 I think...)
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Today I experienced another amazing thing about Korea. I got my eyes checked, my prescription updated, new glasses made, and bought new frames. I then picked up my new glasses about an hour later. I ate dinner with a friend at a delicious Indian restaurant down the street while waiting for my new glasses.
The cost of the eye vision check, new prescription lenses *with* anti-scratch coating and new frames: $50 total! That's all - fifty dollars!
I got to choose out of a box of various glasses cases too. It wasn't hard; this polar bear cub case won hands down- so Korean; so cute! Even the glasses cleaner rag is cute!
Today I told my 29 students I'm leaving Korea and probably not coming back. I almost cried. It was difficult. In a way, my heart was closed because I was afraid of showing emotion. They asked me why I'm leaving. I responded, "Good question!" I thought to myself, "I've been asking myself this for quite some time without really knowing why..."
I told them it's partly because I have scholarship money to go back to school that I must use before it expires. I told them I need to go to back to school to learn how to be a better teacher. (Indeed, I want to get my masters, in teaching of some sort - probably ESL - and my AmeriCorps Education Award expires 2014 I think...)
.jpg)
Today I experienced another amazing thing about Korea. I got my eyes checked, my prescription updated, new glasses made, and bought new frames. I then picked up my new glasses about an hour later. I ate dinner with a friend at a delicious Indian restaurant down the street while waiting for my new glasses.
The cost of the eye vision check, new prescription lenses *with* anti-scratch coating and new frames: $50 total! That's all - fifty dollars!
I got to choose out of a box of various glasses cases too. It wasn't hard; this polar bear cub case won hands down- so Korean; so cute! Even the glasses cleaner rag is cute!
Count Down: 13 days after today (late post)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
I dreamt of being on an airplane...
Today one of my After-School Program students, Amy, told me she will change her English name next year to, "Lucille." Hm. I wonder why? I asked her and she just shrugged her shoulders.
Today my 4th grade students had to write a 5 paragraph "How to" essay in class in 40 minutes. They did a good job; I was impressed!
School lunch was delicious - yummy kimchi noodles, soy bean paste soup, veggie burger, and yummy purple rice with red or black beans.
This picture obviously isn't today's lunch, but it gives you an idea of what school lunches are like. We use a metal tray, metal flat chopsticks, metal spoon... Brown/purple rice, white rice and some kind of kimchi are always served, plus a fruit for dessert.
My Korean teacher partner asked me to write a letter of recommendation for Edgar, one of our 4th grade students, to attend a bilingual school in France next year. So I did. I know Edgar could handle such a school!
I dreamt of being on an airplane...
Today one of my After-School Program students, Amy, told me she will change her English name next year to, "Lucille." Hm. I wonder why? I asked her and she just shrugged her shoulders.
Today my 4th grade students had to write a 5 paragraph "How to" essay in class in 40 minutes. They did a good job; I was impressed!
School lunch was delicious - yummy kimchi noodles, soy bean paste soup, veggie burger, and yummy purple rice with red or black beans.
This picture obviously isn't today's lunch, but it gives you an idea of what school lunches are like. We use a metal tray, metal flat chopsticks, metal spoon... Brown/purple rice, white rice and some kind of kimchi are always served, plus a fruit for dessert.
My Korean teacher partner asked me to write a letter of recommendation for Edgar, one of our 4th grade students, to attend a bilingual school in France next year. So I did. I know Edgar could handle such a school!
Count Down: 15 days after today (late post)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
I dreamt of traveling, of not feeling emotionally ready to go but knowing I must go.
.sides.jpg)
Check out these sides! Today I ate a delicious lunch with my Korean friend 다금 and her mother and my American teacher friend. We ate pork ribs served on a hot plate (not pictured). There were lots of delicious sides too, including pumpkin, seaweed, jelly fish, crab, 2 or 3 kinds of kimchi, lotus stem, lotus root, 2 kinds of cabbage salad, pink pickled radish, garlic, and spinach.
I dreamt of traveling, of not feeling emotionally ready to go but knowing I must go.
.sides.jpg)
Check out these sides! Today I ate a delicious lunch with my Korean friend 다금 and her mother and my American teacher friend. We ate pork ribs served on a hot plate (not pictured). There were lots of delicious sides too, including pumpkin, seaweed, jelly fish, crab, 2 or 3 kinds of kimchi, lotus stem, lotus root, 2 kinds of cabbage salad, pink pickled radish, garlic, and spinach.
Count Down: 16 days after today (late post)
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Today I went with a teacher friend to take out to lunch her Korean friend Eun Young, friend's two kids, and friend's sister, who translated for me once at the doctor's office. We ate Korean barbecue- delicious! So logical too - the plate on which the meat cooks in front of you is at a tilt so that all the grease drains off the plate into a collecting place.
Eun Young took my arm and commented how it's sad that I'm leaving. I agree.
Also today we went to the spa / bathhouse. It was only my second time. It felt sooooooooo good! I got a body scrub so walked out later with my skin feeling super soft like a baby's! Oh - the sauna there had a large hour glass in the room with pink sand! I love too how the ceiling has different colors of tiles.
Today I went with a teacher friend to take out to lunch her Korean friend Eun Young, friend's two kids, and friend's sister, who translated for me once at the doctor's office. We ate Korean barbecue- delicious! So logical too - the plate on which the meat cooks in front of you is at a tilt so that all the grease drains off the plate into a collecting place.
Eun Young took my arm and commented how it's sad that I'm leaving. I agree.
.Abby+drawing.jpg) |
| Eun Young's daughter drew me. |
Also today we went to the spa / bathhouse. It was only my second time. It felt sooooooooo good! I got a body scrub so walked out later with my skin feeling super soft like a baby's! Oh - the sauna there had a large hour glass in the room with pink sand! I love too how the ceiling has different colors of tiles.
Count Down: 17 days after today (late post)
Friday, February 1, 2013
I'm still writing '2012' half the time...
Today we were back to school with the kids. I was happy to see my students, but not as happy or excited as I thought I'd be... Anyway, some of them have longer hair and others shorter hair. Most of them studied English, and some of them traveled to Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
One of my 4th grade students showed me a friendly version of high five called, "Hug Five." Instead of giving someone a clapping high five, you hold up your hand and they hold up theirs to yours, palms together, and wrap your thumbs around each other's.
Next week is the English Essay Contest. Then, shortly after, school will end. It's going to be sad leaving but I trust I'm doing what is best for me.
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For dinner, a bunch of us went to the Makkoli House for my friend's birthday! I love their 파전 ("pajeon"), which is a Korean pancake. I'm not so much a fan of their 막걸리 "makkoli" or rice wine. Here you can see my friend pouring some rice wine for others from a clay (or ceramic?) carafe while another friend munches on sides of sauteed lotus stem, mushrooms, onions, and kimchi of course.
I'm still writing '2012' half the time...
Today we were back to school with the kids. I was happy to see my students, but not as happy or excited as I thought I'd be... Anyway, some of them have longer hair and others shorter hair. Most of them studied English, and some of them traveled to Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
One of my 4th grade students showed me a friendly version of high five called, "Hug Five." Instead of giving someone a clapping high five, you hold up your hand and they hold up theirs to yours, palms together, and wrap your thumbs around each other's.
Next week is the English Essay Contest. Then, shortly after, school will end. It's going to be sad leaving but I trust I'm doing what is best for me.
.jpg)
For dinner, a bunch of us went to the Makkoli House for my friend's birthday! I love their 파전 ("pajeon"), which is a Korean pancake. I'm not so much a fan of their 막걸리 "makkoli" or rice wine. Here you can see my friend pouring some rice wine for others from a clay (or ceramic?) carafe while another friend munches on sides of sauteed lotus stem, mushrooms, onions, and kimchi of course.
Count Down: 18 days after today (late post)
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Last day of January. Wow.
.Homeplus+hanbok+sale+before+Seollal.jpg)
Hanbok on sale at Homeplus in Daejeon, South Korea.
.Homeplus+hanbok+on+sale.jpg)
Today we went to Homeplus to shop for Market Day (a day when students can "buy" prizes with their school stickers which they learn during the semester for answering correctly, being quiet, and on-task.
While at Homeplus buying toys and candy, I saw hanbok on sale which reminded me that the Korean Lunar New Year, 설날 (Seollal), is next week- wow! Time is flying by!
Tomorrow is the first day back to school - yes, on a Friday.
I feel very lucky for the most part to be working with AWESOME amazing coworkers!
Last day of January. Wow.
.Homeplus+hanbok+sale+before+Seollal.jpg)
.Homeplus+hanbok+on+sale.jpg)
Today we went to Homeplus to shop for Market Day (a day when students can "buy" prizes with their school stickers which they learn during the semester for answering correctly, being quiet, and on-task.
While at Homeplus buying toys and candy, I saw hanbok on sale which reminded me that the Korean Lunar New Year, 설날 (Seollal), is next week- wow! Time is flying by!
Tomorrow is the first day back to school - yes, on a Friday.
I feel very lucky for the most part to be working with AWESOME amazing coworkers!
Count Down: 19 days after today (late post)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
.pizza+doggy+bag.jpg)
The principal
took us out to dinner at Mr. Pizza - unlimited salad bar and pizza. I
brought home leftovers in a funny "Love for Women" bag. We ate
segregatedly as usual - Koreans with Koreans, non-Koreans with
non-Koreans. Why?
Today was First Grade Orientation. It was fun! Two of the future first graders were talking to each other in English!
All for now.
.pizza+doggy+bag.jpg)
Today was First Grade Orientation. It was fun! Two of the future first graders were talking to each other in English!
All for now.
Friday, February 8, 2013
February 10: Lunar New Year
Today will be exciting! First of all, it's one of the most important days in Korea. It's 설날 (pronounced "Seollal")! Most Korean calendars show the Lunar calendar dates along with the "regular" dates we're used to. Today is January 1st by the Lunar calendar, so HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013! Most Koreans (all that I know of) will pay their respects to their grandparents and some will bow at an altar at which they place food offerings. They also eat rice cake soup. I *LOVE* dok-guk (rice cake soup)! Anyway, check out google.co.kr - it has two Korean characters dressed in hanbok, the traditional clothes! :)
Secondly, today at noon, all of us foreign teachers are going to the principal's house. He invited us all to his house today for a 설날 Lunch. I don't think he's invited teachers in the past for this so it's quite special! I guess you could say we're his guinea pigs for this kind of thing.
Our lovely translator, and foreign teacher-Korean teacher liaison, told us that we must all bow together, synchronizedly, after the dok-guk. [I know, I know; 'synchronizedly' isn't a word...] My question is this: *when* after the soup - after the first bowl is placed on the table, or after everyone has a bowl of it in front of them/near them, or after we eat it? I wonder what other things one does on such occasions?
Certainly will also present the principal and his family with a traditional Seollal gift of a large box of Asian Pears or apples, worth about $80. We asked at E-mart which is most popular and we were told the Asian Pears are the more popular gift.
It will be fun and interesting and undoubtedly delicious!
새해 복 많이 받으세요! (It's pronounced "seh heh bok mahn ee bahd euh sae yo.") It literally means, word for word, new - year - luck/good fortune - a lot of - please receive. "May you have a prosperous New Year!"
K-POP STAR show
Think American Idol, only in Korea.
These Korean voices are amazing! The first songs are in Korean (who knows what the words mean - they sound professional and beautiful), and then the singers do a piece in English.
Brother and Sister try out
Michelle Lee
Halo
Ailee
Halo
Jimin Park
Rolling In the Deep
I Have Nothing
These Korean voices are amazing! The first songs are in Korean (who knows what the words mean - they sound professional and beautiful), and then the singers do a piece in English.
Brother and Sister try out
Michelle Lee
Halo
Ailee
Halo
Jimin Park
Rolling In the Deep
I Have Nothing
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Wonderings: weather (Part 2)
In January 2012 I posted this:
I wonder how weather will affect my daily like on Korea?
Heh heh heh...
In summer when teaching, the question in the back of my mind was, "Should I turn on the ac, or turn it off and open all the windows?" [Note: Here 'ac' means air-conditioner. Here they say 'air-con' to mean the same thing.]
Pros of turning the ac on: it's more quiet so students can focus better and not be distracted by sounds of their classmates playing outside, or singing down the hall...
Pros of ac off and windows open: save energy, fresh air
When it was summer, I took showers more often, albeit very short ones, to clean off the smell of sweat. (Hot + humid + my ability to sweat a lot = lots of smellyness!)
Now that it's winter, I find I take longer showers so long as the water is hot, and I time morning and evening routines around when I turn on the floor heating (aka it must be done first because it takes a while to get warm)...
In winter I always head for the heated toilet, or I do the squat to keep from putting my chicken-skin goose-bumpy thighs on the freezing cold seat since the bathrooms are NOT heated.
When teaching, I head to the classroom extra early to turn the heater on to get the room to a somewhat tolerable temperature.
The last two days we had beautiful *wet* thick snow and a lot of it for here, perhaps the heaviest in 10 years I've heard! So that means side streets have been left unpaved (do they even have snow plows in this city?)
I wonder how weather will affect my daily like on Korea?
Heh heh heh...
In summer when teaching, the question in the back of my mind was, "Should I turn on the ac, or turn it off and open all the windows?" [Note: Here 'ac' means air-conditioner. Here they say 'air-con' to mean the same thing.]
Pros of turning the ac on: it's more quiet so students can focus better and not be distracted by sounds of their classmates playing outside, or singing down the hall...
Pros of ac off and windows open: save energy, fresh air
When it was summer, I took showers more often, albeit very short ones, to clean off the smell of sweat. (Hot + humid + my ability to sweat a lot = lots of smellyness!)
Now that it's winter, I find I take longer showers so long as the water is hot, and I time morning and evening routines around when I turn on the floor heating (aka it must be done first because it takes a while to get warm)...
In winter I always head for the heated toilet, or I do the squat to keep from putting my chicken-skin goose-bumpy thighs on the freezing cold seat since the bathrooms are NOT heated.
When teaching, I head to the classroom extra early to turn the heater on to get the room to a somewhat tolerable temperature.
The last two days we had beautiful *wet* thick snow and a lot of it for here, perhaps the heaviest in 10 years I've heard! So that means side streets have been left unpaved (do they even have snow plows in this city?)
Predictions revisited
Here are my predictions about Korea from January 2012, each with today's follow-up.
1.
The Korean elementary school children I will be teaching will have
better manners in the classroom than most American schoolchildren in
public schools.
>> Well, of course I haven't been in most American public schools. Therefore, it's hard to say.
2. Gum is not allowed in school. I gather that too maybe it's not a socially-acceptable thing to chew gum at work.
>> It's true that students are not allowed to chew gum at our private school.
>> It's true that students are not allowed to chew gum at our private school.
3. There will be a lot fewer "special needs" children, and none actually labeled as such, at the elementary school.
>> I'm not sure if there are actually a lot fewer or it is just seems like it because they don't tell us if a child have "special needs."
4. Most everyone will stare at me but I'll get used to it.
>> I don't feel I'm always stared at but when it does happen, I'm still not feeling used to it.
>> I don't feel I'm always stared at but when it does happen, I'm still not feeling used to it.
5. Even though I'm petite, I will have a hard time finding pants that fit.
>> True to a degree. It depends on what you mean by "fit." It's the shoes that are a bigger problem! My feet are too small for most women's shoe sizes here!
>> True to a degree. It depends on what you mean by "fit." It's the shoes that are a bigger problem! My feet are too small for most women's shoe sizes here!
6.
I will have a hard time finding cheese in Korea. Luckily, I've been
wanting to try a diet free of dairy so I predict it will be easy to have
a dairy-free diet.
>> It's not hard to find cheese but it's not cheap.
>>It's fairly easy to have a dairy-free diet unless you get a drink at a coffee shop because rarely do they have/use soy milk. Usually it's cow's milk in a "cafe" drink, rather than soy or bean or nut milk (as far as I know).
>> It's not hard to find cheese but it's not cheap.
>>It's fairly easy to have a dairy-free diet unless you get a drink at a coffee shop because rarely do they have/use soy milk. Usually it's cow's milk in a "cafe" drink, rather than soy or bean or nut milk (as far as I know).
7. I won't have a microwave in my tiny furnished apartment.
>> I was wrong on this one!
>> I was wrong on this one!
Old Topic: Christmas Gift Exchange
Here's what I meant to post in December but didn't.
Today we did the "Night Before Christmas" gift exchange where you bring a gift wrapped and pass to the left every time the word 'left' comes up in the story, and same for "right."
When trying to explain to our Korean teacher partners (KTP) last week what to tell the students to bring, the game of this story-gift exchange didn't quite bridge the culture gap. They asked what to bring. We said, "Wrap something that you have lying around the house that you don't use or like anymore..." This didn't seem to make sense so we said that if they were to buy a gift, it had to be no more than 4,000won ($4).
A couple days later, I saw my KTP collecting wrapped gifts that students were bringing in and writing their names on them. I asked, "Why?" because in my mind, you're not supposed to write a name at all on the gift. She said that if she didn't then maybe they would just take something out of the garbage and wrap it. I laughed in my head and I heard in my mind, "That's part of the fun of it. You don't know what you're going to get!" but then I put on my Korean glasses, so to speak, and reminded myself of the trick-loving monsters that are some of our students. Whew! They literally *would* wrap trash, and probably something pulled out of the waste basket that might even be sticky or smelly! Therefore, I nodded and said, "Good idea!" in response.
So today we had the gift exchange. Wow! It was interesting! It took a loooong time to read the story because every few seconds the students were talking in Korean asking what the contents of the gift were... So I read quietly so they'd have to listen better to see if I'd said "left" or "right."
Somehow we got through it. Most students immediately ripped into their gifts and either cringed or celebrated, and most immediately switched with another student. One student I noticed did *not* open her gift... but there was no time to find out why because class was over and I had to leave quickly so that the next teacher/lesson could be prepared.
In the end, they each got a gift, I think. They might have learned "left" and "right" if they didn't already know it... They didn't use much English during activity... Plus, many students complained about what they got... Overall, there was no feeling of Christmas. However, we survived. No one got injured physically, therefore SUCCESS!
Today we did the "Night Before Christmas" gift exchange where you bring a gift wrapped and pass to the left every time the word 'left' comes up in the story, and same for "right."
When trying to explain to our Korean teacher partners (KTP) last week what to tell the students to bring, the game of this story-gift exchange didn't quite bridge the culture gap. They asked what to bring. We said, "Wrap something that you have lying around the house that you don't use or like anymore..." This didn't seem to make sense so we said that if they were to buy a gift, it had to be no more than 4,000won ($4).
A couple days later, I saw my KTP collecting wrapped gifts that students were bringing in and writing their names on them. I asked, "Why?" because in my mind, you're not supposed to write a name at all on the gift. She said that if she didn't then maybe they would just take something out of the garbage and wrap it. I laughed in my head and I heard in my mind, "That's part of the fun of it. You don't know what you're going to get!" but then I put on my Korean glasses, so to speak, and reminded myself of the trick-loving monsters that are some of our students. Whew! They literally *would* wrap trash, and probably something pulled out of the waste basket that might even be sticky or smelly! Therefore, I nodded and said, "Good idea!" in response.
So today we had the gift exchange. Wow! It was interesting! It took a loooong time to read the story because every few seconds the students were talking in Korean asking what the contents of the gift were... So I read quietly so they'd have to listen better to see if I'd said "left" or "right."
Somehow we got through it. Most students immediately ripped into their gifts and either cringed or celebrated, and most immediately switched with another student. One student I noticed did *not* open her gift... but there was no time to find out why because class was over and I had to leave quickly so that the next teacher/lesson could be prepared.
In the end, they each got a gift, I think. They might have learned "left" and "right" if they didn't already know it... They didn't use much English during activity... Plus, many students complained about what they got... Overall, there was no feeling of Christmas. However, we survived. No one got injured physically, therefore SUCCESS!
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