David may not have survived

Tuesday

 Calm day school went really well I taught the kids about natural disasters and showed them several you tube videos. They all loved to watch and learn about tornadoes. But then a few of us went out to eat. We had sam gap sam? I don’t think that is right but it was basically pork strips cooked in front of us and served with several different side dishes to eat it with. Wow it was delicious.  Then we walked around Andong to kill time and I was inspired to start the photo album on facebook Really Korea. There are many things that I just shake my head at or actually just laugh my ass of at. A store called “Hunt Kids” really well check out the album I will be posting more pictures as I see them necessary.

Wednesday

School was fun I did the volcano trick. With baking soda and vinegar, the kids loved it. Then after class I was playing soccer with the kids and they were trying to score on me. And when I made one save the ball flew right back and hit a kid square in the face. It was funny but I felt bad. His reaction was great though he was stunned, started laughing then a second later was trying to hold back tears. But he was ok and his glasses didn’t break somehow. Then it was on to climbing. I went up the second path which is a little harder and I got farther than ever but was frustrated I couldn’t get farther. Than they had me do the first but be lead climber. Which is hard to explain but I carry the rope with me attaching it to carbineers on the way.  There is no tension most of the climb but if I slip I will fall to the most recent one I clipped to. At most I fell like 3 ft so it is still safe don’t worry mom. But it was a lot more difficult. I got almost to the top but didn’t have the strength to get the last one casue the wall shoots out again. It was frustrating but I was proud I am getting a lot better.

An awesome lady. she has me call her oma which is like mother.

Thursday

A normal day but went to a fountain that is famous in Andong and is about a 15 minute walk. Wow amazing to say the least. There is a show every night at 8 and it is worth it. Here is a short clip if I can get it to work. If not there are picture and the vid will be online.

its a fountain

Friday

When I got to school I saw the 6^th graders playing basketball with a soccer ball. What it works, and I went over and taught them the proper way to shoot and I was shooting and they were impressed because I would make one every now and then. It was fun to get to play a sport with the kids. I could tell they were really liked to play it with me as well. I hope there playing soccer next time. HAHA well the first 10 min of my first class made me want to just leave. First and second graders, I was doing a short review and game all hour. Well idk what happened but the kid with some disability just snapped he started crying which ok I cant handle I kept going with the class but went over to him and tried to see if he was ok. So no avail I just let him cry it out. He didn’t stop there. He dumped a plant on the windowsill and started screaming bloody murder pretty much then threw his shoe across the room.  Stood up and tried to throw his desk but it was more of a tip over and push and was just going crazy. I was like what do I do, but first thing first is I staying calm I didn’t start yelling at him I just went over to him and tried to get him to sit at his desk. They were sitting in lines for the game and then he sits at his desk and just throws everything off the desk and I go to him and tell him no and that it will be ok. So I just let him sit there still crying and continued with class and he quieted and went to the back of the room and started reading. When that was over the day was smooth sailing. Nothing really special after school, just the normal climbing which is 3 days a week.

Saturday

 

We traveled to the traditional village. Which is a very historic part of Korea and of Andong. The Queen actually chose to have her 75^th birthday there. There was a small exhibit just for that. But the building and scenery were awesome. So beautiful. Houses over 200years old, I was admiring one of them and the owner (people still live there) was like come come and he had us sit down and drink some water with him and we talked for a few. But then were like well we don’t just want to sit here all day so I was like we have to catch the bus. So we left but it was really nice for him to let us into his home. Then after that is where David would have died. A bug flew into the back of my head I went to grab it and get it out when I did it stung me. It was a bee.  If you don’t know my best friend David is allergic to bees and he swells up really bad. The pictures and tell you more than I can.

Sunday

7am wake up be at city hall at 8am. Why you ask? Well the climbing club invited me to a trek. I couldn’t say no. I thought it was just our club. I was wrong again it was a trekking party like thing. Get there and there are about 200 people me being the only foreigner so I got special attention especially from the cameras. During the opening ceremonies a guy was recording it for like the news he had the big over the shoulder camera and well it was in my face for about 30 seconds lol. And when we started he was taking shots of everyone starting he followed me till I passed by him. It was sort of cool. The trek was long but fun. We went up a small mountain. But it was not a tourist place I can’t tell you that. We get to the top and just keep going there were too many trees to get any good picture and it was just a long up and down hike. But it was fun probably about 4 miles. We ate lunch about half way I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in which I shared with everyone and they seemed to enjoy it. It was First time for many of them to have that sandwich. After the trek was the festival. More food and drinks drinks drinks. Needless to say a good time. We sat on the ground to eat and on like gravel so the oldest in the group is a 71 year old man and wow he is the best climber of them all. He gave me a pad to sit on and let me keep it as a present. I was very grateful. I felt honored getting a present from the oldest most respected person in the club. On the bus ride home we stopped and had soup. Chicken soup with many dishes as well. It was really good. Like a whole chicken boiled for each person. It was awesome. When I got back I was ready to pass out it was 9pm. But a great day. I would do it again in a heartbeat and hopefully will be able to.

the best view I could get.

Monday

Was taken out to eat by my mentor teacher with my 2 co teachers and another teacher. Wow so many firsts. Almost everything I ate was new and they just kept bringing more and more. Always little portions but there was everything. The new things I had that made an impact was raw beef, raw fish, and raw octopus(don’t worry I feel great today). All were very good when matched with the right side dish. Mostly kimchi. It was great and at climibg I got my shoes finally wow it’s so much easier with them.  But I still have a ton of work to do to be at the level I want. 

typhoon, mountains, and soju ooo my

That is my 2nd school. 11 kids in the whole school. 

Another week has passed. It was just as exciting as the last. Classes went better and I am gaining more confidence every day. I really like teaching most of the students. But I am still struggling with what to do with my class of two kids for an hour and a half. It is hard enough to get their attention and keep the focused when one doesn’t want to be there so she won’t participate. On the other hand my co teacher Eun Sun is impressed with how the kids behave for me.  I must have a look that says don’t test me or you will regret it. That and I snip any serious misbehavior in the butt. But I don’t nitpick at the small stuff. It is hard to figure out if I am teaching or reviewing what they have already been taught. I am pretty sure I am just reviewing. Which they need cause the don’t know them 100% yet and covering them again will never hurt. But because they know them well I am flying through ideas of what to teach. This week I am going to do natural disasters and emotions and probably summer holidays. Whatever I teach I know the kids will love. There are so many resources online that help me out so much. Today we didn’t have class because it was a typhoon day. I don’t really understand it. We didn’t get hit that hard by it and they canceled very early. But I was not complaining. I wonder if they were concerned more about flooding. Either way I got the day off and a chance to relax and do nothing after a long weekend.

normal size spider at the bus stop one of the kids climbing. This kid is one of my favorites.

Social life

Monday I went climbing again and it was good. I tried a harder section and I strugged and couldn’t get all the way up the wall but I then did what they call training and it is climbing horizontal and the bottom of the wall. It’s called bouldering. I did that till I was pumping (basically when your arms are shot and hard as a rock). That is the only way to improve. I heard Wednesday was going to be a party for the climbing team (me included) because of the wins over the previous weekend. When I got there Wednesday I was told to get up the wall then to come eat. Sounds good to me, I went up the wall, it was my best climb yet so I was very happy with how I did it. Then sat and ate, we had rice, kimchi, shrimp in full shelling, and rice cakes and fish. When I say fish it is literally a fish head and all sitting right in front of you. Believe it or not it is really good once you get over the sight of it. Then had a few sojo shots and one of the older ladies there whom I have talked to several times came up to me and asked me my age. And I found out she has a son a few years older than me so she was like call me oma which means mother.  I found that to be very nice. All the little kids were there again. And my favorite part was when one boy was very tired and slightly crying holding onto his moms leg and I tickled him on the side and motioned for him to come here and he did I picked him up and held him. Then set my hat on his head and played peek-a-boo with him till he was laughing hysterically. That was a great feeling to make a kid smile like that. Friday I brought my friend Kelsea climbing and she was warmly welcomed like I was on my first day. When I climbed that day I struggled more than ever, it was very frustrating. I don’t know why and I was very disappointed in myself, the teacher was as well. When I got down he made his fingers into an x and was like training. Which sounds harsh but it wasn’t at all. I knew getting down that I sucked. And I got down saying the same thing. He knows I want to do well and he is there to push me and I appreciate.

 I struggled but made it.

Saturday

chung yong son

Becca and Katie came from their respective cities to climb this mt. with Kelsea and I. It was more than amazing. We took a bus there and the bus literally stopped and the bus driver got off. When we got off we knew we wanted to see the bridge at the top but didn’t know where to go. So we asked the drive and he was like follow me bali bali (quicky quickly) so he takes us about .5 mile up-hill the whole way to the start of the trail. So we started and it was paved at start and that part sucked. Paved very steep and it sucked I would rather it had been dirt it was just not fun to walk. We thought it was going to be that way they whole time. But we found a trail that said sky bridge and followed it. Wow that trail was filled with very type of trail possible. From basic trails to stairs to stairs of rocks to dirt stairs with wood in them, it was very interesting. Getting to the bridge made it all worth it. The suspension bridge went from one peak to another. It was amazing to walk across with the wind whipping and moving the bridge. It was breathtaking. Then there was the view that also took breaths away. Then we hike a little more to what we read was the highest point in Korea.  Not sure how accurate that is. But it was amazing none the less. The walk down was sketchy and dangerous. Everything was slippery and steep. I slipped a few times but always caught myself but I wasn’t ever in real danger. When we final reached the bottom we rested and an older Korean guy came and gave us caramels.

The craziest part is when we looked down the road and saw Steve and Tara a couple from EMU who are also in this program. It was just crazy that they were walking in the middle of nowhere and we were there. There journey to the same spot we were a lot more stressful than ours and they loved finding us so we took them back to Andong with us. First we waded in the river and broke rocks and hung out till the bus arrived. When we got back we went to a good chicken spot. Then Kati, Becca, Stephen, and Tara really wanted to see the rock wall I climb so we went there. And they were able to climb it and I could have but I just bouldered. I was too tired to climb it. And they flew up it way faster than I do. So I was like eh I will be ok and stayed with training. Then we went to a bar and I didn’t want to spend money so I just chilled then we went to a second bar that we had never been to. That is when the night began. When we entered a table of guys just freaked out and was like talking to us a lot. I ended up sitting with them. They just kept doing shots and poured me one each time. It was crazy. It’s just soju a liquor that is not strong. But I still had a good time. And didn’t get to bed till late.

Sunday had lunch with the people from out of town and then I took a short nap and saw the play Grease. Yes Korean Grease, it was really cool great acting but everything was in Korean so I didn’t follow it that well. Even the songs were in Korean except for a few words. But it was an experience I am glad I didn’t miss out on. Seeing one of our good Korean friends was one of the Grease guys. Yes the did have the right clothing and hair. They did a really good job.

New adventures this week I don’t know what they will be but I am ready for them.

To be continued……

Andong spirit

Teaching life

Monday was my first day as a teacher with my own classroom. I get to the school knowing nothing. I didn't know what grades, how many in a class, what classroom, or when the classes were. I went in blind with open spirits. I met the new principal and some teachers. I spent a lot of time in the teachers room doing lesson plans and figuring out the prior questions. The vice principal is a very nice elderly man. He motioned to me that it was time to eat and had me follow him to the cafeteria  a small building outside the main school. The food is practically homemade. So it is a good lunch. even though sometimes I am not sure what I am eating. My first class was 1st n 2nd graders. I was very nervous but had my coteacher there to help me. Which i needed. I struggled to communicate with the students while trying to explain my instructions. I thought it was simple but I didn't know their level or they were just very nervous like myself. Here are some of the kids in the class. I had them again Thursday and Friday. Thursday i didn't have a co teacher and things went great. I felt so proud after leaving class that day. He kids listened and were well behaved. There is one kid whom I have troubles. He doesn't sit in his seat, he will go in the back and just sit with a I spy book. When he is near the class he is very disruptive. So when he is back there I now just let him be. I will not risk all of the other students education for his. But I do hope to slowly build a relationship and get him to participate in more than just games. But Friday also went very will. This is one of my favorite classes. 

Next is my 3-4th graders. They are very energetic. But fun and always willing to participate which is half the battle. There were shocked at the pictures of me I showed them. There from when I had short hair. They didn't believe it was Michael Teacher. the week went great in their class just. My 5-6th graders are a fun class as well but the fist day it was to simple and i could see they were bored but i adjusted for the last two days of the week for them. They seemed to really enjoy it. The biggest challenge in that class is getting them to participate. 

 On Tuesday and Wednesday I got to a different school. A yes smaller school. This school has 11 students in the whole school. and the lunch is brought over by people from my first school. The staff is once again really nice. The English teacher is a huge soccer fan and he plays as well. I may be joining the league he is in. There always looking for goalies. But Tuesday was the day that just wouldn't end. I have a different co-teacher there. He is really good at helping out. But i missed my kindergarten class cause i had the wrong schedule. My second class was an very unexpected hour and a half. Most are only 45 mins. And well this class is composed of 2-3 graders. All 2 of them, the clock was not moving. Small is good at times but there is too small. Especially when one of the two will not participate. I heard she knows English cause her mom speaks it as her first language. So we just sat there and tried finding stuff to do. It was an epic fail as a teacher and i am still struggling with that class. It is hard with so few students.  My last class has 4-6 graders. All 7 of them, which is a big improvement and it is much easier to get stuff done. That is a brief overview of my teaching life. The best is yet to come from that i expect. One last note I was singing BINGO with my 2 kindergartners and one of them said something at the end of the song and closed his eyes as it played again. I asked my co teacher what he said. Well he basically said gross she is ugly. Talking about an animation on the youtube song.

Coffee life

I was told about a amazing coffee shop. Its small but nice and very friendly i was told. So i went there with and met up with my friend Kelsea. Wow talk about nice, Its owned by a husband and wife. And they are the nicest people ever. So welcoming and made sure our time here has been great and made it clear that we can go to them for anything we have a problem with. The coffee was great and they made you feel at home being there. Every customer who came in was the same way. They would say hi and wanted to get to know you. Afterwards we walked in the market looking for food and two customers from the coffee shop spotted us and bought us food. After eating and talking and walking with them i went to back to the coffee shop to hang out more and there was more food. They literally give u chop sticks and say eat eat eat. We made a promise, I will help with their English and they will help with my Korean.

Rock Climbing life

Monday after class I was told to go to this rockwall. I was told the people are nice and it is free so I didn't hesitate. I have always been interested in the sport. I get there and the club president came and said Hello and introduced himself and then found out i want to climb and it would be my first time. He loved that. Next thing you know i am in a harness and climbing the far left side. Learning new words along the way. But i made it to the top and i felt like i was on top of the world. It was a great feeling. When i got down my forearms were "pumping" as it is called. While sitting there another head guy who is better with his English came and showed me a book with what word means what then they had my practicing different small skills. I became an official member of the Andong Sport Climbing Club. But its more than that. I joined a family whom i cant communicate with very well. I didn't realize that till later though. I went back Friday and climbed. It was great again, they brought food and was like eat eat eat. Then the guy who speaks good English asked what i was doing Saturday. He invited me to what i understood to be camping and hiking with the club. So i said sure.

Saturday.

11am meet at the wall someone grabs my bag and i ride with who I will call Tom (not sure his real name way too many to remember) and his family. His two boys are excited to meet me and ask me lots of questions on the drive there. We get there and I realize its a big festival. But its beautiful. I was kinda confused until i notice that it is a hiking competition. And there are members from our team in it. Wow that is cool but i wanted to hike. Am i just going to sit here well they hike? about 20 minutes after it starts i was skipping rocks in the river with the kids and they are like Michael Hiking Michael Hiking. I then realize that we do get to hike. Wow it was hiking like i have never done before. We would hit one peak and i was like stunned at how beautiful it was then we would to down then go even higher and get a better view. It was just amazing. We probably hiked for an hour and a half. On the way down the sponsors were giving bandannas out and i hear my name being called once they can see me. I had never met the lady before but being the only foreigner there word travels fast and everyone knows who you are.

 After the climb we find out the our club won. Not only the team race but the men's and women's. It was a total ASCC Sweep. Let the party being. More food than i have ever seen. They were making sure i tried everything. It was all amazing. Even the fish, that still had its head and the pig intestines. All very delicious. Don't knock it till you tried it. Everyone came and talked with me as much as they could. This is when i realized i was a member of their family. It will never replace what i have back home. But it is nice to be so accepted in such a foreign place. Let the drinking being, soju is a vodka like drink that is very popular. It is not very strong but they love it. We all had dixie cups and were sitting around cheersing and have a great time. People from other tents would come over and meet me and be be like cheers and we would take a drink. Luckliey i am smart and wouldn't take a full shot each time. But it was great, big bon fire and food and singing and soju. I met so many people. When it came for bed i wanted to sleep in my hammock but Tom didn't fully understand what i was saying and he brought a tent just for me and it was set up so i slept in a one person tent. What a nice guy.
The next morning was another huge meal and more talking. Then we took off. It was a great time I am glad i was able to experience it. I will be climbing mon,weds,fri.

 above is a panoramic of where we were camping. I was standing at the edge of the beach.

 I am sure i left out a lot but that was a long one. Any questions fb me or comment. I will gladly answer.

To be continued.

On my own finally....kinda

where i slept

my morning view

a river/stream we waded in

Traditional Korean clothing we were able to try on. Wow they were very comfortable. 

One activity was to make a paper roller coaster. This was our groups creation. It was pretty epic but somehow didn't win an award. I am not sure how. 

The real orientation kicked off Sunday and went till we left Wednesday morning.  We were prisoners of a 4star resort. Doesn't sound that bad and it wasn't but at times we did feel like prisoners. Classes pretty much from 9am-9pm and meals at set times. The staff was great, they had to force all the rules and try keeping us awake and they did a great job. This was my room.

Overall it was ok, the last night we had a huge party our room. there were almost 40 people in there. From scholars like myself and Korean co-teachers who will be helping us teach and overcome the language barrier especially with discipline. 

Then off to my new place. Wow is it small and missing some key things but has more than others. Zach the guy before me left me a lot and I am very thankful. No oven,microwave,drying rack (there are no cloths dryers) or storage. I will be getting most of those as my time here passes. But it is just a small one room place perfect size for me. Well when i am in Korea. That night i was staving and looking for food. I went to the market and ordered a type of chicken soup with like bone-in chicken and potatoes and spices and everything. I didn't expect what i got. It was huge and 25000 won. Which is like 25$. I was so mad at myself. it only comes in that size. but i have eaten it more than six times so it was worth the money just a shock at first. 

The first mountain hike was awesome. Its not far away but its a good steep climb. It is not the tallest and there are too many trees in the way to get a view from the top but there is work out equipment at the top. So you can hike to warm up then work out and hike to cool down. It is really cool here are pictures from on the way up. 

We went to a western bar on Saturday night. Wow I saw close to 30 native English speakers there. Hence why i am kinda on my own i have 5 good friends right here and so many other English speakers i am kind of spoiled and will miss out on culture shock i think. The lighting at the bar is awesome. It is full beer bottles with leds behind them.