Handong Global University
Trip Start
Aug 20, 2004
1
60
67
Trip End
Aug 28, 2005
Pohong,
Korea Rep.
Friday, July 22, 2005
930 - 1030: English class using the textbook
1030 - 1130: English class - speaking or activity
1130 - 1230: Drama Preparation (the final camp day each class does a presentation)
1230 - 1400: Lunch and Free Time
1400 - 1515: Club Activity
1530 - 1645: Outdoor Activity
1700 - 1815: Culture Class
1830 - ----: Dinner and Free Time or Activities or Homework for the kids
So basically I work from 9:30 to 6:30, but we had ten minute breaks between each class, free time of about an hour after lunch, an easy afternoon, and the we were free after dinner
01kids11
. Every class has an English teacher and a Korean counselor (generally an undergrad student) who took the kids when they weren't in class and watched them at night. Our class counselor was Min-Sun Lee, a student from the local university and we got along pretty well. I didn't really like our textbook so I usually just used one page from it and then taught my own lesson. The second class was usually a book-free extension of our topic from the first class, like a reinforcement activity or presentation. The drama class was mostly games the first week as we were still deciding what to do for our class presentation...my class was a three week camp, so we had time to spare. My club was basketball (there were many clubs to choose from: soccer, cooking, science, etc.), so everyday (except Saturday and Sunday) I taught basketball to kids - this mostly entailed dividing them into teams and then letting mass chaos ensue (my class was the smallest kids, most of which could barely make the ball reach the hoop). In the beginning I tried teaching them how to dribble and shoot, but they just really wanted to play, not practice. Outdoor activity was done with our normal class and was like a recess period to get the kids outside - one day a water gun fight, another was soccer, another was board games. Culture class was a rotating class where I would go to new class everyday and teach a culture subject. My culture class was Halloween, so I would tell them a bit about Halloween (most knew a few things about it), then we would draw pumpkins and turn them into Jack-O-Lanterns, and the we would make masks by drawing a face on a paper plate and then poking holes on each side and using rubber bands to attach the plate to the kids ears. If they all did this well and stayed seated and picked up their trash, then I told them we would go trick-or-treating (well, to our own class anyway) and they could get some candy! It was a pretty easy class as they were kept busy with activities and it ended with candy so the kids were always happy
02halloween
. After that it was back to my class and then off to dinner...and that is basically the schedule for the next three weeks. We work the full day Monday to Friday and then the morning schedule on Saturdays, after which we're free from Saturday after lunch until first class Monday morning. My class, Kids Class 11, had 12 students in it - 3 girls and 9 boys. They ranged in English ability, but all could communicate basic ideas, they just didn't know correct grammar or things like using full sentences. Like most Asian students, they're very respectful, pretty easy to deal with, and have good attitudes. Jane, Jonathan, and Brad are the best students; Tom, Stella, Jun, and Jay are the quiet ones; Obi-Wan and Anakin (yes, these are their English picked names) are the trouble-makers, but they're fun; and Jun-ho, Cindy, and John are nice. They're all good kids, but Jonathan (just a great all around kid), Brad (very good at basketball and soccer), Jane (the best English speaker), and Cindy (a real cutie and very funny) were my favorites.
Anyway, there is a camp "cold" going around and I definitely have it, maybe even I'm the one who introduced it! So mostly I just rested the first weekend and hopefully I'll feel better and can get out for some exploring next weekend
03JB
!Added July 28: I realized I put these other pictures up without any explanation whatsoever! Pohang is right by the sea so it has pretty fresh seafood. We went down to the local seafood market, Jukdo market, to have a look around and it was crazy because they not only had so many kinds of fish, but crazy things that none of us had seen before and we still don't know what it is because we couldn't speak Korean! The craziest part was the live octopi just sitting in buckets waiting to either be bought or to be dehydrated and then chopped up (also, live octopus is a delicacy here). Roaming around town we come across a guy nicknamed Mr. Canada, because he always wears a Canada hat, who decided that this day he would not only help direct traffic but do it while groovin down to some dance music being pumped out by some random promotion. Scott, my roommate from Florida, went out and had a groove session with him...mostly to the delight of Scott himself, but also a few others!! ;) Afterwards, Scott, Barry, and I hit a sauna, which are supposed to be "can't-miss" in Korea, but I had been to many like it in Japan. It was nice but nothing sensational.
Comments
Pohang - A Wild Experience
I loved it! From the balmy breath taking summer and I mean that literally to the pungent smells of the Jukdo Market and ofcourse the people. It was, if anything an incredible character building experience. It challenged me to reconsider many pre-held views on life and also to embrace and enjoy the wide difference in customs from one culture to another. It was a buzz. More next time - have to teach english kids english.