Today, the moon covered the sun in Korea from 9:34-12:06. The peak was supposed to be at 10:48. It was a little cloudy outside and I got these photos. The clouds eventually went away, but then it was too bright to capture.
Inverse Pinhole
Through the clouds.
Poor attempt at nothing.
My first year in Korea, I never studied Korean, because I knew I didn’t have the time to commit to it. I learned phrases and “getting by” is easy to do. I acquired books when other teachers returned home and would never come back. But, I didn’t do anything with them.
When I returned to Korea, I knew I had to buckle down. I used the handed down books to study on my own during winter vacation: January and February. During that time, I learned of 2 classes in Seoul. One was at a church; the other was at a Korean hagwon. I signed up for both of them, knowing, “I might as well. I’ll be going to Seoul every weekend for one class or the other. So, I might as well do them both.” Until now, it’s had been working out well.
At the hagwon, I was placed below my level, but I accepted it. It was barely above reading the Korean alphabet, and the other students struggled to read. However, the teacher only spoke Korean and there were only 5 students. I knew I’d get some quality speaking and listening time. Month after month, the students dwindled. Some couldn’t keep up. Some were leaving Korea. Until finally, there were two. Technically, 3 students is supposed to be the minimum amount of students to hold a class. But, I think the hagwon knows that the Summer is a low attendance period, and they’d rather have a few students than none.
Last month, the 3rd student dropped, because he is returning to the States to get his Masters. He starts at the end of August, so he decided to call it quits. Student #2 is in the same boat. He’s returning to Canada for a Masters, but he would do one more month. However, at the end of this month, that leaves one Mers standing.
I intend to speak with the director about putting me into another class. But I don’t know if that’s possible. I go to the afternoon classes, but there aren’t many classes to join in this time slot. She would probably encourage me to attend a morning class. However, I have my church class is in the morning. Therefore, I can’t attend. If the hagwon class fell through, … well, no matter. I would still have the church class, and I could go through the hagwon book on my own self-study.
/queue dramatic music “Duh-don-duuuuuh.”
The church class is run by volunteers from the church, who speak Korean and knowledgeably fluent English. When I first joined this class, I learned that they were using the same book that I had been doing self-study. Score. But, for the first hour, they placed me in a level, which I was chapters ahead of. There were about 15 students, and I couldn’t stand it. During the break, I asked if could move up to the next level, and that worked out. There were fewer students, and they were at the same level, which I had been self studying. Week after week less students attended, but I could care less. I like smaller classes, and it separates the passionate learners from the riff-raff. Around the last few days, we were down to 3-4 students. It was working out well.
After the first semester, there was a 2 week vacation. The vacation was strictly for the teachers, because they are volunteers. They’re not being paid, and they need a break. But, I’ll be honest. It miffed me. I didn’t want to take a break. I wanted to study Korean.
When the new semester began, I missed the first day. Why? Well, honestly, I was hung over. Occasionally, I am the riff-raff, but I regretted it. No more shall I go out on Friday nights. So, I missed the first day, and I didn’t get a semester schedule and itinerary. This semester, we had the dedicated 3, and some additional students. I think there were 9 to start, but once again attendance decreased. Last week, again, we were down to 3.
This semester has also been going well, except some of the passionate learners have been getting on my last nerves. My problem is that they interrupt the class too many times for their own personal questions. I want to yell at them, “SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
They ask grammatical questions like, “Can we say this like thiiiiiis?” “No.”
They try new vocabulary, “Can I say blah blah blah?” “No. you can’t / Yes, you can.”
They ask for clarification, “I thought this meant blah blah blah?” “No, it doesn’t / Yes, it does.”
They’re asking higher level English questions to a mid level English speaking teacher. So, she is trying her best to translate the English into applicable Korean, and it wastes too much time.
Will you please, SHUT THE FUCK UP and learn what’s given to you in the chapter. Whatever your stupid fucking question is will be answered in the future of another chapter. Focus on the given lesson for FUCK SAKE! This is not a private class for you to ask your own questions. Your questions are wasting OUR time. DAMMIT!!
Ok…which brings me to today’s gripe. Today, I learned that the church class is taking a Summer break of 6 weeks! Today, was the last day, and they’d reconvene on August 29. YOU CANT BE SERIOUS!
I just started summer vacation at my school, and I planned on focusing on my Korean studies. I’m not going to put my book down and wait 6 weeks for the class to start again. I’m going to work ahead, on my own, going back to self-studies. After 6 weeks, I might be 3 chapters ahead. When we return, I don’t want to return to this level reviewing vocabulary and grammar simply because YOU wanted to take a break. The Mers keeps turning, yo.
So, after next week, the hagwon class may be no more, because there is too low attendance. I can’t fall back on the church class, because they will be on break. If people wonder why I’m introverted and go about things on my own, it’s because sometimes I feel like I can only count on myself to get things done. I can’t always rely on others to help me in my needs.
These days, I’ve been spending more time on photo sites. Some people delve into the social website facebook. I’m delving deeper into flickr. I’ve had an account for a long time, but I’ve been adding more contacts and photo groups. I need to learn the tricks and techniques.
I subscribed to boston.com, The Big Picture. It tell the news stories through a set of high detail photos. They have wonderful depth and imagery.
Before, I was really excited about Pentax cameras and the new K-7, which is slowly being rolled out in the US. Now, I’m a little skeptical. Logic is telling me that I should go with a Canon or Nikon. So, I’ve been investigating their arsenal of cameras.
With Wounded Pride, Unemployed Koreans Quietly Turn to Manual Labor – Why is it that I find the best articles about life in Korea coming from outside the country.
Like ‘This is Why You’re Fat’, here’s ‘Fancy Fast Food.’
Sometimes when you visit an old Korean village, they have photos of the village from a long time ago. Occasionally, you see children playing in the streets nude or in their underwear. Yesterday, I went from the school weight room to the gym upstairs. The boys were playing sports in their school uniforms. One kid had taken off his pants, and he was playing in his underwear. I guess the pants were too restricting. “Come on guys, change into your sports clothes, and PUT ON SOME SHORTS!”
A month ago, there was an odd story about 2 Japanese getting caught at Italian customs. In a hidden suitcase compartment, they were carrying $134 BILLION worth of US bonds. Apparently, this wasn’t picked up by the mainstream media, and there hasn’t been much follow up one month later.
Some visually graphic photos of the riots in Urumqi.
In 1998, I remember walking into Foot Locker and shopping for new shoes. I saw a pair of blue/yellow and yellow/blue Adidas shoes. They were low cut, basic style, flat soles, and suede body. I didn’t know it at the time, but they were durable tanks. The yellow/blue pair looked too much like bananas, but the royal blue/yellow shoes were just right. It was love at first site.
10 years later, I was still wearing them. I may have put them away for a year or two, but they were always around. I never did any physical activities in them. (Although, I let my high school friend wear them for tennis a couple times. They got dinged when he skidded his feet) Structurally, they remained sound and without tear. They were “getting around” shoes. At the heels, the soles were wearing down from when I dragged my feet. The royal blue lost it’s pristine tone and turned navy/black. The yellow stripes turned brown, but they got better with age.
In my hagwon days, last year, I wore them to English classes and incorporated them into my lessons.
“Are my shoes dirty or clean?”
“They are DIRTY!”
“Are they new or old?”
“They are OLD!”
“HOW old are they?”
“…”
“They are 10 years old. How old are you?”
7 years old!”
“*grimace* “Are they pretty or ugly?”
“They are UGLY!”
“wrong.”
After 10 long years, the only problem was the smell. If I wore them on a hot summer day, the smell after taking them off was putrid. It was the smell of granola and sweaty ass. It couldn’t be subdued. It penetrated my socks and my feet. No amount of Febreeze or baking soda could tame the smell. And for that reason, I had to retire them.
They still reside back at home, but only because I couldn’t bare to throw them away. I wanted to send them to a Nike recycling center. That way they might be resurrected as a rubber turf or track. But, recently, I decided it was time to move on. Fortunately, I found a pair of the same style, but different colors.
