Sports Day

So, Korean schools have this "Sports Day" where for one day in the semester, the students actually have fun.

It was strange to see them all in normal clothes. Everyone was smiling, no one was sleeping. It was brilliant.

At the end of the day, one team was awarded first place. The principal handed over a trophy...but then went into a speech where he told the students to forget that day's fun because it was back to studying. "The Korean SAT is in 6 months," he said. Everyone in the crowd groaned and lowered their heads. Way to ruin the mood Mr. Funkiller Principal!

Honestly, I thought that was the meanest thing he could've done at that point. It hadn't even been 15 minutes from the end of the activities. Ugh. I mean, come on. They worked so hard to put that day together. He should be telling them to REMEMBER the day. They should REMEMBER and hold onto the feeling of accomplishment at having setting up and competing and working as a team. Sometimes I loathe the Korean educational system and its stupid goals and hierarchy. I wanted to take all my students to North America right then, so I could see them actually be allowed to enjoy it. But, alas, I couldn't. This problem's bigger than me.

Writers Take Out Their Knives

Writers Take Out Their Knives

The NYTimes put out an article which asked writers which books they would cut down if they could. I believe Stephen King's response was the best:

Certainly the Bible could use cutting; think of all those begats, not to mention minor-league prophets such as Habbakuk (there isn’t even a car dealership named after him).

What about “Ulysses”? All that tiresome stream of consciousness could go.

And there is “Gone With the Wind,” which I would shorten to this:

“Civil War?” said Scarlett.

“Fiddle-de-dee!”

But Atlanta burned! Rhett left!

“I will think about it tomorrow,” said Scarlett, “for tomorrow is another day.”

That’s so good you could probably fit “Dombey and Son” in the same edition. Or shorten “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” to a National Enquirer headline:

UNFORTUNATE GIRL SLEEPS THROUGH RAPE, IS LATER HUNG.

The Ultimate Bookclub of Awesomeness

I've started a bookclub.

After receiving countless "Oprah Bookclub" suggestions from the friendly staff at Amazon.com, I finally made the leap. The idea was conceived long ago while watching and listening to my mom with her own bookclub. She's since quit - Why are there so many politics involved in discussing Charlotte Bronte over tea and crumpets? I wouldn't want to be restricted to G-rated books either.

I was lucky enough to have awesome roommates/friends during college. We would sit in the dining hall (sometimes for hours on end) discussing our majors, politics, movies, music, and books. I found this more intellectually stimulating than some university courses. But then a sad thing happened. We graduated. No more late-night quoting from our respective bedtime novels. No more debating time-travels implications over edamame wraps and red jello. No more borrowing from each other's collections. Sadness.

But the sadness continues.

My brain has lost its .... its .... thinking .... ability. It's been a year since I've written a paper, done research, and eaten at South Dining Hall. What's worse is that now I've lost my fluency in English as well. Teaching intermediate English and living in a foreign language country reduces one's vocabulary exponentially. Where once I would use the word superior, now I use the word good. Intriguing has become interesting. Atrocious has become bad. Revolting has become not delicious. I can't even remember the word for the metal part of glasses that holds the lenses in place. Rims? Yes, my brain is melting, and I need to re-solidify its wrinkles.

Enter: The Ultimate Bookclub of Awesomeness

I've met many brilliant Fulbright ETAs here in Korea. I love talking to them about intellectually-stimulating ... uh ... stuff. I also love talking with my friends back home and from college. Their opinions and insights are wonderful to listen to. Thus, I decided to create a forum where we could all talk about the same thing at once. A bookclub. Not just any bookclub, mind you. The Ultimate Bookclub of Awesomeness. I thought the name might draw more interest.

The lowdown:
1. each month a different member chooses a book
2. each month members read that book (or don't if they don't have time or simply don't want to)
3. a blog was created to discuss the book (http://ultimatebookclub.blog.com)

The rules:
1. No Dickens
2. No talking smack about people's book choices
3. No taking offense of people's comments (book clubs shouldn't be angry)
4. No mean comments such as, "Anyone who liked this book is obviously a fan of Sanjaya Malakar on this year's American Idol," unless, of course, you follow it with an appropriate emoticon (^^, :), etc.)
5. Overuse of punctuation and emoticons will be strictly prohibited. [e.g. "This was SO good!!!!! :) I love Mr. Bob!!!! 8-) He's hot! ;)"]

I, of course, picked the first book.

May's book: (chooser: Noelle)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Up, up, and away! Happy reading.

***If you, the reader, would like to join said bookclub, just ping me an email and visit the blog to start posting.

Korean student's life

I just talked to one of P*ngsan High's seniors. She said she studies for 10 hours a day, every day.

Being a Korean high school student sucks big time.

Did you study that hard even in college?

Busan

I went to Busan with four of my students and Susie. It was a blast, and she's jealous that my students can, well, speak English.

Min-yeong (host sister), Pu-reum, Han-sol, Tae-ook

Tae-ook gave me the Korean nickname, "Areum" which means beautiful. Awwww

We stayed at a jimjilbang, and it rained. Not much more to say except: I love my students....and Susie.

Easter

So, I keep putting off updating because there's SO MUCH to say. Uh. Sorry.



Easter:

Mom sent me some egg dyeing kits. Easter really isn't a big deal here. The commercialism of this holiday is quite low...which kinda made me sad. There were no peeps, basket, or fake plastic grass that gets everywhere and you find four months later in the nooks and crannies of the living room. I made the most of what I could. However, I was still hungry for casseroles all day.

Susie came over and we dyed eggs with my host family. (Thanks Susie!) I boiled half, then blew out the other half. The looks on their faces when I blew out that first egg...priceless.

Later, I hid the eggs while they went to dinner. The hunt that ensued was HILARIOUS. Photos don't do it justice. They've never "hunted" before, so I was happy to share that part of my culture with them.

In love with an idea

I'm in love with an idea. This idea taunts me from afar with its culmination and perfect fit. It's the idea that isn't, but could be if I had the guts for it to be and the patience to realize it. Or could it? It's an idea I've chiseled out with this iron fist to the beat of this pulsing heart-thumping. Somehow the audible proactivity is now muffled under the heavy mantle of self-consciousness and pragmatism. Perhaps the idea isn't enough anymore. Perhaps I should be in love with the idea that my idea will be realized in the future. Perhaps I already am.