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Special Programs

12 Jan

Well it has been another week of growth, new opportunities and challenges here at the English Village in Paju, South Korea.  It’s hard to believe that I have been here for almost a month already!  I certainly don’t feel like a seasoned staff member yet, but I at least feel like I am more comfortable and familiar with the basics… which is good.   There is still more to learn, that’s for sure!

This past week I had the opportunity to work in a different area of programming at the English Village called Special Programs.  I was told early on by another staff member that the one thing you can count on at the English Village is change. So far I have found that to be true.  It seems that one must always be open for things to be different  – your daily schedule, what area you will work in, who you will teach with…

So I was moved over to Special Programs.  I am not sure for how long… perhaps a week, perhaps for good.  Time will tell.  So far I really enjoy it.  There is quite a bit of diversity in the students and curriculum in Student Programs.  There are also sometimes opportunities to work with and teach adult and college level students, which I like. In this past week I taught elementary and high school students from South Korea, Japan, and even a few students from Russia.  I also taught classes for a group of visiting adult teachers from South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Russia!

It was really fun for me working with and teaching the adults!  Their English level is so high and of course discipline isn’t a problem – so the focus gets to be more on teaching and learning English.  I taught subjects this week like “phrasal verbs” “idioms” and “slang”.  I am finding that beginning to teach English is also serving as a refresher course for myself.  Speaking English and teaching it to others are two different things.

I had to laugh while teaching slang… to notice how confusing the English language can be – words that typically mean one thing, but when used as slang mean something else.  One slang word on their worksheet was “the John” which many of us know is an informal word for the bathroom ( or the toilet, the WC, the Loo… depending on where you are from…)  A student asked “why is it called the John?”  I have no idea.  So I googled it and I learned that the slang term comes from Sir John Harrington who was the inventor of the first flushing toilet.  Who Knew!?

At the end of the week we had a closing ceremony for the adult students and I was surprised to find myself tearing up a bit.  The students all had such bright energy and were such kind people.  Their enthusiasm and appreciation for learning was really wonderful and it was fun to have the experience of teaching and connecting with them.

The cold weather continues on with a new dusting of snow arriving last night.  And so with the cold weather, outside of teaching time it is still mostly hibernation for me.  I am doing my best to cook up a storm in my tiny little kitchen thanks to the wonders of my new crock pot, my latest purchase in South Korea.  Today I am making Jamaican Fish.  Here is the recipe if you’re curious!  Since I don’t have an oven, I am learning there are MANY things you can cook in a crock pot that you would typically bake… sweet potatoes, even brownies!

As always, thanks for reading and stopping by!  Life is good in the frozen land of English Village as I stay warm and settle a little bit more into my world of newness and change teaching here in the northern peak of South Korea.

Photo of Korean women cooking up a storm at an indoor market in Seoul.

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Leaving the nest

6 Jan

After being in Paju City living and working at the English Village for the past few weeks, it was about time to leave the nest. Nothing dramatic, mind you, but a little outing. It was my first trip to Seoul. It was rooted in a practical matter – shopping. With the freezing cold temperatures outside, I was glad to get out, but for just a little bit. With my long down coat, three pairs of socks, gloves and scarf… I was ready to go!

I joined my friend Chris, one of the American staff here at the English Village. He and his wife have lived and worked in South Korea for the past three years. As they eat a strict gluten free diet, they are perfect guides and companions for my adventures in healthy eating in South Korea. With his wife’s nudging I was invited to join Chris on one of his regular shopping excursions. We stood outside the grounds of the English Village and waited for bus 2200, the bus that travels to Seoul practically non-stop about every 15 minutes. The journey takes about 45 minutes.

We traveled on the cold bus across the frozen land. About half way through the journey I was asked by the bus driver to be quiet. It was a simple gesture. The bus had stopped and when she walked by me she looked at me, put her finger to her lips, and made a “shhh” sound. Okay… was I talking too loud? Chris assured me that it was in part because we were foreigners but that also in general it is considered rude to talk loudly on public transportation. Koreans in general have much quieter speaking voices then Americans. In class we are always encouraging Korean students to speak up so we can hear them. My traveling companion Chris has a more soft-spoken voice. And me, well I had flashbacks to my 7th grade teacher letting me know in the middle of class that my voice carried…as well as my inability to whisper to my sister or my mother when I was a child in church on Sundays. Chris let me know that his wife had the same problem. Loud voice – good for teaching – I guess not so good for South Korean public transportation. I did my best to lower the volume and the journey continued.

In no time at all we were in Seoul. The bus stops at a subway station stop and we made our way down stairs the underground transportation system. Chris hooked me up with a “T-money” card, an electronic card when loaded with a little money is a fast and easy way to pay for the subway and other public transportation.

Chris was a good steward of the subway system giving me little tips for when I might negotiate the system on my own. The subway system in South Korea is quite well planned and seemed almost more scientific in its organization then the European systems I had become more comfortable with. We traveled about 7 stops away and then we arrived at our destination. What was on the shopping list for today? Baking goods. As Chris and his wife eat gluten free, they did a little research and found an area where local bakers go to buy gluten-free flours and specialty items as well as baking materials and goods. We wove through little streets lined with outdoor shops until we arrived at our destination.

I was impressed that Chris and his wife had found this area on their own. Just past rows of shops selling carpet, yarn and other unimaginable materials was a cluster of shops with a variety of fresh baking related products. I had come along in part out of curiosity and thinking perhaps I would find something that I wanted/needed for myself as I am still building my little “kitchen” in my small studio-like apartment on the English Village campus. My cooking tools are currently a dependable two ‘burner” hotplate and a crockpot. Our little apartments don’t have ovens as is typical in smaller South Korean apartments. So while baking is not currently on the agenda for me, I thought it couldn’t hurt to check things out.

We arrived at Chris’ favorite little shop filled with fresh flours, sweeteners, nuts, sprinkles, you name it. I found I eagerly dug in like a child happy to purchase more items to feed my budding little home. I bought some almond flour… for… who knows what, fresh coconut, raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and oats. They also had some spices so I bought some bay leaves and cloves. And they had a few random canned products, more “american style”, including tomato paste and black olives. I had not seen either of these products in Korean grocery stores so I snatched those up too! I was happy with my little purchase. We made our way through a few other shops in the area then headed back out to the main street.

I found this neighborhood, a maze of tiny shops and my first impression of Seoul, to be… beautiful. Not beautiful in any way that is particularly lavish or breath-taking. But beautiful mostly in its utter sense of foreignness to me. Just amazing.

We walked across the street and took a stroll through a local indoor market. We found dozens of little stands busily preparing food. Most of the food looked similar – something that looked like a potato pancake, and other items that looked egg based with some vegetables and meats. The Korean women knew just enough words of English to invite us to have a seat at their stand. We wove around a bit and settled into a small little informal restaurant/stand.

Chris and I stayed for a quick bite, sharing a large bowl of soul with eggs, dumplings, noodles and green onions. We also shared the potato like pancakes filled with seafood. After lunch we made our way back to the subway station. Seoul was beautiful but… it is just too cold for me to linger. In no time at all we were on the bus, this one heated, and soon on the interstate returning to Paju City and English Village.

On the ride back I noticed rows upon rows of similar looking high-rise buildings that ran for it seemed perhaps miles. What is that? I asked. Chris said they were high-rise apartment buildings. In truth the scene kind of gave me the creeps… like something from a futuristic science fiction movie or something. But Chris shared that something like 45% of the country’s population lives in Seoul and the surrounding areas. Many people!

On the ride back we listened to two Korean girls giggling uncontrollably about something…bahavior that seems typical for Korean little girls. One of the girls turned around and took a good look at me. I am told it is not unusual for Korean children to stop and stare at Foreigners (yep, that’s me! I’m a foreigner!) as it is not all that usual to see non-Koreans in Korea (although more common in the Seoul area…)

And now I am back safe and sound in my mostly warm apartment. The cold is leaking through the windows and underneath the door but I do my best to stay warm. It is the weekend but the halls of my apartment building and streets of the English Village and calm and quiet. I cooked a nice dinner for myself on my hot plate.  It feels good to be warm and settled in for the evening.

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Two weeks in South Korea

30 Dec

It’s a chilly winter morning here in Paju South Korea. On Friday we had a small “break” in the weather. The winter cold didn’t burn through your skin on that day. I was walking on campus with a colleague and she said whenever it’s warm for a day like this, the next day is always snow. And, sure enough, I woke up Saturday morning to see a coating of snow with flurries falling from the sky. The snow has continued over the weekend and on Sunday morning it appears we have a fresh coat. It’s really quite beautiful and, funny enough, although it is snowing outside, it doesn’t feel “that cold”.

I am enjoying a quiet weekend at home after my second week of working at the English Village in Paju South Korea. My apartment is warm and cozy and I have been cuddled up with a variety of movies for the weekend. While I say it is “not that cold” outside, I have to say I am still not inspired to go out and explore in it. All in good time.

I am feeling a little more settled in some ways. I am comfortable with the little walk to the local grocery store down the street, E-mart, and am finding my way more easily through the array of some familiar and much foreign food. I have settled on some staples for now as my repertoire continues to grow and expand. I am waiting to go on a “Costco- run” with other teachers from the English Village. Costco in South Korea is connected to the chain many known and love in the United States. I am told it sells a bevy of goods that “foreigners” like me love. As someone who is sensitive to sugar and eats a healthy, non-processed food diet.. .having access to some healthy comfort foods (with labels that I can read) is definitely high on my list!

I haven’t yet eaten any Korea food since I have been here. It seems a shame since at least part of the experience of being in a foreign culture is eating their food. But I am highly sensitive to sugar and I am told that Koreans use it in much of their food. I am also told that culturally the don’t have a good understanding for allergies or adjusting food to tailor meet someone’s needs. So, generally so far I have just been staying away. We will see if I can discover some Korean foods that I might be able to eat.

My job here continues to be a good place of balance – someplace that helps me continue to step out of my comfort zone and grow as well as a laid back work atmosphere and work load. After speaking with other teachers about their work experiences at other teaching jobs in South Korea, I find I feel very lucky to be working here. The work load is very reasonable, the pay is decent, and the other benefits are goods.

The English Village in Paju South Korea is a mock English Village that was created in 2006 from the tax money of the local citizens. As Koreans began sending their children to English-speaking countries to learn English, the idea was “why not create an English village here where Koreans of all ages can be immersed in the English language.” And so English Village was born.

I say it is a “mock” English village… it is…a little “disney-esque” in some ways with a large mock Stonehenge greeting guests at the Entrance. There is a local “market street” complete with a coffee shop, a few restaurants (pasta, pizza, and hamburgers) as well as a local pub. The heart of the village is filled with classrooms and the large administrative building is called “city hall”.

I am one of I would guess about 70 English teachers working and living here on campus. There are English teachers here from the United States, Cananda, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Teaching staff here work a variety of different programs. The program I work in is called the “One Week Program (OWP)”. It is the main entrée shall we say of the English village for mostly local middle school students. They arrive on Monday morning stay in “hotels”  on campus and leave on Friday. Their week is filled with language lessons, English content lessons such as cooking and drama, and games. While they are here they are encouraged to speak only English. Basic hours for staff are from 9am – 6pm, although some staff work from 1 – 9 pm. There is also a weekend shift where staff works a regular 5 day week that includes the weekends. Teachers generally have anywhere from 4 to 6 classes a day and the rest of the time is for teachers to plan and help out with projects that need to be done.

There are also special programs for children of all ages and adults.  There are also staff called Edutainers. They are professional performers and actors who create live professional quality performances for the students that are also fun and educational. There is a large concert hall on campus where their shows are performed.

We are about to start a special month-long program here known as “VIP”. This longer program is for students while they are on their school break. Ages will vary from 3rd – 8th grade. As teachers we will be with them for the whole month until, in February we get a little break with the 5 day vacation of the Korean New Year.

So all in all, things are going well here as I adjust to my new job and world in South Korea. I am settling in, doing my best to stay warm, and getting more comfortable with the lessons I am teaching in the classroom.

Thanks for reading my blog! And as always, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or drop me a line!

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