Well readers, I'm the worst. I am so sorry to have been off the airwaves for a few weeks! The start of the school year really swept me off my feet in the best way possible, and hopefully I will soon have the energy for a real update. Last night was the Back to School Night for lower school parents, and tonight was the same event for middle and upper school parents. It was great to spend some time really digging into both of my main roles as a teacher and a theatre technician.
My favourite part of a stage crew gig is typically the closing procedures, particularly when I'm working solo. I love the feeling of an empty space, filled with a plethora of possibilities and a happy history. I love hearing the sound of my footsteps echo throughout the space as I reflect on a successful event or contemplate how to alleviate certain challenges in the future. I love the eerie look of the darkened space lit only by a ghost light as I walk out for the night. There is such satisfaction in the work that technicians do, even though the sign of a job well done is often that no one noticed that you were doing your job. Somehow the occasional thanklessness and invisibility makes me love it even more for reasons I can't quite describe.
Tonight as I shut down the lights, mics, and projections after the middle school parent presentations, I had a sudden realization: I have achieved an old dream of mine. In high school, I wanted more than anything to make my way as an artist, specifically an actor. I abandoned my dream of going into the arts somewhere around the end of high school or the beginning of college as I accepted that performing was not a strength of mine, and I discovered another passion and dream to pursue as I began to study education. I continued to work behind the scenes in theatre and hone my skills, but truly never thought anything would come of it professionally, assuming I might someday volunteer in community theatres.
And yet somehow, here I sit today, a member of the performing arts faculty at an international school. Time, wisdom, and experience have been kind and wonderful teachers to me. Over the past 6+ years I have been so fortunate to discover a talent and passion for technical theatre and theatre management. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to those who gave me the opportunities and tools I needed to find and develop this aspect of myself.
As I've said before, one of my favourite things about being an intern is that I get to do everything I love: act as a classroom teacher, work as a theatre technician, integrate drama across the grade levels, stage manage and train aspiring stage crew. Thinking about what I might do in years to come is hard because I love that right now I can do it all. The flip side is, of course, that I can't do any of it quite as deeply as I might like. For the time being I'm enjoying the chaos and accepting that when it's time to think about the future, I can and will be able to thoughtfully consider my options. I feel quite blessed to have such a wonderful myriad of opportunities to have a job where I love going to work every day.
One of my favourite quotes about the arts is by Kurt Vonnegut. He once said, "Go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."
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Currently reading: oh my goooooodness we just organized our classroom library and I can't wait to read all the books!!!
Current high: still so, so truly happy here with the work I do and the people I share my life with
Current low: I've managed to royally screw up my left leg, (lesson learned, don't run through the pain) so I haven't been able to run for the last two days :(
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
New Beginnings
Hello, dear readers! Apologies for the relative radio silence over the past few days -- it's been busy busy, so here's a recap.
Friday was our first day with kids, finally!!! I was so beyond excited to meet my kiddos and kick off my first year employed in education. It wound up being a rather exciting day in a lot of ways. For starters, we got an e-mail about shuttle times, so I headed down to catch the 6:45 shuttle. I arrived at the stop to find a few other miffed people, all of whom had missed the shuttle...which apparently left at 6:40. D'oh! The six of us piled into a couple of cabs and made it to school in decent time. I was still covering the theatre with Mr. G out, so I dropped my stuff in my classroom, grabbed some coffee, and headed over to the theatre. But I couldn't figure out how to open either of the main doors! So naturally, I climbed over the counter of the ticket window and went around that way. Fortunately, setup was a breeze. I touched base with Ms. W to make sure everything was covered, and so it was!
I headed up to the classroom and met Woodzy, made some copies, sharpened some pencils, and before long, the kids started to arrive. It was such a rush to finally see and meet the reason I came here in the first place! Nineteen of our twenty kids were there, and we started off the day with a word search and decorating colorful name cards for their desks. I ducked out about 15 minutes before the assembly to make sure everything was in place and ran the (very easy) set -- mostly just muting and unmuting a wireless mic. Not bad!
After we wrapped up, I waited around to turn off the lights and mics until everyone was out, and Mr. R, the grades 2 and 3 ESOL teacher, came over to let me know that Woodzy had to leave right away, so I was up. The previous day this had looked like a possibility, but Woodzy was back in the afternoon and had an appointment set up for after school the following day, so I didn't do any prep. Well. Oh well! I headed back with them and Woodzy said goodbye and left them with me and Mr. R. We did a few more first-day things (labeling cubbies, making a class sign, an ice breaker) before heading out for recess and games with the whole third grade. We wrapped up the day with some writing about what they did with their summer (a good way for us to see where they're all at!) and ice cream with the parents on the lawn :)
All in all, not quite the start to the school year I had anticipated, but a good one! I'm at my best when I'm busy and getting thrown into things, so that works. After school the third grade team went out for lunch (cold noodles and an assortment of dumplings, YUM) before the school-sponsored happy hour at a local hotel. After that wrapped, I came home, showered and changed, went to EB's for a while, then we went out and continued the celebration with some other faculty. It was a great way to kick off the year!
This post got long, so I'll write more soon about my first trip to Seoul yesterday with YC and EB -- such fun, and lots of pictures! For now, signing off with words I never thought I'd say: I just went for a run! (And upon my arrival back at my apartment complex, ran into one of my students, son of Ms. W. D'oh, awkward). EB, YC, HY, SL, and I registered for Incheon's Color Me Rad 5K in September -- less than a month to train, so it's time to hit the road :) Wish us luck!
**********
Currently reading: flipping through various books on children's theatre, team-building, and South Korea...I'll resume my reading routine tonight with either some Junot Diaz
Current high: endorphins!
Current low: motivating oneself to do something one does not like is a challenge, and I do NOT like to run...but I like my friends and I like Color Me Rad!
Friday was our first day with kids, finally!!! I was so beyond excited to meet my kiddos and kick off my first year employed in education. It wound up being a rather exciting day in a lot of ways. For starters, we got an e-mail about shuttle times, so I headed down to catch the 6:45 shuttle. I arrived at the stop to find a few other miffed people, all of whom had missed the shuttle...which apparently left at 6:40. D'oh! The six of us piled into a couple of cabs and made it to school in decent time. I was still covering the theatre with Mr. G out, so I dropped my stuff in my classroom, grabbed some coffee, and headed over to the theatre. But I couldn't figure out how to open either of the main doors! So naturally, I climbed over the counter of the ticket window and went around that way. Fortunately, setup was a breeze. I touched base with Ms. W to make sure everything was covered, and so it was!
I headed up to the classroom and met Woodzy, made some copies, sharpened some pencils, and before long, the kids started to arrive. It was such a rush to finally see and meet the reason I came here in the first place! Nineteen of our twenty kids were there, and we started off the day with a word search and decorating colorful name cards for their desks. I ducked out about 15 minutes before the assembly to make sure everything was in place and ran the (very easy) set -- mostly just muting and unmuting a wireless mic. Not bad!
After we wrapped up, I waited around to turn off the lights and mics until everyone was out, and Mr. R, the grades 2 and 3 ESOL teacher, came over to let me know that Woodzy had to leave right away, so I was up. The previous day this had looked like a possibility, but Woodzy was back in the afternoon and had an appointment set up for after school the following day, so I didn't do any prep. Well. Oh well! I headed back with them and Woodzy said goodbye and left them with me and Mr. R. We did a few more first-day things (labeling cubbies, making a class sign, an ice breaker) before heading out for recess and games with the whole third grade. We wrapped up the day with some writing about what they did with their summer (a good way for us to see where they're all at!) and ice cream with the parents on the lawn :)
All in all, not quite the start to the school year I had anticipated, but a good one! I'm at my best when I'm busy and getting thrown into things, so that works. After school the third grade team went out for lunch (cold noodles and an assortment of dumplings, YUM) before the school-sponsored happy hour at a local hotel. After that wrapped, I came home, showered and changed, went to EB's for a while, then we went out and continued the celebration with some other faculty. It was a great way to kick off the year!
This post got long, so I'll write more soon about my first trip to Seoul yesterday with YC and EB -- such fun, and lots of pictures! For now, signing off with words I never thought I'd say: I just went for a run! (And upon my arrival back at my apartment complex, ran into one of my students, son of Ms. W. D'oh, awkward). EB, YC, HY, SL, and I registered for Incheon's Color Me Rad 5K in September -- less than a month to train, so it's time to hit the road :) Wish us luck!
**********
Currently reading: flipping through various books on children's theatre, team-building, and South Korea...I'll resume my reading routine tonight with either some Junot Diaz
Current high: endorphins!
Current low: motivating oneself to do something one does not like is a challenge, and I do NOT like to run...but I like my friends and I like Color Me Rad!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Overcommitting, again!
One of the most confusing and stressful things about my job is that there are so many moving parts to it: teaching in the classroom, assisting in theatre maintenance, attending performing arts meetings, running events in the spaces, planning and implementing weekly "exploratories" for lower school students, supervising aspiring student technicians from the middle and upper schools.
On the flip side, one of the very best things about my job is that I can do everything that I want to do! I get to teach, I get to do drama, I get to do tech. Ms. W also approached me today about doing "push-ins" for drama at other grade levels. As my father asked, what's a push-in? Single-subject teachers will often come to grade-level planning meetings at the beginning of a new unit and suggest a lesson or series of lessons they can do to supplement the main classroom instruction. At present, the lower school doesn't have a drama teacher, so Ms. W suggested I might be able to offer some support, which sounds like a blast to me. A returning intern found a wealth of left-behind books on elementary school drama and readers' theatre in her new classroom and offered them to me, so I've got lots to work with!!
On top of all that, I'm hoping to assistant coach cheerleading (at some level) and be involved in the fall play. When one of the third grade teachers mentioned today he was looking for someone to co-run the lower school's student council, it took a lot of self-convincing not to jump into that too! As much as I'd love to act as a female role model for young girls who want to be leaders, I think I'll have to do that in other ways. In my free time (what free time???) I'm looking into joining a choir in Seoul that will perform Handel's Messiah in a few months.
"Gosh, that sounds like a lot, Grace." This is something I've heard, oh, I don't know, about every five minutes for the last several years of my life. "She thrives on chaos!" my mother will explain. And it's the simple truth. The more balls I have to juggle, the more successfully I manage my time and honestly, the happier I am. I'm really stoked to get started on all of these different and wondrous things :)
My plan for my next tattoo sums up this post pretty well: "She enjoyed pulling together chaos and telling it what to do."
**********
Currently reading: flipping through several readers' theatre and team-building books
Current high: planning on going to a PD in Beijing with HY in October!
Current low: sleepy at 9pm and we haven't even had kids yet XD
On the flip side, one of the very best things about my job is that I can do everything that I want to do! I get to teach, I get to do drama, I get to do tech. Ms. W also approached me today about doing "push-ins" for drama at other grade levels. As my father asked, what's a push-in? Single-subject teachers will often come to grade-level planning meetings at the beginning of a new unit and suggest a lesson or series of lessons they can do to supplement the main classroom instruction. At present, the lower school doesn't have a drama teacher, so Ms. W suggested I might be able to offer some support, which sounds like a blast to me. A returning intern found a wealth of left-behind books on elementary school drama and readers' theatre in her new classroom and offered them to me, so I've got lots to work with!!
On top of all that, I'm hoping to assistant coach cheerleading (at some level) and be involved in the fall play. When one of the third grade teachers mentioned today he was looking for someone to co-run the lower school's student council, it took a lot of self-convincing not to jump into that too! As much as I'd love to act as a female role model for young girls who want to be leaders, I think I'll have to do that in other ways. In my free time (what free time???) I'm looking into joining a choir in Seoul that will perform Handel's Messiah in a few months.
"Gosh, that sounds like a lot, Grace." This is something I've heard, oh, I don't know, about every five minutes for the last several years of my life. "She thrives on chaos!" my mother will explain. And it's the simple truth. The more balls I have to juggle, the more successfully I manage my time and honestly, the happier I am. I'm really stoked to get started on all of these different and wondrous things :)
My plan for my next tattoo sums up this post pretty well: "She enjoyed pulling together chaos and telling it what to do."
**********
Currently reading: flipping through several readers' theatre and team-building books
Current high: planning on going to a PD in Beijing with HY in October!
Current low: sleepy at 9pm and we haven't even had kids yet XD
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Trial by Fire
Hello, dear ones! Well, today wound up being rather more exciting than intended on a number of counts. Let's see...
First a happy one, I started my morning by video chatting with two of my dearest loves, JH and SC! Such a delight to see their beautiful faces and catch up for a little bit :) An hour really flies by when you're chatting with such beloved friends!
During orientation this morning, I started to get stressed about figuring out how all of the duties of my different jobs will fit together, between teaching third grade and working in the theatre and other general intern responsibilities. I touched base with my boss about it, and it was both unsettling and oddly reassuring to hear her say that she too was unsure about exactly how my schedule would play out! It's really up to me to work with the TD of the theatre and Woodzy to make sure I can meet both their needs. She also let me know that part of the reason she placed me with Woodzy is that she thinks he will be really flexible about my changing schedule! I also talked to a few of my fellow new interns during lunch, and they agreed that they're not really sure what's going on...so I guess we'll figure it out as we go :)
Woodzy was out today, so during what would have otherwise been classroom prep time, I went over to hang out in the theatre with Mr. G. We did a nice walk-through of both the blackbox and the main theatre, and he talked me through their shortcomings (or "opportunities," as we agreed to view them!), a few basic operations, and his hopes and dreams for the spaces in terms of things to buy and things we can do. After four years of working in an older theatre space, which had some quirks due to its age, it's quite a contrast to figure out how to work around the kinks of a newly built space where things haven't been installed just so!
This evening there was a barbecue at school, which was lovely -- sat and chatted with my friends, watched the staff kids dance to the band, and enjoyed some tasty (and free!) food and beer! Then, just before HY, EB, and I were going to strike out, Mr. G stopped me and let me know that he's had a family emergency and has to go out of town.
So I'm up.
To run the theatre spaces.
For the start of the school year.
O.O
We went over to the main theatre and he ran a quick tutorial of powering up and running the lighting, sound, and projection systems -- nothing I couldn't have figured out, but it was great to have a crash course so that I've got a little direct experience under my belt before things get rolling. I also touched base with each division principal to make sure they communicate their expectations of the spaces to me so I can have them prepared for their needs. Guess Woodzy will have to be even more flexible than expected over these first few days XD
When I filled my buddies in on the situation, they were all as surprised as I was. But then, HY said the perfect thing. "You're Grace!" she said with a smile. "It'll be fine." I couldn't help but grin, because those are the exact words so many of my friends from college or high school would say to me :)
I had a really awful night's sleep last night, so I think I'll zone out to an episode or two of The West Wing and crash out. Wish me luck over the next few days, readers! However, as I said to both Mr. G and Ms. W, it's trial by fire...but honestly? That's how I thrive.
**********
Currently reading: it's my blog, I could take out this category if I wanted to XD But it's a good guilt tool, I swear I'll start again soon!
Current high: really nice time with HY, EB, and YC tonight...it's wonderful that I'm really starting to make friends here :)
Current low: the adrenaline is pumping through my system given this change in the status quo!
First a happy one, I started my morning by video chatting with two of my dearest loves, JH and SC! Such a delight to see their beautiful faces and catch up for a little bit :) An hour really flies by when you're chatting with such beloved friends!
During orientation this morning, I started to get stressed about figuring out how all of the duties of my different jobs will fit together, between teaching third grade and working in the theatre and other general intern responsibilities. I touched base with my boss about it, and it was both unsettling and oddly reassuring to hear her say that she too was unsure about exactly how my schedule would play out! It's really up to me to work with the TD of the theatre and Woodzy to make sure I can meet both their needs. She also let me know that part of the reason she placed me with Woodzy is that she thinks he will be really flexible about my changing schedule! I also talked to a few of my fellow new interns during lunch, and they agreed that they're not really sure what's going on...so I guess we'll figure it out as we go :)
Woodzy was out today, so during what would have otherwise been classroom prep time, I went over to hang out in the theatre with Mr. G. We did a nice walk-through of both the blackbox and the main theatre, and he talked me through their shortcomings (or "opportunities," as we agreed to view them!), a few basic operations, and his hopes and dreams for the spaces in terms of things to buy and things we can do. After four years of working in an older theatre space, which had some quirks due to its age, it's quite a contrast to figure out how to work around the kinks of a newly built space where things haven't been installed just so!
This evening there was a barbecue at school, which was lovely -- sat and chatted with my friends, watched the staff kids dance to the band, and enjoyed some tasty (and free!) food and beer! Then, just before HY, EB, and I were going to strike out, Mr. G stopped me and let me know that he's had a family emergency and has to go out of town.
So I'm up.
To run the theatre spaces.
For the start of the school year.
O.O
We went over to the main theatre and he ran a quick tutorial of powering up and running the lighting, sound, and projection systems -- nothing I couldn't have figured out, but it was great to have a crash course so that I've got a little direct experience under my belt before things get rolling. I also touched base with each division principal to make sure they communicate their expectations of the spaces to me so I can have them prepared for their needs. Guess Woodzy will have to be even more flexible than expected over these first few days XD
When I filled my buddies in on the situation, they were all as surprised as I was. But then, HY said the perfect thing. "You're Grace!" she said with a smile. "It'll be fine." I couldn't help but grin, because those are the exact words so many of my friends from college or high school would say to me :)
I had a really awful night's sleep last night, so I think I'll zone out to an episode or two of The West Wing and crash out. Wish me luck over the next few days, readers! However, as I said to both Mr. G and Ms. W, it's trial by fire...but honestly? That's how I thrive.
**********
Currently reading: it's my blog, I could take out this category if I wanted to XD But it's a good guilt tool, I swear I'll start again soon!
Current high: really nice time with HY, EB, and YC tonight...it's wonderful that I'm really starting to make friends here :)
Current low: the adrenaline is pumping through my system given this change in the status quo!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Everybody's working for the weekend...
Okay, glad that I got the Dr. Kim stuff out -- wasn't sure that I could wait to get all of that down! Now, a quick recap of the past couple of days.
Friday night was drinks with the third grade team...or at least, four fifths of us! One had to back out last minute, but the rest of us had a great time. We went to Beer's Cool (so punny!) for a few rounds, and while we were there, we ran into a bunch of the interns as well! Eventually most of us headed back to AK and RL's apartment to hang out and play a couple of games. My team had a difficult loss at Salad Bowl, one of my most beloved party games! Alas.
Saturday I woke up to some WEIRD weather. It became increasingly foggy and dark, to the point that I could barely see the buildings next door, and eventually turned into a gorgeous thunderstorm! I spent most of the morning watching the weather and chatting with a buddy back in the States. Sadly, the inclement weather cancelled the boat trip scheduled for the afternoon :( After an AMAZING lunch of grilled cheese and avocado cooked in homemade garlic butter (zomg I was so happy) I opened the window in my bedroom and enjoyed the breeze...and eventually fell asleep. And thanks to an error in alarm setting, took a MUCH longer nap than expected! Which gave me a lot of time to watch The West Wing? It was a quiet day, which was nice.
Sunday brought the arrival of my new roommate, HS! I got up early since I wasn't sure when she was arriving and puttered about, doing a few more things in the kitchen and making sure everything was tidy. She and her father came around noon (after a second lunch of grilled cheese and avocado, since round one was such a delight) and she is such a darling! I introduced myself, showed her around the place a bit, then got out of their way so they could move everything in.
Later on, I headed out for one of my favourite SKorean events so far -- an SK Wyverns baseball game. The school sponsored a trip to the game, and let me tell you, it was WILDLY different than your average trip to Fenway! A few highlights: you can bring in your own food and drink (thanks, Mr. M, for bringing a whole cooler of beer!), they have cheerleaders, and instead of hot dogs, the popular food choice is Korean fried chicken. Which is DELICIOUS. This brief video might give you a taste of the atmosphere...
Not only was it a really fun, unique, and exciting experience...they won!!! It was a suspenseful game, with the lead changing three or four times, and ending in a walk-off home run. Baseball is a beautiful game. I came home and chatted with the new roomie for a bit, then headed to bed!
Today, another day of orientation. Lots of time in classrooms, which was nice. Woodzy and I have discovered mutual loves of cooking and classrooms filled with background tunes! Also, another "everyone here is so nice moment" -- I was walking to fill up my water bottle after school and I ran into Mr. F, the athletics director. We've had one brief interaction (an e-mail exchange when I offered to assistant coach cheerleading), but he stopped me just to say hi and ask how I was settling in. So delightful!!! I really do love this faculty community.
After school I stuck around for a bit to watch a pickup cricket match (I'm trying in vain to understand this sport) then headed back for an evening in. Since I got home around 5pm, my brain has been pouring out my fingertips as I save drafts upon drafts in this blog! I have so many wonderful experiences and ideas to share, so watch this space :) The amount of posts I'm getting queued up about things other than the minutiae of my daily life mean that I'll probably quit doing those quite soon. But for now, I should really hit the hay, as I'll be up early tomorrow AM for a Skype date with my two oldest and dearest college friends. 'Til next time!
**********
Currently reading: okay, I promise, once school starts (ON FRIDAY ACK), I will get back into my routine of reading 20 minutes nightly and then I'll have something to say here
Current high: I'm just...happy, and feeling like I'm where I need to be right now :)
Current low: I'm doing that thing where you calculate how many hours you have left until you have to wake up...oof
Friday night was drinks with the third grade team...or at least, four fifths of us! One had to back out last minute, but the rest of us had a great time. We went to Beer's Cool (so punny!) for a few rounds, and while we were there, we ran into a bunch of the interns as well! Eventually most of us headed back to AK and RL's apartment to hang out and play a couple of games. My team had a difficult loss at Salad Bowl, one of my most beloved party games! Alas.
Saturday I woke up to some WEIRD weather. It became increasingly foggy and dark, to the point that I could barely see the buildings next door, and eventually turned into a gorgeous thunderstorm! I spent most of the morning watching the weather and chatting with a buddy back in the States. Sadly, the inclement weather cancelled the boat trip scheduled for the afternoon :( After an AMAZING lunch of grilled cheese and avocado cooked in homemade garlic butter (zomg I was so happy) I opened the window in my bedroom and enjoyed the breeze...and eventually fell asleep. And thanks to an error in alarm setting, took a MUCH longer nap than expected! Which gave me a lot of time to watch The West Wing? It was a quiet day, which was nice.
Sunday brought the arrival of my new roommate, HS! I got up early since I wasn't sure when she was arriving and puttered about, doing a few more things in the kitchen and making sure everything was tidy. She and her father came around noon (after a second lunch of grilled cheese and avocado, since round one was such a delight) and she is such a darling! I introduced myself, showed her around the place a bit, then got out of their way so they could move everything in.
Later on, I headed out for one of my favourite SKorean events so far -- an SK Wyverns baseball game. The school sponsored a trip to the game, and let me tell you, it was WILDLY different than your average trip to Fenway! A few highlights: you can bring in your own food and drink (thanks, Mr. M, for bringing a whole cooler of beer!), they have cheerleaders, and instead of hot dogs, the popular food choice is Korean fried chicken. Which is DELICIOUS. This brief video might give you a taste of the atmosphere...
Today, another day of orientation. Lots of time in classrooms, which was nice. Woodzy and I have discovered mutual loves of cooking and classrooms filled with background tunes! Also, another "everyone here is so nice moment" -- I was walking to fill up my water bottle after school and I ran into Mr. F, the athletics director. We've had one brief interaction (an e-mail exchange when I offered to assistant coach cheerleading), but he stopped me just to say hi and ask how I was settling in. So delightful!!! I really do love this faculty community.
After school I stuck around for a bit to watch a pickup cricket match (I'm trying in vain to understand this sport) then headed back for an evening in. Since I got home around 5pm, my brain has been pouring out my fingertips as I save drafts upon drafts in this blog! I have so many wonderful experiences and ideas to share, so watch this space :) The amount of posts I'm getting queued up about things other than the minutiae of my daily life mean that I'll probably quit doing those quite soon. But for now, I should really hit the hay, as I'll be up early tomorrow AM for a Skype date with my two oldest and dearest college friends. 'Til next time!
**********
Currently reading: okay, I promise, once school starts (ON FRIDAY ACK), I will get back into my routine of reading 20 minutes nightly and then I'll have something to say here
Current high: I'm just...happy, and feeling like I'm where I need to be right now :)
Current low: I'm doing that thing where you calculate how many hours you have left until you have to wake up...oof
The Single Story
Oh my goodness, I am simply overflowing with things to write about right now!!! I'll recap the past few days soon (including an awesome trip to a local baseball game, what an experience), but just now I really want to share some thoughts about the seminar our staff had this afternoon. As I've written this out I'm coming to realize that I think there are two posts in here, so consider this part one!
The school invited Dr. Josephine Kim to address us (and later parents and students) in a discussion entitled "The Culture of All Diversity." Dr. Kim is a lecturer in Harvard University's graduate school of education, and her talk today was tailored to our experience -- a largely Western faculty coming to teach at an international school in South Korea. So much of it deeply resonated with me, particularly given my background at a women's college with a major social justice orientation. I know I won't be able to do her presentation justice, so do bear with me!
She started out by telling us a little bit about her experience of moving to the United States from Korea when she was in elementary school and the microaggressions she experienced as people associated phenotypical experiences with certain cultural stereotypes. Throughout her time in the US she has weathered constant questions of "where are you from?" searching for information about her ethnicity. More recently, strangers will remark to her that "your English is so good!" People often don't think about how such things are received -- both of these remarks imply "you are foreign," "you are different," "you don't belong."
Later on, we did a quick activity. We divided into groups of 5, and each group was given a few strips of stickers and a "cultural norm" (of which there were eight altogether). Following that, we had to try and interact with those around us, and anytime someone offended our group's norm, we gave that person a sticker. My group's was having a 5-foot personal bubble, and other norms included viewing smiling in conversation as offensive, a dislike of eye contact, needing to keep one's neck covered, preferring a 10-second wait time before responding to a question, and so on -- all norms drawn from cultures around the world. Only one person (out of our staff of ~125) didn't get any stickers, and that from largely avoiding interactions. Even students who are being trained in counseling won't admit to starting to feel culturally competent until completing an average of eight semester-long classes directly relating to cultural sensitivity.
There's a culture of power, and those in power are least willing to acknowledge the existence of this matrix. The powerful define a reality, and that which is marginalized by the reality they create becomes institutionalized. Everyone in the society begins to internalize these ideas, and ultimately the powerful culture will impose their values and beliefs to the eradication of the culture, language, and history of minority groups. Children's self-efficacy comes from seeing someone like them in a position of power. I recently read an interesting Whoopi Goldberg quote that really sums up the importance of representation: "Well, when I was about nine years old, Star Trek came on, I looked at it and I went screaming through the house, 'Come here, mum, everybody, come quick, come quick, there's a black lady on television and she ain't no maid!' I knew right then and there I could be anything I wanted to be." Similarly, I went to see Hilary Clinton speak when she came to San Jose during her presidential campaign in late 2007, and as they say, she had me at hello. (Still holding out hope for 2016!!!) She opened her speech by saying something along the lines of, "I am proud to be running in this election, which means to me we can look our children in the eyes and honestly say, you can be whatever you want to be."
No matter the culture we come from, we're socialized to be ethnocentric, so we all naturally carry with us certain prejudices and biases. I don't believe there is anyone in the world who does not have any such beliefs. I remember being in high school and celebrating international day and joking with other friends of European descent that we "had no culture," not realizing the gravity of those words. The important thing is to be considerate, open, and accepting of those around us. We have to be ready to listen and learn, respect and celebrate our differences, not make assumptions about others' identities. There was an org at my college called the Beyond Tolerance Project, and I think that says it all. As Dr. Kim said, you tolerate a headache -- we have to extend more than just tolerance to our fellow human beings. In addition, it's crucial to recognize our positions of privilege, because those at the top of the hierarchy of power often do not realize that they are there, even though they are the ones with the greatest ability to affect change.
While the focus of much of our conversation this afternoon was largely Korean and Western cultures (which will be part two of this mini-series), I think it's really important to broaden our sensitivities to include sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, ageism, classism. (Check out this gif-set for a good quick summary of why that's important.) These were touched on in Dr. Kim's talk, but I think it's important to bring them frequently into the spotlight. For my last four years at a women's college, I have been surrounded by others who were, on the whole, very thoughtful of how they spoke and acted. Since coming into the "real world," I've frequently been surprised, shocked, even offended by what others say, particularly around sexism and heterosexism. As a queer woman, I feel so strongly about equality and acceptance for all populations, and throwaway comments about something being "girly" or "gay" hit deep. The frustrating thing is that many others don't react strongly to comments like this, because it is so deeply entrenched in Western culture that they don't bat an eye. One of my goals as an educator is to engage students to question inequality and confront prejudice and injustice, to be sensitive and accepting and loving.
I'm going to end this post the same way Dr. Kim ended her talk, which was with a TED Talk featuring storyteller Chimamanda Adichie entitled The Single Story, thus this post's title. I urge you to watch it; she is a compelling speaker and sums things up far better than I can. Even if you don't have time to watch it now, here's the quote that I really took away: "Show a people as one thing over and over again and that is what they become."
**********
Currently reading: gah, I'm stalled, I have to get back into reading!
Current high: deep thinking about things that matter...plus a Skype date with two of my besties tomorrow AM!
Current low: spent a few minutes trying to come up with one but all I can think of is that I'm hungry, so I guess I'll go fix that XD
The school invited Dr. Josephine Kim to address us (and later parents and students) in a discussion entitled "The Culture of All Diversity." Dr. Kim is a lecturer in Harvard University's graduate school of education, and her talk today was tailored to our experience -- a largely Western faculty coming to teach at an international school in South Korea. So much of it deeply resonated with me, particularly given my background at a women's college with a major social justice orientation. I know I won't be able to do her presentation justice, so do bear with me!
She started out by telling us a little bit about her experience of moving to the United States from Korea when she was in elementary school and the microaggressions she experienced as people associated phenotypical experiences with certain cultural stereotypes. Throughout her time in the US she has weathered constant questions of "where are you from?" searching for information about her ethnicity. More recently, strangers will remark to her that "your English is so good!" People often don't think about how such things are received -- both of these remarks imply "you are foreign," "you are different," "you don't belong."
Later on, we did a quick activity. We divided into groups of 5, and each group was given a few strips of stickers and a "cultural norm" (of which there were eight altogether). Following that, we had to try and interact with those around us, and anytime someone offended our group's norm, we gave that person a sticker. My group's was having a 5-foot personal bubble, and other norms included viewing smiling in conversation as offensive, a dislike of eye contact, needing to keep one's neck covered, preferring a 10-second wait time before responding to a question, and so on -- all norms drawn from cultures around the world. Only one person (out of our staff of ~125) didn't get any stickers, and that from largely avoiding interactions. Even students who are being trained in counseling won't admit to starting to feel culturally competent until completing an average of eight semester-long classes directly relating to cultural sensitivity.
There's a culture of power, and those in power are least willing to acknowledge the existence of this matrix. The powerful define a reality, and that which is marginalized by the reality they create becomes institutionalized. Everyone in the society begins to internalize these ideas, and ultimately the powerful culture will impose their values and beliefs to the eradication of the culture, language, and history of minority groups. Children's self-efficacy comes from seeing someone like them in a position of power. I recently read an interesting Whoopi Goldberg quote that really sums up the importance of representation: "Well, when I was about nine years old, Star Trek came on, I looked at it and I went screaming through the house, 'Come here, mum, everybody, come quick, come quick, there's a black lady on television and she ain't no maid!' I knew right then and there I could be anything I wanted to be." Similarly, I went to see Hilary Clinton speak when she came to San Jose during her presidential campaign in late 2007, and as they say, she had me at hello. (Still holding out hope for 2016!!!) She opened her speech by saying something along the lines of, "I am proud to be running in this election, which means to me we can look our children in the eyes and honestly say, you can be whatever you want to be."
No matter the culture we come from, we're socialized to be ethnocentric, so we all naturally carry with us certain prejudices and biases. I don't believe there is anyone in the world who does not have any such beliefs. I remember being in high school and celebrating international day and joking with other friends of European descent that we "had no culture," not realizing the gravity of those words. The important thing is to be considerate, open, and accepting of those around us. We have to be ready to listen and learn, respect and celebrate our differences, not make assumptions about others' identities. There was an org at my college called the Beyond Tolerance Project, and I think that says it all. As Dr. Kim said, you tolerate a headache -- we have to extend more than just tolerance to our fellow human beings. In addition, it's crucial to recognize our positions of privilege, because those at the top of the hierarchy of power often do not realize that they are there, even though they are the ones with the greatest ability to affect change.
While the focus of much of our conversation this afternoon was largely Korean and Western cultures (which will be part two of this mini-series), I think it's really important to broaden our sensitivities to include sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, ageism, classism. (Check out this gif-set for a good quick summary of why that's important.) These were touched on in Dr. Kim's talk, but I think it's important to bring them frequently into the spotlight. For my last four years at a women's college, I have been surrounded by others who were, on the whole, very thoughtful of how they spoke and acted. Since coming into the "real world," I've frequently been surprised, shocked, even offended by what others say, particularly around sexism and heterosexism. As a queer woman, I feel so strongly about equality and acceptance for all populations, and throwaway comments about something being "girly" or "gay" hit deep. The frustrating thing is that many others don't react strongly to comments like this, because it is so deeply entrenched in Western culture that they don't bat an eye. One of my goals as an educator is to engage students to question inequality and confront prejudice and injustice, to be sensitive and accepting and loving.
I'm going to end this post the same way Dr. Kim ended her talk, which was with a TED Talk featuring storyteller Chimamanda Adichie entitled The Single Story, thus this post's title. I urge you to watch it; she is a compelling speaker and sums things up far better than I can. Even if you don't have time to watch it now, here's the quote that I really took away: "Show a people as one thing over and over again and that is what they become."
**********
Currently reading: gah, I'm stalled, I have to get back into reading!
Current high: deep thinking about things that matter...plus a Skype date with two of my besties tomorrow AM!
Current low: spent a few minutes trying to come up with one but all I can think of is that I'm hungry, so I guess I'll go fix that XD
Friday, August 9, 2013
Enough about me, let's talk about you.
Hey readers :) So here's a little info that blogger.com has collected on all of you!
- You're predominantly in the US, but pageviews have also come from Germany, Russia, the UK, South Korea, Italy, France, Switzerland, Malaysia, Austria, and Canada. Wow!
- For the most part, you are Macs. (Me too!) 44% of pageviews are from a Mac platform, and another 24% are from iOS.
- Generally you prefer Chrome, with Safari as the second-place finisher (really guys???), and Firefox third. I dig it.
Here's what I'm wondering. What do you want to see more of on this blog? Pictures? Lesson plans? Book reviews? Every detail of every minute of every day of my life? (Doubtful.) Educational philosophy? Travel blogging? You tell me! This blog is certainly in part a time capsule of my teaching and travel experiences, but I'd also like to please the masses :) Shout it out -- tell me in the comments (or on Facebook, my #1 traffic source) what you like to hear!
**********
Currently reading: still Korea Unmasked
Current high: BEAUTIFUL thunderstorms outside!
Current low: thunderstorms cancelled the Wolmido Island boat trip...whomp whomp
The Returning Faculty Cometh
Hello, blogosphere! As I write this, I am officially finished with my first week of training -- woohoo!!! Today was a crazy busy awesome day, so hold on tight.
I started out the morning by waking up an hour earlier than usual so that I could Skype with my best buddy EE before going to school. Delightful way to start my day :) And I get to do the same with SC and JH on Monday! I've found it's the best time (other than weekends) to connect in real time with the folks back home. Sadly her computer had some sort of meltdown, so we were cut a bit short! I hopped on the shuttle to find lots of new faces! Returning staff reported this morning, so the bus ride over had lots of new folks. I grabbed some coffee and headed to the blackbox where we had our morning meeting. Our headmaster did a brief introduction, then all the new faculty and staff introduced ourselves! We were asked to share (among other things) something fun about the summer, and EE's and my road trip got a lot of appreciative murmurs, as well as follow-up questions in my conversations throughout the day. Rockin'.
After all that we had a quick ice breaker, which may be familiar to some of you -- take off your shoes, throw them into the circle, grab two new unmatched shoes, and try to make a circle so that all the pairs are together. Then we shared our names and fun facts with the people on either side of us -- which for me was the elementary school principal and vice principal, both of whom I already knew! Having already used my two go-to facts (motorcycle license and road trip), I hesitantly shared my 11 piercings. Those who know me well may recall that I've been a bit nervous about how those would be received. The VP immediately asked which was the most unusual, and the principal told me she loved my tragus. Guess the piercings are cool to stay in ;)
Before heading over to snack, I introduced myself to a guy I had seen earlier wandering around holding a microphone. And I was right, this was indeed their tech theatre director! I got a chance to chat with him and walk around the spaces a little bit. He described their theatres as Ferrari on the outside, VW on the inside -- looks sharp, but a lot of things were installed incorrectly or not fully installed (e.g. they don't even have a headset system). Most of what we'll be doing over the coming year (other than servicing plays, concerts, and other events in the venue) will be continuing the task of making it a more workable space. One thing he threw out there which made me absolutely drool was getting sound board consoles for iPad -- such a dream! Fingers crossed.
After a snack (tortilla chips with salsa, which I think was actually watered-down ketchup with a few peppers and onions...let's make salsa the #1 product I miss so far), we had a session on the school's strategic plan for the coming years. The new headmaster comes from an independent school background, which is really appealing to me as someone who was educated at an independent high school! Hearing his ideas and plans was really interesting and informative. Following that we did another quick icebreaker wherein we learned the school song, made a welcome poster for the students, and took pictures on Philosopher's Lawn. During that craziness I met Mr. W, affectionately known as Woodzy, who is one of the teachers on the third grade team!
I had lunch with one of my future roommates, RP -- she'll move in in December. I had SO much fun chatting with her, we had loads to talk about! We both love food, and she's a baker while I'm more of a cook, so we should be well-fed :) We also talked about travel, education, and our own histories. I look forward to many more chats with her! After that we had a division breakout and started generating our "one piece of paper," a one-page statement of who we are as individuals and as educators. Mrs. W and Mrs. C presented it as they would teach it to a class, which was really fun -- I love when educators do that! I made some good progress, and we'll continue to work on them throughout next week.
Finally, to wrap up the day, we had time to do what we needed. The third grade team decided to meet and just chat and get to know each other. I found myself to be the youngest, the only woman, and the only American in the group. My fellow third grade intern mentioned the oddity of me being the only female whereas most elementary school teachers get used to being the only male. Fortunately, I am women's college educated and can certainly tackle this group! It was lovely to chat with all of them, and we also discussed the possibility of rotating the interns every trimester so we get a chance to work with all three of the lead teachers. I'm really stoked about that idea; I love observing as many teachers as I can and stealing bits and pieces from everyone as I figure out who I am and how I'll run my own classroom someday!
After lots of giggling and playing with LP (the 15-month-old from next door) on the shuttle, I headed back home and sat in front of the A/C for about an hour. After I felt sufficiently refreshed, I went for a wander around the neighborhood, stopping into the nearest CU Mart and grocery store to see what they had and pick up a couple more small things. Back home for a quick dinner, then heading out for drinks with the boys -- the third grade team is hitting Dream City for "a beer or three." Coming soon: boat trip to Wolmido Island, an Incheon Wyverns baseball game, and the arrival of my other new roommate. Until next time!
**********
Currently reading: Korea Unmasked
Current high: excited to start work with the grade 3 team!
Current low: even with my A/C on it's still mad hot in here
I started out the morning by waking up an hour earlier than usual so that I could Skype with my best buddy EE before going to school. Delightful way to start my day :) And I get to do the same with SC and JH on Monday! I've found it's the best time (other than weekends) to connect in real time with the folks back home. Sadly her computer had some sort of meltdown, so we were cut a bit short! I hopped on the shuttle to find lots of new faces! Returning staff reported this morning, so the bus ride over had lots of new folks. I grabbed some coffee and headed to the blackbox where we had our morning meeting. Our headmaster did a brief introduction, then all the new faculty and staff introduced ourselves! We were asked to share (among other things) something fun about the summer, and EE's and my road trip got a lot of appreciative murmurs, as well as follow-up questions in my conversations throughout the day. Rockin'.
After all that we had a quick ice breaker, which may be familiar to some of you -- take off your shoes, throw them into the circle, grab two new unmatched shoes, and try to make a circle so that all the pairs are together. Then we shared our names and fun facts with the people on either side of us -- which for me was the elementary school principal and vice principal, both of whom I already knew! Having already used my two go-to facts (motorcycle license and road trip), I hesitantly shared my 11 piercings. Those who know me well may recall that I've been a bit nervous about how those would be received. The VP immediately asked which was the most unusual, and the principal told me she loved my tragus. Guess the piercings are cool to stay in ;)
Before heading over to snack, I introduced myself to a guy I had seen earlier wandering around holding a microphone. And I was right, this was indeed their tech theatre director! I got a chance to chat with him and walk around the spaces a little bit. He described their theatres as Ferrari on the outside, VW on the inside -- looks sharp, but a lot of things were installed incorrectly or not fully installed (e.g. they don't even have a headset system). Most of what we'll be doing over the coming year (other than servicing plays, concerts, and other events in the venue) will be continuing the task of making it a more workable space. One thing he threw out there which made me absolutely drool was getting sound board consoles for iPad -- such a dream! Fingers crossed.
After a snack (tortilla chips with salsa, which I think was actually watered-down ketchup with a few peppers and onions...let's make salsa the #1 product I miss so far), we had a session on the school's strategic plan for the coming years. The new headmaster comes from an independent school background, which is really appealing to me as someone who was educated at an independent high school! Hearing his ideas and plans was really interesting and informative. Following that we did another quick icebreaker wherein we learned the school song, made a welcome poster for the students, and took pictures on Philosopher's Lawn. During that craziness I met Mr. W, affectionately known as Woodzy, who is one of the teachers on the third grade team!
I had lunch with one of my future roommates, RP -- she'll move in in December. I had SO much fun chatting with her, we had loads to talk about! We both love food, and she's a baker while I'm more of a cook, so we should be well-fed :) We also talked about travel, education, and our own histories. I look forward to many more chats with her! After that we had a division breakout and started generating our "one piece of paper," a one-page statement of who we are as individuals and as educators. Mrs. W and Mrs. C presented it as they would teach it to a class, which was really fun -- I love when educators do that! I made some good progress, and we'll continue to work on them throughout next week.
Finally, to wrap up the day, we had time to do what we needed. The third grade team decided to meet and just chat and get to know each other. I found myself to be the youngest, the only woman, and the only American in the group. My fellow third grade intern mentioned the oddity of me being the only female whereas most elementary school teachers get used to being the only male. Fortunately, I am women's college educated and can certainly tackle this group! It was lovely to chat with all of them, and we also discussed the possibility of rotating the interns every trimester so we get a chance to work with all three of the lead teachers. I'm really stoked about that idea; I love observing as many teachers as I can and stealing bits and pieces from everyone as I figure out who I am and how I'll run my own classroom someday!
After lots of giggling and playing with LP (the 15-month-old from next door) on the shuttle, I headed back home and sat in front of the A/C for about an hour. After I felt sufficiently refreshed, I went for a wander around the neighborhood, stopping into the nearest CU Mart and grocery store to see what they had and pick up a couple more small things. Back home for a quick dinner, then heading out for drinks with the boys -- the third grade team is hitting Dream City for "a beer or three." Coming soon: boat trip to Wolmido Island, an Incheon Wyverns baseball game, and the arrival of my other new roommate. Until next time!
**********
Currently reading: Korea Unmasked
Current high: excited to start work with the grade 3 team!
Current low: even with my A/C on it's still mad hot in here
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Food, glorious food!
In this post, I shall rave about the glorious foods I've had so far. And also tell you about my last two days of orientation XD
Yesterday morning started with Mrs. W letting me know that I'll be getting a roommate sooner than expected! I'll have someone moving in on Sunday, so I've spent the last couple of days trying to consolidate the unpacking that exploded after my shipment arrived :P At this point the apartment is in pretty good shape, although I haven't hung anything up on my walls yet. EB said no sticky methods she used were working, probably because of the humidity, so I'm going to wait a bit to try. Slash, I'm awful at decorating so I might never get around to it. My darling roommate SC can attest to the fact that unless she contributed, my decorating made it about three-quarters of the way before I gave up!
Anywho. We started out the day with a discussion of MBTI (Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator), which was GREAT! I absolutely love MBTI; not only was I a psychology major, my dad is really into it as well, so it led to many dinner table conversations. I'm an ESFJ/ISFJ, which for those who don't know is Extroverted/Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Juding. My extroverted/introverted tendencies vary based on social preferences vs. idea processing preferences! I volunteered for a demonstration for iNtuitive/Sensing and did exactly what Mr. M wanted -- described an apple in very scientific, specific terms. It was wonderful to start to develop a common vocabulary! After that we had a presentation on the school's interactions with Songdo, Incheon, and South Korea as a whole, which was absolutely fascinating.
After a quick break (yum, mini croissants!) we had breakouts with our divisions, and we talked about the school's philosophy and the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme. After lunch (bibimbap, YUM -- I think that's my favourite Korean dish so far) we got a chance to look at our grade level's yearlong plans. Each grade does six yearlong units, each dealing with one broad essential question. I'm excited to meet my co-teacher tomorrow and start to dig into planning our first unit on who we are! HY and I also wandered the campus a bit and found these gems in the lower school library...
We had some free time to be in our classrooms (or in this intern's case, chat with KR in the staff planning room), we had a presentation from the headmaster, then a really cool segment on the school's way. Mr. P, the presenter, had us split into seven teams and gave us each one topic and essential question to consider. We had 15 minutes to research in our teams of 3-5 people and come up with a 2 minute presentation! My team was talking about the school's founder, while others presented on our sister campus' past and present, our past and present, the future, and a summary of what everyone else had to say! Really fun and really interesting activity.
After school, one of the administrators led a trip to the farmer's market at the Incheon Bus Terminal. I took the subway for the first time (slowly building toward feeling confident enough to tackle public trans on my own!) and it was a GREAT market. The vibe really reminded me of the shuk in Jerusalem, although the offerings were more limited. Everything was at least a third of the price you find in the supermarket! I got most of what you see below for 10,000 won (about $10 USD), other than the 2 kilos of garlic (SO MUCH) which was 14,000 won.
I came home and made one of my favourite pasta dishes, a one-pot wonder. I didn't have any fresh basil (still looking for fresh herbs, hmmm) or cheese or salt. It was much better when I warmed it up tonight with a handful of parmesan-romano and a pinch of salt! However, working with veggies did give me the chance to start stockpiling my veggie scraps to make some vegetable stock soon :) I also pureed and froze some of my garlic in ice cube trays for later use, although it's barely making a dent! Contemplating making garlic soup this weekend...any other suggestions for using up a LOT of garlic fast?? Or any recipe recommendations really!
Today was probably my favourite day of orientation overall. We started out with a continuation of yesterday's MBTI presentation, so of course I was jazzed. Then we had a presentation on our insurance...not the most thrilling part of the day, I must admit XD After a break (today, chocolate chip scones!) we had a discussion of Korean culture and school life, which was great. We wrapped up the morning with a conversation with a representative from IFEZ (Incheon Free Economic Zone) and the services they provide for ex-pats. They include free (!!!) Korean language classes and translation services!
We headed downstairs and scarfed down lunch before many of us headed off to Costco. I had visited Costco once before with my high school boyfriend's family, but never as someone actively shopping. I was so overwhelmed! EB and I walked around together and wound up splitting a bunch of things, especially perishables we couldn't finish before they spoiled. Overall I made out pretty well, although as EB and I discussed on the bus back, it'll be great once we've gotten the bulk of our settling-in shopping done so that we won't have to make so many big trips. We came up to my apartment and divvied up our shared purchases, then I put away my groceries and froze some more garlic -- still SO MUCH left!
In other news, it continues to be MAD hot here. Well, not really that hot, but wicked humid. Stepping outside feels like your entire body is getting smacked by a warm, damp towel. Pleasant. Counting the days to September, which is supposed to be absolutely BEAUTIFUL here in South Korea!
Finally, a quick announcement! I love getting mail, and I'm sure you do too. If you're interested in a postcard from South Korea (once I do some actual sightseeing, maybe), e-mail or message me your address! I'd love to hear from you as well, so you can feel free to send your fanmail to:
Grace Hudkins
307-602 Well County Complex 3
Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea 406-733
**********
Currently reading: I'm a few pages into The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Current high: great chats with EB on the bus back from Costco today!
Current low: too hot to functionnnn
Yesterday morning started with Mrs. W letting me know that I'll be getting a roommate sooner than expected! I'll have someone moving in on Sunday, so I've spent the last couple of days trying to consolidate the unpacking that exploded after my shipment arrived :P At this point the apartment is in pretty good shape, although I haven't hung anything up on my walls yet. EB said no sticky methods she used were working, probably because of the humidity, so I'm going to wait a bit to try. Slash, I'm awful at decorating so I might never get around to it. My darling roommate SC can attest to the fact that unless she contributed, my decorating made it about three-quarters of the way before I gave up!
Anywho. We started out the day with a discussion of MBTI (Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator), which was GREAT! I absolutely love MBTI; not only was I a psychology major, my dad is really into it as well, so it led to many dinner table conversations. I'm an ESFJ/ISFJ, which for those who don't know is Extroverted/Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Juding. My extroverted/introverted tendencies vary based on social preferences vs. idea processing preferences! I volunteered for a demonstration for iNtuitive/Sensing and did exactly what Mr. M wanted -- described an apple in very scientific, specific terms. It was wonderful to start to develop a common vocabulary! After that we had a presentation on the school's interactions with Songdo, Incheon, and South Korea as a whole, which was absolutely fascinating.
After a quick break (yum, mini croissants!) we had breakouts with our divisions, and we talked about the school's philosophy and the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme. After lunch (bibimbap, YUM -- I think that's my favourite Korean dish so far) we got a chance to look at our grade level's yearlong plans. Each grade does six yearlong units, each dealing with one broad essential question. I'm excited to meet my co-teacher tomorrow and start to dig into planning our first unit on who we are! HY and I also wandered the campus a bit and found these gems in the lower school library...
 |
| SO COZY |
We had some free time to be in our classrooms (or in this intern's case, chat with KR in the staff planning room), we had a presentation from the headmaster, then a really cool segment on the school's way. Mr. P, the presenter, had us split into seven teams and gave us each one topic and essential question to consider. We had 15 minutes to research in our teams of 3-5 people and come up with a 2 minute presentation! My team was talking about the school's founder, while others presented on our sister campus' past and present, our past and present, the future, and a summary of what everyone else had to say! Really fun and really interesting activity.
After school, one of the administrators led a trip to the farmer's market at the Incheon Bus Terminal. I took the subway for the first time (slowly building toward feeling confident enough to tackle public trans on my own!) and it was a GREAT market. The vibe really reminded me of the shuk in Jerusalem, although the offerings were more limited. Everything was at least a third of the price you find in the supermarket! I got most of what you see below for 10,000 won (about $10 USD), other than the 2 kilos of garlic (SO MUCH) which was 14,000 won.
 |
| Already used the big onion, all the bell peppers, and a third of the tomatoes! I LOVE cooking :) |
I came home and made one of my favourite pasta dishes, a one-pot wonder. I didn't have any fresh basil (still looking for fresh herbs, hmmm) or cheese or salt. It was much better when I warmed it up tonight with a handful of parmesan-romano and a pinch of salt! However, working with veggies did give me the chance to start stockpiling my veggie scraps to make some vegetable stock soon :) I also pureed and froze some of my garlic in ice cube trays for later use, although it's barely making a dent! Contemplating making garlic soup this weekend...any other suggestions for using up a LOT of garlic fast?? Or any recipe recommendations really!
Today was probably my favourite day of orientation overall. We started out with a continuation of yesterday's MBTI presentation, so of course I was jazzed. Then we had a presentation on our insurance...not the most thrilling part of the day, I must admit XD After a break (today, chocolate chip scones!) we had a discussion of Korean culture and school life, which was great. We wrapped up the morning with a conversation with a representative from IFEZ (Incheon Free Economic Zone) and the services they provide for ex-pats. They include free (!!!) Korean language classes and translation services!
We headed downstairs and scarfed down lunch before many of us headed off to Costco. I had visited Costco once before with my high school boyfriend's family, but never as someone actively shopping. I was so overwhelmed! EB and I walked around together and wound up splitting a bunch of things, especially perishables we couldn't finish before they spoiled. Overall I made out pretty well, although as EB and I discussed on the bus back, it'll be great once we've gotten the bulk of our settling-in shopping done so that we won't have to make so many big trips. We came up to my apartment and divvied up our shared purchases, then I put away my groceries and froze some more garlic -- still SO MUCH left!
In other news, it continues to be MAD hot here. Well, not really that hot, but wicked humid. Stepping outside feels like your entire body is getting smacked by a warm, damp towel. Pleasant. Counting the days to September, which is supposed to be absolutely BEAUTIFUL here in South Korea!
Finally, a quick announcement! I love getting mail, and I'm sure you do too. If you're interested in a postcard from South Korea (once I do some actual sightseeing, maybe), e-mail or message me your address! I'd love to hear from you as well, so you can feel free to send your fanmail to:
Grace Hudkins
307-602 Well County Complex 3
Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea 406-733
**********
Currently reading: I'm a few pages into The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Current high: great chats with EB on the bus back from Costco today!
Current low: too hot to functionnnn
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Orienting Myself
Hello from Songdo, readers! Here's the happenings of another exciting day at Chadwick :) Today's orientation activities were pretty chill. My group went to have our medical checks done for our ARCs, then we got back early so we made a pit stop at Starbucks! Iced chai here is WAY better than in the States. We had lunch in the middle school/upper school cafeteria -- delicious Korean curry! Apparently faculty and staff can buy school lunch for about the equivalent of $4, which I think I'll end up doing more often than not. In the afternoon we talked through instructional technology and professional development. I am really looking forward to checking out some PD opportunities around Asia! There's one conference in Singapore that looks interesting :)
After that we were done for the day, but there wasn't a shuttle back to the apartments for another 90 minutes. One of my fellow interns, HY (a fellow women's college alum, what what!!) and I spent the time chatting with the school's instructional technologist and wandering around the middle/upper school. Highlights included the TV studio and an indoor garden with pre-recorded cricket chirping. Plus their staff room is hooked up -- decent lattes, and for free!
I came back to my place to find that my shipments had arrived, hooray! I spent the afternoon unpacking my cookware, spices, decorations, and winter clothes. Still a work in progress, but it already feels much more like home. My bedroom now has a pillowcase made for me by IB, a stuffed animal from my sister, an afghan made by my dad, and four framed photos on the dresser. To do much more I need to figure out how to mount things on the walls...stay tuned.
Around 6:00, I headed out to the Canal Walk for dinner with three of my fellow interns: HY, EB, and YC. We went to a Chinese-Korean restaurant which was DELICIOUS. Sweet and sour fried pork and black noodles -- yum! I was also so thankful for HY and YC's knowledge of Korean language and culture; EB and I were happy to sit back and let them order for us. After dinner we went to a boba place and sat and chatted for another couple of hours. It was a great time, and we've all agreed to do it again soon :)
Now back home and planning to unpack a tiny bit more before heading to bed -- another busy day tomorrow! Thanks for reading, and much love to you all <3
**********
Currently reading: still The Boleyn King, but I also started The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao while at the hospital today
Current high: making new friends! I had such fun tonight :)
Current low: how to hang up my wall of affirmations???
After that we were done for the day, but there wasn't a shuttle back to the apartments for another 90 minutes. One of my fellow interns, HY (a fellow women's college alum, what what!!) and I spent the time chatting with the school's instructional technologist and wandering around the middle/upper school. Highlights included the TV studio and an indoor garden with pre-recorded cricket chirping. Plus their staff room is hooked up -- decent lattes, and for free!
I came back to my place to find that my shipments had arrived, hooray! I spent the afternoon unpacking my cookware, spices, decorations, and winter clothes. Still a work in progress, but it already feels much more like home. My bedroom now has a pillowcase made for me by IB, a stuffed animal from my sister, an afghan made by my dad, and four framed photos on the dresser. To do much more I need to figure out how to mount things on the walls...stay tuned.
Around 6:00, I headed out to the Canal Walk for dinner with three of my fellow interns: HY, EB, and YC. We went to a Chinese-Korean restaurant which was DELICIOUS. Sweet and sour fried pork and black noodles -- yum! I was also so thankful for HY and YC's knowledge of Korean language and culture; EB and I were happy to sit back and let them order for us. After dinner we went to a boba place and sat and chatted for another couple of hours. It was a great time, and we've all agreed to do it again soon :)
Now back home and planning to unpack a tiny bit more before heading to bed -- another busy day tomorrow! Thanks for reading, and much love to you all <3
**********
Currently reading: still The Boleyn King, but I also started The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao while at the hospital today
Current high: making new friends! I had such fun tonight :)
Current low: how to hang up my wall of affirmations???
Monday, August 5, 2013
Settling in!
Greetings, dear readers! I was issued my work laptop today, so as promised, a post detailing my adventures up to this point :) Let's step into our time machine and go back to Thursday...
At 7AM, my parents and I loaded up my suitcases into the car and drove to the Oakland airport. I was starting with a flight up to Seattle, then connecting to Incheon. Fun fact: before my last few major life transitions, I have had a good cry either the night before or the day of. This time, not so much! I had a few minor freakouts leading up to my departure, but when the time actually came, I was ready to go. I checked my bags, hugged my parents goodbye, and cleared security. Despite coffee on the drive up and Starbucks in the airport, I zonked out for the entirety of my first flight! I grabbed lunch in Seattle, then boarded a plane to my new home. I started out by watching 42, which was fantastic, then put on Iron Man 3 in the background as I tried to catch a few hours of sleep! It was also on the plane that I tried my first ever Korean food, bibimbap. Fortunately it came with instructions!
Eleven hours later, I was in Incheon. I cleared customs and immigration quickly and then headed out into the airport...where I realized I had no idea who or what I was looking for. After a few minutes of wandering, I found a small sign with my school's name on it! I met, after several Skype dates and much anticipation, my boss (Mrs. W) as well as scads of other people, new hires and administrators alike. They took us back to our apartment complex and got us settled into our apartments. For the next five months, I'll be on my own here! I've unpacked what stuff I have for now (shipment arrives tomorrow) into the master suite and have mixed feelings about living alone. It's nice to have my own space, but also a little lonely! Here's a few pictures of my sweet new digs, which I promise I will update when my decorations arrive:
The first night they had pizza and soda for us, as well as some "essentials" in our apartments. These so-called essentials included tote bags and travel mugs with the name of the school and a bottle of Shiraz! There were also important things like coffee, bagels, juice, and snacks. I unpacked, Skyped with my sister, and crashed out.
The next morning I Skyped with my parents and did a little more unpacking before heading out on a group shopping trip to eMart and HomeGoods, which are Target-esque chain stores in South Korea. I got a few essentials (hangers and trash cans) as well as a few non-essentials (I am totally in love with my new immersion blender). We headed back to our apartments, and as I brought my stuff in, I chatted with my next door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. P. They have three charming kids (RP, EP, and LP) and are so sweet, they've told me to pop round anytime! Mrs. W also stopped by to see how I was settling in and to remind me that she's just two floors up. Everyone here is so kind and wonderful, it's been an amazing experience so far.
I spent the afternoon relaxing and reading before heading out to have Korean BBQ for dinner. So delicious, garlic galore! It was my first Korean BBQ experience, so I was glad to have the experienced chef Mr. M at my table :)
After dinner I headed back to my apartment and zonked out before too long. Sunday was a quiet day...it's been horribly hot and humid, so I wasn't up for going out exploring! I tore through a couple of my novels, had a microwaveable Thai curry for lunch (just $2, what a bargain -- so glad Mrs. W pointed them out to me!), and spent the afternoon napping (oops). After such a slow day it took some self-convincing to decide to go out for the next school-sponsored dinner, but with 15 minutes to spare, I got dressed and headed out! We went to Cinder Bar, a very American style bar -- burgers, fries, an assortment of beers. I started to finally meet some other interns, which was great! We all chatted and hung out, and then a few faculty members (CS, EB, AK, and I) headed off to check out a couple other bars in Dream City, the sort of commercial district of Songdo. I had my first soju (a Korean liquor) and great conversation. CS, EB, and I had a bit of an adventure trying to get home -- we attempted to walk, but CS accidentally led us astray! We wound up catching a cab, which was super affordable. I was grateful to plummet right into bed!
And at last, that brings us to today -- our first day on the school campus! I was so excited to see it, and it did not disappoint; it honestly looks like a college campus. There are such incredible resources available to students and faculty alike. I can't wait to start using the gym facilities after school! I finally met the last couple of other new interns. It seems like a wonderful group and I'm so excited to get to work with them. My group spent the morning getting our Korean bank accounts set up and discussing salary options with HR, then had lightning-fast tours of the school. I got to peek into the theatre and the blackbox, which are BEAUTIFUL. I am so excited to go in and just play and tinker! Then we went out to lunch at a swanky hotel buffet, which was really wonderful. While grabbing dessert I chatted with the upper school music teacher and mentioned my interest in finding a choir to sing in. She's been out of Chadwick for the last couple years but said she'd look into things for me, hooray! On the bus ride back I chatted with Mr. P about his adjustment to Korea and his family -- I've been trying to make it known to the faculty with kids that I babysit, so hopefully I'll get a few gigs :)
After that, we had our technology introduction and were issued our laptops. Name forthcoming -- I'll need to text a picture to SC, namer of all things in my life since our first year at MHC! Then we had breakouts with our divisions, so we had some time with Mrs. W and Mrs. C. We all talked a little bit about who we are, what we do, and our journey to finding this school. It was fantastic to hear all those stories! We wrapped up the day with a quick tour of just the elementary school and checking out some classrooms. I came home feeling so inspired and excited to get started on our work together!
Now it's about 6:30pm and I'm back in my apartment, importing all my files from my old computer and enjoying frozen chicken tikka masala for dinner! Time for some good eats and a good book -- I've had a headache all day so I think I'll spend the evening in and get to bed early. Thanks for bearing with me through this incredibly long post! I'll try and be better about taking pictures so at least there's a little something interesting to look at :P Much love, and more soon!
**********
Currently reading: The Boleyn King
Current high: I really and truly feel like I'm in the right place :)
Current low: headache! But dinner and sleep will surely help solve that.
At 7AM, my parents and I loaded up my suitcases into the car and drove to the Oakland airport. I was starting with a flight up to Seattle, then connecting to Incheon. Fun fact: before my last few major life transitions, I have had a good cry either the night before or the day of. This time, not so much! I had a few minor freakouts leading up to my departure, but when the time actually came, I was ready to go. I checked my bags, hugged my parents goodbye, and cleared security. Despite coffee on the drive up and Starbucks in the airport, I zonked out for the entirety of my first flight! I grabbed lunch in Seattle, then boarded a plane to my new home. I started out by watching 42, which was fantastic, then put on Iron Man 3 in the background as I tried to catch a few hours of sleep! It was also on the plane that I tried my first ever Korean food, bibimbap. Fortunately it came with instructions!
Eleven hours later, I was in Incheon. I cleared customs and immigration quickly and then headed out into the airport...where I realized I had no idea who or what I was looking for. After a few minutes of wandering, I found a small sign with my school's name on it! I met, after several Skype dates and much anticipation, my boss (Mrs. W) as well as scads of other people, new hires and administrators alike. They took us back to our apartment complex and got us settled into our apartments. For the next five months, I'll be on my own here! I've unpacked what stuff I have for now (shipment arrives tomorrow) into the master suite and have mixed feelings about living alone. It's nice to have my own space, but also a little lonely! Here's a few pictures of my sweet new digs, which I promise I will update when my decorations arrive:
 |
| My bedroom! |
 |
| View from my bedroom, looking into the apartment complex. |
 |
| My big, beautiful closet! The whole right side is lined with closets. |
 |
| Master bathroom -- note the TV in the bathtub :P |
 |
| And of course, because of the TV in the tub, a separate shower is required. |
 |
| Living room -- beautiful windows :) |
 |
| Lovely, wonderful kitchen! |
The first night they had pizza and soda for us, as well as some "essentials" in our apartments. These so-called essentials included tote bags and travel mugs with the name of the school and a bottle of Shiraz! There were also important things like coffee, bagels, juice, and snacks. I unpacked, Skyped with my sister, and crashed out.
The next morning I Skyped with my parents and did a little more unpacking before heading out on a group shopping trip to eMart and HomeGoods, which are Target-esque chain stores in South Korea. I got a few essentials (hangers and trash cans) as well as a few non-essentials (I am totally in love with my new immersion blender). We headed back to our apartments, and as I brought my stuff in, I chatted with my next door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. P. They have three charming kids (RP, EP, and LP) and are so sweet, they've told me to pop round anytime! Mrs. W also stopped by to see how I was settling in and to remind me that she's just two floors up. Everyone here is so kind and wonderful, it's been an amazing experience so far.
I spent the afternoon relaxing and reading before heading out to have Korean BBQ for dinner. So delicious, garlic galore! It was my first Korean BBQ experience, so I was glad to have the experienced chef Mr. M at my table :)
After dinner I headed back to my apartment and zonked out before too long. Sunday was a quiet day...it's been horribly hot and humid, so I wasn't up for going out exploring! I tore through a couple of my novels, had a microwaveable Thai curry for lunch (just $2, what a bargain -- so glad Mrs. W pointed them out to me!), and spent the afternoon napping (oops). After such a slow day it took some self-convincing to decide to go out for the next school-sponsored dinner, but with 15 minutes to spare, I got dressed and headed out! We went to Cinder Bar, a very American style bar -- burgers, fries, an assortment of beers. I started to finally meet some other interns, which was great! We all chatted and hung out, and then a few faculty members (CS, EB, AK, and I) headed off to check out a couple other bars in Dream City, the sort of commercial district of Songdo. I had my first soju (a Korean liquor) and great conversation. CS, EB, and I had a bit of an adventure trying to get home -- we attempted to walk, but CS accidentally led us astray! We wound up catching a cab, which was super affordable. I was grateful to plummet right into bed!
And at last, that brings us to today -- our first day on the school campus! I was so excited to see it, and it did not disappoint; it honestly looks like a college campus. There are such incredible resources available to students and faculty alike. I can't wait to start using the gym facilities after school! I finally met the last couple of other new interns. It seems like a wonderful group and I'm so excited to get to work with them. My group spent the morning getting our Korean bank accounts set up and discussing salary options with HR, then had lightning-fast tours of the school. I got to peek into the theatre and the blackbox, which are BEAUTIFUL. I am so excited to go in and just play and tinker! Then we went out to lunch at a swanky hotel buffet, which was really wonderful. While grabbing dessert I chatted with the upper school music teacher and mentioned my interest in finding a choir to sing in. She's been out of Chadwick for the last couple years but said she'd look into things for me, hooray! On the bus ride back I chatted with Mr. P about his adjustment to Korea and his family -- I've been trying to make it known to the faculty with kids that I babysit, so hopefully I'll get a few gigs :)
After that, we had our technology introduction and were issued our laptops. Name forthcoming -- I'll need to text a picture to SC, namer of all things in my life since our first year at MHC! Then we had breakouts with our divisions, so we had some time with Mrs. W and Mrs. C. We all talked a little bit about who we are, what we do, and our journey to finding this school. It was fantastic to hear all those stories! We wrapped up the day with a quick tour of just the elementary school and checking out some classrooms. I came home feeling so inspired and excited to get started on our work together!
Now it's about 6:30pm and I'm back in my apartment, importing all my files from my old computer and enjoying frozen chicken tikka masala for dinner! Time for some good eats and a good book -- I've had a headache all day so I think I'll spend the evening in and get to bed early. Thanks for bearing with me through this incredibly long post! I'll try and be better about taking pictures so at least there's a little something interesting to look at :P Much love, and more soon!
**********
Currently reading: The Boleyn King
Current high: I really and truly feel like I'm in the right place :)
Current low: headache! But dinner and sleep will surely help solve that.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Gratitude.
Well, I am officially in South Korea! I promise a real post as soon as the school issues me my laptop -- composing and adding photos is MUCH easier with a full keyboard, trackpad, etc. :) In the meantime, here are some things for which I am incredibly grateful right now:
* My family. Skyped with all of them in the last 24 hours and it was wonderful.
* My iPad and iPhone. I felt so much better knowing that I was able to connect with my loved ones so quickly and easily and through so many awesome apps. (My faves: Snapchat and Viber!) On that note...
* WiFi. I arrived in my apartment to find it already up and running, and free wireless internet abounds everywhere I've been so far.
* My boss (Mrs. W), to whom I already feel quite close. She's an old colleague of my father's and has told me in no uncertain terms to call or come over (2 floors up) if I need anything! She was also quick to show me her favorite microwaveable Thai dinners at eMart, which I can't wait to try.
* My fellow new hires. A quick sample: I've met most of the other "singles" and we shared joy over our lovely apartments. My next door neighbors have three adorable children and both teach in the primary grades. Good life :)
* My apartment. It is truly a thing of beauty. I am all settled into the gorgeous master suite, and for the moment, have no roommates! Not sure how long that will last (possibly until December?) but it's been great to settle into my space.
* The "essentials" the school put in our apartments. Highlights include a bottle of Shiraz, Rice Krispie treats, a tote bag, a travel mug, orange juice, bagels and cream cheese, and a canned coffee drink. Bless.
* My new immersion blender. It came with a food processor attachment and a whisk attachment and was 30% off. I think I'm in love. Thank you, salesperson at eMart :)
* Of course, my friends. I don't think I've ever accrued this many Facebook likes this quickly in my LIFE. And lots of lovely Snapchats, notably one darling one from LT! I so deeply appreciate the support of all those around me as I start this exciting new journey, and I'd love to chat with folks on Skype as I continue to settle in.
* Update/addendum to the above -- texting with EE just like we used to at all hours of the day and night. It made life feel totally normal and okay for a few minutes.
It's about 1:30pm for me right now, and nothing's planned until Korean BBQ dinner at 6pm. For now, I think I'll unpack a little more, have a quick lunch, and wile away the rest of the afternoon with reading and napping! More soon!
**********
Currently reading: halfway through The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Current high: too many to choose from!
Current low: my body's confusion over what time it is...
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