So I recently checked out some of my friend's pages that are on MySpace. I was thoroughly unimpressed. What the heck is MySpace, anyway? You go to someones page, but all it has is comments and pictures from other people. I don't want to read other people's comments - I want to see what the page owner is up to. If you want to read what that person wrote, they have to have a blog. Is a blog is the 8 track player of this day and age? Am I behind the times?
Maybe I am a generation behind everyone else on the internet. Or maybe I just don't have the apparently common desire to read what everyone else says to someone. It's like listening to their phone messages. Or reading the text messages on their cell phone. Or listening to half of a conversation on the bus. There's no context, and not really any appeal.
If you can explain to me why MySpace is fun, I'd love to know. Or, maybe it's not fun. Maybe it's the "Emperor's New Clothes" for the next generation. It's only cool because everyone else says it's cool. Maybe they're just waiting for someone to disagree, so they can too. Maybe it's the reassuring feeling of having 96 close and personal friends, seven of which have posted recently so you feel like things are really warming up.
I just don't get it.
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Come Again?
Whenever I teach a class, there are certain students that I can count on to know the answer to most questions. They are naturally bright, admirably disciplined, or a combination of the two. Whichever it is, they can help the class (and me) get out of a jam when no one seems able (willing?) to answer a question.
There are other students in every class that tend not to pay attention. Occasionally, if said student is not paying attention, I will ask them the next question in order to reinforce the fact that they should listen in class. This generally works and I find it to be a rather effective technique.
Last week, such a situation happened. I was merrily teaching away (as is my habit) when I happened to notice that a student was (somehow) not engaged in the lesson. How could this be? To remedy this disturbing occurrence, I simply asked him the next question (the nature of which eludes me at the moment). For the sake of the story, let's say it was "What is your favorite holiday?"
His surprising response, which stumped me completely, was "May I burp?"
I stood there for a second. I was trying to figure out some way that "May I burp?" could be related to what I was saying. Students aren't normally so random. I was about to ask for clarification when another student piped up.
"He means 'Excuse me.'"
Ah. Right. Excuse me. Repeat the question, proceed as usual.
There are other students in every class that tend not to pay attention. Occasionally, if said student is not paying attention, I will ask them the next question in order to reinforce the fact that they should listen in class. This generally works and I find it to be a rather effective technique.
Last week, such a situation happened. I was merrily teaching away (as is my habit) when I happened to notice that a student was (somehow) not engaged in the lesson. How could this be? To remedy this disturbing occurrence, I simply asked him the next question (the nature of which eludes me at the moment). For the sake of the story, let's say it was "What is your favorite holiday?"
His surprising response, which stumped me completely, was "May I burp?"
I stood there for a second. I was trying to figure out some way that "May I burp?" could be related to what I was saying. Students aren't normally so random. I was about to ask for clarification when another student piped up.
"He means 'Excuse me.'"
Ah. Right. Excuse me. Repeat the question, proceed as usual.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
UNESCO and Christmas
Last night Emily & I went to the 10th Annual Family & Friendship Night, put on by UNESCO. UNESCO, in case you are unfamiliar with it, is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. The name comes from the first letters in United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization. Basically, their motto is something like "Since war starts in the minds of men, it must be in the mind of men that the seeds of peace are sown."
The essential goal of this organization is to keep peace by helping different countries see each other as people with their own distinct culture and not as problems. If you can see a different country as people like you with a different culture, peace and understanding will be the result.
I'm not so sure I agree. If all people from every culture are willing to get along, you could likely work out some sort of functional relationship. The problem comes when people unaccustomed to compromise enter into the whole international relations field. That's just asking for problems.
For example, one nation (which I shall allow to remain anonymous) presented their flag and described their nation as "the super hero of the free world." Boos ensued. A comment like that does no one any good, and just aggravates problems that already exist.
Other than that, it was fun to see the different nations, languages and traditions represented. Our friend Matt did a couple of Christmas songs solo on his guitar, and he did well. The food was late, but (unfortunately) the dinner was pushed back nearly an hour due to thing after thing going late.
In other news, we have our Christmas tree and Christmas lights up in our apartment, as well as some miscellaneous decorations. 'Tis the Season!
The essential goal of this organization is to keep peace by helping different countries see each other as people with their own distinct culture and not as problems. If you can see a different country as people like you with a different culture, peace and understanding will be the result.
I'm not so sure I agree. If all people from every culture are willing to get along, you could likely work out some sort of functional relationship. The problem comes when people unaccustomed to compromise enter into the whole international relations field. That's just asking for problems.
For example, one nation (which I shall allow to remain anonymous) presented their flag and described their nation as "the super hero of the free world." Boos ensued. A comment like that does no one any good, and just aggravates problems that already exist.
Other than that, it was fun to see the different nations, languages and traditions represented. Our friend Matt did a couple of Christmas songs solo on his guitar, and he did well. The food was late, but (unfortunately) the dinner was pushed back nearly an hour due to thing after thing going late.
In other news, we have our Christmas tree and Christmas lights up in our apartment, as well as some miscellaneous decorations. 'Tis the Season!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Just Thai to understand, Gym
So Emily and I joined a gym yesterday. It wasn't too bad of a price, though the whole sign up process was slighty awkward (any expat would understand - interpersonal communication in a business setting tends to contain some sort of communicational difficulty).
We signed up for one month, which includes the health club machine part (cardio and strength) plus a "sauna." The Korean word 사우나 , pronounced sa-ooh-na (Konglish) is a great place, once you're used to it. It's a naked communal bath, which is incredibly relaxing. Again, once you're used to it. I never thought I would be, but who knew?
The reason we're doing this (this=working out, getting in shape, etc.) is because we are planning on going to Thailand for about 3 weeks during the winter break and we want to be in good shape for when we do. Hopefully we'll see some nice beaches, some good markets and ride on an elephant or two.
We're turning into real snowbirds - we are in Korea for Canadian winter, and in Thailand for Korean winter. I think it's the way God meant it to be.
We signed up for one month, which includes the health club machine part (cardio and strength) plus a "sauna." The Korean word 사우나 , pronounced sa-ooh-na (Konglish) is a great place, once you're used to it. It's a naked communal bath, which is incredibly relaxing. Again, once you're used to it. I never thought I would be, but who knew?
The reason we're doing this (this=working out, getting in shape, etc.) is because we are planning on going to Thailand for about 3 weeks during the winter break and we want to be in good shape for when we do. Hopefully we'll see some nice beaches, some good markets and ride on an elephant or two.
We're turning into real snowbirds - we are in Korea for Canadian winter, and in Thailand for Korean winter. I think it's the way God meant it to be.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Today's Lesson
Today's lesson is on how to pack something. The students? A can of sardines. The teacher? Korean bus drivers. Let the open of mind and pliable of spirit take heed to what is taught here.
The lesson is thus: there is always room for one more. Not sometimes, not "How many more people can reasonably fit on this bus?" but always. The thought "Man, this is so full I can barely breathe without pushing someone out the window" must never come to your mind. People on the steps, people missing their stops because they can't make it to the door, forgetting what the concept of oxygen is - all characteristics, grasshopper, of a well packed bus.
If you're turning people away, though, it's obviously not packed well enough. If you study and work hard, you too shall hopefully attain to such space efficiency consciousness. One day, the students shall surpass the master and all will be made known.
Say it with me now: "There is always room for one more."
Well done.
Today's lesson is complete.
The lesson is thus: there is always room for one more. Not sometimes, not "How many more people can reasonably fit on this bus?" but always. The thought "Man, this is so full I can barely breathe without pushing someone out the window" must never come to your mind. People on the steps, people missing their stops because they can't make it to the door, forgetting what the concept of oxygen is - all characteristics, grasshopper, of a well packed bus.
If you're turning people away, though, it's obviously not packed well enough. If you study and work hard, you too shall hopefully attain to such space efficiency consciousness. One day, the students shall surpass the master and all will be made known.
Say it with me now: "There is always room for one more."
Well done.
Today's lesson is complete.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
17
That's how many more days I've got left in the school year. Not actual day-days, but school days. Between now and the end of December (which is the end of the school year here), only 17 more instructional days remain. This week, I get Thursday & Friday off because of exams. I get the 25th off because it's Christmas. I get January 1st off because of New Years. But, then again, everyone gets those holidays. It's the ones after that that I'm excited for.
I've got 2 weeks of an elementary school camp that runs from January 2 to the 12th, from 9:00 - 12:00 each day. I'm not exactly sure what's happening with the camp (there's a meeting on Wednesday about it) but I'm home free once that is finished. From January 12 - February 7, my time is my own. And from February 9 to February 25th (-ish) is another well deserved break. Emily and I are planning on going to Thailand for a few weeks and perhaps to one other country (Cambodia, Vietnam, something along those lines), so it should be absolutely splendiforous.
Until then, we keep the routine. Emily is working hard on her online courses so that she can finish when I do and we can enjoy the holidays together. I'm planning on taking another TEFL course from the U of S in the winter semester, and also on doing a lot of nothing.
On a completely separate note, the snow came this past weekend. The temperature dropped close enough to freezing that we actually got quite a heavy snow. Well, it was heavy when it was in the air, but it was still warm enough outside that it melted as soon as it hit the ground. As of right now, it's a little chilly (perhaps in the single positive digits) but the sun is shining bright and the world is good all around.
Life is good, and God is better.
I've got 2 weeks of an elementary school camp that runs from January 2 to the 12th, from 9:00 - 12:00 each day. I'm not exactly sure what's happening with the camp (there's a meeting on Wednesday about it) but I'm home free once that is finished. From January 12 - February 7, my time is my own. And from February 9 to February 25th (-ish) is another well deserved break. Emily and I are planning on going to Thailand for a few weeks and perhaps to one other country (Cambodia, Vietnam, something along those lines), so it should be absolutely splendiforous.
Until then, we keep the routine. Emily is working hard on her online courses so that she can finish when I do and we can enjoy the holidays together. I'm planning on taking another TEFL course from the U of S in the winter semester, and also on doing a lot of nothing.
On a completely separate note, the snow came this past weekend. The temperature dropped close enough to freezing that we actually got quite a heavy snow. Well, it was heavy when it was in the air, but it was still warm enough outside that it melted as soon as it hit the ground. As of right now, it's a little chilly (perhaps in the single positive digits) but the sun is shining bright and the world is good all around.
Life is good, and God is better.
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