After-school video project

Last semester I had an after-school class with 11 girls for two hours every week. They were all pretty advanced in English, so it was sometimes hard to come up with fresh ideas that were fun and kept them learning. I also wanted to keep myself motivated. I thought a long-term project would help. I … Continue reading →

The real reason Korean teachers come to class late

In the United States, classes start when the bell rings. In Korea, classes begin when the Korean teacher walks into the room, which — let’s be honest — is usually a few minutes after the bell rings. I’ve often wondered about this cultural difference. Are the teachers just lazy? Or are they really that busy? … Continue reading →

Instant celebrity at the Nanta Theater

My family is in Korea! My mom and brother flew in to Seoul on Friday afternoon and are staying for nine days. Saturday’s weather forecast called for rain, and we woke up to some drizzles. I’d wanted to go see Nanta, which is a play, and decided it would be the perfect day to sit … Continue reading →

Cheorwon DMZ Peace Marathon

Sunday was a fun day. Matt and I ran in the 10K of the Cheorwon DMZ Peace Marathon. The race was near our town and so many of our students volunteered at the event. We had been running three or four days a week, but we had no idea of the distances we were running, … Continue reading →

The bow-bob-nod-wave

You may have heard of the Korean Wave. This is the term given for the popularity of Korean culture that is sweeping across the world. I have my own Korean wave, something I like to call the “bow-bob-nod-wave.” Koreans bow to one another when saying hello, and often when leaving as well. Doesn’t sound too … Continue reading →

A Surprise Swim

Alli and I had a Thursday off for Korean Independence Day in our first week back from vacation. It was nice to get a mid-week break while getting back into teaching. We were not planning to do much that day, but our neighbor Ssu said to be ready in the morning for swimming. His English … Continue reading →