New School Year

The school year began early in the month and it has been scary.  The first few weeks are always a feeling out process.  This one was rough.  I am not sure if the new kids are more unruly, or I am not used to them, but the first two weeks of classes were not good.

We are in our third week and I feel like I am finally hitting my stride.  We shall see.

Little Girl Update

It has been a bit more than a month and the girl, Hnini Woot Hlwa, can still only see a bit of color in her right eye. She is being taken care of by a wonderful friend of mine, but the medicine does not seem to be making a big difference.

With some luck, she will go to a proper hospital in Bangkok in a week or so to find out if she can get an operation to repair the damage. If an operation can be performed, there is a possibility that it can be done for free in a local Christian hospital.

Bad Parents, Bad Eye, Bad Luck, Bad Future???

Hnini Woot Hlwa is a 5 year old and when her parents divorced, they sent her sister to live with relatives and abandoned her at a neighbors house.  Luckily the neighbor has cared for her.


She was playing with a neighbor and her eye got bashed.  The father of the neighbor got permission from the Thai government to go to a semi-big hospital in Thailand. The doctor looked at her and said they may be able to help, but it would cost about $200...an enormous amount of money when you earn a couple of dollars a day like most people in Burma. The man decided to return to Burma with a few eye drops.

I met up with her a few weeks later. She could not see from her eye.  Nobody was sure what could be done, but I wanted to try to help.  My friend Pone Pone, who is probably the most decent person I have ever met, and I started to make arrangements but we do not know what will happen.

Terrible to think, but a 5 year old one eyed abandoned girl....what kind of future will she have?

On a side note, the lady who takes care of her wanted her to look cute, so put her in this dress and some cute shoes.  We wondered why she was in pain and realized that it was the damn cute shoes.  We bought her some new ones, along with a purse and some sunglasses.  I told her I wanted to take a picture and she did this pose on her own.  Too freakin' cute.

Jungle School

I hopped to stop by the school in the jungle that we were sponsoring, but it just was not possible. The best I could do was get a few pictures that I thought were interesting.

Looking at the pictures, I wonder how the mothers keep their kids shirts so white in the jungle, and how the teacher is not distracted by his kid on his chest.

Meeting Boi Pop Chan

As mentioned before, my Volunteer Club had a fund raiser and one of the people they decided to help was Boi Pop Chan, a little Burmese girl who is paralyzed due to TB Meningitis. 

I visited her and her family unannounced with a good friend of mine.  We arrived at the simple concrete block house and the girl was lying motionless under a net much like you would find over a bassinet.   

We all sat down and had some tea and chatted.  The father, who speaks English quite well, told of the many hardships they face.  There were a few laughs, a lot of love and a fair amount of concern that only parents can give, but there was also unmistakable despair written all over the mother's face.

I wish there could be a warm ending to the story, but there won't be.  The best that can be hoped for is she is loved, kept comfortable, and gets medicine to have fewer seizures.  I am glad we could do a bit (medicine for seizures for a year) but it is too bad that these stories have such tough endings for poor kids.

Thailand Helping The Animals

There are over 100,000 stray dogs in Bangkok and they usually deal with the problem by poisoning them.  Some of my students decided they wanted to help these dogs, so they raised some money for an organization that works for them.

While in Bangkok we stopped in SCAD, which is a project to spay and neuter dogs and cats in Bangkok.  They have a spay and release program.  They try to work in areas where people treat the animals relatively well ( no need to spay a dog who will be poisoned in a week or two).  In addition, they have an education program.

They have their programs suspended right now because the local community does not like all the noise (who can blame them).  They are planning to open one of two new facilities to get things going next month. I think the education part of the program is most important since a thousand or so spays and neuters will have a limited impact on a 100k animal population that is growing due to discarded animals.

Nice people, good cause, good visit.

Indonesia-We had to get the hell out of there

We really liked the Indonesian people who we met who were not associated with tourism.  Universally friendly, most liked to laugh a lot, and very kind.  The problem we ran into is we just hated the lying thieves who were associated with the tourist activities.  We have traveled a bit and we are used to people trying to cheat us, but it was the worst in Indonesia that we have seen.  We ended up with a choice, take a trip that was supposed to cost $8 each but they were demanding $60 each, or leave early.  We left Indonesia two days early and headed to Thailand. 

On the way out of town I ended up chatting with a remarkably nice old man.  I met him on the street.  He had a bakery and he showed me around for 20 minutes just to be kind.  I really think this is the Indonesian culture.  I told him of my problems and said all the tourist say the same thing.  He said it was killing tourism and made him sad.

Flabby, Middle Aged and Exotic

A couple of strange things that surprised us;

The kids were so excited to see foreigners.  I guess they do not get tons in some areas and more than once a group of kids stopped us and wanted to have their picture taken with us because we were so exotic.

Another surprise to me was the concern about bombs, especially around Jakarta.  I was really surprised that cars were inspected and you had to walk through a metal detector (which was turned off) to go into the mall.

The final surprise was what was on TV...Christian broadcasting.  Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country. With all of the religious turmoil in Indonesia, I really did not think they would tolerate this.  I wonder if we would tolerate a station whose sole purpose was to convert people to Islam in the US.

Treking for Orangutans

We traveled to Bukit Lawang which is famous for having a large population of wild and semi wild Orangutans (semi-wild because many had been reintroduced from captivity). We did a two day trek into the jungle trying to spot the Orangutans. We saw about 7 or 8, a few with babies. Pretty cool experiences.

The hiking was a bit more than Sandy counted on, but I have to admit she held up really well except for the posibility of this rock face which does not look nearly as steep and slippery as it actually was.

Climbing up this ridiculously steep side of a mountain using the vines was a first for us.

Indonesia- Temples

We like temples and visited Borobudor, a 9th century Buddhist temple.  

Also visited Prambanan an old Hindu temple.  As impressive as this was, it would have been amazing to see when there were literally hundreds of these temples in the same complex. Unfortunately, earthquakes and villagers taking stones to be used on their foundations left only a handful for renovation.

Bali Highlights

The highlights for us in Bali were some of the temples and a botanical garden. The beaches are supposed to be great, but there was lots of rain and we are not beach people anyway.

My favorite was Tanah Lot, a temple in the sea.  It was really beautiful

I also liked one of the Royal Temples...beautiful, no hawkers and no tourists.

The incredible tiered rice paddies seemed to go on forever.

We love botanical gardens, especially in tropical areas. I think one tree had the biggest leaves I have seen anywhere.

An Interesting Hotel/Project in Bali

We stayed in a hotel which was part of a foundation to provide an education for poor kids.  The kids would not be able to study anymore, so a family set up a foundation that provides food, housing, an education, and work experience to about 100 kids.  When they finish, they have a high school certificate, very good language ability, and actual job experience.  The hotel had one person who was both the headmaster and the manager and the kids did the rest of the work.  They were ridiculously enthusiastic and really happy to have the opportunity.  A great project I think.

Bali- The corrupt first day

Bali has offered both the best and worst a vacation could.

Our first full day out and we went to an old and supposedly interesting temple.  After the wave of  high pressure sellers, we got to the ticket window and the guy tries to cheat me on the entrance to the temple.  Does he think I do not see the big sign with the price on it or does he think I can not count?  His friend tried to tell me he was confused about the money.  I guess I have had too many of these jokers try these things and I told him what I thought of his efforts.  I got all of my money back and did not go in.  Our driver told me what I already knew, this was a scam they try all the time.  First attraction, never made it inside, left irritated.

Undettered, we headed to the second place when the police began waving cars to the side of the road.  I asked the driver, "Is this some sort of check?" He grabbed 10,000 rupiah (a little more than a dollar) and got out of the car.  He got back in a minute later and told us the police have road blocks all the time.  Everyone pays them a bribe or they find something to detain the driver, the car, or both.  He told us a story of a time that they caught someone trying to steal a pump from a home in the community.  The people grabbed him with the pump in his hands.  They called the police.  BIG MISTAKE.  The police came, made a report and took the pump as evidence.  They agreed to return the pump as long as the people paid them.  It turned out to be cheaper to buy a new pump than to pay the bribe the police demanded to return the pump they stole.

We ended up going to a couple of nice temples and a beautiful botanical garden.  We ended the day in our hotel where they were putting on a reasonably marginal show.

As you might guess, after day one we were somewhat disappointed.  Day two was much better.   More about that later

Bali/Thailand Here We Come

Heading off to Bali for a bit and Thailand....3+ weeks in total.  Yes it is good to be a teacher.

The TV Show

I watched the TV show with about 30 of my students.  I brought chocolates for everyone and it was a fun atmosphere watching it in a classroom on one of the huge TV's.  I have been hoping someone could give me a link, but no luck so far.  I made a video and posted it on Vimeo   ((sorry link was bad here is the right one) because you are not allowed to post videos on You Tube in Korea.  The audio is not good because my kids are laughing and making noise,but you can get the jist of it.

TV Show-Filming

As I mentioned in the previous post, MBC TV, which is a huge channel in Korea, decided to do an 8 minute piece on our volunteer club.  The piece will air on the 29th between 7:30 and 9:30 ( I will update the time when I know). They spent 8 hours filming at our school. (Update...the actual time is 6:50).

I walked through the gates at 6:45 in the morning I really had no idea how the day would go.  Would the kids have finished the banners and posted everything on the bulletin boards? How would the interviews go?  Would it all be stupid and silly?  Would the other teachers have fun with things?

I saw the lights on in the English classrooms...kids at work already.  Is that a good thing or bad thing?

I went upstairs.  Han Jin was hard at work with a few other students.  She showed me the first banner.  Cute, informative, perfect.  Ditto on the posters. 

2nd banner...not great, but maybe we can use it. Then I read it more closely..."Volunteer Clud".  Oops. Never make banners when you are tired.  We had to re-purpose the banner.

The camera man came around 7 and shot a couple of boys getting ready for school for the introduction, something along the lines, "why is one boy putting on his uniform and the other is not".

Kids were making egg, potato, mayo and ketchup sandwiches and the cameraman filmed the kids making them  

We went upstairs to the English classroom and he filmed the kids finishing the updated banner (thank god we had some paper sitting around to glue to the old banner!) 

We had our morning meeting and then he began taping various activities in the school.  There was one that a student had to vote on something about each teacher.  To be honest, I still do not know exactly what it was about but they made signs and a bulletin board and had fun.

I was really happy so many of my colleagues decided to don the school uniforms.

Mid morning, we started the little shop for selling the cookies, brownies, and sandwiches the kids made along with some cocoa and tea.  I thought there was no way we would sell over 400 cookies and 50 brownies along with about 60 sandwiches in the entire day, but within 15 minutes almost all of it was gone.

One teacher made a "donation box" at the start of the year.  Each time a student cursed in class, they had to make a "donation".  Thank god for those potty mouth fools...we got a $60 donation from them.  The class teacher even put on a uniform for the day.  It was so cute watching the cameraman try to tape her as she giggled like a little school girl.  The camera man was a good sport and the kids yucked it up.

One of the lunch ladies donated $20 to the cause a few weeks ago and we recreated it for the camera.  I was not there, but they went to the lunch room while the kids were eating and called her over and she gave the money.

I thought it was really important that the kids see that their fun was really helping someone.  I arranged a Skype video call with Boi Pop Chan, the paralyzed girl, along with her family. We had it in a special classroom with a 60" monitor (gotta love Korean schools).  

At 1:30 the screen comes up and there is the girl, in a wheelchair, along with her mother, father and a translator.  What a powerful image.

It turned out the father spoke English very well.  The kids asked him a few questions and answers:

• What are your dreams?  I only want to take care of my daughter.
• What is most difficult for you?  We are refugees.  We live in a refugee camp.  We must get permission from the government to leave.  If my daughter has an emergency, we can not go to the hospital easily and she may die.
• If your daughter got better, what would you do?  I am Hmong (pronounced Mon).  We have no land, we have no country, we have no rights.  I want freedom.  Until then, I would just work to help the Hmong people in the refugee camps.

As things wrapped up, The mother gave a beautiful smile, said her first words, "Thank You" the kids waved and said goodbye.  I was getting ready to close the window but decided to let it ride a second.  The mother got up not knowing I still had the video on, put her hand on her daughters' cheek and kissed the other. A remarkably touching moment.

The father spoke fast and with a strong accent, so I made notes and explained everything to the kids after the video call was finished.

I then asked them, "How do you feel?".  One said, "Sad" another "good", another "proud".  I told them my favorite Japanese saying, "lead a good life, so you can enjoy it a second time when you get old". I told them invest your money in things like new phones, or electronics and you will get momentary happiness.  Invest your time in doing good, and you can have long term happiness.

The final part of the day involved getting all the teachers who wore uniforms together with a bunch of students from the volunteer club in front of the school to say goodbye.

In the end, we raised almost $600 for the causes this term. The day was finished and I was thrilled and proud of the students.  I was appreciative of my colleagues.  I was exhausted.

TV Show-the call and craziness

We got a call on Tuesday from MBC, the biggest TV channel in Korea.  They saw the newspaper story about "No Uniform Day" and wanted to film all day on Friday so they could make an 8 minute segment in prime time about our volunteer club. Holy crap.

It could be great for

• the kids...great to get recognition for doing something good.  Doing for others will start to be ingrained into who they are.  It will also be helpful for their university admission.
• school...good publicity is a good thing of course.  The school has new owners and has some positive momentum. I especially want to do something for the Principal Vice-Principal and colleagues all of whom I really like and respect.  They have been great to allow the events in the school
• club...I think the club might have legs.  When I go, some colleagues may want to continue it.
• the viewers...so they think about volunteering. 

On the other hand, Korean TV is sometimes silly and there was a very good chance the focus of the segment could be teachers wearing uniforms...funny but stupid.  It would do nothing for either the reputation of the school and the kids...it may even have a negative effect.  We needed a good plan.

Moonsook is my partner in the volunteer club.  She is like my Korean sister...funny, smart and a bit of a free thinker.  I am really lucky to have her working with me on this. She teaches the seniors and this is the busiest time of the year preparing documents for university admissions which is the priority. She did not have time for our normal communication and we ended up having a conflict over some miscommunication.  Thankfully, she and I are both Korean on some level (get angry and cool down quickly) and we got over it. We worked on a plan and began work. Thankfully, Kyueng Hee, a fabulously nice colleague, gave a helping hand working on some details and some communication and things progressed nicely.

On Thursday, the kids made cookies, decorated a holiday tree and started making banners for the big day.

You never know how people will perform in these situations.Some kids were real disappointments, while others shocked me in their work ethic and character.  One girl, Han Jin, is the biggest surprise.  I knew her a bit, but never thought of her as a leader, but a leader she is...maybe even a potential great leader.  Great work ethic, excellent character, and wonderful follow through.  She has greatness in her.

Since the school doesn't have an oven, I left around 6:00 so I could go home and bake the cookies they made. I had to leave with the banners and bulletin boards unfinished.  A few of the kids stayed behind and continued to work until late.  Would things be ready?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Only a Korean bar would have the courage to ask the question we have all been thinking.

Oral Tests and Anxiety

I gave the kids oral tests recently.  I know the kids feel anxiety, but it is amazing the anxiety I feel. I am rooting for all the kids, but the ones who I know have worked a bit harder, I desperately want to do well.  When they are answering a question I am literally holding my breath.

I have kids who are motivated and are pretty fluent in English.  I can teach them easily and joke with them...they are an absolute joy.  These kids took an oral test and most did great.  I felt like a competent teacher and loved my job.

I have others who are quite nice, but know almost nothing.  After studying English for a decade, they can not ask or answer a simple question. I gave these kids a really easy oral test and even gave them a short list of questions to study a week before the tests. Many could not answer questions you would ask elementary school kids. I felt demoralized. I must be the worst teacher.

I guess these are normal feelings for a teacher.  I wish I knew this when I was a kid, I might have been nicer to mine.

No Uniform Day

Our volunteer group had another fundraiser yesterday...No Uniform Day.  The kids decided it would be fun if they could pay a nominal amount of money, about 50cents, and not have to wear a uniform for a day.  The money we raised will go to help a school in the jungle in Thailand.

The day before, a couple of students told me it would be funny if the teachers wore student uniforms.  I hate dressing up, but I thought the kids would get a kick out of it, so I decided to wear a school uniform...with the shortest tie known to man.  I looked smashing I think.

As it turned out, a local newspaper heard about "No Uniform Day" and decided to write a story about it.  The principal thought it was good that I was wearing a uniform and encouraged other teachers to wear one also. A few were good sports and did it.

The photographer for the newspaper wanted to get some pictures, so we went to the classrooms and the kids were ridiculously excited about their teachers wearing uniforms.

I thought it was fun that the teachers dressed up for a bit, but somehow the students who did all the work to organize things and the purpose got pushed aside a bit in the excitement over the teachers.

Overall I am really happy with the event, and I think everyone else is too.

Edit.
Here is an article written about the event in the Korean newspaper.