2003-04-27 - 11:24 p.m.

Thursday, March 13

Wow! They paid me 2 manwon for each 50-minute class I taught, not for each hour, as I expected. Fifteen classes...

I bought a new backpack for 5,000 won,- been eying them for a month in the Shindang subway corridor. Now I have an "overnight bag" to go to Asan tomorrow.

Friday, March 14

Got a late start. Jim got me a coffee but forgot to give me the cash for a bus ticket. He had brought my L.L. Bean tote bag and we got distracted discussing what to do with it.

Tuesday, March 18 Coming home on the subway, 9:30 p.m.

Kids were pretty rambunctious today; first warm and sunny day this spring. They didn't want to be indoors. One class (6:30 p.m.) whipped through their assigned work and played "Hangman." Others just resisted working like so many cats. I've got to figure out some tricks to keep them busy and interested.

Coming back to the subway (well, it's really "light rail" this far from Seoul) the full moon was gorgeous. I walk over a bridge that crosses a stream and the moonlight sparkled on the water like silver slivers. I stopped in the park by the river and sat on a granite rock, just enjoying the view. It's a good thing I brought my winter coat in my backpack; the frost is hard tonight. The air is crisp and clean,- freshly down from Siberia.

I had my 3:30 class do a weather report with everyone contributing phrases. They said, "It is sunny and hot. There's some wind, not too much. It's just right." That about sums it up. That's one ploy I'll use to keep them on task,- "Tell teacher what to write." It works for the higher-level classes anyway. Even the lower levels can communicate if they want to bad enough. One boy dashed out of the class without any warning. It was plain that it was an emergency; I asked Alyssa what was wrong with Jay. She said, "He has nose-water." Given the Korean taboo against blowing your nose in public, it was an excusable exit. And her explanation was an elegant use of a tiny vocabulary.

Thursday, March 20

Left home at 2:05 p.m., cutting it too fine!

Cho called with several grammar queries from his class at the last minute. So I didn't get a chance to cool the broccoli before packing my lunch. It's warming my lap as I write.

There was an anti-war rally by the Korea Dae students chanting "Make Peace, not War." Right on! Stupid Shrub should ship products from American factories, not our boys and girls, to the Middle East. Turn Iraq into a consumer nation. That would keep our economy up, no need to re-tool to make war products. Let them pay for it with a lien* on their oil production...that's what the oil men want, anyway. [* It's the national equivalent of the credit card.]

Sat., March 22 On the bus to Asan, 100 km./60 miles.

Left home at 7:30 a.m., the height of rush hour. [Kids go to school Sat. mornings and almost everyone works half a day on Saturday.] Arrived at Express Bus Terminal at 8:35. Went to Hosan ticket sales and then backtracked to go to the next building. At the far (left) end, got my ticket (4,600 won or US$3.90), and hustled out to the bus stands (also a left, once out the door). I found the right stand with 7 minutes to spare. The bus pulled in about four minutes later. I had plenty of chances to practice "Kamsahamnida" (Thank you). The bus loaders seem to keep an eye cocked for confused ticket-holders. Had several chances to reflect on how open Koreans are with their feelings.

Wed., March 26 On the subway, 8:45 a.m., running late.

Just passed Hangangjin. Had a good time speaking with 2 boys, 10 and 12, who had some English. I hope they got something out of it. They sure seemed tickled to be talking in English.

Still looking for Cho's papers to no avail. Flopped soon after I got home last night, with my nose running like a sap-spile. I'm lugging a roll of tissues today. Bronchial cough goes along, too, but it's productive, at any rate.

[Note added later, this cold struck after I had two teeth extracted and hung on for a month.]

Friday, March 28

Thank Heaven that Gina called me about 11 a.m. for something else. She happened to mention that I had a class today! Oh, yeah, she asked how I was and I told her I had a cold and was lying low today, resting and drinking lots of water.

The "lots of water" is not a good plan when teaching. I'll end up having to use their squat flush. So, I wore slim-line pants. That's why many folks wear pants with elastic or velcro tabs at the ankles. The squat flushes usually have puddles around them.

On a completely different note, I've been repeatedly impressed by the open emotions of Koreans. It's not uncommon to see a man crying on the subway, and the folks next to him will pat his thigh or put an arm around his shoulders, and speak in a concerned and gentle tone. This thigh-patting is totally innocent, just a way of expressing kindness. I'm shocked to look at my reaction to caring touchs. We westerners are so primed to see any touch as seductive. My theory is that we're subjected to so much sexual imagery that we think in those terms. Therapeutic touch is almost impossible for us to grasp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With that bit of strangeness, I'll sign off for tonight. Gotta be up in 6 hours and get ready for a long workday.

Thanks for reading.

Wishing you Happy Trails!

~ Sil in Corea

{getting ready for Buddha's Birthday next weekend}

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