Daegu Well Being Happy Time

Yesterday I had a good class. It was the first full day of training since the first day we had orientation and placement in the morning.

Yesterday's group was the highest group. I was a little intimidated by them at first. Some of them seemed unresponsive. Some of them seemed pissed off. But gradually, as the day wore on, they began to loosen up and we had some really good discussion.

At one point I asked them why there is such a big push for English in the schools in Korea. Some said it was globalization, so that Korea could participate in the global market and their students could get good jobs. Some seemed angry that this is being pushed on them. One woman eloquently laid out a historical context going back to World War II and the United States occupation of Korea. What became clear to me however was that they seemed to think it was only Korea that was having this massive push to learn English. I explained to them that there are many countries that are also pushing their schools to teach English to younger and younger ages because they all realize it is the international language, like it or not. I also encouraged them to think about how being an English speaker benefits them. It seemed to loosen some of the tension I was feeling, especially in the morning.

At the end of each day we have them write a reflective journal for 20 minutes. For me it is a time to sit down and cool off after a grueling day of sweating and prodding them to try to think outside of their teaching boxes. Of course it means I have homework, but since I am really enjoying reading their journals. It gives me an idea what they did and didn't understand and what they got from my class. So far, most of them seem to be getting at least a little or in some cases all of what I hope to achieve.

After class Elizabeth and Sue invited me and Sonja to join them for dinner. Elizabeth said she knew a good Korean restaurant with "well-being" food. I guess it is what we would call "health" food.

I had time to read a few journals and take a nap before we set off. The restaurant is not too far from campus and is very bright, clean and modern. It is also air-conditioned and you sit in chairs. I think I found a new favorite restaurant.

I got shrimp dolsot bibimbap - rice in a hot stone pot with vegetables, shrimp and chili paste. It was delicious and felt very well-being. Sue and Elizabeth shared a vegetable pancake and bean soup and Sonja got some sort of porridge that she loved.

From there we walked to a park that has a big tower and a lake. We walked through several different neighborhoods. One looking very new and modern and then an older, more traditional looking neighborhood with lots of people in restaurants drinking or sitting outside on little platforms drinking. We got lots of stares.

Once we got to the park it was quite a scene. There were men sitting around playing "GO" - a game that looks like checkers but with black and white markers and seemingly different rules, there were lots of people power walking, cycling and riding bikes and a group of people doing some sort of chi gong. One woman was wearing a dress and heels, which made it seem like the kind of exercise I could handle. At some point, I would love to join one of those groups.

We walked in a little bit and found the Daegu Summer Screen Festival. When we arrived we all had books in our rooms with information about this, but it was unclear what it was. I wasn't sure what the "screen" part meant, because I thought it was a film festival, but then didn't see anything about films.

After seeing it in person I understood.

There was a big screen behind the stage and yesterday groups of hip hop dancers, I think all women, performed. Lots of people were sitting on the steps in front of the stage or on chairs. We watched a little bit and then sat down and got a beer. We met a woman from Colorado, who when she found out we were from San Francisco, said, "I hope you don't mind but I want to go to the Rainbow Parade". Sonja said, "Oh, you mean the gay pride parade? We're GAY!" I thought it was hysterical.

It was great sitting outside and drinking beer. The hip hop dancing had finished and lots of people were also sitting and drinking and eating pizza or fried chicken. They were showing some kind of opera concert on the screen. It was kind of trippy sitting outside in Korea and hearing opera.

From there we walked home again getting lots of stares as we approached the groups of people sitting outside. The men had had several rounds of drinks at this point and many of them raised their glasses and offered the ladies drinks as we passed. I've noticed that when I am with women people react differently than when I am walking alone, especially the men.

It was a fun night. I went to bed at 10:30 and got up at 5:00. Still sort of jetlagged, but beginning to feel more normal.

This morning I went out early to walk around the campus and do some exercise. It was a beautiful cool morning with low humidity until the sun inched up further in the sky. It is going to be hot, but maybe not as hot and as humid as yesterday. It looks to me like we are going to have a few cooler days. Thank god. I think I've lost about 20 pounds just from sweating!