Questions that will make you ponder

I saw this in an article on stumbleupon.com and loved it. Hope it makes you reflect. I added the pictures to help you visualize the situation. Comment below if you have an answer to share.


How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
















Which activities make you lose track of time?













Is it possible to lie without saying a word?




















If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?




















If not now, then when?















What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?














When was the last time you tried something new?

















Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?




















Do you celebrate the things you do have?




















If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?




















Have you done anything lately worth remembering?















Who do you love and what are you doing about it?















Do you think crying is a sign of weakness or strength?




















Would you break the law to save a loved one?




































When you're 80 years old, what will matter to you the most?



















Do you ask enough questions or do you settle for what you know?






















If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

Silence Is Golden

Yesterday, as I was walking to the bus stop, I bumped into 2 young Korean children (a grade 3 boy and a grade 2 girl) who I always see at the bus stop. They go to the elementary school near the school I work. I have tried a few times to say hi to them but they don't seem to know any English, except recently the boy has been saying hi to me.

Well, this morning, we were both surprised to see each other in front of my apartment so we walked together to the bus stop. The whole way they tried to speak to me but I didn't understand because it was all in Korean. I'm guessing they were saying "I know you. You stand at the bus stop and take our bus." But this is only a guess. This was a huge reminder of how my students probably feel when I talk too fast or use unfamiliar words to them, or when they really want to tell me something but just can't find the right English words to use. I just stood there with a questioned look on my face and shrugged my shoulders (as my students sometimes do).

Since I didn't know how to respond in Korean I used ALL the Korean I knew to make conversation, and from my little Korean I found out that they're in 3rd and 2nd grade and their names (although I can't remember now!) and well, that's about it. I felt frustrated that I couldn't communicate more with them. I usually don't have this big of a problem with middle school or upper elementary (when I teach on Sat), but with the younger ones...they really don't know what you're saying and all they can say to you is Korean. I even tried using the easy English that my students always know, "How are you?" but even this was too difficult for them.

ESL is an amazing subject to teach. It is an especially unique experience when you are teaching ESL overseas. It is so easy to put yourselves in the shoes of your students because you are living in a world where so many things are confusing and where there are so many language barriers and culture shock. This is an ideal spot for an ESL teacher to be. I have found numerous ways to communicate and this exemplifies teaching techniques that I can use in the classroom to help my students. For example, hand gestures, facial expressions and using clues or other easy words to figure out the meaning.

Back to the bus stop story. As I was waiting to cross the street with the 2 children at the crosswalk, another group of upper elementary students walked past us. One boy I recognized because lately he's been making it a habit to say hi to me, asking me what my name is and where I'm from, and even telling me, "Welcome to Jeju". I am amazed by his English and outgoing attitude towards foreigners. Well, he said hi to me again and asked how I was and then asked where I was going. This is where I told him that I was a teacher and which school I worked at. At the time, I couldn't remember the Korean name for middle school, so the student didn't understand what I was talking about. Luckily, I remembered the name of the town where my school was (Hwabuk) since they always say this name when I get off the bus. I also pointed in the direction of my bus and these two clues gave the student the help he needed to figure out what I was saying.

It is interesting how lil of the Korean language I know, but how great I have become at communicating in other ways.

I even figured out what the 2 children were trying to tell me in Korean when we finally reached the bus stop. We were both searching the bus TV screen which shows which buses are approaching. Since we can take either bus 10 or 100 and both were approaching, I knew the students were probably asking me which bus I was going to take because they wanted to take the same bus as me. How cute, right? I felt like a sister figure to them. They gestured me to the bus, sat right next to me, and told me bye in Korean when they left and some other Korean things that I didn't understand. They even waved to me a few more times outside of the bus. I love the friendly Korean kids here.

It was a wonderful morning as I was reminded how meaningful language barriers can be. Because you really have to be aware of your surrounding, body gestures and be able to take the time to read people just by taking note of the situation and the person's habits. I feel like it's a puzzle worth taking the time to figure out, rather than being told. ALthough, dont get me wrong, there has been plenty of times where I wish there wasn't any language barrier and I didn't have the time to figure the puzzle out. However, I have also experienced situations in which it is better that we don't know the whole side of the story. Silence is golden and just being around someone can make you feel close to them.

I've actually made quite a lot of acquaintances from just waving or nodding at people who I see on a regular basis. For example, everyone who regularly takes the bus, the bibimbap food shop owner who works right next to the bus stop....I bow to him and say hi every day. We have something in common which brings us closer and creates respect to one another.

Living overseas teaches so many lessons. It also makes you not worry about the small things as much and also allows you to see the whole picture.

Well, I will be doing a hair show next week and then we'll be having many holiday celebrations and events, so I'll have pictures and updates very soon!

Today and the rest of the week I am enjoying my free time in the office while the students take their finals. I have been doing some exercises (yoga, pilates, jump rope, sit-ups) in the English classroom, planning for winter camps, preparing for our winter trips and just relaxing and taking it easy. I love being an ESL teacher!
Oh, and I just got the movie "Home Alone" with Korean subtitles for my students to watch (and listen to in English) during our last week and a half of classes. They seem to all love that movie here...it must be played on TV, since they all know it.

Well, hope you're enjoying the first of the snow back at home! I do miss it and hope to be able to play again in the snow on Mt. Halla this year like we did last winter. One more update...I've been constantly sick- stuffy noise, sore throat and coughing. It's because of the change in weather. We have warm days and then cold, very windy days. Everyone seems to be sick all the time. Hopefully, the weather will stay the same soon so we can all feel better.

Have a great week!




Here is a funny youtube video that was dubbed from an old movie. It explains what every ESL teacher in Korea has to go through....desk warming during holiday vacation, which makes it impossible to take long vacations through SE Asia! It's so true and very funny. :)

Hitler Has To Desk Warm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIeHeJ0V4LY

More Updates

As of right now, here are some activities that I've been busy with at Jeju Dong Middle School (my school):

-My students are writing penpals to a teacher (a friend of mine, Monica) in the Chicago suburbs area
-It is my last week of teaching for the school year! We are playing a review Super Mario game this week to review all lessons for half of the semester. It' a lot of fun...just like a real video game, so the kids are enjoying it. I was lucky to find the template on a teacher's website called "Waygook.org". The teacher who made it must have spent hours and hours designing it and adding the animation and music.
-Next week, the students have their finals in which I'll be desk warming (sitting in the office at my desk) What should I do during this time? Besides preparing for grad school, planning some lessons and planning our winter trips, I'm thinking of seeing if I can run around the school and do some yoga/ exercises in one of the classes instead of just staring at my computer all day. Hmmm I wonder if they'll let me....
-Then the following week and a half they will be watching Christmas movies and playing some Christmas games/ making Christmas decorations.


Other things that Keith and I have been busy doing:

-date nights
-planning our winter trips (Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines where we plan on getting our scuba diving certificate)
-applying for grad school (we're currently putting our documents together and getting recommendations from other teachers/administrators)
-being active (Keith is still doing kickboxing, along with badminton, ultimate frisbee, rugby and basketball sometimes) (I have been running, going to the gym, doing yoga, pilates, and hiking Sarabong). We also have a bowling tournament/fundraiser coming up. We just hiked Mt. Halla (7 hour hike) and we plan on hiking more olle trails (4 hour hiking trails around the coast). Luckily the weather has been still pretty warm and sunny so we want to take advantage before the cold winter arrives.
-I am doing a hair show in a few weeks (something random that Keith's co-worker asked me if I'd like to do)
-we are signing up and planning our winter camps in January (which we get paid extra for and which are only half days)
-we've been Christmas shopping and sending gifts home
-I just visited my friend Cynthia (who's from Canada) and her new baby twins! She lives with her Korean husband in a pretty little house in the woods/a forest area right outside of Jeju-Si. I wish I had taken a photo to show you (next time!) but her Korean Canadian twins are adorable! I had fun holding and feeding them. Being a mom will be such a wonderful experience in the future! I can't wait... except I can for a few years! :)


I can't believe it's already December 1st!! This weekend, on December 5th, it will be St. Nicholas day. This is the German Christmas holiday in which you put your shoes by your front door the night before and St. Nicholas puts candy and other little things in your shoe. My parents always celebrated this holiday since we were kids so I think I'll make Keith and I put our shoes by the door and see if he comes this year! :)

This week I get to put up our Christmas decorations! Luckily, last year my parents sent us a small Christmas tree with ornaments and a Christmas singing dog toy, and Keith's dad also sent us some Christmas decorations, so it will feel a lil more like Christmas. I think our building/neighbors are also going to do a bunch of holiday activities each Sunday to bring more of the Christmas spirit here to Korea. For example, we're going to do a secret santa, a cookie exchange, a Christmas cocktail party, and a Christmas movie night, etc.

It should be a fun month!

What's new with you?


Oh and Keith has been scaring the bajeebers out of me. Lately, he is a magnet to freak accidents. I'm not sure if I mentioned the slice in his ear last year (from dancing, slipping his hand on a table, and then hitting his ear and slicing it in half! He needed 13 stitches!), but lately bad luck has been hitting him again! He was playing b-ball last weekend and he jammed his pinky so badly that it got bent backwards. His friend had to rotate it back in place. It's healing but pretty bruised and sore. And then there was the day last week that he came home from badminton with blood gushing down the top of his head. I realized it was dried blood, but couldn't stop myself from gasping. He stood up and hit his head on a lower ceiling in the locker room of the gym. Poor Keith! Be careful babe!

Hope everyone is healthy at home and avoiding freak accidents!

Beautiful Mt. Halla -2nd time around

This Sunday Keith and I hiked Mt. Halla- the highest mountain in all of South Korea, 1950 meters tall- for the 2nd time! We went with 3 of our friends, Kyla, Leanne and Avy. We took a different path this time, which was called Baengnokdam, and we found it to be a much more pleasant hike with amazing views and beautiful scenery throughout the whole 4 hour hike up!

We got a late start, beginning our hike at 9:10am and got to the top by 1am. The way up was pretty warm, since we had so many layers on and we were pretty hot from our hike, however the top was freezing and very windy! There was even some snow at the top, but no water in the crater this time. We got very lucky because there were barely any clouds in the sky so we were able to see all over the island in the distance. Keith and I pointed out Sunrise Peak, Udo island, Iho beach, our apartment and Sarabong mountain from the top view to Avy, who is new on the island. We couldn't believe we could see so clearly off in the far distance. We only stayed at the top for a few minutes because of the cold weather and since everyone was told they had to start heading back down to make it to the bottom before the sunset. It took us about 3 hours to head back down, which made it a total of 7 hours for the hike. We reached the bottom at 4:30pm, then headed to our favorite mexican restaurant, Zapatas, for their huge burritos. Keith and I then headed to chocoart for a small chocolate treat to reward ourselves for conquering the difficult challenge!

Overall, the hike was very difficult, leaving us very, very sore that night and the next day. However, the experience is a perfect example of how amazing Jeju's nature is, as well as how much there is to do each weekend on this island. It was a fun and relaxing challenge and I really enjoyed seeing the pretty forest trees, plants which were still alive, and hearing the birds singing all the way up. I also love the fact that I could enjoy nature while also getting to know some really nice and down-to-earth new EPIK teachers. We shared lots of stories and experiences of the places we've traveled to and lived at. It's always interesting to me to hear about others' adventures in life and countries that we have yet to travel to.

Another great weekend with my husband in Jeju!