..............As a Teacher

HAPPINESS...

"It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years -- we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on."

- Sharon Salzberg

video: bonding with my students

August 18, 2011- THURSDAY

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James J. Metcalf

I want to teach my students how--
To live this life on earth,
To face its struggles and its strife
And to improve their worth.

Not just the lesson in a book,
Or how the rivers flow,
But to choose the proper path,
Wherever they may go.

To understand eternal truth,
And know right from wrong,
And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song,

For if I help the world to grow
In wisdom and grace,
Then I feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.

And so I ask your guidance, God
That I may do my part,
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.

(written by me:July 10, 2010) published in newspaper

================================

BALLAD OF THE EVOLVING TEACHER

Thoughts for teachers

(narrated by me)

OUR LOVE STORY

My poem (December 16, 2010)

Format and Style: ACROSTIC

Note: Read each initials downward and you'll find out his full name

***~THE PURPLE MOON~***

On the 18th day of the month of Autumn,
Holding my hands ,we shared the same purple moon;
Jewelries and diamonds are not my real fantasy,
Everlasting love is what matters to me.
  
Overjoyed~we promised and exchanged our rings,
Nice and gentle,we spread our colorful wings;
God is so great for sending you from above,
Hypotyposis is crowning me in love.


You are my prince of love from this blue  planet,
Eyes of yours are as sweet as Shakespeare's sonnet;'
On this day I want to show I love you more-
Now, I have finally completed my shore!

for my husband 

HEART TO HEART

                                                                                 HEART TO HEART

How to say Hi or hello in Korean?

KOREAN GREETINGS!!!!

Hangeul is Korea's language. Let's try some basic expressions.

 안녕하세요!Annyeong-hasseyo!!! It means hi or hello in a formal way. If you wanna greet your friend or someone very close to you or younger, you may use Annyeong instead.

If someone is leaving from your house , you need to say ," Annyeonghi kaseyo!"
If you are the person leaving from the house it would be useful to say,
" Annyeonghi gyeseyo!"


But if you are having a conversation  through phone, this expression is used,"Yoboseo?!"

                                                         That's all folks!

만나서 반갑습니다! (mannaseo bangabseubnida !) 
====>Nice to meet you!^^


당신은 한국어 할줄 아세요?     (dangsin-eun hangug-eo haljul aseyo?)
====> Do you speak Korean?






한국에 오신 것을 환영합니다  
hangug-e osin geos-eul hwan-yeonghabnida

interjections

안녕하세요-Annyeonghaseyo

안녕하십니까-Annyeonghasimnikka

안녕히 주무셨어요 Annyeonghi jumusyeoss-eoyo

KOREA: INDEPENDENCE DAY

 On August 15 ....South Korea celebrates freedom from Japan during the World War II.

 On the other hand, the original date of INDEPENDENCE DAY was August 13th 1948.

In 1910, Korea was under Japan. Everything was darkness. there was no freedom at all until Japan was forced to surrender due to nuclear bomb.

The flag of South Korea, or Taegeukgi (also spelled Taegukgi in convention) has three parts: a white background; a red and blue taegeuk in the centre; and four black trigrams, one in each corner of the flag.

The general design of the flag also derives from traditional use of the tricolour symbol (red, blue and yellow) by Koreans starting from the early era of Korean history. The white background symbolises "cleanliness of the people." The Taegeuk represents the origin of all things in the universe. Together, they represent a continuous movement within infinity, the two merging as one. 

Traditionally, the four trigrams are related to the Five Elements of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. An analogy could also be drawn with the four western classical elements.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Korea

They are my Korean students in first class singing the Korean National anthem.. (but not seriously)

                                   School Speech Contest ===== as celebration of  INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Korean Ethics......RESPECT THE OLD PEOPLE!

BUS NO. 2

If you take a bus in Korea, you'll need 1,200 won per each ride. It's the regular fee. It depends on ages as far as I know. or you may use your credit card. Just use the front door and greet the bus driver 안녕하세요 (Annyeong Hasseyo!) and just place your credit card on the machine near the driver or put your cash in the box next to the driver's seat. Then you better sit at the back or else, you'll be forced to stand by elders when they get in the bus, specially if you are young, or even you just look YOUNG... uhuh?

My first unforgettable experience was when an ajunma asked me to help her with her heavy stuff. We crossed together and then afterwards, she said, "THANK YOU!"

probably she knows I'm a foreigner.

 Nevertheless,one day, an old man tapped me on my left shoulder . I was sitting at the right side in front. I had my headsets with me, then i took them off and I gave him a reply, "sorry, i don't speak Korean." and then , somebody explained this to him.. whew! what a relief!

But then it happened again....a flock of old people got on the bus from Daejeon Station. (Oh no1 I got this feeling again!)         

Then there goes this Ajunma, on my way home....she forced me to give the seat..I was speechless and I felt so shame in front of them so without a word I gave my seat standing next to her. I felt really upset so I called up my hubby without reason, I just want them to hear me speaking in English so everybody would notice that i'm not Korean.

About 97 % of the people in the bus were senior citizens. So I got no choice but to offer my seat nicely to the old man close to me. I stood for 1 hour at the back holding my hands tightly on the steel bar as the bus moves on really fast! an  AJUNMA (old woman) called me HAEKSENG (student) and I looked back...she was telling me something, the only word which is familiar to me is KABANG ( bag) then i guessed the whole stuff. I put down my bag and i got the money she was giving me and I placed it down the box. 

hmm..I was just wondering why of all people in the bus how could they just easily call me like a slave. Poor little girl.

I experienced the same thing on the following month, when an old man from the front door went straight to my seat (even I was already hiding and pretending to do something)But sorry for him...I had my mood swing and pretty worried whether I am pregnant or not, so I didn't feel like standing for i must protect my baby if ever.I took off my headset and I looked at him telling, "Excuse me, I don't speak Korean"...He insisted...and reasoned out,"Dari appo" which means  My feet are sick. though i understood it 100%. I pretended that I don't for my personal reasons above. Then, a younger man behind me felt guilty, so he was the one who gave his seat. 

( I salute you boy, but you must have offered it before i felt shame ) gosh...gosh...gosh...

 OFF TO WORK!

Going home from Gao-dong to Bongsan-dong.

How about you? Have you ever had any strange experience like me?

FOUR SEASONS + 1

DECEMBER 16, 2010

THURSDAY

FORM AND STYLE: FREE ACROSTIC 

(SPRING , AUTUMN, WINTER, SUMMER)

TITLE: 4*** PHASES OF STRIFE***

Slowly melting~the river’s crying
,

Pluck the flowers in the lovely morning.

Remember this season ~full of trying


In the cold water we were almost drowning;

Night is empty,sun isn’t shining~

God , please help us fight this dying feeling!

Across the sky~I looked up high,

Under the trees, weeping I asked “why?”

Tomorrow is another day to fly,

Unbelievable but my tears are running dry.

Moments of joys ,shared by you and I,

Never thought I’m gonna say “good-bye”
.

Whatever the reason may be~ I’ll take

If the future is not ours to see but who’ll make?

Nobody knows which is real and which isfake~

Time is inevitable, I’d blown my cake,.

Each days are white around the frozen lake,

Ready or not I should learn to endure this 
ache.

Sun is coming back , you’ll see~

Underneath the clouds , it’s heavenly
.

My days and nights will bloom eventually,

Memories will be cherished annually:

Even life gets harder and gloomy
,

Rain or storm, we should always be happy!

Autumn has its own beauty...from the nature's faded leaves down to the trees' dying tips.

Winter is like an ice cream.. the color is captivating...but too much cold will give you a tooth ache.Winter brings a lot of  memories....a perfect season for photos. Making, snowballs, ice skating , ski...and a lot more. But when it comes to fashion, be sure to get ready with your thick clothes for your  health.Even though they don't really celebrate Christmas that much, you could still find colorful decorations around.

Spring brings joy to everyone...from the shaded white and pink flowers up to its unique elegance.

Summer is a little bit annoying.You get sweat all over your entire body. Beaches are full wherever you go. And there is just a week to have fun for holiday. I think it's already the longest unlike in other countries where summer is enjoyed in 2 months... hehe guess where it is.

How about you? Which season do you like the most and why? and which season do you hate the most?Tell me about your country's seasons and let us share thoughts and opinions.^^

~오 수 린~