Maria's Messy Mountain of Mind

Working Blog Template

2008-08-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

AM
Reflections on Yesterday
text

Today's To Do List

PM
Today's Top Five
Curiosities

Hmm...
But...
Let it go...

Today's Done List

Superior Sadness

2007-07-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

Two of my best friends are leaving Korea. Another loss. Another shift. People who have made me laugh and lighten up. People who get me. People who I will miss.

I struggle returning annually to Indiana to work and visit my family. I work so much in these five weeks that I really don’t experience my family. But then proximity, I think, has been the only thing that we ever shared as something in common. And I have come to honor and rever that we at least have that.

In addition to the loss of my two friends in Korea, I am losing my program at INTERLINK Language Center at Valparaiso University due to program growth. The program has grown too much and will transition from a five week program once a year into nine week programs offered five times a year. An amazing colleague has stepped up to lead this as I won’t return to the US.

Loss? Change? I am sad. Sad to lose the easy connection of my friends in Korea. Never again will our interactions have the same nuances and qualities. Never again will the beauty of our moments ever be able to be recreated.

I am sad to lose the pilgrimage to Indiana. I am sad to lose the opportunity for explosive growth reconnecting with my family, my local community, my roots, and the reminder of knowing why I am written as I am.

I am scared and fear that my pattern of life, the erratic people shifts and job insecurity, will make me shut down. It is with soft, tentative exhilaration that I breathe deep and welcome what the universe will blow into all my newly open doors.

Is it time for an extraordinary shift for me, or will I continue on my path of incremental changes? Extraordinary shifts are much for comfortable for me; they are exciting epiphanies. Incremental changes are more difficult; they are boring nuances that I still don’t have eyes to see the joy easily. My friends helped me see the joy in the small changes. How will I not tire of the effort to see joy in the simple? It is so difficult for me these days.

"My purpose was to find a purpose, to find the deepest courage in myself, to look for the extraordinary growth, not just the ordinary, day-to-day growth, which is certainly valid, but it was the kind of incremental journeying my whole life had been about. I wanted to step outside of that, to really open the door wide, which is why I liked the symbolism of kayaking around Lake Superior. It was so wide I couldn't see across it, couldn't see what was on the other side, and that was just the magnitude of change I was inviting. To grow beyond the expectations we're raised with is a radical act, but one I felt was necessary to claiming my full self." Ann Linnea’s story as told by Greg Lavoy on soulfulliving.com

Technocrati

2007-04-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

Ree Ree

2007-04-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

From Aretha's version:
Looking out on the morning rain I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you're the key to my peace of mind
Because you make me feel,
You make me feel,
you make me feel
like A natural woman
Oh, baby, what you've done to me
You make me feel so good inside
And I just want to be close to you
You make me feel so alive
You make me feel,
You make me feel,
you make me feel
like A natural woman
Thanks, Phil Brogdan.

For the Kunsan University Herald

2007-03-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

What did you want to be when you were little? A ballet dancer? A fireman? I wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader or an Egyptologist. In a way I have gotten both of my dreams in terms of what I like about each of those jobs. I’ve just had to be flexible about the label of my job. I am a Visiting Professor at Chonnam National University in the Department of English Language and Literature and I am proud to say I’m a little bit of a cheerleader and a little bit of an archeologist.

As a professor I teach English to English majors. I teach Interpersonal Skills and Jobs Skills. My Korean students, despite years of studying English, are often shy – reluctant to use their spoken English ability. In my classroom, on campus, and in my community, one of my skills that I call on everyday is that of a cheerleader – someone who encourages others to win the game. I clap, I yell, I cry as my students journey up and down the basketball court of conversation. I jump, I shout, I stamp my feet to help my students keep their energy high to meet the uncomfortable challenges of spoken English productions. Whether my students win or lose a particular game is always a heart-pumping experience. Knowing my students are always winners because they showed up to the game, made their best effort, and stretched themselves out of their comfort zone is an experience of inspiration that always keeps me coming back to the teaching game no matter how tired or drained I might become. Physically, mentally I might be exhausted, but emotionally I ride an adrenaline high every time I see the “light bulb” go off above a student’s head who has been struggling to share their ideas in English.

The cheerleading aspect of teaching is fun and easy for me, but the archeologist component is difficult and dangerous. Just as my students arrive in my classroom with lots of English studying experience, they also come with lots of resentment against English. Digging into my students’ feelings about English is difficult; many times my students are suspicious of me, a foreigner. Other times it’s dangerous. My students may have had really negative experiences about English – teachers who have yelled at them and embarrassed them in English or perhaps they did not receive scholarship money because they didn’t receive a high enough English exam score. But archeology is a branch of anthropology – the study of man, well . . ., people. I always point out to my students that English is only a tool, just like a farmer uses a plow. Korean society and economy are buffeted by the winds of globalization, making crisis and opportunity for its citizens. Students who have tools such as college degrees, computer skills, language skills (not just English, but Chinese and others), part-time job experience, volunteer experience, and a network of friends, “seniors,” and teachers are equipped to battle any situation and create an opportunity out of it.

So, when you grow up, what do you want to be? Think outside of the box of government official, teacher, or university professor. Be that ballet dancer or fireman. You never know what the label of jobs will be in your future and how you can live your dreams in those occupations.

-Maria misses all of her students that she taught at Kunsan National University (August 2004-August 2006).

Bull Island

2007-02-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Black Shiva Bull
Dokdo Korea

Bloody Bill
by Dennis Lee
You say you want to fight me?
But think I'd rather not?
Then listen to the story
Of another guy I fought,

And maybe you'll appreciate--
I don't like blood and dirt
All smudgy on my fingertips
And dripping down my skirt.

A famous pirate captain
By the name of Bloody Bill
Was marching up the sidewalk
On the old Spadina Hill.

He had a sort of eye-patch
That was caked and flaked in blood.
And he ground his teeth together
And he spat out bloody crud.

He wore a bloody dagger
In his muddy, bloody belt,
And on his back I saw the track
Of thirty bloody welts,

And he slooshed his soggy boots
Till blood ran down the hill;
I figured, by the look of things,
It must be Bloody Bill.

And Bloody Bill was roaring drunk
And Bloody Bill was loud
And Bloody Bill was picking fights
With people in the crowd.

First I tried to walk around him
Like a common passer-by;
I'm quite a gentle person
And I wouldn't hurt a fly,

But Bloody Bill got wilder, like
A bully and a crook,
And by the way, I meant to say
He had a bloody hook.

He spied a frail old gentleman
And seized him by the feet
And shook him upside-down until
His change rolled in the street,

And then he pitched the gentleman
Across a grotty sewer,
And no one had the nerve to speak
Severely to the boor.

Now, I was out to buy some milk
To take home to my Mum,
But I could see I'd have to teach
Some manners to this bum

For pirates are a pleasure
In the safety of a book,
But meeting one is much less fun,
Especially with a hook.

And so I turned to face him,
With a sigh of utter boredom,
And flicked my little finger, and
Immediately floored him.

And holding back a yawn, I seized him
By his smelly snout,
And I flipped his nose, and flicked his toes,
And turned him inside out,

And wound him round a tree I found
And beat with might and main,
Till all the booze and tobacco juice
Had had a chance to drain.

(I know that bullies often come
And boss around a kid.
But that's the way I do things:
So that's the thing I did.)

I pelted him with melted cheese
And fourteen deviled eggs;
I tied spaghetti to his hair,
Lasagna to his legs,

And then, because I didn't like
the way he'd used his fists,
I danced upon his ears, until
He asked me to desist.

And when I turned him right-side-out
He scuttled down the hill
And never once looked back at me--
Just ran, did Bloody Bill.

And me, I washed my fingers
Of blood and scum and rum,
And bought a quart of two per cent
And took it home to Mum.

So though I'd love to fight you,
I am really very shy,
And leaving you all black and blue
Would likely make me cry.

I don't want to turn you inside-out,
Or wrap you round a tree:
Why don't you take your strong right thumb
And suck it peacefully?

From Garbage Delight, published by Macmillan Canada, 1977.

Synchronicity

2007-02-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

From flow at www.soulfulliving.com

to

Movie recommendations for my class: The Pursuit of Happyness
from www.makingchanges.com.au

to

a technological display of readiness to be happy:
"With wisdom we are more able to muster our resources, less fearful about the consequences as we are more likely to be successful....By removing life's main worries, happiness springs forth from within us." www.womanlinks.com

to

signs in the form of a book recommendation:
"The Glass Castle: A Memoir " by Jeannette Walls
"Jeannette Walls's father always called her 'Mountain Goat' and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In 'The Glass Castle', Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. "

I am a mountain goat hopping from precipice to precipice. And I just wrote an article on Rosemary.

Ask. It happens.
Show up. Do the work.
Let go into the flow.
Learn to navigate collaboratively.
Look and listen. Without going anywhere, you have arrived.

Call me when you're Sober

2007-01-31T16:37:00.000-08:00

Punctuate.
Walk Away (Paula DeAnda)
Pack
Close
Mongolia?
Camels and cold
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thank You Kevin Johnson

2007-01-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Kevin Johnson, wherever you are.

"Things Change."

Happy

2007-01-30T19:05:00.000-08:00

I'm happy. I'm really, really happy.
Without worrying, without fussing, without fixing.

jpg by http://nitchkins.multiply.com/

Clowns scare me

2007-01-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

My brother Kevin sent me a list of bad puns. One in particular made me laugh.

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"

All I can picture is Stephen King's "It" chowing down on Krusty the clown. "Hey, kids, it's story time! Ah - my arm, my arm!"

Fear

2007-01-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Fear is no place to live.

Sometimes you have to fight the fight.

Piggy New Year!

2007-01-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Miho - my Japanese teacher - sent me this photo of pigs in a pod from Wando.

Pigs mean happiness and wealth in Korea.

So far this year and am filled with both. Hope you are too!

Mountain Goat Maria

2006-12-31T21:33:00.000-08:00

I am Maria the Mountain Goat springing up the mountainside in my new platform shoes. I have been unleashed and am unshackled. I am free. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Illustration by Nika - http://nitchkins.multiply.com/

It's all in a grain of rice

2006-12-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

I can't use a fork well anymore.

One of the things I love most about Korea is that I don't shovel food into my mouth with a fork. I can get exactly that one piece of fried rice, a noodle, a pea that has escaped the gochujang. I have control and savory enjoyment of a miniscule moment of prepared nutrition. Not an overloaded sensory, fat saturated & sodden moment to distract from my issues. I know what I am doing. Working for it. And aesthetically obtaining it.

My last days at Gwangju Dae are enormously insightful why I have chosen Korea as my home. The culture pressure of ever changing norms to "catch up" coupled with the cadence of the unself-conscious disclosure of roots. Enthralling. Ravishing. So incredibly beautiful.

A tapestry. A Persian rug can hint at the culture permeating people, habits, and behaviors. But in Korea I have something much more ethereal and impossible to catch and adequately communicate to those I most want to understand me and what I am going through. "Impossible" I am so often told here. I finally understand. Impossible is it to nail down, categorize and dismiss the nuances once you can taste the differences between the assorted kimchee on offer.

Variety of Choice

2006-12-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

Same ol' thing. Variety.

Never lock in.

Purple Teeth

2006-12-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives. -William Dement , in Newsweek, 1959

http://www.swoon.com

Purple: Purple is a forerunner to happy social affairs.

Teeth: Even and/or very white and beautiful teeth forecast happiness and prosperity. Brushing your teeth indicates the clearance of obstacles that have been holding you back.

Or is it just
Major Vagina dentata?

jpg by www.christopherkuhn.com

Hello New GIC Interns

2006-12-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our new GIC student interns:

Su Hyeon, a Political Science major from CNU, has joined GIC for the winter to practice her English and get some NGO experience. She is the editor of the CNU Korean newspaper and has spent a few weeks in the USA.

Our new 6 month intern is SongGon. He is a senior in the business administration program at CNU. He spent two months in Australia as a database management intern. He will be a familiar face around GIC, so make sure you take some time to meet him and buy him a nok cha.

SeRyung (TTTTTTTTTTTTom), an Electronic Computer Engineer major from CNU, has commited to spending his winter vacation assisting GIC. He just wants to help our community. He spent a year in Florida studying English.

SuHyeon and SeRyung are GIC winter interns. GIC and CNU collaborate to offer these internships. Students who participate in the winter program receive a score and obtain 15 credit hours for their commitment.

Leading GIC is SingSing Kim. Famous she is. Kind she is. SingSing is the GIC Coordinator. She oversees 9 of 12 different GIC programs:
GIC Talk Series
GIC Culture Tour Program
Counseling services for foreign residents
GIC Day
Fundraising Concerts
International Youth Exchange programs
Financial assistance to Third World countries
Collaboration with Asian Human Rights Commission
Translation Services

Dr Shin keeps the English Library in order. Minsu Kim does Gwangju News Magazine layout and leads the administration for our Korean classes.

Snow

2006-12-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

Scene from my apartment at Gwangju University.

Unblurry in Jeonju

2006-12-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

Sandra made a Christmas party. To all the Europeans in Jeonju: Thanks for the wine and giggles. Roman, Sven, Xavier, Stella, Sandra & Mathew.

Goodbye Yong Ho

2006-12-15T20:23:00.000-08:00

Yong Ho has helped GIC for the past six months as our Lead Student Volunteer. We will miss him. And know that he will have a killer final year at Chondae. Good luck, Yong Ho!

Pulled Apart or Imploding

2006-12-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
Since I come up North de
Whole damn world's turned cold.
-Langston Hughes

Age
by Robert Creeley
Most explicit--
the sense of trap

as a narrowing
cone one's got

stuck into and
any movement

forward simply
wedges once more--

but where
or quite when,

even with whom,
since now there is no one

quite with you--Quite? Quiet?
English expression: Quait?

Language of singular
impedance? A dance? An

involuntary gesture to
others not there? What's

wrong here? How
reach out to the

other side all
others live on as

now you see the
two doctors, behind

you, in mind's eye,
probe into your anus,

or ass, or bottom,
behind you, the roto-

rooter-like device
sees all up, concludes

"like a worn-out inner tube,"
"old," prose prolapsed, person's

problems won't do, must
cut into, cut out . . .

The world is a round but
diminishing ball, a spherical

ice cube, a dusty
joke, a fading,

faint echo of its
former self but remembers,

sometimes, its past, sees
friends, places, reflections,

talks to itself in a fond,
judgemental murmur,

alone at last.
I stood so close

to you I could have
reached out and

touched you just
as you turned

over and began to
snore not unattractively,

no, never less than
attractively, my love,

my love--but in this
curiously glowing dark, this

finite emptiness, you, you, you
are crucial, hear the

whimpering back of
the talk, the approaching

fears when I may
cease to be me, all

lost or rather lumped
here in a retrograded,

dislocating, imploding
self, a uselessness

talks, even if finally to no one,
talks and talks.

Uijae Museum of Korean Art

2006-12-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

Uijae Museum of Korean Art is located on the way up to Mudeunsan (Mountain) near Jeungsim Temple in Gwangju. The Exhibition Cave as the museum building is called has a floating walkway leading to a tea area to enjoy a fragrant green tea before or after a view of the museum. Glass windows in the tea area panel the view of the mountainside, creating a natural painting, just as Master Uijae himself would have painted although in traditional Korean style with paper, ink and brush. The trapezoidal building leads the visitor through the collection in an intuitive meander, as if enjoying the outdoor paths up Mudeunsan.

In the Samaehun Buidling sit on traditional Korean flooring, a lovely warm wonder of ondol heating in the winter while enjoying the scent of Choonsul Tea. Uijae's spirit invites you to spend time in thought and talk about the artists' compositions, using traditional materials with modern subjects.

Korean traditional painters with natural materials of paper, ink and brush chose to paint nature as it is seen with the eye. Historically having sloughed off the Chinese philosophy of utopian paintings of nature, modern Korean artists continue the rebellous tradition of finding their own way to share their experience of modern life through traditional materials.

Special thanks to SooJung for this afternoon adventure. It was also nice to meet Siyon Jin of the Uijae Resident Program. Sharing time and tea in the artists' studio viewing his media presentations of changes in modern life, its confusion, violence and beauty, was a great way to enjoy a chilly winter afternoon. I'm looking forward to the opening of the current resident artists program on December 20, 2006 at 4:30pm.

The Uijae Museum of Korean Art and the Gwangju city government welcomes artists, Korean and international, for four month residencies. This residency program is funded for one year while Gwangju continues its development strategy of becoming an Asian cultural hub.

Check out www.ujamstudio.net

Gwangju International Center

2006-12-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

After a long day of pushing and nudging, the Gwangju International Center staff and volunteers stop for a photo outside of Jeonil building, GIC's home and in front of the downtown tree.

Special thanks to Jiwon, our "precious" volunteer, Tae Hyung, our office redesign architect, and SingSing, GIC Coordinator .

Purpose - Occupation is essential

2006-12-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

Is there purpose to our lives? We have daily opportunities to respond to others revealing our purpose. Even when we can't see clearly or when we doubt our abilities, by showing up and doing our work, we can look and listen for our part in the big picture.

I went to the KOTESOL Leadership Retreat this past weekend. This is my fourth. I love these chances to exchange with my colleagues working all across the Korean penisula. I always walk away astounded that we get so much done and no one gets paid.

Every year I see a little less ego and power play. I see a little more celebration and enthusiasm.

There is less a sense of work and more a sense of play.

Every year I see a little less talk and a lot more action.

There is more sharing of gifts and talents. More courage and confidence in skills uncovered. TaeHee from Taegu never fails to amaze me that he not only shows up but quietly, genuinely shares his vision through encouraging Koreans in Gumi to attend Daegu chapter workshops.

And then there are the sparks that fly when the 6 million dollar man is given as a metaphor for our technology strategy for 2007. When you are ready the teacher appears. Joshua not only has the tech skills to enable our organization to actually provide decent web presence, but also has inspirational leadership skills to convince the luddites in our midst that change is not so scary.

To colleagues, old and new. To teachers, present and past. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be me. Even if I don't know my own purpose.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

After an incredibly dangerous and emotional week, I live still.

Special thanks to my body, despite all the abuse I give it.

And I give thanks to Cowboy Mouth. "When the world is coming down on you, let it go, let it go, let it go."

To new teachers and old.
http://illustart.net/

Let the chaos begin.

Shattered - ShaDooBe

2006-11-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

Rolling Stones

Chitter chatta Chitter chatta

TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK

oh shadoobee

SHATTERED

I would do anything for love . . .

2006-11-03T22:06:00.000-08:00

But I won't do that.

I ate mashed potatoes for dinner last night, so, of course, Meatloaf is floating through my brain.

Norae Night of Love
Accidentally In Love - Counting Crows

And, thank you, Vincent, for the lovely, odd palette, of Kill Bill, Gangs of New York and polka music.

Come on, come on. The world's a little lighter. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVE.

Waking up to bad country music by rock stars

2006-10-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Please shoot me now. Let's get it over. Walking around with "I Dream of Jeannie" in my head is bad enough. Now I wake up to "Picture" being sung by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.

And Pope. Where is that coming from?

What messages from the universe am I picking up on now?

I never would have found my courage without you, Dorothy.

2006-10-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

LION:
In another hour, I'll be King of the Forest.

ALL:
Long Live the King!

ALL:
If....I were King of the Forest, Not Queen, not Duke, not Prince
My regal robes of the forest
Would be satin, and not cotton, and not chintz.
I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl.
With a woof and a woof, and a royal growl.
As I'd click my heel
All the trees would kneel
And the mountains bow
And the bulls kowtow
And the sparrow would take wing
'F -- I...'f -- I...were King!

Each rabbit would show respect to me.
The chipmunks genuflect to me.
Though my tail would lash
I would show compash
For every underling.
'F -- I...'f -- I --- were King Just King!

ALL:
Each rabbit would show respect to him
The chipmunks genuflect to him
And his wife would be Queen of the May.

LION:
I'd be monarch of all I survey
Monarch of all I survey
Mah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- hah -- ha-narch! Of all I survey!

DOROTHY:
Your Majesty, if you were king You wouldn't be afraid of anything?

LION:
Not nobody, not nohow!

TIN MAN:
Not even a rhinoceros?

LION:
Imposserous!

DOROTHY:
How about a hippopotamus?

LION:
Why, I'd thrash him from top to bottomamus!

DOROTHY:
Supposin' you met an elephant?

LION:
I'd wrap him up in cellophant!

SCARECROW:
What if it were a brontosaurus?

LION:
I'd show him who was King of the Fores'!

ALL:
How?

LION:
How?
Courage!
What makes a King out of a slave?
Courage!
What makes the flag on the mast to wave?
Courage!
What makes the elephant charge his tusk In the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk?
Courage!
What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder?
Courage!
What makes the dawn come up like thunder?
Courage!
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the "ape" in apricot?
What have they got that I ain't got?

ALL:
Courage!

LION:
You can say that again! Hah. Huh!?

Not in Korea for Chusok

2006-10-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Is she really going out with him? by Joe Jackson
Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake

I don't know where I am, but I don't think I'm in Korea
anymore.

Who can stop the madness?

Step Up

2006-10-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

The Tide is High - Blondie
Unconditional Love - Donna Summer

Many people live in an emotional jail without even realizing it. - Virginia Satir

Many people passively wait for others to orchestrate their behavior, their feelings or their attitudes. Instead, step forward with your own script in hand. Risk listening to your inner voice. And risk taking action based on that voice from within.

Donald Trump says it. Joey on Friends says it. STEP UP.

Seoul Day Trip

2006-01-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

By bus from Kunsan to Seoul takes me as much time as going to Gwangju. And only costs me 10,000 won more per trip. Go figure. I popped up to Seoul to see Jae, one of my students from 2002 INTERLINK Language Center program at Valparaiso University in Northwest Indiana. Jae was home for the holiday. He studies mechanical engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. We had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant, shopped the underground mall at the bus terminal and finished with tea on the 10th floor of Shinsaegae Dept Store. It's cool to visit with Jae. He's really open and energetic. He's a little sad to be leaving Seoul as he may not be back for another two years. Jae is one of my heroes. I remember the tough kid who walked into my classroom four years ago and am inspired by the kind, sophisicated guy he's become. Jae has carved his own way in the US education system. Instead of only being willing to attend a "certain" university, Jae forged his path by leaving his Korean university, going to a language center (INTERLINK at Valpo), transferring to Ivy Tech, and then transferring again to PNC (Purdue North Central) - a satellite community college. By transfering to PNC, he was then able transfer to the main campus in West Lafayette to finish at one of the best engineering schools in the country. Rock on, Jae! Best of luck on a busy 2006 for you!

Songgwangsa Survivors

2006-01-02T02:14:00.000-08:00

Chang, 8ball, Maddie & I survived the Temple stay at Songgwangsa in Jeollabukdo. While the younger folk, traipsed up the mountain, I sat quietly & contentedly, warm and dry, in the Tea House nearby.

Unlocking 2006

2006-01-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve at Songgwangsa Temple near Sunchon, Jeollabukdo. The itinerary: 4pm check-on, 5 dinner, 6 Buddhist temple prayer & chant, 7 lecture from the Chief Monk, 9pm lights out. 3am prayers, followed by breakfast and a hike to see the sunrise.

Frosted Stone Warmed from Within

2006-01-02T02:06:00.001-08:00

Snow Leaf

2006-01-02T02:06:00.000-08:00

Winter Temple Trees

2006-01-02T02:05:00.000-08:00

2006-01-02T02:04:00.000-08:00

Temple Protectors

2006-01-02T02:03:00.000-08:00

Entrance Ceiling

2006-01-02T02:02:00.001-08:00

Lotus Om

2006-01-02T02:02:00.000-08:00

Buddha Patterns

2006-01-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

Unlocking the Budding Buddha Within

2006-01-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Temple Art

2006-01-02T01:59:00.000-08:00

Dragon Dung Farts

2006-01-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

Tea Time

2006-01-02T01:57:00.000-08:00

Tea House

2006-01-02T01:56:00.000-08:00

Portals

2006-01-02T01:55:00.000-08:00

Temple Buildings

2006-01-02T01:53:00.000-08:00

Portals Emerging from the Mud

2006-01-02T01:52:00.001-08:00

Temple Patterns

2006-01-02T01:52:00.000-08:00

Portals of Light & Dark

2006-01-02T01:50:00.000-08:00

Tigers, Dragons, & Turtles

2006-01-02T01:49:00.000-08:00

Bus Curtains

2006-01-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

I love Korea. Detailed silliness abounds.

Muju Ski Resort

2006-01-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

Good god, I survived. First time on skis since I was 16, and no broken bones. Mi Seob, her son, Yong Jin, her niece Ha Ryoung and I stayed at the Resort. Not too busy since it was during the week.

Maisan

2006-01-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Do you see the Horse's Ears of Mai San Mountain?

DooBoo At Hwa Shim

2006-01-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

Just outside of Jeonju, on the way to Muju Ski Resort, in the little village of Hwa Shim, stop and have some tofu. Soondooboo is a hot spicy stew with soft tofu. Simple side dishes (sour kimchee, great marinated romaine leaves, and some decent cubed radishes). The pajeon, or vegetable pancake, is delicious. On the way out, get some tofu donuts, lightly sugared and freshly made.

Kalbi & Cookies on Christmas Day

2006-01-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

A BBQ Christmas. Nolan made kalbi, marinated pork steak, cut up and eaten in a romaine leaf sandwich with sauce (sam jang) and garlic. To die for. Phil made cookies in his oven. Yes, there is an oven at Kunsandaehakyo. I brought golf equipment and we watched Elf. The snow outside made a great Christmas-y feeling for those left in the guest house for the holiday.

Santa Excitement

2006-01-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Jennifer and MiSong's daughters helped me rediscover my lost Christmas verve. A surprise visit by Santa sent JuLi screaming in excitement of such a magnitude that she knocked loose my heart from my Grinchiness letting me recover my Christmas silliness that all the Who's in Whosville have been trying to show me.

Christmas Dinner at Mi Song's

2006-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

An incredible dinner! Mi Song cooked a fantastic dinner for Jennifer's family and myself. Steak and lobster with all the fixings; a strawberry cake for dessert. Mi Song's place had all the trimmings, even Christmas tree cookies that she and her daughters made. A lovely Christmas memory!

Marmot Hole

2006-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Jennifer Ko for recommeding this blog site.

http://marmot.blogs.com/

The author takes South Korean news and gives new views.

Snow cells

2005-12-18T20:02:00.000-08:00

Let it snow!

Group Candids

2005-12-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

Lots of sessions and lots of smooze time. KOTESOL LR 2005

Apuda!

2005-12-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

Linda, stating she was sick and needed soup, headed with me, Tye, Scott and Glenn (Daegu) to TGI Friday's. Soup she had, but the sauce - chocolate - was not to be just a design on her bowl of ice cream.

Warming Up at the 2005 KOTESOL Leadership Retreat

2005-12-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

This year's leadership retreat, held at the YuJin Hotel in Daejeon, was a great time to refresh and re-group. Lots of new faces mixing with our dependable line-up of leaders. (December 10)

Up Close and Personal

2005-12-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Nolan's phot-ee-o-graf-ee, the lights blinding, photos of Sandra's new earrings, Dana's glasses, and Nolan's nose.

Grog at Delish's

2005-12-18T19:35:00.000-08:00

Was it PotPourri we were drinking or grog? Sandra says grog, so I believe. Delish and his Bloody Mary. Curtis-Mario after many grogs. Dana smiling and happy (perhaps a wee bit on the drunk side - so she said). And the most famous of blonde heads in Korea - Sandra.

Dana's Photos at Nolan's

2005-12-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Sandra's Photos at Nolan's

2005-12-18T19:26:00.001-08:00

photography 101 at Nolan's

2005-12-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

More snow

2005-12-18T19:23:00.000-08:00

It's been snowing for over two weeks. Kunsan usually doesn't get this much snow. Last year I think we had, maybe, 2 or 3 snowfalls which disappeared within a day.

dinner at Taste of Thailand - Chesterton

2005-12-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

Students from Valparaiso University's Summer Programs: International Case Studies, INTERLINK and EFB

valpo office

2005-12-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

More Snow

2005-12-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Outside of the guesthouse is a magic fairy tale land. It keeps snowing and we just slide down the hill to our classes.

Fall in Kunsan

2005-11-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

A cold, wet autumn season this year has zapped my usual enthusiasm for the fall season. Finally the gingko leaves are turning yellow. A burst of sunlight on a rainy day.

Green

2005-05-18T01:04:00.000-07:00

How many shades of green are there?

Tides

2005-04-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

I love the cadence of life. The tide as it is. This morning walking to my office, the sun shone brightly over the cherry blossoms on campus. Gentle hellos, from passing walkers and cyclists. The weekend soccer enthusiasts still bleary from last night's soju get ready for their workout away from work and responsibility. The campus empty of cars, of students.

The tide is out. But does not smell of stinky decaying fish left stranded. A pureness enters my soul and breathes gently into my heart, soothing and refreshing in the same instant. The places I love the most have tides; times when there is so much water, so much stimulation, I feel as if I'm drowning. And just as I take my last breathe, I touch the bottom and push up to the surface, noting that the landscape has changed, receded. The gentle, inexorable movement buried in all of life.

My breath goes in and out. My day, my night. Others, self. Highs, lows. Sometimes rocky and furious. Other times slow and lethargic. Moments filtered through my senses to value the passion and stillness. To float, to glide, to hiccup, to feel. Nothing and everything.

Neglect or Protect

2005-01-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

This morning two dogs followed me from my apartment towards my office building. I walked them back home to where they live. I was worried about them. They crossed the street without looking both ways. It reminded me of my childhood. No one and everyone was responsible for keeping me safe from myself. Am I returning a favor of someone protecting me when I was young? Or am I being overprotective, not letting the dogs learn their lessons on their own? My eternal struggling question. What is enough? What is the balance?

There are some lovely opportunities emerging for me. Yesterday I went to a meeting with a colleague in my department and a student organizer from Korea University Broadcasting System (KUBS). The organizer would like us to put on a weekly radio show for the KNU student body. It would be broadcast over the loudspeaker system. My colleague, Phil, has tons of ideas about putting a show together. I have lots of ideas about doing pre & post listening activities through online materials that would include MP3 files of our shows. We have another meeting next week. Yesterday was very much a brainstorming meeting. There is not enough information about the reality of this project coming to fruition. Phil and I expressed our enthusiasm. Who knows what will happen next?

This morning, Phil had to cancel our debriefing meeting regarding my participation in the Thai TESOL Conference. Phil, in addition to being a colleague in my department, is also the International Affairs Committee Chair for KOTESOL. He needs to go to Jeonju to meet Allison for a planning meeting for the KOTESOL North Jeolla Spring Conference. I told him to let Allison know that I would be happy to create and maintain the North Jeolla Conference website for them. Their conference is March 19, not March 26.

Another opportunity emerged this morning in class. One of my students takes her daughter to the library everyday. I asked if the library offered programs for children, like Story Time or Dinosaurs. She said they didn't offer any programs like that. I shared with her and the class the work my hometown public library does in Michigan City. My student mentioned that the library wanted to offer programs like that. I asked her to introduce me to the appropriate person at the library as I could volunteer one afternoon a week during the month of February. She was most excited about this. After class she and I talked about me reading a story book to the children. She is a violin teacher and will plan some music for the lesson. We will add some coloring activities and song chants based on the story. We thought 30 minutes with 10 kids. I hope this happens.

These opportunities are important to me because they make English accessible to a wide audience in Korea in a fun way. This winter I have traveled to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. I have listened to many lectures on EFL and chatted with colleagues from around the world. More and more, when I return home to Korea, I am angry and stressed regarding the education process my students are bound within and I question my role as a teacher in this, Korean, context.

I was unaware of this anger until this morning. Another student in my class mentioned that she spends every day, several hours a day, studying TOEIC. I receive this answer from so many of my students here in South Korea. TOEIC TOEIC TOEIC. An enormous amount of time, energy and money are spent studying for a particular TOEIC score. My students are being channeled into master test takers, not mastering English.

My anger emerged because this particular student who has just returned from a year in New Zealand, who speaks like a near-native speaker, is spending her time studying for a particular grade. She is a university student who is not allowed to see her friends during the week because her mother demands that she study. Her situation is not unusual.

My heart screamed to hear her tell her story. I am getting overwhelmed by my students and friends here in Korea. They are intelligent, hard-working, creative, curious, and kind. Every day I witness electrical engineers who speak English well, and perhaps speak Chinese also, focus their time, money and energy on tests like the TOEIC, simply so they can get a job interview. I gave a presentation last September for Gwangju International Center (GIC) on Korean Unemployment. Why there are not more social problems here demonstrates a lot about the integrity of the Korean spirit.

More and more I wonder about who I am and if I am following the right path. I love teaching. It is my calling. But should I stay in Korea? Am I not just part of the problem? Am I helping or hurting my students by my sheer presence here in Korea? Should I be a teacher or a politician? How do I best help them while being myself?

I really like this blogging thing. It documents my feelings and my projects. Things that are intricately woven into my life process and goal.

Thankful for dogs, opportunities and anger,
Maria

Let's Get It Started - In HERE

2005-01-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

Anyonghasaeyo!!!!!!!!! Hello from Kunsan, South Korea!

I have started this blog as part of a web course, Webpresence, through TESOL. I'm a little behind in participating in this course as I am on vacation and I am lazy. Plus I was in Thailand visiting an old student as well as attending the 2005 Thai TESOL Conference and the TESOL Symposium on Leadership.

I look forward to the opportunity to better serve my university and local community by a stimulating a stronger virtual community for them. Blogging is new for me and I hope to use it for my classes and other community volunteer work.

Ideas. Ideas. Ideas. I have hundreds of ideas. My students and my colleagues in KOTESOL have thousands of ideas. I have taken this course to help me help them. I have bits of knowledge, but I want a fast track way to disseminate empowering technological tools to my colleagues in my chapter of KOTESOL. I'm looking for step by step materials to move technophobic colleagues out of their fear of the medium. I am also looking for motivational techniques to encourage my students to learn independently through technological tools.

The amount of info in my daily life, my creativity, and the limited numbers of hours in a day cooks up a fear and stress in me that sometimes paralyzes me into distracting myself through my multitude of procrastination techniques. I hope blogging helps ease some of my fear and stress by interactively journaling my daily path into the cool work projects that emerge in my life.

I joined the Webpresence online group:
-To prioritize my projects and ideas through better documentation by using blogs.
- To organize materials for easier user accessibility by hearing of the shared real-life experience of Webpresence participants.
- To warehouse materials, ideas, resources (human and material) efficiently and effectively by testing different mixes of technological mediums.

I hope:
- To make a short list of technological recommendations available to my network of students and colleagues based on tasks that they want to accomplish.
- To help promote my community's creativity by teaching them time-efficient technological processes and systems.
- To free up their time so they can focus on content instead of medium. In short, I hope to help my students and colleagues use technology to communicate better, build better lessons, and make their talents and personalities more visible virtually for a wider international community to enjoy.

Here's to life and experience. May the adventure begin.

Maria