Greenheart Travel

Author: Samuel Tew

  • Want to Stop Class Discussion? Ask “How” and “Why” while Teaching in Thailand

    by Paul Hoffman, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Thailand

    Do you remember the six important questions in journalism?  I think they are:  Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. For the last few days, I’ve been considering those six questions as they relate to teaching here in Thailand.  Moreover, I’ve been thinking about those six questions as they relate to the general way of thinking here in the country that used to be known as Siam.

    The first question to be asked and answered here is “Where.” Where are you going?  Where have you been?  Where are you going this weekend? Where did you go last weekend?  Where seems to be used as a general greeting here!  For example, in the U.S. we normally greet a person with: How are you?  Here is Thailand the normal greeting is: Where are you going?  It took me a while to get used to it – at first I thought it was a bit funny, but now (as with most things) I’m used to it.  If I meet a student of mine or a Thai friend on the street after school, they always ask: Where are you going?  At first, my internal response was: “Why are you asking me that?” or: “It’s none of your business!”  But now I realize it’s just part of the culture here so I answer them just as I would in the U.S. if someone asked: How are you?

    It seems in the U.S. we are interested in a persons’ health, but in Thailand they are interested in a persons’ past or present or future movement.

    The second question to be asked here is “Who”.  Who are going to eat with?  Who are you going to the shopping mall with?  Who are going to travel with this weekend?  Who did you travel with last weekend?  (Of course, I do all my traveling alone and my Thai colleagues and friends CAN NOT believe that I travel alone!)

    The next two questions asked here are “When and What”.  At some point in the conversation you might be asked when did you do this or when will you go, and then the question of what might come up.  Like, what did you do there?  What did you see?  What did you eat?  (Food is a big topic of discussion here, especially with foreigners; maybe I’ll have to cover that in a later Chalk Dust episode.)

    That sums it up.  Those are the four questions.  We’ll see ya next week.  Have a good one… WAIT!  There are two more, right?!  “How and Why”.  Yes, there are two more, and this is what I find interesting here in Thailand – when I try to bring these two questions into a classroom discussion, the flow of class usually comes to a screeching halt.  I realize I’m teaching English and not Science or Biology or Physics, but when I ask the question “Why” I’m met with blank stares.

    I can remember growing up asking my parents or teachers why this and why that – all the time!  Plus, I asked how all the time – how does this work, how does this move, how does this fit together with that, etc, etc…. Have you ever gotten into a discussion with a child where they just continue to ask ‘why’ over and over?  It’s sometimes very funny!  But, the why question over and over is usually valid – until some point the parent or teacher or adult will just say: Because I say so!  Ha!

    A fellow Thai teacher and I were talking the other day and she said that Thai students are not normally asked the question of ‘why’ and when they are, most have trouble coming up with a response. I find this fascinating!  In a recent class I asked the students what their favorite animal is and then I asked why?  They knew their favorite animal, but they didn’t have an answer as to why.  After some coaching and helping, they came up with some simple reasons, but the why question was a foreign concept for them.

    The nuts and bolts of school, any school, are important.  You know, the famous R’s: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic – they are important.  Thai schools do a fantastic job at the three R’s – they probably do better than most schools in the U.S.  But the idea of being taught to think about their personal explanations is not pushed here like it is in the U.S.  Maybe that’s a good thing or maybe it’s not.  A person could make valid points on both side of the discussion.  It’s certainly not for me to decide, but I marvel at the differences that I see….

    Time for more “Pinch Me, I’m In Thailand” moments:

    *What is the deal with the Michelin Man on all the trucks here??!!   It looks like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man had a thousand small children and they all ended up tied to rear view mirrors on the trucks here.  These little one foot high plastic figures are sometimes dressed up or lit up (with a light bulb in their bum) or painted – they are kept clean and in good condition – better than the actual truck!  Maybe they are automatically tied to the truck mirrors when a set of tires are purchased – I don’t know….

    *I’m in class, the windows are open, the ceiling fans are on, a wasp flies in, I see it, the students see it, I continue teaching, the students continue to do whatever they are doing, the wasp flies around, the wasp flies out the window.

    *Don’t go to the Market when you’re hungry.  You’ll end up salivating at every food stand or food cart and you’ll end up buying more than you can carry home.  Plus, you may end up with things that looked appealing at the moment of purchase, but are appalling when you arrive back at your apartment.

    *A steaming bowl of noodles…..  does it get any better?  Yum……..

  • How to Create an Academic Course Proposal for Your Time Abroad

    By Jill Robinson with Greenheart Travel

    Some of the greatest life lessons I ever received were while traveling abroad. While this isn’t a surprise to anyone that has left the comfort of their homeland to explore new countries, cultures and languages it is still difficult to try and take off from a year of college if you are missing out on financial aid or credit toward your degree. Fortunately, there are ways to receive academic credit while experiencing the adventure of the global classroom.

    To create your own academic course for your time abroad takes motivation, initiative and follow through, but it can be done. It’s best to begin the process as early as possible to ensure that your program overseas will still be counted toward any financial assistance requirements for scholarships, grants and student loans. If you are going through a Greenheart Travel program, below is information on how you can possibly receive college credit for your time abroad.*

    Here is a sample of steps that most universities require in order to create an individual course for academic credit.

    1. First check with your university or college on their specific requirements for good academic standing. Most schools require you to have a minimum GPA of 2.0 (4.0 scale) or higher, as well as completing a required amount of credit hours.
    2. Once requirements are fulfilled, verify that your school will allow for independent course work, and find a faculty sponsor to support your individual study abroad course. Bring all of your information regarding the Greenheart Travel Program you are interested in and be prepared to discuss course-work and expectations that the faculty sponsor will ask of you.
    3. With your faculty sponsor, create a course proposal. This will usually include:
      • Credit Hours you expect to receive.
      • A schedule of what days a week you will be working, and the starting and ending date of the program.
      •  Describe in detail the learning objectives that you hope to accomplish upon completion of your program.
      • Be sure to include all of the assignments that you intend to complete as an academic component. Each project is flexible and students will receive specific responsibilities once in-country. The course-work should be designed to fit with different projects.
      • Include how the program will help you in your future studies/career field, and how your course work will relate to the program.
      • Describe in detail what your expectations are from your program and explain how your program will enhance your current academic program.

    Once your course proposal is complete, send out your final proposal for approval from your university. Once you have been approved by your school, start researching additional scholarships or additional financial aid opportunities that you may be able to use to cover the cost of travel.

    Still have questions on the course proposal process for getting academic credit for your travels abroad? Here are a few quick points to consider:

    What is a course proposal?

    A course proposal is a chance for you as a student to create an academic component to one of our programs to potentially receive academic credit. The proposal should include statements of your goals, your strategies to complete your goals, and methods to evaluate your work during your program. A course proposal may not be required or accepted by all schools.

    What is a Learning Objective?

    A learning objective is what you intend to learn through your volunteer experience.

    What should the course work include?

    The course work should be determined by a faculty sponsor to develop the specific assignments and duties. Each volunteer project is flexible and students will receive specific volunteer duties once in-country. The course-work should be designed to fit with different volunteer projects.

    In order to receive credit for an independent study abroad course you may have to visit your universities’ offices of education (i.e. study abroad, experiential, or service learning offices) for more information on individual course work and academic credit requirements.

    Does Greenheart Travel offer academic credit?

    Greenheart Travel does not offer academic credit for programs. The students must contact their own university and college to see if an individual course can be created for academic credit. Academic requirements are designated by the universities and schools.

    Why should I consider receiving credit for my Greenheart Travel program?

    An academic service-learning experience will provide a unique learning opportunity and allow you to experience the world around you. It can help you see the value of your past and current course work and how it applies to various aspects of life. It will also give you an edge in the future job market as it is a documented volunteer and learning experience.

    What are the benefits of service learning/volunteering?

    Traveling abroad and experiencing new cultures and countries enhances a student’s understanding of current academic studies, as well as an increased awareness of the world, of one’s own values, and an increased engagement in global affairs.

    Will Greenheart Travel work with my university and faculty supervisor to create an academic service learning course?

    We are more than willing to send you all the information you need in order to complete a course proposal for your university, as well as answer any questions your faculty supervisor, adviser or university may have. For more information please contact Anna Kacyn at akacyn@greenhearttravel.org.

    What if my school won’t let me earn credit for an individual abroad course? Is there a way I can still receive financial aid?

    Some universities have different policies on their course requirements. If your school cannot offer credit for an individual created course there are other options for financial aid opportunities. Please see our fundraising page or are scholarship page for more information.

     

    *Greenheart Travel does not offer academic credit through our programs. We cannot guarantee that all universities and colleges will accept a course proposal for an individual study abroad/service learning course.

  • A Warm Welcome in New Zealand with a Friendly Host Family and Perfect Fall-Like Weather

    by Paige Diller, high school abroad student in New Zealand

    Though I never thought I would, especially after the 12 hours flight across the pacific, I have arrived. I was so excited to see the searching faces of my host family waiting for me at the gate. I recognized them immediately and we exchanged hugs and smiles.

    During my fly time I met many people. The majority were actually New Zealanders returning home; one man was especially helpful, as he helped me find my way around the LAX airport. I also received much encouragement from my traveling companion, Captain America. The plan is for Capt. America and I to journey together during my New Zealand trip, and document our adventures. (Captain America action figure courtesy of Sean Irwin).

    I can’t express my happiness right now. I am having a wonderful time with my family. Within minutes of spending time with my family, we immediately clicked and were immersed in conversation. I can tell already that Catherine, Yuna, and I are going to be very close.

    Later we went to the market and picked up all the necessities I was lacking. Yuna and I had a time with the self check out line… I have moved all of my suitcases into my room, and am in the process of unpacking and getting settled. We had a nice lunch together as a family (baked beans on toast; something I had never tired before, but concluded that it was very delicious). I have met all the cats, and even Pee Wee seems to like me, and he’s the shyest of all three. I also must comment on the driving here. Not only do they drive on the left side of the road, and make “left on red” turns, New Zealanders tend to drive very fast on small roads, and brake very fast as well… I enjoyed the ride though 🙂

    I’m so very grateful for all my host family has done for me thus far. Oh! I almost forgot to comment on the weather. The weather in incredible. It’s close to 50 or 55 degrees Fahrenheit; it’s sunny and breezy. It feels like the perfect fall weather. And since I’m missing fall this year, I’m glad their winter resembles our Autumn.

    I have so much excitement built from just the 15 or so hours I’ve been on the ground. I can’t wait to see what this coming week has in store for me. I start school on Monday. Instead of jumping straight into classes, I will have an International student orientation the first day, and have already been assigned a “buddy” who will hopefully help me out my first few days.

    I’d really appreciate your prayers for my energy to be restored to me. I think I’ve been running on 4 hours of sleep the past 24 hours. I’d also like to ask for you to pray for my immediate family, who will definitely need some comfort when they start missing me really bad. I’m so irreplaceable. And don’t worry, I’m not conceited….

    In conclusion, I have a wonderful family, beautiful weather, and picked a wonderful country. I can’t wait for tomorrow!

  • How to Get Your Students’ Atttention: ‘Let’s go to Pyongyang’

    by Hannah Garrard, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Korea

    “Good morning grade 1. Today we are travelers!” Quizzical looks from surly teenage girls greet me on Monday morning, and I am fully aware that my enthusiasm is not mutual. Eager to win my class over this week, I decided to implement a geography lesson into my English Language curriculum (partly swayed by their insistence that Kangaroos came from Canada, the French spoke English and that Africa was one country).

    I had downloaded Google Earth onto the classroom’s computer, and, since the ‘Naver’ search engine is mostly used, this was a new gadget for them. Enthralled by the spinning globe on the big screen, I already had the class silent and on tenterhooks to see what would happen next.

    “You can go anywhere you want” I told them. “you have a free ticket”. Expecting to get requests for Disneyland, Hollywood and at best Egypt, I was mildly surprised when a few students shouted out “North Korea!” and giggled as if this request was entirely absurd. So, without hesitation I typed ‘DPRK’ (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) into the search bar. The Google satellite zoomed in onto the peninsular, and settled on the imposing DMZ (demilitarized zone, the most heavily militarized area in the world also known as the 38th parallel) which seems to divide the land mass so casually. By satellite, it doesn’t betray the armed guards, barbed fences, deep caverns or landmines, and stepping through the military demarcation line doesn’t look impossible.

    Now I had my class’s attention, I asked them for the correct spelling of ‘Pyongyang’ in Romanized characters; eager to give them the lead on this lesson, and empower their learning. And so Google took my Grade 1 class right to the centre of that dark impossible city, and settled on the 22.5m high statue of Kim Il-Sung on Mansudae Hill, behind which lies the frozen body of the North Korean tyrant in the mausoleum. I was touched by their silence, and worried whether this ‘journey’ was difficult  for some of them, perhaps with thoughts of family member  long lost to the other side of the 38th parallel. After a few minutes of playing with the navigation bar and ‘travelling’ through the streets of the capital, I zoomed out and left the image of a tiny planet earth spinning on the screen, oblivious to the complex narrative it holds.

    I was told that young people in South Korea are either largely ambivalent or vehemently dismissive to the idea of reunification or even the possibility of new lines of communication opening with the North. And, I have had very mixed responses from the few Koreans I have touched upon this subject with in tentative conversations.

    However, I now know that from my student’s request to ‘visit’ the North that the dividing line still cuts deep through the identity of young people in South Korea, and their connection with the North is underestimated. My class of sixteen year olds will be the next generation of decision makers, and they should be given every opportunity to express themselves and their thoughts and opinions given a voice. For it is this generation who are vital to the liberation and freedom of North Koreans, teenagers and children alike, who continue to suffer and are silenced by dictatorship.

  • Thailand’s School Uniform Policy and Other Observations

    by Paul Hoffman, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Thailand

    When I arrive each morning at Kanchanapise School for my Teach Abroad program in Thailand, I marvel at the appearance of all the students. It’s the uniforms!  All the students look identical.  This is a visual phenomenon that I’m not used to.

    While I was a student back in the middle ages know as the 70’s and 80’s, we did not wear uniforms at my school. I realize that some schools in the U.S. had, and still have, a uniform policy for their students. And, it seems each year, especially in the late summer or fall, the subject of school uniforms comes up in the U.S. newspapers and media outlets. Some parents (and possibly a few students) are for the idea of uniforms and some some parents (and a lot of students) are against the idea of uniforms.

    I’m sure if someone would have asked me if I would like to wear a uniform while I was in Junior High or High School – I would have given an emphatic NO WAY!!  But now, after seeing the uniforms and seeing how the policy works, I absolutely believe that all schools should adopt a uniform policy for their students!  Every school in the U.S. should do this, in my opinion.

    Thai students grow up wearing uniforms to primary school, secondary school, and even to College – so for them it’s no big deal.  They have gone through many ultra light blue (almost white) shirts / blouses and many dark blue shorts and skirts.  They know it’s normal for school and it’s just accepted as common practice here.  Kind of like driving on both sides of the road and all over the sidewalk – it’s common practice here.  The shirts and blouses here at Kanchanapise even have the students name embroidered on them – a wonderful touch!

    Of course, there is that financial burden on the Thai parents when it comes to buying the school uniforms since they have to purchase multiple school tops, bottoms, socks, shoes, etc, etc….  But, ask any parent in the U.S. about back to school shopping for their kids and they will be happy to tell you about the “not so small” fortune that was spent on designer jeans and brand name tops and the best Nike or Adidas shoes and ALL of the accessories that go with it!!  All in all, the Thai parents probably spend way less on school uniforms then the U.S. parents spend on the latest trends involved with the “must haves” for back to school!

    Just like in the military, by taking away the students individual expressive freedom involved with their own clothes and hairstyles it let’s them focus more at the task at hand – which is school. Being in class, studying, and taking tests is serious business here in Thailand. So, if the students don’t have to worry about what to wear, or what their friends are wearing, it makes it much easier to direct more attention to where it belongs – school!

    Here are a few more “You know you’re in Thailand when” realizations for the week!  Hopefully they will tickle your funny bone:

    *Businesses are like mushrooms – they spring up overnight here!  And, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive!  Thai people seem to have a 6th sense when it comes to what others need and what others will pay for – and they act on that sense.  I’ve seen food carts and motor-scooter sidecar businesses open up right next to a school when it’s letting out classes for the day.  They have an instant customer base!  There are ladies that set up their sewing machines on the sidewalk in the afternoon just to mend your clothes and there are men that sit down (on the sidewalk of course) with a small wooden table and repair your shoes – both are there to make a few legitimate baht.  Great ideas!

    *A business that sells nothing but hula hoops!  I’m not kidding!!  If you’re in Thailand, you know what I’m talking about!

    *Yes, it’s hot here.  Not like hot you’ve felt or lived through before.  The humidity scale starts at 105%.  The heat index (which is a measure of temperature and humidity combined) starts around 148 degrees and goes up from there.  My best advice – stay hydrated!!

    *Don’t bring a 110 volt nightlight from the U.S. and plug it into the wall socket in your apartment. You may trip the circuit breakers for your entire floor or burn down the entire building!  (Not that I would know from personal experience or anything like that….)

    *If you know how to cut a boys hair into a perfect crew cut style or a girls hair into a prefect page-boy style, you could open up a barber shop and make millions!  You just need to know two hair styles – that’s it.

    *Home, business, garage, bedroom, kitchen, living room – all one in the same!  I kid you not!

  • Every Day is Different in Thailand

    by Paul Hoffman, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Thailand

    Just when I think everything was going good here at Kachanapise School in Thailand, I have a day like today.  Not a bad day, but not as good as normal.  I realize I’ve only been teaching a short time (about a month) and I don’t have a teaching background, but during the first three and a half weeks of teaching – I felt great!

    There was a connection between myself and my students.  They paid attention (for the most part) and I felt like they understood what I was teaching.  They participated!  They spoke English when I asked them to speak.  They had that certain look in their eye that showed that they “got” it!  As a teacher, when they “get it”, it makes you feel good.

    Today I’m teaching one of my Matyom 1 (the spelling of this word is up for debate…  as it’s a Thai word, all I can do is hope that this spelling in English is somewhat close) classes.  It’s basically a seventh grade group of students and we are talking about animals.  These kids know their animals.  They can name more animals, in English, then most kids in the U.S.  It’s amazing!

    I hand out an exercise sheet that has pictures of animals and they write in the correct name for each picture in English.  (Then we do a series of questions where I ask them if they were to become an animal, what animal would they be and why – etc, etc….)  After they wrote in the answers, we were correcting the worksheet as a group and all the students were saying the name of the animal out loud for each picture.  We go through about half of the 15 pictures and a girl in the second row puts up her hand, so I stop the in-class correction and call on her.  She asks me (in very good English) what sport I like to play.

    My eyes blink a few times.  I’m dumbstruck.  I’m baffled.  I’m speechless.  Are we in an episode of Twilight Zone?  Did I just cross into a parallel universe?  This girl and I – are we in separate worlds?

    A few silent seconds tick by as I try to make some sort of connection between in class correction of pictures of animals with the names written in and what sport I like to play….

    After my brain tries and fails in developing any kind of connection, I tell her it’s a good question and I’ll answer it after we finish today’s lesson on animals.

    So, the moral of the story:  Don’t get too complacent.  Don’t think that things are always going smoothly and wonderfully.  Don’t ever assume that each student is “getting” it and they are with you every step of the way.  Don’t let yourself fall into (and stay in) your comfort zone because you may be flung back into reality via the Twilight Zone!

    Here are a few more “you know you’re in Thailand when” realizations:

    • You keep right on teaching as a bird or hornet flies around the classroom.  The kids don’t pay attention to it, you don’t pay attention to it, it’s just “normal”.  I was eating lunch the other day with seven other Thai teachers in our little teacher lunchroom area and there’s a bird flying around.  Am I the only one seeing this??!!
    • Every Thai student has perfect English and grammar when it comes to this question:  “Teacher Paul, may I please use the toilet?”  I think it’s the first sentence they learn in Primary school.
    • Microphone or No Microphone?  It’s a question that every English teacher asks themselves at some point.  Thought for the first week:  “I don’t want to use a microphone; I want to be able to walk around the entire classroom.”  Thought for week two:  “My throat is killing me.  I can hardly make any sound when I speak.  Did I really have to raise my voice that much to be heard?  Maybe using a microphone isn’t such a bad idea after all.”
    • Be prepared to be mimicked by Thai people.  They will mimic you.  What you say, how you laugh, how you wave, the look on your face – they will mimic you and then laugh!  It’s all in good fun and they mean no harm, but the first few times sort of shocked me.  Now I just laugh along with them….
    • I never knew a small Nissan truck could haul 58 people in the back.  Lets’ just say the tailgate was pretty low to the ground.

    Only in Thailand!

  • Korea, Kimchi and a Close to Week One of Teacher Training

    by Hannah Garrard, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Korea

    Korea boasts at being number one in the world for investment in ESL teaching. It seems that most of it goes into week one of the government’s teacher training; there are three orientations happening across the country, a total of nearly 1000 new ex-pat teachers learn the highs and lows of ESL teaching in Korean public schools. That’s 1000 laminated name tags; 1000 white hoodies with logos and a gazillion tons of kimchi. Words fail me when describing kimchi so please refer to the photo.

    I’m at the end of day six. A typical day is breakfast (kimchi!) in the canteen at 7:30, then lectures until 12:30 ;break for lunch (kimchi!); lectures until 5:30 pm- time for dinner (kimchi!); Korean lessons until 8:30pm (coffee!) then lesson planning for our assessment until around 10pm. For anyone still standing, the usual drill which follows is Soju (Korean rice wine) and mekju (beer!) in a local bar.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. The lectures have been insightful and invaluable with the advice about public school teaching and adjusting to life in Korea. All the staff members have been supportive, friendly and good natured. I’m touched by the kindness and good humor shown towards us. I think this is epitomized by the owner at The Lantern bar who found nails and a hammer and made me a hook upon which to hang my coat, and the coffee shop assistant who remembered me from yesterday and commended me on my very shaky Korean (never the less a Latte is what I asked for and a Latte is what I got).

    I have yet to glimpse real life amidst the throng of boot camp education style, but so far, as I look out the window of my room on the 14th floor at Jeonju University campus and see mountains winking in the distance and neon lights flashing seductively at night, I realise that I have many more presents and surprises to unwrap…and for the record, kimchi is delicious!

    Ready to try kimchi for yourself? Learn more here.

  • What I Wish I Would Have Known; Advice on Packing for South Korea

    by Christopher Kwarciany, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Korea

    I’m guessing it’s about time for new teachers to depart for Korea.  So I figured I would muse about what to bring based off my experience.  Keep in mind I’m in a city of about 180,000 surrounded by rural areas.  Plus I arrived in August.  And I’m a guy.  All these things color my experiences.

    The big thing is that I think people can be a bit alarmist when they tell you what to pack.  I remember the material sounding like you will be in the middle of nowhere, away from any civilization.  So you better bring a year’s supply of everything, plus $1000 (about 1,000,000 won).  I found this wasn’t necessary.

    As for money, I was terrified that I came to Korea only with $400 (about 400,000 won) and there would be no way I’d be able to make it till my first payday, more than a month away.  After orientation, my school gave me 300,000 won.  Still less than the 1,000,000 won suggested.  Well, I ended the month with about 250,000 won left over, meaning I spent roughly $450.  Now admittedly, I had some help.  The previous teacher, whose apartment I moved into, left a lot of things.  So I didn’t need to buy anything for my apartment other than some cooking utensils.  He also left some money for first month utilities since I arrive in the middle of a billing period.  And the other foreign teachers in Andong were very generous.  Basically there’s a rule where if go out with the other teachers, you don’t pay until you get your first paycheck.  Other situations may not be so nice.  But in general things are fairly cheap in Korea, so I wouldn’t worry too much about finances, especially if you are in a province.

    Next, what to bring.  You can buy most day-to-day things in Korea.  So as far as toiletries and such things go, I’d pack as if you were going on vacation.  You just need a little bit til you get settled in your apartment, and then you can buy what you need.  Of course if you like certain brands—particularly deodorant—those might be hard to find.  As for household items, there’s really no need to bring anything.  Maybe a set or two of a fork or silverware for convenience.  That’s about it.

    There are some things that I found it was good to bring, even though it wasn’t mentioned at all.  The most obvious is clothes.  If you are a large person in any sense of the word, you might want to bring more clothes than you think you need because it may be hard to find things your size.  I’m 6’0, and had issues finding pants that were long enough (I eventually got a few pair sent from home).  Now I’m trying to find U.S. size 11 shoes, and I’ve been laughed at when I ask the clerk if that’s available.  I have a friend who’s tall and hefty, and he’s pretty much given up on trying to find clothes in Andong.  I know many of the women teachers have bras shipped from home.  Often teachers make pilgrimages to Itaweon (basically the foreigners’ district in Seoul), where you can generally find sizes for all shapes of people.  Also, know your sizes in centimeters and millimeters.  It will make shopping easier.  Basically if your afraid you won’t be able to find something, bring extra from home.

    Along the lines of clothes, bring some type of nice looking sandals.  At my school you get dirty looks if you wear shoes around school.  So everyone wears sandals, even in the rain or winter, even outside.  I don’t quite understand.  Generally the teachers leave their sandals at school, while the students take their sandals home.

    Another thing is you might want to bring some comfort items, especially food.  A family friend gave me a bottle of Cleveland’s Stadium Mustard, because that’s always what she misses when she’s away from home.  I thought this was ridiculous, but took the mustard to be nice.  It’s been a nice thing to have.  I also brought a little taster’s bag of coffee, which was also a relief.  So if you have space, I’d bring any type of favorite snack food, candy, coffee or even tea (it’s hard to find black tea in Korea).  It’ll just be nice to have if you get homesick or exhausted.

    Then there’s the issue of electronics.  For small electronics like hair dryers, etc. buy them in Korea.  I have a friend who brought an electric shaver, and the current differences in Korea fried it.  For big items like computers, it’s a close call.  I brought a laptop.  It’s nice because I know how to use it, but it was pain for my school’s non-English speaking computer teacher to set up the internet.  Plus my laptop doesn’t have a Hangul keyboard, which would be convenient every now and then.  You’ll need a plug adapter to put things into the outlets.  At orientation, they were nice enough to give everyone one (along with a towel, mug and alarm clock).  For little computer add-ons, like webcams or wireless routers, buy that in Korea.

    The best thing to have when coming to Korea is family and friends that are willing to ship you things!  The trouble with this is it’s expensive.  A small box airmailed costs about $37, a larger box costs around $85!  Shipping by actual ship is cheaper, but takes around six weeks (so I’m told by my co-teacher).

    Your co-teacher will probably offer to take you shopping within a few days of getting to your apartment.   If you are located in a very rural area, getting your apartment may not be ready yet.  Two friends of mine are in a small town, and they had to deal with homestays and cheap hotels for a month before they got an apartment (I suspect the fact that they were an unwed couple trying to co-habitate in a conservative small town had something to do with it).  Most items can probably wait until your first pay check.  But I would suggest getting a clothes drying rack (Koreans generally don’t use dryers), and some cleaning supplies as soon as convenient.

  • Winter Break in Korea; Communication, Camps and Tiny Snowmen

    by Christopher Kwarciany, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Korea

    The first semester teaching at my school is finished.  It ended on a very confusing note.

    As I posted previously, I felt that my opinions on things were very unwanted, thus I just went along with whatever the teachers said.  My head co-teacher finally revealed that this was in fact very frustrating to the teachers, who were supposedly lost without my opinion.  Thus she came to the conclusion that I wanted the co-teachers to do everything, which is the opposite of how I actually felt languishing in sense of worthlessness.

    I think this brings up an interesting point in cross-cultural communication.  Just because someone speaks your language, doesn’t mean they can really communicate.  Every language comes with an unspoken code-book.  While my teachers know English, they don’t know the code-book, just as I’m sure I wouldn’t know the Korean-code book even if I could speak Korean well.  I am sure we were all sending clues of how we felt, and we just had know idea how to correctly interpret them.  This makes co-operation very trying. I don’t quite know how to remedy this, or what suggestions to make to others.  I guess just be prepared to not understand all the time.

    The good thing is, while working cross-culturally can be challenging, I think making friends is much easier.  I have a handful of Korean friends that I can communicate with, not just speak, quite well.  I think this is because friendship operates on much more basic human level than work relationships do.  Even when there’s virtually no common language, it’s still easy to do things like enjoy sharing a meal just because everyone likes eating.  Plus there are the other foreign teachers who understand how it all feels.  So at least for me, my social experience outside of school has been very rewarding.

    Next semester, which starts the new school year in Korea, is a big unknown.  Actually I am not even sure when it begins!  My head co-teacher is going to a different school (Korean teachers transfer schools every 5 years for some reason, and her 5 years is up).  I don’t know who will replace her and who will be my main contact teacher.  Luckily you get used to not know what’s going on in Korea.  Another issue is a foreign teacher friend of mine teaches the students I will have next year, and warns they’re really hellcats.  Great.  So next semester might be an adventure.

    In the meantime, I have winter-break.  So far I did one English camp at my school.  That was fun since it was just me and kids that actually wanted to be there.  Then I will work at another English camp on some campgrounds with mostly rural kids from around the province.  That should be interesting.  Then, for my contract vacation time, I’m visiting a friend from high school who is teaching in Taiwan.  In between all the excitement, there is a lot of sitting in the English office with not much to do since I still need to “work” 40 hours a week even though there is no school.  I am trying to prepare for next semesters classes, but that’s hard to do since I don’t know what’s happening yet.

    On a side note, winter in Andong is a little crazy.  You have a streak of a few relatively warm days (maybe 30’s and 40’s F), then a few days in the 20’sF with blustering winds.  Since I have electric heat, my electric bill has doubled from about $40/month to about $80.  But utilities are still a very manageable $120/month.  There is not a lot of snow.  What snow does falls completely freaks out the drivers and road traffic comes to a halt.  The cute thing is Koreans love making little snowmen all over the place.  Overall I think the weather is manageable if you dress warmly enough.

     

  • The Challenge of Communication in Korea

    by Christopher Kwarciany, Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Participant in Korea

    The positive news about teaching abroad in Korea, is I feel more students are opening up outside of class and trying to speak English with me.  This is great.  I really enjoy talking with the kids like this.  The only downside is they don’t feel comfortable coming to the English office for a simple social call, so I have to be outside during lunch time.  It’s getting cold.  But as long as it’s somewhat comfortable I will try to get out there for the students.

    Some students make fun of me.  I am OK with this.  They make fun of the other teachers too, just not so openly.  Personally I’d rather have things out in the open.  One student would mimic me in class to the point of obnoxiousness.  One day he saw me drinking green tea outside after lunch.  Apparently he really likes green tea.  So we had a brief conversation about tea (He thinks “Ceylon tea is not delicious”).  Another student drew a caricature of me.  I saw it, asked if it was me.  She sheepishly said yes.  I nodded and moved on (Personally I think my nose was too big).    Since then he’s not been obnoxious in class.  So even the moments that are not always nice, still are nice.

    This a very enjoyable cultural exchange for me though. The kids are just so interesting to me. I especially like seeing how they’re similar in many ways to how I remember being at that age. I’m sure if I knew what they are saying, I would soon get tired of what’s undoubtedly teenage angst and drama.  But it just cute chatter to me now.  And I think the kids respond to this appreciation.

    Interacting with students outside of class is the upside of cultural exchange.  The challenge is my professional relationships.

    Just to be clear, there’s nothing inherently wrong with how my co-teachers treat me.  By what I understand of their cultural values, they treat me very well.  I probably confuse and fluster them just as much as they do me, especially when I have the audacity to ask them to justify their opinions (for diplomacy sake, this is a bad idea).  It’s interesting to note that the teacher I feel the most open with has studied abroad in England, thus I feel she has a better understanding of Western culture and  the pressures of being in a different culture for an extended time.  So my relationship with my co-teachers really is an issue of cultural exchange rather than personal conflict.

    I think I’m in the second phase of culture shock  where everything seems awful (the first being the honeymoon where everything is new and fascinating).  The basic tenants of American culture and Korean culture are different.  The U.S. values the individual.  Ideally, you treat everyone as if they have worth on their own merit (of course this is a biased view since I’ve grown up in such a culture).  If you don’t do this, you’re considered a jerk.  Korean society is collective and hierarchical.  Everyone has their role.  And as a new teacher, or a young person in general, my role is to do what I’m told (again, I’m obviously biased).  This is very difficult for me to handle since I feel it ignores my own worth.

    On a closing note, I will address cost of living issues that I have been forgetting to mention. I live in a fairly inexpensive town.  Plus my apartment is paid for.  So my monthly cost of living is around $500.  I expect this to go up slightly with winter heating and all.  Regrettably I can’t give too much details since I’m not too good at keeping track of money beyond knowing “I still have X much money in the bank.”  Seeing how I get paid around $1,800 a month, and only pay about $500, I can save a lot of money.   It’s great not having to worry about money.  As one foreign teacher said, you have to try hard to go broke here.  But  like I said, I live in a fairly expensive town.  I’ve heard bigger cities like Busan can be two to three times as expensive, and Seoul can be 5-10x’s as expensive!  I don’t know for sure though.  I think if you want to save money, being in smaller cities is a safer bet.