Saturday, July 31, 2010

Camp Fulbright!

A month in, it has become apparent to me that the goal of orientation is threefold: To develop language and culture skills, to learn the art of teaching within the Korean context, and to create a support network among the fellow ETAs. We take intensive Korean classes for 20 hours a week, have seminars on teaching, and go on social trips to bond with the other kids on the program. But the most enriching experience thus far has been Camp Fulbright.
Every year, the Fulbright Korea Commission in conjunction with the State Department organize a two week intensive English summer camp for Korean students. The camp is organized and run through the Fulbright office in Seoul, and staffed by current ETAs who have already competed their grant year. There are a few moving parts to the program that work in unison with each other to make the whole event happen. The current ETAs serve as the camp instructors (CI's), responsible for teaching classes that abide by a set curriculum. There are Korean camp counselors that serve as liaisons between the students and the CIs. There are also American Junior Camp Counselors that range between the ages of 14 and 18. They serve as a direct contact point with the campers themselves; the idea is that since they are of similar age, they can help to facilitate more organic conversation in English. It's also a really cool opportunity for American High schoolers to go abroad for a month as a camp counselor in Korea. If anybody you know is interested in doing this next summer, contact me and I will email you the application. The only fee is the airplane ticket. Everything else is subsidized.
Meanwhile, our orientation is staffed by a separate group of Orientation Coordinators, known as OCs. They are also current ETAs that chose to work this summer. This is where we come in: The Camp Fulbright schedule is formatted so the ETAs (i.e. me, and the other kids that are going through orientation) teach three classes during the two week period. We are all assigned to a CI with whom we meet to construct our lesson plan. Afterwards, we meet with them again for feedback. Not only does camp Fulbright give us a practical, hands on opportunity to teach within the Korean context, but we apply everything we learned during the last month in regards to teaching.
The first lesson I taught was geography. The students were between the ages of 9 and 12, and they were high intermediate English speakers. Although I've been in the classroom many times before, both as an observer and a teacher, I quickly realized that teaching overseas is a completely different ballgame. I made the analogy that teaching in the US and applying those skills and ideologies to Korea is like a baseball player trying to golf: both sports consist of hitting a ball with a club, but the similarities end there. I have been trying to disenfranchise myself from almost everything my American education classes have taught me and try to be more culturally relative in my approach to classroom pedagogy. One palpable example is that in Korea, calling a teacher "sonseignim" (literally translated as "teacher") is the ultimate sign of respect. So, korean students say "teacher," instead of Mr. Brown, for example. In the United States, that would be one of the rudest things you could do as a student, but here, it is a sign of utmost respect. At first, having twenty korean students say "teacher" was a bit jarring, but I had to step back and realize that its their way of showing respect.
Outside of teaching, we were also in charge of planning weekend events for the campers. One weekend, I helped run an event called "Mad Scientist." The event revolved around science themed activities, featured a competition to build a machine out of trash, and fashions show where the kids decorated their CI as a Mad Scientist:

My students creating "Octobot," a female chicken robot that carries humans through space

Octobot, the final product: During construction, a contingent of boys decided that Octobot needed plasma ray cannons. The girls disagreed, insisting that a skirt was a more practical addition. The girls ultimately won.

The Camp Instructors at the end of their transformation into Mad Scientists

Overall, Camp Fulbright was extremely stressful, but very enriching. We still had korean classes, and had to lesson plan and teach as well. But I gained invaluable insight into what I will be doing for the next year. I learned about the areas in which I need to improve as a teacher, I gained insight into the culture of Korean education, and I met more members of the Fulbright family.
One of the most enlightening parts of Camp Fulbright was the opportunity to meet other ETAs who have completed their grant years. Since you can extend up to 3 years, there are many different ETA classes that were represented at Camp Fulbright. Some ETAs have been here a year, and others are going on their third. Still others have been hired into permanent positions at the central Fulbright Office in Seoul and have been here for 5 or 6 years. Nonetheless, it was a very reassuring feeling being welcomed into a large support network of current and former ETAs who are willing to "show me the ropes" over my grant year.
Next weekend: Fulbright goes to Seoul. I have no idea what to expect. I'm thinking skyscrapers that reach the clouds, hover cars, and floating neon signs. Stay tuned!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Haeinsa Temple

After a long and tiring two weeks of orientation training, the Fulbright Office in Seoul decided to take us on an all expense paid weekend long field trip to the Buddhist Temple of Haeinsa. We stayed in a hotel, ate fantastic food, and toured a UNESCO world heritage site. Although the bus ride was long and curvy, and the weather was less than favorable, we were immediately treated to a feast upon arriving to our hotel.


Tired from the busride, I decided to nap with my friend David.

Lunch!

After lunch, we went to visit the Haeinsa Temple. Although the day was a little rainy, it was still really fun.

My friend John and I soaking wet after exploring the temple in the pouring rain
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the temple features both cultural and historical artifacts. It is also home to Janggyeong Panjeon, a series of 81,258 wooden printing blocks that are over 1,000 years old. When the blocks were inscribed, the scribe had to take three insas, or bows, for every letter that was written. To preserve the wooden printing blocks, several ingenious preservation techniques are utilized. The foundation is composed of a unique blend of clay and grass that repels insects and bugs. Hydrodynamics are also employed through the placement of windows to repel moisture. Sadly, photography is prohibited within the building so I didn't have a chance to capture any pictures.Yet the temple and the woodblocks have survived seven fires, two foreign invasions, and the threats of time and erosion. Not surprisingly, the temple has been renovated over six times since its construction in 802AD.

Outside of the Janggyeong Panjeon, the site features residences for the monks, numerous temples, and stunning grounds:

The temple is so high in the mountains the clouds roll over the grounds

The river that runs through the temple complex

The view of the main temple



Outside the main temple


The grounds in front of the main temple

The temple grounds from another angle


Legend says that during the Korean War, an American bomber pilot was ordered to bomb the Haeinsa temple because intelligence units claimed that North Korean spies were hiding in the local mountains. Yet upon first glance of Haeinsa from the air, the pilot conscientiously disobeyed orders because he could not bring himself to destroy a place of such beauty.

We also received a tour from one of the monks, whose name I missed. Interestingly, he attended college in the United States, and dropped out to join the monastery. He explained how "he had it all: a beautiful girlfriend, a new sports car, and his own apartment." But after a car crash brought him within seconds and inches of his life, he had a religious experience that drew him to the monastery. He says he hasn't looked back since.

Our monk guide giving us a tour

Our guide explained how there are freshman, sophomore, junior and senior monks. Like any organization, a hierarchy of hazing exists. Apparently, some monks are assigned to a year of silence, or prohibited to look at the sky. These harsh hazings are designed to help the monks appreciate the simple things in life. Violations of these rules result in a punishment of 500 insas, or bows in the temple. Further violations result in expulsion. Not surprisingly, more than half of all first year monks drop out, and a quarter of those leave within the first two weeks.
He described a typical day as follows: Wake up at 3:30am to bang the ceremonial drum (see further down for more details), prepare breakfast, and then pray for the sun to rise. After working on maintaining the grounds for the day, the monks turn in around sun down to rise and do it again.

The next morning, we had the opportunity to view a traditional drumming ceremony. Each drum is designed to awaken certain creatures that dwell in the four realms of earth, hell, water and heaven.


Video of the drumming ceremony

During the drumming, many people would walk through this maze as part of the religious ceremony


Even monks use digital clocks!

The brightly colored objects are actually paper flowers

Overall, the weekend trip to Haeinsa provided for a great opportunity of rest and bonding among the fellow ETAs. Once we returned, it was back to the grind: Korean classes and more seminars. But orientation will soon take on a different flavor. This week, hundreds of Korean elementary, middle and high school students will ascend on our university for two weeks of English camp. We will be guest teaching periodically and leading other activities. Stay on the lookout for the next post as Camp Fulbright begins!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Orientation Adventures


It's been a week into orientation, but it feels like i've been here for months. The program is well underway- I finally feel like I know the names of my fellow ETAs without having to look at their name tags. Luckily enough, the other ETAs are really diverse and dynamic. I feel like every ETA has something unique and special to offer. I've noticed that there are a few reasons people chose to apply for Fulbright in Korea. There are many Korean Americans who are here to reconnect with family, recent graduates from teaching programs and Teach for America alumni who are here to hone their teaching skills, and others who are here to expand their boundaries and try something new. Not only do they have a wide range of interests, but they come from a variety of schools as well. Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Stanford, Grinnell, Pomona, Wheaton, Smith, USC, Michigan, Johns Hopkins, and University of Virginia all have at least one Fulbright fellow in our program. However, Pitzer has the most with five.

Not only have I gotten to know my fellow ETAs better, but I can successfully navigate the labyrinth of mazes known as Jungwon university to locate the dining hall, (or "grand cafeteria" as it is referenced on the map), the basketball courts, and my room.

The men's hot spring boasts a number of different saunas, a pool, and showers. I'm holding a cup of noodles I bought from the campus store

Jungwon University is adjacent to Goeson, a small town in the 시골, or countryside. As a reference, this small country-bumpkin town boasts an impressive 40,000 people. Needless to say, the population density in Korea is much greater than it is in the United States. Goeson is within walking distance of our school, so we frequent the town often.

Beautiful Goeson

The Goeson countryside

A view of Goeson from the street

the streets of Goeson

A typical day begins around 7:30am. After showering in the bathroom (see previous post), breakfast is served between 8 and 8:50am. Korean classes begin at 9, and continue until 1pm.
Lunch is served from 1 to 1:50pm, and afternoon classes begin around 2:30pm. Sometimes we have guest speakers who present on a variety of topics, from race and gender in Korea, to workshops on incorporating American pop culture into our ESL lesson plans. Other times, we have officials from the State Department speak to us about networking opportunities within the Foreign Service and other ways we can use the Fulbright network in the future. A few of us usually sneak in a quick game of hoops after the afternoon session. Dinner is served from 6 to 6:50pm. Then there are a variety of clubs and activities that take place in the evening for us to participate in if we wish.

Last week we had to take our headshot photos for the Fulbright yearbook. Since these photos will also be given to our schools and host families, we had to appear presentable. But the 86 degree day with 90 percent humidity convinced me to skip out on the pants.


On the weekends, we go on various educational field trips to other parts of Korea. This weekend we visited the medium sized city of Chungju, located about an hour and a half away from Goeson. The city has close to half a million people, flashing neon signs, bustling streets, and traffic This year, there a few ETAs that are currently placed here:

Chungju streetscape

A cool alleyway.

A corner in Chungju. The Pizza Hut in the distance is a sit-down restaurant-the average item costs at least 15 dollars

Apparently, a few students from UCLA are in town tutoring high school students at a local private school. It was quite a shock to see my hometown school represented halfway around the world!


A cool outdoor market

Fellow ETA, friend, and Pitzer almunus Misa Kabashima and I posing for a photo

The best part of our trip to Chungju had to be the food. We went to a typical Korean barbecue restaurant for lunch. We ordered beef, pork belly, and beer. It was absolutely amazing. I've been to Korean barbecue all over Los Angeles, including Korea town. There is really no comparison. It was the best of both worlds: great food for an even greater price. I paid less than 9 dollars for beer and food.

I don't know what they were, but the side dishes were delicious as well.

Pork belly and beer! What more could you ask for?!

Overall, the day trip to Chungju was great. It was really nice to see another part of Korea and experience a slice of city life. So far, I have this impression that Korea is one giant playground for us. We can participate in a variety of activities such as volunteering, hiking, sightseeing, and cultural events, all while our daddy (i.e. the State Department) pays for it and makes sure we're always safe. And to boot, my experiences with the Korean people have been nothing but positive. But we are very sheltered, we see more Americans than Koreans, and everything is organized and done for us. We really don't have to engage the host culture if we choose not to. I think the real challenge will begin once we leave the secure cocoon of Orientation. Nonetheless, i'm looking forward to the upcoming year and the adventures to come.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Greetings from South Korea!

Welcome to my blog and greetings from South Korea! For the next 12 months, I will be teaching English to secondary school students as part of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship program. My official title is Fulbright ETA.
The William J. Fulbright Scholar Program was founded in 1946 by Senator William Fulbright with the intent to foster diplomatic relations between the United States and the international community. The program is run by a Presidentially appointed 12 member board responsible for candidate selection and policies. The funds are appropriated annually from the US Congress and in the case of South Korea, funding is shared between the each country. According to the Fulbright website, there are approximately 30,000 Fulbright alumni who have participated in the program since its inception 60 years ago. This year, approximately 270 people applied to for my program, and 73 were accepted.

ABOUT MY PROGRAM

My year in Korea consists of a six week orientation program followed by a home stay placement that will be determined at a later date. Orientation is held at Jungwon University, a private college three hours south of Seoul:

The official Fulbright Banner that greeted us upon our arrival to Jungwon University

During orientation, I will be attending intensive Korean language classes for four hours a day, seminars on teaching pedagogy and cultural electives such as taekwondo and calligraphy.
Orientation is led by 6 Orientation Coordinators, who are former ETAs themselves. They lead the ESL teaching workshops, organize team building exercises between the ETA’s, and plan educational field trips. We also have a Resident Assistant who is a student that attends Jungwon. He is here to assist us with any problems we may have during our stay on campus. Since Jungwon is a private, more conservative school, men and women are housed in separate dorms. Interestingly, Jungwon just completed its third semester as a college, making it approximately a year and a half old. Nonetheless, the campus is breathtaking, with its majestic scenery and manicured grounds.

The main administrative building. The soccer field is in the foreground.

The soccer field!



The view from inside the Administrative building towards the front lawn. Although the floor looks wet, it is actually polished marble.

A cool structure on the campus

A random picture of godzilla eating a fish.

Landscaping at Jungwon

The administration building

We are also required to write about our adjustment to Korean culture, and discuss these thoughts and concerns with one of our Orientation Coordinators. For example, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering rooms, which is a lot different that custom in the United States. Although that might be an engaging topic to write about, I might choose to write about the ergonomic design of the bathrooms:

The shower head is connected to the sink, and the floor has a drain. There is no designated shower stall- you are expected to shower in the bathroom

While the shower situation may be interesting, I really enjoy my roommate. His name is Clint Fluker, and he is 24 years old. He is from Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Morehouse college. I look forward to getting to know him a lot better over the next 6 weeks.

Clint and I striking a pose

In our room, there is a dividing wall between my bed and my roommate's, which adds an element of privacy.

The dividing wall features moveable windows!

On the weekends, we will be visiting numerous sights around the province, including Seoul and the Demilitarized Zone. Overall, the program is very organized. It is very apparent that Fulbright will take very good care of us during the next year. To be honest, it feels a lot like summer camp for adults- we have counselors, name tags, itineraries, roommates, and curfews!
The program also consists of arranged meetings with important US Embassy officials throughout the year. One of the highlights includes a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the Official US diplomat to Korea for all the ETAs on my program. Other perks include access to the military APO shipping service at a reduced rate , quarterly stipends, a salary, and a subsidized cell phone service plan.
I am really excited to embark on my adventure during the next year in Korea. Thanks for reading and look out for the next post!