Life at a Femalions' School

Yeah,

Its overrated. Yet it is uniquely different and brings its own advantages to the table. The ladies indeed have their challenges to address when you teach them, especially as a male.

For example, in the beginning, they were happy to have a young, foreign guy come into the mix and fold, which was very exciting to them. Curious stares, random giggly Q & A's in the hallway, to the straight out "I love you's" and "Teacher you handsome!" comments. Its all exciting for me. What got me was random notes of "I love you" on the school playground where I shoot ball or on my chalkboard in my English Zone classroom.

Teaching them as well is a much more easier task. At Yeonsu High, the real challenge wasn't necessarily delivering the material, it was more just fighting them to get the job done! Here, the Korean girl student is at least a little more docile and obedient, so they play ball whatever style you want them to play it.

Yet at times, as a male teacher, you are more isolated from the student body. You can never get close with these adolescent girls, there is always is a drawing bottom line to which how much you can get close and get to know them. Its something God has put in my heart not to touch, but at the same it has given me wisdom on how to approach our teacher-student relationship in another way.

For example, with Hakik Girls' High Class 1-3, I use a dialog journal with them to write to me in a free way. I give them a topic to write about, give them a notebook to write it in, and away they go. The class brings me the notebook every Friday, I review it for errors, and send it back with a few comments and a new topic to talk about. Its a cool way to get to know my students better without really getting too close to them.

In the end, I believe the job that God has placed within me is noble and honoring. I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be working at an all-girls' high school. Its a humbling in a way, that God has allowed me to work with young femalions at such a tender age, and its real cool to somehow be a masculine role-model in their life, and one saved by Christ, in that matter. I hope and pray that they can see the Christ in me and see that I am a changed man, not a typical man.

Other than that, life is good as I prepare for a weekend trip to Taiwan. What new adventures will Soni experience in a land where they speak three/four languages? We shall see as Mr. Soni goes to the land of former Prez Chiang Kai-shek.

Also, Sports Day is next week. Will Soni score 2 goals like he did last year at Yeonsu? No. Because there is no soccer at a Femalions' academy.

Perhaps I can embarrass myself in some other way next week...

Until then, "zaijan."

Rock On!

So, I'm back to the thick of teaching my ladies for the second half of this semester. Its been a fun experience.

So we did a class on "characteristics" recently, and one of the games for our vocabulary building is to have the kids post the new words onto the board to the right category. For example, "button" goes with "nose," and "slender" goes with "face." So, why the kids at each table were anticipating where each words goes, I blasted some Relient K music to get them going.

Relient K is a famous Christian rock band, which also has garnered much success in the mainstream culture. They are known for their stand for Christ's Truth, their discussion of emotional and life issues, and of course, their driving, powerful, fun, and absolutely great rock music.

I played the song called "Pressing On," a lead-off song from their 2001 album. It has a driving guitar melody, and a great set of lyrics that help motivate you to get off your chair and "press on."

I used the song for each class to do the activity, and one student, Ji-yong, from class 1-10, personally asked for the song title and band. She really liked the song. Then I used the song as an English tool for my after-school class yesterday, and it was such a huge hit. The ladies absolutely loved it. I taught them the phrases from the song such as "Pressing On" and "Keeping My Head Straight." It had a real positive theme about dropping your stresses of life and just to keep going, also with the idea that God is there for you every step of the way.

After we did our English conversation exercises, they asked to listen to the song again. Even better, I let them watch the music video online, which they really liked (cuz the ladies were digging the lead singer's looks, figures). But they just liked the concept of giving up the weight on your shoulders and doing what you have to do to make things work in your life.

So, I want to say thank you to Relient K for being a great ESL tool. They worked well last year when I taught my boys during the after-school sessions, and now my ladies are a fan of this hit Christian group. My strategy throughout the year is to use more of these Christian hits that use truth to let them know that there is a Savior that loves them.

"Pressing on, pressing on, my distress is going, going, gone..." (Pressing On, Pressing On)

The next song I'm going to use, which is perfect for a discussion on fashion, is "Picture Perfect," by Michael W. Smith. Talk about an oldie...

School Daze 2008

Yes, its back to school with the kids coming back from their dreaded mid-term exams.

The kids seemed much more rested after a long weekend, but getting their minds to work today was a hassle. Yup, its good to be busy and be teaching again, but getting their brains to get back into the groove of things will be a challenge for the next few weeks. There's got to be some way to get them to study harder in my class...

I'm about to see the famed Iron Man film. I heard its big here in Korea and obviously back in the homeland.

We shall see how this another adapatation of a Marvel Classic fares...

Weather here lately has been cooler and damp, which is good. We've been getting a taste of early summer here, but the rains today kind of cooled off things.

In huge news, and sadly, news of disastrous proportions...China suffered a major earthquake in Sichuan Province, with an estimated 12,000 dead.

In neighboring Burma, another 100,000 passed due to a major cyclone.

An impending food crisis threatens many people through parts of the world.

"Only the birthpains..."

Life is precious, do your best in whatever you endeavor, for the Lord will judge every deed, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes)

The Game of Their Lives - Live Blog

The Atlanta Hawks. NBA perennial losers, has-beens, and a rebuilding headache case. National Basketball Asssociation's long-term project and outside the radar. Now on the verge of one of the biggest basketball upsets in history. In fifteen minutes, back in the United States, the Atlanta Hawks are going to begin a struggle of epic proportions...game seven against the Boston Celtics.


The Boston Celtics begin this 2007-2008 season as the favorites. They have three all-star players in Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and their long-time captain and one-team franchise player, Paul Pierce. They are written in the papers as shoe-ins for the NBA finals


As we speak, the Hawks are getting pummeled 44-26 at halftime. I'm listening to the radio after spending hours failing to find an Internet channel that would broadcast the game. Its 3AM in the morning here in South Korea; that's how big of a fan I am for the NBA.


Even though my favorite NBA team is the Washington Wizards (who sadly got trounced by the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six), I enjoy following underdog, rebuilding teams because eventually, they will go over the hump and start winning. The Wizards went through that rebuilding phase from 1997-2003, and the results after include four straight play-off appearances. Now, the Hawks, who haven't made the playoffs since 1999, not only squeaked into the post-season dance with a horrible record, they pulled off the improbable of actually tying the series, heading into today's games.


Put short, the Hawks are in a huge whole. A big whole. They've lost every away game this series by huge margins. Its hard to win on the road, it takes character to win against a hostile crowd.


To win today, the Hawks have to play the game of their lives. Josh Smith mentioned, "the better team for 48 minutes gets to move on. That's our mission. 48 minutes man, its all on the line for 48 minutes." (Paraphrase from ajc.com)


The Hawks have been perennial losers. They've picked bad players, had bad coaches, and some organizational issues. There was an infamous court case in which the team owners bickered over ownership, with the main issue about signing off for the trade for budding superstar Joe Johnson, who was brought over to Atlanta from Phoenix in 2005.

Their head coach, Mike Woodson, who has been with the team since 2004, has seen the lows. He inherited a losing franchise with his first year only finishing with 13 wins. Awful. They had a bunch of rookies in Josh Smith and Josh Childress who had no clue what to do. The rest of the players were utility men whose careers were already spent, like Tom Gugliotta (aka "Googs"), Kenny Anderson, Antoine Walker, Bobby Sura, and Kevin Willis. They had dysfunctional team play which resulted in many conflicts between players.

Tragically, in October 2005, Hawks big man Jason Collier passed away. He was a friend to many on that team, and losing a teammate had a major impact on their season, finishing 26-56 with many teammates shocked to see one of their own pass away so young and tragically.

The 2006-2007 season saw them improve and build on the previous year, raising their games in the win bag to 30. Mike Woodson was given one more year to build on this small success, lest he be axed. No pressure indeed, right? His goal: make the playoffs or he will be given his pink papers.

So, here is the young team, with a core of Josh Smith, the high flying shot blocker, Josh Childress, the utility wingman, Joe Johnson, the captain and franchise player, with gritty center Zaza Pachulia, and throw in new additions Al Horford (almost rookie of the year) and Acie Law IV (rookies), veteran point guard Mike Bibby (received in a trade), and they started to take off this year.

Through ups and many, MANY downs, this team finally has given the city of Atlanta it deserves...a winner. ATL is a famous city in America mainly known for its famous baseball franchise, but a b-ball team, there has not been hype since #21 Dominque Wilkins led the franchise.

If they win today, wow. If they lose, still wow. The success story of these Hawks is still amazing to me because they have built on each season since Mr. Mike Woodson took over these bumbling fools. He whipped them into shape, gave them an identity and guided them towards playoff glory. From 2004-2008, Woodson has guided his team from 13 wins to 37 wins. Not a bad job for a guy who had doofuses with oogles of talent but no guide.

Isn't amazing how our God can do the same, except on the maximum level considering our talent as human beings, which He created and LOVES to this day?

Just like the ATL, building our lives takes time. We truly all have talents and skills that God has instilled in us. Its time for us to listen to our coach, go out there, and play the "game of life." Whether you are a teacher, a nurse, a fast food worker, business owner, or fixing cars, God has put you in that role for a reason, its your turn to play it.

As we speak, the ATL Hawks are getting pounded 62-32 in the third quarter, so let's just say, it was a great run. Time to go to bed...just got back from Busan last night anyway.