Composition Class

I don't like formulaic writing styles for many reasons.  The first reason is because the writer loses their voice.  Secondly, it does not promote creativity.  Lastly, it's boring to read.  In conclusion, I don't like formulaic writing styles.

On the first day of class, I told my composition class to write about anything they wanted.  A student named Jane wrote:

"One month ago, I went to the dental clinic.  Because I had a toothache.  I had an examination and my wisdom tooth will take out.  Now my wisdom tooth is not in my mouth.  Anyone says to me; "If you had a wisdom teeth, You know what is life."  I haven't know what is life, but I know it.  "Don't eat sweet candy and chocolate too much!!"

Her paper went in the "save for later" pile.

One class, I asked them all to write about three things they would bring with them to a deserted island.  

Most students wanted to bring a laptop.

I mean, I know this is a fantastical question, but your answer should still be based on reality.  What would you do with a laptop on a deserted island?  Update your facebook status to: 's stranded?  Unless your other two items are a satelite dish and a solar panel, a laptop's pretty pointless.

One student saved my grading day.  His answer?  His girlfriend, a big sharp knife, and a lot of beer.  Now there's an answer I can get behind.

This same student, Jun, also made my day when I asked the students to write about themselves in the present tense 15 years from now.  I emphasized that they should be creative.  A lot of things can happen in 15 years I told them.  

Every other student essentially wrote the same paper.  I am married.  I have 2 kids.  I am working hard at my job.  I am not making much money.  I guess if they don't dream big they won't be disappointed.

Jun turned in something different:

"I live in a caravan near Jiri mountain.  I am not living like other people who have their own cars, houses, wives, and children.  I have got my girlfriend.  We are not going to get married."

I literally set the paper down, looked upward and breathed a big sigh of relief before continuing.  He went on to talk about how he does not need to live like everyone else to be happy.  If I'm allowed to have favorites, he's mine.

Boom isn't in my composition class, but I thought you might be interested in an update from him anyway.  He came up to me last class and told me he wanted a different name.  I guess he wanted something a little more normal.  

"I want changey name."

"Really?  What name do you want?"

"Poo"

".....Poo?"

Then he pointed to his folder.  It showed Winnie and Piglet chillin with Tigger.  Fantastic.  Pooh it is.

Even  less related to Composition Class, here are some pictures I took on a hike yesterday.  The first is a panorama pieced together from 9 pictures:

Boom

Movie stars, wrestlers, baseball players, onomatopoeia and cute animals are all fair game when it comes to English nicknames.

In Daejeon, I was teaching elementary and middle school students, most of which had not yet chosen an English nickname.  I would go into class and write the names of my family members on the board and let them take their pick.  Soon it became a personal challenge to name a Korean student for every extended family member back home.  After covering Sara, Steve, Alex, Tom, Kay, and Becca, I moved on to aunts and uncles, grandparents (I never convinced anyone to be Mama May..... though not for lack of trying), and was working on some cousins before everything went crazy and I moved to Mokpo.

Not all students were a blank slate for my naming pleasure however.  Notably Kitty, Hobart, and Linny.  Man I miss Linny, he was awesome.  Of course I also miss Jim, Judy, Tom, Tina, Rob, Jay, Mary, Katie, Lisa, Sara, Janis, Becky, and the others, both Korean and otherwise.

At the University, either the students are more creative with their names, or their Middle school foreign teachers were more creative than I am.  Here, I've got a Malfoy, two friends named Harry and Potter, and who can forget the silent yet lovable Mr. October.  Speaking of Silent, I've got one of those too.  Politics aren't left out of course.  Ohbama (with the "h") always sits in the front row.  There's also (inexplicably) Drogba, several Sunnys, the Cashesque boy named Kate, and the student who couldn't make up his mind for a week and then finally settled on Boom.

I suppose I should show more responsibility and tell these people that their names are complete nonsense.

But who can blame me when I get to read off these names for attendance every day?

New City : New Blog

Here it is.  A brand new blog.  No guarantees that this one will surpass the 8 posts that Dralle and I cobbled together.

A lot has happened since I first came to Korea, and I could spend my first post getting you up so speed.  But I'm not.  This post is about now, in the future when I get bored maybe I'll tell the tale of how things got to be this way.

I live in Mokpo, which is a smaller city on the southwest corner of the peninsula.  

Here are some pluses of my current situation:

- The apartment has a 4 burner gas stove and there's a full size oven.  This is rare.  Very rare.  I'm afraid of losing friends to jealousy.

- I have my own office at the school complete with a computer, tv and a couch (for naps between classes).

- I get 8 weeks paid vacation, which comes in chunks of 4 weeks twice a year.  In Daejeon I only got 2 weeks, and nobody could actually tell me when that would be.

-I teach at Mokpo National University, which will certainly look better on a resume than "Good Morning Language Academy"

The foreigner community here in Mokpo is small, but active.  I've already participated in several all foreigner texas hold'em matches, an Indian food potluck, a book swap, and a hike.  I'm also looking forward to a chess tournament and hopefully some open mike nights or some busking.

When I started I was afraid the 8:30 am classes and 30 minute commute would be taxing, but that hasn't really turned out to be the case.  I'm done with work at 4:30, and I'm only in the classroom for 3.5 of those hours, which leaves tons of time for reading, studying, hiking, napping, and general relaxation.  What?  Hiking?  Yeah.  The University is nestled between a couple gorgeous ridges.  I took this shot on a hike today between classes: