Teaching

Yesterday I went to teach for 2 pm. I went to my classroom on time and saw that it was locked. No students were nearby. They should have been hanging around. I had told them there was class today. Anyways, I unlocked it and nobody showed up. I called my supervisor, who then called students, who all said they heard there was no class on Friday. I don't understand that because I told them the day before that there was class. My supervisor called me back and said that I should just lock the door again and go home. I was upset at that. What a waste of my time.

The Isle of Innisfree

(Orla Fallon of "Celtic Woman").
When I was an undergraduate student of English Literature, I took a class called "Seminar in the Lyric" which was about the poets Emily Dickinson and William Butler Yeats. The part on Yeats was taught by a professor emeritus that was nearly eighty years old and had taught at the college for more than fifty years. We studied the poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree", describing an island that the narrator calls home. She told us that the original Isle of Innisfree is actually a very tiny island, with very little room on it. Yeats' idea of it being the perfect place is that it is a place of peace.
I believe we all need our "Isle of Innisfree", or Shangri-la. It's the place where we feel the most comfortable. We find peace and rest. In Connecticut, USA it was Victoria's Station cafe with its couches, fireplace, bookshelves, and butterscotch lattes (with soy!) for autumn's special flavours. When I was a young schoolgirl in Worcester, Massachusetts; it was a place by the brook. It was in the woods near the school and I often went there during recess to enjoy solitude. Later it was the loft that was in the other school's classroom. I used to go there with a book quite often and then read there. It was nice and warm when the heat would rise there. Now I have a one-room apartment in a building called "Pyong Hwa Billa" or "Peace Villa".
Here are the lyrics as sung by Orla Fallon:

I've met some folks Who say that I'm a dreamer And I've no doubt There's truth in what they say But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer When all the things he loves are far away And precious things Are dreams unto an exile They take him o'er The land across the sea Especially when it happens he's an exile From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree And when the moonlight Peeps across the rooftops Of this great city Wondrous though it be I scarcly feel its wonder or laughter I'm once again back home in Innisfree

I wonder o'er green hills Through dreamy valleys And find a peace No other land would know I hear the birds make music fit for angels And watch the rivers laughing As they flow And then into a humble shack I wander-- My dear old home-- And tenderly behold The folks I love Around the turf fire gathered On bended knee Their rosary is told But dreams don't last Though dreams are not forgotten And soon I'm back To stern reality But though they pave The footways here with gold dust I still would choose My Isle of Innisfree

This is the original poem by William Butler Yeats:
I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, 5
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; 10
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Great Slam Poetry

I sometimes watch Def Poetry on Youtube. I like some of those slam poets because they are very creative. It's both poetry and performance. I have been to some poetry readings where the poets just read their poems clearly and it was nice. This type gives more feeling to it.

This one about "Dandelions" is something I can relate to.

Teaching Today

Today teaching got a lot better. I had nine students in my first class. We still talked about The Little Prince. The second class had five students. I had a student in there that I remembered from Honours English. She is a nice student that always says hello to me. She made keeping the conversation going quite easy. I had a good time with them. We had some free talking about various things. The students asked me about what sports I like (swimming, hiking, taekwondo) and what channels I watch on TV (Discovery, Science, National Geographic), etc. Here I only get Discovery out of those. I miss the Sci-Q Sundays with Dr. Michio Kaku that I used to watch religiously. I left the school happy today.

The Four Yorkshiremen

This sketch has been around for many decades. This is a newer version with Alan Rickman, Eddie Izzard, Vic Reeves, and Harry Enfield. I love British comedy. In this one Eddie Izzard can barely keep a straight face. I love how Harry Enfield does his "T"s.

Frustrated

I went to the school to teach my first day of summer classes. I tried to print out some worksheets from my memory stick. The programme wouldn't work. Apparently my computer and the computers at school have different Microsoft Word programmes. I had to go to class and after trying a few computers, nothing worked. I knew I had to make photocopies so I went to the copier. That wouldn't work either. That copier is odd, it makes lots of noise sometimes, and I often want to put a sledgehammer to it. I started making copies, and then some of them were coming out torn, smeared, and then the machine was totally jammed. I found another copier. I started printing on larger sheets of paper. Soon I ran out of paper. I looked around and saw none. I then asked a Korean man to help me. He left and got some paper. By then my class had already started. My Korean co-worker went to the class for me to take attendance. The man finally arrived with the paper. I was already freaking out because he was taking a while to get it. I thanked him. I then started to print--on small sheets. Darn! I then got the papers, big and small, and rounded them up and took off to the classroom.
Only three students were sitting there. I wondered where my class was, there were supposed to be fourteen. I found that most of them were in a school newspaper meeting. I then started conducting the class with some introductions. Twenty minutes after class was supposed to start I had five more students.
The second period class has nine students registered for it. Not one showed up. I then left the classroom after sitting there for twenty-five minutes doing some writing. I found out that some of the kids didn't know what time the class started and where to go. I was very frustrated. I'll try to keep my sanity.

Lesson on The Little Prince

I received a textbook from one of my fellow teachers to use for my summer honours classes. I was pleased to find a lesson on The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I have had that book on my mind lately because I saw a statue of the Little Prince recently. I have also read a blog about the Fox on a fellow blogger's site. I think the book is one of those great works that teach us about life like The Prophet by Khalil Gibran, The Alchemist by Paul Coelho, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse and The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I think what makes The Little Prince so good is that it is told through the eyes of a child. The Little Prince's points of view are innocent that they bring out a simple truth in the things he experiences.
The book has the excerpt when the Prince meets the Fox. I think it's the best part. The Prince and the Fox met each other.
The Little Prince He had a special rose at home that he cared for. He watered her and killed caterpillars for her (except for a few that he left to become butterflies).


One day he saw a rose garden. He saw five thousand roses in it. They all looked like his rose. He was very unhappy. He thought his rose was unique. Now he didn't think his rose was very special.


It was then that he met the Fox.



"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince, "I am so unhappy."

"I cannot play with you," the fox said, "I am not tamed."

"Ah please excuse me," said the little prince. But after some thought, he added: "What does that mean--'tame'?"...

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties."

"To establish ties?"

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."
That is how he learned again that his rose was special. He cared for her and spent time with her, and that is what made her unique to him.

I Taste Like Sugar!

I am sweet, like Sugar. I am all sweetness and light; fluffy bunnies and dancing fairies; happiness and joy. Too much of me will make you sick. What Flavour Are You?

Salutation to the Dawn

Look to this day: For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course Lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, The glory of action, The splendour of achievement Are but experiences of time. For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision; And today well-lived, makes Yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day; Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn! - Kalidasa

Found on a dog's collar many years ago in England.

I am His Highness' dog at Kew.
Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?--Alexander Pope

Intellectual Giftedness

Intellectual giftedness is having above-average intellectual ability. IQ testing has been used to show intelligence scales in the population. Roughly half of the population has a score between 90 and 110. A quarter of the population has scores higher than 110 and a quarter has scores lower than 90. About two percent have scores lower than 70, which would mean they have mental retardation. Another roughly two percent have scores of 130 or higher, and they are often called "gifted". The scores bring about the famous bell curve of the I.Q. charts. (source)I.Q. scoring isn't a exact science because I.Q. tests have a margin of error. The Weschler scale has an error margin of 15 points. Giftedness can also be described as having high creativity.

What does having high intelligence mean?
What does having higher intelligence than most of the population mean? This is something I have pondered. On the good side it means few limitations on academic pursuits and being prone to having a lot of creativity. Having a wide variety of interests is a trait. Yet it also means thinking differently than most of the population. According to psychologists, characteristics of giftedness are: (source)

# perfectionistic and sets high standards for self and others
# has strong moral convictions
# is highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful
# fascinated by words or an avid reader
# feels out-of-sync with others
# is very curious
# has an unusual sense of humour
# a good problem solver
# has a vivid and rich imagination
# questions rules or authority
# has unusual ideas or connects seemingly unrelated ideas
# thrives on challenge
# learns new things rapidly
# has a good long-term memory
# feels overwhelmed by many interests and abilities
# is very compassionate
# feels outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted
# has passionate, intense feelings
# has a great deal of energy
# can't switch off thinking
# feels driven by creativity
# loves ideas and ardent discussion
# needs periods of contemplation
# searches for ???? in their life
# feels a sense of alienation and loneliness
# is very perceptive
# feels out of step with others

What are the needs of highly intelligent people?
The highly intelligent have the need to be intellectually stimulated. Following their passions is important, and so is having challenges. Depression and anxiety can result when they don't have those needs met. There would be a nagging feeling of "I could be doing something better" in the back of the mind. Boredom can easily come when not being stimulated enough. Being a lifetime learner is part of being gifted. Those people are always wanting to learn new things like a new language, instrument, or hobby. They may want to attend live theatre, opera, visit museums and galleries, or take academic classes for enrichment.

Another need is having fellowship with other like-minded people. Though they are able to relate to other people in some ways, being with others like them a better chance to share common interests and talk about things on the same level. The gifted people generally find small talk to get boring quickly. Friendships form because of having things in common, and it is normal for the highly intelligent people to want to make friends with the same kind of people. The problem with that is that it means having fewer kindred spirits in this world.

There are societies of scholars and high-IQ societies such as Mensa (I.Q. 132+) and the Cerebrals Society (I.Q. 144+). Their meetings have people of various walks of life talking about various subjects and is a breath of fresh air for the members.

Being Different
Gifted students are the different ones in school. They are at a higher level than the other students in many subjects, so they easily get bored or want to do a project on their own rather than as a group. Very intelligent students are treated differently by their peers, and that causes many of them to hide their gifts in order to "fit in". Many become the target of bullying because they are different. It is important that they be with their intellectual equals, even if it means not being with students of their own age. They need challenging material or else they will get bored. Many gifted students don't like school because they find it boring or they are the target of bullies. Some are underachievers. They need to have the more difficult classes and peers of similar ability.

Independent thinking is a characteristic of gifted people. History is filled with geniuses who went against the crowd. They thought for themselves, so they didn't do things solely because other people did them. Challenging authority is normal for them. Albert Einstein said "fate has made me an authority myself". He proved his independent ideas because he renounced his German citizenship, became Swiss, Austrian, and finally a United States citizen. He disliked nationalism because it was herd mentality to him.

Overexcitabilities

There are many people who have overexcitabilities. According to studies and observations, they are more common among the gifted population than the general populace. Overexcitabilities cause a person to experience the world more intensely. Psychologist and psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski gave five classifications of them. They are: psychomotor, sensual, imaginational, intellectual and emotional. Those can cause great highs in enjoyment, and also great lows as well. It must be a factor in the reasons why so many creative individuals have depression. Kazimierz had a theory called "Positive Disintegration" in which he proposed that conflicts and inner suffering were necessary for advanced development. (source)

Psychomotor overexcitability is having lots of energy and/or restlessness. The sensual overexcitement is sensitivity to things such as bright lights, loud sounds, touch--so that they may look for very comfortable clothing and seats. Yet it causes great appreciation for beauty and aesthetics. Those are the reasons why some people can compose great music, poetry, and art. The imaginational, intellectual, and emotional overexcitabilities cause vivid dreams, daydreaming, deep curiosity, and strong emotions, among many other things. (source)

In Conclusion
I think it's best for each gifted individual to find their niche(s) where they can flourish. We must all be proud of who we are and not feel that we must follow the crowd and be like most people. There is nothing wrong with being ourselves.

Some of the Finer Things in Life

1. The fragrance of the air after a thunderstorm.
2. The ends of a loaf of bread.
3. A pet cat kneading its paws on you (even though it sometimes hurts).
4. Fireworks.
5. Museums and art galleries.
6. The great outdoors.
7. Hearing from an old friend you haven't heard from in a while.
8. Contacting an old friend and realising he or she is happy to hear from you.
9. Candles and incence.
10. The sounds of songbirds in the morning.
11. Church bells.
12. Rainbows, sunsets.
13. A night at the symphony.
14. The smell of cut grass.
15. Rose gardens.
16. On a dreary day: A cup of tea, a good book, and a cat.
17. Lilacs in spring.
18. Watching ocean waves. The beach at night.
19. German, Swiss, or Belgian chocolate.
20. Sitting around a campfire with friends and swapping silly stories and jokes and singing stupid songs.

Water, water everywhere

I moved into my basement apartment on June 28. I didn't start to live there until July 1. Last week I noticed some water on my floor and wasn't sure where it came from. This week it was terrible, water all over the place. It was seeping from the floor. The walls were all wet on the bottom and there was some black mould in a few places. Today I decided that I wasn't going to put up with it. I talked to someone at work and told him my situation.
The owners of the building and some people from the high school, including the vice principal came to the apartment. They were amazed at the amount of water on the floor. The owners began sopping up the water with rags and putting it in basins and throwing it in the toilet. There were a few small ponds there. The people from the high school were amazed. Someone from the city office was called to take pictures of the damage.
I was asked if I wanted to move to the second floor, even though it was smaller. I said "it may be a smaller place, but at least it's dry". I was going to suggest that if I wasn't asked first.I wasn't sure when I would be moved. That question was soon answered when some movers showed up. It was only an hour and a half after everyone saw the damage. At least things were taken care of.
It was tiring. I got to skip two classes that the Korean teachers took care of. I cleared everything out except my houseplants. Those rooms are now unavailable. I will get my houseplants after I get a shelf for them.
Every cloud has a silver lining: my orchid plant has a new flower on it and I raised it from a tiny seedling!

It's POURING

It is pouring hard. Very hard. I am glad to be inside the office now. I know I will be soaked when I go to class. Many of my students wear pleather sandals to class, the same that they usually wear to use the restroom in their homes.
My apartment is a mess. I am mostly finished with settling in. I still need a drying rack and ironing board. The rain has seeped into my basement apartment, making the walls wet and puddles form on the floor. I didn't expect puddles to grow from the ground. The floor is muddy because I can't vacuum it. As soon as the floor dries I am going to have to clean it well.
Last night I was planning on going to taekwondo. I had previously washed my dobok and put it on the couch to dry. It was still damp, so I ironed it to get it drier. I then put it in my backpack and went downtown to catch the train. I then had the nagging feeling that I forgot to unplug the iron. I went home. As I was going there, some fire engines were roaring past the bus. I then noticed they were going down another turn. I went to the apartment and found that I actually did unplug it.
I went downtown and bought my sister a puzzle of a beautiful Mediterranean scene. Her birthday is today, and well, I should have sent her a gift at least two weeks ago.

Suicide :'(

This afternoon I was at Singil station in Seoul. I had planned on going to the Egypt exhibit at the National Museum at Ichon station. I stopped at Singil because my sandal strap was breaking and I got off the train and bought a new pair on sandals. I went to get back on the train again. I noticed that one of the trains wasn't going anywhere, and the train I was waiting for wasn't coming. I wondered what was going on.
I soon saw some men in orange suits walking on the tracks. They had a metal stretcher with them and other medical paraphernalia. They weren't running and I was sure I knew what happened. I asked a man beside me what was going on. He said "a person is under the train". I looked and saw a crumpled form there. A crowd watched as the crew held up the tarp as the body was lifted from under the train. I saw the person's legs, all muddy with dirty white shoes. The tarp was then laid over the body and some rocks placed on it to keep it from blowing away. They then left it there.
It was interesting to note the crowd's reactions. The people just watched with little emotion. I think people have been so desensitised to these things from media. Korea is also a country with a very high suicide rate. I thought to myself "some family will be crying themselves to sleep tonight".
I left so I could find a toilet. I then came back and went to another platform and soon took another train out of there. I saw the lonely tarp still laying there. Just one station worker stood nearby.

Catbert

I love Catbert. He is so evil and that makes him funny. It is the dark humour that makes Catbert a great character.

Some Keep the Sabbath

This morning I made it to Sabbath School at 9:00 am sharp. I knew where to go, I made it just in time. I saw my friend Wendy there. It was nice to see her. She gave a presentation about the Prodigal Son in a sort of Australian version. There was a "top bloke" who worked at a cattle station. The son left and wasted all his money. He returned and they killed a cow and had a barbecue. I thought the story was funny.
I later sat outside and read my Bible for a while. There were a few people in the church and there was no translation. Last week another teacher translated for me while I was sitting there. I didn't get anything out of that. The teachers then all get together for lesson study after the service. I had some help last week. Today I just sat there, reading my Bible while someone talked in Korean. It was nice to read some 1 Corinthians, but I wanted something more.
Last week I was told by the vice principal that I am supposed to sit through their church service and their lesson study, even though it is in Korean. I knew they wanted me to help them with their English Sabbath School, and I don't mind that. I thought I would be able to then go to Sahmyook University for church afterward. I do think I should protest and try not to have to sit through a Korean service every week.
After church I went to a dinner in the boy's dormitory. I then went home for a long nap. Then I went hiking on the trail that's just off my street. There were many people walking on the trail. I felt closer to God on the trail than I did at services today. I do think that nature gives us that opportunity.
Poet Emily Dickinson was a Christian, yet stopped attending

Some keep the Sabbath going to Church-

I keep it, staying at Home-

With a Bobolink for a Chorister-

And an Orchard, for a Dome-Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice-

I just wear my Wings-

And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,

Our little Sexton-sings.God preaches, a noted Clergyman-

And the sermon is never long,

So instead of getting to Heaven, at least-

I'm going, all along.

Video Killed the Radio Star

This was the first video ever aired on MTV in 1981. Now internet has killed regular video as it was back then.

Quantum Physics and Life

I found this excerpt in a physics blog that I read. Scientists have been trying to explain the difference between non-living matter and living things. When does something become "alive"? What makes it alive? Quantum mechanics has been used for half a century to explain that. So far the attempts have been futile.

Here is a quote from the article by Paul Davies:
[Half a century later, the dream that quantum mechanics would somehow explain life “at a stroke” — as it had explained other states of matter so distinctively and comprehensively — has not been fulfilled. Undoubtedly, quantum mechanics is needed to explain the sizes and shapes of molecules and the details of their chemical bonding, but no clear-cut “life principle” has emerged from the quantum realm that would single out the living state as in any way special. Furthermore, classical ball-and-stick models seem adequate for most explanations in molecular biology.]

I think science is wonderful, yet so much of it is used as an excuse to figure out the universe and life without God. Things will never be explained by science alone. We can't use supernatural beliefs in the scientific method since they can't be proven. Yet, there are so many things that can't be completely explained. Someone made us and the world we are in. That's the only way to explain the source of life.

First Day Teaching, Taekwondo

Yesterday was the first day I taught at the high school. Many of the classes are being taught in temporary classrooms because the newer school is still being built. It's OK, it doesn't bother me. It was a good day. I had two higher level honours classes that had 13 students each. I am sure I will have a good time with them. The only problem is that most Korean students are very shy. I had a lower-level class with about 40 students in it that was more difficult, and one mid-level class that went well.
After classes I went to taekwondo for the first time at that dojang. I am still new at the sport. I went there because I know there are many other foreigners there, so I can get some help in English. I also already have some friends there. an International Taekwondo Federation dojang. It is a type of taekwondo that is popular in North Korea.
My first lesson went well for the most part. I think I did well for a beginner. I am glad I did stretching exercises on the roof while I was at my last residence. I would go for a walk every morning and then go up the elevator for 20 floors and put my leg up on the wall and stretch. I would do other stretches there. I had a good view of the mountains.
I did have some difficulty with some stretching. I was trying to get close to doing the side splits (I'm still not near to doing that) and a Korean man helped me. He sat on the floor in front of me and grabbed my hands and put his feet against my legs. He pushed my legs apart and I was yelling. That was intense. I don't think that is done in the West as a standard procedure.
I am glad that I had a good first day as a high school English teacher. I need to learn about how I can teach my students better. I want to do my best as a teacher. I also want to have fun with taekwondo and have some nice friendships there.

Sunday, July 5

This morning I woke up at 4:30 am and left the apartment at 5:00 am. I made it to Guri station at 5:15. I was hoping to catch the earliest train to Seoul. I planned on going river rafting today. I was appalled that I didn't see a train until 5:40. I was hoping to get to Juyeop station in Ilsan by 6:45. In the station I met a man from Uzbekistan. He said he had been there at 5:00 and there was no train. I was glad that I didn't miss anything. He said he was going hiking with his coworkers and he invited me to go. I said that was nice, but I had already made plans. I wouldn't have gone anyways because he is a stranger.
I did make it to Ilsan, yet I was a few minutes late. They were waiting for two other people. I didn't feel so silly then. After changing trains at Hoegi and Jongno-3, I hopped into a taxi at Anguk station. I had some time to get to the ATM to get some more money to pay for the trip and get some snacks.
The river was beautiful. It had cliffs on both sides. They had vines and ferns in the crevices, and some small trees at their tops. Occasionally a thin waterfall would wind downwards and pour into the river. The cliffs were made of igneous rock and often had a burned affect. The Korean peninsula was formed by volcanoes a long time ago. The river then made those cliffs by wearing them away over thousands of years. We saw rock formations that looked like a gorilla, a mouse, a man, and an alligator.
I had never gone river rafting before, except for a small activity that was at a staff retreat at Madalpi years ago. It was just a short trip up the river and back. This time it was the real thing. I didn't want to fall out of the raft, so I held on tight when we went over the cataracts. We splashed other boats.
It was fun and a good time. We played a game where we all did "rock, paper, scissors" and the loser had to stand on the bow of the raft and hold their arms apart like Kate Winslet on "Titanic". An older Korean woman was the "loser" and she went to the bow. Someone held her. She fell in of course, but was swimming fine.
I would go rafting again. In some ways rafting is better than canoeing because it is more exciting. Yet it is nice to have a cooler in a canoe with some snacks and drinks and have a nice relaxing time on the river as well. Both are good.

Work at the new school

I haven't begun formal work at the high school yet. I will start that on Monday. Today I knew that I would have to be at English Sabbath School at the school at 9:00 am. I didn't think anything bad of that. I knew already that I would be expected to help out there. I arrived a little bit early so I could find where the place was. It was in a classroom. Harry, a man from England, conducted the lesson. He said he had met me before, but I couldn't remember him. We had met a few years when I worked in Korea the first time. I then had to go to the chapel for the sermon held by the campus chaplain. Everything was in Korean, and my co-worker did some loose translating for me. Afterwards, I went to the staff room for a Bible lesson that was conducted entirely in Korean. He also did some translating. I felt perturbed. I knew about having to go to English sabbath school and that didn't bother me. I agreed to it. I was thinking of going to the English church at Sahmyook University afterwards. I didn't know that I would be expected to sit through a Korean service and then a Korean Bible study. I am not happy about that. I have made friends at the SYU church and I like hearing a sermon in my native tongue. I want to try to fight it, but I will have to accept if it they make me sit through it all the time.
I later went to the church at SYU because there was going to be a fellowship dinner. I also borrowed a suitcase from some friends from Australia. I wanted to return it, yet I didn't see them there. I left it with someone else. It wasn't a big deal to lug around since it was empty.
During dinner I saw with a couple. The man is a Zulu from South Africa and the wife is Korean. They just had a baby girl named Nicole Hwang-hee. Today was the first time I saw her. She was beautiful. I loved her wavy black hair. I had wondered what she would look like, since her father is very dark and her mother very light. She has tan skin. I am sure she will be a very adorable toddler when she has a full head of her nice wavy hair.
I later went home and took a nap. At 7:00 pm I went outside and took a walk up my narrow street. I then noticed a pathway. I decided to follow it and met with the campus chaplain and his wife. They were just leaving. The pastor said that there was a spring up there. I followed the pathway for a while, yet I didn't find a spring. I turned around because it was getting dark and the mosquitoes were out.

German graduate school programme

This looks interesting. I went to visit the Ilsan International Church recently and I found a pamphlet for a graduate programme in "International Social Sciences" at Friedensau University near Berlin, Germany. The programme looks very interesting. It is offered in English. It is about social management, humanitarian aid, and disaster response. It incorporates gender issues, comparative religions, tropical medicines, and many other things.
It is something to think about. Yet a requirement is having a degree in a social science or an equivalent. My degree is in English. I think a social science would be something like social work, public health, or sociology/anthropology.
I did get accepted into graduate school for religion. I do find religion to be very interesting. I have always wanted to learn more about that subject. I was also interested in public health as well. I have felt that public health offers more job opportunities and I could also help other people.
A few years ago I did look into the International Development major at Andrews University. I attended AU for two years. I liked that school a lot.
I do want to travel the world, help other people, and just make a difference.
When I returned to the USA after living in Korea for a while, I learned about a program based in New York City called the "Friends World Program" that is known as a "Global College". It is a bachelor's degree in global studies. The major offers a few choices of curriculum. There is a study-abroad year in Costa Rica, and options for study in South Africa, Japan, India, China, and an academic year held in various locales around the world for the sake of studying comparative religions. I thought that degree would be great, yet it is VERY expensive. Also I didn't feel sure I wanted to make that sort of commitment at 26 years of age. Now I will be 30 next year and I still haven't settled down and I'm fine with that.
I did feel that I could make my OWN global studies programme. That's right, travel the world myself and make MY OWN curriculum. Making an itinerary to travel around, learn new things, meet new people and have fun. I don't need a formal "global studies" programme, I make my own.

Life in Guri-si

I am still trying to get settled in Guri-si. My apartment is still in disarray. I need to straighten it out for a little while tonight and tomorrow. I like my new apartment a lot. I get to live alone, which is great because I don't have to deal with a roommate. I have't had a lot of roommate troubles, except for a few instances, yet it's great to not have that issue. I do want to invite friends over when I get the place more in shape.
I am pleased to find out there is a Lotte Mart, GS Supermarket, VIPS, movie theatre, Dunkin Donuts, and many cafes nearby. There is also a small mart at the end of the alley that I live in.
My new job hasn't really started yet. I will start formal teaching on Monday. I will have some time off at the end of the month. I will get about two weeks just to relax. I should do some of that and also do some sightseeing.