Happy Birthday, Dillon

Dillon

One of coolest people on the planet is Dillon, a student at my university and a former assistant.  His Korean name is Yi Jong Hun.  Today is Dillon’s birthday, and this post is dedicated to him.

My husband and I met Dillon when he was assigned to work with us last semester as our assistant.  Dillon immediately proved himself to be indispensable.

God gave our young friend an abundance of gifts.  Dillon is talented in the visual and performing arts.  He now leads the praise and worship at the university church, where hubby delivers the Sunday sermon.  Dillon shows up each Sunday at the newly-formed church without fail, bringing his guitar and angelic voice.  When we recently lost our keyboardist, Dillon stepped in with his MacBook, which contains for each Sunday’s hymns.

Dillon is fluent in English, which is another thing that sets him apart on this campus.  He can even pray in English.  This really impresses my husband, who says it’s not easy to pray in another language.

When he worked as our assistant, Dillon carried a lot of responsibility.  First and foremost, he was our translator.  Virtually all of the university communication is in Korean because so few people speak the language well.  So every time we received a notice or correspondence  — every time signs were posted — we asked Dillon to translate for us.  He also recorded grades and handled other projects.

When we first arrived in Korea, we needed to transact business, such as open a bank account and purchase a cell phone.  Dillon went with us, making those transactions so much easier.  We learned quickly that we could trust him with confidential information.  He is in his mid-20s, yet Dillon is one of the most mature and level-headed people I know.  In time, he became an extended member of our family.

Our multi-talented friend is shy and humble.  But hubby and I also see the wonderfully social side of him.  He has loads of friends.

When last semester ended, so did Dillon’s job as our assistant.  He continues to be a good friend, and we’re always happy when we see him on campus.

For us, Dillon is Korea.   To our dear friend, Happy Birthday.

Wishing you the best for 2012

Students and surprises

I have been in South Korea for three months.  My, how time flies!  I’ve seen some wonderful improvements the students’ English skills.  This is especially true of the freshmen, many of whom who had no clue what I was saying the first day of class.  They didn’t even understand me when I said they had a five-minute break or that class was dismissed.  Now they understand my jokes.

Teaching English to first-year college students is no picnic.  In both teaching and learning, students and teachers must overcome communication barriers.  Even assigning homework isn’t easy.  Typically, I’ll repeat the assignment a couple of times orally, and then I write it on the board.  For students who still don’t understand, I’ll allow Korean translations among the students.

In my intro class, many students did well on my midterm.  And several students flunked it.  It was a wake-up call for those young men and women who hadn’t put in the time studying.  However, I didn’t focus on that.  I told the shocked students that even though they hadn’t done as well as they wished on the midterm, it was possible for them to earn a good final grade if they worked hard.

I prayed for these students at the beginning of every class.  Each of them has God-given gifts, but I felt they needed to be reminded of that.  From time to time, I’ve surprised my students with assignments they thought they could not do.  They surprised themselves when they did a good job.  I never doubted them for one moment.

Today was my students’ day to surprise me.  A couple of girls stopped by the office to tell me that they were waiting for me in the cafeteria.  They had “treats” for me.  I walked over to the special dining area to find that the students had prepared a feast — homemade kalbi (beef) and potatoes, grilled chicken, mandoo (dumplings), fruit, and assorted drinks.  The students also brought trays of the regular school lunch and went to get my husband so that he could enjoy the festivities.  My husband called the surprise a “love feast.”

The food was simply delicious, as were the beverages the guys brought.  (I didn’t eat much of the school lunch.)  At the risk of sounding cliché-ish, I could feel the love.

After lunch, the students crowded around to take pictures with hubby and me.   The kids said they thought that I was a really good teacher and that they had learned much from me.  Also, since the end of the semester is near, the students asked for words of wisdom.

I looked at my husband.  He said, “Don’t look at me.  They’re talking to you.”

I reminded the students that they all had God-given gifts.  I told them that I remembered the first day of class, when they clearly had no idea what I was saying to them.  Now, I said, they are students who touch my heart with the writing and conversation skills they now demonstrate.  I told them I would miss them.  One student said that she hoped I would remember their names.

For me, these students put a face on Korea.  Yes, I intend to remember their names.

Teaching English in South Korea

I was born to teach.  That’s the feeling I get each time I step into one of my English conversation classes.  Two of my courses  are at the introductory level.  Most of my students are freshmen.  I also teach a group of advanced English learners.  Most of them are third- and fourth-year students.  I take my time preparing for the lessons because it is important that the students learn something new each day and grow in confidence about their English-speaking abilities.

Korean schools teach English at the elementary and secondary level.  (My husband tells me that he earned extra money a few years ago when he was asked to teach English to kindergarteners.)  My students have studied English for several years.  They’ve studied grammar and lots of other rules.  However, many students are not strong when it comes to English conversation.   Korean students in college now often have been taught  English by Korean teachers.  My university believes it’s important for students to learn English from native speakers.

The students are eager to learn.  I use a lot of group exercises because I believe in strong interaction in the classroom. Younger students, such as freshmen and sophomores, seem to really enjoy participating in groups.  Upperclassmen, on the other hand, seem to prefer to work alone.  I nudge them into groups anyway.

Even before I taught my first class, I was struck at how respectful Korean students are.  I’m still getting used to all of the bowing.  Students might be running to class, but they’ll slow down and bow on the run!  In my classes, students will go out of their way to assist me.  In one class, someone always gets me a cold drink when it’s hot.  In another class, a student will erase the board at the end of the session.  I’ve also had a student offer to do copying for me so that I can continue teaching uninterrupted.

This is a school where girls walk across campus holding hands, while some boys can be seen with their arms around each other’s shoulders.  The kids at this school — at least while they’re around adults — seem very humble.  If they see my husband or me carrying a heavy package, they will insist upon carrying it for us.  It’s almost like teaching in Disneyland. 

There’s one thing, though, that I’m trying to understand.  In a couple of my classes, I have girls who question me if I let a class out a little early.  Usually, I do this because I want to make sure the students make it to the dining hall before it closes.  We work hard during the class period, so I see no problem dismissing early.  However, I have had girls in two different courses approach me after the session, informing me that the class is supposed to last until, say, 5:30 p.m.  What if someone says something, they ask.  Perhaps these young ladies are classic overachievers.  I’m not sure what motivates them.

But I do know this:  I like teaching in “Disneyland.”

Kimchi and Korea

Start a conversation with anyone about South Korea, and chances are they will comment or question you about kimchi.  The Korean dining experience is incomplete without eating at least one of the several varieties of kimchi.  This traditional cuisine typically includes a pickled cabbage/relish spiked with garlic and red pepper.  Kimchi, along with rice, is a staple in the Korean diet.

Have I tried it?  Absolutely, thanks to my husband, who seems to know where all the good Korean restaurants are located in our California community.  From what I understand, many Koreans eat this dish at every meal.  My husband and I will fly to South Korea in a couple of weeks.  I’m looking forward to sampling a variety of kimchi in its country of origin.

Because kimchi is so much a part of traditional Korean culture, I thought it would be fitting to mention it in this first post.  I can assure you, however, that my experiences in the “Land of the Morning Calm” will involve much more than sampling cuisine.

I have launched this blog on the eve of my first trip to South Korea, where I will work as an English instructor at the college level.  This site will reflect my personal experiences in a Northeast Asian culture.  I will accompany my husband on this trip.  He will train Asian and African pastors at a graduate school, something he has done off and on for many years.   This trip will coincide with our second wedding anniversary.

My professional goal is to help my students become more confident in conversational settings involving English.  My personal goal is to learn conversational Korean (at the very least).  I also intend to learn a lot about the culture.  I’ve bought three books to help me study the language and the country, but the best teacher is simply to immerse myself in the culture.

I am a black American woman married to a white guy, and will be working in a homogeneous society.  I am certain those dynamics will add to the intrigue.

Blogging has been my passion for the past six years, so check this space periodically hear more from me about this beautiful country and its people.  This blog will serve as a journal about what will certainly be colorful experiences in a new land.    I invite you to follow my journey, and I welcome your comments.  To learn more about this writer, click on the “About Deb” tab.