The weather is changing, we continue to get to know our new coworkers, people are talking about grad school applications and different jobs for next year, and we've picked out our christmas concert repertoire.
Things keep changing, day by day..... and yet some things never change.
I still have random "adventures" - a euphemism for when I come to a screeching halt and remember that I am an American in South Korea.
Last Sunday I was baking up some scones and invited some of my friends up to eat one. I went to unlock my door so they could come in as they please and miserably failed. We use key codes on an electric lock - I irritated my lock so it started to beep at me. I, flustered by the beeping, found the batteries on my lock and took one out. The beeping stopped. I put the battery back in, and found myself essentially locked into my apartment. In taking the battery out, I had erased my lock's memory and therefore couldn't code into my apartment. Uff da. Once a friend arrived, I went down to the first floor to talk to our "security" dudes. I have never seen these men actually do anything.... they're usually sleeping with Korean tv going in their little booth. Not sure what we pay them for. Anyway! It took a lot of work, including an older man typing in Korean into HIS cell phone (because my iphone was beyond him), me typing what was on his screen into google translate, and then me translating a response. FINALLY one of them agreed to come look at my door. I was so frustrated. The man that came up with me couldn't read the directions on my lock, so he went back down to the first floor to get his partner. His partner came up 15 minutes later with a magnifying glass, as his vision also was poor. I had contacted one of my coworkers who is Korean and she talked to him on the phone. He handed the phone back to me and she said "I'll be there in 45 minutes". One she got to my apartment, she called the number on the lock - unscrewed something and found THE MAGIC BUTTON. I put in my code, and all was well. So. 4 hours and 3 helpers later, we got it.
I was incredibly frustrated when the translation apps were saying that the security guys wanted me to call an engineer. This was the equivalent of setting the time on your microwave, and I couldn't complete it because the directions were in Korean. You want me to call a locksmith/engineer!? AND PAY HIM MONEY!? no. absolutely not. Just come read the directions. They're ON THE DOOR.
nope. no. absolutely not. "Not our specialty" But by all means, keep speaking loudly at me in Korean, that will certainly help. It's so weird to feel like a self-sufficient person, and not be able to complete a simple task because of the language. I think that was where my frustration was coming from - I can do this, but I can't do it in korean. Uff da. I am SO thankful Llandy showed up and helped me get it fixed.
alternatively - last night Pendleton and I sat down to catch up on all our favorite american tv shows that returned this week (Scandal and Parenthood!) and ordered a pizza. I had been told that if you call Dominoe's and say "english", they'll hang up and call you back in a couple minutes, speaking english. We gave this method a try a couple weeks ago and had great success. I called last night and this is how the conversation goes:
Me: English?
Dominoe's: ....no. See & Me? 926?
Me: neeeee. deliver?
Dominoe's: Ne. pijja?
Me: Cheezuh.
Dominoe's: Medium? Largie?
Me: Largie.
Dominoe's: crust?
Me: Original
Dominoe's: carduh?
Me: Cashie
Dominoe's: (price in Korean) ok bye bye
yep. The pizza guy KNEW me and my residence.
The pizza showed up in 30 minutes and was delicious.
Two very different reminders that I am an American living in Korea, just one week apart.
I shake my head and laugh.
What a weird life.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Identity
Identity. Purpose. Plan. Priorities.
These worlds have been rolling around in my head for many reasons as of late.
They're seeping into my teaching as a result of personal happenings and questions.
And I like it.
I've started sharing music with my students to begin every class, just to open their eyes. My students have a pretty developed skills in and preference for classical music. I admire that, but don't understand it. As a high school student, I was in tears over classical music on the radio while riding up 35W north from a summer violin lesson. I remember telling my mom, "I realize that I would be completely happy playing the violin in an orchestra for the rest of my life. I however would NOT be happy for the many years it would take me to get there". My kids and I, we aren't that different, but 7 years later, I'm just trying to get them to shake out of their box. To enjoy ALL music. Not just 2 Chainz and Mozart. WHAT ABOUT THE IN BETWEEN!?
I'm trying to help my students to identify as musicians and artists. An assignment I gave them last Thursday was to email me a quote, image, or their own explanation of what music means to them, personally. Since then, I've been sharing examples along side the music videos at the beginning of class. I shared the stereotypical but very meaningful StoryPeople, along with this quote by Plato.
Most importantly, I remembered the following quote. I shared it with my students today and it might be the first time they've been silent since the beginning of the year. I hold a couple longer quotes close to my heart, and this is one of them because of how and when it came to me. I was struggling between my freshman and sophomore year of college, thinking I should drop out and do something crazy (like go organic farm in hawaii or go to mechanic school. yep.). I was in contact with my voice instructor about how I didn't feel any longer like I was a singer and was considering not going back to my college. I went to visit a friend in my college town over break and he agreed to meet with me. I had already started seeing a counselor (Thanks, Mom and Dad! It was hard for me to accept but it helped me so much!) but my voice teacher had something my counselor didn't - perspective. He knew me as an artist and he knew the community I wanted to identify with. He sat me down, printed off this quote and made me read it to myself. I've been much more at peace with myself since I read these words and I think I saw it hit some of my students straight in the heart during 8th period. So, here it is:
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time. This expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
-Martha Graham
These worlds have been rolling around in my head for many reasons as of late.
They're seeping into my teaching as a result of personal happenings and questions.
And I like it.
I've started sharing music with my students to begin every class, just to open their eyes. My students have a pretty developed skills in and preference for classical music. I admire that, but don't understand it. As a high school student, I was in tears over classical music on the radio while riding up 35W north from a summer violin lesson. I remember telling my mom, "I realize that I would be completely happy playing the violin in an orchestra for the rest of my life. I however would NOT be happy for the many years it would take me to get there". My kids and I, we aren't that different, but 7 years later, I'm just trying to get them to shake out of their box. To enjoy ALL music. Not just 2 Chainz and Mozart. WHAT ABOUT THE IN BETWEEN!?
I'm trying to help my students to identify as musicians and artists. An assignment I gave them last Thursday was to email me a quote, image, or their own explanation of what music means to them, personally. Since then, I've been sharing examples along side the music videos at the beginning of class. I shared the stereotypical but very meaningful StoryPeople, along with this quote by Plato.
Most importantly, I remembered the following quote. I shared it with my students today and it might be the first time they've been silent since the beginning of the year. I hold a couple longer quotes close to my heart, and this is one of them because of how and when it came to me. I was struggling between my freshman and sophomore year of college, thinking I should drop out and do something crazy (like go organic farm in hawaii or go to mechanic school. yep.). I was in contact with my voice instructor about how I didn't feel any longer like I was a singer and was considering not going back to my college. I went to visit a friend in my college town over break and he agreed to meet with me. I had already started seeing a counselor (Thanks, Mom and Dad! It was hard for me to accept but it helped me so much!) but my voice teacher had something my counselor didn't - perspective. He knew me as an artist and he knew the community I wanted to identify with. He sat me down, printed off this quote and made me read it to myself. I've been much more at peace with myself since I read these words and I think I saw it hit some of my students straight in the heart during 8th period. So, here it is:
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time. This expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
-Martha Graham
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