Sheetal Makhan

Seo-joon's 1st Birthday Party

My friend, Hye-jin's baby - the gorgeous Seo-joon who I'm crazy about, had his first birthday celebration today: Sunday, March 14 2010.

A child's first birthday is a milestone in Korea. Many years ago, the country had a poor health system and many children died before their first birthday. If a baby lived past 100 days, the family would celebrate. If they lived up to their first birthday, the celebration would be even bigger. This tradition has carried on throughout the years. While the 100 day celebration may not be as big, the real party is when he/she turns one year old.

It was raining when I left home, so I took a cab to Bucheon. Traffic wasn't as bad as I thought, but it did take a bit of a long time to get there. The driver was kind enough to find the exact place I needed to be at.

This was my first time to attend a first birthday celebration. It was so fancy - it reminded me of weddings I'd been to here in Korea. Parent's go way out for this occasion. Here are some photos from the party.

There were three 1st birthday celebrations at the same venue (in different rooms) This was at the elevator so that guests know exactly where to go.

This screen changes with photos of the different parties. It has information about the parent's names, the starting time and what room the party will be in.

The little man was having his photo taken. The venue has different backdrops for photos - really nice! He was dressed in a little black suit looking too cute!

There's a table with a display of photos and albums where guests can write a message to the baby. Hye-jin told me to write a long message (which I did ... in English!)

These are party favours - towels in the shape of a cake!

The venue with set tables

Some of the food (buffet)

Hong-il & Hye-jin (Seo-joon's parents)

Seo-joon's grandmothers place silk over Seo-joon's neck wishing him a long and healthy life. This is his maternal grandmother.

Various objects are placed on a tray in front of the baby. Depending on what the baby picks up will be the path he/she will follow in life. Example: If he picks up a stethoscope, he'll go into the medical field. A pencil indicates an academic...and there's money which means he'll be wealthy in life.

To everyone's delight, Seo-joon picked up the cash!

With Hong-il, Hye-jin & Seo-joon

Happy White Day!

Today, March 14 is WHITE DAY (Valentines Day) where guys are supposed to give girls candy. Last month on February 14 was RED DAY where girls were supposed to give guys candy. Stores and bakeries are filled with pink and white gift bag goodies, like this here - in Paris Baguette.

Friendly Ladies

I see these ladies almost every day (morning or late afternoon) on my way to or from work. They often sit in an area just around the corner from my school. They so friendly when they see me!

Pre-Spring Snow in Korea

On Tuesday evening (March 8 2010) it was snowing and raining. When I looked out my window around 8pm, this is what I saw.

The next morning when I stepped out my apartment, this is what I saw:

Welcome to the World, Baby!

On Sunday morning (March 7 2010) a little blessing finally made his grand appearance into the world. This handsome little boy belongs to my friend, Chetan and his wife Seema in East London, South Africa.

Congratulations to you both. He's just perfect!

Saturday Night in Seoul

On Saturday evening (March 6 2010), I ventured out to Seoul. After traveling for about 1.5 hours, I arrived at my destination. A friend invited me to a social gathering of his English Club. I met a couple of people, including someone who asked me, "Are you from India?" to which I replied "No" and she went on to ask, "So why are you wearing a bindi?" She was American.

Another girl (American) came over me to me and said, "I've been wanting to talk to you - I miss my Indian friends so much." I said to her, "Who said I was Indian?" She then asked if I was Pakistani, but I made her believe I was Egyptian for a while. Ha!

Why must people assume instead of just asking?

I also met two elementary school girls. One of their dads belong to the English Club. I was blown away by their level of English - they were able to converse with me. Ahhh what a dream if my students could do that!

I hardly took photos - just have this one lousy one which isn't really of anything - just the food table (and some people in the background).

I took a cab home and bargained with the cab driver on a set and reasonable price. It was quite amusing - I was sitting in the backseat while the driver was trying to find my destination on his navigation. He couldn't find my city or area...so I looked (it's in Korean) and found it! An hour later, I was home safe and sound.

Welcome Dinner for Staff - 2010

On Friday, March 5 2010 there was a Welcome Dinner at school for the new teachers. The restaurant was on the same block of my apartment. It was a gal-bi (grilled beef/pork) restaurant.

Welcome speech

New teachers getting bouquets of flowers

...and the meat arrived

This was my dinner - tofu stew and rice

After dinner, the 6th grade teachers went to Bucheon to a bar

Head teacher let me choose the an-ju (food to eat when drinking)
I chose my fav - "dubu kimchi" (tofu)

Lee didn't come to dinner. He left school early because one of his friends' father passed away so he went to pay his respects. HOWEVER - he ended up drinking there and got very drunk. When he joined us at the bar he was loud and a bit irritating. I left around midnight and the rest of the teachers went to a norae-bang (karaoke bar/singing room) which I personally can't stand.

With a new teacher, Mi-na

Terrible Intercom Blunder

This morning, I heard that the principal was in an "angry mood". Everyone was feeling her wrath (including me - in an indirect way).

The worst thing was that she apparently was having words with a teacher and saying how disappointed she was in her amongst other things (I have no idea what the story's about) BUT - they were standing right next to the intercom ... the school's broadcasting system ...and... it...was...ON.

Terrible!

"In my next life I would like to be born Indian"

My friend, Chetan sent this to me.

It's a good read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Note: You can click on the picture to open it in another window for better reading

Beginning of Academic Year 2010

Leaving home at 5pm today, I shared the elevator with a 6th grade teacher.
"How was your first day?" I asked him.
He shook his head and said, "Terrible."

I nodded my head to indicate that I understood.

Today marked the first day of the academic year. The school and English system are completely different to last year and the previous year. Now I have three co-teachers.

KH will teach grade 3 and 4 with me.
JY will teach grade 5.
IK will teach grade 6.

In addition, I will teach Kindergarten as I've done before. This year I will also teach an adult class - an English class for teachers at my school.

IK has just come back from a six month sabbatical. This is the third year I'm working with her, so I'm used to her style - cold and serious.

I'll be teaching fewer classes than previous years, yet my workload seems to have increased. There are more demands and paperwork that needs to be done. I don't mind this. What I do have a problem with is that IK keeps telling me, "It's up to you, but I'd like you to..." when discussing about my lessons...especially classes I'll be taking alone.

I'm completely open to new ideas, but she doesn't seem to want to accept mine.

This afternoon, JY came to the English office to meet me so we could discuss our grade 5 lesson plan. IK was also in the office. She interrupted JY my conversation to say that she'd rather we focus more on the curriculum - OF COURSE I'm going to do that, but I also think it's important to teach them things like days of the week, seasons etc.

Then, she told me that we need to teach the alphabet - which I do ANYWAY.

IK said that the principal told her that there are some students in middle school (who've graduated from MY school) who don't even know the alphabet.

WHAT? I asked her when she "heard" that and she said this morning.

I've said this before. I teach over 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) students per week. Each class is 40 minutes long. By the time the class settles and we get started with the actual curriculum, you can cut that 40 minutes down to 30 minutes.

I'd teach phonics, the curriculum work and other things. And getting a class quiet and/or reprimanding time eats into my TEACHING time. So how many minutes does a child have with me a week?

During my winter camp, when I asked a few students, "How are you?" they couldn't respond.

I feel so despondent.

When IK left the office, JY told me not to worry about what principal "said" because she has a reputation of fabricating stories.

Schools have just commenced. How can the English level of the new middle school students already have been assessed?...and the news traveled to quickly?

I live and work in an area that is not well off. Students have no motivation to study. Many were forced to come to my after school English classes. As a teacher, of course I want my students to learn something from me. Realistically speaking, all 1000+ students WILL NOT.

Hearing that some of MY students don't even know the alphabet does not have a good reflection on ME the English teacher.

This was my day.

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

Today , March 1st is my mother's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

My brother sent me this pic just as they were about to go out. I think my mum looks stunning and I sincerely hope that I look as GOOD in the future!

Sunday Night at the Sauna

Last night, my friend Hye-jin (HJ) and I went to a "sauna" (pronounced sa-oon-na). Last week we were chatting about saunas in Korea and decided to go to one together. Basically, it is a public bath house. HJ did some online research to find the perfect area for us to go to. We're both teacher's and the last thing we need is to see our students or their parents in our birthday suits!

HJ found a sauna quite near to her apartment, but far from mine. We arrived there at around 7:30pm (Sunday, February 28).

We paid our admission fee (6,000 Won / approx $6US) and we were given two towels each. Then we entered another room where we have to put our shoes into a locker.

We found a locker where we kept our bags and clothes. We stripped down. Yes, everything - off. No underwear. No bra. Nothing. It was very empty when we got there and I was really relieved. I felt conscious when I saw one lady looking at me, but I tried to ignore her.

First, we paid money (15,000 Won each) to two ladies sitting in a room next to the showers. They are the ladies who SCRUB!! We entered the shower area. It's a large room that has showers where you can either sit or stand. You take a regular shower and wash your hair as well.

There are four large pools with different temperatures - warm, hot, cool and cold. After taking a shower, we went to these "pools" (like a hot tub) and sat there for a while. Remember, we were still in our birthday suit. WOW! Immediately I thought of my Korean friends / colleagues who told me they'd go to a sauna to relax.

A few minutes passed, and we went to an area where there were two beds covered in plastic. Two ladies, only wearing underwear (no bra) told us to lie down on our tummy (still naked). They put on scrubbing gloves and started to scrub from my legs right up to my back. She hit me twice to tell me to flip over. She scrubbed every inch of me from head to toe. I'm a bit ticklish, but had to endure it! After the scrub, she soaped me down and then put hot towels on my back. To wash the scrub and soap off my body, she poured a bowl of water on me.

HJ and I headed back to the hot tub for a few minutes, and then went to the sauna room (sauna as we know it). We took one last shower and left to enter the locker room area.

In the locker room, they sell everything you need - sachets of soap, shampoo, cleansers, panties, bras, snacks and drinks. HJ (doesn't know why exactly) told me that people often eat a boiled egg after a shower or they drink iced coffee. We had the iced coffee. While the lady was making it for us, we applied oils and lotions and got dressed. We sat around chatting for a bit before it was time for us to leave.

We got a cab and went back to HJ's apartment where her husband and baby were waiting for us. By then, it was 9:30pm and we were going out for dinner! At dinner, HJ told me that she couldn't stop stroking her arms and I realized that sitting cross-legged on the floor, I was stroking my leg! My skin was silky smooth.

Of course, I do my own scrubs at home, but the pressure of someone else doing it for you is very different. The difference is definitely noticeable.

THIS is the secret to Korean's supple skin!

I've always been conscious to even get dressed in front of people, so for me to walk around in absolutely nothing in front of strangers is something quite unreal. And - being a foreigner, I stand out more! After a minute, it just doesn't matter!

HJ and I agreed that it should be a monthly outing for us!

Dinner was soon-du-bu (spicy tofu stew)

Absolutely delicious!

Baby Seo-jun - such a good boy!

Teacher's Farewell Dinner - 2010

On Friday, February 26 2010 we had a Farewell Dinner for all the teachers leaving the school. I've known some of them since my first day teaching in Korea so it was a bit sad saying good bye to some of them. The dinner was at Seafood Blue (buffet) in Bucheon.