Halloween Costumes ... in Seoul

 Image from Naver Maps

Let's face it.  This is another one of those things you're not going to find in Chuncheon - Halloween costumes for adults.  Since this is the case, the best bet is to go to a party store in Seoul, or more particularly Joy Party.  There were other places I read about elsewhere online, but this information I got from a friend who lives in Seoul.  I recommend checking this place out if you can because they have a good selection.  They not only have Halloween costumes, but pranks as well.  I would post pictures, but I forgot to bring my camera.  Instead, I have a screenshot from Street View from Naver Maps.

The name of this place is Joy Party.  It's in Gangnam-gu on Line 7, Exit 2.  You should check this place out.

As a side note, I would like to point out that on my way there, the bus had some trouble and had to pull over.  The bus driver was telling us that we had to wait for an empty bus to pick us up.  Meanwhile, an angry ajossi was yelling at the bus driver.  The bus driver told him to sit down. While he did sit down, he stood back up to continue yelling at him ... hilarious.

Ssam Ji Don Buffet

 

   All-you-can-eat, it's a wonderful luxury to have.  So is meat.  What if I were to tell you that you can have chicken, beef, and pork for less than 10,000 won?  Yep, you heard me right.  It's a great price, almost the same price as regular restaurants, and you can have as much or little as you want.  If you know the right places, you can get chicken (like the one above) also included, which is one of my personal favorites.   This one is right near .  If you want to get there find the Tous Les Jours bakery across the street from Hallym University Hospital.  Tell the taxi driver 한림대학교병원 (Hal-lim-day-hak-gyo Pyeong-won).  It's behind the bakery on the street perpendicular to the hospital.

Stretch Your Dollar - Transportation Costs

Just like in any city, there are different ways to get around in Chuncheon: walking, car, bike, taxi, and bus.  For getting around, it's no secret that walking takes too much energy and taxis cost too much if used often.  Buses can save time in the right circumstance, which is why those who live in Chuncheon need to learn to use them. (Mac Users: I am sorry, just like you, I have to use a PC 방 to be able to use this site.  It's Internet Explorer only)

The first step is to direct your browser to http://www.chbis.kr/
Then the second step is to point your cursor to 버스 정보 where the circled highlighted area is.

Next, on the left of the map there are three tabs.  Click on the middle one, as circled above.

You have a choice between Chuncheon (춘천) and Hongcheon (홍천).  Since this blog is intended for Chuncheon, I will show you what is needed to use the one for Chuncheon Bus terminal: it's the first one on top.  For Hongcheon residents, point your cursor to the last one.

Choose a bus number that you see drive around your area of the city.  It will show the bus route around the city, the frequency of each new one coming, the names of the bus stops, and when the last and first bus is. At this point you will need to read Hangeul to understand the names of the bus stops, that way you can tell the bus driver where to stop so they can help you.

One last tip: get a transportation card (교통 카드 - gyotong cahd-oo) at any convenience store, and you will save money that way if you use the bus often.  Otherwise you'll end up paying top dollar everytime you use it!  You use this card to tap in and tap out to measure the accurate distance fee - you can also use it at stores and taxis within the city to avoid dealing with exact change.

Game Idea #1 Spinner Template

My students love games, and I love preparing games for them.  I especially love it when I use creativity to modify an existing game, because it's almost as good as though I created it.  For this post, I'd like to share a game targeted for elementary.  I'm not sure if Middle School would appreciate it or not, but you can give it a try if you'd like.

Obviously, you'd want to integrate conversation into the game.  The best way to modify this template is to add pictures (from Google Image search) via PhotoShop.  Don't have it? - me neither.  You can also use Microsoft Paint (access it by hitting the Windows Key + R at the same time, type in mspaint, and finally enter).  Macintosh users: you can use either PaintBrush or TheGimp as a replacement.

Find images, or insert words however you like.  The wheel that is modified I originally took from esl-kids.com under the Spinner Game.  But I added numbers to represent points.  A student uses a pencil to put through a paper clip.  The paper clip needs to be partly opened to be the pointer.  Once you flick the paper clip it will point to an area of the wheel.  If the student answers correctly, (s)he will get the points.  They also add up their points on the score sheet.  The student with the most points is the winner!

Depending on your browser, the commands will be different.  Basically, you'll want to right click and then save the image.

Shady Recruiters: What to Expect From Them

So, if you're ever interested in applying to work for Korea, there is something you need to be aware of - shady recruiters.  Maybe all are shady, because recruiters will say whatever they can to bring people to positions that happen to be difficult for employees to be away from their homes.  Just like recruiters would say things like that to bring in recruits for the military, it's no different than for ESL jobs.  In their charming, masculine accent they might tell you some of the perks of what it's like to teach English, and might avoid telling you things you should know beforehand what to expect.  Perhaps it's impossible to avoid shady recruiters, but I'd at least like to tell you one important angle what to expect from them.


To be fair, it's difficult to sell something especially when the recruiters don't know themselves where you'll be placed, and each school is different in how they run things.  At the same time, they shouldn't ignore some general information that applies to a good percentage of schools.  They might say something along the lines, "Your co-teacher will help you with everything," or "Your co-teacher will be there in every classroom."


Here's one thing that you need to understand:
1) Not all co-teachers will be able to help you.  Some will do everything, and not give you much chance to prepare because they prepare, and you're there mainly to assist (which sucks because you're overseas to teach English, not to get paid for doing nothing); this might be because they are the homeroom teachers and they have no time to prepare with you.  It might also happen the other way around - you will be doing everything, and the homeroom teachers are there to assist (while it's more a workload for you, it's rewarding to have freedom to teach).


2) To say your co-teacher will be with you most of the time should be true, but this  doesn't apply to after-school classes!  If you have a number of after-school classes (from 6~8 classes a week like I used to have at my previous school), you have little time to prepare everything at work, thus leaving you to prepare lessons at home.


But sometimes I've known a couple of teachers that don't have a co-teacher even for the curriculum classes, and they do everything themselves (I'm referring to EPIK teachers).  Fortunately, I've had homeroom teachers to assist me to help re-iterate what I teach, or just to discipline them.


Other schools, like my awesome one in Chuncheon, will have more of the ideal set time to prepare your lessons with the teachers, and only two after-school classes, instead of six a week.  I can't speak for other schools, but it seems like with the bigger ones (versus the country ones) you will have fewer after school classes, if any, and focus on the 3-6 grade classes.


Here's one shady recruiter to avoid.  Although he will get you a job, he won't acknowledge the truth behind the after-school program.  (NOTE: I don't hate after-school classes, but because they require extra preparation, I wish I would've been told about them).  Even when I called him about it to complain on his lack of knowledge, he made it seem like it wasn't supposed to happen.  Well, many schools do it, whether or not it's legal!

Samuel
BCI Academy
http://bciacademy.com/

Tom N Tom's Coffee

Many people love coffee.  The rich aroma of freshly ground coffee and espresso beans is exotic, especially in Korea, the land that encourages coffee that tastes like sand instant coffee.  Drip coffee is not as easy to come by in restaurants here because instant coffee is loved by many here, even when you go to quick-e marts, you won't find any available.  Fortunately, countless cafes are available in bigger cities.  While there are too many to mention, this one is worth recommending.  Tom N Tom's Coffee offers free Wifi without any need for a premium membership to Qook N Show or Nespot, which means you can take iPod Touches with you, or any other smart tablet device.

This place has a nice selection of drinks as you would expect from Starbucks.  But perhaps the one thing that makes this place better than Starbucks are their selection of pretzels: Original, Plain, Garlic, Cinnamon Sugar, Parmesan, and Almond.  To get a better view of their menu, click on the picture.

It's very roomy, and nice to stay in for several hours to catch up on some reading or study.

This place is located in a building that is under construction, in Myeong-dong.

Here is the address:

200-050 강원도 춘천샤 축림동 7-1 다 스탕일(The Style) 빌딩 1층

200-050 Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Chuklimdong 7-1, The Style Building, 1st Floor

Tel.: 033-252-8890

Mob.: 010-5174-2349

Catholic Mass Service in Myeong-dong, Seoul (nope, not Chuncheon)

                                             Image from Wikipedia


Sometimes you just can't find what you need, even in Chuncheon.  When all else fails, you must go to Seoul, because they have almost everything you need.  But the bright side of living in Chuncheon is the awesome bus schedule.  It's only one hour away, but not only that - it leaves every 15 minutes.

For those who need to have a church service completely in English, there are quite a number in Seoul, which you can find here.  If you live here simply because you I personally recommend building a community here in Chuncheon can have better fellowship with your church family.  However, for whatever reason you're in Seoul for the weekend it's always nice to have a backup alternative, such as Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral (명동성당).  This parish has is a Western, Gothic-style architecture building which is available in English at 9 AM.  The priest there gives warm-hearted homilies yet at the same encourages the Church to do the right thing.  If you want to get there, leave the subway and exit Myeong-dong (Line Number 4), Exit 9.

Excel Beyond Your Job Description

I shouldn't even have to say this, but it's vital to go past the expectation of your employers in any working environment.  This includes doing things such as doing your employers a "favor."  (please don't misinterpret this the wrong way)   When it comes to doing your job, sooner or later your boss or supervisor might will need you to come in to work when it's not during your normal time (or even your day off).  Part of making a good impression is to volunteer for that time slot, even though you are specifically told by your employer you don't have to.  The truth is, if you want to excel, you need to help out your school even when the contract or school says otherwise.  You do not get promoted by just doing your job.  Yes, your school or workplace will like you for doing your job, and doing it well - but if others do their job well, how are you better than the others?

In any job: customer service, student work, or ESL teacher jobs, it is vital to show that you care about your job.   Why?  Initially, it's because of the ethics, but secondly, it will benefit you later, if not sooner.  If you want a transfer to a better location, or a letter of recommendation, doing only your job is not going to get you anywhere; but if you do whatever you can to show that you care, you will be rewarded.

It's understandable if you already have made plans and are unavailable for that time, but if you would rather stick to a contract for some selfish reason, then don't expect them to appreciate you.

Sometimes, your school or workplace may never know you did the right thing to go beyond their expectations, and that's okay.  It beats them knowing if you made an unprofessional or selfish decision.  For example, about a year ago, I was asked by the County Office (of a different location than Chuncheon) that I needed to come into the office that same day to bring in some paperwork he should have asked for when I first got there (and this was 6 months after working there!).  The situation was that the boss of that county was a bit disorganized and needed to show those who have a higher ranking above him, and chose to have a translator ask me at the last minute.  That day was also when I had the most amount of classes.  Since he was the boss of my school's principle, I could technically have gotten away with following orders, and avoiding to teach class.  (Yay - a free day!)  But I always care about doing my job right, and this was something I could not let the county boss get away with.  Since my job was also dependent on following these orders, I chose to tell the translator a simple, yet alternative solution - "Do you have a fax machine?"  To this day, my school never knew about this strange episode of my teaching career.

I'm not saying one should say yes to their boss every time, but show an effort that you care for the one who provides you shelter and pay.  Even when it comes to going to a 2 hour-long dinner, do what you can to say 'yes.'

Video Links - Gogo's Adventures with English

Image from didak.com.br

Need some videos to help give you materials for teaching elementary students?  These videos are used in 학원s as a guide for teachers, but for elementary school teachers, they aren't used as often.  Whether or not your school is willing to purchase these videos, most likely, your school won't own them at the moment.  Here is a free method, you can find them on YouTube without any legal risk on your end.  I have seen these taken down from YouTube before, but this has been up for over a year, so it shouldn't hurt to try to post a link to these.  I hope these are a help to your curriculum classes and/or after-school classes.

1. My Name's Gogo
2. What's His Name?
3. She's My Mother
4. What's This?
5. Is That a Tiger?
6. What Colour is This?
7. What Are They?
8. How Old Are You?
9. How Many Are There?
10. What's the Time, Please?
11. What Do You Like?
12. Do You Like Sausages?
13. Revision
14. Have You Got a Ruler?
15.  Let's Eat
16.  I Can Swim
17. You're Big
18.  We're Hungry
19.  She's Got a Towel
21. Where's Gogo?
20. Unavailable.  Have a link to one? Email me. 
22. What's She Doing?
23. What are We Doing?
24. We're Building a Treehouse
25. Where Are You Going?
26. Revision
27.  May I Have a Blanket?

WARNING! Safety Instructions in English Only

Sometimes you wonder what country you actually live in.  Here is an example of it:  I just purchased a coffeemaker.  As you would expect, safety requirements are printed on a plastic bag for parents who don't know better:

 

But here is the problem - "Where's the Korean?"  I wonder if this bag was designed in the USA (or some other English speaking country), and shipped across the world without any consideration to print it for other countries.  While this information is a given, it still needs to be available because many stupid parents exist (like those who leave their kids in the car).  While stupid parents might not even read or consider the warning label, there should still be a warning sign available in their own language to lessen the chance of a kid hurting themselves.

Religious Services in English

Those who are Christians (such as myself) notice there are many churches throughout Korea.  One thing that is more difficult to find are English services.  Fortunately, there is at least one worth mentioning that is completely in English, while there is another church that provides English translation.

1.  석사감리교회 (Seoksa Methodist Church)
 San27-21, Seosa-dong, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
Tel: 033)261-6823 C.P. 010-7151-9032

While this church is Methodist, it's more of an inter-denominational service (including many different Protestant denominations in addition to Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox) intended for foreigners and Koreans who want to speak English.  The pastor's name is Rick de Graat, but you can just call him Pastor Rick.  I personally have started attending yesterday, so I'll try to give more information on what these services are like (like whether or not they serve communion).  What I can tell you for now, is that it has a worship service and sermons based on Scripture, but as far as I know for now, no liturgy is used.

Worship Service Time
Saturday: 6 PM, located in a separate building from the main sanctuary on the 2nd Floor
Sunday: 9 AM, located in the basement underneath the main sanctuary.  Bible Study is at 11 AM

2. Bible Study at Starbucks
For the time being there is a bible study at Starbucks in Myeongdong which is geared for foreigners.   The time is at 11 AM on Sundays.  Occasionally it might not happen.  If you are interested, then please email me so I can let you know if we are having it.

Elementary Schools in Chuncheon

So if you have interest in teaching at a public school in Chuncheon, now would be a great time to get to know some of the teachers.  If you already live in Korea, build a relationship with a school you have an interest in - and the only reason I say that is simply because I know a friend who was placed in a school (but it wasn't in Chuncheon) by simply going there and asking if there were any replacements needed.  Making a resume and a business card should be prepared to give them in addition to meeting the school.  Of course, before visiting the school it's always best to try to call them.  The reason for me recommending this is because with the EPIK program, they will place you wherever they wish, and unless if you have connections, you will likely not get to a school you'd like.

So without further ado, here is a list of elementary schools you might want to try calling that are in Chuncheon.  Sorry, mine's not listed because I'm the only native teacher there.  Simply put, my school's taken.

1. 
   
   삼육초등학교 (Samyook Elementary School)
   동면
   033-241-7760
   FAX : 033-254-5760
    
2. 
   
   춘천초등학교 (Chuncheon Elementary School)
   중앙로3가 (Jungang-ro 3ga) 
   033-256-4781 
   033-251-0915 교장실
   FAX : 033-251-0914 
   
    
3. 
   
   중앙초등학교 (Jungang Elementary School)
   낙원동
   033-254-3046 
   033-251-1473 행정실

As you can see, the list of elementary schools isn't that big.  I think there is more, but it's difficult to search through the phone listings, especially when some schools are listed twice.  If anyone wants to search through Daum, Naver, or Google, be my guest so I can help post it here.

I don't plan to continue to leave out the list of middle and high schools, but I'd rather post a small list and update later, than not showing anything for the moment.

My Awesome Apartment

Some of the perks of being a foreign English teacher is getting furnished housing on top of decent pay.  That means you don't have to pay for housing with basic furniture, ever.  Sure, you will have to pitch in for utilities, but that's expected.  You could either get a small studio apartment between a mansion very nice luxury apartment.

My first apartment was bigger than a studio.  It had a bedroom, office, a kitchen, and a bathroom, everything I ever needed, but it was a little bit crowded.  The furniture included was a bed, desk, chairs, television, a microwave oven, rice cooker, and a toaster oven.  I think the rice cooker wasn't provided by the school but just left behind by the previous teacher.

Ever since I transferred to Chuncheon, I got more than what I expected.  It's a little bit ... too much - I now have more than I need, but I am not complaining.  In order to get in to the building itself, you need to get in through the monitor I myself have access to deny or allow people to enter.  I will allow access for now for you to see what my place is like.  Let us now enter through my door.

     Throughout Asian countries, it is expected to take off your shoes and leave them inside the front of the door.  Sometimes you would leave them on the floor, while other places (such as schools) have little cubbies to leave your shoes.  I myself, have three cupboards to put shoes in.  I couldn't even take a picture of all three cupboards in this passage way.  I only have three pairs of shoes - I must start a collection!

I love my huge living area!  It has a television plus two other things I didn't have before ~ speakers and a couch.  The entertainment center below is also a nice added bonus - so make that three.

Behind the living area is my kitchen, and a very nice one might I add.  It has so many cupboards, I don't know what to do with them.  That's the one common theme of this apartment, there are so many hidden compartments, I might as well build a secret passageway!  See those mirrors? Those are also storage compartments.  I should add that I have a built-in kimchi fridge, built-in wine cooler, and a rare treat for South Korea, an electronic dishwasher!

This is my office from different angles.  Since I don't have a panoramic camera, this will have to do.  Again, this place is about storage - three cupboards to put books and other things in.

Here is a spare room I don't know what to do with, and to your left a spare shower room let's take a look inside.

Yup, this is a "spare" shower room, but unavailable to use because junk was setup in here before I even came here.

Here is a spare bedroom that I also don't know what to do with.  I guess I need to get some mats for friends to sleep over.

Here is a passageway to a closet to your left and the second bathroom to your right.

Finally, here is my bedroom, with some closets (of course to the right), because the theme of this place is to have as much storage as possible.

The pictures are a highlight of what my place is like.  Thanks for visiting! ^^

Jacob's Station Cafe

Image taken from Daum maps

Coffee shops are everywhere in Korea. Some are small, some are bigger. While foreigners like myself like to hang out at Starbucks Coffee or Tom and Tom's Coffee, this is a sophisticated one that is right outside the city - this one is one of the best.  This is the place to go during the night-time because you would be able to see the city at a great view with the entire city lit up.

You can't get there by city bus, you would have to take a taxi.  Tell them to go to Gubongsan and Jacob's Station Cafe.  If they don't know how to get there, tell them to go to Saratoni, which is an upscale super-expensive restaurant.  Jacob's Station is about a minute before Saratoni, so just tell the taxi driver to let you off early.  Otherwise, if you get off at the restaurant, you can go downhill a few minutes by foot.

찜질방 - Jjim Jil Bang

If you live in Korea, you must experience a Jjim Jil Bang at least a few times. My video posted was during a time I slept in Chuncheon before officially living here, and also before I had a Flip Video Camera, which is not the best quality. Coming in for the first time might be a shock for people who are shy about being showering around a bunch of strangers.

Why would people sleep in a place that is not too comfortable? For one, it has many rooms and activities in one location 1) Shower Room, 2) Sauna, 3) PC Bang / Arcade, 4) Exercise Area, 5) Massage, 6) Restaurant, and 7) Sleeping. It also is a way for Koreans to interact closely which is just part of their culture. To miss out on it, would be avoiding to see a key part of what Korea is. For my personal reasons, it was a cheap place to stay, and a way to motivate me to learn to sleep in an uncomfortable environment.

Watch my video to get a glimpse of what one Jjim Jil Bang is like in Chuncheon. If you specifically want this Jjim Jil Bang, the name is:

"Jasujung Bool Sauna (Hangeul: 자수정 불사우나). This place is ₩8,000 per night. The lobby will give customers a pair of night clothes. This place includes blankets to rent, but must be done so before 12:30AM (otherwise, the shop will be closed). This place also includes an indoor PC Bang, an exercise room, and a restaurant.

Tell the taxi driver the name of the jjim jil bang, but if necessary tell him the address is Yagsa-dong (Hangeul: 약사동) 150-10."

- Taken from WikiTravel - however, I wrote that section.

Solar System Model

This is perhaps one of my favorite lessons.  This is one of my last lessons at my rural school in Hwacheon County, about a month before I transferred to Chuncheon.  Normally, what is done in teaching at public schools is using curriculum which is made by the government, which limits what I want to teach, and gives me such a short amount of time.  The beauty with "camps" (which isn't necessarily camp, but more like a Summer School or English Vacation School) is that you are more free to use your creativity and have more free reign what you want to teach.

These solar system models were designed to be used in the classrooms to be hung from the ceiling so that other Korean teachers can teach them the names and order of the planets.  This was also intended as a farewell gift, so that I could be remembered.

While this is one of my last lessons at this school, this is only the beginning of teaching here in Korea.

If you want to use this lesson plan, I used this to guide me on how to make it:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/astronomy/solarsystemmodel/

And I should mention, I used images for the planets and the Sun from here.  Although, it is worth mentioning, you should copy the images and paste them in a word processor, and re-size them accordingly.  I don't want to be too specific, I'd rather have you figure out the rest on your own to use your creativity.  This is a lot of prep work so that the students can finish it in a decent amount of time.  Even then, it took 2 class periods to finish it, but it was worth it.

Prank: Speaking Korean (No English) at In-N-Out Burger

I'm from Southern California, and one of the best places to eat Fast Food is at In-N-Out.  This is one of the places I miss since I'm away from home.  During vacation, I decided to act like a foreigner in my own country ... so watch and find out the hilarious results yourself.

Mission Statement

Image taken from Flickr

Welcome to my blog.  Since this is my first post here, I would like to express the reason for this blog - Chuncheon is an awesome city.  If you are interested in teaching English in a foreign country, South Korea would be a great place to do it; but more specifically, Chuncheon would be an awesome place to do it (wait, did I say that already!?).

* Sure, you could teach in big cities such as Seoul or Busan (with great subway systems), but why would you want to?  You could experience the hustled and rushed big city life just about in any country, and have less of the "Real Korea" experience (yes, I know - I'm starting to sound like Sarah Palin).
* Or you could experience the extremely small villages, but the question is why would you want to? You might be placed in an area where the express bus (city to city) transportation system does not have the best schedule, and if you miss the last bus you would either need to spend the night in a motel or 찜질방 (Jjim Jil Bang).
* You could be placed in other similar-sized cities as Chuncheon, but why would you want to?  Chuncheon has the best cuisine called 닭갈비 (Dakgalbi), has great scenery, and has a great hub to reliably take buses to nearby huge cities (such as Seoul, only an hour away).

Of course, I am only talking about the personal life side of teaching English.  English, the international business language, is very important and needs to be taught everywhere in Korea.  But as far as the personal life side of teaching English, Chuncheon is the best place to live.  Even if you are currently teaching English in Korea, and are not currently living in Chuncheon, you should do whatever it takes to teach there.

As of this writing,  I have been here for almost a year and a half, and I have successfully been transferred to a public school in Chuncheon.  I must say that teaching in public schools definitely has its perks over teaching in a 학완 (hagwon: academy or private school).  The only downside of what I'm recommending is that it is super hard to get in to a Chuncheon public school.  For EPIK teachers who already teach in Gangwon-do you must do whatever you can to show the homeroom teachers that you love your job by showing a love for your students and by being prepared for your classes.  If you are lucky, EPIK might place you in Chuncheon within your first year (but don't count on it).  Should you be desperate enough to get in and cannot get a transfer to a public school, then it would be easier to get transferred through a 학완, if you're willing to risk being placed in a bad school.

Whether you're an English teacher (current or soon-to-be) or just browsing for what it's like to experience Chuncheon, I hope you enjoy whatever experiences I have to provide for you.

Sincerely,

Nathan