KaDeWo - The Joy Advocate

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Lol It's necessary to greet you this way, because more than a year has passed since I last wrote. I must apologize to myself for that. Some of you dear readers know that I returned to the United States at the end of September 2018; so it is has almost been a year since I returned from life abroad... and GIRRRRLLL the transition has been full of UPS and DOWNS ...Break ups... moving twice ....three new positions.... incorporating exercise at least 3 days a week ... adjusting to a change in my eating habits to lose 40lbs in order to help an injury that happened a year prior... ending a first-time car lease to buy a new car ...returning to therapy to address childhood trauma... re-examining my struggle with codependency in order to encourage healthier relationships with my pare nts, siblings and close friends ...continuing my daily and weekly self-care routine...  and living single (cue sitcom theme song ) in the States alone for the first time. All I can say is that ...

When I started teaching English in South Korea I entered in the middle of the school year. The fall semester had commenced when I came in at the end of August 2016. The start of the new academic year commenced in March 2017. After six months of working in a new school, living in a new country and rapidly adjusting to a new culture and community I felt the level in which I was getting to know my coworkers was moving at a slow pace. Although we ate lunch together, several teachers talked around me but not to me. I thought about this one evening and decided that when the new semester started I would write a Welcome Letter.  In my Temple University undergraduate education courses, one of my seasoned professors had us create a Welcome Letter as an introductory assignment. I am so happy that I took that assignment seriously and saved it with my files I knew I would use throughout my teaching career. When I student taught I wrote and distributed a letter to all of my students and it helpe...

Happy Thanksgiving! I was fortunate enough to attend a local KOTESOL chapter fall event in Daejeon and hear a message from Eunkoo Lee and Casey Lartigue, co-founders of the  Teach North Korean Refugees  (TNKR) organization.  TNKR  is a life-changing program that raises money and helps North Koreans, who are able to escape the country, adjust to life in a democracy and tell their stories as a form of healing.    Listening to these two passionate speakers caused me to reflect on my summer introduction to North Korean person who had only been out of the country for less than two years. During this summer tour we visited the DMZ to see the double-fenced, wildlife barrier that exists at the point where South and North Korea meet.  *This person explained the difficult adjustment that occurs when one has NOT had access to 24-hour electricity, processed food in numerous commercial stores, ridiculous  amounts of outlets for entertainment - includ...

Teaching in South Korea has blessed my soul on so many levels. It will certainly be hard to return to the states (date definitely unknown). Since the start of the semester (see First Day of School post) my high school - 3rd grade  students  (juniors/11th graders) have been reading a chapter on assertiveness. Reading with them has reinforced some key issues that were established in my cognitive therapy sessions between the ages of 29 and 32, regarding speaking up for oneself and creating boundaries.  Since relocating here I have naturally become more assertive - not to be confused with aggressive. This assertiveness is a result of the language barrier, coupled with the ability to reinvent one's self when living in a new environment. However, in regards to my family, friends and future partners I have a new perspective that I am practicing to keep myself genuinely happy, which keeps my mind and body healthy. I failed to be more assertive at my previou...

Directed Audience: If you are moving to South Korea and have read/heard that you should bring your own toothpaste, this message is for you - especially if you are planning to eat traditional Korean meals regularly. I brought mouthwash and several tubes of a variety of my trusted brand, Colgate. I eat lunch with my fellow faculty every weekday. The meals are delicious, sometimes a little spicy and full of meat and veggies. All things I was happy to find, as I had no real experience with Korean food in the states. There are a lot of red pastes mixed into dishes and dark sauces to dip food into. (Coffee is a favorite drink here. Yuck! lol) All things I did not have regularly in my American diet.  Example of our daily tasty school lunches Another yummy example Anytime a Korean person has asked if a dish is too spicy or has warned me before eating, I have often found the spice to be lacking and just fine for my tongue. You should know that I do not ea...

I am renewed! ^^ Therefore, I felt compelled to renew my teaching contract as of yesterday. I will remain as the English Foreign Langauge Teacher at 대전맹학교 (Daejeon Public School for the Blind). I enjoy my work environment and students, in a way I never thought I could. There are several reasons I have loved working at my school for the past 12 months. I will share three: 1. Small classroom sizes and very few behavior problems. There are times when a student might be upset and choose to stop speaking or participating in an activity. This is human behavior with which I am very familiar with, especially from working with students diagnosed with Emotional Disoders. However, the absence of inappropriate language and violent behavior have left me feeling safe and RENEWED, in the workplace.     Yearbook picture day, Fall 2016 (above) English Zone classroom (below) 2. Utilizing my special education (SPED) academic background to ...

The dragon's cave on the island Arriving on the island signage One of the things I like about teaching in South Korea is the regular, scheduled outings with coworkers. Every semester there is at least one group trip; it is not mandatory, but is a good idea to join - if you have not already made plans. My co-teachers have always done a good job in telling me about the "business trips" weeks in advance, so I have never had any schedule conflicts. These work trips can be half a day, one full day, overnight and/or two days. We travel together on a one or two large tour buses, equipped for (the inevitable) karaoke session with microphones and a large TV flat screen. This trip was my first overnight trip with my coworkers, which was fun and interesting. We traveled to YeoSu and walked across a bridge to get to Odongdo Island.  I learned more about Korean culture and food.  About 50 of us left after work on a Friday evening. The drive was about three hours one...

To day, was the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!! *in my Finding Nemo voice* {Can you tell that I love the 1st day of school??? As a student AND teacher I always anxiously wait for this day - planning my outfit, buying the essential supplies, organizing the introductory lesson days in advance.}  V ice Principal and two faculty members On August 29, 2016 I started teaching in Daejeon Public School for the Blind or 대전맹학교 in the district of Dong-gu, in Daejeon, South Korea. Our school follows the Korean Educational System by way of the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education . At the time I started the school was responsible for the education of approximately 111 students (open enrollment during the academic year). Nationwide, the school year starts in March 2nd in South Korea. At 10am there was a Welcome Ceremony; parents and family members attended. The academic year officially concludes with a graduation cerem...

So I don't usually do reviews, but this experience warrants a praise...so le'go!  I booked a trip to Taipei, Taiwan in December 2016 for February 2017. Around the same time I started looking into airport transportation options for late arrivals, conducting random Google searches. Some great person (whose webpage I can no longer find or maybe it was a travel site) suggested AirPopo . The website was helpful in providing an ETA map and comparison price chart for other transportation sources. I downloaded the app, but was not convinced that I was going to use AirPopo. Before deciding to actually use the service, I checked the company's reviews on TripAdvisor . I was impressed with the number of reviews that were excellent. Every reviewer highly recommended the service. 2 days before my trip I attempted to use the app to set up a pick-up. My flight to the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was scheduled to land at 12:35am UTC on a Friday morning. Based on the scheduled...

Farewell Sweet '16!! Dear you, I hope you have enjoyed a SWEET 2016. The year was amazing for me. I have experienced so many firsts. At the age of 33 I am living what I call my "Jesus year". In the past 366 days #leapyear I was blessed to grow in numerous ways. I graduated with masters in Special Education from a private Jesuit institution. I quit a job that was encouraging depression due to the lack of emotional intelligence amongst a senior staff that was completely fine with thriving in the midst of drama. I visited 7 different mountains on two continents and appreciated the blessing of sight like never before. I flew internationally for the first time, to fulfill my dream of teaching and living abroad. This move forced me to conquer some of my phobias...germs and escalators.  Before August 25, 2016 it had been 18 years since I have ridden a down escalator. I could always go up without an issue. However, an incident inv...

After 3 months in Korea, I am still a (USA)  T-mobile customer. I am in a rush to obtain a Korean phone number at this time. I have been a T-mobile customer, WITH THE SAME PHONE NUMBER, since 2001 - when they were still VoiceStream Wireless  and Jamie Lee Curtis was their spokeswoman. #millennial For the most part I have been happy with my smartphone coverage. I had to temporarily have a T-mobile representative disconnect my voicemail, to avoid being charged .20 cents per minute for voicemails. The process is quick and can be restored quickly, as well. Dis- and reconnecting the service takes 60 seconds or less; costs nothing but time.(I did this before when I cruised to the Bahamas.) Whenever I can connect to a wireless connection (@ work, home, numerous cafe's and some resaturants) I can make FREE calls via WIFI. I do not answer the phone or make (standard) calls if I am not connected to wifi, because I will be charged .20 cents per minute. ...

Yesterday, one of my coteachers and I attended an open-class at an elementary school in 20 minute walking distance of our school. I enjoyed the experience, for many reasons. I chose to attend, because this is a public school with 999 elementary students*. The open-class was a general 40 minute English class for 28 students in E-4 (4th grade);  there were 15 girls and 13 boys. On average the elementary students in this school experience instruction, 80% English and 20% Korean. Approximately 90% of the class was taught in English. Open-class, as I understand it, is a scheduled class where parents, faculty, administrators and academic guests are welcome to sit in the back of a classroom and observe the teaching, students, materials, lesson/s, etc. The invitation was provided about two weeks in advance. Usually a survey is completed afterward. For about 45 minutes post class the observers sat with the teacher and administration to discuss the strengths and weak...

Entrance to school cafeteria Today my (school) Principal surprised and honored me with a carefully selected Korean name:  원 가 린  pronounced Won Galin The translation is Won = First, Ga = Beautiful, Lin = Clear or Pure    The names chosen appeal to me because they are close to the translation of my English name ( Joyous Cascade Goddess ). HAPPY 2ND MONTH ANNIVERSARY TO ME!! The naming "ceremony" took place in his office along with the Vice Principal and my primary Coteacher over tea and sweet bread, after a tour of the cafeteria kitchen. Just after 1st period commenced, Principal came to my desk and requested my company for an "interesting" experience. His choice of words intrigued me. I saved the file I was working on and followed him. I thought we were going to his office, for a lesson, based on the fact that he helped me practice Hangul last week. We stopped at the administration office to summon the Head of Administration and continu...