Feeling Soxtastic

I was getting over this cold, or Bird Flu as I jokingly call it. I was a good boy- drinking water, tea and honey, going to bed early and dressing warm. Understandably, this all went out the window during last weeks' Sox World Series games. Due to my long days, the fellows and I would convene to watch the game around 10-11 every night. We cheered, beered, ate fried chicken and didn't go to bed until late every night. The game 3 marathon was particularly rough; it finally ended at 3am and my neck was aching from watching all 6 hours. I went to sleep for 4 hours and got up to work another monstous, Asian day. When Friday came, I felt like hell. With a runny nose, clogged head and swollen glands, I watched my boys do the unthinkable. We ended the long-standing Chicago curse! We celebrated in our own way, much smaller in scale compared to a celebration back home but satisfying still. My head is cloudy and I'm sick again. Tell me, did the White Sox really win the World Series? I'm guessing so because, as ill as I am, I have a comforting feeling of pride that trumps any sickness.

Series Savior

Have I explained the novelty of PC Bongs? I'm bongin' it right now, watching Houston clinch a spot in their World Series coffin and listening to gun shots all around the room. This is the kinda place that geeks dream of- super high-tech cpus all connected with the most modern and popular first-person shooters. Plus, they have ash trays at every computer and free coffee. Despite fans in every corner, PC Bongs are perpetually covered in smoke. This is particularly bad for me right now because I'm attempting to recover from an evil cold/sickness. The doctor calls it bronchitis, but I'm not quite so sure. I know that this is one relentless cold. I haven't been able to leave without kleenex by my side for about 2 and 1/2 weeks now. This is just out of control. Why, if I'm so sick, would I subject myself to a smokey cyber cafe when I can do this on my own cpu in my apartment? Well, my week's been all downhill since the Sox clinched the series. I woke up Tuesday morning to a dim-lit, barely visable computer. I put my lamp right up to the screen and I'm sometimes able to decipher something, but not much. I had my tech friend (he can't speak a lick of English so this was done in all Korean and very difficult) look at it and he told me the LCD is done. He said this is a serious problem and I'll most likely have to send my computer to Dell somewhere, to get it fixed. Perfect timing, now I can look forward to watching the World Series amidst machine guns and yelling Koreans instead of in my comfort of my own little hideaway. Things get worse though. Today we had open classes; a twice-a-year event in which the parents are invited to come observe us teach. I doubt my dress shirt, slacks and tie can hide the fact that I'm a walking ball of snot. Sorry, but it's true. I had a classroom full of mothers for my worst class tonight; a class of 9 pre-schoolesr who come to Swaton two days a week, just long enough to know they hate English but not long enough to teach them anything. The room was so hot, I was sweating and trying not to let the scared children's awkward silence affect me, at least not outwardly. Eh, I survived, down in spirit but alive. I just keep chomping these pills and hoping I will be myself again soon. Korean doctors load you up on pills, I tell you what. I take 8 pills every 8 hours! It's a freakin' pill buffet. I have it all planned out- appetizer (little yellow pill), main course (a conglomerate of colorful pills) and desert (a little pink one that just seems to top it off right). Enjoy your World Series Chicago, savor it and rely on it like I will to bring me back my usual zest.

WORLD SERIES BOUND

Hallelujah! A day of downs and ups for me. Earlier today, I was told by the doctor that I have bronchitis. It would explain something because I've been ill for a while. I've been swallowing 8 pills every 8 hours and I'm not sure if they're helping, but I'm happily delirious right now. The pills and the exhilaration are setting in now. I can feel myself drifting away to fantasy land. Are the Sox really going to the series or am I high on medication? To everyone there in glorious Illinois- party hard for me, tip a few back, yell some "GO WHITE SOX" and believe, it's our time.

Alisa Returns

I was looking forward to Swaton Sports Day for weeks. A chance to play with my kids on a Saturday- oh, so much fun. And then I knew the parents would be there and wouldn't be able to communicate but they'd see how much joy their children bring me. But, most of my anticipation derived from the return of Alisa. [You can read up on old stories to know how sad I was when I lost this girl to a more strict, cheaper Hagwan]. At 10am this Saturday, I nervously approached the park where I saw many families setting up picnics. Immediately, a kindergarten helper who knew how much I missed Alisa brought her up to me for our reunion. After teaching her five days a week for 6 months and then not seeing her for two months, Little Alisa, like me, was obviously too shy to handle this reunion. She stared up at me, her tiny face filled with freight, and ran away in the other direction. I wanted so much to pick her up and play like we used to but I thought it'd be better not to rush her. I stayed a comfortable distance away and watched as the mothers created reunions between Alisa and my other UCLA students. They would push the children as close as could be, till they were face-to-face, then the children would get scared and run away. It was so interesting watching these 5 yr olds see an old friend that they hadn't seen in a while. Maybe, somewhere hidden deep within, they feel the same longing and missing sentiments I do, but it didn't show. They'd run off and resume their normal, innocent aloofness. Alisa's mother approached me and I told her, in Korean, that I'd missed her daughter very much. She made my week when she said that Alisa misses me and really wanted to come to Swaton Sports Day and see me again. As the day progressed, we got over the initial anxieties and began playing like we used to. I'd poke her, and she'd spin around making her little birdie tweet sounds. I'd roar like a lion and chase her around. She was the most difficult child to teach because she spoke neither English or Korean- just squeaks. I wanted to see if this other Hagwan had succeeded where I failed and got her to speak English. I pulled out a piece of candy and Alisa said, "it is what?" and I said, "chocolate," to which she replied, "really?" I was impressed with this mini exchange, but that was the only English she spoke during the entire event. I felt vindicated as I spoke with my other UCLA students about racing, winning, mother and father, burning Batman Begins DVD for me, and Alisa remained silent. It got me thinking about how far my students and I had come. 8 months ago, we couldn't communicate a word to eachother and we would struggle through the most awkward hours. I began to think maybe I was lucky that Alisa was taken away. She was the unteachable- a girl toocute to mold into the system. And is closure really all it's cracked up to be? Perhaps I would have been better left with my memories, imagining what happened to this girl. I was buried under a heap of mixed emotions. Later, at a bar downtown, my friend and Swaton teacher Rosa told me that, seeing how much Alisa loved being around us again, her mother may re-enroll her at Swaton. I know how nice it was to see her little face and the nervousness I felt before the reunion tells me how special she was to me, but I still can't say whether I'd like her to return or not. Maybe I should just close this adorable chapter in my teaching life.

Sports Day (and a head full of sickness for me)

School images

I'm hoping to give you a better picture of my work. The kindergarteners went on a field trip to a beautiful park. We hiked, ate gimbop (rice with vegetables), did some relay games and passed out on the bus ride back to school. You'll see myself attempting to toss one of my students out of the window. That's Johnson, he's one of my favorites. I use the 'out the window' threat as punishment but the students enjoy it too much, so I've almost stopped it completely. Still, I can be seen lowering them out the windows from time to time. hahaha. I have a new tactic; a little water bottle that I use to spray the kids with when they're not behaving. This one works real good for now, although I've already had a student bring an identical bottle in and fire back at me. Clever, I thought, I'll just have to find something new.

The Good Guys in October

Had to include some talking turds.






Well, the irony continues. With me out of the country, Chicago Sports has finally become respectable. Like the Illini and Bulls before them, the White Sox are having a miracle year in my absence. Don't feel sorry for me though. I'm watching and celebrating every win. To preserve the intensity, I cut myself off from the world on the day of the game. I avoid all my sports websites, emails and even CNN because of their tiny update ticker. It's much easier to avoid hearing sports outcomes here than it was in my delivering days. After my ridiculous 12 hour days, I come home, invite my few friends over and cue up the game on MLB TV. Best 80$ I ever spent. It's nice that since American sports are so hard to find here, people will root passionately for whatever team is playing. Last night, I was at a bar with a bunch of British boys watching England's soccer team and, for one night, I was a die-hard fan. I've converted a Cardinals' fan, a Canadian and a Korean into White Sox fans. After the game 1 pounding, we even celebrated with some drunken midnight BBall. For one night, I was home. I still miss watching the games with all of you, pounding beers and yelling insults at the TV. David Wells large pathetic face was a major target of mine. How sweet was it to watch the champs and their bullshit "nation" near tears? Most of all, I with I could watch the games with Chicagoland's millions of Cubs fans. I wonder if the bars even pu the SOX games on. It's probably not good for business. hahahhahaprior'sfinishedhahahhahah. The march continues. No more Marte, he's done like the Red Sox. Rowand's my pick to click. Talk about an inspiration. Grinders forever. That's one milestone in the books, next chapter: World Series.