Quarter Three After School Activities began in full force this week with only a few minor situations. So now there are 30 ASAs happening each week. This includes several that had already begun - 4th and 5th Grade Boys' Tournament Basketball, 4th and 5th Grade Girls' Tournament Basketball, 5th Grade Band, 5th Grade Orchestra, and the two Scratch Computer classes. It was an exciting week. Add to these After School Activities two special events that are happening and it was very interesting each day at 3:00 dismissal for buses. Starting this week were the beginning rehearsals for the Grade 5 Spring Musical, The Music Man - Junior and rehearsals for the Read-A-Thon opening assembly on Monday.
Yes, it is time once again for our annual Read-A-Thon (RAT)! YISS really encourages reading and I love seeing kids with their books. Each year the PTO takes a past musical or play as the basis for the RAT. This year is a take off on The Wizard of Oz. We are calling it The Reader of Oz! About 20 students and 8 teachers and staff are involved in parts of a very brief adapted version of the original Wizard. The kids are the Munchkins, teachers are playing the parts of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Lion. Mrs. Birmingham wrote this version of our play and she is the Good Librarian! She asked me to be the Great and Powerful Reader of Oz! We are having fun and the kickoff is on Monday at 2:00. You can pray as we share with the entire elementary student body. Then the reading begins and so do all of the wonderful activities throughout the next several weeks! Busy times, yet fun times, ahead!
At the beginning of this past week I was struggling with headaches and running to the bathroom as well as just feeling BLAH! No fever though. I finally took a Sick Day and went to see Dr. Kim on Tuesday. He examined me and then took some blood samples as well as other samples I will not mention. He had the nurses give me an IV that was to help stop the diarrhea quicker and then prescribed some meds for three days. By Thursday I was eating solid food once again. I am feeling fine at present. You can pray for our students and staff as there are many struggling with the Flu.
Friday was a special day! I have told you about my new friend, Minsoon, one of the employees at the 7/11 in my apartment building. Minsoon asked me about two weeks ago if I would be able to come to his High School Graduation on February 7 at Seoul Foreign Language High School. He was permitted to invite one other person in addition to his family members so he asked his mother if he could invite me. I was able to take one of my Personal Days at YISS and was privileged to accept his invitation. It was a very good experience and I was happy to meet Minsoon's mother, younger sister, and aunt. I will share a few pictures here, but you can get a better understanding of the graduation from the album I posted on Facebook.
Here I am following the ceremony with Minsoon. A
typical gift at a graduation is a bouquet of flowers. I
gave Minsoon a bouquet as well as a card with a note
and an additional monetary gift. He was so surprised
and so happy. Keep praying for him as we meet to
talk about God.
One of the things that really shocked me was the lack of respect when anyone was speaking from the podium on stage. The graduates, and even some of the guests, continued to chat, talk, laugh, etc. while the commencement speaker was speaking. I took this picture of the one teacher who was going up and down the rows of graduates during the ceremony giving the "Shhhh" sign with his finger. I lost count of how many times he did it, but it was meaningless; nothing happened with the noise. I found it very strange for Korean culture who have been so respectful. Maybe this is the way now? I was the only American in the audience of 300 + graduates and their guests.
The last part of the ceremony was to have the students
bow to their teachers (standing on stage and on the floor
beneath the stage), and then teachers bowing to the
students.
Minsoon with his mother and younger sister after the ceremony!
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After the graduation ceremony, Minsoon and his family invited me to lunch. Minsoon had asked me what I would like to eat. I said, "Anything!" He smiled and then said that I must be more specific. :-) I told him that I really am missing one of my favorite Korean taste treats - Pizza Dak Galbi! So after the ceremony we traveled a short distance by Taxi to Nowon and enjoyed a very yummy Pizza Dak Galbi! I really had missed this food!
This is a statue/sculpture in the center
of the busy shopping and entertainment
area of Nowon. Nowon is called "Korea's
Hub City of Northeast Seoul." Very busy!
This restaurant was in the heart of the Nowon shopping district. Here I am with Minsoon, his younger sister, mother, and his aunt preparing to enjoy yummy Pizza Dak Galbi!!
Here is Pizza Dak Galbi ready to eat!! I can taste it
even now! I want some more!!
When you are almost finished with the main Pizza Dak Galbi, the server brings rice, kim, and red paste to your table. Then it is fried and you eat it! I love it when you have to scrape the rice off the bottom of the pan!! Soooo good! Minsoon made a smiley face on the fried rice! :-)
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Saturday I met up with Youngkwang (Dennis), a former SYME student and friend. Youngkwang contacted me on Friday evening to ask if he could have lunch with me on Saturday. I had not seen him since he had his laser eye surgery in September so it was great to see him and his new look. He was going to take me to experience some new Korean food at a little restaurant in Itaewon, but when we got there the line was very long and the wait time was too long for him. He hates waiting more than I do! :-) So Youngkwang suggested we go to Suji's. I never have a problem with that. I told him the line may be long there, too. We got there and the line was even longer than the previous restaurant. However, we were seated in 3 minutes. The hostess smiled when Youngkwang showed surprise and said quietly to him, "Mr. Gregg is a VIP at Suji's!"
We had a great conversation! I found out about his girlfriend. He wants me to meet her soon. He is starting to look for another job and would appreciate your prayers. He brought a box of Korean snacks - a gift from his parents. Then he gave me a tube of hand cream for my dry hands. His company is a supplier for a German body care company. It was a really nice time with Youngkwang!
Youngkwang and I getting ready to eat our very
yummy brunches at Suji's!
Youngkwang selected the Original Eggs Benedict! Sooooo good!!!
I chose the Mexican Brunch, which is also quite tasty!
After leaving Suji's I took Youngkwang to the subway station and then stopped at the IBK (Industrial Bank of Korea) to withdraw some Korean Won. After the withdrawal and updating my passbook, I went to the shredder at the bank doors. Above is the message on the shredder! I love it. The grammar is good and someone was trying to use a new vocabulary word; a bit strong, but glad she/he attempted a new word. It sort of scared me at first! :-)
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I trust you will enjoy a wonderful week. I would value your prayers as next week begins to get busier with the Read-A-Thon beginning, Progress Reports due, more After School Activities, etc. Thank you so much for being so faithful in your encouragement, prayers, love, and support!
Love, Gregg
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