tabulas.com

Year-end reflection and Family Visit!

Thu, 30 Dec 2004 12:08:10 +0000

Hello all! It\'s been three hectic weeks since I\'ve posted anything to the site -- Final exams, semester grading, holiday planning, the arrival of Warren and Amber (they were here for a very short two weeks), travels to Gyeong-ju, ventures (adventures!) to Seoul, decision-making (looks like I\'ll stay here in Korea for another full year), and so much more!

And, I\'ve reached near-capacity with photos for this site, so PLEASE visit:

www.tabulas.com/~blogblossoms

to see more photos and read more news!

Holly has a Hanbok!

Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:07:43 +0000

This web log/journal posting is dedicated to all of my Korean friends, acquaintances, students, colleagues ~ past, present, and future ~ and to their beautiful and fascinating country, Korea!

(There are many more photos of students posing with me -- please visit the "gallery" and view the "Hanbok photos" album.

Another day I will photo the undergarments and shoes and accessories and describe the dressing procedure in a bit more detail -- a definite learning experience!

plants to make my place my \'home\'

Wed, 1 Dec 2004 12:36:04 +0000

... a quick posting -- I really enjoy my growing collection of plants in my apartment... especially in the mornings when the sun streams through the window and backlights them.

Hectic times here preparing for final exams and last days of classes -- how fast the semester has gone by!

Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:37:58 +0000

trying to post more of the people and places I miss from home -- but continue to have problems (especially) posting our home in Virginia and my parents -- not sure why!

HOPEfully you will see our old farmhouse in VA (a lot of changes since this photo was taken, and more improvements planned, but it will give you some idea of the very rural (distinctly NOT urban) area I have enjoyed living in for the past few years.

HOPEfully you'll see my parents, most of my colleagues from the Adult Learning Center in Charlottesville, VA, and a photo of my husband (Warren) and I with our two pugs.

Insadong revisited

Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:16:06 +0000

A few students and I met in the Insadong area of Seoul again -- went to a wonderful noodle restaurant in Myeongdong, and then to the oldest teahouse of the area (learned a lot about the tea ceremony procedures this month -- from this experience and also from a student who visited my office with various tea pots and bowls and cups and teas and demonstrated for me -- nice!

Fabric shops in the Dongdaemun area are also shown here -- amazing places! Awe-inspiring aisles upon aisles of master seasmstresses and tailors and all their wares.

You'll see me waving from my favorite paper shop -- beautiful selections of quality handmade papers; such a variety!

Putting the trees to \"bed\" for the winter

Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:08:19 +0000

It is quite interesting watching the busy landscape workers about campus. Some trees are wrapped "head to toe" and others girded for a one foot stretch about 3 feet above ground level, and still others are wrapped with a wide swatch snug to the ground -- straw wrapped around in rows tied with twine -- very neatly and carefully.

I'm very curious -- if anyone reading this KNOWS the philosophy behind these varied treatments, I'd appreciate learning more about it!

Neighboring children at the playground of a neighboring elementary school also -- schools are similar in appearance -- I liked the outdoor covered picnic table area, and the outdoor wash areas, too.

more beautiful students!

Sun, 28 Nov 2004 11:49:56 +0000

Here are photos of the other classes (missing from last posting)

It is close to the end of the semester and final exam stress is mounting!

Some of the students I am teaching this semeseter!

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 02:59:20 +0000

... or are they teaching me? ^^*

I will be adding more photos soon of all my classes. Teaching is a pleasure -- many smiles!

As I am understanding the Korean education system, these students spent Mondays through Fridays of their High School years in school, in intense studies, from 8 a.m. to often past 6 p.m. (often leaving their homes early a.m. and not returning until WELL past dark -- I have had students tell me they usually did not return home until after 8 or even 9 p.m.), and then again on SATURDAYs, too! But Saturdays were early dismissal days -- often out by 2 or 3 p.m.

An expression I've heard is "Four to succeed, five to fail" -- referring to the number of hours to sleep before exams -- inferring that if a student dares to sleep more than four hours, they're likely to fail!!!! I'm not sure I would succeed in such a disciplined torture.

Most students in my classes complete their work timely and attempt to look interested in class.

Autumn Splendor

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 02:28:27 +0000

The views about campus are wonderful these past few weeks. This annual glorious transformation of the landscape (at least in all of the places I have lived thus far in my life, it is an annual transformation) never fails to astound me. "Mother Nature" puts on a grand show!

Who/What do I miss the most while I\'m in Korea?

Fri, 5 Nov 2004 00:09:30 +0000

I've had lots of requests from USA for photos of students here at Catholic University, and lots of requests from Catholic University for photos of my family and home there --

Below you'll see a few photos of my beautiful daughter Amber and her friend, Brett; one photo of Amber, a dear friend Bev, and me -- so you can see how TALL Amber is!!!; there's also a photo of Amber and her roommate (and longtime friend), Alisa -- they are often mistaken for sisters!

There's a photo of my Mom and Dad, too! They live in New Jersey, USA.

There's a photo here, too, of our home in Virginia -- it will be remodeled a bit soon, and definitely will be a different color (not our color of choice, but it's the color the house was when we bought it). You can see that we are located at the top of a hill, that our yard is fenced in. To the left of the photo are the Blue Ridge Mountains, which we like to watch from our back porch. Across the street, our neighbors have a large dairy farm, so we often see the cows in the morning when we go down to our mailbox to get the morning paper.

I'll be posting photos of students in the classes that I teach -- here in Korea -- soon!