The Kids are great!

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-- 051 --


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-- 013 --
-- 027 --

-- 057 ---

Greetings,

Last week we spent one whole morning visiting two local museums with our classes
to a visual arts museum and a provincial museum - the province of Gyenonngi,
where Yongin si is located.

(#057) The Nam June Paik Visual Arts Museum is a place to experience art. Paik was a contemporary artist, especially known for his video art. He was a native of So. Korea, born on in 1932 and died in 2006. The building in Yongin was completed in 2007 and is itself a work of art.

In #027 you see my class viewing themselves in a constantly moving video - sort of like a moving fun house mirror.

#013 Feel like meditating? He is is a TV emptied of all its parts, just a burning candle to meditate on.

#028 Kids having fun

#051 Enjoying the sunshine on the stairs

#058 Denny, who has been to the provincial museum many times and gave me his own version of a special tour. His enthusiasm was contagious.

I am writing this on January 23, the last day of classes at the ESL Camp- an awesome experience for all involved. I will write more about my experiences, but not tonight or even in the next few days. Tomorrow I fly back to Hong Kong, then take the ferry back to Zhuhai, China to be with my friend Alina and her family for Chinese or Lunar New Year, which is the biggest holiday in this part of the world. Families gather from far reaching places. I think I will be traveling with half of Asia. Tomorrow night is actually the Eve of the new Year. It's a celebration which lasts several days.

I wish you good fortune in the New Year.

Blessings, Jane

Korea: Kimchi, Kulture, Konrad and Kids #4

Topgol Park in Seoul is where Korea protested the Japanese invasion of 1911 and made their Declaration of Independence. The bas relief shows the declaring of independence of the Korean Republic.


Modern Seoul is a bustling place, prosperity returned beginning in the 1960's after the Armistice was signed to end fighting between North and South Korea.

Korea: Kimchi, Kulture, Konrad and Kids #3

I share a guest house apartment with Karla Konrad, an ESL teacher and professor in the Lifelong Learning Center at Luther University. In the photo where she is wearing the pink sweatshirt; we are eating bowls of Korean Beef soup accompanied by various side dishes and rice.

We are having lunch with four professors and an administrative assistant, who keeps the ESL Camp organized. The main dish is beef barbecued on a charcoal fire, built right into the table. There is another K in the picture, kimchi, which is the Korean national dish. It is fermented cabbage with a hot pepper sauce, some versions are hotter than others, but it is present at every lunch and dinner.

Karla has been with me on most of my off campus adventures. She's a great sport. Chelsea Madden, a recent college grad who volunteered at ESL Camp last summer, joined us at Camp one day late because of visa problems (Does this sound familiar?). She went up to the Seoul Tower with us last Saturday. You can get a bird's eye view of Seoul in the background. We are standing in front of a fence covered in locks. If a couple puts a lock on the fence, they are joined together as long as the lock stays locked.

more k's to follow, but not tonight.
Jane

Korea: Kimchi, Kulture, Konrad and Kids #2

After doing a lot of walking it's always nice to have a good cup of tea. If you are in the street shopping area called Insa-dong, the place to stop is the Bird Flying Tea shop, which is tucked in an alley and up a flight of stairs. It is filled with antiques and actual flying birds. The tea is delicious.

Korea: Kimchi, Kulture, Konrad and Kids

All work an no play makes Jane a dull girl, so I’ve come up with lots of K’s to tell you more about my life in So. Korea. On Saturdays and Sundays we go into Seoul, which is about an hour bus ride to the north. Seoul is a very modern, upscale place, however, if you look you can find remnants of earlier days.

One of the places we visited is the Changdeokgung palace, which is in the midst of the modern city. It was first built in 1405 during the early Joseon dynasty. It was the residence of the last members of the royal family. The end of that line came with the invasion of the Japanese in 1911. The change in the city in less than one hundred years is astounding.

ESL Camp in South Korea - Luther Universtiy

I am finally back with my own laptop connected to the Internet...

We have finished our first week of classes ESL Camp at Luther University and it was very productive. I'm really enjoying the children, especially playing word games, like I do with my own grandchildren. We have about
55 students in the morning in three groups and eight students in the afternoon
in two groups. (photos 037 and 049)

In the morning (9:30AM - 1:00 PM) first I teach Bible Devotions to 1st-2nd graders - using power point, next it is 5th-6th grade reading and writing and finally grade 3-4 speaking and listening. (photo 040)

I have a two hour break in the afternoon, then from 4:00-5:30 PM, I teach a group of four ( two boys age
11 and two girls age 7). That's more of a challenge because of the age difference. One little girl,
Dorothy, was falling asleep about 5:00 PM the first two days, so I decided to add games in for the last part of the class. Now I tell them, if we get our work done we can play a game - they love the games, so they work hard.
(photos 052, 001, 004)

It's a little like teaching Vacation Bible School, however we are teaching English and Bible stories at the same time. The parents expect homework.

Children's ESL Camp at Luther University

ESL Camp with with 6-12 year olds is quite a change of pace for me, especially since not all the materials had arrived (CD's with games and different English speakers.) Fortunately I had brought some games with me and still know some of the old tricks of the trade for elementary school teachers! I will send some new photos and dialogue later this week.

Luther University

Luther University in Yongin-si -- Korea

I have lots written for the blog and saved on my computer, however, my computer is not yet on the network here - so one day you will get lots of new material for the blog.

In the meantime I am doing fine, getting ready to teach beginning tomorrow, January 5. The facilities and people are great.

The weather is colder than Macau - in the 20s -40s. It's sunny and bright, no snow on the ground.

More will follow when my computer is connected.

Happy new year.

Blessings,
Jane

Gifts We Don't Expect

Sometimes we receive Christmas gifts we don't quite expect; I received one of these big surprise gifts yesterday (Dec. 23). My visa for Macau expires Dec. 25.

I am now going to Seoul, Korea on December 31st and will return to Macau on January 24! I will be working at a three week winter children's camp at Luther University -- Yongin, Gyeonggi, Korea.

Luther University was recently a seminary only and it has expanded programs to become a University. The children go to this camp to learn English. There will be 3 or 4 American teachers and several Korean students, who will be TA’s. The children range in age from 6-12 (same as my grandchildren). I will stay in a dorm, as it is semester break. I will receive a stipend which will pay my plane fare and most of my expenses. This should be another adventure with plenty of pictures.

Sometimes our Lord answers prayers in mysterious ways. They were going to have to cancel this winter camp, if they didn’t get another teacher. This will give me enough time away from Macau, so they can apply for and get me a better visa. I have almost everything packed including the puppets and Arch books that Matthew and Tracy got together for me before I left MA. All my students in Macau will be covered by a new short term volunteer who is coming into Macau this Sunday.

Blessings to all in holy season,
Jane

Friends Celebrate

Here are some of my new friends in Macau celebrating the Christmas season.



The Hanson girls, Emma and Andrea are in front of their tree in Hong Kong. Their Dad, Carl Hanson, is director of missions for this part of Asia. We had a lovely dinner with them last Sunday, when we were visiting Hong Kong.


The celebration photo is of a staff (Concordia English Center) get together at the Bowerman's home, the place I visited the first night I came to Macau - almost two months ago. I like picture because it shows the bright lights of Zhuhai, China out the window, as well as reflections of the whole room. Jessica, the woman playing the guitar, is a Filipino who takes care of Joanna, Sharon's adopted daughter. Jessica used to play and sing with a band in the Philippines. She has a sweet voice and spirit.



The next photo (003) is pastor Michael Wu and his wife, Grace. Michael is a very gregarious. He is part of the English Center and also spends much time in China working with missions there.



Pastor Yeung is the long time pastor of St. Paul Lutheran church in Macau. Please include the congregation and pastor in you prayers.



Last, but not least is Sharon Owens and I enjoying the festivities. Sharon has been here seven plus years and has done very much to inspire and build the mission here.

Christmas Eve the CEC teachers and students are doing two skits at St. Paul's - not quite the same quality as Priscilla Loring's, but our best effort. I will send photos of that after Christmas. Christmas Day we will all go to China to celebrate. The day after Christmas I will go to Zhuhai, China to visit Alina and family until New Years. I will use up my seven day, one entry visa to China. That means I will have to apply all over again at a price of $131 US for another visa for a possible 7 day visa, as I want to go to Alina’s home area with her for Chinese New Year in late January. Keep me in your prayers. The visas are a big headache.

Christmas blessings to you all in this most holy season.
With love, Jane

Worshiping Ancestors

On my way home from church this morning (Dec. 21) I stopped at the Kun Iam Temple temple which is very close by. It is a large active Buddhist Temple which dates to 1627.

There are many rooms and many people were visiting to burn incense and paper objects like money and food to honor and please their ancestors. It was very smoky. Note the fire in the one picture. In the photo with many women their are memorials with pictures hanging behind the altar and flower arrangements and more incense burning.

The first treaty of trade and friendship between the USA and China was signed here in 1844 at a large stone table at the rear of the temple garden.

Celebrating The Season

It's not the traditional snowy Christmas here in Macau, the flower beds are planted with poinsettias and marigolds - definitely not a combination we would see in New England. Macau is a blend of East and West in many ways, especially because of the Portuguese heritage since the Portuguese first came in 16th century. Some European style buildings as in this civil building have a tree, poinsettias and a full scale manger scene - no worry about mixing church and state.

Comfort Food

Congee - Comfort Food

There many versions of this, the plainer versions are eaten for breakfast. For me this is especially good when enduring a cold, however, the Chinese say, do not eat chicken soup, when you have a cold. Drink a bitter Chinese tea!

1 ½ cups short-grain rice
1/4 cup red onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 cup diced celery
6-8 chicken wings, or chicken with bones like drumsticks or thighs
10+ cups water (best if part of the liquid chicken broth)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot, bring the water/broth and rice to a boil.
When the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to medium low. Place the lid on the pot, tilting it to allow steam to escape - the same as you would do when making cooked rice.

Cook on medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice has the thick, creamy texture of porridge (1 - 1 1/4 hours). Take any chicken meat off bone and add meat back to congee - the Chinese do this as they eat the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with garnishes such as crushed peanuts, parsley or cilantro, chopped green onion, if desired.

Decorating Cookies and the Center

Sunday, December 7 we had a very busy, joyful afternoon at the Concordia
English Center. We invited the students to come to the Center to decorate for
Christmas and to bake American style cut-out Christmas cookies. Lots of
families came and the children had an wonderful time making the cookies, while
the adults did a great job of decorating the main room.

Cookie baking is not something most Chinese do, as they use stove top burners
only , so this was a real learning experience. We teachers brought in three
portable ovens, which we have in our apartments. Jan Foytek our teacher
volunteer from Keene, NH teaches two children's English classes on Saturday.
The twin boys with the green shirts cutting out cookies are in one of her
classes, as are the girls decorating cookies.

I am decorating cookies with the wife and daughter of Danny, who is one of our
lunch regulars. This little girl is four and she really got into it, especially
the eating part.

Making Cookies

Lunchtime Visitors

One of the things I like best about what we do at the English Center is have an open lunch period Tuesday through Friday from 12-2 PM. We discuss all kinds words and issues. Today they were discussing "threw" and "through, this led to lists of "th" words. I was in a nearby classroom doing a test with an incoming student and the noise level got pretty high - I told them they were having too much fun. Here are some of our regulars.




Anna is one our frequent visitors. She has been coming to the English Center, as long as Sharon has been here. She calls Sharon her "boss". She is a member of St. Paul's Church

Danny and Coco are brother and sister. Danny works at a hospital pharmacy and Coco does blood collection for a clinic. Coco often stops by in her uniform for her lunch hour. Today they brought a little cheese cake for all to share.

Sunny is really a sunny person. She is a local newscaster, who does newscasts in Mandarin. She is originally from mainland China. she is always curious about words.