Log51: Upload

Thanks to Dianna for recording and posting this (Youtube).

Final Dinner Performance: "An ETA Mash-up"

Sunday June 26, 2011, Dragon Hill Lodge, U.S. Army Base

Transcript:

[Well, I have the pleasure of not seeing any of you face-to-face, which will make this task much easier presumably but...

I don't really know who signed me up for this act but, 

I think he's foolish (I was referring to myself)...

But while I'm out here, 

I'd like you take you on a personal retrospective if you will 

on my previous grant year.

I seek your patience and forgiveness where it may be required.

Now, prizes for anyone who can name the song and title (I meant "artist") of each song I'll be covering today.]

to the tune of "Desperado" by The Eagles

Goesangun

Why don't you come to your senses

I've been out riding buses, for so long now

It may be rainin', but I just can't see past those mountains

You better let somebody find you (let somebody find you)

You better let somebody find you

Before I leave to get some tacos

interlude/narration to the tune of "Everday" by Carly Commando

[Mr. Kim Sung Kee is an English teacher at my school.  He is a very kind man, married, fifty years.  One day he comes up to me and says, "Hello."  Ah, Mr. Kim! How are you?  Oh very good, very good.  Great!

Silence.

I notice his necktie and try to make it a point of conversation.  So I tell him it's a very nice. Oh thank you, with a big grin on his face.

But then I see that he's thinking, he's thinking about something and I realize, oh well he was just complimented by a native English speaker, so of course he wants to return a compliment.  

So I wait.  And I wait.  Finally he says: 

"You have beautiful eyes."]

to the tune of "Easy" by the Commodores

[Of course, I'll miss all my goofy teachers,

But I'll also miss my students. Inevitably]

Know it sounds funny but I just can't change the word

It's silver, not "shil-buh"

Seems to me boys you know I've done all I can

Played games with candy and prizes

Now you're sleeping

Sleeping like it's Sunday morning

Now you're sleeping

Sleeping like it's Sunday morning

to the tune of "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt

[Of course I'll miss my students and teachers, 

but I think sometimes I'll miss the little things in Korea.]

Did I disappoint you, or let you down

Should I be feeling guilty, or let the judges frown

'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,

Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.

And as you move on, remember me,

Remember us and all we used to be.

You touched my heart you touched my soul.

You changed my life and all my goals.

[I messed up badly.]

I know you well, I know your smell.

I've been addicted to you.

Goodbye, Samgyupsal.

Goodbye my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

Goodbye, Bibimbap.

Goodbye, Kimchi.

You have been the ones

You have been the ones for me.

I'm so hollow baby, I'm so hollow.

I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

to the tune of "Friends, Lovers or Nothing" by John Mayer

[And as we move into the final stretch of our journey,

we have to look at the big picture.]

Now that I am over as the Fulbright kind

I'll be dreamin' ways to keep the good alive

Only when I want is not a compromise

I'll be pourin' tears into your dryin' eyes.

Mail, Facebook or Twitter

There will always be more than one

Mail, Facebook or Twitter

It'll never be oh quite the same 

But stay in touch.

[I've made many memories and many experiences in Korea,

But what I've valued the most 

is that which I have derived and learned from the most,

and truth be told that's

all of you.

It has been my utmost privilege--and I say this frankly--

to have been part of this wonderful community and family.

Thank you so much.]

Anything other than send is no

Anything other than a Tweet is no

Anything less than a wall-post is cheating

Anything other than send is no

Anything other than a Tweet is no

Anything less than a wall-post is cheating

Mail, Facebook or Twitter

There will always be more than one

Mail, Facebook or Twitter

It'll never be oh quite the same 

But stay in touch.

Thank you.

Log50: A Few Moments

Today I concluded my three-and-a-half week long journey of speaking tests, an endeavor that required a 2-3 minute conversational interview with each of my 750 students.  

My penultimate interview occurred not thirty minutes ago upstairs with one of my second grade students.

His English is not very good, and his dream is to become a physical education teacher.  As co-captain of the second grade basketball club on campus, he is reputedly one of the most talented ballers on campus.  I have played with/against him, and he is as they say: quite good.  

He has always been a good student, but one who also exudes a humble, bucolic naivete.  His innocence recalls his pastoral roots: his parents are farmers and his elder brothers are planning on going to back to the farm as well.

Most interviews close with a handshake after I express my gratitude and wish the student good luck.  The student searches for an affirmation of this conclusion in my smile, then loosens the grip on the hand, stands up and walks back into the classroom.  Then the next student leaves.

This particular student described to me his family and his brothers' current circumstances.  He tells me he wants to be a physical education teacher because he is "good at physical."  I smile, and he imitates.  There is indubitable warmth between us, a true feeling of brotherhood.  

I wish him luck and shake his two bear-like hands with my right.  As he stands, curiosity goads him to ask me a simple question: Teacher, when you go America?  I tell him July.  In summer vacation.

Oh my Gahd, no teacher, he says, with a broad, idyllic smile on his face.  But it's a warm smile that is genuine and bittersweet.  It is steadfast in the wake of potentially unpleasant news. The smile oozes aplomb and sagacity beyond his years, and accepts the inevitable with a courage perhaps only seen in the young and the restless.

Call me, Teacher, he says with a softer smile.

I reassure him by asking him to call me if and when he comes to the United States.  He asks if I will come back to Korea, and I say yes but I don't know when.

Just yesterday a different class broke my heart because they were so unruly and disrespectful to the rules and atmosphere of the class (fortunately these less charitable ascriptions of this class is not unique; other teachers have felt the same way about this particular group).  

Today, this student transformed my spirits in just a few moments.

Gratitude is an awfully nice word.

Log49: Why Speaking Tests Are My Favorite Part of the Year

Hello, my name is Yoon-Chan Kim, and these are the students I teach:


Hello, my name is ___ and my dream is to be a neurosurgeon.

Hello, my name is ___ and my mother became an angel when I was two years old.

Hello, my name is ___ and I do not know my father.
Hello, my name is ___ and I am so scared because my father saw me smoking and has not talked to me since.
Hello, my name is ___ and I love Britney Spears.
Hello, my name is ___ and my father lives in Indonesia.
Hello, my name is ___ and I want to be a hacker for the government because I love my country.
Hello, my name is ___ and my parents do not have jobs.
Hello, my name is ___ and I am sorry to my family for my bad test scores.
Hello, my name is ___ and my dream is to be a novelist.
Hello, my name is ___ and I have not seen my mother for fifteen years, and I do not miss her.
Hello, my name is ___ and my dream is to be a fund manager because I grew up poor.
Hello, my name is ___ and I want to be happy.
Hello, my name is ___ and I do not know my parents.
Hello, my name is ___ and I am so tired of never feeling good enough because every time I try my hardest my grades are never good enough.

Hello, my name is ___ and my dream is to be a farmer.

Hello, my name is ___ and my dream is to be a barista.
Hello, my name is ___ and I am nervous.
Hello, my name is ___ and I want a beautiful life.

Hello, my name is Yoon-Chan Kim, and these are the students I love.