Finale: A Letter to Gochang Buk HS

A driving force in my life

So my first year in Korea is officially over. I traded country my country idyll for this strangely familiar megalopolis. I've been too sad to get excited about my future prospects. In an attempt to purge these feelings and move on, I will write a letter to close a powerful chapter in my life and begin a new one. Though this is more a catharsis for me, I hope you can enjoy it as well.

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Dear Gochang Buk High School,

Yesterday was a celebration of sorts. I met most of the Fulbright teachers from all over the country for a last hurrah. Everybody was excited to see all our friends and share in a wonderful meal together. We celebrated our year and promised to stay in touch. After this official luncheon, we took to the night to fill our souls with more good company. As my friends toasted and celebrated around me, I couldn't bring myself to happiness as something very powerful lingered and tugged at my heart. Your shadow is powerful indeed.

Prior to my arrival, I heard that you are a lower level school with a bunch rowdy, unruly students. I was lectured about how different you are now compared to the past, when students were eager pupils doting on the teacher's lesson as if the meaning of life was laid out bare in neat 50 minute capsules. According to them now, you are home to students who lack discipline, forgot respect, and lost their will to learn. As much as I tried to dismiss these criticisms, they lingered in the back of my mind as I stepped foot into your campus.

For my first day, I wore my best suit and favorite tie. I wanted to look professional enough to earn your respect. I paid my dues in a teacher's meeting acknowledging my arrival and went ahead, intending to seal Korean from my lips for the duration of my life. In this instant, you were puzzled. How can this Korean be our native speaking English teacher? My words quieted these concerns only to open up a different set of objections. From this moment, the Anthony Cho show began.

You were not always entertained. No doubt it took much trial and error to learn how to effectively engage your demands: students and teachers. For this I apologize for all my mistakes. We do not always know what kind of effect we have. On the other hand, I thank you for bringing to me so many opportunities to make a positive difference. The class was more than just a tool for changing test scores, it was made to change lives. English was more than just test preparation, it was a chance to give a voice, a dream, a friendship, and so much more (at least I hope!). 

In this moment, I close my eyes and...

I see my trouble student holding her little brother's hand walking him to school

- In this moment I see the kindness of your students. There are no bad kids. There are students I do not fully understand. These are students I have not properly motivated or engaged. In this vision, you show me that it is I who should adapt to others. 

Don't judge and dismiss, but rather understand.

I see  a student, looking straight down with her knees and hands trembling with fear

- In this moment, I see that fear is the limit that holds us back. I see that courage is the strength to move past what our mind tells us we can't do. I see the look of a reserved triumph after a student finishes speaking, the same whether the question is "What is the difference between being a leader and a friend?" or "What is your name?" 

All accomplishments take courage, be proud of your effort.

I see my smile reflected on the faces of your students

- In this moment, I realize that sometimes life boils down to a simple smile. When all is said and done, what we will remember is not whether we use 'and' instead of 'or', but rather if we can recall our memories with a smile. The easiest way to spread smiles is to smile yourself.

Though different people see happiness in different ways, all our smiles are the same.

All these invaluable things you have shown and taught me. I am both thankful and sorry. I am thankful to you for inviting me into your family. I am sorry that I couldn't do more for your family. Did I do enough? What more could I have done to make a difference for at least one more person? These regrets lead to despair, but this despair can be defeated. You have reminded me of my original purpose. In order to make this world a better place, which includes you, I must work. Anything less than dedicating my best is an insult to the experience you have given me. You have given me the proper motivation to move forward. I will never forget this feeling and will use it to inspire me in the future.

I trust that you will take care of your own, as you always have: each class, each student, special. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and ask that you look forward to me, your adopted son. I will make a difference for you, your students, and their futures.

Sincerely,

Anthony Cho

Gochang Buk HS 

Fulbright ETA 2011-2012

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I know that I rarely speak in a heartfelt manner, but I hope that this letter could convey some of my feelings at the moment. After sorting out a lot of these feelings, I feel a lot better :).

Also, what is a blog post without pictures!

Thank you

Indeed :P

Good-bye... for now.

Sometimes it was just like this.

Though it is hard to believe, I did actually teach class. I promise.

My school Bros

1st graders

The biggest student in school

2nd graders

3rd graders

1-2

1-1 & all their books

Outside the teacher's room

Sometimes, it was like this too.

Teachers

1-1 Teacher and a gift!

Mega Update: The Corrupt Computer Chronicles

Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize for the recent lack of updates. As some of you may have heard, my computer screen was broken for the longest time. In fact, it costs a substantial sum of money and time to replace! Here is the photo proof:

White screen of death!!!!

It has been over a month since my last update so a lot of things have happened. In fact, I can't even remember them all, so I'll just post the highlights and main events.

G's Wedding (5/10)
So, many people accuse foreigners of not really accepting Korean culture and life style. One of the foreigners in my town, G, went against the grain here and decided to marry one. They are a remarkable couple and I have nothing but great things to say about them. They held their wedding at the famous Gochang temple, Seonunsa. I wish them both the best of luck moving forward with their lives together. It was awesome to see how people can really connect, no matter what path in life they have taken.

Hello there

Seems like a nice place for a wedding

We're a family now :D

The ceremony

Open Mic Night & OCT (5/12)
After an OCT meeting, I found a bar that was willing to let us host an Open Mic Night in Hongdae. It was a great informal gather of ETAs, researchers, and random friends for a talent showcase! There were songs, poetry readings, dances, and even personal tributes. I wanted to have some fun and but also raise money for charity. Of course, proceeds went to Open Doors Foundation! Anyway, a big thank you to all those that came out and support our charity! I hope to do this again next year too!

Blurry  Emcee

First up, Jeju Jooze

feat. HSO

Blurry poet

The work was well received

Friends having fun

Friends mingling

Beer was involved

Poems

We hear ya

Goof

Poet up

Eyes on the camera

A song

Researched poem

Post dance, nothing exists of the dance itself

That is not a mic

Just have fun with it

No, too much fun, scale it back

A serenade

This was a dance too

I present, the OCT

The full OCT via Instagram

Haeundae Sand Festival (6/2)
Two of the Fulbright bros and their friend asked me if I wanted to play beach volleyball with them. I hesitated since it is not my forte, but it was in Busan and going to be a ton of fun. There were even prizes. Anyway, we went and had a lot of fun. We booked a sweet motel roof suite (enough to sleep like 12) for cheap and met up with others in the area. A lot of sand, kids, and foreigners. I was able to get tan and bum around on the beach for a long time.

The team (minus me)

The sponsor hotel

Relaxin pregame 

Sand festival!

Sand sculptures

Some of them were 3D!

A sand sculpture building contest for the kids

Sand dragons

A crowd gathered for a show

The show was kinda bad... I secretly hoped it would be SISTAR

Moon on the beach

As for the tournament, we ended up taking 3rd place and won dinner at the hotel that was sponsoring the event. The team that beat us won 1st, so we could have been the 2nd best team there, but we will never know. There was on Korean guy on the 1st place team with an apocalyptic serve. It ended games. We won a trophy too and put it in the Fulbright office. Perhaps it will be our legacy on the Fulbright mantle, haha. It was a lot of fun and I  want to do it next year given that we find some good players again.

Dinner anyone?

We're number 3!

It was a buffet

Team photo

Serving up some justice

Time to battle

3rd place!

Shirt is coming off, hair is tied up, COME AT ME

Days of Rec & Prometheus (6/9)
I feel old and my body hurts in places I didn't believe existed. I think it's broken. However, I did have a ton of fun playing sports this week. On Thursday and Friday, I played basketball with my students. On Saturday, I played basketball with foreigners in Gwangju. I forgot what the real basketball games were like. I'm not going to lie, it was weird not being one of the tallest ones on the court. Today, I had two rec league games, the second one I fouled out with a total of 0 points. I couldn't move my body, so I just hacked away at people in the post. I felt horrible, but that is what it is like playing with a body that doesn't work. Like KG in game 7, you know? The will is there, but the body ain't having it. (Thunder in 6 btw) A good week for sports.

Also, Prometheus. My first 4D movie experience. The 3D was beautiful and the high def screen really makes the scenery pop. However, you cannot hide. That thing from the water was COMING AT ME. Sprayed me in the FACE. The wind blows at you front and back. YOU CANNOT HIDE. I will never watch a semi-frightening movie in 4D ever again. It was awesome, but I yelled out, "OH SH!T" a few times. Embarrassing yet funny.

Class Outings
So recently, I have been going on a few outings with students at school both  on weekends or random festival days. It is always fun to be with students outside of the classroom where I am not too responsible for their education. It is just a time to just relax and have fun with them. Of course, coaxing them into speaking English is all part of the greater plan. Much like myself, it is really enjoyable to see them all in their happier element too, where they are not responsible for learning. Anyway, my thanks goes out to 1-1 and 3-1 for taking me out to meals~! I ate deliciously and had a lot of fun.

I'm a kid again!

Anyway, once I get the chance I'll throw some more pictures up on the blog! Thanks for waiting so patiently for this update :) Life is all good~~

- Anthony