THE FULBRIGHT YEAR Morrow Willis
Message 1201
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And that’s the year in its entirety… THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Some favorites & highlights:
July 2011: The anticipation of Placement Day
August 2011: Trip to the DMZ. Visiting the ambassador’s residence. The first of many wanderings and misunderstandings in the placement city.
September 2011: The first of many weekly get togethers with the Mokpo Crew. Cheongju weekend (1) (2) (3).
October 2011: The first of many outdoor adventures. Being visited in Mokpo by familiar faces.
November 2011: The Youth Diplomacy and Activism Conference. The intensity of Suneung.
December 2011: Christmas dawn. This.
January 2012: Traveling.
February 2012: Seoul living with the roommates.
March 2012: More familiar faces. More cultural confusion.
April 2012: Saturday afternoon baseball with the ‘Saems’. Jeju Conference. And… more cultural confusion.
May 2012: Family visit to Japan. This.
June 2012: Memorable classroom moments.
July 2012: Final farewells.
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This past semester I challenged the students from my advanced level English classes to create a commercial (in English) highlighting and promoting Deogin High School. Had to finish the editing after I had already left Korea, but the video has been uploaded to the school’s YouTube account and they’ve been able to see the fruits of their labor. Above, class 2-5’s video.
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And class 2-1’s Video
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July 19, 2012 Final photos in Korea
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Final full day in Korea was spent with Mitz (and later Ji Young). Accomplished year long goal of eating at Zelen, the Bulgarian restaurant in Itaewon.
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Met up with Nate in 강남 for legit NY-style brick oven pizza. Korean owner worked in a pizzeria in NY and imported the same ingredients he used in America. Later in the evening met up with Julia, Michiko, and 수빈 for Krispy Kreme.
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3 days in Seoul. Hung out with Sarah, and visiting friend Valerie. Lunch and dessert in 삼청동, then enjoying the afternoon out around Gyeongbok Palace
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After lunch, took the students out to bowl. Their first time ever.
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July 16: Last Day in Mokpo
A great and wonderful last 24 hours with the homestay family.
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Went in to Deogin on Saturday morning to wrap up the last of work and clear out the desk. Afterwards, made good on a promise made to three 3rd year students (박수현, 이한춘, 김도언) to take them out to lunch before leaving Mokpo.
서유림, a fellow Deogin English teacher, desk neighbor, and close friend at the school joined along too.
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Final night together with the Mokpo Crew.
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With the 3rd year students.
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The best part of the last day.
Wrapping up work at Deogin took me until 7:30 p.m. However, 3rd year students (who I didn’t teach this semester, but did last year when they were 2nd year students) organized a final thank you and farewell on their own in one of the English classrooms. Some of my favorite and most memorable students from last year showed up to say their parting words, thank yous, and goodbyes. As high school seniors they are certainly the most mature students at the school, and it was fun to spend my final moments with them.
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The farewell from class 2-3 was a party in the art room complete with cake and a talent show from the students. My last official minutes as a teacher at Deogin were spent watching class clown Jung Haram yell-sing his favorite song and lift his shirt over his head; a feat that had us erupting with laughter and clutching our stomachs.
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