On common sense

Original:

안녕 하세요!! 보건실 입니다..

이번 주 들어 감기 등의 증상 학생 들이 많아 지고 있습니다.

작년의 있었던 신종플루는 계절 독감 으로 같이 취급하고 있으며 신종플루라는 용어는 사용하지 않고 그냥 " 인플루엔자" 로 용어를 통일하고 있습니다. 복지부 에서는 신종플루를 포함한 독감이 예년 수준으로 유행 할 것으로 보고 작년처럼 대유행하지는 않을 것으로 전망하고 있습니다..

아울러  선생님 들께서는 교실에 들어 가서 자주 환기를 해 주시고 학생들에게.. 손씻기, 기침 예절-손으로 가리기,마스크 착용 등을 각별히 지도 해 주시기 바랍니다. 마스크가 없는 학생은 보건실로 보내 주시면 마스크를 드리겠습니다.

각 반별로 특히 감기 학생이 많은 반은 각별히 신경써 주시기 바랍니다.

방학이 얼마 남지 않앗는데... 무사히 넘어 가기를 바랍니다.
바쁘신데,,, 건강 조심하시고... 즐거운 하루 되세요!!!

Aaaaaaaaaand, Google Translate:

Hi! Infirmary is a ..

For this week, many students are getting cold symptoms such as.

Last year's flu season was treated as flu and flu just do not use the term "flu" is to unifythe terminology. Ministry of flu, including the usual levels of influenza reported to beprevalent throughout the pandemic will not like last year can be expected ..

Teachers enter the classroom as well as go to it often gave vent to students .. Hand washing, cough etiquette - hand-screening, especially the map and have to wear a mask, please. Students who do not mask the mask, please send it to the health clinicwill.

Each class, especially in extreme cold, half the student cares a lot, please.

Anatneunde vacation just around the corner ... I hope over the top in one piece.
Bother,,, health care and ... Have a nice day!

If I see a student actually attempt to cover their mouths while coughing I am surprised. VERY surprised. (Do not even get me started on spitting, not just outdoors, but INDOORS.) Seems basic manners about what is not just dirty but also bloody disgusting is not part of the home education.

90 vs 10

The final class of the day starts at 14:15. With just a little bit of effort you can finish the Penalty Work in under 15 minutes and go watch the movie. If I see you trying I'll most likely be nice and reduce the amount of work, bringing it down to about 10 minutes.

Numnut did nothing for the whole 45 minutes, even when I warned him that he would not be going home until he finishes. He immediately started grumbling.

When the final bell went he stood up to go at which point I reminded him he was not finished. This started a 30 minute argument/reasoning/pleading to get out of doing the work. When he finally realised I was not going to give in he did the work and it took, surprise surprise, only 10 minutes.

Was it really necessary to waste both our time like this?

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Did I do something wrong?

I was playing a game and was not paying attention, but she got on the bus, took the seat next to me, the only open one on the bus, almost immediately got up to go stand at the door, then sat down when someone there got up at the next stop. She remained there until we both got off at the end of the route.

I know I didn’t smell bad and I know I wasn’t talking to myself…

If only Harry had a lightsaber

It’s not often I make the effort to see something on the big screen, but this weekend I went to see the new Harry Potter.

Did you know Saturday was a school day? NO STUDENTS IN THE THEATRE!

The film, overall, was OK. Nothing earth shattering, but if you’ve already watched all the previous films, then you need to watch this, I suppose. The film starts of weirdly with little explanation of what is happening. If you never read the books, or, like me you sometimes forget what you read or what happened in the previous film all those months ago, then this can be just a tad bit confusing. A few minutes in and we transition into an air battle. Yah! Excitement! It fight started off with a bang, but unfortunately fizzled out in to a snore. This is no George Lucas film, for sure.

From there on the film just drags along. For large parts of the film nothing really happens. They sit around and argue. They walk around thinking. They run around doing, whatever. The more I think back on it, the more boring the film seems.

Despite the not so great overall entertainment I can say I am really happy I saw this on the big screen. The cinematography is enough to make most photographers drool and marvel at the precision of each shot, especially the near static filler scenes and the nature panoramas. They picked the most amazing landscapes to fill the background and the setups of rooms where they spend time looked like setups for a photo shoots. I will watch the film again just to see all that again.

So, the verdict…
Go see it. What else do you have to do?

This is how we(meaning me) like.

I am busy making a list of things I would like to see or do next year. To better appreciate the places I visit, I intend to create short write-ups about them. Each write-up will be divided in to four sections

1. “Hundred words…GO!”

This will be a short description of this location in no more than 100 words. If I can’t fit it in, then I either need to improve my writing (likely) or this place is too much for one visit. Let the photos do the talking where words aren’t needed, right?

2. “…or download a movie instead?”

Is this place worth your time, or maybe yours? Should you even bother leaving the house for it?

3. “Do they throw the Inglishee good?”

Is there any English available and what is the quality of said English? Also, is the information provided worth anything? There is no point telling us how many stones were used and what the total weight of the shrine is of I don’t even know why it was put here in the first place, is there? Yes, I understand that cultures are not the same. I’m not saying the information is bad. I am just saying that the information is likely not what us “westerners” would like to receive.

4. Checka-Checka!

I love taking photographs and often I will visit a place for no other reason than to get a single photograph. This section is my opinion on your opportunity to get great photographs of the location. The location, not you. Confused? This is what I mean.

 

Note: This is a work in progress. I might change it a bit, but who knows?

Hanja

Sometime, when putting the office messages through Google Translate, something will catch my eye. Today there was some sort of schedule change for the 3^rd graders. One of the subjects that were mentioned was 한자쓰기 (Chinese Letters Writing). That in itself is not interesting. The fact that Google translates it as 한자 as “Kanji” which is the Japanese name for “Chinese Letters”. Korean is “Hanja”, pretty close, but not the same thing.

I find Hanja quite interesting, not to study, but just to think about. I read once that the literacy rate in Korea is something like 98% and it would be even higher, if that was possible, if people didn’t have to learn Chinese Letters. Why they still learn I is unknown to me. I suspect it is a bit like learning Latin because it gives Koreans an insight in to a part of their language.

As for using it outside of school... many of the older Koreans can read quite a bit of Chinese and it seems they studied it much more intensely when they were in school. It also seems that not so long ago quite a few signs and even news papers used quite a bit of Chinese, and if you couldn’t read it your would be a bit like a newbie English teacher.

If I ever get around to mastering more Korean, I might actually start learning some Hanja. Apparently it is quite interesting.

Really? You? Again?

Answering the replies:

What is with people? Are people feeling guilty about something? Read what I wrote here. READ IT! I am not saying you are not allowed to take photos of yourself. In context photos of your are perfectly fine. I’m merely pointing out that you should NOT claim that photos of YOU are actually photos of something else. I’m not really making any other point in that regard.

If you bother to finish the post, you will see the note that says that this is in preparation for something else. In context this is not nearly the rant everyone seems to think it is. This is merely an explanation of what I personally consider a "photo opportunity" and the fact that I don't consider that “photo hogging” a photo opportunity when travelling.

Lastly, people are trying to throw “not everyone is a great photographer” in my face. I’m not a great photographer, yet I get nice photos. Amazing how that happens, isn’t it? Most of my friends are not great photographers, yet they get nice photos and I enjoy looking through them. I wonder how? Also, if you are in your own photo, then you are NOT the photographer, so your skill as no bearing on anything.

You see it all the time. Photos of people standing in front of a landmark or some other point of interest, facing the camera with a huge smile on their face. Sometimes they’re pointing at said point of interest and maybe even doing something silly. What is more, in a set of say 50 photos, as many as 40 will basically be the same photo with just a change of background.

I can just imagine how the conversation will go if they ever had to show hard copies in an album to someone: “Look, here I am posing next to the old tree, and here I am, posing in front of the pond next to the old tree, and here I am posing at the sign telling us that this is the old tree. Here I am, in front of the plaque with the name of the gallery next to the old tree with the pond and here I am inside the gallery posing next to an amazing work of art, and completely distracting you from looking at it.”

“So?” people might say, “these are photos showing where I was”.

Well, yes, but mostly NO! These are photos of you. Not photos of things you saw and places you went to. These things and places are the backgrounds to photos of you. You are the subject with everything else doing nothing more than adding interest to a photo of, all together now, yoooou.

Was that place really so boring that you couldn’t find anything that deserved its own photos? If indeed it was so boring, why then are you showing us these photos? Can’t we just look at your face while we speak to you or at your profile picture after we looked at your photos?

“No, the photos are not about me.” (pointing) “They are about that there.” Let’s have another look, shall we…

Are you looking straight at the camera and smiling? Yes? Then the photo is about you! See that big thing you are standing in front of? I’m not looking at that because you are twice its size, in the foreground, and…yes, that’s right, smiling at the camera. Humans are programmed to look at people and their faces. It takes a strong man, or women, to look at the background before looking at…yooooou.

“Yes, but when I’m in the photo it shows people that I was there.”

Firstly, don’t you think a single photo at the start of the series is enough to prove that you were at the location of all the photos to follow? Secondly, just who are these people doubting you? Are they your friends? If they are and don’t believe that you actually took those photos yourself, don’t you think it is about time to drop them?

If you absolutely HAVE to be in the photo, please look like you belong in the scene. Don’t BE the scene. Stand further away from the camera so that you don’t obscure or dominate the scene. Pretend you are doing something. “Glance” at something off to the side of the photographer. Read a book and look like you are relaxing in the shade of the tree next to the Eifel tower. Yes, the Eifel Tower will still be impressive, even without your mug filling the entire foreground, and you will also look more like you were actually enjoying the place instead of just trying to hog the camera.

Lastly, and for heaven’s sake just do this, spend 5 minutes reading up on the rule of thirds and then spend 30 seconds explaining it to whomever you are giving your camera to. These photos are memories and I obviously memories you want to share. Don’t you think others deserve something worth their time?

Note: This post was written in preparation of a series of posts I will do next year in which “Photo Opportunity” will be discussed.

About time.

Wondering at what point I will be told about this…

오늘 민방위의 날 관련하여 오후 2시부터 공습경보에 따른 비상대피훈련이 있겠습니다.
첨부해드리는 자료를 보시고

5교시 교과선생님들께서는 실제상황이라고 생각하시어 담당학급을 인솔하시어
운동장 앞 스탠드로 순서대로 집결할 수 있도록 협조 부탁드립니다.
전 교직원 / 빛반 학생 모두 해당됩니다.

공습경보는 2시부터 약 15분간입니다. / 이후 경계경보로 바뀌면 다시 내려온 순서대로 교실에 입실하시면 됩니다. 힘드시겠지만, 여러가지로 중요한 훈련이니 많은 협조부탁드립니다.

Google Translate:

Civil Defence in relation to today's 2 pm the day due to air-raid alarm will be followed by an emergency evacuation drills.

Year saw the offering materials attached 5th period considered subject hasieo Teachers in charge of the actual situation, ledthe class hasieo Stand in front yard in order to assist the ashes please. Former faculty / student applies to both bitban.

Red Alert is about 15 minutes from the two. / turns into a security alert since the ordercame down again, will you be admitted into class. That's rough, but in many ways Is an important training cooperation and thank you.

Update:

금일 민방위 훈련과 관련하여 점심식사를 드시고 1시 10분에  3층교무실에서 간단한 연수가 있을 예정입니다.

바쁘시겠지만 이번 민방위훈련은 실제 대피훈련이기 때문에 선생님들께서는 꼭 참석해주시기 바랍니다.

감사합니다.^^

Google Translate:

In connection with civil defense training today to eat lunch at 1:00 10 3cheunggyomusileseo is expected to be a simple training.

The boy scouts are busy, but because the actual evacuation drills attended theTeachers you please.
Thank you. ^ ^

Update:

I was quite literally told 10 minutes before the “Big Event”

Slip-sliding away.

Just like Gauteng has weather conditions that are unfamiliar to these parts of Korea (frightening thunderstorms…how I miss thee), so Gyeonggi-do has weather that I am still getting used to.

Today, despite the literally freezing conditions, the clouds decided to spit out a light drizzle, just enough to make everything wet. This is worrying because with no sun to dry the moisture from the roads and walking surfaces, I see black ice forming everywhere we don’t need it.

The black ice has not formed yet, so in the mean time the clouds have started spitting out tiny balls of ice. These balls, lying in the thin water layers, does not sure footing make.

Here’s hoping I see a few of my students face plant (without getting seriously hurt) .

Squirt me Squishy

Sometimes we get these thingies in our soup. After asking around I found that these are called Stalked Sea Squirt (미더덕) and there basically nothing good to say concerning them. They have a horrible texture, pops violently when you bite them and thee isn't much to say about the taste because it is mostly boiled out in the soup. Their only redeeming feature is that they are fun to poke.

Give us our Goguryeo back.

On a recent blog post of another blogger someone made the claim that China stole part Korean. To substantiate their argument they posted this map.

The blind righteousness is amazing. On that very same Wiki page is a image showing the original size of Goguryeo, but this is conveniently ignored. (This is not just a Korean thing. There is a lot of it in South Africa and other countries, but I don’t live there, I live in Korea, so this is what I am exposed to most of the time.)

Koreans usually prefer to remember their history in a way where Korea held more territory than the Two Koreas do today. Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms, held territories well in to the area of today’s China. No point disputing that. What I do find funny is that some Koreas believe that this land should still be Korean territory and that China stole it from Korea.

At the War Memorial in Seoul there is a map showing how the Three Kingdoms grew to hold the territories that would later become Korea. Because it show how the kingdoms grew, it necessarily shows Goguryeo as an earlier, smaller kingdom.

And here is where the blindness creeps in. Koreans prefer to just ignore that Goguryeo had to battle and conquer the lands that they held. Conquer, invade and take. They forget that, among others, Goguryeo had to take the territory from kingdoms that would eventually form China. Somehow they view the territory that the Chinese kingdoms took back as rightfully Korean. In truth, “Korea” stole if from “China” and then lost it again.

I write “Korea” and “China” in quotations because these two countries did not exist there 1500 years ago. I might even say that Korea is not allowed to claim any of Goguryeo history, as it is Silla who eventually conquered the other kingdoms, thus forming what we know today as Korea. This means that “Korea" is actually the country who invaded Goguryeo while “China” merely fought back losing some territory in one place and gaining some in another. Therefore it is Korea owes Goguryeo the territory that it stole from them.

There is, of course, the argument that “Korea” rightfully won that territory in battle, but then Korea will also have to accept that it rightfully lost it again in battle and therefore it is forfeited to China. If not, then maybe it is time to give back all that territory that was “stolen” from Baekjae, Ye, Dongye Lelang and Byeonhan.