Harry Potter Camp - Day 2 - The Hogwarts Express and Sorting

Day Two began with a much more encouraging note, as I did NOT forget the very helpful cable that my friend Kris had lent me (as opposed to Day 1, when I had many technological fiascos, about which I opted not to write).  This cable has made my life infinitely better, as I can do all my work on my Mac, and use the cable to hijack the TV to PC connection, meaning that I never have to touch the virus-riddled, never-before-defragged computer in my classroom, ever again (or at least until I start back to teaching regular lessons).  I like this cable so much that I'm seriously considering ordering one, or at least advertising via my blog that I want to get one, so maybe someone will remember it come birthday time...  Okay, enough shameless plugs.

Although Day Two started on an encouraging note, I quickly realized why a lot of teachers like those minute-by-minute lesson plans.  I definitely began to see some of their pros.  However, I, being a rather creatively-minded person, will still stick to my skeleton lesson plans, and write the minute-by-minute ones after my lesson is over.  (I plan to do those sometime this weekend, after my camp is entirely PIN-ISH-EEEEEEE! <Which is Korean-child for "finished.">)  This realization hit me when I realized that my entire lesson plan for the two 40-minute periods of the day looked like this:

1. Train video clip.  (Internet??  Download movie??)
2.  Read tickets.
3. Introductions? 

Yup.  The award for most right-brained teacher of the year goes to... Me.  Don't argue it, just give me my certificate.

Believe it or not, this lesson is one of the ones that sticks out in my memory as a particularly good one.  As we were reading our tickets, I reached in my pocket and happened upon a train ticket from a recent trip I took, so I pulled it out, and we began comparing and contrasting the two.  When we got to the part about the departure point of our train, it said "London, England."  Well, we, being underage, certainly couldn't just apparate there, so we took the only logical course of action: We got up from our seats, lined up at the door, and proceeded to walk from Korea to London... all the way until the door, where one of my more English-gifted students reminded me that they didn't have their shoes with them.  But all is well, I realized we were walking East instead of North anyway (what we would have done at the border, I have NO idea), so it was better to turn around and head to London another way.  It ended up looking surprisingly like our classroom, but there were plenty of seats lined up in a train-formation, so it must have been the right place.

Our arrival at Hogwarts was met with an immediate sorting ceremony, during which the highlight of my week (possibly the highlight of both weeks) took place:  One profoundly bespectacled student with suspiciously mussed hair sat down at my sorting hat.

My extremely round-glassesed friend

I saw his lips moving a mile a minute, and, upon inquiry, the voice behind them grew louder.  To my delight I recognized him to be quoting the movie clip attached to the title of this post, starting around 3:52.  So, I proceeded in the only logical manner - I quoted it back to him.  In fact, we continued this until the end of the scene.  I think the most satisfying part was when the rest of the students caught on to what was happening, and they started to whisper, "Harry Potter?  Is THAT Harry Potter?!"  Beautiful.

The rest of the students got sorted, each house ending up with a decently Harry-Potter-educated student (HPES). This plan backfired ever-so-slightly when my Slytherins went from being rather sedate to being in full character after a quick conference with their rather disgruntled HPES.  While I am amused by their enthusiasm, it's also a bit frustrated, as I really don't want to have to keep taking points from their house.  Little do they know, I have some really cool prizes for the winning house, culminating in an English copy of the first Harry Potter book, which I plan to buy tomorrow, for the student with the best attendance and attitude record.

Once they were all sorted, I had the students set to work, making their house banners.  He had had a discussion about the qualities, colors, and mascot of each house, so they already had a list of what needed to make it onto each banner.  (You can see them completed below.)  It was funny watching them, realizing that I had sorted them pretty accurately, based on either the few times I had had them in my Saturday class or my brief interactions with them the day before.  My main goal had been to break up best-friend groups, but it was nice to see them playing to their strengths as well.

Everything was, once again, running behind, so I left the kids in the classroom to finish up their project, while I went around the corner to teach the 3rd and 4th graders for 40 minutes.  When I got back, I did some hunting, and found all of the banners, except for Gryffindor.  Hoping that they hadn't lost it in some massive inter-house fight or something, I taped up the other banners, and wrote a message on the board about it, before going home for the day.  As it turned out, Emma - a student with whom I've gotten rather close, and was, in fact the motivating force behind the theme of this camp - had taken it home to spend what looks to be several hours making it.  (That's a kid after my own heart, right there.)  Yes, this is the same Emma from my Saturday class, who drew Harry Potter as her superhero:

When you think about it, the only thing that's really lacking from him being commonly thought of as a superhero is a DC Comics or Marvel logo next to his name...

So, yes, Day Two was definitely an adventure, but I could feel myself getting more and more into the swing of things, and feeling more and more comfortable with what I'm doing.  Who knows?  I may even leave this experience feeling like a decent teacher!... Well, we won't push it. ;)

Lots of love to all of you!

<3

And don't hit yourself with a bludger, friends... there are still eight more posts to go in this series (unless I decide to extend it).

Cute kid work

 Okay.  Words aren't extremely necessary for this post.  This is some of my students' work... it's pretty funny, so you may want to bookmark this one for a bad day... I know I will.

This one actually isn't funny at all, but it falls into the "cute kid work" category, as one of my students came into the room today during our planning time, asking if it would be okay if he drew my portrait on the dry erase board.  The only downfall was that I couldn't keep it. :)

So much has happened!

In the past 48 hours, so much has happened Korea-wise. Let me get you up to date.

Yesterday (Saturday), I went to Yeshuat Yisrael, as usual (well, not totally usual, as the boyfriend decided he wanted to come too). I was a bit anxious the whole time, as I've been the past week, struggling with trying out how to figure out how to pay for everything. At the end of the service, they called me up to the front, so I could explain a little more about everything that I need to do financially to prepare for the list, and explain my wish list a little bit more. So I explained how my luggage is literally falling apart and how toiletries are rather different in Korea, so I was trying to bring a year's worth with me. They let me explain everything, and then Rabbi Ken dropped one of the biggest bombshells on me that I have ever experienced. He looked at me and said, "We've decided that we want to buy some luggage for you, so pick out what you would like. Also, we are committing to send you a care package of toiletries every month while you're there, so you don't need to worry about that anymore." (Later, one of the women, who is a seasoned international traveler, told me she wanted to give me her very nice carry-on luggage too.)

I almost burst into tears right then.

I really cannot explain how amazing this has been for me. G-d is blowing my mind with how He is taking care of me. I would not be able to do any of this on my own. It is totally and completely Him and me sitting within His will. My cup overflows.


Today, I got an email from Jenny, who is my contact at Korean Nazarene University (KNU) in South Korea (she was involved somehow in my hiring). From the sounds of things, they have a backup plan in place in case I and one of my co-workers do not get our VISAs in time. (No, not like the movie.) I have no clue what it is, but I've sent an email asking about it. So, hopefully, I'll know all about that soon.

I do have a backup plan of my own as well. I am planning to go home to my parents' house before I leave, and, since they live so close to Washington D.C., I could go into the city and wait around all day to get my VISA and hop on a plane the next day and leave if I had to. It's all going to work out, and I know that it will happen according to G-d's timing.



Please continue to pray. I am already seeing and feeling the affects of your prayers, and I am so grateful for it! Time is closing in, so the more prayers I have the better.

I love you so much!

I got my packing list.

I received the email I've been most anxious to get: the one that includes info about PACKING! Yayyyy! Basically, it confirmed a lot of things that I assumed, but also pointed out some things I hadn't thought of.

It suggests bringing a lot of hardsided luggage. I've never shopped for hardsided luggage before, so I don't really know what I'm looking for, except that I'd love a 30" or 31" one, and I'd love it to be part of a brightly-colored set. Any suggestions?

I need a lot of luggage, as I need to bring clothes with me for all four seasons, since it has been confirmed that there is slim to no chance of me finding clothes in my size there. Also, sleeveless tops are a no-no. Apparently my new mantra is: Shoulders are slutty. Yeah... good luck with that, 앤. Not to worry... I dropped $100 or so total and did a mad dash through a bunch of different Goodwill stores. As a result, I have a pretty snazzy new wardrobe. I may do one more run, depending on how much money I have.

As I thought, there are a lot of toiletries that are very different, expensive, or just plain unavailable in Korea, like deodorant, tampons, makeup, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, other hair products, and GUM (I knew I should have never let myself get addicted). Therefore, I am somehow going to try to afford taking a whole year's worth with me. (The pessimistic voice in my head has a field day with that one.)

Of course, I need a power converter... I have one, but I'm not sure it's right for all the things I need to plug in... I'll ask someone technologically capable to help me out with that one.

And then... my stress: I'll need to have enough money to survive the first month there until I get my paycheck. This is definitely my stress right now. Luckily, my synagogue, Congregation Yeshuat Yisrael has offered to help me out on some of these things in addition to throwing me a going away party. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate them right now. They're being so supportive in this endeavor, praying for me, and loving on me. They are amazing.

In summary... if this is stressing you out too, you are welcome to help me out (I'm not trying to beg... no, wait, maybe I am?). My wish list is here.

I love you all so so much.