Well, I’m back. Readers may notice this is the first entry in 7 months – the fault is partially the Camera’s, but currently, far more is mine. And for now, we’ll leave it at that. Some of you may be reading this for the first time, others may have re-discovered this column after the long [...]

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Well, to my disappointment I’m already writing less than I thought I would. It’s not for lack of topics – but rather time. I will continue to try and improve my track record. I’ve had a wicked sore throat, fever and fatigue for over a week, and finally went to the hospital a couple of [...]

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Politics will now insert themselves into this column for the first, but certainly not the last time. It’s hard to miss the blaring headlines in the last few days about the latest North Korean nuclear test and subsequent missile launches, which is designed to develop their technical prowess. Given the breathless pronouncements and endless analysis [...]

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The reason I came to Korea was to teach English, so let me talk about that experience. I work at Goheung Elementary School, the county’s largest elementary, teaching 4th through 6th grade. I have about 300 students, and teach 21 classes a week and I work 8:30-5 PM every  weekday. Koreans go to school every [...]

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Last week, it was Teacher’s Day – although not a major holiday, it’s still commands much attention, especially from students and parents. Traditional gifts from students include letters, carnations, socks and either handkerchiefs for men, or cosmetics for women. As the photo above indicates, I scored socks, a handkerchief and a “bun” which one attaches [...]

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This is part 2 of Children’s Day, although it centers on a subject one rarely talks to children about: leper colonies. After the Children’s Day festival in Goheung, 2 other teachers, 2 children and I went to Sorokdo, an island south of the Goheung mainland, which is about a half hour drive from the city [...]

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While it was Cinco de Mayo in the greater Boulder metropolitan area yesterday, here in South Korea (and Japan*) it is Children’s Day, which is seen through a child’s eye as their Christmas. Traditionally, children receive gifts (often cash), although unlike Christmas, go special places with their parents, such as zoos or museums. The elementary [...]

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If you want to rile Americans, talk about North Korea. Well, this is a perspective of a foreigner’s life in the other Korea. South Korea (hereafter referred to as simply Korea), gets little ink in the U.S. media, although to be fair, dozens of other countries receive the same treatment, much to our detriment. I [...]

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