Mulmangcho Christmas Party (2014-12-21)

In late 2012, shortly after I became the volunteer International Adviser to the Mulmangcho School (for adolescent North Korean refugees), I talked with school founder Prof. Park Sun-young about us holding a Christmas Party for the kids. I quickly concluded there was no way I could do it on my own so I dropped the idea and ignored her when she tried to remind me about it.^^

But last year? Edward M. Robinson, a party planner in America, among many other things, took the lead! Helping Others Prosper Through English (HOPE) hosted spectacular Halloween and Christmas parties for the kids last year (I'm also the International Adviser to HOPE).

This year, Eddie took the lead again, but the crew organizing the party has increased. (I hope I don't miss anyone). Eddie is the energy behind the organizing, but we do have plenty of help. In-Jee Lee led the toy drive with her colleagues at the Chungdahm Learning Institute. Mike Ashley reached into his own pocket and bought many gifts for the kids. Rachel Stine helped with organizing the party. Kelly Pratt helped with organizing, also bought many items to donate to the kids. And then there are volunteers like Nina Hong and Kristen Lefebvre who seem to be at Mulmangcho every weekend now.

Jungah Ji was one of the main organizers of our Christmas parties at the Yonsei Severance Hospital and she joined us at Mulmangcho for the first time, bringing her friend Yoonjee Kim along with her. Aaron Grommesh is back in Korea, that means that he is back at Mulmangcho. Laura Nell, who knew me back in the day before I got involved in NK issues. Serena Ha is yet another friend who joined Mulmangcho, and keeps coming back. Whereas the rest of us volunteer on Sundays, she was going on Thursdays once a week to tutor one of the young adults. Hannah Acuña Nedrow, Kasia Middleton, Niina Cartier, thank you so much, too. There were a few other volunteers Eddie brought, and I didn't catch their names...

Nevada Rhodes brought the same rambunctious energy he brought to the parties at the hospital a few days ago. If you are looking for an MC for parties, he is definitely someone to look up.

Oh! And of course the high school girls from Wonju who are regular volunteers at the school.

Several of the volunteers are also regulars in the Teach North Korean Refugees project, so it is delightful to be able to collaborate with them on more than just one thing...

Here's video from the Chosun Ilbo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUqu-gkl7AA&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

When the party was over, we said goodbye to Eddie, who boarded the bus with two crates and a suitcase, then had three taxi drivers refuse to take him home later on. If only they had known what a great thing he had done, they might have given him a free ride. So next year, someone please remind me to arrange Uber for Eddie.^^

Get rid of that watermelon!

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Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Last weekend: Suicide, Kim Young Ha, NK

Credit: Joanne Cho Event 1: Friday night I went to a talk given by Fulbright junior researcher Joanne Cho. She did a great job putting together statistics about some of the most commonly cited reasons that so many Koreans commit suicide. Probably the most provocative tidbit: Cho watched 86 dramas from the spring of 2012 to now, she says that 63 had "scenes depicting or discussing suicide" in a favorable light (as a way to solve problems, that troubled people can be forgiven for their sins and are even seen as sympathetic). Another interesting tidbit: While it is often cited that Korea is number one in the world in suicide (among countries reporting reliable statistics), what I had not realized or had forgotten is that Korean men are number 8 in the world compared to men in other countries with reliable statistics, Korean women are #1 in the world when compared to women in other countries. My questions for the speaker: 1) What was a finding in your research th...

To be a good volunteer, use your brain (Korea Times, December 5, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. There is probably an unwritten rule that a celebrity offering to do volunteer work for a good cause should immediately be embraced. Well, that’s not what happened to Jeong So-dam, the glamorous Korean cable TV announcer when our paths crossed on Nov. 29. Ms. Jeong was the MC of an event about American political philosophy hosted by the Association for Economic Evolution. During my speech about American libertarianism since 1940, I discussed my volunteer work for North Korean refugees. After the speech, Jeong approached me, asking how she could help. I gave her the same tough love I give to potential volunteers by asking: “Who are you?” After all, if you are Bill Gates, then open your wallet. If you speak four languages, then help with translation work. So I first stress to potential volunteers: Use your brain. Tell us about your skills and interests so together we can figure out your initial role. Jeong was good-natured about it, rather than c...

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