2016-09-21 TNKR orientation for 10-1 session

2016-09-21 TNKR National Director Eunkoo Lee led an orientation with refugees to get prepared for our October 1 Language Matching session. We had a nice time--especially when we took photos at the end.

The feedback from the refugees was great:

* When I first started TNKR two years ago, I couldn't communicate with the teachers. I feel much more comfortable now. I need to come back to TNKR because two of my teachers have left Korea.

I had never spoken with native speakers before I joined TNKR. I can see that I have gained confidence, and this will really help when I have an interview for a fellowship opportunity soon. I hope I can find 2 tutors.

* English is very difficult for me. I learned about TNKR from another refugee who is studying in the program now. I'm a senior in college now, I need to start getting prepared for interviews. I lack confidence now to have a discussion or interview in English, so I hope I can improve my confidence and ability.

What I early like about TNKR is that the system is flexible for refugees. I am a little nervous about communicating with tutors in English, I hope they will be patient with me.

* I joined TNKR for a year. It was really difficult at first, and I think I didn't study very hard. I was accepted into a university, I will need to improve my English in order to graduate. I have a lot of free time, so I won't waste this great opportunity provided by TNKR.

I hope I can get 2-3 tutors, I will take it more seriously this time.

* I hope to go abroad as an exchange student, it should be a great experience. My goals are to improve my grammar and speaking. I found out about TNKR from a friend who is studying in the program now. I am really thankful to TNKR because I can see that your main goal is to give opportunities to refugees. It does seem like a challenge because we are expected to also engage in self-study. But that is also a good challenge and makes me realize I need to study hard, not just rely on the teacher.

I hope to get 2 or 3 tutors.

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https://www.facebook.com/events/204321419987133/?action_history=null&ref=4

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2021 update: In late 2020, we put the tutoring project on hold. We hope to restart tutoring, you can support the campaign.

https://give.lovetnkr.com/Tutor-NK-refugees

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."

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Random photos from today

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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...

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...

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