2016-09-28 drop-ins, in-house tutoring, orientations, fans

TNKR moved to its first independent office on July 8. For the first month, I didn't post the address. I wasn't sure what would happen and how many gate-crashers we would get. Well, it turns out that lots of people--fans, student and tutor applicants, and curious people--would show up unannounced! It happened twice today, surprising me so much that I was still wearing a sweatshirt and hadn't gotten ready for the day.

In-house tutoring: we have re-started, more organized than ever. It helps that Prof Young Seh Bae taught me a few things during her trip to Korea. So I did a counseling session and also helped a refugee develop a study plan.

Orientation: to get prepared for the October 1 session, I held two more individual orientation sessions.

Office assistant: we had a new office assistant start, she will come in a few hours every week.

TNKR National Director Eunkoo Lee held an orientation with a few of the refugees who are slated to join this weekend's Matching session, Almost midnight, I just sent her the resumes of the tutor applicants. She will format them to send to the refugees tomorrow so they can review them.

Feedback from the refugees during orientation:
* I have heard a lot about TNKR, the way I have been studying English has not seemed effective. I am now focused on studying TOEIC, I am studying on my own, and I hope I can also find three tutors who can help me study in a more effective way. After I heard about TNKR, I read many articles and watched videos about it. It seems that the organization is not strong financially but they have a lot of heart, so I should study hard. I know I can't waste this opportunity, I always remember: "Don't miss this chance."

* I did study English when I was in North Korea, but that was a long time ago. I lived abroad for a few years, so I learned conversational English, but I don't know or understand English. I thought I was too old to learn English, but then I saw a story about a 60 year old man studying English, so I thought I could do it too. I hope that by learning English properly that I can inspire my son as he struggles with it. I waited more than a year before I applied to TNKR, and I'm so glad I did, I am so impressed by what Casey and Eunkoo do. I hope I can get three teachers to help me improve my English.

* I came to South Korea in 2010, I was shocked by the level of discrimination that I suffered. I was embarrassed to tell anyone that I was from North Korea. I did get a job, it didn't take me long to see that English is part of the every day life here in South Korea. I came across TNKR in an Internet search. The words jumped out at me. I am ready to study like crazy, I hope I can get 4 to 8 teachers.

"Yoegi Anjuseyo!"

* I have a short reflection in today's Korea Times about an encounter with an unfriendly looking Korean man on the subway. It was a reminder not to be too quick in judging people in Korea. 09-13-2011 16:47 'Yeogi Anjeuseyo!' By Casey Lartigue Jr. The recent incident in which an American English teacher bullied an elderly Korean man and other passengers on the bus reminded me of a more pleasing incident from years ago. I was on the subway, taking the train outside of Seoul for a work assignment. I have the habit of standing on the subway to strategically position myself near the doors in case my stop magically appears. On that particular day, there was a Korean man STARING at me. Not just looking at me, but intensely staring at me. He had an incredible frown on his face. Not just for one stop, but for several stops the guy just kept staring at me. If I had known more Korean then I would have been able to curse him ...

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."

Michael Breen discussion at 10 Magazine

Yesterday I attended a discussion with writer Michael Breen, hosted by Barry Welsh. Very often, when I attend a speech or discussion about a topic I know a lot about, I often think about ways the speaker/facilitator/discussant could have done better. But I didn't feel that way about Breen, it was one of those times that I really felt like I had a lot to learn and should listen more than talk. He's been in Korea for three decades, working as a reporter, commentator, communications specialist. He reminds me of Andrei Lankov in that his analysis seems to be based on observation of how things work rather than trying to get the world to fit his biases. I don't know him, so his friends may say he is a raging ideologue, but that's not the impression I had yesterday and based on his writings. Michael Breen (L) and Casey Lartigue I first read his book The Koreans about a decade ago. It was a delightful read, that was both warm to Koreans but also critical at times. Yes...

Humanitarian with a guillotine (Korea Times, February 1, 2013) by Casey Lartigue, Jr.

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan said the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, `` I’m from the government, and I’m here to help .” For many well-intentioned activists, politicians, and intellectuals, that should be updated as: ``We are here to help you. You’re under arrest.” For example, ``sex workers” around the world oppose anti-prostitution laws. Prostitutes may not know the theoretical arguments but they do know in reality that prohibiting prostitution means they lack protection in dealing with abusive pimps and madams, violent patrons and crooked cops. Locally, a Korean woman busted for prostitution recently appealed to the courts pleading , ``I cannot survive without this job. I don’t want to be treated as a criminal for making a living the only way I can.” How should someone who genuinely wants to help her respond? If you say ``arrest her” then you are qualified to be a “harmful humanitarian.” In your desire to help, you have elimin...

2014-02-14 Yeon-Mi Park`s debut

Yeonmi Park, February 14, 2014, making her debut! Yesterday I was one of the speakers at a special session on North Korean refugees at the Canadian Maple International School. Wow, it was a wonderful time! * Yeon-Mi Park delivered her first major speech in English. She was wonderful! She told her story (35 minute speech without notes), discussed different aspects of North Korea, and then handled questions from students for more than an hour. She did seem to be nervous at the beginning-she took a deep breath just as she started, looked at me, then told her story from her heart. * Returning from the speech, I told Yeonmi that she had star potential. She told me that she didn't believe it, but I told her that the way she handled Q&A and told her story, I would be lucky to have her still returning my phone calls within a year. * The students had many questions. They have been learning about North Korea. They are now reading "Escape from Camp 14" featuring Shin Dong-h...

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