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Showing posts from September, 2016

2016-09-29 TNKR newcomer: "Push me"

The first TNKR student joining our in-house tutoring project today stressed that she wants a lot of homework. The second student said that she wants the tutors to push her. She is a newcomer to South Korea, she has been here for a year, she was referred to TNKR by other refugees studying with us. Her English is at a lower level but her tutor is really patient. The student hopes that after a year she will be able to understand English and that others will be able to understand  her when she speaks English. She said she is okay with taking photos but with in-house tutoring students, we don't show them right after they join. I am now the Academic Adviser for TNKR, interviewing refugees as they come into the program. Question: Can anyone recommend websites with movies in English with Korean subtitles? This student would like to watch movies, both with and without subtitles. * * * (Please do your best to ignore typos, I'm writing this on an iPad)

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 ho w 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,

2016-09-25 TNKR Matching session 49

  2016-09-25 Freedom Speakers International (previously Teach North Korean Refugees) quietly started in March 2013 with a small session including 5 volunteers, 5 NK refugees and 2 volunteers.  We now occasionally have larger sessions like this past Saturday, with 8 learners, 16 tutors, and 3 volunteer helpers for the session. It is also an example of the way we have changed so that each session: 1) Provides refugees as many choices as possible in choosing several tutors. 2) Doing our best to make sure every tutor gets selected. 3) Trying to end the session as quickly as possible, because everyone wants to get in, but once they are in, want to pull up the ladder from others. 4) Two refugees canceled at the last minute, one tutor canceled the day before but one tutor happened to pop up so I gave her a quick orientation in the morning between other meetings. The refugees gave the following feedback and comments: * I arrived in 2009, I am now a university student studying TOEIC and TOEFL s

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 TNK

TNKR featured on tvN (2016-09-12)

tvN did a full-length special about Teach North Korean Refugees! Check it out: Email CJL(@)post.harvard.edu to receive a copy via email, but the link can't be shared online (tvN owns the copyright).

2016-09-13 "Hello, this is TNKR!"

2016-09-13: Since last night we have had more than 100 phone calls to the TNKR office. That would be like a mom-and-pop shop having 3 buses of hungry football players suddenly parked outside their small restaurant. Steve Chai and Youngmin Kwon were bumping into each other handling so many calls! They had to remember to keep a safe distance from each other. They started off with written notes, but I told them to move this to a spreadsheet so we could follow up with everyone who called. We were all volunteers at that time, suddenly dealing with many phone calls and requests from people who wanted to join us immediately. Most of the calls were from South Koreans, including a 12-year-old girl, who had seen last night's TVN special about TNKR . A professional female South Korean golfer also called, more than once. But there were also a few calls from North Korean refugees. https://www.facebook.com/CaseyLartigue/videos/1135977703212890/ We also had a lot of "Hey! I called 10 times a

Steve Chai transferred his cable

    Steve Chai transferred his cable service to the TNKR office so we could watch the  tvN special about TNKR ... Yes, he transferred his cable service over to TNKR so we could watch the tvN special... Did you hear what I'm saying? HE TRANSFERRED HIS  CABLE SERVICE TO TNKR SO WE COULD WATCH THE TVN SPECIAL ABOUT TNKR. There are some times that I am completely amazed about the things that people do to help TNKR. If I told Steve Chai that I like his shirt, he'd be willing to trade me the one I have on, or let me know that he would go shopping to find another one for me, and that he would deliver it in the morning. www.lovetnkr.org/donate

2016-09-06 My birthday continues, thanks to 승설향!

승설향 is so adorable! She joined TNKR September of last year, and has remained with us consistently since then. She couldn't make it yesterday, but she stopped by today to wish me a Happy Birthday! www.lovetnkr.org/donate