2014-06-01 Mulmangcho: So what do you do here, Casey?

* We had seven volunteers hailing from six different countries join today. Michael Patterson (Canada), Paul Jennings (New Zealand), Rachel Lewis (UK), Alexiana EL CF (France), Maynard Villamer (Phillippines), Victoria Oh (USA and Casey Lartigue (USA).

* As a reminder, the volunteers not only hail from different parts of the world, but also different parts of Korea. Most are from Seoul, but I heard a few talk about coming from 2 hours away from down south. And the ones in Seoul, we take an express bus that takes 65 minutes, then the school bus that takes another 10 minutes or so.

* It happened again 1: A somewhat new volunteer questioned the school curriculum, suggesting it should be more rigorous. I agreed with her, as I always agree with new volunteers who have suggestions that they suggest that "somebody" should do something about. But something strange happened on the way to the always elusive "somebody" being assigned the task. She pledged to do something about it! I told her she has my permission, if she needs it, so I will be watching...

* It happened again 2: A somewhat new volunteer showed up, asking what I do there because I don't teach. Well, I didn't bother discussing how I set up this volunteer project so people like her could join, have raised money for the school, give 100,000 won a month to the school, take time every Sunday to make sure newcomers have a consistent contact point, act as a magnet for the school attracting people who set up great activities for the kids, etc. Instead, I joined her in wondering what it is that I do for the Mulmangcho School...

* Today, we had only one no-show. For anyone who has recruited volunteers, you know how incredible that is. Volunteers can be great, but, well, they aren't exactly reliable. Add in long bus rides on a Sunday morning, and I'm surprised I'm not alone at the school most weekends. Which I guess would please the volunteers who wonder what it is that I do.

* I'm the International Adviser to the school, but we now have three different expats making plans and coordinating schedules, so that means there is the inevitable double-booking. June 8 was originally going to be a regular teaching day, but I learned today that there will be a BBQ at Grace Stables. I don't know any details yet, I will update soon, but then regular teaching resumes from June 15.

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Get rid of that watermelon!

Part 1: When I was a youngster I used to collect Confederate money, posters and photographs with caricatures of blacks, and "No blacks allowed signs." I loved the money because it was a reminder of how far the sorry Confederacy had fallen. I had one poster of a dark-skinned black boy munching on a watermelon. I would look at that small poster and wonder, "What in the world is wrong with anyone wanting to eat watermelon?" Yes, white people, I'm talking to you. Your parents, grandparents, and other ancestors who thought making fun of blacks for eating watermelon were crazy ! Even people who say that nothing has changed in race relations must acknowledge that the many stereotypes of blacks are no longer prevalent. But then, there are also some ready to remind us of days-gone-by by debunking stuff that doesn't need to be debunked today. According to the Washington Post: The sound you just heard was yet another racial stereotype going kersplat ! Some ...

From nothing to something super special (2023-02-10)

FSI has moved into a better institutional neighborhood where we are the poorest in the area. In August 2022, I was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Freedom Speakers International (FSI) and in January 2023 FSI achieved incorporation status in South Korea. This has meant that FSI must upgrade operations and structure and I am the one, as chairman and co-president, who will be blamed if it doesn’t happen. I really should not be the chairman, for a variety of reasons, but anyway I am. Eunkoo and I are not the typical executives of a growing organization. In addition to being mainly responsible for building and fundraising for the organization, we are the hands-on leaders who are constantly in contact with North Korean refugee speakers. We look forward to the day we can afford staff to handle many tasks. Until then we can expect to continue having more days like yesterday, even on Eunkoo’s birthday. 2023-02-10 Meeting #1: planning We started Eunkoo’s birthday with a planning...

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

Scam? Yo Momma!

Note: This was originally posted shortly after Jesse Lee Peterson's book was published, reposted in 2005, and now because of a fight between black customers and a Korean merchant in Dallas, Texas. Scam? Yo Momma! During the summer of 2002 I was an observer to a dispute between the Asian owners of a Chinese takeout and some of their black customers in Washington, D.C. The month-long boycott began when a local activist accused a cook at a Chinese takeout of attempting to cook a piece of chicken he had allegedly dropped on the floor. Despite the best efforts of human rights activist Dick Gregory, popular talk-show host Joe Madison, and Rev. Walter Fauntroy, the protestors were unable to coax any media to report on the protest. On some days there were, by my unofficial count, as many as 100 people chanting songs and marching. But one key person was missing: Rev. Jesse Jackson. It was important to the foot soldiers at the boycott that someone from the media report on...

Korea Times bloggers' night (2018-12-12)

There are some well-known media outlets in this world that occasionally stumble upon Freedom Speakers International (FSI). But they usually pick themselves up and carry on as if nothing had happened. They sometimes quote or mention us after we help with a story but more likely they don't (especially NPR and the New York Times). The most important media outlet in the world for Freedom Speakers International: The Korea Times. They occasionally write stories about our work. I have a monthly column and a regular blog there. Here's my blog at the Korea Times, "Voices from the North." http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sublist_728.html And my monthly column. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sublist_626.html Instead of the Korea Times stumbling across us from time to time, I get regular reminders from editors reminding me to send in my column and blog. I know that many of the people following FSI are clicking around the internet and following many organizati...

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