2016-07-02: Earlier today (TNKR) Teach North Korean Refugees held an orientation with tutors to get prepared for our 47th English matching session.
* Bring your own chair: We had planned on having a small matching session, but refugees have been lobbying for a chance to return. So as the number of refugees increased, we allowed more tutors to join. The problem is that we now have so many people signed up for the session that many people will need to stand up at the session next week.
But we must balance it so the refugees get enough choices, but also so that every tutor gets selected. And then we have to hope that everyone will show up! Cancellations are very very bad.
* Balancing act: Because the session has grown--7 NK refugees signed up, 1 South Korean, we accepted 15 tutors into the session. Because the refugees are re-matching, they have a good idea of how TNKR works, many of them want multiple tutors. Fifteen tutors accepting 2 tutors each will mean 30 study opportunities for refugees. Of course, some tutors who think they understand TNKR better than we do prefer to have one refugee, therefore giving refugees fewer study choices and variety.
* Both a good cop, bad cop: I enjoy the sessions but also I will be happy when a program director can hold the session, and I can just smile, shake hands, and be the nice friendly guy.
Now, as co-founder, co-director, webmaster, monitoring the program, recruiting tutors, organizing sessions, etc., I must be both the good cop/bad cop. So I welcome the tutors, but I also must let them know the rules. When I used to say it nicely, tutors would ignore me. Then when I focused more on the rules, tutors felt like I was trying to arrest them. In life, many people ignore "please pay" notices, they don't pay attention until they get eviction notices. So I issue threats of eviction the day you move in to TNKR.
* Gender issue: We have decided to try mixed gender studying. It is a bit of a trial, to see if tutors take seriously our mission of having a program focused on learning, not socializing or hanging out. Our program is not for everyone, so it is better for me to be the bad cop at orientation so the socializers will drop out.
* We are moving to a new location. We hope we will be able to have the session at our new office. We are scheduled to move in 7/8, the matching session is set for 7/9. For the matching session, we just need chairs...
* Long-term commitments: We have 70 refugees on our waiting list, but also many refugees are eager to return to TNKR after tutors return to their native countries, change their schedules, or other issues. That's why we seek at least a 3 month commitment, but tutors want to join, even for just a few weeks. We've had many tutors who wanted to tutor for just a few days, or for one day, while they were in Korea. Good for them, but not for refugees seeking longer-term commitments.
* * *
2020 comment: One thing I recall about this session: I was not very popular that day!
I tightly squeezed the tutors, pressuring them to donate or fundraise.
We were a week away from moving to our own office, we weren't sure how we were going to pay our bills, not sure TNKR could really survive to 2017, and getting to our 5th anniversary in 2018 seemed more like a funeral rather than a celebration.
Less than half of the volunteers succumbed to my pressure, but it was still encouraging for us at that time. I definitely felt a sense of urgency at that time. So I was trying to express that concern without sounding too dramatic.
