2019-12-07 Socializing Saturday

It is good to get away from TNKR sometimes. Since I returned from the USA on 11/19, I have worked every day.

Saturday was my first day off, I enjoyed it with chitting, chatting and debating. I did start the day with an online call with a prominent author and public speaker asking for my advice.

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Although Eben Appleton and others don't believe me, I still have plenty of time for a vibrant social life. Some of the friends I meet are camera shy, so I don't post about every meeting. Plus, with many small-minded people on Facebook, I usually just focus on my work activities rather than other activities. I am not sure why people think I would not enjoy my life. This is a reminder not to be fooled by what you see in Social Media, not to think too deeply about what you see on social media because it can only be part of a person's life, and to be very slow about coming to conclusions.

I met with members of an online discussion group. We rarely meet in person, mainly just talk and debate online. However, with the moderator visiting from the USA, we had a reason to get together.

In addition to being the moderator of a discussion group, Juliana Moon Lee is also a TNKR fan and donor!

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The second meeting was with JiYoung Park. She's a TNKR fan who is also a translator/interpreter, author and public speaker. She is not North Korean, but when I was the MC of the TEDx@dongdaemunwomen , I nominated her as one of the speakers, then a TNKR speech coach mentor and I helped her get ready to give what turned out to be a powerful speech.

Her speech is the second in the playlist from the TEDx event one year ago. She is also starting a YouTube channel, be sure to subscribe!

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2020-03-23 Hidden distractions of free tutoring

On March 19th, I wrote about TNKR's first 10 days after relocating the office to Sangsu station . We have remained busy, with numerous meetings and activities. Most notably was a meeting at which volunteers met with TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee to help her fancy up her bio . We had more meetings with North Korean refugees eager to join TNKR. We met again with the film maker helping us prepare a video to send to North Korea. We also had Skype calls with a group hoping to raise money for TNKR. ********************************* ORIENTATION WITH NK REFUGEES ********************************* On Saturday, we had a lovely orientation session with six North Korean refugees. They said some things that really encouraged us. * Hidden distractions of free tutoring. TNKR has been trying to develop a culture eliminating distractions--socializing, dating, gifts, hanging out, hidden costs for study sessions, talking about North Korea, interviewing refugees and having them tell their

Mentoring while Black (Korea Times 2/16/2023)

Mentoring while Black by Casey Lartigue Jr. February 16, 2023 www.patreon.com/caseylartigue

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

Politician commentators

It is often mockingly said that the people who know how to run the country are driving cabs and cutting hair. I have identified a new problem...the people who are running the country are pontificating like they are cab drivers and barbers. WTOP Radio hosts "Ask the Governor" every Tuesday. This past Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was philosophizing about Michael Vick, the former NFL player now in the slamma for killing dogs. Kaine: "I don't think somebody convicted of charges like this should be back in the NFL." What, Vick should be driving a cab or cutting hair? * * * Perhaps Gov. Kaine would like to assign Michael Vick to a job. After all, if Vick should be barred from playing in the NFL, then would what Kaine have him do? Let's fill-in Kaine's statement with some other occupations: "I don't think somebody convicted of charges like this should... "work as a waiter." "be a construction worker." "work as a tax account

2018-01-16 Celebrating her birthday with us

I already knew about her even before she escaped to South Korea! But would she ever make it to South Korea? Yes, she did, after being missing for seven years! Eunmi joined Freedom Speakers International (formerly Teach North Korean Refugees) three weeks after she was released from Hanawon in 2014. There are so many things I could say about her. There are so many special moments and memories with her over the years. One of the most special ones was when she came to our office in 2018 to celebrate her birthday. How many students return to a school or organization to celebrate like this? Her English is great now! Back in 2014, she was at the A-B-C level of English. Now we can talk and hold conversations in English. And she teases me in English. When she is fluent, I am sure will start bullying me! Of course, I look forward to that, and will love the beatings. * * * Two of my favorite photos with her. 1) The one at the top of this post. She stood on her tippy-toes to make herself look

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