FSI's Week in Review (9/12-9/18)

North Korean refugee authors

Youngnam Eom visited the office to discuss his book. He first joined us in 2015 even before we had established an official organization.

Eunmi Park visited the office to discuss her book. She first joined us in 2014 shortly after she arrived in South Korea. When she was ready to publish her book she came to us even though we are still newbies in the publishing world.

Eunmi even publicly announced that she was publishing her book with us. She comes to our office often to work on her book. It helps that she can spend time discussing it in Korean with FSI co-founder Eunkoo Lee.

Others can help with discussing the outline, structure, which things to emphasize, etc. But still, being an author means spending a lot of time by yourself. When it is a memoir, it means reflecting on yourself, your life and others who have been harmful or helpful.

YouTube recording

Eunkoo Lee and I did a recording with FSI keynote speaker Yusung Park for a huge organization. I don’t enjoy such recordings but will do them when asked. We should be posting the link soon.

Songmi Han updates

• She published a lovely excerpt from her memoir Greenlight to Freedom at the Voices from the North blog at the Korea Times.

• Songmi did an interview with North Korean refugee influencer Kang Nara which so far has been uploaded in three different parts. Of course, I was delighted when they mentioned me in this one and showed the book.

By the way, Nara was one of our students in 2018 and she was one of the refugees who was in the incredible Happy Birthday video for me.

• An FSI fan designed a Greenlight to Freedom ice tumbler! Because Songmi will be going to the USA we thought this could be an opportunity to ship them at a much cheaper rate than the crazy COVID international shipping rates.

Act now! We will be processing the orders at the close of business on September 20th KST and will ship them directly from the USA.

Cato Institute

The Cato Institute has invited me to be a panelist at a forum on October 18th. Please check with the Cato Institute for registration and event information. It is a good reminder or will inform others that my professional career didn’t start with North Korean refugees.

https://www.cato.org/events/assessing-two-decades-education-reform-catos-center-educational-freedom-turns-20

Speech with tourists

I posted about it already, check here!

Board of directors

FSI co-founder Eunkoo Lee and I made a presentation before FSI’s board of directors about our vision for the organization. It was an incredible meeting and a reminder about how the organization has gone from nothing to something special.

Eunkoo is shy, she prefers not to engage in public speaking, so my style is to tell her "no problem, you don't have to speak," then call on her anyway.

She used to thank me for not pushing her to speak and for taking the lead in outreach, I have been telling her for a few years that eventually we would need Koreans to be the public face of FSI. Lately she has been thanking me for pushing her to speak.

Our board is stronger than ever. The next time we meet, I am going to give a presentation about my own experiences on boards of directors.

Formerly, I was a member of the following boards of directors and boards of trustees:

* Black Alliance for Educational Options

* Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association

* Dupont Circle Public Charter School

* The Young Executive Board of the Washington Scholarship Fund

* The William Doar Public Charter School for the Performing Arts

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FSI

Greenlight to Freedom

Eunkoo Lee: TNKR's #1 Settler

If I could convince TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee that we needed to start executing volunteers, then she would quickly come up with a schedule with their names and execution times. She would do it fairly and orderly, accepting no exceptions or changes. If I suggested a change, then an argument would start about me being "Mr. Changeable" interrupting the schedule. That is how I have worked with Eunkoo Lee over the past seven years. She must be convinced, but once she believes in something, she charges ahead. What she is NOT interested in is public relations or dealing with media. I say this to people, but they don't believe me. But like the minister said after witnessing a baptism, "Not only do I believe in baptism, but I've seen it done!" * * * It has happened again! Someone noticed that my bio is much longer than Eunkoo's. I have heard a number of gripes from people over the years, ranging from Eunkoo should be featured more to I should step aside

2019-06-29 Another Special Saturday

"When are you going to wrap this up?" That's what a whippersnapper asked me near the end of Q&A yesterday, after I had given a speech to North Korean refugee adolescents and their mentors. Thanks to Prof. Shin Hye-young for arranging the session. I'm a man with a lot of self-esteem, but it was tested on Saturday by those kids (more photos below) www.lovetnkr.org/donate

Flipping the Script on Teachers Day (2021-05-14)

In the morning, I posted my Korea Times column complaining about, among many things, gift-givers. I wasn't complaining about all people who give gifts. I was complaining about people who go around looking for people to give gifts to and don't really consider if it is something the recipient really wants. Then a short time later, the two North Korean refugee staffers gave teacher's day gifts to me and Eunkoo. They were saved by Eunkoo, who made it clear to them that I am a very picky gift recipient . Taking me to lunch or giving me a common gift that I could buy at the bakery or convenience store down the street would not satisfy me. So they thought a bit more deeply and came up with some unexpected gifts! * Rice cakes in the shape of carnations, made by a North Korean refugee that one of the staffers knows. I had never seen such things before. The ladies in the office loved them so much so I ended up giving away most of the rice cakes to them! * A small standing photo

"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

Earth Hour 2013 Man of the Year!!!

In case you missed it, last night was Earth Hour. That's when people around the world turn off their lights for one hour to show concern for the Earth. The idea originated from the World Wildlife Fund. Bouncing off Don Boudreaux, I would like to announce that Kim Jong-Un is the Earth Hour 2013 Man of the Year. Kim Jong-Un, Earth Hour's 2013 Man of the Year I won't read through his resume and accomplishments to make my case, I will point out this satellite photo showing the difference between the two Koreas. North Korea, where every day is "Earth Hour." Not only is the dashing young dictator's regime focused on keeping North Koreans in the dark more than just one hour a year, but he is now leading a government that is threatening to blow up other countries for various reasons. He has ordered his military to strike with "lightening speed"--apparently confusing lightening speed with lightening, and thinking that lightening can bring ligh

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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