Tae Kwon Do

I didn't think it would be possible, but I've become even more busy. I took up Tae Kwon Do last week, although I'm still on the fence about continuing. I need a good way to stay fit during the winter, which it will certainly do (they meet Monday through Thursday, and the workout is pretty intense). I could care less about the fighting and self-defense aspect of it, although I suppose it can't hurt to know a little about that stuff.

There are a few Koreans who teach at the Tae Kwon Do place, as well as a Canadian black belt named Brendan. Brendan also happens to be Andrew and Logan's boss - it's a small world here. I had heard a lot about Brendan before I met him last Monday.

When you enter the training place (the dojo, or whatever Koreans call it), it is necessary to salute to the Korean flag. Brendan asked me if I was okay with that, being an American. I asked him why I wouldn't be, and he told me that it's illegal for Americans (U.S. citizens) to salute foreign flags. I told him it would be all right.

Brendan seems like a proud Canadian man, and I think he enjoys creating an atmosphere of friendly rivalry between countries. Perhaps to his disappointment, I didn't play into it. I really don't care too much about a lot of things.

On Monday, Bettina and I had to pose for a Break Away advertisement. They put us with some of the kids, and took some pictures. One of the kids, Tina, never smiles. Jinna told her to smile a few times, and then eventually replaced her with a happier looking kid.

I had to go in to work today (Saturday) to meet with the parents. It was pretty easy, especially since they don't speak much English. I talked about their kids, and then Jinna translated (taking some big liberties with what I said - she spoke for about three times as long as did).

I like to think I'm starting to get the hang of teaching. I'm never sure about anything I do, because almost nothing I ever do is monitored, and the few times it is, I never really receive any feedback besides, "Great." And the way they, whoever they may be, say "great" sounds a lot like there are a bunch of other things on their mind. But all of my nagging insecurities aside, I do feel like things are coming along a little bit. In particular, one of my most out of control classes has become one of my most well-behaved classes. I write the word "stickers" on the board, and every time someone gets out of their seat without asking, or talks out of turn, or throws a pencil across the room, I erase a letter. If they're being really good, I add a letter. At the end, I give them stickers equal to the remaining letters. Now I actually have moments in class that aren't devoted to discipline, and I wonder what to do! Teach them something, I suppose. Now I just need to figure out how to do that.

I know I can't expect to be the greatest teacher in only 2 months. At least I know I must be doing better than the guy before me, who was let go at the end of 2 months.