Last fall, I decided I want to do something good with my life, so I signed up for a volunteer program my school had. It was according to the information, an opportunity for a large company such as ours, to give back to the less fortunate.
I'm not sure why I'd never thought of it but there are many single parent families and orphans in Korea, and of course unlike the kids I teach, they cannot afford to go to academy. Therefore they do not often encounter foreigner and as a result cannot speak more English that they are taught at school (which I am told is atrocious). So I knew that the level of ability would be very low, and indeed it was. I taught with a coteacher who translated. The kids were really smart just unable to form sentences.
Among my more memorable experiences were, on the first day, being greeted by the social worker. She broke down in tears thanking us... and the last day, when I had kids jumping on my back as I left.
In the time in between we had formed a bond across cultures. I'd made the cutest little friends. I feel really bad that I had to leave them, but the trip took me an hour and a half one way every Saturday. I spent less time teaching them than I did on the trip. If I find an opportunity nearby I will definitely take it up again, and I want to go visit the kids again, especially Annie. She was my baby ;)
Anyways all of this catapulted me into national spotlight (well maybe a bit of an exaggeration) but at least into company spotlight. I was interviewed and filmed and now I'm on the company homepage . It's all very exciting. My kids have been telling me they saw me and even kids I don't know....
Who knew volunteering could be so rewarding, well I did... but, anyways, no more talk, read the article and see the video for more info.
Article (can be found here )
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p.s. if you click on the picture, it will take you to a bigger version
Some pics from the last Day with the Kids, Pizza Party
Annie
co-teacher and I
Sunny
Dishing out the pizza... mmm
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