I’m in South Korea. I am beyond thankful to be here. How wonderful it is to be so greatly appreciated and valued. Though, I must say, the children had never seen someone with dark skin in real-life and because of this, their first response to my afro-like hair and dark skin was to run to the window and shout, “Africa”. Inside I did feel a bit sad. I wondered if they’d open up to me. As a means of “coping” I ignored their antics. I looked to the front of the room and perhaps appeared a bit stoic in response to their fear.
Not all of the children were afraid. Two of the children responded enthusiastically to me. The two Sara(h)’s (Sara & Sarah). They told me I was pretty. They asked if I had a “perm-a”. They were shocked to learn my hair came right out of the scalp so curly.
Students throughout the school seemed shocked by this dark skin I wear. I am a shock to many students in a town that sees foreigners with a bit of modesty. Even in walking to the store the store-keepers pause for a moment to look at me. Though, because they are older they respond with “Annyeonghaseyo” which is Hello in English.
Because I’m new to the country and learning the school-language more than anything else I’ve only been eating at home for the past week. I am purchasing food at “Paris Baguette”. Sandwiches and cereal have been my main staple of food. I like the quite of the alone time provided to me now. This weekend I will set out to walk the town and snap plenty of photos of my neighborhood.
If you’d like, you can find the videos on my youtube channel: www.youtube.com/msdanverchandler. All of the videos are titled “Danver goes to Korea” perhaps titled that way from my remembrance of “Big Bird goes to Japan” and my desire at that young age to make it overseas to Asia at some point in life.
Because I’m staying at home so much it reminds me now of the job for this week, the Homebound teacher. Homebound teachers go to students homes and provide educational services one-on-one with their students. These jobs are quite simple to find in your school district or other school districts. Typically you will service your students at the hospitals or in their homes. Check with human resources in your current school district, in a school district you desire to work for or use a job-search engine of your choice (a few good recommendations from my my book or What Color is Your Parachute, a book that changed my career life). All the best to you in your endeavors.
Danver Chandler
