English Conversation #2: discussion topic

THEY WERE HERE

English Conversation #1: TED -Ken Robinson, Drew Dudley

Here's just a quick summary.

I would like to write about the content here,

but that will have to be done slightly later,

for it is currently 3:32 in the morning.

I'm sorry...

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Three things he’s noticed at TED:

1.     The extraordinary evidence of human creativity present

2.     We have no idea what the future will play out like

Ex) people are perhaps so interested in education because nobody has a clue how the future will turn out; education is training for the unknown

3.     All has agreed on the enormous capacities that children have

Ex) a drawing of God

Ex) Frank sent this

Kids are not afraid of mistakes.

But they are educated out of creativity

Educational hierarchy: math & languages --> humanities --> art & music --> drama & dance

Public education is focused on head, and to one side.

The purpose of public education seems to be upbringing university professors.

It was made to meet industrialism: don’t do what won’t be your job, standards of universities.

An inflation of education is occurring à we need to radically rethink.

Three things we know about intelligence:

1.     Diversity

- we think in all senses and methods.

2.     Dynamic

- interaction within parts of the brain spark creativeity

3.     Distinct

- Gillian Lynne the choreographer

We have to rethink the fundamental principles on which we're educating our children.

http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership.html

We have made leadership something bigger and beyond us.
We devalue things that we actually can do everyday.

Lollipop moment: A student was greatly encouraged and influenced by the speaker’s simple act of making the man standing next to her hand a lollipop to her. But the speaker doesn’t remember doing that.

We need to redefine leadership about how much we create or appreciate lollipop moments.

Changing one person is changing the whole thing.

Personal Narrative #1:

 When I was living in Canada, there was a recreation center right next to our house. There was one big pool there. It was structured somewhat like the sea, deepening gradually as it got far from the "shore". It was what made me live beside my house, not in it, for I practically made it my home. I loved it.

 I usually just lay on floats and rubber planks in the shallow areas. I would drift slowly, letting the waves rock me gently with their cool hands back and forth, back and forth. The waves began fierce and huge from the farthest end, but they softened out in to a soft swaying as they approached the shore. I would lie there for hours, imagining I was in the sky, on the clouds, drifting. It was a wonderful sensation that remained even after I left the water. When I lay down to sleep at the end of a day I had gone to the pool, the waves would come again. My mattress would become the water than the clouds, and I would fall asleep in the sky. I used to think that the waves followed me home. But I never went to the deeper side.

 Why not? One day, I thought ‘why not?’ So I slowly stepped to the deepest end for just a sip of what it would feel like. ’10 feet’ was what the sign was saying. I had little idea of feet and inches then, and so I believed I the bottom would be only a couple of feet down. How very wrong I was. I was only a little over 4 feet then. Anyway, I decided I would try and get to the bottom I took in a deep breath and made myself into a ball. The ball began to sink. I was quite surprised to find about 5 seconds later that I had barely come half the way. I had little air left in my lungs, so I decided to go up. The second try wasn’t much better. So I failed for a dozen more tries. By then, I had learned how to get down. Curling up didn’t help sinking much. Rather, remaining straight as if standing allowed my body to be as ‘long’ as possible and therefore closer to the bottom, or so I thought at the time. In that fashion, I finally sank more than half. But as I went down, I realized that the more important part of this fun new ‘sinking’ was getting vack up. I at the moment, however, didn’t have the air to do so. I had only calculated the way down when I breathed out in the water, so I was hopelessly out of oxygen. I flailed my limbs frantically in panic. Thoughts do appear in moments of crisis. I got the idea of kicking off from the floor. So, ironically, I sank for a few more precious seconds. Then pushed off from the floor. I kicked and flapped. My face finally broke the surface. “Air!” I gasped. A few heads turned. “Air… air is important, as we all know….” I swam to the side and lifted my self out. I’d had enough for one day. But I didn’t quite think I’d had enough for a lifetime. My body tingled with anticipation for the next wet visit.

 When it finally came, I ran straight out of the dressing room, past a lifeguard shouting “Hey! No running!” and jumped right into the deepest side. I dunked my head beneath the water and fell into the world of quiet; devoid of the same guard’s shouts about I how I should warm up before getting into the water. Then I swam over to the wall that had a ledge into which the pool’s water was sucked in, so that this time, I might have something to grab onto when I lost the strength to swim back up. That was one wise decision. Because when I my feet succeeded in learning the texture of the deep bottom with enough air and strength left in me, the most unexpected thing happened. The waves revenged for my sudden disinterest in its soothing gentleness. It swirled and it whirled, leaving me dazed and full of water. I finally understood why people weren’t allowed in the deepest part without floating equipment during wave sessions. But it was too late. My head churned along with the water. I could not orient direction of any sort. I could not tell where the surface; the exit; was. Terror struck but was quickly drowned as well. Then the hazy chaos stopped. Instead the pool grabbed my legs and started pulling me toward somewhere. In a direction. Direction. Downwards. That must mean the surface is the opposite way. As the thoughts bounced around my water-filled head, my feet scraped against something. With pain came joy for the floor I had long sought was finally here. I kicked off. But I had little strength left. I was about maybe little more that halfway up when I began to lose the ability to swim. I raised my arm hoping there was something grabbing onto which I could pull my self up. My hand caught on the water-sucking ledge. I climbed the liquid. A sigh made its way through as my lungs took in dry air. ‘It is good to be up,’ I was thinking when the mass of water in my danger zone rose up: the next wave began marching out. I hurriedly scrambled out of the water and ran to the safety of the shore, past the lifeguard that said in an exhausted voice, “Will you give it a rest?!” I thought I would.

 I am not afraid to dare the depths of the unknown. I can get back up when I am down. But I know to love the soft waves. I learned how to think in the sky. Water is everywhere.

Class of Feb. 20th

So apparently <identity> is what personal narratives are all about.

So we set out on the journey to search for each of our identities.

So it is that I start off with a hopeful face.

So incredibly hard is finding my identity; have I tried or have I not?

A minor question:

what happens to the cultures that do not produce anthropologist?

Are they simply meant not to be recorded or studied?

Here's the link to the video of David Sedaris's "Jesus Shaves"

Yum!

Monthly TOEFL Essay #1: Wriggly Toes (first draft)

513 words

“Wait! What do you think you’re doing?”

Dongsoo is flabbergasted. He had invited his friend Mike over. Mike came with the right smile and the right wine. Dongsoo welcomed Mike in, and there is where things went wrong. Mike welcomed his shoes in. The two friends stare in exclamation at each other. The custom in Korea is to take off shoes when entering someone’s home, or other rooms that have thresholds. I believe that this tradition is worth being adopted by people from other countries for mainly two reasons.

To begin, taking off shoes is much more sanitary. When one keeps his shoes on even upon entering the house, all the dirt from the outside world is brought into the home that is supposed to be a safe bubble. To mention a personal example, I moved into a house previously resided by Canadians when I moved to Canada. They wore shoes in the house, naturally for them. The house was completely carpeted, and when my mother tried to clean the floor, she found the situation abysmal. There were layers and layers of dust embedded into the carpet: impossible to extract. So we ended up wearing slippers in the house whereas in Korea, the floor was at most times clean enough to lie down and rub my face into. When shoes used outside are not worn in the household, only feet or socks that were rather protected from filth all day touch the floor. It’s no wonder that the Korean style provides a much hygienic environment.

Furthermore, saving shoes for only when venturing out is better for our health. One of the reasons is that feet would be freed from extended periods of oppression. If one had to where shoes all day, it would surely be uncomfortable; the feeling generated from inactive circulation. Efficient blood circulation is essential in health. Feet especially are said to be the center of health of our body, each part associated with organs all around our small universe. As for me, I always feel much more stressed on days I have to wear my shoes all the time compared to when I don’t, even if the amount of exercise is similar. So I find it safe to say taking off shoes and relieving our feet of the squeezing tension would be good for our health. Another is related to respiratory diseases. Shoes, being hard, inevitably kick up dust more than soft feet. Especially with all the dirt dragged into the house, an increase of dust particles in the air will increase. This cannot be good for our lung and windpipe.

In sum, the custom of going shoeless in the house has definite advantages. The two out of which were explained above are one, that it creates a cleaner environment, and two, that it may reduce the damage done to our health in the home. Therefore, this is one fine and beneficial custom that could be taken up and tried by people of foreign countries. Remember Mike? Mike is considering applying the system to his own house. How about you?

Ganggangsullae

First,

a bit about ganggangsullae itself:

Ganggangsullae is a group dance that used to be performed by women on the night of the full moon in August (lunar calander), mainly in the Honam regions. Nowadays, it is widespread and rather a national thing, done on Chusuk or the full moon of January according to the lunar calendar.

Second,

perhaps a bit more insight into where it came from?

It's origins are vague. There is the story that 이순신 devised it up as sort of a war strategy during 임진왜란, while some explain it in relation to folk etymology and say that it has to do with the invasion of the Chinese or the Japanese. But these theories are not said to have much credibility. It is also said to be related to the ancient 국중대회 of Gokuryeoh, the allad dance of 농공시필기 (a 마한 festival), or a gut dance of love.

 

Now,

what do the lyrics mean?

Ganggangsullae has many names according to the area it's been passed down in: ganggangsuwullae, guangguangsullae and guangguangsuwullae. Some interpret it (focusing on 'ganggangsuwullae') as 'strong barbarians are coming across the water(强羌水越來)'. But this ignored even the basics of chinese grammar. 

Ganggangsullae was sung and loved by the people: ‘glee, anger, woe, joy, love, hate, desire (喜怒哀樂愛惡慾)’ is melted into it. 

To take a look at some of the specific lyrics,

1.

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

산아 산아 추영산 놀기 좋다 유달산아

Mountain, mountain, Mount Chuyoung,

Nice to play at, Mount Yudal

(Mt. Chuyoung is sometimes pronounced Mt. Suyoung, so it could indicate the mountain Suyoung is at.

Suyoung used to be somewhere near Mokpo today: Mt. Yudal is a mountain in Mokpo so that makes sense)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

꽃이 피면 화산이요 잎이 피면 청산이라

If flowers bloom, it would be a flower mountain

If leaves did, it would be a green one

(seasons, meaning time in general, pass)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

청산 화산 넘어가면 우리 부모를 모시려만

If we could get over the flower mountain, the green mountain,

we would be with and by our parents

(getting over the mountain means lasting through time, 

so the whole stanza is saying 'when time passes, we will have to look after -well, not really look after: rather in a Confucius sort of sense-  our parents)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

우리 부모 명자씨는 어느 책에가 씌여 있나

Where are our parents' 명자씨(?) written

(명자씨 isn't quite clear but I think it just means 'name'

So this line could mean two things:

1. Where did we come from? In what 족보 -family tree book- are our parents' names written?

2. Our parents did not do anything to leave mark their names in history)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

2. 

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

달 떠 온다 달 떠 온다 우리 마을에 달 떠 온다

The moon is rising, the moon is rising

In our village the moon is rising

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

푸릇푸릇 봄 배추는 이슬 오기를 기다린다

Green is the spring cabbage, awaiting morning dew

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

말 가는 데워낭 소리 우리 벗님 어디 가고

The horse goes 'neigh'

Where does our friend leave to

춘추 단절 못 오신다

Spring, summer, and 단절 cannot come

(or maybe actually)

He cannot come spring, summer, or 단절

(단절 is a term used by ginseng diggers to refer to the time of the year around 중복 -mid hottest day- when ginseng flowers and berries turn red)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

하늘에는 별이 총총 대밭에는 대가 총총

In the sky, stars shine bright

In the bamboo field, bamboo stands strong

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

술래가 돈다 술래가 돈다 술래가 돈다

Around goes the tagger, around and around

무안강 술래가 돈다

The tagger of 무안river goes round

(무안 is a region in South Junra province, and I assume this to be that 무안)

강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

강강술래 강강술래 강강술래 강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

3. 강강술래

강강술래                                               강강술래

Ganggangsullae                                 Ganggangsullae

전라도 우수영은                                 강강술래

우수 of Junra is

우리장군 대첩지라                             강강술래

the battleground of our general

장군의 높은 공은                                강강술래

The high deed of his

천추만대 빛날세라                             강강술래

will shine for generations

술래술래 강강술래                             강강술래

sullae sullae ganggangsullae

술래소리 어딜갔나                             강강술래

where did the sullae sound go

때만찾어 잘도 온다                            강강술래

it comes very well on time

강강술래 강강술래                             강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

강강술래                                                강강술래 

Ganggangsullae

뛰어보세 뛰어나보세                         강강술래

Let's jump, jump, why not jump

윽신윽신 뛰어나보세                         강강술래

Jumpedy dumpedy jump jump

높은마당이 얕어나지고                     강강술래

The high yard will become shallow

얕은 마당이 깊어만지고                    강강술래

Shallow yards will deepen

윽신윽신 뛰어나보세                         강강술래

Jumpedy dumpedy jump jump

나주영산 진 골목에                            강강술래

Deep in the allies of 나주영산 (places)

은또가리 팔에 걸고                            강강술래

With a silver 똬리 hanging from her arm

(a 똬리 is a donut shaped tool used by

women to carry things on their heads)

지추 캐는 저 큰아가                           강강술래

that big girl digging up 지추(a herb)

니야 집이 너 어데냐                           강강술래

Where is your home

 

4.

 

강강술래                                          강강술래

Ganggangsullae Ganggangsullae

달떠 온다 달떠 온다                          강강술래
The moon is rising, it is rising

동해 동창 달떠 온다                          강강술래

Rising above the East Sea

저 달이 뉘달인가                              강강술래

Whose moon is that

강호방네 달이라고                            강강술래

It's the moon of 강호방

(강 is a sirname, and 호방 means a

certain status: an executive official

of a village)

강호방은 어디 가고                           강강술래

Where has 강호방 gone

저달뜬줄 모른단가                            강강술래

The moon knows not to rise

5.

 

강강술래                                                    강강술래

Ganggangsullae

뛰어보세 뛰어보세                                 강강술래

Let's jump, jump

욱신욱신 뛰어보세                                 강강술래

Jumpedy dumpedy jump jump

먼데사람 듣기좋고                                 강강술래

Good sounds for the far away

곁에사람 보기좋네                                 강강술래

A good sight for the near

sources: 

1. the 'ganggangsullae' entry in naver encyclopedia

2. somebody's research on the 1st song

3. different ganggangsullae lyrics
  

Class 1: My Goals

Yes
Apparently the freaky girl does have certain goals
I've never seen anything of the like
Cool



The things I hope to find in this course are:

1. Myself

    Mr. Menard has mentioned that writing is all about experience;
    my experience.
    So through writing about myself in the form of personal narratives and such,
    perhaps I will be able to gain a better recognition of myself.
    Or my other self
    o.O

2. The ability to write in the box while out of it

    Unfortunately,

    not all types of writing are utterly up to the writer.

    Soon enough we'll have to write according to demands.

    I should learn to fulfill those demands.

    But at the same time,

    I wish for what I write in that box to be honest and brilliant.

3. An increase of vocabulary and a more fluid usage of the lot

    I know not of memorizing vocabulary.

    It seems like the perfect way to skitter away from English,

    and why would I ever want to lose my wonderland?

    I believe vocabulary should be gained naturally from various sources.

    I hope to learn more of it through reading other peoples writing,

    and struggling to incorporate the newly learned into mine.

That's pretty much all I can think of so far.

Mr. Menard and fellow v3 students,

I hope we have a good time in class! :))