Chopstick Fears

I've NEVER been good with chopsticks; by NEVER I do quite literally mean NEVER.  And to be honest, this has never caused me significant concern until my first trip to South Korea in November of 2009.  I'd been to India, Thailand, and Hong Kong as my only Asian destinations; chopsticks are not prevalent in India and most of the places in Thailand or Hong Kong I went catered to western tourists (I guess) and were very hospitable with forks.

I didn't look this cute
using my cheaters.

However, in preparation for my first trip to South Korea I had heard that while larger touristy places might have forks, most of the restaurants my group of teachers might visit would expect my usage of chopsticks.  I tried to practice and it just didn't stick (no pun intended).  So I visited my local Pei Wei restaurant and got some of the chopstick cheaters they make available to young children (it sounded like a good idea at the time).

Well, let's just say there were two problems with using these cheaters in South Korea: 1) the laughter and ribbing from my U.S. teacher colleagues, while all in good fun, was sort of embarrassing and 2) the cheaters were designed for a more traditional rounded Chinese chopstick set rather than flatter Korean styles.  The cheaters just didn't want to work for me.  It was like the fates were out to get me.  I wanted to use chopsticks, I tried to use them, I wanted to be culturally appropriate...but I usually ended up having to ask for a fork or make due with the soup spoon which accompanied the chopsticks.

And then about a year or so ago I was in a Asian restaurant and thought "let's try again" and WOW.  I was actually able to manipulate the chopsticks enough to get through about half of my meal.  It doesn't always work out; I often make a mess and grow tired of the struggle with the first couple of bites.  But at least now I have "hope".  Last week I was eating at Yaching's in downtown Louisville and made it through virtually my entire meal (including rice! with no cheaters!!!).  I was excited and wanted to do a happy dance...but it's Louisville...land of the Kentucky Derby...you don't happy dance you happy gallop or something, LOL.  I guess the excitement got me all inspired because upon my return to Oklahoma City on Saturday I went to Dot Wo with my mother and was eager to try the chopsticks again...eh...I made it through part of the meal...no rice success...and then forked it.

So with my upcoming return to South Korea and the land of flat chopsticks my fears are setting in.  I am committed to NOT taking any cheaters.  I just hope the fates smile on me so that I don't embarrass my hosts and colleagues and so that the food makes it, even if only quasi-gracefully, into my mouth.

I know that practice makes perfect so I plan to try several more times before leaving in a couple of weeks.  Word of warning to friends and family...you might get a call to go out with me to eat something Asian.  If you're too scared of the mess I might make landing on you then politely decline; but if you're willing to risk some laughs...let's roll!

Indo Needs Ya

The sixth group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today...this is my group to Indonesia!!!  A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for the other ten teachers from California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Utah, who I am joining in this adventure.  Our trip will include about 4 days in Jakarta, the capital city, for orientation. Then we will be divided into pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around Indonesia, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school. Myself and Daniel Jocz, an AP US History teacher from Los Angeles, will be hosted by Betty Rahmawati and Krida Nusantara High School in Bandung.  Our whole group will then reconnect in Jakarta for another couple of days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel was used by the five previous international teams. Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with myself and the others from my Indonesia cohort or to read through the journeys that have already been made the other educators, I've linked many of their travel blogs here to my blog site. It's exciting to see this whole process unfolding and knowing that my long awaited trip is now underway!  I truly hope that you will roam these remote roads with me.

India ? Indeed-ia !!!

The fifth group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today. A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for those heading to Indial. Their trip will include about 4 days in Bangalore for orientation. Then the group will be divided in to pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around India, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school. The group will then reconnect in New Dehli and Agra for another couple of days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel was used by the four previous international teams and will be repeated one final time by the last TGC team...my team which heads off to Indonesia in just over two weeks. Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with these educators, I've linked many of their travel blogs here to my blog site. It's exciting to see this whole process unfolding and knowing that my trip is ever closer! Blessings to the India team!!!

Brazil Nuts

The fourth group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today. A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for those heading to Brazil. Their trip will include about 4 days in Brasilia, the capital city. Then the group will be divided in to pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around Brazil, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school. The group will then reconnect in Brasilia for another couple of days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel will be repeated by the next two international teams, including my team which heads off to Indonesia. Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with these educators, I've linked many of their travel blogs here to my blog site. It's exciting to see this whole process unfolding! Blessings to the Brazil team!!!



Calling All Students!

One of the goals of the Teachers for Global Classrooms program is to get my students virtually involved within my trip to Indonesia.  Those TGC teachers who have already traveled to Ghana, Morocco, and Ukraine have had students interacting with their blogs, posting comments, responding to questions from students in the other country (questions and answers appearing in text and video formats), etc.  This has worked "well" for these 30+ teachers in that their trips were during the school year and they were able to recruit participation from their students in person up until the day before their departures.  This is not the same for most of those in the Brazil cohort or for any of those in the India and Indonesia cohorts; our trips are in June and July.

So we have to be more creative in our recruitment strategies and try to entice student participation before the current school year is over.  To help build some interest among the students I will have next year I have already prepared and sent the letter below to those who have pre-enrolled in my AP Human Geography course for next year.  If I can get them interested and even participating now, then I hope they will be actively involved while I am in Indonesia during the second half of July.  It will also enhance class discussions next year when we can relate topics in class to experiences from the trip.  By being active participants in this adventure, they will be able to be virtual roamers of remote roads!

On a Plane to the Ukraine

The third group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today. A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for those heading to Ukraine. Their trip will include about 4 days in Kiev, the capital city. Then the group will be divided in to pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around Ukraine, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school. The group will then reconnect in Kiev for another few days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel will be repeated by the next three international teams, including my team which heads off to Indonesia. Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

 

 

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with these educators, I've linked some of their travel blogs here to my blog site. It's exciting to see this whole process unfolding! Blessings to the Ukraine team!!!

Morocco?...It's a GO GO.

The second group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today. A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for those heading to Morocco. Their trip will include about 4 days in Rabat, the capital city. Then the group will be divided in to pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around Morocco, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school. The group will then reconnect in Rabat for another few days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel will be repeated by the next four international teams, including my team which heads off to Indonesia. Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with these educators, I've linked some of their travel blogs here to my blog site. It's exciting to see this whole process finally unfolding! Blessings to the Morocco team!!!

Holi Moli

Today is the day that India/Hindus celebrate Holi.  Traditionally this day marks the beginning of spring and it is highlighted by the "festival of color".  The people will gather in public locations outside and "bless" each other with "gifts" of colorful paint and/or powder bombs.

Today I decided to have my AP Human Geography class reenact this tradition but instead of throwing the color at each other we just threw it at the pile of clothing on the ground.  So my WHITE shirt that I wore to school today has become a colorful tapestry flavored by Hawaiian Punch and accented by food color.

The kids loved it and we had fun.  Check out this YouTube video clip from the movie Outsourced for an example of how Holi is celebrated: Holi in Outsourced.

Keep roaming those remote roads and observing new celebrations!

Here Today...Ghana Tomorrow

The first group of educators in my TGC cohort begin their international travels today.  A special blessing for an amazing adventure is expressed for those heading to Ghana.  Their trip will include about 4 days in Accra, the capital city.  Then the group will be divided in to pairs to travel as smaller teams to various communities around Ghana, being hosted by a local teacher and his/her school.  The group will then reconnect in Accra for another few days together before returning back to the United States.

This pattern of travel will be repeated by the next five international teams, including my team which heads off to Indonesia.  Travel dates for all six TGC teams within the 2011-2012 cohort include:

Ghana: March 3 to 18, 2012

Morocco: March 17 to 31, 2012

Ukraine: April 14 to 28, 2012

Brazil: June 9 to 23, 2012

India: June 30 to July 14, 2012

Indonesia: July 17 to 31, 2012

If you are interested in roaming the remote roads, in a virtual sense, along with these educators, I've linked many of their travel blogs here to my blog site.  It's exciting to see this whole process finally unfolding!  Blessings to the Ghana team!!!