Michael has had several fun and sometimes challenging activities lately. HFS attended a Sports Day in Busan where four schools competed in track and field events. I don’t think the kids knew exactly what they were getting into, and they hadn’t done any specific training. Michael threw a shot put, ran 100, 200, and 800 meters, a leg of a relay, and hurdled. He was entered in the 400 meter but told me he had to stop because his head hurt. I told him that was very smart. Sometimes I would say “you shouldn’t quit,” but it was also fairly warm and HFS managed not to have a water supply right away. He was exhausted when he got home, BUT they were all thrilled HFS won the meet.
Last week was International Week at school. The first two days were learning more about Korea, and I think the favorite part was making bibimbap. The vegetable chopping is the main work involved. They also made masks. Wednesday was “home country” day with the kids working in teams to make a poster and individually to decorate a large, flat cut out paper doll. Michael was assigned to the U.S. team based on his passport, but he made a Polynesian boy (maybe from Hawaii?). It was very cute. He cut and paste pictures of fabric from the internet and also put cut out flip flops on the feet. The shirt and shorts did not match but were certainly colorful. Thursday they worked in teams and made a poster about a random country assigned to them. Friday was a sports competition with them split among four teams. They had international food (with parents invited) to end the day.
Saturday he spent the day and overnight with a Korean family from church. Michael is between the ages of Jerry and John (English names; we don’t know their Korean names). We met them at 10:00 and then parted ways. (I took the train to a nearby small city for a hike at a mountain that is known for Buddhist relics.) They did archery in the morning and then had lunch at the family’s home. The afternoon was bike riding and badminton by the river. The boys walked from their home for pork cutlets for dinner. Back at home, they played some board games including Monopoly, where in the Korean version the properties are cities. Michael told me one of the boys was like me: he bought everything he landed on. Then they watched a movie … and picked up a pizza nearby to eat while viewing. I guess growing boys like to eat. (The tall apartment buildings and high population density make for a convenient lifestyle with restaurants, grocery, etc. within walking distance. It’s one thing about Korea I will miss.) They slept on pads on the floor – to bed at 1:00 a.m. and up about 10:00 a.m. Church doesn’t start until noon, so they had plenty of time to get ready. Michael made scrambled eggs for them for breakfast. They also had a rice dish. Michael said it’s the best sleepover he has had here and called it “his kind.” I think all the activities during the day were a bonus, but he really liked the board games. He and I were both glad he slept so late; sometimes he is up very early at sleepovers.
This week Michael will leave for school Wednesday and not return home until Friday evening. The upper grades are going on a “residential.” They will stay in a small dorm-like facility in a place that is like a state park. The teachers have lots of outdoor events and activities planned. The kids are all very excited. (I will go to Busan for overnight Wednesday and do a couple of things still on my list.) The last day of school is June 28 – a water park all day and then cookout at the school grounds when they return. (We leave June 29 for Japan trip.) I don’t know how the teachers get the kids to focus on the regular days that are in these last couple of weeks.
Michael has really thrived here in so many ways. He is so independent with taking taxi on his own sometimes and stopping downtown for something on shopping list. We had a dinner last week at the Bakers’ apartment at the foreigner compound – 10 of us. Ralph said a few things about all the friends gathered around the table, and he and Ros were especially kind to compliment Michael for what a help he has been to me with getting back and forth to school on his own and also our bus and train traveling adventures. The dinner was fun and international: South African hosts and guests from England, Canada, US, Philipines, and Iran. I don’t cook here, but I took BR ice cream cake, which all of us like.
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