Joyfully Meryl

A few weeks ago, I finished ‘English camp,’ essentially a school holiday programme for students during their summer vacation. Although we all have heard of summer camps and probably joined some holiday programmes while at school, I had no idea about the amount of effort it takes to create these programmes. Choosing a theme, devising lesson plans and activities related to that theme, as well as thinking of scheduling and materials needed for each activity was no easy task. I joke that I was basically a project manager for a few weeks, not only conceptualising the camp but also executing it and ensuring that the outcomes and objectives of the plan were achieved. So, the main objectives of my camp were to ensure the students practised English and most importantly that they had fun while learning. Korean students study really hard. There is immense pressure for achievement in school and getting high grades (results). Many of them tell me there is no time for fun as they have to study (even...

It’s taken me a while to write this blog post. Part of the reason has been a very busy school life as well as a very busy social life. In the last month, we had the end of the first school semester so while the students were easing down before their summer vacation, I was busy planning a two-week English Camp (holiday programme) that would run during the school vacation (more on that wonderful experience in another blog). There were also a few awesome social events and trips that Mbali and I attended on weekends. Part of our intentions for our time in Korea is to see many parts of the country so that means travelling whenever we get the opportunity. In the last month, we attended the Seoul Pride event, which was a crazy, wet and amazing experience! Walking and dancing with the parade in the streets of Seoul while the rain poured down on us was a magical moment none of us will forget. It was a wet, wet, wet Seoul Pride parade! Proud allies of the LGBTQIA2S+ community! We also visited an...