Jumping in Puddles

No, I haven't actually been jumping in puddles lately; I just though I'd use that title since I've been so perplexed by the subject of childhood. During dinner my host mom had this interesting thought while the three kids were running around acting like zombies...or retarded llamas, I'm not really sure which: something about how human energy changes over time (she explained it in Korea, but I'm pretty sure I got the gist of it). Kids never stop running around, at least until they fall flat on there faces or fall asleep after a long day. They eat a little sugar and all hell breaks loose; adults think snow is cold yet kids romp and play and till their fingers turn black and snot freezes to their upper lip. Over time this energy changes. Some time during adolescence boys stop romping in the snow and start romping around looking for girls. Play energy turns into sexual energy. As an adult, you start to care about things more. You have to use your head at work, thus all your energy turns cerebral. The last point I found pretty hilarious: old ladies (at least in Korea) never stop talking...so I guess all that cerebral energy turns into talking energy. By the time you're old, decrepit and senile...the energy is gone. To be honest I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, just that's it's an interesting point that I wanted to remember--or at least share with you.

Also on the subject of energy, the kids at school were bouncing off the walls today. I only had three classes, but it might as well have been three rounds wrestling a polar bar in a McDonald's ball pit. Usually about a quarter of the kids are sleeping, half of them are talking and pretending I don't exist while the rest are either sleeping with their eyes open or feigning interest and understanding of what I'm talking about. No so today, they were hitting and kicking (literally), throwing random objects or making strange Himalayan chanting sounds (again, I'm not kidding). One boy actually slapped me on the ass four times. What do I say to that? I'm half impressed that he had the balls to do it and genuinely confused as to why the hell he would want to. I guess it was just...the Friday routine--I haven't actually taught on a Friday in like 3 or 4 weeks, so maybe this isn't so unusual. As much as I belittle my students though, they really aren't that bad, and a few of them I actually like. One wants me to call him 'Rap Gyu.' This kids is actually a pretty good rapper, and actually freestyled a couple times for me in class. Apparently he won some kind of contest and is going to rap during the opening ceremonies of the Korean F1 Races here in the couple weeks. I mean, I'm no hip-hop connoisseur but he sounded pretty good to me.

Oh, and they've also been filming and taking pictures of me at school lately. I got a nice spread in the latest Jungang High School advertisement--"Look, we have an American!" or something like that. Today they were filming me in class and 'kindly' requested (THIS MORNING) that I use a powerpoint. I've never used a powerpoint in the classroom. The one time I tried the power was out in my corner of the building for two weeks, so a no-go there. Fortunately I had that same one on hand and I enjoyed the fifteen minute block in which the students were marginally quieter; during filming, that is. I should invite the film crew back more often; have them just stand in the corner to keep the kids quieter during my lecture.