August 3rd- Flour Power

I did not want to attend class at all today, nor was I enthused about teaching overactive children in any way, shape, or form. I trudged to class in the sweltering heat. Korea is situated on a natural peninsula called The Korean Peninsula, and from the vast array of mountain ranges - those being three major ones- the impregnable walls of stone act as an isolator, making Korea a living and breathing incubator. Home to wet and sticky heat, cloud covered skies with scorching heat and clouds that pillow in the sunlight and boil everything and anything that inhabits the peninsula. This is my daily reminder of where I am. Apparently the combined land mass size of South Korea and their counterpart North Korea is approximately the size of Minnesota. In essence the country is steamed with combined efforts of the mountain ranges and the perpetual cloud cover.

I must confess that my attitudes vary and are quite fragmented day to day. I am by no means a pessimist, though I am not quite an optimist, and possibly not even, Lord willing- in-between. As I arrived to class I knew that the afternoon was going to be bearable. I just as I had expected it was. The day flew by rapidly and we moved into the evening hours.

The rally was hysterical to say the least. We had the kids dive for pieces of bubble gum in pots filled to the brim with flour. As they emerged from their hunt, their faces were gaunt and extremely pallid. A fine powder floated down from their flour creased faces like snowflakes, striking a stark resemblance to ashes as they tumble in firefly-like sporadic jolts to the floor. Later in the evening, Eric ran up behind Dan with a bowl of flour- before Dan could act in resistance- he was covered in the sawdusty powder. I ran up to assist Dan and lend him aid in attempting to take vengeance on Eric, but Dan was swift to act and threw a a face-full at me.

Then it escalated. I, in my furious state hurled yet another pot full of flour at Eric, and having missed at least half of him, hit instead the vents by the glass windows. Then another pot was thrown, and soon we found ourselves in a winter wonderland. But this wonderland did not have snow, and indeed it was not in the North Pole either, but held more of a resemblance of a snow covered bakery. After the laughter ceased, we had a white room to mop up. In all honesty, the ten seconds of pleasure was more than worth the thirty minutes of clean up. The consequences were folly, and it was one of the most freeing experinces we've had the entire trip. I wish I could throw that flour, but ten-fold, at my students on most days. I guess caking two of my team members will have to suffice, at least for now.

The night is wet and humid, the two staples of Korea. I hope that tomorrow yields chillier fruit. I am learning that hope carries one through uncomfortableness. Two weeks remain, I hope that I last.