Penguin Basketball

Back in January I had to work a Winter English camp.  And I really don't know why I am even talking about it now that the torment of winter has passed.  In the grand scheme of things, the camp went well.  But January, in Korea.  Yes it was bitterly cold.  And when I say bitterly,  I moslty mean me.  I was bitter most of the camp because it was so cold.  But I am a trooper.  Never let them see you sweat right?  Well I wasn't much worried about them seeing me sweat, but I didn't want to be a kill joy for a bunch of kids at a camp.  Even when my co-teacher decided at the last minute that we should change our "theme activity" from drama to...outdoor sports, I didn't allow myself to frown in front of kids and show my diapproaval.  Probably because it was so cold that I had no control over the muscles in my face.  The kids were excited because I think they were already suffering from hypothermia.  What looked like giddiness from them was most likely just the brain damage that results from frost bite.  I went through a long list of outdoor winter sports that I could think of.  Ice fishing, figure skating, ummm ice fishing.  I can't remember who suggested basketball, me or them but I do remember that basketball isn't fun when your fingers are frozen numb.  But that's probably just because I was never a Korean 5th grader. I think they are part penguin.  Our session was to be an hour and half of playing basketball outside on a dirt court.   Somehow I managed to have a 30 minute session, a 30 minute thaw session inside and another 30 session on the court.  The kids couldn't have been happier.  Well yeah they could have happier.  I had to fight them to come inside for the 30 minute break. They wanted to stay outside the entire hour and a half.  I didn't mention that the temperature was somewhere between 19-22 degrees farenheit.  The best part was that my coteacher convinced herself (not me) that since she didn't know much about basketball and I did she could stay inside while I suffered punishment fit for no man. 

Other stupid things I remember from Gangnam District Winter Camp.

On a bus ride to Lotte World (an amusement park, 30% indoor, 60% outdoor- yes it was still January.  And don't get me started on Korean amusement parks) I tried to tell two of the non Korean teachers at the camp that Bobby McFerrin was coming to Seoul for a concert.  Before I could finish though, they heard the name Bobby McFerrin and hijacked my conversation. 

"He's that guy that sang Don't Worry, Be Happy"

"Yeah, did you know that he killed himself?"

"Yeah, that's ironic isn't it?  He sang Don't Worry, Be Happy and he killed himself"

At some point I took control of the conversation again and told them that they were the victims of an urban legend.  Not even a good one.  I finished my original start to the conversation, that Bobby McFerrin was playing a concert in Seoul in mid February.  Of course they didn't believe me. 

"No. I'm pretty sure he's dead" one of them insisted.

I said that it was possible that he had died in the last 12 hours and it just hasn't been reported to the media yet but otherwise he should be in Korea soon. 

Like I said before, it was a pretty stupid thing.  Bobby McFerrin was alive long enough to play an $80 plus concert in Seoul.  And as far as I know right now, he is still alive.  But I don't know if he is worrying or if he is happy.