American Education System

Last week I am much surprised at education system in US.
My daughter attends 6th grade in Herricks middle school. She has been excited in skiing all the week because she's going to trip to the Frost Vally Environmental Education center. The dates will be February 9, through February 12, 2009.

It's a problem that the numerous forms are required for the field trip only 4 days.
The numerous forms that I have to sign there embarrassed me.
First of all, I had to attend a meeting that help me navigate.
Second, I visited to my daughter's physician, noticed her trip plan and I had to get doctor's permission to be able to take over the counter medication.
Third, I had to sign the forms after I completed the numerous forms with 7 sheets.
Finally, I brought it with a check equal to $431 to her school office.

It was too difficult job for me.
My reading skill and speed looks like improved much more, because it took me as long as 3 days to read the documents carefully.
I am still scared with any document, because nobody can live without a written document in the USA. I am still unfamiliar to English document.
I'm just an alien. It may be a kind of a culture shock.

Anyway certainty or complication...which one better?

The first step is the hardest!

"The first step is the hardest!," a proverb said, and then starting good is the same as it's already half completed.

I am worrying about a different teacher changed because it's difficult for me to acclimate myself to a new situation. Sometimes I couldn't understand a little what Mrs. Marissa said. Probably it's getting better sooner or later.

Therefore I don't like to start something, to try new things such as clothes, shoes and special food etc. Although I hate such trying, I have to finish to the last once I start something. It's not only my good point but also a weak point.

Anyway I am excited at second session now, so I'll try to do my best and study harder.

Ah, here're some pictures that I took on last Friday. Enjoy yourself!

My First Salary!

Hi, Mrs. Elaine and my peers,
I am very excited now, because I made money by myself for the first time, after moving in to the USA.
Of course, the amount is too small. I am receiving a half -pay from my country due to temporary retirement from the Ministry of Education, it is no more than about 10% of an original pay in my country.

I am proud of myself as it seemed for me not to be able to happen within a short time. I have been here for 1year 7 months. At first, it was terrible to exchange and understand even basic communication, and now more convinient than before. I think everything thanks to learning hard. I have been obssessed with learning something till now, so I started to learn golfing in earnest yesterday. My coach in golf is a humorous, kind man, and I expect to improve , fix my skill.

'The Road not taken'

On Saturday I worked at NCC library for 5 hours.
I was too tired to cook dinner, so I ate out with my daughter after swimming.
We ate a Korean food that we have missed for a long time, and it
(a kind of peppery soup with fish) was very tasty for us. I had quite recovered from fatigue.

Anyway, on my working I was glad to find a poetical works of Robert Frost who I've loved until now, but i've forgotten it after came here. It is a poem that I really loves.

The Road Not Taken

-Robert Frost-

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I woke up late, went out my house to 'the road not taken'.

I was lost in thought for 2hours.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.....

Nobody's perfect!

"What's up?" said Gabi. She used to call me a perfectionist in joke.

My mistakes I made today wasn't really worthy of me. It was two times...
The first one was that I forgot to bring my homework and the second one was I missed return due of DVD(Awakening) borrowed. I paid a $3 late fine the first time.

I was busy day after day, because I went to Mt. Bear and worked up to a late hour, I lacked an ability of concentration.

Actually I've constrained myself to be perfect untill now. It was too hard for myself.
A mistake will be able to make another sucess.
People say that nobody is perfect.

I hypnotized myself 'Jenny, please take easy, easier' in repeat.
I came here not to force, to enjoy my life.

I remind a passage,
"If you change your thinking, your mind is changed,
if you change your mind, your life is changed."

Tom & Jerry Tales

Let me talk about ‘Tom and Jerry tale’ that I made in 3 minutes speech, because several peers asked me to hear the story.
As you know, Tom is a cat, and Jerry is a mouse.

One day Jerry was playing with his friends in a playground. From over there Tom approached nearer to the place. Most of them that saw Tom coming up were afraid of him, trembled for fear and tried to run away for their lives. Then Jerry suddenly cried a cat’s sound, “Meow, meow”. Soon after Jerry imitated a cat’s voice once more, “Meow, meow” And then Tom heard the voice disappeared somewhere as if nothing happened, not interested in the voice.
The mice who escaped their serious crisis gathered around Jerry and jumped with great delight. Then Jerry said in pride, “These days, you have to speak at least two languages.” The mice clapped their hands while giving a nod.

After that, the mice called Jerry a bilinguist.

At last Jenny conquered Mt. Bear

I got out my house at 8:30, joined with my three friends in Christpher Morley park and we started to Bear Mountain by one car.

My heart was never throbbing with expectation like this morning.
What a golden opportunity it is!
What a beautiful weather it is!
How lucky we are!

We didn't need to hurry up, and nobody didn't press to go fast, so we took a long way around to see a sight going past by us. On going through the 95 route, we crossed over Through Neck bridge and a long, beautiful bridge named Tep...

Finally we arrived on the spot, but we lost our way to go to the summit of Mt. Bear, wandered from place to place, took a coffee on a riverside and climbed on the top by car^.^ There are wonderful view points on all sides. I also spoke French with the French a little.
Wow, I couldn't believe the multycolorful tinged, maple trees....

After we drove the same road till 4 times, hardly found a sign written 'Seven Lakes Dr' and had delicious lunch in a big, fantastic lakeside with a picnic area.

We felt something lacking, because it was a time to back home.
Although we were late, we had to walk even for a while.

I hope I'll hike, climb on the next time.

Beverly hills Chihuahua

Yesterday, my daughter was waiting me back home, because she had no school in Columbus Day. We went to watch a movie 'Beverly hills Chihuahua' to AMC theatre in Roosevelt field. Its story is,

"Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills chihuahua finds herself lost while on vacation in Mexico, and a spoiled Chihuahua relies on new friends to help her get home."

It was very interesting and funny, these day my daughter is obssessed with a peppy, so she loved it overly.
I also felt actually that the Disney company has a strong hold on the public, because I heard the Disney earned $52,540,000 only 10 days.

Anyway, I am still afraid of a dog, because I have a terrible memory that I got bitten by a dog in my childhood. But my daughter loves it too much, she presses me for a chihuahua everyday.

What shall I do?

Let's go to Bear Mountain on Wednesday!

Who knows a direction and information of how to go to Bear Mountain?

I wanna go to field trip to Bear Mountain which has 7 big lakes.
Did you hear that no class will be on Wednseday, Oct 15.
I have a golden opportunity.
I am worrying if I lose the rare opportynity.

It's the best time to see the sight of there, because I heard the hills are aflame with autumnal tints.

I don't have any information.
Please give me any and all info tomorrow.

Climb a low mountain in Cold Spring Harbor State park

I am very happy now, because I climbed a mountain in the morning, breathed in fresh air to the full for three hours.

I have two Korean freinds after I came in the US. In fact, it was difficult to get along with a good friend, because I have had a feeling like a disbelief or a prudence about immigration society. I was always nervous that I meet a lot of kinds of people. I didn't know them at all, such as their character, formal schooling, back-ground....Of course, I think such things aren't too important.

One of them is a housewife who was an English teacher in my country, she loves to exercise, cook, drink, study, and she is very sensitive women. She treated us to lunch today.

The other one of them is also housekeeper whose husband is a dentist, she doesn't have a particular talent in cooking, singing and drinking like me, but she and I have a common hobby that both of us enjoy golf. Of course, we are just a beginner.

Also, we enjoyed singing in her basement, because she has a Karaoke machine.
Her daughter who is in high school made fun of our singing in a loud voice, but we didn't care at all.

Aftermath of Internet Rumor

There was a shocking news in my country last week.
An actress who has been very popular killed herself suddenly. She was very beautiful, quick-witted and active, so she was a sweetheart for everybody.
The first cause of her death was just internet rumor that someone spread a false report without a source. I was shocked at the news. I guessed she was too hard to endure.

I realized both sides of internet, merits and demerits.
I absolutely understood about her difficult situation, but I couldn't agree with her behavior.
She was a mother who breeds two children. They are only 7 & 5years old.
I think nobody can kills oneself at one's will, even it's one's own life.
It is another sinner that she abandons her children, so I couldn't cry for her.
How irresponsible it is!

I remind a passage that I watched in a movie today,
"Human being's warm-heart is more powerful than any drug"

I'm going to climb a mountain to blow away my depression tomorow.

I prefer a movie Mamma Mia to musical.

Hi, How was weekend? I was also busy, but so interested with a movie Mamma Mia.

On Saturday I had some things to do such as volunteering for my daughter to Korean school, for me to work at library in the morning, and swimming and then meeting with a dentist. After finished that jobs, I ate out, shopped in Flushing with my daughter. That day she met many, kind Korean people, so she looked like feeling homesick strongly. I have to drown her grief in a movie. I showed her a movie Mamma Mia which had downloaded.

I saw the musical 'Mamma Mia' with my family last summer together. It was very interesting, especially the actress(Donna)'s amazing voice impressed us.
In the movie a daughter(Sophie)'s a role had a fascination to me, and my daughter was also exited about that, and then she soon calmed down.

I'd like to recommend this movie and ABBA's music strongly.

Sweet Holidays make fresh!

I had a really sweet holiday for 2days. How sweet it was!
I was greeted with the second september after I came in the USA.

Last september I didn't know it was so difficult for me, because all of my family lived together here and it's not too much for me something to do.

This september I'm alone and I have to take care of my daughter who entered in a middle school this time. In addition to it, I started to work as well to study. I like my work, but I don't have enough time to spare. I was also busy even weekends.

For 2 days I had a good time with my daughter such as cutting her hair, inviting at a party, gathering with my friends and chattering for 5 hours, doing laundry, cleaning my house, and eating out.... We did lots of things really. Moreover late sleeping!

Theseday, I'm missing my husband who devoted himself to take care of our everything till last spring, so i'll send e-mail to him thanks for his love tonight.

Anyway a new start always makes fresh. Ummh, refreshshshsh...