Heyum's Journal

Summer school break ended so I went back to school. I felt proud because I did my homework. But in English class I found that the other guys did their homework on their notebooks. I was the only one with it printed out. So I didn't know what to do. I asked the guy in front of me how's my homework, then he took a look at my homework. He said I was doomed so I didn't hand it in because I was scared. I was scared again because I would get punished by my parents for bringing the homework back. I really got punished. I had to give it to the teacher or I will get punished again. Then I saw my partner's Korean homework. It was written on the formatted paper. I asked him about it and he told me that the homework was supposed to be on that paper. So I got the paper and did it all night at home. I felt proud doing it.

The next day I only thought about handing in the homework to the teacher. I went in the teacher's lounge and asked a teacher where the English teacher is. She answered me then I went to her and gave the homework. But the English teacher asked where the essay is. I said I didn't know about the essay so she said to hand it in by Friday. So I said I would. But I handed in the Korean homework. When I came home I wrote the essay all night.

The next day I was sleepy when I woke up. My mom told me to give the homework to the teacher but I totally forgot about it at school. So I didn't hand it in. When I came home I went to hak won to study Korean and math. It rained when the class was over so mom came to give me an umbrella. While we were coming home, mom asked me if I handed in my homework. Then I remembered that I forgot to so I said no then mom got mad. I promised to my parents that I will surely hand in the essay on Monday. I don't know why I made these stupid mistakes.

For all these mistakes I made, my dad ordered me to bring three friends who live in my neighborhood on Saturday. He said he will buy us whatever food we want. He wants me to make friends with other guys. I don't know if this is a punishment or a prize for all of these mistakes.

Korean schools and American schools have lots of differences. Korean schools and American schools are different for five reasons or more.

First, Korean schools and American schools serve lunch differently. Korean schools serve healthy food that are good enough but American schools just give pizza or hamburgers or others so it's unhealthy but very delicious. I like the American way in this part because I like the food they serve in America.

Second, Korean schools make kids wear slippers inside the building but in American schools, we can just go into the building with our shoes on. I like the American way because I don't need to take off my shoes indoors.

Third, in Korea we walk to school. We have shuttle buses but it only goes to far places. American schools bring all the kids with school buses. But if you miss the bus, you have to get a ride or walk all the way to school. I like both ways because in Korea I live a little far from school so I take the shuttle bus. And I enjoyed taking the school bus when I was in America.

Fourth, in Korea the kids gather in the school ground to listen to the principal’s speech but American schools just make announcements. I like both because in Korean schools the kids don't listen to announcements so it's good to gather. I like the American way in this part because we don't need to gather in the ground.

Fifth, in Korean schools we must clean the classroom and more. But in America kids only clean the classroom for punishment. We have janitors to clean everything. So I like the American way in this part because I don't like to clean the classroom and more. I wish I don't need to clean anything.

There are some differences between Korean schools and American schools. But there are also some similarities: teachers love their students and teach them with enthusiasm, and students study hard to fulfill their goals.

(Revised from an earlier journal for school essay homework)

When it was vacation I thought I could rest for ever. But I had homework I didn't know about. Before I knew that I just hanged around and rested and studied a bit. But when vacation almost finished I remembered my homework. So I started it. It wasn't that difficult. But I didn't have lots of time. I had to go to hagwon and do some English thing my dad told me to do and do homework. So I had to do it fast. I finished it and I felt good. I wish I remembered stuff better.

My dad wants me to do well on my next exam. But I don't think I can so my dad made a chart. When I start school again I have to write about the day at school. Like period, subject, pages I did, keywords, homework and other. I think it won't really help me but I have to do it. My dad said he will help me on this so I kinda have hope. But I still don't think this will help me from getting an A on everything. But I will try hard to get an A on everything. I will try to make my dad happy. And me happy.

These days I e-mail and chat on computer with my old friends BJ and Grace Yu who live in USA. We were friends when I was in America. We met in Korea again when I was a fifth grader. They came to visit us. It was school days for us so we didn't get to play with them a lot. So my dad made them a gmail so we can e-mail each other. Then the next year on my summer vacation I went to America. It was vacation for both of us (me and them) so we played a lot and did homework. When we had to go I wanted to stay. Even BJ wanted me to stay. We e-mailed each other a lot when I came home. I still e-mail with them now. Sometimes we chat with google talk. It's hard to meet on google talk because we're 14 hours faster than there. I got to get up early or they got to get up early. But I mostly get up early. My mom said I can go next year. I can't wait to go there again.

I went to dad's school with dad. I first did a English reading skill test book for about 3 hours. It was kinda fun. Because it told me about things I didn't know like the amazing Mr. Tesla and a book about world records and the gorilla Koko. Then we went to eat lunch. It was hot but delicious. Then we went back and studied. While I was studying dad said I had to watch the movie I want to watch now because of the time. I watched Chicken Little. Then we went to buy the GPS thing. After that we went to eat. Then we went back to the school and studied. When I was finished we went home.

My family and I drove two hours and went to grandma's (mom's side) tomb. We met our relatives there. My cousins and aunts (mom's sisters). We walked up to the tomb. First we sang hymns then prayed. After that we came down and ate lunch and played. Then we went to a retreat center. We sat outside and celebrated my brother's and our aunt's birthday and ate some snacks and had fun. Then we went inside and played while the adults slept. Then we had to come home. We had to go because I had to study. It was a sad and fun day.

We were supposed to go to a pond and play there. While we were going we went to buy some food. While our parents went to buy some stuff (not food) we went to the computer place. But some old ugly lady kicked us out because we were playing games (it wasn't a computer for games). So we went out to our parents. We went down to get food. I took some chocolate and my brothers didn't because our parents didn't like the snacks they chose. After we bought the food we went to the pond. While we were going rain came so we couldn't go to the pond. So we went to the swimming pool and played until we were bored. I wasn't bored but my brothers were so we came home. It was the second best swimming pool day.

We went on a trip on Monday. First we went to Deagu and met dad's friends at VIPS. We ate tacos and spaghetti there and played computer games and read books. It was great.

After that we went to a big hotel that had pools and other great stuffs. We met my dad's friend Steve who was waiting for us. We looked at the pool and food and the other stuffs there. It looked like fun. We were supposed to go somewhere but my brothers and I begged my parents so that we could stay and play in the pool. My parents allowed us to play and they went somewhere else. There was a slide and a diving board at the swimming pool. We played for about three hours. We had lots of fun. Then we went to have dinner with Steve. We went to a restaurant that was famous for octopus, but my brothers and I didn't like it. So we just ate rice and eggs. My brothers and I went back to the hotel and watched TV and had fun while our parents and Steve went to a cafe. When our parents came back we watched a drama. My dad and I went to buy some drinks. We drank together watching TV. Then we went to sleep.

The next day we went to an old king's tomb. There was a 1400 year old picture of a flying horse. It was cool. On the way back I bought a hat. It was cool. Then we met Steve at Lotteria in a small town near Handong University. We ate until we were full. Then we went to Handong University where Steve teaches English. He showed us lots of stuff. Then we went to a beach. We could have fun only for an hour. So we begged parents to rent us a tube. We had lots of fun riding the tube and pushing the tube so my brothers floated away. They were very scared but I brought the tube in before it went too far away. It was really fun. Then we took Steve home.

After that we went to meet our old friends at Daegu. We had dinner with them and talked and ate ice cream. Then we went to a park with all kinds of rides and stuff. We went to an indoor ice link. We played there for about two hours and went to their house. We played board games for an hour. It was fun while it lasted. Then we headed home. It was three when we came home. Our dad drived for three hours without sleeping. So I thank him. It was the second best trip.

Today is my brother's birthday party. They invited their friends to come. My mom and I set up the food. When all of the kids came my brothers blew the candles and opened their presents. Then some of them watched TV and some played computer games. I played computer games with them. When they were a little bored we went to the swimming pool. We played for about two hours and came out. Then we came home. The kids played until they had to go. Then we cleaned up the house. It was a good birthday party.