Well, here I am at Seoul Tech University enjoying perhaps the best summer program I have ever had the pleasure of participating in. The students were absolutely wonderful.  The Seoul Tech campus is literally beautiful and natural in its scenic landscape.  

Kim Jun Hyung, one of my favorite students from Korea National University of Arts (KNUA) recently went on an 'MT' with his fellow classmates to the Chinese - North Korean border. 

He sent me these awesome pictures.

Kim Jun Hyung at Lake Chun Ji



Mount Baek Doo



Scenes of the Great River Ab-Rok



North Korean girls singing (gee, they look so pretty to me!)



WOW!

Wow! Another year, another semester
and another great group of cool students!

These dudes are from the Mechanical Engineering  Department at Korea University. They really dig my class and my haircut!  Can anybody blame them? 




Sometimes it just feels as if
everybody wants to steal my mojo!

 

This is my new motorcycle.  I just love riding to Korea University and seeing my most brilliant students every morning.  Can you tell what model of motorcycle I'm riding?

Mike stealing a ride...

 

 

I spent some of my summer vacation 2007 in Cambodia.  I went to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, 2 of the most ancient and beautiful temples in the world. 

Here are some pictures of Angkor Thom.

Well, many students have been asking me about my dog.  I have often mentioned in class that one of my favorite hobbies is walking my dog around town.  So, here is a recent picture of my boy, Ziggy.  He's 1 year old.

 

Well, in teaching, students come and go. Trust me, all teachers remember each and every student that they ever taught. Some students, we wish to forget but can't, and some, we dearly miss like our very own children. I have a feeling I'm going to miss these new students as if they were my very own children.




They were my students for only 1 month but I'll never forget their friendliness, good nature and interest in my class. The very best luck to them in their future studies and life...

This, of course is me. Although I seemed happy at the end of the semester, I truly missed all my students that year. It was an outstanding year for me at Korea University.

Hey now! Who's that famous Korean celebrity interviewing my handsome face? I thought my wife was the star of the show?

 

You may have seen him on Korean TV or read his books. He's a gagman(comedian) and is famous for his comical impersonation skills and interviewing famous people. His name is 김 학 도 (Kim Hak Do)!

 

Trust me, I hate to brag and this is NOT some shameless self promotion but I think I did well in that interview speaking Korean, baby, when I was totally petrified!

Here are more pictures of the show.
 

 Here we are with my 2 favorite Korean musicians,

Kang In Bong (강 인 봉) and Kim Hyong Seob (김 형 섭).

We're friends now, you know!

Natasha is holding the baby and Vennesa is posing for the webpic. Nice big backyard you got there, Sister!  

Ok, I know this guy but who's the cutie with him? This is Paul my nephew/Godson. He's cool and I swear he's a lot better looking in person, too!

Ryan.  It won't be long... ROCK ON, DUDE!

I don't have many nieces so I love and deeply miss them all. Tabatha is my 1st born niece and she's holding my adorable grand niece. They're so cool, baby... 

Sleeping cutie!

They're building a new religion. I swears they be!

BLAST OFF!

Well, my oldest brother John and sister-in-law Joan sent me these great pictures of their recent winter vacation in Jamaica.  I'm so filled with envy at the possibility that they paid for my long lost nephew(Michael) and perhaps his babe instead of inviting me and my family! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, 'after all, he's his son and you've got your own life...blah blah blah...'  

wah wah wah, me want nookie!  

My brother, John. 

Hey, Joan, where are you going on such a beautiful day?

 

Knock it off, big guy! That's how tsunamis start!

 

I swear to God if I ever catch you 2 on the street, I'm going to kick your asses until you say 'UNCLE!'

 

I feel you, hommy.

What a great idea!  I've been watching it here in Korea and since the Koreans are doing so well, it makes watching all that more exciting.  I saw the game where Canada actually beat the USA.  I also saw the game where Canada was overwhelmed and beat out of the competition by Mexico.  What does that say about the USA team?  The USA play Mexico tomorrow in a must win game to advance to the WBC semi-finals.  I can't remember being so excited about watching a baseball game than this one.  Roger Clemens is pitching for the USA and he's one of my all-time favorite pitchers.  It's gonna be a dandy, baby!

Here, on a more serious note, while I was watching the BIG Korea vs. Japan WBC showdown today with a few of my students, we saw two Korean fans in the stadium with large signs that read 'Dokdo is a Korean Island!'  I wasn't sure if that was the case until my students explained to me in detail exactly why most Koreans are so serious and feel so strong about the politically tense and emotionally charged controversy.  Thanks to them, I tend to agree with the Korean position now.

Good luck to the USA team tomorrow and Good Luck to the Korean team in the semi-final round.

 

Well the Montreal Canadiens are back on ice after the lengthy NHL walk out.  They are doing better than I expected.  They are currently in 2nd place in their division and 4th place overall.  I hope it lasts, in fact I hope they finish in 1st place and win the Stanley Cup.  

 

Man by nature has instinct to preserve his own life as well as his race, and therefore engages in physical activities either consciously or unconsciously.  Man cannot do without physical motions that he grows and develops on them regardless of time and space.  In ancient times people had no means other than the bare hands and body to defend themselves; so they naturally developed the bare-hand fighting techniques.  Even at times when arms were developed as defensive or offensive means people continued to enjoy the bare-hand fighting techniques for the purposes of building physical strength as well as showing them off through matches at rituals of tribal communities. 

 

Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional arts that teaches more than physical fighting skills.  It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind.  Today it has become a global sport that has gained an international reputation and stands among the official games in the Olympics.        

Well, Jay, whoever you are, you've got a cool site. I hate you. I hate everybody that has a 'cooler' site than me except my nephew, Ryan.

                                                         

 

I seldom wonder why I became an ESL instructor. In fact, I probably wonder why as much as you wonder why I became an ESL instructor. I love teaching English. It's a challenge as much as a pleasure. I'm starting a new semester with all the hopes, dreams and expectations that this semester will be the best semester in all the 13 plus years I've been teaching. I've got a great group of bright students that are starting off well motivated and eager to learn what I will be teaching. Got my fingers crossed that this semester will be a total success for me and my cool students.

 

I know what you're wondering because I'm wondering the same thing. Why does it rain so much during the 'moonsoon season' in Korea? I ask myself this question everytime I decide to stay in Korea during my summer vacation. It's not that I regret it, I just wonder why.

Hi Nina! Thanks a lot for remembering my birthday. The funny thing is that I always forget your birthday even though you're my only sister. Still love the hell out of you, though.