The Spirit 2017 Discovery Week Issue

DW ISSUE

SEOUL FOREIGN HIGH SCHOOL

SPIRIT =TH

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NO. 3 / NOVEMBER 2017

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The Artist Behind the Banners Michelle Yun Co-Editor-in-Chief This year’s annual United in Prayer came with the reveal of the new house banners, four statement posters that depict each of the house mascots in the style of traditional Korean folkart—with a modern twist. The banners, designed by Mr. Creech from the art and design department, are a milestone in ongoing efforts to implement the house system across the entire school, and their exhibition in various locations around campus casts the presence of the house system everywhere.

For many of us in the crowd, the banner reveal incited a brief moment of admiration,

but for the minds behind this striking design, it involved endless months of brainstorming, drafting, and feedback. The project began in April, when Mr. Erny, another teacher from the art and design department, was approached by senior administration asking if he would be interested in helping develop new designs for the house system. The existing logos lacked cultural connection to the Korean geographical elements—Namsan, Hangang, Yonsei, and Bukhansan—from which their names were inspired. Mr. Erny immediately sought the help of his longtime friend Mr. Creech, who had a strong background in graphic design and had been hired to teach for the coming year. Together, they poured over Korean books, folkart, and

other relevant resources to get a sense of the country’s traditional artstyle.

As he began the actual experimental process on Illustrator, Mr. Creech recalls wrestling with creating a design that would “pay homage to our Korean roots, while being contemporary at the same time and accessible to our student audience.” As the four banners would often be displayed side to side, it was also important that the posters, while remaining unique and individual, had a common stylistic thread connecting them to each other and creating an overall sense of cohesion.

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the spirit: Co-Editors-in-Chief: Michelle Yun and Andrew Chung News: Alyssa Choi Sports: Janet Lee Student Life: Daniel Hahm Opinions: Sarah Pyo Arts: Janice Hahn and Joan Gwak Design: Ashley Won and Ina Kim Advisor: Ms. Susan Kong

DW ISSUE

OVERSEAS

For many of us, the hike on day four was one of the most physically challenging moments of the trip. After a first few days of eating new, tasty foods, the majority of us weren’t expecting much more physical activity than light walks with leisurely non-inclined hikes at most. Some members of the trip, struck by bad luck, decided to wear jeans on the one day we went for a real hike! Although it was challenging to fight through all the sweat, the view from the top of the cliff we hiked was spectacular and definitely worth it in the end.

A JAPANESE WAL The whole trip was a blast so it’s honestly hard to recall most of the challenges we faced. The most challenging moment for me was probably getting out of my shell to communicate with locals, because I definitely don’t speak Swahili. Little inconveniences came, of course, like having electricity problems in our rooms, not being able to wear certain clothes like blue shirts or shorts, having only cold showers that just felt like a sad faucet. The eleven hours in Bangkok and depressing airport lines to immigration. But all of those things now just feel like white noise—the camaraderie in the our group and amazing experiences we had were worth all of it. Also I asked around about challenging moments and the most common answer was ‘taking care of Riley Kwak’.

-Ina Kim

At Thailand, the team was able to learn about Thai culture. The team was taught how to greet and respect people, and several temples were visited to grasp Buddhism’s influence in Thailand. The temples required for people to dress properly and enter the temples without any footwear on. Furthermore, a cooking class was held to discover some of the main dishes of Thailand.

Through the trip, the team learned plenty about Thailand. However, the team was also able to bond and make friendships that did not exist before the trip. Personally, I was able to make new friends, especially with the upperclassmen, and I also got to know Mr. Visahan and Mr. Busbee better than before. The Thailand DW was truly a terrific week because of the experience that students and teachers were able to share as a group.

-Simon Choi

Only time can heal the years of heartbreak in the lives of the children in Mongolia, but if we can help speed up the process by even the tiniest bit, then that’s all that really matters. Their bright smiles and warm hugs taught me what strength and courage really look like, and with every passing day our love and respect for them only grew. It’s true that facing a language barrier was tricky at times, but even that couldn’t stand in the way between us speaking with our hearts. The end of the week has finally come to an end, but even as memories fade, the love and the time we spent together will remain the same.

Children at heart but unable to express themselves fully through body language and speech, the disabled Rainbow Center kids of Mongolia was perhaps the most challenging part of this Discovery Week.

-Jacob Lee

Illustration Courtesies: Magan Chang (12), Soyeon Kim (9), Jeeyoung Whang (12), Ina Kim (12)

THE CULTURE AND MUSIC OF VIENNA

AFRICAN SOUL SAFARI

SOUTHERN CULTU

THAILAND CONSERVATION AND SERVICE

LONDON THEATE

MONGOLIA SERVICE

PHILIPPINES SERVICE TRIP

My Favourite Memory: This year, there was a newly implemented schedule the trip advisor Paul Kim planned out over the week, as opposed to last year’s and the year before that. We visited a place called ‘Tondo’, which we initially saw in our eyes as a completely undesirable, filthy, garbage-invested location the majority of the Filipinos there lived. We went twice to help out an organization called ‘Project Pearls’ to feed, play, bond with the children, and overall just make an impact in their struggling community. We did everything we could to replicate the happiness in each other’s hearts and just put smiles on their faces. Everything from filling up their empty stomachs, interacting/playing with them, holding them, piggybacking them and putting on Kpop dance and singing performances for them It was a day that came down to be truly unforgettable.

-Ligun Rhi

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I’ve always held the impression that country, with its constant gloomy we people being secretly depressed. Thoug distinctive British culture that so strong don became clear as soon as I stepped i heard in every street corner, the historic attention to those who pass by, and the theatres lighting up West End on any gi emn faces riding the “tube” in the morn doing meager work when surrounded -Daniel Hahm

DW ISSUE My favorite memory during the Compassion Indonesia DW trip was during “A day in a life” home visit, when I got to hike up the mountain with my group and our home visit kid. At the mountain, we dug the earth for worms to use as bait and fished at a small pond with the home visit child and his dad.

While the vivid sight of worms squirming around in the dirt and aggressive fish battling it out for bait was certainly memorable enough, it was the hike down the mountain that was the highlight of the day. As we were hiking down, we stopped at a nearby stream to rest and play in the water with our home visit kid. The smile on the home visit kid’s face as we splashed around in the water was a snapshot that I would never forget. For a moment, despite living in extreme poverty, it seemed as though the kid forgot about all the troubles in the world and was experiencing true happiness while playing with us. That snapshot alone set the tone for the entire DW trip, as I would never forgot that moment ever after the trip was over.

-Willy Lee

Physically an old man but a child at heart, it was evident that his terracotta clay sculptures were more to him than just simple toys. He grinned from ear to ear as he held up his finished terracotta clay elephant sculpture as ‘oohs and ahhs’ were heard from the crowd of SFS students. Making clay sculptures brought me closer not only to the old man but also to the flourishing Indian culture.

-Cailee Kim

LKABOUT

This DW, I learned a lot about the situations of people in other countries and how different life is compared to what I am accustomed to. Although the volunteer work was challenging and the facilities weren’t as comfortable, I didn’t feel that the trip was too hard or a waste of time. I wanted to do something for these people, and it really changed my perspective on what you need in order to be happy. As I got to know the villagers and spent time with them, it made me realize that there were more people here enjoying life than back home in Korea. It was overall a great experience that I would be glad to do again next year, and I don’t think it’ll be a trip I’ll forget any time soon.

-Insung Bang

COMPASSION INDONESIA

N INDIA URE

THE ECO BUNGALOW PROJECT LAOS

SCUBA ADVENTURE SAIPAN

OISHI NIPPON

ER

England was a sombre eather and all of British gh I wasn’t entirely off, the gly ingrains itself in Loninto the city. The busking c landmarks that demand e array of Victorian styled iven night explain the solnings—who can be happy d by such a vibrant city? m

My favorite moment of the trip was when we visited a missionary school in Osaka. Previously a girls-only school and now a coed school, our visit to this Japanese school saw moments where people from different cultures and ages come together and bond over several activities. While many of the Japanese students were initially shy and not very talkative, they quickly started to open up more as they got to know the students of SFS. Whether it was the trivia activity that we enjoyed together or the casual game of basketball, students from two completely different countries were able to come together and enjoy the short but sweet moments we had together.

-Yunhyuk Kang

The pandas were adorable -Yurice Lee

PANDA CONSERVATION CHINA

VIETNAM CULTURE AND EXPLORATION I learned that there are so many people in this world that are not as privileged and blessed as us. I also learned that donating money directly to charity is way more effective than giving the government money because the government takes a portion of the money. I also learned that people are very dedicated and hardworking even if they don’t earn a lot of money. Kids in Vietnam have no opportunity to meet foreigners so they were very excited when we played soccer and ate dinner with them.

They were happy with even the smallest things and I learned that I should be more grateful.

-John Chang

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In DW this year, I had the opportunity to learn how to scuba. It was a great chance for me to explore new environments and take my mind off of everything that was bothering me, and I am sure this goes the same for everybody else on this trip. It was a relaxing week, I already miss it!

-Alice Choi

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LOCAL

Some teachers don’t live to fulfill their plans. Despite that our teachers had an initial schedule on paper, we learned on our very first day that they did not expect to follow it.

Soon we were given a fresh theme to our trip: flexibility and adaptability. On the second day, when water came into our boats, we learned that water rafting is not a winter sport. To be good at rock climbing is not just about how far you get; you arrive at mastery when the crawl becomes aesthetically pleasing. A whole group of randomly allocated seniors and sophomores and two plan-less teachers can bond over the course of a hike; it’s the people and stories that matter. The age gap wasn’t noticeable — sometimes it was even questionable.

-Eunice Cho

ADVENTURE TEAMWORK KOREA

DISCOVERING FOOTBALL As a girl, playing against guys was a challenging factor of DW. Playing a sport itself is hard enough, but when put up against people both faster and stronger than you, it really challenges and pushes you to improve. Hopefully, by the time I play again, I will have noticed a bit of improvement!

-Christine Yun

ARDUINO ENGINEERING & ELECTRONICS ASIAN FUSION CULTURE

When it came to constructing my project, I was basically stuck with dealing with the Hydra: every problem I seemed to fix, another one took its place.There was so much tinkering and specific programming involved that I couldn’t proceed without someone there to help me out. Also, because it was my first time with engineering, nothing seemed familiar to me, and walking into foreign territory in a DW that wasn’t my first choice was a genuinely scary idea. It also didn’t help that everyone around me was making really cool stuff, like airboats, electric guitars, rovers, and LED cubes. I swear I’ve never felt more insecure in my entire life. However, with the help of the leaders and my determination to make a fully functional piano, I was able to finish (albeit with rather skewed results).

-Jeremy Choi

SCENTS OF SERVICE

TR BU LIFEGUARDING

*giving the mannequin CPR as Alex Loutfy watches* Minjae Kim: "It's okay Mr. Loutfy, I'll save you."

Tawan Banyatpiyaphod: “Tara passing the lifeguarding prerequisite test is the biggest conspiracy of 2017.”

Alexander Loutfy: “My nose... is the biggest thing on earth.”

Illustration Courtesies: Magan Chang (12), Soyeon Kim (9), Jeeyoung Whang (12), Ina Kim (12)

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JEJU-DO BIKING

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KOREA HARVEST PROJECT

E K

Caleb Jang: “The most challenging thing was when I had to julienne a carrot to make bibimbap.”

My favourite memory of this DW was the cabbage harvest. It was an extremely arduous task which entailed hours of loading and unloading around 800 cabbages, but it was extremely rewarding for all of us once we were finished. This task allowed me to bond with not only the members of the group, but also the teachers and the staff at the farm. It was shocking to realize that most farmers usually manage this task on their own, without the help of outsiders. This experience provided me an insight into the lives of Korean farmers and the challenges they face with resilience and a sense of responsibility, as well as giving me a moment to step back and truly appreciate all the privileges that I had taken for granted prior to the experience.

-Grace Park

Safwat Rahman: “My favorite memory was when Caleb and I didn’t win the Best Chef award...”

DISPUTED DISCOVERY

SERVICE IN SEOUL + NAMI ISLAND FUN

RAIN TO USAN

The Service in Seoul DW was an amazing week full of many moments to treasure. With the overnight trip in Nami Island, having a cooking contest, feeding rabbits and birds, and ziplining we got to know each other more and create a stronger relationship. The following day, we went to Everland and spent a day full of fun.

On the last two days we spent time with the North Korean defector children at the Durihana church. Overall, it was a very meaningful time, as we created bonds with those inside and outside our community.

-Soyeon Kim

*Scares baby with a doll then suddenly beats it up* Chris Ahn: “I’m your hero now!” *looks to the rest of us* Chris: “You gotta present a problem then resolve it.” *Chooses who to kill in mafia* Chris Noh: “That was one of the hardest decisions I made in my life.” *wipes off sweat with towel* Gabi Chu: “You got me. I got got.”

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What I learned from this trip was how to endure hardships. There were many times we had to hike for very long periods of time and had to wait past meal time to eat which was very painful at times, but the constant repetition of this happening forced us to get used to it, which helped me in improving my mental fortitude, both physically and mentally. Also, the long nauseating boat rides didn’t exactly help us be comfortable in our travels, so we had to overcome the hours of boredom and queasiness in our stomachs caused by the constant swerving of the boat with our medicine and mental perseverance. We also learned about the history of Dokdo and Ulleungdo on our visits to the museum which made us much more historically aware about the Dokdo standoff between Korea and Japan.

-Yoonmin Yong

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FEATURES

Discovery Week, Senior CAS Project: A Beautiful Union Alyssa Choi News Editor CAS. If you don’t know what this acronym stands for, it’ll come to haunt you sooner or later. Spelled out Creativity, Action, and Service, CAS is a required element of the IB Diploma program, designed to foster “personal and interpersonal development.”

For many, CAS is a drag – a mere completion assignment that can be accomplished with minimal effort and time. However, every year, there are always several groups of students who daringly take on the role of becoming their own little travel agency as their CAS Project – an intermingling of at least one strand of CAS, though SFS advises at least two.

This year, a total of ten seniors fashioned three Discovery Week courses – namely, Jeju Cycling, Train to Busan, and Service in Seoul + Nami Island Fun. All student-designed courses are local and chiefly led by

the students themselves.

Some seniors truthfully disclosed that their intention of organizing a Discovery Week course was because they simply lacked the idea bank for a CAS Project. For others, this trip was spontaneous, serendipitous even. “I was scrolling my Facebook newsfeed when I saw a post titled ‘Top 10 Must See Spots at Busan’, and since my friends and I always wanted to go on a trip together, we thought, ‘why not?’” Terryn Jung smiled as she reminisced about the moment her and her friends decided to jump on a KTX down south.

Freedom, student initiative, and boundless possibilities seemed to be a common thread amongst the various perks of these courses. “Creating a DW as a CAS project means choosing whatever you want to do.

You don’t have to follow what the teachers say,” Brian Kim expressed. This is true; CAS Project is one of the very few times students are entrusted with tasks considered to be too “grown-up” for a couple teenagers to handle.

train to busan - photo courtesy: mr. philip hart

jeju-do biking - photo courtesy: brian kim

Even with so much power and authority at their disposal, senior leaders encountered many hurdles during the process of trying to make their ideas into reality. Communication with the teachers, organizations, and even between the leaders was the most prevailing of all: “some people wouldn’t take us seriously when discussing finances, because they still consider us as kids,” Jung Kwon asserted with a frustrated voice.

The perfect formula for designing a successful DW course consists of passion, good chemistry, and patience. The lengthy preparation of a week-long overnight trip was a first for many of these seniors, and some were taken aback by the level of meticulousness the process entailed.

All three groups began outlining a basic itinerary from the beginning of summer.

Min Cheong Kim and Andrew Chung even went down all the way to Busan for a day, just to research hotel accommodations, must-do activities, and famous restaurants.

When DW courses were assigned, Calvin Kim, Brian Kim, and Joo Eon Park went as far as to arrange weekends for all the students to prepare for an arduous and exten-

sive bike ride along the island.

Grand visions went unfulfilled, and amusing ideas were put aside. Most initial plans and ideas didn’t follow through, as original plans were constantly being altered due to convenience issues or the emergence of more viable ideas. “Nothing was chronological,” Jason Nam explained.

“It was also difficult because sometimes the workload assigned between leaders was not even,” he continued. The Jeju-do team agreed to the uneven distribution of work amongst the three leaders and listed other complications as well, such as continually having to adjust how they paid for different organizations they were working with.

“In the end, though, it was pretty worth it,” Brian said. If given the choice of going back in time, most seniors interviewed said they would gladly do this all over again. As stated by the seniors, the process of yielding a fruitful week was more than just a series of reservations and research; it ended up becoming exactly what the CAS creators envisioned – a time of initiation, perseverance, and collaboration.

Perspectives: After the Curtain Call for Grease Andrew Chung Co-Editor-in-Chief I never thought I’d be one to miss the musical. After all, I’d been tricked into performing — you know you’re more than just the “cameo” you agreed to do when you have a 2.5-minute solo song about some magical chord progression in front of the entire house.

Although I signed up to play guitar in the pit band, acting and singing on stage was never something I had envisioned as part of my high school career. The spotlight was something I shunned, not something I embraced. I kept telling myself, some good had to come from stepping out of my com-

fort zone — but as each rehearsal began to demand for greater precision and effort, my conviction slowly wore away. So many things could go wrong in those fateful two hours — frankly, I didn’t have the confidence to live up to everyone’s expectations.

Somehow, I managed to push myself through to 30 minutes before Friday’s show.

As the cast, pit, and stage crew lopsidedly stood in one of Mrs. Moon’s famed “an-ensemble-is-only-as-good-as-the-circle-itmakes” formations backstage, the director herself walked towards the center of the jagged oval and gave her final speech before the grand opening.

“

Tonight, I want you to live for a greater purpose. It’s not about receiving the adulation of the people out there in the audience.

No, if anything, I want you to live for joy. There’s so much hurt and sorrow in the world right now — I want you to realize how much of a blessing it is that you can be out there and give these people something to be joyful about for these two hours. I want you to keep that in mind as you go out there and give it your all.”

photo courtesies: taewon kwon and jaemin baek

As Mrs. Moon proceeded to hand out personal thank-yous to each member of the cast, I stood there in a daze, thinking about what she had just said. In the end, we were all just high school students — no one was watching the musical to judge our technical capabilities as an ensemble. Instead, we were doing this for tears, for laughter. Even my small mistake could turn into a source of joy for the audience — I had nothing to fear.

Looking back on the musical experience, I have no regrets (aside from the fact that

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those videos of me on stage will haunt me forever). Sure, it’s tempting to think about how many college essays I could have written during all those 3-7 rehearsals, but I also think I’ve learned something more valuable than the time I lost.

I used to think there was irony in practicing 100 hours just for two hours of showtime. What I didn’t realize was that your smiles are worth far more than that 98-hour difference.

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The Artist Behind the Banners Michelle Yun Co-Editor-in-Chief (continued from front page) After a laborious six months that involved tens of thousands of mouse clicks and dozens of back-and-forth feedback sessions with senior administration, Mr. Creech finalized the designs for the house banners that are now proudly displayed in the high school lobby and UAC, that gently wave in the wind from above the soccer field. Even so, design is a process that never ends. “I’m still working on it,” Mr. Creech sighs, running a hand through his luscious beard that we are all fascinated by. “I even opened a file yesterday to send to elementary school teachers.”

With the first iteration done, the opportunities for future projects are endless, and Mr. Erny quickly jumps into the conversation with his two cents on a prospective direction for the house logos. “I think tattoos are the wave of the future.

Imagine just bringing in a really good tattoo artist and having him on site,” he jokes. “Temporary tattoos, for sure,” he later clarifies, though he does thoughtfully add, “I think we could get Mr. Baird to get the actual Bukhansan Eagles tattoo. I think he would do it. I would maybe do the Han Vipers one... I’ll think about.”

Ultimately, though Mr. Erny and Mr. Creech were the ones to kick off the house designs, their hopes are that the community will take charge and come up with exciting ideas of their own. “We’re interested in seeing what each house collectively does… socks, blankets, hoodies, backpacks…” Everything is up in the air as of this moment. “I’m an old man,” Mr. Creech bluntly states. “I’m not gonna come up with all the cool ideas.”

FEATURES

What Your Favorite Thanksgiving Dish Says About You Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Corn Bread Janice Hahn Arts Editor If anything says more about you than the month and day you were born, it’s the kind of food you love to hurl down your gullet. Paired with an unabashed indulgence that manifests itself during the holidays, there’s almost no hiding what it says about your character. Feel free to disagree, but I’d wager you’d be this type of person if your favorite thanksgiving side dish is….

You highly value comfort and efficienc y, and so does your maw. One of the best cuddlers when the occasion calls for it.

If anything says ‘I like long walks on the beach’ more than a dating app pro file, it’s you. You’re smooth, pliable, and can adapt to just about any environmen t.

With your kind of finesse, you’re defi nitely a hotshot when it comes to hidi ng your myriad of saucy little secrets.

You enjoy the fine details, like the tiny pop of the hard cornmeal bits when you steal a bite. Your inclination towards form and stability makes you appear quite rigid, but when feeling warm, you can be somewhat fluffy and sweet. You’re always welcome and convenient to have around - though if left behind until stale, you crumble. Either way, you’re a hearty snack that packs a lot of personality in one bite.

Candied Yams

You’re a rule-breaker. An innovator.

I mean, who ever thought to combine a sweet root vegetable with a reconstituted spongy confection? At first taste, people are a little weirded out and dubious, but they quickly come to love your spunk and quirk.

Brussel Sprouts

You, my friend, proudly stand on the road less traveled. Clean in the body and soul. While most won’t follow you take on things, you can trust in you r r rationale and high moral character. You ’re conscious of the long-term consequenc es of any situation and think ahead. If your parents set a curfew, you follow it.

You spit your gum in the trash can. You’re the loyal, secret-guarding, ride-or-die that every friend needs. Other people’s opin ions don’t faze you.

Cranberry Sauce

In this world, there’s two types of people: those who got the sauce, and those who don’t. And you’re a fine breed of the first class. With no gelatin to your gelatinous form, you are an example of self-made magic so mysterious, people must genuinely wonder if they’re ready for your jelly.

Anything Casserole

You like a little taste of eve Mix things up a bit. Ex rything. perimental.

You don’t pay much atten tio appearance of things, be n to the know it’s the inner flavo cause you rs ly count. You’re an accep that truting person all-around, with a restle ss appetite for variety.

A Look Into the History of Discovery Week

discovery week 1999

Behind venturing into an unforeseen country and creating memories with individuals you would’ve never imagined even speaking to, Discovery Week has encoun-

tered a number of changes during its life here in SFS. In 1958, five years after the Korean War armistice signing, Seoul Foreign School led its senior and junior class, collectively between 12 to 15 students, on the “Junior-Senior Trip”.

“Basically, they piled into the cars of missionaries and took off,” said Mr. Moon, the Alumni Relation Director and Archivist. “It was very much about Korea.” The trip explored multiple locations in South Korea, such as Gangneung, Gyeongju, and Daecheon Beach. Dr. Horace H. Underwood, grandson of SFS’ initial teacher (according the school website), attended the first trip as a student.

During the 1980s, the annual trip’s name was changed to “Korea Week”, as the entire high school now attended. During the same decade, courses began to expand to overseas, prompting the name to change again to “Discovery Week”. However, early overseas courses were met with reluctance.

“There was a real push to go outside of the country,” said Mr. Moon. “But it costs, and we got some pushback from parents.”

Therefore, an “intentional” even split of local and overseas courses was guaranteed and remains today. Over time, the service

component in overseas trips grew in importance, birthing trips revolving entirely around service, such as Philippines Service Trip and Compassion.

Prior to the prevalence of computers, students were informed on each Discovery Week course through a printed booklet that was distributed to the entire high school.

The booklet, often featuring student artwork on its cover, detailed specifics about each course that students now use Pagoda for such as objectives, schedules, and estimated costs.

Mrs. Moon and her brother J.P. Rader, the then P.E. teacher and current principal of GSIS, led the 1998 “London Discovery” trip, one of the oldest running courses today. Their course’s “methodology” was outlined as “no method… perhaps much madness”, as appeared in the ’98 Discovery Week booklet. The first requirement for participants was that they “must have a love for theatre”, which is then immediately followed by “must not be a whiner”.

Similar to the Discovery Week booklets, course selection forms used to exist only in physical copies. The forms, included in each booklet, reminded students to write their passport information legibly, and to submit

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discovery week 1998 booklet cover

Daniel Hahm Student Life Editor

the original printed form since “faxes will not be accepted”.

The form also asked students to select and rank three courses in order of preference.

However, starting from 2014, students were allowed four course selections, though each would be equally weighed. The course ranking system was removed due to an estimated 20% of students not receiving their top choice each year.

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FEATURES

Discovering Sports

photo courtesy: shiraz ben-shoshan

Janet Lee Sports Editor From the infamous PST groups that return (shoutout to Kimchi) with touching stories from their time at the children’s home and the numerous “I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES” shirts to the groups from Compassion that seemed to have become family, the experience of going overseas can be seemingly unparalleled to that of staying local.

Watching different discovery week groups having reunions through Snapchat and seeing all of the “it was so lifechanging” Instagram posts is a part of the post-DW high that many students experience.

The benefits and lessons reaped from these overseas trips, however, stand in contrast to these local courses — particularly sports discovery weeks.

In the past, the two main Discovery Week courses dedicated to pure sports have been

Discovering Football and Hoops 4 Life, the first of which is a soccer program and the latter, a week of basketball bootcamp. These two courses — although most likely to alternate every year from now on — have been present for the past few years as options for students hoping to stay local and brush up on their skills for the upcoming seasons.

Discovering Football has been available for a while now, giving students a chance to hone in on their soccer techniques with a week full of intense training led by professionals. The course itself requires no previous soccer experience or extensive talent.

The course holds preliminary practices before the actual week of DW so that every player has developed enough physical and mental stamina for the intense five days.

However, the week is not entirely just days of grueling practice — this course also qualifies as service, as the team helps in coaching the younger divisions in soccer after their day of training.

DW 2017 Crossword Puzzle

Hoops 4 Life, though not available this year, has been a course consistently open to students hoping to get in a week of high intensity practice before the winter season officially begins. This DW course is particularly beneficial for those looking to try out for basketball, since the week is spent with the basketball coaches as well as other incredibly talented athletes. Coach Alexander from Global Squad is invited to lead daily practices and scrimmages, and the course typically ends with watching a professional basketball game.

These two discovery week courses are truly opportunities to really push yourself and take advantage of valuable time spent with professionals in that sport. Other than simply getting the chance to improve, however, something special that Jisaan Chai (12) revealed about participating in sports DW’s was that the chance to play “for fun” instead of under the constant pressure represent the Crusader name truly brings back the passion that many students tend to forget about when advancing from playing for leisure and playing for the gold.

Quite frankly, participating in a sports discovery week course may not give you the same bonding experience that an overseas trip would give you. The opportunities to hold deeper conversation and get to know one another on a personal level are limited, but nonetheless, the course still serves as a chance to get to know others through the shared emotions felt towards a common enemy: the workouts. For prospective students (particularly underclassmen) hoping to make the varsity team in the upcoming seasons, participating in a sports DW could be the perfect opportunity to improve, create relationships with potential teammates and coaches, and ultimately, prepare for what’s to come.

Across Show: All

Photo Spotlight

Taewon Kwon Staff Photographer I took this photo during DW — we had just gotten off a long train ride at a station near the coast.

Interestingly enough, I decided to focus my shot around the railroad, instead of the beautiful ocean next to us.

Although this is far from my best picture, I think the meaning that this picture holds makes it special.

To me, the track represents our high school life. It has its ups and downs, and it feels like we can’t see the end of it. But at the same times, I think the picture symbolizes that all hardships come to an end — just like how the railroad probably ends somewhere down the line.

It’s up to us to make the best out of our train ride.

Down Show: All

2. Train to where?

1. Mozart, Schubert, Mahler

4. Mr. Elish’s home country

3. Discovering a sport

5. Oxygen tanks needed!

6. A Japanese _______

8. Location of Rainbow Center

7. Asian foods, mixed together

10. What to watch in London...

9. Autumn is the season for...

11. Houses in Laos

12. Thailand _______ and Service

14. Country east of Laos

13. Building brick houses in the...

17. What word describes Dokdo?

15. Delicious Japan

19. Adventure _______ Korea

16. CPR to the rescue!

20. The nation of Soul Safari

18. An indispensable human trait

22. Save these animals in China!

21. Wires, wires, wires!

23. Soaps and Accessories 24. Transportation in Jeju 25. Service in Seoul + _______ Fun

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Once You’re Done...

Send a picture of your solution via your @seoulforeign.org email to thespirit@ seoulforeign.org by November 24 for a chance to win a special prize!

DW ISSUE

FEATURES

The Elephant in the Room Sarah Pyo Opinions Editor There is no better way to rile up a Facebook audience to induce a popcorn-worthy comment-section-catfight than to talk about controversial cultural traditions. I usually scroll past, dismissing them as the ever-present social media gladiator fights in which ethics and morals and whatnot are tossed around as touted weapons. Besides the fact that comment sections are hardly areas for intelligent discourse, I never bothered to interfere because I thought they were irrelevant to me. Different cultures will have their own customs—as an outsider, who was I to offer input?

I carried this belief with me for a long time. However, this principle was challenged recently when I travelled to India for Discovery Week. It led me to the realization that as an international student, I will inevitably encounter confrontations to my values outside the sheltered social media sphere.

Sometimes simply looking away won’t do.

In this case, it was literally impossible for me to look away. We went to a temple where an elephant, believed by Hindus to be the embodiment of Lord Ganesh, stood right in front of me, giving blessings to people by touching their heads with its lumbering trunk in exchange for money, gifts, or offerings. As soon as I caught sight of the creature—with its clinking ornate necklaces and decorative head drawings—my metaphorical moral hackles rose. I had read about the less-than-stellar treatment of these “temple elephants”.

My sense of discomfort rose even further as I watched a person poke, albeit softly, at the elephant’s side with a stick. Another pulled up a child to mount its back. It was weird because I was no longer viewing a video through a laptop screen, occasionally scrolling through the polarised comments as a means of procrastination. I was there in the flesh, experiencing a custom that made me tilt my head, frown, and go, “Huh.” It seems that Julie Ebbesen (12), a pescetarian, shared similar feelings. She stated that, though it is only “natural” to be

upset with inhumane treatment of animals, she in particular was at unease to see people give money to an animal that had probably endured suffering. “But at the same time,” she said, “It’s their culture.”

We are taught the importance of respecting other cultures. After all, that’s what Discovery Week is about: bonding with peers while learning new skills and discovering new cultures. Don’t get me wrong—I agree that that’s an essential virtue, but what are the consequences of such blind respect?

Does “respect” become compliance when we witness acts that potentially inflict pain on other humans or animals? Do we as foreigners even have a right to oppose a different culture’s values?

Of course, it’s not only India. These types of questions apply to everybody, to every culture. I know several students went to Japan on a food tour. Are they aware that there exists a Japanese plate—ikizukuri— that involves the preparation of sashimi from a still-living fish? My home country, South Korea, certainly has gotten into hot water with the international community for its tradition of eating dogs. How about the tradition of bride kidnapping? Must we respect that tradition as well?

Different cultures will have different values. Clashes in beliefs are bound to happen.

However, the “respect” that we are taught to uphold does not necessarily have to mean blind acceptance. Respect and being against

My Compassion DW 4-Year Streak Joan Gwak Arts Editor When people ask me, “Why did you choose to go on the Compassion DW trip for four years in a row?” my short response is, “I love it.” Behind that simple reason lies many fond memories, enriching experiences, and the life-changing impact the trips have had on my life.

In the same way that most high schoolers are placed in their respective courses, I was randomly picked to be a part of the Compassion DW trip in my freshman year. Since then, I’ve returned to the DW as a student leader for the trip, yearning for a deeper understanding of poverty and my role as a global citizen to prevent the spread of social injustice. This year, I finally completed my last DW with undeniably the best experience as a leader and participant of the trip.

As a senior student leader, my main objective was to help Compassion DW first-timers experience the same rush of pure joy, empathy, and compassion for impoverished children in third-world countries as I did when I first met a sea of bright children with cheeky smiles at a rural church in Indonesia.

I wanted my peers to feel the same shock I felt after seeing the horrible circumstances that these bright children are brought up in.

I wanted the people on my trip to wonder, “What do these children have that makes them so happy and how can I apply what I’ve learned through this trip?”

Instead of looking at a picture through a screen, the trip allowed me to witness what poverty was like with my own eyes. It’s just that different. I ran my hand across thin walls made of hay and mud and towered over beat-down mattresses in tiny rooms that barely fit five people. I returned to Indonesia and the Philippines each year, only to be reminded of the drastic dichotomy between the conditions of my own home and theirs. However, it’s not just about being re-

PHOTO COURTESIES: JOAN GWAK

minded of how privileged I am—the biggest takeaway from these trips is a motivation to help these people even after returning to Korea, so that they will be able to improve their own circumstances in the years to come.

With each trip that I went on, I found myself learning more about the world around me. I learned to recognize the different faces of poverty, attacking families through emotional, economic, spiritual, or cognitive turmoil. I saw how other students were impacted by learning from those who have no materialistic wealth. But my main reason for returning each year was that I wanted to see the children smile again. Their wholesome, pure smiles are evidence of a little goodness in a world full of sorrow and hurt.

For me, DW was more than just a chance to escape from arduous school life. It was an opportunity for me to grow and bond with other students and develop a stronger understanding of the world I live in, as well as my role within it.

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a tradition doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, it is paramount that you understand the flip side. Mr. Elish, who comes from South India, put it best and eloquently summed up the matter. He looked pensive yet passionate as he gave his thoughts, agreeing that while the tradition is an “integral part of the temple system”, as they “come into contact with new forms of thinking”, they are starting to raise questions. Indians are experiencing their own “moral dilemmas”. Also, it is also important not to take things at face value. “India has one of the biggest elephant sanctuaries, and I know… that the elephants are fed well and they are not stuck to one place.” And that’s true. I researched and found out that India has cracked down on animal abuse, passing new regulations to ensure an animal’s well-being.

One thing that Mr. Elish emphasised is that we should not be making judgements on another culture. “There is always a belief behind [these] practices, so who am I to come and judge? When I understand it, it makes sense.”

So it turns out that Facebook diplomacy is not the way to go. The golden rule of “respect” proves problematic, but we can redefine what respect means. Let’s cast aside brash judgements and baseless condemnations. In the wise words of Aretha Franklin, everybody deserves a little bit of “R-E-S-PE-C-T”—just the right kind.

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Mrs. Black This is a quote I’ve had on my desk for years now, but I still love it for moments like this: “When the morning freshness has been replaced by the weariness of mid-day, When leg muscles quiver under the strain, the climb seems endless, and, Suddenly, nothing will go quite as you wish - it is then that you must not hesitate.”

-Dag Hammarskjold

Mrs. Park Don’t stress too much, sleep a lot, eat good food, and just do your best!

Mrs. Sanderson “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”

-Banksy

Mrs. Mayo Life often becomes overwhelming -various and varied things to do, looming deadlines, work/life balance. Here’s my advice: Breathe - no seriously, take a deep breath, hold, release (such a simple thing bu so effective) Sleep - nothing restores the mind and body like sleep - having trouble sleeping?

There’s an app for that.

Exercise - rarely does someone feel worse after exercising Carpe Diem - from the recently passed, great Canadian icon Gord Downie “No dress-rehearsal, this is our life.”

Hello, fellow Crusaders!

What a crazy first semester! I’m sure you’ve felt the same, whether you were writing college apps, studying for the SATs, singing “Tell Me More” for the thousandth time, or running in all sorts of weather (etc. etc. etc.!) Congratulations on getting this far! You did it!

Here are some words I want to share that’ll hopefully encourage you and guide you in this perilous journey of “high-school livin’”: 1. It’s okay. It’s okay if you failed your last exam. It’s okay if you messed up during basketball tryouts. It’s okay if you never got the courage to tell your crush how you felt. It’s okay not be okay. In fact…

2. Embrace your not-okayness. Recognize your imperfections and be proud of them, for these are the very things that make you lovable. Those people who seem perfect may be admired from afar, but truly lovable people are vulnerable and genuine, and neither of those things is found in perfection. Be real, be you.

3. While being the real you, be open. Accept words of truth from your loved ones and the mentors in your life, even if they sting at first. Always assume that people have the best intentions and use every experience to grow into a person of magnanimity, for…

4. You can never give too much. Try giving too much. Really, try it! There will always, ALWAYS be something more to give. Be thankful for the ability to give and use it whenever the opportunity arises. Be on the lookout for these opportunities and change the world around you, little by little. You are a social change agent, born to better the world.

5. Lastly, practice gratitude. It’s easy to complain, but to be thankful when times are tough is a skill. Make a habit of writing down five things you’re thankful for at the end of each day. I promise you that you’ll gain more than you can imagine from this simple exercise.

Certain incidents, tests, and friendship issues may seem Herculean to you at the moment, but I promise you that all those things are actually “small stuff ”. You don’t need to sweat the small stuff.

You’ll see as soon as you graduate!

Instead, enjoy this season of life! Do the things that you can only do right now: try out for the spring play. Ask that girl (or boy!) to the homecoming dance. Buy a cookie to someone who looks like they’re having a worse day than you. Pet that cute stray dog on the street (just kidding, this might be dangerous!) Have fun and make sure to take some time to laugh at yourself! It’ll do you good, I promise.

Best, Ms. Susan Kong P.S. This is the most important part of this whole thing: “You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think.” – A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh. Press on forward, Crusaders! You’ve got this!

Mrs. Erny Even though it is difficult, try to keep perspective. When you get overwhelmed, do something for yourself - go on a walk, hike, go for a run, do yoga, read a chapter from a good book, call a friend and have an actual conversation - something that involves your mind and your spirit and is a tangible reminder that you are aliveand can be grateful for your body, spirit, and relationships.

Mr. Kamphuis “Don’t worry, the only time you’ll ever have to work this hard again is if you become a teacher.”

Teachers are humans, too...

It’s a shocker, we know.

As you read words of advice and encouragement from your high school teachers, know that even in the midst of rapidly-approaching midterms and college application deadlines is an army of supporters who care and are cheering for you every step of the way.

A big thank you to all the teachers who sent in responses!

Mr. Rader There are moments in life that feel totally overwhelming, both in the difficulty of the practical things one needs to get done, and also in the weight of their significance regarding the impact on our lives. College apps are definitely one of these times. It is very normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed by this whole process, so just know that you have a lot of people going through it with you, and also that the teachers and principals also understand what you are going through. You will get through this moment! And not only that you will come out on the other side stronger and more prepared for the challenges you will face in the future. We are proud of you guys and excited for you all.

Mr. Hutchin Embrace failure! The more you fail... the more successful you will be. Learn from your failures, ask hard questions about why you failed and don’t let failure... even repeated failure ever hurt you... your failures do not define you, but your responses to them do.

Mr. Yap A quote from the Tigger Movie Owl: Dear (SFS students) Tigger, just a note to say...

Kanga: ... dress warmly...

Winnie The Pooh: ... eat well...

Piglet: ... stay safe and sound...

Eeyore: ... keep smiling...

Roo: We’re always there for you.

Owl: Signed Everyone: You (teachers) family.

Dear Seniors, Take Heart: You have already accomplished so much.

Yes there are challenges ahead but rather than focusing on what you haven’t done, consider all that you have done and know that if you can get this far, you surely can go to the end of this race.

Take Time: The next weeks will continue to pass us fast and furiously, so don’t forget to take the time to enjoy your last months at SFS, your last months living at home, and your last months walking the streets of Seoul.

Relish each day.

Take Hold: If you need help, ask one of us to help! Don’t suffer in silence. We are here for you and we care deeply for you. We can be strong for you if you feel weak and need the extra support.

Take Initiative: Don’t miss those unexpected opportunities in the weeks ahead.

Your time is precious. Look for chances to experience something you have never experienced in Korea before!

And after all that taking, you must give, give give. It is in the giving that you will find the greatest joy after all.

We are proud of you and we have such confidence in you.

-Mrs. Moon

Mr. McMillan You will find love, friendship and satisfaction wherever you end up next year if you do one thing: Appreciate and add to your community. Every year, after having life-changing experiences at DW, students and teachers always realize the same deep truth about the human experience: Location is not important, it’s the people you meet and memories of the people you bring with you that make you happy. Take some time to slow down and be in this moment, right here, right now, this moment you share with all of your beautiful and amazing schoolmates and teachers. Some might get into Harvard, some might get to take a gap year and explore the world, some might be able to start working as amazing artists or artisans right after high school, but all of you have the best part of your lives right in front of you: each other. Do something kind for a classmate in need. Help a shy newcomer to feel more accepted in the senior class. Surprise a lower-classmen by being genuinely kind to them. When people who are terminally ill are interviewed, they never talk about regretting their alma mater or wishing they had achieved a higher GPA. People who are on their deathbeds always regret one thing: that they didn’t take the time to cultivate the relationships that were all around them. This is the key to happiness and it is easy to achieve if you slow down and make yourself mindful of the wonderful humans you share this corner of the universe with!

10 | NOVEMBER 2017