Donations!
Saturday, February 16th, 2008I am not very familiar with the financial side of things at the orphanage. The are working on a new building, and apparently still fundraising for it. But periodically lots of other gifts show up. Occasionally, all of the kids will have new shoes…the same kind. Right now, there is a stack of roller blades. One of the first graders showed me his pair (which is really twice the size of this foot) and got very defensive when I asked him if they were really his. I tried to ask about the size thing, and he started screaming..
“괜찮아!”
Most often the donations are food. One day a box of mini ice-creams from Baskin Robins arrived. Another time it was Dunkin Donuts. Occasionally, each kid will get a veritable treasure chest of junk food. Crown Bakery is a chain bakery in Seoul. Last Christmas they delivered about 90 crates stuffed with all sorts of goodies - each kid got his or her own! That’s pretty awesome, isn’t it!?
Some really interesting things happen though. I watched the first and second graders open their boxes and shout with glee as they pulled out the various treats. Then the oldest boys came in and said something I couldn’t understand, but immediately, all the little kids pulled something from their box and gave it to the older kids! It was like they had to pay tribute!
For the next day or two…yes, they eat it all that fast…wrappers and crumbs from those treats were everywhere.
There are two issues all of this brings up. Let’s try discussing them in the comments:
1. These kids have nothing, so giving them things is OK, but should they get so much junk food?
2. They already don’t have good habits, and these kinds of gifts come right before bed, after they “supposedly” brushed their teeth. They rip into them right away and never really get around to brushing their teeth again.
Posted by 오민 (Austin) in Austin's Orphanage |
February 16th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Since these kids are in the orphanage and do not often get gifts I guess giving them gifts would be perfectly fine but giving them a whole crate at a time? Just asking to go the dentists
But I do think should be given in moderation in terms of junk food.
One thing I noticed from your videos (which I enjoy watching by the way
) do you normally let the children talk to you in 반말 or are they just not very polite?
Ta-Sing
February 16th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Ta-Sing…thanks for your comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the videos. I’m planning to make some more soon.
Yes, moderation is fine… but their dental hygiene should also be important! At least one of the kids has rotted through some baby teeth.
As far as the 반말… Well, the kids aren’t very polite to begin with, but that’s probably not the main reason they use it with me. When I first met them, my Korean was still very weak, and I really didn’t notice it or know what to do about it. Also, my friend Josh had already been working there for over a year, and they were already using 반말 towards him (he’s also American) so I think they assumed they could get away with it towards me also. But, I really don’t have a “teacher” relationship with them anyway, so I’m sure they don’t feel the need. The orphanage staff doesn’t bother correcting them either….
A few of the older boys are relatively polite when they talk with me, but on the whole, I just get 반말. It doesn’t really bother me. It is sort of a misconception that 반말 is inherently impolite. Granted, I am much older than them, but I think they see me more as 형 than anything else… but they won’t call me that either… I don’t look Korean!
February 17th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I can understand why they have to eat their treats fast, especially the younger kids… The longer they leave uneaten junk food, the quicker the older kids can steal it– I mean, ask for tributes.
Either way, I’m not sure there’s much you can do about the candy-before-bed scenario. I mean, is there any force that can keep an 8-year-old from a box of sweets that he’s been told are all his? (Other than “mean 엄마,” maybe̷
February 18th, 2008 at 11:06 am
True! But even mean 엄마 can’t help. She’s working with a different age group these days.
I have been a camp counselor for many years. In some ways, those two jobs overlap. At camp, every one of my kids brushed their teeth twice a day..it was just part of the deal. But I don’t see these kids every day…