2nd Poetry Assignment: Hyuck Choi

The Pain of our Family

7am

A new day starts with the chirping of my pet parrot, LTE Optimus

Who is my only connection with my family elsewhere

Who is silenced with a touch

9am

The chemistry teacher acidizes my mind,

Pouring out oil-like facts,

Me absorbing the facts like an oil cleanup ship

Collecting them inside, unable to be used

1pm

My stomach is purring for the meat,

Then disgusted with the leftover

That will return to Gaia,

Only to find an unpleasant mother

2pm

I return to my robotic lectures

And think how I have been ignoring my ties with my family for days

5pm

I am walking back to my cement building,

Wandering in the ancient mother’s skin,

Wondering how much of her hair must have been cut

To build my home

7pm

I talk with my family through my pet

Not seeing its tiny waves that carries my voice

That carries my mother’s voice

That carries my father’s voice,

That carries my sister’s voice,

That carries bombs against insects.

11pm

The free imprisonment of studying is over

And I go the mini-mart full of food.

Full of trees obliterated into millions of sheets

Full of transparent harms

that take thousands of years to become a part of Earth

1am

Time to say good night to the stars that cannot be seen

To my family in our house

But it will never be a good night for the family

The family that was born before my family was born

Lying in bed

Asking for some medicine,

Who is silenced by their own children.

2nd PE assignment Subin Kwon

Everyone has right to live one’s own life. ―Waris Dirie, Desert Flower

 

There was a girl who seemed to be perfect. She was not smart but always top of her school. She was not nice but always beloved by pretty mother, great father and many thoughtful friends. She was not attractive but good at relationships and even elected as school president. Everything seemed to be perfect. Friends of her mother who wanted to take over her school uniforms used to say, “You must have no concern about anything, huh?” But she often felt endless emptiness. She did not have any dissatisfaction about her life, but she also did not have any affection at her life. She had no dream, hobby or something that she really wanted to do. The society that she has lived in for 16 years is a very strange place. Everyone has the same goal and follows it. All students who have different talents go along one way. ‘Be top of their elementary, middle and high schools and get into a good university, then get a good job.’ But she could not understand this social structure. ‘Who set the standard of a “good life”?’ ‘Who on earth can evaluate someone’s life as successful or unsuccessful?’ and ‘why do we try to follow the way that others want for us?’

     She decided to get out of the aimless life and find her own desirable life. Therefore, she entered the HAFS international course. She had never been to the U.S. and never thought of studying abroad. However, she has always been eager to have such an opportunity to follow her dream in broader world. To someone, 3 years of HAFS life could be regarded as nothing. To someone, studying and living abroad is considered to be nothing; to her, who lived her entire life in Korea, these things needed great courage and patience.

During the 3 years of high school, many hardships: language barrier, cultural sense of difference made it difficult for her. However, she never regretted because it was her own choice, which was the first one that she made with her own faith and perspective. Therefore, she could endure the adversities for her pursued life, wanted future.

2nd Poetry Assignment: Lydia Ra

This poem is really, REALLY bad because I've never learned how to write poetry before (ㅠㅠ) so I think all the rhymes and meters are wrong, but... please read with mercy! :P I was kind of trying to express family love with the old shoes at the entrance of our home. I hope I did it right.

Shoes

Dirty shoes

Scattered on the entrance

Of our front door

Trampled, crushed

By the feet of others

On the hard floor.

Wrinkled loafers

Black and soft

Leathery outside

Long heeled boots

Brisk and stern

But drooping tiredly

Once white sneakers

Fading grey

Comfortably flat

And more sneakers,

Still more faded

Dusty weary colors.

These shoes

Are not from famous

Companies or shoe designers

These shoes

Do not look new,

Or shine like wet shoe polish

But still

These shoes are

Beautiful, content.

To this day

I cannot learn

To place my shoes neatly

For looking

At those scattered shoes

Just make me so happy.

2nd Poetry Assignment: Esther Ra

One Sunday Night

One Sunday night I came down from my dormitory

To see my mother. She sat patiently,

In the cold, her cracked white hands

Clasped tight around the icy door of the car.

Two hours she had traveled to see me, two hours

For a briefly snatched word, the transient warmth

Of a quick embrace, and a ghostly kiss

Imprinted with lips chilled by winter night.

I gave her a hot bean paste bun, to warm her hands,

But she laid it aside and caressed my cold face,

Saying, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you.

How will you ever send me to university?

When will I ever stop loving you?

Peace drops slowly on my shoulders like anointing oil

And love blooms warmly across my cheeks,

Melting away my fear, my sorrow, my hunger

At her unconditional affection. And I know

Mother dear, those two minutes

For which you traveled two hours

Will remain priceless to us, glint like sparkling

Fragmented jewels in our memory

When once more we are forced

To tear ourselves apart.

2nd PE assignment Robin Bhoo

“No one is ever satisfied where he is.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince


“Am I satisfied where I am?” I asked myself.

“Well, let’s see.. I’m 16, and a perfect student. I’m tall, smart, handsome, sociable, athletic, humorous, and by all means, charming. I’m the best at sports in my school, I’ve never missed a single 1st place in English exams, and I’ve even been accepted to HAFS- the most prestigious high school in Korea: All my life has been full of success, and its just too obvious that I’m good. Really, can anybody be better than me?’’

 I lived in a world where I was a king,  where I knew everything and had everything. I lived a life full of ”bests”: Best backgrounds, best parents, best education... I was satisfied with where I was. I was at the highest, at the best...When I was 16.

 High school- a new world- came after a while, and there I was, lost in the deep sea of uncertainty. I could not see, for the darkness of the abyss obscured my vision. I could not reach, for the ocean’s pressure was something unprecedented from the past years of aquarium life. Lectures were beyond comprehension, and fellow students were beyond experience: Life was beyond my certainty. Was I still the best? Could I still succeed? Questions raveled up my mind. Confidence and self-esteem was gone. Doubt and cowardice reigned. If there was anything certain in this world, it was me sinking.

“Am i satisfied where I am?” I asked myself.

“I wish I were back in middle school. I used to be the best student, best athlete, and the best person. Life was easy and satisfying until I came here. Seriously, I suck right now. I want to escape from the darkness drawn upon. I need the glory of the past. I just can’t accept the fact that failure exists.”

But then, another thought struck my mind: Would I still be satisfied if I go back? Am I to be content with such vainglory, of being the best in a mere aquarium? The world I live as an adult is definitely going to be bigger than the ocean I’m in now. Am I to imprison myself in history and pretend like I’m still okay? I was undoubtedly sinking down. Now, the only thing left for me was to swim up again.

Years passed since I started searching for the sunlight above. I became the captain of our school’s basketball team. I participated as a member of the Korean national flag football team. I received straight A’s throughout my high school life. And now, I’m writing an application for the renowned Princeton University.

“Am I satisfied where I am?”

I know where I am, and if I was 16, I would probably have said that I’m the best and be satisfied with it- Just look at what I achieved! Team captain, national representative, straight A’s- but looking back at the past, I realized that something crucial was missing in my evaluations as a 16 year old: I was ignorant of my failures. Of course, admitting failures isn’t something fun. But the satisfaction isn’t worth it when failures I made are ignored.  I am not satisfied where I am, for I recognize myself. I’m not the “best” I thought I used to be. I make mistakes, and I makes failures. And I also know that these mistakes and failures will take me higher, make me better,  away from satisfaction.

2nd PE assignment Hyuck Choi

Before I start writing, I should start out by saying I am very sorry for putting my essay up late. I wanted to show a quote that I was really inspired by, put at the end of an hour of box ripping, all I was left with were fantasy books that I read when I was in Paris. So I decided to find a quote that I remember reading this year.
The quote that I would like to present to everybody is from the book "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer. '~A horse runs very well on four legs. It's what he's made for. But suppose he grew a fifth leg that only wanted to please itself. The other four legs would running and running, but the fifth leg- which we'll call individualism-would want to walk slowly to enjoy a beautiful meadow, or it might want to take a nap. Then the poor animal would fall over! That's why we take that unhappy horse to a vet and have the fifth leg cut off. It may seem harsh, but we've all got to pull together in the new Aztlan, or we'll all wind up lying in the dirt. Does anyone have a question?'
Although this was just kind of more like a filler up for extra pages, The second I saw these set of words, I closed the book and started to think 'What would happen if there were example such as a five-legged horse that has a useless body part?' That day, after pondering that thought for a few seconds, I fell asleep. :P However, when I saw our PE assignment topic, this was the second idea that popped in my head.
I perceived this quote as a criticism to our current world. We do not tolerate those who get in our general goal whether it has massive potential or not. Of course, it is human physocology to get irritated and furious at the more 'less adapted' people. However, this does not mean we are allowed to do what our instincts tell us to do. We must all have in mind that everybody has a weak point and there exists others who are well-developed in that particular area. In my case, I get agitated when I see my sister doing math, counting her fingers to add or subtract. I calmed myself and tried to teach her some human skills but it seemed like she just didn't understand numbers. That moment, I wondered what would become of her in the future. Regarding the status quo, today most schools inspect and grade our mathematic skill more than ever. Does that mean my sister should be abandoned from society for being unable to do some mental math?
I see this 'fifth-leg' as a 'different thing', but not in the way explained above. I see it as a part with a different, special goal. If four are for running, the other might be a more evolved leg waiting for its 'comrades' to become advanced. Until then, he might be the inferior one. However, after some considerate time, it will be clear that cutting/eliminating this extra part will have been very regretful.

2nd PE Assignment: Lydia Ra

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

When I was young, I used to be afraid of everything. The crashing of waves. The darkness of night. The danger of slides. The unfamiliarity of preschool teachers. They were all intimidating, and I had to cling to my mother and sister not to lose myself in the surrounding fears.

But years later, looking back on what a coward I was, I decided it was time to fix myself. Being a tearful, whiny scaredy-cat didn’t look good. It didn’t look good to other people.

And that was when I began the construction on myself. I tried so hard to build up my pride, higher and higher—but it was a shaky, heartless wall, fragile like a pile of seashells. I enjoyed convincing people that I was a brave, indifferent girl who laughed when she failed auditions and shook off bitter words like dust off a broom.

But like the remains of time still clinging to the bristles, I didn’t feel happy, like I expected myself to be. I felt empty, instead—empty and affected, an apple without its core. As I began writing poems, reaching into myself, and shutting out the noisy world, I was more disappointed in myself than I had ever been before. I thought I was a proud, happy girl, but what I’d been building up was vanity, not pride – it was a habit of pleasing myself with other’s comments, and finding joy in what other people thought I was. And then I realized how unwise I had been.

Now, I am trying not to lean on other’s opinions. I cannot always depend on people for the perfect image of myself – nor can I try to shape something I am not. I scream at the sight of mosquitoes and sigh when I fail a competition. I try to live the way I write poems, free and natural and sincere – just the way the real Lydia is. I do not have to crush my fears and emotions down, for I know now that hiding them from others does not get rid of them. I hope that I can find more of my original self through learning English, and build up what Jane Austen said is real pride without being vain—unbound by what others think, and contented in myself.

1st PE Assignment: Michael Joo

To Ron,

Hi, Ron, I really don’t know what to write in this letter. I’m not really good with letters; I’m quite shy when it comes to showing my real feelings. So let me “warn” you about some aspects of my life. Haha. 

But before I go in to the horrifying part, I really want to say hello.  I bet you really worked hard to come in to Harvard too. I really didn’t expect me to actually be admitted by Harvard, let alone with a scholarship! But I think I really don’t deserve Harvard like you and the other schoolmates. All I did was enjoy reading books when you and Harry—the kid next door—must have sacrificed a lot to come to the best school of the world. Really, all I did was enjoy myself inside economic books, essays, papers that I actually wanted to read and write.

 Now, the warnings. I like cold. I really can’t bear the heat and warmth whenever I feel it. I am crazy. Sometimes, I play all day and sleep for 15 hours a day. But when I start studying, I don’t sleep and stay in my room in front of my desk—I am the two extremes, it won’t be easy to live with my life pattern. I don’t really stay in my room. I really like going to the pub or to the lacrosse field. All you’ll see of me in our room will be me writing a paper, going on facebook, sleeping or watching MLL. I  don’t really tell you when I feel uncomfortable. I just show you. Plus, I don’t really like texting or messaging. Plus, I sing in the shower.

Now for dessert? Haha. Mmmm…… If you ask me to do something for you, I probably would do it. I don’t like conflicts, at least conflicts that show outside. I don’t really care about a little sacrifice for someone else, especially for a roommate. I eat a lot of snacks. You won’t ever have to buy your own snacks for as long as you live with me. Now, that sounded gay. Ah! I’m not gay, but I don’t really know it that’s comforting or disappointing to you.

Hey, one of my philosophies is that everything happens for a purpose. See you soon.

From Michael

2nd PE Assignment: Esther Ra

“Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it. In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope.” Cornel West, a Princeton professor, thus spoke about empathy—that quality we need to love our neighbors, destroy prejudice, and see through other’s eyes. It was an ordinary incident in my childhood that helped me understand this pithy remark.
I was in elementary school. Two boys had caught several frogs, and without any malicious intent, they stuffed the frogs into tiny bottles filled with water. The overcrowded, breathless frogs thrashed frantically as the boys ran excitedly around the classroom, shaking the bottles and showing their prize to anyone who cared to see the piteous sight. I was pleading with them to let the frogs go when our teacher snatched the bottles away and said, “I’d better throw these smelly things away.”
“Oh, please, could you give them to me?” I begged. “There’s a pond near my house where I could free them.”
The teacher wrinkled her nose. “What a waste of time. They’ll be dead by then.”
I said softly, “But if they might live…”
The teacher shrugged dubiously, but handed me the bottles. As school was now over, I hastily ran to the aforementioned pond. Once there, I crouched down and unscrewed the lid. Three stunned frogs fell into the mud and twitched their tortured limbs.
“You are alive!” I cried happily. “Ribbit,” the frogs croaked feebly, and suddenly, as if united in one wish for freedom and fresh water, they unanimously turned and bounded into the pond. The sight of those frogs leaping into the wind-stirred pond in one swift, joyous jump was one of the simplest yet most beautiful sights I have ever seen. I stayed near the pond for several minutes, watching the frogs with deep delight. It was then that I understood empathy. It was benevolence, not benignity; it was active compassion rather than languid pity. A single honest action is worth a thousand cambric-handkerchief tears, and it is the grimy sweat of work that matters. If I had given up the frogs as dead when the teacher told me so, or been content with squealing, “Oh, poor things”, those frogs would certainly have died. It has been years since I’ve let those frogs free, but the lesson I learned that day is one I still live by now. It was the memory of those frogs jumping into the pond that prompted me to painstakingly collect hundreds of dollars in middle school to help North Korean refugees instead of being contented with writing novels for them; it was the recollection of the joy I felt that day which made me reach out time and time again to fight for what I felt was right. Through the rest of my life, I hope to find more opportunities of helping those in need more efficiently, effectively, and – yes – with more empathy.

1st PE assignments: Baek Jonghyup

Dear my future roommate

As you might have already noticed, you’re not my roommate. My only and forever roommate is my Gibson. He (or she?) has been with me for 3 years and I intend to keep it that way. So I recommend that you forfeit your bed to him, or there will be consequences. ANYWAY, I’ll first say just for manners that ‘I’m glad you’re my first roommate for this school,’ and I wish to introduce myself through this letter to help you prepare being my roommate.

My numerous experiences of living in a dormitory with fellow roommates has been a true chance of both understanding others, but it especially helped me to realize what kind of person I am. My first roommate acknowledged me that I abhor those who are inflexible. I prefer people who understand quickly and are tolerant to any situation. Also, I favor silence than needless babbles of meaningless contents. Unless the information that I am being told is important, it feels as if I am Beethoven, except what I hear are the screeches of inferno instead of whispers from God. Finally, I firmly believe hygiene is the way roommates show their manners. Although I am not a very neat person, I at least clean it once a week and make it appear clean. I am not one of these people who see art in messiness; I do not see piles of book as skyscrapers like my ‘friend,’ but as portals to chaos.

I would also like to inform you how I live. As you might have guessed because of my ‘true’ roommate, I love music. Music is one of the few and favorite refuges of my life; it gives me peace and happiness as how drugs would do. I especially love rock n roll unlike my great scholarly appearance and have deep respect to it. It would be great to now that you are also seduced by music’s great magnetism. If you are unfamiliar with music but wish to enter this great and noble society, I would gladly lead your way to its great wonders. After all, music is the language of the soul; I would love to have a companion for my great voyage. Another important fact you should know about me is that I'm not a very talkative guy. As I had mentioned, I prefer silence and using body languages over opening my mouth. So please don't think I'm an asshole if I answered by just nodding or any other response lacking words, because to some people, I don't even listen to them. I  thought of changing my attitude toward people, but I accepted it as my nature. Plus, I'm an open minded guy. So unless you really get on my nerves, I'll love you like my brother. 

To be honest, I'm quite afraid of having to adapt again to a new and unfamiliar condition. I'm not a really social person, I keep my thoughts and actions to myself and never express them to others. It's really important for me to have a friend that I can truly trust and talk about my chaotic and corrupted mental world. So I really wish and believe that you're a really great guy (or girl?) that I would enjoy spending my first semester in this new crazy jungle.

2nd PE Assignment: Michael Joo

What we are to decide

“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” By Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings.”

In Moria, after Saruman's calamitous magic stops them from taking the road through the mountains, Frodo and Gandalf sit in front of a three-way passage and talk of their situation. Frodo tells Gandalf he wished the ring had never gone to him. Gandalf answers: “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

Frodo decides to throw the ring of power in to the great chasm of Mount Doom. 

What am I to decide?

What is this student to decide?

As the freshman year ends, many students look back on what they have achieved and look forward on what they will achieve. This student has an average GPA, an average set of honours and awards. As average, those beneathe him envy him, but as some people see the glass half empty instead of full, he sees the half above him. He really wishes to go to Princeton, but has no hope of getting there. 

He looks in the mirror. 1 year ago, there stood a proud student of HAFS, the most prestigious high school of his nation. With his dark, short hair, his eyes were clearer than any other and full of flame: flame of self-esteem, ardor and possibility. His school uniform shined with its hue of rich gold and deep dark blue. Now stood a lost young adult; he sees an old child now envying rather than envied. His hair is all curled up and cluttered due to lack of sleep and arid, opaque eyes of grey that seem to reflect noting bt regret. His clothes are all covered with stains and dust. 

Then, the young man asks him "What did you do for the last 365 days that's productive?"

The student confesses. "I have done nothing for myself. I have enjoyed life as if I were a hedonist chasing sports, games and girls. I wish none of this had happened. I wish 2012 had never come to me."

Then, by some wicked sorcery, a White Wizard approaches. He smiles slightly with a look of pity.  Then, he says “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” 

Two years later, 

The student decides to throw his application in to the great application centre of Princeton.

Everyone goes through hard times. Frodo traveled on foot to a land of fire and lava to fulfill an impossible mission; Oprah Winfrey had a single mother, a child as a teenager and drugs but in the end became the world's best talker; Barack Obama is left in his hand an impossible economy to heal. But it is not our's to decide whether such hardships happen or not. 

What am I to decide?

I am to decide what happens from now, not what happened in the past. I am to decide what I can do best in the situation given to me. 

What are we to decide?

We are to decide the future, not the past. Is it not a delight?

1st Poem: Daddy by Sylvia Plath

Every one of us has a father. We may hate him, we may love him, we may never even have met him, but he is a part of us. Sylvia Plath was a writer in the confessional school of poets (this may sound familiar from our English literature test range - ugh ;P) who wrote searchingly, often painfully. It is even sadder while reading this haunting poem if you remember that she was struggling with depression after her husband, Tom Hughes, left her, that her father really died when she was eight - though he left an impression on her that would influence her deeply, years and years after his death, and that she wrote this poem shortly before she committed suicide. :(

You can read the poem on Poets.org.

Daddy made me think a lot about my own relationship with my parents...I think everyone, whether happy or disappointed in their "daddy", can find something personal in Plath's writing. It's a very complicated, confusing, and sometimes cunning poem. If you have anything you don't understand or find mysterious in the poem, you can raise questions in the comments section and I'll reply to the best of my ability! :)

--Esther Haelan Ra

1st PE Assignment: Subin Kwon

Dear my future roommate

First, I’d like to say “Nice to meet you, and let’s make a great semester together!!”

I may already know you very well or not that much, but, it doesn’t matter. From now on I will try to know you better and be your adorable roommate. As we know that relationship between roommates is not good when they are unconditionally close or too much in formality, I believe that we need mutual respect and careful concern about each other. Since you must be a really good friend, I think you can understand some of my (kinds of) peculiarities and willingly accept them.

As you know very well, I have never been a quiet girl in school who seem to never enjoy pleasure of silence. But actually I am not a person who is always energetic and excited so at least in my room, sometimes I want to be in silence and enjoy easeful atmosphere. So don’t feel any sense of unease if I keep silence and do not talk at all. It does not mean that I feel uncomfortable with you, rather it means that I want to enjoy this peaceful moment.

To give one more pragmatic information, I really love the cold. It can be sound awkward, but it is true. I really like the cold!! When I was 4 years old, my dream is to become a snowman.  In that time I wanted to be buried under snow all day. So do I who am now. Sometimes I open all of the windows even in winters and wear short sleeves, but don’t freak out. You can just tell me that it is too cold to open the windows.

Judging from my experience with Yejin, my past roommate for one year, roommates can easily know about each other’s secrets – sometimes even more than best friends can. Therefore, Yejin and I talked about our secrets with each other and kept them so we could rely on each other. I hope you can keep my secrets as Yejin did, so we can be the most close and comfortable roommates.

To shorten this whole rambling writing, please do not think I am weird if sometimes I shut up in my dormitory room who looks like completely opposite in school life and wander the dormitory hallway wearing short sleeves and open the window even in the winter. And if you have a room for understand this strange roommate, please listen my stories and share your thoughts and secrets with me! I am expecting exciting and joyful time with you in our lovely room!

See you

1st PE Assignment: Robin Bhoo

 Dear my future roommate.

 From my experiences with various roommates, I realized how people influence one another when they live together. Having seen numerous cases where difference of characteristics and communication between roommates determine whether the dormitory will be a warm home of salvation or a miserable battlefield, I thought it crucial to introduce myself, the way I live, and communicate with you.

 I, for one, rather despise banality. I do not accept any kind of lifeless, stationary conditions infiltrating my life. What is there left for us when the constantly-moving, dynamic energy of nature is taken away from our lives? There lies only a soulless repetition of mundane days.
It is my belief that where I live should not be dominated by silence, restricted by rules, or composed of artificial neatness. I want my residence to be full of energy, full of new and surprising, innovative and arbitrary events that will make life more rich and joyful. Therefore, I do not clean or organize my room. Instead, I try to see the beauty within my messy room.Its liveliness and spontaneity are only too obvious- clothes of magnificent color swarming on the floor, with skyscrapers made of books, chips and sodas barricading the room...- and it is my dearest hope that you too acknowledge the aesthetic features of the messy room that we will probably use together.

 Aside from our room’s fate, I must also talk about my personal interests as well. Athletics has been a really big thing for me through out my whole life. In fact, my family as a whole is deeply involved with sports. Both my parents were good enough to become professional athletes in their own respective fields (my dad played handball and my mom table tennis), and I myself once dreamed of becoming a star athlete, playing ball in the world-famous MSG. Even still, my passion for playing sports is as intense as then, so feel free to ask me to accompany you when you feel a sudden urge to run out to the court and shoot some baskets, or any other sports really. I believe that through the masculine and tough nature athletic activities men can communicate, sympathize and respect one another more fully and successfully, beyond the realm of common logic and politeness, and the same thing applies for you: I hope to develop a true friendship- a “guys” friendship- with my roommate.

 Even though I do not know you at the moment, I wish to communicate with you as much as possible and get to know what kind of a person you are. I am certain that by understanding and respecting each other through communication we can enjoy a terrific college life. Like I wrote in the beginning, I have seen a lot of roommates becoming mutual enemies and also a number of them becoming best friends depending on how much they are able to accept the difference of characteristics. I attempt to make our relationship more like the latter one; a relationship with comprehension and concession. So until we meet, I wish you the best luck!

1st PE assignment : Yoon Eun Kyung

Dear my future roommate,

           To start off, you may not have gotten the best roommate in the world, but at least I have experience living in a dormitory. For all three years in high school, it was compulsory for every student to live in a dormitory inside campus. Two people shared one room and I had five different roommates ever since. So my lifestyle is all about sharing, tolerance, and understanding. If you need help on anything, feel free to ask! I'll always be there for you.

           When we start school, you should prepare yourself to have some fun because every day will be crazy and new. I have a wide range of different hobbies starting from Youtubing to playing lacrosse. So you might often spot me recording myself with my camera or fiddling with the strings on my lacrosse stick. And every other day, intriguing activities will seize my interest that inspires and motivates me into action. I might suddenly announce myself as vegetarian and start living off green plants and fruits. I might even start training my left hand to become ambidextrous. And you will one day see me bursting into the room, with blazing gleams in my eyes and suggesting an absurd project to do with you if, and only if, you are okay with it. What I really wanted to tell you is that I respect other's hobby as much as I adore mine. There will be times when my activities get in your way and trouble you. Then, I beg you to tell me truthfully and directly what is exactly troubling you because often when I am too deeply endorsed into my project, I get dim about my surroundings.

           I haven't got a single clue about what you like, what you hate, whether you peel oranges from the top or the bottom, or whether you take a shower in the morning or at night. But that doesn't matter, because I'm quite flexible (both literally and not literally). I find it delightful every time I meet a person with interesting and different habits, views and values. The process of getting to know someone has always been enjoyable. Listening to other's worries and woes, gossip and outraged complaints is an everyday custom. Maybe it's because I'm more of a listener than a talker. In fact, I'm not much of a talker. And ironically because of that, I am touchy about my privacy. I am very unwilling to share my privacy with anyone. Not just talking about it, but getting my private space infiltrated in any way. Yes, it is quite selfish in a way, but that is the only picky problem that I have. Honestly, I'm not much of a cleaner so I don't mind dirty rooms, untidy closets and scattered cookie crumbs. But I really do mind a lot about my privacy.

           It feels very awkward, writing a letter to my future roommate when I just finished my first year in high school. Life in a university feels distant and unreachable, something like you only see in movies but never experience yourself. But at the prospect of meeting you doesn't worry me at all, but excites me. I really do look forward to the new campus life. Hope to see you soon!

- Eun Kyung Yoon

1st PE assignment: Choi Hyuck

Dear my future roomy,

If you don’t know me very well, you might be wondering how you will survive a semester with a guy who was supposedly nicknamed “potato”. I assure you that it will be just one worry in the back of your thinking oven after one week. However, even though I classify social relationships as a priority in my ‘to-do list’, you must take in mind some simple rules that will be easy to follow if you have a mind of a human.

           If you do not want to have a horrible relationship with me, then you should certainly not touch or borrow any of my stuff unless you are given permission. Of course, this eliminates cases for things that are used by both of us. Even with my family, I am very sensitive with sharing my room, bathroom products, and other products. To tell the truth, I do not have any specific reasons for this but if I have to explain, I think I might get somebody else’s “coodies”.

           One other aspect that I do not tolerate is lightly-made promises, especially those related with money. Since I was a toddler, I had a big sense of responsibility inherited to me being the first son from the first daughter and son in both my father’s and my mother’s family. This might be the reason why I used to finish homework or any projects before I had any free time. However, this might have started to change a little after the birth of my little sister who has no responsibility at all. Still, I always try to arrive at meetings or other rendezvous a few minutes earlier than others.

           I started to learn the importance of saving money when I was still in 3^rd grade after I received a note where I can record all my expenditures. This experience let me personally feel the power of money and showed why I should be careful when tied in money problems. The good news is I will pay back any debts I own to you. The bad part is that I will hunt you down until I receive any money that should be paid back.

           I hope you don’t freak out after reading this letter that you got a strict roommate. Apart from these two, I’m fine with most of the other obstacles as long as they don’t get too extreme. And don’t worry, my standards of extreme is pretty high so you can probably do whatever you want without me giving scowling one word. If you want to tell me about what you are sensitive about in our dormitory life, I hope you give me a heads-up before half the semester has past.

                                                                          Sincerely, your future roommate

1st PE Assignment: Esther Ra

Topic: Write a letter to your future college roommate.

Dear Roommate,

I believe that personal relationships can deeply enrich our lives, and I look forward to enjoying a wonderful relationship with you! I’ll tell you a little about myself. Some keep a careful distance with those they love for fear of getting hurt, but I believe it is better to have a heart broken than have no heart at all. I dearly love helping people, and if once I love someone, I will love that person come flood or fire – to the very bitter end. On the days before my English exams, I would spend the whole day – hours and hours – teaching other kids and helping them, and begin my own studying at 4.a.m. on the morning of the test day. Yet I will never push my feelings onto others, for fear of being a burden. Don’t get hurt if I don’t text or call or speak to you first; I will always be overjoyed to have you text or call or speak to me.

I adore honesty.

I detest prevarication and two-facedness more than almost anything else, for an appearance of kindness invites undeserved trust. I would far rather have an outright enemy than a friend who secretly dislikes me and talks behind my back. If any of my habits annoy you, please, don’t hesitate to tell me. “Could you turn off your light?”—yes, of course I can! I will never get angry at you for telling me honestly about my faults, either. I am flexible, willing to amend what gives offense to others, and supple underneath the rod of discipline. I will forgive anything you say to me, as long as you say it with good intentions. I might feel hurt sometimes, sad perhaps, but never angry – never resentful.

However, I remain an independent person. Though I am willing to remain cheerful and accepting under honest comments to me, I will never be forced to act for what I think is unjust or wrong. I have a strong sense of duty and always strive to fulfill it. I can lay aside my convenience—but not my sense of right and wrong, just to please another.

I sleep and rise early, because I believe a quiet morning is one of the best times of the day. I love reading and dislike gossip. I love the fragrance of coffee but I don’t drink it. I prefer classical music to rock and Jane Austen to James Joyce. And I love to write.

Now you have a basic idea of what kind of person I am.

So, what kind of person are you? Do you like chocolate chip ice cream, or vanilla? Are you a speaker or a listener? Do you prefer the light on when you sleep, or off? Do you sing in the shower? Do you like the windows open?

There are a thousand questions I have to ask you, but the future awaits us when I can ask them all, face to face. I can’t wait to find out about your personality, your likes and dislikes, your pet peeves and idiosyncrasies. And you.

Esther Haelan Ra

about :)

Scriptura is an English literature club at the Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies where we

* practice various genres of creative writing
* express and explore ourselves through writing personal essays
* provide qualified peer editing and proofreading
* prepare for college application essays
* add gleams of literature to our school bulletin board
* publish our writings
* initiate and engage enthusiastically in poetry readings

and lots of other cool stuff. Like reading together. And raising money for our school library. And making literary videos. And eating 파닭 (fried chicken with Welsh onions :P). Things like that.

...and that's about it. Have fun exploring our writings, and may your pens stay sharp!

—Esther Haelan Ra (poetry editor and manager)

공동부장: Michael Minsung Miguel Joo (personal essays editor and manager)