Two weeks ago I went to Crawford lake with ISM(International Students Ministry) folks. That was my second time to be there. First time for me was almost the same time of last year after a number of days since I came back last October.
< The group picture of last year(2006) >
< The group picture of this year(2007) >
There is the other thing that reminds me of that One year passed since I came back is getting back to Scooter's for indoor skating practice. A number of week later since I came back last October, indoor practice had started. Time really flies. It's been actually three years since I came to Toronto for the first time in 2004. I can not say that a lot of things happened to me in the last three years other than I went back and forth between Korea and Canada.
Last night, on the way to Scooter's I joked to Michael Cole that I can't believe myself spending two winters in a row without any clear intention to stay here. Not looking for a job, not going to University or College. For that reason, I really wanted to go back to Korea last month. Since a couple of my close friends left here recently and I am always depressed in October. Moreover, the desire of English got weakened since I've started understood better my friends and everyone here. Everything signaled me that I should go back to my home country. However, Things got better. Depressing October is over, it's November, now; the indoor practice has started that makes me feel alive; I am applying for TESL(Teaching English to a Second language Learners) course which enable me to extend my stay here at least for five or six months and also keep me busy. I am unsure after six more months of stay, though. I will see how confident I am about English and my future.
I have been spending most of my free(??) time at OISE library which is one of UofT organization located St.George and Bloor since I don't work and go to any schools. I found some books about Teaching English there, I've started gone there and sat down and read. There are a bunch of computers in there but I couldn't use them because I don't have any account which I can have it if I am a UofT student. Oh, well, I used to go up to 4th floor where I used to take a speaking class for one month. There is a computer room. Sometimes, there is computer activities going on there which makes me turn around. I had started been annoyed about not being able to use a internet connection there. I emailed a friend of mine, who used to be one of ISM volunteers and went to UofT; now he studies PHD in UBC in Vancouver, and asked him to know whether he could let me know his UofT id or not. Kindly, he let me know his account, right now, I'm writing my post at OSIE library. Thanks my friend.(When you come back to Toronto around Christmas time, I'll throw a party for ya. I promise)
Since I haven't posted anything in October, I want to write down about what happended as much as I could so that I can compensate absence of posts in October, like this time of next year, I can look at this post and think of my memories in this time. Oh, yeah, I can write about my ISM friends who went back to Korea recently. I remember that one guy came and said to me at Crawford lake, "Hi, Are you Kevin?". We had not talked each other before. I wondered that how he knew my name. He basically, went to ISM regularly and got to know me from some volunteers who are my friends now. He is also around my age, a bit younger than me, and quit his job and came to Toronto to learn English. We got a lot in common we could talk about. So we talked a bit. That is how I know Andre. The other friend I want to talk about is Emily. She moved to Canada from Macau when she was 11 or something. She is very outgoing and active and funny girl unlike Andre. I liked her as a friend. She was a regular ISMgoer like me. We usually went to a SecondCup after ISM with other ISM folks and talked about nothing but fun. One day, I was with my Korean friend chatting at a coffee shop. We started talking about ISM folks. So, she came up with Andre and Emily telling me that she saw them holding hands walking on the street. I guessed that they had started going out. Things got serious I think once Andre went back to Korea early this year but came back in the summer to see her. Now, they went together to Korea. Emily told us that she is going to learn Korean for two years or something but I strongly felt that they are going to step up for the next phase. 
< Emily and Andre when they dropped by my place before they were going to the airport >
The picture above is the one I took when they dropped by my place on the way to the airport. They dumped some blankets for me which I asked for. Emily lived Canada for 15 years, so she sold her house, technically her parents', a car, funiture, and many things. A week before they flew, I went over to her place and grapped things I needed which she had to get rid of. It was like a free fleamarket.
Anyway, they were so close to me, even though, I did not have many chances to hang out with them, because most of time, they were busy spending time together just two of them, I guess, but I felt so strong friendship with them. After they took off, I changed meaing of ISM to 'International Students Marriage'. ISM has actually produced a couple of couples so far. There are the wedding photos at Fee's place who is a leader of ISM. I wonder why that couple thing is not happening to me. Am I too old or bad looking? I guess I am not serious about it, yet. One of my friend at ISM told me that it is time for me to find a girl at ISM. I joked that you guys are so young and I feel like they are my little brothers and sisters. To some extent, that's true, they're in their early 20's except some. By no means, I am a person who minds age thing. I can say that I'm too sensitive to what people think about what I think about it.
I bought the book name 'TEACHING PRONUNCIATION' from Amazon.com. When I ordered, they said it was going to take for three weeks to be delivered.
One week later, I found the book on my door step, I was rather happy about it. I am still reading that book, almost done, though. I can say that this book is the best book I have ever read about English pronunciation. It's not too academic and not too practical. It is mixture of both which is very good for me not to be bored. I had so many questions about pronunciation which I couldn't find the answers to them. There are all answers in that book. I joked about that book to my friend. That book is the bible for me like the real bible for you guys(my christian friends). I am always happy when I read really good book, it's really hard to find good books, though. One of books I got before (My friend Michale cole picked them up in States and gave me) is horrible. The name of the book is 'TEACHING BY PRINCIPLES'. I checked the comments on that book on Amazon. It was quite positive but I should have known that principles is principles. I tried to read that book a number of times and I alomst fell a sleep. To some degree, I can blame my lack of reading comprehension but I found it quite boring. I heard that book is used for English education in Univ and TESL course. I can imagine how hard to stay awake at that courses and understand why a lot of university students carry a big mug cup full of coffee before their class. I can say to many academic and textbook writers, "Damn, please think of your /styupid/ readers, don't think of showing off how sophisticated and intelligent you are".
I got my job done for this month. I don't know when I will post, again.
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