Introduce Reading Habit to Baby

Joshua's books and his study table

I have been reading book for Joshua since he was 3 months old. Before that I made up my own story for him. I would tell him my own version of three pigs, or cat & dogs, or baloons seller, or frog prince, or anything came up  into my mind.

Since he turned 3 months old, I have been borrowing English books from Busan English Library (BEL). BEL was opened not long after I arrived in Busan in 2009. I had tried to go to some libraries to find English books to read, but I hardly found it. So, when I heard about BEL, I was extremely happy!
(BEL is located near Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon. If you take subway, stop at Buam Station.)

The orange corner of Busan English Library. Visit the website and learn more about it. 

At the same location with BEL, you can also find Global Village. It is the place where student can learn English in a place situated just like a real condition such as airport, cafe, etc. The place offers many activities for students especially during school vacation.

Other than English books, I also borrow Korean books for Joshua. Usually I borrow the books from MCC (Migrants Multicultural Center). While I am reading the Korean books to Joshua, I am studying Korean, too ^^.

People asked me if Joshua can read books or understand it if I read them to him. When I did story-telling to him without books, he paid attention and listened to me. When I read book to him, he also looks at the book. He may not understand the story as we understand it, but the main point is to build a reading habit to him. 

Joshua is getting bigger and bigger. He can flip the pages by himself, even when I haven't finished reading the page to him. However, I can say that he loves book. He often looks for his books and reads it by himself, when we are busy doing other things. He knows where we keep his books. He can spend his time and enjoy reading. 

Lately, he told me story about the book he was reading. His pronounciation was not clear though, but he was enthusiastically pointing in the picture on the book and telling me a story. So cute!

I hope that he will always love reading. ^^

JoSH & toilet training

Joshua started his toilet training since his first birthday last September.

I bought him baby potty seat, the one that we can put on top of adult toilet, not the potty chair (which we have to clean after). I am agree with other parents idea that this type of baby potty seat is practical, we just need to flush it.

Together with the baby potty seat, I gave him baby bathroom plastic sandal. Bathroom floor is wet and cold during fall and winter. He enjoy wears his own bathroom sandals, since he always gave big attention to ours ^^.

Teaching him toilet training is not easy. We failed many times though but it is the journey of training.

Just before I started with Joshua's toilet training program, I am blessed to read a posting by Natalia Setiadi. You can read her experience with her little one here. She mentioned clearly about the principal things to encourage our child even when he fails to tell us that he wants to pee or poop.

Today, Joshua could clearly told me what he wanted. He eagerly looked for me and called 'Mama' many times...so loud. I asked him why he called me. He pointed to bathroom and hold his tummy saying 'oop...oop..'

He still couldn't say pee or poop clearly but I am able to understand what he wants after several times. Usually he was late in telling me, or I didn't get what he was talking about. So, he did it half way on his diapers before I put him on his baby potty seat. Most of the time, I showed his dirty diapers to him, explaining that he should tell me earlier before the urge to pup comes.

After getting his signal, I rushed him to the toilet and he did it perfectly! I showed his diaper to him and we clapped together.

Both of us were so happy!

The toilet training journey is to be continued.
Joshua is a fast learner, and we are happy teachers ^^

Oktober yang sibuk!

Bulan Oktober ini bulan yang sibuk. Banyak sekali aktivitas dan jadwal-jadwal di bulan ini, ditambah perjuangan untuk bisa mengerti kelas dalam bahasa Korea, membaca dan presentasi juga dalam bahasa Korea. Fiuh!

Bulan ini kami pergi melihat gedung baru Busan Cinema Center yang berlokasi di daerah Haeundae. Gedung ini dibangun khusus untuk acara BIFF (Busan International Film Festival). Semoga ada waktu untuk cerita tentang gedung ini dan sekilas tentang BIFF, ya!

Selain itu, sempat juga ke pameran International Food di Bexco dan juga Mom & Baby Fair di tempat yang sama.

Minggu berikutnya, ada acara tari India dan Korea di kampus. Lumayan seru juga. Terus ada acara Busan Biennale, International Symposium yang mengawali acara Biennale ini di tahun yang akan datang. Nanti dibahas di posting tentang Biennale ya.

Lanjut dengan acara-acara yang menarik di akhir minggu ini, ada Global Gathering dan juga Firework Festival. Dilihat besok apakah bisa datang kesana. Laporannya menyusul juga, hehe.

Selain itu di bulan ini juga mengunjungi pembukaan pameran lukisan rekan-rekan pelajar dari kampus, para senior yang punya gawe individual exhibition. Jadi bolak-balik ke Haeundae nih...

Banyak tulisan yang tertunda nulisnya karena repot sekali, dan sepertinya akan semakin repot di minggu-minggu berikutnya. :(

Fighting!

2011 Hanbok Festival -

If you live in Seoul or visiting Seoul during 21 - 30 Oct, 2011, visit 2011 Hanbok Festival!

Here is the detail:

http://www.hanboksarang.kr

- Period : 21 Oct(Fri) ~ 30 Oct(Sun) 2011, 10 days (Fashion show- 21 Oct(Fri), 5pm)
- Venue : Culture Station Seoul 284 (Former Seoul Station)
- Title : Hanbok, walking along in the modern times 

[WSK 5th] Volunteering that Makes Us Smile

Article from: http://blog.naver.com/korea_brand/10121582215

It is said that taking care of teeth from your childhood is very important. A recent study shows that taking proper care of teeth prevents the heart disease. The basic is to brush teeth in a proper way and scale teeth on a regular basis. But there are many people who cannot afford it. A charity group has been doing a service for those since long ago.


The joy in Volunteer Work

< Annual meeting for better volunteering> (Source: Yollin Dental Society)

Yollin Dental Society was established in 1999 to volunteer for poor neighbors. It is blowing a fresh breeze into many dentist groups in Korea. The targets are those who abandoned, seniors who live alone, and Korean-Chinese. Well, the Yollin Dental Society is busy enough to go to different places everyday that needs their help.
Then, how do they volunteer? Once the dentist license holder becomes a member of Yollin Dental Society, he gets a volunteer-schedule on a regular basis. Considering his/her schedule, the next step is to apply in advance. It is also good for building friendship among volunteers.
Kim Seong Moon, the newly elected president of Yollin Dental Society, said that the progress of the volunteer group cannot be made by just one or two persons’ efforts. He emphasized that passion and devotion from each person are the keys to achieve the progress and strengthen the friendship among members.


To Abroad!

Yeolin dentist group went abroad for a volunteer work for the first time this year. Kim prepared for international volunteer with passion. The original plan was to set up clinics abroad in order to provide Korean medical services for people in developing countries. They are planning another overseas volunteering project on a regular basis in the near future
The first destination was Indonesia. As it is a first international project, they already conducted a field trip, and did a lot of research. Finally, 25 dentists flew to Indonesia for a volunteer work from 29th of July to the 3rd of August. They treated factory workers and neighbors at factory of Dada Korea in Laya 76 km away from Jakarta. 309 patients were treated through the volunteer work.
Arrived very late, the dentist group set up the equipments until dawn and started to treat patients from the next morning. The situation was not so good. Mostly, they extracted and scaled teeth for local people, which continued for six days. In addition, they did a skin care and nail care for female workers and opened flee market with Korean items they brought from Korea. Of course, it was very popular.

(Source: Asia Economy)

The president of the group said, “More than 700 people wanted to be treated but only 300 people had opportunities due to the schedule. But I’m very glad to get things done without any accident.”
Yollin Dental Society marked 11th anniversary. Two hundred volunteers have treated seven thousand people so far. They have grown up as one of the most famous volunteer groups with six clinics in Korea.
Dental care is very important but it costs a lot of money. Until now, dental care was not affordable to low income class. However, we have Yollin Dental Society, and it seems that they will be the strong supporters.