About MANNAM _ Korean Class!

MANNAM

When Light meets Light there is Victory

 

This blog will save my memory with MANNAM.

As one of MANNAM members (MANNAMERs), I will post about my life with MANNAM.

 

 

Korean class of MANNAM Gwangju!

 

Today, I want to introduce MANNAM Gwangju Korean class!

 

  What do you think is the most difficult thing for foreigners who live in Korea? You may guess my intention. Most of all, Korean (language) is the hardest one. When we live or travel some countries, language is the biggest obstacle. However, you can’t stop learning language though it is very hard. Why? Because, we live all together in one place. I have to communicate with another people to live, so I need to know how to communicate using languages. Language is like a key. Let’s think about it. Which one do you prefer, foreigner who can’t speak any Korean and only uses English(universal language) or foreigner who tries to speak in Korean (though he/she is not that good at Korean)? Korean is just an example. I think it is applied to every country. I heard that French is very sensitive about using their own language and they are really proud of it. If I travel France and can speak little France, French people would feel more friendly. Like that, learning language is the essential thing to live in any country. So, we MANNAM, almost every MANNAM branch run Korean class.

 

  It is different from branch to branch, in case of MANNAM Gwangju, we run Korean class 3 times a week. Tuesday evening, Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon we run Korea class. We not only teach Korean, but also prepare some exciting programs. Focusing on special day like Lunar New Year’s Day, we plan our culture program. Last month, we made fortune bag and had a time to wear Han-bok (Korean traditional clothes; we usually wear them on Chuseok or Lunar New Year’s Day) and learn how to bow. It was really funny and everyone enjoyed it. I hope Korean class grow up and can teach as many foreign friends who are eager to learn Korean.

 

 

  I think, Korean class is really nice because people can learn not only Korean language but also Korean culture. We Korean teachers (I am also a Korean teacher!) always think about Korean class and pondered about how we can make better Korean class. The reason that I say like this is I want to let people know that we are trying to make better Korean class. It may be same in every MANNAM branch that runs the Korean class. So, please come and learn language and culture!

Welcome to Korean class!

What is MANNAM to me?

MANNAM

When Light meets Light there is Victory

This blog will save my memory with MANNAM.

As one of MANNAM members (MANNAMERs), I will post about my life with MANNAM.

What is MANNAM to me?

 Few days ago, I went to southern part of Korea with MANNAM friends.
In the bus (It took almost 2 and half hours to go there!) I talked with my friends about MANNAM. And I talked with other friends about MANNAM during the trip. Today, I want to talk about what we feel about MANNAM as a MANNAM member.

1. MANNAM is break time.

 MANNAM has various members. Some of us are students, some of us are teachers, some of us are workers, and some of us are professors. (Some of us like my friends are just 'I have no job' people. I envy them:->) All of us have our own life. We have our own jobs to do. It can be work, study or anything. Our common thought is this. "We enjoy the time with MANNAM." Everyday we have to live our lives, but when we are in MANNAM we can forget everything and just think about MANNAM. In this case, MANNAM can be anything. MANNAM can be free time, MANNAM can be volunteering or MANNAM can be a playing. We can do what we want in MANNAM. For me, I can hang out with friends in MANNAM. For my friend, he can travel with MANNAM. For my another friend, she can volunteer with MANNAM. How nice of it! We can do anything that we want. Freely. Without any suppression. MANNAM doesn't give any oppression that we have to do. MANNAM doesn't force us to do 'something'. (oh, sometimes they force us to do volunteering. But that is exception :P) I like MANNAM and so as my friends. 


2. MANNAM is dream.

 We can dream in MANNAM. As you know, MANNAM is a volunteering association. It means, we do volunteering works in MANNAM. MANNAM's goal is to make peaceful world. We believe that we can achieve world peace in MANNAM. All of MANNAM members hope world peace. We think through MANNAM we can do something that we only have been keeping in mind. I think world peace is a common dream that everybody who lives in the earth wants to achieve. Nobody wants war, nuclear thing or conflicts. (I don't want to talk about some people (or some organizations) who want the earth destroyed and vanished.) Because we live in this world. Before involved in MANNAM I thought world peace was vague thing. It was a just sweet dream that only ends with dream. However, I found the possibility of world peace. As I wrote in last post, I think one step can make another step. MANNAM is one step forward world peace. It can lead other steps forward world peace. Everybody gathers together and thinks about peace regardless of race, religion or boundary. How beautiful of it! I've never thought that I've come to think about 'possible world peace'. I feel warm heart in MANNAM. I think because I can find hope in MANNAM. MANNAM starts from MANNAM Korea. Now, MANNAM has two MANNAMs. MANNAM Korea and MANNAM International. If MANNAM ends in MANNAM Korea, I may not think that world peace is possible through MANNAM. However MANNAM spreads into all over the world. It starts in Korea, very small country compared to other big countries but it is branching out all over the world as a MANNAM International.
 Who can blame MANNAM, If he or she totally understand the goal of MANNAM? I just feel sorry about someone who doesn't like peace. I wonder what they want to do ultimately. Is trying to make world peace bad thing? I want to ask them are you really want to make peaceful world. If they don't want world peace then i have no words to say :( 

3. MANAM is a cozy home.

 Every MANNAM members that I met is very kind, generous and lovely. Everybody will agree if they have joined any events of MANNAM. They want to distribute love to everyone without prejudice. Regardless of race, religion and boundary, people can be the one in MANNAM. So I feel happy when I am with MANNAM members. I hope many people come to MANNAM and find that kindness and coziness.


 Because MANNAM is very precious to me, I hope other people also think MANNAM as precious. I hope many people from all around the world know about MANNAM and join MANNAM. MANNAM can be a beginning point of world peace if people look MANNAM without prejudice. Please think about our ultimate goal. Join with us ! Make peaceful world!

What makes MANNAM special?

MANNAM

When Light meets Light there is Victory

This blog will save my memory with MANNAM.

As one of MANNAM members (MANNAMERs), I will post about my life with MANNAM.

Today's subject, "What makes MANNAM special?"

There are two MANNAMs. MANNAM Korea and MANNAM International. My friend is a member of MANNAM Korea (she can't speak other languages :P) and she introduced MANNAM International to me. She knows that I'm interested in volunteering works and she thinks I'm suited for MANNAM International.

I've been volunteering in many organizations before MANNAM. But no volunteering associations attract me like MANNAM. I thought over and over about what is the distinctive point that makes MANNAM special. And finally I've got to know some things.

The most important things of volunteering are
1. Sincerity.
People can easily do volunteering works. But, they usually do for their self-satisfaction or their career (in Korea, volunteering is compulsory to every 'students'). We have to think about what is the ultimate goal of volunteering. Is it for volunteers themselves? Is it for chance to get a job? Is it for only advertising of some organizations? Nope. Volunteering is the most noble thing that human can do (I think). So the range of volunteering is very wide. It is not just helping others with "money thing". Volunteering can be anything if people do it with sincerity. It can be picking up trashes in the park or just keeping good company to someone. Volunteering is not that big if it contains a little bit of sincerity. Other volunteering associations that I've been worked were very frustrating in this part. Almost everyone (not everyone) does volunteering works for their career. However, MANNAM is different. Every MANNAM members that I've met is very sincere. We can feel when other people do something with sincerity and I feel that among MANNAM members. If you join one of MANNAM events, then you can feel same with me.

2. Ultimate Goal
You can have a question. What are you talking about? Every volunteering association has ultimate goals like helping others or making better world! I said that I've been worked at many volunteering associations. Those associations also have nice goals. The point that I want to talk about is 'realistic possibility'. It means, is it possible goal? Do they have possible means to achieve that? To meet those requirements, first, they need realistic goal, second, they need possible way and third, they need power. Then, I have to prove that MANNAM can meet those requirements. First, MANNAM’s goal is the world peace and a culture of respect and tolerance through true volunteerism. You may think now that MANNAM also has vague goal like world peace! But continue to read please ;P. Second, MANNAM has possible way. If you searched the MANNAM before visiting my blog, you already found the MANNAM International official site. (If you didn’t, go to www.mannamintl.org.) You can see that MANNAM has been doing many big events like ‘Memorial day’, ‘Independence day’ and ‘World Peace Festival’. MANNAM also has been volunteered in all branches. MANNAM’s possible way to achieve their goal is to hold big events and make people think about the peace and to do small volunteering works and make people think about the happiness. Third, MANNAM actually does ‘something’ to achieve its goal. It means MANNAM has many ‘sincere’ volunteers. There is nothing more important than members in volunteering associations. Each member can be a power to associations. How much the members think about the associations’ goal is very important. All the MANNAM members that I’ve met are very active and very proud of their works. They know that through MANNAM they can do something, make something and change something to the world.


In conclusion, the power of MANNAM is the spirit of members. Because MANNAM members do volunteering with their sincere hearts and because they like their works, MANNAM can be the best volunteering association.
I’m also proud to be a MANNAM member!

Do you know MANNAM?(2)

MANNAM

When Light meets Light there is Victory

This blog will save my memory with MANNAM.

As one of MANNAM members (MANNAMERs), I will post about my life with MANNAM.

Do you know MANNAM?(2)


MANNAM has many principles that make it works well.

Principles

1. Embody the spirit of pure volunteerism and work to promote unity among the people and cultures of the world.
2. Offer our time and skills to aid the communities by participating in events and festivals that promote the prinicpals of peace, unity and volunteer service.
3. Strive to be a source of light and hope for others, not accepting payment for services rendered through MANNAM.
   
4. Grow in our efforts to aid, uplift and enrich society, starting within our          immediate  communities - reaching out to the world.  We will uphold the principles of justice and equality for all, irrespective of race, culture, religion, gender or political persuasion.  We will not discriminate against any group or individual longing to work towards the goal of peace and unity for all humanity.  

Do you know MANNAM?

MANNAM

When Light meets Light there is Victory

This blog will save my memory with MANNAM.

As one of MANNAM members (MANNAMERs), I will post about my life with MANNAM.

Do you know MANNAM?(1)

Simply, MANNAM is a volunteer association. It started in 2003 in Seoul, Korea with 700 members. Now? MANNAM has more than 70,000 members in all over the world.  MANNAM has been serving domestically and internationally. MANNAM has held many events from 3 big national civilian festivals to many small events of branches. (Recently, in September 16th, 2012 MANNAM held an international festival I will post about it later!) MANNAM's ultimate goal is world peace. MANNAM doesn't care about the people's race, religion or culture. MANNAM just wants to be the one regardless of anything. It is the most fascinating point that makes me to go with MANNAM.