• HOME
  • WORK
  • ABOUT
  • BUY
  • HIRE
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • TOURS
    • IRAN
    • IRAN SKI TOUR
    • ARMENIA / NAGORNO KARABAKH
    • GEORGIA / ABKHAZIA
MARKO POLO
  • HOME
  • WORK
  • ABOUT
  • BUY
  • HIRE
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • TOURS
    • IRAN
    • IRAN SKI TOUR
    • ARMENIA / NAGORNO KARABAKH
    • GEORGIA / ABKHAZIA

Teaching English in North Korea (DPRK)

Mother, father, sister, brother....  I remember the school days when I wanted to play outside rather than study English..."why do I need it?...am I going to go to London or something?" we used to say as kids.  Who would have thought that some years later I will get a chance to teach it to school kids in North Korea!  Well, my English is far from perfect, but ok for a 4th language and good enough for a lesson to young pioneers in Rason , North Korea aka DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea).  

I was pleasantly surprised on the level of vocabulary kids had.  Pronunciation needs work, but that is because of lack of exposure to native speakers in class or on TV.  The other thing I learned that kids are like kids everywhere.  They were very curious about us, and everyday life of children abroad, like things kids do for fun, sports etc.  They were not as "brain washed" as some might think.

Kenyan teaching English in North Korea...who would have thought...

Kenyan teaching English in North Korea...who would have thought...

Boy will be boys everywhere

Boy will be boys everywhere

Girls trying hard to follow my explanation

Girls trying hard to follow my explanation

Notebook and scribbles helped

Notebook and scribbles helped

Achievement badges

Achievement badges

Boys talking about their favorite things

Boys talking about their favorite things

One of the girls from the class.  One of my favorite photographs from DPRK on that trip

One of the girls from the class.  One of my favorite photographs from DPRK on that trip

Class teacher.  He kept smiling all the time but a second I asked him to pose for me his smile was gone

Class teacher.  He kept smiling all the time but a second I asked him to pose for me his smile was gone

I wonder what is going on here?

I wonder what is going on here?

Ahhhh...right , playing F-15 fighter jet game on my iPad

Ahhhh...right , playing F-15 fighter jet game on my iPad

The class

The class

Byeeeeeeee!

Byeeeeeeee!

tags: north, korea, dprk, english, class, school, teach, teaching, asia, pioneers, rason, children
categories: travel, dprk
Monday 04.18.16
Posted by Marko Moudrak
Comments: 4
 

Roller Coasting in Iraqi Kurdistan

When someone says 'lets go roller coasting' Iraq is probably the last place you'd think of.  Well, the one thing I learned about Iraqi Kurdistan is that people LOVE amusement parks there.  Be it Mickey, or Chavy Land or some other cute name every town seems to have at least one....and some of them leave keys inside machines overnight ;)

Amusement park in Erbil

Amusement park in Erbil

Chavy Land in Sulimanyah

Chavy Land in Sulimanyah

Ferris wheel in Sulimanyah

Ferris wheel in Sulimanyah

American roller coaster in Sullimaniyah

American roller coaster in Sullimaniyah

Go around

Go around

Welcome!

Welcome!

Amusement park in mountains ski resort

Amusement park in mountains ski resort

They left the keys at night...so we had a go

They left the keys at night...so we had a go

Amusement park in mountains ski resort

Amusement park in mountains ski resort

An amazing ride under construction in Korek Mountain resort.  The rail extends 3 m outward into 300m straight drop gorge

An amazing ride under construction in Korek Mountain resort.  The rail extends 3 m outward into 300m straight drop gorge

View down the canyon

View down the canyon

Hustling local kids

Hustling local kids

good times

good times

tags: iraq, kurdistan, middle, east, erbil, sulaymaniyah, dohuk, pool, billiard, fun, travel
categories: travel
Thursday 04.14.16
Posted by Marko Moudrak
 

Nagorno Karabakh - people affected by the conflict don't want more destruction, only geo political players and arms dealers do

I have been to Artsah (aka Nagorno Karabakh), Armenia, and Azerbaijan many times.  I met people who took part in the conflict, or at least one way or other were affected by it.  I have also seen a level of destruction the conflict caused. 

I don't want to talk about history or take sides, but will say that neither Armenians or Azeris have interest in latest flash of violence.  Only more innocent people will die, die for nothing.  The real interest in stocking this is for the one that sell arms for both sides, and maybe the one that is playing a geopolitical game in the region, think Caspian oil pipeline to EU.

Believe me, people affected in the area don't want more of this....

Once a city of 150,000 people...

Former Kindergarten

Former Kindergarten

3km DMZ bstarts midway through the photo...you can see Azeri side

3km DMZ bstarts midway through the photo...you can see Azeri side

A giant statue of a man once stood in this fountain...only the legs are left

A giant statue of a man once stood in this fountain...only the legs are left

Nagorno Karabakh-Marko-Moudrak-7526.jpg
Nagorno Karabakh-Marko-Moudrak-9542-2.jpg
Shrapnel and blulet holes

Shrapnel and blulet holes

Inside of a mosque

Inside of a mosque

Nagorno Karabakh-Marko-Moudrak-9609.jpg
tags: nagorno, karabakh, artsah, azerbaijan, armenia, conflic, war, destruction, unrecognized, карабах, нагорно
categories: travel, unrecognized
Monday 04.04.16
Posted by Marko Moudrak
Comments: 1
 
Newer / Older
All images and content are copyrighted. No image may be used in any way without permission Marko Polo Photography © 2015 | marko@markopolo.photo