Did you know?

http://hyeeun.sc.kr


Hyeeun School was established in 1982, and exists today to provide education to the the disabled students. Currently there are 224 students who attend Hyeeun School. They suffer from brain lesion, development disability, physical disability, hearing impairment, and visual impairment.

It’s building contains a library, science lab, music practice room, computer lab, auditorium, health room, machine room, public address booth, and a craft room where you can build various things. It has better facilities than most of the public schools.

Not only it has many facilities, it also has various activities that actively involve all students. They have physical education, handy-craft class, computer class, video-photography class, badminton class, dance calls, and a choir class.

My opinion

What do you feel when you see a mentally disabled person? Compassion ? Repulsion? Or even aversion? But why feel this way? Just because they are different? Just because they don’t act or think as the way you think what is logical? These were my feelings when I first arrived at Hyeeun School. These thoughts heaved my steps when I entered the immense glass door of what I thought was to a different world.

Being different doesn’t mean it’s necessarily wrong. However, this society starts categorizing these different people as mentally disabled ones, and we start to see them just as mentally disabled people, nothing more nothing less. The society insists that these people are less capable than us and they need our help. However what is our understanding of helping? Donation? Volunteer at public service? We often regard helping as an act of supporting someone by offering one's services or by financial or material. However, here is what most people don’t realize, helping involves your heart. If our eyes are only capable to perceive them as the less capable ones, no matter how much time we spend time with them, our minds suppress to ever perceive them as friends. Once our minds repudiate to perceive them as friends, the helping becomes compassion. Do it because you want to do it.What they need is not compassion, but eyes that can see them as friends, ears that are willing to listen to them, and mouths that will be companions to talk with.

Traditional Instruments

Hyeeun school is proceeding a new program designated to teach Korean classical music to the students of Hyeeun school just for a weak. I was able to participate in this activity as a volunteer. I thought it was a good opportunity to learn Korean classical music myself.

The first day, everyone gathered in the auditorium. Students each grabbed their own instruments. I was again appointed a partner to assist. The instructors were on the stage, and played a rhythm for the students to follow after. The rhythm was not hard at all, but the students seemed like they had no interest. Only few were participating, and others were either sleeping or running around. The first day was literally a disaster. I had a hard time keeping my partner awake, and instructors seemed like they were having a dilemma because they had never experienced this kind of class before.

However, the time was the cure. As days went by, the students got used to the lessons. The instructors also tried to approach to the students first. They kindly instructed each student so that everyone at least tried. Students no longer went asleep, and ran around during the lesson. No students were perfect, but the sound they made seemed beautiful. I was amazed that all the students played. I never imagined this would happen after experiencing the first day. However, this is what made them sound so beautiful. The fact that everyone work together with effort was the main point of this lesson, and I think all the students deserve an A.

Hyeeun Art Festival

12/18

I left home early in the morning, but then I’ve lost track of the time. By the time I’ve reached Hyeeun School, the clock struck 11. Other Hyeeun School students were performing other performances. The Hyueen Art Festival included all students of Hyeeun School to participate in either a musical or a dance performance.

At noon, it was our turn to perform. The Bambell players and KIS student ascended to the stage. The stage was big enough to hold 20 people, and it had proper lights and audio system. The stage was real, and the light shone upon my face blurred my vision. This amplified my anxiousness. I wondered how the Bambell players might had felt at the time. I hoped that they don’t come overwhelmed by fear.

However, the performance went well. The Bambell players were calm, confident, and they even seemed like they enjoyed performing. Joy from the performers brought along the joy of the audience. The Bambell players worked with efforts, and that effort brought virtuous effect to the audience. The audience responded to the performance with cheer and applaud, and the Bambell players deserved it.

D-1.........The Final Rehearsal

12/17

I’ve mentioned about the Bambell players of Hayeeun School and students of KIS practicing on a joint musical performance on a piece called “Moon River”. It turned out that we were going to perform in the Hyeeun School Art festival in front of, at least, 100 people. In front of 100 people was the manageable part, what really disturbed me was that the performance was tomorrow!

It was Friday, and all the players met for a final rehearsal. We checked our pitch and harmony for the last time. We headed to the performance stage in their own auditorium to check our positions on the stage. The rehearsal went for almost 2 hours, but it seemed like none of the players were sure about the performance. I definitely knew that I was not quite ready for the performance.

The musical performance’s focus is on the Bambell players from Hyeeun School. The KIS students are just to assist the Bambell players to create a harmony, but the audience is there to see the Hyeeun School students . This is exactly why we have to practice even harder. I hope that we don’t mess up.