오늘 사회봉사 시간에 아이들이랑 동요과 율동을 배웠어요. 본격 활동 시작하기 전에 간단한 이름 퀴츠를 했는데 아이들이 저희의 이름을 다 알아서 감짝 놀았어요. 한번 밖에 못 만났는데 어려운 외국 이름을 잘 외워서 감동이었어요. 그걸 보면 우리가 아이들이랑 좋은 추억 많이 만들 수 있게 더 열심히 해야겠다는 생각이 들었어요.

Warm-up 끝난 후에 우리는 먼저 아이들한테 미국 동요를 가르쳐 줬어요. 아이들이 영어를 잘 이해하지 못해서 노래 부르는 게 좀 힘들었는데 그래도 동작을 잘 따라하고 공연까지 열심히 해서 다행이었어요. 그 다음에 아이들이 저희 한테 한국 동요를 가르쳐 줬어요. 처음 듣는 한국 동요를 배워서 재밌었어요. 마지막으로 우리는 다 같이Cha Cha Slide 춤을 쳤어요. 미국 초등학교에서 많이 추던 춤이라 추억 많이 떠오르더라고요 ㅎㅎ 땀을 많이 흘렸지만 이번도 뜻 깊은 시간이었어요.

Today we met up with the kids again to learn children’s songs with them. Before we got to the main programming, I tested the students on our names, and I was so shocked that they had all of our names memorized even though we’d only met them once. I instantly felt bad for not yet being too clear on all the kids’ names.

When we finished that light warm-up, we got to teaching them the songs. I was a bit concerned because ones we prepared seemed more preschool material than elementary school material, but I suppose since we taught them songs in English it added another layer of difficulty to it. I think the only part they were really able to retain were the dances we taught them, although some genuinely did try to sing along with us. We also learned Korean children’s songs with them, which was fun because it was all songs that I’d never heard of before. In addition to learning all the songs, the kids gave us adorable hand-made name tags that had cute little puns with our names. After we performed both the English songs and the Korean songs, we taught them the Cha Cha Slide. I was sweating profusely afterwards but it was good to get up and moving and relive my own elementary school memories.