#163. In Korea it is very commonplace to see sculptures of a penis just about everywhere. In a garden frequented by small children. Casually included in traditional carvings. On the trails to a hiking spot. In the middle of a bustling market. The Korean culture just doesn't see anything wrong with displaying phallic symbols...well...everywhere.
#164. When businesses open or there is a big sale promoting a store there are always dancing girls. The dancing girls are usually on tall boxes, wearing short skirts and almost always dancing and signing to a popular k-pop song. I have seen them in the freezing cold, sweltering heat and everywhere in between. Do they attract more customers? Maybe. Maybe not.
#165. As I have previously discussed in one of my recent posts, Koreans believe that a persons blood type also denotes their personality. They believe in their blood type much as the way westerners view their zodiac signs. Korean celebrities include their blood type on their biographies or resume so that their potential employer will know how they will perform. A man may ask a woman what her blood type is in order to determine whether she may be a good potential partner in a relationship. Broken down, here is what the Korean culture believes when it comes to the correlation between blood type and personality.
Type A
Best Traits
Earnest, creative, sensible
Worst Traits
Fastidious, over-earnest
Type B
Best Traits
Wild, active, doer
Worst Traits
Selfish, irresponsible
Type AB
Best Traits
Cool, controlled, rational
Worst Traits
Critical, indecisiveness, small mind
Type O
Best Traits
Agreeable, sociable, optimistic
Worst Traits
Vain, rude
The heart of summer has finally hit Pohang and it is noticeable to everyone who steps outside. The weather is blistering hot and as humid as can be. Thankfully, due to the fact that we are so close to the beach, there is usually always a small breeze to make the heat bearable. During the past few weeks, I have been all around Korea trying to squeeze in as much fun, culture and memories as I can. My departure date is looming in front of me and getting closer and closer all the while.
After talking tonight at dinner with some friends, something came to my attention. We refer to time in two separate ways. There is "Korea time" and "our respective homeland time." It may not seem different to the average person but it sure is to us. Here, our weeks fly by. Before we know it, it's the weekend. Then Monday. Then the weekend again. At home, time seemed to crawl by at a snails pace. While it's great that our weeks go by so quickly here, this also means that our time seems to be on fast forward constantly. It seems like only yesterday I was talking about how I couldn't believe that it was April and I had less than 7 months left here. Now we're on the heels of September and I have less than 3.
With time flying by, I have to start making plans for the rest of my time. Go to the cities I have yet to visit. Try the food I have been too chicken to try (live octopus for one). Squeeze in as much time as humanly possible at the beach. Spend time with my amazing friends. Buy the souvenirs for myself and family members. Clearly the next few months will be a great whirlwind but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.
Get ready readers. The next few months should prove to be quite interesting.
Showing posts with label Koreanisms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koreanisms. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Trash bags, Coffee girls and the Tooth Fairy
After almost 4 months the Koreanisms are making a comeback. Here are some of the weird, unusual and completely Korean oddities that are seen by yours truly on a regular basis.
#160. In Korea, there are specific approved trash bags we are supposed to use for garbage collection. In America we can use whatever bag we deem fit due to the fact that our trash is contained in garbage cans. Walmart bags. Hefty bags. A brown paper bag from yesterdays lunch. Not in Korea. Here, we are supposed to buy (this is one rule I don't exactly follow) approved trash bags from your local market. The bags vary in size (the larger sizes come with a hefty price) and are difficult to find. I'm definitely guilty of not using these Pohang pre-approved bags. You caught me. I am one of the many foreigners (trust me guys, i've seen it happen) that quickly drops the bag of garbage in whatever plastic bag is handy at the moment at the "corner trash spot" and take off on a brisk walk for fear of being verbally attacked by the local ajumma trash bag nazi. Okay, sometimes I run.
#161. In America there are many delivery services. Dry cleaning. Pizza. Flowers. You name it, America has it. Or do they? Here in Korea, there is coffee delivery. Sounds pretty ordinary. It's just coffee. Or is it? Let's say you're jonesing for that cuppa joe and you want a little female companionship to go with it. Call one of the 24 hour coffee shops. The "coffee shop" is known here as a Da bang and provides coffee and female companionship to that lonely cafine-deprived individual. A scantily clad coffee girl will bring you the desired cuppa joe and do more than just chat for the right price.
#162. After one of my favorite kids lost her tooth and didn't understand what the tooth fairy was, I realized it was time to ask questions. What did I learn? The tooth fairy is non-existant in Korea. Not only is it non-existent but my explanation of what it is actually drew laughter. Hysterical, high pitched laughter. The kids don't put their newly lost tooth under their pillow and anxiously wait until morning for their hard earned money. Here, they do it differently. They throw it over their house. Or attempt to. The idea is to throw the tooth as high up in the air as possible. The lore is that the higher it goes, the more that person wants a replacement tooth. You couldn't throw it very high because your FIVE YEARS OLD and have arms that barely have the strength to push in your chair? Obviously you don't want another tooth.
After more than 14 months of living in Korea there are still an abundance of Koreanisms yet to be shared. Next on the list are the following: the abundance of penis sculptures everywhere, dancing girls for business openings, blood type denoting the kind of person you are and the curse of red ink.
Stay tuned.
#160. In Korea, there are specific approved trash bags we are supposed to use for garbage collection. In America we can use whatever bag we deem fit due to the fact that our trash is contained in garbage cans. Walmart bags. Hefty bags. A brown paper bag from yesterdays lunch. Not in Korea. Here, we are supposed to buy (this is one rule I don't exactly follow) approved trash bags from your local market. The bags vary in size (the larger sizes come with a hefty price) and are difficult to find. I'm definitely guilty of not using these Pohang pre-approved bags. You caught me. I am one of the many foreigners (trust me guys, i've seen it happen) that quickly drops the bag of garbage in whatever plastic bag is handy at the moment at the "corner trash spot" and take off on a brisk walk for fear of being verbally attacked by the local ajumma trash bag nazi. Okay, sometimes I run.
#161. In America there are many delivery services. Dry cleaning. Pizza. Flowers. You name it, America has it. Or do they? Here in Korea, there is coffee delivery. Sounds pretty ordinary. It's just coffee. Or is it? Let's say you're jonesing for that cuppa joe and you want a little female companionship to go with it. Call one of the 24 hour coffee shops. The "coffee shop" is known here as a Da bang and provides coffee and female companionship to that lonely cafine-deprived individual. A scantily clad coffee girl will bring you the desired cuppa joe and do more than just chat for the right price.
#162. After one of my favorite kids lost her tooth and didn't understand what the tooth fairy was, I realized it was time to ask questions. What did I learn? The tooth fairy is non-existant in Korea. Not only is it non-existent but my explanation of what it is actually drew laughter. Hysterical, high pitched laughter. The kids don't put their newly lost tooth under their pillow and anxiously wait until morning for their hard earned money. Here, they do it differently. They throw it over their house. Or attempt to. The idea is to throw the tooth as high up in the air as possible. The lore is that the higher it goes, the more that person wants a replacement tooth. You couldn't throw it very high because your FIVE YEARS OLD and have arms that barely have the strength to push in your chair? Obviously you don't want another tooth.
After more than 14 months of living in Korea there are still an abundance of Koreanisms yet to be shared. Next on the list are the following: the abundance of penis sculptures everywhere, dancing girls for business openings, blood type denoting the kind of person you are and the curse of red ink.
Stay tuned.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Koreanism, Weekends, Plates
#156. Most Korean homes have a separate refrigerator specifically for kimchi. While kimchi is one of my favorite side dishes, it is also one of the most potent. Even with kimchi in the "odor locking" containers, the pugnant smell somehow permeates into the refrigerator giving that carton of milk a decidedly kimchi taste. There's nothing I loathe more than eating a bowl of cereal that has a little kick of kimchi. I love my kimchi but kimchi in my milk is a bit much.
During the past 48 hours I accomplished hardly any of the goals I had set out for myself. I had originally planned to have everything packed up for the return trip to "Amurica" by Sunday evening. Well, it's Sunday evening and my apartment is in much the same state as it was on Friday evening: destroyed.
Instead of staying in and meticiulously packing for home, I decided to go out and experience my last weekend with some amazing people. A decision I do not regret. Friday night was spent in a DVD Bang with two of my favorite people, Alissa and Pat. Saturday included alot of napping and the farewell party for my favorite bar in Pohang, Tilt Bar and Grill. They are moving locations and will be open again at a bigger and better location near the beach sometime in February. Sunday was spent much the same way as Saturday, alot of napping.
Even though my weekend lacked in the structure or productivity department, one goal WAS achieved. I finally found the plate for my mother. She has been asking, the request growing a bit more impatiently in the succeeding months, for a Korean plate to proudly display. While I don't exactly understand why this was so important, who I am to question my mother. My tired self, along with one of my best girls Virginia, spent the better part of an afternoon finding the perfect plate. Not too big. Not too small. Koreanesque looking. Sheesh. Eventually the blessed thing was found so now the next challenge is to get it through 3 airports in 3 different countries and 19 hours of continuous flight in one piece. We shall see how that adventure unfolds.
In a few days I will be home. Correction, in almost exactly 3 days from this moment I will be home.
Woah, shit just got real. America here I come.
#157. Here in Korea it is extremely rare to have dressing rooms in clothing stores. Here, everyone should know exactly how something will look on them and either buy it or put it back. Not for me. I need that dressing room to do the squats in that expensive pair of jeans to make sure they fit right. I need to make sure tops fit correctly. Swimsuits are as figure flattering as possible. No dressing rooms? No thank you. I am not a cookie cutter size and do not possess a photographic memory.
#158. Korea and snow. More specifically, snow removal. In Pohang, snow is a rarity. Let me clarify. This past January was the first snowfall that was more than a dusting in more than 50 years. Due to this, the city was clueless on how to react to all the white, mushy stuff. The citizens of Pohang did their best to remove the snow but instead of buying the standard shovels to take care of sidewalks or streets, they used pieces of card board or dustpans. Yes. Cardboard and dustpans.
#159. Hot weather. Rainy weather. Snowy weather. Get out the umbrellas! While the foreigners were happily romping around while the snow was coming down, the Koreans didn't seem to share our enthusiasm. Bundled up in layers with an umbrella shielding their perfectly coiffed hair was how they enjoyed the beautiful white snowfall. Oh Korea....
During the past 48 hours I accomplished hardly any of the goals I had set out for myself. I had originally planned to have everything packed up for the return trip to "Amurica" by Sunday evening. Well, it's Sunday evening and my apartment is in much the same state as it was on Friday evening: destroyed.
Instead of staying in and meticiulously packing for home, I decided to go out and experience my last weekend with some amazing people. A decision I do not regret. Friday night was spent in a DVD Bang with two of my favorite people, Alissa and Pat. Saturday included alot of napping and the farewell party for my favorite bar in Pohang, Tilt Bar and Grill. They are moving locations and will be open again at a bigger and better location near the beach sometime in February. Sunday was spent much the same way as Saturday, alot of napping.
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| Dinner before TILT with one of my favorite people, Gayle |
In a few days I will be home. Correction, in almost exactly 3 days from this moment I will be home.
Woah, shit just got real. America here I come.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Fan Death, Sashes and Whiteness
[I'm not quite feeling the Christmas post that should be written by now, so instead here are a few new Koreanisms that surprise even me.]
#153. In Korea there is such thing as "fan death." Koreans actually believe that if someone is sleeping with an electric fan turned on in a sealed room, they will die. Not "could die" but will die. Here are just a few of the many ways a fan can prematurely end the life of someone risky enough to tempt fate with a fan. It can cause the temperature of the room to cool down enough to cause hypothermia. Another study suggests (yes there have been actual studies done of this) that the fans use up oxygen and create fatal levels of carbon dioxide. My personal favorite is the notion that a fan can actually suffocate you by creating a vacuum around your face. Clearly they have never stuck their heads out of a moving car. Yes, this idea of "fan death" seems to be one of the most far-fetched isms i've posted thus far, but it's true. If you don't trust me do a quick google search for yourself and find out about the "death by electric fan" phenomena that has swept Korea.
#153. In Korea there is such thing as "fan death." Koreans actually believe that if someone is sleeping with an electric fan turned on in a sealed room, they will die. Not "could die" but will die. Here are just a few of the many ways a fan can prematurely end the life of someone risky enough to tempt fate with a fan. It can cause the temperature of the room to cool down enough to cause hypothermia. Another study suggests (yes there have been actual studies done of this) that the fans use up oxygen and create fatal levels of carbon dioxide. My personal favorite is the notion that a fan can actually suffocate you by creating a vacuum around your face. Clearly they have never stuck their heads out of a moving car. Yes, this idea of "fan death" seems to be one of the most far-fetched isms i've posted thus far, but it's true. If you don't trust me do a quick google search for yourself and find out about the "death by electric fan" phenomena that has swept Korea.
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| Death by fan |
#154. Koreans wear sashes for important events such as business openings, political campaigning or merely as a marketing tool for a new product. Think of the sashes that Miss America wears only with Korean lettering and worn by men and women of all ages and for various reasons. When I asked my coteacher about this she informed me that it is to make a person "look nice." When she asked what we wear I told her that when we are attempting to look nice we wear a nice outfit paired with some classy jewelry. She didn't understand. She says this about the sash,"it helps us look to important." Sure sure.
#155. If you see a pregnant Korean woman drinking milk in mass quantities, she is most likely trying to lighten and brighten the skin of her unborn child. Such a nifty trick.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Koreanisms
[It has been quite awhile since my last "Koreanism" post. Here are a few i've been sitting on for just this occasion. From barber poles to our favorite feminine feline, Hello Kitty, these Koreanisms should help give you yet another look into the quirkiness of Korea.]
#148. In Korea some barber poles are a little bit more special than the others. Yes, I am referring to the twirly red and blue pole that is notorious for letting the people know that it is a place that cuts hair or provides the male passerby with a proper shave. Or is it? In Korea, legend has it that a double barber pole indicates that the shop also has a massage parlor that provides "extra service." Wink wink. Nudge nudge.
#149. Reading Korean is MUCH easier than it looks. There are only 24 letters (two fewer than the English alphabet) and is easy to pick up. If you are itching to be able to read like yours truly, check out www.learnlangs.com to get a speedy Korean education. It is thanks to that little website that I now understand (for the most part) when my students are writing curse words on their desks, how to order food in restaurants and how to write words like "Indiana" to wow the family back at home.
#150. Red ink is extremely unlucky. You are not supposed to use it to write a living person's name, since red is associated with death. Red ink is used to record a deceased person's name in the fmaily register and on banners to ward off evil spirits. Got it. Red is evil.
#151. Korean women retain their maiden surname after they get married. It is custom for the wife to not take her new husbands name since family surnames are reserved for only the people with blood ties. Husbands and wives with different surnames. Children with varying surnames from their parents. Confusing as hell.
#152. Koreans (men and women) love their phone charms. A phone charm (and yes I have my own as well) is an yet another excuse to search or make something that is bedazzled. Hello Kitty. Sparkles. Hello Kitty with sparkles. The sky is the limit.
#148. In Korea some barber poles are a little bit more special than the others. Yes, I am referring to the twirly red and blue pole that is notorious for letting the people know that it is a place that cuts hair or provides the male passerby with a proper shave. Or is it? In Korea, legend has it that a double barber pole indicates that the shop also has a massage parlor that provides "extra service." Wink wink. Nudge nudge.
#149. Reading Korean is MUCH easier than it looks. There are only 24 letters (two fewer than the English alphabet) and is easy to pick up. If you are itching to be able to read like yours truly, check out www.learnlangs.com to get a speedy Korean education. It is thanks to that little website that I now understand (for the most part) when my students are writing curse words on their desks, how to order food in restaurants and how to write words like "Indiana" to wow the family back at home.
#150. Red ink is extremely unlucky. You are not supposed to use it to write a living person's name, since red is associated with death. Red ink is used to record a deceased person's name in the fmaily register and on banners to ward off evil spirits. Got it. Red is evil.
#151. Korean women retain their maiden surname after they get married. It is custom for the wife to not take her new husbands name since family surnames are reserved for only the people with blood ties. Husbands and wives with different surnames. Children with varying surnames from their parents. Confusing as hell.
#152. Koreans (men and women) love their phone charms. A phone charm (and yes I have my own as well) is an yet another excuse to search or make something that is bedazzled. Hello Kitty. Sparkles. Hello Kitty with sparkles. The sky is the limit.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Koreanisms and the Weekend
#135. Some Koreans grow one fingernail (usually the pinkie) longer than the rest if they have naturally dark skin. This long nail proves that they are not farmers who darken their skin with physical labor and that they have culture, breeding, and wealth. This is common in the majority of Asia.
#136. At gyms it is very common for people to drink coffee before, during or after their workouts. Most believe that by raising the temperature of your body, it causes the body to work harder to cool it down and you lose weight simultaneously. Wouldn't that be nice if that was true.
#137. Weddings in Korea are just as public as in America...but with a twist. To hell with the cans and the "JUST MARRIED" sign. Here the honeymoon car is decked out with pink (or some other very feminine color) and bows of all shapes and sizes while it parades up and down the downtown streets. In Korea the "less is more" mentaility does not fit with this tradition.
#138. In Korea it is very common for people to pee outside. It is not a drunken thing. It is an ALL THE TIME thing. Here is a perfect example. Last week during a lesson on how to write the letter "R", I see two grown men in business suits peeing in full view of myself and my children. Only in Korea.
The weekend is unfortunately over...but what a weekend it was. Here is a quick recap.
Every other Friday one of our favorite bars, LIVESTORY, has an open mic night. This happened to be one of those weeks. We got to hear our friends play music and dance the night away. Saturday was an early morning of hiking at one of my favorite places, Bogyeongsa. The night was spent at Tilt with friends catching up from our weeks and getting into discussions about where we were going for holiday and alike. Sunday found me at my standing coffee date with the crew at my usual hangout spot, 7 Monkeys.
See. I promised I would be quick. All in all, the weekend was fantastic. Good music. Good friends. Beautiful scenery while hiking.
#137. Weddings in Korea are just as public as in America...but with a twist. To hell with the cans and the "JUST MARRIED" sign. Here the honeymoon car is decked out with pink (or some other very feminine color) and bows of all shapes and sizes while it parades up and down the downtown streets. In Korea the "less is more" mentaility does not fit with this tradition.
The weekend is unfortunately over...but what a weekend it was. Here is a quick recap.
Every other Friday one of our favorite bars, LIVESTORY, has an open mic night. This happened to be one of those weeks. We got to hear our friends play music and dance the night away. Saturday was an early morning of hiking at one of my favorite places, Bogyeongsa. The night was spent at Tilt with friends catching up from our weeks and getting into discussions about where we were going for holiday and alike. Sunday found me at my standing coffee date with the crew at my usual hangout spot, 7 Monkeys.
See. I promised I would be quick. All in all, the weekend was fantastic. Good music. Good friends. Beautiful scenery while hiking.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Contracts and Thailand
#133. Koreans throw tissue away after they've used it. Let me rephrase that. In Korea, toilet paper is commonly referred to as "tissue." Most Koreans do not flush the tissue, they trash it. Now, I understand that they are likely trying to put a stop to sewage problems and alike but to the average foreigner it's just plain gross. Another person's waste is not what I want to smell when I walk into the bathroom.
#134. Koreans are helpful when it comes to romantic indiscretions. At most hotels, there are garages with a curtain that falls just low enough so that the license plate of a car cannot be visible from the street. Say, you have a wife or husband who routinely checks on you to make sure you're being faithful? Park your car in one of these handy, dandy parking garages and you're safe from the prying eyes of your clearly-not-so-loved one.
Well, quite a bit has happened since my last post.
As many of you know, I have been grappling (love that word) with the possibility of staying in Korea for another year. I have weighed the viewpoints from my family and friends, the monetary gains and future experiences and have decided to stay. Here are the most important parts of my new contract:
1. I will have an (almost) 2 week vacation from February 2-12 to go home. Actual flight times will be posted later after the flight is booked (hopefully sometime in November if funds allow)
2. I have an end date of November 21st, 2011. Yes, I know that is extremely specific but if you are a member of my family (Comer, Siemonsma, Hay or Brewer) you know how important Thanksgiving is to us. We go all out for the entire week. Complete with a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, shopping (Black Friday is our own little version of crack cocaine), parade watching and plenty of card playing. It took me the better part of 2 weeks to convince my director that I would not stay until Christmas but eventually he saw the light. Either that or he realized I wasn't going to budge and decided it was just easier to cave and let me have what I wanted. My bet is on the latter.
I have also booked my tickets for a THAILAND Christmas. From December 25th-January 2nd myself and 6 friends will be on the beaches of Bangkok with a cutesy little umbrella drink in hand, soaking up the sun. While I do enjoy Bing Crosby's classic, "White Christmas", this year I will enjoy the white of the warm beach sand instead of the colder-than-a witches-tit-in-a-brass-bra snow.
What better way to welcome in 2011 than from the beaches of Thailand.
For now, life is good. Kids are good. Work is good. Friends are good. Family is supportive. What more could I ask for?
To close, here a few pictures of the cutest kids you've ever seen. Ok, well maybe the cutest kids I have ever seen.
#134. Koreans are helpful when it comes to romantic indiscretions. At most hotels, there are garages with a curtain that falls just low enough so that the license plate of a car cannot be visible from the street. Say, you have a wife or husband who routinely checks on you to make sure you're being faithful? Park your car in one of these handy, dandy parking garages and you're safe from the prying eyes of your clearly-not-so-loved one.
Well, quite a bit has happened since my last post.
As many of you know, I have been grappling (love that word) with the possibility of staying in Korea for another year. I have weighed the viewpoints from my family and friends, the monetary gains and future experiences and have decided to stay. Here are the most important parts of my new contract:
1. I will have an (almost) 2 week vacation from February 2-12 to go home. Actual flight times will be posted later after the flight is booked (hopefully sometime in November if funds allow)
2. I have an end date of November 21st, 2011. Yes, I know that is extremely specific but if you are a member of my family (Comer, Siemonsma, Hay or Brewer) you know how important Thanksgiving is to us. We go all out for the entire week. Complete with a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, shopping (Black Friday is our own little version of crack cocaine), parade watching and plenty of card playing. It took me the better part of 2 weeks to convince my director that I would not stay until Christmas but eventually he saw the light. Either that or he realized I wasn't going to budge and decided it was just easier to cave and let me have what I wanted. My bet is on the latter.
I have also booked my tickets for a THAILAND Christmas. From December 25th-January 2nd myself and 6 friends will be on the beaches of Bangkok with a cutesy little umbrella drink in hand, soaking up the sun. While I do enjoy Bing Crosby's classic, "White Christmas", this year I will enjoy the white of the warm beach sand instead of the colder-than-a witches-tit-in-a-brass-bra snow.
What better way to welcome in 2011 than from the beaches of Thailand.
For now, life is good. Kids are good. Work is good. Friends are good. Family is supportive. What more could I ask for?
To close, here a few pictures of the cutest kids you've ever seen. Ok, well maybe the cutest kids I have ever seen.
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| Sunny stole her crayon. Christina is not happy. |
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| The kids showing their multicolored weiner dogs. |
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| Helping Matthew make a fish. The one artsy thing I can do! |
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| Wendy showing off her "smile." She was still drinking out of it 3 days later. |
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| How Christina sees me. I have long, floor length hair, heart shaped earrings, a crown and a gun at my side. When she was asked by Jenn Teacher had a gun her reply was, "But Jenn Teach-uh. You are from America. Americans have funs. Right?! |
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| My whole class. They loved those straw mouths! |
Monday, September 13, 2010
Chuseok, Minbaks and Cincinnati Chili
#131. In Korea there are bed and breakfast-esque set-ups called "minbaks." They are usually found in rural areas and islands and those who frequent them know to expect traditional Korean blankets and a heated floor in place of a bed. Not the most comfortable accommodations but the low prices make it enticing for tourists or people looking for a cheap place to crash.
#132. September brings the Korean version of Thanksgiving known as Chuseok ( 추석 ) . It is a major harvest festival and lasts for three days. All of Korea has the holiday off and generally travel to their ancestral hometowns and share a fest of traditional Korean food.
This past week was a good week. Busy with school. Busy with friends. A new string of teachers coming. Even more leaving. My kids seem to understand more and more English. My school is finally starting to become something I almost look forward to each day. Notice I said almost. My life is finally fitting together. Finally.
This weekend was much like any other weekend in Pohang with the exception of dinner on Saturday night. Now what could be so special about a dinner you may ask? Well if you have been deprived of certain familiar favorites for 7 months and then all of a sudden they were on your plate, it would prove to put a smile on your face as well. Saturday night was a potluck dinner of sorts at the house of Sara Adisi, one of my favorite ladies in Pohang. She made us Cincinnati chili (think Skyline Chili) complete with onions and real shredded cheese. Now I say "real" shredded cheese because there is shitty imitation cheese that shouldn't be allowed to be processed and make the foreigners who miss real cheese long for the cheesyness that is cheese. I don't think I've ever talked so much about cheese in my life. And yes, I know it's just cheese. Ok, i'm done with the cheese talking. Coupled with our amazing chili was a tuna casserole type dish, ramen salad (dry ramen, lettuce, veggies, sauce), fresh baguettes with balsamaic vinegarette and cheesecake for dessert. One of the best meals I have had since arriving in Pohang.
This weekend was much like any other weekend in Pohang with the exception of dinner on Saturday night. Now what could be so special about a dinner you may ask? Well if you have been deprived of certain familiar favorites for 7 months and then all of a sudden they were on your plate, it would prove to put a smile on your face as well. Saturday night was a potluck dinner of sorts at the house of Sara Adisi, one of my favorite ladies in Pohang. She made us Cincinnati chili (think Skyline Chili) complete with onions and real shredded cheese. Now I say "real" shredded cheese because there is shitty imitation cheese that shouldn't be allowed to be processed and make the foreigners who miss real cheese long for the cheesyness that is cheese. I don't think I've ever talked so much about cheese in my life. And yes, I know it's just cheese. Ok, i'm done with the cheese talking. Coupled with our amazing chili was a tuna casserole type dish, ramen salad (dry ramen, lettuce, veggies, sauce), fresh baguettes with balsamaic vinegarette and cheesecake for dessert. One of the best meals I have had since arriving in Pohang.
Sunday once again was my lazy day. Hanging out around downtown and catching up on my blogging or e-mails, pictures on facebook and getting my plan together for the week. I'm all about having the occasional "Sunday Funday" but for the most part, my Sundays are for relaxing. It's my time for myself. Time to see people I don't get to see. Enjoy some coffee. Have a sandwich. Have something familiar to tide me through the week.
This paticular upcoming week is filled with crazy amounts of work. Thankfully I only have 6 more days of teaching and then I have almost a full week off for Chuseok. 6 days of no teaching. No kids. Some friends are headed to China. Some to Thailand. Some to Phillippenes. I unfortunately spent far too much money over summer holiday so a big vacation wasn't feasible for me. A large group of us decided instead to take advantage of the beautiful weather and explore Korea. On September 20th, we will be headed to an island off of Seoul for a few days with 20 or so people in tents or minbaks. Getting out of Pohang for a few days. Get some perspective on our jobs, life, friends, etc.
Saying I am looking forward to this is an understatement to the extreme. I've got a feeling this week will crawl by. Let's hope i'm wrong.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
To Stay or Not to Stay
[It's Sunday again. What began as another afternoon of wandering around downtown, turned into a fun-filled day at the beach. Endless hours of volleyball, singing along to guitars and soaking up the rays. Who could ask for a better afternoon.]
#130. In cars the phone number of the drive is displayed on the interior of the windshield. If you are blocking someone in, the person calls your number and you move your car. Much easier than being the asshole that tows the car. Ingenious Korea.
I am still on the fence about whether or not to stay in Korea for another year. Deciding about whether or not to spend another year away from my family and friends. Figuring out it if it's worth it. I keep having friends of mine getting engaged (3 in the last week), married (4 this summer) or welcoming new additions to their families (5 this year). I feel like I am postponing mine. Starting my own life. Getting on with my life.
On the one hand I could stay in Korea for another year, save money and have new experiences to last me a lifetime. I will meet new friends and go places that most people only dream of. I say that to not put down those people but to simply show that having this opportunity will help me be a better person, use the knowledge I find here in other areas of my life and so forth. For some people, living in another country for an extended period of time is not an option. For me, it's something that will impact me forever. Change who I am. Alter my ideals. My ideas. I'm still me. The same person with the same ideas about what to do with my life and who I want to be..just taking a different path to get there. I think of it as i'm on a slow train instead of a plane. Not the most direct route but it will eventually get me to my destination.
On the other hand if I go home I can go back to school. Get my teaching certificate. Find a school to make my mark on. Find someone to share my life with. Be a big girl. Do everything i'm "supposed" to do. I'm 24 years old. I will be a quarter of a century soon. Not that there is a timeline for my life but I feel like I am running out of time to do everything I want to do. Everything I am supposed to do.
Clearly I have two hands I am thinking on. Decisions to make. If I do end up staying in Pohang for another year I will be coming home for a two week vacation (hopefully) sometime next Spring. That (among others) is one stipulation I have for a new contract. If they do not give me it I will be coming home in the Spring. For good. It's all up to Kids College now. Time will tell.
On a more uplifting note, I will finally get a bicycle next week! One of my good friends in Pohang, Miss Blythe Cooper, is leaving to begin her world traveling adventure and has decided I am the one to get her bike. Solid. I will finally be able to bike back and forth from the beach instead of taking a taxi everytime. Bike downtown. Bike anywhere my little heart desires. I have been dragging my feet buying a bike all summer and now I will finally have one. Hoorah.
#130. In cars the phone number of the drive is displayed on the interior of the windshield. If you are blocking someone in, the person calls your number and you move your car. Much easier than being the asshole that tows the car. Ingenious Korea.
I am still on the fence about whether or not to stay in Korea for another year. Deciding about whether or not to spend another year away from my family and friends. Figuring out it if it's worth it. I keep having friends of mine getting engaged (3 in the last week), married (4 this summer) or welcoming new additions to their families (5 this year). I feel like I am postponing mine. Starting my own life. Getting on with my life.
On the one hand I could stay in Korea for another year, save money and have new experiences to last me a lifetime. I will meet new friends and go places that most people only dream of. I say that to not put down those people but to simply show that having this opportunity will help me be a better person, use the knowledge I find here in other areas of my life and so forth. For some people, living in another country for an extended period of time is not an option. For me, it's something that will impact me forever. Change who I am. Alter my ideals. My ideas. I'm still me. The same person with the same ideas about what to do with my life and who I want to be..just taking a different path to get there. I think of it as i'm on a slow train instead of a plane. Not the most direct route but it will eventually get me to my destination.
On the other hand if I go home I can go back to school. Get my teaching certificate. Find a school to make my mark on. Find someone to share my life with. Be a big girl. Do everything i'm "supposed" to do. I'm 24 years old. I will be a quarter of a century soon. Not that there is a timeline for my life but I feel like I am running out of time to do everything I want to do. Everything I am supposed to do.
Clearly I have two hands I am thinking on. Decisions to make. If I do end up staying in Pohang for another year I will be coming home for a two week vacation (hopefully) sometime next Spring. That (among others) is one stipulation I have for a new contract. If they do not give me it I will be coming home in the Spring. For good. It's all up to Kids College now. Time will tell.
On a more uplifting note, I will finally get a bicycle next week! One of my good friends in Pohang, Miss Blythe Cooper, is leaving to begin her world traveling adventure and has decided I am the one to get her bike. Solid. I will finally be able to bike back and forth from the beach instead of taking a taxi everytime. Bike downtown. Bike anywhere my little heart desires. I have been dragging my feet buying a bike all summer and now I will finally have one. Hoorah.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Curly Hair and Weekends
[During my weekly Sunday walk around Pohang I saw a Korean man with a tattoo that read, "No Pians. No Gains." A tattoo is permanent. Spell check before you ink. Lesson learned.]
#128. In Korea the English teachers are sometimes offered to do private lessons for students not in their schools. Usually they are referred by word of mouth or just by happenstance. Teaching outside of a teacher's school is highly frowned upon and in some severe cases (very rare) the teacher in question can be deported if found guilty. If you do private lessons you have to be very careful of who you tell, where you do them, etc. Generally the pay (usually ranging between $40-70 an hour) is worth the risk.
#129. In the past I have talked about the curly hair phenomenon that has swept Korea. Permas are a hot commodity here and all the rage for men or women. The topic for today is how Koreans respond to foreigners with naturally curly hair. It is extremely rare for a Korean to be born with anything other than stick straight hair so the idea that I don't share the same type of hair is completely foreign to them. As many of you know, I have naturally wavy hair that goes a little nuts in high humidity. Lately Korea has been intensely humid and my hair has reacted accordingly. Frizz central. Students are constantly touching my hair and asking when I got a perma. Strangers on the street do the same thing. I know I look different than you but leave my hair alone. It's a hot mess in the humidity. I get that. Thank you for your interest but there is no touching of the tresses. I'd wear a sign but I can't yet write in Korean.
I have clearly calmed down since my last post. My kids were much more behaved and I only had to threaten one student. I love weekends in Korea but they just go by so fast that more often than not I am even more exhausted on Monday because of it. Having two whole days with no children begging for your attention is more appealing than I can even say. The foreigners pack the local beaches, bars and noraebongs and try their best to cram in enough fun to get them through the next week.
Now don't get me wrong. I love my job. I love my kids. I love my school (most days). It is just freeing to be able to leave the confines of my school and be with 40+ foreigners who just had the same kind of week as me. People who understand the obnoxious children who put gum in each others hair. Who teach kids that speak in Korean constantly and have no idea what they're saying. Who have coworkers that speak minimal English which perpetuates the hand signals you all know I love to do.
The list goes on and on.
#128. In Korea the English teachers are sometimes offered to do private lessons for students not in their schools. Usually they are referred by word of mouth or just by happenstance. Teaching outside of a teacher's school is highly frowned upon and in some severe cases (very rare) the teacher in question can be deported if found guilty. If you do private lessons you have to be very careful of who you tell, where you do them, etc. Generally the pay (usually ranging between $40-70 an hour) is worth the risk.
#129. In the past I have talked about the curly hair phenomenon that has swept Korea. Permas are a hot commodity here and all the rage for men or women. The topic for today is how Koreans respond to foreigners with naturally curly hair. It is extremely rare for a Korean to be born with anything other than stick straight hair so the idea that I don't share the same type of hair is completely foreign to them. As many of you know, I have naturally wavy hair that goes a little nuts in high humidity. Lately Korea has been intensely humid and my hair has reacted accordingly. Frizz central. Students are constantly touching my hair and asking when I got a perma. Strangers on the street do the same thing. I know I look different than you but leave my hair alone. It's a hot mess in the humidity. I get that. Thank you for your interest but there is no touching of the tresses. I'd wear a sign but I can't yet write in Korean.
I have clearly calmed down since my last post. My kids were much more behaved and I only had to threaten one student. I love weekends in Korea but they just go by so fast that more often than not I am even more exhausted on Monday because of it. Having two whole days with no children begging for your attention is more appealing than I can even say. The foreigners pack the local beaches, bars and noraebongs and try their best to cram in enough fun to get them through the next week.
Now don't get me wrong. I love my job. I love my kids. I love my school (most days). It is just freeing to be able to leave the confines of my school and be with 40+ foreigners who just had the same kind of week as me. People who understand the obnoxious children who put gum in each others hair. Who teach kids that speak in Korean constantly and have no idea what they're saying. Who have coworkers that speak minimal English which perpetuates the hand signals you all know I love to do.
The list goes on and on.
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| Just a few of the people that make this experience worthwhile |
Sunday, August 15, 2010
White Trash and Summer Camp
[Still no decision made on whether or not to remain in Korea for an additional length of time. I am attempting to listen to my heart and trust whatever it tells me to do. We'll see how that goes.]
#126. In Korea never assume that the American films at the local movie theater are in English. Don't be duped by the English name or the listing for the movie that is English. Always double check by asking the movie-cashier-lady of sorts if it is truly in English. I have been very lucky in here until this afternoon when a group of us went to see Toy Story 3. Imagine our surprise when Woody begins to speak in Korean. Now we know. Always double-triple check.
#127. Koreans cannot have dual citizenship. Here they can only be Korean. They are allowed to have a permanent residence in another country but not another citizenship. Just one of the many differences between Korea and the United States.
This weekend was definitely one for the Korean scrapbook. Included was a goodbye themed party for one of Pohang's favorite ladies, Miss Megan Bruce. Imagine an entire town of foreigners dressed to the nines in the finest white trash apparel available. Complete with intense eye shadow, trucker hats, hideous tattoos, rollers in the hair and every other white trash faux pas imaginable.
Also included in my weekend was my first summer camp with my school. We went to our sleepover camp place that is about 40 minutes from our school and had a great time. Games took up the first few hours, dinner in the middle and more games and a speech contest rounded out our night. It was interesting to see the kids away from the educational confines of Kids College. They were so excited to spend the evening with myself and my coteacher Heather that it was hilarious. Every time one of my kids got someone out in dodgeball they would yell "Jenn Teacher!" just so I would look. After getting a big thumbs up from me the inevitable smile would fill their face and my heart would melt all over again.
Even though we were hot and sweaty and had to give up our coveted Friday evening, sometimes it takes a night like that to remind me why I do what I do.
Oh and as always, comments are welcome, encouraged and appreciated.
#126. In Korea never assume that the American films at the local movie theater are in English. Don't be duped by the English name or the listing for the movie that is English. Always double check by asking the movie-cashier-lady of sorts if it is truly in English. I have been very lucky in here until this afternoon when a group of us went to see Toy Story 3. Imagine our surprise when Woody begins to speak in Korean. Now we know. Always double-triple check.
#127. Koreans cannot have dual citizenship. Here they can only be Korean. They are allowed to have a permanent residence in another country but not another citizenship. Just one of the many differences between Korea and the United States.
This weekend was definitely one for the Korean scrapbook. Included was a goodbye themed party for one of Pohang's favorite ladies, Miss Megan Bruce. Imagine an entire town of foreigners dressed to the nines in the finest white trash apparel available. Complete with intense eye shadow, trucker hats, hideous tattoos, rollers in the hair and every other white trash faux pas imaginable.
Also included in my weekend was my first summer camp with my school. We went to our sleepover camp place that is about 40 minutes from our school and had a great time. Games took up the first few hours, dinner in the middle and more games and a speech contest rounded out our night. It was interesting to see the kids away from the educational confines of Kids College. They were so excited to spend the evening with myself and my coteacher Heather that it was hilarious. Every time one of my kids got someone out in dodgeball they would yell "Jenn Teacher!" just so I would look. After getting a big thumbs up from me the inevitable smile would fill their face and my heart would melt all over again.
Even though we were hot and sweaty and had to give up our coveted Friday evening, sometimes it takes a night like that to remind me why I do what I do.
Oh and as always, comments are welcome, encouraged and appreciated.
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| White trashing it up with my best friend in Pohang |
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| Getting the velcro rollers out of Megan's hair. We learned that night to never EVER put rollers in naturally curly hair. |
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| The woman of the hour with a few of her TILT favorites, John and Andy |
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| Jesus Drives a Ford |
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| Some of my kiddos cheesing it up for the camera in between dodgeball games |
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| To of my favorite girls: Elly and Sophia |
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| The entire group |
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| My group for the night. We named ourselves The Tigers. |
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| I taught my kids the "Down by the Banks" game. Anyone who was in the girl scouts knows exactly the game I am referring to. |
Friday, August 13, 2010
Jenn Teacher
#124. In Korea they will hospitalize you for anything and everything. Common cold? Hospitalization. Slight fever. Shots in the butt and hospitalization. A fractured ankle? A 2 week stay, multiple shots in the butt and talks of surgery. No. Thank. You.
#125. Korean T-Shirts. Unfortunately for my readers I do not have photos to do this phenomenon the justice it deserves. Just imagine if you see all of the words on a tshirt completely jumbled around and making absolutely zero sense but making sense in a way that you knew the original intention. Instead of "The grass is always greener on the other side" the Korean version would say something like "Greener grass on the other side is Greener." You get the idea. Clearly I will just have to find an amazing Koreanesque shirt for you to witness.
[The following is completely unrelated with previous posts. Just something that has been on my mind. That's what a blog is for afterall.]
I graduated from Ball State with a degree in Public Relations. It is a good degree from one of the best Journalism schools in the country. I should feel lucky and privileged. Instead I feel silly for not following my initial major to graduation: elementary education. And no the irony is not lost on me that the field I turned my back on is now the field I am most in love with. Regardless of how silly I feel for having a degree that I don't use or care to use, it taught me about myself. Without my change in that path I would not have all of the people in my life that I do now or have the same experiences. I have never been one to say "everything happens for a reason" but in this case I believe it to be true
Everything in my life has brought me to Korea. I have been wrestling with the idea of staying in Pohang for another year or at the very least extending my current contract an additional six months. I am at the halfway point in my contract and in the not so distant future I will have to start making decisions on whether or not Korea could potentially be my home for the next year or if America is where its at. Sure I miss my family. My friends. America. I miss them all more than I can put into words but at least for the near future I think Korea is where I am supposed to be. Being here has reminded me of my original dream to become a teacher.
I know that I eventually do want to get my teaching license, get my own classroom and start a new life back in the states. It is the "eventually" part that has got me wondering what my true reasons for extending my stay in Korea could be. I am having trouble figuring out if I am extending my stay to prolong the inevitable of going back to school or if staying here in Korea is something I am meant to do for the foreseeable future.
I turned away from the idea of becoming a teacher in college. Incredibly, now I am one. Now I know how to be one when I eventually find my way back to America. Whenever that may be.
#125. Korean T-Shirts. Unfortunately for my readers I do not have photos to do this phenomenon the justice it deserves. Just imagine if you see all of the words on a tshirt completely jumbled around and making absolutely zero sense but making sense in a way that you knew the original intention. Instead of "The grass is always greener on the other side" the Korean version would say something like "Greener grass on the other side is Greener." You get the idea. Clearly I will just have to find an amazing Koreanesque shirt for you to witness.
[The following is completely unrelated with previous posts. Just something that has been on my mind. That's what a blog is for afterall.]
I graduated from Ball State with a degree in Public Relations. It is a good degree from one of the best Journalism schools in the country. I should feel lucky and privileged. Instead I feel silly for not following my initial major to graduation: elementary education. And no the irony is not lost on me that the field I turned my back on is now the field I am most in love with. Regardless of how silly I feel for having a degree that I don't use or care to use, it taught me about myself. Without my change in that path I would not have all of the people in my life that I do now or have the same experiences. I have never been one to say "everything happens for a reason" but in this case I believe it to be true
Everything in my life has brought me to Korea. I have been wrestling with the idea of staying in Pohang for another year or at the very least extending my current contract an additional six months. I am at the halfway point in my contract and in the not so distant future I will have to start making decisions on whether or not Korea could potentially be my home for the next year or if America is where its at. Sure I miss my family. My friends. America. I miss them all more than I can put into words but at least for the near future I think Korea is where I am supposed to be. Being here has reminded me of my original dream to become a teacher.
I know that I eventually do want to get my teaching license, get my own classroom and start a new life back in the states. It is the "eventually" part that has got me wondering what my true reasons for extending my stay in Korea could be. I am having trouble figuring out if I am extending my stay to prolong the inevitable of going back to school or if staying here in Korea is something I am meant to do for the foreseeable future.
I turned away from the idea of becoming a teacher in college. Incredibly, now I am one. Now I know how to be one when I eventually find my way back to America. Whenever that may be.
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| 10 of the cutest reasons I have been inspired to get back to teaching when I return to America |
Monday, August 9, 2010
Manpris, Transformers and Rogaine
[Last week I played "Can you guess what I am thinking with 8 year olds. The clues were "It is very big. It is in many countries. It goes on a track. People ride in it to different places." The first guess was TV. The next was a baby brother. They've got a long way to go...]
#120. In Korea Manpris are everywhere. For those of you who are not aware of what manpris are they are capris (not quite shorts but not quite pants) worn on men. In America men would never wear capris. In Korea the men just can't get enough.
#121. It is common for many people to wear glasses for the fashion aspect. While there are many Koreans who wear glasses because they are prescription, it is commonplace to see glasses with clear lenses specifically because it is considered fashionable.
#122. This isn't really a Korean-ism but it is Korea-based so it belongs here. I lose more hair in Korea than most people have on their heads. Before coming here I had thick hair that I often got thinned out at the salon. Now I feel like a balding, middle-aged woman who needs a strong dose of Rogaine.
#123. On Korean television, one movie is chosen and shown over and over again for months. Sometimes years. This year is Transformers. On any given day it is usually a good bet that CGV (one of the English stations) will have it on at some point during the day. More often than not twice a day.
It's weird to not be the new person in Pohang anymore. The student has become the teacher when it comes to helping people navigate around downtown, figure out the bus system, etc. I love that I am becoming someone that people can call on to help them around town. I can help people figure out what food is tasty, what beaches are best, what bars are best, etc.
Who have ever thought that I would be that person? Surely not me.
#120. In Korea Manpris are everywhere. For those of you who are not aware of what manpris are they are capris (not quite shorts but not quite pants) worn on men. In America men would never wear capris. In Korea the men just can't get enough.
#121. It is common for many people to wear glasses for the fashion aspect. While there are many Koreans who wear glasses because they are prescription, it is commonplace to see glasses with clear lenses specifically because it is considered fashionable.
#122. This isn't really a Korean-ism but it is Korea-based so it belongs here. I lose more hair in Korea than most people have on their heads. Before coming here I had thick hair that I often got thinned out at the salon. Now I feel like a balding, middle-aged woman who needs a strong dose of Rogaine.
#123. On Korean television, one movie is chosen and shown over and over again for months. Sometimes years. This year is Transformers. On any given day it is usually a good bet that CGV (one of the English stations) will have it on at some point during the day. More often than not twice a day.
It's weird to not be the new person in Pohang anymore. The student has become the teacher when it comes to helping people navigate around downtown, figure out the bus system, etc. I love that I am becoming someone that people can call on to help them around town. I can help people figure out what food is tasty, what beaches are best, what bars are best, etc.
Who have ever thought that I would be that person? Surely not me.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Water, Capes and Hiking
[And the countdown for Japan begins. In 9 days I will be on a plane to Japan for one week of uninterrupted vacation time. NO itty bitties. NO schedules to make. NO playing referee to who put glue in whose hair. Just Japan, my girls and me.]
#116. It is rare for most Koreans to use soap when washing their hands. For some reason they think that using water will kill whatever germs are on their hands. Maybe this is why I do not drink Korean tap water. If it can kill germs I want no part of it.
#117. Koreans absolutely hate the rain. Now, I dislike the rain as much as the next person but God forbid it rains in Korea. Out come the oversized umbrellas. Running as fast as humanly possible to get out of the rain (in high heals mind you). Constantly checking their hair to make sure it is still stick straight and coiffed correctly. No thank you. I will use an umbrella but if I get wet so be it. It's just water folks.We're not in the Wizard of Oz. Melting is not a side effect.
#118. The majority of the Korean population can't swim. Let me give you an example. Over the weekend we went hiking and ended up at a waterfall where the boys took a casual swim. The water was as deep as any average pool. Some shallow parts. Some deep parts. As the boys waded further in where they could no longer touch the bottom the Korean onlookers (yes we always draw a crowd) started screaming for them to get out. "No Swimming! Danger! Get out!" Well to all of you scardy-cat Koreans, maybe we foreigners learned how to swim when we were babies and can doggie paddle just fine. Until you see us flailing our arms for help just continue watching in awe as to how the crazy foreigners can remain alive while submerged in water. Thanks.
#119. Korean women wear full makeup, leg warmers, tights and even the casual cape to the gym. It's sort of a bad throwback to the 80's that now incorporates the desire to be a super hero while hitting the treadmill. Korean style exercising at its finest.
So as #118 said I went hiking over the weekend. Not only did I go hiking but I did it in flip flops. With a newly healed ankle. Not my brightest move. When we were planning on going for a day trip to a few temples and waterfalls I naively assumed that it was a casual walk where flip flops would be acceptable. 2 hours later at the second waterfall I realized just how wrong I was. It was unbelievably worth it (pretty sure the pictures prove that) but my legs have never been as sore as they were the following day.
Tip of the day: When you are going to participate in an activity that remotely SOUNDS athletic wear tennis shoes.
#116. It is rare for most Koreans to use soap when washing their hands. For some reason they think that using water will kill whatever germs are on their hands. Maybe this is why I do not drink Korean tap water. If it can kill germs I want no part of it.
#117. Koreans absolutely hate the rain. Now, I dislike the rain as much as the next person but God forbid it rains in Korea. Out come the oversized umbrellas. Running as fast as humanly possible to get out of the rain (in high heals mind you). Constantly checking their hair to make sure it is still stick straight and coiffed correctly. No thank you. I will use an umbrella but if I get wet so be it. It's just water folks.We're not in the Wizard of Oz. Melting is not a side effect.
#118. The majority of the Korean population can't swim. Let me give you an example. Over the weekend we went hiking and ended up at a waterfall where the boys took a casual swim. The water was as deep as any average pool. Some shallow parts. Some deep parts. As the boys waded further in where they could no longer touch the bottom the Korean onlookers (yes we always draw a crowd) started screaming for them to get out. "No Swimming! Danger! Get out!" Well to all of you scardy-cat Koreans, maybe we foreigners learned how to swim when we were babies and can doggie paddle just fine. Until you see us flailing our arms for help just continue watching in awe as to how the crazy foreigners can remain alive while submerged in water. Thanks.
#119. Korean women wear full makeup, leg warmers, tights and even the casual cape to the gym. It's sort of a bad throwback to the 80's that now incorporates the desire to be a super hero while hitting the treadmill. Korean style exercising at its finest.
So as #118 said I went hiking over the weekend. Not only did I go hiking but I did it in flip flops. With a newly healed ankle. Not my brightest move. When we were planning on going for a day trip to a few temples and waterfalls I naively assumed that it was a casual walk where flip flops would be acceptable. 2 hours later at the second waterfall I realized just how wrong I was. It was unbelievably worth it (pretty sure the pictures prove that) but my legs have never been as sore as they were the following day.
Tip of the day: When you are going to participate in an activity that remotely SOUNDS athletic wear tennis shoes.
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| The 2nd waterfall |
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| The boys taking turns doing dives |
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| Tim testing his lucky by jumping off of a 30ft cliff |
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| Beautiful temples everywhere |
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| A wishing tree--the black tablets at the base is a wishing tablet. Whatever you write down, the monks of the temples will pray for you. |
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| Gorgeous temple |
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| A Buddha tucked up in one of the hills of a trail |
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fukuoka, Japan
[In the past week I have watched two of my closest friends get on buses and go home to their respective countries. To Jen and Kyle: JSD will not be the same without you. Thank you for making my first 4 months in Korea something I will always remember]
#114. Continuing on the abortion theme, abortions are common in Korea. Really common. 50% of all pregnancies end up in abortion. Surprising for a country that professes to be all Jesus-centric.
#113. It is extremely rare for someone to have a child out of wedlock. If a pregnancy does occur the child will more than likely be aborted or "deleted" as my Korean co-teacher said. Simple keystroke on the computer. Make an unwanted child go away. Delete.
#114. Continuing on the abortion theme, abortions are common in Korea. Really common. 50% of all pregnancies end up in abortion. Surprising for a country that professes to be all Jesus-centric.
#115. Dill pickles are ridiculously difficult to find. It is the sweet pickles that seem to be the favorite of the Korean population. Damn. Point America.
Life in Pohang has been relatively quiet over the past week. People keep leaving to go home to their respective countires. New people keep coming. Go to work. Come home. Blah blah blah. The one exciting thing that has happened is that I finally booked my vacation destination for my summer holiday.
Myself and three other girls have decided on Fukuoka, Japan. The flight is cheap. Tons to see. Relatively inexpensive if done wisely. Our current list of things to do is as follows
1. Go scuba diving
2. Visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki (This could prove to be difficult considering that the anniversary of the atomic bomb is the week following our visit. We have been told that the Japanese love Americans EXCEPT during the time around this particular holiday. With good reason. I guess we didn't think this all the way through.)
3. Kyoto night bus tour
4. Visit the various temples and shrines around the city
The list will continue to grow i'm sure but this is what we are interested in at the moment. I am looking forward to a week of no students, no obnoxious Marines thinking they are God's gift to women and no worrying. In less than 3 weeks I will be out of Pohang and experiencing Japan.
Let's hope these three weeks fly by...
Life in Pohang has been relatively quiet over the past week. People keep leaving to go home to their respective countires. New people keep coming. Go to work. Come home. Blah blah blah. The one exciting thing that has happened is that I finally booked my vacation destination for my summer holiday.
Myself and three other girls have decided on Fukuoka, Japan. The flight is cheap. Tons to see. Relatively inexpensive if done wisely. Our current list of things to do is as follows
1. Go scuba diving
2. Visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki (This could prove to be difficult considering that the anniversary of the atomic bomb is the week following our visit. We have been told that the Japanese love Americans EXCEPT during the time around this particular holiday. With good reason. I guess we didn't think this all the way through.)
3. Kyoto night bus tour
4. Visit the various temples and shrines around the city
The list will continue to grow i'm sure but this is what we are interested in at the moment. I am looking forward to a week of no students, no obnoxious Marines thinking they are God's gift to women and no worrying. In less than 3 weeks I will be out of Pohang and experiencing Japan.
Let's hope these three weeks fly by...
Monday, June 28, 2010
World Cup Disappointments
[Two of my best friends in Korea are leaving this week to go back to their respective homes. Jen will go back to Canada. Kyle will go back to Chicago. I know it's part of the job to make friends only for them to leave but just didn't realize I would lose so many so quickly.]
#111. Koreans follow you around clothing stores. Whenever you walk into a clothing store (this pertains to other stores as well but specifically clothing) the workers of the store follow you. In close proximity. Now I don't know if they are just making sure you know that their clothes won't fit your non-Korean body or just to make you feel uncomfortable but I've got a tip for you Korean-clothing-store-followers. If you follow me around I will leave without purchasing anything. Give me some space. Let me browse and I may give you some of my hard earned Kids College money.
#112. Koreans are not afraid to be brutally honest. If they haven't seen you in awhile and you've lost weight they will comment. If you've gained weight they will comment. They don't do it to be rude or to offend you. To them it's just stating the facts. In America people talk behind your back about how much weight you've gained or about how that haircut makes your ass look big. Not sure which one I would rather have.
Well the World Cup fever is slowly filtering out of Korea. South Korea lost to Uruguay. USA lost to Ghana. England lost to Germany. The majority of the people who had teams they were rooting for are now either trying to find a team to cheer for or have thrown in the towel. There are still many teams left that are worth rooting for but some of the magic for me is gone. There is something about cheering for your home country while in another country that makes you feel a little extra patriotic. I still stand by my newfound respect for soccer and will continue to watch the World Cup but I think the days of me staying up until 7am to watch a game are over. It was fun while it lasted for both my teams.
As a Cubs fan I am the master of saying "There is always next year." In this case there is always the next World Cup. In 2014. Clearly I have the time to improve my soccer knowledge.
#111. Koreans follow you around clothing stores. Whenever you walk into a clothing store (this pertains to other stores as well but specifically clothing) the workers of the store follow you. In close proximity. Now I don't know if they are just making sure you know that their clothes won't fit your non-Korean body or just to make you feel uncomfortable but I've got a tip for you Korean-clothing-store-followers. If you follow me around I will leave without purchasing anything. Give me some space. Let me browse and I may give you some of my hard earned Kids College money.
#112. Koreans are not afraid to be brutally honest. If they haven't seen you in awhile and you've lost weight they will comment. If you've gained weight they will comment. They don't do it to be rude or to offend you. To them it's just stating the facts. In America people talk behind your back about how much weight you've gained or about how that haircut makes your ass look big. Not sure which one I would rather have.
Well the World Cup fever is slowly filtering out of Korea. South Korea lost to Uruguay. USA lost to Ghana. England lost to Germany. The majority of the people who had teams they were rooting for are now either trying to find a team to cheer for or have thrown in the towel. There are still many teams left that are worth rooting for but some of the magic for me is gone. There is something about cheering for your home country while in another country that makes you feel a little extra patriotic. I still stand by my newfound respect for soccer and will continue to watch the World Cup but I think the days of me staying up until 7am to watch a game are over. It was fun while it lasted for both my teams.
As a Cubs fan I am the master of saying "There is always next year." In this case there is always the next World Cup. In 2014. Clearly I have the time to improve my soccer knowledge.
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| Outside with a diehard Korea fan |
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| The kids of Pohang with our new Korean friends |
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| Koreans love to throw out the peace sign |
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| Some of the ladies of Pohang |
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| Cheesing it up with my co-worker Kyle |
Friday, June 25, 2010
World Cup Fever
[Receiving packages from home when I was in college was nice. It was usually a care package to get me through finals or a gift for my birthday. Receiving packages while in a foreign country is like Christmas. Thank you Mom and Dad for the packages lately.I couldn't ask for a better way to start my day than with a package from home.]
#110. Koreans hold grudges when it comes to their soccer. Park Ji Sung is the best athlete on the South Korean team. He is beloved by his fellow Koreans and has always been supported...until recently. During the game against Argentina he accidentally scored a goal on his own team. It has been more than a week since this happened and Korea has since made it to the top 16...but the Koreans are still unhappy. My kids at school refuse to cheer for him and tell me they hate him. Intense itty bitties.
As many of you know, America is not big on watching soccer. There are three big sports that the majority of the country watches: baseball, basketball and football (not necessarily in that order). Here in Korea soccer is one of the only sports that matters. Soccer fever has swept the country even more than usual when the South Korean team advanced to the top 16 for the first time since 2002. The beaches are packed with people watching the games on a huge screen. The bars are filled to capacity with people fighting for a spot to watch the match. The phrase, "DAE HAN MIN GUK!" (basically meaning 'again Korea') has been yelled in the streets since the beginning of the World Cup.
Koreans are incredibly patriotic and love nothing more than to yell their coin phrase over and over again. In Korea there are no bandwagon fans when it comes to soccer. They all support the team and watch as many matches as they can. Case and point, my entire Korean staff went to our school at 330am for the deciding game to watch their team advance into history. How many adults in America would do that? One thing I have definitely learned about America is that bandwagon fans are plenty and right now I am one of them. The game is fast paced, the players are hot (yes i'm shallow) and the game is relatively short (only 90 minutes).
Yup. I'm a band-wagoner. Before I came to Korea I didn't watch soccer. Didn't play soccer. Didn't give two shits about soccer. Now that I am here and have been playing consistently on a league (before I broke myself of course) and have witnessed the madness that is Korean soccer, I have developed an appreciation for the game.
Soccer is without a doubt the favorite sport of people around the globe. I may have started out as a band-wagon fan but after catching the World Cup fever, who knows.
South Korea plays against Uruguay at 11. USA plays against Ghana at 3am. I'm rooting for them both. I figure i'm an American living in South Korea so that means I can have two teams. Right?
DAE HAN MIN GUK
GO USA
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| Watching the Korea vs. Argentina game at Bukbu Beach |
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| Cheering on America at Whistlers Bar |
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| Korean man at his finest. Dae Han Min Guk! |
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| The Pohang crew sporting red to support South Korea |
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| Clearly happy with the USA win. GO USA! |
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Korean Traditions about Childbirth/Parenting
[After talking about this with my good friend Frank I decided I needed to devote a post to it. This post is devoted to the oddities of Korean traditions regarding their children. While I do not agree with the vast majority of the way that Korean children are brought into this world or raised, I acknowledge that the American and Korean cultures are completely different. I have a deep respect for any woman that is strong enough to bring another human being into this world. Please take my words at face value and realize these are just my viewpoints, not an attack on the Korean culture as a whole.]
#103. Traditionally, boys were treasured and girls were thought of as 'leftovers'. Just as in China, boys were sought after instead of girls because the new male generation would be able to work in the fields and also keep the family name from dying out. If a wife was unable to give birth to a boy, then a surrogate mother was sought after to provide a male child. The mother-in-law would choose the surrogate mother for her son. No thank you. If I can't provide my husband with a boy then he will freaking accept a little girl.
#104. During childbirth, the mother was restricted to only seeing things of beauty. It was believed anything that the mother looked at would influence the child's appearance such as shape and features. For instance, mothers would not be able to look at dead flowers since it would have a negative omen for the childbirth.
#105. The expecting mother was and still is placed on a strict diet. The diet usually excluded spicy or hot foods, ugly foods, and broken pieces of food or even duck. Spicy/hot foods were excluded because the mother is already hot, therefore it would clash with the creation of the baby. Eating ugly food could result in an ugly child, which included bruised foods or a food that had a blemish. Broken foods include things like broken noodles broken crackers and et cetera. Then there were the animals such as duck that were excluded from the diet since it would give the child "webbed" feet or other unwanted features.
#106. Korean mothers are made to keep quiet throughout the entire childbirth process. This is from the belief that screaming shows signs of shame and weakness which will be passed along to the child. If I am in the process of squeezing a human life out of my body and I want to scream there is no one on this earth that would think of stopping me. A sign of weakness? I think not.
#107. After birth, the baby is usually with the mother at all times, even when sleeping. At this time, the mother is only allowed to eat warm foods and drinks (even in the summer) since the mothers are considered "cold". A common soup was "miyuk guk", a kind of seaweed soup, since it was to clean out the toxins from childbirth and was to be eaten by the mother for four weeks after giving birth. 4 weeks of the same food. I like a bit of variety in my diet thank you.
#108. From the time the baby is young, it is a common action for parents to massage the baby's legs to increase growth and make the baby tall..
#109. More recently, parents also like to massage the eyelids of the baby while sleeping to try to get the baby to grow eye folds.
There you go. Koreans and their childbirth and parenting skills. I think the American way suits me just a little bit better.
#103. Traditionally, boys were treasured and girls were thought of as 'leftovers'. Just as in China, boys were sought after instead of girls because the new male generation would be able to work in the fields and also keep the family name from dying out. If a wife was unable to give birth to a boy, then a surrogate mother was sought after to provide a male child. The mother-in-law would choose the surrogate mother for her son. No thank you. If I can't provide my husband with a boy then he will freaking accept a little girl.
#104. During childbirth, the mother was restricted to only seeing things of beauty. It was believed anything that the mother looked at would influence the child's appearance such as shape and features. For instance, mothers would not be able to look at dead flowers since it would have a negative omen for the childbirth.
#105. The expecting mother was and still is placed on a strict diet. The diet usually excluded spicy or hot foods, ugly foods, and broken pieces of food or even duck. Spicy/hot foods were excluded because the mother is already hot, therefore it would clash with the creation of the baby. Eating ugly food could result in an ugly child, which included bruised foods or a food that had a blemish. Broken foods include things like broken noodles broken crackers and et cetera. Then there were the animals such as duck that were excluded from the diet since it would give the child "webbed" feet or other unwanted features.
#106. Korean mothers are made to keep quiet throughout the entire childbirth process. This is from the belief that screaming shows signs of shame and weakness which will be passed along to the child. If I am in the process of squeezing a human life out of my body and I want to scream there is no one on this earth that would think of stopping me. A sign of weakness? I think not.
#107. After birth, the baby is usually with the mother at all times, even when sleeping. At this time, the mother is only allowed to eat warm foods and drinks (even in the summer) since the mothers are considered "cold". A common soup was "miyuk guk", a kind of seaweed soup, since it was to clean out the toxins from childbirth and was to be eaten by the mother for four weeks after giving birth. 4 weeks of the same food. I like a bit of variety in my diet thank you.
#108. From the time the baby is young, it is a common action for parents to massage the baby's legs to increase growth and make the baby tall..
#109. More recently, parents also like to massage the eyelids of the baby while sleeping to try to get the baby to grow eye folds.
There you go. Koreans and their childbirth and parenting skills. I think the American way suits me just a little bit better.
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