As I am writing this, the Taliban is holding a busload of South Korean Christian missionaries hostage. From what I understand, they were only planning to be there a week or so and were doing more service work than proselytizing. Even so, both the South Korean government and the Afghan government have warned Christian missionaries to stay away from Afghanistan especially the Southern area for fear of their safety; now the Taliban is using them to force the South Korean peacekeeping troops out of Afganistan. The South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has said that he already planned to withdraw them by the end of the year.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2878299
On the subject of Christian missionaries, I encountered some of them in the foreigner's peoples' republic of Itaewon tonight.
Hmm.. I might as well tell the story of my day backwards.
Before leaving Seoul and returning to my home in Gamdan, I spent some time in Itaewon, which is right by the military base and has an interesting blend of Korean, Western and even Middle Eastern restaurants and shops. It's a great place, and you'll always find something interesting (I found a Mexican restaurant where inside a black guy was talking to two white girls in French), but it has a reputation for being a bit seedy. I didn't walk but a few blocks before a woman popped out of a door and tried to grab me to get me to go into a place called "Peach Phuzz." Nope didn't do it, and I don't think I missed anything.
So back to the Christian missionaries (in Itaewon, not Afghanistan), there they were in Itaewon with acoustic guitars singing Christian songs in Korean. They were probably there preaching against the evils of exploitation, excessive alcoholism and debauchery. Reminds me of my days back in the historic Carytown district of Richmond, Virginia where Southern Baptist groups were doing the same thing. Goes to show that sometimes, the farther you go, the closer things remain.
Before Itaewon, I had just come from the National Theater, where I was expecting to see a free cultural performance outside. There was none but there was the musical production of Cats and an exhibit about the history of the National Theater. But after hearing the Jellicle cats song repeated over and over again, I had to get out of there and fast.
On my way to the National Theater, I had decided to bypass the busy streets and subways and walk through Namsan park (the Park where the Seoul Tower is) to get there. Big Mistake. This "park" ended up being a mountain, and I had already walked a great deal already.
The place I had come from was Yongsam electronic market...except there was so many electronic markets around it was hard to tell which one was the electronics markets. Picture . Floors and floors were full of cell phones. Other floors had monitors and cpu units. Still others had DVDs (mostly illegal) and video games. The deals were great; the appliances plentful, but I had walked so many miles (actually I hadn't walked yet only taken the subway..the walking came later chronologically meaning earlier in this passage) for a single item: an American plug adapter: 40 cents.
The day was partly cloudy and there were a few raindrops here and there. I decided to declare Saturdays: Seoul Saturdays because I was such a short way from the city, and there was so much to do.
I woke up.
2007년 7월 21일 토요일
2007년 7월 17일 화요일
National Lawmaker's Day
On Monday at the school I work at, I was welcomed by a lovely surprise. There was no school on Tuesday because it was National Lawmaker's Day (as the students translated for me, the official translation is Constitution Day). The holiday celebrates the selection of the first members of the South Korean National Assembly. Imagine if we had a day celebrating our politicians. I could never imagine that happening. I'd be willing to bet that we're more likely to have an equivalent to "Guy Fawkes Day" where we'd burn effigies of our politicians than celebrating their accomplishments. I mean we do have the 4th of July, but that's more of a celebration of rhetoric and a military declaration rather than policy making.
Oh! Just read on Wikipedia that 2007 is the last year of South Korea giving their workers a day off on Constitution Day. I guess every nation-state's glorification of democracy has an expiration date.
So on my day off, I explored some of the more secluded areas of Seoul. I found some very interesting museums. The museums were all cheap if not free, and usually they give you free tea for making your way up there. The two museums I stepped inside were the Buddhist Art Museum and the Silk Road Museum. At the Buddhist Art Museum, the woman at the front desk gave me postcards as a "present." Point of advice for traveling: always say you're a student. The deals are better. I'm planning to be a "student" until I grow gray hairs; maybe even then I'll still say I'm a student. Some of the places give you the discounted rate until you're 25... guess I'll have one more year to enjoy that privilege, just like being on my mother's health insurance.
On my journey to the remote areas of Seoul, I found the most picturesque areas of the city. Too bad I don't have my memory card for my camera yet. The blend of the traditional and cosmopolitan elements of the city was beyond belief.
Oh! Just read on Wikipedia that 2007 is the last year of South Korea giving their workers a day off on Constitution Day. I guess every nation-state's glorification of democracy has an expiration date.
So on my day off, I explored some of the more secluded areas of Seoul. I found some very interesting museums. The museums were all cheap if not free, and usually they give you free tea for making your way up there. The two museums I stepped inside were the Buddhist Art Museum and the Silk Road Museum. At the Buddhist Art Museum, the woman at the front desk gave me postcards as a "present." Point of advice for traveling: always say you're a student. The deals are better. I'm planning to be a "student" until I grow gray hairs; maybe even then I'll still say I'm a student. Some of the places give you the discounted rate until you're 25... guess I'll have one more year to enjoy that privilege, just like being on my mother's health insurance.
On my journey to the remote areas of Seoul, I found the most picturesque areas of the city. Too bad I don't have my memory card for my camera yet. The blend of the traditional and cosmopolitan elements of the city was beyond belief.
2007년 7월 15일 일요일
2007년 7월 13일 금요일
The Wild Goose-Goose Chase
Here's my story of Woodstock '07- Incheon City:
It was my first weekend after a full week's worth of classes. So off I went (on a bus) to downtown Incheon City (Bupeyong district) in search of a bar where foreigners hang out called Goose Goose. Once I reached my stop, I couldn't find Goose Goose. I asked around, but no one could really help me much (One guy did dial the Korean equivalent of 411 for me though). What was odd was there were places called "Western bars" on every street corner, but once I stepped inside of them, there were no actual Westerners to be found (I later learned that 'Western bar' is simply the label given to places where a lot of beer is served)
I eventually ran into an actual bar for Westerners called Woodstock with the logo of the Woodstock festival outside of it. There, a Canadian told me where Goose Goose was. Goose Goose had more Koreans than foreigners, but there were English speaking people there to talk to and share experiences with. One guy worked at an English Village, which are pretty much educational theme parks for kids to visit for weeks at a time, so they can catch a glimpse of what it's like in an English speaking country. Judging from some of my first week mishaps, I can only say that I wish there were some Korean Villages back home that I could have visited before coming here.
When "I finally made it back to Woodstock" (the bar), I spent a short time listening to some Doors tunes and looking at the Woodstock memorabilia before leaving to catch the last bus. The final spectacle of the night was seeing two Korean girls fighting by pouring flour over each other. What an "enriching" cultural experience.
---------------------------------------------
Speaking of Woodstock, there's a festival coming up called the Pentaport festival featuring Muse, The Chemical Brothers, Damien Rice, and several others. Hopefully, I'll be able to round up some camping gear in time, so I can see Koreans that are as excited about Western progressive music as I am.
It was my first weekend after a full week's worth of classes. So off I went (on a bus) to downtown Incheon City (Bupeyong district) in search of a bar where foreigners hang out called Goose Goose. Once I reached my stop, I couldn't find Goose Goose. I asked around, but no one could really help me much (One guy did dial the Korean equivalent of 411 for me though). What was odd was there were places called "Western bars" on every street corner, but once I stepped inside of them, there were no actual Westerners to be found (I later learned that 'Western bar' is simply the label given to places where a lot of beer is served)
I eventually ran into an actual bar for Westerners called Woodstock with the logo of the Woodstock festival outside of it. There, a Canadian told me where Goose Goose was. Goose Goose had more Koreans than foreigners, but there were English speaking people there to talk to and share experiences with. One guy worked at an English Village, which are pretty much educational theme parks for kids to visit for weeks at a time, so they can catch a glimpse of what it's like in an English speaking country. Judging from some of my first week mishaps, I can only say that I wish there were some Korean Villages back home that I could have visited before coming here.
When "I finally made it back to Woodstock" (the bar), I spent a short time listening to some Doors tunes and looking at the Woodstock memorabilia before leaving to catch the last bus. The final spectacle of the night was seeing two Korean girls fighting by pouring flour over each other. What an "enriching" cultural experience.
---------------------------------------------
Speaking of Woodstock, there's a festival coming up called the Pentaport festival featuring Muse, The Chemical Brothers, Damien Rice, and several others. Hopefully, I'll be able to round up some camping gear in time, so I can see Koreans that are as excited about Western progressive music as I am.
Squid (Ojingeo)
The squid that I mentioned in my last post was dried squid..kind of like squid jerky. Just thought I'd clear that up.
2007년 7월 9일 월요일
Jumping Headfirst into a Giant Underwater Pit Blindfolded
Today was a big day, so I'm going to make this a two-parter.
Part 1: First day of teaching
The title of this blog post says it all. Schools in Korea are so different than in America. They actually go to three different schools: Korean, English, and either music or martial arts I believe. Instead of the kids changing classes the majority of the time, we do. In my seven hour work day (2-9 PM), I have about ten 30-minute or 1 hour classes.
My first class was.. well interesting. I had the kids recite a story and play hangman, and then I looked at watch and it was apparently time to go. After I said my goodbyes to the students, the teacher sitting in said to me "But Peter...you're not finished yet..."
The clock was wrong. What came next was at worst a disaster and at best a light farce. Picture a series of hello/goodbyes leaving the room/coming back, and you'll come to close to what "we" all experienced. The next few classes were a little better. I was amazed how much better I got as the time progressed. The classes went by so fast I didn't really have any time to mess up too horribly. The principal of the school recommended a "trial and error" approach my first week, and that's certainly what happened. What was extremely weird is they had a new teacher observe me ON MY FIRST DAY TEACHING. I guess they expected me to be an expert after my first class.
In one class (no joke) I had to teach the kids internet lingo, emoticons, and proper chat room etiquette. Who would have thought that our 14 year old girls would be models of imitation? Some classes are great because all they are are Free Talking periods. That's when you get to really connect with your students. I figure after a whole year of this with some of the students, they'll be much more fluent and comfortable with the language. I would like to say the same about Korean on my part, but considering this is my first time being exposed to the language ever, it might take a little more persistence..... which brings me to part two:
Part 2- Operation American for Sushi- FAILED
I thought after my first day, it would be a good idea to reward myself with some Sushi at a local Japanese restaurant (since I had already had my fair share of Korean food). I looked around town and finally found a place that was clearly Japanese. The waitress was wearing a komono, and there was Japanese writing everywhere. I looked at the menu (completely in Korean) and could not find the characters for sushi anywhere (if such characters actually existed). I asked the waitress for Sushi and she just gave me a weird look. Then I asked for Sake, and again I got the same strange look. I finally settled on Soju and some meal consisting of Squid and peanuts.
I was expecting some noodle dish or something with peanut sauce and pieces of squid, but what came out was literally one huge cooked squid and a handful of peanuts under it. I tried to cut it and eat it with my chopstix, and THE WOODEN CHOPSTIX BROKE!! The waitress came over and showed me that it was supposed to be finger food. Ooops...
At that moment, I felt like the American equivalent of Borat. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs: I AM THE QUINTESSENTIAL STUPID AMERICAN, which would have certainly added more absurdity to the blend of the traditional decor of the restaurant and the cheesy Asian techno-pop music at high volume. But however delightfully Borat-esque the situation was becoming, I decided to do what any sensible person would do: finish the meal and get the hell out.
On my way back, I stopped by the place with the only English menu in town: Baskin Robbins. The taste, atmosphere of the joint was distinctly American. I hope my quick almost instinctual decision to come there wasn't sign of homesickness. In any case, if it weren't for the couple of smiling Koreans that said "Hi!" (in English) to me on my way back, I might have considered the night a total bust.
Part 1: First day of teaching
The title of this blog post says it all. Schools in Korea are so different than in America. They actually go to three different schools: Korean, English, and either music or martial arts I believe. Instead of the kids changing classes the majority of the time, we do. In my seven hour work day (2-9 PM), I have about ten 30-minute or 1 hour classes.
My first class was.. well interesting. I had the kids recite a story and play hangman, and then I looked at watch and it was apparently time to go. After I said my goodbyes to the students, the teacher sitting in said to me "But Peter...you're not finished yet..."
The clock was wrong. What came next was at worst a disaster and at best a light farce. Picture a series of hello/goodbyes leaving the room/coming back, and you'll come to close to what "we" all experienced. The next few classes were a little better. I was amazed how much better I got as the time progressed. The classes went by so fast I didn't really have any time to mess up too horribly. The principal of the school recommended a "trial and error" approach my first week, and that's certainly what happened. What was extremely weird is they had a new teacher observe me ON MY FIRST DAY TEACHING. I guess they expected me to be an expert after my first class.
In one class (no joke) I had to teach the kids internet lingo, emoticons, and proper chat room etiquette. Who would have thought that our 14 year old girls would be models of imitation? Some classes are great because all they are are Free Talking periods. That's when you get to really connect with your students. I figure after a whole year of this with some of the students, they'll be much more fluent and comfortable with the language. I would like to say the same about Korean on my part, but considering this is my first time being exposed to the language ever, it might take a little more persistence..... which brings me to part two:
Part 2- Operation American for Sushi- FAILED
I thought after my first day, it would be a good idea to reward myself with some Sushi at a local Japanese restaurant (since I had already had my fair share of Korean food). I looked around town and finally found a place that was clearly Japanese. The waitress was wearing a komono, and there was Japanese writing everywhere. I looked at the menu (completely in Korean) and could not find the characters for sushi anywhere (if such characters actually existed). I asked the waitress for Sushi and she just gave me a weird look. Then I asked for Sake, and again I got the same strange look. I finally settled on Soju and some meal consisting of Squid and peanuts.
I was expecting some noodle dish or something with peanut sauce and pieces of squid, but what came out was literally one huge cooked squid and a handful of peanuts under it. I tried to cut it and eat it with my chopstix, and THE WOODEN CHOPSTIX BROKE!! The waitress came over and showed me that it was supposed to be finger food. Ooops...
At that moment, I felt like the American equivalent of Borat. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs: I AM THE QUINTESSENTIAL STUPID AMERICAN, which would have certainly added more absurdity to the blend of the traditional decor of the restaurant and the cheesy Asian techno-pop music at high volume. But however delightfully Borat-esque the situation was becoming, I decided to do what any sensible person would do: finish the meal and get the hell out.
On my way back, I stopped by the place with the only English menu in town: Baskin Robbins. The taste, atmosphere of the joint was distinctly American. I hope my quick almost instinctual decision to come there wasn't sign of homesickness. In any case, if it weren't for the couple of smiling Koreans that said "Hi!" (in English) to me on my way back, I might have considered the night a total bust.
Happy Birthday to Me (saengil chukha hamnida)
Anyone who knows me knows that I like my actual birthdays to be very low key. Usually this involves doing something that I've never done before (or haven't done in a while) without inviting the world or plummeting myself to alcohol rock bottom.
Fortunately, this year was no exception. My roommate (a Hispanic Coloradan), a South African Jewish guy, two Korean women, and I took the Subway to Incheon City, where we visited Chinatown and the General McArthur Statue in Freedom Park. We were going to go to a Buddhist shrine, but that was before we realized that it was on the other side of country.
On the way there, I taught one of the Korean girls the world 'telekinesis.' (My students that I start teaching Monday probably won't be ready for that word yet). After telling her the word and putting in into context, she proceeded by typing it into her phone, looking up the meaning (the phone has an English dictionary), and putting it into her new word database. Yes, my friends, when it comes to technology, the far East has us beat.
Early to bed; early to rise for my first day of teaching.
Fortunately, this year was no exception. My roommate (a Hispanic Coloradan), a South African Jewish guy, two Korean women, and I took the Subway to Incheon City, where we visited Chinatown and the General McArthur Statue in Freedom Park. We were going to go to a Buddhist shrine, but that was before we realized that it was on the other side of country.
On the way there, I taught one of the Korean girls the world 'telekinesis.' (My students that I start teaching Monday probably won't be ready for that word yet). After telling her the word and putting in into context, she proceeded by typing it into her phone, looking up the meaning (the phone has an English dictionary), and putting it into her new word database. Yes, my friends, when it comes to technology, the far East has us beat.
Early to bed; early to rise for my first day of teaching.
2007년 7월 8일 일요일
Lost and Out of Translations
I've been asked to write about my plane ride over, so here goes the departure:
The date was July 4th. The time was too early to remember. As I removed my shoes, removed my laptop from my messenger bag, and emptied out my pockets for the airport security checkpoint, I could not help smile at the irony of spending my country's Independence Day leaving it behind. There would be no fireworks for me that day, only a 5 hour plane ride to San Francisco followed by an 11 hour plane ride to Incheon City, near by eventual destination and right out of Seoul.
I flew United Airlines, so I can't say much about experiencing Korean culture on the plane. I will say, however, that on the plane ride from San Francisco to Incheon, they fed us not one, not two but three times (little did I know that all that food would be a sign of sustenance for times to come..). We were flying across the ocean most of the time, so there was not much scenery. I did catch some glimpses of Japan from my window seat though, and I probably don't need to mention that it simply consisted of city-mountain-city-mountain, etc. with nothing in between.
The airport I arrived at was beautiful. Multicolored lights made up the directory signs, and there was almost a Feng-Shui quality to the arrangement and architecture of the building. I sometimes wish American airports were as aesthetically appealing as other airports abroad. Perhaps it would diminish tension, reduce the risk of terrorism, and lighten up the environment so much that people would never find anything to be angry about at airports
Or not...after picking up my luggage, and making it past customs, and finding there was no one to meet me (which was so different than my mental image of an Asian man in a business suit with my name on a big card), I became extremely stressed, and the pretty airport did nothing to eliminate my tension whatsoever. Was I at the wrong airport? Did I arrive late? Was I even supposed to come to Korea? Luckily though after making a few [wrong] phone calls and preparing to page someone at the information desk, a man came up to me and pronounced my name totally wrong, but at that point I was so relieved...he could have called me Snow White and I wouldn't have cared. My skin color obviously was the dead giveaway. I was never so happy to be white in my life. On the ride over, the cab driver didn't speak English well and I didn't speak Korean well, but we had a fun time practicing back and forth with each other. He told me my ride would be about a half hour. I sat back and enjoyed the scenery...
The time had come. The moment had peaked. I was now...the foreigner.
The date was July 4th. The time was too early to remember. As I removed my shoes, removed my laptop from my messenger bag, and emptied out my pockets for the airport security checkpoint, I could not help smile at the irony of spending my country's Independence Day leaving it behind. There would be no fireworks for me that day, only a 5 hour plane ride to San Francisco followed by an 11 hour plane ride to Incheon City, near by eventual destination and right out of Seoul.
I flew United Airlines, so I can't say much about experiencing Korean culture on the plane. I will say, however, that on the plane ride from San Francisco to Incheon, they fed us not one, not two but three times (little did I know that all that food would be a sign of sustenance for times to come..). We were flying across the ocean most of the time, so there was not much scenery. I did catch some glimpses of Japan from my window seat though, and I probably don't need to mention that it simply consisted of city-mountain-city-mountain, etc. with nothing in between.
The airport I arrived at was beautiful. Multicolored lights made up the directory signs, and there was almost a Feng-Shui quality to the arrangement and architecture of the building. I sometimes wish American airports were as aesthetically appealing as other airports abroad. Perhaps it would diminish tension, reduce the risk of terrorism, and lighten up the environment so much that people would never find anything to be angry about at airports
Or not...after picking up my luggage, and making it past customs, and finding there was no one to meet me (which was so different than my mental image of an Asian man in a business suit with my name on a big card), I became extremely stressed, and the pretty airport did nothing to eliminate my tension whatsoever. Was I at the wrong airport? Did I arrive late? Was I even supposed to come to Korea? Luckily though after making a few [wrong] phone calls and preparing to page someone at the information desk, a man came up to me and pronounced my name totally wrong, but at that point I was so relieved...he could have called me Snow White and I wouldn't have cared. My skin color obviously was the dead giveaway. I was never so happy to be white in my life. On the ride over, the cab driver didn't speak English well and I didn't speak Korean well, but we had a fun time practicing back and forth with each other. He told me my ride would be about a half hour. I sat back and enjoyed the scenery...
The time had come. The moment had peaked. I was now...the foreigner.
2007년 7월 7일 토요일
West Side Story in Korea (a song)
Inch'eon City is on the West Side of Korea...Northwest actually. I live in Gamdon, right outside Inch'eon and close to Seoul. Apparently, it is a farm town in the "middle of nowhere," but there are flashing lights everywhere and most places are open 24 hours. To me it's like a mini Las Vegas.
So here's my song about Korea. This is rhetoric more than anything else. Some of these experiences I've had; some I haven't yet. I'll yet you figure out which is which. I'll provide a glossary at the end for unfamiliar words.
(sing to the tune of 'Maria' from West Side Story)
The most wondeful taste of kim-chi in mass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
The most plentiful rounds of Soju and Cass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
Korea, Korea
Korea, I've just reached a place called Korea.
And suddenly I've found how full nights on the town can be.
Korea, I've just kissed a girl in Korea.
I'm eating kimbop rolls, I'm wandering in Seoul, I'm free
Korea, stay here long, and you'll never get homesick.
Stay here short, you'll be leaving your home quick
Korea, I'll never stop loving Korea.
kimchi- cabbage with red pepper seasoning, very popular Korean side dish
Sojul- most popular Korean drink, a cross between sake and Vodka
Cass- Korean beer
Kimbop- Korean sushi
Seoul- capital of South Korea
So here's my song about Korea. This is rhetoric more than anything else. Some of these experiences I've had; some I haven't yet. I'll yet you figure out which is which. I'll provide a glossary at the end for unfamiliar words.
(sing to the tune of 'Maria' from West Side Story)
The most wondeful taste of kim-chi in mass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
The most plentiful rounds of Soju and Cass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
Korea, Korea
Korea, I've just reached a place called Korea.
And suddenly I've found how full nights on the town can be.
Korea, I've just kissed a girl in Korea.
I'm eating kimbop rolls, I'm wandering in Seoul, I'm free
Korea, stay here long, and you'll never get homesick.
Stay here short, you'll be leaving your home quick
Korea, I'll never stop loving Korea.
kimchi- cabbage with red pepper seasoning, very popular Korean side dish
Sojul- most popular Korean drink, a cross between sake and Vodka
Cass- Korean beer
Kimbop- Korean sushi
Seoul- capital of South Korea
Do It!
For those of you that have ever wondered whether living out of the country for an extended period of time would be a good idea or not, I have two words: do it. Trust me, you'll thank me later. I've just arrived in Korea, and I could not be more content.
Living here...I feel like a king. The people here are wonderful , the food is inexpensive and tasty, and the experience could not be more valuable. The language is a little hard to learn (ok maybe a lot), but it's ok to be the token American screwing up at every corner and barely remembering anything correctly..as long as you try and never give up.
There are so many opportunities out there like the Peace Corps and ESL programs (English Teaching in a foreign country), which I've divulged into. Instead of doing something with the government or a big organization, I've gotten involved with GoodDay Korea, a private company that finds schools with demands for native English speakers and individuals like me to fill them. English teachers here come from all over the world, and I've already met people from England, South Africa, the UK and New Zealand, as well as the United States. If you can find a good deal, they'll pay for your plane ride, apartment, almost everything.
When the free market competes over your fresh blood and affluence, you win.
Living here...I feel like a king. The people here are wonderful , the food is inexpensive and tasty, and the experience could not be more valuable. The language is a little hard to learn (ok maybe a lot), but it's ok to be the token American screwing up at every corner and barely remembering anything correctly..as long as you try and never give up.
There are so many opportunities out there like the Peace Corps and ESL programs (English Teaching in a foreign country), which I've divulged into. Instead of doing something with the government or a big organization, I've gotten involved with GoodDay Korea, a private company that finds schools with demands for native English speakers and individuals like me to fill them. English teachers here come from all over the world, and I've already met people from England, South Africa, the UK and New Zealand, as well as the United States. If you can find a good deal, they'll pay for your plane ride, apartment, almost everything.
When the free market competes over your fresh blood and affluence, you win.
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