Gung-ho for Gunpo

Living and Working in South Korea: Advice for New Teachers

2011-06-27T23:15:00.001+09:00

This will most likely be one of my last post on "Gung-ho for Gunpo". I no longer live in Gunpo, and will be moving to Bucheon in September after a nice long summer vacation.

After 2 years maintaining this blog, it is time to move on. I don't know if I will start another blog, but I will put an update on this blog to redirect you if I choose that course. Any suggestions?

With that said, here are some words of advice for those seeking to live and work in Korea.

(You might want to put some coffee on, this is a lengthy one...)

1. Be open-minded:

I've stressed this many times in the past, and I'll do it again. If you're planning to work in Korea or any other country you need to be willing to look beyond your comfort zone and own culture. Korea is a great place to live and work, but you will go crazy if you allow things you find bizarre or offensive ruin your experience. Don't let the things that annoy you ruin your trip. If you do, you will go crazy, and the more open-minded foreigners you hang out with will then think of you as a negative person. Then, BOOM! You're depressed, annoyed, and have few friends - and you're already planning your trip home.

2. Try new things:

YUM!

This is a must! Get out there and get lost on a bus. Go to a random subway stop and explore. I like to walk for exercise, so I would chose a different direction from my apartment in Sanbon and walk in one direction and explore the area. It's impossible to get lost enough that you won't run into a bus stop or subway station - and if you do - there are taxi's everywhere. By doing this, you get a better understanding of your area and what it has to offer. I've found some great parks, sight seeing locations, shops, and restaurants by doing this.
Trying new foods goes without saying. Yes, some of it is scary or unpleasant. There are still foods that I cringe at when I see it that I can't eat. (grilled sparrows, sea worms, uncooked liver). There are a lot of vegetarians and vegans out there who come to Korea and complain about the lack of food for them. (see #1). Sorry, but if you're vegan it will be extremely difficult for you to eat most Korean foods. Even if they are vegetable soups - a lot of the broths contain animal products to some degree.
Get yourself out of your comfort zone. You'll gain confidence in yourself and realize how strong and independent you can be. And you'll make great memories and meet new and interesting people along the way. Speaking of which...

3. Make new friends - especially Korean ones.

Two of my good friends: Min Young and Song Hoon

Whether your teachers, friends through other people, random people in a bar, or a significant other - having someone who can speak the language is a plus. Don't USE these people - ask them for advise or their help and repay the favor! Dinner, drinks or other small gifts are a great way to show your appreciation. I'm not a huge fan of the foreign community in Korea. Many people will attest to this, but expats are an unique breed of people. It seems most are either extroverts and full of energy, or social outcasts who have a strange and quirky side to them (and whom I tend to avoid).
The younger crowd is usually right out of college. Teaching here is most likely their first full-time job, and the first time they are getting decent money. This crowd parties more often. They are the ones chasing skirts and drinking down their paycheck until 5am in Hongdae on Friday nights. Personally, I feel many are still stuck in college and have that frat-boy/sorority girl mentality.
The mid-to-late twenties group is a little less outgoing. They've calmed down and maybe have been here for a few years. They may go out from time to time but it's usually for dinner and drinks once or twice a week. They've joined local organizations (gyms, dancing classes, sports groups) and are harder to get to know because they don't get out as much with the younger crowd.
The older crowd is a smaller group and difficult to get to know. They're either married to a Korean, have a family, own or work for a company, or teach in higher education. You'll rarely see them except at mandatory training sessions for maybe your provincial employer. I personally am not friends with any expats over the age of 40 here. I've met a few in passing, but we seem to lead totally different lives. The 50 year old single guy who sits at the bars hitting on 22 year old Korean girls, and chats about he checked himself into an insane asylum after his divorce to a Albanian prostitute -- yeah, stay away from THAT guy.

4. Indulge in the comforts of home - but don't make it a habit:

Warning: May cause obesity

I know the feeling. You're homesick. You just want some REAL pizza. It's been 6 months since you've had a decent taco. Please...don't come to Korea and go to Itaewon every weekend to get a pizza or hamburger. Don't watch only English movies because you don't like reading subtitles. And don't refuse to conform to society (like bowing) because you're not used to it.
Again, try new things. Become Korean as much as is comfortable. Your teachers will comment how impressed they are that you like kimchi. Can you name 5 dishes you enjoy? Tell them - they'll be happy that you enjoy aspects of their culture. Tell them about the places you visit while you're here. You'll be surprised that many never leave their own province.
Remember, you're visiting this country. Maybe you're only here for a year - EXPERIENCE IT as much as you can. Don't be that person who says - "I wish I had..." Then you'll look back and thing about how you spent your free weekend chowing down on KFC and then drinking at the club. You could have just done that in your home country. Instead, hike a mountain and have freshly made bibimbap made by some Buddhist monks. THAT's a story to tell when you go back home.

5. Be careful of your surroundings and use common sense:

Korea is a very very safe place to be (besides that whole "North Korea wants to destroy us" thing -- trust me, it's not a daily concern here). I feel more safe in a city of 10 million Koreans than I do walking in a hick-town of 20,000 people back home. What I'm saying is that you should be careful of your surroundings. Be aware of where you are and who is around you. Ok, people DO get pick-pocketed on the subways - they do everywhere, but I've never been afraid of this, nor do I know anyone who has become a victim.
You notice that drunk man on the subway with NO ONE sitting around him? Don't sit there. He's probably being touchy, verbally annoying or offensive, or is mentally ill. There is a reason no one is sitting near him!
Are you hanging out with foreign friends and screaming and joking around on a bus? Don't be a jackass! Notice your surroundings! Buses are quiet places. You're getting dirty looks for a reason.
Be respectful, and try to follow what the locals do. Just because you're in a group doesn't mean you can be rude or disrespectful to those around you. (Be especially mindful of the elderly and children).

Don't be these fools.

Drinking and playing cards in the middle of the subway floor = not classy

[re-read #3]

6. Be smart financially - but don't be afraid to spend.

You can make some decent money in Korea. You can easily save 50-60% of your yearly pay if you're good with your money. Granted, if you have outlandish student loans, or are making car payments on that vehicle that's sitting at home while you're here, you'll have a little trouble.
I would guess that the average English teacher gets paid between $20,000-$22,000 a year. Usually, you get free housing and airfare. Most of your expenses will be utilities, phone/internet, and food. I lived in an office-tel that had high maintenance fees. ($140/mo) I know others who pay about $30.
Phone/internet is between $30-80/mo. depending on phone types and services. I got hooked up with a Korean friend who owns an LG store, and got a Galaxy S2 smartphone for about $50/mo with a good plan. My internet is mostly open wi-fi, as I never bothered to get it hooked up in my apartment. I plan on getting in next year, and I hear the bundled packages with cable pretty cheap (under $70/mo).
Food can vary significantly. I was dieting and lost about 30 lbs my first year. I ate a small breakfast, school lunch (about $2 a day), and a small dinner. My expenses were about $20 a week for groceries (excluding lunch fees which were taken out of my monthly paycheck). Going out on the weekends costs more. I would go out to eat a lot when I first arrived, as you need to meet new people. Later, you don't feel you need to go out as much and can start saving money. Eating Korean food is cheaper than western food. There are some restaurants in Itaewon and Hongdae serving burgers or ethnic foods that are about $10-20 a plate. Or you could eat at a small local Korean joing for $5 and get a bunch of sides. The choice is yours.
You can live frugally, but don't be unhappy. It's ok to drop some serious coin on a good meal from time to time. Treat yourself on occasion. Want that new camera - get it! (You should definitely invest in a decent camera...but be aware - electronics aren't cheap in Korea) Spend some money on your vacation. (Thailand is amazing and cheap! Japan is extremely expensive and not as fun). Plan ahead and find some deals on airfare. Travel with friends and split hotel costs. Travel within Korea (Jeonju and Jeju are nice) You won't regret it.

7. Improve and Educate yourself:

Take a class, join a gym, learn Korean. Improve yourself and you'll become more confident, happier, and better educated. As I mentioned before, I lost a lot of weight just by eating Korean food (aka the "Korean girlfriend diet") I like to believe my self-image has dramatically improved over the past 2 years. I've become much more active. I'll go bicycling, hiking, play badminton, been to plenty of art museums, concerts, and sporting events.
Try to learn Korean - it's very difficult to learn. I still can barely get by. But I'm amazed looking back on how much I've learned. I recommend joining your local education office's Korean classes - even if it's just to meet people. Learning to read and pronounce the alphabet takes about an hour. It's VERY simple. Purchase some books. I recommend buying a children's picture book that kids use to learn English. You can improve your knowledge of objects that way.
A great resource I've currently been using is Quizlet.com. Once you can read the language, you can Google a list of Korean verbs and adjectives and make your own flashcards and study that way. (use the prompt with Korean option when learning).
There are a lot of language exchanges out there as well, English cafe's/clubs. Check out Toastmasters in the Gangnam or Hondae areas of Seoul (check out this blog post "Lee's Korea Blog" for some good information).

I've also said many times: DO YOUR RESEARCH before coming. You can learn a lot online. Some good blogs and sites to get you started are:

Chris In South Korea

Eat Your Kimchi

Brian in Jeollanam-do

8. Don't be a teacher that does the bare the minimum:

You'll hear these words constantly...

Finally, something about actually teaching in Korea! Some people are just not meant to be teachers. I've seen some horrid teachers who have never taught a day in their life, and just because they have a degree (which can be in anything by the way) now have the title of 'teacher'. I'm guilty of having vented about one co-worker in the past.... I've been teaching on and off for about 7 years. I think I have in this past year become decent at it.
Teaching English in Korea is fairly easy - especially if you don't have to make your own lessons. Hagwon teachers tend to teach primarily from a book given to them by their employer. It is scripted and simple. You give the kids the vocab, they repeat after you, you have them read and write, and assess them by your school's various standards.
Public school is much different. Some teach from a book - others never, and some do a blending of the two. Creating your own lessons is an art itself. Imagine not having any guidance (my case), and being told to just make something up. You're lesson is going to be garbage. 90% of the time your first few months will be a train-wreck every week unless you've really put some effort into your planning.
There are some of teachers (younger ones without experience usually), who will throw together a lesson plan in 20 minutes. These are CRAP. The kids don't learn anything, the teacher gets frustrated, and no one is happy. Spend some time, learn how to make a good PPT presentation (it's simple really), and really plan out the lesson. (and make a plan B just in case it doesn't work out!)

Here are some tips: (and you can click here for my previous post on "ESL LESSON IDEAS"

a. Have an intro, some subject material (keep it simple), an assessment, and a game.

b. Plan out your lesson step-by-step and deliberate over it. Does it makes logical sense? Can you reasonably get the students to do what you're asking? Do you have enough time? How can you get the students to put your subject material into practice?

c. Be prepared. Before you even step foot in the class on day one, have a decent introductory lesson prepared. Explain your classroom rules and expectations (be reasonable). ENFORCE YOUR RULES. I make my students sign a small contract with my rules and tape it into their notebooks (which they MUST have in every class - it's one of the rules!). I have clear rewards and punishments. Each class gains points for good behavior and loses points for bad behavior. If one student is causing a lot of problems you can take points from the entire class. This will help self-regulate the class, as the majority will gang up against the trouble-maker. My rewards are simple. I give out "chance cards" to student who participate. Then can then play a simple game at the end of class and get a chance to win a prize. I also give out class rewards. This makes for a competitive environment within the grade levels. The class with the most points at the end of the semester wins a party. Also, if a class reaches a certain level of points, they are rewarded with free seating, or a movie day.

d. Set the pace. Have something ready for the students the moment they walk into your door. One year I gave them a daily slang word. At the end of the semester, my students were still saying "Bling Bling" or "Bullcrap!" or "Peace out!". Last year, I did a daily idiom/metaphors/phrases. They remember these things - especially if you throw in some funny photos into a PPT. Phrases like "Take the gravy train" and "It costs an arm and a leg" were memorable ones. Take the time to explain it well! As long as you have something for the students to write into their notebooks when they walk in, it will take away a lot of wasted time to get them to settle down later. (You can also use quotes, trivia questions, strange words, or simple puzzles) - you can also make your own puzzles on sites like Discovery Puzzle Maker. I love this site.

e. Have fun. No one wants to just sit and listen. Get the students motivated. My students loved games, and so did I. I would quiz them almost every class (which they can earn chance cards for right answers), but I also played games like Scattergories, Vocabulary Connect 4, Sentence Battleship, Guess Who, MadLibs, and so many more. Check out Dave's ESL Cafe for game and lesson plan ideas for all ages.

9. Make and impact, not just an impression:

I was told this by my university class president one year and never forgot it. Your time in Korea may be short, and you should make a good impression to the people you meet. But maybe an impression isn't enough. An impression is the experience on how someone perceives you. An impact is the effect you actually have. You can be perceived as a kind person by the way you walk or talk. Or you can affect another person by DOING something kind for that person. That's a big difference.

Lastly,

10. Smile. A friendly smile goes a long way in a foreign land.

To my few loyal readers: Thanks for reading!

"Noodlicious"

2011-06-20T19:35:00.000+09:00

My contract is officially over and I've decided to take some vacation time. I decided on a short weekend in Osaka for visa purposes. It turned out to be the cheapest deal. I recommend looking into Jeju Air if you're going from Incheon to Osaka. You can find some cheap tickets in comparison since it's a low-cost carrier.

The hotel I booked last year turned out to be booked, and I was forced to try something new. I went with a traditional ryokan (旅館) hotel on my first night. Ryokan's have tatami-matted rooms and communal baths, but for a little extra you can get your own bathroom (which I did). I stayed at the Yamatoya Honten in Nipponbashi, not far from Namba and Shinsaibashi in central Osaka. In the end, it was cheaper than the hotel I was in last year, was twice the size, more quiet, and more comfortable. The staff was excellent and very friendly as well. I highly recommend it for a comfortable, quiet, and relaxing night. It's not far from the main shopping areas and right near the river.

You can see some cool nightlife: (click the photo for a large version)

Riverfront at night (HDR)

I also did a little sight seeing and a lot of walking around. I visited Osaka Castle again, but it wasn't as nice as the first time I went last year. It was hot, and with the trees in full bloom there wasn't as much opportunity for nice photos without trees in the way of the structure.

The highlight of my trip this time around was visiting the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. If you like to see how things are made and the history surrounding them - this is the place for you. It's a small musuem, but free - and mostly in Japanese. However, there are audio guides available for a low fee. I made a video of my tour and what to expect. I hope you enjoy it:

"What defines beauty?"

2011-05-26T12:10:00.000+09:00

I've posted multiple times (see here and here) about image issues and plastic surgery and how people want to be beautiful by doing all sorts of crazy things to their bodies.

and how messing with your body can be a horrible thing sometimes...

A young film-maker Kelley Katzenmeyer created this interesting look at Korean education. Specifically in this link is discussed what beauty means to Korean high school girls.

I also recently saw this short article/video on CNN about plastic surgery in South Korea and how Asians want the "western look". The article focuses on a young 12 year old girl (Min-kyong) who wants plastic surgery because she considers her eyes to be too small.

She lacks confidence, explains Min-kyong's mother, a problem she hopes will be solved when her pre-teen undergoes plastic surgery, to westernize her eyes.
"If I get the surgery, my eyes will look bigger," explains Min-kyong. Everyone, she says, points out her small eyes. It's why she doesn't think she's a pretty girl. A surgery which cuts a fold into her eyelid to create a double fold will widen her eyes. The effect will also be to give her a slightly more western look.

Her mother, Jang Hyu-hee, says her daughter didn't ask for the surgery.
"I'm having her do it," says Jang, "because I think it'll help her. This is a society where you have to be pretty to get ahead. She's my only daughter." (emphasis, mine)

But surgery doesn't stop at the eyes, nose, cheekbones, and other body parts. It's become more than cosmetic on the exterior. It's become a little too extreme.

A global ideal doesn't stop at the face, says dental surgeon Jung Hak. Dr Jung says he's been fighting a trend. Korean mothers who have been bringing in their toddlers to have the muscle under the tongue that connects it to the bottom of the mouth surgically SNIPPED. (again, emphasis is mine)

The belief, explains Dr Jung, is that it will help a Korean speak English more clearly. People from the Asia Pacific region have difficulty in pronouncing the "L" sound, says Dr Jung. But he calls the surgery, if it's only for pronunciation, misguided, and caused by the hyper-competitive drive in Korea.
"For 10 years, there's been this crazy drive for early English education. Mothers long for their kids to have better English pronunciation," says Dr Jung.

What makes a person beautiful? Are these surgeries worth it in Korea? What do you think?

Chuncheon

2011-05-18T19:32:00.000+09:00

Last week we took a afternoon trip to the city of Chuncheon. The city is located east of Seoul and is the capital of Gangwon province. It is easily accessible by train and bus, about 1.5-2 hours from Seoul.

Thankfully our friend Binah has a friend who was willing to drive us instead. Assah!

We had planned to visit Lake Soyang which was created by daming the Soyang River. It is a huge dam that reminded me of the Hoover Dam (but probably half the size).

We were also in the mood for Chuncheon's most famous dishes. Chuncheon Dalk-galbi (a chicken dish that is either served grilled, or stir-fried with cabbage, rice cake (tteok) and other vegetables). It's one of my favorite dishes in Korea, and I had high expectations. Unfortunately, the restaurant we chose served us basically grilled chicken that we wrapped in lettuce leaf. Not what I'm used to, and not as delicious in my opinion.

The other dish Chuncheon is known for is makguksu. This is a cold soup of buckwheat noodles, similar to naengmyeon. I've had this in Gunpo as well, and I wasn't a huge fan of the noodles. I found them difficult to swallow and was suffering the begining of the flu when I was forced to eat them with teachers. This time around, I actually enjoyed them a little more. I found that the noodles were lighter and easier to swallow this time around. It's still not something I would crave for like dalkgalbi, but it was decent.

After lunch we visited Lake Soyang. You have to ferry across the lake to reach the mountain hiking area popular with tourists. It isn't too far of a hike to the buddhist temple that most people frequent.

The mountainous views are splendid, there are plenty of small restaurants along the way to grab some pajeon (scallion pancake) and makkoli (rice wine) as well. Along the way up, you will pass a beautiful waterfall, and can enjoy the clean mountain air. If you plan on visiting make sure you note the time the last ferry departs, as the line can get really long. It departs early as well. The last ferry out was listed as 5:30pm, which is realtively early in my opinion. But hey, this isn't Seoul...

We planned on visiting the Jade Garden and forest near the city, but ran out of time as they are not open too late....maybe next time (but there are just too many places to see still). Instead we kicked back with some more makguksu and pajeon for dinner along with a couple bottles of makkoli. All in all, a pretty good day.

Here are some photos I took:

Jeju

2011-05-16T11:35:00.000+09:00

I've recently taken a couple of small trips. A few weeks ago I finally visited Jeju-do, a large island off the southern coast, which is commonly referred to as South Koreas "Hawaii".

Jeju has a long history which you can read about here.

The weather wasn't very cooperative, between bouts of rain and fog, I saw some sunshine, and experienced some awesome things. There was so much to see and the tour only covered so much. I can't wait to go back and visit some other things I didn't get to. Tickets are relatively cheap, you can get them for as little as $20 sometimes. Our package was booked late, and we ended up paying almost $300 per person including flight/hotel/tour for 2 days.

You can find your own way for much cheaper in the off season, I'm sure.

The trip was a tour package - all in Korean, so I can't tell you too much about it. I'll let the photos do most of the work:

First stop: A horse show. The performers did riding tricks, and acted out a battle with Mongolia.

Next we stopped at a garden and buffet restaurant (which was amazingly good), and had a little time to tour the garden as well.

We also stopped at O'Sulloc, a tea company that specializes in greent tea. We had a brief moment to take a photo of the tea fields and sample some green tea.

Jeju is famous for it's oranges (hallabongs) We visited an orange grove where they explained how to tell if an orange is ripe and sweet. Hint: if it feels hard around the diameter of the stem, it's not sweet.

Next we visited the southern coast of the island, and walked along the edge of the ocean and took a short cruise that toured it as well. Too bad it was a little foggy, off the coast, but still beautiful.

For dinner, we ate some fish stew(I can't recall the name) but apparently it's pretty famous in Jeju. I thought it was decent.

The following day, we took a tour to Eco-Land (I wouldn't recommend this, especially on Parents Day). There were throngs of pushy elderly people, and Eco-Land was boring in general...I think they all just wanted to ride the train around the park.

After a Chinese cultural performance at Sam Guk Ji land, we headed to a traditional village (I won't post photos of Sam Guj Ji Land because it was really corny and boring) - besides their mask changing act...which was kind of cool.

The village still has people living there. They survive by selling products like honey, berry juice, and ground horse bone pellets that are supposedly good for your bones and fights osteoporosis. I tried some, but my bones feel the same. ^^

The highlight of the trip by far was the horseback riding experience. I haven't been on a horse in ages, so this was rather enjoyable. Plus, they are so darn cute.

We had a foal following us around .. she was cute.

We were only alloted about one hour to visit Ilchul Land next, which is not enough time. Ilchul Land has a cool cave created from old lava flows, and some beautiful gardens - and even a cool cactus house.

Towards the end of the tour we visited Yongduam Rock (Dragons Head Rock), which becomes less and less dragon-esque the longer you stare at it. We stayed at the rock for a while in order to see it at night, which was said to be the best time. Unfortunately the area was overcome by dense fog, and you couldn't see much. But it did look eerie and cool that way.

Too much fog...

Our last day on Jeju wasn't a happy one. It started off like this near our hotel:

yay!

Then we traveled back to the central southern area of the island to see Jungmun Beach, supposedly one of the nicer sights on the island.

We ended up seeing this before having to head back to the airport:

Jeju is totally worth going to if you have time to travel around. Again, we do plan to go back in the late summer or early fall. Hopefully we can see a lot more and take our time to enjoy ourselves rather than be hustled around by a tour group.

"Closer to the Edge"

2011-04-25T21:37:00.000+09:00

My current contract will be ending in a short time, and my future employment in a Korean public school is pretty much up in the air until August or September (supposedly).

I will be throwing up some random posts in the next few months, but I am planning on ending "Gung-ho for Gunpo" this summer.

Over 180 posts in 2 years is not too shabby. I laugh when I look back and read some of the stuff I wrote when I first arrived in Korea (how amazing things were at first!) That is, not to say that things are not amazing any longer - just in different ways.

I noticed my readership has definitely been on the decline as well. I even wonder if anyone besides a few close family members and friends read it any longer.

I'm still debating starting another blog next contract - and if I do, I might focus it more on the expat community here instead of my boring ol' life.

Thanks for reading - and stay tuned.

And enjoy these pictures overlooking Gunpo/Uiwang I took a few weeks ago.

"Notification Mystification"

2011-04-15T14:29:00.001+09:00

Here are some examples of what teaching in Korea can be like - specifically in regards to trying to debate issues with your Korean co-teachers.

Lunch with your Korean Teachers

Honestly, I've had similar conversations with some Korean teachers at lunch on occasion - specifically those who cannot speak English that well (they just want to practice). But, I usually get the same question from my head teacher every time we go out to eat as a group. "Nick, what is your favorite Korean food?" I want to yell "YOU ASK ME THIS EVERY TIME WE EAT TOGETHER! OF COURSE I LIKE MANY DIFFERENT FOODS AND I AM SICK OF LISTING THEM FOR YOU AS I USUALLY DO!" - But then I just list them as usual anyways because I'm polite and patient with her. She really shouldn't be a head teacher though. The "last minute" section was spot on. My teachers never tell me about anything until the last minute. Once, we had a soccer game scheduled where I was told I was supposed to play - but I wasn't prepared (I wore dress shirt/pants/shoes). As it turned out, the game was canceled anyways...which they didn't learn about until the last minute as well. For some reason with schools - being prepared in advance does NOT happen.

Overtime Pay and Citing Your Contract

I've never really had this issue with having to cite my contract. Maybe once or twice when discussing length of time with camps or with reimbursments that my contract states. This one is a bit over the top - but I wouldn't be surprised if others actually have had that conversation. I love the ending though...

I hope you got to laugh about it as well!

"Drivin' Around in my Automobile"

2011-04-12T10:15:00.001+09:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to see some amazing vehicles at the Seoul Motor Show 2011 (more accurately at Ilsan's KINTEX center).

It was VERY crowded - this photo only shows about 1/8 of the building:

The venue was huge! They really packed in a bunch of great cars into one area with some really cool designs and features. There were a lot of energy-efficient cars Hybrids, Electric, and even pedal powered. The also had sections for automotive parts and future technology, and a handful of motorcycles.

Here are some of the pics (granted many have models in them). This being my first motor show, I shouldn't have been too surprised that all the guys with their huge DSLR cameras and lenses were clammoring around taking more photos of the models than the cars.

Chevy

The Chevy Mi-Ray Roadster - yeah, we'll probably never see that on the road.

(This is where your bailout money goes)

BMW

Hyundai

KIA

SsangYong (I think)

Samsung - SM3

Audi e-tron

Nissan Cube

Infinity

Porche Carrera GTS

I saw this a few years ago - basically it's an electric motorized bicylce that recharges as you pedal. Apparently it can reach up to around 50mph (bike down hill and on flat land - use the engine for uphill) Sounds good to me!

Honda
CR-Z - I love my Hondas!!

Mini-Cooper
Don't worry - there were a handful of male models as well. I like Minis

Subaru Concept - it belongs in Shuttle Bay 1

Even the Tata and Daewoo Commercial vehicles had models

Overall it was a cool event to see, a bit exhausting after pushing through crowds, but worth it.

"I'm Singing in the (Radioactive) Rain"

2011-04-07T15:45:00.001+09:00

My co-teacher warned me on Wednesday that I really should bring an umbrella to school the next day because it was going to rain..... radioactive rain .....

In fact, many teachers were murmuring about how the rain was going to be dangerous because of radiation could carry-over radioactive particles from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

Too bad the radiation isn't any more harmful than the radiation you get by flying (if even that)

But that didn't stop the citizens of Korea blowing things out of proportion (as usual) when it comes to health issues (Do you recall the H1N1 freak-out?)

I don't get this society sometimes. H1N1 was a big deal, true. In 2009, my school was so scared to infect or spread H1N1 that they canceled our annual school celebration/talent show. Yet, the didn't cancel school...where those kids see each other every day.

Koreans are scared to die in their sleep from fan death, that they are mandated by the government to put timers and labels on electric fans, so you don't fall asleep while the blades "cut up all the oxygen molecules and suffocate you in your sleep".

Yet, it's perfectly normal to see health hazards on a daily basis that aren't dealt with. Motorcycles driving recklessly on sidewalks, people smoking indoors in restaurants, extreme alcoholism, buses and taxi's whizzing through red lights, guys hanging off a roof with rope to paint the side of a building, electric wires wrapped around poles so low that a children can reach them.

I love this country, but sometimes I just scratch my head about all the conflicting ways of thinking.

The rumors were so bad about this radiation that more than 130 elementary schools shut down (the government had to come out and reassure the public that everything is fine).

Parents were not happy as they fear for the safety of their children:

As per this AFP article:

Complaints from parents mounted on the website of Seoul city's education office, which refused to cancel classes and called for a calm response to the fears.
"Please order class cancellation. I'm worried to death about my kid and can't sleep," said one posting.

I'm sure they're scared for their kids safety. I just wonder where that concern is while they're walking down the street letting their kid stray off in all directions. Or where that concern is when they let their kindergartener walk to his academy alone through the busy shopping areas around me. (Little kids are always running around without their parents).

(don't get me wrong there are plenty great parents out there. I'm just commenting on this land of opposites that drives me crazy from time to time.)

Korean Parenting Fail

"Pachelbel's Everywhere!"

2011-03-27T15:04:00.000+09:00

Pachelbel's Canon, also known as Canon in D major (Kanon und Gigue für 3 Violinen mit Generalbaß in German) is the most famous piece of music by German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. It was originally scored for three violins and basso continuo and paired with a gigue in the same key The circumstances of the piece's composition are wholly unknown. The Canon may have been composed for Johann Christoph Bach's wedding, on 23 October 1694, which Pachelbel attended.{W}

The song has been covered and re-imagined time after time:

Some years back, comedian/musician Rob Paravonian came to my university in which he performed this same skit. As a former cellist, he points out the repetitiveness of the same chords. I had never forgotten this skit as it was so hilarious.

Then comes the Axis of Awesome, an Australian group who points out the same aspects - including that all the top pop songs use the same 4 chords...

And most recently I stumbled across this woman named Karen Cheng who gave a talk entitled "How To Solve a Song" using music and math at Seattle's IgniteShow.com

Sick of Pachelbel yet?

"Starving Artists"

2011-03-23T11:58:00.000+09:00

Some relatives recently sent me an e-mail with a YouTube link of North Korean children playing instruments. One video showed guitars as big as the 5 year-olds playing them. I've seen similar videos in the past, still, the talent of these kids always astounds me.

I suppose Korean culture combined with Communist instilled discipline (either out of fear or nationalism) brings out talent.

Take a look at these:

Their expressions and choreographed head-bobbles are a little creepy

Those little fingers sure fly...

This little boy is amazingly good. I couldn't play the clarinet that well when I was his age. But I was sure happy not to have to practice 8 hours a day like he probably does.

How about these pint-sized percussionists/singers?

Political issues aside, one thing I have found simply fascinating is the North Korea Mass Games, where according to wikipedia:

(The) Mass games or mass gymnastics are a form of performing arts or gymnastics in which large numbers of performers take part in a highly regimented performance that emphasizes group dynamics rather than individual prowess. The effect of displaying huge images is achieved by a having large number of individuals each being dressed in a particular color or holding a colored hard paper above their heads. Because of the vast scale of the performance, with often tens of thousands of performers, mass games are performed in stadiums, often accompanied by a background of card-turners occupying the seats on the opposite side from the viewers. The rapid change of images was achieved by changing a card with another in swift and synchronized movement. The synchronization is achieved after several hours-long rehearsals and employs much choreography.

I would love to see this first hand someday...

"Lonely - I'm soo lonely"

2011-03-21T12:08:00.001+09:00

Today I saw this headline in the Joongang Daily:

"Taxi Drivers are Becoming Lonely"

I figured it was perhaps about single taxi drivers looking for love. Nope. It's about the rising cost of gas and having fewer customers who opt for public transportation instead. From the report:

“In recent weeks, the volume of Seoul’s traffic has decreased significantly and the roads are much less crowded wherever I go,” said a taxi driver, who said he has had fewer passengers as people cut expenditures across the board to cope with rising oil prices. “This has led to a decrease in customers. I see more crowded bus stops, with fewer people waving down taxis.”

Yep, gas prices are hurting everyone around the world - I'm very thankful I don't have a car to fill up! I love being able to walk to work as well. Short distance + daily exercise + free = happiness!

"The average price of gasoline at Seoul’s gas stations last week was 2,009 won per liter ($6.80 per gallon), exceeding the 2,000 won mark for the first time in 34 months, according to the Korea National Oil Corporation"

Yes - $6.80 a gallon! And you were complaining about your $3.50 prices in the U.S....

Although, this has the domino effect. Higher gas prices = higher costs for just about everything. Thankfully, local restaurant prices haven't risen that much because most of it is domestic. Good prices in the grocery stores have because a lot of it shipped in from other countries.

Japan's recent earthquake has had some effect on the economy as well, especially computer components for Samsung and LG which are made in Japan. I hope you weren't planning on purchasing a new TV anytime soon!

"Image Issues"

2011-03-12T22:03:00.000+09:00

I stumbled across these clips from Arirang TV's YouTube channel.

The voice-over actors are a little robotic sounding, but try to focus on the content: APPEARANCE.

I've said it many times - appearance is everything in Korea.

People's perceptions of "fat" angers me. The media and society don't help either. Neither do the companies like the obesity clinic in this video who tell this skinny girl that she her body fat percentage is too high, playing off her insecurities to make a profit.

This video focuses on men (most likely richer men in Seoul) and skin/body care...do things like herbal massages really help your skin? Or is it all about the relaxation?

How about hair styles and make-up - what's trendy? I like when Korean women have straight natural hair...it is classy and beautiful. But the wavy hair does look good on some.

"Tonight That Man Opposed will leave some Lip Stains"

2011-03-04T16:38:00.000+09:00

Happy March!

Time for some newer K-Pop

Enjoy!

Big Bang - Tonight

Dalmation - That Man Opposed

5dolls (ft. Jay Park) - Lip Stains

"Drink a Little Drink"

2011-02-23T10:43:00.000+09:00

Another good article from the Joongang Daily.

Bottoms Up?
Corporate Korea distorts historic drinking culture

"To show commitment to one’s company, old traditions evolved into a peculiar drinking culture here involving boilermakers and group binge drinking."

Click the box below for the article

This one is about the drinking culture in Korea, which having experienced, can be pretty absurd. You are expected to drink when offered and not deny it. If you do, you are seen as weak and it can hurt your relationships.

Personally, I've refused drinks with teachers many times as I do not enjoy getting completely drunk that I cannot stand on my own. They've come to accept this fact, but give me looks of disapproval and make comments in Korean that I don't understand, but can understand they're disappointed in me. Tough.

Yet, this doesn't effect my job in anyway unlike it could for Koreans. My girlfriend's position as an event planner entails higher risks as she is expected to drink with her co-workers as well as clients for social and business reasons. She doesn't enjoy drinking that much either and has said that she can't refuse her bosses - until one time after a business meeting I almost brought her to the hospital for alcohol poisoning because she was extremely drunk and having a hard time breathing. After I expressed my disapproval and anger at her bosses for "forcing" her to binge drink, she talked with her human resources manager and they became aware of her concerns.

According to a previous Joongang report, Workers sick of drinking sessions after office hours, "Three out of 10 Korean workers are dependent on alcohol" and "according to a recent survey by Incruit";

"27 percent of respondents said they are dependent on alcohol, including 32 percent of men and 22 percent of women. It reflected the fact that 46 percent of respondents said they go out to drink up to three nights a week, with 77 saying they become drunk 10 percent to 20 percent of the time...Nearly 4 percent of respondents admitted to suffering from alcohol-related illnesses or having to take medication, with 7.1 percent of men and 0.6 percent of women saying this was the case."

Alcoholism and Alcohol related incidents have become some major issues for Korean society. Drinking and driving is a major issue, although almost anyone can easily take taxi's or hire proxy drivers. There have been issues of drunk men abusing women on the subways, abducting children from their homes and even schools. (As you can read here, here and here.) Of course, unfortunately these things happens everywhere in the world.

As a side note: the other night our staff went out for a school function and I witnessed a drunk woman so drunk she fell and slammed her head into the corner of a concrete wall causing her to bleed. (while her drunk colleagues laughed and threw her half-unconscious into a taxi). I was reminded about the "Blackout Korea" blog - where you can see some interesting photos: sometimes of passed out Koreans in public....

...and other times of foreigners making fun of them (in a pretty immature fashion).

"ESL Lesson Ideas"

2011-02-17T14:47:00.001+09:00

Thankfully I:

A: Don't teach elementary school

and

B: Don't have to use these horrible videos in my classes.

(thanks to the Waygook Effect blog for posting these)

My favorite: (Awkward clapping!)

Thankfully, I have the freedom to create my own lessons instead of following the curriculum set by my school. At first, the teachers suggested I follow their books, but they were difficult to follow - as they go with a CD that I didn't have. I later learned that the Korean English teachers don't even lesson plan for their classes (the ones without me). They follow the book and CD's themselves. (poor kids!)

My classes are normally conversation based. I usually choose a theme for the week, or for a few weeks in most cases. I then work my lessons based around that central theme and use different techniques.(Note: I only teach each class once a week)

Examples:

Geography
Week 1: Continents, Countries, Cities, Landmarks, Languages - basic intro to what they are.
Week 2: Worksheets - writing names in American-English based on flags, and visual cues
Week 3: Group Trivia Game - similar to Facebook's Geo Challenge.

Positive/Negative
Week 1: Good language (amazing, awesome, cool) vs Bad Language (terrible, horrible, stupid)
Week 2: Short video where students write a positive or negative review using good or bad language

(and here are some random ideas for you teachers reading this)

Scattergories : A group activity in which you create categories and give the students a letter to start with. Groups with the same answers cross them off, and team with the most points wins.
Example:
Letter: A
1. Something that is the color red: Apple
2. Something alive: Ant
3. A word with 3 letters: A r m

Boggle: Create your own in PPT of a Boggle board and have teams write as many connecting words as they can find. I give one point for one word. I give each puzzle a theme and have a long hidden word worth 3 extra points (example: Sport) and then they can find the hidden word: BASEBALL

Opposites: (use a similar technique as the positive/negative lesson)

Battleship: (Check out eatyourkimchi's materials here)

Guess Who: (Check out eatyourkimchi's materials here)

Simon Says: Teach body parts and have students write them on a worksheet of a body. Then use more advanced parts of the body for higher level classes - (torso, chest, shin)

Minimal Pairs: (words that sound similar - like "Copy" and "Coffee" - assign the words numbers and have students read a list to the class. Then have them guess which words are being said by writing down the numbers in the correct order). This gets the students speaking, plus works great with Korean students if you use sounds that are problematic (P/F, L/R's) - try: Rice, Lice, Rain, Lane, Pat, Fat, Pan, Fan...or this list I found online.

Bullcrap: Teach the slang word using the pictures of a bull and some smelly crap! (they'll find it funny!) Then teach them that it means to "catch someone lying to you". I then teach the card game and have the kids play a few rounds to get the hang of it. They love screaming out BULLCRAP! If it's one thing they'll learn all year, it's this!

Making lessons can be pretty easy once you're used to it. As long as you try to improve your lesson each class, and are organized and prepared - you'll be fine.

"Holiday"

2011-02-15T11:52:00.000+09:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I've never really been a big fan of this day - I see it as one of those corporate holidays. Debate it all you want, I don't really care.

Anyways, I found this article today in the Joongang Daily about different holidays in Korea that are mostly intended to sell specific products. I've heard and posted about some of these (Black Day, White Day, Pepero Day) but some of these I found pretty interesting (Bra Day? Grape Day? Movie Day?)

From Bra Day to Kiss Day, Korea has it all
February 15, 2011

Valentine’s Day
Korean marketers have long sought to devote a calendar day to the consumption of their product, hoping to mimic the success of corporate-created holidays.

Some have been successful, such as Valentine’s Day and Pepero Day, while others seem bizarre and will come as a surprise to most readers, such as Bra Day and Green Day, while still others have evolved from daily life, like Hug Day and Kiss Day.

Jan. 14 - Diary Day
On Diary Day, lovers and friends give one another day planners, which is symbolic of a fresh start to the year. Girlfriends also encourage boyfriends to record their special days together.

Feb. 14 - Valentine’s Day
Korea’s version of Valentine’s Day was imported from Japan after a Japanese company cleverly carved out White Day from Valentine’s to create two days in which they profited from greeting card and chocolate sales. On Valentine’s Day, it is the woman’s responsibility to buy chocolate for their significant others.

March 3 - Samgyeopsal Day
March in Korean is written as the number 3, pronounced “sam,” which is the same as the first syllable of samgyeopsal, or pork belly. Started in 2003, this is the day where people go out to eat pork belly.

March 14 - White Day
On this special day, it is men’s turn to return the favor to the women who have given them chocolate on Valentine’s Day.

April 14 - Black Day
Those who failed to be the beneficiary of love on Valentine’s Day or White Day have Black Day to fall back on. On this day, singles gather to eat jajangmyeon, which is a black noodle dish at Chinese restaurants.

Grape Day / Diary Day /Rose Day

May 14 - Rose Day
Another marketing scheme, on Rose Day lovers are supposed to present each other with a bouquet of roses, as May is the month when roses blossom. The day is promoted by florists and amusement parks, who try to lure young customers with the onset of spring.

June 14 - Kiss Day
Not related to any business, Kiss Day is pretty self explanatory.

July 14 - Silver Day
Young couples exchange silver rings - known as “promise rings” - on Silver Day. Interestingly, more couples introduce each other to their parents on this day than any other.

Aug. 8 - Grape Day
Grape Day is relatively unknown compared to other days since Nonghyup began promoting Grape Day in 2008 to raise grape sales. Also, “August” in Korean is the same as the number 8, which resembles a bunch of grapes.

Aug. 14 - Green Day
This day is designated for lovers to enjoy the beauty of nature. For those flying solo, Green Day is a day to ease loneliness by drinking soju, which is sold in a green bottle.

Sept. 9 - Googoo Day
Created by the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Googoo Day (Chicken Day) is intended to promote chicken consumption. In Korean, the sound of a chicken is “googoo,” which is the same as the pronunciation of the number 99.

Black Day /Samgyeopsal Day / Kiss Day

Sept. 14 - Photo Day
Lovers, friends and family celebrate this day by taking pictures outdoors.

Oct. 4 - Cheonsa (Angel) Day
In Korean, the number 1,004 is pronounced “cheonsa,” which sounds the same as the Korean word for “angel.” On this day, non-profit organizations encourage people to do volunteer work and make donations.

Nov. 8 - Bra Day
On Bra Day, men are supposed to buy brassieres for their girlfriend or wife. They say the numeral 11 resembles the strings on a bra, and when “8” is flipped on its side, it resembles a bra.

Nov. 11 - Pepero Day
While many of these days are altogether ignored, Pepero Day is one of the most successful (from a marketer’s standpoint). Pepero is a brand of chocolate-covered cookie first made by Lotte.

Legend has it that Pepero Day started in the 1990s among middle school girls in Busan in the hopes they would become as slim as a stick.

Nov. 14 - Movie Day
Movie Day was established by movie companies to encourage people to go to the theater.

Dec. 14. - Hug Day
This is a day when people hug one another to share the spirit of love. Its origin is unknown.

By Min Dong-ki

"Pomp and Circumstance"

2011-02-10T19:46:00.000+09:00

It's that time of year again...Graduation. This was the 16th graduation class. (see the post from last year here) - This year I didn't forget my camera!

When I think of graduation, I think of caps and gowns, diplomas in hand, and families gathered to watch their kids begin a new step into the future...

...but it usually takes place in May or June -- not freezing February.

Yes friends, Korea's school year ends in mid-February, and ushers in the new school year in March. Bizzare to me, but I suppose it makes sense to someone.

Our school's graduation isn't much of a ceremony. As 480 zombie-esque third graders chit-chatted and shifted in their seats, the loudspeakers played "Pomp and Circumstance and the principal walked down the aisle toward the podium. He seemed to speak from the heart as he offered his words of wisdom (I can only guess - it was, of course, in Korean).

The head of the PTO also gave a short speech - again the students talked to their friends throughout the entire event. The relatives gather around the auditorium, take photos, smile, and cry --- while the kids could really care less. (ok, not much of a cultural difference here).

I wasn't expecting much. Last year it was basically the same. The students listen to the national anthem and school song, they take 10 seconds to meditate or pray, and the school shows a slideshow of some of the students intermingled with videos of their teachers wishing them luck in high school. (They'll need it when it comes to all that testing and stress!)

The whole event usually lasts about 20 minutes. This year it took a little longer as the principal (being his last year at our school) decided to hand the certificates to each student. (It's a good thing they didn't call them all up one at a time like in the U.S. - as that would take a while).

The funniest part is how the students change once their final exams are done in December, and the next time you see them in February.

The start like this:

Now, their school uniforms look deterorated - as if they've been stuffed in a closet. Their hair styles change dramatically - longer and more colorful for both the boys and girls. It's time for them to exert their independence for the next few weeks until their high school decides they need to follow the rules. (However, there is a growing debate about allowing students to dye their hair as a human right. Funny how the students fight the school board on that issue - but don't mention uniforms. Maybe they're just picking their battles one step at a time.)

And try to end up looking like their celebrity icons:

I don't know why, but rusty red is the in-style color for everyone this year.

That, and "perms" for men.

Ok, this one I can understand..

but THIS? REEEAALLLYYY????

Overall, I find it great to see the kids expressing their individuality because they don't get to that often. They're in school Monday-Friday, and some Saturdays. They're almost always in uniform, even after school because they're going to after school academies to study more. So even if in the long-run, they still end up conforming to what their peers and idols do, I say cut them some slack and let them literally let down their hair.

And it's nothing like the kids in the States would do. It's usually just hair.

Not all THIS "funtasticalness":

Oh well. I'm looking forward to the incoming 1st graders. If they're anything like my current 1st graders, they should be a blast. I'm not fond of the incoming 3rd graders however - apparently no teacher is. Why couldn't THEY be the ones graduating?

"Culture of the Sea"

2011-02-08T10:30:00.002+09:00

This past weekend I got a chance to do some things in Seoul that I have been meaning to do for a while now.

First up: The National Museum of Korea

Where: Yongsan: Line 1

The National Museum offers free admission to its main galleries, so Hwayoung, (remembering that I had wanted to visit there), brought me. (She doesn't enjoy history as much as I do and was easily bored).

The exhibits were nice, and we were brought around by a volunteer tour guide that explained some of the exhibits in more detail. More of which you can read about here and here.

Here are some photos:

Ten-story Pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa Temple, Goryeo: 1348

Amitabha Buddha from Gamsansa Temple

Ritual Ewer (Kundika)

Secondly: We also visited the Noryangjin Fish Market (노량진수산시장)
Where: Noryangjin-dong in Dongjak-gu:
Line 1

The market is a massive farmers market where you can purchase and haggle for all sorts of seafood from clams, oysters, shrimp, and tuna - to king crab, sea cucumbers, lobster, and red snapper.

Our friend Melissa joined us to peruse the aisles and we settled on some shrimp and a rather large king crab. It wasn't exactly cheap - but it was fresh and delicious.

This is only about 1/10th of the market.

Picking our our King Crab

After you select your food, you can have it cooked for a small fee in the restaurants located above the market.

Our shrimp

Our King Crab

a

She had many eggs on her.
It's nasty looking if you ask me...or Melissa..

"Macho Massaman"

2011-02-06T20:24:00.001+09:00

After visiting Thailand, I discovered some new dishes that I'd like to share (maybe you've had them, maybe not) - either way - they were delicious.

Here is one of my favorites:

Massaman Curry

I found a recipe online, and decided to give it a whirl.

Chicken Massaman Curry

Rated:

Submitted By: pct2

Photo By: Jenn Horton

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ready In: 55 Minutes

Servings: 4

"This curry, flavored with tamarind and coconut milk, is ready in under an hour. Serve over plain white rice."

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons curry paste

1 (3/4 inch thick) slice ginger, minced

1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken

breast meat - cubed

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

1/3 cup peanut butter

3 cups peeled, cubed potatoes

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:

1.	Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and minced ginger; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the cubed chicken, and cook until the pieces turn white on the outside, about 3 minutes.
2.	Stir in brown sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, peanut butter, potatoes, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Add the lime juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

For those in Korea, it may be difficult to find some ingredients. (especially tamarind and curry paste). I picked up some of them at the Foreign Market in Itaewon. For those I couldn't find while searching this weekend, I used some ingenuity and replaced them. I substituted tamarind with sesame paste (tahini), and forgot to pick up ginger (I stealthy used a honey ginger jelly tea as my ginger).

You can also substitute chicken with beef, pork or even tofu (reminder - it's a Muslim dish so pork isn't exactly authentic). I also recommend cutting back on the potatoes, using slightly less peanut butter, and using only 1 lb of meat and then serve with a fluffy white rice and cucumbers. Also, adding carrots, or playing around with cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, almonds or cashews would be nice as well.

Try it, you won't be disappointed. (and for you anti-seafood folks don't worry about the fish sauce, you don't taste any fish - it just adds a little spice.)

"This is the New Year"

2011-02-03T18:57:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year!

새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Wait....isn't New Year on January 1st??

True, but in Korea they also celebrate the new year based on the lunar calendar (aka Chinese New Year).

" Korean New Year, commonly known as Seolnal (or Seollal) (Hangul: 설날), is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year's Day. Koreans also celebrate solar New Year's Day on January 1 each year, following the Gregorian Calendar. The Korean New Year holidays last three days, and is considered a more important holiday than the solar New Year's Day."- Wikipedia

Basically, everything in Korea closes as people head home to visit their parents, play games, eat a ton, receive money from their parents and grandparents, and listen to words of advice from their elders about how to live their lives for the next year: (get a better job, get married, have kids, -- etc).

Some people dress up in hanbok's (the traditional colorful outfits)

Eat tteokguk (떡국) (soup with rice cake)....

and later in the day, the family may play some traditional games such as yutnori (윷놀이)

As for me, I'm just staying in my apartment today and watching movies! Maybe next year I'll get to experience the New Year first hand with a Korean family.

Maybe.

"This land is Thailand, this land is your land..."

2011-01-27T12:23:00.001+09:00

Wow.

Sorry it's been a few weeks, but I've been pretty busy. After Christmas I taught a winter camp for a week and then immediately headed off on my vacation. - THAILAND!

What an amazing place and a great time I had. I took well over 900 photos, and will post some here. I post a lot of my pictures through facebook though, and I try to keep social sites very private. So unless you're a close friend or family member - sorry. The ones I post here will have to suffice.

Let me give you some details of my trip. If you're planning your own trip, feel free to use this as a resource, but I would also highly recommend using the Lonely Planet's guide to Thailand.

Our trip lasted 2 weeks, we flew out of Seoul (Incheon) and lucked out that we found tickets during the high season for under $400 round trip. We also pre-booked our trains and other domestic flights, as we wanted to carry as little cash as necessary and have tickets in-hand.

Sunday: Jan 9: We (my friend Gideon and I) flew into Beijing for a layover for a few hours. I can officially say I've been to China now (even though I only flew over parts of it and sat in an airport terminal for 5 hours). We then headed out on our evening flight to Bangkok and arrived shortly after midnight. We took a taxi to the popular backpacker destination of Khaosan Road. The road was full of tourists exploring the nightlife. I got my first taste of being harrassed by tuk tuk drivers (rickshaws) and ladyboys (Thai transvestites). We checked into our 'reserved' guesthouse room, only to find they never really made the reservation. We ended up getting a triple room for 2 people at a cost of 900 Thai Baht (THB) (100THB = approx $3.25)

Monday: Jan 10: Good morning Thailand! My first impression outside of our balcony is that Thailand has gorgeous weather, but it's pretty dingy. Our guesthouse overlooks a small brown river with garbage lining the sides. Across the way, the locals are cleaning outside their cheaply built homes and tin roofs. Not the best impression, but we're not planning on staying in Bangkok for long anyways.

We walked around the area looking at the local sites. There are many small temples to stumble through, and walking helps wear off our exhaustion from the long travel day before. Our plan is to get on a train tonight and head up to Chiang Mai on an overnight sleeper car - I booked the 2nd class tickets in advance by using the seat61.com website the people at this travel company (which I would recommend doing at least 2 weeks in advance to get the seats you want during high season and after dealing with payment issues)

We explored some back streets and markets near the Imperial Palace (we didn't see it this day as we were waiting until we got back from Chiang Mai and met up with our friend Steve). My first impressions of the food in general was that it is simply amazing. Very flavorful, a little spicy at times, but much better than the Korean food I am used to - and I enjoy Korean food!

Green Curry = awesome!

On the back ally's nearby the palace and temple we came across a huge amulet market visited mostly by Thai's. The market for these must be very good because the corridors were lined with vendors and the streets full of people examining their quality and images. It was like viewing a stamp collector convention that is held daily outside a famous post office.

Amulets and Buddha's

Backstreet stockyards and markets

One thing that is very apparent is that there are a lot of stray animals in Bangkok. As it turns out, there were strays EVERYWHERE we went. At least the animals were friendly, although I did worry about the fleas...

We eventually made our way to the local train station- a major hub for any traveler. Make sure you know how to get to Hua Lamphong Grand Central Railway Station. - Taxi's from Khaosan Road to the station are fairly cheap if you ask for them to run the meter. If not, you'll get ripped off. (should be under 100THB)

The station before our trek to Chiang Mai

One thing I didn't get a photo of was that at 6:00, everyone stands quietly as the national anthem is played. I enjoyed that - but kind of felt like I was in a communist country.

Our 2nd class sleeper - acutally it was quite comfortable for me. Gideon, not so much - he's a tall guy (6'7")

Off to Chiang Mai!

Tuesday: Jan 11: We roll into Chiang Mai a little later than expected which is nice, as our train was scheduled to arrive around 7:00am (turns out trains are on time if they are within 1-2 hours of the time on the ticket) We quickly grab a local tuk tuk driver and she directs us to a guesthouse called the Chiang Mai Inn, located on the northeast side of the old city. Quiet and peaceful but close to the main attractions, this place was clean but cheap (200THB a night for 2 people (that's $3.25 a night per person!) Time to drop off the bags and explore.

Chiang Mai is smaller than I expected for a city population of approx 150,000 people. It has a small square mileage and we end up renting bicycles for about 60THB a day. This turns out to be decent exercise and a quick way to maneuver through the back streets. I really wanted to rent motorbikes as well, but this turned out to be a cheaper deal and motorbikes are unnecessary unless you really need to get somewhere quickly.

We stop for a quick breakfast of noodles and beef - which comes with beef balls. I don't know what that really was, but it doesn't taste too much like meat. The rest of it was delicious though.

There is so much to explore - at least we prepared on being here for a week. After breakfast, we started exploring the city to get a feel for the area, we also checked out a couple more guesthouses to see if we could get a nicer place or cheaper price. (as if 100THB per person wasn't cheap enough!).

We quickly decide we made the right choice and decide to stay at the Chiang Mai Inn for the duration.

Everyone uses motorbikes

Wed-Friday Jan 12-14: For the next few days we explore some local temples, Chiang Mai's Chinatown, flower market, and University area.

One of the over 300 religious sites of Chiang Mai. It is very common to see a tone of wats and stupas all over the city.

more strays...

A local high school marching band warming up. They sounded good too!

Gideon eats from a vendor with school children outside one of the many 7-11's of Thailand.

Chinatown: The flower market

Chinatown temple

Chinatown marketplace

A more traditional rickshaw in Chinatown

Massaman Curry for lunch: Probably the best dish I had the whole trip.

More temples:

Wat U-Mong

Wat Chedi Luang - my favorite of the temples

It's soo big!

Our last full day in Chiang Mai we visited a temple located at the top of a nearby mountain called Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. This was another impressive temple that overlooked the city. You need to take a mini-bus taxi to get to the mountain (approx 30-40 min ride). Some of the drivers wait until they can get 8-10 people to make the trip cost effective (150-200THB)

The short climb to the temple:

We spent the remainder of the day looking at more temples as the next morning we had to get the train back to Bangkok to meet Steve and begin the 2nd leg of our journey.

Wat Suan Dok - another favorite

Some more randomness of Chiang Mai:

Sleepy Tuk Tuk drivers

Kids at a local school

Pad See Ew and Watermelon shake ($1.50)

Back to Bangkok: Chiang Mai Train Station

Countryside back to Bangkok

Saturday: Jan 15: Today we meet up with Steve to begin the 2nd half of our journey. His flight comes in during the evening, and our train arrives at 6:00am. We have another day in Bangkok to kill. We find triple room in a guesthouse on Khaosan Road for 430THB - very cheap! However, we quickly find out it doesn't have hot water. After a ultra-quick cold shower, we head off to see some sites.

Down by the docks the supplies flow into the markets.

A great photo of a man preparing garlic while a local cat takes a aromatic nap

Another temple in Bangkok

A monument

The food court of an indoor mall we stumbled into for the air-conditioning.

We walked most of the day heading for Bangkok's Chinatown. This place was extremely crowded but sold everything imaginable (probably black market or counterfeit) - from food, sunglasses and watches, to army issue binoculars and knives. We also found a nearby temple where there was either an event going on, or a daily prayer session. Either way, it was packed! I could barely breathe because of the over-use of incense.

We met up with Steve that night and went out for a nice dinner and some drinks and explored more of Khaosan Road.

Sunday: Jan 16: We are heading to the southern coast to relax in the sunshine, escape to the beaches, and get away from the city. Our flight leaves in the evening, so we have the day to explore the Imperial Palace before heading to the airport.

The Imperial Palace

The King lives here. And everyone adores the king. DON'T INSULT THE KING!

We head to the airport and board Air Asia (cheap domestic flights). We fly into Krabi after about an hour flight, and check into our pre-booked guesthouse. Now that Steve's with us, we can have a lot of fun!

We grab some food and drinks at the local night market in Krabi and while drinking on the docks, meet a long-boat driver named Ali, who is Muslim, who offers to take us in the morning to either the island of Ko Lanta, or Railay (a peninsula inaccessible by cars or bikes) He recommends Railay as it is more beautiful and easier to use as a hub for transport rather than Ko Lanta. We agree to meet him in the morning and be his customers.

Monday: Jan 16: We grab a quick breakfast and head out to meet Ali. We have to wait around for a few more people to fill the boat, and it turns out he can't take us. He hands us off to his friend and we take off for Railay.

On the long-tail boat leaving Krabi-town

Some sites on the way to Railay

Railay is small and simple to get around on foot. It only takes about 20 min to walk from our bungalows of Railay Cabana to the southern Phranang Beach

Our Bungalow - it's like camping really - no hot water.

but we do have a gorgeous view

Jan 17-22: The peninsula has a lot to offer, rock climbing, gorgeous beaches, hiking, caves, and a lagoon. We decide to stay here for the next week to relax, eat, and explore.

The lagoon - it is a difficult hike to get down there:

Here come the breath-taking photos of the beach...

A shot of the island from the viewpoint

We do take a small trip to the town of Ao Nang (by boat), there we sit on their beaches, I got a massage, and re-energize before we depart ways with Steve as Gideon and I have to get back to Bangkok Friday night, and then our flight back to Korea leaves late Saturday evening.

I can't say enough about vacationing in Thailand. It's is really one of the more beautiful places I have ever been. It does help that it is relatively inexpensive to explore the country (some people backpack through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam for months).

I wish I could have seen more of Thailand itself. Perhaps I will plan another trip sometime to see other islands such as Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi, and Ko Samui (even if they are more touristy). Phuket is more resort-like and tourist friendly as well.

If you're planning a trip - just ask. I can now give some advice about touring around and what to expect (at least in the places I visited). Again, I recommend the Lonely Plant guide as well as sites like TravelFish and WikiTravel

Monkeys are everywhere in Railay - cute but scary at the same time!

"Happy New Year 2011!"

2010-12-31T20:43:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year everyone!

Let's ring in 2011 with a look back at 2010...

Enjoy!

"Merry Christmas 2010"

2010-12-28T16:30:00.000+09:00

I held my 2nd Annual Christmas Potluck this year, and it turned out great. Last year we had about 10-15 people, almost all of whom were other foreign teachers I had met within the past 3 months and didn't know that well. This year, I had about 18-20, about two-thirds were foreign teachers, and the others were mostly Korean boyfriends/girlfriends of friends of mine.

We enjoyed plenty of food - including homemade hummus, clam chowder, homemade stuffing, chicken, pulled pork, pizza, and plenty of wine and beer.

Here are some photos from the evening

(taken by my friend Melissa)

We even made s'mores over the gas stove...

Many of the Koreans had never had it before - but loved it!

Wine, beer, Amaretto, rice cake and Christmas cake -- what a combination!

About half of us crammed into my apartment

Steve, Me, and Sean

Hwayoung's brother Jae-hoon, and his wife

Danelle and Heecheol

Jordan and Aeyong

Melissa, Angela, and Danelle

Chang and the ladies...

And for your further enjoyment:

A video of Sean showing off his dancing skills to Aqua's - Cartoon Heroes.

"All I want for Christmas is...Nanta!"

2010-12-26T20:29:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

On Christmas Eve, I met up with my girlfriend who took me to Myeongdong for my Christmas gift. She brought me to a very famous show called "Nanta"

Basically, Nanta is the Broadway show "Stomp!" but set in a kitchen.

The show was combines percussion precision, hilarity, and audience engagement in an intriguing and fascinating way, leaving you smiling, laughing, and clapping along until the very end.

Nanta - which means "crazy beat", is a small ensemble cast consisting of a Restaurant Owner, his Nephew, a Head Chef, Female Chef, and Sexy Male Chef - all very talented and funny.

The story is simple: The chef's have until 6pm to complete the menu - including dishes of bulgogi and mandu (2 of my favorites).

Hwayoung and I were chosen to participate in the show, we went on stage and donned our blue chef hats. While she made mandu with the Female Chef, I worked with the Sexy Chef to keep the beat and stack the steamed mandu in a race against the red team. We won, and they gave us coupons to pick up a Christmas card and a Polaroid of us on stage...it's a very bad picture so I won't post it.

But here is a YouTube video of basically the exact same thing I did -- but with less finesse.

It was such a great show that I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Seoul - and would love to go again. Perhaps it could come to a city near you - check out their webpage here:

If you want a better idea of what they do, take a look at the videos below!

Some more photos:

"Looming Threat"

2010-12-24T13:03:00.000+09:00

Yes, it is true that North Korea is a looming threat against the South - but must we hear about it constantly in the U.S. media?

The issues are serious. North Korea is belligerent enough to attack at any time - they have been for decades. The shelling of Yeonpyeong Island was only the latest of many incidents in the past that has irked the South into taking a more aggressive stance, and having the U.S. step in and actually have to talk with the North -- gives them mainly what they want the most -- attention.

A look at the major incidents in the just the last 10 years:

(from Wikipedia)

n2001: On twelve separate occasions, North Korean vessels cross the Northern Limit Line and then withdraw.
nNovember 27, 2001: North and South Korean forces exchange fire without injuries.
nJune 29, 2002: Renewed naval clashes near the Northern Limit Line lead to the deaths of four South Korean sailors and the sinking of a North Korean vessel. The number of North Koreans killed is unknown.
nNovember 16, 2002: South Korean forces fire warning shots on a Northern boat crossing the Northern Limit Line. The boat withdraws. The similar incident is repeated on November 20.
nFebruary 19, 2003: A North Korean fighter plane crosses seven miles (11 km) south of the Northern Limit Line, and returns north after being intercepted by six South Korean planes.
nMarch 2, 2003: Four North Korean fighter jets intercept a US reconnaissance plane over the Sea of Japan.
nJuly 17, 2003: North and South Korean forces exchange fire at the DMZ around 6 AM. The South Korean army reports four rounds fired from the North and seventeen from the South. No injuries are reported.
nNovember 1, 2004: North Korean vessels, claiming to be in pursuit of illegal fishing craft, cross the Northern Limit Line and are fired upon by the South. The vessels withdraw 3 hours later.
nJuly 30, 2006: Several rounds are exchanged near a South Korean post in Yanggu, Gangwon.
nNovember 10, 2009: Naval vessels from the two Koreas exchanged fire in the area of the NLL, reportedly causing serious damage to a North Korean patrol ship.
nMarch 26, 2010: A South Korean naval vessel, the ROKS Cheonan, was sunk by an explosion near Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea. A rescue operation recovered 58 survivors but 46 sailors were killed.
nNovember 23, 2010: North Korea fired artillery at South Korea's Big Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea and South Korea returned fire. Two South Korean marines and two South Korean civilians were killed.

The media in the South hasn't shyed away from discussing the incident at Yeonpyeong-do, or the 2 training exercises that followed - the most recent being yesterday (and both in undisputed South Korean territory). Obviously is it newsworthy, however, I feel that the way the U.S. media portrays the events are decieving. Most of the news I have seen seems aimed at scaring people - and fear brings in ratings.

Look at these U.S headlines:

"North Korea threatens 'sacred war' with the South"

"Seoul endures life under the gun"

"War rhetoric rises between North and South Korea"

"N. Korea: Exercises bring war 'closer'"

"North Korea threatens nuclear 'holy war'"

They all pertain to violence and war and most have photos or video of military equipment and personnel in action.....scary yet strangly cool. I wish I knew more about psychology in the media.

On most of these news stations, this sort of thing plays in the background while the commentators and pundits rattle off how dire things are

(The video is eerie if you ask me - but fascinating at the same time)

The South Korean media is less dramatic in it's stories, but still tries to make the situation seem moreso.

Remarkably, the latest headlines in South Korea haven't been as much about the military drills that took place this week, as they have been about the outbreak of FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease - "Mad Cow Disease") in Gangwon province.

I suppose war is scary - but eating tainted meat is even more so.

(Koreans are very proud of their beef!)

"What To Do With Myself"

2010-12-16T09:27:00.001+09:00

This week we are holding our final exams. This is great for me because I only teach one day this entire week, and the rest of the days I can leave early. Yesterday, however, I was told I shouldn't leave around 2pm, to which I inquired why.

"We are having an alarm today" she said.
"An alarm?" I questioned. "You mean a fire drill?"
"No, it's a drill for if we are attacked by North Korea."
"Oh, so what do we do?"
"People all over the area are supposed to go to shelters and subways."
"Ok - but what do WE do?"
"Since we don't have students after lunch today, we don't have to do anything."

Remind you of anything?

Some of my friends even pointed out that at their schools, all the students had to stand outside in the blistering cold during the 15 minute drill - because outside in the middle of a soccer field is the safest place to be if bombs are landing around you!

South Korea held it's 15 minute civil-defense drill yesterday. According to CNN this was "to prepare the public for a potential military attack from North Korea after Pyongyang shelled a South Korean island less than a month ago."

"After the bombing, we believed it was important for the public to know where to take shelter since the South is within five-minute-distance from a North Korean air raid," Kim Kwang-hee, the director of civil defense said."

"The drill involved 12 fighter jets which flew over the airs of Seoul and the country to mock an enemy air drill. More than 250,000 public workers helped civilians take shelter in underground facilities and subway stations, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)."

Here is what I don't understand. This country has been living with the threat of attack for 60 years, and had stopped these drills a decade ago. Ever since the most recent attack a few weeks ago when the North fired artillery on Yeonpyeong-do have people been taking things a little more seriously. I fear that the South is ill-prepared for any serious attack, and if for some reason they are prepared, the people (especially us foreigners) will have no clue what to do besides what our embassies tell us (which is minimal at best).

I feel as though the South Korean government doesn't take things too seriously at times, and is more focused on rhetoric and maintaining an image than actually being effective and prepared for these eventualities. If this was to happen in the US we would have drills, evacuation plans by town, the media would be warning us what to do for weeks in advance, and we would all live in fear hunkered down in our homes watching Glenn Beck while cleaning our guns.

"SantaCon Seoul 2010"

2010-12-13T09:43:00.000+09:00

This weekend I attended a large event in Seoul called "SantaCon" otherwise known as "Santarchy". This event is held in major cities worldwide and incorporates many people dressing up like Santa and creating chaos while spreading holiday cheer. You can check out the facebook page here where over 560 Santa's had signed up to attend.

We gathered in Sinchon at a popular bar and headed out on a half-mile parade through the city to Hongdae (a popular area known for its young university students, clubs, restaurants and bars)

Along the route we sang Christmas songs (some dirty), danced in the streets, and gave candy to strangers wishing them a Merry Christmas. The looks on peoples faces was priceless as they stared at the 300+ foreigners dressed as Santa parading through the street.

Most people get a little drunk and meet up at one of the many HO bars in Hongdae (Ho bar is a franchise that is appropriately named for this event!).

It was a fun (albeit it COLD) time, and I look forward to doing it again!

Photos:

"On the doorstep"

2010-12-05T18:57:00.000+09:00

I saw these graphics on the Yonhap News website today. Graphics about war and weapons are never comforting to me - but they are usually informative. It's also not comforting to know that Gunpo is right on the range limit of North Korea's multiple-launch rockets.....but informative.

But if that's not bad enough, you get to look at pictures these lovely weapons that could obliterate me...

At least South Korea has deployed these bad boys as a deterrent....

"Gobble Gobble Gickel"

2010-11-26T00:40:00.000+09:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ok, so we celebrate it about a day before everyone in the U.S. due to the time zones, but I suppose that just means I get 2 days to celebrate it.

There is so much to be thankful for, that I decided to make a list: (I was inspired my a friend of mine.)

I'm thankful for family and friends, and I know that's a huge cliche, but it's true.
I'm thankful for my family that, even though I'm half-way across the world, they still support my decision to live away from them.
. ...and that they put up with the fact that I've missed almost every holiday and family function the past year and a half.
I'm thankful for my friends who call me just to know how my day went, who miss having me around, and even though they desperately want to see me on a semi-regular basis, allow Skype chats, photo uploads, and random Facebook messages to replace me.
I'm thankful for my girlfriend - who cares for me, loves me, and supports me, and is one of the most amazing people.
I'm thankful for my job, which I enjoy on most days.
...and even when I'm having a bad day, I may complain, but it's better than working a job I hate, being unemployed, suffering depression, or dealing with bankruptcy.
I'm thankful for kimchi - food of the Gods. (and a good food to help you lose weight)
I'm thankful for my health - even though I have visited doctors more this year than any other, at least it's not because of anything serious.
I'm thankful for being happy - the happiest I've been in a long time.
I'm thankful for Korean friends and co-workers - who even though we have our misunderstandings and miscommunications, are some of the most incredible and kind people I've met.
I'm thankful for mandu - because I need to eat it at least once a week.
I'm thankful for Apple Computers - because my MacBook and iPod make my life so much easier and entertaining!
I'm thankful for a roof over my head - especially one that the school pays for
I'm thankful for clothing that fits me - not just because losing 30lbs feels amazing, but NOT feeling ginormous compared to Asians feels AWESOME!
I'm thankful for Seoul - because it's one of the biggest cities with a plethora to experience every weekend.
I'm thankful for SNSD (Girls' Generation) because --- well---have you seen them?
I'm thankful for being able to travel and see the world: Korea, Japan - next Thailand?
I'm thankful for freedom - something I take for granted at times, but something I'm thankful to the people in the past and present who protect and defend it.
I'm thankful for laughter - because without it, the world would be a dark and boring place.

My Thanksgiving took place in Ansan (about 20 min south-west of Gunpo) where I met up with friends at a bar that serves smoked turkey legs. Turkey is pretty uncommon to find, and very expensive. Also, not many people have ovens to cook it!

It was a decent meal and we all ate and drank a lot.

Some more than others...

I hope everyone had a great Turkey Day!

"Bombshell"

2010-11-24T09:44:00.003+09:00

Here we go again....

North Korea has once again attacked South Korea (this time there is no dispute like the Cheonan incident last March) {here is my post about it}. This incident also took place near the NLL (Northern Limit Line) on the island of Yeonpyeong-do.

Basically what happened was that the ROK forces were conducting military exercises in the area (a common occurance) - and were test firing artillery aiming south and southeast. The DPRK sent a letter demanding a stop to the exercises (another common occurance), of which the ROK forces ignored. North Korea then launched artillery into the South striking Yeonpyeong-do which is inhabited by some civilians and a large South Korean military garrison. The attack killed at least 2 ROK Marines, injured about 12-18 others including some civilians. It also set fire to approximately 60-70 homes on the island.

The South Korean forces fired back and this went on for about an hour or so begining about 2:30pm yesterday. Both sides eventually stopped and people were evacuated from the island.

The local reactions here were not that noticeable, but after talking with people they showed their outrage and a little fear of war. There were people crowded around the TV's downtown as people watched and listened to the news, but there were no protests anything out of the ordinary that I witnessed.

South Korea isn't taking this incident lightly as the military and police have been put on crisis alert in case of any further agression. President Lee Myung-Bak has also called for “multiple-fold retaliation” if the North provokes more. But as for now, things are relatively calm but could blow up at any minute.

The U.S. Media loves a good story, and is a little more dramatic, stating we're on the "Brink of War" (even though the 2 countries have technically been at war since the cease-fire was signed in 1953)

Sean Hannity (a opinion commentator, not journalist) and Karl Rove turn the story into "dozens of citizens" injured, and follows Fox News over-dramatic "reporting" of the events and cites Obama's lack of response. Why the push for war? Ratings? Don't these people realize if a war was to break out thousands, if not millions of people would die, be injured, and their lives would ever be altered?
And while we're at it, can we just promote Karl Rove's book...

Netizens and other commentators on blogs are a little over the top, stating this is the start of WW3, Nuke China, and how the "socialist Obama liberals have no guts to do what's right and nuke the North" - yeah, try not to read that garbage.

If you want a better perspective, stay away from the US Media and focus on BBC news, or the Korean media (links located to the right).

For a good over-all view, here is a decent article I found on Yahoo:

Tensions on the Korean peninsula:
What you need to know
By Zachary Roth

Tensions are near the boiling point on the Korean peninsula after North Korea shelled a South Korean island, killing two South Korean soldiers. What's behind this latest spike in hostilities between the longtime adversaries, and just how concerned should we be -- especially since we have 25,000 military personnel stationed in South Korea? Here's what you need to know.

What happened, exactly?

Early Tuesday, North Korea fired artillery shells at the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, which sits off the disputed maritime border between the two countries. The attack killed two South Korean marines and wounded 18 soldiers and civilians. It prompted an exchange of fire between the two sides, involving around 175 artillery shells and lasting about an hour.
The North accused South Korea of having started the exchange by firing shells inside North Korean territory during a set of South Korean military exercises that the North called "war maneuvers." The South denies that charge, saying that its soldiers were merely conducting military drills and that no shots fell in North Korean territory.
The North Korean attack was the first on a civilian area of South Korea since the Korean War.

Why did this happen now?
Tensions have been running high since March, when a South Korean naval vessel in the same area was sunk, killing 46 sailors. Seoul blamed a North Korean torpedo attack, though the North has denied involvement. Then earlier this month, the South Korean navy fired warning shots at a North Korean fishing boat after the craft strayed across the border. The North Korean boat retreated.

Some analysts have linked Tuesday's action by the North to the impoverished nation's need for food. The Obama administration has refused to remove sanctions against the North, imposed in response to its nuclear program. "They see that they can't pressure Washington, so they've taken South Korea hostage again," Choi Jin-wook, a senior researcher with the South Korean Institute for National Unification, told the New York Times. "They're in a desperate situation, and they want food immediately, not next year."
Does this have anything to do with North Korea's leadership situation?
Kim Jong Il, the North's ailing and reclusive leader, is believed to be gradually shifting power over to his son, Kim Jong Un, who in September was promoted to the rank of four-star general.

Some analysts believe the transition has made North Korea eager to demonstrate its military power. Kim Jong Il famously employed an aggressive "military first" approach to politics, and spoke of turning the North Korean army into a "pillar of the revolution." The regime may now want to show the world that the same military-first policies will prevail under his successor. "The son's power base is derived from the military, and the power of [the] military is greater than ever," Cheong Seong-Chang, a fellow at the Seoul-based Sejong Institute, told Time magazine.

How has the world reacted?
The United States, Britain and Japan have condemned the North Korean attack, with America calling on the North to "halt its belligerent action." China said it was "concerned," while Russia has urged restraint and a peaceful solution to the crisis.

What's the U.S. role in all this?
The United States wants North Korea to resume the six-party talks on the country's nuclear program. The talks, which also include Russia, China, Japan in addition to America and the two Koreas, were launched in 2003, after North Korea opted out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The talks' aim is to arrive at a peaceful diplomatic agreement to contain the North's nuclear capacity -- but the talks have been in limbo since 2008, and earlier this week, an American scientist revealed that he had been shown a sophisticated North Korean nuclear enrichment facility, throwing the resumption of the talks into further doubt.

Today's incident adds another obstacle, experts say.
The revelation of the uranium facility and Tuesday's attack on South Korea may both be expressions of the North's concern that the Obama administration and its allies are unlikely to offer concessions such as the easing of sanctions. "I think they realize they can't expect anything from Washington or Seoul for several months, so I think they made the provocation," Choi Jin-wook, senior researcher at the Korea Institute of National Unification, told CNN.

How scared should we be?
South Korea has placed its military on "crisis status," and Prime Minister Lee Myung-bak has reportedly ordered strikes on North Korea's missile base if the North makes any "indication of further provocation." It appears unlikely, though not impossible, that further military action will result.

South Korea does not have an active nuclear weapons program. North Korea is believed already to have eight to 12 nuclear bombs. But nuclear issues aside, any military conflict between the countries could badly destabilize the region, especially if the North Korean government were to collapse -- an outcome that some South Koreans fear could lead to a Chinese takeover.

"Testing the Strong Ones"

2010-11-19T10:30:00.000+09:00

Thursday was a very important day.

I had the day off!

However, that's not as important as why I had the day off. National Holiday? No. Frozen pipes or broken heat at the school? No.

Thursday was the day the high school seniors had to take the nation's college entrance exams. (CSAT's)

This exam is a HUGE deal. I believe the test is only administered once a year on one day, and it can make or break your future career plans. (some people say that you can only take it once, but of that, I am not sure). My middle school was shut down because the majority of our teachers had to proctor the exam. This means they stood for 7 hours yesterday, and came to work complaining of back pain and exhaustion. I felt terrible when my co-teacher sat during our class with a heating pad wincing in pain.

The day before the test, the seniors parade out of their respective high schools with the rest of their schoolmates wishing them luck on the exam. Cheering them on, while feeling bad with the knowledge that some of these students are going to spend the rest of the day studying. The younger students probably go home to study as well as they know they will have to take it when they become seniors... or just because they go home and study anyways. That's the boring life of a Korean student: Eat, go to school, eat, go to after school academies, eat, study, play Starcraft, sleep. Rinse and repeat.

The day of the test can be hectic. 650,000-700,000 students have to report to their correct testing locations, and if they go to the wrong place - panic sets in. Thankfully, police, firefighters, and even a motorcycle club are willing to help out these students. Students are not the only nervous group. Parents are seen praying at churches and temples for their sons and daughters success - if not directly outside the school's gate.

The test usually runs about 10 hours including breaks and lunch. Unlike the SAT's back in the States, there is a listening portion in both Korean and English. During this time, it is vital that the students not be distracted by honking horns, rumbling trains, construction work, or airplanes outside the school's hosting the tests. Trains are delayed, police are more abundant near the schools, construction comes to a halt, and the airports basically close down for an hour or so. Rumor has it that the tests are pretty difficult and that the government is aiming to look at the testing rules and maybe adjust them, such as being able to take the test more than once a year.

I'm sure the day after the test is followed by relief that it is over and done, but also fear about their scores. There always seems to be a jump in suicides from students who think they failed, or after the scores are reported their fear becomes reality. Sad, but true.

I'm just thankful I didn't have this pressure as a student.

"All I've Got is a Photograph"

2010-11-10T09:31:00.000+09:00

I was playing around with my camera this past weekend during Saturday shopping trip, followed by a Sunday concert in Hongdae. This is what I came up with:

Mok-sal (pork neck) - always sooo delicious!

Soundholicity Presents: GoGoBoys

Soundholicity Presents: Daybreak

I don't know why, but Koreans love stationary -- and pens, pencils, and pencil cases..

Mouth-watering Scotch tape

I also saw this Providence based photographer's album of HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos and found out how to compile my photos in a similar way. This is what I came up with:

Boston, USA

Kyoto, Japan

Jeolla-do, South Korea

Osaka Castle, Japan

Streets of Osaka, Japan

Geongbokgung Palace, Seoul South Korea

Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island

Bose Dore, Newport, RI

Buddhist Prayer, Osaka, Japan

Sanbon Rainbow, Gunpo, South Korea

"Punish Me"

2010-11-02T11:01:00.000+09:00

Seoul's public schools have banned corporal punishment! Oh the horrors! How will we ever control the students!? They'll just behave badly all the time knowing the teachers won't hit them!

From the Joongang Daily:

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Corporal punishment ban goes into effect in Seoul

Teachers complain they aren’t ready for the changes
November 01, 2010

Corporal punishment is now banned in all schools in Seoul under revised regulation devised by liberal Seoul education chief Kwak No-hyun.

But teachers complained that they are not ready for the changes and many are still confused by the new system.

“Regardless of whether the schools are private or public schools, more than 99 percent of schools set up their own regulations banning teachers from using corporal punishment for educational purposes,” said an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education yesterday.

The revised regulation takes effect today and all forms of corporal punishment will be banned. While students and civic organizations that advocate for students’ human rights welcome the changes, some teachers are worried.

Citing a lack of alternative means to control student misbehavior, many teachers argued they can’t handle situations without corporal punishment, given that corporal punishment has been widely considered an effective method of supervising and teaching students in Korean schools until recently.

If teachers are caught bypassing the regulations, the education office will issue a warning or take disciplinary measures.

Because many teachers complained that they had no positive alternative measures to replace corporal punishment, the Seoul education office unveiled alternative punishment guidelines on Sept. 9.

According to the guidelines, teachers can isolate students for misbehavior in an “introspection room” and set up a meeting with students’ parents to discuss their children’s behaviors.

Teachers affiliated with the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Association released a statement immediately after the Seoul education office’s Sept. 9 guideline announcement and said the education office’s guidelines are too idealistic.

“The schools lack the number of teachers who can manage ‘introspection rooms’ and offer counseling to misbehaving students,” said Kim Dong-seok, the union’s spokesman. “It’s also unclear whether teachers’ meetings with parents will work because there are no measures that can force parents to come to school if they reject the teacher’s request for a meeting.”

Members of the teachers’ union urged Ministry of Education officials last Thursday to come up with national guidelines on corporal punishment.

The Seoul education office said it will recruit additional teachers for introspection rooms by March of next year.

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This article is interesting because teachers are respected and are almost seen as a second parent to a child. Hitting them is/was a daily occurrence, and the students never complained about it. In fact, they once told me "it's a good thing we get hit, if we didn't we would be very bad."

The day the ban came into effect, my students were behaving badly and some of the teachers were obviously frustrated with the new rule. I don't think they've had classroom management courses to take, as the majority of them go straight to "the stick" for punishments. Some make them sit or stand in painful positions for a long time.

I never hit my students, but I do make them stand in the back of the classroom or in the hallways removed from class if they are misbehaving. Sending them to the principal is never done - as the principals are more administrators than they are disciplinarians. Modern detention (i.e., sitting in a room after school) is not common. More common is forced labor cleaning classrooms, hallways, school grounds, or for more serious situations; writing apology letters and confessions to their parents and teachers.

I think it would be fun to end this post with a quote from my co-teacher. I asked her what she thought of the new regulation, and she said: "I don't care about the new law, I will still hit them."

"Mint Condition"

2010-10-28T21:55:00.001+09:00

This past weekend I visited the "Grand Mint Festival" held at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu (Bangi) -- and not too far from Jamsil Sports Complex.

I didn't know what to expect, as I was offered free tickets by my girlfriend who needed to scope the venue out for her company, as they may want to use it for their own festival.

Grand Mint? As I approached the park area I saw a scattering of tents and stage set-ups. Was this going to be a festival promoting mint flavored products? I expected tea, candies, scented candles, and air-fresheners. Why was there a stage? Were they going to have groups come out and sing and dance about mint?

As it turns out, the festival is a mini-Woodstock rock festival, showcasing all sorts of music. (I think it's sponsored by the paper company "Mint Paper") I found the bands to be pretty entertaining, and was surprised at the large, yet young crowd. The event wasn't very foreigner friendly - probably because the groups were not very popular and didn't sing in English.

SOUP Loving Forest Garden -- weird name for a staging area. (SOUP is a company name)

The food was good though - albeit expensive. There was also a lot of alcohol served - good for the crowd. -- I didn't see any mint juleps though....

Surprisingly delicious for Korean Tacos...

Who drinks nachos and/or art?

Overall it was a nice little festival with many vendors and I got a lot of free stuff - bags, buttons, coupons, trinkets, and too many flyers.

"Work It Out Now"

2010-10-20T15:41:00.001+09:00

Ever since I first arrived in Korea (almost a year and a half ago) I began to eat healthier.

This can mostly been contributed to eating smaller portions and just plain better quality foods. I regularly eat spicy dishes, less carbs other than rice, a ton more fruit and vegetables, more soups, and smaller quantities but better quality meats.

After my first year I had easily dropped 30lbs without really exercising. My lifestyle has changed dramatically due to the fact that I walk everywhere the subways don't go (unless it's really far that I need a bus or taxi), and that I get out more often and do more things. - I used to be pretty lazy and a homebody.

I started to plateau towards the beginning of summer, and actually gained around 5-10 lbs simply by being on vacation for a month in the States! I blame the plethora of parties and the frequent visits to restaurants with family and friends.

My new plan has been to start exercising. This is one thing I HATE doing. I am NOT a runner, I have had bad knees for years. I was never really into team sports besides baseball when I was younger. I do enjoy playing badminton with my girlfriend, and enjoy walking. I never liked gyms, but I do like the accessibility and ease of being able to get a workout while watching TV instead of running around in the snow and rain.

Walking around Gunpo is pretty relaxing actually. I like exploring side streets and noticing new small restaurants that don't get the attention of the downtown Sanbon crowd. I've even made it a plan to walk in different directions on different days so I don't get bored.

A pavilion over looking some apartments on top of a quiet hill.

The one thing that I really like is that there are outdoor "gyms" almost everywhere -- and they are FREE.

Although these "gyms" aren't really well maintained a lot of the time, or protected from mother nature, they do have their appeal of being readily available to almost anyone at any time (granted when they aren't being used by the elderly -- which is ALL THE TIME except around dinner time). I have found a couple secluded spots where I can lift weights, stretch, and do other sorts of exercises in peace. You'll even find these "gyms" half-way up mountain tops (and usually occupied by 80 year old men and women vigorously working out!).

Some of the equipment I do not use as I don't see the point.

Does twisting your body slightly from side to side like this REALLY give you a work out?

Apparently all this walking and light lifting has been helping out. I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. Hopefully by next year I will have a slimmer and trimmer look!

Papa Was A Rolling (kidney) Stone

2010-10-15T10:15:00.002+09:00

Last week, I awoke after feeling uneasy and I couldn't get comfortable. I went to the bathroom and immediately felt sick. I thought I might have eaten some bad tuna kimbab (Chamchi-kimbap) from a local franchise.

I thought I might vomit, as I became nauseous and started breathing heavily. Appendicitis was my initial thought - the pain was almost in the right place for it...but suddenly, the pain shifted and became more extreme - this time in my back.

I've had back pain for awhile now - I even saw a chiropractor/acupunturist about it last spring. This felt totally different. It was if I had just been stabbed in the back. As my mind churned, I developed the answer -- a kidney stone.

My gf and I took an excruciating taxi ride to the local hospital where the nurses and doctors at the ER asked my symptoms and did a urine test. (Thankfully my gf translated everything to me, as their English wasn't that great.) They confirmed the stones, and hooked me up to an IV of 5% Dextrose and some pain killer. As they were putting in the needle the pain reached it's height. I began to shake, my hands and chest went numb, and I began vomitting every 15 minutes for the next hour. I thought I was allergic to the medication - but I was told this was normal for this kind of pain.

In between bouts, they ran me into X-rays twice, and a CT-Scan (uncomfortable!) to confirm the stone and get a more accurate assessment.

Turns out, I only had one itty bitty 3-4mm stone.

Once the pain stopped a few hours later, I felt absolutely fine and they sent me home with some pain relievers, antibiotics, and some other medication that I had no clue about - but had no problem taking.

Saturday and Sunday I felt fine. My gf is a great nurse, and watched over me in more ways than I could have hoped for. I even felt great enough to take a walk to Seoul and see the HiSeoul Festival fireworks - which were pretty darn good.

Sunday night the pain started to act up again, as the stone began moving some more, and at 4am, we were in another taxi rushing to the hospital yet again. Of course being one of the only big (and handsome) white guy's the ER has probably seen that month, they immediately recognized me and set me up with the IV's and whipped out my info on their computers. Sidenote: The nurses and doctors I've had every time I've gone to the hospitals in Korea have been great.

Again, after draining the IV's and a little rest, I left feeling fine. We coulding make an appointment with the urologist on Monday - but waited around until he could see us anyway. We had to wait about an hour, but he showed me my x-rays and CT scan to show me the stone, told me that it was too late to remove it, but it wasn't big enough to do so anyways. Instead, I had to wait for it to pass. (I'm still waiting actually). But I've been told to drink a lot of water, eat regularly, and try to stay active. He did hook me up with some stronger pain medication that I've only taken twice since, as the pain has only been dull this past week from time to time.

Some people recommend drinking a ton of lemon juice to move it along, also, I've heard of a lemon juice and olive oil concoction. Others say beer...but the doctor told me no alcohol or caffeine.

All I know is that I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone. I've never felt pain like that in my life. I can only describe it as possibly feeling pregnant, and feeling stabbed in the back.

Hopefully it will pass soon. I don't like the idea that I could be in that pain again in 10 minutes without any notice.

"Lazy for You"

2010-10-07T16:11:00.001+09:00

What I've been up to lately:

I've had basically 3 weeks of laziness due to mid-terms. Our teachers are preparing the kids for the tests and want to prep them without me. Oh, darn.'

So, I've completed 3 awesome lessons in my spare time (working on a 4th) and starting to prepare for my open-class sometime late November (open class is where I will be evaluated by other foreign teachers and Korean English teachers).

With all this free time, you would expect me to blog, right? Wrong. I've been keeping busy trying to work out every day, as well as improve my Korean through self-study. I really should do a blog post about the outdoor gyms in my area...

A few weeks ago, I got to see some ice hockey (there are only 2 teams in Korea, and one is located the next town over). The Anyang Halla were fun to watch. Here are some photos:

Also, I visted the Seoul Design Fair (last year called the Seoul Design Olympiad. I posted about it here.). My girlfriend is an event manager for the promotion company this year, so she's worked super hard on it. It actually closes today. I didn't find it as entertaining as last year. It felt larger and more interesting then, but it was still cool to see some of the amazing designs. (I didn't take any pictures though this time around - sorry.)

I'm debating starting a Korean food blog that would incorporate Restaurant Reviews, Cooking, and even School Lunches - so stay tuned for that. It might take me some time to get motivated to start it.

One of the many delicious dishes friend Minyoung's "Cafe Under the Stairs" in Hongdae (Seoul) creates. This one is Pumpkin Curry with Rice

Most interestingly Koreans have been in an uproar about the price of cabbage (Napa Cabbage specifically) - as it is used for making Kimchi. Bad weather (and even industrial growth) has been blamed for the shortage of cabbage this season, and prices have skyrocketed. It's even become a political issue. I love kimchi and eat it 2-3 times a day. Some restaurants are hurting as the prices have gone so high that they are starting to charge you when you ask for more of it. (Usually it's a free side dish). Koreans are referring to it as geum-chi (geum means "gold")

CNN Reports:

Thanks to my parents for sending me a care package! It's always great to get things from home. (Especially the new iPod Touch I purchased - as I can now use Skype on the go, and take photos/videos and send them instantly!)

"Kiss Me"

2010-09-25T14:46:00.001+09:00

I had a rather uneventful Chuseok this year. I spent most of my time relaxing and attending a couple events which I will post about later.

There was one incident that has ingrained itself in my mind these last few days.

On Thursday, my girlfriend and I decided to relax in the park nearby her apartment. We spent the day lying in the shade and enjoying the amazing autumn weather. I urged her to play badminton later on - something we love to do, but haven't found the time. Unable to find an empty badminton court, we hiked to the top of the nearby hill which has two, less frequented, badminton courts at the top.

They too, were occupied and we sat on a picnic bench awaiting our turn to play. While chit-chatting, my girlfriend hugged me and gave me a peck on the cheek, which was immediately followed by a 30-something year old Korean man yelling to us. He approached and started talking loudly to which I just kept replying "I don't know what you're saying" and looked at my girlfriend for some advice. She just stared at the man, and whispered to me "I think he's drunk and crazy..."

The man asked if I was from England, Canada, or the US, and when I replied "U.S.A." he kept babbling on in more Korean.

It turns out he was angry at my girlfriend for kissing me in public, and said "even though I am drunk, and I know your boyfriend is American and doesn't understand, you should behave better, should have more respect, and be more proper." He yelled at the teenagers playing nearby that they should have told us to behave properly and that they were stupid for not speaking up. (Read this to know more about Korea and PDA)

An older man tried to calm the drunk man down, apologized to us and tried to walk him away, but he came back and yelled at us some more. He told us if we wanted to behave like that we should go get a motel room, and basically called my girlfriend a whore.

Next came the scary part. He stumbled over to the nearby chain-link fence and picked up an aluminum baseball bat. He started swinging it in anger against the fence, yelling at us some more. Another adult took the bat from him, and the older man told us to walk away - which we did.

As we walked away my girlfriend finally spoke up and told him "You're pathetic and miserable because you don't have a girlfriend!" and "fine! you want us to go to a motel room, that's where we're going now!" (great, I thought, now he's going to get mad and come after us!)

But he didn't and we walked away unharmed but a little angry and shaken.

A little while later as we were leaving the park, we saw a police car leaving and passerby's saying that a drunk man was being taken away. Hopefully it was the same guy - but finding a drunk man in Korea is as easy as finding sand on a beach.

A million thoughts ran through my head afterward. "Why was he so angry?" "What could I have done if he started swinging at us?" "Why didn't anyone speak up against him?"

First, in Korea you really shouldn't kiss in some public places. People do, but especially not in front of the elderly. This man wasn't elderly, he was just drunk - and a peck on the cheek isn't cause for alarm.

Secondly, why is he so upset? I think it's because I'm a foreigner and he is jealous that I'm dating a Korean. Korea has plenty of prostitute areas, kissing rooms, "special massage" parlors where men and women go all the time. Many Korean men cheat on their girlfriends and wives - yet we're the ones "in the wrong"? Hypocritical if you ask me.

Lastly, what could I do? If I get into an altercation with the man I'm liable to loose my job. Basically, Koreans are right, and foreigners are wrong. It doesn't really matter who starts what, others will generally NOT come to you defense, and the police will probably take YOU away. If it was his word against mine, I would probably lose. In this case, if something did happen, at least there were witnesses. Sometimes I just have to suck it up, hold back my emotions, and just take whatever abuse. But in a case of self-defense, or defense of my girlfriend - I wouldn't stand by without taking action if push came to shove. If I lose my job because I'm protecting myself or her, I would fight it to the end, and if I lost - I wouldn't want to stay in a country where I'm at wrong for doing what is right without just cause.

What would you do?

"Full Moon"

2010-09-18T13:17:00.000+09:00

Korean Thanksgiving - aka "Chuseok" (추석) is approaching quickly. The holiday starts Tuesday-Thursday this year, and is probably the most popular holiday in the country.

"Chuseok is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Like many other harvest festivals, it is held around the Autumn Equinox. As a celebration of the good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food." - Wikipedia

5 Things to Expect During Chuseok:

1. Traffic: If you are planning on traveling during Chuseok - don't! It's super busy and you are bound to be stuck in traffic jams between the major cities as everyone is going to their families homes - just like in the U.S.

2. High Costs: Transportation books up really quickly, and if you are planning on flying, flights will be ridiculously expensive as many people travel internationally during the free time as well. Also, the major stores seems to increase their prices - specifically food. I have seen all food prices jump over the past week due to the holiday.

Thanks to Simon and Martina over at eatyourkimchi.com you can view their latest video about going to the local supermarket.

Please take the time to read their post as well about what to expect.

Here are some highlights:

Yelling Men: Yep. Men yelling loudly. Not at each other. Not argumentatively. They’re all yelling for your attention. COME OVER HERE! THIS THING HERE IS ON SALE AND IT’S DELICIOUS AND CHEAP! Forget about store signs to tell you their sales. With these guys, you’ll know about the sale before you even enter the place.

Big Crowds: Don’t go to a Korean Supermarket on the weekend unless you’re desperate. The crowds can get huge. You’ll wait in line just to be able to put something in your cart, then wait in a bigger line to pay for it.

Women with Cool Outfits: Sure, each Supermarket has its own uniform, but there are a bunch of women not wearing that uniform. Some of the women who give samples have something that can only be described as baggy socks that start at your shoes and tie up under the knee. Can’t describe it any other way. And that goes with their miniskirts. Other women, especially during the holidays, wear hanboks next to the gift sets the store is selling. Awesome.

Spam as a Gift Set: No joke here. During the holidays, you’ll find lots of food gift sets in the stores. They can be full of apples, or seaweed, or beef, or even Spam.

Yes - it's true.

3. Closed Shops: On Chuseok, many stores - (and especially smaller restaurants) will be closed or have different hours. If this is your first Chuseok in Korea you should plan on stocking up your pantry for a few days - although you should be fine, and able to find something if you live in a downtown area.

4. More Vacation!: Depending on your school, you may be entitled to more vacation based on the good will of your principal and/or the education department of your city. (I can only speak for public schools). This year, due to the holiday following on a Tues-Thurs, our school gave us Monday and Friday off as well - meaning, thanks to weekends - 10 days vacation! I wish I had known much earlier as I could have made some major traveling plans in advance and gotten some good deals.

5. Awesome Festivals: I recommend getting out of your apartment and attending some of the local events - specifically in Seoul. Namsan Hanok Folk Village was pretty cool, walking around Insadong has it's perks too. I recommend looking at iTourSeoul and looking at some events.

If you want to see how I spent Chuseok last year - check out the post here.

"I'll Make a Man Out of You"

2010-09-08T09:29:00.000+09:00

It's been a couple months since I've posted some North Korea news. Some of you will remember the posts about the sinking of the Cheonan and the reactions between North and South, as well as the flexing of power between the U.S. and China holding naval exercises.

The recent news pertaining to North Korea has been largely focused on Kim Jong il's latest trip to China. He had met with Chinese leaders a few months ago after the sinking of the Cheonan, a trip in which some theorize that Kim was trying to get support from China due to the US/ROK's blaming the North for torpedoing the ship, and then imposing new sanctions on the DPRK.

Kim met again with Chinese delagates a few days ago, this time it seems that he is seeking China's approval to hand over power to his youngest son - twenty-something-year-old Kim Jong Un. Apparently, Jong il has been grooming his youngest son for power over the last year after he suffered a mild stroke. Jong il is reported to have 3 sons - the eldest is seen as spoiled, studied in Switzerland, and likes to travel with fake passports - as he did in Japan trying to go to Toyko's Disney World (and was caught). As an embarrassment to the DPRK he was not a likely candidate. Neither is the middle son who no one really knows of.

CNN's story:

Grooming Jong Un for power needs the support of China as well as the Workers' Party of Korea, so his father has been spreading stories of his greatness to the people of the North. Some reports said that shrines were being made to honor him in small villages.

There has also been some posturing due to financial issues on the side of the North. Recently, an American activist (and religious whack job) named Aijalon Gomes crossed into the North to bring attention to the human rights violations and starving children in the DPRK - which he was quickly captured and sentenced to hard labor (seemingly trying to copy Robert Park - another idiot). Former President Jimmy Carter flew to the North to gain his release - who knows what the U.S. actually ended up doing to achieve this - money or aid I'm sure.

The DPRK also captured a South Korean fishing vessel recently, and around the same time suffered some severe flooding. It is reported that the South would be giving the North over 8 million dollars in aid - and all of a sudden, the fishermen were returned to the South.

The game is still being played. The chess pieces of North and South are being moved about by the US and China, and is being bet on by the international community in form of coroporations who want to get cash in their pockets in the long run.

When will we humans ever learn....?

"Blowin' in the Wind"

2010-09-02T08:59:00.000+09:00

I woke up early this morning -- well, that is pretty common for me, so let me rephrase that.

I awoke this morning EXTRA early due to a strange sound bellowing from the corner of my apartment. It sounded like a large truck was parked outside my window on the 13th floor - a feat that is near impossible, even with the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the Korean people.

I looked out the window to see what the fuss was all about, and I noticed that my view of Gunpo looked eerily dark. Not only dark, but the wind was blowing fiercely - so fiercely in fact, that it was swirling around the vent of my air conditioner "closet" creating a vibration so strong that it shook the floor and window.

Yes, I was in the middle of my first typhoon.

Typhoon Kompasu, as it is named - and I refer to it in the present tense as it is still going on as I am typing this - as been in full swing. On my way to the school this morning, I passed onlookers gawking at a tiny branch that fell near the street and was being whisked away by a work crew. You'd think people have never seen a typhoon - they are not that uncommon this time of year from what I am told.

The storm is fairly slow moving, and is expected to cause damage to the coastal areas, but isn't that bad inland as the abundant mountains break up the wind in some areas - and causes it to funnel into others.

On the bright side, I arrived at school and noticed there were only a handful of students. Apparently, the students have a 2 hour delay (something I wasn't informed of) but it didn't matter anyways because teachers still have to be on time.

It stands to be a rainy, windy, gloomy day....

More good news: the new iPod touch is out! I can't wait to get it because it's going to be great here in a country where you can connect to wi-fi almost everywhere. I'll soon be able to use Skype on it, among other things. (which you can do on the older ones anyways, but the new one has a camera for photos and HD Video!) They also revamped the Nano and shuffle, along with an iTunes update and Apple TV.

"You Learn"

2010-08-27T09:55:00.002+09:00

My friend provided a link to a Huffington Post article about traveling around the world.

It's pretty good - check it out.

Just some random cartoons about our silly language and teaching it...

"I Go Back"

2010-08-24T21:29:00.001+09:00

I'm back in the good ol' ROK and am ready to ROCK!

Yes, I indeed re-signed my contract for another year (but at this point it's only going to be another 10 months as I completed the remaining 2 months this summer before I went home).

No, I don't have plans after next June. I'm playing it by ear for now - we shall see!

It was great being home though, the fresh air was just what I needed - well, that, and seeing my family and friends! (and buying new clothes as nothing I owned fit me anymore from losing over 30lbs! - (insert happy face here for being healthy and for getting new clothing!)

Not a whole lot is different being back here after a month. My school apparently re-tiled their floors. It actually looks clean now! The students used to mop the old ones every day but they seemed to be just rubbing in the dirt that has accumulated over the years. Another change was that they turned our staff cafeteria (also known as the Science Lab) into a technology classroom. We just were moved to a room down the hall where we can eat instead - this time without the possibility of eating off a table that was just used for an experiment with chemicals and/or dissected members of the animal kingdom....

A big thing I have noticed that is different from the past month in the U.S. can be summed up in a single word: Humidity.

Some of you will say "Gee, it's been awfully hot and humid in the U.S. this summer" -- trust me, you have no clue what you're talking about. Last summer when I arrived in Korea I thought it was unbearably humid. I had never experienced humidity that badly -- until now. I'm am thankful though that it hasn't been as hot as it was in the U.S. I seem to recall that temps were in the high 90's and 100's, while here, it was merely in the mid to high 80's.

Yet, everyone always says "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" - which is soooo true. The humidity seems to lock in the heat and let it dangle above your head all day. Honestly, there is no point in taking a shower in the morning because by the time I get to work, I'm already dripping wet. I should just bring some shampoo on my commute. They call Korea the "Land of the Morning Calm" - they should change it to something like "The Land of the Absurd Humidity" or "The Land of Sweaty Foreigners". At least you know what to expect in the summer.

It seems a lot of other foreign teachers re-signed their contracts and we all went back home around the same time. We've all been talking about the differences of being home in comparison to Korea.

Here is a top 10 of what I have noticed about being home to America after living over a year in Korea:

1. Size: Everything is bigger - the people, food portions, cars, homes and apartments.

2. Cost: Many things are more expensive: transportation, dining, entertainment

3. Public transportation: It sucks in the States and is impossible to really get around without a car. I missed not being able to jump on the subway (across from my apartment) or take a dirt cheap taxi.

4. Style: Some people really dress inappropriately in America - women with a lot of cleavage, fat men with hairy arms in tank tops.... Koreans in contrast are pretty conservative with how they dress (except for the ladies in short skirts) - but at least the majority have amazing legs*!

(*completely unfair comparison of style and body shape!)

5. Language: My English speaking ability has suffered over the past year. Over vacation I noticed I spoke like an idiot only using very basic vocabulary and leaving out particles.

6. Comfort: Having personal space rocks! I hate dodging people (and cars), but also like not being cut off by adjuma's while waiting in line. Also, just working in the US is more comfortable than Korea. The hours are better, the vacations are longer, and the stress is less - at least compared to Koreans I know who are not teachers and sometimes work 10+ hour days, get 5 days of vacation time a year, and are expected to come to work sick unless they are hospitalized.

7. Customer service: American businesses/employees really don't make the effort like they do in Korea. Here I always get service with a smile and a helping hand as businesses are hungry for your money. The folks at your local stores will always say "Let me know if you need help" but we all know you're just going to say "I'm just browsing" anyways.

8. E-Mart vs. Wal-Mart: This kind of goes with #7 but it was just something I noticed. At E-Mart in Korea, employees are nicely dressed, professional, and focus on service, but at Wal-Mart, employees dress like slobs, aren't very professional, and are more concerned about their break time than you. However, both stores are similar in the fact that only a handful of their employees can speak English.

9. Silence: America is a lot quieter than Korea. We don't honk our car horns every 10 seconds, we don't yell in the subways or on the streets trying to sell you crap you don't need. There are simply less people per square mile and it is very noticeable. I traveled to Boston and thought "this is it?" I used to be intimidated to take the subway and walk around downtown because I thought it was a bustling city - now I am unimpressed and Boston seems very small and quaint.

Boston:

Population: 645,169

Area: 89.63 sq mi

Seoul:

Population: 10,464,051

Area: 233.7 sq mi

Note: Even in comparison to the Greater Boston area, it doesn't compare:

Greater Boston has an area of 947 /sq. mi (4 times larger than Seoul) but only a population of 4.5 million.

10. Diversity: Korea is very homogeneous. It might sound racist, but it is pretty much true. Most Asians look alike. Skin tones, black hair, similar clothing styles (school uniforms and a dress code for hair styles don't help much) similar builds. People just seem to blend in. Americans are very diverse - we all seem to stand out apart from one another. It's nice - but here, it's also nice to be the minority and stand out from the herd - just stop staring at me!

"Home - Part 2"

2010-08-18T22:08:00.001+09:00

"When are you going to update your blog?"

This is what I have been hearing for the past few weeks - mostly from family that has seen and talked with me and know what I have been up to while home on vacation.

Well, folks, here it is! The newest update of things you already know about.

Over the past weeks I have been up to no good. I've been to multiple cook-outs, made a trip to Boston, and then headed out to the mid-west to see my cousin tie the knot to his beautiful bride.

Let's get this started then, shall we?

HOME!

Besides buying a ton of new clothes, I visited a ton of family my first week home. (When you lose 30 pounds eating kimchi every day, you need to visit family and show off your good looks so that they can feed you delicious yet fattening foods and can gain some of it back!)

I used to fit in a size 42 jean - now that just seems enormous. Hwayoung thought it was a huge difference as well as she pointed out while I was packing for home:

I got the chance to see my best friend Patrick at home as well, and enjoyed a couple of dinners with him and family. It was great to catch up, and I already miss him even though I leave for Korea tomorrow. He did get to meet "Lyric" my sisters newest addition to the Broadway Dogs family - or should I say "aggregation"?

She's a super cute puppy - everyone enjoyed her. She even made an entrance at the family cook-out we had for my cousin George as he heads to college this fall. (Congrats Jorge!)

He enjoyed his gifts from my trip to Japan as well -- obviously a little too much.

Most of the cousins at the pool. Good times - great kids!

My trip to Boston was much needed, as I visited before I left last year to say goodbye to some of my closest friends, and basically did the same thing again this year. However, this year had the bonus opportunity of getting to see a Sox game at Fenway - my first since the strike in 1993. - yes, faaaaaar too long.

It was a perfect day. Even though there were torrential downpours on the drive up, the clouds disappeared as we approached Boston and the sun broke through the sky. We got right on the "T" which also happened to be free at the moment (the must have known I was coming!) We ate dinner at Jerry Remmy's and had a few drinks right before the game started, then found our seats where, in a sold out crowd, no one showed up in the seats around us giving us a great view along the 3rd base line. To top it off, I got to see a grand slam, a Korean played hit a home run (albeit for the other team) and Matsuzaka throw 8 innings solid.

Here are photos:

The following day I met up with my friends and we toured Downtown (but mostly just ate and drank!)

Make way for Ducklings!

Where every body knows your name...

Cannoli's!

Near the Commons at sunset

On my way home we stopped by Buttonwoods Farms in Griswold, CT to get some ice cream and check out the sunflowers. They were mostly dead, but we found a small patch that survived.

My good friend Kathryn poses near the farm. I just love this photo for some reason.

The following week, I attended my cousin David's wedding to his beautiful and super-sweet bride Lauren. The drive took about 15 hours to Indiana, but was well worth it! Thursday consisted of the bachelor party, Friday was the preparations and rehearsal, Saturday was the wedding/reception, and Sunday we headed up to Klinger Lake in Michigan to relax with their friends.

More photos...

Making gift bags of truffles - always a fun afternoon...

Steak and Shake - one of the finest dining establishments in the mid-west for deliciousness under $6.

Since the bride is mostly deaf, and David is an audiologist, the ceremony was done in sign language with interpreters. It was very well done.

Lauren's brother sang "Fly me to the moon" to them - it was great.

Father-Daughter dance

Post-Wedding fun!

Cornhole!

The drive home through Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

We got stuck in traffic for 1.5 hours due to a horrific 2 truck/3 car accident that killed one and injured at least 2 others. Why not spend the time playing catch in the breakdown lane?

I'm heading back to Korea tomorrow, so I'll be still keeping up on this blog. I'm also debating starting a Korean food blog, and will post the announcement if I choose to do so here first with a link.

Thanks for a wonderful vacation everyone. I had a great time seeing everyone, and to those I missed, we'll have to meet up next year! (Unless YOU want to do the traveling to visit ME!)

"Home" - Part 1

2010-07-20T22:13:00.000+09:00

I'm currently home in the U.S. for summer vacation. I may post a few blogs/pictures of my vacation and am thinking about creating a new blog for my 2nd year in Korea. Stay tuned for further information.

It's good to be home. I'm enjoying the fresh air, clean water, and shopping for new clothes like a teenage girl that just won the lottery.

I finally got to visit my sister's new full-bred puppy "Miss Purple" until she goes off to her owner. She's super-cute!

And my cat "Tasselhoff" says hello too!

Rocketman - Part 3

2010-07-13T11:32:00.001+09:00

As I've posted before (here and here), there is a excellent website called ROKetship, where a cartoonist named Luke Martin draws up a single pane comic about living and teaching in South Korea. He does some great work, and I figure I'll post some with some explanations of these hilarious observations:

It is not uncommon to see the elderly (the poor elderly) gathering up cardboard or wood from dumpsters or picking through the trash. I see this every morning on my way to work. The materials are recycled and traded in for cash - similar to how some states have bottle and can redemption programs back in the States. It's sad that a lot of the elderly have no pensions or retirement accounts, as they grew up in a time where the country was destroyed and have little more than an elementary school education. They work very hard and scrimp and save - I give these men and women a lot of respect.

Korean are relatively conservative in nature coming from a Confucian background, and more recently embracing a very strong Christian background. It is considered uncouth for a woman to show cleavage. There is even a term that means a woman looks like a "milking cow" if she shows too much chest. Western women, tend to show more however, and Koreans may view it as being inappropriate. Korean women do show a lot of leg though, and it is considered very sexy to show off their long legs - however, in my opinion some show off too much, that in the US it would be considered looking "slutty" or inappropriate. I love this panel for pointing it out! (note: The Korean girl is saying "ya-ha-da" which means "too sexy" or "loud!"

Many students learn English simply by memorizing phrases. Many of my students ramble off simply what they know even if it makes no sense. I've had some adults do it to me as well, and I try not to laugh as they say "Hi-where-are-you-from-nice-to-meet-you-I-am-happy-to-meet-you-are-you-from-America-I-am-from-Korea-have-a-nice-day."

One of the things that annoys me the most is the rules of walking on the streets. It seems there is no respect for the standard system of walking the same directions as in which you drive. Old ladies (adjumma's) are particularly bad when it comes to this because they are usually "pushy" by Western standards, and get to where they want to go by any means necessary! I can't explain how many times I've been cut off by some old woman strolling along, only to stop right in front of me as I almost slam into her because she's not paying any attention to others around her.

Customer service is a high priority for Korean businesses. In this highly competitive country with franchises on every corner, building customer relations is key if you want to keep your customers happy and returning. One bad experience will trickle down the grapevine and make your company look bad. I love the customer service to a certain degree. On one hand, the salespeople can be very pushy to make the sale - and even lie to you or exaggerate their products. Other times, it is great to get a nicely packaged or gift wrapped item with extra small bonus gifts thrown in - usually free of charge. When it gets ridiculous is when you go to the big department stores and you have 3 people welcoming you to the store, 2 people directing traffic in dancing style, and one lady taking a parking ticket out of the automatic ticket machine for you. That's too much. In the cartoon, the Westerner is only buying something small but getting a huge gift basket from Skin Food as a thank you for shopping there)

My co-teachers usually do not say or do much in my classes anymore, as I've gotten my classroom rules pretty much down with my students and they understand my consequences. Yet, there are times when I am having a rough class and all my tiny co-teachers need to do is yell a few words and maybe threaten to hit someone and the students go silent and apologize to me.

Now that is power!

"Shouts of the Reds"

2010-07-07T17:53:00.000+09:00

Since South Korea is out of the World Cup with the loss to Uruguay almost few weeks ago, I finally decided to put together a video for your viewing pleasure after being inspired by EatYourKimchi's excellent work. It would be nice to have a new and very expensive Canon Rebel as they shoot in HD video!

And here is the far superior video posted by EatYourKimchi's Simon and Martina.

Yes, I chose to use the same song as it is the most relevant seeing how it was composed for the World Cup Korean fans!

"Give Peace a Chance"

2010-06-25T10:26:00.001+09:00

Parts taken from Boston.com

Remembering the Korean War, 60 years ago

"This Friday, June 25th, it will have been sixty years since the beginning of the Korean War in 1950. After decades of Japanese occupation, Korea was divided in two by Allied Forces at the end of World War II, with the south administered by the U.S. and the north by Soviet Russia. Deep divisions built over several years, leading to skirmishes and finally an invasion by North Korean troops on June 25th, 1950. The United Nations sent troops and support from 21 countries to support South Korea, primarily from the United States and Britain. The war lasted for three years, with large advances and retreats on both sides, and many casualties. Hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers were killed. The two Koreas are technically still at war since hostilities ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty in 1953. Though it is often referred to as "The Forgotten War", I hope this collection of photographs helps us to remember the events of 1950-53, those involved, and the legacy that still remains, sixty years later"

Here are some of my favorites:

Note: I've added some "after" pictures of how Korean

has transformed so much in the last 60 years.

Then: Villages were being turned into rubble, homes decimated,
families separated, and lives destroyed.

A U.S. Marine tank follows a line of prisoners of war down a village street. September 26, 1950. (U.S. Department of Defense/U.S. Marine Corps/S. Sgt. John Babyak, Jr.)

Now: My "village" of Sanbon on the outskirts of Seoul - full of families and prosperity.

Then:

Four LST's unload men and equipment on beach in Inchon on Sept. 15, 1950. (AP Photo)

Now: Inchon is a major international port and a main supply line to Seoul

Then: Taejon (Daejeon) was practically obliterated

General views of burned city of Taejon on Sept. 30, 1950. (AP Photo/Jim Pringle)

Now: Daejeon is the 5th largest city in Korea and

the center of transportation in South Korea

Then: Heartbreak Ridge

Trees stripped by artillery and aerial bombardment stand like match sticks in this air view of hill 931 on Oct. 22, 1950, one of the main peaks which dominated Heartbreak Ridge in Korea. The complex system of communist trenches and bunkers are visible. This hill was taken twice by U.N. forces, the last time on October 6 by elements of the 23rd U.S. Regiment and a French Battalion. (AP Photo/GS)

Now: The DMZ has stood in place for the past 60 years with minor skirmishes to remind the government's on both sides that they are still technically at war. North Korea remains a secretive and reclusive nation that is controlled by a repressive government. Food shortages are common, and the country has made little advancement besides building up it's military. South Korea has flourished into a thriving nation full of opportunities, technological advancement, and is major industrial player on the international stage.

"If you look at a picture from the sky of the Korean Peninsula at night, South Korea is filled with lights and energy and vitality and a booming economy; North Korea is dark." - Donald Rumsfeld

Today: Korea's military is ever vigilant in regards to the North. Decades of mistrust and threats combined with assassination attempts, kidnappings, and espionage have kept the country divided. However, hope still remains that some day the two Korea's can one day become one. Time can only tell, but the longer it takes, the harder it will become.

In this photo taken on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, a South Korean Marine looks at the North Korean side as he stands guard on Baengnyeong Island, South Korea, near the border with North Korea

Please make sure you take a look at the full article at boston.com. It is filled of astounding images (some disturbing.)