Everyday at 5:00pm Mr. Joe and I leave school to pick up his two children from daycare. On the back roads are crater size potholes that the little red car attempts to avoid but more often than not we bounce and jostle around while Mr. Joe and I debrief our day of teaching. We are surrounded by fields of red chili peppers that dot the foreground of golden hue rice crops. Mr. Joe's 4 year old son is learning how to say good bye while bowing and it's so cute because his backpack is so big on him that when he bows his backpack falls forward and Mr. Joe has to grab him in order to keep him for falling over. On our way back on the same road with the sing song of small voices from the back seat, our bouncing car, I peer to the right and gaze out across the rice fields as the sun is descending and feel such a deep sense of gratitude and wonder.
Summer was extremely busy filled with 3 weeks of Summer English Camp, one week of English Village and prepping for 2nd semester. In between were day trips to Seoul, table tennis with Jackson and dinners with the Kim family. The summer weather was especially taxing since I didn't figure out how to use my air conditioning until the last week of summer; that explains the remote control next to the microwave.
Now, it's the advent of fall and Korea just celebrated it's version of Thanksgiving; Chuseok. It's a time for people to gather with friends and family, give thanks through gift giving and traditional foods; songpyeon (filled rice cakes), japchae (noodles), bulgogi (beef) and fruit. The expressways are congested for 5 days of anxious travelers because it's one of the most important holidays of the year. Rice fields will soon be harvested and kimchi will be prepared in mass quantities for the cold months ahead. Fall in Korea is gorgeous! Cool morning, bright and breezy afternoon and chilly cloudless evenings.
I've been in Korea for almost 6 mos. and I'm still pinching myself of disbelief. I have created a second home here and befriending the Kim family, it certainly has enriched my Korea experience. They have graciously taken me into their home and we consider ourselves family. So, even if I don't find my birth roots I have been given a gift of life long friendship with the Kim's. How did I get so lucky?!
Teaching has been amazing! I have found a groove in my teaching style but continue to learn, evolve and grow from daily experiences. The students and I are feeling comfortable with each other and I enjoy making them laugh and hopefully create an environment of learning English fun! Students are very hard working and diligent with their studies. Most students attend academy after school; music, English, tae-kwon-do, Math, etc.
Here are a few more things I have learned about Korean culture and observations:
-Women do not smoke in public. It's considered bad form, especially in front of an elder
-I learned from Mr. Joe that friends are of close age. Since Korea is a culture of hierarchy, one wouldnt be friends with someone older or younger than a few years apart. I told Mr. Joe that it's very common for me (and people in the States) to have friends who are 10+ years older than me and he was very surprised. Never in Korea. Elders do not consider younger people to have much "value" due to lack of life experiences and younger people revere and respect elders.
-When toasting a drink, the elder's glass is higher than the other glasses
-When toasting an elder the younger person looks away and drinks their shot of Soju
-Drinks are to be poured and received with two hands, especially with an elder
-When handing an item (papers, money, etc.) always use two hands, especially with an elder
And so much more to learn!!
"I am still learning"--Michelangelo
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
July 26 - Sunday
Teachers, admins., principal, v.p. and assist. v.p. celebrate the end of 1st semester by going on a "Teacher Overnight"; an occasion to celebrate and relax after a stressful week of testing. The rented bus arrives in front of the school, cases of beer, Soju and snacks are loaded before 35 people board the bus. We settle in and the remaining students wave and bid us good-bye. We make it about 3 miles outside the school when the Soju begins to start flowing. The asst. v.p (aka. 3rd Man) has a bottle of Soju in one hand with paper shot cups in the other, going from teacher to teacher, pouring and shooting back shots. As he gets closer to my seat I think this has officially been deemed the Party Bus! It's customary to never refuse a drink from an elder so I graciously accept the shot of Soju and quickly drink with his approval. After many shots (him-not me) he sits next to me and starts asking me questions. Now, Koreans are very curious about two things; your age and if you're married. His first question, "How old are you?" I tell him Im 37 and he looks very surprised and then he proceeds to ask me the inevitable marriage question but he asks me, "Are you a virgin?" Good thing I wasnt drinking anything at that moment or else he would have had a spray of water in his face! At first I must have looked a little confused because he looked confused and I said "Pardon?" and he asked me again. Then, that's when it dawned on me that he must have meant "Are you married?" but chose to use a different variation of the marriage question. So, after my initial shock I responded, "No, I'm not married."
Boy, this was going to be an interesting 24 hours!
After a long and relaxing dinner the dining hall is turned into the notorious Singing Room in which everybody takes turn choosing a song from the bulging binder of titles and sing with a mic in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. When the v.p. gently pushed me towards the binder I knew I could no longer get away with being a wall flower, so I picked a fun song that everybody knows...Y.M.C.A. (always a crowd pleaser!) and I was actually having fun!
The next morning we piled back into the bus and drove to a cave. This was my first time hiking in a cave and it was pretty amazing. Most of the time we were crouching and walking in very small spaces but luckily I'm one of the shortest teachers so it was pretty easy for me to get in and out of the crawl spaces. The cave was very cool and damp and as we approached the entrance there was a definite degree difference from cool to hot and humid. After exploring the cave we drove on to reach the river and aboard the Pleasure Boat, a river boat that takes tourist up and down for sightseeing. I'm standing and talking to 4 teachers when one of the teachers yells out "Foreigner!!" and points in the direction of a tall blonde man. All four heads and myself turn in the direction of her finger and they ask "Where?!!" and points more forcefully this time until we all spot him. I tell my curious teachers that I'll ask him where he's from and return with a full report. They nod in unison. Come to find out he's from Belgium.
After 24 hours of laughing and learning more about the Korean culture it was a fun trip and I got to know a few of the teachers as friends.
As a Korean/American my experiences here have been quite interesting. I don't speak the language but I blend in with the population. Often when a stranger approaches and asks me questions in Korean, I shake my head and they always assume Im deaf because why else would I not speak Korean. Or they are confused because I "have a Korean face" and yet don't speak the language. When they find out Im from America they appear less confused and always very gracious. When Im on the subway and see a foreigners board I want to speak to them in English but I forget that when they see me, they see a sea of Korean faces. It's all very interesting and I breathe it all in; one experience and adventure at a time!
More Observations:
--Korean tradition is deeply rooted in a hierarchy of elder etiquette. At dinner when the v.p. was pouring shot glasses of Soju to teachers it was always received with two hands and the head was turned away to drink from the elder pouring the drink.
--Children never wear seatbelts and are often playing and standing between the driver and passenger seat. Oy!
--Smoking is frowned upon in the company of an elder
--Students are extremely meticulous and need a sense of order and aesthetics
--Male chivalry is not passe' in Korea! Often men carry women's purses and bags. Once, while I was hiking I saw a woman shuffling up hill in her husband's tennis shoes and he was hiking barefoot while schlepping her purse and heels. (and why wear heels hiking?!)
Boy, this was going to be an interesting 24 hours!
After a long and relaxing dinner the dining hall is turned into the notorious Singing Room in which everybody takes turn choosing a song from the bulging binder of titles and sing with a mic in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. When the v.p. gently pushed me towards the binder I knew I could no longer get away with being a wall flower, so I picked a fun song that everybody knows...Y.M.C.A. (always a crowd pleaser!) and I was actually having fun!
The next morning we piled back into the bus and drove to a cave. This was my first time hiking in a cave and it was pretty amazing. Most of the time we were crouching and walking in very small spaces but luckily I'm one of the shortest teachers so it was pretty easy for me to get in and out of the crawl spaces. The cave was very cool and damp and as we approached the entrance there was a definite degree difference from cool to hot and humid. After exploring the cave we drove on to reach the river and aboard the Pleasure Boat, a river boat that takes tourist up and down for sightseeing. I'm standing and talking to 4 teachers when one of the teachers yells out "Foreigner!!" and points in the direction of a tall blonde man. All four heads and myself turn in the direction of her finger and they ask "Where?!!" and points more forcefully this time until we all spot him. I tell my curious teachers that I'll ask him where he's from and return with a full report. They nod in unison. Come to find out he's from Belgium.
After 24 hours of laughing and learning more about the Korean culture it was a fun trip and I got to know a few of the teachers as friends.
As a Korean/American my experiences here have been quite interesting. I don't speak the language but I blend in with the population. Often when a stranger approaches and asks me questions in Korean, I shake my head and they always assume Im deaf because why else would I not speak Korean. Or they are confused because I "have a Korean face" and yet don't speak the language. When they find out Im from America they appear less confused and always very gracious. When Im on the subway and see a foreigners board I want to speak to them in English but I forget that when they see me, they see a sea of Korean faces. It's all very interesting and I breathe it all in; one experience and adventure at a time!
More Observations:
--Korean tradition is deeply rooted in a hierarchy of elder etiquette. At dinner when the v.p. was pouring shot glasses of Soju to teachers it was always received with two hands and the head was turned away to drink from the elder pouring the drink.
--Children never wear seatbelts and are often playing and standing between the driver and passenger seat. Oy!
--Smoking is frowned upon in the company of an elder
--Students are extremely meticulous and need a sense of order and aesthetics
--Male chivalry is not passe' in Korea! Often men carry women's purses and bags. Once, while I was hiking I saw a woman shuffling up hill in her husband's tennis shoes and he was hiking barefoot while schlepping her purse and heels. (and why wear heels hiking?!)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
June 28th - Sunday
A Day in the Life of a Foreign English Teacher:
8:10am I depart my 14th floor apartment and walk a short distance to the shuttle, where it will take me about 5 blocks from Ganam Elementary School. The shuttle is unloaded with students and teachers and we walk the dusty road to start our day of learning.
Upon my arrival at school I change from my street shoes into my school "slippers" and as I make my up two flights of stairs and down the hallway I'm greeted with numerous "Hello!! Good morning, Jana Lee. Hi Ms. Jana, Hi Teacher Jana..." I wave back, say "Hi" and give high fives.
9:10am First class of the day. Mr. Joe and I teach the 5th or 6th grade English class for 40 minutes. I always open the class with "Good Morning, everyone!! How are you today?" with a wave and a smile. The students respond in unison "I'm fine/good/sleepy, etc. Thank you. And how are you?" After our salutations we spend the next 40 minutes watching a video of English dialog (with a theme in mind), listen and repeat the dialog, repeat dialog with students and student with student dialog (role play), learn new vocabulary and always end the class with a game.
9:50: The class takes a ten minute break and I sit at my desk with a barrage of questions from the students; "How old are you? Are you married/single? When is your birthday?..." It's always a different questions everyday. I entertain them with the little Korean I know and they laugh, clap and encourage me.
One of the things that's very unique with Korean children is they are very hands on with each other. During class I see girls holding other girls hands and boys rubbing other boy's arms or holding hands. And once the break bell sounds they immediately, pounce, jump, hit, slap and even punch each other on the back. I watch and wince as they physically rough play with each other until class resumes. Teachers often leave the classroom during break and the students are left to their own devices. I can see why the teachers leave...!
10:00 - 12:30: I teach 3rd and 4th graders in their homeroom alone but the native teacher usually sits in the back of the classroom keeping a watchful eye on any ill behaved or distracted student. I follow a set curriculum but I create the lesson plan and always end with a game that involves movement and action that gets the students out of their chair. We have a lot of fun!!
12:35: Mr. Joe and I make our way to the faculty room where 12 other administrators, principal and vice principal (I always bow towards the principal when I'm in his presence) dish up food onto our metal trays and eat in virtual silence. I'm always the last person at the table. Mr. Joe has apologized to me a number of times for how fast Koreans eat.
1:00-3:20: I prepare lesson plans for all of my classes for the week; 3rd/4th grade, Advanced English, After School English and Teacher's Club-English.
3:20-4:50: Teaching resumes; Advanced English and/or After School English and/or Teacher's Club-English.
5:00: Mr. Joe and I depart the school and he drives me home.
One of the challenges of teaching (in any classroom-English or not) is to create a lesson plan/curriculum that is creative enough for the "advanced" learners but not too difficult for the beginning learners. All of my classrooms consist of about 30 students and the diversity of learners is broad! I don't want to bore the advanced learners but I don't want to isolate the beginning learners. Every lesson plan I create has to be very thoughtful, creative and yet makes learning English fun! Not only am I a teacher but I'm also a student who is always learning!
My Korean family (Nancy, Kelly and Sally) invited me to join them for an afternoon of swimming. Well, anybody that knows me knows I'm not a big fan of public swimming pools! (it's a germ thing) But I'm here to experience new things in Korea and I reluctantly agreed to go but with a good attitude. I hate saying "no" to them. Little did I know it was a water park and spa! A cool swim on a hot/humid day actually sounded enticing but when we arrived at the Hotel Miranda in Icheon the ticket line was 6 long lines of kids carrying inflated rubber floaties, Mom and Dads toting baskets filled with snacks, water, shampoo and soap. That was my first indication it was going to be a long day! But with an attitude of adventure I clinched my teeth and breathed in deep as splashing and shrieking children can be heard throughout the water park. Oy!
Kelly talked me into standing in line to go down a 3 story high water slide. Once we got to the top of the stairs and waited our turn on the platform I disclosed to Kelly that this was my first time going down a waterslide. She said "Really??!!" and I shamefully nodded. I had her go first...
I kept telling myself as the gushing water was flowing down the large tube, "if I can jump out of a plane at 10,000 feet, I can surely lie down, cross my arms and slide." So, I quickly sat down (before I chickened out) and waited for the water to rush me away...I screamed all the way down!!
More Korean Observations:
--Students sweep, mop and dust their classroom every day before departing for the day.
--Ill behaved students sit in the hallway; kneeling on their feet, hands above their head.
--When pouring a drink or handing an item (ie, money, note etc.) to an elder, use both hands to present out of respect. It does not apply to someone younger than you.
--Cellphone charms are very popular! An English teacher coined the term "Dangle" for those little charms that hang from the cellphone.
--Children hit, punch and horseplay (That would never be acceptable in a school in the states!)
--Driving Etiquette: At night when a car stops at a 4 way signal light, the lead car turns off their headlights until the light turns green.
8:10am I depart my 14th floor apartment and walk a short distance to the shuttle, where it will take me about 5 blocks from Ganam Elementary School. The shuttle is unloaded with students and teachers and we walk the dusty road to start our day of learning.
Upon my arrival at school I change from my street shoes into my school "slippers" and as I make my up two flights of stairs and down the hallway I'm greeted with numerous "Hello!! Good morning, Jana Lee. Hi Ms. Jana, Hi Teacher Jana..." I wave back, say "Hi" and give high fives.
9:10am First class of the day. Mr. Joe and I teach the 5th or 6th grade English class for 40 minutes. I always open the class with "Good Morning, everyone!! How are you today?" with a wave and a smile. The students respond in unison "I'm fine/good/sleepy, etc. Thank you. And how are you?" After our salutations we spend the next 40 minutes watching a video of English dialog (with a theme in mind), listen and repeat the dialog, repeat dialog with students and student with student dialog (role play), learn new vocabulary and always end the class with a game.
9:50: The class takes a ten minute break and I sit at my desk with a barrage of questions from the students; "How old are you? Are you married/single? When is your birthday?..." It's always a different questions everyday. I entertain them with the little Korean I know and they laugh, clap and encourage me.
One of the things that's very unique with Korean children is they are very hands on with each other. During class I see girls holding other girls hands and boys rubbing other boy's arms or holding hands. And once the break bell sounds they immediately, pounce, jump, hit, slap and even punch each other on the back. I watch and wince as they physically rough play with each other until class resumes. Teachers often leave the classroom during break and the students are left to their own devices. I can see why the teachers leave...!
10:00 - 12:30: I teach 3rd and 4th graders in their homeroom alone but the native teacher usually sits in the back of the classroom keeping a watchful eye on any ill behaved or distracted student. I follow a set curriculum but I create the lesson plan and always end with a game that involves movement and action that gets the students out of their chair. We have a lot of fun!!
12:35: Mr. Joe and I make our way to the faculty room where 12 other administrators, principal and vice principal (I always bow towards the principal when I'm in his presence) dish up food onto our metal trays and eat in virtual silence. I'm always the last person at the table. Mr. Joe has apologized to me a number of times for how fast Koreans eat.
1:00-3:20: I prepare lesson plans for all of my classes for the week; 3rd/4th grade, Advanced English, After School English and Teacher's Club-English.
3:20-4:50: Teaching resumes; Advanced English and/or After School English and/or Teacher's Club-English.
5:00: Mr. Joe and I depart the school and he drives me home.
One of the challenges of teaching (in any classroom-English or not) is to create a lesson plan/curriculum that is creative enough for the "advanced" learners but not too difficult for the beginning learners. All of my classrooms consist of about 30 students and the diversity of learners is broad! I don't want to bore the advanced learners but I don't want to isolate the beginning learners. Every lesson plan I create has to be very thoughtful, creative and yet makes learning English fun! Not only am I a teacher but I'm also a student who is always learning!
My Korean family (Nancy, Kelly and Sally) invited me to join them for an afternoon of swimming. Well, anybody that knows me knows I'm not a big fan of public swimming pools! (it's a germ thing) But I'm here to experience new things in Korea and I reluctantly agreed to go but with a good attitude. I hate saying "no" to them. Little did I know it was a water park and spa! A cool swim on a hot/humid day actually sounded enticing but when we arrived at the Hotel Miranda in Icheon the ticket line was 6 long lines of kids carrying inflated rubber floaties, Mom and Dads toting baskets filled with snacks, water, shampoo and soap. That was my first indication it was going to be a long day! But with an attitude of adventure I clinched my teeth and breathed in deep as splashing and shrieking children can be heard throughout the water park. Oy!
Kelly talked me into standing in line to go down a 3 story high water slide. Once we got to the top of the stairs and waited our turn on the platform I disclosed to Kelly that this was my first time going down a waterslide. She said "Really??!!" and I shamefully nodded. I had her go first...
I kept telling myself as the gushing water was flowing down the large tube, "if I can jump out of a plane at 10,000 feet, I can surely lie down, cross my arms and slide." So, I quickly sat down (before I chickened out) and waited for the water to rush me away...I screamed all the way down!!
More Korean Observations:
--Students sweep, mop and dust their classroom every day before departing for the day.
--Ill behaved students sit in the hallway; kneeling on their feet, hands above their head.
--When pouring a drink or handing an item (ie, money, note etc.) to an elder, use both hands to present out of respect. It does not apply to someone younger than you.
--Cellphone charms are very popular! An English teacher coined the term "Dangle" for those little charms that hang from the cellphone.
--Children hit, punch and horseplay (That would never be acceptable in a school in the states!)
--Driving Etiquette: At night when a car stops at a 4 way signal light, the lead car turns off their headlights until the light turns green.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
June 4 - Thursday
My 4th grade classes are learning how to tell time (on the hour) and since I prescribe to kinesthetic pedagogy I had all the students stand up and use their body as a clock. With 25 students and me we put our hands together above our heads and indicated 12:00 and then moved our right hand to 1:00, 2:00, etc....you get the picture. When we arrived at 9:00 one of the students in the back of the classroom broke into Y-M-C-A, music and all. It took everything in me to not start laughing but to finish the exercise. How could I possibly ignore the Village People?! So, after we reached 12:00 again, I went to the young budding Village People impersonator and asked him to stand on his chair so that everybody in the classroom got a good view of his Y-M-C-A rendition. He enthusiastically motioned Y-M-C-A with song and we all followed suit; singing and laughing!
Two things are synonymous with Korea; kimchi and spas (bathhouse). Spas are notorious in Korean culture as a gathering place for friends and family. Many spas charge a mere 8,000 won (equivalent to $8.00) and it buys you a few hours of relaxation in saunas, heated floors to lie on, ice rooms, communal bathing and even having a Korean woman scrub you down with a brillo pad.
An English teacher and I ventured to find this hide-a-way spa, so after taking a bus, subway, another bus, a taxi and another bus, we finally found the bathhouse on the hill. (I kept thinking..."all this to get naked in front of people?") We reached the front desk and were given a key with a number to place our street shoes in. Then, we approached another desk where we were given a different key with a number and a bright orange prison uniform (I mean spa attire) with matching orange hand towels. After placing our backpacks and street clothes in the locker we donned orange shorts with a thick orange t-shirt. We shuffled upstairs to the pebble sauna room; a very hot room filled with heated pebbles that you lie on with your feet resting on a log and your head resting on a block of wood. Once I got my log and block of wood settled I scurried onto the hot pebbles and laid down as fast as I could without exposing more skin on the hot rocks. Because I'm a delicate flower I could only withstand the heat for about 20 mins before wilting into a sweaty puddle of orange mush. We just as fast got up and hurried to the ice room; a wall to wall layer of ice with cold wooden benches. After about 20 mins. of cooling down we departed the igloo and hydrated ourselves before venturing downstairs to the communal bathing area....and that's where the story ends. Ok, so I completely whimped out of the communal bath but while I waited for my friend I got caught up on the latest Korean soap opera.
So, at the end of the day I tried the Korean bathhouse experience (fully clothed) but would mostly likely just stick to trying different kinds of kimchi.
Two things are synonymous with Korea; kimchi and spas (bathhouse). Spas are notorious in Korean culture as a gathering place for friends and family. Many spas charge a mere 8,000 won (equivalent to $8.00) and it buys you a few hours of relaxation in saunas, heated floors to lie on, ice rooms, communal bathing and even having a Korean woman scrub you down with a brillo pad.
An English teacher and I ventured to find this hide-a-way spa, so after taking a bus, subway, another bus, a taxi and another bus, we finally found the bathhouse on the hill. (I kept thinking..."all this to get naked in front of people?") We reached the front desk and were given a key with a number to place our street shoes in. Then, we approached another desk where we were given a different key with a number and a bright orange prison uniform (I mean spa attire) with matching orange hand towels. After placing our backpacks and street clothes in the locker we donned orange shorts with a thick orange t-shirt. We shuffled upstairs to the pebble sauna room; a very hot room filled with heated pebbles that you lie on with your feet resting on a log and your head resting on a block of wood. Once I got my log and block of wood settled I scurried onto the hot pebbles and laid down as fast as I could without exposing more skin on the hot rocks. Because I'm a delicate flower I could only withstand the heat for about 20 mins before wilting into a sweaty puddle of orange mush. We just as fast got up and hurried to the ice room; a wall to wall layer of ice with cold wooden benches. After about 20 mins. of cooling down we departed the igloo and hydrated ourselves before venturing downstairs to the communal bathing area....and that's where the story ends. Ok, so I completely whimped out of the communal bath but while I waited for my friend I got caught up on the latest Korean soap opera.
So, at the end of the day I tried the Korean bathhouse experience (fully clothed) but would mostly likely just stick to trying different kinds of kimchi.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
May 27th - Wednesday
Metal spoons and chopsticks scrape, peck and tap against metal lunch trays and slurping can be heard over hushed conversations. I sit quietly with a tray filled with rice, cucumber kimchi, stir fried pork belly, rice cake/seafood soup and three different colored rice balls, in the company of my peers. I gingerly pick up a pink rice ball with my chopsticks and pop it in my mouth and I'm pleasantly surprised by the cool sweet syrup and soft bean paste. With delight I utter an "MMMMM" sound and the slurping and scraping come to a sudden halt with ten pairs of eyes gazing in my direction. I look up and see the filled table of lunching staffers looking at me and they then just as quickly look back down at their trays and continue eating. I smile from ear to ear...
The head principal knows that I'm adopted and raised in an American family but he appears very satisfied that I like Korean food. When I suggest to him through broad smiles and exaggerated nods (he doesn't speak English) that I very much love Korean food and that it's not too spicy, he tells my co-teacher-Mr. Joe, "It's in her blood" That makes me feel very happy!
May is quickly coming to a close and the hot weather is creeping upon us. The summer highs can reach the upper 80's but the humidity is thick and sticky! During the spring time Korea and other East Asian countries experience what's called "Yellow Dust" coming from mainland China and it blankets the country with yellow particles. The dust can get thick enough to close the school for the day. Since I arrived at the end of spring I didn't experience the full impact of Yellow Dust but there were a few days it was fairly thick.
This past weekend I went on another excursion with Global Campus and met 4 new English teachers (1-Louisiana, 2-Seattle, 1-Canada--that would explain why he kept saying "eh?") 8 of us crammed into a rented van (a rented van in Korea is not your typical full size Econoline but a slightly bigger version of a compact Kia) and headed out on the express way. Because we were running behind schedule we only had time for a quick potty/snack break and exited the van like the A-Team; sliding both van doors open, jumping out and sprinting in 8 different directions. The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) observatory closes to all vehicles at 4:00pm and by the time we rolled into the main gate it was exactly 3:59pm! (Good thing I pushed that old Korean lady down at the rest stop restroom because that just bought us 2 extra minutes!)
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. Our observatory was at the East Sea (Sea of Japan--don't say that to a Korean because he will quickly correct you that it's NOT the Sea of Japan but the East Sea) and it was beautiful! We hiked a few sets of stairs and at the top we peered across and saw the mountains of N. Korea. From our observatory location there were no N. Korea soldiers looking back at us but only S. Korean guards dutifully watching. After touring the observatory and exhibition/museum we hopped back into the van-ette and drove to the hostel at the base of Seoraksan National Park. Once we dropped off our bags at the hostel we walked around looking for dinner. A woman came out of her small and humble restaurant trying to persuade us to turn around and our translator (Baker) asked if she had bbq pork belly (that's what we all wanted) and she gleefully offered whatever we wanted, she could cook. Quickly our table was filled with side dishes (banchan-are about 10 different side dishes that accompany the main course) and two burners to cook/grill the thick slices of pork belly (glorified bacon.) After grilling the greasy pork it is wrapped in lettuce leaves with grilled garlic and kimchi. There is a technique to properly wrap all the tasty morsels without it dripping red greasy juice down your arm. As we were talking and savoring our amazing dinner, one of the English teachers-Wu, let out a loud cry of pain and jumped up from the table, which scared all of us to stop our conversations. Apparently, Wu got hit by flying pork fat shrapnel!
The next morning we continued south east to Seoraksan National Park to hike and take in the gorgeous geological formations and deep green backdrop. We couldn't have asked for better hiking weather; sunny and cool. We split off into two different directions because one group wanted to hike a higher peak and the other group (that would include me) wanted to take a more leisurely hike throughout the park. My group took lots of photos and found snacks on the trail; one woman was selling a very gooey, caramel looking candy. She would take a spoonful and wind it around a small wooden stick to look like a caramel lollipop. For 500 won (equivalent to .50 cents) I had to try the sticky treat, which we found out later that was made of squash. I thought it was made out of "Karo" syrup and slow cooked to a caramel but that would have been way too simple for the Korean palate...squash? Who knew! After spending 4 hours strolling and hiking we reconvened at the van-ette in order to beat the Sunday traffic into Seoul. Every Sunday, all the expressways are congested with weekender cars coming back from excursions. There are parts of the expressway that come to a snail pace and vendors are out selling snacks along side the road and sometimes even in the middle of the freeway. It's like when you're driving into a concert parking lot and vendors are selling t-shirts and glow sticks but these guys are in the middle of the expressway. I made it to Seoul just in time to catch the last bus to Tae-pyang-Ri, where I then have to hail a cab to take me back to my apartment.
I had another fun filled weekend of meeting new teachers, seeing beautiful sights and eating amazing and delicious (Koreans love to say delicious) food!
Next month, I'll be attending a major league baseball game and an overnight excursion to Busan (the southern most part of Korea-infamous for their fish market!)
Here are a few more observations I've come across:
--Korean are very clean! Children are required to wash their hands before lunch and brush their teeth after lunch. All of the children and teachers keep a mug, toothbrush and toothpaste. It's common that Koreans visit a spa 3-4x a month
--Korean children carry two items to school: backpack and a tote bag, which contain their inside "slippers"
--Students attend Saturday school 2x a month. As of 2011, Saturday school will no longer be required.
--Always carry tissue or toilet paper because most public restrooms do not supply such necessity (both men and women)
--Koreans don't use flat sheets for bedding. Only a comforter/blanket
--Rice is served on the left side of the lunch tray and soup is served on the right side
Thanks for joining me on this amazing journey!
Teacher Jana
The head principal knows that I'm adopted and raised in an American family but he appears very satisfied that I like Korean food. When I suggest to him through broad smiles and exaggerated nods (he doesn't speak English) that I very much love Korean food and that it's not too spicy, he tells my co-teacher-Mr. Joe, "It's in her blood" That makes me feel very happy!
May is quickly coming to a close and the hot weather is creeping upon us. The summer highs can reach the upper 80's but the humidity is thick and sticky! During the spring time Korea and other East Asian countries experience what's called "Yellow Dust" coming from mainland China and it blankets the country with yellow particles. The dust can get thick enough to close the school for the day. Since I arrived at the end of spring I didn't experience the full impact of Yellow Dust but there were a few days it was fairly thick.
This past weekend I went on another excursion with Global Campus and met 4 new English teachers (1-Louisiana, 2-Seattle, 1-Canada--that would explain why he kept saying "eh?") 8 of us crammed into a rented van (a rented van in Korea is not your typical full size Econoline but a slightly bigger version of a compact Kia) and headed out on the express way. Because we were running behind schedule we only had time for a quick potty/snack break and exited the van like the A-Team; sliding both van doors open, jumping out and sprinting in 8 different directions. The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) observatory closes to all vehicles at 4:00pm and by the time we rolled into the main gate it was exactly 3:59pm! (Good thing I pushed that old Korean lady down at the rest stop restroom because that just bought us 2 extra minutes!)
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. Our observatory was at the East Sea (Sea of Japan--don't say that to a Korean because he will quickly correct you that it's NOT the Sea of Japan but the East Sea) and it was beautiful! We hiked a few sets of stairs and at the top we peered across and saw the mountains of N. Korea. From our observatory location there were no N. Korea soldiers looking back at us but only S. Korean guards dutifully watching. After touring the observatory and exhibition/museum we hopped back into the van-ette and drove to the hostel at the base of Seoraksan National Park. Once we dropped off our bags at the hostel we walked around looking for dinner. A woman came out of her small and humble restaurant trying to persuade us to turn around and our translator (Baker) asked if she had bbq pork belly (that's what we all wanted) and she gleefully offered whatever we wanted, she could cook. Quickly our table was filled with side dishes (banchan-are about 10 different side dishes that accompany the main course) and two burners to cook/grill the thick slices of pork belly (glorified bacon.) After grilling the greasy pork it is wrapped in lettuce leaves with grilled garlic and kimchi. There is a technique to properly wrap all the tasty morsels without it dripping red greasy juice down your arm. As we were talking and savoring our amazing dinner, one of the English teachers-Wu, let out a loud cry of pain and jumped up from the table, which scared all of us to stop our conversations. Apparently, Wu got hit by flying pork fat shrapnel!
The next morning we continued south east to Seoraksan National Park to hike and take in the gorgeous geological formations and deep green backdrop. We couldn't have asked for better hiking weather; sunny and cool. We split off into two different directions because one group wanted to hike a higher peak and the other group (that would include me) wanted to take a more leisurely hike throughout the park. My group took lots of photos and found snacks on the trail; one woman was selling a very gooey, caramel looking candy. She would take a spoonful and wind it around a small wooden stick to look like a caramel lollipop. For 500 won (equivalent to .50 cents) I had to try the sticky treat, which we found out later that was made of squash. I thought it was made out of "Karo" syrup and slow cooked to a caramel but that would have been way too simple for the Korean palate...squash? Who knew! After spending 4 hours strolling and hiking we reconvened at the van-ette in order to beat the Sunday traffic into Seoul. Every Sunday, all the expressways are congested with weekender cars coming back from excursions. There are parts of the expressway that come to a snail pace and vendors are out selling snacks along side the road and sometimes even in the middle of the freeway. It's like when you're driving into a concert parking lot and vendors are selling t-shirts and glow sticks but these guys are in the middle of the expressway. I made it to Seoul just in time to catch the last bus to Tae-pyang-Ri, where I then have to hail a cab to take me back to my apartment.
I had another fun filled weekend of meeting new teachers, seeing beautiful sights and eating amazing and delicious (Koreans love to say delicious) food!
Next month, I'll be attending a major league baseball game and an overnight excursion to Busan (the southern most part of Korea-infamous for their fish market!)
Here are a few more observations I've come across:
--Korean are very clean! Children are required to wash their hands before lunch and brush their teeth after lunch. All of the children and teachers keep a mug, toothbrush and toothpaste. It's common that Koreans visit a spa 3-4x a month
--Korean children carry two items to school: backpack and a tote bag, which contain their inside "slippers"
--Students attend Saturday school 2x a month. As of 2011, Saturday school will no longer be required.
--Always carry tissue or toilet paper because most public restrooms do not supply such necessity (both men and women)
--Koreans don't use flat sheets for bedding. Only a comforter/blanket
--Rice is served on the left side of the lunch tray and soup is served on the right side
Thanks for joining me on this amazing journey!
Teacher Jana
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12th - Tuesday
Greetings from Korea! I'm finally connected to the internet at home and can post and publish the Kimchi Adventures Blog! Not having internet at home for over two weeks has been lacking in most forms of entertainment. Let's just say that I now have carpal tunnel from playing way too many games of Solitaire and now it's getting to the place in the game that I'm recognizing previous patterns I've already played. I'm so over Solitaire!
If I hadn’t already mentioned this before the school that I teach at is in a very small rural town. The “downtown” area consist of dirty buildings, pot holed roads and too many Hyundais for the narrow streets. I take a shuttle which drops me off about 5 blocks from school and I walk with other students. A lot of students as young as 6 years old walk alone dodging cars, trucks and vans, completely use to the fact that there are no sidewalks and the cars do not slow down even though the streets are filled with kids. Oy, makes me anxious watching them!
During my lunch break I was coming back from the Post Office when I saw a freshly skinned cows head lying in front of a meat shop, awaiting its *final* fate on a piece of soiled cardboard. The butcher came out with an ax in hand and raised the ax above his head and cleaved right between the eyes. Not everyday do I see that in the streets!
Here are a few interesting observations I’ve seen thus far:
“Slippers” or flip flops are worn inside schools
Some public bathrooms offer Western Style basins (sit down) and Korean Style basins (squat)
At a meal, one does not pick up a dish and offer to another person. Only point (open hand-palm up) and suggest
Pushmen: Men who push morning commuters onto the subway due to the congestion (I have yet to witness this but I was told this is very common in Seoul)
Same genders hold hands or link arms; a sign of brotherhood and sisterhood
An elder at the meal table begins the eating first and everyone else follows
Chopsticks are not to left in a bowl of rice. Spoon only
Children bow in the presence of an adult
Men wear dress shoes with a large heel (like Kim Jong Il)
Soup and rice at every meal
NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox baseball caps are very popular
Heterosexual couples dress in identical outfits (usually if they are newlyweds)
Korean women wear heels with everything with at least a 3” heel
Men hold women’s purses
I’m hoping to update this blog at least once a month with interesting and funny stories. I welcome any suggestions and comments to make this site more user friendly or less boring! When I make monthly updates I’ll send the link through email.
In addition, I'll create a photo website so that it’s easier to view more than a few pictures at a time. Once I have created the virtual photo album I’ll send the link via email. Many of my updates will be through Facebook since most of my friends and family members are already signed up, whether they want to admit it or not.
Thank you for all of the wonderful words of support, well wishes and love from everyone!!!
Always grateful,
~Jana~
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