Anne Shifley

Teachers Say the Darndest Things

2012-01-24T15:41:00.005+14:00

From the beginning, I've been very honest and straight-forward in my teaching. A kid asks a question, I answer it to the best of my ability. But after a while, answering the same stream of questions ("Teacher is married?""How old are you?" "You will have a baby?" "Where do you live?" "Why is your hair that way?") gets a little boring.

My friend and co-worker John proudly admits that he regularly lies to his students. When asked about his romantic life, he says he's been married (and subsequently divorced) three times. When a teacher is sick, John tells the students she went to China. John himself is Korean - from Korea, speaks Korean, has Korean parents and knows Korean culture - but his students have no idea. As someone new to the world of deceit, the tenacity with which John lies was impressive. And I couldn't have asked for a more appropriately gullible audience than a bunch of seven-year-olds.

The snowballing effect of that first lie is remarkable. It was a Wednesday and my students had a test the next day. "Who knows what's happening tomorrow?" I asked, hoping to elicit a reminder about the need to study. "A pizza party?!" "No..." "You're getting married?!" The sincerity of the second response was so ludicrous that I answered dramatically, "Yes, I'm getting married tomorrow but you have a test, so study!"

It seems that everyone in Korea wants to get married, so my kids were beyond thrilled when they found out about my wedding. The next day, the costume jewelry ring I wore on my middle finger was mistaken for my wedding ring. Now this was getting kind of funny! They bombarded me with questions and my answers were lame at best. We met in college in America. Yes, he's Korean. Yes, he speaks English. He's 27; His name is Peter. And could I please bring a picture?

Everyday when I walked into class, they asked to see my husband's picture. Everyday, I forgot to print a picture of the Korean celebrity I intended to pass off as "Peter." Then, I had a brilliant idea that was certain to entertain myself, as well as the demands of my students. My Photoshop skills are limited, but the image passed inspection:

Peter and me on our happy day!

My kids now know all about Peter and his job as a zoo keeper at Seoul Grand Park. The kindergartners know that both Jasmine and Aladdin were real people, but only Aladdin is still alive (age 103). And yes, the Polar Express is a real train.

A Field Trip to the Laysing Park!

2012-01-21T23:50:00.010+14:00

Our monthly field trip was to the Racing Park (the "R" sound doesn't really exist in Hangul) in Songdo. The kids were SUPER excited on the bus ride there. With seven hyped-up kids in the car, I told them whoever won the quiet game could pick three stickers to put on their sticker chart when we got back to SLP. Stakes were high and everyone was entirely invested. Of course they still spazzed out trying to make each other laugh, but the 30 minute ride was relatively peaceful.

Jude and Bobby chillin' out in the backseat.

We walked into a massive convention hall with racing video games, cycling tracks, electric toy cars and the like. K-Pop blared from the speakers and it was hard to tell if the experience was more fun or overwhelming for the kids. There was a lot of waiting in long lines.

Class photo: Amy, Isabel, Serapin, Joanna, Nathan, Bobby, Jude

Isabel "driving" the 2012 Mini Cooper.

The boys cycling their way down the track.

Amy, Dana Teacher, Joanna

I pedaled a car with Serapin and Isabel, both of whom were a little uncomfortable with the speed at which we careened around corners. Serapin pointed out that there was a sign that said "SLOW DOWN" when we entered the tunnel, but I assured her it was okay if we went fast.

Relevant: I class has been listening to "A Whole New World" on repeat
Joanna, Amy, Isabel and Serapin

This is my absolute favorite of the four of them.

Killing time in line with some pictures.

There was a track full of electric 4x4s with a top speed of about 7 miles an hour. Lesson learned by Amy on the track: Don't mess with Serapin when she's focusing on the road!

Happy (Lunar) New Year!

Another Christmas in Thailand

2012-01-09T02:08:00.028+14:00

In my senior year of college, I read a book called Travelers' Tales Thailand. The book is a collection of true stories from travelers with experiences evoking laughter, caution, longing, curiosity, and desire. I became fascinated with the contrast of the spirituality and urban grit that somehow intertwine so beautifully in Thailand. I also took a class called "Buddhism and the Environment" that challenged my understanding of the relationship between humanity, the natural world, and how the two can prosper in spite of each other.

I began thinking of ways to get my physical self to where I was mentally - I was craving to be part of all of these new experiences and ideas that I was exposed to. I couldn't push them out of my mind, didn't want to. I briefly considered a hefty investment in TOEFL certification that would allow me to work in Thailand as an English teacher, but it seemed hasty and poorly planned (not to mention financially unviable with a hefty chunk of student loans shackled to my ankle). It was about that time that my friend Rachel mentioned she was going to work in Korea, with no experience necessary and excellent pay to boot. Sign me up!

And that's why I'm in Korea. After my second trip to Thailand, I've come to realize that I'm exactly where I should be. When I leave Korea, I will have the two years of teaching experience that can make my dream of Thailand a reality. I met one of my best friends, Natalie, working at SLP in Korea. She moved to Thailand a month ago and her quick success in securing a job, apartment, and social life leave me not only thrilled for her, but also excited about my own prospects there.

Anyway, enough about my revelations. I left Korea on December 23 in the midst of a snowstorm with three of my friends/co-workers (Kat, Rosie, and Kate) for a long-overdue vacation. We met the aforementioned Natalie for a wonderfully relaxing week on the island of Koh Phangan. We stayed on a beach called Than Sadet that is truly one of the most beautiful places I've been. There were only two other resorts there and the beach was maybe 1/3 mile long, so after a day you started to get familiar with everyone there.

Day 1

Goodbye Incheon, keep the dang snow!

Brief flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui, followed by a ferry ride to Koh Phangan.
We then took a taxi to Than Sadet. Only 4x4s could handle the rough, steep terrain through the jungle to get there. And yes, I felt like a badass bouncing around in the back of a truck with my friends over winding dirt roads.

Back: Kate, Kat
Front: Rosie, Natalie

Our bungalow was ridiculously cool, but it took a risky scramble over rocks awash with crashing waves, through a cave underpass, and up some pretty slick stone steps to reach our haven. I soon learned to use caution, not hesitation, when going to and from the beach to the bungalow. One morning I tried to wedge myself down precariously between the cliff rocks to get a picture of the awesome waves that were slamming against the shoreline. My camera was saved but I was comically drenched by an unpredicted eight-foot wave. The bungalow itself was made entirely from teak wood and had a nice front porch with a hammock, table, and a few chairs. The first floor had a full-size bed and bathroom with cold shower. Go up the ladder to discover two more twin-sized beds and an incredible view of the beach below. And the price was unbelievably economical!

Passed out after a long journey, and why the heck not?!

Large-and-in-charge, friendly, mosquito-eating gecko-ish lizard thing.

Day 2
The water was rough and the sky was looking stormy when we descended the rocks to the beach restaurant the next morning. The tide soon came in higher than anyone - including those who lived there - expected.

Day 3
Klaus, a German fellow who worked at a restaurant we frequented, suggested we take the nice 45 minute hike to a neighboring beach where we could find Internet access, a 7-11, and cell phone service. Why not? We started off on a path that soon turned into a dirt track where the occasional motorbike passed by, unstably navigating the uneven dirt "road." We soon realized we'd been mislead, and we were in for quite the trek. Fortunately, the jungle surrounding us was more than enough to distract from the never-ending steep inclines. You'd turn a corner and think, This must be the top!, only to find an even steeper hill up ahead. Finally we reached the peak and began the descent to the beach town.

Day 4
Day on the beach.

Hello Kitty washes ashore after a night of beach partying.

The cutest little boys.

Day 5
The sun finally decides to hang out with us.

A group effort to get the fishing boat out to sea:

Day 6
A trip to a nearby waterfall, but after being bitten by red ants I was ready to head back to the beach.

Day 7
I have no idea what happened this day.

Day 8

We leave Koh Phangan for Bangkok. We dropped our stuff at Natalie's apartment and headed out to celebrate the New Year on Khaosan Road. Didn't sleep a wink that night but made it to the flight back to Korea the next morning. VICTORY!

I cannot recommend Mai Pen Rai bungalows highly enough for those looking to chill out and enjoy the company of friends and family in a beautiful place. Then again, I hope it remains a secret paradise!

Cookies for Kim Jong Il

2011-12-21T01:16:00.011+14:00

The kindergartners and I decorated cookies this week to celebrate the death of Kim Jong Il. I'm not sure how much the U.S. is spinning the story, but I haven't heard any shocking commentary from this end. I know the military has been on high alert and emergency government meetings have been held, but Lee Myung-bak (can you believe he's 70?!?) hasn't shared anything else with me. Some people are hopefully talking of reunification, but most of the kids in my classes show little to no sympathy with the North Korean population and nothing but disgust for The Dear Leader.

But the cookies weren't really for Kim Jong Il, they were for Christmas. Those interested in the legacy of Kim Jong Il can view this photo collection offering a comprehensive look at his political career. A big shout out to the amazing MARY SHIFLEY for the picture-perfect cookies sent all the way from U.S.A. My kids say, "Your mother is too kind! She is nicer than my mother." Can't argue there, I got lucky!

Isabel and Joanna - look at that sharing!

Jude and Bobby sparring off. Some might question my teaching, I say at least the knives are plastic.

Chocolate chips and sprinkles were the limits of our decorating prowess.

Serapin's face was set in a terse grimace of concentration during most of the decorating, but she managed to get a sweet smile in.

Joanna with a typical cheerful expression. She's quick as a whip and happiest doing anything music or art related.

Nathan meticulously wiping the frosting off his knife for a color swap.

Amy and Isabel

Can you guess whose hands? Ding ding ding, it'sssss BOBBY!

Amy and Nathan

Success!

Nathan always has the biggest grin on his face when he comes to school. Gotta love him.

This past weekend my friends and I went to see the Nutcracker at the Seoul Arts Center. We had fantastic seats and the performance was excellent. We finished the evening at a restaurant called Mad For Garlic. As you can guess, every menu item featured garlic, right down to the ice cream.

Happy Holidays!

Picking Chestnuts

2011-11-13T22:06:00.012+14:00

Last month SLP went on a field trip to pick chestnuts. The kindergarten classes loaded up on buses and we drove out to a sort of farm/garden on a steep hill. I'm usually the chaperon in one van with my four girls (Isabel, ,Serapin, Joanna, and Amy).

We used to play the "telephone" game or a variation of the ABC concentration game (A is for apple, B is for balloon, etc.), but the bus rides became infinitely better when we started playing the Quiet Game. Whomever stays quiet the longest gets an extra sticker when we return to SLP. (I use stickers as incentive for good work. When the kids fill their sticker sheet, they can choose a prize from a basket of cheap crap I find at the stationery store. They love it, and so do I. I'm ashamed to calculate how much I've spent on stickers here. It's become a bit of an obsession -- my friends are probably chortling at the understatement.)

The itineraries on these field trips are poorly outlined, so as soon as we arrived, we sat down on mats under the trees to eat a snack. Not only was it 10:15am, but the kids don't even have snacks on a normal day. I can't imagine any of them were hungry, but they all bring sweet crackers, cookies, and candy to share with each other.
Bobby, Jude, and Nathan looking their best.

Dog pile on John Teacher

After an unnecessary snack and rest, we began the hunt for fat, healthy chestnuts. Spiky chestnut shells littered the hillside from schools before us who also took part in the fall tradition. Some chestnuts had holes bored by insects or some mold on the underside, but the kids enjoyed searching for quality nuts. They used their shoes to pull apart the shells and expose the chestnuts within. The weather was beautiful and the kids worked together to fill their bags and keep each other from tumbling down the hill. It was pretty darn cute.

Each kid got to take home a bag of roasted chestnuts. Sorry Dad, but I still think chestnuts taste like overcooked baked chicken.

Get Some Manners!

2011-09-06T13:54:00.014+14:00

I am ingloriously writing to you again, embarrassed from leaving this blog stagnant for two months. But HEY, I've been LIVIN'! Fall is sweeping through Korea and my second year as an expat officially began in September. I'm missing my friends and family more lately knowing that the holiday season is quickly approaching.

Some friends and I recently had a day at the beach on a "nearby" island called Muuido (do means island in Korean). Nearby meaning we didn't leave Incheon, but with necessary quotes because it took an hour subway ride, a thirty minute wait for a fifteen minute bus ride, followed by a two minute ferry boat, leading to a twenty minute bus ride, and then we were at the beach. But the gauntlet of transportation proved worth it when we arrived at Hanagae Beach. The tide was out when we arrived, leaving an extra quarter-mile of wet sand beyond the beach before the waves crashed. Twenty-foot tall poles stood up in the sand waiting to mark the tide when it came in. There was a strangeness to the expansive depth of the shore line, and with the giraffe-like poles, it looked as if it could have been inspiration for a Dali painting

The above picture is from a game called Tic Tac Throw. Everyone scours the ground to find a suitable throwing rock, then you make a big tic tac toe board. On your turn you throw your rock in hopes of being nearest the center, giving your team the appropriate X or O. The winning team gets to ceremoniously hurl the losers' rocks into the ocean. The losers must find new rocks before the next round.

~ ~ ~ ~

The kindergarten classes go on a field trip every month, which are usually on the dull side with a few exceptions. Although we are an English school, we're still in Korea so Korean is spoken on all the field trips. This significantly diminishes any interest I would have in these expeditions. September's trip was painfully boring. The kids wore their traditional outfits (hanbok) and went to Manners School, where they learned how to serve tea, make songpyeon (rice cakes served for holidays and special occasions) and bow.

This is Bobby, one of the more difficult students in my class. On this Manners field trip, Bobby had the nerve to spit at my Korean co-teacher. She spit back at him. I've never been prouder to work with this teacher.

My class: 2nd row - Bobby, Jude, Nathan, Jason. 1st row - Isabel, Joanna, Serapin, Amy

Gettin Nekkid and Heading to the Jjimjilbang!

2011-08-05T18:54:00.007+14:00

After my first trip to a jjimjilbang, I feel my Korean experience has been fully authenticated. A jjimjilbang is a public bathhouse with sex-segregated bathing pools, saunas, massage rooms, mineral saunas, ice rooms, sleeping rooms and an outdoor garden. They are popular with families and serve as all-inclusive relaxation therapy. My friend (and co-worker) Kat and I ventured to a nearby by jjimjilbang in Incheon called Spasis. As is true of many jimjilbangs, Spasis is open 24 hours and we arrived around 7:30pm.

We paid an 8,000₩ entrance fee and received a waterproof electronic bracelet with a locker number and key. We descended the stairs to the women's floor and removed our shoes. We turned the next corner and were met with a typical gym-style locker room with women and children of all ages nonchalantly strutting their naked selves about. Boobs, overgrown bush, funny birthmarks, sagging bellies, drooping buttocks, and everything in between. We found our lockers and stripped all the way down, as is customary. I expected to be stared at more than I was - as a Westerner, my lady parts could have been red, white and blue or I could have had dollar signs for nipples. But for the most part, everyone goes about their own business. I can't help but think such a laid-back, nude communal environment would do wonders for a young girl's self esteem. All the bodies in the room were a variation on a single theme.

Beyond the locker room is the bathing room. Showers lined the walls and five large pools offered temperatures ranging from 21°C (70°F) to 41°C (106°F). There were also two saunas, one at 56°C (133°F) and the other at 77°C (170°F). Relationships seemed predominantly mother-and-children or grandmother-and-grandchildren. We dipped into pools, then to the sauna, and back to the pools again. Typical spa-ing.

We felt like we were missing something beyond the pools, so we donned our jjimjilbang clothes (one-size-fits-all t-shirt and shorts combo) and ventured up a set of stairs. On the third floor we reached the communal level of the spa. Families sprawled out on the tile floor, resting their heads on small, firm pillows, snacking, or watching the news on a large flatscreen TV. There was also a nail salon, salt sauna, ice room, massage chairs, sports massage room, facial care, and foot massage. Beyond the pools and saunas, all the extra services (drinks, snacks, massages, beauty treatment) you want are charged to your id number on your bracelet. When you leave the spa, you pay any extra costs over the entrance fee. We bounced around to all the different areas before heading outside to the garden. It was a beautiful evening and the deafening drone of cicadas didn't entirely ruin the atmosphere. I endured the wood sauna (99°C, 210°F) for about 10 minutes, but it may have been more like 5. It was H O T .

After a bit we returned to the women's floor and signed up for... something (the menu was in Korean) in a room filled with massage tables. There were five ajummas (middle-aged married women, often seen hunched over pulling carts on the street and wearing distinctive sun visors) who were not, in fact, naked. Almost worse, they were wearing lacy bra and panty sets. When it was my turn, I laid down (completely naked) on a plastic table and the lingeried ajumma began scrubbing my skin with exfoliating gloves. Specks of dead skin soon littered the table. No inch of skin was left untouched - and that includes my butt crack, boobs, and nether region! This woman scrubbed it all without the least bit of hesitation. Just doin' her job, rubbing her gloved hands all over my inner thighs and unmentionables. And only 17,000₩, what a steal!

When we returned our bracelets to the front desk, the total cost of our three hour (but could have lasted all weekend) spa adventure came to 28,000₩. Pretty great deal for $9/hour. I wonder if my scrubbing ajumma misses me...

Pajama Day

2011-07-31T00:38:00.009+14:00

To those that still check this, I apologize for getting so lazy in posting.

Friday was the last day of school before summer vacation (1 week) and it was Pajama Day. The kids wore their pajamas to school and brought all sorts of trinkets and toys to taunt each other with. They read storybooks, played in "camping" tents, had a fashion show, did yoga, watched a movie, and endured a teacher-produced puppet show.

Daniel

Serapin

Jason

Joanna

Amy

Isabel

Bobby

Isabel and Amy

Joanna and Serapin

Amy

Daniel, Jason, Bobby and Aaron

Daniel, Jason, Bobby and Aaron

Sunny pretending to yawn

Jasmine

A Visit to the Doctor

2011-05-18T00:49:00.002+14:00

During my shower this morning, I had a little mishap. I was sitting on the floor shaving my legs when the shower head fell down on top of my head. My hand became bloody when I reached up to assess the damage, but head wounds are such notorious bleeders that I didn't think too much of it. I checked the cut in the mirror and saw a gash. The pain was pretty bad so I popped some tylenol and continued getting ready for work. I skyped with my sister Megan (a recent nursing school graduate) and my mom to get their opinion on the severity of the cut, but it's hard to tell what's what on a pixelated skype call.

When I got to work, I showed Manager Clara my head. This turned out to be terribly inconsiderate of me, as she is extremely squeamish about blood and went into a bit of a tizzy. My co-teacher for kindergarten doesn't arrive until about 11:30am, so I taught class for about an hour before I was able to go to the doctor.

I'm extremely thankful I couldn't see what the doctor was doing when he examined me. He pulled apart the gash and stuck a pair of scissors in to see how deep the cut was. Apparently the scissors went in pretty far because the doctor said the cut went all the way to the bone.

I was given a local anesthetic and prepped for sutures. They had to cut away some of my hair. My scalp was numbed and covered with a cloth. I could hear the thread being pulled tight through my flesh as the doctor stitched the wound together -- that was the worst part. The whole procedure took about 20 minutes and cost me only $20. My pharmacy bill for two days of medication was $2. I'm not sure how many stitches I got, but I'll ask tomorrow. For the next three days, I will have to go in to be examined, then every other day after that. I can't wash my hair for at least 5 days. I'm not looking forward to being the stinky kid at school.

Love Stinks, Yeah Yeah

2011-04-17T16:07:00.020+14:00

Some of the images seen here may leave you in disbelief, disgust, or even jealousy. Others will experience a sort of deranged, vicarious joy.

I've written about the idea of Korean love before. There is a strong pull to be with others. Someone eating alone in a restaurant or having a cup of coffee in a café would be a rare sight. Yesterday I went to Yeouido Park in Seoul to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom. However, the feelings of affection, adoration, and forcible romance overshadowed the beauty of the blossoming trees. Below is a collection of "love paparazzi" shots that were taken within the brief period of about an hour.

Man love - just good friends.

I've seen devoted girlfriends picking their boyfriend's pimples, lotioning their faces, and a plethora of other disgusting personal maintenance routines. I've also heard of an instance where a girlfriend stood beside her boyfriend at the gym while he ran on the treadmill, ready to pass him a bottle of water and dab the sweat from his forehead.

For real:

If shoes and novelty outfits aren't enough of a statement for your pooch, hair dying is also available.

The murse - man purse - is a common sight, though these bags are a bit less flamboyant than some I've seen.

No matter where you go, you're never alone.

Hwaseong Fortress
I took a bus to Suwon to see the Hwaseong Fortress.

I Think Wrong About You

2011-04-10T21:07:00.004+14:00

Many apologies for not maintaining my blog more regularly. To be honest, I find it harder and harder to identify what topics and stories would be interesting. At first I had no trouble knowing what my friends and family back home would find amusing, but the line between what's normal in Korea and what's absurd is becoming less defined. So if you have any questions/comments/concerns/curiosities, don't hesitate to ask. I welcome any and all writing inspiration.

The title for this blog comes from a text I received from a "suitor" who was somewhere between crushed and livid that I bailed on him for a date. He texted me that night saying "I think wrong about you, you're a bad girl. I delete your number." Too true, my friend, I'm no angel. The next week he texted me asking if I had a good day. I guess he forgot he deleted my number.

Koreans love cakes, so much so that we play a game similar to "Punch Buggy!" Anytime you see someone walking by with a cake, you try to be the first one to punch your friend on the arm and yell "cake." (Google images had a disappointing collection of cake box shots; maybe I need to dedicate a photo project to this confectionery insanity.) The game is continuous but punches are nulled if a Paris Baguette, Tour Les Jour or another large bakery is in sight . And you can't punch someone for a cake that's already been spotted.

In March I started teaching kindergarten full time in the mornings. The transition from the first year of kindergarten to the second is a rude awakening for these six and seven year olds. My kids came to SLP last spring as newcomers to the English language. Their days were pretty unstructured and the emphasis was on adjusting them to the ins and outs of classroom dynamics. This year, however, the kids spend the first three hours of their day doing about seven different English instruction books and there's no more time to play. There's simply no time for monkey business. I feel like the Wicked Witch in the moments when the class devolves into chaos and I ask them accusingly if they're six years old, implying that they are now too old to be playing silly games and wanting to color pictures. Seriously, getting to color is a treat for these kids, and only comes in five minute intervals after we finish all of our other work.

A huge motivation for them is stickers. On days they're really good, they can pick two stickers to put on their individual sticker charts. Once they get 20 stickers, they can choose a prize. Purchasing these stickers and prizes have become a bit of an obsession for me. About two drawers of my desk at work are filled with back up supplies of goodies ranging from novelty erasers and colored pens to phone accessories and wind-up toys. Each month the kids also have to learn a "fun speech" and two songs to sing at the monthly birthday party. Their songs this month are the Hokey Pokey and Little Bunny Foo Foo and their speech is "The Ants Go Marching."

I feel lucky that I'll be staying in Korea for another year and will get to see my kids grow up a little more. I'm a very forward-thinking person and I know the time will go fast. When I finish my second contract here, I want to travel SE Asia as much as possible before visiting a friend in Australia and heading home to the States. It's still a long way off, but it's pretty great adventure to look forward to.

Tales of Dating and Personal Disgrace

2011-02-27T03:49:00.003+14:00

I can't believe February is nearly over! It's been over a month since I "quit" Facebook, and I feel like I've been enjoying my days all the more. Obviously I've lost touch with my casual friends for the moment, but my closest friends and I talk often through email (send me a message at amshifley@gmail.com). I feel more present in Korea now I think because I'm not as connected to reminders of my life at home.

I'm slightly ashamed of this, but it's proven effective for meeting people: I recently joined a dating site specific to Asia. Before you freak out, there are a few things to know about Korean dating culture (some of which I found out too late). Koreans love being in relationships and they want you to be in one, too. I can't tell you how many times people ask me if I'm married or have a boyfriend simply because I can't remember all the instances. Wedding culture is huge here and parents are heavily invested in the romantic future of their children. Children are expected to provide for their aging parents, so it's important for a young woman, especially, to find someone who can provide financially for you. Family background and wealth are important factors in choosing a partner, appearance and any idea of "romantic" love are much less so. Many of my co-workers are noticeably antsy about the fact that they are approaching 30 and are not married. 30 is kind of the dead end age here. Don't be a spinster - get married fast!

Because marriage is so highly valued, Koreans date a lot. These dates often blossom out of friends-of-friends and online services, so the first date is usually also the first face-to-face meeting. I was talking to a Korean friend the other day who estimated that she has been on 50 blind dates in her life. I've been talking to a few different Korean guys and have had a couple of dates, but the cultural barriers are glaring. First of all, I really dislike how serious things become after one meeting. Boyfriends and girlfriends are expected to hang out all the time. I get a "good morning" text by the time I wake up. Around noon will be an inquiry into if I've had a good lunch. (Koreans always want to know if you've eaten. 'No' is an unacceptable answer.)

At night the texts usually read "What are you doing?"
Well, I'm watching a movie.
What movie?
Saved.
American or Korean movie?
American
It is movie with Macaulay Culkin?
Yes he's in it.
Can we meet tonight?
No, I will stay at home tonight.
Can we meet tomorrow?
No, not tomorrow.
Why?
Because I just saw you yesterday.
Then when can I see you again?
Next weekend?
Okay next weekend. What will we do?
I don't know yet, we can decide later.
Will you bring your friends?
Maybe.
Where will we meet?
I DON'T KNOW I'M TRYING TO WATCH A MOVIE.

It sounds stalker-ish, I know, but I've come to realize that this constant communication, the "What are you doing now?" is just how it is here. When someone likes you, they want to know what you're up to - ALL the time. Needless to say, my fingers hurt from texting.

Dating can also be a challenge because, well, we don't speak the same language. Conversations are generally a lot of work for my date and exhaustively tame for me. It's difficult to show your personality when you can't make a simple joke and you don't share the same pop culture. I'm really happy to be getting out and meetin' the locals but I consider dating Koreans to be more a hobby than a way of life. Don't worry, Mom.

* * *

Last night my co-workers and I went out after work to have a farewell dinner for a teacher who is about to go home. I had shabu-shabu for the first time and it was delicious. Basically, a big pot of soup stock is brought to your table and you mix in a ton of vegetables and rice cakes, then you add in beef, chicken, or duck. Then you eat to your heart's content. We had a few bottles of soju at dinner and everyone was feeling pretty nice when we went to a favorite bar called Rio's.

I ended up staying out later than I intended (got home around 1:30am or so) and headed straight to bed to prep for a day trip to Seoul on Saturday.

I wouldn't say I had too much to drink last night (especially compared to Summer in Columbia 2010...), but I was undeniably hungover today. But I took a quick shower and jetted over to meet my friend at the subway station. We rode to Yongsan Station in Seoul. Yongsan is crawling with American soldiers because a military base is there. We paid full price for some legitimate DVDs... then went to Itaewon, the most international area of Korea (think KFC, Subway, Quiznos, McDonald's, English bookstores, Greek food, and much to my excitement, a shop selling Sriracha Sauce!!). I was overcome with nausea while browsing for books at the bookstore. As the day progressed, my hangover actually got worse instead of improving. By the time we were ready to leave, my stomach bested my head and I decided I couldn't ride the subway back to Incheon. We grabbed a taxi and the driver upheld Asian-driver stereotypes. Within about two minutes of being in the car, I had to empty the bag holding my DVDs so I could puke. Somehow, the driver didn't notice and Natalie had the "She's pregnant" cover story prepared. We lurched through city traffic for half an hour until we got back to Incheon. I held my little black bag of vomit on my lap the whole way.

Facebook Detox

2011-01-22T21:21:00.002+14:00

I recently deactivated my Facebook. I apologize for the inconvenience, but email is the only way to reach me. A favorite time-waster of mine is the toolbar application called Stumble Upon. On the site, you tick all the subjects (sports, photography, animals, humor) that might interest you, push the "stumble" button, and you'll be directed to a website you may like. Last week I stumbled upon this video called "You Need to Get Off Facebook." Too many things (e.g. "an English teacher in South Korea") hit too close to home, so in the spirit of the video I'm on hiatus from Facebook. However, I now check my email inbox obsessively.

Christmas in Paradise, and Malaysia

2011-01-13T01:59:00.017+14:00

During my week-long Christmas vacation, I went with friends to Malaysia (a 23-hour layover, really) and Thailand. I was really impressed with how friendly Malays were in Kuala Lumpur, the capital. Our flight arrived at 5am and we paid handsomely for a taxi to get into the city. We zoomed along at 160 km (100 mph) for about twenty minutes until our taxi driver veered off the highway without saying a word. We pulled into what looked like a rest stop. What are you doing? was the obvious question. 'You want to go toilet? I want to go toilet.' was the response we got. We concluded that he actually 'want to smoke cigarette.'

We arrived at our hostel as the sun was rising. We were completely exhausted after a night of traveling, but the excitement of a new city kept our naps brief. Our hostel was near the China Town (there's one in every major metropolis, isn't there?) of KL. The people were very welcoming and friendly, from my experiences. Perhaps because it's been so long that I've strutted around with a camera in public (harder to do when you have a 10-7 job than when you're bumming around college trying to finish a photojournalism assignment), I felt resentful of lugging my camera around in a foreign city. I really despise feeling like an over-zealous tourist. I spent a lot of time firing off shots from my hip, my camera hanging by my side. The photos suffered the consequence. If you want to know more about a specific picture, feel free to leave a comment.

Thailand was even more idyllic than I could imagine. We arrived in Phuket early in the morning and immediately took a ferry to Koh Phi Phi (prounounce Pee Pee ), an island about two hours away. The island was devastated by the tsunami in 2004 and everything has been rebuilt since.

Phi Phi has a lot to offer those looking for extreme relaxation. You know those Doctor Fish clinics? Basically, there are huge tanks full of fish that eat the dead skin off your feet. I dipped my feet in for twenty minutes; the sensation fell somewhere between ticklish and tolerable. And then there were the massages. For $10, you can get an hour-long full body massage. I'd never had a massage and this was a really wonderful setting to see what all the fuss was about.

This island is all about the sort of relaxing vacation you imagine. The sparkling aqua water was warm and clear for snorkeling and swimming. We also went to Maya Bay for an overnight camping trip. Maya Bay is where they filmed the Leondaro Dicaprio movie The Beach. We slept under the stars on the beach and had a fantastic time mingling with people from all over the world.

The cave below is highly restricted. Anyone who enters can be shot immediately. Inside, birds' nests are harvested by poachers to make Bird's Nest Soup, an expensive Chinese delicacy.

Our stay in Thailand was far too short, and I hope to go back soon. The two consolations on the flight home were the row of seats I got to myself (I actually slept laying down) and the amazing sunset.

Korean Wedding, Round Two

2011-01-10T02:48:00.005+14:00

I was fortunate enough to attend a second wedding here, and I got to take pictures! The bride was Michelle, a co-worker of Rachel's. I'm not going to narrate this time around, but you can check back to my earlier post if you want some details.

The DMZ

2011-01-10T01:53:00.008+14:00

Last weekend I took a tour of the DMZ with my friend Gemma and her boyfriend Paul, who were visiting from Australia. The whole trip was a little bizarre. While we were driving north, the tour guide pointed out areas where we could see North Korea. We should have been able to see, for example, that the mountains on the North Korean side had no trees because wood was burned for heat. A recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak meant the bus was sprayed several times daily with disinfectant, thoroughly sterilizing the exterior of the bus and obscuring our potential view. The tidbit was interesting despite the lack of visual confirmation.

First, we visited the Bridge of Freedom. The North and South are divided by the Imjin River and this is the only bridge connecting the estranged countries.

We had to have our passport checked by a Korean soldier before proceeding. Military service is compulsory military service for males for a duration of 21 months.

Land mines are still a fear along the DMZ. While the DMZ is only about 2 miles wide, an estimated two million antipersonnel landmines span the ground. We were able to go inside the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. The tunnel is within 50kim of Seoul and was discoverd in 1978. "It penetrates 435 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line at a point 4 kilometers south of the Panmunjeom, running through bedrock at a depth of about 73 meters below ground. Capable of moving a full division (plus their weapons) per hour, it was evidently designed for a surprise attack on Seoul. This tunnel is only 2 kilometers from a key outpost defending the Munsan corridor leading to Seoul." No pictures were allowed in the tunnel. The climb out of the tunnel was definitely a work out.

Whoever Smelt It, Dealt It

2010-12-24T05:44:00.003+14:00

One of the most challenging aspects of my job has nothing to do with teaching in itself. The hardest part is the balancing act of dual roles: one as an authoritative teacher, the other as myself - a 20-something still enveloped in the working out the rights, wrongs, and grays of the world around me.

Last week I went into my second afternoon class of the day and immediately noticed a strange energy amongst the kids (five boys and two girls, about 8 years old). They were giggly but they weren't talking - peculiar, indeed. A few minutes into the lesson, it became obvious that something about my person was perturbing to the class. I tried to joke it out of them, but no success. The boys were literally cringing away from me if I got near their desk, and a few of them appeared to be holding their breath.

I finally lost it and essentially shut down all classroom operations until they explained what was going on. After about five minutes of prying (this turd Rex was the one who finally squealed), it came out that the two girls, Anna and Donna, had seen me coming out of the girls' bathroom before class and had identified me as the source of the devastating stench lingering around the stalls. I was therefore deemed smelly and THAT was why the whole class was worked up.

First off, I don't take my poos in the kids' bathroom. I use the teacher's bathroom for that. (The teacher's bathroom is in the hallway outside of SLP. It is freezing cold, has no running water for the sink, and you bring your own toliet paper. Used only as necessary, for the aforementioned reasons.)

But I still had to redeem myself in front of my class. My first instinct was to deny the allegations and provide credibility ("Yes, the bathroom did smell bad, I noticed the stench when I walked in."), but I wouldn't have believed myself if I had been the student.

Alternatively, I opted for shame. Shaming the children has proved effective on several occasions. I'm not proud of it, but sometimes it just nips the problem in the bud. I gave them a talk about how sometimes bathrooms are just smelly, and how SILLY their behavior was. ARE YOU KINDERGARTNERS? I asked, accusing immaturity.

I really hated myself that day. I felt like an asshole, and the kids were just being kids. I think part of me was simply reacting to being identified as different - as the teacher, not like "us". It's peculiar to be on the other side. Sometimes I remember instances in my childhood when my teacher really drove me nuts - the way he (mis)pronounced a word, failed to erase all of the writing on the whiteboard, or reeked of coffee. I know I'm guilty of all three.

* * *

A pretty nasty cough, body aches, and general fatigue have kept me under the weather for three or four weeks. The combination of exposure to new germs, pollution, and working in a school makes it hard to tell what's really going on. I finally went to the doctor this week because my vacation begins on Friday, and I certainly don't want to be sick during my play time.

I was amazed at how easy health care is here. Manager Clara (I would be so lost without her) walked with me to a clinic about a block from my work. We walked in, took a number, and 10 minutes later I was in a screening room. Manager Clara told the doctor my symptoms (persistent cough, fever at night, green snot, etc. Your welcome.). A nurse started grabbing at my shirt so I just kind of went with it while the doctor listened to my chest for a minute or two. She asked me a few clarifying questions and wrote me a prescription for two days of antibiotics. I was then sent into another room where I was given the instruction of "Hip," so I unbuttoned my jeans so the nurse could (slap my thigh a few times for circulation) and give me a shot. I have no idea what it was...

I paid the equivalent of $4 for my doctor's visit, and $5 at the pharmacy. I was back at work 40 minutes after I left. I feel significantly better, so I'd say it was a pretty positive experience.

* * *

This morning the kids performed their Christmas pageants for the parents. Thank God I'm not a kindergarten teacher - all of them have been in a tizzy since November about getting the kids rehearsed perfectly for the show. Each class has a separate performance of about 40 minutes, which included a play (e.g. Beauty and The Beast, Peter Pan) and a recital of Christmas speeches and songs. A sound/production crew was hired by the school for the performances. The kids wore nearly-invisible microphones that wrapped around their ears to project their voices (the gym is only about 250 sq. feet). On my way to school, I noticed a new street vendor standing outside my work building. I was surprised because the backside of the building is generally pretty quiet. I couldn't tell what was being sold - some brightly colored toy thing in pink, blue, green and purple.

When I got upstairs, I saw every parent holding some variation of a neon plastic bouquet filled with glittery flowers and lollipops. Someone had tipped off the sellers downstairs of the hoard of parents that would surely need some tangible way to show their pride for their child. It was sick.

My Christmas vacation begins after work tomorrow. I'm off to Malaysia and Thailand tomorrow night (can't believe it's Christmas Eve!!), then back to Korea next week to enjoy a visit from my Australian friend, Gemma.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Daily Affirmation

2010-12-01T05:30:00.002+14:00

An awesome reminder about the importance of noting what's actually going right in our lives:

Thought Roulette #1

2010-11-18T13:59:00.014+14:00

Many of my closest family and friends have come to accept my habit of towel lounging, but it's not going so well here.

The first time I answered the door in a towel, it was because the cable man came early and I was still in the shower. Over the sound of the water, I didn't realize what exactly the dinging was until the second or third ring of the doorbell. Completely embarrassed, I let the guy into my apartment. My stomach did a few quick somersaults as I took note of the dirty underwear on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, and a few other unmentionables scattered around on my bed. Please remember my apartment is about 15'x15', and my bed takes up about half the floorspace. I scurried into the bathroom to change while he hooked up my phone, Internet and cable.

Yesterday, was the second time. I was lallygagging around before work, just sipping coffee and deciding what to wear, when my bell rang. This is an extremely rare occurrence so I glanced out my peephole to see two little Korean ladies standing at my door. I thought maybe they were from the census (I've ignored a note or two on my door which supposedly directs me to participate in an online census, but I can't be bothered). Assuming they weren't sexual predators, I cracked the door in my towel to indicate now was not a good time. They shooed me back inside but did not leave, as I hoped they would.

I came back to the door wearing a bathrobe and they started chattering at me in Korean. I stood there, indecent and with a lame grin plastered on my face until they stopped. I chuckled and shook my head helplessly. "No Korean," I said. "You married?" They asked. (I'm not sure if this because of the way I was *not*dressed or in hopes that my hubby would speak Korean.) No.

"You single?" YES. WHAT DO YOU WANT? They handed me a small pamphlet. On the front panel was a demure girl offering flowers. Above: DO YOU HAVE AN IMMORTAL SPIRIT?

At this point I realized I had voluntarily entered a conversation with JoHos and started panicking. And I was still in a towel.

"Where?" they asked. From U.S.A. These proselytizers (disguised as cute little old Korean ladies) turned to a page in what looked like a bible and passed it to me to read. In English, it said Though you and I don't speak the same language, you, too, can join your spirit with God...yada yada...Give us your name and telephone number and we will return with literature for you.

I looked at the page until I thought enough time had passed, then passed it back to them, smiling. Kahmsahmnida (Thank you), I said. "Cell phone number?" they inquired. No phone, I lied, and Kahmsahmnida, good-bye. Then I shut the door.

* * * * *

Call it my first real dose of racism, xenophobia, or simply the way the world works, but I'm losing my patience with cranky old Koreans. I have had MANY wonderful interactions with Koreans here. They are mostly extremely welcoming, helpful, and happy to provide their service, but there are also many old farts who glare at me on Subways. I'm sure they wonder why I am here, why I don't speak in their language, and why I walk, dress, and sit in such an American way. I usually pretend not to notice the stares and instead look pointedly at my shoes or my hands in my lap. Lately, however, I can't help but look straight back at them and offer the pithiest look I can muster until the turn away. I hope they are embarrassed when they catch me noticing their stares.

A common insulting assumption is asking a white girl if she is Russian aka a prostitute. Standing in line for the bus with some friends, an older lady walked by saying something in English. What? I said. "She's saying 'Russian' - asking if we're Russian," my friend answered. Apparently it isn't the way you dress that spurs the question, just the fact that you are a white person in Korea. Still, it took me a minute to shake feeling like a slut for a second and wondering if I should have been wearing Birkenstocks and a high-collared,floor-length dress. Koreans still harbor a great deal of resentment (with good reason, I s'pose)about the Japanese invasion. Maybe the next time I asked "Russian?" All answer with a question of my own. Japanese?

* * * * *

"Yellow dust" (I certainly can't see it) has been blowing over from China the last few days. The air is full of disgusting toxins that make my eyes weep and my lungs cough. It's been really awful. Springtime is supposed to be the worst.

* * * * *

My First Korean Wedding

2010-11-14T16:02:00.003+14:00

(No photos this week, sho shorry.)

Yesterday I experienced my first Korean wedding. My co-worker Dorothy was married yesterday at a wedding hall (on the 11th floor of a building), as is common here. I arrived about fifteen minutes before the ceremony with some other teachers from SLP. We went back to the bridal room to find Dorothy sitting for pictures in a gorgeous rented gown. Everyone rents wedding dresses here - makes so much more sense than shelling out a few thou. for a (hopefully) one-time wear. I have never seen such a beautiful bride in person - simply stunning. Part of it could have been that I'm accustomed to a Dorothy in socks and athletic sandals shrieking down the hallway at misbehaving students, but either way, she was absolutely stunning.

After we said hello, we got an envelope for the gift money. Forget about bridal registry, everyone here gives cold, hard cash to the newlyweds. The seed money is used by the couple to decorate their new home. 30,000 or 50,000 won ($30-$45) is a typical gift. We then sat down at tables in a large hall to watch the ceremony.

The actual wedding seemed more like a runway show than anything. Bright LED lights shown down from 20' ceilings onto an elevated aisle flanked by artificial trees covered in blossoms. The groom walked down the aisle first, followed by Dorothy and her father. Both sets of parents were dressed traditionally in hanbok (literally "Korean clothing").

I was amazed at the juxtaposition of tradition and informality. Everyone in the wedding party was dressed beautifully, with the parents sitting in ornate chairs on either side of the altar. Videographers documented the ceremony and projected the footage onto a screen on the wall. But all the guests were talking throughout the entire ceremony. Some wore jeans and sweatshirts. Some walked in ten minutes after the start of the wedding and mingled in the back of the hall. Weddings happen a lot here, and the ceremony itself gets boring after the umpteenth time, I guess. The whole shebang lasted about twenty minutes. The newlyweds gave deep bows to both sets of parents afterward. There were also lots of pictures, a few of which included us - friends of the Bride.

Then we descended a flight of stairs to the banquet hall, which had a pretty fantastic view of the city (if you don't mind all the apartment buildings in the hazy skyline. Seriously, cities are pretty u-g-l-y, but you can't help but marvel at the size.) Our wedding party was on one half of the floor, and at the other end of the room another wedding party was buffetting and dining. There was SO MUCH food. So many soups, noodles, meats and seafoods. I'm not a fan of seafood, but I love to look at it. I also just found out that I've been eating jellyfish pretty regularly at school and not knowing it - I thought it was some chewy tart noodle, but nope it's jellyfish. Heebie jeebies. Anyway, lots of food. Soju, cider, pepsi and beer was on each table, though I couldn't help wonder in my best American accent, 'WHERE'S THE ICE?' as it was all warm. Weddings are very brief because of the scheduling in wedding halls. Dorothy's lasted form 2pm to 4, then it was out the door.

Yes, Man!

2010-10-28T05:37:00.017+14:00

Boogers don't wait for pictures

Friday was SLP's Halloween celebration. There's a pretty decent stash of Halloween costumes in the school's holiday box, so I dressed up as Snow White. The pickings are pretty slim at stores because Halloween isn't really celebrated here. I think there were like five other Snow Whites, 20 witches/wizards, a couple Batmans, and a bunch of princesses. One of my students, Miles, was dressed as a hamster - my favorite, hands-down.

Should they be incarcerated down the line, I imagine their mugshots wouldn't look too different.

This sums up all you need to know about Jason and the relationship we have.

Lacking charm but looking the part.

Group picture:

Annnnnnnd done!

We had a make-shift fashion show for the kids consisting of a trail of throw pillows down the center of the gym.
Fun at first, but quickly deteriorated into heavy spazzing with intermittent violence. Followed soon after by general boredom.

Even princesses have their limits.

Thoughts on Korea:
* It amazes me the proportion of drivers who deem headlights after dark as voluntary. It's common to see cars with only their parking lights on at night. That is, if they have any lights on at all.

* Despite the crowds, I find anonymity in the bustling sidewalks and chaotic streets. It's easy to fit in the flow, especially with a personally selected soundtrack (ranging from this to that) playing on my headphones and a quick pace. Other times I like to listen to podcasts of This American Life.

* I've gotten pretty good at dropping my gaze on the street. Makes me feel a little less human but a little more Korean.

*Slightly concerned at the realization that I like the smell of the aerosol Raid I use to kill the bajillions of ants that call my apartment home. Thankfully the ants don't. Still battling those suckers.

*The weather took an abrupt turn about a week ago, with lows finally dipping below freezing. Luckily, the Koreans I work with don't mess around with the cold. There are ample space heaters to keep the office cozy. I'm SO thankful for the innovative heating here - floor heat is awesome. Rather than pumping hot air into the room, I can turn the heat on in my floor, warming the room from the bottom up. Sweet deal. I also have a heated pad for my bed. Bring it, winter.

*There's an online Korean website called GMarket with a limited English menu. Good for cheap clothes/shoes, other randoms so long as you can stand the seizure-inducing graphics. Good luck figuring out the item you're clicking on. Don't think I'll be making any purchases soon.

* The kids know they aren't supposed to speak Korean at school, but they often forget/naturally slip back into it. Last week one of the younger kids, Ryan, was driving me nuts at lunch because he would not stop speaking Korean. Seriously, thirty minutes, I chided him five times. What did he expect - I have ears. Or so I thought. "It was no Korean! It English!" he pleaded with me the last time I chewed him out. Hard to tell, sometimes.

*Red pen is a powerful tool here, but for a different reason than I thought. The kids respond negatively to any red marks on their paper. Errors are noted and a bit shameful. Whenever a kid forgets his name on a paper, I usually write it in (more as a reminder for myself) with whatever I'm using to write with at the time - usually a red grading pen. The kids were always horrified when they saw me doing this, I thought just because they hated red pens and didn't want me to mark up their papers. Their response was always a little irritating; it seemed like an immature overreaction. Turns out writing names in red pen is a HUGE social taboo here. You NEVER write a person's name in red unless he/she is dead. The kids had good reason to flip out. I'm trying to remember to use my blue crayon or find a pencil for missing names.

*A handful of the snarkier kids I teach like to bark "Yessir!" when I lose my cool after repeating instructions several times. This cracked me up for a while, but now it's pissing me off. I taught them "ma'am" last weekend, but the phonics are difficult. Now they say "Yes, man!" Whatever.

Southbound in SoKo

2010-10-15T02:22:00.026+14:00

I recently had the pleasure of visiting my friend Don at his home in Masan, located on the southern coast. I met Don last year as part of my Global Realities class. We were required to have a conversation partner from the ESL program at MU. The obligation blossomed into friendship over a love of food and interest in Korea. After class last Friday, I took a late subway ride to Rachel's house. We woke up early the next morning to catch a 7am bus to Masan. At just over four hours, the bus ride was unoffensive.

Don picked us up at the bus terminal and chauffeured us to his home (where we were staying). When we arrived at his apartment building, we took the elevator up to the 27th floor. The doors opened to the most beautiful apartment I have ever seen. With large hallways, ornate floors, a huge and modern kitchen, mirrored ceilings, and a robotic vacuum cleaner, I was an awe. The style was distinctively less Korean and more international in style. Don's mother quickly introduced herself before returning to cooking a meal consisting of all Don's favorite foods. I was surprised when about five other people filed into the apartment moments after we did. Two of the women were the coworkers of Don's mother (an elementary school principal), one his aunt, and two of his cousins. I asked it Don frequently saw his extended family. He answered, "No, not really, but you are here and it is a special time." No pressure. Lunch was awesome. I asked about all the dishes but it's in-one-ear-and-out-the-other with me and Korean, so I'll just say that we had a spicy medley of vegetables, meat, fish.

Don was a fantastic host, but he was so nervous about pleasing us! After lunch we packed into two cars (Don, Rachel and I in one; Don's mother and her two friends in the other. We left the aunt and the cousins out the apartment...?) and headed to what was described as a "flower festival" in the countryside. We drove past gorgeous yellow rice fields on the two hour drive to the Cosmos flower festivals.

Unlike the U.S., the fields for Korea's biggest crop are divided into small, irregular sections of arable land. Don told me that right around this time of year, the rice fields change from green to this golden color.

We drove up and down some windy country roads until our eyes met with a beautifully flowered field of flowers. Purple, pink, white, lilac, fuchsia, maroon, cream, lavender - so many variations in hue. These are the Cosmos flowers the area is known for. There was also buckwheat, but it wasn't as striking.

Don't know who this lady is, but she looks happy.

There were a lot of people visiting the flower fields. It was fun to scan the horizon and see people pop up from a sea of flowers, their loved ones photographing from afar.

My friends Rachel and Don.

After the flower festival, we went to Jinju to see the lighting of the yudeung (floating langerns) along Nam-gang (the Nan river). The lanterns are in honor of the anniversary the Jinjuseong Battles from the Japanese invasion of Korea beginning in 1592, during which Korean "General Kim Si-min gathered no more than 3,800 soldiers to miraculously defeat over 20,000 Japanese troops invading Jinjuseong."

The lanterns were unbelievably gorgeous, as you could imagine.

All sorts of food, game and vending stalls were set up underneath tents along the river. As is true of most of public spaces in Korea, the density of the crowd beneath the sloping canvas was slightly claustrophobic.

Maybe somewhere here in Korea there's a Kim's Nut farm with a lewd advertising slogan.

We hit the hay early that night - pure exhaustion. Breakfast the next morning was challenging for yours truly: scrambled-egg-and-beef in broth and a bowl of octopi legs. Thankfully there was a pretty yummy pumpkin puree freshly squeeze grape juice. Holla. We loaded into the car once again for the hour drive to Busan (aka Pusan), the second largest city in Korea. The drive into the city takes you past the coast and over a beautiful bridge. We met Don's cousin and he showed us around the beach. There was an international film festival going on at the time, so there were a lot of exhibits lining the sidewalks. We also went to the world's largest department store (really!). Shinsegae sprawls out at 5,487,595 square feet.

Marilyn Monroe

In Korea, it's always appropriate to have your dog in your arms.

We took a quick trip up to visit a Buddhist temple before heading home.

Special thanks to Don's mom, whose hospitality and mad cooking skillz helped me feel truly welcome (even if it did remind me how I miss my own dear mumsy!)

Other scenes from around the block:

Incheon, Yongin and back again

2010-10-01T03:16:00.010+14:00

It has really cooled down the past week or so. Highs top out about 75 degrees and the mornings are quite cool. On the plus side, I have a reason to go shopping again - sweaters! I really like Korean fashion because it's cute, comfortable, and not a far cry from what I'd be buying at home anyway.

Last week was my Chusok holiday so I went to Yongin to visit my friend Rachel. I was pleased with the travel time - two hours by subway - until I was chided (and laughed at) for not taking the bus, which apparently would have gotten me there in an hour. Live and learn, I guess.

I immediately noticed how much quieter and cleaner Yongin is compared to Incheon. Rachel told me the city had been built up predominantly all within the last 10 years. She also lives in the more affluent part of the city (a bus ride later in the week took us past the crummier parts of Yongin). Her apartment is a smidge larger than mine and a very nice elderly couple live next door to her. They actually own her apartment and rent it out to teachers.

A Korean teacher at Rachel's school invited us to have a Chusok dinner with them. I was thrilled for the opportunity, of course, but it's easy to imagine how easily I could goof some significant cultural custom and spend the rest of the day feeling like a git. I often feel like I'm teetering on a narrow ledge when it comes to social customs here. For example, a friend of mine was scolded (to put it lightly) by a taxi driver when she handed the cab fare to him disrespectfully (one hand instead of two). The confusing part about these subtle social rules is not knowing how closely others will abide by them. It is rare for money to be exchanged with two hands, however it means a lot to some.

I was recently punched (yes, punched) in the butt by an old man on the subway for not making a bigger effort to move out of the way. I was standing next to the off-door (the door not being used to let people on and off. My word, not an actual term) during most of the ride, but there was one stop where the doors admitted entrance on my side of the car. I had a densely packed bag with me so I shifted away from the doors to let a few people on. This cranky old man sitting next to me (again, I was standing) hit me in the butt and told me off in Korean for not moving. I was annoyed for the lack of respect as a human (really, he could have tapped my shoulder) and by the fact that the doors opened on the other side of the car for the rest of the trip.

Anyway, instances such as the above make me weary about royally effing up certain Korean interactions. This Chusok dinner had me nervous.

The anxiety was in vain, though, because Michelle and her family were very welcoming and kind. They had a comfortable apartment with a nice view of a river. Michelle (29)lived there with her younger sister and parents. Michelle asked Rachel and me if we'd like to play Wii, and well, who wouldn't? Technical difficulties prevailed, however, so we looked through the family photo albums. It was oddly comforting to look through someone else's childhood memories. I had just met Michelle, yet all of her photos seemed so familiar. Family transcends cultural barriers, I guess. The food was delicious, though I can't tell you what any of it was. Yummy. It was yummy. The whole affair was delightfully ordinary.

I was so envious of their apartment - look at that floor space!

Rachel on their awesome leather couch. Check out that wood work.

Michelle serving some potato cake (I'm not convinced potatoes were a primary ingredient).

Chit-chatting.

The eats. The stuff in the cup in some kind of sweet rice water. I think it's Sikhye.

Michelle and her mumsy

Views from either side of the apartment. By the way, these Korean sliding doors make SO much sense when you live up high enough up to catch that awesome cross-breeze.

The next day, Rachel and I went to the infamous Everland. I'd been looking forward to a trip to this amusement park ever since I noticed it was the destination of choice among my students when trying to work a new grammar concept.
Such as:
I will go to go to Everland for summer vacation.
My favorite place to visit is Everland.
Last year, I went to Everland.

Ohhh, Everland. So awesome. I've been told it's like the Disney World of Korea, but you have to keep in mind Korea's size. We got a foreigner discount so we paid only about $20 to visit the park. They had numerous roller coasters, tilt-a-hurls, bumper cars, fun houses and the like. We splurged on a camel ride. It lasted about a minute and I felt like a reh-tard, but I'd never been on a camel before. Some other tourists, I think from somewhere in East Asia, wanted to take a picture with me while Rachel was having her turn on the camel. It was odd. My favorite ride was the T Express. It was as badass as its name. Rachel and I waited a little longer so we could ride in the front and it was soooo worth it. I was crying and laughing, not to mention the tears and snot flying out of my eyes, nose and mouth - from air velocity or loss of body control, I'm not sure. The ride supposedly has 12 zero gravity moments, and I'm not going to argue that claim. The first drop is inclined at 77 degrees. WHOA.

I've just realized I've had my underwear on inside-out all day.

Rachel shared a fascinating tidbit with me about Korean superstition. According to Wikipedia, "Fan death is an urban legend prevailing in South Korea in which an electric fan left running overnight in a closed room can cause the death of those inside. Fans sold in Korea are equipped with a timer switch that turns them off after a set number of minutes, which users are frequently urged to set when going to sleep with a fan on." Despite the lack of logical or scientific evidence supporting this fear, fan death is considered a legitimate concern. At least now I know why I can't get my fan to stay on throughout the night. Turns your fan off, people.

After my six-day break from school, I went back to Incheon for Friday classes. Coming back to the chaotic, dirty streets here almost felt like home. Rachel came to visit me here in Incheon and we wandered around the city and ate at fantastic Indian restaurant in the shopping district of Bupyong. Anyone and everyone that visits me will be treated to their delicious curries.

I made tofu-kimchi-cucumber soup for dinner. Add a little rice and bon appetit!

Water, water everywhere

2010-09-17T06:15:00.015+14:00

Today started out as a pretty typical Thursday. One of my late-night classes switched to M/W/F, so I only have one class at 2:45 on T/Th. I can leave at 6:30pm if I come in by 9:30. I'm a pretty diligent worker, so I often have hours of planning time without anything to plan. On Tuesdays, I plan all my lessons through Thursday. I don't plan more than one lesson in advance because 1) then I won't have anything to do on Thursday and Friday and 2) it makes it difficult to teach the assigned lesson when I'm thinking about how I will instruct a lesson for next week.

In my free time, I've taken to reading books from the school library. The oldest kids are only 12 or 13, so the selection sloughs off at young adult chapter books. This week I've read Little House on the Prairie, Super Fudge (Judy Blume), and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I haven't worked out whether everyone else realizes I'm just bored and need something to read or if they think my selections reflect my literacy level.

I was a good chunk of the way through Farmer Boy when Bernedette Teacher came out of her classroom saying she heard water dripping in the gym. We sauntered down to the gym to find a steady stream of water pouring from the ceiling. Confused, we grabbed a trashcan to catch the drip. Then another drip started, heavier than the first. Within a few minutes, we could see the ceiling begin to bubble not only in the gym, but in the hallway and one of the classrooms.

Drips quickly turned into streams and we realized that we were going to need several trashcans. We ran to collect all the trash bins from the office, bathrooms, and classrooms to catch the water. All of a sudden the ceiling cracked in several places, spitting water onto the floor. Frantic now, Vice Director, Manager Clara and the secretaries scurried around surveying the ceilings trying to pin-point the source of the water. It appeared to be coming from the fourth floor, but there was no way to stop it.

We ran out of buckets and couldn't empty them fast enough down the bathroom sinks. We flipped the flush handles on the toilets and began dumping water directly down the toilet pipes. Water now covered the floor of the gym, the hallway, and three classrooms, with no stem to the flow. We unplugged all the cords from the electrical outlets, shut off the lights and moved the kids (who had still been having lessons) to the unaffected area of the school.

After several of us nearly wiped out on the slick floor, newspapers were thrown down to serve as traction as we slopped buckets, bowls and plastic file organizers full to the brim down the hallways from the thirty or so waterfalls that now cascaded from the ceiling.

Apparently I have some cross-wiring when catastrophe strikes - the hilarity I found in the chaos of the situation was overlooked by most everyone else. Sorry, but it was kind of fun to slip around the school trying to contain the water. The worst was over within about an hour and we began trying to scoop the water up off the floor. The bell (not actually a bell, but Beethoven's Fleur-de-lis) came over the loud speaker to signal the end of the five o'clock lesson. The normalcy of the sound paired with the half-inch of water covering the classroom floors brought a genuine smile to my face as I mopped up filthy water using my hand and a dustpan.

John Teacher rose to the occasion and orchestrated the clean-up. Undoubtedly the insurance would pay for the repairs, so we ended up tossing some disgusting lounge pillows we all hated into the sopping mess. Hopefully we'll get some nicer ones out of this ordeal.

Today was the last day of classes before Chusok - the harvest holiday in Korea. Parents spoiled us with rice cakes (they're actually growing on me) and all the little kiddos were dressed up in beautiful, brightly colored traditional clothing.

The Director was very kind to us as well. We could choose our Chusok gift - either a medley of tuna and spam or beauty products. I chose the beauty products, der.

There are all sorts of goodies - nice bar soaps, body washes, shampoo, conditioner, hair palmade, hand sanitizer, and my obvious favorite, the Tiger Herb toothpaste.

My favorite perk of being a teach is the unrestricted use of the laminator. Flash cards are a key teaching tool and there's something extremely satisfying about sealing pieces of plastic together, chopping them up with the paper cutter and calling it a day.

In October I'll pick up another class that will be purely discussion. We'll read classic stories like "Beauty and the Beast" and talk about the ideas presented rather than the content. Like would you rather marry someone very rich and ugly or very pretty and dirt poor? SLP - teaching 21st century values to the emotionally stunted young adults of tomorrow.

I've been to Seoul the past few weekends and am reminded of the logical ease with which the subway lines are organized. The thought of the metro is always overwhelming to me at first, but it's always so simple in practice. I like the anonymity and the constant opportunity for quality people watching. Seats are reserved for the elderly, handicapped, pregnant, mothers, and mothers-to-be. It's common courtesy, especially among the older generation, for someone who is seated to offer to hold your shopping bags if you are standing.

On the way back to Incheon last weekend, an older man gestured to my friend Natalie to take his seat. With great humility, she said "Not pregnant, just fat." To a Westerner, the matter-of-fact approach Koreans take is startling. There's no sugar-coating. If you're fat, you're fat. Ugly is ugly, beautiful is beautiful and dumb is dumb. Things simply are the way they are. Natalie seems to handle such situations with an appropriate mix of humor and grace. She told me the woman who works at the GS (general store) in the first floor of our building always shakes her head and chides when she walks in, "Face so pretty, but body so big!" It's not meant to be rude, despite the effect, just a statement of what is seen.

Every morning I am awaken at least twice: once by the men who drive their trucks around and holler for people to sell old furniture (to be refurbished) and the second time a few hours later by my actual alarm clock.

It has been raining less frequently, giving hope to those of us wishing for autumn weather. On sunny days, hot red peppers are spread out on pallets and roof tops to dry out.

Despite the visual beauty on these days, the stench of sewage and stale water also wafts through my open window more frequently when the weather is warm and sunny.

This is where I live, third floor.

This is where I wish I lived.

SLP is on the third floor of this building.

Here's another school with a little more pizazz than mine.

I walk past this creepy fence (surrounding another school) on my way home every day. I really hate this mermaid.

And some other sights around my hood:

I'm outta here!

Whoosh - Friday again!

2010-09-11T02:12:00.017+14:00

The week just flies by! Can't complain though, glad to have a few days to set my irritability threshold back to normal (it's running a little short as of late). I really love my classes, but the weightiest factor of a successful class seems to be whether the kids have fun and laugh. It's not a hard goal to accomplish, and I have more fun too. The class goes by faster for all of us if there's a little silliness involved. God my job is so hard.

Today, for example, I was teaching a science lesson to one of the kindergarten classes. Each kid has a ziploc bag with four strings, a 4in X 4in piece of plastic, and a plastic white cup. (The science lessons come in kindergarten-level kits.) The goal was to make a parachute. So we talked about the lesson and the eight kids in the class traced the key terms (vinyl and parachute) in their workbooks. Seriously, does a six-year-old need "vinyl" in her vocabulary?! Anyway, foreseeing difficulty and frustration, I demonstrated with my own kit on how to make the parachute and wrote on the board:
1. Poke a hole in each corner of the vinyl
2. Put one string through each hole, tie a knot
And ended there because I knew they wouldn't get further than poking holes. Actually, Kitty didn't even get that far. The three kids that pay attention all finished poking holes at the same time and began chirping, "Teacher! Teacher, help!" for me to thread the strings through the holes and knot them. By the time I finished, the next round of kids were demanding assistance with their strings, but the first group now needed help taping their strings to the cup, and Kitty was still spacing out in the corner. I reasoned that if I helped with the construction of the first few parachutes, those kids would help the others or the jealousy curve might help with the others' ability to do the project on their own.

Wrong, of course. Alice, Daniel and Amy are now chucking their parachutes at parachute-less kids, who are more frantic than ever to have one of their own. Sweet little Aaron is managing the assembly of his parachute on his own. I start helping Ben, then Sunny and Amy with their parachutes but am interrupted by Ben and Daniel, who have managed to get their parachutes tangled together in the minute and a half that Ben's has been functioning as an airborne object.

This is the point that I realize defeat. Not of the lesson, not of myself by the kids, but of the idea of orderliness and genuine student interest I imagine while planning the use of class time. I can't help but laugh when I see that the parachutes have become head accessories in the past few minutes. I finally turn my attention to Kitty (who has lost her plastic cup, I have no idea how - everyone had their own), who had managed to poke only one of the four holes in her plastic during the last 25 minutes. I helped her finish her parachute a few minutes before it was time for the kids to go home.

Five-minute break then on to the next class!

During another lesson today, we were talking about pets. At the end of the review activity, the kids were supposed to think about their answers to a list of questions and write a paragraph about their pet. Turns out none of them had a pet so we decided to use my pet instead. It was so much fun to describe my cat, Tito, to them. It's pretty uncommon to have a cat here. If you do have a pet, it's usually a yappy little dog because nearly everyone lives in an apartment. Anyway, the questions asked if you had a pet, what it's name was, what it's personality was like, etc. All five kids had virtually the same paragraph:
Yes, I have a cat called Tito. He is three years old. He is orange and fat.
He likes to eat, sleep and play all day. He is friendly and clever. He sleeps
with me on my bed. I feed him cat food. I like him because he is silly and likes
cuddle.

I miss my kittehhhh so much!

Here is the entrance to the school (the chairs are awesome)

And sweet little Dorothy (aka Totoro) who is a secretary. It's funny she's so nice because she's the only threat that will keep most of the kids in line - they're terrified of being in her line of fire. To be fair, I've never heard such a piercing, nad-shriveling shriek in my life. She's also the one who thinks I look like Lindsay Lohan, god bless her.

Teachers' office

Can you see the apathy in this child's eyes? If I were allowed to admit hating a child, this would be the one. Little Jason. He never does his classwork. Last week after a field trip we were all watching a movie in the gym before it was time to go home. One girl really wanted to give me some of her snack, so I accepted a handful of sugar-coated cornflake crumbs from a worn and wrinkled bag. I was cutting out flash cards, so I set the cornflakes on a paper next to me. Jason came over to investigate what I was doing and immediately - PURPOSELY - ground his heel into my cornflakes until every piece was dust. Seriously, (can't) hate this kid.

This is my dear Shiny. Love me some Shiny. So sweet and diligent, even if she is a brown-noser.

Typical of the A/B kindergarten class (with Candy picking her nose in the background):

Shiny on target and working hard...

...Eric spazzing out (Candy still picking her nose in the background)

Isabel

Candy (must've found that emerald treasure). She's not drooling - she had a bug bite on her cheek that was driving her crazy so I put tape on it. Seems to have done the trick.

The girls of the class: Isabel, Candy and Shiny (minus Serapin [Sara-PEEN])

These are some kids from the other kindergarten class:
Olivia and Sofie

Jennifer, Julie, Lily and Margaret

James at full-throttle down the hallway

Jennifer showing some love for SLP

Tevin looking special

Dylan (one of my favorites) and Logan in the glasses

Mike in his adorable pink and purple glasses

Logan looking pissed that I interrupted his tracing for a picture - c'mon kid, live a little!

The kids brush their teeth daily after lunch, but most all of them have cavity fillings. Not sure if it's because everyone drinks bottled water (sans fluoride) or what.

The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves - And Why it Matters

2010-09-08T02:55:00.002+14:00

B.R. Meyers presents the ideologies that drive North Korean society. Worth a listen if you have some time! Great historical context and a refreshing analysis of North Korea.
Click here to listen to the program

Visual catch up

2010-09-07T02:19:00.017+14:00

I finally have a few photos of my apartment and some of the kids I teach. Be prepared for a lot of peace signs.

These guys are from one of my favorite classes. There are only five students, so they get pretty goofy and they always make me laugh.

First attempt at a group photo fails

Left to right - Ryan, Kevin, Liz, Barbie & Carol

The boys, Kevin and Ryan

And the girls, Liz, Barbie and Carol

There are four kids in this next class, two of which I'm something less than fond of due to their laziness and disregard for others. I chose not to remember them in photographs. I would feel bad, but I'm pretty sure they spend most of the hour calling me names in Korean.
This is Tiger. He's a sweetheart...

... but not one of my brightest students.

Cindy is a very good student but pretty demure

This is another class I love, such a fun bunch!
Kevin B., Alvin and Kevin A. I always mix the Kevins up

Megan, who's an absolute doll

David and Felix

Quiet Crystal and Megan

David

Crystal

On my three minute walk home from school. It's a relief to be so close to home after a nine hour day.

Annnnnd my shoebox, which I share with a colony of ants.

I woke up this past Saturday with blood spattered everywhere - my computer, the kitchen, the sink, the toliet seat cover, the mirror, the floor. I had made myself a sandwich when I got home from the bars and cut myself with the 8-inch butcher knife (only knife I have) trying to cut roma tomatoes. Must not have thought much about the bloody mess when I passed out. I swear I must have been twirling around this place with my arms extended.

COMO to SOKO

2010-09-06T04:50:00.009+14:00

I really miss cottage cheese. Like a lot. All dairy in general, really. The only cheese I can get around here is pre-sliced and individually wrapped in Kraft singles style. Go figure it's the one thing I really can't have sent to me.

My friend Rachel and I met up in Seoul this weekend. With the help of an Amy Sedaris audio book, the 45 minute metro ride to the capital was unoffensive. It was a rare sunny day (summers here are very wet. A typhoon swept few a few days ago.) and it was so nice to see Rachel, who arrived here about two months ago. Luckily she had been to Seoul before, so we went to two nice pedestrian shopping areas.

The first, Insadong, was full of street vendors and a good mix of foreigners and locals. There was a cultural event in full swing on Saturday so we enjoyed free popcorn (!) and heard some flautists, drummers, and singers perform. I also tried a Kkultarae, a traditional royal court dessert made with strings of honey and malt and filled with either almonds, peanuts of walnuts (I chose almonds). The process of stretching the honey is absolutely mesmerizing. The texture is fibrous and the taste slightly sweet and nutty. They have a great crunch when chilled in the freezer for a bit.

We walked around for a few hours just browsing the trinkets and enjoying the bustling atmosphere. I don't like seafood, but I love walking by the restaurants with tanks full of eels, squid, shellfish. flatfish and countless other varieties of ocean life. You know it's fresh when the severed fish heads' gills are still gasping for oxygen. We stopped for a few beers and some spring rolls at a hole in the wall called Papa Beer before finding a place to stay for the night. We couldn't resist the opportunity to stay at a "love motel." The cash-only motels have cheap rates and a no-questions-asked attitude, making them popular among young couples and prostitutes looking for nothing more than a bed and some privacy. We took Lonely Planet's suggestion and chose Queen 21, located near the Hongdae neighborhood defined by its proximity to Hongik Daehakgyo (Hongik University). We paid up front and the desk manager gave us a toiletry bag with two pink toothbrushes, a pouch of toothpaste and three condoms. Our entrance into our room was anticlimactic due to our inability to figure out how to turn the lights on, which requires the key to be placed in a compartment on the wall (Thanks, Dad! Took us a good five minutes to work it out, but I vaguely recalled you mentioning something about this in China.) When the lights finally did come on, we were thrilled to see a sleek room with love poetry written on the frosted glass enshrouding the bathroom and neon lights flashing from the small disco ball on the ceiling (directly above the bed, of course).

We decided to eat dinner at a restaurant featuring an "Asian-fusion" menu. After walking in circles for an hour or so, we realized our map was skewed, reoriented, and arrived at Miss Mai. They had a fantastic dining deck with an oddly r&b soundtrack featuring the likes of Monica and Brandy . The menu prices were a bit high and I opted for the "chicken and lettuce on cheese pizza" that was a few thousand won cheaper. Turned out to be a cheese tortilla with chicken. Satisfying, but unexpected.

We went to Cocks Bar (sick, I know) to play some darts after dinner. I think I might get a dart board for my apartment and hone my skill a bit. I'm really enjoying playing. We tried to go play pool but soon realized that you could have a beer without billiards or billiards without beer. Shame. We trekked on and ended up finishing the night at a rooftop bar/restaurant with a beautiful view of the city and the hills in the distance. Really nice place. We rolled home about 4am and were delighted to find that America's Funniest Home Videos was on - great way to go to bed. Today we did some shopping in the trendier clothing stores around Hongdae then headed home.

I met my breaking point with my apartment today and did a drastic reorganization that makes the general atmosphere so much homelier. Photos to come.

I'm looking forward to trying dog meat (kaegogi) in the near future, though I just found out I may have to choose which dog I want to eat. Kaegogi is usually served in a spicy soup.

Music of the week:
Diplo's Chasing the Dragon mixtape - grooved to this all day while systematically tearing my apartment apart and sorting it back together again
Silver Apple's "I Have Known Love." Diplo samples this track in the mixtape and I couldn't get the lyrics out of my head!!
Just click the links if you want to have a listen too.

My First Day

2010-08-31T01:16:00.004+14:00

Today was my first day teaching solo, though I was nearly late because I thought the smiley atop my shampoo bottle was so fitting I had to get a picture.

What a whirlwind! I have a few hours of planning time in the morning, then I begin teaching around lunchtime in the kindergarten classes. For one class, I just do phonics learning (i.e. how do you spell time? Dime? Nine? Mine? So monotonous, poor kids). For the other class, however, the activity changes daily. Today was an Art day, so I had to help 8 squirming six-year-olds do a crafts project involving cutting, gluing, coloring, taping, and bending wire - all to create a flower. Somehow, all the final pieces turned out pretty well but the class was over in the blink of an eye and every moment at least two kids were peeping "Teacher! Teacher!" for help. Thankful I remembered deodorant today. I'm dreading the science days because the other teachers say it's the lessons can be too advanced for the age group, such as having a roomful kindergartners lighting candles in the name of chemistry principles.

I have a solid 51/2 hours of classes before I get a break, but I kind of like the rush (I've always thrived under pressure). I bribe my kids into good behavior: they get points for answering questions and volunteer participation and whichever kid has the most points gets a piece of candy at the end of class. If a kid is bad (i.e. getting out of his seat, speaking Korean, not doing his work, etc.) he'll get assigned an extra 20 sentences for homework. I doubt a kid will spiral so low very often, but it's fun to imagine the Bart Simpsonesque lines I could assign. The best names in my classes: Lappy, Tiger, Barbie, Jester, Kitty and Shiny.

I was planning to go to Seoul yesterday with friends but it had been pouring buckets (even more than typical) and the trek on public transportation seemed pretty miserable. We went to Bupeyong Market instead, which is essentially a huge underground shopping market with itty bitty stalls stacked right next to each other. Most sell clothing and shoes, but others sell cell phones, jewelry, contact lenses, underwear, and beauty products. I bought three dresses, two shirts and a sweater for about w60,000 or $50 - insane deals! Pretty cute clothes too.

We also went out to a fantastic restaurant for Indian food. A must-eat for anyone who comes to visit.

I'm looking forward to the Korean Thanksgiving, called Chusok, as a 3-day vacation and an opportunity to see Rachel in Yongin. I also hope to see my Korean friend Don, who I met through an English conversation program at MU, in his home town.
xx

Teaching Engrish!

2010-08-28T01:13:00.006+14:00

I taught my first class today - a group of five (3 girls, 2 boys: Liz, Barbie, Carol, Ryan and Kevin) smarties who were nothing but delightful for my first experience teaching. We learned about the disappearance of Pompeii. I'll start teaching all my classes solo on Monday (!!!).

Today we also celebrated the August birthdays at the school (kindergartners only). The four birthday kids sat at the front of the gym at a big table piled with cakes, apples, pineapple, roma tomatoes, and juice. Each kid got loads of presents from his classmates and his picture taken. I sat on the floor next to my new favorite kid, a little girl named Shiny (yes, Shiny). She's a big sweetheart.

I ran the gauntlet at the hospital the other morning to fulfill my physical examination. Eye exam, height/weight, blood pressure, chest x-ray, hearing test, dental exam (I got an A+ on that one), and the blood and urine test. I passed everything (had been mildly worried about that piss test...), so today Manager Clara took me to the Alien Registration Office to get my id card. The whole trip from my school to the office and back took about two and a half hours, but most of that was spent in traffic. Manager Clara asked me what kind of music I liked. I answered "blues, electronica, and some pop," choosing to be vague rather than potentially cluttering our communication with my laundry list of music preferences. She looked hopeful and said, "You like Michael Bolton? I have his cd." Well, of course I do, Manager Clara. She switched to the appropriate cd on her 8-disc player and "How am I supposed to live without you?" blared from the speakers. I had to bite my lip to keep from chuckling. The scene was so odd: the two of us sitting at traffic lights for up to 4 minutes at a time, listening only to the rain, the mechanical swishing of the windshield wipers, and Michael's sweet serenades. I didn't realize things could get weirder until she asked me if I liked Ricky Martin. We listened to Ricky Martin (featuring "Livin' La Vida Loca") all the way back to the school. I'm only mildly ashamed that I still know most of the lyrics to Ricky's chart-topping singles.

Okay, so I have only myself to blame for the lack of hot water. You have to flip a switch that fires up a heating element to heat the water every time you bathe, and shut it off when you're finished. In my apartment, however, said switch is attached to the heat, so I have to turn on the heat in the apartment just to heat my shower water. It'll be a little toasty some days, but at least my showers won't be cold anymore!

My fellow English teachers at school:
Natalie - ~25, from the UK, awesome! Lots of fun and she knows the ropes because she's been teaching at our school for just over a year. She gives me hope because she still doesn't really know any Korean
Asia- Chill out people, it's short for Anastasia. She just turned 22 last week and she's from Iowa. She arrived in Incheon about six weeks ago. Huge sweetheart and she lives the closest to me out of everyone.
Quinton- ~25, from Minnesota and all around nice guy (Midwest, go figure)
Bernedette- 23, Canadian, also very nice but perhaps not as much of a party animal?
John- ~23, apparently the son of Director and Vice Director (NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT THIS). I never would have known a familial relationship existed between the three if I hadn't been told. He grew up in the U.S. with relatives for his education and just arrived back to Korea to teach at the school 3 months ago.

My first week is done! Time for a beer.

남한

2010-08-26T01:28:00.006+14:00

The first thing that happened upon my arrival: a name change. I am now "Anne Teacher." Not only by students but the Korean staff as well. My bosses are Director, Vice Director and Manager Clara, respectively.

I've been observing classes since Tuesday and a few things have caught my attention.
1. Generally, the boys are rotten.
2. The girls are good for the most part, but easily corrupted when they sense chaos building in the air.
3. All the students seem to have a cell phone, which they wear around their neck on a lanyard.
4. Bribery results in the most consistent student performance.
5. Teeth are brushed without fail daily after lunch. There are even sanitizing chambers to house the toothbrushes over night.

My reception amongst the students has been overwhelmingly positive, despite what little brats they can become during class. One little girl gave me a massage. On my way to sit-in on another teacher's class, a girl fell into stride next to me on the way to the classroom. The teacher, Amanda, promptly informed me "She's kind of a perv - she'll lay on the floor and try to look up your dress." I didn't really know what to do with that information...

Kindergarten classes are from about 10am to just after 2pm. Then waves of older elementary school students come in for 40-45 minute class periods. I'll be teaching the second half of the day, so my hours are generally 10:30am-7:30pm. Loooong days but they go by pretty fast.

One of the secretaries, Totoro (aka Dorthy), insists that I look by Lindsay Lohan. Ridiculously unfounded other than the eye and skin color, but flattering nonetheless.

My apartment is tiny but more than sufficient for my needs. I have a pretty awesome bed but no hot water. I live in fear that I will clog my toliet by forgetting to throw the toliet paper in the trash rather than flushing it.

The weather is mild and very rainy. Manager Clara nearly had a heart attack when I didn't have an umbrella. She demanded I get an umbrella as soon as possible because of the pollution in the city. All the Koreans are highly sensitive to my well-being. They like to tell me I look tired. And, HEY PARENTS, I GET REALLY NICE COMPLIMENTS ON MY TATTOOS.

I went out with the other foreign teachers last night for some Korean BBQ. Everything is cooked by you at the table - really delicious. Also, soju is likely to be my downfall. So mild in taste but potent. No drinking for this kid during the week, period. No way can I handle a 9 hour day after a night out, let alone screaming Korean children. We went out to the teachers' favorite western bar called Rio's. We played a couple round of darts, and I even won a game! Think I might be pretty good by the end of the whole shebang.

View from the window by my bed - yes, it's a church.

(More photos to come when it stops raining, and I have a weekend!)
Peace out.

The Keenan family

2010-06-28T10:41:00.008+14:00

I photographed the birth of Esme Bell, the daughter of my hairstylist, Chanel, earlier this spring. I met up with the Chanel, Esme, and older brother Xane for some family photos.

4,500 mi to WA and back

2010-06-07T11:50:00.016+14:00

East Campus Way of Life

2010-06-05T06:07:00.001+14:00

More East Campus

2010-04-14T13:34:00.021+14:00

East Campus exploring...

2010-04-12T10:56:00.016+14:00

Yard use:

Micaela Kalanowski, 22, sits in her front yard writing thank you notes to friends and family for birthday gifts.

Sam Zeller, Melissa Exely, Jeff Martin et al sunbathe on a Sunday afternoon in their front yard.

Communal living:

Z.A.P. at the Blue Note!

2010-04-11T22:20:00.009+14:00

Learning to Hear

2010-04-08T12:04:00.003+14:00

Final Project?

2010-04-05T18:54:00.010+14:00

I'm beginning to think about my final project for my capstone course. I'm currently exploring East Campus, a place I consider both home and nocturnal playground. I lived on East Campus for a few years and much of my spare time is spent on East Campus, where a majority of my friends live. I wrote an essay for a sociology class a few years back about being an East Campus resident is my "lifestyler identity". Below is an excerpt from my original description of the neighborhood:
"They live in decades-old houses with aged, creaking wood floors; they have a “green” mentality demonstrated through a high interest in conservation and recycling as well as alternative transportation (i.e. biking, skateboarding, walking); they have a tendency to be liberally oriented; they generally prefer music that is a beat below mainstream radio programming (such as indie and electronica. Many are listeners of or contributors to the college radio station KCOU); they take a high interest in nature and outdoors events (hiking, Peace Park/Earth Day activities, camping, etc.); there tends to be a fascination with the past, whether it be vintage clothing, retro furniture, or 70s-80s era music; and East Campus students are notorious for being weekend warriors in terms of their partying (often having a high-turnout, lasting into the early morning hours, and receiving frequent noise violations)."

Here are some shots I've taken relating to East Campus from the 30 Days projects and some themes I'd like to pursue visually.

Students maintaining households - mowing lawns, trash/recycling
Yard use - bbqs, gardening, front porch relaxation
Parking
Pets
LSD - late-night food
House parties - binge drinking, drugs, music/dance (video?)
Communal living - couches, studying, laundry, dishes
Neighborliness ?

More Moog

2010-03-18T08:40:00.002+14:00

The kids tried to dress up in as much green as possible to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-17T19:21:00.003+14:00

ten

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-15T22:21:00.004+14:00

NINE

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-15T20:59:00.003+14:00

The Broadway Project

2010-03-13T11:40:00.018+14:00

I spent Friday morning photographing at the Moog school where deaf and hard-of-hearing children (birth to six years) learn to talk and communicate successfully. Student-teacher ratios are very low - about 3:1. I spoke with the school director Judy Harper at length about the school's methods and the students. I'm particularly interested in focusing on a pair of sisters: Ella, 3, is currently attending the school in the toddler class and her older sister Catherine is 10 and a Moog graduate. Their family lives in Jefferson City but commutes to Columbia for the services at the Moog school. The school serves a wide area and long commutes are common to most of the families because there are only 10 Moog schools in the U.S. Ella was absent from school Friday so I hung out in the classrooms and photographed a birthday party in honor of one of the students and a teacher. Here are a few:

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-13T05:43:00.006+14:00

Siete

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-11T03:42:00.002+14:00

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-10T16:39:00.005+14:00

DAY FIVE

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-10T16:14:00.003+14:00

Day four

TAM Fashion Show 3.2.10

2010-03-10T14:16:00.008+14:00

Thirty Days, round two

2010-03-08T17:36:00.001+14:00

Birth: 5 points of view

2010-03-07T12:36:00.010+14:00

Chanel endures the pain of a contraction with the help of friend and RN, Lory.

Chanel during a quiet moment before the onset of another contraction.

Esme Bell was born at 3:45am on Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Son Xane looks on as his mother, Chanel, and Patrick greet their new daughter.

Thirty days, round two

2010-03-06T23:05:00.009+14:00

Day one: Happy hour

Day two

We were all wrong

2010-03-03T01:21:00.006+14:00

Esme Bell was born at 3:45am on Tuesday, March 2.
I have to work in three hours, so pictures will just have to wait...

I'll be editing these down more

Five points of view

2010-02-24T17:57:00.008+14:00

Update: Still no baby. I still hadn't heard from Chanel today after leaving her a message on the answering machine on Monday. After work today I drove to Chanel's house to drop in, say hey, chat a bit, and snap a few photos. She wasn't home so I figured I would try back an hour later. At 8:30pm Chanel still wasn't home and I began to wonder if she and Xane had decided to stay at her mother's until the baby came. Still, I decided to go back one more time to try and catch her. Her car was in the driveway at 9:30pm but the house was dark and I felt it was too late to pop over unannounced. At least I know she's not at her mom's.

Anyway, I'm going back over there tomorrow to hang out and will be shooting the birth sometime this week (fingers crossed). I'll be updating this assignment tomorrow when I see Chanel, but for now I will have to pull shots from what I already have.

1 Photo / Day

2010-02-05T18:31:00.033+14:00

1. Tito Time

2. Trudging across campus on a wet, snowy day.

3. In the laundry room

4. Morning Buzz

5. Rosemary Lane

6. Columbia bus getting towed away on Tuesday 2/9... Wish this hadn't been on manual focus!

7. The Bottle Cap Dress
(Dress made by Emma Lammers)

8. This is how I pay my bills

9. Chanel is my 5 points of view subject. She's a hair stylist and about to be a mother for the second time around (her son Xane is 11).

10. Water glasses on the window sill

11. Welcome

12. Catnapping

13.

14. Chanel at home

15. Brush'em brush 'em brush em'

16.

17. Garage light

18. My friend Emma is frantically trying to finish four pieces for a mandatory runway show next Tuesday.

27. Too sleepy

28. Chanel endures a contraction on Monday, March 1.

29. Enter: Esme Bell, 3:45am

Tough Guy Challenge 2010

2010-02-05T17:06:00.001+14:00

Boston.com has a neat photo gallery for the Tough Guy Challenge in England.

Play sequence

2010-02-02T04:37:00.006+14:00

A return to my story from last semester for a sequence: Livy playing with her cousins and the chaos that often ensues...

More playing around with sequences

2010-02-01T14:44:00.001+14:00

... and geese.

Old portraits

2010-02-01T12:22:00.003+14:00

Sequences!

2010-01-30T04:31:00.004+14:00

This week our assignment was to shoot a sequence. The first sequence I tried to shoot was near the corner of my apartment building (corner of Hitt and Elm). I wanted to photograph the morning rush on the way to work and school. I fired off a frame every 10 seconds (using the self-timer) from 7:42am to 8am. Upon review, I was slightly disappointed that the dominant subject was cars. I decided to try again on campus the next day. I used the same technique and shot foot and bike traffic from Lowry mall facing Memorial Union from 7:50am to 8am. I like the idea of documenting the first round of students on their way to class.

I’m modestly pleased with this idea and think it could be really neat to stick with a few more times. I’d like to try some different high traffic areas (maybe 9am or 10am rather than before 8) and change the lens length and camera angle. Originally I thought a straight-on shot would be the most revealing, but after seeing the images I wish I had shot from much higher or much lower. I considered shooting from atop the parking garage for the first shoot but ultimately decided against it because I was concerned the images would suffer without a clamp to keep the camera in place. In terms of the assignment, I wish I had picked a more specific subject (i.e. sticking with one person on the way to class), but at the same time I like the volume of people you see out early in the morning. The images remind me of something you would see on a security camera and it doesn’t necessarily bother me – it provides a survey of the street corner.

On a side note, I’ve been having several problems uploading files to my web server… I need to investigate the problem more fully.

Catching up with the last 6 months...

2010-01-25T14:41:00.013+14:00

Please excuse the unceremonious dumping of some of my photos from last semester:

Please excuse the unceremonious dumping of some of my photos from last semester:

Jenga!

2009-10-01T18:00:00.002+14:00

We had to make a brief, 30-sec video production for photo class to show that we had some mastery of videography. Luckily, the subject didn't have to be journalistic...

Enterprising

2009-09-10T16:50:00.003+14:00

Walk-about to find something to shoot: Douglass Park - Josh is preparing to try out for a semi-professional basketball team in New Zealand this January. He is originally from California but visiting friends in Columbia while he tries to find work.