Korean Kindergarten: Experience the Madness

Looking Back (With pictures!)

2005-08-26T06:27:00.000+09:00

So I know I haven't written much since I came back home. Mostly it's a mixture of being really busy trying to find a new job, and catching up with my family and friends. I also was just so emotionally distraught over the whole running-away-from-Korea thing that I didn't want to jump back into the details of it until things had really settled down. And I'm delighted to say that they finally have.

Over the past few months I've been really happy. I definitely think it was a good idea for me to come home at the time that I did, but I will say that I still miss the kids at my old school, and the friends I made in Daegu (many of whom have returned home themselves).

I can't honestly say if I'll ever return to Korea. I think since I violated my E-2 Visa, I'm not allowed to for another 10 years. Some people tell me I can still go on a tourist visa but I just can't work there, but that's only if my employers reported me (knowing them they probably did).

Since I came home I've received a few attempts at contacting me from my former employers. For whatever reason they don't feel like contacting me directly, and have tried to threaten me via the man they used to recruit me (Fred at Long Bridge Pacific) who for a while was calling my house twice a day. After a week or so of that they eventually gave up, and then convinced Jennifer to email me asking me to write them and tell them why I had decided to leave in the way that I did.

For a while I considered this. I considered writing to them and telling them exactly why I needed to leave, the way they had made me feel in my work situation, the tension I experienced on an every-day basis. And then I decided that silence was better. For starters, if they couldn't realize what I was going through by seeing and hearing from me everyday, then they obviously didn't care about my situation, and probably wouldn't care now that I was out of their hair. Also, it's sometimes best to just let sleeping dogs lie. I have no desire to create any further tensions between myself and my employers. I'm just glad that I've removed myself from the situation and I don't have to hear from them ever again. Unless, of course, I decide to publish a book about them and they decide to sue me.

Since I've left I've been keeping up with news about the school and my friends through Tasha, Rina, Jama and Jen. Not too long after I quit, Tasha decided to follow suit. She had to stay on for another couple months because they couldn't find a teacher to replace her plus, she wanted to get paid one more time (= She ended up going to Thailand and visiting her sister there. She's looking for a new job and might come visit me if I promise to move to Florida (=

They also couldn't find a teacher to replace me, but they did find a guy in Canada who was willing to take over for Jen who finished her contract in July. She's back home now and says she hates it considering she's got a new boyfriend who is also a GI but is still stationed in Korea till March. Ha. Oh well (= As it turns out she might be coming to Florida for grad school too so maybe we'll get to see each other again.

Jama also finished her contract at the school and is back in the States for a while visiting her family. She's planning to return for another teaching position in Korea at a different school after a period.

As for the others, Nev is still teaching in Korea and practicing Korean. He still writes me regularly and sends me short stories and news of his many adventures.

Matt, however, decided to go back to New Zealand and we haven't heard much from him.

Levi, we also know little of.

Keith was teaching English in the Czech Republic but there was some talk of him returning to Korea for another teaching position. I know this because I got the chance to meet up with Keith while I was visiting in Europe last month. He looked like he was doing really well, if a little stressed about work (=

Alana got home safely after a cross-country journey with her dad via motorbike. She seems to be quite happy to be back in Canada, although she's going through the same adjustments all us post-Daeguians are (which can be summed up in two words: "Now What?")

A few weeks ago, my friend and old work buddy Rina sent me some pictures from the cell phone I had while in Daegu. Some of the pictures are really funny and it reminds me that even though my work situation was pretty ridiculous, I still had a great time in Korea all things considered. Here they are!:

Tasha getting all liquored up at some fancy restaurant (=

My friend Steve having coffee at the girliest place on Earth- Can More

Nev and his brother watching a soccer game at Mr. Kim's.

Rina and Tasha getting all crazy-like at Rock N' Roll.

Nifty wall mural outside of a DVD bang.

Migliore and the fountain in the center of the park.

Water lillies at the arboretum the school visited on one of our field trips.

Levi looking fashionably awkward.

Don't go there! That doctor's a kwak!

The children are adorable!

Jen and Rina at the Rock N Roll.

Jen and G on G's last night in Korea.

Another one of Jen and G.

A girl wearing fairy wings in downtown (=

Jake, Billy, & Chris Kim- Some of the boys in my first-grade class.

Jeung Mein, Soyeung, and others down at the Pulse at G's going away party.

Posters on the wall at Commune's.

A giant stone buddha at Dongwahsa temple.

Our big Korean brother in all his delightfully masculine girlishness.

Alana with new hat (hat has a maple leaf on it and says "fuckin' freezin!")

Another one of Alana at IL (greatest parfait in all of Daegu, and really lovely couches too!)

Too sexy Alana! Too sexy!

Rina also put together a little photo album for me as a way of saying goodbye (= Here are those pictures:

You know how I said I'd never post pics of that night eating Ramen? Yeah. well...

Nev and I out on the streets.

Tasha making a funny face. I think she's trying to look innocent (=

Hey! Somebody took a picture of my butt!

Jennifer outside of this sushi bar that for some reason always played a robot fighting song.

These photos were taken at my last dinner/get-together with all my friends at Dijon.

Awwww, how could I ever forget Tasha? She's too awesome (=

This was such a cute little album, it almost made me cry (= Thanks Rina!

Also, Nev sent me this picture of the first time I met him and Keith. We were at this restaurant called Italy & Italy (double the name because it's doubly good) and they both sat down on either side of me and almost squashed me in all their huge manness (= Ha! Thanks Nev!

Okay, I think that's about all the nostalgia I can handle unless I'm going to break down into salty tears!!! I will say though, that I really am glad I went to Korea. It was tough, but the friends I made and the experiences I had were well worth it. Thank you, you guys!

And for those who have been journal-stalking me throughout my journey, I hope it's been entertaining if not insightful. I'm always open to questions and even though I had a bad work experience I know of many people who were happy both in their work and social lives while in Korea. I guess one out of two ain't bad (=
Adios,
-M

Back In The U.S.A.

2005-06-16T03:51:00.000+09:00

You can't run away from your problems, but you can always flee the country.
Indeed I am back in the Bay Area, region of my birth, harbor of the greater part of my young life.
Unfortunately, I'll only be here for about a week before I begin new adventures in Europe with my trusty half-bro, but I should be back in time for my birthday (which is July 31st for those of you who shamelessly forgot) and after that I should be around for the majority of the summer.
I'm not hesitant to say how marvelous it feels to be back in my own country. Not that Korea was that bad mind you, in fact I'm still very glad for all of the experiences it gave me. Well, maybe not ALL. Which is why I'm back here. But, still, most of the experiences it gave me were quite good.
I should be updating my travel blog with the rest of my pictures and journals once the shit has cooled regarding my work situation (yes, they're still harassing me to some extent) but that shouldn't take too long either. And as always I'm still happy to talk about it.
Big thanks to everyone who lended their support. Did I mention it's really good to be back?
Warmest wishes,
-M

Semantic Arguements With Angry Employers

2005-06-09T03:52:00.000+09:00

So I didn't get fired today. Almost, but not. I had a meeting with my director where he threatened to let me go "if that's what I wanted." I told him that I had already "dealt with it" and that he "didn't need to worry about me." His response was "So you're staying for four months? Okay, but I don't want to hear anymore complaining." Don't worry, I resisted the urge to punch him. It wasn't too hard. I've had plenty of opportunities to practice using restraint. This time in particular I performed very well. In fact, I managed to fool him so good that I convinced him to give me back my diploma. (Indeed!)
I've decided tomorrow night's going to be my last night out with the folk. I'm going to leave for Seoul Sunday morning and then hitch a plane to SFO. I arrive Sunday morning, quite a few hours before I leave (left?)... Man, the grammatical rules regarding time travel really escape me.
Alana's coming tomorrow and hopefully Tasha, Rina, and Jen. I'm going to miss these girls so much, I can't begin to explain it. It's hard not to just blubber all over them, but I know it'll be easier on them if I act cheerful. Plus, despite the fact that I'm going to miss them and my work situation is still somewhat tense (though significantly less so after today) I'm really happy I'm going home. I'm looking forward to it alot.
I'm both dreading and looking forward to going into work tomorrow. I know it's going to be hard. Today was really difficult. I'm full of anxieties about coming home, but there are so many simple things I'm looking forward to (pie, going to the movies with Jon, late-night Denny's philosophizing with Brady, seeing my mom and the cats..) that it's hard to be anything but happy.
I realize that the whole time I've been here I haven't set the clock back on my computer. I guess I always wanted to feel connected to home, like I'd never left, and now I finally get to go back to the place where it is actually 9:31 AM on Thursday instead of 1:33 AM on Friday. Silly planet.
All my shit is packed and ready to go except for a few things that have yet to be scraped off the walls.
I think Saturday I'm going to finish excavating my cabinets and closets. I don't know if I'll have time to finish or even work on my scrap book. I've decided that in spite of the hassle and cost involved, I need to have my cuddle pillow. I'm mailing it home during my lunchbreak.
Playing guitar is really calming. The new song I wrote is really good so I think I've finally gotten out of my rut as far as song-writing goes. Even though I bombed on Wednesday (my last night at Communes) I still really love singing in front of people. Maybe someday I'll get really good at singing and I can do it for a living... yeah, right, that'll happen (=
Okay I gotta get some sleep because it's a big day tomorrow. My last day with the kids. I really hope I don't cry, because, you know, that might be suspicious. I'm still wondering if I should risk taking pictures. Hmmm hmmm.. we'll see.
Well then, g'night!
-M
p.s. I kinda feel like I have so many things to come out to people about: returning the country, being back together with Jon, not being the same crazy girl that I used to be (I'm an entirely new breed of crazy now)... Maybe I should go on Jerry Springer or something.

Starting To Pack My Things

2005-06-08T03:56:00.000+09:00

Packing is weird.
This morning I couldn't sleep so I threw all my clothes into two big piles: things that are going, and things that are staying.
The majority of what I'm bringing home is just clothes. I'm also taking a few small knick knacks and my computer. Scraping the pictures off the walls is tough work. My apartment is starting to look as bland and white as it did when I first got here.

I can't believe I'm really doing this. I probably won't realize it until I get on the plane.
I put American money back in my wallet today. It was weird to look at it. My own currency seems foreign to me.
I wonder how it'll be when I get back home. I think I'll either get right back into the swing of things, or it'll take me a long time to get used to it.
8 months doesn't seem like a long time, but it was enough to get me used to living here.
I'm not sad to leave though. I'm really bored with all the places around downtown, all the temples in the countryside. I've seen all there is to see, and four months more would just be overkill.

My dad sent me an email today because I called Aaron about legal questions, and he wanted to know if I was okay. I haven't told him I'm coming home yet, but I will later tonight. I don't know how he's going to take it. On the one hand he's my dad so he has to be supportive of me if I'm in a terrible situation and this is the only way I can get out of it. On the other hand I don't if he'll understand what a horrible position I'm in. Oh well oh well. I'm coming home and that's all there is to it. I paid for my ticket. I'm gone. I leave Sunday the 12th at 6 p.m. Sheesh.
Mom has of course been really supportive. For some reason it didn't even catch her by surprise. I guess she has mother's intuition or something and could sense I was going crazy.
Tasha and Jen seem to be taking it pretty hard. I haven't told Jama because I don't want to put her in a position where her honesty would be tested. I'm sure she'll understand why I left.

Rosie tried to make our schedules less of a burden by giving us more break time, but she wouldn't cut my hours at all, so it would just mean I'd have to work until 7 everyday. It's nice to know she tried at least. I was under the impression that they just didn't give a crap.
I can't tell if they know at work if I'm leaving or not. They certainly are acting suspicious, but I think that's because they're nervous. All the same, John in particular is making it very hard for me to sneak into the break room and take back my diploma.

Tasha said she might come over today and help me get boxes if I need to mail anything. I don't think I will. A lot of this stuff I'm happy to leave behind. I might mail home some of the larger things I'm still fond of though.. like pillows and stuffed animals.
I took all my money out of the bank today. It makes me nervous walking around with it but I think it's safer then attempting a money transfer that may or may not work, and then not being able to get back into Korea to attempt the transfer again.
I have too many books. They're heavy and I'm pretty sure I'm only allowed 70 lbs between the two suitcases that I can check. Of course in my case I need to check a violin as well. I hope they don't break it.

There's so much to do in the next 3 days that I'm going a little silly trying to cover it all while still working. Maybe I should just run for the hills now and abandon all my shit. The idea has appeal...
At any rate it'll be worth it to be back home with my family, my friends, and the boy that I lovezor. I'm really looking forward to it even though I know I'll be foggy and creeped out for a bit. I mean, everyone will be able to speak English.... WEIRD!!!

Okay, I'm going to run off to my gohap class so I can say goodbye and grab my uniform.
Later I was planning to play at communes but I might be too burnt out by then. We'll see. I'm expected.
Sorry for the long rant but I had to get that all out somehow and I can't just blab to Tasha and Jen all the time. E-journals were invented for this sort of thing right? Anyways, take care of yourselves! See you in a few.. God it feels weird to say that! (=
-M

The Rights of a Foriegn Teacher (or lack thereof)

2005-06-08T03:55:00.000+09:00

For those who really want to know what it's like to live and work here this site is a good reference: http://clubweb.interbaun.com/fenske/machine.htm

Wait, Now I'm Expected To Do YOUR Work?

2005-06-07T04:01:00.000+09:00

Sorry for the graphic title, BUT my work sucks AND this is why:
So I'm sitting around the break area in-between classes when my co-worker Jen comes up to me, puts a big purple book down in front of my face and says, "So this is what Rosie wants us to grade during our break from now on." Now, I've been pretty appeasing for the duration of my work-horse hours here at Little Genius. They asked me to take an extra hour to do a writing class MWF, I agreed to it. They asked me to teach 3 hours on Saturday at a different school with 50 kids, I agreed to it. And when Jen plopped that big purple book down in front of me the first thought that went through my head was "For once... For once just say NO." So I told Jen "I'm not doing this." When it came time for class, I went through with my class as normal. I didn't so much as mention the purple books let alone give any sign of planning on correcting them. After school, both of my kids ran up wielding the ominous purple books. "Rosie says you have to correct this." "No." I told them , "Run back upstairs and tell Rosie I'll talk to her about it later." So Rosie comes down and starts shouting at us about not doing the work. She says "Just do it during your break, why not?" And I tell her "because my break time is MY time. You can't ask me to work during my break." And she says "Well, THERE! It's a part of your work hour. Are you going to do it now?" o.0 So we had this big sit down with our two bosses (yes, I have two of them to deal wtih and they're both equally bad) where we 3 foreign teachers complained about how everything gets laid on us, and our directors (who maybe do a couple of actual teaching hours per week) pleaded about how they didn't think it was a big issue. We mentioned that it's not, but we really don't think we're treated fair. They countered that they thought we were treated really well in comparison to other hakwon employees (who have maybe 6 hours of work a day, with breaks whereas we have 9 classes a day and are expected to work on our breaks). The arguement ended up getting really bad, with the two bosses pretty much tag-teaming it because they couldn't stand the pressure of being in the room the whole time with all three of us pissed off. I don't know where it's going to go from here, but I can't believe they actually tried to make me feel guilty for complaining that they're taknig away my break-time.
Things to do tomorrow:
1) avoid my bosses as much as possible
2) while somehow procuring my diploma back from my boss's possession (he's not legally supposed to have it)
3) and trying really hard not to tell my employers to sod off.
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
-M
p.s. I know I don't often complain about work. That's mainly because my employers are really scary and I'm paranoid about what they can and can't find online and I don't want to get fired. Now I just don't care. I don't respond well to threats.
p.p.s. more info on the living hell that is working in Korea http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/laurie.html

When Work Is Driving You Crazy, Go Crazy

2005-06-04T04:07:00.000+09:00

Friday night I went out with Jen and my Korean co-workers Tasha and Rina. We ended up talking about how much we hate working for Little Genius, all the nonsense we have to put up with there.
For example: I have two directors right? One guy, one girl. Well, the guy director decides to pull all three of us foreign teachers out of our classes so he can yell at us for 15 min. about not emptying the garbage can in the teacher's lounge (which also happens to be his office, and therefore his responsibility). Then he sends us back to classes and my other director is sitting in my class giving me the "You're so irresponsible, you're always late!" look. Gah. The Korean teachers have it worse though. They have to deal with all the pee, poo, throw up, and nosebleeds the little kids throw their way (Tasha had to deal with all 4 at the same time on Friday.. yikes!) plus they have to stay after school so our director can "teach them how to clean their rooms properly." Tasha and Rina tell me "We're not teachers! We're janitors!"
From there we got into talking about the kids and how they're no longer allowed to speak any Korean in school due to the "check system." Now, granted I invented the check/star system as a way to show the kids when they're doing well, or when they did something they shouldn't do anymore. My director decided she liked the check part of it, and so now if they get three checks they have to go to a different, lower-level classroom. The system sucks because the kids don't get to stay in the classroom and learn anything, it's really distracting to the other students, and my biggest problem with it is that they're made to feel ashamed of their own language. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good to have a time in class where they should just speak English, for example when they're talking to the teacher obviously, but these kids are between 4 and 7 years old. They're doing really well in school, and there's no reason for us to enforce an English Only policy because they're not taking advantage of their mother tongue anymore than they are of their second language. End work rant.
A few hours later, we were off to Bubble Club because we were all very tired, but felt like dancing anyways. At Bubble we met up with Haney and JM who were having a celebration of sorts because Han just got promoted to sergeant (he's been studying really hard for it, and I'm really proud of him). We had a big strawberry ice cream cake which I proceeded to dribble on myself, and then we got our boogie on.
The ice cream cake wasn't very filling, so I told Rina and Tasha we should get some grub. We rolled (or really strolled) up to Family Mart (like a 7-11), bought some ramen, put hot water in it, and chowed down right in the store. Classy. Then we had a discussion about how we love ramen so much, and Rina took embarrassing photos of the three of us eating noodles (not to be posted in this blog).
Finally we met up with Jen and Han at the opening of my friend's new bar. It used to be a place called Apache which was decorated with all sorts of baseball paraphernalia and native American-style kitsch. Now it's painted all black with a green light hanging from the ceiling and fake daisies hanging from the wall. Gimyeong has since dubbed it "The Flower Shop." What can I say? Korean men are a little girly sometimes.
Because it was the new opening of the bar, they had a special ceremony of sorts. There was a little monk guy there with thick coke-bottle glasses wearing a raw silk shirt and telling everyone where to stand and what to do. There was a pig's head on the table, and in front of it some incense that they lighted and smeared around a bit. They stuffed the pig's mouth full of won and then Gimyeong and his friends each took turns putting more money in and bowing before it. It's supposed to symbolize material wealth. I didn't bow because I didn't know if it would be appropriate (me benig a foreigner n' all), but maybe if he was a closer friend I would have. After everyone was done they all ate galbi (cooked meat) and drank Korean traditional rice wine which is distilled from brown rice. I was pretty tired by this point so I went home.
Yesterday I was supposed to meet up with Alana for Antique Horror Night, but for some reason I told her Daegu Station as our meeting spot when I meant Daebec Plaza. I don't know why. I guess I got confused. Anyways, we ended up missing each other and walking around in the rain a whole bunch. Catching a taxi when it's raining out = ridiculous. I ate subway for dinner and watched Charlie's Angels 2 which is GOD . Awful . Then Alana called me and we chatted a whole bunch about various things.
Last night I had this freaky dream... The first one involved the military taking over Korea and putting all my kids into bags. This took place at school so I did the only thing I could think of and ushered all the kids on to the roof through the bathroom window so they could escape. When the army guys found out, one of them took me into the hallway, grabbed me by the collar and pointed a gun at me. I turned the movie feature of my cell phone on so I could at least get proof of him blowing my head off.
So I guess you could say my mind is a mix of paranoia and anxiety. Sweet Bejus. Maybe I need to do gohap before I go to sleep or something. My brain obviously has too much energy.
Tonight I'm going to a jimgeebang which is like a sauna where you get to where pajamas in the baths. You can go with friends and stay there all night for a pretty minimal fee (7,000 won or so). I'm going with Alana and Jama and maybe some of Jama's friends. I've been told the jimgeebangs are really cool because there's more to do there than at the regular saunas: noraebang (karaoke), arcade, board games, smoothie bar, etc. Plus, you can stay the night there. I'm really looking forward to it, and I hope I'm not disappointed. Update: I wasn't and I had a really great time! I only wish I had gone to more of them!

The Allure of Hermitude

2005-05-28T05:08:00.000+09:00

I've been keeping watch over my credit card for the past week and it appears that the thieves in question only had the opportunity to run up about 50 bucks on it before I canceled it. Go me.
This weekend was pretty rough, lots of ups and downs... mainly downs. But I resisted the urge to hole up in my room and went with a few friends to Busan to look out at the dreary, gray ocean, which was beautiful as usual. The trip took about 3 hours drive considering crappy weather traffic, which didn't seem worth it by the time we got there since it was raining and gloomy. But we managed to have a pretty decent if not sleepy time wandering the beach, eating at the famously over-priced Indian restaurant, and chatting about this and that and the other.
The night before, I went to a salsa club with a friend of mine and got some free lessons from the club owners who are really nice folk. Somehow I got the impression that I dance salsa like a short white chick, but at least I had a good time.
Sunday night I watched Club Dread for the first time in a long time with my friend Keith who's leaving in 3 days to go back to Ireland because his contract's up. He's been here a while so I think he's glad to get out of Korea finally, but he will be missed. I didn't get to hang out with him as much as I'd like to, and I wonder if I'll ever meet him again in our respective travels. 6 billion people in the world. What are the chances? I think I might have to rent a castle there someday. The cliffs in the pictures look lovely.
I was going to go out to E-Mart or Kyobo tonight to pick up some things but I'm still feeling really exhausted and crappy. I need more food in my apartment that isn't made using powdery stuff in aluminum packets, but I'm just too lazy to go out right now.
I think I'm going to have another good week of holing up in my room and studying for the GRE, which is oddly satisfying for me at times, although I still do get that strange desire for human contact. Especially if it includes dancing, which I still oddly consider a "solo" activity in a conveniently social setting.
I don't know what the world has in store for me this week, but I certainly hope it's nothing too much. I'd like a break from all of this for a bit. I need some rest.
-M

Back Up and Limping

2005-05-17T04:16:00.000+09:00

So I've recovered from my horrible throat disease, but am now battling the after-effects of my Hapkido and Gohap classes.
My life keeps getting sillier and I don't ask why. Lots of stuff going on back home and the fact that I'm 6,000 miles away doesn't make it easier to sort out.
Hung up some astro boy cutouts in my room today. I spent the first few months here surrounded by white space and I'm trying to get used to the fact that I'm going to stay here by actually decorating.
I'm performing tomorrow at Communes, which I haven't done for a couple weeks now. I'm getting rusty. I need some practice.
That is to say, I'm going to perform at Communes tomorrow if I can still stand after tonight. Tonight is the last night in Korea for my dear friend G. He's Jen's boyfriend and aside from that a pretty decent guy. We're probably just going to do the usual Bubble-Frog-Apache combination, with maybe some cake thrown in because it's a special ocassion. I want to pick him up a goodbye gift after my class, but I don't know what to get him. I never know what to get for guys, and aside from that he's terribly self-spoiling (=
I'm sad to see him go, but I'm even more worried about how Jen's going to be affected. She's a tough cookie on the outside, but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel things, deeply even, when others aren't looking.
I love people like that because I admire them greatly, but I also feel so bad for them because they take everything on themselves, and it's hard to convince them to take a break every now and then and just vent.
I know it's seen as not wanting to be a burden, but I LIKE it when friends share their thoughts and worries with me. It makes me feel close to them, you know, like we're friends or something.
Okay, it's time to go to class. I'll have to take a taxi because after throwing myself on the mat about 20 times yesterday my body isn't allowing me to walk normally. Ouch. Er.
Keep it real, for reals-
-M

In Recovery

2005-05-13T04:19:00.000+09:00

I'm doing a lot better than I was, regardless of the fact that I didn't get any days off work.
In a few hours I'll be taking my last dose of antibiotics and that should just about bring me to recovery.
My tonsils are still a little large and funny looking, but I'm finally getting the hang of eating nothing but soups.
As an act of revenge against my employers, in defense of my own health, I decided to go with the whole not-speaking-for-three-days approach. It's helped quite a bit although the kids have been a little worried. More than a few of them have attached themselves to my ankles with love and affection in hopes that it'll somehow make my throat better. *sigh* So cute...
The other teachers at work have not been so well-wishing. In fact, some of them have started to resent me because I haven't been talking, when I am physically capable. Eh, whatever. My throat needs rest. And it's not going to get it if I have to scream over the children all day.
I'm getting my cell phone activated tomorrow. I'll send out the number to all interested parties toot sweet.
Saturday I think I'm going to see The Grudge, hopefully with Alana and maybe my friend Jamal.
Sunday is Buddha's birthday, and the city of Daegu is throwing a mad keggar down at the park with the big bell (Bring Your Own Hambok). In hopes of presenting myself as an ambassador for my country, I'm going as a giant bald eagle. Freedom fries and fruit punch will be handed out at the pool.
I also need to hang out with Jen and G this weekend. G (Jen's military-enlisted boyfriend) got issued orders to get his butt back to Washington DC by Wednesday next week. SO they're both a little depressed. I want to help more but I don't know what to say. I think it'd be better if I just went the listening route. As far as listening goes, I'm getting better, but I still don't think I'm as good at listening as I am at talking. Sometimes it really upsets me that I can't sit still and focus when someone is talking to me, because I want so badly to tell them what it makes me think of or feel. And it's not like I can't do that, but it's always a tricky balancing act between hearing what someone else is trying to say, and reacting to it with my own thoughts and opinions without our words jumping over one another.
I guess I just need more field practice. And a mental sheet for taking notes.
Well that's about it for now, kids.
Take cares,
-M
p.s. While writing this, I managed to burn a pot of boiling water that was sitting on the stove... I think this means I need to write shorter entries.

Sick? We Don't Have Time For That!

2005-05-11T04:22:00.000+09:00

So I woke up this morning with a dry aching pain in the back of my throat. I took a mirror to it and saw that my tonsils had swelled up like large red jujubees and were covered with a strange white mucous. It hurt to swallow. It really hurt to talk. So I called work and said "I need to go to the hospital."
My boss's response was that because another teacher was sick, they were short on hands and so they needed me to come in anyways. I went to school, regardless of the fact that I had a racing temperature, and after a couple of hours of teaching with no voice they finally took me to the doctor (on my lunch break, of course). The doctor took one look at my throat and jumped. "You have an acute tonsillitis." He said, shaking his head. "Antibiotics." He said. Then my boss proceeded to have a chat with him for the next several minutes in Korean. The talk was obviously about work, and my boss was obviously trying to see if he could get me to work for the next few days until the weekend. The doctor found this idea laughable considering I was going to be on antiobiotics, had a fever, and therefor needed to rest. Later, when I asked my boss what he talked to the doctor about he told me that the doctor had said it would be preferable if I got rest, but I could still work anyways. What a lying liar. It's nice to know my boss is always putting my health first, huh?
I got to take a few rests during the day, but still had to work for the majority of the day. My fever's gone down quite a bit thanks to the tylenol and after a few days on the antibiotics I should be as good as new.
In other news, I was going to start kendo this month but after meeting my Maestro he managed to convince me to take gohap instead. Gohap is a kind of sword-fighting using a kitana. Of course, I won't get to handle an actual blade until my second month. Right now I'm just using a wooden practice sword. It's very hard on the arms and wrist, but I'm getting used to it. I also get to take Hapkido (Aikido) two days a week. It's a good program and the other students are very nice and accomodating. Levi (a friend of mine who hails from Ireland) has decided to take the class with me so I won't feel like such a weird foreigner.
Tonight my friend Eric brought me a new guitar which is much easier to handle than my old guitar, and a cell phone. I really wish I would've purchased these items long ago when I first came to this country, instead of 5 months before I leave it. Oh well oh well. 5 months is still a pretty long time I suppose.
That's all the updating I can do for now. It's time to rest.
Goodnight,
-M
p.s. Cute child moments of the day: I. I was reading a storybook in class that started "Once upon a time there was a poor man and a poor woman. They didn't have a lot of money and they were starving." One of my students raises her hand and asks "Are they from North Korea?"
II. I come back from my lunch break to find the children all standing around in the middle of the playground. "What's going on?" I ask, and kneel down to see what they're looking at. They point to a crack in the ground and in a look of horror say "The ground! It's broken!"

Parent's Day

2005-05-08T04:27:00.000+09:00

I watched Daddy Daycare today and got to feeling all sentimental about the kids. Because our school is supposed to be all prestigious I often forget that our kids are kids, even if we're expected to treat them like little adults. My director used to get mad at me because it looked like the kids were having too much fun in my classes. I've been thinking someday that I might like to have a kindergarten of my own... Or maybe even a child of my own. I dunno, maybe that's a silly idea considering how strongly I was against that idea before... And considering my bad genetics. I dunno, it's nice to have all these kids to teach, but it's a lot different from actually knowing that one of them is YOURS.
The parents wrote their kids cards for parent's day this week and the kids read them aloud. One of them started crying because she loved her mommy so much. It was just so.. pure. It's a lot different from the love anyone could feel for another person, for somebody who didn't come from their own flesh I mean... I dunno. More permanent perhaps?
I don't know why I'm ranting about all this. I guess it's because people are always tellnig me that I might change my mind about the whole adoption thing. I guess they might be right.
Well, today is mother's day so I should probably go write my mama a card. Yay!
-M

Night Out On The Town

2005-05-05T04:33:00.000+09:00

Two of my 7 year olds are getting cell phones tomorrow for Children's Day....
This is embarrassing. I don't even have a cell phone yet, still holding to my belief that they are inherently evil (anything that requires that much of you attention and radiates can't be good).
Today over lunch I solved the problem of life and its initial meaningless. Well, not really, but I did compose some nice bits of thoughts masquerading as philosophy. I believe the point of it all was to somehow balance my solipsistic thoughts with my existentialist ideals.
Here my musings are in their entirety for those who are interested:

Yesterday one of my eight year olds gave me a letter in which she hoped to express what she thought of me as a teacher. The first sentence was "I love you and you scare me." I know that for the rest of my life I will keep this letter so I can look back on my first experiences as a teacher and see how I've grown.
Lately I've started to think about the little pieces of people I currently have in my possession. Not just letters and photos, but trinkets and knick-knacks, books and poems, bracelets and necklaces. In my room I am almost constantly surrounded by the presence of others entrapped within these trinkets, to the point where much of who I am on the outside as well as in, has become a montage of the faces I have seen and the voices I have heard.
This in turn started me thinking about my own influence on others, and all the tiny bits of me that must be floating around without me even knowing it. If this is true, then my meditations on meaninglessness (as I know, many of you are also concerned with meaninglessness) are further complicated if not altogether upset by my continual, often unconscious, effect upon others.
Seeing as how this is the case, that man must continually influence and be in turn influenced by man, it would appear that the point of the game has little to do with the individual and more to do with the individual's position in the collective. The object of the game is not to be endued with some sort of inherent and singular meaning, but to create a cooperative experience with the world and beings around us. Even if we were to become affronted by this very notion and seek to isolate ourself completely, we should still find some small ways of changing the world around us, providing constant and permanent proof of our existence.

I was a bit tired at work today because yesterday was Alana's birthday and we ended up having way too much fun. Well, no, not too much. It was just right, I'd say. Here is a description of the evening (complete with pictures!)

First we went to dinner at Dijon (the infamous fancy French restaurant downtown). I had spaghetti and Alana had some weird chicken thing.

(No these pictures aren't bad because Alana's eyes appear to be closed... she just has no eyes, only eyelids.)

Alana holding her shoe (The brand is called "Big Stank".. made in Korea of course. I didn't buy her the shoes, but I got her a big bag of nonsense including one corduroy tigger and a small journal.
Then we went for a walk in the park (aka: "That park with the big bell")

They put up a paper pagoda advertising Buddha's Birthday (which I believe is sometime towards the end of the month):

The streets were also covered in paper lanterns for Buddha's Birthday:

On the lantern it looks like Buddha is getting ready to flash people. I guess that's what buddhism has to resort to these days in order to compete with hot cults like the Britney Spears fan club. Still, very pretty.

Tonight I'm not going to perform at Communes because as previously mentioned I've become pretty fed up with the downtown "scene" and it'd be nice to just stay inside and avoid all the peoples who are after my hot body.
What? I ain't kiddin'.
I am, however, going to talk to my Kumdo instructor about fees and such, and call a travel agent about my impending Kyoto trip.
Okay, goodnight folks!
-M

Soccer in Daegu!

2005-05-04T04:30:00.000+09:00

Today I'm going to the World Cup Stadium here in Daegu with a couple of Scotsmen to watch a football (that's soccer for my fellow Americans out there) match. I don't understand soccer, but Nev's brother Ian has promised to explain it to me in detail. Considering his accent is rather thick, I can only wonder how many of the details will in fact seep in. Even if I'm thoroughly confused, I'm sure I'll have a good time just being out of the house and not at work on a weekday.
Why am I not at work? It's Children's Day! Yay for children! I get a day off work!
Tomorrow I'm meeting with the only travel agent in Daegu who speaks English so I can get the train/ferry/submarine/private jet/space ship tickets for my trip to Kyoto at the end of the month. I'm still really nervous about it because the ryokan I was going to book doesn't have any rooms available. Hopefully another ryokan will. Otherwise I suppose I could just seduce a monk and sleep at the temple. Or not.
Alright, I think that's all the updating that need be done at this juncture.
Goal!
-M
Update: The soccer match was between Daegu and a much smaller team. It was a really great game, and even Nev who has seen way too many soccer matches seemed to think it was exceptionally fun. I was particularly amused that at the game instead of having nachos and corn dogs to eat they had huge bowls of ramen and a dispenser with hot water. Ha! gotta love the Koreans (= Also, the tickets were quite cheap and I got a special discount for wearing a blue shirt (daegu's home color).

Traditional Village & Sexy Dance Contest

2005-05-02T04:39:00.000+09:00

Hey look! I found a site with some pictures of Daegu: http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/cedarbough2/daeguvisuals.html
That's a pretty accurate representation of where I live. Good pics of downtown too.
I'm actually at school on time today. I'm trying to do it more regularly from now on so that when I leave my director will actually give me a good review. At the moment my director hates me for unknown reasons. But I'm sure coming to work 5 minutes before it's time to start can't be helping (although I'm really quite prepared for class upon my arrival). After this, I'll go run around the resource room and pretend I'm preparing for class. Sounds like a plan.
I've recently been really dissatisfied with my weekdays, and for that matter my weekends aren't too happenin' either. This weekend actually turned out to be better than the last few. The last few were spent almost entirely downtown going to the same clubs and the same bars. I know that's what people my age are supposed to love doing, but I'm still a nerd and that's not really my thing.
This weekend I went to a traditional village with Nev and Nev's brother who is visiting for a month or so.
It was just an hour's walk from the subway and then a brief climb throughout the village. We saw some traditional houses and a few burial mounds (sounds morbid, but it's more like a park than a graveyard).
Afterwards I went with my friend Matt to a DVD bang (a small private DVD studio where you get to watch movies of your choosing) and we saw The Motorcycle Diaries which was fantastic! It made me want to write a book about my experiences here, which I will undoubtedly do once I get home.
Saturday night was the big Sexy Dance Contest at Bubble and Frog. I didn't win, but I got my picture taken so I must've been at least a little sexy, or maybe just silly. Go me.
That's pretty much all for now. Hopefully I'll be able to find a kumdo class after school.
How was your weekend?
-M

Poetry: Yellow

2005-04-25T04:47:00.000+09:00

Yellow

Sometimes I'm just happy to see the sunset.
From my apartment I can see the orange-yellow light slurping itself back up over the shingled roofs below.
And I think of where I am now, so far away from the world I use to know.
The world familiar became the world estranged
the bizarre now oh so plain.
And my self now
once a stranger
is a new and unique
being.
I look at the sun
lavishing rays upon even the darkest most distorted alley ways,
the sheen starting to shrink
and
I think
of the beauty I have watched fade,
these things that slip away-
The love that has left me, the friendship that has left me-
and I know it will return.
In one form or another, they need must return.
Just like the sunlight to the sky.
-M

Busy Busy

2005-04-25T04:43:00.000+09:00

Quote of the Day: "People like people who eat." -Brady
This came up, of course, after mentioning to Brady that I don't have time to eat many days because of the running around with the classes.
Pertinent bits of info:
-Alana's birthday is next week and I'm really excited.
-Finally contacted a friend of mine back home who seems to be doing well regardless of his workload.
-Am booking a ryokan tomorrow evening for my Kyoto trip at the end of the month.
-I wrote a new song which I'm going to play at Communes this week even though I'm really fed up with "the scene" and am debating becoming a hermit crab (they're cute and have pinchers).

Something else one of my friends said-
"me: It's okay to try and give things another go.
x: Just don't go getting hurt.
me: How do I do that?
x: I think if I leave myself open I end up a lot closer to that person than if i stayed guarded.
x: Maybe it was a good thing to experience.
x: I learned alot.
x: Its realy hard to let the thing you want most walk away.
x: Its even harder to stay with them afterwards."

Boy howdy. Some of my friends are ridiculously wise for their age. Dealing with things back home is so hard sometimes. Lots of things become bigger deals than they normally would because you're just so far away, or conversely a big deal might seem like a little deal to you because you can't see it's importance. *sigh*
-M

I'm tired! (And this is why)

2005-04-21T04:48:00.000+09:00

My week is almost over and I can't tell you how happy I am for that. Of course Sunday is really the only day of rest I get these days (y'know with Saturday school n' all), but considering I'm falling asleep in my after-school classes, I gladly welcome what I can get in the way of relaxation.
Today we went on a field trip with the kiddies. We went to a big park where there was an Exploratorium type of building. The kids didn't get to run around and play as much as I'd hoped they would because there were a few other schools there and not enough room. That and my director has a strict anti-fun policy. No, I'm not kidding. She enforces this by hitting disorderly 7-year olds on the hands with a wooden baton when they step out of line. Yeah, we seem to be pulling in different directions here...
Not pertaining to work, I've been trying to stay in more this week in order to save money as well as my own sanity (yes, I must admit it might already be too late for this).
I made an exception for last night, however, in order to fulfill my duty to play at Communes with Eric and see Jeung Mein for her birthday. A good group of about maybe 10 of us showed up to Pulse (yet another of the infamous bars downtown featuring couches instead of chairs, fancy cocktails for 6,000 won, and disco lighting). We hung out, drank some soju and wine, ate some birthday cake, and then I watched as they all got wasted (I avoided it on account of having to work the next day) and we wound up lying on the grass in a park in the middle of downtown staring up at the sloppy gray night-time clouds. Sitting in the middle of the carefully roped off lawn, we ate some gimbap, threw chips at each other, did cart wheels, and at one point tried to climb the basketball posts. We also took LOTS of pictures, none of which (I'm sure) will end up in this blog due to the embarrassment factor.
All in all it was a good night, and a pretty decent day, but between the two of them I'm really exhausted. Time to settle down for a nap or two or three.
Zzzzzzz,
-M

Konglish Shirts

2005-04-17T04:53:00.000+09:00

Because I'm a girl and shopping for clothes makes me happy, I went shopping with Jen today and bought a few Engrish tees.
This first one is the worst city-based pun I've heard in a long time:

And also, a very strange Emily the strange tee:

Also, Check this out if you're up for something cute and quirky.
This weekend was pretty disappointing on all other fronts, but I don't really feel like going into it. Suffice it to say you never know who people really are until you've at least known them a full week. And living abroad it's quite possible that you'll never really get to know people until the day before you leave.
On the good side of things, I'm going to start kendo lessons in May after I purchase my armor (which is a little expensive but well worth it).
I'm playing another Sheryl Crow song at open mic on Wednesday. I'm also playing a couple originals I woke up with in my head this morning. I might even be getting a band together, but we'll have to wait and see.
Adios
-M

When's the time off?

2005-04-15T20:00:00.000+09:00

So it's the end of the workweek, only it's really not because of course I have Saturday class tomorrow. For this weekend, and in fact for the rest of the week as well, I'm planning on taking it easy a bit instead of going out much. It's not that I'm feeling depressed or anti-social. It's just I feel like last week was kind of a whirlwind and I'd like to have some time to sort myself out or at least find a proper pair of socks in all this laundry.
Really it's my job that's been killing me. I know it doesn't seem like anything special compared to anyone else's 32-hour workweek. But working with kids all day (without breaks) is extremely draining. And my boss has been really hard on me these past few weeks because a few of the kids left to go to a better school and now she thinks we need to step up our act or we'll lose all our students. I can't say it matters to me much considering I still get paid the same, but I'd probably care more if it were the kindergarteners who were leaving and not the older kids who are harder to manage anyways.
Luckily I got some time off at the end of May so I can hopefully go to Japan or some other not-so-distant country. It's only a few days, but it's enough to give me something to look forward to. My other boss gave me the "you're here to teach, not to be a tourist" speech the other day, but I don't care. I'm in Asia, damnit, and I'm going to enjoy myself.
If I had to do it over again I'd probably try and find a contract that either grants me a little more pocket change or some more time off. Most of the teachers I've met have M-F 2-9 contracts, or something similar, which is still better than the 10-7 stuff I do M-F not to mention 2-5 every Saturday which I don't get paid extra for. One of my friends even has a 15 hour per week contract! And he gets paid 2,000,000 won more than I do! Gripe gripe gripe.
On the happy side of things, I'm probably going to get signed up for kendo (gumdo) classes this week (I hope I hope). They'll be every day of the week (not including weekends), but they're offered downtown so it'll be really easy for me to get to. The lessons themselves aren't too expensive. W80,000 per month, and W140,000 for the first month because you have to pay for your armor. I think with all the money I spend going downtown and hanging out at coffee shops and clubs that it might actually end up saving me money to have something consistent to do with my weekly hours.
I'm still taking guitar lessons and playing at Communes on Wednesdays (which is more fulfilling than I could even hope to express).
I've been looking into grad schools and have found a few programs I want to apply to once I get home. There are a few on the East coast that look particularly appealing. Even though I'm trying to really get into that whole "Be Here Now" philosophy of living abroad, I'm still very aware of me being at the halfway mark (6 months done, 6 months to go) and I'm trying to prepare myself (even now) for the big shock that is (or will be) coming home.
Alright, time to head out for another exciting Friday night.
Goodnight!
-M

Best T-Shirt Ever

2005-04-13T00:02:00.000+09:00

I've got to buy one of these:

Available from: http://www.bustedtees.com/product.php?name=southkorea

Just felt I should share the love.

Making Music In Daegu

2005-04-07T00:13:00.000+09:00

For those of you who are curious about my recent guitar purchase, I bought it at a shop called "Gi-ta" in Myeongduk (which is apparently the biggest musical instrument shopping area in Daegu). I bought it for only 70,000 won and get free lessons for a month. I've been taking them every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with my Korean coworker Tasha who also wants to learn. For a while I was putting off buying a musical instrument because I thought it was a waste of money considering I couldn't possibly bring it home with me (I already bought a violin in my first two months here) and I wouldn't have time to play it anyway. I'm really glad I bought it though because it's good to have something to do aside from working everyday. You've got to have a hobby if you're gonna survive living abroad, if not a few of them. Plus, I've started playing LIVE every Wednesday at this bar called Communes where lots of foreigners hang out. On Wednesday nights they have an open mic that is free to anyone who wants to sign up, but it's mostly guitarists and small bands that end up stepping up to it. I've also heard rumors of a few gutsy ladies who go up and sing free of accompaniment. Anyways, it starts every Wednesday at around midnight and goes till whenever it goes till. Bring your own guitar or bass. They have a drum set, mics, and amplifiers. Plus, lucky for me, the crowd is pretty forgiving. Although I didn't take any pictures of myself at Communes last time, I do have some pictures of Tasha and I practicing, or at least goofing around while holding instruments. Here you go:

Rock on,
-M

Like A Rock Star.

2005-04-06T04:56:00.000+09:00

Tonight, on a complete and total whim, I sang at The Communes, a pub downtown. It was my first time playing in front of a mic in at least a few years and I was extremely nervous. I got up there shaking and twitching, but then I sat down, strummed my friend Chris's guitar a few times, and just let go. It was amazing. I forgot how much I love to be on stage and just forget that I'm on stage. I played Eden by Hooverphonic and the bartender is now in love with me because apparently we are the only two who've even heard of that song. I got shouts for an encore afterward so I guess I must've done okay. To follow it up, I did the only song I wrote way back when that I can still remember all the lyrics to: Over. I think I'm going to make a bad habit of playing at the Communes every Wednesday night. Does anyone have any requests?
There's more to report of my recent adventures but it would involve pictures and right now I really just need to get to bed. I promise I'll update and fill you all in soon.
Lots of love,
-M

Climb Up Gatbawi Mt.

2005-04-05T22:30:00.000+09:00

Imagine a steep rocky cliff teetering over the edge of the beautiful Korean countryside while you rest your back against a stoney wall to gaze up at a giant Buddha, nestled between the mountain peeks.
This is Gatbawi.
And it's probably the best journey I've single-handedly undertaken while in Daegu.
Navigation there was frightfully easy.
Step 1) Get to DongDaegu Station (which is easy to do via the meriad of busses or taxi cabs readily at your disposal)
Step 2) Take the 104 bus to the tourist village at the base of Gatbawi Mt. (thank you Lonely Planet). *Something Lonely Planet didn't mention is that unlike most busses you catch at DongDaegu, this one is located to the side of the station, to the right of the stairs and NOT directly out in front. If you have problems finding it just ask the nice ladies over at the tourist information booth and they'll point it out to you. The bus fee is, of course, the standard W1,300.

[Tourist Village at the base of Gatbawi]
Step 3) Exit the drop off point and follow your fellow travelers up the path. To your right you'll see the tourist village which has lots of restaurants with tastey things to eat. There are also some hotels and inns if you exhaust yourself too much on the climb and decide you want to stay there instead of heading back home.

[Map at the base of Gatbawi]
Step 4) At the front of the path you'll see a big map of Gatbawi. It's in Korean with a brief description of the mountain in both Korean and English. Don't worry about it. All you want to do is just keep heading straight until you get to the top. That's the way all the other travelers are going, so just keep with them.

[Small temple at the beginning of the trail up the mountain]
Step 5) After about 40 minutes of traveling you'll come to a small temple with a fountain, a pagoda, and a big bell. Here the path splits in two, and you can either take the easier root up the steps, or the harder root up the bare mountain slope. I took the mountain direction and found it pretty easy.
Step 6) Reach the top of the mountain, gaze upon the infamous Gatbawi Stone Buddha (who is purportedly famous because he wears a big hat) and say a little prayer for yourself. Don't feel guilty, this Buddha has supposedly heard at least one prayer from everyone in Daegu, so why shouldn't you get yours in too? Be wary, Buddha is a little busy around finals week and New Years.
Here is a description and some pictures of my own journey, which I enjoyed immensely. It was arbor day, and so I got the day off work. There were quite a few people there with their kids and babies. I was impressed by how a few of the three year olds made the climb. I met up with a Korean family: a woman by the name of Julie, her husband, and their two children. Lily, their oldest child at 11 years old, turned out to be quite the talker and considering I love to talk too we talked our way all the way to the top of the mountain. Her grandpa was kind enough to help us along so we didn't get lost. Lily had to translate what brief conversation he tried to make with me because he didn't speak English. At first I was amazed by Lily's conversation skills, but then I learned that her mother was an English teacher and she was planning to take Lily and her brother to the states to study. I asked how Lily felt about that, and she said she was really excited, but also scared because she wasn't sure if she could fit in with all the other kids because she couldn't speak English "very well." I said her English was fine, and she could certainely get along with the others. Hell I don't know many American eleven year olds who are as fearless of conversing as Lily.

The trail was pretty steep, but Lily managed to keep me distracted with conversation so that I almost didn't realize it when we were almost to the top. At the bottom of the last stretch we found a small shrine and some ajummas selling beads.

It was at this point that Lily realized she had lost her hat at some point during the climb, so I took my leave of Lily and her grandpa and made the rest of the stretch by myself while they headed back down the mountain to look for her hat.

The view from the top of the mountain was amazing. I've been up mountains before but the view from the top of Gatbawi is by far the most breath-taking I've ever seen. I looked over the hills while drinking a small can of 2% I bought from one of the handy vending machines by the gift shop. I would've also made use of the bathroom facilities, but I was lucky to find one about halfway up the mountain near a small shop.

I walked out on to a large pavilion where I was surrounded by people squatting on small mats praying to Buddha, or just quietly sitting. Some of the less devoted were leaning over the railing just admiring the view, and some of the truly blasphemous were taking pictures with their cell phones. (Still, who am I to talk since I obviously was one of the ones taking pictures.)

I looked up and there was big Buddha himself, seated on a rock with a rock above his head to guard him from the sun. His face was so patient and solemn, that I couldn't resist the urge to quietly kneel down on a mat off to the side, and tell him my own quiet prayer. Sorry, but I can't tell you what it was. This may be a travel journal, but it needn't be a diary.
Heading down the mountain I once again ran into Julie, who had decided to take the opposite route up the mountain since it was easier for her little boy.

The route back may have been easier heading up, but heading down the stone steps just made it harder. Trying to get down before the light faded, I almost twisted my ankle once or twice.
I bought corn at a little shop just a few minutes down from the top. I also bought some beaded bracelets at the gift shop.
Nearing the bottom I suddenly realized that it was soon coming time to leave Gatbawi, so I stopped to appreciate some of the things I had failed to notice before.

Here are some of the yellow blossoms that add a sprinkle of color around the mountain. I saw a few ajummas carrying long branches of these back, probably to give as gifts to their families.

Here is a road lined with white stone carvings and lanterns leading up to another shrine. I didn't get to visit this one, but it is just another example of the number of paths and attractions in or around the area. I figure even if you go to Gatbawi with no sense of direction you'll be able to find something to admire.

Small piles of prayer rocks lining the rocky path leading to the entrance to Gatbawi.

A small memorial near the tourist village at the base of Gatbawi. I really admired the ferocious faces of the lions guarding the stone lanterns.

The only prayer hut I had the nerve to go into considering it was vacated. Even if you're a tourist afraid of appearing touristy or worse yet offensive, you should really attempt to go inside one of these. It's really just a great place to relax and loosen up. They smell wonderful and the paintings and adornments are lovely.

The stone walkway leading up to the prayer hut. It crosses over a small open shrine to buddha.

A spring water fountain near the base of the trail up the mountain.

A very scenic picture of me on the bus.
Well, that's about it. I headed home on the bus, regardless of the fact that some taxi driver was frantically trying to convince me that I needed to take a cab to get home (I guess it's because my white skin can't handle the dust of busses).
It was a great trip! I made some new Korean friends, and got to see a lot of the countryside! This trip comes highly recommended! A++!

Index of Korean Bloggers

2005-04-04T22:27:00.000+09:00

http://korea.banoffeepie.com/

Masan Cherry Blossom Festival

2005-04-03T23:47:00.000+09:00

This weekend I went with my friends Jennifer and Alana to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Masan. Masan is somewhat near Busan, so we took one of the slow trains there, and then took a taxi to Masan station (apparently there's an easier/cheaper way to get there by bus, but as per usual figuring out the bus system - which is of course written in hangul - turned out to be completely impossible). It was a little rainy and gray, but it didn't take long to walk to the festival from the bus station, plus we got to stop off at a really delicious (but expensive) Chinese restaurant along the way.

When we arrived at the festival the streets were lined with yellow tents selling all manner of things edible and questionably edible alike: Roasted pig, squid, octopus, silkworms.

The smell was more than a little uninviting but we trudged our way through 'till we got to the stairway leading up to the museum.

There were 365 steps! Now, I'm no wimp, but in the rain and cold it was still quite a climb, only not for the little boy and his family who went ahead of us apparently.

After lots of climbing, and lots of picture-taking:

We finally reached the museum:

The museum was free to enter, and so we went inside and had a peek around.

All of the descriptions regarding the exhibits were written in hangul, so we had to interpret what we saw using what little we knew of Korean history, and a lot of creative interpretation regarding the beautifully-constructed tiny wax sculptures.

After we finished looking at the exhibits, Jennifer bought a key chain bearing the Masan mascot, the Masan Cherry Blossom and the giftshop owner gave us free postcards.
Done with the museum, we went upstairs, and climbed up another flight of stairs, and then another, and then six more until we finally came to the top level of the museum. From there, we could see a breath-taking view of Masan: from the harbor to the hilltops. Rows of flags from every country were stretched from the top of the building all the way down to its base. I found the United States flag more than a few times.

We headed back through the marketplace, got side-tracked by all the cheap stuff, bought a few things, and then headed back to the train station.
At the train station we accidentally got mixed, and had to spend 15 minutes or so standing around in front of the girl's bathroom while Korean travelers gave us strange looks.

Finally, with a little help from one of the shocked, but polite stewardesses, we ended up on the right train back to DongDaegu. It was a lovely, but exhausting trip, and even though the fickle cherry blossoms weren't entirely in bloom, the sites we saw, the cheap crap we bought, and the history we almost-but-not-quite learned, were plenty enough to take home with us.

Just Keep Walking

2005-04-02T04:59:00.000+09:00

I had Saturday classes today, and then afterwards at the risk of doing something impulsive I started walking down a main street in the opposite direction of home. I didn't stop until I had come across a big temple in the middle of the city. Its walls were painted green, orange, white, and brown and they had big blue and yellow plastic signs on them offering tours. I thought it looked very Korean.
On the way home I found a few second hand stores (I've been looking for these ever since I got here). I bought some celadon cups at one of the stores for the low low price of 2,000 won. They were actually only 1,000 but the shopkeeper didn't have enough change so I just told her "kwenchaneyo" and gave her the 10,000 note and put the cups in my bag.
It was nice to be out for a walk on my own. I feel like there's just been so much going on in my life lately that it's good I got some just quiet normal time done.
A friend of mine left Wednesday to head back to Ireland because his contract was up, and another friend of mine is leaving tomorrow because his grandmother died and he needs to be back with his family. My friend Jeung Mein's father passed away last Friday and she's still trying to deal with it. We went out together on Thursday and she bawled her eyes out when she wasn't pretending everything was okay. Stuff at work has been crazy for reasons I can't even begin to explain. Basically my boss thinks we aren't prepared for our classes enough. She wants us to work harder. Inevitably this will mean more paperwork.
All things considered, I'm still doing pretty well. A little exhausted from trying to be there for everyone but other than that I'm okay.
I bought Clam Chowder at the American store down the street from my house and ate it for lunch. In a few hours I'm going to meet my friend who's leaving for coffee and maybe a movie. Today is not a day for going out on the town. Today is a day of rest.
Sometimes it's just good to just appreciate the simple things in life.
-M

People Are Always Leaving Here

2005-03-31T05:02:00.000+09:00

Because I don't want to be the kind of person who just posts depressing song lyrics without explaination, allow me to explain:
My friend Keith left for Ireland today.
I hadn't hung out with him too much during my stay here, but we somehow managed to get pretty close in the last few days he was here.
He gave me a lot of good advice, and listened to the things I haven't felt comfortable dicussing with anyone up till recently.
I'm not upset that he's left. We weren't in love or anything like that.
But we were good friends for each other, for the brief period of time we knew each other.
Maybe it's best that he had to go back home now when our relationship was doing really tops. If he had stayed here any longer maybe we would've ruined our relationship by trying to make a relationship out of it.
I know that in the future I'll probably see him again. But we'll be different people by that point. Hopefully we'll be better people. But it doesn't matter. The fact is: people don't dissapear just because they're out of sight. And Keith will still always be Keith to me, even if I never get to see him again. And even though it hurts to know I might never get the opportunity to walk down another street with him, I'm still just really happy that we spent the time together that we did.
So you see, it's a happy kind of sadness. And I don't need sympathy for it. Just understanding.
Lots of love,
-M
Update: I actually *did* get to see Keith again. He ended up in Prague teaching English to Czech high schoolers at around the same time I went off to Europe for a post-Korea vacation. We're still great friends and we still keep in touch all the time. In fact, that goes for almost everyone I met and became really good friends with in Korea. It just goes to show you that this big world of ours is actually quite small. Especially considering the invention of email.

Hangouts: Old Skool

2005-03-30T23:21:00.000+09:00

So there's this new bar that opened up a few weeks ago downtown called Old Skool.
Considering there are maybe 3 other popular bars that cater primarily to westerners downtown (Itaewon/Crew, Rock N' Roll, Communes) Old Skool is a welcome fourth option. Plus, Old Skool is very distinctive from it's somewhat basic competition. Among other things they've got a pool table, a Playstation featuring the famous Korean fighting game: Tekken, free internet, a piano, drum kit, electric guitar, and bass, a room where you can spray paint, a tarantula, a puppy, and a lizard named Charlie.
All in all, their slogan of "Old Skool: It's Different" is very suiting.
My first night there was very comfortable. I had a good time spray painting my name, while a friend of mine played a little R&B on the piano. The free internet access is really useful, plus it's free! (Not that the PC bangs are gonna burn a hole in your pocket at 500 won per hour, but still...) And the owners will let you play with the animals if you want to.
My only complaint is regarding the small amount of room you get for your pool cue when the pool table is squashed in between the bar. Also, because they're a new establishment, not everything on the menu is actually available (especially food items, which there are a few of). This will likely change in the future as the bar gets more customers. The food platters you can order are delicious and in most cases well worth the 15,000 won you'll spend on them (which is standard bar price).
It's located on the same street as Itaewon/Crew, Dijon and Mr. Kim's, right across from a bunch of clothing stores. It's on the second floor of a big brick building with murals spray painted along the walls, and has a large red sign over the door with a big angry-looking gorilla on it.
The bar is run by a really nice animal-loving family who enjoy poker, good music, and pool. My coworker Jama's made pretty good friends with them, so I'm sure I'll be hanging around there lots in the future.
Update: Yea, like Itaewon before them, they've started holding a pool tournament at Old Skool every Friday night at 10. I believe first prize is a bottle of Jack Daniels. Successive wins gets you a PSP (Damn! Why am I not good at pool?!)
Below is a picture of me with my new friend Harry:

And here is my friend Max (who left recently) holding Charlie:

Field Trip: Korean Children's Play

2005-03-29T23:26:00.000+09:00

Today we had one of our supposedly monthly field trips. I say "supposedly monthly" because we've had all of one field trip in the 6 months since I've been here. It actually went a lot better than I thought it would. We went to see a traditional Korean children's play that I believe was called "the three axes." As with the last field trip, this one started with us loading all the kids onto three buses (we barely fit everyone!) and driving of to some unknown location. This location turned out to be the 5th floor of E-Mart, which oddly enough has a small stage area. We were the biggest school there, taking up an entire 15 rows or so. The kids were pretty well behaved considering all the teachers came along (and occasionally fell asleep during the play to encourage their good behavior). I actually stayed awake for the whole play. It was pretty weird. It was in Korean, of course, but as far as I could follow it was about a man dressed like Davie Crockett, a poor lumberjack, a magical monk, and a bunny rabbit. For those of you who are interested in hearing the story, read below. Otherwise, feel free to skip straight to the pictures.
What happens is this: this magical monk lives in the well. One day this poor lumber jack is trying to chop down wood with his cheap broken-down axe when he accidentally swings to hard and his axe goes flying into the air and lands in the well, hitting the monk on the head. After a lot of apologies and crying, the monk agrees to return the axe to the man, but instead of bringing up the original axe he brings up a silver axe. The man thanks the monk, but tells him he doesn't want that axe. So the monk brings him a gold axe. He tells him he'd rather have his old wooden axe. So the monk brings him the original axe, and gives it to him along with the other two. Well, the villainous Davie Crockett-type character comes along and sees the three axes the poor lumberjack is carrying and asks him how he got them. After many threats on the part of the Davie Crockett guy, he eventually tells him about the well. Of course, being a greedy villain, Davie decides to go to the well and try his own luck. He gets to the well and realizes he has nothing to throw in, so he hunts around and finds a weird object. He throws it in the well and it hits the monk on the head. He fakes tears and tells the monk all about how he lost his object in the well. The monk, being the neat guy he is, agrees to get the man's object back for him. The man then asks if he can have two objects. The monk says, "hmmm, okay." "How about three objects?" asks the man. "Alright," says the monk. "Three objects? Four objects? Ten objects?" The monk has been nodding the whole time, but when the man says ten his eyes open wide. "Ten? What are you crazy?" He says, and then begins to beat the crap out of ol' Davie with his staff of wisdom. The end. (I'm not sure where exactly the bunny came in, but he did dance on stage a lot).
And now, here are some pictures of my kids doing what they do best (looking adorable)

My coworker Rina on the bus with one of her kids. Like I said, there was no room.

Jen on the bus:

The stage where all the weirdness took place:

Jama playing with one of the kids after lunch:

Daniel and Marie (aka: Spiderman and Princess Belle):

Alice and Lucy as part of the play's setting:

The boys doing what they do:

Tiffany and Chris Kim in the bleachers after the play:

Daniel and Daniel's left hand:

Chris Kim being a diabolical creature of some kind:

Okay, well that's just about it. If you wanna see more feel free to peruse: http://photobucket.com/albums/v221/ladyofthefaeries/korea/Play/
Adios,
-M

How To Make A Lesson Interesting So You Don't Die of Boredom

2005-03-23T17:58:00.000+09:00

Being a teacher who teaches several classes a day means that I get to experience some classes that are really hard, and some that are really easy. On the one hand I like the fact that I don't have to stay in the same classroom all day with the same students, but on the other hand switching classrooms and students every 40 minutes from 10-6 can get really tiring. (For those of you who are wondering how it is legal for them to have me work so many hours, I shall remind you of the 40-minute rule. Most hagwons don't pay you for a full hour of teaching; they pay you for 40 minutes of it because that's when the class is "technically" scheduled from. Of course, you'll probably end up working the full hour considering prep time, but that isn't considered class time so oh well.) To break the tedium I've tried incorporating lots of fun activities into my classes. Below are some of the ideas I've come up with:
With my 7 year olds I like to do lots of music and arts & crafts. For music I'll sometimes bring in some instruments for them to play, or at least listen to. I brought in my guitar and they were just over-come with joy that I allowed them to strum a chord. I also like to use art in the classroom. Aside from the usual "draw a picture" activities, which you can do, group banners are fun to make and look really neat when you hang them up in the classroom. For crafts, I have them do some origami, or even really tough stuff like making a piggy bank or stove-pipe hat. Today I had my 7 year olds do paper mache which at first I thought might be really disastrous but after giving them several warnings about flicking paper mache mix at their friends they were actually really well-behaved.
For my 12-year-olds I'm doing a poetry unit. To begin with, I went over the basics with them: What is a poem? What is rhyme? Do all poems rhyme? Etc. and now we're on to tough stuff like similes and metaphors. To break the stress of deciphering the poems, I've also had them compose a few of their own poems. We also play a metaphor game, which is really fun. I have them write on 6 cards "(noun word) is.... " and then on another 6 cards they write 6 nouns ex: "a car" "a butterfly" and so on. Then we mix them all up and pull out 2. They have to make the metaphor we pull logically work somehow. Ex: "My house is..." and "a zoo": "My house is a zoo because a zoo houses wild animals and my house houses people that act like wild animals. My dad is a panda because he's nice and friendly, etc. etc." It's a fun game to play for anyone who's teaching poetry.
Today we talked about how in poems some non-living things can take on human attributes. I showed them a few objects (a porcelain clown, a fake rabbit, plastic flowers, blocks, and a stuffed bear) and asked them to try and make a poem where the objects do something "human," (ex: The flowers are crying. OR The door is angry). It's pretty easy for them, and I think they enjoy doing it even though I can tell that finding the right word for a poem is especially hard for them.
We also talked about poetry in translation which is an especially pertinent subject considering my kids are, of course, ESL students. On Friday I figure I'm going to have them to compose a poem in their own native language (Korean) and then translate it into English.
I've also brought other kinds of activities into the classroom. I'm having my 8 year olds do experiments like "What will attract a magnet?" I'm also having them grow radishes because we're doing a unit on where food comes from.
I'm having lots of fun coming up with teaching ideas. Does anyone know of a good website where I can post some of these?
Thanks in advance!
-M
p.s. Here's one of the art projects I had them do. We were just starting a unit on day and night. Yeah, I know there are a few spelling mistakes. But they tried, and that's what counts right? Besides, considering the age level of some of my kids, it's remarkable that they can even write in another language, let alone spell.

Stollen Wallet: Update

2005-03-23T05:11:00.000+09:00

I've started to get the pieces of my missing wallet replaced. Cancelled the credit cards. Got a new bankcard. Changed the locks on my apartment and got new keys.
I even made a police report which was pretty useless considering they didn't even write down my name in English or ask for a description of my wallet.
But I'm okay knowing that the wallet's not coming back now.
I think all in all the weekend did a lot more to me mentally than physically.
When you almost lose everything you realize how important it is to have ties with people who you care about and who in turn care about you. And you realize what's important to you and what really isn't.
I'm starting to gradually come out about what's important to me.
There are some things I can definitely live without.
I don't need a lot of money. I don't need sexy clothes. I don't need a car.
And then there are some things I just can't be without.
A place to call my own. Something to occupy my time with which I feel is important. And someone to love and who loves me.
Contrary to popular belief, I know I have all these things covered, even the last two. You see, even if I'm not in a relationship right now, that doesn't mean I'm without love. I like that fact that I love who I love, and even if it seems silly on a practical level I don't really care because it's better to admit it and not be able to do much about it than to pretend what I feel is wrong.
So there.
At any rate, I'm back in my apartment studying lots, and playing guitar. I've decided I'm going to perform the acoustic version of Hooverphonic's Eden at Communes next Wednesday if I can find someone to play lead. Music and poetry are being really good to me right now.
Hope everyone else is equally a-muse-d.
Don't keep your keys in your wallet,
-M

Lost My Wallet

2005-03-21T18:34:00.000+09:00

Saturday night I lost my wallet. Actually, to be technical about these things it was probably stolen.
I foolishly left my purse on a table at Bubble Club downtown only to discover a short while later that someone had opened it up and removed my wallet containing my credit cards, 3 forms of I.D. including my alien registration card, and the keys to my apartment. For some strange but wonderful reason they decided to leave my digital camera. I've been staying with friends the past couple nights. Hopefully they'll be able to finally track down the manager to my apartment today and make a copy of my keys. I miss my apartment.
I canceled my credit cards and everything, but I still need to work on getting a new bankcard, and a new alien registration card.
Yesterday I went to the police office to make a report and I'm pretty sure it didn't help at all. For starters they didn't write down my name in English or even ask for a description of my wallet. As my boss pointed out, somebody probably took out what they needed and then threw the wallet away. I've pretty much given up on ever getting it back. But that's okay. I will most certainly learn from my mistake, and I hope you readers will as well.
On the whole, this weekend was pretty damn upsetting.
Grumble, Grumble,
-M

Yay! Stuff!

2005-03-18T05:13:00.000+09:00

Synopsis (for the really busy or attention defecit): I'm feeling better, I'm studying for the GRE and Lit tests, I have a guitar, I may be going to Japan in May, a friend of mine is leaving, I went to a new bar called Old Skool, I went to an old bar called New Skool

Full report (for those who really love me):
1) My cold has cleared up quite a bit though I'm convinced it will never fully leave me until I leave Korea.

2) I've been studying for the GRE and the Literature subject tests like mad although I'm not even sure if I need to take them at this point. Really I've decided all I wanna do is teach elementary school (or maybe even middle or high school if I'm feeling dangeresque) for at least the next several years of my life. But I know it's not what I want to do for the *rest* of my life. At some point I'll probably want to be a professor like muh mammy and I'll need a degree that is greater than mine in that case.
In all honesty there are just too many things I want to do and too little time. Especially since I'm sure I'll be stabbed by some random Arab guy, who is for some reason wearing a "ninja" costume, within the next 10 years.

3) I bought a guitar (!!!) I came across this place called "Gee-ta" and they had muh baby sittin' in there in the window for the low low price of 75,000 won ($75). This is really good considering A) It's a real guitar- as in made of wood B) It's just my size C) I get a free month of lessons with purchase! My friend and sometimes coworker Tasha was so amazed by how cheap it was that she got one too and now we're both gonna go to lessons together! Woo hoo! We may even start a band called The Korean-American Connection. Who knows?

4) I'm currently scheming with my internet cohort to run away to Japan for a week or so at the end of May provided I can get some time of work. I was thinking Osaka or Kyoto. Or maybe Jeju island off the big boot that is Korea (although Korean islands tend to be a subject of some political drama these days). Any recommendations? I should point out that the above aforementioned meeting will not be a lustful liaison. We're just friends. Living abroad, I'm getting quite used to that phrase.

5) Jama once again managed to group together one of her social-butterfly parties at a new bar called Old Skool. The club's pretty nice. It has a pool table, a piano, a PS2 featuring Tekken, a tarantula named Hairy, a bearded dragon I nicknamed Charlie (shouts to my homeboy in VA), and a room where you can spray paint. Aside from that, they gave us free drinks when our fried food platter arrived 30 minutes late. Woo hoo!

6) Itaewon (Crew) had a Saint Patty's Day party. I went over there after buying my guitar, so I had it slung over my back when I walked in. As a result, a lot of people came up to me and actually talked to me for a change. I met some nice strangers, and some very drunk strangers too. I also got to hang out with my friend Keith who's leaving to go back to Ireland in a couple a' weeks (damnit). Oh well, I should get to hang out with him tonight at my friend Nev's housewarming shindig so that's a good thing. Although if another person tells me "You look pretty these days. What happened?" I'm going to permanently unhinge my jaw to save the effort of gawking.

Annyeongi gesseyo
-M

White Day AKA: One Half-Valentine's Day

2005-03-15T23:05:00.000+09:00

Interesting things have been happening to me these days.

This weekend I had the usual Saturday class nonsense. Afterwards I went to a corner store to buy some groceries and had a rather hostile encounter with a 10-year-old girl who pushed her groceries in front of mine. She glared at me with a look that said, "I don't like you, or your language, or your country." Because 10-year-old Korean girls can be rather frightening, I didn't press the issue.

On Saturday night I went to a party at my friend Matt's place in the county. The gang and I had to take a bus ride out there, which took 40 minutes. The country is rumored to be very beautiful but because it was pitch dark out I didn't have the chance to experience much of its beauty. It was also freezing cold.
We had dinner in a restaurant resembling the Smurf Village at Great America. That is to say we ate a dinner of Galbi and Bimbimbap for me in what appeared to be a giant red clay mushroom. It was actually very cute, if a little chilly.

Monday was White Day, which is one half of the Korean version of Valentine's Day. I say one half because the Koreans have very cleverly divided ol' V-day into two separate holidays. On one day, the boys give the girls presents, and then on another day a month later the girls give the boys presents. They also celebrate American Valentine's Day sometimes so it's like they get 3 Valentine's Days in one year. Lots of kids came to school with candies to share with their classmates. I, of course, got to partake of the loot as well. Yay for Hello Kitty candies!
Next, me and Jen watched some movies and ate donuts. I think that's a very good girly thing to do on Valentine's Day in lieu of receiving presents. Although kick boxing would have been equally acceptable.

It turns out I might be getting a cell phone soon (I know, tool of the devil), but only if it's really cheap and easy to turn off.

I think I'm also a bit closer to signing up for Kumdo lessons this week! Woo hoo! I just have to find a place in my neighborhood that'll take me that isn't just for kids. With the help of one of Jama's Korean friends I'm sure that this is possible.

That's it for now lads and lasses.
Take care,
-M

Missing Home (But In That Good Way)

2005-03-07T22:23:00.000+09:00

Before I came to this country, I thought I wanted change.
Now that I've been here for 5 months I finally realize that what I got wasn't just change, but a greater appreciation of what I already had.

The kids in my older classes are all pairing up to get married, kissing each other on the cheek, and running around like Spring is in the air.. which it is, even though it's still snowing.
I had a really good weekend. Met some new people. Had a quiet evening at the coffee shop with Jen. Had dinner with a friend of mine who's leaving soon.
The issue of "leaving" has become pretty important recently. Daegu is a permanent place of impermanence. No one ever stays here. People are raised here with dreams of moving to the United States. Military boys put their lot here for maybe a year or two tops and then go back home or elsewhere. And us teachers have all got year contracts, most of us intending to only honor them long enough to leave.
As a result, Jen and Alana are expected to leave in 4 months, which may seem like a long time with exception to the fact that I don't know if I'll ever see them again after that point. My friend G is leaving in 2 months. Another friend, Keith, leaves in 3 weeks. It seems like everyone is leaving... which inevitably drives me back to the worries of just what it is that I'm going to do once it comes time for me to leave.
I'm no longer worried about coming home and being changed, or seeing that my friends are changed. This is simply a part of that great cosmic two-step called life.
But I am worried about what I'm going to physically do with myself. I don't want to actually decide anything until just before I get home because previous experience teaches me that that which is planned too far in advance is never fully applicable to the situation which is later at hand.
I've been missing (/appreciating) home a lot lately, or, more specifically, missing the people back home. I made a photo wall today of all the photos I brought from home and it's lovely but I'm still not satisfied. There are some people *ahem ahem* who I still don't have pictures of. If you are one of these people, then I must insist or at least humbly request that you send me an actual physical photo of you (I realize you would have to use the mail and a *real* camera for this, but it never hurts to go back to the good ol' days of pre-digital). I'm also requesting interesting/funny post-cards if you want to send 'em.
Well that's it for now, I suppose.
Lots of love,
-M

I Stole A Chair!

2005-03-06T05:18:00.000+09:00

It's only a piece of furniture

Single-handedly toted up 5 flights of stairs at two o'clock in the morning and now sitting on my living room floor. Hot!
Okay, to be honest I didn't actually steal the chair. It was sitting on the side of the road waiting to be picked up as garbage. You can find a lot of cool things here just sitting on the side of the road. For example: to date I've found this chair, an embroidered pillow, and a full-size japanese mirror.
In other news, watched Eternal Sunshine again. You know that part where the house is crumbling and the sea's rolling in and Joel says, "I wish I had stayed. I wish I had done a lot of things"? Yeah, that's entirely accurate.

Sucks To Be Sick

2005-03-03T00:47:00.000+09:00

I just had a "talk" at work about my health.
I'm not sure, but I think they threatened to fire me if my health doesn't improve.
I explained that I've been sick these past few months because of the heavy workload, and now that I'm working Saturdays I have practically zero time to recuperate.
They explained that it's not that they blamed me for being sick, but that they needed me at the school and couldn't allow me any days off for being sick.
I had no idea my work performance was that poor. In fact, I don't think it has been.
We shared this talk after I'd stayed at work an extra 3 hours so I could create lesson plans for a new class for my after-school kids.
I'm just as involved in my classes as the other teachers are.
And aside from being late a few minutes every now and then, I think I'm doing okay.
They also mentioned that they wanted to know if it was just a physical problem or if I also had something psychologically wrong with me as well.
Apparently some of the moms have complained that their kids said I look unhappy at work? Most likely it's just that I'm tired, and sick, though I certainly have my mopey days just like anyone else (I'm only extremely human).
I don't think it's a serious issue. But it'll still be in the back of my mind for the next few days, or at least until I can see whether or not the pills the doc gave me are working.
Tomorrow I have my usual classes, and then a meeting, and then my Korean cooking class. I really dig my cooking class. It's a lot of work but it's also really relaxing. As my instructor put it, cooking is a kind of meditation. And no, we're not talking about a Martha Stewart how to bake a ten-pound turkey kinda thing. We're talking glazed lotus root and young pumpkin stew and green onion pajang. I eat so much junk here that it's great to have an almost-family meal every now and then.
Went out to coffee and pool with my friends and coworkers Rina and Tasha. I love those girls. They're just so full of life (=
We had $6 frozen yogurt (and that was the medium size??). It's crazy how prices work here. All the things that are cheap back home are really ridiculously expensive here (See Example: Pizza. See Example: Cheese) and all the things that are cheap here are really expensive back home (peach juice, cute clothes, perscription medicine).
I've been debating getting a cell phone but I don't know if it's really worth it. The phones themselves are really expensive here. New ones run 400,000 won and up - $400 US and old ones start at around 100,000 - $100. The service is pretty cheap though since it's basically a pay as you go plan. My coworker uses hers frequently and it's only about $10 per month. I don't know if it's worth it though since my social life is pretty tame.
Anyone done the cell phone thing here? Care to give me some advice? Thanks.
Also, after a bit of funny exchanges in English and Korean I learned that sending post cards to the U.S. costs 140 won. This is achieved via a 40 won stamp and an 100 won stamp which you can buy at the post office. Just thought someone else might want to know since I found it a little difficult to communicate (=
Take care everybody!
-M

The International Language of Coughing

2005-02-28T22:56:00.000+09:00

Today I went to the doctor for the second time in the past week.
The receptionist recognized me, but for some reason remembered my name as "Elvis." I was quite amused.
I've been feeling pretty cruddy lately due to an advanced case of sinusitus. The doc gave me some pills that should help *hopefully*
My doctor is a really nice guy who doesn't speak much English, but we manage to communicate A-OK in hand signals and creative gestures.
I'm amazed by how ridiculously cheap AND efficient hospitals are here. Maybe it's just that whole having medical insurance thing. I don't know.
Today's hospital visit cost me a total of $7 including medicine. Woot!
I really hope the pills work this time. I'm sick of feeling tired all the time. Especially since I AM tired all the time because of my ever-busy work schedule.
It's hard to find time to do things like explore Asia, or at least small portions of it.
Lately when I do go out it's always the same thing. Me and my friends go to the same clubs, dance to the same music, play pool, maybe sing a little noraebang, or go to a DVD room. I really want to spend some more time seeing the sites, or at least attempting to do something different. The only problem is this: It's really really COLD!!!! I mean, this is the kind of cold that freezes your ear wax. It's not cool.
Teaching is going okay as of today. Today is really the first time in weeks where I feel like I have any energy, although cooking class last week certainely helped too.
Have I mentioned cooking class yet? I don't think I have. Every thursday me and Jama and Jen and Jama's Korean friend get together and we cook a traditional Korean dinner. The best part about it is that our cooking teacher is a vegetarian so I can eat everything we make! It's really, really cool. And really it's encouraging to know that I actually *can* cook well if I apply myself.
On a completely different note: I found out one of my favorite students, Holly, is leaving our school. I'm going to miss that one. I can only imagine how it'll feel to have to move on from ALL of them at the end of the year.
Speaking of which, it's almost been 5 months here. That's just.. crazy. I don't think it really feels like I've been here that long, and at the same time it feels like I've still got such a long way to go before I can come home.
I've started to realize that things are not going to be the same when I come home. Not in the slightest. I don't really know how I feel about that. I guess I feel okay with it considering I've changed quite a bit as well.
My half brother might be visiting me this April and we might travel to some strange areas of Asia together. I really hope that works out (= He's a very experienced traveler and I'm, well, I'm not.
Okay, enough blabbing for now. I'm gonna go take a shower and then head out on the town since I have tomorrow off for independence (from Japan) day. Goodnight!
-M
p.s. Pictures!

My coworker Jama and our friend Jin.

Some of my Korean homegirls (=

The sign up board for pool at Itaewon (Crew). Look! I can write my name in hangul!

Trip to Seoul

2005-02-18T19:25:00.000+09:00

Claire came to visit me this week! We met in Seoul and toured Itaewon (a big tourist area), Insadong (a beautiful art neighborhood) and a few other areas. We didn't have much time because I had to come back to work on Monday, but at least I got one of my coworkers to cover my Saturday class so we could stay for the weekend. We saw a raccoon tied to an electrical box who tried to chew a whole in Claire's bag. We saw lots of shops full of cheap and original souvenirs. We saw a temple in the middle of the big buzzing city o' Seoul. We saw lots of Koreans. We spent way too much money.
We stayed at the Seoul Motel in Itaewon because the hotel we booked online turned out to be unlocatable and in one of the infamous red light districts where all the love hotels are (cringe). I highly recommend that anyone traveling to Seoul in the future stay in Itaewon, or at least thoroughly investigate the area in which they're staying before they book a hotel. Actually I don't even recommend booking a hotel. Especially not online. There are so many hotels in Seoul that it's far easier to just *find* one once you get there. That way you get to pick n' choose as it were. Plus, finding a specific mid-range hotel in Seoul is like trying to find a needle in a hanbok.
Insadong is so far my favorite area in Seoul, probably my favorite in Korea. Sure there are lots of touristy things, but there's also a lot of art and pottery exhibits, art supply shops, and good places to eat. To get to Insadong you just take the subway, line 1 to Jonggak station, and take exit number 6. Walk down the street a bit towards the police station and pretty soon you'll get to the entrance. You'll see two large stone carvings at the entrance. You can't miss it. And if you do, just ask somebody and they'll point it out to you.
Sunday night we came back here and Claire managed to entertain herself satisfactorily during the day by wandering Daegu while I had to work (9-6). We still managed to have a very nice Valentine's Day at the girly parfait joint (CAN MORE) and a lovely evening at the cocktail lounge on top of the Daegu Tower the night before she left. Good times, but I wish I hadn't had to work while she was here.
I'm still constantly amazed that I manage my work schedule without collapsing.
Well, that's not entirely true. A few weeks ago I came down with a really bad cold and I had to go to the doctor for it this morning. It turns out I'll live. I'm just infected with kids germs. Really nasty kid germs that eat away at my soul. Go figure.
Claire left this morning and so I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend resting and trying not to sulk.
The blue contacts thing on Asians still really freaks me out,
<3 to you,
-M
p.s. Here are some pictures to satiate your visual need for understanding:

A carving at the entrance to Insadong.

A fancy "traditional" restaurant where we had $20 bulgogi.

The Process of Slowing

2005-02-08T05:26:00.000+09:00

I think this hanji doll story is perhaps the best I've ever written. It certainly puts Rebound to shame, but we all know that I had reasons that had nothing to do with eloquence for writing that novel.

I'm sure somebody's already said this in a far better way, but last night I had a thought:
-----
The man who takes 20 minutes to roll a stone up a hill
is not the same as
the man who takes 20 years.

Neither are their tasks the same.
-----
Things have been a little fuzzy in my head for quite some time now.
Lately I've become very interested in the idea of taking things slowly. It's hard for me to do. I was bred to be efficient.
But in life there are several benefits to taking things slowly.
Generally you take more pride in your accomplishments because you have time to when you're not racing off to get the next thing done. You also can produce something more refined, more complete and sturdy.
And this doesn't only apply to physical tasks, but also to mental processes. If you take a long time to think about something, perhaps your conclusion is better founded and more rewarding than if you race to find a conclusion so that you may solve the problem quickly.
In either case, the path you will take and the answers you arrive at will be entirely different, and thus the task itself is different in both its methodology and conclusion.
Realizing that I have alternatives to rushing, from now on I'm taking my time.
I have a three-day weekend and I'm hoping to relax a little while still getting things in order for Claire's big arrival this Friday. I'd like to pull myself together a little before she gets here so that I don't seem like a big distracted ball of worry.
After this I'm going to need to read some good Dr. Seuss.
-M
p.s. For those of you who are saying something to the extent of "finally!" or "I could've taught you that a long time ago," what can I say but thank you for your patience.

Lunar New Year

2005-02-07T22:41:00.000+09:00

Today we celebrated Lunar New Year at our school.
All the kids dressed up in traditional hanboks and played a traditional game involving throwing 4 sticks.
I don't know much about the holiday, but from what I understand it's a time when you honor your ancestral spirits.
They were going to have the teachers dress up too but apparently hanboks aren't very popular except with the kiddies. I'm a little dissapointed. They're too expensive to buy and I'd really like to wear one (= I think I might have to buy a child's one before I leave so I can frame it when I get home. They're just so colorful!
Here are some pictures from the festivities:

Good god are they cute...
Okay enough of that.
Happy Holidays Everybody!
-M

Started Saturday Classes

2005-02-05T19:19:00.000+09:00

Today I started working Saturdays at Young People (a chain of schools affiliated with my elementary school). I'll be working there every Saturday from now until I leave practically, which pretty much kills any opportunities for weekend travel (grr!)
I didn't feel like leaving my apartment this morning due to a really bad cold I've once again caught from the wee ones, but work is work, and so at 1:50 I showed up to meet Rosie outside the school so she could walk me to Young People, which is in a different building than our school. As we walked, Rosie and I talked about my recent efforts to learn Korean (I've been studying during my lunch breaks). We talked about a few Korean expressions, and she quizzed me on some of the hangul signs along the way. It was nice. Rosie's a pretty cool person when she doesn't have too much work to do.

I arrived at Young People at 2:00, leaving me 10 minutes to get everything in order. The kids didn't have workbooks so I had to copy the workbook pages for them, which was quite an ordeal because the copy machine at Young People is absolutely carnivorous. At any rate, I managed to copy the pages in-between my three classes even though I didn't technically have a break.

My first class started at 2:10. Chris had told me the day before to expect 50 students. I had hoped she was exaggerating but was soon to learn that she was in fact telling the truth. I opened the door to a classroom of 50 sets of blinking black eyes. The students in the class ranged in ages significantly (7-16 year olds), and all had little to no English ability. It was their first day. They couldn't read English. They couldn't speak English. And yet here I was expected to give a lesson in English when they couldn't even understand my instructions. To say that it was a challenge is an underestimate. It was more of an adventure into mild annoyance. They didn't know anything and so I started with the colors red, green and blue and with basic introductions "Hello my name is. What's your name?" I wanted to get them to pair up and work with each other but there were just too many of them and they couldn't understand my instructions anyways. The Korean teachers tried to help, but their English isn't too good either and they spent a lot of the class giggling to each other.

The second class was a good deal better than the first. This was a continuing class, meaning they had been taught by my coworker Jennifer for about 2 months and had a pretty good grasp of English for beginners. They were learning about odd colors (orange, brown, etc.) and clothing so I had them do a fashion show by explaining what their partner was wearing. We were able to do this because there were only 5 students in the class because the rest had dropped out. I can only hope the same happens to my first and third period classes next week.

My third period class went much better than the first. There were a lot of students (rumored to be 38?) but I was a lot more relaxed by this time, and my sore throat had eased up thanks to some orange juice the Korean teachers had thoughtfully placed on my desk. The kids also ranged in ages from 7-16. One of my 7 year olds who was recently removed from Little Genius was in this class, but he was too shy to talk to me (he's the youngest in the class and pretty self-conscious about it). Oddly enough he's way above the level of all the other kids. The other kids can read and write, but they're proficiency in English varies significantly. We did some textbook activities (I skipped the parts where we were expected to sing due to my throat and a lack of tape-player) and then played a quick counting game.

Finally, at 4:20, it was all over and I could go home. I left feeling sad that I had to do this every Saturday for the rest of my stay here. But I was also happy knowing that things would be a lot easier next time, and even considering that, I had done pretty well this time. Some of the kids seem to really like me whereas some of the kids obviously wish they weren't in the class. Hopefully the bad apples will weed themselves out and I'll be left with a smaller class size next week.

Mildly annoyed to be regularly working on the weekend,
-M

Alternatives To Phoning Home

2005-02-04T05:31:00.000+09:00

I found this really cool program called Skype! It's an internet phone thingy that works pretty well provided you've got a decent connection speed and a microphone.

It's also free to download and they even have a nifty phone accessory you can buy. Cool!
http://www.skype.com/products/skype/windows/?autoload=true

Staying Up Late In The Snow

2005-02-04T05:28:00.000+09:00

I haven't spent a single night at home lately. I try, but I keep being whisked away by my coworkers to noraebang or dancing or pool or what have you. Going to sleep at 3:30 in the morning on a school night is just not a good idea.
And so, it's Friday, and oddly enough I have nothing to do. SO I'm staying home and watching some movies I smuggled home from the school (Disney movies of course).
Last night I went out to dinner and coffee with one of my Korean coworkers by the name of Tasha. She's one of those people who, even if you don't know them really well, you just feel comfortable spilling your guts to. And so I did. And it was very very therapeutic. She pretty much told me what everyone else has, "You're young and you have lots to look forward to." This is true, but I still find myself wondering about how the past several years of my life could be so remarkably different from the way I think and feel today.
And how do I think and feel today?
Better. Much better. I've thought about things. I've come to some very good conclusions. And though I can't say I've got everything worked out, I'm definitely pointed in a far better direction than I was. I have a very real sense of the future now, which is a good thing for a 20 year old to have.
I've been studying to take the GRE because grad school sounds like a neat idea. It's going to be a lot of work to revive my math skills and expand my vocabulary skills and become fluent in French and half-fluent in some other mystery language. Who knows? Maybe it's impossible for me to accomplish all that in a year. But I'm still going to try, damnit, if only because it takes my mind off work during my breaks.
As far as work goes, I'm a little frustrated there. There's a lot of tension between the Korean teachers and the American teachers and between the American teachers and the American teachers.
Jama and Jen are going on a tour of China next week. I was going to go to Fukuoka as mentioned, but I think it'd be better for me to just hang out here and prepare for the great Coming of Claire.
Speaking of which, have I mentioned that Claire is coming to visit me next week? Yes, she is. Wurd. I still don't know what I'm going to show her. Really I'm just looking forward to having someone I love as much as her in the very same country again.
Which is to say nothing regarding my love for Alana, which is still as pure as winter snow.
Did I mention it's been snowing? Like, for reals? I need snow boots. And a jacket with a hood. And maybe even some bloomers or an electric body suit (hey, if anyone makes them, it's Samsung).
Tomorrow I start working Saturdays, which I will be doing for the rest of my stay here (grumble). There are supposedly 50 kids in the first class (!!!). There are supposedly 3 classes (!!!). I hate the job part of my job. Though I have mad loves for the children. They make me all giggly (=
Well, I think I'm gonna go watch The Road To El Dorado and then catch some shut eye. Peace out!
-M

Konglish Biscuits

2005-02-01T05:33:00.000+09:00

They're actually filled with green tea and quite tastey.

One of My Students Is Leaving

2005-01-28T19:54:00.000+09:00

I just found out that one of the kids I've taught for the past few months is leaving.
When he first came to our school he was somewhat of a problem child. He never thought he could do anything right, although his skills were clearly en par with the other students otherwise.
Since then, I've spent so much time trying to build this kid's self esteem, and assist him with his reading skills, but apparently his mother isn't seeing any improvement and so is pulling him out of our school.
I don't feel like my effort is wasted. I know I've helped, at least a little. I'll just miss teaching him and having him in my class.
I realized for the first time today how much these kids mean to me, and how much I'm going to miss the little buggers when it comes time to return to my own country. I feel like I've spent so much time teaching and playing with them, that they've somehow become my own kids. But I know that they're not.
Still, it's going to be really hard to say goodbye,
But then again, it always is.
-M

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

2005-01-27T20:21:00.000+09:00

Tonight I had dinner with my coworkers at our school. Our boss was there along with all the teachers from all the other schools she's the head of. There were probably about 30 or 40 employees.
Jen, Jama, and me were the only foreign teachers there. We pretty much kept to ourselves and the Korean teachers who worked at our school.
I don't know what exactly we were celebrating, only that there was a big platter of food that we kept picking from throughout the evening. I'd never thought I'd see tator tots alongside octopus, but here in Korea I'm getting use to seeing a lot of things I never thought I'd see.
The real highlight of the evening was when one of our Korean teachers, Tasha, grabbed me by the arm, and rushed me out the front door mumbling something about "Sweet Potatoes." Confused, and a bit chilly, I arrived outside to find Jon, one of our directors, roasting a batch of sweet potatoes over an open barbecue. We also had marshmallows and chestnuts. I've never felt particularly close to my coworkers here, so it was a neat experience just having us all there, gathered around the fire, casually roasting marshmallows together (as opposed to "formally roasting marshmallows" which would have been a real drag).
We talked about the upcoming month, which is going to include the Lunar New Year. Two of the other teachers are using the 3 days off work to go to China. I was thinking of going to Fukokua considering rumor has it there's a ferry that takes you from Busan to there for only $170. You can apparently book a room at a hotel too for only an extra $20. But I might also just go someplace local like Seoul or Jejudo. It's something I should start planning soon, anyways.
When I get back from wherever it is I'm going, there'll be a holiday for New Years where I get to wear a hambok (traditional Korean dress). I don't own one, but the director of my school told me she might be able to borrow one for me. Pictures will follow if this does in fact end up happening.
I've had a really busy month. Things next month are sure to be even more busy considering that I'm going to have to start working Saturdays )= Oh well, I guess there's not much I can do to complain about it considering it's in my contract that they can work me up to 32 hours per week and since they go by the "40 minute" rule, I'm only at about 30. Sigh.
I think I'm going to finish off the night by going downtown to Seattle's Best with one of my coworkers. I know it seems silly for a west coaster living in Korea to go to Seattle's Best, but I've been here 4 months and it's occasionally nice to be reminded of home.
Annyong hi gesseyo.
-M

Learning Korean

2005-01-26T23:48:00.000+09:00

Before I came here, I didn't know a word of Korean.
In fact, I ended up having to learn the hangul alphabet on the plane ride over here.
My first month here I signed up for a 6 week long Korean class at the YMCA for 80,000 won at the advice of my coworkers. But because the classes took place at an outrageously inappropriate time (10 a.m. every saturday) and only occurred once a week, I didn't find it to be terribly helpful and soon dropped out. To be fair, I'm sure I would have gleaned more from the experience if I would've studied a bit.
The real problem with learning Korean for me has always been pronunciation and verb endings. The Korean language, like most asiatic languages, has a variety of endings you can attach to verbs on a scale of politeness. The result is that everything you learn from a guide or text book will end up looking and sounding horribly complicated. To those who aren't familiar with the language, it's a little overwhelming.
Luckily, I met with a friend of mine today who has a pretty good grasp on Hangul and we went over the verb endings together. I think it's rekindled my interest in Korean, and I hope it lasts. If I can plot myself a solid study schedule, I should be okay.
For the record, you don't *have* to learn Korean to live here, but it helps. Not everyone speaks English. In fact, quite a lot of people don't. So it's good to at least know enough to get by (ex:"Where's the bathroom?" "What is in this?" "Where did all these cats come from?"). And the alphabet is pretty good to know too just in case you need to jot something down.
Learning to count is a little strange as well since the words for numbers change completely depending on what it is you're counting. For example, there are numbers used only for counting money, and there are numbers used only for counting only sheets of paper. There's probably a set of numbers used only for counting ajummas.
Really now, it's complicated stuff.
I searched around online, though, and found this site:
http://www.learnkorean.com/
Which looks to be pretty damn helpful.
One of my coworkers may be starting another course at the university, but I think I'm just going to practice on my own, or maybe do a lesson exchange with a Korean student who wants to improve their English. I've heard this working for other people, so maybe it could work for me too. Plus, it'd grant me the opportunity to make some Korean friends.
Ciao,
-M

My Journey Home From E-Mart

2005-01-22T23:33:00.000+09:00

Tonight I had a very strange trip to E-Mart (a 3-story department store, kind of like "K-Mart" only with a big grocery store on the bottom). I'm getting sick of my apartment looking like a dormitory, so I wanted to get some posters or something to decorate it with, but couldn't find any. I did, however, find an air purifier (my room is very dry and dusty) and I also bought a supply of frozen foods because I'm lazy and besides that don't want to eat ramyun for dinner every night.
I discovered to my extreme delight that Manchun E-Mart (there are four E-Marts in Daegu) has an organic foods section (I'm a vegetarian and finding food I can eat is a little difficult here). In it were, among other things, Amy's Pizza, some very rare teas that aren't green tea, and a lot of other yummy but unfortunately terribly expensive things. Still, it's always remarkable when you find things from home that you thought you wouldn't see for another year or so. Even if it's just pizza.
After I finished shopping, I left E-Mart in a taxi. I got in the taxi and told the driver "Pang Chun Shee Jang" which is the name of the market on the street where I live. I noticed immediately that something was wrong. Instead of heading towards Debec Plaza, he turned towards the other side of town. I was going to say something but then I thought "Well, maybe he's taking a short cut to avoid the traffic," which there typically is a lot of around the evening hours. So I sat there, and proceeded to sit there for another half hour. We eventually stopped in an area completely unfamiliar to me. The driver pointed to a market and said, smiling hopefully "Pang Chun Shee Jang? Yogi?" ("Yogi" means "here"). "Anio" I said, a worried look on my face, and repeated "Pang Chun Shee Jang." This time I added "Sussungio" and "Debec Plaza," two landmarks by where I live. The driver's eyes widened. He slapped his forehead, made an "eye-yah!" sound and said "Pang Chun Shee Jang? Debec Plaza?" "Ne, Pang Chung Shee Jang. Debec Plaza. Sussungio." "Ye, ye, ye." He said and to my relief restarted the meter at zero and headed off in the correct direction. Even though it took a while to get back home, and was a bit worrisome, I actually enjoyed seeing some parts of Daegu I hadn't been to. Plus, the driver was kind enough to lower the charge on the meter to only 5,000 won, which was very nice of him considering all the time he'd spent trying to get me home regardless of my poor pronunciation skills.
As I got out of the taxi with my hoard of heavy frozen foods, a middle-aged woman came up to me and started speaking to me in Korean. At first I didn't know what she was saying, so I just shook my head and said "Mianhamnida, Moru Ges Sumnida" a few times which means "I'm sorry, I don't understand." She continued to talk at me for a while, and then put her hand out. At first I was confused, but she then gestured with her open hand towards my bag and I soon realized what she meant. She wanted to help me carry my bags. As we walked down the long street to my apartment, I think she proceeded to scold me in Korean for buying so many things without bringing a friend to help me carry them. It was very nice of her to help me, and I felt sorry I couldn't thank her better in Korean. The most I know how to say is "Taedanhi Kamsa Hamnida" which means "thank you very much."
And so I'm now home from my E-Mart journey, a little too tired to go out again tonight so I think I'll just stay in and watch Pirates of the Caribbean on OCN (a channel that shows a lot of American movies in English).
Hope everyone's weekend was equally eventful!
-M

Revolving Restaurants

2005-01-17T01:31:00.000+09:00

Tonight I had dinner in the revolving restaurant at Woobang Tower Land. The restaurant is situated at the top of Daegu Tower from which you can see all of Daegu. The food was pretty damn expensive, but also very fancy and tasty. I had the salmon set with clams, asparagus (!!!) and giant prawn. It cost 32,000 won but wasn't too bad considering I split it with Jama.
Luckily, the restaurant only spun at a very slow rate (Maybe one revolution per hour? Or less?) so we didn't get motion sickness while eating. It was rather high up though, so if you're afraid of heights it might be something you want to pass on.
The outside walls were of course made of glass, so if there was a lull in the conversation, we could just look out the window and see all of Daegu. We went at night, of course, so the city was a maze of dark silhouettes across a deep blue sky and a splatter of bright lights. Very beautiful.
For the record, there's an observatory located directly below the restaurant so if you want to catch the view without all the fancy food, then your best bet is to go there. However, if you eat in the restaurant then you can get your admission ticket price refunded to you, so it might be worthwhile, especially if you want to avoid theme park food.
There's also a drive-in movie theatre in the park and a small aquarium. Who knew?
I'm slowly becoming aware of just how big Daegu is. When my recruiter first told me the city was the third largest in Korea I thought "Hmmmm, I wonder how big that could be?" Well, I've seen Seoul (the first largest) and Busan (the second) and for some reason Daegu seems a lot bigger to me. I guess it's just because that's where I've spent most of my time and for the record I never really explored all of Busan or Seoul. But I have explored lots of Daegu and it just seems like there are so many districts, and so many people that I wonder how big Seoul really must be to be bigger than this. I think I recall someone telling me that Daegu actually is bigger in size, but the population is smaller. That would make more sense to me.
After going to the park, we all went out to noribang and sang a variety of songs with a variety of skill. I found out from my Korean friend that, just as with restaurants, the noribang places will generally give you 30 minutes for free as "service." This is good to know (=
Well, I'm pooped and I've got work tomorrow. I know I don't write enough in this thing, but from now on I'll try to blog more frequently. Especially considering I'm trying to get into Tae Kwon Do classes soon (=
3 revolutions per minute,
-M

Hogwons: The Good, The Bad, and The What Did My Contract Say Again?

2005-01-16T11:56:00.000+09:00

I found a site called Jane Keebler .Com that has a lots of really well-organized and beautiful pictures of Daegu and Busan. So if you want to see more pictures I suggest taking a peek: http://www.janekeeler.com/korea.html.
She also has a detailed blog up about a horrible school where she worked.
It always makes me a little shocked when I hear about some of the terrible things foreigners have had to put up with here. I haven't personally met anyone who absolutely loathes their job, though there have been a few complaints.
For instance a friend of mine is at the moment working at a pretty crummy school. She works with older student who won't pay attention, won't behave, and in fact will outright hit her or call her names. She's been given a "stick" to hit their hands with, but she isn't comfortable with abusing her students like the Korean teachers do. She's tried to get the director to help, but apparently all the director cares about is putting the kids back in the classroom if they run out. She also has to work 9 hours a week more than what her contract states, with no extra pay, let alone the overtime indicated in her contract.
This is a fairly common occurrence here, and before I arrived I was told to "be flexible." "Korean people don't see contracts the same way we do," a friend of mine told me. "Everything is open to interpretation, and usually you won't end up getting or doing exactly what it says in your contract. Just roll with the punches."
I figured I should address this issue at some point because there's ALOT of talk about it online and I feel I should put my two cents in.
My own contract says I am to work 32 hours per week, with overtime pay for any additional hours. I am now working from 10 - 6 every day, teaching a total of eight 40-minute classes per day. That means I work 8 hours a week "for free," without getting overtime for them. To be fair, I get a one hour break at lunch every day where I'm "off the clock." But they erased my afternoon break without warning this month, and starting next month, they want me to work on Saturdays for free too. I also have hours of paperwork I have to do in lesson planning which I don't get paid for.
So am I okay with this? Well, I think I'm relatively in a good position. I'm lucky enough to be at a school where the apartments are nice (and singles), the Korean teachers are helpful, and the kids are pretty well behaved if a little hyper. My pay is good and I get 10 days of vacation per year, 4 of which are of my choosing and 6 of which *have* to be used during a specific week in the summer.
All the same, I think I might discuss my contract with my employers and see if they agree to change anything. I would at least like a little more vacation time, or my break in the evenings back. I'm doubtful of the results, but I've heard of it working for other foreign teachers.
I have a hard time bringing it up with my directors because one of them I'm not sure I can trust considering he borrowed 500,000 won from one of my American coworkers and still hasn't paid her back, and the other director is nice but very stressed out and hard to approach. Maybe it'd be easier to just let it go and "roll with the punches." We'll see.
Feel free to comment with your own contract stories, good or bad.
Toodaloo,
-M

FAQ Getting A Teaching Job In Asia

2005-01-09T15:20:00.000+09:00

1. WHERE CAN I GET A JOB TEACHING ABROAD?
The answer is quite simple, but varies a bit depending on where you're trying to go.

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO JAPAN, then your best course of action is to either get hired by one of the BIG FIVE AEON, NOVA, Interac, GEOS, or JET
I interviewed with all of these companies, so I know a little about them. GEOS and NOVA are apparently the easiest to get a job with, but the living conditions and benefits aren't as neato. Interac is more selective and AEON probably has the best reputation aside from the JET program. The JET program is considered the crème de la crème because they offer the highest pay and the most benefits. They also pay for your plane ticket and rumor has it key money, so that's nice.
There are also independent or privately run schools called Eikewas. The quality of the school and the jobs offered varies greatly but a good place to apply for these is http://www.gaijinpot.com/.
If you want more information on any of these companies I suggest you look online at http://www.eslcafe.com/ or http://www.letsjapan.org/. There are also a number of independent blogs out there that might be useful. Looking over them I found most of the reviews to be very negative, but usually you can spot when someone's being honest or just vindictive if you read carefully. Truth be told: some people really do get screwed over by the big companies, or private schools, but some people also land fantastic jobs that they love. Don't be scared by the bad reviews!!! The experience of others will not necessarily resemble your own experience abroad. I know mine didn't.

IF YOU WANT A JOB IN KOREA: Your best bet is to go through a recruiter or one of the national schools. I have a friend who's working at a national school and she says it's not much better than working at a hakwon (or private English school).
To find a recruiter, I recommend going to: http://www.eslcafe.com/. Just apply to one of the Korean jobs there. Most likely it'll be offered through a recruiter and even if you don't get the specific job you've applied for the recruiter will keep your name and resume and offer you more jobs, usually until you land one. Best thing about this is it's easy and doesn't cost you a thing considering the schools pay the recruiter's fee. My agent was a guy named Fred from info@longbridgepacific.com. He was VERY helpful and got me a great job.

2. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JAPAN AND KOREA?

When I first heard this question I was surprised, and when I heard it 9 more times I still didn't know really how to answer it. (Please note that this is just my opinion and if you disagree with me then great.) The countries are different in language, food, and social behavior. In this sense they are completely different though there are some similarities. Korea is on the whole less tidy than Japan, though Japan has its slummy areas too. Korea resembles a city permanently under construction whereas Japan resembles a city recently constructed. The people in Korea and Japan are equally friendly; though I've found that the Japanese are much more conservative and careful about how they present themselves to others whereas Koreans are generally easier going and very much themselves. In both Korea and Japan foreigners are treated differently from person to person. There are MORE foreigners in Korea because of the involvement of the U.S. military and there are more English teachers here too. It only follows that more people speak English in Korea than in Japan. They're both great places to live and work, although I'm sure you'll get a very different experience depending on where you choose to teach.

3. HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF JOBS?
Well that's a little easier to answer. It is FAR EASIER to get a job in Korea than it is in Japan, but the pay is generally a lot less. Japanese jobs tend to run between $25,000 and $30,000 (US) per year BUT the cost of living is VERY HIGH and you usually have to pay for your apartment, medical insurance, plane ticket, key money, etc.
Jobs in Korea usually pay less (somewhere between $1,600 and $2,000 US per month) but the benefits are splendid. A Korean hakwon will usually pay for your plane ticket AND housing. Generally you won't have to pay key money either. Usually you end up paying for your utilities and that's it (my utilities are very cheap, running about $100 US per month). Schools will generally provide you with lunches while you're at work too, so you even have some of your food covered (= From what I understand, you're expected to act VERY professionally while working for a Japanese company. You're suppose to sport business attire and be very academic and formal in your teaching methods. Most likely you'll be forced to stick to some textbook they've give you. In Korea, you can wear a t-shirt and jeans to work. You're generally given a text to work with but allowed to teach it however you want. Most likely you'll be able to negotiate with your school's director if you need supplies or want a different textbook. When I first came here I was worried sick about lesson planning, but only some schools make you do it and it gets easier with time. Japanese and Korean contracts both generally last for a year, with the possibility of renewing your contract after that time. More people get fired from Japanese jobs because the market is competitive and so the teachers are expendable whereas Korean schools go through hell and high water trying to find teachers. In Japanese jobs you'll generally end up teaching smaller classes of mixed ages whereas in Korea almost all the jobs are teaching kindergarten. Please note: before I came here I had only taught adults and I didn't want to teach kids because of all the horror stories I'd heard. HOWEVER now that I'm doing it, I really love it. Sure the kids can get a little out of control sometimes, but it's very fun and rewarding.

4. WHAT DO I NEED TO GET A JOB?
This, of course, varies depending on the school. But generally all you need to teach in either Japan or Korea (that is to say, all you need to be eligible for a teaching Visa) is a Bachelor's Degree (in anything be it Math, English, or Creative Writing). Sad but true, you need to have a physical copy of your degree in order to apply for your Visa. SO if you've just graduated college, you might have to wait until your degree arrives in the mail before you go teach. I know, it's stupid right? But there's not much else you can do about it aside from get your school to write a letter saying that you've graduated. Sometimes this will work.
Sometimes the schools will take age into consideration, especially with Japanese jobs because the Japanese are very gung-ho on respect according to age. Korean schools generally prefer younger people, but they really will hire almost anyone as long as your English is pretty decent.
In most cases, you don't have to have any teaching experience though it helps if you do. Most of the jobs in Korea won't expect you to have any teaching experience, and won't offer you any training. Most of the jobs in Japan might expect a little teaching or at least tutoring experience because they're so damn competitive.
If want to guarantee yourself a job, I suggest getting a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate. It'll prove you know English, know a little about teaching, and look very impressive on your resume. Plus it's cheap and easy to obtain online (I recommend the program I'm working on which is at: www.mytesl.com).
You do not need to, and in fact SHOULD NOT, take any foreign language classes in Japanese. Most schools in Japan will NOT hire you if you speak too much Japanese, so if you took 3 years of it in college then you're basically screwed for a teaching position. There are some administrative positions you can get, such as with the JET program, where they will welcome your ability to speak Japanese but generally this is not the case.
As for Korea, I don't think Korean administrators really care whether or not you speak any Korean. In fact, I've yet to meet a foreigner who speaks the language well so if you CAN speak Korean I think they'll be very impressed and surprised.
Having experience living abroad is ALWAYS good. The first thing they'll ask you is if you have ever lived abroad, or if you have problems with isolation. This generally isn't a concern considering the amount of people (both foreign and native) that you'll meet, but they still ask it because lots of teachers run out on their contracts because they miss home. I wasn't a very outgoing person before I came here, but I met tons of people anyways so I never feel isolated. I know this has been a problem for some other teachers though, so if you want more info. you'll have to ask them. In Korea you can always leave your job and get a new one if you don't like it. There are just so many of them floating about that you can basically just show up and go "hire me, I speak English," although interviewing the foreign teachers who work at your school is always a good idea seeing as how it is the easiest and most reliable source for feedback.

5. ARE YOU HAPPY LIVING AND WORKING ABROAD?
YES. It is the most fantastic, amazing thing that I've done with my existence. It has been pretty hard being apart from friends and loved ones, but I love what I'm doing and I think it has really brought out the best in me. The night before I came here I was worried sick that I had made the worst decision of my life, but now I can't imagine doing anything else. My school is fantastic and supportive, though we do have long hours and only a few vacation days a year. The kids at my school can be somewhat exhausting but it's so much fun to teach them. The pay is good, especially for someone who doesn't have a whole bucket o' credentials or work experience. I love living alone and having my own apartment. I love walking around and not understanding what anyone is saying. I love how exciting it is, that I can just walk out my door and experience something new every day. I've asked my coworkers and friends how they feel about being here, and I don't think a single one of them regrets making the decision to come. In fact, I'm sure several of them are going to renew their contracts, although I think after a year of this I'll be ready to go home (=

Well, that's it for now. If you have any more questions just let me know. Hope it was helpful to somebody (=
-M

Gimbap Is Delicious

2005-01-08T17:06:00.000+09:00

Today has been a very satisfying day of not doing much at all, which is the perfect complement to a Friday night of doing much too much.
I've decided to put more effort into really living in Korea, and not just pretending to. I'm going to learn the language. I'm going to make more Korean friends. I've been here three months already, but today was the first time I'd been to the restaurant at the corner of my street. I bought some gimbap and the restaurant owner had the strange intuition to make it vegetarian for me. Gimbap is delicious, better than sushi.
Tonight I'm conducting my first get together at Gypsy Rock. I'm inviting everyone. If no one shows, then I'm fully capable of dancing alone (or so I've learned). I like music. I love to dance. And the Koreans are always so friendly (=

Cute Child Moment of the Day - 1/5

2005-01-05T17:07:00.000+09:00

1) I inadvertently taught my 7 year olds the word "lackey."
2) Kayla (another one of my 7 yr olds) told me today that she wants to marry my Cthulhu slippers.

Cute Child Moment of the Day 1/4

2005-01-04T17:09:00.000+09:00

So my kids are learning about families and what family members do for each other, and one of the things I write on the board is that family members love and care for each other.
One of my 7 year olds, Tiffany, raises her hand and goes "I don't know love," meaning, "I don't know what the word 'love' means."
"Sure, you do." I say. "Love is what you feel for your parents, and what your parents feel for you."
She thinks about this a moment, turning her little pig-tailed head from side to side, and then smiles excitedly before running up to me and stretching her arms around my legs.
"I love you," she says.

*sigh* How can they be so freakin' adorable???

What A Catch!

2005-01-02T17:09:00.000+09:00

This is a picture of one of the many "hofs" or cafe/bar type things that litter the 2nd and 3rd floors of every building in downtown Daegu. The hofs serve alchol, coffee, and sometimes some food. The drinks are pretty expensive (somewhere around 5,000 won) but it's a great place to sit and talk, especially since you are seated on couches and won't get kicked out until you're good and ready.

Feeling Noticed

2005-01-01T17:12:00.000+09:00

In the taxi over to Alana's last night, the driver stopped to ask me if I was married.
I said no.
He asked if I wanted to be. 0.o
On the taxi drive back from Alana's this morning I wrote the following in my paint chip book:
"What is different is always perceived in extremes.
As a foreigner, I am either exotically beautiful or suspiciously ugly.
The longer you stay in a place like this, the more you miss the feeling of just going unnoticed."

My New Years at Woobang Tower Land

2004-12-31T17:13:00.000+09:00

Thursday night I went to Gypsy Rock with Alana because neither of us had to work the following day.
Naturally, it snowed right as we were leaving the club. brrrrrr.. cold! But lots of fun (=

Friday night I went to Woobang Tower Land with Alana and Jamaleh. It was kinda like a lamer version of Disneyland only with more Koreans and less Disney characters. There were no giant lines as expected because though it was New Years Eve, it was also freezing!!! They had maybe all of 3 roller coasters, and a few smaller spew rides. The Can Can was probably my favorite. Alana made a video of some korean girls screaming on it. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing. We left early because our limbs were turning odd colors in the cold, but I'm really glad we went. You really haven't lived until you've ridden a roller coaster in a short skirt in zero degree weather.

Afterward, we went and had dinner at IL to defrost. Pasta and cocoa. Score!
Me and Alana arcaded a bit while Jama tried to get in touch with her friend Jeung-mien. Then we all went to Bubble Club, danced, lit firecrackers at the stroke of midnight, and watched 30 seconds of fireworks out on the sidewalk.

Alana had to go home after that cuz of the smoke, but I elected to stay out and dance. I made friends with a lot of Koreans and Americans alike and had way too much fun. Korean girls are probably the best dancers I've seen in my brief but intensive clubbing experience. It must be all the STOMP they play as teenagers.

All in all, I had a very fulfilling New Years Eve. Probably the best I've had in a few years.

Much love to my family and friends back home, and to all my other friends in Korea.
p.s. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Full Week's Work

2004-12-29T17:20:00.000+09:00

Last night I went with Jamaleh and her friend Nami to Gypsy Rock. Because all the university students are on break, there were actually a lot of people there and I finally learned the trick of dancing without attracting attention for zee boys: avoid eye contact, make full use of your elbows, and if someone's being really pushy then just dance with one of your girl friends or move to a different part of the club. If nothing else, headbutting seems to work.

Yesterday I had work from 10-5 for no good reason since all the kids are on winter break and there are no classes. I did other people's work for no good reason, and though I spent most of the time online chatting with my friends, I still managed to finish everything I needed to for the entire week. As a result, I now have *today* and *tomorrow* off. Woot!

I also received a package from my friend Claire back in the states full of everything that I could possibly want or need, with exception to what my friends Matt & Jo already sent me (= She made me a shirt that has my favorite Say Anything quote on it. When living abroad never underestimate the importance of care packages from home.
Then again, it sometimes can get a little silly. Alana's mother sends her bubble gum.

Monday night I went over to Alana's and took care of her because she was feeling sick. She really is my slightly-paler, red-headed counterpart. I made her drink miso and take iron. I like taking care of people, though I don't like it when people I care about aren't feeling well )=

Monday morning my mom left from our vacation in Busan. She ran to the subway very quickly so we both wouldn't start crying. I heart my mom (=

Nami convinced me that my journal needs more pictures (koreans are the most photo-obsessed people on the planet next to the Japanese) so I'll try and photo-update my adventures more often.

That's it for now! Take care (=
-M

Green Cheese

2004-12-29T17:18:00.000+09:00

If I had a nickle for everytime I had one of those "Oh yeah, I'm in Korea.." moments.

My Christmas In Busan: Part Two (Now with temples!)

2004-12-27T17:04:00.000+09:00

We decided Sunday night to take a trip to Heosimcheong Spa instead of the temple because we had a late start and were feeling a little travel-lagged.

Here is the Heosimcheong Spa in Oncheonjang, exit "oncheonjang" on the subway in Busan and then hop a taxi to the spa. The entrance fee was only 7,000 won and we got access to over 15 different hot springs, jacuzzis, and saunus. It is purportedly not only the largest hot spring in Korea, but the largest hot spring in ASIA. I don't know if I believe this knowing how fond the Japanese are of hot springs, but it is yet to be investigated whether their hot springs could rival the splendor and overall variety of this one. It was kind of like visiting a korean "spa world." My favorites were the waterfall spring (where a stream of warm water falls about 10 feet unto your back), the rose spring (hot, red-tinted water filled with the scent of rose petals), and the Cleopatra Bath (which smelled deliciously like herbs and incense). You of course had to go in the nude, but it was actually quite relaxing and of course the spas are divided between the sexes (so you needn't worry about being oggled, save the fact you're a foreigner).
Afterwards we had a traditional combination Japanese and Korean dinner at a very fancy place located just inside the hotel where the spa is. The dinner was 40,000 won for the both of us and included sashimi, soup, sushi, octopus, squid, mushroom salad, and my favorite: salty fish.
We got back to our hotel around 10 just in time to have $8 cocoa while watching the lights over the beach:

Monday morning we headed out to Beomosa temple. To get there, we took the subway to Beomosa station and then got on the 160 bus for 700 won. The bus ride through town was interesting and really made me appreciate how diverse the different districts of Busan are, and just how big the province is (though you'll learn that from the subway as well).
The first thing I saw in Busan was this sign, which confused and bewildered me:

I think it means don't throw beer cans on squirrels or a bird will poo on you. Oh the wisdom of the ancients.
The next thing I saw was the entrance way, which is famous for its single-pillar arches:

The main shrine to the temple was large and green and full of chanting. Inside were three large gold buddhas surrounded by candles and incense.

There were also smaller shrines nearby in dedication to particular ideals or memories of the buddhist faith. Sorry that I can't be more informative here, but I don't honestly know much about buddhism and the tour we were following behind was delivered in korean, so we had to get our information from the one-page pamphlet at the tourist info. desk which was, of course, sorely lacking in information. In lieu of education, here are some pretty pictures of the temple:

This is the inside of one of the smaller shrines. Normally I don't take pictures of the inside because I try not to be more conspicuous than I already am when visiting holy soil, but this time there was no one inside, so I thought why not? For me, the rich color and decorations of the shrines is really the best part.

Here are some of the temple guardians. There are always four of them, two on each side. These four each had a smaller, ghoul-looking creature that squated at their feet with a look of horror on their faces. I thought it was quite effective at conveying how really fearful you should be of the guardians.

This is one of the doors through which you pass on your way to the main shrine. It never ceases to amaze me how much attention and detail goes into every aspect of the shrines and surrounding buildings, with exception, generally speaking, to the bathrooms which are always pretty urban.

The large drum and dragon-fish are staples of every temple. Before I leave this country I'll have to find a korean who can explain to me what they mean.

One of the many stone turtle markers you can see on your way to the temple.

This one gives a good view of how far away from the city Beomosa is. I think this temple would be really beautiful to visit in Spring when everything's green again.

These are some pine needles that fell into the hangul carved into the rocks along the walkway to the temple.
More pictures of Beomosa and Busan can be found by clicking here: http://photobucket.com/albums/v221/ladyofthefaeries/korea/Busan/

My Christmas In Busan - Part One

2004-12-26T14:58:00.000+09:00

Coming at you LIVE from the Westin Chosun in Busan on Sunday the 26th!
Me and my mother who's visiting me from the U.S. arrived in Busan Saturday afternoon, and in the great hustle and bustle got terribly lost in the train station. We decided to take a taxi to our hotel in our great confusion and lethargy, which cost a total of 24,000 won (roughly 20 bucks). Later, we realized we could have taken the subway to our hotel for a couple bucks. The subway runs everywhere in Busan and is pretty cheap. So does the bus. Oh. Well.
Last night we stayed at the Marriott which was a pretty sexy, but corperate (aka: boring) hotel. Big bathrooms + bath tubs = a happy Mary. Last night was the first time I've been in a bath tub for three months. Here is the view from our window:

And here's the ocean view and the pool on top of The Paradise Motel & Casino:

Yep, if you come to Busan then definitely book a room on the ocean-side. The view is really elating.
Last night was also the first time I'd had a hair cut in three months. I walked in, sat down nervously while staring at the floor. After a few minutes a tall korean hairdresser with big black boots and long black hair comes over and sits down next to me. "Do you want hair cut?" She manages. I nod and ask if she has a book of pictures for me to look at. She smiles and shows me a thin folder filled with cut outs of attractive looking asian women with "shexshy" hair. She watches while I flip through the pages, every now and then stopping to point at a hair style that looks interesting and asking "Can you do that?" to which she always replies "Yes, but on you.. no." Helping me come to terms with the fact that I don't have pretty asian hair, she explains that my hair is too "damagee" to pull off most of the hair styles I like. So once we've flipped through the whole book without success I turn to her and ask "Well, what do you think would look good?" She scrutinizes me for a moment or two then says "I think I would like more texture." And I say "Sure, texture sounds good."
After seating me, she starts hacking away at my head, seemingly randomly with a pair of incredibly small scissors. 30 minutes, and a small pile of brown hair later, I emerge from the hair salon looking WAY better than most pop stars I've seen lately. When I ask for the price she says only 13,000 won. I gasp, and insist she take 30. 30 is the minimum I'll accept for turning me into a hair goddess.
That night for dinner me and my mom ate over-priced Indian food at Ganga, which is purportedly the most divine Indian Cuisine in Korea, but to be honest I wasn't that impressed. Probably because I'm from the Bay Area where even the cheapo Indian food is bombass.
I awoke this morning to my mom rolling me awake and telling me she had won 100,000 won at the Paradise Casino this morning. The Paradise Casino, for the record, is nothing to be wowed at if you've ever been to Vegas. It doesn't even beat, say, the Horseshoe for ambience, machines, and decor. But apparently it pays well (=
We then went on a vast and complicated pilgrimage to E-Mart because the taxi drivers WOULD NOT stop for us. (phhst) After a few dead ends and a lot of walking we eventually found our way in and bought a backpack, some long socks, and some comic-strip print underwear. I'm wearing it right now. The strip that's on my butt says "Pow!"
Right now I'm seated in front of a computer at our room in the Westin Chosun Inn. For those of you traveling to Busan at any point, this is definitely the hotel to come to. Not only does it have a gorgeous beach view like the Marriott, but the "Heavenly" beds are divine, the rooms are brighter, and you get free internet access without having to rent a laptop from the lobby. Yay! Plus, there's squid in the dry bar. Woot.
In a few minutes we'll be headed off to Beomosa, which is a famous temple here in Busan. It is the home of Korea's largest Buddha, so that oughta be Christmas appropriate.
All for now, Merry Christmas!
-M

Daegu Travel & Tourism Links

2004-12-19T16:19:00.000+09:00

- Daegu City Site - Useful information about Daegu city culture and events. Maps, photos, and more. This is a good place to start if you know nothing about Daegu.
- Jung-Gu District Site - Pictures and info. about the area where I live (Daegu is pretty big so there are many districts). The pictures of Woobang Tower Land are especially nice.
- Daegu Tourist Information Center Information about upcoming movies, shows, and attractions in Daegu. Photo Gallery and Restaurant recommendations.
- Daegu Visitors Bureau: - Useful site for business travelers. Hotel list, Travel Agents, and more.
-Daegu Cybertour - Beautiful site with lots of lovely graphics and tour information. *note: some of these tours are only offered at certain times of the years, and some of them are no longer running.
-Tour2Korea - South Korea Tour Planner & Guide- Offers information about everything from postal rates to handy korean phrases (Only you have to be able to read hangul to say them).
-KTX & Regular Train Routes - The KTX is a super-fast high-tech railway system. I recommend it if you're taking a long trip (ex: from Seoul to Busan) or if you just want to experience the thrill of 300 km/hour. KTX and the normal Korail trains are about the same price, with a difference of maybe 10 bucks or so (10,000 W). And the ride on KTX is unbelievable.
-International Train Travel - Good resource if you want to get into or out of the country without taking a plane.

Bisal - Daegu (Hiking/Local Art//Temple)

2004-11-25T16:19:00.000+09:00

Last weekend I went with one of our korean teachers to her home in the countryside. We saw some of the local temples, prayer sites, and carvings. Here are some pictures from the trip:

Me, Shirley, and Jamalae at the temple's entrance.

Me and Shirley (one of our korean teachers) standing in front of some of the carvings.

A group of carvings. We went to a prayer site where we were pretty much surrounded by these things. They are made out of tree trunks which are carved, painted, and glased by local artists. Each has a unique expression and is a symbol of an emotion or state of being. They even had one which was symbolic of "that morning after the night when you drank too much soju" not to mention "Santa Claus."

These are the rock piles buddhists build as a form of prayer. You see these all over the temples. Some are just small piles built by individuals, and some are huge mountains of stones built by those who really have something to get off their chests.

This is me and Shirley at her cabin in the countryside. The area is still technically Daegu but it's about a 45 minute drive from where I live. I believe the area is called Bisal.

This is a small shrine dedicated to the spirit of the tiger. Shirley told me that the tiger symbolizes strength and bravery. Korean people are apparently very fond of the tiger.

This temple is being re-painted. I took a picture because I thought it was interesting to see the actual attention to detail in the wood as well as the painting.

A ceremony being practiced inside the temple.

One of the local temples. Behind the closed doors was a monk who was chanting over a loud-speaker. From my description it might sound rather jarring, but it was in fact very peaceful and relaxing as mantras should be.

The roof of the temple overlooked by the snowy mountains. We were going to climb to the top of the mountain, but we were so out of breath by the time we reached the temple that Shirley said we probably shouldn't try the two mile uphill hike (=

How To Keep Smiling

2004-11-25T13:08:00.000+09:00

It's been almost two months now and everything seems suprisingly easy as far as work goes. I've began to feel like I really fit in with both the teachers and the kids and I really couldn't love my work more. What was once a crazy and overwhelming workload (35 hours a week, 9 different classes) now seems like an exciting and busy schedule.

On the personal front, I had a breakup with my boyfriend who's still back in the states. I dated him for over a year and getting over that has been pretty hard. To those of you who are considering coming to work in a foreign country, I would advise seriously evaluating the strength and the importance of your relationships back home before you make your decision. In this case, I still feel I made the right decision, but I wish I had been better prepared for it.

I've been trying to stay focused on my job, and put a lot of love into the kids because they make me feel better. I just can't look at them without smiling all over the place. Today we made snowflakes out of cut paper (they're learning about winter and the seasons) and I think I'm digressing into a child myself because I was really having fun making them with the kids (= I found a website called GamesKidsPlay.net which has a ton of fun games which will work in the classroom. I feel bad for the kids sometimes because they work so hard, and have very little time to play. We were learning about time schedules last week and I found out that my 7 year olds stay up till 12 every night studying. They go to school from 9 to 3 and then go to another school ("cram school") where they study even more. Then a private tutor usually comes to their house or they go to another hagwon or educational facility. I don't know many ADULTS who can handle that kind of stress, let alone children. I also found out about a week ago that the children often get physically abused if they make mistakes in school or act out, both by their parents and their teachers. I feel so bad for them sometimes, so to make up for it I try and use a lot of games in the classroom, and try to be as supportive and encouraging as I can. For this, I have been dubbed "the silly teacher" but I'm proud to earn that title if it means the kids are happy.

Before I started working here, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about children. They were these tiny not-quite adults who couldn't reason right or really understand the world around them. I felt like I couldn't relate to them. Dealing with them made me nervous. And now, now I can't see a child without wanting to pick them up and swing them around. I realize I'm a lot more of a child sometimes than an adult, and I can't help smiling at every child I see, knowing we share a lot in common.

I'm sure a lot of this post won't make sense to a lot of people, but I've tried my best to express what I feel about this whole korean kindergarten business besides just on the objective level.

First Trip To Seoul

2004-11-07T14:57:00.000+09:00

Took a trip to Seoul this weekend via the KTX. The KTX was almost like a grounded airplane. The ride was smooth and fast! We're talking 300 km/hr fast. I got from Daegu to Seoul in 1.5 hours for the low low cost of $30 (one way). Okay, so maybe we wish that price was a little lower. But it was certainely worth it compared to my other options (bus or regular train which would have taken for ever and costs only 10 less). The KTX goes from Seoul to Pusan, and stops at several places in-between.
I didn't do much sight-seeing this trip but I did see the Korean War Memorial which has a statue out in front of it that looks like two groups of soldiers play tug-o-war under an upright giant, metal toucan beak. I then visited some friends of mine in the army who live on-base at Yongsan. The barracks really remind me of my college dormitory, but the rest of the base is practically like a little city. They have bowling allys, golf courses, even 3 different schools. There's also a motel called The Dragon which has a few american-style restaurants in it. It was kind of refreshing to be temporarily and technically back on American soil.
I also visited Itaewon which is the hotspot for American tourists and army folk. It's a lot like downtown Daegu, plenty of pubs and restaurants, but it diffinitely has a more american atmosphere owing to the fact that it is full of americans. I was surprised by how many koreans speak English there. There are a lot of shops and vendors selling touristy things and clothes. Definitely the place to go if you're looking for something to send back home, though I've heard the DMZ is also a good for that. In fact, rumor has it that you can by 5" peices of barbed wire from the DMZ for the low cost of 10,000 won ($10.00). But this is something I have yet to experience.
The next day, I went to the E-market which is sort of like the black market only geekier and more out in the sun. The E-market is a maze of vendors, small shops, and mini-malls that sell only electronics. The prices weren't as cheap as I'd thought they would be, almost the same as prices back home, but I got a good deal on an external hard-drive and some other things for my computer. I'd write a rant here about using american electronics in korea but I think that merits another post altogether.
Suffice it to say, my first trip to Seoul was draining both on my spirit and my wallet. But I had a lot of fun, and I hope to go back sometime soon for another trip.

[The war memorial out in front of the war museum by yongsan army base]
-M

Ways To Get Kids To Pay Attention

2004-11-03T15:23:00.000+09:00

The past two days at work have been simply wonderful. I guess at this stage lesson planning is mainly a hit-or-miss kinda thing, but this week I've definitely been better at it. I think something that helps is that I've learned how to create games and class activities on-the-spot instead of just going by the textbook. I've also learned how to adjust to every class. Every class is different and has different things they like to do or don't like to do, and it's always been my opinion that people learn more when they're having fun. I also know everyone's name now, so I can pick on them if they're being noisy. Most of the kids are pretty well behaved, now that they know me and know what they can or can't get away with. I've also learned a few tricks to calming them down. With the younger kids I say "hands over your head, hands over your ears, hands over your mouth." With the older kids I do a "3 checks" system sometimes, or else say "eyes here" and point to my eyes. You can also play the silent game. Write everyone's name up on the board and cross out the name of whoever makes a noise or says anything. "Put your head on your desk" is for when they're being really noisy. When all else fails, candy works like a charm. Sugar is the international language.

Chikjasa Temple

2004-11-02T15:19:00.000+09:00

This weekend me and some of the other teachers (both Korean and American) went to Chikjasa temple. It was about an hours trip by subway, and about 30 min by #11 bus from Gimcheon Station. The temple was a lot larger than the one at Heinsa. This was largely due to the fact that Chikjasa is well-known for being one of the most widely-attended buddhist monastaries in South Korea. The temple is also famous for the house of 1,000 buddhas. Women from all over Korea come to the temple after marriage in order to find the one different buddha (who looks like a standing baby) in hopes they'll be blessed with a new baby. Here are some pictures of the trip.
The temple roof behind some bamboo. Painted on the roof is a buddhist symbol.

Neon paper lanterns over the pagoda in the center of the plaza.

Room of 1,000 buddhas.

The guardian to the temple gates. Said to keep out evil spirits.

And look! A Douglas Adams reference! (This is one of the statues in the park below the temple)

Joy (one of the korean teachers) said she really liked this wall and insisted I take a picture in front of it.

More pictures can be found at: http://photobucket.com/albums/v221/ladyofthefaeries/korea/chikjasa/

Halloween Pictures From My School!

2004-10-31T15:32:00.000+09:00

Happy Hallowen!

More pictures at: http://photobucket.com/albums/v221/ladyofthefaeries/korea/halloween/

Pictures of Heinsa Temple

2004-10-28T17:14:00.000+09:00

This weekend me and a few of the other teachers from school went to Heinsa temple, a popular Buddhist temple up in the mountains about an hour away from Daegu. The temple wasn't as large as I was expecting, but it was very crowded and very beautiful. I took some pictures of the temple, the plaza and small pagoda in the center, the 1,000 year old tree. This temple is famous for housing the tricata (buddhist) scriptures in the form of 1,000s of lead plates.

Plenty more pictures at: http://photobucket.com/albums/v221/ladyofthefaeries/korea/heinsa/

Pictures of My School & Apartment

2004-10-21T17:18:00.000+09:00

One of my classes!
Some pictures of my apartment:

My kitchen (which I only recently purchased food for).

My room.

Some of the other teachers I work with. The one of the far left is Jama, the one of the far right is Jennifer. They're both from the states.

Rosie with one of the kids from school in the computer room. This is where I spend most of my free time.

Mars classroom.

The front of the school. The playground is covered in plants and sand. There is also a very satisfying persimon tree near the front door.

What A Novice

2004-10-18T15:12:00.000+09:00

So far my day at school hasn't been very successful. My first two classes were fine, as usual, but then I had my third period class which was simply awful. They wouldn't stay in their seats, they wouldn't do the assignment (which was the momentous task of drawing your favorite foods) and they kept talking in Korean so I wouldn't know what they were saying. I tried almost everything I could think of to get them to settle down, but they just wouldn't today. I'm usually a pretty nice person, well, at least to kids, so it was really hard for me to yell at them. But I did. In fact, I believe the words "if you want me to get mean..." were used. I feel like such an impostor teaching at this school sometimes, like the teacher I replaced was some kind of wonderful being who I can't even pretend to follow. I'm sure that in time I'll get the hang of things, but in the meantime I feel very unsuccessful at the game of English Teacher.

Korean Nightlife & Excon Center

2004-10-17T15:15:00.000+09:00

So this was my first "real" weekend in Korea. Saturday night I went out with the girls from work (Jen and Jama). We went to a few shops and a few clubs. Here in Daegu there are primarily two kinds of clubs. Korean clubs, hofs, and soju bars where there are a majority of Koreans and maybe a few English-speakers here and there, and Western clubs where you'll find primarily English teachers and military guys. I have to say that oddly enough I prefer the regular clubs. There's just a better selection of people. I guess it's because military guys tend to be a pretty unruly bunch, especially when you mix in women and alcohol. So I tried to stay out of the way and talk to my friends and those rare few who seemed to still have their senses about them. I was particularly fond of a hiphop club called "Bumble Buzz" in downtown Daegu. I met a lot of foreigners, mainly brits and canadians, and got to talk to my new friends more (or at least attempt to over the blaring combination of Biggie Smalls and Epic High - a korean hiphop group I'm particularly fond of). During the night, I kept going back behind the bar to get money out to buy water for my friends from the bar. It was a really fun (and exhausting) night, but it wasn't over yet. No, at 3 in the morning we decided to go to Noriban (the Korean equivalent of karaoke). We sang all kinds of songs, and everytime we did well our time got extended by a little bit instead of dropping. Thus, one hour quickly turned into four until finally at seven in the morning we stepped out into the cold grey air, got into a taxi and collapsed in our respective beds. I slept most of the day until I awoke at 3 to go to a baby fair with some people from work at the Excon Center (a convention center which is purportedly the largest building in Daegu). The center is a very impressive building entirely made of glass with several floors and a sloping "u" shaped roof. It looks like something skateboarders dream of. The fair itself wasn't exactly what I expected. I mean, it was neat to see the variety of korean toys but I also got sick of walking around really quick. None-the-less I helped sell and pack things up, and at the end of the day the boss treated me to a gourmet Chinese dinner (which is nothing like the big platters of Chow Mein you get in the states). All in all, it was a fulfilling day, but I wouldn't want to attempt it all again unless I had at least 72 hours to finish it in (=

Korean Vices

2004-10-12T15:18:00.000+09:00

It's my third official day of classes and every day seems to get ALOT easier. I've realized that the kids at my school have their good days and their bad days and their days where they absolutely WON'T pay attention unless a lion is involved. I feel like the school is finally starting to accept me and I've managed to make friends with the Korean teachers though some of them can't speak English very well.

Everyday I work from 9 to 6, go home, take a shower and walk 10 minutes to downtown Daegu. The other teachers at my school are really fond of taxicabs, but I'm from the bay area (where there are maybe two taxi drivers), so the idea is still a little sketchy. PLUS a good friend of a friend warned me before I came here that some taxi drivers will take foreign women to remote locations so they can rape them. When I first heard that, I was absolutely freaked out that I was leaving my lovely, snuggly home in the suburbs for a den of prostitution and gambling. And though some citizens of Daegu are certainly rather fond of those two vices, the city is certainly not overrun with "those types."

In fact, the downtown area is rather urban. There are hundreds of tiny shops littering the busy streets filled with bright, we're talking BRIGHT korean clothing. We're orange talking leg warmers, yellow pleated mini skirts, and bright red tops that say things like "Nice Hockey Ass." There are girls in Red and white vinyl skirts and gogo boots selling cell phones. There's even a store called "Maja Flava" for the budding hiphop crowd of Daegu.

I wouldn't say that downtown or Daegu as a whole is particularly clean. The korean attitude towards trash seems to be "Well, it's just going to end up on the ground somewhere anyway... It might as well end up here." They also pile their trash out on the sidewalk instead of leaving it in bins like we do in the states. This results in the smell of warm garbage right outside my window every morning.

But other than that, I have to say downtown is my favorite place. There are just so many cute little cafes, seedy DVD parlors and drunk people, LOTS of drunk people. Apparently it's the souju, a kind of native alcohol, that does it. Perhaps this would be the Korean equivalent of sake? In all honesty, I think I'd prefer one of the mile-high parfaits they have here to anything else. The parfaits have scoops of icecream, fruit, captain crunch, cornflakes, orange juice, and anything else they feel like putting in. I usually remove the tomatos, even if it technically is a fruit.

Daegu: Day One

2004-10-07T15:22:00.000+09:00

Arrived in Daegu safely. A little culture shocked, but everyone is really nice. Still getting use to everything being in a different language, but I think I'll manage to get around town without running into any dead ends filled with communists ninjas. Daegu is really a nice city, not big and fluorescent like Seoul but rather more quaint. I'm observing teachers at the school today and it's actually quite scary. It's going to be hard to adjust because the kids are really going to miss the teacher I'm replacing (I can tell) and I have six different classes with different kids in each (lots of names to remember). I'm currently staying with another teacher but I should be getting my own apartment Sunday (which is nice). Until then I'm afraid I'll feel a bit, er, dependent on Jennifer (the teacher I'm staying with).
Take care!
-M

Be Afraid, But Still Go Anyways

2004-10-04T06:40:00.000+09:00

Hiya and welcome to my new blog! I decided to make this blog public so I could share my experiences in Korea with future or current ESL teachers looking for answers, or maybe just a few laughs.
My name is Mary and I'm a first-year ESL teacher en route to a hogwan in Taegu, Korea called Little Genius where I will teach kindergarten. I'm 20 years old, and I graduated college just last Spring from UCSC with a major in modern literature. I'm currently working on TEFL certification online through ICAL . I'd recommend the program to anyone who's looking for a fast, affordable, and informative certification course.
So why Korea? Well, I originally wanted a teaching position in Japan, but none of the big five companies would hire me. On a website called Dave's ESL Cafe (which is a wonderful resource for anyone looking for an ESL/EFL position), I found a link to a company called Longbridge Pacific which is an agency that places teachers in Korean Hogwans. I have a few friends stationed in the army in Seoul, so I figured Korea might be a good alternative if a position in Japan wasn't in my future. My new agent, Fred, set me up with a few phone interviews and within a couple weeks I had a teaching position.
Putting the ink on paper when it came time to sign my contract was stessful, but from what I've heard korean contracts aren't taken seriously by either the employer or the employee. This may sound shocking to you, and you might wonder how I could venture into a contract in a foreign country while knowing my rights could at any point be tread upon. The answer is this: I've examined a variety of reports on ESL teaching in Korea, some of which are good, several of which are bad, an I'm prepared for the worst. I don't expect my experience will be awful. My employers have been extremely kind and considerate of me, and I've spoken to other teachers at my school who are both friendly and encouraging. I've started learning hangul, practicing greetings, and reading the history of North and South Korea. I can't say I'm not scared. In fact, I'll admit that I'm almost frightened to the point of staying here in California instead of getting on the plane for Incheon in just a few short days. But I know this is an experience that will be worthwhile for me at this point in my life, and whether my experiences are good or bad I will learn quite a bit from them, more than I'd learn if I stayed here in the U.S. Problems will arise, and that's probably the only thing I can 100% expected. But I'm going to try and pull through it, and be as flexible as I possibly can without breaking.