There are a lot of awesome things about living in korea. The heated toilet seats in the teacher's women's restroom being one of them. But you know what isn't so great here in korea?
toothpaste.
I'm not even kidding. The toothpaste here doesn't really freshen breath. And korean people brush their teeth after meals. I've seen them do it & they teach little elementary school students to do it too.
So it baffles my mind why there's not readily available minty fresh toothpaste that, you know, makes your breath smell minty fresh as well. Because, call me crazy, their breath ought to smell like they brush it as many times a day as they do.
I might have mentioned this before, but deodorant isn't common here either. But korean people smell lovely even if they sweat, so I guess they don't really need it.
But you know what I keep thinking about? I wonder what brand of toothpaste these kpop stars use. If they stick with korean toothpaste or do they use western style toothpaste. Or if they run around not wearing deodorant but still smell fresh...and brushing their teeth three times a day with their breath smelling fresh as well. And what if you are a kpop idol who happens to need deodorant? Because then you'd be smelling all sorts of fresh, and none of it the good kind.
I dunno, but I think about these things.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Changdeokgung: Huwon
There are, I believe, five major palaces within Seoul. While Gyeongbokgung was the largest and primary royal residence, the palace I really wanted to see was Changdeokgung (경복궁), the Palace of Illustrious Virtue, or Palace of Shining Happiness.
With a name like that, how could I not want to visit?
But it wasn't just the name that drew me, because after a while all palaces begin to look the same, just as the fountains in Rome begin to look the same, or skyscrapers in major cities begin to look the same. The reason why I singled out Changdeokgung as the first of the palaces I would tackle was because it has a Secret Garden.
No joke, the english signs all say "secret garden" & its Korean equivalent, Huwon, means garden. I had heard and read wonderful things about the garden, and wanted to see it for myself.
Changdeokgung was created as a secondary palace, but in terms of its layout and construction, it was set as the ideal palace. I regret that I didn't get to see much of the palace proper, and the garden was sort of dead and barren, but that didn't mean it wasn't beautiful.
At Changdeokgung you must take a tour in order to be allowed inside. You can't just wander around unaccompanied. This is the regular tour of the palace. You must buy a separate ticket for the Secret Garden tour. There is, however, a combination ticket where you pay 10,000 won for admission to the 5 palaces, and you have a month to use the tickets. There are scheduled english tours daily, except for monday because that is when the palace is closed. There are two english tours for the Garden, one at 11:30am and another at 2:30 pm. The tour takes about 1.5 hours to complete.
I opted for the 2:30 Garden tour, but I was actually late, so I was literally running through Changdeokgung snapping away madly while trying to catch up with the tour group. I felt bad about running, but even one of the women who worked at the palace told me to "hurry up" so I could catch up to the group. I wasn't terribly late, maybe 5 minutes, but I was definitely left alone to navigate the passageways of a palace that was hundreds of years old. As I turned down alleys, with not a soul in sight, surrounded by nothing but the remnants of an age gone by, it was definitely an eerie feeling.
My purpose is not to give a history lesson or account for everything that was said on the tour, because I honestly think any words of mind would be poor substitutes for coming to Korea and experiencing it all yourself. I will, however, try to render the gentle majestic serenity that is Changdeokgung's huwon:
madly snapping pictures while running to catch up to the tour group >_<
I caught up & I actually hadn't missed all that much.
longevity gate
There are 3 ways to view the secret garden. The first is with your eyes...
The second is through the reflection on the water...
& the third is through the frames of the many pavilions.
This tree is older than the USA.Directions to Changdeokgung:
- Jongno 3-ga station, exit 6
- When you exit exit the station, immediately about-face & turn left at the intersection. Walk roughly 10 minutes until you see the palace before you
- The ticket window will be on the left side of the main gate
Monday, March 28, 2011
Teach ESL Korea
I just wanted to make a little post about how I actually managed to end up in Korea.
There are a few ways to apply for EPIK (English Program in Korea)/ SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education):
I went with TeachESLKorea since I had heard good things about them from current EPIK/SMOE teachers in Korea. Their website was well put together, informative, and user friendly. They seemed to know what they were talking about and had placed teachers not only in Seoul but also in Korea, so I thought they were a reliable recruiter. The fact that I am now teaching in Korea is a testament to their credibility.
TeachESLKorea is run by Dan & Aggie and they are extremely professional, proficient, and friendly. Any questions I had were answered in a timely manner, and they always kept me in the loop (especially during the dreaded waiting process which was basically weeks of not knowing anything while EPIK/SMOE looked over all applications). Aggie handled my case specifically, and she went above and beyond to make sure I was being taken care of during each of the many steps of applying with EPIK/SMOE. She would even send follow up emails to check on how I was...even after I landed in Korea.
I can't say enough good things about Dan, Aggie & TeachESLKorea. If you are thinking about teaching in Korea and are debating how to apply, I would highly recommend going through a recruiter, and TeachESLKorea at that :)
There are a few ways to apply for EPIK (English Program in Korea)/ SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education):
- Directly to EPIK/SMOE
- Through an EPIK coordinator
- Through a university
- Through a recruiter
I went with TeachESLKorea since I had heard good things about them from current EPIK/SMOE teachers in Korea. Their website was well put together, informative, and user friendly. They seemed to know what they were talking about and had placed teachers not only in Seoul but also in Korea, so I thought they were a reliable recruiter. The fact that I am now teaching in Korea is a testament to their credibility.
TeachESLKorea is run by Dan & Aggie and they are extremely professional, proficient, and friendly. Any questions I had were answered in a timely manner, and they always kept me in the loop (especially during the dreaded waiting process which was basically weeks of not knowing anything while EPIK/SMOE looked over all applications). Aggie handled my case specifically, and she went above and beyond to make sure I was being taken care of during each of the many steps of applying with EPIK/SMOE. She would even send follow up emails to check on how I was...even after I landed in Korea.
I can't say enough good things about Dan, Aggie & TeachESLKorea. If you are thinking about teaching in Korea and are debating how to apply, I would highly recommend going through a recruiter, and TeachESLKorea at that :)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
My Birthday: part two, or why my friends in Korea are awesome
Continued from the previous birthday post.
I had made dinner plans with a friend of mine, who I met here during orientation, on my actual birthday. She lives rather far out, practically on a mountain/barely in seoul/basically in north Korea, and it takes a lot for her to always be coming downtown where foreigners always hang out on the weekends, so I told her I would go up to visit her. I didn't tell her it was my birthday though. I just wanted to spend time with people on my birthday, honestly. I didn't need a cake, or a party, or anything like that, mostly because I feel really lucky everyday.
It turned out to be a little dinner party at her apartment. She lives in a big building that incidentally has a few other EPIK teachers, who I also met during orientation, and a few others who live on nearby stations came through too. I had to travel almost an hour to get to her apartment, but I was greeted with happy, familiar faces, and it felt very warm.
This is just an aside, but I really enjoy meeting up with other EPIK teachers. Intentionally or not, I belong to this community in Seoul. Call us foreigners, call us expats, call us adventures, call us a clique, but I can not begin to explain how comforting it is to know that whatever difficulties I experience here in Seoul, there are others who are sharing in my same experience. I am not going through this whole ordeal absolutely and utterly alone. During the first week of classes, when I was freaking out over what I was doing, my lesson plans, my awkward introductions to my classes and the other teachers, I remember thinking that everyone else was going through the same thing. And that if they could do it, and get through this thing that was giving me such anxiety, then I could as well. That's the kind of reassurance that I love about our EPIK group.
I also enjoy meeting up with them because it's a chance to not only catch up and exchange stories, but it also provides much needed respite. During the week we are all so busy with our own classes and activities, but the weekends are just for us. And it's nice to be able to speak with other people and not have to, for the lack of a better term, "dumb down" my english. For as much as I have to talk in front of a classroom every single day, I sometimes feel as if I save all my words for the weekends. Then I just verbally vomit on everyone.
But back to what I was saying.
Our host, Cherish, made us a homemade dinner, by herself, in her tiny kitchen. We ate and laughed and drank and sat around on her heated floor and had a merry old time. The food was great, the people were lovely, the atmosphere was wonderful, and I even got a proper birthday cake--not that I didn't love my choco-pie cake :)
Can you guess what I wished for? ^___^
The celebration continued last night. Turns out that a few of us were celebrating our birthdays this week, so we did a joint celebration. Although the plans weren't exactly my cup of tea, I prefer more low key birthday celebrations, I went along with it for the general spirit of the event.
Things kicked off with dinner at TGIFridays. Normally, I wouldn't ever eat there because I don't particularly like the food served (everything seems fried/ oily/ covered with Jack Daniels sauce), and like, why would I spend money on that when the food stand outside is both cheaper and yummier (and probably healthier for you). But whatever, they had 2 for 1 drink specials so that made up for it lol.
It was also the last friday of the month. In Hongdae, where we were at, you can get these wristbands on the last friday that will get you in clubs without having to may a cover charge for each. NB1, NB2, and Harlem (all owned by YG) are all right next to each other. So all night we club hopped from one to another.
I don't think I've talked about this yet, but I'm not entirely fond of the club culture here in Korea. They let in waaay too many people for what they can accommodate, which leaves the people packed in like sardines, with no space to move much less dance. This means people are always pushing each other out of the way, tempers flare, and basically instead of dancing its just this one big push fest.
Even I got into a spat with other foreigners. But not even just other foreigners...but other Big Bang fans. GD & TOP's "Knock Out" came on and basically this group of foreigners pushed their way into the middle of the dance floor, right next to me, so they could dance to GD & TOP. They attempted to push me out of the way so they could "dance" to GD & TOP. Oh. hell. no.
There is, of course, your standard creeper guys who try to dance with you... and I'm not decided about this yet, but it just seems like they are waay more aggressive here than in the states. Won't take no for an answer. Will follow you, uninvited. Will grab onto you and won't let go. The reason why I'm hesitant to say that guys are more aggressive with girls here is because they may just be more aggressive with foreign girls. Whether I like it or not, the reputation of foreign girls is that they are easy. I'm always conscious of this, so in a club environment I never try to give too much attention to guys. Because they will latch onto that attention, see if for something that its not, and it opens a whole pandoras box that I, quite frankly, don't want to have to deal with.
Ah, another digression.
It's not uncommon to stay out until 5am...and clubs will stay open that long. The reason for this is that the subway lines close at midnight. Cab fares from one end of the city to another are practically murder, and unless you have a place to stay (either a friend's apartment or a jimjilbang (찜질방), public sauna), the cheapest option is to just stay out. It's also not uncommon to head to a cafe and pass out while waiting for the subway lines to open up.
Which is how I spent the last two fridays. Thank you Caffe Bene for being 24 hours & for having many tables with which to sleep!
A very sincere thank you to the people who made my birthday, my very first in korea, truly special. My heart swells when I think of all the people I've met here and whom I call friends. I remain eternally grateful.
I had made dinner plans with a friend of mine, who I met here during orientation, on my actual birthday. She lives rather far out, practically on a mountain/barely in seoul/basically in north Korea, and it takes a lot for her to always be coming downtown where foreigners always hang out on the weekends, so I told her I would go up to visit her. I didn't tell her it was my birthday though. I just wanted to spend time with people on my birthday, honestly. I didn't need a cake, or a party, or anything like that, mostly because I feel really lucky everyday.
It turned out to be a little dinner party at her apartment. She lives in a big building that incidentally has a few other EPIK teachers, who I also met during orientation, and a few others who live on nearby stations came through too. I had to travel almost an hour to get to her apartment, but I was greeted with happy, familiar faces, and it felt very warm.
This is just an aside, but I really enjoy meeting up with other EPIK teachers. Intentionally or not, I belong to this community in Seoul. Call us foreigners, call us expats, call us adventures, call us a clique, but I can not begin to explain how comforting it is to know that whatever difficulties I experience here in Seoul, there are others who are sharing in my same experience. I am not going through this whole ordeal absolutely and utterly alone. During the first week of classes, when I was freaking out over what I was doing, my lesson plans, my awkward introductions to my classes and the other teachers, I remember thinking that everyone else was going through the same thing. And that if they could do it, and get through this thing that was giving me such anxiety, then I could as well. That's the kind of reassurance that I love about our EPIK group.
I also enjoy meeting up with them because it's a chance to not only catch up and exchange stories, but it also provides much needed respite. During the week we are all so busy with our own classes and activities, but the weekends are just for us. And it's nice to be able to speak with other people and not have to, for the lack of a better term, "dumb down" my english. For as much as I have to talk in front of a classroom every single day, I sometimes feel as if I save all my words for the weekends. Then I just verbally vomit on everyone.
But back to what I was saying.
Our host, Cherish, made us a homemade dinner, by herself, in her tiny kitchen. We ate and laughed and drank and sat around on her heated floor and had a merry old time. The food was great, the people were lovely, the atmosphere was wonderful, and I even got a proper birthday cake--not that I didn't love my choco-pie cake :)
Can you guess what I wished for? ^___^
The celebration continued last night. Turns out that a few of us were celebrating our birthdays this week, so we did a joint celebration. Although the plans weren't exactly my cup of tea, I prefer more low key birthday celebrations, I went along with it for the general spirit of the event.
Things kicked off with dinner at TGIFridays. Normally, I wouldn't ever eat there because I don't particularly like the food served (everything seems fried/ oily/ covered with Jack Daniels sauce), and like, why would I spend money on that when the food stand outside is both cheaper and yummier (and probably healthier for you). But whatever, they had 2 for 1 drink specials so that made up for it lol.
It was also the last friday of the month. In Hongdae, where we were at, you can get these wristbands on the last friday that will get you in clubs without having to may a cover charge for each. NB1, NB2, and Harlem (all owned by YG) are all right next to each other. So all night we club hopped from one to another.
I don't think I've talked about this yet, but I'm not entirely fond of the club culture here in Korea. They let in waaay too many people for what they can accommodate, which leaves the people packed in like sardines, with no space to move much less dance. This means people are always pushing each other out of the way, tempers flare, and basically instead of dancing its just this one big push fest.
Even I got into a spat with other foreigners. But not even just other foreigners...but other Big Bang fans. GD & TOP's "Knock Out" came on and basically this group of foreigners pushed their way into the middle of the dance floor, right next to me, so they could dance to GD & TOP. They attempted to push me out of the way so they could "dance" to GD & TOP. Oh. hell. no.
There is, of course, your standard creeper guys who try to dance with you... and I'm not decided about this yet, but it just seems like they are waay more aggressive here than in the states. Won't take no for an answer. Will follow you, uninvited. Will grab onto you and won't let go. The reason why I'm hesitant to say that guys are more aggressive with girls here is because they may just be more aggressive with foreign girls. Whether I like it or not, the reputation of foreign girls is that they are easy. I'm always conscious of this, so in a club environment I never try to give too much attention to guys. Because they will latch onto that attention, see if for something that its not, and it opens a whole pandoras box that I, quite frankly, don't want to have to deal with.
Ah, another digression.
It's not uncommon to stay out until 5am...and clubs will stay open that long. The reason for this is that the subway lines close at midnight. Cab fares from one end of the city to another are practically murder, and unless you have a place to stay (either a friend's apartment or a jimjilbang (찜질방), public sauna), the cheapest option is to just stay out. It's also not uncommon to head to a cafe and pass out while waiting for the subway lines to open up.
Which is how I spent the last two fridays. Thank you Caffe Bene for being 24 hours & for having many tables with which to sleep!
A very sincere thank you to the people who made my birthday, my very first in korea, truly special. My heart swells when I think of all the people I've met here and whom I call friends. I remain eternally grateful.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
My Birthday: part one, or why my students & teachers are awesome
To be honest I hadn't given too much thought about me celebrating my birthday for the first time so far away from home. After I finished writing my last blog post, I thought that I was in a good space. A few times previously, some of my students had come up to me asking me if I missed home, and while there are certain things I do miss, on the whole, I'm too busy trying to experience Korea to miss home. Because the thing is, if you think of the concept of "home" as a generality, you won't miss it...mostly because you'll be in the process of building a new concept of home.
But if you start thinking about particulars--the people, the weather, the food--that's when you can find yourself a bit homesick.
In any case, I went to school on Wednesday and went ahead teaching like normal. I hadn't really told anyone it was my birthday, since I didn't want it to be a big deal. I had told some of my students in passing the week before, and only because we were on the subject of birthdays.
It wasn't until maybe 3rd or 4th period that news broke that it was, in fact, Michelle teacher's birthday. I got sung to a lot that day. It was very cute. I actually didn't feel sad at all, until I thought about it. My voice lodged in my throat when, in the middle of expressing my thanks to my classes for their kind thoughts, I thought about how it was my first birthday away from home.
I'm telling you, you don't feel it until you stop and actually think about how far away you really are.
But then, came my very last class.
The bell rang for class to begin, and I hear my co-teacher tell the class to begin, and they all started singing "happy birthday" to me in english. I was suprised, of course, but what really got me was when I saw one of the students walking up with a "birthday cake" made out of choco-pies with a candle in it that was the number 2 lit. Taped onto the #2 candle was a paper question mark, since they didn't know how old I was turning. So everyone was singing, and then there was this cake, with its candle, and I thought about how I was so far away from home, and then I broke down into tears.
I had to turn away from my students for a good couple of minutes while I got myself together. And they were SO SWEET about it. "Teacher don't cry!" Don't cry!" they chanted at me. I was really moved, so I let them have the choco-pies.
And as if that wasn't enough! After school, a few students came to my desk with presents! They gave me a card that had a freaking cute message on the back, and this sandwich they purchased from a convenience store across the street. Incidentally, our chapter that we're studying is on tea--and I did this super elaborate lesson on all things tea because I love it so much--and in the process, I told them that I usually go out for tea on my birthday every year. So these girls got a tea bag and paper cup (I don't know where from), and gave it to me so I could have some tea on my birthday. I thought it was the sweetest thing in the world. What got me, was that I thought about how they must have ran to that convenience store RIGHT when school ended...and how they were probably looking at all the cards, trying to pick out which one they thought I would like. And the same with the sandwich. The sandwich was almost like a tea sandwich--crustless, filled with melon mousse. I kept thinking about how they were in the store, looking at what they could afford and what they thought I would like, and then running all the way back to school to give it to me before I left for the day.
I didn't cry, but I was super moved.
Also, I got a bunch of random things/candy/food. Since I hadn't told anyone, people were basically just giving me the things they had around, but the sentiment was there. My vice principal gave me some juice in the glass bottles they enjoy so much here. I was walking home, and a student saw me, stopped me, said "happy birthday teacher!" oh gift, gift!" Then reached into their coat pocket, pulled out a chupa-chup lollipop, and gave it to me. All while we were at an intersection. Another teacher MADE this crazy box and filled it with candy, wrote me a note in ENGLISH and passed it to an english teacher to give to me. He is a MATH teacher...and I'm not entirely sure I've ever met him before!
Today, the day after my birthday, another student wrote me this super cute note about feeling sorry that they didn't realize that yesterday was my birthday.
I've said this before and I'll say this again, Korean hospitality is so heart warming. I feel so undeserving, and yet truly grateful. I was, and still am, truly touched by the thoughts and sentiments of those I work with, and work for. I couldn't have asked for anything more on my birthday.
The gifts I got on the way home
The back of the card
today's belated birthday letter
But if you start thinking about particulars--the people, the weather, the food--that's when you can find yourself a bit homesick.
In any case, I went to school on Wednesday and went ahead teaching like normal. I hadn't really told anyone it was my birthday, since I didn't want it to be a big deal. I had told some of my students in passing the week before, and only because we were on the subject of birthdays.
It wasn't until maybe 3rd or 4th period that news broke that it was, in fact, Michelle teacher's birthday. I got sung to a lot that day. It was very cute. I actually didn't feel sad at all, until I thought about it. My voice lodged in my throat when, in the middle of expressing my thanks to my classes for their kind thoughts, I thought about how it was my first birthday away from home.
I'm telling you, you don't feel it until you stop and actually think about how far away you really are.
But then, came my very last class.
The bell rang for class to begin, and I hear my co-teacher tell the class to begin, and they all started singing "happy birthday" to me in english. I was suprised, of course, but what really got me was when I saw one of the students walking up with a "birthday cake" made out of choco-pies with a candle in it that was the number 2 lit. Taped onto the #2 candle was a paper question mark, since they didn't know how old I was turning. So everyone was singing, and then there was this cake, with its candle, and I thought about how I was so far away from home, and then I broke down into tears.
I had to turn away from my students for a good couple of minutes while I got myself together. And they were SO SWEET about it. "Teacher don't cry!" Don't cry!" they chanted at me. I was really moved, so I let them have the choco-pies.
And as if that wasn't enough! After school, a few students came to my desk with presents! They gave me a card that had a freaking cute message on the back, and this sandwich they purchased from a convenience store across the street. Incidentally, our chapter that we're studying is on tea--and I did this super elaborate lesson on all things tea because I love it so much--and in the process, I told them that I usually go out for tea on my birthday every year. So these girls got a tea bag and paper cup (I don't know where from), and gave it to me so I could have some tea on my birthday. I thought it was the sweetest thing in the world. What got me, was that I thought about how they must have ran to that convenience store RIGHT when school ended...and how they were probably looking at all the cards, trying to pick out which one they thought I would like. And the same with the sandwich. The sandwich was almost like a tea sandwich--crustless, filled with melon mousse. I kept thinking about how they were in the store, looking at what they could afford and what they thought I would like, and then running all the way back to school to give it to me before I left for the day.
I didn't cry, but I was super moved.
Also, I got a bunch of random things/candy/food. Since I hadn't told anyone, people were basically just giving me the things they had around, but the sentiment was there. My vice principal gave me some juice in the glass bottles they enjoy so much here. I was walking home, and a student saw me, stopped me, said "happy birthday teacher!" oh gift, gift!" Then reached into their coat pocket, pulled out a chupa-chup lollipop, and gave it to me. All while we were at an intersection. Another teacher MADE this crazy box and filled it with candy, wrote me a note in ENGLISH and passed it to an english teacher to give to me. He is a MATH teacher...and I'm not entirely sure I've ever met him before!
Today, the day after my birthday, another student wrote me this super cute note about feeling sorry that they didn't realize that yesterday was my birthday.
I've said this before and I'll say this again, Korean hospitality is so heart warming. I feel so undeserving, and yet truly grateful. I was, and still am, truly touched by the thoughts and sentiments of those I work with, and work for. I couldn't have asked for anything more on my birthday.
The gifts I got on the way home
The back of the card
today's belated birthday letterTuesday, March 22, 2011
Heart, Mind, & Seoul: Month One
It's been one month to the day that I've been in Seoul. It's been a whirlwind month to say the least, and I'm not quite sure how to describe how surreal everything still feels, and yet at the same time, the stirrings of the familiar and the comfort of a place called home.
I'm only just starting to get into a routine, of work as well as play, and during the daytime when I'm on the grind, it's lovely to have the evenings and the weekends to explore. The city is still on a scale the likes of which I've never lived before, and there's so much I want to see and do and I know that I've barely scratched the surface of what it means to live in Seoul. Or, in other words, I have yet to discover what Seoul's word is. I feel like such an adventurer, going just to go because I'm confident that I'll find something worth going for. It's thrilling and exciting and at times can make someone feel infinite, even, or perhaps especially, in a city of bright lights and nameless faces.
I had worried, initially, about my choice to work in Seoul. At first I wasn't sure I was prepared for Seoul--that it would be too big, too urban, too impersonal for me. I had thought maybe I better start out somewhere close by, but not in, Seoul... like Incheon or Suwon/Gyeonggi. But then I realized that you can never prepare for something as complex as Seoul--that there's nothing you can do, say, plan for, or study that can encompass all the Seoul is. You just have to go, and trust that as big as a city like Seoul is, with all of its means and resources and experience at its disposal, it can offer your something that no other city in Korea can.
So I decided to go with Seoul, and I haven't regretted it once.
But this day not only marks the end of my first month in Korea...but it also marks the last day of my 25th year. Tomorrow is my 26th birthday.
Did I know, a year ago that I would be celebrating my 26th in Korea? I hadn't the faintest idea. Sure, the idea would have been extremely appealing to me, but I think back then it was something like wishful thinking. There were a million reasons why I couldn't have gone half-way around the world for something like teaching english.
It's funny how all million reasons seemed to be carried off by the wind. In the end, they amounted to very little.
This last year saw some incredible highs and lows. I finished my master's thesis and obtained my masters degree. I moved across the country to study at UPenn. I got my butt kicked by greek & subsequently dropped out of school. I bummed around Pennsylvania and then California for months doing random work & play. I moved out of the US to work internationally. I began to study Korean. I currently have two apartments in two cities in two countries. I made new friends and kept old ones. I got into fights, and I laughed. A lot.
All in all, not a bad year, I say.
When I think about my life as it currently stands, there's not a whole lot I would change about it. Sure, I had envisioned my life differently as a child, and it's true that I would like a bit more stability, since I can't be teaching english in Korea my whole life and need to be prepared for what happens to me once I leave this place (if I leave this place?) and settle back down in the US...this is the very thing that worries my parents the most, because, let's face it, I'm not exactly young enough to be gallivanting all over without a care in the world. BUT, I'm happy. Here, in this place, in this space, in this moment.
I not only work and survive in Seoul, but I also live in Seoul. I hope to flourish in Seoul.
I also would not be here without the people who have supported, and continue to support, me. I am only ever so strong because I know the quality of the people who are at my back. In so many ways, this adventure is yours as well as mine.
I'm only just starting to get into a routine, of work as well as play, and during the daytime when I'm on the grind, it's lovely to have the evenings and the weekends to explore. The city is still on a scale the likes of which I've never lived before, and there's so much I want to see and do and I know that I've barely scratched the surface of what it means to live in Seoul. Or, in other words, I have yet to discover what Seoul's word is. I feel like such an adventurer, going just to go because I'm confident that I'll find something worth going for. It's thrilling and exciting and at times can make someone feel infinite, even, or perhaps especially, in a city of bright lights and nameless faces.
I had worried, initially, about my choice to work in Seoul. At first I wasn't sure I was prepared for Seoul--that it would be too big, too urban, too impersonal for me. I had thought maybe I better start out somewhere close by, but not in, Seoul... like Incheon or Suwon/Gyeonggi. But then I realized that you can never prepare for something as complex as Seoul--that there's nothing you can do, say, plan for, or study that can encompass all the Seoul is. You just have to go, and trust that as big as a city like Seoul is, with all of its means and resources and experience at its disposal, it can offer your something that no other city in Korea can.
So I decided to go with Seoul, and I haven't regretted it once.
But this day not only marks the end of my first month in Korea...but it also marks the last day of my 25th year. Tomorrow is my 26th birthday.
Did I know, a year ago that I would be celebrating my 26th in Korea? I hadn't the faintest idea. Sure, the idea would have been extremely appealing to me, but I think back then it was something like wishful thinking. There were a million reasons why I couldn't have gone half-way around the world for something like teaching english.
It's funny how all million reasons seemed to be carried off by the wind. In the end, they amounted to very little.
This last year saw some incredible highs and lows. I finished my master's thesis and obtained my masters degree. I moved across the country to study at UPenn. I got my butt kicked by greek & subsequently dropped out of school. I bummed around Pennsylvania and then California for months doing random work & play. I moved out of the US to work internationally. I began to study Korean. I currently have two apartments in two cities in two countries. I made new friends and kept old ones. I got into fights, and I laughed. A lot.
All in all, not a bad year, I say.
When I think about my life as it currently stands, there's not a whole lot I would change about it. Sure, I had envisioned my life differently as a child, and it's true that I would like a bit more stability, since I can't be teaching english in Korea my whole life and need to be prepared for what happens to me once I leave this place (if I leave this place?) and settle back down in the US...this is the very thing that worries my parents the most, because, let's face it, I'm not exactly young enough to be gallivanting all over without a care in the world. BUT, I'm happy. Here, in this place, in this space, in this moment.
I not only work and survive in Seoul, but I also live in Seoul. I hope to flourish in Seoul.
I also would not be here without the people who have supported, and continue to support, me. I am only ever so strong because I know the quality of the people who are at my back. In so many ways, this adventure is yours as well as mine.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Munchies: Yeolbong
After school today a friend and I headed over the Gangnam to visit Se7en's steamed chicken restaurant, Yeolbong. We actually wanted to go last night, but apparently we got there too late because it was closed. I guess it closes early on Sunday (unless they aren't even open on Sunday?) since we got there around 930 & their twitter page says they should be open until 11pm. I was slightly disappointed, since we walked around forever trying to find the place.
But we went again today, got there in record time since we knew exactly where it was, and this time it was open. yay!
The Setup
The first thing you notice is the infamous Se7en cardboard cut out that greets you by the entrance. Many a person, both famous and otherwise, have taken a picture with this cutout, including yours truly ;)
It's actually super, duper small. The seating area is pretty much "L" shaped with tables along the walls and in the middle. We had to sit down in the middle tables since everything along the walls was taken.
The restaurant may be small but it's really handsome. Along the length of one of the walls is this really pretty white tile, and a shelf that housed all the pictures of the YG Fam & other celebs who have visited Yeolbong. On the shelf there were these less attractive white rocks & various chicken figurines. Along the opposite wall was a different kind of tile, almost like limestone, and I loved the contrast. All the furniture was the lovely dark and heavy wood I adore so much, and the light fixtures were these white wired "nest" things. All in all, it provided a cozy and warm sort of atmosphere, intimate but casual.
Of course, right when you walk in there's that crazy tree that has peppers hanging from it, as well as pictures of various celebs & YG fam that have visited. Yoo In Na seemed like she went the most. Followed by the members of Big Bang: GD, TOP, Daesung & Taeyang.
Yoo In Na & Taeyang sitting in a tree... ^_^
The food
The usual set up. A soup to start (this one was cold broth with bean sprouts) & banchan of radishes.
The menu pretty much has two kinds of chicken you can order. You can determine the level of heat (one pepper, two peppers or three peppers), as well as size (small, medium, large). There are a few other things you can order on the menu, which are primarily side dishes of rice with tofu and seaweed, or a tofu dish.
To be honest, I don't remember what our dish was called. But we ordered the small, heat level: one pepper. The size was perfect for two people & we ordered some rice to go along with it. The chicken came out in this amazingly flavorful sauce that had stewed potatoes, carrots, and red pepper. Also in the sauce were clear noodles & greens.
I mentioned earlier that we opted for our food heat being only one pepper. I don't think I'm a wuss when it comes to spicy things, but my friend and I were practically dying, it was so spicy. But we kept eating, because it was so good. When our water started to become ineffective against the spice, we decided to order some juice. Mostly because we saw that everyone had some juice on their tables, instead of milk like we were used to. There was pineapple juice available, and something at the time we thought was like cloudy apple juice. We opted for the cloudy applejuice because we thought it was yogurty/dairy and might help with the heat.
heaven sent.
We stumbled upon the most pleasant of discoveries. It wasn't apple juice at all, but rather peach juice & let me just say that it was heaven sent. Delicious and helped in all the ways a drink should help you when you eat something incredibly spicy. Much to our dismay, the korean girls around us clearly had dishes made of 2 or 3 peppers, and were having no trouble getting through it! I was astonished, because for a while I was on the verge of tears!
The whole thing came out to be roughly 23,000 won for two people. Decently priced for a wonderful atmosphere, good food, and the possibility of celebrity watching! There were all sorts of people in the restaurant, and I saw more than one person taking pictures of the pictures on the walls. I had heard, though, that you aren't allowed to take pictures inside the restaurant--this was debunked when I took pictures right in front of the woman working the register. She didn't seem to mind that I was openly fangirling! Oh, and the music that was playing inside the restaurant was nothing but YG artists.
Ninja video, since I wasn't sure I could take pictures inside. Plus, I didn't want to be that girl.
Directions to Yeolbong:
- Gangnam (line 2), exit 7 (<---fitting, right?)
- Go straight out of the exit until you reach a store "POOM" & turn right going up the little hill (if you've hit the UNIQLO then you've gone too far)
- At the first intersection on the little hill, turn right
- Take the first left down side road, it will be on your left hand side, 2nd or 3rd store down (Se7en will be there to greet you
But we went again today, got there in record time since we knew exactly where it was, and this time it was open. yay!
The Setup
The first thing you notice is the infamous Se7en cardboard cut out that greets you by the entrance. Many a person, both famous and otherwise, have taken a picture with this cutout, including yours truly ;)
It's actually super, duper small. The seating area is pretty much "L" shaped with tables along the walls and in the middle. We had to sit down in the middle tables since everything along the walls was taken.
The restaurant may be small but it's really handsome. Along the length of one of the walls is this really pretty white tile, and a shelf that housed all the pictures of the YG Fam & other celebs who have visited Yeolbong. On the shelf there were these less attractive white rocks & various chicken figurines. Along the opposite wall was a different kind of tile, almost like limestone, and I loved the contrast. All the furniture was the lovely dark and heavy wood I adore so much, and the light fixtures were these white wired "nest" things. All in all, it provided a cozy and warm sort of atmosphere, intimate but casual.
Of course, right when you walk in there's that crazy tree that has peppers hanging from it, as well as pictures of various celebs & YG fam that have visited. Yoo In Na seemed like she went the most. Followed by the members of Big Bang: GD, TOP, Daesung & Taeyang.
Yoo In Na & Taeyang sitting in a tree... ^_^The food
The usual set up. A soup to start (this one was cold broth with bean sprouts) & banchan of radishes.The menu pretty much has two kinds of chicken you can order. You can determine the level of heat (one pepper, two peppers or three peppers), as well as size (small, medium, large). There are a few other things you can order on the menu, which are primarily side dishes of rice with tofu and seaweed, or a tofu dish.
To be honest, I don't remember what our dish was called. But we ordered the small, heat level: one pepper. The size was perfect for two people & we ordered some rice to go along with it. The chicken came out in this amazingly flavorful sauce that had stewed potatoes, carrots, and red pepper. Also in the sauce were clear noodles & greens.
I mentioned earlier that we opted for our food heat being only one pepper. I don't think I'm a wuss when it comes to spicy things, but my friend and I were practically dying, it was so spicy. But we kept eating, because it was so good. When our water started to become ineffective against the spice, we decided to order some juice. Mostly because we saw that everyone had some juice on their tables, instead of milk like we were used to. There was pineapple juice available, and something at the time we thought was like cloudy apple juice. We opted for the cloudy applejuice because we thought it was yogurty/dairy and might help with the heat.
heaven sent.We stumbled upon the most pleasant of discoveries. It wasn't apple juice at all, but rather peach juice & let me just say that it was heaven sent. Delicious and helped in all the ways a drink should help you when you eat something incredibly spicy. Much to our dismay, the korean girls around us clearly had dishes made of 2 or 3 peppers, and were having no trouble getting through it! I was astonished, because for a while I was on the verge of tears!
The whole thing came out to be roughly 23,000 won for two people. Decently priced for a wonderful atmosphere, good food, and the possibility of celebrity watching! There were all sorts of people in the restaurant, and I saw more than one person taking pictures of the pictures on the walls. I had heard, though, that you aren't allowed to take pictures inside the restaurant--this was debunked when I took pictures right in front of the woman working the register. She didn't seem to mind that I was openly fangirling! Oh, and the music that was playing inside the restaurant was nothing but YG artists.
Ninja video, since I wasn't sure I could take pictures inside. Plus, I didn't want to be that girl.
Directions to Yeolbong:
- Gangnam (line 2), exit 7 (<---fitting, right?)- Go straight out of the exit until you reach a store "POOM" & turn right going up the little hill (if you've hit the UNIQLO then you've gone too far)
- At the first intersection on the little hill, turn right
- Take the first left down side road, it will be on your left hand side, 2nd or 3rd store down (Se7en will be there to greet you
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Namsan, March 2011
After a late start this morning (I effectively spent the night shopping & then sleeping on some chairs in a Caffe Bene while waiting for the subway lines to start running in the morning), I pulled my pathetic self out of bed to walk up Namsan mountain.
I've been wanting to go to Namsan for a while now, but haven't had the chance to go, and I had promised myself that I would do it today. So even though I was still dead tired, I still went. And I had heard that today's weather was supposed to be nice & I was hoping for some nice shots of Seoul city. That didn't happen. It was overcast and grey and gloomy today. And the further up I went the colder it got. But it gave me an excuse to have some hot street food along the way ^_^
There are basically two ways you can get up the mountain and to the infamous Namsan Tower, now called North Seoul Tower. You can walk up the mountain, or you can take a convenient cable car. I was determined to walk up to the top, one because it would be good exercise, and two because I wanted to take pictures along the way.
The beginning of the walking/exercise trail. I had been under the impression that it would be a gradual incline and some switchbacks, but no. I think the more appropriate name would be the Namsan climbing trail. Because that's what you are doing. Climbing up a million billion steps. My legs were mush after going up and then coming back down. I was huffing and puffing and nearly fell off the dang mountain three times! I barely beat this ahjumma, while this old ahjussi totally passed me up lol.
Not the clearest day...
The first place you reach on the exercise trail is this viewpoint that has an small exercise park...just in case you weren't satisfied climbing the million billion steps to get to the top. Just in case.
The viewpoint, which includes the Namsan library. Also the parking lot is here, in case you drove up to bypass some of the steps.
From there, continue up up up!
Part of the fortress wall built in the 14th century CE. Namsan mountain used to mark the southern most point on Seoul. The city was surrounded by a fortress wall which you can still see on the mountain. Good luck trying to invade when you first have to climb up this crazy mountain.
But just in case someone did attack Seoul, there were these signal beacons that connected all of Korea. One fire, all's well. Two-four, under attack/enemy approaching. Five fires, fighting had begun.
What you see when you get to the very top. congratulations, you made it!
Namsam is famous for its couple locks. Basically couples go there to declare their undying love for one another by writing messages on locks, placing them somewhere in the throng, and throwing away the key. The whole way up, I had to endure the sight of couples going up together. I know I stuck out, not just because I was a foreigner, but because I was going to a couple place as a single.
I found this to be charming and hilarious. In case you couldn't tell, these are little farm animal shaped sod things. They look brown and ugly and dead, but I'm sure during the spring time they lively and cute and green. But they have couple locks on them too. I'm pretty sure one of them is a sheep. There were ducks and pigs too.
I think it would be interesting to see how the park changes throughout the year. I'm going to try to get up to Namsan once every two months to view and record the changes. I think it'll be a good little project for me ^_^
Lastly, I found my way to Namsan via a tour book I brought with me, but I sort of strayed from it, so here's how I got up the mountain:
- Myeongdong Station, exit 4
- When you exit the station, continue down the road for a few minutes until the road naturally bends to the left. Follow the road, the mountain will be before you.
- Walk towards the enclosed escalator, take it up to the Namsan bus stop/cable car station.
- From the cable car station, continue up the mountain about a block and cross over at the streetlight to arrive at the beginning of the exercise/walking trail.
I've been wanting to go to Namsan for a while now, but haven't had the chance to go, and I had promised myself that I would do it today. So even though I was still dead tired, I still went. And I had heard that today's weather was supposed to be nice & I was hoping for some nice shots of Seoul city. That didn't happen. It was overcast and grey and gloomy today. And the further up I went the colder it got. But it gave me an excuse to have some hot street food along the way ^_^
There are basically two ways you can get up the mountain and to the infamous Namsan Tower, now called North Seoul Tower. You can walk up the mountain, or you can take a convenient cable car. I was determined to walk up to the top, one because it would be good exercise, and two because I wanted to take pictures along the way.
The beginning of the walking/exercise trail. I had been under the impression that it would be a gradual incline and some switchbacks, but no. I think the more appropriate name would be the Namsan climbing trail. Because that's what you are doing. Climbing up a million billion steps. My legs were mush after going up and then coming back down. I was huffing and puffing and nearly fell off the dang mountain three times! I barely beat this ahjumma, while this old ahjussi totally passed me up lol. 
Not the clearest day...
The first place you reach on the exercise trail is this viewpoint that has an small exercise park...just in case you weren't satisfied climbing the million billion steps to get to the top. Just in case. 
The viewpoint, which includes the Namsan library. Also the parking lot is here, in case you drove up to bypass some of the steps.
From there, continue up up up!
Part of the fortress wall built in the 14th century CE. Namsan mountain used to mark the southern most point on Seoul. The city was surrounded by a fortress wall which you can still see on the mountain. Good luck trying to invade when you first have to climb up this crazy mountain.
But just in case someone did attack Seoul, there were these signal beacons that connected all of Korea. One fire, all's well. Two-four, under attack/enemy approaching. Five fires, fighting had begun.
What you see when you get to the very top. congratulations, you made it!
Namsam is famous for its couple locks. Basically couples go there to declare their undying love for one another by writing messages on locks, placing them somewhere in the throng, and throwing away the key. The whole way up, I had to endure the sight of couples going up together. I know I stuck out, not just because I was a foreigner, but because I was going to a couple place as a single. 
I found this to be charming and hilarious. In case you couldn't tell, these are little farm animal shaped sod things. They look brown and ugly and dead, but I'm sure during the spring time they lively and cute and green. But they have couple locks on them too. I'm pretty sure one of them is a sheep. There were ducks and pigs too.
I think it would be interesting to see how the park changes throughout the year. I'm going to try to get up to Namsan once every two months to view and record the changes. I think it'll be a good little project for me ^_^
Lastly, I found my way to Namsan via a tour book I brought with me, but I sort of strayed from it, so here's how I got up the mountain:
- Myeongdong Station, exit 4- When you exit the station, continue down the road for a few minutes until the road naturally bends to the left. Follow the road, the mountain will be before you.
- Walk towards the enclosed escalator, take it up to the Namsan bus stop/cable car station.
- From the cable car station, continue up the mountain about a block and cross over at the streetlight to arrive at the beginning of the exercise/walking trail.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Word, White Day, & Work Friends
I’m at work, sitting at my desk, typing this on Microsoft word… English version. If you think I’m way too excited for this, you haven’t been condoned to doing heavy word/ppt/excel files using a non-english version (if English is your first/primary language). Plus, I’m a mac person. At work, I have to use PCs. And the MS office they have on these computers is XP…aka, all these mini-menus that I can’t read in Korean and all I want to do is make my margins smaller so all the text fits on one page and I don’t have to waste paper and why is this taking me 30 minutes to try and figure out?
When I called that man my opposition, I just meant that the first day I met him, I wasn't sure if he liked me at all. He would tease some other teachers for talking with me. So I thought that he didn't like me/think I was of any value.
But today, we passed each other on the staircase, and we almost passed each other without saying anything when out of the blue he just says, "Michelle, right?" & all I say is yes & greet him in my limited Korean. Then I go on my merry/shocked way. But then later on, we were in the main office & we were about to pass by each other again, so I meekly bowed to him like I meekly bow to everyone EXCEPT the principal & vice principal, and I guess he didn't see me or anything because he just kept walking. But I guess someone saw me bow & told him that I greeted him, because he came to my desk and started talking to me. I, of course, needed a translator but he was making jokes and stuff. At first, I thought it was at my expense...but it happens to not be the case at all. AND THEN, he started showing me all this stuff, like his book he published!
Let me just say, I had a complete OMG moment. His book, from what I can tell, is a study. He keeps these crazy notebooks where he studies flowers, draws them with oil pastels, and then writes his observations about them. Theres even their freaking latin names in the description. These are honest to God, old school Rousseu-esque freaking notebooks. Like, who does this any more? I was so impressed. First he showed me his published book, then the notebooks he's complied over the years, then his expensive set of oil pastels, and a few other of his publications. He was swinging by my desk every few minutes with something new for me to look at. My co-teacher said that she thinks he really wants to be my friend LOL.
Who knew a few insas was all it took to win someone over? If only it were always this easy!
So yeah, they got me an English version of MS office. And it’s freaking glorious.
I meant to talk about this earlier, but a few days ago was White Day here in Korea. To explain what White Day is, I have to talk about it’s more familiar counter-part: Valentine’s Day. In the west, Valentine’s Day is celebrated (usually) between couples where both parties give presents to the other in commemoration of their couplehood. In Korea, on Valentine’s day, ONLY the girls give presents to the boys. Then, a month later, on March 14, aka White Day, the boys return the gesture and give presents to the girls.
Since I teach at an all girls high school, there was no way that I was going to get anything -___-. But omg, my girls are so cute, I got some candy (yay) AND a GD & TOP poster!! SCORE ^^
When I called that man my opposition, I just meant that the first day I met him, I wasn't sure if he liked me at all. He would tease some other teachers for talking with me. So I thought that he didn't like me/think I was of any value.
But today, we passed each other on the staircase, and we almost passed each other without saying anything when out of the blue he just says, "Michelle, right?" & all I say is yes & greet him in my limited Korean. Then I go on my merry/shocked way. But then later on, we were in the main office & we were about to pass by each other again, so I meekly bowed to him like I meekly bow to everyone EXCEPT the principal & vice principal, and I guess he didn't see me or anything because he just kept walking. But I guess someone saw me bow & told him that I greeted him, because he came to my desk and started talking to me. I, of course, needed a translator but he was making jokes and stuff. At first, I thought it was at my expense...but it happens to not be the case at all. AND THEN, he started showing me all this stuff, like his book he published!
Let me just say, I had a complete OMG moment. His book, from what I can tell, is a study. He keeps these crazy notebooks where he studies flowers, draws them with oil pastels, and then writes his observations about them. Theres even their freaking latin names in the description. These are honest to God, old school Rousseu-esque freaking notebooks. Like, who does this any more? I was so impressed. First he showed me his published book, then the notebooks he's complied over the years, then his expensive set of oil pastels, and a few other of his publications. He was swinging by my desk every few minutes with something new for me to look at. My co-teacher said that she thinks he really wants to be my friend LOL.
Who knew a few insas was all it took to win someone over? If only it were always this easy!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
My School Schedule
What a typical week looks like. Twenty classes, level one @ twice/wk; level 2 @ thrice/wk:
I'm supposed to be at school at 8:00AM each day, but I don't actually start teaching until 8:30. Unless it's Wednesday, which means we have a staff meeting at 7:45 & its usually 45 mins of me sitting at my desk & not understanding what's going on, but being unable to work on my own things since I should be paying attention & focused on the meeting like all the rest of the teachers.Anyway, on most mornings I have roughly 30 mins to get myself ready for the 4-5 classes I'll teach that day. It's nice to ease into things in the morning & gather my thoughts for the day ahead.
Also, at 4:10PM each day is designated as homeroom teacher time, I guess as a sort of planning period, but since I'm not a homeroom teacher, I just sit at my desk and try to lesson plan. This period, however, is also the cleaning period for the students, so everyday I have some high schools sweep and mop around my desk, clean it off if I need it, or throw out my trash if I had some. Child labor at it's finest. I'm kidding of course.
This time is also sort of fun for me because it's when I get a few students who come up to my desk and just want to talk to me. Even if they don't have anything in particular they want to say to me, they just look so EAGER that I stop whatever it is that I'm doing just to shoot the breeze with them for awhile.
With this many classes, and me seeing them so often each week, I'm responsible for roughly 7 lesson plans per week. When I went through training, EPIK estimated that I would be lesson planning for about 2-3 classes/week. Right. But on top of all that, everyday during student's lunch, the english classroom is open for conversation and activities. Activities that I have to plan. Everyday. It's exhausting trying to figure out so many activities for one week. And it's only the second week!
But once 4:40 hits, I'm out the door. I sort of feel bad because the rest of the teachers, that is, the ones who are full time teachers, have to stay a bit longer. My desk is in the main teacher's room, which is essentially a big room with like cubicles in it. All the rest of us bounce and it's a bit awkward because everyone can see you leaving. And sometimes these same teachers that I goodbye to first, are at school the next day BEFORE me.
I also never know what language I should speak with the other teachers. With the students for sure I only speak english with them, since I am their english teacher. But with the other teachers I never know if I should speak english or korean. I try to bow to everyone I know, and say hello to them when I see them, but it's a bit funny because they'll try to speak to me in English and I'll try to speak to them in Korean. Broken English meets Broken Korean. ^^
I'm supposed to be at school at 8:00AM each day, but I don't actually start teaching until 8:30. Unless it's Wednesday, which means we have a staff meeting at 7:45 & its usually 45 mins of me sitting at my desk & not understanding what's going on, but being unable to work on my own things since I should be paying attention & focused on the meeting like all the rest of the teachers.Anyway, on most mornings I have roughly 30 mins to get myself ready for the 4-5 classes I'll teach that day. It's nice to ease into things in the morning & gather my thoughts for the day ahead.
Also, at 4:10PM each day is designated as homeroom teacher time, I guess as a sort of planning period, but since I'm not a homeroom teacher, I just sit at my desk and try to lesson plan. This period, however, is also the cleaning period for the students, so everyday I have some high schools sweep and mop around my desk, clean it off if I need it, or throw out my trash if I had some. Child labor at it's finest. I'm kidding of course.
This time is also sort of fun for me because it's when I get a few students who come up to my desk and just want to talk to me. Even if they don't have anything in particular they want to say to me, they just look so EAGER that I stop whatever it is that I'm doing just to shoot the breeze with them for awhile.
With this many classes, and me seeing them so often each week, I'm responsible for roughly 7 lesson plans per week. When I went through training, EPIK estimated that I would be lesson planning for about 2-3 classes/week. Right. But on top of all that, everyday during student's lunch, the english classroom is open for conversation and activities. Activities that I have to plan. Everyday. It's exhausting trying to figure out so many activities for one week. And it's only the second week!
But once 4:40 hits, I'm out the door. I sort of feel bad because the rest of the teachers, that is, the ones who are full time teachers, have to stay a bit longer. My desk is in the main teacher's room, which is essentially a big room with like cubicles in it. All the rest of us bounce and it's a bit awkward because everyone can see you leaving. And sometimes these same teachers that I goodbye to first, are at school the next day BEFORE me.
I also never know what language I should speak with the other teachers. With the students for sure I only speak english with them, since I am their english teacher. But with the other teachers I never know if I should speak english or korean. I try to bow to everyone I know, and say hello to them when I see them, but it's a bit funny because they'll try to speak to me in English and I'll try to speak to them in Korean. Broken English meets Broken Korean. ^^
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Korean Classes
I've been trying to find a Korean course to take here. I really really want to learn the language & I want to learn it in a class because I've never, ever, been good at independent study/online courses. But finding a course has been harder than I thought it would be, considering I'm in Seoul. The problem lies in budget & time restrictions, as well is course focus.
- I am limited to night and/or weekend classes, since I'm teaching during the week. There are many good programs that are available to me via tried and true universities, but their semesters have already started.
- There are free or nearly free courses, but they have already all been filled for the upcoming month/semester.
- Then there are the private centers I could attend, but these are ridiculously expensive (hagwon).
- And lastly, there are the free ones that focus on conversation because they are language exchanges (groups usually meet over coffee to just talk). But they are a bit too casual for me, I think. I want to learn the language properly & not just random sentences to say to people to get what I want. These language exchange meet-ups I think are a good start just, but I definitely need grammar in there too. I've studied languages too much to not care about grammar.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Spotting Big Bang
Yeah, I'm THAT girl that's super embarrassing because I flip out if I so much as HEAR Big Bang on the streets (you can imagine what I spazz I am since BB is everywhere right now). So OF COURSE I take pictures of random things associated with them.
This was right outside NB in Hongdae, one of the clubs YG owns. Needless to say, there was a lot of Big Bang playing inside. It was great to see the crowd dance to "High High," to see the guys get into TOP's "Turn It Up," & to listen to the girl's sing Park Bom's part in "Oh Yeah." ^^
"Even the corner store coffee's name is T.O.P..."
Subways..
& I finally made it out to the YG building today. Only, I went at night so there was nothing going on...at least, on the outside. I know how crazy the boys work. There were a few YG stans waiting outside, chillin on the curb outside the GS25 LOL.
Even though nothing at all remarkable happened, it was still a bit surreal to be standing outside the building. It's impressive, although a bit small & underwhelming in person. Still, this is the YG Building. It was crazy to think that Big Bang, se7en, 2ne1, Gummy, Psy, 1tym, jinusean & all the rest are based RIGHT THERE. Nuts. Will return in the daytime...and hopefully often!!^^In case you are curious, directions to YG:
-Hapjeong Station, exit 8-When you come out to street level from exit 8, there will be an SK gas station immediately before you. Walk straight on the road until you meet a 2nd SK gas station, turn right.
-The building will be on your left, down one of the side streets, so walk maybe 60 yards.
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