The Kimchi Chronicles

Real Life

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:26:00 +0000

Real life has gotten in the way of blogging, much to my disappointment. I apologize for anyone who has been wondering where I've gone to and when I would be back again with a new post. Here I am.

I feel like I've been in a state of flux since November, with school stuff, friends, extracurricular activities, and every day life.

The hardest part of it all has been school. Imagine my surprise when my school chose not renew my contract for another year, as well as the contracts of a few other female teachers. The principal had chosen instead to hire several new male teachers, even though the current teachers now had experience working with the school. The decision left some of the other teachers baffled and confused as to the reasoning behind it, and it left me reeling. To me, it felt like a slap in the face. Had my teaching not been good enough? Was I not a good enough teacher to warrant a renewal after all? Was my desire for teaching and my appreciation for my students not enough?

All these questions and more went through my brain, and in some way, still do. In the States, there are laws that prevent this kind of thing from happening, but in Korea, traditional mindsets rule. I'm uncertain if this had anything to do with the principal's decision but whatever the reason, I've been trying to move past it and see what is next. Easier said than done, of course, and not without struggle or feeling depressed.

As a result, I've been questioning what exactly I want to do with my time in Korea. Do I want to stay longer? Is it time to go home? Have I learned what I can from my experiences? Am I ready to start the next chapter of my life? If so, what is the next chapter?

This year I turned 28. I arrived in Korea in 2008, when I was 24. At that time, I had been out of college for almost 2 years, working as a teacher assistant/tutor in a local elementary school but not making a lot of money doing it. After several unsuccessful applications to graduate programs for a master's in English Education, I wasn't sure if teaching was something I really wanted to do anymore. Cue an email about teaching in Korea. It seemed so far-fetched and foreign at the time. However, a little part of me started thinking...what would be so bad about living in another country for a year, making/saving money, not paying for an apartment or car, and learning about teaching ESL? It would definitely help me decide if teaching was what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Not knowing much about Korea or teaching, I took a leap of faith and jumped right into a new adventure. I was determined to learn what I could as I went along, and take things as they came. Some people might have thought I was crazy doing it, but the time I've had here has taught me more about living than what I would have gained at home. Living in a foreign country gave me a kind of independence that I hadn't felt before, making all my own decisions about how I wanted to do things. I called all my own shots about grocery shopping, travel, even what I would do outside of work in my free time.

I thought it would only a be a year. One year of my time and I would return to NC ready to see what my life had in store for me next. Little did I know that year would pass quickly and lead to another.

Now after 4 years in Korea I'm on the fence regarding what to do next. My plan was to stay for another year with my current school and then head home in 2012, but recent events have made me reconsider. After much debating and thinking, I decided to stay one more year, but go into the public school system. This would be similar to teaching back home, and with the benefits of vacation and higher pay, more enjoyable.

My plan after that is to head back to NC to get my teaching license. Originally I wanted to be a high school English teacher, but teaching here has changed my perspective on younger students. All my experience in Korea has been with elementary and middle school students, and I feel like this will help me in teaching these age groups in the States. This year will be spent preparing to return to NC, studying for my PRAXIS exam(s), applying to grad school and lateral entry programs, and wrapping up my time in Korea. It's been a good few years in the land of morning calm but I feel in my heart that it's time to bid farewell to this country that's been my adopted home. There's so much more I want to do, and I can't do it all here. I've been putting my career and life on hold while living 7000 miles from home, watching friends marry, move away, have babies, start jobs, and live their everyday lives--experiencing these changes through phone calls, emails, and Facebook posts. Even being in the "future" I still feel stuck backwards in time, finding out about things long after they happened. I want things to happen in real time. I want to go back to the place that is calling me home. I want to go back to the land of the long-leaf pines, Outer Banks, the Appalachian Mountains, Chapel Hill, crisp autumn nights and summer thunderstorms, sweet tea, barbecue, WalMart, Target, shopping malls, family, friends, my house....the list goes on and on.

This post is long in coming, but sometimes real life gets in the way. Sometimes our lives get in the way of other things we should be doing, but just don't know it yet.

It's time I stopped living on pause and started living on go again.

Amazing Time Lapse of Seoul

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:05:00 +0000

This video was brought to my attention by Danver, a friend and coworker. I'm glad she shared it on Facebook so I could share it with you. Enjoy!

Seoul Time Lapse 2011 from Oh Choong Young on Vimeo.

One Test for the Rest of Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:50:00 +0000

Today is the annual Suneung, or university entrance exam in Korea. It's similar to the SAT, but incorporates so much more than any college test I ever took!

All high school students arrived at school (hopefully early) to take an 8-hour test that will determine what university they will enter after graduation in the spring. Over the past year, they've logged countless hours studying with little sleep (less than they were used to getting before high school) to prepare for this exam.

Parents place all their hopes on their sons and daughters getting into one of the SKY universities (Seoul National, Kyeonggi, and Yonsei) so that a good job may be secured. It's such a serious test that other schools in the area will close or delay their start times, as well as local offices and businesses--just so the testing seniors can get to school on time. Extra transportation runs to ferry students to school, and the police make sure that the roads are less crazy than usual, even. Underclassmen arrive early to cheer on their senior classmates, and some friends and family will remain camped outside the school until their student is done testing. Stores stock up on special foods and drinks promising good test results and increased concentration, while family members are cautious not to affect the mood of their student whilst he or she is studying.

All the prep for a good college doesn't come without negative consequences, however. The stress levels of high school seniors is sometimes so much that it drives them to suicide. Suicide rates among high school students numbers in the few hundreds every year. It has been such a problem that President Lee Myeong-bak passed a law limiting the operating hours of private cram schools (hagwons) to stay open only until 10 pm. These days, officials patrol and routinely crack down on schools who violate this rule. They are trying to ensure that students don't overstretch themselves studying to the point of exhaustion, illness, depression and suicide.

Best wishes to all the students who took their suneungs today!

Sometimes all you need is some catchy KPop

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:02:00 +0000

Catchy KPop tunes help shoo away the doldrums, and if you're lucky, get your foot tapping and body moving (also good for the gym!). Luckily, the latest music from Wonder Girls and Girls Generation does just that.

The Wonder Girls' new single is titled "Be My Baby" and to me, the choreography carries a lot of elements over from Beyonce's popular "Single Ladies." The tune itself reminds me of another song I can't quite put my finger on, however.

I have been hearing Girls Generation's "The Boys" everywhere in the stores these days, having been out for a few weeks now. It won't be long before the same is true of the Wonder Girls, and then there will be some stiff competition for airplay.

While searching for the latest Wonder Girls' single on YouTube, I found this cool video from a live cover performance they did of "Nothin' on You" by B.O.B. for Billboard Studio Sessions.

The last few weeks...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:06:00 +0000

The past few weeks have been filled with all kinds of activities that have kept me busy, and thus, not able to update as often as I would like!

At the beginning of October our school held an art festival where all the classes put on performances for their parents and peers. Some classes played instruments, some danced ballet, and some sang songs with accompanying dance routines. Even a few of the teachers got involved with the students, including myself. The 4 Hope class Korean teacher dropped out of a performance of "Summer Nights" from Grease, so I stepped in to help out my friend. After a few days of rehearsal, we had put together some dance moves to go with our song, and hoped that it would be good enough to impress the parents and students. Well, it turned out to be pretty good, generating a round of applause and a standing ovation, even. (Let's just hope we won't be asked for a repeat performance for next year's festival.)

Next was a trip outside of Gwangju with Pedro's Lonely Korea group to see a cool Buddha carved in the side of a mountain. I did a little post on that previously, which you can check out here. The weekend afterwards brought my first-ever paintball experience. That was awesome and exhilarating and confusing, all at the same time. A large group of my friends and I went to a wooded area to the northeast of the city and donned full body gear just to shoot each other. It would definitely be a good way to get out any aggression towards someone if you had any! The rest of that weekend was dedicated to a girls' weekend in, where we drank wine, painted our nails, talked about girly things, and watched a movie. And it was made complete with an awesome Sunday breakfast of peanut butter banana pancakes with brown sugar butter and maple syrup.

Everyone came together again as a group a weekend later to celebrate our friends Alushia and Misub's birthdays with a big potluck barbecue at his shop. After we stuffed ourselves with delicious food and Gail's pumpkin spice cake, we headed to the noraebang rooms we had rented to sing our hearts out. Giving out sparklers to random Koreans in the street made the evening even more fun once we left the noraebang and canvassed our usual spots.

And then there was the BIG weekend, this past weekend. Friday was Alushia's actual birthday, so we took her out for a nice Italian dinner and to hang out for a little while. The evening was pretty tame, because we all knew that the next night would bring almost sure insanity. (It was Halloween weekend, after all.)

We met up after the Gwangju International Day to put the finishing touches on our costumes and then headed downtown in groups to join all the other Halloween revelers. Feed the Boats was playing a show at Speakeasy, so that was the place to be to catch good music and check out everyone else's costumes. I saw a lot of very unique outfits, some of which I still can't be sure what they were supposed to be. I myself dressed up as "Bad" Sandy from "Grease," which involved lots of leather, red lipstick, and teased, curly hair. That night, I found myself in the company of a zombie hoard, Mr. Potato Head, RoboCop, Kim Jong Il, a Japanese cartoon character, Bananas in Pajamas, gay Hitler, pirates, assorted animals, and the Bermuda Triangle among others. (See, I told you Halloween was going to be insanity.) Koreans would walk by our large group of costumed folk outside Speaks listening to the music, and quickly walk past hoping to remain unseen. Most of the time, however, they were chased down by the zombie hoard, scared silly, and photographed.

Now it's November, and more adventures and fun are unfolding before me. It doesn't quite feel like fall here at the moment, with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees this week. But I hope that the chill of fall will return, and then soon after, winter should be here.

In Korea, sometimes it's possible to get so busy with everything you almost forget to breathe. But this is why I love my life.

Having an oven in Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:47:00 +0000

Anyone who knows me knows I love to cook, and I love to feed people. Even before I was able to cook meals for myself or others, I knew how to bake. My mom made darn sure of that. When I was old enough to see over the counter-tops of our kitchen, she put an apron on me and set me on a footstool to watch her as she rolled out cookies, mixed cake batters, and kneaded bread dough. At first she only let me watch as she explained things: how to tell if a dough was too hard, too sticky, or just right for baking and how to fix each problem. She showed me how to measure out dry ingredients properly to ensure the most exact amount. She even taught me the fine art of how to eyeball the perfect ratio of cookie dough to cookie sheet coverage.

My first forays into solo baking were not without errors, however. I distinctly remember a batch of overly salty chocolate chip cookies when I lost track of my ingredients and ended up adding too much. Not to mention there were several instances of over-baked cookies that resembled hockey pucks. My hands are laced with several burn scars from absently grabbing hot cookie sheets and oven racks, then realizing that I am in fact not invincible.

After a few years of that, my mom decided it was time I moved into cooking something other than the dessert menu. She started to teach me her more basic recipes, the standards of our dinner table. And it was always with the advice that "those who know how to cook will never wonder what to eat for dinner." Her love for cooking was that she loved to feed people, and it made her happy when people enjoyed her food. Growing up I was somewhat of a picky eater, but these days I am pretty open to a lot of culinary experimentation. One of the most important lessons I learned from her was how to show people I cared about them through my cooking, and it still holds true. I enjoy cooking for myself, but far more for others, as I can share friendship as well as good food!

When I came to Korea I was unhappy to learn that ovens were not a common thing as back home. Most Koreans cooked on the gas range or ate food that came from a restaurant. I struggled to adapt my cooking methods to a gas range (I had never cooked on gas before), and exploring with new ingredients. Sad to say, I didn't cook much during my first year in Korea--not to the extent I was used to at home. But as I spent more time living here, I was able to seek out better ways of making food as well as how to use the new ingredients at my disposal.

Last year I had a tiny toaster oven that I used to make brownies or cookies from time to time, but it wasn't what I was really looking for in my kitchen. So this year I searched on GMarket and invested in a much nicer convection oven, large enough to hold a whole chicken. It came with a few various cooking tools and a pretty awesome rotisserie spit, which I will have to try sometime. The price is worth what I can do with it, and it has paid off handsomely. I've made a few loaves of banana bread, muffins, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and baked veggies and chicken in it. I love how I can toss a piece of seasoned chicken with veggies into the roasting tray, set the temperature and timer, and in 30 minutes have dinner ready to eat. The clean-up is a lot easier than fiddling with pans and utensils, too.

Having an oven in Korea has made all the difference when it comes to cooking and baking. I don't feel limited in what I can make; only in the ingredients I can find. Even then, I can find a pretty good substitute or do without.

What do you wish you could cook/bake in Korea? What food(s) from home do you miss eating the most here?

iPhone 4S in Korea November 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:25:00 +0000

The iPhone 4S will be released in Korea on November 11th, but it will not offer the Siri personal assistant service that many Western users are privy to on the new devices. The main reason behind this was the language barrier in getting the voice-recognition software to actually recognize what a user was trying to say. As anyone who has been in contact with English-speaking Koreans knows, many English words and phrases have been Koreanized, resulting in strange Konglish pronunciations. In order to avoid any potential future lawsuits resulting from misunderstanding on the part of the software, Korea has decided to opt out of offering Siri on their iPhone 4S models. This is in addition to the several other lawsuits Korea (namely Samsung) has pending again Apple at home and abroad.

Gwangju Foreign Radio Network

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:21:00 +0000

Do you like listening to the radio? Do you find the radio these days is full of the same 10 songs over and over again, catering to the current pop charts? Want to listen to something different, and learn cultural things in the process? Why not check out Gwangju's very own Foreign Radio Network, broadcasting 24/7 on 98.7FM in Gwangju, 93.7FM in Yeosu. It doesn't matter if you're in Korea or not, you can check out their current broadcasts and access past ones here. You can listen online at that website or on your smartphone through a free application called TuneIn Radio. The app is available for iPhone (iPod touch), Android, and Blackberry, among a few other platforms. They also have a website where you can listen to virtually any radio station you want.

A few of my friends are hosts on GFN, and they can always use more listeners! Plus, Gwangju residents can also win some cool prizes for participating in their contests (vouchers for local businesses). Check out the links to listen today!

Awesome Things About Korea #45: Celebrating a birthday in a VIP Noraebang Room

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Akin to hitting up karaoke at a bar back home, going to a noraebang room is one of the favorite pastimes of Koreans and foreigners alike. These neon-lighted, flashy interior singing halls dot the Korean landscape, beckoning in would-be rock stars with promises of cheap drinks, snacks, and renditions of everyone's favorite songs.

For my friends Alushia and Misub's joint birthday party, we booked two of the VIP noraebang rooms for singing our lungs out. After a delicious barbecue potluck dinner, we headed over to WA Bar in a large group to start the night off right. With around 20 people coming to sing, we surely needed the two separate rooms to accommodate everyone. Soon our ears were filled with the sounds of both popular and lesser-known tunes, belted out solo or in a group number. We even danced our way through some of the songs, including the one-time hit "Macarena." A few hours passed before we had our fill of singing, deciding next to move onto a few of our other favorite spots in downtown. Sparklers made their appearance, and copious amounts of pictures were snapped to document the fun.

If you're looking for a cheap way to entertain yourself for your next party or group gathering, why not visit a noraebang? Whether you prefer to get up and belt out your favorite song or stay behind the scenes filming for Facebook sharing, you can't go wrong with a singing room for fun.

A giant Buddha carved in a mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:30:00 +0000

This past Saturday I traveled with Pedro Kim and Lonely Korea to Seonunsa Temple in Jeollabukdo Province. Located about an hour and change outside of Gwangju, this temple features a giant Buddha carved into the side of a mountain. The sheer size of this carving makes you feel minuscule next to it.

It was great to get out of Gwangju and see a new part of Korea. Pedro organizes a bunch of really awesome trips through his Lonely Korea program, so you should check it out if you're interested in meeting new people and seeing new sights!

Monday Link Post

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:56:00 +0000

A collection of links for Monday reading:

http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/visit/5-reasons-visit-paju-book-city-266100
Like books? Love browsing through bookshops? Here's 5 reasons you should visit Paju Book City, which is a bibliophile's paradise.

http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/play/how-take-stunning-photographs-city-375977
It's tricky to get the right photos of night scenes in the city, but this how-to shares some tips for getting good shots.

http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/visit/citypulse/suwons-hwaseong-fortress-510555
Hwaseong Fortress is on my list of places to visit in Korea, and this article highlights its features.

http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/visit/tell-me-about-it/best-part-traveling-korea-talking-people-543947
An opinion piece on how to get the most out of traveling in Korea, whether you are a temporary tourist or semi-permanent resident.

When expectation isn't the same as reality...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Ah Seoul, you let me down this time.

I usually enjoy taking a trip to Seoul for food, shopping, and a larger variety of activities. But this time, it disappointed me. A group of friends and I headed up to the capital city for a day of shopping over the long weekend last weekend, hoping to find some nice winter clothes before chilly temperatures set in.

The trip up started fun, with us snagging seats in KTX's movie car, where you can watch a whole movie over the duration of your trip. We watched "Killer Elite," which despite being a little confusing at first, turned out to be a better movie than what I was expecting. Upon arriving at Yongsan Station, we headed over to Myeongdong to meet up with our friends already in Seoul.

The first sign that this trip would not end well was probably our lunch at TGIFriday's. This was one of the few places in Myeongdong that offered a varied menu of non-Korean food, but its service was sorely lacking in comparison to Gwangju's TGIFriday's. It was also more extravagantly-priced, most likely because of its ritzier location. In the end, we were all underwhelmed with our experience there. We didn't want to let that dampen our enthusiasm for shopping, however.

H&M was our first stop for shopping, as clothes there are nicely made and reasonably priced with a good variety of sizes available. Unfortunately, this was not the case. I was not impressed with the range of fashion choices available for this fall/winter, and anything cute that I did find didn't come in larger sizes above XS or S. Where were all the options that H&M usually had?

Forever 21 didn't fare much better, as most of this season's fashion is atrocious and leans towards the slouchy, sloppy style that I will never be able to pull off no matter how hard I try. I did manage to find a nice black blazer for work and a cute, colorful scarf, but nothing else appealed to me. Dejected, we filed back onto the subway and headed to the bus terminal to return to Gwangju.

Teacher "Mom"

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Did you ever have that embarrassing moment in school when you would accidentally call your teacher "mom"? It's mortifying, but I'm sure it's happened to a lot more people than you'd imagine. I even went so far as to call my mom by my teacher's name on accident a few times.

It makes sense, however, you spend a great deal of time around both figures in your life, you eventually get a little confused right?

Last week we went on field trips with our students. I accompanied the first graders on their trip to make soap dishes out of clay at a nearby culture center. Afterwards, we headed to a park close to the center to enjoy our picnic lunch and the gorgeous weather.

As the trip finished and we loaded all the students onto the bus, one of my students lingered behind to grab my hand and walk with me.

"Teacher, you are like mom," my student said.

"Why do you say that?" I replied.

"Because you love me like mom. And I don't have mom, so you are like mom."

What do you say in a moment like that? This little girl barely sees her parents, lives with her grandparents, and her mom lives in a completely different city. I couldn't imagine what it must be like for her at home, but I can understand where she is coming from.

To see the world through child's eyes again…

Teacher, are you an Eskimo?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:06:00 +0000

In my after school class, we were having a discussion about weather and seasons. I asked my students to tell me what their favorite season was and why. Turning the question on me, I answered that I loved fall the most, followed by winter.

"Winter?!" my students exclaimed. "Why do you like winter? It's so cold!"

"Exactly," I replied. "I love cold weather and snow."

"Do you live in house of ice and snow?"

"You mean an igloo?"

"Yes. Teacher, are you like Eskimo?"

"No, not an Eskimo. I just like snow a lot."

"Why not summer?"

"I like summer too, but fall and winter are still my favorites."

Afterwards, my students kept eyeing me curiously, trying to decide if indeed I was an Eskimo, polar bear, or some kind of strange creature who prefers bitter cold over summer's heat. I do like summer, and even summer in Korea to an extent, but after a few weeks of humid heat and almost constant, sudden downpours, I start wishing for the more comfortable weather of fall. I even start to think about snow, and wonder how much this winter will bring.

I've got my wish--cooler temperatures during the day and a chill at night and in the mornings. I'm actually enjoying being outside rather than feeling like I need yet another shower. I love the clear blue skies filled with puffy clouds that make your eyes hurt from the brightness. Fall fruit makes its appearance, and I can justify hot coffee and tea again. Out comes colorful layers, scarves, boots, light jackets, and closed-toe shoes. Ah, fall...and winter...

Bug Bites and Sunburn

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:42:00 +0000

Last week was the annual Chuseok holiday, which I spent camping on Bigeumdo Island off the western coast of Korea. Bigeumdo is a two hour ferry ride from Mokpo, and costs 7,900 to get there. The ferry ride itself is calm, with no big waves unlike my previous ferry trip from Jeju.

The night before we got together for a slumber party at a friend's, complete with pizza, games, and a few drinks. The next morning found us making sure everything was packed up and ready, as well as waiting for what seemed like forever to get 3 taxis to the bus terminal.

Luckily, Mokpo is a quick 45 minute trip from Gwangju, and we were fortunate enough to snag the last few seats on a bus that was just departing. We took another series of taxis to the ferry terminal, stocked up on a few late-minute supplies, then boarded the boat. The pile of things that 11 foreigners take on a camping trip was almost obscene as we sprawled out on the back of the ferry. Koreans passed us by with curious looks, wondering if perhaps they had missed something only we knew.

Upon arriving on Bigeumdo, we snagged 3 more huge SUV taxis to take us out to Heart Beach, a place I had only seen and heard about through others' accounts and photos. I could see why it was so highly recommended. The beach is truly shaped like a heart, surrounded by stacks of rocks, trees, and mountains. It was very secluded from the rest of the island, and we very nearly had the beach to ourselves for the whole weekend. Exactly the opposite of going to Busan's Haeundae Beach, where you jostle people for a spot.

We set up camp close to the picnic areas, then ventured down to the shore to check out our surroundings. The boys set to gathering wood to build a fire later, while the girls made sure that the food and drinks were organized. The overcast skies left the day a little chillier than I would have liked for swimming, but I did venture into the ocean for a few quick dips.

Nightfall heralded an awesome bonfire, as well delicious lunch meat sandwiches and tuna salad for dinner. We enjoyed each other's company with drinks, conversation, games, fish-saving, and even a frenzied midnight dip in the ocean before retiring for the night.

The next day dawned grey but cleared up soon to bright sunny skies. More people were apt to swim in the warmer weather, and some went on a hike around the rocks at the end of the beach, reaching the summit of the nearby point. An obstacle course was constructed, but sadly was forgotten in the rest of the prep for that evening's even more awesome bonfire. (Four trees worth of wood!)

One of the things I have missed about cooking outdoors was making s'mores, but we were able to remedy this situation by finding marshmallows and chocolate bars at Homeplus. I contributed graham crackers brought from home. I'd forgotten how decadent s'mores were, coupled with the delicious taste of sausages roasting over the fire. It made for fantastic camping food.

The night's festivities carried into the wee hours of the morning, after which I crawled into my tent feeling itchy from bug bites and sandy everywhere. I also had the makings of a good sunburn, which left me feeling like I was on fire. The price you pay for a great weekend on the beach!

After cleaning up camp and eating breakfast the next morning, we called the taxis to take us back to the ferry terminal. Good timing prevailed again, and we were soon on our way back to Mokpo whilst napping on the boat. Korean-style floor sleeping made it easy to sprawl out, but the yelling and screaming children also on board did little for the ambiance.

Needless to say, I was tired when I got back to Gwangju. We ate one last meal together at TGI Friday's, looking and smelling like we had just spent 3 days on an island. But we didn't care--it was a lively meal spent recollecting the events of the past weekend and looking forward to the next. My first-ever camping trip turned out well, and I look forward to the next time we can camp together.

Turn Out the Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:18:00 +0000

I was teaching my last after-school class at 4:15 yesterday, loading up a webpage to play a game with my students when they finished their classwork. Then everything went silent and dark. The power had gone out in the whole school. When I got home about 30 minutes later, I found out that the power had gone out in my apartment as well. It wasn't until about 6 o'clock that the power came back on, at which point I was able to boot my computer up and find out what was going on.

The past few days have been unseasonably hot in Korea, and as a result, people have had to turn on their air cons more than they would usually at this time. It put a strain on the nation's power plants, and electricity usage approached the upper limit of what they could handle. If the power usage goes over the upper limit, then the whole system would fail and it would take about 2 weeks to restore power, rather than just a few hours.

The solution is for the power plants to turn off parts of the grid for an extended period of time to lessen the strain on the system. Until now I had heard about that happening only in Seoul, so this was the first time that I had seen it happen outside of the capital.

Rolling blackouts caused a myriad of problems, however. Many people were trapped in elevators for several hours, or struggled to drive through the city with non-functioning traffic lights. (And as many people in Korea know, driving is already a struggle here!) Restaurants and cafes were forced to stop serving patrons, for fear that their food would spoil in the meantime. Others who were working in offices and businesses lost unsaved work or had to light candles to see what they were doing. But despite the power outages, people were still able to use their mobile phones to update netizens on what was happening. They took to social networks such as Twitter to document what they had seen.

Today, the power is working just fine, but who knows how the continued hot weather will affect Korea's power usage. If it reaches the high levels of yesterday, we just might be in for a Friday night blackout as well. Good thing I have my candles!

Silver and Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:15:00 +0000

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."- Anais Nin

Imagine how many worlds are waiting to be born, just upon meeting and making a new friend. In Korea, you are exposed to so many people that you may have never had the chance to meet before, simply because being here brings us together in new ways. Whether we're here to teach, to study, to work, to visit, or to live, Korea has the means of connecting people how you never thought possible. You learn more about yourself and other cultures in the process. I've learned more about the world through meeting new friends here; understood more about how people relate than anything I ever learned in school.

There's a song I learned growing up about making new friends but keeping the old because "one is silver, the other gold." Moving from place to place ensures that you can meet a lot of people, but the hardest part of friendship is keeping it from dying out. As a young child, it's easier to maintain a friendship without all the distractions of adult life. But I feel somewhere along the way we get swept up in finishing graduate programs, careers, getting married, relocating, and having babies that it's hard to maintain the same level of contact as before. I had this very conversation with an old friend, one of the few I've managed to keep in touch with post-university and moving to Korea. The time difference between Korea and home has made communication a little difficult at some points, but we try to make it work. Sometimes just a simple message on Facebook or an email might be all there is time for at that moment, but the thought behind it is what matters most.

It is always my hope that when people leave Korea, that we might be able to keep up the friendship we forged over our shared experiences. I'm always optimistic about that. And I hope that those who left already know that they are missed by those of us still here.

The door is always open, waiting for a friend to walk through.

To Misunderstand Someone

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:18:00 +0000

Sometimes a simple misunderstanding can cause a world of problems. A few weeks ago the netizens in Korea were abuzz following a YouTube video showing a black foreigner verbally and physically assaulting two Koreans on a bus in Seoul. The foreigner had been talking loudly on the bus, and an elderly Korean man asked him to quiet down, but the foreigner misheard what he said. The word 니가 (niga) is a pronoun that means "you," but misheard, could be understood as a derogatory term. This was how the foreigner misinterpreted it, and thus his temper overflowed. He started to verbally attack the older man, yelling obscenities and intimidating him. Another Korean, a younger woman, stood in the way, so he bumped her and yelled at her as well. The other Koreans on the bus watched the incident, some yelling to the bus driver to pull over and kick the foreigner off of the bus. Some called 119, and eventually the bus pulled over at a police station, where the foreigner was promptly arrested.

Since the incident, people all over the Internet have been commenting on the video and subsequent news stories and blog posts, offering their criticisms and opinions. There was another news story of a guy in Masan being refused entry onto a bus, most likely related to the earlier Seoul incident. The effects of that one video are trickling down to other areas of Korea, and it remains to be seen how it will play out in the weeks and months to come. With a large influx of foreigners expected to travel to Korea for in the next few years for the 2012 World Expo and the Winter Olympics in 2018, now is not the time for a bigger wedge to be driven between Koreans and foreigners. There was even a commercial on television recently aimed at encouraging Koreans to speak to any foreigners they may encounter, rather than hiding from them. How much could we guess that the video of the black man attacking Koreans on the bus had more social impact?

Here's both videos for you to compare. I will tell you now, the first video is not to be taken lightly. And the comments on it span the gamut of emotions, so read through them carefully.

Not Your Ordinary Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:38:00 +0000

Anyone who's walked around a shopping area in Korea has seen the array of "Konglish" t-shirts that line stores and street sellers' carts. Some shirts make you stop and wonder what they're trying to say, while others make you laugh with the lost-in-translation moment. Many foreigners like to add at least one Konglish shirt to their wardrobe for kicks, and others collect them to send home to family and friends.

Until the creation of Babo Shirts, there weren't many outlets for foreigners looking to buy shirts written in Korean. Now there's another option: Oki Tokki. A play on the English phrase "okie dokie," this shop sells one-of-a-kind accessories and gifts with Korean language. Started by Aein Hope, a half-Korean US resident of LA, this cute store sells jewelry, shirts, and buttons. It also features a whimsical tote with a bunny and carrot and the phrase 당근이지 (It's the carrot!) In Korea, this is a popular slang expression that means "of course!" It was created from 당연하지, which meant "absolutely".

Oki Tokki was created to offer lovers of Korean language a creative outlet. Aein Hope noticed during her study abroad program in Korea that clothes and accessories celebrating Korean language were non-existent, so she decided to change that. She hopes to expand her shop in the future to include more items, as well as branching out to sell in specialty art shops.

You can visit her website here: okitokki.com

This Should Just Be Common Sense, Right?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:01:00 +0000

I can't say the same for other states in the US or even other countries in the world, but I know for a fact that we've passed a law prohibiting texting and driving in recent history. I'm sure that law already took care of driving while on the phone as well, but it's been a few years since I drove so I'm a little out of the loop on that one.

But even with such a law in Korea, you would never know by the way people are always on their cell phones. Currently, there is a fine of 60,000 won for any driver caught using his cell phone while operating a car. The fine goes up to 70,000 for a truck or van driver, and is only 40,000 for a motorcyclist. A lawmaker by the name of Kim So-nam wants to add bicyclists to the list of "vehicles" that would fall under this law. However, this law would only apply to bicyclists riding in bike lines on the road, not your average sidewalk or park biker.

I've seen a number of people using their cell phones whilst riding bikes, and then watched them almost run into a pole, tree, parked car, other bicyclist, or pedestrian. I know it's physically possible to ride a bike with one hand if you've got the skills, but it does put you a little off-balance. And then add in staring at a tiny screen but not looking at what's in front of you? It's a recipe for disaster.

Here, logic would dictate that ALL bicyclists, regardless of location, be prohibited from biking and using a phone. It would save people a lot of damage, personal injury, and frazzled nerves.

How many injuries or accidents might we hear about before the law gets changed again?

North Korea kicks South Korea out of Mount Kumgang Project

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:49:00 +0000

Mount Kumgang is a joint project shared between the two Koreas, located on the eastern coast in North Korea's Gangwon Province. Or at least, it was shared until North Korea kicked South Korea out of it. After telling South Korean investors to draw up plans to protect their assets, they have been forced out of the resort entirely. Now North Korea wants to open it up to tourism from China and other countries, seeing as a viable resource to add wealth to its struggling coffers. Once a symbol of possible compromise between the two nations technically at war, now this resort stands as yet another source of conflict.

South Korea and North Korea haven't seen eye to eye for a good while, namely due to the rising tensions between the countries over the past few years. One incident that directly involves the Kumgang Resort occured in 2008, when a South Korean tourist was shot and killed. South Korea petitioned for a formal apology from the North, as well as a full investigation into the matter. As a result of this and other recent events, the Mount Kumgang talks ceased, with neither side willing to budge on its stance. This resort not only once served as a meeting point between the two countries for talks during more peaceful times, it was also the site of tearful reunions of families separated by the Korean War sixty years ago.

But now North Korea hopes to attract tourists from all around the globe with its tour packages. The package would take you from Yanji on the eastern China/North Korea border on a drive down through North Korea to the port of Rason, and then on a leisurely boat cruise to Kumgang. How much would it cost a tourist to embark on this 5-day all-inclusive tour? A mere $310 US dollars.

South Korea plans on sending appeals to all countries who might consider visiting North Korea encouraging them not to partake in any offered tour packages.

Would you want to take a tour in North Korea to Mount Kumgang?

Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Vacation is over, my friends--at least in Korea! Today was the first day back at school for myself, my coworkers, and all of our students. Unlike last week where we had 5 glorious days of planning, we're back to teaching this week. There's mixed emotions from students about returning, but the general vibe of the day is excitement. Today was a very casual day for me, getting to learn and re-learn students' names, as I have new classes this semester. Also on the agenda: laying out the plan for the year as well as rules. I've got a fair number of ideas that I'd like my students to get the opportunity to do, and hope that this semester will be a good one.

In three weeks we'll have a short vacation thanks to Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving holiday. The 3-day holiday is Sunday through Tuesday this year, giving us a long weekend. Haven't decided yet what to do, but there a few options on the table. I'm crossing my fingers that the weather will start cooling down sooner rather than later, as I am anxiously awaiting fall.

I'm sure that this semester will be filled with interesting moments, which I look forward to bringing to you!

North Korea and Russia and the 6-Party Talks

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:35:00 +0000

Anyone who has kept up with the news of North Korea in recent years is familiar with the ways this reclusive country attempts to gain aid. After repeated instances of nuclear threat, shelling of islands in South Korea, and torpedoing a South Korean ship, North Korea seems to be taking a higher road in its pursuit of fuel and food.

Kim Jong-il paid a visit to Russia this week to discuss and rejoin the 6-party talks over nuclear disarmament--with the intent of ending its nuclear standoff.

Russia had long been an ally of North Korea until the fall of the Soviet Union, after which North Korea turned to China for help. The Russian President Medvedev and Kim Jong-il also discussed the possibility of a natural gas pipeline funneling from Russia to South Korea. North Korea could stand to earn up to 100 million dollars each year from this venture, which would greatly help the ailing nation.

Seemingly, these recent talks and reduced aggression are moves to show that North Korea is still a powerful and great nation in the eyes of its people. These events happen just prior to the 100th birthday of its founder, Kim Il-sung, and in the midst of a power shift.

In addition to Russian and North Korean diplomats, the US and South Korea have been discussing when all parties involved will be able to return to nuclear dialogues. The 6-party talks also include Japan and China.

This news isn't met without skepticism, however, and justifiably so. What exactly are North Korea's intentions these days? Is this a momentary change of heart to generate some sympathy and aid? Or are there deeper internal struggles within the country that necessitate these recent changes?

How do you feel about North Korea and their recent cool-down in behavior? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Signs in the US Only in English?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:18:00 +0000

In a country that calls itself a melting pot of cultures, is it necessary for an area that celebrates a culture to have all-English signage? Should it be a requirement of any foreign business in the US that its signs must be in English? That is a topic up for debate in New York, where large amounts of Asian businesses flourish. For example, Queens is rich in Asian culture and business. More than 120 different languages are spoken in this area alone, and business owners aren't sure they want to convert to English-only signage given their customers. Some of their customers speak little to no English, so they frequent Asian businesses for comfort and convenience.

What do you think? Even though the official language of the US is English, should all signs in the States be in English? Or are cultural areas encompassing different regions of the world justified in keeping their original signs?

Sydney Trip Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:21:00 +0000

Spent a good portion of last night sorting through my copious amount of pictures from my trip to Sydney. I had almost 1,000 photos to go through to choose the best ones for uploading. Without further ado, I offer the final product: 3 albums of pictures from my 3 weeks in Sydney. Hope you enjoy!