The Kimchi Chronicles

Final Update

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:32:00 +0000

Now that I've returned to the US, the kimchi part of my Kimchi Chronicles has drawn to a close. I want to thank everyone who followed me on this five-year journey around the world to Korea, and on the little side trips along the way. When I first started this blog I never imagined the response it would evoke, nor that so many people would come to check it out. It was merely a way for my family and friends to stay up-to-date about my life overseas, but it became so much more thanks to all of you! Thanks for taking an interest in my life in Korea, Korean food, culture, and for sticking with me through all the ups and downs. I hope it has been just as much of a learning experience as it has been for me. I know I will never be the same Heather that left NC in 2008 for a place she had never seen before. It was well worth the change.

What will your next adventure be? Be brave, be bold, and don't hesitate to take a leap of faith!

Food Cravings...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:01:00 +0000

The closer I get to going home, the more I start thinking about what foods I am looking forward to eating again. Korea has welcomed a lot of new foods and avenues of cooking in the past few years, but there are still a few things that it doesn't have just yet.

I'm fortunate enough to be arriving home in time for Easter dinner, which means I can try and combat my impending jet lag with my mom's ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, corn, and collard greens. But what about after that?

Instead of visions of sugarplums dancing in my head, I think it's more like Bojangles biscuits, pulled pork barbecue sandwiches, and frozen yogurt that fuel my food fantasies. With every day crossed off on my calendar, I think of another food that I can't wait to eat. It's said that being in Korea can erase a lot of your food cravings, and that is true. But some cravings never go away, no matter how much time or distance you put between yourself and those treats.

When I sat down and actually thought about making a list, I was surprised at what ended up on the list, especially when I let my mind wander to all the things that you can't readily get over here. For example, I am stoked for Mexican food at some of my favorite restaurants at home--with fresh cilantro and limes! Korea has a bevy of different places you can eat Mexican food (or some version thereof), but most of those places are located in Seoul, which can be quite a trek for anyone not living nearby.

And while I've become used to the Korean version of Chinese food, what I wouldn't give for some "American food court style" Chinese, complete with egg rolls and spicy mustard. I'm crossing my fingers that the delicious buffet near my house is still open.

The one thing that I haven't been able to have in Korea since Hard Rock Cafe in Itaewon closed: pulled pork barbecue. Whether you take it with the tangy vinegar sauce or on the sweeter side with a tomato-based sauce, either way it's delicious with some coleslaw, hush-puppies, and a cold glass of sweet tea. Give me that or a Bojangles chicken biscuit for a pregame meal, and I'm in heaven.

I also am looking forward to having more variety in the cereal aisle. As anyone who's ever gone shopping in a grocery store in Korea can attest, the range of cereal available is sad. Most of the options are the sugary kinds geared towards kids, with few options in the healthy category. It's gotten better over the past few years with the addition of more Tesco brand cereals, but I am still missing brands like Cheerios, Kix, Chex, and Raisin Bran. (A box or two of Lucky Charms would be nice, too!)

Another thing I miss a lot is a variety in chocolate candy. Chocolate you buy here tastes different than chocolate you would get back home, and lacks that "oomph" in the flavor I enjoy. I recently received some mint chocolate that was made back home as a gift, and the taste between that and a Market-O chocolate was quite different. Plus, there are some candies that haven't made the jump across the ocean yet. I've only ever come across Reese's Peanut Butter Cups twice in my time in Korea, and both times the price was shocking. That's the beauty of places like Target and WalMart I suppose! I also miss York Peppermint Patties and Baby Ruth's.

While living in Korea has eliminated some of my cravings, some can never be forgotten. Not only am I looking forward to enjoying those foods soon, I get to try and exercise the important skill of moderation with re-introducing those foods to my diet. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way during my first visit that it isn't easy to go back and eat the way you used to at home. Certainly more prepared this time around.

The Final Stretch

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:14:00 +0000

It is now March, and not only is spring starting to make its way to Korea, I've entered the final stretch of my time here. This past weekend was a long weekend due to the March 1st Independence Movement holiday. That same day coincidentally marked 5 years in Korea for me. In celebration, I headed into Seoul to meet Gail and Travis for a jam-packed and fun weekend. It was a weekend full of food, good conversations, and new experiences. I always enjoy getting to head to Seoul and enjoy some different food from the norm.

One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the Tim Burton exhibit at the Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art. This exhibit has been making a trip around the world to different museums, and is concluding its tour in Seoul. There were even some special additions made available to just the Seoul leg of the tour, from what I was reading online! It was amazing to get to see Tim Burton's ideas from the time he was a child to today. There were lots of pictures on display with ideas that I don't think had even been put into reality onscreen yet. The coolest part was the room with actual memorabilia and models from all of his popular movies. You could see the cowls that were used in Batman, the costume worn by Johnny Depp in "Edward Scissorhands", or the models for the creatures in "Beetlejuice". It was well worth the trip. If you're interested in checking it out, the exhibit runs until April 14th.

***

Today was the first day back at school after spring vacation. I only have 19 more days at my school before I leave; and 27 days left in Korea. It's weird to think about, being on the home stretch of things, but I am trying to keep everything in stride and get things done. The last month or so of a contract is usually spent packing, getting rid of unnecessary things, closing out accounts, and saying goodbyes. I don't want my goodbyes to be an overly morose affair. Rather, I'd like to say "see you later" as we never know where our paths will cross in the future.

Now off to go pack some more things...

Another Year Older

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you just gotta take a break from it all and relax. That's what I've been enjoying the past few weeks while on vacation from school. There's been plenty of time for sleep--which I desperately needed to finally kick this cold I've had for weeks. And also time for reading and catching up on all the TV shows from home I'd fallen behind on over the past few months. Not to mention plenty of time to clean, pack my things, and go to the gym without worrying about lessons, classes, or school schedules. It almost feels like being a kid again, waking up during school breaks without an alarm and deciding what to do with the day.

While I've been enjoying the time off and a lack of stress, I've also been looking ahead. I just celebrated my 29th birthday on Wednesday (and now I'm 30 in Korea!) But I'm not worried about it; I neither feel nor look old so that's a plus. It is weird to think about, however. A lot has changed since I was 24 and new to Korea. I've changed a lot. I've watched a lot of things in Korea change as well.

What does it mean to get older, though? Is it adding another candle to the birthday cake? Relishing in signs of age or trying to hide them? Is it shedding old behaviors/ideas/goals and gathering new ones in their place? Do we change the people who are a part of our lives or try to change ourselves to fit better with them? I have tried my best to not change myself for other people, but I have made a few mistakes here and there, and learned from them as much as possible. These days I've been trying to think about what I need to do for myself, to make myself happy instead of trying to make everyone else happy first. A friend of mine recently remarked that I had spent so much time accommodating everyone's needs that I forgot about my own. So this year, the last year of my twenties, I made a pledge to myself that I would take more time to focus on "me" things: goals, happiness, inspiration, creativity, emotional & physical health, and knowledge.

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.

- Lucille Ball

I had my three and four month post-surgery check-ups recently. Everything is still going well with the healing; my eyes are clear and there are no problems. The dryness is getting better as time goes on and winter starts to wind to a close, so my eyes are getting clearer. My next (and last) check-up is at the end of next month before I go home. Can't believe that it's been over four months already since I had surgery, and less than two months until home, but the past few months have passed quickly thanks to reduced teaching time at school and vacation. I'll head back to school for a week next week, then onto a few weeks of spring vacation before the new school year. Right now my current (slight) irritation is working out flight details, and trying to find a compromise with my school. Crossing my fingers that it will work out in the end!

Welcome 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Time to turn over new leaves, make new plans, pledge new resolutions, and begin another year with fresh outlooks. I hope the new year is getting off to a good start for you, and that this year will bring you what you want to accomplish.

Now that we've rolled over into the new year the reality of going home is getting much closer, and more tangible. The last day of classes for the semester was Friday, December 28th. Right now I am in the middle of English camp with a handful of students and a few co-teachers, but once that ends next Tuesday I'm on vacation for the rest of January. During that time I'll have to start my packing for real, instead of just sorting things into piles for selling, donating, and mailing home. I also plan on checking out both the Tim Burton exhibit at the Seoul Museum of Art, as well as a performance of "Phantom of the Opera" if I can swing it. Not to mention picking up some last-minute gifts for people at home.

In February the students will come back for a few days prior to the Grade 3's graduating, then there are two more weeks of spring vacation. The new school year starts March 4th, and by then I will only have four weeks left! I am trying to figure out what I will do with the students because we will have such a short time together, and they won't be getting a replacement foreign teacher after I leave. GEPIK cut their budget again this year, and is discontinuing most foreign teachers in middle and high schools in Gyeonggi Province for the 2013-2014 school year. Only positions that were funded by city halls or the school's own budget will be kept on after this current contract. I saw that about 200 jobs in Suwon alone were cut, including my school. Not only that, but my school also cut the entire department that I am a part of--the international department. Next school year the students won't be studying any languages other than Korean, whereas this year they could study English, Chinese, or Japanese. It seems that there will be a lot of changes coming up at this school, and I hope that they will start to think of the students' education more than before.

***

What are your goals/plans/desires for 2013? Have you made a list of resolutions yet? I'm working on a set of goals and things I'd like to do this year:

Travel more in the US
Go to NYC
Go to Washington, D.C.
Visit Arlington to see my grandfather's grave
Go to San Francisco
Visit my grandparents
Be a big kid and go to WDW/The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Go to the beach in NC
Homecoming in Chapel Hill
Re-visit Franklin St and all my favorite places with friends
Become fluent again in Spanish
Learn more songs on the guitar
Write more
Visit a new country
Work out at least 3 times a week
Learn a new skill/hobby
Improve on current hobbies
Start a new job/get started in my career
Read 15 books
Ring in 2014 with people I love

These are just the things that I can think of at the moment. I'm sure as the year goes on, I will add more goals and things to this list, as well as check them off one by one. And on December 31st, we'll see how successful and fulfilling the year was!

*pictures from WeHeartIt*

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:38:00 +0000

I hope this finds you enjoying the holidays with friends, family, and loved ones. Even though I am far from home, I still find ways to enjoy Christmas here in Korea. While I might be solo (and Christmas a couple holiday in Korea) I did get to spend time with friends, enjoying food and laughter. I also remember that while I am missing the holidays at home, I smile because this time next year I will be in NC enjoying my first state-side Christmas in 5 years.

To help alleviate some of the sadness, I called my family on Christmas Eve. We ended up talking for about 3 hours (which thankfully due to Skype credit, is cheap!). It made me feel better knowing that I will be seeing them all again soon. And they are happy that they will have me home from my long stay in Korea.

My Christmas celebrations started early with some caroling in downtown Gwangju to raise money for charity. Our group started small but swelled to about 30 people later on in the evening, all enjoying singing Christmas songs for surprised and happy Koreans who walked by. At the end of the evening, we were able to raise 250,000 won ($240) for charity--a great success!

The next day was "Les Miserables" with Gail and Amanda. The three of us sat in awe and utter silence watching the story and music unfold onstage. I felt a little bad for the Koreans who were watching who had to read the subtitles to understand what was going on in the movie. Though music is a universal language, there is just something special about being able to understand the lyrics in their original context than through a translation.

Afterwards we headed over to the Alleyway where the staff was setting up for the 2nd Alleyway Christmas Dinner. Tickets for this event were like golden tickets to the chocolate factory; everyone wanted one and they sold out in roughly an hour and a half. Thank goodness I just happened to be on Facebook the same time that the event was posted. We played cards and 20 Questions while we waited for the other guests to trickle in and the food to be brought out.

Have you ever eaten so much food that you hated yourself for it afterwards? That's how I felt after that dinner. Everything was so delicious that you couldn't help but want to eat all the things and more of them. Turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, stuffing, bread, carrots and peas, and cranberry sauce volleyed for space on my plate...and I definitely had to go back for seconds. For dessert there was cheesecake with strawberry or orange topping. Add to that some wine and it was divine. It actually hurt when I got up to leave and go back to Suwon. And I think I was still full the next day when the school took the teachers out for a pre-Christmas lunch!

Tuesday morning I slept in a bit after my Skype call with my family, then got ready for my second Christmas dinner in Suwon. A local sports bar, Sam Ryan's, was hosting their own dinner that afternoon, and I had invited along a few new friends to enjoy it with me. After all, who wants to spend Christmas alone?

The dinner at Sam Ryan's was equally as delicious. Turkey, ham, baked potato with sour cream, bacon, and chives, cranberry sauce, cauliflower with cheese sauce, bread, corn on the cob, candied sweet potato, and stuffing. For dessert there was apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and Christmas-themed cocktails. At this point I think I felt like Violet Beauregard must have felt when she swelled up in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; you probably could have rolled me home for all the amazing food I had eaten over the past 3 days. But it was well-worth it to have a little bit of home in Korea. The meals and the company I enjoyed both times definitely made it feel more like Christmas to me.

*pictures from WeHeartIt*

100 Days...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Today was the 18th South Korean Presidential Election. Here it happens every five years, compared to every four in the US. The main battle was between Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in, but it seems Park Geun Hye is winning the election. And this is with the ballots all cast by hand, with stamps on paper. It must be a tiring job for all the ballot counters! South Korea saw a 75.8% voter turnout among the eligible population. I saw pictures of people taking boats from remote islands to their voting locations on the local news stations; that is pretty hardcore. Taking into consideration the current numbers, Park Geun Hye will become the first female president, and is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, a former president of Korea responsible for the military coup in 1961. While many people in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, and the northern provinces prefer Park, voters in the southern provinces and Jeju, along with younger voters, prefer Moon. The article I linked to above gives some more detail into the election if you'd like to read more.

I can't imagine how people watching the election results here must feel. It could possibly be similar to how I was feeling back in November and watching the results of the US election roll in online. With such close elections, you can't help but sit on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what happens. I just wish that US voter turnout could be as high as it was here today. The final number for 2012 hasn't been declared but the estimates I read online put it at around 52 percent, lower than in 2008. What will it take to get more people fired up and passionate about voting in the States? And when can we hope for our own female president to be elected?

I asked some of my Korean friends and co-teachers who they thought would be a better president for South Korea and got mixed answers. Then I asked them who they thought would be a better president to work with President Obama. They weren't sure. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how things work out after the new year and the presidential inaugurations take place.

While I won't be around to experience first-hand the effects of the new Korean presidency, I know that I'll be following what happens to the friends that I will leave behind. Today, December 19th, also happens to mark 100 days that I have left in Korea. After almost five years, time is coming to a close for me in the Land of Morning Calm. Yikes! I will miss all the great people and good things about Korea, but there are also things about Korea I won't miss. (Squatter toilets, anyone?)

Now my thoughts are turning to:

Packing

Selling my things

Packing

Mailing boxes home by boat

Buying gifts for people at home

Studying for the PRAXIS

Job-hunting in NC

Packing

Doing everything in Korea I didn't get the chance to yet

Wrapping up loose ends

Packing

Cleaning

Winter camp and March lessons

Months ago I never thought I would make it through this past year. There were a lot of struggles and problems with this job, days that I was just ready to throw in the towel and get the heck out of here. Until my awesome co-teacher showed up, I was miserably bored, just waiting for the day to finish so I could go do something fun. She changed a lot of that for me and made the difficult parts more fun. Right now she is on bed rest because of an accident and won't be back at school until possibly February. Luckily it's the end of the semester and the next 1.5 months are vacation. I hope that she will be well enough to return before I leave, because I enjoy her company so much. And I hope that in the end, my school and I will be able to be civil enough to complete the contract with both parties getting what they want.

One hundred days, Korea. Let's see what they bring.

Two-Month Post-Surgery Update

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Recently I had my two-month post-surgery check-up in Seoul. I think I mentioned before feeling a little concerned about the blurriness in my left eye compared to the right eye, and I was hoping that this check-up would help put my worries at ease. Hard to believe it's been two months since my surgery already. It's still strange to wake up without worrying about contacts or glasses. My eye doctor told me that I'm seeing much better than what I was with my contacts or glasses, because they can't really give you the same experience as seeing things with the naked eye.

I always like going up to Gangnam to Dream Eye, because Susan and Mr. Choo are both happy to see me and chat. It was a little busier than normal, but I didn't have to wait long for my exam. Susan ran all the tests on my eyes, checking their shape and visual acuity. When I finished the eye chart, she told me that now both of my eyes are reading off the 20/16 line, making them better than 20/20. Granted, they are still a little blurry due to winter dryness, but dryness goes away over time. My eye pressure had been going up, however, so after a bit of experimentation with different eye drops and no eye drops, I am off the anti-inflammatory drops for the next month. In January they will check my pressure again and see if I will need a different kind of anti-inflammatory drop.

Dr. Lee examined my corneas and showed me the residual dry spots that should lessen with time. Despite that, he said my corneas are clear and healing well. My worries were definitely lessened with that check-up. Now to just make sure my eyes don't get any drier this winter...

When Does it Feel Like Winter?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:25:00 +0000

The thermometer tells me that winter is coming. (Cue GoT music.) The first snowfall has hit South Korea and its remnants still cause me to slip and slide everywhere. Right now, my students and co-teachers are running around complaining about the cold and blasting the heat while I'm wondering what the fuss is about. It's not really cold yet--just wait until late December/January/February. I wonder what everyone will be saying then...

Being from NC, winter isn't as snowy and white as I'd like. But it has its own subtle signs; frost on the windows in the morning when trying to start your car, slight icy patches on the road where the sun is absent, and of course, special edition holiday coffees at Starbucks. For me, winter wasn't really winter until it read freezing or below on the thermometer, and I had a hot peppermint mocha to take away the chill.

You could always tell that Christmas was on its way, no matter if the weather cooperated or not. Christmas decorations started appearing in stores, holiday music was piped in on speakers or over the radio, and Christmas-themed advertisements aired on TV. Not to mention all the sales papers that fell out of the Sunday paper with a resounding thunk.

Yes, Christmas is more materialistic and commercial than it is about the people involved. It's sad that more emphasis is placed on getting the best deal on Christmas presents after Thanksgiving than spending time with the people to whom you were going to give those presents. And while I didn't grow up in a religious family, I still take time to remember who is the reason for the season, in my own quiet way.

In Korea, Christmas is a couples' holiday and largely absent of the hustle and bustle and celebration that precedes it back home. There are Christmas trees and decorations you can buy, but the constant bombardment of music and advertising is largely absent here. It's almost too quiet.

While I don't miss all the advertising noise, I do miss the little signs of what makes it Christmas and winter. From my experience over the past few years in Korea, winter is very cruel mistress here. Snow is more plentiful than what I am used to, and I can revel in the beauty of it. But it's the "after" that makes it not so fun.

***

My mom always used to laugh when the first "snow" would hit my hometown growing up, joking that "Southerners don't know how to deal with snow. Oh, gotta go buy all the bread and milk from the store because we'll be snowed in for five days!" (We only ever got snowed in once in NC, that was in January 2000 when a record 18 inches fell. I remember this snow very vividly as it caused my 16th birthday party to be cancelled.) You see, my mom grew up living in Minnesota and northern Wisconsin for most of her life. She had seen some amazing snowfalls and knew just how to deal with snow. But she couldn't understand the people who lost their minds and ceased to remember how to drive or behave rationally when it snowed. Every year (until its engine finally gave out and it was too costly to replace) my mom's trusty Saab Turbo 900 made the charge up the icy/snowy hill with ease while other neighbors were forced to abandon their cars at the bottom and walk the rest of the way home. Mom 1, Snow 0.

In a way, I sometimes feel like when it comes to driving and acting like rational people in a snowfall, Koreans remind me very much of Southerners. Instead of slowing their speed to a more reasonable level because of reduced visibility or slick spots, I've watched many people take the opposite approach and drive faster and more erratically. Riding in the back of a taxi when it does that is not a ride you want to repeat. In that situation I'd rather have control of my life in my hands!

***

Back home, winter always meant putting up the tree, cleaning out the ashes from last year's fires and stocking new wood, and baking, baking, baking. I can't recall a single Sunday morning during the winter that I wouldn't wake up at home to the smell of something delicious being made. My mom loves baking and cooking, and it is from her that I learned everything that has kept me from going hungry on my own in Korea. I owe her a lot for that.

There are special cookies and treats my mom would make only when winter and the holidays rolled around. It included, but was not limited to: secret family recipe cut-out cookies, soft ginger molasses cookies, almond bark cookies, fudge, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, truffles, and potato pancakes.

Some of my best memories of winter were of helping my mom make the goodies, then sitting down with a treat and a fresh of coffee to work on the crossword together. Those are moments that I miss these days more than ever, with the holiday season in full swing. Those are moments when it felt like "winter" to me.

***

And so I ask you, when does it feel like winter to you? Is it the change in temperature? The first snow? Digging out the heavy coat, scarf, hat, and gloves? Or are there special foods or traditions that bring winter to mind?

The Unexpected Plans are the Best Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:49:00 +0000

I like to bake. No lie. I'll often bring in treats for our office at school: banana bread, cookies, brownies, and pie. Since baking at home is rare in Korea (my co-teacher confessed that most of her cookies are of the bakery or store-bought kind), the other teachers in the office always gobble up whatever is served with gusto.

My co-teacher had asked me to teach her about baking, so I mentioned that there is a big baking market in Seoul that she could get some supplies to get started. She expressed interest in going and checking it out, so we made plans to go over the weekend. What we didn't realize until much later (or likely forgot) was that the market wasn't open on Sundays. So instead of letting that deter us from continuing with the day as planned, we decided to alter our plans slightly.

We headed into Seoul to the Insadong area to take a walk through to this place that my co-teacher swore had good coffee shops and restaurants. Right across from the palace side of Insadong a new through street had been opened, featuring a picturesque walk under trees changing colors. My co-teacher explained that this was a new project to make it easier for people to get around the palace area, and business owners in the area took advantage of the new foot traffic to boost their stores. It was like going into a movie or TV set because all the shops had an old-world feel compared to most Korean shops. Everywhere you looked was a cute little coffee shop or boutique, or a homey-looking restaurant with a patio beckoning you to come inside.

After perusing all the options (and it was hard to choose) we decided on a waffle, coffee, and pizza place. Those foods totally go together, right? For about $30 we got a waffle and Americano set, along with a mushroom pizza with Emmental cheese. The pizza was delicious; it was amazing to eat cheese that didn't come shredded in a bag for a change, and it complimented the mushrooms perfectly. Add some Tabasco and it made for a great lunch. My co-teacher preferred the sweet waffle coupled with ice cream, however.

I think we stayed there for almost 4 hours, just eating, drinking coffee, and talking. As I mentioned before, my co has lived in both the US and Canada, and has taught in a variety of Western school environments. She understands how both groups of students work, and what makes them tick. Additionally, she sees that while each group has its advantages and disadvantages, she prefers teaching Western students over Korean ones because the former are more involved in what they are learning, more disciplined, and more interesting. Sharing the same experience and perspective on students and teaching helps us both try to understand what we each should do to try and make each other's lives a little easier while in Korea. I really appreciate that, and her.

Sometimes the unexpected plans are the best plans. And sometimes they teach you more than you could have ever expected.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:23:00 +0000

It's weird. For the first time in a long while I am not thinking about renewing with a school or combing the job boards for available positions in Korea. I started getting emails from recruiting companies with lists of schools looking for the upcoming months, but I deleted them without even thinking of opening them.

Instead I find myself pouring over open jobs for NC, assessing the employment situation for my home state and going through my PRAXIS books, wondering what else I need to review in preparation for next year. The good news is that elementary school teachers (the field I want to go into) are in demand, more than in previous years. Before now, I cringed at the thought of going home because I didn't know yet what I wanted to do. Now, I am ready for the day when I can close the book on my time in Korea and start the next chapter in my life.

I can't guarantee it will be easy or without struggle. I can't say if things will go the way I want them. I can't guarantee that I won't have a moment or two where I want to escape to a foreign country. But I made the decision before I returned this year that it would be my last in Korea, and I'm sticking to that, no matter what awaits me at home. Having given Korea a good chunk of my life, I'm ready to appreciate where I came from so much more.

Through everything, and even with this past year's situation being less than ideal, Korea has taught me a lot about myself. It's taught me the value of human relationships. I know that having lived as a foreigner in a country where many avenues of life are difficult to get into, I will never again look at those who come to the US for a new life the same way again. Language, laws, religion, politics, health care, social status, education--all of these issues carry new meaning for me. Talk about a real eye-opening experience.

Even with the uncertainty surrounding the 2012 Presidential Election and what may happen in the following months, I know that no matter the outcome, I will do my best to find a way to live back home. I owe it to myself to give it a fighting chance. I've been putting "real life" off as long as I have been living in Korea; now is the time for me to get back into the swing of things, whatever the future brings.

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese

One Month Post-Surgery Check-up

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 03:58:00 +0000

On Friday after school, I headed up to Gangnam to visit Dream Eye for my one month post-surgery check-up. I can't believe it's already been a month since my surgery, but time flies.

I've been wondering about the difference in my eyes lately; my left isn't as strong as my right and has a little blurriness. Naturally that was the first question I asked once I arrived for my exam.

After checking my corneas, Dr. Lee showed me that there are still some dry spots on my left eye that are causing the blurriness, which will subside after a few more months. He also said that it will take a few more months for my corneas to smooth out completely, which will allow for crisp vision. But my eyes are healing well for a month past surgery, so that is good news, and I feel better about my progress.

When it came to my vision test, I learned that my left eye is holding steady at 20/20 and my right eye is now at 20/15. That was a nice surprise. In a few more months time, Dr. Lee tells me I'll be able to really see the difference in my vision change as my corneas finish smoothing out and healing. By then, my left eye could also be seeing 20/15.

With the weather getting chillier and the heat coming on, I have to be more careful to keep my eyes from drying out. For when I'm at home, I bought a small humidifier to keep close to my bed and run it at night while I sleep. That's when my eyes end up the driest. So far it has helped a great deal; no more eyelids sticking to eyeballs when I wake up, and thus, less discomfort.

I have another appointment at the end of November, which will mark the two month check-up time. We'll see how things have progressed then!

Those Crisp Autumn Nights

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 13:10:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks the weather has been taking a turn for colder temps, and the leaves are changing once again, heralding the arrival of my favorite time of year: fall!

The joy (and sometimes frustration) of not teaching from a set curriculum is making up your own lessons. That being said, my favorite time of year has played heavily into the lessons for the past few weeks. We kicked off with an introduction into what fall meant (changing weather, leaves, different clothes) and are now exploring traditions and holidays of fall, along with food!

Something that got a lot of students' attention was the NC State Fair. Korea is rife with festivals; they seem to have one or another going on every week. But even with all the different festivals that I have been to in Korea, nothing holds quite the same feeling and excitement that the State Fair does. For the most part, amusement rides are separate from festivals here, instead residing at one of the actual amusement parks like Lotte World or Everland. My students were impressed to see that at the State Fair we combine our rides, food, music, displays, and animals all into one big package.

They were equally impressed (and some disgusted) with the array of food consumed at the State Fair. Showing pictures of deep-fried Oreo cookies, turkey legs, chocolate-covered bacon, and funnel cake elicited reactions ranging from professions of love to groans of hunger to confusion. Some students commented that Americans eat strange foods. Of course, that sparked another discussion on what is considered weird food. Koreans have been known to eat some foods that many Americans would consider strange, too!

I also introduced them to fall sports in the US, including my favorites: college football and basketball. For that, I pulled down some great moments of Carolina sports history from YouTube to show them. As a an example of showing how much fans can love a team, I showed them the end of the Miami-UNC game where Connor Barth kicked that awesome field goal to give UNC the win. The students were surprised to see the fans storming the field and taking down the goalposts, as they had never witnessed Koreans doing anything like that. (Of course in their defense, there isn't much to tear down and carry off in soccer, baseball, or taekwondo like a football goalpost.)

While going over these activities with my students, I couldn't help but feel this overwhelming sense of homesickness. I've been pretty good about trying to keep it in check before I go home, but occasionally it hits me. I think about all these moments that make up a small part of American culture (the part that I grew up with) and how I haven't really gotten to experience them in person for a long time. Then I think about how next year I will be fortunate enough to get to see my friends and family and have these moments again for real instead of reading about them on Facebook, and I am happy once more.

What am I looking forward to next fall, living back in the States?

Football games in Kenan Stadium
Late Night with Roy and the basketball team at the Smith Center
Basketball season
Walking in the quad under a canopy of autumn leaves and Carolina blue skies
Heading to Franklin Street for a Carolina reunion with friends
North Carolina State Fair
Fair food!
Crisp nights with the smell of wood fires burning
Starbucks Pumpkin Lattes
Daily Grind coffee
Halloween
Halloween candy
First Thanksgiving at home in 5 years!
Thanksgiving dinner
My mom's pumpkin pie
Getting ready for Christmas with my family and friends
Celebrating friends' birthdays in person
Traveling the US to visit wayward friends

There's so many other things I'm looking forward to, but that's a list for another post.

Co-teacher Shuffle

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 04:25:00 +0000

Teaching in Korea can sometimes feel like playing games at a casino. Sometimes you get lucky and win big, while other times you can't seem to get anything going right. Such is the case when considering which school to work for in Korea.

Hagwons, as well as public school, can be a crap shoot at times. The key is to do research before accepting a job; this means Googling your school name to see what pops up online or contacting previous teachers to get their opinions. It's usually better to talk to a teacher who has finished his or her contract, as there won't be a boss or principal standing over a shoulder making sure that every word is positive.

One thing about public schools that happens more than in hagwons is a change in staff. Korean teachers transfer to other schools after a year and the principal/vice principal can move on to other positions, leading to a completely different school environment from one year to the next.

From all of my different experiences teaching in Korea, I've noticed that there are 3 things that affect how well or badly a contract will go:

1. Your director/principal/vice principal. If the head of the school is easy to work with, understands how to run a school, and respects and follows the contract, this is a good sign. A difficult boss makes things like pay, vacation, sick days, and problems with accommodation harder to resolve--and in some cases, unable to resolve at all. I've had both kinds of bosses while in Korea, and I much preferred the ones who respected the contract that we both had signed.

2. Co-teachers/co-workers. Teaching English to students who don't speak it as a first language is difficult. Good co-teachers work with you to explain the lesson, provide help with discipline, and give feedback on lessons/teaching style. The best co-teachers I ever had were the ones who I could go to with concerns and questions about my classes and lessons, and not feel like I was being undermined or brushed off lightly. These co-teachers were stars in their own right, dealing with difficult students or making sure that any translation issues were quickly resolved. (Sometimes even with the best of intentions, there is no easy way to explain some concepts in the most basic of English!)

3. Students. It goes without saying that if students are engaged in learning and want to be learning, then they are generally better behaved and easier to teach than those who don't give a flip about English. I've encountered both in the past 5 years, and experienced both the excitement and frustration that comes with each group. Sometimes a lesson works really well, while others it falls flat. It depends on how the students are that particular class on that particular day. Just like teachers, students have good and bad days.

At my current school, my first two main co-teachers were difficult to work with, and I felt that I couldn't approach them about any concerns with classes or lessons. As a result, I felt lost, isolated, and bored to tears. My current co-teacher has lived in both the States and Canada, and understands how Western students differ from Korean students. She too shares my frustration with the education system here, which makes talking about classes and lessons a lot easier. As a result, there is less isolation and boredom in the office. Even if a class is difficult that day, I know that I can come back to the office afterwards and have a chat with my co-teacher about something completely unrelated to school--and it will cheer both of us up greatly. I will sad to leave her in March.

Seeing the World Through New Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:47:00 +0000

It's been over two weeks since my LASEK surgery. I had my first vision test last Thursday, and according to my doctor, I'm already seeing 20/20 (left eye) and 20/22 (right eye)! I couldn't believe it, since things still look a little fuzzy to me, but he says it's true. The fuzziness will clear up in a few more weeks as my corneas continue to regrow, then my vision will be clear with 20/20 in both eyes. My next appointment will be my one month follow-up, so I'm curious to see how that will go.

Waking up every morning and being able to see right away has been the strangest experience. My brain is trying to come to terms with the fact that I can see, all the time. Not having to fumble for my glasses or worry about replacing contact lenses is awesome. I walked by an eyeglass store the other day and had to smile, thinking how I didn't have to think about when I would update my glasses or buy new contacts. There's a lot more freedom in my life now. Getting ready in the morning takes less time since I don't have to spend 10 minutes preparing to put in my contacts. In addition, my depth perception and field of vision have improved more than I could have imagined. Now I can see everything with my own eyes, without help.

I was nervous going into surgery, as I had never had surgery before and didn't know how my experience would compare to the videos I had watched online. When I arrived at Dream Eye, everyone was excited to see me, and set to putting my mind at ease. It was the Saturday of the Chuseok holiday, buzzing with people there to have surgery, get eye exams, or have a consultation.

After going through some vision tests to check my eyes once again, I found out that my eyes were seeing better than they had during my first visit. This made me happy, because it meant that I would get great results from the surgery.

I was then led back to the surgery area, where I traded my shoes for slippers and donned a surgical robe and cap. My eyes were numbed with a general anesthetic, which makes for the weirdest feeling in the world when your eyes are numb and kind of rolling around in your head. The nurses were all really kind and helped me get situated on the table, while calming my nerves. Then Dr. Lee came in.

"Are you ready?" he asked. I was as ready as I would ever be!

The nicest part of having my surgery done at Dream Eye was that Dr. Lee walked me through every step of the process, explaining what he was going to do in a calm voice. He was sure to make sure that I was comfortable despite everything that was going on with my eyes.

I'd watched videos of others' surgeries at Dream Eye on YouTube, so I had a general idea of what to expect. But it is a completely different ball game when it's happening to you! There wasn't any pain, just a few mildly uncomfortable moments, like when the guide is placed on your eye to keep you from blinking, or when your eye is washed with some cold sterilizing fluid. I'm not squeamish about touching my eyes or having people touch them with all the exams I've had in my life, but that part was a little strange for me. The cool part was when Dr. Lee put the alcohol solution on my corneas. Everything went from my usual blurriness to absolutely nothing until 30 seconds later when the laser had finished ablating my cornea. (Which, by the way, smells like burning hair.) Then, all of a sudden, I could see again! It was an amazing feeling to witness that transition, even though I knew that my road to recovery was just beginning.

After finishing both eyes, Dr. Lee said I had done really well, and that the surgery went perfectly. In my still-drugged and bleary state I was led to a resting room, where I lay down for 30 minutes to recover. As I was resting, I could hear Dr. Lee talking with another foreigner who was also having LASEK surgery that day. (Her surgery went equally as well.)

I had a quick check-up with Dr. Lee who again confirmed that the surgery had went well before I could leave that day. In tow I had my bags of medicine: antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops, and re-wetting drops. These would be instrumentally important for my eyes to heal well. After the Chuseok vacation I would return to the clinic to have my bandage contacts removed and my next post-op checkup.

And so far, everything has been going well. I am on a great schedule with all my eye drops, and they are helping the healing process go swimmingly. The first few days I constantly felt like my eyes were on fire with something in them that I couldn't get out. But now, I have no pain or irritation. The best part, no more headaches from wearing glasses and contacts! I don't miss those.

If you are considering laser eye surgery and you live in Korea, I would definitely recommend going to Dream Eye in Gangnam. Everything about my experience there has been great, and all the staff are both helpful and supportive. I am looking forward to my next check-up appointment in early November, where I'll get to see how much more progress my vision has made!

Time to Upgrade: New iPhone 5

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 05:21:00 +0000

Thursday morning I woke up to the Internet abuzz about the iPhone 5. Living abroad means getting all my news about 12 hours after everyone back home hears it, so there was plenty of chatter online about all the specs coming with the latest iteration of the iPhone.

I was eager to see what was different after months of speculation and rumors, so I hopped onto Apple's website to check out the keynote. Many people have said that the new iPhone doesn't impress, but I do like the new features and improvements that Apple has added. I currently have the same iPhone 4 that I got 2 years ago when it came out, and the 5 has a lot of bells and whistles that aren't available on my phone. This month marks the end of my 2-year-contract with KT, so now my phone is completely paid off and is officially mine! Some of my friends here have the 4S, which I envied with its faster operating speed and Siri Assistant. But I waited, knowing that I wouldn't be able to upgrade my phone in the middle of my contract here without paying a ton of money.

I won't be getting the iPhone 5 here in Korea when it arrives, however. (That is, when it arrives. Currently Apple and Samsung have been fighting in court over patents and accusing each other of copying ideas, so it is uncertain if the new iPhone will be welcomed in Korea.) Getting the iPhone 5 here would entail having to sign another 2-year-contract with KT, and I will only be here for 6 more months.

Instead, I'll keep my 4 until I get home in March, then go back to my family plan with AT&T and get an iPhone 5 there. My mom has expressed some interest in joining the smartphone brigade, so we'll see if she is comfortable with an iPhone.

An added bonus to getting a phone back home: all my US-specific apps will work again!

**From what I've been reading online, there is no exact date for an iPhone 5 release in Korea, but speculation is that it might come to Korea in late October, a month after the initial release in the US. Stay tuned!**

Where Do You Find Happiness?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:14:00 +0000

I've been doing a unit with my first grade students (grade 10 at home) on happiness. We started off by talking generally about what makes people happy. To the students, the secrets to happiness seem to lie in money, love, and food. Of course, if you had asked me the same question at the same age, I probably would have given the same answers. At 15 or 16 years old, how many of us knew what brought true happiness? Every culture sees it differently.

After giving them some other basic examples (i.e. travel, friendship, sleep, music, books), I asked them to write down one thing that made them happy and sad. When it came time for them to think of their own personal answers, rather than what they thought I would like to hear, you would have thought I was trying to pull teeth. Some stared blankly at the paper in front of them, while others sighed in frustration. They could describe it in Korean, but could they find the word in English they wanted? A few braver students tentatively raised their hands to ask me how to spell a word in English, but most relied on the person sitting next to them that they would hopefully know the answer.

I gathered up the papers once everyone had finished, then put on a video of funny sports clips to ease their tension and wrap up class. While they enjoyed the hi-jinks and unwound, I took those few minutes to glance through their responses. The answers for what made them happy varied varied from the simple (sleep, food) to the nostalgic (family, friends) to the commercially-driven (computer games, cell phone, money). There was an almost unanimous agreement on what made them unhappy, however. School. Study. Those two things were universal across the board, among both the boys' and girls' classes.

In a country where students are shuttled from public school to after-school to hagwons and study rooms daily (seldom taking a break, even on weekends), I can empathize and understand. After seeing how students are taught, and how they learn, I wish that they could be allowed to be children, not study robots. There is very little encouragement of creative, free thinking in their other classes. When they come to my English class and I ask them a question for their ideas or opinion, the responses are blank, scared faces. They were never shown that it is okay to make mistakes; that it is okay to not think exactly how the person sitting next to you does. Information is learned for tests, then quickly forgotten. I consider it lucky if one student remembers what we learned in a lesson a few weeks ago. But show them a video once and they will ask for it countless times later.

I have heard that back home many schools are pushing more towards "teaching for the test." That disappoints me, much like it does here. There is no happiness in simply learning straight from the book only to repeat it verbatim for a test and hope you got every word right. When I look at my students' answers to see 'school' and 'study' among the negatives, it makes me unhappy.

I haven't been shy in admitting that my current job is less than sunshine and rainbows. Part of that feeling is due to what I see etched on my students' faces every day. I go in with lessons that aren't taken verbatim from the book, with the hope and desire to get the students thinking in different ways. Call me idealistic, but that's why I wanted to be a teacher. I was fortunate enough to have teachers growing up who hated working inside the book, and tried everything in their power to get us thinking outside our comfort zones.

But because my students have been so beaten down by all their years of school, it's hard for them to change now. Many of them have given up on learning anything beyond what their book tells them, not to mention given up on thinking that English could be fun or interesting. This is my rock and hard place.

So how do I find happiness in all of this?

I find it in what I do outside of school. I find it in the books I read, in catching up on favorite TV shows from back home. It's in experimenting with new recipes to find something delicious. It's in talking to friends here or to ones back home. It's in planning what I want to do when I get back to NC, what I want to eat, where I want to go next. Even after a long day at school, after encountering some of the rudest Koreans I've met in my time here, and after a difficult language barrier issue, I know that those things will be here for me. It's taken me a while to realize what was important. I know I got lost along the way, but now I feel that things are more stable than they were.

Where do you find your happiness?

Fire up the lasers!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 06:21:00 +0000

For as long as I can remember, I've worn glasses. I started out wearing them to see the board in school but my vision soon progressed from mild nearsightedness to not being able to see clearly more than a few inches in front of me. My eye doctor that I saw for many years before graduating college and coming to Korea suggested that if I was interested in laser eye surgery, I would have to wait until my eyesight was stable.

Fast-forward 15 years later, and a whole other country later. I finally decided that I would take the plunge and have laser surgery. My prescription hadn't changed in a long time, and having surgery in Korea instead of at home meant lower prices and excellent after-care, since Korea is THE place for having any kind of cosmetic or elective surgery done.

My next step was finding a place that I would feel comfortable having my surgery done. A few friends of mine have gotten surgery at the Baelgun Eye Clinic in Gwangju, but given the frequency of follow-up appointments, it was a little far for me logistically. I found the Dream Eye Clinic in Seoul, which has two locations: one in Myeongdong and one in Gangnam. Dream Eye has a reputation for being popular among foreigners, so I decided to schedule a consultation with them to see what made them such a good clinic.

An added benefit is that there is a direct bus from Suwon to Gangnam Station, making transport to and from the clinic easy. Yesterday I headed up to the clinic for an appointment to see if I was a good candidate for surgery. From the moment I walked in, I could tell this wasn't your normal eye clinic, and in a good way. You give your information to the receptionist, who then sets you up with your own personal testing assistant, as well as a surgery consultant.

Mr. Choo was very helpful in explaining all of the tests as he did them on my eyes. There are 24 different tests in all that measure your eye shape, prescription, pressure, corneal thickness, depth perception, the works. The tests are explained on their website and in the info book they give you to take home after your consultation. Mr. Choo saw from my alien card that I used to live in Gwangju, which is where his family lives. We were able to chat about many Gwangju-related topics, which further helped me to feel at ease.

After all the tests were finished, then I met with Susan Park, who is my personal surgery consultant. She explained the differences between LASIK and LASEK, as well as outlining the pros and cons of each. Then she went over my test results. I was recommended for LASEK surgery for a few reasons that she explained:

- My long history of wearing contacts (15 years)
- My steep astigmatism in my right eye, which would make cutting a LASIK flap difficult
- Less chance of halos when driving at night
- A more stable surgery for long-term, especially since I will be going home next spring

She then explained the machines that would be used to do my surgery, which includes a new Wavefront laser that automatically tracks your eye movements for the most precise treatment. LASEK surgery doesn't involve cutting a flap in the cornea; rather, the outer epithelial layer of the eye is removed with a special alcohol solution to allow for laser treatment. That layer then regrows on top of your new, repaired cornea. With LASIK surgery, the flap never truly heals and can sometimes be damaged if one is not careful. LASEK takes a little longer to heal than LASIK but after reading the research and the book that the clinic gave me, I feel better about the stability of LASEK.

The price of surgery at Dream Eye includes all the follow-up visits and all the medicinal eye drops you need. The eye drops alone can cost around $200, so by including them in the price of surgery, the clinic can put everything together for a good package deal. I got two discounts because of when I chose to do my surgery (in the summertime most people are on vacation and don't have surgery done), and because Mr. Choo recommended one since he liked that I lived in Gwangju. Gotta love how random Korea is sometimes. Of course, I'm not complaining about discounts! In total, my Wavefront MLASEK surgery will cost 1.6 million won for both eyes (about $1440). At home it would have cost me about twice that, given my prescription! It may seem steep to some, but it's an investment I am looking forward to making. I did a lot of research on both surgery types before I decided to go in for a consultation, and then asked a bunch of questions once I was there. I even met with my surgeon to confirm the surgery recommendation and to double-check the test results. Each of the surgeons at the clinic has performed over 20,000 surgeries with 1-2% of patients experiencing any sort of regression in their surgery. Those numbers, as well as the extensive screening and preparation process assure me that this clinic knows what they are doing. It is a preferred clinic among foreigners for a reason!

My surgery is scheduled for September 29th, over the Chuseok holidays. I opted for that weekend because I will have a long weekend (5 days) to recover after surgery, spending time in my apartment and not worrying about social or work obligations. I've read about what to expect following surgery (mild pain and discomfort) so I want to be able to just relax at home. I'll let you know how it goes!

Sungha Jung's Awesome Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 03:54:00 +0000

In a country where carefully choreographed K-pop is king, it's nice to break away from that mold and find Koreans who are exploring other styles of music.

For example, Sungha Jung. I discovered him by accident on YouTube a little while ago and have been mesmerized by his performances ever since. He doesn't sing, but he does wonderful guitar arrangements and covers of popular Western and Korean songs. Listening to his acoustic, stripped-down versions of very common songs is both relaxing and incredible. Don't take my word for it; listen for yourself!

When You Struggle for Words

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:04:00 +0000

I've struggled for a long time wondering what to write here. My blog used to be something that brought me a lot of joy to write and create. But lately, I have lacked the desire to update, as well as missing the passion that came with writing and creating something new. I have also not been enjoying my job as well as some of my experience thus far this year, so I tried to keep from running to my blog to rant about them. I've read a lot of ranting-style blogs expounding on the negatives of Korea, and I don't want to be one of them.

Earlier last year, I knew that I wanted to do one more year in Korea so I would have time to prepare to either go back to school or head into the lateral entry program once I return home for good. When I went home in March in between my contracts, I felt the pull of home more so than I had before. I thought I was making the right decision, given the options, by coming back for one last year.

Once I returned and started at my new school, teaching through the GEPIK program, I started to regret my decision on a number of levels. Public school is touted in Korea as being a more stable job with more vacation and a higher security of being paid. But what most people don't realize at first is that public school can be as random in terms of good schools and bad schools, just like hagwons. I was told that given my experience and what I wanted to accomplish at home, public school would be the better option for me. It would look better on my resume and give me more related experience than another hagwon could.

But again, not the best of decisions. I considered handing in my notice, quitting after a few months. I also considered not telling my school at all, and just leaving. I wasn't planning on returning to Korea and teaching here again in the future.

The problem with that is there is a lot of money involved with leaving a contract early. Especially in public school. Not only would you forfeit your end-of-year severance bonus, you would miss out on a paid flight home and you're on the hook for paying back the money for your incoming flight. In addition, you have to repay the settlement allowance of 300,000 (about 250 dollars). Public schools also withhold money for 3 months for a security deposit, from which they deduct your last month's bills and any amounts accrued for damages to your apartment. That can be anywhere from 700-900,000 won (650-850 dollars). You would probably forfeit a good chunk of that as well. I've also heard that sometimes it is difficult to claim your pension if you quit a public school contract early. That last part is merely hearsay but it would suck nonetheless.

So as you can see, quitting early hits you in a lot of ways. I have plans to get LASIK surgery this year before I get back to the States, where it costs WAY more than it does in Korea. I also have a few more places to check off my travel list. I am uncertain the next time I will be in Asia, so I need to check off these places while I can. Because of all of this, and because of wanting to have a nice nest egg ready for re-entering an American lifestyle, I decided that I would stay. Even if it meant having to sit through the next year biting my tongue. And thus, trying not to bitch about it too much to friends or on the Internet.

Some classes go great some days; other days they can be like going to the dentist and getting teeth pulled. I feel like the dentist in a lot of cases. My school has made me seriously question the future of ESL in Korea and what schools hope to accomplish by hiring and retaining foreign teachers. As someone who wants to be a teacher back home, it almost breaks my heart to not be able to teach students. I feel generally underused as a teacher at my school, where the general attitude is that English is not necessary or important at all. (Often makes me wonder why this particular school decided to hire a FT in the first place.)

If there is anything I have learned in all this is that I do not want to teach high school anymore. I thought when I came here that that was what I would do once I returned home. I loved my high school teachers and the fact that they could teach a whole class on what they loved and specialized in. But teaching high school isn't in the cards for me, I suppose. Through all my experiences here in Korea, it's the elementary school students that have brought me the most joy. They are at the age where they are old enough to understand the basics of life, but untouched by raging hormones and changing attitudes. They have good and bad days just like other students, but generally their enthusiasm for learning and doing new things remains unbroken. Now, anyone who is an elementary school teacher is welcome to offer their comments and opinions to this. I would be glad to hear your perspectives!

Right now I'm trying to focus less on my life at school here and focus more on the future: LASIK surgery, traveling a few last places, seeing friends that are still here, and getting ready to move home. That, along with talking to friends back home, is what is keeping me sane. To all of you who have listened to me the past few months, I thank you immensely for your willing ears.

And this is me, hopefully finding the oomph I needed to get back into blogging again. Thanks for sticking with me.

The Low Point, An Affirmation, Answering the Call

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Today I hit the lowest point of my time here in Korea.

There are a lot of good things about Korea, and there are also bad things. I like to lean to the positive side and see most things about Korea as good, and not complain too much about what bothers me here. But today, at the lowest point in all my experiences here, I had never felt so negative about Korea as I did.

I was standing in a packed crowd watching dancers perform onstage as part of the Busan International Dance Festival. There was nowhere to move where I stood, and more people kept coming to watch the show. An adjumma came up from behind me and wanted to stand in the exact spot where I was already standing, so she decided she was going to shove me out of the way. I stood my ground and told her in Korean that I was already there first and that there was nowhere else I would move. She kept trying to shove me aside but I wasn't having it, and I wasn't going to budge from the spot where I was standing long before she came along. I explained again, still in polite Korean, that I wouldn't move since it was physically impossible. She apparently became frustrated that I wasn't going to be able to magically remove myself from that spot, and raised her hand to slap me across the head. I put up my hand to block hers and said (in some not-so-polite Korean) that if she slapped me I would hit her back. (My mom was the only one who could smack me across the head and that was if I had sassed her, which did not happen often.) Cue an angry staring contest and more not-so-polite Korean on both sides. Finally she broke her glare and stopped trying to steal my spot, instead pushing the person to my left and causing her to stumble out of the way. The adjumma continued up through the crowd, shoving people out of the way. She even pushed a child off the edge of the platform he was standing on into the sand below, causing him to cry in fright.

Later on in the performance, she came walking back the other way and stopped to glare at me. I glared back, communicating with my eyes what would happen should she try something again. She kept moving on and then left completely.

Usually, I'm pretty respectful of the cultural differences here, and I understand that there is a system of how things work in Korea. I won't say that I agree with the system but I know that it's there as a part of Korean history and tradition.

But today the system went a little too far for me, and I almost snapped back on it in the worst way. I would never want to resort to violence as a means of accomplishing anything, so I was initially surprised at my reaction.

Thinking about it more after the fact, I know that it's a sign. It's another sign that it is time for me to go home to NC. I've been in Korea long enough now that the sheen of everything I love about this country is beginning to dull. I don't want to become one of those people that hates everything about Korea and complains about it incessantly, so the best thing is to let this chapter of my life come to an end. Five years in Korea is a long time, and more than most English teachers spend here. The exceptions are those who marry Koreans, start businesses here, or see teaching ESL in Korea as a career. I fall into none of those categories.

I know now that I want to be a teacher; I've figured that out. I have even learned that I no longer want to teach high school, which was my plan when I went into college studying English. Now that I've had the opportunity to experience high school teaching, in addition to my other experiences, elementary school is where I want to be teaching. I know that I have so much more to learn about how to teach, and I need to go learn that. But I can't really do that in Korea. If I want to be a licensed teacher in NC, I need to go home and get my license. Whether it is through grad school or lateral entry, I need to be home to do that.

It's not just a need to be home to study and work as a teacher, but also a want to be home. I worry about my grandparents getting older, as I have witnessed many coworkers dealing with the death of their grandparents and other family while living here. I have missed far too many weddings and birthdays and babies, and Facebook is no longer keeping me as in the loop as I would like it to. Friends become harder to connect with the more time we spend apart, merely because their lives seem to move 2x as fast as they used to. I want to be there more for my friends. I want to be there more for my family. I saw that the last time I visited in March. The older I've become, the more of a bond I have formed with my mom. We went through a long period of time when we weren't very close when I was in college, but now we are on a better track.

I have a sneaking suspicion my brother might be getting married in the next year or two, and I want to be there for that. There's a long list of friends and places to visit in the US that I intend to check off, one by one. But to do that, I need (and want) to be home.

North Carolina, with your mountains and beaches, your blue skies so bright it hurts to look at them, your summer thunderstorms and mild winters, country music, pork BBQ, sweet tea, and biscuits--you're calling me home, louder than ever. I heard it when I was home in March. I read it between the lines of every message and email from family and friends. I hear it in the twang of a Southern accent over the phone. I hear it, I feel it, I see it calling. And I'm answering your call.

A picture is worth a thousand words...or more

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:58:00 +0000

There are many things about Korea that you just have to be here to understand, what with all the unique cultural experiences and cultural mishaps that come with visiting or living here. Trying to explain to friends and family back home about what happens here is sometimes difficult to put into words--and forget trying to find the right words.

This blog helps, though. It's been passed around the blogsphere and on social networks a lot recently, and I wanted to share it with you. It's called KikinitinKorea, and it uses hilarious GIFs to illustrate what words simply can't describe. I hope you enjoy, and that it gives you a little more insight into what life is like in Korea.

Awesome Things About Korea #46 : The Dollar Store

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:27:00 +0000

Looking for some storage bins to organize your apartment? Or what about some inexpensive school supplies for your classes? Need nice picture frames for your Korea photos but don't want to break the bank? That's where the Korean dollar store Daiso comes into play.

Daiso (다이소) takes dollar stores to a whole new level. I just moved into a new apartment about a month ago and thanks to Daiso, I was able to get a plethora of household items (dishes, storage boxes, Tupperware, silverware, etc.) without spending a ton of money. I even managed to find a good variety of seeds to start my spring flower and herb garden. The merchandise that they carry here isn't cheap in quality as you might think, considering that it's coming from a dollar store.

If there's something you're looking for and you don't want to pay HomePlus or E-Mart prices for it, why not check out the local Daiso to see what they have in stock? You just might be surprised.

Awesome Things about Korea #45: Eating foods that Koreans think Westerners can't eat

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:24:00 +0000

Homemade Doenjang (Photo credit: powerplantop)

The other day at lunch at my school, they served one of the best lunches I've had there by far: make-your-own bibimbap with bean sprouts, carrots, lettuce, kimchi, and rice. On the side they served some fried sweet potato slices, green gochu peppers, dwenjang paste, and pears.

Gochu peppers are known for being spicy; after all, it's these peppers that are dried, ground, and made into gochujang--the staple of Korean cooking. They are what we would call chili peppers at home. But these particular green gochu peppers are special in that they aren't as spicy as their tinier red counterparts. Meaning, they are quite palatable with a dollop of dwenjang (soybean paste) on top.

chili peppers (Photo credit: marzbars)

My coworker and I each loaded our trays with a healthy serving of gochu and dwenjang and sat down next to a few of our Korean coworkers to enjoy. Our coworkers were surprised by the amount of peppers we had on our plates, and remarked, "Are those peppers too spicy?"

We replied with a shake of our heads and the crunch of a pepper, "no." And they weren't. In fact, it was almost akin to eating carrot sticks with ranch dressing back home, just that comforting of a feeling.

You know you've adapted well to being in Korea when you eat your veggies with dwenjang like you'd eat them with ranch dressing back home.

Goals for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:31:00 +0000

Now that I've decided that this year will be my last in Korea, I've started a list of goals that I want to accomplish during this year before I leave and head home. Some are career-related, some having to do with travel, while others are more geared towards personal achievement. I won't call them resolutions, but rather guidelines for a productive year.

One of the main things I want to accomplish this year is to get into graduate school or to start work in NC public schools through a lateral-entry program. It all depends on my application, resume, and experience--and how that will weigh into an admissions decision. There are two universities in NC that offer lateral entry jobs through the NC Teach program: Western Carolina and Eastern Carolina. They are about as far apart as you can get geographically and socially, as each campus has a different atmosphere.

There is also a possibility of going through another teacher program called The New Teacher Project, which places teachers in high-need areas. You go through a summer training program first, and then you start teaching in the fall. In a way, it is similar to Teach for America. I'll be applying for that as well.

In order to prepare for all of this, I'll have to start studying for my teacher licensing exam, the PRAXIS test. Regardless of what route I take to get started teaching in NC, I'll have to take this test. The PRAXIS I is the general teaching exam, while the PRAXIS II is a subject test suited to potential high school teachers. From what I've heard from other teaching friends, the PRAXIS I should be nothing to worry about. Of course, it's been about 5 years since I took any kind of standardized test, so I feel like I need to at least do a little prep to make sure I still know basic concepts. The more time I've spent in Korea, the more I feel like I'm losing bits and pieces of my advanced English ability, and that doesn't sit well with me!

Another goal for this year is to travel to a few more places that I haven't gotten to go to yet in Asia. I'm hoping to get to Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong by the time I leave next year. I went to Australia this past year and loved every minute of it. And I got the chance to go camping on a small Korean island with friends, not to mention explore more of the province where I live. Money and time providing, more traveling will happen this year!

I also want to keep up with exercising and eating right. It was a big accomplishment last year for me personally, losing 10 kilograms (22lbs) and feeling better about how I looked in clothes. Buying smaller clothes and being a different size was a big confidence booster. Even better was being able to finally buy clothes in Korea, where sizes run in small, extra-small, and impossibly tiny. "Free" size didn't seem to be any freer than its minuscule counterparts, sadly enough.

I started out strong with my blog last year and kept it going through most of the year, but towards the end it was more difficult to stay focused with everything else going on in life. This year I want to continue writing and bringing life in Korea to you all, even though other things might get in the way. And although I might be leaving Korea in the next year, I'd like to transition this blog from my life overseas to my life back home. It won't be saying goodbye, but rather starting a new chapter in my life. Who knows what the next chronicle may be?