So as I've said, next week is midterms, so the students are mostly in study mode this week. Which means that today, while I would usually teach six classes, I only taught one class. And then actually when I went to that class my coteacher asked the students "who wants to talk with Madeline teacher?" -- only about 10 of them raised their hand. So he said, "okay, you guys can go to the English Zone and talk with her while the rest of us stay here and study from the book." They were so excited!!!! We went down to the English Zone, put our chairs in a circle and just talked. This is probably one of the highest level classes at Sangji, it is third grade class, and they girls were very excited to talk with me and ask questions. I love hanging out with the students, that's how I learn the most about Korea! They told me they wanted to be a nurse, a hairdresser, a social worker, an accountant, one jokingly said a professional taekwondo artist! They asked me to bring in my makeup to show them (I've never thought how I do my makeup was anything special, but since they are not allowed to wear makeup, and really wish they could, they were so interested!) Two of the girls also asked me "teacher, hair, touch?" so I said "you want to touch my hair? I think it feels the same as yours." And they said "YES!!" and bouth came up to tentatively touch a few strands. They screamed with delight "OOOHHHHHH" and ran back to their seats! What a celebrity I am! The other students also asked for advise on how to get better at English, one student asked specifically how she could become better at grammar because she is good at speaking, usually things are reversed. I felt so lame answering them, I didn't know what to say! I told them to keep talking with me and said if they want to practice grammar they should write to me and gave them my email. I need to come up with some better advise. I'm not sure they quite understood what I was saying the whole time either... but I really do think those are good ways to improve, better than if you just sit and try to memorize! I tried to convey that I think they should study for a half hour and then take a break instead of just sitting and sitting and sitting like I know they do! One student who writes me notes a lot told me she spent three hours writing me a note last night!! She wanted it to be perfect so I'm pretty sure she looked up everything in the dictionary! Her note was great, I wish I could convey to her that for a 14 year old her writing is better than some American children. Maybe I should ask if I can start an English club at school, that might be a fun alternative to classtime, it would mean less students, and only those really interested...
Last night Jason and I also experienced our first Korean bathhouse, or jimjilbang. Our sweet tooths got the best of us again and we hit up Ti Amo for another yogurt smoothie (soooo good). That brought us to Scott's neighborhood. While we were eating he called and asked if we'd like to join him at the jimjilbang since there is one very close to Ti Amo. It is called "bo sock sa u na" and is actually the landmark we give the taxi drives to take us from Sangji to Ti Amo (to get home we always just have the taxi drivers take us to the front of Sangji, its easier than if we tried to give them our addresses!) Scott is an experienced patron of the jimjilbang, having studied abroad in Korea last summer, and was a great guide for us novices.
For only 6000 won you have access to the baths and the sauna. Apparently some jimjilbang's are very elaberate, but this one was a little smaller. Still the 6000 won gets you in the door, a locker, a sweatsuit to wear, access to three sauna rooms, all at different temperatures, access to the communal baths (seperated by gender) and best of all if you want to make a night of it, they are 24 hours so you can stay in them all night! There are dim rooms for you to sleep in on pull out mats, water coolers and even a big flat screen TV! Inside a small shop also sells a variety of simple snacks and drinks, plus some clothes and underwear.
The three of us got changed and met again in the sauna rooms, which are not divided by sex. First we started in the 42 degrees celcius room. The room was very pretty, with different colored stones covering the walls and ceiling in a mosaic style, hidden on the walls were the shapes of animals and plants. This room was a perfect temperature, definitely warm but comfortable. We laid on a bead of little beads that perfectly comformed to our backs. I pretended I was in an ancient cavern.
The next room was a 82 degrees C, which is about 160 degrees F. This room had mats covering boards to lay on. It was so hot. Scott told us the Korean way was to last 15 minutes. I only made it to 8 but he and Jason stayed in for the entire 15. I was sweaty when I got out but the two of them were worse, they were red and looked like they'd been working out! We then went in the cool room which was around 30 degrees C. In that room there was a large tarp that covered small, unpolished rocks. After we stopped sweating it started to feel pretty average in the room so we switched back to the first one. Our bodies had left sweat marks on the tarp, eww. We made sure to keep drinking water every time we switched rooms since our bodies were letting it all out.
Finally we decided to head out. We told Scott we would pass on the baths this time and he seemed a little dissapointed. But it being my first time and all, and it being very cold outside, I didn't want to strip down or have wet hair for the taxi ride home. Jason told me later that the last he saw of Scott he had decided to check out the baths on his own. I quickly changed in the locker rooms, which were empty. Suddenly the doors to the baths opened a six year old Korean girl appeared, totally naked. She was followed by her younger brother, also nude, but covering himself. Maybe he knew he was really in the girls side and was a little bashful? Then came their Mom, in the flesh. She just walked around the locker room like it was nothing. I tried not to stare. As I made my way outside I realized she was browsing through the racks of cloths for sale, still totally nude!!!!
All in all my first jimjilbang experience was really fun! I will definitely be going back, especially when it gets colder out because it really warms you up.
The rest of the week has consited of school days with little work. Answering emails. Cooking. Eating sweets (Jason and I decided we have to cut back because we're gaining back the weight we lost.) We also realized the fall TV season had started so we had to download How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang, NCIS, Vampire Diaries and Smallville. Yep, those are my shows of choice. It doesn't feel like we are so far away when we can download shows, put them on a USB drive, plug the drive into the DVD player and watch everything on the TV. We are totally caught up with the US! (And my goodness, VD is as thrilling as ever! Smallville is finally in its last season too!)
This weekend we might head out to Seoul, we have a lot to explore there. Plus my Dad informed me that they just opened a Taco Bell and we are SO excited to check it out! Read about it in this great article I found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/24/AR2010092402715.html
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Chiaksan Mountain
On Friday morning Jason and I got up early to meet our friends Scott and Amber at the bus stop. The 40 minute bus ride dropped us at the beginning of the trail to climb Mt. Chiaksan, one of the highest point peaks in the Wonju area. There we met one of Scott's coteachers who also joined on the hike. She was really nice and fun to talk with, she'd traveled to New Zealand and is only a second year teacher so she had lots of good stories. Also, exactly like in the US, she told us how the high school boys she teachs had tormented her last year, they made fun of her, they brought bugs and frogs into the classroom to freak her out. She said this year things are better because she is more strict but her first year was really difficult. See, things aren't so different! Kids are kids and new teachers are new teachers.
The climb was beautiful, we were surrounded by lush forest and followed a stream up the entire time. It kind of reminded me of area's we've camped in at home, but this forest also had some vines and bamboo which was the biggest difference. We unknowgly chose to hike the hardest of the three trails to the top, so the incline was huge and the stone steps were steep. We were huffing and puffing. At one point we lost the trail and all began to trudge up the side of the mountain where the ground was covered in shrubs and loose dirt until Scott, who was in front, finally concluded this could not be the way to go. Jason at the bottom went back down to scout, followed some other hikers and discovered the trail went behind a huge rock and basically became the stream. If there hadn't been some Korean hikers on the trail too, who knows where we would have ended up! A Korean woman started to follow us too until Scott's friend told her in Korean that we were lost!
A note on Korean hikers as well. They are super stylish. Everyone wears bright cloths, especially made for hiking. There are hiking stores all over Wonju. There are like three within a 5 minute walk of my apartment (but no coffee shops so close!) The gear is all really pricey too because it is specialty made. People had on hats (the woman's hats were sparkly, pink, decorated with flowers), bandanas around their necks, hiking poles, hiking boots, backpacks, gloves... You can definitely be underdressed when hiking! Who knew? Jason and I didn't really bring hiking attire so the day before we went to E-Mart and bought some outfits. Mine was pink and gray, matching. Jason wore a hat. We really looked the part.
The top of the mountain contained an amazing view and luckily the weather was just perfect that day, no rain, and not too cold or too hot. We had lunch at the top and peanut butter never tasted so good! There were three man made stone pillars at the top. They were created in the 60's by a man who believed he had been told in a dream to honor Buddha in this way. It took him years to carry up the small rocks and create three massive rock pillars. We could also see all of Wonju.
The way down was brutal on our knees, but we did take a slightly easier path, the last portion of which turned into a road that dropped us into a new and ritzy area of town, filled with fancy resturants, a sort of "rustic" mountain getaway. We were no where near the bus when we emerged from the trail and so instead called a taxi to take us to Wonju. Somehow we had come down the other side of the mountain and were only 10 minutes from Sangji! The taxi split 5 ways was super cheap! Scott's friend took off but he and Amber came to check out my apartment, where we had the taxi drop us. After that we went to dinner at a random resturant near my place where we got some kind of boiled pork dish. It was good but a little hard to eat straight off the bone! Jason and I followed Scott and Amber to their neck of the woods because we were craving yogurt smoothies from the Italian place "Ti Amo." We finished off the night with lattes.
Our lazy weekend continued, with the addition of super sore muscles. We looked like dorks hobbling up and down stairs. Luckily we felt okay by the start of school on Monday.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Time to Recap: Photobooth, the Eastern Sea and Chuseok
Today is one of those days at school when I feel like I should be doing more/should have been doing more, but I'm not quite sure... what I mean is Korean's don't like to be very direct about things, so instead of saying "you will do this" they will often say "it would be nice if..." -- so today I usually teach four classes, but midterms are next week so many of the teachers want to power through their lessons or give the students time for self study. Although no one told me before hand, I had a sneaking suspecion that when I arrived at school today I would be told I wasn't teaching. Right away one coteacher said, "you will not teach," then my other teacher said, "you teach grade 2 but I'll teach grade 3." So I taught one class and offered to help with the other but my coteacher just told me I could go to the office. Then just now I was supposed to teach, I asked my coteacher before he went in if I should teach or if he wanted to... here is where I get confused and unsure if I did something right or wrong... He said, "whatever you want," and I said, "well what do you think is better?" And he said, "well I'd like to study with them, but I want you to decide," so I said, "if you think that's better than that's fine, I have a lesson but I can hold onto it," he then said, "okay good, thank you, I think that is good, I will see you next Thursday then" (in a week and a half, when midterms are over...) I offered to help but he just sent me on my way... So I guess that's what he wanted in the end? What if I'd insisted on teaching?!
Photobooth:
Two weeks ago on Wednesday one of my students insisted we hang out after school. I told her I was busy but she wouldn't take no for an answer. After I convinced her we could only hang out for about an hour, right after school, and only if we went somewhere close to school, that was fine. I wasn't sure (and am still not quite sure...) if this kind of thing is allowed or frowned upon, hanging out with students outside of school. The girl is super sweet and only 12 and was so excited! She told me this was the first time she was going to "play with a foreign friend" -- she was in elementry last year and still seems very young, which I think is why she kept saying we were going to "play" (hang out.) We walked to one of the local markets/downtown shopping areas and decided to get food at Lotteria, Korea's fast food resturant. We got Tornados (which are just like Blizzards or Twisters) mine had cookies, her's had pop rocks. I paid for her's. Another student saw us sitting and eating together and came and begged me to buy her something too. Oh boy. Next we went to a Photobooth and took silly pictures. Photobooth is really common here, and there were many mom's and daughters and small groups of friends taking pictures. Afterward you can decorate the picture with all kinds of clip art right on the machine. Then they print in duplicates, you can cut them up and they are stickers. Again I don't know if its considered okay to take photos with your students, but it was totally innocent and we were in public places the entire time. I found out later the student's sister goes to Sangji High School, Jason told me the next day that the girl came up to him, showed him two of the pictures and said "your girlfriend? Cute!" or something like that. So I guess it was okay. The entire time my student kept saying, "very excited" and told me "everyone looks at you because you are so beautiful" -- haha, like I said, flattery is in abundance here. It was a nice little hang out. I don't want to keep this up though because, as another teacher warned me, everyone will want to go out and get ice cream with me!
Chuseok:
Last week was Chuseok, a big holiday in the Korean calendar. This year it fell righ in the middle of the week and our school decided to take the entire week off because of it. Its a national holiday. Its a day to celebrate the Harvest, to visit the graves of your ancestors, get together with family, give gifts, eat lots of traditional foods (like rice cakes with honey.) Many people travel on Chuseok to be with family. (Read more on Chuseok here.) For us foreigners, it meant a huge vacation, nine whole days, and we'd only been working for three weeks! The break was nice of course, but definitely has gotten me out of the swing of things.
Eastern Sea:
For our Chuseok, Jason and I traveled to the Eastern Sea (or Sea of Japan for all you non-Korean's.) We originally were thinking of being really bold and going to Japan via ferry (sounds fun right?!) but decided we didn't have enough time, didn't want to make ourselves super exhasted and didn't really want to spend the money just yet. Our second plan was to visit the ocean town of Busan in the south of Korea. We were just looking into hotels and things to do when my coteacher Mr. Byeon invited us both the Eastern Sea with his family. This year they weren't doing the whole Chuseok thing, they weren't visiting family or going far away, they just decided to stay pretty close to Wonju and be together. Mr. Byeon has a wife and two boys, one is about 11 the other 14. He seemed like he really wanted Jason and I to join he and his family at the sea. He told us how the Gangwon-do Office of Education runs a seaside resort (hotel) that is only for Gangwon-do teachers. The resort is extremely cheap (rooms go from 10,000-30,000 won, so less than $30 at max) and provides a room with bathroom, full kitchen, bedroom and all the appliances and sheets you need. The more my coteacher talked to us about it, the more it became evident he wanted us to go. I don't think if I were here alone he would have invited me because he is a little conservative and old fashioned and I think he would have thought it improper to invite a girl, but because Jason is here and he could invite a couple, he was excited! We agreed and he made the necessary reservations for us. Due to "Korean standards of morality" we had to make a reservation for two rooms, even though we only used one. (When he told another coteacher about the trip, and today when he told the principal he made sure to say "hana room for Jason and hana room for Madeline." Hana means one in Korean so I figured that's what he said at least!) We tried to get some friends to fill the other room, but everyone was busy. (Maybe next time!)
My coteacher bought our bus tickets for us because he was worried they would sell out because of Chuseok and then drove us to the bus terminal on Friday night to show us where it was and how to buy tickets. To get a little off track, we discovered the area around the bus terminal is very happening! There were tons of bars and new buildings just waiting for stores to arrive. We ate dinner at "New York, New York" -- Jason was really excited to have a steak! We ordered two of the cheaper options which were pretty good. The salad had balsamic vinagerette on it and the steak was plain steak with sauce, it was nice to eat something non spicy, haha! We also found a billards place, shooting gallery, arcade... there was even a bar called "WA Ice Bar" WA=Western Alcohol! We were excited because we hadn't seen a bar with anything but beer and soju since we arrived. (We found out later our friend Scott lives next to the same bar, so we guess its a chain after all...) Jason pulled me inside and we had a quike drink. The place was really nice, it had a blue "ice" bar and was really pretty yet hip. The next night we went out for Sam Gip Sal, pork that you grill on your own bed of hot coals! It was really fun! We called it my birthday dinner since in August things were really busy and Jason didn't have a chance to take just me out. We didn't have soju, but we followed up with beer and fruit and then went back to WA Bar because I liked it so much.
Then came Monday, we got up early and made it to the bus terminal no problem. We started out the day right with Dunkin Doughnuts and coffee. Our bus was really plush and I was excited to see out the windows. We were headed to the town of Gangneeung, which is only about an 1 hour and 20 minutes away. One of my old friends/residents from UCI who is also an EPIK teacher is living in that town, he is doing his second year with the program. I didn't get to see much out the window though because of all the rain clouds, but between the mist I did glimpse some rolling green hills. Soon enough we were in town. We attempted to do some exploring but really just walked in a huge circle and ended up back at the bus terminal. LOL. Jason dragged me into H Mart, which turned out to be a huge electonic store. He was happy to buy a wireless internet router there. I was eying the toaster ovens but the smallest one was 80,000 won! (Real oven's were 500,000 won and up!) After poking around H Mart we caught a local bus to Jumunjin Beach, a smaller town 20 minutes north of Gangneung. We tried not to hit the locals with our giant backpack and learned first hand that some older Koreans do not value personal space... I was sitting and Jason was standing and an old lady managed to slide between us on the bus, she was so sly! I couldn't tell if she was trying to get me to move or if she just wanted a better spot to hold onto the rail! Either way, she made no gesture, asked no question, she just slid right between us! Akward.
The bus dropped us next to Jumunjin Harbor. We walked through it and saw all the super fresh fish! There were live octopus in tubs filled with water, fish big and small, bright red crabs... we were in a real harbor where fishing boats were pulled up the dock and workers were pulling buckets and barrols of fish right from them. Water was sloshing everywhere and people were decked out in rain boots, overalls and visors. I was super enthralled! As we were walking through a man stopped us and asked where we were from, told me I was cute and Jason must be the luckiest, mentioned he was 70 years old (no way, he looked 50!) and that he used to be a liasion officer between Korea and the US Navy; so that's why his English was so good! Foreigners, we're so easy to spot.
The beach resort was only a short taxi ride away but we decided to walk up the beach from the harbor to the resort instead. The resort was literally right on the beach so we knew we'd have to run into, plus we had maps. The walk up the coast was really pretty, we saw lots and lots of drying squid, it hung on cloths lines mingled with clean laundry. Jason spotted a cafe with Nescape logos in the window and we went in. The place offered comfortable couches to lounge on with beautiful ocean views. I ordered an latte and he a coffee. It was the best coffee we have had here! The woman who made it used a real machine, instead of just a pot or instant! It was such a good find!
A short while later we made it tothe resort, checked in (with the help of my coteacher via phone, he and his family would meet us later) and gawked at our literally ocean front view. Jason and I were talking about how fortunate we were to be able to come to Korea, to stay in a place like this, to have such welcoming coteachers... we truely are.
Jason convinced me to play some tennis and then we checked out the beach. It was hot that day and the water was warm! We put our feet in and had a good time running around and taking pictures. Families were out and people were riding quads on the sand. Very soon after my coteacher arrived and we met his wife and sons. They were very nice but the sons were super shy. His wife made us a truely scrumptus dinner of sam gip sal (she just whipped it up!) complete with side dishes, rice, fruit and coffee. We talked and learned more about them. We decided that the next day we would meet and in the morning and do some sightseeing.
Photobooth:
Two weeks ago on Wednesday one of my students insisted we hang out after school. I told her I was busy but she wouldn't take no for an answer. After I convinced her we could only hang out for about an hour, right after school, and only if we went somewhere close to school, that was fine. I wasn't sure (and am still not quite sure...) if this kind of thing is allowed or frowned upon, hanging out with students outside of school. The girl is super sweet and only 12 and was so excited! She told me this was the first time she was going to "play with a foreign friend" -- she was in elementry last year and still seems very young, which I think is why she kept saying we were going to "play" (hang out.) We walked to one of the local markets/downtown shopping areas and decided to get food at Lotteria, Korea's fast food resturant. We got Tornados (which are just like Blizzards or Twisters) mine had cookies, her's had pop rocks. I paid for her's. Another student saw us sitting and eating together and came and begged me to buy her something too. Oh boy. Next we went to a Photobooth and took silly pictures. Photobooth is really common here, and there were many mom's and daughters and small groups of friends taking pictures. Afterward you can decorate the picture with all kinds of clip art right on the machine. Then they print in duplicates, you can cut them up and they are stickers. Again I don't know if its considered okay to take photos with your students, but it was totally innocent and we were in public places the entire time. I found out later the student's sister goes to Sangji High School, Jason told me the next day that the girl came up to him, showed him two of the pictures and said "your girlfriend? Cute!" or something like that. So I guess it was okay. The entire time my student kept saying, "very excited" and told me "everyone looks at you because you are so beautiful" -- haha, like I said, flattery is in abundance here. It was a nice little hang out. I don't want to keep this up though because, as another teacher warned me, everyone will want to go out and get ice cream with me!
Chuseok:
Last week was Chuseok, a big holiday in the Korean calendar. This year it fell righ in the middle of the week and our school decided to take the entire week off because of it. Its a national holiday. Its a day to celebrate the Harvest, to visit the graves of your ancestors, get together with family, give gifts, eat lots of traditional foods (like rice cakes with honey.) Many people travel on Chuseok to be with family. (Read more on Chuseok here.) For us foreigners, it meant a huge vacation, nine whole days, and we'd only been working for three weeks! The break was nice of course, but definitely has gotten me out of the swing of things.
Eastern Sea:
For our Chuseok, Jason and I traveled to the Eastern Sea (or Sea of Japan for all you non-Korean's.) We originally were thinking of being really bold and going to Japan via ferry (sounds fun right?!) but decided we didn't have enough time, didn't want to make ourselves super exhasted and didn't really want to spend the money just yet. Our second plan was to visit the ocean town of Busan in the south of Korea. We were just looking into hotels and things to do when my coteacher Mr. Byeon invited us both the Eastern Sea with his family. This year they weren't doing the whole Chuseok thing, they weren't visiting family or going far away, they just decided to stay pretty close to Wonju and be together. Mr. Byeon has a wife and two boys, one is about 11 the other 14. He seemed like he really wanted Jason and I to join he and his family at the sea. He told us how the Gangwon-do Office of Education runs a seaside resort (hotel) that is only for Gangwon-do teachers. The resort is extremely cheap (rooms go from 10,000-30,000 won, so less than $30 at max) and provides a room with bathroom, full kitchen, bedroom and all the appliances and sheets you need. The more my coteacher talked to us about it, the more it became evident he wanted us to go. I don't think if I were here alone he would have invited me because he is a little conservative and old fashioned and I think he would have thought it improper to invite a girl, but because Jason is here and he could invite a couple, he was excited! We agreed and he made the necessary reservations for us. Due to "Korean standards of morality" we had to make a reservation for two rooms, even though we only used one. (When he told another coteacher about the trip, and today when he told the principal he made sure to say "hana room for Jason and hana room for Madeline." Hana means one in Korean so I figured that's what he said at least!) We tried to get some friends to fill the other room, but everyone was busy. (Maybe next time!)
My coteacher bought our bus tickets for us because he was worried they would sell out because of Chuseok and then drove us to the bus terminal on Friday night to show us where it was and how to buy tickets. To get a little off track, we discovered the area around the bus terminal is very happening! There were tons of bars and new buildings just waiting for stores to arrive. We ate dinner at "New York, New York" -- Jason was really excited to have a steak! We ordered two of the cheaper options which were pretty good. The salad had balsamic vinagerette on it and the steak was plain steak with sauce, it was nice to eat something non spicy, haha! We also found a billards place, shooting gallery, arcade... there was even a bar called "WA Ice Bar" WA=Western Alcohol! We were excited because we hadn't seen a bar with anything but beer and soju since we arrived. (We found out later our friend Scott lives next to the same bar, so we guess its a chain after all...) Jason pulled me inside and we had a quike drink. The place was really nice, it had a blue "ice" bar and was really pretty yet hip. The next night we went out for Sam Gip Sal, pork that you grill on your own bed of hot coals! It was really fun! We called it my birthday dinner since in August things were really busy and Jason didn't have a chance to take just me out. We didn't have soju, but we followed up with beer and fruit and then went back to WA Bar because I liked it so much.
Then came Monday, we got up early and made it to the bus terminal no problem. We started out the day right with Dunkin Doughnuts and coffee. Our bus was really plush and I was excited to see out the windows. We were headed to the town of Gangneeung, which is only about an 1 hour and 20 minutes away. One of my old friends/residents from UCI who is also an EPIK teacher is living in that town, he is doing his second year with the program. I didn't get to see much out the window though because of all the rain clouds, but between the mist I did glimpse some rolling green hills. Soon enough we were in town. We attempted to do some exploring but really just walked in a huge circle and ended up back at the bus terminal. LOL. Jason dragged me into H Mart, which turned out to be a huge electonic store. He was happy to buy a wireless internet router there. I was eying the toaster ovens but the smallest one was 80,000 won! (Real oven's were 500,000 won and up!) After poking around H Mart we caught a local bus to Jumunjin Beach, a smaller town 20 minutes north of Gangneung. We tried not to hit the locals with our giant backpack and learned first hand that some older Koreans do not value personal space... I was sitting and Jason was standing and an old lady managed to slide between us on the bus, she was so sly! I couldn't tell if she was trying to get me to move or if she just wanted a better spot to hold onto the rail! Either way, she made no gesture, asked no question, she just slid right between us! Akward.
The bus dropped us next to Jumunjin Harbor. We walked through it and saw all the super fresh fish! There were live octopus in tubs filled with water, fish big and small, bright red crabs... we were in a real harbor where fishing boats were pulled up the dock and workers were pulling buckets and barrols of fish right from them. Water was sloshing everywhere and people were decked out in rain boots, overalls and visors. I was super enthralled! As we were walking through a man stopped us and asked where we were from, told me I was cute and Jason must be the luckiest, mentioned he was 70 years old (no way, he looked 50!) and that he used to be a liasion officer between Korea and the US Navy; so that's why his English was so good! Foreigners, we're so easy to spot.
The beach resort was only a short taxi ride away but we decided to walk up the beach from the harbor to the resort instead. The resort was literally right on the beach so we knew we'd have to run into, plus we had maps. The walk up the coast was really pretty, we saw lots and lots of drying squid, it hung on cloths lines mingled with clean laundry. Jason spotted a cafe with Nescape logos in the window and we went in. The place offered comfortable couches to lounge on with beautiful ocean views. I ordered an latte and he a coffee. It was the best coffee we have had here! The woman who made it used a real machine, instead of just a pot or instant! It was such a good find!
A short while later we made it tothe resort, checked in (with the help of my coteacher via phone, he and his family would meet us later) and gawked at our literally ocean front view. Jason and I were talking about how fortunate we were to be able to come to Korea, to stay in a place like this, to have such welcoming coteachers... we truely are.
Jason convinced me to play some tennis and then we checked out the beach. It was hot that day and the water was warm! We put our feet in and had a good time running around and taking pictures. Families were out and people were riding quads on the sand. Very soon after my coteacher arrived and we met his wife and sons. They were very nice but the sons were super shy. His wife made us a truely scrumptus dinner of sam gip sal (she just whipped it up!) complete with side dishes, rice, fruit and coffee. We talked and learned more about them. We decided that the next day we would meet and in the morning and do some sightseeing.
When we woke up Tuesday morning it was a bit cloudy, I think it had begun to rain during the night. At first Jason and I thought we would have been able to swim in the ocean (if we hadn't forgotten our suits!) but by 10am the weather had quickly changed to dark rain clouds. We met my coteacher and his wife (their sons did not want to sightsee with us, go fiture) and they drove us into town and back towards Gangneung to look around. My coteacher was so nice that he made sure to drive next to the beach the entire time instead of taking the faster highways so we could look out. We stopped at beautiful Gyeongpodae Pavilion, one of the eight scenic wonders of Gwandong lake. The Pavilion was really amazing, I love how traditional Korean structures are decorated with such bright colors! There were dragons painted on the pillars inside and you took your shoes off to walk around it. It was/is a spot to hang out and view the beautiful lake, and beyond that, the ocean. Although when we were there it was cloudy. We also learned that the woman on the 50000 won bill is considered the ideal mother and is the one girls should aspire to be like.
After that we headed down to the lake to see more of the eight wonders, but we stopped after only one site because of the rain. I'd like to go back because people were still out biking, walking and renting those little carts where everyone pedals that you find at the beach. Maybe next time! We -almost- stopped at the Gramaphone Museum, or we could have checked out the Edison Museum (bizzarre museums here we come!) but due to a communication mix up we headed to the beach instead! It was pouring by now and while Jason and I got out with our umbrellas and walked around the beautiful boardwalk, flanked by pine trees, bright flowers and smooth sand, my coteacher and his wife stayed in the car. Again, it looked like a great place to go in the sunshine! As we were climbing back in the car my coteacher jumped out, grabbed Jason and they ran over to a vendor's cart. He bought us ice cream, in the rain! Mmm good.
After that my coteacher decided it was too hard to sightsee in the rain so we headed to E-Mart to do some food (and clothes?) shopping. He told us to stock up on whatever we needed because everything would be closed the next day for Chuseok. We bought some long sleeves shirt, bread and cheese. We were thrilled to find the cheese! It was only 5000 won for 6 six slices! (I'm kidding, that is SUPER expensive for cheese!) For lunch my coteacher's wife made Japchae, a traditional Chuseok dish. It was super yummy!! She showed me how to make it and I took notes the entire time, so I'll have to try to reproduce it!
After we finished eating my coteacher dragged his super shy sons out of the second room and plopped them down in front of us. He claimed his elder son wants to study in America and told us "tell him about Disneyland, so he will want to go to the US!" Ummm... it was one of the most awkward situations... we four just sat there staring at each other. We tried to ask the sons questions but they either didn't understand or gave us one word answers. Finally after an agonizing 10 minutes (for all of us) Jason said "okay I think we better be going..." HAHA.
It was still early afternoon at this time but the storm was raging outside. Sheets of rain were coming down in diagonals. I decided we should go for a walk. We grapped our umbrellas and headed out. We walked down the beach, our umbrellas shielding our faces but our legs and torsos were left to the elements. We were getting soaked and people inside the shops and resturants on the beach, the few that were open, with the few customers (who arrived in cars) looking at us like we were crazy. We walked about 20 minutes and made it back to the caffe we had visted the day before. We were the only people in the place and they lady recongized us! She was kind of laughing and shaking her head but again made us a great cup of coffee! As night began to fall we made our way back to the resort, effectively soaking the other side of our bodies as we walked into the wind.
That night we just hung out and watched TV. We saw on the news that Seoul was flooded there was so much rain and Wonju got about 9 inches between Monday and Tuesday! The next morning we headed home and made it to Wonju by noon. The following days were spent scrubbing clean the last of my apartment, eating, sleeping and watching the X-Files.
Friday, September 17, 2010
"What do Americans think of Korea?!"
It's Friday afternoon and I just finished lunch at JiJeong Middle School. JiJeong is located in the rural countryside about 20 minutes outside of bustling Wonju . Here farms mingle with the rolling hills, they line the roads and are filled with flowering, thriving and sometimes overgrown squash, corn, rice, potatoes, flowers. The air seems moist here and the hills are shrouded in fog during the early morning.
Its only 1pm and I don't leave the school until 3:30pm. I have free time until then as I've already taught all three of my classes. (Which is a breeze here with only 30 students total, compared to the chaos that usually ensuses at Sangji.)
On the bus ride to school this morning I decided I needed to write a blog clearning up some of the common misconseptions about Korea... The idea has morfed since this morning and I think instead I'll discuss my reactions to one of people's favorite questions to ask me: "what do American's think of Korea?!"
I always have to cringe and it makes me a little sad when the girls at my middle school, or even the other teachers, ask me "what do Americans think of Korea?" or "What do American's know about Korea, do they like Korea?" -- I always wish I had something to say! The best answer is probably that we just don't think of Korea (or many countries outside of Europe). I believe that most Americans, and I definitely include myself in this group, don't think much about what goes on in the rest of the world unless it effects them. There are many complex reasons to explain this... (we are such a huge country in itself, we emphasize American history in school over world history, we are literally "cut off" from the world by two oceans, our news media coverage is very localized, English is our national language and English is, lucky for us, the language the world has decided is "the" language to know.)
The only answers I can squeak out when asked these questions are vague references to Korean BBQ, kimchi, Seoul, North Korean tension... While my middle school girls just look down/sad/frown when I say American teens don't know what kimchi is or who Rain or the Wonder Girls are (find them on You Tube) some questions are more pointed. Today a history teacher asked me what the US knows of Korea. I told him not enough and that our schools should do more. He nodded and went on to explain that he had just finished teaching the American Revolution, the Civil War... I could tell he was saddened that he and his students knew a lot about the US while I, we Americans, know very little about Korea.
Conversly why do Korean's know so much about America? It has a lot to do with war. For fifty years, from about 1900 until the end of WWII, Korea was occupied by Japan. Many children know the word "colonize" or "colony" because they have been taught that is what Korea was to Japan. I didn't realize this before, but many older Koreans still bear some tension/ill will/unease towards the Japanese. I'm sure some of them, or at least their parents, remember when Japan controlled Korea. This era is known as a time when Korean culture was very much looked down on and the Japan tried to stamp it out. It was only when the Allied powers defeated Japan in WWII that Japan's hold on Korea was lost. And thus the Soviet Union poured into Korea from the north in China and the US hopped on ships and came over from the south of Japan. Whatever the various political and economic reasons for this, Korean's see the US as a sort of savior... or, that is a strong word, at least very protective friend. At the International Music festival we went to in Wonju last Saturday an American cowboy and a traditionally dressed Korean sang a duet about how America and Korea were "united in freedom" and would always be friends. The end of WWII is how North and South Korea were created. During the Korean War North Korea tried to invade South Korea. Again for whatever reason (a stronghold in Asia? Stop communism? Help the many Christian Koreans?) the US intervened. I find it very interesting that while in the US the Korean war is usually considered as having been unnecessary (and it is a war I know very little about even though my Grandmother's husband George served in it!) here in Korea the war scored major points for the US in the eyes of Koreans. Today American pop culture is everywhere, especially seen in music and movies. Today the history teacher also told me how much he liked American westerns with the likes of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. He also asked me if California had a lot of gold.
In the US when we think of Korea, if we know anything at all (I'm not saying I knew much either!) we think of: North Korea, North Korea nuclear/arms threats, poor people, weird food and weird bathrooms... Maybe I'm being harsh and I'm really just pointing out my own limitations, I know I am generalizing, but I don't think everything I'm saying is too far off base. I also find it interesting that in the US we do lump North and South Korea together. While they are definitely two very distinct countries, Koreans generally wish for unification and want to help their brothers and sisters in the North. There is a large zone between the two countries called the DMZ (demilitarized sone) that is guarded on both sides. If you wander into Noth Korea you wil be captured and you will not be released. So while American lumping of the two countries is incorrect, it does unconciously recongnize the longing of the South Korean people to be a whole country. They consider themselves a people divided. Whatever peoples individual hopes for or against unity, one Korean college professor shared with us his serious personal doubts that it will happen any time soon, or peacefully. He explained how North Korea is very poor, with little resources, an aging leader and a people surpressed. Yet if the country was to go to war with the US or the South, they would surreally win and thus destroy themselves. This would also be bad because he believes other powers, like China and Japan, would rush into the chaos and try to claim land for themselves. Ultimately he believes if the North collapses little by little than the South will be able to come in and take over. His concern really did seem to be for the people of North Korea. If the country collapses and fighting starts, he believes the innoccent with suffer the most.
If anyone has further comments/disagrees/thinks I'm talking without knowing the facts, please comment! I'm just offering some observations and thoughts.
Its only 1pm and I don't leave the school until 3:30pm. I have free time until then as I've already taught all three of my classes. (Which is a breeze here with only 30 students total, compared to the chaos that usually ensuses at Sangji.)
On the bus ride to school this morning I decided I needed to write a blog clearning up some of the common misconseptions about Korea... The idea has morfed since this morning and I think instead I'll discuss my reactions to one of people's favorite questions to ask me: "what do American's think of Korea?!"
I always have to cringe and it makes me a little sad when the girls at my middle school, or even the other teachers, ask me "what do Americans think of Korea?" or "What do American's know about Korea, do they like Korea?" -- I always wish I had something to say! The best answer is probably that we just don't think of Korea (or many countries outside of Europe). I believe that most Americans, and I definitely include myself in this group, don't think much about what goes on in the rest of the world unless it effects them. There are many complex reasons to explain this... (we are such a huge country in itself, we emphasize American history in school over world history, we are literally "cut off" from the world by two oceans, our news media coverage is very localized, English is our national language and English is, lucky for us, the language the world has decided is "the" language to know.)
The only answers I can squeak out when asked these questions are vague references to Korean BBQ, kimchi, Seoul, North Korean tension... While my middle school girls just look down/sad/frown when I say American teens don't know what kimchi is or who Rain or the Wonder Girls are (find them on You Tube) some questions are more pointed. Today a history teacher asked me what the US knows of Korea. I told him not enough and that our schools should do more. He nodded and went on to explain that he had just finished teaching the American Revolution, the Civil War... I could tell he was saddened that he and his students knew a lot about the US while I, we Americans, know very little about Korea.
Conversly why do Korean's know so much about America? It has a lot to do with war. For fifty years, from about 1900 until the end of WWII, Korea was occupied by Japan. Many children know the word "colonize" or "colony" because they have been taught that is what Korea was to Japan. I didn't realize this before, but many older Koreans still bear some tension/ill will/unease towards the Japanese. I'm sure some of them, or at least their parents, remember when Japan controlled Korea. This era is known as a time when Korean culture was very much looked down on and the Japan tried to stamp it out. It was only when the Allied powers defeated Japan in WWII that Japan's hold on Korea was lost. And thus the Soviet Union poured into Korea from the north in China and the US hopped on ships and came over from the south of Japan. Whatever the various political and economic reasons for this, Korean's see the US as a sort of savior... or, that is a strong word, at least very protective friend. At the International Music festival we went to in Wonju last Saturday an American cowboy and a traditionally dressed Korean sang a duet about how America and Korea were "united in freedom" and would always be friends. The end of WWII is how North and South Korea were created. During the Korean War North Korea tried to invade South Korea. Again for whatever reason (a stronghold in Asia? Stop communism? Help the many Christian Koreans?) the US intervened. I find it very interesting that while in the US the Korean war is usually considered as having been unnecessary (and it is a war I know very little about even though my Grandmother's husband George served in it!) here in Korea the war scored major points for the US in the eyes of Koreans. Today American pop culture is everywhere, especially seen in music and movies. Today the history teacher also told me how much he liked American westerns with the likes of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. He also asked me if California had a lot of gold.
In the US when we think of Korea, if we know anything at all (I'm not saying I knew much either!) we think of: North Korea, North Korea nuclear/arms threats, poor people, weird food and weird bathrooms... Maybe I'm being harsh and I'm really just pointing out my own limitations, I know I am generalizing, but I don't think everything I'm saying is too far off base. I also find it interesting that in the US we do lump North and South Korea together. While they are definitely two very distinct countries, Koreans generally wish for unification and want to help their brothers and sisters in the North. There is a large zone between the two countries called the DMZ (demilitarized sone) that is guarded on both sides. If you wander into Noth Korea you wil be captured and you will not be released. So while American lumping of the two countries is incorrect, it does unconciously recongnize the longing of the South Korean people to be a whole country. They consider themselves a people divided. Whatever peoples individual hopes for or against unity, one Korean college professor shared with us his serious personal doubts that it will happen any time soon, or peacefully. He explained how North Korea is very poor, with little resources, an aging leader and a people surpressed. Yet if the country was to go to war with the US or the South, they would surreally win and thus destroy themselves. This would also be bad because he believes other powers, like China and Japan, would rush into the chaos and try to claim land for themselves. Ultimately he believes if the North collapses little by little than the South will be able to come in and take over. His concern really did seem to be for the people of North Korea. If the country collapses and fighting starts, he believes the innoccent with suffer the most.
If anyone has further comments/disagrees/thinks I'm talking without knowing the facts, please comment! I'm just offering some observations and thoughts.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Korean Drinking Party: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
Let me start by saying that Jason assured me the dinner was not a drinking party, but just simply a dinner. And let me remind myself that when we got into the taxi with Jason's co-teacher he turned around and said "are you okay with drinking tonight?" and we shook our heads and said"yeah, a little." Why did we say yes?! (As if there was really ever an option to say no!)
I think this whole thing started for many reasons: Jason told his young co-teacher I wanted to go out with them, Jason told my co-teacher I wantd to go drink soju with the middle school teachers (Jason went out last Friday with his teachers), I said I liked soju, I agreed to dinner, etc. Jason told me over the weekend we were expected to go out to dinner with his young co-teacher either Monday or Wednesday. I said okay, tell him Wednesday because on Monday we have to lesson plan for our Tuesday night genious class. Well, Monday comes along and Jason sends me a text during school saying "dinner is tonight at 7:30 and now my head teacher is coming also." I groaned but we were already bound. In Korea this is how it works, you are told, oh there is a dinner tonight, and you go, you cannot refuse. If you refuse you are considered extremely rude and you loose major points with the school personnel
So we rushed home after school, tried to finish our lesson plans (how do you teach American history, from colonies to Independence, in one hour?!) but didn't make it. Jason kept reassuring me this was just a simple dinner, he had told them we had work to do and couldn't be out late. I have also learned that when a Korean male tells you we are just going to "drink a little" that that is not true. You are going to drink A LOT! Maybe to the Korean's it was normal, but to Jason and I, on a Monday night when we have lesson plans to make and a whole week of school left... it was very unusual.
So we hop in the taxi with Jason's young teacher, we head to a resturant, which happens to be one we've eaten at twice already. We were taken there last week for the EPIK orientation and went back on Saturday night with friends because we liked it so much. We got these amazingly good tofu/soup/meat dishes, the kind where you crack a raw egg on top. Finally not spicy either! Last night though we got something different, an awesome pork dish. You took a very thin slice of tofu and inside placed the pork and veggies, then wrapped the tofu around to make a little wrap. It was delicious. It also turned out that Jason's teacher had invited not only the head teacher at the high school, but a gifted student's teacher from my office. So when he showed up there were five of us. Two Americans, three Koreans. We all proceeded to have a great time, it was only nine when we were finishing up. They told us how nice we were, how handsome and beautiful we looked together, how they were so happy and surprised by how respecful we were, that we made great first impressions. The head teacher whom I had never met before seemed very pleased to meet me, and my teacher Jason.
Oh, did I forget to mention this whole time that soju was constantly being poured, drank and ordered again? We had maybe three or four bottles. Everyone had a shot glass and good thing Jason had taught me the traditional way to drink in the company of elders, because they were all for it and so happy that we "understood and respected the Korean way of drinking, because it is very important." Jason had to make sure the elders glasses were full at all times, he had to pour with his right hand, with the label of the bottle up, with his left hand crossed over his chest. We had to empty our cups and then pass the cup across the table (usually to elder or someone we respect, Jason gave me his cup and it was a big no-no, not only was I his girlfriend, but I was right next to him) -- when the person takes the empty cup, you grab the soju and fill it for them. This just keeps going on and on, you are always drinking out of different cups. Usually you can just sip, but when someone hands you another cup (then you have two in front of you!) you are expected to finish one of then hand it off, and bottoms up means just that, bottoms up no question. I feel bad for Jason because he was definitely getting the brunt of things. As a girl I was asked if I wanted more/could drink more, or if I wanted beer, I wasn't given an empty cup (this is called "turn cup") nearly as often and sipping was okay for me. (Although when I drank they were so happy! And kept saying you are so great!) But with Jason it was like they had already tested him and "he can drink two bottles of soju" was swimming around in their heads. It was also very difficult to know if we were really allowed to stop drinking though. If you do, or you try to refuse a drink, you are being terribily offensive and bringing down the group vibe. You would disrespect the elder giving you the drink, causing him to loose face in front of the crowd and you would ruin the party atmosphere. So we couldn't be impolite in front of the head teacher!! Jason's young teacher would correct us anytime we missed a beat.
That was all fine though, until they asked if we wanted to go for second round. That's when I knew, this was a drinking night, not an eating night. (Or do the two always go hand in hand?) They said we were going for chicken feet. At this point I thought since it was only a little after nine pm, going to one more resturant couldn't be that bad. So we headed out, jumped in a cab and arrived at a small, more low key and relaxed place. It was not as nice and obviously for drinking. Chicken feet and drinking soju go hand in hand, of course. It was pretty cool how the table worked, there was a spot in the middle for hot coals, they put a grate over that and then the chicken feet on top. Yes, chicken feet. I felt like I was looking at little hands. They don't look as bad as they could though because they are covered in red pepper sauce. We were assured they were not that spicy. They were hot though, and messy. Everyone was given plastic gloves to wear when holding the saucy feet and a little dish to spit out the bones into. Sounds nice right? I tried a foot. It was actually really good and, get this, it tasted like chicken! Since they were cooked and covered in sauce I didn't really think about the fact that they were chicken feet. (Or baby hands I kept morbidly thinking.) Earlier the young teacher had told me that (I think since I'm a girl) if I wanted to switch to beer, I should tell him. So at the chicken feet place I was eyeing the beer, but... I got the impression they really wanted me to keep drinking soju, so I gave in and did. They were again so happy!! Everything was perfect, everyone was having fun, they kept on saying how great we were. Well, I think Jason's mouth was on fire, like literally I could almost see flames. I tried a foot and said it was so spicy -- because it was!! Jason's young teacher than admitted, oh I lied when I said they were not spicy. (!!) I was a mess, my nose and eyes were running all over the place. They told me to forget about trying to eat more and I stopped. Jason though, he kept going, and got wrapped into a chicken foot eating deal with the guy across from him. They would "cheers" their chicken feet everytime they ate them. They were the only two eating them because the other two and myself said they were too hot. I don't know why Jason didn't say so too! But, then I also think they would have been really bummed. They were so impressed that we/he could keep up and "understand the Korean way." Did I mention there were like 30 feet?
So we finished up there and I was thinking, whew, time to head home. But no! We were informed we were going for our third round! But not to worry as it was close to Jason's apartment and the school. Off we went in the taxi to another bar. This time to drink beer. I was doing okay at this point and beer sounded good, I hadn't had as much soju as Jason and I don't think my stomach gets upset as much as his does with hard alcohol. Plus he had like a billion chicken feet swimming around in there too. This bar was very relaxed, there was no smoke like the second place, the second place was pretty bare, pretty tough looking, while this one had a nice vibe. Even the owner said hi and took our order! We sat in the back and decided what to order. I said "fruit fruit fruit!!" and they obliged me, although they probably all really wanted more meat. We also got a huge pitcher of beer (like the size of two ptichers in the US). We all had two glasses and munched on the fruit, I was glad to eat it. Jason was getting kinda squimish. It was getting late. We were giving each other looks. He had drank a lot. The next thing I know I'm being fed three crackers by the head teacher of Jason's school. He just put them in my mouth. He put three more in each person's mouth. Also in Korea isn't not weird at all to feed someone food directly, man or woman, man to man, whatever. He explained to us that three is a lucky number in Korea so he was giving us all luck. I think at this point everyone was getting pretty drunk. (Me least of all, somehow!) Then the next thing I know Jason and this head teacher have their hands locked in this intimate embrace and are discussing something very closely, with lots of passion and exlamation! I realize the head teacher is saying "you must come to my house! I want you to come to my house!" and Jason is saying yeah of course. I'm thinking dang we've scored major points (by drinking and smiling A LOT) and it would be really fun to have dinner at this guys house, they are all really nice and welcoming! I'm think "fuck yeah I'm in Korea, shit!" (can you tell I'd been drinking?) and Jason and I are like, man this is the life, things are great, Jason starts shouting "I love Korea!" and going on about how much fun this is and how great everyone is. Only when we abandon or fruit and walk outside do I realize we aren't going to his house for dinner at a later date, we are going to his house NOW at 11:30pm.
Luckily (luckily??) he lives really close by, actually on the end of my street, so we can walk there. Jason's got his arms around my teacher and the head teacher and is talking with them, exclaiming about the greatness of this all. I'm laughing and talking to his young teacher, who says Jason is doing a great job, that this is what it is like to hang out and bond in Korea. It's totally okay for guys to walk hand in hand down the street, to hug, to touch each other on the leg, the arm, etc. You would never see this in the US. We go down some steep steps, the head teacher calls his wife to tell her we are coming, I think Jason is going to fall off the bridge we take over the water (anyone of them could have just taken a dive!) and we are suddenly at his house. (We also saw two high school girls just leaving school, they had been studying all evening.)
The head teacher's house is really nice, two stories, wood ceilings, paintings. We are quickly introduced to his wife, his mother and his two sons. They have this look like "dad's done it again" and were not fazed at all. They becon us into a small room set up with a table and... more drinks and food!! His wife prepared some fruit and snacks and brought two bottles of beer and three bottles of something similar to soju (something rice based they told me). We have shot glasses, we have more shots, we do turn cup. I do turn cup with his wife, then with his mother who briefly enters the room and takes a shot. Its all about being social and showing respect and community through drinking and through the shared drink. I really like that but its such a different mentality than always worrying about the self. Thus, Jason was forced to drink more and by then was actually telling me "I'm done, I'm dying." But we just kept smiling. He had to depart to the bathroom and told them "my stomach." I kept thinking that if he was really done they would realize that or listen to that or understand... I'm not sure. Jason was convinced he had to keep drinking but I thought you could slowly say I'm done, or just take the drink but not drink it. That's what I had been doing. But I am a girl and it is easier for me to get away with it. Even though they did give me the thumbs up and say you are great a bunch of times. I tried to say that Jason had drank much more than me. He was sitting next to me swaying and gripping my leg. They said they noticed my concern for my boyfriend but not to worry. They brought us water with honey which I loved. At this point Jason's had it so when they ask if we will drink this "special" homemade drink with only the head teacher he can't. I say yes because for a moment it seems the night will be ruined if we don't drink this last thing. His wife brings out two mugs with this dark stuff that looks like coffee, but its not. They told me not to ask what it was this time, but just to drink, because it is very special. We do "bottoms up" and all I taste is a syrub type flavor. I did it just fine. Finally the night is done. Everyone gets up to go. As we walk out there is lots of hugging and kind words.
Jason and I stumbled off towards my place were we proceeded to immediatly collapse. Me in the bed and Jason the the couch. He doesn't remember why he was there. I don't either.
This morning we both woke up super tired, Jason was super sick feeling, I had a headache... but we had to go to school and teach. And make a lesson plan. And now that school is over we still have to go teach our genious class.
Last night was surreal, very surreal.
I think this whole thing started for many reasons: Jason told his young co-teacher I wanted to go out with them, Jason told my co-teacher I wantd to go drink soju with the middle school teachers (Jason went out last Friday with his teachers), I said I liked soju, I agreed to dinner, etc. Jason told me over the weekend we were expected to go out to dinner with his young co-teacher either Monday or Wednesday. I said okay, tell him Wednesday because on Monday we have to lesson plan for our Tuesday night genious class. Well, Monday comes along and Jason sends me a text during school saying "dinner is tonight at 7:30 and now my head teacher is coming also." I groaned but we were already bound. In Korea this is how it works, you are told, oh there is a dinner tonight, and you go, you cannot refuse. If you refuse you are considered extremely rude and you loose major points with the school personnel
So we rushed home after school, tried to finish our lesson plans (how do you teach American history, from colonies to Independence, in one hour?!) but didn't make it. Jason kept reassuring me this was just a simple dinner, he had told them we had work to do and couldn't be out late. I have also learned that when a Korean male tells you we are just going to "drink a little" that that is not true. You are going to drink A LOT! Maybe to the Korean's it was normal, but to Jason and I, on a Monday night when we have lesson plans to make and a whole week of school left... it was very unusual.
So we hop in the taxi with Jason's young teacher, we head to a resturant, which happens to be one we've eaten at twice already. We were taken there last week for the EPIK orientation and went back on Saturday night with friends because we liked it so much. We got these amazingly good tofu/soup/meat dishes, the kind where you crack a raw egg on top. Finally not spicy either! Last night though we got something different, an awesome pork dish. You took a very thin slice of tofu and inside placed the pork and veggies, then wrapped the tofu around to make a little wrap. It was delicious. It also turned out that Jason's teacher had invited not only the head teacher at the high school, but a gifted student's teacher from my office. So when he showed up there were five of us. Two Americans, three Koreans. We all proceeded to have a great time, it was only nine when we were finishing up. They told us how nice we were, how handsome and beautiful we looked together, how they were so happy and surprised by how respecful we were, that we made great first impressions. The head teacher whom I had never met before seemed very pleased to meet me, and my teacher Jason.
Oh, did I forget to mention this whole time that soju was constantly being poured, drank and ordered again? We had maybe three or four bottles. Everyone had a shot glass and good thing Jason had taught me the traditional way to drink in the company of elders, because they were all for it and so happy that we "understood and respected the Korean way of drinking, because it is very important." Jason had to make sure the elders glasses were full at all times, he had to pour with his right hand, with the label of the bottle up, with his left hand crossed over his chest. We had to empty our cups and then pass the cup across the table (usually to elder or someone we respect, Jason gave me his cup and it was a big no-no, not only was I his girlfriend, but I was right next to him) -- when the person takes the empty cup, you grab the soju and fill it for them. This just keeps going on and on, you are always drinking out of different cups. Usually you can just sip, but when someone hands you another cup (then you have two in front of you!) you are expected to finish one of then hand it off, and bottoms up means just that, bottoms up no question. I feel bad for Jason because he was definitely getting the brunt of things. As a girl I was asked if I wanted more/could drink more, or if I wanted beer, I wasn't given an empty cup (this is called "turn cup") nearly as often and sipping was okay for me. (Although when I drank they were so happy! And kept saying you are so great!) But with Jason it was like they had already tested him and "he can drink two bottles of soju" was swimming around in their heads. It was also very difficult to know if we were really allowed to stop drinking though. If you do, or you try to refuse a drink, you are being terribily offensive and bringing down the group vibe. You would disrespect the elder giving you the drink, causing him to loose face in front of the crowd and you would ruin the party atmosphere. So we couldn't be impolite in front of the head teacher!! Jason's young teacher would correct us anytime we missed a beat.
That was all fine though, until they asked if we wanted to go for second round. That's when I knew, this was a drinking night, not an eating night. (Or do the two always go hand in hand?) They said we were going for chicken feet. At this point I thought since it was only a little after nine pm, going to one more resturant couldn't be that bad. So we headed out, jumped in a cab and arrived at a small, more low key and relaxed place. It was not as nice and obviously for drinking. Chicken feet and drinking soju go hand in hand, of course. It was pretty cool how the table worked, there was a spot in the middle for hot coals, they put a grate over that and then the chicken feet on top. Yes, chicken feet. I felt like I was looking at little hands. They don't look as bad as they could though because they are covered in red pepper sauce. We were assured they were not that spicy. They were hot though, and messy. Everyone was given plastic gloves to wear when holding the saucy feet and a little dish to spit out the bones into. Sounds nice right? I tried a foot. It was actually really good and, get this, it tasted like chicken! Since they were cooked and covered in sauce I didn't really think about the fact that they were chicken feet. (Or baby hands I kept morbidly thinking.) Earlier the young teacher had told me that (I think since I'm a girl) if I wanted to switch to beer, I should tell him. So at the chicken feet place I was eyeing the beer, but... I got the impression they really wanted me to keep drinking soju, so I gave in and did. They were again so happy!! Everything was perfect, everyone was having fun, they kept on saying how great we were. Well, I think Jason's mouth was on fire, like literally I could almost see flames. I tried a foot and said it was so spicy -- because it was!! Jason's young teacher than admitted, oh I lied when I said they were not spicy. (!!) I was a mess, my nose and eyes were running all over the place. They told me to forget about trying to eat more and I stopped. Jason though, he kept going, and got wrapped into a chicken foot eating deal with the guy across from him. They would "cheers" their chicken feet everytime they ate them. They were the only two eating them because the other two and myself said they were too hot. I don't know why Jason didn't say so too! But, then I also think they would have been really bummed. They were so impressed that we/he could keep up and "understand the Korean way." Did I mention there were like 30 feet?
So we finished up there and I was thinking, whew, time to head home. But no! We were informed we were going for our third round! But not to worry as it was close to Jason's apartment and the school. Off we went in the taxi to another bar. This time to drink beer. I was doing okay at this point and beer sounded good, I hadn't had as much soju as Jason and I don't think my stomach gets upset as much as his does with hard alcohol. Plus he had like a billion chicken feet swimming around in there too. This bar was very relaxed, there was no smoke like the second place, the second place was pretty bare, pretty tough looking, while this one had a nice vibe. Even the owner said hi and took our order! We sat in the back and decided what to order. I said "fruit fruit fruit!!" and they obliged me, although they probably all really wanted more meat. We also got a huge pitcher of beer (like the size of two ptichers in the US). We all had two glasses and munched on the fruit, I was glad to eat it. Jason was getting kinda squimish. It was getting late. We were giving each other looks. He had drank a lot. The next thing I know I'm being fed three crackers by the head teacher of Jason's school. He just put them in my mouth. He put three more in each person's mouth. Also in Korea isn't not weird at all to feed someone food directly, man or woman, man to man, whatever. He explained to us that three is a lucky number in Korea so he was giving us all luck. I think at this point everyone was getting pretty drunk. (Me least of all, somehow!) Then the next thing I know Jason and this head teacher have their hands locked in this intimate embrace and are discussing something very closely, with lots of passion and exlamation! I realize the head teacher is saying "you must come to my house! I want you to come to my house!" and Jason is saying yeah of course. I'm thinking dang we've scored major points (by drinking and smiling A LOT) and it would be really fun to have dinner at this guys house, they are all really nice and welcoming! I'm think "fuck yeah I'm in Korea, shit!" (can you tell I'd been drinking?) and Jason and I are like, man this is the life, things are great, Jason starts shouting "I love Korea!" and going on about how much fun this is and how great everyone is. Only when we abandon or fruit and walk outside do I realize we aren't going to his house for dinner at a later date, we are going to his house NOW at 11:30pm.
Luckily (luckily??) he lives really close by, actually on the end of my street, so we can walk there. Jason's got his arms around my teacher and the head teacher and is talking with them, exclaiming about the greatness of this all. I'm laughing and talking to his young teacher, who says Jason is doing a great job, that this is what it is like to hang out and bond in Korea. It's totally okay for guys to walk hand in hand down the street, to hug, to touch each other on the leg, the arm, etc. You would never see this in the US. We go down some steep steps, the head teacher calls his wife to tell her we are coming, I think Jason is going to fall off the bridge we take over the water (anyone of them could have just taken a dive!) and we are suddenly at his house. (We also saw two high school girls just leaving school, they had been studying all evening.)
The head teacher's house is really nice, two stories, wood ceilings, paintings. We are quickly introduced to his wife, his mother and his two sons. They have this look like "dad's done it again" and were not fazed at all. They becon us into a small room set up with a table and... more drinks and food!! His wife prepared some fruit and snacks and brought two bottles of beer and three bottles of something similar to soju (something rice based they told me). We have shot glasses, we have more shots, we do turn cup. I do turn cup with his wife, then with his mother who briefly enters the room and takes a shot. Its all about being social and showing respect and community through drinking and through the shared drink. I really like that but its such a different mentality than always worrying about the self. Thus, Jason was forced to drink more and by then was actually telling me "I'm done, I'm dying." But we just kept smiling. He had to depart to the bathroom and told them "my stomach." I kept thinking that if he was really done they would realize that or listen to that or understand... I'm not sure. Jason was convinced he had to keep drinking but I thought you could slowly say I'm done, or just take the drink but not drink it. That's what I had been doing. But I am a girl and it is easier for me to get away with it. Even though they did give me the thumbs up and say you are great a bunch of times. I tried to say that Jason had drank much more than me. He was sitting next to me swaying and gripping my leg. They said they noticed my concern for my boyfriend but not to worry. They brought us water with honey which I loved. At this point Jason's had it so when they ask if we will drink this "special" homemade drink with only the head teacher he can't. I say yes because for a moment it seems the night will be ruined if we don't drink this last thing. His wife brings out two mugs with this dark stuff that looks like coffee, but its not. They told me not to ask what it was this time, but just to drink, because it is very special. We do "bottoms up" and all I taste is a syrub type flavor. I did it just fine. Finally the night is done. Everyone gets up to go. As we walk out there is lots of hugging and kind words.
Jason and I stumbled off towards my place were we proceeded to immediatly collapse. Me in the bed and Jason the the couch. He doesn't remember why he was there. I don't either.
This morning we both woke up super tired, Jason was super sick feeling, I had a headache... but we had to go to school and teach. And make a lesson plan. And now that school is over we still have to go teach our genious class.
Last night was surreal, very surreal.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Busy so far!
The last few weeks have been so busy! I can barely keep up on my blogs! I'm ready to do more exploring of Wonju and the Gangwon-do area, but I'm still trying to settle into the routine of teaching, living in Korea, etc. I need to come up with some kind of reward system for my classes other than just giving out candy all the time. So I think I'm gonna do some kind of "money" system where you can cash in money for a prize at the end of the month. Maybe this will work? The kids just talk so much and there are so many of them!
Today was a nice day thought because I got to go to my second school, the one I teach at on Friday's only. It is technically still in Wonju but it is a 40 minute bus ride from my place. The first 20 of which we pass through the main town of Wonju, the last 20 we are in rural Wonju, were there are farms, rice paddies and very few homes. It was beautiful up in the hills! So green and lush! It was also very gray and raining off and on all day. This second middle school, which I visit on Friday's only, is called JiJeong. It was so cute!! There are only 15 students in grade three, 10 in grade two and five in grade one! That's less students in the entire school than in one normal class at Sangji Girls!!! This made it so super easy to teach them. We basically just talked and I was able to have every student introduce themselves to me. They were like a dream school! I can't believe they staff eight teachers and a principle just to teach 30 kids! The school had to be larger at home time, it was two stories, but they only used three classrooms, one for each grade. I wonder about its fate in years to come... Anyhow, I only had to teach three classes (most days at Sangji I have five, yesterday I had six, which was killer) and all of the teachers are really relaxed. Plus the principle just came and hung out with them all day in the office!
It was a little strange to me, but a lot of the women teachers were giving themselves a "natural manicure" they said. One teacher sat on the side pounding down these bright pink flowers into a pulp. Then they put the pulp on their fingernails!! They left the pulp there for a long time, then washed it off and their nails had this yellow/pink-ish tint to them, thus natural manicure. I asked if this was healthy for their names or something (because I didn't think it looked that great...) but they said no, just for the color! I'm guessing it was some kind of traditional practice, and they didn't take it too seriously, but serious enough.
Like I said I had six classes yesterday, didn't get home until 6pm and then went to a beginning Korean class at the Library at 6:30. The class is free so we figure we need to take advantage, especially since that was one of my goals when I came to Korea! (Now that I'm here I'm realizing how hard it will be to learn since I know NOTHING.) The class was helpful, more on reading the alphabet and sounds. I can read the alphabet but the sounds are really difficult. There are sounds like "eo" and then just "o" or "u" or of "uu" -- all different vowel sounds but super similar! Better do my homework...
Last Saturday was a fun break from everything though! Jason and I made plans to meet up with Scott and Brian in the Lotte Cinema area for dinner and drinks. We managed to find Scott but Brian who was taking a bus in from his place outside of town was no where to be seen. We decided to head towards Scott's area of town where he knew of a famous chicken dish we could try. Of course right when we got to the restaurant Brian called to tell us he was in town. He and Scott managed to meet while Jason and I held down the table at the restaurant. The chicken was really delicious, you cooked it on a large hot plate in the middle of the table with lots of vegetables, but I thought it was so spicy! Everyone else seemed to have a fine time eating it but I was sniffing and my eyes were watering throughout. I kept eating because underneath the spicy it was really good!
After that Scott took us to a gelato shop where we got dessert. It was super cute (and I didn't know gelato was in Korea!) Then we headed to Scott's apartment to check it out (very nice and new! we are all so lucky!) We met his neighbor who is a 20 something Korean girl studying to be an English teacher. We all decided to get drinks at a local place. We were required to order food with our apple soju pitcher, so we went with fruit. Good thing Scott's neighbor (Chi) could read the menu, because we didn't even know fruit was an option because there was no picture! We didn't want to have to get more meat. And the fruit was delicious, all very high quality and sweet. Also in Korea, cherry tomatoes are considered fruits and come on things like fruit platters. (After all they are fruits.) The apple soju was super sweet and tasty!
We wandered over to a batting cage that Scott had been eying and he and Jason swung a few rounds. It was a cool little batting cage right in the middle of town! Scott definitely lives in the newer and hipper part of town as compared to where Jason and I live. It was a nice change from traditional restaurants and older streets! Our last decision of the night was to go norae bang (karaoke!!) It was awesome and ridiculously cheap! 15, 000 won for one hour, flat rate! (So, less than $15 split between five people.) The place was really nice, the room was huge and the song selection was fun and modern! I definitely am hooked and want to go again and again and again!
A fun Saturday night led to a boring Sunday of... lesson planning! I'll be glad when I have the hang of lesson planning because right now it takes me a long time. Hello Sunday. Wednesday was a small "orientation" at the main education office for all EPIK teachers in Wonju. It was pretty short but they did pay for a great dinner for all of us. It was tofu soap with beef and a raw egg cracked on top. I've had it before in Lancaster (of all places!) and its delicious (but, ready for it, spicy!! I was dying again!) After that Brian, Scott, Jason and our friend Amber decided to go out for some beers because it was still early. Three pitchers later Jason, Brian and I were still going strong! Beer is so cheap and we were having such a great time talking we didn't want to stop! We finally called it quits around 10pm so Brian could make his bus home and we could get some sleep.
Tonight I was finally able to laze around and do nothing! Tomorrow we are all supposed to be meeting again for the Wondu International Tatoo Festival (its a music festival! its NOT about tatoos people get on their skin! haha.)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Classes Thus Far
Classes so far have been large and varied. The first graders (grade 7 at home) are all very nice, attentive and usually excited to learn. I feel like they are more similar to how elementry students would be. The second graders (grade 8 at home) are usually super loud and unfocused, for the most part! They want to play games and get candy. The third graders (grade 9 at home) are the huge classes of 35, so they are definitely loud and hard to handle, their language ability is better than the second years (but the first years still seem best.)
Its hard to generalize too much though... each class varies based on who their primary English teacher is and based on their English language ability. Some teachers seem to allow talking and sleeping more often in their classes than others, and while they are nice teachers, I'm not always sure their discipline method works the best. Some teachers don't allow any talking. Some teachers don't have to say anything and the class is just quiet. I'm trying to make notes about each class so I can remember the traits of each group. I need to come up with some kind of discipline/rewards system. Especially since my class is ungraded (thus to the students that equals free period.)
I realized this week (after introducing myself over and over and over last week) that although I've prepared a new lesson plan and am ready to go, I'm not going to teach every class I am scheduled for. Like this week, there is an English oral listening exam conducted over the radio which every grade has to take, nationally. So yesterday, Mrs. Kim told me that her class would be studying, not meeting with me. Then again today with Ms. Kim, I met two new class that I only have every two weeks (so back to introduction lesson) and then was told that two of my classes have to study. So only on Monday was able to try the lesson, which involves listening to key words in the song "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas and standing/sitting every time the key word is heard. It went really well in some classes on Monday, while some kids looked confused, some looked totally bored, some looked like I was asking too much from them by having them sit and stand. So I decided on somethings I would change for Tuesday, yet now its Wednesday and I still haven't been able to try the new lesson. Maybe tomorrow??? Maybe not. I'm not trying to complain though! Having five classes in one day is exhasting, so I'm totally okay with not teaching and just sitting back. Gives me time to blog, erh I mean email, erh I mean lesson plan. (Someday, really, I'll start using my time more constructively.)
Yesterday was a long day anyhow because Jason and I had to teach our "Genius Class" at the main Wonju Office of Education. I don't think I mentioned it before, but on Tuesday nights from 5-7:30 we teach gifted students from different middle schools all over Wonju. My main co-teacher Mr. Byeon helped develop the class because he thought it was important for Korean children to experience what it would be like to be in an "American" class setting in case they study abroad. Last quarter the topics were Economics and World History, this quarter we are teaching American History and Science! Perfect for Jason and I!
The class was actually really fun! The kids really are gifted. Their English is amazing (they know words I don't know) and they are just generally smart kids. They would be like 8th graders at home. There are also some boys in the class, which is a nice change from our all girls school. I made a powerpoint explaining "early North America" and Jason went over the names of lab equipement. My co-teacher was there the entire time and said "Jason is very good at teaching science" - I think it was true! (Plus my teacher gets so excited to be around a male native english teacher instead of always me, a girl! I think he feels more comfortable talking sometimes.) The kids didn't look too bored, and were actually really attentive and answered questions for most of the period. It was like what a really good class would be like at home. It was definitely easier to teach when the kids understood English! We teach this class every Tuesday, each half the time, we are paid extra for it and it only lasts until December.
My co-teacher was also great because after the class he took us out to sushi! The place was awesome! It was only 6,000 won for all you can eat! And it was really good sushi, sushi rolls, wontons, soup, coffee... mmmm, so good and so cheap. We will for sure go back and bring our friends!
Its hard to generalize too much though... each class varies based on who their primary English teacher is and based on their English language ability. Some teachers seem to allow talking and sleeping more often in their classes than others, and while they are nice teachers, I'm not always sure their discipline method works the best. Some teachers don't allow any talking. Some teachers don't have to say anything and the class is just quiet. I'm trying to make notes about each class so I can remember the traits of each group. I need to come up with some kind of discipline/rewards system. Especially since my class is ungraded (thus to the students that equals free period.)
I realized this week (after introducing myself over and over and over last week) that although I've prepared a new lesson plan and am ready to go, I'm not going to teach every class I am scheduled for. Like this week, there is an English oral listening exam conducted over the radio which every grade has to take, nationally. So yesterday, Mrs. Kim told me that her class would be studying, not meeting with me. Then again today with Ms. Kim, I met two new class that I only have every two weeks (so back to introduction lesson) and then was told that two of my classes have to study. So only on Monday was able to try the lesson, which involves listening to key words in the song "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas and standing/sitting every time the key word is heard. It went really well in some classes on Monday, while some kids looked confused, some looked totally bored, some looked like I was asking too much from them by having them sit and stand. So I decided on somethings I would change for Tuesday, yet now its Wednesday and I still haven't been able to try the new lesson. Maybe tomorrow??? Maybe not. I'm not trying to complain though! Having five classes in one day is exhasting, so I'm totally okay with not teaching and just sitting back. Gives me time to blog, erh I mean email, erh I mean lesson plan. (Someday, really, I'll start using my time more constructively.)
Yesterday was a long day anyhow because Jason and I had to teach our "Genius Class" at the main Wonju Office of Education. I don't think I mentioned it before, but on Tuesday nights from 5-7:30 we teach gifted students from different middle schools all over Wonju. My main co-teacher Mr. Byeon helped develop the class because he thought it was important for Korean children to experience what it would be like to be in an "American" class setting in case they study abroad. Last quarter the topics were Economics and World History, this quarter we are teaching American History and Science! Perfect for Jason and I!
The class was actually really fun! The kids really are gifted. Their English is amazing (they know words I don't know) and they are just generally smart kids. They would be like 8th graders at home. There are also some boys in the class, which is a nice change from our all girls school. I made a powerpoint explaining "early North America" and Jason went over the names of lab equipement. My co-teacher was there the entire time and said "Jason is very good at teaching science" - I think it was true! (Plus my teacher gets so excited to be around a male native english teacher instead of always me, a girl! I think he feels more comfortable talking sometimes.) The kids didn't look too bored, and were actually really attentive and answered questions for most of the period. It was like what a really good class would be like at home. It was definitely easier to teach when the kids understood English! We teach this class every Tuesday, each half the time, we are paid extra for it and it only lasts until December.
My co-teacher was also great because after the class he took us out to sushi! The place was awesome! It was only 6,000 won for all you can eat! And it was really good sushi, sushi rolls, wontons, soup, coffee... mmmm, so good and so cheap. We will for sure go back and bring our friends!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Cleaning Time!
No, I'm finally not the one cleaning (my apartment is allllmost in shape) -- this time its the students who are cleaning! Well, they clean everyday actually. In Korea there is this really awesome time of the day called "Cleaning Time." For 25 minutes every school day the girls clean the entire school! They sweep, take out the trash and even mop! Mind you, the school isn't the cleanest place I've ever seen, but its pretty darn good for havintg 800 middle school girls go through it everyday. I think this is a practice that should definitely be implemented in the USA! I think it forces the students to take more pride in their surroundings. They are still kids so of course there is still random trash on the ground, backpacks on the floor, etc. but they don't blatently disregard the need for cleanliness the way American kids do. There is no gum stuck to tables or sodas poured out on the playground. The girls don't jump for joy when its cleaning time, they usually do an okay job and then have some free time, but I think it works. I don't believe there is more than one janitor that works here and it eliminates the problem of stinky trash being left in a room. It also shows the kids that they are not going to be cleaned up after if they make the mess, giving teachers who don't have to clean more power and the kids a lesser feeling of self importance. I think at least.
It works well here though because of the way the classrooms are structured. instead of the kids moving from class to class (except for taekwondo, music and PE, where they go to specialized rooms) the students stay in one room all day. Thus they have homeroom in the morning, and then 6-8 classes for the rest of the day. They actually study a huge amount of different things! 13 different subjects! They have classes like "morals" and "sociology" -- sounds interesting but the school system is soon to restructure to a system more like ours in the USA, 7-8 subjects. There is just too much pressure on the students to preform exceptionally well in every subject as it is. Yet, because the students start homeroom in the same place everyday, that's where their home bases is, they leave their shoes there and don their inside slippers, they hang out there in the 10 minutes between classes (I have no idea why they need 10 minutes... most of the time they stay in the same room... in the US we have only about 5 minutes between classes and that's to hike from one side of campus to the other! Here we are only in one building as it is.) Yet students can make this room their own as much as they like. There are some decorations, permanent desks, easy to rearrange furniture, a computer and TV. It is very common to walk by the rooms during lunch or the passing period and hear screaming, musical instruments, screaming, pop songs, screaming, chalk on black board, screaming, giggling and most commonly, screaming!
Thus, the students each clean their own class, while some classes are assignd the hallways, stairways and teachers offices. There is a cleaning woman who takes care of the bathrooms. Since all bathrooms in Korea have tile floors, they are all sprayed down (and thus always wet) -- but its an easy way to keep them clean. And they are cleaned midday.
Yet each classroom is definitely the student's, not the teacher's.
(On a side note: Many of the students think Jason and I are married! Apparently that is the story going around! They think boyfriend means married! Or that if you have a boyfriend, you can marry your boyfriend. I don't think they know that the term then changes from boyfriend to finance to husband. Whenever they ask I'm like "What?!?! Noooo!!! Where did you hear that?" and they go "rumor." LOL)
It works well here though because of the way the classrooms are structured. instead of the kids moving from class to class (except for taekwondo, music and PE, where they go to specialized rooms) the students stay in one room all day. Thus they have homeroom in the morning, and then 6-8 classes for the rest of the day. They actually study a huge amount of different things! 13 different subjects! They have classes like "morals" and "sociology" -- sounds interesting but the school system is soon to restructure to a system more like ours in the USA, 7-8 subjects. There is just too much pressure on the students to preform exceptionally well in every subject as it is. Yet, because the students start homeroom in the same place everyday, that's where their home bases is, they leave their shoes there and don their inside slippers, they hang out there in the 10 minutes between classes (I have no idea why they need 10 minutes... most of the time they stay in the same room... in the US we have only about 5 minutes between classes and that's to hike from one side of campus to the other! Here we are only in one building as it is.) Yet students can make this room their own as much as they like. There are some decorations, permanent desks, easy to rearrange furniture, a computer and TV. It is very common to walk by the rooms during lunch or the passing period and hear screaming, musical instruments, screaming, pop songs, screaming, chalk on black board, screaming, giggling and most commonly, screaming!
Thus, the students each clean their own class, while some classes are assignd the hallways, stairways and teachers offices. There is a cleaning woman who takes care of the bathrooms. Since all bathrooms in Korea have tile floors, they are all sprayed down (and thus always wet) -- but its an easy way to keep them clean. And they are cleaned midday.
Yet each classroom is definitely the student's, not the teacher's.
(On a side note: Many of the students think Jason and I are married! Apparently that is the story going around! They think boyfriend means married! Or that if you have a boyfriend, you can marry your boyfriend. I don't think they know that the term then changes from boyfriend to finance to husband. Whenever they ask I'm like "What?!?! Noooo!!! Where did you hear that?" and they go "rumor." LOL)
Friday, September 3, 2010
I'm trapped at school!
Like I said, I'm trapped at school! On Friday's I am usually supposed to go to a different middle school. The other school is in a small town 40 minutes outside of Wonju and I have to take a bus to get to it. There I only teach 3 classes. But today my co-teacher Mr. Byeon had to take me to the Immigration Office to apply for my Alien Registration Card. Even though I already have a VISA for Korea, you basically have to go prove you are in the country and have a residence. I also needed to apply for a multiple entry VISA. This means when I leave the country and come back into Korea, my VISA is still valid. I had a single entry VISA which meant if I left and tried to return (get it, single entry) my VISA would have been automatically invalidated. Thus my co-teacher called the other school and told them I would not be coming in until next week. I thought this meant I got to come in late and leave early from work! Nope, not the case. Even though I have zero classes today, I have to be here. ALL DAY.
Mr. Byeon drove me to the Immigration Office in City Hall, which was nice because I got to see more of the city, its really pretty when you get near the hills. Everything is so green! I understand why since its been raining everyday since we got here one week ago. (There was a typhoon the other night!!) My co-teacher commented how when he visited LA in the summer (he's been to a lot of places in the US) he was surprised that even in the summer time the grass was brown (as in Wonju summer is super lush because that is when they get the most rain.) I told him LA is very dry. Applying for the Alien Registration Card didn't take long, I met another EPIK teacher who wasn't at the orientation and ran into Jason and his co-teacher doing the same thing. They were way behind us in line though and his co-teacher didn't have all the documentation that mine had brought, haha.
Then we came back to the school by 10:30 and I just wasted time until lunch at 12:30. I tried to lesson plan for next week, but PowerPoint is in Korean which is hard to figure out and plus I just don't have any ideas... I want to plan with Jason so he can help me.
While I was intereting my co-teacher came in and said that our department was going to go out for lunch together. I wasn't sure if he meant the English teachers or the "Gifted Students" teachers, of whom I am now apart of. My "office" is in there office. Most of the teachers have cubicals in one large office where the VP sits, but these three guys get an office to themselves. As in Japan the teachers change classes here, not the students, so they have desks where they keep everything and lockers. There is good and bad in this. The good is that the teachers can't shut themselves away in their classrooms, they have to interact with each other and the VP, and students are allowed in the room whenever they need to come in. In the US its so taboo for a student to walk in an admin area, its like "what are you doing here? What do you want? Who are you?" -- here the girls just burst in, asking questions, complaining, talking.
Anyhow the "Gifted Students" teacher all went out to lunch, me included. First they wanted to get spicy fish soup, which I said was fine with me. (Ahhh more spicy... ewww fish stew.) But they change their mind to dumplings instead, lucky me! We drove to this small resturant, sat on the floor and ate huge bowls of noodles with dumplings instead. The noodles were really tasty and I was able to finally opt for a non-spicy food option (red pepper sauce/paste/seasoning is everywhere, on everything!). I was excited that the dumplings might be some kind of meat but alas, they were filled with... kimchi! What else?! It was good though. Kimchi is good, better than some I've had at home, its just so spicy! It doesn't smell though, which I think is a common misconception in the US. I stomach it down at every meal to not be rude, even though my nose runs and my eyes water. It is apparently impolite/disgusting to blow your nose in front of anyone here, so I just have to sniff sniff sniff. (It is not impolite though to randomly spit on the street though, everyone does it.)
The meal was nice and pleasant, only my co-teacher spoke English but he asked questions and translated. He asked if I liked drinking soju, I said yes, they went "oooohhhh" -- I thought maybe I should have said no. They said, we will go out to soju then. They also said, "we heard Jason can drink two bottles of soju!!!" -- they were so excited! I said yes, that's how much he said he and his co-teacher drank the other night, plus two pitchers of beer. They were so impressed. I added that he was pretty tipsy at the end of course of they just laughed. They also said next time we will bring Jason too. (And I almost forgot, they said that's when we would try chicken feet... oh my I can't wait. They kind of laughed like "hahaha, or heeheehee" under their breath when they said this. At least they didn't say dog!) They are nice though, and Jason's co-teacher said the same thing to him, next time we will bring Madeline.
(Click here to read more on soju.)
This is actually the second time I've been taken out for lunch. On Tuesday I thought I was having lunch with Mrs. Kim only, off campus, but then suddenly all the English teachers were there. There is Ms. Kim, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Park, Mr. Kwon and Mr. Byeon. I teach with all of them. Usually students call them by their last then first name, so like Byeon Jung, etc. The family name always comes first in Korea, as family and community are always valued more highly over the self. If a Korean child does poorly at school it is not only themselves they are worried about dissapointed (or devestated at dissapointing) by their family because it can bring a lot of shame on a family to have children without good schooling and good jobs.
The lunch with the English teachers was also good. We sat on the floor and ate boiled chicken. And I mean the entire chicken (no head or feet thankfully). I'm still confused on how I'm supposed to eat the chicken when it has bones in it and all I have are copsticks and a spoon (spoons are totally acceptable to use to aid in your eating here, yay!) but knives, don't even look for them. And it is also totally acceptable to slurp your food! (See Dad, its good to slurp!) Again the food is ridiculously cheap (like $60 for six people to eat two whole chickens plus like 10 different side dishes) which is awesome. They also boil the chicken on the table in front of you, in a broth of sprouts, greens and tree bark.
To return to my original heading though, now I'm trapped at school! Its only 3:00 and I can't leave until 4:30. So I'm blogging and trying to memorize the Korean alphabet. My co-teacher loved that. He gave me a mini lesson and then typed up some homework for me. He said I must practice and he is going to quiz me on Monday!! The alphabet isn't too hard to learn, its just hard for me to read quickly. Its vowels and consanats. Their language is called hangul. I think everyone could easily learn how to read it if you just memorize. (See more on hangul here.)
Leave me comments and/or questions!
Mr. Byeon drove me to the Immigration Office in City Hall, which was nice because I got to see more of the city, its really pretty when you get near the hills. Everything is so green! I understand why since its been raining everyday since we got here one week ago. (There was a typhoon the other night!!) My co-teacher commented how when he visited LA in the summer (he's been to a lot of places in the US) he was surprised that even in the summer time the grass was brown (as in Wonju summer is super lush because that is when they get the most rain.) I told him LA is very dry. Applying for the Alien Registration Card didn't take long, I met another EPIK teacher who wasn't at the orientation and ran into Jason and his co-teacher doing the same thing. They were way behind us in line though and his co-teacher didn't have all the documentation that mine had brought, haha.
Then we came back to the school by 10:30 and I just wasted time until lunch at 12:30. I tried to lesson plan for next week, but PowerPoint is in Korean which is hard to figure out and plus I just don't have any ideas... I want to plan with Jason so he can help me.
While I was intereting my co-teacher came in and said that our department was going to go out for lunch together. I wasn't sure if he meant the English teachers or the "Gifted Students" teachers, of whom I am now apart of. My "office" is in there office. Most of the teachers have cubicals in one large office where the VP sits, but these three guys get an office to themselves. As in Japan the teachers change classes here, not the students, so they have desks where they keep everything and lockers. There is good and bad in this. The good is that the teachers can't shut themselves away in their classrooms, they have to interact with each other and the VP, and students are allowed in the room whenever they need to come in. In the US its so taboo for a student to walk in an admin area, its like "what are you doing here? What do you want? Who are you?" -- here the girls just burst in, asking questions, complaining, talking.
Anyhow the "Gifted Students" teacher all went out to lunch, me included. First they wanted to get spicy fish soup, which I said was fine with me. (Ahhh more spicy... ewww fish stew.) But they change their mind to dumplings instead, lucky me! We drove to this small resturant, sat on the floor and ate huge bowls of noodles with dumplings instead. The noodles were really tasty and I was able to finally opt for a non-spicy food option (red pepper sauce/paste/seasoning is everywhere, on everything!). I was excited that the dumplings might be some kind of meat but alas, they were filled with... kimchi! What else?! It was good though. Kimchi is good, better than some I've had at home, its just so spicy! It doesn't smell though, which I think is a common misconception in the US. I stomach it down at every meal to not be rude, even though my nose runs and my eyes water. It is apparently impolite/disgusting to blow your nose in front of anyone here, so I just have to sniff sniff sniff. (It is not impolite though to randomly spit on the street though, everyone does it.)
The meal was nice and pleasant, only my co-teacher spoke English but he asked questions and translated. He asked if I liked drinking soju, I said yes, they went "oooohhhh" -- I thought maybe I should have said no. They said, we will go out to soju then. They also said, "we heard Jason can drink two bottles of soju!!!" -- they were so excited! I said yes, that's how much he said he and his co-teacher drank the other night, plus two pitchers of beer. They were so impressed. I added that he was pretty tipsy at the end of course of they just laughed. They also said next time we will bring Jason too. (And I almost forgot, they said that's when we would try chicken feet... oh my I can't wait. They kind of laughed like "hahaha, or heeheehee" under their breath when they said this. At least they didn't say dog!) They are nice though, and Jason's co-teacher said the same thing to him, next time we will bring Madeline.
(Click here to read more on soju.)
This is actually the second time I've been taken out for lunch. On Tuesday I thought I was having lunch with Mrs. Kim only, off campus, but then suddenly all the English teachers were there. There is Ms. Kim, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Park, Mr. Kwon and Mr. Byeon. I teach with all of them. Usually students call them by their last then first name, so like Byeon Jung, etc. The family name always comes first in Korea, as family and community are always valued more highly over the self. If a Korean child does poorly at school it is not only themselves they are worried about dissapointed (or devestated at dissapointing) by their family because it can bring a lot of shame on a family to have children without good schooling and good jobs.
The lunch with the English teachers was also good. We sat on the floor and ate boiled chicken. And I mean the entire chicken (no head or feet thankfully). I'm still confused on how I'm supposed to eat the chicken when it has bones in it and all I have are copsticks and a spoon (spoons are totally acceptable to use to aid in your eating here, yay!) but knives, don't even look for them. And it is also totally acceptable to slurp your food! (See Dad, its good to slurp!) Again the food is ridiculously cheap (like $60 for six people to eat two whole chickens plus like 10 different side dishes) which is awesome. They also boil the chicken on the table in front of you, in a broth of sprouts, greens and tree bark.
To return to my original heading though, now I'm trapped at school! Its only 3:00 and I can't leave until 4:30. So I'm blogging and trying to memorize the Korean alphabet. My co-teacher loved that. He gave me a mini lesson and then typed up some homework for me. He said I must practice and he is going to quiz me on Monday!! The alphabet isn't too hard to learn, its just hard for me to read quickly. Its vowels and consanats. Their language is called hangul. I think everyone could easily learn how to read it if you just memorize. (See more on hangul here.)
Leave me comments and/or questions!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
True Snapshot of Korea
Check out: http://www.roketship.com/
You may not fully appreciate it unless you've been here (and some of the jokes are obviously still lost on) but they are so true!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I've arrived in Wonju and taught my first class!
Well I made it! Actually we arrived on Friday around 1:30pm after having a fun goodbye show organized by EPIK on Thursday night, and then a formal goodbye program on Friday. (It was like a double goodbye.) It was nice making new friends, and especially great because now we can keep in touch, travel, trade stories, etc. but it was also definitely time to get on to our placements!
We arrived in Wonju in the afternoon and were immediatly grabbed by our respective co-teachers. Jason and I didn't even say bye and I quickly waved by to a couple other of the new EPIK teachers. There were only about 10 of us on the bus to Wonju (and Wonju area towns.)
My main co-teacher is named Mr. Byeon and he drove me in his car to the school, with all my luggage thankfully. He said we had to go to the school first to get the key to my apartment. I didn't realize that meant he was actually skipping class aka leaving his students to do whatever on their own, while he picked me up. I also didn't realize I would be meeting the Principal and VP. Yikes! EPIK told us so many times how important a meeting these two would be, to bow deep, be polite, small, compliment the school, to dress for success. I was dressed well, but not as well ask I could have been I don't believe. I mean, we'd been sitting on a bus for a few hours from Seoul and no one told us we'd be meeting the big wigs so soon! The VP was very nice, he used to be an English teacher so he speaks very well. The Principal has his own huge office, with a large table and chairs around it for meetings. It was very formal but he was also nice, my co-teacher translated our conversation. He generously gave me a guide book on Wonju and I made sure to ask about the school's achievements. Everyone said "you are so beautiful" but they say that to everyone. (I mean that literally, "you are so beautiful, you are so pretty, you are so handsome." -- Although they can also be blunt the other way, at least the kids, I showed the girls a family photo today and they saw my long hair and were so disappointed that I cut it, they liked it before, haha.)
Oh and did I mention that Mr. Byeon introduced me to two of his classes that he was leaving while he showed me around. I didn't realize school was in session yet! I thought it started Monday! The girls are super cute and I wish I had a video of their reactions every time I walked into a new class. They screamed, cheered, yelled "OOOOOHHHHOOOOWWWOOOO, you are so beautiful teacher!! I love you teacher!!" (I think that's all the know how to say in English... practically.)
After that fun crash course in the Korean educational system we went to my apartment. I was shocked! It is so nice! It is the nicest place I have ever lived for sure. Two bedrooms, leather couch, everything I need... and its free/paid for by the school! The only downside is that the previous teacher who lived her left it a gross mess, she must have never cleaned. Almost everything in the kitchen has grease all over it. Needless to say I am still cleaning. But I am proud of this place, I can't believe its mine for a whole year! No moving, no rent!!
What's great is that the school also has $500 to use on buying apartment essentials for us! So later that night another of my co-teachers Mrs. Kim came by and picked me up. We went into town to shop for sheets, that was really all I wanted. We went to this great indoor market and got some beautiful sheets and pillows. They were kind of expensive! Things I wouldn't buy! She also thought I needed some things for the kitchen so we went to a kitchen store. Then to an electronic store where I got a coffee pot and hair dryer! All for free again! It was so much fun! She's really nice and warm and the whole time I felt like we were on a shopping spree. I got the hint too that when she said, "tell me what you want" she didn't realllllly mean it so much. I said "how about this cutting knife?" and she said "oh no, you don't need that, you have one" (I can't find one in the kitchen...) and then instead said "I think you need... a lunchbox, a water pitcher, a pasta strainer, etc. etc. -- it was lots of fun!
Then she took me out to a quick dinner since I said I was hungry. It was really good food. Sushi made on the spot and gold noodles in a rice water, which was great on such a hot and humid day. Funny thing also is that I didn't have interent at my place until tonight. So when we were at the indoor market, Mrs. Kim asked the owners of the bedroom store if I could use their computer! They of course let me (and gave us free juice) and lo and behold there was an email from Jason (left alone at his desk at school after meeting the Principal he had no idea what to do, haha.) I quickly emailed him saying to meet in front of the school (his high school is on the same school grounds as the middle school) every hour until midnight to see if we could find each other that night. Neither of us had email or phones. As Mrs. Kim was driving me home we passed in front of the school and there was Jason! The plan worked!
The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning, eating, sleeping A LOT finally and making a trip to E-Mart the crazy busy Korean version of Target or Wal=Mart via taxi. Oh did I mention that Jason's apartment is just is nice as mine?! We are so lucky! His is actually a three bedroom in a huge high rise while my building is only three stories. He lives by a great restaurant called Pizza School. Oh yeah, pizza is everywhere. Score!
And as this posts headers says, I've taught my first class. Actually the same lesson MANY many times now! I mean, I have 22 different classes per week. They are middle school grades 6, 7 and 8 (here actually its called Middle School 1, 2, 3, and they actually, age wise correspond to American students in 7, 8 and 9th grade because high school here is only 3 years, middle school 3 and elementary 6). I have introduced myself so far to 12 different groups of girls and its only Wednesday!! There are between 20 to 30-35 girls per class, its insane! That means I have nearly 700 students each week (some classes alternate so I only see them every other week even.) All they want to do is play games and be rewarded with candy... oh boy here we go! But thankfully they are all really nice and excited (at least to meet me, not so much to speak English.)
Tomorrow is one more day, then on Friday I would usually have to go to a different school (a rural school) but we have to go to the immigration office so I can be officially registered in the country now that I have a home address. Whew.
Check out my pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2560216&id=6003282&l=86e5a18957
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