Wow. It feels like forever since I've been here, just because I have so much to write about. It's 2:15 am and I'm writing until I fall asleep, which shouldn't take long because my bedtime dose of sleep-aide is starting to work.
It's been a busy two weeks. Let's start with last Monday.
Monday 17 Sept. 2007
Well, let's start with Saturday.
Saturday 15 Sept. 2007
I got all dressed up to head down to Seoul to see Uncle Paul and Imo, who had arrived last Sunday. It's the first time I've seen them in about a year.
Funny thing happened on the way. The floor of the bus was soaking wet. Looking good and all, I got up and walked to the exit. The moment I let go of the rail to grab my phone, the driver slammed on the brakes to stop and I went down. In front of a busload of people. Wet my pant leg falling on the floor. hahaha
I met them right outside 녹사평. It was awesome. When I was in DC I was probably 20 lbs. heavier than now; when I saw them in ICT I was probably 10 lbs. heavier, so it was nice to hear Imo (my Korean Imo!!) comment on how nice I looked (take notes, mom!)
We headed a few blocks down to Yongsan (용산) Army Base to eat some good ol' fashioned American food. It was like stepping into America. Mark, Becky, Trey & I are all military kids, so I can imagine that they all felt like they were coming home, just like I did. Everywhere we looked, it was like a snapshot of the US -- blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians, mixed-race people!! -- such a break from the homogeneity of Korean society.
Mark & I ate at Burger King. I loved Burger King back home. I love it even more in Korea. And I really love it at Yongsan Army Base in Korea.
Going back to the train station was almost surreal. It was like stepping thru a portal from the States to Korea. All of a sudden we were surrounded by Koreans again.
Mark & I headed to Korean class, and on to 명동, where we ate at a 돈갓스 restaurant. Good stuff!
Sunday 16 Sept. 2007
I was supposed to go on a tour of Sharing House, which is a shelter for victims of Japan's "Comfort Women" sex-trafficking policy. Notice my use of "supposed." We were to meet at 10 am, and I was late. So I just stayed on the bus til I arrived at 명동. Bought some much-needed cosmetics at Clinique in the Lotte Dept. Store, then managed to stumble into a Migliore store (cue in heavenly chimes). This was an experience in itself. Everything is hip, trendy, and CHEAP. Basically, the clothes are fashioned after brand-name gems and made in nameless factories. So you see a lot of "like DKNY" or "like Seven" etc. No problem for me! I bought 3 shirts, some 1/2 pants, slacks and a skirt. The most interesting part was trying on the clothes. The Migliore is made of little booths with a salesperson and clothes. Not enough room for a dressing room. So you put a skirt on top of you pants, take your pants off, try on the sales item, take the skirt off, look at yourself, and reverse the process. So basically the skirt is a mini-dressing room. The first time a saleswoman suggested it I deferred, but after that I decdied to risk the process (I really wanted the capris!) and the whole things kinda grows on ya.
Spent the evening doing laundry.
Monday 17 Sept. 2007
Today was the first day of orientation. I spent the early part of the morning packing and getting ready. Really, it makes sense. This orientation is my big chance to meet new friends! No language barriers, no cultural barriers to worry about, because we're all English-speakers from Western nations, presumably raised on the beautiful ideologies of the Englightenment, liberalism, civil and human rights, and feminism. *happy sigh*
Took the train to Moran station, then the 2007 bus to Suwon station, then the train to Byeongcheom. I was exhausted. At 병점 I got on the GPOE bus that took us to La Vie d'Or (the Golden Life).
On the bus I sat next to and talked with Kate. She's from Wisconsin, taking a year off to catch up on some writing. Really friendly and interesting. We're kinda in the same boat -- both considering our further education for the learning rather than the jobs that follow.
I expected the hotel room assignments to be pre-arranged, but that wasn't the case. Basically, a woman came up to me and asked me if I had any friends. I said no, so she went and got me some. Lei is the oldest, and she is the sweetest and most sincere woman. She's like an open book, and she has nothing to hide because she doesn't need to hide anything. Lei is Chinese, but an Aussie.
Jen is in her late 20s. As in 27. Jen is Chinese as well, hails from Toronto. Sammi is from San Jose & is Vietnamese. She's 26. Surprisingly, they're both from 양평, which according to their accounts, is a small podunk town. They're like polar opposites: Jen is loud & boisterous, tough as nails, while Sammi is quiet, serious, gentle and sensitive.
We had a few seminars and that night we took a walk around town. Wasn't much to see -- it took about 5 minutes. Basically a few bars, a few 노래방s, a salon, an adult store, a CVS (Family Mart is a savior!), and, surprisingly, a SE Asian grocery store.
We visited 3 pool halls, each of which had one set of 8-balls (the others were Korean pool) and they were in use by other conference members. So we headed to the 노래방 for a night of laughter and hurting ears. Sammi turned out being the best singer...as in she could actually hit the notes. But Jen & I had stunning performances of "Bed of Roses" and, of course, the instant hit "My Heart Will Go On." And I did get a perfect score on "SexyBack." Boo-ya!
Tuesday 18 Sept. 2007
CRAZY. That's all I can say.
In the am Summer introduced us to Andy, and we never managed to shake him off, haha. Andy's originally from Hong Kong, speaks Mandarin & Cantonese, and is a Torontonian (I say Torontan). He and Jen hit it off right away, as they're from the same area in Toronto. Apparently his brother butchered Jen's hair once. She wanted "Reese Witherspoon bangs" but got a Scooby-doo look, but still tipped him well because she thought he was cute. Small world. Shallow woman. The better I know Jen, the more I realize how similar we are.
So Andy ended up being our roommate. Sammi moved to the couch, since she really didn't like the bed, & Andy took her bed. The invite was for one nite but he extended it to 3.
I don't know how I got on the topic, but I suggested we have a scary story night. So we turned off all the lights except a small table lamp, which we dimmed.
I started out with the Korean legend Young-ji told me about the 귀신 who hovers above people as they bathe. When you wash your hair you're not supposed to look up because if you make eye contact with her she'll haunt you. I concluded, of course, by mentioning that I've looked up multiple times but never saw her.
This whole time Sammi's curled up on the floor. She says she gets scared easily. Easily as in she got scared watching X-Men...
Jen picked up next with some uber-creepy stories. Creepy because they happened to her. When she was little she and her sister shared a room. Their brothers would play pranks on them. Their bedroom had a door to the hallway, a door to the closet, and a door to the balcony outside. One night they heard knocking on the balcony door. They assumed it was their brothers but when her sister opened the door there wasn't anybody there. This happened a second time, and a third time. After the third time, though, there was pounding on all three doors. Even if it was their brothers, there are only 2 brothers, and 3 doors. Ugh. I just got creeped out just from writing that down.
Second Jen story: same house (her parents still live in that house). Once she and her sister were at home with their grandmother. Jen was in the kitchen (surprise!) and her sister & grandmother were in the living room, when they heard running footsteps on the stairs and a door slamming. They thought it was each other until Jen walked into the living room to see what the commotion was about. They realized that it wasn't one of them so they went upstairs to investigate. Nobody there, but one of the doors was closed.
Last Jen story. When her sister moved into her first house she befriended a Native American. One day he gave her a feather, which she placed on her mantlepiece. Jen called her later that day and while they were talking she heard screaming over the telephone. Her sister asked her if she heard the screaming, and Jen affirmed. Her sister told Jen that it was coming from inside the house. If that wasn't creepy enough, the next day the Native American asked her if anything strange had happened. Cautiously, she said that she had heard screaming inside her house. The Native American told her that he had sensed an evil spirit in the house & he gave her the feather to drive it out. Creepy.
OK. To make this even creepier, the lamp we had dimmed had been flickering periodically. I was sitting with the lamp and TV behind me -- lamp on my left and TV on my right -- so between the lamp flickering, Ringu memories, and scary stories, I was starting to feel very creeped out.
Now Andy's time to shine. His first story was about a trip he made to his aunt's house when he was little. She lived in the Hong Kong suburbs on a lane that led to a Buddhist temple. At night, this whole lane would be pitch black, except for the dim lights thrown from inside the housed. At the end of the dark lane, however, was the red light from inside the temple. One night they were playing hide-and-seek, but they couldn't locate one friend. They assumed he had just gone home mid-game, so they didn't worry about it. The next day, the friend was found in the temple. He had had seizures. Before and since then, he never had any seizures (he's ok now).
Second Andy story was about a Toronto highway exit ramp (which Jen used to drive almost daily). Apparently the city decided to put up a high fence because people would jump off the ramp. Once his friend, fairly inebriated at the time, was on that ramp around midnight. He immediately sobered up because he saw a girl at the top of the fence. He asked the driver if he could see her, but by the time the driver looked, the girl had jumped off. Later this friend asked Andy if he could go with him there. Completely sober this time, they took the ramp, searching for the ghost. But when the temperature immediately dropped inside the car, they high-tailed it out of there.
Last Andy story: in the early 1990s the Hong Kong subway system aired a commercial, then pulled it within days. The ad features 6 children playing choo-choo train in the woods, each child with his hands on the shoulders of the child in front of him. At the end is a cute chubby boy with a hat. In one shot, though, a girl with her head down is right behind him. The next shot shows the boy at the end, with nobody behind him. When they asked the boy he said there wasn't anybody behind him but he had felt like there was.
We headed downstairs to the computer room & found the clip on YouTube. It was creepy. For a while. Then we started imitating the ghost girl and after that it was really funny. (For the ad, just go to YouTube & search "KCR ghost.")
It's about 4 am & I keep hearing noises in my flat that are getting me all jittery & jumpy.
That night we couldn't sleep. Jen must have said, "OK, goodnight guys" about 20 times. Andy was in the bed next to Lei's room, Jen was in the middle bed, and I was in the bed closest to the window. Sammi was on the couch a few feet from the foots of our beds.
We were all freaked out, and our conversations ranged from creepy things like the Grudge & Ringu to absurd and funny things like Ralph Wiggums to get our minds off the scary stuff. Twice I jokingly jumped into Jen's bed, and she immediately pushed me out, saying she doesn't like to be close to people. Best, the lamp which was off, kept flickering ON.
We had finally quieted down and were getting ready to sleep when we had the fright of our lives. Our walls were peach-colored, so they were light. Suddenly we saw something black moving in front of them. Jen & I started screaming and before I knew it, Jen, who doesn't like to be close to people, was IN MY BED. My TWIN BED. The light came on. The culprit? Not the creepy Japanese woman in the Grudge. No, it was sweet Sammi, looking for the light so she wouldn't trip on the way to the bathroom.
That incident must have scared Jen pretty badly, because she had to go to the bathroom too. I hid on the floor between her bed and Andy's bed (I didn't want to hide between her bed & my bed because I didn't want something grabbing me. If something grabbed me between Jen & Andy's beds, at least Andy would be right there. hahaha I'm such a sissy). When Jen climbed back into her bed, I grabbed her feet. She started screaming again. It was so funny.
Poor Lei.
Wednesday 19 Sept. 2007
Back in the States, whenever I went to a camp or someplace where I meet new people, I always hung out with Asians. I figured that in Korea at orientation I would hang out with white people. Wrong-o! With the exception of Summer, everybody I hung out with was...Asian. Including Anna, a full-Korean girl from...Toronto. What is it with me & Torontans?
After sessions we learned that GEPIK coordinators had actually planned our orientation as a front for "Get to know Andy" week. At least that's what he told us. We learned all about him, and we actually managed to diagnose all of us. Sammi & Andy are people who base their relationships around one significant other. They have long relationships & it takes them a long time to bounce back when it falls thru. Jen & I, though, base our relationships on a core group of friends. We don't have boyfriends; we just date guys. "Long relationships" means dating the same guy for longer than a month, & when it ends we're not too phased -- and if we are we have that core group of friends to laugh us out of our shallow colorless funk. So how's that for analysis?
Thursday 20 Sept. 2007
After morning seminars we headed to Hwaseong Fortress for a tour. This was awesome. Built by King Jeongjo in honor of his father, this seven-year project was completed in two years. Only two original buildings in the palace complex remain -- the others were destroyed ruing Japanese occupation and the Korean War.
Hwaseong Fortress is also the site where some Era K-dramas are filmed, based partly, I'm sure, on its proximity to Seoul. It was interesting to see someof the rooms I recognized in K-dramas, like the classroom in Dae Jang Geum.
I spent the majority of the trip back to La Vie d'Or talking with a man who shall go unnamed. As we spoke I could feel a hot gale rushing from the general direction of Jen's flared nostrils.
After dinner we attended a Korean traditional music performance. It was awesome. A woman opened up with pansori, which I couldn't even imagine doing in hanbok. A man in hanbok followed her with the fan dance. My favorite was the gayageum soloist. I never knew that gayageum could sound so beautiful until I heard her perform. It was amazing. She was followed by gayageum twins (really, they were twins), then she joined the twins for the gayageum triumverate performance, which included Pachelbel's canon, one of my favorite pieces. Next up were the 4-drum performers. These were elementary school students!! I couldn't believe that nine children could remain on beat through an entire performance which included stop-and-go rhythm and sudden pace changes. They sounded really good, and their performance was so electrifying.
We decided to follow this up with a bit of music of our own, so we headed to the 노래방. Big mistake, as we subsequently experienced what Jen called 노래방 rape. Because of the size of our group we had to sit at the same table as some of the GEPIK people (i.e. our bosses). They offered us drinks. In Korea, when somebody offers you a drink (especially somebody higher on the Confucian hierarchy), it's very rude to refuse. I wasn't a big fan of straight whiskey, and 노래방 rape didn't change anything. Then they asked us to sing. And asked. And asked. We couldn't say no. We tried but they wouldn't stop asking until we agreed. After avery embarrassing song (to which two straight Korean men danced -- with each other!) one of the guys decided to engage me in conversation. Unfortunately he didn't have a filter on his mouth -- he kept spitting -- on me! -- when he talked. Gross.
After we managed to escape (note to self: never go to a 노래방 unless there are private rooms) we headed down to Family Mart for some 김밥 to soak up the whiskey. There we ran into a really classy guy. He actually tried to convince us that it's okay for him to cheat on his wife because Korean men do it. Wow. What a stunning display of his excessive illogic. But what more can we expect from a scumbag like that? Best of all, he was a white man trying to convince western women that it's okay for him to cheat on his western wife because Korean men cheat. I had not idea what was going on (focusing on my 김밥, I'm afraid) so I couldn't waste my breath reciting figures on the rising divorce rate in Korea as women through education and modernization are exposed to more egalitarian ideology and thus demand fairness and integrity from their husbands and partners. Nor was I able to inform him that it would be very difficult to cheat unless he paid for it, as he wasn't in any way physically attractive. I'm afraid that he's just another scumbag cracker who thinks that Korean women are just desperate to be with white men.
After we managed to escape we headed to British Andy's room for poker, which never materialized since we didn't have chips or enough change. But we did play some truth game where if your drawn card didn't fall in a particular range you had to answer a question. Which didn't really apply since we answered the questions regardless of whether we had to.
Friday 21 Sept. 2007
After morning sessions and lunch I hopped on a bus to head back to 병점역. As we were exiting the bus I started speaking with a guy named Stephen. I had noticed him during orientation and thought he was Korean since he always dressed well: slacks and dress shirts, compared to our jeans, tees & hoodies. At the train station we started up a flight of stairs. He wanted to carry my luggage but I told him I was fine. After a few more steps, though, he insisted that he carry it. He said he couldn't walk next to a woman and let her carry a heavy suitcase when he could do it instead (it wasn't heavy, but ok!). No chauvinism or machoism involved, just pure gentleman-ness. As Jen put it when I told her later, "Who says chivalry is dead?" Even in Korea!
At the top of the stairs I took my luggage back but when we reached another flight of stairs he took it again. He admitted that he wasn't very strong but he'd rather carry it than watch me carry it. Wow. He just shot up a coupla notches on the Hot-o-meter with that humility and sweetness.
On the train to Suwon station we talked a bit more. He's Taiwanes (that's how he id'd himself) from NOVA. Where in NOVA? Fairfax. He lives in 남양주, same city where Summer is. By the time we parted at Suwon, I had another number in the ole celly phone.
It felt so good to get home! I was only about 30 km from home, and my travel time was roughly an hour, but I felt like I had just gotten home from an extensive trip. My own bed, my own pillow, my laundry machine!! I put in a load and crashed. Three nights in a row of 3 hrs. a sleep took its toll. I was out.
Saturday 22 Sept. 2007
Surprisingly, I was up before noon on a Saturday -- SECOND WEEK IN A ROW! Wow.
Met with Uncle Paul & Imo at the same place. This time I opted for some TB tacos. Chalupas to be exact. In retrospect I should have gotten nachos, but everybody has 20/20 hindsight vision.
Afterward Mark & I headed to Sookmyung for class. Having a bit of trouble with grammar, but I hope I can pick it up. I hate not being able to talk with people! What can I say? I think I'm a terribly witty person and thus I enjoy hearing myself. I know all my friends are nodding in agreement -- shut up Jen!
Sunday 23 Sept. 2007
Ended up meeting Jen & Sammi out in 청랑리, and area of 서울 I've never visited. We headed back to 명둥 to meet up with Anna & Andy. En route I found out it was Anna's birthday. Oops. Didn't get the memo. never took a moment to really consider what the date was, so I ended up forgetting to tell my mother "Happy Birthday." Felt really guilty about that, but Orientation threw me off datewise.
Ahhhh...명둥...where Anna and I discovered our beloved vendor near the Burger King. Yes, she sells *cue in heavenly chimes* 1000W earrings. The whole time we're checking out bling Andy's reminding us how hungry he is. hahaha Side note -- Anna bought some giraffe earrings that I made fun of. Remember that.
We ended up eating at the donkatsu place Mark & I had visited the last time. I was in the mood for 짜장면, but donkatsu won out.
After that, back to the street carts. Jen & Anna were walking ahead when Andy spotted some giraffe earrings similar to Anna's, except with sparklies. He bought them & I put them on while Sammi distracted Jen & Anna. Anna's response when she saw me wearing the earrings: "You outblinged me!"
Andy took his leave so he could get ready for his China trip. The girls all headed over to Tom N Toms for coffee shop goodies. I ordered: 그란대 차이 티 라태, 아이스," which is Konglish for "Grande chai tea latte, iced." This was also what was written on the menu. The lady behind the counter looked at me bewildered. Anna started laughing. The conversation continued as thus:
Cast of characters:
TNT: Tom N Toms lady behind the counter
M: Monica
A: Anna
S: Sammi
J: Jen
TNT: *blank stare*
A: *snicker snicker*
TNT: chai tea latte?
M: Yes...
TNT: *vertically spreading hands apart & bringing them close together*
A: *chortle chortle*
J: *snicker snicker*
M: Grande...
TNT: hot or iced?
A,J,S: *giggle giggle*
M: Iced...
My friends suck.
But Jen quickly redeemed herself. At the 1000W earring cart Anna & I had gotten some matching pairs of earrings, which we dubbed "couple earrings" in reverent mockery of the practice among select Korean couples to wear matching attire. We tried on each pair and forced Jen to take pictures as we "귀스" (ear kissed - Anna's wannabe Konglish pun). Jen always brags about her amazing camera so she totally deserved a photo shoot.
05 October 2007
13 Sept. 2007
Ok, I haven't been here in a while. Humblest apologies.
A lot has happened while I was MIA. Hmm...let's start with Mt. Nam, or Namsan. SoYoon is the girl who went to live with my parents and attend school, and while she was here her parents invited me to join them for an outing. We started out in Jamsil to watch the Lion King musical at the Charlotte Theater. That was an awesome experience. I haven't seen the movie since I was maybe 12, and I didn't understand most of the dialogue because of my lack of Korean, but the music, color and choreography was just amazing.
After the play they took me to Namsan. We parked at the base and took a bus nearly to the top, and walked the remainder of the mountain. Now understand, it wasn't a rough hike by any means, but 3 of 5 of us were in heels. That does complicate things a bit (going back down was much more exciting - and dangerous!).
Seoul Tower sits at the top of Namsan, and we went up to the observationd deck. The view was AMAZING. I had always taken the bus or subway through Seoul, and I had never fully understood just how big the city is. It's HUGE! Even with binoculars everything was so tiny. I took a moment to check out the Blue House and was kinda surprised at the lack of guards - I'm used to the White House where snipers openly patrol the rooftops. But the city literally stretched beyond eyesight, and it was a relatively smogless day. And we haven't even accounted for the suburbs yet!
For dinner we headed to 이태원 (Itaewon). We actually parked right next to the mosque. Now I'm used to Muslim-Americans, so this was totally foreign to me. The people I saw were not Korean Muslims, but Arab Muslims. Now I know that many Muslims are Arab and that last sentence sounds ridiculous, but what I mean is that they weren't men in suits and western attire who worshiped at a mosque - they were actually men in the white robe things. I kid you not - it was like driving up a Korean hill in Itaewon, and reaching the top and wondering how you ended up in Marakesh. It was a bit concerting to see police standing outside the gates in riot gear, but then I remembered the hostage situation and it made sense.
We ate at a Turkish restaurant just outside the mosque gate. I'll admit, I'm not as fond of Turkish food as I am other Mediterranean food. But it might be worth a second try just so I can see what a hookah is all about. I'd also like to try Turkish coffee.
Fast-forward a week to next Saturday (during this week we're resuming the school year). Suknam and I headed out to Cheongyesan, a mountain in the southern tip of Seoul. (Cheongyesan translates roughly into Clear Water Mountain.) This was a 3-hour trek. About 8 million steps, give or take a few. No, but seriously, it was a rough hike. But totally worth every step. When we got to the top we enjoyed the elation of accomplishing a difficult hike, the summit's cooler temperatures, a lovely breeze, and a spectacular view on a sunny day. Add to that the calming music of another hiker's radio (Koreans love classical!) and the peaceful blaance fo the mokttang (a wooden drum) that the Buddhist monk was beating somewhere on the mountainside.
After that, a shower, a long phone conversation with mom (which replaced my nap), and off to see the Simpsons. It wasn't as funny as I had expected it to be, but it was still good (probably due in part tothe fact that I was desperate to watch a movie in English! Hey, I even watch the stupid French movies on EBS just in an effort to watch something I can understand!)
Fast-forward a few weeks to last Wednesday. I met up with Rosa in Gangnam. We went out ot a shabu shabu restaurant. It was ok. The tasty part was a microbrewery we went to afterward. This place had an excellent stout. I tried their Belgian white & it tasted like orange juice with bubblegum. Not so fond of that, but the stout was good.
After that, snacky time at the street cart. Ddukboggi & soondae is a wonderful way to end the night.
I went to bed late that night...1:30, late for a school night. Never thought I'd actually say "school night" - I feel so fifth grade. Thursday morning I woke up feeling drained, and by that afternoon it had transformed into a full-blown sore throat. I was miserable Thursday and Friday - the worst part is knowing that I have to get extra sleep but not being able to sleep long enough because of the pain.
By Saturday I was feeling much better. Frequent napping helped. I met with Mark at 용산 (Yongsan) to buy a DVD player. While there I also got an mp3 player charger, so I don't have to hook up to my computer (yes!). By this time I was heartily sick of soup, so we had donkatsu followed by ice cream.
We headed to 인사동 (Insadong) to check out some of the shops. This was my third trip to Insadong, but my first trip during the day. So it was nice to actually go into the shops and look around - they're nice! Lots of interesting things going on in those. Expensive, but I'm willing to shell out extra cash in exchange for mass-produced culture.
After Insadong we hit up 명동 for shopping and pizza. Tried the kimchi and bulgogi pizza (my suggestion) and it just tasted like pizza sauce. I couldn't taste the kimchi or bulgogi unless I actually picked off a piece and ate it. Mark, Becky & Trey left on the subway, but I wanted to take the bus. So I had my own little adventure downtown looking for abus stop that would deliver the right bus. It was a wonderful experience. I didn't go far - only 3 blocks or so - but it was far enough to take me out of the busy tourist district into the city's business district. Sometimes it's just nice to wander around and explore new areas. And I picked up a free map AND I discovered an underground shopping area. Best of all, I remember where they are. :)
Sunday I woke up feeling like crap again, so I just stayed home and cat-napped and worked on lesson plans. Back to the soup diet!!
Mondays are rough for me. It takes me a couple of classes to get my lesson plans down pat, so Mondays are my experiment days. I feel sorry for my Monday classes. They get Monica teacher in full-blown rookie form. This Monday was worse because I was losing my voice and started getting severe congestion. After work I headed to a pharmacy to get some medicine (DayQuil wasn't cuttin it for me). I practiced my broken Korean (nose=구 & ear=귀) and the pharmacist looked at me like I had OD'd on meds, then asked, "Congestion?" Thank God for English-speaking pharmacists! She even told me, "Two pills, 3 times a day." Wow.
Tuesday my voice was even worse, and I began to wonder what I should do if I totally lost it. My coteachers kept asking me if I was okay, but it wasn't so bad as long as I blasted the mike (somebody made fun of me for abbreviating microphone as mike, but we do the same for Michael, right?). And I learned that just telling the kids that I'm losing my voice and asking for their help (or just calling their numbers and telling them to read) really goes a long way.
Wednesday was a low point in my voice misadventure. In one class I actually started to gurgle. haha One of the boys made fun of me until I glared at him. But really, the noise was pretty funny. Embarrassing at the time, but funny. I met with Rosa again in 강남 (Gangnam) for 닥갈비 & it was GOOD. Man that's one of the best flavors - similar to 데지불고기. After that, off to Iceberry for some dessert. We were both sick with colds but ice cream sounded really good. Rosa warned me that the gelato wasn't creamy, but I got it -- and she was right. It looked all gooey and creamy, but it deceived me. To use next class's SAT vocab word: its appearance was fallacious!
Oh, one funny thing. Rosa is my age, single, pretty and we share similar views on a lot of things. One inside joke we have is about "beady little eyes." She commented once about how creepy Korean businessmen are, and I totally agree with her -- they're middle-aged men who shamelessly eyeball young women like my mom eyeballs a package of ribeye at the butcher's. She referred to "beady little eyes" and that's our new catch phrase. I told the story to Mark and he knows what I'm talking about. Old men stare at him too, because he's darker. And to prove all our theories, on the subway from Yongsan to Insadong, we caught no less than three men just sitting there, staring. I've gotten into the habit of defiantly staring back until ajeoshi ends his power trip and looks away.
So because of these little incidents, I included in my lesson plan (on American/western culture and customs) a little bit about how rude it is to stare at people. Of course I differentiated between making eye contact (good) and staring (bad). So after this important lesson, I catch myself sitting at my desk staring at one of the teachers. He's hot. Not really physically hot (he's cute), but he's got that shy-guy hotness (I can't believe I just stole a character from Super Mario 2 and used it to describe a coworker). But in my defense, I was at least furtive about it and very discreet, and my computer was open in front of me so if he glanced my way I could just look down and pretend like I was working. Or maybe just smile and wink at him, haha.
Which brings me to today. My voice is much better. And I'm learning a very important lesson about teaching school -- there are lots of bads, but you have to focus on the good. It's so easy to get depressed and down after a hard class. These kids tire you out. I ate lunch with SuJeong today and we talked about how tiring the job can be. But it's really the good things that make it worthwhile. It feels so good teaching kids something they don't know and hearing "Oh!" because you know that the light just clicked on. And today, I had three kids -- three middle school students! -- tell me that they hoped I'd start feeling better. That kinda stuff makes one feel better immediately! And today, my 208 class, a class I wanted to strangle last time, participated and behaved. I always like my 213 class, because they're very bright, but they don't act like know-it-alls; they participate and try to learn. And the first-graders are sweet and endearing, as always.
Today was a great day. I know that these days won't last. Some days will be hell like last Thursday and Friday. But the trick is to focus on the good: find some of the good students and talk to them and be their friend, or talk to one of my coworkers, or find a Family Guy clip on YouTube (never fails).
So I've been here for two months today. During these two months I've gotten 3 middle schoolers with crushes, one for each grade. I'm quite proud of my ninth-grader. I don't have any ninth-grade classes, I just happened upon a group of 3rd-level boys in the hallway after class. Korean kids are extremely reticent to speak English -- the three exceptions to this rule are "Hi," "Thank you," and "I love you!" which actually sounds more like "I lobeu you!" This group of guys was no different so I was greeted by a loud chorus of "Hi!" I asked them how they were doing and one replied, "Fine, thank you! How are you?" I said, "I'm well," and he said, "Pleased to meet you!" I shook his hand and he giggled like a little girl. Hilarious.
My second-grade crushee is quite useful. When I need a volunteer a smile will do the trick. Unfortunately his English comprehension is quite low, so it's hard to explain things. But he's #37, the one who covered his face with his hands on my first day, and since he's usually one of the naughty boys, it's nice that he's behaving.
And last, my first-grader. It's fun to go to that class because all of his classmates tease him when they see me. He can't even answer a question in class without getting a chorus of "Aaaaahhh!" Haha
I really appreciate the summer camp and our after school class. This gives me an opportunity to interact with kids outside the classroom. First, I can get to know them better, and they get to know me better. Since they're more comfortable, they participate more during our regular classes. Second, we can do things in small groups that I could never do with 40 kids, so it feels like I'm making a greated impact. My after-school class is made up mostly of 1st graders, but three 2nd graders joined as well. I was worried about having older kids because their levels are higher and I'm afraid the younger kids won't have a chance to learn. But yesterday I had the older kids join the younger kids' goups and I was really impressed with the way my 2nd-graders helped my 1st-graders. These 3 guys are from the 213 class, which I really like.
I also love it when kids come to my desk to talk to me. Boys usually don't do it, but the girls will. Unfortunately, our conversations usually start out with, "Teacher, give me candy!" But I'll make them speak with me in English before I fold and open up the candy drawer. What can I say? I'm willing to buy their love! As I mentioned, they've gotten the "Thank you" down, but we're going to have to work on the "Please" end. My coteacher MyongSoo was making fun of some girls today because they kept saying "I lobeu you!" So MyongSoo would say, "Moneeka teacha, I lobeu you!" She does a really good job with the impersonations.
A lot has happened while I was MIA. Hmm...let's start with Mt. Nam, or Namsan. SoYoon is the girl who went to live with my parents and attend school, and while she was here her parents invited me to join them for an outing. We started out in Jamsil to watch the Lion King musical at the Charlotte Theater. That was an awesome experience. I haven't seen the movie since I was maybe 12, and I didn't understand most of the dialogue because of my lack of Korean, but the music, color and choreography was just amazing.
After the play they took me to Namsan. We parked at the base and took a bus nearly to the top, and walked the remainder of the mountain. Now understand, it wasn't a rough hike by any means, but 3 of 5 of us were in heels. That does complicate things a bit (going back down was much more exciting - and dangerous!).
Seoul Tower sits at the top of Namsan, and we went up to the observationd deck. The view was AMAZING. I had always taken the bus or subway through Seoul, and I had never fully understood just how big the city is. It's HUGE! Even with binoculars everything was so tiny. I took a moment to check out the Blue House and was kinda surprised at the lack of guards - I'm used to the White House where snipers openly patrol the rooftops. But the city literally stretched beyond eyesight, and it was a relatively smogless day. And we haven't even accounted for the suburbs yet!
For dinner we headed to 이태원 (Itaewon). We actually parked right next to the mosque. Now I'm used to Muslim-Americans, so this was totally foreign to me. The people I saw were not Korean Muslims, but Arab Muslims. Now I know that many Muslims are Arab and that last sentence sounds ridiculous, but what I mean is that they weren't men in suits and western attire who worshiped at a mosque - they were actually men in the white robe things. I kid you not - it was like driving up a Korean hill in Itaewon, and reaching the top and wondering how you ended up in Marakesh. It was a bit concerting to see police standing outside the gates in riot gear, but then I remembered the hostage situation and it made sense.
We ate at a Turkish restaurant just outside the mosque gate. I'll admit, I'm not as fond of Turkish food as I am other Mediterranean food. But it might be worth a second try just so I can see what a hookah is all about. I'd also like to try Turkish coffee.
Fast-forward a week to next Saturday (during this week we're resuming the school year). Suknam and I headed out to Cheongyesan, a mountain in the southern tip of Seoul. (Cheongyesan translates roughly into Clear Water Mountain.) This was a 3-hour trek. About 8 million steps, give or take a few. No, but seriously, it was a rough hike. But totally worth every step. When we got to the top we enjoyed the elation of accomplishing a difficult hike, the summit's cooler temperatures, a lovely breeze, and a spectacular view on a sunny day. Add to that the calming music of another hiker's radio (Koreans love classical!) and the peaceful blaance fo the mokttang (a wooden drum) that the Buddhist monk was beating somewhere on the mountainside.
After that, a shower, a long phone conversation with mom (which replaced my nap), and off to see the Simpsons. It wasn't as funny as I had expected it to be, but it was still good (probably due in part tothe fact that I was desperate to watch a movie in English! Hey, I even watch the stupid French movies on EBS just in an effort to watch something I can understand!)
Fast-forward a few weeks to last Wednesday. I met up with Rosa in Gangnam. We went out ot a shabu shabu restaurant. It was ok. The tasty part was a microbrewery we went to afterward. This place had an excellent stout. I tried their Belgian white & it tasted like orange juice with bubblegum. Not so fond of that, but the stout was good.
After that, snacky time at the street cart. Ddukboggi & soondae is a wonderful way to end the night.
I went to bed late that night...1:30, late for a school night. Never thought I'd actually say "school night" - I feel so fifth grade. Thursday morning I woke up feeling drained, and by that afternoon it had transformed into a full-blown sore throat. I was miserable Thursday and Friday - the worst part is knowing that I have to get extra sleep but not being able to sleep long enough because of the pain.
By Saturday I was feeling much better. Frequent napping helped. I met with Mark at 용산 (Yongsan) to buy a DVD player. While there I also got an mp3 player charger, so I don't have to hook up to my computer (yes!). By this time I was heartily sick of soup, so we had donkatsu followed by ice cream.
We headed to 인사동 (Insadong) to check out some of the shops. This was my third trip to Insadong, but my first trip during the day. So it was nice to actually go into the shops and look around - they're nice! Lots of interesting things going on in those. Expensive, but I'm willing to shell out extra cash in exchange for mass-produced culture.
After Insadong we hit up 명동 for shopping and pizza. Tried the kimchi and bulgogi pizza (my suggestion) and it just tasted like pizza sauce. I couldn't taste the kimchi or bulgogi unless I actually picked off a piece and ate it. Mark, Becky & Trey left on the subway, but I wanted to take the bus. So I had my own little adventure downtown looking for abus stop that would deliver the right bus. It was a wonderful experience. I didn't go far - only 3 blocks or so - but it was far enough to take me out of the busy tourist district into the city's business district. Sometimes it's just nice to wander around and explore new areas. And I picked up a free map AND I discovered an underground shopping area. Best of all, I remember where they are. :)
Sunday I woke up feeling like crap again, so I just stayed home and cat-napped and worked on lesson plans. Back to the soup diet!!
Mondays are rough for me. It takes me a couple of classes to get my lesson plans down pat, so Mondays are my experiment days. I feel sorry for my Monday classes. They get Monica teacher in full-blown rookie form. This Monday was worse because I was losing my voice and started getting severe congestion. After work I headed to a pharmacy to get some medicine (DayQuil wasn't cuttin it for me). I practiced my broken Korean (nose=구 & ear=귀) and the pharmacist looked at me like I had OD'd on meds, then asked, "Congestion?" Thank God for English-speaking pharmacists! She even told me, "Two pills, 3 times a day." Wow.
Tuesday my voice was even worse, and I began to wonder what I should do if I totally lost it. My coteachers kept asking me if I was okay, but it wasn't so bad as long as I blasted the mike (somebody made fun of me for abbreviating microphone as mike, but we do the same for Michael, right?). And I learned that just telling the kids that I'm losing my voice and asking for their help (or just calling their numbers and telling them to read) really goes a long way.
Wednesday was a low point in my voice misadventure. In one class I actually started to gurgle. haha One of the boys made fun of me until I glared at him. But really, the noise was pretty funny. Embarrassing at the time, but funny. I met with Rosa again in 강남 (Gangnam) for 닥갈비 & it was GOOD. Man that's one of the best flavors - similar to 데지불고기. After that, off to Iceberry for some dessert. We were both sick with colds but ice cream sounded really good. Rosa warned me that the gelato wasn't creamy, but I got it -- and she was right. It looked all gooey and creamy, but it deceived me. To use next class's SAT vocab word: its appearance was fallacious!
Oh, one funny thing. Rosa is my age, single, pretty and we share similar views on a lot of things. One inside joke we have is about "beady little eyes." She commented once about how creepy Korean businessmen are, and I totally agree with her -- they're middle-aged men who shamelessly eyeball young women like my mom eyeballs a package of ribeye at the butcher's. She referred to "beady little eyes" and that's our new catch phrase. I told the story to Mark and he knows what I'm talking about. Old men stare at him too, because he's darker. And to prove all our theories, on the subway from Yongsan to Insadong, we caught no less than three men just sitting there, staring. I've gotten into the habit of defiantly staring back until ajeoshi ends his power trip and looks away.
So because of these little incidents, I included in my lesson plan (on American/western culture and customs) a little bit about how rude it is to stare at people. Of course I differentiated between making eye contact (good) and staring (bad). So after this important lesson, I catch myself sitting at my desk staring at one of the teachers. He's hot. Not really physically hot (he's cute), but he's got that shy-guy hotness (I can't believe I just stole a character from Super Mario 2 and used it to describe a coworker). But in my defense, I was at least furtive about it and very discreet, and my computer was open in front of me so if he glanced my way I could just look down and pretend like I was working. Or maybe just smile and wink at him, haha.
Which brings me to today. My voice is much better. And I'm learning a very important lesson about teaching school -- there are lots of bads, but you have to focus on the good. It's so easy to get depressed and down after a hard class. These kids tire you out. I ate lunch with SuJeong today and we talked about how tiring the job can be. But it's really the good things that make it worthwhile. It feels so good teaching kids something they don't know and hearing "Oh!" because you know that the light just clicked on. And today, I had three kids -- three middle school students! -- tell me that they hoped I'd start feeling better. That kinda stuff makes one feel better immediately! And today, my 208 class, a class I wanted to strangle last time, participated and behaved. I always like my 213 class, because they're very bright, but they don't act like know-it-alls; they participate and try to learn. And the first-graders are sweet and endearing, as always.
Today was a great day. I know that these days won't last. Some days will be hell like last Thursday and Friday. But the trick is to focus on the good: find some of the good students and talk to them and be their friend, or talk to one of my coworkers, or find a Family Guy clip on YouTube (never fails).
So I've been here for two months today. During these two months I've gotten 3 middle schoolers with crushes, one for each grade. I'm quite proud of my ninth-grader. I don't have any ninth-grade classes, I just happened upon a group of 3rd-level boys in the hallway after class. Korean kids are extremely reticent to speak English -- the three exceptions to this rule are "Hi," "Thank you," and "I love you!" which actually sounds more like "I lobeu you!" This group of guys was no different so I was greeted by a loud chorus of "Hi!" I asked them how they were doing and one replied, "Fine, thank you! How are you?" I said, "I'm well," and he said, "Pleased to meet you!" I shook his hand and he giggled like a little girl. Hilarious.
My second-grade crushee is quite useful. When I need a volunteer a smile will do the trick. Unfortunately his English comprehension is quite low, so it's hard to explain things. But he's #37, the one who covered his face with his hands on my first day, and since he's usually one of the naughty boys, it's nice that he's behaving.
And last, my first-grader. It's fun to go to that class because all of his classmates tease him when they see me. He can't even answer a question in class without getting a chorus of "Aaaaahhh!" Haha
I really appreciate the summer camp and our after school class. This gives me an opportunity to interact with kids outside the classroom. First, I can get to know them better, and they get to know me better. Since they're more comfortable, they participate more during our regular classes. Second, we can do things in small groups that I could never do with 40 kids, so it feels like I'm making a greated impact. My after-school class is made up mostly of 1st graders, but three 2nd graders joined as well. I was worried about having older kids because their levels are higher and I'm afraid the younger kids won't have a chance to learn. But yesterday I had the older kids join the younger kids' goups and I was really impressed with the way my 2nd-graders helped my 1st-graders. These 3 guys are from the 213 class, which I really like.
I also love it when kids come to my desk to talk to me. Boys usually don't do it, but the girls will. Unfortunately, our conversations usually start out with, "Teacher, give me candy!" But I'll make them speak with me in English before I fold and open up the candy drawer. What can I say? I'm willing to buy their love! As I mentioned, they've gotten the "Thank you" down, but we're going to have to work on the "Please" end. My coteacher MyongSoo was making fun of some girls today because they kept saying "I lobeu you!" So MyongSoo would say, "Moneeka teacha, I lobeu you!" She does a really good job with the impersonations.
08 August 2007
my story
I'll just start out today by letting everybody know that I am workin it. Let's see... I'm sportin some sparkly black flip-flops, and some cute jean shorts, a black leather belt, and black and white plaid cap, and... a Puma tee. haha. Oh, and my hair is curled. Details are coming.
Yesterday I learned a very important lesson. I made a big fuss about the fact that I looked good. I mean real good. Like Ron Burgundy good. Well, on the way home, I discovered that expensive shoes + monsoon season = no good. Apparently, a light drizzle can immediately evolve into a five-inch-deep-twelve-foot-wide-puddle-producing deluge, which it did. My shoes are still drying out (bear in mind, this occurred 24 hours ago) and I don't suppose I'll know the extent of the damage until they're completely dry. As I was walking I considered the idea that I should have waterproofed them, but I know it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. They were soaked inside out. Like soggy shoeprints in the hallway soaked. Like soggy shoeprints in the hallway squishy water noise every time you step soaked.
But today I had an even better experience.
I'll start out by saying that this story doesn't quite reach the height of propriety. In fact, my Korean side is encouraging me to not record this story, while my American side thinks it's really funny and is egging me on. I grew up in the American culture, so you know which side trumps.
One of the perks about living alone is that when I'm home by myself, I can wear -- or not wear -- whatever I want. I've never experienced this before, and I really like it. The courtyard is a couple of hundred feet, so I know that if I leave my lights off, people cannot see into my apartment, and I have a great deal of freedom. This morning I took advantage of this freedom again. Those who have had Korean food before know that it's extremely smelly and I wisely took off my shirt so it wouldn't smell like food.
It has rained nonstop today. Around noon I decided to make some kimchi chiggae, since it was one of those wet, cool, drizzly kimchi chiggae type days. I put some oil in the pot and started the gas burner. I've had trouble adjusting to gas, and still haven't figured out how to reach a certain temperature. So a lot of times I manage to burn my food. Today was no different. I could tell the oil was getting hot, so I put in some kimchi and pivoted to get my diced garlic. When I turned back around flames were leaping out of the pot.
I've heard of studies that found that women react better in emergency situations than men. I'll let you be the judge of that.
The first thought that went through my mind was "water." I quickly decided against that, because the last thing I wanted was flaming oil flying through the kitchen. So the next idea was "air." I removed the pot from the burner and began furiously blowing the flames out, and within five seconds they were gone. No singed eyebrows.
Despite the quick response, I was enveloped in smoke. Let me try my own stream of consciousness approach here. I'll even use the italics. smoke detector-sprinkler system...water-logged tv's and computers exploding... the furious neighbors "개똥아" "바보멍청이?" millions of dollars worth of damage. I leapt into action. A lot of people use that phrase figuratively, but I use it with all of the physical literality it can possibly manifest. I did leap. Then I sprinted to the windows and threw them open and drew the curtains to allow for the maximum amount of smoke movement. Bear in mind that all of the lights in my apartment are on, and I'm parading in front of the window, shirtless. Bear that in mind, because trust me, I was definitely bearing it in mind every nanosecond I was there.
I ran back to the kitchen and turned on the fan. Then I ran back into my bedroom, past the open windows, and grabbed the first shirt I could find, which was my Puma tee, which explains why I'm coordinated so well today.
I had a rack of clothes drying (now a very smelly rack of clothes) and grabbed a towel off of it to fan the smoke towards the windows.
Turns out the smoke detector did not go off. Turns out the sprinkler system didn't activate.
I gathered up my courage and proceeded to make my kimchi chiggae. Turns out that the dish was pretty good; while one would never recognize it as kimchi chiggae, one would acknowledge it as a very tasty watery kimchi bokkeum.
Turns out I should invest in an apron.
Yesterday I learned a very important lesson. I made a big fuss about the fact that I looked good. I mean real good. Like Ron Burgundy good. Well, on the way home, I discovered that expensive shoes + monsoon season = no good. Apparently, a light drizzle can immediately evolve into a five-inch-deep-twelve-foot-wide-puddle-producing deluge, which it did. My shoes are still drying out (bear in mind, this occurred 24 hours ago) and I don't suppose I'll know the extent of the damage until they're completely dry. As I was walking I considered the idea that I should have waterproofed them, but I know it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. They were soaked inside out. Like soggy shoeprints in the hallway soaked. Like soggy shoeprints in the hallway squishy water noise every time you step soaked.
But today I had an even better experience.
I'll start out by saying that this story doesn't quite reach the height of propriety. In fact, my Korean side is encouraging me to not record this story, while my American side thinks it's really funny and is egging me on. I grew up in the American culture, so you know which side trumps.
One of the perks about living alone is that when I'm home by myself, I can wear -- or not wear -- whatever I want. I've never experienced this before, and I really like it. The courtyard is a couple of hundred feet, so I know that if I leave my lights off, people cannot see into my apartment, and I have a great deal of freedom. This morning I took advantage of this freedom again. Those who have had Korean food before know that it's extremely smelly and I wisely took off my shirt so it wouldn't smell like food.
It has rained nonstop today. Around noon I decided to make some kimchi chiggae, since it was one of those wet, cool, drizzly kimchi chiggae type days. I put some oil in the pot and started the gas burner. I've had trouble adjusting to gas, and still haven't figured out how to reach a certain temperature. So a lot of times I manage to burn my food. Today was no different. I could tell the oil was getting hot, so I put in some kimchi and pivoted to get my diced garlic. When I turned back around flames were leaping out of the pot.
I've heard of studies that found that women react better in emergency situations than men. I'll let you be the judge of that.
The first thought that went through my mind was "water." I quickly decided against that, because the last thing I wanted was flaming oil flying through the kitchen. So the next idea was "air." I removed the pot from the burner and began furiously blowing the flames out, and within five seconds they were gone. No singed eyebrows.
Despite the quick response, I was enveloped in smoke. Let me try my own stream of consciousness approach here. I'll even use the italics. smoke detector-sprinkler system...water-logged tv's and computers exploding... the furious neighbors "개똥아" "바보멍청이?" millions of dollars worth of damage. I leapt into action. A lot of people use that phrase figuratively, but I use it with all of the physical literality it can possibly manifest. I did leap. Then I sprinted to the windows and threw them open and drew the curtains to allow for the maximum amount of smoke movement. Bear in mind that all of the lights in my apartment are on, and I'm parading in front of the window, shirtless. Bear that in mind, because trust me, I was definitely bearing it in mind every nanosecond I was there.
I ran back to the kitchen and turned on the fan. Then I ran back into my bedroom, past the open windows, and grabbed the first shirt I could find, which was my Puma tee, which explains why I'm coordinated so well today.
I had a rack of clothes drying (now a very smelly rack of clothes) and grabbed a towel off of it to fan the smoke towards the windows.
Turns out the smoke detector did not go off. Turns out the sprinkler system didn't activate.
I gathered up my courage and proceeded to make my kimchi chiggae. Turns out that the dish was pretty good; while one would never recognize it as kimchi chiggae, one would acknowledge it as a very tasty watery kimchi bokkeum.
Turns out I should invest in an apron.
07 August 2007
who's a rockstar now?
I just went to the Samsung website (had a heck of a time trying to find it in English) and downloaded everything that had to do with the YP-K5, so I had better be able to charge my mp3 player on my notebook now. Which is a relief, because life without music is just... well, it just kinda sucks.
not doing much now, waiting for my mp3 player to charge, again. I think I've written everybody back that I'm supposed to write back. In addition, asked my mother for some recipes. Oh, made some 멸치 (myulchee) last night. One was 고추장 멸치 (kkochujang myulchee), and the other was "김모니카" 멸치 ("Monica" myulchee... i.e. I didn't know what I was doing but made up my own recipe). Both turned out surprisingly tasty.
Oh yes, I did my hair this morning. I've about mastered my hairdryer (I can attach different extensions on it, like a brush, a few roller brushes, etc.). But today it wasn't 8000 degrees, so I did my hair, dressed up, wore heels (again!) and am en route to the store to do some shopping. Which is why I have to charge my mp3 player. Which is why I'm sitting here blogging right now even though I don't have anything to blog about. Check that. I did have some things to write about, but I've forgotten them.
So, I could just sit here and try to remember what they were, or I could do something productive. Like browsing some online clothes stores. I'm opting for the latter.
not doing much now, waiting for my mp3 player to charge, again. I think I've written everybody back that I'm supposed to write back. In addition, asked my mother for some recipes. Oh, made some 멸치 (myulchee) last night. One was 고추장 멸치 (kkochujang myulchee), and the other was "김모니카" 멸치 ("Monica" myulchee... i.e. I didn't know what I was doing but made up my own recipe). Both turned out surprisingly tasty.
Oh yes, I did my hair this morning. I've about mastered my hairdryer (I can attach different extensions on it, like a brush, a few roller brushes, etc.). But today it wasn't 8000 degrees, so I did my hair, dressed up, wore heels (again!) and am en route to the store to do some shopping. Which is why I have to charge my mp3 player. Which is why I'm sitting here blogging right now even though I don't have anything to blog about. Check that. I did have some things to write about, but I've forgotten them.
So, I could just sit here and try to remember what they were, or I could do something productive. Like browsing some online clothes stores. I'm opting for the latter.
05 August 2007
Random Thoughts
I'm just hanging out in the PC bang right now, waiting for my mp3 player to charge. As soon as school starts again I'm going to download the right program onto my computer so I can charge my mp3 on my notebook, instead of heading over to the PC bang every day. So, I thought I'd blog a few thoughts.
So far during my vacation I haven't accomplished much. I've gone through my Korean-English dictionary to find choice phrases for ajashis who push me on the subway, as well as some general statements and questions that I may need to know in emergency situations: "where did you get those shoes? and what about the earrings?" or "No, thank you, I'm not interested; you're ugly." I've looked through my guidebook and found some places to visit (Namhan sanseong is just minutes away from me, on the outskirts of Seongnamsi! Score!). I do kinda miss some of the kids. Just a few. And I miss hearing "teacha!" (think Short Round in Temple of Doom). They sound so cute when they say that.
Today I fully realized my 한국여자-hood and wore heels to run my errands. yup. In addition, I actually looked like everybody else by texting people on the subway. uh-huh. All I have to do now is fix my hair and I'll be in business.
I've always kind of wondered how I appear to Koreans. I know that Americans think of me as non-white (I actually had somebody ask if I'm Mexican -- weird), and apparently Koreans think of me as non-Korean. Most of my coworkers didn't recognize me as part-Korean. Wow. Even though everybody's so nice (except subway ajashi!), I still feel like an outsider. Can't be helped. I guess I belong in the U.S. just as well as anywhere else. Just stick with the coasts.
I've got more to write, but life calls. take it chill,
mo
So far during my vacation I haven't accomplished much. I've gone through my Korean-English dictionary to find choice phrases for ajashis who push me on the subway, as well as some general statements and questions that I may need to know in emergency situations: "where did you get those shoes? and what about the earrings?" or "No, thank you, I'm not interested; you're ugly." I've looked through my guidebook and found some places to visit (Namhan sanseong is just minutes away from me, on the outskirts of Seongnamsi! Score!). I do kinda miss some of the kids. Just a few. And I miss hearing "teacha!" (think Short Round in Temple of Doom). They sound so cute when they say that.
Today I fully realized my 한국여자-hood and wore heels to run my errands. yup. In addition, I actually looked like everybody else by texting people on the subway. uh-huh. All I have to do now is fix my hair and I'll be in business.
I've always kind of wondered how I appear to Koreans. I know that Americans think of me as non-white (I actually had somebody ask if I'm Mexican -- weird), and apparently Koreans think of me as non-Korean. Most of my coworkers didn't recognize me as part-Korean. Wow. Even though everybody's so nice (except subway ajashi!), I still feel like an outsider. Can't be helped. I guess I belong in the U.S. just as well as anywhere else. Just stick with the coasts.
I've got more to write, but life calls. take it chill,
mo
04 August 2007
Innocence lost
This story is not for the faint-hearted.
So far, Korea has been all glitz and glamour. It's one of the most cosmopolitan places I've been to. Nearly everybody is in shape and dresses great (clothes are so cute here!). Stores belt out K-pop or Top 40, and K-dramas rock. Bright lights of every color make midnight look like noon. I've never felt unsafe (except when crossing the street). But yesterday, I had a shocking reality check.
Despite the fact that I'm half-Korean, despite the stories my mom told me, I, in all of my western whiteness, could not have been more ill-prepared for what I experienced if I had grown up in a hermitage.
Thursday we headed out to Moran station to get my mobile. We went to three different vendors. The second vendor had a really great deal, but...the salesman at the third vendor was cute. So let's guess which one I went with. Actually, my Korean side (built-in love of money) also played a part: although more expensive initially, the third vendor offered more security in case I go over my minutes, which I'm prone to do. nuff said. I got my phone and noticed an outdoors shop, but didn't go in because I really wanted to go home and take a nap.
Yesterday I headed back out to Moran station to check out the store. Yeah, I got the usual ajashi push at the subway, but I wasn't in a bad mood so I didn't shove him back. But one of these days... About ten feet from the store door, the sunny sky suddenly began to pelt down rain, and I hurried in (curse me for taking sunglasses instead of an umbrella! I actually looked at my umbrella before leaving home, and decided I wouldn't need it). As usual, the salesman was smothering, and I really wish I knew enough Korean to say "Do you want to leave me alone, or do you want me to walk out?" Instead I just stopped and stared at him and he got the message. They didn't have what I wanted, but I didn't want to venture back out in the rain (curse me again for leaving my umbrella!), so I just hung out for a bit longer. I finally got sick of waiting and left, and luckily the rain began to die down just as I walked out the door.
The rain stopped just as suddenly as it had started, so I looked around some more. Moran has a "five day" market, which means that every five days (on days that end in "4" and "9"), the markets open up. This is reminiscent of the olden golden days when markets only opened periodically since transportation and communication were slow. Although I didn't know where the market was, I saw some open air shops that looked like a market, so I headed there to check it out.
I expected something like Namdaemun shijang, where I can find clothes, household items, and cheap fruits and veggies. Turns out, I didn't walk into a shijang, I walked into a live meat market. Basically a butcher shop. The first 10 feet were ok. Roosters, goats. Not gonna stop me from eating chicken. But then came the dogs.
I know that some Koreans eat dog. I know that Korea has been rural, and for the first 60 years of the century, desperately destitute. I know that when all the options are gone, people have to do some things that they may not do under normal conditions. I also know that often, "undesirable parts," when a country achieves prosperity, suddenly transform into "delicacies." Think escargot in France: people could not have possibly eaten that because they wanted to, but now it's high-dollar, or franc or euro or whatever.
Until yesterday, I was also open to eating dog meat. That sounds really gross, but you have to understand where I'm coming from. The dogs that people eat are not pets. They are specifically bred to be food. They actually look more like coyotes than dogs. So people aren't taking German shepherds and terriers and throwing them into the crockpot. ...Although I wouldn't mind so much chihuahuas and poodles. haha, make the world a better place... But also, growing up in the U.S., I've always been subjected to "eeew, how can you eat that?" when I describe Korean food (squid, seaweed, etc.). To which I've always wanted to reply (but wisely held my tongue) "shut up you uncultured pedantic cracker." Because of this response I've always gotten, I've made it a point to be open to other foods, no matter how much the idea grosses me out. Worst-case scenario about food: something gross goes into your body, and it comes out as something equally as gross. capisce?
Yesterday changed my mind. My mind immediately registered why I was seeing dogs penned up in a meat market. They just laid there, as if they knew their fate. Only one was sitting up and moving around, like it refused to give in. The worst part was glancing down at the ground and meeting three dead dogs lying in a pool of blood. I was in shock. I was numb. I couldn't stand to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight. I just kept walking and staring.
Until a vendor approached me and motioned me to check out his wares. Reflecting on the situation, it now occurs to me that I gave him a very shocked and disgusted look, and I know that for a fleeting tenth-of-a-second the half-formed thought (think Faulkner stream of consciousness) that I can only translate into, "what? are you going to kill and eat me, too?" sped through my mind. Totally illogical, to jump from eating dogs to cannibalism, but my trite justifications: one, my mind was responding in shock, and two, in my western mind it's not a far jump from eating a "pet" to eating a human. I'm ashamed of my lack of reason and my response, but culture is culture and I can only do so much to reeducate myself.
In a split second after that, I realized that I was either going to get sick or start crying if I didn't escape, pronto. I hurried into an alley and found my way back to the main street, and to the station. I felt dirty and disgusted, and tired and down.
Which only offers two solutions: 1) drinks with friends or 2) shopping. It was only 4 p.m., so I opted for the latter. Headed to Migeum station to check out 2001 Outlet, which is an oasis of affordability in Korea's high-cost society. *sigh of relief* It's also an oasis of bright lights and sterility and modernity, after what I had experienced just minutes before. *sigh of relief* People my age, sporting Lacoste and Converses...it was a welcome sight.
Back at home, it was both ironic and healing to hear pet dogs playing and barking in the courtyard below my apartment.
So far, Korea has been all glitz and glamour. It's one of the most cosmopolitan places I've been to. Nearly everybody is in shape and dresses great (clothes are so cute here!). Stores belt out K-pop or Top 40, and K-dramas rock. Bright lights of every color make midnight look like noon. I've never felt unsafe (except when crossing the street). But yesterday, I had a shocking reality check.
Despite the fact that I'm half-Korean, despite the stories my mom told me, I, in all of my western whiteness, could not have been more ill-prepared for what I experienced if I had grown up in a hermitage.
Thursday we headed out to Moran station to get my mobile. We went to three different vendors. The second vendor had a really great deal, but...the salesman at the third vendor was cute. So let's guess which one I went with. Actually, my Korean side (built-in love of money) also played a part: although more expensive initially, the third vendor offered more security in case I go over my minutes, which I'm prone to do. nuff said. I got my phone and noticed an outdoors shop, but didn't go in because I really wanted to go home and take a nap.
Yesterday I headed back out to Moran station to check out the store. Yeah, I got the usual ajashi push at the subway, but I wasn't in a bad mood so I didn't shove him back. But one of these days... About ten feet from the store door, the sunny sky suddenly began to pelt down rain, and I hurried in (curse me for taking sunglasses instead of an umbrella! I actually looked at my umbrella before leaving home, and decided I wouldn't need it). As usual, the salesman was smothering, and I really wish I knew enough Korean to say "Do you want to leave me alone, or do you want me to walk out?" Instead I just stopped and stared at him and he got the message. They didn't have what I wanted, but I didn't want to venture back out in the rain (curse me again for leaving my umbrella!), so I just hung out for a bit longer. I finally got sick of waiting and left, and luckily the rain began to die down just as I walked out the door.
The rain stopped just as suddenly as it had started, so I looked around some more. Moran has a "five day" market, which means that every five days (on days that end in "4" and "9"), the markets open up. This is reminiscent of the olden golden days when markets only opened periodically since transportation and communication were slow. Although I didn't know where the market was, I saw some open air shops that looked like a market, so I headed there to check it out.
I expected something like Namdaemun shijang, where I can find clothes, household items, and cheap fruits and veggies. Turns out, I didn't walk into a shijang, I walked into a live meat market. Basically a butcher shop. The first 10 feet were ok. Roosters, goats. Not gonna stop me from eating chicken. But then came the dogs.
I know that some Koreans eat dog. I know that Korea has been rural, and for the first 60 years of the century, desperately destitute. I know that when all the options are gone, people have to do some things that they may not do under normal conditions. I also know that often, "undesirable parts," when a country achieves prosperity, suddenly transform into "delicacies." Think escargot in France: people could not have possibly eaten that because they wanted to, but now it's high-dollar, or franc or euro or whatever.
Until yesterday, I was also open to eating dog meat. That sounds really gross, but you have to understand where I'm coming from. The dogs that people eat are not pets. They are specifically bred to be food. They actually look more like coyotes than dogs. So people aren't taking German shepherds and terriers and throwing them into the crockpot. ...Although I wouldn't mind so much chihuahuas and poodles. haha, make the world a better place... But also, growing up in the U.S., I've always been subjected to "eeew, how can you eat that?" when I describe Korean food (squid, seaweed, etc.). To which I've always wanted to reply (but wisely held my tongue) "shut up you uncultured pedantic cracker." Because of this response I've always gotten, I've made it a point to be open to other foods, no matter how much the idea grosses me out. Worst-case scenario about food: something gross goes into your body, and it comes out as something equally as gross. capisce?
Yesterday changed my mind. My mind immediately registered why I was seeing dogs penned up in a meat market. They just laid there, as if they knew their fate. Only one was sitting up and moving around, like it refused to give in. The worst part was glancing down at the ground and meeting three dead dogs lying in a pool of blood. I was in shock. I was numb. I couldn't stand to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight. I just kept walking and staring.
Until a vendor approached me and motioned me to check out his wares. Reflecting on the situation, it now occurs to me that I gave him a very shocked and disgusted look, and I know that for a fleeting tenth-of-a-second the half-formed thought (think Faulkner stream of consciousness) that I can only translate into, "what? are you going to kill and eat me, too?" sped through my mind. Totally illogical, to jump from eating dogs to cannibalism, but my trite justifications: one, my mind was responding in shock, and two, in my western mind it's not a far jump from eating a "pet" to eating a human. I'm ashamed of my lack of reason and my response, but culture is culture and I can only do so much to reeducate myself.
In a split second after that, I realized that I was either going to get sick or start crying if I didn't escape, pronto. I hurried into an alley and found my way back to the main street, and to the station. I felt dirty and disgusted, and tired and down.
Which only offers two solutions: 1) drinks with friends or 2) shopping. It was only 4 p.m., so I opted for the latter. Headed to Migeum station to check out 2001 Outlet, which is an oasis of affordability in Korea's high-cost society. *sigh of relief* It's also an oasis of bright lights and sterility and modernity, after what I had experienced just minutes before. *sigh of relief* People my age, sporting Lacoste and Converses...it was a welcome sight.
Back at home, it was both ironic and healing to hear pet dogs playing and barking in the courtyard below my apartment.
23 July 2007
A Taste of Home
I know exactly what that means.
Today started out like any other day. Well, a few exceptions: I bought an alarm clock yesterday, which is a good thing because I forgot to charge my mp3 player, so I had a different sound wake me up; I snoozed a bit longer than usual, and I actually wasn't drenched in sweat once I got to work. But other than that, it was like any other day.
For lunch I enjoyed a tantalizing bowl of 비빔밥 (bibimbap, or mixed rice). I have been LOVING the food here. Korean food is awesome; it's such a delectable mixture of spices and flavors and well-being all rolled into one. And, for me, usually rolled into under five G won.
Today, 수정 gave me a ride home. She was headed to Seohyun station to pick up her mother, so she offered, and I accepted. She also showed me a bus stop closer to my flat than the one I had been using, which is wonderful, because that means that I'll sweat out exactly one pint of fluid less than usual. yay.
It was nice sitting at home at 4 p.m., and knowing that work doesn't start until 8:30 a.m. That's a wonderful feeling. It's also kind of a boring feeling, so I turned on the tv to watch some Korean kids' shows, which I think is the dorkiest way of learning Korean possible (no, kids shows are cool when you're little. Watch them when you're older, though, and you think, "What was wrong with me?"). But everything was ok until a commercial came up for chocolate-covered chex mix.
Craving. I'm not talking about a little, "mmm...that sounds good" craving. I'm talkin, "pregnant woman on a rampage" craving. I tried to fight it, but resistance was futile. I got up, put on my shoes, and booked it for Lotte Mart. Once there, the thought of peanut butter & jelly crossed my mind. Mistake. I knew that if I didn't buy peanut butter, jelly, and cereal, I would probably sock the next person who muttered "well-being" within the range of my hearing.
I ended up spending more than $15 on peanut butter, jelly, sandwich bread and milk. Not even a gallon of milk. That's the worst thing about Korea so far. Everything, especially Western food and meat, two of the things I'm most used to, is so EXPENSIVE.
But I got home and feasted, FEASTED, F-E-A-S-T-E-D on a pbj sandwich and chocolate frosted flakes. It was one of the best feelings in the world, eating that. In fact, I'm going to go back home and have some pbj apricots. That sounds really tasty.
Today started out like any other day. Well, a few exceptions: I bought an alarm clock yesterday, which is a good thing because I forgot to charge my mp3 player, so I had a different sound wake me up; I snoozed a bit longer than usual, and I actually wasn't drenched in sweat once I got to work. But other than that, it was like any other day.
For lunch I enjoyed a tantalizing bowl of 비빔밥 (bibimbap, or mixed rice). I have been LOVING the food here. Korean food is awesome; it's such a delectable mixture of spices and flavors and well-being all rolled into one. And, for me, usually rolled into under five G won.
Today, 수정 gave me a ride home. She was headed to Seohyun station to pick up her mother, so she offered, and I accepted. She also showed me a bus stop closer to my flat than the one I had been using, which is wonderful, because that means that I'll sweat out exactly one pint of fluid less than usual. yay.
It was nice sitting at home at 4 p.m., and knowing that work doesn't start until 8:30 a.m. That's a wonderful feeling. It's also kind of a boring feeling, so I turned on the tv to watch some Korean kids' shows, which I think is the dorkiest way of learning Korean possible (no, kids shows are cool when you're little. Watch them when you're older, though, and you think, "What was wrong with me?"). But everything was ok until a commercial came up for chocolate-covered chex mix.
Craving. I'm not talking about a little, "mmm...that sounds good" craving. I'm talkin, "pregnant woman on a rampage" craving. I tried to fight it, but resistance was futile. I got up, put on my shoes, and booked it for Lotte Mart. Once there, the thought of peanut butter & jelly crossed my mind. Mistake. I knew that if I didn't buy peanut butter, jelly, and cereal, I would probably sock the next person who muttered "well-being" within the range of my hearing.
I ended up spending more than $15 on peanut butter, jelly, sandwich bread and milk. Not even a gallon of milk. That's the worst thing about Korea so far. Everything, especially Western food and meat, two of the things I'm most used to, is so EXPENSIVE.
But I got home and feasted, FEASTED, F-E-A-S-T-E-D on a pbj sandwich and chocolate frosted flakes. It was one of the best feelings in the world, eating that. In fact, I'm going to go back home and have some pbj apricots. That sounds really tasty.
18 July 2007
Message to Kansans: count your blessings
7:42 p.m., 18 july 2007
So, today was the year-end faculty luncheon. Classes were held in the morning, and all the teachers headed out that afternoon for our meal. Around 11 a.m., rumors on where we were eating began to circulate: a beef restaurant. I haven't gotten any beef so far (besides a burger), so I didn't know the significance, but I witnessed the excitement emanating from my fellow teachers.
Myong-Soo drove us to the restaurant, where 40 teachers crammed into the banquet hall. The ones that couldn't fit in the elbow-to-elbow room went into another room (we went into this room after we ate & it was much nicer; there was a hole in the floor so one could eat with one's legs hanging down instead of cross-legged knee-to-knee with one's neighbor). Young-ji had warned me that the restaurant is one where people sit on the floor, so I knew that I would be removing my shoes; therefore I brought socks. Unfortunately, the weight/room restriction for my luggage hadn't allowed me to bring a wide selection of shoes, and I felt uber-lame wearing socks with flip-flops. Being me, instead of letting people view it in private and think that I had the fashion sense of an adolescent gorilla, I boldly pointed them out & let my coworkers laugh at me.
En route Young-ji & Suk-nam invited me for a picnic in Suwon, which I gladly accepted. Then we started discussing a potential bike ride, which Young-ji immediately turned down. I soon found out why. Apparently Suk-nam has a habit of riding to places like Jamshil, which is about an hour away. I know that if I ever hit up steriods and can actually make it there, I won't make it back. Young-ji had gone with Suk-nam once, and that had been it. Suk-nam also likes to hike, so aside from the fact that she gets up at 6 am to do it, we might go for a hike someday.
Back to the food. mmm mmm mmm mmmm... We actually didn't even eat any rice. But we pretty much consumed every other Korean dish known to mankind. There was kong, anchovies, pyogot bossut, buetchingae, mul nangmyun, and a whole lotta dishes that I don't know the names of but enjoyed. And the beef... they brought out three types of raw beef and we fried them on the woks inset into the table. I found out why everybody had been so excited about beef: two pieces is going to do about $20 damage. At that rate, I think the moment I get back to the States I'm going to hunker down to a juicy steak, with meatballs and bulgogi on the side.
At lunch they also brought out Hite, but I knew better and stuck with the sidah (clear soda).
After lunch Young-ji & I went to Shinhan bank to open up an account. Shinhan is the place to go, as it is one of the few banks that gives bankcards to foreigners. Get this: my bankcard is a Manchester United card. Park Ji-Sung is the miracle man in Korea.
I'm going to jet. Gotta go pick up a hair dryer.
So, today was the year-end faculty luncheon. Classes were held in the morning, and all the teachers headed out that afternoon for our meal. Around 11 a.m., rumors on where we were eating began to circulate: a beef restaurant. I haven't gotten any beef so far (besides a burger), so I didn't know the significance, but I witnessed the excitement emanating from my fellow teachers.
Myong-Soo drove us to the restaurant, where 40 teachers crammed into the banquet hall. The ones that couldn't fit in the elbow-to-elbow room went into another room (we went into this room after we ate & it was much nicer; there was a hole in the floor so one could eat with one's legs hanging down instead of cross-legged knee-to-knee with one's neighbor). Young-ji had warned me that the restaurant is one where people sit on the floor, so I knew that I would be removing my shoes; therefore I brought socks. Unfortunately, the weight/room restriction for my luggage hadn't allowed me to bring a wide selection of shoes, and I felt uber-lame wearing socks with flip-flops. Being me, instead of letting people view it in private and think that I had the fashion sense of an adolescent gorilla, I boldly pointed them out & let my coworkers laugh at me.
En route Young-ji & Suk-nam invited me for a picnic in Suwon, which I gladly accepted. Then we started discussing a potential bike ride, which Young-ji immediately turned down. I soon found out why. Apparently Suk-nam has a habit of riding to places like Jamshil, which is about an hour away. I know that if I ever hit up steriods and can actually make it there, I won't make it back. Young-ji had gone with Suk-nam once, and that had been it. Suk-nam also likes to hike, so aside from the fact that she gets up at 6 am to do it, we might go for a hike someday.
Back to the food. mmm mmm mmm mmmm... We actually didn't even eat any rice. But we pretty much consumed every other Korean dish known to mankind. There was kong, anchovies, pyogot bossut, buetchingae, mul nangmyun, and a whole lotta dishes that I don't know the names of but enjoyed. And the beef... they brought out three types of raw beef and we fried them on the woks inset into the table. I found out why everybody had been so excited about beef: two pieces is going to do about $20 damage. At that rate, I think the moment I get back to the States I'm going to hunker down to a juicy steak, with meatballs and bulgogi on the side.
At lunch they also brought out Hite, but I knew better and stuck with the sidah (clear soda).
After lunch Young-ji & I went to Shinhan bank to open up an account. Shinhan is the place to go, as it is one of the few banks that gives bankcards to foreigners. Get this: my bankcard is a Manchester United card. Park Ji-Sung is the miracle man in Korea.
I'm going to jet. Gotta go pick up a hair dryer.
17 July 2007
9:40 p.m. 16 July 2007
Ok - confession. (That's a bad way to start, huh?) Well last night I was picking up water and coffee for today & I spotted a "Hite Stout." Now I'm a sucker for Guinness, but since it's uber-expensive, I've maintained by willpower (if not my composure) & refrained from purchasing. Last night, though, I decided to experiment, & I got the Hite Stout. haha, I'm giggling as I write this. Instead of a stout, it was like Bud Light mixed with a Pilsner. *shudder* Black & tans are stouter than that "stout."
Which introduces my next observation. Ready?
4) Koreans like to drink, but they don't. Seriously, if you can drink Hite, you've seriously got to seek treatment because you're addicted. I just used the word "seriously" twice in the same sentence. dang. But at the same time, Koreans don't drink. After two school lunches, I've realized that Koreans don't drink with their meals. I can down a few 8-oz. glasses of water with my meal, but the fact that cups at restaurants are smaller than sippy-cups indicates some traumatic dehydration. Today I dined with the head of the language department (oh, fish for lunch! yes!) & when I got up to fill my thimble of water, I got some for her, too (definitely going for points here, haha). I brought it back & handed it to her & her face just read "이고머야?" or in common American Jack-Blackian vernacular, "What the hey, bro?" But she was gracious & took a sip at the end of her meal. Kind of reminds me of cats -- they eat & drink at seperate times. But when I think about it my mom never drinks -- we always had to remind her to finish her water.
Today in class I saw a girl that looks so much like Kari (my cousin) when she was younger. It was a bit odd, but cool.
Trends in school:
Which introduces my next observation. Ready?
4) Koreans like to drink, but they don't. Seriously, if you can drink Hite, you've seriously got to seek treatment because you're addicted. I just used the word "seriously" twice in the same sentence. dang. But at the same time, Koreans don't drink. After two school lunches, I've realized that Koreans don't drink with their meals. I can down a few 8-oz. glasses of water with my meal, but the fact that cups at restaurants are smaller than sippy-cups indicates some traumatic dehydration. Today I dined with the head of the language department (oh, fish for lunch! yes!) & when I got up to fill my thimble of water, I got some for her, too (definitely going for points here, haha). I brought it back & handed it to her & her face just read "이고머야?" or in common American Jack-Blackian vernacular, "What the hey, bro?" But she was gracious & took a sip at the end of her meal. Kind of reminds me of cats -- they eat & drink at seperate times. But when I think about it my mom never drinks -- we always had to remind her to finish her water.
Today in class I saw a girl that looks so much like Kari (my cousin) when she was younger. It was a bit odd, but cool.
Trends in school:
- like any other school, boys are ornery
- in class girls will give me really shy smiles but in the halls or the office they'll come up to me and say in English "hi" and giggle & scurry away. They'll always come in pairs or 3's and huddle up together when they run away as if it's going to absolve their embarrassment. It's cute & funny.
There's one boy in one of the classes -- I can't remember his name, but he's #37. After the introduction I fielded questions, & one of the kiddos had written, "Do you like #37?" I asked Suknam, my co teacher, who #37 was, & she pointed him out & said he's one of the naughty boys. I read the question out loud & he had a surprised look on his face. Either somebody had written the question without his knowledge or he had written the question but hadn't expected me to read it. Play ball! I said, "Yes, I like #37" & he did the cutest thing: he covered his face with his hands like a little girl and shook his head. Later in the library we made eye contact & I smiled at him & he did it again. Cracked me up.
After a few classes, the students' questions were pretty predictable: do you have a boyfriend? are you married? what is your ideal type? (I avoided the last question for the most part but once I answered, "hot" & the girls started giggling.) what is your blood type? (huh? I still don't understand why they'd care or how they ever came up with that question.) And a lot of favorites: actors, singers, colors, movies, books, food, etc. My favorites were "Do you like ...?" or "Do you think ... is handsome?" & I'd have to answer yes no matter what I really thought.
Tonight I caught the subway for the first time. The problem wasn't riding the subway so much as getting on. I had to search around for a ticket machine & when I found it it wouldn't take 5000W. So I had to get 1000W bills & it wouldn't take those either. So I had to use change. Then, on the train platform, I realized I had lost my umbrella. Great. Monsoon season, & no umbrella. Who's up for runny make-up?
I met Becky & Trey & Markos at Jamshil station. I didn't expect them to still be waiting since I was an hour late, but they were. I must have walked right by them looking for a payphone which, in a land of homogeneity, is really difficult to do: one white man, an Indian-Korean and a Latino-Korean (or maybe Becky's Italian, lol). We got some TGI Fridays (my first burger in Korea!) and had some cake to celebrate Mark's birthday.
That's about it. Tomorrow I may head to Yatap -- I think I remember Jonathan mentioning something there -- hopefully shopping.
Oh, more observations:
5) Hand-holding: my mom had mentioned this, so it wasn't too weird to see two girls (or even women) holding hands, but I'll admit it was a bit of a shock to see two boys holding hands, in a middle school of all places.
6) Bathrooms: I don't even know where to begin. First, I noticed that instead of toilets, there are urinal type deals in the floor. I asked Young-ji how to use that sort of toilet & she did the easy thing -- she took me to the ground floor bathroom where there was a normal, Western, sit-down toilet. But I would like to learn how to use the floor-urinals in case of emergency. There is no toilet paper in the stalls. Apparently people provide their own. Instead of anti-bacterial liquid/foam soap, there is bar soap. Hopefully antibacterial?
The bathroom topic reminded me. Today I officially became a part of the team at Seohyun Middle School. After lunch, I joined my fellow teachers in the bathroom for the daily "Post-dinner toothbrushing ritual." Makes sense, because Korean food is smelly, but I'm having trouble reconciling my germophobia to brushing teeth in a public bathroom that has all manner of "poop germs" infiltrating my toothpaste. (Yeah, I'm the person who icks out at the idea of bringing a drink into the bathroom.) Check that -- a public bathroom which may or may not have antibacterial soap.
[p.s. I'm sitting in the PC bang right now typing away, and it's so funny. Out of all the words the Korean guys are saying, I can pick up "아이스" and "새키야" and "평신" and "beep beep beep" (I think they're playing shooting games and the "beep beep beep" is the sound they make when shooting. haha)]
15 July 2007
Korea: days 1-5
I'm sitting in a smoky PC bang right now, trying to navigate my way through a website that is written in Korean. I'm actually pretty surprised that it's written in Korean; I suppose in all of my sheltered American naivete, I expected it to be in English. dang
Well, the night before I left Al gave me a journal to document my time in, so I'm just going to copy it word for word. That way everybody can see what's going through my head when it happens. So read and enjoy.
When Al gave this to me she told me that she would read it when I return. So I suppose I'll just get started.
I'm currently on a Boeing 777 from Dallas to Tokyo. It looks like we've been on the plane for about 5 hours right now -- it's 5:05 -- and we're soaring over the Bering Sea.
This is a bit awkward. I'm so accustomed to typing that writing is kind of difficult.
I've got the window seat, & it's quite pleasant. Right now all I can see are clouds, but the view over the States was beautiful. We were flying over Idaho, I think, and (I'm opening a watermelon jolly rancher - yummy!) it was amazing to look over foothills and mountains that look like insignificant bumps and knowing that the blue puddles among them are really lakes. The most interesting sight, though, was when we went over some fields -- this is not related to the fact that we've been in Kansas for the past 10 years! But from above it looked like abstract art, a pastel work: tawny yellow, browns, burnt orange, and greens, all arrayed in a pattern of circles inset into squares. Some of the circles even looked black. [here I have a really nice picture; step aside, picasso!]
There are two seats in our partial row and my row partner is a bit...what should I say...shortsighted. I was watching Disturbia (it's a good movie!) & wasn't too bothered because the movie had already climaxed, but he laid his elbow right on top of my screen remote & blasted the volume. (We're currently at 34,000 feet & -59F -- chilly! I just lifted my blind and there is an ice crystal formed on the INSIDE of the outer window. I hope that's not a bad thing...) But other than that he's had his arm on my side of the rail. I feel so juvenile, like when Austin & I used to draw the line down the middle of the back seat during road trips. But it's already cramped enough without having to lean away from the armrest just so you don't have arm hairs brushing up against you. Gross. I'll just describe him & then that'll be the end of it. He's about maybe middle-aged, with gray hair & is either Middle Eastern or Central Asian. Other than the elbow over the armrest he seems like a nice guy. Like I said, just a bit short-sighted.
I got two hours of sleep last night & slept a bit on the way to Dallas, but I just can't go to sleep now. dang.
Still just clouds. I wish it was clear -- then I could see some crabbing vessels from Deadliest Catch. haha
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes on in 10 minutes, so it looks like that's what I'll spend my next two hours doing. "Are we done yet?" is on channel 1, but I don't know what that's about.
I brough my LSAT prep book on board but haven't gotten past a few paragraphs. I'm going to take the test again. Yeah. I know. But I can't help myself. All I need is a 170 & I'll be satisfied. But if I don't get that on this go-around, I'll just embrace mediocrity & revel in it. heehee
7:20 p.m. CT; same day
We just had supper. It's only 7 o'clock but the cabin is dimly lit and I'm so tired that it feels like nighttime until I open the blind & realize that it's broad daylight outside (we're just west of Alaska & it's 4 o'clock local time. We're approaching the international date line, where it suddenly changes from today to tomorrow). But hanging out with Jon and Athena so much lately, I ordered a coffee because that's our nightly ritual. That little action itself reminded me of them and I wish I was able to talk to them right now as I would drink my coffee on the plane, and they'd drink at Dunn's or Starbucks or maybe Aida's. Today I took my coffee black as usual, but I taste a hint of nostalgia...God, I'm getting so poetic -- what's wrong with me?
The clouds beneath us are so flat on top I can't help but wonder whether we're floating above a large ice pack. I think we're about 1/2way thru the flight. :)
1 a.m. CT; same day
First impressions of Japan - Narito Airport, Tokyo
Probably the best part of the trip was when we took a sharp bank ot the port (my side) & simultaneously began a steep descent. (I'm writing this & reflecting on the irony that after a 13-hour flight, I'm sitting down writing in a journal). We had been between two strata of clouds & the waves had been miniscule, but when we began the descent it looked like we'd land right into the ocean. (I just heard two ajummas speaking Korean & you can't imagine what a relief it is -- I'm almost home!) Yet, despite thefact that we were considerably closer to sea level than before, we were still above some clouds!
I was momentarily distracted by the flight tracker on the screen but turned back to the window just in time to see the waves lapping onto the shore. That was a beautiful moment -- it's just like you'd imagine waves rolling onto Japan. In a split second we flew into a wall of clouds -- thick, so thick I couldn't see the wingtip at times, but occassionally I could see through clouds, and this is one of the greenest countries in the world -- like on par with Ireland. But maybe it's just because it's monsoon season; I don't know.
At this point I'm sitting in gate 83, which I really hope is the right gate, especially after hearing people speak Korean. I've gotten about 3 hours of sleep in two days, I haven't showered in nearly 24 hours, I've eaten 3 meals in the last 20 hours, I've watched 3 movies, read 10 pages of a book, consumed two jolly ranchers & wiped my glasses once. Now I'm going to the bathroom to freshen up -- I'd put a pile of crap to shame.
This has got to be the hottest airport in human history. I'm sure it's at least 80F. I feel like the sweaty American. gross. But it looks like nobody else has this problem... :( I've put in my contacts & feel like they've melded into my eyeballs. I think I just made up that word -- like melted & welded. or maybe it's an established word I'm trying to take credit for. hmmm...
I've come to the conclusion that Japanese and Koreans are pretty much the same. I think I'd get disowned by the ROK and DPRK, but sitting here in Tokyo (I don't want to wait at the gate so I'm sitting on my luggage next to a column in the terminal) I'm finding it difficult to distinguish between them. I think the only difference is that our food is better and their government is [crappier]. haha I've found my way back into the good graces of the whole Korean population.
And there are people wearing suits! It's way too hot for suits!!
And I keep seeing women running around in skinny jeans. The thing about skinny jeans -- the ultimate Catch-22 -- is that you have to be skinny to wear them. If you have more than 3 cubic inches of fat on your thighs you immediately transform skinny jeans into fat jeans. I tried getting some before I came out here but couldn't bring myself to do it because no matter how decent my calves looked, my thighs looked like a hippo in a leotard. And that can never be rationalized into being attractive. My grandmother gave my mom very practical advice when she was a girl: don't gamble and don't get in debt over your head. My mom passed that wisdom onto me, & she added even more important advice: never wear things that are too small because they make you look bigger. Thus: no skinny jeans unless I go under the knife. haha
They're going to start boarding soon. Yay! Hopefully they believe in air conditioning the plane. Actually it's not so hot anymore. Perhaps it was hot before because I was sitting right next to a group of Korean boys who were using their notebooks (most likely playing Starcraft).
Good news. In 5-6 hours what was possible the longest day of my life will be drawing to a close. But before that I'll be returning to this to record my return to Korea after 23 years.
There's a man standing next to me with a Louis Vuitton bag. Only in Asia...
In line to board I was behind a pretty cute guy. He had on Armani cologne. Here's how we know we're in NE Asia: amidst this hotness & great scent I caught a faint whiff of fish. Yes, he was carrying a box of frozen dried fish. How does this go through customs?
When I got on two girls that are sitting next to me spoke to me in English. It's kind of funny that they knew off the bat that's I'm American and their English was so good I thought they were Californians. But they're Korean citizens.
Seohyun-gu, Bundang-dong, Seongnam-shi, Gyeonggi-do, ROK
How's that for a location? Good thing I didn't include my building address.
Ok, so I've skipped a few days, but I'll try to include everything in between. Obviously I was too tired to write when I arrived in Korea, so here's the update.
When we disembarked -- no, let's go back. It had been cloudy in Japan, but the skies were clear over Korea. It was beautiful seeing the western islands -- my first view of Korea that I can remember. I had slept a bit on the plane & I'm so glad that I woke up in time to see Korea from the air.
Now -- when we disembarked, I was a bit worried about customs, immigration, & my taxi ride to Seongnam-shi. But it all went smoothly. I got a cart ( they cost 3000 W I think but I didn't pay because 1) it was in Korean so I wasn't sure it even cost anything 2) I hadn't exchanged any $ yet & 3) I didn't know where to pay. Actually, before this I went thru immigration, & saw the guy stamp my passport. Yay! It's been 12 years (1/2 my life!) since I've taken an international flight, & that was when I was a kid, so I really didn't know what to expect. But it turned out all right.
I met the driver after going through customs. He had a sign. Awesome. I can finally say that I was the person for whom the guy with the sign was waiting. He loaded my stuff in the cab (this thing was great - the fare maching had GPS). It was an hour long drive. I stayed awake long enough to watch Seoul roll by...and roll...and roll, but I fell asleep soon after. And the Han River (known as the "Han-gong River" to the same people who say "ATM machine") is mighty indeed. Puts the Potomac from Lincoln Memorial to Arlingon (at least a 20 minute stroll) to shame.
One more thing about the taxi drive. On the way we were either stopped in a random roadblock or the driver was speeding. I don't know what the driver said to the cop, but I kept hearing 외국인 (waygoogin or foreigner) & I think he convinced the cop to let him go or the foreigner would get a bad impression of Korea.
Young-ji met us at the apartment (actually, an officetel). Talking with her on the phone, she sounded like my 자근이모, but not so much in person. She's an English teacher (I'm known as a "Native English teacher"), about 29, about mom's height, and really nice.
My flat is on the 17th floor. OK, first, the building. 24 floors, and the second one is banks, a Bennigans, a Happy Time bar, and other businesses. Above and below are te apartments, which are either occupied by tenants as homes or businesses. My neighbor on the right is a spa; my neighbor on the left is a skin care business.
Back to my flat. I love this. To enter, I can either use a key or punch in my code. When I have visitors I can see their pretty smiling faces on the screen & either let them in, or press what I call the "panic button," which I imagine will summon the police, swat team, the KCIA & the Ghostbusters.
The place was a dump. There were yellow sticky greasy splatters all over the kitchen & enough hair in the shower drain to evoke jealousy from the creepy ladies in the Grudge, Dark Water, Pone, or any other Asian movie that has a scary hair scene. So here's the situation: I've been here since Thursday night at 11:30 (two days & 1/2 hour) & in those two days, I've worked 8.5 hours, slept 16 hours, grocery shopped for 2.5 hours, used the internet for 2 hours, walked around for 3 hours, ate/supped for 2-3 hours & cleaned for 9 hours.
Thursday night I showered so I wouldn't have to Friday morning. I set my alarm for 7 a.m., as Young-ji was picking me up at 8 to go with me to school. I ended up getting into bed around midnight. Then, I woke up at 6. Mathematically speaking, that's Impossible. Jet lag + sleep deprivation DNE waking up at 6. But I couldn't sleep so I just decided to get up. I got ready quickly and decided to take a short stroll. Yay for the mini-mart!
Young-ji & I took the bus to school. The first few periods I didn't have class so I put together my "introductory speech" and met some of the other staff. The teachers are really nice. Including Young-ji, there are seven English teachers, all women. I was surprised when I saw them -- I think 5/7 are under 35.
Classes were rough. Monday is the last day of class & students know that their grades have already been submitted, so they were pretty rowdy.
I wasn't sure how teachers do lunch -- I assumed they might go out & eat. Much better: the school provides lunch. Friday was seaweed soup. rice, kimchi, some greens that were really tasty, & fried squid. My first meal in Korea was awesome.
Tally for day 1 - Gifts from coworkers
3 Twix
I like my coworkers. :)
Oh, and there's this really hot teacher. I think he may be a P.E. teacher. Although the Home Economics teachers are male...even better - they can take care of themselves.
After school Young-ji & I went to a bookstore to find some material for summer camp. Then on to Samsung Plaza food court for my 비빔넹면 (bibimnangmyun). So far, my culinary experience in Korea has been excellent.
Last night I tackled the bathroom sink, toilet, and creepy-Asian-lady-hair shower.
This morning was early again -- 7 am. Another stroll, then back to cleaning. I vacuumed, & scrubbed the floor. Rearrange the furniture, wipe the tables & couch and then...the kitchen. Scrub, scrub, scrub & uh-oh, the faucet doesn't work. So back and forth between the bathroom & the kitchen to rinse out the towel.
I met Young-ji for lunch to discuss summer camp (the other teachers have class Saturday mornings, but I'm HOME FREE!) We went to "Pasta & Pizza" where I had a better white sauce pasta than any place I've been to in the States.
Oh wait, backtrack: on my walk today I discovered (drum roll) a Dunkin' Donuts. Get this: in the United States I have to drive/fly for hours to eat Dunkin' Donuts; in Korea I walk two blocks & Voila! So...Bismarcks are yummy.
Today was my western day. In addition to Dunkin' Donuts & pasta, after lunch we stopped by a coffee shop where I had mocha iced coffee. (When Koreans go out it's a multiple stop affair. The gives people the opportunity to split costs & leave at opportune moments instead of in the middle of an outing. People rarely sit around a restaurant talking -- they go grab coffee or juice or drinks for that.)
Back to cleaning the kitchen. It's almost finished. I just have to clean the rice cooker & microwave, clear the counter, & clean the outside of the washing maching. Other than that, clean the bathroom and FINIS.
Tonight I headed down to "Times Square" & visited my first PC bang. I didn't know what to do so after a short conversation the lady took me to the computer. Conversation:
Me: 미국사람입니다 (I'm an American)
When I left the PC bang there was a large crowd gathered in the middle of the square. I walked towards it to see what was going on & two guys were boxing. Like with gloves. One guy was really good & the other guy sucked. It was kinda fun to watch.
Back in the apartment -- I left the light off. I feel really safe here. The neighborhood is fast and urban, but very bougie & safe. And the idea that I'm living in a quiet apartment surrounded by people is reassuring (although it's quiet, I can occassionally hear something, so I know people could hear me screaming).
There's an apartment building across the courtyard & it's kind of fun to people-watch. One lady hula-hooped non-stop for maybe 4 minutes. That takes talent. But at the same time, it's disconcerting that I'm watching people across a courtyard. I feel comfortable changing or dressing with the window open because I know that nobody's watching. The hula-hoop lady probably thinks the same thing. haha
Off to bed soon, but before that, some observations:
1) I won't be too miserable food-wise. When I get sick of Korean food, I can have Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese or Italian. Or Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Krispy Kreme, KFC, or more Dunkin' Donuts.
2) Koreans have a love affair with food & drink but it doesn't show. Restaurants open early & close late, there's a fried food stand on every corner, and Koreans consume more soju than rice, but they're for the most part skinny. I wouldn't consider myself overly heavy, but compared to the women -- and men! -- I'm definitely on the large side. :(
3) Korean women have remarkable ankles. I have traipsed across some of the roughest sidewalks known to humankind -- uneven, & steep when approaching a street -- one day in heels, and though I see women in heels all the time (heels go with everything: suits, shorts, warm-ups) I have yet to see one with an ankle brace. Mad skillz
Well, the night before I left Al gave me a journal to document my time in, so I'm just going to copy it word for word. That way everybody can see what's going through my head when it happens. So read and enjoy.
5 p.m. CT; 11 July 2007
When Al gave this to me she told me that she would read it when I return. So I suppose I'll just get started.
I'm currently on a Boeing 777 from Dallas to Tokyo. It looks like we've been on the plane for about 5 hours right now -- it's 5:05 -- and we're soaring over the Bering Sea.
This is a bit awkward. I'm so accustomed to typing that writing is kind of difficult.
I've got the window seat, & it's quite pleasant. Right now all I can see are clouds, but the view over the States was beautiful. We were flying over Idaho, I think, and (I'm opening a watermelon jolly rancher - yummy!) it was amazing to look over foothills and mountains that look like insignificant bumps and knowing that the blue puddles among them are really lakes. The most interesting sight, though, was when we went over some fields -- this is not related to the fact that we've been in Kansas for the past 10 years! But from above it looked like abstract art, a pastel work: tawny yellow, browns, burnt orange, and greens, all arrayed in a pattern of circles inset into squares. Some of the circles even looked black. [here I have a really nice picture; step aside, picasso!]
There are two seats in our partial row and my row partner is a bit...what should I say...shortsighted. I was watching Disturbia (it's a good movie!) & wasn't too bothered because the movie had already climaxed, but he laid his elbow right on top of my screen remote & blasted the volume. (We're currently at 34,000 feet & -59F -- chilly! I just lifted my blind and there is an ice crystal formed on the INSIDE of the outer window. I hope that's not a bad thing...) But other than that he's had his arm on my side of the rail. I feel so juvenile, like when Austin & I used to draw the line down the middle of the back seat during road trips. But it's already cramped enough without having to lean away from the armrest just so you don't have arm hairs brushing up against you. Gross. I'll just describe him & then that'll be the end of it. He's about maybe middle-aged, with gray hair & is either Middle Eastern or Central Asian. Other than the elbow over the armrest he seems like a nice guy. Like I said, just a bit short-sighted.
I got two hours of sleep last night & slept a bit on the way to Dallas, but I just can't go to sleep now. dang.
Still just clouds. I wish it was clear -- then I could see some crabbing vessels from Deadliest Catch. haha
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes on in 10 minutes, so it looks like that's what I'll spend my next two hours doing. "Are we done yet?" is on channel 1, but I don't know what that's about.
I brough my LSAT prep book on board but haven't gotten past a few paragraphs. I'm going to take the test again. Yeah. I know. But I can't help myself. All I need is a 170 & I'll be satisfied. But if I don't get that on this go-around, I'll just embrace mediocrity & revel in it. heehee
7:20 p.m. CT; same day
We just had supper. It's only 7 o'clock but the cabin is dimly lit and I'm so tired that it feels like nighttime until I open the blind & realize that it's broad daylight outside (we're just west of Alaska & it's 4 o'clock local time. We're approaching the international date line, where it suddenly changes from today to tomorrow). But hanging out with Jon and Athena so much lately, I ordered a coffee because that's our nightly ritual. That little action itself reminded me of them and I wish I was able to talk to them right now as I would drink my coffee on the plane, and they'd drink at Dunn's or Starbucks or maybe Aida's. Today I took my coffee black as usual, but I taste a hint of nostalgia...God, I'm getting so poetic -- what's wrong with me?
The clouds beneath us are so flat on top I can't help but wonder whether we're floating above a large ice pack. I think we're about 1/2way thru the flight. :)
1 a.m. CT; same day
First impressions of Japan - Narito Airport, Tokyo
Probably the best part of the trip was when we took a sharp bank ot the port (my side) & simultaneously began a steep descent. (I'm writing this & reflecting on the irony that after a 13-hour flight, I'm sitting down writing in a journal). We had been between two strata of clouds & the waves had been miniscule, but when we began the descent it looked like we'd land right into the ocean. (I just heard two ajummas speaking Korean & you can't imagine what a relief it is -- I'm almost home!) Yet, despite thefact that we were considerably closer to sea level than before, we were still above some clouds!
I was momentarily distracted by the flight tracker on the screen but turned back to the window just in time to see the waves lapping onto the shore. That was a beautiful moment -- it's just like you'd imagine waves rolling onto Japan. In a split second we flew into a wall of clouds -- thick, so thick I couldn't see the wingtip at times, but occassionally I could see through clouds, and this is one of the greenest countries in the world -- like on par with Ireland. But maybe it's just because it's monsoon season; I don't know.
At this point I'm sitting in gate 83, which I really hope is the right gate, especially after hearing people speak Korean. I've gotten about 3 hours of sleep in two days, I haven't showered in nearly 24 hours, I've eaten 3 meals in the last 20 hours, I've watched 3 movies, read 10 pages of a book, consumed two jolly ranchers & wiped my glasses once. Now I'm going to the bathroom to freshen up -- I'd put a pile of crap to shame.
This has got to be the hottest airport in human history. I'm sure it's at least 80F. I feel like the sweaty American. gross. But it looks like nobody else has this problem... :( I've put in my contacts & feel like they've melded into my eyeballs. I think I just made up that word -- like melted & welded. or maybe it's an established word I'm trying to take credit for. hmmm...
I've come to the conclusion that Japanese and Koreans are pretty much the same. I think I'd get disowned by the ROK and DPRK, but sitting here in Tokyo (I don't want to wait at the gate so I'm sitting on my luggage next to a column in the terminal) I'm finding it difficult to distinguish between them. I think the only difference is that our food is better and their government is [crappier]. haha I've found my way back into the good graces of the whole Korean population.
And there are people wearing suits! It's way too hot for suits!!
And I keep seeing women running around in skinny jeans. The thing about skinny jeans -- the ultimate Catch-22 -- is that you have to be skinny to wear them. If you have more than 3 cubic inches of fat on your thighs you immediately transform skinny jeans into fat jeans. I tried getting some before I came out here but couldn't bring myself to do it because no matter how decent my calves looked, my thighs looked like a hippo in a leotard. And that can never be rationalized into being attractive. My grandmother gave my mom very practical advice when she was a girl: don't gamble and don't get in debt over your head. My mom passed that wisdom onto me, & she added even more important advice: never wear things that are too small because they make you look bigger. Thus: no skinny jeans unless I go under the knife. haha
They're going to start boarding soon. Yay! Hopefully they believe in air conditioning the plane. Actually it's not so hot anymore. Perhaps it was hot before because I was sitting right next to a group of Korean boys who were using their notebooks (most likely playing Starcraft).
Good news. In 5-6 hours what was possible the longest day of my life will be drawing to a close. But before that I'll be returning to this to record my return to Korea after 23 years.
There's a man standing next to me with a Louis Vuitton bag. Only in Asia...
In line to board I was behind a pretty cute guy. He had on Armani cologne. Here's how we know we're in NE Asia: amidst this hotness & great scent I caught a faint whiff of fish. Yes, he was carrying a box of frozen dried fish. How does this go through customs?
When I got on two girls that are sitting next to me spoke to me in English. It's kind of funny that they knew off the bat that's I'm American and their English was so good I thought they were Californians. But they're Korean citizens.
Seohyun-gu, Bundang-dong, Seongnam-shi, Gyeonggi-do, ROK
Midnight; 14 July 2007
How's that for a location? Good thing I didn't include my building address.
Ok, so I've skipped a few days, but I'll try to include everything in between. Obviously I was too tired to write when I arrived in Korea, so here's the update.
When we disembarked -- no, let's go back. It had been cloudy in Japan, but the skies were clear over Korea. It was beautiful seeing the western islands -- my first view of Korea that I can remember. I had slept a bit on the plane & I'm so glad that I woke up in time to see Korea from the air.
Now -- when we disembarked, I was a bit worried about customs, immigration, & my taxi ride to Seongnam-shi. But it all went smoothly. I got a cart ( they cost 3000 W I think but I didn't pay because 1) it was in Korean so I wasn't sure it even cost anything 2) I hadn't exchanged any $ yet & 3) I didn't know where to pay. Actually, before this I went thru immigration, & saw the guy stamp my passport. Yay! It's been 12 years (1/2 my life!) since I've taken an international flight, & that was when I was a kid, so I really didn't know what to expect. But it turned out all right.
I met the driver after going through customs. He had a sign. Awesome. I can finally say that I was the person for whom the guy with the sign was waiting. He loaded my stuff in the cab (this thing was great - the fare maching had GPS). It was an hour long drive. I stayed awake long enough to watch Seoul roll by...and roll...and roll, but I fell asleep soon after. And the Han River (known as the "Han-gong River" to the same people who say "ATM machine") is mighty indeed. Puts the Potomac from Lincoln Memorial to Arlingon (at least a 20 minute stroll) to shame.
One more thing about the taxi drive. On the way we were either stopped in a random roadblock or the driver was speeding. I don't know what the driver said to the cop, but I kept hearing 외국인 (waygoogin or foreigner) & I think he convinced the cop to let him go or the foreigner would get a bad impression of Korea.
Young-ji met us at the apartment (actually, an officetel). Talking with her on the phone, she sounded like my 자근이모, but not so much in person. She's an English teacher (I'm known as a "Native English teacher"), about 29, about mom's height, and really nice.
My flat is on the 17th floor. OK, first, the building. 24 floors, and the second one is banks, a Bennigans, a Happy Time bar, and other businesses. Above and below are te apartments, which are either occupied by tenants as homes or businesses. My neighbor on the right is a spa; my neighbor on the left is a skin care business.
Back to my flat. I love this. To enter, I can either use a key or punch in my code. When I have visitors I can see their pretty smiling faces on the screen & either let them in, or press what I call the "panic button," which I imagine will summon the police, swat team, the KCIA & the Ghostbusters.
The place was a dump. There were yellow sticky greasy splatters all over the kitchen & enough hair in the shower drain to evoke jealousy from the creepy ladies in the Grudge, Dark Water, Pone, or any other Asian movie that has a scary hair scene. So here's the situation: I've been here since Thursday night at 11:30 (two days & 1/2 hour) & in those two days, I've worked 8.5 hours, slept 16 hours, grocery shopped for 2.5 hours, used the internet for 2 hours, walked around for 3 hours, ate/supped for 2-3 hours & cleaned for 9 hours.
Thursday night I showered so I wouldn't have to Friday morning. I set my alarm for 7 a.m., as Young-ji was picking me up at 8 to go with me to school. I ended up getting into bed around midnight. Then, I woke up at 6. Mathematically speaking, that's Impossible. Jet lag + sleep deprivation DNE waking up at 6. But I couldn't sleep so I just decided to get up. I got ready quickly and decided to take a short stroll. Yay for the mini-mart!
Young-ji & I took the bus to school. The first few periods I didn't have class so I put together my "introductory speech" and met some of the other staff. The teachers are really nice. Including Young-ji, there are seven English teachers, all women. I was surprised when I saw them -- I think 5/7 are under 35.
Classes were rough. Monday is the last day of class & students know that their grades have already been submitted, so they were pretty rowdy.
I wasn't sure how teachers do lunch -- I assumed they might go out & eat. Much better: the school provides lunch. Friday was seaweed soup. rice, kimchi, some greens that were really tasty, & fried squid. My first meal in Korea was awesome.
Tally for day 1 - Gifts from coworkers
3 Twix
2 Milky Ways
1 yogurt drink
1 Welch's grape juice
1 orange juice
1 chocopie
1 ttuk
I like my coworkers. :)
Oh, and there's this really hot teacher. I think he may be a P.E. teacher. Although the Home Economics teachers are male...even better - they can take care of themselves.
After school Young-ji & I went to a bookstore to find some material for summer camp. Then on to Samsung Plaza food court for my 비빔넹면 (bibimnangmyun). So far, my culinary experience in Korea has been excellent.
Last night I tackled the bathroom sink, toilet, and creepy-Asian-lady-hair shower.
This morning was early again -- 7 am. Another stroll, then back to cleaning. I vacuumed, & scrubbed the floor. Rearrange the furniture, wipe the tables & couch and then...the kitchen. Scrub, scrub, scrub & uh-oh, the faucet doesn't work. So back and forth between the bathroom & the kitchen to rinse out the towel.
I met Young-ji for lunch to discuss summer camp (the other teachers have class Saturday mornings, but I'm HOME FREE!) We went to "Pasta & Pizza" where I had a better white sauce pasta than any place I've been to in the States.
Oh wait, backtrack: on my walk today I discovered (drum roll) a Dunkin' Donuts. Get this: in the United States I have to drive/fly for hours to eat Dunkin' Donuts; in Korea I walk two blocks & Voila! So...Bismarcks are yummy.
Today was my western day. In addition to Dunkin' Donuts & pasta, after lunch we stopped by a coffee shop where I had mocha iced coffee. (When Koreans go out it's a multiple stop affair. The gives people the opportunity to split costs & leave at opportune moments instead of in the middle of an outing. People rarely sit around a restaurant talking -- they go grab coffee or juice or drinks for that.)
Back to cleaning the kitchen. It's almost finished. I just have to clean the rice cooker & microwave, clear the counter, & clean the outside of the washing maching. Other than that, clean the bathroom and FINIS.
Tonight I headed down to "Times Square" & visited my first PC bang. I didn't know what to do so after a short conversation the lady took me to the computer. Conversation:
Me: 미국사람입니다 (I'm an American)
Owner: 인떠내뜨? (Internet?)
Me: 네 (Yes)
When I left the PC bang there was a large crowd gathered in the middle of the square. I walked towards it to see what was going on & two guys were boxing. Like with gloves. One guy was really good & the other guy sucked. It was kinda fun to watch.
Back in the apartment -- I left the light off. I feel really safe here. The neighborhood is fast and urban, but very bougie & safe. And the idea that I'm living in a quiet apartment surrounded by people is reassuring (although it's quiet, I can occassionally hear something, so I know people could hear me screaming).
There's an apartment building across the courtyard & it's kind of fun to people-watch. One lady hula-hooped non-stop for maybe 4 minutes. That takes talent. But at the same time, it's disconcerting that I'm watching people across a courtyard. I feel comfortable changing or dressing with the window open because I know that nobody's watching. The hula-hoop lady probably thinks the same thing. haha
Off to bed soon, but before that, some observations:
1) I won't be too miserable food-wise. When I get sick of Korean food, I can have Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese or Italian. Or Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Krispy Kreme, KFC, or more Dunkin' Donuts.
2) Koreans have a love affair with food & drink but it doesn't show. Restaurants open early & close late, there's a fried food stand on every corner, and Koreans consume more soju than rice, but they're for the most part skinny. I wouldn't consider myself overly heavy, but compared to the women -- and men! -- I'm definitely on the large side. :(
3) Korean women have remarkable ankles. I have traipsed across some of the roughest sidewalks known to humankind -- uneven, & steep when approaching a street -- one day in heels, and though I see women in heels all the time (heels go with everything: suits, shorts, warm-ups) I have yet to see one with an ankle brace. Mad skillz
11 July 2007
My year begins
It's 1:36 a.m. Central Time and in a few minutes (hopefully) I'll go to bed and in a few hours (hopefully!!!) I'll wake up and board a plane that will take me to my new home halfway around the globe. But I feel I must write this while everything is fresh in my memory. Today (or yesterday, I suppose) was an eventful day encompassing an amalgam of emotions and I believe either is the prelude to or is one of the most pivotal days of my life.
I spent the morning packing, unpacking, and repacking. *It just struck me that I have to discontinue my membership to the Y. dang, I knew I forgot something!* On the positive side, I got a full arm workout: I must have lifted those 50 lb. bags at least ten times each just to make sure that they weren't overweight. Hopefully that did some damage to my upper-arm flab. My worst nightmare right now is that I won't be able to fit my carry-on in the overhead compartment & will have to pay a load of money to check a third bag. Great, now I really will dream about that. grrr...
When I finished packing, I showered and headed to the bank to wrap up some business. Then I stopped by work to say good-bye to everybody. While I was there I saw Ra-mama through the window and decided to enjoy my last scaring in the States. I hid behind the counter and jumped out at her as she rounded the corner. Had I predicted her response, I probably would have opted for another course of action. She jumped a bit, shrieked, and slapped me in the face. One fluid motion. All instinctively. Some people just freeze when they're scared, some scream, some cry. Not Ra-mama. She don't take no crap. Her brain tells her to slap, then it processes what the eyes input to recognize who or what scared her. When her brain processed who I was, her jaw dropped and she said, "Oh, Monica, I slapped you! I'm so sorry!" and she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. The hug was ok, but the kiss...I could have done without. When my brain processed the fact that she had slapped me, I started laughing. It was quite a shock, and I found it hilarious.
I went to Al's office and we decided to meet at Borders later on. Then I had to go. JB had called up to arrange a meeting so he could give me my going-away present, and I, as usual, was running late.
I got to Dunn's only five minutes after our scheduled time and found JB at the computer, replying to a message I had posted. I sat at the computer next to him and replied to him. We are such geeks.
Coffee #1
I got a mocha iced coffee drink and we sat outside and chatted for about an hour. The great thing about chatting with JB is that I'm comfortable enough with him to tell him anything, and JB is unfortunate enough to know some of the secrets I don't tell anybody else. Yeah, JB is one of the few people I'll share my feelings with. (Thanks JB if you're reading this; you're a rockstar. No wonder the Greek & I always fight over you. ha!) It was sad saying good-bye & knowing that I wouldn't see him for probably a year.
Coffee #2
I got home and had an iced coffee. Then it was dinner time.
By dinner, I had four hours of packing and one good-bye under my belt, so I was feeling anxious, nervous, and depressed. Right in the middle of dinner I started thinking about how it would be my last dinner with my mom for a long time, and I cried. In a public restaurant. How embarrassing.
I stopped by Best Buy to pick up some flash drives. I decided to leave my computer, but need to take my important documents with me. I spoke with Uncle Paul & Imo; they'll be coming to Korea over Chusok so I'll see them in two months.
Coffee #3
I met Al at Borders determined to get juice, and she had already ordered an iced coffee for me (my friends rock!). We used to get the Kahlua mudslides, but they changed their drink vendors, as I had found out on my last trip. So the "drink that's kinda like the Kahlua mudslide" is now our drink of choice, and there was one sitting there waiting for me, in all of its chocolate-drizzled whipped-cream-topped glory. We chatted for about an hour, lightheartedly, skirting around but occasionally delving into deeper issues.
She said that Ra-mama had mentioned slapping me in the face, but didn't have the details as she was in a hurry to get out the door (like me, she had been running late). Such an invitation required elaboration, and I acquiesced. In a particularly dramatic reenactment, I swooped my hand to demonstrate the athleticism of Ra-mama's slap. I think the story was funny enough itself, and so did Al. To add to the humor, however, my hand happened to swoop my coffee all over my leg, foot and the floor. Shock. Pure shock. Followed by laughter, then Al running to get napkins, and me whispering intensely, "hurry hurry this is cold." The laughter continues, but we're both kneeling down trying to clean the floor, Al in a skirt and me in coffee-drenched jeans, while futilely hoping to avoid the attention of other patrons. The Borders employee hurried to help us clean up, then kindly asked me if he could get me another drink. That's really sweet! I spilled the drink, but he was nice enough to offer another. I was finished, though, and declined.
As we exited the cafe, Al told me how much she would miss me. We had spent so much time together in the last few months and our friendship had deepened considerably, and we had shared our griefs and advice. We hugged. By this time, I had four hours of packing, a stomach-ache-inducing dinner, one good-bye with a pseudo-brother, and 1/2 a good-bye with a pseudo-sister under my belt, and when I saw tears in her eyes I just broke down. I cried all the way home.
Once home, I did the unthinkable. I unpacked and repacked again. Yeah, I just went there.
I called my big bro and he actually picked up! I was kinda surprised. We talked about work and said our good-byes.
The Greek called and we talked for about an hour. (I keep talking to people for about an hour!) She gave me some pointers on internet phoning (or poning) that I'm gonna research. At 8.5 cents a minute from Korea, it's worth some research! Last night we had hung out at Dunn's and the Pumphouse, but we didn't get a chance to really talk since we were too busy getting JB to emphasize that he hates us. :) And... the conversation ended with another good-bye.
Three coffees, three best friends, one brother, and four good-byes. Tomorrow two parents, one cat, one home, one nation and five good-byes. 11 loved ones = nine good-byes + two see-you-soons. It's dismal math.
People keep telling me that I'll make new friends once I get to Korea. I know this, but I still regret leaving those I love behind.
I'm such a sap today. Next time I'll be better.
Three coffees have taken their toll, but I'm starting to get tired. Good night.
I spent the morning packing, unpacking, and repacking. *It just struck me that I have to discontinue my membership to the Y. dang, I knew I forgot something!* On the positive side, I got a full arm workout: I must have lifted those 50 lb. bags at least ten times each just to make sure that they weren't overweight. Hopefully that did some damage to my upper-arm flab. My worst nightmare right now is that I won't be able to fit my carry-on in the overhead compartment & will have to pay a load of money to check a third bag. Great, now I really will dream about that. grrr...
When I finished packing, I showered and headed to the bank to wrap up some business. Then I stopped by work to say good-bye to everybody. While I was there I saw Ra-mama through the window and decided to enjoy my last scaring in the States. I hid behind the counter and jumped out at her as she rounded the corner. Had I predicted her response, I probably would have opted for another course of action. She jumped a bit, shrieked, and slapped me in the face. One fluid motion. All instinctively. Some people just freeze when they're scared, some scream, some cry. Not Ra-mama. She don't take no crap. Her brain tells her to slap, then it processes what the eyes input to recognize who or what scared her. When her brain processed who I was, her jaw dropped and she said, "Oh, Monica, I slapped you! I'm so sorry!" and she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. The hug was ok, but the kiss...I could have done without. When my brain processed the fact that she had slapped me, I started laughing. It was quite a shock, and I found it hilarious.
I went to Al's office and we decided to meet at Borders later on. Then I had to go. JB had called up to arrange a meeting so he could give me my going-away present, and I, as usual, was running late.
I got to Dunn's only five minutes after our scheduled time and found JB at the computer, replying to a message I had posted. I sat at the computer next to him and replied to him. We are such geeks.
Coffee #1
I got a mocha iced coffee drink and we sat outside and chatted for about an hour. The great thing about chatting with JB is that I'm comfortable enough with him to tell him anything, and JB is unfortunate enough to know some of the secrets I don't tell anybody else. Yeah, JB is one of the few people I'll share my feelings with. (Thanks JB if you're reading this; you're a rockstar. No wonder the Greek & I always fight over you. ha!) It was sad saying good-bye & knowing that I wouldn't see him for probably a year.
Coffee #2
I got home and had an iced coffee. Then it was dinner time.
By dinner, I had four hours of packing and one good-bye under my belt, so I was feeling anxious, nervous, and depressed. Right in the middle of dinner I started thinking about how it would be my last dinner with my mom for a long time, and I cried. In a public restaurant. How embarrassing.
I stopped by Best Buy to pick up some flash drives. I decided to leave my computer, but need to take my important documents with me. I spoke with Uncle Paul & Imo; they'll be coming to Korea over Chusok so I'll see them in two months.
Coffee #3
I met Al at Borders determined to get juice, and she had already ordered an iced coffee for me (my friends rock!). We used to get the Kahlua mudslides, but they changed their drink vendors, as I had found out on my last trip. So the "drink that's kinda like the Kahlua mudslide" is now our drink of choice, and there was one sitting there waiting for me, in all of its chocolate-drizzled whipped-cream-topped glory. We chatted for about an hour, lightheartedly, skirting around but occasionally delving into deeper issues.
She said that Ra-mama had mentioned slapping me in the face, but didn't have the details as she was in a hurry to get out the door (like me, she had been running late). Such an invitation required elaboration, and I acquiesced. In a particularly dramatic reenactment, I swooped my hand to demonstrate the athleticism of Ra-mama's slap. I think the story was funny enough itself, and so did Al. To add to the humor, however, my hand happened to swoop my coffee all over my leg, foot and the floor. Shock. Pure shock. Followed by laughter, then Al running to get napkins, and me whispering intensely, "hurry hurry this is cold." The laughter continues, but we're both kneeling down trying to clean the floor, Al in a skirt and me in coffee-drenched jeans, while futilely hoping to avoid the attention of other patrons. The Borders employee hurried to help us clean up, then kindly asked me if he could get me another drink. That's really sweet! I spilled the drink, but he was nice enough to offer another. I was finished, though, and declined.
As we exited the cafe, Al told me how much she would miss me. We had spent so much time together in the last few months and our friendship had deepened considerably, and we had shared our griefs and advice. We hugged. By this time, I had four hours of packing, a stomach-ache-inducing dinner, one good-bye with a pseudo-brother, and 1/2 a good-bye with a pseudo-sister under my belt, and when I saw tears in her eyes I just broke down. I cried all the way home.
Once home, I did the unthinkable. I unpacked and repacked again. Yeah, I just went there.
I called my big bro and he actually picked up! I was kinda surprised. We talked about work and said our good-byes.
The Greek called and we talked for about an hour. (I keep talking to people for about an hour!) She gave me some pointers on internet phoning (or poning) that I'm gonna research. At 8.5 cents a minute from Korea, it's worth some research! Last night we had hung out at Dunn's and the Pumphouse, but we didn't get a chance to really talk since we were too busy getting JB to emphasize that he hates us. :) And... the conversation ended with another good-bye.
Three coffees, three best friends, one brother, and four good-byes. Tomorrow two parents, one cat, one home, one nation and five good-byes. 11 loved ones = nine good-byes + two see-you-soons. It's dismal math.
People keep telling me that I'll make new friends once I get to Korea. I know this, but I still regret leaving those I love behind.
I'm such a sap today. Next time I'll be better.
Three coffees have taken their toll, but I'm starting to get tired. Good night.
29 June 2007
Selective Amnesia
In September, Japan will release official maps reflecting the name change of the island popularly known as Iwo Jima to the pre-war name of Iwo To, in accordance to the wishes of the island’s former inhabitants. In 1944, with American forces advancing, civilians were evacuated from the island and Japanese troops misnamed the island Iwo Jima. The long and brutal battle that ensued, and the photo-turned-memorial that represented America’s courageous fighters, have cemented the name Iwo Jima into the world’s memory. When locals petitioned the central government to change the name, the government obliged.
This action has raised issue among American veterans and Japanese about whether the name should have been changed in light of the island’s historical significance. However, I am not going to address that issue; that is left for people more educated than I to argue. What I would like to remark on is how easy it was for some locals to convince the government that the real name of the island is Iwo To and that the government should revert to that name. While they were able to gather the information and garner support for one small island, the countless testimonies and government records still have not convinced the government that it did, in fact, run a war sex-trafficking system that did not encompass just one small island, but half a continent. Yes, I did just say that. Bring it.
Two days ago the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H. Res. 121, a non-binding resolution calling on Japan to formally apologize to victims of the “comfort women” program. That means that the Resolution can now proceed to the House floor. Kudos to Japanese-American Mike Honda (D-CA) for acknowledging the horrors of the policy and introducing the resolution.
Rep. Mike Honda
Three victims -- Lee Yong Soo (Korean), Jan Ruff O’Hare (Dutch), and Kim Koon Ja (Korean) -- testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee in February 2007. They told their heart-wrenching stories of being brutalized by the soldiers, abandoned after the war, and living their lives in shame, segregated from the rest of society, because of the sins of others. For the full text of the hearings, visit http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/110/33317.pdf. It’s a huge file, but worth the read.
H. Res. 121 is a symbolic attempt by the U.S. House to address the issue of war sex-trafficking. Unfortunately, this despicable practice continues today as belligerents ignore the codes of the Geneva Convention, human conscience, basic decency, and women’s equality. Not only does this practice brutalize its victims, but reduces its perpetrators to beasts. However, it appears that this Resolution will not advance far beyond symbolism. As a nonbinding resolution, Japan’s outright rejection of the bill will have no impact on U.S.-Japanese relations, politically or economically. Yesterday, according to the AP:
Regardless of what the U.S. is doing, Japan is biding its time, waiting for the last of the victims (now in their 80s) to die off and hoping that history will be buried with them. Already Japan is exercising what Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos termed “historical amnesia.” In March, PM Shinzo Abe (apparently the love child of Beelzebub and Krusty the Clown) stated that there was no evidence that Japan forced women into the war brothel program; he later rescinded this statement and stood by the 1993 Kono Statement (the Japanese government had pressured him to discontinue his facial-rectal inversion). In addition, select Japanese media have stated that the program was a fabrication and references to the program have been removed from some Japanese textbooks.
PM Shinzo Abe
Let me stress, however, that these attitudes are not shared by all members of Japanese government, or the people of Japan. For example, the Asian Women’s Fund is a private organization that raises money to compensate “comfort women.” Yes, although the government allocated funds for AWF’s operating costs, Japanese citizens donate to this fund.
The fact remains that attempts on behalf of the U.S., Japanese citizens, or select figures in the Japanese government to right old wrongs are Simply. Not. Enough. The Japanese government as a whole needs to recognize and address its hurtful past. There are three reasons why Japan should formally issue an apology.
1) The victims deserve an apology. Too many of the program’s victims have already passed away. An apology will not restore their youth or erase painful memories. An apology will not heal their scars or vaccinate their diseases. An apology will not remove the shame they’ve felt for sixty years. An apology is just that: an apology. This is not a matter of "they should just get over it." Stop making the victims the bad guys. When one hurts another, he should apologize. Numerous Japanese PM’s have apologized. Yet they’re not the ones who victimized these women; the government victimized the women, and the government should apologize. Reparations will be proof of their regret, “putting your money where your mouth is,” so to speak. Yet money without repentance is a bribe.
2) A formal apology will further normalize relations between Japan and the various nations that were hurt by its program. As in any relationship -- personal, business or state -- the best way to strengthen a bond is to clear up any misgivings; this removes bitterness and instills trust, as both sides recognize each other's integrity.
3) Officially apologizing for its past wrongs will allow a superpower to legitimately address a very serious issue: war sex trafficking. As I mentioned, this dehumanizing practice continues. Having Japan, a superpower with vast technological and intellectual resources, on the right side of this human rights issue can help diminish or end these violations. When nations unite for what is right they can achieve great things.
This action has raised issue among American veterans and Japanese about whether the name should have been changed in light of the island’s historical significance. However, I am not going to address that issue; that is left for people more educated than I to argue. What I would like to remark on is how easy it was for some locals to convince the government that the real name of the island is Iwo To and that the government should revert to that name. While they were able to gather the information and garner support for one small island, the countless testimonies and government records still have not convinced the government that it did, in fact, run a war sex-trafficking system that did not encompass just one small island, but half a continent. Yes, I did just say that. Bring it.
Two days ago the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H. Res. 121, a non-binding resolution calling on Japan to formally apologize to victims of the “comfort women” program. That means that the Resolution can now proceed to the House floor. Kudos to Japanese-American Mike Honda (D-CA) for acknowledging the horrors of the policy and introducing the resolution.
Rep. Mike Honda
Three victims -- Lee Yong Soo (Korean), Jan Ruff O’Hare (Dutch), and Kim Koon Ja (Korean) -- testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee in February 2007. They told their heart-wrenching stories of being brutalized by the soldiers, abandoned after the war, and living their lives in shame, segregated from the rest of society, because of the sins of others. For the full text of the hearings, visit http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/110/33317.pdf. It’s a huge file, but worth the read.
H. Res. 121 is a symbolic attempt by the U.S. House to address the issue of war sex-trafficking. Unfortunately, this despicable practice continues today as belligerents ignore the codes of the Geneva Convention, human conscience, basic decency, and women’s equality. Not only does this practice brutalize its victims, but reduces its perpetrators to beasts. However, it appears that this Resolution will not advance far beyond symbolism. As a nonbinding resolution, Japan’s outright rejection of the bill will have no impact on U.S.-Japanese relations, politically or economically. Yesterday, according to the AP:
“Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki also suggested there would be no further apology from Tokyo on the wartime brothels, despite the passage of the resolution by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.Wow. So basically he’s saying that they don’t care because it will have no impact. Now really, is he going out of his way to insult the U.S. as well as the program’s countless victims, or is he just recognizing H. Res. 121 as a nonbinding resolution?
“ ‘The alliance between the U.S. and Japan is irreplaceable. There is no change at all to the fact that Japan-U.S. relations will continue to be unshakable,’ Shiozaki said.”
Regardless of what the U.S. is doing, Japan is biding its time, waiting for the last of the victims (now in their 80s) to die off and hoping that history will be buried with them. Already Japan is exercising what Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos termed “historical amnesia.” In March, PM Shinzo Abe (apparently the love child of Beelzebub and Krusty the Clown) stated that there was no evidence that Japan forced women into the war brothel program; he later rescinded this statement and stood by the 1993 Kono Statement (the Japanese government had pressured him to discontinue his facial-rectal inversion). In addition, select Japanese media have stated that the program was a fabrication and references to the program have been removed from some Japanese textbooks.
PM Shinzo Abe
Let me stress, however, that these attitudes are not shared by all members of Japanese government, or the people of Japan. For example, the Asian Women’s Fund is a private organization that raises money to compensate “comfort women.” Yes, although the government allocated funds for AWF’s operating costs, Japanese citizens donate to this fund.
The fact remains that attempts on behalf of the U.S., Japanese citizens, or select figures in the Japanese government to right old wrongs are Simply. Not. Enough. The Japanese government as a whole needs to recognize and address its hurtful past. There are three reasons why Japan should formally issue an apology.
1) The victims deserve an apology. Too many of the program’s victims have already passed away. An apology will not restore their youth or erase painful memories. An apology will not heal their scars or vaccinate their diseases. An apology will not remove the shame they’ve felt for sixty years. An apology is just that: an apology. This is not a matter of "they should just get over it." Stop making the victims the bad guys. When one hurts another, he should apologize. Numerous Japanese PM’s have apologized. Yet they’re not the ones who victimized these women; the government victimized the women, and the government should apologize. Reparations will be proof of their regret, “putting your money where your mouth is,” so to speak. Yet money without repentance is a bribe.
2) A formal apology will further normalize relations between Japan and the various nations that were hurt by its program. As in any relationship -- personal, business or state -- the best way to strengthen a bond is to clear up any misgivings; this removes bitterness and instills trust, as both sides recognize each other's integrity.
3) Officially apologizing for its past wrongs will allow a superpower to legitimately address a very serious issue: war sex trafficking. As I mentioned, this dehumanizing practice continues. Having Japan, a superpower with vast technological and intellectual resources, on the right side of this human rights issue can help diminish or end these violations. When nations unite for what is right they can achieve great things.
08 May 2007
Say no to drugs! (that are not represented by lobbyists)
I bet most Americans born in the 80s knows all about the DARE programs, designed to "keep kids off of drugs." Isn't the handy slogan now something like "protecting kids from drugs and violence" or whatnot? So where does the V for Violence fit in the acronym? Can we put something about sitting too close to the tv in there too?
Well, I'm advocating drug resistance as well. Drugs are harmful not only to us, but to our society. Check this out.
AP: Senate blocks bid to allow drug imports
By Andrew Bridges
"In a triumph for the pharmaceutical industry, the Senate on Monday killed a drive to allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from abroad at a significant savings over domestic prices. On a 49-40 vote, the Senate required the administration to certify the safety and effectiveness of imported drugs before they can be imported, a requirement that officials have said they cannot meet."
Wha- how- huh? Are you telling me that in this bastion of freedom, this beacon of light to the world, the great champion of capitalist bourgeois glory in the face of red communism, we are -- dare I say it -- allowing the monopoly of the drug industry by continuing the prohibition of foreign pharmaceuticals? Have we no pride? For what have our forefathers sacrificed, if not for freedom -- free speech, free practice of religion, free enterprise? Are we going to be continually subjected to mere colony-ship by the great motherland of pharmacopeia, with its vast armies of lobbyists and checkbooks? Are the bullets of pocket-lineage going to destroy capitalism? Where are the glory days of TR and trust-busting?
So maybe trust-busting isn't quite on target, but I doubt anybody who hasn't been bought out by the industry would disagree with the pathos behind the idea. But what a downer (nothing drug-related!) to run into that sidenote; I was just beginning to get into rhythm with my patriotic soapbox. It's easy to see how Republicans and Democrats can fall into this rut of bombast and rhetoric; it's wicked fun! Beats actually accomplishing anything!
But accomplish I must. The Senate required the measure based on safety reasons, the heart of which I cannot condemn, especially after reading an article this morning (see my other blog from today) on counterfeiting medical ingredients with poison.
But let me explain something that's bugging me. Because I have faith in logic, except when it doesn't serve me, and something just doesn't add up here.
In light of China's counterfeiting (replacing glycerin with poisonous diethylene glycol) the FDA "warned drug makers and suppliers in the United States 'to be especially vigilant' in watching for diethylene glycol" (NYT: "From China to Panama"). And when, in 1995, a US company purchased counterfeit "glycerin," the FDA had no idea about the transaction (fortunately the company caught it). So not all the imported materials going into medicines are tested by the FDA, as this demonstrates.
Yet this new legislation requires that the safety of any imported drugs be verified before importation. Lofty and admirable goal, indeed, but why the double standard? Am I missing something? Can we not apply this safety measure to imports of medical ingredients as well?
Surprise! another sidenote -- I really want to see Ned Flanders work for a drug company on the Simpsons: "triglucose-iddilly-diddilly benzoantilly-fantilly-puddely-siddily-doo! Let us pray, neighbor! diddilly"
My original conclusion, before being interrupted by my usual tangent on anything mockable, is that drugs are harmful to our society. Forget the fact that we're pumping unpronounceable chemicals into our body. Forget the fact that our little purple pills are unorganic. Forget the fact that our elders are deciding between a meal and an ever-increasingly-costly pill! Forget the fact the fact that our healthcare and insurance costs are skyrocketing. That's all fluff -- the crux of the issue is its effect on the well-being of American society, the preservation of American culture. Now tell me, truthfully, when's the last time you watched TV without seeing one of those ridiculous commercials? We're Americans, and if we have to interrupt our brains' degeneration with a commercial break, it had better be KFC and flavorless domestic beer! I rest my case.
I would like to encourage anybody who may read this to please pass this to as many friends and family and loved ones as possible. It's important to get out the message. My greatest hope is that this will become such a threat to the pharmaceutical puppet-masters that they'll pay me a large sum of money and bribe me out, too. And they can make Congress pass a law that will make the money untaxable.
Well, I'm advocating drug resistance as well. Drugs are harmful not only to us, but to our society. Check this out.
AP: Senate blocks bid to allow drug imports
By Andrew Bridges
"In a triumph for the pharmaceutical industry, the Senate on Monday killed a drive to allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from abroad at a significant savings over domestic prices. On a 49-40 vote, the Senate required the administration to certify the safety and effectiveness of imported drugs before they can be imported, a requirement that officials have said they cannot meet."
Wha- how- huh? Are you telling me that in this bastion of freedom, this beacon of light to the world, the great champion of capitalist bourgeois glory in the face of red communism, we are -- dare I say it -- allowing the monopoly of the drug industry by continuing the prohibition of foreign pharmaceuticals? Have we no pride? For what have our forefathers sacrificed, if not for freedom -- free speech, free practice of religion, free enterprise? Are we going to be continually subjected to mere colony-ship by the great motherland of pharmacopeia, with its vast armies of lobbyists and checkbooks? Are the bullets of pocket-lineage going to destroy capitalism? Where are the glory days of TR and trust-busting?
So maybe trust-busting isn't quite on target, but I doubt anybody who hasn't been bought out by the industry would disagree with the pathos behind the idea. But what a downer (nothing drug-related!) to run into that sidenote; I was just beginning to get into rhythm with my patriotic soapbox. It's easy to see how Republicans and Democrats can fall into this rut of bombast and rhetoric; it's wicked fun! Beats actually accomplishing anything!
But accomplish I must. The Senate required the measure based on safety reasons, the heart of which I cannot condemn, especially after reading an article this morning (see my other blog from today) on counterfeiting medical ingredients with poison.
But let me explain something that's bugging me. Because I have faith in logic, except when it doesn't serve me, and something just doesn't add up here.
In light of China's counterfeiting (replacing glycerin with poisonous diethylene glycol) the FDA "warned drug makers and suppliers in the United States 'to be especially vigilant' in watching for diethylene glycol" (NYT: "From China to Panama"). And when, in 1995, a US company purchased counterfeit "glycerin," the FDA had no idea about the transaction (fortunately the company caught it). So not all the imported materials going into medicines are tested by the FDA, as this demonstrates.
Yet this new legislation requires that the safety of any imported drugs be verified before importation. Lofty and admirable goal, indeed, but why the double standard? Am I missing something? Can we not apply this safety measure to imports of medical ingredients as well?
Surprise! another sidenote -- I really want to see Ned Flanders work for a drug company on the Simpsons: "triglucose-iddilly-diddilly benzoantilly-fantilly-puddely-siddily-doo! Let us pray, neighbor! diddilly"
My original conclusion, before being interrupted by my usual tangent on anything mockable, is that drugs are harmful to our society. Forget the fact that we're pumping unpronounceable chemicals into our body. Forget the fact that our little purple pills are unorganic. Forget the fact that our elders are deciding between a meal and an ever-increasingly-costly pill! Forget the fact the fact that our healthcare and insurance costs are skyrocketing. That's all fluff -- the crux of the issue is its effect on the well-being of American society, the preservation of American culture. Now tell me, truthfully, when's the last time you watched TV without seeing one of those ridiculous commercials? We're Americans, and if we have to interrupt our brains' degeneration with a commercial break, it had better be KFC and flavorless domestic beer! I rest my case.
I would like to encourage anybody who may read this to please pass this to as many friends and family and loved ones as possible. It's important to get out the message. My greatest hope is that this will become such a threat to the pharmaceutical puppet-masters that they'll pay me a large sum of money and bribe me out, too. And they can make Congress pass a law that will make the money untaxable.
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