I continually get introduced to Korean culture when I step out of the English speaking bubble. Perhaps sideswiped would be a more appropriate adjective. This past weekend I attended a Korean/Japanese hip-hop fusion concert at the Walker Hill Hotel in Seoul. I was one of two Caucausian people in a sea of Asians. I hate admitting this, but I felt overwhelmed at moments being the minority, and getting stared at incessantly. I have traveled before and been ogled at, but this felt different. I LIVE here now. I am part of the society. Where do I really fit as a waugukin? (Foreigner in Korean) What's the big deal about being a tall, blonde girl with a mass of curly hair?
I got the answers to some of my questions later in the evening. I attended the concert with my good friend Jon, but he is a Chinese-Canadian and blends right into the Asian mix of people. He and I had excellent conversations that night about foreigners. I asked him,"Why are white people such a big deal in Asia?" He said it's because of the scarcity of foreigners that make us (in reference to white people) such an anomoly. Some Asians view whites with extreme curiousity, while other times view whites as an annoyance and simply don't exist.
Sadly, racism evolves at times as a result of the curiousity and/or annoyance. We got a bigger dose of this divide when entering into the casino part of the hotel in search of food. Jon was stopped for his passport while I just got to mosy on into the casino. We joked about it a little, but decided it needed further investigation. After breaking it down to DJ Clazzi till 2:30 in the morning, we decided to try and make our way into the casino. We even pretended to be a married couple the second time to test. They only stopped him! The blatant treatment of him vs. me was jaw-dropping.
Further conversations that weekend with my other new Asian friends, led to further evidence of this ethnic divide. My friend Christine told me she clung to Asian groups in college. Her friends back in Boston tease about having more white friends in Korea than she did in the States! I couldn't help but analyze my own friendships back in the States. Some are diverse, other homogenous. Is this something I need to worry about? Is there a competition to have more diverse friends?
The answer I concluded was yes and no. People will naturally gravitate to what is familiar, whether it revolves around race, culture, or gender. This is not always a bad thing. But what turns ugly is blatant racism, predjudice, and close-minded thinking. One way I noticed to overcome that is breaking down these barriers with intentional effort. Have a meal. Ask about each other's culture. Make an effort to visit homes or participate in celebrations.
I realize this is all easier said than done. It sounds too much like holding hands and singing kum-by-ya around the campfire. But it can work. I have witnessed it repeatedly over the last few months. Just one of the few lessons I have continued to learn during my time in Korea. Who knew that a hip-hop concert could open up door to such amazing conversations? Thank goodness for m-flo and all their brilliance! (Check out the group on youtube!)
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
A day on Jeju Island....priceless
The cost of an airline ticket to Jejudo Island- 164,317 won
Price of each taxi ride around the island- 10,000 won
Each shower at the local jimjilbang- 7,000 won
Parasailing- 40,000 won
Watching the sun rise with fourteen amazing people on a tropical island in the southeastern end of Korea- PRICELESS!
Welcome to Chusok vacation! Chusok is Korea's harvest celebration aka Korea's Thanksgiving. Each family travels to their father's hometown for dinner and presents. If you are not a member of a Korean family, or of Korean descent, where do you go?
That's right. You travel to Jejudo Island with fourteen other teachers from school. Here is a brief snapshot of my first vacation in Korea.......
DAY 1: Arrive at the bus terminal in anticipation our group will miss the bus because of the hype that there will BE NO TICKETS because everyone is traveling over Chusok. Bus trip goes by with smooth sailing and we arrive at the airport FIVE HOURS EARLY. Oops! That might be MY FAULT...I suggested the early arrival....don't say a WORD if you traveled with me to Denmark...a few of my co-workers won't let me forget it!
Arrive on the island, eat a lovely dinner, see a cool waterfall at night, go to sleep!
DAY 2: BEACH DAY!!!! Football and frisbee on the beach, evening cookout, parasail over the bay, sleep on the beach and watch the moonbeams dance across the water......
DAY 3: Travel day to Udo Island...go out for another fabulous dinner and sleep in a pension on the beach...watch the moonbeams dance across the water AGAIN!! :)
DAY 4: Watch the sunrise at 6:00 a.m., go running around the island, go scootering all over the place, look eagerly for wrinkly old female drivers in wetsuits (called haneyos) catching their breakfast, pose next to haneyo statues instead, travel back to Seogwipo, go out for an amazing Italian dinner, cap the evening off with some norebang till 2:30 in the morning
DAY 5: Go visit an amazing Buddhist temple, travel back to Daejeon via taxi, bus, airplane,bus, then taxi again; watch Grey's Anatomy for three hours to distract myself from post-vacation depression....
DAY 6,7,8,9, 10......Continue to watch Grey's Anatomy to nurse the post-vacation depression, buy food at Costco and realize I only have 150,000 won for the rest of the month (did I really spend that much money on FOOD during vacation?!), upload pictures onto facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23723&l=19527&id=531045618
begrudgingly get back into the teaching routine but then happiliy spend the night learning about the twenty one rules concerning comma usage to teach my students the next day, smile and happily begin planning my vacation to Japan and Bali (hopefully!) over Christmas
To reiterate.....
A day on Jejudo Island......priceless
Price of each taxi ride around the island- 10,000 won
Each shower at the local jimjilbang- 7,000 won
Parasailing- 40,000 won
Watching the sun rise with fourteen amazing people on a tropical island in the southeastern end of Korea- PRICELESS!
Welcome to Chusok vacation! Chusok is Korea's harvest celebration aka Korea's Thanksgiving. Each family travels to their father's hometown for dinner and presents. If you are not a member of a Korean family, or of Korean descent, where do you go?
That's right. You travel to Jejudo Island with fourteen other teachers from school. Here is a brief snapshot of my first vacation in Korea.......
DAY 1: Arrive at the bus terminal in anticipation our group will miss the bus because of the hype that there will BE NO TICKETS because everyone is traveling over Chusok. Bus trip goes by with smooth sailing and we arrive at the airport FIVE HOURS EARLY. Oops! That might be MY FAULT...I suggested the early arrival....don't say a WORD if you traveled with me to Denmark...a few of my co-workers won't let me forget it!
Arrive on the island, eat a lovely dinner, see a cool waterfall at night, go to sleep!
DAY 2: BEACH DAY!!!! Football and frisbee on the beach, evening cookout, parasail over the bay, sleep on the beach and watch the moonbeams dance across the water......
DAY 3: Travel day to Udo Island...go out for another fabulous dinner and sleep in a pension on the beach...watch the moonbeams dance across the water AGAIN!! :)
DAY 4: Watch the sunrise at 6:00 a.m., go running around the island, go scootering all over the place, look eagerly for wrinkly old female drivers in wetsuits (called haneyos) catching their breakfast, pose next to haneyo statues instead, travel back to Seogwipo, go out for an amazing Italian dinner, cap the evening off with some norebang till 2:30 in the morning
DAY 5: Go visit an amazing Buddhist temple, travel back to Daejeon via taxi, bus, airplane,bus, then taxi again; watch Grey's Anatomy for three hours to distract myself from post-vacation depression....
DAY 6,7,8,9, 10......Continue to watch Grey's Anatomy to nurse the post-vacation depression, buy food at Costco and realize I only have 150,000 won for the rest of the month (did I really spend that much money on FOOD during vacation?!), upload pictures onto facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23723&l=19527&id=531045618
begrudgingly get back into the teaching routine but then happiliy spend the night learning about the twenty one rules concerning comma usage to teach my students the next day, smile and happily begin planning my vacation to Japan and Bali (hopefully!) over Christmas
To reiterate.....
A day on Jejudo Island......priceless
Friday, September 14, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
The fish market run
It's 5:30 on a Monday morning. I groggily punch the snooze button on my gigantic, blue, plastic alarm clock and attempt to find my way through my apartment for my keys and running shoes. I stumble out the door half-asleep but excited to meet my cross country team for our early morning practice. We start our with a 3-mile route called the "fish market run". I run with slower runners in the back to make sure they know the route. I circle back to catch three runners when suddenly my nose meets the smell of the fish market and stale garbage . I wrinkle my nose, hold my breath, avoid stepping on any stray fish heads, and wildly run through the mass of withered old Korean men attempting to make a few won before breakfast.
Moments like this make me stop and think, WHAT?! Is this really my new life?
A routine has started to take shape here. As odd at this sounds, I was scared of this point. I knew it was coming, but that meant the newness of something was over. The anticipation of moving overseas has climaxed and the daily grind has settled. For a high-stimulation seeker such as myself I always hate when this point hits. I go through a temporary disdain of my new surroundings and crave anything that reminds me of my former environment. I missed my family, my old house, my students and old co-workers horribly. I didn't want to to get to know a new batch of students. I wanted my sophomores from last year back. Is this really what I wanted?
To answer the questions, yes. I did want all of this, even the daily grind and teacher routine. My grandfather once told me "you have to want where the wants lead you". This is where it lead me. The greatest part of this whole experience is the surprises, delights, and challenges that God has thrown my way in such a short time. He has given me amazing single friends to bond throught this experience with, animated and curious Korean students that giggle at my antics in class, and an opportunity to reunite with extended family. He has also challenged me to take an honest look at Christian faith, see where I was going, and being OPEN to who I can become. All of this has become part of my new "daily routine". :)
Apart from this adjustment, I have still manage to encounter a new cultural experience everyday. I find new restaurants around my neighborhoods every week with my new friends. (For those that come visit I will take you to Jin and Kino's- best sushi and banana pancakes EVER!) I continue to try new foods, including the crunchy Korean delight known as fried silkworm larvae. The cleaning lady at school attempts to teach me new Korean words every time I see her. She giggles as I struggle to say the days of the weeks, but gives me an "A-plus" for my efforts. I am secretly God allows a little newness to creep in a few times a week.
Koreans have a harvest celebration called Chuseok that falls the last week of September. In school terms this means fall break and the opportunity to travel! I will be traveling with eleven other teachers to Jejudo Island off the southern coast of South Korea. I am excited for a small interruption of newness in the middle of my daily routine. I have a sneaking suspicion I will be attempting to run through fish markets down on the island. Sometimes it's comforting to know you will have your "fish marekts runs" no matter where life takes you.
Moments like this make me stop and think, WHAT?! Is this really my new life?
A routine has started to take shape here. As odd at this sounds, I was scared of this point. I knew it was coming, but that meant the newness of something was over. The anticipation of moving overseas has climaxed and the daily grind has settled. For a high-stimulation seeker such as myself I always hate when this point hits. I go through a temporary disdain of my new surroundings and crave anything that reminds me of my former environment. I missed my family, my old house, my students and old co-workers horribly. I didn't want to to get to know a new batch of students. I wanted my sophomores from last year back. Is this really what I wanted?
To answer the questions, yes. I did want all of this, even the daily grind and teacher routine. My grandfather once told me "you have to want where the wants lead you". This is where it lead me. The greatest part of this whole experience is the surprises, delights, and challenges that God has thrown my way in such a short time. He has given me amazing single friends to bond throught this experience with, animated and curious Korean students that giggle at my antics in class, and an opportunity to reunite with extended family. He has also challenged me to take an honest look at Christian faith, see where I was going, and being OPEN to who I can become. All of this has become part of my new "daily routine". :)
Apart from this adjustment, I have still manage to encounter a new cultural experience everyday. I find new restaurants around my neighborhoods every week with my new friends. (For those that come visit I will take you to Jin and Kino's- best sushi and banana pancakes EVER!) I continue to try new foods, including the crunchy Korean delight known as fried silkworm larvae. The cleaning lady at school attempts to teach me new Korean words every time I see her. She giggles as I struggle to say the days of the weeks, but gives me an "A-plus" for my efforts. I am secretly God allows a little newness to creep in a few times a week.
Koreans have a harvest celebration called Chuseok that falls the last week of September. In school terms this means fall break and the opportunity to travel! I will be traveling with eleven other teachers to Jejudo Island off the southern coast of South Korea. I am excited for a small interruption of newness in the middle of my daily routine. I have a sneaking suspicion I will be attempting to run through fish markets down on the island. Sometimes it's comforting to know you will have your "fish marekts runs" no matter where life takes you.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
finding your inner nougat
I hate getting observed by administration when I teach. As a people-pleaser, I get nervous, start to sweat, and have the irrational fear that I will be fired the minute they leave the door. Silly, but my face turns red and my body temperature DRAMATICALLY increases. Especially during DROP-INS!!!!
Today was that glorious day when my new boss walked in the door unannounced.
Great! Stop sweating, focus, keep teaching something.
My class was right in the midst of a discussion about showing compassion. I was attemtping to teach my students about the complexities of the human race when I started talking about the onion model and like its crinkly layers, human beings are the same way. The sea of blank faces made me switch over the next natural food item with layers: Snickers. They eagerly starting listing all the layers, but seemed stumped when they got to the chewy part. After 15 seconds of silence, my principal yelled out from the back, "NOUGAT!"
I smiled and proceeded to talk the "inner nougat" we all have and to be sensitive to the "inner nougat" of others. Compassion in a nutshell. Or candy bar for that matter.
Luckily, he only stayed for two more minutes and walked out the door. I walked to lunch not sure if he thought I was a genius teacher or absolute moron.
When I arrived at lunch, my boss was there. AGAIN. I smiled bravely at him. He smiled back at me, gave me a pat on the back, and thanked me for the "engaging" lesson. I held my head up a little higher, enjoyed lunch with my co-workers, and said a million silent thanks to God for inventing the Snickers bar and helping me find a little piece of my "inner nougat". :)
Today was that glorious day when my new boss walked in the door unannounced.
Great! Stop sweating, focus, keep teaching something.
My class was right in the midst of a discussion about showing compassion. I was attemtping to teach my students about the complexities of the human race when I started talking about the onion model and like its crinkly layers, human beings are the same way. The sea of blank faces made me switch over the next natural food item with layers: Snickers. They eagerly starting listing all the layers, but seemed stumped when they got to the chewy part. After 15 seconds of silence, my principal yelled out from the back, "NOUGAT!"
I smiled and proceeded to talk the "inner nougat" we all have and to be sensitive to the "inner nougat" of others. Compassion in a nutshell. Or candy bar for that matter.
Luckily, he only stayed for two more minutes and walked out the door. I walked to lunch not sure if he thought I was a genius teacher or absolute moron.
When I arrived at lunch, my boss was there. AGAIN. I smiled bravely at him. He smiled back at me, gave me a pat on the back, and thanked me for the "engaging" lesson. I held my head up a little higher, enjoyed lunch with my co-workers, and said a million silent thanks to God for inventing the Snickers bar and helping me find a little piece of my "inner nougat". :)
Monday, August 27, 2007
ebb and flow
People tell me this is about the time it hits. It pangs, like a sharp dagger, at weird, odd, inconsistent times throughout the day.
Homesickness in unusual forms. Tonight I went grocery shopping and it felt weird to not have the Saturn nearby. I don't mind having to shell out money for a cab, but I miss driving. I can call people from the States, but it already feels odd, like a distance has set in. I have no idea where and what my family and friends are doing right now! I think life as I knew it starting to feel far away and the control is starting to slip further and further away. It's unsettling and hits as the oddest times. People tell me it hits about this time. I didn't realize but I have been gone for a month already. The "vacation" mentality is starting to ebb away. I am just trying to stay afloat and enjoy it. I live in Korea and better get used shelling out won for a taxi.
Homesickness in unusual forms. Tonight I went grocery shopping and it felt weird to not have the Saturn nearby. I don't mind having to shell out money for a cab, but I miss driving. I can call people from the States, but it already feels odd, like a distance has set in. I have no idea where and what my family and friends are doing right now! I think life as I knew it starting to feel far away and the control is starting to slip further and further away. It's unsettling and hits as the oddest times. People tell me it hits about this time. I didn't realize but I have been gone for a month already. The "vacation" mentality is starting to ebb away. I am just trying to stay afloat and enjoy it. I live in Korea and better get used shelling out won for a taxi.
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