(Korean) Kids Say the Darndest Things

What students or have written for me. Many more to come for sure.

"I like turtles!"

"I don't like distilled spirits."

"I would like a straight shot of gin."

"I have an itchy sensation on my pubic region."

"Mostly friends obesity."

"I knocked my friends sister."

"Teacher, yesterday my dream you die."

"Teacher, son of a ----- is what?

"Teacher, I want to eat Snoopy boshintang (dog soup)"

"Teacher, why people die?...because of you."

"Steve Jobs eat Apple and die"

"Heil Teacher!" (One of my students says this to me everyday) :(

"My sister is Gadaffi"

"My father is Kim Jong Il"

"Everyday I'm shopping mall" (incorrect lyric from Party Rock Anthem, but a hit in my mind)

Boy 1: "Teacher he is crazy" *points to a girl

Me: "He?"

Boy2: "Yes, transexual"

Things that amuse me

The following are things I find amusing, frustrating or humorous about my stay in this country...

I. Kimchi*

II. The notion that all Korean food is too spicy for waygooks (foreigners). This one drives me particularly insane. i.e. Korean: "I think this is too spicy for you", when talking about any Korean food that happens to be served. My typical reply: "No, this isn't spicy at all", or "I love this", or "You clearly haven't had hot wings or good Mexican food." This particular instance, when it happens, actually makes me kind of mad. At the same time I want to prove my spicy food courage and swallow a whole Korean chili pepper in front of said person, it usually ends bad.

III. The assumption that all foreigners don't speak Korean. This is particularly true in Seoul where everyone speaks English to foreigners. It is a rather nice luxury but I am not one to be spoiled and enjoy it for long, hence living in Mokpo where few speak English fluently. Why is this amusing? I speak some Korean, I have a rather decent ear for it at this point. So when Koreans I amy or may not know start speaking in Korean when I am with them I have the power to eavesdrop. The great reward is when the conversation is about me or I chime in on a particular subject. Much to there surprise, rarely to their chagrin.

IV. The assumption that all foreigners do speak Korean. Very true in Mokpo, where ajummas and ajushis may walk up to you and start speaking Korean. You tell them you don't speak Korean, they continue speaking Korean like you said nothing. This usually results in me apologizing and walking away. You can have a lot of fun with this by just nodding you head and saying ne (yes).

V. The lack of communication. Every foreigners knows about this. Korean assume and act on their assumptions a lot. Even when the assumption is bound to offend another person. You leave your wallet in you friends car, your friend will return your wallet but take some of the money. This is Korean custom and not looked down upon. You have an appointment/date, your friend shows up thirty minutes late without telling you. Your friend needs to borrow something, your friend takes yours without asking. None of these have happened to me, but these are pretty common stories/examples.

VI. The driving and law enforcement. Bigger always wins and traffic laws are merely guidelines.

VII. The two questions that rack my brain literally everyday. When you talk to any Korean, whether you are passing by on the street, you are in the classroom or in a cab you are bound to get these two deep and meaningful questions right off the bat. First: "Where are you from?" I understand the great curiosity of seeing someone that doesn't look like you. I really do understand that in a mostly homogenous culture this question is very valid. I just always picture myself asking an Asian-American or African-American where they are from. I get a little giggle, it's not necessary in America. My typical reply, "Mokpo".

The second all important question: "Do you have a girlfriend?" Day in and day out I get this question. My students ask literally every single day. I don't know how they can forget, I would think I would have drilled it into their heads at this point. Maybe it's just a deeply caring status update on my life they want. I don't think so though.

This is all I can think of right now. More thoughts to come I am sure!

*In regards to Kimchi and in close relation to item II. Kimchi is an obsession among many Koreans. I have a deep admiration for the proud, the few, the Koreans who don't like Kimchi or don't require it at every meal. There is also the notion that "kimchi is too spicy for you I think." Or there is the ever present and always occurring question of "Do you know kimchi?" Kimchi is great, don't get me wrong. However, it's not worth having at every blessed meal, at least for this waygook. You know it is a problem when you take your Korean friends out to a nice foreign restaurant complete with foreign cooks and servers and they cry out for mercy for kimchi. That is obsession. When I go for foreign food I don't ask for my fatty American side dishes. Enough said, and I really do enjoy Kimchi.

Five days in Nippon-koku.

It was an inevitable journey that I had to take. I knew for sure that I would one day set foot onto the islands of Japan. There is a mysterious aura that I associate with Japan. It’s fascinating history and curious people aren’t comparable to any in the world. They are distinct behaviorally from other Asian cultures. Long isolated to their islands until the 19^th Century they have cultivated themselves into something beautiful. As a yonsei or 4^th generation Japanese-American I was drawn to what my family was and where they came from. It was one my pilgrimages in life, albeit a very short one. For five days of overload travel I was able to soak in the Japanese culture, barely enough to satisfy my craving for Japan.

From the end of July through the first three days of August I was able to cram in a summer vacation to Japan. When all was said and done it turned into the most expensive five days of my life. I wouldn’t trade those days back though. My journey covered primarily Tokyo, five days is hardly ample time to travel around Japan without mental breakdown. I was able to spend most of my time with my college friend, Matt Henry, who lives and works in Tokyo. Between traveling it was nice to catch up with an old friend and watch some Kurosawa films and catch up.

It would be too long to talk of all my travels in Tokyo. I did most of the touristy things that any foreigner would. I walked through the Shinjuku electric city, the intensely packed streets of Shibuya and its famous crosswalk. I walked through the beautiful Ueno and Meiji Parks and walked the perimeter of the Imperial Palace. I braved the sardine-like subways and melted into crowds in Asakusa. I was just one person in a sprawling city thirty million or so active people.

It was a place so distinctly different than Korea. The people look different, the people act different, the food, the religion, the city life and hundreds of little differences caught my eye. After living in Korea for over six months sensitivity has grown into my perception of culture. We Americans and other Westerners often mesh all Oriental cultures into one homogeneous blob. The reality is far different than the simple stereotype. Each Asian culture is incredibly different than it’s neighbors. The past six months in Korea and those 5 days in Japan are truly invaluable. It is something I wish everyone could experience. The importance of travel and experiencing worlds outside our own little bubbles cannot be overlooked.

More to come on Japan and Korea...

Mokpo, Cyclist Heaven

Avid bikers be aware, Mokpo and most of Korea is a haven for those aching to get out and explore on their bicycles. Perhaps one of the most convenient aspects of living in Mokpo is it's accessibility for cyclists. Virtually every road has a bike line on it's sidewalks. With low pedestrian traffic this makes Mokpo incredibly easy to travel around via a bicycle. For a city of a quarter million it makes a daunting task less threatening and very enjoyable. It will take 30-45 minutes to bike from one end of Mokpo to the other on mostly flat terrain. If you are longing to see the countryside of Korea it is not difficult to hop on you bike and head in any direction to see the beautiful Korean countryside dotted with small villages and plenty of rice paddies. My favorite route takes me east through Namak and Muan along the waterside and onto a highway under construction. Construction continues into weekends so it is wise to head out early in the morning to avoid being yelled at by the construction workers which of course happened last time. This route takes me along the water front and through Korea's rolling hills. It's a beautiful refresher and escape from the repetitive life in the city.
I typically go for 25 miles or so and this takes about 3 hours. One of many things I have found that I enjoy is cycling. I have easily put two or three hundred miles onto my bike the past 5 months I have had it. I definitely plan on continuing cycling when I get back to the states.

Halfway There

It's been way too long since a post, way too long.
Typhoon Muafi is blowing through Mokpo at the moment so I have had ample to time to sit down and be unproductive today. It's been an odd past few weeks or so. I have been busy as ever and struggling to find time to slow down and catch my breath. I am about halfway through my contract and have reached that midway slump where time seems to freeze and you feel a little trapped. I have kept plenty busy with travel and fun but two of my close friends I made here in Mokpo have left there jobs and moved on from ESL teaching in Korea. So here I am, given a new start. Not sure it was the kind of start I wanted to the second half of my contract but I will roll with the punches and look to an even brighter future. Here's to the next six months and many more posts coming ASAP!

Oh my Seoul

One cannot go to Korea without venturing out to Seoul. That is unless you are one of the brave adventurous souls who live in the chaos of Seoul. Seoul is a city of ten million people, by far the biggest city I have ever visited. This was my second visit to the city and I planned on hitting up some of the touristy sites this time around with a travel friend of mine. So in two days a scamper across the city of Seoul ensued…

Prior to traveling to Seoul it should be common knowledge that you should book a reservation at a hostel or hotel. It should be extremely obvious on a busy Korean holiday weekend. Not for this waygook (foreigner). Seoul is a massive city, chalked full of hostels and cheap places to stay. This does not mean they are easy to find and certainly doesn’t mean there will be rooms available. Seoul doesn’t have easy to spot “love motels” like other Korean cities do either. So after about 3 hours of wandering, a place was found. Surprising success, not advisable.

We stayed in an area around Insa-dong, a very famous shopping street in Seoul known for it’s arts, crafts, and souvenirs. About a ten minute walk from there is Seoul City Center, the heart of Seoul. A massive street splits down the middle of City Center in between is a long walkway and park with famous statues of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin and King Sejong. This area is packed with people, especially on a hot Korean Sunday. A fountain flanks the statue of the Admiral and hundreds of children and there parents play in the fountain. Beyond this is the statue of King Sejong and finally the massive and forboding Gyeongbokgung Palace or “ Palace of Shining Happiness”.

The palace was first built in 1394. It is truly a sight to behold and at it’s height contained 330 buildings and covered about 4.5 million square feet. However, during the Japanese Occupation most of the palace was destroyed. Today only 40 percent of the palace buildings stand as the result of reconstruction by the South Korean Government. As you walk towards the palace today it is still a massive presence and I couldn’t help feel like I was walking into a scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As you walk in you enter into a massive courtyard and finally through a series of gates you get to the scores of buildings inside, all beautifully painted and adorned in the traditional way. It can take all day to walk through the palace grounds and they are truly massive. It is a beautiful place to get away from the city bustle in the heart of the city itself. It has plenty of places to relax with large lawns and ponds. A must see in Seoul.

After the palace it was off to Insa-dong. If you are souvenir shopping for things unique to Korea this is the place to go. Make sure you go during the daytime to early evening hours since most shops close down relatively early. You will find your fix of Korean arts, crafts, souvenirs and evening some clothing in Insa-dong. Insa-dong is simply a street that stretched maybe a few hundred yards, lined with shops and vendors. I managed to buy Chinese and North Korean military medals from of the more unique shops. Whether they are genuine is another question.

There is all this hype about Itaewon among foreigners in Seoul, way too much hype. Itaewon is a district in Seoul that most foreigners in Korea will hear about. It boasts a unique atmosphere of all things foreign. Restaurants from nearly every culture imaginable can be found hear. If you are looking for cheap knockoffs of brand name clothing this is your place. I wasn’t impressed; perhaps this is because I was there during midmorning to early afternoon. The real strange things kick off at night from what I understand. Itaewon is indeed the destination for a foreign food fix. In fact they even have a Taco Bell, one of only two in Korea. Maybe I will give Itaewon another chance in the future.

The last stop on this trip to Seoul was Seoul Grand Park, a zoo on the southern edge of Seoul. The zoo covers a lot of area and on a hot day it can be an arduous walk. Seoul Grand Park is Seoul’s only zoo and was originally built by the Japanese during the occupation. It contains most animals you would find in zoos in the U.S. or elsewhere around the world. However, it lacks penguins, a big heartbreaker for me. It is a nice getaway from the city and wildlife is pretty scarce in Korea so this was a nice chance to seem some animals for a change.

Seoul is an incredible city. Its size is rather intimidating but is made to feel a little smaller with it’s excellent transportation infrastructure. There are so many things to do that spending 2 days will never do it any justice. So Seoul will always beckon the weary waygook English teacher for it’s change of pace and it’s excitement from the slow and often monotonous daily life of Mokpo. Seoul, I will see you again.

Links: Gyeongbakjung- http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/html/eng/main/sitemap.jsp

Insadong- http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_2_2_1.jsp

Itaewon- http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_2_6_1.jsp

Seoul Grand Park- http://grandpark.seoul.go.kr/Eng/html/main/main.jsp

Dreams: What I Learned Today

Today I learned that dreaming about poop is lucky in Korea and a good omen. You can take that to the bank...

Buddha's Birthday

I had the rare opportunity to experience Buddha’s 2,555th birthday in a predominantly Buddhist country. While many foreigners in Korea saw it as a day off I saw it as a great chance to really immerse myself into Buddhist culture. It was especially rewarding being that it was Buddha’s birthday. What better way to spend the day then to observe a Buddhist ceremony and go to one of the most famous Buddhist temples in all of South Korea. It is things like this that leave lasting memories and impressions, to go out and dive into the heart of the culture.

May 10th probably went by like any other day in America. But in Korea and other Oriental cultures the day is heavily celebrated. I could see the preparation for the day weeks ahead. Colored paper lanterns flanked the streets in several cities I visited beforehand. 석가탄신일 (Seokga Tansinil) or “Buddha’s Birthday” is heralded by a month of these lanterns as I would find out. Temples in and out of cities handed out flyers and banners were hung on their walls before the big day. Siddharta Gautama (The Buddha) is certainly a much-celebrated figure in this part of the world. Many of the Korean traditions I had only read about would unfold before my eyes.

The misty morning started like any other morning. This day was especially perfect, the heavy humidity contributed an “other-worldly” mist that hung around for the entire day. I was able to go to a small Buddhist temple in Mokpo with a friend of mine. The small temple clings to the side of one of Mokpo’s dominant geological features, Mt. Yibimsan. Approaching the small temple on the hillside one could hear the chants from the female Buddhist monks and the predominantly female group attending the service. I could only assume that this was a service special for women. Like most temples I have seen, big or small, it was immaculately decorated on the inside with beautiful lanterns and woodcarvings. The smell of incense lingered ever so slightly on the outside. For about thirty minutes we just watched and listened to the service’s chanting and chimes. This was my first experience at a Buddhist service. Each person in attendance had little booklets for the chants so they could join in. Every once and a while the group would bow down in unison to the Buddha. After this we went down to receive the traditional complimentary meal of sonchae bibimbap, a special vegetarian version of bibimbap.

The main event for the day was still ahead. Daeheungsa (aka Daedunsa) is one of Korea’s most famous temples. It is indeed one of the most beautiful sites I have seen. It is a little over an hour east by car outside the city of Haenam. Its age is not confirmed, but it is believed to date back to the Three Kingdoms Period. This is a broad time frame considering it the Period extends from the 1^st Century BC to the 7^th Century AD. The temple itself is nestled into the side of Mt. Duryunsan. Like many structures of its kind, it blends perfectly into the mountainside in a serene and natural way. That same mist that was clinging to the sides of Yibimsan in Mokpo was clinging to Duryunsan, except at this point it was raining. The ambiance that this atmosphere created can hardly be described, much less shown since I forgot my camera that day.

The whole complex is about a 15-minute walk from the parking lots. Along the way the road is flanked by beautiful trees and the walk takes you over several ancient stone bridges spanning tranquil streams. Inside the gates was a beauty that can’t be compared or easily paralleled to things I had seen elsewhere in the world. The temple complex was quite massive with dozens of outbuildings. It took about an hour to soak it all in. Luckily by this time of the day the crowds had gone and we were able to walk around freely and unhindered by throngs of people. Words can’t really describe each building I saw or the experience as a whole. I would like to reiterate that forgot my camera! The history of the place was almost suffocating to the history buff inside of me. A great experience and a great day were added to my list of growing adventures in Korea. I would recommend it to any travelers in the area.

Links: http://eng.koreatemple.net/travel/view_temple.asp?temple_id=21&code=A013021

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264584

Transmissions Will Resume!!!

After a very long month of non-blogging I have decided to step back into my "amateur at best" blogging. Look for 3 or 4 blogs in the next couple of days as I try and cram one month's events into several posts! Thanks for the patience!

Mokpo Ceramics Festival and some Minor Digression

Mokpo may not always get the best reputation as a hotspot in South Korea and can certainly be overlooked. It does have its hidden charms though. One of those was a pleasant surprise I discovered this week while riding around on my jajeongo (bicycle) in Mokpo. I happened to sight banner advertising a ceramics festival and was able to loosely translate the location as a very familiar sight. Pyeonghwa or Peace Park is a popular spot down by the water. For five days tents were scattered across the park (a cement park). Inside the tents a broad range of factory and/or handmade ceramics. A real treasure-trove for a souvenir hunter like myself. Items ranged from tea sets, mugs, incense burners, vases, chopstick rests, jewelry to kimchi and soybean paste pots. Needless to say I was hooked into buying several handmade items at a bargain price complete with discount and “service” item, a free mug. Mokpo may not be the shopping and entertainment center of Korea but it has its charm, something I can truly appreciate and admire.

The Boseong Green Tea Festival

The tea culture has been around for thousands of years in Asia and the Orient. Its earliest documented use in South Korea dates back to the 7^th Century. Green Tea is a staple among the tea culture in South Korea and dates back to the 9th Century. Korea happens to boast some of the best Green Tea in the world. The city of Boseong and its sprawling tea fields grow the highest quality Green Tea in all South Korea.

The city of Boseong is about an hour and a half bus ride outside from Mokpo along the Mokpo-Suncheon route. After a few stops along the route the bus drops you off at the humble little bus station in downtown Boseong, a city of just over 60,000 people. From here it is possible to take either the city bus or cab to the tea fields. About ten minutes outside of Boseong is the most notable of the famous tea fields. The Daehon Dawon Green Tea Plantation was originally cultivated in the steep hillsides under Japanese Occupation in the early 20^th century. After independence they were put under new management and soon began producing some of the highest quality Green Tea in the world.

Every year in May the plantation hosts the Boseong Green Tea Festival. It lasts a few days and draws in thousands of tourists and tea lovers from across Korea and elsewhere. The atmosphere at the festival is relaxed and you can enjoy a tranquil walk through the tea hedges or up the steep hillsides that are blanketed with the endless rows of tea. Music, food, and hands on experiences with Green Tea are abundant at the festival. For a more hands on experience you can experience the traditional tea ceremony inside the Green Tea Museum or even get a hands on learning experience on how to make and process tea. The food at the festival ranges from street food, traditional Korean style food to Green Tea themed foods. A favorite of mine was the Green Tea ice cream.

Daehon and the surrounding fields can be enjoyed year round. April is tea-harvesting season and rumor has it the smell of tea lingers in the air as you walk the fields. In winter the hedges are covered in soft blankets of snow while in fall the changing scenery and color gives it a whole new flavor. The Boseong area also holds claim to the Green Tea Spas, something I didn’t try.

Link: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=557091

The fateful line, the DMZ.

Barbed wire…an endless string of cold, dark and flesh-tearing steel as far as one could see. It weaves its terrible strands from the outskirts of Seoul along the Han River for thirty or so miles until it reaches that gaping space between two nations. Two nations staring each other down in a bitter hate, a hate between two brooding brothers, North and South. This is the DMZ.

I have always found the story of the Korean War a great tragedy. It is known as “The Forgotten War” in the annals of American history. Sandwiched between the heroics of WWII and the Vietnam War. Not many know the story of that war that raged between 1950-1953. It was a brutal and violent contest that did little to resolve anything. The border remains much like it did before war broke out. It was a costly conflict that stirred the pot of hatred even more. The war was never officially ended, only halted by ceasefire. So the frontline remains a four-mile wide gash between the two Koreas. It is an entanglement of barbed wires, landmines, bunkers and millions of soldiers. The DMZ is the most heavily fortified border in the world; soldiers on both sides are poised for all out war at any given moment.

On the ride up north in our tour van this surreal feeling overcame me. It was an out of this world feeling as I looked to my left at the great Han River. Barbed wire and pillboxes were flanking its sides. Not one foot of the bank was left uncovered by the wire and watchful eye of sentries and CCTV. The threat of North Korean infiltration through the Han River is taken seriously. Many DPRK agents and spies have killed and/or captured along this vast river. The Han River eventually makes its way through North Korea, an ample outlet for spies and defectors to use. It is no wonder that such care is taken in protecting its shores. In fact the Han River splits Seoul in half as it makes its way south, making it a vital waterway of utmost importance.

We eventually reached Imingak. A tourist spot equipped with a theme park, memorials and war relics. On its northern edge is the Bridge of Freedom, a railroad bridge that heads north into the DMZ, it is flanked by pillboxes and barbed wire. The fence line around the bridge is plastered with colored ribbons. Written on the ribbons are the hopes and prayers of thousands of Koreans for a unified Korea. One couldn’t help but feel the emotion of the place. There is an honest hope among most Koreans that they will be united once again with the North to form one Korea.

Next was the Third Infiltration Tunnel. It is one of several dug under the DMZ. The tunnels were built by the North Koreans using forced labor in the form of South Korean POWs from the Korean War. The tunnels were built for the sole purpose of invading the South in a surprise underground attack aimed at Seoul. The descent into the tunnel was an arduous and steep 200 meters or so down. At the bottom was the infiltration tunnel. The tunnel itself was long, dark, damp and cramped. I had that eerie sensation, imagining the POWs laboring away in terrible conditions under the watchful eyes of the North Koreans. A subtle fear crept in just imagining the North Koreans walking down this tunnel. Several hundred meters in there are three concrete barriers erected by the South after the tunnel was discovered. In each barrier there is a hole about one square foot in size. I just imagined unfriendly eyes peering through at mine at the other side of those barriers in the dark and unlit side. At this point you are hundreds of feet down and just over a football field away from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The Dorasan Observatory gave us a chance to look at the frontier of North Korea. Sitting atop a hill sits the observatory, camouflaged and bustling with military personnel. Perched on this hill is the concrete observatory where visitors can peer through binoculars at the last Stalinist country in the world. My heart raced when I first looked through the viewfinder. I saw the strings of barbed wire and the North Korean lookout posts, yet no DPRK soldiers in sight. There was a heavy fog in the valley so little could be seen without the zoom of the binoculars. My heart twisted as I caught glimpse of the giant flagpole in Kijongdong. Kijongdong is the Propoganda Village just inside North Korea’s half of the DMZ. The village is rumored to be empty, just a shell of empty apartment buildings meant to tempt South Koreans into defecting toward the utopia of North Korea. The fabled utopia is no longer a desire for South Koreans, history has given the upper hand to the R.O.K. and it’s people, while suffering and starvation happen in the North. Yet the propaganda remains. The flagpole I gawked at stands at 525 ft high while the flag itself weighs an astounding 600 pounds. This gargantuan monument is the second tallest in the world, following a flag in Azerbaijan of all places. I had a few short glimpses at the flag before the coin-operated binoculars went dark. Those seconds are burned into my brain.

The Dorasan Train Station followed. The station was once a stop on the rail line that formerly connected North and South before the war. It has since been rebuilt and redesigned. It stands as a powerful symbol for unification. Trains don’t pass through its hollow confines; there is no one to fill its corridors and waiting areas other than tourists. It was a melancholy visit to the beacon for unification. Inside it looks like a fully functioning modern train station. A blue sign inside shows the next stop on the line as Pyongyang. The tracks lead North, but they lay silent. The money that went into building such a station shows the determination of the South to be reunited with the North, even if only commercially. It was somber and uplifting to see this kind of infrastructure being built in the event of unification. Yet the hope seemed forlorn, a country up North to far gone into the shackles to come easily to the arms of its brother in the South. The DMZ remains a sign of this hope, as forlorn or realistic as it may seem. We must remember the future is always unclear…

Cheonan and the Independence Hall

I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Cheonan a couple weekends back with my good friend Trevan Hauck from my college days. He is a teacher up in Cheonan and it was my first big trip out of my region and into the northern part of South Korea. It was a weekend full of catching up, meeting new people, Noribang (karaoke), and the Independence Hall of Korea.

Just outside of Cheonan tucked in the lush green of Korea lies a massive monument. It’s chilling and overpowering at first site. I equated it with the Jedi Temple from Star Wars when I first saw it. The Independence Hall is in fact a large collection of buildings and museums. At it’s center lies a gargantuan monument. The Great Hall of the Nation. It’s a modern building with traditional Matbaejibung tile roofing. The building itself is 126 meters long, 68 meters wide and 45 meters tall, or about 15 stories high. It is the largest tile-roofed building in all of Asia. Its size is imposingly powerful, beautiful and ugly at the same time. Inside the pillared hall is a statue, the Statue of Indomitable Koreans. It’s a very Western style statue, almost Roman or even Russian in style, a symbol of the movement for freedom in Korea.

After passing through the Great Hall you arrive at the complex of museums. There are seven in all, each cataloguing the history of Korea from 5,000 years ago to 1950. The focus of each museum especially focuses on this idea of Korean autonomy and the movement for freedom and independence.

The first building showcases Korean history from 5,000 years ago to the beginning of the modern era. Vases, models, artifacts and weaponry dot this building. The building is called The Origin of the Korean People. It is a lot of information crammed into one building. One unique item was Admiral Yi Sun-Sin's sword. It’s a massive and almost samurai like sword. It would be like seeing William Wallace’s sword. Yi Sun-Sin was the admiral who defeated the Japanese in a naval battle in the 1500’s, his image now graces some of Korea’s currency.

The next five buildings are all in regards to Korea’s relationship with Japan. It’s a rocky relationship dating back hundreds of years. The real debacle began in the 1860’s and in 1905 Japan took total control over the Korean peninsula. Decades of brutal occupation and imperial rule followed until 1945. The struggle for independence climaxed in the failed revolutionary movement on March 1^st, 1919. The March 1^st Movement or Samil (3-1) movement signaled the beginning of a massive protest against the Japanese regime. Over two million Koreans took part in the movement that comprised of over one thousand different protests. A declaration of independence was created but the movement eventually ended in failure. The iron fist of Japan tightened even more.

Japanese rule ended at the close of WWII. It is around here where the museum ends it’s telling of the story of Korea. What follows is the tragic division between North and South. It’s an incident that could have been avoided had America taken a tougher stance against Stalin and had not drawn that fateful line across Korea. Korea, a people and a nation had for thousands of years been one people, even in the face of Japanese occupiers. Now they are bitter enemies, North and South, the result of a hasty line in the sand.

(The last building is The Experience Hall of the Independence Movement and is more geared towards children)

I picked up on several different things during my visit to the museums. One is the extreme nationalism, bordering on over the top but at the same time very admirable. Something that isn’t seen anymore in Western societies, a love of one’s people that runs deep. Another thing was the blatant portrayal of the Japanese as the harbingers of Korea’s destruction. It is a true and tragic story, one that Japan still struggles with today. Indeed there is a deep-seeded hatred among many Koreans against the Japanese that I see off and on. Some love Japan, some hate without forgiveness. Events over sixty years ago still linger in the minds of Koreans, many of them children. The displays in the museums depict glorious scenes of the Korean people marching forward towards independence. There are also scenes of rape, torture, massacres, and violence that fuel this hatred. Children come on field trips to view these scenes without the understanding and maturity necessary to grasp what they are seeing. For adults it means something different. We can gain lessons from the dark days bygone. The challenge is how do we teach these lessons to our children. Do we do it with a visual onslaught? However, who am I to say what they can do or should do? It’s a slippery slope. Most important it’s a different culture that should be respected and this is a story that defines them. We all want to be respected for our cultural background and our country’s history.

If we can steer away from things that fuel the fires of anger and hatred than it’s all the more better. History is a slippery slope…

http://www.i815.or.kr/html/en/ -The official website for the Independence Hall

Ppong, Moses and the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival

Do you know that feeling you have when you are about to experience something phenomenal? Something that few will experience and that sends chills up your spine? This was my personal experience at the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival. A moment I will never forget at one of the those hidden wonders of the world many don’t know of.

Every year in March-April unnaturally low tides create a natural land bridge between two islands through the Jindo Sea. This occurrence is know as the Jindo Sea-Parting or "Moses Miracle". The event attracts thousands every year.

Such a natural phenomena is not without it’s legend. The Korean legend goes as follows…

It was 1480, the beginning of the Joson Era in Korea. A man name Son Dong-Ji was banished and exiled to the island of Jindo in the far southwest of Korea. On his voyage to Jindo his ship was wrecked in a storm and he was washed ashore on Hoedong, or Tiger because of the tigers that frequented the area. It was at Hoedang where Son settled down and raised a family. For 200 years his descendants lived there under constant attack from the tigers. His descendants eventually built rafts to move to the island of Modo to escape the tigers. Everyone but Grandmother Ppong made it to the island, she was forgotten. It became Grandmother Ppong’s quest to be reunited with her people. She prayed to the Dragon King of the Sea and one March set out on her journey. The Dragon King came to her in a dream and promised a rainbow in the sea she could walk across. The next day she woke up and ran across the rainbow in the sea. The journey across the island became too much for her and she collapsed. Her family walked from the other island across the rainbow to meet her. She died in their arms but was happy, she had been reunited with her family.

Korean’s also like to equate the Jindo Sea-Parting with the story of Moses and the Israelites. While I trekked across the land bridge I could not help but think of Grandmother Ppong while at the same time thinking of the Israelites fleeing the advancing Egyptians.

The rush of seeing a bridge appear out of nowhere really did send chills down my spine. A euphoric and unreal feeling overcame me as I took my first step onto the sand and rock connecting the two islands. Walking in a bustling crowd of anxious Koreans I felt the surge and panic of an Exodus or the family from Modo going to meet grandmother Ppong. It was an intense and surreal moment. Most of the Koreans weren’t really interested in making it across. The humor in it was that most of them went out to go hunting for shellfish in the sand. So hundreds of Koreans with hand shovels and bags went out to hit the mother lode of sea life for consumption. Business is business. It took nearly an hour to make it to the island of Modo but we made it. It was a rewarding feeling, something that can’t be taken away or replaced. The little things can be the most rewarding in life. Like walking across a land bridge in the sea. It may not be Paris or Rome but it is something special, something that should be appreciated.

The Long and Short of It, Scatterbrained Style

Life moves faster here, or so it seems. Has it already/only been six weeks? I grow more accustomed to things but this “home” will never be home. The comfort level can seem real at times and at other times a failing façade. Since my last real post I have done numerous things. The amounts and levels of adventure continue to be ratcheted up in increments.

I remember the simple joy of visiting Old Mokpo three or four weeks ago. Its run down neighborhoods possess an old charm. It’s empty streets echo with the past, the good ol’ days when Mokpo was once a great city. Since then Old Mokpo has shifted and changed. The old still lingers but new parts have sprung up around, a hybrid of old and new. Old Mokpo still retains its importance. It is still a hub for all Mokpo residents. It boasts a KTX station and a large ferry terminal among other things. All in all Mokpo is becoming a familiar place to this Idahoan.

The neighboring city of Gwangju has a population of 1.5 million people. It is what Boise is to Nampa, only on a much larger scale. It is the sixth largest city in South Korea. I have only been there twice so more will come on what Gwangju holds.

Future posts coming soon: The Jindo Sea-Parting Festival, Cheonan, Bits and Pieces of Korea.

Let there be Macbook!

It was twenty-six long days ago...March 1st

I was in my apartment on my computer after work. I don't recall the days events but the end of the day was a bit scarring. My macbook charger went up in smoke. kaput.

In an interesting series events with many twists and turns I waited patiently for my replacement charger arrive. It was a four week process...

Finally, my Macbook charger emerged from the bowels of Korea On March 26th. You can expect many posts regarding what I did over the past few weeks and many more in the future.

The Korean Alphabet

My goal for the week has been to memorize the Korean alphabet. There are 10 vowels and 14 consonants in the Korean language. This does not include various vowel and consonant combinations.

Korean Traffic

After work tonight I decided to get some shopping done and look around the local E-Mart to try and further familiarize myself with the grocery store. It's about a five minute walk to the store. However, I take more precautions to cross the street than I would back home in the states. The simple rule of yielding to pedestrians has no meaning to the impatient Korean driver. So I take extra care when using crosswalks even when the little green LED man is lit up. Korean cab drivers are especially dangerous to an unaware pedestrian, especially if that pedestrian is a foreigner. So running red lights, cutting people off, speeding and even driving on sidewalks should be no surprise; I have seen them all now. In Korea, the pedestrian yields to the driver. Even though the law probably states otherwise.
It was in this system where I found myself tonight, about halfway to my destination. I had already braved the crosswalks. About a hundred yards ahead little delivery motorcycle, a common sight. Quickly approaching behind him, a maniacal driver in an SUV. Here are the next sequence of events:

• Motorcycle isn't fast enough for maniacal SUV driver
• SUV driver blares his horn
• Motorcycle gets out of the way too slow
• Result: motorcyclist gets layed out by SUV

I run to cover the distance between me and the poor biker who is lying still by his bike. There are a handful of Koreans around the biker but they aren't really doing much. Me and two other guys try and help the biker get off the asphalt and move his bike. I of course, speak no Korean. Therefore my ability to help was somewhat hindered. I realized I could do little more. I made sure he was in good hands and proceeded to my destination. I am preparing to see a lot more of this...

A Walk to Peace Park

1. Looking towards New Mokpo from Gatbawi
2. Walking back from Gatbawi
3. Gatbawi Rocks
4. Looking towards boats and Gatbawi
5. Peace Park
6. Konglish
   

Sunday Afternoon: I slipped on my warm attire for the journey into the shop filled streets beyond my familiar neighborhood. Out into the great unknown of little Mokpo, South Korea. My journey takes me south towards the sea. The more you get out the more you feel you own the streets. That was the main purpose of this particular adventure.

The first thing you notice when you walk down a busy street in Korean or any Oriental city is that it is packed with shops and restaurants. You can probably picture it in your head, neon signs and bright colors everywhere, that’s what it is really like. In Mokpo and many other cities you sea this interesting blend of cultures. It’s a colorful mixture of East and West. For example you may find a Dunkin’ Donuts next to the local Korean restaurant. The blend between Western and Eastern is often quite comical. This often culminates in Konglish, the often confusing and grammatically insane Korean form of English. ON my first big journey into the streets of Mokpo I had to take a double take at a business with a bright orange sign reading Hot Dog Coffee. My first reaction was a reaction in my stomach just imagining the crazy combination. After looking inside I realized it was a little café that specialized in gourmet hot dogs and coffee, (still a strange business venture). Other forms of Konglish may include the following: The men’s restrooms reading man rather than men. A coffee place claiming World Best Coffee!

Not long after taking off from my apartment I realized the weather forecast for the day was bogus. The weather was at marvelous fifty degrees, at least. The prior week and been freezing cold, so the ability to shed layers was a blessing. The destination for my walk was Peace Park. Along the way I felt more comfortable with the sights, sounds and inescapable secondhand smoke. Thirty minutes later I arrived to Peace Park and the oceanfront.

Peace Park is jam packed with screaming children and hordes of Koreans out for walks or family outings. It’s more of a carnival atmosphere with game, food vendors and armies of children on bikes and little electric cars. The full length of the waterline at the park is flanked by a boardwalk which is also packed full of people. Among this mass of people I am the one that sticks out the most. The only other foreigners I saw were from Southeast Asia and India. I walked the length of the boardwalk taking everything in while avoiding obstacles like children and zigzagging bicyclists. My next step was at the end of the boardwalk, the Gatbawi Rocks.

Gatbawi Rocks isn’t much, merely some sandstone that has been eroded by the ocean. The Koreans think of it as more of a big deal, a natural Korean War memorial so to speak. The rocks somewhat resemble Korean War era helmets. At Gatwabi you could say this is a point where Old Mokpo and New Mokpo connect. They are very distinct places, I haven’t ventured to Old Mokpo yet. This is where I got my first distant look at the other half of Mokpo. All in all it was a good feeling to go out and explore on my own. I recommend getting out to all other ESL teachers or prospective teachers.

A Day in the Life

Today will be my fifth day of teaching at Kim’s Academy in Mokpo, South Korea. The week has gone by fast and my brain has been in absolute overload. Something that every prospective ESL teacher should know is that this is a serious business and that you have to be responsible and treat it like a job. Every week of school at Kim’s basically follows the same format. On Monday you administer the Word Tests to most or all of your classes. Tuesday through Friday it is a whole different format. At Kim’s each class is broken up into three primary types of classes: The Phonics, The Basics and the Levels.

For Phonics classes I deal with the youngest or most novice of the children. I teach them primarily how to say different types of words, constantly having them repeat until they can pronounce, read and write the words correctly. I teach primarily out of the Phonics lesson book and usually occupy the entire fifty-minute class period.

The Basics are broken up into six different levels and six more different sublevels. With these classes I teach out of one of two different types of lesson plans. I follow along in the book and have each student read. Afterwards we do activities and hopefully take up the entire class period, simple.

The Levels classes are the challenge of the teaching day. I use a textbook and workbook but usually the curriculum is very short and will only occupy the students for a short amount of time leaving me with twenty minutes to kill more often than not. The solution is me supplementing material from the vast array of teaching supplies and worksheets within the academy. So preparation is a huge key!

The other class I have is an Essay class, I have this twice a week and we read out of some selected readings. It’s pretty straightforward; the key is to take your time so you don’t have too much time left over. Everyday our classes rotate amongst the four teachers so we have different classes each day. It’s down to clockwork and precision, six classes in a day with five or ten minute breaks. Just like that the day is over and it goes by in a hurry!

I can’t wait to see what my next blog is about!

First Impressions: Korea and Teaching

My first glance at Korea was walking down the jet way of Incheon International Airport half-asleep and feeling like a shell of a person rather than a fully-functioning human. One of my first thoughts walking down the long terminals was that for the first time in my life I felt taller. For the most part I felt like I was taller than at least 4/5 of all the Korean men.

The bus ride from the airport to Mokpo was even greater experience. In fact it was both humorous and eye-opening. The bus drive was quite the character. Whether it was his belching, picking his teeth, impromptu stretches that looked like dance moves or his chatter into his Bluetooth. I was half-awake for the majority of the drive down but marveled at the scale of the infrastructure. We drove across one of the longest bridges I had ever seen and every once and a while you would see towering columns of apartment buildings clumped together in the middle of nowhere. Planning and zoning takes on a whole new meaning here.

The simple things impressed too. The tollbooths are all automated; there is no stopping to pay. The tollbooth senses the car and charges it to the driver as they drive by, I have no clue how this works. At each city you drive through a checkpoint and are disinfected by a spray, I’m guessing that Koreans hate germs. One of the funnier things I witnessed was in relation to Korean traffic workers. They are mechanical men dressed up in orange and waving a fluorescent stick, warning of the inevitable roadwork or spray things.

The Swastika: Many people don’t know this but the Swastika is an ancient Hindu and Buddhist symbol. So it should come as no surprise to see a swastika every once and a while in Korea or other Asian countries. My first one happened to be on the way down to Mokpo. It was on a traffic sign of all places, a big white swastika on a brown sign. Westerners should not take offense to such a sight. It’s all a matter of context. Though I do hear that “Hitler themed bars” are very popular in Korea. That’s another story though.

My first experience in trying to communicate to a Korean went alright. I was trying to order some Korean food by myself before work. Somehow I ended up with a double order of food. The nice thing is that Korean food is cheap and good!

Now for the big topic, teaching. Being thrown into teaching with little or no experience in a foreign country is what you would expect it to be, overwhelming. At my school I teach six classes, fifty minutes each and in not in the particular same order from day to day from what I understand. So I basically had a half hour training for today’s agenda. Five of my six classes were basically the same sequence of events with me at the center of it all trying haphazardly trying to coordinate a class full of restless, hyper, sleepy Korean children.

Each private language school, or hagwon, is different. They choose the manner of how things are taught and what is taught and who is in control. In my particular case I am given subject material and work a tight schedule. Today being Monday was “Word Test Day”. So in five of my six classes I gave a word test, I am given a list of the previous weeks vocabulary and I give the students a word test sheet to fill out. Before doing so I naturally take attendance and try to say their Korean names, mostly to the sounds of laughter. As for the tests I say a random word and they have to spell it in English and Korean. Following the test that I hand out the new vocabulary sheet and the free-for-all begins, figuring out to keep kids occupied for a full fifty minutes is a challenge.

The kids that I teach are all different. Of my six classes I enjoyed about 4 of the classes. The children were relatively easy to communicate and worked diligently. The other two classes were full of hyper Korean kids that were difficult to keep under control and speak English. They weren’t terrible though. My first day I naturally had no idea what I was doing, It will probably be the same for a good while. Day one is complete, with many more to come.

Prelude to a Year Pt. 2: The Sentimental Journey

Boise to Seattle: It’s flight that never ceases to amaze. The whitewashed mountains jutting out from the brown hue of the treasure valley is always the dramatic contrast. Flying over Seattle I got the sensation of all those memories flooding into my head from all the times I had spent in the Emerald City. Most recently with my dad, I had begged him to go to the 49ers opening game of the 2010 season. It was sure to be a blowout showcasing the juggernaut defense and blistering offense of San Francisco. Not so, but the memory is a lasting one that I will cherish.

Seattle to L.A.: I’m not a fan of L.A. But the stories that my dad told me of growing up in Orange County went through my mind. The memories of Disneyland and clinging to my mom before the terrifying plunge of a simple Disneyland ride. I really don’t like LAX, it’s depressing and lacks the charm of the little Boise Airport. It was awkward waiting an hour to get onto the plane to Seoul. The whole gate was probably 90 percent Koreans. I sat across from a cranky looking Green Bay fan in the terminal during the wait. What on earth did have to be so cranky looking about!?!?

L.A. to Seoul: I sat in the very middle of the plane for 13 hours. Every seat was full and it was very uncomfortable. It was not a special experience to say the least. The service was great though!

Arriving at the Incheon airport wasn’t all that bad. I navigated my way through customs and baggage claim and finally met the person who would guide me to my next leg of the journey, the 4 ½ hour bus ride to Mokpo. I met a fellow ESL teacher waiting for the same bus. He was the same age, same city to work in, same circumstances of why they were going and almost the same college degree. It was a real comfort to not feel alone for at least the next 5 hours or so.

The next post will be about my first impressions and my first day at my job.

Mokpo?

Here is some info on the great city of Mokpo where I will be teaching very very soon. When I say info I mean links.

Your typical cheesy Korean city website: http://eng.mokpo.go.kr/home/eng/
Wikipedia for the unrefined (like myself): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokpo
A very thorough blog: http://jellomando.blogspot.com/

And finally a colorful tourist map to hang on your wall:

http://eng.mokpo.go.kr/images/content/touristmap-e.jpg

Prelude to a Year Pt. 1

It’s almost with a smile on my face that I eat my own words. Over the years, especially through college I found myself telling others that I would never leave the state of Idaho, live in a big city and NEVER become a teacher. As with all twists of irony I find myself moving to a respectable sized city in South Korea to teach Korean schoolchildren the English language.

English has never been one of my fortes, nor math, the subject I will be teaching English through. Do not fret though, because the children learn English from their Korean teachers. My job as an ESL teacher is more of an after school program or extracurricular activity that the majority of Koreans take part in. So if you are the Mokpo area and hear some Korean students speaking terrible Pidgin English it probably isn’t my fault, entirely.

As with most ESL jobs my contract is one year with the option of renewal. My year begins in February sometime. During my year I plan on exploring Korean culture while making some quick trips to countries like Japan or other surrounding countries. I don’t have many vacation days so I won’t be able to come back to the States for a visit. The next time you will hear from me will most likely be from the cramped confines of my Korean apartment (which is free by the way).

“Own only what you can always carry with you: know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.” –a great author