(Written 10-10-08)
This week I had my intermediate and advanced classes do a writing exercise where one student started a story by writing a sentence, and the next person in the row wrote the next sentence, and so on. From the stories in each row, they were to pick the best story and I would decide a winner for the class. I told them that the winning story would be the most creative, one that made sense, and was school appropriate.
The term "school appropriate" doesn't seem to exist here. Back home, I would tell my students they had to be "PG" or "school appropriate" in class activities and they knew what I was talking about. Here, I had to explain that means leave out the sex and violence. In spite of this warning, my students wrote all sorts of disturbing things, which completely surprised me. Most of them seem so sweet and innocent, yet here are snippets from some of the stories I received this week:
"I have a sexy girlfriend. She gave me AIDS. We suicided together."
"I was in love with my teacher, but he married my sister. So I got plastic surgery to flirt with him."
"I took a shit in the backyard."
"I hit his penis with a bat."
"My mother is more delicious than cow. She is very fat and salty and spicy." (from the "steak boy" class, this one did NOT surprise me)
"I like American girls because they are fat."
"My parents hit me, so I go to the hospital. Now I am so happy because I can pass the exam. Yeah!"
"He is too angry, so he shooted his mother brain bones."
Nearly every story had something about death or suicide. They are obsessed with it. I told one class I wanted nice stories and to leave out all the death; and one boy (who speaks English very well) said, "but this is art!"
Probably the strangest part of all this was the fact that my co-teachers were entirely unfazed, as if AIDS, suicide and murder are perfectly normal topics for students to write about in class.
My last class of the week, which is my best class behavior and participation wise, wrote this little gem:
"A foreign teacher came to our school. And she is taller than me. She is so popular in the boys' classes that I am jealous of her. So I kill her."
Hmm...I think we'll stick to vocabulary games and speaking exercises in the future.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Back in Seoul
Okay, this is going to sound like the lamest thing ever, but it’s good to be back in Seoul and back to work. Let me explain…
All of last week at school the students took midterms, so I didn’t teach at all, but I still had to be there and sit at my desk. What did I do all week? Good question. When I have a whole week of unstructured time and no looming deadline, I am physically incapable of productivity. I stalked a lot of my friends from home on Facebook, followed the Twins’ almost playoff run, and did a little research on Thailand. I also threw together a last minute trip to Busan, a port city on the southeast tip of Korea. This is all I got accomplished in a week’s worth of work. I felt like a huge slacker, so I welcomed the actual work I had to do at school this morning. Although when I go back to the States to teach, I’m sure I will fantasize about the days in Korea when I could e-mail and Facebook at work.
Like I said, I decided last Tuesday that we should use our day off on Friday (it was a National Holiday, but my co-teacher wasn’t even sure what it was for) and visit Busan. Other than the beach, there wasn’t anything in particular I wanted to see, it was just a chance to see another city in Korea. I didn’t have any luck finding an available hostel or budget hotel online, so my friend Vicky’s co-teacher looked into finding us a yeogwan. “Yeogwan” means guesthouse, and like hostels, I think they are hit or miss. I’m sure there are nice ones out there, but ours was pretty decrepit, which was fine since we are all on a budget. My only complaint was the fact that the three of us women were supposed to share a double mattress on the floor with pillows that felt like they were stuffed with bricks. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep very well. It also was located about 45 minutes away from the Haeundae Beach area by subway, so it took us an hour to meet up with the other groups of S.M.O.E. people that somehow found accommodations near the beach.
Other than the sleeping situation and the lack of planning, I loved Busan. People were extremely friendly in passing, unlike Seoul where everyone is in hurry and will knock you over if you get in their way on the subway. It’s probably pretty common in a beach town verses a huge city, but the vibe was really laid back. We also were in awe of the beach view from our friend Brian’s friend’s apartment; it was gorgeous. (See pic. below) A few of my teacher friends were like, why do we live in Seoul? I found myself defending my new home. In spite of the fact that it’s overcrowded and the rush hour traffic is horrendous, I love Seoul. I’m glad I picked Seoul over Busan or some other smaller town. The commute to and from work is kind of a pain, but city life suits me. I also love that while I’ve seen a lot of the sights, I still have a lengthy list of things I want to do in Seoul. There is so much here and I love that.
It’s funny how you come to appreciate a place once you leave it. Going to Busan made me realize how much I love Seoul, and coming to Korea made me realize how much I love Minnesota. My parents dragged me there kicking and screaming when I was 13, so I spent most of my teenage years hating it, but I’ve really come to appreciate it since I’ve been here. I’ve been educating Koreans about the wonder that is MN since the day I arrived. For example, when a neighbor lady took me to E-mart, I pointed out the 3M symbol on the tape and proudly told her it was a Minnesota based company. I guess this is one of the unforeseen benefits of coming here. Travel is not only about experiencing new places, it’s also about recognizing the good in where you came from, which I’m definitely doing.
Busan at night
Haeundae Beach
Jagalchi Fish Market
Titus pretending to eat live octopus
All of last week at school the students took midterms, so I didn’t teach at all, but I still had to be there and sit at my desk. What did I do all week? Good question. When I have a whole week of unstructured time and no looming deadline, I am physically incapable of productivity. I stalked a lot of my friends from home on Facebook, followed the Twins’ almost playoff run, and did a little research on Thailand. I also threw together a last minute trip to Busan, a port city on the southeast tip of Korea. This is all I got accomplished in a week’s worth of work. I felt like a huge slacker, so I welcomed the actual work I had to do at school this morning. Although when I go back to the States to teach, I’m sure I will fantasize about the days in Korea when I could e-mail and Facebook at work.
Like I said, I decided last Tuesday that we should use our day off on Friday (it was a National Holiday, but my co-teacher wasn’t even sure what it was for) and visit Busan. Other than the beach, there wasn’t anything in particular I wanted to see, it was just a chance to see another city in Korea. I didn’t have any luck finding an available hostel or budget hotel online, so my friend Vicky’s co-teacher looked into finding us a yeogwan. “Yeogwan” means guesthouse, and like hostels, I think they are hit or miss. I’m sure there are nice ones out there, but ours was pretty decrepit, which was fine since we are all on a budget. My only complaint was the fact that the three of us women were supposed to share a double mattress on the floor with pillows that felt like they were stuffed with bricks. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep very well. It also was located about 45 minutes away from the Haeundae Beach area by subway, so it took us an hour to meet up with the other groups of S.M.O.E. people that somehow found accommodations near the beach.
Other than the sleeping situation and the lack of planning, I loved Busan. People were extremely friendly in passing, unlike Seoul where everyone is in hurry and will knock you over if you get in their way on the subway. It’s probably pretty common in a beach town verses a huge city, but the vibe was really laid back. We also were in awe of the beach view from our friend Brian’s friend’s apartment; it was gorgeous. (See pic. below) A few of my teacher friends were like, why do we live in Seoul? I found myself defending my new home. In spite of the fact that it’s overcrowded and the rush hour traffic is horrendous, I love Seoul. I’m glad I picked Seoul over Busan or some other smaller town. The commute to and from work is kind of a pain, but city life suits me. I also love that while I’ve seen a lot of the sights, I still have a lengthy list of things I want to do in Seoul. There is so much here and I love that.
It’s funny how you come to appreciate a place once you leave it. Going to Busan made me realize how much I love Seoul, and coming to Korea made me realize how much I love Minnesota. My parents dragged me there kicking and screaming when I was 13, so I spent most of my teenage years hating it, but I’ve really come to appreciate it since I’ve been here. I’ve been educating Koreans about the wonder that is MN since the day I arrived. For example, when a neighbor lady took me to E-mart, I pointed out the 3M symbol on the tape and proudly told her it was a Minnesota based company. I guess this is one of the unforeseen benefits of coming here. Travel is not only about experiencing new places, it’s also about recognizing the good in where you came from, which I’m definitely doing.
Busan at night
Haeundae Beach
Jagalchi Fish Market
Titus pretending to eat live octopus
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Chuseok part 3
On Monday we met up in Dongdaemun, Holly's dong (neighborhood). Dongdaemun is famous for its shopping markets, which include everything from department stores to cheap knock offs on the street. Since I'm trying to save money, I've been trying to stay away from this area, but luckily most of the shops were closed for Chuseok.
At Cerestar Department store, we stumbled upon an impressive drumming/dancing show and watched it for awhile.
Then we headed over to the actual Dongdaemun, which means "Great East Gate." During the Joseon dynasty, it was the major eastern gate in the wall that surrounded Seoul. It is one of only two that are still standing; apparently in February of this year a cab driver went ape wall and burned down Namdaemun, the South Gate.
After that we hit up the tents for some street food and a peek at the merchandise. Another thing that cracks me up about Korea is all the clothing and accessories that sport random phrases in English that more often than not, don't make any sense.
What??
We also walked by a group of policemen who must have been bored because they were playing tag and frisbee in a parking lot. I've been told that Seoul is a very safe city, so they must not have enough to do.
I love Korea :)
At Cerestar Department store, we stumbled upon an impressive drumming/dancing show and watched it for awhile.
Then we headed over to the actual Dongdaemun, which means "Great East Gate." During the Joseon dynasty, it was the major eastern gate in the wall that surrounded Seoul. It is one of only two that are still standing; apparently in February of this year a cab driver went ape wall and burned down Namdaemun, the South Gate.
After that we hit up the tents for some street food and a peek at the merchandise. Another thing that cracks me up about Korea is all the clothing and accessories that sport random phrases in English that more often than not, don't make any sense.
What??
We also walked by a group of policemen who must have been bored because they were playing tag and frisbee in a parking lot. I've been told that Seoul is a very safe city, so they must not have enough to do.
I love Korea :)
Chuseok part 2
On Sunday, I met Josie, Hugh, and Josie's friend Makeeya at City Hall station to check out the Cheonggyecheon stream, a stream that was once covered with concrete to build an elevated highway, but was turned back into a stream in 2003 as part of an urban renewal project. Apparently there was controversy about the billions of dollars spent on this project and debate about whether it's actually doing anything for the city's eco-environment, but the Koreans seem to enjoy it now and so did we. I read that it's also supposed to be symbolic of Korea's progress in recent decades.
Cheonggyecheon stream
One thing that cracks me up about Korea is that people will nap anywhere: at their desks at work, in their trucks, and apparently in the middle of downtown. This guy was sleeping next to a giant cone sculpture near the stream:
After strolling along the Cheongyyecheon and admiring the artwork and some guy's pet monkey, we took the subway up to Gyeongbok Palace (or Gyeongbokgung), one of the largest of the Five Grand Palaces built in the Joseon Dynasty.
Makeeya strikes a pose at the entrance
Another building inside the gates
Lots of kids were dressed in traditional hanbok
Palace guards (just for show)
Cheonggyecheon stream
One thing that cracks me up about Korea is that people will nap anywhere: at their desks at work, in their trucks, and apparently in the middle of downtown. This guy was sleeping next to a giant cone sculpture near the stream:
After strolling along the Cheongyyecheon and admiring the artwork and some guy's pet monkey, we took the subway up to Gyeongbok Palace (or Gyeongbokgung), one of the largest of the Five Grand Palaces built in the Joseon Dynasty.
Makeeya strikes a pose at the entrance
Another building inside the gates
Lots of kids were dressed in traditional hanbok
Palace guards (just for show)
Chuseok Weekend, part 1
This post is almost three weeks late, but I did say earlier that I would post about Chuseok. It also occurred to me that this is supposed to be about my "adventures" in Korea, and so far I've mostly talked about teaching. Not that teaching isn't an adventure, but anyway...
After the prison-like experience that was orientation, we (SMOE members) had our first full week of teaching. The week after that we got 4 days off (some of us 5) for Chuseok holiday, which can best be described as Korean Thanksgiving. This is probably the biggest holiday in Korea, and traditionally Koreans return to the towns of their ancestors to offer thanks to their ancestors' spirits for a good harvest. However, I asked a lot of teachers and students about their Chuseok plans and most of them were staying in Seoul. Actually a lot of my students said they would be spending the time off studying for mid-terms, which are going on this week at school.
They did say that people still make songp'yon, a traditional Korean pastry made of (big surprise here) rice. I've never seen so many things made from rice before moving here; or squid for that matter. Also, a lot of children wear a hanbok, or traditional dress for the occasion. (See pictures above) Otherwise, it sounds very much like an American Thanksgiving, where you eat a lot and sit around and watch TV with relatives.
When I found out about our time off for Chuseok, I immediately thought of a trip to Japan. I want to see as much as possible while I'm here, so any vacation time we have, I make big plans in my head. However, Holly (roommate at orientation) pointed out that we wouldn't be getting our first paycheck until after Chuseok, so we should probably stay in Seoul. Holly's a smart gal because I barely made it to pay day without what would have been an expensive trip to Japan.
So we stayed in Seoul and hit up some of the tourist destinations in our own backyard. I'm glad we did, because there is so much do right here in Seoul, and now I have a better idea of places to take people who come to visit me. I still don't know when Japan will happen, but Koreans celebrate a lot of holidays and there will hopefully be another long weekend soon. (Thailand and Cambodia are on the agenda for Winter Break)
On our first day off, (Saturday) we hiked up Dobongsan Mountain which is at the northern border of Seoul in Bukhansan National Park. Josie (my other orientation roommate) has lived here for a year now and decided that she is going to hike up all the mountains in Korea, so she recruited some of us to go with her. It was a moderately difficult hike, pretty rocky and steep, but nothing like the Volcano hike I did in Nicaragua during spring break '07. However, when we got to the peak, I had a mini panic attack trying to get to the top. There was nothing to prevent us from falling to our death other than this wobbly iron railing that I clung to for dear life while scaling the rock. Being a total American, I kept commenting how it was a law suit waiting to happen. In the U.S., you would have had to sign a waiver saying the park isn't responsible for your death or gotten a climbing license or something. But this is Korea, and they don't have people suing McDonald's because the coffee is too hot...yet. Panic attack aside, it was a good time and a great photo opp.
My hiking buddies:
Like I mentioned above, Koreans can't seem to get enough squid. They were selling it in jerky form at the base of the mountain. Actually this might be octopus...but you get the idea.
I got a big kick out the signs in the park. My coteacher told me that this one means "Don't take my acorns!" and warns that park goers will be fined for doing so.
"Don't even try to bring your bugle up this mountain!" At least that's what I think it says :)
Minjung said this one says to stay off the mountain when there's lightning. I love how dramatic it is.
"David" decided to join our hike so he could practice his English with us. He didn't understand why I wanted a picture of people's backs (I was trying to be artsy) He also got irritated that we took so many breaks.
Again, this rickety iron fence was all that separated us from falling to our death. It was scary.
I must say that for all my complaining, the view was worth it. This is my new city!
After the prison-like experience that was orientation, we (SMOE members) had our first full week of teaching. The week after that we got 4 days off (some of us 5) for Chuseok holiday, which can best be described as Korean Thanksgiving. This is probably the biggest holiday in Korea, and traditionally Koreans return to the towns of their ancestors to offer thanks to their ancestors' spirits for a good harvest. However, I asked a lot of teachers and students about their Chuseok plans and most of them were staying in Seoul. Actually a lot of my students said they would be spending the time off studying for mid-terms, which are going on this week at school.
They did say that people still make songp'yon, a traditional Korean pastry made of (big surprise here) rice. I've never seen so many things made from rice before moving here; or squid for that matter. Also, a lot of children wear a hanbok, or traditional dress for the occasion. (See pictures above) Otherwise, it sounds very much like an American Thanksgiving, where you eat a lot and sit around and watch TV with relatives.
When I found out about our time off for Chuseok, I immediately thought of a trip to Japan. I want to see as much as possible while I'm here, so any vacation time we have, I make big plans in my head. However, Holly (roommate at orientation) pointed out that we wouldn't be getting our first paycheck until after Chuseok, so we should probably stay in Seoul. Holly's a smart gal because I barely made it to pay day without what would have been an expensive trip to Japan.
So we stayed in Seoul and hit up some of the tourist destinations in our own backyard. I'm glad we did, because there is so much do right here in Seoul, and now I have a better idea of places to take people who come to visit me. I still don't know when Japan will happen, but Koreans celebrate a lot of holidays and there will hopefully be another long weekend soon. (Thailand and Cambodia are on the agenda for Winter Break)
On our first day off, (Saturday) we hiked up Dobongsan Mountain which is at the northern border of Seoul in Bukhansan National Park. Josie (my other orientation roommate) has lived here for a year now and decided that she is going to hike up all the mountains in Korea, so she recruited some of us to go with her. It was a moderately difficult hike, pretty rocky and steep, but nothing like the Volcano hike I did in Nicaragua during spring break '07. However, when we got to the peak, I had a mini panic attack trying to get to the top. There was nothing to prevent us from falling to our death other than this wobbly iron railing that I clung to for dear life while scaling the rock. Being a total American, I kept commenting how it was a law suit waiting to happen. In the U.S., you would have had to sign a waiver saying the park isn't responsible for your death or gotten a climbing license or something. But this is Korea, and they don't have people suing McDonald's because the coffee is too hot...yet. Panic attack aside, it was a good time and a great photo opp.
My hiking buddies:
Like I mentioned above, Koreans can't seem to get enough squid. They were selling it in jerky form at the base of the mountain. Actually this might be octopus...but you get the idea.
I got a big kick out the signs in the park. My coteacher told me that this one means "Don't take my acorns!" and warns that park goers will be fined for doing so.
"Don't even try to bring your bugle up this mountain!" At least that's what I think it says :)
Minjung said this one says to stay off the mountain when there's lightning. I love how dramatic it is.
"David" decided to join our hike so he could practice his English with us. He didn't understand why I wanted a picture of people's backs (I was trying to be artsy) He also got irritated that we took so many breaks.
Again, this rickety iron fence was all that separated us from falling to our death. It was scary.
I must say that for all my complaining, the view was worth it. This is my new city!
Friday, September 26, 2008
"Hello, I am a foreigner"
Minjung and I were just about in hysterics about this at lunch today. She and Eunjin (another one of my co-teachers) were teaching me simple Korean phrases since for once, because of midterms, they weren’t insanely busy and we had time to sit down and chat.
I said that I would start going around saying, “I am a foreigner” to everyone, as if it wasn’t glaringly obvious. (I stick out like sore thumb most of the time here.) Eunjin said it would be unnecessary; it would be like her telling people she was Asian. I said, that’s why it’s funny.
We were also talking about how I’m sort of like a 4 year old here. I’m starting to read Hangul, but very slowly, like a kid who is just learning to read. I told them that my friend back home bought me little kid chopsticks that have a rubber gripper to bring here, and Minjung said I should bring them to lunch next week because the teachers would get a big kick out of it. I had thought the kid chopsticks were just a novelty gift at Patina, but kids here actually use them to learn, like her 4 year-old nephew. So Abby, you will be happy to hear that your chopsticks will be put to use next week ☺
I love that Minjung (my main co-teacher) and I have the same sense of humor. I told her that I think she is the Korean version of me, because every time she says something about herself (i.e. she’s really scatterbrained, she loves to sing, she loves to shop, she’s technology inept, etc) I’m like, me too! We have so much in common, we just never have time to hang out because she’s been so busy.
She and I both agreed that in October we would spend more time together outside of school, since midterms, which she coordinates, will be over, and she will be done with the English textbook she’s helping publish. We’ve made a lot of plans since discovering all of our shared interests. When she took me to immigration to get my alien registration, we sang along to the Mamma Mia soundtrack in her car and she discovered I could harmonize, since then she’s wanted to go to noraebang with me. We also made plans to go out for Thai food (my favorite) and for her to teach me how to cook a few simple dishes, since one thing we do not share in common is the fact that she can cook.
Overall it’s been a great week. Tuesday I got my alien registration card, allowing me to get a phone, and Wednesday I got paid, finally! People from home have been asking how things are going, and my response was always, “Great, but I have no phone, “or “Great, but I have no money.” Now it’s just “great,” no buts. I am having a blast here so far.
I also have a week off from teaching since the students are testing all day, so I have lots of free time at work to update this blog, practice Hangul, plan my trip to Thailand over winter break, and of course, Facebook. It also was a gorgeous fall day today; the first we’ve had here. I have no complaints ☺
Minjung and me at an Italian restaurant near the school
I said that I would start going around saying, “I am a foreigner” to everyone, as if it wasn’t glaringly obvious. (I stick out like sore thumb most of the time here.) Eunjin said it would be unnecessary; it would be like her telling people she was Asian. I said, that’s why it’s funny.
We were also talking about how I’m sort of like a 4 year old here. I’m starting to read Hangul, but very slowly, like a kid who is just learning to read. I told them that my friend back home bought me little kid chopsticks that have a rubber gripper to bring here, and Minjung said I should bring them to lunch next week because the teachers would get a big kick out of it. I had thought the kid chopsticks were just a novelty gift at Patina, but kids here actually use them to learn, like her 4 year-old nephew. So Abby, you will be happy to hear that your chopsticks will be put to use next week ☺
I love that Minjung (my main co-teacher) and I have the same sense of humor. I told her that I think she is the Korean version of me, because every time she says something about herself (i.e. she’s really scatterbrained, she loves to sing, she loves to shop, she’s technology inept, etc) I’m like, me too! We have so much in common, we just never have time to hang out because she’s been so busy.
She and I both agreed that in October we would spend more time together outside of school, since midterms, which she coordinates, will be over, and she will be done with the English textbook she’s helping publish. We’ve made a lot of plans since discovering all of our shared interests. When she took me to immigration to get my alien registration, we sang along to the Mamma Mia soundtrack in her car and she discovered I could harmonize, since then she’s wanted to go to noraebang with me. We also made plans to go out for Thai food (my favorite) and for her to teach me how to cook a few simple dishes, since one thing we do not share in common is the fact that she can cook.
Overall it’s been a great week. Tuesday I got my alien registration card, allowing me to get a phone, and Wednesday I got paid, finally! People from home have been asking how things are going, and my response was always, “Great, but I have no phone, “or “Great, but I have no money.” Now it’s just “great,” no buts. I am having a blast here so far.
I also have a week off from teaching since the students are testing all day, so I have lots of free time at work to update this blog, practice Hangul, plan my trip to Thailand over winter break, and of course, Facebook. It also was a gorgeous fall day today; the first we’ve had here. I have no complaints ☺
Minjung and me at an Italian restaurant near the school
Monday, September 22, 2008
Small Victories
When you’re living in a city of 10.4 million people, in a country where you don’t speak the language, small victories like getting to school on your own, navigating the subway system, and reading a word (or part of a word) in Hangul feel like huge triumphs. Also when you’re me, and you’re domestically challenged and lacking practical skills, simple tasks like doing laundry and making scrambled eggs are cause for celebration.
Tonight I successfully used my stove for the first time to make dinner. Yes, I’ve been here for 2 days short of a month and I still haven’t had the courage to use the stove. I’ve been eating out for the most part or eating college-kid meals like cereal and ramen. But I quickly realized that I’m not going to save any money if I’m eating out all the time. (Such wisdom I’ve acquired here!)
I had reason to fear the gas stove. When I lived in Uptown after college, I once didn’t turn the gas off all the way on our stove and left the building for the day. That afternoon I got a call from my roommate telling me that our neighbors called the landlord about the gas smell, and she came home to a note from the fire department saying they broke in to shut the gas off. I could have burned down the entire building, or if I had stayed home to take a nap like I had considered, died of asphyxiation. I personally think gas stoves should be outlawed, but apparently not everyone is as clueless as I am.
The stove in my apartment here has a gas pipe on the wall that you have to turn on, and I was scared that if I played around with it, I would blow up my apartment or something. I know it’s ridiculous, but I don’t have a good track record in the kitchen.
So I made eggs and beef patties for dinner tonight, and I’m feeling pretty proud of myself. Sad I know.
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