Winds of Change...

Something that is both difficult and wonderful about being teacher in a foreign country is all the interesting people you meet. Not only do you meet people from your host country, you make friends with others who share the same language. I have have made English speaking friends from not only America, but Australia, Canada, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. While making new friends is wonderful, it is difficult when one comes to the end of that teaching contract and is faced with the decision to stay or go.

This past weekend I spent with one of the first English-speaking friends I made here in Korea. I had been in Korea for about two weeks when I ventured to Pohang in search of some good shopping. I happened upon two westerners sitting outside a Starbucks. They invited me to join them and I did. This photo was taken that evening before I hopped on the bus back to Uljin. This was the beginning of a great friendship. We have laughed until we cried and cried until we laughed. We have made fun of each others accents and have various misunderstandings over rules of games (pool, Uno), meanings of words (now, just now, now now), proper pronunciation (bill vs bull, milk vs mulk, etc...), and names of things (bandage vs plaster, stroller vs "pram", etc.) Through this all, however, I know I have made a friend who I will always think of fondly and have great memories of. From our late night talks to early morning (well, crack of noon) breakfasts, to launching "boats" into a rice paddy, to silly sleepovers where we talked for hours on end solving all the problems of the world, we made this friendship work on the basis of trust and honesty.

Until I met her, I had never had a friend from South Africa. I had never been to China or tasted Peking Duck. I never knew there could be so many different names for silly things like q-tips and band-aids. I never knew such a deep friendship could develop in such a short time and it would be this difficult to say farewell.

To my friend, Bronwen, I will say "Farewell", but not "Goodbye". Even if we never see each other face to face again, I know she will always be a part of my great Korean Adventure and I am blessed to have known her.

Record Snowfall in Uljin!!

As a midwest American girl, I can handle some snow. I even enjoy an occasional storm where we get five or six inches or more. I mean, it's kind of fun to get out and have a good snowball fight or build a snowman. This week, however, I saw more snow than I have EVER seen in one storm! This quaint, little, seaside town got almost a meter of snow in less that 24 hours! (That is about 3 feet for us American folk) The newspapers report this is the largest snowfall since 1911!! Yes! One hundred years ago was the last time they had snow like this! Global warming?? HA! So nice of them to include me in this historic event! By the way, that is a car under all that snow and it's not a snowdrift...

The interesting thing was how the Korean people of this little town handled all this snow. At approximately 9 a.m. Saturday morning, after we had accumulated about a meter of snow, the ladies of the apartment building knocked on the door and went on and on in Korean and pointed outside. This was translated by us English folk as, "Hey, there is lots of snow. Come shovel with us. Now!" For the next two hours or so the shoveling took place clearing a narrow path so people could get from the road to the building. Now, shoveling in Korea does not neccesarily mean with shovels. People used brooms, dust pans, plastic bowls, and even sleds. Yes, if it could move the snow, it could be used! Cars were completely buried with no hope of moving and there was no hope of me returning to the other side of town to my own place. The sidewalks and roads were not passable and, guess what? It was starting to snow...again!

The snow went on and off all day Saturday while our little group of foreign teachers gathered at one apartment for movies, pizza, card games, and chess. There was little else we could do! Sunday came bright and sunny, so move shoveling ensued. The Korean Army was even deployed to Uljin to help people dig out and remove the snow. We did finally uncover the mystery of where all the snow goes. They load it on to giant trucks and dump it in the river! What a great idea! Of course, where else could they possibly put it?

Monday morning came with, you guessed it, more snow! My boss apparently did not realize just how bad the snow was, so he actually opened school. I walked there in a blizzard ready to pull my hair out the whole way, only to find a mere five students had bothered to show up for class. He finally gave in to Mother Nature after two hours of no students and sent us home. I had to walk. In the snow. Uphill. Barefoot. (ok, so my boot developed a slight hole...) At least I discovered umbrellas have more than just one use and was able to keep the snow from blowing onto my face ;-)

Finally, Tuesday came with promises of sunshine and clear skies. The walk was much better today, though it seemed as though I was sloshing through mashed potatoes most of the time! At least it had stopped snowing...finally!

Today is Wednesday and we were blessed with another day of sunshine! I managed to dig out my scooter and move it into the sun for the ice to melt. I could not believe it started right up after being buried like this!! Ahhh,...love my hunk o' junk! Hey, it gets me where I want to go! Rumor has it we are getting rain on Thursday. I'm sure that will be just lovely.

I'd like to thank Korea for allowing me to be a part of an historic winter with record low temps (lowest in 96 years) and record snowfall (most in 100 years). Now, can we just get on with the Spring thaw already?!?!?

The Heart of Seoul

I spent the last five days with a few friends visiting Seoul. It is a far, far cry from the little town of Uljin I currently call "home". In my opinion, Seoul, like many cities, its good points and bad. Of course, everyone does not agree on all things, however, I will take this entry to give you a few of my thoughts on the Heart of Seoul.

Seoul is a huge, bustling, crowded, lively city. If ever there was a city that never sleeps, I would think of Seoul. It seems like no matter what time, day or night, there is always something to do. I spent time shopping, sightseeing, soul-searching, eating and, of course, one cannot go to Seoul without checking out the nightlife. Our accommodations were simple and clean at Hong Guesthouse near Hongik University subway stop and we had easy access to everything we needed and/or wanted. Seoul is a place where you can find just about any type of thing you are looking for whether it is a great band to check out, an awesome dance club, traditional Korean fare, or a taste of home (like Taco Bell or Quiznos!). Seoul truly can be defined as an international city.

Let's break it down a bit.

SUBWAY: I found the subway to be quite easy to navigate and definitely the easiest, cheapest way to travel around the city. Everything is clearly marked in Korean and English and maps are available everywhere. I have a "T-Money" card that is reloadable, so all I had to do was swipe that puppy on the reader and trot on through to my train. The trains run quite frequently and we were able to get just about anywhere in less than 30 minutes. Try doing that in rush hour back home! As far as safety is concerned, there was only one place where there were quite few homeless people sleeping in their little cardboard shelters. Other than that, I really had no worries.

PEOPLE: Hmmm...this is a tough subject. On one hand, people were generally friendly and helpful when I asked for assistance. I do take issue with the taxi drivers who did not seem to want to take you someplace that may only be a short ride. I mean, money is money, right? Guess not.
The restaurant staff are second to none! This seems to be true in most of Korea. Yes, even in Taco Bell! This is one thing I cannot seem to get used to in Korea. Wait staff are INCREDIBLE!!! I mean, I N C R E D I B L E!!! They hustle to your table to fill your glass and make you feel like the most important guest they have had all year. They don't meander around or act like they are too busy for you. These servers are there for you! They WANT to serve you. To top it all off, there is no tipping! I mean, I want to tip these people, but it is not customary. I feel a bit spoiled after dining out in Korea. I'm not sure I will be able to tolerate some of the lower standards some restaurants have back home.
The last thing I can say about people in Seoul is that there are LOTS and LOTS of them!! Seoul is crowded...very crowded. If you don't like crowds, Seoul is definitely not the place for you. People push and shove and move quickly, but if they stood and waited patiently, they would never get anything accomplished. That's just the way it is in Seoul. Deal with it, or go home.

SHOPPING: Markets, markets and more markets!! Of course there are department stores, specialty shops, food shops, foreign markets, and much, much more! We had great fun visiting Dongdaemun Market and Namdaemun Markets as well as Yongsan Electronics Market. We found great deals on hats, socks, souvenirs, clothes, electronics, and more. In my opinion, if you cannot find what you are looking for in Seoul, you probably don't need it! Additionally, it seems to me that everything can be bought in Seoul...for a price, of course.

EATING: Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai...you name it, you can find it. Itaewon seems to be the place for most western food finds as well as foreign markets where you can find blue cheese dressing, pop-tarts and even baked beans! Itaewon lured us with it's promise of Taco Bell, Quiznos, Cold Stone Creamery, Outback, Mr. Kebab, and many other fine eateries! ;-) Although not the safest place to be after dark, one can find food to satisfy the most refined palates as well as those of us who are ready to hurt someone for cheese fries and ranch! Head there during the day for lunch and shopping. You will not be disappointed!

SIGHTSEEING: There are so many things to see and do in Seoul, it is almost impossible to do it all in one trip. We managed a bit of culture by visiting the N. Seoul Tower and the Korean War Memorial. Both were well worth the time, though it was a bit foggy to see much from the Tower. There was, however, plenty of entertainment on the plaza level as well as many photo ops. The War Memorial was even more fascinating than I could even imagine.

NIGHTLIFE: Suffice it to say the night club streets are as jam packed as the actual clubs. The really good dance clubs charge a pretty hefty cover charge (around 15,000-30,000 won) but you do get 'one free drink'. Yeah, free...riiiight... If it is "Ladies Night", one can expect some freebies and plenty of hip beats to keep you dancing until the wee hours of the morning. I'm not certain what time many of the clubs actually close, but I do know many in our hostel rolled in between 5 and 6 a.m. and had been dancing all night! There are many street vendors offering wares and food for those who can party hard, and we even saw a man peddling cute little puppies (yes, for pets) in a heated enclosure. Yep, this city does not sleep!

OVERALL: My overall take of Seoul was simply this. It was a great place to visit. I'll definitely go back, but I would not want to live there. It's big, there are thousands and thousands of people, the subways are excellent, and the food is the best I've found in Korea. It is, however, just a bit too overwhelming for me. For now, I'll stay in my little seaside town of Uljin and enjoy the green grass, friendly people, fresh air, and salty sea!

Four Months In and Still Happy!

I get many emails and posts on my FB regarding how I like Korea and if I am still happy to be here. The answere is, "Yes, I am still happy to be here and I like Korea very much". Are there things that annoy me aobut living abroad? Sure! I mean, I desperately miss my boys and my friends and family back home, I have to go to Seoul to get decent Mexican food, and I don't know the language all that well, but I manage. I truly believe the good outweighs the bad. Everyday is new adventure. I see new things, meet new people from all over the world and try foods I would have never tried back home. I am more tolerant of people and their cultural differences and I am more open to learning about new things. I love the USA, but also realize we are not the be all, end all to everything and we do not have all the answers. It is interesting to see and hear what people think of Americans and at times frustrating because they view us as arrogant and condescending as a whole. Being away from America enables me to see why they feel this way and understand a little as to why they feel this way. I try to make a good impression of Americans and behave in a way that would make my country proud and bring honor to those I love. Sometimes it is hard because of what the rest of the world sees on the news everyday. All I can do is do my best and hope it is good enough.

The weather is cold here now. Winter is in full swing and you all know how I hate cold weather. I still ride my scooter to work, but look like an eskimo! lol I am finding myself eating rice quite often, but have not yet developed a tast for kimchi and highly doubt I will. I have managed to get a small grasp on the language and understand much more than I can speak. I do, however, manage to get my point across and usually get what I need.

I am becoming accustomed to cooking for one, but don't like doing it. I have made many friends and we get together often. For Christmas, there were 11 of us who gathered for dinner and had a representation of six countries. It was truly an international Christmas complete with turkey, chicken, stuffing, potatoes, squash, etc. Delicious!

For Thanksgiving, I was feeling quite homesick and my Korean co-teachers noticed. They took me out for a meal after work to make me feel welcome and a little less homesick. It was very sweet of them and was much appreciated. They were blown away when I took Christmas presents to work on Christmas Eve. They had no idea that I would get them anything. Granted, it was only homemade goodies, but they loved it all.

Korean people are very kind. I am treated well here and can usually get the help I need. I have managed to figure out the bus system and am able to travel often. I even bought some ski pants so I can go skiing...something I have never done.

So, my friends, yes, I am still happy in Korea. Though I have my days of sadness and homesickness and long for a delicious, hot, cheezy, yummy burrito, I know I only have eight short months left before I must decide where I will spend my next year. Until then, I will keep looking for new adventures around every corner and living life to the fullest.

Happy New Year from BEIJING, CHINA!!

Hello, Everyone!!

It's been a while since I have updated my blog as many of you have been following my Korean Adventure on Facebook. I have been on winter break and spent the last few days in Beijing, China and today had the pleasure of visiting The Great Wall of China! More on that later...

It is hard to believe 2010 has come to a close and it is surreal for me to reflect back over the last year and discover where I was this time last year and where I am just one year later. I must say that for as much as I miss my family and friends back home, I do believe that making the move to Korea was a good one. I'm completely enjoying my time in Korea and would have never imagined I would spend New Years Eve in CHINA and New Years Day hiking the Great Wall!! Really?? Who does that? Oh yeah..I do! ;-)

As far as my travels during my first four months in Korea, I have been to Gyeongju and taken a weekend with the Silla Culture Center to see the Tombs of Kings and Queens as well as learn about the great Silla Dynasty and the history of Korea and Japan. I have participated in a Tea Ceremony, wore traditional clothing, flew a kite, walked a famous pond at night with a lantern, and learned more about Korean culture than I ever even imagined possible. I have seen the mountains of the eastern side of Korea, visited the Grotto and seen the largest Buddha ever, visited several temples and shrines, and even went to a festival at a Buddist temple. I have enjoyed the Hot Springs in Deokgu and jimjibangs in Pohang. I have shopped the markets of Seoul, Deagu, Pohang, and (of course) Uljin. I have made friends from Korea, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and England and discovered English is NOT the same everywhere! :-) I shared Thanksgiving with thoughtful Korean co-workers who realized I was homesick and took me out for a special traditional Korean meal, and spent Christmas with great friends of six countries all in one place enjoying excellent food. I have ridden my scooter north and south two hours each way from Uljin and even got to attend a Korean wedding as the only foreign guest. I have tasted all sorts of food from Korea and many tasty treats from my eclectic international friendship network. I take a belly dancing class twice a week and am trying to do yoga. I have taken a trip to China, seen Harbin preparing for the Ice Festival, shopped and bargained at the Silk Market in Beijing, eaten real Peking Duck (yummy) and tobogganed down the Great Wall of China. Now, on New Years Day 2011, I am sitting in the Happy Dragon Hostel in Beijing, China, tired, my legs are sore, it's colder than I can even imagine, and I'm happy. I'm content, cold, and happy...and I like it. :-)

So, in this New Year, I have a challenge for all of you reading this. Try Something New!! Get out of your comfort zone and just do it! Take that trip you always wanted to take! Go see that famous wonder you have always wanted to see! Taste that food that you are afraid of, but have heard was wonderful. Friends, life is too short to live with regrets. Unfortunately, we all have our regrets, but there is nothing we can do about them. Live for today. Enjoy each moment you have been given on this earth and make the most of your life. Life is too short to be unhappy or stuck in a rut. Some people may think I have totally gone off the reservation by moving to Korea for a year. Maybe I have, but I would not want to change anything about these last four months other than maybe having my boys here to share this experience with me. I have made a lifetime of memories in the last four months and am looking forward to the next eight.

Blessings to you and yours in the New Year! Happy 2011!!!

Surrounded by...Haesindang Park

Well, I have been in Korea for a little over six weeks and it's finally starting to feel like I sort of live here. I am settling into a routine during the week of chatting with family and friends in the morning via Skype, going to work in the afternoon and then relaxing in the evening. Sometimes I take myself out to dinner or meet up with some other expats for the infamous fried chicken and beer. On the weekends, I try to find at least one interesting place to visit or thing to do that is totally Korean. I sometimes just choose a direction and GO! I may have a loose plan, but that usually just involves a general direction. :-) My pink bicycle is great for stuff in town, but my scooter is wonderful for short, little trips just outside of Uljin and even as far as Pohang.

This weekend I am hoping to go to one of the many festivals offered. Last weekend, my friend and I visited Haesindang Park near Samcheok on the East Coast of South Korea, about 30 minutes or so north of Uljin. What is Haesindang Park? Funny you should ask!

Haesindang Park is a famous park noted by locals and rumored by foreigners. See, when a foreigner tells someone from his or her home country what this park is famous for, no one believes us. (I actually sent my parents and a couple of friends to Google before my visit) It's just the way it is. Why? So glad you asked!! It is because the park is full of giant phallic shaped sculptures and statues. Yes, really. If you are on my facebook, you have already been privy to some pics. If not, I will share a few here so you may get the idea.

Why these sculptures, carvings and such? Another good question. According to http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/, the legend is as follows:

Legend of Aebawi and Haesindang – There once lived a young maid who was engaged. One day, the maid took her husband’s boat out to sea to harvest seaweed. Her husband dropped her off at a rock that was at a distance from the beach. After promising to pick her up later, he returned to the beach to do his work. Later, the weather changed, and brought with it strong winds and pummeling waves. The man couldn’t rescue his wife and she ultimately drowned. Since then, the village people caught no fish and some said that it was because of the dead maid. To soothe the spirit of the dead maid, the village people made several wooden carvings and held religious ceremonies on her behalf. After a while, the fish slowly returned and the villagers were able to live comfortably again. The place where the maid died was named Aebawi Rock and the building where the religious ceremony is held twice a year was named Haesindang. The ceremony is still honored today as a traditional folk event.

There is also a version of the legend that speaks of a man relieving himself into the sea and the fish slowly begin to come back after that. There is a statue at the park depicting that act. So, as it goes, it is a legend and though there may be several versions, the main idea is the same.

In addition to the park, there is a museum of folk art and there are many captions in English. It is nice to be able to read about the things in the museum, even if I don't quite understand the logic behind it. :-)


Regardless of how tasteless we as westerners may find this, this place was built to honor and appease the young virgin as the village would not have survived if the fish had not returned. Of course, Asians as well as westerners do find humor in many of the statues and everyone does seem to take a few tasteless pictures (as you can see by the next picture of a group of Asian tourist posing for a group picture), but it is all done in good fun and humor.

Perhaps we could learn something from this. Am I suggesting building a "Penis Park" anywhere in the United States? Uhmm, no. However, I do find it important that we honor and please The One in whom we place our trust no matter what others may think...

Until my next adventure...

My First Month in Korea

Wow! I cannot believe I have been here a month already! I am finally starting to settle into a bit of a routine and am enjoying my new surroundings. Even in the short time I have been here, I have seen so much and tried so many new things. Some of them good...some of them not so good. I completely enjoy my job and look forward to going to work every day. I have made lots of friends, both Korean and Westerners, and have been invited many places. I have learned new words, phrases, and customs. I have been stared at, smiled at, laughed at, and laughed with. I am having the experience of a lifetime here in Korea and for as much as I miss my friends and family in the States, I am completely and fully enjoying my time here.

FOOD

Well, one thing I can tell you is that it is SPICY!! Red pepper chili paste seems to be the main ingredient in every dish. While I'm sure it is not, it sure seems that way! I am starting to get a bit more used to it, but when my lips are burning, I just cannot seem to enjoy the taste of whatever it is I am eating! I did venture a bit and try these little fried fish with a touch of chili past, then wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Not bad. I'm not sure I could eat a whole plate full, but I managed a sample. I also ate a whole crab fresh from the sea last weekend. Well, he was cooked, of course, but I chose him from all the others to be may tasty treat! I did receive a little American treat from one of my co-teachers yesterday. She went to Seoul over the weekend and brought me back Krispy Kreme donuts!! MMMMMmmmm!!!! YUMMY!

PEOPLE

The people here are very kind. I try to speak to them in as much Korean as I know. They are happy to help me say words correctly and will sometimes test their English out on me. I am always quick to compliment an English phrase, especially in my little town. This is a fishing community and most adults do not speak any English at all, especially in the market or in stores. It is much easier to find a Korean that can speak some English in the bigger cities I frequent, like Pohang.

I have also found two universal languages. Food and Music. The Korean people are always eager to share a new dish with me. I have been invited to dinner in tradional restaurants and been given little samples of Korean food from the teachers at my school. I still have not figured out the fascination with little rice cakes, but they are thrilled to share this treat with me. I always graciously accept. The picture here is Purple Sweet Potato Cake. It is sweet and has the consistency of a sponge cake. It was so good! I must say, I was surprised, but quite delighted when I tasted it. I love that my teachers share things with me! :-)

I mentioned that I like to sing, so this has gotten me several invitations to "norebang" which is karaoke. It's kind of fun to sing a song that I know I can do well, then one of my Korean friends will ask me if I know a certain song or artist. When I say that I do, they choose the songs for me to sing. In turn, I ask them to sing a Korean song, which is always lovely. It's funny how music can bring people together even without a common language.

PLACES

Well, I am more mobile these days. Not only did I get my hot pink bike to ride around town, I managed to secure a scooter to venture further past the boundaries that exsist here in Uljin. I love living near the ocean. The smell of the salty air, the cool ocean breeze, and the soothing sound of the waves crashing to the shore is surreal. I spend quite a bit of time just sitting by the water or riding my bike or scooter up and down the coast. By doing so, I manage to find quaint little places to explore and discover things unexpectedly. Saturday I happened upon a squid operation where they were washing, weighing, packaging, and shipping squid. If you are on Facebook, there is a video there. It was fascinating to watch. They moved like a well rehearsed dance in perfect rhythm with the other workers. No one even noticed the presence of an alien lurking nearby with camera and video recorder in hand!

After my squid sighting, I ventured to Deokgu Spa up in the mountains. It was WONDERFUL!! Natural hotsping soaking tubs, Korean bathhouse, and therapeautic whirlpools were all mine for the taking as long as I wanted for only 9000 won. I soaked in lemon bath and a pool infused with jasmine while looking out over the mountains. I massaged my tired feet and shoulders in a pool with jets strategically placed for maximum effect on targeted areas. After I was sufficently clean and massaged, I sat in a massage chair for 1000 won and drank a mango slushy. I will be going back to this place. It was incredible!

I have also visited the city of Yeongcheon for a delightful weekend visiting an Herb Festival and an astronomical observatory, going horseback riding and ATVing, visiting a vineyard and making my own wine, visiting a traditional Korean cooking school and being served a traditional meal (see pic on right), seeing an historic temple, and camping in a beautiful cabin in the middle of the mountains...Korean style, of course. Yes, that means this delightful cabin was sans furniture and we got to sleep on the floor. It did have a GREAT shower, so that was a huge plus! The not-so-huge-plus was having traditional Korean breakfast presented to us on Sunday morning. I'm not sure about you, but I just don't think my stomach can handle kimchi, squid, and crunchy dried fish at 8:00 a.m. Give me a bowl of cereal and some juice! I had a piece of bread and four grapes. mmmm... :-(

SCHOOL

What can I say about teaching English to non-English speakers? Hmmm....honestly, I love it. I enjoy the challenge each day brings. I enjoy the look of pure joy on my student's face when he finally masters the word "werewolf" or "baseball" or "doll". Any words containing an "r" or "l" is difficult for them. It is also challenging to differentiate between a "b", "p", and "v". Another consonant that is difficult is "f". We work very hard on these sounds and I have found my training in vocal production (thank you CCU and Brenda Lang) to be priceless when trying to teach these concepts. They laugh at me when I have them make a "fish face" by poking in their cheeks to force the mouth to only use the tongue to say "doll". Hey, it works! Finally, I can use my expertise in proper vowels and consonants for something other than singing!

My boss is great and very accomodating. He also does not micro-manage me and trusts my teaching ability. I have been able to identify inconsistencies and errors in the textbooks and he makes changes based on my knowledge of the English language. It is really nice to teach in a place where education is so highly valued and teachers are treated with the respect they so desire in the States.

Overall, my experience thus far in Korea has been very, very positive. I am so glad I am not in Seoul or Busan or other big city. Being out in the "country" allows me to breath fresh air, relax, take in the culture and become as much a part of my new community as I can without the distractions of Western niceties. Of course, if I get really restless, there is a bus terminal at the edge of town that will gladly take my won, give me a ticket, and send me anywhere I want to go in this beautiful country. I'm looking forward to many more adventures along the way, including a trip to the DMZ, many more temples, a temple stay, and much, much more. Thanks for joining me on this adventure! Enjoy the ride!