Last night my director, Cate, stopped by to invite me on a picnic today, which I eagerly agreed to. So today she and her husband Mark stopped by just prior to eleven and picked me up. Next we picked up their daughter Rosie, one of my students, and Angie, another of my students. Then we set off for Bulguksa Temple, a gorgeous Buddhist temple located near here.
It was a beautiful drive to Bulguksa, lasting probably close to fifteen minutes. I saw parts of Gyeongju that I had not yet had a chance to see, and of course we passed many of Gyeongju's famous tombs on our way. Once we got there, we had a yummy picnic lunch of homemade kimbap and fresh strawberries. Kimbap, for those unfortunate individuals who haven't heard of it, is rice, vegetables, and crab wrapped in seaweed, and it is totally delicious. (Click here to see what it looks like.)
After lunch, Cate, the girls, and I went to explore the temple. It was stunning, and I am still kicking myself for forgetting my camera. Cate advised me to go back there for Buddha's birthday, so when I do, I'll get pictures. In the meantime, click here to go to a website that tells about it and has a few descent pictures. They really don't do it justice though; the colors of the buildings are so much more vibrant. I, of course, was fascinated with the history of the area as well.
After Bulguksa, we drove high into the mountains, on winding roads that would have paralyzed my grandmother with fear. The views were spectacular, although I would have enjoyed it more if Korean driving didn't make me so nervous (how they avoid accidents is beyond me). Our second temple was Seokgulam Grotto, a Buddhist shrine built in a cave in 751. I believe the cave is also man-made. Click here to go to someone else's website, which has some good pictures. (Note to my non-techno-savvy relatives: If you click once on any of the pictures, they will get bigger and easier for you to look at. The same goes for any pictures posted on my blog.)
All in all, it was a terrific way to spend a day. I got to see some gorgeous places (why the heck did I have to forget my camera?!?!?!), I got to spend time with my very kind director and two of my best students, and I got to eat kimbap. No complaints from me!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Best Laid Plans...
Today I had to go to Daegu to register with the immigration office. On the drive there, weaving through the hazy, blue mountains, I found myself reflecting on the series of events that brought me here.
It's funny: one year ago, I thought for sure 2008 would find me in Kalamazoo, attending Reformed Baptist Church and spending all my free time with Duper and the rest of the gang. Two years ago, I knew for certain that at this time I would be finishing up my master's degree in public history at UNC Wilmington. Five years ago, I thought I would have my bachelor's degree from PCC (not Liberty) and be teaching a history class in a private school in the USA right now. Ten years ago, I was convinced that by age 23, I would be married and have at least one child.
Life is very unpredictable. The very dreams that are built upon one day are ground into sand the next. Ideals are clutched tenderly and moments later discarded like rubbish. The best laid plans are carefully sketched out, and then later completely abandoned. Sometimes, I trade in my plans for something better, and sometimes just for something different. Often after years of dreaming, when the dream finally becomes reality, I find that the dream was better.
It was a very long, very complicated road that brought me here to Korea. I had to make a few U-turns, met a few dead ends, and even took a few detours, but I guess most of it has been worth it. A few of the detours, I could have done without, but all in all, I am at last finding my way. I am very glad that my road has taken me to Korea.
Ever since I was about three years old, and first became aware of other countries, I have dreamed of living abroad. As much as I have always wanted it, however, this was never really a dream I thought would come true. I always imagined this would be my "untold want," such as Whitman wrote of. Asia never even entered my mind until I studied East Asia in my junior year of college. Even then, I was fascinated, but never thought I would actually go there. I didn't really consider Korea seriously until about July of last year, and I kept putting the thought out of my head until November, when it refused to leave my mind and took permanent root. And now, mere months later, here I am. This is my new dream, and for a change, the reality is better.
As we drove back from Daegu, back through through those same enchanting mountains, I could hear familiar song lyrics in my mind:
"Climb ev'ry mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow ev'ry by-way,
Every path you know.
Climb ev'ry mountain,
Ford ev'ry stream,
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dream..."
It's funny: one year ago, I thought for sure 2008 would find me in Kalamazoo, attending Reformed Baptist Church and spending all my free time with Duper and the rest of the gang. Two years ago, I knew for certain that at this time I would be finishing up my master's degree in public history at UNC Wilmington. Five years ago, I thought I would have my bachelor's degree from PCC (not Liberty) and be teaching a history class in a private school in the USA right now. Ten years ago, I was convinced that by age 23, I would be married and have at least one child.
Life is very unpredictable. The very dreams that are built upon one day are ground into sand the next. Ideals are clutched tenderly and moments later discarded like rubbish. The best laid plans are carefully sketched out, and then later completely abandoned. Sometimes, I trade in my plans for something better, and sometimes just for something different. Often after years of dreaming, when the dream finally becomes reality, I find that the dream was better.
It was a very long, very complicated road that brought me here to Korea. I had to make a few U-turns, met a few dead ends, and even took a few detours, but I guess most of it has been worth it. A few of the detours, I could have done without, but all in all, I am at last finding my way. I am very glad that my road has taken me to Korea.
Ever since I was about three years old, and first became aware of other countries, I have dreamed of living abroad. As much as I have always wanted it, however, this was never really a dream I thought would come true. I always imagined this would be my "untold want," such as Whitman wrote of. Asia never even entered my mind until I studied East Asia in my junior year of college. Even then, I was fascinated, but never thought I would actually go there. I didn't really consider Korea seriously until about July of last year, and I kept putting the thought out of my head until November, when it refused to leave my mind and took permanent root. And now, mere months later, here I am. This is my new dream, and for a change, the reality is better.
As we drove back from Daegu, back through through those same enchanting mountains, I could hear familiar song lyrics in my mind:
"Climb ev'ry mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow ev'ry by-way,
Every path you know.
Climb ev'ry mountain,
Ford ev'ry stream,
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dream..."
Thursday, March 6, 2008
"My Bonnie" Has Broken My Body!
Ugg...my legs are so sore today that I am finding it unpleasant to do anything but sit. I played too many active games with my students yesterday, including "My Bonnie" (several times). "My Bonnie" is a great leg workout - you play/sing the song "My Bonnie," having everyone stand or sit whenever there is a word starting with "B" or "O." I had my second kindergarten class and two phonics classes do it, and the kids loved it. Loved it so much, in fact, that they begged to do it multiple times. Thus, my thighs are considering mutiny right now! Living on the fourth floor is not a good thing today!
My kindergartners were monsters today. They had way too much energy, and not much interest in learning, plus I am having a dickens of a time trying to teach the second class the concept of "this" and "that." It got very frustrating for me, especially owing to the language barrier. I managed not to take out my frustration on the kids, which was one small triumph. I'm going to spend a few hours online tonight and see if I can find some better methods for teaching kindy kids.
I had a major triumph yesterday in my last class, which features my most disobedient students. I got them to be almost silent! I also, I believe, have somehow earned their respect, which I suspect is why they listened when I asked them to be quiet. I had a difficult decision to make in the beginning of that class: two students did not do the homework that I assigned, even though it was short and simple. I was faced with the choice of either maintaining discipline or showing mercy. Discipline can earn respect, but sometimes mercy goes farther toward establishing trust and a better relationship. I chose to show mercy, although I explained that both students would be punished the next time. I think I made the right decision.
All in all, I have found so far that I like teaching. I think I'm doing well with most of my classes, but I do feel a bit inept with two of them. I guess I'll just have to sacrifice a bit more of my free time to hunting down new games and new methods. If I am going to be a teacher, then, by golly, I am going to be a good one.
My kindergartners were monsters today. They had way too much energy, and not much interest in learning, plus I am having a dickens of a time trying to teach the second class the concept of "this" and "that." It got very frustrating for me, especially owing to the language barrier. I managed not to take out my frustration on the kids, which was one small triumph. I'm going to spend a few hours online tonight and see if I can find some better methods for teaching kindy kids.
I had a major triumph yesterday in my last class, which features my most disobedient students. I got them to be almost silent! I also, I believe, have somehow earned their respect, which I suspect is why they listened when I asked them to be quiet. I had a difficult decision to make in the beginning of that class: two students did not do the homework that I assigned, even though it was short and simple. I was faced with the choice of either maintaining discipline or showing mercy. Discipline can earn respect, but sometimes mercy goes farther toward establishing trust and a better relationship. I chose to show mercy, although I explained that both students would be punished the next time. I think I made the right decision.
All in all, I have found so far that I like teaching. I think I'm doing well with most of my classes, but I do feel a bit inept with two of them. I guess I'll just have to sacrifice a bit more of my free time to hunting down new games and new methods. If I am going to be a teacher, then, by golly, I am going to be a good one.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
TPR Saved My Life!
TPR (Total Physical Response) is the greatest game ever created for poor, frustrated ESL teachers struggling with kindergartners! I should know. I used that game today with my littlest kids, and it was a resounding success. Not only did they love the game, they also learned a couple of basic commands far faster than they would have in a lesson.
TPR is easy to teach, too, which is necessary with that class. All you have to do is shout out commands, and the kids follow them. For instance, today I had the kids doing "sit down," "stand up," "hello," "open," "close," and "walk." They had so much fun that it never occurred to them that they were actually learning. Tomorrow, I'm going to use TPR again, but with new commands added. I highly recommend this technique to any other ESL teachers.
TPR is easy to teach, too, which is necessary with that class. All you have to do is shout out commands, and the kids follow them. For instance, today I had the kids doing "sit down," "stand up," "hello," "open," "close," and "walk." They had so much fun that it never occurred to them that they were actually learning. Tomorrow, I'm going to use TPR again, but with new commands added. I highly recommend this technique to any other ESL teachers.
On the Street Where I Live
I finally got around to taking some pictures of Gyeongju on my way back from teaching morning classes today. Click here to see the street I live on. I promise I'll try to take some pictures of the downtown and the school soon.
Another Snow Picture
I snapped this picture as I was walking past one of the tombs on my way to school yesterday. That white hill is actually the tomb. Normally the tomb is grass-covered, but the snow made a very pretty change, I thought.We got a bit more snow in the afternoon yesterday. I was right in the middle of listening to a student read aloud from the spell-binding ESL classic "Big Pig's Hip", when my other students began shouting "Teacher, Teacher, look!" I looked up, and saw ginormous snowflakes whizzing down to the ground. It looked almost like a blizzard for a few minutes! By the time I went home (around 8:00 PM), most of the snow had melted, and there is very little of it remaining today. It's so sunny out now that I figure what's left of the snow will be gone by noon or so.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Look What I Saw This Morning!
When I awoke fifteen minutes ago and stumbled out to my refrigerator, the last thing I expected to see was this! All of Gyeongju is blanketed in pristine white. What a surprise! It had actually been getting a bit warmer, and the other teachers were talking of spring yesterday.
I don't think we'll be seeing spring any time soon! And of course, it won't be overly pleasant having to walk to school in this (with even more coming, it looks like). Still, my mind is buzzing with different ways I can use this sudden snowfall in my lessons. I just had a great idea for a game for my second batch of kindy kids.
Monday, March 3, 2008
First Full Day of Teaching - Can I Take a Nap Now?
Wow. I am really tired. As in, I-feel-like-I-just-swam-the-English-Channel tired. It was, shall we say, rather hectic today. I had ten classes to teach, and I had to do the lesson plans as well. Then there were the mistakes that so enrich each new experience...
To start with, my first batch of kindergartners know absolutely no English. Imagine keeping a bunch of three and five year olds entertained for an hour, while actually teaching them something. Now imagine not having the ability to communicate and still having to do all that. Imagine trying to teach them a new game. Imagine trying to read them a story. Yeah, it was difficult to say the least. At least they're well-behaved and quiet.
My next batch of kindy kids are very energetic and have a good grasp of English. Unfortunately, I did not have the right book to teach them with. So, I learned my first lesson in improvisation. I reviewed with them, read a story, sang songs, and oddly enough, they liked it and I held their attention. Whew!
I ran into a problem later when one of my classes had been switched, and Cate forgot to tell me. After a few frantic moments, we got it sorted out. Actually, I'm delighted about the switch because it means I get to teach a terrific class of five little smarties who have an excellent grasp of English. I can carry on good conversations with them, and all of them are very eager to learn more. It is so rewarding to teach kids who want you to teach them.
My only other trouble was actually just the potential for trouble. All of my bad kids are in my last class, so I expected far worse than I got. I was very lucky today and was able to keep them on task, but I certainly felt the tension and worry the whole time. These kids are smart too, but they hide it well sometimes. I want them to learn, so I have to stay even more motivated than them, which I know will prove hard since they lack the eagerness of most of my other classes.
I learned a lot today. I figured out some techniques that work well, and I think I have accurately assessed which students I can depend on to help move the class along and set the right speed. I also learned just how great it feels to get mobbed by a bunch of adoring six-year-olds all trying to hug me at once.
Funny story: I picked up some microwave meals at the store today and decided to try one for lunch. It looked like a tasty chicken and rice dish, which it was. Unfortunately, it was an exceedingly hot tasty chicken and rice dish, so my lips were still tingling almost an hour later! It would really help if I could read Korean.
To start with, my first batch of kindergartners know absolutely no English. Imagine keeping a bunch of three and five year olds entertained for an hour, while actually teaching them something. Now imagine not having the ability to communicate and still having to do all that. Imagine trying to teach them a new game. Imagine trying to read them a story. Yeah, it was difficult to say the least. At least they're well-behaved and quiet.
My next batch of kindy kids are very energetic and have a good grasp of English. Unfortunately, I did not have the right book to teach them with. So, I learned my first lesson in improvisation. I reviewed with them, read a story, sang songs, and oddly enough, they liked it and I held their attention. Whew!
I ran into a problem later when one of my classes had been switched, and Cate forgot to tell me. After a few frantic moments, we got it sorted out. Actually, I'm delighted about the switch because it means I get to teach a terrific class of five little smarties who have an excellent grasp of English. I can carry on good conversations with them, and all of them are very eager to learn more. It is so rewarding to teach kids who want you to teach them.
My only other trouble was actually just the potential for trouble. All of my bad kids are in my last class, so I expected far worse than I got. I was very lucky today and was able to keep them on task, but I certainly felt the tension and worry the whole time. These kids are smart too, but they hide it well sometimes. I want them to learn, so I have to stay even more motivated than them, which I know will prove hard since they lack the eagerness of most of my other classes.
I learned a lot today. I figured out some techniques that work well, and I think I have accurately assessed which students I can depend on to help move the class along and set the right speed. I also learned just how great it feels to get mobbed by a bunch of adoring six-year-olds all trying to hug me at once.
Funny story: I picked up some microwave meals at the store today and decided to try one for lunch. It looked like a tasty chicken and rice dish, which it was. Unfortunately, it was an exceedingly hot tasty chicken and rice dish, so my lips were still tingling almost an hour later! It would really help if I could read Korean.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Pictures of My Apartment
I finally got unpacked, and I took a whole bunch of pictures of the new place. Click here to see what my apartment looks like.
As I said before, it is much bigger and nicer than I had expected. I tried to get a few shots of the ceiling, because it is really neat to look at, but I couldn't get it all in one shot. I did take one close-up of the neat ceiling lamp. I also took a few shots of the great view from my place. I love being able to look out the window and see a mountain.
I get quite a few channels on my TV, most of them in Korean. I do get CNN, which is nice if I want the news in the USA. It's kind of fun watching Korean shows, too. Koreans are so expressive when they talk, that often I can figure out what they're saying without having any idea what the words they're using mean.
As I said before, it is much bigger and nicer than I had expected. I tried to get a few shots of the ceiling, because it is really neat to look at, but I couldn't get it all in one shot. I did take one close-up of the neat ceiling lamp. I also took a few shots of the great view from my place. I love being able to look out the window and see a mountain.
I get quite a few channels on my TV, most of them in Korean. I do get CNN, which is nice if I want the news in the USA. It's kind of fun watching Korean shows, too. Koreans are so expressive when they talk, that often I can figure out what they're saying without having any idea what the words they're using mean.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
A Trip to Daegu or Korean Charades
On Thursday morning, I had to go to Daegu to get a medical exam, as part of the new requirements for foreign teachers. It turned out to be a thoroughly amusing venture that would have made a great comedic play.
Cast:
1. Stephanie - A young English-speaking foreign teacher, who speaks no Korean
2. Mark - The director's husband, a Korean-speaker who speaks no English
3. Several Korean-speaking doctors and nurses, who speak no English
4. Cate - A cheerful director of a small school, who speaks both Korean and English
Setting:
South Korea - A hospital in Daegu, a bus, and a small school in Gyeongju
Scene One:
After a one-hour bus ride and a short, harrowing taxi ride, Stephanie and Mark arrive at the hospital. Stephanie is slightly nervous, but hides it well (she hopes). Mark motions for her to sit, while he talks to one of the receptionists. After getting in two wrong lines, he finds the right one and gets the necessary paperwork. He motions for Stephanie to join him. Using the best hand signals and gestures, he communicates to her what she must fill out (name, birth date, passport number). Then there comes a checklist, which he boldly attempts to fill out on his own. On one question, he glances at Stephanie and bursts out laughing. Stephanie realizes that Mark is probably answering some very personal questions about her, and restrains a giggle (stay tuned to find out what the question was).
Scene Two:
In an examination room, using only hand gestures and Korean phrases that Stephanie does not understand, a nurse manages to test Stephanie's vision and hearing, takes her blood pressure, weighs her, and measures her height. For reasons known only to the nurse, she also decides to measure Stephanie's bust (which both puzzles and amuses Stephanie). The first examination is now complete.
Scene Three:
Stephanie is led by Mark into another room for a chest X-ray (people certainly seem interested in her chest today). A doctor says something to her in Korean, which she responds to with a blank look. The doctor motions to Mark, whose face takes on a classic deer-in-headlights expression. Mark looks frantically at the only woman in the room (besides Stephanie), who takes Stephanie behind a curtain and pantomimes removing her shirt. Stephanie nods in understanding, but has one important question. Using a very creative form of charades, she is able to communicate the word "bra" to the nurse. The nurse nods, and Stephanie's question is answered. The X-ray is taken successfully.
Scene Four:
In yet another examining room, yet another doctor uses more charades to explain to Stephanie what he wants her to do with an empty cup. Later, he draws some of her blood, but neglects to give her a band-aid.
Scene Five:
On the bus back to Gyeongju, Stephanie discovers blood dripping down her arm and hurriedly shoves a tissue up her sleeve.
Scene Six: (several hours later)
In a small school in Gyeongju, just before the last class of the day, Stephanie is startled by the realization that something is up the sleeve of her sweater. Expecting a spider or something equally hideous, she is relieved to discover a very bloody tissue.
Scene Seven:
Stephanie, Mark, and Cate gather around a table in the office of the school to have their dinner, which has just been delivered via motorcycle. While they happily munch the tasty Chinese noodles, Mark relates (in Korean) the events of the day to Cate. Suddenly Cate explodes into laughter, nearly choking on her food. When she recovers, she reveals to Stephanie what the question on the checklist (that Mark had to answer on his own about Stephanie) asked: "How many times have you had sex in the past month?" The scene fades out as Stephanie nearly dies laughing.
Cast:
1. Stephanie - A young English-speaking foreign teacher, who speaks no Korean
2. Mark - The director's husband, a Korean-speaker who speaks no English
3. Several Korean-speaking doctors and nurses, who speak no English
4. Cate - A cheerful director of a small school, who speaks both Korean and English
Setting:
South Korea - A hospital in Daegu, a bus, and a small school in Gyeongju
Scene One:
After a one-hour bus ride and a short, harrowing taxi ride, Stephanie and Mark arrive at the hospital. Stephanie is slightly nervous, but hides it well (she hopes). Mark motions for her to sit, while he talks to one of the receptionists. After getting in two wrong lines, he finds the right one and gets the necessary paperwork. He motions for Stephanie to join him. Using the best hand signals and gestures, he communicates to her what she must fill out (name, birth date, passport number). Then there comes a checklist, which he boldly attempts to fill out on his own. On one question, he glances at Stephanie and bursts out laughing. Stephanie realizes that Mark is probably answering some very personal questions about her, and restrains a giggle (stay tuned to find out what the question was).
Scene Two:
In an examination room, using only hand gestures and Korean phrases that Stephanie does not understand, a nurse manages to test Stephanie's vision and hearing, takes her blood pressure, weighs her, and measures her height. For reasons known only to the nurse, she also decides to measure Stephanie's bust (which both puzzles and amuses Stephanie). The first examination is now complete.
Scene Three:
Stephanie is led by Mark into another room for a chest X-ray (people certainly seem interested in her chest today). A doctor says something to her in Korean, which she responds to with a blank look. The doctor motions to Mark, whose face takes on a classic deer-in-headlights expression. Mark looks frantically at the only woman in the room (besides Stephanie), who takes Stephanie behind a curtain and pantomimes removing her shirt. Stephanie nods in understanding, but has one important question. Using a very creative form of charades, she is able to communicate the word "bra" to the nurse. The nurse nods, and Stephanie's question is answered. The X-ray is taken successfully.
Scene Four:
In yet another examining room, yet another doctor uses more charades to explain to Stephanie what he wants her to do with an empty cup. Later, he draws some of her blood, but neglects to give her a band-aid.
Scene Five:
On the bus back to Gyeongju, Stephanie discovers blood dripping down her arm and hurriedly shoves a tissue up her sleeve.
Scene Six: (several hours later)
In a small school in Gyeongju, just before the last class of the day, Stephanie is startled by the realization that something is up the sleeve of her sweater. Expecting a spider or something equally hideous, she is relieved to discover a very bloody tissue.
Scene Seven:
Stephanie, Mark, and Cate gather around a table in the office of the school to have their dinner, which has just been delivered via motorcycle. While they happily munch the tasty Chinese noodles, Mark relates (in Korean) the events of the day to Cate. Suddenly Cate explodes into laughter, nearly choking on her food. When she recovers, she reveals to Stephanie what the question on the checklist (that Mark had to answer on his own about Stephanie) asked: "How many times have you had sex in the past month?" The scene fades out as Stephanie nearly dies laughing.
My New Digs
I just got moved in to my apartment today, so at last I have my own internet connection and can post at more convenient times, without adorable little Korean children interupting (although the interuptions are usually cute).
I like my place. No boring white walls, the ceiling is pretty cool, and I have a lot more space than I expected. I love how I keep getting surprised by things being better than I thought they'd be. Take my director for instance: I knew she seemed nice in her e-mails, but I had no idea what a sweet, caring, considerate, and fun person I would be working for. I just think the world of her! And the other teachers all turned out to be so much warmer and friendlier than I thought they would be. I wasn't expecting coldness, by any means, but I thought it would take more effort from me to make friends here. I love happy surprises!
I haven't had half the problems I thought I would run across here. The food, which I thought would pose problems, has been almost entirely delicious. I haven't dealt with loneliness because other people have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and have looked after me. I haven't gotten sick from all the changes; in fact, I feel better than I've felt in over a month! The jet lag I expected never really happened. I just slept in my first day and went to bed early that night, and I've felt fine every since. No hint of exhaustion. Even teaching my first class wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I wound up having a great time with the kids. I'm still expecting to be homesick in a few weeks, but maybe I'll get a happy surprise there, too.
Coming here is shaping up to be one of the smartest decisions I have ever made. I feel so grateful for how wonderful it has been so far, and for the great experiences I'm going to have.
I like my place. No boring white walls, the ceiling is pretty cool, and I have a lot more space than I expected. I love how I keep getting surprised by things being better than I thought they'd be. Take my director for instance: I knew she seemed nice in her e-mails, but I had no idea what a sweet, caring, considerate, and fun person I would be working for. I just think the world of her! And the other teachers all turned out to be so much warmer and friendlier than I thought they would be. I wasn't expecting coldness, by any means, but I thought it would take more effort from me to make friends here. I love happy surprises!
I haven't had half the problems I thought I would run across here. The food, which I thought would pose problems, has been almost entirely delicious. I haven't dealt with loneliness because other people have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and have looked after me. I haven't gotten sick from all the changes; in fact, I feel better than I've felt in over a month! The jet lag I expected never really happened. I just slept in my first day and went to bed early that night, and I've felt fine every since. No hint of exhaustion. Even teaching my first class wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I wound up having a great time with the kids. I'm still expecting to be homesick in a few weeks, but maybe I'll get a happy surprise there, too.
Coming here is shaping up to be one of the smartest decisions I have ever made. I feel so grateful for how wonderful it has been so far, and for the great experiences I'm going to have.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Another Post about the Food
Sorry, but I have to rhapsodize some more. Mealtimes have become my favorite part of each day. Each one brings new gustatory delights that I have never come across before in my life.
Yesterday night my director took me to a restaurant for pork. I like pork sometimes in the States, but this pork had my mouth watering. It was cooked over hot coals in the middle of our table, then dipped in the yummiest sweet and sour sauce ever. Not the nasty sugary thick red glop in cheap Chinese buffets in the USA, either. This sauce was thin, brown, and had a much more vivid flavor, with just a touch of vinegar to it. There was also a rice soup and a spicy soup made from soybeans, tofu, and veggies. Everything was to my liking.
For breakfast today I tried a rice porridge and roasted seaweed. Still not sure I'm a big fan of seaweed, but I think I may be able to get used to it.
For lunch today I had the best thing yet: dumplings. These were the fattest, fullest ones I have ever seen, jam-packed with flavorful fillings. Mmmmm....so good! With that I had a seaweed and noodle soup, which was okay, and my first taste of gimchi. The gimchi was...interesting. I didn't hate it, as I had expected to, but I'm not really sure if I liked it either. It was very spicy, and the texture was a bit odd. I think I'll have to eat it a few more times before I can make up my mind about it.
On of the classes got a snack party today as a reward for doing well on their test, so I had the opportunity to sample some more Korean snacks. The spicy rice cakes were pretty good, as were some odd chip-like thingies. The candy was splendid. There was one thing that I ate though, that is still making me cringe. My mother will probably never believe that I let people talk me into trying it. It was (drumroll please)...pork blood and rice. Uhhh. It was congealed, I guess, so there was nothing liquid about it. It was rubbery, and very hard for me to swallow. It was even harder to keep down. My stomach is still not terribly thrilled over it. So yes, not all Korean food is awesome. But the vast majority is.
Yesterday night my director took me to a restaurant for pork. I like pork sometimes in the States, but this pork had my mouth watering. It was cooked over hot coals in the middle of our table, then dipped in the yummiest sweet and sour sauce ever. Not the nasty sugary thick red glop in cheap Chinese buffets in the USA, either. This sauce was thin, brown, and had a much more vivid flavor, with just a touch of vinegar to it. There was also a rice soup and a spicy soup made from soybeans, tofu, and veggies. Everything was to my liking.
For breakfast today I tried a rice porridge and roasted seaweed. Still not sure I'm a big fan of seaweed, but I think I may be able to get used to it.
For lunch today I had the best thing yet: dumplings. These were the fattest, fullest ones I have ever seen, jam-packed with flavorful fillings. Mmmmm....so good! With that I had a seaweed and noodle soup, which was okay, and my first taste of gimchi. The gimchi was...interesting. I didn't hate it, as I had expected to, but I'm not really sure if I liked it either. It was very spicy, and the texture was a bit odd. I think I'll have to eat it a few more times before I can make up my mind about it.
On of the classes got a snack party today as a reward for doing well on their test, so I had the opportunity to sample some more Korean snacks. The spicy rice cakes were pretty good, as were some odd chip-like thingies. The candy was splendid. There was one thing that I ate though, that is still making me cringe. My mother will probably never believe that I let people talk me into trying it. It was (drumroll please)...pork blood and rice. Uhhh. It was congealed, I guess, so there was nothing liquid about it. It was rubbery, and very hard for me to swallow. It was even harder to keep down. My stomach is still not terribly thrilled over it. So yes, not all Korean food is awesome. But the vast majority is.
Old Meets New
I think one of the things that amazes me most about Korea so far is how they are very old-fashioned in some respects, and then very advanced in others. For example, in a class discussion today, every one of the kindergarteners had a computer in their home, but two of them have families that still sleep on the floor, as opposed to having beds. The lack of beds is not a matter of wealth or poverty; some Koreans just choose not to "upgrade" from floor to bed. They have heated floors that are very clean, so I guess sleeping there probably isn't too bad, but it still is a bit mind-boggling for a Westerner.
In another instance, Koreans still use about 1,000 Chinese characters, even though they have their own excellent alphabet (Hangol) and many use English letters now. I think it's fascinating how they can cling to both old and new, and do so well with both.
Many Americans (including several that I know personally) have a faulty view of Koreans, seeing them as backward and third-world people. I guess it's because they look different from us. In actuality, these are very intelligent, capable people who could kick American butts in IQ tests! I met a kindergartener today who is smarter than the average American fourth or fifth grader. She's not an under-socialized little misfit either; she's a friendly, loveable little girl who gets along well with others.
I am learning so much already, and I haven't even been here a week. Korea is amazing!
In another instance, Koreans still use about 1,000 Chinese characters, even though they have their own excellent alphabet (Hangol) and many use English letters now. I think it's fascinating how they can cling to both old and new, and do so well with both.
Many Americans (including several that I know personally) have a faulty view of Koreans, seeing them as backward and third-world people. I guess it's because they look different from us. In actuality, these are very intelligent, capable people who could kick American butts in IQ tests! I met a kindergartener today who is smarter than the average American fourth or fifth grader. She's not an under-socialized little misfit either; she's a friendly, loveable little girl who gets along well with others.
I am learning so much already, and I haven't even been here a week. Korea is amazing!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Korean Kids Feed Me Well
The kids here at English World are so cute and sweet. They really love feeding us teachers! Yesterday they gave me gum, and today I've been given oreos, yummy Korean peanut candy, and even yummier Korean cookies. These kids are absolute dolls!
This is day two (well, full day two) in Korea and I really like it. Gyeongju is a very neat city, the food is awesome, and the other teachers are all very friendly and easy to get along with. The students keep me in stitches. They all keep staring at me and giggling because I'm a foreigner. They are simply fascinated by the Miguki (American) teacher!
I really can't get over how good the food is. I never thought I would willingly eat anything that involved eggs and seaweed together, but it was yummy! The soup I had for lunch today was a very spicy version of Ramen noodles that included seaweed and egg, and it was great. Not only did it taste good, it also completely cleared my sinuses! Bonus! I also got to try a sushi made with seaweed, veggies, rice, and whitefish, which, much to my surprise, was also delicious. And as for radish pickles, where have they been all my life?! I am going to miss this food so much when I go home in a year!
This is day two (well, full day two) in Korea and I really like it. Gyeongju is a very neat city, the food is awesome, and the other teachers are all very friendly and easy to get along with. The students keep me in stitches. They all keep staring at me and giggling because I'm a foreigner. They are simply fascinated by the Miguki (American) teacher!
I really can't get over how good the food is. I never thought I would willingly eat anything that involved eggs and seaweed together, but it was yummy! The soup I had for lunch today was a very spicy version of Ramen noodles that included seaweed and egg, and it was great. Not only did it taste good, it also completely cleared my sinuses! Bonus! I also got to try a sushi made with seaweed, veggies, rice, and whitefish, which, much to my surprise, was also delicious. And as for radish pickles, where have they been all my life?! I am going to miss this food so much when I go home in a year!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Times and Dates
Just in case anyone was wondering, I just reset my time and date on the blog to reflect South Korea's time zone. It wound up changing the date and time on all my past entries. For those I left behind in Michigan, you are fourteen hours behind me, in case you were curious.
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