The two week silence isn't because life has been boring - the complete opposite. I've had so much to write about that I have been so intimidated by the ideas that I've avoided this thing. That and the combination of last week's complete despondency (which was not helped by actions this weekend...oops).
Weekend of the 13th involved The Beck!!! As Japan is quite close to Korea, she was able to jet over on her vacation and spend some quality time in the Land of the Morning Calm. Beck brought me Japanese candy (half of which we ate and the other half was left....somewhere) and introduced me to Tim. We went to norebang (we're going to ignore the spelling in the last entry) and I felt quite intimidated with them - I am tone deaf like a seal, and they are both champions. Despite that, I somehow managed "Phantom of the Opera" (which was chosen because our microphones had so much echo and it seemed the only fitting song) and "Lady Marmalade" (Tim..such a champion).
That night, we went to this all you can eat galbi place. Just 8000 KRW - only in Korea. Not sure how much I ate, but it was probably too much. This was also the night that Audrey learned about the dangers of soju. First, it's a good thing that stuff gets to you so quickly because it tastes like rubbing alcohol. With the terrible overblown sense of confidence that comes in these situations, I decided it would be a great idea to turn to the table full of Korean guys behind us and ask if they spoke English. I'm not entirely sure what I said - but thank goodness our table involved a few native Koreans who could translate whatever it was that I said. Turns out the guys were in university studying medicine and law, and did speak English (which seems to be a pre-requisite here if you want to get into a decent school).
A few quotes from Beck's visit:
Rebecca, to Chae when he wouldn't drink, "Excuse me, are you a North Korean? Are you a communist?" Chae gave in to the peer pressure - that's apparently the line that works here =p
Me, on seeing a man walking a gigantic dog and watching girls jump away from it, "Everyone is scared of his dog."
Rebecca's response, "They're scared because they're looking at it thinking, 'I can't eat all that!'"
The following week brought our new director and a few new rules. Normally at Chungdahm, we write comments/evaluations of students three times a term. Our new director decided that we would have to write them daily - an idea, to her, that would improve our connection to the students. I think this may have been poorly translated - it doesn't improve *our* connection to them, but does let other staff know what's going on with the students. This is a good idea in theory, but it creates so much work for everyone that they just don't have time to care about the implications behind what we wrote. The new rule isn't that bad in itself, but it did kind of create this idea of "Is this just the start?"
March 20th became the day of Laura! The fourth member of our Facebook email exchange finally made it to Korea - however, based on her status updates, she didn't have nearly the hard time with training as we did. I think it's become the thing to take the new recruits to Dr. Fish (although, now that Laura is here, I have a feeling that we're done with the new recruits in our group). Laura took the unique pedicure like a champ, but her roommate, Kira, was even more squeamish than Christi. So glad I survived with my fingers intact - not sure I could translate what happened to a Korea doctor. Later that night, thanks to Anna, we discovered strawberry makgeolli, which is a much nicer substitute for soju. We then headed in search of a place in Gangnam that didn't have an insane cover and had *something* going on (yes, I know we should've headed to Hongdae, but we didn't want to lead the girls too far from the Coatel....plus, by this time, I still was under the delusion that I would actually make the last train to Jukjeon). We found this bar with loud music and four bartenders who were too busy blowing fireballs onto the ceiling to take our orders all the time.
Around 3:30, we decided it was time to leave, but were stopped by two of the bartenders who decided they wanted to go clubbing with us when they got off at 4. Several of their friends joined us - by 4:15, we were standing in the subzero weather waiting for people to withdraw money from the ATM, and by 4:30, we were in this sardine-mob of a coat-check line. As soon as we were free of that, the guys totally ditched us at the club. Lesson learned. Not too put out, though - the club was awful! I can't stand that techno/house stuff that is the same thing over and over - it was like 90 mins of Sandstorm.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Koreans and Disabilities
There's a guy in Suji with Cerebral Palsy. I've held the door open for him a few times coming in and out of the bank - every time I do, I get either glared at or stared at in confusion (Sean, if you read this - there's another stare/glare example..). Last night, when we got our freak March snowstorm (if it's not unusual to get snow in March, please don't tell me), we were at a pizza place commiserating over the latest (for another post), and he walked by. He slipped several times on the frozen sidewalk, to which the other patrons (high schoolers) responded by laughing. Now, I know that's a typical teenager response, but I feel that American high schoolers at least have that "accept differences" idea engrained in them so hard that the laughter wouldn't have been so open.
My Alba+ reading students (whom I love dearly) talked to me the other night about the Korean perspectives on disabilities. I forget how we started discussing the subject, but one (quite outspoken) student informed me that having a mentally disabled person in your home lowers the value of your house in Korea. This is so opposite of American viewpoints, in which we have pushed tolerance and acceptance to the top tier. In the American classroom, any time a kid might have the slightest difficulty keeping up, we storm in with our tests and our IEP's, whereas here the parents shame their kids into working harder so that they can stay on track. I had to explain to them the concept of a learning disability, and their reaction was to laugh. I'm conflicted over this - on one had, I think that we tend to misdiagnose in America because labeling a kid as dyslexic is much easier than working harder as a teacher, but on the other, I taught kids who had legitimate reading disabilities and were not dumb by any means.
Tomorrow, the same kids will be in listening where we'll talk about Bipolar disorder. I know how Koreans view mental and physical disabilities...it'll be interesting to see how they view emotional instabilities..
My Alba+ reading students (whom I love dearly) talked to me the other night about the Korean perspectives on disabilities. I forget how we started discussing the subject, but one (quite outspoken) student informed me that having a mentally disabled person in your home lowers the value of your house in Korea. This is so opposite of American viewpoints, in which we have pushed tolerance and acceptance to the top tier. In the American classroom, any time a kid might have the slightest difficulty keeping up, we storm in with our tests and our IEP's, whereas here the parents shame their kids into working harder so that they can stay on track. I had to explain to them the concept of a learning disability, and their reaction was to laugh. I'm conflicted over this - on one had, I think that we tend to misdiagnose in America because labeling a kid as dyslexic is much easier than working harder as a teacher, but on the other, I taught kids who had legitimate reading disabilities and were not dumb by any means.
Tomorrow, the same kids will be in listening where we'll talk about Bipolar disorder. I know how Koreans view mental and physical disabilities...it'll be interesting to see how they view emotional instabilities..
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Ain't No Lie, Baby....
In high school, our "graduation song" was the "Sunscreen Speech" (also called "Advice, Like Youth, is Wasted on the Young") set to background music. Later, the song was mocked by Chris Rock in a sketch called "There's No Sex in the Champagne Room" - both very sound pieces of advice. Since hearing both, I've been searching for my own piece of advice that I was 100% sure would always be effective and help out a large chunk of the population. Well, I found it...
Noriban is not a cure for laryngitis.
For those unfamiliar (i.e., my family at home - hi!!!), noriban is the Korean version of karaoke. Instead of singing in front of a large crowd, you and your friends rent this little room (not soundproof, of course - this is Korea, after all), and have at your disposal every pop song ever created in the American and Korean cultures (I'm sure there's also some J-Pop in there - I didn't get a chance to really look through the book). I like it better than our perception of karaoke because there's no crowd involved. Yes, I know that I <3 attention, but not when singing is involved.
Before noriban, I thought that "I Believe I can Fly" was a syrupy sweet song that was too cavity-threatening to make it even onto my iTunes list (and for everyone who's seen that thing, you know that there's too much Miley and High School Musical for me to deny my love for pop). Tony, however, corrected that misbelief. Just like "Boyz in the Hood" can be turned into a soft alternative song, "I Believe I can Fly" can become a rough, screaming jam.
Also, before noriban, I thought that I was _not_ a fan of Lady Gaga. I was also terribly wrong on that one, too. I also didn't know that I knew all of the lyrics to "Poker Face" (I was just as surprised as everyone else reading this..).
After our assigned hour and a half, I had hopes of surviving the night with my vocal cords still intact....but then I guess the owner decided that he really liked us (the "half" previously mentioned was free), and gave us another free twenty minutes. Instead of being a good, logical person and thinking, "Okay, save the voice...need to be able to talk next week", my fun side kicked in and went, "Heck yes all of us singing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' at the top of our lungs is a fantastic idea!!!" Probably still could've made it had we not also decided to do some Jimmy Eat World, No Doubt, Boyz II Men (don't ask - I never question the genius that is Jennifer..), and finished it all off with N'Sync's "Bye Bye Bye" (I will admit to knowing all of the lyrics to that song).
For those who have heard the story, we saw the Scottish guy!! He was not at noriban, nor at Underground - he was with this elusive girlfriend that one of you mentioned and very not all-in-our-faces. Fortunately, Jen and I are such fantastic actors that Josh and Tony now understand exactly what our last encounter was like. I have more evidence supporting the theory that he lives in my building: he and his girlfriend walked up there (which caused me to run back to Jen and Kevin because although he's probably not that creeper of a guy, I'm having a hard time getting past that first awful impression).
But since I did reference that awesome Chicago Trib article about the advice that I'm not all that qualified to give but am anyway (you know that whole month of experience really speaks volumes =p), here it goes..
Eat the kimchi. Okay, maybe it won't cure AIDS or male pattern baldness, but it's some good stuff. Eat the radishes, too. If your braver friends order intestines, take a bite - you don't have to join them in finishing all of it, but you look like less of a hoser American if you at least try some.
Learn hangul. Knowing what your'e ordering in restaurants is much easier.
Listen to what your friends say about Korean fashion advice, but pack your suitcase with *your* clothes. Seoul women do walk around like they're on a runway, but they won't deny your ARC if you show up in flare jeans or opt out of purchasing Uggs. Actually, if you do stray from the Ugg trend, drop me a line - I'm trying to start a non-ugly boot group.
Stay away from buildings with barber poles.
Embrace the cuteness. Just because Americans feel like everything has to Be Serious doesn't mean it always has to be in other parts of the world. Police officers who come out of a building with a cartoon on the front are just as respectable as the ones who come out of the white institutional buildings. Also, since we have to listen to PSA's, why not make them animated? This also applies when you purchase your first cell phone.
Learn how to use metal chopsticks. Don't feel like a failure when you're told that it's okay to eat your rice with a spoon. I'm still working on that one.
Don't eat alone. Meals are a community event and everything is set up to make it about sharing. It's so freaking cheap here that you don't really have an excuse, either.
Children will stare. Old people will glare. Smile at both.
"Thank you" is pronounced "kahm-sahm-nee-daa". Be sure to bow a lot, too. Even if you make the worst cultural mishaps (like throwing your trash away completely incorrectly right in front of the garbage men), bowing makes everything better.
You may already know some of these. Others just may not work for you. But I'm serious about the laryngitis and noriban - not a good idea. I'm sure my nurse practitioner mom agrees..
Noriban is not a cure for laryngitis.
For those unfamiliar (i.e., my family at home - hi!!!), noriban is the Korean version of karaoke. Instead of singing in front of a large crowd, you and your friends rent this little room (not soundproof, of course - this is Korea, after all), and have at your disposal every pop song ever created in the American and Korean cultures (I'm sure there's also some J-Pop in there - I didn't get a chance to really look through the book). I like it better than our perception of karaoke because there's no crowd involved. Yes, I know that I <3 attention, but not when singing is involved.
Before noriban, I thought that "I Believe I can Fly" was a syrupy sweet song that was too cavity-threatening to make it even onto my iTunes list (and for everyone who's seen that thing, you know that there's too much Miley and High School Musical for me to deny my love for pop). Tony, however, corrected that misbelief. Just like "Boyz in the Hood" can be turned into a soft alternative song, "I Believe I can Fly" can become a rough, screaming jam.
Also, before noriban, I thought that I was _not_ a fan of Lady Gaga. I was also terribly wrong on that one, too. I also didn't know that I knew all of the lyrics to "Poker Face" (I was just as surprised as everyone else reading this..).
After our assigned hour and a half, I had hopes of surviving the night with my vocal cords still intact....but then I guess the owner decided that he really liked us (the "half" previously mentioned was free), and gave us another free twenty minutes. Instead of being a good, logical person and thinking, "Okay, save the voice...need to be able to talk next week", my fun side kicked in and went, "Heck yes all of us singing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' at the top of our lungs is a fantastic idea!!!" Probably still could've made it had we not also decided to do some Jimmy Eat World, No Doubt, Boyz II Men (don't ask - I never question the genius that is Jennifer..), and finished it all off with N'Sync's "Bye Bye Bye" (I will admit to knowing all of the lyrics to that song).
For those who have heard the story, we saw the Scottish guy!! He was not at noriban, nor at Underground - he was with this elusive girlfriend that one of you mentioned and very not all-in-our-faces. Fortunately, Jen and I are such fantastic actors that Josh and Tony now understand exactly what our last encounter was like. I have more evidence supporting the theory that he lives in my building: he and his girlfriend walked up there (which caused me to run back to Jen and Kevin because although he's probably not that creeper of a guy, I'm having a hard time getting past that first awful impression).
But since I did reference that awesome Chicago Trib article about the advice that I'm not all that qualified to give but am anyway (you know that whole month of experience really speaks volumes =p), here it goes..
Eat the kimchi. Okay, maybe it won't cure AIDS or male pattern baldness, but it's some good stuff. Eat the radishes, too. If your braver friends order intestines, take a bite - you don't have to join them in finishing all of it, but you look like less of a hoser American if you at least try some.
Learn hangul. Knowing what your'e ordering in restaurants is much easier.
Listen to what your friends say about Korean fashion advice, but pack your suitcase with *your* clothes. Seoul women do walk around like they're on a runway, but they won't deny your ARC if you show up in flare jeans or opt out of purchasing Uggs. Actually, if you do stray from the Ugg trend, drop me a line - I'm trying to start a non-ugly boot group.
Stay away from buildings with barber poles.
Embrace the cuteness. Just because Americans feel like everything has to Be Serious doesn't mean it always has to be in other parts of the world. Police officers who come out of a building with a cartoon on the front are just as respectable as the ones who come out of the white institutional buildings. Also, since we have to listen to PSA's, why not make them animated? This also applies when you purchase your first cell phone.
Learn how to use metal chopsticks. Don't feel like a failure when you're told that it's okay to eat your rice with a spoon. I'm still working on that one.
Don't eat alone. Meals are a community event and everything is set up to make it about sharing. It's so freaking cheap here that you don't really have an excuse, either.
Children will stare. Old people will glare. Smile at both.
"Thank you" is pronounced "kahm-sahm-nee-daa". Be sure to bow a lot, too. Even if you make the worst cultural mishaps (like throwing your trash away completely incorrectly right in front of the garbage men), bowing makes everything better.
You may already know some of these. Others just may not work for you. But I'm serious about the laryngitis and noriban - not a good idea. I'm sure my nurse practitioner mom agrees..
Monday, March 1, 2010
I'm Surrounded by Self Confidence..
I love how Korean kids shout "Genius!!" when they get something right. I wish that were popular in America. Actually, I wish this whole desire to do well in school were popular there. When did we start heading down the bad path? I blame the invention of MP3 players. And better television. And the Internet. Definitely the Internet..
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