Obviously I've been home for a while now, but I wanted to leave these entries up for anyone who hasn't gotten to read them yet. There are a few pages, and the entries go backwards from the most recent.
All my pictures are now loaded here: http://kellylmeyer.shutterfly.com/
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Shiny things
I just received quite the surprise. Yesterday I had said goodbye to my students and was very sad to see them go. They had to move out of their dormitory that afternoon, so they were heading back to their hometowns. They all say, “I am missing you.” The female students especially, even the ones I only had for one week of class during the four weeks, make sad faces and crying motions, saying, “I am so sad.” As long as we have talked about when I would be leaving, we have been making these pretend sad faces, but yesterday I was definitely tearing up for real.
Back to the surprise. I am having a lazy day today, cleaning and packing halfheartedly. It is a little after 2:00 (Saturday) and I have just finished showering and getting dressed. I hear a knock at my door, even though our dorm is deserted (the other two students from MSU are at the beach in Pohang today). It is one of my female students from the beginning English class. Her hometown is Ulsan, which is not a short trip away, and she took the bus back here to Hayang today to bring me a present before I leave. She didn’t even know which room I was in, so she was knocking on every door in this hallway until she finally came to mine.
She made me what is now the most beautiful pair of earrings I own. She enclosed a very thoughtful (and long) note in English. She says, in part, “This earring is alike your eyes (color),” and “Your smile sound is so attractive.” This was a hot, hot, long trip for her. I had to fight back crying because I didn’t want her to think something was wrong, but this was such a wonderful thing to end my time here. She could only stay about 10 minutes before having to leave to catch the bus back home. Of course now I might be crying.
Back to the surprise. I am having a lazy day today, cleaning and packing halfheartedly. It is a little after 2:00 (Saturday) and I have just finished showering and getting dressed. I hear a knock at my door, even though our dorm is deserted (the other two students from MSU are at the beach in Pohang today). It is one of my female students from the beginning English class. Her hometown is Ulsan, which is not a short trip away, and she took the bus back here to Hayang today to bring me a present before I leave. She didn’t even know which room I was in, so she was knocking on every door in this hallway until she finally came to mine.
She made me what is now the most beautiful pair of earrings I own. She enclosed a very thoughtful (and long) note in English. She says, in part, “This earring is alike your eyes (color),” and “Your smile sound is so attractive.” This was a hot, hot, long trip for her. I had to fight back crying because I didn’t want her to think something was wrong, but this was such a wonderful thing to end my time here. She could only stay about 10 minutes before having to leave to catch the bus back home. Of course now I might be crying.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Messages from students
Today was our last day of class for the summer English program. We have a closing ceremony in about an hour (like the Olympics?) but I wanted to post these messages first that my students asked to write for my blog. Don't worry if you can't read the last one. She wanted to post a message in Korean. I think it basically says what the other messages say.To; Kelly parents and freands
Hi~ My name is Cha Won Tae.
I’m from Busan in South korea.
I’m a Kelly English class student.
Kelly is very very kindly teacher.
We are got a lot of knowledge thing.
I’m very appreciative my teacher.
I rememver my teacher Kelly.
I’m missing her.
Thank you.
From; Korean student cha won tae
To; Kelly’s papa&mama
Hello…^^ my name is Kim Soo Un…. Nick name is lion…
I learned to Kelly lots of thins during this summer… Korea is summer now.
I wonder if there whether… cold? Hot?
Although I can’t speak English very well, I learned
So I think Kelly is awesome teacher…
^^ see you later…
안녕하세요
저는 켈리 수업을 들었던 학생입니다
이렇게 편지 쓸 기회를 가지게 되어 영광입니다.
이 글을 읽을 수 있을지 모르나 한국사람이 썼다는 걸 보여주기 위해서..
나중에 한국에 한번 방문하세요
뵙고 싶습니다.
켈리선생님은 정말 좋은 선생님이였고 잊지 못할 거예요.
켈리선생님 부모님
안녕히계세요.
Hi~ My name is Cha Won Tae.
I’m from Busan in South korea.
I’m a Kelly English class student.
Kelly is very very kindly teacher.
We are got a lot of knowledge thing.
I’m very appreciative my teacher.
I rememver my teacher Kelly.
I’m missing her.
Thank you.
From; Korean student cha won tae
To; Kelly’s papa&mama
Hello…^^ my name is Kim Soo Un…. Nick name is lion…
I learned to Kelly lots of thins during this summer… Korea is summer now.
I wonder if there whether… cold? Hot?
Although I can’t speak English very well, I learned
So I think Kelly is awesome teacher…
^^ see you later…
안녕하세요
저는 켈리 수업을 들었던 학생입니다
이렇게 편지 쓸 기회를 가지게 되어 영광입니다.
이 글을 읽을 수 있을지 모르나 한국사람이 썼다는 걸 보여주기 위해서..
나중에 한국에 한번 방문하세요
뵙고 싶습니다.
켈리선생님은 정말 좋은 선생님이였고 잊지 못할 거예요.
켈리선생님 부모님
안녕히계세요.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Fan Death: silent, deadly, illogical
This is something I've been hearing about a little bit here and there since I arrived but hadn't quite been able to piece together yet: fan death. It's basically a belief in South Korea (an urban legend, as we might call it in the U.S.) that sleeping overnight in a room with the door/windows closed and a fan running can kill you.It sounds strange, maybe like something the older Korean grandmas and grandpas try to tell the younger people about fancy electronical gadgets and such.
But, surprising numbers of people of all ages, backgrounds, and education levels are quite convinced of this. Some people I've talked to say most Koreans believe it, although another American university instructor held a debate about it in class (for and against) and conducted a survey afterward, saying about half of his class believed it.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia article on fan death, which explains the supposed scientific reasons for it. I was pretty intrigued by the fact that both the Korean government and the mainstream media endorse fan death as a legitimate phenomenon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_deathI asked someone if it applies to air conditioning, but I didn't get a clear answer on this. If it does, odds are I'll be dying before the week is out...
Maybe this explains why the fan in my room was hidden away in the closet when I got here. Put that death trap away! At least it only happens in South Korea, so we don't have to give up our Whirling Dervishes or Hawaiian Breezes at home.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Beatles update
One of my students wore this T-shirt to class on our Beatles presentation day and claimed not to have worn it on purpose.
My students showed me this YouTube video during class on Friday, and I thought I better share it. If it doesn't load, just search for "baby" and "hey jude." What's better than a baby in a diaper singing the Beatles?
Pretty cute... I'd say it's about time to be training Felix to sing "Back in the USSR."
Friday, July 11, 2008
The non-native English-speaking students are getting restless!
I don't think I ever covered what the school day is like for the students who are taking this ESL summer program. They have class from 9 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday with 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for dinner. And, especially in their TOEIC classes with the full-time professors, they have to manage getting a lot of homework done on top of it all.
So I don't blame them for being so restless right now (the end of the 3rd week out of 4 weeks). It's been really hard to keep them interested. The first week all I had to do was open up my mouth and say anything, and they would think it was fascinating. Well, I think my novelty has worn off. But that's okay.
They were sick of writing haiku and poetry in general, which I understand, so this week I brought in Beatles songs and sheets of the lyrics so we could study them (kind of like poetry, right?). They love this. The lyrics are simple enough for them to understand, except for a word here and there, the tunes are catchy, and they all seem to find something to identify with. They particularly love "Hey Jude." This afternoon they each present individually what they wrote about their favorite Beatles songs. I taught them some good words, phrases, and sentence constructions that will help them write about music, and what I've seen so far is pretty impressive. One girl who chose the song "Blackbird" wanted me to help her talk about it's hopefulness...
The idea for this came when I asked them to write suggestions for me for a new class project. They almost all wrote, "Do American pop songs." I couldn't quite stomach the idea of doing new pop songs, but old ones I can do.
I even drew a submarine on the white board when we did "Yellow Submarine" because I guess it's not a standard English vocabulary word students learn. Wasn't quite this fancy, but it did the trick.
Another thing that surprised me about this new project is that they love to sing out loud in class. So after reading the lyrics first, we all ended up singing every song together, which was incredibly fun. Another one of the glow-y teacher moments that you can't plan for, predict, or exactly explain afterward.
So I don't blame them for being so restless right now (the end of the 3rd week out of 4 weeks). It's been really hard to keep them interested. The first week all I had to do was open up my mouth and say anything, and they would think it was fascinating. Well, I think my novelty has worn off. But that's okay.
They were sick of writing haiku and poetry in general, which I understand, so this week I brought in Beatles songs and sheets of the lyrics so we could study them (kind of like poetry, right?). They love this. The lyrics are simple enough for them to understand, except for a word here and there, the tunes are catchy, and they all seem to find something to identify with. They particularly love "Hey Jude." This afternoon they each present individually what they wrote about their favorite Beatles songs. I taught them some good words, phrases, and sentence constructions that will help them write about music, and what I've seen so far is pretty impressive. One girl who chose the song "Blackbird" wanted me to help her talk about it's hopefulness...
The idea for this came when I asked them to write suggestions for me for a new class project. They almost all wrote, "Do American pop songs." I couldn't quite stomach the idea of doing new pop songs, but old ones I can do.
I even drew a submarine on the white board when we did "Yellow Submarine" because I guess it's not a standard English vocabulary word students learn. Wasn't quite this fancy, but it did the trick.
Another thing that surprised me about this new project is that they love to sing out loud in class. So after reading the lyrics first, we all ended up singing every song together, which was incredibly fun. Another one of the glow-y teacher moments that you can't plan for, predict, or exactly explain afterward.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Fear-free dental! Come to Korea!
Well, I just got back from the dentist to have an urgently needed extraction of my bottom left wisdom tooth. Even though I had been to the dentist at home twice this year (including x-rays), I guess someone missed seeing that this tooth was completely horizontal and severely impacted against my other teeth.
I went with Rachel for her appointment on Saturday because she had just had a wisdom tooth removed and was getting a follow-up check. This tooth had been bothering me and was pushing through more and more every day it seemed like, so the dentist, who speaks decent English, took a look at it for me. By just shining a light in my mouth, she could see the problem.
They did an x-ray to see it in more detail. For those of you who go to the dentist regularly and have those painful and time-consuming picture x-rays taken where you have to bite on the thing that cuts into your mouth... There is a better way! Maybe they have this technology in the U.S. and I'm just not going to the right dentist. But all I had to do here was stand up in front of this thing, bite down (comfortably), and it scanned back and forth to make a digital image of my teeth.
And wow! There it was, this wayward tooth, very obviously in a bad, bad spot. So this morning I got my shots of novocaine and she went to work on it. The drilling and wrenching noises were terrible, but it took all of about 10 minutes. They had to cut the tooth into 4 big pieces and then down even smaller to get it all out.
Oh yes, I sound brave through all this, but I was terrified. When they were doing the initial drilling, I could feel it hitting a nerve ending, so I had to communicate with some squeaks, but then they gave me a little more anesthesia. It was bleeding quite a bit (she said hemorrhaging, but I don't think it was quite so bad), so they had to sew it up with stitches, but I get those checked out tomorrow and then taken out within a week.
I'm a little tired, but not in too terribly much pain at the moment. A little sore, of course, but no visible swelling. Hopefully when the numbness wears off I won't be crying for my mom too much! It was a little traumatic to be so far away, in an room full of a foreign language, without my family even knowing what was happening.
Either way, this dentist is my hero. She was so quick, gentle, and reassuring. She started me on a short course of antibiotics on Saturday, so I shouldn't have any problems with infection. Rachel and I asked her how much everything would cost, and she basically just kept saying, "No. You are Rachel's friend." I guess Rachel sends her a lot of referral business and has good insurance herself that pays for her dental work. Even though at most, without insurance, it would have cost the equivalent of $100.
I'm pretty amazed. If she won't take money from me, I don't think there's quite any way I can repay her for being so helpful. Of course, because of her amazing skills, I was wondering about the other 3 wisdom teeth, but she said they are not through the gum enough yet for her to take care of. But that will need to be done soon after I get home because the bottom one on the right is almost as horizontal as this one was. Boy do I dread going to the dentist in America now. I think I need a new one who actually looks at the x-rays!
Did I mention that I didn't even have to make an appointment to have this done and I waited barely 10 minutes to start the surgery? They even covered my eyes so I didn't have to see the tools coming at me and gave me a blanket for comfort.
Okay, I'll stop bragging. Feel free to defend your own American dentist. But I think they should all be sent to Korea before being allowed to poke and prod our mouths.
Next day update: Definitely swollen.
The following day: Still swollen but hopeful.
I went with Rachel for her appointment on Saturday because she had just had a wisdom tooth removed and was getting a follow-up check. This tooth had been bothering me and was pushing through more and more every day it seemed like, so the dentist, who speaks decent English, took a look at it for me. By just shining a light in my mouth, she could see the problem.
They did an x-ray to see it in more detail. For those of you who go to the dentist regularly and have those painful and time-consuming picture x-rays taken where you have to bite on the thing that cuts into your mouth... There is a better way! Maybe they have this technology in the U.S. and I'm just not going to the right dentist. But all I had to do here was stand up in front of this thing, bite down (comfortably), and it scanned back and forth to make a digital image of my teeth.
And wow! There it was, this wayward tooth, very obviously in a bad, bad spot. So this morning I got my shots of novocaine and she went to work on it. The drilling and wrenching noises were terrible, but it took all of about 10 minutes. They had to cut the tooth into 4 big pieces and then down even smaller to get it all out.
Oh yes, I sound brave through all this, but I was terrified. When they were doing the initial drilling, I could feel it hitting a nerve ending, so I had to communicate with some squeaks, but then they gave me a little more anesthesia. It was bleeding quite a bit (she said hemorrhaging, but I don't think it was quite so bad), so they had to sew it up with stitches, but I get those checked out tomorrow and then taken out within a week.
I'm a little tired, but not in too terribly much pain at the moment. A little sore, of course, but no visible swelling. Hopefully when the numbness wears off I won't be crying for my mom too much! It was a little traumatic to be so far away, in an room full of a foreign language, without my family even knowing what was happening.
Either way, this dentist is my hero. She was so quick, gentle, and reassuring. She started me on a short course of antibiotics on Saturday, so I shouldn't have any problems with infection. Rachel and I asked her how much everything would cost, and she basically just kept saying, "No. You are Rachel's friend." I guess Rachel sends her a lot of referral business and has good insurance herself that pays for her dental work. Even though at most, without insurance, it would have cost the equivalent of $100.
I'm pretty amazed. If she won't take money from me, I don't think there's quite any way I can repay her for being so helpful. Of course, because of her amazing skills, I was wondering about the other 3 wisdom teeth, but she said they are not through the gum enough yet for her to take care of. But that will need to be done soon after I get home because the bottom one on the right is almost as horizontal as this one was. Boy do I dread going to the dentist in America now. I think I need a new one who actually looks at the x-rays!
Did I mention that I didn't even have to make an appointment to have this done and I waited barely 10 minutes to start the surgery? They even covered my eyes so I didn't have to see the tools coming at me and gave me a blanket for comfort.
Okay, I'll stop bragging. Feel free to defend your own American dentist. But I think they should all be sent to Korea before being allowed to poke and prod our mouths.
Next day update: Definitely swollen.
The following day: Still swollen but hopeful.
A fishy day with a fantastic ending
Sunday started with a trip to the fish market in a port town near Pohang (on the East Sea). Driving there we saw towns of squid boats in the harbor, which have rows and rows of huge light bulbs on these arms that they raise up and shine over the water for attracting the squid at night.
Having lived in land-locked states all of my life, the fish market was definitely a trip. So many strange and exotic sights, smells, and sounds. I think the craziest part was seeing the octopus laid out on display, some still alive enough to be trying to climb (do octopus climb?) away. One of the octopus (about the size of an 8-year-old child) had almost gotten itself moved off the seller's tarp, so we pointed it out and she (does "fish monger" apply here?) picked it up and threw it back down in its place. If you've never heard a fresh octopus being slapped against a tarp, I can't quite describe the sound.
Lots of squid also. We ended up picking some tiger shrimp, clams, sea scallops, and tuna to take with us to grill at the beach. So cheap! Less than $30 altogether for a good amount of each. But, not an experience for those with particular olfactory sensitivity.
After I thought our day had ended with plenty of goods times (a barbecue on the beach with fresh seafood isn't shabby at all!) we decided to swing by Bogyeong-sa, a site of natural beauty and ancient Buddhist temples. This was so amazingly beautiful and peaceful. It was the perfect time of day (about 6:00 pm) with virtually no other tourists around and the hazy light of evening putting this enchanting look over everything. These are some of my favorite pictures so far, by far.
Then we decided to try a quick hike (as it gets dark about 8:00 pm) up to some of the waterfalls in the valley nearby, which is actually called Waterfall Kingdom. It's a series of about 12 waterfalls of different sizes winding up through the valley as the elevation gets higher. We were all wearing sandals, not exactly prepared for a hike. In fact, Rachel was wearing a dress and I was wearing a skirt.
Everything aside, this was one of the most amazing places I've ever seen in my life. Maybe THE. I'll have to just share as many of the pictures as possible, get them blown up as large as possible, because I don't even really know what to say or how to describe it. Standing there, all I could think is that this is what I came for, to Asia, to Korea, even though I didn't know it. This is what I was waiting for. It's natural beauty on a scale I've never seen before.
Believe me, if the pictures don't seem like anything all that exciting, all of your jaws would have been falling open with every bend in the hiking path. Just immense, immense, beautiful, and overwhelming. You can feel the age of everything and know that for thousands of years, people have been standing here awestruck, unable to say or do anything that does the sight justice.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Tidbits
On Friday night we went bowling (bring your own socks), a sport I'm terrible at in any country!
On Saturday I got a manicure and a pedicure after my trip to the dentist (See "Fear-free dental" post for more information, or skip it to spare the icky details). Ladies, I'm sure you know that the good stuff isn't cheap, with all the massaging and wonderful smelling lotions, etc.
20,000 won for both (about $20), and look at my pretty toes! And yes, I am aware the second one is slightly longer than the big captain.
Saturday night, Rachel, her husband Andrew, and I drove to the east coast. After dinner we sat on the beach (across the street from our hotel), playing in the sand and watching people light off fireworks.
Sunday includes an afternoon at the beach. I don't really know what to say about beach culture here. I guess there really is none. You wear whatever you want, except, apparently, for real bathing suits. I saw all manner of dress, from children in underwear to men in button-up dress shirts. And I mean in the water, swimming, playing, not just sitting on the beach. This was the hottest day in Korea so far since I've been here, but there were people in the water with jackets, pants, even hooded sweatshirts.
Also, lots of people sit at the water's edge or barely in the water wearing life jackets. You never know... There may be a fire or some other emergency covering the whole beach, in which case you would reasonably have to escape into the water, life jacket coming in mighty handy.
Friday, July 4, 2008
My Poets
Here are some highlights of all different flavors from the poetry (some haiku) that my students wrote this week:
Can love be paid in installments?
I mean, if possible, I'd like to live with you
in 2000-year installment plan.
****
His mind: "I like her.
She is so hot to me.
She approached like a wind."
Her mind: "I hate him.
He is so oily to me.
I felt him like a butter."
****
Man love Jane.
She loves another man.
The sad one sided love.
****
My mother told me
"You're my valuable son
but ... you look like anchovy"
****
I envy that girl
I want to meet mate quickly
But I must study
****
Under the blue sky
We have best time in my car
So, where are my shoes?
****
On the blue ocean
My great villa is sailing.
Mine's bigger than yours!
****
I stand on the road
I want to leave my footprints
In the fresh green world
****
People love money
So they cut wood for money
A forest destroy
****
It smells wonderful.
I'm falling in love with it.
I love you, coffee.
****
And a group poem put together for a class activity:
When I met you,
You came to me, coolly.
When I saw you,
You looked like shiny jewelry.
When I kissed you,
I felt you smelled so sweetly.
When I dropped you,
Opps! Oh my Baskin Robbins!
****
And some reactions when I asked them to write about writing poetry:
"This work is really gratifying and worthwhile. I have not labored in vain."
"I don't like poetry so I hate writing poetry absolutely. Poetry is too difficult to me. I learned America and Britain poetry last semester. At that time, I was so hard. I learned Haiku. I think that Haiku is very interesting. I was so good because I studied with American native teacher. Although poetry is too hard, I love this class! :) Thank you for your teaching! :)"
"I don't like writing poetry. Because I never experience write poetry. I haven't a taste for literature. But I like rhyme of music. Thank you for Kelly."
"Professor Kelly: I like this time. I can think a lot of idea. When I presented my poetry, I'm so brave. I look like I'll become a poet. I read only Korean poetries but now I'm going to see American poetries. It's fresh."
"I like about writing poetry because my mind become peaceful."
"I love music. Music sameness poetry. I love poetry. I'm troublesome choose words and grammar is difficult, the rules of spelling, but I love poetry. Thank you my poetry teacher."
Can love be paid in installments?
I mean, if possible, I'd like to live with you
in 2000-year installment plan.
****
His mind: "I like her.
She is so hot to me.
She approached like a wind."
Her mind: "I hate him.
He is so oily to me.
I felt him like a butter."
****
Man love Jane.
She loves another man.
The sad one sided love.
****
My mother told me
"You're my valuable son
but ... you look like anchovy"
****
I envy that girl
I want to meet mate quickly
But I must study
****
Under the blue sky
We have best time in my car
So, where are my shoes?
****
On the blue ocean
My great villa is sailing.
Mine's bigger than yours!
****
I stand on the road
I want to leave my footprints
In the fresh green world
****
People love money
So they cut wood for money
A forest destroy
****
It smells wonderful.
I'm falling in love with it.
I love you, coffee.
****
And a group poem put together for a class activity:
When I met you,
You came to me, coolly.
When I saw you,
You looked like shiny jewelry.
When I kissed you,
I felt you smelled so sweetly.
When I dropped you,
Opps! Oh my Baskin Robbins!
****
And some reactions when I asked them to write about writing poetry:
"This work is really gratifying and worthwhile. I have not labored in vain."
"I don't like poetry so I hate writing poetry absolutely. Poetry is too difficult to me. I learned America and Britain poetry last semester. At that time, I was so hard. I learned Haiku. I think that Haiku is very interesting. I was so good because I studied with American native teacher. Although poetry is too hard, I love this class! :) Thank you for your teaching! :)"
"I don't like writing poetry. Because I never experience write poetry. I haven't a taste for literature. But I like rhyme of music. Thank you for Kelly."
"Professor Kelly: I like this time. I can think a lot of idea. When I presented my poetry, I'm so brave. I look like I'll become a poet. I read only Korean poetries but now I'm going to see American poetries. It's fresh."
"I like about writing poetry because my mind become peaceful."
"I love music. Music sameness poetry. I love poetry. I'm troublesome choose words and grammar is difficult, the rules of spelling, but I love poetry. Thank you my poetry teacher."
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Prizes for your eyes!
One of my favorite things in Korea are the English phrases that stores and restaurants use, ones that don't exactly make sense. The coffee shop that is downhill from campus has on its sign the slogan "All of coffee itself!" Hmm... I don't even know what to say about that one.
I just ate some yummy comfort food for lunch. The lady at our little Italian place made me some mashed potatoes with bacon in it and lots of cheese. Good stuff. Now I might need a potato nap. And yes, if you read my previous entry and are wondering, it did help me somewhat recover from my homesickness. Here are a few more pictures I wanted to share.
A happy Korean cowboy! (Not really. I think this is a traditional Korean hat that only looks something like a cowboy hat. But he is happy to see you!)
A picture of Rachel and me at the entrance to one of the most majestic of the dwellings at the traditional village.
And finally, the sign that is posted along the sidewalk on the way up to campus.
I just ate some yummy comfort food for lunch. The lady at our little Italian place made me some mashed potatoes with bacon in it and lots of cheese. Good stuff. Now I might need a potato nap. And yes, if you read my previous entry and are wondering, it did help me somewhat recover from my homesickness. Here are a few more pictures I wanted to share.
A happy Korean cowboy! (Not really. I think this is a traditional Korean hat that only looks something like a cowboy hat. But he is happy to see you!)
A picture of Rachel and me at the entrance to one of the most majestic of the dwellings at the traditional village.
And finally, the sign that is posted along the sidewalk on the way up to campus.
Feelings and Stuff
Today I am quite a bit homesick for the first time so far. I definitely have missed family and friends during the time I've been here, but that feeling reminds me of how much I want to share my experiences with the people I love.
But homesick, that's a different thing. I think there is just such a stark contrast between when I am with my students during the day and when I get back to my room in the evening. They are so lively, warm, energetic, and appreciative of me. Today they asked me what I want to do in life when I'm done with school, so I told them I want to be a full-time literature professor. They said, "You will do well. We support you. We are your fan club!" These students are incredibly uplifting. Even though I know they truly appreciate me and what I try to teach them, I know I get so much more from them than they could possibly get from me.
So when I am not with them, especially on this day for some reason, I feel quite keenly their absence.
I think I am also starting to grow sick of the clothes and items I have brought from home, wishing for other things in my closet. For example, I didn't bring a long-sleeved t-shirt or sweatshirt of any kind. Even in the summer, I like to curl up in the air conditioning in cozy clothes. It still gets cool here in the evenings, so I am thinking about how much I wish I had a familiar sweatshirt from back home.
I've also noticed how easily the male TAs who are here with me from MSU are able to fill their down time with playing soccer. Sports are sports in any language, so they have been playing soccer or jokgu (the name for the tennis/soccer/volleyball fusion sport that I finally remembered to ask my students the name of) every night after class.
I think I also feel like I can't show any vulnerability when I'm here. The students are so happy, so I try to reflect this same attitude back at them.
Alright, enough feeling sorry for myself.
Yesterday one of the students in the program told me, "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." You can't laugh at that serious face and such an openhearted compliment. I haven't had this student in class yet, so I guess he is a from-a-distance admirer. I know it sounds like the most ambitious pick-up line of all time, but I can't imagine this student has any intention of convincing me to stay in Korea forever and marry him. But, I'm sure he'd be open to the idea.
Thanks, Blog. I feel better now.
And something that is comforting, finding the bookmarks my sisters leave behind in the books we pass between us: a bright pink Post-it note, a Disney World ticket stub, an expired $10 off coupon from Target...
But homesick, that's a different thing. I think there is just such a stark contrast between when I am with my students during the day and when I get back to my room in the evening. They are so lively, warm, energetic, and appreciative of me. Today they asked me what I want to do in life when I'm done with school, so I told them I want to be a full-time literature professor. They said, "You will do well. We support you. We are your fan club!" These students are incredibly uplifting. Even though I know they truly appreciate me and what I try to teach them, I know I get so much more from them than they could possibly get from me.
So when I am not with them, especially on this day for some reason, I feel quite keenly their absence.
I think I am also starting to grow sick of the clothes and items I have brought from home, wishing for other things in my closet. For example, I didn't bring a long-sleeved t-shirt or sweatshirt of any kind. Even in the summer, I like to curl up in the air conditioning in cozy clothes. It still gets cool here in the evenings, so I am thinking about how much I wish I had a familiar sweatshirt from back home.
I've also noticed how easily the male TAs who are here with me from MSU are able to fill their down time with playing soccer. Sports are sports in any language, so they have been playing soccer or jokgu (the name for the tennis/soccer/volleyball fusion sport that I finally remembered to ask my students the name of) every night after class.
I think I also feel like I can't show any vulnerability when I'm here. The students are so happy, so I try to reflect this same attitude back at them.
Alright, enough feeling sorry for myself.
Yesterday one of the students in the program told me, "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." You can't laugh at that serious face and such an openhearted compliment. I haven't had this student in class yet, so I guess he is a from-a-distance admirer. I know it sounds like the most ambitious pick-up line of all time, but I can't imagine this student has any intention of convincing me to stay in Korea forever and marry him. But, I'm sure he'd be open to the idea.
Thanks, Blog. I feel better now.
And something that is comforting, finding the bookmarks my sisters leave behind in the books we pass between us: a bright pink Post-it note, a Disney World ticket stub, an expired $10 off coupon from Target...
Monday, June 30, 2008
More pictures, less talk
On Saturday, Rachel and I tried to go to a traditional Korean folk village in Andong, but the weather was terrible so we stayed at a cheap but gorgeous hotel there on Saturday night to give it another try on Sunday. Thankfully the weather was beautiful that day. 
First we visited Andong Dam, which had amazing views of the Nakong River. Then we walked up (almost straight up) through the Andong Folk Village, which often serves as a set for television and movie productions that need a traditional Korean setting, approximately from the early 1700s. It was amazing to see all the structures, especially what would have been considered a kingly dwelling.
Andong is also home to the Shinsae-dong Pagoda, a 7-story brick pagoda, which is the oldest and largest in Korea. This is from the Shilla Dynasty, so that means it was built sometime between 668 and 935.
Then we drove about 30 minutes more to another traditional village in Hahoe (pronounced ha-hway). Amazing wood carvings here, as well as traditional stuctures from the Joseon Dynasty.
Too many pictures and experiences to share, but I will also tell you about the traditional Hahoe Mask Dance performance we attended. Even though it was in Korean, I still found it very funny. It's basically a satire making fun of the different stock types of people in a small village (the busybody, the flirtatious maiden, the drunk guy, etc). When the drunk guy was looking for some people from the audience to come dance with him, I must have looked like a prime choice because I was dragged out there. This is me returning in mild shame from my adventure. They didn't really tell us how they wanted us to dance, so I think I looked like Elaine from Seinfeld dancing, which is far from glamorous.
When we ate dinner afterward, the coordinator for this event told me I was very good. I think he was just being polite.
Too many pictures and experiences to share, but I will also tell you about the traditional Hahoe Mask Dance performance we attended. Even though it was in Korean, I still found it very funny. It's basically a satire making fun of the different stock types of people in a small village (the busybody, the flirtatious maiden, the drunk guy, etc). When the drunk guy was looking for some people from the audience to come dance with him, I must have looked like a prime choice because I was dragged out there. This is me returning in mild shame from my adventure. They didn't really tell us how they wanted us to dance, so I think I looked like Elaine from Seinfeld dancing, which is far from glamorous.When we ate dinner afterward, the coordinator for this event told me I was very good. I think he was just being polite.The drive back to Hayang was beautiful. During that short time period of dusk, all I could see were mountains. On the right they were reflected in the water of a rice paddy, and on the left they were giving off smoke and looking like volcanoes. No picture, but I'm not sure it would have done this view justice anyway.
On getting back to campus, this is my attempt to capture the enchanting little forest near my pond...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tranquil ponds... and sea monsters
This is what I call my pond, which is just a couple steps outside our dorm building. On the rainy mornings when I was waking up like clockwork at 7:25 am I would sit under the little gazebo and read (of course now I can manage to sleep in until my alarm goes off). It has a ton of black, white, and gold fish in it, but these are only really active and jumping in the morning. The pond is most beautiful in the evenings, but I don't think a photograph can quite capture it. Very enchanting.
Please direct your attention to the tall grasses behind the gazebo. I heard some bellowing coming from it on a few occasions early in the morning. It was either a plumbing noise (for the pumps that keep the water flowing into the pond) or, the theory I am most fond of, a sea monster. Maybe I was talking too much about it because yesterday the campus groundskeepers chopped all of that grass down... Mysterious.
Speaking of sea monster related news items, here is a photograph of some artwork my students and I drew on the board. I bet you are pretty impressed with our haiku-writing and drawing skills.
Despite the sea monsters... such a beautiful campus.
Food!
It's almost lunchtime, so I have food on my mind.
They also have this delicious steaming hot egg soup sort of thing at the barbecue that I'm determined to find out how to make. So simple but so wonderful. Side dishes are king here. If you order 1 main dish, they will bring you an endless variety of sides, including kimchi, different types of salad, sauces for everything, sometimes watermelon, raw hot peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
I have also now eaten twice with my students in the campus cafeteria for dinner. It is pretty notorious for being not so good, but it's free, so I don't mind too much. Lots of sticky white rice and other things that I have to ask my students about ("What is this?"). They think I am a very slow eater with my chopsticks, mainly because I can only pick up one or two small pieces of food at a time. Also because I hesitate when I don't know what something is!
Water is also an interesting experience here. They don't drink large glasses of water with a meal; usually, if at all, it's just a shot glass sized glass of water. They don't drink tap water because it has too much iron in it or something (even though it just tastes like Huron water to me), so there are water machines with purified hot and cold everywhere (and the hot is hot enough for tea, even by Mom's standards, I think!). Anyways, at the cafeteria they have this long "water bar" with a whole row of water spigots and the little shot glasses, so after eating, students go there and take their shot of water. It seems they think it's a little strange that we waste time (and stomach space) drinking liquids during a meal.
Which leads me to another habit: Everyone brings their toothbrushes to school and brushes their teeth in the bathrooms right before class begins. Even the English department secretary is brushing her teeth in her office when she gets to work. Joel asked one of his students, "Don't you have sinks at your dorm?" and the reply was basically equivalent to a "duh," but no explanation for this ritual. I guess I am just too messy when I brush my teeth to participate in it publicly.
Well, that is off topic, so I will stop for now. Some of us from MSU are meeting a few students who are planning to go to the States for a study abroad and want to practice their English conversation. It's so nice being helpful and appreciated just for speaking a language you were practically born speaking (thanks, Mom and Dad).
The orange juice that I bought at the market is called "Squash Gold Orange 100." Very majestic sounding. I thought that there might actually be squash in this orange juice, but I recently figured out that is a Korean translation of "squeezed."
Ramen seems to be the most common cheap convenience food here, although they have a million more varieties than we do at home. I picked up a kind that is rather delicious. The package (aiming at health conscious consumers) says "Body Design Noodle."
One thing I miss: No one is very concerned with cheese here. In fact, I haven't yet found in the store any real cheese that is not the processed, plastic-wrapped singles. Although the Italian restaurant called Tomato we like has real mozzarella on the pizza and pasta...
French-style bakeries/pastry shops are very popular here. Almost every other store along the main street in downtown Hayang is a shop with the most beautifully decorated cakes I've ever seen. I picked up a little piece of chocolate cake with cherry filling the other day (which is quite plain in comparison to the full-sized cakes). It was almost too pretty to eat. But I managed it.
I did try Korean sushi the other day (called kimbap or gimbap, g and k are equivalent sounds). Very delicious. The one I had was tuna with rice and veggies rolled into a sheet of dried seaweed. And the whole roll of it is only $1.60. They consider this "fast food" here. Beats McDonald's any day.
Sam gyup sal and daeji galbi, another two delicious foods that are from the Korean barbecue restaurant. One is pork and one is marinated beef, not sure which is which. We just order some of both and it is a happy time. In this picture you can see both. The beef is on the grill with garlic and mushrooms, and the pork waiting in the wings.
They also have this delicious steaming hot egg soup sort of thing at the barbecue that I'm determined to find out how to make. So simple but so wonderful. Side dishes are king here. If you order 1 main dish, they will bring you an endless variety of sides, including kimchi, different types of salad, sauces for everything, sometimes watermelon, raw hot peppers, and cherry tomatoes.I have also now eaten twice with my students in the campus cafeteria for dinner. It is pretty notorious for being not so good, but it's free, so I don't mind too much. Lots of sticky white rice and other things that I have to ask my students about ("What is this?"). They think I am a very slow eater with my chopsticks, mainly because I can only pick up one or two small pieces of food at a time. Also because I hesitate when I don't know what something is!
Water is also an interesting experience here. They don't drink large glasses of water with a meal; usually, if at all, it's just a shot glass sized glass of water. They don't drink tap water because it has too much iron in it or something (even though it just tastes like Huron water to me), so there are water machines with purified hot and cold everywhere (and the hot is hot enough for tea, even by Mom's standards, I think!). Anyways, at the cafeteria they have this long "water bar" with a whole row of water spigots and the little shot glasses, so after eating, students go there and take their shot of water. It seems they think it's a little strange that we waste time (and stomach space) drinking liquids during a meal.
Which leads me to another habit: Everyone brings their toothbrushes to school and brushes their teeth in the bathrooms right before class begins. Even the English department secretary is brushing her teeth in her office when she gets to work. Joel asked one of his students, "Don't you have sinks at your dorm?" and the reply was basically equivalent to a "duh," but no explanation for this ritual. I guess I am just too messy when I brush my teeth to participate in it publicly.
Well, that is off topic, so I will stop for now. Some of us from MSU are meeting a few students who are planning to go to the States for a study abroad and want to practice their English conversation. It's so nice being helpful and appreciated just for speaking a language you were practically born speaking (thanks, Mom and Dad).
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Catch the fever
Teaching ESL (English as a second language) here in Korea has been amazing. This is a special 4-week summer program for University students who want to improve their score on a special government test (the TOEIC) that helps them get a better job if they have good reading and listening comprehension in English.
Each of us from MSU are responsible for 3 of our own classes, each 1 hour long: Project English I, Project English II, and Tutorial. Each of our Project English classes has a theme, mine being poetry, and we do projects with the class according to our theme. These are their "fun" classes because their other courses (they go to class 5 days of the week from 9 am to 8 pm, with 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for dinner) are very difficult and regimented.
I have been teaching them haiku, which they love because it has a specific number of syllables. In our project, we find a photograph and then write a haiku about it. We practiced this as a class during our Project English class. Then for tutorial, which is basically like study hall or homeroom for them, instead of doing their homework, they wanted to get to know me. So they take turns asking me questions about myself, what I like to do, and where I'm from, which is a good way for them to practice their English.
They asked me where I have traveled, so I told them some places, and then they asked if I have any pictures to show them. I showed them a picture of Laura, Erin, and me in Ireland last summer, and they gasped because they say we are so pretty! Then I showed them a scenic picture I had taken, and they asked if they could write a haiku for me about it. So we composed this in English, then they also wrote it in Korean for me, signed their names, and wrote "Thank you, Teacher." And this was on the first day of class. So there is an amazing amount of eagerness and gratitude from the students that I've never experienced before from a whole class.
I'm still incredibly nervous when teaching, but it is so much fun. I am nervous because I want them to learn from me, but no matter what we do in class, they are so appreciative. There is lots of spontaneous clapping, and everyone says thank you as they leave the room at the end of class. Having spent a few days with them now, they are such individual personalities! They are starting to remind me of people back home.
Other questions that I was asked on the first day of tutorial:
"Do you have a boyfriend?" (I get asked this very often, they are quite curious and usually very blunt). When I say no, they all gasp.
Next question: "How do you like Korean men?" To which I say, "They are very polite."
And then: "Would you marry a Korean man?" So I said, "I have only been here for 5 days. That is a lot to think about." And again they gasp (a common reaction) because they think I am doing very well for only having been here 5 days.
Students are also exceptionally impressed when I know any Korean phrases, so I've been working to practice new ones on them so I can get the collective gasp and "How did you know that?" I know jing-jing-day-joo-mah, which means "Stop complaining," but I don't think I will ever have to use that on them.
The language barrier is very difficult. Always 5 or 6 students come up to me after class and try to ask a question, and sometimes we just stare at each other until someone comes up with a phrase the other will understand. I've also had to learn to talk slower and more clearly, especially without using too many figures of speech and the like that don't translate well. When they speak English, often their accents are hard for me to understand, so I will have to go to the board and have them talk me through spelling it. It's a challenging thing, for sure, but very exciting. The camaraderie among the students and teachers is wonderful. Their faces just light up when they say hello and can carry on a little conversation with you. I'm excited for Monday when we switch student groups and I will be able to get to know another 20 of the 60 students in the program.
And let me say, these are the cutest, most put together, well dressed college girls I've ever seen. I think I could take a lesson from them. Very stylish. Modest though. Tanktops are not okay, but lots of jewelry is good. I'm glad I brought mine or I would feel very plain next to them.
I'm very glad to be here for this. All I can say is it's like a wonderful disease, this contagious thing we all share in class.
Each of us from MSU are responsible for 3 of our own classes, each 1 hour long: Project English I, Project English II, and Tutorial. Each of our Project English classes has a theme, mine being poetry, and we do projects with the class according to our theme. These are their "fun" classes because their other courses (they go to class 5 days of the week from 9 am to 8 pm, with 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for dinner) are very difficult and regimented.
I have been teaching them haiku, which they love because it has a specific number of syllables. In our project, we find a photograph and then write a haiku about it. We practiced this as a class during our Project English class. Then for tutorial, which is basically like study hall or homeroom for them, instead of doing their homework, they wanted to get to know me. So they take turns asking me questions about myself, what I like to do, and where I'm from, which is a good way for them to practice their English.
They asked me where I have traveled, so I told them some places, and then they asked if I have any pictures to show them. I showed them a picture of Laura, Erin, and me in Ireland last summer, and they gasped because they say we are so pretty! Then I showed them a scenic picture I had taken, and they asked if they could write a haiku for me about it. So we composed this in English, then they also wrote it in Korean for me, signed their names, and wrote "Thank you, Teacher." And this was on the first day of class. So there is an amazing amount of eagerness and gratitude from the students that I've never experienced before from a whole class.
I'm still incredibly nervous when teaching, but it is so much fun. I am nervous because I want them to learn from me, but no matter what we do in class, they are so appreciative. There is lots of spontaneous clapping, and everyone says thank you as they leave the room at the end of class. Having spent a few days with them now, they are such individual personalities! They are starting to remind me of people back home.
Other questions that I was asked on the first day of tutorial:
"Do you have a boyfriend?" (I get asked this very often, they are quite curious and usually very blunt). When I say no, they all gasp.
Next question: "How do you like Korean men?" To which I say, "They are very polite."
And then: "Would you marry a Korean man?" So I said, "I have only been here for 5 days. That is a lot to think about." And again they gasp (a common reaction) because they think I am doing very well for only having been here 5 days.
Students are also exceptionally impressed when I know any Korean phrases, so I've been working to practice new ones on them so I can get the collective gasp and "How did you know that?" I know jing-jing-day-joo-mah, which means "Stop complaining," but I don't think I will ever have to use that on them.
The language barrier is very difficult. Always 5 or 6 students come up to me after class and try to ask a question, and sometimes we just stare at each other until someone comes up with a phrase the other will understand. I've also had to learn to talk slower and more clearly, especially without using too many figures of speech and the like that don't translate well. When they speak English, often their accents are hard for me to understand, so I will have to go to the board and have them talk me through spelling it. It's a challenging thing, for sure, but very exciting. The camaraderie among the students and teachers is wonderful. Their faces just light up when they say hello and can carry on a little conversation with you. I'm excited for Monday when we switch student groups and I will be able to get to know another 20 of the 60 students in the program.
And let me say, these are the cutest, most put together, well dressed college girls I've ever seen. I think I could take a lesson from them. Very stylish. Modest though. Tanktops are not okay, but lots of jewelry is good. I'm glad I brought mine or I would feel very plain next to them.
I'm very glad to be here for this. All I can say is it's like a wonderful disease, this contagious thing we all share in class.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Taking off shoes... and more
Taking shoes off before entering the main part of a house (or in this case, moving from the entryway to the main part of the deluxo-dorm I'm staying in) is a big deal here. No one doesn't do it. I think I'm beginning to get into the spirit of it. I'm sorely disappointed in myself when I forget and am traipsing around on the beautiful, clean wood floor with my dirty outside shoes on.
Speaking of this custom, on Friday night we went to a Korean barbeque restaurant where you remove your shoes and step up onto this raised platform and sit on the floor around a low table. Then you cook your own meat and veggies on a round grill plate set into the middle of the table. Oh so delicious marinated pork and beef, and I finally tried kimchi for the first time, which is essentially fermented spicy cabbage. I really quite like it. But I don't think I could handle eating it for breakfast as many people do.
Sunday was an interesting day. An American teacher named Rachel who has been in Korea for 4 years took me on a short hike on one of the hills near the campus. Then we stopped at the tennis courts on campus, where they were playing a tournament of a game I can't find out the name of, where essentially teams of 6 men face off on either side of the tennis court with a soccer ball going back and forth. Soccer rules, so no hands, but the objective seems more like volleyball, and the court is for tennis. Very interesting. After a few minutes, one of the officials came over and requested that we eat with them. They had us sit with the players and coaches and served us tons of Korean food. It was very suprising but quite the experience. We were a bit of a novelty for them, being the only foreigners at the tournament. They also gave us a common Korean gift: embroidered hand towels. Everyone wanted to meet us, so we stayed for a while before politely excusing ourselves because we could not possibly eat any more food. This is definitely the Korean hospitality and generosity I have heard about.
After this, Rachel took me to the saunas in the building with her gym. There are about 8 or so rooms of different temperatures, made from different materials in each (rock, tile, clay, etc). There is even a cold room, which is basically like a walk-in freezer. People spend hours here. Even the really little children are in the hottest rooms. We also went to the female bathhouse (yes, a communal nude experience for the women), which has different pools of different temperatures. I guess I got all my "Look, it's a foreigner!" done with in one swoop. So next time you are being stared at in a foreign country, imagine also being nude... Just walking down the street fully clothed can't possibly bother me now.
Coming next: teaching experiences! Which have been a little too wonderful for me to exactly articulate, but I will try.
Speaking of this custom, on Friday night we went to a Korean barbeque restaurant where you remove your shoes and step up onto this raised platform and sit on the floor around a low table. Then you cook your own meat and veggies on a round grill plate set into the middle of the table. Oh so delicious marinated pork and beef, and I finally tried kimchi for the first time, which is essentially fermented spicy cabbage. I really quite like it. But I don't think I could handle eating it for breakfast as many people do.
Sunday was an interesting day. An American teacher named Rachel who has been in Korea for 4 years took me on a short hike on one of the hills near the campus. Then we stopped at the tennis courts on campus, where they were playing a tournament of a game I can't find out the name of, where essentially teams of 6 men face off on either side of the tennis court with a soccer ball going back and forth. Soccer rules, so no hands, but the objective seems more like volleyball, and the court is for tennis. Very interesting. After a few minutes, one of the officials came over and requested that we eat with them. They had us sit with the players and coaches and served us tons of Korean food. It was very suprising but quite the experience. We were a bit of a novelty for them, being the only foreigners at the tournament. They also gave us a common Korean gift: embroidered hand towels. Everyone wanted to meet us, so we stayed for a while before politely excusing ourselves because we could not possibly eat any more food. This is definitely the Korean hospitality and generosity I have heard about.
After this, Rachel took me to the saunas in the building with her gym. There are about 8 or so rooms of different temperatures, made from different materials in each (rock, tile, clay, etc). There is even a cold room, which is basically like a walk-in freezer. People spend hours here. Even the really little children are in the hottest rooms. We also went to the female bathhouse (yes, a communal nude experience for the women), which has different pools of different temperatures. I guess I got all my "Look, it's a foreigner!" done with in one swoop. So next time you are being stared at in a foreign country, imagine also being nude... Just walking down the street fully clothed can't possibly bother me now.
Coming next: teaching experiences! Which have been a little too wonderful for me to exactly articulate, but I will try.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Schmoozing around the world
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Yesterday we were treated quite like visiting dignitaries on campus. Mr. Song, who I believe is the Coordinator for External Affairs for the university, picked us up at 9:30 and took us to breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, which is huge in Korea. I've seen more here than in the U.S.; people love it. Then we took a campus tour, first with the head librarian. Then we stopped at the auto mechanic and performance testing department and were shown all the padlocked rooms with super expensive engines and cars, which was pretty neat. They have a partnership with BMW, who donates cars for the performance testing. Have to say there was a beautiful little silver two-door BMW that I wanted to pull some kind of Gone in 60 Seconds type stunt with and steal. Just like one of my favorite phrases... "Drive it like you stole it." Which really applies to any activity.
Anyways, getting back on track. Then we took a tour of the campus museum, which had an amazing collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art pieces, pottery items, artifacts, etc., some dating back to the 15th century, which were donated by a lady who had these things stored up in her house. There was also an extensive collection of these wooden cake stamps that put patterns into the rice-based cakes they make. Then we met with the VPs of the International Office, who had quite the office for hosting foreign visitors. They even had a photographer shooting pictures of our meeting.
We took lunch in downtown Hayang at a little Italian cafe run by a Korean woman. The restaurants are tiny here, usually just a few tables. With 6 of us from the university, we just about took up the whole place. Delicious stuff. Forks though, so no chopstick practice yet. I also found out at lunch that the rooms we have are special *guest* rooms, not at all like the rooms students stay in. Very special, Mr. Song tells us.
Well ... better run to dinner. More later.
Yesterday we were treated quite like visiting dignitaries on campus. Mr. Song, who I believe is the Coordinator for External Affairs for the university, picked us up at 9:30 and took us to breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, which is huge in Korea. I've seen more here than in the U.S.; people love it. Then we took a campus tour, first with the head librarian. Then we stopped at the auto mechanic and performance testing department and were shown all the padlocked rooms with super expensive engines and cars, which was pretty neat. They have a partnership with BMW, who donates cars for the performance testing. Have to say there was a beautiful little silver two-door BMW that I wanted to pull some kind of Gone in 60 Seconds type stunt with and steal. Just like one of my favorite phrases... "Drive it like you stole it." Which really applies to any activity.
Anyways, getting back on track. Then we took a tour of the campus museum, which had an amazing collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art pieces, pottery items, artifacts, etc., some dating back to the 15th century, which were donated by a lady who had these things stored up in her house. There was also an extensive collection of these wooden cake stamps that put patterns into the rice-based cakes they make. Then we met with the VPs of the International Office, who had quite the office for hosting foreign visitors. They even had a photographer shooting pictures of our meeting.
We took lunch in downtown Hayang at a little Italian cafe run by a Korean woman. The restaurants are tiny here, usually just a few tables. With 6 of us from the university, we just about took up the whole place. Delicious stuff. Forks though, so no chopstick practice yet. I also found out at lunch that the rooms we have are special *guest* rooms, not at all like the rooms students stay in. Very special, Mr. Song tells us.
Well ... better run to dinner. More later.
Korea Happy Morning Time
Friday, June 20, 2008
It’s about 7:20 am here—5:20 pm on Thursday back home—and that’s as late as my body will let me sleep, even after a heinous 29 hours straight of traveling (via plane, bus, train, and car) and very little sleep before and during that time.
I’ve had a few long flights before on the way to Europe, 9 or 10-hours, but those extra few hours that make it 14 were killer. I was trapped in the middle seat of a 3-seat row, with a heavy sleeper on the aisle, so I only got up twice, which I can tell you was not nearly enough to prevent an aching backside. However, I’ve got nothing but praises for Korean Air, which made it as pleasant as possible … and has the most fashionable flight attendant uniforms I’ve ever seen.
We’re here in Hayang, Daegu (which is like the county), South Korea. Last night as we waited at the train station for a staff member from the university to come pick us up, a Korean man approached us simply to practice his English. I guess this happens a lot. Many Koreans are taught English in school, but few of them get to practice it conversationally. The last thing he asked us before leaving to catch his train was, “Why are your suitcases so large?”—which is something I was asking myself after having to haul mine on and off all of the aforementioned modes of transportation.
Our rooms here at the university are nice. Nicer than a lot of hotels I’ve stayed in. Very clean and open and a lot larger than my dorm room as an undergrad, also it’s own bathroom, a small balcony, and I have the room all to myself. Although I am sleeping on some sort of pebble-filled pillow, I feel decently rested. Hopefully I can adjust to the extreme time change quickly.
I am thankful for having taken a trip prior to this, to the Dominican Republic, where I was an extreme minority and got stared at a lot. I think that was good preparation. I’m also trying to keep my loud American voice to a minimum on public transportation.
Two phrases I know so far:
Ahn-nyung-ha-se-yo = A standard greeting, equivalent to “How are you?” but literally “Have you eaten today?” or “Are you at peace?”
Gahm-sah-ham-ni-da = Thank you
I’m also working on sil-le-ham-ni-da (“Excuse me”) and jwe-song-ham-ni-da (“I am sorry”) for when my clumsy self is bumping into people, which makes me realize that I’m not so tactful about that at home because my standard “Excuse me” is an often barely audible sound—“Whoop.” I’m scared to admit that I think it’s a shortened form of “whoopsie daisy.”
Enough for now… I better go try to wrangle with that shower, which isn’t a “shower” as we think of it back home but a handheld sprayer, whose name is the “Da Da Seven,” and a bathroom floor that apparently has a drain in it. There may be a typhoon in my bathroom.
It’s about 7:20 am here—5:20 pm on Thursday back home—and that’s as late as my body will let me sleep, even after a heinous 29 hours straight of traveling (via plane, bus, train, and car) and very little sleep before and during that time.
I’ve had a few long flights before on the way to Europe, 9 or 10-hours, but those extra few hours that make it 14 were killer. I was trapped in the middle seat of a 3-seat row, with a heavy sleeper on the aisle, so I only got up twice, which I can tell you was not nearly enough to prevent an aching backside. However, I’ve got nothing but praises for Korean Air, which made it as pleasant as possible … and has the most fashionable flight attendant uniforms I’ve ever seen.
We’re here in Hayang, Daegu (which is like the county), South Korea. Last night as we waited at the train station for a staff member from the university to come pick us up, a Korean man approached us simply to practice his English. I guess this happens a lot. Many Koreans are taught English in school, but few of them get to practice it conversationally. The last thing he asked us before leaving to catch his train was, “Why are your suitcases so large?”—which is something I was asking myself after having to haul mine on and off all of the aforementioned modes of transportation.
Our rooms here at the university are nice. Nicer than a lot of hotels I’ve stayed in. Very clean and open and a lot larger than my dorm room as an undergrad, also it’s own bathroom, a small balcony, and I have the room all to myself. Although I am sleeping on some sort of pebble-filled pillow, I feel decently rested. Hopefully I can adjust to the extreme time change quickly.
I am thankful for having taken a trip prior to this, to the Dominican Republic, where I was an extreme minority and got stared at a lot. I think that was good preparation. I’m also trying to keep my loud American voice to a minimum on public transportation.
Two phrases I know so far:
Ahn-nyung-ha-se-yo = A standard greeting, equivalent to “How are you?” but literally “Have you eaten today?” or “Are you at peace?”
Gahm-sah-ham-ni-da = Thank you
I’m also working on sil-le-ham-ni-da (“Excuse me”) and jwe-song-ham-ni-da (“I am sorry”) for when my clumsy self is bumping into people, which makes me realize that I’m not so tactful about that at home because my standard “Excuse me” is an often barely audible sound—“Whoop.” I’m scared to admit that I think it’s a shortened form of “whoopsie daisy.”
Enough for now… I better go try to wrangle with that shower, which isn’t a “shower” as we think of it back home but a handheld sprayer, whose name is the “Da Da Seven,” and a bathroom floor that apparently has a drain in it. There may be a typhoon in my bathroom.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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