Korean Eats
11:00 pm | 1 Comment » |
My first experience with Korean food was on the plane. Sitting uncomfortably in couch, and mid way into the 14 hour flight, dinner was served! I was hungry and needed the distraction. The airline was Korean Air; the food was Korean (of course). The lovely English speaking flight attendant handed me what looked like a menu; it had pictures of food. Not knowing what any of it was, I pointed to something and said, with conviction, “I’ll take this!” (I wanted her to think I knew what I was doing). She (puzzled) began to explain something. Not used to hearing Koreans speak English, along with the surrounding noise, meant that I was having a hard time hearing her. I did, however, get the impression that I could not have that particular item, so I enthusiastically pointed to another. This brought on another puzzled face, more explaining (slower this time) and then my food was served. Funny, I thought, I didn’t really order anything. Regardless, I was hungry; it looked fine. Smile, thumbs up, and she left – leaving the “menu.” I proceeded to pick away at the food but realized right away that I had to, sort-of, make it. There were many things and packages, and it looked like it all had to be mixed together. The picture of the unmixed food looked familiar. I took out the menu to look. Sure enough, it was the first picture. The second picture was the same thing plus contents of package A, the third picture was the same thing plus the contents of package B and so on…Instructions, not a menu.
(It was Bibimbap – one of my favorites now.)
Other eats…Korean style.
Ahhhhh, the Korean BBQ. Most traditional Korean restaurants have a grill, or another cooking device in the table. Food is thrown on, and you flip it and move it around yourself while it cooks. This, above, is samgyeopsal which refers to the huge slab of pork. Once it’s almost cooked staffers come by with scissors and cut it into bite size morsals. There’s garlic, kimchi (spicy cabbage) spices, sauses, other flavorful things and leaves. You take a piece of meat and a little of everything else, wrap it in a leaf and shove it all in your mouth! Everyone shares everything on the table until you’re stuffed. Good times.
A shoes off, sitting on the floor food experience. There are pillows, but there’s never enough.
It’s REALLY good! We call it hangover soup. Everybody grab a spoon!
All that remains from our spine soup…yabba dabba doo…
A giant food market. Buy it to take home, or sit down and start eating. Massive heaps of food (and Soju) everywhere.
Who needs a grocery store?
hey there lil’ guy.
The kids seem to eat a lot of sugar and junk. This is what Rea brought for lunch on a field trip. It’s all she ate after playing with it for 30 mins. The other kids were SOOO envious!
Our school B’day party. There’s one per month for the kids who have B’days in that month. I’ve included two pics to show how they are EXACTLY the same each month. Same display of bananas, same two pizzas on each end of the table, same cake on top of the cake box…same same. Different day, different kid with party hat on.
same same
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September 19, 2009
We Learns English
10:38 pm | No Comments » |Teaching ESL has been an amazing education for me. I am learning much more about English grammar with this experience than I did during four years of university. I have never dissected the language so much in my life. (Just the other day, my co-workers and I were walking together socially when an argument over diphthongs and digraphs erupted –someone finally announced that we looked like such a bunch of nerds…aaand we stopped). I understand why it is dubbed the most difficult language to learn. There are so many terms and rules and exceptions to the rules that it takes incredible practice to learn English flawlessly as a first language let alone as a second language. Mistakes are still made among my fifth graders even though they first learned the concept in kindergarten.
My afternoon schedule includes two classes of grade five. I teach them grammar, writing and vocabulary. The vocabulary is never a problem, but the grammar and the writing lessons are always questionable. Before each class I have with them, I go over the lesson thoroughly, re-teach myself the terms and make sure I know what I am about to talk about. I know what you’re thinking…really? grade five? But these kids are not learning English in the same manner that Canadian fifth graders learn it. The lessons are incredibly technical and, well…hard.
One of the most difficult concepts to get across, I’ve noticed, is agreement. In English grammar, there are so many areas of agreement and, thus, so much room for error. There’s subject/verb agreement, number agreement (singular/plural); tense agreement, person agreement (first, second, third) gender agreement, possessive pronoun/non-possessive pronoun agreement, etc. etc. Then they all mesh. As native English speakers, we learn these rules by listening. For example, subject/verb agreement is an easy one; we learn at age three to say – They run instead of They runs. This concept is taught in kindergarten at my school in Korea - my fifth graders still make mistakes.
I introduced it to my kinders last week. Problem was – they already know that plural means adding s (basically); there ensue the questions.
ME: Jack runs. Jack is the subject, it is singular (one person) so the verb, run, has to be singular as well. You make it singular by adding s.
KINDER: Why s?
ME: Because Jack is a singular subject and adding s makes the verb singular; they have to agree.
KINDER: runs is plural?
ME: No, adding s makes the verb, run, agree with your singular subject so it is singular as well.
KINDER: Why s?
ME: Because it’s the subject/verb agreement rule. Singular subject = verb ends with ‘s’ and plural subject = verb ends with no ‘s.’ Remember that! Oh exceeeept (damn you English with your umpteen exceptions to the rules) in the case of I and You; they are treated like plural even though they are singular.
KINDER: Why?
Grrrrrrrrr.
Then consider all the varying forms of subjects: proper names, common names, proper things, common things, proper places, common places, pronouns, plural, singular, anybody, everybody…. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
My grade five grammar lesson two weeks ago was pronoun antecedent agreement. My first thought: WTF is that?! This is the rule where the pronoun in the predicate agrees with the subject. It’s easy enough, but why does it have to have such a big, scary name? This on top of participle adjectives and possessive pronouns when they still don’t have their basic SVA nailed down, and their heads are spinning. Mine too.
At least I get a laugh over seeing things like this all over Korea.
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September 17, 2009
Half Way
8:41 am | No Comments » |My school, here in Korea, where I teach English, is a Hagwon. That means that it is a privately owned school instead of a government-run public school. This also means long hours, a previously planned curriculum, and many different classes. The morning program consists of kindergartens and pre-kindergartens that are there for the entire morning, 9:00am – 3:00pm. My morning class is the Falcons (my babies); an adorable group of “seven” year old kindergartens who I have grown to love. I teach them for five 40 minute classes in a row, and then they have one class with my co-teacher, Jamie (she’s Korean). I see them everyday from Monday to Friday. Their subjects include Phonics, Reading, Science, Writing, Music, Gym, Speaking, and Immersion. I’ve been teaching them for almost six months.
I remember the beginning steps of getting to know them. I knew some of their names immediately, but there were those few who I’d always mix up – until they all, finally, became unmistakable. Then their personalities started to become clear one by one. Jason is my favorite. I know that it might be a faux pas for a teacher to call out a favorite, but I’m doing it anyway. This kid has the biggest personality, the best charisma, and the most adorable expressions. On top of that, he’s an over-achiever. I remember the day I noticed him (I mean really noticed him); he cried. I forget what specifically caused the tears, but, in retrospect, I now know that it was because he was in a class with a new teacher who didn’t get him yet (the big picture). Until that day he was invisible; just another kid I didn’t know very well in a mix of twelve. Jason would not be used to this dynamic in his life; he’s a stand out.
Another stand-out for me is Jeff. I had troubles with Jeff for a while. He’s loud, dominant and a bit of a bully with the others. I was finding myself in a battle with him almost daily and getting frustrated. Then one day, I gave him a behavior form to take home to his parents. This behavior form indicated his negative behavior in class that day. His reaction got me instantly. He did not want this behavior form sent home. It meant something to him that I did not understand; his eyes spoke volumes. I took him aside to talk to him, but I didn’t talk, and he didn’t talk. I just looked at him. For, maybe, two whole minutes I looked at his eyes. He was a child; an impressionable, sensitive, delicate child. He was someone’s son; I have a son. Everything changed with Jeff and me after that moment. I started to allow him to be Jeff. He needs to feel dominant, so I let him feel dominant while gently reminding him that others deserve a turn. He needs to be the best, so I discreetly tell him he is the best while gently reminding him to encourage others as he is looked up to. He has since hugged me. We give each other sly looks of you get me/I get you all the time.
I have a similar story for almost all of them; going from unfamiliar territory to now was an awe-inspiring and (I have to say) humbling experience. I can’t believe I have to say good-bye in six short months.
Today was a great day with the Falcons. Jason was wearing my favorite outfit (polo with popped collar and Levi’s), and the twins were in a good mood. Or I should say Becky was in a good mood (Judy is always the same). Becky was not doing her usual Korean-style, girly, sooky baby pout. (I like to think that I’ve had something to do with her new found ability to man up. That pout should be altogether gone by December.) After at least five minutes of all the girls showing me their latest series of mosquito bites, we settled in to do our class Anthem. They were bang on; memorized, loud, clear, and enthusiastic. The start to a great day of teaching English that left me inspired and ready for my afternoon/early evening batch. Ten hours to go.
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September 8, 2009
Being Foreign
8:19 am | 1 Comment » |One of the interesting things about living abroad is the feeling of anonymity that goes with everyday life. Being from a small town, this has been an adjustment for me. In a small town, leaving the house to run an errand will result in seeing someone you know. In Bridgewater, people you know are everywhere – in the grocery stores, in the post office, in Wal-Mart, at Fabutan. Generally speaking, I enjoy this very much. I love the small town community spirit. Overhearing a detailed ‘catch up’ conversation between Store Clerk and Customer makes me smile every-single-time. In Bridgewater, it is social just to leave the house; especially during a pending storm, or a holiday.
Here in Seoul, for me, that element to Errand Day is completely gone. I suppose that is true for any big city, but living in a different culture allows for even more obscurity. I am obviously foreign – there are things I don’t get. I can’t talk to random strangers even if I want to. Strange Koreans do not approach me. There is a public understanding between them and me that verbal communication is not going to happen. Trips to the grocery store on a lazy Sunday involve zero words. I stand out of course, due to the huge foreigner sign on my forehead, and I get a lot of stares, but there is no chance that I’m making small talk with anyone.
Truth is –I’ve come to enjoy it. There is something very peaceful in the mystery of being foreign. I am oblivious to conversations around me and unaware of certain social cues. I’m sure I’ve made mistakes, but if I have, I don’t know about it. Sundays (my errand day) have become tranquil. I enjoy the rarity of feeling alone (not lonely –alone) in the middle of the world for one afternoon.
Today was different. Apparently, it’s foreigner season. September, being the start of the public school year, many native English speakers have arrived in Korea to start their jobs as ESL teachers. They are here in droves; there is a buzz in the air. Today, the grocery store felt like the Atlantic Superstore; everywhere I looked –typical white people. It was hard to escape all the eye contact and knowing looks of mutual understanding – you speak English/I speak English/we stick together. Then it happened (bound to happen) –I got spoken to. “Excuse me (big smile, Aussie accent) do you know where the coffee is located?” Please. After explaining the mysterious coffee location (next isle over, eye level) she proceeded to ask the typical questions, “Did you just get here too? Where are you from?” Come to find out she lives in my neighborhood as do ten of her co-workers. I’m sure we’ll all become grocery store friends real soon. You know it’s only a matter of time before this foreigner-to-foreigner small talk invades my pharmacy.
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August 27, 2009
Magic-less Beach Ride.
9:13 am | 2 Comments » |Having grown up in Nova Scotia, I am wholeheartedly habituated to the ocean. I’ve always known the ocean – the sounds, the smells, and the feelings. The beach will always ignite that flashback sense. From earliest childhood memories at Hirtle’s to getting my first car stuck in the sand at Crescent. (Ahhhh Crescent always a duel with the tide). Crescent is my favorite.
One year ago, a trip to Crescent was in my weekly routine. Hop in the car, top down, 20 minute cruise to the tunes of Depeche Mode (ok fine…Justine Timberlake *red face*). The drive itself is bliss. Every turn along Nova Scotia’s east coast is as stunning as the last. The air gets cooler hinting at upcoming fog – ocean air. Once there and the tide to car-on-beach negotiations are reconciled, I settle in and immediately feel invincible. The refreshing and much welcomed cool, crisp air matched with the warm, fine sand under my blanket is unbeatable pleasure. It is, truly, raw, untouched, pure, phenomenal nature. I always found that the ocean makes the world seem so big. I get mesmerized by the crashing waves; the edge of a massive ocean. What’s out there? A much bigger world than ours. Stress goes away with the realization that I am really lucky to be there, and I can go back anytime. This is my part of the planet.
Cut to this summer. I’m not on my part of the planet. Seoul is not near a beach. I think the closest and most convenient beach involves a two hour bus ride and a two hour ferry ride. Still, I was game for going. Imagine my excitement when a co-worker announced an upcoming beach weekend. I was the first to jump up in the air and scream “I’M IN!” After that initial burst of enthusiasm, I played it cool, but I was still beaming inside. However, the disparities were present right from the get go -we were going, but not for a month! A month. Seriously? You mean, no spontaneous hopping in the car and going? *Surrendering sigh*
Next to happen were sold out ferry tickets. No ferry = no beach unless we go to another. A plan to explore another was in action thanks to a few ambitious co-workers, and we found ourselves in transit. A three hour bus ride would be totally worth it. ‘Cept it was seven hours. Seven hours. We knew it was a holiday weekend but didn’t really know what that meant. Stuck on a bus going less than half of its normal speed for SEVEN hours, turns out, is what that meant. Arrived on the Saturday at 5pm, we had until Sunday at noon to make the trek back.
Needless to say, we sprinted to our hotel, stripped down immediately, slathered on the sunscreen, grabbed our towels (I had my, never-leave-the-country-without-it beach towel) and made our way down to the beach.
There ensued the start of my now uber, sixth sense appreciation for Nova Scotia beaches. It was bad; Paris Hilton the actress bad. Next summer I will be back in beautiful Nova Scotia, and I plan to lick Crescent beach all over.
This was our view from the side. These tents covered every inch of the beach. If one was not in use, it was laying down, and you have to buy a pole to raise it to sit under it. Notice the pseudo sand; complete with cigarette butts, chicken bones, and fries.
Our view from the other side.
Our view directly front. Nice eh? 
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August 21, 2009
First Sights
10:26 am | 4 Comments » |
Slightly smaller (by 6 giant rooms) than my Nova Scotia apt.
My free apartment in Seoul. This was my first 10 minutes there (note the packaged bedding on the floor). It’s a step up from dorm living. In fact…maybe a step down. My dorm apartment in University was massive in comparison; it even had two separate bedrooms. This place has nice fixtures though and a killer AC unit that works! You would think that a place this small would be easy to keep clean. Nope. With all the running in and out, late for work, grab it and go, and quick changes, it’s in a constant state of chaos. Honestly, I feel 16 again, and this is my messy bedroom. How uncivilized. When I have time, I straighten it out, but the laundry never makes it out of the chair and into the closet. I have nicer bedding now and a decent view.
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August 12, 2009
The Heart Part
10:17 am | 1 Comment » |I had always heard that Asian children were intensely disciplined and hard working (generally speaking). I was intrigued the first time I heard it. How different a society must be for an entire continent to have a reputation of restrained children. North American children finish their school day at 2:30pm – the nerve! I had known a few ex English teachers who taught in Japan, China and Korea; I loved their stories. Just to be made aware of the possibility to live and work in Asia was truly a seed planted.
It seemed that the opportunity had passed. It’s an easier decision if you’re 22 and on the heels of convocation. Many new graduates work abroad with the intention of one year – work, pay down student loan debt, and travel before jumping into real life; it’s a no brainer. But it’s so easy here that many stay for years going from contract to contract and from country to country. It’s a great way to see the world. For me, it was a massive decision. I had a window. The window of timing with a big Now or Never stained glass ornament hanging dead center.
So I’m here! I’m in Seoul, South Korea teaching English as a second language.
When I came, I had ZERO experience teaching. I don’t even like to talk that much, and I was going to teach!? I had no idea if this was for me or if I could even do it. I assumed that the ‘no experience required’ part of the job description meant that I had a chance. Plus I figured that if others can do it, I can do it, and I never assume I can’t do something – I learned not to do that a long time ago. Luckily for me, I met the minimum requirements: native English speaker, university degree in any discipline (happens to be English *bonus*), and a squeaky clean criminal record (phew). Ahhh English, such a worldly demand.
I’ll never forget my first day. On the Monday and Tuesday, I observed my classes before the outgoing teacher left, and on Wednesday I was to teach. The observation was fine – a whirlwind – it looked easy, but all I had to do was sit there and watch an experienced teacher deliver some –last two days – fun. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that, and I was worried that Mr. Outgoing would be a hard act to follow. I walked in on that Wednesday and announced my arrival as their new teacher like I was some kind of magic act or about to reveal a pony behind door number three. They all looked at me like I was nuts. Who’s this clown? (Korean children hate clowns; they see right through the façade). GREAT!
There started this journey. Four months down, eight months to go. My schedule is rigorous. I see over 80 different children per week, six grade levels and 10.5 hours per day. That is enough to see a lot; so many personalities; so many dynamics; so many parents. Are these children really all that different than ours at home? Yes and no. They are under enormous pressure, but if you let them (I totally let them) they’re still kids.
Aside from really wonderful Korean children, there are so many cultural differences I find fascinating. From kimchi, to Soju, to sunbrellas, to ajumas (those are the little things). It’s been a unique adventure so far. I’ve stopped saying *wow* at every turn and have gained a little perspective in four months but there is still so much to uncover.
- My Falcons (kindergartens)
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August 5, 2009
Heart and Seoul
8:28 am | 2 Comments » |
From the familiarity of Nova Scotia to the completely unknown, follow along as I experience one year of teaching English in Seoul, South Korea.
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