Today is the first day of the first semester midterm exams! Which means four days of desk-warming. Not that I'm complaining, or anything... It gives me time to get ready for the next quarter~ It's just SO beautiful outside. Almost seems like a waste to spend it in an office...
Leading up to today, the kids have been super cute and asking me constantly about how difficult the exam questions are, and begging me to make them easier. Haha, I guess there was a rumor that the small-faced teacher made really tough exam questions! They won't be taking the English exam until Monday, but I am looking forward to hearing how they felt about my questions...
Now, because I focused on it so much in my last blog post, I would like to address that my computer has come back to me in one piece. It's a little sticky sometimes when I push the keys, but it's functioning and I am thankful.
But enough about that, though! How are you guys doing? I hope the weather is beautiful there, too. The high is supposed to be 79 today! I almost regret wearing thick tights. I went outside earlier to pay my rent and buy some juice. It's absurd how much juice can cost. I got some lychee fruit 'skin balance water'... It's actually pretty good! But it tastes like fake sugar. It's one of those zero calorie things. But it's a really pretty milky green color, so I was curious... It also has a ton of vitamins, especially vitamin E and B12. So it's not all bad, right?
My current past time is writing Graduate school applications and finding different East Asian art conservation labs or programs that I could apply to in the future. I've found a few! The Grad school I'm looking at applying to is here in Korea, and the programs/labs I would like to intern at are back in the States. I'm hoping that this Grad school experience could help me get accepted into a conservation program or lab later on. I would like to go back to school. Teaching here in Korea is and has been a great experience, but part of me feels like if I keep staying here teaching, I'm wasting my time. I want to be a conservator, not a teacher. So we'll see how it turns out :)
Take care~
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Monday, March 17, 2014
Late Update and a Broken Computer
Hello everyone :)
I've been working my little butt off at this new job. It's rewarding, but a lot of work. The kids are so great! My apartment has been suiting me just fine, as well. I think I've even become a heavier sleeper... The noise no longer wakes me up in the middle of the night!
But I do have some troubling news. For me, not for you. During dinner, a glass of beer was accidentally knocked onto my computer while it was up and running, and now it won't start up. I think the saddest thing is that I just bought the computer two months ago, but AppleCare not covering spills or accidents may be even sadder.
And so I'm left with the task of fixing my computer. I'm leaving work early today to take it to a Frisbee store that has a repair shop. Here's to hoping some sort of miracle occurs. I read an article about a woman who had a similar problem, and the Apple store just replaced it for her. For free! I'm crossing my fingers every second I'm not typing or teaching.
But in case life is real and I can't get out of this so lucky, I have started a GoFundMe page. It seems really selfish after looking at all of the other causes on the site, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And so I'm here selfishly asking for donations, if you should feel so inclined. I'm not expecting much, but if everyone can donate a dollar or two, then I'll be a lot closer to being able to afford this fix. And I'm really hoping it's the cost of a fix, not a replacement.
I talked to a tech guy, and he said that it could cost up to the price of a new computer if the hardware is damaged because of the retina display. ㅠㅠㅠ
So here is the link to my GoFundMe page: Replacing a New Computer. If you are able to donate, I really, really, really appreciate it!
Take care, everyone!
And watch those liquids!
I've been working my little butt off at this new job. It's rewarding, but a lot of work. The kids are so great! My apartment has been suiting me just fine, as well. I think I've even become a heavier sleeper... The noise no longer wakes me up in the middle of the night!
But I do have some troubling news. For me, not for you. During dinner, a glass of beer was accidentally knocked onto my computer while it was up and running, and now it won't start up. I think the saddest thing is that I just bought the computer two months ago, but AppleCare not covering spills or accidents may be even sadder.
And so I'm left with the task of fixing my computer. I'm leaving work early today to take it to a Frisbee store that has a repair shop. Here's to hoping some sort of miracle occurs. I read an article about a woman who had a similar problem, and the Apple store just replaced it for her. For free! I'm crossing my fingers every second I'm not typing or teaching.
But in case life is real and I can't get out of this so lucky, I have started a GoFundMe page. It seems really selfish after looking at all of the other causes on the site, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And so I'm here selfishly asking for donations, if you should feel so inclined. I'm not expecting much, but if everyone can donate a dollar or two, then I'll be a lot closer to being able to afford this fix. And I'm really hoping it's the cost of a fix, not a replacement.
I talked to a tech guy, and he said that it could cost up to the price of a new computer if the hardware is damaged because of the retina display. ㅠㅠㅠ
So here is the link to my GoFundMe page: Replacing a New Computer. If you are able to donate, I really, really, really appreciate it!
Take care, everyone!
And watch those liquids!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
New House, New House!
Maybe five days ago or so I signed the contract for my new house! Hooooraaaay!
It's in Gangnam, so it's closer to my school. It's also an apartment building, so the 관리비 (base fee in your monthly utility bill that covers security and maintenance) is less than what it would be in an officetel. A lot of the officetel-style buildings had their 관리비 between 80,000 and 120,000 won!! That's just too much for me. I'm not making mad dollahs or anything so sweet yet. Especially when you consider that it's a little tough to find a place in Gangnam for less than 600,000 won a month. And that really isn't bad at all, but you're looking at older, very tiny, one room living spaces for that price. For an officetel it's around 800,000, I've found.
I will live by Gangnam Station, so that area isn't bad. I wanted to live around Seolleung Station because it's ridiculously close to my school and also faster to get to other places around Seoul, but on one side of Seolleung Station is Daechi-dong. And you can't find a nice place for 900,000 won or less (total with rent and 관리비) in Daechi-dong. Sooo, I put my tail between my legs and looked elsewhere.
My new place isn't bad at all, though. It's a lot smaller than where I'm living now, and the view isn't very good, but it will do. Although... The bathroom concerns me. I remember writing about it in an email to my grandfolks, haha. You can use the toilet, and you can use the sink. That is what there is room for.
I'll start moving in next week, so I'll have to take a picture of it and post it. I think this is going to be a true test of how high-maintenance I am.
So why did I do it?! Why did I pick the place with the tiny bathroom and the tiny, yippy dog living across from me? Becaaaaause...it has a closet. Well, it has a really tiny room with a wardrobe in it that can hold, like, six or seven jackets. Or dresses if that's what you have more of. But I don't. So several of my jackets will go in this petite wardrobe. However, the most important thing about this wardrobe is that it can be moved OUT. Out of the tiny room! And you know what that leaves me with? An art space.
It has windows on two of the four walls, and an actual door. So even if I'm using turpentine in the summer, I can set up a fan, open the windows, and not have my entire apartment dishing out headaches. It means I can tape paper to the wall and draw to my hearts content in my own little isolated corner of the world.
And that is why I did it.
I actually wouldn't have even thought of it if my boyfriend weren't there with me. It was his brilliant idea to move the stupidly tiny wardrobe out. I thought the thing was stuck in there. Poor guy went around with me to house after house after house, and sometimes until quite late. I'm so, so thankful for his help as well as the help of my family and friends who were all so supportive.
Ah. ** There is one thing I'd like to add. I don't know if this is a Gangnam thing, or an everywhere thing, but you don't need the full deposit when you sign the contract. Just 10%. So, since my deposit is 10,000,000 won, I only needed to pay 1,000,000 won when I signed the contract. The rest, plus one month rent, is then paid when moving in. So when I move in next week, I'll pay 9,700,000 won.
Therefore, I would advice any of you house-hunters to check in with the realtor you're using and see when the full amount is due. It could mean the difference between getting the house you want and being too late!
직방
Also, here's the website version of the mobile app I used to find places up for rent. I spent way too much time on this thing, but it's helpful. If you know Korean... Unfortunately there is no English version, but it's still very easy to use. You can look by type of house, deposit and rent parameters, location... Everything. And it tells you when the house was listed, too, along with what appliances are inside. I, for one, refused to consider one that lacks a washing machine. But that's up to you~
I feel like I've been plugging this app so much I should be getting paid.
Anywho, feel free to ask me questions, as always :)
xoxox
It's in Gangnam, so it's closer to my school. It's also an apartment building, so the 관리비 (base fee in your monthly utility bill that covers security and maintenance) is less than what it would be in an officetel. A lot of the officetel-style buildings had their 관리비 between 80,000 and 120,000 won!! That's just too much for me. I'm not making mad dollahs or anything so sweet yet. Especially when you consider that it's a little tough to find a place in Gangnam for less than 600,000 won a month. And that really isn't bad at all, but you're looking at older, very tiny, one room living spaces for that price. For an officetel it's around 800,000, I've found.
I will live by Gangnam Station, so that area isn't bad. I wanted to live around Seolleung Station because it's ridiculously close to my school and also faster to get to other places around Seoul, but on one side of Seolleung Station is Daechi-dong. And you can't find a nice place for 900,000 won or less (total with rent and 관리비) in Daechi-dong. Sooo, I put my tail between my legs and looked elsewhere.
My new place isn't bad at all, though. It's a lot smaller than where I'm living now, and the view isn't very good, but it will do. Although... The bathroom concerns me. I remember writing about it in an email to my grandfolks, haha. You can use the toilet, and you can use the sink. That is what there is room for.
I'll start moving in next week, so I'll have to take a picture of it and post it. I think this is going to be a true test of how high-maintenance I am.
So why did I do it?! Why did I pick the place with the tiny bathroom and the tiny, yippy dog living across from me? Becaaaaause...it has a closet. Well, it has a really tiny room with a wardrobe in it that can hold, like, six or seven jackets. Or dresses if that's what you have more of. But I don't. So several of my jackets will go in this petite wardrobe. However, the most important thing about this wardrobe is that it can be moved OUT. Out of the tiny room! And you know what that leaves me with? An art space.
It has windows on two of the four walls, and an actual door. So even if I'm using turpentine in the summer, I can set up a fan, open the windows, and not have my entire apartment dishing out headaches. It means I can tape paper to the wall and draw to my hearts content in my own little isolated corner of the world.
And that is why I did it.
I actually wouldn't have even thought of it if my boyfriend weren't there with me. It was his brilliant idea to move the stupidly tiny wardrobe out. I thought the thing was stuck in there. Poor guy went around with me to house after house after house, and sometimes until quite late. I'm so, so thankful for his help as well as the help of my family and friends who were all so supportive.
Ah. ** There is one thing I'd like to add. I don't know if this is a Gangnam thing, or an everywhere thing, but you don't need the full deposit when you sign the contract. Just 10%. So, since my deposit is 10,000,000 won, I only needed to pay 1,000,000 won when I signed the contract. The rest, plus one month rent, is then paid when moving in. So when I move in next week, I'll pay 9,700,000 won.
Therefore, I would advice any of you house-hunters to check in with the realtor you're using and see when the full amount is due. It could mean the difference between getting the house you want and being too late!
직방
Also, here's the website version of the mobile app I used to find places up for rent. I spent way too much time on this thing, but it's helpful. If you know Korean... Unfortunately there is no English version, but it's still very easy to use. You can look by type of house, deposit and rent parameters, location... Everything. And it tells you when the house was listed, too, along with what appliances are inside. I, for one, refused to consider one that lacks a washing machine. But that's up to you~
I feel like I've been plugging this app so much I should be getting paid.
Anywho, feel free to ask me questions, as always :)
xoxox
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Changing Schools- The Paperwork
As I was talking with schools I was interested in working with last year, one company gave me notice that I would need to have two documents: one for immigration, and one for the company. The one for immigration is the Letter of Release, and is required to change your visa over to a new employer. The one for the school is the Certificate of Employment, and basically just proves to the school that you aren't lying about previous work experience. I guess enough fibbing throughout the country in various fields prompted that such a form be produced by workers. It's standard for Koreans and foreigners in the country to provide it when asked.
Now, the school I signed the contract with did not request the Certificate of Employment, but I will obtain it anyway in case I need it in the future. (They did provide me with the Proof of Employment paper needed to change my visa to the new school, though.) The forms are so similar, too, that I might as well do them both at the same time!
Let's talk about the paperwork, shall we? The appearance of these forms is not standard. The information it contains, however, is. For the most part. I searched online and found that there is a skeleton of necessary information. I will write them below. I recommend writing it in both Korean and English. As you are in Korea, the Korean is most important.
For the Letter of Release (이적 동의서):
(This can be used when breaking your contract, too, while allowing you to seek work elsewhere.)
Name (성명)
Nationality (국적)
Passport Number (여관번호)
Addresss (주소) -your address
Telephone Number (연락처) -your telephone number
** I also included my foreign registration number from my ARC and my date of birth.
At the bottom, you will need a statement similar to this:
"I hereby grant the transfer consent of the above named person as of <ENDING DATE> who has been working at <PLACE> since <STARTING DATE> as a Native English Teacher."
"위 사람은 <PLACE>에서 20__년 _월 _일(the starting date)부터 원어민 영어 보조교사로 근무하고 있는 자로 20__년 _일 _일(the ending date) 이후 이적을 동의합니다."
Then, you will need the date the form was signed, followed by the name of your workplace and its address and contact information.
At the bottom, you will need the name of your principal or manager, along with their signature and seal.
Don't forget the seal!!!
Here's a sample I made in case you are a visual person like me:
For the Certificate of Employment (재직증명서):
Name (성명)
Foreign Registration Number (외국인등록번호) -ARC number
Address (주소) -your address
Position (직위) -probably Native English Teacher (원어민 영어 보조교사)
Period of Employment (재직기간) -year / month / day - year / month / day
Use (용도)- Employment (고용)
**Again, I also included my date of birth.
Similar to above, you will need a statement giving something like this:
"This is to certify that the above mentioned person has worked for this school."
I currently have not put this into Korean, but I will update this when I have.
And then after, state the date the form was signed, followed by the name of your workplace and its address and contact information (copy and paste, baby).
Finally, again, you will need the name of your principal or manager with their signature and seal.
The seal is important. It means the document is real.
Visual aid:
And that's it! I've read that some schools ask for 400 won, as this is a form of legal work. So if you do get asked, it has happened before and that is why. Also, it's less than 40 cents. So just do it.
I did find a pretty interesting website while looking for what I needed in these forms. It's called EFL-Law. Maybe you've heard of it? It gives you advice on situations that may pop up, what you should and shouldn't see in your contract, info on visa runs, and much more. Check it out if you feel so inclined! :) I used this website as a reference for the Letter of Release form, so it's definitely handy. ...If you can navigate it.
If you have any more questions, please let me know! I can also send the sample forms via email or whatnot, if needed.
Take care xoxox
Now, the school I signed the contract with did not request the Certificate of Employment, but I will obtain it anyway in case I need it in the future. (They did provide me with the Proof of Employment paper needed to change my visa to the new school, though.) The forms are so similar, too, that I might as well do them both at the same time!
Let's talk about the paperwork, shall we? The appearance of these forms is not standard. The information it contains, however, is. For the most part. I searched online and found that there is a skeleton of necessary information. I will write them below. I recommend writing it in both Korean and English. As you are in Korea, the Korean is most important.
For the Letter of Release (이적 동의서):
(This can be used when breaking your contract, too, while allowing you to seek work elsewhere.)
Name (성명)
Nationality (국적)
Passport Number (여관번호)
Addresss (주소) -your address
Telephone Number (연락처) -your telephone number
** I also included my foreign registration number from my ARC and my date of birth.
At the bottom, you will need a statement similar to this:
"I hereby grant the transfer consent of the above named person as of <ENDING DATE> who has been working at <PLACE> since <STARTING DATE> as a Native English Teacher."
"위 사람은 <PLACE>에서 20__년 _월 _일(the starting date)부터 원어민 영어 보조교사로 근무하고 있는 자로 20__년 _일 _일(the ending date) 이후 이적을 동의합니다."
Then, you will need the date the form was signed, followed by the name of your workplace and its address and contact information.
At the bottom, you will need the name of your principal or manager, along with their signature and seal.
Don't forget the seal!!!
Here's a sample I made in case you are a visual person like me:
For the Certificate of Employment (재직증명서):
Name (성명)
Foreign Registration Number (외국인등록번호) -ARC number
Address (주소) -your address
Position (직위) -probably Native English Teacher (원어민 영어 보조교사)
Period of Employment (재직기간) -year / month / day - year / month / day
Use (용도)- Employment (고용)
**Again, I also included my date of birth.
Similar to above, you will need a statement giving something like this:
"This is to certify that the above mentioned person has worked for this school."
I currently have not put this into Korean, but I will update this when I have.
And then after, state the date the form was signed, followed by the name of your workplace and its address and contact information (copy and paste, baby).
Finally, again, you will need the name of your principal or manager with their signature and seal.
The seal is important. It means the document is real.
Visual aid:
And that's it! I've read that some schools ask for 400 won, as this is a form of legal work. So if you do get asked, it has happened before and that is why. Also, it's less than 40 cents. So just do it.
I did find a pretty interesting website while looking for what I needed in these forms. It's called EFL-Law. Maybe you've heard of it? It gives you advice on situations that may pop up, what you should and shouldn't see in your contract, info on visa runs, and much more. Check it out if you feel so inclined! :) I used this website as a reference for the Letter of Release form, so it's definitely handy. ...If you can navigate it.
If you have any more questions, please let me know! I can also send the sample forms via email or whatnot, if needed.
Take care xoxox
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Back to School
...for two weeks :)
After the end of my super fun English camp that ran for two weeks, I jetted off to the States to visit friends and family. It was so great to see those I could! (I love you!) Although, it felt more like a vacation than a trip home. I mean come on! 50 degrees in January?! South Carolina was beautiful, but I did miss Detroit, the businesses, the faces, and knowing how to get places. On the upside, though, they have Piggly Wiggly stores.
Getting back was quite an adventure, too! Getting yelled at in the airport for arriving at the gate after they shut the door, staying with a girl vacationing in Korea at the airport until she found her friend, getting off the bus waaay too early with no money left on my transportation card (a kind bus driver let me on for free), and then carrying all 55 lbs of my luggage home from Sopoong Terminal after not sleeping for 28 hours.
But now I'm back in chilly Korea, unpacking and packing while trying to decide what I need for the next 20 days before I move into some new apartment I have yet to find. Because realtors will be showing off my current place to future tenants, I'd like to get as much as possible cleaned up and packed or put away... The idea of strangers walking through my house, especially as messy as it is currently, just unsettles me.
So I'll be busy, but I expected as such. I'm excited for the new changes! Just keeping my fingers crossed hoping that everything falls into place :)
Thankfully, it more so outside of my current job that I'm busy. For the next two weeks we'll be taking it easy. Having fun, teaching, playing games... Nothing too terrible. And I just have two more after school classes... I'm really going to miss these kids! Although I'm saying this after them being on vacation for a month and not having taught them again yet. Haha I'm sure they'll be good.
That's all I'm up to these days. Hopefully soon I'll have something more exciting to write about (like a new house)!
xoxox
After the end of my super fun English camp that ran for two weeks, I jetted off to the States to visit friends and family. It was so great to see those I could! (I love you!) Although, it felt more like a vacation than a trip home. I mean come on! 50 degrees in January?! South Carolina was beautiful, but I did miss Detroit, the businesses, the faces, and knowing how to get places. On the upside, though, they have Piggly Wiggly stores.
Getting back was quite an adventure, too! Getting yelled at in the airport for arriving at the gate after they shut the door, staying with a girl vacationing in Korea at the airport until she found her friend, getting off the bus waaay too early with no money left on my transportation card (a kind bus driver let me on for free), and then carrying all 55 lbs of my luggage home from Sopoong Terminal after not sleeping for 28 hours.
But now I'm back in chilly Korea, unpacking and packing while trying to decide what I need for the next 20 days before I move into some new apartment I have yet to find. Because realtors will be showing off my current place to future tenants, I'd like to get as much as possible cleaned up and packed or put away... The idea of strangers walking through my house, especially as messy as it is currently, just unsettles me.
So I'll be busy, but I expected as such. I'm excited for the new changes! Just keeping my fingers crossed hoping that everything falls into place :)
Thankfully, it more so outside of my current job that I'm busy. For the next two weeks we'll be taking it easy. Having fun, teaching, playing games... Nothing too terrible. And I just have two more after school classes... I'm really going to miss these kids! Although I'm saying this after them being on vacation for a month and not having taught them again yet. Haha I'm sure they'll be good.
That's all I'm up to these days. Hopefully soon I'll have something more exciting to write about (like a new house)!
xoxox
Monday, January 6, 2014
New Year, New Place
Happy New Year, everyone!! I hope you've enjoyed January so far~
Also, it's very strange that we've had such a mild winter. I mean, I know it's only January, but we haven't really had any snow. It hasn't been nearly as cold as it was last year, either. But who's complaining? Not this girl!
You know, I was really excited to go to the south this time because Detroit was about the same temperature as Korea last time. But. The weather... It got so bad!! What is happening to the Midwest?! Can't I just go someplace nice and around 50-55 degrees?
Oh well. It will be so lovely to see my parents and best friend again! I'll be in the Carolinas the last two weeks of January. It'll be interesting to see what there is in terms of entertainment and shopping/thrifting. And food! New Years diet resolution doesn't begin until AFTER I get back from the States.
This year is full of new places, it seems! This week I'll go and sign a contract with my new school in Seoul, which means finding an apartment in the city. New school, new home. Moving... I've already started to sort through my things and I've thrown out a mountain (or large desk drawer) of paper. I am a pack rat. I have been saying this to myself out loud in order to curb this behavior.
I am a little nervous about finding a place, though. The rental system here is a little bit different. You pay quite a large sum for deposit ($5,000 - $10,000) and then the usual rental fee of $500 - $800. Of course the type of apartment you have and its size dictate how much rent you pay, too. And the area. I will start looking soon. I feel that it's best to go visit the area I want to live in and see which neighborhoods I prefer. Then I'll go to a realtor and have them show me around. I actually found some helpful articles about renting in Seoul, so here's the first and the second. There's a pitch in both of them for some "helpful" what-have-you, but it costs money so I wouldn't bother. I didn't.
I'll post again after I've gone through the process. I'm curious to see if I can find a nice place with a low deposit. Paying off my student loans feels awesome, but it also means I don't have the cash lying around to pay such a huge sum. And my Macbook went and black-screened on me. Living is so expensive. At least my healthcare here is socialized- efficient and cheap.
I had to go to the hospital last week for a health check, actually. But it's very different from getting one back home. For the hospital I went to, which is seriously quite large, you go to an area and fill out part of a form. You pull a number and walk up to the counter when your number shows on the screen. The you go and get changed in the women's area, leaving your stuff in a locker. It's not a gown, either. Just a wrap-shirt. Then you proceed to go around different stations in the hallway-like area and the people at each station fill in the results on the rest of the form you started earlier. You put the form in a box near each station for the busy ones and they pull the forms when their pile runs out and call you up to that area based on when your form was put into the box. Then you hand in the form and change. Then you're done. Simple, fast, and not unpleasant. I need to call them, though, and make sure I paid.... Haha, I still hate hospitals. Took them three times to check my heart rate and get a result that didn't make them think I needed to be on hypertension medication.
It's been a busy month, this January. I'm currently halfway through teaching English Camp. Just the rest of this week and next Monday left. The first five days were monster-themed. For the last five days I'm going to do a mystery-spy theme. It's been a lot of fun :)
Anyway, I should get back to planning. I have a PowerPoint to make!
Take care, everyone! And I'll see you soon, America~ (Please ease up on the weather. xoxox)
Also, it's very strange that we've had such a mild winter. I mean, I know it's only January, but we haven't really had any snow. It hasn't been nearly as cold as it was last year, either. But who's complaining? Not this girl!
You know, I was really excited to go to the south this time because Detroit was about the same temperature as Korea last time. But. The weather... It got so bad!! What is happening to the Midwest?! Can't I just go someplace nice and around 50-55 degrees?
Oh well. It will be so lovely to see my parents and best friend again! I'll be in the Carolinas the last two weeks of January. It'll be interesting to see what there is in terms of entertainment and shopping/thrifting. And food! New Years diet resolution doesn't begin until AFTER I get back from the States.
This year is full of new places, it seems! This week I'll go and sign a contract with my new school in Seoul, which means finding an apartment in the city. New school, new home. Moving... I've already started to sort through my things and I've thrown out a mountain (or large desk drawer) of paper. I am a pack rat. I have been saying this to myself out loud in order to curb this behavior.
I am a little nervous about finding a place, though. The rental system here is a little bit different. You pay quite a large sum for deposit ($5,000 - $10,000) and then the usual rental fee of $500 - $800. Of course the type of apartment you have and its size dictate how much rent you pay, too. And the area. I will start looking soon. I feel that it's best to go visit the area I want to live in and see which neighborhoods I prefer. Then I'll go to a realtor and have them show me around. I actually found some helpful articles about renting in Seoul, so here's the first and the second. There's a pitch in both of them for some "helpful" what-have-you, but it costs money so I wouldn't bother. I didn't.
I'll post again after I've gone through the process. I'm curious to see if I can find a nice place with a low deposit. Paying off my student loans feels awesome, but it also means I don't have the cash lying around to pay such a huge sum. And my Macbook went and black-screened on me. Living is so expensive. At least my healthcare here is socialized- efficient and cheap.
I had to go to the hospital last week for a health check, actually. But it's very different from getting one back home. For the hospital I went to, which is seriously quite large, you go to an area and fill out part of a form. You pull a number and walk up to the counter when your number shows on the screen. The you go and get changed in the women's area, leaving your stuff in a locker. It's not a gown, either. Just a wrap-shirt. Then you proceed to go around different stations in the hallway-like area and the people at each station fill in the results on the rest of the form you started earlier. You put the form in a box near each station for the busy ones and they pull the forms when their pile runs out and call you up to that area based on when your form was put into the box. Then you hand in the form and change. Then you're done. Simple, fast, and not unpleasant. I need to call them, though, and make sure I paid.... Haha, I still hate hospitals. Took them three times to check my heart rate and get a result that didn't make them think I needed to be on hypertension medication.
It's been a busy month, this January. I'm currently halfway through teaching English Camp. Just the rest of this week and next Monday left. The first five days were monster-themed. For the last five days I'm going to do a mystery-spy theme. It's been a lot of fun :)
Anyway, I should get back to planning. I have a PowerPoint to make!
Take care, everyone! And I'll see you soon, America~ (Please ease up on the weather. xoxox)
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Job Hunting
With November approaching, it's time to start looking for jobs in Korea! I know Japan typically posts jobs and ends deadlines during the month of October, and while there are a good deal of jobs posted for Korea during the month of October, many of them are for positions beginning in November/December. Still, since I've decided to move to a different school, I've been looking at several job boards trying to nail the perfect job!
And so what I would like to do is share with you the sites that I've been looking at. Two years ago I went through a great recruiter, Korvia Consulting, and I'm so happy I did! But now that I'm trying to get a job with an international school, or a school with an English immersion program, I'm taking to the job market alone.
If you are in Korea and looking for a new job, maybe these boards can be of assistance to you. The same goes for those of you outside of Korea, too, of course! Many recruiters also post on these boards in case you decide to go through a recruiter to find a job.
Happy hunting! :)
First- here is a great site I found for Japan: GaijinPot - You can search by industry and location! You put all of your information on the site to make your CV, and then apply to jobs directly on the site simply by choosing to send them your already made, online CV. So nice~
Now, on to Korea:
Dave's ESL Cafe - I look under the job description link for who is posting the job (school, recruiter). There is also a section where you can post your resume!
I Love ESL Korea - This is one of my favorites to look at because the website design is clean and organized. You can search for jobs by age (adults or kids) and location, as well as post your own resume.
Planet ESL - This site lists jobs with their start date right next to the header, and I find that really convenient.
Korea Job Finder - I'm also quite fond of this site. It's updated frequently and the presentation is nice. You can also post your resume on the site, and search for jobs by location or full-/part-time.
ESL Fish - Now, this site is not updated as often and that is really too bad because the site functions are pretty cool. You can refine your job search by location and pay, as well as post your resume.
Here are some others, though they are not updated as frequently as the above. I still like to check them all ;)
Work N' Play
ESL Jobs Korea
ESL Jobs Now
There's also this one - ESL Employment - but I HATE the website layout so I never use it.
And Online TEFL, which allows you to check available jobs throughout many different countries.
I've tried out some others, but they didn't work as I wanted them to, or they sent me emails for jobs in Utah. And I have absolutely no desire to teach in Utah.
With some of these sites, however, your email is visible as it is how potential employers can contact you. So I take that into consideration when choosing which email address you supply :) (The plus side is when you get funny messages from people asking you to move to a different country and be paid six grand every month to teach a family.) Still, some of them keep your information hidden until you're interested in contacting someone!
If you have any other job sites for teaching abroad, please share them!!
And so what I would like to do is share with you the sites that I've been looking at. Two years ago I went through a great recruiter, Korvia Consulting, and I'm so happy I did! But now that I'm trying to get a job with an international school, or a school with an English immersion program, I'm taking to the job market alone.
If you are in Korea and looking for a new job, maybe these boards can be of assistance to you. The same goes for those of you outside of Korea, too, of course! Many recruiters also post on these boards in case you decide to go through a recruiter to find a job.
Happy hunting! :)
First- here is a great site I found for Japan: GaijinPot - You can search by industry and location! You put all of your information on the site to make your CV, and then apply to jobs directly on the site simply by choosing to send them your already made, online CV. So nice~
Now, on to Korea:
Dave's ESL Cafe - I look under the job description link for who is posting the job (school, recruiter). There is also a section where you can post your resume!
I Love ESL Korea - This is one of my favorites to look at because the website design is clean and organized. You can search for jobs by age (adults or kids) and location, as well as post your own resume.
Planet ESL - This site lists jobs with their start date right next to the header, and I find that really convenient.
Korea Job Finder - I'm also quite fond of this site. It's updated frequently and the presentation is nice. You can also post your resume on the site, and search for jobs by location or full-/part-time.
ESL Fish - Now, this site is not updated as often and that is really too bad because the site functions are pretty cool. You can refine your job search by location and pay, as well as post your resume.
Here are some others, though they are not updated as frequently as the above. I still like to check them all ;)
Work N' Play
ESL Jobs Korea
ESL Jobs Now
There's also this one - ESL Employment - but I HATE the website layout so I never use it.
And Online TEFL, which allows you to check available jobs throughout many different countries.
I've tried out some others, but they didn't work as I wanted them to, or they sent me emails for jobs in Utah. And I have absolutely no desire to teach in Utah.
With some of these sites, however, your email is visible as it is how potential employers can contact you. So I take that into consideration when choosing which email address you supply :) (The plus side is when you get funny messages from people asking you to move to a different country and be paid six grand every month to teach a family.) Still, some of them keep your information hidden until you're interested in contacting someone!
If you have any other job sites for teaching abroad, please share them!!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Fall Sentiments and Job Hunting
I've been putting off admitting it for years, but now I must. Two weeks ago I was complaining about how hot it was, and now I want to comment on how cold it's getting! Granted it's not particularly cold, but there has been a 15 degree (F) drop between these two weeks... So here we go: I am sensitive to temperature. My younger self that ran around in the snow wearing flip-flops would be ashamed.
But I don't mind too terribly, sitting here eating a donut and sipping on hot coffee. Although walking into the bakery as they pulled the donuts out of the oven and smelling that delicious smell more than tempted me into buying one- it made me wish I was back home on my way to a cider mill. Orange and red leaves, hayrides, caramel apples... Oh, what I wouldn't do for an actual donut and some hot cider right now!
That will have to wait a while longer, though. I've decided to stay in Korea for a third year. I know telling people this has prompted the question of if I'll ever leave, but I still think my answer to that is a definite 'yes'. I would, however, like to try working at a different school. I have loved working here! Everyone has been so kind to me and so considerate of me, but because I am a foreigner with only so much time here I want to try living somewhere else. Not too far away, though! I'm looking around Seoul, which is going to be a bit difficult with the public school job cut-backs, and the influx of highly qualified teachers. I wouldn't mind working in other parts of Korea (in fact, sometimes I think I would prefer it), but the type of job I want is more abundant in Seoul.
So, of course, I've been working on my resume like crazy! I've had some friends and my folks look over it, too. Do you ever feel like a child when writing your resume? The first time I re-opened my resume I think I laughed... Here's to hoping it's improved.
Another gem of job-hunting is the professional photos! My co-teacher is so sweet and searched for studios around my house where I could have my picture taken. I went to Cle Studio in Bucheon near City Hall, and they did a great job! After sitting down and taking your picture they have you sit down in the front where you can watch the person photoshop your picture. It was like watching magic. I mean, I knew that such people existed, but to actually watch the entire process was so impressive. She was so, so fast! I came out looking quite a bit different, and I'm not sure how I feel about that in a photo that's supposed to represent me for a job (It's normal to attach a professional photos to your resume here), but it's most certainly not an ugly photograph. The entire process took maaaybe 30 minutes? Taking several photographs, choosing one, editing it, printing it, cutting them, paying for the services.... All of it. 17,000 won (~15.50 USD). The girl actually spoke really great English, too...
With my shiny new resume, super shiny new professional photo, and a heart full of determination, I go out into the job-hunting frontier once again. Keep your fingers crossed for me! ;)
xox
But I don't mind too terribly, sitting here eating a donut and sipping on hot coffee. Although walking into the bakery as they pulled the donuts out of the oven and smelling that delicious smell more than tempted me into buying one- it made me wish I was back home on my way to a cider mill. Orange and red leaves, hayrides, caramel apples... Oh, what I wouldn't do for an actual donut and some hot cider right now!
That will have to wait a while longer, though. I've decided to stay in Korea for a third year. I know telling people this has prompted the question of if I'll ever leave, but I still think my answer to that is a definite 'yes'. I would, however, like to try working at a different school. I have loved working here! Everyone has been so kind to me and so considerate of me, but because I am a foreigner with only so much time here I want to try living somewhere else. Not too far away, though! I'm looking around Seoul, which is going to be a bit difficult with the public school job cut-backs, and the influx of highly qualified teachers. I wouldn't mind working in other parts of Korea (in fact, sometimes I think I would prefer it), but the type of job I want is more abundant in Seoul.
So, of course, I've been working on my resume like crazy! I've had some friends and my folks look over it, too. Do you ever feel like a child when writing your resume? The first time I re-opened my resume I think I laughed... Here's to hoping it's improved.
Another gem of job-hunting is the professional photos! My co-teacher is so sweet and searched for studios around my house where I could have my picture taken. I went to Cle Studio in Bucheon near City Hall, and they did a great job! After sitting down and taking your picture they have you sit down in the front where you can watch the person photoshop your picture. It was like watching magic. I mean, I knew that such people existed, but to actually watch the entire process was so impressive. She was so, so fast! I came out looking quite a bit different, and I'm not sure how I feel about that in a photo that's supposed to represent me for a job (It's normal to attach a professional photos to your resume here), but it's most certainly not an ugly photograph. The entire process took maaaybe 30 minutes? Taking several photographs, choosing one, editing it, printing it, cutting them, paying for the services.... All of it. 17,000 won (~15.50 USD). The girl actually spoke really great English, too...
With my shiny new resume, super shiny new professional photo, and a heart full of determination, I go out into the job-hunting frontier once again. Keep your fingers crossed for me! ;)
xox
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
I Love Busan (Part 2 with some Daegu)
It's September already!
Haha, I think that every time I wake up, it's a different month. For those who've been wondering, I am alive! I haven't been showing my face much these days, but the weather is no longer a weapon of destruction so I'm crawling back out :)
But, man, does time fly. I went to Busan and Daegu during my summer vacation, but now it's already getting close to Chuseok! Still, I was able to see new things this Busan trip AND it was my first time visiting Daegu. So even though it's been a little longer than I'd like, I'm going to write up a post about the trip.
Firstly, there are a few ways you can get to Busan. By bus, by normal train, and by fast train (KTX). The bus and the normal train cost about the same from here in Bucheon, and the supposed time it takes is about the same, too. This time we went with the train. Firstly because my boyfriend, who I traveled with, lives in Seoul and getting to the Bucheon terminal takes him longer than it takes me to get to the Seoul terminal. Secondly because trains don't have traffic. (The KTX may be nice, but it costs twice as much so we passed on that option, too.)
During my last trip, my friend and I traveled along the coast, essentially. We hit Gwangali and Haeundae beaches, saw the Busan Tower and the markets.
But this trip we kept inland a bit more. We visited Beomeosa Temple, which is gorgeous and located next to Geumjeong Fortress, which we weren't able to see, regrettably. There are so many well-preserved (and newer) temples to see. If you happen to go here, you will likely see those doing a temple-stay, children with some group being instructed by the monks, and people giving their prayers. It's such a serene place, covered with Korean pine trees and bamboo. There is also an area of large rocks you can climb up to the northern fortress gate, or if you're like the people we passed, you can stop when you've found a nice rock and have yourself a little picnic. We stopped climbing when we realized it was getting darker and that we would like to get back down. The view is stunning, too. You can look out and see beautiful glimpses of mountains and the surrounding area.
We did venture back out to the coast afterward for the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, another gorgeous temple but quite a bit smaller. There were also tonsssss of people at this temple. The best things about this temple, in my opinion, are the round pigs, the giant golden Buddha, and the view looking at the temple from a little farther away. There is a path along the shore starting from the foot of the temple area that leads you away toward a fisheries museum. In getting here, we took the subway as far as we could and then hopped on a bus that brought us close to the temple. From there, you walk for about 10-15 minutes, and then you're golden! I wanted to mention the directions, because we happened to walk along the coastal path, up to the fisheries museum. Then we kept walking up and turned left out of the area, somehow leading us right back to the bus stop. Somehow we managed to make a circle, but I was so amazed and so thankful. I made the mistake of wearing peep-toe flats on this trip, so the walking and large rock journeys were quite hard on the tootsies.
We did go to Haeundae beach that evening, and it was clothed in its usual company of buskers, magicians, couples, friends, and families. I always love the beach until I'm covered in wet sand. Well, I always like the idea of going to the beach more than actually being at the beach. It's a beautiful area, though, and that makes up for the awful magic tricks and sand in your shoes. Complaining about sand in my shoes always reminds me of Rocket Power...
Anywho, after the beautiful Busan adventure it was time to hit Daegu! Again, you can take a bus or a train from Busan to Daegu. Againagain, we took the train! It wasn't a bad trip at all from Busan to Daegu... Although it was really hot, I liked Daegu. Daegu is my boyfriend's hometown, so we were able to navigate it easily and meet up with some of his friends. Around city hall, there is a shopping area with a wide pedestrian-only street running down the middle. I was particularly fond of this because they had organized the street into districts based on what shops sold. All the jewelry stores were grouped together, all the shoe stores, all the make-up stores... You didn't have to run to opposite ends to check prices and availability at a different store. Sooo nice!
We spent most of our time in a different area, though, where there is an abundance of art supply stores and music stores. Heaven. Not to mention the coffee shops! We also visited a really lovely university campus, as well as the Catholic church in the area. They are both beautiful areas that are great for a stroll, especially when school isn't in session.
Another famous area we went to was the Kim Kwang Seok (a wonderful musician) street behind the markets. Unfortunately the markets were closed, but the murals were really cool! We sat down on the prettiest bench and listened to one of Kim Kwang Seok's songs. Some of the murals were funny, inserting him into a classical painting, while others were portraits or lyrics.
I had a really nice trip! I think it's always good to see different parts of the country I live in. Although the Busan accent really hurt my brain if I tried to listen while people were talking. But hearing my boyfriend speak to his friends in a Daegu/Gyeongsan-do accent was one of the cutest things ever.
So that was my trip! If you have any questions, feel free to ask :)
xoxox
Haha, I think that every time I wake up, it's a different month. For those who've been wondering, I am alive! I haven't been showing my face much these days, but the weather is no longer a weapon of destruction so I'm crawling back out :)
But, man, does time fly. I went to Busan and Daegu during my summer vacation, but now it's already getting close to Chuseok! Still, I was able to see new things this Busan trip AND it was my first time visiting Daegu. So even though it's been a little longer than I'd like, I'm going to write up a post about the trip.
Firstly, there are a few ways you can get to Busan. By bus, by normal train, and by fast train (KTX). The bus and the normal train cost about the same from here in Bucheon, and the supposed time it takes is about the same, too. This time we went with the train. Firstly because my boyfriend, who I traveled with, lives in Seoul and getting to the Bucheon terminal takes him longer than it takes me to get to the Seoul terminal. Secondly because trains don't have traffic. (The KTX may be nice, but it costs twice as much so we passed on that option, too.)
During my last trip, my friend and I traveled along the coast, essentially. We hit Gwangali and Haeundae beaches, saw the Busan Tower and the markets.
But this trip we kept inland a bit more. We visited Beomeosa Temple, which is gorgeous and located next to Geumjeong Fortress, which we weren't able to see, regrettably. There are so many well-preserved (and newer) temples to see. If you happen to go here, you will likely see those doing a temple-stay, children with some group being instructed by the monks, and people giving their prayers. It's such a serene place, covered with Korean pine trees and bamboo. There is also an area of large rocks you can climb up to the northern fortress gate, or if you're like the people we passed, you can stop when you've found a nice rock and have yourself a little picnic. We stopped climbing when we realized it was getting darker and that we would like to get back down. The view is stunning, too. You can look out and see beautiful glimpses of mountains and the surrounding area.
We did venture back out to the coast afterward for the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, another gorgeous temple but quite a bit smaller. There were also tonsssss of people at this temple. The best things about this temple, in my opinion, are the round pigs, the giant golden Buddha, and the view looking at the temple from a little farther away. There is a path along the shore starting from the foot of the temple area that leads you away toward a fisheries museum. In getting here, we took the subway as far as we could and then hopped on a bus that brought us close to the temple. From there, you walk for about 10-15 minutes, and then you're golden! I wanted to mention the directions, because we happened to walk along the coastal path, up to the fisheries museum. Then we kept walking up and turned left out of the area, somehow leading us right back to the bus stop. Somehow we managed to make a circle, but I was so amazed and so thankful. I made the mistake of wearing peep-toe flats on this trip, so the walking and large rock journeys were quite hard on the tootsies.
We did go to Haeundae beach that evening, and it was clothed in its usual company of buskers, magicians, couples, friends, and families. I always love the beach until I'm covered in wet sand. Well, I always like the idea of going to the beach more than actually being at the beach. It's a beautiful area, though, and that makes up for the awful magic tricks and sand in your shoes. Complaining about sand in my shoes always reminds me of Rocket Power...
Anywho, after the beautiful Busan adventure it was time to hit Daegu! Again, you can take a bus or a train from Busan to Daegu. Againagain, we took the train! It wasn't a bad trip at all from Busan to Daegu... Although it was really hot, I liked Daegu. Daegu is my boyfriend's hometown, so we were able to navigate it easily and meet up with some of his friends. Around city hall, there is a shopping area with a wide pedestrian-only street running down the middle. I was particularly fond of this because they had organized the street into districts based on what shops sold. All the jewelry stores were grouped together, all the shoe stores, all the make-up stores... You didn't have to run to opposite ends to check prices and availability at a different store. Sooo nice!
We spent most of our time in a different area, though, where there is an abundance of art supply stores and music stores. Heaven. Not to mention the coffee shops! We also visited a really lovely university campus, as well as the Catholic church in the area. They are both beautiful areas that are great for a stroll, especially when school isn't in session.
Another famous area we went to was the Kim Kwang Seok (a wonderful musician) street behind the markets. Unfortunately the markets were closed, but the murals were really cool! We sat down on the prettiest bench and listened to one of Kim Kwang Seok's songs. Some of the murals were funny, inserting him into a classical painting, while others were portraits or lyrics.
I had a really nice trip! I think it's always good to see different parts of the country I live in. Although the Busan accent really hurt my brain if I tried to listen while people were talking. But hearing my boyfriend speak to his friends in a Daegu/Gyeongsan-do accent was one of the cutest things ever.
So that was my trip! If you have any questions, feel free to ask :)
xoxox
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Ad Theory
So I'm standing here on the subway next to a plastic surgery ad featuring some sad, average looking male who was transformed into a dashing Prince Charming. My thoughts that were sparked after viewing the gigantic ad earlier which featured a female with a terribly long chin have hence continued. And so I now have a theory which I am about to share with you.
Have you ever wondered if maybe the people in the before pictures didn't really look that bad? Let's keep our strict judgement of beauty intact, and merely hypothesize about whether or not they could have been made to look worse off than they actually were. The recent Korean beauty pageant has shown us, if nothing else, the power of Photoshop. So here is where I will share my theory:
Photoshop has a hand in the transformation. Yes, the plastic surgery here is fully capable of turning you into a different person, but after how many times? After how many years? And so my theory is that maybe some photos are edited to make the before less fortunate looking than they actually were. And then, after all desired surgeries have been performed and have healed, the beauty of make-up and photoshop is yet again introduced.
Now, I know this is a bit of a stretch. A big mishap was created in China when a woman produced children who looked nothing like her. Unfortunately for her hideous children, the gorgeous woman had undergone extensive plastic surgery. So yet another example of the scary power of plastic surgery.
But what is the likelihood that each of these people featured in such ads went through so much?
I guess this post is more of my thought rambling, but I'm curious to hear other opinions on the matter. Not so much on the validity of getting plastic surgery or your belief in whether it is right or wrong, but more on the advertisement of plastic surgery. Do you think it's all because of a skilled team of surgeons, or could photoshop in the before and after images play a bigger part?
Food for thought.
Though, maybe for those times you've nothing better to think about. Like when you're riding the subway home facing a silly ad.
Have you ever wondered if maybe the people in the before pictures didn't really look that bad? Let's keep our strict judgement of beauty intact, and merely hypothesize about whether or not they could have been made to look worse off than they actually were. The recent Korean beauty pageant has shown us, if nothing else, the power of Photoshop. So here is where I will share my theory:
Photoshop has a hand in the transformation. Yes, the plastic surgery here is fully capable of turning you into a different person, but after how many times? After how many years? And so my theory is that maybe some photos are edited to make the before less fortunate looking than they actually were. And then, after all desired surgeries have been performed and have healed, the beauty of make-up and photoshop is yet again introduced.
Now, I know this is a bit of a stretch. A big mishap was created in China when a woman produced children who looked nothing like her. Unfortunately for her hideous children, the gorgeous woman had undergone extensive plastic surgery. So yet another example of the scary power of plastic surgery.
But what is the likelihood that each of these people featured in such ads went through so much?
I guess this post is more of my thought rambling, but I'm curious to hear other opinions on the matter. Not so much on the validity of getting plastic surgery or your belief in whether it is right or wrong, but more on the advertisement of plastic surgery. Do you think it's all because of a skilled team of surgeons, or could photoshop in the before and after images play a bigger part?
Food for thought.
Though, maybe for those times you've nothing better to think about. Like when you're riding the subway home facing a silly ad.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Trip to Muuido
Muuido is an island off of Incheon here in South Korea. You travel the same way, by bus, as if you're going to Incheon International Airport. It was my first time to the island! And I'm glad I went there the way I did.
I went on Thursday with the other teachers from my school. From Incheon our bus got onto a ferry. We all got out of the bus to go to the top of the ferry, where the flock of seagulls that permanently swarm around the ferry would eat shrimp crackers RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND. Or, if you were as terrified of that as most people should be, you could throw the cracker into the air, and they would catch it. Like a well-trained dog. This song from Scamper the Penguin kept playing in my head:
You can find the entire movie on YouTube, by the way...
After landing on Muuido we took a few group photos and went on an hour and a half long hike! Here are some photographs from the hike:
I say I'm glad I went this way, because I think people (foreigners?) usually just go to Muuido for the beach. They have huts to rent if you'd like to stay on the beach overnight, and you can grill meat while you're there, too! I'll have that adventure for our celebration for the 4th of July, though ;)
After our hike, we got back on the ferry to Incheon and ate at a close restaurant. We had raw, sashimi-style fish, as well as other seafood. There was conch, live octopus, that orange funny-looking thing I can never remember the name of (you know it- it's spiky), shrimp, oysters, various cooked fish, fish stew, and other things I don't know the name of. It was very delicious!
The dinner was also a really great time to get to see the other teachers! This year we had a huuuge incoming of new teachers at our school, and since the English room is fairly isolated from other classrooms we haven't had much of a chance to interact with the new teachers. Because of that, this trip was so nice!!
On the way back to school, different teachers sang karaoke on the bus! At several points, there was dancing up and down the isle. At one point, I was laughing so hard that I cried... We returned to the school safe and sound, but as it was 9:00, I declined joining for the second round.
If it were a Friday....
Haha, maybe next time!
But it was a great trip, and I would recommend doing more than just laying on the beach for anyone who plans to visit the island :)
I went on Thursday with the other teachers from my school. From Incheon our bus got onto a ferry. We all got out of the bus to go to the top of the ferry, where the flock of seagulls that permanently swarm around the ferry would eat shrimp crackers RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND. Or, if you were as terrified of that as most people should be, you could throw the cracker into the air, and they would catch it. Like a well-trained dog. This song from Scamper the Penguin kept playing in my head:
You can find the entire movie on YouTube, by the way...
After landing on Muuido we took a few group photos and went on an hour and a half long hike! Here are some photographs from the hike:
I say I'm glad I went this way, because I think people (foreigners?) usually just go to Muuido for the beach. They have huts to rent if you'd like to stay on the beach overnight, and you can grill meat while you're there, too! I'll have that adventure for our celebration for the 4th of July, though ;)
After our hike, we got back on the ferry to Incheon and ate at a close restaurant. We had raw, sashimi-style fish, as well as other seafood. There was conch, live octopus, that orange funny-looking thing I can never remember the name of (you know it- it's spiky), shrimp, oysters, various cooked fish, fish stew, and other things I don't know the name of. It was very delicious!
The dinner was also a really great time to get to see the other teachers! This year we had a huuuge incoming of new teachers at our school, and since the English room is fairly isolated from other classrooms we haven't had much of a chance to interact with the new teachers. Because of that, this trip was so nice!!
On the way back to school, different teachers sang karaoke on the bus! At several points, there was dancing up and down the isle. At one point, I was laughing so hard that I cried... We returned to the school safe and sound, but as it was 9:00, I declined joining for the second round.
If it were a Friday....
Haha, maybe next time!
But it was a great trip, and I would recommend doing more than just laying on the beach for anyone who plans to visit the island :)
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Relationships
As mentioned in my earlier post, I'm going to talk a little about what I've seen and understood about relationships in Korea.
This should be considered as opinion, as I am an American living in Korea, and there's only so much I understand. As always, if you have anything to add, share, or enlighten me about, please leave a comment or shoot me a message :)
So... Anyone who has walked down the streets or watched a Korean drama has probably seen couples in matching clothes. Sometimes it's the same colors, sometimes it's the same shirt and same type of pants. HOWEVER. I have seen couples with the same hair color, shirt, pants, and shoes. No longer a 'we belong to each other' statement, but more of a 'we are each other' statement, haha. When I first came to Korea and saw this, I thought it was absurd. Same type of jacket- okay. Same color- if you must. Same outfit in all of its entirety- WHY?! But now I think it's kind of cute. Not the 'we are each other' couples so much, but the matchy-matchy shirts.
Have I ever donned couple clothes? Nope. Will I ever don couple clothes? I can't imagine it. I think I'd be blushing constantly. I mean, as an American child, my friends and I would mock the old, married couples with their matching patriotic sweaters. How could I become that?! Not to mention that if I ever did wear matchy-matchy clothing, my sister would probably laugh till she cried, and my best friend would be rolling in a fit of laughter. At least their hearts would be happy.
But that's just one thing. Relationships here are less stifled, at least between the couple. American guys have this macho, nacho, tough-guy, bro-knows-no-feelings thing to live up to as the standard, and that doesn't exist here. From what I've seen, even outside of relationships, people here are much more honest with their feelings in general. You won't see someone telling off their boss, but you probably won't end up wondering what your friend is thinking.
This carries over into relationships. They'll get as mushy as they please, and as angry as they please. For me, though, it's a little different. My boyfriend and I do not speak the same language. How can you get your point across if you're yelling angrily? The opposite party won't understand. I mean, it's creepy if you yell slowly. I also tend to turn into a bit of a human dictionary when I'm miffed.
But it's nice, though... This idea and practice of being honest with your feelings.
Another part of dating and relationships is celebrating your time together! Here in Korea, there are many opportunities to do so. Many, many, many opportunities. So many, that I'll make a list. Here we go:
Big Deals:
Feb 14, Valentine's Day: Girl, go get your man and give him some chocolate
Mar 14, White Day: Fellas- If you like her, treat her to something sweet back
Apr 14, Black Day: Don't worry, singles! There's a day for you, too. Go eat noodles in a black sauce with your other single friends. (You gotta admit that it's better than crying and eating way too much ice cream.)
Nov 11, Peppero Day: Buy and give Peppero (Japan makes something similar- pocky)
Not-so-Big Deals:
Jan 14, Diary Day: Exchange planners with all your special days marked inside~
May 14, Rose Day: Give 'em a rose!
Jun 14, Kiss Day: You should be able to kiss those you love.
Jul 14, Silver Day: Couple exchange rings or silver things as a promise
Aug 14, Green Day: Couples play with nature, and singles down soju (the bottle's green)
Sept 14, Photo Day: Let's go someplace romantic and capture it on camera!
Oct 14, Wine Day: October is a good time to drink wine, I think.
Nov 14, Movie Day: Walk hand-in-hand to that cinema and watch something bad/cute/scary?
Dec 14, Hug Day: "Baby, it's cold outside~", so let's hug ^^
And there you have it. The 14th of every month can be a special, fun day for a couple!
Now, if you notice June 14th, you'll see the word, 'ring'. Yes. They buy and wear matching rings, and no, it's not a proposal. This is something I could never imagine happening in an American relationship. Asking a man to wear a matching ring with me would send him running away faster than Wile E chasing Road Runner. But here, it's something cute. It's a promise.
Some couples give these rings on other days, too. Maybe Valentine's day or your 100th day.
In America, we count the months. "Jan! We've been together for SIX MONTHS. We're totally getting married!" (I made my boyfriend come over on our six month-iversary to cook him dinner. No shame.)
But here in Korea they celebrate days. 100 days, 200 days, 300 days, 1000 days... It's a cute way to mark milestones, I think. I guess on your 100 days, people give you 100 won (ten cents?), 200 won on your 200 days... And so on.
Today is my 200! Haha :)
There is more to a relationship than this, but it's difficult for me to try and sum up something like how an entire culture is in general. There are good things, bad things, whatever things... But it's your relationship, so make it yours. Celebrate what you want, wear what you want, say what you want.
There's chicken in the other room, so I need to go now. But I'd like to do a part two somewhere down the road.
Till next time~
This should be considered as opinion, as I am an American living in Korea, and there's only so much I understand. As always, if you have anything to add, share, or enlighten me about, please leave a comment or shoot me a message :)
So... Anyone who has walked down the streets or watched a Korean drama has probably seen couples in matching clothes. Sometimes it's the same colors, sometimes it's the same shirt and same type of pants. HOWEVER. I have seen couples with the same hair color, shirt, pants, and shoes. No longer a 'we belong to each other' statement, but more of a 'we are each other' statement, haha. When I first came to Korea and saw this, I thought it was absurd. Same type of jacket- okay. Same color- if you must. Same outfit in all of its entirety- WHY?! But now I think it's kind of cute. Not the 'we are each other' couples so much, but the matchy-matchy shirts.
Have I ever donned couple clothes? Nope. Will I ever don couple clothes? I can't imagine it. I think I'd be blushing constantly. I mean, as an American child, my friends and I would mock the old, married couples with their matching patriotic sweaters. How could I become that?! Not to mention that if I ever did wear matchy-matchy clothing, my sister would probably laugh till she cried, and my best friend would be rolling in a fit of laughter. At least their hearts would be happy.
But that's just one thing. Relationships here are less stifled, at least between the couple. American guys have this macho, nacho, tough-guy, bro-knows-no-feelings thing to live up to as the standard, and that doesn't exist here. From what I've seen, even outside of relationships, people here are much more honest with their feelings in general. You won't see someone telling off their boss, but you probably won't end up wondering what your friend is thinking.
This carries over into relationships. They'll get as mushy as they please, and as angry as they please. For me, though, it's a little different. My boyfriend and I do not speak the same language. How can you get your point across if you're yelling angrily? The opposite party won't understand. I mean, it's creepy if you yell slowly. I also tend to turn into a bit of a human dictionary when I'm miffed.
But it's nice, though... This idea and practice of being honest with your feelings.
Another part of dating and relationships is celebrating your time together! Here in Korea, there are many opportunities to do so. Many, many, many opportunities. So many, that I'll make a list. Here we go:
Big Deals:
Feb 14, Valentine's Day: Girl, go get your man and give him some chocolate
Mar 14, White Day: Fellas- If you like her, treat her to something sweet back
Apr 14, Black Day: Don't worry, singles! There's a day for you, too. Go eat noodles in a black sauce with your other single friends. (You gotta admit that it's better than crying
Nov 11, Peppero Day: Buy and give Peppero (Japan makes something similar- pocky)
Not-so-Big Deals:
Jan 14, Diary Day: Exchange planners with all your special days marked inside~
May 14, Rose Day: Give 'em a rose!
Jun 14, Kiss Day: You should be able to kiss those you love.
Jul 14, Silver Day: Couple exchange rings or silver things as a promise
Aug 14, Green Day: Couples play with nature, and singles down soju (the bottle's green)
Sept 14, Photo Day: Let's go someplace romantic and capture it on camera!
Oct 14, Wine Day: October is a good time to drink wine, I think.
Nov 14, Movie Day: Walk hand-in-hand to that cinema and watch something bad/cute/scary?
Dec 14, Hug Day: "Baby, it's cold outside~", so let's hug ^^
And there you have it. The 14th of every month can be a special, fun day for a couple!
Now, if you notice June 14th, you'll see the word, 'ring'. Yes. They buy and wear matching rings, and no, it's not a proposal. This is something I could never imagine happening in an American relationship. Asking a man to wear a matching ring with me would send him running away faster than Wile E chasing Road Runner. But here, it's something cute. It's a promise.
Some couples give these rings on other days, too. Maybe Valentine's day or your 100th day.
In America, we count the months. "Jan! We've been together for SIX MONTHS. We're totally getting married!" (I made my boyfriend come over on our six month-iversary to cook him dinner. No shame.)
But here in Korea they celebrate days. 100 days, 200 days, 300 days, 1000 days... It's a cute way to mark milestones, I think. I guess on your 100 days, people give you 100 won (ten cents?), 200 won on your 200 days... And so on.
Today is my 200! Haha :)
There is more to a relationship than this, but it's difficult for me to try and sum up something like how an entire culture is in general. There are good things, bad things, whatever things... But it's your relationship, so make it yours. Celebrate what you want, wear what you want, say what you want.
There's chicken in the other room, so I need to go now. But I'd like to do a part two somewhere down the road.
Till next time~
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Don't You Dare, Dragon
"Don't worry! Just watch me twirl!"
Right now we are teaching the song version of the book Don't You Dare, Dragon. It's really cute!
I realize it's been over a month since I've posted. I'm so sorry! ㅠ ㅠ
Since I've posted, quite a bit has happened...
My art class is going well- the number of students who come each week is growing, and the art they make is really cool! I also like them as people, and it's so nice to be able to talk with them without so much of a language barrier (as opposed to my third and sixth graders). :D
May 3rd was Sports Day. Usually there is only a small sports day in the spring, but since the principal wanted to do a talent show in the fall again this year, our Sports Day was a little bigger. It was so much fun to watch! I took pictures of the students and the events. I got some really great ones! I'd love to share them on here, but they're young and I don't want to post pictures of their faces on the internet, especially without consent.
Every grade was split into two, creating the White Team and the Blue Team. Each grade competed in activities and races, winning points for their team. This year, the White Team won! Congrats ;)
May seems to be a big month for special days... May 5th was Children's Day, May 8th was Parent's Day, May 14th was Rose Day, and yesterday, May 15th, was Teacher's Day.
May 14th was also the day of my final exam for the 2A level in Korean at Sogang University. I forgot some things on the written exam, and as always, I totally forgot any answers I wrote down in response to the interview questions during the actual interview. But it seems to have gone well, though! I'll learn the results from both exams next week.
Now, Teacher's Day was super cute! I received quite a few letters, notes, food, and a flower! Some of our students from last year who moved on to middle school came back to visit, too! As well as some students who left this school before I came... It's fun to see how they've changed! Even the third grade students from last year are SO MUCH taller this year, already! It's kind of crazy to watch how quickly children develop.
Today the current third graders are going on a picnic! So, I won't be teaching today~
I will, however, head into Seoul to gander at some turpentine and linseed oil. Because tomorrow is Buddha's birthday, everyone is off from school! (Hahaha, and you thought I listed all of the holidays! Or forgot about Buddha, but that wouldn't happen...) So this weekend is threeeewhooooledays!
A lot of people vacation during this break, but since I want to save up money for summer and winter travels, I'm going to keep it local. :)
Also, today is my 200 days ^^
So, I think it is a good time to write about Korean relationships~
Maybe I'll do that later today ;)
Take care
xox
Right now we are teaching the song version of the book Don't You Dare, Dragon. It's really cute!
I realize it's been over a month since I've posted. I'm so sorry! ㅠ ㅠ
Since I've posted, quite a bit has happened...
My art class is going well- the number of students who come each week is growing, and the art they make is really cool! I also like them as people, and it's so nice to be able to talk with them without so much of a language barrier (as opposed to my third and sixth graders). :D
May 3rd was Sports Day. Usually there is only a small sports day in the spring, but since the principal wanted to do a talent show in the fall again this year, our Sports Day was a little bigger. It was so much fun to watch! I took pictures of the students and the events. I got some really great ones! I'd love to share them on here, but they're young and I don't want to post pictures of their faces on the internet, especially without consent.
Every grade was split into two, creating the White Team and the Blue Team. Each grade competed in activities and races, winning points for their team. This year, the White Team won! Congrats ;)
May seems to be a big month for special days... May 5th was Children's Day, May 8th was Parent's Day, May 14th was Rose Day, and yesterday, May 15th, was Teacher's Day.
May 14th was also the day of my final exam for the 2A level in Korean at Sogang University. I forgot some things on the written exam, and as always, I totally forgot any answers I wrote down in response to the interview questions during the actual interview. But it seems to have gone well, though! I'll learn the results from both exams next week.
Now, Teacher's Day was super cute! I received quite a few letters, notes, food, and a flower! Some of our students from last year who moved on to middle school came back to visit, too! As well as some students who left this school before I came... It's fun to see how they've changed! Even the third grade students from last year are SO MUCH taller this year, already! It's kind of crazy to watch how quickly children develop.
Today the current third graders are going on a picnic! So, I won't be teaching today~
I will, however, head into Seoul to gander at some turpentine and linseed oil. Because tomorrow is Buddha's birthday, everyone is off from school! (Hahaha, and you thought I listed all of the holidays! Or forgot about Buddha, but that wouldn't happen...) So this weekend is threeeewhooooledays!
A lot of people vacation during this break, but since I want to save up money for summer and winter travels, I'm going to keep it local. :)
Also, today is my 200 days ^^
So, I think it is a good time to write about Korean relationships~
Maybe I'll do that later today ;)
Take care
xox
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Threats of North Korea
I've been seeing a fair number of posts on Facebook and I've been asked about the situation by my family, so I thought I would write a little blurb about what's been happening with North Korea.
This won't turn into some advertisement for living in South Korea, nor should it by any means be read like I have a degree in some form of international relations. But because I'm living here in South Korea, and because I've been reading articles posted by Korea, Canada, England, and America I do want to share my thoughts.
The world is not going to end.
South Koreans have become numb and deaf to the threats of the North for the most part. Threats are a preferred strategy for North Korea in order to get other countries into negotiations with them, as they are in constant need of more food and money.
But with the young, new leader, who many think is incompetent and being controlled by men behind the scenes, as well as the types of threats being made, and the form of rhetoric being used, there are some who do worry. Kim Jong-un did not have the training his father had. He wasn't even known to the world until shortly before the death of his father. Will he do something stupid? Will he go too far? Does he want to assert himself as a leader to be taken seriously, or even feared? These are questions that even I myself wonder.
Life here is normal, though. No one is stocking up on food or emptying their bank accounts. People still laugh and go to movies, bars, and shopping malls. I haven't been instructed to locate any shelters near my house. The situation with North Korea has not impacted daily life.
But there is some cause for concern. Not in the vastly out of proportion way you can find in any American article where fear is a top seller for news, but in a more honest, suspenseful way. As I was talking to my co-teacher about all of this, she pointed out how South Koreans should be more aware of North Korea. That being numb to their threats isn't really such a good thing. To paraphrase her, 'North Korea is the biggest threat to South Korea.' The situation isn't dire and no one is afraid for their life, but if something can hurt South Korea, it's probably the North.
The North has cut the military hotline that runs between North and South Korea, but it's not the first time. And the line for air-traffic between the two Koreas is still open, so not ALL communication has been cut-off. However, just this week the North has blocked South Korean entrance into the Kaesong complex, a joint industrial zone (this happened before in 2009). Still, I think this is a bit of a bigger deal because this zone makes so much money for the North. How much further will it escalate?
Hopefully not much more.
China is telling everyone to calm down. Russia is sending warnings. America is on stand-by waiting to "defend its ally". But still, I think this is a war no one wants, and that the hope is that it doesn't happen. If Korea went to war, there would be casualties- mostly Korean. And, after it ended, Kim Jong-un would likely lose everything. Is that something he would risk? I really don't think so.
(However, it has been pointed out that if the Koreas ever did reconcile, that the natural resources, products made, and work ethics here, when combined, would make Korea into quite a wealthy country. But who wants to lose power right now?)
So, everyone... Yes. There are threats. And, yes, North Korea is able to inflict a bit of damage if it decides to do so. But the consensus on this matter seems to be that it's unlikely. There is a bit of uneasiness when I think about the situation, but I'm not afraid. A little worried and anxious for the outcome, but I think I worried more about what score I was going to get back from my final exam at Sogang University last semester.
If you want to follow news on North Korea with BBC, here is the link, but please don't fret too much. If the situation becomes dire, the embassies will contact all of the foreigners here. Although, there are many reasons I hope that phone call never comes. I don't want to leave yet, and I don't want my Korean friends to be in danger or dragged into a war. But, again, it's unlikely.
Kim Jong-un, whatcha gonna do~?
I don't know if this helped, or will help, but this is how I feel. I can't put you at ease, and it's nonsensical to hype you up. But I can tell you not to freak out. Seriously, don't. All anyone can do now is wait and see what happens.
Have any thoughts? Comment or let me know :)
This won't turn into some advertisement for living in South Korea, nor should it by any means be read like I have a degree in some form of international relations. But because I'm living here in South Korea, and because I've been reading articles posted by Korea, Canada, England, and America I do want to share my thoughts.
The world is not going to end.
South Koreans have become numb and deaf to the threats of the North for the most part. Threats are a preferred strategy for North Korea in order to get other countries into negotiations with them, as they are in constant need of more food and money.
But with the young, new leader, who many think is incompetent and being controlled by men behind the scenes, as well as the types of threats being made, and the form of rhetoric being used, there are some who do worry. Kim Jong-un did not have the training his father had. He wasn't even known to the world until shortly before the death of his father. Will he do something stupid? Will he go too far? Does he want to assert himself as a leader to be taken seriously, or even feared? These are questions that even I myself wonder.
Life here is normal, though. No one is stocking up on food or emptying their bank accounts. People still laugh and go to movies, bars, and shopping malls. I haven't been instructed to locate any shelters near my house. The situation with North Korea has not impacted daily life.
But there is some cause for concern. Not in the vastly out of proportion way you can find in any American article where fear is a top seller for news, but in a more honest, suspenseful way. As I was talking to my co-teacher about all of this, she pointed out how South Koreans should be more aware of North Korea. That being numb to their threats isn't really such a good thing. To paraphrase her, 'North Korea is the biggest threat to South Korea.' The situation isn't dire and no one is afraid for their life, but if something can hurt South Korea, it's probably the North.
The North has cut the military hotline that runs between North and South Korea, but it's not the first time. And the line for air-traffic between the two Koreas is still open, so not ALL communication has been cut-off. However, just this week the North has blocked South Korean entrance into the Kaesong complex, a joint industrial zone (this happened before in 2009). Still, I think this is a bit of a bigger deal because this zone makes so much money for the North. How much further will it escalate?
Hopefully not much more.
China is telling everyone to calm down. Russia is sending warnings. America is on stand-by waiting to "defend its ally". But still, I think this is a war no one wants, and that the hope is that it doesn't happen. If Korea went to war, there would be casualties- mostly Korean. And, after it ended, Kim Jong-un would likely lose everything. Is that something he would risk? I really don't think so.
(However, it has been pointed out that if the Koreas ever did reconcile, that the natural resources, products made, and work ethics here, when combined, would make Korea into quite a wealthy country. But who wants to lose power right now?)
So, everyone... Yes. There are threats. And, yes, North Korea is able to inflict a bit of damage if it decides to do so. But the consensus on this matter seems to be that it's unlikely. There is a bit of uneasiness when I think about the situation, but I'm not afraid. A little worried and anxious for the outcome, but I think I worried more about what score I was going to get back from my final exam at Sogang University last semester.
If you want to follow news on North Korea with BBC, here is the link, but please don't fret too much. If the situation becomes dire, the embassies will contact all of the foreigners here. Although, there are many reasons I hope that phone call never comes. I don't want to leave yet, and I don't want my Korean friends to be in danger or dragged into a war. But, again, it's unlikely.
Kim Jong-un, whatcha gonna do~?
I don't know if this helped, or will help, but this is how I feel. I can't put you at ease, and it's nonsensical to hype you up. But I can tell you not to freak out. Seriously, don't. All anyone can do now is wait and see what happens.
Have any thoughts? Comment or let me know :)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
AAAHHHHHHH...hooray?
Good afternoon. Morning. Night. Evening.
Hello. :)
The weather is finally started to get nicer! It was beautiful for a while, but then the cold kicked in. In Korea, this pre-spring cold is called '꽃샘추위' (ggoht-saem-chu-oui). So basically, here's the story:
As spring begins to come to Korea, the weather gets jealous (샘) of the beautiful flowers (꽃) that start to appear and because of this jealousy, the weather turns cold (추위) to smite the beautiful flowers.
Interesting, yeah?
From what I've seen and heard, it looks like the weather has been jealous of more countries than just Korea! I noticed that Detroit has been having just about the same weather as us... (See, it's kind of like we're still together!)
And so, March comes to a cold end. Will April be different? I sure hope so. I've been wearing the same friggin' coat since November.
Speaking of April, April 1st is a Monday... Should I message my friends and say that we don't have to go in to work that day? Maybe say I saw an article or got a call from my co-teacher? That might be mean, though... And I'd feel terrible if they actually skipped because of me. Not that any of my friends would believe me, anyway.
Right now my co-teacher is actually in Gyeongju. I went there a little while ago... It was nice! I even wrote a blog on it. ;) But, she's there with all ~120some sixth graders, so I don't know how it's really going. The nice thing is that I have no classes tomorrow! I still have to go in to work, but I don't teach since Fridays are when we teach sixth grade.
I won't just be desk warming, though! I've taken on an after-school position at a high school in Bucheon (my city). Wednesday and Friday evenings I'll be teaching art!! HOORAAAAYYYYYY!! :D So, tomorrow will be spent making demos and powerpoints for as far ahead as I am capable of doing. With Monday mornings dedicated to teaching the school different songs, I also need to prep for that...
Busy, busy.
And Korean is starting to become difficult, too. Man, I really hate grammar. Hate. Why do you use so many different attachments in one sentence, Koreans?! One or two, okay. Three or four, I've lost. I can understand it, but I seriously feel like I'll never be able to just make a sentence like that. 아이고. But it's still the beginning! Keep on truckin'.
Ha, I hate trucks more than I hate grammar.
Keep on groovin'. I like grooving.
Keep on groovin', everyone! Don't let the cold or grammar keep you down! ;)
Hello. :)
The weather is finally started to get nicer! It was beautiful for a while, but then the cold kicked in. In Korea, this pre-spring cold is called '꽃샘추위' (ggoht-saem-chu-oui). So basically, here's the story:
As spring begins to come to Korea, the weather gets jealous (샘) of the beautiful flowers (꽃) that start to appear and because of this jealousy, the weather turns cold (추위) to smite the beautiful flowers.
Interesting, yeah?
From what I've seen and heard, it looks like the weather has been jealous of more countries than just Korea! I noticed that Detroit has been having just about the same weather as us... (See, it's kind of like we're still together!)
And so, March comes to a cold end. Will April be different? I sure hope so. I've been wearing the same friggin' coat since November.
Speaking of April, April 1st is a Monday... Should I message my friends and say that we don't have to go in to work that day? Maybe say I saw an article or got a call from my co-teacher? That might be mean, though... And I'd feel terrible if they actually skipped because of me. Not that any of my friends would believe me, anyway.
Right now my co-teacher is actually in Gyeongju. I went there a little while ago... It was nice! I even wrote a blog on it. ;) But, she's there with all ~120some sixth graders, so I don't know how it's really going. The nice thing is that I have no classes tomorrow! I still have to go in to work, but I don't teach since Fridays are when we teach sixth grade.
I won't just be desk warming, though! I've taken on an after-school position at a high school in Bucheon (my city). Wednesday and Friday evenings I'll be teaching art!! HOORAAAAYYYYYY!! :D So, tomorrow will be spent making demos and powerpoints for as far ahead as I am capable of doing. With Monday mornings dedicated to teaching the school different songs, I also need to prep for that...
Busy, busy.
And Korean is starting to become difficult, too. Man, I really hate grammar. Hate. Why do you use so many different attachments in one sentence, Koreans?! One or two, okay. Three or four, I've lost. I can understand it, but I seriously feel like I'll never be able to just make a sentence like that. 아이고. But it's still the beginning! Keep on truckin'.
Ha, I hate trucks more than I hate grammar.
Keep on groovin'. I like grooving.
Keep on groovin', everyone! Don't let the cold or grammar keep you down! ;)
Monday, March 11, 2013
Back to the Yellow Sand
"It's happening," I thought.
The yellow dust, and the beginning of a new year in the same place. As I was perched at a table on the second floor of the McDonald's, I looked out the window and saw a man carrying out two ice creams.
"YESSSSSSSSS!" Haha, inside I was so happy. Finally it's getting warm enough that I can go eat ice cream with my friends again! This McDonald's was our meeting spot for so much of the first part of last year. But, then I remembered and it finally hit me- they're gone. The girls I used to meet at that McDonald's have all gone home.
I wished, then, that maybe I had also moved to Seoul, as a few of my friends who are staying have done. At least then I would be somewhere new. Seoul also has a large expat community, and with all of the activities going on it would be so much easier to make new friends... And they probably would have been in Korea for at least a year, if not more, by now. Ha, I think Seoul seems to suck people in.
But this is the life of an expat, I think. You come, you go. Friends come, friends go. It's kind of a sad and lonely thought, really... This lack of permanence.
Hmm.
But as my title says, I want to talk a little bit about the yellow sand. Yellow dust. Not bright yellow, or anything radioactive-looking... You won't become a superhero if you inhale it (bummer, right?). But these little brownish yellow particles... Are they harmful? Is the dust noticeable?
While the sky was beautiful this past weekend, a few of the preceding days weren't as lovely. The air was dirty, and, yes, you could tell.
It's around this time of year where the yellow sand from China finds its way over to Korea. It floats in the air, gets into your lungs, and sits on the cars and benches. But this is sounding a bit worse than it actually is. Last year wasn't so bad. Some people have nose/throat/lung issues because of this period, but it's not constant. Really, only some days are bad... Most days are fine!
Still, it's something to know about! Out and about, you may happen to see people wearing the face masks that you see either at the dentist or when people have a cold. If you're already sick or are easily susceptible to getting sick, then ensuring you don't breathe in any of this sand-dust will only do you some good. And, hey, you could even pick up a stylized one and pretend it's just a fashion statement.
Even after a year of living here, I still wasn't exactly sure what this yellow sand-dust was, and why it's considered such a big deal. Soooo, I did some research :) (.. by opening a few web pages)
There was a great Q&A posted on expats4korea, and so I am just going to quickly reiterate some of the points.
**A friend told me the links don't work, so maybe it's only desktop-friendly.
But! There are apps you can download.
I only know from my iPhone, but if you type "황사" (yellow dust) into the search section in Apps, you will find several options. If you type "yellow dust" you will only get one option and it doesn't look as good.
Yellow Dust Facts and Recommendations:
The yellow dust, and the beginning of a new year in the same place. As I was perched at a table on the second floor of the McDonald's, I looked out the window and saw a man carrying out two ice creams.
"YESSSSSSSSS!" Haha, inside I was so happy. Finally it's getting warm enough that I can go eat ice cream with my friends again! This McDonald's was our meeting spot for so much of the first part of last year. But, then I remembered and it finally hit me- they're gone. The girls I used to meet at that McDonald's have all gone home.
I wished, then, that maybe I had also moved to Seoul, as a few of my friends who are staying have done. At least then I would be somewhere new. Seoul also has a large expat community, and with all of the activities going on it would be so much easier to make new friends... And they probably would have been in Korea for at least a year, if not more, by now. Ha, I think Seoul seems to suck people in.
But this is the life of an expat, I think. You come, you go. Friends come, friends go. It's kind of a sad and lonely thought, really... This lack of permanence.
Hmm.
But as my title says, I want to talk a little bit about the yellow sand. Yellow dust. Not bright yellow, or anything radioactive-looking... You won't become a superhero if you inhale it (bummer, right?). But these little brownish yellow particles... Are they harmful? Is the dust noticeable?
While the sky was beautiful this past weekend, a few of the preceding days weren't as lovely. The air was dirty, and, yes, you could tell.
It's around this time of year where the yellow sand from China finds its way over to Korea. It floats in the air, gets into your lungs, and sits on the cars and benches. But this is sounding a bit worse than it actually is. Last year wasn't so bad. Some people have nose/throat/lung issues because of this period, but it's not constant. Really, only some days are bad... Most days are fine!
Still, it's something to know about! Out and about, you may happen to see people wearing the face masks that you see either at the dentist or when people have a cold. If you're already sick or are easily susceptible to getting sick, then ensuring you don't breathe in any of this sand-dust will only do you some good. And, hey, you could even pick up a stylized one and pretend it's just a fashion statement.
Even after a year of living here, I still wasn't exactly sure what this yellow sand-dust was, and why it's considered such a big deal. Soooo, I did some research :) (.. by opening a few web pages)
There was a great Q&A posted on expats4korea, and so I am just going to quickly reiterate some of the points.
**A friend told me the links don't work, so maybe it's only desktop-friendly.
But! There are apps you can download.
I only know from my iPhone, but if you type "황사" (yellow dust) into the search section in Apps, you will find several options. If you type "yellow dust" you will only get one option and it doesn't look as good.
Yellow Dust Facts and Recommendations:
- Why the dust is bad: Recently, mixed in with the dust, toxic waste and oxides such as aluminum, iron, and silicon are also floating over in the storms. So, the chances of having skin and/or respiratory reactions has increased. And, if the storm is bad enough, visibility is decreased and the dust can irritate your soft tissues (eyes, nose, mouth) and even pinkeye can be a common result.
- When it happens: March, April, and May. Of course, because of wind and weather patterns, some days are bad, and some days aren't. Thankfully, because it takes two or three days for a storm to reach Korea, the news can warn people in advance about when the storm is likely to hit.
- The warning system: There is a three-tiered warning system. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has a website where you can monitor the dust levels in correspondence with the tiers. Some cellphone companies also provide a messaging system that will send a text if dust levels are dangerous (in Korean).
- Level 1- low health concerns, no health alerts. Those with respiratory issues should be careful and avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
- Level 2- moderate health concerns, health advisories. The young, elderly, and those with respiratory issues should stay inside, and people in general should not partake in strenuous outdoor activity.
- Level 3- high health concerns, health warnings. The young, elderly, and those with respiratory issues MUST stay indoors, and people in general are also advised to stay inside. If you do go out, wear protective glasses, masks, and clothing.
- What to do:
- Wear a mask (황사마스그)
- Partake in nose-washing
- Use yellow earth (황토) paste packs to help your skin
- Seal windows and doors (some strips are made for this)
- Keep windows and doors closed
- Avoid outdoor activities
- Wear glasses instead of contacts
- Brush your teeth and wash your hands when you come back inside
- Drink plenty of water
- Wash food that was exposed to the air
- Don't burn candles or smoke inside
- When the storm passes, wash objects that may have been exposed
So there it is, everyone! Let's be safe and healthy this season.
If you have any comments, tips, questions, or stories of your own please feel free to share or tell me :)
~~~
AH. 아 참! I said I would write about the Buchies Award night, but then never did... I'm thankful it's getting sunny outside because I have been seriously lethargic and slacking on those vitamins. So I'll just write something super quick (sorry, it won't do it justice)...
Cathy made an absolutely wonderful powerpoint of our meetings and adventures. It was shown at The Park bar where we've spent a lot of our time (bar time, not time in general) and where we hosted the awards night. Then, we went on the the awards! There were a lot of great awards handed out- Best Dressed, Most Likely to Not Know Where We're Going, Worst Subway Mishap, Most Likely to Stay Forever, etc... And then we ate our cakes!!
I went with Erin, Anna, and Heejae to a little decorate-it-yourself cake shop near Bucheon station early that day. The cakes were deliciousss!
But it was a fun last night with everyone. (Come back, guys! I miss youuuuu)
Aaand, just in case you're wondering... I won Most Likely to Marry a Korean and Master of the Korean Language. ㅎㅎ
;)
Till next time~ xox
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)