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! ;)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
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
Thursday, February 21, 2013
A Year Later
..almost!
This past Tuesday our school held it's graduation ceremony. It was really neat to see the parents of my students (some look JUST like mom or dad, some a good combination of both), as well as their dreams! As each student had their named called by their homeroom teacher, their picture, dream job, hobbies, and such were displayed on the screen behind them.
I'm going to miss them. I really will. They better come visit! Haha
But in March we will have new sixth graders. New third graders, too! The new third graders are going to be adorable~ I can't wait!!
The end of the year means one more thing for me: the extension of my sojourn for my VISA/ARC. I only set it up to last for one year when I first requested my ARC (Alien Registration Card)... But the process is super easy! I got to the Incheon Immigration Office early and no one was there so I was able to be helped right away.
If you need help with your VISA, or any other such questions, I recommend www.hikorea.go.kr because it has an English option and is very useful! You can actually log on to this site (to make a profile you need your ARC first) and make a reservation just in case they are busy. It guarantees you a time. It also states everything that you must bring to renew.
Let me quickly list it here:
A signed copy of the new contract (signed by you and the school)
Your school's certificate (the school will provide this)
Your passport
Your ARC
An application (can be printed from the site or filled out at the office)
30,000won
- AND, if you made a reservation, print a copy of the reservation page
* The 30,000won will be used to purchase stamps, which can be found in the lounge down the hall. It is best to have the stamps ready and your application filled out because then all you have to do is hand everything to them, have them check that everything is there, stamp new dates on the back of your ARC, and then you are done. You are free to leave.
It is one of the simplest processes I have ever come upon.
Getting there is simple, too. However, the 1601 is not something I would recommend for the return trip. I waited for 20 minutes at the stop as TWO 1601 buses sat 50 yards away and the board constantly showed the bus being eight minutes away. Nonsense. I ended up going back the same way I came.
Because I had just missed the 1601 on my way to the immigration office, I took the subway to Incheon City Hall and then took bus 33. Exits 7 and 8 are closed until summer of next year, so you can take exit 6 and walk to the bus stop for the 33 (near exit 8) or catch the 45 (exit 2, I believe). From there it's about 30 minutes.
ALSO... I sent money home today :D! I hate student loans! :D
I also learned today that you should still have your passport on hand even if it's not your first time sending money home. Even more important, it seems, is that you have the receipt from the first/previous time with you, too. Each time you send money home, they give you a receipt. KEEP IT. Thankfully, I had the old bankbook with me, and I found the transaction record.
It was quite a trip. I didn't speak the appropriate Korean for this, and they didn't speak enough English to communicate with me completely so we worked through a telephone language service and broken Konglish. But everyone was smiling and laughing (myself included) by the time I left, so it wasn't too bad!
Ooh, that reminds me. I just took my first exam at Sogang University. I didn't arrive to the exam room until two minutes till the exam started through some hilarious turn of events (and solid smoothie results), so I was a little flustered. I've learned (again! wow.) that I am a bit anal retentive and I need to be in the exam room to chill out several minutes before the exam will take place. The written portion was easy, but I'm not sure how I did on the interview. Man, I am really awesome at botching interviews.
"When is your birthday?"
- " 21/20"
Fuuuu~ We'll see! I should get the results via email sometime next week. Here's to hoping that the woman giving the interview somehow knows I don't usually believe there are 21 months. And that I am actually capable of stringing together basic sentences. In Korean, of course ;)
So, yes. Now I am resting. Resting and preparing myself for the next year of adventures I will take.
On Monday, the new teachers will come and we will all go to dinner. We will say good-bye to those leaving, and hello to those coming. I'm sad to see them go... This next year will be quite different, I think!
**Saturday is the FIRST ever Buchies (Bucheon Awards), and I will surely post on that as it is one of the last get-togethers with some awesome people who are leaving ever so soon... D:
I hope that you have all been well and will continue to stay that way.
Thank you for reading my blog and sharing in this adventure with me!
<3
This past Tuesday our school held it's graduation ceremony. It was really neat to see the parents of my students (some look JUST like mom or dad, some a good combination of both), as well as their dreams! As each student had their named called by their homeroom teacher, their picture, dream job, hobbies, and such were displayed on the screen behind them.
I'm going to miss them. I really will. They better come visit! Haha
But in March we will have new sixth graders. New third graders, too! The new third graders are going to be adorable~ I can't wait!!
The end of the year means one more thing for me: the extension of my sojourn for my VISA/ARC. I only set it up to last for one year when I first requested my ARC (Alien Registration Card)... But the process is super easy! I got to the Incheon Immigration Office early and no one was there so I was able to be helped right away.
If you need help with your VISA, or any other such questions, I recommend www.hikorea.go.kr because it has an English option and is very useful! You can actually log on to this site (to make a profile you need your ARC first) and make a reservation just in case they are busy. It guarantees you a time. It also states everything that you must bring to renew.
Let me quickly list it here:
A signed copy of the new contract (signed by you and the school)
Your school's certificate (the school will provide this)
Your passport
Your ARC
An application (can be printed from the site or filled out at the office)
30,000won
- AND, if you made a reservation, print a copy of the reservation page
* The 30,000won will be used to purchase stamps, which can be found in the lounge down the hall. It is best to have the stamps ready and your application filled out because then all you have to do is hand everything to them, have them check that everything is there, stamp new dates on the back of your ARC, and then you are done. You are free to leave.
It is one of the simplest processes I have ever come upon.
Getting there is simple, too. However, the 1601 is not something I would recommend for the return trip. I waited for 20 minutes at the stop as TWO 1601 buses sat 50 yards away and the board constantly showed the bus being eight minutes away. Nonsense. I ended up going back the same way I came.
Because I had just missed the 1601 on my way to the immigration office, I took the subway to Incheon City Hall and then took bus 33. Exits 7 and 8 are closed until summer of next year, so you can take exit 6 and walk to the bus stop for the 33 (near exit 8) or catch the 45 (exit 2, I believe). From there it's about 30 minutes.
ALSO... I sent money home today :D! I hate student loans! :D
I also learned today that you should still have your passport on hand even if it's not your first time sending money home. Even more important, it seems, is that you have the receipt from the first/previous time with you, too. Each time you send money home, they give you a receipt. KEEP IT. Thankfully, I had the old bankbook with me, and I found the transaction record.
It was quite a trip. I didn't speak the appropriate Korean for this, and they didn't speak enough English to communicate with me completely so we worked through a telephone language service and broken Konglish. But everyone was smiling and laughing (myself included) by the time I left, so it wasn't too bad!
Ooh, that reminds me. I just took my first exam at Sogang University. I didn't arrive to the exam room until two minutes till the exam started through some hilarious turn of events (and solid smoothie results), so I was a little flustered. I've learned (again! wow.) that I am a bit anal retentive and I need to be in the exam room to chill out several minutes before the exam will take place. The written portion was easy, but I'm not sure how I did on the interview. Man, I am really awesome at botching interviews.
"When is your birthday?"
- " 21/20"
Fuuuu~ We'll see! I should get the results via email sometime next week. Here's to hoping that the woman giving the interview somehow knows I don't usually believe there are 21 months. And that I am actually capable of stringing together basic sentences. In Korean, of course ;)
So, yes. Now I am resting. Resting and preparing myself for the next year of adventures I will take.
On Monday, the new teachers will come and we will all go to dinner. We will say good-bye to those leaving, and hello to those coming. I'm sad to see them go... This next year will be quite different, I think!
**Saturday is the FIRST ever Buchies (Bucheon Awards), and I will surely post on that as it is one of the last get-togethers with some awesome people who are leaving ever so soon... D:
I hope that you have all been well and will continue to stay that way.
Thank you for reading my blog and sharing in this adventure with me!
<3
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Well, it's been a long time, long time, now
Hello, my dear readers!
I must apologize (one 'L') for the complete lack of attention to this blog recently. January has been a pretty busy month for me... Really, it can be divided in half. The first half I had my winter camp, and the second half I visited the States!
+The winter camp went really well! I wanted to do a Harry Potter theme, so I did. :3
Every day I taught the students something different. We talked about mythical creatures, "herbology", quidditch, patronuses (spirit animals aligned with personality traits), how to describe people (mostly their faces), and recipe words to go along with potions. I had review games every two or three days to keep the vocab words fresh in their minds. The review game would take up the first session.
This time, I decided to divide the camp period into three sessions. Each period I taught was 90 minutes, so I would teach for 30, give a 5 minute break, show a HP movie clip relevant to what we were learning that day for 20, give another 5 minute break, and then teach on a different topic for 30. It was so much easier to keep their attention this way. Especially because each 30 minute session, I would teach and have an activity. They were never really stuck sitting for long.
Each game and activity awarded points. This also helped participation, because who doesn't want to win? Their competitive nature is something I've come to rely on a bit... :)
I had a lot of fun!! And I know they did, too.
+Two days after camp ended, though, I was on a plane home to America. I had a middle seat. But it wasn't terrible. My knees pressed up against the seat in front of me, somehow... Have I grown? I'm really okay with my legs not getting any longer. If I do grow, it MUST happen in my torso region. Must.
But, hey, a little less than 13 hours later, I was hugging my parents deliriously and staring at everything to try to figure out how I felt about being back. And honestly, it didn't feel any different. I was expecting something monumental. A revelation of some sort, regardless of whether it was good or bad. But that revelation never came. It didn't feel like I had been gone for a year at all... Time is seeming like a fleeting, insignificant thing.
I did have a really nice time, though! I was able to meet up with some friends and just hang out with my family (I love you guys!). My grandparents drove in from New York, and my sister flew in from Colorado. I feel so blessed! It was absolutely wonderful to see and spend time with those that I could. But I do look forward to seeing everyone else next time I return!
The only difference I noted, was that I got headaches more easily. I guess I was no longer used to processing every little thing someone said. I could understand everything! But again, no violent reaction or a freak-out of any sort. Just a headache now and again.
Still... I was really glad to come back to Korea. I really do love living here. Now, my grandpa posed a great question... Is it Bucheon that I love, or Korea? I have no idea. I've never lived anywhere else in Korea. If I do stay a third year (I just signed the contract for my second year, so it's a big IF), I will probably avoid jobs in Bucheon. Gotta mooove on and see a different place :)
+Thankfully, upon my return, I was able to pass out that Wednesday, wake up and have most of Thursday to buy new food and whatever before my Korean class. Today I am in school, but I'm not teaching classes. Sooo, I'm looking for new KPOP Slam games! They are helpful and fun, and give me an excuse to shamelessly watch KPOP music videos in an effort to find songs they could guess if the lyrics were translated to English :)
It's good to be back.
In Korea, and on this blog.
Take care, everyone!
And, as always, feel free to email, message, or comment with anything you'd like to say <3
I must apologize (one 'L') for the complete lack of attention to this blog recently. January has been a pretty busy month for me... Really, it can be divided in half. The first half I had my winter camp, and the second half I visited the States!
+The winter camp went really well! I wanted to do a Harry Potter theme, so I did. :3
Every day I taught the students something different. We talked about mythical creatures, "herbology", quidditch, patronuses (spirit animals aligned with personality traits), how to describe people (mostly their faces), and recipe words to go along with potions. I had review games every two or three days to keep the vocab words fresh in their minds. The review game would take up the first session.
This time, I decided to divide the camp period into three sessions. Each period I taught was 90 minutes, so I would teach for 30, give a 5 minute break, show a HP movie clip relevant to what we were learning that day for 20, give another 5 minute break, and then teach on a different topic for 30. It was so much easier to keep their attention this way. Especially because each 30 minute session, I would teach and have an activity. They were never really stuck sitting for long.
Each game and activity awarded points. This also helped participation, because who doesn't want to win? Their competitive nature is something I've come to rely on a bit... :)
I had a lot of fun!! And I know they did, too.
+Two days after camp ended, though, I was on a plane home to America. I had a middle seat. But it wasn't terrible. My knees pressed up against the seat in front of me, somehow... Have I grown? I'm really okay with my legs not getting any longer. If I do grow, it MUST happen in my torso region. Must.
But, hey, a little less than 13 hours later, I was hugging my parents deliriously and staring at everything to try to figure out how I felt about being back. And honestly, it didn't feel any different. I was expecting something monumental. A revelation of some sort, regardless of whether it was good or bad. But that revelation never came. It didn't feel like I had been gone for a year at all... Time is seeming like a fleeting, insignificant thing.
I did have a really nice time, though! I was able to meet up with some friends and just hang out with my family (I love you guys!). My grandparents drove in from New York, and my sister flew in from Colorado. I feel so blessed! It was absolutely wonderful to see and spend time with those that I could. But I do look forward to seeing everyone else next time I return!
The only difference I noted, was that I got headaches more easily. I guess I was no longer used to processing every little thing someone said. I could understand everything! But again, no violent reaction or a freak-out of any sort. Just a headache now and again.
Still... I was really glad to come back to Korea. I really do love living here. Now, my grandpa posed a great question... Is it Bucheon that I love, or Korea? I have no idea. I've never lived anywhere else in Korea. If I do stay a third year (I just signed the contract for my second year, so it's a big IF), I will probably avoid jobs in Bucheon. Gotta mooove on and see a different place :)
+Thankfully, upon my return, I was able to pass out that Wednesday, wake up and have most of Thursday to buy new food and whatever before my Korean class. Today I am in school, but I'm not teaching classes. Sooo, I'm looking for new KPOP Slam games! They are helpful and fun, and give me an excuse to shamelessly watch KPOP music videos in an effort to find songs they could guess if the lyrics were translated to English :)
It's good to be back.
In Korea, and on this blog.
Take care, everyone!
And, as always, feel free to email, message, or comment with anything you'd like to say <3
Thursday, December 20, 2012
It's All About Results
The election closed last night. It was a close race, and the outcome was heavily anticipated, but the winner who emerged was Saenuri's Park Geun-Hye with 51.6 percent. The turn-out for this election was the largest it had been in 15 years, with 75.8 percent of the eligible population voting. After winning, she gave no big, formal speech, but thanked her supporters and acknowledged her opponents.
Park Geun-Hye said that visiting the graves of her parents would be the first thing she would do after winning the election. Following their footsteps, she will soon move into the Blue House. She and her supporters hope to unify Koreans and bring happiness to the people and prosperity to the economy.
Still, as the days lead to her occupying office, there are definite concerns she must deal with:
-the slowing economic growth
-the disappearing middle-class
-relations with North Korea
-welfare for a 'rapidly aging population'
There is a debate on whether she can handle these issues, but her supporters are sure that she is capable. I understand that I am an outsider, and thus have little insight into the matter, but what I wonder is how much of their faith in her is due to her father? An article from The Guardian quotes a woman saying, '"She will save our country. Her father rescued the country."' Can she live up to her father's name? The economy-saving bit only, of course...
Her father aside, will she herself be able to step up to the plate? For the sake of Korea, I hope so.
I understand the bitterness that some supporters of Moon Jae-In must be feeling right now. It's hard to rally behind a president that you did not elect, a president in whom you don't have faith. I hope she earns it. I hope she fulfills the promises she made during her candidacy.
Good luck, Korea! 대한민국 화이팅!
Park Geun-Hye said that visiting the graves of her parents would be the first thing she would do after winning the election. Following their footsteps, she will soon move into the Blue House. She and her supporters hope to unify Koreans and bring happiness to the people and prosperity to the economy.
Still, as the days lead to her occupying office, there are definite concerns she must deal with:
-the slowing economic growth
-the disappearing middle-class
-relations with North Korea
-welfare for a 'rapidly aging population'
There is a debate on whether she can handle these issues, but her supporters are sure that she is capable. I understand that I am an outsider, and thus have little insight into the matter, but what I wonder is how much of their faith in her is due to her father? An article from The Guardian quotes a woman saying, '"She will save our country. Her father rescued the country."' Can she live up to her father's name? The economy-saving bit only, of course...
Her father aside, will she herself be able to step up to the plate? For the sake of Korea, I hope so.
I understand the bitterness that some supporters of Moon Jae-In must be feeling right now. It's hard to rally behind a president that you did not elect, a president in whom you don't have faith. I hope she earns it. I hope she fulfills the promises she made during her candidacy.
Good luck, Korea! 대한민국 화이팅!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
2012 South Korean Presidential Elections
Here in South Korea these days, one can see banners with candidate names and numbers and groups of supporters singing and chanting as the election day draws near. The 18th presidential election will take place December 19, 2012. Under what is now the sixth constitution since the split of the Koreas, the president may only hold a single term of five years.
I've been quite curious about the policies of all running candidates, as well as how the election process itself works. One thing I've seen and fully support is the prominence of multiple parties (more than two), although there are three major parties. And even within the parties the mindsets of the members differ slightly. There are seven names on the ballot- one from each of the major parties, and four independents.
The current/former president, Lee Myung-Bak, is of the Saenuri party. He came to the position with 70% approval, although earlier this year it had fallen to 30% approval. He feels that English education can aid in the road to success. He also supported the South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement, and was a part of the Jeju-do Naval Base (quite controversial).
Also in the Saenuri party is Park Geun-Hye. Prior to this year, the party was actually called the Grand National Party, but there was a lot of fighting within the party and a few image problems. From what I have read, it seems that several other things in the party have changed since she gained control of the party. With Lee Myung-Bak's ratings, it makes sense that she would want to distance herself from his image. There is much support for her, as her father Park Chung-Hee was a former president (some use 'dictator' instead) and her parents were assassinated, and much distaste for her. The distaste comes from her "secretive ways" and lack of knowledge of working class life. Here is an excerpt I found on a Wiki article about the 2012 election:
"..during another debate on Aug. 8, the moderator asked Park the minimum hourly rate for a part-time worker as of 2012. Park replied “I think it’s over 5,000 won, isn’t it?,” when the legal minimum wage was 4,580 won. In response, The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions responded with a statement in which it said, “It is terribly discouraging when a person who wants to become president does not even know the country’s minimum wage, which is a minimal right for survival and the first step toward a welfare state.”"
Still, she would like to win the trust of the public and serve the people. Her slogan this election is, " A Country Where My Dreams Can Come True / Readied Female President."
I think the story of her father is interesting, though, so I'm going to talk about that for a bit... Her father seized power with a military coup/revolution in 1961 for the sake of the country (he completely turned around the economy for the better). Her mother was shot in 1974, leaving her to act as the First Lady until her father was assassinated by his chief spy in 1979 (after losing the election, he rewrote the constitution to give himself further ruling). According to an article on channelnewsasia.com, "Many in South Korea acknowledge her father's contributions to the Korean economy, though many also remember a long history of torture and other abuses of power under his rule."
So that is the story of Saenuri's Park Geun-Hye, a front-runner of this election. Her biggest competition, the other runner at the front, actually used to protest the rule of her father. His name is Moon Jae-In. The former student activist said, "When I was living in poverty, she was living the life of a princess in the Blue House... When I was fighting against dictatorship, she was at the heart of it."
Juicy, isn't it?
Moon Jae-In belongs to the United Democratic Party. He, too, is known by the public as he was Chief of Staff to Roh Moon-Hyun, the president before the current Lee Myung-Bak. Being well-known is great, but Roh Moon-Hyun left a pretty sour position for Moon Jae-In to be in... While Roh was in office, his support fell drastically. He couldn't seem to complete projects, turned on his supporters, and was persecuted by the conservative party. Even after his term ended he was investigated for bribery charges. The ill sentiments once held toward Roh are now being used as spectacles for looking at Moon Jae-In. His slogan this election is, "People come first."
Reports say that the youth (as always, isn't it?) will be the biggest pull in who wins the election. The way it works in Korea is that whoever wins the most votes wins the presidency- they have a first-past-the-post system in place. Park is currently in the lead, but Moon is not far behind.
Great! This is really interesting, but still... What I want to know are their personal policies. The Prime Minister, even if he has to be approved by the National Assembly-the legislature of 299 seats, is still appointed by the president. I'm finding it difficult to find personal stances, but the positions each party general holds is easy to find.
As it is elsewhere, general policies can be aligned with their party. Let's take a look at the three major parties (basically a summary from Daily Kos):
Saenuri- conservative. They favor big business, especially toward family-owned conglomerates such as LG, Samsung, and Hyundai. Many of these companies also have a family member serving as an assembly member. They are anti-North Korea, anti-communism, and pro-America, so they support the SK-US Free Trade Agreement. They desire an export-driven economy, subsidies, and tax breaks. Their popularity is with older generations and southeastern provinces.
Democratic United Party- liberal. They favor greater regulations of these family-owned conglomerates and are against free trade agreements. They support smaller business who get pushed out because of big business, and have ties to more moderate trade unions. They would also like to "thaw" relations with North Korea a bit, and they have mixed feelings concerning the presence of the US military. Their popularity is with younger generations and southwestern provinces.
Unified Progressive Party- progressive. Here we find those who support and are supported by leftist trade unions and often farmers, who are at the mercy of big business and the government, both of which consume their land as the country is small and land is important. Cheap imports also cause trouble to such people. They have pro-North Korea sentiments, and are anti-American -mostly concerning the economy and business.
Socially, there is less of a difference between parties. Abortion is illegal unless it is to save a woman's life and homosexuality is a taboo topic- 30% of the population is Christian, and I'm sure that this is at least a bit of the reason.
I'm sure it would be nice to vote for a candidate based purely on their business and economic policies... Since, you know, that's what their job is. As an outsider, it seems more cut-and-dry than our messy socially-driven elections.
Anyway, that's what I was able to find today. It's not exactly what I was looking for, but I feel more well-informed. And that's never a bad thing.
Here are the links I looked at today in case anyone is curious or wants to know more:
I'll post again if I find anything else that I feel is relevant, and I definitely want to post about the results!
-Kaitlin
Friday, December 7, 2012
November December
Greetings, everyone!
I write to you from my heated classroom on this cold, snowy day. Today was our third real day of it snowing. Time to travel is increased, and the snow hurts when it gets in your eyes, but hey- that's what umbrellas are for.
It's also quite beautiful outside... I always admire the pre-Christmas snow. After that I would prefer it to go away, but Mother Nature has yet to listen to my requests.
Since the last blog I penned, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and the entrance into a new month have all passed. My birthday was really nice! My friends came over and we drank wine, ate cake, pizza, chicken, apple cobbler, and ice cream... I'm so thankful for the people I've met here!
Speaking of being thankful, a group of us went out to an Indian restaurant for American Thanksgiving. We cooked for the Canadian one, and we'd like to cook for Christmas, so November became break time. PLUS, everyone loves Indian food. (From the country, India.)
With November rolling up nicely, I began my first winter in Korea. It's cold. But it's not too bad... Thankfully I'm used to cold weather! If it keeps getting colder, though, I'm going to look like that poor little brother in A Christmas Story...
..Except that only the classrooms at school are heated. Not the school itself.
Another thing that has begun this month is my Korean class! I'm finally in one... It's at the same school as before, Sogang University in Seoul. Currently, we're learning future tense, how to ask/say if we're able to do something, and describe things and places. It's nice! Some words and sentences still feel like tongue-twisters, but it'll be such a great help if I study!
Ah! I know that elections back in the States just ended, but the date is approaching here in Korea. Walking the streets you will come upon banners with candidate names, or see people singing for or promoting their preferred candidate. It's interesting. I haven't looked into their policies regarding English education through native speakers or other policies that would affect foreigners living in Korea, but it is something I'd like to do.
One of my third graders already knows who he's going to vote for ;)
Aaaaaaannd, I will indeed be staying for another year. Because my contract ends the day before my next contract begins, I will be visiting the States in January. An awful time, really, as far as the weather goes... But what can ya do? It'll be so great to see my family and friends in the US again. Although, I don't know how I'll feel about being back. I'm quite curious to see. Like I'll be studying myself in an experiment where I am the constant, and my location is the changing variable. How will it feel to understand every conversation I hear? Noisy? Loud? Comforting? ..I don't really think it'll be the last one. I'd be shocked if that were true, honestly. I have a certain idea of how it will feel, but I know that it could turn out to be very different. All I can do is wait and experience it, I guess!
But, man, am I looking forward to sales racks and thrift stores! And cheap fruit. And places that are heated everywhere I go. But, ohhh, the time difference... humbug
I'll write about Christmas later. It's sad not being able to spend it with family... I'll miss the trip to and the time in New York, the tree we put up every year, seeing how many bows I can stick to my head, eating way too much food, and just talking with all of my family. I'll have a good one here, I'm sure, though. So I'll make it through :)
XOXOX
I write to you from my heated classroom on this cold, snowy day. Today was our third real day of it snowing. Time to travel is increased, and the snow hurts when it gets in your eyes, but hey- that's what umbrellas are for.
It's also quite beautiful outside... I always admire the pre-Christmas snow. After that I would prefer it to go away, but Mother Nature has yet to listen to my requests.
Since the last blog I penned, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and the entrance into a new month have all passed. My birthday was really nice! My friends came over and we drank wine, ate cake, pizza, chicken, apple cobbler, and ice cream... I'm so thankful for the people I've met here!
Speaking of being thankful, a group of us went out to an Indian restaurant for American Thanksgiving. We cooked for the Canadian one, and we'd like to cook for Christmas, so November became break time. PLUS, everyone loves Indian food. (From the country, India.)
With November rolling up nicely, I began my first winter in Korea. It's cold. But it's not too bad... Thankfully I'm used to cold weather! If it keeps getting colder, though, I'm going to look like that poor little brother in A Christmas Story...
..Except that only the classrooms at school are heated. Not the school itself.
Another thing that has begun this month is my Korean class! I'm finally in one... It's at the same school as before, Sogang University in Seoul. Currently, we're learning future tense, how to ask/say if we're able to do something, and describe things and places. It's nice! Some words and sentences still feel like tongue-twisters, but it'll be such a great help if I study!
Ah! I know that elections back in the States just ended, but the date is approaching here in Korea. Walking the streets you will come upon banners with candidate names, or see people singing for or promoting their preferred candidate. It's interesting. I haven't looked into their policies regarding English education through native speakers or other policies that would affect foreigners living in Korea, but it is something I'd like to do.
One of my third graders already knows who he's going to vote for ;)
Aaaaaaannd, I will indeed be staying for another year. Because my contract ends the day before my next contract begins, I will be visiting the States in January. An awful time, really, as far as the weather goes... But what can ya do? It'll be so great to see my family and friends in the US again. Although, I don't know how I'll feel about being back. I'm quite curious to see. Like I'll be studying myself in an experiment where I am the constant, and my location is the changing variable. How will it feel to understand every conversation I hear? Noisy? Loud? Comforting? ..I don't really think it'll be the last one. I'd be shocked if that were true, honestly. I have a certain idea of how it will feel, but I know that it could turn out to be very different. All I can do is wait and experience it, I guess!
But, man, am I looking forward to sales racks and thrift stores! And cheap fruit. And places that are heated everywhere I go. But, ohhh, the time difference... humbug
I'll write about Christmas later. It's sad not being able to spend it with family... I'll miss the trip to and the time in New York, the tree we put up every year, seeing how many bows I can stick to my head, eating way too much food, and just talking with all of my family. I'll have a good one here, I'm sure, though. So I'll make it through :)
XOXOX
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