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
Thursday, September 26, 2013
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
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Song Time
Hello, everyone! It's been a long time!!
Right now I'm on vacation :D
Summer camp was fun, but I'm happy to relax~
This blog post is going to be dedicated to a song, though.
I was looking up the lyrics so that I could sing along when I found a site that had them in Korean and English. But the translation just seemed so off.. So, like any curious and slightly over-confident person, I attempted to translate them myself.
I know my Korean skills are a little lacking, though, so if you have corrections, pleeeease share :) There are a few lines that could use some help.
..And I must admit that those few lines baffled me quite completely. One being the title of this beautiful, mysterious, and slightly sad song: 그 어떤 말로도. I've seen it translated as 'I have no words', but I knew that wasn't quite right... So I asked my boyfriend :3
So without any further rambling, the lyrics (followed by the song):
난 아무것도 보이지 않아
아무것도 보이지 않아 ...
Don't see anything
There :)
Again, just my best stab at it. I'm by no means proficient...
Let me know if you fancy the song as much as I do!
Or even if you don't care for it at all, I guess...
I just wanted to see what I am capable of... But againagainagain please share your corrections with me if you have them. Different translations or interpretations, too! :D
Take care, all! xoxox
Right now I'm on vacation :D
Summer camp was fun, but I'm happy to relax~
This blog post is going to be dedicated to a song, though.
I was looking up the lyrics so that I could sing along when I found a site that had them in Korean and English. But the translation just seemed so off.. So, like any curious and slightly over-confident person, I attempted to translate them myself.
I know my Korean skills are a little lacking, though, so if you have corrections, pleeeease share :) There are a few lines that could use some help.
..And I must admit that those few lines baffled me quite completely. One being the title of this beautiful, mysterious, and slightly sad song: 그 어떤 말로도. I've seen it translated as 'I have no words', but I knew that wasn't quite right... So I asked my boyfriend :3
So without any further rambling, the lyrics (followed by the song):
그 어떤 말로도 by Vodka Rain (보드카레인) ft. Jang YoonJu (장윤주)
그렇게도 빛나던 그대..
So too do you shine...
어디론가 떠난 밤
A night to leave for somewhere
A night to leave for somewhere
모든 걸 잃은 하루는 지고...
The day you lost everything ends...
The day you lost everything ends...
창가에는 어둠도 빛들도 사라진 채
At the window, the darkness and the lights have vanished
At the window, the darkness and the lights have vanished
난 아무것도 보이지 않아
I don't see anything
I don't see anything
난 아무것도 보이지 않아
I don't see anything
그 어떤 말로도..
I can't convey it with words...
I can't convey it with words...
어둠 속으로 세상지고
Beneath the darkness the world falls
Beneath the darkness the world falls
눈물로도 어떤 수 많은 기도로도
And even with tears and a great number of prayers
And even with tears and a great number of prayers
다시 볼 수 없는 사람
Again I'm blind (or: The person I can't see again?)
Again I'm blind (or: The person I can't see again?)
여기있어요 나 여기있어요
Here, I am here
Here, I am here
이렇게 그대곁으로 찾아왔어요
To be there for you, I came to find you like this
To be there for you, I came to find you like this
볼수없나요 너무추워요
Can't you see? It's too cold
Can't you see? It's too cold
시린하늘이 싫어 옆에 왔는데
I hate the cold sky. I came to your side
I hate the cold sky. I came to your side
짐작조차도 할 수 없나요
I can't even guess
I can't even guess
이렇게 보는건 그대 아닌가요
How you can't see anything this way
How you can't see anything this way
울지말아요 미안해요 그대...
Don't cry. I'm sorry. You...
Don't cry. I'm sorry. You...
아무것도 보이지 않아 ...
Don't see anything
그 어떤 말로도 by Vodka Rain (보드카레인) ft. Jang YoonJu (장윤주)
There :)
Again, just my best stab at it. I'm by no means proficient...
Let me know if you fancy the song as much as I do!
Or even if you don't care for it at all, I guess...
I just wanted to see what I am capable of... But againagainagain please share your corrections with me if you have them. Different translations or interpretations, too! :D
Take care, all! 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
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