100th post

I've decided to let Samuel L. Jackson say a few words to commemorate the 100th posting here at ...in Korea.

To English teachers at home and abroad...enjoy.

American Weekend

I’m still trying to process it all.  On this adventure Jessica and I have had numerous cultural experiences.  We ate raw ocean “things” with a Korean family.  We walked on the street where a nameless man with shopping bags won a staring contest with a Chinese army tank in 1989.  

Ancient palaces.  Great walls.  Throne rooms. 

And strangely enough, none of the above is what I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around. 

This past weekend we visited our friends Michael and Victoria Mosley in Dongducheon, South Korea.  1 hour train ride north of Seoul.  On Saturday afternoon, we went to the US Army base in town.  Jessica and I were excited about seeing more than a handful of Americans.  There’s a grocery store on base.  American grocery store.  All week we dreamed of Mountain Dew.  Wheat Thins.  Fritos Jalapeno Cheddar chip dip.  I’m even slightly embarrassed to say we ate at the Taco Bell.  We weren’t even hungry. 

But I found myself feeling something quite different than I expected.  As we left the train station to walk down the street to the base, the area reminded me of a ghetto inner-city neighborhood mixed with Myrtle Beach.  The only Koreans I saw were taxi drivers and a few pawn shopkeepers.  The Americans we passed on the sidewalk looked a bit thuggish.  Honestly, I didn’t feel entirely safe.  This wasn’t the Korea I’ve grown accustomed to.

Before leaving for Korea last fall, Kim Carroll recounted her first experience of Seoul.  She asked her Korean friends if there were any areas to avoid should they get separated or if she traveled there alone. 

“No?” was the answer, with a confused look.  Seoul...Korea in general...is a safe place.

“Well, I wouldn’t go to Itaewon at night.  It’s the American part of town.  Anywhere else is OK.”

Like I said, I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around it all.  Or maybe I’m having trouble accepting the reality of what I already knew to be true.

Thoughts?

Picture(s) of the Week

Takin' it one day at a time

I am, and always will be, the biggest advocate of traveling to a foreign country to live.  A different perspective is an extremely powerful thing.  Leaving home.  Family.  Routine.  Comfort.  It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. 

Having said that, I would like to share my daily school schedule with anyone who may be considering coming to teach English at Buseok Elementary School in Korea…

1^st period       

Scheduled: 6^th grade                     

Reality: students stay in their homeroom to watch Bill Nye: the Science Guy Greatest Hits vol. 3.

2^nd period

Scheduled: 1^st grade

Reality: 1^st grade homeroom teacher still doesn’t know to send her students to my classroom. 

3^rd period

Scheduled: 3^rd grade B

Reality: 10 minutes after class is scheduled to begin, I get to go on a super fun Find the 3^rd Graders Scavenger Hunt.

4^th period

Scheduled: No class – Planning period

Reality: 1^st grade teacher realizes that she is supposed to send her students to me…an hour and a half later.

LUNCH

5^th period

Scheduled: 3^rd grade A

Reality: Find the 3^rd Graders Scavenger Hunt part II.

6^th period

Scheduled: Okdae Elementary School 4^th grade

Reality: No one got the message to Okdae.

7^th period

Scheduled: No class – Planning period

Reality: 1^st grade, 2^nd grade, 3^rd grade, 4^th grade, 5^th grade, AND 6^th grade

8^th period

Scheduled: 6^th grade

Reality: Students are dismissed early.  Chicken wings, rice cakes, and beer in the office.

I wouldn't trade this year for anything.

6 Months in the making...

Truth be told, I was tricked.  My co-teacher came to me about a month ago and said there will be a race in April at Sobaek Mountain National Park.  Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k.

"Which one would you like?"

"Ummm.....is this part of my contract?"

I was informed that all the teachers would be participating.  During the ride home from school I asked Kim Do-Hyeong (6th grade teacher) if all the teachers were going to be there.

"No.  Only you."

There have been many valuable lessons learned and experiences awkwardly endured since arriving in Korea. Jessica and I have learned to expect them.  Any time we are invited to a social gathering we speculate what may happen (or rather,  what will be lost in translation) that we'll be able to laugh about afterwards.  Rarely are we disappointed.  The best piece of advice I was given before we began this adventure came from Kim Carroll at English For Life.... 

"...all that will be specified in my contract right?"

"Don't expect anything in your contract to actually happen like you think it should.  Better yet, don't expect anything to happen as it should."

So I made a decision.  Don't fight it.  Just go with it.  I began training for the upcoming race.  During my first run a couple of weeks ago, I began thinking about the last time I ran.  2008.  It's now 2011.  3 years.  

THREE.  YEARS.

I'm proud to report that lastnight, on my 4th run since 2008, I ran the entire distance of a 5k race.  Without stopping.  And even with a respectable time.  Walking literally everywhere for the past 6 months has begun to pay off.  I'm gonna be a Champ.

Inspiration (or.....Run Like Hell)

Music is a funny thing.  It has the ability to manipulate my emotions.  

For better or for worse.  

I've become aware of this, and I try to stay in tune with what I'm feeling and why I'm feeling it, and whether I'm really feeling it at all.  Maybe it's just the music imposing its agenda on me.  

I've been on quite a few airplanes in the past few years.  My favorite part of the experience is taking off.  I ignore the warnings to turn off all electronic devices, and listen to Led Zeppelin as the plane picks up speed and begins to lift.  The adrenaline is compounded with Rock and Roll blaring in my ears.

Below is an unofficial Death Cab for Cutie video of Transatlanticism that I blame (in a good way) for conspiring to persuade me to run for faraway places.

Food for thought...

When I was in high school, there were 3 options for lunch in the cafeteria.  1) a basket of french fries; 2) nachos and cheese; 3) wait in line for the "regular" lunch, usually consisting of a hamburger in a plastic wrapping, some kind of pizza on garlic bread, or a corn dog.  At Buseok Elementary School, a public state-sponsored school, the menu will always include steamed rice, some type of soup (usually either tofu, cabbage, or seaweed), and kimchi.    

One this particular day, we had a special treat...lettuce wraps.

Other items that show up on my lunch tray...

                                         Lotus root.......a banana.......Chinese noodles

                                                                                                      ....and water (always).



Ps.   Korean kids aren't fat either.  Interesting...

Thing I DO miss about America #38

In case you were beginning to think this is strictly an "American culture-bashing" blog....

When Jessica and I were living in Greenville, one of our favorite things was driving. Somewhere.  Anywhere.  We would just go explore.  Try to get lost.  We would take off to Asheville with a mattress in the back of my truck.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most eerily quiet place in the world at 2am.  At the Craggy Gardens parking lot, there are no artificial lights to hide the millions of stars that otherwise go unnoticed.  In those two weeks between the wedding and leaving for Korea, we spotted 8 shooting stars in one night on the Parkway.  

One night, we decided to drive to the beach.  We sat on the sand and watched the stars for about an hour.  The sky slowly grew pink and purple.  The sun peaked over the horizon.  And then we drove 4 hours back home. 

It's just what we do.  

Korea is different.  We walk everywhere we can.  If we go further than Homeplus, we're at the mercy of train schedules and bus routes.  It's really put a cramp in our style.  But now we've got a bicycle, and we've gained a feeling of independence.  Being able to get oneself from point A to point B without depending on someone or something else is a feeling I never take for granted.  I feel like more of an adult.  

Now if I could only find some baseball cards to put in the spokes.

Buseok Biz-nitches

I think I'm finally starting to blend in.

pronounced "boo-sock"

Lip My Stockings

 Sophia Coppola's Lost in Translation is one of the reasons we came to Asia.   This is one of my favorite scenes...

Hot for Teacher

To be quite frank, I’m the hottest thing in Yeongju.  No, really. 

Jessica and I are celebrities here.  Hollywood stars.  Some would say…actually most would say…that Koreans find white, western people attractive.  In a general sense.  But I don’t believe it.  I know jealousy when I see it. 

There was the time back in the fall when I was riding home with several teachers from school.  Ralph, the special education teacher was driving.  You may remember him from here.  The previous foreign English teacher was apparently a hermit of sorts.  She didn’t interact and socialize with the students or teachers when it could be avoided.  Sensing that I was more open to conversation than others, Ralph says to me in a very genuine tone, “I would like to get alone with you.” 

Several nights ago, Jessica and I made a new friend who is studying English.  Later in the evening we were introduced to her parents.  We met them in their local shop, where apparently they’ve made it big in the octopus business.  Hee Jeun told her father that I am running in a 5k race at Sobaek Mountain in April, as he is a runner also.  The octopus proprietor looked me over and said to his daughter “he has a very good body.”

If you got it….you got it.

Seoul Weekend

Jessica's birthday was Saturday March 5, so we spent the weekend in Seoul.  A few photos for you viewing pleasure....

We spent Sunday afternoon in an area of Seoul called Insadong.  Kinda traditional.  Kinda touristy.  Kinda traditional in a touristy kinda way.  This sign was at the entrance to a traditional looking functioning temple right in the middle of tall city buildings.  You don't want to get on the bad side of a monk, so we used the side doors.

High heels.

Larry, Moe, and Curly.

One of many paintings on the outside of the temple.

We watched this man outside the temple gates drink half a bottle of Soju in one gulp.  Soju is a Korean liquor.  One bottle is 19.3%.  He poured out the rest of it.

We had tea with my friend Adam Shaw from high school.  He's in the Air Force, stationed in Osan, just outside of Seoul.

6 months

I graduated college 7 years ago.  May, 2004.  I remember my aunt and uncle taking me to dinner as graduation drew close.  They live in Hendersonville, NC, not far from the campus.  The only thing I remember about our conversation that night was my uncle asking me if I had any job prospects lined up.  No.  Should I?  I haven’t graduated yet.  Commencement is two weeks away.  I haven’t planned past this evening.

For many people, college is the primary formative period of life.  You establish who you are.  What you’re going to be.  Where you’re going.  I’ve even heard you make your lifelong friends in college.  This is where you become an adult.  At least you’re supposed to.

These past 7 years…

bad decisions.  wasted time.  failed plans

…have been my formative years.  I can look back, especially at the past 2 years, and see my progression.  My metamorphosis, if you will.

Maybe I’m behind schedule.  That’s OK.  I know where I’m (we’re) going.

As of today, Jessica and I have lived in Asia for 6 months.  I feel like we can do anything at all.

                                                               ...and we plan to.

Update...

• The new school year began last Wednesday.  It wasn't quite the return to work that I had expected.  In a week I have yet to have a full day of classes.  According to my co-teachers, the manager of the English center hasn't finalized a schedule yet.  Seriously?  We've been out of school since December 23.  Maybe there's more to making a schedule for 3 teachers than I realize.
• Jessica started a yoga class.  It meets 5 days a week in the evening.  She's enjoying it but she's sore.  Really sore. 
• On Saturday we will have been in Korea for 6 months.  We're working on our plan for what to do next.  Jessica's boss wants to meet with me today to try to persuade us to stay in Korea a little longer.  We'll see how that goes.

Graduation

Here's a few shots from Kindergarten Graduation for Jessica's students at English Island Academy.

Weekend 3.0

I'm now convinced that my old manager Betse trained every Starbucks employee in Korea. 

We spent the weekend in Seoul to celebrate Jessica's birthday on Saturday.  Every time we go to one of the big cities we make our way from the bus station directly to Starbucks.  Seriously.  And every time, without fail, this is the scenario....

I order the dark roast coffee of the week.  Jessica orders a hazelnut frappacino.

Them: "Uhhhh.....(looks at the menu).....hazelnut frappacino......uhhhhh........no."

Me: "Do you have caramel frappacino?"

Them: "Yes."

Me: "Do you have hazelnut latte?"

Them: "Yes."

In a matter of 7 seconds I have managed to navigate a language barrier and establish the fact that they have 1) frappacinos, and 2) hazelnut syrup.

Me: .....(holding a pretend cup)....."caramel frappacino".....(pretend to pull something out of my pretend cup)...."caramel no, hazelnut yes".......(pretend to put something new into my pretend cup).

Them: "Ahhhhhh......yes!"

I've done this same song and dance so many times I could do it in my sleep.

The Korean baristas have always been extremely happy to make what ever drink we ask for once they realize that they have the means to make it.  It's not their fault really.  Like I said, my old manager apparently taught them the same thing she tried to teach us: Don't give the customer what they want, but what you want to sell them.

Asia....you're the best!

Check out the artwork of Hong Kong artist Dorothy Tang.

Be careful what you wish for

If you’ve ever traveled abroad or read this blog, you know the routine.  You make a trip to the store.  All you want is something simple.  Shampoo.  Coconuts.  Matching underwear.  The cashier will not sell you the item.  She says something to you in Korean.  You obviously don’t understand.  She repeats herself.  You obviously still don’t understand.  You leave empty handed and frustrated.  It’s like that song.  The one that never ends. 

This is what I assume is usually happening: the cashier is trying to tell us about a “buy one/ get one free” deal on Coconuts.  Or maybe if you buy shampoo, you get a bottle of conditioner half price.  Quite possibly she’s desperately trying to tell us not to wear matching underwear.  I’m sure the cashier always has the best of intentions.  But it’s still frustrating.  When I worked in similar jobs in the US and I was confronted with the same situation, I handled it differently.  The scenario generally involved a Hispanic person, and their English wasn’t the best.  Instead of trying to explain to them that they could upgrade their Chick-fil-A combo for only $0.40 and receive large fries and a large drink, or maybe that Starbucks is offering a deal too good to pass up on those dried out, bland scones, I would simply let the transaction go.  I would only give them what they asked for.  I didn’t want to confuse and frustrate the customer.  Even though they missed out on something beneficial, they left happy. 

I’ve always complained that the Korean cashiers at Homeplus should do the same.

Last Friday my wish was granted.  Jessica and I were in Andong for a movie.  From experience, we know that the next available train to Yeongju leaves the station at 2:15am.  Therefore, after the movie lets out we make our way to the bus station.  It’s a little more expensive, but buses make regular trips to Yeongju.  The movie let out around 11:45pm, and we waved down the first taxi we saw. 

“Bus-uh tuh-mi-nal, gah-ju-say-yo” I say to the driver.  And away we go.  The new bus station is on the other side of town, maybe 20 minutes.  We arrive, hand the driver 10,000 Won for his troubles, and exit the car.  There are about 10 people waiting, and the next one in line hops in the taxi after us.  The station is dark, and we walk inside to find it closed. 

Taxi drivers commonly know bus and train schedules.  They make most of their money driving newly arrived passengers to their destinations, and circling back to the station to retrieve new patrons.  Our driver was no different.  He knew the bus station was closed.  He knew those white people in his car were clueless to the fact.  But he drove us anyway.  Never did he try to explain that there were no buses.  At first I was a bit irritated because now we would have to spend another 10,000 Won to get back to the train station.  But then I remembered all those times at Homeplus when we left without what we came for and no clue as to why. 

So to that Korean taxi driver who took our money and kept his mouth shut: Thanks a million.

New Project

I'm working on a new project with several friends of mine.  It's a new blog called The Turnbuckle...an open-ended conversation about travel and world culture(s).  I plan to have it up and running in the second half of March.  Having lived in the US for 28 years, and now spending a year in Asia, I've had the opportunity to gain a new perspective on life.  Eating habits.  Social stigmas.  Relationships.  Ideas have been challenged.  Routines have been rethought.  I find it fascinating how two people, separated by thousands of miles, can do essentially the same thing in two different ways.

I'm certain that I'm not the only one out there who has had similar experiences.  I would love to hear about how your thoughts have changed, or maybe confirmed, once you saw new ways of doing things around the world.

If you would like to write one blog post or several, or just want to share an idea, send me an email.  Let's chat.

Jake
hollingsworth.jacobm@gmail.com  

Ps.  Don't panic!  The ...in Korea blog will continue as well.

Photos

Some of my favorites from Jessica's photo collection.

Man on bicycle in Yeongju

Inside Great Wall tower

Beijing door handle

Last Day of Vacation

Including weekends, today was Day 50 of my winter vacation.  As all good things must come to an end, tomorrow I will return to school for the opening ceremonies of the new semester.  Here are a few pictures from our day.  Jessica and I had lunch with Susie and her two children, Hyewon and Jiwon.  These pictures are from our favorite coffee shop after lunch.  The little cup is full of sugar.  Yes, they ate it.  ALL of it.

Good luck Susie.