Related Links
"South Korean Man Found Crucified, Was This Suicide Or Murder?," ROK Drop, May 4, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
S. Korean Man Found Crucified
I hate to say that I don't find this story all that surprising, and it if it's a suicide, I am even less shocked by the fact that the man had a mirror in front of him. Korea is the land of mirrors, so I guess when you crucify yourself, you have to see it for yourself. Unless he was murdered . . . that's slightly different.
Related Links
"South Korean Man Found Crucified, Was This Suicide Or Murder?," ROK Drop, May 4, 2011
Related Links
"South Korean Man Found Crucified, Was This Suicide Or Murder?," ROK Drop, May 4, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Come Back! Kids, Friends . . . Rain?
They all be tellin' me to come back to Korealand. My student recently suggested that I work at the middle school he plans to attend in Seoul. "Aw," I thought, "he's such an awesome kid." Then my dear friend and former co-worker wrote me a long message, telling me how much she misses me, and the kid who asked me to come back is now in her class, and I guess he still talks about me a lot. Sigh. So here I am, checking out job listings in Korea again. I find a gig that doesn't sound bad. I write to my good pal in Korealand. The expat who knows what's what in Korealand. The teaching gig is in Guro.
He responds:
Definitely don't go to Guro. it's the BFE of Seoul, the equivalent of living in Lee's Summit or some hellhole like that. Youngdeungpo is pretty ghetto too, but it's not far from Hongdae.
when are you looking to head out? i'm pretty sure my school is hiring soon. [. . . ] it's a big chain too. 2-10 every day in the office. i teach 3 75 minute classes a day. my hood is awesome too, lots of bars and restaurants and stores around and it's centrally located - 30 minutes or less via subway to anywhere in town that matters, taxis from here to Gangnam, Hongdae, or Nowon are all under around 10k.
I love how he reminds me of the shit hole that we Kansans know as "Lee's Summit." Guro will be scratched off the list as a possible place to reside. I don't even want to know what the Korean version of Lee's Summit is like. That scares me shitless. But being that close to Gangnam, Hongdae, and Nowon? Sure thing.
I'm now waiting for Rain to give me a call and ask me to return.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sleepless in South Korea
Big surprise. If kids don't get adequate sleep, their brains suffer. Researchers are quite concerned that lack of sleep in children can cause cognitive problems. In the U.S., the National Sleep Foundation stated that most American teens are only getting 7 1/2 hours of sleep a night.
If Korean children were able to get 7 1/2 hours of sleep a night, they would be ecstatic (that's not to say that I am being glib about the study and sleep deprivation found in American children). Instead, Koreans are always in school, and suffer from sleep deprivation. Once they leave public school, they head to hogwons at night. After they attend 12-14 hours of school, 5 days a week (and most of them have some form of schooling on Saturdays), they must study, study, study. Their schedules made me feel like a cracked-out hamster in a wheel. At times, the routine made life frighteningly drab, and I know that the kids felt that way, too.
Middle school examinations are also a very big deal in S. Korea. They occur on a frequent basis, so every 12 weeks, the kids prep for testing. If you're an instructor, the hogwon will cancel your classes, and oftentimes turn the school into a testing prep center. Once the testing is over and your regular class hours resume, the kids would oftentimes have difficulty staying awake. It was bad enough during regular class periods, because middle school kids would attend classes from 7 PM - 10 PM. I remember having to go around the room in the first hour, when they took their vocabulary test, and gently tap kids whowere slumped over their desks. Blurry eyed, they would lift their heads, and look down at a pool of drool. Then they would say, "sorry, teacher."
It's also a shame that most of these hogwons hire young, untrained instructors who would become angry with these situations. I was always taken aback when instructors would moan about their students who were silent during the three hours of class time. I'd think, "uh, kiddo, they are sleep deprived, and resent being here. What do you expect?"
I started asking each of my classes how many hours of sleep a night they had the night before class. I would go around the room, and most of the time, each student would mutter, "teacher, I got 4 hours of sleep last night." When a student would say they were able to sleep 8 hours, the other students would gasp and sneer.
You know that there is something wrong when you ask kids what they like to do for fun, and they answer, "I like to sleep, teacher. That's my favorite hobby."
If Korean children were able to get 7 1/2 hours of sleep a night, they would be ecstatic (that's not to say that I am being glib about the study and sleep deprivation found in American children). Instead, Koreans are always in school, and suffer from sleep deprivation. Once they leave public school, they head to hogwons at night. After they attend 12-14 hours of school, 5 days a week (and most of them have some form of schooling on Saturdays), they must study, study, study. Their schedules made me feel like a cracked-out hamster in a wheel. At times, the routine made life frighteningly drab, and I know that the kids felt that way, too.
Middle school examinations are also a very big deal in S. Korea. They occur on a frequent basis, so every 12 weeks, the kids prep for testing. If you're an instructor, the hogwon will cancel your classes, and oftentimes turn the school into a testing prep center. Once the testing is over and your regular class hours resume, the kids would oftentimes have difficulty staying awake. It was bad enough during regular class periods, because middle school kids would attend classes from 7 PM - 10 PM. I remember having to go around the room in the first hour, when they took their vocabulary test, and gently tap kids whowere slumped over their desks. Blurry eyed, they would lift their heads, and look down at a pool of drool. Then they would say, "sorry, teacher."
It's also a shame that most of these hogwons hire young, untrained instructors who would become angry with these situations. I was always taken aback when instructors would moan about their students who were silent during the three hours of class time. I'd think, "uh, kiddo, they are sleep deprived, and resent being here. What do you expect?"
I started asking each of my classes how many hours of sleep a night they had the night before class. I would go around the room, and most of the time, each student would mutter, "teacher, I got 4 hours of sleep last night." When a student would say they were able to sleep 8 hours, the other students would gasp and sneer.
You know that there is something wrong when you ask kids what they like to do for fun, and they answer, "I like to sleep, teacher. That's my favorite hobby."
Wake up! It's time for your 13th hour of class!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Missing Korea
Living in Korea/Leaving Korea
When I was in Korea and would read Dave's ESL list, I would often chuckle when people spoke of missing Korea. I thought that would never happen to me. Many expats return to the U.S., Canada, the U.K., etc., and find that they long to be back in Korea (most of them complain about being bored and are taken aback by how quiet it is back home). I can't say that I am pining for the country, but I do miss a lot of things that have made the (re)adjustment difficult. I definitely experienced reverse culture shock when I landed in LAX. For instance, it was hard for me to wrap my head around all the choices in Western foods here. Duh! It is, after all, a Western country. And it was the worst when I went to a Costco in San Luis Obispo. There are Costcos in Korea, but the choices in Western food are not nearly as varied as they are in the U.S. This particular Costco in SLO also caters to a specific type of shopper - rich ones who like good cheese and good wine. I can't say I missed Korea, however, when I found myself eating delectable cheeses and drinking superb wine in Central Coast a few days later! But that was only a short visit to see a good friend. After that, we headed 'home,' and through disturbing parts of the country. It was actually the hardest when we picked up our dog from DFW. That's when it really hit home that we were back for good. Stanley stayed 10 days in Seoul at a vet's office, and was then flown straight to Dallas. I was relieved to see him, but also felt that another tie had been cut from S. Korea. I got all choked up about it. Don't worry, I haven't really cried much about Korea, but I did on that day, and I definitely did the night before I left. Sometimes when I think about the kids, I get pretty sad, especially the ones who have reached out to me on Facebook. I miss good friends and lots of socializing, too. That is probably what I miss the most.
Expat in Texas
It has been about 4 months since I've been home, and in that time, I have been all over the country: California, the Southwest, the mid-Atlantic, Chicagoland, and the Northeast. It's good to be home, but I'm not so keen on living in Texas. Of course, I did miss eating Tex-Mex, but there are too many drawbacks to this state. It doesn't feel right, but then again . . . I'm not sure what place in the U.S. would feel right, especially with what is happening here. The U.S. is a scary place right now. Sure, there are far scarier places, but being away has made me realize how much 'they' have gutted the country.
I still have ties to Korea, so . . .
When I was in Korea and would read Dave's ESL list, I would often chuckle when people spoke of missing Korea. I thought that would never happen to me. Many expats return to the U.S., Canada, the U.K., etc., and find that they long to be back in Korea (most of them complain about being bored and are taken aback by how quiet it is back home). I can't say that I am pining for the country, but I do miss a lot of things that have made the (re)adjustment difficult. I definitely experienced reverse culture shock when I landed in LAX. For instance, it was hard for me to wrap my head around all the choices in Western foods here. Duh! It is, after all, a Western country. And it was the worst when I went to a Costco in San Luis Obispo. There are Costcos in Korea, but the choices in Western food are not nearly as varied as they are in the U.S. This particular Costco in SLO also caters to a specific type of shopper - rich ones who like good cheese and good wine. I can't say I missed Korea, however, when I found myself eating delectable cheeses and drinking superb wine in Central Coast a few days later! But that was only a short visit to see a good friend. After that, we headed 'home,' and through disturbing parts of the country. It was actually the hardest when we picked up our dog from DFW. That's when it really hit home that we were back for good. Stanley stayed 10 days in Seoul at a vet's office, and was then flown straight to Dallas. I was relieved to see him, but also felt that another tie had been cut from S. Korea. I got all choked up about it. Don't worry, I haven't really cried much about Korea, but I did on that day, and I definitely did the night before I left. Sometimes when I think about the kids, I get pretty sad, especially the ones who have reached out to me on Facebook. I miss good friends and lots of socializing, too. That is probably what I miss the most.
Expat in Texas
It has been about 4 months since I've been home, and in that time, I have been all over the country: California, the Southwest, the mid-Atlantic, Chicagoland, and the Northeast. It's good to be home, but I'm not so keen on living in Texas. Of course, I did miss eating Tex-Mex, but there are too many drawbacks to this state. It doesn't feel right, but then again . . . I'm not sure what place in the U.S. would feel right, especially with what is happening here. The U.S. is a scary place right now. Sure, there are far scarier places, but being away has made me realize how much 'they' have gutted the country.
I still have ties to Korea, so . . .
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Korean Peninsula: A Tale of Two Worlds
War! War! War! Tensions! Tensions! Tensions! That’s the mantra coming out of Western news outlets when discussing the two Koreas.
If you listened to that as an expat in South Korea, you’d find yourself paralyzed and hiding in a bomb shelter every day, especially after North Korea’s attack of Yeonpyeong island on November 23rd. But these attacks are nothing new. The so-called increased tensions are just part of everyday life in Korea, and they have been for decades. In fact, the North will attack the South in order to sit down for more dialogue. Before I moved here, I thought the DMZ was an impenetrable wall between the North and the South. Interestingly, there is more fluidity between the two countries than most think. I remember when a squeaky, Valley pal – who’d been here longer than I – talked excitedly about heading up to North Korea for a weekend trip this past summer. And given her temperament (she was a bit prissy), if she could visit villages across the border, what was the big deal?
Being an expat in South Korea, I find myself living in two different worlds. At times they intersect, but when it comes to daily language barriers, you are reminded of the divide just the same. It’s the same when it comes to the two attitudes about North Korea.
The current ‘tensions’ on the peninsula are a reminder of how separated my world is from most Koreans here. There is no doubt, South Koreans, in general, were rattled when North Korea attacked Yeonpyeong island. Shortly thereafter the Defense Minister of South Korea, Kim Tae-young resigned. The Western media attributed his resignation to the deadly attacks, which killed four people, including two civilians, on the island. In fact, he had actually handed-in his resignation earlier this year, after the sinking of the Cheonan. Nevertheless, it’s a convenient way for the Western media to add to the drama over here. Days after the bombing of the island, I was bombarded by emails and FB chatter from friends, family, and connections. I am the Founder & Exec. Director of All Education Matters, Inc., a non-profit who fights on behalf of the indentured educated class, so I have a large social network, and they have voiced their concerns about my safety. Many of them have urged me to return to the United States as a result of mounting tensions in South Korea. I generally tell them that there is nothing to worry about, but on the eve of another military drill, I can’t say I’m so sure about that.
A few days ago the South Korean military carried out drills on island that had been attacked. In addition, South Korea also appointed a new Defense Minister, Kim Kwan Jin, whose remarks suggest he got his tips from Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson.
Recently, he said, “'the army will make a strong response to all provocations [from the North].” That is after the South carried out military drills south of Yeonpyeong island.
Then there is that so-called Christmas tree near the Northern border. The South Korean government has not allowed a Church group to put it up since 2003. But to increase tensions, they have changed their mind and allowed it to be erected again. The Church’s choir stood around the tree and sang Christmas carols, while wearing garish holiday garb. God bless them for getting involved in the situation!
While it hardly looks like a Christmas tree, with those metal rods and flimsy tinsel, to the North Koreans it’s yet another sign of increased provocation from the South. That makes me nervous.
But what’s worse? Tomorrow.
South Korea has announced that it will launch the largest ever military exercise on December 23rd. When I checked out the various headlines, my heart told me to take a hike when I read this one: “‘Punish the enemy’: S. Korea set for huge drill.’” Great. That sounds pretty unnerving considering the fact that I live closer to North Korea than downtown Seoul.
Again, based upon the alarmist headlines from outside of South Korea, it would seem that war is imminent.
That brings us to a final question. If Western news outlets are reporting war will occur any day, how do South Koreans feel? Based upon conversations with my Korean friends, I’d say they aren’t concerned in the least. Nevertheless, my kids last week expressed worries, and I was taken aback. While some might assume that kids don’t have a clue about what they’re talking about, I beg to differ. One of them, for instance, has an older brother in the military. She’s scared for him, because her parents are worried. A few of the other students said their parents had been talking about the war, but their English and age precluded them from providing anymore details than that.
So who knows? Maybe I’ll be heading to a bomb shelter tomorrow. But as I’ve said already in a previous post about the possibility of war on the peninsula, I have to worry about today.
And today is filled with a lot of things, like packing and getting ready to leave the country.
If you listened to that as an expat in South Korea, you’d find yourself paralyzed and hiding in a bomb shelter every day, especially after North Korea’s attack of Yeonpyeong island on November 23rd. But these attacks are nothing new. The so-called increased tensions are just part of everyday life in Korea, and they have been for decades. In fact, the North will attack the South in order to sit down for more dialogue. Before I moved here, I thought the DMZ was an impenetrable wall between the North and the South. Interestingly, there is more fluidity between the two countries than most think. I remember when a squeaky, Valley pal – who’d been here longer than I – talked excitedly about heading up to North Korea for a weekend trip this past summer. And given her temperament (she was a bit prissy), if she could visit villages across the border, what was the big deal?
Being an expat in South Korea, I find myself living in two different worlds. At times they intersect, but when it comes to daily language barriers, you are reminded of the divide just the same. It’s the same when it comes to the two attitudes about North Korea.
The current ‘tensions’ on the peninsula are a reminder of how separated my world is from most Koreans here. There is no doubt, South Koreans, in general, were rattled when North Korea attacked Yeonpyeong island. Shortly thereafter the Defense Minister of South Korea, Kim Tae-young resigned. The Western media attributed his resignation to the deadly attacks, which killed four people, including two civilians, on the island. In fact, he had actually handed-in his resignation earlier this year, after the sinking of the Cheonan. Nevertheless, it’s a convenient way for the Western media to add to the drama over here. Days after the bombing of the island, I was bombarded by emails and FB chatter from friends, family, and connections. I am the Founder & Exec. Director of All Education Matters, Inc., a non-profit who fights on behalf of the indentured educated class, so I have a large social network, and they have voiced their concerns about my safety. Many of them have urged me to return to the United States as a result of mounting tensions in South Korea. I generally tell them that there is nothing to worry about, but on the eve of another military drill, I can’t say I’m so sure about that.
A few days ago the South Korean military carried out drills on island that had been attacked. In addition, South Korea also appointed a new Defense Minister, Kim Kwan Jin, whose remarks suggest he got his tips from Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson.
Recently, he said, “'the army will make a strong response to all provocations [from the North].” That is after the South carried out military drills south of Yeonpyeong island.
Then there is that so-called Christmas tree near the Northern border. The South Korean government has not allowed a Church group to put it up since 2003. But to increase tensions, they have changed their mind and allowed it to be erected again. The Church’s choir stood around the tree and sang Christmas carols, while wearing garish holiday garb. God bless them for getting involved in the situation!
While it hardly looks like a Christmas tree, with those metal rods and flimsy tinsel, to the North Koreans it’s yet another sign of increased provocation from the South. That makes me nervous.
But what’s worse? Tomorrow.
South Korea has announced that it will launch the largest ever military exercise on December 23rd. When I checked out the various headlines, my heart told me to take a hike when I read this one: “‘Punish the enemy’: S. Korea set for huge drill.’” Great. That sounds pretty unnerving considering the fact that I live closer to North Korea than downtown Seoul.
Again, based upon the alarmist headlines from outside of South Korea, it would seem that war is imminent.
That brings us to a final question. If Western news outlets are reporting war will occur any day, how do South Koreans feel? Based upon conversations with my Korean friends, I’d say they aren’t concerned in the least. Nevertheless, my kids last week expressed worries, and I was taken aback. While some might assume that kids don’t have a clue about what they’re talking about, I beg to differ. One of them, for instance, has an older brother in the military. She’s scared for him, because her parents are worried. A few of the other students said their parents had been talking about the war, but their English and age precluded them from providing anymore details than that.
So who knows? Maybe I’ll be heading to a bomb shelter tomorrow. But as I’ve said already in a previous post about the possibility of war on the peninsula, I have to worry about today.
And today is filled with a lot of things, like packing and getting ready to leave the country.
South Korea screams: "We'll show you, North Korea!!!"
Great. The South is at it again. Tomorrow they will be showing more military might along the border, and it's going to be a tank-jet-soldier-infused blowtorch. Way to go. You show them, South Korea.
This makes me nervous for several reasons, one of which will be even clearer after I share my next post with my readers and Board of Directors for AEM.
Here's more details from the BBC.
This makes me nervous for several reasons, one of which will be even clearer after I share my next post with my readers and Board of Directors for AEM.
Here's more details from the BBC.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)