On a recent weekend I went to Hahoe Folk Village. What a place! It’s a UNESCO-protected village founded early during the Joseon dynasty (1592-1910). It’s notable today because a lot of the structures have remained unchanged since their construction. Many of the houses’ roofs, both thatched and slanted, remain in excellent condition. I was down there in order to take advantage of the Andong Mask Festival and see some of the masks which have played a prominent role in Korean culture for many years.
During September in Andong-about a three hour drive south of Seoul-there is a festival centered around the of Korean mask. At the festival, one can sample a variety of Korean foods, can buy traditional Korean gifts, can make one’s own mask, and can also take in some musical and dramatic performances at a large stage in the center of the festival. I didn't stay in Andong too long because I wasn’t sure how long it would take to adequately see Hahoe and that was the main purpose for my trip. For this reason, I soon headed off on the 45 minute shuttle ride to Hahoe. It is quite rural and situated on the Nandong river. There are some spots nearby from which you can get amazing views of the village and the surrounding countryside.
Seeing the old houses and the tree (known as Samsindang) that dates from the time of the founding of the village wa wonderful. The village is, as noted, out in the sticks a bit, which for me was wonderful. I love Seoul but at times the never-ending press of people can be overwhelming and it’s lovely to get away from the hustle and bustle. It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to imagine what the village was like 500 years ago because the area hasn’t developed too much. There is a very informative mask museum in Hahoe which has masks from all over the world. The museum is fully captioned in English as well as Korean so non-Koreans can enjoy and learn about the variety of masks and how and why they came to exist. It’s very interesting to learn how and why masks are significant in their cultures.
Walking through the Folk Village of Hahoe is akin to stepping into a time machine. Old walls, tiny lanes, and only the slightest hint of tourism-several road-side stands hawking Andong’s famous soju (Korea’s national alcoholic drink, a grain-based drink which is made stronger in Andong), masks, figurines, and a variety of other traditional Korean gifts. The houses are well-maintained to a large extent. I saw two houses which had fallen into disrepair and I walked most of the village. I don’t know which regulations compel the upkeep of the village other than pride in its history. That would seem to be a pretty compelling force, to the benefit of visitors and to the credit of Korea. The landscaping of some of the properties also only enhances the beauty of the village.
Truly, coming out to rural Korea, seeing how a village would have looked in Korea 500 years ago, and being able to see the mask festival made for a great day.
Showing posts with label South Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Korea. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
brain droppings...
Some interesting things with very little relation to one another, but at least worth writing down:
- Today went into a police station-my crime is having loved pajeon too much-and it was abandoned. The door was open but it was cleared out. There were a couple of small desks, but that was it. The door was open, there were no barriers telling you that you couldn't go in, so me and a fellow English teacher just walked right in. I just can't imagine seeing that in the States. I imagine they are re-modeling or moving to a larger building. If a police station was closed in the States, I imagine the security around it would be quite tight and certainly there would be no way to physically get into the station. I can't really remember ever having seen an empty police station. It reminded me of that Stephen King movie "The Langoliers where passengers disembark into an abandoned airport. Very strange to just be able to walk around in an abandoned police station.
- The Korean word for apple is the same word as that for apology. Consequently, in order to atone for something wrong, Koreans sometimes give someone an apple. It has obviously a bit of a double meaning. Also, the Korean word for Grandma is harmony. I found that out last year when I read it while teaching the kids. It was written in English and the kids said, "teacher, Grandma!". I thought that was nice because obviously Grandmas are often associated with all things nice.
- The Korean word for "friend" is the same as the "f" word in Spanish. A bit ironic really, and it makes me giggle when I think about how I could possibly get out of a tight situation in southern California if I said that-"dude, you're my friend-if we were in Korea" "Oh, you barely got out of that one dude." "Nah, I'm for real, the Korean word for friend is chingu." "Well, you better get your ass outta here 'fore I change my mind."
- You haven't really been embarrassed until you've had to explain what the word "d***head" is.
- Had to tell a Korean friend that the Irish word "craic" cannot be used with "my" or "your" or "his" (or "a"), because its meaning could easily be misconstrued and so it must be used solely with "the".
- Went to Songtan recently which is where the Osan Air Force Base is. I have to say, it was as if I could do what Dorothy did and tap my heels together and be transported to another place. That place would have been Anytown, USA. Yeah, it was cool for an evening, perhaps even one evening every couple of months. But not more than that. Itaewon is Gyeongbokgung compared to Songtan. I didn't see an awful lot of Koreans where we were hanging out. Again, not complaining because it wasn't bad to have a fatty burger and home comforts, but I don't think I am into doing it too often. It's just not Korea.
- It's really strange understanding so little of what goes on around one. The longer time goes on, the less I understand. Which is cool because when you're so clueless about what's going on because well, I'm just so ignorant that I can't be accountable for stuff, but not having ANY idea what people are talking about is a bit....well, I can't put my finger on it, but the Roots song "It Don't Feel Right" comes to mind. However, as Newton's Third Law of Motion indicated, for each action there is an equal and opposite reaction. OK, so my becoming more unaware of what's going on around me isn't really a physical force (I'm just gifted that way...), but still, I've been going to a language exchange group the last couple of weeks and have been able to use some of the Korean I've picked up from studying. I don't know tons of Korean, but I do know quite a few words and I can read and write a bit, but didn't have too much opportunity to speak Korean at the hagwon last year because so much English was spoken there. Anyway, it's great to be learning some Korean and knowing that all the studying I did last year is bearing some fruit. I was reading the sentences in my book and I could pronounce them quite well and could read decently also. Anyway...fingers crossed on that.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
lack of vandalism in Korea a.k.a I'm really, really, gobsmacked that computer screens at bus stops are not smashed by dopey kids or hopped-up adults
Never ceases to amaze me how stuff in the public domain here is respected. They have computer screens at many bus stops here telling people when the next bus is coming. I have never seen one that had been beaten with a bat. Perhaps it's an indicator of my western cynicism that it's so amazing to me that I've never seen one vandalized but there it is. I'd say it'd take, oh, 11.6 seconds for one of those screens at a bus stop in the States to be attacked by a hopped-up 17 year-old kid feelin' his rocks, or maybe by some "grown-up" with a substance abuse problem. It just doesn't happen here. It's really cool but every time I see it, it just blows my mind simply coz it's so different from the States.
On another similar point, they have a batting cage at my subway station and they leave the bats in each of the four cages. No one is there watching over them. No one takes the bats. No one. They have batting gloves there. No one takes those either. Again, I'm just amazed coz again, I think it'd take approximately, oh 42 seconds for someone to run off with the bats in the States. When one went to a batting cage in the States, one had to give the clerk one's driver's license and then one'd get a bat. Obviously one could use one's own bat if one wanted, but they wouldn't DARE leave a bat out there unguarded. Some dope would run off with that bat in, oh, 42 seconds. Again, I guess it's just very impressive to me that this stuff can sit out there in public and be unstolen.
On another similar point, they have a batting cage at my subway station and they leave the bats in each of the four cages. No one is there watching over them. No one takes the bats. No one. They have batting gloves there. No one takes those either. Again, I'm just amazed coz again, I think it'd take approximately, oh 42 seconds for someone to run off with the bats in the States. When one went to a batting cage in the States, one had to give the clerk one's driver's license and then one'd get a bat. Obviously one could use one's own bat if one wanted, but they wouldn't DARE leave a bat out there unguarded. Some dope would run off with that bat in, oh, 42 seconds. Again, I guess it's just very impressive to me that this stuff can sit out there in public and be unstolen.
jjimjilbang
That funny-looking word (to our western eyes) is the Korean word for a public bathhouse complex in Korea. At the jjimjilbang, they have spas, saunas, massage tables, and often, in another part of the complex, they have a PC bang (a large room with many computers where kids often go to play Internet games very cheaply), and a noraebang (a private room available quite cheaply where people choose songs which are then played on a video screen and with which one can sing along to. Often, one can purchase drinks and/or snacks to consume in the room.)
Anyway, I just went to the jjimjilbang. It was great. I will be going back a lot. I've always like hot tubs and saunas and I've found them very relaxing but I don't think I've ever been to a sauna, or a public bathhouse, for that matter. I had done my research online to find out what the customs and norms were so that I didn't upset some naked Korean men and that I didn't look like a completely clueless foreigner and I don't think I did anything wrong. Anyway, one goes into the complex and pays a very small fee (in this case, only 7000 won (about $6)) and one's given a receipt and a key. You put your shoes in the first battery of lockers and take the key to a front desk, inside the spa area. There they give you a key and you can lock up all your valuables and put the key (on a wristband) around your arm and you're off to the spas. The place I went to had one fair sized spa with jets. There were a couple of very hot baths where one could soak and there were two cool baths also-one VERY cold and the other only mildly cold. There were also two sauna rooms, one @ 79 degrees Celsius, and the other 57 degrees Celsius. There is also a massage table where one can get a massage (unfortunately of course, from someone of the same gender (although I guess some people would get more sensual pleasure out of this than most of us)) for an additional fee. There are several shower areas also. By the way, if you do go to the spa, make sure you DO SHOWER FIRST. This is perhaps the most basic rule of etiquette when visiting the jjimjilbang.
Everyone's naked there obviously and no one seemed the slightest bit insecure about this. I wasn't really. Once one realizes that we're all playing with the same equipment, really, what's all that shocking? Anyway, jjimjilbangs are popular family outing destinations here in Korea and so of course in the spa area there were a couple of 8-9 year old boys. In typical little boy fashion, they were more interested in jumping into the cold water than sitting still and relaxing like most of the men who were there. After I had boiled in the hottest pool, I went into the coldest pool to chill and the two boys were splashing around in there. They ask me where I'm from and I tell them and I saw their father looking over their way but since I'm used to humoring kids all day, it was no problem. I smiled at them, they smiled at me. That was about it. If I knew more Korean, maybe I'd have said a bit to the other men, but I don't know much. Anyway, that's all I spoke while I was in the bathhouse.
However, after I'd cooked a while and decided that was enough, I left. They have an area where they have a few hairdryers and toiletries where one can get back to normal a bit. The towels are small. I've found this in Korea. If in a catered location, the towels I've been given have been more like hand towels in the west. I guess just different strokes for different folks. I didn't actually need a second towel but what can I say, I still like a typically western towel. So after drying off and putting my clothes on there was a baseball game on, so I watched a bit. I got to see my man Hee Seop Choi, who used to play for the Dodgers and who has very successfully resumed his playing career back here in Korea, drive in a run against the NEXEN Heroes. I don't know if they have a sleeping area at this jjimjilbang but it was a very relaxing experience all the same. I've slept at a jjimjilbang before. The floors are heated by Ondol and one lays on a mat on the floor. It's a nice, relaxing environment in which to sleep. I can't believe it was all only about $6. Anyway, any wayguks reading this, I really recommend the jjimjilbangs.
Anyway, I just went to the jjimjilbang. It was great. I will be going back a lot. I've always like hot tubs and saunas and I've found them very relaxing but I don't think I've ever been to a sauna, or a public bathhouse, for that matter. I had done my research online to find out what the customs and norms were so that I didn't upset some naked Korean men and that I didn't look like a completely clueless foreigner and I don't think I did anything wrong. Anyway, one goes into the complex and pays a very small fee (in this case, only 7000 won (about $6)) and one's given a receipt and a key. You put your shoes in the first battery of lockers and take the key to a front desk, inside the spa area. There they give you a key and you can lock up all your valuables and put the key (on a wristband) around your arm and you're off to the spas. The place I went to had one fair sized spa with jets. There were a couple of very hot baths where one could soak and there were two cool baths also-one VERY cold and the other only mildly cold. There were also two sauna rooms, one @ 79 degrees Celsius, and the other 57 degrees Celsius. There is also a massage table where one can get a massage (unfortunately of course, from someone of the same gender (although I guess some people would get more sensual pleasure out of this than most of us)) for an additional fee. There are several shower areas also. By the way, if you do go to the spa, make sure you DO SHOWER FIRST. This is perhaps the most basic rule of etiquette when visiting the jjimjilbang.
Everyone's naked there obviously and no one seemed the slightest bit insecure about this. I wasn't really. Once one realizes that we're all playing with the same equipment, really, what's all that shocking? Anyway, jjimjilbangs are popular family outing destinations here in Korea and so of course in the spa area there were a couple of 8-9 year old boys. In typical little boy fashion, they were more interested in jumping into the cold water than sitting still and relaxing like most of the men who were there. After I had boiled in the hottest pool, I went into the coldest pool to chill and the two boys were splashing around in there. They ask me where I'm from and I tell them and I saw their father looking over their way but since I'm used to humoring kids all day, it was no problem. I smiled at them, they smiled at me. That was about it. If I knew more Korean, maybe I'd have said a bit to the other men, but I don't know much. Anyway, that's all I spoke while I was in the bathhouse.
However, after I'd cooked a while and decided that was enough, I left. They have an area where they have a few hairdryers and toiletries where one can get back to normal a bit. The towels are small. I've found this in Korea. If in a catered location, the towels I've been given have been more like hand towels in the west. I guess just different strokes for different folks. I didn't actually need a second towel but what can I say, I still like a typically western towel. So after drying off and putting my clothes on there was a baseball game on, so I watched a bit. I got to see my man Hee Seop Choi, who used to play for the Dodgers and who has very successfully resumed his playing career back here in Korea, drive in a run against the NEXEN Heroes. I don't know if they have a sleeping area at this jjimjilbang but it was a very relaxing experience all the same. I've slept at a jjimjilbang before. The floors are heated by Ondol and one lays on a mat on the floor. It's a nice, relaxing environment in which to sleep. I can't believe it was all only about $6. Anyway, any wayguks reading this, I really recommend the jjimjilbangs.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
second day of school
First day of teaching is over here. It’s a little early to make any broad generalizations, but after first couple days, I can say:
- Teaching kids at a much lower English level. They’re all excitable and of course they’re amazed that I’m tall and have hazel eyes, but they can’t say much more in English than “Hi teacher” or “Nice to meet you.” That said, teaching seems really nice. I think I’m going to enjoy it. My co-teacher has a lot of experience and seems really nice. I think I’m gonna like it here. That said, I could see the Devil outside my door and think, well, “I think I could take him."
- You knew it was gonna come back to food with me; the kids eat in their homerooms here, with their teachers. Lunch food is good and very cheap. Today we had a chicken stew, kimchi, strawberries, rice, all for under $2. Yesterday rice, kimchi, apples, seaweed, some meat. I love Rialto but I don’t miss dried food that is made of who knows what. Fresh ingredients is where it’s at.
- Kids are very polite here. I’m sure part of that is a cultural difference or the fact that it’s early days yet. I imagine the kids will be better behaved than my gangstas with hearts of gold in Rialto, but I guess we'll see. There's something to be said for ignorance. It's good not to know what people are saying about you because perhaps you wouldn't like what they were saying anyway.
- I really wish I could speak more Korean. This year there are of course fewer native English speakers with me so I will have to do even more listening. It's frustrating to hear conversations that sound like a lot of fun and everyone else is getting into....and I sit there grinning like a doofus. It’s only two days of school so far so I’m sure I’ll get to know some of my co-workers better anyway, but it's frustrating. And if I practice, I’m sure I can learn Korean. And if I don't, as Led Zep says, it's "Nobody’s Fault But Mine." I like that-it puts me the responsibility on to me.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Korean student names
Our kids typically choose English names, I guess to make it easier for us foreign teachers. Most of the names are fairly straight-forward - in fact, if I never hear the name Sally and/or Brian again, it'll be too soon. It reminds me of how there were five boys out of 35 students in my class back in N. Ireland named Andrew. Anyway, there are also quite a few Jennies and Kevins but we also have some more unusual "names". I don't find them bad, mostly just amusing.
It's also quite amusing how often kids want to "change" their names. Just recently, in my class in which the kids are the youngest, one of my girls, an adorable little girl named Angela, tells me, "teacher, my name is Sellasia." Well, alright. She's smart enough and typically smart so I said OK. Another kid then wanted to change his name from Joy to Leo. This seemed alright so I agreed to it. However, then one of my boys, a very smart little boy named Harry, says, "teacher, I want to change my name to "?". I could sense that this discussion was taking a turn for chaos but I like the kids to be happy, they seem to learn better. So I told Harry, "TODAY you can be '?' Tomorrow, you are back to being 'Harry'. Tomorrow I am not calling you '?' or '.' or 'Lion' or 'Pencil' or anything else of the sort." He seemed amenable to that but one of his buddies, Jerry, in the meantime, says, "Teacher, can I be'!'?" I commit to the same deal with him, emphasizing that this is a one-time only offer. So for the next hour or so, I was asking questions of '?' and '!' The kids didn't even think it was funny after a while. I thought it was funny and had to stifle my laughs a few times as I thought about how 20 years of education had prepared me to address little kids as '?' and '!' Sellasia has remained Sellasia and is still adorable and Leo remains Leo.
I have met some kids with very unusual names. Some I think stem from the interests of their parents, some, perhaps, from knowing too much Konglish and not enough English, and some, well, I guess when you're devising not legal names, you can call yourself what you want. Anyway, how strange is "Hoony" when there are people out there called Peaches Geldof and Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence? So, here are the top ten (in no particular order) goofiest names of kids I have.
10. One
9. Cabin-wondering if his parents wanted to go with Kevin but just were a little unclear on the spelling. Either way, it's a nice change from conventional names and he's very funny
8. McQueen-he did make some very entertaining movies
7. Puppy (also goes by Pink and Green Puppy, depending on what color his Crocs are that day). He also barks on occasion which adds a nice touch to his name. However we've tried to discourage him from using the prefix pink in order that he is not badgered too much when he gets to secondary school.
6. Jazz - I got nothin'
5. Edison - unusual, and inspired
4. Lion - I'm guessing this was his choice
3. Hoony - really, this one, unless his parents have an unusually strong love of honey, I have no idea about this one.
2. Serim - she's a sweet girl and this sounds like it could be a name, but it isn't.
1. Zeus - no pressure on this guy
It's also quite amusing how often kids want to "change" their names. Just recently, in my class in which the kids are the youngest, one of my girls, an adorable little girl named Angela, tells me, "teacher, my name is Sellasia." Well, alright. She's smart enough and typically smart so I said OK. Another kid then wanted to change his name from Joy to Leo. This seemed alright so I agreed to it. However, then one of my boys, a very smart little boy named Harry, says, "teacher, I want to change my name to "?". I could sense that this discussion was taking a turn for chaos but I like the kids to be happy, they seem to learn better. So I told Harry, "TODAY you can be '?' Tomorrow, you are back to being 'Harry'. Tomorrow I am not calling you '?' or '.' or 'Lion' or 'Pencil' or anything else of the sort." He seemed amenable to that but one of his buddies, Jerry, in the meantime, says, "Teacher, can I be'!'?" I commit to the same deal with him, emphasizing that this is a one-time only offer. So for the next hour or so, I was asking questions of '?' and '!' The kids didn't even think it was funny after a while. I thought it was funny and had to stifle my laughs a few times as I thought about how 20 years of education had prepared me to address little kids as '?' and '!' Sellasia has remained Sellasia and is still adorable and Leo remains Leo.
I have met some kids with very unusual names. Some I think stem from the interests of their parents, some, perhaps, from knowing too much Konglish and not enough English, and some, well, I guess when you're devising not legal names, you can call yourself what you want. Anyway, how strange is "Hoony" when there are people out there called Peaches Geldof and Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence? So, here are the top ten (in no particular order) goofiest names of kids I have.
10. One
9. Cabin-wondering if his parents wanted to go with Kevin but just were a little unclear on the spelling. Either way, it's a nice change from conventional names and he's very funny
8. McQueen-he did make some very entertaining movies
7. Puppy (also goes by Pink and Green Puppy, depending on what color his Crocs are that day). He also barks on occasion which adds a nice touch to his name. However we've tried to discourage him from using the prefix pink in order that he is not badgered too much when he gets to secondary school.
6. Jazz - I got nothin'
5. Edison - unusual, and inspired
4. Lion - I'm guessing this was his choice
3. Hoony - really, this one, unless his parents have an unusually strong love of honey, I have no idea about this one.
2. Serim - she's a sweet girl and this sounds like it could be a name, but it isn't.
1. Zeus - no pressure on this guy
Thursday, February 18, 2010
one year in....
I've been in Korea a year now. I arrived at my workplace around 4 p.m the day after and I was at work within about oh, three minutes after a brief tour of the facilities and cursory introductions to people who would be my co-workers for the next year. I knew that the education industry in Korea is so big and the company I work for is one of the larger educational company, that they'd put me to work probably quite quickly and I'd probably be working pretty hard. I had no problem with that and I still don't. Honestly, it's been a pretty good year. Yeah, some bad things, but many more good. I'm glad to have been able to significantly pay down some debts while being here which I hadn't been able to do in the States. I've met lots of cool people, many of them a lot younger than me, lol, and had lots of fun. I thought about staying with the company I've been with but decided against it and so I'll be moving to a public school job this coming year. If you want to see the school's website, here it is. Unless you speak Korean, it won't be of much use to you but...
Anyway, yeah, I miss the States (and Britain), but I don't see much of a choice given the money I owe. Really, life could be a whole lot worse out here.
Anyway, yeah, I miss the States (and Britain), but I don't see much of a choice given the money I owe. Really, life could be a whole lot worse out here.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
8 months in.....
I wrote most of this about seven or eight weeks ago and then didn't really edit it very efficiently. I'll write more regularly in the future, in smaller chunks.
What I appreciate about Korea
Having been hereeight ten months, I guess I should write a little something about my experiences here. There is a lot to like about Korea. I guess I have a few complaints also. I just wanted to write about the things which I find the best about Korea and also some of the things which baffle me.
Cars which view traffic laws with bemused detachment: The drivers here do not regard traffic laws with the same respect that they do in the United States or Britain. I like to say that drivers here are pragmatic, although some people would just say that they are crazy. You say potato, I say potato. Certainly I’m more comfortable with ignoring “laws” when there is no danger to pedestrians than some people would be. If no pedestrians are crossing the road – and I do mean none, because in spite of all the illegal driving, I have only seen evidence of two accidents in Korea – then drivers often advance in spite of the red light. They do U-turns over double-yellow lines, they stop right in the middle of broad crosswalks, and indeed engage in complicated maneuvers in order to change lanes, even in those crosswalks. Buses do U-turn over double-yellow lines. However, all these illegal road actions are contingent on there being no danger to others. Drivers do not break laws solely in order to get a few meters ahead. As I said, I have seen only evidence of two accidents here. The baffling flip-side to drivers who give only the most cursory credit to obeying traffic laws is that Korean pedestrians are very law-abiding. There may not be a car within hundreds of yards, but by and large, folks will wait at the side of the road for the little green man to signal to them that they are permitted to cross the road. Then again, perhaps it’s not so unusual that pedestrians won’t cross except under the green crossing man. They figure he is their best shot at ensuring that they get across the road in one piece.
Another thing I appreciate about Korea related to driving is the frequency with which people use their horns. They seem to be used here as a means of protesting mildly and as a notification that you’ve been sitting perhaps .4 seconds too long at a light. I only mention the horn because I was nearly in a fight once in the States simply for lightly honking some guy. If people reacted to the horn the same way here that that guy did in the States, there would be fights here 24/7, at intervals of about 20 meters.
Public transportation: Of course this endorsement of public transportation comes from someone who has lived in an area where public transportation was about as prevalent as free speech in North Korea. I could take public transportation, and did, from time to time in the vast hinterlands of the Inland Empire in southern California, but I was stubborn and didn’t have much money, so there were reasons I had to. Anyway, here, taking public transportation is quite a bit simpler. A single card is recognized on buses and the subway throughout Greater Seoul. It makes using public transportation that much simpler. Catching a bus is interesting in and of itself. The old phrase, you snooze, you lose, comes to mind. I’ve missed a few buses when I thought I had ventured out into the road far enough but apparently the driver didn’t see me. Bus drivers here drive quite quickly. Perhaps there’s some incentive for completing routes in the shortest amount of time, or perhaps the drivers have pools about who can complete the route most quickly, I don’t know. But bus drivers do not hang around...
Taxis: taxis here are very cheap. A four mile trip might put you out about 5000 won (about $4). It’s very logical to have such affordable, regulated (taxis are differentiated by the locations they service) taxis because Koreans also like to drink....and if taxis were as expensive as they are in the States, I think drunk-driving would be a much greater problem.
K-pop: any hipster credentials I might have had are out the window. This stuff is catchy. However, I bought the double cassette of Milli Vanilli’s “Baby, Don’t Forget My Number” so I don’t think my music connoisseur credentials were ever in particularly good standing. That said, I've always had a good appreciation for the critically acclaimed. But on the other hand, really, is ABBA critically acclaimed? I doubt it. Sometimes you just like what you like, regardless of positive critical reception. Anyway, being here, I've heard tons of bad, bad music-songs like "Sorry, sorry" and "I Don’t Care" which are painfully catchy. Really, to delve into what these songs mean is like looking for meaning in “Big Brother” or “The Bachelor”. It’s like looking for knowledge in athletes' post-game comments about giving it their best effort and being committed to the team and doing whatever it took for the team to win. That said, the kids like the music, so I’ve made a bit of an effort to understand it. And honestly, I don't really like it, it's just that I've heard so much of it over store intercoms, in supermarkets, etc.
One all-star noraebang moment was one of our TA’s doing renditions of some of these songs along with the dance moves that are featured in the videos for some of the songs. Props to Sanggon!
Global Talk Show: A talk show on TV here featuring women who from all over the world, from Tajikstan to Thailand, from Germany to Kenya, but who have lived in Korea long enough to have some ability in speaking Korean. Apparently the women discuss things of interest to women. I of course can’t understand very much that they say. I just watch them in awe of their proficiency while I struggle on with about the same 25 words.
Banks: I definitely prefer my bank here to the lovely Bank of America. After leaving the bank in the US, whether I’ve deposited money or not, I always feel somewhat violated. There are fees for fees, fees for fees for fees, and if you take a breath or two while you are withdrawing money, you may also be charged a non-negotiable fee of $2 for the right to breathe the air on the bank’s property (although they waive that one on the weekends-being the civic-minded institution they are). Here, there is the very occasional fee, but it is only 500 won (about 40 cents) on a transaction. In addition, one can pay one’s utility bills at the bank. That I find very convenient, even though I don’t actually pay it but approach the security guard who takes me to an ATM machine and pays the bill. Also interesting and logical to me, is that bank security guards in Korea are packing heat, while cops are not. Bank security carry sidearms quite prominently-the same guy who helps me pay my bills has a pretty big sidearm.
Containers for exchanging cash: This is a tiny detail, but one I find very satisfying. If you go to the post office or to a bank, there are these little containers which they have at post offices in which you can put money you're exchanging with the clerk. If I've ever wanted to exchange money across a formica counter, I've had to push the money off the side and hope it didn't fall onto the ground. These little containers with slanted edges preclude that need. I know it's a small thing but I like it.
Hours: Koreans keep some crazy hours. Recently, I strolled into a restaurant casuall-well, actually, stroll is probably a little generous. I did walk though, into a restaurant, at 3:3-in the morning. Sometimes I’ll return to my apartment building at 2 or 1:30 and the seafood restaurant which anchors our building will be doing good business, folks drinking soju and eating casually at that hour. I’ve come in later still and seen the venerable Tudari restaurant, a small traditional Korean food restaurant near my building, with no unoccupied seats at their counters. I dont think that Korean businesses start after 9 a.m, most of them. Either this means that a good number of Koreans do not need much sleep or perhaps the seafood is a sedative. I don’t know. Anyway, I like my work hours because I work until 8 from 1 in the afternoon, but it means that I usually don’t go to bed until 2 or so because I like my food to digest before I doze off, but I’m more of a night person anyway, so it’s alright. However, kids early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise (1 out of 3 ain't bad).
Restaurants: Some cool things about eating and drinking in Korea: the number of places there are, the fact that very few are chain restaurants so that one’s experience differs more than it does when eating out in the States. There are a few but they're not nearly as widespread as in the States. Prices are excellent too. Eating Naengmyeon (cold noodles served in a broth) has put me out no more than 7000 won and eating most varieties of Korean barbecue will put you out only about 10000 won. At about 1180 won to a dollar, this is only about $6 for some noodles and about $8.50 for barbecue.
Something cool about bars in Korea is the Hula Hoop-like chips usually offered to you when you saddle up to the bar. The chips are the right size to slide on your fingers and they’re just delightful to eat. I can go through several bowls of them depending on whether or not I’m playing pool. They're complimentary.
When drinking with Koreans, when you receive a drink, you are to hold your cup with both hands, and if you are pouring the drink, you're supposed to clutch the pouring arm with the other arm. These are some of the rules regarding drinking in Korea. The idea that you clutch your arm when you give something to someone and the receiver generally clutches the item with both hands. With regarding to having a drink, one is not to re-fill one's own cup. Generally, folks aren't supposed to fill up cups which are partially full. In addition, and this one I haven't seen because apparently this is a rule generally kept by those a little older than me, but if an elder offers you a drink, you're to stand up and receive the drink. When the elder person has finished pouring, you can sit down and drink. Also, and this is another custom I think might be a little more dated, is that when someone pours a shot, you're to drink it right away, put it down, and then pour the person a shot into the same glass. This may sound like a lot of rules, but I think they contribute to atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect.
Little cups: Little paper cups are very common here. There are hot drink dispensers which dispense them with varied espresso drinks in the subway for 30 or 40 cents or so. They are in lots of subway stations and often one sees people sipping little cups of whatever their chosen beverage is coz they couldn't be bothered going to Tom 'n' Toms or Holly's or (gasp)Starbucks. Cheap, and LESS coffee is probably not a bad idea. There are also water dispensers at which there are even smaller cups of water. At first I found these paper cups (that is all they really are-one has to create their shape) annoying but now I appreciate the fact that they are all over the place if you want some agua.
Things I'm not feelin'
Sneezing: People don’t say anything after you sneeze here. When I’m in the office and a co-worker sneezes, I feel I should say something and I usually do. Maybe it’s a bit presumptuous of me to ignore customs here and do that...ehh...what can I say, I'm not the perfect ex-pat. I usually don’t say anything in class because I don’t want to ignore customs. Still an’ all, it’s one thing that bugs me a bit.
Mountain climbing: This is a little funny. There really aren’t many big mountains in Korea, but one would never know it if one were to exit the subway at the stop closest to any particular mountainon a Saturday or Sunday morning. Koreans get kitted out to climb mountains. North Face jackets, Gore-tex, expensive hiking boots, pilons, you name it.....folks in Korea could climb Everest in the gear they wear, if it were here.
Lines: People here laugh at lines. "Lines? We don't need no stinkin' lines." It would make much more sense if the people wanting to get on the subway let the people getting off do so right away, but then that would make the Korean attitude toward lines sensible. In addition, waiting for a bus has the appearance of being ordered, but the moment the bus rolls up, the line morphs into some sort of gelatinous, shape-shifting creature. It's not chaos because no one seems to get upset, but danged if I can figure out why people start moving in all manner of direction to get on the bus. One time, I was standing at a payphone, not four feet from it, and a guy who had been standing around while I was waiting, just walked in ahead of me. Good times.
What I appreciate about Korea
Having been here
Cars which view traffic laws with bemused detachment: The drivers here do not regard traffic laws with the same respect that they do in the United States or Britain. I like to say that drivers here are pragmatic, although some people would just say that they are crazy. You say potato, I say potato. Certainly I’m more comfortable with ignoring “laws” when there is no danger to pedestrians than some people would be. If no pedestrians are crossing the road – and I do mean none, because in spite of all the illegal driving, I have only seen evidence of two accidents in Korea – then drivers often advance in spite of the red light. They do U-turns over double-yellow lines, they stop right in the middle of broad crosswalks, and indeed engage in complicated maneuvers in order to change lanes, even in those crosswalks. Buses do U-turn over double-yellow lines. However, all these illegal road actions are contingent on there being no danger to others. Drivers do not break laws solely in order to get a few meters ahead. As I said, I have seen only evidence of two accidents here. The baffling flip-side to drivers who give only the most cursory credit to obeying traffic laws is that Korean pedestrians are very law-abiding. There may not be a car within hundreds of yards, but by and large, folks will wait at the side of the road for the little green man to signal to them that they are permitted to cross the road. Then again, perhaps it’s not so unusual that pedestrians won’t cross except under the green crossing man. They figure he is their best shot at ensuring that they get across the road in one piece.
Another thing I appreciate about Korea related to driving is the frequency with which people use their horns. They seem to be used here as a means of protesting mildly and as a notification that you’ve been sitting perhaps .4 seconds too long at a light. I only mention the horn because I was nearly in a fight once in the States simply for lightly honking some guy. If people reacted to the horn the same way here that that guy did in the States, there would be fights here 24/7, at intervals of about 20 meters.
Public transportation: Of course this endorsement of public transportation comes from someone who has lived in an area where public transportation was about as prevalent as free speech in North Korea. I could take public transportation, and did, from time to time in the vast hinterlands of the Inland Empire in southern California, but I was stubborn and didn’t have much money, so there were reasons I had to. Anyway, here, taking public transportation is quite a bit simpler. A single card is recognized on buses and the subway throughout Greater Seoul. It makes using public transportation that much simpler. Catching a bus is interesting in and of itself. The old phrase, you snooze, you lose, comes to mind. I’ve missed a few buses when I thought I had ventured out into the road far enough but apparently the driver didn’t see me. Bus drivers here drive quite quickly. Perhaps there’s some incentive for completing routes in the shortest amount of time, or perhaps the drivers have pools about who can complete the route most quickly, I don’t know. But bus drivers do not hang around...
Taxis: taxis here are very cheap. A four mile trip might put you out about 5000 won (about $4). It’s very logical to have such affordable, regulated (taxis are differentiated by the locations they service) taxis because Koreans also like to drink....and if taxis were as expensive as they are in the States, I think drunk-driving would be a much greater problem.
K-pop: any hipster credentials I might have had are out the window. This stuff is catchy. However, I bought the double cassette of Milli Vanilli’s “Baby, Don’t Forget My Number” so I don’t think my music connoisseur credentials were ever in particularly good standing. That said, I've always had a good appreciation for the critically acclaimed. But on the other hand, really, is ABBA critically acclaimed? I doubt it. Sometimes you just like what you like, regardless of positive critical reception. Anyway, being here, I've heard tons of bad, bad music-songs like "Sorry, sorry" and "I Don’t Care" which are painfully catchy. Really, to delve into what these songs mean is like looking for meaning in “Big Brother” or “The Bachelor”. It’s like looking for knowledge in athletes' post-game comments about giving it their best effort and being committed to the team and doing whatever it took for the team to win. That said, the kids like the music, so I’ve made a bit of an effort to understand it. And honestly, I don't really like it, it's just that I've heard so much of it over store intercoms, in supermarkets, etc.
One all-star noraebang moment was one of our TA’s doing renditions of some of these songs along with the dance moves that are featured in the videos for some of the songs. Props to Sanggon!
Global Talk Show: A talk show on TV here featuring women who from all over the world, from Tajikstan to Thailand, from Germany to Kenya, but who have lived in Korea long enough to have some ability in speaking Korean. Apparently the women discuss things of interest to women. I of course can’t understand very much that they say. I just watch them in awe of their proficiency while I struggle on with about the same 25 words.
Banks: I definitely prefer my bank here to the lovely Bank of America. After leaving the bank in the US, whether I’ve deposited money or not, I always feel somewhat violated. There are fees for fees, fees for fees for fees, and if you take a breath or two while you are withdrawing money, you may also be charged a non-negotiable fee of $2 for the right to breathe the air on the bank’s property (although they waive that one on the weekends-being the civic-minded institution they are). Here, there is the very occasional fee, but it is only 500 won (about 40 cents) on a transaction. In addition, one can pay one’s utility bills at the bank. That I find very convenient, even though I don’t actually pay it but approach the security guard who takes me to an ATM machine and pays the bill. Also interesting and logical to me, is that bank security guards in Korea are packing heat, while cops are not. Bank security carry sidearms quite prominently-the same guy who helps me pay my bills has a pretty big sidearm.
Containers for exchanging cash: This is a tiny detail, but one I find very satisfying. If you go to the post office or to a bank, there are these little containers which they have at post offices in which you can put money you're exchanging with the clerk. If I've ever wanted to exchange money across a formica counter, I've had to push the money off the side and hope it didn't fall onto the ground. These little containers with slanted edges preclude that need. I know it's a small thing but I like it.
Hours: Koreans keep some crazy hours. Recently, I strolled into a restaurant casuall-well, actually, stroll is probably a little generous. I did walk though, into a restaurant, at 3:3-in the morning. Sometimes I’ll return to my apartment building at 2 or 1:30 and the seafood restaurant which anchors our building will be doing good business, folks drinking soju and eating casually at that hour. I’ve come in later still and seen the venerable Tudari restaurant, a small traditional Korean food restaurant near my building, with no unoccupied seats at their counters. I dont think that Korean businesses start after 9 a.m, most of them. Either this means that a good number of Koreans do not need much sleep or perhaps the seafood is a sedative. I don’t know. Anyway, I like my work hours because I work until 8 from 1 in the afternoon, but it means that I usually don’t go to bed until 2 or so because I like my food to digest before I doze off, but I’m more of a night person anyway, so it’s alright. However, kids early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise (1 out of 3 ain't bad).
Restaurants: Some cool things about eating and drinking in Korea: the number of places there are, the fact that very few are chain restaurants so that one’s experience differs more than it does when eating out in the States. There are a few but they're not nearly as widespread as in the States. Prices are excellent too. Eating Naengmyeon (cold noodles served in a broth) has put me out no more than 7000 won and eating most varieties of Korean barbecue will put you out only about 10000 won. At about 1180 won to a dollar, this is only about $6 for some noodles and about $8.50 for barbecue.
Something cool about bars in Korea is the Hula Hoop-like chips usually offered to you when you saddle up to the bar. The chips are the right size to slide on your fingers and they’re just delightful to eat. I can go through several bowls of them depending on whether or not I’m playing pool. They're complimentary.
When drinking with Koreans, when you receive a drink, you are to hold your cup with both hands, and if you are pouring the drink, you're supposed to clutch the pouring arm with the other arm. These are some of the rules regarding drinking in Korea. The idea that you clutch your arm when you give something to someone and the receiver generally clutches the item with both hands. With regarding to having a drink, one is not to re-fill one's own cup. Generally, folks aren't supposed to fill up cups which are partially full. In addition, and this one I haven't seen because apparently this is a rule generally kept by those a little older than me, but if an elder offers you a drink, you're to stand up and receive the drink. When the elder person has finished pouring, you can sit down and drink. Also, and this is another custom I think might be a little more dated, is that when someone pours a shot, you're to drink it right away, put it down, and then pour the person a shot into the same glass. This may sound like a lot of rules, but I think they contribute to atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect.
Little cups: Little paper cups are very common here. There are hot drink dispensers which dispense them with varied espresso drinks in the subway for 30 or 40 cents or so. They are in lots of subway stations and often one sees people sipping little cups of whatever their chosen beverage is coz they couldn't be bothered going to Tom 'n' Toms or Holly's or (gasp)Starbucks. Cheap, and LESS coffee is probably not a bad idea. There are also water dispensers at which there are even smaller cups of water. At first I found these paper cups (that is all they really are-one has to create their shape) annoying but now I appreciate the fact that they are all over the place if you want some agua.
Things I'm not feelin'
Sneezing: People don’t say anything after you sneeze here. When I’m in the office and a co-worker sneezes, I feel I should say something and I usually do. Maybe it’s a bit presumptuous of me to ignore customs here and do that...ehh...what can I say, I'm not the perfect ex-pat. I usually don’t say anything in class because I don’t want to ignore customs. Still an’ all, it’s one thing that bugs me a bit.
Mountain climbing: This is a little funny. There really aren’t many big mountains in Korea, but one would never know it if one were to exit the subway at the stop closest to any particular mountainon a Saturday or Sunday morning. Koreans get kitted out to climb mountains. North Face jackets, Gore-tex, expensive hiking boots, pilons, you name it.....folks in Korea could climb Everest in the gear they wear, if it were here.
Lines: People here laugh at lines. "Lines? We don't need no stinkin' lines." It would make much more sense if the people wanting to get on the subway let the people getting off do so right away, but then that would make the Korean attitude toward lines sensible. In addition, waiting for a bus has the appearance of being ordered, but the moment the bus rolls up, the line morphs into some sort of gelatinous, shape-shifting creature. It's not chaos because no one seems to get upset, but danged if I can figure out why people start moving in all manner of direction to get on the bus. One time, I was standing at a payphone, not four feet from it, and a guy who had been standing around while I was waiting, just walked in ahead of me. Good times.
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