Saturday, December 15, 2012

Still Alive: Adventures with Eastern Medicine

WARNING: if you are squeamish and don't like needles...avoid the first picture in this post. I debated leaving out the picture but...hey why not?

I apologize if any of the following is TMI but I suppose a blog that is meant to chronicle my adventures in Korea can't always avoid the unpleasant things. During November I came down with a nasty cold that lasted a couple of weeks, and just when I thought I was in the clear I sprained my ankle!

I came into school limping and all my students asked what happened, the most popular guess was..."soccer"? I sheepishly replied, "no...just walking." I stepped off a curb the wrong way and that was pretty much the end of it.  Fortunately I should have all the pep in my step back for New Year's, though I've yet to solidify any plans.

Spraining my ankle did lead to one interesting adventure...acupuncture. My Korean friends and co-workers insisted that I try it. I did it twice and the swelling did go down, but I don't know if it was the acupuncture as much as the natural healing process. From what I've heard from its advocates, acupuncture is more effective for chronic pain, so maybe I'll try it again once my ankle has healed a bit more. I did some research and according to some recent studies, it apparently does have positive effects for people with chronic pain, more statistically significant than the placebo effect.

If you're traveling in Korea and have the time I would try it! It doesn't hurt when they put the needles in (maybe you will feel a tiny tiiinnnnyy pinch) and once they are in you don't feel them at all. As they say, you can't knock it til' you've tried it...and if you are working in Korea...it's partially covered by your insurance (?!?!)  So...sorry if you're squeamish...here's me with my acupuncture (it's mostly blurred out by the light from the heat lamp anyway).


Since my students had exams this past week, I've been spending most of time at work with my feet propped on in the office. Keeping warm with my awesome ramen socks. 


And to end on a pleasant note, we received lots of snow the past two weeks. Here are some pretty pictures of the wintry Korean countryside.

The drive to school.
My school's little hang out area.
The view from my apartment.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Cat Cafe...with real cats!

I knew I had to write a post dedicated the cat cafe photos which everyone on Facebook seemed to love. Yes, there are actually cat and dog cafes in Seoul where you can go have a coffee while you pet/feed the animals (the cat and dog cafes are separate of course).  Next weekend I want to try a dog cafe since the cat cafe is lacking in unconditional love, i.e. they won't even come near you to pet them if you don't buy treats for them to eat. Note the most popular man at the cat cafe, with his plethora of treats:

And how awesome is that grey and black cat?!


Of course there are rules. Don't grab, tease, or squeeze the cats. No human food either. These are princess cats and they must be treated as such...they have "requirement."


Lots of people had iPads to help them engage with the fluffy felines.


Including that kid in the back who actually had a cat toy application on his iPad....I'm 100% serious...I'm also 100% sure the cat wasn't having it. 


And don't forget the cat themed coffees! Pretty impressive coffee/ latte art considering people clearly don't come here for the coffee. My friend and I we're trying to imagine a group of American guys hitting up the cat cafe (*in frat boy voice*): "Yeah man I've just had a rough day. We should just go to the cat cafe...get some drinks and like, pet some cats."


I thought this cat was the cutest, but he was a total jerk. I unsuccessfully tried to pet him, so the nice Korean boy sitting next to me (his hands are pictured here) gave me some of his cat treats. What does that cat do when I held out my hand with the food? Knocks it out of my hand, onto the floor, eats it, and runs away...rude. If you're a cat lover, be aware, you better come prepared with some serious cat treats if you want any lovin' from these guys.


And in case you weren't totally overwhelmed being surrounded by cats on the floor, tables, and chairs, they can also run around on the ceiling! Overall it was an amusing experience...but I think I still prefer dogs. Will definitely be taking a trip to a dog cafe in the near future.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Baseball (and Cheering) in Korea

A few weeks ago I went to my first baseball game in Korea. While the game is the same, the experience is quite different. First the cost is much less prohibitive, as tickets (albeit in the nosebleed section) were only 10,000 won, or about 10 dollars. The stadium is on the small side though, so the view was still good. Best part? Once you're in, the prices of food and drinks (alcohol included) are the same prices as outside the stadium! No paying $9 for a beer that's worth $2.

We watched the Doosan Bears play the LG Twins. This was exciting because they are both Seoul teams who share the stadium. Usually one team plays their home game there while the other is away. One could say it was like watching the Seoul version of the subway series (Yankees vs. Mets for you non- New York area-ers). As you can tell however, unlike American teams, Korean teams are named for the companies that own them, not the state or city they represent. There are eight teams in the professional league, including the Kia Tigers and Samsung Lions. Also sound familiar?


I find it interesting that the teams only have English names. but I think it's meant to help them gain more international recognition. I'm under the impression that Korea has generally performed well in international baseball competitions. One area where Korean baseball undoubtedly surpasses American baseball is cheering. The fans participate in organized cheers and dances for the entire game, even when players are up at bat. Perhaps I'm remembering incorrectly, but I feel like at American games fans usually quiet down at least while the pitcher is throwing.

I didn't know what I wanted to watch more, the game, or the incredible displays of fan-dom taking place up in the stands. For your entertainment, here's a video of the cheering. You can see how fans sat on either side of the stadium depending on which team they were rooting for. I believe the far sides of the stadium are actually special "cheering sections" which require you to at least hold on to a pair of those inflatable noise maker things (that's the scientific term). The middle of the stadium where we sat had fans for both teams, sprinkled with indifferent spectators like myself, who generally did not partake in the organized singing and dancing.





Monday, September 24, 2012

What You Actually Eat in Korea, Part 1

 Part 1: At the Supermarket

I'm always taken aback when Koreans ask me, "You actually like Korean food?" This question comes up a surprising amount and of course the answer is yes! I can't tell if they are genuinely incredulous at my tastes or if they just think they are supposed to act that way with foreigners. For example, the following is an almost exact transcript of a conversation that took place between me and a random Korean guy on the subway:

Guy: So do you like Korean food?
Me: Yeah I really like it! Gamgyetang* is my favorite!
Guy: Oh wow, really? Do you eat Chinese food?
Me: Yeah all the time. I eat pretty much all Asian cuisines. Chinese, Japanese, Thai...
Guy: You eat sushi?
Me: I love sushi! Actually I would love to eat some sushi right now.
Guy: You eat sushi?! You must be Asian...

*Yes...I was just trying to impress him.

Granted, I eat the Americanized version of these foods, but I explained that I couldn't think of anything more American than eating Chinese food out of the carton, or going out to a sushi dinner with friends. Koreans don't usually eat sushi rolls though, just fish and rice, but I eat that too.

Point being, I considered writing about my favorite traditional Korean cuisine, but since there are enough foodies out there with blogs espousing the beauty and wonder of every new dish, complete with flowery descriptions and D-SLR quality photos, I've decided to write about the other food...the on-the-go, I'm broke, or don't-have-enough-time-to-get-a-real-meal food. Personally I find this stuff much more interesting, especially when you see familiar brands touting products that wouldn't go over so well in the United States.

I'm going to skip a lengthy discussion of ramen (ramyeon in Korean) since the answer is yes, there is ramen for days and it comes of a variety of unfamiliar flavors. Though I'm not the world's healthiest eater, in general I try to stay away from it since it's very high in sodium and mystery ingredients.

One of the things most foreigners notice when they first enter Korean supermarkets are gift sets like these:



Tuna? Spam? I think most people would prefer an ugly sweater, so I shall enlighten you on two cultural notes. First, Spam is popular in Korea not because of some weird genetic affinity to synthetic meat, but because the Americans distributed it in high quantities as part of food rations during the Korean War and the rebuilding period afterwards.

I think some people have moved on from Spam due to current economic prosperity (my co-teacher has acknowledged that it isn't good for you), but it's also deeply ingrained in modern Korean food culture. My school cafeteria occasionally serves rice with vegetables and small cubes of spam. I've even heard of restaurants that still serve "army soup", soup containing Spam and other foods you probably wouldn't choose to eat during times of peace...or an armistice.

Okay, so Koreans like Spam, but why in such large gift sets? The second note is that in Korean culture, gifts are supposed to be practical. Things like food, vitamins, toothpaste, etc, are perfectly acceptable gifts. For my birthday I received two boxes of these guys which I love:


These little packaged cakes probably have a similar shelf life to Twinkies and would be right at home with an array of Hostess products (assuming Hostess hasn't gone under yet). For the most part Koreans really love sweets. How much you ask? My current public enemy no.1 in Korea is sugared garlic bread, the travesty that it is...but we'll get that in Part 2: Food On the Go, and on the Cheap.

Moving to the chip aisle. Chip flavors have gotten pretty wacky in the States, but in Korea  chips come in flavors of food that you can hardly find here. For example: these taco flavored chips advertise two large pieces of cheese...do you know how hard it is to find a legitimate taco in Korea? Let alone one with cheese? Even in Seoul it's hard to come by a decent taco. So you can't get the real thing, but you can eat the chip flavor! Makes Taco Bell look gourmet.


Although we typically associate chips with salty foods in America, chips in Korea also come in a wide variety of sweet flavors. Yesterday my co-teacher handed me what I thought was a cheese puff (silly), but it tasted like pineapple...broke my taste buds' little tiny hearts (note: I much prefer salty snacks to sweet ones...and I LOVE cheese puffs...please send some).

Sweet and Delicious...I'm mildly curious as to what "Delicious" tastes like in chip form...a lot like honey it seems.
The one thing most foreigners would agree Korea flavors well is milk. I'm not a huge fan of these things, but many foreigners go crazy for these banana and strawberry flavored milk drinks (I going to go ahead and say  "milk drink" since I think the percentage of actual milk in there is a little questionable).


Foreigners however are in disagreement over a drink called Pocari Sweat. Some people love it, some people hate it. It's like the Korean Gatorade...except the flavor has been described to me as "actually tasting like sweat"...or even less flattering, "tastes like urine." Truthfully I haven't been brave enough to try it. Apparently it's pretty good for you and can actually be helpful if you're dehydrated (or hung over). I'll try to work up the courage some day soon and report back on the taste (still in recovery from the beondegi episode).


In terms of healthy snacks, outside of nuts, fruit, and vegetables (which can get rather pricey) the options feel pretty limited. I love granola bars at home, but the only brand I've seen here that makes them is Dr. You. They satisfy the craving, but just barely. I've grown to love Dr. You's flaxseed cookies (though I think they are more like sugar cookies with flaxseed). In the past cashews and almonds have been my go to healthy, yet filling snack, but they are very expensive here!


This little container cost me the equivalent of $6! I also eat a lot of yogurt at home, but here most of it comes in liquid form. You drink rather than spoon it, which for some reason does not wet my appetite. If you go to Costco in Seoul you can get almost anything you're missing from home, but it might be expensive and for me it is quite the trek for weekly groceries. Since I've only been here three months my cravings haven't been dire, but we'll see how long I can go without Kraft Mac n' Cheese and avocados before things get dicey...

For your entertainment, here's what they think of American food at Emart, a Target type chain with a full grocery section:


Actually America and Mexico are grouped together in this aisle, so I guess it's really "North American food"...apparently we subsist mostly on tomato based condiments and marshmallow Fluff. 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Muuido Island: Mud, Huts, and Walking on Water

Last weekend I took a scenic trip to Muuido Island, a two minute ferry ride off of Korea's west coast. Seriously, the island is so close to the mainland they could easily build a bridge, or give visitors inflatable row boats to drift on over, but nope, gotta take the ferry. I suppose it keeps the small island from being completely overrun with fishermen and tourists. I myself went with the Seoul Hiking Group (kind of like Climbing in Korea...with less climbing).

I was bummed when I left Yeoju Saturday morning since the weather wasn't so great, but it turned out that the low temperatures were perfect for Muuido since its beaches aren't really for swimming.

From the edge of the water, looking at the island. There's a small sandy beach then it's all mud. Mmmm squishy.
Though beautiful, the tide drifts in and out over a kilometer, revealing a muddy, snail infested coast, perfect for squishy barefoot treks and clam digging, but not so great for swimming. By the time you hit the ocean when the tide is out, you'd probably have to wade another half a kilometer to reach waist deep water. When the tide does come in, it's up to you whether or not you want to enter the opaque shallow waters and swim with hoards of -insert crustacean and/or slimy sea creature-. In spite of my oh-so-sincere love of crabs, I decided to pass on that experience.

Even if you don't want to swim there's still plenty to do on Muuido: ziplining, ATV riding, hiking, horse back riding, and eating seafood. Or you could really indulge your adventurous side and do what I did: nothing. I spent a blissful 48-ish hours just sitting, relaxing, and taking occasional walks on the beach. The only real variation was Saturday night, when I joined the group to warm up with a bonfire, some wine, and a pair of iPod speakers.

There were a few different sleeping accommodations. I opted for the "beach hut", though "beach box" might be a more appropriate term. When looking to travel cheaply in Korea, most people stay in pensions, which are like hostels, except the rooms have no beds, just blankets and pillows. The hut/box was like a much smaller pension room, sans bathroom (there were relatively decent public bathrooms a few paces away).

Pick a hut, any hut.



My size.
Sleeping on the floor isn't so bad unless you're like me and like to sleep on your side. Then you get to spend a lovely evening with your shoulder jammed awkwardly into your chin. Had it not been so cold out, I probably would have just piled up some sand and slept on the beach. Guess that brings me to Muuido travel tips: bring a sleeping bag and snacks (there is a small convenient store, but it has a limited selection with jacked prices since it's an island).

Sunday morning I took advantage of the low tide and took a quite literal walk around the island. You can walk where there used to be water and get great pictures of the Island's rocky cliffs and shores. When there are no people around the effect is surreal. I'm sure James Cameron could put these rocks to work as some distant planet movie set.

Welcome to planet Muuido. The Muuidians are expecting you.
For extra fun, bring a friend along and have them take a picture of you out on the shore; from far away it looks like you're walking on water:

No man is an island...except this guy. I wasn't exaggerating when I said you have to walk really far to hit water of any actual depth. On another note, there's been no shortage of inspirational scenery lately. Due to a wave of typhoons (unintentional pun, now intended), we've been experiencing some amazing sunsets. Unfortunately I didn't have a real camera on me, just my iPhone, so the color/picture quality isn't great, but I was able to catch this sunset by the river in Yeoju:


I wish this photo captured the atmosphere better, it was like someone plugged in an electric pink light bulb behind the clouds. Speaking of light bulbs, the classy, glowing building to the right is a love motel...can't win them all I suppose. Then this weekend I lucked out when I caught this sunset while riding the subway in Seoul. Who needs Instagram filters when you've got a phone camera that's useless in low light and a tinted train window? Not me:

Keep in mind that's a very, very very small portion of Seoul you're looking at right there.
Well, that's all for FlyLikeaSegal, the sunset addition. Sorry for the delay, I'll try to get out my next post by earlier next week! Stay tuned for baseball in Korea...I hope you like cheering. 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Hunt: Searching for Teaching Jobs in Korea

*Since I wrote my original post "The Hunt: Searching for Teaching Jobs in Korea", there have been some changes to the availability of public school jobs and I've learned some new information. Unfortunately it is true that many GEPIK public school jobs are being cut. Here is the updated version (the same corrections have also been made to the original post, but I've re-posted it again here for ease).


Recruiters and Programs

If you're looking for a teaching job in Korea, you'll need to start by applying through a recruiter or program. For recruiters, I recommend Teach ESL KoreaHands Korea, or Work n' Play. All offer public and private school jobs. For public school only there is Korvia. You can also apply directly to public schools via EPIK and TALK, which are government programs that place teachers throughout Korea (usually not in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do, the province surrounding Seoul). 


Avoiding the negativity and finding the right job

When doing research on English teaching jobs in South Korea, the results can be overwhelming, and sometimes it seems like no one has anything nice to say. Here's some advice on how to avoid the negativity and get accurate information: 

1) Rely on real people, not internet forums- When I started encountering lots of negative feedback on the internet about private and public schools alike, I frantically emailed my recruiter, worried about picking the wrong job. He emailed me back with a piece of logic I  hadn't thought of before: positive experiences appear vastly outnumbered on the internet because foreigners who are having a great time in Korea (which is the majority of them) are too busy having adventures and enjoying their lives to post their complaints on a random internet forum. I'm not saying bad experiences don't happen, they do, but it is often blown out of proportion on the internet. 

Although popular sites like Dave's ESL CafeWaygook.org, etc. can be helpful for many things, unless what you read applies directly to your potential employer or particular school, take the negativity with a grain of salt. These internet forums usually don't attract unbiased sources, but they certainly do attract naysayers and those who like to stir the pot. If you want general information about working and living in Korea, check out reputable and well known websites like EatYourKimchi, and do lots of research to find personal blogs from people living in your potential new hometown or city. Every other foreigner has a blog, and most likely you'll be able to find a contact who has worked at your school or in your area, or someone who can point you in the right direction. 

You should also find contacts through people you know from home or through your recruiter. Seriously, if you tell people, even strangers, that you're looking for a teaching job in Korea, you'll quickly find that everyone and their mom knows someone or knows someone who knows someone, that is teaching in Korea.  I can't stress this enough: the best hagwon or private school jobs usually come through word out mouth! 

And don't be shy about contacting teachers just because you don't know them! Most foreigners here would be thrilled to share something about their experience with you. My contacts before coming here included a friend I hadn't seen in five years, my friend's cousin who I'd never met, and my friend's brother's friend from college (who I'd certainly never met). All were extremely helpful!

2) What are you looking for out of this experience? Although issues can occur with your job that are entirely out of your control, sometimes I wonder what percentage of people on those forums are truly unhappy because they didn't consider what they were signing up for? Even though you may not want to teach English as a permanent career, an interest in education, kids, or at least getting to know foreign cultures will make your experience much more pleasant. Remember: the majority of your time here will be spent teaching and in school. If your only interest in coming to South Korea is an apartment and a pay check, then you might be in for a long year. 

Public vs. Private Schools- How to Decide


If you've done any internet research, you've probably noticed by now that hagwons, or private academies, don't always have the best reputation, and that many people prefer public school jobs. The biggest reason is that public schools are held accountable by the government and have standardized contracts, where as hagwons are private business that are unregulated and can pretty much do whatever they want...including going out of business. However, I'd like to be optimistic and say that where you choose to work should depend on your personality. Many people also work at hagwons that they enjoy. 

Public

Pros: standard contract, less teaching hours, more vacation (20-25 days)
Cons: usually only one foreign teacher, can't always choose location, longer application process
Neutral: Lesson planning

Native English teachers (NETs) at public schools are employed by GEPIK or EPIK. GEPIK hires mostly through the private recruiters I listed above, while one must apply directly to EPIK. These are government offices that provide the teaching contracts for public schools. NETs can also contact these offices if they have questions about, or problems with their schools. Among the other pros listed above, people tend to gravitate towards these jobs because the government technically ensures stability.

HOWEVER, these jobs are losing their stability. Already, most public schools in Seoul no longer receive funding for foreign teachers. I currently work for GEPIK and these jobs are also starting to get cut drastically. Unless schools are funded by local city halls, only rural schools will receive funding from GEPIK starting in 2014. While teachers can't be let go mid-contract, hundreds of contracts are not being renewed. 

If you're interested it's still worth applying, but beware these jobs are becoming extremely competitive. You will need to get at least TEFL certified, and online certificate programs cost $300-$400. In the next couple of years, public school job numbers could continue to decline, or go on the rise again. It's hard to tell because it depends on each province, annual budget votes, and of course, politics. Currently however, they are very much on the decline. If you're planning to work in Korea for more than a year or two, be aware that renewal may not be possible. 

You can also apply through EPIK or TALK, which serve all of Korea, but because of increasing competition you can no longer request a specific location...which means you can be placed anywhere...including the middle of nowhere. Generally, if you would like to be surrounded by other foreigners or expats at work, then public schools are definitely not for you. You will more than likely be the only foreigner at your school.

I put lesson planning in a neutral category because I think this definitely depends on the person. If you enjoy devising lesson plans and thinking of creative ways to teach then you will certainly enjoy working at a public school. Some public schools provide textbooks, but many expect you to come up with your own lessons for regular classes. 

*Ask about after school classes and English Camps at public schools!!*

Most public school teachers also run 1-2 week "English Camps" during summer and winter breaks. Expectations for English Camps vary greatly by school (anywhere from 1 to 4 hours a day). Your interview is a good time to ask what kind of special programs are expected of you during breaks and throughout the year! While I get paid overtime and enjoy the challenge, I didn't know until I arrived at my school that I would be expected to teach special Fall and Spring after school courses until 8 p.m. twice a week for 5 weeks, which is highly unusual for public schools!    

Hagwon (Private)
Pros: usually higher pay, more available, many foreign teachers, easier application process, can choose where you want to go!
Cons: non-standard or lack of contract, less vacation (7-10 days), more teaching hours
Neutral: lesson planning, the unusual work schedule

Due to slightly longer hours, overtime, and less vacation, hagwon teachers tend to get paid more than public school NETs. If you're coming to Korea to save money or pay-off student loans or debt, this may be something to seriously consider. In addition, you'll also enjoy the company of other foreign teachers, which certainly makes for a much easier transition! While I like my school, I live in a smaller city and definitely have to make the extra effort to meet people. As for lesson planning, it varies highly, some hagwons will have you strictly follow a textbooks, others will require you to come up with your own material. You should ask in the interview what is expected. 

The best part though is that hagwons are everywhere, so you can choose where you want to go! So here's the tough part: how do you make sure it's a good school? I don't want to undermine those who've had bad experiences at hagwons because there certainly are problems that I've heard from teachers who work at them. Because they are run like businesses, their priorities are a bit different from public schools...namely money and customer retention, which can put additional stress on bosses and employees. There's no 100% fool proof way to ensure your hagwon is great, but here are some tips:
  • I'll say it again: the best hagwon jobs often come through word of mouth!  If you talk to someone living in Korea, they might know a friend who is leaving at the end of the month and needs someone to take their place at a job. Many schools use private recruiters but they also take private referrals!  
  • If you can't find a friend, or friend of a friend living in Korea to speak with, don't be afraid to ask to speak to a current NET at the school you are interviewing with! The employer should allow you to speak with someone who currently works at the school. If they won't, it's probably not a good sign. 
  • Prepare detailed questions to ask during the interview: "Is public transportation easily accessible from the school and my apartment?" "How long have the other foreign teachers been working there?" "How often will I be expected to work over time?" "How much time is given for class preparation?" 
  • Go with your gut and be patient. Although it's hard to give up a job that looks great on paper, if you speak with someone who rubs you the wrong way, or there's a clause in the contract that no one seems to able to clarify, then follow your instincts. I'd say this applies to both private and public schools. 
  • If you follow the above advice hopefully you won't need this, but there is a hagwon blacklist that you can check on the internet, for schools that are unusually atrocious. I also found this site which compiles hagwon reviews which should offer positive reviews as well.
I listed the unusual schedule as neutral because again I think this is personality based. Most hagwons, unless you're teaching kindergarten, have their hours from 1-9pm or 2-10pm. If you're a night person who likes to stay up late and wake up late, this might be your dream schedule! Even if you haven't historically been a night person, many hagwon teachers who adapt to this schedule don't mind it since their friends and co-workers will be on it too.  I will be honest and warn you though that hagwons are much more likely to ask you to come in on the weekends or stay late, but you should get paid overtime.

While there is certainly less vacation time during the year with private schools, if you're planning to travel after you leave Korea, which most people do anyway, this doesn't have to be a big problem. There is also so much stuff to see locally in Korea! You can easily satisfy your need for a break with day or weekend trips. Having less vacation, or being in a more rural area like myself, really encourages you to get to know Korea and have an authentic living experience.

*The Classroom and Co-Teachers- Public vs. Private *

In hagwons you'll be physically in the classroom teaching about 28-30 hours a week, whereas you're only the classroom 22 hours a week with public schools. It's true that more teaching hours can be tiring, but there are other factors to consider. While public schools leave ample time for "desk warming", the technical term for sitting at your desk, some people get very bored by this and prefer more fast-paced hagwon schedules.  Public school also classes tend to be much larger, 20-35 students, while hagwons usually have 10-15 students (less if it's a small academy). 

Working at a public school also involves co-teaching with a Korean English teacher. Unfortunately there are no standard expectations or training sessions for Korean co-teachers. While some may be helpful, others may not.While in some public schools you'll be fully in charge of the classroom, in others you might be more of a side kick. Many NETs establish beneficial relationships with their co-teachers, but many teachers also prefer the independence that comes with working in a hagwon, where there are usually no co-teachers


Your experience will be what you make of it

At the end of the day your experience is going to be what you make of it. People have good and bad experiences at public schools and at private schools, in rural areas and in urban areas. I've met people who've been in Korea for many years and held several different jobs, and although some have been better than others they are all still here because the fun they've had and the friends they've made have been worth it. The happiest teachers are the ones who take the good with the bad, and chalk it all up to experience.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Gangnam Style: What's the deal with K-Pop?

The most common question I've been asked from friends at home over the past few weeks is: What is going on in this music video?!


Before I had internet installed in my apartment last week (*fist pumps*) I wrote my blog posts using the WiFi at a coffee shop, where I first saw this video....and then saw it over and over again. At first I couldn't stand it, but by listen number 1,435,675 I was bobbing my head along to the-how-can-this-possibly-be-so-catchy beat. And by listen 23,453,765 I was at a club dancing to it...very enthusiastically I might add.

Gangnam (pronounced gahng-nahm) is the ritzy, trendy area of Seoul. Saying "Gangnam style" is the equivalent of saying "Beverly Hills style." The song and video, particularly the infamous and eyebrow-raising "horse dance", intend satirize "Gangnam posers", or as Psy, the singer of the song explains in a CNN interview:

"People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are -- it’s only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are "Gangnam Style" -- so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something that they’re not."

You can read the rest of the interview hereTo answer what you're thinking, despite his comical appearance, Psy is in fact very famous, and was so even before this song. He also studied at Boston University and the Berklee College of Music (yup, funny and smart, line up ladies), and has had a successful career writing songs for other groups/singers. Rumor has it he might soon be making music with Justin Beiber.

I believe the other men in the video (the guy in the banana yellow suit and Mr. hip-thrusting-in-the-elevator) are famous Korean comedians. While it has all of the trappings of a typical, vapid K-Pop hit, on the contrary, the song is meant to be satirical (and of course, make you dance like you're trying too hard to be Gangnam style). Psy's satire and quirky appearance separate him from other K-Pop acts, and certainly contributed to making him such a success internationally. There is a great Atlantic Monthly article discussing the surprisingly subversive nature of the music video, as it more than pokes fun at the empty, materialistic pursuits of Gangnam trust fund babies. Definitely worth the read!

This video also leads me to a lot of other talking points about K-Pop music. The next being: do you like/listen to it? Well, yes and no. Would I put it on in the privacy of my own apartment while doing the dishes? No, probably not. It's not really something you can sit back and relax to; but do I enjoy it when it's blasting over the loud speakers of my school, and playing at bars and clubs? Of course! Nothing beats writing lesson plans while quietly rocking out to this song by Dal Shabet:


Though I admit it took me a while to figure out that they were actually singing "Mr. Bang Bang" and not some weird pronunciation of the word "baby" over and over, I'm pretty into this song. 

Now I'll give all of you out there a moment to press play (and maybe replay), and some more time to reflect on how much you actually do like this song, despite what your inner-indie god/goddess is telling you (it's okay. If you're struggling, I'm sure K-Pop is, or will soon be, super cool in an ironic way...either that or you can always say that you like, totally discovered this song first like three zillion years ago on your rando- friend's blog and all these people listening to it now might as well be Gangnam style posers).

Anyway, point is, if you look closely you might notice some things about K-Pop music that you don't see in Gangnam Style. There are six girls in Dal Shabet, but they are not differentiated Scary, Sporty, Baby, and Posh style (if you don't get that reference...well...maybe there are other, better blogs out there for you)...in fact, they all look quite the same. Listeners in America like to complain about how manufactured music groups are in America, but I'm rather sure that the K-Pop industry is unrivaled in its ability to churn out indistinct pop groups.

Well to be fair.... at least they appear indistinct. These groups spend hours upon hours on Korean variety and talk shows, giving fans (who redefine the terms diehard and zealous I might add) a chance to get to know each member of the group very well. Since I don't understand Korean however, and admittedly have to make my judgments solely on appearance, it's difficult for my fiercely-individualistic-American self to understand how one could genuinely drool over a group in which everyone dresses the same, dances the same, and yes...probably had the same plastic surgery (a friend of mine pointed out their eerily similar facial and nose structures).

For me there's an obvious line between enjoying K-Pop music and being truly ingrained in K-Pop culture. K-Pop naturally reflects the general homogeneity of Korean culture, and an extreme desire to blend in, which I often find hard to understand. Yes people in America want to fit in, and resort to superficial means to do so, but the creed of individuality is still deeply embedded in American society.

From the beginning, most of us in the States have been taught that we are special, and have unique gifts to contribute to society, school, our friend groups, etc. Thus "fitting" in America usually means conceding only some aspects of one's self in order to intertwine one's individual identity with that of a group, while in Korea "fitting in" often means conforming to that group in every conceivable way.

Now I've touched on homogeneity in Korea before, but I feel it bears some elaboration here. Though some of you may agree with my assessment of Korean vs. American "fitting in", I can still hear some readers' internal groaning, "People in America also try to look and dress the same to fit in. It's no different". Well for those who have not experienced what I'm talking about, I'll tell you now: it is different.

Let me give an example (one of my personal favorites): clothes. In America, people will buy certain brands to associate with different trends. If you want to be preppy you'll get a Lacoste polo and some J. Crew salmon-colored pants. If you want to be quasi-alternative, you'll get a cut-out dress from Urban Outfitters or American Apparel. If you want to go goth, you'll get a black t-shirt and spiked collar from Hot Topic. In Korea however, on the whole, these dichotomies hardly exist. Even those who I see dressing outside of mainstream Korean fashion still seem to follow the same prescribed alternative fashions (generally a subdued punk look). While the number of people I see donning these alternative fashions in Seoul seems to be growing, they still feel like the exception, not the rule. 

Anyone who knows me well can attest to my normally excessive shopping habits, but in Korea I find shopping less enthralling. When it comes to clothes I tend to gravitate towards pieces that are elaborate, intricate, or loud. In Korea however, no matter where you shop, you'll find almost all clothes come in only a handful of styles and cuts, and are made from the same fabrics. In general patterns are more subdued, and clothing items lack detail or hardware. Many stores do not carry signature styles or looks like they do in the States. In America, we tend to look for small ways to stand out, in Korea, not so much.

2NE1



Wonder Girls....look familiar?
It seems like many factors, including geography, and hundreds of years of less than stellar foreign relations with neighboring aggressors, have made it more necessary for Koreans to protect their overall culture than foster individuality. I dwell on this here because it's been one of the most difficult cultural aspects to relate to; clothes and K-Pop are only two examples of how it enters my everyday life. I don't mean this evaluation of Korea's homogeneity to be negative, but perhaps you can try to imagine how unfamiliar the concept of blending in feels to a loud, outspoken Jersey girl. More importantly, I think the way culture affects the structure of Korean vs. American pop groups (and how we perceive them) is extremely fascinating.

For me the disposition toward homogeneity also explain why these music groups are so large (some groups have as many  as nine members)! I could never imagine seeing such large groups in America because each member would need to have defining, or even opposing characteristics, which would be difficult to achieve with so many members. For example, in American male pop groups there's always the bad boy, the boy next door, the heart throb, etc. In Korea it seems like they are all meant to be the heart throb (add dash of bad boy)...though with varying degrees of success.

Of course there will always be favorites who emerge as front men/women in these groups. Netizens and paparazzi are as ruthless as anywhere else. While for me I am taken with what I see as the distinct indistinctness of K-Pop groups, the K-Pop industry itself is certainly a unique culture and genre all its own. Though I've put them under some scrutiny in this post, many artists in these groups are very talented and undoubtedly work as hard as any American artist. If you're interested in learning more, I thought eatyourkimchi.com made a great video on the messy split of the group T-ara. It gives more even more insight on how these groups function (even if you've never listen to them it will still be interesting).



Monday, August 13, 2012

How to Swim with Sharks in Busan

Dun dun.

Dun dun.

Dun dun.


Careful, he's hungry. I ran into this guy at the Busan Aquarium. I had a few days off from school and decided to take a trip to Busan, the second largest city in South Korea...or Seoul with a beach. While the Busan aquarium may not have had fish swimming in toilet bowls and washing machines, for a mere $120, you can actually go diving in the shark tank! They only do it on weekends and you have to book it in advance, but I'm thinking it might be worth making a return trip for...hopefully the sharks don't think that I'm bite sized.

I also found what appears to be the stuffed animal version of Nemo's dad after a night on the town. Lookin' a little out of it there eh?


Moving on from the never ending rotation of questionable stuffed animals...I stayed at the Pusan Hostel, which I discovered is actually a temporary hostel, a.k.a. a giant apartment located in super ritzy complex (please refer your eyes to the picture below). Lesson: you can live in a fancy apartment as long as you rent it out to 20 other guests on the weekends to pay the bills. It was a bit far from the major downtown areas but I had a room to myself and a fabulous view of the ocean! Definitely one of the nicest apartment complexes I've seen in Korea so far.

View of the buildings from a neighboring park.
 Though I've traveled a lot, this was my first true solo trip abroad, going to a new city by myself. Traveling in Korea isn't like traveling in Europe where you're guaranteed to run into other foreigners where ever you go. During the day I went sight seeing with other people from the hostel, a small group of English teachers and travelers, but at night I would generally go out and just make friends with the first English speaking people I could find, which were surprisingly few and far between for such a big city! Nevertheless I had a great time!

My adventures started immediately after I arrived. I wanted to try and get a nice view of the city, so I began walking up a nearby hill thinking I would get to the top, see the city and walk back down, but the trail kept going and going...I ended up hiking 5 kilometers around the rocky coast before I finally found the view I was looking for.

Almost...
Parts of the trail were just a man made path, you can see the fence.


 Getting there...

There it is!

I knew Gwangalli Beach, a popular nighttime destination, was just beyond that bridge. What started as me looking for a bus or taxi to Gwangalli turned into another 5-ish kilometer venture until my toes finally hit the sand. I re-energized with a true American meal: a chicken quesadilla with avocado. Back home this wouldn't be news/blog worthy, but finding good Mexican food and avocados for cheap in Korea after weeks of nothing but kimchi, Korean BBQ, and dumplings was like stumbling on the holy grail. I ate it at the Fuzzy Navel, a popular restaurant across the street from the beach.


This is a picture of Gwangalli at night. On the right you can kind of see the crowds (there was a concert going on further to the right). There are three beaches in Busan, Haeundae being the largest and most popular, but Gwangalli is known for its nightlife.  I've been taking a lot of pictures with my iPhone, for the most part I think the quality is decent, but for night time I need to start carrying around a real camera.

The next day I checked out the Haedong Younggungsa temple, famous for its beach side location. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. While it certainly was beautiful (you can't go wrong with a good ocean back drop), I noticed that the temple also looked somewhat familiar:

Me forgetting to throw up my peace sign!
Because of the many wars and Japanese occupations, most temples in Korea are reconstructions...with identical paint jobs. Most of the Haedong buildings looked like smaller versions of the ones at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. I guess in general it just didn't have the same wow factor as other historical sites I've been to (though perhaps I've become a bit jaded).

Afterwards we went to Songjeong beach, which I'd recommend going to if you ever find yourself in Busan. Most people head straight for Haeundae Beach since it's large/well-known/has lots of touristy things to do, but if you're looking for a cleaner, less crowded beach for a relaxing day, hop on the #181 bus and get off when you see water! It's very close to the Haedong temple.

Since it rained Friday we skipped the beach and went to the aquarium which was awesome, evidenced by the opening photos. After that we went to Spa Land, the most amazing jimjilbbang (Korean spa) ever! It's inside Centum City, an urban development which is also home to the world's largest department store (they love superlatives in Korea). It's definitely a great place to relax if you're in Busan, but it might make all subsequent jimjillbbangs look pretty lame. It has 13 saunas, each with a different theme...how would you like your hot steam room? Turkish? Or Roman bath style? I opted to lounge in the outdoor hot spring (I know, life is rough).





Inside the department store....personally I think the Guggenheim could sue for copyright infringement...

Then we trekked to the other side of Busan (it is absolutely huge) and shopped around the BIFF Square where they hold the eponymous Busan International Film Festival. The outdoor markets in the area are enormous, you could spend hours just walking through the streets and combing through the various kiosks. I myself like to buy cheap funky socks:

I spy with my little eye...Obama socks.




A very tiny part of the market area.
We also checked out the famous Jagalchi fish market. And by checked out, I mean we walked in, saw this lady wrangle an octopus, turn it inside out, put it in a plastic bag, and give it to a customer....after that we decided we'd pretty much seen all we needed to see at the fish market. While we were walking away we saw another octopus unsuccessfully try to escape from the red bucket of doom...sorry buddy!


After regaining our appetite we tried some of the famous street food. If you go to Korea and eat nothing else, try hotteok. It's fried dough filled with brown sugar and nuts...the heat melts the brown sugar so it turns into a gooey filling...so unbelievably good.

And for the grand finale: we went up the Busan towers for some lovely views of the city!


Sorry for the poor picture quality...again I was just carrying the iPhone...but yes, that is another giant department store. Korea: the country that likes shopping more than I do.

What it's like to teach in Korea

Growing up it was hard to imagine my teachers having lives outside of the classroom. Running into a high school teacher on the street was usually awkward for both parties involved, like two parallel universes accidentally crossing. Aside from the token "cool teacher" with whom I might occasionally have a personal conversation, I treated my teachers as distant authority figures and engaged with them through formal interactions.

Though some students back home had closer relationships with their teachers, many of the interactions that comprise the teacher-student relationship in Korea would be grounds for dismissal in the States. I do not say this (or anything else) to pass judgment, but I want to emphasize the level of difference in accepted teacher-student interactions. Teachers in Korea are much more like parents. Touching, texting, playing, and even corporal punishments, are all a daily part of Korean school life.

Teachers in Korea will shake, pick up, and even hit their students, no matter what their age. Corporal punishments were only recently made illegal in public schools. Many teachers, especially of the older generation, will still hit (somewhat gently) their students on the back of the head when they are falling asleep in class. Teachers also give physical punishments like standing in a corner. One time my co-teacher made a student repeatedly lift a fire extinguisher like he was lifting weights.

On very rare occasions, I've heard of students getting into physical fights with their teachers. It you witness something like this, it will surely be uncomfortable but it's best to stay out of it. Schools deal with severe punishments much differently in Korea. There is no such thing as detention. It is an absurd concept to them that that one's punishment for wrong doing is simply doing nothing (does seem a little backwards the more you think about it huh?). Though punishments vary, at my school for example, really bad students will have to do community service.

When it comes to teaching in any classroom, you will gain the student's respect if you are composed and know (or at least act like) you know what you're doing. Although it's tempting to be the "cool teacher" and level with your students, its hard to get back control once your students begin to view you as a peer rather than an authority figure. Luckily though, since hierarchy is highly valued in Korean culture, students tend to be respectful regardless, and the fact that you're a foreigner will certainly make them interested in getting to know you. As I also mentioned in my previous post, students will get to know you by asking more personal questions such as "How old are you?", "Are you married?", etc. 

Of course you can answer these questions and more, but don't be afraid to be clear about where your boundaries are in general. I know foreign teachers whose students will call their cellphones after school to ask about homework, meeting up for extra practice, etc. I sometimes eat lunch and take walks with a foreign student who is having a hard time at my school. Where you draw the line still means using common sense, but interactions between students and teachers that might be frowned upon in the States are not always as unusual in Korea.

Maintaining authority in the classroom is always the hardest part. Though more experienced teachers may give different advice, so far I've found that the easiest way to maintain authority while still building good relationships with my students is to be strict about staying on task in class, while constantly asking for their feedback, their likes, and theirs dislikes. This way I can create activities that are tailored to their interests. I think most students will be more attentive if they feel that you are actually listening to them, and not just talking at them.

On that note however, when it comes to teaching, suspend your expectations and be very patient. Lessons you thought would take 20 minutes might take up the entire class. Preparation is key, but no matter how thorough your lesson plans are you still might get stuck or finish too quickly, so plan to be flexible. I like to always have an extra game or easy activity ready in case I need to pass the time. Korean students are shy and for the most part have been taught English in a very systematic way that does not encourage much spontaneous conversation or creativity, but everyone loves a good game.

Note: If you are teaching middle or high school students, you will hit culture barriers immediately in trying to do activities that involve acting out emotions or creative work. The Korean education system is based on memorization and repetition, thus the idea of writing a creative essay or an original argument is completely foreign to them (no pun intended). I recently went to a workshop where a teacher described how confused and distraught her middle school students when she tried to get them to play Charades. They could not understand why or how someone would act out arbitrary emotions, and were extremely embarrassed by the game.   

Though you can't reverse a lifetime of deep set cultural values in one year, let alone one class, I find it helps to provide students examples of what you want them to do, even if it makes you feel a little silly as well. Have them imitate you or someone else. For example, when trying to get my students give speeches, I first had them watch and imitate Obama speaking. Having a model made it easier for the students to practice their speaking skills and it made a funny game for the class. And of course I started by doing the first impression! The key point: if you're not interested in what you are doing, your students won't be either. 

Outside of the classroom you will probably find yourself in a different working environment from what you're used to at home. As I emphasized in my last post, some of the same rules still apply: make a good first impression, be on time (early), and act professionally.  However you may see some things that wouldn't fly at home, such as sleeping in the office. Koreans work extremely hard. You'll find students sleeping in class and teachers snoozing at their desks (I've even heard of schools that have couches where teachers can go for a brief repose). I'm not saying to bring along your pillow and blanket everyday for a mid-afternoon siesta, but if you close your eyes and lean back for a few minutes every once in a while you won't attract much attention. 

Though this may vary by school, public school teachers will frequently hear the term desk warming: this means long periods of time spent at your desk with not much to do. Though it may sound wonderful, I suggest finding ways to occupy yourself and keep busy (like writing a blog for instance). While many public school teachers will simultaneously surf the internet, myself included, desk warming is a good time to gather teaching materials and prepare lessons. Classes often get cancelled and switched around. It's always good to have lesson plans, or at least game ideas, tucked away for unexpected happenings. 

Though it may seem cliched, if you think back to the best teachers you had growing up, it's more than the likely that they were the always prepared, confident, and enthusiastic about their job! All of these things are also important for maintaining a good student-teacher relationship, not just in Korea, but anywhere in the world!  


LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

The Arrival Store

Click here to visit The Arrival Store