Off the Beaten Subway Path: Life in a Small Korean City

While it’s possible to be located in real the countryside in Korea, not well connected to any major city or downtown center, the majority of Gyeonggi-do province surrounding Seoul is well developed and densely populated. Though neighboring townships like the one I work in might be considered rural, civilization is never too far off! I'm always amazed by how a 15 minute bus ride can take me from farms and rice paddies to a crowded city center with many of the comforts of Seoul (overpriced coffee shops, massive apartments complexes, rows of cosmetics stores, countless PCbangs, Italian restaurants, etc). While not without its drawbacks, living in a smaller city has had a lot benefits as well. 

The Pros

The space. Aside from those living near the Han River, people often complain about the lack of places to enjoy a good run, or open space, Seoul. I myself really enjoy running and biking, and don’t know how I would have made it through my experience in Korea without having large parks nearby. This park surrounds part of the bike path that extends from Seoul to Busan. 

Enjoying some BBQ on the river.

It has a real oven! 

You might also have some extra living space. Now this isn’t a guarantee, I have plenty of friends in town who live in typical shoe box size apartments, but living in a less populated area with cheaper real estate might mean getting a bigger place! My situation is highly unusual, but I lucked out with my school and landed a 3-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen. This certainly would never happen in Seoul!

Korea like you’ve never seen it. I’d say I’ve found more cultural depth in my town than I’ve seen even in parts of Seoul, and anyone who has lived in smaller Korean towns and cities can tell you that such treasures are everywhere. Living outside Seoul can be a great way to experience more authentic Korean culture and life. Here a few of my favorite gems from my city: 

I was in Korea for almost a year before my friends stumbled upon this incredible sculpture park, filled with contemporary statues and models of Korean monuments.

Interestingly, it's a model of a palace that is (was?) in North Korea.

This old amusement park just five minutes from my apartment complex is like a trip to another time.

Yeoju is known for its ceramics and home to many nationally recognized, and even internationally renowned ceramics artists. These are photos from the Biennial International Ceramics Festival in Yeoju.

Photo from the Yeoju city homepage

Yeoju has many other cultural destinations, most notably King Sejong's Tomb. Yes, that King Sejong, the one who invented Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. I think it's one of the nicest landmarks I've been to in Korea, and a great place for an afternoon stroll.

Going back to the pros:

Tight knit expat community. Thanks to Facebook you don’t have to worry too much about wandering around to find friends. If you’re not into Facebook, or need to get out of town, there is also Meetup where you can find interest groups, or Couchsurfing for meeting other travelers. You can also take weekend trips with groups like WINK, Seoul Hiking Group, and Adventure Korea, which are great for meeting people. No matter where you live, in Seoul or a larger city, you will have to exert some effort to meet people. For every expat I hear complaining that they wished more foreigners lived in their city, I hear expats in Seoul complain about how they don’t meet many people outside of their hagwon.

Gaining an incredible sense of independence. Many teachers come to Korea seeking new experiences and that deeper perspective of the world that comes with living abroad. However like many newcomers, I also thought there was no way I could last in Korea without eventually moving to Seoul or a bigger city. After a few months though, I found that having to make my own way and make my own fun were more life affirming challenges. I feel I’ve had to adapt and become more independent in ways some of my Seoul counterparts haven’t. Now of course, a lot of this is personality, a proactive person will be active anywhere he or she lives. I know for myself, being fresh out of college when I got here, that if I had had a lot of night life and other distractions around, I probably wouldn’t have been as motivated to push myself outside of my comfort zone and try new things. 

Saving money. Most people agree that the cost of living is manageable in Korea no matter where you live, but when there are less places to spend your money and less temptation you tend to save more. This is personal of course, but I know if I lived near downtown Seoul I would certainly be broke from shopping in Myeongdong and schmoozing at nice bars and restaurants.

Still having access to good travel. Korean public transportation is incredibly efficient and cheap. If you live in a Gyeonggi-do city you shouldn’t have to worry too much about getting around. I don’t live on a subway line, but buses between my city and Seoul run every half hour on the dot! If you're travelling far, The Arrival Store has a great post on reserving bus tickets for long trips! 

More public school jobs- while getting harder and harder to come by in and around Seoul, public school jobs are much more common farther out in Gyeonggi-do. In my city the vast majority of English teachers work at public schools.

So what are the cons? 

The drawbacks are probably what you’d expect from living in a smaller city in a foreign country: less going on socially, less international cuisine, fewer English speakers, and fewer facilities. In general it’s easier to feel isolated physically and socially. However, Korea is continuing to change rapidly. Every month I see new restaurants (including more international cuisine), updated shops, and new constructions. Just this past summer they put up a large luxury hotel with a water park next to my apartment complex, which is a big deal for Yeoju! By 2015, Yeoju will be accessible by the Seoul Metro. Witnessing this transformation has been an interesting experience in and of itself. 

While you may have to look harder for them, there is no shortage of activities to do and things to try. I know teachers in Yeoju who have done everything from getting black belts in Taekwondo to taking pottery classes with renowned artists. Living in a less connected city requires a higher degree of independence, willingness to be proactive, and the ability to deal with some more frustrations and discomforts, as you may have less access to certain resources. But if you want a challenge, and to see a different side of life in Korea, living in smaller city can be very rewarding. 

Where to Live in Korea: Big City vs. Small City

My newest post is up on The Arrival Store Blog! You can also check out the original here:

As the capital and cultural hub of South Korea, Seoul is of course the most popular option for prospective teachers. Gyeonggi-do, the province surrounding Seoul, is also a popular place to look for jobs. While your gut instinct may be that you must live in Seoul, and nowhere else, don’t be too quick to judge! There are plenty of great alternatives, such as large Seoul satellite cities (eg. Anyang, Suwon, Seongnam, Yongin, etc.) and smaller cities outlying cities such as Yeoju, where I reside.

 It can be daunting to search through job listings and try to choose a location based on cities which you know little about. For a complete list of the cities in Gyeonggi-do, you can check out the subdivisions section of the Seoul Capital area wiki. Before you get worried about landing in the middle of nowhere, keep in mind that Gyeonggi-do is very densely populated and well connected.  

Large satellite cities and smaller outlying cities are usually connected to Seoul, and to each other, by bus, subway, or KTX high speed trains, all of which are highly efficient. I live about as far out in Gyeonngi-do as you can get, and it usually only takes me an hour and 10 minutes to get to the world famous Gangnam. While some cities may be lacking some of the culture Seoul offers, most will contain all of the same amenities, access to universities, and active expat communities.

It’s important to realize that South Korea is an incredibly homogenous country and that much of these cities, including Seoul, will look the same. As you travel throughout Seoul and Gyeonggi-do you will inevitably encounter the same architecture, same stores, and same atmosphere in cities large and small. The fun part is finding the hidden gems. And there are many! Lately I’ve stopped going to Seoul to see my friends, instead they come to visit me to experience a different side of Korea.  Choosing a smaller city in Gyeonggi-do, where Seoul is still nearby, is a great way to get the best of both worlds!  

A taste of Yeoju and the Korean countryside. 

People often ask me what to look for when deciding where to live. Experiences and preferences vary widely, so the best thing you can do is consider what you want out of your city and make sure it has those things. In addition, I would research:

• Variety of Facebook groups- most cities have Facebook groups, but it’s also good to find cities with groups that cater to diverse interests, such as sports clubs, language exchanges, etc.
• Use Naver or Daum, Korean search engines- if one were to Google my city, there would be few returns, however this is not the case on Korean search engines. While the returns will be in Korean, many sites have English titles. There are lots of Korean bloggers out there, and even if you can’t understand their posts, they’ll provide lots of pictures you won’t find on Google, Yahoo, or Bing. It might give you a better idea of what your city is like!
• Historical and cultural attractions – it’s my opinion that cities and districts with more history are more likely to have more hidden gems and traditions. Try to look at tourist sites to see what kind of attractions are around. If you find that your prospective residence is a very industrial area without many cultural sites that could be a bad sign, as that usually indicates that there will be factories, offices, coffee shops, and not much else.
• Personal blogs- I try to stay away from public forums like Dave’s ESL and Waygook when searching for unbiased opinions about cities, as they seem to attract a lot of naysayers, or those who think there is no life outside of Itaewon. Try to look for personal blogs of teachers living your city; people giving thoughtful day to day accounts about what life is like there.
• Universities – A reputable university usually means there will be some culture, nightlife, and vibrancy that comes with having young people around! There will probably also be Korean language classes, language buddies, and more opportunities for cultural exchange if you’re interested! 

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.

The Korean War: History From the Other Side

Last weekend I took a trip to the Korean War Museum in Seoul. I think it was the first time I'd been to such a large museum dedicated to something that barely registers blip on the radar of the American conscious (at least for my generation). Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the exterior, but here's a picture of all the old military airplanes sitting out on the side lawn.

The museum was a big reminder of how selective our history textbooks are when it comes to re-creating the past. A brief history lesson for those whose memories might need refreshing (or just a complete freshing): After WWII, the Japanese surrendered Korea to the Allies (Japan had been ruling it officially since 1910- I'd give some background on the history between Japan and Korea, but I only have a blog post and not a 1,000 pages to write- what I will say is that if you're watching a Korea vs. Japan match in the Olympics, and you get the feeling that it's a little personal...you're probably right). The Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-1945 resulted in much of the conflict we see between Japan and South Korea today.

Eyes glued to the Korea vs. Japan Judo match....

To the point: the Korean War broke out because of an arbitrary political division, that is, a border imposed along the 38th parallel by the Allies to separate Soviet (communist) controlled North Korea, from US (democratic-ish) controlled South Korea. Now if we take away anything from imperial/ colonial history, I think it should be that arbitrary, externally imposed divisions of any kind: geographic, ethnic, economic...usually result in big problems.

In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and briefly occupied the majority of the country. The UN permitted an intervention, for the which the US provided the vast majority of foreign troops. The UN forces helped quickly push back the North Koreans behind the 38th parallel, and most thought it would be a swift victory...until the Chinese intervened on behalf of the North Koreans.  The bloodiest months of the war were spent fighting over mere kilometers surrounding the border that still exists today, the demilitarized zone, or DMZ. (*Note: this is a brief, bare bones summary of what happened...most of which I learned at the museum).

Most reasons for the lack of attention given to the Korean War tare obvious: it came after the largest war in history, it never generated as much controversy as the Vietnam War, and unless you've been following the Samsung v. Apple lawsuit, South Korea isn't a country we normally think about when it comes to international issues (North Korea on the other hand...).  It's easy to forget that the Korean War technically isn't over. In 1953 North and South Korea signed an armistice or ceasefire, not a peace treaty, which is why there are still fears about attacks from North Korea. Though I don't think it's at all likely, it does explain all of the emergency gear in the subways, which I naively pointed out in a previous post as weird, zombie- apocalypse precautions:

 
The oddest thing about the museum was the mock firing range. I usually think of war museums as places that promote a "never again" message. But considering that tensions still exist and military service is compulsory, I guess it doesn't seem so out of place. The "guns" even had kick back:

In the museum they also have some ideas about what future soldiers will look like:

And due to what seems to be a lack of primary images, etc, there are also a lot of natural-history-museum style dioramas depicting certain events. I don't have any photos, but there was even an entire room modelled after a war time South Korean village- i.e. lots of shacks.

This is a model of an infamous incident where North Korean troops massacred South Korean soldiers trying to cut down a tree that was blocking their line of sight.

I have had a few discussions with Koreans and foreigners about whether or not they think South and North Korea will, or ever even could reunite (it would be a huge economic and social burden on South Korea). Opinions are definitely mixed. My English class today provided a great example. I had the students create their own mascots for the 2018 Winter Olympics which will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. One group named their mascot after a mountain in North Korea to express their desire for unification.

To me this demonstrates not only how students feel about the state of the country, but also indicates something about how important it is for them to confront their identity as South Korea continues to open up to global culture. As I've said before, one of the most interesting things about being here is that in terms of modernization, South Korea is still a young country, navigating the cultural and social woes of entering an increasingly interconnected world, where Eastern and Western cultural lines are becoming more and more blurred.

To end on a lighter note, the haze finally cleared up enough for me to get some good pictures of the mountains I see on the bus ride coming from Seoul to Yeoju. Even along the highway the Korean landscape is beautiful.

In cute news, I recently discovered that these guys live across the street from my apartment complex. Korea is a tiny country so you have to squeeze in farms and animals where ever you can.

The big guy at the front was quacking at me as I drove by on my bike.

And finally, in awesome news...I got my first paycheck and decided to upgrade to a much newer, faster bike. It originally had a flower sticker on the front which I had to rip off. Now I'm really cool:

Watch out pedestrians of Korea...I can break 35 mph now...

Safety in Korea

True to my word, I've actually started going for daily runs along the river in Yeoju. To my surprise  I've found that you can run there after dark without running into unwanted company! The first time I went down there it was near sunset, so I thought I'd have to check it out and leave before the creepers and druggies showed up...but then I remembered I am in rural Korea. In fact, although I rarely see people doing anything alone here, I was joined by lots of girls who appeared to be getting their late evening work out in....though I'll say that they don't go for runs like I do...they all stare as I huff, puff, and wheeze passed them. It kind of feels like running in a smoggy sauna, but I guess I'll get used to it eventually. Also, people in Korea seem to have a lot of fancy work out gear considering that many of them don't appear to do much working out.

By the river at night. Crappy camera, it isn't actually that dark.

Anyway, the point is that I realized in America I think I would be hard pressed to find a riverside trail where single women felt comfortable running and walking alone at night. The path isn't even lit, there is just enough residual light from the street above to help you see where you're going. I think there are a couple of reasons for this. First, Koreans tend to work late and thus do things like getting in a workout much later than people would in the States. In general, shops, stores, restaurants, and other places of business are open much later here than I think they would be in small town America (*cough* St. Louis *cough*).

See? Lovely pedestrian street all light up at night.

Second, crime rates are much lower here. I'm not saying Korea is perfect, it definitely has its problems, but I think the lack of crime can be attributed to Korean culture and values. As my friend and I like to joke about the Chinese, "upholding the family honor" is just as important in Korea. People consider their actions not just a reflection of themselves, but of their families too. This certainly holds one more accountable for one's actions. Third, drugs are extremely taboo, and not in the American "it's illegal and people do it anyway way", but seriously...not that I would really know, but drug culture here appears to be almost non-existent.

When you don't have to worry about drug abuse and crime, a lot of possibilities open up...running along a river at night, wandering around at night in general, lots of public bathrooms, etc. Now I'm not suggesting that America tries to go drug-free Korea style. The war on drugs is already fruitless and costly, and I think it's already way too ingrained into mainstream culture (the glorification of the 60s and what not). However, although Korean society is much more restrictive in many ways, it's interesting to consider the possibilities, should I even say, the freedoms that arise when you don't have to worry so much about crime. It's not just Yeoju. Given its size, Seoul is considered one of the safest cities in the world, with minimal violent crimes and even low rates of theft and pickpocketing (not to say it doesn't happen, I know people in Yeoju who've had their motor bikes stolen).

Here you can see the arches I was talking about.

Especially with the new healthcare legislation being passed in the United States, I've been thinking a lot about Korean vs. American political and social values. What laws, social norms, and traditions really lead to the kinds of freedoms I've experienced here? I've never felt safe walking around at night in the States the way I do here. People may stare or say things, but it's harmless compared to worrying about being mugged or worse. Of course, there is certainly a trade-off; because of the high pressure put on individuals here to represent the achievements of themselves and their families, mental illnesses are seen as weaknesses rather than medical conditions that need to be dealt with seriously. Suicide is a huge unresolved issue here.

But...to end on a lighter note, here's some other funny things I discovered while wandering the streets of Yeoju at night (my new favorite activity). Plus it makes me feel like I'm working out more...

Squid tank in front of a restaurant....see? You can have your squid and eat it too! Okay I admit I really just wanted to make that joke...

I think it's a bar...clearly a business in the front, party in the back kind of place.

Culture Terror: Amanda Eats Beondegi

Hidden away in the small, seemingly harmless town of Yeoju is a group of mysterious, and reportedly boisterous expats known as the "Yeoju Crew".

The Crew is a super exclusive society into which one must be initiated by performing the following tasks:

1) Physically living in Yeoju, or one of the surrounding towns
2) Playing nice with the other members of the Crew (failure to comply with this rule may result in your being ostracized from the (Facebook) group).  
3) Taking shots of Soju and perhaps enjoying the occasional alcoholic beverage

And the infamous number four....

4) Eating Beondegi, that is, steamed or boiled silkworms that have been seasoned and canned (Koreans really enjoy them as a snack, you can easily find them anywhere you go)

I was doing pretty well with the Crew until I finally hit number four last night. This blog post also could have been titled: How a Small, Ineffectual Dead Bug Almost Sent Amanda Packing Back to America. I don't really tell many people this because it's sort of strange, but I have a serious fear of eating bugs (that I can see, I know I know they are on all my vegetables) and even things that have multiple legs, especially if they have eyes that can stare back at me. I pretty much won't eat crab or lobster for this reason.

In the past it was easy to simply refuse to eat foods that freaked me out, but it was a bit unavoidable last night when members of the crew were holding forks with beondegi on them inches from my face. For about eight minutes and fifty seconds (I know this time because there is a video which I may choose to post a clip of later), I squirmed, squealed, sweated, and otherwise almost cried as I contemplated my impending fate. Peopled tried to offer words of encouragement: "It tastes like roast beef!" "It's like eating a peanut!" "Just f*cking get it over with!" most of which was useless in my near nervous break down state.

Finally though, after a couple shots of Soju, a count down, and what might have been a panic induced blackout... I ate it.  It took one bite, felt something squish, swallowed, took another shot of Soju, and wolfed down some french fries that were sitting on the table in front of me. Now that the task is complete, I will never again touch a beondgi.

Though I should probably thank the Crew since now I have truly conquered my worst fear and experienced serious not-for-your-average-tourist Korean culture. I will proudly announce to the world: I, Amanda Segal, who feels terror in the presence of tiny harmless bugs, ate one of those suckers. How does my stomach acid feel, biatch? 

Yeah, see those gross brown larva looking things...I ate one. Ew, I can barely even look at this picture right now.

Yeoju

My friend Morgan pointed out that the Yeoju wikipedia page is severely lacking, so while exploring today I took some pictures of the town for everyone to see. One of my biggest regrets from living in Padova, Italy was not actually taking any good photos of Padova! I think I got so used to living there that I forgot about that kind of thing. To avoid the same remorse, I decided to take some pictures of Yeoju while I still don't mind feeling like a tourist/ crazy foreigner (though I'll probably always look like a crazy foreigner, or ""waygook", to people who live here).

This the view when you leave my apartment complex. Not sure what that funky building on the right is, it might be a love motel. For those who don't know, many Koreans live at home until they're married, so if they are in need of some cuddle time with their significant other they can rent a room at a love motel (for a night or by the hour). I've heard they aren't always as sketchy as one might imagine, but a lot of them are themed!

FamilyMart is like the 7 Eleven of Korea, even though they also have 7 Elevens...it's also very curious that most big chain stores in Korea have English or pseudo-French-sounding names even though no one here really speaks any English...A for effort I guess?

 I live about a mile from the downtown, so here's a nice view from my walk today. More big girl news: I didn't even get lost!

 Up until the 1960s Korea had an agricultural economy and culture which is still very much active today. There are rice paddies everywhere around here, even next to highways! This may seem silly, and hard to tell from the picture, but they are such a lovely shade of green! I think they make the landscape look very pretty, a literal "sea of green".

Across the highway you can see more agriculture. They grow a lot of corn as well as various fruits and vegetables I think. Towards my school, which is farther from the downtown, you can see much bigger growing areas...I'm not sure if it's right to call them farms. Either way it's nice to see where my food is coming from! This might also sound strange but food here actually smells, and not in a bad way, it's just not overly sanitized like the food we eat in America. To me at least, the local vegetables I've bought here have had a little more of a distinct taste.

This is the Yeongil pavilion. It used to be an entrance way of sorts to the town office which has now been moved. It's in a park about halfway between my apartment and the main downtown area. The best part of the pavilion however is this:

After hiking up the long stairway to the pavilion I was rewarded with this view! And this one:

 

That's the opposite side of the river, my school is a bit beyond those buildings I think. 

 

Those are the stairs I went up to get to the pavilion, though it sort of looks like a flat path from this angle. Once you go down the stairs and out of the park you're pretty close to the main shopping/dining area in Yeoju.

The best thing about the river is the long running/walking path that runs along it. Finally, some good motivation to get back into shape!!

Here's a cute little street I found while shopping. I like it because those stands sell fresh tempura vegetables! Smells soooo good. you need some smell-ivision right here.

This is the pedestrian street. There are tons of shops there, and every five days is market day when the vendors fill the street with temporary kiosks. The street is lined with arches that are a bit hard to see with the glare from the sun.

I'm sure I'll post some more pictures of Yeoju when I get to know the town a little better, but perhaps for now I should help out the town's wikipedia page...

Eating in Korea and other Culture Shocks

--> Those who knew me before the age of 14 can attest to the fact that I was once a very picky eater. My diet consisted mostly of frozen chicken nuggets, spaghetti, and Kraft Mac n’ Cheese. Although my tastes have expanded greatly since then, there are still some foods that I’ve always been hesitant to try, particularly in the seafood arena. So I don’t know if it was the jet lag, the head spinning amount of new things to process, or the four shots of Soju (it's the staple Korean liquor, it's about as strong as watered down vodka and tastes like it too), but in the last 24 hours I’ve eaten, and rather enjoyed, both pig bone soup and intestines…of what animal do you ask? I don’t know, their innards were about noodle sized and tucked away in a massive plate of seafood, so perhaps a fish?

Pig bone soup (Gamjatang in Korean) was actually my first meal in Korea so I was eating it unawares but I’m glad I did because it is AMAZING. In fact, I think I might be hard pressed to find something I like more. Pork is pork right? I didn’t enjoy the intestines as much but it wasn’t because of the taste, because honestly, at least the ones I had didn’t taste like much without soy sauce. They kind of look and taste like plain ramen noodles, only a little more squishy... 

Gamjatang, just add rice.

So I want to do a series of posts on Culture Shocks since I know I’ll encountering a lot of that. Though I should note that I think the term “culture shock” has a bit too much of a negative connotation for me. While I expect to have uncomfortable, frustrating moments, as I said before, that’s kind of why I am here…to be shocked and surprised. I certainly shocked my co-workers in return, who politely mentioned at the dinner table that they thought westerns were taller. I admit, the change in the height bell curve here has been nice for me. I’m still short; it’s just less obvious.

So onto actual culture shocks: I already mentioned the shoe thing, so I think they next thing would be introductory conversations. I mentioned how some students came in asking me questions that might raise some eyebrows for teachers in the States: How old are you? Do you have a boyfriend? But in Korea this helps them determine your social status and how they should treat you. While I’m still not sure how I feel about the emphasis on status yet, I think it’s interesting that these seemingly personal questions are accompanied by a shy disposition. When I answered the students’ questions they basically giggled and ran away. I asked a teacher in the room if I had embarrassed the students and she replied that they are just shy.

Though I find the disconnect between such forward questions and the shy attitudes a bit hard to understand, I am certainly feeling some shyness in the reverse. Many of the teachers who speak English have been very friendly in speaking with me and offering to show me around when they have the time. I am excited to speak with them and want to establish connections with them, but I admit I find it difficult to ask an older person about their age and if they are married (granted the latter is pretty much a given), even though this is a big factor in determining your relationship with that person.

I find it almost painfully embarrassing to ask an older person about their age and marital status like I’m conducting a census, since I’ve been taught my whole life that it’s extremely impolite to do so. It’s not that you have to ask people how old they are or ask personal questions, but it shows an understanding of their cultural emphasis on status and hierarchy. Even a few years of age can make a big difference in the way people treat you. I’m trying to rid myself of the fear that I will encounter the one Korean person who is offended when I ask them about their age.

On my first day I got to attend the school’s 42^nd birthday ceremony. For the most part it was a lot of people making speeches that I couldn’t understand, but at the end the kids put on a sort of talent show. It was like a battle of the bands meets dance competition. Between school, work, and more school I have no idea when students in Korea find the time to be so awesome.

The students put on some fantastic musical performances, including a great rendition of one of my favorite American songs, Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” I’m devastated I didn’t have a camera to record the dance performances. A few groups of boys danced to K-Pop songs, which turned out to be like a live version of America’s Best Dance Crew. If you don’t get that reference, then it reminded me of the time I went to a Backstreet Boys concert in sixth grade. That not ringing a bell either? Then imagine a group of high school or middle school boys emulating these guys, cause that’s what they were doing, and the girls were screaming like they were the real thing:

Korean K-pop band U Kiss. Note: the students dancing were dressed like this.

 And the girls who danced were trying to move it like these girls:

The girls were not dressed like this, they wore their school uniforms.

I think this is the group another teacher told me the girls were dancing to. EVERYONE listens to K-pop, young and old. I'd post music videos but the internet connection I'm stealing is too slow. You can Youtube them easily though. During the ceremony, I found it interesting that the boys’ dance moves were noticeable more energetic than the girls’. They were all talented, but the boys flailed and shimmied while the girls kept their limbs controlled and close to their bodies, often repeating the same moves. It seemed like a clear demonstration of the different behavioral expectations for boys and girls in Korea. Though all students tend to be shy on some level, the boys seem more forward and confident than the girls, who’ve probably been taught to be more reserved and demure. 

After the ceremony I went to a dinner hosted by the school’s Chairman for all of the teachers. Teaching is a highly respected profession in Korea; being a teacher here is akin to being a doctor or lawyer in the States. My school in particular is one of the best in the area, almost the equivalent of a private school in the US, so the teachers have a lot of school pride…which they exhibit in the form of loud toasts and shots of Soju. After giving a toast (of which there were many), the teacher giving the speech would shout “Yeogang!” (the name of the school) and everyone would respond by shouting the Korean word for “for”, to emphasize that the toast is “For Yeogang.” Even just sipping after each toast, I still managed to drink four shots of Soju. I’ll save the “drinking-in-Korea” post for another time.

In big girl news, I finally figured out how to turn on my hot water (to save energy you turn it off and on)…don’t make fun, this would have been an easy task if my control panel wasn’t in Korean:

What I'm working with...I have no idea what most of those buttons do.

Minute 1 in Korea: Stop Calling Maybe

You're probably scratching your head over this post title, so I'll explain. First, I thought it was more attention grabbing than "South Korea Day 1" and two, after flying over 6000 miles and stumbling my way through a few basic Korean phrases, I got into the cab to go to my school and the first song that came on the radio was "Call Me Maybe." Not that I wanted to escape that song (yes, I love it)...but I didn't think that I would have no choice in the matter. Carly Rae, you have clearly outdone yourself.

People here keep asking for my first impressions but it's kind of hard to say since while they certainly have western conveniences, in a lot of ways things are very different and it seems to be coming at me all at once. For example, I keep forgetting to take my shoes off before entering buildings, including my classroom and restaurants. However, being someone who is generally adverse to footwear and likes to wear flip flops until it snows, I think I will get to used to this tradition very quickly.

The thing that struck me most while driving to Yeoju is the sheer amount of HUGE housing developments that can be seen cropping up literally every mile. I don't mean a couple of houses, I mean like 6 to 8 massive apartment complexes clustered together in a sea of identical towers. It's very surreal looking. It's made even more surreal by the semi-perpetual haze, which hails from China, hanging over the buildings...maybe it's time to start looking into renewable resources? Right now I am on the school computer, but I will try to upload pictures next week when I get my Wi-Fi set up in my apartment. Here's a picture of the buildings I took from my phone while in the cab to Yeoju...not the best picture but you get the idea.

New high rises being built. And that's not Seoul!

Yeoju is about an hour from Seoul and is a little more rural than I imagined but it does have a sizable downtown area with anything you would ever need, including a Dunkin' Donuts! Apparently Koreans really like sweet coffee drinks (vanilla lattes, macchiatos, etc). There is also a nice river flowing through the town. My apartment is absolutely, almost unnecessarily, huge. It has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a living room, full kitchen, and two balcony areas. I do not mean to complain! My situation is extremely unusual and most foreign teachers have very small apartments. However, it is a bit overwhelming considering I've never lived totally by myself before, and it feels a tiny bit creepy with all of those empty rooms.

On the upside, I have lots of room for those who want to come visit! And lots of room for entertaining so I don't have to hang out by myself. A word of advice for anyone thinking about moving to Korea to teach: use the Arrival Store! It's a service that delivers basic apartment necessities, like bath towels, bed stuff, converters, etc. The can deliver to your apartment or school, which is seriously convenient when you arrive at 4pm, immediately get taken out to dinner, and have no real time to unpack (that's pretty standard).  They also got me a cell phone with a contract even though I think I technically need my alien card first, which I probably won't have for another month. My co-teacher likes to joke about how I am alien, like ET.

So far I love my school. My co-teacher is super friendly and very helpful! The language barrier hasn't been too much of a problem since he helps translate for me. I am trying to pick up Korean phrases here and there, but I think because I am the token "foreign English teacher" I am just supposed to speak English anyway. Right now I am actually at school, but I have time to write this since it is the school's anniversary and there is no class. Just a ceremony in the afternoon, which I am really excited for because all of the kids dance to K-pop and do other performances (K-pop is Korean pop for those who don't know. I'm sure I'll do a post on it eventually but you should definitely Google some K-Pop music videos). Though it may go without saying, school is a very big deal here, so school celebrations are very common.

Now I'm sure once I have to start teaching classes the humor of it will wear off, but right now I'm pretty much at celebrity status. No joke, the kids cheer, clap, and giggle when I talk. Even when I just say "Hello." In the hour I've been here many have come to the office to ask me questions. Two boys just came in asking if I had a boyfriend and which one of them I thought was more handsome. I told them I would choose after class; whoever was better behaved I would consider more handsome.

I'm not sure if the students totally understand me but it's nice that they all smile anyway. They are all super shy! It's kind of cute (then again, it might be less cute when I'm actually trying to teach them and get them to speak in English). When I answer their questions they all giggle. Though their questions might seem forward, I've been told that in Korea it's common to ask personal questions when you first meet people. I'm trying to devise clever answers for awkward questions students might ask.

I also met with the principle this morning who was very nice. My co-teacher had to translate and he asked me if I could play an instrument or sing. I told them I can sing, but hopefully that doesn't mean I'll have to do it in front of an audience. Worse comes to worst, I'll bust out my shower edition of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." Anyway, I was also informed that I am the first female foreign teacher they've ever hired, they have always preferred males in the past. I definitely got the impression that my performance will determine if they hire another female foreign teacher...well, challenge accepted!

It's weird to be giving up-to-the-minute blog updates but I think I'm stuck at my desk until noon. It's the same feeling that even though I said goodbye to lots of people when I left, 14 hours later I turned on my phone, went on Facebook, and pretty much resumed the same interactions I was having before I left the States. Even though I'm certainly facing some culture shock right now, after hearing "Call Me Maybe" on the radio, it still feels like the world is pretty small! I had another more sappy-sentimental post for my first day that I wrote before arriving but it's currently stuck on my laptop, so you'll have another "Day 1" post to look forward too.

Where in the world...?

So I decided to post this handy dandy map of Asia for those of you who don't know where Korea is exactly. Yes everyone knows it is in Asia, but if you haven't looked at a map lately, Asia is pretty big.

So there it is! And while I know everyone loves to make Kim Jong-Il jokes (especially after looking at this blog: http://kimjongillookingatthings.tumblr.com/) I hope people realize that I am going to South Korea, and not North Korea. I plan to steer clear of the DMZ. However I do plan to visit China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and Australia. At least that is the goal for when my contract is up in February, but we shall see!

If you want to get really specific, here is the Google map of Yeoju, you can see it's pretty close to the big cluster of cities that surround Seoul.