One of the teachers seems to have taken a liking to me. She's extremely sweet, speaks broken English, but has really tried to show me how much she cares. For example, as a token of her affection, a few weeks ago she came to school with a big jug of kimchi. She was so proud! Especially when she told me that she had dug it up from underground where she had been storing it for the last three months! Apparently they believe that the longer it sits in the soil, surrounded by the natural elements, the longer it has the chance to fermet and become truly delicious. That jug is still sitting in the back of the refridgerator, unopened and without hope of ever being eaten.

Yesterday was even better. I was sitting in the library (on the opposite side of the school campus) when she found me. In her hand was a plastic bag, and I was immediately more than a bit wary. A second later, she pulled out a sandwich in a fast food wrapper with as much pride and delicacy as if she were handling a newborn. "This," she whispered, "is a shrimp hamburger I bought for you LAST NIGHT." She had been keeping it in her desk all morning for safekeeping, eagerly anticipating the moment she could bequeath me with her delicious prize. Feeling it, I knew she spoke the truth: it was indeed a cold, leftover shrimp burger from the night before. She asked me to take a bite, I did, and all I could stutter was, "Delicious!"

written by  Rachel in Korea! on October 9, 2008 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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The hike itself was within my range of capability, but my small fear of heights was tapped as we neared the top. The peak of the moutain is nothing but boulders, and in order to get to the top without needing a harness and some sturdy rope, we had to climb a staircase that somehow managed to forget that it needed actual stairs. It's true! It was a red skeleton of what it should have been, so every step up was only a few bars ineffectively hiding the distance to the safe ground below. But the staircase from hell was absolutely worth it once we got to the top and were able to see the scenery surrounding us. What beauty!

The Koreans are fiercly proud of their mountainous region, and it is not at all difficult to understand why. The mountains have assumed themselves as part of the Korean character, and have provided an unprecedented backdrop on which the scenes of Korean history have been played. Much of the culture of Korea revolves around the influence that the mountains have had on everyday life.

People come to the mountains seeking a brief respite from the chaos into which their lives have evolved. Throughout the hike, I felt as though I was not only partaking in a typical pasttime of Korea, but also being shown a sliver of the origin of the intoxicatingly fierce nationalistic pride.

written by  Rachel in Korea! on October 20, 2008 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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Clothing plays a central role in most cultures, even if the members do not comprehend the full implications of their style of physical representation. Originally used solely as protection from the elements of nature, it has evolved to become one of the most visible forms of self expression that most individuals have access to. It betrays one's social status, their general level of income, their preferred tastes, and even, if we dare take it this far, their general outlook on life. One who invests heavily in their appearance most likely has a greater concern for a need of acceptance than those who are willing to don whatever is closest to their reach. While obviously impossible to make blanket statements about all countries’ manner of dress, a closer analysis reveals certain patterns reveal general attitudes about the role of others in one’s personal path of self acceptance.

The state of one’s appearance takes on a pivotal role in the Korean culture, so much that both men and women care equally about how they are perceived by others. Each student has their own personal mirror and comb, which they use multiple times in a single class period. The girls use curlers in the morning to ensure that their straight hair has just the proper amount wave to it throughout the day, and even the boys constantly adjust their hair so that it falls “just right”. My friend Nick’s Korean cell phone has a second purpose when not lit up: the screen becomes a mirror so that one will never have to be without a reflective surface again!

The obsession goes past one’s physical appearance to include a rigorous upkeep of one’s wardrobe. Fashion trends have never moved through a country as quickly as they do here. If any particular manner of dress has been modeled somewhere in the world, the Koreans will adopt it as their own, add their own twist to make it authentically Korean, and continue the style until a new and better one arrives to take its place. While almost all trends are accepted, very few people stray from what they already know will be met with approval. Yet from an outsider’s perspective, it seems as though the people of this country are willing to pay whatever it takes in order to insure that they look the same as everyone else.

I am beginning to wonder if ties can be drawn between the intrinsic values that the culture has purported since each person’s birth and the dedication to a collective faction. Instead of believing in the ideal of individuality of the West, Koreans believe that it is always better to be seen as part of the group than as a separate individual. All actions are undertaken only once they have been confirmed as not disrupting the harmonious balance that the culture strives to maintain between the various Confucian relationships of the people. Perhaps the obsession with their appearance can be attributed largely to the fact that they strive to remain seen as belonging to the crowd, and not as people with their own sense of individuality. Or, expressed in a different way, Korean people seek their version of individuality through the ideals that their culture has prescribed to them, and see their clothing as an ideal opportunity to confirm that they do indeed belong to the collective whole.

written by  Rachel in Korea! on October 29, 2008 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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SungSou, a friend from Madison, is both a Business major and a French major, while being practically fluent in English. We were finally able to see him on Friday for the first time in months, and what a treat it was! We met near Hangkuk University of Foreign Studies, where he attends, so that we could be exposed to a true Korean university experience. After wandering down winding alleys lined with brightly-decorated restaurants with delicious-smelling offerings, he led us into a packed restaurant. The decor was quintessently made for university students: christmas lights strung on the ceilings, enormous soju posters hung on the walls, and markers all around so that everyone might discover their hidden artistic talents, with only the walls having to pay a small sacrifice. Regardless, the restaurant is apparently famous for its delicious, enormous, and best of all, cheap pajeon. And, surprise surprise, it lived up to its reputation! Deeeelicious. (Pajeon is a type of doughy Korean pancake, usually stuffed with seafood, green onions, and whatever else is around the kitchen that the cook is trying to get rid of. A favorite!)

Being wooed by Adam's amazing French skills

Basking in the French-speaking glow

The day itself was less than ideal, as it was overcast with a slight drizzle falling throughout the course of the afternoon. But this soon did not seem to matter, as I

Before the candy-bribing begins

The majority of the rest of the afternoon was spent traipsing around as Dooly the Dinosaur), asking all of the children if they wanted pieces of candy.

Just doing ourthing...

Dooly and the students

Of course the students are smiling, they just received candy!

All of the lucky native speakers

The sign outside a "beer garden" in Dongdaemun

New friends have been made, which is always a positive point. I've begun going to a weekly dinner in Uijeongbu specifically for English teachers. The mastermind behind the meetings is a South African man that somehow convinced his school that these dinners are necessary to the native speaker's morale, so the Korean government sponsors them! Well, not the beer, because apparently a few weeks ago (before I started going!) the beer flowed a little too quickly and caused the government to insist that we now pay for our own. Probably better this way. I feel so lucky to have been invited, because they really are a great chance to get together with other people who speak the same language and share what's been going on in our lives. If nothing else, find support and ideas for dealing with whatever might come up during the week.

Every weekday still begins with me at Nammun, doing whatever they think I do best. The students still like me, so I must be doing something right! The school is actually finishing up their final exams today, which means that the end of the semester should be relatively smooth sailing. The school year finishes at the end of December, and begins in March, so the students are getting excited to be done. Especially the 9th graders, who are about to make the transition to high school, seem to be getting particularly anxious! I think that more than anything, my job the next few weeks will be simply to keep the students under control. I'm not exactly sure why exams are given with three weeks left in the year, but whatever, it's merely my job to go with it. So go with it I shall...

The weather has turned cold, and everyone is preparing for the long winter ahead. In fact, in snowed the other night, and all of Korea celebrated! That is, until the next morning, when they quickly remembered that they had to drive the through the mountains on the slippery roads from the night before. While the snow didn't stay for long, it was a good reminder that winter is now indeed upon us, and measures must be taken to stay warm! I've begun wearing long underwear to school because of the cold. I think I've mentioned it to a few of you, but few areas of the school are actually heated. Luckily for me, I sit right underneath one of the large heaters in the teacher's room, so I'm fine while at my desk, but the classrooms tend to be a different story. And then I see the poor girl students in their knee-length skirts, and wonder how their legs still manage to work after the cold!

Alright, time for class, thanks for reading, and send me reminders to get my butt in gear and keep this thing up to date! Love, Rachel.

written by  Rachel in Korea! on December 10, 2008 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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Yes, that which is beyond my comprehension boils down to the simple mechanical ingenuity that is the automobile. Not just any automobile, but specifically those of the Korean variety. And not only the said Korean automobile, but the Korean drivers that constantly put themselves in mortal peril as soon as they hop in.

Let us begin with the basic construction of the cars, and the rules that govern their interior space. The metaphor for that which is the essence of Korean driving can be witnessed through the simple fact that Korean cars do not come equipped with a seatbelt on the back right side. The back left and the center tend to always be provided for, yet for some unknown reason, perhaps a universal construction overlook due to there only being enough thread for all of the other seatbelts, the back right seat is always cheated out of this proven lifesaver. Add to the irony that the back right seat is thought to be the most revered and safest in the car, so that it is always an honor to be motioned to the seat. Being a woman, I have had the stroke of luck to be offered this seat every time there are two other men in the car. The men brave the innumerable dangers of the front seat with only their seatbelts for protection, while I am left in the safest spot of the car, which, of course, lacks the one tool known for its safety factor. Le it be known that I have nothing against the back seat. In fact, I adore it. For it is only in the back that one is allowed the privilege to enjoy a few precious moments of respite, as it is also considered improper to attempt to cross the invisible barrier between the front and back of the car with conversation. So here, in my seat of solitude, I have made a new art of weaving the words of the front, the music of the radio, and the strands of my own thoughts into webs that float along with as little care as to the path they take as does the driver.

The person behind the wheel holds the most important role of the car, that being to keep it on the road, away from other cars, and ideally steer it safely to its destination. I've realized that Korean drivers seem to find value only in the last duty on the list. No matter what the risks might be, drivers here seem fearless, using their cat-like reflexes to dodge any bullet that might be shot their way. Red lights are mere suggestions here, and even the presence of pedestrians does not always cause oncoming vehicles to reduce their speed. Left turns on red lights are frequent as well, and the cars that might otherwise have hit the semi that pulls out in front of them are forced to brake and skid off the road. And in mentioning 'cars,' I am of course referring to our own car on the way to school this morning. :)

I'm not familiar with the statistics of Korean traffic accidents, but I could see them being extreme in either direction. Between the lack of seatbelts and the conflicting careful daredevil attitude that persists, the I am once again beguiled by one small aspect of this fascinating country.

written by  Rachel in Korea! on December 11, 2008 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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Staring at the mountain in front of me. Obviously full of confidence, haha!

Documentation of the first few moments of Rachel + Snowboard = Chaos!

Teetering and tottering down the hazardous slope also known as the bunny hill for four hours, I slowly honed my snowboarding skill so that by the end of the day, I was able to maneover my board and myself down to the bottom and safety while staying upright. Upright is of course a relative term, because no matter how much my "skills" improved, I was continuously hunched over, arms splayed, ready to wobble as much as was necessary to preserve balance.

As with any practice, certain skills come more easily than do others. Snowboarding is no exception. In my case, I quickly realized that first came standing, then came moving while standing, then came turning while moving and standing. While these can be faceted into any and every odd combination, I discovered that very few led to snowboarding success. At one point during the afternoon, I was learning the technique behind the ever-evasive turn. Sliding down the mountain, I quickly picked up how to turn left, and became ecstatic at my new skill proceededing to keep it up as long as possible. However, as all people know, hills are not infinite, and bunny hills have edges. This became increasingly apparent to me as me and my board slid closer to the leftmost part

Yes, that's right...I coordinated my orange gloves to match the fence. Of course.

This being said, Korea has the most ingenious winter tradition of any that I have previously witnessed. While mountains abound in this country, lakes and ponds do not. So during the winter season, some generous Korean farmers flood their small Fields with water just enough so that it freezes and provides a smooth surface on which children (at heart) can play.

Life has been full of occurrences the past few months. Going back to the States for a week, a new semester, family coming to Korea, it's hard to keep track of it all! But let me try to give a brief rundown on the main events~~

The end of February saw me back safely to the US for a week and a half to spend much-needed quality time with family in Denver. Everyone was able to be home together for a weekend, which was such a blessing. I was able to have happy moments with not only the family, but also with American shopping!! Shoes that fit my Western gorilla feet, jeans that extend past my calf, who knew that such ordinary items would be worth their weight in gold to me this far into my time in Korea! Not only was I able to revel in American shopss, but I made sure to stuff myself silly with food that I had been missing from home. Top of the list was salmon and fresh baby spinach. Mmmmm.

Being around such ordinary things in America was a wonderful reminder to not take for granted the little things we see daily. As much as I loved being home, it was a good wake up call to make sure to appreciate every day I've been given in Korea. Just as moments at home were fleeting, they are here as well, and I don't want to miss a single one!

I'm now one month into the new school year here. It's bizarre to Americans, but Koreans work their school year differently, instead beginning a new school year with the beginning of a new calendar year. Vacation times still roughly coincide with those in the US, but even those vary in their utility. Technically speaking, the students have most of January and February off for their winter and spring vacations, yet they use this time for intense educational camps. I led an English camp for interested students in January, and know already that I will do something similar in July.

While I don't think that I will be a teacher for life, I've come to love the chance to work with students here. There is the obvious English instruction, but I've come to love what happens outside of the classroom even more than I do English. And that's saying something! The students have begun to overcome their instilled Korean shyness to actually interact with the weird foreign alien teacher! Obviously some are more willing to talk than others, but everyday brings me new stories and smiles from what happens at Nammun.

If the rest of my time continues in the same fashion, it will have been a fantastic year indeed!

written by  Rachel in Korea! on March 30, 2009 from Seoul, South Korea
from the travel blog: South Korea, 2008-2009
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