All kinds of wonderful [waygook edition]

Holiday's are a time for family. A time to make turkeys out of potatoes, toothpicks, and multicolor mini-marshmallows. They are a time to watch Bubbie unwrap a headlamp in White Elephant and a time to sit at the kids table and laugh so hard you cry. Holidays are a time to remember that, regardless of the loans I am now required to chip away at day-by-day, I am immensely "rich in love."

I adore my family, both immediate and extended, and super-extended beyond all conventional definitions of blood relation. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be on holidays, or any group of people I'd rather be forever bound to by familial obligation. I have recently spent a fair bit of time away from my family, given my summers in Mukwonago, five years in Madison, semester in Italy, and this little stopover in Korea. My friends always seems to be saying, "You're leaving again?" or, "How can you just leave for so long?" or sometimes, "You are such an Albun!"  At the end of the day, I think it all comes back to my family and the knowledge that, while they may miss me, they will always encourage me to take advantage of these opportunities. At the end of the day, no matter how far I've traveled, or how long I am away, I know my family will be there when I return. I know I will always have a place to call home and I know they are happy for me, as long as I am happy with the choices I've made which, as it turns out, I am.

It is only natural that holidays spur feelings of nostalgia, and homesickness, in those who find themselves far from those they love. Truth be told, during my semester abroad, Passover was really the only time I let any little bit of sadness creep into my brain. This year, I have truly missed spending Thanksgiving and Chanukkah with my fam, and was sad to be absent from the annual O'hara family Christmas Eve celebrations.  I've realized, however, that I am truly blessed. Not only do I have amazing family and friends back home,  I have found a different sort of family during my time in Korea.

The University of Wisconsin sent approximately 50 graduates to teach in public schools across Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, this year. That is to say,  I "came here" with 50 people. Sort of.
The reality is that I did not know 96% percent of these fellow Badgers until about 18 hours before our August departure. Yet, here we are,  four months into a year in Korealand. Four months after arrival, when it seemed all that was required in a new best friend was a quasi confident command of the English language.  Four months have passed, a taste for kimchi has been acquired, chopstick dexterity has developed, lessons have been planed and taught and, somewhere along the line, something resembling family has formed. I've found those people that make me laugh, that get my sense of humor. I've found the people that get what I get, that recognize that I am really weird, but seem to like me more because of it. I've found people that I want to spend my time with, that I trust to listen, and who I know I will want to listen to (usually).

What's amazing is that the majority of these people are from UW. With the exception of a select few (courtesy of a beautiful meeting on bridge) these are people I went to school with for the last four or five years. These are former neighbors, friends of friends, craigslist roomies and, in some cases, repeated college classmates. Yet, it took flying 13 hours around the world to bring us all together.

It would be easy, I think, to dwell on the years I seem to have lost before even forming these friendships, and easier yet to feel that I am somehow cheating, or not taking making the full 100% effort to immerse myself in everything Korea. However, it seems it is far more practical, and less wasteful of opportunity, to simply appreciate those wonderful people I have stumbled on, so far away from our homes. Rather than dwell on the insignificant and unchangeable, I will instead marvel at the fact that sometimes it takes one flying leap of faith (and twist of fate) to bring people into your life that seem to immediately and comfortably belong there.

So, do you want to meet a few of them?

 

"We're all a little weird & when we find those people whose weirdness is compatible we join up with them & fall into a mutually satisfying weirdness & call them our best friends." 
- Boy Meets World (yeah...)

Emily Teacher Chingu!!

I feel, in some ways, like I've been running at full sprint for about two weeks. 
Logan (my college wifey) left 48 hours ago 
[actually about a week ago... this has taken a while to finish] concluding her eight day SOKO Vacay.  

The days leading up to her arrival were spent cleaning my apartment and plowing through the initial stages of my winter camp plans (All NETs are required to teach a few weeks of English immersion camp during school breaks). Once school let out on December 7th (can you believe its almost January!) I promptly boarded a bus and planted myself at the Songtan Intercity Bus Terminal, our designated meeting place, and began my coffee-crack-liquid-fueled vigil. To the confusion/amusement of the ticket teller, there I sat, reading my book and biting my nails, until she arrived a few hours later, having taken a bus from the airport.  

Her arrival lifted a great weight off my shoulders. I had spent the last hour or so thinking of what I could/would do if she didn't show up, as she had no cell phone or form of communication through which to send the all important, "I am lost somewhere in Korea" message. Fortunately my worries were unnecessary. Unfortunately, Logan forgot to inform United that her baggage would NOT, in fact, like to take a solo vacay to Ho Chi Minh City. I guess you can win them all.

We spent the first night hanging out at my apartment and enjoying each others long overdue company.  Logan was exhausted and I was perfectly content basking in the glow of having my friend in Korea, not to mention the bags full of love she brought from home including such all important items as  popcorn, nutmeg, Resce's peanut butter cups, a pie tin, nutmeg, and tide pens. 

We got a wonderful, warm, and very important night sleep, before heading off down the side of the road to Banji the next morning. I had neglected to tell any of my students that Logan would be coming to school with me on Thursday and, needless to say, the looks of surprise/confusion/elation on their faces when they notice another "teacher" in tow were priceless. She spent the day repeatedly answering

"What is your name?"
"Where are you from?"
"Are you married?"
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"How old are you?"
"Do you like Korea???"
"DO YOU WANT SOME MORE?!?"
"CAN YOU JOIN US?!!"

Confused?
The later two queries were shouted across the classroom by one of my not so well behaved or fluent, yet hysterical, fifth graders. On a regular basis I ask questions, and this student responds by shouting out random things they have been taught over the preceding weeks. While they may be wholly incorrect, he is so funny that I usually can't help but laugh and let it go, as long as he does not continue to be disruptive. Maybe one day we will reach the point where he understands what I am talking about.

In addition to answering a barrage of questions and being fawned over for her "golden locks," Logan also got to witness the general zoo that is my daily life. (Yes, I recognized I have not yet given my school, co-teachers, and students their deserved attention in this blog, I promise I am getting there). She even got to witness the super zoo, that is my 2nd grade after school class, on the extra special last class. Not only did this involve watching me try to corral one student, who regularly decides to log roll across the floor and who Juha likes to refer to as "naughty boy," it also meant that Logan Teacher (or Emily Teacher Chingu/friend) got to help fulfill the grand production that was melting and molding chocolate with twenty-six second graders. Mind you these are students who want nothing more than to leap from desk to desk and/or wrestle with Juha or I, when we turn off Sponge Bob at the start of class. 

Point of interest: after my last class I had two boys come up to me and have the following conversation "Emily Teacher! English. Undu-taika." "What?" "English. Underl-takerl." "Undertaker??" "Yes! Undertaker! Kane! English!" while handing me a marker. 
 The only thing that could top their elation, after I wrote both words on the board, was my question, "Undertaker, like WWE?" Cue 2nd grade shock and awe. Incidentally, I believe I have now found the source of their constant fighting. Thanks World Wrestling Entertainment.

The remainder of the week was spent running between various adventures around Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, including but not limited to:

1. Participating in an informative and enjoyable tour and temple life program at Bongeunsa Buddhist Temple. The afternoon was lead buy an adorable, middle aged Korean volunteer guide and included a walk around the temple grounds and within the prayer room, a green tea ceremony, guidance in Zen meditation, and  chance to make lotus flower lanterns. While a pesky cough got in the way of my most zen like state, and all my lotus petals wanted to do was stick to my gluey fingers, the afternoon was thought provoking, peaceful, and an experience I am very glad I had the chance to participate in, and share with Logan.

 

2. Wandering the winding streets and crowded corridors of Namdaemun Market, and stopping for a delicious feast along the way.

3. Meeting up with Ali, making besties with Moon, the owner of Backpackers Space hostel in Hongdae, and eating some Jimmdak (my favorite Korean dish) whose heat index may have rivaled the surface of the sun, before heading out for a fab night in Seoul. (In case anyone was wondering, I have the photo evidence to prove that the love of the peace sign in Korea is NOT a cultural stereotype. Additionally, it is a gesture I have fully and completely adopted during my time in the morning calm.) *thanks/credit to Logan for the photos

 

4. Getting our feet eaten by fishies.
Yes, you read that correctly. A handful of nail salons, as well as coffee shops, around Seoul proudly advertise their Dr. Fish facilities.  Basically you put your feet into pools of water filled with little Garra Ruffa fish who, in turn, happily and diligently nibble away at the dead skin on your feet and legs. I know that sounds totally gross, but I  thought it was pretty enjoyable. The process stimulates the nerves and blood flow in your feet and ankles, and leaves them feeling tingling and fresh, well after your fishy time is up. As I said, I enjoyed the experience immensely; however, I don't think the same can be said for Ali and Logan, who created quite the scene shrieking with terror, before finally plunging their feet into the water. Said scene continued for about 12 out of the15 minutes we had our feet in the pool. I guess Dr. Fish isn't for everyone, but I will definitely do it again!

 

AND 5. Heading up to Namsan (North Seoul) Tower to take in a fabulous view of the city and photograph the thousands of "love locks" locked on the fence overlooking Seoul. No, we did not add our own lock to the collection. Yes, we know our love is everlasting without a lock. We cemented our friendship long ago by laying on body pillows on the floor of Target and throwing aerobeds down the stairs to camp out in the solarium... what else do you need? Locks of Love have got nothing on this friendship.

One unexpected adventure came Sunday evening, when Logan and I tried to retrieve our overnight bags from the lockers in City Hall station, in which we had deposited them hours earlier. Getting our bags into the lockers was easy enough, with the help of some friendly Koreans. Getting them out... not so much. After glancing over a meaningless page of Korean instructions, I began futzing with the key pad trying every combination of options, figuring eventually one would work. My frustration mounted and unfortunately there where no friendly Korean helpers in sight. I even tried asking the woman selling pants next to the lockers for help. To which she responded "몰라요" or " I don't know" and to which I wish I could have screamed "All you have to do is read the KOREAN instructions!!" I refrained, however, remembering that she probably had no idea what I was blabbing about in my broken Korean in the first place. Basically, we were SOL.

Or so we thought.
Next thing we know, up walks Ajoshi, who has clearly enjoyed one to many of the Hites he is still clutching in one hand. He makes a valiant effort to help these two waygook's out and even attempts to run my debit card through the card slot about 5 times (obviously not working) before I quickly snatch it back from him, call out a "감사합니다" ("thank you") and wander off to find another source of help. Thankfully, the next set of lockers had English instructions that we were able to memorize before sprinting back to our backpack prison and, after 30 min of frustration, Emily and Logan could finally be seen doing a full on happy dance in the empty station, as we pulled out our newly freed bags and headed for the last train to Seojeong-ri station.

Thanks again to Logan for capturing this beautiful moment.

Over the next two days, Logan ventured off on her own to explore the city, as I had to return to Banji to teach my monsters. Ehem, children.  We met up each night/afternoon to continue our adventures and/or relaxation. After 8 days, I was sad to see her go and a bit lonely returning to my apartment to face the mountains of laundry, dishes and work I had ignored during her visit. While it is always sad to say goodbye, especially when you know you shall not see a person for QUITE some time, I am so grateful that I have such a good friend, who would fly halfway across the world to visit me, in a small suburb, in Korea.

On a related and totally unrelated note, I am equally grateful to Logan for coming to Korea as for being my running buddy during the latter part of college. It would be an understatement to say both of us looked at running as more of a chore than an enjoyable pass time at first, and sometimes still find it difficult to remain motivated. But, during senior year in particular, we pushed each other to lace up our shoes each night (somewhere around 10:30 pm) and head off to the gym. With Logan as a running buddy, I pushed myself to run farther than I ever had, without a soccer ball underfoot. While I've had my ups and downs with running recently, Miss Logi Faye has been running her butt off, training for (her first) Disney Marathon. She is running alongside the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training and has almost reached her goal of $5000.00,  raised as a donation towards LSS.  I want encourage anyone and everyone who wishes, to join me in both wishing her luck and  supporting her in her race the the finish line next month!

Courage.

This blog is about sharing and documenting a year in time. It is about sending strings of thought out over the ocean, in hopes that my friends and family back home will reach out and grasp the ends. It's about making sure I truly take this year to live, about reminding myself to observe and reflect, and remembering to record what I have seen and done. This blog is about the inevitable date in the future, when I've found myself far removed from daily doses of kimchi and rapid Hangul, that I wish to dive back into my adventure, sift through my memories, and weed out some revelation or series of thoughts that floated through my brain during my time away.

This blog is not about judgment, it is not about me wanting to hear the sound of my own voice, and it most certainly is not about politics. I like to think that, for the most part, my feet remain firmly planted on the ground, rather than climbing the soap box that unlimited access to the internet so often pushes people towards. But (again) at the end of the day this is my blog and I make the rules; so, just this once (I hope), onto the soap box I will climb.

threecupsoftea.com

Those of you who know me best, know I'm a huge cry baby. While I may spout off a seemingly endless flow of sarcasm, and can sometimes (often) let a less than impressed expression blossom from some wrinkled forehead eye squint combo action, it takes little more than a brief moment of vibrant happiness or grief in novel, television, and/or movie form to set me off. This character trait, inherited no doubt from my father, recently created some awkwardness on the subway. A few days ago, as I was crawling along Seoul Metro line 1, I found myself teary eyed and sniffling while reading Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

This novel, following Greg Mortenson's inspiration, struggles, setbacks and successes, as he attempts to build schools in rural Pakistan and Afghanastan, and detailing his belief that the true weapon against terrorism is education, is inspiring to the core. Passages describing the dedication of village leaders, and conservative Muslim mullah's, towards the moderate well-rounded education of their children (girls included) literally brought me to tears. I know I am a bit behind the times on this one, but Mortenson's story should be on the must read list for every American educator, politician, and citizen.

While it is relatively unsurprising that an inspirational account of one man, "providing the poorest students with a balanced education... making them much more difficult for the extremist madrassas to recruit.”1 would touch a nerve with me, tonight I found myself, once again, wiping my eyes, but at a most unexpected time. I do not usually cry while watching "The Daily Show," at least not tears of grief and sadness. This evening, however, I took a break from both my endless winter camp plans and a half finished blog post reflecting on Logan's visit, and decided to catch up with my friend Jon Stewart. Stewart has been particularly critical of Senate Republicans over the last few days, after they refused to allow a vote on the 9/11 Zadroga Act, which would provide health care benefits to 9/11 first responders suffering from aliments as a direct result of their courage and dedication to their country and the work they carried out at ground zero, until the senate came to an agreement on taxes.  Stewart's last episode of the year, brought tears of sadness, frustration and shame, as I listened to 4 first responders respond the the recent Senate activity.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
9/11 First Responders React to the Senate Filibuster
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> The Daily Show on Facebook

And here I am, atop my soap box.
For Senate Republicans to prevent this legislation from even reaching a vote, while trying to force compromise on tax issues, is disgusting. The world as we know it changed on September 11th. It is one of, if not the defining moment in my generations American, World, and political history. Those old enough to remember can certainly relay exactly where they were and what they were doing when t hey heard the first mention of the attacks. Incidentally, I was standing right next to the 6 fingered patriot, outside the big lecture rooms in the old building of SHS, about to head into 2nd hour student council study hall, in which I'm preeetyyy sure I sat next to Joey Bardos or Katie Balbirer.

9/11 sparked two wars that we are still fighting ten years later, and caused each and everyone one of us to question everything we thought we knew about our own safety, the safety of our nation, and the state of the world. There were a few people, however, who were not questioning their place in the world. While the rest of us sat in shock, glued to the television, trying to grasp the impossibility that something like this could even happen, the first responders were acting. They were responding because the had to, because it was their job, because all they knew how to do was help, because they were proud to be helping. Some brave heros lost their lives in the early stages of falling rubble and chaos; but others survived the initial disaster. Others lived on to help, and to continue to help for weeks and months, until the those trapped were rescused, the victims were recovered, and the site was cleared.  Others continued to help even though it meant returning to ground zero and reliving the horrors of 9/11 each and every day. Even though it meant, though they didn't know it at the time, that now, 10 years later, they would be dying, as much as a result of the 9/11 attacks as their peers who lost their lives on that day so many (or so few) years ago.

Congress, and the American people, owe it to the responders to help ease the burden of illness caused by their own heroism. We owe it to them to vote, to support them and recognize their service to the people of the United States. We owe it to them to for one second shove politics aside, and show that we remember the great service they paid, and that many continue to pay, to our country.

Perhaps, now that the Senate has come to an agreement on the precious tax cuts, we can finally see OUR representatives come together and support something that can only be seen as a tiny fraction of what we owe these American heros. Or maybe, it will get lost, once again, in the swamp of politics. We can only wait and see. However annoyed I maybe with many aspects of the American political circus, the last 48 hours have brought back a small spark of hope that the Senate may just do what's right by the end of the year. They've finally repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell, ending years of discrimination against another group of American heros so... Maybe.  Maybe. We can dream right?

Alright.
I've said my piece. I am climbing down. I will go back to planning enthralling English camp lessons and editing what I promise is a far less preachy, more Korea centered post. For those of you who made it this far, thank you for listening to my rant. These are my opinions and my opinions alone. I don't ask you to agree with them, or adopt them as your own. I simply ask that, on occasion, you allow thos blog to be a place for me to let off some steam. We've all got to do it every now and then.

For those who like the show, and even those who don't, the full Dec 16. episode of "The Daily Show," can be viewed using the following link: http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/368908/thu-december-16-2010-mike-huckabee

1 Ahmed Rashid, best-selling author of Taliban: Militant Islam and Oil in Central Asia and Descent Into Chaos.

 

Frozen Windows.

No denial here. I fully recognize that an update is well overdue. I shall vow to spend an hour or so, in the near future, indulging in an adorable latte and organizing the rambles floating around in my brain. For now, a few frozen windows in time and space will have to suffice. 

"And that’s why we travel, or why we should. Not to forget our worries, which will follow us anywhere – across oceans, up mountains, through deserts, down every crowded alleyway and boulevard of the city – but simply to be somewhere else. To exist, as always; but to exist in different surroundings. What happens after that, we can never really predict..." -Unknown

Everyday [America] Korea

Perhaps you have notice there is a bit of shenanigans going on over here on the peninsula.  Perhaps you have also noticed I have been a tad absent from the verbal blogosphere in the last 2 weeks. I've recently realized that the two are directly connected, although not because I have been living in a bomb shelter as, no doubt, the western media would like you to believe. To be honest, I've just been avoiding writing a post about North Korea because it's annoying and I don't want to. I actually sat down and wrote half of a ridiculously long post, trying to explain some of the background of how we got into this mess, before promptly deleting it because I was annoyed and it wasn't the kind of writing or reading I enjoy doing. I know it's a cop-out and I know people at home are worried and want to know what's going on; so, I will give you a bit to chew on, but can't promise anything profound, intelligent, or as informative as some may like.

Basically, as a result of half a centuries worth of mistakes made by a whole lot of people (U.S. included) the situation is as follows:

North Korea recently shelled Yeongyeong Island  off the North West cost of South Korea, killing 2 Marines and 2 civilians. Yeongyeong lies in South Korean waters south of the Northern Limit Line (the H2O extension of the DMZ, dividing NK and SK) as recognized by SK, Japan, the US, the UN, and basically everyone else in the world. NK believes that the NLL was drawn to high, and that the waters surrounding the island are rightfully theirs. This sliver of disputed sea has been especially irksome, as it includes some of the best fishing waters in the region. The NLL WAS, in fact, drawn favoring the South. However, this line was eventually drawn without the North's permission, because the North refused to agree with anyone, on any line. Shocking.

So where were we..?
Right NK shells SK.

Now, SK Govt. is all like "WTF! We're going to drive some ships around to scare you!"
SK citizens are all out eating galbi and kimchi, thinking "Oh no! We're almost out of Soju! Waiter!"
KJI is saying, "SK totally fired first! AND we have big guns. Someone pay attention to me!"
NK citizens are still thinking "I'm really hungry, why is Kim Jong Un so porky? Do you think he's allowed to have his own garden?" 
US is like, "We will stand by our SK allies" (unless you are Sarah Palin, who wants to stand by KJI)
Japan is hauling ass to show everyone that they are siding with the good guys.
And China's watching cartoons, and eating popcorn, trying to tell everyone that NK is no big deal and we should all be friends.

OH, and the U.S. Media is telling everyone that the sky is falling and armegedon is knocking on the front door. Chill media. Chill.

Yes, I know this is a (somewhat) serious situation, and I shouldn't make light of it; but, as it's main impact on my life is that of continuous annoyance, I will do as I please. The important thing for everyone back home to know, is that I am safe and sound, going about my life as usual, just like everyone else in Korea not living on Yeongyeong. Moreover, I am currently sandwhiched between a U.S. Army Base, a U.S. Air Base, and a Korean Army something or other AND one of my friends here is U.S. Military and has not yet told me I need to worry.

I promise I will keep you updated on the goings on in the land of the morning calm and the land of Dear Leader (even if it comes in snarky comment and cartoon form) and I've already promised my mother I will stay out of the DMZ, until everything settles down. For now, this is just the reality of everyday life in South Korea, as it has been for the last 50 years.

Basically, I'm holding off on pressing the freak out button, until Brandon deems it necessary and until then will focus on all the wonderful things in my South Korean life such as purchasing my ticket to Thailand for winter break,  attending a spectacular Thanksgiving potluck with the wonderful friends I have here, spending a lazy Friday frying and eating inappropriate amounts of latkes with Ali,  finally giving my apt the Mr. Clean scrubdown it has needed for much time, and the fact that LOGAN FAYE ZINMAN COMES TO KOREA IN 3 DAYS!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

And there is it. I have recognized the pain in my tushie that is North Korea and can go back to focusing on everything else in my life. Hope you don't mind, as I'm sure it makes for more pleasant reading!

When you learn from the best.

And in tradition, we find comfort. 
Even halfway around the world.

[a way of] sneaking up on you.

 

I'll have to think of a new solution tomorrow...