a couple of yarns...

So I sucked it up last night, and armed with no less than 6 pages to help me translate fibers and labels, needlesizes and yarn types, I went to the local yarn shop in Hogye. It was a small little deal, probably about the same amount of stock as The Knit Cafe on Queen Street W. in Toronto, but the selection was not nearly so luscious...

After what seemed like hours of hunting, me desparately trying to say "cotton-wool blend" in Korean, and translating Japanese to English I ended up with some great finds... I scored some great mohair blends from Japan, some purple wool from origins unknown and a few balls of pink angora - one of my co-teachers has an adorable baby girl, and after feeling this wool, I knew that a hat (and maybe mittens!) must be made! No cotton-wool blends though, which means that the two sweaters I want to get started on are on-hold indefinitely - until I decide to order yarn online, or find more yarn stores to check out (not an easy task, I'm still not sure how to say the word "knitting"...)

Thank you for staying with me during my knit-tastic digression above. Now for some more digressing. Welcome to Dongmakgol. You must see this movie. I will be sending Jess a copy (subtitles included) so borrow it from her. It's really good - very funny and very sad at times too. About the Korean War, and soldiers who find themselves in a village blissfully unaware of the war.

The book that my elementary school co-teacher gave me is waaaaaay above my level. If anyone knows what " 별이 총총한 한밤충이었어요. " means, please post it in the comments section. I am hoping to move beyond the first line (maybe even onto the second page!) by next Tuesday.

The kimchi post is coming as soon as I can get the photos. I promise.

another quickie - knitting, korean movies and so much more

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Have been waiting patiently for a friend to send me the photographic evidence of the Gwangju Kimchi Odessey, but they've not yet arrived.

In the meantime, I've not been getting into much trouble. I spent last weekend at home (well, except for saturday evening). I've watched a gazillion cheesy korean movies (100 days with mr. arrogant, how to keep my love, the art of seduction -- all romantic comedies). Sunflower, which Chris and I went to see at the MegaBox movie theatre downtown (which means NO SUBTITLES) was a pretty standard Korean drama, and I of course cried and cried at the end. How could you not cry when the main character's sister is violently attacked and hospitalized, and his mother's killed by the same evil characters and then his sister (in the hospital still) asks about her mom, and oh! How the main character sat tragically in a burning building, certain death, after avenging the death of his mother and the beating of his sister. And how the sister, years later, has moved on from the deaths of her brother and mother (her entire family), but still remembers... who wouldn't cry? Heartless bastards wouldn't, I suppose. Anyways, pretty standard, but worth the 6,000 won simply for the experience. The look on people's faces to see two waygooks walk into a Korean film! ha ha ha.

The only one that I'd really recommend seeing is Daespo Naughty Girls, which is a totally raunchy and absurd comedy, but it kept me laughing and that's the important thing!

Why have I been watching so many movies? Becuase this weekend was knitting-weekend! Someone's having a baby so a sweater's on the go... someone has feet, so socks are on the go... someone else has feet too, so slippers are (still!) on the go... and so on and so forth...
Oh, and on Friday I totally traumatized myself by going to a knitting store downtown. Everything's different, eh. Needle sizes, yarn terms (of course!), even the types of common yarn! And while I was expecting there to be some English labelling on the yarns themselves, NOPE. What's a girl to do? Besides have an absolutely overwhelmed panic attack and leave the store feeling quite foolish for ever having entered.

However, I will return. With a (freekin') vengance. I will conquer the knitting store and buy (appropriate) yarn if it is the last thing I do in this not-so-vast nation. I am in the process of preparing a 13-page yarn shop resource for myself, including needle size comparison charts, japanese and korean translations for useful words, and how to judge yarn type without using the label. (If any random people want a copy of this epic guide, please don't hesitate to let me know! No one should have to do this much work simply so they can buy some yarn for a hat...)

Oh, more randomness. I decided that I would get a manicure last night, as my gift for surviving Monday (my hardest day). So, off to 또또 hair shop I go (same place I got my hair cut) and besides having the two cutest kids EVER hanging around the whole time, was a wholly pleasant experience... and apparently free! I asked how much, and I was told "service" which means that it's no charge! That's so nice! Clearly I will have to go back and get my hair trimmed next week.

One last thing to say in this not-as-short-as-I-thought posting... my schools (and my coteachers) freakin' rock. The teacher I taught grade 5 with, this was our last week teaching together. I am using the word "teaching" relatively lightly - really I lead games for half the class... I have really enjoyed working with him though, we've had a lot of fun! Anyways, he was so sweet, he bought me a korean book! It's about the moon and the sun and it has a cd with it so that I can practice my korean along with it. I'm hoping actually that I can talk him into helping me with my korean (speaking and listening) in exchange for some english practice time :-)

And that's really all. People are terribly terribly frustrating sometimes, and I feel terribly isolated and lonely sometimes, but it's actually pretty the same when I'm in Canada. I just happen to actually speak the language there, so I can't get away with as much!

I had a dream last night that I was fluent in Korean. Then I woke up. *sob* I will have to work harder at this... I've gotten really lazy.

kimchi festival (part 2) - the aftereffects

This is part 2 of a 2-part post. Part 1 will be posted as soon as I can get Chris to send me some of the photos... Chris, Angela and I went to Gwangju for a Kimchi Festival last weekend. Part 2 is going to be short. It is simply to say, when one eats too much kimchi, one may feel very very ill for one or two days. One's body may not know how to process all the fermented cabbage. One may curl up in bed and sleep for 13 hours straight. One may not be able to keep any food or liquid down for a 24-hour period. And remarkably, one may still be able to teach 11 classes over these 2 days. However, one is probably not able to do much else, besides wish they were dead.

That is all.

investing advice...

I almost forgot to mention this:
www.kiva.org

What is this? It's an organization that facilitates making loans to individuals in developing countries, so that they can start or expand businesses. The loans are quite small (by Canadian standards) - can you imagine going to the bank and saying "Can you lend me $500 so I can double the capacity of my business" in Canada? But all the same, they have a huge impact!

Capacity-building, people, capacity-building. PBS did a doc on the organization, and here's some feedback from some of the lenders: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/uganda601/lenders.html

By the way, all you need is a credit card, and something like $25.00, to get the ball rolling.

Mrah! Attack of the gulls, and other Busan fun...

Have you seen the Hitchcock film "The Birds"? Cuz, I haven't. Well, I kind of have. I've made three attempts and have yet to be able to sit through the full film. The first time, I was alone. I shut it off at the first appearance of scary attacking birds. The second time, I was with Bryan. We got a bit further into the film before it freaked him out too much (sorry for outing you on this one, Bry!) so we shut it off. Third time, alone again. I got as far as a death and (maybe a hospital room?) and shut it off.

So Liz and I went on a little boat tour of the Oryuk Islands in Busan on Saturday. Our boat was under siege for most of the journey.

This situation was not in any way helped by the woman sitting in front of us, who was giving the birds shrimp crackers. Every time they swooped in and dove for a cracker, she'd shout "oh yea". It was almost as if she'd never seen seagulls before.

The islands themselves were beautiful... and the cruise was quite fun...
Post-boat cruise, we trucked on over to O'Briens, an ex-pat bar in the downtown area of Busan, where we split a feast of nachos, a burger and fries. Now I know, nachos, not a big deal, but you have to understand that it can be SO hard to find non-Korean food here, even the chinese food and japanese food is "Korean" style. Sometimes, a girl needs her nachos. (LIZ!) That said, I really do like O'Briens, the whole place is so friendly. We ended up shooting some pool (North American-style) with these two guys from Changwon, and in an unrelated conversation I learned a few more variations on how to use the verb 가다 (to go). Wooo! I used it in the cab on the way home (호계동 가추새요) and this seemed to indicate to the cab driver that my fluency level was much higher than it was. Mrahhhh!

Sorry for getting sidetracked. So, 11-11 (Saturday) was Pepero Day (see the posting before this one). And as lovebirds and children gave each other Pepero and other candies, Liz and I did what any good Canucks in a foreign land would do, we started our day in Busan at the UN Memorial Cemetery. The history of the Korean War is amazing - I've been reading up on it since coming here. The idea of the Pusan Perimeter blows my mind. Knowing that so much of this country was destroyed only 50 years ago... as a sidenote, one of the reasons why SPAM is so popular here is because during the war, American soldiers distributed it to Korean citizens... it was a time where there was little food - absolute devistation - SPAM was fantastic! And now, it appears in many (many, many) Korean dishes regularly... I think I can physically see the difference in nutrition, too, this generation of Koreans seems taller than the last, which in turn seems taller than their parents. (of course, my sample group is my neighbourhood...) Sorry, sidetracked again.

Liz has great photos of our time there on her website, as well as some background - so I encourage you to hop on over to her blog and check it out.

Tonight I have a dinner with my fellow "English teachers" at my school here. The last time we went out, it was the "welcome Katrina" lunch and even though they are all ENGLISH teachers(so one would suspect they speak English) my entire "welcome" lunch was in Korean. So I'm not holding my breath on this one, but Wednesday night is the night that us foreign teachers seem to land at the WA Bar and I am looking forward to that :-)

I'm sorry this is so long, but I have one more thing - Friday night, Tom, Chris and I met up with three Korean guys that we'd met before (the restaurant owner and friends...) it was MUCH fun, I left at 2:30am, when they were on their way to norae bang, because I had to get up early the next morning. So fun, and proof that one does not need to be fluent in a lingua franca to have a great time. We all communicated just fine!

pepero day!

Tomorrow, November 11th, is many things. It's Rememberance Day across most of the world. It's my parents' anniversary (I think perhaps their millionth year of marriage? Happy anniversary mom and dad!). And here in Korea, tomorrow, November 11th, is Pepero Day!

What is Pepero, you may ask? Why, it's the Korean version of those chocolate-covered cracker/cookie sticks sold as Pocky in Japan. I did a bit of research to see which came first - and it is indeed Pocky (1966). Peperos weren't sold until 1983.
There is an entire day devoted to Pepero because it's 11-11. Get it? The numbers look like Pepero sticks!!
Seriously. That's the reason. The wisdom of the Lotte marketing department (they're the makers of Pepero, and I swear, half the stuff in Korea!) is astounding.

It's been great subject for "free talking" - I have asked all of my classes about it, and each class has tried to teach me how to say Pepero (빼빼로) properly. (Ironically, we're doing a pronunciation-themed lesson this week!) So far (and much to my surprise) I've received a few boxes of Pepero, but I've been secretly regifting them because I can't eat them. The stores all have huge displays set up and the kids are all walking around with tonnes of Pepero today. I can hardly wait until my next class, in the final period of the day. The kids should be on such a sugar-high...

To read a little more about Pepero Day, visit here.

I got a haircut!

This is totally self-indulgent lame posting, but I got a haircut and it's important that I share this with you. Getting a haircut here is kind of like going to Coupe Bizzarre in Toronto, telling the hairdresser to do something fun, closing your eyes and hoping that you don't come out with a euro-mullet. Which happened to me, by the way, the last time I went to Coupe Bizzarre. Getting a haircut here is quite similar. Except it's because my current vocabulary doesn't include the words "long bangs" or "not too short". I went to a place that I walk by on my way home most days. Whenever I walk by, if they're outside, they smile and are friendly. So, to Tto Tto Hair Salon!

I walked in, all bashful smiles, and said "Hair Cut?" while miming my hair being cut, with my fingers as scissors... they smile, welcome me, and it is clear at once that they speak more English than I speak Korean, but barely. It was actually quite fun, because there aren't many wae-gooks (foreigners) around Hogye, so I was totally a novelty. AND I understood some of what they were saying to me in Korean!! Woooo! So, showed her how short, showed her the layers, showed her my bangs, and she looked a bit nervous, but went to work on it.

And voila:


I think I like it, but I'll wait until tomorrow to pass official judgement because lord only knows how it's going to react when I try to style it myself.

I wish I had a before shot (if anyone in Korea has a photo of me with my hair down, please send it over!). All the photos I have of myself, I've got my hair up in pigtails, ponytail, whatever. But it was SO long that it was past my collarbone - for me, that's really superlong.

Oh, best part. I asked how much it was, she told me 7,000 w. Seriously. That's, like, $7.00. For cut, shampoo, dry etc. I had been prepared to pay much more, so I left a generous tip (in Korea, tipping is usually not done, but I explained it is a Canadian custom for a good haircut!)

Another day, another adventure. It's funny how the simplest things have become tasks that I am now proud to have accomplished on my own!

waiting for the bank

I'm sitting out in front of a convenience store right now, waiting for the Korean Exchange Bank to open... what time do banks open in this country, anyways? I have the morning kind of off work, because the kids are writing exams for the first four periods. I would normally teach periods 1, 2 and 4. So, no classes today... sadly! I am having a lot of fun with this week's lesson, and so are the kids.

Last night, Tom and I were at the WA Bar and we just happened to meet some of the other foreigners here in Hogye! So nice, all hagwon teachers.

OK, best sister ever, lookee what I got in the mail last Friday!

Also, is this not the funniest name for a chocolate bar? Lil Jon and Ciara kickin it with the Crunky chocobar? (the ASTRO BOY figure is from a meal-deal at KFC that Liz got a couple of weeks ago)

sorry, it's been a strange week

A lot has happened since I wrote last, but I could be making mountains out of molehills since today is decidedly a "stage 2" day.
The strange things in my life:
1 - electro-therapy on my (L) knee, under some strange sunlamp-like contraption. I couldn't ask questions, but it was very weird and very relaxing. I think it helped?? May go again tonight.
2 - my local grocery store now gives me a discount on any candy I purchase. I buy that much. (this is good, it saved me about 3,000 W on the last candy purchase!)
3 - I was mobbed by grade 5 kids for my autograph after not one, but TWO classes on Tuesday. I couldn't get out of the room, my team-teacher had to help extract me from the situation.
4 - I caused some concern last week, because I was seen *gasp* eating kimbap (김밥) at my desk during lunchtime. When asked about it, I said I didn't feel like eating lunch at the cafeteria because I wasn't very hungry. However, everyone is now super concerned that I don't feel comfortable going to the cafeteria alone and joining a table (which is what everyone does) so they are making sure that I am ALWAYS asked to go for lunch at the cafeteria. Which is great, don't get me wrong, but a bit strange.
5 - I was asked for the millionth time if I "know how to use chopsticks" and if I was "getting used to the spicy food". Trying to explain that I knew how to use chopsticks pre-Korea (thanks Patti!) and that there is spicy food in other outposts of this vast universe is actually a bit moot.
6 - For the first time, I kept a class during the break for 3 whole minutes, and made them put their heads on their desks (thanks for the idea, Liz!) . I don't like that I did that, but they were NOT listening. I warned them, I asked them to be quiet and listen, etc. etc. It makes me mad because 1/2 of the class was paying attention, but the 1/2 that was not was positively horrid. What's worse, is that the lesson we were doing was a lesson that each of the 6 other classes I taught it to this week have had fun with! I really don't know what to do with them.
7 - Chris dislocated his shoulder badly at Hapkido, thus removing the sport from my "to try" list. It looks like it's the Korean version of Tai-Chi that will be my new endevour.
8 - Watched my second Korean movie - "Windstruck". Cried (and by cried, I mean, streaming tears) on-and-off for the last 45 minutes of the movie. But it actually wasn't that good. Sad and sappy, with some moments of brilliance and much missed comic opportunity (the jokes just weren't as funny as they could have been). The foreshadowing was so obvious it gave me a headache but the film was quite well acted. I'm beginning to think I may be a fan of Jang Hyuk may be one of my favourite Korean actors. Then again, I've only seen two films, and he's been in them both.
9 - Back to the knee. Some background info: my (L) knee's been disgruntled since I landed here in Korea. You know me, let things go too long. So I finally went to the doctor, lucked out, saw a specialist right away! Just down the street from me! I have a diagnosis (kind of). But here's the thing. My co-teacher came with me, to help (you know, because I don't speak Korean other than to order a pint, a roll of kimbap or deliver simple phrases). The doctors spoke 1/2 in English, 1/2 in Korean. (English was the medical jargon and names of things - Korean was the rest). So, we have two totally different understandings of my diagnosis. I've decided, I'll live a life of mystery, and not have our understanding of the diagnosis confirmed until I'm done with the physiotherapy.
10 - Really, I'm quite confused. Today, I've been so frustrated and there have been so many "little things" but then people are so nice! How can I be frustrated that people are being nice? And making me really feel like I belong, and that I'm doing things right etc. etc. Maybe I'm just going crazy. Maybe teaching 600 middle school kids (12-14 year olds), in batches of 45, is starting to get to me. Although I really have been having fun with my classes this week!

quick update

A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent me photos and stuff for my school festival day yesterday (and the displays and decorating I had to do)! The festival was great, I got to meet many grade 2s and 3s, who I don't teach. I also had some down-time, and my laptop with me, so I caught up on the latest episode of Laguna Beach (I know, I know... but I can't help it).

You know, I could just write about all the food experiences I have here? After the festival yesterday, went to a duck restaurant. All duck, all the time. Duck on skewers (cooking surrounded by coals in the table), smoked duck (warming up on the grill in the table). I heart duck. Some days, I do not know how vegetarians survive in this country.

Also, as with any Korean dinner, the soju and beer (and especially soju!) is free-flowing. If you are not familiar with soju, all you really need to know is that it's the "Korean whiskey", or so they insist. It's strong, and it's creeper, and it will give you the hangover from hell.

At these school events though (or really, any time), it's required that if your superiors, elders, etc. etc. offer you a shot of soju, you do the shot, and you pour them a shot. The vice principal, needless to say, must have done a zillion shots - there are over 60 teachers on staff. It was so funny, when he poured a shot for me, all 20 teachers sitting at my table turned their heads to watch me drink... they were fully expecting me to, well, I'm not sure. Maybe for me to spit it back out again, or make a face, something like that...

But I shot it back like a trooper, no reaction at all, and didn't even chase with water (the cardinal rule to lessening the blow of soju). They were SHOCKED. Reputation is quite important here, so I've been very careful about my behaviour around my fellow teachers. I'm always observing those around me - it's how I pick up on the social expectations, cues and such - by carefully watching the other female teachers. There's a real difference between expectations for females and males, I've noticed. So while the female teachers (that I saw) demurely quaffed 1 or 2 shots last night and refused offers of any other alcohol, many of the male teachers were absolutely and completely, without a doubt, intoxicated. That lovely red-and-blotchy-faced, swaying, eyes half-closed hammered. By 6pm at night. Hrm.

Anyways, I watched my first Korean movie last night. I've started taking a much greater interest in Korean films recently (hrm...) and watching BBC's Asian Invasion documentary (Part 3 - Korean Film) has really lit a fire under my butt to see some of these films...

The movie I watched last night was Please Teach Me English, a 2003 comedy about a Korean girl forced to take an English class, where she finds the man of her dreams (who is, of course, not at all interested). Interesting, too, is the idea of needing to learn English, despite not actually living in an English speaking country... The entire thing is set against the backdrop of the EFL class, filled with interesting characters... Yes, absolutely a "cheesy movie Sunday" movie. I really enjoyed it though. Here's a review and synopsis.