Social Life

Sometimes I feel like having a social life here in South Korea is like having a second job. As of late, with the students on "vegetable," as one of them told me when she caught me walking down the street last week, it seems much harder than my day-to-day job at 학교. But instead of getting paid for sitting in my classroom pretending to be busy, I am paying to get out and do things. I've had enough of hanging out alone with myself; I spent January doing this, and I am grateful for the time and the time I spent learning to listen to my inner voice, to organize and be productive with my time. If I hadn't learned that, I would not be keeping such close attention now to my day planner, and trying to write down what I am aiming to do for that day. I try to hold myself accountable, and when I look at the tasks, I am able to weigh their importance when a friend calls and wants to go for coffee. I can look at my book, "Yeah I can do that," and I scratch out whatever I'd been planning to do. This weekend I scheduled myself like a middle class mother schedules her child's extra-curricular activities, getting up in the morning and moving around Seoul via buses and subway to one appointed destination and then another. Two solid days of activities, and I've hardly seen the inside of my apartment. Now It's Monday afternoon. My arm is sore from racing around the skating rink at Lotte World. My brain is content but eager to do just a little more reading. My bag is weighted down with gifts and fliers, and a humorous Polaroid taken at the Travel Korea Expo at CO EX Mall, and my Cheeks are tired from all the talking I've been doing.

Usually talking more chore than it is a pleasure. I have to talk slow. I have to be simple and choosy about the words I say and how my voice is inflected when I say them. I have to be understandable to be understood. I met Jihye this weekend, and she asked me why is it that we 웨국인 tend to hand out mostly with other 웨국인. I honestly enjoy meeting Korean people as much as I enjoy meeting new weyguks--but when we tend to hang out together because we can let go! use big words! talk intellectually about more than,

"mm, ah...Sujshan...do..youlike...japaneesuh..fud?"

"Yes..."

"..Oh..."

With other Weyguks, I sit around and discuss books, politics, or religion. We even discuss mundane things differently, it just feels more easy, like I don't have to think about it. I can just talk. Talking with an EFL person can be like making yourself breath. It's a task you're hardwired to do, but when you're actively focusing on controlling the pace, level, and basic input-output of air, how can you focus on much else. ON the other hand, talking with a native English speaker can be like a long rest. I don't have to think about being polite but dumbing myself down because they know all the words! I don't have to worry about offending them with an odd gesture or idiom, because we're from the same culture and we all "get it!"

Going to a Meetup group with a bunch of strangers at the end of a long week is like a smoker who's recently quit relishing a stolen drag from a cigarette outside a nightclub. It's a little awkward, maybe even a little forced, but damn! What a relief to breath again!

Beethoven's Frieze

The painting is actually a lot longer. to the right there's a huge coiling snake, another woman, and a little white kitten underneath the grasping palm of the beast.

Seoul Arts Museum: Gustav Klimt

Oh Beautiful Klimt! What a beautiful display. There were a lot of different sketches that led into gigantic murals of inspired by basic pencil drawings. My favorite was, I think, Beethoven's Frieze.I think it was like a mural done inspired by one of Beethoven's Symphonies, there ere still blank spots on the wall, and pencil sketches; part of the B. Symphony Hall was an elaborate fresco of a Gorilla with different types of women, grouped in distinct parts of the scene. They varied from fair and sweet, content to haggard, dark, waify and desperate. He used a variety of media--the Gorilla's eyeballs bulged from the wall, and the fat females headdress and bracelets were painted intense gold, with small bits of colored mirror to them. the exhibit was very informative about the author and his influences and family history. They even included a few pieces of the "Klimt collection," some Chinese gold stitched tapestries, and watercolor paintings.

I loved looking at these pieces. In some ways it reminds me of some of the paintings I've seen my sister do, esp-her Adam and Eve, which I've always loved. I couldn't help but think of her as I saw these pieces; of an author whose she introduced me to initially. I definitely see Klimt's influence in her work. I've never been so adept at looking/analyzing paintings/sculpture, that's always been Crystal. I love to appreciate it, though, and it's all her fault I think.

Klimt Exhibit photos: 1) Adam and Eve 2) Maria 3) ?? 4) Judith I 5) Italian Garden Landscape
6 & 7) Nkuli, Min & Me outside the Exhibit making a scene and drawing a crowd

KLIMT IN KOREA!

Gustav Klimt's paintings are coming to the Seoul Art Museum, and I'm going to see them tomorrow!

What are your thoughts on this Quote?

"I realized that abiding by his rules would cost me little, but to him, it would mean a lot. I recognized that sometimes he really did have a point, and in that insisting on getting my own way all the time without regard to his feelings or needs, I was in some way diminishing myself.

"...In one form or another, it is what we all must go through in order to grow up."

I don't care if you know or in what context it was stated; Whether ficton or non, doesn't matter. I'd like to know your thoughts on the subject, how it applies to you, and what is the author speaking to or about. Is it inspiring or just a dull statement? I don't care how you respond--story, poem, essay...one word or sentence...streaming expletives-- I'd just love it if you responded!

I know where this quote comes from and who said it. Later this week I will also post a response and tell you where I found this statement.

Under the Influence; Korea and BrotherlyLove

whether the soj or the city,
intense games of Othello,
or the greasy food
inside the tent,
the brothers found their day
of games and leisure
to be too much
and they rested
--one finger to the the thigh--
with ease; amidst the
busy of the city
they were unburdened
as long as one remained
alongside to the other
a brotherly love
of one for another.

Bloghappy--I hope you're enjoying my many many blogs as of late. It's what happens when you have so much time off and all you are doing is reading, running and writing. All three inevitably lead to one thing: THINKING. too much thought. So much! and it has to come out somewhere. on top of the three I also have the benefit this month of being cut off from nearly everyone, as people are working and/or so far away that the chance of talking to them is well, not plausible. The last time I talked to someone in person was two weeks ago. I give thanks the goodness of Skype and Brooke's new night-shift nurse job, and my sister who keeps odd hours for keeping me sane. Foremost I have read a great deal of fantastic novels, and been driven to the point of writing out all my energies in various forms of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, letters, and journaling. oh! and BLOGGING! i am interested to see if it continues once the weather warms up and I start working 8-hour days again. But I'll worry about that when I come to it. For now, I will enjoy my sublimely immaculate apartment diggs (another result of too much time and too much coldness for my taste), and hope that you will enjoy reading my writing. Please! feel free to leave comments or send messages, I'll be sure to respond.

ALSO: I love mail!! you should have my address and if you do not, please write me. I will definitely write back. I love love love getting mail and I want more mail coming thru to my desk, please!

here is a quote from 8-year Korean-American expat, Anna Desmarais. I think her words are a lovely description of what it feels like to be an individual existing as a foreigner in the country where they live:


“It still surprises me to hear foreigners who have been here for many years complain about being treated badly. Get over it, I say!” And then came a very apt summation of expat life in Korea as it is today.

“You get to live somewhere where you will never be a part of their culture, no matter how hard you try and how much Korean blood you have, which means you eventually stop trying to fit in and forge your own path. You live your own life in the way you want to live it, which I think is the way to go.

“Of course, you must respect where you live and the culture you live in, but luckily you can choose which rules you have to follow and which rules you don’t. There’s a certain sense of freedom in that.”


Desmarais is currently the co-owner of the very cool Berlin lounge, which sits on the hill overlooking the entrance to Itaewon.

Winning over Obama; East Asia Political Opinion over our New President

This Post is for my Dad, who wanted to know about how the event of President*Obama's inauguration affected things over here. Overall, I didn't see much. I sped my days around 9-11 year-olds and the adults I've been around this past month don't really speak eanough english to say much on the subject more than ummm...miguk (USA)...paresudenteuh...Obama, good. Mostly I saw just a lot of facebook comments from other ex-pats from varied foreign western countries relaying happiness and joy and the whatnot, here's a Political opinion take from the Korean Newspaper, JoongangDaily; click to get the full story, and I'll try to provide you with the quick and dirty, here in my blog: PS Try to remember, this is written by an Eng- Second-Language Individual, so sometimes the grammar gets a little bit messy. All in all, I think it's a pretty good piece.

[Outlook]Winning over Obama

The Obama government sees Japan as an ally in the same class as NATO members. But it only sees Korea as a ‘partner.’

February 02, 2009

The election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States surprised the world to the extent that it is not just considered a change of administration, but a change in the course of history. After his inauguration, President Obama is displaying dedication to unity and understanding to a degree that far exceeds our expectations, embracing his foes and his friends at the same time.

The same may be said of the new administration’s foreign policy. Unlike his predecessor, Obama values international cooperation above all else, on a foundation of responsible sovereignty and smart power. In this regard, there is a high possibility that the United States will seek more burden sharing from its allies, such as Korea and Japan.

The Japanese government has long been afraid of diplomatic shock waves passing through Washington. What Tokyo fears most is a sudden dramatic improvement in Sino-American relations.

The “Nixon shock” in 1972 and the “Clinton shock” in 1998, with American presidents suddenly announcing visits to China, are prime examples.

As such, the Japanese government seems to now be fidgeting, fearing that the new American administration may bring an “Obama shock.”

But such a shock seems to be less of a possibility if we take a closer look at the main characteristics of Obama’s choices of diplomatic personnel, as well as his administration’s foreign policy towards Japan. Influential figures with a deep knowledge of Japan have been called on to fill the top East Asia foreign policy jobs on Obama’s diplomatic team.

The tasks facing America are enormous: economic recovery, an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, prevention of terrorism and weapons proliferation, and putting a stop to global warming. The global economic behemoth that is Japan is an indispensable ally in achieving these goals.
...
However, as the supremacy of the United States is rapidly weakening, there may be perpetual friction between the two nations. The Obama administration will call on Japan to strengthen its role in official development assistance and peacekeeping operations. In particular, Washington is looking for an increased Japanese contribution to the war in Afghanistan.
...
However, regardless of a switchover of political regimes, the U.S./Japan alliance will remain unchanged in Japanese diplomacy. We need to pay attention to the fact that an Ozawa Democratic Party alliance would also fall within the field of Obama’s vision for implementing smart power diplomacy in East Asia.

The Obama administration has clearly declared that Japan is an ally in the same class as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Meanwhile, it only sees Korea as a “partner.”

Under the Obama administration which sets a higher value on Japan and China, U.S.?Korea relations may be demoted to a lower rank.

To prevent this, we should strive to foster closer ties with the United States to ensure that our strategic alliance with the United States will be elevated to a security and value-oriented alliance that guarantees peace and prosperity in East Asia.

Yongsan fire claims lives of six;

Police blame squatters who attacked them with Molotov cocktails, acid
I cut and paste the main bits; to read the whole story, go to: JoongangDaily

The top of a building where protesters were squatting is engulfed in flames as police approach, in Seoul early yesterday. Five protesters and one policeman were killed in the blaze. [REUTERS]

Five protesters and a member of a police SWAT team died and 24 others were hospitalized following a violent standoff at a construction site in central Seoul early yesterday.

According to police, protesters took over a five-story structure near the Kukje building and Yongsan train station at 5:30 a.m. Monday, in opposition to ongoing redevelopment of the area. Some squatters demanded higher compensation for their houses and stores, which are to be demolished for a massive development project by the nation’s construction giants - Samsung C&T Corporation, Daelim and Posco.

...
“No matter what had happened, I express my deep condolences as the prime minister,” Han said. “The government will investigate the incident thoroughly and speedily. From the illegal occupation to forcible eviction, the truth will be laid bare.”
“Anyone who broke the law will be sternly punished,” Han said. “Unlawful, violent action will not be tolerated under any circumstance, no matter who has committed it.”

...
The police operation resulted in arrest of 25 squatters, and the prosecution is investigating if the National Alliance of Squatters systemically planned the violent demonstration. Of those arrested, only seven actually live or own stores in the area and are eligible for compensation. The rest were members of the group.
...
The squatters’ association held a press conference in the afternoon, claiming that 200 SWAT team members were mobilized to arrest 30 demonstrators. Water cannons and iron pipes were used to subdue the squatters, they said, calling the incident “murder by law enforcement authorities.” The association said members will hold a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. in front of the Yongsan train station and demanded an apology from President Lee Myung-bak.
Baek, the Yongsan police chief, said the police had no choice but to try to end the demonstration. “They were a direct threat to public safety, shooting golf balls and marbles with slingshots and throwing Molotov cocktails at adjacent buildings, causing fires,” Baek said. “We could not allow the illegal actions any further, so we mobilized the force to evict them.” Police said the demonstrators launched 150 Molotov cocktails, 40 bottles filled with hydrochloric acid, 10,000 bricks and 700 golf balls and marbles at police and passersby.
...

Vacation Coming to a Close

Tomorrow I will have my first class of the random week in which my students return to school as 4^th and 5^th graders for testing and who knows what (not me!) before graduating. Then they get three more weeks off and change into 5^th and 6^th graders. It’ll be my last week with my hellion-fifthies, and just a bump up for my fourth graders.

I wonder if I’ll still like them when they’re 5^th graders, or if they’ll just turn into the assholes I’ve come to know as Oh (5) – bahn!? Not sure exactly what will happen for the next week. All I know is that they’re coming back. What am I expected to teach them? I’m sure they’d say, “make it fun,” if I asked them, which mostly means torture for SusanTeacher, struggling to find something everyone can learn from. I’m expecting Chaos, dreading it, really. I’ve been running into various gaggles of students in the neighborhood—one of the perils of living right near my school—over the past few days. They usually grab at my back or shout my name and/or Sansangnim/Sam in surprise and delight, like only a kid can do when they see their teacher hanging out like an anomaly in the real world…what??? Then they try to remind me how I know them—as if there’s oh so many venues for me to choose from! They bow to me, and then they stare all silly-like into my eyes, as if they’re waiting for me to dismiss them. This is pretty funny to me, because they never wait during class time for me to dismiss! So I tell them “goodbye, have a good time,” and they bow again and prance off, happy, excited. I try my damndest to go a different direction than them, even if I had intended to go the same way, so we’re not forced into extra-awkward–and stressful for them—conversation that usually dissolves into tiny mouth-covered giggling or friend-punching.

I love-love having conversation with my kids outside of class. Especially because they are actually happy about seeing me; it reminds me that maybe I’m doing something right as a teacher. And extra-specially I love when they tell me about stuff—or trrryy.

Like,

“my little sister…” and she pushes at the nose of a little girl standing three inches shorter next to her.

“…wheya ah yougoing…”

“…vacation good…huh?”

“My mom…hairstylist…”

“Comedy-yan…sign! Yogio…mmm…nine—shirty”

I found last week out that Sam, the spiky haired kid with the big head—and one of my best students in 5^th grade—lives in the building next to mine, and his moms hair salon is directly east adjacent of my home. I find him occasionally walking with his mom in the cold mornings, and he waves his hands at me frantically, insanely like a clown. I say “hello, Sam” and “anyanghaseyo” to his mother with a quick bow. And now, I am uneasily aware of the quantity of students that reside in my direct vicinity, I feel like I have to be more careful about how I act in my day-to-day life. Not that I’m really all that outrageous to begin with. It does, however, mean no more walking around my sunroom in my underwear, or talking loudly on my roof at whatever hours, or…other stuff. It’s not all that much of an inconvenience. At least I know I know the kids who are shouting at me, ‘cause they’d be doing it anyway. And then I can stop and let see if they’re paying attn in class, kindof like a little impromptu pop-quiz, eh?

They're so cute when they're on-task...