Where’s Waldo?

Ok, I know what you’re thinking, and…I know. But in all fairness I have hoped daily for a moment to spare where I could reconnect with YOU! However, my blurred memories of the past four months which  have nearly given me whiplash due to the speed of time, have been filled with pure bliss, keeping me from my words to express my experiences and most obviously this blog. But let me try to recap anyhow.

Between April when I last posted and now here is what I can recall:

Going to the spunky and psychedelic World DJ Fest, a few solid adventures to the beautifully traditional Gyeongju, enjoying Buddha’s Birthday celebration at Palgonsan Mt. (and a couple of hikes around the area in between), going to a rainy mess of a beach party that didn’t keep me from dancing until odd hours of the morning, visitng Seoul’s most popular districts that may not be filled with natural beauty but always character and charm, getting dirty (literally) at Mudfest, walking through the green fresh woods and admiring decades of history at Hainsa Temple….hmmm… I’ve gone to Spa Valley where I felt my belly in my mouth as I dropped from a slide as tall as the Burj Khalifa (might I add the scary fall turned my perfectly normal swimming bottoms into a g-string due to its unfortunate wedgeying effect)  … and most notably an adventure to Vietnam and Cambodia that got me drunk off of the dizzying happiness those two countries contain ( STUNNING!)… after that, at Geoje Island I had a lovely getaway for four days filled with laughter and sincere smiles.  I drooled over the gaudy fantasy dresses in the body painting festival right here in the “Gu” and most recently, in vain I gave a bittersweet “See you soon” to a wonderful person who has finished their chapter here in Korea while I continue to unravel the rest of mine. Whew! And just like that we are up to date :)

Writing what I have experienced in such a small amount of time makes me realize how full and genuinely happy my life has been. Korea and I may not always see eye to eye, but it does present many boundless opportunities that had I not decided to come here, I wouldn’t have otherwise. I appreciate that more as time flies on by.

In just a weeks time is the Korean Thanksgiving called “Chilsok” and already, I have three plans to play with a ) trek through the jungle in Sumatra, Malaysia for six days (yes, PAH-LEASE) b) head to Tokyo, Japan with some of my fantastic gal pals ( can I get another YES PLEASE?!) c) stay put in the ol’ Korea and possibly hike around Jeju Island and save my pennies for once (wah wah waaahhh) but no doubt this could still be a decent opportunity because Jeju is supposed to be the Hawaii of Korea(?).

My vote: Malaysia. I hope, I hope, I hope. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes for a cheap ticket that I will have to buy literally the day before I fly. Yowza. Wish me luck!

I have been envisioning myself as the new Jane Goodall, living in the thick of the fresh and misty Borneo forest amongst the orangutans. Not to mention lemurs, sugar gliders, sloths, alligators, pygmy elephants, tigers, rhinos…I couldn’t ask for much more then this. Animals as beautiful as these have stagnated in my dreams since childhood after reading my first national geographic, informing me of  this new and enchanting world of Borneo, rich in biodiversity; both flora and fauna.

And now that I am so close, how can I resist such a temptation…a lifelong desire really. What’s another few weeks of eating toast and peanut butter for all of this? Although I think I’ve made the same illogical argument for most of my journeys.  But I’ve never been a firm believer in JUST logic.

I guess you will know soon enough, so long as I don’t take another decade to post.

Because the thought of regurgitating this past four months sounds more then daunting, instead I’m going to do some photo journalism with explanations of what is going on. My plans (oh my how they do change) is to TRULY keep up with my blog in the future so that I don’t face the repercussions of getting in this mess again.

Also, I have posted on my footage page a few videos of Cambodia, Vietnam, and around Korea via youtube considering I can’t upload videos directly. So just click, and watch if you like :)

Sending my love and many hugs around the world!

xo Love,

Lady Kimchi

The Suseong Slacker

Good Morning Korea…or America…or wherever else in this big round world you may be while you happened to stumble upon my blog!

The journey continues…and as a best guess I assumed the madness would have simmered to a mellow normal state. Now I hold fast to the motto “expect the unexpected” because I live it here in Korea more then anywhere I have been in my life. And that shouldn’t be read in a negative tone, in fact the adventures keep getting better and more surreal. If I could paint my words they would make a bright picture full of chaos.

Yongam Hot Springs

Starting from two weeks back now (seems I will always live an apologetic life for my tardiness) I took my first baby steps onto a bus heading toward the Yongam Hot Springs. I was quite proud of my efforts to take on the challenge all by myself considering how tricky the metro system is (oh, and did I mention I still can’t read Korean, yeah, should probably get on that).

The week previous I had tried to do the same, which I think I mentioned, but a guessing game and hours later led me back home and on another adventure to Suseong Resort Lake.

So off I went from Nanum bus terminal, the ONLY passenger on the bus mind you. Fishy? I think so. But instead of asking (with my hands) why I was the only person on the bus, I decided this was standard. About 25 minutes later three older ladies joined the journey that could have been mistaken for a carnival ride only less fun because there was nothing to strap you in and you were gambling your life away, or so it felt. I held my mouth tight so that my tongue didn’t go flying out the window or I didn’t chomp down on it and eat it before dinner. Talk about crazy drivers. But it kept me occupied on the hour and some minutes misadventure. And to keep this in perspective, I thought the hot springs were 20 minutes away…hmmmm.

In the middle of wheresville next to a shady overpass full of construction equipment and nothingness elsewhere, I was told by the bus driver to get out. Before I could make gestures to express I didn’t think this was where I was supposed to be, the two older ladies that doubtfully had homes in this remote area were pushing me out with them and I had to wonder what they were doing in such a place? We were literally dropped off on the side of a road in the middle of a freeway with nothing around it. From what I could make out the bus driver was telling the two to point me in the right direction and a shewing motion that inevitably meant “ok, get out of my hair you waygook”!

The beginning of nowhere

All that I could do was think to myself  “good luck getting home” and chuckle. Jinae, you got yourself in a sticky situation again. And if Korean’s weren’t so innocent I would have just ran at at cheetah like pace to any form of civilization because this looked like a solid place for hiding bodies. It definitely wasn’t the picturesque landscape I had imagined just ten minutes previous.

So, off I go. One woman holding my arm and guiding me to who knows where while the other woman was  saying something to her friend while laughing without a doubt, at me. Either the expression on my face gave away that I was amazingly confused and dumbfounded at my current destination or there was no need to read a face because what foreigner ends up at this bus stop?

About five minutes later the three of us were approaching a flat ghost town. Ingrained in my mind was the image of a towering, Bavarian looking washed out white building holding a very distant and much needed land of hot springs. It wasn’t anywhere near this place, I was sure of that. And I gathered that these fortunate women took the right bus to home.

They waved me off to walk straight and head left. But as far as the eye ( much less then 20/20 vision mind you) could see, there was nothing but fields. Like a broken machine I slowly repeated “Yongam Hot Springs” until my elders were sick of hearing me repeat an equally foreign language to them that they cut me off, said “annyeonghasseo” and moved forward with their lives.

I figured I could find some youthful soul in the land of empty eventually. Wishful thinking. There was nooo person in sight. I circumnavigated the town in 5 minutes and I was certain there were more dogs then people. Good luck to me speaking in “bark” and getting directions from a dog but regardless I think I would have gotten just as far if I had found another Korean.

I snapped some photos and walked in circles until I knew it was time to take my feet somewhere father (or breath my last breaths in this dying place).

About a mile walk along the freeway with cars whipping by I became jealous of those who owned a vehicle and decided hitch hiking was my best idea yet. I stuck out a thumb hoping it was a universal sign and that my thumb could send telepathic messages yelling “I am a fool. I am lost. Help me!” but I only looked all the more sketchy wandering the freeway in a desolate area with a thumb out. NO Korean girl would do that so I must have looked like a lunatic and if anything the proud owners of these cars probably locked their doors as they passed.

Finally, and this is beyond me how I ended up in the right direction, a beautiful, beaming white fortress called Yongam Hot Springs stood before me, waaay before me. It was visible. I had made it! Just another quarter mile or so and I was there!

I walked up to the not so pearly gates (however GRAND it was to see the washed up white building) with a shit eating grin on my face and beyond ready to soak up the smelly waters.

After I paid I found myself in the ladies locker room. As I began to put on my swim suit it was within seconds that a worker walked quickly towards me to inform me there is a strict “no panty” rule.  Ohhhhhh. I wasn’t in the mood to contemplate anything and had earned my keep so I decided nudity it is.  But it didn’t stop there. The woman starred at me until I derobed (as if it wasn’t uncomfortable enough). At first I thought she wanted to tell me something until she waved her hands into a somehow translatable meaning to take off the swim suit. I felt like I broke some law and the lady wouldn’t be satisfied until I undid my wrongs, or undressed them.

Finally she walked away and came back with soap, a scrubbing cloth and a towel. Let the nude adventure begin!

Down the stairs I went and into the Korean “hot springs”. In summation Korean women are very comfortable with their naked bodies in public (woman to woman) and were curious about why mine was so different. Interesting day but I did succeed.

Around 6pm and ready to go home I knew I was in it for the long haul. Hoping that somewhere closer by I could find the same bus, with the same driver to take me back from point A, I knew I was daydreaming . So I wandered back to the ghost town and under the overpass to the very same side of the road I first ventured to. Fortunately there were two different women waiting for a bus back to Daegu and I followed their lead…home in one piece and half my dignity.

Ok, much much more to come, I’m a month behind!

Love,

Lady Kimchi!

P stands for Palgonsan Mt: And a one month marker to my epic

As I sat in the  quaint and cataclysmic school office, cluttered with disorganized teaching materials and ceramic mugs filled full of coffee along with the infinite chatter between my Korean managers and the over zealous parents of the private school children…it hit me. Granted, three days late, but it occurred that I have been in Korea a crazy (really the best word for it) one month! I suppose the new feeling of normalcy due to routine and distraction quickly passed the days. One month, and I had told myself when I was back in the States that that was all the time I needed for trial and error to see if I could really survive in such a place. I wanted to tell my fellow co-workers but I have already picked up the cultural cue that all that I would receive is a half understanding smile followed with a less thrilled reply simply because Korean’s are too busy to care. That is why I am sharing with you, fellow readers :) This way I don’t have to face whatever half assed reactions you may be feeling at the moment ;) haha. Completely kidding.

Daegu may never become “home” for me, and by no means does that mean it isn’t an amazing place. I say that just because it would take years here to feel the same comfort of those commonplace and predictable aspects that come with the territory of home. Here, however, nothing has been predictable in the slightest and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I just wake up and roll with the punches which never serve to hard of a blow. In fact, I laugh at the ironies and oddness in Korea often. I enjoy never really knowing where my day could take me.

Surrounding myself with the priceless aspects that I miss back home is how I have been able to  adjust to those other frustrating elements that at times come with the Korean package. A cozy apartment (in the works), delicious/ or experimental food, new scenery, and like-minded good souled people can fill my heart with enough happiness to allow me to accept change. It helps even if I am still desiring a platter of Dad’s hugs, a slice of Mom’s undaunting love, best served with many side dishes of the ‘real’ advice of a sibling that can only come with knowing whats best for the heart and late nights with  best friends’ who know you like the back of their hand. In this world it takes leaving a place to appreciate what you left (I can’t count how many times I have heard or been told this) but I do know whenever I leave it rings true. The light at the end of the tunnel suggests that by leaving home/comfortable places  more doors and other fabulous individuals will…and DO enter. Whew. I will try to make this my final conversation via blog on this topic, I write about it a lot :)

Speaking of, this weekend was filled with all sorts of incredible experiences and exceptional people.  Buuut, I would like to backup to last Wednesday and progress forward.

Wednesday I just want to make a quick note of a”waygook” (foreigner status) moment I had.

In the apparent desperate need for lotion I went on the scavenger hunt to find this item. My local grocer had an abundance of the resource, but I found the price was unattractive to the limited funds in my wallet. Trying to outwit the issue I thought there must be a cheaper way. (Wow, a person is really looking pathetic when lotion becomes expensive)…I noticed that the face “yogurt” was more “user friendly” for my current situation as it was much cheaper. I threw it in my cart and felt the quick satisfaction of beating the system.

When I got home, I couldn’t wait to hydrate my dried out skin. As I was lathering up the legs I noticed this so called “yogurt” was foaming up, thick, and sticky. Greeeeaaaat. I definitely purchased some sort of face cleanser or mask…still not sure. I was so disappointed. It’s like chugging vodka when all you wanted was water. Terrible. I enjoyed the irony of my mistake considering I thought I was pretty smart for beating the lotion scheme. Opps.

And to make it better, I was meeting friends within the half hour and had to hop a subway so I frantically tried to wipe away the sticky mess but it just smeared and died onto my skin more. I had no choice but to book it and left the cleanser like substance on my legs all night, feeling much more dry in the morning. Lesson learned: Pay the extra 3,000 Won or don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a “sticky” situation.

Thursday:  Met with my new found friend Jon to meet with some of his well-established friends for Indian food. Delicious food/hilarious time/ FUN people…Whoa is all I have to say after that.

Friday: Ouch brain! This day began with me puking during my classes…due too…food poisoning. The children gave my pathetic state away when they would follow me into the bathroom yelling “What’s wrong Mango teacher?!” when I was holding the toilet. Eventually a fellow co-worker took note and found my situation so freaky that I needed to be rushed by the gigantic bus to the hospital. I tried to explain I just needed rest and water but medicine can be served with salad here. Being sick is never an option… And I thought American’s were pill poppers.  The managers were so insistent I finally didn’t have the energy to defend myself and went.

The doctor checked the vitals and called the nurse to give me the flu shot. How, oh hooow did I run into a needle again SO SOON?! I could have swore by gestures and words the nurse said to take off my pants…and so there I stood with my pants around my ankles and the nurse trying to redress me. haha!! I guess she just wanted to see my hip not the full monty. Anyway, out comes a one inch needle near my booty. Nope. Wasn’t gonna’ have it. I squirmed around and crossed my arms at the nurse giving her the “no way in hell is that going in my butt cheek” kind of look. She made several attempts, but in the end I won the battle and the doc said I didn’t have to take the shot. Sucker.

Back in the good ol’ U.S.of A it would be reasonable to lay low at home in this sort of situation and heal for the week. But what about in Korea? I found myself dizzily teaching 6 classes in a row plotting how I would dodge the children if my organs decided to give on me and I either collapsed on them or vomited. It was ridiculous. This place is brutal when it comes to “serving your time”. I see now why I only have 3 “sick” days to miss a year according to my contract. I would have to be taking my last breaths before I could escape teaching for the day…and even then I’m not too sure I would be afforded to miss a whole day.

Since Thursday I have had body chills and a sever cold that makes me sound like the worse version of Joe Cocker when I sing. The children relentlessly ask that we play our music CD when it is time for a song. Ok, kids, I get the point.

That night I slept, slept, and slept.

Saturday:  Somehow I built the gumption to follow through on a hike to Palgonsan Mt. with Jon. What took place could not have anticipated.

We met at the subway around 11:30PM, jumped on a bus and made it to the Mt. (Washington’s version of a hill, but even the most brown of hills is a sight after being stuck in concrete for too long). It’s all about perspective, right? The air was fresh, my body still had the shakes, but I was in good company and couldn’t have been happier to finally get out and see some temples. In all senses it was just what I needed.

The temple was as beautiful as I had hoped. Full of color. It was stunning to me because it was the first expedition of mine to see  ancient Asian architecture.

After snapping a few photos we continued forth with the goal to reach the top of the Mt. Little did we know we would have some obstacles to face. As we wandered forward we eventually came to a roped off “trail”…more like the beginning of the woods. We paid no mind to the rope, walked under it and in broken Korean continued to ask other hikers how to continue.

Eventually, the hikers seemed to disappear while we ascended through the brush…literally. And somewhere along the way we made the executive decision to keep treading uphill toward what we could only figure would be the very top and back to civilization (where women in heels, thanks to the gondolas, could be found even at such heights). But no, oh no, we were far from such dreams. We climbed boulders, got caught in trees, had socks full of soil, and scratches to show for only to be stopped in our tracks by a concave cliff steep enough for us to realize we were defeated.

I wasn’t disappointed. It was a hilarious trek…although sketchy at times. But adventure is what I was seeking and that I did find. With a friend. It revitalized my spirit again even though it worsened my cold. You win some you lose some.

That night I went to a benefit show for the Japan tsunami relief at a bar called Urban. Again, amazing, amazing, amazing. More friends, some hip hop, break dancing, death metal, and low key jams all in one night along with hilarious conversations.

This is why I love Daegu, days like these.

Sunday: I forgot I had made plans with my Korean girlfriends to visit Palgonsan again! And by visit I mean visit. No hiking entailed. In fact, it would impress me to see a Korean girl push to walk up more then 10 steps before she took an elevator. The girly Korean’s just don’t hike…they just don’t. I even tried to convince the girls we should take the gondola to the top…but for fear of their lives they claimed it was unsafe.

And then there is me…

Regardless, I had worked myself hard enough the days before and was on the brink of sleepwalking. It was a nice change of pace. I adore these ladies. They are fabulous, all wit in tact and full of life. We talked all day and deep into the night. Dinner was delicious and filled with cultural exchange. And what do girls talk about all over the world? Boys and shopping…so fun.

It has been decided that to teach Su Jung English in return she will teach me the ways of womanhood. Education on how to do my hair, wear heels, pluck my eyebrows…girl has more work to do teaching me then I do her ;)

All in all, another full and happy week indeed!

P.S. 24 large OZ’s of Nutella has officially been consumed…impressed or disgusted…you decide…

Love,

Lady Kimchi

“Colorful” Daegu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems to be a trend for me to post a mouthful once a week…partially because my computer/internet combo is terrible plus I’m a bit lazy some days, and I’m very exhausted or out adventuring others. The past two weeks has felt wildly busy and somehow it seems like I have been in Daegu for a month. I’m grateful to say this place is growing on me quickly.

Daegu by night

From the exterior, Daegu can tend to look like an unpleasant concrete jungle. All of the buildings are made of bland gray hues only to be jazzed up with the most florescent signs. What I love most is the club music blaring at 7AM from any cell phone company to lure in customers from their daily riffraff.

Another aspect of this culture I’ve become immune to: My first few days here I had to suspect that danger was coming when, from a loud speaker I heard a man shouting from a megaphone words that I could not decipher that sounded important, instead it was business as usual. Just a man selling fruit from his 1970′s, Cat Steven’s style van wagon and disrupting my sleep.

There are many simple experiences that remind me daily “I’m not in Kansas anymore” and clicking my pretty red wedge heels together won’t get me there any quicker. All the time I consider, this is my life for a year. This is my home. Adapt or die is the most realistic and harsh way to say it. My first week I do admit I thought I was leaning toward the latter. But after having met too many expats to count (all of who are refreshingly awesome), and now that my school schedule and routine feels more stable I can breathe again.

The first week had so much stress in a bundle it caused zits, making me want to duck and cover instead of meet anyone. Now I am happy to say zits are (almost) gone and I have made friends. Many friends. And my challenge I felt would be meeting REAL friends, the kind that “get” you, like to do the things you do etc…but NO! There are so many people that want to hike, go to markets, do art, sing at the karaoke bars (norabang!), play instruments and do yoga! I was very worried I would be the only girl that didn’t want to get wasted at a foreigner bar every single weekend. Sure, I like to go out now and again, but I’d rather spend an entire day exploring this new place then wake up with a dull soju hang-over that puts me in a paralysis for the next 12 hours (which I have already regretfully experienced :/ ). So in conclusion, I am thrilled adventures will be happening with great people just as soon as I get that first paycheck…Oh! How I want that paycheck.

My first Daegu friend, congrats to me!

Korea's wanted expats, I made the front ;)

You know, I haven’t even really mentioned work. I’m surprised because that is what consumes most of my time here. In all honesty, I feel very lucky to be with Grapes Language School. I work at a private kindergarten (hagwon)whereas most expats work at a public school  which is public. The thing about teaching is it truly takes time and patience. It takes a great mental effort to connect with the kids and understand how that can be possible when there is 1) a huge language barrier and unless you are lucky enough to be educated on the native tongue   (I am not) most teachers cannot speak Korean 2) I am female and for that cannot gain the respect that I could have as a man 3) I haven’t talked with a child in many years (other then my nephew or niece for no more then a few minutes) and 4) I had minimal training and it might not have helped regardless, this is one of those careers where you learn the most from just “doing”.

Darling Walter

view from class window

Just from one week ago I have become much more creative and open. It is hard to see the world in a childlike way after being surrounded by my own age group since the start of college and before that, I’m sure. For my mature age of 24 (wink) I can be a HUGE dork with my friends so I figured being silly with kids would be simple. However, Korean children (probably all children) find the most random things to be funny. It took me a minute to catch on but now I’m not so stiff and reserved in class. I make stupid faces, I dance like a lunatic, I sing to my class and I read stories to them in a way that if I were caught by my friends I would turn red. And at the end of the day I have fun and so does my class. These little kids literally make my day. I feel like they are my little family members. They twirl my hair, they jump on my back, they try to give me wedgies, they hug me…they are just ridiculously funny and busy always.

I really adore how quick to forgive children are. When their feelings get hurt they cry or pout and ten minutes later they are playing again like nothing ever affected them in the first place. Their innocence and sweet spirit is contagious. On the other hand, all the dirt and grime they carry with them is too I bet :) I just love a good nose pickin’ during story time. That happens daily.

Outside of teaching, my co-workers are gold. All of them are kind, feed me well, check in to see that I am doing ok and do their best to make me feel at home. I am forever grateful for that. My experience has been enriched here in Daegu because of them.

Speaking of, one of my co-workers names Kristi took me to get my physical at the hospital on Saturday. I would have been a wreck without her help. Can you imagine? I thought the doc said “take off your underwear” instead of “under wire” when I was getting an X-ray. The BEST part was getting my blood drawn. I HATE HATE HATE needles and I warned Krisit I am sincerely a pathetic sight when it comes to any needle near my body. When it was my turn up I turned red in the face and started breathing really hard. The nurse told Kristi to tell me to hold still because I was tapping my leg so fast on the ground it was shaking my whole body. The other patients were starring at me like I was crazy. I was throwing a fit over a little needle. Kristi was laughing and trying to hold down the important body parts to prevent a bloody disaster while the nurse clearly was worried about my physical reaction to my blood being drawn and yelling at Kristi to tell me to “hold still”! I was flailing around, holding my head. The only part of my body that wasn’t twitching or moving was my victim arm. Kristi said she had never seen a person be such a baby. Haha. I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I was so dizzy and weak feeling. I cannot reiterate enough my great dislike for needles.

Lunch with Kristi and traditional Korean food

After my physical Kristi, her husband and I went to lunch because we were both starving and hadn’t eaten breakfast. After lunch, we had lunch AGAIN at another Korean restaurant. Apparently the two needed to meet with their church choir and decided to drag me along and I can’t say I was disappointed, just very, very full the rest of the day. Next, they took me to get a CELL PHONE! Waaahooo! I have been suffering without a way to get in contact with other expats at co-workers, this will make my life unbelievably easier.

It was a rainy Sunday today. Considering I went to bed at 3AM from a night out, I decided it was a great day to hunt for hot springs but indeed I did fail. I couldn’t have googled more information on how to get to the Sangdae hot springs, and granted I did get correct information, somehow I didn’t get enough information because yes, the hot springs were open on a Sunday but the memo wasn’t posted anywhere on the world wide web that all of the bus stations to get to the hot springs were closed. 3 hours later I had searched and found all bus terminals only to find dark ticket windows. But that definitely didn’t ruin my day. Instead, I went back home, grabbed my camera, and went to Suseong resort area. It is a man-made lake that is full of wonder. It offers fresh air near the mountains and a beautiful view. I walked for four hours taking pictures. It was fantastic.

Park Sesh

Suseongu Lake

In short, I am realizing that Daegu is colorful NOT due to the boring and painfully identical skyscrapers that clutter the never ending streets, but it is due to the rich experiences that come with the territory. Like the elegant and unique interiors of these concrete palaces, it takes a deeper look to discover the greatness of a place. And this week that is what I am realizing. Color, sometimes, has nothing to do with a rainbow.

Other noteworthy Colorful Daegu moments: Girl in my class had a sweater that said “backstach”. It was fantastic and I want to find my own.

Eating at a Japanese restaurant where dessert was fried crab body. Not the meat, in fact there was no meat, just fried crab shell that you chew like a chip. I made myself try it, why not? After the octopus I’m on a roll. And like it sounds, it was disgusting. Crunchy and tasted like bad fish. The texture reminded me of the possibility of chewing on an insect. Ewwwww!

crab chips yuk!

Thank you for putting up with my delayed posts and enjoy some more pictures of Daegu!

xoxo

Love,

Lady Kimchi

Hello, Kitty

Shout out to Seattle in Daegu, Sleepless in Seattle "kupi" house.

A Slap on the Wrist Ought To Do The Trick

playing with my picture

I have taken a ten day sabbatical from my blog and I’m sorry I did because I have realized that I have much to tell and many pictures to show. For the majority of the time I didn’t have wireless and would have to find a “pishi bang” ( PC Room) that usually wreaks of cigarettes, so I didn’t last very long in those places. But as of today, the world wide miracle called internet has graced my apartment and I can begin, once again, to communicate with the rest of the world. Hallelujah! However, I am also realizing my netbook is a real piece of sub-par work and as soon as I get a few paychecks in the Daegu Bank I will be upgrading.

Ok story time: After being in Korea for a little over a week, I have experienced the vast differences between here and home, as expected…but not so suddenly : ) Most of my embarrassing moments begin with me not knowing how to read Korean…because as you may understand, not knowing how to read even the most simple of words makes life all the more complicated. So without further adieu I present to you:

The Story of Jinae and the Bidet

About two days into my transition at Grapes Language School, I decided it was time to ask, “Where is the bathroom, please?” so that my eight hour day could be a little more comfortable. Haha. That step alone was entertaining. I tried to say the phrase in Korean but I said it so poorly the words were unrecognizable to my co-workers. With flying hands making the most odd gestures for “toilet” I got responses like, “You need to take a bath?”. Probably, but that wasn’t what I meant. Finally, I made it to the bathroom and quickly obstacle two I did face. Hello, toilet with fifty buttons…too bad I made that mental note AFTER I went the bathroom :/. All of them had symbols and unrecognizable images on them. There was one red button, and somehow in my head I rationalized that maybe red means “go, like flush” because chances are our cultures are so different red and green mean the opposite. So I push the red button. Out comes a tiny plastic probe, I stand up off the toilet for fear of what this thing may do. And from my perspective, it clearly wasn’t about to flush. Instead, out flies, no joke, a stream of water with a force so great it hit me in the face and when I ran out of the stall it sprayed the stall wall for another twenty seconds. Awesome. I laughed so hard I could hardly stand up. Did I really just get hit in the face with toilet water? (So much for the color red and my theory on opposite cultures). After wiping my face off with my shirt and composing myself I get back downstairs and try to explain what happened with a bunch of blank stares back at me. Luckily, one of the teachers speaks English and she died laughing too ( Korean’s DO have a sense of humor, whew). She translated and everyone laughed. What is even better is when I asked, so which button do I push? Alice my co-teachers flips down the toilet lid at another toilet and says, “You just pull down this handle” ….JUST LIKE IN AMERICA. Great, glad I was clever enough to figure that out. That made me laugh too, because I was thinking too hard about how we are different instead of similar. And how complicated can it be, it’s a toilet.

Story Two: How Fresh is Too Fresh?

One aspect of Korea that I  appreciate and have enjoyed is that Korean’s are some of the nicest people! And in a world so strange it is a godsend because I would feel all the more lonely and alien. My school boss and her family took me to my first Korean meal the second day. We had a classic dish of bimbibap and it was delicious. It had beef in it, so I ate around it, not wanting to offend or dispute what was being ordered, and I definitely wanted a true Korean dish. It wasn’t long though, that Alice my co-worker asked, “My Mom wants to know why you aren’t eating the meat”. I tried my best to explain that it was amazing food, but red meat hurts my stomach. I could tell they felt bad that they ordered a dish with meat in it. I wanted so badly to let them know what a success dinner was and how grateful I was for it. So this part leads into day three.

The third day for lunch my boss insisted on taking everyone to lunch and I could tell it was for my arrival to Korea. She made sure I would like what was served, so she asked, “Do you like seafood?” and I replied, “I love seafood, it’s my favorite!”

An noon everyone jumped into the school van and the principal drove all eight of us to one of the nicest seafood restaurants in Daegu. I had confidence that no matter what was going to be served, I could eat it, would eat it, and like it too.

Side Note: Beauty is a funny thing in Korea. To have pale skin and a small head are the most profound ways to be beautiful here I have learned. At home, I might take offense to the various comments about how small my head is, but here I get to be flattered. Also, I WOULD take offense to all the comments on my pale face, but somehow I am trying to believe I should be flattered about the continual “aahh, your face is very pale” comments. Anyway, back to lunch. At lunch I am wearing a hat, and as I take it off one of the girls screams and points at me! My initial thoughts, “Oh no! What did I do?!” or “What is on me?”. Instead she say, “You have such small head!” Hahaha, Thanks….I think?

Back to the story:

Before the first dish comes out everyone kept telling me the food was really “fresh”. I didn’t quite grasp how fresh until platter number one comes out, and what is it? None other then a LIVING octopus! I had read about this sort of dish before coming, but I wasn’t expecting squirming tentacles in my mouth so soon. They all looked at me to see my reaction and I did my very best to seem very pleased and excited. However, deep down I was freaked out. One, I love an octopus as a creature of the sea, I never did enjoy eating it…dead. Two, it was sadly flopping around in a small dish of water with other uncooked creatures including baby squid, clams, scallops, and crab. And three, it was ALIVE!

Our server came to the table with a knife and began to cut the tentacles of the octopus. It really broke my heart. I’m a wuss maybe. She put a leg on my plate as the guest of honor, and then proceeded to dish up everyone else. I’m glad Korean’s wait to eat until everyone has food on their plate because I thought, this will buy me time. Hopefully this leg dies before I force myself to eat it. (Also, I have heard that in Korea one person or so dies a year from eating an alive octopus that tries to hang on for dear life…getting the last laugh by choking its predator to death) and for a passing moment I considered being that miserable soul that dies a death from an octopus.

Octopus Dinner: Yummmm

I look up, everyone has been served (check). Octopus leg is still moving about (check). Everyone is waiting for me to eat it (check). And so with my chopstick, I grabbed the monster-like figure on my plate and bit down, chewed as fast as I could and tasted the ocean water with some slime and a veiny texture in my mouth. Gulp. It was over. I looked at my table and smiled, falsely advertising my true feelings. But it was worth it to not offend my year-long teaching mates and to have such a unique experience.

Co-Workers :)

This is why I love traveling, you never know what to expect. Always, you must be on your toes and open your mind to change. It may not all be good, but most of it is and if you never try those “weird” aspects of a culture I suppose you might miss out on learning more about yourself.

I can’t say that my short time here has been easy, because truly, is hasn’t. I have been missing my family and friends in a major way and expats were harder to find then I anticipated. (Recently I found a group of 200 and am going out tomorrow to bond with English speakers (Waahoooo)…it really is more necessary then I let myself believe). Also, being stared at on the streets like you are the only being that has ever come to Korea that isn’t Korean can make you feel even more alone, especially because Korean’s for the most part cannot speak English, and I can only speak a broken phrase or two of Korean. So that human connection is gone and I have never felt so on my own. This, I hope and believe, will allow me to grow in my own skin and get used to being my own best friend at times. I’m learning to pick myself up, talk myself up, quit eating Nutella for dinner, and using my own shoulder to cry on when it gets really tough (like when my Grandma passed away), but also cheering myself up.

I forgot how exhausting traveling is at the beginning! Korea is like nowhere that I have been and I’m grateful for this chance to conquer the hardships of “aloneness” and discovering myself, new lands, new friends and new ideas from another culture; all wrapped up in the adventure that comes with the traveling.

An excellent essay ontraveling (thank you Miranda : ) :

http://www.salon.com/travel/feature/2000/03/18/why

More Daegu images:

Soju (rice wine)

Yam and Pumpkin Tea :) MMMMM

subway

Fashion district

Neighborhood

so cute!!!

Well, that was interesting.

February 28th, 2011

So as life would have it, I made it to Korea safe and sound…barely. What seemed like a calm and collected plane ride ended up becoming one of the most traumatic of my life. I’m not sure which was worse: The fact that a lady died on the plane or that the pilot decided to fly at colossal speeds, dropping the aircraft quickly into Tokyo, in hopes to revive the woman from her predestined death (and takes everyone else’s life with hers (or so it felt)). Flight attendants were literally running from the back of the plane to the front grabbing every tool from the medicine kit. From the loudspeaker a  doctor or medical expert was requested several times over, to which no person responded in the womans favor. By the time we landed in Tokyo the plane smelled like a hospital, much to my dismay because I HATE that smell. I didn’t know whether to vomit or cry. It was miserable. The Korean man next to me laughed and said, “ahh it’s just another destiny, don’t worry”.  Call it what you will, but with a deceased body on the plane I wasn’t comforted by anything.

A two-hour delay put me in Incheon airport at 9PM. From that point on all went very smooth. I met a man at the baggage claim holding a sign saying “Welcome to Korea Ms. Jinae Niles”! I couldn’t be mistaken, it was me he was looking for. He put me on bus headed toward Daegu at 10PM.  One four-hour journey headed south landed me at my destination at 2AM. My school principal’s daughter, Alice, picked me up at the bus station with her father, who has a name that I cannot pronounce.

They took me to my apartment and gave me a thourough description of how everything works…including the light switches. At 4AM they left and I slept harder than I have in a long, long time.

To be continued with pictures of my new home and videos of the world many moons away.

My new home, very retro/ 60′s….just my style :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard, it gets the job done.

 

Love,

Lady Kimchi

A Day Late & A Dollar Short: Finally Adventure Bound

Over a month later and after what seems like an eon of bad timing and maddening mishaps (I will explain), I am FINALLY, really, truly leaving on a jet plane South Korea bound. All in all I am as ready as one possibly could be and for good reason. I have already exhausted my many opportunities to have several freak out episodes. And believe me, I took the opportunities. Now I feel much more like the sane adult I have always hoped to be…bored of fear and ready to get this one-year epic (bang-ups, hang-ups and all) on the road.

It has been 3.5 months since this adventure to move to SK began. It has taken most of that time to attain an apostille for my diploma, send off my fingerprints for a criminal background check, and process my VISA. I have now been assigned a city to live after a series of filtering through other towns and schools. My VISA is officially printed inside of my passport and longing to be used.

Let me fill you in on why I have yet to be boarded on a plane:

Attempt 1: I was supposed to leave January 10th to Sanbon near Seoul originally. Plans fell through when I backed out, allowing the attack from the North to persuade my better judgment to stay home sometime back in late November. However, Adventure Teaching (my recruiter) assured me if that was the reason I was staying behind I would be missing out on something great and life changing, therefore after much thinking I continued forth with the idea. So my leave date then became January 20th.

Attempt 2: This time A Class in Sanbon sadly didn’t get enough students enrolled and couldn’t afford another teacher. Sione, the head of the school and clearly and amazingly kind man, put up a solid fight to get me on board, but alas, no such luck.

Attempt 3: Sione searched from the tops of the mountains to the ocean floor to find me a suitable school where I would be happy…and I do admit I was a bit adamant about where I wanted to be, so bless his soul for putting up with me in the first place. His friend happened to be in need of a teacher in Bundang, again near Seoul. They forwarded me the information and I, with hesitation, accepted simply because I was tired of waiting ….but lo and behold, another school presented itself and in the end it was my primary choice. So Bundang was no dice for me!

South Korea

Daegu, SK

Daegu (Taegu), SK

Attempt 4: Sione found one more school in Daegu, South Korea, toward Busan in the south. I was ecstatic more than anything. I had wanted to be in the south region of the country from the beginning, so really this was more than I could have hoped for. Attempt 4 is where it ends. I am officially moving to Daegu. A mountain city of 2.5 million dwellers. 40 minutes from Busan and the beautiful ocean. Winters below 20F and summers near 110F and above. Extreme!

Thanks to the influx of emotions and the endless mind mess I am at more ease than I would have ever anticipated. Instead of worried about any political situation I am at peace with everything, saying my good-byes to my beautiful family, one amazing fella that makes me grin everyday from ear to ear, my lovely friends, etc. My bags are not yet packed, and I’m not entirely certain how I will get it all done, but I don’t care….yet. One thing I am certain of is the world has extraordinary wonder and it ought’ to be explored, SO wish me well and I will be loving and missing what I will be leaving only for a short while.

Packing up my room

Love,

Lady Kimchi xo