Christmas in Korea

View from my apartment window

White Christmas

Who invited a Bear to the party?

Wilkerson with his hermit crabs!

My new friend: TigerBear

Secret Santa Exchange

Christmas Eve Potluck Spread

Christmas Morning Brunch

Christmas in Korea

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to family and friends, those that are near, and those that are far. Lucky for me, even those that are far, far away, feel nice and close to me this holiday. I am so thankful for how unexpectedly pleasant this Christmas holiday has been. For weeks to come, I dreaded Christmas weekend, assuming it would be inevitably a dreary weekend, spent longing to be with my family at home. And while I do wish I could be snuggled up at my spot on the couch under Grandma’s afghan, or first-hand witnessing ‘Grandpa-isms’ on Christmas Eve surrounded by family- my Christmas weekend in Korea has been equally filled with laughter, love, and cheer.

At first, I was disappointed to hear that Christmas wasn’t a big holiday in Korea. I didn’t understand how or why a nation of people would opt out of the many Christmas traditions I have known for twenty two years- those experiences that make all of us- old and young- feel as giddy as a child. Besides, it is “the most wonderful time of the year.” So I seriously judged the people of Korea when I gained knowledge that Christmas was more of a couple’s holiday, a day spent between lovebirds out to dinner, exchanging presents, and of course drinking coffee. To my surprise, this was only true to an extent, and actually worked out in my favor. First, the coffee shops around Gwangju ceased to impress me this holiday season, displaying Christmas decorations left and right, and playing all my favorite holiday hits. Second, many of my students were eager to express their own Christmas traditions- including a Christmas tree and knowledge of ‘Santa Cross.’ One student even wrote that Christmas was their favorite holiday because children behave better in order to receive their Christmas presents. Also, one of my classes and I spent the end of class singing Christmas carols together- their favorites being Last Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Overall, I am relieved that there was no lack of Christmas cheer in the air here in Gwangju.

My real Christmas glow came from the lovely friends and family I have, both at home and here in Korea. With each letter or present I received, I felt so much love. Friday night after work, I was lucky enough to Skype with Anne and we ‘exchanged’ presents. I opened her present to me, which humorously consisted of products sold in the United States at the ever-so-popular Forever 21, but were made in Korea. She had already opened my present, but more importantly, I explained the exotic Korean food/ snacks I sent her. Saturday night was our big CDI family Christmas Eve party. Another successful potluck made me feel blessed to be in the company of so many great chefs. Jessi and her mashed potatoes; Max with Chicken Enchiladas, Dusty and his Bacon infested everything,; about a million types of Deviled Eggs. We even had a most-delicious Eggnog! And of course plenty of desserts. Filled with food and happiness, we rolled ourselves down the hall to Max’s room to exchange Secret Santa gifts. Coincidentally, I had Wilkerson for Secret Santa, and he had me! So a bit overzealously some might say, I gave him his present- which consisted of a sweater, and two hermit crabs! He gave me a box of cuteness, consisting of a stuffed animal (photographed above). My friends all watched as they saw me squeal and squirm like a child as I opened my present. When you see the picture of the Bear, you’ll understand.

After a successful Secret Santa exchange, we munched on a wide selection of sinfully delicious desserts. Then we played Sour Apples to Apples. The night concluded with someone who should be a part of everyone’s Christmas season- Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. We were also blessed with a magical, Christmas snow. Ending the night on a happy note: for the first time in 4 months, my taxi driver did not speed home.

Sunday morning, I was so incredibly excited to Skype with my family at home at our annual Christmas Eve party. I was so happy to be a part of this for a few minutes, because it is in fact, my favorite day of the year. I was so happy to see everyone’s faces, hear their voices, and see my grandparents. As I was passed around the room, I couldn’t help but smile ear to ear. It was wonderful to hear my grandparents, and my grandpa inevitably cracked me up right away, “Helen, I wish I was with you. This place is a madhouse. Everyone is talking, but no one is saying anything.” Classic Grandpa. I think I’ve been glowing ever since…

Then my friends in my apartment building came to my apartment for Christmas morning brunch! The menu consisted of toast, French toast, fruit, omelets, polenta, and of course, hot chocolate. Truly, the magic continued as I was surrounded with wonderful company, sharing stories and creating new memories.

As I sit here, anticipating skyping with my family for Christmas morning, I am truly appreciative of all the special people in my life currently. I could not have asked for more support and love from my friends and family at home. Every person has his or her own suggestions or advice on surviving a year away from home. But here’s how I have come to understand the equation: 1/10 courage; 9/10 strength and support from friends and family. Whether its writing me a letter, or me writing a letter to you; skyping for 10 minutes, or skyping for 2 hours; chatting on facebook, or a long facebook update on your life- I truly appreciate it all.

Thank you all and have a very Merry Christmas! And please, don’t take being home and around your family for granted. Sorry this post is really insightful on Korea, but next time I’ll be writing to update you on the three-foot geniuses I am “teaching” so stay tuned.

Until next time…..

Gobble Gobble

The gang at Everland.

Angel-in-us Coffee Shop, where I find serenity.

Read the decorations closely.

Gwangju National Museum

Thursday Thanksgiving Dinner

Quail Eggs, Garlic, Peppers

My youngest class

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

I hope that everyone was able to spend the holiday weekend with those they love, sharing a laugh, bellies full to the brim. Thanks to the wonderful people around me, my Thanksgiving weekend beat all my expectations. Thursday evening, my co-workers and I shared a unique Thanksgiving feast: spicy squid. It was delicious, just takes a little time to adjust to your food actually wiggling around while it’s cooking. Regardless, everything was delicious and the company equally enjoyable. Saturday night was our big Chungdahm Family Thanksgiving dinner. Dusty actually found a 13lb turkey at the foreigner market in downtown Gwangju. So our feast included turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, salad, green bean casserole, fried rice, and of course the cranberry sauce sent from the States. We stuffed our faces, some eating quickly to fool the brain- others pacing themselves. Either way, we all were sure to leave a little room for the delicious apple and pumpkin pies. Many miracles were performed in one evening: all twenty of us fitting around one table in one apartment, but the bigger miracle being that all of the food was made with just one real ‘oven.’ Bravo team, bravo.

In honor of it being Thanksgiving weekend and the beginning of the Holiday Season, I’d like to share all that I am thankful for:

5. End of the Term: I’m thankful that I survived my first term teaching at Chungdahm. I had a great head instructor that showed me the ropes with endless support and grace. I also had a wonderful batch of kiddies. While the semester included a handful of headaches, there were also many laughs and good memories. The kids were great and I’ll miss ‘em all at some point. I’m also thankful that the first term is over, because it means that my journey here in Korea is ¼ complete. It’s been an interesting ride thus far, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming months.

4. Koreans: I’m incredibly thankful for Koreans being the generous, warm-hearted people they are. The other day I was in a battle with the bus system here in Gwangju as I was trying to travel to new territory. The busy system had powerful resources- seeing as most of the bus maps are written only in Korean. However, several friendly Koreans jumped up to help me find my way. I am thankful that Koreans are so friendly to foreigners. I am also thankful for two guys: George and Ed. More notably known as McCune and Reischauer, who are responsible for the Romanization of the Korean language. Living in a country that doesn’t use the Roman alphabet has been more challenging than expected, but luckily, Korea has adapted to the growing number of foreigners and you can find English most places.

3. Skype: Pretty self-explanatory, but I am extremely thankful for Skype and the possibilities our 21^st century technology allows us to enjoy. Thank you for allowing me to stay in contact with my friends and family at home. Skype, you’ve truly impacted my life more than you’ll know. Kakao talk, my text-messaging program, you’re in a close second place.

2. Friends: Old and new, thank you times a million. I feel so lucky to have such a great support system at home. There are many friends at home who I have maybe just messaged a few short novels to occasionally, or have written a letter to- but it helps me so much. Writing to you is the greatest therapy for me. So thank you for listening, and more props if you wrote back. I miss my friends from all over the States, but I feel your love and support. If you have sent me mail (or surprise packages) I am forever grateful. If you have skyped with me, again, seeing your face means the world to me. Specifically, thanks to Anne and Berta for skyping with me for hours on end. I am also feeling grateful for the new friends I have made in Korea. My co-workers rule, and I love our big, crazy Gwangju family.

1. Family: I honestly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support from my family. I have the two greatest parents, who shower me with love and warmth. Thank you for showing me the world from a young age, sparking my curiosity and passion for traveling. Also, I am thankful for having such a big, loving family. I feel so much love hearing that you all read, enjoy, and share my blog. I miss all the Goodwins and the Olivers (especially my grandparents) and I’m glad we can connect via the Internet. Being away from the family around the holidays will be rough, so feel free to send me some emails. Oh, and congrats to my cousins Tony and Julie on their beautiful baby girl!

Overall, not too much is new in Gwangju. Winter has made it’s entrance. The days are mild, and the nights are frigid. (Thankful for floor heaters in Korean apartments.) Two weekends ago, a group of us headed to Seoul to check out Everland: the 8^th largest amusement park in the world. Everland is a 50-minute bus ride outside of Seoul. Dusty, Nick, and I took a bus to Seoul on Saturday and enjoyed a speechless Mexican dinner at On the Border in Co-Ex mall. Guacamole, cheesy burritos, and margaritas= enough said. Sunday morning, a group of 8 of us headed off to Everland. Everything in Everland is extremely close to Disney World, but not. We found ourselves saying, “It’s just like Disney, but not” at several points in the day. The rides were really exciting actually, but the lines were no less than 60 minutes. On top of the greatness of being at an amusement part in Korea, the whole park was Christmas themed, which meant we enjoyed Western Christmas Carols and Christmas decorations. The day came to a peak of greatness when I was watching the best firework show, drinking hot chocolate, and Santa came on screen.

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend and officially: Happy Holidays to you! The pictures include: Everland, Thanksgiving dinners, my students, and a few others. Enjoy!

Until next time….

Dusty Day

So we’ve been going at this for two months now right? Me and you. I’ve been sharing my experiences of Korea with you, so despite thousands of miles between us, we have some connection. Therefore, I feel obligated to be honest with you about something: My body is still sore and feeling the effects of my physically demanding weekend adventures. That’s right. Four days later and my calves are still pissed as hell. It’s embarrassing and reveals just how out of shape I am, but I felt victorious and I’d like to share my adventures with you:

Saturday= Dusty Day. What’s a Dusty Day? A day where you partake in two or more of my dear friend Dusty’s favorite activities. This past Saturday included: hiking and swing dancing.

We met up with each other at the bottom of Mt. Mudung at 11am. I had no idea if Mt. Mudung and I would get along, but I did know one thing: I did not blend in with my fellow hikers. Typical here I know, but today, I really stood out. Hiking in Korea is a big deal. Mt. Mudung was very busy with hikers. The average age of my fellow hikers: 55. And they all have the same intense hiking-get up. Head to toe, they are ready for some serious hiking. So from the get-go, I’m feeling intimidated. Hiking: 1. Helen: 0.

We started up the hill, and not long after, I realized this was going to be a huge physical and mental challenge. First of all, I was physically not in shape to hike this mountain. Especially considering I was with my friend Dusty, who is a frequent hiker being from Vancouver. Dusty was ready for a real hike. And I really did not want to let him down. So after picturing various scenarios in my head all of which end in me miraculously not having to hike anymore, I realized I had to suck it up and hike this damn mountain. For starters, I let Dusty know that my face typically gets this red when I work out, and not to be concerned.

We made it to the first look out and it was gorgeous. We took a quick rest and agreed to keep going. The second leg of the trip was what I like to call mental hiking. Besides thinking of a few curse words, I kept having flashbacks to going for walks in the forest preserves of Palos Park. We used to take these frequently when I was a child, and they almost always ended with me getting up on my dad’s shoulders due to complaining. Well, my dad’s shoulders were not readily available, and I had a hunch that Dusty wasn’t going to be down for that…So I had to suck and it up and be a trooper. We made it to the next look out and the endorphins kicked in. I felt great. There was great, positive energy coming from that look out. The view was beautiful and I felt like I was on top of Korea! The rest of the mountain seemed manageable and there were some really cool rock formations up ahead, so we kept going! I actually wanted to keep hiking. Shocking. Just when I felt my legs get shaky, we made it to a great resting point. We parked it on some rock formation out of Lion King and had lunch. The hike was made enjoyable by all the friendly Koreans with their friendly smiles and ‘hello’s, and of course, Dusty.

It felt great getting home and resting my feet, but the rest was short lived. Next up: Swing dancing. Dusty has been mastering swing dancing around the world for the past 8 years. So he was pumped to find that Gwangju in fact had a swing-dancing club downtown! Another teacher named Jessi and I accompanied Dusty to Saturday night beginner lessons. We learned the basics and were in for a big surprise once lessons were over. There were about 20 Koreans in the lessons. But after the lessons, all the pro’s came to the club. First it was great to watch Dusty do his thing. All the girls wanted to dance with him because he was a rock star on the dance floor. I was very impressed by all the Koreans that were really good dancers. Jessi and I would dance with Dusty too, which I thought would serve two purposes: Allow me to avoid dancing with strangers; Show the guys that I’m a beginner who has no idea what I’m doing. Fail. The guys continuously came up to us to ask for a dance. Two hands out with eye contact translates to: Want to dance? Surprised I was even standing after the hike, we ended up dancing at the club for two hours after the lesson. One great thing about swing dancing is that the guy always leads. Therefore, some guys were really good teachers as dancers and showed Jessi and I some great new moves. Pleasantly surprised by the experience, I’m down for round 2 of swing dancing!

Thus concludes the adventures of my first Dusty Day! Regardless of the sore legs, it was totally worth it. Another great weekend in Korea!

In other news, we have some pretty important days ahead of us here in Korea. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 10, 2011, high school students will take their college entrance exam. This test is the equivalent to the United States’ SAT or ACT, except for one big difference: Korean kids only have one chance. One shot to set the path for their entire future. They can only take the test once to decide if they will go to college, and if so, what college they will go to. Talk about pressure, at least these kids have been raised under intense academic pressure their entire life, hopefully building a strong resistance. For example, all middle school students have a rigorous exam for an entire week, once a year. It seems Korean culture takes standardized tests much more seriously than in the United States. To be honest, I am quite opposed to standardized tests in the United States, but here it really seems to motivate students and students take school very seriously. Rightly so, their entire future is at stake. The entire nation truly values education. So much so that tomorrow, on the day of the college exam, most work places have a delayed start. This is because they want to make sure the students can get to their test taking location on time, so they want to allow all public transportation to be available for the students. If the student misses the test for some reason, that student will not attend college. This is taken very seriously. My Korean teacher also said that it is common to see police and ambulances take students to their testing locations on this day. Also, all other middle school students and high school students have the day off of school because the teachers are needed to help the testers. Although Korean students define the word hardworking or even overworked, I commend the dedication to education in this country.

My co-worker recently posted this link, which helps to paint the education picture here in South Korea: Before watching though, note that the video does not even mention that students go to multiple after school programs (me!) multiple days a week for hours. Disclaimer: I do not have enough information regarding the teaching methods in the classrooms, so I cannot say if I support them or not.

Video: Education in South Korea

www.cnn.com

Interestingly enough, my two students and I spent the last half hour of class today debating education- one of my favorite topics. It started by my student explaining that she had her hair chemically straightened today because her teacher said her hair needed to be straighter. Yes, the Korean school system is very strict. All students wear a uniform. Girls: Straight hair and black. Hair must be above your nametag that is worn on your chest and your hair must be above your eyebrows. Similarly: Boys have to have short hair too. This sparked a conversation comparing Korean education and Western education. My student, mind you she is in 7^th grade and extremely intelligent, was arguing that the Korean education system is too strict and may have opposite effects on individuals. I explained that the United States is envious of the work ethic students have in Korea. Also, Korean students are lucky because all students are entitled to a good education. Point of this paragraph being: 1. My student rocks for being able to carry on this intellectual debate. 2. I love talking education.

One more thing: Friday is November 11, 2011; 11.11.11. However, I’m more excited for it being an extra special Pepero Day! Pepero Day is a holiday unique to South Korea, and similar to Valentine’s Day. Pepero is a cookie stick dipped in chocoloate. Pepero Day takes place on 11.11 every year. The origins of this holiday remain a mystery, but some claim the logic lies in the fact that the numbers 11.11 resemble the pepero sticks themselves. Therefore, this Pepero Day is extra special. Rumor has it, the students gift their teachers boxes upon boxes of Pepero. I am very much looking forward to it!

Enjoy the pictures. The hike was on the perfect Autumn day. The picture of the dip during swing dancing is of Dusty and Jessi!

Thanks for reading. Until next time...

October Encounters

Happy November all! I am thankful for all the wonderful experiences that October offered. I had very memorable experience, some with my new foreign friends and some with friendly Koreans. I would like to take a moment to give a shout out to my three favorite Korean- encounters of October:

1. The Korean Lady on the Bus:

So my very first time taking the bus, I was riding by myself from my neighborhood across town to Sangmu, where the other teachers live. I was nervous because I wasn’t really sure where I was going or how to recognize my stop. My instructions were look for the big Wonderbread looking flags, then get off one stop later. As crazy as that sounds, the instructions were perfect- thanks Dusty.

Anyways, I sat down on the bus and an older Korean lady sat down next to me. As most elderly Koreans do, she started talking to me in Korean. So, I give my routine “aniyo” which means No. She proceeds to carry on in Korean. I say: No. No. No. She continues. Then I say in Korean, “I am American.” She acknowledges this for a brief moment, and continues talking to me in Korean. Mind you, this Korean was a close-talker. And a feeler. She legitimately had her hand on my thigh, casually patting it every now and then. I kind of nod my head, giving an apologetic look for not being able to communicate. Meanwhile, she has a huge smile on her face as she begins to closely examine me. Finally, she points to my hand. She touches my skin. Takes a closer look, and starts to crack up laughing. Next thing I know, she’s packing up her bags, exiting the bus, while still cracking up. I’ll never know what made her go into hysterics, but I can only imagine the stories she told to her family that night about the American girl on the bus.

2. The Korean Taxi Driver: Part Taxi Driver- Part English Dictionary

So after a long day of shopping at Costco and then traveling with all our purchases, my friends and I got in a cab to head back to the apartment. We gave our directions: Bongseon-dong please. The driver starts to speak some conversational English. At first, it’s hard to tell if the Korean really knows English or just knows a few key phrases: Nice to meet you. How are you? Where are you from? Etc. So we kindly respond, assuming conversation will stop after these questions. False. This Korean man had outstanding English, and had been waiting for some English-speaking clients to practice on. So he was going to practice as much English as possible for the next 12-15 minutes.

This taxi driver not only had perfect grammar, he was a human thesaurus. “Do you think my English is wonderful? Wonderful: Outstanding. Excellent. Phenomenal. Impressive. Great. Fantastic.” Or “You are cute: Cute: Good looking. Pretty. Attractive. Beautiful.” This guy was cracking us up with his English, but the best part was that he was cracking himself up. He was so ecstatic to be practicing/ showing off his English. For every word or phrase he said, he would re-state the target word and then list 5-6 synonyms. It was incredible. Near the end of the taxi ride, he told us to be sure to look for his face again, as if it’d be possible to take the same taxi twice here. At the end of the ride he left us with, “It’s been a pleasure to meet you. It’s been an honor to meet you. Nice meeting you. I enjoyed meeting you.” I’m pretty sure we closed the door and he was still reciting all the phrases he knew with the same meaning. Anyways, the cab driver was a human dictionary and his English was extremely impressive. Best. Cab. Driver. Ever.

October also ended with a great weekend. Friday, the Nam-crew (my co-workers and I work at NamGwangju) hit the town. First we chowed down on some delicious soup. Then we hit up the archery-bong. It exceeded my expectations by far. The boys and I shot some arrows, no big deal. Then we had our hand at darts, followed by darts with a airsoft gun! Note: I rocked at the airsoft gun, must have learned something from my bro all these years. Overall, great night out with the crew.

Saturday was the night to celebrate Halloween and go out downtown. I gave into the annual Halloween pressure to dress up, threw on a bandana, and went as a ‘hippie.’ I was accompanied by a homemade robot, a wizard, tiger, creepy mouse, and more. Halloween related characters. Although Korea doesn’t celebrate Halloween, there are enough foreigners to spread the tradition. Therefore, the bars with many foreigners, the Korean staff dressed up. It was a blast seeing all the costumes. Highlight of the night: My wizard friend doing real magic: setting off a firework off the roof of the bar.

Sunday was a perfect fall weather day. I took a book over to the park in my neighborhood and enjoyed the crisp air for a while. Then Sunday night we had family dinner in Sangmu with the other teachers. Everyone brings a dish. We watched a few Halloween movies and just hung out. My first Sunday Family Dinner= Success.

As I greet November, I start to think about the time, trying to decide whether time is flying by or not. I seem to have a repeating dilemma when I stop to think about my year here: I want to enjoy everyday, but when I think about being away from home for another 10 months, I am not opposed if time moves swiftly. Then I remember some simple advice my Aunt gave me:

“Just live and enjoy every day and all of the new discoveries that you are making.”

It’s simple, but works. I look forward to seeing what November has to offer.

Thanks for reading. Until next time…

*Photos: Archery Bong. Girls on Halloween. Best Halloween Costumes at work on Monday: Teacher and student.