Korea in Retrospect

Daegu FAM[iliarization] TOUR

2010-05-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

I went on a tour that was made possible by Daegu Metropolitan City. It started early in the morning and ended early afternoon. Despite being behind schedule, about an hour late to be precise, we all enjoyed the tour. Coffee and mango juice was provided by Davinci coffee in the morning and we stuffed ourselves with Korean food during lunch. I wish I knew what it was called, because it was simply delicous. Here are some pictures of the tour and the many places we visited.

Guam Farm
This farm tour is also on the itinerary of the Daegu City Tour. When we arrived at the farm, we were introduced to the what the farm was all about and soon after we started to make egg baskets out of straw. It was quite an interesting experience and it was definitely no easy task. Many of us definitely struggled, some more then others...
Next came the tractor ride. We headed for the organic cherry tomato greenhouse where the farmer told us how they grow them and how we should pick them. We were all given a 300g plastic container to fill with cherry tomatoes and we were also given permission to eat them as we picked them.

After spending time in the hot greenhouse eating and picking cherry tomatoes, it was time for lunch. We had lunch on the farm at an 0nsite restaurant and ate many different kinds of side dishes and soup that was cooked right in front of us. The soup had pork, glass noodles and vegetables. After eating lunch, we all grouped outside to see how duk (rice cake) is made in the tradition method, using two wooden mallots. Some of us got to try to make it as well. After making the rice cake, the rice was covered in sweetened soy bean powder and we all got to try it as well.

Herb Hills & Herbal Medicine Village
After spending a large sum of our time at the farm we headed for Herb Hills. Some made candles and others made soaps. After finishing with our crafts, we had 40 minutes of free time. Many of us had been to Herb Hills before for the Eco-Adventure Tour (ziplining). So, we spent our free time at a beer garden sipping on some cold Hite. I highly recommend the Eco-adventure Tour at Herb Hills. 14,000 won will get you entrance to the park as well as one zipline course.
After Herb Hills we took a quick pass by at Spa Valley, Daegu's largest water park then headed for Herbal Medicine Village. We spent the remainder of our time at a Herbal Medicine museum, where we learned about traditional Korean/Chinese medicine and also a little history of Daegu's medicinal past.

The day was long and tiring but it was fun and informative. Thank you Metropolitan City of Daegu for hosting this tour for us NETs.

Food for Thought

2010-05-31T00:22:00.000-07:00

Korean food in few words can be described as flavorful and varied. There are so many different kinds of Korean dishes and having lived in Korea for 7 months, I have yet to scratch the surface. Many of my colleagues and I enjoy this most about Korea, the endless possibilities of Korean food and foods from other cultures that are authentic if not fused with Korean cuisine. However, if you are the pickiest of all eaters maybe you should reconsider that EPIK contract you are about to sign....

I am not one to discourage experiences aboard. However, if you have problems with foods that are outside of the realms of your limited taste buds, you may have problems living in a country that loves food from the sea, spiciness, saltiness and sweetness, and of course rice.

The reason for this discussion is because many foreigners or NETs tend to complain about the food their school provides or lack of abundance of western/American foods in Korea and of course the large amounts of fish based foods in Korea. The question that I would like to propose to these NETs are, are you really that surprised that Korea has more Korean food then western/American foods or that schools would provide foods that are fished based? YOU ARE IN KOREA.

Coming to Korea I would expect to eat more Korean food then western/American food. It is not only what is expected when you sign the dotted line on your EPIK contract but part of the cultural experience that is connoted with the signing of the contract. Yes, there have been times that I did not enjoy the school lunch and yes, you are going to miss all the foods that you ate back home. This is all part of the experience, living in country that you are not familiar with. If you are not willing to accept the state of nature that is Korea, then why have you decided to come here to teach English for a year?

Another question you should be asking yourself before any excursion to a country aboard for an extended period of time is, are you able to adjust to the life style that is of that country, which includes their social norms and the foods they eat?

Try the food and experiment with your tastebuds. Then make your decision whether you like it or not .There is a world of flavors outside of the western world and who knows.... you just may end of liking something that you thought you could never try.

Quote(s) of the day

2010-05-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

Grade 6 Lesson 5: May I help you?

Me: "What can you buy at a Department Store?"
Student: "Teacher! Teacher! You can buy a girlfriend!"

Me: "What kind of questions does the sales clerk ask you when you go the Department Store?"
Student: "Do you want to die?"

Random Quote:

"Do you love me?"

There is no cure for Culture Shock. Only remedies.

2010-05-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

Korea is largely a homogeneous country but with international awareness of Korea as an economic and cultural force, homogeneousness is slowly changing.

This blog post is not from personal experience but from observation of close colleagues and their experiences with culture shock. I am a Korean born Canadian, titled as second generation and have not felt the extent of culture shock as many foreigners have in Korea. I was fortunate enough to grow up eating and breathing Korean culture at home. As a result, language, food and Korean traditions did not come as a large shock, although there have been many occasions where I have thought, “this country is a *!@#$%^&*&&^%^!”

Korea is an urbanized country, in which many metropolis cities exist. These cities include Seoul, Incheon, Busan and Daegu. Even with the influx of foreigners to Korean cities, there are still tensions and a substantial divide between Koreans and foreigners. It is important to remember that the tensions are created both ways and is not caused singularly by Koreans or foreigners. Notable reactions such as stares, smack talk by Koreans, and physical avoidance are some examples of this divide. NOT ALL KOREANS REACT IN THIS FASHION. What one must understand is that many cities are still adjusting to this new population trend and the incursion of foreigners outside the cosmopolitan city of Seoul is relatively a new phenomenon.

Some cities are more conservative in nature then other cities. Daegu is a prime example. Daegu’s governance structure and education system operates on a conservative scheme. Once one has traveled Korea, one will be able to notice the conservativeness of people from city to city. Like that of the US, Canada, UK and other English speaking nations, Koreans a quite different from coast to coast. Therefore, one can imagine that there will be Koreans who will accept foreigners and those who will not. Koreans will also feel culture shock due to the increased presence of foreigners to a largely homogeneous country. There is no such thing as a one way street with culture shock.

Living in Korea, a foreigner can either let culture shocks subside with grace or fight them. Fighting culture shock will only anger oneself and will not solve the problem of culture shock. Unfortunately there is no cure for it. If you speak English, Koreans will stare. If you’re tall, short, fat, white, black or simply put, do not fit the description of a Korean stereotype, you will be stared at. Some foreigners will let these shocks get to them, some will poke fun, some will embrace it and some will ignore it. There are remedies for culture shock...

Every so often, ignorance is bliss.

Tips for the CONCERNED EXPAT: Keep an Open Mind.

2010-05-05T18:58:00.001-07:00

I came to Korea entertaining the idea that I would stay another year. It has been a dilemma for me as it will be for many of you coming to the conclusion of your contract with EPIK. It is not an easy decision to make nor does the DMOE or EPIK give one enough time to reflect on the decision: should I stay or should I go. Bittersweet is how I am feeling about my decision.

I have a great school and what I like to think the best students, co-teachers and co-workers. My year in Korea has been a constructive, positive and educational experience. So, why have I decided to go home when everything in retrospect has been exceptional? A discussion on my decision is going to have to wait until another time. What I want to discuss now are some tips for the concerned expat on making their stay in Korea better in the worst of times.

Coming to Korea, you HAVE to come open minded. Some of your colleagues may have it better with a great school or apartment. Some of you might not be too blessed and have a school and by school I mean ‘students, co-teachers and co-workers,’ that drives you off the wall. It is a variable that you have no control over and simply put, DEAL WITH IT. An open mind, even with the worst of times can help one survive the year of “hell” as some NETs put it.

Learn to accept things as they are or simply let it go, the cultural differences or shocks that will render you speechless and flabbergasted on more then one occasion. The more willing one is to accept or release these cultural divergences with in open mind, the happier one’s experience will be in Korea that is VERY VERY VERY DYNAMIC.
Try to make friends with the locals and school staffs so that they can teach you and help you understand Korean culture. It is also imperative to make friends with other expats or NETs so that that you can converse and release the tensions that have accumulated over the course of the week at your school.

An open mind and willingness to accept and learn what is not familiar to you will make your stay in Korea a wonderful experience.

2011 F/W Seoul Fashion Week

2010-03-29T03:58:00.001-07:00

This week is the 2011 f/w Seoul Fashion Week. I attended Seoul Fashion Week on Saturday to work as a translator for my the clothing brand Z&DOEUN at the fashion fair. Due to company expansion in Daegu, in Department stores such as Lotte Department Store and Debec Department Store as well as international expansion in China, Hyeseong Apparel Inc. the parent company to Z&DOEUN was not able to do a show for the 2011 f/w Seoul Fashion Week. [www.zndoeun.com]

Here are some pictures of the show that I took with my cell phone camera.
Brand: Caruso
Designer: Chang Kwang Hyo
Concept: Street fashion meets British Bohemian

Snowboarding in Korea

2010-03-01T23:16:00.001-08:00

Canada is known to be one of the best places in the World to go snowboarding. Places like Tremblant in Quebec or Whistler in British Columbia, no doubt endow Canada with this status. Although I have yet to conquer Tremblant or Whistler, I would have to say Korea is a great place for snowboarding.

My friends and I did a one day trip up Pheonix Park Resort, 45 minutes from Seoul and 3 hours from Daegu. I would have to say that it was one of the best snowboarding experiences I have had.

We paid 77,000 won, about 74 dollars Canadian for a day trip to the resort. It included lift tickets, rentals and coach bus ride there and back to Daegu. We also paid 10 dollars for clothing rental, in which we paid a grand total of 87,000 won or 85 dollars Canadian.

Korea has been blessed with lots of snow this season, so the slopes didn't just have man made snow but also natural snow. If you are in Korea and you like to snowboard or ski, I would recommend you to travel to one of the many resorts in Korea. After all, Korea's landmass is 70% mountains.

Torn

2010-02-21T22:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been torn between two countries...?

Shit TALK

2010-02-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

I understand that websites such as Blogspot, Wordpress and Facebook exist so that one is able to express in words or other forms of medium, how one feels about a certain topic or subject matter. Unfortunately, because the World Wide Web is vast and limitless, wherein millions of people have access...this includes idiots.

I understand there is much to complain about and loathe but there are a multiple methods to come about discussing about what one detests. There are two methods that specifically come to mind. One method includes discourses about a certain someone, country or culture written tastefully with a full set of rationale to support your detestation. Sometimes rationale is not needed if one is able to write constructively. The second method is just talking ‘shit.’

The reason for this blog post is because I came upon a blog called LousyKorea:
http://lousykorea.blogspot.com/

Whoever this person is, he/she evidently has no respect for his host country. I am Canadian Korean and I also have plenty of reasons to loathe Korea and there are many things here that still bother me, which is culturally inclined. LousyKorea has crossed lines using slurs and his posts have apparent if not definite racial undertones.

Complain, bitch and protest about what you don’t like and not agree with. However, do it justly and respectfully.

Overworked Korea

2010-02-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

Being a second generation Korean, born in Canada, I can not but help feel a little pride in the small country that just keeps pushing forward. South Korea is reminiscent of the small steam engine that just kept pushing, in spite of its limitations of size and ability. “Yes I can!”

South Korea is finally getting its International limelight with a strong economy, the first to break away from the grasp of recession. Multinational corporations like LG, Samsung, Kia and Hyundai is leaving their mark like Japan’s Sony and Toyota. Unfortunately, with success there are also failures. What we all have to question is whether the failures are worth the successes.

Teaching in a classroom with 40 overworked elementary school students makes my job difficult and at times my heart break. My kids all attend an additional 5 to 6 extracurricular after school classes called 하권 (Hagwon) or 아카데미 (academy). These classes include music, art, math, science, history, Korean writing, essay writing, English and much more. Some of my students have informed me that they come home around 9 to 10 at night, 6 out of 7 nights a week. These students are in elementary.

Competition is stiff in Korea.
Students take these classes to
compete and get a head of
each other. Whereas in America,
kids who fall behind school
work take extra classes to
catch up.

I was shocked how overworked my students were. Korean parents play the game, 'keeping up with the Jones next door, pushing their kids to their wits end and limits. The students complain about it and laugh it off because they don't know of life outside the Korean archetype.

Although, not the sole reason but an ingredient to high suicide rates in Korea, Koreans are overworked. A fellow colleague of mine works at a school that I attended for an open class. A week later, the school’s name was all over the TV, paper and internet. A teacher in my office had informed me that a student at the school committed suicide by falling off the roof of the school.

Instead of sympathy, the teachers explained that the student was weak.
“Weak,” they said.
He was only in grade 5 or 6. Suicide should be a notion unidentifiable to students.

Whether the problem the lies within the overworked student, I will never know, nor is it my business to know. However, suicide at a young age is a sign of crisis in the small country. A social crisis that is not worth the success Korea has had and will continue to have.

Sometimes, we forget that the students are just kids, children.
We should try to let them be children.

Advice from the inexperienced teacher

2010-02-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

This pass weekend, some of my colleagues and I attended an interview blitz for the Daegu Office of Education. We helped carry interviews with other Korean English teachers and assisted in critiquing candidates English abilities. My co-interviewers also asked me to make judgments on the interviewee’s teaching ability, even though it was not necessary.

Let me remind everyone that I have never attended teachers college or taken certificate courses like TESOL. My experience in teaching is limited to 5 months and yet I found my self sitting in a room with two other interviewers making decisions on the candidates English speaking and teaching ability.

The interviewees
have attended teachers
college and are
certified to teach.

I don’t understand why the DMOE would bestow me and my colleagues the swaying power to pass or fail these applicants,

It was palpable that some of the candidates would not be cut out for teaching. I found that the candidates who had excellent English skills, just did not have the personality or charisma to teach in a classroom filled with 40 plus hormonal, pubescent boys and girls. Those candidates with average to high English skills had more personality and charisma to teach a class.

As interviewers, it came down to the question ...
1) Do you want a teacher who can’t teach but could speak excellent English?
2) Do you want a teacher who can teach but has less then perfect English?

With other variables into account, it was more about whether they could hold a class by themselves and also teach English. It makes one question the profession of education as a whole.

Home is where the HEART is.....

2010-02-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

I went through a phase of homesickness. It lasted two weeks at the most. As cliché as it sounds, ‘home is where the heart is.’

I find myself facing the music everyday, questioning whether I should continue life in Korea or return home at the end of August. I have approached a crossroad in my life and deciding whether I should go straight, left, right or back is one of the hardest decisions I will have to make.

Korea has treated me well. Whether I will turn back on Korea is something I have yet to figure out…

Current News: Haiti

2010-01-18T16:58:00.000-08:00

If you’re in Korea, the extent of international current events in the news is limited and it seems Korea favors sensationalized American news as their 'international' news assortment. As a result, I make an effort to read about international events on the net. I believe the ‘Toronto Star’ has some of the best news coverage within and without Canada. It was a paper that a read on the daily basis back home and it is now the paper that I read on the daily basis on the net in Korea. I also like the ‘Globe and Mail,’ however, for some reasons unknown their website is being blocked by the Office of Education here is Daegu.

At any rate, Haiti has been in the forefront of news in Canada and also here in Korea. Already a poor country in the Caribbean, the earthquake not only left the country in complete devastation but also in anarchic state. Haitians are without food or shelter and are living in makeshift camps on the ruined streets of Haiti. Looting is apparent and the lack of policing in the country is increasing the state of chaos. Many Haitians have taken matters into their own hands by reprimanding looters by stripping them naked, beating them, and then burning them alive.

Guatemala was hit with an Earthquake yesterday, which was also felt in El Salvador. It was rated a 6.0 earthquake, however no reports of injury or damage was made.

Electropolis

2010-01-14T19:14:00.000-08:00

For some odd reason, I have gain a great interest in watching animation shorts. These artistic shorts convey a lot of meaning and have more depth then full length feature films. I will begin to post more animation shorts that I enjoy.

Electropolis from Kevin McCullough on Vimeo.

Disguised Foreigner

2010-01-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

Being a Korean born Canadian in Korea has been an interesting experience to say the least. I would like to say my experience in Korea has been or is similar to other teachers, however, I can’t. My experience has been quite different, mainly due to the reason that I look without a doubt in anyone’s mind (elementary students) that I am Korean and cannot be anything else.

When I walk into the classroom, the first thing students whisper to each other in Korean is, “is he Korean? He looks so Korean, he has to be Korean.” Students here in Daegu are extremely curious about teachers from abroad. However, the extent of the student’s curiosity for me is if I am Korean? The first question usually is, “are you Korean?” Other curiosities have been my age, my weight, girlfriend status and marital status.

My ‘Korean-ness’ has become more apparent to me due to English Winter Camps.

Students in three different schools have repeatedly said to me, “teacher, you look Korean, you are Korean, speak Korean, say something in Korean.”
My response is, “I am Canadian.”
The students fire back, “YOU LIE TEACHER, YOU LIAR! YOU ARE KOREAN!”

During all three winter camps, students from my homeroom classes have started investigations to find out whether I am in fact Korean. Some have been successful in discovering my true reality, whereas some have not been. At the conclusion of the winter camp, most students learn that in fact I am a Korean born in Canada, teaching English in Korea.

It's been one month since my LAST blog.

2010-01-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have been slacking on my blogging duties...
It's been a busy month and a month of December that I will never forget.
I will blog about my days in Korea in the forth coming days or week.

The Flower

2009-12-02T23:03:00.000-08:00

The Flower from Dale Hayward on Vimeo.

This clip made me laugh out loud in my office today. I hope this puts a smile on your face rather then a face of horror. You will understand what I mean once you've seen the clip. It's quite hilarious. ENJOY!

Animated Short on the Alberta Oil Sands

2009-11-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

H2oil animated sequences from Dale Hayward on Vimeo.

Wonniless in Korea: An Update

2009-11-22T22:46:00.000-08:00

It is two days before payday. I have 2000w in cash and about 950w in my account. That's a grand total of 2950w, which is almost 2 dollars Canadian. I'm debted to a friend about 30,000w, but I would have to say that it wasn't hard to live on 50 dollars Canadian a week.

Just waiting for payday and two days in counting. By the way, Korean's get paid on a monthly basis and not biweekly. Culture shock?

Pusan: The Great Escape PART 4

2009-11-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

The city of Pusan that night was bombarded by 1.5 million people, from all over Korea. It was a nightmare. Cars weren’t moving, traffic was bumper to bumper and the worst of all, the police blocked off the entrance to the subway. We could not take the taxi due to traffic, bus was not an option as well, and Mark and I could certainly not take the subway. The only choice we had was to walk until we could find some other option.

We knew that the subway entrance was blocked but we had no idea that many others would be as well. We started to follow the crowd and walked and at times ran. Time is what we didn’t have and we were definitely racing against time. When we arrived to the next subway entrance, it was blocked off by the police…then the next one and the next one and the next. We walked passed 4 or 5 subway stops and eventually, I began to think we had to walk all the way to Pusan Station. If that was the case, I knew we wouldn’t be able to make it, it just wasn’t possible. We continued to walk, run and sprint on the sidewalk and street to find another option. Traffic congestion was not improving and I realized the only option to get to Pusan Station was the subway.

Just as I began to feel defeated, we found a subway entrance that was not barricaded by the police. We sprinted down and saw the long line ups. We had time, maybe just enough time to make it Pusan station.

We finally made it to the subway platform and not long after, the subway arrived. IT WAS PACKED. Mark told me to get ready to get in there. It was a game of survival of the fittest. When the subway door opened, it was like a packed tin of sardines. There was maybe enough space for a small child, but Mark and I pushed ourselves in there and the door shut right behind us. We were going to make it in time after all and I definitely felt relieved that we would not be stranded in Pusan.

We made it to Pusan Station, with more then enough time to spare. We made it 20 minutes before the last trains’ departure from the station. Mark and I sat on the steps of the station and had another victory smoke. Nothing could stop us from getting back to Daegu as far as we were concerned. We had won the battle twice but little did we know the war had just begun.

We thought the worst was behind us, but that was not case at all.

To be continued…

Care Package 2

2009-11-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

My mom’s friend who lives in Seoul sent me this care package. Her friend travels back and forth from Toronto to Korea often. Because she was on her way to Korea, my mom sent over some stuff with her. She then sent them to me express post to Daegu from Seoul. This is what I received:

1) John Varvatos pants
2) Ricola Lemon Mint
3) Ricola Green Tea
4) Herbon Echinacea
5) Halls Vitamin C
6) Tim Hortons Chamomile Tea
7) Classic Italian Wafer Rolls
8) Spice Exchange Hot Cocoa
9) Clean & Clear Deep Action
10) Tea of Life Organic White Tea
11) Dentyne Ice Gum
12) MaClean's University Edition
13) The Economist

Tim Hortons in Korea

2009-11-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

I received my first care package a month ago. What did I receive? WELL as you can guess from the title of this blog, I received three canisters of TIM HORTONS COFFEE as well as various other items. The pictures depict the opening of the second canister of Tims. I love the fresh smell of ground coffee. It really does brighten the senses in the morning and gives me that boost of energy needed to kick off the tiresome morning. This was the start of my Saturday morning.

I received my first package at school,
which contained three canisters of
Tim Hortons coffee.

The second canister.

What can I say? I love coffee,
Tim Hortons coffee.

The opening.

WOW. Beautiful. Anticipation.

The smell of fresh ground coffee.
Just made my day!

Pre-Brew. My obsession.

First brew from a freshly opened
canister. More anticipation.

First taste of the fresh brew!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Do I really need to express how I feel?

Penniless [Wonniless] in Korea

2009-11-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

I came to Korea for more then one reason. These reasons transcend through the obvious, the money making factor. Firstly, the reason why I came to Korea is to truly gain teaching experience, which is needed and essential for teachers college application. This year will be the deciding cause, whether I will continue in the direction of education or not. Secondly, the reason why I came to Korea is to gain international experience in the foreign country and culture. Although I am Korean, much of the experiences here are new and foreign to me as much as anyone else. However, because I have family here and I understand and speak the language, the culture shock has been much less for me then others. Thirdly, I hope to make connections here and gain further experiences, whatever it maybe. I am currently deciding whether I want to work part time as an unpaid intern at Hyeseong Apparel in the Marketing Department. Finally, the reason why I came to Korea is because I have large student debts to pay. Unfortunately, the pay, minus the 300,000w studio deposit and the money sent home has left me penniless/wonniless in Korea.

With that into consideration, my account is showing an all time low of 5,000w, which is around 4 dollars Canadian. How can I possibly survive with 5,000w for the next two weeks, until my next pay check? FORTUNATELY, after some extensive studio cleaning, I found some wons floating around. My survival rate has increased by 50,000w weekly, a significant increase at that. At least I paid all my bills and have a fully stocked fridge…Can I live with $95 Cdn for the two weeks? I never thought I would encounter financial troubles here in Korea since I do have a good paying job with medical benefits and such. At any rate, I will let you know how things work out on my next paycheck day, November 25th. I hope I can really stretch that 100,000w.

Seoul Fashion Week

2009-11-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

Seoul Fashion Week S/S 2010 ended not too long ago.

I had the opportunity to attend Seoul Fashion Week but was not able to make my aunt’s show due to conflicting schedules. My aunt's company Hyeseong Apparel Corp. did a show headlining their luxury brand Z&Doeun and it was also their first time doing a show for SFW. Hyeseong Apparel annually attends Prêt-a-Porte Fashion Week in Paris and recently has sign a contract with a major department store in Shanghai to carry their brand and clothes.

The models are quite ugly but here are some pictures from Z&Doeun's Seoul Collection S/S 2010.

Korea

2009-10-28T19:41:00.001-07:00

New 2010 Sonata

2009-10-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

While every major car manufacturer was experiencing red tape or losses during the peak of the economic crisis, including today's industry leader, Toyota, Hyundai and its sister company Kia defied convention and reported gains. Asian cars like Toyota and Hyundai have made major gains in the last half decade due to quality, design, and reliability.

Hyundai has continued to exceed industry expectations, especially after its first introduction of its 2nd Generation Pony to Canada in 1983. Hyundai failed to export the same vehicle to the US due to poor emission standards. The Pony faced many problems such as rust and could not survive the Canadian winters. Despite the manufacturing errors of the vehicle, 50,000 Ponys’ were sold in 1984.

Hyundai has released its totally redesigned Sonata two months ago in Korea. Although it has not been release in most counties, the new 2010 Sonata is apparent in the streets of Korea. The model is very different from its predecessor and the release of the new Sonata in North America will be expected in 2010 badged as a 2011 model. Evocative styling and unique to the industry, Hyundai has come along way from companying designs from its competitors such as Volkswagen and BMW.

Pusan: The Great Escape PART 3

2009-10-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Mark without a doubt on his mind wanted to head back to the beach to look for his wallet. I made a decision to go along with him because I knew how it felt to lose something that is as important as a wallet, especially in a foreign country. I have lost my wallet on more then one occasion and the feeling is unnerving.

We raced back up the stairs, in opposition to the mob of humans. When we reach the top, the police had blocked off the entrance to the subway that was bottled necked by thousands of people before. The police let us out and we squeezed our way through the crowd and finally reached a clearing. Mark started to sprint and I followed suit. Running against the movement of the crowd, we dodged cars, motorcycles and street food carts. It was hard to keep up with Mark but when we reached the beach, I got trapped behind a large herd of Koreans. I stopped and started to walk and while I walked towards the area where we had sat to see the fireworks, I checked my phone.

“Missed call
Chris An.”

I assumed the reason why Chris called was because of Mark’s wallet. It was definitely bold of me to make assumptions such as this one. However, Chris and his Busan friends had left after us so I made another assumption that he probably saw Mark’s wallet and took it with him.

I called Chris to confirm my assumption. He didn’t pick up. I called and called and called and called. Chris would not pick up his phone. I arrived at the beach and Mark was looking for his wallet in the sand and was asking around if anyone had seen a wallet. He kept on receiving the answer that he didn’t want to hear. I continued to call Chris non-stop, and he finally picked up. Before Chris could say anything, I asked him, “Do you have Mark’s wallet?”
Chris replied, “Yes, I have his wallet. Tell Mark that I will give it to him when I get back to Daegu on Sunday if not latest Monday.”

Finally some good news! I relayed the message to Mark and we sat on the beach and had a victory smoke. Although the night had made a positive turn, the turmoil did not end and wouldn’t end until we reached Daegu. The next predicament Mark and I faced was, if we would be able to make it to the Pusan Station on time to catch the last train leaving Pusan with the others.

To be continued…

Comprehension and Writing Skills Test

2009-10-25T23:30:00.001-07:00

My co-teacher and I constantly test our students because of their high level of English ability and skills. I usually have the students write the test and have them trade with their desk partners and have them mark the tests. Today, I tested the students on their comprehension and writing skills. I collected the tests this time and marked them personally.

I always knew that my students had well developed English skills, even after having my first class with them. I speculated that about 70% of my students were at the intermediate or advance level. The test results, thus far, has confirmed my speculation.

A (Advance): Students display highly developed English skills. Students have made two minor grammatical or spelling mistakes or have received a perfect mark
B (Intermediate): Students illustrate a mid to high range of English Skills. Students have made two or three minor/major grammatical or spelling mistake
C (Beginner): Students present a very low development of English skills. Students have made 4 or more major grammatical and spelling mistakes and have left blank spaces on test.

CLASS 6-1 (36 Students) also known as my worst class in the school by behavior.
A- 15 Students--> 41%
B- 6 Students-->18%
C- 15 Students--> 41%
Summary: Figures that my worst behaving class also has the highest level of students at ‘C’ level, 41%. Only 59% of the students in this class is at the intermediate and advance level. I also received the most tests in this class that had blank spaces and in a two instances I recieved whole tests that were left blank.

CLASS 6-4 (33 Students)
A- 13 Students--> 39%
B- 15 Students--> 45%
C- 5 Students--> 15%
Summary: This was a class that surprised me and by a long stretch did the best. 84% of the class is at the intermediate to advance level. I only received one or two tests that had blank spaces on it and most students made an attempt to write the test. Class 6-4 had the most at the intermediate level. I found that students at the intermediate level lie very close to the advance level. Only 15% of the class received a mark of ‘C.’

CLASS 6-5 (36 Students)
A- 14 Students--> 39%
B- 11 Students--> 31%
C- 11 Students--> 30%
Summary: 70% of this class is at the intermediate or advance level. Class 6-5 had the most tests that had a mark of perfect. 30% of the students in this class received a mark of ‘C.’

Two classes have yet to write the test. I will have a more accurate reading of the grade 6 English skills once I have given and marked the two final tests. Nevertheless, the tests so far illustrate that:
A- 40%
B- 30%
C- 30%
On average, 70% of the grade 6 student body has intermediate to advance English skills.

Being Sick

2009-10-25T05:30:00.001-07:00

I have been sick for the last week. NO, I DON'T HAVE THE H1N1 VIRUS! I just have the common cold. Without a doubt in my mind, I caught the virus during the crazy Busan weekend. I suffered this week during school and it was a great challenge for me to stay awake during my down time. I had to teach with a sore throat and had to climb Apsan mountain as well as go out for dinner and drinks with the school staff. Drinking is not a good idea when your immune system is being attacked by the cold virus and as result of my drinking my cold worsened. Consequently, I made a hard but logical decision to not go out this weekend. It is my first time since starting my teaching gig, which has been already two months, that I have stayed home during the weekend.

If you take a look at the photo, I'm a mess. It doesn't look as bad as I feel in the picture. First, you can see the greasy hair. I didn't wash my hair after using wax the day before. I didn't brush my teeth or wash my face or shave as well. My nose is completely stuffed and runny and for the last day, I've been vegging in my studio, just watching tv and reading.

I hope the internal war within my body comes to an end tomorrow because I have to teach my worst class, class 6-1...

Another week, another Korean won.

Pusan: The Great Escape PART 2

2009-10-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

After regrouping at Pusan Station, we took a long subway ride to Hyundae Beach. Pusan held an International Film Festival the week before and we could the reminants of it on the beach. It was a windy and cloudy day in Pusan, but the beach was beautiful and the sprint this morning was well worth it. I thought to myself, 'things started off on the wrong tracks today, but things should not get worse from here but better.'

Amanda, Peter, Jeanne, Mark, Kristan, Chris and I were hungry and the search for a good restaurant began, until we found a place on the thirteenth floor overlooking the beach.

It was a Korean barbeque restaurant. We had seafood and samgyupsal. We also had abalone, an expensive shellfish. The abalone was fresh and alive and it was hard to witness it die in front of me, on the grill. I could see and almost sense the pain it was under as it squirmed in agony in front of me and the others, from the excruciating heat of the grill. I personally, cannot eat what has been killed in front of me, but I thought, ‘hey, you only live once and abalone is expensive.’ The texture of abalone is unexpectedly chewy. Would I eat it again? Probably not.

Pusan’s trip was going smoothly and after eating, we headed for the fireworks. To explain the fireworks in words, would not do it justice. Although, many say, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words,’ the pictures also do not do the fireworks justice. One would have to be there to see it live. The sound, the atmosphere, the smell are all important. I could summarize that moment, the moment on the beach with friends, soju, beer and 1.5 millions other in five words, ‘I fell in love with Pusan.’

We all knew the departure from Pusan would be like a great escape. What we didn’t know is that we would encounter many problems. It seem as though there was a force against us all and at one point, we thought, we weren’t going to make it home to Daegu. After enjoying the breathtaking show, we forgot about the anticipated stampede of humans trying to catch the bus, taxi and subway back home. We formulated a strategic plan, a line up like the Vontraps. Mark lead and we all held on to each other’s shoulder and we zipped, dodged, squeezed our way through the crowds, street vendors and cars. We made it to the subway, when the unexpected occurred. Mark had dropped his wallet on the beach.

To be continued...

Pusan: The Great Escape PART 1

2009-10-22T06:47:00.001-07:00

Fireworks, we have all seen it. We have all bought fireworks at our local convenience on our national holidays to celebrate the occasion or we have gone to see fireworks at a park that has been provided by our local governments. Any North American fireworks display has nothing on Pusan’s firework show. It is spectacle that everyone, who is in Korea, must see. The grandeur and scale of the show is alarming and just striking.

A last minute decision to go to Pusan to observe the fireworks display was in the workings. Jeanine took on the initiative to buy KTX tickets for the one day trip. Partying the night before, we were all exhausted the morning of the trip but excited to finally go to Pusan to experience a new city and see the infamous fireworks extravaganza, despite the expected 1.5 million others who would be attending the show as well. That weekend was also the weekend that many EPIKers came to visit Daegu. All seemed to go as planned, but I believe that Amanda was the catalyst that started what became the great escape from Pusan.

Amanda is a Californian girl. She definitely has that beach girl vibe and has a contagious laid back personality. Although, a great friend and no longer an enemy, it seems she had brought some bad luck from where she teaches, Gwang-ju. As far as I was concerned, she was the only outsider amongst us.

It all started in the morning of our departure at Dong Daegu Station. I was running late from an early morning errand and was very close to missing the express train. As soon as I stepped onto the train, the train jerked and started to depart from the platform. If Jeanne had not called me and I had not sprinted from the subway station, I am certain that I would have missed the train. I sat in my seat and asked Peter where Mark was. Although, Mark had sprinted from the subway station as well, he didn’t make it. Mark caught a later train and made it to Pusan safely and arrived precisely 13 minutes after our arrival, but for Mark and me, sprinting that morning was not going to be the last.

To be continued...

Random Photos

2009-10-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

Survival of the Fittest: Cars vs. Humans

2009-10-11T22:08:00.001-07:00

Korea is definitely dynamic. Dynamic in multifaceted means; however, the dynamics of this country tends to clash at times, literally. I have personally witnessed and experienced this facet of dynamicism, which comes in a form of machine versus man. The relationship between cars and humans here in Korea is quite unnerving. Whereas in America, drivers watch out for pedestrians, it is the complete opposite in Korea. As a fellow pedestrian and commuter, the advice I would give to those who live here is WATCH OUT FOR THOSE CARS!

It has become the pain of my existence here in Korea and of all culture shocks to be had, this is the biggest. I cannot begin to explain how much annoyance drivers here give me. I have been nearly hit by a car on many occasions and just this pass week, I have been physically hit by a car. I nearly flipped out but quickly realized that in Korea, unless one has been pulverized by a fast moving vehicle, there is not much I can do. What puts the cherry on top of the ice cream is that the driver failed to get out of his car and apologize and he just went on his merry way.

I apprehend that Korean is Dynamic; however, I also now know that Korea’s dynamicism can also kill you.

EPIK Video

2009-09-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

Habitat Korea vs. Canada

2009-09-29T22:24:00.001-07:00

I used to live in a spacious house with clean air and the absence of insects (mosquitoes). I loved coming home everyday and I couldn’t see my self living in a place that was anything less. I know I sound like a pompous ass right now; however, the truth is I felt this way and I thought EPIK or the school would provide a decent place to live.

Fortunately I was wrong about the statement above. For one, I live in a one bedroom studio apartment that was heinously dirty when I moved in. The washroom and kitchen freak the shit out of me when I first arrived and I even thought about asking to be moved somewhere else. Two, when it came down to cleaning the food stained and insect infested kitchen and smelly moldy washroom, I became more appreciative of the studio. Strange, but the space became livable.

I spent two days cleaning the small space and after purchasing a small table and blinds, the small space turned into a livable space and then into my home.

Realistically, what could have I really done about it? The school already signed a contract resulting in two distinct ends to this story. I could have either cried myself a ‘Hangang river’ every night or build a bridge and get my fucking sulky ass over it.

I decided that I couldn’t compare the two living conditions and spaces because I was living in a foreign country and living on my own and had to be appreciative if I wanted to survive the year in Korea. Today, I come home to my small studio apartment and feel comfortable to eat and sleep here. Although it’s temporary, it’s my home.

Korea + Food = Disaster

2009-09-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Through my whole life I was always aware that I was heavier then others. I was never ridiculed for my excess weight. However, it wasn’t until the latter end of my high school career that I started to lose weight. My peak poundage will remain anonymous and if you want to know, you can ask me in person. My weight has frequently fluctuated rapidly and it has only been three years that I finally learned how to control these fluctuations, thanks to a friend in Calgary, not through diet but good food decisions and exercise. I finally realized there is no easy way and the best way is through good food choices and regular exercise. If I eat ‘terribly’ one day, I exercise harder the next. ‘Balance’ is what I finally found and losing weight was not as hard as I thought.

Coming to Korea, I was astounded. Koreans value image and body weight. Have you been asked by your students, “how much you weight” or “how tall you are.” I have and personally, I was not ashamed to share it, considering where I was only 6 years ago. My first reaction was, wow! There aren’t a lot of fat, overweight, or obese people in Korea. The reason why I had this reaction was because of the conflicting lifestyle Koreans live. Every other store is a fast food chain or restaurant and Koreans eat and drink A LOT!

I have been in Korea for a little over a month and I have eaten, eaten and eaten and eaten some more. There were days where I’d wish I could just not see food or eat anything for a week. This is coming from an ex-fat. I haven’t gained weight but I felt a compelling push to find a gym. Eating constantly was the catalyst that started a two week gym search around my neighborhood. I finally found one.

I love the feeling of pain, the day after a good workout. It feels good.

My body weight and image in Canada is considered standard or normal. However, in Korea, I am considered not fat but on the plump side. When I see these stick thin Korean guys, I’m thinking, “these guys could pass for women and some are as thin as some of these women.” I can’t help but feel a little fat. For instance, I went to a local alteration shop to get two pairs of jeans altered. The jeans were a waist size 36 and I had 2 1/2 inches taken off the waist. Frankly, I was happy to have them altered so I could wear them without the jeans falling off me. Feeling good about myself, the lady had commented about my size and this is what she said:

“It looks like you lost a lot of weight. Good…but that’s it?”

I didn’t take it to heart but as I walked home, I said to my self, “FUCK, I’m fat in this country.” I can’t help but laugh at the situation.

Stay or Leave?

2009-09-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

I have been posed the question, ‘would you consider staying in Korea permanently?’ by family and friends. At this point in time, there is not a sole swaying or motivating factor that would cause me to stay in Korea or leave Korea in the long term. I’m simply leaving here day to day and taking everything in as I confront them. I have no set goals at this point in time except to pay back massive student debts.

Why did I decide to come to Korea?

A couple years ago I decided to move out to Calgary for three to four months in the summer. It was a spur of the moment decision and I enjoyed being away from home. I just wanted to break a routine that had become the be all and end all of my existence.

1) Partying
2) Studying
3) Eating
4) Sleeping
5) Drama
6) Repeat steps 1 to 5

Moving to Calgary really helped put ‘life,’ without being cliché, into perspective. I feel that if one has the opportunity to leave home and experience something new, whether the period is as short as one week, couple months or even several years, I would say seize the opportunity. It allows one to grow as an individual and also lets you see the finer details that were just a distortion before. It makes you not only appreciate what we call home, but your friends and family.

Teaching in Korea happened suddenly. I had always wanted to come to Korea to visit and even teach English, but missed an opportunity during my second year due to a special someone, no regrets. Nevertheless, the thought of coming to Korea was something I wanted and needed to do. After graduation, I was looking for a job and just my luck; the world had hit a global recession not seen since the Great Depression. Finding a job was hard and I had student debts to pay.

As my friends have said, ‘I didn’t try hard enough.’ However, in my defense, I gave up my hunt for a job as soon as I received conformation that I was accepted by EPIK as a teacher. I had landed a job overseas, in competition with the thousands of applicants, which include experienced teachers, professors and professional corporate workers. It was an opportunity that I could only take straight out of university.

These reasons transcend the conventional of hard to find a job in a recession period; paying debts; and/or just getting away from it all. The application process was quick and easy, my interview was within one week of my application submission due to cancellation…In sum, the momentum was there. I had a contract sent to me, signed and had my E2 visa within a month from my initial application submission, a month before I set flight for Korea. The process from some can take as long as two to three months.

Will I stay in Korea forever? Probably not. Even if that is the case, due to unforeseeable circumstances, which can be anything; my heart truly lies in Canada. I love the country that I was born and raised in.

The English Curriculum in Korea…The Ugly Truth

2009-09-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

I am only a week and two days into my teaching gig and I've already become aware of the huge problems the curriculum is plagued with. The books and everything associated with these books like the interactive CD undermines and overestimates the student’s level of English. We were warned during the orientation that we, English Native Teachers, would realize the gaps, which I call EGS (English Gap Syndrome.)

What causes EGS?
There are many factors that explain the existence of EGS.

1) Culture: Many students in Korea take extra curricular English classes in what they call a Hwagwan. Whether the student’s parent(s) can afford it or not, it is part of their daily ritual to attend these classes after school. These students tend to exceed in the English classes.

2) Economic Viability: Some student’s parent(s) may not be able to afford to pay for these extra curricular academic classes. Although, not severe, one may be able to tell this difference from the students ability to understand basic English speech.

3) Social Welfare: Although, Hwagwan fees vary in prices, it is still very expensive. Depending on the students social welfare, where the student lives in the city, (the rich areas vs. the poorer areas.) students may receive better quality of education then others. Poorer areas may have schools with lower standards for English education and Hwagwans in poorer areas may have lesser qualified English teachers, although this is not necessarily the case. Students in poorer areas also do not see English as an essential part of their academic wellbeing. They simply do not see English as an important tool.

4) YoHak (International Schooling): The gap is further torn apart due to YoHak. Many more students at a younger age are sent to Native English Speaking Countries to learn English. Whether it is during their summer and/or winter holidays or whether they are sent to these countries years at a time, the gap is visibly noticeable in the classroom. This gap is noticed in a form of, almost fluently speaking students versus those who do not know how to put together a simple three word sentence together.

The variables are quite profound. The gaps can be measured not only in one classroom, but from school to school district to district and even from city to city. Is there a solution to the problem? Quite possibly…however, it can only be tackled at the micro level and not the macro. There cannot be one universal solution to a problem that is exceedingly wide-ranging.

09.09.09

2009-09-08T21:24:00.001-07:00

I just realized that today’s date is written as 09.09.09. There is no real point to this blog, but I just wanted to commemorate this ‘special day’ with a blog. Happy 09.09.09 everyone.

[Too] Cities, [Two] Different

2009-09-04T00:02:00.001-07:00

Toronto is a vibrant city. There are lots of festivals and events during the summer; it has some of the best clubs not only in North American, but the world. You can eat cuisines from across the globe due to city’s multicultural nature and the transportation system, although not near as clean or cheap, can efficiently get you where you want to be. However, Daegu, like mentioned before is a city that never sleeps. Alcohol and food is served 24/7 and clubs and bars are open till 6-7 in the morning or even later.

Toronto is city that is characterized by a political system that sways in the direction of socialism (a political analysis made by many political science students and enthusiasts) . Thus, alcohol is government regulated and sold only by government corporations like the Beer Store or LCBO. As result, alcohol is not readily available. ‘Last call’ for any alcohol licensed restaurant, club or bar is at 2 am. In consequence, the city dies after 2 am, although there is the occasional after hour’s club.

I am not bash Toronto for its uptightness but simply illustrating how different the realities of the two cities are. Both are metropolitan cities, which function under a democratic political system, however; lie differently on the political spectrum. This statement is justifiably up for debate. Just because alcohol is cheap and always available here in Daegu or Korea, does not mean I’ll get tanked or plastered all the time. I do have a job that requires me to be solidly minded and not hung-over.

Daegu: A City that Never Sleeps

2009-09-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Daegu is the 3rd largest city in Korea, after Seoul and Busan. Daegu is often called the fashion capital of Korea, due to the large textile and textile machinery industry. Daegu is also one of the hottest cities in Korea due to its geographic positioning, being surrounded by mountains and is often poked fun of due to its regional accent.

Daegu is definitely a metropolitan city, and is livelier during the night then during the day. There are plenty of places to shop and even more places to eat. There is never a dull moment in Daegu, a city that never sleeps. Everything is accessible via the subway, bus or taxi, which is affordable and definitely cheaper then any city in Canada. One ride on the bus or subway is 98,000 won, which is less then 98 cents Canadian. As a result, there is no excuse to stay at home and couch around, when a simple 98,000 won can take you to the downtown core, where life refuses to stop.

Testing testing testing...

2009-09-03T20:07:00.001-07:00

I'm not a huge blogger and this post is my very first.

Facebook is great medium to keep in contact or keep tabs on friends and family. However, it is a poor medium in regards to posting thoughts and feelings. So, here I am at my desk, at my school, during my spare time setting up an account...ready to poor my heart out about the feelings I have about Korea; the good, the bad and the ugly in retrospect of my 23 years of life in Canada.

-Dave Lee aka Flying Squirtel