My alien registration card was applied for yesterday. Reallly excited about that. Went to the bank today, but found out we have to wait for the card to arrive in order to make a long term bank account. New policy. Since the card won't arrive for another three weeks... *sigh*
So am giving my kids finals now since they are out of their regular classes finals. Hopefully they do well. When they finish that, they will spend the rest of the year decorating for Christmas. Yay.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Ears
"My baby has bright ears," Teacher Oh told me today on our way to the immigration office. I sat there wondering if that meant "clean ears," "big ears," or something else. He asked if I knew what that meant. I didn't. There is a common Korean phrase that translates as someone having bright ears. This means that they hear things easily when asleep and wake up. So his baby is a light sleeper and wakes up at the slightest noise. Got it!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Korean Suicide Rates
Koreans take education very seriously. I am concerned for their health. The students are concerned for their health. It is their culture to improve themselves. Parents and educators force students to stay up until 2 or 2:30am only to rise again at 6:30 or 7am. If students feel too much stress, they kill themselves. It is a very normal occurance. Every 40 minutes, another person had killed themselves.
http://thecasualtruth.com/story/escalating-suicide-problem-asia
Below is a link to four students' stories. They are short and informative. I really wish you would take the time to read them.
http://www.alienteachers.com/1/post/2011/11/4-students-stories-that-sum-up-so-many-of-the-problems-korea-faces.html
Education isn't the only factor. Their ideal of beauty seems to be as well. This is a video of a documentary done by someone after she graduated from high school. It is just as informative.
http://vimeo.com/26833191
Please take the time to pay attention to this blog. Understand that you affect those around you. You might literally be holding someone's life in your hands at this very moment.
http://thecasualtruth.com/story/escalating-suicide-problem-asia
Below is a link to four students' stories. They are short and informative. I really wish you would take the time to read them.
http://www.alienteachers.com/1/post/2011/11/4-students-stories-that-sum-up-so-many-of-the-problems-korea-faces.html
Education isn't the only factor. Their ideal of beauty seems to be as well. This is a video of a documentary done by someone after she graduated from high school. It is just as informative.
http://vimeo.com/26833191
Please take the time to pay attention to this blog. Understand that you affect those around you. You might literally be holding someone's life in your hands at this very moment.
Fashion
Something interesting I noticed yesterday was in the fashion culture here. It affects those who come over. I talked to Teacher Michael about it and decided it was blog worthy.
Americans have a tendency to enjoy wearing jeans and casual shirts. Jeans are relatively cheap compared to slacks. Koreans on the other hand are always dressed business style. Slacks are super cheap and jeans are extremely expense. So when Koreans do wear jeans, they wear designer jeans that look good.
Foreigners come over here and live in this culture. I can't because I'm too big, but you buy clothes here that fit and they are really nice and preppy by American standards. Foreigners change when they come and live here. Their sense of style changes. They dress much nicer. They become walking fashion statements.
Yesterday when I went to Daegu, I went in black sweaters that had a red logo, a blue shirt with pink and orange dessert cactus on the front, and my really nice winter coat from JCPenny's. I looked in the mirror and thought, "Tacky, I'm going to get mobbed." I went to Daegu and every foreigner I saw looked like he belonged in a prep school, New York, England, or Paris. They had nice shirts, vests, hats that slant, and slacks.
However, if a foreigner just arrives, you know they are new. The way they dress screams, "American." They wear casual jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, whatever.
Americans have a tendency to enjoy wearing jeans and casual shirts. Jeans are relatively cheap compared to slacks. Koreans on the other hand are always dressed business style. Slacks are super cheap and jeans are extremely expense. So when Koreans do wear jeans, they wear designer jeans that look good.
Foreigners come over here and live in this culture. I can't because I'm too big, but you buy clothes here that fit and they are really nice and preppy by American standards. Foreigners change when they come and live here. Their sense of style changes. They dress much nicer. They become walking fashion statements.
Yesterday when I went to Daegu, I went in black sweaters that had a red logo, a blue shirt with pink and orange dessert cactus on the front, and my really nice winter coat from JCPenny's. I looked in the mirror and thought, "Tacky, I'm going to get mobbed." I went to Daegu and every foreigner I saw looked like he belonged in a prep school, New York, England, or Paris. They had nice shirts, vests, hats that slant, and slacks.
However, if a foreigner just arrives, you know they are new. The way they dress screams, "American." They wear casual jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, whatever.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Some More Transportation Firsts
I decided to go to Daegu by myself today. Took a bus, then took the subway. Watched the movie "Breaking Dawn Part 1," then took the subway, took the bus, took a taxi, and arrived home.
Simple right? Sorta was. I got lost using the subway portion of my trip... twice. So skipped out on the Australian steaks I was going to pick up for lunch and went straight to the movie. Was so grateful to recognize the theater.
A high school girl sat with me and walked me out. She knew English fairly well. Her mother teaches English. She thought I was in high school too. The pigtail braids I think did that. She was mortified to learn I was a teacher instead of a student. I told her it wasn't a big deal as that was a common occurance with me. Not entirely true, but I wanted to save face and help her feel more normal. Don't want to cause more stress on any student right now since it is finals... last thing I want to do is somehow help someone feel bad enough to kill themselves. Oh Korea, really?
Got back without a hitch. Grateful for that. Koreans are really nice and helpful. I was looking a bit lost several times and those nearby immediately hurried over to help. I understand more now why those who speak Spanish sometimes look a little lost in America. I wish I knew Spanish so I could help them with simple things like where to go and what stuff on the grocery shelf is.
Being here has shown me that new cultures are not an easy thing. I cling to my western culture quite a bit. It is a sense of familiarity and provides stability with so many new overwhelming things. So I can understand the people of other cultures who come to America would feel a bit in shock and insecure.
Simple right? Sorta was. I got lost using the subway portion of my trip... twice. So skipped out on the Australian steaks I was going to pick up for lunch and went straight to the movie. Was so grateful to recognize the theater.
A high school girl sat with me and walked me out. She knew English fairly well. Her mother teaches English. She thought I was in high school too. The pigtail braids I think did that. She was mortified to learn I was a teacher instead of a student. I told her it wasn't a big deal as that was a common occurance with me. Not entirely true, but I wanted to save face and help her feel more normal. Don't want to cause more stress on any student right now since it is finals... last thing I want to do is somehow help someone feel bad enough to kill themselves. Oh Korea, really?
Got back without a hitch. Grateful for that. Koreans are really nice and helpful. I was looking a bit lost several times and those nearby immediately hurried over to help. I understand more now why those who speak Spanish sometimes look a little lost in America. I wish I knew Spanish so I could help them with simple things like where to go and what stuff on the grocery shelf is.
Being here has shown me that new cultures are not an easy thing. I cling to my western culture quite a bit. It is a sense of familiarity and provides stability with so many new overwhelming things. So I can understand the people of other cultures who come to America would feel a bit in shock and insecure.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Hospital
So I had to go get my physical today. There is only one hospital in Daegu willing to help with getting the alien registration card. So we went there. Teacher Oh helped me walk through to all the places we needed to visit. Got tests done and my height confirmed. I am evidently 172 cm or something like that. There were no lines and that was doubly nice. Was in and out in less than 20 minutes and that says something. Was expensive though. About 72,000 won... which is about $65. Actually in America that is cheap, but here for me now it is expensive because I haven't been paid my next paycheck yet ^_^
Buson
Yesterday was my first time in Buson. It is a rather large city to the south of here. It is also considered one of the nicest places for foreigners to live. My school took all the teachers there to walk through an all girls school. It was pretty fancy and neat. I was shocked at the high tech level and diversity among the classrooms and hallways. That level of sophistication is something I definitely have not seen in any American school. It was pretty impressive.
We ate lunch in the bus on the way there. Kimbop. They handed out yummy bread and pringles too. Then every staff member got a gift bag full of oranges and sweets. Yummy.
For supper we went to a restaruant that speciallizes in sea food (hey it is next to the sea). I opted for a tofu soup that was rather salty and side dishes. Overall good food.
Using the restroom there was another story. When you went into the bathroom, if you were female you had another girl watch the door because it was a co-ed bathroom. The toilets were the squat style.
After that we went to the ocean. Or sea. Something. It was pretty to watch. In winter the waves are higher and more enjoyable to view.
Then our long 2 hour bus trip back. Hung out with two Korean assistants that helps us English teachers. They are super sweet and I enjoy talking to them. It was a great way to spend my Thursday.
We ate lunch in the bus on the way there. Kimbop. They handed out yummy bread and pringles too. Then every staff member got a gift bag full of oranges and sweets. Yummy.
For supper we went to a restaruant that speciallizes in sea food (hey it is next to the sea). I opted for a tofu soup that was rather salty and side dishes. Overall good food.
Using the restroom there was another story. When you went into the bathroom, if you were female you had another girl watch the door because it was a co-ed bathroom. The toilets were the squat style.
After that we went to the ocean. Or sea. Something. It was pretty to watch. In winter the waves are higher and more enjoyable to view.
Then our long 2 hour bus trip back. Hung out with two Korean assistants that helps us English teachers. They are super sweet and I enjoy talking to them. It was a great way to spend my Thursday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)