Now, everyone has their failings. In some people's eyes, my atheist (or rather, I-Could-Give-A-Damn-Less-est) attitude immediately puts me into categories shared by things like famine, disease, or the elderly -- an evil that must be prayed away.
In my own eyes, I tend to be arrogant, shallow, and on the best of days only mildly vengeful. Nothing I'm ashamed about, of course, since that would negate the arrogance factor. I like to joke, usually before I say something terrible, inappropriate, and hillarious, that "This is for the swimming pool," or sofa, or wide screen TV on the 99th level of Hell that they are currently building for me at this very moment. That being said, I should avoid doing anything that might be misconstrued as good, noble, or selfless.
In all seriousness, though, while researching topics for my free speaking class, I came across an article in National Geographic about North Korean refugees and their struggle to escape and get to the South. One girl in particular that I read about said that when she got to Seoul, she'd like to study English.
The author did some great work, and he followed up with the three refugees the article entailed a few months after their odyssey ended and they arrived in the South. The aforementioned girl ended up not being able to take English courses just because they were too expensive. The unfortunate truth is that North Koreans who do escape face a new kind of prison caused by a simple lack of education. Here in the South, students go to public school, and then private academies from morning to night. North Koreans simply don't have the opportunity to do that, so when most get here, they find themselves "stuck".
This, to me, is unacceptable. My education philosophy is that just like a doctor's responsibility is to help anyone that he or she sees hurt, a teacher's job is to teach anyone who would learn. I contacted the organization mentioned in the article that works to smuggle North Koreans through China and several other countries, and offered to teach a few classes every weekend for their wards. At this point, with my busy job and lifestyle, I can't do much more than that but simply accepting others' hardships when they are right in front of me is something that I can't do either.
My ultimate dream (other than world domination) is to create a series of schools across the world that specialize in free adult education. The schools will have only two requirements: that you come only if you want to learn, and that you use the knowledge you earn to improve the world. In the beginning, these schools will specialize in English, but then I want to open them up to include other topics like math, science, even the arts. There is no excuse that in this age of technology that higher education is only accessible to 2% (the rough percent of Bachelor's degree holders) of the world; it is, I would argue, humanity's greatest failing of the 20th century.
I had planned to realize this dream in the future, perhaps in my 30's, but there is no reason the first steps cannot be taken now, today, to provide a firmer foundation for later.
Last year I saw many protests about North Korea staged by Americans and Canadians dressed like hippies, marching through the streets of Insadong in central Seoul. To me, they looked like directionless fools, preaching to a crowd that sees the North not as rivals, but as brothers and sisters, and despite their weapons and threats, of zero danger to themselves or to their families.
I'm sure with the North's latest ramblings, the protests will kick up once again. When they do, I will try to recruit some of the protesters to work with me towards a realistic goal, rather than scream at the wind and hope it changes direction.
We'll see, though. I taught my first class on Saturday, and it went well. I will blog about the details of it later.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Short Treatise on Korean Food
Now, like I mentioned before, Korean food (for the most part) is cheap here -- that leaves the lingering question of whether it is good or not. That probably depends on how much you like spicy food. If you can handle the burn, Korean food is amazing. If you can't, there are still a few dishes you can munch on and reminisce of cheeseburgers instead.
The staple of Korean cuisine is called kimchi, a particularly potent dish of (typically) cabbage pickled in hot sauce. Most foreigners don't care for kimchi at all, given its "unique" odor or spiciness. Most Koreans, though, are as proud of kimchi as Americans are of nuclear power -- which brings up an interesting correlation, as the process of making both produces toxic waste. I joke, of course, I quite like kimchi -- especially the hard-to-find garlic variety. Although, I saw kimchi chocolate once, and for a brief moment, hoped that the North won.
My personal favorite is Korean BBQ, the most common of which is samgyupsal (which translates as the mildly unappetizing "Three Fold Flesh"). Samgyupsal costs a little less than $4 at most places for a plate of thin sliced pork that you grill yourself at your table. There are many side dishes to go along, and a variety of sauces you can dip the pork in -- I prefer the red pepper paste. Most restaurants, though, make you order at least two plates of the stuff; so either a friend or an extra large appetite is advisable.
Dog meat is an increasingly hard-to-find delicacy in Korea. It remains popular among a small number of Koreans (although the majority think like most Westerners do about dog meat these days) because it is thought to increase male virility and size. I myself haven't tried it, being a dog lover, but I've heard that you have to go off the beaten path to find restaurants that serve it -- since it reeks and is generally frowned upon. From what I understand, big dogs are the ones that are raised for food, instead of the little yappy ones that you would rather see tossed into a pot and cooked.
Sea food is also popular here, although I won't go much into detail simply because my picky eating habits preclude anything from underwater. All I can say is that I saw an octopus, alive and generally happy, chopped into bits, put onto a plate, and served raw -- individual pieces still moving around. Easily the most horrifying thing that I have seen in my life. So before the flashbacks begin, let's move on.
Drinks on the other hand, are a little different. Near as I can guess, Korean culture doesn't really include drinking very much during a Korean meal -- I can't remember a time that I've been served anything other than water. Western meals usually include a soda, most typically either Coke/Pepsi or Chilsung Cider, which I'm 99% sure is counterfeit Sprite. Of course, like with every culture, alcohol is a pillar of civilization. The Korean's poison is called soju, and I've never seen anything good come of drinking it.
On an interesting side note, there are also many Chinese restaurants here that my students told me are actually not "real" Chinese, but rather "Korean Chinese" -- quite similar to how American Chinese food is not authentic in the slightest. The dishes, though, and to my disappointment, are quite different. No orange chicken, no chicken fingers or teriyaki. I tried ordering a random thing once, and ended up with noodles in a strange black sauce that have permanently turned me off from Chinese Korean food.
Western restaurants here are also extremely popular, along with a few random Indian restaurants -- in general, the price is significantly higher (Korean is about $5 or $6, Western is usually between $9 and $15). The ultimate truth that many forget, though, is that tipping is not in Korean culture -- so if you are a decent tipper, then you save at least that much extra.
I'll toss up some pictures of my culinary adventures once I get a camera!
The staple of Korean cuisine is called kimchi, a particularly potent dish of (typically) cabbage pickled in hot sauce. Most foreigners don't care for kimchi at all, given its "unique" odor or spiciness. Most Koreans, though, are as proud of kimchi as Americans are of nuclear power -- which brings up an interesting correlation, as the process of making both produces toxic waste. I joke, of course, I quite like kimchi -- especially the hard-to-find garlic variety. Although, I saw kimchi chocolate once, and for a brief moment, hoped that the North won.
My personal favorite is Korean BBQ, the most common of which is samgyupsal (which translates as the mildly unappetizing "Three Fold Flesh"). Samgyupsal costs a little less than $4 at most places for a plate of thin sliced pork that you grill yourself at your table. There are many side dishes to go along, and a variety of sauces you can dip the pork in -- I prefer the red pepper paste. Most restaurants, though, make you order at least two plates of the stuff; so either a friend or an extra large appetite is advisable.
Dog meat is an increasingly hard-to-find delicacy in Korea. It remains popular among a small number of Koreans (although the majority think like most Westerners do about dog meat these days) because it is thought to increase male virility and size. I myself haven't tried it, being a dog lover, but I've heard that you have to go off the beaten path to find restaurants that serve it -- since it reeks and is generally frowned upon. From what I understand, big dogs are the ones that are raised for food, instead of the little yappy ones that you would rather see tossed into a pot and cooked.
Sea food is also popular here, although I won't go much into detail simply because my picky eating habits preclude anything from underwater. All I can say is that I saw an octopus, alive and generally happy, chopped into bits, put onto a plate, and served raw -- individual pieces still moving around. Easily the most horrifying thing that I have seen in my life. So before the flashbacks begin, let's move on.
Drinks on the other hand, are a little different. Near as I can guess, Korean culture doesn't really include drinking very much during a Korean meal -- I can't remember a time that I've been served anything other than water. Western meals usually include a soda, most typically either Coke/Pepsi or Chilsung Cider, which I'm 99% sure is counterfeit Sprite. Of course, like with every culture, alcohol is a pillar of civilization. The Korean's poison is called soju, and I've never seen anything good come of drinking it.
On an interesting side note, there are also many Chinese restaurants here that my students told me are actually not "real" Chinese, but rather "Korean Chinese" -- quite similar to how American Chinese food is not authentic in the slightest. The dishes, though, and to my disappointment, are quite different. No orange chicken, no chicken fingers or teriyaki. I tried ordering a random thing once, and ended up with noodles in a strange black sauce that have permanently turned me off from Chinese Korean food.
Western restaurants here are also extremely popular, along with a few random Indian restaurants -- in general, the price is significantly higher (Korean is about $5 or $6, Western is usually between $9 and $15). The ultimate truth that many forget, though, is that tipping is not in Korean culture -- so if you are a decent tipper, then you save at least that much extra.
I'll toss up some pictures of my culinary adventures once I get a camera!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Work!
Work in general sucks! I have a natural allergy to anything that does not resemble creative procrastination -- you could make eating chocolate my job, and the second I associated it with having to work, I would swear off sugar forever.
I became a teacher because it helps me get past that aversion; I have no problem with learning, so I treat teaching as a learning experience for myself, as well as my students. So all things said and done, I love my current job for a few reasons.
The first one is my students. My attitude and mindset is made for teaching adults. Nearly all of my students are at least 18, although I do have one random middle schooler, but he is no problem at all. Last year I taught kindergarteners -- my soul itself rejects children as an abomination, a curse inflicted upon humanity, and we upon each other. Need proof? Try a 14 hour flight next to a crying baby. Your mind will change. So adults are a terrific motivation for me, I can reason with them, joke with them, and understand where they are coming from.
My second reason is that I enjoy the schedule, which although may kill me, gives me a lot of free time. I teach for 3 hours every morning between 6:30 and 11:30 (naturally with a break in between) and 3 hours each night between 6:30 and 9:30. Works great, I can enjoy the sunlight! Even during the winter! And then I can avoid it, and feel like I have accomplished something.
Finally, both my bosses seem sane. I know this might seem like something most would take for granted, but trust me, when you experience an insane individual as an employer -- and not the good, funny insane -- I'm talking about the scary, "I write my own reality even if it is contrary to evidence" insane, then you learn to appreciate a modicum of trust, respect, and level-headedness.
As for where I live, I really lucked out. Work is about 2 minutes away, and the subway station is about 4. I live next to a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Outback, McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and several other western restaurants for whenever I want the taste of home, although I am happy to eat cheap Korean food, too!
My apartment isn't huge, but I have a lot of storage space and it's not like I need a giant living area anyway. I'll upload some photos once I can afford a camera.
All in all, no complaints here!
I became a teacher because it helps me get past that aversion; I have no problem with learning, so I treat teaching as a learning experience for myself, as well as my students. So all things said and done, I love my current job for a few reasons.
The first one is my students. My attitude and mindset is made for teaching adults. Nearly all of my students are at least 18, although I do have one random middle schooler, but he is no problem at all. Last year I taught kindergarteners -- my soul itself rejects children as an abomination, a curse inflicted upon humanity, and we upon each other. Need proof? Try a 14 hour flight next to a crying baby. Your mind will change. So adults are a terrific motivation for me, I can reason with them, joke with them, and understand where they are coming from.
My second reason is that I enjoy the schedule, which although may kill me, gives me a lot of free time. I teach for 3 hours every morning between 6:30 and 11:30 (naturally with a break in between) and 3 hours each night between 6:30 and 9:30. Works great, I can enjoy the sunlight! Even during the winter! And then I can avoid it, and feel like I have accomplished something.
Finally, both my bosses seem sane. I know this might seem like something most would take for granted, but trust me, when you experience an insane individual as an employer -- and not the good, funny insane -- I'm talking about the scary, "I write my own reality even if it is contrary to evidence" insane, then you learn to appreciate a modicum of trust, respect, and level-headedness.
As for where I live, I really lucked out. Work is about 2 minutes away, and the subway station is about 4. I live next to a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Outback, McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and several other western restaurants for whenever I want the taste of home, although I am happy to eat cheap Korean food, too!
My apartment isn't huge, but I have a lot of storage space and it's not like I need a giant living area anyway. I'll upload some photos once I can afford a camera.
All in all, no complaints here!
Once More into the Breach!
Hey there! If you wound up at this particular blog, you are either interested in my Korean (mis)adventures, or are genuinely interested in living a life fueled only by kimchi -- in which case, I both applaud you and fear for your sanity.
I am an English teacher based near Seoul, at a private academy that caters to adults. I have previous experience working in Korea at a kindergarten, but let's not speak of that and just pretend that I am starting anew.
What fascinates me is the random misconceptions many westerners have about this country; influenced in some ways at least by its general obscurity, overshadowed by China to the west and Japan to the east -- and even the insane ramblings of its counterpart to the north.
Let me sum up some of the general misconceptions really quickly. Eat dogs? Yes. Eat cats? No. Eat pets? No. Spicy food? Hell yes. Dirt cheap? Depends on where you go. Fast Internet? Yes. Gamer Mecca? Only if you like StarCraft. StarCraft TV? Yes. Two channels on basic cable.
Okay, that is a quick run through, I will definitely go into more details in the future. Mainly I plan to allow my adventure to unfold, and to experience the country in ways many others do not get a chance to; to learn not only the differences, but to find the similarities, and to save you from descending into kimchi inspired madness.
I am an English teacher based near Seoul, at a private academy that caters to adults. I have previous experience working in Korea at a kindergarten, but let's not speak of that and just pretend that I am starting anew.
What fascinates me is the random misconceptions many westerners have about this country; influenced in some ways at least by its general obscurity, overshadowed by China to the west and Japan to the east -- and even the insane ramblings of its counterpart to the north.
Let me sum up some of the general misconceptions really quickly. Eat dogs? Yes. Eat cats? No. Eat pets? No. Spicy food? Hell yes. Dirt cheap? Depends on where you go. Fast Internet? Yes. Gamer Mecca? Only if you like StarCraft. StarCraft TV? Yes. Two channels on basic cable.
Okay, that is a quick run through, I will definitely go into more details in the future. Mainly I plan to allow my adventure to unfold, and to experience the country in ways many others do not get a chance to; to learn not only the differences, but to find the similarities, and to save you from descending into kimchi inspired madness.
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