In honor of my Mom. :)
So for the past two nights I haven't actually officially slept. I had two papers due back to back, one about nonverbal communication and the other a summary about the three important factors of social policy development in Western nations from 1850-1950. If you know anything about the way I write papers my stupidity does not come off as a surprise but to those of you who think I am responsible...definitely not the case. I am someone who puts off papers until the day they are do and stay up all night to do them. What do I do in the time I am not writing the paper? Well, I have recently been hooked on One Piece and I caved in and bought the season pass for Heroes from iTunes. I totally have senioritis...
Nothing terribly exciting happened this past week. On Tuesday I went to Red Mango and a DVD bang, where we watched My Girlfriend is an Agent, a really funny and well done Korean movie, and 300. SPARTA!!!
On Wednesday I met my Language Exchange partner for the first time and she's totally awesome! We ate lunch at this cute little place that served delicious Japanese food and chatted about my lack of Korean skills, her trips studying abroad, and our mutual love for learning languages (even if I totally fail at it!). Yay for attempts at befriending native Koreans! I feel as if the program is not beneficial at all for the Koreans except that they get to meet foreigners. For the exchange students, however, we get to become friends with someone who knows perfect English, can show you around Seoul, pays for your food, and can even check your Korean homework! To me this seems very unequal so I will do my best to assist my partner by practicing possible interview questions in English and the like. Wednesday night I was surprisingly productive!
Thursday morning I totally ignored my alarm and woke up at 8:17 AM. I have class at 9:10 AM on Thursdays. After having an "oh, snap" moment I practically ran to the bus stop and was able to make it to class at 9:17 AM due to a good amount of traffic. Thursday evening I hung out with cool Filipino people! Three were half (but all Filipino at heart), one was actually from the Philippines, one was the guy who organized the gathering, and me. We ate at this cute bibimbap place, got cheap yet delicious waffles, and sung our hearts out in true Filipino style at noraebang.
Friday on my way to see a play I experienced what a sardine must feel like on the subway. I had to literally shove myself onto the car and was squished between two guys in suits. The play I saw with my friend was called Hotel Splendid, which was (now I'm going to quote myself) "a very emotional and moving play about four comfort women serving Japanese soldiers during World War II. I knew very little about the 200,000 women who were forced to have sex with the enemy every night as a part of their “patriotic duty” so I was glad to be able to watch a play like this which gave insight into a little bit of how life was like for these women, made even better because of the English subtitles! All the women were portrayed as strong and courageous human beings despite everything they had to go through. One women remained faithful to the memory of her dead husband while another somehow remained optimistic about life. What struck me the most was one subplot involving one of the women and a kamikaze pilot, which seemed to me like a real love story in true Romeo and Juliet fashion."
Saturday I went to my music class for the second time (out of a possible four times). Here's a little blurb about it: "Through the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts I am taking a weekly music class specifically designed for foreigners. Taught in English by teachers who are truly masters of their art, I am able to learn how to play the instrument I thought was the most intriguing of the traditional Korean musical instruments, the gayageum, or the 12-stringed plucked zither. This class has already allowed me to experience more of Korea’s rich musical culture by learning how to properly pluck the gayageum in order to produce lovely melodies. Even when it is hard and I just can’t seem to play the instrument properly I appreciate all the more the knowledge and patience my teacher has in showing me the correct way to do it. I already know how to play some of Korea’s traditional songs and will be giving a final performance at the end of the semester to show off my newfound skills."
The whole week I had been planning on going to the R19 B-boy world championships but things just didn't work out, so I ended up going to a fireworks show which ended up being cancelled due to...swine flu. WHY?!?!? On the bright side, the area we went to reminded me of Chicago's Lakefront. A friend and I stayed there for a little bit before meeting her friend in Hongdae. We, of course, ended up going to a bar with delicious nachos.
Sunday was procrastination, mass, more procrastination, and finally working on the first paper.
On Monday DMC residents got free pizza and rice cakes in honor of the holiday coming up, Korea's own Chusok (Thanksgiving). After that I procrastinated some more and finally gave up to write the paper. That reminds me - I also turned in an application to be a part of IWU's Mortar Board, a new Senior Honor society yet I have not heard back from them. Hopefully that works out! Now should I apply for Research Honors or just enjoy my last semester on campus job hunting? Just in case you were wondering, my program has this "Cultural Reimbursement" program where I write a blurb and they give me money back for participating in things that enhance my knowledge of Korean culture. Yay CIEE!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Korea is my Hogwarts
As the schoolwork slowly but surely begins to pile up, I would like to take a moment to reflect on my past week here in Seoul ...
Monday was a normal day and friends and I ended up ordering Kyochon Chicken for delivery, which just so happens to be advertised by the men of Super Junior. Mwahaha. I kept the bags. The chicken itself was so delicious that we ended up ordering the exact same thing on Friday. My first class on Tuesday was canceled (yay!) so I got to be super lazy. I went to dinner with new friends, one of them a Filipino! According to him there are at least 5 and 1/2 Filipinos on campus (inclusive of Fil-Ams). We went to Red Mango for "the most delicious yogurt in the world" (it was pretty tasty). Wednesday I ate mackerel and kimchi 찌개 (I have been craving fish recently and have no idea why) and then went to a talk about the situation in North Korea according to a leading Russian expert.
I spent way too much money on Thursday but it was definitely worth every won. During my free time before Korean friends and I went shopping on the streets behind Ewha University, which is catered to the female fashion sense. I ended up buying two more shirts to add to my collection, as well as a funky bag and two pairs of earring to prevent the holes in my ears from closing. After Korean class friends and I went to eat at Choi's Tacos, which sounds kind of sketch but has delicious burritos. We then proceeded to go to a 찜질방 and had a naked happy time. Anyone have to read that sentence twice? Hehe. After that we then proceeded to go drinking. Thirsty Thursday! Seriously though, drinking is an undeniable part of Korean culture that everyone has to do it at least once. We got rejected by two bars but the third one was a winner. We ordered peach and yogurt flavored soju and played drinking games in order to get to know each other better. Sorry parental units, but I lost count of how many shots of soju I had! My head was a little buzzy at the end but I felt like I really got to bond with my friends.
Friday night I stayed in and fangirled with two friends in preparation for the 2009 Asia Song Festival, which I will get to shortly. We ate Kyochon Chicken, watched music videos, and attempted to do the dances. Saturday was the day I had been looking forward to since I got to Korea. Thanks to my program director everyone in CIEE got tickets and other friends were able to get their own. The crazy ones and I got up at 5AM in order to arrive at the World Cup Stadium at 6:30 AM. Talk about hard core! We had no idea what to do (and neither did the staff) so we ended up sitting in the YG fan line and were branded with numbers. Around 9AM I went to get my friend from Yonsei and upon return met more Yonsei students who knew what to do. Being a foreigner in Seoul is one of the greatest things ever - we got VIP seats!!!
After waiting around for another six hours (and helping friends get to where they needed to go - I was on the phone for half the time) the concert finally started. It was AMAZING!!! Performers from all over Asia came to Korea to represent their countries and perform their hit songs. The female performers were kind of scary (one of them reminded everyone of Xena, Warrior Princess) but everyone was entertaining in their own way. The fan chants and waving of glow sticks were so coordinated! Standout performances for me were 2NE1, V6 (they performed songs I knew - I was spazzing so much!), Gackt (man can really work a crowd), Super Junior (of course), and Big Bang (my friends were pretty much there for this group). I failed at taking good pictures, but this one of Gackt is pretty sweet.
Sunday was a nice calm day after that craziness. I finally met up with Yoon Joo, my mother's supervisor's sister (how's that for a connection!) at Myeong-Dong. We ate lunch, went to an outdoor market, and had a little dessert. It ended up being really fun! Her English was very good and made up for my not yet existent Korean skills. She told me to call her son, which I have yet to do because that would be the epitome of awkward (hi, your mom gave me your cell phone number, want to hang out? Not happening). After that excursion I attempted to do homework then went to Sogang University to attend mass. The past few weeks I have been church hopping but now I think I have found a pretty comfortable place. One funny thing is that I got in trouble for singing during the mass parts - I need to join the choir!
Today I was bombarded with things to do but I joined this really cool club called the "Giving Tree" which basically does volunteer work with Korean children! Just what I have been looking for. Now I need to get off my lazy butt and start acting like an actual college student! Or I can say I have senioritis ...
Monday was a normal day and friends and I ended up ordering Kyochon Chicken for delivery, which just so happens to be advertised by the men of Super Junior. Mwahaha. I kept the bags. The chicken itself was so delicious that we ended up ordering the exact same thing on Friday. My first class on Tuesday was canceled (yay!) so I got to be super lazy. I went to dinner with new friends, one of them a Filipino! According to him there are at least 5 and 1/2 Filipinos on campus (inclusive of Fil-Ams). We went to Red Mango for "the most delicious yogurt in the world" (it was pretty tasty). Wednesday I ate mackerel and kimchi 찌개 (I have been craving fish recently and have no idea why) and then went to a talk about the situation in North Korea according to a leading Russian expert.
I spent way too much money on Thursday but it was definitely worth every won. During my free time before Korean friends and I went shopping on the streets behind Ewha University, which is catered to the female fashion sense. I ended up buying two more shirts to add to my collection, as well as a funky bag and two pairs of earring to prevent the holes in my ears from closing. After Korean class friends and I went to eat at Choi's Tacos, which sounds kind of sketch but has delicious burritos. We then proceeded to go to a 찜질방 and had a naked happy time. Anyone have to read that sentence twice? Hehe. After that we then proceeded to go drinking. Thirsty Thursday! Seriously though, drinking is an undeniable part of Korean culture that everyone has to do it at least once. We got rejected by two bars but the third one was a winner. We ordered peach and yogurt flavored soju and played drinking games in order to get to know each other better. Sorry parental units, but I lost count of how many shots of soju I had! My head was a little buzzy at the end but I felt like I really got to bond with my friends.
Friday night I stayed in and fangirled with two friends in preparation for the 2009 Asia Song Festival, which I will get to shortly. We ate Kyochon Chicken, watched music videos, and attempted to do the dances. Saturday was the day I had been looking forward to since I got to Korea. Thanks to my program director everyone in CIEE got tickets and other friends were able to get their own. The crazy ones and I got up at 5AM in order to arrive at the World Cup Stadium at 6:30 AM. Talk about hard core! We had no idea what to do (and neither did the staff) so we ended up sitting in the YG fan line and were branded with numbers. Around 9AM I went to get my friend from Yonsei and upon return met more Yonsei students who knew what to do. Being a foreigner in Seoul is one of the greatest things ever - we got VIP seats!!!
After waiting around for another six hours (and helping friends get to where they needed to go - I was on the phone for half the time) the concert finally started. It was AMAZING!!! Performers from all over Asia came to Korea to represent their countries and perform their hit songs. The female performers were kind of scary (one of them reminded everyone of Xena, Warrior Princess) but everyone was entertaining in their own way. The fan chants and waving of glow sticks were so coordinated! Standout performances for me were 2NE1, V6 (they performed songs I knew - I was spazzing so much!), Gackt (man can really work a crowd), Super Junior (of course), and Big Bang (my friends were pretty much there for this group). I failed at taking good pictures, but this one of Gackt is pretty sweet.
Sunday was a nice calm day after that craziness. I finally met up with Yoon Joo, my mother's supervisor's sister (how's that for a connection!) at Myeong-Dong. We ate lunch, went to an outdoor market, and had a little dessert. It ended up being really fun! Her English was very good and made up for my not yet existent Korean skills. She told me to call her son, which I have yet to do because that would be the epitome of awkward (hi, your mom gave me your cell phone number, want to hang out? Not happening). After that excursion I attempted to do homework then went to Sogang University to attend mass. The past few weeks I have been church hopping but now I think I have found a pretty comfortable place. One funny thing is that I got in trouble for singing during the mass parts - I need to join the choir!
Today I was bombarded with things to do but I joined this really cool club called the "Giving Tree" which basically does volunteer work with Korean children! Just what I have been looking for. Now I need to get off my lazy butt and start acting like an actual college student! Or I can say I have senioritis ...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Red vs. Blue
My fourth week in Korea has been very eventful! The biggest highlight would be the annual sports festival between Korea University (red) and Yonsei University (blue). It actually ended in a tie, but I will get to that shortly.
The beginning of the week consisted of attending (and falling asleep already!) in classes. I ate kimchi cheese (김치 치즈) 비빔밥 on Monday (strange but nevertheless tasty), CIEE people ate free 갈비 on Tuesday and DMC people ate 삼겹살 on Wednesday. Side question - if anyone is bothered by the random Korean I like to throw in please tell me - I figured you could learn along with me, at least the important food terminology! Everything I do not translate I have previously mentioned in my blog.
The more interesting things occurred starting Thursday, which so happened to be my 22nd birthday! I had a lot of fun celebrating here in Korea. For lunch I ate seaweed soup (미역국) because it is associated with birth and long life in Korea. After Korean class (my team lost a game due to our collective stupidity) friends and I went to eat 자장면 because it is customary for Filipinos to eat noodles for long life. After being stuffed with Chinese food we went to sing our hearts out at 노래방. At Love Story (how cheesy is that!) we were put into this very swanky room complete with red vinyl furniture, a night view of Seoul, disco lights, and a pole. I sang a bunch of English songs, attempted a few Korean ones including HUG by 동방신기 (if the song is slow enough I can read the lyrics), and did surprisingly well on a Japanese one (READY STEADY GO!!!). Back at the DMC we massacred a delicious Wild Monkey Cake (chocolate and banana ice cream). Good times. :)
Friday was the beginning of the Yon-ko sports festival! With the mentors club - my buddy was not there :( - the international students went to watch baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. I personally went to baseball and ice hockey. Both games were so much fun!!! At Yon-ko it is more about cheering than watching your team play, to be perfectly honest. Both sides had these genki cheerleaders made up of guys and girls who apparently had limitless amounts of energy. These people led the crowd in doing crazy yet coordinated dances, such as the "One Night Only" dance that consisted of hip thrusts and pointing and waving your index finger around. I had such a good time imitating yet miserably failing at the dances, which was really the point of Yon-ko - to show your Yonsei team spirit through participation. Dinner was Korean BBQ!
Saturday was rugby and soccer. I'm not a sports fan but the soccer game was pretty intense for two teams who both really failed at playing. Both sides kept on missing shots given to them as well as easy passes. Oh well! Yonsei won the basketball and ice hockey games, Korea won the baseball and soccer games, and they tied the rugby game. Good way to end the sports festival with feelings of camaraderie all around! We went back to campus, ate a free dinner, and then attended a free concert! Big acts at the concert included 4minute (don't really know their stuff but cool nonetheless), the Yonsei cheering squad, and Psy (had no idea who he was until I googled it afterward).
Sunday I attended a Korean mass at Seodaemun (I was told it would be in English but I was able to sing along at some parts!) and ate some 비빔냉면 before discovering my new love for the bus system. I then spent the rest of the day catching up on Facebook and emails (I GOT TICKETS TO THE 2009 ASIA SONG FESTIVAL YAY!!!) and eating dinner with a friend I have always wanted to get to know better. Overall the past week was pretty exhausting (it's those crazy dances!) but definitely enjoyable.
The beginning of the week consisted of attending (and falling asleep already!) in classes. I ate kimchi cheese (김치 치즈) 비빔밥 on Monday (strange but nevertheless tasty), CIEE people ate free 갈비 on Tuesday and DMC people ate 삼겹살 on Wednesday. Side question - if anyone is bothered by the random Korean I like to throw in please tell me - I figured you could learn along with me, at least the important food terminology! Everything I do not translate I have previously mentioned in my blog.
The more interesting things occurred starting Thursday, which so happened to be my 22nd birthday! I had a lot of fun celebrating here in Korea. For lunch I ate seaweed soup (미역국) because it is associated with birth and long life in Korea. After Korean class (my team lost a game due to our collective stupidity) friends and I went to eat 자장면 because it is customary for Filipinos to eat noodles for long life. After being stuffed with Chinese food we went to sing our hearts out at 노래방. At Love Story (how cheesy is that!) we were put into this very swanky room complete with red vinyl furniture, a night view of Seoul, disco lights, and a pole. I sang a bunch of English songs, attempted a few Korean ones including HUG by 동방신기 (if the song is slow enough I can read the lyrics), and did surprisingly well on a Japanese one (READY STEADY GO!!!). Back at the DMC we massacred a delicious Wild Monkey Cake (chocolate and banana ice cream). Good times. :)
Friday was the beginning of the Yon-ko sports festival! With the mentors club - my buddy was not there :( - the international students went to watch baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. I personally went to baseball and ice hockey. Both games were so much fun!!! At Yon-ko it is more about cheering than watching your team play, to be perfectly honest. Both sides had these genki cheerleaders made up of guys and girls who apparently had limitless amounts of energy. These people led the crowd in doing crazy yet coordinated dances, such as the "One Night Only" dance that consisted of hip thrusts and pointing and waving your index finger around. I had such a good time imitating yet miserably failing at the dances, which was really the point of Yon-ko - to show your Yonsei team spirit through participation. Dinner was Korean BBQ!
Saturday was rugby and soccer. I'm not a sports fan but the soccer game was pretty intense for two teams who both really failed at playing. Both sides kept on missing shots given to them as well as easy passes. Oh well! Yonsei won the basketball and ice hockey games, Korea won the baseball and soccer games, and they tied the rugby game. Good way to end the sports festival with feelings of camaraderie all around! We went back to campus, ate a free dinner, and then attended a free concert! Big acts at the concert included 4minute (don't really know their stuff but cool nonetheless), the Yonsei cheering squad, and Psy (had no idea who he was until I googled it afterward).
Sunday I attended a Korean mass at Seodaemun (I was told it would be in English but I was able to sing along at some parts!) and ate some 비빔냉면 before discovering my new love for the bus system. I then spent the rest of the day catching up on Facebook and emails (I GOT TICKETS TO THE 2009 ASIA SONG FESTIVAL YAY!!!) and eating dinner with a friend I have always wanted to get to know better. Overall the past week was pretty exhausting (it's those crazy dances!) but definitely enjoyable.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
I'm on a boat!
Since I have finished my Korean homework I feel justified in blogging about my past week. I have finally started classes and have had an extremely busy but amazing weekend!
Sunday night I went to a jjimjilbang (찜질방), the Korean equivalent of a bathhouse. I got naked in public for the second time in life - the first was at an onsen (温泉) in Japan - and dipped into the hot and cold baths. We also went into many saunas (cinnamon room, really hot brick room, pine room, cold room) and lounged around. It was so relaxing! A perfect way to begin the semester.
Monday I once again went to the Korean equivalent of Walmart, Home Plus, and finally finished shopping for essential things. We ate a very cheap lunch and then went on to explore Yonsei's campus, and specifically find where our classes are at. Side note - meals here can be incredibly cheap, with one example being a bowl of steaming mandu ramyeon and side dishes costing about $3.00! I love Korea! :) After that we walked around and I bought shoes to make up for my destroyed sandals. There is no turning back!
Tuesday was my first day of classes. My Korean Social Welfare class seems like it will be very interesting - the professor has done research comparing the social welfare systems of America, Japan, and Korea and tends to throw in her thoughts during lectures. The majority of students are native Korean speakers who are apprehensive of taking a class like this in English, so I think the professor will go easy on them (and thus easy on the international students!). My Korea through Ethnography class is going to be a lot of fun - we get to interview people for our final! The focus of the class is identity issues and migration, so I plan on either interviewing migrant workers or expatriate English teachers and discovering how life is like for them in this very homogeneous and proud country.
Ate, if you're reading this, please tell Dan the Man II that I finally finished The Name of the Rose and will be forever grateful for his recommendation. It was exactly the type of novel I enjoy - I even bought my own copy and brought it to Korea just so I could finish it! And my roommate's name is Joyce, just to let you know. :)
Wednesday I decided to check out the library - Yonsei has a system in which students have to reserve study spaces (up to 6 hours!) before you can study somewhere, probably because of the large amount of people who attend the school. It was quite intimidating, but I plan on studying there if I really need to get work done. My Intercultural Communication class is really big but I know it will be good - the professor is a Korean who grew up in Kenya and has the coolest accent! She is also very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, which is critical if you want your students to retain something after the class ends. I also had my very first Korean Language class - right away the teacher started to drill the alphabet into everybody's heads. She spoke very little English and forced everyone to repeat after her, one by one. I think I will learn a lot!
Thursday highlights include lunch with two fellow fangirls, dinner at a 삼겹살 place with a fun group of people and 노래방 to wrap the day up! That was a ton of fun - I ended up singing a few songs and even danced to the YMCA! Friday I only had Korean class so after that friends and I attended a B-boy show courtesy of CIEE. The show was so much fun - the dancers did some amazing stunts and throughout I was reminded of ABDC. There were guys in sparkly shirts imitating boy band members! To end the night we watched the movie version of Mamma Mia! while drinking soju and swapping k-pop songs.
Saturday was the first day of my music class. I am learning how to play a traditional Korean 12-stringed instrument (가야금) but I am hoping to switch and take lessons for the Korean bamboo flute (단소) since I have always wanted to learn how to play a wooden flute. However, that class is in Korean ... lunch was with my friend who attends the drum class - it's so much fun learning more about my fellow international students! And if you're wondering why I don't use people's actual names, I'm just too lazy.
Saturday afternoon/evening I was able to attend the Incheon Korean Music Wave Festival 2009 because of a friend I made who overheard me talking about my love for boy bands!!! Dinner was fried chicken and radishes sold at one of the tents and our seats were special seats for foreigners pretty close to the stage. I saw artists such as F.T. Island, SHINee, Younha, 2PM, Super Junior, and Rain live in concert. Everyone performed flawlessly and the crowd kept on going wild. I screamed like the fangirl I am when my favorite artists were on! Needless to say, this was one of the best experiences I have had thus far in Korea. This picture is of Younha, by the way. I have followed her music ever since she did the ending theme for the anime Bleach. Yes, she sings in both Japanese and Korean and has an absolutely amazing voice. I'm so happy I got to see her perform live!
Sunday morning I had to wake up early to go river rafting! With a tour group friends and I went to Donggang River to go rafting, life vests and helmets included. The scenery was beautiful even if the company was a bit annoying - on our boat were these two little kids who would not stop complaining/moving/asking if they could swim. Other than that, we had a great time taking in the geology (yay!), swimming, and of course rowing.
Monday and Tuesday of this week I have been getting into the groove of going to class and being a student again. I have spent so much money on books, minutes for my phone, Home Plus shopping trips, but now that I have a schedule I think I will be able to budget properly. I also think I am both gaining and losing weight - I keep eating so much delicious Korean food - tonight I had free BBQ (갈비) - but Yonsei's campus has so many hills I think I walk it off! I have pledged to stop buying unnecessary desserts and drinks but I have not yet reached the point of exercising everyday. I might have to though because the dryer keeps on shrinking my clothes ...
Sunday night I went to a jjimjilbang (찜질방), the Korean equivalent of a bathhouse. I got naked in public for the second time in life - the first was at an onsen (温泉) in Japan - and dipped into the hot and cold baths. We also went into many saunas (cinnamon room, really hot brick room, pine room, cold room) and lounged around. It was so relaxing! A perfect way to begin the semester.
Monday I once again went to the Korean equivalent of Walmart, Home Plus, and finally finished shopping for essential things. We ate a very cheap lunch and then went on to explore Yonsei's campus, and specifically find where our classes are at. Side note - meals here can be incredibly cheap, with one example being a bowl of steaming mandu ramyeon and side dishes costing about $3.00! I love Korea! :) After that we walked around and I bought shoes to make up for my destroyed sandals. There is no turning back!
Tuesday was my first day of classes. My Korean Social Welfare class seems like it will be very interesting - the professor has done research comparing the social welfare systems of America, Japan, and Korea and tends to throw in her thoughts during lectures. The majority of students are native Korean speakers who are apprehensive of taking a class like this in English, so I think the professor will go easy on them (and thus easy on the international students!). My Korea through Ethnography class is going to be a lot of fun - we get to interview people for our final! The focus of the class is identity issues and migration, so I plan on either interviewing migrant workers or expatriate English teachers and discovering how life is like for them in this very homogeneous and proud country.
Ate, if you're reading this, please tell Dan the Man II that I finally finished The Name of the Rose and will be forever grateful for his recommendation. It was exactly the type of novel I enjoy - I even bought my own copy and brought it to Korea just so I could finish it! And my roommate's name is Joyce, just to let you know. :)
Wednesday I decided to check out the library - Yonsei has a system in which students have to reserve study spaces (up to 6 hours!) before you can study somewhere, probably because of the large amount of people who attend the school. It was quite intimidating, but I plan on studying there if I really need to get work done. My Intercultural Communication class is really big but I know it will be good - the professor is a Korean who grew up in Kenya and has the coolest accent! She is also very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, which is critical if you want your students to retain something after the class ends. I also had my very first Korean Language class - right away the teacher started to drill the alphabet into everybody's heads. She spoke very little English and forced everyone to repeat after her, one by one. I think I will learn a lot!
Thursday highlights include lunch with two fellow fangirls, dinner at a 삼겹살 place with a fun group of people and 노래방 to wrap the day up! That was a ton of fun - I ended up singing a few songs and even danced to the YMCA! Friday I only had Korean class so after that friends and I attended a B-boy show courtesy of CIEE. The show was so much fun - the dancers did some amazing stunts and throughout I was reminded of ABDC. There were guys in sparkly shirts imitating boy band members! To end the night we watched the movie version of Mamma Mia! while drinking soju and swapping k-pop songs.
Saturday was the first day of my music class. I am learning how to play a traditional Korean 12-stringed instrument (가야금) but I am hoping to switch and take lessons for the Korean bamboo flute (단소) since I have always wanted to learn how to play a wooden flute. However, that class is in Korean ... lunch was with my friend who attends the drum class - it's so much fun learning more about my fellow international students! And if you're wondering why I don't use people's actual names, I'm just too lazy.
Saturday afternoon/evening I was able to attend the Incheon Korean Music Wave Festival 2009 because of a friend I made who overheard me talking about my love for boy bands!!! Dinner was fried chicken and radishes sold at one of the tents and our seats were special seats for foreigners pretty close to the stage. I saw artists such as F.T. Island, SHINee, Younha, 2PM, Super Junior, and Rain live in concert. Everyone performed flawlessly and the crowd kept on going wild. I screamed like the fangirl I am when my favorite artists were on! Needless to say, this was one of the best experiences I have had thus far in Korea. This picture is of Younha, by the way. I have followed her music ever since she did the ending theme for the anime Bleach. Yes, she sings in both Japanese and Korean and has an absolutely amazing voice. I'm so happy I got to see her perform live!
Sunday morning I had to wake up early to go river rafting! With a tour group friends and I went to Donggang River to go rafting, life vests and helmets included. The scenery was beautiful even if the company was a bit annoying - on our boat were these two little kids who would not stop complaining/moving/asking if they could swim. Other than that, we had a great time taking in the geology (yay!), swimming, and of course rowing.
Monday and Tuesday of this week I have been getting into the groove of going to class and being a student again. I have spent so much money on books, minutes for my phone, Home Plus shopping trips, but now that I have a schedule I think I will be able to budget properly. I also think I am both gaining and losing weight - I keep eating so much delicious Korean food - tonight I had free BBQ (갈비) - but Yonsei's campus has so many hills I think I walk it off! I have pledged to stop buying unnecessary desserts and drinks but I have not yet reached the point of exercising everyday. I might have to though because the dryer keeps on shrinking my clothes ...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Everybody loves mahjong
Yes, I know this is my third blog post today, but I actually have a little free time to write some of my thoughts down about the time I spent in the Philippines. Plus, I'm watching Inkigayo live right now. :) In no particular order:
- Practically everyone in the Philippines is bilingual (Tagalog and English), even trilingual depending on where they live (for example, my mother's side can speak Ilocano because they originated from Ilocos).
- The cities are crowded. Very crowded. Why? I think it is because the Philippines is a very Catholic country where practices such as abortion and birth control are not commonly used among young men and women (resulting in many babies).
- Churches are the place to be on Sundays since Catholicism is so widely practiced. Filipinos especially love the saints and the Virgin Mary, as demonstrated by the many rosaries hanging off of jeepneys. A special note - Communion is absolutely crazy. People, regardless of where they are sitting, rush to the front in order to receive the Eucharist. It's wonderful that they are so excited, but it could be done in a slightly more orderly fashion.
- Filipinos get around by jeepneys and tricycles. The traffic is absolutely horrendous. There are no stop lights and the traffic control guys all fail at directing traffic. As a result, roads become a free-for-all where cars stop, go, and turn as they please. It's survival of the fittest.
- If you are rich you hire a driver to take you everywhere because of that very reason. If you have family in the U.S. who sends you money you can also probably afford to go shopping in the air-conditioned malls (crucial) and get facials and massages. The great divide between the rich and the poor is astonishing - slums and hotels are side-by-side and children sell flowers for food while others throw away leftover Jollibee sandwiches.
- Virtually every fast food restaurant serves fried chicken (since chickens are plentiful) and/or spaghetti (which is slightly sweet and comes with hot dog pieces).
- Filipinos place a great deal of emphasis on beauty - many beauty pageants are held every year and women are expected to conform to the standard of beauty. If you watch Filipino TV you can see a lot of commercials for skin whitening products (even for men) as well as makeup and hair and things of that nature.
- Gay men, known as bakla, are accepted as a part of Filipino society and have carved a place for themselves as trendsetters and reliable companions for women with troubles. They, however, are still looked down upon by the people of this very religious country.
- Women love matchmaking. If a friend of a friend has an unattached son and you so happen to have a daughter (I'm looking at you, Mom) they will inevitably find a way to make them meet (much to their amusement/annoyance).
- K-pop has invaded the Philippines! I kept hearing the "Nobody" song (by the Wondergirls for those of you who don't know or care) play on the radio and even sung by a saleslady! There was even a documentary about fangirls who love TVXQ! and a special on Sandara Park of 2NE1.
- Moments of complete silence are extremely rare. There is always something in the background, whether it be the chirping bugs or an old lady yelling at everyone to buy her fresh produce.
- There are more salespeople than customers in the stores - labor is cheap and there are always people willing to work for the whatever money they can get. They are also very annoying because once you demonstrate the slightest interest in a product they will jump on you and follow you either until you buy the product or leave the store. The salesladies at the cashier staple your bag though, so that is a plus.
- So many Filipinos leave the country in search of jobs abroad because they cannot earn enough money for a good education for their kids in the Philippines. It is more common nowadays for kids to be raised by helpers (women who live in the household and do the chores as well as care for the children) rather than their mothers because the moms are working abroad in order to send money home. However, the kids need their mothers in their lives, not just as a source of income!
- Men whose wives are abroad but need female companionship have three options - they can properly care for their kids who also miss their mom, drown their sorrows in bottles of alcohol, or find a mistress. Unfortunately the last option is becoming more common because that is a way men demonstrate their 'machismo' or something akin to that.
- Bring your own toilet paper! I found this out the awkward way.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Santos in Hawaii
This past May I took a class in Hawaii about multiculturalism. I got an A-, which is still good but I think I failed at the final paper or something. I did write it in a week when we had two months to do it ... Anyway, here is a little snippet that did not make it into the final draft - my paper ended up being 15 and a half pages! I just didn't want this part to go to waste so I saved it.
The argument can be made thatHawaii Hawaii Hawaii
The argument can be made that
Do you have happiness?
The Seoul subway system is so convenient yet confusing at the same time. This morning it took me over an hour to make my way to Myeongdong and then another 20 minutes to search for the Cathedral! You would think a Catholic church would be easy to find, but with all the exits you can take it is very easy to get disoriented very quickly. I made it in time for the most important part though! Next week I will leave 30 minutes earlier just in case.
My second week in Seoul has been a learning experience, to say the least. Tuesday was a mini-orientation at the DMC where I met other international students studying at Yonsei. I met other fangirls who are just as crazy as me! :) In the afternoon CIEE students met with four Yonsei volunteers who attempted to get us cell phones (failed) and then took us to a Chinese restaurant where I ate my very first bowl of black soybean noodles (자장면). Eating something I have only seen in dramas was very exciting, and it was delicious! After that we went to a karaoke place (노래방) and everyone sang hit k-pop songs! In my case, I sang the English parts and faked the Korean ones. That was so much fun!
The next day the Yonsei volunteers split up the CIEE group and took us on a campus tour. I already love Yonsei's campus, hills and all - it has that real oldschool feeling that I really don't get at IWU. It's VERY big though, so hopefully I get used to walking 20 minutes from one building to another (it takes 5 minutes to get from one side of IWU's campus to the other, no joke). After the tour (the library has touchscreens!) I met with my 'buddy' through Yonsei's global lounge, and we all went to first eat cold noodles (냉면) and then drink. Yes, I actually participated in drinking games. I think I had a shot and a half of soju ... my Korean mentor is really cool, as well as my fellow buddies, a girl from Singapore and a girl from Sydney, Australia.
Thursday was a big day - I finally got a cell phone! It's a slidy one, which I have always wanted. Korean phones are a million times cooler than American ones - TV, internet, mp3 player, camera, cool sound effects and cheesy ring tones - I wish I could keep it when I come back to the States! While waiting to get the phone a friend led our small group to Insa-dong, which I seriously think is the souvenir capital of Seoul. I saw socks with boy band members on them as well as more traditional fans and a bunch of key chains and cell phone charms. I plan on going back to buy souvenirs there come December.
On Friday friends and I went to eat at Pizza Hut (potato pizza with 불고기 anyone?) and then made our way to COEX, this huge shopping mall. I am currently on a mission to buy earrings (so the holes in my ear don't close), a nice tote bag/big purse with a zipper (to better prevent theft), a belt (to match a shirt I bought), and gladiator sandals (the current fashionable footwear trend). I have yet to find any I am willing to pay for ... this next part may shock you.
I, Janelle, actually went clubbing. Yes, it's true. Korea is turning me into a shopaholic and a party animal. But not really. These same friends and I went to Hongdae (홍대), where every last Friday of the month you can get into any club you want if you buy a wristband worth roughly $20. We first went to get drinks (I got a very girly ice cream cocktail that supposedly had Baily's and everyone had a shot of vodka, including myself). Afterwards we went to a place called S Club, where foreigners got in for free but everyone in the club was seriously smoking pot or something. We quickly left and caved in and spent the 20,000 won. It was worth it - the next club we went in had live rock music and I think my friend fell in love with the lead singer. Hehe. We left only after the band was done. It was an experience - everyone was jumping to the beat and I got stepped on at least three times. I don't know if I would do it again (I would rather stay in and watch anime) but I am glad that I went at least once. Hey, it's a part of Korean culture, right?
After recovering from the previous night we went out for lunch the next day and I got a spicy thick soup (육개장) to distract me from my broken sandal (the happy foot one my aunt got in the Philippines). I was walking barefoot to the food court! We then had an adventure getting to Namdaemun Market (남대문 시장) thanks to Seoul's subway system. But we all got there in one piece and shopped around - I got this very cool, kind of plaid green and white shirt, my third shirt purchase in Korea! By the time I get back my suitcase will be stuffed. Dinner was slightly disastrous - we went to a Japanese restaurant that turned out to be expensive and full of smokers. The dish I got, the Japanese equivalent of a savory pancake (お好み焼き) had nuts and shrimp, much to the displeasure of my stomach. Don't worry Mom - after my friend discovered that fact I quickly took 2 Benedryl. I only had a spoonful! お好み焼き is not supposed to have nuts or shrimp, at least I thought so!
Seoul is an amazing city where you can have a good time no matter where you go. Next Tuesday is the beginning of classes, so I need to savor the free time I have left. I plan on acting touristy tomorrow! I am excited for classes so I can have a schedule and finally start my second to last semester of college!
My second week in Seoul has been a learning experience, to say the least. Tuesday was a mini-orientation at the DMC where I met other international students studying at Yonsei. I met other fangirls who are just as crazy as me! :) In the afternoon CIEE students met with four Yonsei volunteers who attempted to get us cell phones (failed) and then took us to a Chinese restaurant where I ate my very first bowl of black soybean noodles (자장면). Eating something I have only seen in dramas was very exciting, and it was delicious! After that we went to a karaoke place (노래방) and everyone sang hit k-pop songs! In my case, I sang the English parts and faked the Korean ones. That was so much fun!
The next day the Yonsei volunteers split up the CIEE group and took us on a campus tour. I already love Yonsei's campus, hills and all - it has that real oldschool feeling that I really don't get at IWU. It's VERY big though, so hopefully I get used to walking 20 minutes from one building to another (it takes 5 minutes to get from one side of IWU's campus to the other, no joke). After the tour (the library has touchscreens!) I met with my 'buddy' through Yonsei's global lounge, and we all went to first eat cold noodles (냉면) and then drink. Yes, I actually participated in drinking games. I think I had a shot and a half of soju ... my Korean mentor is really cool, as well as my fellow buddies, a girl from Singapore and a girl from Sydney, Australia.
Thursday was a big day - I finally got a cell phone! It's a slidy one, which I have always wanted. Korean phones are a million times cooler than American ones - TV, internet, mp3 player, camera, cool sound effects and cheesy ring tones - I wish I could keep it when I come back to the States! While waiting to get the phone a friend led our small group to Insa-dong, which I seriously think is the souvenir capital of Seoul. I saw socks with boy band members on them as well as more traditional fans and a bunch of key chains and cell phone charms. I plan on going back to buy souvenirs there come December.
On Friday friends and I went to eat at Pizza Hut (potato pizza with 불고기 anyone?) and then made our way to COEX, this huge shopping mall. I am currently on a mission to buy earrings (so the holes in my ear don't close), a nice tote bag/big purse with a zipper (to better prevent theft), a belt (to match a shirt I bought), and gladiator sandals (the current fashionable footwear trend). I have yet to find any I am willing to pay for ... this next part may shock you.
I, Janelle, actually went clubbing. Yes, it's true. Korea is turning me into a shopaholic and a party animal. But not really. These same friends and I went to Hongdae (홍대), where every last Friday of the month you can get into any club you want if you buy a wristband worth roughly $20. We first went to get drinks (I got a very girly ice cream cocktail that supposedly had Baily's and everyone had a shot of vodka, including myself). Afterwards we went to a place called S Club, where foreigners got in for free but everyone in the club was seriously smoking pot or something. We quickly left and caved in and spent the 20,000 won. It was worth it - the next club we went in had live rock music and I think my friend fell in love with the lead singer. Hehe. We left only after the band was done. It was an experience - everyone was jumping to the beat and I got stepped on at least three times. I don't know if I would do it again (I would rather stay in and watch anime) but I am glad that I went at least once. Hey, it's a part of Korean culture, right?
After recovering from the previous night we went out for lunch the next day and I got a spicy thick soup (육개장) to distract me from my broken sandal (the happy foot one my aunt got in the Philippines). I was walking barefoot to the food court! We then had an adventure getting to Namdaemun Market (남대문 시장) thanks to Seoul's subway system. But we all got there in one piece and shopped around - I got this very cool, kind of plaid green and white shirt, my third shirt purchase in Korea! By the time I get back my suitcase will be stuffed. Dinner was slightly disastrous - we went to a Japanese restaurant that turned out to be expensive and full of smokers. The dish I got, the Japanese equivalent of a savory pancake (お好み焼き) had nuts and shrimp, much to the displeasure of my stomach. Don't worry Mom - after my friend discovered that fact I quickly took 2 Benedryl. I only had a spoonful! お好み焼き is not supposed to have nuts or shrimp, at least I thought so!
Seoul is an amazing city where you can have a good time no matter where you go. Next Tuesday is the beginning of classes, so I need to savor the free time I have left. I plan on acting touristy tomorrow! I am excited for classes so I can have a schedule and finally start my second to last semester of college!
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