Wow, it's been a long time since I updated the blog, huh. I've finally been settling in to the teaching routine, now that busy season is over, I'm finding myself with a bit more free time. I've taken advantage of some of that time to explore Suji - get to know some of the shops, get to know some of the neighborhood. I haven't had the presence of mind to bring along my camera yet, but that will happen soon I'm sure.
I've found that teaching, while quickly becoming part of my routine, is never old hat. The kids always find new and interesting ways to either keep me on my toes (literally) or surprise me. These surprises come in both good and bad flavors, and the resulting variety tells me that this job will continue to challenge me throughout the year.
One thing that I've found interesting is the weird subtle ways I've been indoctrinated, both by others and by myself, into the culture of being in South Korea. As for myself, I've ceased thinking of myself as a stranger here - what were formerly "residents of Suji" have become my neighbors and friends. When my students ask me where I live, I have stopped saying "Minnesota" and started saying "behind Sing Sing Mart," which I guess is something of a local landmark because it's the only explanation that has gotten a recognizable response. I've compared with my students living arrangements, discussed favorite musical instruments and Beethoven pieces, and even had an in-depth discussion with one particularly bright student about the relative merits of the theories of civilization developed by Spengler and Toynbee. The TOEFL tests that I've been teaching are a fantastic opportunity to continue to learn outside of school - their subjects are specific, sometimes archaic, and usually interesting. I have learned about palmistry, tracing the evolution from dinosaurs to modern birds, and school uniform policy in Korea (and how it differs from Japan). Fascinating stuff!
Another major indoctrination into Korean culture has come through my doorbell. Just this morning, in fact, I was awoken by the rather loud chime from a blissful slumber filled with strange visions of an alternate-universe Seoul. A fast-talking Korean voice answered my groggy "hello?" from the other side of the intercom and, thinking he sounded a little bit like my boss, who is supposed to show up at some point to check my cable connection (it's been out since I got my internet installed)(yeah I know, whine whine, right?), I quickly threw on a shirt and opened the door. A fast-talking Korean man shoved a large, heavy box into my hands and showed me the address on the packing slip. From in between the hangeul characters I did indeed recognize my street address and apartment number. Thinking it was some sort of care package or something important (like maybe a new cable or box or something like that) I took the box from the deliveryman and muttered one of the few words I've managed to completely learn ("thank you") and closed the door. I opened the package with as much curiosity as my groggy self could muster, thinking for an excited second that it was full of owls, but in fact it was some sort of skin care package. Three different kinds of soap and lotion and a loofah. So I guess I'm set in that department. I might end up passing the more, uh, feminine products around to the Korean teachers at work. Or I might keep them. I'm out of control.
A second, earlier doorbell experience has me still scratching my head a little bit. This one was about two weeks ago, about 3:30 in the afternoon. I was preparing for class, actually, sitting at my computer composing a sample response for one of the TOEFL exams I was teaching that night. The door chime rang, and I went over and opened the door. Two 30-something Korean women were standing in the hallway, carrying a number of pamphlets and a bible. One of them seemed quite surprised to see a young white man answer the door, but she said something about a "bible study." Feeling accommodating, I let them in and we sat on my floor. Their English was only slightly less limited than my Korean, so it was extremely difficult to communicate so the whole thing mostly consisted of them pointing out various passages in the bible and me reading them out loud. I couldn't quite make out the thrust of their particular brand of Christianity - something about God being both a man and a woman, but having a separate female side, and then something about Jesus' second coming being from the East and then finally something about God actually being an Eagle? I might not be getting that all right. It was pretty difficult to understand, but I must admit they had some pretty solid evidence.
Then one of them pulled out her cell phone and soon I was talking to their colleague who spoke better English and they were asking when they could meet me again, and I started getting very evasive and eventually I had to tell the dude I was uncomfortable with discussing religion and I was very comfortable with my religion (whatever that is) as is, etc. etc. When I was finally able to hang up, the two women had grasped that I wasn't interested in studying the bible with them any further. One of the women (the one who spoke less) started pouting at me, trying to get me to believe their religion by being cute, I guess. They continued to make really sad faces when I politely ushered them out the door and they were muttering to each other in Korean.
Well, that should do for now. I will return with (hopefully) some pictures and a few stories of the nightlife in Suji.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Out and About
Here are some pictures from the outside of my apartment - you know, that whole big country that isn't contained in this single room.
This is "dirty Suji," the part of my city that most resembles what I had in mind when I pictured city livin' in Korea. Lots of noraebangs, DVDbans, bars and clubs. The inflatable column on the right of the picture is advertising "Exit," the bar/club where Matt and I met Ashleigh and her friends on Friday night. It was a pretty cool place where I managed to hold a spot on the pool table for a long time and where I met a lot of the other foreign teachers who teach at the other schools in Suji.
Here's the exterior of my apartment building. I'm on the fourth floor, to the left in this shot. You can just barely see my kitchen window in the corner.
This is the computer superstore in Youngsan, the electronics district. Inside that shiny building are about five floors of vendors selling cell phones and digital cameras.
This is a street in the crowded nighttime neighborhood around Hongik University. There are a lot of cool little hangouts and bars. I have been there twice now, this picture was from my first visit.
This is a picture of Itaewon, commonly known as the international district. This is where a lot of the US soldiers stationed here will hang out when they're in Seoul. It is a good place to buy cheap clothes but the food is overpriced and the atmosphere is decidedly non-Korean. Still, worth a visit, if just for the clothes shopping.
Here's the alley where my school is located. You can actually see the entrance to the building the school is in - it's that tiny ramp on the left-hand side of the alley. If my internal compass works in the Eastern Hemisphere, I believe this picture was taken facing North.
This is the alley where my apartment building is. It is taken facing South from right outside the building, which is visible on the left.
I love this shot. It gives you some idea of the typical sky conditions I've been living under, and also shows the veritable forest of high-rise apartments that surrounds the downtown area of Suji. They go on for blocks and blocks and are even taller in other parts of town.
This is the main street of this part of Suji. This is where all the buses come through, where most of the food can be found, and generally a cool place to be. I pass this every day on my way to work.
This is a totally awesome walking path that leads from a larger street into my neighborhood (those shorter apartment buildings in front fo the huge ones).
I rock out to some Journey with Anna's friends Glippy and Tom at a noraebang, or karaoke room. These places are amazing.
Well, it about time to run off to class again, so I should do just that. More musings to come, I'm sure.
This is "dirty Suji," the part of my city that most resembles what I had in mind when I pictured city livin' in Korea. Lots of noraebangs, DVDbans, bars and clubs. The inflatable column on the right of the picture is advertising "Exit," the bar/club where Matt and I met Ashleigh and her friends on Friday night. It was a pretty cool place where I managed to hold a spot on the pool table for a long time and where I met a lot of the other foreign teachers who teach at the other schools in Suji.
Here's the exterior of my apartment building. I'm on the fourth floor, to the left in this shot. You can just barely see my kitchen window in the corner.
This is the computer superstore in Youngsan, the electronics district. Inside that shiny building are about five floors of vendors selling cell phones and digital cameras.
This is a street in the crowded nighttime neighborhood around Hongik University. There are a lot of cool little hangouts and bars. I have been there twice now, this picture was from my first visit.
This is a picture of Itaewon, commonly known as the international district. This is where a lot of the US soldiers stationed here will hang out when they're in Seoul. It is a good place to buy cheap clothes but the food is overpriced and the atmosphere is decidedly non-Korean. Still, worth a visit, if just for the clothes shopping.
Here's the alley where my school is located. You can actually see the entrance to the building the school is in - it's that tiny ramp on the left-hand side of the alley. If my internal compass works in the Eastern Hemisphere, I believe this picture was taken facing North.
This is the alley where my apartment building is. It is taken facing South from right outside the building, which is visible on the left.
I love this shot. It gives you some idea of the typical sky conditions I've been living under, and also shows the veritable forest of high-rise apartments that surrounds the downtown area of Suji. They go on for blocks and blocks and are even taller in other parts of town.
This is the main street of this part of Suji. This is where all the buses come through, where most of the food can be found, and generally a cool place to be. I pass this every day on my way to work.
This is a totally awesome walking path that leads from a larger street into my neighborhood (those shorter apartment buildings in front fo the huge ones).
I rock out to some Journey with Anna's friends Glippy and Tom at a noraebang, or karaoke room. These places are amazing.Well, it about time to run off to class again, so I should do just that. More musings to come, I'm sure.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Playing the home game
This will be my first post from my apartment! I just got internet installed this morning and I am still attempting to gauge what this modem will let me get away with.
Blogger's controls have gone turncoat and the interface is in Korean (anybody who could point me in the direction of the language button would be of much assistance), but I suppose that's just another incentive to learn the language.
As you can see, my computer is better than the computers at school and it will actually let me upload photos, so let me do the right thing and show you around my Korean bubble:
Here is the before picture of the TV Wall and bathroom. Pretty gnarly. All those black spots and smudges on the wall are an accumulation of some serious mold. Fortunately, the school is good to me, and here is what my wall looks like after two days of the apartment smelling like paste:
Much better, no? I like this format, so I'll continue with the before and after to show you a little bit of the progression I've made with this place.
Bed, suitcases and shoe-stand before.
And after. I moved the table that was previously supporting my computer over to the end of the bed and I use it as a nightstand/table where I prep for my classes. The small dark rectangle on the wall is the TV remote, which the previous owner had thoughtfully affixed to some velcro. The remaining suitcase under the table is my hamper. I moved the other two suitcases, now empty, out onto the balcony. Look, I even made my bed!
Here's the kitchen. The table on the right side of the shot is now at the foot of my bed (as seen above).
Here's what that corner of the kitchen looks like now. I found the desk being given away on the street about a block on the other side of the school. Matt helped me lug it over to the apartment. It's particle board, so it was pretty heavy. The large greenish box on the corner of the desk is the beast I like to call my power converter. You can even see me updating this blog on the screen of the laptop. Recursion!
Well, that's all for now. Teaching is going quite well, and I'm heading into Seoul tonight to meet up with Anna and her friends from the Fulbright program. I'll have more pictures on Sunday probably.
Blogger's controls have gone turncoat and the interface is in Korean (anybody who could point me in the direction of the language button would be of much assistance), but I suppose that's just another incentive to learn the language.
As you can see, my computer is better than the computers at school and it will actually let me upload photos, so let me do the right thing and show you around my Korean bubble:
Here is the before picture of the TV Wall and bathroom. Pretty gnarly. All those black spots and smudges on the wall are an accumulation of some serious mold. Fortunately, the school is good to me, and here is what my wall looks like after two days of the apartment smelling like paste:
Much better, no? I like this format, so I'll continue with the before and after to show you a little bit of the progression I've made with this place.
Bed, suitcases and shoe-stand before.
And after. I moved the table that was previously supporting my computer over to the end of the bed and I use it as a nightstand/table where I prep for my classes. The small dark rectangle on the wall is the TV remote, which the previous owner had thoughtfully affixed to some velcro. The remaining suitcase under the table is my hamper. I moved the other two suitcases, now empty, out onto the balcony. Look, I even made my bed!
Here's the kitchen. The table on the right side of the shot is now at the foot of my bed (as seen above).
Here's what that corner of the kitchen looks like now. I found the desk being given away on the street about a block on the other side of the school. Matt helped me lug it over to the apartment. It's particle board, so it was pretty heavy. The large greenish box on the corner of the desk is the beast I like to call my power converter. You can even see me updating this blog on the screen of the laptop. Recursion!Well, that's all for now. Teaching is going quite well, and I'm heading into Seoul tonight to meet up with Anna and her friends from the Fulbright program. I'll have more pictures on Sunday probably.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Great Teacher Stokes
Here I am one week into The Korean Experience (tm) and I find myself still a bit disoriented, but adjusting quickly and liking it more and more. So far I find (and those of you who have immersed yourself in a totally new culture/language will probably agree) that I feel the best about everything when I let myself glory in the little victories that come more and more each day.
On Wednesday night I went out with some of the other foreign teachers and drank Souju and Cass Beer. We went to a little place called "Music Cafe," I think, which was decorated like a tree house. There were even little ladders leading to a second tier of knee-high tables where people were talking animatedly and drinking. We sat underneath the large tree which took up most of the space and ordered. While we drank, the hostess brought over ice cream, sugared pretzels, and even, eventually, two plates full of fried shrimp tails, all on the house. The hospitality here is phenomenal. Souju is ok, it is a lot like sweetened vodka. It is easy going down but was somewhat unsettling while sitting in the stomach. In any case, it was nice to be out with cowokers, play cards and have good conversations. Small victory #1.
Thursday I nested, stocked up on some food and relaxed in my apartment. I managed to make it to the bank, get more currency exchanged, and buy food and water. Small victory #2.
Friday I went with Matt, another teacher at SLI-Suji, and his college buddy David, who is teaching at SLI - Bundang, into Seoul. We stopped in Bundang first, and David's apartment, while smaller than mine, is quite nice and modern. His building has a lobby, complete with brass fixtures and fish tanks lining the hallway to the elevators. It resembled in form and even function a very ritzy hotel. The view from David's room on the 21th floor is spectacular, looking out over the shorter buildings of Bundang to sloping wooded hills.
Seoul was an adventure in itself. After the reasonably long train ride, complete with several transfers and moments of confusion, we arrived in Youngsan, where we had a delicious Japanese lunch. We had assorted sushi and I had a bowl of spicy taco (that's 0ctopus) which was even better than I had expected (and only five bucks!). We then decided to check out the famed electronics mall there. After that, we headed to another neighborhood, Itaewon, for some wandering about. We checked out shops, noted the international flavor of the neighborhood (lots of GIs), and found a nice Mexican restaurant to eat at (the winner of a heated game of rock paper scissors in which we stood in for the restaurants). After that, we headed to yet another neighborhood, that around Hongik University, in search of an elusive "Jazz Rock Cafe" that David had been to a few weeks previously. After much wandering about the crowded narrow streets, we finally found the place, which had an amazing selection of indie and classic rock to listen to while we sipped whiskey (a rarity here and usually quite expensive). A solid night in Seoul: victory #3.
Saturday saw me at home, making grilled cheese and wandering about Suji. I found a place that sold delicious pizza (with corn baked into the cheese) for about $5 a pie, half the price of the previous place I had seen. Cheap pizza: victory #4.
On Sunday I went out shopping for more food and discovered what I thought I had left far behind in the States: Skim milk, nectar of the gods. My rations thus fortified, I returned home and had a fine meal of leftover pizza, skim milk and Kimbop (a seaweed roll with rice, egg, pineapple and ham): victory #5.
My final victory has been the class I've taught so far today: Two hours with five 13-year-olds that actually went smashingly well. I had an epiphany about some mall-related conversations we could recreate in class. It was a success and I'll call it victory #6, my last for now.
I still don't have internet in my apartment, but I'm working on getting that as soon as possible. Until I get a computer that is in English rather than Korean, I won't be able to upload any photos (and there are plenty). Until then.
On Wednesday night I went out with some of the other foreign teachers and drank Souju and Cass Beer. We went to a little place called "Music Cafe," I think, which was decorated like a tree house. There were even little ladders leading to a second tier of knee-high tables where people were talking animatedly and drinking. We sat underneath the large tree which took up most of the space and ordered. While we drank, the hostess brought over ice cream, sugared pretzels, and even, eventually, two plates full of fried shrimp tails, all on the house. The hospitality here is phenomenal. Souju is ok, it is a lot like sweetened vodka. It is easy going down but was somewhat unsettling while sitting in the stomach. In any case, it was nice to be out with cowokers, play cards and have good conversations. Small victory #1.
Thursday I nested, stocked up on some food and relaxed in my apartment. I managed to make it to the bank, get more currency exchanged, and buy food and water. Small victory #2.
Friday I went with Matt, another teacher at SLI-Suji, and his college buddy David, who is teaching at SLI - Bundang, into Seoul. We stopped in Bundang first, and David's apartment, while smaller than mine, is quite nice and modern. His building has a lobby, complete with brass fixtures and fish tanks lining the hallway to the elevators. It resembled in form and even function a very ritzy hotel. The view from David's room on the 21th floor is spectacular, looking out over the shorter buildings of Bundang to sloping wooded hills.
Seoul was an adventure in itself. After the reasonably long train ride, complete with several transfers and moments of confusion, we arrived in Youngsan, where we had a delicious Japanese lunch. We had assorted sushi and I had a bowl of spicy taco (that's 0ctopus) which was even better than I had expected (and only five bucks!). We then decided to check out the famed electronics mall there. After that, we headed to another neighborhood, Itaewon, for some wandering about. We checked out shops, noted the international flavor of the neighborhood (lots of GIs), and found a nice Mexican restaurant to eat at (the winner of a heated game of rock paper scissors in which we stood in for the restaurants). After that, we headed to yet another neighborhood, that around Hongik University, in search of an elusive "Jazz Rock Cafe" that David had been to a few weeks previously. After much wandering about the crowded narrow streets, we finally found the place, which had an amazing selection of indie and classic rock to listen to while we sipped whiskey (a rarity here and usually quite expensive). A solid night in Seoul: victory #3.
Saturday saw me at home, making grilled cheese and wandering about Suji. I found a place that sold delicious pizza (with corn baked into the cheese) for about $5 a pie, half the price of the previous place I had seen. Cheap pizza: victory #4.
On Sunday I went out shopping for more food and discovered what I thought I had left far behind in the States: Skim milk, nectar of the gods. My rations thus fortified, I returned home and had a fine meal of leftover pizza, skim milk and Kimbop (a seaweed roll with rice, egg, pineapple and ham): victory #5.
My final victory has been the class I've taught so far today: Two hours with five 13-year-olds that actually went smashingly well. I had an epiphany about some mall-related conversations we could recreate in class. It was a success and I'll call it victory #6, my last for now.
I still don't have internet in my apartment, but I'm working on getting that as soon as possible. Until I get a computer that is in English rather than Korean, I won't be able to upload any photos (and there are plenty). Until then.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Zergling Rush
First things first - here's my mailing address:
Attn: Tyler Stokes
Seoul Language Institute- Suji:
6th Fl., Samgong Bldg.
1082-11 Poongdeokcheon Dong, Yongin- Si, Gyeonggido, South Korea.
My first few days in Korea have been exhausting, but ultimately satisfying. I arrived at the Seoul Incheon airport with little fanfare and less difficulty, the flights being a bit delayed but well within an easily-dealt-with margin. Sun-Jun and Eric, two of the Korean teachers at the school, picked me up from the airport and we drove out to Suji. Eric and I talked about movies and my relationship status, two topics that I have since come to learn are staples of conversation with foreign English teachers, as nearly every class I have taught so far has asked me the same two questions.
They dropped me off at my flat, which is small and a little bit dingy but servicable, and helped me with my luggage. I spent a few hours learning what the appartment was supplied with (or more accurately, what it wasn't supplied with) and watching high-impact Korean TV (Pictures of apartment pending).
In Don DeLillo's White Noise, the character Murray is fascinated with the "psychic data" imparted to the American consciousness by television commercials. He says that advertisements of all sorts are the most important cultural artifacts of our age, and I'm inclined to agree, and that they are rich in important subtextual information (the aforementioned "psychic data") that binds viewers together as a community. Assuming that this is a valid statement, Korean TV is a veritable bombardment on the subconscious. The commercials come fast and furious and are loaded with rich visuals and messages flashing by the screen at about 5 per second.
After some fitful sleep on my firm but surprisingly comfortable bed, I figured out that my entire bathroom actually doubles as a shower, and eventually Eric came to pick me up for work.
The school is a mere three blocks from my apartment, about a six-minute walk allowing for traffic, and through a pleasant commercial district. The school itself is on the sixth and seventh floors of a large building housing several other hagwon private schools and an English-language bookstore (probably my new favorite place). After meeting several of the other foreign teachers and sitting in on a few classes (where the students giggle and say "oooooooh" after they ask me if I have a girlfriend), I taught my first class of English. It was, shall we say, very awkward. Fortunately things have picked up since then, and my classes today (I had five of them) went very well, despite a minor mixup with scheduling. My last class was actually quite enjoyable, and there was some real dialogue between the students and I. All of the students are very friendly outside of the classroom, even when they are shy in the class, they wave and say hi in the hallways. Although the job is very difficult so far, I must confess feeling a bit of a thrill when the students address me as "teacher." It's pretty exciting.
The school is taking a short vacation this weekend, so I will not be working tomorrow or Friday. Since I do not have internet in my apartment yet, this also probably means I won't be able to update with any adventures from the weekend until Monday. My plans so far are to finally get out and explore Suji, because I have been too busy and tired up until this point to really get a good look around.
Small world moment:
Yakubu, one of the other American teachers at my school, is from Waterloo, Iowa. As if that wasn't close enough to where I am from/went to school, he used to live in Grinnell. His father was a professor. And here we are, unrelatedly, in Korea. You can't make this stuff up.
Attn: Tyler Stokes
Seoul Language Institute- Suji:
6th Fl., Samgong Bldg.
1082-11 Poongdeokcheon Dong, Yongin- Si, Gyeonggido, South Korea.
My first few days in Korea have been exhausting, but ultimately satisfying. I arrived at the Seoul Incheon airport with little fanfare and less difficulty, the flights being a bit delayed but well within an easily-dealt-with margin. Sun-Jun and Eric, two of the Korean teachers at the school, picked me up from the airport and we drove out to Suji. Eric and I talked about movies and my relationship status, two topics that I have since come to learn are staples of conversation with foreign English teachers, as nearly every class I have taught so far has asked me the same two questions.
They dropped me off at my flat, which is small and a little bit dingy but servicable, and helped me with my luggage. I spent a few hours learning what the appartment was supplied with (or more accurately, what it wasn't supplied with) and watching high-impact Korean TV (Pictures of apartment pending).
In Don DeLillo's White Noise, the character Murray is fascinated with the "psychic data" imparted to the American consciousness by television commercials. He says that advertisements of all sorts are the most important cultural artifacts of our age, and I'm inclined to agree, and that they are rich in important subtextual information (the aforementioned "psychic data") that binds viewers together as a community. Assuming that this is a valid statement, Korean TV is a veritable bombardment on the subconscious. The commercials come fast and furious and are loaded with rich visuals and messages flashing by the screen at about 5 per second.
After some fitful sleep on my firm but surprisingly comfortable bed, I figured out that my entire bathroom actually doubles as a shower, and eventually Eric came to pick me up for work.
The school is a mere three blocks from my apartment, about a six-minute walk allowing for traffic, and through a pleasant commercial district. The school itself is on the sixth and seventh floors of a large building housing several other hagwon private schools and an English-language bookstore (probably my new favorite place). After meeting several of the other foreign teachers and sitting in on a few classes (where the students giggle and say "oooooooh" after they ask me if I have a girlfriend), I taught my first class of English. It was, shall we say, very awkward. Fortunately things have picked up since then, and my classes today (I had five of them) went very well, despite a minor mixup with scheduling. My last class was actually quite enjoyable, and there was some real dialogue between the students and I. All of the students are very friendly outside of the classroom, even when they are shy in the class, they wave and say hi in the hallways. Although the job is very difficult so far, I must confess feeling a bit of a thrill when the students address me as "teacher." It's pretty exciting.
The school is taking a short vacation this weekend, so I will not be working tomorrow or Friday. Since I do not have internet in my apartment yet, this also probably means I won't be able to update with any adventures from the weekend until Monday. My plans so far are to finally get out and explore Suji, because I have been too busy and tired up until this point to really get a good look around.
Small world moment:
Yakubu, one of the other American teachers at my school, is from Waterloo, Iowa. As if that wasn't close enough to where I am from/went to school, he used to live in Grinnell. His father was a professor. And here we are, unrelatedly, in Korea. You can't make this stuff up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
