Black in Korea: Jasmine Taiwo is Teaching in Jeonju, South Korea ( blog - life in Korea )

Korean Cuisine

2012-01-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

When I first arrived in Korea, I starved the first week because none of the menus were in English and I was terrified of eating dog by accident. So now, I suggest that people come prepared. Here is a comment from one of the readers of this blog.

"So on one of your earlier posts you advised learning how to say a few Korean dishes in Korean. I'm moving there in a month...I was wondering if you have any recommendations for Korean food that is fairly safe (ie. I don't mind getting adventurous/super spicy/fish boney, but maybe not right at the very beginning...)" Sho

Here are some foods I recommend you starting off with:

The Korean veggie pancake: it's called "pah chim gae" and it's made with flour and various veggies (and sometimes seafood).
The Korean hot rice salad: "Bibimbap" is a bunch of veggies over hot rice that when mixed together provide a cheap light meal.
The Vegetable sushi roll: "Kimbap" us a common substitute for a meal when in a hurry. It is basically a sushi roll with imitation crab, egg, carrots, a yellow radish, and another green vegetable. You can also add tuna and other ingredients as they are served to order.
Grilled pork bacon and lettuce: "SamGyupSahl" is a tasty, salty grilled to order dish.
Tofu soup: "Soon DooBoo" is a spicy tofu soup with seafood (usually clams) and sometimes pork.
Fried chicken: I've never had one piece of bad fried chicken in Korea.

Here is the breakdown from what I've experienced.

Dog meat: It's real. I haven't tried it and don't plan on it, but have heard it's quite delicious.

Live octopus: If you are adventurous, this is a must do. The octopus wiggles as it goes down your throat, so you have to chew it fast.

Western chains: TGIF, Outback, Starbucks, KFC, McDonald's, Dominoes, 7-11 are here but cater to Korean tastes. Don't assume because the sign looks familiar that you will find familiar dishes inside. Koreans refer to Western restaurants as "family restaurants" and they are quite expensive by Korean standards.

Side dishes: They are FREE! Korean traditional foods usually come with what they call "pan cheon." These usually consist of kimchi and other vegetables in small dishes. The only constant is the kimchi. Koreans must eat kimchi and rice with every meal. One of my students told me she didn't eat dinner because there was no rice... as if she could eat kimchi or meat by themselves.

Veggies: You probably won't find advocados, green beans, asparagus, or cucumber. Typical vegetables are lettuce (sangchoo), tofu (dubu), bean sprouts (kong nameoul), red beans, seaweed (kim), chili peppers (gochoo), and mushrooms. Sweet potatoes (naturally sweeter than the US ones) are often served as a snack. Tomatoes are usually served with sugar and fruit as opposed to salt and on a salad. Koreans like to pan-sear or bread their veggies.

Fruit: You probably won't find plums, peaches, or grapefruit. The fruit here, though, is amazing! Korean fruit is usually sweeter and juicier than American produce. The pears are huge. The tangerines and persimmon are to die for. Other typical fruits: pomegranate, strawberries, grapes (mostly with the seed in and the texture is different from American grapes), apples, oranges, bananas, melons (these too are quite different from Western melons), berries, watermelon, pineapple, kiwi and pumpkins. In the summer, fresh fruit juice is sold everywhere and it's quite delicious.

Beverages: Soju (rice wine) and Maekju (beer) are the Korean alcoholic beverages. It is difficult to find mixed drinks outside of Seoul. Fruit juice and coffee are readily available. The largest social scene in Korea is the cafe.

Starches: Rice is the staple. Korean usually eat potatoes pan-seared or boiled. Noodles are a common and come cold or hot. Koreans are crazy about spicy ramen noodles.

Fish and seafood: Korea is a peninsula, so fish and seafood is a part of most meals. Sushi is not very common, though.

Meat: Meat restaurants often allow the customers to cook their own meat on a grill in the center of the table. Pork is the cheapest meat, so it's widely available. Koreans are terrified of mad cow disease and refuse to eat American bred beef. There is not enough land to breed enough cows to feed the Korean population, so they import beef from Australia and France, which make it ridiculously expensive. Chicken is often doused in sauce (usually a red, spicy sauce or a sweet, brown sauce).

Dessert: In a restaurant, "dessert" usually means coffee and ice cream. Dessert in Korea is almost obsolete. Koreans don't like to use flour, salt, sugar, or butter. Consequently, their baked goods always seem to be lacking somethings.

Top Recruiting Agencies Teaching in Korea

2012-01-23T21:15:00.001-05:00

Since I get this question a lot, I thought it was post worthy.

"The reason I am messaging you is I was wondering what recruiting agency you went through, and if you would recommend the agency as a legitimate one? I am guessing you would, since it seems like you had such a great time in South Korea." John

Although my journey has been a great one, I have to be really honest and say that I just got lucky. When I came to Korea, I used Aclipse recruiting. I was sent a contract with the ChungDahm Institute in Buncheon, but a few weeks later was told the teacher I was to replace had decided to stay. A few days later I was given a contract with the same franchise (CDI) in a small city named Jeonju. I was willing to go anywhere, but knowing what I know now, I wouldn't take that gamble again. The company I worked for paid well, but it was intense in the beginning. It took a while to understand the company's way of doing things. After about 6 months, I had it down, but I hated working at night.

I heard that public school jobs offered better work life balance and less drama. I began asking around about how to land one. One of my friends forwarded my resume to a private High School in the same city. This ended up being the best situation for me. I get three or four months of vacation. I work between 16-20 teaching hours a week, and the staff is really friendly and helpful. I couldn't ask for a better job.

With all that said, I cannot recommend a recruiting agency because they are all equally mediocre. The biggest problem recruiters have is that sometimes the teachers back out and sometimes the schools back out. I would recommend that perspective teachers should be their own recruiter. Be a social net-worker. Befriend some people via cyberspace and monitor the Facebook groups (brothas and sistas of Korea, Teachers of South Korea, Jeonju knowledge) that can help you hear about new positions. Word of mouth is the best way to get a job in Korea.

"I'm planning to come to Korea to teach -- I'm sure you get plenty of these. I'm planning to become TEFL Certified (mostly for my comfort) before I go. I want to start applying to schools as I'd like to be there in September, but I don't know where to begin with a resume and I don't know if I should include me "pending" certification. Also, because I see how much you love your school, do you know if there will be any openings? Or do you have any leads on schools with an environment like yours (I know that may be asking a lot). I appreciate any help you may be able to provide. P.S. I really love the layout of your blog!" Naya

With all that said, I cannot recommend a recruiting agency because they are all equally mediocre. The biggest problem recruiters have is that sometimes the teachers back out and sometimes the schools back out. I would recommend that perspective teachers should be their own recruiter. Be a social networker. Befriend some people via cyberspace and monitor the Facebook groups (brothas and sistas of Korea, Teachers of South Korea, Jeonju knowledge) that can help you hear about new positions. Word of mouth is the best way to get a job in Korea.

Schools usually start looking for new teachers three months in advance.

The school year begins at the end of February and the second semester be begins at the end of August. However, there are special situations like "midnight runs," where teachers bail out of their contracts, and contract terminations, where employers fire the employees for breaking laws or some other breach of contract.

In terms of getting certified, it gets you back about the same amount of money as you paid for it, and it doesn't really give you a leg up in terms of getting the job because they don't want to pay you more money. I asked my school what their requirements for a new teacher were and they said, a white female because they want diversity and female teachers teach better and have better pronunciation. When I asked them to tell me about a candidate they were interested in hiring, they responded like this, "she's just like [one of our old teachers]. She's fat." discrimination (age, sex, and beauty) is alive and well in Korea.

Our school is looking for a white female teacher to start at the end of February and will be looking for another to start at the end of August.

Resumes: Be sure to include your picture (that's the most important part), the name of your University (the more world known the better), and contact information. All the rest is extra. Most of the people considering you cannot speak English fluently, nor do they know anything about the American style of writing resume's.

I hope this helps!

Phucket, Thailand... Kata Beach, Malisa Villa Suites

2012-01-18T08:17:00.001-05:00

Para sailing

hotel: pool villa

Speedboat trip to the Phi Phi Islands

Horn Grill Steakhouse was amazing!

Kata beach was gorgeous!

Thailand

Asked around on Facebook. Booked on Cheapo air and Expedia

Kata Beach (1 hour from the airport)

$256 a night... After taxes and fees $300/night

We took an 6:40 flight from Incheon on Korean air. The plane ticket was about a $1000 each for a direct flight to Phucket, we arrived around 11:30.

A hotel representative was waiting for us with a nice sign with my name on it. The woman went to get the car that would drive us the hour to Kata Beach Malisa Villa Suites. Everyone was friendly and the room was better than the pictures.

Each room comes equipped with a pool, and although the pool isn't big enough to swim laps, it is nice to be able to take a dip anytime.

The next morning I woke up and took am bath in the jacuzzi tub. It was really relaxing and someone came to our room to cook breakfast. That was nice but I really wish there were more options. They were just eggs, bacon, friut, juice, and pastries.

Accommodation Options: Bungalows, Apartments, Villas, Hotels

The Sorin Hotel (Phuket)

Malisa Villa Suites (wifi, 5 min walk to the beach, breakfast cooked in room, pool in room)

Try these foods

Cha yen - Thai iced tea

Khao niao mamuang - sticky rice cooked in sweetened thick coconut milk, served with slices of ripe mango.

Kaeng khiao wan - called "green curry" in English, it is a coconut curry made with fresh green chillies and flavoured with Thai basil, and chicken or fish meatballs. This dish can be one of the spiciest of Thai curries.

Kaeng phanaeng - a mild creamy coconut curry with beef (Phanaeng nuea), chicken, or pork. It includes some roasted dried spices similar to Kaeng matsaman.

Phat khana mu krop

Kaeng phet (lit. 'spicy curry') - also known as red curry in English, it is a coconut curry made with copious amounts of dried red chillies in the curry paste.

Kaeng som (Thai: แกงส้ม) - a hot and sour soup/curry usually eaten together with rice .

Money Matters

1 baht = 3 cents

10 baht = 30 cents

100 baht = $ 3

250 baht = $8

500 baht = $15

750 baht = $25

1000 baht = $30

10,000 baht = 300

Activities & Services
Available	Time	Description	Price
Daily	Pick up 12:00 PM	Phuket Cultural Center This tour gives you the rich understanding of the local history and Thai culture.	900 B/ person
Daily	6 PM - 9 PM	Phuket FantaSea The Ultimate Cultural Theme Park come to amazing Festival Village for a truly unique a shopping experience	1,900 B/adult 1,700 B/child 3-12 years
Daily	Pick up 07:40 AM	Canoe Experience, 4-in-1 Phang Nga Bay Tour The "karst" mountains of Phang Nga Bay are so dramatic that they strike awe into all who venture here. If you are really a nature lover and concerned for the environment you'll really appreciate this experience close to nature.	2,800 B/adult 1,800 B/child 3-12 years
Daily	Pick up 07:40 AM	Canoe Experience, 5-in-1 Tour Visit Panak Island, James Bond Island, the Muslim Village for lunch, Sea Canoe into Hong Island, and Naka Island for swimming and more canoeing fun.	3,200 B/adult 2,200 B/child 3-12 years
Sun, Mon, Tue	Pick up 012:30 PM	Sunset Dinner PPT Canoe has run the operation of sea canoe trips in Phang Nga Bay to make sure you will get the best experience ever!	3,200 B/adult 2,200 B/child 3-12 years
Daily	30 minutes 45 minutes 60 minutes	Elephant Trekking Explore the jungle native style on the back of an elephant. See spectacular views of the Andaman Sea, tropical plants and birds.	800 B/person 1,100 B/person 1,300 B/person
Daily	Pick up 08:30 AM or 1:30 PM	Phi Phi Island one-day tour Discover the underwater magical world of tropical reef swimming and snorkeling.	1,500 B/adult 1,200 B/child 3-12 years
Daily	Anytime	Motorbike Rental Automatic transmission, helmut, insurance. Valid driver license needed.	200 Baht/day
Daily	Anytime	Car Rental Tour by yourself in one of our easy-to-drive rentals.	1,500 Baht/day
Daily	Pick up 08:30 AM	Khai Nui & Rang Yai Island 1-day Tour Swimming and snorkeling at popular Koh Kai Nui and Koh Rang Yai islands.	1,700 B/adult 1,200 B/child 3-12 years

Bangkok, TH is the most popular connection for one stop flights between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR.

The smallest aircraft operated by Delta flying between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR is a 777 with 301 seats.
The largest aircraft operated by Shanghai flying between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR is a 737 with 163 seats.
40 flights per week fly out of Phuket, TH connecting to Seoul, KR
13 airlines operate between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR
The shortest flight between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR on Cathay is 2,712 miles.
142,789 seats are available per day to fly out of Phuket, TH connecting to Seoul, KR

Business Air Center has the most nonstop flights between Phuket, TH and Seoul, KR.

Getting to Jeonju from the Airport by bus

2012-01-17T00:48:00.001-05:00

Find the door exit number 8. Directly outside you will see a ticket booth that says Bus Ticket. Say Jeonju or the city you are going to and she will give you a ticket. You wait for the bus at the 9C marker. You have to cross the street to get to it. It is very important NOT to buy a ticket or get on the bus to Cheongju. It sounds the same, but is quite far away.

To Jeonju right now, the cost is 29,000 won. The bus will make three stops. The first stop is in a small city named Iksan. The second stop is in Jeonju near the train station. The third stop is at the Core Hotel, which is located near the city center downtown area. There is a taxi stand near both locations. You can get a taxi from the last two stops. The trip takes exactly 4 hours if there is no traffic and the buses leave the airport on the hour.

Getting Ready to Teach in Korea

2012-01-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

Here are some things to do to get ready to come to Korea.

1. Find the facebook group with the closest locale to where you will be staying.
Be specific about the information you want. Get a few people to tell you their "move in stories." I find getting people to tell stories is better than asking interview style questions. People tend to give you more information. There is a great website in my town called the Jeonjuhub.com, and we have a ton of facebook groups that keep us connected such as Jeonju Knowledge, Jeonju Lunch Club, Grammar Q&A, Korean Lessons, etc.

2. Keep track of all the products you use on a weekly or monthly basis. Decide which ones are crucial and stock up.
My dad sends me care packages (since I'm on my 4th year, my original stock has run out). It doesn't make sense to get things shipped because it will turn out to be more expensive than buying it here. Also, if you order from a store, you will have to pay customs tax on anything over 150,000 Won, which is about $135 dollars.
****Here are some things I usually bring back or get shipped: deodorant, toothpaste, calendars, shoes, undergarments, coats, books, snacks, cereal, seasoning, medicine (for colds, birth control, etc), condoms (they are really small here- the condoms lol), bedding (especially fitted sheets), washcloths (they are impossible to find in Asia).
Electric outlet converters: It seems that I not only needed an electrical adaptor for my flat iron, but also I need a wattage converter. The specific model I needed was a Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug, one that fits a standard US Grounded NEMA 5-15 (whatever that means). Apparently, the US voltage is typically set to 110-120V. In Korea it is 120-240 volts. That explains why I nearly burnt all my hair off trying to use my curling iron!

3. Buy an internet phone VoiP like Magic Jack or Vonage.
I still have my same Atlanta number as when I lived in the States and people can call me anytime. It's really cheap (around $30 a year or a month, depending on the service), and I feel so close to my family. Skype can be a lot of pressure or inconvenient for some people.

4. Learn the Korean alphabet and some Korean phrases online.
Also, learn the names of some dishes you would like to try. It will be easier to order when you get here. I starved my first week here because I couldn't read the menus and there were no pictures! I ended up at McDonald's and have never been so sick in my life!

5. Exchange about one thousand dollars into Korean won.
Many teachers expect to get paid as soon as they land, but this is often not the case. In some cases, people don't see their first paycheck until the end of the second month.

6. Visit a teacher's supply store and pick up some activity books. They will prove useful in the classroom.
I like to buy logic puzzles or brain teasers. I also like to bring over a world map and some wall posters. Find out if you will have to prepare your own lessons or if they will provide a framework (books, curriculum, etc.). Many teachers arrive expected some sort of orientation only to find themselves thrown in a classroom with a bunch of elementary school students. It can be overwhelming if you are unaware.

7. Ask your employer lots of specific questions regarding housing, dates, hours, and payment.
I would even ask your boss to give you the e-mail address of one of your future coworkers to start building an early bond.

8. Get mentally prepared for the cultural differences.
Koreans have some strange beliefs by Western standards. They believe in something called fan death. They also believe drying your clothes in a machine is unhealthy, so chances are you will be hanging your clothes for a year. The food is quite monotonous. Most of the foods are prepared in a spicy red pepper soup or sauce. Kimchi and rice are mandatory side dishes for a meal. People who are the same age are considered friends. It is common for people to ask you your age, marriage status, and living arrangements the first time they meet you. Age is extremely important in Korean culture. They are quite resentful about Japan and extremely patriotic. Koreans are usually not socially considered adults until their early 30's or when they get married. Most wives stay at home to raise their children and take care of the household. Most children spend their time studying during the day and playing computer games late at night. Therefore, they always seem exhausted and look lethargic.

Top 10 Ways to Get Koreans to Love You

2012-01-01T03:24:00.003-05:00

Top 10 Ways to Get Koreans to Love You.

#1 Eat and eat a lot in front of Koreans.

Also have a list of Korean foods that you like on the top ofyour head. If you can list between 3-5dishes, you're in there.

#2 Learn the proper phrases for holidays.

Happy New Year! 새해 복 많이 받으세요

#3 Smile a lot. Tell them how skinny they look, how they have lost weight, or how beautiful they look.

#4 Tell them you love spicy food, especially kimchi.

#5 Eat lunch in the cafeteria and sit with the least likelycoworker.

#6 Come to work an hour early (or 5 minutes before the firstperson whichever is shorter).

#7 Learn the Korean alphabet and the most common Koreanphrases

Hello (Ahn Young Say Yo)

Nice to Meet You (Pahn Gahp Sim Knee Dah)

Thank You (Kahm Sahm Knee Dah)

Yes (Nay)

No (Ahn Knee Yo)

Long Time No See (Olay Mahn Knee Aye Yo)

Have you eaten? (Bap Mo Go Saw Yo)

How have you been? (Chal Chin Net Saw Yo)

Give me one please. (Hahna Mahn Jew Say Yo)

Give me two, please. (Due Gay Jew Say Yo)

To the right. (Oh Lin Joke Ah Lo)

To the left. (Win Joke Ah Lo)

Turn right.(Chai John Knee Yo)
Turn left. (Oo Way John Knee Yo)
Keep straight. (Jik Jin Knee Yo)

Here. (Yo Gee Yo)

See you next time. (Da Um BoWa Yo) or (Ta She BoWa Yo)

#8 Bring an industrial sized bag of toilet paper, tissues,or a cake from Paris Baguette the first time you visit someone's home.

#9 Share their disdain (or hate) for Japan.
(DISCLAIMER: I have not been able to do this, but think it would work).

#10 Bring fruit or something to share from time to time, if possible every time.

Christmas in Korea

2011-12-26T18:27:00.001-05:00

Christmas in Korea is nothing like it is in the States. Although there is Christmas music playing everywhere, the Christmas spirit seems to be lacking. I realized the importance of Korean holidays. On the Korean Thanksgiving and New Year's Days, I received presents and everything was shut down. On Christmas day, everyone went about their normal routine and sent out mass Merry Christmas texts.

I went to visit my boyfriend who lives about a 5 hour journey away. We had a nice time and even ate some soul food near Camp Casey prepared by a Korean woman who lived in Georgia for some time. It was really good, too! I left there so full.

This week starts my two month vacation and I am stoked. Everyone keeps asking me where I'm going for the holiday, and my answer is, my bed. I am due for some rest.

Teaching Tip # 4 Semester End Activities

2011-12-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a very good day emotionally for me. At the end of every semester, I give my students a pocket-sized picture of our class. This year I prepared a letter to go with it that included my e-mail address for future correspondence. I choose one student who has done outstanding in the area of participation (they help others, are prepared for class, volunteer answers, ask questions when they don't understand). I present that student with a 3x5 class picture and certificate of recognition for outstanding participation in English conversation.

First Year Debates

Second Year Elective

First Year Girls

We then did a few review activities that proved successful. First, musical chairs. For set up, please see the short video. Every round there are four students left over. I ask them review questions. If they get them correct, they stay in the game. If not, they have to join the "loser's circle."
The people in the loser's circle have an opportunity to get back in the game as well (this is how you keep them paying attention to the review part). If neither of the eliminated players know the answer to the review question, the people in the loser's circle can answer and take their place. This is a good way to save your questions as well.

The next activity is a vocabulary review activity. I had the students sit in two rows facing each other. I then gave one of the rows a list of vocabulary words. They have to describe the words to their partner. If their partner guesses the word, they have to give each other a "pound" (if you don't know what that is, any silent gesture is okay). This lets me know the speed at which they are going and who is stuck.
I let the students know that they can pass difficult words and ask me for help explaining at the end of their list. When they have finished, they are supposed to give each other a high five. This lets me know they are ready to switch roles.

Finally, I ask each student, "What did you learn this year?" because at the end of every class I ask, "What did you learn today?" I tell them to tell me something that they will always remember or never forget from this class. On their way out, I have them shake my hand (we did a mini-lesson on proper handshakes).

It was quite a rewarding year for me. My hard work has really seemed to pay off. Many of the students said that they feel more confident speaking English and that is my main goal.

How to Change the World

2011-12-11T05:50:00.001-05:00

My students put on a one day conference. They asked me to speak, and here is what I came up with.

Part One
http://youtu.be/kxfRI_7JeXs

Part Two
http://youtu.be/kxfRI_7JeXs

Q&A
http://youtu.be/MzzietLW130

Christmas Themed Review Teaching in Korea Tip # 3

2011-12-09T17:44:00.001-05:00

This week we started our Holiday (Christmas) Themed Review. It was even more successful as the Halloween activity. This time we played Review Baseball. We had questions for each "base." "First base" questions are the easiest and "Home run" questions are the hardest. Three "strikes" (or three wrong questions) and you're "out" (the next team goes up to bat). This activity can be played with any age or level of English, and works best with 16-20 students.

My eleventh graders did their final videos logs this week. Check them out!

Dennis
http://youtu.be/FAkN-aVUDSY

Jessica
http://youtu.be/jlxu2J44Q9M

Boyd
http://youtu.be/I-WF1bFeg7k

Sex Education in the Classrooom

2011-11-28T04:07:00.001-05:00

I was quite nervous about how my students would respond to a lesson on sex. Let me preface by saying that my students are in the 10th and 11th grades. The girls were very mature about (although some were visibly uncomfortable in the beginning). The boys were quite excited and intrigued... so much so that it was difficult to really enforce the lesson, which was using expressions from the book in a discussion (such as "That's not what I meant" or "What do you think, Mark?"). I got some Korean friends to help me with the Korean translations as I didn't want to spend a lot of time explaining these things.

I like to take risks. Although I was worried about the students reactions, I remained calm in front of the students. This seemed to keep them calm and we all learned a lot. I'm quite lucky because I don't have a coteacher. Additionally, I teach the boys separate from the girls at a private boarding school. I think this could work for middle school as well, but I wouldn't expose them to all the words just yet. All the questions should be fine, though. The lesson went better than I could have imagined. They were willing to share because they were interested in what their peers had to say on the matter. It was exciting for me because for once I didn't have to keep saying, please speak in English. I had given them the vocabulary to speak and they were happy to use it.

I haven't found a lesson plan layout that works for me. On that note, I'll explain here roughly, I just put the students in pairs and had them ask each other questions from the list.

After about 5-7 minutes or once people start talking comfortably, I put them in larger groups of 4,5, or 6. Meanwhile, I walk around making sure they are using useful discussion language like, "let's move on to question 3" or "I agree with that because..."

The last 15 minutes of class we come together as a class and we have a large group discussion. I pose a few questions to the group like, "How many of you have friends your age who have had sex?" and "How many of you have parents or adults besides teachers talk to you about the birds and the bees?"

Before I let them go, I have each person tell me one thing they learned in class today. This helps me tweet things for the next class.
Here are the questions if anyone else is brave enough to try:

STUDENT QUESTIONS

1) Do people talk about sex too much?

2) Who told you about the birds and the bees?

3) How do you think schools should teach sex education?

4) How bad is extramarital sex?

5) Does your government provide enough information about safe sex?

6) How wrong is it to pay for sex?

7) Is sex before marriage good or bad?

8) What do you think of the attitude towards sex in different countries?

9) Andy Warhol said: “Sex is more exciting on the screen and between the

pages than between the sheets.” What do you think about this quote?

10) Marshall Brain said: “The purpose of sex is to create a baby.” What do you think?

11) Some people say all people have some level of bisexual feelings? What do you think?

Additional QUESTIONS

1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘sex’?

2) Do people in your country find it easy or difficult to talk about sex in your country?

3) Who’s the greatest sex symbol that ever lived?

4) If sex was a color, what would it be?

5) Do you think sex scenes in movies should be banned on TV?

6) Why do so many politicians end up in sex scandals?

7) Why do men seem to want to have sex more than women?

8) What do you think should be the legal age of consent (when people can legally start having sex)?

9) Bertrand Russell said: “Civilized people cannot fully satisfy their sexual instinct without love.” What do you think of this?

10) John Updike said: “Sex is like money; only too much is enough.” What do you think about this quote?

11) Some people believe monogamy is unnatural for humans, and that that’s why so many people cheat on their spouses? What do you think?

Vocabulary

Boys

penis 음경

tip/head 음경의 끝부분

shaft 음경의 몸체

semen/ cum 정액

testicles (balls) 고환

scrotum 음낭

erection hard 발기

ejaculate/ cum 사정

GIRLS

period 생리

menstrual cycle 생리기간

lips 음순

vagina - 질, (pussy 보지 use with caution), 여자의 성기(vulva)

vaginal opening 질입구

clitoris 음핵

ovaries 난소

fallopian tubes 나팔관

uterus 자궁

cervix 자궁경관 / 자궁경부

egg 난자 (ovum)

yeast infection 질염

tampons 탐폰, 생리대

pads/sanitary napkin 생리대

feminine napkin 생리대

panty liners 팬티 라이너 (얇은 생리용 위생 패드)

abortion 낙태

miscarriage 유산

morning after pill 성교 후 먹는 피임약

cramps 경련

bloating 더부룩하다/ 팽창

vaginal discharge 분비물이 나오다

vaginal odor – 질 냄새

mood swingS 정서불안, 감정기복

PMS 생리 전 증상, / 생리 전 증후군

breast tenderness 가슴 물러짐

Other Words

private parts/genitals - 성기, 거시기

condoms- 콘돔

exhibitionist - 노출증환자 (kind of clinical term) or 바바리맨

fatigue 피로

urethra 요도

bladder 방광

perspiration 땀 / 발한

personal hygiene 개인위생

homosexual (lesbian or gay) 동성애자

STDs 성병

contraception 피임

abstinence 금욕

celibacy 독신주의

virginity 순결

masturbation 자위

fetish 성도착증

heterosexual 이성애자

bisexual 양성애자

monogamy 일부일처제

polygamy 일부다처제

voyeurism 관음증

aroused/horny 성적자극 또는 흥분

orgasm 오르가즘

satisfy 욕망을 만족시키다

orgy 섹스파티

burning 타는듯한 통증

itchy 가려운

lovers 연인

vulgar 저속한, 상스러운

sodomy/anal sex 항문 성교

make love/have sex 성교하다 / 섹스하다

friends with benefits 연인 관계가 아닌 사람끼리 관계를 가지는 것

fellatio (give head) 여성이 남성에게 해주는 구강 성교 (오럴)

cunnilingus (eat out) 남성이 여성에게 해주는 구강 성교

sex before marriage 혼전관계

threesome/ menage trios 쓰리섬, 세 명이서 관계를 가지는 것

S&M 사디스트(가학성 변태성욕자), 마죠히스트(피학성 변태 성욕자)

swingers 성생활이 자유분방한 사람

sexual positions 체위

doggy style (from behind) 여성이 뒤돌아 있는 상태의 체위

missionary 정상 체위

riding 여성이 앉아서 위로 올라가는 체위/ 승마체위

fingering 손으로 상대의 성기를 만지는 것

fondling 손으로 상대를 만지는 것/ 애무

groping 더듬기

rubbing 문지르기

touching 만지기

tickling 간지럼 태우기

holding 잡기

licking 핥기

sucking 빨기

slapping 찰싹 때리기

pregnancy 임신

consensual sex 서로 합의한 성행위

extramarital intercourse 혼외정사

affection 애정

snuggling/cuddling (애정 표시로) 껴안기 (Konglish: skinship)

Options if you don't pass the Korean SAT

2011-11-26T20:00:00.001-05:00

Here are my student's responses to that question:

Watch
Jessica's Answer

Jessica

Hello my name is Jessica and I'm from SangSan High school in South Korea. You question was this: In Korea, education is very important. What happens if you can't get into a good university. What alternatives do you have? and here's my answer. I think there are three big options. First you could get a job that doesn't require a university diploma. Second he or she could get into a university that they can get into. I think these first two are pretty much self explanatory and I want to elaborate on this third option. This third option is called ChaeSoo, and it means studying one more year for the college entrance exam. It is usually for students who could get into a prestigious university with their good GPAs but weren't so fortunate to get a good score on the entrance exam. If you decide to do the ChaeSoo, the college entrance exam is all that matters and you devote one whole year to studying for that big exam. So if you do really score well on that exam after one year than you really can get into a better university. Because it is just studying for one year, it could be very difficult and somewhat cruel. So I hope you got the idea of what could happen if you cannot get into a good university in Korea and thank you for watching.

Hello, I'm Boyd. I live in South Korea and attend Sangsan High School. In response to the question about what happens if you cannot get into a good university in Korea... well I would like to say that you will suffer difficulties for the rest of your life. It sounds a little harsh but I think it is very true in Korea. In Korea, a big majority of students go to university. About like almost everybody because they think going to university is like a crucial step if you want to get a good job or be a good person. If you don't get into university, then you will be like a super less charming applicant in many you know corporation. And even you can lose a job if you don't have university because many who graduated university will compete to you. So like almost everybody want to attend to a university. And so if they can't get a good grade on the Korea SAT, then they will do it again for preparing for one years more. So I think...but you can get an alternatives like going to two years or three years university.

officialtaiwo@ yahoo.com

2011-11-21T08:32:00.001-05:00

My name is Jasmine, and I live in Jeonju, South Korea. I have taken piano lessons, salsa lessons, and Korean language lessons and have attended bible studies, book club meetings, and other events hosted by the Brothas and Sistas of Korea Facebook group. I attend JungBu English church service in Jeonju.
I created this blog for a number of reasons: to keep my friends and family updated, to have a sort of on-line diary, and to provide answers to questions for teachers inquiring about moving to Korea.

Thanks for reading my blog... it means the world to me. Please e-mail your comments and questions to:

Officialtaiwo@yahoo.com

Try this link for Brotha and Sistas of Korea:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25747883752

For questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact me. I created this blog to be of service to those who are new or contemplating moving to Korea. I also suggest adding the BBSK group on Facebook.

Teaching in Korea Tip # 2 Games: Around the World

2011-11-20T21:04:00.001-05:00

Here is an activity I do with my students that is a big hit at any level. It's called around the world and I used to play it in third grade to practice times tables. It works for many subjects.

Rules:

A. Twopeople will compete at a time to guess a word related to the clue given.

B. Ifa category is repeated, you may not use a word that has already been used inprevious rounds.

C. Ifone player understands the question and the other does not, then that player mayanswer the question.

D. Ifneither players knows the answer, they may pass. However, if one answersincorrectly, the duo may not pass. Theremaining player must try to answer the question.

E. If neither player answer correctly, bothstudents sit down and the next two students stand up.

F. Theobject of the game is to beat the most number of students in the class.

G. Thewinner will get a treat, a redemption pass, a homework pass, a late homeworkpass, or the opportunity to choose their order for class presentations.

Topics

Type of produce/vegetable

Beverage

Occupation

Appliance

Article ofclothing

Greeting

Word ending in “th”“sh” “y”

Seven letterword

Three/Foursyllable word

Nationality

Body part

Phobia

Type of jewelry

Word with asilent letter

Word with adouble vowel/ consonant

Palindrome (Kayak,Level, Radar)

Part of speech(preposition)

Word describingpeople

Time of day,season of the year

Genre of books/music/movies

Type of vehicle

Controversialtopic

Feeling

Electronic item

Eating utensil/Silverware

Acronym(UNICEF)

Word with 2pronunciations

Word with 2spellings

Word with 2meanings

Two words thatrhyme

Punctuationmark

Name of agesture

Things peoplewrite

Member of thecat family

Musicalinstrument

Sth that comesin pair

Name of acontinent

Body of water

Dairy product

Shape, Color,Size

Sauce

Direction

Pizza topping

Type of fish(trout, bass, cod)

Crime

Bad habit

School subject

Leisure activity/hobby

Sth youcarry/wear

Adigit/letter/symbol

Sport doneindoors

Brown-colored food

Food often eatenraw

Math term

Animal noise(meow)

Sound (screech,tick, sizzle)

Sth on wheels

Blue /whitecollar occupation

Foreign English(déjà vu)

Professional title

Holidayactivity

A type of tool

Writing utensil

Things you read

Household chore

Sth usuallyround/flat/fried

Sth usuallyblack/white/red

Sth usuallysmooth, rough

Weapon

Superlative

Language

A type ofdisease

Type of currency

Bodily organ

College major

Wordsassociated with winter

Sth worn whenit’s raining/sunny

Means oftransportation

PopularVacation Destination

Body Function(sneeze)

Unit ofmeasurement

Marital status

Politicalaffiliation

American holiday

Sth that requiresa ticket

Service

Type of seafood,grain

Common pet

Commonsecond-hand item

Words associatedwith health

Sth found in agarden

Sth found in anoffice

Sth found in thebathroom

Farm animal

Professionaltitle

Grooming item

Type of makeup

Toiletry

Type of medical Professional/equipment

Illness/symptom/injury

Disability

Sth associatedwith the Desert/rain forest

Sth associated w/a hotel

Place with atropical climate

Word associated w/camping

Sth you can do inthe park

Sth you can do tostay fit

Sth you do torelieve stress

American holiday

Part of a car

Type of sign

Sth associated w/the supermarket

Type of container

Verb associatedwith cooking

Type of poultry

Cleaning supplies

Household problem

Feline/canine

Mammal/ amphibian

Insect

Word associated w/ the bank, post office, hospital,gas station, church, fire station, stadium, police station

Official document

Movement/ action

Daily activity

Type of hair

Sth a baby can'tdo

Extended familymember

Computer part

Sth you do in aclassroom

Word associated w/thebeach

Sth you roll (dough,dice, ball, towel)

Sth with a button/handle

College major

Sth with wheels

Noun startingwith "A"

Verb startingwith "B"

Sth you hear,carry

Common errand

Sth you get inthe mail

Sth you sit on

Word associated w/morning

Animal noise

Sth that can killyou

Zoo animal

Member of thelily family

Type of citrus

Measuring Words

Rules:

For this section you have twooptions.

Example:

Teacher says, “One piece ofrice is called…?”

Student says, “grain.”

Teacher says, “A grain of….?”

Student says, “rice.”

Agrain of rice/salt/sugar

Acube of ice/sugar/cheese

Acrumb/slice of bread

Aslice of cheese

Acarton of milk

Ahead/leaf of lettuce

Acan of tuna

Ajar of Jelly

Acup of Yogurt

Astrand of hair

Apair of underwear/sandals

Aspoon of sugar

Apacket of ketchup

A layer of skin

Aloaf/slice of bread

Apiece of advice

Apile of dirt

Apuff of smoke

Asnow flake

Adrop of water/rain

A slab of meat

A bowl of soup

Abar of chocolate/soap

Agame of tennis

Abouquet of roses

Akernel/ear/bushel of corn

Anarticle of clothing

Abox of cereal

Apack of gum/cigarettes

Akeg of beer

Ashot of vodka

Adrop of rain

Atank of gas

Abag of flour/sugar/rice

Astalk of celery

Aspear of asparagus

Aclove of garlic

Adash of salt/pepper/spice

Abottle of beer/shampoo

Astick of deodorant

A bottle of perfume/cologne

Aroll of toilet paper/tape

A ball of cotton/yarn

Aspool of thread

Askein of yarn

Ayard/meter of ribbon

A(square) foot/meter of fabric/cloth

Asheet of paper

Apad of paper

Astick of butter/chalk

Atube of glue/toothpaste

Apair of scissors

Thanksgiving in Korea

2011-11-20T17:59:00.001-05:00

Boy did we have a ball the other night at the 3rd Annual Jeonju Thanksgiving Potluck. There was good food, entertainment, and (did I forget to mention) FOOD!!!! We had everything...Turkeys, hams, sweet potatoes pies and casserole, mac and cheese, stuffing, cranberry sauce, brownies, apple pie, banana bread, greens, black eyed peas, ox tails... there was so much more but I'm tired of typing. It was a great time!

Teaching in Korea Tip # 1 Competitive Activities, Games, and Other Techniques

2011-11-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

Many teachers arrive in Korea never having taught a single student. When they arrive in Korea, they are often thrown into an English academy and told to create entertaining lessons (and lesson plans). Since teaching has always been my passion (and I think my gift), I have really tried hard to make every lesson as engaging as I possibly can while being totally educational.

It is because of all of this that I want to share what I've learned for the newbies. I just found a really cool tool to use instead of PowerPoint. It's at Prezi.com, and it is super cool. Here is one I put together about Konglish. Check it out. http://prezi.com/ownoc9vnumav/konglish/

Here is some more information from an old post.

Teaching Techniques

Coming to Korea can be overwhelming, especially for the teachers who aren't given any training, books or directions. So here are some tips I've learned along the way.

Discipline
School and academies are more like expensive babysitters. Korean parents expect their children to learn discipline at school. Almost every teacher I know (at a public school or hogwan) has been reprimanded for not disciplining their students. This is a tough job for many reasons: (1) Korea teachers hit the students to discipline them, but native English speaking teachers aren't allowed to. The students know this and take advantage of the situation. (2) There aren't many school-wide rules. Each classroom runs independent of the other, so there is little to no teamwork when it comes to discipline. This is like the father who disciplines one way and the mother another way. The child realizes he or she can manipulate the glitch in the system. (3) In many situations, poorly executed discipline can lead to students withdrawing from the institution, which leaves business owners without funds to pay their staff.
So, one thing I learned really quickly is that you HAVE TO be resilient. They will test your limits and you cannot lose your cool. Stress manners and politeness in English. Kids learn by trial an error what is acceptable and what isn't. If you tell your students what you expect in the beginning, then you can hold them accountable when they don't follow through. If you make up rules as you go along, they won't take you seriously. It needs to be clear that you are their teacher and they should treat you (and speak to you) as such.

Lesson Plans
Your lesson plan is to help aid you in the classroom. In it should be (1) Time allotment for each segment of the activity (2) Questions you will ask to get your desired result (3) A back up activity if you have extra time left over. It should be a reference to keep you on track. (4) Objective and how you will check if the objective was met. For example: If my objective is to teach some new vocabulary words, before the student leave the room, they will have to give me a sentence using one of the words from the lesson.

Reading Exercises
I think it is really important to give students practice reading aloud and use this time for correction. This helps students recognize and practice appropriate places to breathe or pause. I will have the students make slash marks where they think it is acceptable to breath. For example:

The beautiful girl/ took out her purse/ and gave it to her mother.

I tell my students that as they become more fluent, they will have to take less breaths. These are called "thought groups." That is how we naturally speak in any language. Google it for more information. It has proven very helpful for me at all levels.

Incorporating Videos
Most students are programmed to listen to long passages and answer questions, but this is not realistically going to improve their ability to understand native speech. These recorded segments are perfected and usually use unnatural pronunciations. I like to show videos like CNN news for kids and other shows that have real people speaking naturally. Native speakers read lips while they are speaking and that is a skill only achieved by watching people speak.

Vocabulary Tic-Tac-Toe
This game is cool for getting students to learn new vocab. You put two 9x9 grids on the board. One for team A and the other for team B. Then in each box put a vocab word. The two grids should be identical. Each team takes turns making sentences with the words. If the word is used correctly, the box of their choosing is crossed out. When they get three boxes in a row, their team gets a point. The first team to get three points wins.

You can make the game more difficult by putting synonyms in the boxes and having them guess the word and then make sentences. Be really picky about grammar and usage. They may use the same sentence as the other team if they can remember it. This is about getting the students to get the vocab words into their spoken vocabulary. Most students have a very high reading vocabulary, but their speaking vocabulary is quite low.

Communication Games Activities- These have been my saving grace. Many English teacher rely on hang man when all else fails, but that game doesn't build any skills. These students are excellent at guessing, so they don't need more practice. Google "communication games" or "communication activities" and you should find a ton of resources to enhance your class.

When looking for books in Korea, I consider a couple things:
1. Relevant topics- Make sure you get a current edition.
2. Notable Publishers outside of Korea (HeinleCengage, McMillan, PearsonLongman, Scholastic)
3. Exercises that foster critical thinking- Stay away from a lot of fill-in-the-blanks and copying exercises because it is more difficult to gauge comprehension.

4. Korean Textbooks. with a lot of pictures that is meant to teach foreigner's English. Most of the content will be in Korean. Consider starting with this kind of book, so that the student will understand the material and have to express themselves in English. Sometimes students just cheat when everything is already in the book.
5. Buy a teacher resource book. I recommend 700 Activities for the Classroom.

Recommended Books

Step-By-Step Writing Series (Blanton)/ Great Writing Series Third Edition (Folse)

Real Listening and Speaking
Real Reading
Real Writing

Picture This 1 (I love this book for elementary students and low level adult)
Check it Out! (This series is great if you want to teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking all at once)

Scholastic abridged readers. Some good titles: Elian Gonzalez, Gross Body Facts (my favorite), Salem Witch Trials)
Chat Room for Teens (This even works for elementary school students)

Halloween in Korea (Candy Apples- Yum!)

2011-10-28T19:49:00.002-04:00

This semester is flying by. I really love what I do, and my students really seem to appreciate my efforts.

For Halloween, I bought 215 candy apples for my students. My students love the candy apples. They kept asking, "how do we eat it?" What I didn't expect was for the other teachers to be so jealous of the student's candy. I had to rush another small order.

Then we had an activity. Petrified Pyramid was so much fun!

I am in love with my new Ipad. It has made my life so much more productive. I've been partying, working out, and eating with Eve Teacha'. We have been brunching, traveling to Osan to get some eye candy, and exercising at my house.

Video in the Classroom

2011-09-22T09:29:00.001-04:00

Here is another question answered:

Hello, I’m Boyd and I attend SangSan High Schoolin Korea.In response to the question about whether it hurts or helps us to be in schoolso many hours, I say of course it hurtsus to stay in school so many hours because well (gesture)… we stay so manyhours! I’ll give you an example of my school day because I think it is prettymuch the same as other Korean students. I think it is a typical example. I goto school at 7:30 and classes end at 5:20. I think that’s moderate, but I thinkthe problem is that we have to have self-study time which starts at 6:30 andends at 9:20 and since it’s mandatory, everybody hates it. Everybody has toattend it…. and that means that we end at 9:30 and when we go home, it’s timefor bed so …on a week day we can’t do anything that we want to do, we can’thave a hobby.. That’s just for the weekend and in the case of our school, wehave dormitory self study time which is also mandatory and ends at 11:20 so itis terrible everybody hates self-study time. Everyone thinks it’s useless buteverybody has to do it anyway, so wemake the best of it. Thank you for your question.

Here is another response (I can't seem to upload the video but I thought it was a great answer):

Hello I’m Jessica from SangSanHigh School in South Korea andI’m just going to read out the question first and then I’ll answer. Thequestion was: “When I go to a restaurant in Canada with a group of people, ittakes a while to order because everyone has to choose their own dish. I’venoticed that in Korea the host will order for everyone. Why is that? And What about people with foodallergies or who just prefer something else?”

Long question and I don’t exactly know, but I think ithas partly to do with the fact that Koreans usually don’t go Dutch. That is thehost usually pays for everyone. In otherwords, because the host is the one who’s paying, he or she has more say indeciding what they will eat. Another reason that you cannot ignore is that mostKorean restaurants specialize in only one dish. It doesn’t mean that they have onlyone dish on their menus, but it means that each restaurant has their ownspecial menu item and all their other dishes are very similar to that one. Let’ssay you go to a restaurant that is famous for its grilled beef, its otherdishes would be something like roasted pork or grilled beef with other kinds ofsauces or foods like that.To conclude, I think that in Korean restaurants, thehost orders for everyone because one: the host pays for everyone and two:Korean restaurants don’t have many choices. So in one way it doesn’t really matter if thehost orders for everyone. I do recognize that this could be a problem so therecould be people with food allergies or people who would just like somethingelse, but the good news is that things are changing among young people and in moreWestern restaurants where you get to choose your own dish, so don’t worry. Thanks for your question.

Korean Culture and Food University Interview Questions Answered

2011-09-03T00:22:00.001-04:00

Watch Jessica's answer via this link!

Korean Culture and Food

Dennis

We will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

This week's quesetions answered.

2011-08-27T02:36:00.001-04:00

This week we answered questions posed by my friends in the U.S. I hope you see the progress we make over the next few weeks.

New Semester Idea

2011-08-21T02:38:00.000-04:00

Doing some Vlogging with my students and needs some questions to get us started. What do you want to know about Korea, Korean culture, Korean student life, etc from a Korean perspective? We will answer them in video form.

My Trip Home

2011-08-06T18:18:00.000-04:00

It was great to go home and reconnect with everyone I love.

Really great to see friends and family.

Miami

Weekly workouts!

2011-07-01T03:11:00.001-04:00

So for the past few month, I've been working out with my homegirl Eve trying to maintain my girlish figure. I've gain a little weight this year, and while it's still flattering, I still want to make sure I maintain. The problem is, I am a the worst workout partner there is and Eve is right behind me. If she is running late (as usual), I don't mind. Instead, I jump in the bed for a quick nap or get a bite to eat. She teases me for eating during our workouts, but it's during my lunch break. A girl's gotta eat, right?!

Next week, I'm going to the States to get some R&R and Pilsbury Chocolate Chip Cookies. I just can't wait to eat at the Thai Restaurant on 14th Street, and eat Cuban sandwiches on Ponce De Leon. Full report when I return.

A year ago at Haeundae Beach with Eve

2011-06-10T18:21:00.000-04:00

This month has been great. My friend Jung came to visit from the US and we got to dance like old times. It is nice to see how much we've both improved.

Monday was the the South Korean Memorial day, so a bunch of us (25) took a bus up to Seoul to see the Hillsong United concert. I can't say if I was more impressed with the band or the crowd. Asians are fantastic fans. They were high energy the entire 2.5 hours. I was a little upset they started an hour late because they started letting people in twenty minutes before the show was supposed to start.

I'm starting to get really excited about my trip to the States. I leave July 7th and will return August 3. I haven't been home in over a year and half, so this trip is well overdue.

May in a Nutshell

2011-06-01T18:56:00.001-04:00

I went to the Philippines this month and boy was it hot! I went to an island called Zamboanga. I don't recommend it by the way. I only went to visit my dad who was there on business. It was nice spending time with my dad since it had been over a year since I'd seen him. I stayed with a family who was living a very primitive life. I found myself bathing in cold water out of a bucket again...made me think about my trips to Nigeria and Panama.

Here are some general updates:
I found a new hair stylist, thank the Lord! After five stylists said no, I finally found a stylist to train. I think I need to find a backup this time.

I've been getting better at Salsa. I've been going up to Seoul more often. Last weekend, I went to Macondo in Hongdae and it was crowded but so much fun. I left around 5am. I wanted to take a video of it, but I think I need to get a new camera. I can't seem to upload pictures anymore.

I've been studying Spanish actively again. I found a book that I really like Puentes: Spanish for Intensive and High-Beginner Courses. I am also still studying Korean. I'm working on the TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korea). I don't plan on taking the test, but I like the book because it has really practical Korean.

I'm heading Stateside really soon (July 7). ATL here I come! Everyone wants to know when I'm going home for good. The answer is February 2013 (God-willing). My tenants in my house in Atlanta have abandoned the property and now I have to do some reconnaissance to figure out how to handle the situation. I'll be home for about a month and can't decide what to do first!

My Hairdresser Left Me!

2011-04-24T00:51:00.000-04:00

My friend Jisan, the luckiest girl in the world (after me, of course)!

My friend Sean after his first salsa showcase.

I received the most disturbing phone call today. My hair stylist has closed her shop. Now I have to train a new one. Luckily, I just got a relaxer, so I have about a month to find a new one. The funny thing about this situation is that I saw her days before she closed the shop and she never said a word. One of my friends called me to say there were no chairs in the shop and it was closed. I immediately called her via a Korean friend and she told me that she indeed had closed the shop. Now I have to train a new person. It is such a scary thing trying out hair salons. Luckily, I bring my own products.

I am going to the Philippines this week to have some much needed father-daughter time. Pics coming soon!

New Semester, New Students, New Routine

2011-04-15T20:06:00.000-04:00

Yearbook Photo

10th Graders

11th Graders

Extending My Visa and My Brithday Weekend

2011-02-27T07:34:00.000-05:00

I had such a fabulous birthday week! I danced almost every night and went to salsa clubs in Apkujeong (Turn), Gangnam (Top), and Hongdae (Bahia, Macondo, Havana) up in Seoul. I also ate fantastic food (Dos Tacos and a Thai restaurant). Then on Sunday, Brothas and Sistas of Korea hosted a movie showing of Love Jones and had a poetry slam afterward. That was really nice. The picture above is of me, my friend Eve, and some girls I met that day. The picture below is at my birthday dinner with the people I'm closest to here in Jeonju.

I discovered foreign convenient stores in Itaewon.You can buy a lot of stuff from the States. I was stoked!

A new school year is starting this week, and while I've enjoyed this two and a half month vacation, I'm ready to go back to work. I miss my students. I had to renew my visa, which was not an arduous task, thank God!! It took all of ten minutes. It wouldn't have taken that long if I didn't use five of it to fill out the application. I made an appointment on-line and I bypassed the line. It was great! I definitely recommend making a reservation before going to the immigration office.

Japan

2011-02-09T19:59:00.000-05:00

Took a short trip to Japan this weekend. It was a good trip. It was my first time going on a Korean package trip. One thing I've realized about Koreans is that they even rush vacations. Sometimes it reminds me of the old saying stop and smell the roses (take time to appreciate a situation or slow down and pay attention to what is going on around you). I remember going to the swimming pool with my friend Suhhee hoping to relax only to find a pool filled with what looked like professional swimmers practicing for a meet. I was really intimidated. You would like I learned my lesson, but I joined her for a squash class. I thought we were training for the Olympics!

The hot springs were really relaxing. I wish could have stayed longer than an hour. But, it was all part of the package. Korean package trips are sightseeing marathons. You visit all the major shopping malls, landmarks and tourist attractions in a few days. You board a coach bus around 8am and hit the town until around 10pm for 3 or 4 days. I wasn't ready for all that, so I chose a package that gave us a free day in which I took a fabulous nap. For those of you who don't know me, my naps are really important to me. The tour guide was superhuman. She talked for hours explaining everything she knew about Japan while standing in our coach bus. Her voice was so raspy that I couldn't take the sound much less understand her Korea, so I just listened to my Ipod and/or slept while we were en route to our next destination.

In Seoul, people spit on the sidewalk everywhere all day. No one enforces the littering laws if any laws even exist and you could search all day to find a public trashcan. You are sure to find a trashcan in the bathrooms, however, so that you don't put any toilet paper in the toilet. While Seoul is a really filthy city, Tokyo is an immaculate city! We were not allowed to eat the street vendor's food on the street. We had to eat it there and throw away the leftover trash. The bathrooms were really clean, and they actually expected you to put toilet paper in the toilet!

I was happy to get to taste some real dessert in Japan. I had strawberry shortcake, mango pudding, and tapioca pudding. In Korea, dessert is mainly coffee, Pepsi, and orange juice. Sometimes it includes ice cream, and I've had tofu donuts before (which is really delicious).

As rumored, Tokyo is really expensive. It cost about $1.50 to use the hotel computer for ten minutes and about $15 to watch one English movie (channel) in my hotel room. I thought the movie channel would have more than one movie, but I was sadly mistaken.

All in all, it was a good trip. We spotted some Geisha women, which was cool. Apparently they aren't seen in public much. I'm glad I can say I've been to Japan, but probably won't go back. Next vacation has to be to Europe!

LG Gas Card and Paying Bills Online

2011-01-15T08:52:00.000-05:00

Today I signed up for an LG gas card. I often talk about how amazed I am about how Korea has real discounts. Almost every business has a discount/membership card that offers incentives for shopping with them in excess. While this happens in the U.S. as well (not as often), there is usually some hidden agenda. I remember being a valued customer of Victoria Secret and often receiving a card in the mail for "free panties" or for $10. Of course, when I arrived at the store to collect my prize, I was informed that I would have to make a purchase in order to redeem the value of the card. All the while, I'm thinking, "isn't that why I was sent the card in the first place (because I made a purchase). There is also a stigma surrounding people who take advantage of coupons and the like in the U.S. It is almost shameful. So, when I started realizing all the discounts I could get just by signing up for these cards, I jump on it. It is actually part of the culture here to cash in on your "membership."
I was shocked to find out that every bill mailed to my house has a bank number especially for me to deposit money into. I also found out that I can easily transfer money into any Korean bank account very easily online. This revelation has cut down the amount of time I run errands every month, which is great!

Thailand Part 1

2011-01-01T04:10:00.000-05:00

This story is going to be told backwards because it is the easiest way for me to remember it. We made it back to Korea safe and sound. Our bus ride back was an adventure. We left the first pier around 1:30pm and got to the second pier around 5pm. They put us in a tuk tuk and took us to a restaurant where we waited for three hours. Next, they put us in a 9-person van and took us to another restaurant for an hour. Then, they gave people who were traveling with other people a red sticker and the singles got on a bus to Bangkok. After that, they put us in another van and took us to ANOTHER restaurant where we waited for two hours. The bus finally came and we arrived in Bangkok at 5 or 6am. They didn't drop us off by the train station. They dropped us off by KohSan Rd.
After that nightmare, we did some really great shopping. Tell the girls to stop buying stuff on the island, because they have it all in Bangkok and it's a lot cheaper! They have fantastic markets everywhere. We stayed at a pretty decent hotel called Sawasdee House. It's very close to where they dropped us off and you can shower there for 50 baht a person. They have good food and can arrange a taxi to the airport for 400 baht. Thai people aren't allowed to stay there. I don't know why, but thought it was interesting. They even had a warning card in the room about the tuk tuks taking people to tourist places...

When we arrived in Bangkok on the first day, we had no idea where we were going to stay, so a tourist information booth at the airport helped us get one night stay at a hotel. The next morning, we met a delightful family from Canada and we've been inseparable ever since.

Thailand Part 2

2010-12-28T09:38:00.031-05:00

Bangkok and deceptive "tuk tuk" rides. In Bangkok, we kept winding up at these Tourist Agencies. They have a scam with the local caddy drivers to drop travelers off there in exchange for gas coupons. It took me about two stops before we just asked to be taken back to the hotel.

My New Canadian family, VIP bus, and Finding Lodging. We met a really nice family from Canada who had taken a year of from work and school to travel around the world. Due to peak tourist season, finding cheap lodging was more difficult than usual.We ended up on an overnight VIP bus to Koa Samui Island. The bus there was really nice. We sat in the front cabin and pretty much had it all to ourselves. It was truly a bonding moment.

Motor bikes. We rented motor bikes because it was the most economical means of transportation (~$15/day). Gas was about a dollar a liter. It was invigorating because it was my first time on one. It was really dangerous. My sister hurt her foot and Ma-Abena damaged one of the bikes. I was so happy we all made it back safely on the last day.

Beautiful beaches and bungalows. The first couple of nights on the island, we slept in a bungalow right on the beach. It was so nice to wake up to the sounds of waves crashing on the shore.

Delicious curry and Thai tea. I ate curry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I ate red curry, yellow curry, and green curry. The rice was so wonderful and I had a Thai Iced tea with every meal. I really enjoyed the eating part. We found a restaurant near our bungalows and were loyal customers for the week we were there.

Shopping, Bartering, Rainy day, Waterfall, Elephant trekking. For someone who doesn't like to shop, I sure spent a lot of money doing it. Haggling was the fun part. My sister was really good at it.
On the third day, it was cloudy and a little rainy, so we decided to find the waterfall and elephant trekking area. In hind sight, we should have just enjoyed our bungalow. The elephants didn't look well-kept. And the sharp object used to train them was horrifying. We ended up just going back to the bungalow and watched cartoons.

My Little Sister is Here! So happy!

2010-12-18T18:39:00.005-05:00

Sascha arrived on Tuesday night and it is really nice to have family when you are in a foreign country. She attended to one of my classes, which she found quite entertaining. My students are funny. I asked them "What do you say when someone calls you and wants to leave a message?" One of my students said, "wrong number."

Last night we attended a professional basketball game in Jeonju. They played a team from Seoul. We weren't supposed to take pictures, so we only got one shot of the cheerleaders, who my sister affectionately referred to as "little sex kittens." I was invited to the game by one of my coworkers who can only seem to speak English when it comes to talking about the NBA. He brought his niece and daughter. His niece had been to Australia and was enthusiastic about practicing her acquired skills with us.

After the game, we went to my church's Christmas party. Everyone was supposed to bring a gift and a dessert. A couple of people also made chili. After everyone had eaten, we played a game that facilitated the gift exchange. Each person chose a number 1-28. The number chosen was the order you get to choose your gift. The person with the highest number had the biggest advantage because throughout the game, you had the choice of choosing a new present from the pile of wrapped gifts or take a present that has already been unwrapped and chosen. This game seem to go on forever, but the highlight was when my sister chose a blanket. This blanket was a coveted gift, so she didn't have it long before someone stole it away. But if anyone knows my sister, you know that she doesn't give up without a fight. She recruited a partner (my friend Ma-Abena) and made a plan to get the blanket back. After numerous steals and exchanges, they finally got the blanket back for good.
After the game was over, we began practicing for Christmas caroling downtown. Although we didn't end up going downtown, it was nice to sing Christmas carols with native English speakers.

Sascha holding on to her xmas gift for dear life~

Thanksgiving in Korea

2010-12-01T09:01:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I went up to Yongsan with my friend Ma-Abena for a party. I don't get out much here, so I was really excited to go. We had a great time.

Thanksgiving was so amazing! I felt like I was back home, except my family wasn't around. I cooked for two days and ate at three different places. I miss house hopping. First, I went to my friend Jenny's house. It was also her birthday, so we ate and they drank the night away. Then, on Saturday, we had a potluck style dinner with the church group. That was really nice because someone had gotten the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and it was playing on a flat screen. After that, I went to a third dinner, but by that time I was stuffed, so I went home and slept most of Sunday until it was time for church.

Omega party on Yongsan Army Base

My sister is coming. I am really looking forward to my sister's visit. She will be here in 10 days! I hope we don't fight too much in this tiny space I'm living in.

Overdue Update

2010-11-19T08:30:00.001-05:00

I am sorry it has been so long since I've had an update. Things have been great. I have great people around me and I still love my job! I have committed to staying another year.

I recently joined a new church. Actually, I liked my old church, but couldn't get out of bed on Sunday mornings. The new church has service at 4:30, which is perfect because, even if I go out of town, I can make it back in time for church. Also, everyone is so welcoming. It is a tight-knit group and I like that!

I've decided to go to Thailand for the winter vacation with my friend Ma-Abena and my sister, Sascha. I think it will be great fun. I have also paid for a trip to Japan in February. I just hope I can afford to spend money on these trips. My tenants haven't paid there rent this month (for those of you who are new to my blog: I own a home in near Atlanta, Georgia). Luckily, I've already paid the mortgage, so I don't have to worry about that until January.

...

My students are so amazing! I really enjoy teaching them. They are so diligent and have such great personalities. The semester is almost over and I am going to miss my first year students. We took class pictures during Halloween week. Take a look.

Girls Night/Taco Night with church group

Mountain Climbing with church group

My Korean family Suhhee and Tasha

Again, I'm sorry it took so long for this update.

Chuseok

2010-09-22T21:18:00.000-04:00

Inside of fruit

Outside of fruit

The Chuseok holiday was this week. It was really relaxing. We had almost a week off and I really enjoyed it. I went to Muju mountain for a day trip, spent some time at my friend's mom's house for traditional stuff, and spend some time at the sauna. Here are some more pictures:

Too cute!

Art exhibition

The cutest girl in the world

Osan Air Force Base

2010-08-29T05:27:00.000-04:00

I had the best time the last two weekends shopping around the Osan American Air Force Base. I haven't been shopping in ages, so it was nice to barter in English. It was weird, though, because the shopkeepers talked in Dollars. The currency used in Korea is Won, so to here them ask for U.S. Dollars took me aback at first. I bought some nice tops and dresses. I even got two winter jackets custom-made.

We ate at a Brazilian-styled restaurant and even had Turkish Gyros! The best part was staying at the Asia Hotel. I took the best jacuzzi bath of my life! I never knew how much I missed bathtubs! Pictures to come. My friend Eve took all the good pictures!

Things are great!

2010-08-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

School starts back on Friday and in true Korean fashion, I won't know what to teach or when until Friday morning.

On a more serious note, I am shocked that Wyclef Jean is running for president of Haiti. He wouldn't and couldn't live in Haiti. He has lived in the U.S. too long. And if he plans to spend most his term fundraising abroad, then what about the day-to-day activities back on the island. I am not sure he realizes how spread thiin he will be and how much he can't control the actions of his cabinet members.

Life is good!

2010-08-01T18:36:00.000-04:00

Things have been great. I have started dancing again. In this heat, it seems like I'm dancing in a sauna, but I enjoy it nevertheless. I thank God for good friends and good times this summer. Most of my friends are going on vacation, but I am staying here to enjoy some R&R. I recently saw Inception and Salt and they really are some great summer movies. I highly recommend going to see both of them. School starts in three weeks. It's nice to have vacation for this long.

Discount Cards

2010-07-18T18:35:00.000-04:00

I went to TGIF restaurant today and presented my LG membership card to receive 20 percent off my meal. One thing many Westerners don't know is that you get discounts for EVERYTHING in Korea.
Since I have an Oz LG phone, I am eligible to receive a FREE membership card that give me discounts on chain restaurants like Outback and Paris Baggette. Before you check out, you have to ask which cards give a discount.

Here is how you do it: Dial 114 on you cell phone and wait for the English prompts. Ask for a membership card and you should receive it in 10 business days.

Relaxing in Busan

2010-07-12T10:49:00.001-04:00

School Year is Over

2010-07-08T07:41:00.000-04:00

The school year is over and I am happy to have some free time. But I have no idea what to do with it!!! I don't want to travel for the first time in my life. I just want to experience a little bit of this place. I'm going to Busan Haeundae Beach this weekend. One of my friends has organized a trip and it should be fun. I am dreading the scorching heat, but at least there will be water nearby.

I hope to buy a used car next week. Lord knows I need one. I'm wasting my life away on buses and my back is suffering from all the books I carry.

Fourth of July weekend was well-spent. I had a fresh-grilled hamburger, so it sort of felt like home.

Teaching Techniques

2010-06-24T18:48:00.001-04:00

Coming to Korea can be overwhelming, especially for the teachers who aren't given any training, books or directions. So here are some tips I've learned along the way.

Discipline
School and academies are more like expensive babysitters. Korean parents expect their children to learn discipline at school. Almost every teacher I know (at a public school or hogwan) has been reprimanded for not disciplining their students. This is a tough job for many reasons: (1) Korea teachers hit the students to discipline them, but native English speaking teachers aren't allowed to. The students know this and take advantage of the situation. (2) There aren't many school-wide rules. Each classroom runs independent of the other, so there is little to no teamwork when it comes to discipline. This is like the father who disciplines one way and the mother another way. The child realizes he or she can manipulate the glitch in the system. (3) In many situations, poorly executed discipline can lead to students withdrawing from the institution, which leaves business owners without funds to pay their staff.
So, one thing I learned really quickly is that you HAVE TO be resilient. They will test your limits and you cannot lose your cool. Stress manners and politeness in English. Kids learn by trial an error what is acceptable and what isn't. If you tell your students what you expect in the beginning, then you can hold them accountable when they don't follow through. If you make up rules as you go along, they won't take you seriously. It needs to be clear that you are their teacher and they should treat you (and speak to you) as such.

Lesson Plans
Your lesson plan is to help aid you in the classroom. In it should be (1) Time allotment for each segment of the activity (2) Questions you will ask to get your desired result (3) A back up activity if you have extra time left over. It should be a reference to keep you on track. (4) Objective and how you will check if the objective was met. For example: If my objective is to teach some new vocabulary words, before the student leave the room, they will have to give me a sentence using one of the words from the lesson.

Reading Exercises
I think it is really important to give students practice reading aloud and use this time for correction. This helps students recognize and practice appropriate places to breathe or pause. I will have the students make slash marks where they think it is acceptable to breath. For example:

The beautiful girl/ took out her purse/ and gave it to her mother.

I tell my students that as they become more fluent, they will have to take less breaths. These are called "thought groups." That is how we naturally speak in any language. Google it for more information. It has proven very helpful for me at all levels.

Incorporating Videos
Most students are programmed to listen to long passages and answer questions, but this is not realistically going to improve their ability to understand native speech. These recorded segments are perfected and usually use unnatural pronunciations. I like to show videos like CNN news for kids and other shows that have real people speaking naturally. Native speakers read lips while they are speaking and that is a skill only achieved by watching people speak.

Vocabulary Tic-Tac-Toe
This game is cool for getting students to learn new vocab. You put two 9x9 grids on the board. One for team A and the other for team B. Then in each box put a vocab word. The two grids should be identical. Each team takes turns making sentences with the words. If the word is used correctly, the box of their choosing is crossed out. When they get three boxes in a row, their team gets a point. The first team to get three points wins.

You can make the game more difficult by putting synonyms in the boxes and having them guess the word and then make sentences. Be really picky about grammar and usage. They may use the same sentence as the other team if they can remember it. This is about getting the students to get the vocab words into their spoken vocabulary. Most students have a very high reading vocabulary, but their speaking vocabulary is quite low.

Communication Games Activities- These have been my saving grace. Many English teacher rely on hang man when all else fails, but that game doesn't build any skills. These students are excellent at guessing, so they don't need more practice. Google "communication games" or "communication activities" and you should find a ton of resources to enhance your class.

When looking for books in Korea, I consider a couple things:
1. Relevant topics- Make sure you get a current edition or get a book that was written in the last 5 years.
2. Notable Publishers (HeinleCengage, McMillan, PearsonLongman, Scholastic)
3. Exercises that foster critical thinking- Stay away from a lot of fill-in-the-blanks and copying exercises because it is more difficult to gauge comprehension.

Recommended Books for
Writing Step-By-Step Writing Series (Blanton)/ Great Writing Series Third Edition (Folse)
Reading Scholastic abridged readers. Some good titles: Elian Gonzalez, Gross Body Facts (my favorite), Salem Witch Trials)
Listening NorthStar Series (Third Edition) There are five levels.
Speaking Chat Room for Teens (This even works for elementary school students)

My trip to Bundang
Last weekend I went and spent some time with some Korean friends I met ten years ago in America. They now live in Korea and it was quite a relaxing experience.

Girlfriends
It's so nice to have good girlfriends. Monica, Bronwyn and I went to see Sex in the City II and although we were quite dissappointed in the movie, we enjoyed each others' company.

Summer Intensive Korean Classes at Chonbuk National University

2010-06-17T16:28:00.005-04:00

Chonbuk National University holds three month classes for 250,000 won from 1-1:50pm Monday through Friday. The classes run from March-June and from September-December. There is also a condensed two hour summer course beginning in July (I believe there are morning and afternoon classes). To sign up, you will be asked to wire the money to their bank account for registration (Info below). Call Chonbuk National University's main line and the operator speaks English. Here is the phone number 82-63-270-3114. Local folks can just dial the last seven digits.

The Summer Course placement test is on June 28th. The class begins July 7.

Here is some information about the Korean classes at Chonbuk National University. I have been taking them for about a year now. It is a good way to jumpstart your language study if you haven't already.

Here is the website (You will need to know some Korean to navigate the website): http://en.chonbuk.ac.kr/international/announcement.php?&sno=163&bbs_id=ann&doc_no=183&page=3&mode=view

■ Schedule and fee: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall $250,000 Won (So cheap for an everyday 3-month course)

■ Application
- By visit (Language Education Center- Korean Language Center, 270-2454,2455)
- By Internet (http://lec.chonbuk.ac.kr > 수강신청 바로가기 > 한국어회화)

■ Tuition Payment
- 전북은행[Jeonbuk Bank] 529-13-0313385
- There are no discounts for current CBNU students and employees.

■ Course Completion
- 70+Grade Points (Attendance+Exam+Behavior)
- Course completion certificate will be Given (Graduate Students : Can be substituted as Foreign Language Exam)

I love my job! (Information about sending $ to the US)

2010-06-15T18:41:00.006-04:00

Many people ask me about banking and I have found that using Korean Exchange Bank is the best way to sent money to the US. The commission is no more than 18,000 won and if you have an account with them, even less. Also they have something called an Easy One Remittance account. This account is linked to your American account and you can transfer money into this account via online banking in English! Here is the website: http://www.keb.co.kr/main/en/

I am so lucky to have this job! I come into work smiling everyday. I think my coworkers are jealous sometimes. One of the senior teachers said to me the other day, I work at the same place, but I am not as happy as you are. I told him he didn't appreciate his job as much as I do. My work conditions were so opposite of what I needed that I really appreciate having work conditions that match my lifestyle. The thing is... in Korea, decision makers withhold pertinent information and even lie so you never know for sure what you are getting into. I know people who were told they would be going to Seoul or teaching in High schools and get here and are thrown in a small town in the middle of nowhere teaching Kindergarten!
Most schools make you stay at school even if you aren't scheduled to teach. My school allows me to go as I please. That freedom is paramount for me! My coworkers stop at a moments notice to help me if I need it and the are very culturally sensitive to the native English speaking instructors. It was the opposite at the private institute I used to work for. There, the staff members couldn't speak conversational English and didn't relate to western culture. They withheld more money than necessary for taxes and even failed to match pensions. Luckily, I got away with everything I was entitled (I hope). I don't think others were so lucky.
But now, I have 3, 4, or 5 fifty-minute classes per day and an hour and a half for lunch. I have summer vacation from July 7th-Aug 20. I get paid exactly on the 25th of every month. And I love my co-workers. We are an efficient team! Praise the Lord!

Korea's (Foriegner) English Helpline 1330

2010-06-08T18:22:00.005-04:00

I swear by this number. Wherever you are in Korea, just dial the area code plus 1330 and you can get English help with walking, bus, subway directions. Don't be lost in Korea!

Private Teaching in Korea

2010-05-21T19:48:00.002-04:00

The bottom line... It is completely illegal for an E2 visa holder to teach privately in Korea. As an E-2 holder, you can only teach at the place specified in your contract. F-2-1, F-4, and F-5-9 visa holders can teach privates lessons so long as they register with local Ministry of Education and obtain private teaching certificate.
With that being said, you've probably already heard that many people do it and make LOADS of extra cash! While this is very true, you need to know the consequences in getting caught teaching illegally in Korea.

When your school applies for your visa, only that school's name will be listed on the Alien Resident Card. Your visa states that you are only legally permitted to teach at that institution, as they are responsible for you while you are in Korea. The name and location of that institute will be listed on your ARC and if you are caught working anywhere other than that location, you can potentially face fines and deportation. This is something to be cautious of with some schools requesting you to teach at other branches of their institution. EACH LOCATION MUST BE APPLIED FOR BY THE SCHOOL AND LISTED ON THE ARC. If it is not listed, you shouldn't be working there and if you do, you are at risk. You can apply for a addendum to your visa to allow you to take a part-time job, in which you would have to get permission from your employer and then register with immigration. While possible, it is highly unlikely that your employer would grant you permission to work elsewhere... unless it would bring him more business.

This applies to any type of work other than what your visa states. Television or movie extras, modelling, teaching at another school or whatever, must be permitted by your host employer and registered with your regional immigration office. Even volunteering has gotten people into trouble at times.

Teaching Privately/Private Tutoring

Not all Koreans that want to learn English want to go to an academy to do it. Therefore you are likely to get requests to teach them privately at their home or a coffee shop. You'll hear that many teachers are doing it to supplement their income.
Be warned that teaching privately is illegal and is viewed by many schools as "stealing their business". There are small campaigns from time to time asking the public to call the police if they suspect that someone is teaching illegally. A reward is offered (even by immigration) for information leading to an arrest of persons involved in illegal activities in Korea. Please, be careful...

Private Teaching in Korea
from www.goeastrecruiting.com/info-on-korea/18-korea-country-information/52-private-teaching-in-korea

Teaching at SangSan

2010-05-08T20:25:00.001-04:00

Last week, we went to the Midnight Obsession Viewing for JIFF (Jeonju International Film Festival). I must say it was less than wonderful. To my surprise, they showed three full length films beginning at midnight (hence the name). The first movie was so bad that we decided to stay in hopes that the second movie would redeem itself. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

I really enjoy my job. The students are wonderful and Korea has so many holidays (red days) that I don't care that I can't choose my vacation days. Parents Day, Buddah's Birthday, the School's birthday, Sport's Day, Election Day, etc... The list goes on and on. I just found out that each principal gets three or four days to play around with (just in case their superfluous list of off days isn't enough). But thank goodness for the students, though. They work hard, so I think they need the time off just to be kids.
Last week, I pretty much had off because Monday was midterms, Tuesday was the school's birthday, Wednesday and Thursday was sport's day, and Friday was the school field trip! I should have planned a mini vacation, but I was still exhausted from the Nigeria trip.
The weather is really strange these days. There was no spring here. It went from winter to summer overnight. My sinuses are paying for it. I had no voice for most of this week. But luckily, my students are dong presentations for two weeks, so I don't have to talk much.
FYI: For those interested in teaching at Sangsan, please note that they only hire women foreign teachers. It is becoming a trend.

So Grateful for Hot Water!

2010-04-29T19:44:00.002-04:00

My trip to Nigeria was long overdue. I really enjoyed my time there, however short. The first plane ride proved relaxing. It was an overnight flight, so I slept to Dubai. I had a two hour layover, so I ordered a McDonald's apple pie (that I've been craving since I left the states). On the flight from Dubai to Nigeria, I watch Mary Poppins, Fabulous Fantastic Fox (I love George Clooney), It's Complicated (I was laughing out loud on the plane), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. I also read the book Night (very short novel about a Holocaust survivor).
I only spent three days in Nigeria. Two of them were reserved for the funeral and the last reserved for preparing my attire that was handmade. My host was my cousin Mosun, a lawyer in Lagos. She was a wonderful host. She warmed water on the stove every morning, so that I could have warm bathing water. Electricity and water are inconsistently available in Lagos. That was quite an adjustment.
The funeral was a celebration. My grandmother lived until the old age of 88, so we celebrated that. I thought she would wake up any moment because we were celebrating so loudly and dancing so wildly.
Nigeria in general was quite a sight. There was lots of public urination and people carrying things on their heads. Not that they are related at all. I noticed some similarities between Nigerian and Korean culture. Younger generations bow or curtsy to their elders. Koreans also celebrate long life. Police asked for "encouragement" (money) in regular traffic stops. Surprisingly, I didn't see much wildlife.

I am glad I went. I must say Panama really prepared me for Nigeria.

Nigeria

2010-04-19T10:15:00.002-04:00

I am so happy that I had the opportunity to meet the other half of my family. They were so hospitable and welcoming. I wish I could have stayed a little longer.

Recent Questions Answered About Moving To Korea

2010-04-12T19:37:00.001-04:00

1. What should I expect once I arrive to the Korean airport? Process of checking in, meeting a school rep or not? What SHOULD I pay for a taxi?
You should expect people to push you like a stampede because Koreans are so impatient and rude in public. Every school is different and you should ask yours if someone will be meeting you or if you will have to get to your city on your own. In the latter case, DO NOT TAKE A TAXI. They are terribly expensive and buses go everywhere. Go outside the airport and there are bus kiosks. Ask for a ticket to your city and then take a taxi.
2. Are the buses navigable for foreigners from the airport?
The buses can be confusing because the kiosks are set up my province. But if you go to the wrong one, they will point you in the right direction.
3. Did you have assistance with finding housing? If not how should I go about it? Is it wise to give a school a preference to what you want?
My housing was provided for me in both cases. If not, your school has the best advice. You have no say in your living arrangements if they school provides it.
4. What personal supplies should I buy at home and take? What should I buy there? Buy lots of deodorant, spices, condiments, cereal, any breakfast foods you can pack actually, snacks you like, makeup, hair supplies, over-the-counter medications you typically use (i.e. for yeast infections, headaches, cold). You may want to ship a box ahead of you.
5. Do you know of any places in Atlanta or online I could buy a plug outlet/converter or should I wait til I get to Korea (lotte mart i've hear a lot about)
Do not wait until you get to Korea to find a converter? It took me forever and it was a hassle. Bring a small converter and buy a large one when you get here. Also bring surge protectors and extension cords as you may need to plug in more than two American appliances at a time.
6. Did you have a formal orientation?
I had a formal and INTENSE orientation. See blog for details November 11, 2008 or so. Most places do not provide them, though.
7. Anything else you think I should know?
Just check out some of my entries when I first arrived in Korea in November 2008. I made sure to detail my entire experience so that it could serve as a reference for folks like you.

Got my Nigerian Visa and leave Today!

2010-04-12T19:15:00.004-04:00

It has been quite a week. I am exhausted and excited. After a week of prayer, I now have a single entry visa permit to enter Nigeria for my grandmother's burial ceremony. I have never been to Nigeria and am getting really excited to meet my dad's side of the family face-to-face. God has seemed to open some doors for funds and for that I am so grateful. There is nothing like being broke. It is humbling. Although I have never been totally broke, I have known the feeling that arises when I feel Broke creeping up on me. My flight leaves around midnight. I have two eight hour flights with a two hour layover in Dubai. Hopefully, I can finish this book for the Seoul book club. I also plan to do some brainstorming for class ideas.
My friend Joy started a book club and it has truly been a blessing. Women sitting around a table at a coffee shop sharing stories about our fears, wants, needs and desires and how they measure up to God's fears, wants, needs, and desires. The book we are using is helpful because it gives us five days of homework each week and them we come together on Saturdays to share.
I still absolutely LOVE my job for the first time ever and I get up in the mornings so happy and ready to greet my students. I truly enjoy watching people learn.
Update coming soon!

Perverts Alive and Well in Korea

2010-04-05T08:13:00.004-04:00

I walked home from Brownwyn's apartment last night around 11pm. I noticed this guy looking at me strangely. We took different paths and then he changed directions to follow me. I kept looking back all the while he was gaining on me. I took my keys out of my pocket and arranged them between my fingers like I had once learned on one of those this-is-how-you-protect-yourself shows. Once I was sure he was following me, I turned completely around only to find him masturbating while walking towards me. I was so disgusted that I said "eww" and ran home.
On a brighter note, I have gained some cool new girlfriends. That is quite refreshing. It seems like the longer people stay here, the closer that group gets. I am already considering staying another year and this one just began. I love my job. It may be time to sell my house in Atlanta!

Nigeria Here I Come!

2010-04-02T18:55:00.003-04:00

I have been so busy lately! I am trying to make as much cash as possible so that I can pay off my bills. I bought my plane ticket to Nigeria. But this morning, I checked my bank account and the money hadn't been withdrawn yet. They better not make me slap a ho! I called to confirm and they said everything was fine, but I am still a little nervous.
I have been really frugal lately. For those of you who don't know me well. Exercise and skipping meals are not in my vocabulary albeit I can't gain weight to save my soul! I have been taking the buses here in Jeonju and they have been very convenient. They are less than a dollar to go anywhere in the city. Sometimes it takes forever, but it is worth it to save taxi fare. On that note, I want my car back!!!! I have to carry so many things because going back and forth home between appointments is a hassle. I am getting a good workout running to catch buses that always seem to be coming as I am walking up to the bus stop. Bus drivers here are ruthless. You must give some kind of signal to show that you want to actually get on the bus or they will zoom right past you at the bus stop! They don't even slow down for the elderly. They (the elderly) seem to take it well. The bus irks and jerks and almost knocks these little old ladies and gentlemen down. They almost run to their seats to avoid being jerked onto the bus floor! I too am a victim of the death defying maneuvers of the buses.
I have been eating $2.50 sandwiches from Valley House and then top it off with a banana shake for $150 and a $1.50 muffin for dessert. Or I'll get $3.50 Bibimbap. I let Alex treat for the special meals. I am even skipping meals. My housing situation in Atlanta is still not resolved so that is a little stressful.
I started a second bible study that meets on Saturday mornings. It is an all women bible study and we are all about the same age. The one I attend on Thursday is mixed in terms of gender and age, so sometimes it's harder to relate.

The Joys of Dating in Korea

2010-03-23T21:46:00.006-04:00

I've been in Korea since November 2008. I haven't had a steady boyfriend since high school. I thought maybe I was being too picky. But I now have a boyfriend and if feels weird. I've been single for so long that my friends are treating me like I've announced my engagement. We met on Craigslist (of all places) and just connected. Many people ask me about dating in Korea and I always don't know how to answer that. I lucked up. But others haven't. The dating scene is on the internet in Korea.

I went to an oriental clinic. I got a leg massage by an air machine (see photo). It squeezed and released using air pressure. Then the "doctor" began the acupunture. That was an experience!

Side note: I joined a new bible study.

On another note, the social scene in Jeonju has been active... so sorry for not posting as much as I usually do.

Settling Back In

2010-03-20T20:08:00.002-04:00

I feel like I am back home. I have a phone, my internet is up and running, and my apartment is feeling a little more cozy. I spent nearly the first two weeks staying at Suh Hee's house because my place wasn't feeling like my place. Things are crazy back in the states. My tenants have moved out and now I need to solidify some new tenants in Atlanta, Georgia soon, so that I can have some spending money. I am planning on going to Nigeria in April. My grandmother passed and they will have the burial then.

Classes are going great. The students are responding well to my teaching techniques and it feels good. Almost every teacher in Sangsan High School has some basic English skills which is very comforting for me. While I work less and make less than when I worked at the hogwon, it is so worth it because I have my sanity. This week I taught a lesson entitile, "The Art of Conversation," where wee practices appropriate body language and verbal cues to show interest during first introductions or reintroductions. It was quite funny to say the least. I had to explain to them that while caressing someone's forearm is showing platonic interest in Asia, that kind of affection shows romantic interest in the West. I also had to teach them that the double hand wave was only an Asian greeting and looks quite strange to outsiders. The last thing that stood out was how they use the phrase, "nice to meet you." In Korea, "nice to meet you" means "nice meeting with you." The subtle difference makes for some funny first conversations.

I attended a traditional Korean wedding which was interesting to say the least. The bride, my coworker, blonde hair blue eyed girl from Michigan and the groom, homegrown Korean with mediocre language skills were wearing hanbok or traditional Korean clothes. What made it so interesting was that they choose to marry this way when 1/100 Koreans have traditional weddings. In fact, most have western-styled wedding in a wedding hall. To top it all off, the bride couldn't understand anything the host (priest-role in American weddings) was saying.

Nightlife in Jeonju is always up around this time of year. There are a lot of new people coming in and many old folks leaving because it is the beginning of the school year in March. While I am not a big fan of the drinking/smoking scene, I go show my face.

Today I am going to Seoul to try some Thai food and attend a movie showing in Itaewon. Looking forward to it. Full report to come.

No Alien Registration Card, No Service

2010-02-17T14:48:00.007-05:00

These last couple of days have been a little disappointing. Since I have no Alien Registration Card (social security card equivalent), I have to lay low for about a week. I even need this card if I want to purchase a pre-paid phone! I guess each phone needs to be registered to one person... maybe in case of some criminal activity. Nevertheless, I am phoneless and stationary until then. Rachel and Anique are gone and I have one close friend left - Suh Hee. She has been amazing. I haven't wanted to go to my apartment just yet because they have not turned on the Internet and had not cleaned it. I cannot live without Internet. The apartment building I now stay in is very old and makes me miss my old clean place.
Note to self: Never arrive in Korea during Lunar New Year holiday.
This delayed my business drastically. Let's see- I arrived Friday night and no business is done on the weekends. Banks and post offices are open M-F 9-4 no exceptions. Monday was the holiday, so couldn't do anything then. Tuesday I met with my manager (who is leaving his position as of tomorrow!) and because this is not my first rodeo I asked him about getting everything ready for my ARC (Alien registration card). He looked at me puzzled. Good thing I asked.
So we were off to get my health check up. This thing was pretty intensive, but quick. The Korean physical included the following: hearing test (the sound was so faint I was convinced that I was making up the sounds in my head), sight test, measuring of my chest (not sure what that was about), color blind test, chest x-ray, urine test, and blood test. They checked my blood for drug use or AIDS/STI's.
The urine test was peculiar. I was given a small paper cup and two glass "science class" tubes. I was instructed to pee in the cup and then transfer the urine into the tubes. After I start peeing, I realize that there is no toilet paper in the stall and that I was supposed to grab a handful from the dispenser by the sink... I shake as dry as I can, open the door to the stall, hurry and grab some toilet paper. I wipe thoroughly and then trying to balance with my pants down pouring the urine into tubes. When I was finished I felt like I deserved an Olympic medal.
I tried to open a bank account with my passport only to find out that I needed my ARC card for that too! They said that I could open an account with my passport if I were a tourist, but since I was working there, I needed that card. So the next day, I picked up the sheet of paper from the hospital that said I had a clean bill of health and was drug and disease free. We took this paper and few others to the immigration office and I should get the card in about a week. It is quite inconvenient to say the least but what can I do. I think I may get a cell phone in my Korean friend's name tomorrow.
I moved some of my things to a "better" apartment yesterday. On the way in the building, two women stopped me, grabbed my hand and express sincere delight to see me. These women were strangers to me, but I felt like Eddie Murphy King of Zamunda in the movie "Coming to America." It was a little embarrassing, but I made the best of it. I told them to come visit me at my apartment.... a comment I now regret finding out that they were church ladies. They have the equivalent of Jehovah's witness's knock on doors here in Korea and it is more annoying because there is a language barrier that they refuse to acknowledge.
All in all, I am sort of settle and looking forward to my first week of work at my new school!

Arrived Safely!

2010-02-15T17:49:00.003-05:00

Arriving in Korea this second time around is really exciting. I think I am so comfortable here that I forgot to ask my employer what I should be doing these first couple of days and when I actually start working. When I stepped off my direct flight from Atlanta (I suggests direct flights as the most hassle free option), I knew exactly where to go and how to get there. I walked past a girl about to get hussled by a taxi driver just like I had almost been a year ago. I kindly warned her against taking a taxi and went to my bus stop. As I stood in line waiting for the bus, I decided to ask a group of teenage girls to borrow their cell phone. I used my somewhat broken Korean and called my friend Suh Hee to let her know that I'd arrived and was on my way. I said "thank you" in Korean and one of the girls said "you're welcome" in English while giggling. Speaking another language always feels a little silly in the beginning stages.
I decided to stay in the Seoul area and meet up with griends Joy and Eve for breakfast the next morning. There may be just one American-style breakfast place in Korea (called Butterfingers near the Gungnam subway station) and it was my first time going, so I was eagely anticipating the meal. I ate a belgium waffle -with strawberry compote and whipped cream- and Eve's hashbrowns. Next we all decided to go to what may be the largest Sauna/JimJillbang in the world. There are 7 floors and lots of entertainment. Jet lag got the best of me and I slept almost the entire visit.
It really sucks being in Korea without a cell phone but I may have to wait a long time for one. When you arrive in Korea, you are handicapped for a while until you get your green card (alien registration card). This card helps open up a bank account, sign up for a cell phone plan, and other official business. It is like my temporary social security card. They take up to two weeks to get. When you are new to Korea, it doesn't matter, but once you've lived here for a while, you just want to continue where you left off.

411 on Teaching in Korea

2010-02-05T17:15:00.006-05:00

Sorry for all the "ums" this is my first video and I didn't prepare.
Some things I forgot to speak on in the video:
Koreans are always in a hurry going nowhere fast (as my mother used to always say). They will push, shove, and knock you out of their way if it will get something done faster. They will also run you off the road in your car. With all of that said, they will treat you like a royalty if you come to their home. They will pay for your meal if you eat out with them. Koreans are very loyal to their friends.
JeonjuHub.com is a great website.

Dancing the Night Away! Atlanta, Ga, USA

2010-01-30T19:43:00.009-05:00

I am now in Atlanta awaiting my return back to Jeonju, South Korea. I have to admit, I really really miss Korea. As much as I love Atlanta, Korea has been on my mind a lot. Funny thing is when I arrive in Korea, I will start missing Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
I had a chance to practice the salsa moves I learned in Korea. When I left Atlanta a year and a half ago, I was such a beginner. Now, I came back to show off and boy did I learn some new moves. Salsa is so addictive. There is so much to learn and I learn the most on the dance floor. The classes just confuse me. I have been out dancing three times since I've been back and met my friend Jung. We used to dance back in Korea and now he is at Ga Tech studying for his PhD. It was good to see him.
I have been eating all the foods I've missed and it is starting to show around my midsection. I've been eating Pillsbury chocolate chip cookies, baked potatoes, steaks, cheese, butter, sour cream, and lots of bread!

My Friends have been absolutely amazing! I don’t have a car or relatives here, but I have been really taken care of by my Atlanta friends.
I tried the American Korean-styled sauna and it is twice as expensive as Korea (like I thought). I spent $73 for entrance fee, food, drink, and scrub. It would have cost me about $30 in Korea for better food, service, and amenities. Nevertheless, I was happy to get scrubbed down! I talked my friend Ferrah into going with me.
It is time for my second stint in Korea and so I had to do my paperwork all over again. I had to send my criminal background check along with a notarized copy of my college diploma over to my new school. They will in turn get me a visa number and then I will have to go to the Korean Embassy for an interview and to pick up my work visa. Hopefully, that will all happen next week.
I am really excited about my new school. It is a really prestigious private high school named Sang San High School. The school is known for treating its employees well. I am looking forward to that.

The Beautiful Side of Panama

2009-12-23T12:51:00.003-05:00

I will not miss the roosters nor the mosquitoes in Panama. My legs look like I just had a chicken pox outbreak. I have not had a full nights rest since I’ve been in Panama mostly due to their vicious nightly attacks and the rooster’s incessant cock-a-doodle-doos each and every morning beginning around 4:30 and stopping around dusk. I finally got to get away from the roosters and headed up to the foothills for a couple of days. After that, we headed out to the Caribbean Sea side of Panama to check out the beaches. All of it was absolutely gorgeous!!! The water was a marvelous green and the sand was just big enough not to get stuck in my crotch (like it does in Miami or Busan). I must say though, the amount of sand was lacking. There was lots of Coral and sand underwater, but the beachside sand was minimal.
We stayed with the most delightful family in the cutest house. The couple had brought their grandson up from Panama City to relax for the weekend. It was a 3-bedroom house surrounded by well groomed, exotic greenery. There were hammocks everywhere and two of the three bedrooms had five beds each. I later learned that the couple asks their church friends up often for a retreat from the city. They fed us well and showed us around town. Of course I brought the rain, so day 1 was mostly getting to know the couple. The grandson was one of the happiest children I’ve seen in all my life. He had so much energy and so much affection that I really grew attached to him in the short time we were in his company (less than 24 hours). He attends a mostly Chinese private elementary school where they teach primarily in English and teach Mandarin as a second language. He is only five and it was so nice to hear him sing his ABC’s slurring his letters when he got to one he didn’t know (just like American children when they get to L-M-N-O-P).

I felt like I was in that video game “Amazon Rain Forest” where you take pictures of all the colorful, exotic birds and animals. It was awesome. I have always wanted to go zip lining and I am glad I finally did. The guide let me stop directly in front of the water fall and take a picture. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not absolutely terrified considering my fear of heights. I thought that I would get to the top and want to turn back around. However, I was like an old pro… starting and stopping at will and keeping my seated position facing forward. It was quite invigorating… all five minutes of it! It went a lot quicker than I expected for $52. All in all, it took exactly an hour, but that is because I was hiking to the drop point for 45 minutes. The guide spoke a good bit of English and pointed out the special animals and plants in the canopy that I may have otherwise missed.
Next, we were off the zoo which was wonderful (see Facebook pics). The birds were just delightful and I was able to see some rare species of Frogs. After the zoo was the hot springs, which I imagined would look peaceful and serene. I also imagined lots of dark colored rocks and clear warm water. I was really praying for warm water as I haven’t felt any for almost three weeks now. When we arrived, I was a little brokenhearted to find brown murky water being pumped from somewhere into two manmade pools. People were covered in mud in hopes of rejuvenating their skin and I was standing their smile turned upside down. I made the best of it. The warm water still felt good regardless of the color. Apparently, the color is due to a long list of minerals found in the water which also emitted a mineral smell of some sort.
The following day, we began our trek for Colon, where most of the people are of African decent being so close to the Caribbean. It is also considered the most dangerous part of Panama (although they looked pretty civil to me). Once we reached the island, I felt like I was on survivor or one of those deserted island movies. The body of water was vast and the islands were just filled with trees and I couldn’t help wondering … where are all the people? We had to pay a guy to take us to the island of our hotel and we ran out of gas. It is funny now, but not so funny then. He fumbled around with all his gas cans and told us it was difficult to find gas (exactly what I wanted to hear). But finally did enough for us to make it to the dock, thank the lord.
Panama is an interesting place. Most of the inhabitants don’t have the money to enjoy its beauty. It is a shame, because this place is breathtaking.

Panama (This is a long one)

2009-12-12T13:04:00.006-05:00

My time in Panama has been an interesting one. When I left the airport, I was reminded how it feels to be in a foreign land and to not have the language skills to move independently. While many Panamanians speak English, the bilingual population typically doesn’t work in a service capacity. My 5 years of Spanish language instruction was not paying off. At immigration, the woman starting speaking and couldn’t understand a word. A man escorted me to another man who told me that I need to give him $5. I only had a $20 bill. He motioned for me to go find change. WTF! I started to panic a little because how in the hell was I supposed to ask for change. To make matters worse, my host was waiting for me because my plane was an hour late. I did not have a phone to call and my mind was going a mile a minute. In the end, I bought some water from a restaurant, paid the $5, and proceeded to baggage claim. Luckily, my host was also running an hour late and arrived minutes after I left the baggage claim.
Unbeknownst to me, my host had not confirmed our living arrangements and soon found out that we would both be nomads for the three weeks that I was in town. The first stop was the Panama Canal to see the big boats pass through. It was a little less excited than I expected. There were these huge boats moving at a snail’s pace, maybe slower, through the canal. Next, we were off to the ‘old’ city to look at antique buildings and walk around to take in the ambiance. I had no idea that Latin American countries were so run down. When I went to Korea, I expected huts and got commercial districts. When I came to Panama, I expected tropical paradise and got extreme poverty first-hand. Minimal wage is $1.39. Ninety-five percent of the population lives on somewhere between $200 and $1000 per month, where a $400 household monthly salary represents the middle class.
Prostitution is legal. I met a guy that used to catch Americans traveling trying to have sex with young girls. He gave me the skinny on that side of Panama. Later that day, I saw girls getting arrested for prostitution! Apparently, it is only legal if you register yourself as a professional prostitute who has routine doctor visits.
People are locked into their homes by some sort of prison gate at the font door that can only be opened and closed with a key. I am not sure what the crime rate is, but I always feel safer when I am surrounded by people. There are lots of people here crammed in public space and it seems private space due to financial constraints. I was on the bus (which costs 0.25 cents) and the bus driver was playing Reggae music, often referred to as reggaeton. That was funny because it reminded me of the background music to grand theft auto or one of those criminal video games. The buses are a sight. They are actually poorly refurbished school buses that are covered with graffiti inside and out. The row of seats behind the bus driver is supposed to seat three and the other side is supposed to seat two. When the buses are packed, people stand in the aisles, too. I failed to mention that the temperature is in the 80’s and 90’s daily throughout the year. December to May is considered summer because it is the dry season.
I instantly had culture shock when I arrived in Panama. This place is so diverse it is amazing. If America is a melting pot, then Panama is casserole. It’s really phenomenal to see people of all shades speaking Spanish. The man with blue eyes and blonde hair speaking Spanish to the man with black kinky hair and the darkest skin I’ve ever seen. There are people here who look one hundred percent Indian or Chinese or European. I fit right in… people keep telling me I look Panamanian. They say if I keep my mouth shut, anyone would think I was born here. I don’t feel out of place like I did when I was in Korea, where 98% of the country is Korean and of Asian decent.
Yesterday, I had the best Indian food. I had some good Panamanian Sancocho soup. It was tasty. It is like a chicken soup. I also had something called Goyo, a corn dish (the name reminds me of Goya). This was after another fresh water shower. There is no hot water spicket in most places. Although it is general hot here, I still would like to have some warm bath water. Nevertheless, I am getting used to it. I love the palm trees and saw a nocturnal butterfly for the first time last night before we went salsa dancing.

My Family

2009-11-28T11:40:00.004-05:00

I love this time of year. People are always so happy when they are eating good. It is better than Christmas because people aren't thinking about all the money they've spent or how in debt they are. This is the first year that I have felt 100% comfortable at my dad's house in 16 years. But better late than never. It is also my first time that I've actually had fun meeting people and going out here in Oklahoma City thanks to some serious jet lag.
I went to the gun range yesterday and I was a nervous wreck. I don't like guns or the fact that people kill each other. I shot the gun (Sig 9) and I am glad it is over. It was a lot less glamorous than I imagined it. There were shells all over the floor and it was so loud. Now I know why gangsters listen to music so loud... there eardrums are shot from the shooting.

Back in the US

2009-11-22T18:17:00.003-05:00

I have pictures to upload later, but I am in Oklahoma City. Last night I went to the OK Corale and danced salsa with some Mexican locals. It was a lot of fun as usual, but much more relaxed than Korean salsa clubs. I took advantage of my jet lag and around 2am headed to the Caribbean club next door. I danced until 4 . I felt sexy and needed to release some pent up energy for soulful dance.
I also ate some really good Indian food, too. My time here has traditionally been really boring, so it's refreshing now that my sister is old enough to have some connections for me to go out. I have to admit, I was a little worried coming here without my sister closest in age because we can usually go out together.
I finally feel at home at my dad's house. It has taken 16 years! But it still feels great.

Traveling Nightmares in Shanghai!!!

2009-11-21T04:31:00.004-05:00

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. I am writing from the U.S. so I've made it home safely. But a week ago, I was getting off the plane in Shanghai, China (Obama was in town too coincidentally) and realized I didn't have my wallet when I reached the Maglev train to the city. I didn't know it at the time, but the Maglev train is the only magnetic levitation train in the world. During rush hour it goes something like 436 km/hr. I didn't get to ride it though because I was in a foreign country with no money and no credit cards. The old adage "don't put all your eggs in one basket" kept playing like a broken record in my head. I visited the lost and found and had the airline check the flight, but no one could find it. It had only been an hour since I left the plane and I remember having it on the plane. It just vanished. So then I had to figure out how I was going to get to my host.
Luckily, I had a phone number for him and after realizing he had to come to get me, he reluctantly left his newborn baby and wife home to drive 45 minutes to come get me. I was so grateful, but I had a real problem. I was on vacation with no money and no phone to call for help. None of my family members accept collect calls and you can't call collect to a cell phone. I just wanted to scream.
After spending half the night on the internet in my hosts' freezing living room, I went to sleep. It took half the next day before I reached someone I knew (time difference played a major role), but I had money in minutes. A friend sent me some money using Western Union Money in Minutes Service. With a credit or debit card, it is like making an online purchase. In china, that service is available for pickup at any major post office, so it was really convenient.
Once I had money, I decided to go sightseeing and was bummed to find out the temperature was below freezing and it was raining heavily for an entire day. I set out anyway only to find myself back at my host's bone chilling 7 bedroom apartment and slept most of the day.
That night we had a steak dinner and went out for massages. My host's wife, being a new mother, was in desperate need of a rest from her newborn and I was happy she got it. The massages were amazing!!! I was absolutely relaxed until we had to go back to the cold, rainy weather.
The next day, I went to the tallest building in the city and looked around. I then ate at a western style restaurant and headed to collect my bags and finally take the world-famous Maglev train. Boy was it fast. That 45 trip turned into 7 minutes on the Maglev.

Got a Job Offer to Return to Korea mid-February

2009-11-03T21:49:00.007-05:00

My contract with CDI is up on November 13. On the 14, I am going to Shanghai to see what China is all about. I was excited to find a plane ticket for $150 dollars and then was bummed to find out the tourist visa cost was also $150. Regardless, I am going and it should be fun!

I decided to travel a bit before my new contract begins in February. Panama, Germany, Canada, Nigeria. I know they are so random and so far away from each other, but I have friends or family in each and I want to visit them since I don't know when I will have another opportunity. Packing is an ordeal because I am such a pack rat. I have to part with my things and I have to keep reminding myself they are just things!

I had the most amazing beef the other day. They let you cook it on a range built into the middle of the table and give you some delicious dipping sauce. So delicious. I am trying to overdose on the food I will miss. I had Tak kalbi last night and will probably have it again on Friday.

In bible study, we are watching a video series on child rearing. It is called "Shepharding a Child's Heart." It is really good! Even though I don't have children yet, I think using a biblical base for parenting is a really powerful concept that I am sad to say I have never thought about.

Korean class is going well. The class goes until December, so I am going to miss four weeks. I have learned a lot. I am excited to come back and use it! It took me a year to be comfortably a beginner. I consider myself an advanced beginner now. Haha!

Last week I had to go to the pension office to let them know I am leaving and to cash out my pension. I needed my flight itinerary, passport, US bank information, and to fill out some paperwork. My employer has paid into my pension every month, so I will have a nice chunk of change to leave with. Now I need to find the tax office.

Yesterday, I had to take a friend to get the Morning After Pill (also know as Plan B). I thought it would be quite a hassle, but it was pretty easy. The pill's brand name is NORLEVO (levonorgestrel). Just in case anyone else needs it, I figured I would post it.

Going Home... Changed my Mind

2009-10-16T12:20:00.001-04:00

So I decided to go home for good. I leave Korea November 20 and I am really excited. Now I have to sell the car, pack, and ship stuff home.

Choseok or Korean Thanksgiving!

2009-10-04T08:04:00.004-04:00

More Books

2009-09-22T21:42:00.003-04:00

Now we are reading American Gods. It is an interesting book about some guy who travels across America running into these surreal creatures disguised as humans. I am really slow reading this book for some reason. I have felt really tired lately.
I am also trying to figure out my transition into my new job. I want to work in a public school in Jeonju. I also want to start pretty quickly after my contracts ends with my current employer. And on top of all that, I want to be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although it seems I will have to pick one for money reasons.
Piano is getting harder and I am starting to realize that me now studying for the GMAT is delaying my plans for business school. I am taking a Teaching English as a Second Language Course at a local university and I am learning a lot. Korea class is really difficult this term. The teacher moves really quickly and I forget to study at night. No rest for the weary.

Books! I love books!

2009-09-08T19:41:00.005-04:00

I have been reading a lot as usual. The latest book was Black Like Me about a white male journalist who took some medicine to darken his skin and go into the deep south during the 1950's to uncover racism.....................................It made for a very lively discussion. Actually, the first discussion was at Starbucks and the second at a Shabu Shabu restaurant that I love.

Keep in Mind English is their 2nd Language

2009-08-28T21:31:00.004-04:00

My sister teased me about my students lack of fluency in the English language, so I felt compelled to put things into perspective. While these kids may not speak in full, grammatically correct sentences, their ideas are being conveyed and that is more than I can say for most of the English students in Korea. The languages are so different that it is really difficult to speak comfortably. These students are low level students who are mostly in elementary and middle school. Compare your level of Spanish or French by the time you finished high school and think about whether or not you would be able to present your ideas as clearly as these students are in the video.

Black in Korea: Jasmine Taiwo is Teaching in Jeonju, South Korea ( blog - life in Korea )

Korean Cuisine

Top Recruiting Agencies Teaching in Korea

Phucket, Thailand... Kata Beach, Malisa Villa Suites

Activities & Services

Getting to Jeonju from the Airport by bus

Getting Ready to Teach in Korea

Top 10 Ways to Get Koreans to Love You

Christmas in Korea

Teaching Tip # 4 Semester End Activities

How to Change the World

Christmas Themed Review Teaching in Korea Tip # 3

Sex Education in the Classrooom

Options if you don't pass the Korean SAT

officialtaiwo@ yahoo.com

Teaching in Korea Tip # 2 Games: Around the World

Thanksgiving in Korea

Teaching in Korea Tip # 1 Competitive Activities, Games, and Other Techniques

Teaching Techniques

Halloween in Korea (Candy Apples- Yum!)

Video in the Classroom

Korean Culture and Food University Interview Questions Answered

This week's quesetions answered.

New Semester Idea

My Trip Home

Weekly workouts!

May in a Nutshell

My Hairdresser Left Me!

New Semester, New Students, New Routine

Extending My Visa and My Brithday Weekend

Japan

LG Gas Card and Paying Bills Online

Thailand Part 1

Thailand Part 2

My Little Sister is Here! So happy!

Thanksgiving in Korea

Overdue Update

Chuseok

Osan Air Force Base

Things are great!

Life is good!

Discount Cards

Relaxing in Busan

School Year is Over

Teaching Techniques

Summer Intensive Korean Classes at Chonbuk National University

I love my job! (Information about sending $ to the US)

Korea's (Foriegner) English Helpline 1330

Private Teaching in Korea

Teaching Privately/Private Tutoring

Teaching at SangSan

So Grateful for Hot Water!

Nigeria

Recent Questions Answered About Moving To Korea

Got my Nigerian Visa and leave Today!

Perverts Alive and Well in Korea

Nigeria Here I Come!

The Joys of Dating in Korea

Settling Back In

No Alien Registration Card, No Service

Arrived Safely!

411 on Teaching in Korea

Dancing the Night Away! Atlanta, Ga, USA

The Beautiful Side of Panama

Panama (This is a long one)

My Family

Back in the US

Traveling Nightmares in Shanghai!!!

Got a Job Offer to Return to Korea mid-February

Going Home... Changed my Mind

Choseok or Korean Thanksgiving!

More Books

Books! I love books!

Keep in Mind English is their 2nd Language