Scandals In The South
FUSSIN'
Koreans have an indirect way of fussing. They beat around the bush about almost everything even remotely uncomfortable. The disadvantage of this is that if they really are just casually chatting, you are unsure how to take it. Are they hinting around? Or do they really just want to jaw about something insignificant? I recently observed my Assistant Director being very unprofessional about one of our substitute teachers. For a good ten minutes in our Monday meeting, she talked about what she didn’t like about this particular teacher. Not only is this uncalled for and unnecessary, the substitute didn’t have any idea that the situation was as ugly as it was painted to peers. Now why should all the other teachers know about a problem before the source? Seems bad for morale and effectiveness, in my humble opinion. Though my June vacation timing was less than desirable for some of my coworkers, no one told me I couldn’t take it. Had I assumed my coworkers would tell me “absolutely not!” if asked, I might not have gone. But in fact, they would prefer not to say it to me (and probably said it to other teachers). I seem to have been the catalyst for everyone else taking vacation because not one single member of the staff or admin hasn’t been on an extended weekend—at a minimum—since, and most have taken a week. The one who made the biggest fuss about my trip went on the longest vacation (and is one and the same with the AD mentioned above). So how is one supposed to interpret such behavior and roundabout suggestions? I’ve decided that you aren’t. If they want to work with Westerners and want to make a point, they need to just learn to make it. They can’t expect everyone to walk in here and just “get” their ways and behave accordingly. What kind if international relations would we have if everyone from different cultures and countries were to act on assumptions? Yikes!
SOCCER: SEOUL vs. TOKYO
This past weekend was one of my last in Seoul, so my friend Gus asked if Sam and I wanted to attend the Korea vs Japan soccer match. We thought it would be good scandalous fun to watch these nemeses pitted against each other on the green grass in World Cup Stadium... and tickets were free. As it turned out, the game was actually Seoul vs Tokyo under the Football Club Seoul umbrella, but we decided to stick around anyway. Sam and I got there 3 hours early and found a quiet, mini-mountain off to the side of the stadium, where we hiked up a few stories worth of hill and plopped ourselves on a bench with reading material purchased on Yongsan Army post. After mosquitoes, spiders, and other unknown critters snacked on my white, unprotected skin, we headed down to meet Gus and take our seats. Two minutes into the game, Seoul scored. I turned to Gus and said, “Watch, they won’t score the rest of the game now!” The stadium was about half empty, but looked near capacity further into the game. We snacked on dried squid, fried chicken, beer and water. There was a halftime show that included the mayors of both Seoul and Tokyo, trying to promote peaceful relations between the nations. One particular player—married to the former Ms Korea—was retiring, so he was presented with flowers, a trophy, and other whatnots. Later, at 84 minutes into the match, Seoul scored again. And a final goal at 86 minutes! I’m no soccer connoisseur, but I called this one! We decided to attempt to beat the crowd out, since it was apparent that Tokyo couldn’t make a comeback with 4 minutes to go.
SEONYUDO
Sunday I looked through my Seoul’s Best 100 book and decided on 2 more “must sees” before I leave. Seonyudo and the 63 building. Seonyudo is an islet in the middle of the Han River with a water plant park, a large café, Rainbow bridge that leads over to the other side of the city, a museum and visitors center, etc. Weather here is hot and humid these days, though not quite as smothering as a good Louisiana summer day. So hanging out around 4pm at this islet was certainly toasty, but bearable. We watched little Korean children swimming and playing in a stream, we saw many families and groups out on their blankets in the shade. We had ice cream, fries and citrus refresher drinks at the café, we meandered through the water plant park (lily pads and other tall grasses—a bit of a rip-off for a botanist, but suitable for your typical tourist) and enjoyed the peace that this park seemingly in touch with nature, even though smack in the middle of the world’s 5th largest city, had to offer.
AMERICAN STEREOTYPING
Have you ever forgotten to put on deodorant? I had a roommate—one I considered fairly prissy—who skipped a class one day because she realized she’d forgotten her anti-smell application that morning and headed home to put it on. (That’s probably not the “Secret” that particular manufacturer had in mind!) Well the other morning I was at the corner near my apartment and realized I’d done the same thing. I didn’t want to turn back, but I knew that in this roasting weather I’d give my coworkers a reason to stay far away from me if I didn’t do something. Hello Taxi! I hopped in the air conditioned Hyundai and took the $2 route to work. As I was getting out, my driver asked if I was Canadian. I told him that no, I’m from America. He looked surprised and said that I must not eat hamburgers, because I am so skinny. Ha!
LOST IN TRANSLATION — OR THE KTX!
I decided that my Hawaii-bound boyfriend needed some flip flops—both because he only currently has two left ones that he actually wears when he’s doing laundry, and because what better accessory could a guy have if he’s going to live on an island? We found some on sale last weekend at Seoul Station just before he boarded his train home. Unfortunately, at the end of his 2-hour ride, he didn’t wake up in time to grab everything when he was exiting, and the shoes went on to Busan without him. Oops. So this weekend, we purchased his return ticket before we checked with the Lost and Found. They brought us a bag identical to the one left on the train, but with someone’s dress shoes. All of our communicating was in broken Korean and English, so it was an amusing comedy of errors to get it all explained. After purchasing my KTX discount cards, I’ve become quite fond of the semi-bilingual lady who works at the Tourist Information Desk. She could stand to be a lot friendlier and more knowledgeable, but beggars can’t be choosers. So After several dead ends with the Lost and Found crew, the woman helping us left only to return shortly with the Tourist Info lady to help. The same one we’d just purchased a ticket from. “Oh!” she exclaimed as she slightly recoiled when she saw us. Sam and I looked at one another and laughed. Well, they weren’t able to find his shoes in Busan (I’m convinced they’re there, but that’s beside the point). We tried to buy another pair, but they were out of his size. The summer sandals, and we, are lost in translation.
KOREA AND KOSOVO
My upper level class is reading an abridged version of Pride and Prejudice. I attempt to bring out the difference in two characters and their view on love and marriage (this is recommended in my Teacher’s Guide). So I pose the idea to my students of what is important in a marriage. Even when they have no idea what I’m going for, they typically throw out some ideas and get the ball rolling. I looked at one of the boys and asked what he thought. “How do we know?” he said, “We are just kids!” How can you do anything but laugh at that? I eventually took the class in the direction we needed, it’s just a matter of comparing it to something that reaches them. And speaking of teaching, my great aunt recently sent me two books she read with her Oklahoma Book Club. One is Paula Huntley’s The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo about a woman whose husband had been recruited to help rework the legal system of the country after the war there and her story is of what she taught—and more importantly, learned—by teaching English through literature, etc. The book’s arrival was truly perfect timing. I’m still less than 1/4 through it, but diving into what the author is thinking as a novice in this foreign land I can’t help but compare it to my initial feelings 363 days ago. Though Korea is hardly Kosovo—even with the Korean War history that’s 50 years old, this country has made a remarkable recovery, much to the surprise and maybe chagrin of any North Koreans who make it out and are ever able to see Seoul a mere 40 miles from their southern border—there’s something similar to be found.
COMIN' HOME
I'm thinking about not traveling at all and just returning to the US. A Korean cop stopped me this morning on my way back from the gym and post office. I was carrying flattened boxes and luckily my purse (I usually just carry my gym card when I go there, but since I had to buy boxes I brought my purse today). He asked for my ID, where I'm from—Canada or America, what state (at which point I thought, "That card has all the info about me that this country thinks you should know!" but I reluctantly cooperated), where I live here, how long, etc. The sheet he wrote my info down on said "Should... Should have... Have not" so I wondered if he just wanted an excuse to practice English. Then he started saying, "Foreign criminal" and I asked, "What's the problem?" He couldn't really get anything else out. I said, "Was there a crime?" and he said "No, no crime." I said, "So because I am a foreigner, I'm a criminal?" and he said no. He punched my ID number into his phone and then gave the card back and said OK. I was trying to call every bilingual person I knew, but no dice. Then he said, "I must go!" and crossed the street. I'm not particularly worried, but I was certainly miffed. Some caveat would have been nice besides just “foreign criminal.” I wonder if when I try to leave they'll tell me "Oh no, you came up on the police computer!" or something. Mercy! So anyway, I'll think about it over the weekend. I don't want to skip traveling and regret it... but I am ready to leave. Additionally, my director is on vacation this week and the AD started some scandal yesterday about our move out date of our apartments. I don't really care because I was planning to be finished early anyway, but my coworker who lives in the same building was hollering and threatening to quit, etc. Furthermore, there's always plenty of work to be done at home. And I could save the dough!
Copyright 2006 Olivia R. Reed
Koreans have an indirect way of fussing. They beat around the bush about almost everything even remotely uncomfortable. The disadvantage of this is that if they really are just casually chatting, you are unsure how to take it. Are they hinting around? Or do they really just want to jaw about something insignificant? I recently observed my Assistant Director being very unprofessional about one of our substitute teachers. For a good ten minutes in our Monday meeting, she talked about what she didn’t like about this particular teacher. Not only is this uncalled for and unnecessary, the substitute didn’t have any idea that the situation was as ugly as it was painted to peers. Now why should all the other teachers know about a problem before the source? Seems bad for morale and effectiveness, in my humble opinion. Though my June vacation timing was less than desirable for some of my coworkers, no one told me I couldn’t take it. Had I assumed my coworkers would tell me “absolutely not!” if asked, I might not have gone. But in fact, they would prefer not to say it to me (and probably said it to other teachers). I seem to have been the catalyst for everyone else taking vacation because not one single member of the staff or admin hasn’t been on an extended weekend—at a minimum—since, and most have taken a week. The one who made the biggest fuss about my trip went on the longest vacation (and is one and the same with the AD mentioned above). So how is one supposed to interpret such behavior and roundabout suggestions? I’ve decided that you aren’t. If they want to work with Westerners and want to make a point, they need to just learn to make it. They can’t expect everyone to walk in here and just “get” their ways and behave accordingly. What kind if international relations would we have if everyone from different cultures and countries were to act on assumptions? Yikes!
SOCCER: SEOUL vs. TOKYO
This past weekend was one of my last in Seoul, so my friend Gus asked if Sam and I wanted to attend the Korea vs Japan soccer match. We thought it would be good scandalous fun to watch these nemeses pitted against each other on the green grass in World Cup Stadium... and tickets were free. As it turned out, the game was actually Seoul vs Tokyo under the Football Club Seoul umbrella, but we decided to stick around anyway. Sam and I got there 3 hours early and found a quiet, mini-mountain off to the side of the stadium, where we hiked up a few stories worth of hill and plopped ourselves on a bench with reading material purchased on Yongsan Army post. After mosquitoes, spiders, and other unknown critters snacked on my white, unprotected skin, we headed down to meet Gus and take our seats. Two minutes into the game, Seoul scored. I turned to Gus and said, “Watch, they won’t score the rest of the game now!” The stadium was about half empty, but looked near capacity further into the game. We snacked on dried squid, fried chicken, beer and water. There was a halftime show that included the mayors of both Seoul and Tokyo, trying to promote peaceful relations between the nations. One particular player—married to the former Ms Korea—was retiring, so he was presented with flowers, a trophy, and other whatnots. Later, at 84 minutes into the match, Seoul scored again. And a final goal at 86 minutes! I’m no soccer connoisseur, but I called this one! We decided to attempt to beat the crowd out, since it was apparent that Tokyo couldn’t make a comeback with 4 minutes to go.
SEONYUDO
Sunday I looked through my Seoul’s Best 100 book and decided on 2 more “must sees” before I leave. Seonyudo and the 63 building. Seonyudo is an islet in the middle of the Han River with a water plant park, a large café, Rainbow bridge that leads over to the other side of the city, a museum and visitors center, etc. Weather here is hot and humid these days, though not quite as smothering as a good Louisiana summer day. So hanging out around 4pm at this islet was certainly toasty, but bearable. We watched little Korean children swimming and playing in a stream, we saw many families and groups out on their blankets in the shade. We had ice cream, fries and citrus refresher drinks at the café, we meandered through the water plant park (lily pads and other tall grasses—a bit of a rip-off for a botanist, but suitable for your typical tourist) and enjoyed the peace that this park seemingly in touch with nature, even though smack in the middle of the world’s 5th largest city, had to offer.
AMERICAN STEREOTYPING
Have you ever forgotten to put on deodorant? I had a roommate—one I considered fairly prissy—who skipped a class one day because she realized she’d forgotten her anti-smell application that morning and headed home to put it on. (That’s probably not the “Secret” that particular manufacturer had in mind!) Well the other morning I was at the corner near my apartment and realized I’d done the same thing. I didn’t want to turn back, but I knew that in this roasting weather I’d give my coworkers a reason to stay far away from me if I didn’t do something. Hello Taxi! I hopped in the air conditioned Hyundai and took the $2 route to work. As I was getting out, my driver asked if I was Canadian. I told him that no, I’m from America. He looked surprised and said that I must not eat hamburgers, because I am so skinny. Ha!
LOST IN TRANSLATION — OR THE KTX!
I decided that my Hawaii-bound boyfriend needed some flip flops—both because he only currently has two left ones that he actually wears when he’s doing laundry, and because what better accessory could a guy have if he’s going to live on an island? We found some on sale last weekend at Seoul Station just before he boarded his train home. Unfortunately, at the end of his 2-hour ride, he didn’t wake up in time to grab everything when he was exiting, and the shoes went on to Busan without him. Oops. So this weekend, we purchased his return ticket before we checked with the Lost and Found. They brought us a bag identical to the one left on the train, but with someone’s dress shoes. All of our communicating was in broken Korean and English, so it was an amusing comedy of errors to get it all explained. After purchasing my KTX discount cards, I’ve become quite fond of the semi-bilingual lady who works at the Tourist Information Desk. She could stand to be a lot friendlier and more knowledgeable, but beggars can’t be choosers. So After several dead ends with the Lost and Found crew, the woman helping us left only to return shortly with the Tourist Info lady to help. The same one we’d just purchased a ticket from. “Oh!” she exclaimed as she slightly recoiled when she saw us. Sam and I looked at one another and laughed. Well, they weren’t able to find his shoes in Busan (I’m convinced they’re there, but that’s beside the point). We tried to buy another pair, but they were out of his size. The summer sandals, and we, are lost in translation.
KOREA AND KOSOVO
My upper level class is reading an abridged version of Pride and Prejudice. I attempt to bring out the difference in two characters and their view on love and marriage (this is recommended in my Teacher’s Guide). So I pose the idea to my students of what is important in a marriage. Even when they have no idea what I’m going for, they typically throw out some ideas and get the ball rolling. I looked at one of the boys and asked what he thought. “How do we know?” he said, “We are just kids!” How can you do anything but laugh at that? I eventually took the class in the direction we needed, it’s just a matter of comparing it to something that reaches them. And speaking of teaching, my great aunt recently sent me two books she read with her Oklahoma Book Club. One is Paula Huntley’s The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo about a woman whose husband had been recruited to help rework the legal system of the country after the war there and her story is of what she taught—and more importantly, learned—by teaching English through literature, etc. The book’s arrival was truly perfect timing. I’m still less than 1/4 through it, but diving into what the author is thinking as a novice in this foreign land I can’t help but compare it to my initial feelings 363 days ago. Though Korea is hardly Kosovo—even with the Korean War history that’s 50 years old, this country has made a remarkable recovery, much to the surprise and maybe chagrin of any North Koreans who make it out and are ever able to see Seoul a mere 40 miles from their southern border—there’s something similar to be found.
COMIN' HOME
I'm thinking about not traveling at all and just returning to the US. A Korean cop stopped me this morning on my way back from the gym and post office. I was carrying flattened boxes and luckily my purse (I usually just carry my gym card when I go there, but since I had to buy boxes I brought my purse today). He asked for my ID, where I'm from—Canada or America, what state (at which point I thought, "That card has all the info about me that this country thinks you should know!" but I reluctantly cooperated), where I live here, how long, etc. The sheet he wrote my info down on said "Should... Should have... Have not" so I wondered if he just wanted an excuse to practice English. Then he started saying, "Foreign criminal" and I asked, "What's the problem?" He couldn't really get anything else out. I said, "Was there a crime?" and he said "No, no crime." I said, "So because I am a foreigner, I'm a criminal?" and he said no. He punched my ID number into his phone and then gave the card back and said OK. I was trying to call every bilingual person I knew, but no dice. Then he said, "I must go!" and crossed the street. I'm not particularly worried, but I was certainly miffed. Some caveat would have been nice besides just “foreign criminal.” I wonder if when I try to leave they'll tell me "Oh no, you came up on the police computer!" or something. Mercy! So anyway, I'll think about it over the weekend. I don't want to skip traveling and regret it... but I am ready to leave. Additionally, my director is on vacation this week and the AD started some scandal yesterday about our move out date of our apartments. I don't really care because I was planning to be finished early anyway, but my coworker who lives in the same building was hollering and threatening to quit, etc. Furthermore, there's always plenty of work to be done at home. And I could save the dough!
Copyright 2006 Olivia R. Reed
posted by LSULiv | 3:33 PM
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