Saturday, November 2, 2013

Peculiar Familiarities

I've been in Korea for about 8 months now. Though it is in many ways like living abroad in a new place, I've encountered some peculiar familiarities during my stint here so far. Beside the obvious fact that mostly everyone here looks pretty similar to each other and to me, I've noticed that there are common archetypes of human beings and particularly, of Koreans. I suspect that we've all experienced this phenomenon to some degree: you go to a new country and you see carbon copies of people you know or as you travel you begin to notice a similar face in each new country you visit. I've seen Ginny Kim, Jenny Song, Paul Park, Judy Ha, and others' doppelgangers among the student body at my school alone. Sometimes you see a Chris Kim's dad look-alike working as a shop attendant in some obscure crevice of Seoul.

In addition to the doppelgangers, and perhaps more notable, are the habits and customs that surrounded me in my rearing, which I was not fully able to appreciate until now. Among the myriad of examples I could cite, one of the most salient is the toothbrushing practice of Koreans. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day. I've always brushed my teeth twice a day because that's how I learned to brush from my dentist and from my elementary school teachers. But growing up in my parents' household, I can't count how many times I've argued with my parents over the number of times I should brush my teeth. I would get a nagging from my mom everytime I didn't brush after eating lunch at home. I could never understand why they made such a big deal of it. I came to Korea and now I understand. Everyone here brushes after lunch. People walk around with their toothbrushes. What impressed me most was the fact that people walk around campuses, airports, public bathrooms, and any other number of public places walking around, brushing as if in the comfort of their own homes. Now I understand. Funny the things you learn when you travel. Even funnier the things you learn when you go full circle back to the land your parents emigrated from.

Another interesting observation about Koreans is the kind of gifts that they tend to give, especially for prizes. I've always seen this at the annual Memorial Day picnic in Delaware among Koreans. The prizes are always toiletries, towels, and food, all in wholesale packaging. Then I saw that people got exactly those kinds of things here in Korea at a raffle. Again, something clicked in my head. It wasn't that the Koreans in Delaware or the people at my church were strange. It's just that Koreans are very good at preserving their way of life and thinking no matter where they are in the world. Upon reflection, those are good things to receive.


I could expound on a number of other observations such as the use of the word “sack” instead of “backpack” by my mom and Koreans in Korea; the use of unorthodox pieces of land for farming as done by my aunt and uncle in their backyard as in Korea the obscure plots of grass used near highway ramps and rice paddies that line the sides of country roads; how my mom needs to buy whatever produce is famous in a region as a gift for everyone as every place in Korea is famous for something. But you get my point. Being here in the fatherland, I've come to understand things about my parents that I otherwise never would have. 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Fishy Business

Yesterday after school a few of us teachers went to a small park area to enjoy the evening. I had an itch to go fishing. So while the others went to the toast place to get our dinner I went to a fishing shop to get a cheap fishing rod, reel, and a spinner. Toast is not like toast as we think of in America. Toast in Korea is more like a hot sandwich or a melt made with wonderbread. For less than 3 dollars, it is well-worth the value.

At the shop, I asked the clerk about the fishing in Eumseong. He told me the good places to go. I specifically asked him if the pond that I intended to fish in was fishable. I went so far as to pull out my smartphone, load the map, and point to the exact body of water. He answered affirmatively. Upon setting up my gear, I left the shop in a trot with a pang of excitement and rendezvoused with the others at the park.

In the park is a pond with a large island in the middle with narrow stone bridges that lead to it. On it is a gazebo-like structure built with Korean-style architecture. The island comprises a large area within the pond, effectively rendering it a moat. As the sun set over the modest buildings, that is our skyline, we enjoyed each others’ company and the toast. I had prayed for the food and for us to have a memorable evening and for some fish to be caught. I scarfed down my sandwich, tied my spinner to the line and I was off. A few casts and I was unsuccessful.

Within a few minutes I was approached by some children that were also fishing. A tubby kid whom I suppose was the leader of this pack, asked if I had any bites. One of his peers would say that he was the fishing expert among them. Embracing the title, he spoke like a chief and informed me that the fish were on the otherside. He asked for my rod for he would have a few casts with it. I relinquished it while one of the girls showed me the carp they had caught and left in a rock barrier in the water.  They eagerly showed me their superior method. Apparently carp prefer smelly baits over spinners and other lures. Every few minutes they would pull one in with the simple yet effective line, hook, and hands. The bait they were using was called “dduk bap” (literal translation: ricecake rice), which resembled Powerbait and had a poignant odor.



Della and Anna, two of my co-workers, would talk and play with the kids while all this was happening. Michael, my roommate, and Eric, Anna’s husband, joined us after finishing their toast. As we had a lot of work yet to complete for the day, we decided to end the evening and I proceeded to break down my equipment. Meanwhile, Anna noticed that there was a police car stopped near the pond. The second we made a step towards our car we heard a yell at our direction. We turned around and saw a couple of cops shuffling toward us. One of the cops asked me in a stern voice if we had been fishing. (Having lived in Ukraine as a minority, I have extensive experience dealing with cops.) I simply kept my cool, showed that I was not doing anything wrong, at least to my knowledge, and answered him straightforwardly. With rod and tackle in hand, I answered affirmatively. He asked if we had caught anything. I said that we didn’t. Actually, I did reel in a tiny one but we released it. He then explained that it was illegal to fish there. I told him that I had specifically asked the fishing shop clerk if it was allowed and that I had been told that it was allowed. I took the opportunity to ask the cop where fishing was permissible in Eumseong. He pointed them out to me on my smartphone map. He questioned us some more and finally let us go after taking down my information. We noticed that the children had all disappeared a few moments before the police came.


On our drive back we recapped the event. It was pointed out that somehow I am the one always getting into trouble with the law. Eric said to me, “You did pray for tonight to be memorable.”

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Out With the Old, In With the New

It's nearing the end of August and I realize that summer has come and gone so fast. My summer mostly consisted of weekend trips to Seoul, missions training and my mission trip to Jakarta, preparation for the new semester, and comings and goings.

The trip to Jakarta was outstanding in many ways. It would be one of the best missions trips that I've been on and the first with my current church. The team bonded so well and we really were a team, each member with his or her own role, endowed with unique talents and personalities. There were almost no hitches in logistics or heads butting. Our trip was marked with overwhelming laughter and joy. It was like heaven on earth in the way that we were able to simply love each other and extend that love to the Bible college students, pastors, and others that we ministered to. We were able to share our time like family, despite not even being able to speak the same language with the natives. I felt at peace and a tug at my heart to answer the call of a missionary. Perhaps one day I will find myself as the protagonist in one of Pastor Tarigan's accounts of exploits from the ends of the earth. There was certainly for me a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to serve in a greater capacity.

An update from a previous post: I have a new car. Well, I and three others have a new car, which is provided by our school, thanks to my accident and a hefty $1000 fine. My car-mates and I had a jolly old time stripping the plastic wrapping from the seats as if we were unwrapping Christmas gifts on Christmas morning.

Speaking of new things, my old roommate has left and I now have a new roommate. And speaking of departures, Chris Kim has left for America and with his departure is a large void at New Philadelphia and in my life.

The new semester is about to start and I'm excited to see my students. I'm ready to teach and move past my mistakes from the first semester.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Tea Time

It's a gloomy Wednesday afternoon in Nagwon in what I suppose is the traditional tea house district in Seoul. I'm sitting in one such establishment. I've got my bluetooth keyboard out, which is connected to my smartphone and I'm hacking away at it like I imagine Mr. Mozart would at the piano. I'm taking a break from reading an eBook from my Kindle to update my blog. A group of middle-aged Korean ladies sat to my left, talking in turns about their vacations and cooking methods. "They say tomatoes are that good for your health." They spit other such facts at each other and I'm witnessing the breeding grounds for folk knowledge. I'm just a fly on the wall as far as they are concerned.

They leave and the vacuum of noise they left is filled with the old folk music filtering through the speakers. I take some sips of this healthy herb tea, which reminds me uncannily of the traditional herbal medicine, or hanyak, that my parents gave me as a child except that this has some floaters in it such as pine nuts and slices of some small obscure fruit. Aside from the bitterness, it goes down smoothly.

I'm on my second cup, thinking about my third. So I ask the lady if they happen to have any matcha green tea. She says that all they have is what's on the menu. She politely tells me that I don't have to order more tea in order to stay.  So I assure her that I enjoy tea and am willing to sit here and try more varieties.

With several hours to kill and a possible sudden downpour at any given moment as it is monsoon season, I thought it would be a good idea to spend a chunk of the day sitting at a traditional tea house to read and write. Most of the people I know in Seoul are working. I happen to be on vacation this week. It's a week before my departure to Jakarta and I figured it would be a good time to spend resting, preparing for my trip, meeting friends and family in the city, reading, writing, and doing just a little bit of prep work for next semester.

Though generally I love being around people, sometimes it's nice to sip tea and gather my thoughts on my own.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Departures

A few weeks ago Mr. Frodo disappeared. I came into my classroom and did my usual morning search for him but couldn't find him. I looked in all the usual spots. However, there was a report that a student had found a frog that looked just like Mr. Frodo in the hallway and released it. I have hope that Mr. Frodo is out there somewhere and safe in his natural habitat. But still sometimes I look out my window with the hope that I'll see him waiting on the other side of it.

The sad departure of our dear friend has served as a way for my students and I to bond over a common interest. Sometimes they'll come into my classroom as I am grading papers and they'll tell me how much they miss him. Yesterday I had a student, whom I don't know, come up to me with the most serious face and say, "Mr. Sam, do you want another frog? We'll catch you one." He looked like he was ready to take a vow, stopping at nothing until Mr. Sam's classroom was restored with a new frog.

This is finals week and we have only 2 more days until summer vacation starts for the students. So in honor of my students and the closing of a good first semester, here are some pictures, some funnies, and brutally honest but equally hilarious essays from my students.

My Students and Me

They call me Mr. Potato

In memory of Mr. Frodo

Where did "food" come from? 


The students had to write a paragraph describing a person of their choice. A few of them chose me. I don't know if they were trying to grease the wheels for easy points or if they were trying to be funny. But they certainly accomplished the latter.






This one is touching. 










Kids are so funny. 


And finally, in honor of Mr. Frodo, here is a cool video of him vs. a grasshopper on my laptop screen. This was the day before he left us.


Monday, June 10, 2013

Recent Happenings

Summer Missions Trip

The past month has seen quite a few new developments. On the forefront is that I will be going on missions this summer to Jakarta, Indonesia. If you want to read my support letter and are interested in supporting me, click here.

New Believer

While on the matter of church, I want to report that a recent friend, Grant, has accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior a few weeks ago at the New Philadelphia church-wide retreat, the very same weekend that I couldn't go and got in the car accident, which was chronicled in my previous entry. His story is one that is very dear to me because I got to witness the little steps that brought him to the critical moment, though I wasn't there for it in person. Grant is an undergraduate student at an exchange program in Seoul. He hadn't been going to church but met a brother, Thomas, on the street who had invited him out to church one day. Grant accepted his invitation and came out. New Philadelphia has a reputation for being a bit scary with the charismatic style of worship (rightfully so). Grant said that he would probably not return because of it. But for some reason he kept coming. Chris would be instrumental in including Grant. He would call him for football fellowships and invite him to hang out when we did. Over the course of weeks and months, Grant witnessed powerful testimonies and saw the loving, open, and utterly different community that is the body of New Philadelphia Church. He himself, though not a believer at the time, couldn't deny the power that was present in this congregation. Two weeks prior to his salvation, I'd met with Chris and Thomas. We were having some bbq with makkoli and having good conversations. It led to prayer. Though we had some spirits in us, we were Spirit-filled and prayed. Our prayer spilled outside onto the side street as the restaurant was closing. Imagine three guys praying on a side street at about 1 in the morning. I think we got honked at by one car that wanted to pass. We prayed specifically for 3 people. One of them was Grant. We thanked God in advance for the work that He was going to complete in Grant at the retreat. I would later hear that it was Chris and his roommate Danny who helped lead him through the prayer.

Accident Update

As for my accident, I went back to Cheongju last week and gave my testimony for the accident investigation. Because I had made an illegal right turn, which caused the accident, I am found guilty and need to pay a fine. I've never been in a major accident before so I don't know what to compare it to but I was told by the investigator that my fine could be anywhere from $2000-$3000(USD) or more or less. I've never heard of anything like that before. So now there is not much else I can do but wait for the bill in the mail. Then I can try to appeal but I don't know if I have a case to do so. It just seems a bit unfair to have to pay that much. I thought that the most one would ever pay for a traffic violation is a few hundred dollars.

Mr. Frodo - My New Classroom Pet

On a lighter note, while walking a few weeks ago near the school grounds, I found a tree frog on a pedestrian bridge. Meet Mr. Frodo:


He is now my classroom pet. Mr. Frodo does wonders for delinquent middle schoolers. Now I have earned some of their attention and even respect. Mr. Frodo has helped me capture their hearts as they utter, "ooh, he's so cute!" I've got 'em. I only wish I'd had a magic frog in the beginning. Can amphibians really be suitable pets? Look at this and try to deny it:

He matches my wall color. Sometimes he likes to camouflage himself against it. 

I haven't had the time to get the necessary equipment but I intend to buy and build for Mr. Frodo a nice home. I've got grand designs for a self-sustaining vivarium that features running water, moss, decomposers, fish, snails, plants, rocks, and things for climbing. All I would need to do is find him food, which I've gotten pretty good at. I've developed ninja-like skills in capturing insects without killing them (tree frogs don't eat dead things [but I've learned a trick to make Mr. Frodo think that a dead insect is alive by blowing on it - then he attacks it like Yoshi]). But until then he lives in a plastic to-go iced latte cup with a straw-hole for air. He escapes through the straw-hole and it's a game every morning to find where Mr. Frodo escaped to. However, he's usually very good about staying close by. Most of time I just let him loose. He responds very well to humans and sometimes he even likes to perch on my shoulder as I hack away at my lesson plans. Sam and Frodo - it's going to be quite an adventure. I'm glad he's with me. 

Sunday, May 19, 2013

An Ironic Twist of Metal

About three weekends ago I went to the city of Cheongju, which is about an hour away from Eumseong. I went with a group of coworkers to see Iron Man 3. After the movie while everyone else went back home, my roommate and I decided to stay in the city to explore the night life and then stay at a jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) for the night. It was a sleepless night of wanderings and misadventures. The next day I realized that I had left my US driver's license at a club.

Yesterday, the 18th of May, I went back to Cheongju with two things in mind: to pick up my roommate's iron that he had dropped off at the Home Plus for repairs, which was ready to be picked up and to retrieve my driver's license . I'd recently gotten a smartphone and so I used the navigation function on it to get me to where I needed to be.

Task one was a breeze. I quickly found parking, went in, showed the receipt that was given me by my roommate, took the iron, got in my car, punched in the next destination on my GPS, and embarked for the RPM Lounge Club, where my driver's license was being held. Being unfamiliar with the roads, it was nice to have the GPS as a guide. But I missed a turn because it was a slight exit right before a bridge. I thought it would be no problem as I had my GPS. But no matter how nice technology can be, sometimes human intuition is better. With this in mind I ignored the navigation's suggestion to make a circuitous left turn and instead turned right once I passed the bridge. This time, I was wrong. I was at an intersection in a two-lane highway and when the light turned green I made the attempt to make the right turn. Hidden from sight was a parallel lane adjacent to the one I was turning from and as I turned into it a taxi was coming at me. Luckily I saw it coming and braced myself for it like I would a hit from a linebacker.

I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I wasn't angry, sad, scared, or anything. I think in my head I might have said, "crap." The taxi ran right into the left front wheel and it was no insignificant hit. Considering how old the car is, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it were totaled.

I got out of the car to check on the passengers in the other car. Three women were in shock but seemed to be fine otherwise. The taxi driver would yell at me a bit. Literally within seconds, a tow truck was there. It and another were actually parked at that particular intersection, waiting like vultures. Apparently, this intersection is very accident-prone. As a foreigner I didn't know what to do. Yes, I had an international driver's permit but I was not the slightest bit aware of the procedures for accidents in Korea. I'd never even been in an accident in the states but for a slight scratch I made once when I tried to park in the church parking lot when I was a novice driver. I called the police and they came some minutes later. We were in the middle of an intersection and there were a couple of city buses trying to get through. The tow truck driver asked me if he should tow the car away. I assumed he meant to pull it to the side so that traffic could resume but he ended up taking it all of 800 meters to the police station.

I rode in the police car. On the ride over I called one of the staff at the school whose job it is to help us foreign teachers. He happened to be in Cheongju at that very moment and would meet me at the police station. In the car the cops asked me where I was from and whether I had insurance or not. They asked me if I had my passport and driver's license. He was talking about the international driver's license but for some reason when he asked me, I mistakenly thought that he was asking for my US driver's license. As it was exactly what I was on my way to get, I asked them if we could stop at my intended destination to pick it up on the way to the police station. My GPS was still on and as I looked at the map we were just passing the RPM Lounge on the left. The cop said that we would have to go to the police station first. Seconds later, in an almost cartoonish twist of fate, we pulled into the police station right across the street from the RPM Lounge. I couldn't help but notice the irony in that I got in an accident while I was on my way to get that very document which allegedly proves my qualification to drive.

The other teacher came and we sorted things out. This was all a scene in and of itself. He was angry with the tow trucker for the bill of 133,000 Won that he had left me to pay for towing the car a mere 800 meters. I consoled him, telling him that tow truckers are hated in America too. Before parting ways, the taxi driver and I exchanged information. He, however, didn't have a cell phone so he asked the police officer to call my phone to ensure that I gave him the correct number to which the officer replied, "Get a phone! How do you drive a taxi without a cellphone?" The taxi driver gave an embarrassed grin.

I took out some valuables from the car glove compartment and took the iron under my arm. I got into the other tow truck, which took us an hour away to Eumseong. And for that he charged only 70,000 Won. So I was down 203,000 Won from a stupid and costly mistake. But at least I accomplished what I set out to do.

I'm fine, by the way.