KOREA Week XXVI

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Last week, students failed to show for at least three of the twenty two classes I teach. While this may seem frustrating, at times, it's often a nice break and a welcome surprise. Usually I wait around for thirty minutes or so before leaving the school, either for a nap in my apartment or dinner, lunch, coffee, etc. What is most frustrating, however, is when the students arrive after thirty minutes, or in one particular case, as I was leaving the school in search of breakfast.

Mostly, classes continue to progress well, though sometimes I cannot help but feel as if my classes are getting stale. I am always searching for new materials, especially for those students who have been with me for several months, and are well versed in my repertoire. Reading articles from The Korea Herald or The Korea Times maybe gets old for some students, and many remain anxious to learn about American culture, popular entertainment news, business news, etc. A junior level Trivial Pursuit is a good game to play with the students, and this offers a nice break from the usual monotony of text books, newspaper articles, and other traditional classroom materials.

Because of this and the recent departure of many long-time students, I cannot help but wonder if a teacher may only have an effective teaching span of six months, before the students exhaust their learning and it is time to move on to another teacher. Obviously, the student is there for a reason, and even though I don't want to lose or discontinue our relationship, I have started to feel switching teachers after a set time may be in the student's best interest.

Also last week, I visited the 63 Tower in Seoul, Korea's tallest building and a landmark of the financial district, Yeouido. The 360 degree views of Seoul from the 60th floor observation deck are fantastic, and provide visitors with yet another perspective of how large this city is. Admission to the 60th floor is 12,000 Won, but probably worth it for the views.

South Korea's World Series concluded last week. The two teams, the SK Wyverns and the Kia Tigers, battled through seven games for the national title, with the Kia Tigers emerging victorious. As far as I can tell, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) is very similar to Major League Baseball, except, of course, the teams are corporate owned and corporate named, there are a total of eight teams, and the organization has only been around since 1982. Regardless, baseball is a popular sport in Korea and it made the last two weeks exciting as the country gathered to watch the series and cheer on their favorite team.

The fourteenth annual Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) took place last week. Apparently, it's one of the premier Asian film festivals, and according to various news sources, it was, once again, a major, star-studded event which drew many crowds and attention toward the city of Pusan. Josh Hartnett was the most famous U.S. movie star, as he is currently promoting his role in a Korean movie. All week long, Korean newspapers featured stories on must see films, celebrity appearances, rising stars, directorial debuts, etc.

This week's highlight, by far, was the weekend trip to the Eastern mountains of Gangwon Province with my good friend, Gemma. The two of us left late Saturday, and after four hours driving, arrived at her friend's apartment located near Pyeongchang Resort. The 180 kilometer drive was without incident, and her friends were most accommodating. Sunday's activities included a scenic drive through the mountains, picnic lunch, and a day hike to witness the spectacular fall colors, which, I was told, were at their peak that weekend.

The Taebaek Mountains are the major feature to the Gangwon area, and they range some 600 to 1,700 meters above sea level, forming a 500 kilometer-long rigid spine along the Eastern coast of the peninsula. The Taebaek Mountains also serve as a type of continental divide, as many rivers, including the famous Han River, flow West from the center of the range. Pyeongchang is actually a candidate city to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, which, unfortunately, is the third attempt for this after losing the 2010 and 2014 bids.

Gangwon Province, I have since learned, is the third largest county in Korea, and is one of the premier vacation destinations of many Seoul area residents. It is so popular, in fact, that the traffic is often heavily congested during weekend times, as there is only one major highway servicing the area. For example, it took us only four hours late Saturday night to complete the 180 km. journey, compared with six hours of stop and go traffic Sunday evening. I would also like to mention that I successfully completed this six-hour drive late Sunday evening, and most importantly, without incident. That's right, The Bird can drive the Korean roads..

Gangwon Province is home to many ski resorts, golf courses, hiking trails, and mountain streams to satisfy any outdoor enthusiast. Actually, the region reminded me very much of the Allegheny Mountains of Western Pennsylvania and New York. It is also home to SeorakSan National Park, one of Korea's most famous national parks, and one of my most favorite weekend travel destinations.

Good stuff. Keep on trucking.

KOREA Week XXV

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6:59pm

Following last week's trip to Costco, I have made several fantastic meals in my apartment. Some of the more memorable dishes include delicious bulgogi sandwiches served on toasted bagel using onion and sharp cheddar cheese, in addition to various omelets stuffed with cheddar cheese, diced onion, garlic, and peppers. This week, I am planning a bowtie pasta dish served with pesto sauce, pine nuts, and feta cheese. Yum! In addition to these fine culinary demonstrations, pumpkin pie, courtesy of Costco, was featured multiple nights for dessert. It should be noted, however, that a can of Redi-Whip can cost almost 12,000 Won at E-Mart, so the cheaper alternative is to purchase a small container of freshly whipped cream from the local Paris Baguette for a mere 1,500 Won.

Some of these culinary experimentation's have carried over to my classes, and I have brought leftovers in as a kind of offering to some students and an introduction to/discussion of western foods. I would also like to make chili, in honor of the fall temperatures, and I am even considering using the delicious E-Mart bulgogi I reference so much, in place of the more traditional ground beef. Peppers, onions, garlic are plentiful and can be found almost anywhere. Kidney beans and tomato paste are available at E-Mart, though they are maybe a little more expensive than in the U.S. Regardless, many people are anxious to try the chili, as this is something that most have never seen nor heard of.

On Tuesday, I was treated to a traditional Korean tea ceremony at a quaint lakeside tea house with students from my 9am class. The scenery was beautiful and the plum-flavored tea was delicious, though expensive. It actually is an art studio that also features traditional Korean style teas and desserts. The location was Daeyami, a tiny neighboring community to Sanbon, located approximately two subway stations away and on the other side of Suri Mountain. Afterwards, the students and I shared lunch at a famous duck restaurant, also located in Daeyami. The duck, which was absolutely delicious, was served smoked and sliced into thin strips, to make table-side grilling easier. Perhaps this is one of the best meals I have eaten in Korea. Cost, however, was slightly expensive at 36,000 Won for the full duck, which worked out to be 12,000 Won per person, but worth the expense and generous portion.

I actually enjoyed the duck restaurant so much, I returned there Saturday night with my friend Gemma to share this experience with her. It was her first time visiting the restaurant, and together we learned that two people cannot finish an entire duck. Tough lesson, but that's okay, because it makes for great leftovers. In fact, my plan this week is to make a fettuccine dish in a light cream sauce with mushrooms and onions, and, of course, the leftover duck.

On Sunday, Gemma and I visited SeonyuDo, a magnificent garden island located in the Han River and in the middle of Seoul. It was a beautiful fall afternoon, with sunny skies, a light breeze and temperatures in the low 70's. SeonyuDo is actually the former site of a water treatment plant, Korea's first recycled ecological park, converted in 2001, and connected to the mainland via a narrow pedestrian bridge. Included on the island are many botanical gardens, a birch tree forest, water museum, and numerous foot paths. Admission is free and the views of the Han River, along with 360 degree views of Seoul, are priceless. It's truly one of the best places I have visited in Seoul, and I would suggest spending at least a few hours exploring the numerous gardens and enjoying the views. When finished, I would also suggest a stroll along one of the many riverside paths to fully appreciate the wonder of this destination and the Han River.

Following our SeonyuDo experience, Gemma and I traveled to Shinchon Station (downtown Seoul) for Mexican dinner at On The Border, an American chain with three locations in the metro area. I have read many reviews suggesting this is, perhaps, the best Mexican food in Seoul, and as disappointing as it may be to award this title to yet another chain restaurant, I'm afraid it may be true. The margaritas weren't bad (it was Gemma's first margarita), the burrito combination dinner we shared was decent, and this was my first experience with guacamole in Korea. Avocados are a food item I miss terribly, and when available at a speciality grocery store, or even Costco, they are incredibly expensive; maybe 15,000 Won for 6. Because of this, paying 6,000 Won for a side dish of guacamole is by all means reasonable.

What was most special about On The Border was introducing my good friend to the new foods and frozen alcoholic beverages. She especially enjoyed the guacamole, or "guatemala" as she later called it. Dinner for two cost 45,000 Won, which included a 10% service charge, and is expensive for Korean dining. I suppose it's comparable to the U.S. and not bad for two people sharing one large entree, side order of guacamole, two margaritas, and a beer, but still far more expensive than most Korean meals I have enjoyed, even with alcohol service. The best part of the meal, however, was when leaving, many of the staff told us, "adios kamsahamnida" or adios thank you!

Other recent happenings:

Sleep continues to be a struggle for me and for many reasons. Mostly, this is due to the notorious split shifts associated with teaching Adults at a hagwon, though an active social life can also interfere with this. Every day I awake at 530am, my classes begin at 630am and continue until to roughly noon, followed by evening classes; usually 6pm to 10pm. As a result, I usually average 3-4 hours sleep at night, and, if I'm lucky, a 2-3 hour nap during the afternoon. This, obviously, is not a healthy balance. Tuesday night, for example, I awoke at 330am and actually showered before I realized the time and my error. Sleep deprivation will do that to you, I guess.

I revisited a Korean fortune teller with my good friend B.H. While this was mostly for entertainment purposes, I will admit I do enjoy the abstract guidance, as well. I was told many things over the course of an hour, all of which were translated through B.H., and cost a mere 20,000 Won. The most noteworthy piece of information I was provided, suggested life continues to look good for me and I should continue my international travels, though I should pay special attention to my health over the next three months and use caution when traveling this year. In addition, I was told when I die, on my deathbed, I will receive total consciousness. So I got that going for me, which is nice.

I have now completed the paek p'al bae, or 108 bows before the Buddha, a total of three times at SuriSan Mountain Temple (SuriSa). The walk to temple from Sanbon takes roughly one hour, and in addition to the pleasant afternoon hike, I can honestly say I feel mentally refreshed immediately following the experience. I remain impressed with what little I know of the Buddhist teachings and I truly hope to further my Buddhist "education" and experience the Buddhist Temple Stay sometime soon.

To continue with this health theme, I attended a Thursday yoga class with one of my students. The class was filled with all women, maybe ages 25-60, and I, of course, was the only foreigner. But, seeing as I did not do anything too awkward, I was invited back. The women seemed to enjoy my presence in the class, and, I must admit, were somewhat impressed with my flexibility.

The weather has become increasingly fall-like, with temperatures ranging between upper 40's at night and low 70's during most days. Leaves on the trees continue to turn colors and fall. It's a beautiful time of year, though one can sense the cold winter on it's way. I am, of course, not looking forward to this, even though snowboard season is not far away.

Adios Kamsahamnida!

KOREA Week XXIV

Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:11am

Immediately following last week's posting, I was reminded by a Korean friend of mine that it is considered improper, and slightly offensive to the Korean people, to refer to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan". This stems from centuries of invasion and bitter warfare between the two countries which, unfortunately, has amassed a great deal of resentment toward the Japanese government. Currently, the Japanese and Korean governments are sparring over territorial boundaries in the East Sea, most notably the tiny rock island of DokDo. The resentment toward the Japanese government, it seems, is still prevalent, and understandably so when one studies the troubled history between the neighboring nations. What I have also learned, is that, in addition, to the territorial dispute surrounding DokDo, there is a vast natural gas reserve located deep beneath the ocean floor that should belong to whoever controls the territory.

Other happenings in recent weeks:

I located a cheap sushi restaurant in Sanbon that serves small plates of sushi via a rotating conveyor belt for a mere 1,300 Won per plate. Fair sushi at a fair price. Tasty and cheap.

One of my favorite restaurants in Sanbon, and perhaps the first restaurant I was introduced to by my fellow American teacher, James, recently closed. It's a shame, really, because I ate there maybe once a week, and always rotated between the BiBimBap (mixture of rice and vegetables in spicy sauce) and JeukDopBop (steamed pork in a spicy red sauce served with rice). Both dishes were sure to fill me up and only cost 5,000 Won. What's most frustrating is this happened without warning and a lingerie shop has replaced the restaurant. One day the restaurant was there, and literally, the next day no restaurant and lots of intimate apparel.

Early this week, Starbucks provided me and select frequent customers with free mini-cakes as a type of customer appreciation. While it's nice to be recognized, I have undoubtedly spent hundreds of thousands of Won at Starbucks over the past five and a half months. Enough to earn recognition and my regular table on most days and, apparently, a tasty cake every few months.

I recently visited Korean Costco for the first time. According to their website, there are a total of seven locations throughout Korea, with half located in the greater Seoul area. I was fortunate enough to visit the Yangjae store, located only 15 minutes from Sanbon via automobile. A Korean membership was 35,000 Won, but only because my U.S. membership card had expired, though, I was told it may be possible to transfer membership for little or no cost to valid cardholders.

The store layout and selection was remarkably similar to U.S. stores, with many Western food items and the usual bulk-size offerings. Biggest difference I could notice was found in the seafood section, which, similar to E-Mart, is filled with many of the peculiar Asian seafood products. Regardless, I was able to purchase 100,000 Won worth of groceries, otherwise unavailable to me at E-Mart, in addition to some bulk goods which should be priced less than other stores. I probably would have purchased more if it had not been for the limited capacity of my tiny dormitory style refrigerator. Rare food items included two packages of cheddar cheese, a container of salted almonds, pesto sauce, feta cheese, and a pumpkin pie. Yum! The largest disappointment, by far, was no guacamole, which is one of my favorite items available at U.S. Costco stores. Alas, it remains a welcome addition to my so called Korean life and dietary habits.

The Sanbon library plays English movies with Korean subtitles every Wednesday. Two weeks ago, my friend Gemma and I watched a mid-afternoon's showing of Dr. Zhivago, which, was thoroughly enjoyable, aside from the three and a half hour showing time. The movies are free, and the theatre is clean and comfortable. Beverages and snacks, like most other theaters, should be snuck inside. But I cannot endorse this practice.

I recently learned that I have been using fabric softener to wash my clothes instead of laundry detergent. I was oblivious to this, of course, as the containers are written in Korean, so I had no idea when I originally purchased this from E-Mart some four months ago. Smooth move, Ethan, but at least I smell fresh and my clothes are soft.

Many foreign friends have recently departed from their stay in Korea. Whatever the reason for their departure, whether it be premature or scheduled, it stings a little. I have been fortunate and made many good friends here, and I will miss them very much. Tiann has left Sanbon for a teaching position in another city, and Alvin, who has become a good friend and camping compadre, has left Korea under mysterious visa discrepancies. Another friend from Canada, Kelsey, has left following her one year contract at her school. I guess this is just part of the experience, but I will miss them.

Friday night a group of foreign teachers gathered at a local NoraeBang to properly see off Kelsey. I have said this many times before and I will continue to say it; I love NoraeBang! It's the best, especially when mixed with beer and soju, and enjoyed well into the early morning hours. A great way to celebrate with friends, old and new.

That's the news. Keep it real.

KOREA Week XXIII

Monday, October 5, 2009 at 10:05am

Week XXIII here in K-town, following a long, hard holiday weekend in the South. Pusan was/is 10-15 degrees warmer than Seoul (on average), and aside from the torrential downpour my friends and I managed to find ourselves a part of late Thursday night/early Friday morning, the weather was beautiful. These heavy rains, I might add, make it extremely difficult to find a taxi willing to pick you up and transport you safely to your destination, especially at 3am. Instead, my friends and I stood in the pouring rain desperately trying to hail a cab and we found it frustrating that so many would pass us by or refuse to accommodate us.

Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving, and perhaps the most important Korean holiday, was Saturday and we did our best to celebrate by spending the day in Songjeong. Songjeong Beach is a 2km long sandy beach located 10-15 minutes north of the more crowded Haeundae and Gwangalli Beaches, and the Western-most Japanese island can be viewed from here. It's a perfect place to enjoy a sunny afternoon followed by late-night bonfire and cookout, and it was, in fact, a perfect day. The homemade potato salad, tuna salad, and pork tenderloin we enjoyed was also perfect.

Transportation to Pusan via KoRail (slow rail) was 24,000 Won and KTX transportation to Seoul was 51,000 Won. Travel time to Pusan on the slower, more traditional rail system was roughly 5 hours, while the impressive KTX delivered me to Seoul in less than 3 hours. A quick note about KTX; introduced in 2004, it's Korea's own high-speed rail system which has a top speed of 350km/h, though it is limited to 300km/h for safety reasons. It connects three of Korea's largest cities; Seoul, Pusan, and Mokpo, and it really is an efficient way to travel the country. The downside to this, of course, is the higher ticket price and the seats, unfortunately, are not as comfortable as the slower, KoRail trains. Regardless, when traveling over the Chuseok holiday, one is fortunate to have transportation anywhere, anyway.

This week commences month six of classes, and it's the usual first week of introductions and new students. Hard to believe it's month six, and I soon will have taught a total of 54 classes during my tenure at my hagwon. Also hard to imagine I have taught an average of 40 students each month, and probably over 100 students throughout my short time here.

October plans include a Buddhist Templestay, a renewed commitment to my Korean studies, guitar lessons, regular exercise, and possibly a Korean cooking class. All fun stuff, and certainly appropriate for the cooler October weather.

Check out the photos listed under Ethan's Flickr Photostream, if you haven't done so already, and drop me a line via Skype! (esparrow1) I am lonely for some conversation with friends and family..

KOREAN Chuseok

Korean Thanksgiving, Chuseok, and Week XXIII in Pusan. It's a lovely city by the sea, and my American hosts are fantastic. I love it here.

The train ride down was uneventful, aside from the fact I left Suwon Station at 11:30pm Wednesday night, arriving in Pusan at 4:30am Thursday. Toledo friend Greg picked me up from the station on his motorcycle, a Korean made Daehon, perhaps a 250cc. I can only imagine what the two of us looked like in the early morning hours riding from the station to his apartment.

Prior to my departure late Wednesday, I received a gift set from my hagwon; two cans of Spam, six cans of tuna, and two bottles of canola oil. Because Chuseok is a time to be thankful and celebrate with family/friends, it's the thought that counts. Besides, I'm not sure when, but I know this will come in handy someday. Also on Wednesday, I enjoyed lunch with good friend B.H., where we exchanged gifts and casual conversation.

After breakfast Wednesday morning, Greg and I hiked long the coast, napped, and visited Gwangalli Beach for frisbee and a swim in the ocean. Later that day, we hit up several of Pusan's finest bars, met many new friends, and participated in some debauchery until 5am Friday.

Chuseok is actually Saturday, and our plans include a day hike, beach time, and a delicious Korean meal prepared at Greg and Brian's apartment. I was told there are reservations for a beach hotel Saturday night and cookout/beach fire starting late in the afternoon. Whatever the details, I am game..

Happy Chuseok!