The Whirlwind Winter Wonder-Vacation: Japan, Seoul, and BIG SHOW

The Japanese reads: Stay Strong

3/11/11 – 3/11/12 – A full year has passed since the Great Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami in Japan.  東北大地震.  I will never forget where I was when I first heard the news that would change not only my life, but so many other people’s lives.  Japan, you will forever and always be in my heart.  No matter what.  Please know that Japan is still suffering from this disaster and that a lot more needs to be done.  I am not done with you yet Japan.

What a year.

So I know it has been awhile since I posted anything.  I have been terribly busy as you all can imagine.  My winter vacation was amazing.  For Christmas I went back home to Chicago and visited family and friends- which was too short of a time if you ask me.  Then I jetted back to South Korea and had my winter camp “Around the World in 10 Days” with some of my first graders for 2 weeks.  That went pretty well and was challenging in and of itself.  After my winter camp I took my friend Jenny on a whirlwind adventure of Japan’s island Kyushu.  There we visited two of my friends and had a blast traveling around the northern part of Kyushu.  First we spent two days in Kumamoto with Janelle, then we traveled to Beppu and had the quintessential Japanese experience in a mud bath hot spring outside while it started to snow.  It was quite literally, the epitome of what is considered traditional “Japanese” culture.  Just an influx of different senses….I forget the term that is used to describe this in Japanese.  After Beppu we shinkansen-ed it over to Nagasaki where we went to the Lantern Festival and to the Peace Park and museum.  It was very different from Hiroshima, that’s for sure.  After two days in Nagasaki, we went to Fukuoka to meet with Janelle again and then Dohwa.  Then the next day we took the ferry back to Busan and it was good to be back in Korea yet again.  It was very different being in Japan again…I liked it but then again, something was a bit off I felt.  And that’s Japan Trip 2012 in a nutshell!

After Japan I then had two days at my homestay and then went straight to Seoul.  I was in Seoul for the whole month of February and it was AMAZING.  I took language classes there and lived with 3 other Fulbright women.  February was an epic month and I had so much fun living with Jenny, Jenna and Emma.  It turned out even better than I could imagine.  I miss it now for sure.  Every day we would wake up laughing and go to bed laughing.  It definitely has been an adjustment coming back to Gumi and to a homestay.  I missed them but I very much enjoyed my freedom. 

Right when I got to Seoul on February 1st I had to take a placement exam for my Korean class and IMMEDIATELY find a PC Bang (pc room) where I could try to buy tickets to go see my favorite Korean band BIG BANG.  They seriously are amazing and I can’t get enough of them.  I won’t go on a rant and rave here.  The whole Kpop experience has been unreal- it sucks you in and never lets go!  Anyways I really wanted to go to Big Bang’s concert in March and so I had to buy tickets.  Now, this concert isn’t just any concert….it’s BIG SHOW.  One of the hardest concerts to get tickets to because everyone wants to see Big Bang.  Especially after the 2011 they had….  So what follows is this: Ashlee is going to see Big Bang no matter what.  I enlisted the help of some of my Fulbright friends who have ticketed for Kpop concerts before and they coached me on what to do.  Let’s just say what ensued was the most intense experience of my short life.  Here’s a little excerpt from a follow up conversation I had with one of my Kpop friend-coaches:

“omg
alia.....it was INTENSE. Okay so thank GOD for the PC bang people- I am going to actually probably buy them a full cake and bring it to them tomorrow....It was a lot of refreshing and I even started at 7:59 refreshing and error messages kept coming up when it hit 8:00. Started to panic but kept doing it....just overloaded gmarket as usual. So it was reaching about 8:10/8:15 and i was pretty much squealing 어떻게 , 진짜, and a slew of other swears between laughing and shaking my head but still not giving up hope. Then....IT HAPPENED. Refreshed, and the map came up. boom. clicked on a section all full, another all full. called the girl back over cause she had stepped away and then bam she started helping me click sections and i just went right for the 3rd floor ones cause all the rest were full....then BAM some red spots were opening up and we were like OOHH AH EEEH! i go to click them and get out clicked like...10 times. then BOOM. I GET A SEAT. I NEARLY SHIT MY PANTS. I didn't even know what section it was in i didn't care- She helped me fill out info and I opted for a bank transfer from my nonghyup to gmarket's nonghyup- that's what jenny does. So i didn't mess with the card at all. I had tried to practice buying something before which downloaded something or what not but i didn't need it. Printed the info out for 200 won and then went to the NongHyup down the street to transfer that money like no one's business. Transferred it...and it looked like everything  went through alright....Just checked my gmarket account and it looks possibly like everything has gone through and it has "shipping requested" on it. I am in seated Section 30, third floor, 6 102 번 which i am assuming is #6,102 seat. I think maybe it is safe to say that that is all the confirmation I need? I am just nervous that something will eff up. but for now.....I AM SCREAMING FROM THE ROOFTOPS. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.”

Luckily, nothing screwed up!  I brought the PC bang people bread the next day and said my thanks to them.  They were getting a kick out of me that’s for sure.  My friends and I deemed it a birthday miracle.  I had a lot of birthday miracles this year come to think of it…   Big Bang teased us all throughout February leading up to their new album’s release on February 29^th.  I ended up going to the concert on Saturday, March 3^rd with Jenny and having the time of my life.  It was such an experience- overwhelming and weird too.  Big Bang was absolutely amazing.  Their music was fantastic….(see what I did there Big Bang fans? J) and I am hooked all over again. 

I had my first week of teaching last week.  I have a nice little batch of brand new 1^st grade middle schoolers.  They are all so sweet and nice and I feel like this semester will go so much more smoothly than last one.  It makes a huge difference when you start at the beginning of the school year rather than in the middle-  so the kids will become used to my routines and tendencies right off the bat.  And I really am thinking about starting that little softball club this semester.  The weather is becoming beautiful and I really want to leave my mark here.  Also this semester I plan on volunteering a lot with the orphanage here in Gumi.  I promised two of the high school boys this past December that I would help them with their English.  I plan on living up to that promise. 

Also I have a genius idea for my host sister’s birthday….I will probably make her do a scavenger hunt for her presents…this should be fun!!! 

Until next time!

~Ashlee

I Have It Easy.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Or rather in the eyes of the media.  Koreans and many Asians in general constantly face the problem of Western features being held in high esteem.  Sometimes I don’t really know what to write about this matter.  But then again I have A LOT to say about it.  Some people say I have it easy here in Korea; I do truly believe this.  I do have it easy.  I am the stereotypical looking Westerner- tall, blonde hair, a “high nose,” “blue eyes” even though they are totally green….I am white.  I am not a overly-tanned stick of a person, but instead a pasty, pleasantly plump person, which I am proud to say.  This is totally not to toot my own horn- but the fact is, since I look like a stereotypical Westerner, and the image that many Koreans have in their mind about an American, I have it easy.  However, having it easy doesn’t make it any less hard to face the images that are produced for consumption by the general public and eaten up to be the end all be all.  Here in Korea I am constantly told that I am pretty.  I admit, this is a huge ego boost.  I like it.  I think it is nice. But what I hate the most is when people start comparing their features to mine and then not only claiming that their own are inferior, but taking it one step further to act upon it.

Today, my host family’s cousin came over for a visit.  About a month ago I had met this young woman- beautiful girl, sweet, shy and seemingly intelligent.  After breaking through the ice of her painful shyness we discussed our mutual love for K-pop, especially Eunhyuk of Super Junior.  We had found common ground if only for a short time.  It was really great.  That was back in September.  About a week ago I had heard from her mother that her daughter couldn’t attend a dinner because she was having the double eye-lid surgery as well as some other things.  Upon hearing this news I kept my face in as much of a mask as I could to hide my disapproval and smiled only weakly, nodding that I understood what it meant.  She was in the hospital and couldn’t come to dinner- it was really…no big deal. 

So today, they came over for a visit.  I was surprised to see my host-cousin.  From what I faintly remember from September, she looked totally different to me.  Again, as we greeted them at the door I tried to wear my mask.  Immediately I went to my room after host mom and host aunt started talking about host cousin’s new “yeppun nun!”  Going to my room is a rare occasion if someone comes over; usually I greet and then sit down to be social with the visitors.  I might not talk a lot, but it usually is a good way to build jeong and show that I am interested.  It’s basic manners.  So as I stood in my room I had a decision to make:  do I stay here and pretty much hide risking being perceived to be rude (keep in mind, I haven’t seen my host cousin in a couple of months- naturally it would be appropriate to want to sit down with her and visit)?  Or do I go be social and know, just know that they would start comparing my naturally double-eye lidded eyes to my host cousin’s new ones.  How would that make her feel?  I don’t even know if she’s the one who wanted the surgery.  Would I be asked if I liked them?  How could I convey my true opinion without offending?  I don’t think my host cousin or my host aunt are bad people.  I am just highly disgusted with the system.  Would I be reconfirming a reason for wanting to do the surgery? 

I decided to sit down with them.  I brought wire that I had been twisting to prepare for tomorrow’s class to make dream catchers.  After some deliberation, I decided I would just try to focus on my wire and smile and nod when appropriate and maybe make conversation with my host cousin about something other than her eyes.  And my intuition was right- they started to compare my eyes with hers.  Or at least comment on how they either looked alike or didn’t, I don’t know.  Half the time I play guessing games with what people say (hence why I am taking Korean classes this February!! So excited!).  Once they started doing that, my host cousin was quiet and I couldn’t wear my mask any longer.  So with one more comment about how pretty my eyes were, I started to squirm in slight denial and I stated in my broken Korean that I thought all people’s eyes were pretty.  I don’t know if anyone really understood, but they stopped after that.  I sat there for the rest of the visit, listening to the usual banter and trying to give my host cousin compliments on other things and trying to make light conversation.  She seemed even more shy than the first time I met her.

This past semester, I taught a lesson on beauty to my co-ed middle school students.  The lesson didn’t really have the grasp I wanted it to have, or so I think.  I hope it did.  I was surprised to hear from many of my young girl’s mouths that they knew that inner beauty was so much more than outer beauty and that my lesson pretty much didn’t tell them anything new.  In some occasions I had girls blatantly tell me that they knew they were pretty, in almost a cocky way.  I wonder how many of those girls will get surgery.  I wonder how many of those girls are not being told that they are beautiful just the way they are.

I am lucky though.  I don’t really know what my host mother’s opinion is about her niece’s surgery.  I have a feeling she is wearing even a better mask than me.  My host sister is 11 in American age going on 12 in March.  She is young, smart and such a pretty girl.  She does not have double eyelids.  I am lucky, because this past weekend I was able to tell her my opinion about the eyelid surgery.  I told her that I do not think it is right and that I think that everyone has beautiful eyes and her eyes are beautiful too.  I am lucky, because maybe I am helping take part in my host sister’s image of herself- not just beauty wise but in many other aspects.  I am lucky, because her mother does always tell her that she is pretty.  I am lucky because my mother did and still does tell me how beautiful I am.  I am lucky, because when my host sister came out of her room to say farewell to her aunt and cousin and her aunt seemed to make a comment about maybe her getting the surgery in the future.  I looked on with horror growing in my heart at the way my host sister didn’t really look at her aunt and instead at the table. Then my host mom in her magical, caring way, somewhat retorted with, I believe, “nah, she’s fine just the way she is.”  You go host mom. 

I have it easy.  But that doesn’t make it any less hard to help break stereotypes of beauty.  True, I might have a little meat on my bones.  I’d rather have something there than next to nothing at all.  I am lucky.  I am lucky that I have had so many positive female role models to look up to in my life.  I am lucky because I know that even though I struggle with thoughts about my own image in more ways than one, I know that I am on a journey of self-acceptance. And I am proud to say that I am very much well on my way.

Because of all the wonderful people in my life, especially my constant supporters of family and friends….I have it easy.

Update: October, November and Korean Toast. NOM.

Where the heck do I begin.  So sorry I have been absent from blogging for the past like...6 weeks.  I've just been super busy.  Lots has happened and right now I am going to attempt to dish it all out to you, or at least as much as I can.  So starting with the beginning of October....

October 3rd-ish.  Writing in a train station waiting for a train to Daegu.  This is what I wrote:  This week has been exciting and full of twists and turns.  My school had midterms this week so I have been off for some time allowing me to travel and see friends and more of Korea.  I thought I was going to travel more, but low and behold I was struck down with the plague.  Nah, it wasn't really the plague but the head cold was bad enough to knock me out of going to Jinju for the awesome lantern festival.  So as I sat in my room Saturday and Sunday I told myself well, I should probably show my excitement for the Andong Mask festival my host mom and sister planned on taking me to on the following Monday.  SO my host mom who went to work on a Sunday (the woman was working a crap-ton of hours that week at her kindergarten and was SUPER busy preparing something for a department review) comes home and I'm like getting ready to tell her I'm excited for tomorrow.  Then my host sister and she decide to tell me that they are sorry but we couldn't go to Andong the next day.  I tried to hide the glimmer of disappointment that proceeded to cross my face.  My host mother then started to explain that because HyeonSu, my host brother, had midterms starting the next day, she had to stay home so he could eat.  Despite my usual default of total understanding and my prior education/knowledge in the ways of how in particular Korean and Japanese mother support all of their children's educational endeavors,  I had a mess of conflicting feelings.  Immediately when she said this I thought you have got to be kidding me...the kid can make himself some friggin Ramen because he hardly ever eats anything.  For the most part I held my composure, but I could tell that she could see my energy drop a little and continued to say that she was sorry.  I then also reassured her that I understood the circumstances and to not worry about it at all 문제 없어요.  I am thankful that I did just that, even thought I could not deny my initial feelings of frustration, because what came next made NOT going to Andong or Jinju completely worth it.  One, it is actually somewhat endearing how much a Korean mother or mothers in general help their children.  Now I'm not talking the crazy-breathe-down-the-neck mothers....no I am talking about those who offer silent support to their families with constant positive energy.  That's the type of person my host mother is as well as my real mom.  :)  And that's who I hope to become as well.  Anyways....being a good cultural ambassador and trying to save as much face as I could was worth it.  After dinner my host mom made us tea and then sat down with me on the couch.  She dimmed the lights a bit - great mood setter- and we just started talking about life.  She ended up telling me that she thought Americans were the best- they are friendly and open...basically she told me that because of me her opinion of America was genuinely good.  I was surprised and at the same time flattered....and thankful that I was mature enough to keep my feelings in check and perspective.  So we ended up talking about a bunch of stuff including the differences between American and Korean education systems (which still comes up pretty often and I am glad) and believe it or not the two of us ended up falling asleep on the couch together.  Yeah, you know the way when you are having one of your friends sleep over and they share the bed with you....the people's heads are at opposite ends of the couch.  Looking back on it, it was just precious.

So....some things that I want to elaborate on in posts after this consist of the following:

*October sometime- some friends come to Daegu and I pretty much show them around and we have a great time.
*Busan International Film Festival = awesome!  Spent time with Fulbright friends and saw the Busan International Philharmonic Orchestra play before I saw a French film called "The Artist" that blew my mind!
*Lady in subway station in Busan tearing up when talking to me....in both Japanese and Korean....I think she was a comfort woman.  It was unbelievable.
*Ice cream cone thrown out a window.  'Nuff said.
*October 14- took my 3rd grade girls out to 딱갈비(ddakgalbi) or chicken.  It was awesome, but sad because we had to say goodbye to two girls transferring to Seoul.
*October 15- trip to Daegu to try and buy goodies for Halloween since I was obsessed with the idea of throwing my host sibs a legit party and having the best dang Halloween lessons ever.  Result:  Ashlee finding the meaning of true friendship (SHOUT OUT TO COCO AND KIRBY) and a CostCo run from hell....but is actually kinda humorous now.
*October 20-21 - Bonggok Junghakkyo's awesome school festival in which I participated!  It was awesome to just walk around and meet students....and bust a move on the dance floor with one of my co-teacher's homeroom classes!  The dance was a hit!  And I loved every minute of it!
*October 21-24 - Fulbright Gyeongju Conference....and bread.  Reunited with all the Fulbrights in Gyeongju.  Loved it! and as a result some new nicknames resulted and a slogan for the Gumi Bears as well....Let's just say I'm Dancin' Bear and my friend Laura is Carnivore Bear.... :D
*Ashlee joins a Kpop spinning class, which becomes basically one of her reasons for living.  It is THE BOMB.  I do it 3 times a week and look like I just played 5 games of softball....or I was dipped in a pool.  INTENSE and awesome.  It's basically dancing on a bike.
*Halloween Lessons = Zombies.  My kids took my advice on how to kill zombies and protect themselves from a zombie invasion this Halloween in Gumi.  Probably the most successful and fun lesson I have taught yet. Shout out goes to KIM SALTIN...you were there with me in spirit all the way.
*Halloween Weekend Oct 29-30 =  Friday night....download and subtitle with the help of a friend "Hocus Pocus" so host sister and mom can watch.  Ashlee teaches a favor class on Saturday morning so that visiting students from China can see the new English room.  Totally great, because it was another Zombie lesson.  Then Ashlee and friends meet in Daegu for a night on the town.  Ashlee stays with Coco's host family and is blown away by Coco's host brother's English.  The kid is nine and like super sweet...totally pinky promised to bring my softball mit from home to play a game of catch with this kid.  He's pretty friggin cool.
*Halloween 10/31- Ashlee dresses up as a witch for school.  Hands out candy like it's her job and gets complements on her leggings....but the best is the conversation that happens that night when my host mom takes me out to coffee just because it is "Halloween Day" and an American holiday and we basically have a heart to heart.  Possibly the best Halloween ever, despite being homesick.  All my worries about connecting with the kids, and doing a good job as a homestay person are put at ease because she tells me how lucky she feels and how happy her family is.  Let's just say there were some mutual tears. :D
*New obsession with Kpop has set in.  Specifically a ridiculous curiosity with Big Bang and all things GD&TOP.  I feel like I am in high school again.....that's all I'm saying.
*Hello November...Dinner with a lovely teacher and her daughter....I love them both!...and I start to get sick yet again....boo.
*November 6 - Kirby comes from Daegu to join host mom, host sister and I for a hike up Gumo Mountain (금오산) and we also meet up with one of my co teachers and her two little sons.  We are that intense that we throw on ponchos and hike in the rain.  We hike to a waterfall and eat lunch there and then we hike back down...my poor co-teacher was dragged all the way to the top by her youngest son all the while her oldest son was bawling on the 3 hour hike up the mountain.  What an amazing woman that's for sure!
*November 8th- The introduction to "Korean toast" and the ambush of Laura on the street...so my host mom and I go shopping this night for a "jumper" or a jacket and on our way home "oh we are going to get YuJin some toast....she likes toast a lot."  Here I am oh yeah I like toast too....I thought we were stopping at the super market to buy bread to bring it home to toast....oh no no....we go to a TOAST shop....where they basically sell toasted sandwiches and fruit drinks.  Taken by surprise my host mom convinces me to get a bulgogi (all meat) toast sandwich....right before I have to go to Kpop spinning class.  I am going to PUKE this sucker up if I eat it all by myself...and then I am saved.  My host mom, of all people spots my friend Laura (who is a Korean adoptee and blends in quite well) walking past the toast shop on her way to the gym where I am supposed to meet her.  I run after her and we basically rush-ambush her into coming back to the house with us, eating half of my sandwich, cross-checked innocently by my host mother and then out the door as fast as I could say bulgogi sandwich.  Then I go to my Kpop spinning class where I sweat out the bulgogi toast sandwich and luckily do not (as I am doing the Roly Poly dance ..see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xolk2cFzlo&ob=av3n ) spew on the middle aged women who are kicking my behind when it comes to this class. It ended up being okay though!

Phew!  That's a lot but at the same time not even enough!  I have to go to bed though. I will elaborate soon I hope!

Salsa...Not as Spicy as You Think...

Hey er'boday.   So yeah it's been a while.  And I've been SUPER busy.  I sit here listening to Numa Numa and sniffing since I now have developed a cold.  It's been a whirlwind of a week and a lot has gone through my head.  My plans to travel to Jinju for the lantern festival today have been botched by my stupid and nagging cold.  I have never had this much snot before.  But wait.... that's not even the start of it.

So a few weeks ago (more like maybe 3 1/2) I had a cough.  Phelmy and gross I went to the doctor with my host mom who decided to not let me pay for anything.  Anyways, I take the 6 pills three times a day for 3 days that they give me and it doesn't really work that well.  However, it worked in other ways....thanks antibiotics.  But now I'm sick again.  Stuffed like a chimney.  I just finished my lowered dose of antibiotics that have done SQUAT and am still coughing up phelm.  I found some Equate Sinus and Allergy stuff and it's given me some relief....but I might go get the shot to just stop it all together.

Before I was on my 2nd dose of medication for my new cough and head cold, another little surprise came around.  When you say it in Korean it sounds like "salsa."  Can anyone take a guess what it was?  No, I did not have delicious Mexican food.  No I did not stuff my face with a fatty burrito with salsa on it....No, my friends.  It was 설사, seolsa....DIARRHEA.  I had the craps for 2 friggin days.  I thought it would stop, but then I remembered...."Wait....people DIE from having DIarrhea..." Finally I decided to tell my host mom before I started taking the other antibiotics.  We were conveniently at the dinner table, just host mom, host sister and I chowin' down on some chicken and kimchi.  I told my host mom and she looked up with a (O.o) look on her face and said "Why? 왜?" ....Host mom, if only I knew.  So right away she whisked me away to the 약국 or pharmacy to get some antidiarrheals.  (also, can i just let you all know I'm sitting here cracking up at this ridiculous story)  We obtained the goods, and she made me take two pills right in the pharmacy.  With some nasty ass drink that tasted like cough syrup.  I almost choked on it as both my host mom and the pharmacist looked on.  After gagging down the syrup and pills host mom rushed me out of the pharmacy and then we were driving somewhere.  It wasn't back home.

Next thing I know my host mom pulls out her phone and types something in it and then shows me.  The dictionary/translator on her phone says 본죽 : porridge; gruel; SLOPS.  Trying to pronounce the words to me, I remembered that Koreans, when they get diarrhea all they eat is porridge.  She was like "slops?" and I told her that was for animals....porridge would be the correct term.  Or at least I hoped.  We stopped at a little restaurant and went in.  It was a porridge shop and quite charming.  My host mom had me pick out which porridge I would be eating for the next 2 days.  Of course, I pick the crab meat one.  Classy salsa.  She ends up getting a bunch of porridge for the whole family because apparently my host brother likes the stuff.  And so begins my 2 day porridge diet.  My host mom had to even pack me a lunch and I had to hide in my office and eat alone for fear of weird stares by students and co-workers alike.  Nah, just kidding, they understand.  People get diarrhea all the time. NOT.

Thank god, that porridge worked.  Stuffed me right up.  Stuffed me so much that I now have a friggin stuffy nose and head.  ::sigh::

So this week teaching has been interesting.  I really started questioning whether or not I'm doing a good job.  I want to do the best that I can, but I am always not sure if I am.  Some days were real struggles.  It's hard when you are sick.  But I found myself pulling energy from somewhere.  I taught lessons on emotions and casual conversation.  Peace out has been a success.  I also roughly planned my winter break 2 week camp.  It's dubbed "Around the World in 10 Days."  We will see how it goes.  Sometimes it is hard to connect with my host siblings too....they aren't as curious as I thought they would be.  I'm just hoping I'm doing a good job with them too... I really need to get better though...I want to travel!  On the agenda: October 3rd - Andong Mask Festival and Oct 7-8 Busan International Film Festival.  :)

But first we have to go to 할머니's house (halmoni's/Grandma's house) because today (Oct 1) is her birthday!  I made her a card and will give her some ginseng candies.  My host mom and sister think halmoni will get a kick out of it.  I hope she does.  ^^

Until next time - may the salsa NOT be with you.

~Ashlee

Who Run the World? - Girls.

Today I had one of my female students come up to me and tell me she wanted to learn softball.  That made my day.  My dream to possibly have a little softball group here might come to fruition.  Also in the past weeks I have taught some of my co-workers the "Gorgeous" snap...you know, where you do that slow zig zag motion from left to right while snapping and sayin "goooooooooorrrrrrggge - OUSSS" with a little 'tude (TED you know what I'm talking about).....But my day/week got better as it went on...


Usually on Fridays right after my last class I am ambushed by my boys to arm-wrestle.  Today was something a bit different though-  right after my last class a girl nick-named "Mushroom"  and her friends come up to me and we start chatting. One boy points to her and calls her a man. And I say no, no she's a girl she's a girl. Mushroom then explains to me that she wants to be a soldier. For those of you who don't know, Korea has a female sector of their military. It's pretty legitimate.  Apparently she wants to be a soldier because her sister is one, which to me, still makes me ask the question "But why do you want to be one?"  Then one of my boys goes "Yeah she strong so she a man." Oh really???  I then continue to go on about how women/girls are strong too. The boys are looking like they don't believe me, and then one of them goes "wait...teacher...." and motions for me to hold up my arm and flex.

That's right. I had 10-15 middle schoolers poking my biceps and in awe. I then said pointing to myself "Woman, right?" And the boys nodded, now knowing that women can be physically strong too.  Also, when I got home today I had the opportunity to connect with my host brother a bit over sports.  He really likes soccer and what not.  I asked him what he was going to do tomorrow (Saturday) and he said go to exercise academy.  I was somewhat confused and said that I had no idea there was any type of exercise academy.  Basically he will go somewhere to play soccer for about 3 hours.  How cool right?  Then I told him that since I was about 4 years old I have been playing softball.  And I told him that I guess if I averaged out the time I spent playing softball all these years I would guess it would be around 3 hours every day of my life for about 18 years, right?  His eyes got this big--> O____O .  I then proceeded to show him pictures of DePauw's softball team aka real strong women.  He was somewhat amazed and I think he thinks that DePauw's softball team is famous.....When he asked me the question "So, is your team famous in the United States?"  I pretty much said..."Well....you could say that.  We are very, very special."  And he nodded in agreement.  Hopefully we will bond over watching some Arsenal soccer games soon...


Can we say cultural ambassadorship at its finest?  I think so.


Conclusion of the day: Who run da world? GIRLS.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmMU_iwe6U&feature=player_embedded  

강애정((姜愛情)Kang AeJeong), Kool Aid Man, and Kickin’ It With the Fam

The other day at lunch I introduced Kool Aid Man to my host parents.  My host mother all of a sudden said “OH YEAAAAH” and the way she said it completely triggered my memory of Kool Aid Man bustin through a wall and screaming “OHYEAAAAAHHHHHH” in that amusing voice.  I started giggling to myself and began to introduce the lovely master of American sugary drinks who every kid bows down to.  This somehow led to my host father showing me his favorite singer Kim KwangSeok….I’ll probably check out his stuff soon.

OH YEAHHHHHH

Again sorry for not frequently updating the blog.  Things have been super busy and eery night I sit down to write and I end up falling asleep or talking to people.  Therefore this post will probably be a long one!  So much has happened in the past week(s).  Some highlights are:

*So as you all might know I have been placed in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea.  After coming back from Seoul all the Fulbrights were desperately trying to get ready for receiving information about their host families.  I don’t think we received the information until two nights before we met them.  So needless to say we were all nervous.  The most nerve-racking thing for me was meeting my principal, vice-principal and co-teacher.  All the Fulbrights started saying our “see you laters” early.  I really miss my roomie!  SHOUT OUT TO COCO! ^^

Anyways, D-Day aka Departure Day: emotional, exciting, nerve-racking- the true beginning of my year in Korea.  During the ceremony when we step out of the Fulbright line and meet our vice-principal or principal and co-teacher I was greeted by my co-teacher (whom I love!) throwing a huge bouquet of flowers into my arms.  It was precious. 

After the ceremony there was a lot of waiting (and praying that my vice-principal’s car was big enough to hold all my dang luggage….) and then kind of an awkward car ride.  It ended up not being that bad as I was whisked away from the gigantic one-building Sovietesque castle known as Jungwon.  We then met up with my principal and department head for dinner at a local Gumi restaurant.  I was nervous and excited to meet everyone.  The comment that took the cake the most at this event was this: My co-teacher: “Now, please don’t take this the wrong way, but the principal says that he is very pleased since you have blonde hair… he thinks this will make the kids want to speak English more.”  Me: “ummmmm oh…hahah thanks….?!”  And then again when offered beer later in the dinner and then I politely refuse because I’m not really a beer person “Oh please don’t worry about sexual harassment.  We don’t have that at our school.”  I wasn’t even thinking about that….that seriously took me by surprise.  Then I had to explain that I was not really into the taste of beer.  I think they got it? 

After dinner I was off to meet my host family.  And to put it quite frankly, my host family is da bomb.  You will see why later.  I have two host siblings- one in elementary school and one in middle school- and my host parents are both teachers.  Super sweet and unbelievably generous and invested in their children’s education.  Let’s just say there is no TV in the house.  That’s an indicator.  J  I hope I don’t disappoint my host family in any way.  Especially with helping them learn English.  So far I think we have a healthy balance going between Korean and English.  I have much to learn!  *Ashley Restaurant in Daegu – My host family is seriously so sweet.  The first weekend we were together they took me to Daegu to go to a restaurant that shares my name- Ashley Restaurant.  They serve all types of food there but is basically known for its Western cuisine.  Also, my host mom always checks in with me to see if I really like her food, and am comfortable.  I keep telling her that I am.  I really am lucky to have such a great family.

*Taekwondo class at Jungwon- Sparring my Sabeomnim….bad AND good choice.  So when we took our Taekwondo master out for drinks one night I decided it would be a smart and amusing choice to challenge him to a sparring match.  Not just by myself…..but three of us on one.  Two of my other friends were totally in- 3 girls on 1 taekwondo master….we could do it…..NOT.  So hoping that we were going to get him drunk enough so he didn’t remember we shook on it.  The next day was Taekwondo class.  And who is the only one who shows up to sparring that day out of the original group who proposed such a preposterous idea?  ME.  My luck ran out with this one:  right as I walked into class he smiled at me and totally remembered my challenge from the night before.  He said “Ahh Ashlee, we spar to-day!” And me in a fit of fear told him “Sabeomnim, if Di-Hoa and Amy do NOT come I will NOT spar you!”  And he proceeded to brush me off.  And of course I was the only chump who showed up.  So I think I am off the hook until I am done sparring my other partner and he starts getting his gear on and saying  “Okay Ashlee!  Time to spar!”  I then continued to repeatedly tell him that Di-Hoa and Amy were not here therefore I could not take him one on one.  So his suggestion:  get two more girls who were NOT up to the challenge.  One was pretty much forced into it.  Needless to say, he totally handed me my behind and he was not even trying!  I wish someone got that sparring match on film… I am glad that it happened though.  Now we have a special, special bond. Especially after he could have easily roundhouse kicked my head in.  Gotta love Sabeomnim. ^^

*Some new-found biddies! (I mean, no one could replace the true ones…just sayin)  I legit have awesome co-workers.  I am now the youngest employee in the school and some ladies in the office have decided to take me under their wings.  It has been really great.  Most of them are in their mid to late twenties and they are bunches of fun.  I really look forward to bonding with them in the coming year.  They even gave me a Korean name.  We went to Outback Steakhouse for a co-worker’s birthday (which is WAY too expensive by the way….no I will not pay $35 for a mini steak….thank god for family style-eating culture…) and we were talking in both Korean and English and the subject of names came up.  Then they decided on the spot to give me a Korean name- Kang AeJeong or 강애정((姜愛情).  Let’s just say I was overwhelmingly honored.  It took me forever to get a Kanji in Japan (my name = 亜朱利) And it basically took me a week and a half to get one here.  So in return, I gave them all English names.  ^^ I think they liked the exchange.  J

*1^st week of teaching- crazy and good.  Some things include:

-Arm wrestling middle school boys….and beating them.

-Me: Hey kid, whaddya want to be? What is your future dream? Student: How do you spell “paelentologist?” Me: OH…um…..uh….wait a minute let me check my dictionary…::goes and gets mini pocket dictionary praying the stupid word is in it…no dice:: Me: ::sits there for a good minute trying to figure out the spelling and eventually telling the kid I will get back to him…well I guess since you can’t spell it, you can’t be that, now can ya kid?.....

- Rockstar status and an ego boost to boot!  I have this boy who constantly makes it a point to come up to me and yell in my face YOU’RE SO BEAUTIFUL!  It’s super sweet and hilarious at the same time.

-All I do is sweat…even more.  So Korea has decided that it will carry its summer into September when, as my co-teach swears it is cool by this time.  I will believe that when I see it.  One day I had pit-stains to my boobs.  No lie.  Embarrassing? Yes.  Lesson learned?  Heck yes.  Hoping it will help keep the Korean pounds off?  HELL yes.

*Wanting to join a gym- if I don’t ill go insane –NEWSFLASH.  Ashlee has joined a gym.  Named ChicaGO Fitness.  Go figure.  My host dad made a funny joke the night I joined: “haha…oh well now you can go home every day.” Cute, huh?   Joined a gym with the help of her co-teacher and the guy decided to take her muscle mass and body weight in order to join.  Thanks dude, I lift on a normal basis even though by your standards I probs don’t look like I work out.  He also told me that if I concentrated on dieting and exercising I would be even more glamorous….WOW! That’s great….James.  Yeah he told me tonight his name was James.  And the most exciting part about this gym?  You change into a workout uniform…good for my host mom….bad for the gym!  HEAVEN!  Also, I am by far the sweatiest person there, but really I don’t think anyone is surprised by that. AM I RIGHT MOM AND DAD?! The yoga class I just took was super interesting….not at all like American yoga.  It was hysterical and the ladies were sweet.  Next time I am doing the spinning class afterwards!

*Wanting my Korean to get better – I have been trying to sit down and study but I feel like lesson planning has been taking the bulk of my time especially at work.  Once I plan this semester I will have more time to work on Korean but for now I will just have to learn on the fly.  I really really want to learn it.  Especially since I can read all of it.  It is amazing how frustrating things can get if you don’t know the language….reminds me of me about 2 years ago in Japan…

*Star Wars- spreadin’ American pop culture like it’s my job...OH WAIT! It IS my job!

*Worrying about whether or not I am trying too much or too hard with my host siblings

*Becoming more interested in painting my nails…all the time...thanks for that one Jenny Wilborn!

*Having the most epic day with my host sister, host mother, and host sister’s friend.  Get this: host sister and her friend are 11.  They like scary movies.  We went to see a scary movie.  I cowered like a baby.  I will blog more about this later.

*Lesson planning is hard.  Thank god I have resources…and family!

*Forgot most of my gifts at Jungwon- my school co-workers probably secretly think I’m an incompetent fool of an American….the gifts should be here this weekend…

*DePauw-sickness and longing – I just really miss DePauw.  I love Korea and my experience here, but you will not have anything like college ever again, people.  Live it up.  I’m glad I did.

*Worried I’m not going to explore on my own! – I need to channel you Nikki Brueggeman! 

*Worried about educating Koreans and whether or not I am really making a difference….

*Koreans eat and eat and eat some more.  Seriously.  Pretty much at about 11:00pm another smaller meal comes along… probably because the kids are studying half the night away.

*Native American dream catchers- a piece of American culture to carry with me wherever I go! 

I will add more pictures later....right now I'm too sleepy.  

안녕히계세요!~

애슐리~

Update: Survivin' Seoul Weekend Part 1

Kirby, me and Colleen aka CoCo ready for a night on the town!

These past few days have been absolutely crazy!  Actually the past few weeks have been insane.  All of the Fulbrights went to Seoul last weekend for our Seoul trip and had a blast to say the least.  I have a few good stories from that trip that I will save for verbal reiteration to a select few.  Besides having a really good time, included in that good time was a trip to the US Ambassador’s house.  It was absolutely amazing!  Ambassador Stevens is such a wonderful woman and such a strong, warm presence.  I was able to talk with her briefly for a few minutes before I had to eat the scrumptious buffet that was there at her house.  Auntie Patty, you would have loved the art in this house; I couldn’t stop thinking about how you would love the art and the interior design!  ^^

Let me back track a little bit for a moment.  Forgive me I am trying to cover a lot of time in one blog posting so my mind is wandering a bit.  Anyways, before we arrived at the Ambassador’s house, all the Fulbrights ventured out of the Soviet-Marble-esque Castle known as Jungwon University at an early 5:00am.  Once we arrived in Seoul we freshened up a bit and then pretty much headed out to the DMZ after that in two large groups.  As the second group we stopped along the way at many different memorials to fallen soldiers during the Korean War and other wars.  Our tour guide was really sweet and what not.  We finally arrived at the Joint Security Area which is a special area where several different countries are there protecting the border.  We had to pass through many check points and then were briefed on important things before heading to take pictures of the South Korean soldiers and North Korean soldiers facing each other at the border.  As we were briefed, there was also a Japanese tour group along with us so at the same time I could not only understand the English descriptions but also the Japanese.  That was pretty cool.

Me awkwardly taking a picture

North Korean soldiers and tourists.

 At the border, the South Korean soldiers are in a certain Taekwondo stance with sunglasses on to basically intimidate the North Korean soldiers.  We were told that we were not allowed to communicate in any way with the North Korean soldiers, this meaning verbal and nonverbal communication.  We were not allowed to go into the conference room because the North Korean tourists were there at the same time.  Also, we had the rare opportunity to see the North Korean tourists come down from the other side along with North Korean soldiers.  Here they were, like us, touring this “hostile” area.  I really have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that such a serious and important place has been made into a tourist attraction.  The kicker here is that supposedly for the tour we were on, there was a brochure with two definitely Western looking foreigners staring out of binoculars and smiling.  Really?  That just blows my mind.  I also have trouble taking pictures with me in it at places that are quite controversial etc.  For example, when I was in Hiroshima, I did not stand there, smile and  throw up a good ole peace sign; how can you do that where so many lives have been taken?  The same goes for the DMZ/JSA.  Why in the world would you want to go into a gift shop on the South Korean side of the DMZ?  To buy what?  A T-Shirt that says something that downplays the situation?  Or does it rather mock the situation? 

Soldier fulfilling his mandatory military service.

 There is a film called JSA that my friend and fellow ETA Anskar has recommended I see.  It is in regards to the soldiers who face each other.  Apparently it chronicles two soldiers, one South Korean and one North Korean standing there and over some time, they become friends.  I hear it is a tear-jerker (?) and it is an excellent piece of film.  I’d say that’s next on my list. In addition, we met a soldier who was in the United States for 7 years and graduated from Johns Hopkins with a degree in Economics and Applied Mathematics. And here he was at the border doing his mandatory military service.  That was one interesting conversation to say the least....  After his 2 year service he will go back to the States to pursue his graduate degree.  

South Korean soldiers in modified Taekowndo stance staring towards North Korea.  Notice that they only half expose themselves to the North Koreans.

I will update you all soon on my host family!  They are absolutely amazing!!! Time for bed.  ^^ZZZZZZzzzzz……