Saturday, January 28, 2012

Something Done...

I got something done today! It's not Korea related though. >.> I spent today making Peanut Butter Kisses. So far I've made about 6 dozen of them and I'm not finished yet. By the time I am finished, though, I'll have made another 8 dozen or so. Lots of cookies.















Something that is Korea related - another K-Pop video! This one is Neverland by U-Kiss.


Friday, January 27, 2012

Sunny Hill - The Grasshopper Song

Location: Burns, OR, USA
Suppose I should post something Korea related. Not much to say about this video except I enjoy it.




Also, Leandra is going to Seoul this weekend and makes me jealous.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Compiling the List

Location: Burns, OR, USA
A packing list that is. Last time I traveled abroad I was only going to be gone for a few months. I traveled knowing that if I happened to need something (like emergency clothes or that special sweet *coughreesespeanutbuttercupscough*), I could find it somewhere in Townsville. Now, though, I'm leaving for at least a year and I have no idea if I'll find everything I need, should the need arise. That calls for a comprehensive packing list.

Wait, I only have one suitcase? A carry-on size one? Nonono, we can't have this. *sigh* I suppose I get to buy a new suitcase too. For those wondering about the ones I had for my Berea years, they have sadly died. They larger two both lost the support thing on the bottom (you know, the one that lets it sit flat with the wheels) the first and second times flying; that was way back in Spring 2008. They got beat up and what not over the course of the next few years. Lost the top handles in Fall 2008. Broke the clip for the strap on the largest one in Spring 2009. And then I went to Australia. My poor luggage took a beating flying across the ocean. It was mostly confined to some broken corners though, no big deal. And then we go to Brisbane. Getting there was fine (if heavy - I did pack all my stuff between one suitcase and two carry-ons. Had to be within domestic flight guidelines. What? No, of course my bag doesn't weigh 11.5 kilos. Oh, you mean the other one? It doesn't weigh 11.5 kilos either.) But leaving Brisbane I ran into my first major issue. The medium suitcase broke a wheel on the way to the airport. Made it home in one relative piece. Broken one could just stay home, right? Right. No serious mishaps that Spring or Summer, but Fall 2010, oh boy. That was the big break. Moving me into Kettering and what happens? The pull handle breaks. Of all the other things that could break, it had to be that. Okay, okay, I can deal with this. I'll just use the one with the broken wheel when I get home. No, not going to happen either. It's full of mold from my nasty leaking room. So I'm left with one good suitcase and it's a small one. So, finding a new suitcase or suitably sized duffle is an important thing on my list.

The list. What a list it is. Australia I didn't really start thinking about packing until the week before. Thoughts: I'm going to a tropical location. Summer clothes, light jacket, few pairs of shoes, important documents, and go. Now though, oh no. Gimhae is a coastal city with a mild climate. And lots of rain (so I've heard). So I've got to pack winter-ish clothes, waterproof clothes, summery clothes, shoes (I have big feet), plus things you can't find in South Korea (or if you do, it's super expensive), like chewy cookies and peanut butter cups. Just have to say my list is long and my budget right now is non-existent.

Monday, January 23, 2012

K-Pop: Fat Cat - Is Being Pretty Everything?


Way back in my junior year, Spring of 2010 specifically, I took a poetry class. I wrote about the contrast between North American music and Japanese music. Recently, in my exploration of K-pop, I've found similar contrasts.

A great example is Fat Cat's "Is Being Pretty Everything?" The basis for the song is that guys only like pretty faces and (while Fat Cat is very pretty) she doesn't want to be just that. She says, "Other parts of me are prettier; But they're not parts that can be seen." She asks if being pretty is everything? Is she a good-for-nothing? Is she that unworthy? She even asks, "Does a pretty face feed you?"

I like this song with it's upbeat sound and message that if a guy likes you just because your pretty, not because of what's inside too, then tell them to piss off (she does say that!)

Comments? Thoughts?

English Translation:

Oh oh oh ohohoh
Oh oh oh ohohoh
I'm your beautiful
You're beautiful

Men are all the same these days
They only like pretty faces
Why is every single guy like that?
Other parts of me are prettier
But they're not parts that can be seen
And everyone says that I am ugly
I want to be in love now
I want to be obviously in love
I want an honest person
Is being pretty everything?
Do you only look at the outer image?
Please stop now and look at my heart (look look look)
Am I good-for-nothing?
Am I that unworthy?
That's so not cool, look at my heart (look look look)

Oh oh oh ohohoh
Oh oh ohohoh
I'm your beautiful
You're beautiful

Do pretty faces feed you?
They become the same after a month
Why, why are guys like this?
"It's always the ugly ones who complain more"
Jerks who say that, please piss off
The outside and inside aren't always the same
I want to be in love now
I want to be obviously in love
I want a person who will only care for me
Is being pretty everything?
Do you only look at the outer image?
Please stop now and look at my heart (look look look)
Am I good-for-nothing?
Am I that unworthy?
That's so not cool, look at my heart (look look look)

I am the Fat Cat - are you curious about me?
Do you even know about the scars you gave me with your toenails?
Look at my eyes, look at my crying heart
Look at my two eyes that are waiting for your love

Are you a hotshot?
Are you that much of a hotshot?
That's so not cool, look at yourself (look look look)
Is being pretty everything?
Do you only look at the outer image?
Please stop now and look at my heart (look look look)

Oh oh oh ohohoh
Oh oh ohohoh
I'm your beautiful
You're beautiful

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Eat Your Kimchi

Location: Burns, OR
Just a blurb about one website that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Aptly named Eat Your Kimchi, it covers a variety of topics South Korea related.

Martina and Simon -
Crazy Awesome Canadians
Simon and Martina are a crazy Canadian couple who live with their dog, Spudgy, in Bucheon. They moved there originally to teach English but now are the Gepik Representatives for Bucheon City - meaning if you're a Gepik in the Bucheon area and have questions about dealing with your school, you contact them and they help you figure it out. But what I know them for their amazing website.

They've got general Korea and Culture. Just some of the things they cover are Christmas, Valentine's Day, White Day, and Pepero Day - That's an entire day devoted to pepero aka pocky!!!

A huge section call Music Mondays where they review K-Pop videos. I've rediscovered my love of Asian music thanks to them. I look forward to every week and adding new music to my collection.

They did a series entitled WTF - Wonderful Treasure Find. There were so many hilarious things you won't find in North America. Mouth stretchers, ear picks, Winnie the Pooh sandwich press, spike ball hand massagers (which hurt, according to Martina and Simon), and circle contact lenses that are supposed to make your eyes cute. Watching them play around and try to figure out what these strange contraptions/inventions are for is hilarious.

Wednesdays are W.A.N.K. days - that's Wonderful Adventure Now Korea. They go different places and share the awesomeness. Namsan Tower, Shopping in Myeongdong, Arcades, and whatever else they or their followers can come up with. Each week isn't just a wander around, they have three things they have to do. 1) Find a K-Pop idol and get a picture with them. 2) Find the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) example of Engrish. And 3) Complete a random challenge. Loser gets a punishment of some kind - dancing in the street, embarrassing stuff. Though there is a 1 in 6 chance of escaping punishment.

Every once in a while, a video on Korean food pops up. Tteokbokki (dok bok ki) - a spicy rice cake, meat, egg dish sold at Pojangmacha (street vendors). Mandu - grilled, fried, boiled, or steamed dumplings (probably the street food I'm looking to most). Naengmyeon - cold noodles with or without broth. And the amusing convenience store raid; they raided the nearby convenience store, regardless that they had no idea what they bought and tried all of it in a 4 part series.

There's a How-To section that I will probably use heavily. Appliances in Korean (washing machines and rice cookers), the subway/bus system, ordering food, and, possibly most importantly, paying bills.

Since Simon and Martina both taught English when they first moved to Bucheon, there are ESL tips, ideas, and games. Awesome stuff to use for any teacher.

And then there's the FAQ and TL:DR section. They go together. The FAQ answers some questions and then the TL:DR Thursday videos answer some of those same questions and more. Some are relevant - being a foreigner in Korea. Some are hilarious - Most Awkward Thing Your Students Ever Asked. And not relevant to us, but awesome anyway - like how Simon proposed to Martina.

The Spudgy sporting his awesome blue do.
And there is Spudgy. Spudgy is the pekingese they adopted from a shelter. He's an adorable little thing with his colored mohawk - yes, Spudgy has a mohawk that is currently blue. There are lots of Spudgy cameos - especially in Music Mondays where he has a dancing solo. Because Spudgy travels back and forth between Korea and Toronto, Canada (where they're from), Simon and Martina know a thing or two about transporting pets. I hope to get a pet (if I plan on staying more than, say, a year) and it will be helpful to know how to bring them home.

So that's my blog on the awesomeness that is Eat Your Kimchi. Go check them out!

Becoming an ESL Teacher

Location: Burns, OR, USA
Yesterday I mentioned paperwork, and boy is there a ton of it. I don't know if all of it is required for everyone, I just went on what I've been told and what I could find via internets.

First, and probably longest, is getting an FBI background check. I sent the form and $18 money order out the week between Christmas and New Years. Nearly a month later, I'm still waiting. I forgot when I sent it out that I would need it notarized. Sometimes they do it automatically, sometimes they don't. I'm hoping that because I put "Teaching English Abroad" as my reason for needing it, they will do it automatically. Otherwise I will be sending it back and getting it notarized (which can take two weeks) before turning around and sending it to be apostilled, or authorized for international use, a process which can take another four weeks. Oh boy. I'm hoping it comes back soon and notarized so I can be on my way.

Second is getting a apostilled copy of your diploma. I had to send my degree back to Berea to be notarized and apostilled there. Yes, it has to be in the city you obtained it in. Makes it hard when you're across the country. I'm also a derp that forgot to include the $5 the Madison County Court House charges to apostille the degree. Thankfully I have wonderful friends in Berea that are going to loan me the money and let me pay the back in some way, including awesome Korean birthday presents. This will probably be the easiest and shortest send-out work I have.

Then I have the contract! Yay! But then I have to send a bunch of things off again, including:
  • The contract
  • The apostilled background check
  • The apostilled diploma
  • A sealed official copy of your transcript
  • A copy of your resume
  • A copy of the photo page of your passport
  • 2-3 passport sized photos
All those I send of to South Korea and my school there. They do somethings and then I get a confirmation of visa issuance.

Then I mail the confirmation, a letter of purpose, my passport, and a self addressed stamped envelope to the nearest Korean consulate; for me this is Seattle, WA. When I get it back, I will be legal to teach in South Korea and I can leave!

There are some other things I have to do when I get there, but I'll have Leandra and my school to help out. At this point, though, it's just a waiting game with the FBI.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Student to Teacher

Location: Burns, OR, USA
L-R: Ashley, Holly, Katie, and Me at
Berea's December 2011 Graduation.
Less than a year ago, I was this person -->

A happy-go-lucky student only interested in friends, food, and passing grades. Little did I know the events that would follow would change my life.

With May came graduation. That "Yes! No more school!" feeling but also the "Wait! I don't want to leave yet!" sensation. There were tearful goodbyes and lots of hugs and promises to keep in touch (which I've at least mostly kept!) It was a joyful flight home, my thoughts on my lovely new degree, the things I could do, and the places I could go.

That amazing week start quickly turned into the worst week of my life. No one wants to get the fateful news their parent has passed away. Exactly one week after graduation, this was indeed the news I received. I must say I was lucky, though, that my granny and older brother were in town visiting that weekend and my younger brother and I didn't have to go through it alone or make all the phone calls.

Since finding about my impending employment abroad, people have been asking what my mom would think. I honestly think she'd be happy and sad, but ultimately proud of me. She'd be sad I'm leaving for a year or more, but happy and proud I've found a way to follow my dreams. I've wanted to be a teacher since first grade. That desire hasn't wavered, though the desired grade has changed though the predominate one is high school, maybe some early college. For most places in the US, it requires and education degree of some kind. To get a Masters around here, I have to have classroom time and money - neither of which I have.

When Leandra offered the knowledge of a position near here, I grabbed at it. I was low on options, living off my friends and family's generosity. This was something for me to do on my own, to finally get on the path I wanted to be on. I don't know how you would go about finding and contacting a school normally since I had Leandra as my go-between, but the paperwork is the same.

And that I'll go into tomorrow.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Going to South Korea

Location: Burns, OR, USA
What's that? Why yes, I am going to South Korea.


So after much waiting around, I had a Skype interview with my dear friend Leandra and one of her teacher friends from a different hogwan, that is, after-school English school. They liked me and so I, once I do paperwork and wait more, will be teaching English at Keynes English School in Gimhae (I think it's Gimhae), South Korea. My intended leave date is currently sometime in March. I've very excited!

This is my attempt at letting people know what's going on while I'm gone (or getting ready to go). When I get there I'm going to be (hopefully) doing some videos and showing what life's like in South Korea. I'll be taking ideas from Simon and Martina at Eat Your Kimchi (with proper credit of course). So far I've got a long packing list (with only one suitcase to speak as of now) and a long wait for paperwork to come back before being sent off again. Posts will be spread out until I get closer to leaving, but I'll post things I learn or want to share.

P.S. If you want to laugh, even if you're not interested in Korean culture, check out Simon and Martina. They're awesome and hilarious and they've got a Spudgy!