I have also begun to learn some Korean, like kamsahamnida (thank you) and igo ulmayayo (how much is this?). And...annyo-haseyo (hello) and mul chuseyo (please bring water) and yogeeo (to get someone's attention -- taxi, waiter, person, dog that you want to eat, etc.) I was taught "bathroom," but then realized it's easier to learn to just hold it than it is to learn the word. So while I don't know 'bathroom' anymore, one can easily see that my vocabulary has increased significantly since I first arrived. My vocab may even be as vast as Uncle Tom's by now.
Also, it is true that Koreans go way out of their way to help a foreigner. Today in Seoul, after leaving the subway and trying to find the bus back to Daejeon, three different people came up to me and Amber and said "excuse me, can I help you?" without us even looking around for help. One of them could not figure out how to explain the directions in English, so she just walked us to where we needed to go, even though it seemed to be totally out of her way. When we thanked her she said "well when I have traveled, it is always nice to get the help." Ahh, a lesson. And, I've heard that they all really want to practice their English.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
the Big City.
We just had a three-day orientation (I hope you all catch that pun) in Seoul. The city was fun, fast, happening. There are street vendors on every corner and every sidewalk wide enough to fit them -- selling food, books, hats (bought one of those), jewelry boxes and jewels to go in them, nylons/tights, shirts...basically you name it, it's being sold on the street. I think the funniest thing I saw was a camouflage baseball cap with "US AIR FORES Seattle Base" embroidered on it. That's not how you spell 'force,' and there's no base in seattle.
We learned all sorts of interesting tidbits about how to teach English. We also found out that some of the kindergartners will not have ever even been in school before, let alone a school where they're being taught in English. This was definitely news to me, so we'll see how it goes.
Saturday I get to move into my flat, which I am excited to do because then I will really feel like I live here.
This cafe is closing in a few minutes, so I'm off. Oh, and for those of you insisting that I try kimchee, I have decided to have one bite of it each time they bring it with a meal until I can eat it all. I can't believe it, though, some people from the orientation group said they're already addicted to it! I think they have kimchee confused with something else.
We learned all sorts of interesting tidbits about how to teach English. We also found out that some of the kindergartners will not have ever even been in school before, let alone a school where they're being taught in English. This was definitely news to me, so we'll see how it goes.
Saturday I get to move into my flat, which I am excited to do because then I will really feel like I live here.
This cafe is closing in a few minutes, so I'm off. Oh, and for those of you insisting that I try kimchee, I have decided to have one bite of it each time they bring it with a meal until I can eat it all. I can't believe it, though, some people from the orientation group said they're already addicted to it! I think they have kimchee confused with something else.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Land of the Morning Calm
Uncle Tom McElmeel's email inspired the genesis of the blog, so I am basically going to answer his questions in this...and I'll try to be creative on my own after that.
First of all, no matter what I try to say in korean, nobody seems to even begin to understand me. I even have this supposedly handy dandy Korean phrasebook by Lonely Planet (they're supposed to be good), but it's utterly useless. After I say something, the person just looks confused. So I say it again, and then they still look confused but apologetically confused. Then we both stand there for a few seconds and I come up with the great idea to just point to the phrase in my little book. Then the person is like "ooooh! 주팢ㄷ!!" and then I say "ne, ne, do you speak english??" My Korean is coming along great.
They call Korea the Land of Morning Calm, and I know why. Because morning is before all the young people start playing their computer games in all the internet cafes. Yesterday afternoon I ventured out to find one and thought I had stepped into a video arcade at first -- or a war zone. I actually left, thinking that I was in the wrong place...but the next three that I went to were the same story, so I finally stayed. But it was so loud, I could not even think straight. Now it is morning, and it is calm. And that is why they call Korea the Land of the Morning Calm.
The other teacher I flew here with has basically nothing and I brought a lot, so I will try to pawn some stuff off on her. Start making some won right away, you know. I can already tell that I will be a successful and prosperous Korean!
I have not had any kimchee by choice yet, but they had put some in my little kimbap the other day so I was forced to eat it. They also bring a little bowl of it to the table wherever you go, but I pretend not to see it. But who wants to eat cold, mushy, spicy cabbage? Not I, said the fly.
Well I better run; the morning calm ends at 11 (15 mins!), at which time the kids come in armed with their won ready to let the bullets fly.
First of all, no matter what I try to say in korean, nobody seems to even begin to understand me. I even have this supposedly handy dandy Korean phrasebook by Lonely Planet (they're supposed to be good), but it's utterly useless. After I say something, the person just looks confused. So I say it again, and then they still look confused but apologetically confused. Then we both stand there for a few seconds and I come up with the great idea to just point to the phrase in my little book. Then the person is like "ooooh! 주팢ㄷ!!" and then I say "ne, ne, do you speak english??" My Korean is coming along great.
They call Korea the Land of Morning Calm, and I know why. Because morning is before all the young people start playing their computer games in all the internet cafes. Yesterday afternoon I ventured out to find one and thought I had stepped into a video arcade at first -- or a war zone. I actually left, thinking that I was in the wrong place...but the next three that I went to were the same story, so I finally stayed. But it was so loud, I could not even think straight. Now it is morning, and it is calm. And that is why they call Korea the Land of the Morning Calm.
The other teacher I flew here with has basically nothing and I brought a lot, so I will try to pawn some stuff off on her. Start making some won right away, you know. I can already tell that I will be a successful and prosperous Korean!
I have not had any kimchee by choice yet, but they had put some in my little kimbap the other day so I was forced to eat it. They also bring a little bowl of it to the table wherever you go, but I pretend not to see it. But who wants to eat cold, mushy, spicy cabbage? Not I, said the fly.
Well I better run; the morning calm ends at 11 (15 mins!), at which time the kids come in armed with their won ready to let the bullets fly.
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