Photos of Fall

Before winter takes full force, here are a few pictures of what I was up to this fall.  (If you'd like to enlarge a photo, you may be able to do so by clicking on it.)

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One morning, I woke up and walked the long, foggy road to work. It was nice to pass these flowers that bloom every fall, lining the otherwise dull street with color.

Over the Korean "Thanksgiving" holiday, a couple other foreign teachers and I went and watched the sunrise at Jeongdongjin Beach, which is famous for its view of the sun coming up in the morning.

One Friday, the International Education Department (which I am included in) at school went out for a hike up Samaksan in Chuncheon. Pictured immediately below are one of the older English teacher's wives (who was a faster and more skilled hiker than any of us!), myself, the native Japanese teacher, and one of the two native Chinese teachers. The view from the top was outstanding. 

After watching an open class one afternoon, our district's Korean coordinator took a few of us to the local white porcelain museum for a (guided) pottery making experience.

One weekend, I went to watch a ping pong (or should I say table tennis?) competition at the facility where I've recently begun taking lessons. I guess this is the speed I'm working toward...

I've continued to be involved with the local radio (well, podcast) program and recently found a few new people willing to participate, too.

This is a meal at one of my favourite Korean restaurants: grilled, seasoned chicken with soybean paste stew, green onion "salad," rice, and giant-radish kimchi.

A couple weekends ago, a few friends and I rented a car and went to the beach (again). This is a little, old-fashioned rest stop on the way. I'm holding a bag of puffed rice "crackers" that I bought to snack on. The word up top means "welcome." It was a cloudy, wet day, but we enjoyed watching the waves out a seaside cafe window.

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The weather was nice this fall, which made it easier to be a bit more active. The winter cold is coming quickly now, though, so I expect it'll soon take more intention to get out. 

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Thanks for reading :)

Learning Korean in the Countryside

The following is the script of the 10 minute "NET Talk" (Native English Teacher Talk; based on the concept of TED Talks) that I gave at the Gangwon EPIK Northwest Regional Workshop last week.  The intent behind my talk was to encourage foreign English teachers in Korea to study Korean by stating that it is not only a doable, but also a highly rewarding endeavour.  Whether or not it benefited the audience, preparing and presenting on this topic somehow seemed therapeutic to me.

*   *   *

Good afternoon. I came to Korea for the first time in October of 2011, not knowing anything of the Korean language. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did memorize three useful phrases before getting on the plane. (1) 안녕하세요 “hello,” (2) 감사합니다 “thank you,” and (3) 비빔밥 주세요 “rice with vegetables, please.” But that was literally all I knew. I lived in Seoul when I first arrived, went to and from work every day, and spent my free time in my apartment, hiding from the outside world that I feared I wouldn’t be able to communicate with. I lived on the 14th floor, so I had a decent view. But I didn’t come to Korea because I wanted to look out a window.

I came because I wanted to share my language and culture with others while also experiencing a new language and culture myself. After some time, I found a Korean language academy and signed up. I took language classes on-and-off, as my work schedule allowed, and endured the tedious process of becoming functional in a new language. However, at functional, life was not much easier. I was at the point where I could go to the store with a sweater to return, state that I wanted to return it, and then not have a clue what the clerk said back to me. Sometimes, the return succeeded anyway. Other times, I left the store, sweater in hand, wondering who I knew that it might fit. Finding so much of my time consumed by work and feeling frustrated that I could not accelerate past sometimes-functional in society, I thought I’d leave Korea for good. (That was in 2012.) But, what I decided to do before leaving changed everything.

Before leaving Korea, I was determined to give the Korean language a fair chance to be learned. So, I finished my contract teaching English and enrolled as a full-time student in Sogang University’s Korean language program. For two and a half months, I spent my days studying – in a classroom in the morning, at a café in the afternoon, and over a meal or while taking a stroll in the evening. It was only then, after having lived in Korea for a year and a half, it was only when I committed a couple of months solely to studying the Korean language that I felt myself begin to shift from functional to conversational. And that was when I was able to start reaping the benefits of all the hours I’d invested in second language studies. 

Upon being hired by EPIK and beginning employment with the Gangwon POE, I realized how much my Korean language ability improved my experience as a native English teacher in a public school. First, I was able to hear information faster. While schedule changes, by nature, happen at the last minute, seeing them come out over the school messenger system or overhearing the Vice Principal making the initial announcement would give me a couple extra minutes of precious mental preparation time that I wouldn’t have had if I’d had to wait for my co-teacher to come find me and relay the news herself.

More significantly, being able to carry on a conversation, simple though it may have been, opened the door for relationships that would not have been possible otherwise. Before I had studied Korean, I often got vibes of disinterest from the other teachers at school, and I’ve heard fellow native English teachers say the same – sometimes saying that it goes beyond disinterest to ignorance or even outright avoidance. But, from what I’ve seen, these teachers do not intend their actions to have any effect on you personally. Instead, they simply fear that, were they to smile at you in the hallway or sit too close to you in the cafeteria, they might suddenly find themselves in a situation where they feel pressure to communicate with you, in your mother tongue. That is a scary thought for many Korean people, and I know because I’ve heard it said on several occasions.

One evening, I was walking from school into town to catch the bus home, when a young Korean math teacher pulled up and offered me a ride in her car. The first thing she said when I got in was, “If you didn’t speak Korean, I would’ve just driven past you. Not because I wouldn’t have wanted to offer you a ride, but because I would’ve had to speak English with you.” Clearly, the problem is not personal; it’s lingual. In another instance, I was in the school cafeteria eating lunch, when a middle-aged Korean language teacher started talking about the native English teacher that had been at the school the year before I came. She said, “I felt so bad for the previous foreign teacher. She always looked lonely just sitting at her desk, but none of us knew how to talk to her. She couldn’t speak Korean and we can’t speak English. Sometimes I’d be brave and say ‘good morning,’ but I never knew what to say after that.” Hearing this, too, made me realize: many Korean teachers, regardless of what subject they teach, actually are interested in their school’s foreign teacher. They simply don’t know how to talk to them, and are often too afraid to try. The good news is: this is a barrier that we, as foreigners in this country, have the power to overcome.

By being willing to try using a sentence you’ve studied, even if you get it all wrong, you can break the ice with a teacher who may want to talk to you, but be too scared to start a conversation themselves. More often than not, if you try to talk to someone, they will try to talk back. So, sit at your desk with your language textbook open at lunch time and try a sentence out on whoever passes by. A single sentence can start a conversation. And conversation can create space for meaningful relationships to blossom.

For me, it is the continual growth of such relationships that allows me to feel connected at school and in the community I live in. Through relationships, I am able to engage in the perpetual process of sharing, understanding, and growing, and that process is what inspires me to continue living in this country.

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Before I close, I’d like to introduce a couple of language programs that you can use to start, or continue studying Korean – regardless of whether you teach in a metropolis like Chuncheon or somewhere slightly smaller, like all of the other districts represented here today.

First, for those of you who want to study on your own time, with English explanations, check out www.talktomeinkorean.com. Talk to Me in Korean has all kinds of lessons and resources for all levels. Some are paid, but many are free. You can start from the alphabet, jump into grammar points midway, or skip to the intermediate section and listen to “Interactive Iyagis,” which are natural conversations that have both English and Korean subtitles to help learners follow along. I’ve tried studying through several different websites and, in my opinion, if you’re looking for flexible, then Talk to Me in Korean is great.

Next, for those of you who need a teacher, a schedule, homework, and tests to get you to actually do anything, look into KIIP: Korea Immigration and Integration Program. KIIP is a language and culture program run by the Korean government. The textbook costs 10,000 won. The courses themselves are free of charge. KIIP uses an online learning system where you log in at a set time and participate in a live class. The teacher explains the material and gives students chances to practice, just like they would in an actual classroom. When I was taking KIIP courses, I had class for two hours a day, every weekday after work. It was quite intense, but I learned a lot in a relatively short time. KIIP also gives you points toward upgrading your visa, if you think you might be interested in that in the future. So, for those of you who wish you could enroll in an intensive Korean language program, but can’t because of distance or transportation difficulties, I recommend looking into KIIP. You can find more information at their website, www.socinet.go.kr or by calling the immigration help line, 1345.

Finally, for you self-motivated souls who can go through a textbook on your own, but want a way to track your progress, try taking the TOPIK exam. The TOPIK, T-O-P-I-K, Test of Proficiency in Korean, is a standardized test held once every couple of months. It’s broken into two categories: TOPIK 1 is designed for beginners, and TOPIK 2 is geared toward intermediate and advanced learners. The test is typically held at Hallym University in Chuncheon, on a Sunday morning or afternoon. You can find information in English at www.topikguide.com or you can access the official website in Korean at www.topik.go.kr.

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Whatever method you choose, my hope today is that you will feel encouraged knowing that learning Korean is a process that is well worth pursuing, not only for the respect and understanding you gain, but also for the relationships you build with others, and, thanks to a variety of excellent online resources, studying Korean is a path that it is possible to make progress on, even while living in the quiet Korean countryside. Thank you.

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Thanks for reading :)

Korean in the Classroom

Overhearing students talking to each other in Korean is one thing; understanding it is another.

Whenever I start with a new group of students (which I did most recently last March), it's fun to see how long it takes before they catch on to how much I'm catching on to. 

When one student asks his friend the meaning of a word in the middle of class and I "just happen" to explain the meaning of that same word immediately thereafter, the class usally finds it a funny coincidence.

When I appraoch a small group to see how they are doing with the task I've given them, one student often whispers to his friend, "How do you say such-and-such in English?"  If the friend doesn't seem to know, but I've understood, I simply ask the group if they want to include something like such-and-such, and they often proclaim me a psychic.

After a few classes with a few too many coincidences and a bit too sharp of psychic skills, the students begin to ponder what seems to strike them as the final possibility:

Perhaps she understands us.

If I'm instructing the class, and I catch a student whispering about this possibility with a friend, I simply meet their gaze and give a quick, but clear smile.  Usually, frightened, they stifle a scream or sometimes, surprised, they can't help but giggle. 

It's a fun game to play with a new class and it seems to result in a slightly more open mind for both parties.  I get to see how much the students really did understand and how much they're still struggling with the content, and they get to chew on the fact that they've just been understood by a foreigner.

And, although it's usually either chit-chat or questions about what they're supposed to be doing in class, every once in awhile, I pick up a pretty neat nugget. 

At the boys' high school (where I teach one day per week) two weeks ago, one student thought aloud, "Today was the first day that the foreign teacher's class was actually interesting!" and, last week at the same school, one boy gazed upon a whiteboard full of sentences and wondered, "Wow! I can't believe we know all that!"

It's these less common, but more meaningful comments that help me to see what's working and what's not -- and it's always nice to know that something is.

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 At break time during the 2-hour after-school lesson that I teach 
 once a week at the girls' high school, we went out to see the  
 infamous "autobike" that I've *cough* been riding around town on. 
 

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Thanks for reading :)

Ocean Toes & River Legs

This is what happens when you rent a car on a beautiful day in the springtime.

 Entering Seoraksan National Park 

 Starting our way up Seorak Mountain 

 Buddhist Temples decorated with colorful lanterns 

 First viewpoint -- with fellow foreign language
 teachers in Yanggu (from left to right:
 Canadian, American, Japanese, Chinese) 

 Gaining elevation, losing leg strength 

 Summit!  That's the ocean below the sky.  

 The cameraman told us to do this...
 He climbs up here every day and sells cups of
 juice for $5 a piece...  I wasn't quite that thirsty.  

 Back down, it's "giant bacon" for dinner. Cook it yourself, then cut it
 with scissors and put a piece on a fresh lettuce leaf. Add a little rice
 and  some red  pepper  "sauce." Roll it up and eat it all in one bite.
 That  red  stuff  in the front is kimchi, and no, it's not bad grilled.  

 The beach that we saw from up top 

And this is what happens when you get home and realize that you booked the car for two days but it's only been one.

 Late breakfast, early lunch -- Buckwheat green onion
 "pancake" with red and white kimchi as sides 

 The main dish was these buckwheat noodles with red pepper
 "sauce," cucumbers, boiled egg, and a bit of dried seaweed. Pour
 in some cold "broth," stir it up, and find yourself full until dinner.  

 Just below North Korea, in the very north-easternmost corner
 of South Korea lies this less travelled, bright blue beach. 

 We soon realized we were the only ones in the tide pools
 not looking for food. 

 See there in the center? A blue and orange starfish! 

 And he thinks he's the one catching things... 

 Rock, sea, sky 

 Rock, tree, me 

 Who needs a shade umbrella when you could have a whole
 shade tent? I guess that's what people's logic is anyway! 

 Left the ocean in the afternoon and went to this shady river valley. 

 We drove out when evening fell and saw fish jumping --
  their silver bellies sparkling specks all over the place.  

* * * 

Put your toes 

in the ocean, 

Rinse your legs 

in a river,

Let your soul awaken 

to rest. 

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Thanks for reading :)

Local Broadcast

Hi there!

As I mentioned in the previous post, I was invited to participate in a broadcast on a local, volunteer-run radio program.  The broadcast has now been edited and uploaded!  For those who are curious, here's how to find it:

       1. Go to http://www.ygccfm.com
       2. Click on the green square (if it isn't already selected)
       3. Click on the blue, triangle "play" button next to the line with the word "caren" in it
       4. Skip to 25:09 and listen through until you hear the transition music (around 33:03)

The way that "Karen" is spelled, "caren," sort of indicates the way I feel about the broadcast after hearing the final version.  It was a really fun experience, but something always seems a bit off when listening to yourself talk like that!

Also, I had prepared written answers to the questions, as I was told that reading them would suffice, but upon listening back, I wished I would've been brave enough (it was surprisingly nerve-wracking, even with the lack of a physical audience, just knowing that my voice was on record!) to speak out of the box a bit, and perhaps pick up the tempo a tad.

  Getting something ready to read was quite a task
  in and of itself!  I wrote what I thought might work first,
  then Jihoon helped me to work out the kinks.  

Regardless, this was my first broadcast and I did it almost entirely in a foreign language.  So, while I wouldn't exactly say that it's super smooth around the edges, I would say that the completion of the 'cast is cause enough for cheers.

For those who'd like to follow along while listening, click the link below to see a script (Korean) alongside a rough translation (English)...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tj4Dy-AvYRKx2yINpWVdtGJhiMWXZqUM4kDeL0_5xYE/edit?usp=sharing

Enjoy!

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Thanks for listen/read-ing :)

Quite Some Time

An-neong-ha-se-yo?

I'd rather not call it a gap or a pause, but perhaps a respite or a break.

Regardless of your word of choice, however, I admit that I have not posted in quite some time.

This is partly because I was watching too many Korean talk shows after work for a while there and partly because a lot of aspects of life here have started to seem normal, making it difficult to find inspiration amidst the routine.

However, going back home for a couple weeks after Christmas and seeing many family members and friends, I was confronted a couple of times on my recent lack of recent updates.

Rather than going back and trying to cover past ground, I'll just start fresh from the present, perhaps throwing down a few flashbacks from the past, perhaps just pressing on from here.

Today's post: in pictures.

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Continuously Chilly

 The sunrise, captured from the parking lot at school,
 shortly after 8am. 

 The high school I teach at is being remodeled, so we are
 temporarily sitting in a computer lab in the dormitory building.
 The students are on winter vacation, so I have no classes to teach. 

 After work, walking across the bridge.  They're getting
 the ice ready for skating and what looks like
 a kids' hockey tournament. 

 Leftover snow remains in shady spots, but
 new snow hasn't fallen in quite a while now. 

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Year by Year

 I signed another contract last week -- now planning
 to continue teaching in the same town, but at
 a different high school, until February 25, 2016. 

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Weekend Outing

 Out for lunch on Sunday with a couple of the wiser teachers
 from school (left: art teacher,right: retired science teacher). 

 It was a cloudy day, but we enjoyed the view walking
 around outside the Animation Museum in Chuncheon. 

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Personal Pizza

 So this is what happens when you get to know
 the owner of a local pizza & chicken place! 

 I met these two ladies through one of the teachers here
 at school (right: restaurant owner, center: her friend). 

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Radio Broadcast

 It just so happened that the restaurant owner's husband
 (not pictured) volunteers as head of the
 local radio program. 

 He invited me to be interviewed on the air.  Luckily, I was
 allowed to write down my answers to the questions ahead of time
 and just read them out... since it was conducted in Korean! 

 Funny how nerve wracking it was, being that there were only
 three people in the room!  Anyway, the interview is scheduled
 to be uploaded on February 1st.  I'll send you the link then! 

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Thanks for reading :)