These are the impressions of Korea coming from my father's view. (Note: He's been to an Asian country before where he didn't know any of the language.)
1. It's a lot easier to get around once you figure out how things work which is actually pretty easy because it's so logical.
2. I appreciate that numbers are in Arabic instead of being in characters, like in China. This makes it so much easier because at least you can get around - you can read the bus numbers, you can read phone numbers, you can read how much things cost.
3. I'm surprised at the how big and extensive the underground shopping is. "It's a whole new city down there!" Also, how do all these shops stay in business when they're all selling the same thing and located so close together?!?
4. The food is a lot less varied than I expected in ingredients, tastes, and textures... Most things are rice-based, and nothing's baked.
5. People are extremely friendly and always try to be helpful.
6. The open markets are terrific. It's like farmers' markets but ALL THE TIME, even during winter!
7. There are lots of people *but* nobody's rude to each other. Everyone goes out of their way to be polite, (but then it's built into their system whereas it's not in the U.S.).
8. Love the warm floors in homes! I'm very surprised at the lack of heat everywhere else when it's cold - the stores, the restrooms... This is not a detriment; just a surprise.
9. I'm amazed at all the restaurants. There are soooooo many; all they [Koreans] do is eat out! As for street food: rating - very good!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Teaching - A Constant Experiment
Yes, there have been times when I've felt frustrated by the language barrier.
Regarding my students, my frustration occurs usually when they are trying to tell me something good as opposed to bad. It's not when they've gotten hurt and I'm trying to discern the scene that led up to their injury that frustrates me the most.
It's the times when they are really excited because I've somehow made a connection with them or they've made a connection and they want to communicate to me what they mean.
"Teacher! Teacher!" she cries out with a face aglow with recognition. This is when I need my patience most.
Unfortunately, it often happens at times when there are a billion things happening around us and other students coming at me with questions or students getting off-task and it is then I have to make a call.
Do I tell everyone to sit down and be quiet, or do I ignore everyone just to try to connect with that one student to understand what she's trying so desperately to communicate to me?... Or do I stop her, turning off the light-bulb that's just turned on in her mind...
I try out one way to see if it works. Maybe it does; maybe it doesn't. I try out something different the next time; sometimes I have success, sometimes, not.
So goes teaching; it's a constant experiment. This particular time, the moment was lost.
However, when there is success, ahhh- it's golden!
Regarding my students, my frustration occurs usually when they are trying to tell me something good as opposed to bad. It's not when they've gotten hurt and I'm trying to discern the scene that led up to their injury that frustrates me the most.
It's the times when they are really excited because I've somehow made a connection with them or they've made a connection and they want to communicate to me what they mean.
"Teacher! Teacher!" she cries out with a face aglow with recognition. This is when I need my patience most.
Unfortunately, it often happens at times when there are a billion things happening around us and other students coming at me with questions or students getting off-task and it is then I have to make a call.
Do I tell everyone to sit down and be quiet, or do I ignore everyone just to try to connect with that one student to understand what she's trying so desperately to communicate to me?... Or do I stop her, turning off the light-bulb that's just turned on in her mind...
I try out one way to see if it works. Maybe it does; maybe it doesn't. I try out something different the next time; sometimes I have success, sometimes, not.
So goes teaching; it's a constant experiment. This particular time, the moment was lost.
However, when there is success, ahhh- it's golden!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Gangnam Style!
Everyone is singing "Gangnam Style" (pronounced 'gah' like the 'go' in "got" + 'ng' + 'num' like in "number"), even little kids! This is Korean singer Psy's latest hit in which he mocks the rich who live in the Gangnam district, and maybe too he's bragging... Since I don't know what the Korean words mean, I'm just guessing.
According to Chosun online news, "Psy Becomes 1st Korean Singer to Rank No. 1 on U.K. Chart" with this song. (More info at http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/02/2012100200436.html.)
Regardless, everyone is singing and dancing to this song here, and around the world apparently. When I was in Busan for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving- see separate post for info and pics), I even saw a little 3 or 4 year old boy, in full Korean "hanbok" or traditional clothing (shiny yellow top, shiny redish-pink pants), singing this song! Obviously he knows not what he sings...
According to Chosun online news, "Psy Becomes 1st Korean Singer to Rank No. 1 on U.K. Chart" with this song. (More info at http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/02/2012100200436.html.)
Regardless, everyone is singing and dancing to this song here, and around the world apparently. When I was in Busan for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving- see separate post for info and pics), I even saw a little 3 or 4 year old boy, in full Korean "hanbok" or traditional clothing (shiny yellow top, shiny redish-pink pants), singing this song! Obviously he knows not what he sings...
장미 = jangmi = rose
So I went to Kosa Mart to buy some pepero to give my students on Monday. (Sunday was Pepero Day here.)
The owners' cute daughter came out in her pink pj's with roses on them. I said 'hi' to her in Korean, and then I said, "Pink!" because I'd seen her earlier and she had repeated pink to me a few times. She repeated back to me, "Pink!"
She touched one of the roses on her pj's and said, "jangmi." She then pointed to a rose picture that also appeared on the side of the ice cream cooler in their shop. She said, "jangmi," again. I realized she was telling me the Korean word, either for flower or rose. How cool!
Once I got home, I looked up the word for rose. Indeed; 장미 (jangmi) means "rose." Thank you to my little teacher!
The owners' cute daughter came out in her pink pj's with roses on them. I said 'hi' to her in Korean, and then I said, "Pink!" because I'd seen her earlier and she had repeated pink to me a few times. She repeated back to me, "Pink!"
She touched one of the roses on her pj's and said, "jangmi." She then pointed to a rose picture that also appeared on the side of the ice cream cooler in their shop. She said, "jangmi," again. I realized she was telling me the Korean word, either for flower or rose. How cool!
Once I got home, I looked up the word for rose. Indeed; 장미 (jangmi) means "rose." Thank you to my little teacher!
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