I've got some new insight this week into far some Koreans are willing to go so that they, or their kids, can learn English.
I was talking to my co-teacher Kim Ok-jin, and she brought up the topic of her husband for the first time. I've heard about her parents, her friends, her coworkers- no one else. As it turns out, her husband lives 6 hours away and works as a university professor, and she has 2 sons! (Apparently she has no desire to live with her husband anyway, and has actually tried to divorce him numerous times. oh dear.) As for her sons- here's how our conversation went...
A: So do your sons live with your husband?
K: No, they live in America.
A: Oh, are they going to university there?
K: No, they're 13 and 15 years old. They live with my husband's sister and her husband in New York.
A: Oh wow, that's a good opportunity. Are they doing some kind of exchange? How long will they be there?
K: Until they finish school or university.
A: Goodness, that's a long time! How long have they been there already?
K: 5 years.
A: (SERIOUSLY!?!?) oh wow.
Can you imagine birthing children and raising them to the ages of 8 and 11, and sending them to another country to live with family just so they can learn English?!??! I realize there's a lot of pressure on many people to learn the language, and it's true it opens up a world of opportunity... but surely that is not the only option. Kim Ok Jin speaks excellent English, and her husband studied in the US for 4 years- he teaches English literature for goodness sakes. I would think they could teach their sons great English just speaking it at home. Ah, I don't get it. She didn't seem very happy to be talking about her sons though, so I dropped the topic. Sheesh- and I thought the idea of boarding schools was bad!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
In like a lion...
As if a 5:00am wakeup and stroll through the blossoms wasn't enough last weekend...
Well with such an amazing group of friends in Suncheon the fun just never stops.
It started weeks ago, with Amanda Gale and I meandering downtown talking about how fun themed parties are... We were so excited by the idea, we decided we needed to have one for whoever was lucky enough to be having the next birthday-- Lisa! With a Birthday on March 30th, what better theme than Lions and Lambs? Wahoo!
As you can imagine, it was the most random birthday idea you've ever seen. With a mishmashed planning committee sending over 100 messages back and forth over facebook, Lindsey was added as another birthday girl- and the insanity grew.
The weekend before, Jen, Ali and I got together to make the lions and lambs with some white and yellow foam board. Others brought food, made cards and decorations, and our darling Jodie baked her butt off and hosted the whole event.
The day of was a mad rush: returning from the blossoms, running to the store to pick up some last minute supplies, get dressed, and head down and help with set-up.
And in came the birthday girls!
It was quite the scene :o) As Lisa and Lindsey walked in (to supposedly 'help Jodie with some baking'), a rain of confetti came down from 3 giant party poppers. In the apartment stood 15 grinning idiots wearing lions and lambs around their necks, surrounded by balloons, a painted backdrop to take pictures infront of, happy birthday signs, and an amazing spread of food that included bruschetta bread, brownies, and 3 cakes.
The party spread out over the hours, and ended with another event downtown: a going away celebration for Therese, a 3 year veteran and cornerstone of the ex-pat community here. I missed out on the norbang that night- After 18 hours of fun, I just couldn't fit in any more!
It was a hilarious night, leaving us all feeling very lucky to have such a wonderful group of friends. Love you Suncheon crowd :)
Well with such an amazing group of friends in Suncheon the fun just never stops.
It started weeks ago, with Amanda Gale and I meandering downtown talking about how fun themed parties are... We were so excited by the idea, we decided we needed to have one for whoever was lucky enough to be having the next birthday-- Lisa! With a Birthday on March 30th, what better theme than Lions and Lambs? Wahoo!
As you can imagine, it was the most random birthday idea you've ever seen. With a mishmashed planning committee sending over 100 messages back and forth over facebook, Lindsey was added as another birthday girl- and the insanity grew.
The weekend before, Jen, Ali and I got together to make the lions and lambs with some white and yellow foam board. Others brought food, made cards and decorations, and our darling Jodie baked her butt off and hosted the whole event.
The day of was a mad rush: returning from the blossoms, running to the store to pick up some last minute supplies, get dressed, and head down and help with set-up.
And in came the birthday girls!
It was quite the scene :o) As Lisa and Lindsey walked in (to supposedly 'help Jodie with some baking'), a rain of confetti came down from 3 giant party poppers. In the apartment stood 15 grinning idiots wearing lions and lambs around their necks, surrounded by balloons, a painted backdrop to take pictures infront of, happy birthday signs, and an amazing spread of food that included bruschetta bread, brownies, and 3 cakes.
The party spread out over the hours, and ended with another event downtown: a going away celebration for Therese, a 3 year veteran and cornerstone of the ex-pat community here. I missed out on the norbang that night- After 18 hours of fun, I just couldn't fit in any more!
It was a hilarious night, leaving us all feeling very lucky to have such a wonderful group of friends. Love you Suncheon crowd :)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A Blossom-tastic day
Spring has sprung! And last weekend all over Korea, 1000s flocked to numerous locations across the country to see the infamous Cherry Blossoms. For me and five friends, that meant getting up at the ungodly hour of 5:00am to catch the earliest bus out of Suncheon, and drive 2 hours to Gurye, a 5 km strip along quaint little river lined with cherry blossoms.
I got off to a bit of a rough start. For some reason I woke up around 2:00am- stumbling around my apartment in a stupor thinking it was 5:00. After getting dressed, I wander back into my living room and stand there staring at my clock- gaaaa, it's 2:00am! Don't ask how it happened- I have no idea... So back to bed I go. Can you guess what I forgot to do? Yes- of course reset my alarm.... Result? I didn't wake up until 5:50- 20 minutes AFTER I was supposed to meet everyone downstairs. Panic time! I run to my phone and see that my friend is also late, and currently putting on her jacket. Good thing I was already dressed, because all I had time to do was brush my teeth, throw some cereal in a ziplock bag, and run out the door. Sheesh!
Thanks to our excellent Korean skills, we were at least able tell the cabbie "bali bali"- which means faster faster! He happily obliged, and drove about 90km an hour through town, getting us to the station in record breaking time- and we made the 6:10 bus. yay!
The blossoms, naturally, were stunning. Walking down a winding road along a shallow rocky river- there was nothing but a canopy of pale pink flowers overhead, with petals falling like snow with every gust of wind. Japan definately made a good choice for their national flower!
As the hours wore on the weather got warmer, and the street became more and more crowded. There were people everywhere! It soon became cumbersome to navigate our way around the cars parked on the sidewalk, baby strollers, and couples posing infront of tripods. And boy, when Koreans take pictures they do it right. When we walked down to the river, I saw at least 6 Koreans on one small rock, all pointing their cameras on tripods at the tiny waterfall. I don't know if they're all professionals or just wannabes- but I either way I was more than a little jealous.
There were plenty of food vendors set up along the street too- selling overpriced drinks and Korean snacks- pressed fish on a stick, pogos, bitter yellow tree nuts (not good), red bean cakes, and my personal favourite you can small a mile away-- silk worms! I think they're in the pupae stage, boiled in a hot oil- and do they ever stink. I don't know how anyone could eat anything that smells that bad!
The highlight of the afternoon came with our climb up to a lookout pavillion. Looking out over the winding flower street and tea fields growing on the steppes of the hillsides, we sat down at one of two small tables for some Korean tea. Being the ignorant waygooks we are, we didn't know what do to- but a man who spoke some English was kind enough to sit down with us and help us out. No tea bags here: this was real Korean tea ceremony, involving pouring boiling water into a bowl- into the tea pot with the tea leaves- through a wooden strainer into another bowl- then into our cups. Thank goodness for him, we would have had no idea! The man was there with his brother- one is a master in tae-kwon-do, and the other a hapkido master in Busan. It was really great to be able to chat with them though, and was one of those random moments that make you feel lucky to be having such great experiences in Korea. :)
After they left we were sitting there for a while, and had another visitor- 4 year old Yu-Gi :) I think she's my new favourite person- this little kid was adorrrable. Usually, if kids here aren't aftraid of foreigners, they usually keep their distance and point and yell "waygook" (foreigner) or "meegook" (American). But little Yu-Gi just marched right up and started playing with my hair! It was the cutest thing ever. She was there with her mom, just babbling away- and kept coming back over to me to play with my hair or put a towel on my head. She followed us back down the long flights of stairs too- taking with her Stephen's long bamboo hiking pole and almost wacking Jennifer in the face with in a few times! So her and I held it together, little Yu-Gi counting or making little grunting noises with each step. What a doll, ohh she was too cute. She didn't want to leave when we got to the bottom either, she just kept holding my hand and wouldn't let go as her mom led her away. Aww!
In all, the flowers were beautiful, the tea was yummy, but for me Yu-Gi definately stole the show :)
I got off to a bit of a rough start. For some reason I woke up around 2:00am- stumbling around my apartment in a stupor thinking it was 5:00. After getting dressed, I wander back into my living room and stand there staring at my clock- gaaaa, it's 2:00am! Don't ask how it happened- I have no idea... So back to bed I go. Can you guess what I forgot to do? Yes- of course reset my alarm.... Result? I didn't wake up until 5:50- 20 minutes AFTER I was supposed to meet everyone downstairs. Panic time! I run to my phone and see that my friend is also late, and currently putting on her jacket. Good thing I was already dressed, because all I had time to do was brush my teeth, throw some cereal in a ziplock bag, and run out the door. Sheesh!
Thanks to our excellent Korean skills, we were at least able tell the cabbie "bali bali"- which means faster faster! He happily obliged, and drove about 90km an hour through town, getting us to the station in record breaking time- and we made the 6:10 bus. yay!
The blossoms, naturally, were stunning. Walking down a winding road along a shallow rocky river- there was nothing but a canopy of pale pink flowers overhead, with petals falling like snow with every gust of wind. Japan definately made a good choice for their national flower!
As the hours wore on the weather got warmer, and the street became more and more crowded. There were people everywhere! It soon became cumbersome to navigate our way around the cars parked on the sidewalk, baby strollers, and couples posing infront of tripods. And boy, when Koreans take pictures they do it right. When we walked down to the river, I saw at least 6 Koreans on one small rock, all pointing their cameras on tripods at the tiny waterfall. I don't know if they're all professionals or just wannabes- but I either way I was more than a little jealous.
There were plenty of food vendors set up along the street too- selling overpriced drinks and Korean snacks- pressed fish on a stick, pogos, bitter yellow tree nuts (not good), red bean cakes, and my personal favourite you can small a mile away-- silk worms! I think they're in the pupae stage, boiled in a hot oil- and do they ever stink. I don't know how anyone could eat anything that smells that bad!
The highlight of the afternoon came with our climb up to a lookout pavillion. Looking out over the winding flower street and tea fields growing on the steppes of the hillsides, we sat down at one of two small tables for some Korean tea. Being the ignorant waygooks we are, we didn't know what do to- but a man who spoke some English was kind enough to sit down with us and help us out. No tea bags here: this was real Korean tea ceremony, involving pouring boiling water into a bowl- into the tea pot with the tea leaves- through a wooden strainer into another bowl- then into our cups. Thank goodness for him, we would have had no idea! The man was there with his brother- one is a master in tae-kwon-do, and the other a hapkido master in Busan. It was really great to be able to chat with them though, and was one of those random moments that make you feel lucky to be having such great experiences in Korea. :)
After they left we were sitting there for a while, and had another visitor- 4 year old Yu-Gi :) I think she's my new favourite person- this little kid was adorrrable. Usually, if kids here aren't aftraid of foreigners, they usually keep their distance and point and yell "waygook" (foreigner) or "meegook" (American). But little Yu-Gi just marched right up and started playing with my hair! It was the cutest thing ever. She was there with her mom, just babbling away- and kept coming back over to me to play with my hair or put a towel on my head. She followed us back down the long flights of stairs too- taking with her Stephen's long bamboo hiking pole and almost wacking Jennifer in the face with in a few times! So her and I held it together, little Yu-Gi counting or making little grunting noises with each step. What a doll, ohh she was too cute. She didn't want to leave when we got to the bottom either, she just kept holding my hand and wouldn't let go as her mom led her away. Aww!
In all, the flowers were beautiful, the tea was yummy, but for me Yu-Gi definately stole the show :)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Turning out the lights
They say it's the little things that make a difference... and that's what Earth Hour is all about :)
This weekend, I was host to a small group of fellow tree-huggers who all agreed to come over and partake in some fun by candlelight. My little apartment was a small part of the 3,937 cities and towns in 88 countries that switched off their power for one hour on Saturday for a happier planet. :)
Earth Hour is really spreading as a global phenomenon since Sydney Australia first made the switch -off- 3 years ago. With World Wildlife Fund spearheading the project, Earth Hour has become the world's biggest environmental event- raising awareness about the small choices we make as individuals that add up to make a big difference!
I was really proud to read that Canada was among the top participants in Earth Hour this year, coming third after highest ranking Phillipines and Greece. Toronto Hydro reported a drop in usage of 15.1% in that hour, compared to 8.7% last year! Gooo Canada :)
Unfortunately the trend towards greater environmental awareness in other western nations does not seem to be catching on very fast here in Korea. It's true you can find a handful of 'green' or organic products in the British-owned Tesco grocery store. Heck, there's even an organic food store near my school, which charges a whopping $13 for a small box of imported Nature Valley cereal... But for the most part, Earth Hour went by unnoticed by the vast majority here. Searching through the English "Korea Times" online, I couldn't find more than a brief mention of E.H. in an opinion colomn on global warming. *sigh*
Although Korea is a very small nation, which is short on space, bereft of natural resources and therefore *seemingly* with a greater need to 'think green'... more often than not it seems to me to be a country at war with the environment. Take grocery shopping for example. You will not find a box of cookies in one bag, or an entire sleeve of crackers wrapped up together. Nope, no way. Cookies? Each one is individually wrapped. Crackers? Well, you get those wrapped in tiny packages of 6. I was almost ripping my hair out the other day when I walked through the produce section and saw APPLES of all things, wrapped individually in plastic!! Why Korea, why?
The recycling program here isn't too bad.... in some places. If you live in an apartment building, there are seperate bins out front for paper and plastics, and even compost. Many of them look to be largely mixed up though, and I've heard through the grapevine that a lot of it is incinerated anyways. Although houses are not very common place here- a friend outside the city tells me that in her neighbourhood there's no recycling at all. period. The same goes for my schools- paper, cans, bottles- all garbage garbage garbage.
At there aren't many SUVs seen here- mostly tiny little Ticos puttering around... and the huge number of apartments of course is much better than the urban sprawl seen back home.
But still- the word needs to be spread! My first thought would be to make environmental awareness fun- I am in a school after all. What better place for a Korean Roots & Shoots chapter? You'd think I could easily start a fun after school club here, right? Not so-- any spare time kids have is already maxed out with private schools and academies... piano, English, science, tae kwon do, you name it. It's sad there's no time left for volunteering and helping out for kids here.
You're a great place Korea- if only you were just a little more green...
This weekend, I was host to a small group of fellow tree-huggers who all agreed to come over and partake in some fun by candlelight. My little apartment was a small part of the 3,937 cities and towns in 88 countries that switched off their power for one hour on Saturday for a happier planet. :)
Earth Hour is really spreading as a global phenomenon since Sydney Australia first made the switch -off- 3 years ago. With World Wildlife Fund spearheading the project, Earth Hour has become the world's biggest environmental event- raising awareness about the small choices we make as individuals that add up to make a big difference!
I was really proud to read that Canada was among the top participants in Earth Hour this year, coming third after highest ranking Phillipines and Greece. Toronto Hydro reported a drop in usage of 15.1% in that hour, compared to 8.7% last year! Gooo Canada :)
Unfortunately the trend towards greater environmental awareness in other western nations does not seem to be catching on very fast here in Korea. It's true you can find a handful of 'green' or organic products in the British-owned Tesco grocery store. Heck, there's even an organic food store near my school, which charges a whopping $13 for a small box of imported Nature Valley cereal... But for the most part, Earth Hour went by unnoticed by the vast majority here. Searching through the English "Korea Times" online, I couldn't find more than a brief mention of E.H. in an opinion colomn on global warming. *sigh*
Although Korea is a very small nation, which is short on space, bereft of natural resources and therefore *seemingly* with a greater need to 'think green'... more often than not it seems to me to be a country at war with the environment. Take grocery shopping for example. You will not find a box of cookies in one bag, or an entire sleeve of crackers wrapped up together. Nope, no way. Cookies? Each one is individually wrapped. Crackers? Well, you get those wrapped in tiny packages of 6. I was almost ripping my hair out the other day when I walked through the produce section and saw APPLES of all things, wrapped individually in plastic!! Why Korea, why?
The recycling program here isn't too bad.... in some places. If you live in an apartment building, there are seperate bins out front for paper and plastics, and even compost. Many of them look to be largely mixed up though, and I've heard through the grapevine that a lot of it is incinerated anyways. Although houses are not very common place here- a friend outside the city tells me that in her neighbourhood there's no recycling at all. period. The same goes for my schools- paper, cans, bottles- all garbage garbage garbage.
At there aren't many SUVs seen here- mostly tiny little Ticos puttering around... and the huge number of apartments of course is much better than the urban sprawl seen back home.
But still- the word needs to be spread! My first thought would be to make environmental awareness fun- I am in a school after all. What better place for a Korean Roots & Shoots chapter? You'd think I could easily start a fun after school club here, right? Not so-- any spare time kids have is already maxed out with private schools and academies... piano, English, science, tae kwon do, you name it. It's sad there's no time left for volunteering and helping out for kids here.
You're a great place Korea- if only you were just a little more green...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Curling in Gangneung
Did you know that Gangneung, a city along the coast in the north-east province of Korea, is hosting the World Women's Curling Championships this year? And guess what huge curling fan went to see our women compete? My dear friend Amanda Clozza! Well, I went along too- but only for moral support. I figured what the hell- when in Rome, right?
.
I left school a little early to make the almost 7 hour trek up to Gangneung province this past Friday- catching the bus from Suncheon, to Gwanju, and finally to Gangneung, putting me there at about 11:00pm. With big comfortable seats and only 8 passengers, I don't know how the company even afforded the gas for the trip.
.
It's never a completely uneventful ride in Korea. About 2 hours from our destination, as I sat in a daze watching a very bad Korean melodrama on the television, the bus either hit something in the street, or a piece of the bus fell off- and whatever it was it made a loud bang loud enough to wake most everyone. Something that any responsible driver would pull over to investigate right? Wrong! Me and the man across the isle looked around, and I saw him lean forward to the driver, clearly asking him what the alarming sound was. I know a very limited number of phrases in Korean, and my favourite one was the driver's only answer. "Mol-lah-yo": I don't know! Wow, that's just great. He decided 15 minutes down the highway to stop and investigate- but all was well and on we rolled.
.
Clozza wasn't meeting me in the city until sometime in the wee hours of the morning, so I thought I'd finally give the Jimjilbang a try for a place to sleep. Costing only around $6, it's far cheaper than a love motel. I had an idea of what it was- a wide open shared sleeping space, but I still didn't expect what I was in for.
.
Walking in, I paid at the desk and was given a towel and a pair of orange shorts and a gray t-shirt, vaguely reminiscent of a prison uniform. She told me something about the 2nd and 3rd floors, and on up I went. I put my shoes in a cubby and walked through a set of doors to find myself in a wide open locker room with attached shower/spa area, in which a number of Korean women of all ages were walking around in the buff. For such a conservative country, it's amazing how uninhibited Koreans are to flaunt their nakedness in such situations. The don't just go from the shower to their locker naked, in order to get changed. They just stand infront of the long mirrors naked, doing their hair, watching the tv, dressing their children- whatever! Inside the spa, there were different hot and cold tubs, showers, and lots of smaller showers where the women sit on stools where they can do a very thorough scrubbing job.
.
After a quick shower I got changed into my own pjs and was about to head upstairs, when I was told no- I couldn't go up there. Through the woman's motions I deduced that I has to wear the prison clothes! Augh, you've got to be kidding. Once I got upstairs I saw that everyone was in fact wearing them, a room full of men and women in matching orange and grey- and men in matching blue and grey. eesh. "one of us! one of us!" haha
.
I'll help you to visualize the layout- the sleeping area was a wide open room with a tiled floor and stonework pillars in the centre of the floor. Along the left wall there was a snack stand, a small computer room, a closet of small hard foam squares (sorry excuses for pillows), and a darker sleeping room. Along the back was a bigscreen tv, a pile of mats, and a row of vibrating massage chairs; and on the right a bookshelf and 3 steam rooms of varying temperatures. In the middle? Koreans! All on small 2 inch thick mats, sleeping in various positions, watching the tv, or talking. Men, women and children together. It's not just a place where travellers come either. I was told that jimjilbangs are often used as a night out for the family! Even after 12 there were still people awake, and at 5:00am when Amanda Clozza arrived she said there were kids running around. Only in Korea!!!
.
So there I was, in the smaller dark sleeping room with 2 other sleeping Koreans I'd never met in my life, laying on a tiny foam mat with a rock hard piece of foam for a pillow, in orange inmate pajamas, stating to sweat as the heat radiated up through the floor. Needless to say, I've slept better. Some night out! When I woke up to find Clozza in the big open room all we could do was sit there laughing at the hilarity of it all. Fun times.
.
We had a most excellent day sightseeing in the beautiful sunny 20 degree weather though. We met up with Patrick, a Canadian I met in Suncheon the weekend before who lives in th
e area, and he and his very kind coteacher took Clozza and I out for lunch and on a great tour of the city. Over the 2 days we saw the cultural centre where we learned about some traditional festivals, an old archway, a reconstructed administrative centre, a stone pagoda, a Korean historical village, a small lake, and the beach! It's a beautiful expanse of beach there, and the sand is so grainy that it doesn't stick to you when it's wet. Bonus! Although the water was cold we saw one guy surfing, some people out doing boat tours, a man on a parasail, and a pirate. Well, he was missing his eye patch, but he was walking around with a parrot on his shoulder. ;)
.
That night was time for the main event- curling!! There were 4 games going on- but we were all riveted to the Canada/China match on the 2nd 'sheet'. Now this may come as a surprise- but Koreans are NOT big curling fans! The 1000 seat rink couldn't have had any more than 200 spectators, and the Canadian section was definately the biggest. We even met a couple who flew over from Dawson City Yukon to watch the game! As we were right in the front row along the side, covered with stickers and waving our flag; one of team memb
ers said hello and said she'd have their 5th player come and give us some autographed cards! How great, my first sports celebrity autograph. We attracted the attention of a Korean lady too- who came by and asked to take our picture randomly. Say 'kimchi'! She was even nice enough to come back and repay us with a package of rice sugar cookies. :) We also met a South African couple with their 3 year old daughter there who were teaching in the area. While Clozza taught them the ways of the rock, I was entertained by the little one, sharing stickers and teaching her to yell, "Go Canada!" out over the ice. What a time.
Oh yeah, and team Jones beat China, 11-5. Playoffs are this weekend. . . . I won't be there.
.
Go Canada!
.
I left school a little early to make the almost 7 hour trek up to Gangneung province this past Friday- catching the bus from Suncheon, to Gwanju, and finally to Gangneung, putting me there at about 11:00pm. With big comfortable seats and only 8 passengers, I don't know how the company even afforded the gas for the trip.
.
It's never a completely uneventful ride in Korea. About 2 hours from our destination, as I sat in a daze watching a very bad Korean melodrama on the television, the bus either hit something in the street, or a piece of the bus fell off- and whatever it was it made a loud bang loud enough to wake most everyone. Something that any responsible driver would pull over to investigate right? Wrong! Me and the man across the isle looked around, and I saw him lean forward to the driver, clearly asking him what the alarming sound was. I know a very limited number of phrases in Korean, and my favourite one was the driver's only answer. "Mol-lah-yo": I don't know! Wow, that's just great. He decided 15 minutes down the highway to stop and investigate- but all was well and on we rolled.
.
Clozza wasn't meeting me in the city until sometime in the wee hours of the morning, so I thought I'd finally give the Jimjilbang a try for a place to sleep. Costing only around $6, it's far cheaper than a love motel. I had an idea of what it was- a wide open shared sleeping space, but I still didn't expect what I was in for.
.
Walking in, I paid at the desk and was given a towel and a pair of orange shorts and a gray t-shirt, vaguely reminiscent of a prison uniform. She told me something about the 2nd and 3rd floors, and on up I went. I put my shoes in a cubby and walked through a set of doors to find myself in a wide open locker room with attached shower/spa area, in which a number of Korean women of all ages were walking around in the buff. For such a conservative country, it's amazing how uninhibited Koreans are to flaunt their nakedness in such situations. The don't just go from the shower to their locker naked, in order to get changed. They just stand infront of the long mirrors naked, doing their hair, watching the tv, dressing their children- whatever! Inside the spa, there were different hot and cold tubs, showers, and lots of smaller showers where the women sit on stools where they can do a very thorough scrubbing job.
.
After a quick shower I got changed into my own pjs and was about to head upstairs, when I was told no- I couldn't go up there. Through the woman's motions I deduced that I has to wear the prison clothes! Augh, you've got to be kidding. Once I got upstairs I saw that everyone was in fact wearing them, a room full of men and women in matching orange and grey- and men in matching blue and grey. eesh. "one of us! one of us!" haha
.
I'll help you to visualize the layout- the sleeping area was a wide open room with a tiled floor and stonework pillars in the centre of the floor. Along the left wall there was a snack stand, a small computer room, a closet of small hard foam squares (sorry excuses for pillows), and a darker sleeping room. Along the back was a bigscreen tv, a pile of mats, and a row of vibrating massage chairs; and on the right a bookshelf and 3 steam rooms of varying temperatures. In the middle? Koreans! All on small 2 inch thick mats, sleeping in various positions, watching the tv, or talking. Men, women and children together. It's not just a place where travellers come either. I was told that jimjilbangs are often used as a night out for the family! Even after 12 there were still people awake, and at 5:00am when Amanda Clozza arrived she said there were kids running around. Only in Korea!!!
.
So there I was, in the smaller dark sleeping room with 2 other sleeping Koreans I'd never met in my life, laying on a tiny foam mat with a rock hard piece of foam for a pillow, in orange inmate pajamas, stating to sweat as the heat radiated up through the floor. Needless to say, I've slept better. Some night out! When I woke up to find Clozza in the big open room all we could do was sit there laughing at the hilarity of it all. Fun times.
.
We had a most excellent day sightseeing in the beautiful sunny 20 degree weather though. We met up with Patrick, a Canadian I met in Suncheon the weekend before who lives in th
e area, and he and his very kind coteacher took Clozza and I out for lunch and on a great tour of the city. Over the 2 days we saw the cultural centre where we learned about some traditional festivals, an old archway, a reconstructed administrative centre, a stone pagoda, a Korean historical village, a small lake, and the beach! It's a beautiful expanse of beach there, and the sand is so grainy that it doesn't stick to you when it's wet. Bonus! Although the water was cold we saw one guy surfing, some people out doing boat tours, a man on a parasail, and a pirate. Well, he was missing his eye patch, but he was walking around with a parrot on his shoulder. ;).
That night was time for the main event- curling!! There were 4 games going on- but we were all riveted to the Canada/China match on the 2nd 'sheet'. Now this may come as a surprise- but Koreans are NOT big curling fans! The 1000 seat rink couldn't have had any more than 200 spectators, and the Canadian section was definately the biggest. We even met a couple who flew over from Dawson City Yukon to watch the game! As we were right in the front row along the side, covered with stickers and waving our flag; one of team memb
ers said hello and said she'd have their 5th player come and give us some autographed cards! How great, my first sports celebrity autograph. We attracted the attention of a Korean lady too- who came by and asked to take our picture randomly. Say 'kimchi'! She was even nice enough to come back and repay us with a package of rice sugar cookies. :) We also met a South African couple with their 3 year old daughter there who were teaching in the area. While Clozza taught them the ways of the rock, I was entertained by the little one, sharing stickers and teaching her to yell, "Go Canada!" out over the ice. What a time.Oh yeah, and team Jones beat China, 11-5. Playoffs are this weekend. . . . I won't be there.
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Go Canada!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Not Just Another Face in the Crowd
I've been back for 2 weeks now, and am finding myself having to acclimatize to Korean life all over again. I was wondering if I could pass it off as just a reluctance at being back to work, a the return to the 9:00-5:00 grind of the real working world. But no, I'm quite certain that I've just got a crack in my rose-coloured Korean glasses... or something like that.
It's mostly 3 things that have been getting to me this week.
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First of all- being stared at. I usually don't mind being stared at by little kids. For the most part they're innocent enough, I mean, at least they accompany their stares with greetings of 'hello'. Really, people all around the world get stared at if they don't look like the majority, so it's to be expected- why should I be any different? My curly blonde hair and blue eyes (newsflash!) don't exactly fit in with the uniform straight black hair and brown eyes here. Many Koreans however, are not so discreet about how openly they gawk at those in any way different from themselves, and so some days I feel like I have a third eye, green skin or some ridiculous thing. My blonde curly hair might as well be a flashing neon sign that says: "PLEASE STARE AT ME, I'M DIFFERENT." Everyone turn and look at the whitie.
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One day last week for example, I walked over to get my lunch in the cafeteria, as usual ignoring the pointing and staring of the primaries as I went past. As their little heads were turned my way, my young coteacher at Pungdeok asked me if it ever bothers me. She said, "I think it would bother me a lot, I'm just a human being!" I guess sometimes we can't all be classified as such, because not being a Korean in Korea means you are grouped into something else entirely.
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As you know, being white, or black, or brown in Korea also welcomes the proclamation of "WAYGOOK" whenever you go by. And not just from kids. It strikes me as strange that Korean people would paint the entire world outside of Korea as "foreign". Sounds like something dirty- like foreign matter in food, or a foreign object stuck in your body. Oh look- a foreigner. What are you doing here? You could argue that Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese people back home are often grouped together as Asians- but even being called a European would be an improvement! Just imagine kids in small-town Canada, pointing at a dark skinned person walking down the street and yelling, "FOREIGNER!" at them. Really now!
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Third in today's rant: the novelty of having no clue what anyone is saying is definately getting old. When I'm at school and surrounded by teachers speaking Korean and hear my name while I'm sitting right infront of them- well it gets awkward to not understand what's being said... about me... while I'm sitting IN the room. Hellooooo I'm right heeere! *sigh* It's just not a language that's easily picked up- I listen to it being spoken everywhere, all the time, and haven't pieced together anything.
Oh, I know the basics: Yes (ne), no (anio), hello (annyeong haseyo), thank you (kamsa hamnida), delicious (mashissayo), sorry (mianhapnida), I don't know (mol lah-yo), etc etc. Important words? oh yes. Able to carry me through a conversation? not so much.. And so after 4, well, really 3 months in Korea, the frustration at being painfully clueless mounts.
But not for long!! I have taken the first step to combatting ignorant English speaker syndrome: I've signed up for Korean lessons. Sadly there are no proper courses offered here in Suncheon where I could pay and sign up to learn the basics. Hence, I've had to wait until now when at the beginning of the semester the School Board offers free Korean lessons in Suncheon. Amazing!
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The teacher, Mr. Moon, is a bit of an eccentric man, and most everyone I know who went last semester didn't last more than three lessons. After going for the first time on Tuesday, I can see why. With only 6 of us present- 3 white men, a Korean-American woman, and a Chinese women, I was the only white woman there. Which unfortunately for me, also meant that I was the most interesting, and got chosen to answer 80% of the questions. Oh lucky me! It became painfully obvious I was being favoured as the class went on, and some of us couldn't help but laugh. Mr Moon: "Amanda (for the 7th time), how do you pronounce 푸?". To which Brian the white guy replied, "Yeah Amanda, how do you pronounce it?" It just became ridiculous after a while. Mr. Moon also seems pretty unstructured, and likes to point out random words throughout the lesson, like 'ticket', 'cow', 'rain', and 'blood'. Ah well. I'll try to roll with it and see how much Hangul my brain can absorbe.
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The first class was good for something anyway- we learned the alphabet (A scientific system of writing created in the 1443)! I already knew over half of the letters- but we went through and put all the vowel/consonant sound combinations together- as you can see in this lovely chart. Example: ㄱ+ㅏ= 가 ka. Wow- see if you folks at home can decipher this one ;) Haha.
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In other news, school continues to go well; I'm over my never-ending cold; a friend brought me 2 king-size packages of Reeces peanut butter cups back from her visit to Canada (YAY!); my coteacher invited me to go to the opera in with her Friday night (yes, the opera); I get the afternoon off tomorrow for an online teachers meeting in Gwangju; and spring is coming- there are actually flowers budding here already :)
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Until next time... this is
아만다 (Amanda) signing off.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Back to Real Life
Ahhh a the beginning of a new school year. A time when the leaves are changing, and there's that crisp taste of fall hanging in the air. Or in Korea's case, a time for chilly weather that causes you to grumble to yourself for forgetting your umbrella- again, as it pours rain outside. March showers bring April flowers? My seasonal clock is so out of wack.
Despite all the changes that have turned my working life upside this semester, my week so far is going much better than expected.
It all started when I got back from vacation and called my co-teacher, In Seong, like she had asked me to. Figured I might find out some ideas of what the schedule would be like for the coming week, or some crazy idea like that. Planning ahead in Korea, *pffft* who am I kidding? I certainly did not expect what was about to come out of her mouth though- she was moving! And not just moving schools, she was moving over 2 hours away to a small island somewhere- and apparently only found this out 2 1/2 weeks beforehand. Can you even imagine? Not even 3 weeks to pick up your life and your kids and shove them off to a new town. I found our later it was her husband's turn to teach on one of the islands, so she got transferred as well. Since there are so many islands a rural areas here in Korea, elementary school teachers HAVE to rotate schools every 8 years (high school teachers every 4). If they didn't do this, they would have no one to teach the kids living out on the islands, since the only people really living there are fisherman. She shouldn't have been leaving my school for another 7 years yet... but there you have it.
The good news that she did have to tell me was that I would be working with a new English speaking co-teacher, who would also be teaching WITH me! Team teaching in a Korean class- my prayers have been answered! As much as I love elementary- not being able to speak Korean is quite the barrier between my students and I. It also prevents me from doing any fun activity that requires even a moderate amount of explanation- and so I thought I would be left forever with only my fantasies about how much smoother classes would be with someone there to translate.
Her name is Theresa. Theresa is probably in her late 40s, a single woman who has travelled in over 40 countries. Already I love her :) She just came from working 16 years at an "EnglishTown" program in Gwangju, has written and presented on a variety of topics involving elementary English for other teachers, and even wrote 4 books on the subject last year. She's studied English in the US and Canada for a total of 3 years, has played piano for 20 years, and also loves hiking, photography, and long walks on the beach.... hahahaaa. Ok, so clearly I'm laying it on thick here! What can I say, I'm impressed. If only I could find a man with these qualities- haha ;) I'm really excited to be working with someone with so much great experience though. My year has taken a new turn I never saw coming- it's like I'm starting all over again- but in a fresh and new kind of way. Better yet, she's already started giving me some Korean lessons with a workbook. YES!
There is a reason for this strong English-infusion. The principal has said explicitly that English is his #1 priority at the school this year, and so the never-used English room upstairs is being given to Theresa to use to teach grade 6. She's been hired to teach only English at my school, in addition to 3 other Koreans, each assigned to the other grades, 3-5. Same goes for Pundeok Elementary, where a new full-time Korean-English teacher has also been hired! To go from teaching solo in utter cluelessness, to now teaching only grades 5 and 6, with 3 different Koreans? sheesh- what an overhaul! We'll see how it goes- so far I've only taught with Ms. Young at Pundeok. We did our lesson on the fly today, since I wasn't told about her either until last night, but with all things considered I think it went pretty well!
My firsts 3 days back to work at Yun Hyang were slow- with the Monday back being the opening ceremony of the year and classes just getting started, there's not much for an English teacher to do. The opening ceremony was interesting- all of the students gathered together in rows on the soccer field below the front steps, where the prinicpal and vice pricipal stood infront of grand speakers and a podium. There they spoke for a while in Korean, and then introduced the group of new teachers at the school, who each took a step forward with a bow as their names were called. With lots more talking and bowing by teachers and students, the students later sang the national anthem as well as their school song. What a nice way to start the year!
As for me- I spent my time coughing and sniffling my through the proceedings, and later continued infront of my computer in the office. Around 2:00, after getting back from the lunch I couldn't taste, the vice principal came over to me and said, "Pst, hey you go home. No class." Really? Because there are plenty of days when there is no class and I'm still here until 5:00. Another teacher piped in and said "We think you should go to hospital," by which they mean the doctor. They just have a dramatic way of saying things. Even though I know the doctor is just going to give me a bunch of pills in little individually wrapped packages and send me on my way, I figured I'd better go since I'd been battling a cold in one form or another since I got into Vietnam over a week before. You really can't complain when the waiting times are virtually non-existant... I was in and out of the doctor AND the pharmacy in less than 20 minutes! It still gets me every time- how can they do that here while we wait 1-2+ hours in Canada??
Tuesday was much the same with some lesson planning and a little bit of emailing thrown in. Wednesday was very productive as Theresa decided we'd get a head start on making lesson materials, and so we busted out the colour printer, paper cutter, and laminator! 3 items which I've found out are the keys to an old Korean principal's heart :) He was so impressed! Credit owed entirely to her, but he still told me I was doing very hard work as I sat lifting that spring loaded blade over the large colourful flash cards. When he's happy, we're happy!
Despite all the changes that have turned my working life upside this semester, my week so far is going much better than expected.
It all started when I got back from vacation and called my co-teacher, In Seong, like she had asked me to. Figured I might find out some ideas of what the schedule would be like for the coming week, or some crazy idea like that. Planning ahead in Korea, *pffft* who am I kidding? I certainly did not expect what was about to come out of her mouth though- she was moving! And not just moving schools, she was moving over 2 hours away to a small island somewhere- and apparently only found this out 2 1/2 weeks beforehand. Can you even imagine? Not even 3 weeks to pick up your life and your kids and shove them off to a new town. I found our later it was her husband's turn to teach on one of the islands, so she got transferred as well. Since there are so many islands a rural areas here in Korea, elementary school teachers HAVE to rotate schools every 8 years (high school teachers every 4). If they didn't do this, they would have no one to teach the kids living out on the islands, since the only people really living there are fisherman. She shouldn't have been leaving my school for another 7 years yet... but there you have it.
The good news that she did have to tell me was that I would be working with a new English speaking co-teacher, who would also be teaching WITH me! Team teaching in a Korean class- my prayers have been answered! As much as I love elementary- not being able to speak Korean is quite the barrier between my students and I. It also prevents me from doing any fun activity that requires even a moderate amount of explanation- and so I thought I would be left forever with only my fantasies about how much smoother classes would be with someone there to translate.
Her name is Theresa. Theresa is probably in her late 40s, a single woman who has travelled in over 40 countries. Already I love her :) She just came from working 16 years at an "EnglishTown" program in Gwangju, has written and presented on a variety of topics involving elementary English for other teachers, and even wrote 4 books on the subject last year. She's studied English in the US and Canada for a total of 3 years, has played piano for 20 years, and also loves hiking, photography, and long walks on the beach.... hahahaaa. Ok, so clearly I'm laying it on thick here! What can I say, I'm impressed. If only I could find a man with these qualities- haha ;) I'm really excited to be working with someone with so much great experience though. My year has taken a new turn I never saw coming- it's like I'm starting all over again- but in a fresh and new kind of way. Better yet, she's already started giving me some Korean lessons with a workbook. YES!
There is a reason for this strong English-infusion. The principal has said explicitly that English is his #1 priority at the school this year, and so the never-used English room upstairs is being given to Theresa to use to teach grade 6. She's been hired to teach only English at my school, in addition to 3 other Koreans, each assigned to the other grades, 3-5. Same goes for Pundeok Elementary, where a new full-time Korean-English teacher has also been hired! To go from teaching solo in utter cluelessness, to now teaching only grades 5 and 6, with 3 different Koreans? sheesh- what an overhaul! We'll see how it goes- so far I've only taught with Ms. Young at Pundeok. We did our lesson on the fly today, since I wasn't told about her either until last night, but with all things considered I think it went pretty well!
My firsts 3 days back to work at Yun Hyang were slow- with the Monday back being the opening ceremony of the year and classes just getting started, there's not much for an English teacher to do. The opening ceremony was interesting- all of the students gathered together in rows on the soccer field below the front steps, where the prinicpal and vice pricipal stood infront of grand speakers and a podium. There they spoke for a while in Korean, and then introduced the group of new teachers at the school, who each took a step forward with a bow as their names were called. With lots more talking and bowing by teachers and students, the students later sang the national anthem as well as their school song. What a nice way to start the year!
As for me- I spent my time coughing and sniffling my through the proceedings, and later continued infront of my computer in the office. Around 2:00, after getting back from the lunch I couldn't taste, the vice principal came over to me and said, "Pst, hey you go home. No class." Really? Because there are plenty of days when there is no class and I'm still here until 5:00. Another teacher piped in and said "We think you should go to hospital," by which they mean the doctor. They just have a dramatic way of saying things. Even though I know the doctor is just going to give me a bunch of pills in little individually wrapped packages and send me on my way, I figured I'd better go since I'd been battling a cold in one form or another since I got into Vietnam over a week before. You really can't complain when the waiting times are virtually non-existant... I was in and out of the doctor AND the pharmacy in less than 20 minutes! It still gets me every time- how can they do that here while we wait 1-2+ hours in Canada??
Tuesday was much the same with some lesson planning and a little bit of emailing thrown in. Wednesday was very productive as Theresa decided we'd get a head start on making lesson materials, and so we busted out the colour printer, paper cutter, and laminator! 3 items which I've found out are the keys to an old Korean principal's heart :) He was so impressed! Credit owed entirely to her, but he still told me I was doing very hard work as I sat lifting that spring loaded blade over the large colourful flash cards. When he's happy, we're happy!
Monday, March 2, 2009
A South-East Asian Endeavour
One of the big benefits to working within the public school system here in Jeollanam province is that you get a whole month of vacation in February... allowing travel bugs, like myself and my 4 companions, to take off bckpacking to such far-off destinations as: Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. :) But alas, all good things must come to an end- and so my month-long, exilerating, fasten-your-seatbelt whirlwind adventure vacation is over! *tear*
Here's a bit of a long recap of how my month went:
Week 1: ~Elephant Nature Park~ (http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/) where I worked as a volunteer.
An experience better than any I ever could have imagined!! Moving, inspiring, and heartbreaking- I learned a great deal of the plight of these stong and gentle animals. A powerful symbol of Thailand, the elephant has been crucial in the shaping of this country- used historically in warfare, logging, and ceremony. Numbering over 100,000 individuals at the turn of the century, logging detroyed 2/3 of Thailand's forests- and has left only 1000-2000 wild elephants wandering free. With logging banned in 1989, the rest of Thailand's working elephants were left without a job, and so those that have survived have become enlisted to work in tourist shows, trekking camps, and even illegal logging operations.
Naturally, many end up in very unfortunate situations. Many elephants work long hours, are given improper care, or have abusive handlers (mahouts). In a country where education remains unattainable for many, and a great number of Thais are without a means to
make a living, the treatment of elephants remains low on the priority list. Thanks to one Thai woman (Lek) however, over 35 elephants have been rescued from lives of abuse and suffering and are now lucky to live out their lives at Elephant Nature Park. If that's not enough, the park is also home to a herd of water buffalo, cattle, cats, and a pack of over 45 dogs. The elephants' stories are the most tragic, but all have a very happy ending thanks to Lek:
Meadow: sold for breeding, had her feet tied and back and pelvis broken when a large male in heat (musth) mounted her. Because males in musth are so aggressive, her handlers couldn't get near her to help for 2 days.
Jokia: worked in logging, and gave birth to her infant who later died when he tumbled down a hill. Because she was so depressed, she refused to work, and her mahout shot her in the eyes with a sligshot, blinding her. Jokia and Meadow are good friends and never go anywhere without the other.
Jungle Boy: a sick and injured orphan whose mother died at a logging camp. He is now the rambunctious teenager at the park.
Tung Jan: A logging elephant who was drugged and had one of his tusks sawed off by poachers, leaving a gaping cavity that is still infected years later.
Lily: was given methanphetamines to make her work around the clock: tourist trekking by day and illegal logging by night.
Golden Leaf: a rescue I got to witness myself. An old female from a trekking camp- Golden Leaf and another old female came the week I was there. Both were very malnourished, and suffered from severe fungal skin infections. Without Lek's help, these old girls surely would have died.
As a volunteer I kept very busy through the week, working with a group of 20 other elephant lovers from around the world. There was never a shortage of things to do! Chores included the down right diiirty... Shovelling poop (aka Banana Cakes!); fixing fences (one of which Lily destroyed that same night); cut corn stalks (elephant dinner) from the field with machetes; cut brush to make a fire break between the park and the forest; took apart bamboo rafts to be used for building supplies; prepared food and fed the elephants (corn, pumpkin, cucumbers, and bananas); and even bathed them in the river!!
One afternoon we also got to go teach at a local school, where Lisa and I did an improptu lesson for a grade 2 class. On Friday night a smaller group of us got to go on a hike with one of the elephant familes to Elephant Haven, a large stretch of land where volunteers camp for the night, and the elephants roam free. It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet! It's not connected to the park, so only a few of the elephant families get to go once a week- all of those whose members are able-bodied.
Other big plans are in the works for this park though, and the funds coming in thanks to day visitors and tourists is growing. Lek has already bought another larger expanse of land where many of the elephants will soon go to roam free and live more like they would in the wild; while those who need more regular veternary care will stay at the park. All in all the highlight of my trip and an amazing place I have every intension of going back to! :)
Week 2: ~Thailand~
Chiang Mai in the north: Poi Su Thep Temple, excellent shopping, endless vegetarian options. After 2 days, we took a night train to
Lop Buri, aka monkey city. A city of only 60,000 people, with old ruins in the city centre crawling with monkeys! The monkeys are considered goodluck, and are also the big (and
just about only) tourist draw to the city. They can be seen running everywhere- across power lines, along store fronts, and crossing in the middle of busy traffic. Aborable, but also devilish- they got into Lisa's bag and made off with her notebook and M&Ms! They had a ball with it though- and the thief with the notebook took off to the highest point on the temple and proceeded to rip her book to shreds. By the time we made it around the building, all we could see was paper falling down like snow, with a family of contented monkeys below chowing down on pickpocketed goods.
Ayuthaya: The former capital of Thailand, a small city on an island where 3 rivers converge. Many old ruins to visit, best of all on bikes!
Bangkok: an affront to your senses- Khaosan road (backpacker district) is a sensory overload! Booming music, haggling tuk tuk taxi drivers, retail workers and food vendors galore, and streets crammed with people. We also saw the Reclining Buddha, the Royal Palace, the Jade Buddha, an enormous 7 story mall since I needed to stock up on SD cards for my camera, and a Caberet show with popular Thai 'ladyboys' (cross-dressers).
Week 3: ~Cambodia~
Bus to the border, taxi across the border, and a few tourist scams later we made the 3 hour bumpy drive to Siem Reap.
Siem Reap: Ankor Wat the obvious highlight, and many surrounding temples, including Ankor Thom (location of Tomb Raider), and Bayon. I rented a bike for the day, and split off from the group in the afternoon to do the longer less touristed route solo. I met a wonderful tuktuk driver that taught me lots of words in Khmer (Cambodian), saw the killing fields monument, the Landmine Museum, and had a "Seeing Hands" massage done by blind people. After 4 days we took a boat across Tonle Sap Lake to the capitol,
Phnom Penh: A city still picking itself out of the ashes of war and a tragic past, this was an intense place to visit. I learned a great deal about the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s and the ensuing genocide that took the lives of over 2 million Cambodias between 1975 and 1979. Anyone suspected of leading a rebellion was targeted under this brutal regime, including the educated- lawyers, doctors, teachers, religious figures- and their entire families. An entire generation gone. We visited the Tuel Sleung Prison, and the Killing Fields, where over 9000 people were killed and buried. An unbelievable history that has left a lasting mark on this country.
Week 4: ~Vietnam~
After a 10 hour bus ride to the coast we arrived in
Mui Ne: R&R at the beach! We stayed in bungalos and relaxed by the ocean or in the ham
mocks. Also rented motorbikes for 2 days to explore more of the area on our own. The coast was breathtaking with crashing waves on one side and deep red rolling sand dunes on the other. We visited a fishing village, the Red Canyon, and the Fairy Stream, where the contrast between red sand, white rock, and blue sky was striking.
Cu Chi: Visited the tunnel system used by guerrillas during the Vietnam war about 40 km outside Saigon. A very extensive tunnel complex with kitchens, weapon assembly rooms, and hidden traps waiting to spear soldiers on sharpened bamboo poles. There are even huge craters in the ground from where bombs were dropped.
Ho Chi Minh (Saigon): Another bustling city where you take your life in your hands every time you cross the street. Motorbikes everywhere!! We visited the Independance Palace, which was the centre of power in S. Vietnam; the war museum- complete with some really incredible displays on Agent Orange; and a Water Puppet Show- a traditional show with puppets... in the water.
A trip to savour :) I'm so happy I got to have so many new and meaningful experiences travelling through such a beautiful part of the world.
What's next? Well, it had to happen eventually... back to the old grind- reality awaits!!
Here's a bit of a long recap of how my month went:
Week 1: ~Elephant Nature Park~ (http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/) where I worked as a volunteer.
An experience better than any I ever could have imagined!! Moving, inspiring, and heartbreaking- I learned a great deal of the plight of these stong and gentle animals. A powerful symbol of Thailand, the elephant has been crucial in the shaping of this country- used historically in warfare, logging, and ceremony. Numbering over 100,000 individuals at the turn of the century, logging detroyed 2/3 of Thailand's forests- and has left only 1000-2000 wild elephants wandering free. With logging banned in 1989, the rest of Thailand's working elephants were left without a job, and so those that have survived have become enlisted to work in tourist shows, trekking camps, and even illegal logging operations.
Naturally, many end up in very unfortunate situations. Many elephants work long hours, are given improper care, or have abusive handlers (mahouts). In a country where education remains unattainable for many, and a great number of Thais are without a means to
make a living, the treatment of elephants remains low on the priority list. Thanks to one Thai woman (Lek) however, over 35 elephants have been rescued from lives of abuse and suffering and are now lucky to live out their lives at Elephant Nature Park. If that's not enough, the park is also home to a herd of water buffalo, cattle, cats, and a pack of over 45 dogs. The elephants' stories are the most tragic, but all have a very happy ending thanks to Lek:Meadow: sold for breeding, had her feet tied and back and pelvis broken when a large male in heat (musth) mounted her. Because males in musth are so aggressive, her handlers couldn't get near her to help for 2 days.
Jokia: worked in logging, and gave birth to her infant who later died when he tumbled down a hill. Because she was so depressed, she refused to work, and her mahout shot her in the eyes with a sligshot, blinding her. Jokia and Meadow are good friends and never go anywhere without the other.
Jungle Boy: a sick and injured orphan whose mother died at a logging camp. He is now the rambunctious teenager at the park.
Tung Jan: A logging elephant who was drugged and had one of his tusks sawed off by poachers, leaving a gaping cavity that is still infected years later.
Lily: was given methanphetamines to make her work around the clock: tourist trekking by day and illegal logging by night.
Golden Leaf: a rescue I got to witness myself. An old female from a trekking camp- Golden Leaf and another old female came the week I was there. Both were very malnourished, and suffered from severe fungal skin infections. Without Lek's help, these old girls surely would have died.
As a volunteer I kept very busy through the week, working with a group of 20 other elephant lovers from around the world. There was never a shortage of things to do! Chores included the down right diiirty... Shovelling poop (aka Banana Cakes!); fixing fences (one of which Lily destroyed that same night); cut corn stalks (elephant dinner) from the field with machetes; cut brush to make a fire break between the park and the forest; took apart bamboo rafts to be used for building supplies; prepared food and fed the elephants (corn, pumpkin, cucumbers, and bananas); and even bathed them in the river!!
One afternoon we also got to go teach at a local school, where Lisa and I did an improptu lesson for a grade 2 class. On Friday night a smaller group of us got to go on a hike with one of the elephant familes to Elephant Haven, a large stretch of land where volunteers camp for the night, and the elephants roam free. It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet! It's not connected to the park, so only a few of the elephant families get to go once a week- all of those whose members are able-bodied.
Other big plans are in the works for this park though, and the funds coming in thanks to day visitors and tourists is growing. Lek has already bought another larger expanse of land where many of the elephants will soon go to roam free and live more like they would in the wild; while those who need more regular veternary care will stay at the park. All in all the highlight of my trip and an amazing place I have every intension of going back to! :)
Week 2: ~Thailand~
Chiang Mai in the north: Poi Su Thep Temple, excellent shopping, endless vegetarian options. After 2 days, we took a night train to
Lop Buri, aka monkey city. A city of only 60,000 people, with old ruins in the city centre crawling with monkeys! The monkeys are considered goodluck, and are also the big (and
just about only) tourist draw to the city. They can be seen running everywhere- across power lines, along store fronts, and crossing in the middle of busy traffic. Aborable, but also devilish- they got into Lisa's bag and made off with her notebook and M&Ms! They had a ball with it though- and the thief with the notebook took off to the highest point on the temple and proceeded to rip her book to shreds. By the time we made it around the building, all we could see was paper falling down like snow, with a family of contented monkeys below chowing down on pickpocketed goods. Ayuthaya: The former capital of Thailand, a small city on an island where 3 rivers converge. Many old ruins to visit, best of all on bikes!
Bangkok: an affront to your senses- Khaosan road (backpacker district) is a sensory overload! Booming music, haggling tuk tuk taxi drivers, retail workers and food vendors galore, and streets crammed with people. We also saw the Reclining Buddha, the Royal Palace, the Jade Buddha, an enormous 7 story mall since I needed to stock up on SD cards for my camera, and a Caberet show with popular Thai 'ladyboys' (cross-dressers).
Week 3: ~Cambodia~
Bus to the border, taxi across the border, and a few tourist scams later we made the 3 hour bumpy drive to Siem Reap.
Siem Reap: Ankor Wat the obvious highlight, and many surrounding temples, including Ankor Thom (location of Tomb Raider), and Bayon. I rented a bike for the day, and split off from the group in the afternoon to do the longer less touristed route solo. I met a wonderful tuktuk driver that taught me lots of words in Khmer (Cambodian), saw the killing fields monument, the Landmine Museum, and had a "Seeing Hands" massage done by blind people. After 4 days we took a boat across Tonle Sap Lake to the capitol,
Phnom Penh: A city still picking itself out of the ashes of war and a tragic past, this was an intense place to visit. I learned a great deal about the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s and the ensuing genocide that took the lives of over 2 million Cambodias between 1975 and 1979. Anyone suspected of leading a rebellion was targeted under this brutal regime, including the educated- lawyers, doctors, teachers, religious figures- and their entire families. An entire generation gone. We visited the Tuel Sleung Prison, and the Killing Fields, where over 9000 people were killed and buried. An unbelievable history that has left a lasting mark on this country.
Week 4: ~Vietnam~
After a 10 hour bus ride to the coast we arrived in
Mui Ne: R&R at the beach! We stayed in bungalos and relaxed by the ocean or in the ham
mocks. Also rented motorbikes for 2 days to explore more of the area on our own. The coast was breathtaking with crashing waves on one side and deep red rolling sand dunes on the other. We visited a fishing village, the Red Canyon, and the Fairy Stream, where the contrast between red sand, white rock, and blue sky was striking.Cu Chi: Visited the tunnel system used by guerrillas during the Vietnam war about 40 km outside Saigon. A very extensive tunnel complex with kitchens, weapon assembly rooms, and hidden traps waiting to spear soldiers on sharpened bamboo poles. There are even huge craters in the ground from where bombs were dropped.
Ho Chi Minh (Saigon): Another bustling city where you take your life in your hands every time you cross the street. Motorbikes everywhere!! We visited the Independance Palace, which was the centre of power in S. Vietnam; the war museum- complete with some really incredible displays on Agent Orange; and a Water Puppet Show- a traditional show with puppets... in the water.
A trip to savour :) I'm so happy I got to have so many new and meaningful experiences travelling through such a beautiful part of the world.
What's next? Well, it had to happen eventually... back to the old grind- reality awaits!!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Happiness is...
Biking!
At long last- 3 months since my bum has felt that sweet ache of a hard bike seat- 3 months sin
ce I've sped down a hill with the wind in my face and tears streaming from my eyes- 3 months since my trusty bicycle was violated- cut from it's lock and taken from downtown Hamilton without so much reflector left behind... *sob* Oh, it brings back sad memories- but it's time to turn a new page.
At long last- 3 months since my bum has felt that sweet ache of a hard bike seat- 3 months sin
ce I've sped down a hill with the wind in my face and tears streaming from my eyes- 3 months since my trusty bicycle was violated- cut from it's lock and taken from downtown Hamilton without so much reflector left behind... *sob* Oh, it brings back sad memories- but it's time to turn a new page. What can I say, I loved my bike! Well, I have found a nice replacement to carry me where I need to go for the rest of my year here in Korea. For only about $50 I bought a great used mountain bike from a store near my school- and as a result have been able to do some excellent Suncheon exploring. It's not much of a feat when you're basking in cool 5 degree-ish weather like I am! (Sorry to those of you at home experiencing that wicked cold snap.... I wouldn't want to be you! haha!) Beside regular errand-running, I've been able to take 2 trips to Suncheon bay, which is a good 7 km away. The first trip had Jen and I zig zagging around little cul-de-sac farmers fields run
ning along the river- looking for the proper trail that happened to be on the other side. Made for some great photo ops along the way! Sucheon Bay is a beautiful sight, I can only imagine how great it will be come spring when everything is green again. It's one of the main attractions of Suncheon, aside from the temple and the Nagsan Folk Village, and has crowds of people walking along the boardwalks that weave through the tidal flat. Better yet- it has animals! I saw more ducks, cranes, and herons than I've seen anywhere in Korea so far, and it was certainly a comforting thought that at least some of the local wildlife have found a place to eek out an existance....Turns out it's not as incredibly dangerous as I first thought it was to bike here either. It's no picnic, don't get me wrong, but there's a wide bike lane/sidewalk that runs the length of the main street through town, and after a short 1km stint you're back to the riverside trail. Getting back home is not always easy as leaving though- as I found out the hard way. That first leisurely bike ride to the bay turned into a grueling 4 hour trip that took Jen and I on the far west side of the city where neither one of us had ever been- through the old downtown- through Pungwa tunnel- and up 3 more big hills before we made it to our apartment. Both of us were so spent that we walked the last 1/2 hour, but hey we were happy!
January has been a great month, and I've had plenty of time on my hands. School's out for the month of January, and even though my month of vacation doesn't technically start until February, I'm free to do as I please. I signed on to do an online pilot teaching program, so I do that for 2 hours every morning, teaching grade 3 students in remote areas along the west coast. It hasn't been the easiest thing- as it IS a pilot program, and therefore full of kinks and bugs to work out- but despite that it's been nice to be part of a new program. My 5 grade three students are cute too, and hopefully their English skills will be better for it!
The most exciting thing this month has been the arrival of my dear friend Amanda Clozza to Korea
! She came late December, but I wasn't able to head to Changwon, 2 hours east of here to visit until New Years. Changwon is a pretty nice city: it's Korea's first planned city, and has a more familiar grid layout like cities back home... heck she even lives in a house! We dined over Juk- a Korean type of pizza that is more like a potato pancake full of squid and all kinds of veggies. Clozza's first real Korean meal- eaten sitting on the floor and everything. It's so great to have a familiar face here in Korea too :)After some New Years partying at a few of the foreigner bars in town we headed another 45 minutes east to Busan, Korea's 2nd largest city. The first time I've felt like a real tourist so far. W
e saw the UN Memorial Cemetary, Chungnyeolsa Shine, Haeundai Beach, and APEC house- not to mention figured out the subway and dipped our hands into the Pacific Ocean! I can hardly wait for summer to come- it will be a great place to be, and is far closer than Seoul.
The rest of this month has flown by, as is to be expected... big plans are in the works you see. Come January 31st I'm off! Thailand to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary; Cambodia to see Ankor Watt; and finally Vietnam and Saigon!
oooo just 10 more sleeps :)
e saw the UN Memorial Cemetary, Chungnyeolsa Shine, Haeundai Beach, and APEC house- not to mention figured out the subway and dipped our hands into the Pacific Ocean! I can hardly wait for summer to come- it will be a great place to be, and is far closer than Seoul.The rest of this month has flown by, as is to be expected... big plans are in the works you see. Come January 31st I'm off! Thailand to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary; Cambodia to see Ankor Watt; and finally Vietnam and Saigon!
oooo just 10 more sleeps :)
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