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Struggle and Camaraderie : Survival as a Korean Long-term Political Prisoner

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By Ana Traynin

I am a 27-year-old American expat English teacher in Korea. My major challenges are: navigating a foreign culture and language, making good lessons, and balancing my life. At 25, Kwon Nak-gi and his family went to prison for violating the National Security Law with their pro-reunification activities. During his time in prison, 1972-1990, Kwon’s major challenges were enduring the beatings, torture, and solitary confinement that placed pressure on him to betray his political beliefs and comrades. Listening to Kwon’s account of his prison experience on a Sunday afternoon in June, I asked myself: “What do I stand for? Why do I exist?”

Korea’s prolonged division makes criminals of those who could help build it into a better society. Amidst widespread condemnation of North Korea and other regimes, a little-known fact about South Korea is overlooked: it boasts the world’s longest-serving political prisoners, some of whom have served over forty years. As Michael Breen explains in his 2011 Korea Times article “The Case of World’s Longest Serving Political Prisoners,” Park Chung Hee’s iron grip in the 1960s drove these men from the public consciousness. Many of these unconverted dissidents – who never renounced their beliefs – have died or been killed in prison, but others like Nak-ki survive to tell their stories to the younger generations.

One night, returning to his solitary cell, beaten and bloodied, thoughts of caving in and signing the release papers emerged in Nak-ki’s mind. He had a girlfriend and a good life: signing seemed like such an easy way out. It was seeing the faces of his older comrades that made him realize he could never betray them and his conscience. So he endured until 1990, when Korea’s burgeoning democratization saw the release of the first round of long-term prisoners under Roe Tae-woo.

The Saturday before meeting Kwon Nak-gi, Justice Party candidate and reunification activist Jeong Yeon-ook compared the divided Korean peninsula to a living cell or a person. Jeong said: “If you put together countries that were never meant to be together, they will split apart, but countries meant to be together will come together.” While the former Soviet republics are now proudly independent countries, Korea entered the UN in 1991 as a sadly divided nation. To this day, the governments of the US, DPRK and ROK have been unable to propel this living cell back together. How much longer will this division last?

In the 1940s climate of the Japanese occupation followed by US occupation, leftist anti-colonial movements flourished but were quickly crushed. The window of opportunity for a truly autonomous Korean nation seemed to close under the weight of continued oppression and a brutal 3-year war. Divisions between pro-Japanese collaborators and those staunchly against the occupation plagued society before the demarcation line was even drawn and they only deepened over time, leading to a military border that separates families and national history.

To someone like me who comes from outside this society, Kwon Nak-gi’s account offers immense insight not only into Korean history but human resilience. Yet I’m afraid that many of those in the younger generation here are too concerned with their status and career-building to take advantage of learning lessons from the past and acting in the present. While the June reunification weekend left me with more questions and doubts than answers, one thing is clear – I respect people who have given their lives for the cause of peace and reunification. I hope to learn from their struggles and emulate their level of commitment to a cause. Above all, I hope to one day see Korea reunite as one strong, independent country.

Based on interviews with Jeong Yeon-ook and Kwon Nak-gi, Seoul, June 14-15, 2014

 Breen, Michael. (2011, February 20). The Case of World’s Longest Serving Political Prisoners. koreatimes.com



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The 30-Day Reflective Blogging Challenge for Teachers

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Today I stumbled across this fantastic website: teachthought.com. While it only offers a few articles specific to ESL teachers, the rest of the content is still very applicable in some way or another!

reflectionWhile exploring the site, I found this: The 30-Day Reflective Blogging Challenge for Teachers. Since I’ve been in Korea, I’ve done a fair amount of writing about life and travel, but I’ve shyed away from the topic of teaching…mainly because I feel that I’m so new to all of this that I have very little place in speaking with authority on the subject. However, I think this challenge will be an excellent way for me to think back on and share what I’m learning about teaching ESL, teaching in Korea, and just teaching in general.

If you’re a fellow teacher, feel free to join me in this process! I’d love to swap stories, strategies and experiences. Here’s hoping I can stick with it!

P.S. I’m writing this as I’m about to leave school for the day, so my first post of the challenge will come later tonight! Promise!


Crowdfunding for New Queer Korean Film: Butterfly

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99 Film's new queer movie Butterfly is being crowdfounded on GoodFunding aiming for 2 million won in donations (about 2 thousand dollars). 99 Film has used this method for other films (such as 20) and they have been in general successful in getting their target funding goals.


About the film:
Cheolsu, the hero from queer film 20 (which can be purchased over at Naver Movies), has become an adult and while beginning his social life at a host bar he is learning about life. Through the host bar 'stage', we will see various people and their desires accompanied by a story of those in their twenties. Going over the superficial image of those who work at these types of establishment, this film's director aims to provide a new perspective to the stories of those at gay host bars.

As of this blog post, Butterfly is about a third of its way to its goal. Of course, there are benefits to donating to the film depending on your donation, ranging from access to watching the film online when it is finished in 2015 to being able to attend opening parties. If you feel like contributing to the film, and you have a decent command of Korean, head over to GoodFunding to contribute. 

RTBC Day One: Teaching Goals

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Reflective Teaching Blog Challenge – Day One: Write your goals for the school year. Be as specific or abstract as you’d like to be!

In no particular order:

  • Learn the names of my students and fellow staff members. I want to be past the deer-in-the-headlights feeling of being greeted by them and not knowing their names. I also want to get to know them on a more personal level; develop inside jokes and be able to share a laugh, no matter how broken the English might be.
  • Become a lesson planning beast. I cannot WAIT for the day when I’m able to spend a little less time agonizing over what to put in my lessons. I want to build up my “bag of tricks” with a diverse array of English games, so I’m able to pull something else out of the hat when Plan A flops or doesn’t go as expected.
  • Be open to feedback and continually strive to improve my teaching skills. I have so much to learn, and the faster I can absorb it and make adjustments, the better. Be it from my co-teacher, other teachers at the school, or the students themselves, any constructive criticism is more than welcome.
  • Actually get a handle on how to teach to multiple skill levels simultaneously. Within the same lesson, I want to be able to reach the student who is silently struggling in the back while also challenging/maintaining the engagement of the eager beaver in the front. I hardly expect this skill to happen overnight…but if it did I wouldn’t be mad.
  • Create a comfortable, fun classroom environment. I completely understand that learning English isn’t easy or something my students necessarily want to do. So, the more security and relatable content I can bring to our time together, the better.
  • Incorporate as much multi-media as possible into each lesson. Pictures. PowerPoints. YouTube videos and video games. Realia (newspapers, magazine, comic books). Social media. Texting. You name it, I want to use it in a lesson. Anything to resonate with the students that will get them engaged with the language.
  • Teach an entire class without one single student falling asleep. It’s not that my lessons are THAT boring (I actually think they’ve been at least mildly successful, thus far). It’s that these poor kids are utterly exhausted day in and day out. But if I get one day, or even one class, where every student would rather be involved in the lesson than snoozing on their desk, that would be huge.
  • Avoid becoming predictable or getting stuck in a rut. While I’m sure it will be tempting to continually rely on a strategy or activity once I know its well-liked and effective, I want to keep looking for new and unexpected ways for students to be introduced to, and interact with, the material.
  • Give students a sense of ownership over their learning. Let them choose the kind of activities we do to review vocabulary. Allow them to decide the layout of the desks in class. Present them with assignments that can be proudly displayed around the room. If they feel like they own the class (at least in part), they will likely be more active and engaged.
  • Create a tangible way for students to track their progress throughout the year. Whether its a word journal or a poster, I want the students to have something that they can refer back to each week and see what they’ve been learning. One of my biggest fears so far as that everything I say goes in one ear during the lesson and then out the other as soon as I leave. I want something to stick.
  • Participate in School Sports Day and attend my students’ games, matches and/or competitions (I teach at a sports high school, in case you didn’t know). I’ve already observed at school how relationships are built just as much, if not more, outside of the classroom as they are in it. By demonstrating support and interest in my students and their athletic pursuits, I hope they’ll grow to trust me more, and see me as someone who cares about more than just their English capabilities.
  • Become more indirectly active in the observation phase of each lesson. I’ve noticed how students prefer to interact with my co-teacher more during this part of the lesson, and I understand why. It’s with her that they can easily speak and ask for help/clarification. On my end, I have also been hesitant to go beyond saying “Good job! Yes!” or “Well done! Excellent!” to studens while they work because, just like them, I fear they won’t understand me. I need to get over that and start interacting with students as they complete their assignments. Once I do, I’ll connect better with them and be able to more accurately check for comprehension.
  • Get my students to greet me with something other than the robotic “Hello, teacher. How are you? I’mfinethankyou.” I’m already almost to the point where I would rather have students say “Banana!” to me instead of the same, wrotely-memorized script. At least then they’d be demonstrating a broader knowledge of English vocabulary. Maybe I’ll try this. Seriously. On Monday I’ll tell my students, pick one word in English…anything at all…and next time you see me, instead of saying “Hello!,” say that word. Who knows, maybe it will spark an impromptu teaching moment, or at the very least, a laugh.
  • Enjoy teaching. As stressful and anxiety-filled as this job can be, when it comes down to it my job responsibilties are quite simple: teach kids English, and make it fun and interesting. There’s no way I’m going to acquire 20 years of teaching experience overnight, as nice as that would be. So instead I’ll try to stop being so hard on myself and focus on making small steps in the right direction. If I do that, I’ll have no choice but to enjoy the year ahead of me.

 



To view the original post and other great content, visit Korealizations at:
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MICA’s First Live Performance on Superstar K6

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The sisters are still in! ^^ They got Filipino expats in Korea excited. Facebook walls are mostly about their exhilarating performance tonight. The girls sang “Maria”, original soundtrack of the romantic-comedy “미녀는 괴로워” (200 Pound Beauty). The judges gave them the second highest scores, and mostly positive feedbacks. With two female contenders, Foxstar  (여우별밴드) and Lee Haena (이해나), eliminated from the contest, MICA is the only remaining female finalist. Despite their high scores on tonight’s show, they are still on the 9th spot in the votes. Eliminations in every episode are based on votes, so even if the judges are in favor of them, they need more votes to move on to the grand finals. Well, as the show’s motto puts it, “Real miracles never stop”. MICA has gone this far. They made it to the Top 11 through wild card, and now they are part of the Top 9… let us keep supporting them by voting for them and promoting their group. Hopefully, we can get more votes even from non-Filipinos in Korea.

If you missed MICA’s performance tonight, you can watch it again by clicking this link.

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While Filipinos are happy about MICA’s staying in the competition, some Korean netizens have already flooded Tweeter with negative posts about the group. For a country whose citizens are known for their nationalistic fervor, such reaction is understandable. Perhaps, in the weeks to come (hopefully MICA stays), those who bash these talented Filipino performers might just change their minds.


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"What does it mean?" in Korean

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If you've learned some Korean, but you don't know every single word and phrase yet, what do you do when you see or hear something you're unfamiliar with? Well, you can ask a Korean to tell you what it is, by asking them "What does it mean?" Find out how to say it in this week's new "Korean Phrases" episode right here.

Korean Phrases Ep. 29: What does it mean?


And are you just starting to learn Korean, or want a solid review of the basics? My new book "Korean Made Simple: A beginner's guide to learning the Korean language" is the book for you!

You can check the book out on my site here, or find it directly through Amazon and most online retailers.

-Billy

www.GoBillyKorean.com

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Culture Shock, What Culture Shock? Embracing The Cultural Change.

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 Moving to another country, especially one as different as Korea can make you experience one tough culture shock: why are people staring at me… why is cereal so expensive… is it really ok to spit in public?  Now, we’ve gotten used to being pointed at by amazed children (and yes, once making a child cry when they saw my face) and lots of Korean ways have become second nature (minus the spitting). So much so that back in England people must have wondered why I bow my head in greeting, instead of waving at them.

Of course we researched Korean etiquette before we came (oh, so that’s how I should leave my chopsticks at the end of a meal), but nothing fully prepares you for entering a completely foreign culture.

Here are some of the cultural changes we’ve become accustomed to during our time in Korea, albeit some more easily than others…

  • Discussing People’s Age
en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia

What’s one of the rudest things you can ask someone in England? Their age. This rule is even more important when the person in question is elderly. It’s one thing guaranteed to get you in trouble when you’re young and don’t know better: innocently asking an adult “How old are you,” will inevitably lead to a good telling-off.

So imagine our surprise when we first met our co-ordinator in Korea who happily told us on our first meeting his age (and has since repeated it on numerous occasions). We thought it odd, to say the least. But in a country where age equals respect, it’s something to be proud of.

Oh, and this doesn’t bear well for me as the youngest teacher in school; when students ask my age and realise how young I am, it doesn’t encourage them to respect me…

  • Discussing How Much Things Cost
businesskorea.co.kr
businesskorea.co.kr

Another faux-pas in England: telling someone how much a gift cost. And just in general, talking about the high price of something would make people think you’re boasting or just plain arrogant. It’s an awkward topic.

Roll on me feeling extremely uncomfortable when our director buys us a winter blanket as a gift, and proceeds to describe in detail just how much it cost and how extremely expensive it was (and repeats this ten times over). Um… Thanks…

  • Slippers/ No Shoes Inside

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 No shoes inside the house is a fairly normal rule. But inside public buildings? Now that was new to me.

Comfy slippers in the workplace= so much better than smart shoes and much warmer in winter too; I love putting my furry slippers on when I get inside. Although I have to admit that it makes me feel slightly less professional…

Taking off shoes in restaurants isn’t as fun- having cold feet in the winter isn’t great and bare feet in the hot, sweaty summer…not the most pleasant thing!

  • Bowing Heads
thekoreaguide.com
thekoreaguide.com

I have become used to nodding at people I pass or make eye-contact with (and now also do the same in England, probably resembling a nodding dog at times).

However I still automatically smile too, something I just can’t snap out of. Don’t get me wrong, some Koreans smile back, but more often than not, a bow of the head is all I get. So it’s very likely that when I make eye contact with someone, the Korean is probably left wondering who the crazy smiling Westerner was.

  • Lack Of Queues
en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia

No, I haven’t gotten used to the lack of queues in Korea, nor will I ever. Maybe it’s just an English thing, but queues are just logical. And when someone cuts in front of me at CU, I still want to murder them.

The best example of why queues are the best? Flashback to the time when I was almost trapped in the closing doors on the subway on the way to watch Korean vs. Brazil at the World Cup Stadium- I was so rammed by the crowds of people, pushing from all sides. See, this is why queues were invented!

(On the other hand, I do love the Korean ticket system when you’re at the bank/ cinema etc, and it does prevent queue jumpers. CU- take note).

  • Showing A Lot Of Leg
sodahead.com
sodahead.com

This is one thing I really don’t understand: in the same culture where it’s frowned upon to have bare shoulders/ arms, people don’t look twice about girls wearing micro-mini-skirts and hot pants.

The shoulders issue isn’t surprising because it’s the same in many cultures, but what puzzles me is why this is seen as wrong, but legs on show is acceptable. I’ve seen some shockingly short  skirts/ shorts during my time in Korea (and yes, I know that makes me sound like I’m about 80): seriously, the skirts are so short they’d raise eyebrows in England… and don’t even get me started on the hot pants.

Why does it bother me? Because all I want in summer is to wear thin straps, without being glared at by Ajummas… it’s just too hot to wear sleeves!

  • Not Tipping
en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia

In lots of the restaurants here it makes sense that you don’t tip- you cook the food yourself, after all. But I still feel guilty when the people are so lovely, or you’re somewhere that cooks for you and it’s delicious, but it’s not normal to give tips here.

The reaction I got once from a taxi driver proved how unusual it was to tip: I told him to keep the change which was only about 500 won, but from his smile and surprise, you’d think I had given him 5000 won!

  • Sharing Food

a (8)

Sharing food usually comes naturally because it comes on one grill/ in one big bowl. But the first time we ate at a Western restaurant we realised it’s also the norm to share food there; you get one pizza and one bowl of pasta, and share both. Pretty good idea when you can’t decide on just one thing from the menu!

The only downside is that the servers as so used to people sharing that they don’t bring out your meals at the same time, leading to one person jealously watching the other eat (worst thing ever when you’re hungry).

  • Food Etiquette

a (16)There are quite a few rules about eating which we tried to learn before coming to Korea: wait for the eldest person to sit down first, don’t eat too fast, don’t eat too slow, never pour your drink first, don’t leave the table until the eldest person has. It’s like a minefield.

Our first meal, we were concentrating so hard on not offending anyone we could barely relax to enjoy the food… ‘what if I accidently pour myself some water first and instantly offend everyone’, ‘what if I need to leave the table’… ‘what if I put my chopsticks in the wrong place’.

The hardest thing? Never refusing food in case you look rude- let’s just say that after a meal with Korean colleagues, I’m beyond full. I’m just thankful that we go to a Christian school and so there are no shots of soju around…

Needless to say, there have been many slip-ups along the way. Like the first time I entered our new apartment after 24 hours of travelling and forgot to take my shoes off. Bad move. Luckily, our co-ordinator forgave me (I think). There are also the things I haven’t adapted to, and don’t think I ever will- I haven’t started audibly slurping my food, I’d just end up with it all over me! Not cool. 

But despite the cultural divergence, there are still little things which make you feel at home. The best is the friendliness of hikers, always having a friendly word to say; it reminds me of being back in England on a country walk, where everyone greets each other like they’re old friends. So despite the many changes, the gaping differences between England and Korea, it’s nice that some things have remained the same. 



© KATHRYN GODFREY 

Kathryn's Living
KathrynsLiving.wordpress.com

Should You Open a Bank Account in Korea?

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It’s finally happened. You’ve stuffed so much money under your mattress that you are having trouble sleeping at night. Is it time to open up a bank account in Korea?

Good question! Before you get started, let’s talk about what you need to know about having a bank account in Korea. After we cover the ins and outs of banking in Korea, we’ll give you a few banks to investigate. If you want to study Korean banking vocab, scroll to the bottom for common banking words. You can use them to impress the bank tellers when you stop off at your neighborhood branch!

So who needs this info? Do you? Maybe! This info may be useful if:

  1. You’re thinking about moving to Korea
  2. Will be moving to Korea soon
  3. Study Korean at a school and are only here temporarily
  4. Get paid from an employer overseas
  5. Want to brush up on your Korean banking knowledge

One thing to note here is that Korea is a rapidly changing country. With that said, the banking rules and requirements are constantly being updated. Use this info as a general guide, but make sure you call your bank first before you head in to open a bank account in Korea.

Here we go!

Requirements

This is going to vary from bank to bank. Having an ARC (Alien Registration Card) will be the best and give you the most options for account functionality. For example, an ARC card may allow you to do online banking, get an ATM card, and transfer money overseas. If you don’t have an ARC card or are waiting for yours to be processed, most banks will allow you to open an account with a passport and an ID from your home country that hasn’t expired. A driver’s license or government-issued picture ID is best.

The closer you meet their requirements, the more choices you will have for your account.

Online Banking

If you’re ready to bring all of the fun and excitement of branch banking to your home computer, then you’ll be pumped about online banking! You’re going to need a digital certificate (공인인증서) in order to do online transfers, so make sure you sign up for one when creating your account.

Some banks have English menus for online banking, but menus are often limited. They will be fine for most normal transactions. Korean online banking is chock-full o’ security programs, so get read to do some serious add-on and plug-in downloading!

Digital Certificate

This is a digital file that identifies you so you can send money from your account. It’s an added layer of security to make sure nobody is trying to make you part ways with your hard earned cash. You can save this file to your computer, your USB, or your smartphone. Currently, it is somewhat challenging to transfer the digital certificate to your smartphone if you’re new to online banking. If that’s the case, make life easy for yourself. Try transferring the file to a USB drive (easier) and then work your way up to being smartphone savvy.

Smartphone Applications

Online banking in your pocket, anytime you want! The banks first rolled out the apps in Korean only, but they’re slowly changing over to English menu options. If you’re feeling brave and want to study Korean banking vocab, then give the apps a shot!

Password Paradise

If you love passwords, then having a bank account in Korea is going to be like Christmas coming twice in one year! For those only doing basic banking only, this won’t be an issue. If you plan to do online banking and use the ATM, be prepared to write your passwords down somewhere safe.

Banking Hours

Most banks are open from 9am – 4pm. Some branches stay open later or have Saturday hours.

ATM Machines

Many bank branches have ATMs that are open until midnight. Some places have 24 hour ATMs, but often they lock the doors after a certain time. Not to worry, there are plenty of ATMs all throughout Korea. They may not be your bank’s ATM, so be prepared to pay a small fee if withdrawing from a different bank’s ATM.

If you’re using your ATM card from another country, look for “Global ATM” signs so you can withdraw your cash from your international account.

Foreign Designated Bank (외국환 지정거래)

When you open a bank account in Korea, make sure to ask about 외국환 지정거래. This is extremely important! If you will be transferring money or using your ATM card outside of Korea, you will need to have one bank set up as your foreign designated bank. If not, you won’t be able to transfer money outside of Korea. Or even words, you may find yourself in a foreign country with no way to access your cash in Korea. You cannot have two foreign designated banks.

Service Charges & Fees

Most accounts don’t charge a service fee, and don’t require a minimum balance. You may have to pay a transaction fee depending on how you transfer the funds. Basically, the more labor-intensive for the bank, the more you’ll pay. Bank teller transactions will be the most expensive, followed by ATMs. Online banking have the lowest fees.

Ready to shop for banks? You’ll have plenty to choose from, so let’s get started with the big three that expats and visitors in Korea typically use. Give them a ring and see if they’re worth a visit!

KEB (Korea Exchange Bank)

Main: http://www.keb.co.kr/

English: http://www.keb.co.kr/main/en/

Korea: 02-1544-3000 x8,9

Overseas: +82-1544-3000 x8,9

Notes: Expats love this bank. A little light on the ATMs.

Woori Bank

Main: https://www.wooribank.com/

English: http://eng.wooribank.com

Korea: 02-1599-2288

Overseas: +82-1599-2288

Notes: ATMs galore. Online banking is improving.

Shinhan Bank

Main: http://www.shinhan.com

English: http://www.shinhan.com/en/

Korea: 02-1577-8380

Overseas: +82-1577-8380

Notes: Lots of branches, cater to expats and international visitors.

 

If you read to open a bank account in Korea and want to study Korean banking vocab before you chat with tellers, below are 10 must-know words.

Note: If you can’t read Hangeul yet, you can learn by downloading the free 90 Minute Challenge guide here.

Korean Banking Vocabulary

What do you think is the best bank for expats? Let us know your favorite bank in the comments below!


Learn to read Korean and be having simple conversations, taking taxis and ordering in Korean within a week with our FREE Hangeul Hacks series: http://www.90DayKorean.com/learn

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Busan Firework Festival

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What goes around comes around saying is perfectly true, do you know that even though the BIFF (Busan International Film Festival) is over, however we will have another major event soon in Busan.

Located in Gwangan beach with the famous Gwangan bridge as the background, the Busan International Firework Festival (부산 세계불꽃축제), is an event that held annually since it's first show in 2005. On 2011 due to the popularity of the year before, the event was held for more than a week!!

One view of the Firework Festival

This year the event will be start on Evening of 24th October and the major show will be held on 25th October as usual with the Gwangan Bridge as the background. Nevertheless, there will be another event such as the Concert that can be enjoyed in Busan Citizen Park on 24th October, so what are you gonna waiting for again, join us and book the place ASAP and enjoy the festival, not only the festival but also the laser light show directly after the festival.

Hope to see you soon~~

RTBC Day Two: Video Games in the Classroom

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Reflective Teaching Blog Challenge – Day Two: Write about one piece of technology you would like to try this year, and why. What are you hoping to see of this edtech integration?

Mario Kart. League of Legends. Grand Theft Auto 3 and FIFA 3 Online. I polled my middle and high school Korean students a few weeks ago and these are their top favorite video games. This year I would like to use all of them in the classroom in some capacity.

Slide1Effective teachers cater to their students’ interests, and introduce content in ways that make it relatable to them. Especially when it comes to my male students, what better way to get them engaged than to play a clip of a pre-recorded game or a montage of epic moves? In a perfect world I would have access to my own game console (a PlayStation 2, an XBox, or a Wii) but for now I’ll settle for YouTube clips. Bottom line: I want my students to get excited about what they’re learning, and be motivated to think about/use English outside of class. Of course, the whole lesson cannot be spent playing or watching these games. But I really believe they have the potential to be a great jumping-off point or a cool way to sum up a lesson.

There are plenty of articles out there that further champion the use of video games in the classroom, but they’re moreso talking on an abstract level. I have yet to find very many great articles that spell out real and effective ways video games can be incorporated specifically into an ESL setting, so any suggestions of resources or personal recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

So far, I’ve cooked up one idea to use a pre-recorded FIFA 3 Online clip to segway into a lesson on colors. Students will watch the clip, and afterward I’ll introduce the color vocabulary. Then they’ll watch the clip again and write down how many different colored jerseys they see. From there, we’ll play some more review games to solidify acquisition of the color vocab and conclude with an activity describing their favorite team’s uniform! Thoughts? I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!


Economical Eating In Korea- Be Healthy Without Being Bankrupt

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en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia

Eating healthily on a budget is sometimes difficult- why buy a huge bag of apples for 5000 won (at the very least) when you can buy 5 huge bags of popcorn, or two boxes of choco pies for that price? Tempting indeed. It seems that all the staples of a healthy diet- meat, fish, vegetables, fruit- are the most expensive things to buy, which is very annoying when you’re trying to live healthily.

Renee Comet Wikimedia Commons
Renee Comet Wikimedia Commons

This is a problem for everyone, and is even worse for expats, who have to get used to seeing something which was cheap in their home country being triple the price in Korea. My biggest upset: oats. A 500 gram bag in the UK is only about 40 pence (about 700 won). In Korea, they’re pretty much non-existent, but if you do find them (thank you Costco) they are ridiculously pricey. So, adjustments to diet have to be made- I’d never eaten pumpkin before living in Korea but it’s now a central part of my diet, along with tofu, persimmon, enochi mushrooms and spinach.

My main lifesaver, however, is I Herb. I’m probably completely jinxing myself, but I’ve always had perfect customer service and deliveries from America within a week, which is amazing. Plus, delivery only costs $4- the same it would cost me to get to E Mart and back in a taxi. So it’s pretty much the perfect option.

youtube.com
youtube.com

And the other benefit? It’s not too expensive- “I Herb is The Best Overall Value in the World for Natural Products”, according to their twitter, and from my experience I wouldn’t doubt that. Most products are the same price that they’d cost you in a Korean Mart, or cheaper. Plus there is so much which isn’t readily available in Korea. What does this mean? That I Herb makes healthy eating easy, and doable on a budget.

There are hundreds of thousands of products on the website, but here are some of the best things which I’ve found:

  • Healthy Bread- Rye bread, Flaxseed bread, Multi-grain bread from $3.30 for 500 grams

     

    http://riedsfoodbarn.com
    http://riedsfoodbarn.com
  • Quinoa- $5.60 for 400 grams (compared to 10,000 won in Homeplus)
  • Grains- Buckwheat, Amaranth, Bulgar, Rye, Couscous from $3.60
  • Oats- $3 for 500 grams
  • Crackers- Ryvita, Crispbreads, Multi-seed, Multi-grain, the list is endless. From $2
  • Stevia- My saviour. Amazing to add to drinks, oatmeal, cereal, baking. And the liquid type doesn’t have any strange after-taste. From $4
  • Teas- Every type of tea you can imagine. And, cheaper than in Korean Marts- from $1.95
  • Coconut Oil- from $8
  • Herbs and Spices- from $2.60
  • Cereal- Hot cereal from $2.80, Muesli from $3.50, Granola from $4, and so many other types for the same price/ cheaper than in Korea. Including Weetabix- 24 biscuits for $5
  • Nuts- from about $8 for 450 grams
  • Seeds- from about $3 for 400 grams.
Luigi Chiesa Wikimedia Commons
Luigi Chiesa Wikimedia Commons

You can spend hours searching on the website and there are tons of other healthy goodies: cereal bars, dried fruit and vegetables, soup mixes, healthy butters, baking goods, healthy crisps and popcorn, protein powder and protein  bars (Quest Nutrition bars are so much cheaper on I Herb than anywhere else, and CarbRite Bars are so yummy). It’s such a good option for getting good-value healthy foods. It’s so popular that there are literally deliveries every week to teachers at our school.

Miia Ranta Wikimedia Commons
Miia Ranta Wikimedia Commons

As for buying foods on a budget from Korean shops- it can be done. One of the best things is that rice is everywhere, and a nice, healthy staple to add to your diet. To get top healthy points, choose brown/ multi-seed/ add barely to your rice. Then you’re instantly making your meals healthier. Cheap, quick and easy- what could be better?

A few other things which I have added to my diet because they’re healthy, cheap and easy to find in Korea are: tofu (especially Pulmone Half & Half which is so good), eggs, greek yoghurts (you can find these from 2000 won), vegetables (things like cabbage, carrots, spinach, and lettuce, which don’t change much in price despite the season), and tinned salmon and tuna.

This leads me onto my next point- buying tinned food is a good option for things which areso expensive otherwise. As long as you don’t buy the flavoured options (like chilli tuna or salmon which are more artificial and contain more sugar), this is a good way to eat healthy fish without spending too much.

The same goes for buying frozen things- why spend 6000 won on 100 grams of fresh blueberries when you can buy over 1 kilo of frozen blueberries for 9000 won? The same goes for mango, pineapple, strawberries, etc- go frozen, and you can enjoy all the healthy benefits of delicious fruit for a fraction of the price. I also freeze meat- buy bigger portions of fresh chicken as they’re much better value and then freeze them separately, another easy way to spend less but still be able to afford clean, healthy food.

http://pixabay.com/en/photos/vegetable/
pixabay.com

I’ve also noticed how important it is when buying fruit and vegetables to only buy what’s in season; recently, the price of tomatoes went up by 2000 won in about 2 weeks and broccoli doubled in price- if you take notice of the price changes and only buy what’s in season, it’s much cheaper. This is especially true with fruit; there are a few weeks in summer when watermelon is actually affordable (yay) and the same goes for peaches and nectarines. At other times during the year, they’re just too expensive.

The thing I find which makes the biggest difference for fruit and veg is going to a local shop, rather than a chain. In my local vegetable shop I can buy carrots for 1000 won, a big bag of eggplant for 1000 won, a huge bag of spinach for under 2000 won, and a bag of 8 apples for 5000 won. Pretty good, when at the big marts everything is double the price!

I hope that’s given you some ideas on how to eat healthily for less. I manage to eat fresh, healthy food without going bankrupt, so it’s definitely doable. Still, if Korea decided to start selling oats for a reasonable price, that would make my life so much easier… Here’s hoping!


© KATHRYN GODFREY 

Kathryn's Living
KathrynsLiving.wordpress.com

Gwaneumsa Temple – 관음사 (Jeju City, Jeju-do)

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 The Buddha on the Hillside at Gwaneumsa Temple in Jeju-do Island.

Hello Again Everyone!!

Gwaneumsa Temple is named after Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). This fairly common temple name in Korea is located on the northeast side of Mt. Hallsan. It’s believed that the temple dates back to sometime during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). However, there is very little proof that indicates the exact year of Gwaneumsa Temple’s construction. During the early 1700’s, when the Joseon royal court proclaimed Confucianism as the state religion, Buddhism suffered horribly from this policy decision. In fact, Gwaneumsa Temple was completely destroyed during this time in Korea’s history. However, in 1912, the temple was rebuilt by the Buddhist nun, Anbongryeokwan. It was later renovated and expanded in 1964.

You’re first greeted to the temple by a wide Iljumun Gate with a copper-coloured roof. Just beyond this is the pathway that leads up to the temple. The pathway is lined by numerous stone statues dedicated to Mireuk-bul (The Future Buddha), as well as towering cedar trees. It’s perhaps one of the most picturesque entryways to a temple in Korea. Slightly to the right, and just past the cedar trees, is a large statue dedicated to Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). This large statue is surrounded by descriptive statues of various life-sized statues of guardians.

A little further up the trail, and you’ll see the Cheonwangmun Gate that houses murals dedicated to the Four Heavenly Kings. There are some more Mireuk-bul statues, this time housed atop stone spires, as well as a cave where monks once meditated inside it. Now, it’s a shrine for prayer.Before you enter the temple’s courtyard, you’ll see a beautiful koi pond with a brick pagoda in the centre of it. The Temple Stay building is slightly to the right as is the gift shop.

Finally, you’ll enter into the temple courtyard with the main hall, the Daeung-jeon, straight ahead. With its beautiful copper-colour roof, and paper lanterns out in front, it makes for quite the view. Housed inside the main hall is a triad of statues centred by Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). He’s joined on either side by Munsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom) and Bohyun-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Power).

To the right of the main hall is the Jijang-jeon. Housed inside this double altar hall is a large green-haired statue of Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife) to the left and an intricately painted Dragon Ship of Wisdom mural to the right. To the far left of the main hall sits the bell pavilion, as well as a stout three-tier stone pagoda.

Housed slightly to the left of the main hall, and up a set of stairs, is the rather large Samseong-gak shaman shrine. The exterior walls to this hall are decorated with various murals including a painting dedicated to the Bodhidharma. As for inside this hall, and sitting in the centre of the main altar, is a rather long, but slender, mural dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars). This painting is joined on either side by a mural dedicated to both Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) and Doseong (The Lonely Saint), respectively. Perhaps the most interesting painting of the group is the mural dedicated to Yongwang (The Dragon King) with its vibrant colours and stoically seated king.

The final part of Gwaneumsa Temple that visitors can see is a large golden statue of Mireuk-bul sitting on top of a neighbouring hillside. He’s surrounded by a pantheon of smaller sized statues dedicated to various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Slightly down the hill, and to the left, are a triad of larger stone statues dedicated to Gwanseeum-bosal, Munsu-bosal, and Bohyun-bosal, respectively.

Admission to the temple is free.

HOW TO GET THERE:You’ll need to take a bus towards Sancheondan from Jeju City. The bus departs every twenty minutes and the ride should last about 30 minutes. When the bus drops you off at Sancheondan, you’ll need to walk an additional thirty minutes to the temple. The signs should help guide your way.

OVERALL RATING:8.5/10. Perhaps the most famous temple on Jeju-do Island, Gwaneumsa Temple has a lot for the temple adventurer to see. From its beautiful entryway to the koi pond, the temple has a lot of aesthetic beauty. And when you couple it with the large-sized golden statue of Mireuk-bul on the hillside, as well as the Dragon Ship of Wisdom and Yongwang murals, you’ll definitely need to make Gwaneumsa Temple a stop in Jeju-do!

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The Iljumun Gate at Gwaneumsa Temple.

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The beautiful entry path that leads up to the temple grounds.

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Just one of the statues helps guide the way.

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The Cheonwangmun Gate at the temple.

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The meditative shrine cave at Gwaneumsa Temple.

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The beautiful koi pond at the temple.

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The view as you first approach the temple courtyard.

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To the far left stand this three-tier pagoda and two story bell pavilion.

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Straight ahead is the copper-coloured main hall.

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 The main altar inside the main hall with Seokgamoni-bul sitting front and centre.

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To the right of the main hall is the Jijang-jeon.

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The altar inside the Jijang-jeon with a large statue of the Bodhisattva of the Afterlife sitting all alone.

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To the right hangs this highly elaborate Dragon Ship of Wisdom mural.

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Up the embankment stands the larger sized Samseong-gak shaman shrine hall.

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Housed inside is this colourful mural dedicated to Yongwang.

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A bit up the hillside, and you’ll be welcomed by a golden Mireuk-bul.

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Back at the entrance rests this beautiful shrine dedicated to Amita-bul.

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He’s joined by this fierce guardian statue.

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 And this one, as well.

The post Gwaneumsa Temple – 관음사 (Jeju City, Jeju-do) appeared first on Dale's Korean Temple Adventures.

Which Disney princess would make the best co-teacher?

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tumblr_nbyvp6UoQK1rmdodwo1_500Snow White– Her childlike innocence makes her perfect for working with elementary school kids. She gets them to whistle-while-they-work during even the most mundane of tasks, like tidying up the room or studying grammar. And if she can wrangle 7 dwarfs, you know she’s got to have mad classroom management skills. Just don’t let the kids try to give her any apples.

 

CinderellaCinderella– The classic co-teacher, she exudes honesty, a caring disposition, and a tireless work ethic, almost to the point where it’s intimidating to co-teach with her. And yet, you can’t help but pity her, as she’s had to put up with a lot in her career, mainly working with a wicked step-principal and step-teachers.

 

 

BelleBelle– If you’re teaching in a rural area, she’s the co-teacher for you! Belle knows how to make the most of any provincial life. Being an avid bookworm, she also understands the language inside and out. And, having grown up around her father’s inventions, she’s very creative and loves using new technology in the classroom.

 

 

orig-21201453Ariel– A bit of a rebel and very independent, she’s always wanted to be part of your English-speaking world. She’s got American gadgets and gizmos a plenty, and British whozits and whatzits galore. But despite her enthusiasm, her communication skills are a bit lacking. Poor unfortunate soul.

 

 

Jasmine

Jasmine– Although she’s very witty and intelligent, she’s also used to getting the royal treatment at school, so some might say she’s a bit spoiled. That being said, she’s very passionate and open-minded, so she’ll love learning about a whole new world of Western culture with you.

 

 

Sleeping BeautyAurora– Innocent yet confident, a day-dreamer but also stunningly gorgeous, she’s very easy to work with. After just one lesson, she’ll have you thinking, “I know you! I taught with you once upon a dream…” But like with Snow White, you have to keep an eye on her. She doesn’t do well with pointy, need-like objects.

 

Mulan

Mulan– True, she isn’t Korean, but Mulan still has the most to offer you in the ways of Eastern culture education. She knows the pressures of family honor and what it’s like to perform under high expectations. As a result, she’s very determined and hard-working. She’ll get down to business and make a teacher out of you.

 

PocahontasPocahontas– She has wisdom beyond her years, so she’ll get your students painting with all the colors of the wind in no time. They’ll learn things they never knew they never knew. Pocahontas is also very accepting of other cultures, and she enjoys sharing her way of life with foreigners. Perhaps best of all, she’s very outdoorsy, so she knows all the good hiking spots.

 

Which Disney princess would you most like to have as your co-teacher? One of the above, or somone not listed? Feel free to respond in the comments section below! Have a MAGICAL day!



To view the original post and other great content, visit Korealizations at:
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RTBC Day Three: Room for Improvement

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Reflective Teaching Blog Challenge – Day Three: Discuss one “observation” area you would like to improve on.

TimeAt the end of most of my lessons, I’ve noticed there usually isn’t enough time to properly go over the day’s content. Somewhere during the phases when students are practicing and producing the language for themselves, I lose the last 5 minutes of class that I originally intended to use as review time. When I notice this happening, I usually choose to forgo the review and just allow students to finish the production activity. If I did move onto the review, I feel like I’d be cutting them off early or stunting their absorption of the material.

I guess what this really comes down to is an isse of time management and giving students tasks they can feasibly complete in the amount of time I alot. Then I can be more consistent with facilitating brief review sessions at the end of class.

To any seasoned teachers out there, I’d like to ask: Do you make a point of having clearly-designated “review time” at the end of every lesson? Why or why not? And if not, do you have a way of reviewing content/checking for comprehension that is more indirect? If so, what is it?



To view the original post and other great content, visit Korealizations at:
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Like Korealizations on Facebook and subscribe on YouTube! Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

Tom Tom & Big John Stud’s Continuing Food Adventures: 돼지국밥

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It’s once again time for myself and Tom Gates of The Red Dragon Diaries to wow you, inform you and make you hungry as we explore another of Busan’s great culinary cuisines. This weekend, we headed to Seomyeon for 돼지국밥, also known as Dweji Gukbap, also also known as Pork, Soup, Rice. I also enjoyed the dweji variant known as 순대국밥, Soondae Gukbap, or pork blood sausage. Sound enticing?! Check out the video of our gastronomic adventure.

This time, we got a two-fer, though, as we also checked out one of those liquid nitrogen ice cream shops for a post-gukbap snack. Check out that video at the end of the gukbap video since WordPress won’t let me embed two videos on the same post, apparently.

Happy eating!



JPDdoesROK is a former news editor/writer in New Jersey, USA, who served a one-year tour of duty in Dadaepo/Jangnim, Saha-gu, Busan from February 2013 to February 2014. He is now a teacher in Gimhae.


2014 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk

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This past Saturday I had the pleasure of once again hosting the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk. I decided to change the location to Gyeongju this year as I thought that it would appeal to more people than having it in Ulsan. My assumption was correct and we had over 20 people show up. It was a great turn out for a great day of shooting.

Our first location was the tomb park of Daereungwon. I had previously lead a photowalk here before and thus I had an idea of where people would bottleneck. After the group shot we set out across the park heading towards Cheomseongdae the ancient observatory. Most people were glued to the people flying kites as the sky was amazing. I felt like we spent a while there and got busy trying to locate people and get them on their way to the Kyochon maul.

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When I arrived at the village I was pleasantly surprised that people had found their way and were eagerly waiting for the blue hour to photograph the bridge. I was a little nervous about how the restaurant would react to 20 foreigners arriving all at once. However, the restaurant was great and the handled us like pros. We had a whole room to ourselves which was great when we sang “happy birthday” to Pete DeMarco.

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Overall, the walk went great. We had walkers from different cities and of different levels. I really want to thank everyone for showing up and having a great time. I am sure that next year will be even better.

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Walkers!

For those of you who were on the walk and have registered, don’t forget to upload your best shot to the photowalk page for your chance to win a year subscription to Kelby One Training!

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Gimje Horizon’s Festival

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Gimje Horizon’s Festival

Gimje Horizon Festival

The summer heat is finished and the beauty of fall is upon us.  As blues skies open up and cool weather sets in a peaceful time of year begins. Something that goes hand and hand with this autumn is Festival Season in Korea. Every weekend provinces throughout the country put on amazing festivals showcasing their local specialties. There is so much going on that it is near impossible to discover every great event. This is why when Korea Tourism Organizations (KTO) announced they were recruiting members for ‘Global Group on Cultural and Tourism Festivals’ to attend some of the festivals being held throughout the season I jumped on the opportunity.

KTO put together over 15 trips allowing foreign participants to attend the festivals FREE OF CHARGE! What’s the catch? In return KTO asks participants to simply share their experience and fill out a simple survey. The trip I attended was so interesting that there is no way I wouldn’t share my experience.

Great opportunities for foreigners to experience tourism and culture happen often in Korea. If you are interested in attending some make sure to Like! Our facebook page where we post links to opportunities.

 

The morning of October 4th I joined 20 foreigners from around the world and headed out of Seoul by bus to spend the weekend attending two great festivals: Gimje Horizon Festival and Sancheong Medicinal Herb Festival.

 

Our first stop was Gimje. The trip was about three hours by bus from Seoul. Gimje is located in North Jeolla Province in the Southwestern part of Korea and known as the “great plains.” The mountainous country flattens in this landmass making the area an ideal place to cultivate crops, specifically rice.

 

Our tour included some area attractions as well as the festival. Visitors can easily make a weekend trip, exploring the area. The natural flat landscape littered with Korea’s fall flower- the Cosmo, makes for ideal bike tours. There are also several notable temples. Our first stop was to Simpo Port and Manghaesa Temple Observatory, where we became acquainted with the history of the region.  The area is famous for their seafood. Here clams around 5cm in size, which were once a prized meal for kings, are produced.   Walking into any humble shop around Simpo Port will allow you to feast on this local delicacy.

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5cm Clams fit for a king!
Our seafood lunch at Simpo Port
Our seafood lunch at Simpo Port

 

After eating a delicious seafood lunch, at the tiny fishing port (Simpo Port), we took a short walk to Manghaesa Temple. This beautiful and historic Buddhist temple is famous for it’s placement. The small area has stunning beauty and is believed to be a place where Heaven meets Earth. In this area we also stopped at a pavilion that offers 360-degree views of the unobstructed plains.

360 observation tower
360 observation tower at Simp Port
Views from the observation tower
Views from the observation tower

 

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Following this stop we made our way to the festival grounds. Gimje Horizon Festival focuses on Korea’s agricultural history and offers guests a glimpse into the heritage that is being preserved by local agricultural communities. Supporting the theme is an array of programs and events that make the festival fun for the entire family. If farming doesn’t interest you, surely the many interactive events will! Festivities include a dragon competition, kite flying, culinary experience, interactive rice harvesting experiences, a grand torch parade and so much more.

 

Gimje Visitors Center and look out tower
Gimje Visitors Center and look out tower

 

Gimje is the only place in Korea where visitors can observe a panoramic view of the area encased with rice paddies that expand into the horizon without obstruction by mountains. The setting of the festival is among Gimje’s Tourism office which houses an observation tower, allowing visitors to view the area as well as the festival.

Gimje Visitors Center and look out tower
Gimje Visitors Center and look out tower

Once in the tower I was able to quickly orient myself and see the 100’s of flying kites among the blue autumn sky, the festival is famous for, as well as two massive bamboo dragons that are the centerpiece of the event.

 

I looked down into the festival with some binoculars, which were available at the top of the observatory, and couldn’t wait to be among the events. Rice patties allowing visitors to have interactive experiences, kite flying demonstrations and much more were in my view. I giggle at the cute children wearing rice hats and running through fields, with nets, catching grasshoppers.

 

After observing the festival from above, I headed to ground level and walked through the main gate. At the information tent a woman arranged me with an English-speaking guide that would help me better understand the festival. This service is free and available to all foreigners in several languages.

 

English Guide
English Guide

My guide was a sweet high school student who was able to easily show me around the festival and guide me to the exhibits that interested me. Our first stop was a dooling dragon competition. Two huge dragon costumes, worn by about 10 people, gracefully weaved around a stage. Foreigners and locals were invited to participate in wearing the dragon costume as well as competing in the competitions. Dancing, Rock paper scissors, and tug-o-war were just a few of the competitions that were held to see if the red or blue dragon would reign over the festival.

 

Dueling Dragons Demonstration
Dueling Dragons Demonstration

Dueling Dragons

 

After enjoying this demonstration, we continued into the festival to observe the grand Dragons. The 2 story dragon statues are stunning and a spectacle like no other. It is in this area that many people fly kites. Just behind the dragons is an agriculture lake with duck boats and paddleboats for visitors use. Although the experience looked relaxing, I opted not to participate and continued to the Traditional Village where I observed traditional crafts, folk games and then participated in a traditional wedding.

P1070587P1070584 Traditional Wedding Band

Traditionally Korean weddings were grand events, often lasting several days and involving entire villages.   Locals in costumes reenacted the festivities. Musicians wore traditional costumes and banged drums as they danced in a circle.   I was given the opportunity to try on a traditional wedding costume. This was great fun! My guide helped me understand the experience and assured me she would make sure I looked beautiful. Volunteers surrounded me in a replica Hanok field home and placed the outfit on me. After I was dressed in wedding hanbok they did my hair in a bun and placed a braided wig on top as well as a traditional hat and large decorative shaft that pierced through the bun. Because I went on the trip alone, I did not have a groom, so I was introduced to another visitor- who I would marry. They ushered me around the hanok home and took pictures in front of alters set up for the wedding and then in front of a tiny box that the bride was carried in, to the wedding, in ancient times. My guide explained the entire process and snapped pictures with my camera throughout. What fun!

 

Getting dressed in traditional wedding outfit
Getting dressed in traditional wedding outfit
Traditional Wedding Dress
Traditional Wedding Dress

Once back in my street clothes, we continued to what I found the most interesting area of the festival. The Rice field village housed many interactive experiences. Visitors were allowed to go into the rice fields and harvest their own crop with traditional tools through the supervision of rice farmers. Once the rice was gathered, traditional iron pots were set up on campfires allowing participants to cook and eat rice in traditional fashion. In addition to these activities children were given nets and allowed to run among the rice field and catch locust, or play in a straw-plant land that consisted of archery, sling shots, a petting zoo, straw- trampoline, slide and rodeo.   The straw from the rice plant is also used to create traditional crafts. Participants could gather straw and create ropes and make straw bags.

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No festival would be fun without food and a large food court offers both traditional and foreign food for purchase. The area is not only famous for seafood and rice but also beef. Jipyeongseon Hanu or Horizon Korean Beef is the meat of choice in Gimje. At the festival you can visit a butcher stand and purchase meat then barbeque it in the typical Korean fashion accompanied by Korean side dishes at participating restaurants.

 

Our group tried a local dish called Gimje Yukhoe Bibimbap which is Bibimbap topped with steak tartare. If you are adventurous enough to eat Tartare I highly recommend sampling the dish. It was delicious!

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After dinner our day did not end. The sun set and as the sky darkened my favorite part of the festival began! How could things get even more exciting, right? The Kyeokgolje Torch Parade!! Participants were given tiki torches and after a fun rally session we lite our torches and marched among hundreds of other participants throughout the festival grounds.

Getting Ready to march in the lantern parade
Getting Ready to march in the lantern parade

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The parade ended along the lake. A stage was set up with three plasma globes (those spheres that have pink lights when you touch your finger to they follow) and government figures stood in front of them. They each briefly spoke about the festival. While our lanterns glistened in the cool night sky, each man pressed his fingers to the sphere. Music began playing and a massive blue light-up dragon flew through the sky, followed by a beautiful fire works display. The dragon continued to dart through the sky throughout the fireworks! I had never seen anything like it!

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After the fireworks display, we distinguished our lanterns and headed to our hotel for the night. We would arise early the following morning for ANOTHER festival located about two hours from Gimje. The Sancheung Medicine Herb Festival was the next stop in our tour.

 

Make sure to tune into my next blog post where I will tell you all about it!

Date: October 1-5th 2014

Transportation
[By train]
Take an express train to Gimje Station.
Take the festival shuttle bus from the Station to the festival venue.
(Shuttle bus schedule: 07:30-22:30)

[By bus]
Take an express bus to Gimje Bus Terminal.
Take the festival shuttle bus from the Terminal to the festival venue.
(Shuttle bus schedule: 08:00-22:00)

For more information: www.festival.gimje.go.kr 


Learn Korean at Your Keyboard: The Art of Typing Korean

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Learning to type Korean has many benefits. Once you achieve mastery in the art of typing Korean, you can chat with friends online, comment on websites, look up words in the dictionary, search Naver — and the list goes on!

Plus, the skill of typing Korean has double the benefit since most newer phones have the ability to install full Korean keyboards. You’ll put these exact same skills into use when texting!

But perhaps one of the biggest benefits to learning how to type is that it is one of the best ways we know of to help you get better at Korean. It connects you virtually to the world of Korean speakers and at that point, your options are limitless! 

From solidifying the basics of fitting characters together to learning new slang phrases, texting and typing in Korean will be a linchpin in your journey toward Korean fluency.

Today we will progress through five steps in our journey toward becoming Korean typing masters. If you haven’t yet learned the Korean characters, we recommend you do so before learning the skill of typing Korean. Get a free guide and learn the Korean alphabet on our website!  

Let’s do this…

Step 1: Get Familiar With the Korean Keyboard

The first step in our journey is to learn the Korean keyboard layout. The creators were also masters of the mind and liked to keep things simple.

Let’s orient ourselves. On the left in black are the consonants. Notice how all of the aspirated consonants are on the bottom row!

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Conveniently, all the vowels are on the right! See them here in blue:

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But where are the missing vowels and the double consonants you may ask? You’ve just got to believe, young one, and they will appear (or — just hold shift)! See what happens when you hold down the shift key. Cool! New characters! 

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To make the rest of the vowel combinations, we will need to be creators. We have the building blocks, and we will need to construct them.

In the 90 Day Korean Inner Circle, there is a detailed lesson on Character Fundamentals. For now, just know that a vowel always follows a consonant in any syllable!

In need of a visual? Take a look for yourself.

4

So, to create a syllable with a Korean keyboard, we need to type a minimum of two characters —  a consonant and then a vowel. That’s easy, right? Black plus blue.

Becoming a good builder on a Korean keyboard is easy because the keyboard software does a lot of the work for us! It knows the character fundamentals shown above, so it ends syllables when they are complete and starts new syllables automatically.

Your job is just to type the characters in the correct order!

When the software is still “building” the character, you’ll see a line underneath.

Let’s say you want to write the word 주세요, a polite request meaning “please give.”

Here is what you would see on the screen while typing:

5

See the black line underneath the characters? It shifts to the right as each syllable is completed. This indicates we are working on that syllable!

Never worry if what you see on the screen is not what you intended. As you can see above, when you continue typing the software creates the correct syllables once the next character is added. It’s a big help!

Just remember to hold shift first to find the double consonants and two of the vowel combinations. To create the other vowel combinations, we just need to build them!

Here is where prior knowledge of the Korean alphabet comes in handy! Our Inner Circle lesson on Character Combinations goes into detail but here’s the gist of it below. Type the vowel combinations in the same order to create them on your screen!

6

Just remember the placeholder. That’s your job to type it in, that keyboard doesn’t do that for you!

Got the basics down?

Let’s move on to Step 2!

Step 2: Practice Typing Korean

Now that we’ve got the basics covered, it’s time to start practicing.

A stepping stone to using a Korean keyboard is to first practice with an online keyboard. This is especially valuable if you will be typing on a computer without the Korean characters written on the keyboard.

This option helps you get a feel for the layout of a standard Korean keyboard.

Here are some online keyboards we’ve found helpful, but feel free to use any one that you wish.

We recommend numbers 1-3 because their layout is very similar to an actual Korean keyboard and so it typing on them is much more realistic. Try them out for yourself!

Korean Online Keyboard # 1

Korean Online Keyboard # 2

Korean Online Keyboard # 3

Korean Online Keyboard # 4

Korean Online Keyboard # 5

Once you’ve got a feel for how things work, try some practice typing exercises. Type the keys written below the word and it will automatically be created.

Korean Typing Practice

7a

Level2

7c

Step 3: Install Korean Keyboard

Before you install the Korean keyboard software on your computer (or at least before you start typing with confidence), you’ll need to make a decision.

If you didn’t buy your computer in Korea, chances are the Korean characters are not written on the keyboard.

But not to worry. Practice helps and soon you’ll have a feel for where the keys are located on the keyboard. You’ll be able to type without looking in no time!

But in the beginning, it helps to have some assistance. It’s like training wheels on a bicycle — you can build up your confidence and get used to things, and then when you’re ready, take them off!

Two methods we’ve found helpful are:

1) Stickers OR 2) An acronym

If you want, you can make your own stickers to stick on your keyboard or you can purchase stickers from Amazon. Just do a search for “Korean keyboard stickers.”

Here is one example:

8

If you want to go the memorization route, acronyms help!

Allow us to tell you a story.

9a

9b

9c

Now that’s a silly story, but it can help us to remember the placement of the consonants on the Korean keyboard!

In the story, there were three trials. Let’s put them together, shall we? Look at that, they rhyme!

10The first letter of each word corresponds with the sound of the Korean character.

11

Work your way from left to right! The first line of the rhyme corresponds with the top row of consonants on the keyboard. The second line corresponds with the second row of consonants and the third line, the bottom row (see diagram below).

For the third line of the rhyme, the U is in brackets because it is actually to the right. On the keyboard, start on the fifth key over then back to the first key to continue the rhyme. The fifth key is the vowel so it sounds like the letter U!

But if it’s easier, just remember the rhyme as follows and start on the left:

12

See the diagram below for simplification — just follow along with the rhyme and look at the numbers!

13

For the vowels, their placement on the keyboard is logical and thus easy to remember:

14

The red lines indicate pairings. Notice how the vowels  ,and are vertically paired while   are paired horizontally.

Also notice how the horizontal-based characters are on the left and bottom, while the vertical-based characters are on the right.

Picking up these patterns can help you locate the characters with precision and decrease your reliance on other methods.

Step 4: Start Typing in Korean

Now with his knowledge, go back and try the typing exercises in Step 2 with a real Korean keyboard!

To do so, you’ll need to install the keyboard on your computer.

If you’re on a Mac:

1. System Preferences

2. Keyboard

3. + → Korean → 2-Set Korean

For Windows:

1. Control Panel

2. Change keyboard or other input methods

3. Change keyboards

4. Add → Korean (Korea) → Microsoft IME

Go through the exercises again with the keyboard on your computer and then move on!

Step 5: Practice Your Korean Typing

The last step is simply to get lots of practice. This is the real fun part!

Get used to typing with the Korean keyboard and eventually it will become second nature. Facebook, forums, websites, messengers — the internet is now yours to explore!

Put this knowledge to good use and go have fun with it!

Leave us a comment below (in Korean if you wish!) and let us know what you’ll use your Korean typing skills for. We’re excited to hear all about your plans for your new skills!


Learn to read Korean and be having simple conversations, taking taxis and ordering in Korean within a week with our FREE Hangeul Hacks series: http://www.90DayKorean.com/learn

Korean lessons   *  Korean Phrases    *    Korean Vocabulary *   Learn Korean   *    Learn Korean alphabet   *   Learn Korean fast   *  Motivation    *   Study Korean  
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One Year Later

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The traditional gift for a first anniversary is paper, so I guess after I write this I'll print a copy and frame it. What I'm trying to say is, a little over one year ago, I arrived in Korea. The modern first anniversary gift is a clock, which seems apt as the time has passed faster than I realized. A year already? Are you sure?

I've been looking back through old posts, and it's a relief to see that my feelings about the country haven't changed that much:

"This is where I’ll be living for the next year, maybe more, and there is nothing I want more in life right now. I’ve never been the sort to follow my dreams; I’ve stuck to what I know I can accomplish, and that’s been fine, but finally I’m taking a chance at something I’ve wanted since I met those Jet teachers in Japan almost six years ago." 

I know, I know, it's disgustingly...shmoopy and emotional, but the sentiment was, and is, 100% real. I needed a change, a new life, a new chance. While I'm not quite ready to go public with everything that was going wrong in my life before I moved to Korea, suffice it to say that things were...bad. Not good. Things felt pretty hopeless, like my life was on hold. It doesn't help that the weather in Seattle shares most of its characteristics with a damp sock. Even when things are going well in your life, unless you really enjoy overcast gray weather, it's hard to stay positive during the interminably long Seattle winters. And springs. And falls. And sometimes it stays cloudy even though summer, because the other 9 months just weren't enough!

During the 12 hour flight from Seattle to Korea, I made a decision to use this move as a chance to really change my life. Instead of bringing all my bad habits and worries along in my carry on, I wanted to do my best to leave them all back in Seattle. New country, new me.




At my Epik orientation, I had a great chance to really focus in on what I wanted to change in my life. One of the activities during the week was an introductory taekwondo class. They had us write our goals for the coming year on a board and then break it. To me, it felt as if I was putting all my fears, my worries, my problems into that board, and in the act of breaking it, I was sending them out of my life. As you can see in the photo, I had three main goals. "Don't be afraid. Learn Korean. Be happy." It's one year later. How did I do?

1. Don't Be Afraid


This is a big one. It seems a bit silly, but trust me, it really is an important issue in my life. I'm anxious a lot of the time, and a bit shy, and nervous in unfamiliar situations. I've missed out on opportunities because I was too worried about dumb stuff to take advantage of them. I didn't want that to happen here. Moving to a new country, starting a new job, meeting so many new people...it's been one unfamiliar situation after another.

What this first goal means to me is just...don't miss out. Don't stay home because you're worried you won't know anyone at the party. Don't keep your mouth shut because you're not sure what to say. Don't overthink it. As those Nike shirts say, just do it.

While I don't feel that I've completely accomplished this goal, I know I've made progress. I volunteered as class leader during my orientation and managed to make a speech in front of the entire orientation without fainting. I took a vacation entirely by myself, from Sokcho to Seoul. I've befriended people in my office even through a severe language barrier. Instead of saying no and staying on the sidelines, I'm saying yes and making a fool of myself but having fun.

2. Learn Korean


This has been a bit on again off again. When I first started studying Korean seriously, it was fantastic, because I was learning at a breakneck speed. I've written about this before, how the first few months were so exciting, because every grammar point opened vast expanses of understanding. However, as with anything, the honeymoon had to end. Now that I actually have to work pretty hard to learn new things, it's easier to get frustrated. I often feel like I'm not improving at all. My vocabulary is tiny, my grammar sucks, and no matter how much or little I study, nothing seems to change.

However, while I don't really feel as if I've improved, when I take a step back, I realize that that's crazy talk. A friend recently reminded me that when I left for Korea, I knew about two phrases, plus I could read and write very, very slowly. I think back to those first few work dinners, how I sat in a corner, unable to understand most of what was going on around me. And actually talking to someone? No way.

Inexplicably, I left a note to my family in Korean. SECRET MESSAGES.

Now I can have conversations, albeit very simple ones. I can ask for directions and halfway understand what I'm told. I can befriend taxi drivers, make jokes in the office, and be the occasional living dictionary for my students. While I'm certainly not anywhere near fluent, I have improved. I hope this coming year will be my chance to improve even further.

3. Be Happy

I guess this one is obvious, huh? Deceptively simple, in a way. But of all my goals, this is the one that I feel I've been most successful at. Not to say I've become Pollyanna-ish; I certainly have my share of bad days, but since I moved to Korea they're at least fewer and farther between. When I start to get down, I'm able to get back up a lot faster. Maybe it's the weather.

Oddly enough, I feel at home here. I'm not at all sure why, but Korea just really seems to suit me. Time and time again people tease me about my "Korean heart" or say that even if I look like an American, I'm secretly Korean. Frankly I think they're exaggerating, but it warms my heart every time. 

A big part of this as well is the feeling of having purpose. Instead of a repetitive job that never seems to affect anything, I have a job where I actually feel like I'm improving and changing lives, at least in small ways. Instead of a job, I have what feels like the beginning of a career. For every rough class there is an amazing class. Seeing that "aha!" moment when I student learns something new or gets inspired because of something in my class...that is what makes me happy. 


How could that face NOT make you happy?



All in all, it's been a good year. I finally feel like I have my feet under me. I've got my sealegs. Things are coming together, and I'm not even 25 yet! For the folks keeping score, looks like I managed a 3/3. Granted, my goals were simple and open-ended, but where I'm looking from, I call it a victory. Does this mean it's time to make a new set of goals?

Guess I'd better find a board and a permanent marker~!

Teacher Pretty
Middle school ESL teacher, lover of pink, eater of kimchi, addicted to Etude House, expert procrastinator, meeter of 2-dimensionial popstars: Ana. That's me.

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Queer Links from the Week: Mayor Park Won-soo on gay marriage in Korea and Seo Tae-ji Isn't Gay

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Seoul Mayor Park won-soo spoke with the San Francisco Examiner last week saying that he wants wants same-sex marriage in Korea as first in Asia. As Park is a possible presidential candidate for the 2017 elections, I hope he can stand by this conviction. This is definitely the biggest news from this week. 

In pop culture, more celebrities are talking about the fact that they aren't gay in response to SNS rumors. Naver News (Korean) has a couple of articles about Seo Tae-ji Responding to a Revival of Gay Rumors. One of these times, I hope a celebrity confronts these rumors with an affirmation... (but hopefully it isn't Seo Tae-ji as he has a wife and daughter). And in television, on Apgujeong Midnight's Sun Song Won Geun's character thinks his brother's gay (Korean). Finally, Green Light, a film showed at the Gays Are Coming Soon 3Some, got buzz as it used Baekhyun and Sehun as character names (Exo members). 




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