Every time you take a good picture, regardless of your standing in the photographic world, you will have somebody say “This photo should be in National Geographic!” It is a common statement as in the West we regard National Geographic as the standard of excellence in photography. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I get an email that requested one of my photos to be used in a National Geographic book.

I happened sometime ago and I kept it quiet for the reason that I pretty much couldn’t believe the situation.

If you haven’t yet seen the zone’s geography, here it is to the left, complete with its overlap with the Korean and Japanese zones. The most important conflict of course is over Senkaku, but Korea watchers will also note that the Ieodo submerged reef, which Korea claims, is also in the zone. Gotta wonder what the Chinese were thinking by giving Korea and Japan common cause over anything. Foolish.

I got called about this by my friend Sam Kim at Bloomberg. Needless to say, all my comments didn’t make into the story, so here is an edit of my email comments with Sam on why the Chinese seemed to just do this out of the blue.

SK/BB: Why are the Chinese doing this?

Me: “I see 4 possible explanations:

1. Belligerence: the Chinese really are picking a fight with Japan. This is the worst possible reason. They may figure that the Hagel visit to Japan a couple months ago has made Japan into an open challenger to China now. And that is kinda true. America is hedging China, ducking and weaving, trying hard to avoid an open confrontation with it. But Japan is increasingly unabashed that is it balancing China directly as a threat. Abe is increasingly willing to call out China openly. So Asia is becoming a serious bipolar contest, and maybe the Chinese are thinking: ‘to hell with it; Abe’s playing tough; we have too also.’ Certainly my Japanese colleagues in this area increasingly talk about China this way.

2. Blowback: the CCP is doing this for domestic legitimacy purposes. CCP ideology since Tiananmen is nationalism, not communism. And Japan is the great foreign enemy in that narrative. The CCP may not want a conflict with Japan, but it’s been telling Chinese youth for 20+ years that Japan is greatly responsible for the ’100 years of humiliation.’ So now the CCP is stuck; they have to be tough on Japan – even if they don’t want to be – because their citizens demand it. The CCP has created an anti-Japanese frankenstein at home that has to be placated. They have to ride the anti-Japanese tiger their education/propaganda has created, or risk a domestic backlash.

3. Incompetence: the CCP and PLA didn’t really realize just how sharply locals and the US would react. Maybe they’re reading too many of these books claiming that China is about to ‘eclipse’ the US and ‘rule the world’ and all that. lol. Maybe they’re starting to believe their own hype and got overconfident. Chinese bullying in the SCS has worked out reasonably well so far, so maybe they felt they were on a roll and could do the same in the ECS. But China’s NEA neighbors are much more capable than in SEA.

4. The Transition: Xi Jinping wants to make a splash as the new boss. Our knowledge of CCP factions is weak (coastal Shanghai princelings vs hinterland populists is the usual breakdown, with Xi being from the Shanghai clique), but we know Xi was not a shoe-in. There was an internal contest, so Xi might be consolidating power with a flashy foreign crisis. Khrushchev did this sorta thing, and the NK leadership too frequently expresses internal splits by provoking foreign crises.

The problem is that Chinese foreign policy decision-making is so opaque, that we have almost no idea which of these options is most accurate – or if it’s something else entirely. My guess is #2, because the Chinese have always struck me as pretty cautious, even crafty, in managing their rise. It’s true that they’re a lot more aggressive since 2009, but I don’t see them suddenly becoming reckless. The post-Mao oligarchy system that runs China is designed to avoid exactly that. And I always found that factoid that the PRC spends more on internal than external security to be indicative that CCP is, in fact, very insecure at the top. It’s gotta have an ideology with foreign enemies, otherwise the Chinese people might see the real enemy: the CCP’s corruption, rejection of democracy, and unwillingness to admit the horrors of Maoism.”

SK/BB: Is China’s Blowing the Opportunity of South Korean-Japanese Tension?

“I do think this will alienate South Korea, and it makes me wonder once again, as I said to Andrew last night, what is going on inside China. My sense has always been the PLA and CCP are much smarter than the Kremlin of Soviet days ever was. Sun Tzu said, “When your enemy is in the process of destroying himself, stay out of his way.” So if you’re China, just stay out of the way while SK and Japan tear at each other. But now, China has given cause for Japan, SK and the US to come together. Very foolish. And for what? Are the Chinese really go to force down or shoot down civilian airliners in the zone? That would be madness. It would alienate everyone in Asia, and China really needs local friends to avoid isolation by a coalition of the US, Japan, and India. I would imagine then that the US will play up this Chinese move to Japan and SK to suggest what US analysts have been saying for a long time– that Japan and Korea have a lot more in common than they admit and face much greater external threats than each other. Koreans take Ieodo pretty serious. They built that research facility on top of it and even made a monster movie about it. I don’t think China gets that, as throwing Ieodo and Senkaku in the zone together gave Japan and South Korea common cause overnight. And in fact, the Korean response on Ieodo was swift and entirely predictable. The Chinese need to hire some Korea experts, I think.”

SK/BB: Will This Escalate?

Me: “I am actually surprised the US challenged it so fast. The US has been hedging rising China for awhile now, but Japan is increasingly openly balancing against China. So I expected Japan, especially under Abe, to do something like this. But not the Americans. It makes me wonder who authorized that. Did it go all the way to POTUS? But challenging the zone early is a way to prevent it from sinking in. So from a brinksmanship perspective, it makes sense to respond immediately.

It is so hard to say if it will escalate. I will hazard a guesstimate and say no. China is still not capable of winning an air and/or maritime conflict in East Asia. Indeed, even without the US, I still think Japan would win a major skirmish around Senkaku. China is still mostly a land-power, while Japan has focused on air and sea power since WWII. Also, if China forces Japan’s hand, it will burn bridges throughout Asia and provoke an encircling coalition, possibly running from India all the way around up to Japan: . I don’t think Beijing is that foolish or the PLA that reckless. If I had to guess, this air-zone was declared, not to provoke a conflict with Japan, but to bolster the nationalist credentials of the CCP at home.

On the airlines, yes, I did hear that now they are not going to tell China anything after all. Wow. I wonder if the Chinese realized that they would be in a position where they might have to force down civilian airliners in order to back up their claim! Again, I just can’t imagine the PLA is that out of control. So my sense is, it’s a bluff and nothing will happen to those airliners. But if China were to repeat a KAL-007 resolution, it would vindicate Japan overnight and alienate Southeast Asian states, whom China needs to prevent encirclement, for years.”

Filed under: China, International Relations Theory, Japan, Korea (South)

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Robert E Kelly Assistant Professor Department of Political Science & Diplomacy Pusan National University robertkelly260@hotmail.com

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Although three weeks in England was still in front of me the final part of my journey through Europe would be in Barcelona, the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalunya and the home of the most successful football club in the world. I had a few days before another budget airline flight would whisk me home to Exeter and the rolling Devonshire hills of home. After taking the intercity bus and checking into one of two hostels that I would stay at in Barcelona (places had booked up and I was struggling to get last-minute rooms) I took the remainder of the day to walk around the quiet area near my hostel, Poblenou, a burgeoning technical business area with some modern buildings like the dynamic and colorful Torre Gabar skyscraper. I had an amazing burger at a pub I have forgotten the name of, before getting to sleep pretty early for a full day of exploration around Barcelona the following day.

The majestic, dynamic and colourful Torre Agbar.

I woke the next day before beginning an archaic journey across the city using the subway system and following my internal man-compass that eventually got me to the shadows of the imposing Camp Nou. Deciding to splash out on a Camp Nou Experience ticket (23 €) that included a full tour of the stadium and admittance to the impressive Camp Nou interactive experience and the club museum. I would not recommend wearing a fake Real Madrid (away) shirt in the stadium complex, or even in the city at all, as it will attract a certain questionable glare and snear on occasion (see photo at the top of the page), its only redeeming feature being that it was my Changwon Wednesday kit from Korea. I would suggest that even if you are not a football lover that you still go to the Nou Camp, it appears expensive but the attention to detail, quality and quantity of exhibits really makes you understand the importance, both political and sporting of this great club in modern Spanish history. The actual stadium is incredible, too. I was absolutely gutted to discover that the day I left Barcelona would be the first pre-season home game against Santos of Brazil and I wouldn’t be able to experience being there on a match day. I guess I will have to go back sometime; maybe for Tottenham Hotspur vs Barcelona in the Champions League…?

Gary Lineker, my childhood hero at the peak of his playing days at FC Barcelona.

The club crest adoring the touch-line, (from top-left to bottom) the St George Cross, the Catalonia colours and the club colours.

After my footballing fix, I decided to explore some of Barcelona’s famous examples of “Modernisme” (Art Nouveau). In particular this meant a self-guided tour of Gaudi’s work around the city. Antoni Gaudi was the figurehead of Catalan modernism and integrated his distinct personal artistic skills in ceramics, stained-glass, wrought-iron forgery and carpentry into his outlandish and ambitious architectural projects. I walked outside two houses that have been turned into museums (over-priced ones) that are dedicated to his life and works ( La Pedera/ Casa Mila and La Casa Batllo) before walking to Park Guell, a public garden that is accented with architectural pieces from Gaudi’s rather exuberant imagination. Later in the evening I went to La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s overtly ambitious and iconic homage to his religious faith (it’s still being built 87 years after his death). The church, even when surrounded by giant cranes and building-works is one of the most bewildering and astonishingly impressive man-made objects I have seen.

Gaudi using one of his trademark techniques of using reclaimed ceramics in his architecture (trencadis) to mark the entrance to Park Guell.

Looking up to the main terrace of Park Guell and the zombie like mob of tourists.

Gettng a brief space from the tourist throng to take a picture from the roof terrace of Park Guell across Barcelona to the Mediterranean Sea.

La Sagrada Familia lit up at night.

Outside the now redundant Monumental Bullring of Barcelona, the Catalan government passed a bill banning bullfighting in 2010.

Casa Batllo with its decorative ceramic facade.

The next day was dedicated to a hostel transfer and a rather lazy ambling walk around the Ciutat Vuelta and the area that surrounds the popular Las Ramblas. Ciutat Vuelta (Catalan for Old City) is composed of four districts: The immediate coastal area of Barceloneta with its narrow streets and delis that hover behind a sandy beach. Barri Gotic, an area built on Roman foundations with imposing and sometimes leaning architecture and the inspiration for many artists and writers. La Ribera, an area of boutique shops, thriving nightlife a vibrant city park and the mandatory, ‘big city’,  Arc de Triomf. Finally, there is the once notorious El Raval, an area to the west of the famous Las Ramblas, once a den of drugs and prostitution and other seedy happenings that has now been revitalised (following the 1992 Olympics) into a lightened, artistic  and predominantly immigrant area.

The vibrant colours and smell from La Boqueria Mercat, a perfect stop for some refreshing juices and fruits on a hot day walking the streets of Ciutat Vuelta.

Some of the architectural styling that can be found in the Barri Gotic.

The Cathedral at the northern tip of the Barri Gotic.

La Ribera, the Arc de Triomf. I returned here later that evening on a run that encompassed several laps of the extremely social Parc de la Ciutadella. Both on the parade leading to the Arc and in the park, various groups of people were enjoying the idyllic summer evenings. In the increasingly long shadow of the Arc there was a group of Asian women practicing T’ai Chi, a team of rollerblading youths weaving a slalom course and a cluster of Capoeira dancers. As I lapped the park I was witness to numerous groups practicing various fitness techniques, extreme yoga, boxercise and circuit training. I  don’t think I have ever seen such a diverse and vibrant dynamic anywhere else in the world.

On my final day in Barcelona I crossed the city and headed to Mount Montjuic. Mount Montjuic provides stunning views over the coastal city below and really gives you an idea about the diversity that Barcelona has to offer its residents and visitors. From the medieval fort that tops it you can see out across the beach lined coast, over to the mountains heading towards Montserrat, down into the busy container riddled port and over the Celta Vuitat.

The 100m track where Linford Christie raced to gold for Team GBR.

Not only a steep hill with a moated medieval fort atop, Mount Montjuic is also home to the 1992 Olympic Park. Unbeknown to me I arrived when the FINA World Championjships were taking place and many of the facilities were being used for the swimming gala. This meant I could almost appreciate what it would have been like to attend the Olympics. There were plenty of broad-shouldered athletes milling around (although I didn’t recognise a single one, it was swimming after all…), news agency vans, tented entertainment areas and event promotional material. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a ticket as they were only available online. I’m not sure water polo was really my thing either. Instead I looked at the impressive stadium, which was free to enter, and admired the sky-piercing Olympic torch monument.

The view up to the stadium from the Placa d’Europa and through the FINA tented village.

After wandering around Mount Montjuic I headed back towards EL Raval and towards the Museu d’Art Comtemporani de Barcelona. Outside a gaggle of youthful skateboarders were testing the concrete structures of Placa dels Angels, inside there was a comprehensive and impressive collection of contemporary art. Barcelona may be synonymous with Antoni Gaudi but I much preferred the talents displayed within MACBA. I took a few photos inside as they actively encouraged people to use their cameras, there was even an interactive photo booth that you could take a photo of yourself, before and after you viewed the galleries, to see the lasting impression of the works on show, I went for a moderately confused look after.

My unforgettable journey through Barcelona, Spain and Europe was at an end. Although I had been out of work over the summer it had presented me with a unique opportunity to travel for an extended period of time, with a secure job always lined-up to return to, it turned out to be a most welcome opportunity and one that will stay with me for a long time; hell, I’m still writing about it three months later! The following day I boarded my final flight and landed safely back in Devon. Three weeks enjoying the comforts of home, seeing family and catching up with old friends was ahead of me.

We all make mistakes, and as long as they are not too big, and we don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again, you should be in a better place after the experience.  In business and media they often like to tell you what you should do to be “successful”.  I think such tripe is redonculus.  What people do better is learn from other people’s experiences (aka MISTAKES).

Don’t Don’t Care

When you run your own business, it can become tiresome.  You wake up and start cursing “not again!”, before you even got your first cup of coffee.  That is a dangerous place to be in when you are running your own business.  Your clientele KNOWS you don’t care with that kind of an attitude. You will bleed customers.  The problem with running a school is that teachers also quickly get into the “F*ck it all” mindset.  In my experience  the best way to avoid these situations is to create the feeling that you achieved something.  As a teacher, when the kids fail, it’s your fault, when the kids succeed, it’s their doing.  You don’t get a pat on the back as if you were working in sales or project management.  This ungratefulness (or feeling as such)  can eat your mind.

Don’t know it all

As a school you do need to position yourself, but you also need to be able to adapt to the needs of the customer.  Something I am sorely lacking, mostly due to my inability to accept the “best practices” in SK.  I try.  I really try.

Don’t not do advertising

You stop advertising, you stop getting new students.  End of the line.

Don’t spend that cash

The first three years of running a hagwon are the hardest, and if you understand the basic principles of the BCG matrix, you will understand that the first three years of operating a NEW business, you will have to reinvest every single penny you make.  Every single one.  No holidays, no fancy cars, no expensive dining, …..  Really.  Your initial investment will never be enough to support a growing school.

Don’t Not Network

Get out there, meet people, show your face and find ways to cooperate with other small businesses.  Yeap, it will cost you time, money, patience, and most of it will go wrong, but when things go right, it will keep your bottom line happy.

Don’t ignore your ignorance

Yes, you are ignorant, as am I, of certain aspects of running a business.  When you can do something really good, there is something you cannot do so good.  Take care of that.

Keeping it short today!!!

Yeay

So, last year some of us (AKA,me) maybe weren’t as grateful as we should have been.  In fact, maybe some of us (AKA, me again) were  a little whiny and homesick and frustrated by what our friends Trent and Caroline refer to as the “Korean Emotional Rollercoaster”.

Consider this post my remedy for that.  This year, I’m gonna take a moment and share with you some things we’re grateful for.  In no particular order, here they are.

1.  These three children, who are surely better than we deserve.

2. Two healthy fathers who are supportive of our doing crazy things like living abroad for two years. 

3.  2 mothers who loved us fiercely during the time we had with them

 4.  And wonderful other mothers who have loved us since then.

5.  3 little sisters who are smart, funny, talented, amazing women

6.  An impossibly cute niece and nephew who love to Skype

7.  An amazing extended family of people who love us

8. Good health and the ability to be physically active

9.  The ability to travel and see amazing things

10. Wonderful friends in every corner of the globe who have been there for us through thick and thin

11.  Facebook, Skype, email, and all those wonderful gizmos that let us keep in touch with the people we love

12.  Having found a soulmate and the pleasure of getting to spend every day with them

13.  The fact that we will get to spend next Thanksgiving at home with our family.

(photo:Simon in USA
‘한달간의 자기계발여행중’ credit:www.iwritelight.net)

[Prologue]

또 그랬다.
그렇게 또 12월이 코앞으로 다가왔다.
늘 그랬다.
이맘 때가 되면 늘 올 한해는 어떻게 보냈나.
뭘 했나.
내가 뭐가 달라졌나. 나는 올 한해 더 나은 사람이 되었나.
여러 질문들이 머리 속으로 가슴 속으로 파고든다.
이 대답에 자신있게 예스라고 대답 못한 해가 더 많았다.
그리고 생각했다.
올해 이제 한달 남짓 남은 이 2013년을 어떻게 하면 가장 보람있게 소중하게 사용할 수 있을까?

그렇게 고민하고 또 고민한 결과 올해가 끝날 때까지 매일 하루에 한꼭지 이상의 글을 쓰기로 결심했다. 물론 글은 계속 써왔다. 최근 들어서는 책 출간을 목표로 더 열심히 썼고, 많은 시간을 투자했다.

그러나 올 한해 남은 날 동안 매일 내가 쓸 글의 주제는 바로 ‘나’.
‘나’에 대해 쓸 계획이다. 이건 나 스스로에 대한 약속이고 이렇게 글로서 선포해버리면 나를 구속하는 하나의 긍정적인 장치가 되기에 선포하고 쓰기로 한다.

[내가 나에 대한 글을 쓰는 이유]

내가 나에 대한 글을 쓰는 큰 이유들 중 하나는 내가 코칭을 하는 모든 부분에 있어 기본적으로 나라는 인간이 어떤 인간인지 알도록 해드리는게 당연한 예의이고 코칭을 받는 사람의 입장에서는 자신을 코칭해줄 코치가 누구인지 당연히 궁금할 것이고, 당연히 궁금해야만 하고 코치의 사상이나 철학 등에 대해 알고자 하는 것이 지극히 당연한 예의라 생각하기 때문에 올 한해가 다가기 전 나 자신에 대해 내 스스로 분명히 정리하고 넘어가고자 한다.

내가 지금 이 순간 벌려놓고 있는, 하고있는 일들이 서로간에 전혀 무관하다고 생각하는 사람들이 많을지도 모른다.(아니, 많다.) 그렇게 생각하는 사람들의 주 원인은 하나로 요약된다. 그 사람들은 내가 추구하는 목표를 알지 못하기 때문이다. 내가 추구하는 목표는 알려고도 하지 않고 알고 싶어하지도 않기 때문에 그렇게 보일 수밖에 없다.

물론 나에게 코칭을 받지 않는 사람들이라면 이런 걸 알아야 될 이유도 없고 내가 알려야 할 의무도 없고 굳이 나서서 알리고 싶지도 않다. 각자의 인생은 각자의 것이니. 하지만 나에게 코칭을 받는 분들에게는 분명 내가 가진 생각과 철학을 공유하고 내가 왜 이런 짓(일)을 하는지 분명히 밝혀야 된다는 것이 내 확고한 믿음이다. 그렇게 했을 때 진정한 코칭이 이루어질 수 있고 내 제자(혹은 코치이)들의 삶이 조금이라도 긍정적으로 변하고, 원했던 결과,목표에 좀 더 가까이 다가갈 수 있으리라 믿기에.

이 글을 씀에 있어 쓸데없이 고민하고 퇴고작업하고 무엇을 쓸까. 어떻게 쓸까. 어떤 단어가 더 멋질까. 이게 더 자연스러운가. 기획하고 퇴고하고,수정하고,편집하고… 이렇게 하면 이건 스트레스가 된다. 물론 쓰레기같은 헛소리를 지껄이며 똥냄새나는 토사물같은 글을 쓰는 것은 분명 자제해야한다. 하지만 가장 솔직하고,때로는 내 손이 가는대로, 내 손가락이 타자판 위를 움직이는대로 놔두는 것이, 지금 내가 쓰고자 하는 글의 의도에 가장 적합하다고 판단되기에 글의 순서나, 수준에 너무 집착하지 않고 편하게 쓸 생각이다.

[나 싸이먼의 목표는 무엇인가?]

목표(goal)라는 단어를 개인적으로 그리 좋아하지 않는다. 말 그대로 너무 목표지향적이기 때문에. 목표보다는 ‘(삶의) 철학’이라는 단어를 더 좋아한다.

내가 살아감에 있어 내 삶의 철학을 통해 내가 되고자 하는 이상향은 한 단어로 표현할 수 있다. ‘마중물’같은 삶이다. 내가 하고자 하는 일들, 내가 하고있는 일들, 내가 할려고 구상하고 있는 모든 일들, 그리고 내가 이미 했거나 하려고 했던 일들 중 그것이 성공했거나 실패했거나에 관계없이 모든 일들이 오직 이 목표를 위한 일이었고 그것으로 가는 과정이었다. 물론 내가 이 철학을 내 인생의 목표로 삼은 이후에 진행된 일들을 말한다.

[마중물 같은 삶이 무엇인가?]

마중물 ‘priming water’
시골 펌프에서 물을 길러본 적이 있는가. 나는 딱 한번 있다. 그 기억이 생생하다. 어린시절. 외할머니댁이었던 것 같다. 장소에 대한 기억은 정확하지 않다. 하지만 그때의 그 느낌은 생생히 기억난다. 쇠로 만든 펌프. 마당에 놓여 있는 그 펌프에서 물을 퍼낼 때 아무리 힘셍 장사가 팔뚝이 터져라 펌프질을 해대도 물은 한방울도 나오지 않는다. 물이 없어서? 아니다. 땅밑에는 맑고 차가운 지하수가 가득하다. 그래도 펌프밖으로는 한방울도 나오지 않는다. 이때 꼭 필요한 것이 바로 ‘마중물’이다. 순수한 한글로 말 그대로 물을 마중 나가는 물. 물을 맞이하러 가는 물이 마중물이다. 조롱박 바가지로 한바가지의 물을 펌프위에 부어주고 나서야 비로소 물이 콸콸 나온다. 당연히 펌프질을 열심히 해줘야 한다. 마중물만 부어주고 가만히 기다리면 물은 안나온다. 내가 원하는 삶이 정확히 이것이다. 나는 마중물이 되길 꿈꾼다.

[왜?]

나는 모든 사람들이 가진 재능이 다르다고 믿는다. 물론 걔중에는 도저히 인간으로 대접하기 싫은 존재들도 있다. 이건 다른 주제니 넘어가자.
나는 사람들 각자가 가진 그 커다란 잠재된 능력을 일깨워주는 작업을 한다. 땅밑에 넘치도록 쌓여있는 지하수처럼 개개인 각자의 넘치는 능력을 발휘하도록 해주는 그런 삶을 살기 원한다. 내가 무엇을 가르치는 것이 아니다. 그들은 나보다 훨씬 뛰어난 부분이 각자 있을 것임을 믿기에 내가 이런 것들을 일일이 다 가르칠 수 없다. 난 그들이 가진 각자의 잠재능력을 펌프에서 쏟아져 나오는 지하수처럼 콸콸 흘러 넘치도록 마중나가는 ‘마중물’역할만 하는 것이다. 물론 펌프질 하는 것도 각자가 해야할 몫이다.내가 아무리 마중물을 퍼넣어 줘도 코칭을 받는 제자(코치이) 자신이 가만히 입만 벌리고 드러누워서 퍼져 있다면 자신의 인생에 아무런 변화도 일으킬 수 없다. 펌프질을 해야한다.

나를 만나기 전에는 아무리 열심히 입에서 쉰내가 나도록 펌프질을 해도 콸콸은 커녕 한방울의 물도 나오지 않았던 사람들. 그런 사람들에게 마중물을 부어주는 역할. 그것이 내가 추구하는 삶이다. 난 그렇게 ‘마중물’삶을 살길 원한다. 그리고 노력한다. 그삶을 살기 위해서 모든 것을 희생할 각오가 되어있고 그렇게 희생해왔다. 이것이 내가 지금 하고 있는 짓을 하고 있는 이유다.

Coach Simon Kang
현재)
wellness workroom KAIZEN 대표
‘실전영어프로젝트’코치/BML Reset 다이어트 코치/’운동’을 통한 자기계발코치/하루 5시간 이상을 글 쓰면서 보냄/코칭,운동,글 쓰기,걷기,잠자기,대화하는 시간을 제외한 모든 시간은 책 읽는데 사용함/

‘난 토요일만 되면 기뻐 미칠 지경이다. 주말동안 하루종일 코칭하고,글쓰고,마음껏 책 읽을 수 있기에…
그리고 또 월요일이 되면 기뻐 미칠 지경이다. 왜냐하면 또 금요일까지 하루종일 코칭하고,글 쓰고, 마음껏 책 읽을 수 있기에.
-Simon Kang

Invisible step musleup practice:
It is my own body. If I can not even control my own body what can I even control in my life?
-Coach Simon Kang

목표는 100% 통제된 움직임.
내몸이다.
내몸뚱아리 하나 통제 못하는 힘과 의지로 그 무엇을 이룰 수 있으리.
-Simon Kang

Image by Gage Skidmore

"A joke is not a joke unless it is at the expense of someone else." - Unknown

"I have always thought of humour as a key ingredient to getting along with anyone and I think this also applies between groups. When we can make fun of and laugh at each other, without worrying too much about offending each other, this is often a show of acceptance, respect, and generally liking someone and being friendly. In fact, jokes at other's expense are often a test and an invitation to join the group and to test the water as to whether we can trust the other person, especially in men."

This blogger does not often watch Korean television shows (and only occasionally follows K-dramas or K-pop). It was thus a pleasant surprise to see Classical Chinese (漢文, 한문) in the context of modern Korean comedy show called Infinite Challenge, or Muhandojeon (無限挑戰, 무한도전). In an episode played about two weeks ago, comedian Yoo Jaeseok (劉在錫, 유재석, 1972-), who plays a member of the aristocratic Yangban class (兩班, 양반) in the episode and whom many may remember from the music video Gangnam Style, opens up a scroll and starts reciting a petition to the King in actual Classical Chinese with Korean grammatical particles, known as Hyeonto (懸吐, 현토). The relevant portion of the clip starts at about the 2:20 mark. While Yoo Jaeseok is reading, the other comedians give puzzled looks. After the petition is read, the others ask him to rap the petition and he proceeds to do accordingly. The Korean translation shown in the clip is mostly correctly, and only deviates in the last line.

上疏文
상소문

Petition

不以一己之偏見으로 爲是爲非하시고
불이일기지편견으로 위시위비하시고

Do not (不) with (以) biases (偏見) of (之) oneself (一己), declare (爲) what is right (是) and declare (爲) what is wrong (非),

而朝廷之所共是者是之는 所共非者非之하시어
이조정지소공시자시지는 소공비자비지하시어

But instead (而) what (所…者) all (共) in the Royal Court (朝廷) [consider as] right (是), [declare] it (之) right (是) and what (所…者) all (共) [consider as] wrong (非), [declare] it (之) wrong (非).

一念慮之萌이나 一言事之發에
일념려지몽이나 일언사지발에

When there is (萌) one (一) worry (念慮) or when there arises (發) one (一) petition (言事),

少無瑕翳하시어 然後渙汗大號하소서
소무하예하시어 연후환한대호하소서

Eliminate (無) even the slightest (少) of flaws (瑕翳) and afterward (然後) disperse (渙) the perspiration (汗) and make a great announcement (大號).

Notes:

• This is the first time this blogger has ever read a petition to a king. Based on a quick internet search, the last two lines seem to be jargon used at the Court.
• 少無瑕翳(소무하예) – Reference to some sayings of Zhu Xi (朱子, 주자, Juja, 1130-1200):

此先王之治, 所以由內及外, 自微至著, 精粹純白, 無少瑕翳, 而其遺風餘烈, 猶可爲後世法也.
차선왕지치, 소이유내급외, 자미지저, 정순순백, 무소하예, 이기유풍여렬, 유가위후세법야.

This is the reason for which the previous King’s governance spread from inside to the outside, from obscurity to the distinct, was polished and pure, without even the slightest of flaws, and its remnant customs and remaining strength indeed was made the laws of future generations.

• 渙汗大號(환호대호) – In the petition, with these words, Yoo Jaeseok is beseeching the king to make an order according to his request. Reference to a line in the Wind and Water Dispersion (風水渙, 풍수환) Chapter of the Book of Change (易經, 역경):

九五: 渙汗其大號, 渙王居, 无咎. 象曰: 王居无咎, 正位也.
구오: 환한기대호, 환왕거, 무구. 상왈: 왕거무구, 정위야.

The Fifth-Nine: When it disperses, the perspiration is like its great announcement. When there is a dispersion, the King sits. There are no flaws. The Form (象, 상) states, “‘When the King sits, there are no flaws’ is because of his proper position.

---

kuiwon.wordpress.com

Copyright Notice This work by Kuiwon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

 

The amazing view from Bukdaeam Hermitage onto Unmunsa Temple down below.

Hello Again Everyone,

It had been a couple years since I last visited Unmunsa Temple, and it had been just as long since I wanted to explore the hermitages that surround it. One of the more prominent hermitages at Unmunsa Temple, in Cheongdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is Bukdaeam Hermitage that overlooks the entire Unmunsa Temple grounds. Placed precariously on the face of Mt. Unmunsan is the beautiful Bukdaeam Hermitage, which means, “North Gate Hermitage,” in English.

You first approach Bukdaeam Hermitage up a long, winding road that eventually becomes a steep and winding trail. Finally, after a few hundred metres up Mt. Unmunsan, you’ll finally come to the hermitage’s grounds. The first things to greet you are a wall of hermitage buildings like the nuns’ living quarters and kitchen. To the right, and a little further up the trail, you’ll notice a beautiful hall on a mountain ledge. This colourful hall is a shaman shrine hall dedicated to both Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) and Dokseong (The Recluse). Be careful when climbing the stairs to this hall, because they are both steep and narrow. Inside this hall is a very Asian, somewhat Chinese, looking Sanshin mural. He’s joined by a somewhat average looking Dokseong mural. It’s from this that you get amazing views of the peak of Mt. Unmunsan behind you, and the surrounding mountains around you.

Below this shaman shrine hall, and on a much broader ledge, is the main hall. The main hall’s exterior walls are adorned with some beautiful Palsang-do murals, which illustrate portions of the Historical Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul’s, life. As for the interior, and resting on the main altar, are a triad of golden statues. Sitting in the centre is a statue of Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). He’s joined to the right by Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion), and to the left by Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife). This triad is joined on either side by two murals. The one to the right is the Shinjung Taenghwa (guardian mural), and to the left by a well populated mural dedicated to Jijang-bosal.

Out in front of the main hall is a solitary stone lantern that stands all by itself. It’s from this angle that you get an amazing view of Unmunsa Temple in the valley below. Unfortunately, there are several black power lines that obscure the view a bit. To the far left of the main hall are some more nuns’ quarters. And behind the main hall sits the Chilseong-gak with a beautiful older looking mural of Chilseong (The Seven Stars) inside. Both Unmunsa Temple and Bukdaeam Hermitage are best visited in the fall months when the leaves are changing colour.

HOW TO GET THERE: There are two main ways that you can get to Bukdaeam Hermitage; but first, you’ll have to get to Unmunsa Temple. The first is from the Daegu Nambu Bus Terminal. In total, there are sixteen buses that leave throughout the day from 6:20 in the morning until 8:00 at night. The trip from this bus terminal to the temple is an hour and twenty minutes. The bus trip costs about 5,800 won. The second main route you can take is to get a bus to the Cheongdo Bus Terminal. Buses from this terminal run every hour and cost about 3,200 won. To get to Bukdaeam Hermitage from the front gate, you’ll first have to walk about 300 metres to a stone marker that points you in the right direction (if you get to Unmunsa Temple, you’ve gone too far). After turning left at the stone marker that reads – 북대암 – you’ll need to hike up the road that eventually becomes a trail. In total, the hard hike lasts about 700 metres.

크게 보기

OVERALL RATING:6/10. The views alone from Bukdaeam Hermitage makes it well worth a visit. When you add into the mix the shaman paintings of Sanshin and Chilseong, as well as the colourful main hall, and you have a good enough reason to explore the beautifully situated Bukdaeam Hermitage. And with Unmunsa Temple, it can make for quite a nice day trip.

The view from Unmunsa Temple up at Bukdaeam Hermitage up in the mountains.

The stone sign that welcomes you to the entrance of Bukdaeam Hermitage.

The amazing view of Unmunsa Temple down below as you make your way towards Bukdaeam Hermitage.

Part of the steep trail that leads to the hermitage.

Finally, the view of the hermitage is within sight.

The first thing to welcome you to the hermitage is this shaman shrine hall dedicated to both Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) and Dokseong (The Recluse).

The Chinese-looking Sanshin inside the hall.

The view from the shaman shrine hall down onto the main hall and the sprawling mountains that surround the hermitage.

The main hall to the left with the peak of Mt. Unmunsan to the right.

Just one of the Palsang-do paintings that surround the walls of the main hall.

The interior to the main hall.

The amazing view from the main hall and a solitary stone lantern.

Behind the main hall is the Chilseong-gak.

Inside, and hanging on the main altar, is this older painting of Chilseong (The Seven Stars).

The view from the Chilseong-gak, out, and over, the main hall.

 One last look at Bukdaeam Hermitage.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been busy going through old photographs from travels long since finished and uploading the to my flickrpage.

Derrynane, Co. Kerry, Ireland, July 2013

It started accidentally, with me uploading a huge number of images from my summer in Ireland, mostly from Kerry on the south west coast. After this, I realised that I still had at least a memory card or two worth of photographs from our most recent visit to Thailand, in February of 2012, and Malaysia in July of the same year. While I’d uploaded some of my photos from Malaysia, I think the Internet still deserved a few more.

Further inspiration for uploading more photographs came when a package with around 250 photographs from our Honeymoon to Turkey in 2008 arrived on the doorstep. I had finally taken the initiative to put together a photo album from that time, and it only took something like five and a half years.

Hierapolis, Turkey, July 2008

Now this really was an amazing collection of photographs, not just of the memories myself and Herself shared, but also of a very spectacular and scenic country, one which we’d both like to return to again in the future. I think I was quite selective in the photographs I chose to develop in that they reflected our experience together and the memories we’d like to look back in in the future. That being said, that I left out so many due to this is a perfectly good reason to trawl through the folders again and share some of these images here.

It’s interesting to watch how my style and quality of photograph has developed. With travel photography, there’s always the necessity to capture as much of the scene or the action as possible, and to present a sense of how it actually feels to be there. I think that as I’ve taken more and more photos, both every-day and travelling shots, I’ve become more capable of doing this. Of course most of my early shots are simple point and shoot efforts, regardless of the quality of the camera (back then mostly a Sony DSC-H5, which I still have back in Ireland), I still had to do my best to take as good a shot as possible, a skill which I kind of had to learn myself.  With time I spent more and more effort composing the photo, taking time to frame it, and to snap at the right time. With my DSLR now I am starting to see how this is even more important than ever, considering I know so little about light, shutter speed, aperture, and eveythign else bar pushing that little shiny button on the top.

Before I begin to share photographs here on mass, I should add that I’ve just uploaded a small set of photographs from a brief stopover in Hong Kong we made on the way to Seoul from Dublin in the same year. I am also beginning to dig into other folders saved on my hard drive and on CDs of visits to places like China, Japan, more Thailand and Malaysia, France, the UK where myself and Herself lived for a year after getting married, Ireland, and of course Korea. It’s is an exciting project ahead for myself.

Hong Kong and the Star Ferry, May 2008

When I think back over the countries I’ve visited I don’t think I’m that well travelled (I base this assumption on the amount of countries I still want to visit), but when I look back at the many different experiences and locations I’ve been to I can be proud of myself in this regard. I still know that I have many journeys ahead of me, and along this way I plan to have my camera, Herself, and for the foreseeable future, +1.

To view the sets on my flickr page, including recent uploads from Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, please click on this link.

By Taryn Assaf

As expats, and as English teachers, many of us come to Korea not too long after we’ve finished university. At university, our lives are often transformed. We become familiar with the workings of the world- its histories, tragedies, victories and complexities. For some of us, it contributes to a richer understanding of our place in the world, and offers us a chance to reflect on how our lives are situated in a complex web of relationships that affects everyone. Many of us become politicized during this time, leading to our first taste of activism – a taste we may long for but cannot find once we’ve moved to Korea. The combination of new sights, smells, sounds, tastes and experiences in Korea can certainly overwhelm a new, or even seasoned, expat. In Korea, as with any place in the world, the experiences we have as expats are not separate from the history of our host nation, nor are they separate from its culture, politics, and economics. They are part of the complicated grid of relationships between events that have culminated to create everything we see and do. Understanding our place among those relationships necessarily requires us to delve into the history, culture, politics and economics of this great country.

Despite a constant overwhelming of the senses, I’ve spoken to many expats who desire a deeper, richer understanding of the country they now call home. They come here as politicized subjects and quickly realize that their social capital and access to resources have slimmed to a sliver of what they used to be back home. Without speaking the language or knowing what resources exist, accessing the knowledge to facilitate that desire becomes difficult- if not impossible. Amid many other easily accessible opportunities, the yearning to seek out opportunities in the political realm is swiftly swept under the rug- unless it conveniently presents itself.

I was in Korea for about 5 months, and despite rushing headlong into anything that came my way, that yearning remained. It was then that, through the blessing that is the internet, I came into contact with an individual from the International Strategy Center (ISC). For the past nine months, I have been lucky enough to participate with their media team as a writer and blogger, as well as to experience the culture of Korea by learning about its history, politics and economics. I’ve been humbled by the opportunity to meet and speak with activists, politicians, farmers and workers and to share stories over food and drink. I’ve been dazzled by the beauty and serenity of the Korean countryside as I traveled around the country. I’ve been inspired through demonstrations, conferences, songs and speeches to continue showing solidarity with the struggles facing the Korean people. And after the weekend of November 22^nd, 2013, when I attended a workshop by the ISC titled “Korean Culture, History, Politics and Economics,” I have been able to reflect upon my place within it all.

The workshop was a three-day intensive study, with four lectures, 2 field trips, and plenty of discussions. Although I was familiar with much of the topics discussed, I was also introduced to much new information. The lectures were a unique opportunity for our new guests to analyze the topics, to reflect and to gain new insights.

Haesook Kim, Director of the ISC, guided us through 5000 years of Korean history, focusing on the struggles and uprisings that shaped Korea with a focus on modern history. She began her presentation with an important reminder. “We must make history the cornerstone of our future,” she said, and went on to enlighten us on the three kingdoms, highlighting how each legacy contributed to modern Korean culture. I began to connect how certain occurrences of the past are, indeed, very much present. For instance, she spoke of the Silla kingdom, which developed Korea’s rich culture, much of which we marvel at today; she spoke of Koryo (고려), which traded extensively with other countries resulting in the use of the name Korea; and she spoke of Chosun, founded on Confucianism, which informs the family values and gender relations of many Koreans today. History has acted as the cornerstone for countless aspects of modern Korean culture, and continues to drive its evolution. I began to think about how I got here. What historical events necessitated the development of such a robust English language sector in this county?

Min-A Kim, Chair of Policy for the Arts Collective for a New Era, explained the history of Korean economics before exploring Korea’s current economic policy under neoliberalism. How did Korea develop its technology sector? she asked. With nothing but curious eyes attending to her question, she began to explain two major events- the democracy movement of June 1987, and the general workers strike that occurred from July to September of that year. The strike saw the establishment of independent trade unions and was an enormous victory for workers who had, for decades, earned extremely low wages working in factories. Workers could no longer be exploited as they had been in the industrial era, and so the economy began shifting into the higher value added technology industries. With the success of the technology industry, Korea’s economy gradually became less dependent on the U.S, which had been supplying it with economic aid. In 1997, foreign investors pulled their money out of the country within a month and the U.S simultaneously demanded that Korea pay back all of its debts. This “tactic” has been used in many countries, including Mexico and Brazil, as a way to coerce nations into adopting a neoliberal system of economics. In Korea, it lead to a liquidity crisis. With no money to pay back its debts, Korea had no choice but to enter into agreements with the IMF and World Bank, ushering in an era of neoliberalism which guides economic policies to this day. I began to wonder, how is the Korean and world economy connected to my role as an English teacher? Am I somehow supporting neoliberalism through that role?

Yeon Wook Chung, Chairman of the YongSan Region Committee of the Justice Party, explored the last 25 years of Korean politics as a window into the lives of Koreans while highlighting the progress and regression of Korean democracy. The most poignant part of his lecture was his investigation of Korea’s social problems. Korea is top rated among all OECD countries for suicide, divorce, car crashes, work hours, poverty among the elderly, cosmetic surgery (with 1 out of 5 women having had it) intestine and stomach cancer and low birth rate. People in every age bracket are stressed, he says. As children they are pressured to study, as young adults they are stressed by a shrinking job market, as adults they become economically sandwiched between supporting their children’s and their parents’ futures, and as they grow older they must worry about retirement. He says the growing social and economic divides are exemplified by these occurrences. Ten percent of the population controls forty percent of the assets in this country. As the income gap increases, so too does social inequality. A cycle of dependency is created when people are unable to meet their economic needs, leading to a life of stress and a society filled with less than praise-worthy number ones. I paused, How has my role as an English teacher contributed to the stress of individual students and whole families? How am I implicated in the continuation of these social problems?

Jeong-Eun Hwang, Director of Communications for the ISC, discussed the role of the ISC, specifically its organization, works, vision and direction. Her message brought everything together. “It is not about what knowledge we gain,” she said, “it’s about what we do with that knowledge. How can we put our knowledge into action?” One of the ways that she and the ISC accomplish this is by “seeing things as they really are.” The world is being crushed by neoliberalism. Economies are crashing. Poverty and inequality are rising. So they engage with the issues, they create solidarity among struggling groups and they study alternatives. In February 2014, they will travel to Venezuela for the second time to further research what these alternatives can look like.

Personally, I participate, I listen, I share and I write.  I’m trying to place myself within Korea’s robust history and determine the implications that English teaching may have on the future of this society. I’m continuing to think through my role as an educator in an industry necessitated by unequal global power relationships and fueled by the maintenance of that system. I’m starting to understand how I’m positioned within the totem pole of stress that contributes to the country’s suicide and cancer rates. And I don’t have the answers, nor do I know if answers are really what matter. But I know there are connections, and that to put my knowledge into action is to continue discovering the connections that bring us together and challenging those that pull us apart. To see things as they really are, as Jeong-Eun challenged us to do. I try to always be aware of my place in the vast grid of relationships that have contributed to the rich set of experiences I’ve had in Korea. And now I’d like to challenge you to better understand Korea, and through that journey, to better understand yourself.

This time of year is always a busy season for Makgeolli, and we are only now getting the time to collect ourselves and reflect on the past few months.  Back in October we had the annual Asan Folk Village Festival weekend.  MMPK teamed up with the always awesome Susubori Academy, along with their expat brewing instructors Becca Baldwin and Dan Lenaghan, to offer a weekend of open air makgeolli classes.

This year the classes were held over the course of two days, with the first class having the opportunity to stay overnight in the hanok village.  It was a beautiful moonlit night, and we all enjoyed a long night of country air and plenty of fresh makgeolli.

Of course the highlight of the weekend was the Expat Brewing contest, where 8 creative makgeolli lovers came up with their own unique brew for the public to taste and rate.  This year saw some stiff competition, and the flavor combinations were nothing short of inspired.  The entries were as follows:

‘Jeolju’ – Becca Baldwin:  A 300 year old traditional Iyangju recipe with a lot of elbow grease in the making.

‘Sunrise Liquor’ – Dan Lenaghan:  An out-of-the-box Iyangju with red bean.

‘Baninja Reloaded’ – Julia Mellor: A revised (and much improved) version of last year’s entry; banana & ginger infused Iyangju.

‘Bad Seeds’ – Caroline Mahon:  A fragrant Danyangju with cardamon and cloves.

‘Creamy Cocoa Memories’ – Don Edwards:  A sweeter Danyangju inspiration incorporating cocoa and raisins.

‘Speckled Spice’ – Beryl Sinclair:  A spicy Iyangju with vanilla beans and black pepper.

‘Serious Cider’ – Staci Gray:  A carefully concocted ‘hard cider’ inspired Danyangju of apple and cinnamon.

‘Bae Saengang’ -Tyson Hanrahan:  A balanced Danyangju with pear and ginger flavorings.

We had two categories for the voting.  The first was the public vote, where attendees of the festival could taste and choose their favorite among the 8 brews.  And then we had the Brewer’s Choice Awards, where class takers, Susubori & MMPK Staff voted for their top three brews.

Public Vote

1st Place:  ’Jeolju’ Becca Baldwin

2nd Place: ‘Baninja Reloaded’ Julia Mellor

3rd Place:  ’Serious Cider’ Staci Gray

Brewers’ Choice Awards

1st Place:  ’Serious Cider’ Staci Gray

2nd Place:  ’Jeolju’ Becca Baldwin

3rd Place:  ’Bad Seeds’ Caroline Mahon

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend in excellent makgeolli loving company, and we just can’t wait until next year.  A big thanks as always to our hard working collaborative makgeolli team at Susubori Academy, who pulled together to make the whole thing happen.  Check out the photo gallery below for a closer look at some of the action