Strayblog’s Return?
2 weeks ago
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Photo of the Week: Incheon Fish Market
Earlier this fall, I took a trip to Bucheon and Incheon. My camera died in Bucheon, so I missed out on pictures of my experience/dinner at this Incheon fish market. Recently my most trusty coworker provided me with her pictures from the fishmarket that day. Through the following images, you can follow the journey of these sea creatures from the massive rows of dead or live products, to our very own dinner plates. I apologize in advance to those close to me who this may repulse.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Short Guys are Losers!
I don't normally bother commenting much on Korean news unrelated to teaching, but a pretty funny story has the country buzzing and I couldn't resist. There is this show called "Misuda", where they gather a panel of good looking foreign women who speak Korean to talk with Koreans.
The other day a Korean girl on the show basically said that she doesn't date short dudes because they are losers. Apparently only tall men can be winners in this day and age. My co teacher told me the girl said only dates men who are over 180cm. That's funny, because I'm a cm or two over 180 and I'm still a bit of a loser. I guess I'm cutting it too close.
The poor thing has since been the target of Internet and media backlash. People found out who she is, where she goes to school, and she is now being harassed and stalked. Apparently people are posting updates of her whereabouts online. Some are putting up posters and graffiti insulting her and/or making fun of her comments. I don't know what is more ridiculous - her stupid remarks or people actually getting so worked up about it that they attack her personally. Not the brightest comment on her part though. You should really think before you speak on national television. I know plenty of cool short people. They have big personalities.
UPDATE: I just found a full writeup of the story here. It confirms most of the gossip I've heard at school, and is definitely good for a laugh. In the girl's defense, it does say the short guys are "losers" comment was part of a script written by the show.
It took all of 5 seconds for someone to remark that her tirade against short people provoked Kim Jon Il into sending boats into South Korean territory this week, causing the exchange of fire that was in the news. Now that's comedy.
People from home always ask me if I feel like a giant over here. While I sometimes feel a little taller than I would at home, Koreans are not all that short. There are even many male students at my school who are as tall or taller than I am. Actually, according to a chart on Wikipedia, Koreans are 0.5cm taller than Canadians on average. The only problem I have with that is Korean means Korean people and Canadian means people from all over the world. The chart does show that Chinese and Japanese people are notably shorter than Koreans on average, so I suppose maybe that's where the notion that all Asians are small comes from.
Enough horribly researched talk about height. To get back to this "Misuda" show, this isn't the first time a girl has gotten some bad press for comments on the show. One Western girl criticized the absurd number of geeky white English teachers who date gorgeous Korean girls here with no remorse. A true gentleman would say "Sorry, you are too pretty for ugly, nerdy old me...you only want to date me because I'm different and because dating you will give you free English practice". What's funny is that her comments insulted not only the nerdy, exploitative white guys, but the attractive Korean girls who date them as well. Her comments implied that either these girls are conniving bitches out to get free English lessons, or they are naive airheads, too dumbfounded by mysterious white guys to realize which ones are actually "good enough" to date.
In conclusion, I think shallow people are losers, but maybe I shouldn't make such sweeping generalizations.
The other day a Korean girl on the show basically said that she doesn't date short dudes because they are losers. Apparently only tall men can be winners in this day and age. My co teacher told me the girl said only dates men who are over 180cm. That's funny, because I'm a cm or two over 180 and I'm still a bit of a loser. I guess I'm cutting it too close.
The poor thing has since been the target of Internet and media backlash. People found out who she is, where she goes to school, and she is now being harassed and stalked. Apparently people are posting updates of her whereabouts online. Some are putting up posters and graffiti insulting her and/or making fun of her comments. I don't know what is more ridiculous - her stupid remarks or people actually getting so worked up about it that they attack her personally. Not the brightest comment on her part though. You should really think before you speak on national television. I know plenty of cool short people. They have big personalities.
UPDATE: I just found a full writeup of the story here. It confirms most of the gossip I've heard at school, and is definitely good for a laugh. In the girl's defense, it does say the short guys are "losers" comment was part of a script written by the show.
It took all of 5 seconds for someone to remark that her tirade against short people provoked Kim Jon Il into sending boats into South Korean territory this week, causing the exchange of fire that was in the news. Now that's comedy.
People from home always ask me if I feel like a giant over here. While I sometimes feel a little taller than I would at home, Koreans are not all that short. There are even many male students at my school who are as tall or taller than I am. Actually, according to a chart on Wikipedia, Koreans are 0.5cm taller than Canadians on average. The only problem I have with that is Korean means Korean people and Canadian means people from all over the world. The chart does show that Chinese and Japanese people are notably shorter than Koreans on average, so I suppose maybe that's where the notion that all Asians are small comes from.
Enough horribly researched talk about height. To get back to this "Misuda" show, this isn't the first time a girl has gotten some bad press for comments on the show. One Western girl criticized the absurd number of geeky white English teachers who date gorgeous Korean girls here with no remorse. A true gentleman would say "Sorry, you are too pretty for ugly, nerdy old me...you only want to date me because I'm different and because dating you will give you free English practice". What's funny is that her comments insulted not only the nerdy, exploitative white guys, but the attractive Korean girls who date them as well. Her comments implied that either these girls are conniving bitches out to get free English lessons, or they are naive airheads, too dumbfounded by mysterious white guys to realize which ones are actually "good enough" to date.
In conclusion, I think shallow people are losers, but maybe I shouldn't make such sweeping generalizations.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Photo of the Week: Pepero Day
Today might be Remembrance Day back home, but not in South Korea. Here today happens to be Pepero. What is Pepero Day you ask? Pepero Day is a consumer holiday like Valentine's day, except it's even more obvious.
You see, Pepero is a stick shaped cookie, usually covered in chocolate, and is manufactured by a huge corporation here called Lotte (Lotte has their hands in everything, including theatres, grocery stores, department stores, water and even cookies). It can have nuts on it, or be strawberry flavoured instead. Sometimes the chocolate is on the inside. Those gems are called "nude", apparently. So anyway, there are all these different flavours of cookie sticks.
On November 11th, the month and year (four ones: 11/11) kinda looks like four sticks of Pepero lined up. Therefore, it is a logical day to celebrate these cookies. Wikipedia, the reliable source of my diligent research, says there is a rumour that "Pepero Day was started in 1994 by students at a girls' middle school in Busan, where they exchanged Pepero sticks as gifts to wish one another to grow 'as tall and slender as a Pepero' ". In my cynical opinion, that story was invented by Lotte, who sell 55% worth of their total sales of these freakin' Pepero things in the month November alone. Over half of their sales from this product come in the month Pepero day is on. Genius. Coldhearted corporate genius.
At school friends exchange Pepero, and so do high school sweethearts. A few students give some to their teachers as well. Below is a picture of a pretty badass box of giant ones I received this year, and some regular little ones beside the box. The classy box was my reward for editing a student's practice essays in my spare time. Sweet deal!
Today I tried to explain what November 11th means in Canada. The students just glared at me. Their eyes said "shut the hell up and give me some Pepero, you furry, foreign son of a BITCH!!!". I obliged. You don't want to mess with 40 kids jacked up on chocolate cookie sticks, and that's a fact.
You see, Pepero is a stick shaped cookie, usually covered in chocolate, and is manufactured by a huge corporation here called Lotte (Lotte has their hands in everything, including theatres, grocery stores, department stores, water and even cookies). It can have nuts on it, or be strawberry flavoured instead. Sometimes the chocolate is on the inside. Those gems are called "nude", apparently. So anyway, there are all these different flavours of cookie sticks.
On November 11th, the month and year (four ones: 11/11) kinda looks like four sticks of Pepero lined up. Therefore, it is a logical day to celebrate these cookies. Wikipedia, the reliable source of my diligent research, says there is a rumour that "Pepero Day was started in 1994 by students at a girls' middle school in Busan, where they exchanged Pepero sticks as gifts to wish one another to grow 'as tall and slender as a Pepero' ". In my cynical opinion, that story was invented by Lotte, who sell 55% worth of their total sales of these freakin' Pepero things in the month November alone. Over half of their sales from this product come in the month Pepero day is on. Genius. Coldhearted corporate genius.
At school friends exchange Pepero, and so do high school sweethearts. A few students give some to their teachers as well. Below is a picture of a pretty badass box of giant ones I received this year, and some regular little ones beside the box. The classy box was my reward for editing a student's practice essays in my spare time. Sweet deal!
Today I tried to explain what November 11th means in Canada. The students just glared at me. Their eyes said "shut the hell up and give me some Pepero, you furry, foreign son of a BITCH!!!". I obliged. You don't want to mess with 40 kids jacked up on chocolate cookie sticks, and that's a fact.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
November 12, 2009
On November 12th in South Korea, things are going to get a little tense. Police and emergency vehicles will be on standby. Civil servants will go to work later than usual. Flights in and out of Seoul will operate on a special schedule. South Koreans will be praying to whichever almighty spirit gives them hope.
Why you ask? Are North Korea and South Korea about to resume fighting? Is Kim Jong Il flying in to discuss the shootout between those two boats this morning? Are Foreign English teachers rioting in the streets?
No, calm down. It's just the KSAT (Korean College Scholastic Ability Test). The emergency vehicles will be on standby to rush late students to their exams. Civil servants will leave an hour later "to help reduce traffic volume in the morning" and help ensure people get to the test on time.
In addition, flight "takeoffs and landings will be banned between 8:40 a.m. to 8:53 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. to 1:30p.m., during which Korean and English listening tests are to be held, and the use of car horns will not be allowed within 200 meters of testing sites" (emphasis mine).
Finally, the prayers will be from parents and grandparents, who have spent countless years and Won preparing their offspring for this monumental exam. Last year I saw hundreds of pieces of paper on string at a temple on a mountain. These were special prayers from families for the students in their families to succeed on the exam.
Today I got the 411 on this exam from a co teacher at school. She explained that the intense competition for university spots, a fear of corruption, and a quest for absolute fairness have transformed this exam into one of the most hardcore exam days imaginable.
According to her, test writers are holed up in a secret location, like sequestered jurors, while they write the test. The test is then protected by some form of special security until judgment day. The test day only happens once a year, with no exceptions. Everybody writes the same test, at the same time. The test is meant to be completely objective, with everybody having exactly the same opportunity to get through the test. I think people would start killing each other in the streets if anyone suspected a student somehow cheated, or a test question somehow left room for subjectivity on the part of the test graders.
If a student is in the hospital unable to write, while that's just their tough luck. They can write it the following year, put their life on hold, and jeopardize their chances of doing anything better than driving a delivery scooter. My co teacher said she prays something so tragic as an illness will not affect any of her children on their exam days (this happens to be her elder daughter's exam year, so she's freaking out a little).
Coordinating the entire nation on test day, special flight schedules, and executing the top secret exam writing operation is apparently quite expensive, as can be imagined. The cost of the exam is another reason for allowing only one shot at the exam per year.
Honestly, this exam is probably one of the wildest aspects of living/teaching here. The entire education system is geared towards getting students though this one exam. I hardly ever see the students who are in their final year of high school. They are constantly studying. Private institutes make a fortune prepping students for the test. There is an obsession with getting an edge, writing the perfect test, and getting into a good school.
I know some people have that competitive, "top school/top program" type mentality in Canada as well. However, I can honestly say I've never experienced any form of pressure or stress as brutal as this must be. Students really think if they do not do well, their lives will be over. It is no secret that each year one or more students commit suicide after the exam, without ever seeing their test scores. That is both sad and scary to me. Given the number of people in this country though, one slip may truly be all it takes to fall behind in the race forever.
I have no real judgments or opinions on this system, as I've still yet to fully wrap my head around it. Obviously I think they could make the exam less stressful for the students, and I believe it is kind of ridiculous to place so much importance on one test. A test should not define a persons life. As a Canadian student, however, I think we could use a little more pressure back home. I feel like I floated through high school, and yet I still got into university no problem. I never felt any pressure until I started demanding more of myself, finally, at age 20. I don't know what the best school system is. The only thing I can say for certain is I wish the students good luck on Thursday.
Foonotes:
1) Quotes are from this article in The Korea Times.
2) Yes, I did say "I got the 411" in this post. What of it? Ok...I'm deeply sorry.
Why you ask? Are North Korea and South Korea about to resume fighting? Is Kim Jong Il flying in to discuss the shootout between those two boats this morning? Are Foreign English teachers rioting in the streets?
No, calm down. It's just the KSAT (Korean College Scholastic Ability Test). The emergency vehicles will be on standby to rush late students to their exams. Civil servants will leave an hour later "to help reduce traffic volume in the morning" and help ensure people get to the test on time.
In addition, flight "takeoffs and landings will be banned between 8:40 a.m. to 8:53 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. to 1:30p.m., during which Korean and English listening tests are to be held, and the use of car horns will not be allowed within 200 meters of testing sites" (emphasis mine).
Finally, the prayers will be from parents and grandparents, who have spent countless years and Won preparing their offspring for this monumental exam. Last year I saw hundreds of pieces of paper on string at a temple on a mountain. These were special prayers from families for the students in their families to succeed on the exam.
Today I got the 411 on this exam from a co teacher at school. She explained that the intense competition for university spots, a fear of corruption, and a quest for absolute fairness have transformed this exam into one of the most hardcore exam days imaginable.
According to her, test writers are holed up in a secret location, like sequestered jurors, while they write the test. The test is then protected by some form of special security until judgment day. The test day only happens once a year, with no exceptions. Everybody writes the same test, at the same time. The test is meant to be completely objective, with everybody having exactly the same opportunity to get through the test. I think people would start killing each other in the streets if anyone suspected a student somehow cheated, or a test question somehow left room for subjectivity on the part of the test graders.
If a student is in the hospital unable to write, while that's just their tough luck. They can write it the following year, put their life on hold, and jeopardize their chances of doing anything better than driving a delivery scooter. My co teacher said she prays something so tragic as an illness will not affect any of her children on their exam days (this happens to be her elder daughter's exam year, so she's freaking out a little).
Coordinating the entire nation on test day, special flight schedules, and executing the top secret exam writing operation is apparently quite expensive, as can be imagined. The cost of the exam is another reason for allowing only one shot at the exam per year.
Honestly, this exam is probably one of the wildest aspects of living/teaching here. The entire education system is geared towards getting students though this one exam. I hardly ever see the students who are in their final year of high school. They are constantly studying. Private institutes make a fortune prepping students for the test. There is an obsession with getting an edge, writing the perfect test, and getting into a good school.
I know some people have that competitive, "top school/top program" type mentality in Canada as well. However, I can honestly say I've never experienced any form of pressure or stress as brutal as this must be. Students really think if they do not do well, their lives will be over. It is no secret that each year one or more students commit suicide after the exam, without ever seeing their test scores. That is both sad and scary to me. Given the number of people in this country though, one slip may truly be all it takes to fall behind in the race forever.
I have no real judgments or opinions on this system, as I've still yet to fully wrap my head around it. Obviously I think they could make the exam less stressful for the students, and I believe it is kind of ridiculous to place so much importance on one test. A test should not define a persons life. As a Canadian student, however, I think we could use a little more pressure back home. I feel like I floated through high school, and yet I still got into university no problem. I never felt any pressure until I started demanding more of myself, finally, at age 20. I don't know what the best school system is. The only thing I can say for certain is I wish the students good luck on Thursday.
Foonotes:
1) Quotes are from this article in The Korea Times.
2) Yes, I did say "I got the 411" in this post. What of it? Ok...I'm deeply sorry.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Blackout Korea
In Korea, people pass out in public kind of frequently. I've mentioned in the past how I've seen men out cold on the sidewalk during a Tuesday walk to work at 7:30 am. That soju'll murder you if you aren't careful. In a country where you can drink at a bar until 5am any day of the week, and buy booze for just over a dollar at a convenience store at any time, it's really not a surprising phenomenon.
I've never had the heart or the guts to take a picture of one of these soju warriors, but luckily I don't have to. There is a site dedicated to capturing this little quirk in Korean drinking culture.
Check it out. You might have to scroll down to see the pictures because there's some weird YouTube post at the top right now:
http://www.blackoutkorea.com/
At first I felt hesitant to share this aspect of what one of my co teachers refers to as "Ugly Korea" (she used that term to describe any behaviour Koreans worry about foreigners seeing). However, the other night I was watching TV and a Korean show that had the word "News" in the title was actually just a highlight reel of drunk American college kids doing stupid things. I then realized different cultures have always laughed at one another, and probably always will. There's nothing mean spirited about it; it's all in good fun. At the same time, I can't help but thinking some of the dudes in the pictures probably wouldn't be too happy to know they've been captured unconscious on camera and had their images posted on the web...
I've never had the heart or the guts to take a picture of one of these soju warriors, but luckily I don't have to. There is a site dedicated to capturing this little quirk in Korean drinking culture.
Check it out. You might have to scroll down to see the pictures because there's some weird YouTube post at the top right now:
http://www.blackoutkorea.com/
At first I felt hesitant to share this aspect of what one of my co teachers refers to as "Ugly Korea" (she used that term to describe any behaviour Koreans worry about foreigners seeing). However, the other night I was watching TV and a Korean show that had the word "News" in the title was actually just a highlight reel of drunk American college kids doing stupid things. I then realized different cultures have always laughed at one another, and probably always will. There's nothing mean spirited about it; it's all in good fun. At the same time, I can't help but thinking some of the dudes in the pictures probably wouldn't be too happy to know they've been captured unconscious on camera and had their images posted on the web...
Friday, November 6, 2009
What Teaching in Seoul has Taught me About my Appearance
Korean students are not afraid to call 'em how the see 'em. I've blogged in the past about how brutal they can be when describing their classmates (much like Canadian students). I'm not immune to the brutal honesty of my students. Whenever a student does make fun of me, I react with either mock outrage or mock sadness. For whatever reason, my reactions amuse the little jerks to no end.
So what have I learned about myself?
1) I am very furry. I've always known I'm a little hairier than the average person. In a shirts vs. skins game, I'm on the shirts team no matter what. However, moving to Seoul has made me feel like some kind of monster. Every time I go to help a student at their desk in a short sleeved shirt, the student will ignore what I am saying. This is because they are memorized, fascinated, and disgusted by my arm hair. Inevitably, the student will let out an "Oh!", eyes wide with surprise, and reach out to touch the mysterious growth that covers my forearms. "Shawn Teacher! Furry! So Furry!". For whatever reason, Korean students do not learn the word "hairy". Either that, or they think I am more of an animal than a human being. It doesn't help that Korean men my age have basically no body hair. Much to my relief, the students were excited last week because they found a kid who had some visible arm hair.
2) I have a McDonald's head. The sketching ability of Korean students is insane. I swear it seems 95% of Korean students can draw amazing pictures/cartoons. One coteacher told me this is because private schools have drawing contests for students periodically, so kids hone their skills with hopes of winning those. Anyway, they've all discovered that if they start drawing cartoons of me with just the right M, they can capture my receding hairline perfectly. To perfect the likeness, they are sure to add what I like to call my "11am shadow". Despite the fact I shave every morning, I've had a permanent shadow since age 17.
3) I have a huge freakishly huge nose. I have a slightly big nose, but when Korean students look at me they see a ski slope that takes up half my face.
4) I have big eyes and beautiful lashes. My cartoon eyes are always huge and dark, with feminine lashes. A McDonald's hairline, giant nose, facial hair, and big beautiful puppy dog eyes. This is my face.
5) I look like: In the beginning, students wanted to get on my good side, so they always compared me to celebrities. Lately they've become a little more comfortable, and the truth is coming out. I've drawn comparisons to a turkey, a pumpkin, and Mr. Bean, to name a few. Stupid Halloween/Thanksgiving lessons...
All of this really makes me doubt anybody at school truly thinks I am "handsome" after all.
So what have I learned about myself?
1) I am very furry. I've always known I'm a little hairier than the average person. In a shirts vs. skins game, I'm on the shirts team no matter what. However, moving to Seoul has made me feel like some kind of monster. Every time I go to help a student at their desk in a short sleeved shirt, the student will ignore what I am saying. This is because they are memorized, fascinated, and disgusted by my arm hair. Inevitably, the student will let out an "Oh!", eyes wide with surprise, and reach out to touch the mysterious growth that covers my forearms. "Shawn Teacher! Furry! So Furry!". For whatever reason, Korean students do not learn the word "hairy". Either that, or they think I am more of an animal than a human being. It doesn't help that Korean men my age have basically no body hair. Much to my relief, the students were excited last week because they found a kid who had some visible arm hair.
2) I have a McDonald's head. The sketching ability of Korean students is insane. I swear it seems 95% of Korean students can draw amazing pictures/cartoons. One coteacher told me this is because private schools have drawing contests for students periodically, so kids hone their skills with hopes of winning those. Anyway, they've all discovered that if they start drawing cartoons of me with just the right M, they can capture my receding hairline perfectly. To perfect the likeness, they are sure to add what I like to call my "11am shadow". Despite the fact I shave every morning, I've had a permanent shadow since age 17.
3) I have a huge freakishly huge nose. I have a slightly big nose, but when Korean students look at me they see a ski slope that takes up half my face.
4) I have big eyes and beautiful lashes. My cartoon eyes are always huge and dark, with feminine lashes. A McDonald's hairline, giant nose, facial hair, and big beautiful puppy dog eyes. This is my face.
5) I look like: In the beginning, students wanted to get on my good side, so they always compared me to celebrities. Lately they've become a little more comfortable, and the truth is coming out. I've drawn comparisons to a turkey, a pumpkin, and Mr. Bean, to name a few. Stupid Halloween/Thanksgiving lessons...
All of this really makes me doubt anybody at school truly thinks I am "handsome" after all.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
I'm Back
I got my new laptop today (on credit), so I'm back in the blogging game.
I'm officially abandoning the photo a day for a year, because I am a quitter. Anyone who knows me knows that. The good news is I will continue with a photo a week instead, and I'll go back to writing posts. Who was I kidding? I'm no photographer.
In the spirit of Halloween, I have a Halloween teaching story. I was teaching students a lesson about (you guessed it) Halloween the other day. In one part of the lesson, I had them tell me things they're afraid of.
In my basic class, one student wrote "I'm afraid of cat". Normally I don't like to correct students for every little thing because I don't want them to become too shy from embarrassment to participate. However, this girl is confident and eager to learn, so I decided to explain her mistake.
Shawn: You should say "I'm afraid of cats". "I'm afraid of cat makes it sound like you are only afraid of one cat. Cat is singular, it means one. Cats is plural, it means more than one.
Student (eyes wide with sincerity and fear): But Shawn, one cat scary too!!!
I lost my shit when she said that. It was even funnier because this is a high school girl, not a little kid. After I finished laughing I explained she should say "cats" to express that she is afraid of cats in general. Once she got it she thought it was pretty funny too.
Teaching is so awesome. Some of the time, anyway...
I'm officially abandoning the photo a day for a year, because I am a quitter. Anyone who knows me knows that. The good news is I will continue with a photo a week instead, and I'll go back to writing posts. Who was I kidding? I'm no photographer.
In the spirit of Halloween, I have a Halloween teaching story. I was teaching students a lesson about (you guessed it) Halloween the other day. In one part of the lesson, I had them tell me things they're afraid of.
In my basic class, one student wrote "I'm afraid of cat". Normally I don't like to correct students for every little thing because I don't want them to become too shy from embarrassment to participate. However, this girl is confident and eager to learn, so I decided to explain her mistake.
Shawn: You should say "I'm afraid of cats". "I'm afraid of cat makes it sound like you are only afraid of one cat. Cat is singular, it means one. Cats is plural, it means more than one.
Student (eyes wide with sincerity and fear): But Shawn, one cat scary too!!!
I lost my shit when she said that. It was even funnier because this is a high school girl, not a little kid. After I finished laughing I explained she should say "cats" to express that she is afraid of cats in general. Once she got it she thought it was pretty funny too.
Teaching is so awesome. Some of the time, anyway...
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