We Need Your Help!

Want to help out the awesome students of Kids Land? Take on a travel notebook and help them learn a bit about your part of the world! The project goes like this...

-My kids write in a notebook about who they are, and about life in South Korea.

-I send this notebook to someone (maybe you?!) living in a country other than Korea

-When you receive the notebook, you send the student a postcard letting them know where their notebook is, and then write a few pages in the notebook about who you are and where you live.

-When you finish your entry in the notebook, you send it on to someone you know living in a different country, and they repeat the steps. (When the journal arrives in the 6th country, that person sends the notebook back to the student in Korea.)

If you would like to take on a notebook from one of my students, please send me a message with your address, and I will get one in the mail to you soon! My email address is... PeterWest.87@gmail.com



We have received postcards from all over the world, and the kids are so excited to see where their books are going and to learn about new places. More notebooks are in the works as we speak, and I need the help of more people to keep this project going! Here are a few small catches...

1. Because I am paying for this out of pocket and I am a poor poor seoul with a shopping addiction, I unfortunately can not afford to pay for the shipping of these journals to all of their 6 destinations... so I have to ask those who receive journals to pay for the shipping of both the postcard to Korea and the notebook to its next destination. That being said... the notebooks are small, paperback books that are very cheap to send internationally!

2. The kids are very excited about this project, and it has been hard for some of  them to watch their classmates receiving postcards from all over the world,  wondering why they haven't received a card from a journal sent several months back. Your kindness in accepting a journal is appreciated to no end, but please only take one if you have the time to fill in pages and get it sent out within a week or two of receiving it!

If you would like to take on a notebook from one of my students, please send me a message with your address, and I will get one in the mail to you soon! My email address is... PeterWest.87@gmail.com 

Thank you so much for your help

Sincerely,

Peter Teacher

The Totally Not Scary Ghosts of Halloween Past, And the 2012 Kids Land Halloween Extravaganza

Halloween in Korea is a day recognized seouly by members of two distinct demographics, those involved in the Western bar scene, and those working in or attending an English academy. As an active member of the latter, I have found myself heavily involved in a holiday that I normally would choose to shy away from. Kids Land, my place of employment, celebrates the day with a class cancelling event, a party that allows our students and their friends who don't attend our school to frolic in Halloween festivities for 4 hours of spooky fun, 4 hours which annually have proven to be some of the most exhausting, bruise-worthy hours of my whole damn year.

The amount of time I have remained in this country is testimony to the fact that I really do love my students, and most of the time, I am blown away with their ability to understand foreign concepts. Exceptions to this statement include such instances as disgusted gags and groans as they tried Guacamole for the first time, including Los Angeles, London and Costco in their list of U.S. states,  their firm belief that I fly home to Colorado after work every day and back to Korea in the morning... and finally, the Korean child's ability to rock (or, not rock) Halloween.

A key element missing from the Korean Halloween experience is the Halloween costume, a market that is a massively untapped in the Republic of Korea. Most grocery stores will have a bin with a few witch hats in it, hats which most children will not purchase. Despite the fact that really most of them will not be in costume, the it is a simple expectation of the students that the foreign teacher, being the only who has truly experienced Halloween in its costumed glory, will arrive  decked out in terrifying monster gear. Before we continue with my tale of Koreaween, (Hallowea? help?) allow me to demonstrate with photographic historical evidence, just why exactly I am not really up to the challenge of creating a costume intended to terrify...

Clockwise From Top Right: 1989 Raggedy Andy, 1994 The Year of the Peacock, 1991 Wizard, 1990 Mickey Mouse,
1992 Pinnochio (Missing Photos: The Blueberry, Free Willy)

This year I decided to arrive at work as an Angry Bird, a costume I was told before the event, was not scary enough to fill my expected role of scaregiver in Kids Land Halloween Extravaganza 2012. So plans were changed, I became Angry Bird Zombie, and the costume was given the official Kids Land seal of approval. When I arrived at work the day of the event, I found Lake, my boss, decorating the room with a cheery banner that read 'HAPPY HALLOWEEN' in bubble font, a banner which would actually never be seen by anyone as it was being placed in the room with the windows blacked out and the lights turned off. Lake turned to me with a devilish grin, and giggling, she said, "I think they will cry!"

Traditionally, at the beginning of the party the foreign teacher is locked in the dark room. They are told to scare the children, entering two at a time, ask each child three level appropriate English questions, DJ the scary music (downloaded on my phone), pass out candy, be extra entertaining for the friends of our students so as to encourage their future enrollment, and keep each pair in the room for aroud a minute. The first challenge presented itself in the minute allotted time in the dark room to free scary music track on my phone ratio. The one song I was able to download lasted :48, and when it ended, the next on the playlist was none other than the track downloaded for last week's lesson on generational fads...

you guessed it...

The Macarena.

Finally, because your average Korean child probably hasn't spent much time around big foreigners in bird costumes, their sugar infused instincts naturally tell them to do one thing... beat the living daylights out of said foreigner, who, let me remind you, is me.

So, to review, the task list is as follows:

1. Be really scary, bonus points awarded for making kids cry
2. Ask grammar questions
3. Prevent the impending Macarena
4. Make sure each child ends up with only one bag of candy
5. Be a marketing guro/entertainer for potential future students
6. Deal with hundreds of tiny fists beating you senseless



At the end of the day, I was able to make several kids cry (a big plus in the eyes of my boss), learned that in the year of growth since last Halloween, lil' David no longer pees when scared, AND received several compliments on a much scarier costume than last year's Shrek.  Who knows... if I stick around to see another Halloween, I may even be able to one day pull off something truly terrifying.

Until then, I move forward with a smile on my face, only slightly suffering from abused teacher syndrome, but still quite satisfied with life as a teacher in South Korea. Until next time...
Squaaaaak.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

PETER TEACHER

Mr. Peter's Neighborhood: The Faces of Gocheok Dong

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

It's a neighborly day in this beautywood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Please won't you be my neighbor?

Fred Rogers

1928-2003

Hi Internet neighbor, I'm glad we're together again.

Before we voyage into more tales of life in Korea, I'd like to tell you a little bit about my mom and dad. They are two lovely people, people who usually share similar stances on most issues, yet have polar opposite opinions on others.  One such difference is their respective approach to the neighborhood.

My father took a page from the Mr. Rogers book of community etiquette. He could be gushing blood and driving himself to the hospital, and, should he come across one of our neighbors, he would most likely pull over the car, roll down the window, and strike up a conversation. He may not even particularly like said neighbor, but because their house is within walking distance of our own, he feels a civic responsibility to make small talk.

My mother, on the other hand, has a finely crafted technique of neighborhood small talk avoidance, a technique that involves a smile, a wave, and pressing her foot down a bit harder on the gas pedal.

Before coming to Korea, I lived my life sharing my mother's approach to neighborly etiquette. And in defense of this stance, the avoidance of initiating a conversation is actually well intentioned. Often times, these small talk situations are successfully avoided because, with all likelihood, your neighbor is also hoping that they will not have to talk with you. I like being social, but on my own terms, and when I am on the go, I often prefer to be a bit anonymous...

Anonymity in the Gocheok-dong community, however, is next to impossible. Though at times this can be irksome, I have recently come to embrace the Mr Rogers approach to friendly neighborhood living. My relationships with my Korean neighbors are often unconventional, but I am a proud member of the Gocheok community. So, without further delay, I would like to take you on a tour of my neighborhood.

I'm a creature of habit, and one such habit is picking up a coffee every morning before work. One of the employees of this cafe is an old woman who is of the judgemental persuasion. She sighs and tisks because I don't speak Korean as well as she would like me to, and she thinks the extra shot of espresso that I order in my latte is unnecessary, an opinion which she shares with me thorough sighs and head shakes. But, underneath the layers of judgement, there is a big twinkle in her eye that tells me, no matter how much she may criticize, we are chingus (friends). The most recent me quirk I presented her with to judge came in the form of my newly crafted duct tape wallet. Upon seeing my bright green sticky wallet, her face lit up with the most judgement I have ever seen come from a single person. Elation. Twenty seconds of silence were followed but a very sudden burst of hysterical laughter. The laughter ended almost as quickly as it began and the lines on her forehead showed me that my wallet had made its way through her judgement filters, and the verdict came back that this was not an age appropriate wallet. She grabbed it from me, examined it thoroughly, sighed again, and returned it. That day I spent my lunch break purchasing a nice pleather wallet appropriate for a 25 year old who looks 40 to most Koreans, and got to work on doing what any normal person would do in this situation... I started making her a duct tape wallet of her very own.

I have had this wallet sitting in my locker at work for weeks, trying to build up the courage to present my cynical elderly friend with her new gift. Finally the time came, and in what was perhaps the most confusing two minutes of my life, I was able to explain to her that yes, this wallet was a gift, and no, I would not be taking it with me when I left the coffee shop. In my mental land of make believe, I like to think that she uses it and loves it and tells stories to her grandchildren of the nice foreigner who orders an unecessary extra shot of espresso in his daily latte. Next step, get this woman a facebook page. I have a feeling she would rock the poke feature.

Next door to the cafe is our friendly neighborhood Kimbap shop. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Kimbap, I will quickly provide you with the Wikipedia description of this great, cheap Korean food.

"Kimbap is a popular Korean dish made from steamed white rice (bap) and various other ingredients, rolled in kim (seaweed) and served in bite-sized pieces."

I often will grab a roll of Tuna/Kimchi Kimbap for my lunch, it is only $2 and tastes pretty great. The two middle aged women who work at this shop speak little to no English, and like to use the time they spend rolling my Kimbap to have mini English lessons. I have taught them classic words such as "Tuna", "Seaweed", "Delicious" and "Long Time No See." I go through phases of not going in for a few weeks at a time, but every time I pass the shop, they smile and wave, and sometimes chase me down to give me free bits of dried squid. Recently, after a particularly long period of no Kimbap for lunch, I decided to go and say hi to my friends. I walked in the door and instantly Kimpap lady #1 turned to me and said, "I love you!"
Pause pause pause... Kimbap lady number 2 bursts out laughing, "No! You like he! LIKE he!"
"Ohhhhh," nods K.L.#1. "I like he."

The next stop on my tour of Gocheok Dong is the supermarket Dream Mart, just one door down from the Kimbap shop. Recently, Dream Mart hired a young guy to work the front cash register, a guy who hates his job and loves to talk. Conversations with him usually go like this...

"Ohhh! It's you!"
"Hi, how are you today?"
"Today is very very sucks." (the explanation is given in the form of a gesture indicating the cause of suck to be the whole of Dream Mart)

The initial greeting is always followed by an unrelated story, a story which, on a good day, I understand 7% of. One story went something like this...

"Angry. Very very angry old man Chinese. He the Chinese. I angry and he grandfather. He go Korea now and I very scary. Understand?"

"Yes." I reply. "See you tomorrow!"

Last week our encounter went as follows,

"Hi brother!"
"Hi, how are you today?"
"You handsome guy. I go your house?"
"Hmm. Not today."

Only in Korea would this not be a pickup line. That day, Dream Mart provided me with a bottle of water, Peanut M&Ms, and an ego boost.

The final stop on our tour today is an old woman who I have never spoken to, but see frequently. One of the first nights in my new apartment, I heard what sounded like a brutal poodle fight a few buildings over. This dog fight happens once or twice a week, only lasts about 15 minutes, and, is fought between a yard full of small dogs, and a tiny hunched over ancient Korean lady. This timid looking woman will hobble up to the fence, look the dogs in the eyes, and begin her 15 minutes of barking. She pays no attention to those of us who stop to watch, and when she has had her fill, she stops barking and continues on her way.

The venerable Mr. Rogers once said, "You always make each day a special day. By just you being you. There's only one person exactly like you in the whole world. And that's you yourself, and I like you. It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling, the feeling you know that we're friends."

So, to my neighbors, thank you for embracing this strange foreigner who refers to himself in the third person as Peter Teacher. I can't say for sure, but I think it is quite possible that Mr. Rogers spent some time in Gocheok Dong.

Until Next Time,

Peter Teacher

... But My Friends Call Me Peter Teacher

I think I read somewhere once, probably in one of the countless scientific journals that I subscribe to, that all people come to a point in life when they realize that they have taken on the mindset of a 7 year old Korean child. They then take this realization a step further, and begin to understand that communication occurs more naturally with like-minded people. This then brings on the dawning of yet another groundbreaking realization, as you look around you and notice that you really don't have any friends who are your own age, and that your peer group is full of nose picking, pant wetting Rilakkuma fanatics who begin 90% of conversations with the words, "Angry Birds." This healthy dose of self reflection and realization comes with an important decision. Do you leave your life in Korea behind, head home and enroll in a rigorous therapy schedule, or do you sign on for another year of fun with your baby friends?

Today is the first day of my third year in Korea, and as I look back on the past two years, I truly cannot believe how quickly it has gone and how much I have changed. Making the decision to stay on for a third year was not an easy one to make, and I am still not convinced that it was the right thing to do. Going home after year one was really tough, I can only imagine that readjusting after year three will be even more difficult. Fingers crossed that my friends and therapists will humor my new 7 year old Korean-isms.

I haven't posted in 6 months. During the past 6 months not much has changed. During the past 6 months a lot has changed. Here is what has been happening in the ROK.

My family spent two weeks in Korea over the holidays. There is truly nothing like watching your parents sing Elton John at norebang on New Years eve to put things in perspective. The busy holiday bustle in busy busy Seoul, the freezing weather, the non-vegetarian friendly Korean culinary offerings... traveling as a group can be difficult, but I still wouldn't change a thing. It was a really touching thing to be able to share my life here with family and friends, and I am so happy to hear that my family will be making a return trip to Korea in the not too distant future. One of the best moments of the trip was a holiday show my dad did for my students. Having a chance to watch my parents interact with these kids I have grown to love over the past year was the best gift I received this Christmas.

In March our Kindergarten opened its doors once again, this time we have only two students enrolled. Little David from Kindergarten round one is back, this time he is joined by 3 year old Toby. Boogers, poop, and that same minute and 14 second song that goes along with The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear that has been on repeat every day for the past two months... there are elements of the Kindergarten experience that could be confused for torture methods, but these kids make me smile, and when you are lucky enough to have a job that you look forward to going to each morning, you have to give thanks where it is deserved, and I would like to say thank you to David and Toby.

In April I saw Lady Gaga's opening concert in Seoul for her epic 2 year Born This Way Tour. I do not at all regret dishing out the 80 bucks for tickets, she is a top notch entertainer, and it was a very enjoyable two hours... but there was nothing that stood out as very memorable from Gaga herself. She was loud in just the way I expected her to be, weird in the same way she is always weird, and it felt kind of short. The stories I have to tell from the show are all from the people who attended and everything going on around Seoul Olympic Stadium that night. It is amazing to me how much hate and anger people have towards someone who is spreading a message of acceptance, a very poppy meat dress megabuck earning message, but a message of love nonetheless. Upon exiting the subway I was greeted by an old white man, holding a sign asking Gaga to please go home so as to not negatively influence the sexual purity of the 50 thousandish people inside the stadium. These old  gentlemen were scattered throughout the crowd, but politely posed for pictures, so thank you for that, strange sirs. Closer to venue we came across a big circle of young Koreans speaking in tongues in protest... this is without a doubt one of the strangest things I have ever seen. I thought speaking in tongues only existed inside Netflix documentaries... turns out it is actually a real thing!

A few weeks before the show, thinking Gaga to be too pornographic, the Korean government decided to make the show an 18+ event, a newsworthy decision in itself due to the thousands of young people who had already purchased tickets to the show months before. Lady Gaga addressed this saying, "Your government decided to make this show 18+... well let's make it 18+... Korea, remember, you are as free as you want to be!" In typical Gaga quote fashion, I laughed, paused, and a question mark floated above my head for a brief moment of time until it was popped by a glow stick behind me.

The people watching in this stadium was extraordinary. I like Gaga's music, it is fun and catchy, and I think it is really impressive that she has been able to spread a great message to so many millions of people, but I am not jumping up and down with a 'Little Monster' name tag, don't call me a monster please Lady Gaga. I am just Peter. But in looking around the stadium, I was able to see how Lady Gaga personally connects with so many of her fans, and she connects in a way that other pop stars often can't. Again, not identifying as a Gaga Monster, but for that two hours, I was happy to be a part of the very diverse and undefinable crowd.

There was the stern looking German woman sitting in front of us who attended the show on her own, did not crack a smile the entire time and left before the encore, yet you could somehow tell that she was having the time of her life. There were goths, hipsters, queens, old drunk Korean men, families... My personal favorite among the monster mash, however, was a really striking looking woman sitting two rows behind us. She was dressed in a sheep costume and was wearing atiara. I was intrigued, and couldn't stop making awkward eye contact throughout the show, which led to introductions after it ended. Her name is Angel, she is from England but is half Russian half Korean, and has an accent that sounds like a weird hybrid of Ozzy Osbourne, Russel Brand, a lot of vodka, and something that was uniquely her own. Angel told us that she had just come from a lunch with her friend, Lee Myung-bak, who is the president of South Korea. She then proceeded to tell us that she was here for a month, and would be moving to North Korea in May. When she asked where we were from, Jenny said that she is half Indian. Angel squealed, pressed her face against Jenny's and pulled her hair, saying, "I KNEW IT! I COULD TELL! I KNEW IT!" I of course saw this as an opportunity to contribute to the blatant lie session I was currently in the middle of, and told her that I am from Sweden. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!" she squealed as she pressed her face against mine and pulled my hair. Of three things I was absolutely certain. One, Angel is a liar. Two, Angel is a bit crazy. And three, I am hopelessly and irrevocably in love with her.

The Monday following the concert, I moved apartments. I could not be happier in my new place. It took leaving my old apartment to realize how much I did not like living there. It was old, dark, dirty, drafty, and even though I was one of the few lucky foreign teachers to end up in a multiple room apartment, it wasn't a good place to be. I am now in a really bright studio apartment with a sliding glass door and a giant private balcony. I am a two minute walk from my school, am doing grown up things like buying couches on the Internet, and am cooking, writing and painting, things which I didn't have the motivation or kitchen space to do in my old place. Things are looking up.

I always end posts with promises that I will write again soon. Seeing as my last blog update was in November, I have decided that this post will not end with a promise of more posts. So, instead, I will end it with a link to a music video to an English song from a Korean indie band that I really like. Like Angel, it doesn't make much sense, but is really fun.

Peace Love and Glow Sticks

Peter Teacher

Oh Hey, A Life Changing Concert, Booger Swapping, New Directions

Oh hey, November. Where did you come from? The thing I dreaded most about my return trip to life as Peter Teacher was the really horrendous Korean summer. I am sure there are a lot of people out there who have experienced summers way worse than one will find in Korea, and to these people, I must now politely say I have little to no interest in hearing your opinions. I hate summer here. The bugs, the heat, the ten minute walk to work that leaves you drenched in sweat as you jump around trying to entertain large groups of children who come from a race of people who don't sweat, and therefore don't understand your pit stains the size of a Dakota. Not fun. I guess I spent so much time mentally preparing myself for the upcoming summer, that I didn't really notice that it came, was not that bad, and passed. And here we are. November. And with each passing day, I find myself working steadily towards the half way mark of my second year in Korea, which is now less than three weeks away.

When we last spoke, I was spending a large portion of my mornings working with a group of kindergarten students, aged 3-6, who, on a daily basis, brought a smile to my face and demanded, on an average per student basis, 87 in the air high fives. In early August, we began preparing for the annual kindergarten concert extravaganza. This event brings students' families together to listen to classic English numbers performed by toddlers who don't speak English. Adorable.

Days before the event, I made a comment to one of the Korean teachers, who seemed unusually stressed, about how well the students were doing. And to be honest, they weren't doing that well. The line "What is Sally wearing today? Shoes, socks, pants and a blouse," at best, sounded like, "What sorry wearing day? Shocks, shocks, pans and brouse." As the most fluent English speaker in the room, I of course understood that little Sarah was butchering this song, but my comment about how well she was doing was me working under the assumption that it was a universal understanding that a little kid singing a song is cute. I mean, how can one really expect a person to master a song in another language when said child has yet to learn how to use a toilet? The Korean teacher's reply was something along the lines of, "Are you insane!?" She explained to me that Korean parents do not work under the same, 'my child is adorable' mindset that parents of kindergartners do in the West. She said that this concert is kind of a test for the school, and that parents expect their children to be flawless in their renditions of "What is Sally Wearing Today?" I didn't take this concern too seriously, not realizing how serious it actually was.

The day of the concert came, the children performed, butchered it as usual, and once again, I thought they did an excellent job. I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. Two weeks later our little kindergarten closed. The Korean teacher, the same one who weeks before, with panic stricken eyes, told me that the kids weren't good enough, was forced to say goodbye to a job she had held for 8 years, the same amount of time that our kindergarten had been open.

Korea, a country of limited natural resources, considers their children to be their greatest resource. This mindset, though in some ways is maybe really sweet way to value your kids, places a huge amount of pressure on students. This is something I have noticed since arriving in Korea nearly two years ago, but I never thought the expectations extended all the way to kids this young. And while I would like to say that I am very open minded to all cultural differences, I can't help but question this practice and mindset. I love Korea, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me and thousands of other Westerners to come here and help educate their natural resources, but I can't help but feeling sorry for these kids who are stuck in an educational system that all but robs them of a childhood.

Fast forward to today, I am still happily employed, my academy, though once heavily supported by Kindergarten tuition fees, still hosts around 200 elementary and middle school aged students. My schedule is much more like it was last year, I begin my day at 2 and finish around 7 or 8. I love my kids and couldn't be happier with my boss and the environment of the school. And I even got to hang on to two of my favorite Kindergarteners. David and Rosy, who you may remember as happy couple #1 from July's Kindergarten wedding, still attend the school an hour a day for private lessons. This means I get to spend a lot of time with two of my favorite people under the age of 5. We do really fun educational things such as shuffling around the room making peace signs and pretending to be lobsters (I don't really see the connection either, but David gets it, and that is the most important thing). David* has even started calling me father. We have also had lots of fun bonding moments like that time I made him pee a little bit when I popped out from behind a table on Halloween dressed as Shrek, and that time I watched, in what felt like slow motion, as he picked a giant little something from his nose, extended his hand, and then stuck said something in my own nose. As scarring as this may be, if I had to choose a single person in the world to put their own booger in my nose, it would be David, hands down.

What else is there to say? Life really hasn't changed that much. When I am not saying "Listen and repeat, 'film!' 'pillim!' 'No, FFFFFilm' 'pillim!' 'FFFFFIllllllmmmmmm!' 'PILLIM!' 'good job guys! moving on!'," I spend my time watching every reality show with 'New Jersey' in the title, hanging out with my few, but high quality friends, and talking about how we really need to buckle down and start saving money. I miss blogging, I miss talking about my life in Korea, but the more time passes, the more this place begins to feel like home. The things that stood once out as being really crazy culture shocks are now, at most, small differences in day to day life in a home that is surprisingly comfortable and welcoming. I miss my friends and family (who will be visiting in less than two months!) an insane amount, but I am not quite ready to say goodbye to this great little country. It really scares me how fast this six months has passed, and I am yet prepared to let go of my life here and strap on a name tag as one of the countless, unemployed twenty somethings in the United states. The American job market is not one I feel a strong desire to claw my way into, and I am having a hard time justifying leaving a well paying job that I love just because it is in a country that doesn't match my passport. I have decided to extend my contract for an indefinite amount of time, with an end goal of being home for Christmas in 2012.

In closing, I must admit that my comfort in Korea has made writing in a Korean Culture Shock themed blog harder than it was in the past, but I have realized that I still have a lot to say. I am working on a concept for a new online magazine/online community with a great friend from college, a project which I will keep you updated on in future posts. Love to you all, even those who I have never met, and I wish you all the best.

Until Next Time,
Which Will Hopefully Be Sooner Than It Was Last Time,
Ohhhh Time,

Peter Teacher


* Ladies and Gentlemen, I proudly introduce you to David, as he wishes my brother a happy birthday...

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=669490209221&saved

2-4-6-8 Err'body Immigrate

In December of 2009, I landed at Incheon International Airport for the very first time. Eyes wide and full of innocence, I made my way to customs, pretty unsure of what to expect. I looked over the different signs indicating which group of people should go where, and had a difficult time figuring out in which line I belonged. I was certain that I did not belong in the returning Korean citizens line, was pretty sure that the big fancy Visa in my passport disqualified me from the tourist line... this left the immigrant group, but that couldn't possibly be it, I am not an immigrant, I am an American... where was the American line? Hamburger? Anyone?

Then the realization began to dawn, I am an immigrant, and all of the stigmas and stereotypes, benefits, drawbacks and blatant racism that comes with being assigned this line at customs, suddenly belonged to me. Now that a year and a half has passed since the dawning of my identity at the customs counter, I have found myself frequently examining my role as an immigrant. Is everything I am doing now reflecting not only on myself, but foreigners as a whole, or more specifically, foreign teachers in Korea? Should I be taking offense to the mass numbers of people who come here thinking of it as nothing but a year long vacation, and never acknowledging the fact that Korean families are paying a lot of money for their kids to be educated by foreign teachers?

I will rewind a moment and make the honest statement that in my year and 2 months in South Korea I have felt incredibly welcomed. Almost all of the people I have met here are very hospitable, and any different treatment I have received because I am a foreigner has mostly been embarrassingly in my favor. That being said, the demographic of Korean people who are less than thrilled about the invasion of the foreign English teacher on their homogeneous nation is small, but not insignificant.

When Korean school owners hire foreign teachers, the only contact they have with said teacher before their arrival in Korea is often a simple phone call and a photo. And while many of the foreign teachers here are very qualified for their jobs and their bosses are happy they made the hiring choice they did, it isn't uncommon to come across someone who is, how do I put this nicely... a massive weirdo. The incidence of the weirdo population amongst us immigrants has led to the invention of our technological replacement. I have to imagine that grocery store clerks feel about self checkout lanes the way I feel about this little gadget, designed specifically to replace the foreign weirdo in the Korean classroom. Blog readers (mom)... allow me to introduce you to the aptly named, English Teaching Robot.



According to an article on i09.com, $45 million will be spent by the South Korean government to bring the English Teaching Robot to 500 preschools and Kindergartens by 2011, and 8,000 schools by 2013. The plan is in motion, if the robot is as successful as tests have indicated it will be, to bring the robot to Elementary schools by 2015. And in all fairness, with how technologically advanced this country is, this robot is maybe not a terrible idea. Honestly, it probably does a much better job than some of my previous coworkers...

The robot is a peaceful solution to the discrimination against the foreign teacher, but some people have taken it a step further. Check out this article from the LA Times entitled "Korean Activists Target Foreign Teachers." (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/31/world/la-fg-korea-english31-2010jan31) The article shines a light on a middle-aged Korean man named Yie Eun-woong, who spends his free time heading an anti foreign teacher organization which specializes in researching (pronounced stalking) foreign teachers with hopes of catching them in an 'immoral act' which they can then report to schools, parents of students, and, when appropriate, Korean authorities. The article says, "Then he follows them, often for weeks at a time, staking out their apartments, taking notes on their contacts and habits." Fun!

A simple Naver (Korea's Google) search of 'Anti English Teacher' brought me to this image, depicting the different sections of an English Teacher's Brain.



Again, in all fairness, this is a not entirely an unfair stereotype when looking at a small percentage of English teachers in Korea. But, on a larger scale, is this stereotype not applicable to a decent sized demographic in any population? And, to go back to my original question, are all immigrants expected to conduct a personal lifestyle under the assumption that every action will reflect the morals of their parent nation and or immigrant status as a whole?

An article in The Global Post attributes a big uprising of anti-English teacher sentiments to a Halloween party at a club in Seoul in 2008, where several foreign teachers were photographed with scantily clad Korean women. Though these women were dressed in Halloween costumes (which, if you have seen Mean Girls, you understand is synonymous with scantily clad) and were at the party based on their own choosing, the publication of these photos, in the eyes of many Korean traditionalists, reflected negatively on the English teaching population. These photos, mixed with a few highly publicized drug arrests of English teachers, inspired the formation of the activist group "Citizens of Right Education." The group, which currently has over 17,000 members, has a mission of eliminating foreign teachers from South Korea.

Though those who support the presence of foreign teachers in Korea far outnumber those who oppose it, the activists' statements have not been entirely ignored by the government. The activist inspired fear that the spread of HIV was due to the new influx of foreigners has resulted in the mandatory HIV testing of all Visa holders upon entering the country.

This blog post has gone in a different direction than originally intended, and I will leave the examples of anti-immigrant feelings in Korea here. I again feel that I strongly need to emphasize that I do not feel unwelcome in Korea. For every 1 person who dislikes the presence of foreign teachers, there are 100 smiling students and parents thanking us for moving across the world to help educate Korean children.

I guess the biggest thing I have learned from my immigrant status, beside the understanding that my actions do not only reflect myself, but my demographic as a whole, is that we all have to have a bit of understanding for immigrants in own countries. When I returned home last December, I felt aggressively defensive when I heard comments along the lines of, "and my gardener doesn't speak a damn word of English, you are in our country, learn our language." Moving to a new country is a huge life step, one that comes with many challenges you wouldn't expect. Your gardener, waiter, taxi driver, English teacher... they are all working a full time job, and are trying to support themselves and maybe an entire family with probably not a very high paying job. (And not everyone is as lucky as I am to be an immigrant in a country with such great health care...)Learning a language is hard, and you have no right to assume that they are not doing, to the best of their abilities, what they can to learn the native language. The most important thing to remember is that we are all people, and with that human title, you will find a lot of really great individuals, and some massive weirdos in the mix, but you should not judge someone based on their immigrant stamp in a passport.

Much love to you all, unless of course you are Yie Eun-woong...

Peter Teacher

Eating My Way to South Korea

Today, I would like to invite you to try some of the food I have been missing/craving since I left Korea in early December.

I have made this recipe a few times, and it is nothing short of really, really great. I replaced white sugar with brown sugar, and added slices of Kiwi to tenderize the meat. For vegetarians, or those who don't eat red meat, this recipe works well with portabella mushrooms, tofu, salmon and chicken.


Beef Bulgogi Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1.Place the beef in a shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. (If you prefer your food spicy, add Chili Powder to taste. Pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
3.Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Beef Bulgogi is really good over rice, or with lettuce to make Korean lettuce wraps, but I am a big fan of serving it over the Korean noodle dish called Japchae.

Japchae

12 Ounces Korean Vermicelli (Sweet Potato Noodles)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn off the flame, and add noodles. Allow the noodles to soak for 5 to 10 minutes until they are pliable. Strain the noodles and set them aside.

1/2 Cup Shitake Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Regular Mushrooms
1 Cup Onion
1 Cup Carrots
3 Cups Red Bell Pepper

Slice all vegetables into thin strips and mix together in a bowl. Add to the bowl 3 cloves of minced garlic, 4 Teaspoons Soy Sauce, 4 Teaspoons Sugar and 4 Teaspoons Sesame Oil. Allow the vegetables to marinate for a few minutes, before sauteing them in vegetable oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Set the vegetables aside.

To make the sauce for the noodles, called Yangnyumjang Sauce, you will need...
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion
1 Teaspoon Grated Fresh Ginger
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro (Cilantro is not used in Korean food, but, let's face it, this is not Korea, and cilantro is damn good)

Mix all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Directions
Heat 1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil in a pan over medium-high flame. When it begins to sizzle, add half of the Yangnyumjang Sauce and 1/4 Cup Water. Add the noodles, stir-frying for 5 ish minutes.

Combine the noodles, the vegetables and the remaining sauce in a large bowl. Serve chilled or room temperature.





On a side, somewhat related note, check out my friend's blog, My Vagabond Kitchen, featuring delicious recipes and stories of her travels. Check it out at http://myvagabondkitchen.blogspot.com/

West meets East Coast, a final bow, a somewhat large decision, and the puppy named Pube

I looked at the calender today and had a moment. (For legal purposes I must now say that this is a lie. I did not look at a calendar today. I do not, in fact, own a calendar. But, the need for an introduction for my first attempt at revisiting the writing self of my recent past outweighs my moral stance on total honesty in blogging.) As I looked at the calendar and let the date, March 3, 2011, really sink in, I realized that it has nearly been 3 months since I said goodbye to Peter Teacher and embraced a return life as an ex-expat back in the US of A.

Readjusting to life back home has not been an entirely easy process, though I do feel like more of a natural with each passing day. No longer do large groups of white people speaking in English entirely intimidate/irritate me. I have all but kicked my subconscious habit of bowing at the end of every transaction, I have even stopped mentally converting prices to Won. I have drastically reduced the number of Korean pop songs on my average playlist. I have also made a conscious effort to not talk about Korea too often after realizing that the average person really isn't biting at the bit to listen to me as I lengthily describe, in detail, my year as a teacher in South Korea.

While the memories of Korea are still very present in my mind, as time continues to hurtle forward, the whole experience begins to feel like more and more of a very pleasant, kimchi scented dream. And now that the dream of being a foreigner with hair of gold*, frolicking around the Korean peninsula without a financial worry has abruptly come to an end, I have found myself rudely awakened to the real world of post college life, no health insurance, and really expensive phone bills.

I left Colorado in early January, and have spent the past few months traveling the East Coast, in pursuit of a happy, or at least somewhat enjoyable life. I figure, what better way to build somewhat enjoyable life than applying for every job on Craigslist and trying to sink into a natural feeling lifestyle with a schedule, a paycheck, and a social circle that mirrored my experiences in Boston and in Suwon, South Korea. It took a trip back to Boston to realize that, while it holds countless memories and is still home to many people I wish I could see on a daily basis, my time in Boston has come to a close. I kept moving down the East Coast and am currently in Philadelphia, where I have been living with some really great friends for a month now. After spending days on end trying in vain to get any sort of employment, I have found myself in the exact same place I was before I left for Korea. Whenever my phone vibrates there is that moment of excited anticipation before I realize that it is just another email from facebook, could it possibly be a job, finally calling me in for an interview?

So, as I gazed at said fictionalized calendar and let the month of March really sink in, some new realizations began to emerge. If that call did finally come through and I found myself in a mind-numbing 40 hour a week data entry job, even under the guise of a 'just to pay the bills as I search for a job I really want' kind of job, I wouldn't be living a somewhat enjoyable life. I am only 23 years old, why should I settle for a job that makes this great life anything less than enjoyable? This is why I, Peter Unemployed, have made a decision. I will be returning to Korea, this time as a kindergarten teacher in Seoul, for another go as Peter Teacher this upcoming May. I have a lot of changes in how I want to approach a second year in Korea, and am really happy that I will once again be in a country where wearing Spiderman socks with sandals is not only accepted, but damn fashionable, in just a few months.

I have had an amazing time catching up with everyone out East these past several weeks and would like to thank you all for your friendship and hospitality. I have much more to say to you all, especially those I didn't get this time around, at a later time. For now, I will leave you with an email I got earlier this week from a former student.

"Hello teacher I am Emily. Are you remember me? My brother is Allen. How are you? I am fine. And my dog lay the puppy. Puppy name is Pube. Goodbye ~~"

Until Soon,

Peter

*
"Teecha! You must be very rich. You have gold hair!" from The Dodgy End of Haiti, a Knocked Up Snow White and Chicken from Kentucky, Monday, March 15, 2010

Caaaaab Driver, You Don't Have to Stop for Red Light*

I have been here for three months now and feel that I have pretty much become immune to culture shock. The things that stood out as culturally insane when I first arrived are now just a part of my day to day life. I am used to strange looks and people constantly telling you their not so flattering thoughts on your appearance, I have fully adjusted to the fact that public restrooms never have soap and often don't have a sink, I have even started referring to myself in the third person as Peta Teecha. Even though this new found culture shock immunity is something I am pretty pleased with, I do genuinely enjoy when something happens that stands out as being very, very different.

Something that continually shocks me are the subtle differences in day to day activities, activities that are so routine and insignificant one wouldn't really think to look for strong examples of culture shock. To demonstrate my point, I will walk you through a few of these things including a haircut, a physical, and a cab ride.

Haircut

I had my first haircut in Korea this past weekend, a process that I have been dreading since I arrived. It is in these random life need errands that you truly realize you are actually living in a place. I am not just a tourist. I live here. I have needs. I needed a haircut. Now that it is all said and done, I have to say that I am honestly looking forward to the next time I need a trim. I found a shop simply called "Scissors For Man" and figured that it was probably a safe bet. This shop just seemed to be, well, for me. I entered the store and was amazed to find that the hairdresser spoke better English than many of the Koreans who are teaching English at my school. As I sat in the chair the man asked if I would like to be massaged during my haircut, he then flicked a switch on the chair to show me just what this massage would entail should I choose to accept. The chair began to vibrate and rub my back and legs. Honestly, I hated it, but for more massage inclined patrons, this seems like a pretty impressive offering for a salon that charges under $6 for a haircut. I politely declined the massage. My eyes were then directed to the counter space below the mirror in front of me. The man pressed a button and a flat screen television rose out of the counter. He quickly flicked through the channels to find something playing in English and landed on a Nazi war movie with Jude Law. Nothing says haircut like a gory Nazi flick, and it truly made the 20 minute haircut fly by. I couldn't decide which was more entertaining, the video entertainment or the two Korean men in chairs to either side of me with their hair done up in curlers to obtain the so popular Korean man perm. As my first haircut in Korea experience came to an end, the kind barber quickly shoved a little trimmer in both of my nostrils to add new definition to the expectations one usually have of their barber. As I left, everyone in the shop, including the men in curlers, turned and waved to say goodbye.

Physical

I think the words hair pulling three year old tantrum throwing phobia are accurate descriptors of my feelings before a physical. I am a pretty big believer in personal space, and feel that the act of getting a physical pops your metaphorical bubble in a truly unpleasant way. When I first came here I was informed that later in the week I would be taken for my physical that is required of all foreigners upon their arrival in Korea. When the dreaded day came, I made my way to the hospital with my supervisor Jenny, her husband Charlie and my coworker Anthony, all of whom followed me throughout the entire physical. The entire process took under a half hour and is one of the funniest things I have encountered here thus far, though I am still not entirely sure I understand what happened. The best way that I can describe it is that you are shoved from room to room by doctors and nurses who speak little to no English, which means that you are never once told what is going on or what to expect. The process began in one room where a nurse wrenched open my mouth and pulled out my tongue and squeezed it for a bit, next room you are shoving your arms in some machine to do something I am still unclear on, next room is a blood test. I found it pretty shocking that gloves were not worn by any of the nurses at the hospital, even during the blood test. Next, they hand you a cup and give you directions to the toilet. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that the bathroom was just under a five minute walk away. I finished the cup filling process and made my way back towards the room where I was told the cup should be deposited. The long walk with the cup o' pee was pretty intimidating, what can I say, I guess I just prefer being seen in public without a cup filled with urine. I tried to avoid thinking about what would happen should I fall, which is especially likely when you are surrounded by Koreans who are very inclined to push and shove. There were a few more exams that were very fast and totally confusing, and in a flash my physical was done. I would take a physical in Korea over one in the states any day, though I still would prefer to avoid the whole experience all together.

Cab Ride

Cabs are amazingly cheap here and things are pretty spread out, so I feel that I have become quite accustomed to the Korean cab experience. The biggest obstacle you must tackle when getting in a Korean cab is gaining a calm understanding that your driver will not stop for red lights. They are just against it. Though it makes for a much quicker form of transportation than the cabs I was used to in Boston, I still find myself gasping and grabbing at the door handle in almost every cab ride I take. The drivers don't seem to notice, as every cab I have been in comes with a personal television in just to the right of the steering wheel that they seem to watch more intently than they do the road. It isn't uncommon that a driver will just refuse to take you because they aren't in the mood to go where you request or because you are a foreigner. They will sometimes decide mid ride that they don't want to finish taking you where you are going, at which point they will simply pull over and ask you to get out. Another thing to keep in mind when visiting Korea is that you should never take a cab that is black. This ride will be nearly twice as expensive, and the only difference is that the driver is wearing a suit.

*http://mp3bear.com/the-police-roxanne

Alive and Kickin' in my XXXXL Jacket

This past weekend was perhaps the biggest weekend I have experienced thus far in my 2+ months in Korea. Lunar New Years, according to Wikipedia and the mixed stories I have gotten from my Korean friends, is also known as Seollal, and is the most important of the Korean traditional holidays. This, combined with the fact that we had an extra day off of work, combined with the fact that our dear Korean friend Donna is incredibly motivated, inspired myself and two other teacher friends to head to Busan, "The San Francisco of Korea" to ring in the Korean New Year.

This whirlwind weekend was only topped by the amazing scenery of Busan. The jagged cliffs rising out of the bright blue ocean were a perfect scenic compliment to the Buddhist Temples set high in the mountains above Busan. But before I go any further into a description of this amazing weekend, let me give you some background information on exactly how it all came to be.

I have found that I am very good at planning vacations with friends that never seem to transpire. The Western mindset seems all too accepting of letting plans slip by the wayside until it is too late to logically book the necessary tickets and accommodations to make these fantasy plans a reality. This is where our friend Donna comes in. A simple facebook message was sent a few weeks back asking if we would be interested in spending the Lunar New Years with her and her family in Busan. We sent messages back that said something along the lines of "sure!". The next message we received, sent minutes later, was that our bus tickets had already been purchased and a hotel reservation had been made.

Three weeks later, we find ourselves exhausted and stumbling off of a 5+ hour bus ride that started at 4 AM. The jam packed Busan schedule did not allow us any time to rest up before the adventures began, and we made our way to the hotel to shower up and hit the road. Our hotel room was amazing, but seemed to be missing one key thing a person would hope to find in a hotel. Beds. Instead we quickly came to terms with the fact that at the day's end, we would be curling up in blankets on the floor, enjoying the amazing ocean view from the giant picture window.

We made our way through beaches, museums and hills. We saw crying mermaid statues and extension bridges. We collected sea glass, took hundreds of pictures, and eventually made our way to Donna's home.

We met her grandmother, mother and sister, and were warmly welcomed into their home. They did not speak much English so the communication was relatively limited, but this did not stop them from teaching us how to make Mondu (dumplings) from scratch and preparing a really amazing meal. We finished the food, watched as Donna's talented artist sister gave Stephanie a two hour manicure, and eventually made our way back to the floor of our hotel room.

The next day we went to a Buddhist Temple in the cliffs, which is probably the most amazing thing I have ever seen. (Pictures will be posted ASAP). I finally found the courage to be a creepy tourist, and was comfortable taking pictures of the really adorable kids dressed in their traditional clothing, bowing before giant Buddha statues.

From here we went to a giant market to do some shopping. We made our way through shops and carts selling a mixture of designer knock off goods and really trendy Asian clothing. Let me preface the rest of the market story by saying that it is nearly impossible to find clothes that fit in Korea, but that I generally wear a size L or XL in the States. After trying on clothes at countless stores, I finally found a jacket that fit, which was pretty exciting for me seeing as I have been braving the winter weather in nothing but a sweatshirt for the past few months. I went into the store to ask about jackets, and the woman looked at me and said, "Fat Size?" "Yes," I told her, "fat size." She gave me a really great fat sized jacket, and I was honestly thrilled with my consumer participation in the Busan marketplace.

From here we made our way to the biggest fish market I have ever seen, not that I have seen that many, but seriously this place was huge. We passed hundreds of carts selling a bizarre array of seafood, things I could not have dreamed existed. We passed carts selling fresh whale meat and giant octopus, and then made our way to Donna's favorite place to get some nice, fresh eel. The three of us Americans and Donna ate the eel with varying levels of excitement. The meal is one of Donna's favorites, and Blake honestly seemed to agree with her, I attempted to be polite and took a few gracious bites, and Stephanie screamed and made vomit faces as she choked down a single, chewey bite. After we ate the meal, they brought over some of the eel they had not yet killed so we could see what it was we had just eaten. The living writhing eels had been skinned alive and were covered in spicy sauce and their own blood. Let me tell you, that this is not exactly the prettiest picture, especially when being viewed in the context of of a meal you have just eaten.

We made our way to the university area where we participated in some good old fashioned Norebang (singing room), and prepared to make our way back to Suwon at 6 AM the next morning. We arrived in Suwon at noon on Monday, happy to have had such a satisfying weekend with great friends. I seriously have 200 pictures to document these two days, which I will upload asap. To close out my first blog post in a really long time, I will tell you a little bit more about my fat jacket. Yesterday, upon closer inspection, I found a tag on the new jacket that listed the size as XXXL. The people at the store seem to have thought that this was not nearly a big enough representation, as they drew on an extra X with a pen. I am now nice and warm, and slightly insecure, in my quadruple XL Jacket. Thank you Korea.

Welcome Home

Up until this weekend, my stay in Korea has had a massive shadow cast over it by one store and two syllables. Home Plus. I have heard so much about this magical place, but never quite grasped the magnitude of what exactly Korean shopping had to offer until yesterday when I made my first trip to this Wonka Factory of consumerism.

Suwon has three Home Plus locations, and the closest to me is only a 5 ish minute cab ride away. The store is 4 or 5 stories tall, and each level is the size of a Wal Mart. The first level is full of clothing and jewelry, and prices range from insanely cheap to very high end. The clothes here looked great and were definitely affordable, but I unfortunately don't seem to fit into anything. I guess I will need another couple of months of the Korean diet before this level of Home Plus will be of much use to me.

I made my way to the top with the idea that I would check out the entire store and work my way down. This level had literally everything from televisions to cell phones to art supplies to home products, and I spent a good hour looking at everything I didn't really need and really didn't have the money to buy. I left only spending 30,000 (like $25) and felt that I had done a pretty good job. I bought a bath towel (finally I can stop drying myself with the shirt I wore the day before) three floor cushions, and a dining room table. The dining room table was only 16,000, but one must keep in mind that a Korean dining room table is maybe 3 feet across and comes up maybe 9 inches off the ground. These products have brought my apartment a long way towards feeling more like a home, and I am very happy with the purchases of the 5th floor.

While perusing the grocery store level, I came to a sudden epiphany. I have spent a lot of time here searching for a strong statement of Korean culture. Besides the fact that I am paying for things in Won and listening to people speak in a different language, I keep having to remind myself that I am in another country. Everything is so consumer driven here that there doesn't seem to be a strong statement of culture that is uniquely Korean. In that moment, I realized that this the cultural statement I have been looking for. This store was really incredible, and was like nothing I have ever seen before. It truly was uniquely Korean.

The store was completely packed with families bonding together through large scale consumerism. An employee was stationed at every aisle with fresh cooked samples of really great food, and the employee was not only expected to cook and distribute the food, but to loudly yell about the wonders of said product. Talk about multitasking. At each sample table there was a minor mosh pit of Koreans of all ages going back for seconds and thirds of these generous sized samples. It was truly anything goes, and I was frequently shoved out of the way by 4 year olds dive bombing, toothpick in hand, for the last remaining chunk of unidentifiable meat. The sampling crowds were especially present around the liquor aisle, where they were giving out large "samples" of beer. There were at least 15 male shoppers fully taking advantage of the fact that there really was no limit to exactly how many samples one could take. I could tell by a combination of their bright red faces and not so steady stances that they had been there for quite some time.

I timidly made my way through the store holding my products in hand. The process of getting a shopping cart was bizarrely intimidating so I just decided to skip it all together. I had found everything I came for except one key thing; peanut butter. I had made my way through every aisle and knew I didn't have the energy for a return trip through the store in search of my last remaining need. I quickly found an employee who, as it turned out, is the nicest person who has ever existed. Over the din of the store I slowly enunciated the words "PEA-NUT BUT-TER." He smiled, nodded, took me by the hand, and walked with me for nearly three minutes to the large display of peanut butter. We wound through massive crowds of shoppers, and even though he never let go of my hand, he frequently looked back, smiling, to make sure that I was keeping up with him. I was kind of embarrassed when I realized that it was right underneath the jelly and the bread, products which were currently in my hands, but he thankfully paid no attention to my ineptitude as a first time Home Plus shopper.

When I finally left the store I was exhausted. My Home Plus experience lasted a good 2 and a half hours, and was without a doubt the most significant event of my weekend. I have been here now for over 5 weeks and have yet to get a paycheck from my school, so my consumerism was pretty limited. Once I do get paid, however, Home Plus will be a priority destination for some good, ol' fashioned Korean shopping.




I did not bring a camera with me to Home Plus, so I am posting this completely unrelated photo because I have realized that this blog is seriously lacking in pictures. This is Stephanie of Seattle, Tara of Dublin and Confused Korean Man, preparing for New Years Eve in Seoul.

Culture Shock

One of the biggest cultural differences I have noticed so far here has to do with planning and advanced notice, or more specifically, the complete lack thereof. In Korea, people are very comfortable with just going with the flow, and expect you to be able to do the same. Though this will take some adjusting, I am actually happy about developing a better ability to be spontaneous.

I work from 3 PM to 10 PM Monday through Friday, and Monday I was really pretty exhausted by the time 9 rolled around. With only one hour left in my first day of training, I was very much looking forward to heading back to my apartment and passing out. It was right around this time that my supervisor Jenny informed me that when the work day ended at 10 PM, we would be driving to the school's headquarters in another town so I could meet the principal and vice principal.

Teachers here work very, very late at night. The native english teachers at my academy get off work at 10 PM but often times the Korean English teachers are working until midnight or later. A position as principal is no exception from the long hours. I later met Jenny's husband who seemed not entirely thrilled that his wife worked until midnight 6 days a week, and I got a sad glimpse into the very work driven life many Korean's lead.

We arrived at headquarters and I was told that I needed to be very energetic with a huge smile on my face when meeting with the heads of the academy. I first met with the Vice Principal, and was a little surprised when Jenny said, in front of the VP, "Our Vice Principal is very handsome, isn't he?" I smiled and agreed, and the introduction lasted for less than two minutes. I was then brought upstairs to meet with the principal. In the staircase on the way up we came across a lady who was introduced to me as the supervisor, Jenny's counterpart at that location. Once again Jenny asked me, "Our supervisor is very beautiful, isn't she?" Again, I agreed with her, not used to commenting on the physical appearance of my superiors in the workplace. When we met with the principal, once again, I was asked to comment on the beauty of my new boss. During the two minutes I spent speaking with the Principal, she called me fat, "you look very full", was shocked that I was only 22 "you look so old!", and laughed hysterically at my last name. I considered explaining to her that, no, the name actually works out well because of the pun in my blog title, but figured I should probably just laugh along with her. I guess being from the West with a last name of West is quite funny in the East.

As it was explained to me from my new English Teacher friends, Koreans are very, very obsessed with appearance. They do not hesitate to bring up any aspect of your image, no matter how offensive it may be to a Westerner. Fashion is everything here, and people are always expected to look their absolute best in any situation. I have come to the conclusion that during my stay in Korea I will either gain a very thick skin or a nasty bout of anorexia, but I am leaning towards letting these comments roll off my American back.

I am still so happy to be here, this has been a great experience so far and I am really excited to see what comes next!

No Socks, No Right Hand, No Service

The following information has been taken from The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture: Korea.

I have been pretty nervous about not knowing all of the behavioral differences between Western and Eastern cultures. It is in these subtleties that I will find my success or failure with my students and new acquaintances, so I of course have skimmed this book at least once. Here are a few of the more entertaining differences from the 100 pages I have highlighted in this book so far.

-It is traditional for those seated on a bus or other form of public transportation to hold the bags of standing passengers. One should not be surprised if a heavy bag is quietly taken from them on a bus or train. It is not a thief but a seated passenger hoping to relieve you of your burden for the duration of the ride.

-Some Korean women will smoke and drink (especially if they are over 60) (SIXTY?!) lead independent lives, and file for divorce. A growing number manage or own businesses. Women are well represented in many professions. There is also a strong feminist movement in South Korea.

-Many Koreans avoid the number 4 (sa) since it has the same pronunciation as the word for death. Thus you will often find that some Korean buildings will not have a fourth floor, or that the letter "F" replaces the number. Because many Koreans are aware of Western superstitions, the number 13 may also be missing.

-To use the left hand is seen by all Koreans as offensive. It is best to offer something to another person, especially if they are senior in age or rank to you, with both hands. If that is not possible, use the right hand.

-Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice as this resembles the way incense is burned at funerals.

-Bare feet are generally to be avoided. (WHOOO! I hate feet. Could not be more ok with this.) Koreans live eat and sleep on the floor, so it is important that floors are spotlessly clean. (The author notes: I have been reprimanded for not wearing socks with sandals by a total stranger on the streets of Seoul.)

-Gold is the best color for wrapping gifts, and all gifts should be wrapped. Avoid black and white.

-Displays of bad temper are regarded as the height of bad manners and are unlikely to achieve much. It is also best to avoid direct criticism as far as possible. If you have to criticize, do it in a vague and roundabout way, and do not do it in public. The direct approach will leave your audience embarrassed and uncooperative.

-Koreans may slurp soup, burp after a meal, and clear their throats noisily, but they do not blow their noses in public.

Good Friends and Great Causes

Please consider supporting two of my good friends by donating to one or both of the following causes, even $5 goes an incredibly long way and is greatly appreciated:



Ariella will be traveling to Honduras with Global Medical Brigade to help over 1,500 people get access to much needed health care. This will be her third trip to Honduras to provide care, and she can really use your support! For more information on Ariella's trip to Honduras and how your donation can make a huge difference, visit https://fundraising.intelis.com/gbl/AThons/Home.jsp?Person=cc0d0bb812415319ad3100438b561717&Event=cc0d0bb81204854da6a100335db8ce52




Dyani is the founder and director of The Barrio Plant Project,

a community development initiative assisting in the growth of the low-income neighborhood "La Planta" in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Through education, job-training, and community development, the residents of "La Planta" are given the building blocks to create and maintain a successful and rewarding life.Project includes free English classes for children and adults, a basketball clinic, a mural in progress, a book club, music projects, community development activities and neighborhood rehabilitation work. For more information and to make a donation to help Dyani and the residents of La Planta, visit http://barrio-planta-project.blogspot.com/ .

Ironing Out The Details: My First Lesson

One of the main reasons I decided to actually make this move to Korea is that it is the only job option I have been presented with thus far that will without a doubt change my life in big ways. It looks like I was right in this assumption, as the first change occured today. This message came from a contact at the school I will be working in.

Tara: "You must iron everything and look neat and presentable. Ironing your clothes is a must...it may surprise you but a lot of teachers have come here and claim they dont know how to iron. Therefore, if you are the same, I recommend you learn!"

My Reply: "I'm an old pro! Will the iron/board be supplied in my apartment?"

First Website I Visited After My Reply: http://www.wikihow.com/Iron

With Thanksgiving in the very recent past, my mind is still set to really recognize those things I am truly thankful for. Today, I am thankful for Google.

How It All Began

In case you have come across this blog and don't already know me... my name is Peter West, and I am from Morrison, Colorado. I recently graduated from an overpriced private liberal arts college in Boston, with a degree in Marketing Communications. It just so happens that hundreds of thousands of other young aspiring marketers obtained this same degree, in the same month, during the worst economic situation since the 1930s. After months of applying for countless entry level positions I didn't really want, and with student loans a knock knock knockin' on my broke ass door, I decided to seek an alternative route to employed bliss*.

This route began with a move from my quaint** cockroach infested apartment in Allston, MA to a guest room in my parent's log cabin in the mountains of Colorado. It has taken me through a three month process of obtaining a visa, and finally, on December 11th, it will be taking me to Suwon, South Korea. I will be in Suwon for one year, and will be teaching English to 9-16 year old students at the Leehaeyoun Language School. I speak little to no Korean, (I can say "hello" and "easy tiger"***) and have been told that there is no training session for this position. I will be landing in Seoul on a Saturday, sleeping off jet lag on Sunday, and will begin teaching first thing on Monday. I am nervous and ish panic attack-y, but I am ready for the change and excited to see what the next year has in store.

Check back soon for more updates

*for me, at this point in time, bliss simply means being able to afford rent, cell phone bills, minimum payments on student loans, food, and minimal calls from debt collectors. Note, moving out of the country should also help with the "no calls from debt collectors" goal.

**I actually really, really miss this apartment and my Boston friends. I do not, however, miss the cockroaches. Terrifying. Let's hope they don't have cockroaches in Suwon?

***I can say "Hello" (Ahn-nyung) for two reasons. The first being that it is the name my mom gave a tiny kitten we found in the forest and decided to keep. The second, and actually the inspiration for the kitten name, is the show Arrested Development. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXYSjyZCmKI




I can say "Easy Tiger" because it was the funniest post in my Korean dictionary, so of course, it is the only one I can really remember.