Some things I will never understand..

Happy (belated) St. Patricks day everyone! All the foreigners celebrated St. Patties day on the weekend and it was really nothing to write home about (literally)-- okay I need to stop using that line, its just too easy haha! It pretty much seemed like any other day except we threw on some green before we started drinking. I say "foreigners" because I don't think many Koreans party or even recognize St. Patties day as any special day. I figure this is because Korea has such a prominent drinking culture, that any holiday where one is intended to drink alcohol, would counterpart a typical day for most Koreans. Therefore, there is no use of calling it St. Patties day or anything else for that matter. Majority of Koreans are going to drink no matter what day of the week and not just one beer or two, I have seen many empty the bar! Now you may think I am exaggerating or generalizing all Koreans to be constantly inebriated, but ask anyone who has lived in their country, and I can guarantee they would say the same thing. Almost everyday after I leave work at 9pm or 10pm, there are handfuls of Korean men (and few women) gallivanting on the streets. Personally I find it quite humorous that some Koreans can drink an immense amount of alcohol, acting out in the evenings and be complete professionals during the day. When the lights go down and the moon comes out, it's a whole other story! I remember my first week of work, the Principal of my school asked me if there was a word in English to describe feeling sick after a night of drinking. "Uhh... hangover"? I replied hesitantly... at this point I was unaware of Korea's alcohol tolerance. He smiled and shook my hand..."Ahh yes, yes, hangover", walking away with a smile. I suppose he had now understood his diagnosis in English.
Here are some pictures of the weekend festivities:

Starting St. Patties day right... with a green cup of beer!

My co worker Joanna's band (Feed the Boats) played for the St. Patricks day celebration Saturday night

Some of my Korean co workers even showed up!

The bar tenders were dressed for the occasion too!

Just last Thursday my co worker and I went for Korean BBQ after work and during our relaxing meal, a Korean man stormed into the restaurant holding a large metal knife (smaller than a butcher knife and larger than a steak knife) screaming on the top of his lungs and waving it around over his head! Joanna and I both sat there frozen and weren't sure what to do!? I mean, Koreans typically sound like they are yelling or angry, even though they might just be asking what you ate for dinner the night before... so since we couldn't understand this obviously intoxicated and belligerent man, we depended on the reactions of other patrons in the restaurant to get a good read on this guy. Well both our instincts were correct, after we noticed the waiters and waitresses backing up into the kitchen, we knew that we were in a somewhat dangerous situation. After waving the knife high and low, the man decided to park himself at a table directly behind US (the only foreigners in the restaurant)! He then began stabbing the table and throwing cutlery and napkins on the ground... this was getting to be more serious and the fact that a drunk man holding a knife was sitting behind me, didn't really sit well with me. I decided to quickly stand up and sit at another table, and at the same time a younger gentleman entered the restaurant trying to calm him down. This infuriated him more, throwing his eyeglasses on the floor waving the knife even more violently. At this point Joanna and I are assuming the police have been called and were just waiting nervously for him to be escorted out. However, that was not the case. A waiter and the mans acquaintance physically lead him outside and the waiters stood in front of the doors to ensure he wouldn't come barging back inside. About 15minutes later... he came barging back inside. But this time he just wanted to retrieve his glasses that he threw off in an angry rage. It was such a ridiculous situation and I couldn't help but think that if something to this extent happened in North America, he would have been sitting in the back of a cop car WITHOUT his damn glasses!

Anyways, I'm sure I have mentioned in earlier posts that you sit on the floor in 8 out of 10 restaurants around here. I thought after a while I would be able to get used to eating my meal cross legged, but my feet still seem to fall asleep EVERY time! It's getting really frustrating and I don't exactly understand WHY they don't have chairs?! Maybe its a cultural/heritage thing, but it is now 2010, and it just seems more civilized to eat a nice dinner sitting on a chair! Okay, I will admit, my legs might be longer than the average Korean, or non Korean, but a lot of other people I have spoken to agree and prefer sitting in a chair when they are eating a meal. Oh well, I suppose I will just have to deal with numb feet for the duration of my restaurant experiences in Korea! Could be worse...I could have "squatter" bathrooms as the only toilet option at my workplace!....oh wait.... I DO!!

My intentions are not to turn this blog entry into a vent session, there are just some Korean practices that I will never understand. Clearly, it is more comfortable/convenient for women to use a standard, Western toilet and I don't think you need to be a Westerner to appreciate that. What boggles my mind is the fact that there are equal amounts of 'squatter' toilets and Western toilets around the city so every time I enter a facility and need to use the washroom, I find myself praying to G-D that I'll get a good one!! What I am trying to say is that since you can find both types of toilets, why would anyone PREFER a squatter!? When my school was being built how and why did they decide on implementing the squatters?

"Hey Bob, which kind of toilets do you think we should install here?"

"I dunno Jim, I'm running low on toilet seats, lets just give 'em the good old squatters!"

Okay, this conversation would obviously be in Korean... but how else do you think it went down?

Since we are on the topic of bathrooms, I must mention the eclectic mix of bathroom signs I have seen during my 4 months here. WARNING: Some of them are graphic so if you are reading this and are under the age of... oh I don't know... 13? You should probably stop here.

Can you guess which kind of toilet is behind the door?

This is a co-ed bathroom... go figure.

Only for children... seems a little creepy if you ask me

I don't even know...?!

This one speaks for itself. The english translation is pretty ridiculous too.

They couldn't be more clear!!

There is absolutely NO reason for these outrageous and ambiguous bathroom signs (the standard male/female stick figure would be sufficient) but again, there are some things in Korea I will never seem to grasp.

Another example involves my students. Apparently, saying, "Your face looks Chinese" is actually considered an offensive remark! I have been hearing this being said by my students and one even began to cry! Reallllllly!? However, they call each other "fat" and "ugly" but that doesn't seem to bother them. Another thing I have learned about Koreans while living here is that they are, for the most part, BRUTALLY honest and sometimes just downright rude! My co worker Joanna got a Christmas card from our Korean co teacher that basically said, "I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. It is great working with you. Go on a diet. From, Mrs. Ohn".

No word of a lie! When I was talking with my students about the Canadian Olympic figure skater whose Mother passed away, one girl raised her hand and said, "But teacha, she is fat!". I sort of stood there unresponsive. That is really what you raised your hand to say? Oh boy. Keep in mind, this was the same girl wearing 27 flesh colored bandages on her face to cover her pimples.

Well unfortunately the yellow dust is blowing in and almost all my friends and students are sick! The sky is a strange shade of green and apparently the dust has never been this bad! The majority of my students have been coughing and sneezing throughout the lessons and I know some of them should be resting at home but that is not even a conceivable option for these children. They just toss on a SARS mask and call it a day! Not only are these masks now a fashion statement, but they have also become a quick fix to ensure these hard working kids never miss a day of school. Luckily, I am feeling fine, but worried that it will catch on. Thinking about investing in a mask myself... obviously it would need to be bedazzled or a nice shade of pink! Going to take a rest and update you all again soon!

Signing off,

Gillian xx

A World Unknown

So the good news is that I arrived home safe and sound from the North/South Korean border, better known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Saturday afternoon some friends and I went on a 7 hour tour of the DMZ where we were first required to sign a waver understanding that the Korean military cannot be held accountable in the event of a hostile enemy act. So in other words, they could not guarantee our safety if North Korea decided to pursue an attack. It was a very interesting tour and I actually learned a lot (considering we were running on ZERO hours of sleep). Gwangju is about 4 hours from Seoul (where we had to meet the tour group) so we decided it made the most sense to leave late Friday night (or early Saturday morning) at 2am. The bus got into Seoul at 5:30am which gave us an hour and a half to kill. Luckily we found a 24 hour coffee shop and set up camp until we it was time to head North.

Being able to peek over into such a secretive, unknown world was such an erie experience. We were able to view one North Korean village that seemed almost like a ghost town; very still and silenced. All in all it was a very unique experience to say the least. I purchased some original North Korean currency which I was told Kim Jung Il (North Korean President) had recently revised and has only allowed his citizens to exchange a couple hundred dollars to fit its new form. This means that individuals and families who have savings were only permitted to trade the required sum and the rest has been occupied by the government. It is hard to believe that a Country like North Korea exists in such an autonomous world we live in today but hopefully tours like this one will encourage people to stick their necks out further and question the type of regime and control that is present in their realm of isolation.

Old North Korean currency I purchased. Kim Jung Il is present on every bill AND coin... a little narcissistic, eh?

Posing with a South Korean Solider who did not move from that position for the entirety of our tour

A North Korean village close to the border

Peeking over to the other side

This gate was filled with little banners that South Koreans displayed if they had been separated from their families during the war. North Koreans are not permitted to leave the country and therefore have never been able to reconnect with displaced family members.

An old train with hundreds of bullet wounds

North Korea is just behind this gate. "No entry" would be an understatement

On a brighter note, today (Sunday March 14th) is a Korean holiday known as White day. Exactly one month after Valentines Day, guys are supposed to spoil their girlfriends with candy. On Friday I received buckets of candies as well as a pie from the majority of my male students. It was so adorable! I also received a new student on Friday who already had his English name chosen from the minute he entered the classroom. I now have a "Franklin Roosevelt" along with Obama and George Washington. He was very stern on having me call him by his full name... just "Franklin" won't suffice. I was also given a new nickname by my students who are STILL dumbfounded by my hair and tell me it looks like Ramin noodles. My new name is "noodle teacha" and it cracks me up every time!

You can tell one has been in Korea for an extended period of time when they start to recognize Korean celebrities in advertisements. Walking around Seoul, I was able to point out some Korean actors and pop stars posing in Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's ads. I was very proud of myself since when I first arrived here, I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the Principle of my school and the President of Korea!

Being in Seoul I always end up treating myself to some good old Western food! I mean, Korean food is great and all but kimchi can get pretty old and a good turkey sub or McDonald's burger is a good reminder of home. However, since this is still Korea, restaurants naturally must alter their menu's to cator to the mainstream citizens and of course, McDonald's is no exception. So instead of onion rings they serve "squid rings" and also offer a shrimp and rice cake burger! Yumm (not really).

Anyways it's getting late and I still have half a sub I saved from Seoul, so I am going to enjoy the last of my Western dinner and get ready for another week of teaching.

Write more soon!

Signing off,

Gillian xx

Good Morning, Vietnam!

The busy streets of Hanoi

Standing in a red sea where the sea is literally red (Doson Beach)

I tried...

Leaving the North of Vietnam, just in time for a beautiful sunset

The food market in Hai Phong (Lucy's town)

And I'm backkk! What an incredible and eye opening trip that was! I have to say, Vietnam is a country that should be on everybodys bucket list. It is such a beautiful and spiritual place and being there felt like I was in a whole other world. It is hard to explain in words the stunning sights you see and the feeling of complete zen that came over me when I visited Buddist temples in caves over one million years old. The six nights I was there felt like a dream that I never wanted to wake up from.

Lucy was such an incredible host! I literally felt like I was on an organized tour since the moment I stepped off the plane, she was there to greet me and inform me of our weeks itinerary. Our days began at dawn and ended at dusk. Her family was more than accommodating and even though her parents could not speak a word of English, they wanted me to live like a Vietnamese person would, and even gave me a Vietnamese name. My new name is "Duyen" (pronounced: Zuen), meaning 'charming'. Her mother is an incredible cook and before I arrived, asked Lucy to teach her two very important English words that were spoken to me by her parents at EVERY SINGLE MEAL... "Eat more!" So for you Jewish mothers reading this, no, it is NOT a "Jewish Mother" thing... it is just a "Mother" thing. haha

The second day I was there happened to be Lucy's fathers birthday and since the whole family was together in Vietnam (which is quite rare since Lucy moved to Canada and her sister to England) it was a huge celebration. They rented the top floor of a restaurant and had about 40 family and friends come together to celebrate. It was an amazing evening and I was honored to be part of such a memorable occasion. There were a lot of firsts for me that night which included partying in Vietnam being the only foreigner, as well as drinking Remy Martin Cognac. Vietnamese people love to drink ALMOST as much as Koreans.

On Wednesday her family and I drove 2 hours South to Halong Bay where we rented a private boat and sailed the waters for 6 hours! The sights were spectacular- nothing like I have ever seen before! I think what makes Halong Bay so unique is that the large rocks you see in the pictures have their roots underneath the water. We sailed to a 'floating town' in the middle of the bay where the captain anchored the boat and encouraged us to get out and take pictures of the scenery. The staff on our boat proceeded to fish for our dinner (literally) and I have never eaten fresher sea food in my entire life. I was officially living in a fairy tale and never wanted out. However, every fairy tale has a culprit and mine just happened to be pirates- no joke! When we returned to our boat after taking pictures and enjoying the backdrop, I noticed my wallet had been tampered with and eventually realized that about $50 had been stolen from me. I think Lucy's mom was more upset about it than me, but I wasn't going to let a couple of pirate thieves ruin the rest of my time in paradise. And anyways, who else can say they have ever been robbed by pirates??

The floating town

Me, Lucy her sister and her dad on our boat in Halong Bay

The private boat we rented for the day

After that exciting tour of Halong Bay, we drove back to Lucy's home and went out for authentic Vietnamese food- snails. I know you are probably thinking of escargot, but these snails were nothing fancy! Lucy, her mother and I walked to a market where we came across buckets and buckets of LIVE snails. Her mother chose the ones she thought tasted the best and the snails were then tossed into boiling water, put on a plate and onto our table. I was hesitant at first but tried a couple different kinds and actually really enjoyed them!

Her mother was so proud that Lucy had a foreign friend willing to try just about anything since she mentioned to Lucy that she was worried how different their world is then ours. Now I say I was willing to try "just about anything" because the next day we went to a restaurant that served fresh... Bull's penis (I honestly don't know how to write that any other way?!) and I was NOT about to eat a reproductive organ, but thanks anyways! All in all it was another experience and something I can cross off the list. After dinner we went back to the house and fell right asleep since the next day was going to be another unpredictable adventure.

Thursday morning we woke up at 4:30am, went for breakfast (noodles) at 5am and were on the road by 5:30am headed for the Perfume Pagoda. This is an ancient temple that was built in a cave on the top of a mountain in the north of Vietnam. It took about 4 hours to drive there which is why we woke up so early since we were making this a day trip. We then packed her family of 5 as well as Lucy's aunt and uncle in a canoe and sailed through the paphoon for a good half an hour until we reached the first temple. There were about 6 different temples that we stopped in along the way before we reached our final destination. It is customary to leave money in each temple with the Buddah and then pray for luck, health, wealth and happiness. It was such a unique experience and something I will always remember.

My packed canoe

Standing in one of the old caves

Since Lucy lived 2 hours North of Hanoi, we decided to spend my last night in the big city. Unfortunately the Sheraton was sold out so we ended up spending the night in a small, ant infested motel room, but by the time we fell asleep, it wouldn't have mattered if we slept in a hampster cage! We spent the night partying in Hanoi and then spent my last full day riding motorcycles on the busy city streets. I couldn't have imagined a better time! It was sad to leave and weird going back to Korea, not Toronto, but this is now my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Miss you all!

Signing off,

Gillian xx