Return to Rainy Daejeon

Why return to Daejeon? There's more to experience there than you'd think. ..

I needed a break. My boyfriend is on a mission to visit every province before we leave Korea in late August, and I am always up to get out of hot, humid Seoul on the weekend. So, we hopped on the Saemul this past Saturday and headed to Daejeon (or Taejeon-depending on your transliteration). He'd never seen it. We stashed our stuff in a locker, and hopped on the subway. We explored around town a little bit, and I noticed several large churches and a big store selling Christian merchandise. Later, I saw signs for Korea's Baptist Theological Seminary, which is apparently located in Daejeon. We also saw a a lot of ads for various research centers and universities. Daejeon is known for research and development and has been called "the Silicon Valley of Korea" in the media. Daejeon has a sizable population, but compared to the breadth and international flair of Seoul, Daejeon can start to feel more like a big town than a city. But, it's an an interesting town, anyway.

It was too rainy to hike, so we headed over to the park and the National Science Museum. Since the EXPO was held in Daejeon in the 90s, the city set aside some nice parks and outdoor pavilion areas. The National Science Museum has several sections, some are more hands-on, and seem better geared towards children. Then some areas are newer and geared more towards adults. The planetarium was cool, and of course had a display about the Korean female astronaut. There even seemed to be a class going on in a "learning center" (could it be a a museum hagwon?) inside one section of the museum. We were quite the hit with the throng of children we met in the center of the museum. I get the feeling that men with shaved heads aren't common there (there are fewer US military personnel near there) -as several of the younger kids became very curious and or freaked out that my boyfriend has no hair on his head. I really liked the very cool steel scupltures outside (see photos above), they dominated over the museum entrance...towering above you like animal warriors mixed with Transformers.

My boyfriend wanted to take a city bus tour to get the lay of the land. Since it seemed preferable to tromping around in the rain, I agreed. For only W2,000 (like $2 USD) we saw the touristy highlights of Daejeon. The tour took us to several small museums which seemed recently built (the small Korean Heritage museum seemed brand new and every exhibit was well translated) . At the currency museum, which was not as boring as the name implies, I learned that the ancientChinese were the first to use paper money. Ancient China really was quite remarkable-I have to say. They are up there with the ancient Egyptians as innovators, in my book. There was also a small but interesting display of money from the Japanese colonial period. There was one understated plaque on the wall mentioning the "confusion" of the Japanese occupation-the Japanese were printing their own currency in Korea, but a few Korean nationalists and intellectuals were refusing to recognize it or utilize it. They continued to try to use the older, Korean money. Even then, money and politics walked hand and hand.

On the bus tour, we met a nice Korean guy who was a volunteer guide for the disabled. He was leading several disabled young people around the city on the tour. (The tour was a good choice for a small group of youths with motor delays on a rainy day, as the tour bus could take them close to the museum entrance and cut out extra walking.) The young people in this group seemed fascinated by us. They asked us a lot of questions (via their guides' translations) and laughed at our answers. Their guide impressed me. He looked about 23. He said that he'd never studied English, but had worked hard to learn a little bit from the media and from a Canadian ex-pat friend. His speaking fluency was much better than that of some of the homeroom teachers whom I know. I think it was because he was confident and curious. His grammar was not perfect, but he always got his point across. He told us about his city, the good and bad neighborhoods, and his family (he was less helpful about places to get a good meal). He told us stories of his army days. As he had just finished his mandatory army service with the police force, he had interesting things to say about the recent beef protests. He talked about working for days at a time without sleep-if the protests went on all night-he and his fellow police recruits worked all night. He said that some people said mean things to the young police recruits, and a few men tried to push them or spit on them. However, many families smiled at the young policemen , thanked them, sand gave them rice cakes and candy. Upon completion of his mandatory service, he decided not to continue with a career in law enforcement. He was looking for a job in another field. Sweet guy.

Now, another great part of tour buses in Korea are the sound systems. Like most of the tour buses I've taken at teacher trainings, this bus also had a noribang (karioke) machine and small monitor. While waiting for some slow going members of the tour, the driver started singing. It was funny when the bus driver asked my boyfriend and I to sing, because Steve will rarely consent to singing in public! Usually I really need to relax with a few beers first...:) In fact, Steve turned about three shades of crimson while holding the mic. It was too early in the day for Queen, so we picked an easy song and sang Ben E. King's Stand By Me. In general, my boyfriend tends to prefer organized tours, and during a longer visit to a new city, I tend to prefer to explore on my own...but for a brief visit I do see the value of a tour.

After the tour, we checked into our hotel in the Yosung district. I was excited to go to the spa, but by then it was late and my tummy was growling. I was craving galbi, but unsure of a good place to get some that wasn't too fatty. No one on the bus tour had offered any good restaurant suggestions. So we walked around for a while, and found a mellow place for "fusion" food and beer.

On Sunday, the weather still wasn't dry enough for a pleasant hike (and the trails would have been muddy). So, we opted for a lazy morning at the spa. Praise God. We went to the spa at the Riviera Hotel. It cost 12,000, but that's where we are staying (Steve splurged, we were living it up! ) so we got in for 6,000. It is newer and cleaner and more modern in layout than the spa at the yusoung spa hotel next door, which I visited last year. The best part of it was that on a misty Sunday morning it was almost completely empty! Woohoo! :) I enjoyed all the relaxation of the spa experience without having to be naked in front of too many skinny, less hairy Korean chicks! A win-win all around, I think. :) I also recommend the saunas at the Riviera spa. There is an herb sauna, a sage sauna, and a "Finland Sauna" (I know that Finland is not an adjective, but, hey, they tried). The herb sauna intrigued me, but the air was so, so pungent in there, as if the entire Crabtree and Evelyn shop at the mall has exploded in your face, that I could barely get in the door. Not happening. So, I enjoyed the Finland sauna instead. I liked it because it wasn't too small and cramped (small, overly heated saunas have a coffin-like feel, if you ask me) , and the temperature was posted on a digital sign above the door, so I knew what to expect inside. The famed hot spring waters of the yusoung hot springs followed. I had my choice of three tubs, cold, hot and bubbly, and uncomfortably hot. I have heard people say that the hot spring water improves your circulation and is good for your skin, I don't know about the truth in any that but it can soothe a ragged spirit. It was extra wonderful to have the tubs more or less to myself! :)

We were so relaxed that after our separate male/female spa experiences we took an extra nap together in our room. Laziness rules! :) The patience demanded by the end of the school year can sometimes really drain me (patience may be a virtue, but it's one I don't have!). Myself, I have wondered if the universe really intended children to attend school when it is ninety degrees or more? Can they actually retain anything in this heat? But I digress again.... My point is that I needed to rest and recoup. And a relaxing sauna followed by a hot, bubbling tub of hot spring water helped me do so. :)

Then we hopped a swift KTX and were back in the steamy city in no time....

Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Lately I have been a bit of a grumpy one, I admit it, and have enjoyed pointing out some of the differences between the Korean and American cultures that I find slightly annoying. I've been here two years. I might need a vacation...
BUT today I am relishing my laziness as I lie, and lie, and continue to lie in calming waters of the Yusung spa...Soon I'll be off to the relaxing "Finland Sauna."
Whatever complaints one has about Korea, they got this sauna/spa culture deal right!

Recent Thoughts

As much as I am tempted to write about hair color (I saw four young Korean women with blond hair in the trendy Hongdae area on Saturday afternoon! Not one or two rebels-but FOUR Korean fashionistas! Wow!) since I myself went brunette (er, um, again) on Sunday...
Or I could write about the delicious eggplant I savored at Greek Joy, a wonderful Greek eatery (worth the higher W20-30,000 per 5 course set meal prices) we discovered with hiking friends this weekend, located right near the station and the park in the same Hongdae area. The happy chef visited Greece several times and even screens travel DVDs that make you want to pack a backpack and go tomorrow...Greek Joy restaurant-Can you say YUM?
But, I digress. Again. :)
Today I have decided to write about a more serious topic. Isolation.Why am I thinking about isolation? Let me explain. When one travels to a foreign country-it is hard to gage the friendliness of one's colleagues and the attitude of one's neighbors at first. At first, most people are friendly. And if they want something from you-people are definitely friendly. But if you need them, will they be there?
I feel very blessed that I have met a few people here in Korea upon whom I know I can depend. Not everyone does. I was lucky! :)A sad story came up in the news last week about an American teacher who died alone at the young age of 31. Scary. Then a friend of mine moved to another country to work for a school that seemed wonderful-until the boss revealed her true colors. That's when one separates the party friends from the true friends.
Consider this news item: 31 year old foreign teacher (31!) dies alone in his one bedroom apartment. The newspaper story of the (just) 31 year old teacher who passed away has spawned some gallows humor among single ex-pats...in my opinion, this is because it hits a nerve. A single ex-pat in a small (sometimes tiny) apartment can really feel all on their own. Unless they start dating a Korean, at the end of the day, when trouble hits, they are often alone. A-L-O-N-E. Why? Some Korean people feel shy or intimidated living near foreigners who seem so different. Some foreigners are also used to living in Western style homes, apartments, or (among the just arrived "newbie" crowd) university dorms. These Western-style buildings are sometimes less crowded and have thicker walls. So, some Western teachers may behave in a way that seems appropriate to them, playing music and having friends/lovers over, but their behavior seems "too loud" or inappropriate to Korean neighbors. Then, of course there is the language gap. So the two groups sometimes stay apart from each other.
I am reprinting a website summation of the sad news story here. In my opinion, this young guy dying alone so suddenly deserves at least five minutes of our attention. Poor guy. ***************************************************************************************
"Via the Chosun Ilbo newspaper comes news that an American English teacher has died in (under?) somewhat mysterious circumstances... At approximately 9 am on the 20Th, 31-year old American English instructor "T" was found dead in the teacher’s one-room apartment in Eoyang-dong, Iksan City, in Jeollabuk-do. Police are investigating.The neighbor who alerted police said, “there had been a strange smell coming out for several days and finally I called the police.” Korean Police announced, “at the time of the discovery of the body the front door was locked, and the body was lying on the floor with no external injuries,” and are attempting to ascertain the circumstances of death by interviewing the employees of the hagwon (English academy)where T was working."
**************************************************************************************
On a much happier note, I am busy making travel plans for my vacation time. Yay! Since my school administrator won't let me leave early, I have some plans brewing for an interesting trip... :)

Hasty Headlines?

I read an article on the Korea Times homepage entitled, "Obama Has Bad Impression of Korea." It confused me, because it then went on to explain Obama's position on just one issue-the FTA with Korea. Obama has recently commented that he opposes the FTA with Korea because he believes it is a bad deal for American workers. First of all, I remind the Korea Times folks that he's trying to get elected. (American auto workers vote, and not all of them like to see Hyundai outselling Ford in certain parts of the USA.) But, that election year timing aside, the only issue the article focused on was Obama's stance on free trade. How does that one issue constitute an "impression of Korea?"
The Korea Times sometimes run good, insightful articles. That wasn't one of them. When they introduce newer American politicians to a Korean and ex-pat audience, they should not oversimplify.
Just my full of personal bias opinion. :)
OK, back to correcting papers!

Expats for Obama

No matter where you live, if you are interested in helping the Obama campaign succeed, they are interested in you. Last night I had the pleasure to attend a Democrats Abroad reception which featured discussion of registering ROK expats and a short talk by Miriam Saprio (a policy advisor and member of the Obama campaign's Finance Committee). The wine reception preceding the event was a little smaller and seemed to me a little more business-oriented than I'd expected. I was a tad under-dressed and a tad under prepared for such a networking opportunity. (Despite my willingness to spout opinions in writing, I can be a bit shy in person). But, I located a few of my business cards, drank a glass of wine, and forced myself to get to know the other folks in the room. I need to resurrect my rusty networking skills a.s.a.p, if I'm going to find a job in the fall. There might not be a recruiter holding my hand like there was in the ROK. And then, just when I opened up and started getting to know folks, the Villa Sortino's staff called us into the dining room for an excellent dinner. (You can never go wrong with Sortino's-yum!:) The short description for those stuffed mushrooms=mouth watering.)
But enough about me. Back to the Obama Campaign. Miriam Sapiro gave a relaxed, informative talk about the many strengths and current challenges of the Obama campaign. Fundraising for the remainder of the primary season is one of those challenges. I had forgotten about this issue, but there are still two separate funding pools-one for the primary season and one for the general election. Some campaign donors specifically earmark funds for the general election campaign against the Republican candidate-and no one can touch that money-even if it would really, really help the campaign- until AFTER the democratic convention. So Obama could benefit from volunteers and donations NOW. McCain is campaigning now, and Obama needs to be doing the same.
I was struck by Ms. Sapiro's speech because she was clear, informative and pleasant, even while jet-lagged. :). But what really struck me about it was that she was not slick. Back in my college days when I was a Poli-Sci major and campaign volunteer in NYC, I met a lot of slick political types. They had MPP and MIA degrees and they acted like they knew better than you. You could tell from their arrogance. Then later, when I became involved in various feminist causes, I met the political left's version of slick -the slick idealist. There was nothing slick about Ms. Sapiro. She could work a room and remember every one's name (now that is a skill I envy!) but she was genuine. She genuinely believes America needs Barak Obama to bring about crucial changes. And, while I'm perched up here on my political soapbox, so do I.
No matter where you live, if you're a US citizen or legal permanent resident, you can get involved in the Obama campaign. You can register voters. You can raise and or donate funds. The web site below is a good place to start:
http://abroad.barackobama.com/page/content/aafohome
I don't mean to preach, but I don't enjoy watching my country going to "hell in a hand basket." I'm not sure how you put hell in a hand basket, but it's bad. The USA needs real change. Democratic Change. I'm getting involved. You can, too.

All the Best to Matt Lamers

There has been a lot going on in Seoul lately. In the midst of all it, I have been trying to stay positive. Of course, it is not always easy to do so. I would like to mention the sad story of an attack on a memeber of the staff of the poular English language paper, the Korean Herald. I mention it not to portray Seoul negatively, as there are many sweet and genrous people in Seoul. I mention it because I am very impressed by the maturity and positive attitude of Matt Lamers. It is very easy to grow cynical and isolated in a foreign country with vast cultural differences. Kudos to Matt Lamers that he can separate a few isolated aggressors from an entire, foreign culture.
Matt Lamers was attacked by three young men and slashed with a beer bottle in Hongdae (an area of full of university students, hofs (bars), and dance clubs) last weekend. Since Mr. Lamers is the best source of what happened, here is an excerpt from the first person account he wrote and posted on a local message board about it. He writes...
"The unprovoked attack took place around midnight in a park in Hongdae. And there were three attackers...My colleague and I were sitting on a park bench talking amongst ourselves, not loudly, when a trio of college-aged men sat across from us and said: “I speak English. Are you ready to die? We are going to kill you tonight.” They said that a few times and we ignored them completely. It’s not the first time someone had told me they planned to kill me; we assumed it was just drunk kids and thought they’d go away if we didn’t pay them any attention. But then the talker got up and came at me -- I stood up -- and he pushed me. I pushed him back. After he got up and brushed himself off, he grabbed a beer bottle, smashed it, and lunged at me. I moved my arm up reflexively and got a bottle jammed straight into my forearm arm. Then the three of them ran like hell. I was bleeding profusely and I am certain my colleague did the right thing in helping me out instead of chasing them down. It all happened in a matter of under five minutes. It took three taxis to get to a hospital, and when we got there they said I needed surgery and they didn’t have a surgeon on duty, so they sent us in an ambulance to another hospital. The muscle in my forearm was almost cut in half and after surgery it took 42 stitches to seal it up. Why didn’t I call the police and why do I feel lucky? Simple. I could have easily been killed but I am relatively fine now. I feel lucky. I only missed two days of work and the stitches are already out. I didn’t call the police because I wasn’t sober at the time, and we all know that most of the police in Korea are useless. Also, there is close to a zero percent chance that the three men could be caught. In reading over this message board, however, I was thinking it over and I decided to contact the police. Some of you made some really good points, and I think that in a situation like this, it is the right thing to do to tell the police. I do not want to set a bad example for other expats in Korea. We all have our opinions of the police here, nevertheless, they have a job they are expected to do -- and the moment we do not expect them to protect us from injustices, there is no hope at all. And that will lead to a hopelessly cynical life. If expats do not report crimes committed against them, especially those committed on the grounds of racism, there is no hope for change. Not reporting crimes makes it impossible to facilitate change because if people do not report crimes to the police -- just because they think the police will do nothing -- the police will only ever do nothing because there will never be any pressure from media or society for them to act. Justice and the police in Korea need to change, and if crimes go unreported, agents of change will blocked from making progress. Some personal thoughts: Although it was completely unprovoked, blatant racism, it was an isolated incident. I know some will disagree with me on this point, but to each his own. Korea is not a racist country, at least compared to Canada (where I’m from). What happened to me could have happened to anyone, in any country, so there is no reason to get ourselves worked up about it. I am not angry. I do not I hold “Korea” responsible. I do not hold any grudges (except for the attackers). It may or may not have been related to the beef protests. But who knows? Be careful, play safe, and if you find yourself in a situation like I was, the most important thing to protect is your health. And report it to the police (when you feel it is safe for you to do so). Consider reporting it to the media. We all have our different priorities. Mine is my and my family’s health and safety. Let’s keep the discourse respectable. Let’s not generalize when it’s unnecessary. Cynicism blocks progress."
Well written. It is east to get cynical in the face of the recent protests, but I think Mr. Lamers finishes on the right note.
A few crazy people, or violent people, don't represent a nation. Progress can be slow, but I hope it will come.

Is American Backlash Inevitable?

Let's get this straight: I like Korea. If I didn't, I would have left when creepy men started knocking on the door of my apartment (see previous post, "Red Hair District.") But for every two or three friendly, generous, open minded people one meets in 2008, it seems that one can now find a traditionalist, or a Nationalist, expressing frustration with North American influence on their country. And maybe they have reason for doing so-maybe the Starbucks-ification of the local village is not so great. Koreans should protect their unique culture, of course.
BUT-words are powerful. CNN and the Internet rapidly spread Korean people's words everywhere. I am not surprised to read on-line and hear from friends back home that some Americans are reacting negatively to the anti-Lee and anti-FTA protests in Seoul. The average American citizen does not speak Korean (they speak English and or Spanish), but they can interpret signs with pictures of deranged cows with American flags on them.
I read on two websites today that the intelligent, Democratic presidential candidate Barak Obama addressed the early Korean anti-FTA protests in a comment at a campaign rally in May. (His comments should be understood in light of the fact that any Democratic candidate needs the support of American labor unions and farmers to get elected, but they are also objectively interesting.) And he, Obama, is the unabashedly more LIBERAL candidate! If this is what he is saying, imagine what the more conservative, free-market adoring J. McCain might say....
Mr. Obama reportedly said...
“You can’t get beef into Japan and Korea, even though, obviously, we [the U.S.A] have the highest safety standards of anybody, but they don’t want to have that competition from U.S. producers,” Mr. Obama said last month in a speech to farmers in South Dakota.
Some may disagree about the standards, but my point here is not the reality of the standards, but how Americans perceive them. Americans back home seem to see the beef issue as much ado about little.
Then last week, near Detroit, Obama reportedly argued that “if South Korea is selling hundreds of thousands of cars to the United States and we can only sell less than 5,000 in South Korea, something is wrong.”
I hear that line about cars from my fellow Americans a lot lately. A lot. Frankly, I have thought it myself. The media image of Korean protectionism could be bad for Hyundai. American consumers are fickle. Saturn's cars are just as affordable. Koreans are free to express their rage over the FTA. I applaud free speech openly expressed. Koreans just might not like the free speech they get back...

Editorial note:I heard a scary rumor that a very zealous, female, anti-FTA Korean Internet crusader was listing the full names and workplaces of foreign bloggers who have written blog entries disagreeing with the recent anti-Lee and anti-F.T.A. protests in some way. Reportedly, this Korean woman is encouraging Korean citizens to contact the employers of these foreign bloggers and complain about them, just because the foreign workers (sometimes they are teachers) support the US stance on the FTA. I really hope that this rumor isn't 100% true. That story sounds an awful lot like a witch hunt to me. I am still moved by the generosity and diligence of many of the Korean people whom I know. If this woman has really started this anti-blogger campaign, she makes herself look closed minded and mean spirited. She also could harm the image of her fellow Koreans. Americans read blogs and social networking sites, too, in huge numbers.
P.S. I learned a few hours later that the source of that rumor among ex-pats was a blog entry by blogger "Brian In Jeollanam-do." He writes that...
"I've attracted the ire of Korean netizen bullies.
This morning a couple Korean blogs have started linking to me as well as the "Candlegirls" cafe. The Candlegirls site links to me as a "촛불시위를 비하하는 외국인강사." Another blog, in an entry called "광우병 촛불집회를 비하하는 외국인," has posted my name, blog, and Facebook page, as well as the information of the Gwangju News, and has reposted the article I wrote in this month's issue. It also includes the name, school, and contact information of my editor, and has directed readers to email our employers. I'll copy and paste what they wrote in case the link changes."
Unfortunately, the Korrean net bully who wrote about him did so in Korean. So I could really only understand about 40% of what was written. As I get older, my thirst for knowledge is SO hampered by my crappy third language acquisition skills! (Plus, in my time off, I'm lazy.)

Sunny Sunyudo

Just take a train ride away from all the crowds, the heat, and the politics of Seoul and find the port of Gunsan. Board a ferry, bustling or ramshackle, and transport yourself to the relaxing sandy beaches of Sunyudo. Twenty minutes biking the shoreline, or walking barefoot in the wet sand, can counter-act several hours of commuting on sweaty subways with pushy Seoul businessmen...

We weren't able to get two round trip tickets to Jejudo this past weekend (and, alas, we can't move there), so this is exactly what we did. We didn't make our plans until the last minute, so we ended up on the slow train to Gunsan station. It was a nice, relaxing ride. I was feeling very Seouled-out, as this time of year the heat and the crowds bother me more. I felkt my stress level decline as we left the station. Also, my boyfriend has the travel Scrabble game, so I was able to relish the moment when I actually beat him on board the train! (This may never happen again; he plays a strategic game. But just this once: I won! :) )

Once there, we checked into our hotel. Our Korean friend helped us find it-the humorously named Ritz-Plaza (if both names are taken-just combine them! :) ) Now that we've made the trip, I'd recommend staying in one of the cute, small pensions (guest houses) on Sunyudo itself, but the hotel was still very nice. Also, it had a good, clean bathroom with a nice bathtub!! This can be a rare find here. There was a fancy function hall at that hotel that hosted a few weddings while we stayed there-so there was also good people-watching. Women in pretty hanboks and cute children running by in fancy clothes. :)

We got directions from the front desk and jumped on the next modern ferry to the island. It was a newer, well appointed boat. We took anti-sea sickness medicine, so we got a little drowsy, but neither of us threw up. (That's always good! :))

As the train had taken longer than we'd expected, we could only stay on the island for a few hours in the afternoon. Still, it was a gorgeous day. The weather cooperated, the sand lay softly beneath our bare feet, and the locals negotiated with us about the price of renting a bicycle-built-for-two. The beaches weren't very crowded, but we did see a few groups of older Koreans who seemed to be clamming (or digging for crabs? or Octopus?) on the beach, and filling up buckets and plastic bags with their catch. We also passed a friendly trio of Koreans hunting for wild herbs in the underbrush by the side of the beach road. Biking was a fun way to get around the island, which was just big enough to stay interesting.

On the creaky, older ferry on the way back to Gunsan city, there were about a dozen "Airmen," (although some of them were young women, so I don't know why one doesn't say "Airpeople?" Militray tradition? I don't know). Most of them were pleasant and respectful. A few of them were obviously in their 20's, and acting a little loud and drunken, since they probably spent the day on the beach, and are usually stuck on Kunsan Air Base. The three rowdy ones were climbing the ladder to the top of the pilot house, and sleeping on the life jackets, which didn't look so safe, or give the Air Force such a great image with the local Koreans. But the rest of the "Airmen" were nice, well tanned, and well behaved. We spoke to one guy (30ish, with a wedding ring on) about local restaurants. He was very nice and respectful.
One cute Korean grandmother sitting next to me, gave me a bunch of cherry tomatoes. She was sharing with her family, so she shared with me, too. Very sweet of her! :) I felt bad that I had no food to share with her. As the boat was docking, another Korean man asked us where we were from. When he heard that we were American, he was proud to point out that he had worked for the US Embassy in Seoul before he retired to Busan. When I travel with my boyfriend, who is in his forties but doesn't really have the stereotypical crew cut military style of haircut and wardrobe, I notice that people are often curious to find out what he is doing here in the ROK.

Saturday night, we took a leisurely stroll around the lake near our hotel, and watched the local fishermen catch fish. Then we happened upon a traditional Korean music festival on an outdoor stage. Randomly, it was sponsored by the Gunsan area YMCA/YWCA. :). We were starving, and heard that the Ritz-Plaza had a good menu, so we played it safe and just ate at the hotel. It was nothing exceptional, but they allowed us to eat outside on the patio, and that was a lovely thing to do on a warm, less buggy night.

Sunday morning, we didn't really have time to get back out to the island. So, we visited a park by the river and took in the Gunsan Migratory Bird Observatory. I'm no ornithologist, and the birds tend to migrate from colder Russia to relatively warm Korea in the fall, but it was a pretty place to stroll around on a sunny Sunday morning. They had a fun, tropical bird habitat set up inside a greenhouse, with smaller uncaged birds flying free. The larger birds, like the Macaw and the parrots were still in cages. My boyfriend spent a good five minutes trying to get the parrot to parrot him-in any language. The very lively Macaw did a better job repeating sounds, I thought.

I don't think they are native to Korea-but the observatory also had a "mountain bird" habitat set up inside a dome outside. They featured two gorgeous peacocks. We also completed our mandatory tourist photo-op with the local mascot. In the case of the observatory the mascots were two giant, plastic migratory bids dressed in Korean hanbok. Unique, anyway! :)

At the end of our leisurely visit, we had to find our way back to the train station. We saw a bus stop, but couldn't get our hands on a schedule. So we asked the ticket booth man (in our best Konglish) to do us a favor and call us a taxi. He agreed, but something must have been lost in translation, as a while went by and nothing occurred. By that time, it was probably too late to take a bus. So, we approached a second ticket booth employee about calling a taxi. This man was very agreeable and instantly understood. He called right away, but it was Sunday, and he was told no taxi was willing to come out to the bird observatory (it was just outside the town). I started to get worried about the time. So, I showed him my train ticket and tried to ask him if there was any other way we could get to the station in time fort our train. He looked at my ticket, repeated the time, and went back into the ticket booth. Then he very generously unlocked his car and offered to drive us to the station. :) This kind of generosity can be rare in American cities nowadays, unfortunately. He even refused to take any money for gas, which is ridiculously expensive here now. The sweet man drove us quickly to the station, we thanked him profusely, and we made it onto the train on time. I was impressed by the pleasant people of Gunsan. :)

If you are ever in Korea with a weekend to spare, I suggest a trip to Sunyudo.

(Posted here are some pictures from our recent trip to Sunyudo....Now who's that young, sprightly babe on the bike?)

Megastars!

If you get a chance to see the Blue Man Group's 2008 "Megastar Wold Tour"-go. Don't worry about the prices-here in Seoul tickets cost quite a bit-but they were worth every penny. I lucked out and attended the concert as a birthday gift with a small group of friends.
The Megastar tour pairs the curious,surrealistic Blue Men (and their multi-media explorations) with a high energy rock band. It will make you want to play Babba O'Riley on the PVC right along with them... One standout at the recent Seoul shows was the fantastic, female vocalist Andrian Hartley. She could really belt out a tune and stay in character!
The show has come a long was since Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton, and Chris Wink developed it at the Astor Place Theater. (Sorry, Angie, Blue Man Group has performed in Berlin-but the originators of the show are American-not German.)
The full band, rocking guitarists, and humorous mocking of the trappings of modern rock bands contrasted to the stark, original show I saw in Boston years ago. But that's why they are worth a second look-and listen. They also customized the show well to the local audience-offering a full audio-visual program in Korean, and inviting audience members (some of whom, for example, one young Korean woman, were mortified)up on stage to introduce cast members. And bonus-every single audience member in Seoul was given the CD and the DVD of the show. (Or at least, I think everyone got them. The front section did.)
Blue Man Group has expanded into lots of little projects-scoring a TV show for cable, performing in commercials-but their re-invigorated live show still energizes an audience, no matter what language they speak.

The Anniversary and Anti-FTA Protests

Korean President Lee M.B. might want to take the temperature in Seoul. It's hot, hot, hot, and getting hotter.
Tuesday night, June 10th, a million Koreans flooded the streets of Seoul to express displeasure with their elected government and the hastily passed F.T.A. with the USA. A similar, if smaller, protest occurred in the major port city, Busan, simultaneously. The protest also marked the anniversary of the 1987 protest againgst then dictator Chun Doo-wah and his attempts to hand-pick his own sucessor. Within the charged atmospere of those 1987 anti-dictatoship protests, a university student reportedly died. Happily, the recent protests against President Lee M.B. and the F.T.A. with the USA have generally been non-violent.
What they have led to seems to be a war of words and perceptions. Slogans and images are flying. Serious Koreans are pictured on the Korean nightly news holding up signs that read (oddly, in Konglish, the Korean-English hybrid of choice) "Lee Meung Bak" (in Korean) ...OUT (in English)! Myriad Cabinet officers have tried to resign to take responsibility for the US beef import/export deal that acted as a lightning rod for all the antipathy against President Lee. I read that an agricultural minister even tried to apologize to the throng at the demonstration Tuesday night. But he was greeted with such intense calls of "traitor," that he seemed to become frightened, and he left the protest area.
The protesters at the most recent string of May-June demonstrations are definitely challenging President Lee M.B. and his cabinet, who are seen by the average Korean as wealthy autocrats who remain out of touch with the common people. High School and university students are a vital and large component of the protests. Many people disapprove of the president. Once you get beyond that point, opinions start to vary a little bit and various media outlets portray the broader opinions of the protests in very different ways. The English language papers, based in Seoul,often describe the protesters as expressing anti-US beef import slogans and broader anti-American sentiments. The Korean nightly news (which was prohibited from presenting both sides of the 1987 protest due to government censorship), according to my Korean friends, portrays the problems at issue as broader. Young Koreans are demanding more imput into, and control over, food safety regulations on imported foods, or "food sovereignty." Average Koreans are also demanding that the government recognize their "people power" or rights to consult with their elected officials before important decisions, such as Free Trade Agteements with foreign powers, are made. In my personal opinion, food sovereignty and democratic rights are both valid issues that Koreans need to explore with their elected officials.
Professor John Eperjesi wrote an impassioned defense of the Korean protesters in the English language paper The Korea Times this week. He presents a convincing argument for food sovereignty: the Koreans just want control over their food as it effects their health. They want to import food without harmful chemicals. Good for them. They want to import beef from younger cows that carries no risk of Mad Cow Disease. And therein lies the rub, of course.
Unfortunately, some of the early protests, and the e-mails and internet chats students and young people used to publicize them, spread some rumors and pseudo-science. All kinds of claims were made and the opinions of certain Korean and Korean-American "scientists" (some of whom later denied being involved) concerning the likliehood of Mad Cow disease occurring in American cows in 2008 were frequently cited. Claims were also made by a few Korean-Americans about the opinions of the "American Public" on the low standards used to judge US beef (see my previous posts for my opinion of one person claiming to speak for ALL Americans.Annoying!)
This pseoudo-science, and it's repetition on radio and talk shows in Korea, did not go over well with American diplomats. In fact, from what I've been told by my Ex-pat friends,it did not go over well with a lot of American businessmen, engineers, and scientists who do business in Seoul. Many foreign science teachers and English teachers teaching in the Seoul area also started to express annoyance. In my humble opinion, it is the repetion of this pseoudo-science about the liklihood of humans catching Mad Cow Disease and related disorders in 2008 that led a few expats to describe the protests in the English media here as mass "hysteria."
Were the protesters really hsyterical? Generally, no. Not from what I've seen and read. However, certain protests and anti-FTA websites originating here in the Seoul area have given an outlet to more extreme protectionist and anti-American activists. Whoever handed the microphone to the man who advocated the boycott of ALL American companies in Korea at a recent protest was not really thinking clearly. That one over-zealous man was not just anti-Lee, he seemed anti-American.But of course he is just one crazy guy getting his fifteen seconds of fame. The protesters, as they exercize their democratic rights, need to be careful not to legitimize such extremists.
In addition, the protesters would be wise to distance themselves from some of the more protectionist groups and politicians who are active in Seoul. Testing the safety of imported food as much as possible is one issue. Health is an important value in Korean culture. Health and "well being" seem to concern Koreans in every age group. Keeping the ratio of exports to imports low is a totally separate issue. I recently had dinner with some American businessmen and engineers in their 40s. They reported perceiveing a truly protectionist business climate in Seoul these days. Korea wants to be an exporter on the world stage. In trade, as in personal relationships, it "takes two to tango." Recently, an expat blogger in Korea wrote about it well-in trade, as in love, he wrote "trust is at the center of every relationship...Koreans don't trust their government...or the US." Koreans can't expect to exports cars and electronics to the US on a grand scale without making minor concessions on what they will import. I am NOT saying these concessions have to be made on the beef. They just have to be made somewhere. I see trade relationships around me at my school all day long. In the schoolyard out my window, no one wants to play with the kids who won't play fair.
There will reportedly be more protests on June 13th, the anniversary of the day that US soldiers accidentially ran over two Korean middle-school students with an armored vehicle. That event was a horrible tragedy and I can understand why dsome people would still harbor some anger. However, Americans in general are of course not to blame for one isolated accident.
I myself hope that the food sovereignty protests can keep their focus narrow and advocate specific, democratic reforms instead of giving way and crumbling into mass stages for nationalism and protectionsim.

Mounting Protest and Rigid Contracts

How do I stay positive when my heart and the citizens around me protest?

Well, the protest against the F.T.A. with the USA continues, as you know. Many of my Korean co-workers and friends say that these demonstrations are really protests against President Lee and his cabinet full of "rich men." However, the possible importation of US beef is still a hot button issue here. Even if they can get it into the country, there has been soooo much misinformation about the health risks it could create, that no Koreans would buy it. (Maybe the USA should stick with importing American wine-I read on a government website that American wine is selling well here!) There was a large protest near City Hall this past Saturday and I heard a rumor that there will be another one on June 10th. The Korean president's popularity is at an absolute low. I myself have no problem with the freedom of assembly and free speech.
Some of the protests have given a podium to some more extreme nationalists ,though, and that can be a little annoying. A few of them are just over-the-top. A few Korean-American individuals have also claimed to speak for the "American public, " and that to me seems unwise. America is a very, very big place. Many different opinions are voiced there. What do I think? Well, I would like to go "on the record," as it were, about the rumors that American consumers have stopped buying US beef because of safety concerns. I emailed a group of Americans whom I know. I wanted to find out if there was some big anti-beef campaign at home that I had somehow missed. Some of the people I e-mailed were too busy to get back to me. However, within the group of those who did, who eat meat regularly, people did NOT report that the average American consumer has stopped purchasing US beef because of safety concerns. Of course, there are vegetarians. And people who purchase ONLY organic foods-including organic meat-all the time (due to the price of organic food in the USA, these would usually be families with more money!). But none of my friends reported a big change in American consumer behavior.
I have also heard reports of the Seoul police using force against peaceful protesters. This would be bad. However, I have not seen that with my own eyes. I got an e-mail from the US embassy last Thursday or Friday (around Korean Memorial Day) urging American citizens to stay away from the protest areas-just in case. I don't know if that is just a case of "C.Y.A," or if the embassy people perceive a real threat of brawls.
In the midst of this issue, I am trying to remain positive about my remaining months in Korea. I took a pretty hike on a mountain outside Suwon on Saturday(I'll try to post a picture later). I had fun going out with a few pals on Saturday and Sunday. But, honestly, I am a little annoyed with my contract situation. If you think Korea is the best place ever and you are 100% happy with organizational structure here, you might want to stop reading now.
Complaint corner: I am finished, 100% finished with all my teaching responsibilities by August 15th. TWO of my cousins are getting married in Canada in August. I also have tons of things to do once I get back to the USA as I myself am moving out of New England (I will eventually end up in San Francisco, but there are trips out of the country planned in there). Now my contract says I am under obligation to my school until 8/31. I understand that I signed this piece of paper. However, I was just informed that my school will be closed in the month of August. So, after my summer camp for the town, I have nothing to do. Nothing. Nada. Yet, I must stay in Korea, doing nothing, from 8/15-8/31. No one will pay for a return ticket for me before 8/31. Even though I will not be working, I must "fulfill the exact terms of my contract," and sit around in Korea from 8/15-8/31. We are not even discussing severance pay here. I requested to leave after all my work was done, and let them know I understood that the severance pay would be pro-rated. I was hoping to sneak into one of the two family weddings this summer. Nope. I can't even get the return ticket purchased for me, which is basically part of my salary,unless I stay until the last day of my contract period. Apparently, teachers in my town left early last year and "there were some problems." Gee, thanks. How is that my fault? So, I will be sitting around in my apartment from 8/15-8/31. And the town will pay a full month's rent on my apartment (which they might not have to do if I left by 8/15). How very logical... and very flexible...And very annoying!!!
A P.S.-After I wrote this post, and let my annoyance cool a little, a friend here in Korea made a valid point. It may be that my town, and not my school, is paying both my severance pay and my airline ticket. So, the school might not be able to really negotiate. The money, even though it is supposedly from my "salary," might not exist yet, or it might be being used for something else. If this is the case, I don't blame my school, and all my school staff had to do was explain that to me.

Red Hair District

I have reddish hair. Usually, it is reddish brown. Last month I was deeply engaged in reading In Style magazine (English language magazines-they're like heroin!), and didn't notice that my stylist selected a tone little darker than usual. Until it was too late. So, my now hair is red.
And, in case you were wondering, I am NOT a Russian prostitute. I am not from Russia. Or the Ukraine. Or even Eastern Europe. "Are you from Russia?" is an opening line skeevy (a.k.a. sleazy), fifty something Korean men use to find out if women accept money for sex. This line of conversation also tends to reveal that they are willing to PAY for sex. Or looking to buy a wife-which is different, but also kind of gross. Since my hair color became a little brighter, I have been getting this question, "Are you from Russia?" more than usual. This is a common theme here. I heard that a t-shirt company here even makes a sarcastic t-shirt that reads "I am not a Russian woman" in Korean characters. (Can you imagine if you actually WERE a Russian woman engaged in some other legal, innocent business in Asia? They would get harassed all the time, I bet. It would stink to be them!) The men who ask if I, and my friends, are Russian, always have wedding rings on their hands. Lovely.
The only real, live Russian prostitute I ever met in Korea approached a group of people I was with at a dance club. She wanted to now if any of the gentlemen in our small group, or in fact the couples, wanted to "party" with her. She acted like she was on something, possibly E, but there is no way to confirm that. She had blonde hair and dark roots.
A teacher I know in my small suburb South of Seoul reports that she lives in area where it is easy to identify several "working girls," from various countries, hanging out by the subway station. Yet the Korean government reports that they have effectively erased prostitution in Korea. The press reports that the only "problem areas" are near US military bases. There's a "barber shop" in my apartment building with a bed inside, and a very, very friendly "hair staylist" from SouthEast Asia. Sometimes late at night, men knock on my door. Sometimes they are looking for my drunken neighbor, who had a little problem finding his own apartment for a while. But some of the late night callers also seem lost looking for the "barber shop." This makes me feel very safe in my apartment, doesn't it? It got so bad at one point that I just packed up and went to sleep on my boyfriend's couch for a while.
A friend suggested I literally put a sign on my door announcing in Hangul that I am not the prostitute in the building-to ward off any lost Johns (or Kims, or Parks, or Lees). I thought she was kidding. She was serious. In the end I actually did it for a while, figuring it couldn't hurt. How prepostorous is that?
(If I can find a photo of it, I will post it here.)
Prostitution in Korea?
Erased my ass.

More "Ya goo"

A few more fun moments from our $6 baseball game...Did I mention that the Korean word for baseball is pronounced something like "ya goo?"

"America's Game?"

We Americans like to see baseball as "our" game. There are, of course, myriad Blue Jay fans (see bluejays.mlb.com)who would disagree! Baseball has also taken Japan by storm. But there is no arguing with the zeal of Red Sox Nation in my hometown. I don't like sports. I just love my Red Sox. Even angry American adolescents in high school gym class can be cajoled into a baseball game. Heck, they made a cheesy romantic comedy about it (Jimmy Fallon only gets a girl like Drew Barrymore in the movies though, guys, sorry). The Red Sox are like a collective first love-when it was bad it was terrible (when they lose, they lose all the way), but when it was good it was AMAZING. So the romance never completely wears off-despite years, miles, trades, crazy ticket prices, and even tarnished, shorn heroes (like Damon) traded to the devil (a.k.a New York).
Here in the ROK, sports are a family affair. Shiny-suit businessmen meet up with their families outside the park. Football is the real fever-the third graders shooting goals outside my school at 8am swear they'll be the next Korean to make the Manchester United Squad. Or they'll die trying. First love, right?
Back to baseball. This past Friday night, I had the opportunity to check out a Woori Heroes vs. Lotte Giants game in Mokdong. As many of my readers know, I had health issues in May, so dropping into the game for a few hours was my first "night out" in a bit. Steve was happy to see me off his couch! :) The tickets cost an amazing $6-$12! Not exactly Fenway prices!
Mulit-million dollar Lotte corp. does everything big, from their stores, to their cinemas, to their fast food chains. Their team is well organized and well supported. I have seen Doosan Bears games before and still have a soft spot for that team and their fans. But it was fun to check out the Woori Tobacco Heroes at their recently established home stadium...
The Lotte Giants were winning when we arrived, and their fans dominated the stadium at first, even though they weren't the "home team." The Giants' five singing, dancing, chanting cheerleaders (yes, sigh, baseball cheerleaders) greeted every play with a choreographed song routine! No tune was off limits-from the Christian song "Rivers Of Bablyon" to the American patriotic anthem Battle Hymn of the Republic-everything was rewritten to be about Lotte, Lotte, Lotte, Lotte! I kept waiting for the "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" Lotte Giants' song-but it appears that they left that song alone, at least! :)
The Giants started strong, they had some foreign wringers and made some early dramatic plays. Their fielding wasn't very good, though-and the Woori Heroes' slow and steady base hits wore them down over the course of the night.
The park was more modest than the Doosan Bears' stadium-but the fans sucked down Cass and spicy ramen, of course (is there any occasion in Korean where one doesn't eat ramen noodles?). Steve also got us a box of barbecue chicken from the chicken cart by the entrance. It was yummy but a tad too spicy for my still recovering tummy.
My favorite moment came in the 8th inning when the fans lit up sparklers-it was fun, festive, and spirited! Go Heroes! It was also burning bright-burning, burning inside enclosed areas even! Creative planning, but maybe not so safe! :)
In the end, the home team Heroes won. It was a great, cheap way to spend a warm evening,and a few Korean little boys felt the love.