WWW (23)- N, S, E, W

With all this traveling, its about time we learn some direction!

Korean: 북

Korean Pronunciation: Book (not pronounced like b^k, like the reading material, but like “ew”, like how the double “o” normally sounds

English Meaning: North

Korean: 남

Korean Pronunciation: nam

English Meaning:  South

Korean: 동

Korean Pronunciation: dong

English Meaning:  East

Korean: 서

Korean Pronunciation: seo

English Meaning:  West

Now we won't get lost ;-)

Cambodian Short Stories

In Siem Reap there are literally hundreds of children, who unfortunately should be in school, but instead are already working for a living.  Most of these children sell small items, such as bracelets or necklaces, at a whooping price of __ for a dollar.  Now the reason I leave this blank is because you’ll hear all sorts of numbers.

The first encounter must have been somewhere around 2 for a dollar.  But as our hours of touring the Angkor Temples increased, so did the amount of bracelets.  Two became 3, three became 4, and so on.  Although this wasn’t our fortune (or misfortune depending on how you look at it), one tourist was offered SEVENTEEN bracelets for ONE dollar!!  Heart-wrenching.

On one instance, in a hunt for our long-lost tuk-tuk­ through the acres of Temples of Angkor land, two sisters approached us selling… bracelets.  Frustrated, I turned these little cutie pies down repeatedly.  But they were persistent.  “Come on Lady… you buy bracelets!”  First, you’re adorable because you just called me “lady” and my boyfriend “mister”, second, you have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.

But we were on a mission to find our tuk-tuk.  Breaking my heart, in an attempt not to get lost in their eyes, I looked away and said “No, thank you.”  But they had a mission of their own.  With one sister offering up 4 bracelets for one dollar, I had little Miss Unrelenting on my right proposing 5 for a dollar simultaneously.  However, my will power was too strong… until…

We got in our tuk-tuk and I felt so far beyond remorseful that at the next stop I snagged up the next beggar and quickly took up a 4 for a dollar deal, all while stating that I didn’t even need 4 bracelets. 

And this doll was a smarty pants too.  Although lacking formal education, she had some serious business skills.  While taking out my wallet she negotiated “Ok Lady.  Eight for $2.”  I died.  I wanted to ask, “How much to take you home?”

Much shorter story- after watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat (a must) we began our 12 hour journey through the long-gone city of Angkor.  When walking around the outside of Angkor Wat, we noticed some full-fledge wild monkeys!!! 

Well, let me be the first to tell you that they are definitely not friendly.  If evolution is right, now I know where some human traits stem from… In an attempt to snag an awesome pic with wildlife, I squatted next to a monkey, who decided hissing and chasing after me would make for a better photo.

The politically correct term for the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia happens to be “The Civil War” and mentions of this time rarely extend outside of memorials.  However, our tuk-tuk driver made mention that his English skills were lacking because of Pol Pot’s attempt to destroy education.  This he apologized to us for.

On that note, I’ll mention that Cambodians are on the opposite end of the English spectrum from Koreans (with exceptions of course).  Despite lacking a proper English education program, Cambodians are far from lacking English skills.  All English is learned through tourism and the need for survival.

Nearly all Cambodians, particularly in Siem Reap, are willing to learn English, often approaching tourists pointing and asking, “What’s the word in English?”  If only my children were this motivated.  And accents are slim to none.  I was amazed.

Switching cities- In Phnom Penh we opted more for the moto and less for the tuk-tuk, as prices skyrocketed compared to Siem Reap.  But this made for some completely exhilarating stories.  Laws were basically just nonexistent.  Motos carried anywhere from 1 (a rarity) to 7 (more common) people.  So of course B and I always shared our moto with our driver- 3 full grown humans on one little bike.  Truly a site.

But like I said- some great stories.  We thought driving in Korea was crazy… and then we met Cambodia.  Helmets obviously aren’t worn- this is a 3^rd world country. Sidewalk hops aren’t uncommon.  Stoplights are run (nothing new), but what was surprisingly shocking was the amount of times we drove against traffic.  Whether to the side or straight down the middle of on coming traffic, I found these experiences extremely invigorating.  You only live once!!

Sans windows, you also get to meet lots of people!  Children would wave, give us high-fives, and even have full-on conversations at stoplights (the bigger ones that you didn’t run).  One child, packed with her parents and sister on their moto became a star of our Cambodia trip.  Big stoplight after big stoplight, we had a wealthy conversation (all in English) with her. Departing was actually kind of sad, especially since we didn’t get to snag a picture. 

Oh and this last story nearly gave me a heart attack.  Having just run out of money (we did a lot of shopping in Siem Reap), B took out a hefty chunk of money.  Following dinner, we thought we’d be romantic and head over to Sisowath Quay.

Relaxing by the water, we were approached by 3 homeless children, who continually cried “nom, nom, nom” in an attempt for B and I to give them some hand outs.  For a good 15 minutes these children crawled all over us.  Meanwhile, we were approached by a “Laos-American” who had just had all of his money and passport stolen and was looking for some help.  I believed his story, but knew there was nothing we could do to offer him.  B, on the other hand, immediately thought of it as a scam.

So he stood and with a few 4-letter words later proclaimed that someone had swiped his wallet too.  Great.  I knew… I just knew… it was one of those little buggers.  So I patted them down police officer style.  Hands up- head to toe… When B proclaimed that he thinks he left it at the restaurant where we had dinner.

On our way back to the restaurant, me still freaking out, sweating, heart-racing, B mentions that I did a really good job acting.  Excuse me… acting?!?!?!  That was no act there buddy.  He, thinking the guy was a scam, just wanted an excuse to get away.  He had his wallet the whole time.  I nearly died of a heart attack and had just molested 3 children- Thanks, B.

Thank heavens, God later allowed me to apologize to the 3 homeless children.  After picnicking in a local market, we packed up our leftovers and headed back to the Quay, hoping for a little better success in a romantic night.

Upon hearing the music and seeing the street dancing, we knew our fairy-tale night was soon to be replaced by a wealth of entertainment.  While watching the rows of impromptu dancers we noticed our 3 “stealers” and the little girl on the moto dancing together!  What were the chances?

So while our little star showed off her moves, we pulled the 3 homeless children away and gave them our leftovers- the least we could do after a full pat-down.

All in all, Cambodia was amazing.  Of course these experiences are only a drop in the bucket, but thanks to Cambodia, our bucket list just shortened.

WWW (22)- Dog, Baby, I Miss You

This may seem like a random compliation of words, but I promise upon reading this week's "FFF" it will all make a bit more sense.

Korean: 개

Korean Pronunciation: kae

English Meaning: Dog

Korean: 아기

Korean Pronunciation: a gi

English Meaning:  Baby

Korean: 너를 보고 싶어요

Korean Pronunciation:  noreul bogo shipoyo

English Meaning: I miss you.

Captivating Cambodia

This is exactly what Cambodia did to me.  I’m 100 percent, thoroughly C.A.P.T.I.V.A.T.E.D.  Simply put, Cambodia stole my heart.

From the people, to the food, to the culture, I’ve fallen.  It’s safe to say that of all of the eighteen (!!!!) countries that I’ve visited, Cambodia is the most captivating.  Although my words will not do justice, here’s my best effort:

The Land- Despite visiting at the height of dry season, the land, laid with a thin layer of brown “grass”, seemed to elicit a certain beauty.  The “large town” of Siem Reap was no more than your average town from a western movie- lined with dirt roads and wooden buildings- that gave a certain homey feeling to it. 

Shortly after arriving in Siem Reap, we ventured on our way through town and got wind that the thing to do at 5pm was watch the sunset over the temples of Angkor.  So we ordered up a tuk-tuk (the preferred transportation of Cambodia) and headed the 30km north.

This is where the real beauty of Cambodia’s landscape stood out.  Having climbed to the top of an Angkor temple, we watched the sunset over the vast fields that seemed to go on for miles without a modern structure in sight.

Side note about tuk-tuks:  Brandon and I mutually agreed that in any future game of MASH a tuk-tuk is a requirement and neither of us would be upset if chosen.

The Food-  Pol Pot’s effort in returning Cambodia back to its roots failed, particularly in the food department.  A mixture of Cambodian, Southeast Asian, European, and Australian restaurants line the streets.  If you want rice- they have rice.  If you want a baguette- they have baguettes.  If you want crocodile- they have crocodile. 

And of course, we got crocodile… and ostrich… and snake… and kangaroo.  We literally ate Australia in one sitting.  This picky eater loved each one- offering up different textures and tastes, this meal certainly was a treat.  Although delectable, this meal falls short of my favorite Cambodian dish.  The title belongs solely to Amok- a meal I was able to prepare myself through Cambodia Soup Restaurant’s cooking class (which I highly recommend).

A delicacy which we did not touch happened to be frog, which I’m assuming stems from their long “interaction” with the French.  And in fact, a variety of their culture seemed intertwined with French culture.  The older generation is indeed fluent in French and some of their buildings, particularly in Phnom Penh, happen to have a wealth of European influence.

The people- Charming Cambodians- are definitely some of the most gorgeous people whom I’ve ever encountered, from the inside out.  In retrospect, it is actually unbelievable to realize that every Cambodian whom we met either endured Pol Pot’s torture or was a first generation of one who fought off his cruelty.   Yet some how… some how these people are the most sincere people, as a collective group, that I’ve ever come across. 

Oh and they are aesthetically beautiful too.  Their eyes are literally enchanting.  Unlike most Asians, Cambodians have light brown eyes that radiate against their tanned skin.  It just felt like there was so much genetic difference than what we’ve encountered in the Northeast Asias.  

Needless to say, I wanted to pack up nearly every little orphan that littered the streets.  Too bad International Adoptions are currently closed to the U.S.  A recent report mentions that the U.S. is holding its ban on Cambodian adoptions until changes are made in Cambodia.  This ban against Cambodian adoptions to the U.S. began in 2001. 

All in all, I’m dying to get back to Cambodia.  Following my year in Korea, I’ve decided to attend nursing school.  And following my visit to Cambodia, I’ve decided that, post-RN degree and experience, volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia is now on the bucket list.

**I have so much to say about Cambodia that a subsequent post will be posted containing some short stories of our Cambodian experiences!

FFF (25)- Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

You’d think with the magnitude of the earthquake in Japan earlier this week that we would have felt at least a little quiver, but no- nothing.  Whilst Japan was rumbling as much as my stomach in Vietnam, Korea was sitting as peacefully as a day on the beach. 

Although the quake did not physically affect the Korean peninsula, it moved the people.  The typically self-centered Korean population put aside their abhorrence, stemming from a long history of military combat, thirty-five years of brutal Japanese occupation, and the current debate over Dokdo Island (a topic to be revisited), and opened their doors, hearts and wallets.

The tsunami forcefully hits into Japan's east coast.

While the South Korean government sent aid in the form of naval support and helicopter assistance in remote areas, South Korean superstars and companies donated thousands to millions of dollars to their eastern neighbors.  Actor Bae Yong-joon, aka Yonsama, dug 890,000 USD deep into his personal savings.  And Samsung made a significant contribution of 100 million yen ($1.22 million).

And perhaps those ruthless northern neighbors finally decided to show a hint of geniality and set aside their cultural differences.  Reportedly, North Korea’s rigid leaders softened up and donated $500,000 to the Japanese as a relief fund… OR DID THEY?  A little birdy tells me this is just a hoax.  Shocking.  The facts don’t add up… a country suffering from starvation donates thousands of dollars.  Hmm… That’s kinda ballsy of NK- looking for attention while one of the strongest countries in the world is crippling.  LOW.BLOW.NORTH.KOREA.

Reports have mentioned that the tsunami reached 6 miles
inland, destroying everything in its path.

But despite the aid from countries, thousands are still turning up deceased.  Who could forget Taylor Anderson's story, the first American reported dead due to the March 11^th Earthquake and Tsunami?  A hero in the eyes of her children, as she made sure each one returned home safely before she herself made way for her temporary home.

And now days removed from this natural disaster, I’ve decided to indulge in topic I’ve realized that I know little about.  Living in the bubble of the earthquake-less east coast of the U.S., never before had I realized the plethora of earthquakes that Japan has endured over its years.  Just through visiting Wikipedia you’ll immediately notice the extensive list of recorded Japanese earthquakes. 

But after doing some necessary research, I’ve realized that not only is Japan an earthquake hotspot, but it is located right on the edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, in addition to the U.S.’s west coast, Peru, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the more recently rumbling countries, Chili and New Zealand.  This lovely Pacific Ring of Fire not only consists of areas that are highly susceptible of earthquakes but also have a high risk for volcanic activity. 

Needless to say, I’m grateful that I’ve chosen to work for GEPIK and not JET and that Japan was kind enough to completely shield South Korea from the tsunami monstrosity that the quake produced.

The image above represents the wave height from the tsunami
produced by the 2011 Japanese Earthquake, with black representing
the largest waves and yellow the smallest.  The blue ares are areas
unaffected by the tsunami.  As you can see, just west of Japan,
the East Sea is completely calm, as Japan completely shielded
Korea from any forces of waves.

 

Several quick facts (as reported by American Scientific):

Magnitude, according to USGS: 9.0
Duration of strong shaking reported from Japan: three to five minutes
Greatest distance from epicenter that visitors to the USGS Web site reported feeling the quake: About 2,000 kilometers
Distance that the island of Honshu appears to have moved after the quake: 2.4 meters
Length of warning time Sendai residents had before tsunami hit: eight to 10 minutes
Number of confirmed foreshocks to the main shock: four
Magnitudes of the confirmed foreshocks: 6.0, 6.1, 6.1 and 7.2

Number of confirmed aftershocks: 401

To donate:

American Red Cross

Convoy of Hope

Catholic Relief Services

  

WWW (21)- Emergency Situations

In light of the tragic that occurred just due east of Korea, I've provided some Hangul correlating to the tragic disaster that transpired last week.  Hopefully, I'll never have to use these terms!!

Korean: 도와주세요

Korean pronunciation: To wa ju se yo

English Meaning: Help!

Korean: 지진

Korean pronunciation: Ji Jin

English Meaning: Earthquake

Korean: 쓰나미

Korean pronunciation: ssuh na mi

English Meaning: Tsunami

Korean: 초심하세요

Korean pronunciation: cho sim ha se yo

English Meaning: I’ve been injured

FFF (25)- Tutoring Rebels

If you think finding teaching jobs in Korea are plentiful, then get ready for a whole world wind of opportunity- but of course with stipulations.  Private tutoring is in more demand than teaching in a formal setting.  Why would the overzealous Koreans want to pressure their children into being the best?  Of course that would never happen.

Some teachers find tutoring jobs through friends, co-workers, and even on the streets.  If a brave Korean, antsy enough to learn English, spots a waygook on the street they may approach you and boldly ask for private tutoring.

But Privates (as we waygooks call them) are illegal… at least if they’re paying you cash.  And boy will they pay you cash.  Koreans are so adamant in being one step ahead of the rest, that they will typically pay anywhere from 30,000 won (about $27) to anywhere up to 100,000 won (nearly $90) PER HOUR.  Of course this depends on location, experience, age of student, yada yada; but it’s pretty safe to say that the going rate in Seoul is around 50,000 won/hour.

In a recent forum on a Korean teaching website, there was chatter circulating about how much to charge per hour.  One response mentioned “don’t get out of bed for less than 30K an hour.” 

And according to research conducted by Hyundai Research Institute, some parents are spending 19 percent of their monthly income on privates, cutting back on the parents’ retirement funds.  In total, it is estimated that 33.5 trillion won is spent on private tutoring, while the government sets aside only 31 trillion won towards education.

So this brings about why private tutoring has become illegal and who exactly is private tutoring illegal for? 

The government hasn’t completely banned tutoring, but anyone with an E2 visa (a working visa) is not allowed, by law, to teach private tutoring lessons.  To control privates, the government set up Hagwons (Academies), which are typical employers for Native English Teachers (NETs), especially in the larger cities, such as Seoul.

But this problem with the budget sheds light on why private tutoring would be illegal.  With the pressure to have their kin be the best of the best (remember Korea is #2 in education, see FFF 3), Koreans gain excess stress to be able to make enough money to provide for this posh educational environment.  Remember, Koreans are dishing out about 19 percent of that monthly income, cutting back on retirement, causing them to work longer.  Surprising to some people, this isn’t appealing.  So instead of having children and working until you’re 100 (they live long plentiful lives in Asia), why not opt out of children?

Ultimately, the birth rate in Korea is dramatically decreasing and the government is pointing one of its fingers at private tutoring.  In addition, educational inequality is increasing within the school system, extra ciricular activities are being distrupted, and private tutoring goes against the educational reform. See Korea's War on Private Tutoring for more details.

What is the punishment?

Well if you feel ballsy and want to take on the risks, you might find 1) fines 2) jail or 3) deportation.  But those fines are no joke- in one source it stated that the fines could be 5 million won (approximately $5,000).  And Korean jail is not your luxurious U.S. jail; they’re exactly how jail should be- rough.  And deportation- no one wants that on their record.

How do people get around these laws? 

Some tutors accept gift cards, dinner, and other gifts in replacement of the cash advances.  F2 visas are available through talking with their employer and the government.  Others just pray they don’t get caught by the government and those goodhearted fellows out there just volunteer.

And this is exactly what I’ve opted for.  When someone approached me about private tutoring, I began researching and soon became aware of the consequences.  Not wanting to take on any crazy Korean inmates, I decided that 2 hours per week is good for the body.  

Now I’m not putting myself up on a pedestal or anything.  I do get something out of this; I get to take a break from my crazy middle schoolers and interact with a brilliant 4^th grade boy and an adorable 1^st grader, who last week begged if I could stay the night J.  Anyway, hope this sheds some light on the illegal tutoring (and legal, volunteer tutoring) that goes on in South Korea.  Hopefully I’ll be able to report back with some more adorable stories from my 1^st and 4^th graders.

WWW (20)- Volunteer Tutoring

Two great things in life that only multiple in goodness when you add them together:

Korean: 과외 선생님

Korean Pronunciation: gwa wi sun saeng nim

English Meaning: Tutor(noun)

Korean: 자원봉사자

Korean Pronunciation: Ja won bong sa ja

English Meaning: Volunteer (noun)

Korean: 자원하여하다

Korean Pronunciation: Ja won ha yo ha da

English Meaning: To volunteer (verb)

FFF (24) - Random Facts

No stories this week!  School is starting and things are pretty busy, so I’ll just post some fun facts that I’ve learned throughout the past 6 months (yep, I’m halfway through my contract!).

Korea is one of the Four Asian Tiger economies, along with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

The martial art 'Tae kwon do' originated in Korea.

Korea is the only divided country in the world currently.

WWW (19)- To Be

To be or not to be? That is the question!

We’re making big strides here.  If you haven’t already noticed, this week’s word happens to be a VERB.  In other words, we’re gonna start making sentences.  In actuality, this is probably the most important verb for you to know, hence why they always teach it first in Spanish or French class back in the States. 

Korean, being a very simple language, has only 2 forms of “to be” (or at least for the level at which I have learned it).  And it doesn’t change depending on the subject.  The only change occurs due to the ending of the previous word (i.e. if the last sound is a vowel of a consonant).

Korean:이에요

Pronunciation: i e yo

Used: last sound is a consonant

Korean: 예요

Pronunciation: ye yo

Used: last sound is a vowel

Spontaneous Singapore

Singapore was spontaneous.  All of you faithful readers out there would notice that Singapore didn’t quite make the cut for winter travel… or did it?  When originally planning for our vacation we limited ourselves to (or treated, depending on who you talk to) 3 countries: Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.  But we realized very early on in our travels that a big city is, well, a big city.  So after exploring Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital (re: big city) for two days, we got to wondering “Welp, what are we going to do on our third day?”

With the help of our seasoned traveler friend, spontaneity took control.  That little conversation over dinner in Malaysia forever changed our plans.  After 2 hours of sleep, we were on that 1 hour plane flight to Singapore, watching the sunrise above the oil refineries just before touching down.

7am- Singapore Sunrise.

Welcome to the land of oil.

Now I’m not gonna lie, a lot of Singapore is forever lost in the sleep deprivation that consumed my mind.  But my body will tell you that we walked what seemed like the whole city five times.  The majority of our time was spent surrounding the waterway that snaked through every portion of this beautiful city.

Following a salad (a weird concept in Asia) we walked through the European styled streets, to the business district, and to the famous Merlion (fish and lion) admiring the vast developments in this SE Asian country.

Salad- something that was left behind in the U.S... or so we though!

Adorable European style streets.

Jump shots by the Business District.

Merlion and expensive "cruise hotel".  A casual $600/night.

Fail.  Notice the water running THROUGH
his hands.  This is why I leave the picture
taking to Brandon!

After 10 hours of being awake, at a mere 12pm, we found a lovely patch of grass to relax, gazing up at a Singapore rainbow.  Whew, it was good to take a break.

Now comes a time when memories are really lost, only to be survived through the lens of a camera.  After getting lost and walking wayyyy to far for the lack of sleep we’d had, we hopped in a taxi and made our way towards the Singapore Botanical Gardens, filled with wildlife and vibrant, oversized flowers.

Love.

Everything is so green!  Welcome to SE Asia!

Just a few countries...

Wildlife!

Big leaves.

Making our way through the gardens and braving a city bus, we made it back to our little waterway just in time for a birthday dinner.  On the menu- LOBSTER.  In Korea, you eat Kimchi, in Vietnam, you eat Pho, in Thailand, you eat curry, and in Singapore, you eat fresh marine life.  And of course there were a few Singapore Slings and Tiger Beers to go with that.  How else were we suppose to keep ourselves awake after 16 hours of adventure on 2 hours of sleep?  Following a night visit back to the Merlion and we were back on the subway, making our way towards Singapore Changi Airport.  Arriving late night back in KL, we decided to stick it out on the airport floor (not carpeted, but concrete), as we only had 4 hours before checking-in for Siem Reap, Cambodia!

Dinner on the Quay.

Fresh lobster.

My favorite picture. 

Singapore has amazing bridges.

Merlion at night.