Who would have thought. I just celebrated New years 2006 in Seoul, korea! right downtown in the middle of it all. i've never seen so many fireworks in one place in my life! Candice and I heard the bell ring...barely in the middle of it all. the bell is a huge traditional bell that they used to ring everyday to open and close the city gates at morning and night. now they just do it once a year. yay! everyone had roman candles and were letting them off in the street. 4 for 3000 won. you hold them up and light them and 30 go off in the street! there were people in drumming circles dancing and drumming. they looked so happy. they were dressed in white and blue and red in a traditional korean way, and some were waving huge flags.
we got to a solid line of police crossing the entire street about 4 people wide. that was a sight to see. they surroundeed the whole pavilion and circle where the bell was housed. there was a concert going on there too. the place got so crowded that you felt like a fish in a sardine can or somethign. human sandwich! quite an amazing feeling actually. you just go with the flow or you could be in trouble.
one moment before the countdown was when they played the korean anthem, and people started singing it. wow. and then the count down...!!! and i counted down with them all in korean! ship....o, ..., sam, il, i!!!!!!!!!! that was fun! and memorable....
so afterwards was the 'fun' part....all of a sudden we started getting pushed from every side...and then everyone was BEING moved, and you just float.....so we FINALLY moved through the crowd...and now...here we are..in a pc bang. and it's 'peaceful'. man, being here in seoul has been an eyeopener for me. i've never been where there are so many people in my life. seas and masses of people. lineups for subways 20 people wide or so. it just blows my mind. you just take every part for what it is...and go with the flow. where do i start describing that?
well, the saddest part of this new years is missing the important people that i love in my life, and i think about them all so much. One very important person i just found out about, and that's the news that my wonderful Grandma Orlo passed away the other day, and i just found out about it... I'm glad that she's gone and not in pain now. So sad taht I cant be there....and so happy that i phoned her last week. I will always remember her sweet voice, and all the happy moments i had with her, few as they were. And since most people say that i resemble her, i will try my best to live some of that because of her. she was always so pretty and sweet and fun. Its hard to comprehend that she's gone. Two Grandmas in a few months...and now one Grandpaw. life is trange sometimes....no, all the time. i'm so glad that i know that i will see her again one day...that i have that hope.
so...now i have the dilemma of what to do now. Candice and i are planning on going to sleep at a sauna. the saunas here have sleeping rooms and almost all of them are open 24 hours. i'm so addicted to them...i dont know what i'll do when i go back to canada! They'll be one of the things i will miss the most....and now i'm sooo understanding of why the Asian people do what they do....like always at the sauna or rec centres in canada! it's all coming together!
well, i should sign off for now.....so much to tell...and i really do have to keep up with my blog more often. well, i've got the chrismas holidays to blame for that!
best wishes everyone!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
From Nov 29 to Dec 20 Blogeasy
Its Thursday
Well, after a week of real performance anxiety, I got through it. I decided to come back to my creativity roots and make them happen. Yayyy.... And I had a good day. This last week (Mr.) Shim told John and I that we were going to be teaching at another school on Thursday. We'll switch off every other Thursday. We went there Wed and Thurs am, and its a nice little school. It's nicer than Kids Club, and a bit smaller because it's all on one floor, but it's really nice. The books are nicer than ours..or so it looks. We'll see. I was, of course, checking out all the design in there. Man, I love marble and granite and stainless steel and glass and how they use them. Especially interesting is the ergonomics and the space planning. Everything in Canada is SO BIG! My word, I would never be able to understand that unless I came to live here. Or at least visit another country that lives that way. Its making new development and Yaletown make soooo much more sense to me now!!! Oh, theres so much that happens everyday that I wish I could have a 'mental' recorder and download it on to my website! Yah that would be great...then theres all the pictures and thoughts you could ever imagine. Yah maybe not so much.!! Man, I wish I could pick up Korean really fast...faster than I am. It's so easy to get lazy, because the people here want to speak English with you...so it's something u can get away with. But I know hello and thankyou and goodbye quite well. And 'yogie' means 'here'. So that's always good for taxis! I dont think i've travelled in so many taxis in my life as here! It's great! Its been snowing a lot lately. We've got around 6 inches of snow more or less. I forgot how beautiful the snow is. I'm really really enjoying a dry winter. Humidifiers everywhere. I do wonder though, how summer is going to be and how I'm goign to handle it being so hot and humid. We'll see I suppose. Rain in the summer won't be so bad at all!!! Now I'm trying to figure out what to do for Xmas week off. New years in Seoul I'm sure. Woohoo...I can hardly wait...but I'm a bit worried about all the money that slowly and surely creeps away. Gotta watch that stuff. Maybe Thailand and Vietnam etc after the year is over for a few weeks. Wooo that would be great!! I'm so upset that I forgot my warm pants at home though. Ugh..I could use them right now. Ya, sorry, train of thought from nowhere.Man, I slept wierd last night...I always twist up wierd, and man...my pectoral muscle HURTS all day! I think that's the right word for it. Anyway..I really have to look into a massage therapist here...or ANYTHING. I could always do the rub down at the sauna. That might be nice. Wierd at first, but very nice. Hopefully I'll come back with some skin on my back after that!I didnt go to the sauna last week, and it really feels like a huge difference. I really miss it.
December 15, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Allo....!!
Well, Its been a while since I've written. This one will be short and sweet...I think..Anyway...the weekend was busy enough to keep me occupied...which I'm glad for. I had a few moments of lonliness...but other than that...mind over matter I say! So mainly, I have a bit of 'graphic' matter to discuss. I finally tried a squat toilet! And I thought it would be awkward..but man...I think they need more of those! It was comfortable and not so awkward as I thought, and alot cleaner feeling. No pee on the seat! And no papering it either! Saves on the environment and evertyhing! Ha ha!!!! Sorry, but u know..that's part of the experience, you know...Ok, why is it that Korean movie vids are all sooo sad and one of the coupledies, adn then they're crying and soo sad. I find it depressing and intreguing. So today, honestly, I was feeling quite anxious about my work...and my 'gad mind tapes' were playing over and over in my mind. I blame it a bit on hormones...but seriously. I always seem to find a way to make my life more paranoid. Man, there's other resources for that! So then...I talked it out...thanx mum...and feel way better. Liz, a friend here said that its just a 'bad Korea day'. Allrighty...on to the next one. I just want the kids to listen to me!!! and when they dont...i wonder if I'm not doing sometihng that I should be. But I have to remember my mums wise words...there's control in chaos! And I'm really finding its true! Well...I want to write a lot more...but I gotta sleep! It's 2 am! ps....did I say that I LOVE radiant heating in floors? Oh yes I do. I'm already thinking of the things of Korea that I'll really miss when I leave!!!
December 13, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Well whaddya know-I'm having one of those days
Welll...interesting...something new. I was watching the CNN news, and there were the Seoul stock exchange...Taiwan and Hong Kong and Australian currency stuff. Cool. I wish I coulrd remember what all those were called. Anyway, how can you tell that's not something I'm really into...the currency and stock exchange. Makes me clue in again where I am on this globe!! Okay, sorry for the guys reading this....but PMS has hit. Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I HATE hormones that you cant control. Well, I guess you could a bit..but MAN. THis SUCKS! I couldnt figure out what was wrong with me today ...but apparently it's got me. UGH. What can u do. GO TAKE TAEKWONDO!!! Ohhhh yes! I will be finding out tomorrow hopefully how and where to take it. Yayyy! Another issue is how much to spend on what now...as in that nasty word, or good word, whichever you look at it. I look at it both ways. I just got paid and I dont know what to do with it. That's a frustrating feeling, but a good feeling because I have a very good idea where most of it's going. To pay bills off!!! That's why I came here to make some money to pay off those bills!! So there!It's kindof interesting how women and men are portrayed here. The men are definitely in charge. And the women are strong, but very much 'in their place'. They dress very feminine which is really quite nice. They all have this way of talking (on TV mostly that I've seen) that is 'cheecky' and the sound of Korean accents this. What I've obseved of Korean now sounds kindof whiny to me! That's the most negative part of it...or the best part of it...whichever you care to think of it as. The voice goes up and down in long tones at the end of a word that sounds kindof whiny to an English person. I'm not quite sure if it's for emphasis or just the proper way of saying things. Also, 'ne' is 'yes' in Korean, but I always hear 'yeeeeeeeh' as if they're saying 'yeayyyyyyyy' and the voice intonation goes down then uuuuupppppp! It's kindof the equivalent to 'hei' in Japanese that is sharp, whereas the Korean 'yeeeaaaaaaayyy' is long. When you come in a store they might say 'yeeeaaaayyyy' or when you leave, or when you say goodbye on the phone or anything that takes place of other words that you just might not feel like saying. Its somethign you have to hear I suppose. I kindof like it, and then sometimes it bugs me. So guess what, I'm going to be saying it like craziness when I get back home! ha hahaha! Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm living in another country. Even if it's all around me. Strage. Not sure how exactly to explain that. Oh another thing, all the words end with either 'yo' or 'hamnidaaaaaaaaaaaaa'. Something like that. I hope I pick this stuff up. Just for the fun of it anyway!
December 7, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Saturday Dec 3
Woke up from a crazy dream. I should know better not to eat bread or anything before I sleep! Wierd how food does that to you. So after sitting around most of the morning, and into the afternoon, I finally decided to leave at around 2 to go downtown on my own adventure. I didnt quite know where to go, until I saw...DUH! The art street! So down I went to the subway, and on to the street of Art in Gwangju. As soon as I got off the subway I knew I was in the right spot, cuz there were buildings all around me that were covered in fabric! Top to bottom! The whole building was encased in art work temporarily I assume. U know when everyone gets together and does a 4'x5' or something piece of fabric or canvas or whatever and paints or draws whatever on it and then sews it together... It was beautiful. Some were pieced together in different colors to make a quilt looking piece in the middle. Look at the pictures if you can...you'll see what I mean.So on down the street was little shops, and my main find was old wood, an leather punching/decorating shop, lots of tea ceramic shops, and GoldMine! lots of places to get paintbrushes and paper and paints and canvas and PAPER! Oh the paper took my breath away. You would think you were walking into a fabric shop, but noooo...it's all paper on bolts! Paper on hangars, paper in rolls. Every color you could imagine, and some really beautiful prints. All handmade paper. Oh man. Guess what you're gonna get for Xmas! And oh yes, ink paintings and sketches. Big bamboo paint brushes..one I saw with horse hair that was HUGE. And stone ink wells that are just spectacular. Smooth black stone that is carved out on an angle for ink. Yum. Ha ha...yes ...yum! And then as I walked down a side street and noticed all the stone statues on the side of the street like they werew just dime a dozen...I saw some really gorgeous pieces of furniture there...I guess that I would pay attention to. Then I found a little shop that was ....what do you say when you find a treasure little down and out store full of shiny statues of Buddha, multiheaded shrine statues, a big knight or soldier in the front of the store, holding a piece of real armour....oh man....that thing...I wonder how old it is. If it's real...it must be...I dont know how old...hundreds of years? And then, I looked up, and this lady of the store gets up and looks all sleepy....then I look down and her husband is sleeping on the floor, and she just gets up and nods at me and sits there. I ask her if I can take pictures and she nods. Then her cell phone goes off...and here's this middle aged lady talking on her cell phone, while she and her husband sleep on the straw mat floor in the middle of ancient treasures! Oh man...I feel the National Geographic moment coming on! ha ha! It's funny that it just feels like I live here, and sometimes I have to wake up and tell myself that this is really happening! I feel so disconnected sometimes...but Oh I LOVE it. Maybe there really is something to my name meaning.--Wanderer. That's exactly what I love doing. Hmmmmm.....So then I look up, and see that there is the SDA church right ahead. Wierd. So I go across the street...and make a long story short, I meet up with some wonderfully nice people who invited me out to dinner, and then a movie. They paid for everything very graciously, and attempted to use their English as much as they could. Oh yes, we went to an ice-cream parlour after. IT's a whole other store/restaraunt that just sells icecream and coffee...etc... And it was gorgous! One of the girls and I completely are on the same page in terms of design and art and fashion...cuz she bee-lined to the Korean Vogue...oh yes...Korean Vogue complete with the model Devon Aoki on the front. And we gushed over the same things. You know, this whole experience really is showing me and proving that everyone is the same in so many ways....no matter what culture or language or ethnicity, we all are just the same. Maybe a little variation here and there...but really! What is it with me that has this unsatiable craving for everything ELSE. What ELSE is out there? What ELSE can I see or experience. What ELSE , what Else, what Else! SO we saw the movie in Korean, and I understood every bit of it except for some words where the situation explained it all. It was really funny and cute and amazing to experience. There's a reason why I like foreign film of any kind. For me, its' the visual experience, and then the story, and the cinemetography taking me into another viewpoint using color and light, and then language and little things that every culture has that is intrinsic to them. Mmmm life IS beautiful, and it really makes me see God so much more and how colorful he really is. And why did he make Asians to look like they do, and do the things that they do, and use the colors that they do, and to bow in 'respect' to eachother, .... and why did he make me 'white', and give me the desires that I have, and make me want to go everywhere that is foreign to me and LOVE it at the same time? Or anyone else for that matter. So I can hardly wait to go to Thailand if I can at Xmas. I really hope that works out! Well, I gotta sleep. I have to get rested for the sauna experience tomorrow...yay! I can HARDLY wait. Later! and dont forget to comment or write! Happy birthday mom!
December 3, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
It's Dec 1 !!!!
kids are funny creatures. They all laugh and point and have no shame. How do we every evolve into restrained adults that we are? How are we all born kids that have no conscience it seems? I curled my hair and went to work and let me tell you ...kids notice! They all came out and pointed laughing at me. One day I came in and didnt know I had a hole in my pants right in the butt... all the kids were grabbing my butt for some reason, an dI couldnt figgure out why... SOme of them try to tell you, but some are too shy, or some are just plain nasty! Some of them start to touch me in places that they shouldnt..but when you know theyre a kid, and they dont quite get it... But all the games you get to play....friends to hang out with all day, Friends to hit when you're mad, friends who will forget 15 minutes later after they've had their temper tantrum or cry. Man its fun to be a kid. There's so many little details that I see here that I wish I could catch them all. What was it today. Hmmm...of course i cant think of much today. Cuz I'm sitting here trying to write that's why. Oh I know...on the walk to work and back, there's a toy machine I pass all the time....and it sings Pink Panther..then it gets stuck in my head! Makes me laugh. John an dI went downtown last night and wandered around downtown. It's fun to see what's there. Man, there's so many little things I want to get. But then again they're all the same. Tonnes of knockoff purses and bags, belts, jewelry, hats, makeup stores, clothing stores, food/restaraunts... I love the crazy names they come up with. They seem to be named something that has nothing to do with what they sell. THere's a Barbie store that has nothing to do with anything Barbie. Stuff like that. I saw a bag the other day called "happy virus"!! A series of stuff tooo! There's another one called Booby! Ahem! Lol!!! I couldnt stop laughing out loud in the store! I tried to be respectful..but ...There are the little old ladies out there on the street. Today I walked by one lady that was so cute. She was so short and walking hunched over withher cane. So adorable. When I walked away I thought to myself, how beautiful is life, even when you're old. There is still beauty. Or ugliness is even beautiful. Oh! I just found out that the channel CV that i've been watching is called cinema republic!! Oh man, and now i just saw a movie where the woman was walking up and down the steps and they lit up and were opaque glass with fluorescent lamps that lit up when you walked on them. And that's not all! They made music! When you stepped on them, they played a note on the scale! Imagine that! Now where else would you see that in America other than a kids playland. Who said adults arent kids?! Or need to have things that are more playful!???WEll, I'll write more later when I'm not distracted by TV....
December 1, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
deep thoughts .....
Just watching a Korean documentary on North Korea. A woman is talking about her brothers who live in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The commentor asks what it is like in that city, and she says that living anywhere in the world is the same, but it is the system that is different. Regardless of the biological differences, we are all still human beings. That says what I am feeling by living in Korea, we're all human beings; people. We're all living on this planet, and trying to survive however we can wherever we are. I'm also starting to realize what globalization really is. Comparing modern and traditional here, and wondering what it would be like if there wasnt TV or internet. Until recently, (early 1900's) life would have been MUCH different here. I would have seen a lot more tradional elements here than now. People become more aware of the differences that are really there aroudn the world. Crazy stuff. My mind is going crazy, as in I feel so many thoughts in my head about this. Living here makes me think differently, and I'm glad for it.
November 29, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Tuesday I think
So I'm watching the korean music channel, and there's this one band that features a guy in a wheelchair singing and he's a star! Like a music superstar! I think that's amazing...where in Hollywood is someone in a wheelchair famous?! Get with the times America! Oh, so now I'm calling anything on the North American continent 'American'...how did that happen? Wel I suppose it really is true...Canada IS in North America! Wierd. That really used to bother me, but now it makes sense. Huh. Interesting. Strange how things change your point of view.I'm feeling somewhat restless after wierd dreams of people in my past and present combined. Bad things and good things combined. Wierd... I think I wake up with mixed feelings about everything. Feelings of panicky wierdness because I had terrible dreams that someone left or went away or even died. Feelings of relief that the people in my life that I value are still there...although far away. I wonder why I felt that I had to come and do this work in Korea. What am I meant to do here? Why is that? Why did I need to leave? Why do I need to feel this separation? Havent I had enough of that kind of thing already in my life? Is it because I just don't know anything else? Not really. My name means 'wanderer' apparently. I'm beginning to think its accurate. But my other longing is to settle down somewhere and have a family. I'm not sure that that will ever become reality. I always knew I had to travel around to see the world, and see everything in a different light. To experience....see things, to expand my perspectives. Why is that? Ever since I was ...well ever since I was old enough to think thoughts and remember them...maybe even before that...I had wanderlust. For this reason I'm soooooo glad I came to Korea. I'm so glad that I'm working with kids...even though I have no idea how to control them...and that's the point. I was teaching the kindergarten 5 year olds....and man...there IS NO controlling them! And if there is...you gotta establish that quick...or they'll just do whatever they want. They've been starting to say 'NO' to me, and that's gotta change. I know they always test you...but geez. Funny how I feel like I'm able to deal with this at this point in my life, where I'm not sure I would feel that way 5 years ago! I wonder if I'll ever have my own kids. Interesting how the desire and even need comes to have children. NEVER thought I'd EVER say that....EVER!! HA!Man, I love how these people dress. It's great how the guys are almost funkier than the girls. Girls are super girly. You should see all the PINK stores around and guys come in quite comfortably. There's one that Candice and I found in Seoul that was amazing! FULL of cosmetics everything....from Dove, Neutrogena, Pantene (eeeeeeesh!) Vidal Sasoon, Nivea, to all the Asian products I've never seen or heard of. That's the funnest part. And let me tell you, they've got packaging down! Funny how that is. The mix of modern and old (not sure I'd say traditional exactly) is here. There's the old perm machines in super modern designed spaces. It's shameful for daughters to be old maids here, and everyone marries Korean. It's interesting being in a culture that is NOT multi-cultural. There are the odd foreigners here and there that are obviously English teachers, or perhaps a traveller or two. But EVERYONE is really truly Korean. It's quite beautiful actually. To be somewhere where the traditional clothing is worn, and I've seen it qutie a few times already. More women then men so far... I'm kindof feeling a bit lonely tonight. But I feel like I need to be by myself too. I dont want to read, too hooked on internet and TV now. Love information finding here. But I wish I would just get away from the noise and stimulation sometimes. Being in university changed all that. Well...I'm going to go and try that. Talk later....I've checked my email for the millionth time today and no email. Oh well. Funny how I'm addicted to the idea to email...my only connection to the world it seems.....
Well, after a week of real performance anxiety, I got through it. I decided to come back to my creativity roots and make them happen. Yayyy.... And I had a good day. This last week (Mr.) Shim told John and I that we were going to be teaching at another school on Thursday. We'll switch off every other Thursday. We went there Wed and Thurs am, and its a nice little school. It's nicer than Kids Club, and a bit smaller because it's all on one floor, but it's really nice. The books are nicer than ours..or so it looks. We'll see. I was, of course, checking out all the design in there. Man, I love marble and granite and stainless steel and glass and how they use them. Especially interesting is the ergonomics and the space planning. Everything in Canada is SO BIG! My word, I would never be able to understand that unless I came to live here. Or at least visit another country that lives that way. Its making new development and Yaletown make soooo much more sense to me now!!! Oh, theres so much that happens everyday that I wish I could have a 'mental' recorder and download it on to my website! Yah that would be great...then theres all the pictures and thoughts you could ever imagine. Yah maybe not so much.!! Man, I wish I could pick up Korean really fast...faster than I am. It's so easy to get lazy, because the people here want to speak English with you...so it's something u can get away with. But I know hello and thankyou and goodbye quite well. And 'yogie' means 'here'. So that's always good for taxis! I dont think i've travelled in so many taxis in my life as here! It's great! Its been snowing a lot lately. We've got around 6 inches of snow more or less. I forgot how beautiful the snow is. I'm really really enjoying a dry winter. Humidifiers everywhere. I do wonder though, how summer is going to be and how I'm goign to handle it being so hot and humid. We'll see I suppose. Rain in the summer won't be so bad at all!!! Now I'm trying to figure out what to do for Xmas week off. New years in Seoul I'm sure. Woohoo...I can hardly wait...but I'm a bit worried about all the money that slowly and surely creeps away. Gotta watch that stuff. Maybe Thailand and Vietnam etc after the year is over for a few weeks. Wooo that would be great!! I'm so upset that I forgot my warm pants at home though. Ugh..I could use them right now. Ya, sorry, train of thought from nowhere.Man, I slept wierd last night...I always twist up wierd, and man...my pectoral muscle HURTS all day! I think that's the right word for it. Anyway..I really have to look into a massage therapist here...or ANYTHING. I could always do the rub down at the sauna. That might be nice. Wierd at first, but very nice. Hopefully I'll come back with some skin on my back after that!I didnt go to the sauna last week, and it really feels like a huge difference. I really miss it.
December 15, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Allo....!!
Well, Its been a while since I've written. This one will be short and sweet...I think..Anyway...the weekend was busy enough to keep me occupied...which I'm glad for. I had a few moments of lonliness...but other than that...mind over matter I say! So mainly, I have a bit of 'graphic' matter to discuss. I finally tried a squat toilet! And I thought it would be awkward..but man...I think they need more of those! It was comfortable and not so awkward as I thought, and alot cleaner feeling. No pee on the seat! And no papering it either! Saves on the environment and evertyhing! Ha ha!!!! Sorry, but u know..that's part of the experience, you know...Ok, why is it that Korean movie vids are all sooo sad and one of the coupledies, adn then they're crying and soo sad. I find it depressing and intreguing. So today, honestly, I was feeling quite anxious about my work...and my 'gad mind tapes' were playing over and over in my mind. I blame it a bit on hormones...but seriously. I always seem to find a way to make my life more paranoid. Man, there's other resources for that! So then...I talked it out...thanx mum...and feel way better. Liz, a friend here said that its just a 'bad Korea day'. Allrighty...on to the next one. I just want the kids to listen to me!!! and when they dont...i wonder if I'm not doing sometihng that I should be. But I have to remember my mums wise words...there's control in chaos! And I'm really finding its true! Well...I want to write a lot more...but I gotta sleep! It's 2 am! ps....did I say that I LOVE radiant heating in floors? Oh yes I do. I'm already thinking of the things of Korea that I'll really miss when I leave!!!
December 13, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Well whaddya know-I'm having one of those days
Welll...interesting...something new. I was watching the CNN news, and there were the Seoul stock exchange...Taiwan and Hong Kong and Australian currency stuff. Cool. I wish I coulrd remember what all those were called. Anyway, how can you tell that's not something I'm really into...the currency and stock exchange. Makes me clue in again where I am on this globe!! Okay, sorry for the guys reading this....but PMS has hit. Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I HATE hormones that you cant control. Well, I guess you could a bit..but MAN. THis SUCKS! I couldnt figure out what was wrong with me today ...but apparently it's got me. UGH. What can u do. GO TAKE TAEKWONDO!!! Ohhhh yes! I will be finding out tomorrow hopefully how and where to take it. Yayyy! Another issue is how much to spend on what now...as in that nasty word, or good word, whichever you look at it. I look at it both ways. I just got paid and I dont know what to do with it. That's a frustrating feeling, but a good feeling because I have a very good idea where most of it's going. To pay bills off!!! That's why I came here to make some money to pay off those bills!! So there!It's kindof interesting how women and men are portrayed here. The men are definitely in charge. And the women are strong, but very much 'in their place'. They dress very feminine which is really quite nice. They all have this way of talking (on TV mostly that I've seen) that is 'cheecky' and the sound of Korean accents this. What I've obseved of Korean now sounds kindof whiny to me! That's the most negative part of it...or the best part of it...whichever you care to think of it as. The voice goes up and down in long tones at the end of a word that sounds kindof whiny to an English person. I'm not quite sure if it's for emphasis or just the proper way of saying things. Also, 'ne' is 'yes' in Korean, but I always hear 'yeeeeeeeh' as if they're saying 'yeayyyyyyyy' and the voice intonation goes down then uuuuupppppp! It's kindof the equivalent to 'hei' in Japanese that is sharp, whereas the Korean 'yeeeaaaaaaayyy' is long. When you come in a store they might say 'yeeeaaaayyyy' or when you leave, or when you say goodbye on the phone or anything that takes place of other words that you just might not feel like saying. Its somethign you have to hear I suppose. I kindof like it, and then sometimes it bugs me. So guess what, I'm going to be saying it like craziness when I get back home! ha hahaha! Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm living in another country. Even if it's all around me. Strage. Not sure how exactly to explain that. Oh another thing, all the words end with either 'yo' or 'hamnidaaaaaaaaaaaaa'. Something like that. I hope I pick this stuff up. Just for the fun of it anyway!
December 7, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Saturday Dec 3
Woke up from a crazy dream. I should know better not to eat bread or anything before I sleep! Wierd how food does that to you. So after sitting around most of the morning, and into the afternoon, I finally decided to leave at around 2 to go downtown on my own adventure. I didnt quite know where to go, until I saw...DUH! The art street! So down I went to the subway, and on to the street of Art in Gwangju. As soon as I got off the subway I knew I was in the right spot, cuz there were buildings all around me that were covered in fabric! Top to bottom! The whole building was encased in art work temporarily I assume. U know when everyone gets together and does a 4'x5' or something piece of fabric or canvas or whatever and paints or draws whatever on it and then sews it together... It was beautiful. Some were pieced together in different colors to make a quilt looking piece in the middle. Look at the pictures if you can...you'll see what I mean.So on down the street was little shops, and my main find was old wood, an leather punching/decorating shop, lots of tea ceramic shops, and GoldMine! lots of places to get paintbrushes and paper and paints and canvas and PAPER! Oh the paper took my breath away. You would think you were walking into a fabric shop, but noooo...it's all paper on bolts! Paper on hangars, paper in rolls. Every color you could imagine, and some really beautiful prints. All handmade paper. Oh man. Guess what you're gonna get for Xmas! And oh yes, ink paintings and sketches. Big bamboo paint brushes..one I saw with horse hair that was HUGE. And stone ink wells that are just spectacular. Smooth black stone that is carved out on an angle for ink. Yum. Ha ha...yes ...yum! And then as I walked down a side street and noticed all the stone statues on the side of the street like they werew just dime a dozen...I saw some really gorgeous pieces of furniture there...I guess that I would pay attention to. Then I found a little shop that was ....what do you say when you find a treasure little down and out store full of shiny statues of Buddha, multiheaded shrine statues, a big knight or soldier in the front of the store, holding a piece of real armour....oh man....that thing...I wonder how old it is. If it's real...it must be...I dont know how old...hundreds of years? And then, I looked up, and this lady of the store gets up and looks all sleepy....then I look down and her husband is sleeping on the floor, and she just gets up and nods at me and sits there. I ask her if I can take pictures and she nods. Then her cell phone goes off...and here's this middle aged lady talking on her cell phone, while she and her husband sleep on the straw mat floor in the middle of ancient treasures! Oh man...I feel the National Geographic moment coming on! ha ha! It's funny that it just feels like I live here, and sometimes I have to wake up and tell myself that this is really happening! I feel so disconnected sometimes...but Oh I LOVE it. Maybe there really is something to my name meaning.--Wanderer. That's exactly what I love doing. Hmmmmm.....So then I look up, and see that there is the SDA church right ahead. Wierd. So I go across the street...and make a long story short, I meet up with some wonderfully nice people who invited me out to dinner, and then a movie. They paid for everything very graciously, and attempted to use their English as much as they could. Oh yes, we went to an ice-cream parlour after. IT's a whole other store/restaraunt that just sells icecream and coffee...etc... And it was gorgous! One of the girls and I completely are on the same page in terms of design and art and fashion...cuz she bee-lined to the Korean Vogue...oh yes...Korean Vogue complete with the model Devon Aoki on the front. And we gushed over the same things. You know, this whole experience really is showing me and proving that everyone is the same in so many ways....no matter what culture or language or ethnicity, we all are just the same. Maybe a little variation here and there...but really! What is it with me that has this unsatiable craving for everything ELSE. What ELSE is out there? What ELSE can I see or experience. What ELSE , what Else, what Else! SO we saw the movie in Korean, and I understood every bit of it except for some words where the situation explained it all. It was really funny and cute and amazing to experience. There's a reason why I like foreign film of any kind. For me, its' the visual experience, and then the story, and the cinemetography taking me into another viewpoint using color and light, and then language and little things that every culture has that is intrinsic to them. Mmmm life IS beautiful, and it really makes me see God so much more and how colorful he really is. And why did he make Asians to look like they do, and do the things that they do, and use the colors that they do, and to bow in 'respect' to eachother, .... and why did he make me 'white', and give me the desires that I have, and make me want to go everywhere that is foreign to me and LOVE it at the same time? Or anyone else for that matter. So I can hardly wait to go to Thailand if I can at Xmas. I really hope that works out! Well, I gotta sleep. I have to get rested for the sauna experience tomorrow...yay! I can HARDLY wait. Later! and dont forget to comment or write! Happy birthday mom!
December 3, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
It's Dec 1 !!!!
kids are funny creatures. They all laugh and point and have no shame. How do we every evolve into restrained adults that we are? How are we all born kids that have no conscience it seems? I curled my hair and went to work and let me tell you ...kids notice! They all came out and pointed laughing at me. One day I came in and didnt know I had a hole in my pants right in the butt... all the kids were grabbing my butt for some reason, an dI couldnt figgure out why... SOme of them try to tell you, but some are too shy, or some are just plain nasty! Some of them start to touch me in places that they shouldnt..but when you know theyre a kid, and they dont quite get it... But all the games you get to play....friends to hang out with all day, Friends to hit when you're mad, friends who will forget 15 minutes later after they've had their temper tantrum or cry. Man its fun to be a kid. There's so many little details that I see here that I wish I could catch them all. What was it today. Hmmm...of course i cant think of much today. Cuz I'm sitting here trying to write that's why. Oh I know...on the walk to work and back, there's a toy machine I pass all the time....and it sings Pink Panther..then it gets stuck in my head! Makes me laugh. John an dI went downtown last night and wandered around downtown. It's fun to see what's there. Man, there's so many little things I want to get. But then again they're all the same. Tonnes of knockoff purses and bags, belts, jewelry, hats, makeup stores, clothing stores, food/restaraunts... I love the crazy names they come up with. They seem to be named something that has nothing to do with what they sell. THere's a Barbie store that has nothing to do with anything Barbie. Stuff like that. I saw a bag the other day called "happy virus"!! A series of stuff tooo! There's another one called Booby! Ahem! Lol!!! I couldnt stop laughing out loud in the store! I tried to be respectful..but ...There are the little old ladies out there on the street. Today I walked by one lady that was so cute. She was so short and walking hunched over withher cane. So adorable. When I walked away I thought to myself, how beautiful is life, even when you're old. There is still beauty. Or ugliness is even beautiful. Oh! I just found out that the channel CV that i've been watching is called cinema republic!! Oh man, and now i just saw a movie where the woman was walking up and down the steps and they lit up and were opaque glass with fluorescent lamps that lit up when you walked on them. And that's not all! They made music! When you stepped on them, they played a note on the scale! Imagine that! Now where else would you see that in America other than a kids playland. Who said adults arent kids?! Or need to have things that are more playful!???WEll, I'll write more later when I'm not distracted by TV....
December 1, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
deep thoughts .....
Just watching a Korean documentary on North Korea. A woman is talking about her brothers who live in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The commentor asks what it is like in that city, and she says that living anywhere in the world is the same, but it is the system that is different. Regardless of the biological differences, we are all still human beings. That says what I am feeling by living in Korea, we're all human beings; people. We're all living on this planet, and trying to survive however we can wherever we are. I'm also starting to realize what globalization really is. Comparing modern and traditional here, and wondering what it would be like if there wasnt TV or internet. Until recently, (early 1900's) life would have been MUCH different here. I would have seen a lot more tradional elements here than now. People become more aware of the differences that are really there aroudn the world. Crazy stuff. My mind is going crazy, as in I feel so many thoughts in my head about this. Living here makes me think differently, and I'm glad for it.
November 29, 2005 by bendycha Move Up Change Theme Edit Remove Archive
Tuesday I think
So I'm watching the korean music channel, and there's this one band that features a guy in a wheelchair singing and he's a star! Like a music superstar! I think that's amazing...where in Hollywood is someone in a wheelchair famous?! Get with the times America! Oh, so now I'm calling anything on the North American continent 'American'...how did that happen? Wel I suppose it really is true...Canada IS in North America! Wierd. That really used to bother me, but now it makes sense. Huh. Interesting. Strange how things change your point of view.I'm feeling somewhat restless after wierd dreams of people in my past and present combined. Bad things and good things combined. Wierd... I think I wake up with mixed feelings about everything. Feelings of panicky wierdness because I had terrible dreams that someone left or went away or even died. Feelings of relief that the people in my life that I value are still there...although far away. I wonder why I felt that I had to come and do this work in Korea. What am I meant to do here? Why is that? Why did I need to leave? Why do I need to feel this separation? Havent I had enough of that kind of thing already in my life? Is it because I just don't know anything else? Not really. My name means 'wanderer' apparently. I'm beginning to think its accurate. But my other longing is to settle down somewhere and have a family. I'm not sure that that will ever become reality. I always knew I had to travel around to see the world, and see everything in a different light. To experience....see things, to expand my perspectives. Why is that? Ever since I was ...well ever since I was old enough to think thoughts and remember them...maybe even before that...I had wanderlust. For this reason I'm soooooo glad I came to Korea. I'm so glad that I'm working with kids...even though I have no idea how to control them...and that's the point. I was teaching the kindergarten 5 year olds....and man...there IS NO controlling them! And if there is...you gotta establish that quick...or they'll just do whatever they want. They've been starting to say 'NO' to me, and that's gotta change. I know they always test you...but geez. Funny how I feel like I'm able to deal with this at this point in my life, where I'm not sure I would feel that way 5 years ago! I wonder if I'll ever have my own kids. Interesting how the desire and even need comes to have children. NEVER thought I'd EVER say that....EVER!! HA!Man, I love how these people dress. It's great how the guys are almost funkier than the girls. Girls are super girly. You should see all the PINK stores around and guys come in quite comfortably. There's one that Candice and I found in Seoul that was amazing! FULL of cosmetics everything....from Dove, Neutrogena, Pantene (eeeeeeesh!) Vidal Sasoon, Nivea, to all the Asian products I've never seen or heard of. That's the funnest part. And let me tell you, they've got packaging down! Funny how that is. The mix of modern and old (not sure I'd say traditional exactly) is here. There's the old perm machines in super modern designed spaces. It's shameful for daughters to be old maids here, and everyone marries Korean. It's interesting being in a culture that is NOT multi-cultural. There are the odd foreigners here and there that are obviously English teachers, or perhaps a traveller or two. But EVERYONE is really truly Korean. It's quite beautiful actually. To be somewhere where the traditional clothing is worn, and I've seen it qutie a few times already. More women then men so far... I'm kindof feeling a bit lonely tonight. But I feel like I need to be by myself too. I dont want to read, too hooked on internet and TV now. Love information finding here. But I wish I would just get away from the noise and stimulation sometimes. Being in university changed all that. Well...I'm going to go and try that. Talk later....I've checked my email for the millionth time today and no email. Oh well. Funny how I'm addicted to the idea to email...my only connection to the world it seems.....
Back again!
Well, folks, since I do like this blogger better in terms of presentation, I might just be coming back. What a pain, huh? Here's the latest and the update from blogeasy.
Dec 20, 2005
Yes, Folks, It really did snow here today. TONNES! A foot of snow at Least today. Wowzers, I've never seen so much snow dump like that! The weather here changes in an instant....literally! Around 2-3 oclock today it was so windy and snowy that you couldnt see across the street. It was quite exciting really. The kids got to go home early, and so did we! Woohooo! I'm still sick, but getting over it. Dont remember if I wrote about it or not. Did i tell y'all about my doctor trip yet? Well, if I did, you're getting the second rendition of it. I went to school to teach yesterday and I was hurtin! So Rachel (a teacher) made the phone call to the director Mr. Shim, and then we headed off to the 'hospital'. The hospital here was more like a clinic. We got there, and I had to put my name and phone number and address on a little piece of paper. Thank God Rachel took me, cuz I'd have NO idea what it said in Korean, although I could figure it out by context. The receptionist had a thermometer and came and stuck it in both ears, to confirm if I really was sick I assume. Then she went to tell the doctor.
So we were ushered in to the doctor's office, and he apparently just was on a break or something, because he was visibly putting his white coat on as we walked in. He sat me down on a stool beside his desk. There was a silver trolley next to the desk, which had some instruments on it. Nothing scary, just super shiny stainless steel. Looked like it would be in a restaurant buffet for serving, perhaps. So he asked me some questions like 'how do you feel' and 'where are you sick' in English. His English actually surprised me, it was not so bad at all. Its funny how you become a critic of English skills here. All the time he asked the questions, he was typing away on his computer. When he asked my weight, Rachel giggled, and he had this amusing look on his face. Not to be rude, but just because it was interesting I think. Okay, whatever! What does that have to do with it I wonder.
He then took a stainless steel tongue depressor, and said that he would look at my throat. Then he got these interesting scissor like instrument and said he was going to look at my nose, so he stuck it up my nose and the instrument opened up to look. Quite lovely and attractive, I'm sure. He made some 'discovery/approval/I've found something' sound'. No kidding, I'm sniffling away! Hello! Then he said he would listen to my breathing, and took a stethascope and put it on my back, and said 'impression', 'expression'. Interesting how these words come up that you dont really think of, but they work. Hmmm. So then, his diagnosis was that I had a chest infection. Yep...I agree with that. So he printed off the page he was typing away at, and we were done. Oh, he prescribed (sp?) some medication for me to take for 4 days. And that's it. Next thing I knew I was being ushered out by Rachel who went and picked up my purse for me. Interesting how they do that, and I trust them.
Rachel and I went out to the receptionist, and she gave us the paper, and had to pay a little under 20,000 won (around 20 dollars). Rachel said 'Give me 20,000 won' and this is how I found out. It seems rude to Western ears sometimes, but it's all fine and good in Korean language. So we went downstairs to the pharmacy, and got the prescription filled, which was another 10,000 won. Apparently as I found out later, for Koreans to get this treatment, it would have all cost 3000 won! Wow. Anyway, the pharmacist came out with a big bottle of pink liquid, and some paper packages with about 6 pills each in them. I'm supposed to take this 3 x a day for 4 days. Okay then.
The thing I notice about things here is that everything is in envelopes, or paper bag 'envelopes'. The envelopes all open at the end, not lengthwise, or at the top like I'm used to. The pills were packaged in paper that were divided into portions. I'll have to take a picture I think. The paper is like wax paper....pretty cool actually. So that's my doctor story. I took the pills as soon as I got back, and in an hour or so, I was alot better than I had been a bit ago! I really dont know how I did the day though, honestly.
Well, I'm sitting here wondering what to do with myself. No one to chat with online, cuz it's about 2 am in Canada/Vancouver right now. Hmmmm. Tv it is I think. Movie time! Oh man! I just had a brilliant thought....something to make my day happier....HOOPS AND YOYO!!! Wanna join me in a laugh? Go to www.hoopsandyoyo.com and check it out! The more buttons you click the better! Tee hee! Love em those guys!
Dec 20, 2005
Yes, Folks, It really did snow here today. TONNES! A foot of snow at Least today. Wowzers, I've never seen so much snow dump like that! The weather here changes in an instant....literally! Around 2-3 oclock today it was so windy and snowy that you couldnt see across the street. It was quite exciting really. The kids got to go home early, and so did we! Woohooo! I'm still sick, but getting over it. Dont remember if I wrote about it or not. Did i tell y'all about my doctor trip yet? Well, if I did, you're getting the second rendition of it. I went to school to teach yesterday and I was hurtin! So Rachel (a teacher) made the phone call to the director Mr. Shim, and then we headed off to the 'hospital'. The hospital here was more like a clinic. We got there, and I had to put my name and phone number and address on a little piece of paper. Thank God Rachel took me, cuz I'd have NO idea what it said in Korean, although I could figure it out by context. The receptionist had a thermometer and came and stuck it in both ears, to confirm if I really was sick I assume. Then she went to tell the doctor.
So we were ushered in to the doctor's office, and he apparently just was on a break or something, because he was visibly putting his white coat on as we walked in. He sat me down on a stool beside his desk. There was a silver trolley next to the desk, which had some instruments on it. Nothing scary, just super shiny stainless steel. Looked like it would be in a restaurant buffet for serving, perhaps. So he asked me some questions like 'how do you feel' and 'where are you sick' in English. His English actually surprised me, it was not so bad at all. Its funny how you become a critic of English skills here. All the time he asked the questions, he was typing away on his computer. When he asked my weight, Rachel giggled, and he had this amusing look on his face. Not to be rude, but just because it was interesting I think. Okay, whatever! What does that have to do with it I wonder.
He then took a stainless steel tongue depressor, and said that he would look at my throat. Then he got these interesting scissor like instrument and said he was going to look at my nose, so he stuck it up my nose and the instrument opened up to look. Quite lovely and attractive, I'm sure. He made some 'discovery/approval/I've found something' sound'. No kidding, I'm sniffling away! Hello! Then he said he would listen to my breathing, and took a stethascope and put it on my back, and said 'impression', 'expression'. Interesting how these words come up that you dont really think of, but they work. Hmmm. So then, his diagnosis was that I had a chest infection. Yep...I agree with that. So he printed off the page he was typing away at, and we were done. Oh, he prescribed (sp?) some medication for me to take for 4 days. And that's it. Next thing I knew I was being ushered out by Rachel who went and picked up my purse for me. Interesting how they do that, and I trust them.
Rachel and I went out to the receptionist, and she gave us the paper, and had to pay a little under 20,000 won (around 20 dollars). Rachel said 'Give me 20,000 won' and this is how I found out. It seems rude to Western ears sometimes, but it's all fine and good in Korean language. So we went downstairs to the pharmacy, and got the prescription filled, which was another 10,000 won. Apparently as I found out later, for Koreans to get this treatment, it would have all cost 3000 won! Wow. Anyway, the pharmacist came out with a big bottle of pink liquid, and some paper packages with about 6 pills each in them. I'm supposed to take this 3 x a day for 4 days. Okay then.
The thing I notice about things here is that everything is in envelopes, or paper bag 'envelopes'. The envelopes all open at the end, not lengthwise, or at the top like I'm used to. The pills were packaged in paper that were divided into portions. I'll have to take a picture I think. The paper is like wax paper....pretty cool actually. So that's my doctor story. I took the pills as soon as I got back, and in an hour or so, I was alot better than I had been a bit ago! I really dont know how I did the day though, honestly.
Well, I'm sitting here wondering what to do with myself. No one to chat with online, cuz it's about 2 am in Canada/Vancouver right now. Hmmmm. Tv it is I think. Movie time! Oh man! I just had a brilliant thought....something to make my day happier....HOOPS AND YOYO!!! Wanna join me in a laugh? Go to www.hoopsandyoyo.com and check it out! The more buttons you click the better! Tee hee! Love em those guys!
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