Good Bye Korea.........

And so this is goodbye. 

Sitting in a hotel in Seoul with less than 12 hours left in this Korean chapter of my life.  It has been a wonderfully, challenging journey and I will always treasure my time here.  The people I have met along the way have touched my life in ways I didn't think possible.  I will never forget these kids, that spoke a different language than me--yet, we somehow managed to make it work.  We created our own language during the process (somewhere between Korean & English--Konglish) and I am hopeful that I too, had a positive impact on their lives, even if only in the smallest of measurements.  I will always treasure the inexplicable & unlikely friendship with Son Myungai.  The best dinner decision I ever made, was to walk into her kimbap shop last July.  From there, each time I went into her shop I learned something new about her and I grew to love her more.  I feel lucky that I was so warmly welcomed into her world and given the opportunity to see a side of Korea, I would not have otherwise seen.  Son Myungai will forever remain in my heart and I am hopeful I will see her again.

Since this will be the last post for awhile (or ever), I would like to take a few moments to thank a few people from home who have been so supportive to me on this journey.  If it wasn't for these people, just being in my life and being a good friend to me, my experiences here would have been incredibly different.  One thing I grew to realize during this time is how much I really need and depend on my close friends and family for emotional support.  This journey has been difficult and filled with no small amount of frustrations and at times sadness.  Fortunately, the interesting & fun times far outweigh the negative, but if it wasn't for my support system, the hard times would have been unbearable. The people that I am going to thank are certainly not the only people who have been supportive during this year---they're just the people who I've depended on more for companionship & support than others.  So I sincerely thank everyone who wrote me emails, sent letters & care packages during this time.  All those things really make you feel very loved and so much closer to home.  Now, on to thank a few specific people....

Dan, of course... you have always been such a positive and supportive person in my life.  Thank you for reminding me to be the captain of my ship. I appreciate you more than you know.  If it wasn't for your constant encouragement, I don't know that I would have ever made it here in the first place.  You are a treasure in my life and I am grateful that we were fortunate enough for our paths to cross.  You are so important to me and I look forward to seeing you on the other side of our journeys. 

Ann.... There have been so many times this past year, that I felt incredibly alone.  And in so many of those moments, I would get "facebooked" or an e-card from you that would just let me know that you were thinking about me.  I can't tell you how much these little tokens, have meant to me.  I had a really hard time those first few months, so it was extra important to know that someone from home was thinking of me and sending me good thoughts.  It may seem like such a small thing, but when you're so far away from home---it was so much more than that to me.

Amy....Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you for all the long, phone conversations.  Thank you for loving me for who I am and being a constant confidant.  I feel that I have a very true, solid, and honest friendship with you.  I love that I can tell you anything in the world and you hold it close and support me no matter the circumstances.  I feel lucky, because you are not only my sister, but you are one of my best friends.  Thanks for keeping all my secrets safe.  I love you!

Tracy...what can I say, I love you just for being you!  I love that your crazy work hours allowed me the privilege of getting to talk to you on almost a nightly basis!  I love that you would text me little 'love bombs' frequently!  I feel that this year, I have probably talked to you more on the phone than in many years past.   You've always made a strong impression on me, but more so now, I am impressed with the woman you have become and I'm proud of you for the life you've created for yourself.  You're just one hell of a woman.  I am grateful that I'm lucky enough to call you my good friend, 20 years later.  Can't wait to see you this spring & summer!!  

So with these goodbyes, my Korean life comes to an end.  Over the next 5 weeks I'll be travelling to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, & Cambodia..enjoying a much needed vacation and journey through a part of the world I never imagined I would be visiting.  I am really excited to see what's in store!  I'll be back in The States on April 1st.  Who knows what will happen next.  Some time after I get back, I'll try to add a few more photos of Korea and some from my travels.

Until then...   Good bye and thank you Korea!  You are an alright country!  Leaving you is bitter/sweet.

Kimbap Shop Painting

When Dan was here visiting, back in August/September, he was equally as touched by Son Myungai and her son, Kim Sung-eun.  We went there for dinner many times during his stay and with each and every visit Son Myungai, Kim Sung-eun & Dan began to develop a meaningful connection.  There is something so special about this woman, that you can't help but love her.  It may sound a little corny, but she truly shines with love.  You meet her one time and you feel that you have always known her and in those moments you realize that you just met a friend for life.  Those friends are few and far between, and when it happens to you--you feel like the luckiest person in the world that you were fortunate enough to cross paths with a life long friend (in this case, in the most unlikeliest of places & circumstances).

Dan was inspired by Son Myungai and wanted to do something extra special for her.  While he was here, he took a bunch of pictures of the outside of her shop, with the idea of creating a water color of her shop.   Dan is a man of many talents and after all these years, he still amazes me by revealing another level of his talents, interests and depth (sorry if I am embarrassing you Dan).  He has only "dabbled" briefly in water colors, so prior to painting this picture, he has had about as much experience with water colors as anybody. So with that in mind--it makes his painting that much more spectacular!

This is the actual photograph of her restaurant.  I believe the exact photo he painted from.

I wish Dan could have been here to present her with his gift in person, but I was honored to be a part of this exchange.  I gave it to her this evening.  She boiled over with emotion and kept asking, "Jin-ja?!?", wanting to know if he really painted that for her.  She was honored to be given this gift.  Touched beyond words, overwhelmed with emotion.  She hung it on her wall in a prime location, for all to see.

This is the painting.  Hard to tell which is which. 

Prior to me giving her this painting, she was telling me that I am her "self-esteem"---but I think she meant that I make her feel good...maybe?   She was telling me how much my mom's apron meant to her and that she is always "boasting" about this to all her customers & friends.  She is very amazed that someone all the way from America thinks of her and has given her gifts.  I imagine that this painting will add another element of pride and happiness in her life.   So thank you Dan.  Thank you Mom.  You both added such a magical layer to her life and I was honored to be a part of it.

Opening the painting.

Its new home. 

TidBits:

I went to the post office today to ship a few boxes home by surface mail, which will go by boat and take somewhere between 2 & 3 months to get home.  The lady at the counter asked me, "Are you sending these by fish?"   :)   It made me smile.  I do love a good lost in translation!  She meant boat, obviously, but 'fish' is so much better!

A Very Korean Birthday

My birthday was yesterday and I had the most memorable birthday party of my life.  This birthday easily ranks as one of the best birthdays I've ever had.  Son Myungai threw a small party for me at her kimbap shop.  When I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to find balloons decorating the shop and immediately greeted with a very sweet card from her.    Some time after 7 p.m., she started to prepare one of my favorite Korean dishes, Samgyeopsal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samgyeopsal).  Soon thereafter her English teacher, Jang Eu-nam, (who is actually not her teacher, just a regular customer, like me, who has taken a liking to Son Myungai and helps her with English.  His profession is an English tutor though), comes in wishing me a Happy Birthday with this gorgeously, decadent chocolate cake.  Son Myungai tasked him with running to the market next door to purchase beer and virgin, strawberry champagne.  Once back they lit the cake, sang me happy birthday, popped the champagne and we had a birthday toast.  The cake was quickly set aside though, because we hadn't eaten yet, so from their we proceeded to eat a feast fit for a king (or a birthday queen).  The meal lasted almost 2 hours and was accompanied by many more toasts with a few bottles of beer and a few shots of soju. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

This was sooooooooooo delicious.  Easily the best cake I've ever had.

I love this photo.  I love how her sweet nature just shines through in photgraphs. 

The Party-goers, properly posing for a photograph while in Korea, by giving the Peace Sign (or "V" sign as they say)

The party wrapped up some time after 10 p.m.  One thing I like about Korean gatherings is that, once it's time to go, there is none of this wishy-washy, standing about, wondering if you are over staying your welcome.  A Korean will say, "Okay.  The End.  Finish." and everyone leaves less than 2 minutes after that.  :)  Every gathering, I've been to with Koreans, ends much the same way.  

One other thing I forget to mention is that we went by our desired ages at this party!  I desire to be 28, Jang Eu-nam desires to be 35, and Son Myungai was going by 15.  In Korea, age is very important because it determines your rank, so to speak.  Since we were going by our mythological ages all evening, it added a fun dynamic to the festivities.  The reason being is that there are customs surrounding meals...your role at the meal is determined by your age...so since Son Myungai went from being the oldest to the youngest, it added a bit of fun to break the "rules".

Last week Son Myungai gave me a goodbye gift, which is free meals every day up until I leave.  She told me, "Christine--EVERY DAY, you eat kimbap or mon du.  Every day you pay.  No more.  My gift to you.  NO MORE PAY!"   I loved the way she phrased it!  What a very, very nice gesture.   I am very thankful for this generous gift...but more so thankful for her.  I only have 2 more days in Ulsan, before I head up to Seoul and then on to SE Asia on Saturday.  I want to spend every amount of free time I have at her store, not because of the free meals, of course, but because she is there...and our time is quickly running out. 

A Beautiful Gift & Adventures in Hair

I wanted to give Son Myungai an extra special goodbye present, so I asked my mom if she would embroider an apron for her.  So thankfully, my mom agreed, and proceeded to put in a great deal of time creating this absolutely beautiful apron for her.

 

 

Momma Son Shop
(name of her restaurant)

I gave her the apron a couple of days ago.  I can honestly say that I have never seen her look so happy and so surprised.  It meant so much to her....she kept telling me to tell my mom "thank you" and trying to express with our limited knowledge of each other's language how much this gift meant to her.  She tried it on and then hung it up on her wall.  Earlier today, I was standing at the bus stop, opposite her shop, and saw her in there pointing it out to another customer or friend....I thought that was pretty neat.  So, thank you so much Mom for creating this very personal & beautiful gift.  It truly meant so much to her.  You helped contribute a great deal of happiness to her life.

 

Opening the present.....

 

Hair Salon Adventures

 

I went to get my hair cut last night and the hair stylist told me that, "Your voice sounds like a little baby's voice".....(...what?!)    She then mimicked what she thought my voice sounded like, by giving this horrible high pitched, whiny voice and started murmuring incomprehensible words in an attempt to capture what I "sounded like".  (Oh please oh please, say I DON'T sound like that!).   I actually wasn't offended by the comment, I just thought it was an interesting observation to say.  Out loud.

 

Korea is very concerned with my relationship status.  When I first got here, they really wanted me to get married and couldn't understand why I wasn't married to my boyfriend.  I would often hear, "Christine, I hope you get married soon".  I would reply with comments like, "me too", because it just seemed easier to say, rather than try to explain, via second language the complexities of my American relationship.  :)       Last night this hair dresser wanted to know if I was married or had a boyfriend and I told her no.  She seemed to think that if I dyed my grey roots, I might get a boyfriend.  So, I let her have her way with my hair.  From calico brown, red, black & grey (courtesy of numerous botched Korean dye jobs), to light brown and dark brown hair I went (still a calico, but a bit less).   As I was leaving, she says, "I think you look better.  Maybe now, you will get a boyfriend.  I hope that next time I see you--you have a boyfriend."  I just said, "me too" and out the door I went, to catch my man.

 

Graduation Day

Today was graduation day!  What a great day.  For the opening act the 6th grade kids did a K-pop dance, that was so much fun.  My 5th graders also sang a really great song.  I was so proud of all of them.  It was very sad to say the final goodbyes, but this was such a nice send off to the official last day of school.  I don't think I've ever posted a link to K-pop.  They are these massively popular, cutsy boy/girl bands, who have pretty crazy/fun dance routines.  All the kids idol these celebrities and all age levels know some pretty fun K-pop dance routines.  Here are a couple of video links of some popular K-pop, if you feel like checking it out-so you can get an idea of the dance the 6th graders performed.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7mPqycQ0tQ&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYKO1za5mX0 

 

After graduation the school took all the teachers to lunch at this massive fish market/marina that is just around the corner.  I was expected to say a few words, after the principal.  In my delightful & awkward way, I stood up and thanked everyone (showing off my super cool bilingual skills of knowing "thank you" in two languages), and expressed my gratitude through a lot of gestures and facial expressions, telling them how sad I am and that I love Bangeojin and then goodbye.  I got a huge round of applause and a lot of people were laughing pretty hard (which I wasn't sure if they were laughing at me/with me/about me as is my usual experience here).  I asked my coteacher why they laughed at me, but it turns out they were all very happy because they understood everything I said, because I kept it very simple--which made me very pleased.

 

On the menu was fish soup and beer.  I like pretty much all Korean food, but I have never warmed to fish soup.  I have a cast iron stomach and a pretty expansive pallet, but this is one of the rare things that really, really turns my insides.  I was very happy to see the beer being pulled out, and extra happy when the principal came over to do 'beer shots' with me!  It helped ease my stomach a bit and gave me that nice beer glow that made me brave enough to eat more fish soup.  Of course the beer buzz wore off, and then I was left with the quease again.  I really didn't want them to remember my last meal with them as me not eating the food, so I forced down A LOT of spoonfuls of the stuff.  It is incredibly offensive to Koreans, if you don't eat the food.  I think this school loves me most, not because I am good at my job, but because I love the food so much.

 

 

My coteacher knows who the "next me" is going to be.  We tried to find him on facebook, but there are too many people with his name.  She is incredibly nervous about getting the new person. I can certainly understand why, because it is a very close working relationship, and you are literally tied to (and dependant on) this person for a year, so it is important to have compatible personalities.  Part of the goodbye present I gave my coteacher was a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream.  I told her that this is for her to toast the new teacher with, because he is Irish.  I am trying to tell her not to be nervous about the new person and trying to think of every complimentary thing I can come up with about Irish people, to put her at ease.  I am stretching the truth a bit, because I have only met a few people from that country, but if they're anything to go on, I would say it is a very fine country indeed! 

 

The funny thing about the person's name is that it is "Barry".  I think it is funny, because Koreans get 'v's & 'b's confused a lot, since those two sounds are interchangeable in Hangul.  My kids always tell me that I am doing a "bery, bery" good job.  I think they'll also think it is hilarious that his name sounds like fruit (kid humor, ya know).  I SOooooooo wish I could be here when he is introduced to the students.  :)    I think Barry, will love it more than I did though--when the kids tell him he is doing a "bery bery good job". 

 

 

Anime graduation characters

All the 5th & 6th graders before it started

 

 

One year ago today, my plane landed in this country.  I was experiencing a tiredness, I had never felt before..in addition to this, I was disoriented, scared, anxious, sad, and every other emotion under the sun.  I also had many thoughts that went a little something like: What the <bad word> am I doing???  What a different feeling it is being on this side of the adventure.

 

Official Count:   School year finished.

                             8 days left in Korea.                  

                             Wow.

The Daily Characters

You think you're doing a good job teaching, until the reviews from your kids come back, only to realize their favorite part of your Winter Camp School was, "lunch time" .   I had a very intensive winter camp w/ my kiddo's.  I know I have blabbed on about "how long" it was many times before, but 8 hours a day, for 5 weeks is an awful lot of non-stop kid time.  It leaves you completely depleted.  I put in several weeks of planning this camp, from finding worksheets, projects and creating power points.  So it was intensive work, prior to it ever even starting.  SO, with that in mind...Seriously???!!  Lunch??  That was the best part?!   Blek!  :)     I know...., they're 5th graders, but I really wish they would have lied for my benefit--just a teensy bit.   I still love them though.  I know that when I was a kid my favorite time of school was recess & lunch, so I certainly can't blame them.  They're doing what kids do best, which is just calling it like they see it.

 

Since I only have 14 days left in Korea, I am obviously starting to get incredibly sad that my year is almost up.  I walk to my close school (good school) every day.  On this route, I have passed the same exact people at the same exact moments every single day for the past year.  They have become important & permanent characters in my small narrative.  At times it feels a little like the movie, "Groundhogs Day".  For the past few mornings, as I am walking to school, I am trying to soak everything in, in an attempt to commit it to memory for life.  I am finding myself feeling very sad that I will no longer be a part of this community. 

 

My walk is only 6 blocks and during this walk, every day at 8:25 I pass the "man with the earmuffs", as I call him.  We have matching earmuffs, and he always gives me a very stern look, unphased by the fact that we have now walked passed each other at least 200 times.  I have started to gauge how early/late I am running, depending on what point in the walk I pass him.  Up a little further is the "Old Lady and the Toddler", who always seem to be waiting for someone (maybe for someone to pick the kid up or both of them).  These two are a lot friendlier than the "man w/ the earmuffs".  I exchange Annyeong-haseyo's & bows with the old woman and Annyeong's & Hello's & Hi's with the toddler.  I look forward to seeing them every day.

 

Just past these two I pass the "smoking vent".  There is a PC room in this alley, and as you walk passed the vent, you are blasted with the smell of cigarettes because it is the out-vent for that store.  It's pretty gnarly smelling, but it is just that area in my walk that is always the same.   A few stores/houses past this is "the man who sneaks his keys".  This man hides his keys in the flower pot outside of his store.  On a regular basis I see him walk over to his "secret stash", pull out his keys, give me a double take (I assume to make sure DIDN'T see him take the keys out of the flower pot for the 100th time) and walk over and unlock his shop.  I am always impressed at how trusting this culture is.  The crime rate, although very low, is certainly not unheard of.

 

Up still further, as I round the corner out of the alley-ways and onto the busy, main street, I pass "the man who is always sitting there".  He sits cross legged on a platform/table that is outside his shop (not even sure what kind of shop).  He has said "Hello" to me once in the past 12 months, but normally just mumbles something in a very low voice in Korean.  I haven't yet figured out if he is making fun of me or if he is saying something nice to me OR if he is even talking to me/about me.  In fact, I have often thought he seems a little bit odd...but again, he is a "regular" in my life, so I rather enjoy seeing him either way.

However, the best part of my day is ALWAYS at 8:40 a.m.  This is the point when my feet hit the first steps at the entrance to my school.   When I am here, this signals the first of hundreds of "hellos" I will get throughout the day!!  Right at the base of the stairs is the School Store (mom & pop shop loaded with stickers, pencils, candy, candy, candy, & ice cream), where lots of kids conglomerate, standing around, talking, laughing, pushing each other and loading up on moon pies, ice cream, candy & choco milk before school starts.  In between bites of candy, most of the kids standing there bombard me with first "hellos" of the day.  I sort of look at them as "the welcoming committee".  The entire walk up the steps and across the soccer field, kids are walking past me saying, "hello", others yell it across the field, accompanied with an enthusiastic wave.  I never tire of this.  I honestly have no idea how many times I say "hello", each and every day.   It is well into the 100's though and it makes my heart happy every time.  I think out of all the things I will miss about Korea, my daily dose of "hellos" from the children is what I will most miss and remember.....forever.  I am certain it always be a memory that will warm my heart.

 

  

Tid Bits:

 

The Ulsan Police motto is "Happy 2 Day".  This slogan is plastered on the side of their building and also on their police cars & commercials.  After a year here, I can say things like this now:  IT'S SO Korean!     I love their cutsy!  Their fire trucks & stations also have adorable cartoon characters painted on them.

 

Countdown: 14 days left in Korea, 4 days left of school, 1 day left of classes......................(WOW!)

 

 

 

It's just a Happy Day (and sandwiches are really good)

I went to have passport sized photos taken today, because of all the travelling I am getting ready to do.  So....a little warning....be careful when getting passport photos taken in Korea. You could leave with a little somethin' like this....................................

I am not sure this style of passport photo is going to be a big hit with the Cambodian Immigration Officials.  Unless of course, Cambodia is as seriously into the "cutesy" factor as Korea!   One can only hope....one can only hope!    Oh, and yes...I was VERY airbrushed....   and....umm.. I like sandwiches?