Chungcheongnam-do-Good Times!

So, essentially I have been feeling inadequate as a teacher, I am fed up with all the schedule changes, and I losing my patience with the whole mess. I don’t want to dwell on this negativity too much though, and hopefully things will turn around soon. I have some very good friends here in Hongseong, and some very supportive people in various locations around the world who put up with my woes and worries despite the many miles separating us. I know how lucky I am and I am more grateful than most of you will ever know. You will be pleased to read that this last week has been an improvement, and hopefully things can only get better from here on in. I think it’s a shame that my time at the hagwon probably won’t be remembered with a warm, fuzzy glow, but it’s safe to say that my weekends will.

As I mentioned in my last entry, the weekends have definitely been a handy distraction from my nightmare of a job. Since I arrived here, the other British teachers at my hagwon, Rachel and Paul, have let me tag along with them on a lot of their weekends away, all of which have been great. Even Daegu despite all the rain and being hit by a scooter on the pavement (it was worth it just for all the steamed milk)! The last couple of weekends have been no exception, and with the added company of Viro in both Haemi and Seoul, my spirits have been lifted and the good times in South Korea just keep rolling.

Saturday 11 October, Cheonan, The Independence Hall of Korea.

Between 1910 and 1945 the whole of Korea (for you non-history or common knowledge buffs this was before the North/South divide!) was annexed by Japan. The Imperial Japanese Army was brutal to both the Korean people and Korean culture and society. Korean women were forced into sex slavery and kidnapped for the Japanese army as “comfort women.” Human experiments took place on live Koreans and the army burnt down Korean villages, temples and palaces. The Korean language was banned and there was complete censorship of the media. In addition, the confiscation of land, food and cultural assets, forced name changes and Imperial education were just some of the war crimes that Japan commited during this time. This period is often seen as a shameful part of Korea’s recent history and has led to a strong rise in anti-Japanese sentiment and Korean nationalism. The Independence Hall of Korea is essentially a massive demonstration of this, mingled with the hope of a North and South reconciliation. Lots of museums, free entrance, quiet monuments, a giant sign for some toilets and of course the obligatory stairs made for both a reflective and enjoyable day out. It was also the day that me and Rachel proved once and for all that women are better drivers. Ok, me not so much, but Paul had the most crashes in our little vehicle!

Sunday 12 October, Haemi, Seosan Haemieupseong Fortress.

A short bus ride out of Hongseong with Rachel, Paul and Viro saw us in the small and not so quiet town of Haemi. Not so quiet because unbeknownst to us there was a Military Heritage Festival taking place inside the Fortress grounds. The Festival provided some good entertainment though and if it hadn’t been taking place we certainly wouldn’t have met some sojued up old Korean men later that day.

Haemi Fortress was built between 1417 and 1421 to protect against invasion from Japanese pirates. It now serves as one of the best preserved sites of Joseon era Fortress architecture. A lot of the historical importance of Haemi Fortress comes from the fact around a thousand Catholics were executed there after the Byeong-in Persecution of 1866. During this time the presence of Christians was equated with the threat of foreign intervention in Korean culture. In a crackdown to prevent foreign “contamination” French missionaries were executed as were a large proportion of native converts. At Haemi, Catholics were hung on trees for their beliefs by their hair. The fortress and the fine company made for a nice day out, and it was a good place to enjoy the last of the warm weather and sunshine until next year.

Torture-it's not big and it's not clever.

Before we headed back to Hongseong we grabbed a bite to eat, seafood barbeque (“I am not too keen on seafood,” I said after we sat down). We were surrounded by two groups of elderly Korean men who were a bit sojued up, and keen on trying out their English. When you drink with Koreans it’s a “one shot” culture, essentially everyone says cheers and takes a shot together and you can’t leave a glass empty. So, me and Viro watched as Rachel and Paul sunk the soju like true Koreans. As one point Paul and his gentleman friend linked arms and Paul ended up with the residue of the shot of Soju on his head! Then we went back to Hongseong, headed to the bowling alley (look for the building with the giant pin on the roof) and did a bit of bowling. Good times.

Next time on “The Travels of Jo” Ice capers in Seoul, six month reflections, and a moan about something random no doubt!

I Can't Get No Satisfaction.......

My hagwon keeps making it more and more difficult to fully enjoy my time in South Korea. Last week was probably the most challenging and stressful week that I have experienced here. It was buffered by two very enjoyable and memorable weekends (one in Cheonan and Haemi, and the other in Seoul), and I got to speak to Helen on Thursday as well have a conference call with my Mum and Claire last night. Nevertheless, last Friday I was sick to the back teeth of the constant crap I have to put up with at the hagwon and the lack of support I get from the “department.” Today there are rumours that come next month I will no longer be teaching Elementary at all, though who or what I will be teaching instead is a mystery. I guess I won’t find out until two seconds before it happens, so there’s not a lot of point in worrying about it.

I try to see the positive in most things and regardless of how frustrating the circumstances are I do try to tackle the problems I face head on. Yet for some reason I am finding it increasingly hard to do at the moment. Maybe it’s half way blues, maybe I just can’t be arsed anymore, or maybe I have been messed around too many times. Suffice to say something has to give. I don’t want to just live for the weekends, even though I will take away a lifetime of memories from the ones I have had so far. I want to be a good teacher, but as I receive no guidance, curriculum or consistent schedule I have to resort to trial and error and hope that the students are learning despite my stumbling efforts.

For some reason the kids haven’t been told that Fely has left the hagwon. Every day last week and today I have faced a barrage of “Where is Fely teacher?” from Grade 3 and 4 who for the most part don’t appreciate Jo Teacher’s style. Actually Grade 4 have been fine, it’s Grade 3 who conducted a survey in Korean to demonstrate how much they prefer Fely Teacher. Elementary Manager ignores the kids when they ask her, which (excuse the paranoia) seems a bit suspect-I mean why not just tell the kids? Being told today in secret that I will no longer be teaching Elementary next month has further fuelled my paranoia. I just don’t understand why the hagwon point blank refuses to tell me what’s happening, it’s so infuriating.

To be sure, with the constant changes I will never get bored at the hagwon, but I am starting to run out of patience and I am questioning how valuable this current experience is. I am sure that this feeling will pass and I might (sharp intake of breath) get to experience a whole month of stability-with no changes to my schedule, and no more building work, but at the moment there is more tunnel than light, and I am just counting down the days until the weekend.

Schedule Change Part 102

To be sure, if I had updated my blog every time my schedule changed I would put facebook status update addicts to shame. (XXXXX has just blown her nose. XXXXX only has 6 hours until home time. XXXXX has just updated his status. And so on.) In years to come the pronoun “I” will be obsolete and people will refer to themselves in the third person….all the time. “Jo is talking rubbish again” or “Jo watched the latest episode of Heroes and thought that as a scientist Suresh probably wouldn’t have used himself as the first human test subject.”

The latest schedule change is one I hoped would never happen, and knowing my luck it will be the one that lasts the longest. As a bit of a back story Fely left the hagwon last week. This not only means I am going to be that little bit more isolated from my Korean co-workers, but also that I am the only one teaching Grades One through to Five. Apparently, there are not enough students to maintain a full schedule for both me and Fely, and since my contract means I have to work 6 hours a day unfortunately Fely had to go. On a more positive note, San (the painfully quiet Korean English teacher) said more to me yesterday than in the last two months since he arrived. But, to be honest, nothing will compensate for losing Fely as well as for the monstrosity Grade 5 is going to become if the train wreck that occurred yesterday is anything to go by.

My new schedule is as follows:

Grade One/Two 3:00-3:45 Monday to Friday.
As I mentioned before, a hagwon is primarily a run for profit organisation rather than an educational institution. Thus it seems that Henry has been kicked out for not being smart enough and I have been given a combined class of grade one (Jenny and Joyce) and grade two (Harry and Tracy). They are being taught from different books so I am trying to get the grade two kids up to the same level as my two favourite girls. Despite the fact Tracy feels the need to call me fat every time she sees me (I should mention she’s a chubby little child herself, who feels the need to try and bite my hand when I try and give her a high five) the class is still one of my favourites. Harry tried to be the class clown by swinging on his chair, calling me Pig Teacher (seriously!) and swearing at rest of the kids but I kicked him out of the class once and he’s been fine ever since.

Grade Five 5:50-6.35 Monday, 3:50-4.35 Tuesday to Friday.
Wow, what a nightmare! Previously grade five was split into two sets, I loved teaching the top set, and I tolerated teaching the bottom set because I only had to do it twice a week. Now I am the only English teacher they have been combined into a class of eleven boys and one girl, and to be honest it’s going to either make me a stronger person or lead to me having a nervous breakdown and locking myself in the cupboard! Yesterday my top set was pretty well behaved, but Gangster Ghaphield (Ghaphield 2) egged on by Cliff was a royal pain in the arse. I have a rule, when you want to answer a question just put your hand up and I will pick you. None of that whiny “pick me, teacher” crap. Normally, the kids cotton on to the rule pretty quickly, though Jason in grade 4 still spends most lessons shouting “teacherrrrrrr WHY?” Bless. Ghaphield 2 was shouting at me in Korean, banging his book on his desk and generally causing a racket. I was pointedly ignoring him, and after about 10 minutes he was tiring himself out and starting to settle down. At that point the Elementary Manager burst in and started screaming at the kids-even I started looking sheepish. While I was grateful for the back up, her screaming gave Ghaphield 2 time to recharge his batteries and continue being the devil child. I was heartened by the fact Brady and Christian (previously troublemakers) had never worked so hard in their lives. But, the treatment the only girl (Ivy) receives is horrid and aside from kicking all the boys out (which I have been contemplating) it’s an uphill struggle.

Grade Three 4:35-5:20 Tuesday to Friday.
Grades Three and Four are currently being taught out of the same book, Fun Fun English Phonics, which was planned and written by someone who has not only never studied or taught English, but also by someone who has a very warped idea of how children learn. The premise of the book is a story about Fred the Fly and the adventures he gets up to. So for instance
In the Sand.
Fred the Fly plays in the sand with six seals.
But he is going under the sand.
“Where is the sun?” Fred says.

This is teach the kids the sound for the letter s. But most of the kids just memorise the 4 lines, and think “job done” next. Instead of teaching the kids phonics in conjunction with useful phrases, questions and words, I have three books of Fred the Fly nonsensical crap to get through. Joy.

The children in Grade Three are the epitome of Korean school children competitiveness to the point where I refuse to play games with them. The venom in their eyes if things don’t go their way is scary, and the amount of tears is ridiculous-that’s just the boys.

Grade Four. 4:35-5:20 Monday, 5:50-6.35 Tuesday to Friday.
There are some real gems in Grade Four, but the best student (Pink) and her best mate Sally both left last month-which means following the return of Joo-Joo there are now three girls and nine boys. With the introduction of scary Jo Teacher most of the kids are great-though only five of the kids do well when we have a test, so that’s something that I need to work on. It’s tough having such a mixture of levels in one class, but for the most part it is fine. Plus getting the kids to self police works surprisingly well.

After these classes I have my three one-on-ones with the Grade Six students.

Angela 6:40-7:20
Angela is the strongest of the three, and I can get the most conversation out of her. The books I teach the three one-on-ones from are probably even more rubbish than Fun Fun English. They look like someone took a bunch of Korean articles, put them through a translator word for word and made it into an “article” before writing some inane questions about said article. I tend to focus on getting the kids talking rather than reading, and get their views on what’s going on in the world around them-which is generally lots of tests.

Sonia 7:20-7:50.
Originally Sonia was one of the weakest students in the class, but one on one she has been flourishing. I think it’s just because she has grown in confidence around me rather than anything I have specifically done. Plus the way she sees it, is that if she just talks to me and asks me questions for 30 minutes she doesn’t have to do any actual work….little does she know that she is!

Brandon 8:00-8:30.
Brandon bless him just sticks to the book, and it’s hard to get much more out of him than one word answers-“fine” but I think he’s just at that age! He gets the most animated when he has to tell me he can’t come to my lesson because he has a test. It’s nice to feel wanted!

Still next week will probably bring something entirely new to contend with, so we will see.

A Whirlwind Weekend in Hong Kong.

To be honest I am not usually a massive fan of big cities. Some people love the anonymity, variety and fast pace that living in a big city provides. As a rule big cities are where you find the good jobs and best money, so people often have to sacrifice clean air, open space and a more relaxed outlook in order to survive or prosper. On my three weekend visit (3 October to 5 October) Hong Kong really impressed me, and has left me gushing about how great it is. As clichéd as it sounds, Hong Kong provides a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, with all the resulting contradictions. Plus, the skyscrapers in Hong Kong didn’t feel like they were overwhelming me (which is the impression I was left with in New York, or more specifically Manhattan), and despite the fact the city is geared largely towards the financial world and shopping I had an absolutely incredible time.

I was very lucky in that I had a fabulous tour guide, Alice, my awesome room mate when I was studying at Washu. Even though we only had a short three day weekend she made sure I saw all the major sights and made sure I had a great time, and for that I am so grateful. All weekend there was a level one typhoon warning (level 8 is the typhoon) which meant lots of rain and mist, but luckily the weather was gorgeous on the Saturday.

On the Friday we went to Victoria’s Peak on Hong Kong Island. It was windy and misty, but I could still appreciate the impressiveness of the skyscraper laden skyline. I liked the individuality of most of the buildings. We then went to Times Square and some of the shopping malls around that area. Seriously, there must have been a shopping mall on every corner, and everything was ridiculously cheap. I have no idea how I am going to get everything home next April.

On the Saturday Alice had to work for a while so I went to the Harbour in Kowloon and admired the skyline from a whole different perspective. We went back there in the evening and watched the 8pm lights and laser show-the buildings are lit up and the skyline is displayed like some really expensive Christmas decoration, but it sure looks good! Earlier in the day I got a ferry over to Wan Chai to check out the Reunification Monument (from 1997 when the British gave Hong Kong back to China) and the statute of the Golden Bauhinia, the symbol of Hong Kong. After the return journey on the Star Ferry, Alice’s friend Nora met me and took me to the Hong Kong Museum of History, and provided a more human telling of the history of Hong Kong. I get bored reading all the signs, and like Alice, Nora is lovely so it was really refreshing. Alice took me clubbing in Central, along with Nora and 4 other friends. It was a really good day!

On the Sunday we (Alice and I) checked my bag in, despite the fact it was tiny, to save me carrying it around and to give us more time sightseeing! I felt a bit daft checking in such a small bag, but when I got back to Incheon and saw how small some of the bags were on the conveyer belt of doom I felt a bit better. We got on the bus and made our way to Ngong Ping, Lautau Island to see the big bronze Buddha statue and the temple there. The weather had taken a turn at this point, but I was very fortunate in that it cleared once we reached the temple, and we managed to get some good photos and our fortunes told before getting the bus back to the airport and saying our goodbyes. The plane was then delayed for 3 hours because of the typhoon winds, but I was still on a natural high from having such a good weekend.

Food wise I got to experience sushi, fish balls, hot pot and pig ear…I loved the first three, the pig ear not so much! There was so much choice in Hong Kong, something I always miss in Korea. I do like Korean food but sometimes it would be nice to have Chinese, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian or Mexican (could go on) food without having to trek to Seoul and spend a lot more on food than I am used to out here. But if you ever make it to Hong Kong make sure you have a hot pot. Basically in the middle of the table there is a simmering pot of stock-you can pick a couple if you have a big group who can’t agree, and you cook the ingredients (variety of meats, dumplings and vegetables) yourself. It’s delicious.

One of the biggest drawbacks to working in a hagwon is the limited amount of time off I get. As I have said before, I get 8 days off as holiday in this 12 months-as well as public holidays. Hagwons don’t have summer holidays or winter holidays so while I am here I don’t have a couple months off to sample the delights and beauty of Asia. I am extremely limited in the travel I can do outside of Korea as a result, but I am so glad I got the chance to see Alice again and visit Hong Kong.

Simply Seoul.

“We are tough on slogans, tough on the causes of slogans.” As said by Bill Bailey in his Part Troll stand-up routine when discussing how to describe Britain to foreigners. “Oh and we have nectar points.”

I realise that with all my entries about the kids and my apartment woes I have neglected to write about one of the subjects closest to my heart-travel. I really should blog about the amazing places in South Korea that I have been to so far. But I also wanted to introduce you to the fascinating world of city slogans in “Korea Sparkling!”

The slogan for Seoul is “Hi Seoul, Soul of Asia.” Apparently the logic behind it is thus:

The name combines the greeting "Hi" with the name of the city "Seoul,” and the new brand aims to convey a friendly image of Seoul to the global community, and to promote harmony and unity among Seoul citizens. (That’s a lot of pressure to put on a greeting and a place name!) Since "hi" is a homophone of "high,” the brand offers a new vision for Seoul and reflects the city's commitment to make Seoul one of the world's leading cities.

At least once a month I go to Seoul, the nation’s capital city, and whilst the concrete jungle has its highlights I definitely wouldn’t call it the “Soul of Asia.” That would be a lot like calling “Oxford the hugs and kisses of Europe” because of the O (hug) and the X (kiss). The only time I would ever feel warm and fuzzy in Oxford would be if I was dressed in a bear costume.

With a population of over 10 million Seoul is one of the largest cities in the world. The city is considered one of the financial and cultural centres of East Asia, but I think the self proclaimed title the “Soul of Asia” may be stretching things just a little bit. While I appreciate and enjoy the combination of both the modern and the traditional that Seoul offers, I would be wary of claiming any city the Soul of Asia, or even narrowing it down-“Soul of East Asia” or “Soul of Korea.” Fair enough, for centuries Korea has been caught between its two big brothers-Japan and China, and now wants to step out of the shadows and onto the world stage. But it’s not going to achieve that through crappy slogans.

One of my pet peeves of big cities is the amount of travelling time spent on the tube. When it feels like half your day is spent underground and you have to climb the stairs to street level eyes squinting at the sun like a mole, it’s not the nicest welcome to a new place. The Metro in Seoul is everything you want from an underground transport system, it’s clean, efficient and easy to use once you figure out where you need to go. Mobile phones here are incredible-you can plan your route on it and get the shortest route and time it will take-all without going on the internet. Annoyingly they can also be used on the underground, but that generally only a problem when an old lady’s phone is ringing and she realises she’s never seen a mobile phone before. Getting from place to place in Seoul cheaply does require spending a couple of hours a day underground. Admittedly, sat in a carriage surrounded by Koreans does allow you to make some acute observations of Korean underground etiquette, from the pushing and shoving by those getting on as you try to get off, to obsession with gadgets with large numbers of people watching the TV on their phone.

Despite this, once you arrive at your destination generally you will find something beautiful or interesting in Seoul, so it is worth the hassle. On my first visit to Seoul Rachel and Paul took me to Seoul Grand Park home of the zoo, which is surrounded by mountains and greenery, just on the outskirts of the city. Even from the centre of Seoul, you are only around an hour away from the true beauty of the Korean countryside and lion cubs!

So far I have been to two of the five palaces in Seoul (Changdeokgung see above and Deoksugung see below), and they were both outstanding examples of traditional palace architecture, despite the determined and successful attempts by the Japanese to burn them down. Deoksugung also shows the influence of the West on some of its architecture and it is right in the centre of Seoul, so you can see the modern skyscrapers dwarfing but not overshadowing the traditional.

Shopping wise there is so much choice, from the multitude of bargains at Dongdaemun, to some of the brand names at I’Park (Yongsan Station) and COEX Mall, to the market on the streets of Insadong. When you get hungry there are infinite restaurants and street vendors selling delicious food, though largely you take your pick from Korean food or……Korean food. In Itaewon there is a great Indian buffet…sooo good (drool! Thanks Viro for introducing me to this fabulous place!). The Seoul nightlife I have experienced so far is limited to Gangnam and Hongdae but both areas had a lot to offer, not least for the synchronised hip-hop dancing. Plus once you get tired of clubbing, you can always play a game of pool or 5 in a cheap billiards/pocket ball joint.

South Korea has so much to offer, and isn’t a typical tourist attraction for Westerners. While I don’t think Seoul will ever be the “Soul of Asia” it is definitely worth a visit or two or three.

5 Months-Time for some K-Pride

Wow, what happened to September? It flew by faster than most of the “power walkers” who casually stroll along the river outside my apartment. Before I know it I will be back in the UK planning the next stage of my life, missing kimchi, bowing to shop assistants and miming out what I say to people. I know I still have seven months to go, but if they go as quickly as September did I might get time sickness.

On my first trip to Seoul I was sitting outside Yongsan Station when I was approached by the crazy safety pin lady, who wanted to try out her English, insult me and give me safety pins (hence the name). Apparently from afar I am ok looking (accompanied by a grimace face) but up close I am beautiful. Aah the insult covered compliment, my favourite kind-from far away you look like a dog, but once I get close enough that I can see my reflection in the whites of your eyes you are a princess. She was the first in a couple of Koreans who have proudly told me that Korea has four distinct seasons. She then gave me a couple of safety pins and said, ominously, that I might “need” them.

I was a bit sceptical about these “four” seasons…but distinct is the word. One day it was more hot and humid than an obese person’s armpit and the next it was jacket weather-well not for me (what’s Korean for “Seriously, I don’t get cold!”) but you get the idea.

I realise that with all my rants about the hagwon and my apartment (which now has a lovely new boiler-which I am under strict instructions to “no touchee”) I haven’t mentioned some fundamental aspects of Korea which have made my time here so enjoyable. So here are some of the highlights:

Food: Sure, I jokingly bitch about the amount of rice, fermented vegetables and soup, but Korea has dibs on the healthy food factor, which may explain the new slim line Jo. (That and the fact teaching burns off calories faster than September.) Eating out is incredibly cheap, from the small restaurants to the street vendors you can get a great meal, with free refillable side dishes for well under a fiver. Yesterday I had tuna bibimbap for £2, and it got me moaning so it must have been good. It’s all about the sound effects.

Service: I have absolutely no idea how most small businesses last in Korea, since when you buy something the owner normally tells you to wait and pulls out something for free-“Service.” Sure my freebies aren’t as big as a pair of trainers, but I am going to miss the ones I do get.

The never-ending beauty of this country: This weekend just gone I took a trip to a virtually untouched part of Korea’s countryside and it was incredibly beautiful and scenic. It’s so nice getting away from the gaudy architecture (you could drop in any city in Korea and I wouldn’t be able to tell you where I was) and experiencing the fresh air and sheer splendour of South Korea.
The friends I have made in Hongseong: Rachel, Paul, Viro, Jen and now Lesley (I hope it doesn’t come to you leaving) I have been so lucky here and just want to get all sentimental and say thank you!