Korea Korea Korea.
Lets talk about my neighborhood. My landlady is this little woman who always wears a visor and has a jaunty gait, she bounces lightly around the neighborhood always smiling kindly, and often looking about inspecting her turf to make sure things are all right.
They're always all right.
Across the street from me, in the lovely stone building with the garages and the security cameras guarding the doors, lives a man who dearly loves his cat. In my second week living here I went the roof to look around. While up there I peered down at the street and what did I see? None other than said neighbor attempting to walk his pampered gray kitty on a leash. Haha. It was hilarious to say the least. The cat was scooting all over the place tangling the leash and just generally not cooperating, as kitties tend to do.
Another day I was walking to the store and I saw said neighbor and said cat sitting outside the apartment building. My neighbor was brushing his cat from head to toe and the kitty was just sitting there like a pig in shit. It was so funny. After a polite "Anyeanghasayo" (hello) I smirked and continued on.
Speaking of kitties there are probably about 5-8 of the mangiest street kitties I have ever seen living in and around my neighborhood. These cats break my heart a little. Their fur is matted, their bodies skinny as hell, a number of them are missing tails, and they always look so frightened and desperate. The other night I heard this terrible noise, I thought one of the street kitties was dying some sort of terrible death. (I worried for a moment about little King Cat Man sitting in his lap of luxury and comfort, then that worry passed). I felt bad for the street kitty but decided, considering the life it lead, it was probably better off (sort of the same way I felt about MJ, oh snap!). But anywho, after talking to a friend I guess that is what dirty street kitty sex sounds like.
Needless to say I have been privvy to the sounds of cat fornication quite often lately. Now I just laugh and think to myself, "Why kitties, why?". Why bring more kitties into the sad and desperate life you lead. But I guess it's just evolutionary drive. Crazy kitties.
On another note: whereas in the Americay every one is concerned with having the best tan and looking as golden bronze as possible, in Korea it is quite the opposite. When I first arrived here I was utterly amused to see all these little Korean women with their dainty floral printed parasols hiding from the sun. Someone was telling me that Korean people spend just as much money on whitening creams as Americans do on tanning. Kinda nuts.
Teaching is going well, I was a little bit of a hard ass the first couple weeks of teaching-- I didn't shy away from getting pretty outright mean with the kids, and while I hated doing it, it's really paid off, because now I don't (rarely) have to anymore. It's good because now I can teach the kids, we can have fun and joke around, and when I tell them to be quiet I just give a look, or move my hand, or quietly say "don't" and they don't. It's kind of great. I feel a bit like the "child master" hahaha. I'm such a dork. But I am rather proud of how well behaved they are for me. Some of the other Korean teachers are like, "Why are they so quiet for you" and I just want to be like, "Because I instilled the fear of the pissed off version of me in them." I can be freaking mean. But I'm glad I don't have to. Intimidating elementary school children is sort of demoralizing. Anywho teaching goes well. I like the kids a lot, but of course, the main problem is that there is a pretty huge language barrier. I always feel a bit like I'm existing in this sound proof box, or maybe a sense proof box would be a better way to describe it. Sounds filter through to me but they have little to no meaning, and the kids (and the world around me) are always chattering in Korean, not matter how many times I say, "Aniyo Hanguk!" (No Korean in Korean). It's especially hard with the kids who are around 10-12 because their level of English is decent, but not amazing, so they understand a good amount of what I say, and many of them are quite sharp, but the complexities and nuances of genuine communication evade them, and it's a bit frustrating for us all.
Funniest thing though, one of my kids, Paul, was telling me the other day that our manager, Mr. Yoo is "Suh Tan" I'm like wait who is "Suh Tan?" then I was like, "Ohhhhhhh Saaatan" hahahaha. Kind of great. Thats the same kid who went up to the board when we were playing hang man, erased the hang man, drew a guillotine (as the children began cooing, "Ohh teacher! Guillotine, guillotine") I asked him how on earth he knew what a guillotine was, he didn't answer and proceeded to draw one on the board. Kind of hilarious.
So due to my frustrations with the language barrier, and my inability to teach myself Korean on my own (the pronunciation is BRUTAL) I got me a Korean tutor. He's great! My friend at work posted an ad on the Ulsan University web page requesting someone participate in a language exchange with me, and after sifting through about 10 emails from men who could not write, and admittedly could not speak English well--who I think just wanted to go on a date with me (Korean men in general are very intrigued by western women)--lucky for me, Woonggi responded. He's a senior at the University who is studying English and he wants to be an English teacher some day. He's a great tutor b/c I can speak to him at a high level and ask him all the irritatingly curious quesitons I have about Korean and usually he can answer or at least understand. Also, he thinks like a teacher and is really into helping me learn Korean. My vocabularly is increasing, I'm learning how to build sentences and conjugate verbs as well as use money and count (there are 2 number systems, ridiculous). But yeah I can't say that remembering Korean isn't damned near impossible. None of the freaking words sound the same. Here is a romanized version of a couple Korean phrases I've learned,
Anyeanghasayo Ulsan Dae Hak yo kago shipoyo juseyo. = Peace be with you, University of Ulsan go want please. (literal translation)
I say that when I get into a cab and I want to go to the University.
Nanun chaek iltga. = I book read. (translated word for word) Or I read a book.
This one is great: Nanun Lamyun yorihaewotga. = I noodles cooking have been or I have been cooking noodles.
I've come to the conclusion I am never going to be fluent. But the world is opening up. I can understand people more and more--even if only a word here or a word there, it's really nice to sort of slip through the veil of complete misunderstanding into the reality that, yes, those strange sounds do in fact carry weight and meaning.
I warn the kids, as they chatter around me in their Korean, "Watch out guys I'm learning Korean and I am understanding more and more of what you say" they look at me scared and wonder if I'm serious, I think they worry I am. I love busting out my English grammar skills on them (who knew I had those, I certainly still can't use commas correctly haha). I think it makes them nervous that maybe I will learn Korean grammar too. Here's hoping aye!
But yes things are going well in the the Ko-re-a. I'm adjusting and the intial phase of being like wtf where am I, has subsided. I've met some cool people, and am quite happy with my work. I'd kill a man for some oatmeal, Joe's O's, wheat bread and a real cup of coffee, but I suppose such sacrifices must be made.
Till next time I miss you all, and think of everyone often!
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