In any industry there are things that are easy to explain and things that are hard to explain. The interesting thing is trying to explain those concepts or feelings to people who have never worked in that field. Add in a language barrier and it becomes damn near impossible to accurately explain why certain things happen and how it effects you. Today is a perfect example of that. As any teacher knows, or any parent knows there are good days and bad days for behavior. On any given day a class may decide that they are going to be the worst class in the entire school. It just happens. Another interesting phenomenon is when an entire grade, or school decides to have a bad day. I've been there for enough of them to tell you that it really happens.
If you have been involved in education long enough you know that the only thing you can do is bear down and get through the day. It makes the day exceptionally frustrating and aggravating but at the end of the day you know that you fought the good fight. You may want a shot or two of something hard, but you know you got through it. Most people, however, only have classroom experience from the student side. Day like this, (like today for me) take a huge toll.
How do you explain to someone that it's hard not to feel like you have failed in some way. Take my case for example, I have been teaching most of these kids for close to 3 years. They know they my rules and they know that I expect the best behavior from them. Not only do they know this, but they actively work to reach my expectations. When my students have a bad day, it's hard for me to not take it personally. You can think that you have made giant strides in behavioral control and classroom management, only to have months of work undone by one hour of student behavior. Every time this happens it's hard not to have a few twinges of self-doubt about how your approach is being received.
As a teacher your job goes far beyond just teaching. Discipline is something that we are constantly involved in, not because it makes our jobs easier, but because schools are expected to socialize our students for entry into the workplace. Where do you think you learn the consequences of being late, not doing what is expected of you, not following directions, etc? Schools, and more importantly teachers are responsible for this education. We are constantly trying to create and develop positive growth in all types of areas. I have spent months trying to get a class to recognize that their behavior has consequences and when they do not meet my expectations the consequences are not fun. When a class or school are having a bad day it's really hard not to think for a moment that you actually have accomplished nothing. It's not entirely true, you have still accomplished something, but you have a major setback and must start at a point much farther away from where you want to be.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
I'm not even surpised....
When you first arrive in Korea you are literally assaulted by a sense culture shock. When you are visiting and staying in the major cities it is not as bad, but when you come here to live the culture shock can be quite intense. I tell most the new arrivals that I meet that it will take them about 3 months before they begin to feel comfortable operating and working in this environment. Luckily over time the culture shock wears away slowly but surely. When I first arrived here I thought there was no way that I would ever be able to have conversations in Korean or talk to people whose English skills weren't in the top 5% of the country. Boy was I wrong.
For all intents and purposes, as you may expect given how long I have been here, I have been Koreanized. However, what started as myself dealing with culture shock has now given way to something that is the exact opposite, reverse culture shock. No longer am I surprised about Korea, but Koreans who I have never met are surprised by me. It comes in many different forms, sometimes it's simply talking in Korean, or participating in activities with my school. Other times though, it can be quite memorable. This week was one of those times, and if I said it was the first time it had happened to me here it would be a complete lie. However, this one is perhaps the most entertaining.
It happened on Wednesday when I was eating dinner with my school's volleyball team. There are thirteen men at my school and we (with some female teachers) play volleyball every Wednesday. After 5 the female teachers leave us and we play a few more games that will last to anywhere between 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. Afterward, we normally head off to a restaurant to grab some dinner. Recently my school has been going and getting 영양탕 (Korean pronunciation young yang tong) or nutrition soup is the rough translation of it. In reality it is dog or chicken soup, my school prefers dog. Well on Wednesday we went to a restaurant to grab some soup and some braised dog meat. We have eaten at this restaurant a few times before and the staff doesn't think it's weird that I eat there. However, this week when we went there, there were two older ladies who had not seen me eat there before.
As the meal progressed one of the women realized that I was eating dog. This was the quite a shock to her as she had assumed that foreigner were either unable to eat it (due to allergies or something) or unwilling to eat it. She proceeded to walk over to our table and ask a male teacher sitting next to me if I knew what I was eating and if I liked it. I understood enough of what she said and answered in Korean that it tasted good and that I liked dog. This was my first mistake of the evening. About five minutes later our table asked for some more kimchi to be brought and the same woman noticed that I was eating kimchi. To this she was very surprised because she had apparently never seen a foreigner who liked kimchi before. She asked me if I liked it and I told her that it was good and that I enjoy it. Well apparently this was too much for because she ran off to the kitchen to talk to one of the other ladies there who had apparently made the kimchi. Next thing I know the two ladies have emerged from the kitchen with several other things for me to try. After each one they asked me if I like the food and pretty much every time I said yes (sensing a theme yet?).
As if this wasn't enough we had closed out the restaurant but were still there finishing up the last of our drinks. The one woman realized that I was drinking soju. This inspired her to see if I'd ever had makeoli (mock o li). Which if she knew how long I'd been in Korea is just a stupid question. Generally when you go out with your school you drink one of three things: soju, beer, or makeoli. These three are considered the holy trinity of Korean alcohols. At this time she has been embolden by the fact that I have not gone running for the hills yet and decides that not only should I try makeoli, but I must do a love shot of the stuff with her. For those that don't know a love shot means drinking a drink with another person with your drinking arms interlocked. I feel the need to also explain that a love shot can be done with anyone. A guy with another guy, a girl with another girl, a father with a daughter, etc. After the shot we get up to go. I guess I should also state that all the male teachers from my school are laughing and enjoying the spectacle of this. As we stand up to leave the woman asks for a hug which I gave her and then proceeds to touch my goatee. This is also something that happens more than you'd think.
After we pay we are headed out the doors and my co-teachers are trying to lock me in the restaurant with these older women. As I told you, they were loving every minute of this spectacle, because they have all told me before several times that I'm 1/2 Korean. The worst thing about all of this, is that these ladies had never experienced anything like this before, but for me, it was routine. I'm not surprised anymore when some randomly asks me to drink with them because they have never drank with a foreigner before, or when someone asks me about Korean food. It has happened so many times to me now that it's just part of life, but for them, it's reverse culture shock. It blows their mind that foreigner could actually enjoy all these things. I guess I'm breaking down barriers, but honestly, if I could make one request, at least make the women around my age so I can get a phone number and maybe a date out of it.
For all intents and purposes, as you may expect given how long I have been here, I have been Koreanized. However, what started as myself dealing with culture shock has now given way to something that is the exact opposite, reverse culture shock. No longer am I surprised about Korea, but Koreans who I have never met are surprised by me. It comes in many different forms, sometimes it's simply talking in Korean, or participating in activities with my school. Other times though, it can be quite memorable. This week was one of those times, and if I said it was the first time it had happened to me here it would be a complete lie. However, this one is perhaps the most entertaining.
It happened on Wednesday when I was eating dinner with my school's volleyball team. There are thirteen men at my school and we (with some female teachers) play volleyball every Wednesday. After 5 the female teachers leave us and we play a few more games that will last to anywhere between 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. Afterward, we normally head off to a restaurant to grab some dinner. Recently my school has been going and getting 영양탕 (Korean pronunciation young yang tong) or nutrition soup is the rough translation of it. In reality it is dog or chicken soup, my school prefers dog. Well on Wednesday we went to a restaurant to grab some soup and some braised dog meat. We have eaten at this restaurant a few times before and the staff doesn't think it's weird that I eat there. However, this week when we went there, there were two older ladies who had not seen me eat there before.
As the meal progressed one of the women realized that I was eating dog. This was the quite a shock to her as she had assumed that foreigner were either unable to eat it (due to allergies or something) or unwilling to eat it. She proceeded to walk over to our table and ask a male teacher sitting next to me if I knew what I was eating and if I liked it. I understood enough of what she said and answered in Korean that it tasted good and that I liked dog. This was my first mistake of the evening. About five minutes later our table asked for some more kimchi to be brought and the same woman noticed that I was eating kimchi. To this she was very surprised because she had apparently never seen a foreigner who liked kimchi before. She asked me if I liked it and I told her that it was good and that I enjoy it. Well apparently this was too much for because she ran off to the kitchen to talk to one of the other ladies there who had apparently made the kimchi. Next thing I know the two ladies have emerged from the kitchen with several other things for me to try. After each one they asked me if I like the food and pretty much every time I said yes (sensing a theme yet?).
As if this wasn't enough we had closed out the restaurant but were still there finishing up the last of our drinks. The one woman realized that I was drinking soju. This inspired her to see if I'd ever had makeoli (mock o li). Which if she knew how long I'd been in Korea is just a stupid question. Generally when you go out with your school you drink one of three things: soju, beer, or makeoli. These three are considered the holy trinity of Korean alcohols. At this time she has been embolden by the fact that I have not gone running for the hills yet and decides that not only should I try makeoli, but I must do a love shot of the stuff with her. For those that don't know a love shot means drinking a drink with another person with your drinking arms interlocked. I feel the need to also explain that a love shot can be done with anyone. A guy with another guy, a girl with another girl, a father with a daughter, etc. After the shot we get up to go. I guess I should also state that all the male teachers from my school are laughing and enjoying the spectacle of this. As we stand up to leave the woman asks for a hug which I gave her and then proceeds to touch my goatee. This is also something that happens more than you'd think.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Revenge can be so sweet....
Well, this is not truly a revenge story for me, but just for good guys in general. I've heard of stories like this happening but for once it was nice to actively participate in them. I went up to Seoul this weekend to hang out with a good Korean friend of mine. In fact she was one of the first Korean's I met in this country and can be counted among my closest Korean friends. She moved to Seoul a little over a year ago and every few months I head up there to hang out and have some fun.
This time we found our way to Hongdae which is a vibrant center for youth at night. It's located right next to a university and seems to be one of these places that people want to go to. At the local park you can witness people break dancing, rapping, artists doing free portraits for the practice and almost anything else that is a Korean adaptation of western youth culture. You can even still find Korean cultural things to do here, but those mostly involve drinking or singing. Needless to say when I'm looking for a night out in Seoul I normally end up in Hongdae because it is so different from the rest of Korea.
Anyways we met up with some of her friends in Hongdae and proceeded to go to a bar/club. It was basically a bar with no seating, loud music, cheap alcohol, and people dancing everywhere. I'd heard about these places but this is one of the first times I've ever found myself in one of them. Well, the friend that I was visiting is quite an attractive woman and the second we walked into the place had guys walking up to her and trying to talk to her and buy her drinks. In fact, one Korean guy who would fit the mold of "player" to the bone decided to come up and try his game on her. She politely refused and he couldn't understand why. Needless to say he couldn't accept the this girl was saying no to him, so very much like the President, he figured he just hadn't explained it correctly and that's why she turned him down. He came back and tried a different approach to which she a little less politely refused. However, this convinced him he was just doing it wrong and so he decided to change tactics and try again. I have to give the guy credit for stubbornness and determination, but little for being able to accept defeat. This continued over the course of the next hour or so while we were there and I was just marveling at the whole situation.
Needless to say, he was still unable to accept that fact that this girl wouldn't be interested in him, and he finally pissed her off. Next thing I know, I hear her exclaim "I'm here with my boyfriend" (she currently doesn't have one). The guy is clearly taken aback and while he is Korean she explains in English primarily so I understand what's going on that she's here with me and that I'm her boyfriend. The guy looks at me, I feel the need to state that I was dressed in a pair of ratty jeans (I was on my emergency pair because my other jeans hadn't finished drying yet) and a polo. In other words, I wasn't looking my best, and the guy couldn't believe that she was there with me. After trying to process for a few minutes and asking her again several times in both English and Korean the guy walks up to me and starts apologizing profusely. Me finally being clued into what is happening (the alcohol may have had something to do with this) decided to screw with this guy. He looks at me and is while apologizing and saying something along the lines of "Man, I apologize I didn't know." I just looked at him and said "It's alright, I take it as a compliment, and I know who she's sleeping with tonight." *Point of reference, I was staying at her apartment that night so it wasn't a total lie.*
After retreating with his tail between his legs I could see him standing in the corner wondering what the hell this girl is doing here with big, goofy ole me. Honestly, the girl is out of my league in the looks department. Anyways the next few hours at the place go by without any further major complications. However, it was amusing to watch this procession of guys walk up to my friend and to try and get her to dance with them and therefore try and sleep with her. Almost every move I've heard of or seen was tried. Well, considering she had asked for my help before I decided to keep screwing with the guys who were trying to woo my friend. I decided to come up and give my friend a hug and tell her something. Given that the music was really loud I'd have to talk straight into her ear so it looked like we were dating. Every time I did this it would chase off another guy or two and produce the same thoughts of "What the hell is going on here?"
Alas it was still fun to screw a guys game over who obviously thought that when he chooses a woman to pay attention to she is required by the fact that he is who he is to bed him. HA. I must say that I am relishing the fact. I call it a win for good guys everywhere who are given bad names by guys like this.
This time we found our way to Hongdae which is a vibrant center for youth at night. It's located right next to a university and seems to be one of these places that people want to go to. At the local park you can witness people break dancing, rapping, artists doing free portraits for the practice and almost anything else that is a Korean adaptation of western youth culture. You can even still find Korean cultural things to do here, but those mostly involve drinking or singing. Needless to say when I'm looking for a night out in Seoul I normally end up in Hongdae because it is so different from the rest of Korea.
Anyways we met up with some of her friends in Hongdae and proceeded to go to a bar/club. It was basically a bar with no seating, loud music, cheap alcohol, and people dancing everywhere. I'd heard about these places but this is one of the first times I've ever found myself in one of them. Well, the friend that I was visiting is quite an attractive woman and the second we walked into the place had guys walking up to her and trying to talk to her and buy her drinks. In fact, one Korean guy who would fit the mold of "player" to the bone decided to come up and try his game on her. She politely refused and he couldn't understand why. Needless to say he couldn't accept the this girl was saying no to him, so very much like the President, he figured he just hadn't explained it correctly and that's why she turned him down. He came back and tried a different approach to which she a little less politely refused. However, this convinced him he was just doing it wrong and so he decided to change tactics and try again. I have to give the guy credit for stubbornness and determination, but little for being able to accept defeat. This continued over the course of the next hour or so while we were there and I was just marveling at the whole situation.
Needless to say, he was still unable to accept that fact that this girl wouldn't be interested in him, and he finally pissed her off. Next thing I know, I hear her exclaim "I'm here with my boyfriend" (she currently doesn't have one). The guy is clearly taken aback and while he is Korean she explains in English primarily so I understand what's going on that she's here with me and that I'm her boyfriend. The guy looks at me, I feel the need to state that I was dressed in a pair of ratty jeans (I was on my emergency pair because my other jeans hadn't finished drying yet) and a polo. In other words, I wasn't looking my best, and the guy couldn't believe that she was there with me. After trying to process for a few minutes and asking her again several times in both English and Korean the guy walks up to me and starts apologizing profusely. Me finally being clued into what is happening (the alcohol may have had something to do with this) decided to screw with this guy. He looks at me and is while apologizing and saying something along the lines of "Man, I apologize I didn't know." I just looked at him and said "It's alright, I take it as a compliment, and I know who she's sleeping with tonight." *Point of reference, I was staying at her apartment that night so it wasn't a total lie.*
After retreating with his tail between his legs I could see him standing in the corner wondering what the hell this girl is doing here with big, goofy ole me. Honestly, the girl is out of my league in the looks department. Anyways the next few hours at the place go by without any further major complications. However, it was amusing to watch this procession of guys walk up to my friend and to try and get her to dance with them and therefore try and sleep with her. Almost every move I've heard of or seen was tried. Well, considering she had asked for my help before I decided to keep screwing with the guys who were trying to woo my friend. I decided to come up and give my friend a hug and tell her something. Given that the music was really loud I'd have to talk straight into her ear so it looked like we were dating. Every time I did this it would chase off another guy or two and produce the same thoughts of "What the hell is going on here?"
Alas it was still fun to screw a guys game over who obviously thought that when he chooses a woman to pay attention to she is required by the fact that he is who he is to bed him. HA. I must say that I am relishing the fact. I call it a win for good guys everywhere who are given bad names by guys like this.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Tough Few Weeks
If I said "the last few weeks have been some of the hardest I've had in Korea," it would not be far from the truth. The past month or so has honestly been pretty tough on me. Through a multitude of feelings, unexpected losses, and even some natural disasters, life has just thrown me for a loop these past few weeks.
I guess I should start with the first thing in the list. Feelings, I know, I've probably just sent every guy running for the hills. However, this past month has been rather tumultuous. I have had a nagging home sickness that just has not left. In fact it has been so bad that I am thinking about changing my summer travel plans and spending a week or so in San Diego. However, with the cost of a transpacific flight right now I might be reconsidering that option. The cost has almost doubled since I last looked for flights. Yikes. Even though, I still must say that I do miss my friends and my family and they have been on my mind a lot recently.
Which I guess brings me to the next part of my blog. Two people I know have died recently. One was family, and another was a teacher who I saw almost every school day for four years. My grandmother passed two weeks ago, and while her death was unexpected because it happened so quickly, her health the past few years has not been that great. She lived a full and wonderful life and I will take my memories, and the lessons I learned from her with me for the rest of my life. The second death was far more unexpected for me. Coach M was my weights and conditioning coach, and also my football and wrestling coach. The man was bear of a man, but had a method of teaching and an impact on me in more way than I had ever realized. I didn't know that he was sick, and had I known I would have liked to have said thank you to him. The man taught me a lot, and I never got the chance to thank him for that.
These losses have a lot to do with my moroseness recently. It was a shock when Coach M died, but what really threw me was the loss of my grandmother. Now please don't misunderstand this next part. Her death is sad, and I do miss her, but that is not what has been the hardest for me. Due to my self-imposed exile abroad I have not been able to support my family in a manner befitting them. I have been across an ocean, and beyond ordering flowers and calling my parents I have not been able to assist in any way. It makes the passing of my grandparents for lack of a better way to put this, easy, for me. I miss them all greatly, but the only worries that I have is dealing with my own sorrow at their passing. I am sad that they died, but I am far more grateful for everything they gave me and every memory I have with them. For as long as I live I will not be despondent that they are no longer here, but I will be grateful for the time I had with them.
My family has been at the forefront of a lot of this, because while I know it isn't true, it's hard to not feel like I have let them down. I know that I haven't and I don't need anyone to tell me that I haven't, but it's been hard to vanquish the doubt in the back of my mind. Honestly had I been in the states I don't think I could have done more except be more accessible on the phone or in person. Yes I would have had a bigger role in things if I was actually able to be physically there, but that is not the way things are. There is little I can do to change the past, and even if I could change the past I wouldn't. What has happened only makes me a stronger person, and while I may not like everything that has happened that is life. Life is not what I want all the time, or what I need all the time, it is simply what happens to us as we try and dream that we actually control everything around us.
Add on top of this the immense tragedy that has taken place in Japan and it's hard to not seem like the month of March just had it out for me. However, even with all this I'm still standing, I'm still laughing, and I'm still teaching.
I guess I should start with the first thing in the list. Feelings, I know, I've probably just sent every guy running for the hills. However, this past month has been rather tumultuous. I have had a nagging home sickness that just has not left. In fact it has been so bad that I am thinking about changing my summer travel plans and spending a week or so in San Diego. However, with the cost of a transpacific flight right now I might be reconsidering that option. The cost has almost doubled since I last looked for flights. Yikes. Even though, I still must say that I do miss my friends and my family and they have been on my mind a lot recently.
Which I guess brings me to the next part of my blog. Two people I know have died recently. One was family, and another was a teacher who I saw almost every school day for four years. My grandmother passed two weeks ago, and while her death was unexpected because it happened so quickly, her health the past few years has not been that great. She lived a full and wonderful life and I will take my memories, and the lessons I learned from her with me for the rest of my life. The second death was far more unexpected for me. Coach M was my weights and conditioning coach, and also my football and wrestling coach. The man was bear of a man, but had a method of teaching and an impact on me in more way than I had ever realized. I didn't know that he was sick, and had I known I would have liked to have said thank you to him. The man taught me a lot, and I never got the chance to thank him for that.
These losses have a lot to do with my moroseness recently. It was a shock when Coach M died, but what really threw me was the loss of my grandmother. Now please don't misunderstand this next part. Her death is sad, and I do miss her, but that is not what has been the hardest for me. Due to my self-imposed exile abroad I have not been able to support my family in a manner befitting them. I have been across an ocean, and beyond ordering flowers and calling my parents I have not been able to assist in any way. It makes the passing of my grandparents for lack of a better way to put this, easy, for me. I miss them all greatly, but the only worries that I have is dealing with my own sorrow at their passing. I am sad that they died, but I am far more grateful for everything they gave me and every memory I have with them. For as long as I live I will not be despondent that they are no longer here, but I will be grateful for the time I had with them.
My family has been at the forefront of a lot of this, because while I know it isn't true, it's hard to not feel like I have let them down. I know that I haven't and I don't need anyone to tell me that I haven't, but it's been hard to vanquish the doubt in the back of my mind. Honestly had I been in the states I don't think I could have done more except be more accessible on the phone or in person. Yes I would have had a bigger role in things if I was actually able to be physically there, but that is not the way things are. There is little I can do to change the past, and even if I could change the past I wouldn't. What has happened only makes me a stronger person, and while I may not like everything that has happened that is life. Life is not what I want all the time, or what I need all the time, it is simply what happens to us as we try and dream that we actually control everything around us.
Add on top of this the immense tragedy that has taken place in Japan and it's hard to not seem like the month of March just had it out for me. However, even with all this I'm still standing, I'm still laughing, and I'm still teaching.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's only taken 2 1/2 years.
Well, this marks the end of an era for my school. No longer will my school, one of the largest (and apparently wealthiest) schools in the city, be one of the few schools without a designated English classroom. Finally, after two years and several annoyed principals and vice principals later my school is giving me a classroom. In a normal situation this would not seem to be that important but in my case, it's important to me, and also a little bit of a ridiculous story.
My quest for a classroom started almost upon arrival at my school. When I realized that I would be one of the few teachers without a designated classroom I decided to try and obtain one. My first chance came during my first winter break. A new school was opening across the street from my school and my school was losing a lot of teachers and students. Not only were we downsizing, but we were downsizing in a grandiose fashion. We lost close to 40% of our students and 30% of our teachers. However, that first winter is was not to be. My school decided it was more important to get rid of some portable buildings we had procured and to give bigger offices to everyone. Sadly I was left out in the cold.
My second chance actually came that summer, when my school underwent an extensive remodel. Once again there were open rooms which I could have possibly used but they were designed to be other things. The last chance I had before this break was almost one year ago today. My school once again was downsizing due to the fact that the new school across the street was not yet at full capacity. We were lost 10 teachers and were only getting 4 teachers in return. Considering everyone had a great office by now I figured I was going to be next in line to get a classroom. I even had the head teacher of 6th grade pleading my case to the principal. Yet, once again I was denied. The principal had decided that all those empty classrooms would be better put to use for after school programs. Including the after school English program. While I trudged on classroomless the after school programs which only needed the rooms for 3 hours a day (after I finished teaching nonetheless) all received their own classrooms.
This winter, I went in with severely tempered expectations, and I had not had a chance to start working my new principal for a classroom yet. However, at a celebratory dinner (graduation) my new principal surprised me by saying that he was promising me a classroom. I have to admit that I did a little bit of a happy dance once the information processed through the partial alcohol induced cloud. Yay, I finally get a classroom, and have even been told what classroom I will be taking over. Now I just need to get the keys to the thing so I can set it up. Hopefully that will happen next week, however, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided at the last second that my classroom was going to be needed for storage instead.
My quest for a classroom started almost upon arrival at my school. When I realized that I would be one of the few teachers without a designated classroom I decided to try and obtain one. My first chance came during my first winter break. A new school was opening across the street from my school and my school was losing a lot of teachers and students. Not only were we downsizing, but we were downsizing in a grandiose fashion. We lost close to 40% of our students and 30% of our teachers. However, that first winter is was not to be. My school decided it was more important to get rid of some portable buildings we had procured and to give bigger offices to everyone. Sadly I was left out in the cold.
My second chance actually came that summer, when my school underwent an extensive remodel. Once again there were open rooms which I could have possibly used but they were designed to be other things. The last chance I had before this break was almost one year ago today. My school once again was downsizing due to the fact that the new school across the street was not yet at full capacity. We were lost 10 teachers and were only getting 4 teachers in return. Considering everyone had a great office by now I figured I was going to be next in line to get a classroom. I even had the head teacher of 6th grade pleading my case to the principal. Yet, once again I was denied. The principal had decided that all those empty classrooms would be better put to use for after school programs. Including the after school English program. While I trudged on classroomless the after school programs which only needed the rooms for 3 hours a day (after I finished teaching nonetheless) all received their own classrooms.
This winter, I went in with severely tempered expectations, and I had not had a chance to start working my new principal for a classroom yet. However, at a celebratory dinner (graduation) my new principal surprised me by saying that he was promising me a classroom. I have to admit that I did a little bit of a happy dance once the information processed through the partial alcohol induced cloud. Yay, I finally get a classroom, and have even been told what classroom I will be taking over. Now I just need to get the keys to the thing so I can set it up. Hopefully that will happen next week, however, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided at the last second that my classroom was going to be needed for storage instead.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Cambodia: Holy Hell pt 2.
I have entitled this part two because I started onto a subject at the beginning of my last post which I quickly abandoned in lieu of giving you all a run down of what I had been up to. The point that I was trying to make, is that Cambodia embodies all that is Southeast Asia. It embodies the best of it and the worst of it. However, as is normal for most people we tend to dwell on the annoying and forget all the effortless smiles and genuine hospitality we were given. I was eating dinner by myself in Phnom Penh and a group of tuk tuk drivers sat down next to me. About twenty minutes later they poured me a beer, and then several more after. One of them spoke a little bit of English and had apparently seen me about 4 times in the city at different places and wanted to share a drink with me. At Otres Beach the people were wonderful and friendly and would willingly share their lives and their time with you. You didn't even have to be a paying customer to get their time. They would sit and talk and bring their kids over. The hospitality and kindness is something that I will never forget.
Now again, onto the bad. The other day was a perfect example of some of the bad parts of Cambodia. AsI walked off the bus in Phnom Penh I was hounded by no less than 20 tuk tuk drivers all shouting and grabbing to try and get me into their tuk tuk. As I walked out of the area I was followed by 3 for at least 4 minutes before they left me alone. Besides the common attempts at ripping off the tourist which honestly happens everywhere in the world you go, the tuk tuk drivers were the worst. The only exception was the guy who we hired for three days in Siem Riep who was a young guy who did an excellent job running us around. The rest of them, whether moving or not were always going to charge a higher cost to tourists. Yes, you can negotiate the price down, but even then you're still paying at least double what a local would. I'm sorry, but most Cambodians and most Southeast Asians that I have seen or met could not afford to do a 3 dollar tuk tuk ride every day. There is a reason that these guys post themselves out of every tourist spot and ask every single tourist if they want a ride, even if that tourist has walked past twenty other tuk tuks just to get there. The constant hassle and demand just grind on you until you just don't want to deal with it anymore.
Now that that is done, I should fill you in on the last few days of my trip. Gisela and I headed down to Sihanoukville and Otres Beach for our last few days in Cambodia. Upon arrival and after finding our guesthouse we slid on down to the white sand beach to catch some sun, some swimming, and a glorious sunset. That night we parked ourselves at one of bungalow establishments on the beach and drank and talked with both locals and other travelers. The following day we spent snorkeling and visiting Koh Russei. Koh Russei is also known as bamboo island. It was a great way to spend a day, and while the waters were not as great as those around Thailand, the coral was far better. That night I ended up drinking with some Estonians who were staying at our guesthouse. After one or two too many scotch and cokes I stumbled to bed. The next day Gisela took off heading back to Korea and I spent the day laying on the beach and reading. I had one last meal on the beach and I took off to head to Kuala Lumpur. I leave Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning and head back to frigid Korea. Oh well, I'll probably be the only person with a tan in Seosan.
Now again, onto the bad. The other day was a perfect example of some of the bad parts of Cambodia. AsI walked off the bus in Phnom Penh I was hounded by no less than 20 tuk tuk drivers all shouting and grabbing to try and get me into their tuk tuk. As I walked out of the area I was followed by 3 for at least 4 minutes before they left me alone. Besides the common attempts at ripping off the tourist which honestly happens everywhere in the world you go, the tuk tuk drivers were the worst. The only exception was the guy who we hired for three days in Siem Riep who was a young guy who did an excellent job running us around. The rest of them, whether moving or not were always going to charge a higher cost to tourists. Yes, you can negotiate the price down, but even then you're still paying at least double what a local would. I'm sorry, but most Cambodians and most Southeast Asians that I have seen or met could not afford to do a 3 dollar tuk tuk ride every day. There is a reason that these guys post themselves out of every tourist spot and ask every single tourist if they want a ride, even if that tourist has walked past twenty other tuk tuks just to get there. The constant hassle and demand just grind on you until you just don't want to deal with it anymore.
Now that that is done, I should fill you in on the last few days of my trip. Gisela and I headed down to Sihanoukville and Otres Beach for our last few days in Cambodia. Upon arrival and after finding our guesthouse we slid on down to the white sand beach to catch some sun, some swimming, and a glorious sunset. That night we parked ourselves at one of bungalow establishments on the beach and drank and talked with both locals and other travelers. The following day we spent snorkeling and visiting Koh Russei. Koh Russei is also known as bamboo island. It was a great way to spend a day, and while the waters were not as great as those around Thailand, the coral was far better. That night I ended up drinking with some Estonians who were staying at our guesthouse. After one or two too many scotch and cokes I stumbled to bed. The next day Gisela took off heading back to Korea and I spent the day laying on the beach and reading. I had one last meal on the beach and I took off to head to Kuala Lumpur. I leave Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning and head back to frigid Korea. Oh well, I'll probably be the only person with a tan in Seosan.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Cambodia: Holy Hell!
As I went to leave Laos I found myself very conflicted. I have very rarely visited a place where I felt so compelled to donate or to perhaps find some way to help. The peace and quiet of Laos had an effect on me, and it is one that will take some time for me to completely figure out. However, a completely different world awaited me as I stepped off my plane in Cambodia. The first thing I noticed was that bothersome humidity that I had left in Laos seemed to have reappeared. Annoying, yes, debilitating no. As I walked out of the airport it became even more clear that I was no longer in Laos. I stepped foot outside the terminal and was instantly surrounded by 5-10 tuk tuk and taxi drivers. All jockeying, shouting, and generally trying to get my attention and my money. Laos, this was not.
I spent my first two days in Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the capital. The city has a paltry population of 1 million people and from the second you arrive you realize that you are back in the real world, the 3rd world. Cambodia is a place of stark differences. Mansions and Palaces share the same street with shanties and shacks. Affluent westerners speak with amputees and cripples who have been deformed by land mines and unexploded ordinance. For those who have spent time in the touristy areas of S.E.A. this place, this country, is the real thing. Phnom Penh is a functioning city, much like Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh city. The main lifeline is not tourism. It is a hectic, dirty, beautiful, and surprising place.
After I arrived I hopped a Tuk Tuk over to S-21. For those that know nothing about the history of Cambodia, the late 1970's saw the country undergo radical cultural change, and the murder (via genocide) of an estimated 2-3 million people (25% of the population). I do not have time to go into the whole story of the Khmer Rouge, but let me assure you it is brutal, and it is frightening. S-21 stands for security prison 21. This was where Pol Pot (leader of the Khmer Rouge) imprisoned and tortured over 18,000 of his own countryman. Simply wearing glasses or speaking a foreign language were enough to get yourself sent here. Of the close to 20,000 souls who entered this prison, only 7 were found alive at it's liberation. Today the prison, which was once a high school, is a museum dedicated to the Cambodian genocide. It is a stark reminder of the brutality of man, and the horrors we are capable of. All across this museum are photos and documents recovered at the prison. The stories of those who survived, and those who tortured are on display and the cell blocks are still standing. You are allowed to step into the world of the prisoner here and feel the claustrophobic fear. I believe that it is important for us to bare witness to the brutalities of man, that way, when the day comes we are able to stand up and fight to stop it in our own way.
My second day was spent in two differing areas of study. The first was a trip to the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Both of these places were serene gardens and temples. The glory of the Ancient Khmer Empire was everywhere on display. However, while I took my time and enjoyed these sites, what awaited me on my other pursuit will stay with me forever. A place, which shares a name with countless books and movies (The Killing Fields), was an intense and very personal moment. The Killing Field is the place where most of the 18,000 plus prisoners of S-21 where shipped to, executed, and buried. To date they have only found 8,000 bodies, but bones and graves are still being found when the rain rinses the ground during the rainy season. What made this place personal was much the same as what made Auschwitz and Dachau intense. Death was everywhere you looked. There were excavated mass graves everywhere, and when you walked on the ground, you continually saw bones and clothing in the ground. For lack of a better thing, the entire place was a graveyard of unmarked graves, and you were walking over them. To bring everything home was a small museum and a memorial stupa filled with the skulls of those that were murdered. Unlike the holocaust where most who died where worked to death, gassed, or shot, the Khmer Rouge could not afford the bullets or the gas, so they used what they had. They had trees, bamboo, and their hands. Most the people who died at this place were beaten to death, or had their throats cut. Babies were beaten against trees, and well I don't think I need to say anything more. This place, and epic place of death and sorrow, is set in a serene field surrounded by paddies and singing birds.
At the end of my second day in Phnom Penh I hopped a tuk tuk to the airport to pick up Gisela. I convinced Gislea to come do some traveling with me in Cambodia back in Korea, and while I've been out and about, she's been freezing in Korea teaching camp. Well, not anymore. The very next day we caught a bus to Siem Riep. At arrival we found that the hotel which I had booked was undergoing renovations and they had forgot to notify me that they were closed. No big deal we found another place shortly and set off after that to catch the sunset on Tonle Sap. Tonle Sap is one of the largest fresh water lakes in all of Asia. It is home to one of the best fishing grounds also. Filled with fish, floating villages, and other animals that you can't see in the dirty brown water the sunset we caught here was pretty great. However, the next day brought the biggest site I have seen in quite some time.
Angkor Wat, is the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World. It is the worlds largest religious structure and has been in continuous uses since it was built in the 1200's. That is about the same time that Notre Dame was started. Our first day at Angkor Wat saw us do the mini tour of Angkor Thom, a walled city that at it's peak held an estimated population of 1 million people (for reference, at this time London only had about 50,000). Inside Angkor Thom were numerous temples including the Bayoun, the Bapayoun, and other things that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head. After spending about two hours exploring and climbing amongst the ruins (yes, not only can you touch, but you can clamber) we headed to Ta Prom. Ta Prom, is an abandoned temple that the jungle has reclaimed. The place is crumbling and has enormous trees strangling the temple at every turn. This temple has been used in movies such as Tomb Raider. We ended our first day exploring Angkor Wat at sunset. I climbed all the way to the top (when you see the staircases you'll understand) and enjoyed the spectacular views that it offered.
The next day we headed farther afield and saw some older, and different sites. Well, two of them were. We started the day at the river of the 1,000 linguas. This river has a carved river bed with pictures and over 1,000 linguas in it. The belief is that the constant water running over it will help grant protection. After this we stopped at the Banteay Shrei which is one of the finest preserved pieces of ancient Khmer art. It is a temple built almost 1,000 years ago and dedicated to women. We followed this up with a stop by the Cambodian Landmine museum. This place is a testament that one man can make a difference. Aki Ra (the name he was given by Japanese journalists, has cleared well over 50,000 mines and unexploded munitions from Cambodia. Cambodia today still has hundreds injured and killed by these weapons used in the Vietnam, Civil, and Khmer Rouge fighting. The man who started the facility does not know what year he was born. His family was killed by the Khmer Rouge, and then later he was taken and forced to fight as a 12 year old for the Khmer Rouge. He later defected to the Vietnamese army (busy fighting the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia) and fought to rid his country of the scourge they were. During this time he became an explosives, and mines expert. He killed people, and even had a moment where his uncle was shooting at him from across a field as a member of a different army.
Once the war ended and a government was elected, he dedicated himself to clearing his country of the millions of left over mines and unexploded ordinance. To help do this he started an NGO and currently uses the profits from his museum to give shelter to, support, and provide an education to children who have been left homeless, been injured by mines, or have been abandoned by their parents. His work ensure that they are cared for, fed, and educated. At the end of their high school days, they are given a scholarship to either a university or a vocational school of their choice. The man is living proof that one man with good intentions can help change the course of countless lives. After this stop we sped off to one more temple before calling it quits for the day.
Today was our last day in Siem Riep. I spent it by catching a sunrise at Angkor Wat. It was truly stunning. Pictures do not do it justice, but don't worry, I have lots. After that I ate a quick breakfast before Gisela and I shipped off back down to Phnom Penh for the night. Tomorrow we head to Sihanoukville and Otres Beach. Sun, sand, and snorkeling here I come. Peace everyone.
I spent my first two days in Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the capital. The city has a paltry population of 1 million people and from the second you arrive you realize that you are back in the real world, the 3rd world. Cambodia is a place of stark differences. Mansions and Palaces share the same street with shanties and shacks. Affluent westerners speak with amputees and cripples who have been deformed by land mines and unexploded ordinance. For those who have spent time in the touristy areas of S.E.A. this place, this country, is the real thing. Phnom Penh is a functioning city, much like Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh city. The main lifeline is not tourism. It is a hectic, dirty, beautiful, and surprising place.
After I arrived I hopped a Tuk Tuk over to S-21. For those that know nothing about the history of Cambodia, the late 1970's saw the country undergo radical cultural change, and the murder (via genocide) of an estimated 2-3 million people (25% of the population). I do not have time to go into the whole story of the Khmer Rouge, but let me assure you it is brutal, and it is frightening. S-21 stands for security prison 21. This was where Pol Pot (leader of the Khmer Rouge) imprisoned and tortured over 18,000 of his own countryman. Simply wearing glasses or speaking a foreign language were enough to get yourself sent here. Of the close to 20,000 souls who entered this prison, only 7 were found alive at it's liberation. Today the prison, which was once a high school, is a museum dedicated to the Cambodian genocide. It is a stark reminder of the brutality of man, and the horrors we are capable of. All across this museum are photos and documents recovered at the prison. The stories of those who survived, and those who tortured are on display and the cell blocks are still standing. You are allowed to step into the world of the prisoner here and feel the claustrophobic fear. I believe that it is important for us to bare witness to the brutalities of man, that way, when the day comes we are able to stand up and fight to stop it in our own way.
My second day was spent in two differing areas of study. The first was a trip to the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Both of these places were serene gardens and temples. The glory of the Ancient Khmer Empire was everywhere on display. However, while I took my time and enjoyed these sites, what awaited me on my other pursuit will stay with me forever. A place, which shares a name with countless books and movies (The Killing Fields), was an intense and very personal moment. The Killing Field is the place where most of the 18,000 plus prisoners of S-21 where shipped to, executed, and buried. To date they have only found 8,000 bodies, but bones and graves are still being found when the rain rinses the ground during the rainy season. What made this place personal was much the same as what made Auschwitz and Dachau intense. Death was everywhere you looked. There were excavated mass graves everywhere, and when you walked on the ground, you continually saw bones and clothing in the ground. For lack of a better thing, the entire place was a graveyard of unmarked graves, and you were walking over them. To bring everything home was a small museum and a memorial stupa filled with the skulls of those that were murdered. Unlike the holocaust where most who died where worked to death, gassed, or shot, the Khmer Rouge could not afford the bullets or the gas, so they used what they had. They had trees, bamboo, and their hands. Most the people who died at this place were beaten to death, or had their throats cut. Babies were beaten against trees, and well I don't think I need to say anything more. This place, and epic place of death and sorrow, is set in a serene field surrounded by paddies and singing birds.
At the end of my second day in Phnom Penh I hopped a tuk tuk to the airport to pick up Gisela. I convinced Gislea to come do some traveling with me in Cambodia back in Korea, and while I've been out and about, she's been freezing in Korea teaching camp. Well, not anymore. The very next day we caught a bus to Siem Riep. At arrival we found that the hotel which I had booked was undergoing renovations and they had forgot to notify me that they were closed. No big deal we found another place shortly and set off after that to catch the sunset on Tonle Sap. Tonle Sap is one of the largest fresh water lakes in all of Asia. It is home to one of the best fishing grounds also. Filled with fish, floating villages, and other animals that you can't see in the dirty brown water the sunset we caught here was pretty great. However, the next day brought the biggest site I have seen in quite some time.
Angkor Wat, is the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World. It is the worlds largest religious structure and has been in continuous uses since it was built in the 1200's. That is about the same time that Notre Dame was started. Our first day at Angkor Wat saw us do the mini tour of Angkor Thom, a walled city that at it's peak held an estimated population of 1 million people (for reference, at this time London only had about 50,000). Inside Angkor Thom were numerous temples including the Bayoun, the Bapayoun, and other things that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head. After spending about two hours exploring and climbing amongst the ruins (yes, not only can you touch, but you can clamber) we headed to Ta Prom. Ta Prom, is an abandoned temple that the jungle has reclaimed. The place is crumbling and has enormous trees strangling the temple at every turn. This temple has been used in movies such as Tomb Raider. We ended our first day exploring Angkor Wat at sunset. I climbed all the way to the top (when you see the staircases you'll understand) and enjoyed the spectacular views that it offered.
The next day we headed farther afield and saw some older, and different sites. Well, two of them were. We started the day at the river of the 1,000 linguas. This river has a carved river bed with pictures and over 1,000 linguas in it. The belief is that the constant water running over it will help grant protection. After this we stopped at the Banteay Shrei which is one of the finest preserved pieces of ancient Khmer art. It is a temple built almost 1,000 years ago and dedicated to women. We followed this up with a stop by the Cambodian Landmine museum. This place is a testament that one man can make a difference. Aki Ra (the name he was given by Japanese journalists, has cleared well over 50,000 mines and unexploded munitions from Cambodia. Cambodia today still has hundreds injured and killed by these weapons used in the Vietnam, Civil, and Khmer Rouge fighting. The man who started the facility does not know what year he was born. His family was killed by the Khmer Rouge, and then later he was taken and forced to fight as a 12 year old for the Khmer Rouge. He later defected to the Vietnamese army (busy fighting the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia) and fought to rid his country of the scourge they were. During this time he became an explosives, and mines expert. He killed people, and even had a moment where his uncle was shooting at him from across a field as a member of a different army.
Once the war ended and a government was elected, he dedicated himself to clearing his country of the millions of left over mines and unexploded ordinance. To help do this he started an NGO and currently uses the profits from his museum to give shelter to, support, and provide an education to children who have been left homeless, been injured by mines, or have been abandoned by their parents. His work ensure that they are cared for, fed, and educated. At the end of their high school days, they are given a scholarship to either a university or a vocational school of their choice. The man is living proof that one man with good intentions can help change the course of countless lives. After this stop we sped off to one more temple before calling it quits for the day.
Today was our last day in Siem Riep. I spent it by catching a sunrise at Angkor Wat. It was truly stunning. Pictures do not do it justice, but don't worry, I have lots. After that I ate a quick breakfast before Gisela and I shipped off back down to Phnom Penh for the night. Tomorrow we head to Sihanoukville and Otres Beach. Sun, sand, and snorkeling here I come. Peace everyone.
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