The End

This is it; I am back in my home country, the USA. Yes, I am a different person after living and travelling abroad. I still love Korea and miss it everyday right now. I'm sure the heartache will fade in time, but if we ever have the chance to go back I certainly won't turn it down.

What can I write at the end of the last amazing few years? How to sum it all up? I really don't know, I don't think I can. There's been no seismic shift in my world paradigm; I still have the same values as before. But I do see my own culture differently, maybe a little less sympathetically. Americans, lose some weight and improve the customer service! And stop beating each other up about being materialistic, of course you are (though not as much as you may think!), but so is every other developed country and any normal human being who has purchasing power. Koreans...well you'll have to do your own self-assessment.

Korea will always be in my heart, but I must bloom where the Army transplants me, so now it's time to focus on Kansas. Join me for new adventures in "Life on the Prairie"!

Locust story: by Chi-Young Kim

2013-06-04 17:21 The swarms of locusts By Chi-Young Kim I’m wandering around a room, looking into vitrines containing historical artifacts. I hear a low hum that steadily grows into a roar. Locusts, my husband jokes. At least a hundred children thunder into the room in a long, messy line, speed walking around the perimeter, herded by young adults dressed in red, who keep order by blowing on whistles and yelling into a bullhorn. The children rush by, pushing and shoving, not heeding us or anyone lacking amplified sound equipment. The leaders yell, Hurry! The kids snap pictures with their phones and shout at one another. They run into the next room. We heave a sigh in relief, shaking our heads. But there’s no reprieve.     Another swarm runs into the room, this one chanting some slogan as directed by their leaders in red; then another, and another. I scold a few who shove us. My husband is a little mortified that I’m yelling at strangers. We give up and go down the stairs. I’m momentarily frightened that I’ll tumble down a couple of flights. This isn’t a nightmare. This is what happened to us in a museum in Gyeongju. These days, my dad informs us, junior high and high school students go elsewhere, even abroad, and they’ve started bringing elementary school students to these historical sites. The schools hire guides or youth hostel leaders, and the teachers themselves just sit back and relax. It’s a huge problem. I can see that. It makes the viewing experience not only disruptive for the other visitors, but also dangerous. These kids are rude and uncontrollable. It’s also a missed opportunity for them; they have come to a city filled with historical meaning and artifacts, and all they’ve done is run around and take blurry pictures of crowns they’ve already seen in their textbooks. Unfortunately, this ugly phenomenon isn’t isolated to that museum. We also went to Bulguksa, a famous temple. There, the hordes were even larger, and even though posted signs entreat visitors to be quiet and reverent, nobody paid any attention. It was as if we’d stumbled upon an elementary school relay race. Again, there were red-clad leaders shouting into bullhorns, teachers ignoring the entire spectacle, drinking tea by themselves in the temple tea shop, and groups of kids running around, jumping off temple property, screaming and yelling. They’d been given some kind of a checklist, so they were tearing around, yelling at their team members, Here it is! Check it off!        We discouraged our toddler from going up some of the steps because we were convinced she’d be pushed off. Even though the buildings are gorgeous and the Buddha and bodhisattva sculptures are intricate and beautiful, I didn’t enjoy my visit. I’m truly shocked. I remember going to Gyeongju many times as a child, and I don’t remember this kind of disruption. My mom says that she’s always embarrassed when she sees Japanese tourists at these sites, because Japanese kids are so quiet and respectful; it’s such a stark contrast.    I’ve been to Buddhist temples in Japan where everything is serene, people speak quietly, and even schoolchildren are kept under control. You can really appreciate the temple architecture and being one with nature. In fact, while I remember seeing tour groups, I don’t remember even being affected by them. In Europe, I’ve been in churches where people naturally hush as they walk in; they are respectful in houses of worship. Nobody was horsing around inside or even outside. There’s much talk about Korea being the next tourist destination, but this kind of embarrassing behavior is unacceptable and shameful. I personally won’t be recommending Gyeongju to anyone going to Korea; the viewing experience was so uniquely atrocious that it left a bad taste in my mouth. Of course, kids will be kids. But that is the age to teach them how to behave in public. In elementary school in the States, teachers and volunteer parents accompany children on field trips; my mom remembers being in charge of a handful of kids, telling them how to behave. As a teen in Canada, I remember going to a performance of classical music with my class and being told what to wear and what we should expect. At the museum I work at, schoolchildren tour it about an hour before the galleries open to the public. The classes are grouped into 10 or 15 kids, and a museum educator accompanies the kids throughout the galleries, guiding them around artworks and engaging them in the experience. Later, they’ll go to an adjacent park or the outdoor areas of the museum to eat lunch or run around and play. It works. The kids love it. Something like this needs to happen in Korea, instead of providing the usual surface-skimming education. I can’t wait for things to improve; there are so many wonderful historical sites and museums in Korea that would be even more enjoyable if a visitor weren’t constantly afraid she would break a leg.  Chi-Young Kim is a literary translator based in Los Angeles. She has translated works by Shin Kyung-sook, Kim Young-ha, and Jo Kyung-ran. Contact her at chiyoung@chiyoungkim.com or via her website, chiyoungkim.com.

Seodaemun Prison & History Hall

Seodaemun Prison was built in 1907 for anti-colonial (AKA anti-Japanese occupation) activists and was used for that purpose until 1945 when the Japanese left. The prison was then used by the Korean government till 1987. In 1992 it was dedicated as a history hall and a part of Independence Park. (see blog post here) The first stop on your self-guided tour once entering the compound is the exhibition hall, which gives a brief overview of Korean history as it relates to the jail, mostly anti-colonial activities. There are some relics of the prison, original pieces of wood, an old guard chair, handcuffs, things like that, on display. There is one room in which the the walls are covered with the mugshots of people who (I assume) died in the prison. 

A panaromic of one wall.

Communicating with neighboring
cell mate by tapping.

The next building is the former office center of the jail, which you walk through as it is connected to the cells for better control (that's what the sign said). There are several jail cells open for you to go in and view, though some cells are still 'occupied'. There was one cell in the solitary confinement area that once you walk close a sensor is triggered and a holographic type guy starts screaming. It was a bit startling. There are quite a few things in the jail to give you a touch of the creeps. The torture areas are also recreated, some with a little too life-like mannequins.

You can't see because the bar is blocking it, but
there are fake blood stains on the table.

 Next there were a few ancillary buildings, nothing of note. There was a memorial, then you get to view the execution center. As you can imagine, quite a few people died from the torture or simple privation, but apparently there were numerous others executed. It's a wooden building surrounded by a tall brick wall with what appears to be a judging area, and a noose. The building was built much later, so I assume it used to simply be a gallows within the brick wall. There aren't any details in English, so you just have to guess at how all that came about. Nearby is a what used to be a secret tunnel the Japanese used to remove the bodies from the premises. You can look, but cannot enter.

There is a separate small building that housed the women.  A memorial from the inside:

It was an interesting trip, more so than I expected, and even my daughters must have found it somewhat captivating as there were no complaints of "I'm bored!".

Jail cells with Inwangsan in the background.

More thoughts: The myth of elder respect

Asian cultures in general are widely believed in the Western world to revere their elderly. After our extended time here, I don't see this. In a very small way this is true, but not in the way that most Westerners think. There are reserved seats on the subway for elderly. That's about it. The biggest way I see 'respect' given is that no one speaks out when the elderly act like total jackas**s to everyone else. Keep in my mind, we're not talking about frail old people. Most Korean elders are quite robust, at least the ones that get out and about - which makes sense since they are out and about. Getting around in Korea always requires some walking, so you can't be sickly and get around. I often think how difficult it must be to be handicapped in Korea. When we first moved here I used a stroller fairly often, and I noticed quickly the lack of wheelchair accessibility that we have in the States that also makes stroller usage easier.

Back on topic, let me give personal examples. I have been in the subway when an elderly lady slipped on the stairs. Not a single Korean even paused to look, much less help. The American friend I was with stopped to help her get up and walked her the rest of the way down the stairs. Another time, and elderly man with a cane got on the subway and when the train jerkily started before he could sit, he slipped. Not a single Korean on the subway bothered to even question him, so I helped him up and to a seat. I have a few more personal examples, but at the risk of self-aggrandizing, I'll stop with those two. What I have witnessed is elderly Korean people violently shoving and pushing their way to the front of a line or to a seat simply because it is expected that they are to be 'respected'. I had an elderly woman try to rip my hand from my daughter's in order to shove through us to catch the subway before the doors closed. She physically (and emotionally) hurt my child! I have to ask, What happened to human respect? Are we not fully human and deserving of personal respect until we reach a certain age? At this old age are we then granted permission to treat everyone else as less than human? For every one instance I have seen of someone genuinely respecting an elder, I've seen 1,000 more of an elder taking advantage of their privileged position.

Basically, this elder respect idea has been abused by many of the elderly. And I think that has led to many people to superficially 'respect' the elderly because they have to follow a certain code. True respect is virtually non-existent in this situation. Respect is not just demanded here, it is forcefully taken, and therefore, in my opinion, there is no respect at all.

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

The impressive, and mostly reconstructed, Hwaseong fortress in Suwon has long been on my to-see list. I was finally able to go! The verdict: I enjoyed it immensely, the rest of my family, one in particular, not so much.

My husband, NOT enjoying the fortress.

The fortress walls are 5.7 kilometers around, and my plan was to walk the circuit to see the outer walls. Inside the walls, most of the are has been built up into modern Suwon city, but there is still a palace museum. Since I've seen all the palaces in Seoul, and viewing it from the outside this one didn't seem any different, we decided to start with the walls first and go back to the museum palace if time allowed. Time did not allow (we were starving!) so all we saw was the fortress walls, which is what I really came for anyway. If you're interested in the history, you can read more here. I'll just let the pictures do the talking for this post. (Quick Korean lesson when reading the names: buk = north, nam = south, dong = east, seo = west, mun = gate)

Hwaseomun with seobuk gongsimdon in background

artillery post

Janganmun

on the walls of janganmun

janganmun from the side

banghwasuryujeong pavilion

hwahongmun over Suwon stream

seonodae

Education Musings

I thought since we were leaving Korea soon, now would be the time to share my opinions that I have developed over the last (almost) four years of living in Korea on certain cultural topics that I find worth pondering. This post will be about the Korean education system versus the American.

As a parent who home educates, I have a different starting point of view than many others I'm sure. However, I did grow up in American public schools and attended both a private university and a public university, so I have some insight to the American education process. While in Korea, I have tutored a few students ranging from kinder age to teenage in English and have gained some insight into a teen's point of view of the Korean education system.

One thing I feel you must know: Koreans calculate age differently than Americans. Koreans count the time in the womb as age, and depending on when in the year you were born, the age of a Korean child is different than an American child born at the same time. (I don't fully understand how they calculate age myself.) So while a Korean may say they started school at age 6, to an American they would really be 4 or 5.

As an introduction, I'm going to describe a typical Korean student day. Keep in mind that Koreans start school - not the daycare Americans pass off as pre-school - at the age of three. Saturdays usually involve extra classes and homework time. Koreans attend school 240 days a year (my number may be slightly off).
Leave for school around 8, school until 3 or 4, then home. As they get older (6 -7) more extra classes get added on at hagwons. Pretty much all boys take taekwondo, or there may be music lessons or English and/or Chinese classes. As they get older, there will be extra math classes. By the time they are 13, they are at school or extra lessons from 7 in the morning until 8 or 9 at night. High school students then have homework until midnight or so, then repeat. High school in Korea is the time to prove yourself. College in Korea is all about building your Rolodex so to speak. College is less about the academics, and more about making connections. Those connections are what get you the job. I've heard from a Korean college graduate, that college is basically a vacation compared to high school. Obviously, this is a blanket statement, and not every college and degree is like this but the majority are.

I've noticed in America there is an idea that the Asian system of education is better due to test scores that are frequently cited as statistics of proof. I strongly disagree with this idea. I can't speak for all Asian countries, though I suspect they operate under the same methods, but in Korea, education is a lengthy process of continued memorization. While this certainly has a place in the education system, it should not be the main focus. Conceptual understanding is not important in the Korean system, the student need only regurgitate the right answer on the test. I'll give a real person example. I have an American friend whose children go to an international school in Seoul, where a large majority of the students are Korean. This school, run by Koreans, is actively trying to move away from the Korean memorization system. If it is so effective, why are they fighting the cultural tsunami to change it? They give a math test, tell the children to show their work. The Korean students answer correctly, but cannot show their work. They cannot show the conceptual understanding of how they came to an answer because all they did was memorize. How does knowing an answer, but not knowing how you got there, aid in problem solving for future work? As a parent who educates my own children, I can see this at work. I could teach my daughter simply to memorize the multiplication table and she would 'know' multiplication, but I don't just have her memorize the facts. First, I teach her what multiplication is, then I teach her the lengthy way of calculating an answer, then I teach her to memorize the multiplication facts. At the end, she know what the concept of multiplication is, not just an answer. It's why your math teacher in eighth grade never let you use a calculator. So, Asian students study hard for a test, excel at choosing the right answer, then forget it all because they never learned the concepts behind the answer. (Not unlike many tests I suspect any reader of this post has taken.) Compare the difference between an artist and an architect. An artist can draw a beautiful house, but he could never be trusted to construct it like an architect. He doesn't have knowledge to conceptualize the inner workings to make the house real.

Another brief point, Korean students must never question the teacher. This would violate the sanctity of the classroom and create a revolutionary change in the foundation of society! I'm being dramatic, but not so over dramatic as you might think. Simply put, thinking outside the box is not encouraged. Creativity is not encouraged. You are to do exactly what the book says, no questions asked. At the risk of getting offensive, I'll omit details, but trust me when I say that every time I leave my house, the desperate lack of critical thinking in this country is glaringly displayed. As an authority figure, having no one question you can have benefits, but questioning the establishment or bucking the 'we've-always-done-it-this-way' mind set is what leads to the major changes of life. That is what led to the invention of the wheel, a heliocentric solar system, the abolition of slavery, pre-sliced bread! In a society where everyone just goes along with what they are told, what do you think will happen?

I have been reading Fareed Zakaria's book, The Post-American World: 2.0 (which I would recommend to anyone) and he addresses the issue I'm discussing in his book. Mr. Zakaria was born and raised in India, a country whose educational style (at least when he attended) he describes in his book as very similar to what I know about Korea's. He presents numerous statistics as to why simply comparing test scores does not prove at all that American students are learning less than their Asian counterparts. He recounts how Singapore, the top math scoring country in the world, sent researchers to a school in Virginia to examine US teaching methods, and came away impressed by the students ability to vocalize questions and  their active engagement (as opposed to a teacher lecturing silent students who are only intent on taking in what is being said to recite for a test). Har Hui Pen, from Singapore's Hwa Chong Institution said "...you can see students are more engaged, instead of being spoon-fed all day." Zakaria writes "While America marvels at Asia's test-taking skills, Asian countries come to America to figure out how to get their kids to think.", then provides paragraphs of information and statistics to back this statement up. The now-former Singapore minister of education made this statement in a speech discussing his country's and America's systems: "We know how to train people to take exams. You know how to use people's talents to the fullest." You're referring to Singapore, not Korea you say. What does all this have to do with Korea? "While the American system is too lax on rigor and memorization - whether in math or poetry -  it is much better at developing the critical faculties of the mind, which is what you need to succeed in life." (Zakaria, p.193, italics added) The systems are the same, I think it is safe to assume the same conclusions can be drawn. Great test scores do not equal great intelligence or superiority of educational system. The results come from what happens when that education is put to use in society. Let's compare America's political and economic power to 'the rest', as Zakaria calls it. While in current times it may be comparatively waning, it is still far stronger than any other country. That comes from applied education, not stellar test scores. I could go on with nationalist sentiments, but I think the point is made. The results of post-education productivity speak much more forcefully than a survey of eighth-grader's test scores.

The one area I do acknowledge the Koreans and other Asian societies excel in the academic arena is parental involvement. This is good and bad. Good, because the parents take the time to be actively involved in their child's education albeit in a very different way than American parents would. It is bad because they also take their child's school performance as a way to measure their family against others. It is bragging points for their ability as a mother, not for the child's ability as a student. The student becomes the standard bearer for the family. This is a lot of external pressure for a child, versus an internal desire to achieve. This same pride is what causes the parent to push their child into so many extracurricular activities. Not to benefit the child's education or personal growth, but for the mother's benefit to brag. For example, why would an American parent hire a private tutor to teach their child a foreign language? Usually, in order for the child to learn because of the child's expressed desire. The students I tutored were there simply because their mom wanted to tell her friends that she had hired an American tutor. This is fact, not conjecture on my part. Once again, I'm making blanket statements, but generalizations are called that because they are generally true. (Side note, I keep referring to singular child and not plural children. Most Koreans only have one child so that they can focus all monies and attention on that one child to prove the family honor.)

I know there are those who disagree with my assessment, and that's okay. Yes, there are negative things about the American system as well, notably a lack of respect for teachers from the student and an undermining of the teacher by the parents. However, I refer to my statement previously made: the results speak for themselves.

Dapsimni Antique Market

Unlike most so called antique stores in touristy areas (think Insadong/Itaewon), the market outside of Dapsimni station is authentic. It has a forgotten aura that I find charming as it means no crowds and no foreigners, besides me of course. The market is housed in three separate buildings with a variety of small shops inside that are crammed with all types of things from tiny bottles to large pieces of furniture in all price ranges. There are various descriptions on the internet as to what all is included in the area as part of the antique market. A friend & I visited two of the three most commonly mentioned buildings in this trip.

A large majority of the items in the stores are Buddhist related, but there were several other options as well. I found a beautiful box that was way out of my price range, pillow boxes, some lovely embroidery work, instruments, and more. There are some reproductions mixed in, but I didn't feel like there was any attempt to pass these off as actual antiques. The prices on everything that I asked about were very reasonable, although the only thing I purchased was a book of collector coins from China. Also unlike Insadong and Itaewon, the vendors here do not at all mind you taking pictures! A few of the shop owners spoke a little English, most of them didn't speak any. This is only a problem if you want to know some details about an item, which most people purchasing antiques do, so that can detract some from the experience. It is still a wonderful way to pass several hours with some good companionship.

The larger pieces were lined up and down the hallways.

For another point of view and better pictures see Seoul Sub-Urban's post  here. For a different description of what comprises the market click here and scroll to the bottom. For a map click here. You'll want to zoom in for a better view.

Cats!

Who doesn't like to cuddle with soft, furry cats? Okay, I know a lot of people don't (haters!), but I am a huge cat lover! So when I found out that I can go somewhere and be surrounded by friendly cats, I was in! I have no idea what the name of this place really is, we just called it the Cat Cafe. You pay an 8,000 won entrance fee and get a free drink of your choice. Honestly, it is a bit disturbing to have to shield your beverages from feline fur, but for the sake of some kitty cuddles I did it. I counted 24 cats, so you will definitely get your turn to share the love! You can purchase treats to feed them, and they know when you do.

ninja kitty!

begging for some treats

curious cat

Soooo excited because a kitty sat in her lap!

When we first arrived the staff helped the girls feed the cats their treats, and the cats just climbed up them and out onto their arms to get to them. So adorable. They also pulled out some toys to get the cats playing and doing more cute stuff!

There's not much else to say about a cat cafe except "awww!" This place is in the now super famous Gangnam district, which is a way over-hyped, material girl kind of zone. Line 2, Gangnam station, exit 10. U-turn at street level, take first right, and another immediate right, go straight about 250 feet (? I'm bad at distance, but it's not far), look up for the pink cat sign, the cafe is in a building on the left with the tiny 7-11, 4th floor, same floor as a cosmetology center, look for the cat signs. They don't open until 1:00, learned that the hard way, so don't rush! Just FYI, there is a really delicious Thai/Vietnamese restaurant, Mekong Thai, close by.

Here & There

It has been quite some time between posts, because it has been quite some time since we did something new! Life in Korea that was once exciting and a new adventure around corner, has somehow become, well, commonplace. We're at home. No, I'm not fluent in the language and some things are still challenging (such as giving directions to taxi drivers and trying to negotiate with xenophobes eager to rip off foreigners), but mostly I've adapted and learned how to work with the system.

This has been an especially cold winter, and outings have been few. Even going out to our favorite restaurants requires a great deal of will-power (and layers) to brave the freezing cold. Also, millions of Korean school children were out for winter break and that is something I'd rather avoid. However, we have not been homebound the entire time. We've had several snow days with sledding and snowball fights,

a SpongeBob play day with friends at the Ilsan KINTEX,

visits to the excellent Art Across America special exhibit at the National Museum,

and to the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art with a wonderful collection of modern art. This museum has three galleries; we saw two, the modern art of course and the Korean celadon collection along with some other traditional Korean art.

The husband and I have also seen the English performance of Phantom of the Opera twice at the Blue Square Performing Arts Hall; it really was that good!

Now, the days are starting to warm up and I have been planning our 'must-see-before-we-leave-Korea-in-three-months' list. We've been here long enough that there really doesn't seem to be all that much that I actually want to visit that I haven't already visited. I guess the ticking time clock will tell!

Bukchon

The Bukchon hanok village is a popular tourist destination in Seoul. Located in an elevated area between the Gyeongbok and Changdeok Palaces, it has some obvious old-world appeal. Hanoks are traditional Korean houses. Since the vast majority of people in Seoul live in apartments, hanoks (or houses in general) are uncommon in this area. (True hanoks aren't common in other parts of South Korea, but I have seen many modernized versions of them in less urban areas. Waegwan had many, and several traditional as well.)  As Seoul was rapidly expanding in the past, many of the old-style homes were torn down to make way for the new high rises. While this brought great wealth to the ones selling their property, most of the traditional culture was lost. The Bukchon village is a preservation area of sorts. Many of the hanoks are hotels or restaurants, though some are actual residences. I wandered around the area for a couple of hours to see what I could see. Having spent almost two years living and traveling the more rural parts of South Korea, this wasn't as exciting to me. However, if Seoul is your main reference point for Korea, this is a great place to visit to get an idea of non-Seoul life. In the area are numerous cultural experience programs; I didn't look into any of them. The tourist information office, a short walk from the subway exit, had English guide maps and English speaking staff that were helpful. The area is also close by Insa-dong, one of my favorite shopping areas in Seoul. 

After wandering around, I stepped into a coffee cafe to warm up and relax for a bit. It was called 4M (also forum) and it was awesome! They had a beanbag area set up for lounging, tables and chairs of course, and adirondack chairs facing the floor to ceiling windows. I sat in these comfy chairs and enjoyed my drink!

Cozy!