Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Happy Birthday Dad!

Date: April 27th, 2011

Hey Dad!  Happy Birthday!


Love, Maggie and Seohyung Grade 2 Class 6!

PS:  Just a little funny:
When I asked my students to record this, I explained that it was my dad birthday.  I wrote his birth year on the board.  Mr Kim looked at the date and went, "Really?!!" I double checked to make sure that, yes, I did have the correct date on the board.  I did.  Then my students (who are infinitely better at math than I will ever be) started in with some "Chinja?!"  (Korean Translation: Really?!)  One of my lovely students went, "He...!...started early!!!"  "He too young!"

So, there you go, Dad!  A very young birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Little Brother

Date: April 28, 2011

Just a little something for Charlie!

생일 축하!!

<3 Maggie and Seohyung Grade 2 Class 6!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Fire Drills

Date: April 18, 2011

I was finishing up lunch and headed back to my teacher's room when one of my co-teachers, Mrs Bae, tugs on my arm and says, "Come here!"  (meaning, come this way!)  I happily follow her, she wants to talk, I'm totally game.  And then we round the corner to the back of the school and I see what she wanted to show me.

The 1st Graders are learning fire safety.  I think the pictures explain themselves.  I was actually very jealous.  It is a stupid reaction, but part of me went, "I've never used a fire extinguisher!"  But then the grown-up inside of me smacked the baby part of me and said, "Grow up and Go GET YOUR CAMERA!"


YAHHH!!!!
 Now, I know learning how to use a fire extinguisher is very important in case you need to ever use it in real life.  But I think the Koreans are on to something here.  I mean, when you need to put out a fire, you don't stop and read the directions on how to use the extinguisher.  Yes, I think I have vaguelly been told how to use an extinguisher--I think, maybe--but in any sort of panic, I probably would totally forget what I had been told.  At least these kids have actually removed the pin, aimed and fired (err...extinguished).


So, for anyone who is interested: Here are the steps, in picture format:

Step 1: Remove Pin

Step 2: Aim (Nozzle up)  Step 3:  Squeeze the trigger.  
 The canisters were dying when I arrived so here is Mr Jong changing a hydrant.
So, just a little school fun on a normal Monday morning!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Cherry Blossom Festival

Date: April 17, 2011

I met up with some students for the local Cherry Blossom Festival last Sunday.  Cherry Blossoms were just starting to bloom so we had a good time just walking around.

The Cherry Blossoms are very beautiful.  At home, I have never really seen an abundance of the flowers so to see so many pretty pink and white blooms is beautiful.  They last only a very short time (after they fall, the trees turn to green) so you have to be ready and willing to go take lots of walks during Spring Time.

The entrance into the festival.  Gives a pretty good first impression, yes?


I walked around, waiting for my students/friends to show up.   There was a Pumba Performance going on.  There is not a direct translation of the word "pumba" into Englihs, but basically they are traditionally beggar people from way back when in Korea.  Now they are entertainers at local festivals where they (I think usually men) dress up in beggar clothes or cross dress.  They make a type of taffy that they sell throughout the hilarity.
A cross-dressing pumba performer.  He is very obviously fake boobs.

A "beggar" pumba

 As a foreigner I stuck out in the crowd...and very quickly I was pointed out by the pumba people.  The beggar pumba was selling taffy in my part of the crowd and he quickly started show me various parts of his costume.  Not surprisingly, he lifts up his shirt and shows me the lock on his zipper.  He moves his hips back and forth, showing me how it sways.  (It does not refer to the lock).

 The "lady in red" quickly also points at me and directs the audience to look at me.  I give a weak wave and answer the obgliatory questions: "Where are you from?" "You English teacher?"  "Are you single?"  I am single, so I say yes.  This gets the pumba men to go a little crazy.  The "lady in red" wants to also show me "her/his" surprise under his skirt.  S/He has a little red pepper on that dangles, there, that, surpise, squeezes water.

It was all in good fun, and I got some free taffy out of being the entertainment.  


 I met up with Seo Young and Min Jee after the Pumba performers and Seo Young quickly says, "Oh, yes.  Korean culture."  and ducks her eyes--like she is embarrased.  I think the Pumba are great.  I quickly assure her that I loved their show and redirect the conversation so that we can find some food.

We walk past a full pig on a spicket:
 It is some sort of Som gyup (like som gyup sal--one of my favorite korean foods, but this is the authentic version).

We sit down in the tent and quickly order some pig ribs.

Yummy yummy!
 They were a little expensive, but I really didn't care. It was one of those "cultural things" and frankly, we are at a fair.  All things are going to be pricey!

We finish with walking around, so we go looking for the cherry blossoms--that is the reason we are here!  We find a nice row of trees and proceed to take a bunch of pictures. Seo Young and MinJee are quiet shy (sometimes, actually, they are only shy in front of a camera)--so it took me some luck and lots of attempts in order to get some great pictures.  But the girls are beautiful and we had a lot of fun.


So pretty!




She doesn't know i'm taking a picture, otherwise she would never be dancing...hehe!



I like this one a lot.

Shy korean!

Very Gangster Minjee!





 My turn!
Smell the pretty flowers

Service-e

Date: April 14, 2011

I have been having some dry skin problems so I went to buy some heavy duty, industrial strength moisturizer at a local beauty store.  The beauty stores are everywhere in Korea, and after yoga, I popped into one called Tony Mac.  (I don't think they are related to the Mac store--beauty or korean--in America).  I floundered a bit when a sales lady comes up to me with a big smile, but looking very nervous.  With a friendly "Hello!"  she waits for me to explain why I am in the store.  I circle my face and say "dry skin."  Luckily, it worked.

The lady showed me over to the moisturizer section and, brokenly, explained that they have a 3-in-1 moisturizer set.  Step One; Toner.  Two: Emulsion.  Three: Cream.  I had no idea what Toner and Emulsion are... and I couldn't really flip the box over and read the description, either, because it is in Korean.  But later I found out that toner is "designed to cleanse the skin and shrink the appearance of pores" while emulsions are...well...I'm still not sure what the emulsions are for (Thanks wikipedia).  I ended up purchasing the cream (because the little sample dap she put on the back of my hand was super nice) and said maybe later I would buy the other two.  They are each 14,000 won (or about $15) and, to me, that is a little expensive.  Probably not to most people, but when I normally buy lotion it is some gigantic tub for $7... This bottle fits in the palm of hand.

Anyway, the lady kindly took me back over to the counter and proceeded to help me check out.  And then she gave me a whole slew of "samples." Or in Korean: "service-e"
I took a picture of all my "service-e" once I got home.  I have two "moisturizing, whitening" masks, a box of cotton pads, and 3 tubes of Elumsion and 3 tubes of the Toner--in addition to my original purchase of the moisturizer (in the box).   The moisturizing packs usually cost 2,000-4,000 won ($2-$4), and same with the cotton packs.

As for my review on the moisturizer.  It is wonderful.  My skin is clearer and it feels better.  I have used 1 and 1/2 of the tubes of Toner and Elumsion, and fully am prepared to go an buy the real sized product.

PSY Concert

Date: April 23, 2011

On Saturday, my friends Mihye and Sarah and I traveled to Jeonju to go to the Psy Concert.  Jeonju is about an hour away, and the concert was at the Chunju University Performance hall.  (Just in case you are wondering Jeonju and Chunju are the same place--just difference spelling.  Yeah, Korean can be tricky like that...thumbs down!)

Anyway, I had only heard Psy's most recent song "Right Now" and I really enjoy the song.  So I was hoping, crossing my fingers that I would enjoy a whole concert of him.  I was a little nervous when I hear that he was a rapper, but Right Now is not a rap song so I figured it was only one night and it would be fun.

A little history about Psy, because it is fun to know some background information.  He is 35 years old, and got in some trouble recently because he tried to get out of the mandatory military service. So he had to do two terms (one term is 2 years--so he did four years).  This album is his fifth (It's called PSY Five). He does not really fit into any sort of genre, but is categorized as a "rapper" on Wikipedia, and is known for his sense of humor and unique concerts where he imitates Korean celebrities.

He did not let down on this concert.  I am a full fan advocate after the concert.  It was a blast.  One of the best performers I have ever seen  (not that I have seen many) but Psy was just fun.  I did not have understand ...basically any of what he was saying to have fun--although with the help of Mihye, I did get some clues and could follow the basic plot of the night.  It was just a blast.

But I am getting ahead of myself.  Let me take you through my night.

We arrive at the concert hall and there are these posters out in front.  I was a little worried about the vein of the concert when I saw these...they are just creepy!
Psy as a...baby?  maybe?

Ginseng Psy.  This one is just flat out creepy

Fire-eyes Psy...
 Then we get into hall and he's talking.  He looks pretty normal--for Psy.  He reminds me of Elton John in some regards--just the flamboyant-ness of his costumes.  Glitz and glitter all the way.
 The Korean style of concerts is different than America. Basically, the performer will do a couple songs (a "set") and then stop and talk to the audience.  We were at a small venue (only 1400 people) so there was some fun interaction.  He made fun of a couple that were sitting down during his performance.



Mihye and Sarah
 The first song we saw Psy perform was a jazz pop song (we were a little late so we didn't see his opening number, bummer!  but this one worked just fine for us!)




After each set, a lady would come out onto stage, and change Psy, then wipe his face off (He was sweaty!)  His outfits were always envoking Elton John--just look below:


I like this shot of him from behind, looking out to the audience.  Lots of glow sticks.
 He sang all sorts of music.  We saw a jazz song (he did the Charleston, of all things), a couple ballads, a song about his father, hip-hop, rap, and some pop.  He did not stick to one genre and that made the night that much more entertaining.  You never knew what what going to happen.  But it was always good.


 About 2/3 of the way through the concert we had a guest singer: Hiromi (maybe?)  She had a beautiful voice.

After her, Psy came back out with, I think, a signature perforamce for him.  He imitated some of the current top female celebrities.

First was a Wonder Girls knock off.  His face is stuck on to the body of the singer on the big screen, while he dances down on stage.  Seeing a not-totally-ripped man shake his money maker in a belly-displaying outfit was awesome.


Then he puts on a little sailor outfit (and I do mean little) and performs "Gee" by Girl's Generation.



The lights dim and we see him pulling off his pants.  I got a little nervous about that move, and then, when the lights flip back on, Ms Beyonce's Single Ladies come out loud and clear and Psy is in this itty bitty little number.


It was was the highlight of the concert.  Sarah and I agreed that he could do an hour of imitations and we would have been completely happy.  He poked fun at himself and the industry.


A quick shot of the entire audience and Psy in front.  Mihye, Sarah, and I are in the 2nd balcony on the left.
 He finished his concert in about 2 hours.  But...it wasn't over.  The audience suddenly started chanting "an-chor an-chor!"  I couldn't figure out what "an-chor" was, until Mihye and Sarah both shouted at me: "ENCORE!"  Ahh...click!  Light bulb!  The encore, no joke, was 2 hours longs.  It was as long as the concert.  We would not let him leave.

He sang and danced for us.  It was a blast.  You could tell he was having a good time.  He drank a whole flask of soju--so that also could contribue to his happiness--but he seemed to enjoy the crowd.

At the end of the concert, we got a few more pictures of us with the posters decorating the lobby.




It was a great night...even though, Mihye and I had to get up in the morning--bright and shiney early to go run a 5k--but that was good too.

If Psy ever does another concert nearby--heck, I could even go up to Seoul--it would be worth it--I would love to go.