welcome to the korean indie scene

I think I am in love... <3 

No, sorry, friends...not that kind of love. ^.~ But today, I'm saying good-bye to Kpop...and hello, K-indie! Ok, no, I am not giving up my Kpop loves, but I HAVE finally discovered my scene in Korea. This past weekend--well, week, for that matter--has been seriously amazing. God has been doing some incredible stuff, annnnnd I finally found some little bits of "home"--of "me" here. From second-hand, vintage clothing stores in Daegu to indie bands in Seoul, life just keeps getting better. In a country where the ideal is homogeneity, I'm embarrassed to say that I started to "fit" into that ideal. Everyone wears mainly the same clothes, carries the same bag/backpack, likes the same music, does the same thing. Yes, Korea is a relatively small country, so it's hard to compare it to somewhere as individualistic and diverse as the USA, but at the same time, with sooOOOoo many people, you would think it would offer the chance for lots of individuality and wanting to stand out from everyone else.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I favor a vintage style over mainline looks. I knew something was up when I looked at my clothes in my closet and it looked a lot like mainstream Korea. Something's gotta change! >.< And so, I happened upon an ideal little vintage store in Daegu with reasonably-priced clothes, and I can proudly say that I will be frequenting it more often in coming months as the weather gets warmer and I'm looking for that fun new find.

In addition, thanks to my friend, Daisy, I have finally been introduced to the world of Korean Indie music. My life will never be the same. <3 

Kpop clouds Korea...and justly so, but it is depressingly sad that the indie scene is so well hidden. For expats in Korea who want to learn more about the indie scene, it is extremely hard since most of the Naver searches will result in Korean-only websites. Nonetheless, the indie scene is progressively gaining popularity all over Korea. From indie garage bands to K-dramas about rock music (such as Shut Up! Flower Boy Band), it won't be long before they are given the credit they deserve. Hongdae, the artsy/music area of Seoul where Hongik University is located, is the hub for such music. Some of my recent finds are Glen Check and The Koxx. (You can also find them on Facebook--please, listen and "Like" them!) I will post more as I find them. Do you have any recommendations?? 

Music is so influential. Just by listening to this music, I am reminded of my unique self. I am reminded of the life to live. I am reminded of what it is like to create genuine, true music. I am reminded of my own inner musician.

What kind of music stirs you?


***P.S.~~~~ You can check out Glen Check in Hongdae on April 13th at 8pm and April 14th at 6pm. Guaranteed to be a great show and worth every dime...er, well, won. ^.~

I've.already.given.you.the.power

Wow. God has really been teaching me a lot over this past week. Something so simple that I seemed to have been missing this whole time. I mean, I understood it and knew it, but I was somehow missing it completely.


"But you will receive power...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."~Acts 1:8


Coming to Korea as an English teacher is secondary. I came to Korea to attest to the Truth. I came to Korea because God has a plan and specific purpose for me here. I came to Korea to be a light: a light to the students, a light to the teachers, a light to the community. 


If you ask me what my motivation is in learning Korean, one reason is to better understand the culture. One reason is to be better integrated into my community and show a level of respect and gratefulness for being here. When people come to the USA, we "expect" them to speak English with us. Why should it be any different? If I come to Korea, should I "expect" them to just speak English with me? NO. I am in their country with their language. I should be adapting to them. And yet...with all this being said, my biggest motivation (and sometimes the only thing keeping me learning when I feel overwhelmed or like my brain is going to explode or I just want to quit)...is that I want to speak to people and reach people in their heart language. When I get discouraged with language studying, I remind myself of that, and I keep pushing on. It might take me a lot longer to learn a language than the average person, but I have a heart to learn!


And yet, despite all this...over this past week, God has been speaking to me about something in regards to sharing that light...


Laura...I have already given you the power.


Wow.


And all this time, I had this power and never really realized how much power it was: English.


Yes, I came here as an English teacher, and I am clearly using English to help others, but I never realized how valuable I really was as a native English speaker. You know, the more I am outside of the country, the more I realize how blessed and appreciative I am for being a native English speaker. And so, being here, over this past week, I have had so many opportunities to talk with others...in English. It's always been that I want to try and speak Korean with them, and I never really think about the fact that there is so much power in English. I want to spend my time learning the language and practicing the language and sort of felt like I had had "enough" of the English speaking/teaching with my kids all day that I wanted to use my evenings to work on Korean. And yet...it is like in Daegu where our pastor used to go: many Koreans came to know the Lord through going to English worship services. It was a learning experience for them in more ways than what they had imagined! The same applies here, now. There are so many people that want to learn English (I kind of forget because I work with elementary kids all day!). I have been leading an English conversation group on Mondays with some ladies I Latin dance with. Mondays has always been a blessing for me, and no matter how tired I am going in or how long of a day I have had,  I always leave refreshed and with a smile on my heart. Just last week, I started going to an English conversation group in Daegu, and it was some of the most fun I've had in awhile. It was so nice to just meet Koreans my age and hang out and get to know one another. Then, this week, I started going to an English conversation group that just started in Gumi at Teabum. (Search for Gumi talk on Facebook to find the group). Teabum also offers Korean classes and music lessons. You can find Teabum downtown. (*Directions from Gumi Station: if you are standing facing away from the Station, cross the street and turn right. Walk straight a few blocks until you see the GS 25, and turn left. Teabum is on your left. Walk up to the second floor of the building.)


The conversation group was nice. We had a good time discussing current issues and getting to know one another. (If you are interested in joining the English conversation group, it meets on Thursdays at 8pm at Teabum.) I am going to try to commit to this group as well. You know, some people may look at my schedule and think I am so busy (ok, maybe I am), but I am only here on this earth once. I am only given one of each day and one of each opportunity. I would rather get to the end of life and look back knowing I spent it well than look back and see that I just lived the "easy" life of teaching during the day and going home at night. I am not saying relaxing is bad, so please don't take me the wrong way (I sure love to sleep in a little on the weekends and have a free night every now and then!), but I am not my own. This body is not my own. This life is not my own. Check out this article from CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network)...it's really in harmony to this idea.


"I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps." ~Jeremiah 10:23


"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."~Galatians 2:20


Over these past 8 months, our prayer group has been doing a lot of praying for an awakening in Gumi--for an over-pouring of the Holy Spirit. We've been doing a lot of praying, and now, as the season of life is changing, we are realizing that He's calling us into a time of action. 


And so I will leave you with a thought: are you living your life in a way that leads to eternity? What are you doing that requires faith? Are you even doing anything that requires faith? Is there room to be a "lukewarm" Christian? Are you living a life totally obsessed with Christ?

white.day.in.korea.march.14

Tomorrow is White Day in Korea. White Day falls on March 14th each year. ...But before I tell you about White Day, I should backtrack to Valentine's Day on February 14th.


In Korea, Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th as well, but in Korea, things are done a little differently. Here, Valentine's Day is a day for the GIRLs to give their BOYFRIENDS chocolate and gifts. That is right, my male foreigner friends: the guys don't give anything for Valentine's Day. >.< It seems so weird that one would spend Valentine's Day without even getting a flower from her loved one! Buuuuuut.....not to worry, my dear ladies, the guys are not completely off the hook. Instead, they have an extra month to plan everything! Koreans celebrate White Day as the day the GUYS give their GIRLFRIENDS gifts! So each gets a whole day completely devoted to doting on the other. <3


Guys, what will you give your loved one today?

a.delightful.thursday.

***(Post written: 9 March 2012)***

Yesterday was full of excitement! The students were testing, so there were no classes, but that didn't stop the day from being full of laughter and exciting events. Lots of lesson planning in the morning, cute scenes at lunch with two of the special boys at our table, a drunk driver driving his car around the track at school and parking it on the track (during lunch/recess, I might add) and ending up with a 5,000,000 W ticket (so my CT said), checking marking on students' tests... oogling over kim soo hyun (my love) and the drama called the Moon Embracing the Sun (my now favorite, tied with Dream High--which also starred kim soo hyun, consequently enough). As if this was already a fun day at school, after school all the teachers went out to a duck restaurant as a sort of welcoming/new school year dinner. I ate delicious duck until I was completely stuffed, and then we all headed down the street for some noraebang. It was so fun to just be with the teachers OUTSIDE of school and see all their personalities and share in lots of fun and laughter. I spent 6 hours after school hanging out with the other teachers and got LOTS of Korean listening practice until my head felt like it was going to explode from all the input and processing! But, I did consider it a success that I am able to understand so much more conversation that when I started out here. It's encouraging, to say the least. As so....after a long day of work and play, I went to bed with a smile on my face. What a delightful Thursday, indeed. ^^

street food

Street food in Korea: where do I even begin? Eating on a budget? Craving something delicious and easy? Head out to the streets!

**I will write more on this topic later, but for now, I just wanted to post this video I took last weekend with Jenna.**

After church, we went around Indong, and I introduced her to lots of new things. Here is our street food experience:

welcome.new.english.teachers

Over the past couple weeks, we have had another rotation of English teachers arrive in Gumi (and all of Korea, for that matter). It has been fun to meet some of them and get to know them. Even more exciting, for me at least, is being able to BLESS THEM! I remember when I first got here, and I had to somehow make what little savings I had last me for my first three months in Korea. God blessed me so greatly and exactly when and how I needed it during this time and really led me to greater reliance on Him to get me through each day. After making it through those first three months and receiving favor and blessing, I have been waiting anxiously for the opportunity to bless new incoming teachers. As with Abraham, we are "blessed to be a blessing." This is still true even thousands of years later: the Word is a living Word, Amen!


The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.
"I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, 
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you." ~Genesis 12:1-3


One teacher, in particular, that I had the chance to hang out with is Jenna. She came to church on Sunday with us, and then we went out afterwards, and I showed her around Indong. We tried all sorts of foods and sweets, walked around saying hi to friends, and ended the night with a Korean movie at Megaline (러브 픽션). What a blessing! It's an amazing blessing how God puts people in your path at exactly the right timing. We share so much in common: we are both music majors from the USA, we love to sing, we both Latin dance, we like to travel, explore, and be adventurous, we both like to try all kinds of new foods, we're both in love with the Lord....and the list goes on. It's really a blessing, and I cannot wait to get to know her more and more! Oh, and be sure to check out the next blog post on street food where there is a video of her trying out real street food for the first time in Korea. 


And so, again, welcome!! Blessings to all of your teaching and Korean adventures!

Samhansaon~~삼한사온

I cannot take credit for writing this (thank you to Allen Choi for posting this on Daegu Free Korean Class' facebook page), but I DO still think this is TOO good NOT to share with all of you! Isn't this so interesting?? (haha, I wonder if this can sort of explain the Ozarks' weather, too??)

"Climatic characteristics of South Korea in spring.
Samhansaon(삼한사온, 三寒四溫, 3 old 4 warm)
Samhansaon takes place in Korea and northern China and eastern Asia.
In a week, the weather is cold for three days and warm for four days. This weather is called Samhansaon.
And, above all, due to the large gap between low and high temperatures each day, you should be careful not to catch a cold.
Even though the weather is warm, you should always wear or prepare thick clothes. If you drink ginger or lemon tea, it is helpful in preventing colds.
And if your room is dry, it makes it easy to catch a cold, but before you go to bed or ordinary times, if you hang a wet towel or set a humidifier in you room, it is also helpful for preventing colds.

봄에 한국의 기후적 특징.
삼한사온
삼한사온은 동부 아시아에 한국과 중국 북부지방에서 발생합니다.
한 주를 기준으로, 날씨가 3일은 춥고 4일은 따뜻하기 때문에, 이 날씨를 삼한사온이라 부릅니다..
그리고 무엇보다도, 일교차가 크기 때문에, 감기에 걸리지 않도록 주의해야합니다.
날씨가 따뜻하더라도, 항상 복장을하거나 준비 두꺼운 옷을하고 생강이나 레몬 홍차를 마시면 감기 예방에 도움이 됩니다.
그리고, 방이 건조하면 쉽게 감기도록 만들지만, 자기전이나 평소, 방에 젖은 수건을 걸어 놓거나 가습기를 둔다면, 그것은 또한 감기 예방에 도움이 됩니"

a fun weekend studying Korean, practicing English, and making new friends

Man, this weekend I've felt like I was on Cloud 9. I had so much joy in my heart and just had a peace about my spirit and in my soul. God is so good. I wish I had more time to write and wish I could replay every detail for you, but I guess those things will just be tucked into my memories to cherish and hold onto.


Friday, I started the next level of Korean classes with Sogang 2B (there is 1A-5B). It's so crazy, really. I feel like I've learned so much so far, and yet, I feel like (because I DO) I have sooooo much more yet to go. Some days I just want to QUIT! I wish I could just speak Korean and have casual conversations and just be automatic in speaking (rather than having to think and translate from my English thinking into the completely different sentence structure of Korean) every time I want to talk. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, and yet, God is here with me through it all. He can speak Korean better than any Korean, and He is living INSIDE ME! Now, that is a lot of talent waiting to be grabbed a hold of! I am thankful for my teacher and her amazing patience with me and tenderness. She is exactly what I needed. Even though I take the long trip to Daegu every week (4 hours of travel/waiting roundtrip for a 1 hour lesson), I would not trade her for anything in the world. 


Saturday I had a whole new set of experiences. I got to relax a little bit in the morning and then go down to Daegu around 3 for an English conversation group. I just happened upon this group on facebook, and it was amazing! We met at a coffee shop and discussed a topic together. This week, we talked about bullying. It was a mix of foreigners and Koreans. It was so encouraging and spirit-lifting to be able to spend this time getting to know them. I really feel like I've made a close group of Korean friends now, much like What's Up, Korea was for me in Seoul. I am definitely going to make the trip back to Daegu on Saturdays to hang out and share life with these new friends! We even went to dinner and hung out downtown afterwards...all the way until my last train to Gumi at 1242am. Ohhhh....and should I tell you what I ate?? I should have taken pictures, but...at the time, I didn't think it was anything special. hahah. Just found out this morning from my co-teacher what I ate. >.< Not that eating weird things bothers me....I mean, I'll be down for most anything at least once lol. This time,  I ate a little (although it didn't really suit my taste) of it. Our Korean friends didn't really know how to translate it, so all I knew was that it was some sort of chicken. They kept telling me it was the "sand stomach," but clearly, that phrase held no meaning whatsoever. Really, I should have thought twice about the name of the restaurant...I knew what it meant, but I thought to myself...That's strange what the name of the restaurant is...but no, it can't accctually mean that....wierd...maybe when they put the two words together, it carries a different meaning or something....boy was I wrong! IT was EXACTLY what the name was! --->>>>>>>> 똥집 (which means "Poop House"). Come to find out...the part of the chicken I was eating was the chicken's "poop house"~~the area right around it's butt! Daaaaang! Well, no wonder it was chewy. It tasted a lot like pig intestines (막창) in that it was quite chewy.I found this picture online~~I think this is the place we went:  (It's right across from "President Chicken.")

And here is a picture I found online of the "chicken" we ate:

If you are interested in joining our English Conversation group in Daegu, please join the Facebook group (there is also a free Korean conversation group that meets at "Buy the Book" beforehand at 2pm) "Daegu Free Korean Class." For the English conversation group, we meet at 3:30pm on Saturdays at Apple Tree (사과 나무). If you go out exit 9 of Banwaldong Station and turn right down the first street you see, look for Appletree on the right side about a block up. It looks like this: Apple Tree. And here is a map from the subway exit:

first week of the new school year

A short little post early in the morning...


So, in Korea, the new school year starts in March. It goes from March-July, then a one month break. Second semester starts August-December, a two month break, students come back for two weeks in February (and 6th grade has graduation at the end of that), then a week of spring break before the new school year starts all over again. ...A little different from the August-May school year in the USA. 


It's so exciting to get back in the swing of things. After teaching winter camps ALL winter break, it is nice to have all the students back running through the halls, causing commotions, girls and boys playing....seeing how even by going up just one grade level, it changes their attitude. I still can't believe that our 5th graders are now the 6th graders! With that in mind, I do miss our 6th graders. It makes me sad that I won't see their faces around playing soccer or coming in during lunch period or after school in excitement to try and talk with me. But, nonetheless, I am filled with great memories. 


And so....the start to a new year brings many changes.


I don't teach with the same two co-teachers I had before. My main one went to be a 3rd grade homeroom teacher, and the second one is now my "main" teacher, but I will not be teaching with her at all. In this case, we have added two NEW co-teachers. I'm still in the first week, so it's hard to judge the outcome, but it's definitely going to be an adjustment and learning experience and another opportunity to practice some of God's patience. One teacher is my age and has only taught for one year. Her English is very low (lower than most of my students, even), so I am worried about the students. I co-teach grade 5 and grade 3 with her. For grade 3, I am not as worried because some Korean is definitely necessary, but for the grade 5s (one of the highest levels in the school, actually) who have spent the past year with only English being used in the classroom (and VERY minimal Korean), I worry that they will become slack or unmotivated or discouraged from learning English if they are backtracking and having lessons in Korean. But it's only been a couple days, so hopefully it can improve.


As for my other new co-teacher (who is older than me), I will teach grade 6 and 4 with her. I have yet to teach with her, but I did sit in on her introduction class for grade 6. Granted, it was only them taking a test and filling out an "About Me" worksheet, but already, I can tell that she is going to be a great teacher to work with because she is really good about timing for the lesson and keeping the students on task. I look forward to my first class co-teaching with her.


Lesson planning, in this case now, is going to be a little different. I find that it will be more "co-teaching" of the lesson and not me coming up and teaching the entire lesson for the days I co-teach. I do like the idea of this model, and it is definitely something new to experiment with. From what I can see from trying to talk with them about lesson planning, it looks like they will be teaching from the book for the first half of the class, and I am in charge of the game from the book or creating new ways to practice the material (my personal preference). I am thankful for this because I can have some "control" over the level the students are at. For instance, with grade 5, the first lesson is "I'm from Brazil." Students learn to ask and say what country they are from, and it will work on spelling names. An example dialogue:
                      A: Where are you from?
                      B: I'm from India.
                      A: What's your name?
                      B: My name is Neru.
                     A: How do you spell your name?
                     B: N-E-R-U.


This is basically the sum of the next few weeks for 5th grade. Although learning country names in English may be new, for most of them, this is a really easy concept, so I feel it is going to be fatiguing for them to be doing this for so long. Also, my focus for this semester (something that I wasn't very good at doing my first semester) is on student levels. Now that I've been here for a semester, I have a better idea of what level students are at, and I want to work with that. I want to help the lower level students (and I will have after school classes 4-5 days a week for low level grades 2-5, as well), while at the same time, challenge the upper level students and make it still fun for them. For the first period of this grade 5 lesson, "I'm from Brazil," the co-teacher was able to teach the material from the book, but then I was able to up the level by adding many more countries to the mix during the game. Thanks to the help of my dear friend, Jeremy, I've had a fresh look on creativity in activities for the classroom. He's helped me get my creative juices flowing! Thanks, friend!


And so...I should leave it here for now. I will update you at the end of the week, but now I must get back to planning.


"Train a child in the way he should go, 
and when he is old he will not turn from it." ~Proverbs 22:6

one man's trash is another man's treasure

One's man's trash is another man's treasure...This well-known phrase has never rung so true as it has in Korea. Let me introduce you to some of my "treasures": a tall bookcase, a small/round Korean table, an awesome/huge white, thick-matted wall frame, and the cutest vintage turquoise-y blue night stand you've ever seen. Yes, it's true~~these are all things I have found on the side of the road as someone else's "trash" (minus the blue night stand...Jade found that on the street, and I inherited it). I would never have believed it myself, and I was still apprehensive my first time just grabbing furniture off the side of the road and lugging it up the stairs to my apartment, but now, strangely enough (an embarrassingly enough!), I find myself scanning others' trash piles for some "new treasure" I might uncover. Most of the time, it's just rotten food or piles of recycling and waste or the crazy wild cats that roam around my neighborhood (more on that later), but every now and then, you get some real treasure! 


Ok, so let me explain this a bit further for those of you who are simply stumped and lost right now at what I am saying. Here in Korea, things work a little differently. Garage sales and flea markets (except for a few HUGE ones in Seoul or a special event here and there) are NOT common here...and soooo....when someone doesn't want something anymore--be it a table or blanket or chair or bookcase or closet or whatever--they just put it out on the street along with the rest of the trash (In Korea, there are not trash bins: you just put your trash in a special color/kind of bag and lay it on the side of the street wherever you see other trash piling up. See my upcoming blog on **Trash and Recycling in Korea 101**). These things they throw out sometimes even look brand new, but they simply wanted something new and were getting rid of the "old." It's stunning. Now, I would not have known about this if I had not read about it on someone else's blog before I came here, and even still, as I said, I was a little apprehensive. In the USA, if there was furniture outside, you would never take it unless it had a "free" sign taped to it or it was CLEARLY heading for the dump (especially not perfectly good/new looking things!). 


Haha, well let me tell you about my first time finding a "treasure." It was in the evening and I was walking to the market, and this big pile of trash/rubbish across from my apt catches my eye. I see this cute bookshelf and think about how perfect it would be in my apartment. With a little work...well, it definitely had potential...I think. I'm not certain because--yes, have fun imagining this one--at this point, I am trying to catch quick little glances out of the corner of my eye so it doesn't look like I am scanning it out. I mean, I don't want to have someone seeing me gazing and grinning over a pile of smelly trash! How embarrassing!  Thankfully, though, it is dark by this point, but I still try to casually (or not-so-casually lol) look ahead of me and behind me to see if there is anyone in the street witnessing my crazy behavior. I felt like I was in a movie scene where the lone girl is walking down a street under the dimly lit street lights...a set up to where the person hiding in the shadows jumps out and makes his move. I look ahead of me, carefully scanning my surroundings and then turn to the back...Although not seeing anything on first glance, I am still unsettled and get this feeling perhaps I'm not alone. .....Haha, but in my case, wheeeew, safe. No one around. And yet, it was still too weird to me to just TAKE a perfectly good bookshelf off the street and march back home with it. It just doesn't make sense. I bargained: Ok, Laura, if this bookshelf is still here when you get back from the market and putting your things away, you have to snatch it. 


And well, you know the ending to that story: my first "treasure" is now sitting in my front room proudly displaying many plants, pictures, and books.


So....moral of the story (?)...when in Korea, one man's trash really IS another man's treasure!

These photos are from near my apartment last week. Look at all this stuff!