OK Middle Schoolers may not be so terrible

I have a chubby 13 year old who looks about 10 and is there honestly anything cuter than a chubby asian kid? I want to adopt him.

Empire State of Mind

I love Korea, but watching this video makes me homesick.

My Class

I loved teaching this class. It sort of sucks I have to teach middle schoolers next month.

Me+ middle school kids = no bueno

This was my favorite class thus far. I wish you could make real money teaching in the states because I really enjoy it. If they learned nothing this month, I hope they at least walk away always remembering my favorite word 'ubiquitous' (in actuality my favorite word is coalesce but it never came up during the lecture, sadly).

They weren't the most participatory kids but they were all good kids. It's amazing how you can learn someone's personality in 19 days.

It made me nostalgic for high school days. It was really heart warming to see them on the first day and to see how far they have come in the end. They were so quiet and awkward the first day and now they seem sort of close. Even the cool older kids are nice to the younger kids and it was so cute as a jaded adult to watch them get to know each other. It also was so rewarding after explaining to them what 'meticulous' means 3 days in a row to hear them get it on their own.

Yes, there were frustrating times because they are after all teenagers, but all in all it was fun to teach them. I will miss some of them saying 'teachuh too much homework'.

I had to crop this picture because the kids expression is too funny. I might need to make it my profile picture.

What I have learned is that kids go crazy for gum, candy, Dunkin Donuts, TGI Fridays but not dduk. I learned this after buying dduk for the class thinking it would be nice and them being underwhelmed to say the least. American culture ruins everything.

Quote from Boys Over Flowers

The premise is about a clique of 4 super rich hot guys who call themselves F4. Jun Pyo is the leader and he just discovered what 'commoners' in Korea do

Jun Pyo: Have you ever made kimchi before?
Friends: What?!
Jun Pyo: No, then did you ever wash at a public bath?
Friends: What are you talking about?
Jun Pyo: You never even ate fish cakes at a food stand either, right?
Friends: Silence
Jun Pyo: Do you even know about life?

Touche Jun Pyo, touche.

I've become my Mother

My mother will pull all nighters watching Korean dramas. I stayed in last night (Saturday mind you) watching mysoju.com until 4 in the morning. I started because I realized that my Korean is not getting any better since I speak English 9 hours a day. The only new words I have really learned is how to say "to-go" when ordering food. So I decided to watch Korean dramas to help.

I am now obssessed with Boys Over Flowers (it came out last year, I am behind) and have watched 10 episodes of it since starting last night at 9 PM (insanity). I watch with notebook in hand and write down new words.

I now know how to say the following in Korean:
loner
idol
logic
crime
fire him
and obviously "Do you see my heart?" because it's cheesy like that

I can't decide which boy I want the girl to end up with. They're both soo dreamy :-P



A noteworthy line was "Shoes are the most important accessories for a girl. Because good shoes will take you to good places."

So naturally, I went shoe shopping in Apkujeong today.

This Hotteok made my trip worthwhile

I had the best hotteok of my life the other day.

Hotteok is a rice pancake filled with melted brown sugar and sometimes peanuts and/or sesame seeds. This one had sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.

This hotteok alone made my trip to Korea worthwhile. If one day I get a private plane, I will be eco unfriendly and fly to Korea once a week for this.

This is from the Hyundai Department Store in Coex Mall. I know it is odd but the Hyundai department store has an amazing cafeteria if you want a crash course in Korean cuisine. They have stations for every Korean food that is cheap and decent. The Hotteok on the other hand is exceptional. The lady is located near the Japanese eating places with bar style seating and sort of near the wine section.

If you get one, it is served in a cup because it is very hot. I resisted getting 3, now I regret it.

So crispy on the outside.

Mmm yummy chewy rice cake...

Gooey brown sugar oozing out....

Club Answer

My ears are still ringing from Club Answer. I don't like house music but def one of the best venues I have ever been to. Amazing sound system, great lights, and nice VIP section. One kinda odd thing though. Everyone on the dance floor faces the stage and dances, I guess they treat the Dj like a performer or something. Maybe they are enthralled by the lights. Whatevs.

Why don't we get a fruit plate with every bottle in NY?

Jung's cousins, holla!

Trippy

To go out or not to go out

Forget Hamlet, that is my question every Friday night here.

I am suppose to go to Club Answer tonight.

Pros:
It is one of the nicest clubs in Seoul
it does look swank
I will see beautiful people
I am in Seoul for only 4 months

Cons:
I have been up since 6 AM
I have worked a total of 196 hours this month and I feel like I am slowly dying
I hate house music
I have work tomorrow even though it is Saturday

What to do, what to do....

Peter

Here is a shout out to him. I look terrible but also super happy. This is when we were just friends taken about 5 years ago.

The Outsiders

I am teaching my 12 year old The Outsiders by S.E Hinton and there is some colorful language in there that I have to explain to her.

At the end of the class she says to me, "Listen to me for pete's sake, you broad. I am going to get boozed up." Oh boy.

Teacher, did you pray?

12 year old: Teacher, did you pray last night like I told you to?
Me: yup (lied)
12 year old: What did you pray for?
Me: You, of course. What did you pray for?
12 year old: I prayed that you would lose your tan

Koreans hate tans here for those who do not know.

Kids say the Darnest Things

So today two of my students were distracted with folding paper flowers. I said "OK that's pretty but stop with the origami you asians."

A 16 year old kid from the back goes "Teacher, you are a cracker!"

Not only am I a fake Korean, I am now a cracker.

I love how they learn the essential words when they study abroad as opposed to something useful.

FML

This is my typical mon/wed/fri:
6 AM: Wake up
7 AM: leave for work
8-8:20: morning meeting
8:30-1:15: reading class
2-5 PM: tutoring 12 year old
6:30-10 PM: night class
10:30 PM: get home
10:30-11: drink 1 beer, eat cup ramen (don't even have time to make actual ramen).
11-11:30: skype with peter
Midnight: bedtime

This is my typical Tuesday/Thursday:
6 AM: Wake up
7 AM: leave for work
8-8:20: morning meeting
8:30-1:15: reading class
2-5 PM: tutoring 12 year old
6 PM-9PM: free time
9 PM: passout

Each communte requires carrying 45 pounds of books and a purse because I work in 2 different buildings. I haven't visited one temple, I haven't gone to a single club because I am so tired on the weekends. I can't wait for this month to be over.

Utter Exhaustion

Have you ever felt so tired that you felt like throwing up? I have this feeling right at this moment. It is only Wednesday. I need a normal 40 hour work week desperately.

Japanese Dinner

Went to dinner with my roommate at a Japanese restaurant nearby. It was a 6-7 course meal for 25 bucks. I am getting so fat here because the food is so good and cheap.

Besides the pictured foods, we also had salad, tempura of all different varieties, and a stew that we declined because we were so full.

Fish in this sweet and sour sauce:
Sashimi:

Have no idea what this is. Tasted like really hard octopus, looked like female genitalia, and also started moving halfway through the meal. So odd.

Abalone, Octopus, and something else:

My favorite part of the meal, perfectly poached egg in the yummiest soup base:

The roommate:

My 12 Year old's thoughts on prayer

Kid: Teacher, you should pray before you go to bed every night.
Me: Yeah? What do you pray for?
Kid: I pray for my family, my teachers, and my future husband.

Dlisted's thoughts on the KTown reality show

I love Michael K from DListed, he is the one person i'd like to run into on the streets of NYC.

His thoughts on KTown reality show:
This pretty much looks like Jersey Shore with kimchi instead of orange skin....Here you were thinking that all Asians spend their nights doing math problems for fun and only leave the house to drive their Honda Accord to the 99 Ranch Market to buy bubble tea. Nope, Asians get fucked up and embarrass themselves just like everybody else (Guilty!!).

Link to full post:
http://dlisted.com/node/38075

New Friends Good times

My friend from work took me out to this trendy party of Seoul near Sinchon (might need to fact check that?).

They had swanky cocktails places. I haven't touched vodka in about 2 months and forgot how much I loved vodka tonics. So good once it hits your lips.


We thought this was Kiwi Sake, it was more like kiwi smoothie.

I wish calamari in the states was served long like this. We thought the black stuff was squid ink but unsure.

Saki

I suppose I'll sleep when I'm dead

I am ass tired and I have been asking myself all day:

To party or not to party? That is the question.

I can't say no to going out because I figure I am only in Korea for a few months, might as well live it up. For shame too, I was getting so good at being a homebody recently in NYC.

I am slowly becoming an actual Korean

I am getting ready to go out to drink soju in the craziest monsoon rain storm I have ever experienced.

I sent my first text message with Korean words today.

I am getting dressed listening to this song in repeat. Skip to 0:25.

I am wearing heels to fit in.

My students say I am fake Korean because I am Korean American, the aforementioned points would beg to differ.

Letter by 12 year old

The assignment on Lord of the Flies:
Ralph and Piggy join in on the others and kill Simon. Write a letter from Ralph to Simon's family trying to console them and explain how Simon died. Explain your participation in the killing also.

Letter by 12 year old:

Dear Simon's family,
The place we are living use to be very peaceful until we divided into 2 teams. There are no adults in this island. Don't be worried because we are doing fine. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ralph. I'm writing this letter to tell your family something. Don't get surprised. Your lovely son, Simon is dead. Kids which are the hunters thought Simon was a beastie. I was an accident. That time I was just watching them. I was very surprised. I'm a bad friend because I couldn't protect my friend. Sorry. You don't need to forgive me.

Sincerely,
Ralph

1954 7/16

Bootylicious

Today, we had a reading passage on slang words.

So when you teach new words you are suppose to identify roots and suffixes.

Lesson:

Me: Class, can we try to figure out what bootylicious means? What does booty mean?

Students: Uh....butt?

Me: what does 'licious' look like?

Silence

Me: Does it look like 'delicious'? It does right?! So bootylicious means your butt looks delicious. A good synonym for 'delicious' is 'delectable'. Write that down in your notes everyone.

Maybe not the most important word to know for the SAT but I have to spice things up and also technically the word is in the Merriam Webster dictionary.

Finally!

So whenever I bring up pop culture references in class, my students make me feel like a dinosaur because all I get are blank stares.

Has anyone seen E.T? (when trying to teach them 'alienation')

silence

O.J Simpson? (when trying to teach them 'acquit')

silence

Indiana Jones?

silence

Notorious BIG (when trying to teach them 'notorious')

SILENCE REALLY?!

Today I finally got something when I asked if anyone has heard of Lil Wayne. Some of my students were big fans and they got super excited. Further proof that Lil Wayne is the best rapper alive.

It has been confirmed I am def racist

When I am in America, my friends always say I am racist.

The other day in class, I asked my students if they all play the violin. They also called me out for being racist.

Naps

I am about to take my first nap in a year. I am usually anti-naps, I believe naps are for fat people only.

Working my crazy schedule, I feel like I haven't truly slept in 2 weeks. Good Night Sun, good night all!

Missing 2 things right now:

my boyfriend and beers that dont taste like Max/Cass/Hite.

What is the point of 3 major brands when they all taste exactly the same? I so need a Delirium Tremen-like beer after dealing with 17 15-16 year olds.

My 12 year old student on my haircut

Teacher, you look like a Japanese person from 2008.

Burnnnnn

I am officially a Korean

I got bangs to fit in. Now I sort of hate my hair. I can't even fake smile in the picture. 4 hours at the salon and I end up with something I am less than thrilled about.

I keep telling myself this look will grow on me.

I didn't wear makeup today

Student: teacher, you look sick

Boss: Do you need coffee?

I am wearing loads of makeup tomorrow.

Sesame Ramen

The ramen here is obviously so good. I also like how convenience stores have a station with boiling water and chopsticks so you can stop and have a nice fake bowl of noodles in a rush. Maybe not the healthiest food but it sure is tasty.

This Sesame Ramen caught my eye because it said on the packaging "with Egg". Egg?! I had to try this. Unlike the false advertising on the packaging with a whole egg, the egg in actuality was a dehydrated block of egg, more like an omelette. Add the boiling water and it wasn't half bad. The block quickly disintegrated like it would if you dropped a real egg and scrambled it while boiling. I give this cup noodles 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Dak Tori Tang

One of my favorite Korean foods (probably second to samgye tang) is Dak tori tang. It is weird that my 2 favorite Korean foods happen to be chicken. When I go out to eat in the U.S, I rarely order chicken and it is one of my least favorite meats. I think subconsciously I believe the only 2 real ways to prepare a bird is to stuff it with glutinous rice like in Samgyetang or to boil it nice and spicy with potatoes and carrots as pictured below.

No other method will do (except fried of course but that is cheating since you can fry anything and it tastes good).

Fruity Milk

I love banana and strawberry milk but I never drink it in the states because Nesquick is nasty. The fruity milks here are sooo yummy. The first picture is Denmark Banana Milk with awesome Bart Simpson packaging (although I have to say I still prefer the ubiquitous Bingarae Banana Milk shown below it).

There is also a brand called Delicious Milk which makes a great strawberry variety with simply milk and strawberry juice, the way fruity milk should be (no artificial corn syrup or strawberry flavoring from a factory in NJ). Delicious Milk also makes a chocolate milk however nothing beats Ronnybrook Farms chocolate milk available wherever bourgeois organic food is sold. You win some you lose some.

This haircut is so fierce

The short asymmetrical bob in this video is so fierce (shown at 0:55). I wish I wasn't trying to grow my hair out.

Also, I do realize my blog has become a weird kpop site as of late however I have been working too much to post any fun things. All I do is work, eat instant noodles, and watch Korean videos/dramas/movies.

Hopefully I will get some free time after this month, for now enjoy the fierceness.



My videos get cut off when I embed them so if that bothers you click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH1Y5nf_gT0

I am 13 Years old

I should be getting ready to meet up with friends for drinks being that it is Saturday and I am 27 (Korean age) years old. I am delayed because I keep looking up Youtube videos of Jo Kwon from 2 AM. I am a dork.

Skip to 1:15 if you are a fan.

This woman is either admirably free or just plain crazy

Saw this on NY Magazine. I love her head moves. Good for her.

I really want a Hanbok

I really want to get a Hanbok before I leave. Hanbok is the Korean traditional dress and mainly I want one because I def want to have the traditional wedding ceremony when I get married. I wonder if it's bad luck to get the dress without even being engaged:-T

Fiance or no fiance, I just don't want to rent one when the time comes, is this so terrible? I suppose I still have time to decide.


I thought that waitress who married Nicholas Cage had a really beautiful Hanbok. The fabric is so pretty on hers.


Hot Pink skirts are really trendy right now ala Britney Spears:

Traditional Wedding Hanbok:

Winnie and me

Winnie is here. We went to dinner and got some dessert at Bonne Nouvelle in Apkujeong. They had some amazing looking cakes. I got the sweet potato cake and it was heaven. Pure butter, cream, and sweet potato molded into a cake shape.

The Little Mermaid

I am listening to the Little Mermaid soundtrack and getting ready for 63 hours of teaching next week, I still know every single word to every single song.

I thought this was apropro for this blog because when I was little and my English wasn't that great, I watched this VHS every single day after school.

Ariel was my best friend when I was a fob. Now, my Korean sucks, the irony. I am incapable of being bilingual.

Need the Won to go up by October

The won is so weak right now (1,200 won for a dollar), which is fine since I am spending dollars here. Let's all pray that the won goes up when I have to convert my savings back to dollars. Thanks.