Why it's hard to practice my Korean language skills

First of all, I'm in Korea mainly to teach English. And my host family decided to host me because I'm a native speaker. But it's more than that. I really wish Korean people wouldn't continuously tell me how good my Korean is. It's not very good. After anything more than a 30 second hello with any teacher at school, the conversation topic usually switches to how good my Korean is. If I was Korean American and didn't know any Korean when I arrived in America, the conversation would usually be about why my Korean sucks.

Yesterday was classic. It was the Korean memorial day, so there was no school. The halmoni (grandmother) cooked meals for me and my host siblings because the parents were out playing golf. Anytime I asked the halmoni something, or we said something, there would always be [oh, he speaks Korean very well] at the end. But then she would talk to my host sister about me like I couldn't understand.

Me: [halmoni, did you finish dinner?]
Halmoni: [yes]
Me: [was it good?]
Halmoni (to host sister): [he speaks Korean so well! How long has he been here?]
Me: [11 months]
Halmoni (to host sister): [he understood! he eats Korean food so well too. Ask him if the meal was delicious.]
My host sister Ji sawn: Was it delicious?
Me: Yes
My host sister Ji sawn (to halmoni): [he said it was delicious]
You just can't stop the halmonis in Korea.

And an example from running into one of my host mother's friends on the street:
Me: [hello!]
Her: [Ben, hello]
Me: [how have you been?]
Her: [oh you speak Korean too well!]
She hits me on the arm and then keeps walking.

Was the 2004 Election Stolen?

If you care about America then you should read the article in Rolling Stone, titled Was the 2004 Election Stolen?

It's about how "Republicans prevented more than 350,000 voters in Ohio from casting ballots or having their votes counted -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House."

It makes me upset. You should be upset too. Try to avoid outrage fatigue, although at this point I know it's difficult. Oh America. There is a way to get better - hopefully we can do that.

In the meantime there is one thing that could help, now. We need the Democratic Party to invite an international delegation of observers, with the credentials and authority to investigate, demand and subpoena information when necessary, and witness the entire federal electoral process in 2006 and again in 2008. Their job should be to be report, objectively and on a timely basis, abuses of power and processes, technologies and acts that subvert democracy, and to recommend immediate actions to rectify them. The 2006 elections would be a trial run, providing enough time for this year's abuses to be fixed by the crucial 2008 election. The UN has experience in doing this, and their reports have had dramatic effect in reducing electoral corruption and fraud in other countries.

"Voting, as Thomas Paine said, 'is the right upon which all other rights depend.' Unless we ensure that right, everything else we hold dear is in jeopardy."

This is one reason why I don't like the two party system.

Another way Korea is cuter than America

Yesterday was provincial election day in Korea. I didn't have to go to school because it's a holiday. It's too bad America doesn't have election day holidays, or at least half day holidays yet. In addition to improving our lackluster democracy, it's just nice to celebrate freedom.

Leading up to the elections there was a lot of campaigning by the candidates, just as in America. But in Korea the campaigning is different. Like other parts of Korean culture, it's much cuter.

Every candidate hires trucks to drive around with a huge picture of their face, their name, and their number (ballot number I think). The trucks also have music and campaign slogans blasting, which sometimes start driving around at 8am in the morning. Common sense says not to do this in case you wake people up and they decide not to vote for you. But common sense doesn't stop people in Korea.

The biggest part of the campaigns seemed to be the intersection gangs, as I liked to call them. At crowded intersections supporters of the candidate (or the candidate's office staff), almost always women, would wear the same shirt and sash supporting their number candidate, and perform choreographed motions to get people to notice the number. For example, number 2 women could wave the peace sign and pretend they're posing for a picture. Number 3 women could do a bow and then flash the three peat sign.

I posted new pictures

Spring in Korea and pictures from Blair's visit.

Blairo in Korea

My brother Blair just visited me in Korea. He was only one person, wasn't as much of a respected guest like my parents were, and didn't have blond hair and wasn't the same age as my students, so he was able to get more of a real experience.

We were approached by Koreans asking if we would do a survey at a popular tourist spot in Seoul (gyeongbokgung). Two taxis in a row wouldn't drive us to that popular tourist spot.

We stayed at a really nice love motel. The next morning the front desk called us at 12:05 to tell us check out was noon. If we wanted to stay the next night too, check in wouldn't be until 8pm. And then the next day is Saturday, so check in wouldn't be until 10pm. Luckily it was Korea and there were many other motels to choose from on the street.

Blair got to see some interesting foreigners and drink soju and dongdongju (rice wine). One German guy at the snot bar couldn't believe Blair's first name was really Blair, and let us know about it a lot.

Just going along for the ride with the host family. Not knowing who would show up for dinner or where it would be. He also sat cross legged in a restaurant each day he was here.

People still giving me forks after 10 months. My host father still asking the waitress to bring us forks even though I've told him we don't need one.

What the 92% of my classes that aren't high level 3rd grade are like. That the kids at school are wild, not great at English, but still really nice, good-natured, and funny.

He also got to experience: Assigned seats at movie theaters, scantily clad Korean girls advertising for some brand or product (sometimes with balloon arches or driving around on segways a la Job from Arrested Development), ajumas at a Korean market, the stereotypical Korean man and alcohol, couple tees; we both wore stone khakis and royal blue shirts to school, and many other sweet memories.

Names

Everyone likes to be called by their name. Their correct name especially. Maybe more so in Western cultures, but even here in Korea the students like it when I learn their names. Knowing students' names also makes it a lot easier to teach. So with only two months of teaching left, I finally got the lists of every student's name in every class. I can call on students at random now. Finallly, no hiding by looking down at your desk just because you don't want to speak.

Kimchi revolution

I've been in South Korea for 10 months. I finally (kind of) like kimchi. It's taken practice everyday to get this far. I feel like I can do anything in life now.

But over the weekend I found out my favorite kimchi is actually Japanese! Shabu shabu was my favorite Korean food until I found out it was Japanese. I won't start writing how I feel about Korean girls vs. Japanese girls.