40 Things I Have Learned in Korea, In No Particular Order
1. How to read Hangul, the Korean alphabet
2. The difference between saying that a man is cool and handsome (moshiseoyo) and delicious (mashiseoyo)
3. What corn ice cream tastes like
4. How to use chopsticks to twirl spaghetti on a spoon
5. Also how use chopsticks to eat pecan pastries, cake, fruit, and just about everything else
6. How to give the impression that I know exactly what someone is telling me and carry on a conversation with vague and general responses
7. The tune of the songs that the Seoul subway plays every time a train arrives
8. How to get a class of 30 high school girls to listen to me
9. The personal lives of some of my students, who make me want to pull my hair out and also give me life
10. My students' favorite K-pop bands (BTS, Exo, Girl's Generation, Twice, Blackpink, SHINee, Big Bang, and Infinite)
11. My students' go-to English expressions including, "Don't catch a cold Teacher" and "I look forward to your kind cooperation"
12. How to communicate my needs to my school through the strict Korean hierarchy
13. How to make tteokbokki and bibimbap
14. To not ask questions about what I'm eating because the response could include "cow intestines," "spam," or "we don't know"
15. What it feels like to be lonely and overwhelmed by people at the same time
16. How to keep smiling when it's the last thing I want to do
17. How to give myself pep talks
18. How to lean on others even when they are not with me
19. How to become friends with people who are from a different culture, age, and worldview than me
20. How to maintain faith in my ability to deal with challenges
21. How to eat spicy food in the morning
22. General differences between the Korean education system and the United States
23. General differences between expectations of kids in Korea and kids in the United States
24. Who Park Geun Hye and Choi Soon Sil are, their rise to power, and the details of a political scandal that has rocked the country and the faith of South Koreans in their government (Here's a very comprehensive blog post on it, although the language lacks some professionalism: http://askakorean.blogspot.kr/2016/12/the-ultimate-choi-soon-sil-gate.html)
25. What gigantic, peaceful, candlelight protests look like
26. How some Koreans view the United States government and the election of Trump
27. Basic knowledge of Korean history, what led to the divide between the North and South, and how outside countries were involved
28. That the influence of the United States is deeply ingrained in Korean society
29. Different stories and reasons why foreigners come to Korea to teach
30. The ways that strict gender norms determine lifestyles and priorities
31. Various ideas that South Koreans have about race and nationality
32. Stereotypes about foreigners, Koreans, and the United States, some of which are completely different around the world
33. A surface-level understanding of the challenges faced by those who identify as LGBTQIA+ in Korea
34. Where to get the best bingsu
35. How to hold on for dear life in the back of a taxi
36. How to ride a subway without holding onto anything
37. How much I love goguma, Korean sweet potatoes
38. How a Fulbright cohort that originally intimated me has become one of my best sources of support, reassurance, and fun in a new place
39. How to regularly embrace kindness from strangers
40. How to take care of myself and do things that keep me healthy - both physically and especially mentally
Here's to learning more over the next 7 months!
2. The difference between saying that a man is cool and handsome (moshiseoyo) and delicious (mashiseoyo)
3. What corn ice cream tastes like
4. How to use chopsticks to twirl spaghetti on a spoon
5. Also how use chopsticks to eat pecan pastries, cake, fruit, and just about everything else
6. How to give the impression that I know exactly what someone is telling me and carry on a conversation with vague and general responses
7. The tune of the songs that the Seoul subway plays every time a train arrives
8. How to get a class of 30 high school girls to listen to me
9. The personal lives of some of my students, who make me want to pull my hair out and also give me life
10. My students' favorite K-pop bands (BTS, Exo, Girl's Generation, Twice, Blackpink, SHINee, Big Bang, and Infinite)
11. My students' go-to English expressions including, "Don't catch a cold Teacher" and "I look forward to your kind cooperation"
12. How to communicate my needs to my school through the strict Korean hierarchy
13. How to make tteokbokki and bibimbap
14. To not ask questions about what I'm eating because the response could include "cow intestines," "spam," or "we don't know"
15. What it feels like to be lonely and overwhelmed by people at the same time
16. How to keep smiling when it's the last thing I want to do
17. How to give myself pep talks
18. How to lean on others even when they are not with me
19. How to become friends with people who are from a different culture, age, and worldview than me
20. How to maintain faith in my ability to deal with challenges
21. How to eat spicy food in the morning
22. General differences between the Korean education system and the United States
23. General differences between expectations of kids in Korea and kids in the United States
24. Who Park Geun Hye and Choi Soon Sil are, their rise to power, and the details of a political scandal that has rocked the country and the faith of South Koreans in their government (Here's a very comprehensive blog post on it, although the language lacks some professionalism: http://askakorean.blogspot.kr/2016/12/the-ultimate-choi-soon-sil-gate.html)
25. What gigantic, peaceful, candlelight protests look like
26. How some Koreans view the United States government and the election of Trump
27. Basic knowledge of Korean history, what led to the divide between the North and South, and how outside countries were involved
28. That the influence of the United States is deeply ingrained in Korean society
29. Different stories and reasons why foreigners come to Korea to teach
30. The ways that strict gender norms determine lifestyles and priorities
31. Various ideas that South Koreans have about race and nationality
32. Stereotypes about foreigners, Koreans, and the United States, some of which are completely different around the world
33. A surface-level understanding of the challenges faced by those who identify as LGBTQIA+ in Korea
34. Where to get the best bingsu
35. How to hold on for dear life in the back of a taxi
36. How to ride a subway without holding onto anything
37. How much I love goguma, Korean sweet potatoes
38. How a Fulbright cohort that originally intimated me has become one of my best sources of support, reassurance, and fun in a new place
39. How to regularly embrace kindness from strangers
40. How to take care of myself and do things that keep me healthy - both physically and especially mentally
Here's to learning more over the next 7 months!
 |
| And here's one of many gems from my students this year |
Katherine, sounds like you have had some amazing yet difficult experiences. Stay strong. Love, aunt Pat
ReplyDeleteThanks Aunt Pat!
Delete