All Our Yesterdays

I have now been living and working in Korea for approximately eight months.

When I came, I signed a contract for one year.  If I stick to that original plan, then there are fewer days ahead than there are behind.  However, that no longer looks to be the case.  I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by.  I am really enjoying the people and the country.  I've met some amazing people, both Koreans and ex-pats.  Still, because the time has gone by so quickly, I find myself wanting to stay longer.  Therefore, I am writing this entry to inform my friends and family back home that I have officially decided to renew my contract with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education for a second year.

What has brought me to this decision?  A number of things, actually.  First, one of my goals in coming here was to explore areas of the world I haven't seen before.  I've always had a desire to visit many countries, a desire that hasn't been fulfilled yet in my life.  A friend that I met here has now declared that she has been to thirty countries before the age of thirty.  I'm twenty-eight, and I'm nowhere near reaching that number, nor will I be able to in the foreseeable future.  As of now, I've been to a grand total of seven countries.  Yes, that's right: seven.  I definitely have some catching up to do!

My second reason for wanting to stay may not come as a surprise to many people.  I've met someone: a wonderful person by the name of Shelby Martin.  She has made my time here truly special, and I feel that I'm not ready to end that time soon.  I honestly don't know that I would have lasted this long without her here.  She has opened my eyes to new experiences, and seeing the world through her eyes has made me appreciate it all the more.

Even though I've decided to remain for another year, I realize that the time is still flying by.  Even with my decision to extend my contract another year, having completed eight months means that my time here is one third done.  I don't know about you, but that blows my mind!

I don't know when I'll be able to return home for a visit; like I said, I would like to use the time I have here to explore places I haven't been.  I miss all of my friends dearly, and I hope that we will all remain in close contact. I love you all, and I hope to see you all again soon!

All my best!

Homeward

As many of you already know, I'll be returning home to Alberta, Canada in a little over a week!  I really am enjoying my time in Korea.  The culture, the food, and the sights are all fascinating, and I truly am having the time of my life.  That said, there are a number of things that I miss.  First and foremost, obviously, are my friends and family.  I've been away from home before, but I've never gone longer than two months between visits.  By the time I arrive in Grande Prairie on January 21st, it will have been nearly five months since I've seen my parents, and I miss them terribly.  I also really miss all of my good friends, and I hope to see everyone at some point during my two-week visit.  To that end. I've decided to compile a list of the things I want to do while I'm there.  Some involve friends, and others involve random things that I really miss from home.

1. Game night/get together at Dan and Ronnie Hallock's place.  Some of my best memories from the past year have been getting together with friends there, watching 24, playing Worms or Settlers of Cataan, and generally just having an awesome time.
   
2. Enjoy a pizza from Ramona's.  Best pizza in town!
   
3. Go to wing night with the guys.  Even though a few of the guys have moved on, I really want to go to "wing night" with Steve, Corey, Dan, and Chris.  I miss you guys!
   
4. Have a Harvey Wallbanger at Original Joe's.
   
5.  Go to Wendy's or Arby's with Chris.  I miss those times!
   
6. Have "movie night" with Pam.  This is huge, I hope this can happen, I really miss movie night!
   
7. Visit my friends and former colleagues at St. Joe's.  I'm told that I'll be in town during exam week, so it should be easy to drop in and say hi to everyone!
   
8. Turkey dinner with my parents, to make up for missing it on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
   
9. Watch Deep Space Nine with Bobbi.  In person!
   
10. Get a haircut from Central Barber Shop.
    
11. Go to McDonald's with Michel.  Just like university!
    
12. Visit Edmonton for a guys' night with Patrick and Phil.
    
13. Watch The West Wing with Pat.
    
14. Have a huge get-together with all of my friends at The Golden Star.  Let's re-do the one we had at the end of July, minus the ridiculousness of my horrible bout with hay fever!

I really want to make all of these things happen!  I can't wait to see all of my friends, and making this list has gotten me more excited than ever!  Also, if you have any other ideas, please leave suggestions in the comments.  I can't wait to see you all!  I will be home from January 21st until February 5th, but I would like to spend a day or two in Edmonton as well.  See you all soon!

A Taste of Armageddon

ROK soldier takes part in a civil defense drill from six years ago

As I write this, there is a large booming voice coming over the loudspeaker in the school, yelling at the students to get down and find cover.  Emergency alarms and sirens are going off all over the city, and the booms of jet fighters flying overhead can be heard.

No, we're not under attack.

Today, at 2:00 pm local time, a civil emergency drill is being held, and tests of the civil response to an attack on Korea are being held across the country.  It is very fascinating to be living in an area where the possibility of an attack such as this actually exists.  It is a far cry from life in northern Alberta...

Here is a copy of the email I received from the Canadian Embassy this morning:


South Korea will hold a nationwide special civil emergency exercise today at 14:00 for 15 minutes. Sirens will sound, transport will be stopped and some people may be asked to take shelter in metro stations or basements. Aircraft may be heard overhead. There is no need to be alarmed. On 23 November, North Korea fired multiple rounds of artillery shells at the island of Yeonpyeong, killing 4 people and injuring several more. South Korea responded with its own artillery and has strengthened its military presence in the area. We advise against travel to Yeonpyong, or to the other North West Islands of Baengnyeong-do, Daecheong-do, Socheong-do and Woo-do. We assess that there is no substantially increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to other areas of South Korea as a result of current tensions. Canadians should be vigilant, monitor ongoing developments, and follow the advice of local authorities.

Canadians are encouraged to maintain their level of readiness to cope with any emergency situation. It is recommended that:

you ensure that your travel documents, including your passport, are valid;
you have registered with the online Registry of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) and/or updated your registration with your latest information.



Those of you who have been following me on Facebook may know that on Thursday of last week, I lost my passport when I left my backpack on the subway.  Needless to say, the past few days have been very stressful and have involved filling out a police report, pleading my case with the Canadian Embassy, and beginning the lengthy process of acquiring a new passport.  One roadblock that I've encountered is the fact that I need my birth certificate in order to apply for a replacement passport, a document I neglected to bring with me to Korea.  As my parents are currently on vacation in South America until the end of December, I've been required to apply for a new birth certificate with the Government of Alberta.  They are currently processing my application, and will mail the certificate here when it is ready.

As I wrap this post up, the alarms continue to sound, and the voices over the intercom speak in clipped, panicked Korean.  I can definitely hear the jets flying overhead, and there is a palpable sense of excitement in the office.  Moreso now than at any other time in the last few days am I feeling apprehension at not having my passport with me.  I can only hope that I am able to acquire a new one before I'm scheduled to go home next month, or before the voices and sirens are no longer a drill.

Love you all, and with any luck, I'll see you next month back in Alberta!

Three Months In: A General Update

Today is November 26th, which means exactly three months ago I started working here in South Korea.  What do I think so far?

A Korean dish: Bibimbap

The Food: It took awhile, but I'm really enjoying Korean food.  In fact, the other day I came to the realization that I will miss many Korean foods when I return to Canada.  Korean barbecue is easy enough to find in Canada, but acquiring some things like dak galbi or songpyun may be a little more difficult.

The People: Korean people are an interesting group.  Koreans are fiercely loyal to their families, and intensely proud of Korean accomplishments; the Korean national identity is very strong.  Students in my class were dismayed when I told them that many people around the world don't realize how modern Korea is, but the class erupted in cheers when I told them that my best friend drives a Hyundai Tucson, and that my television back in Canada is a Samsung.

"Dynamic Seoul"

Seoul is an extremely active, busy place.  I'm amazed that, at three in the morning, there seems to be just as many vehicles driving on a main thoroughfare as most other times of the day.  Of course, at that time, well over 90% of them are taxis.  The city simply never stops.  I'm often both amazed and daunted by it.

I would be remiss if I didn't comment briefly on the events of this past Tuesday.  Supposedly in response to military exercises conducted by South Korean forces, North Korea launched a barrage of artillery shells against a South Korean island, Yeonpyeong.  The attack resulted in the deaths of two Korean marines and two civilian men and the destruction of a number of South Korean homes.  South Korea returned fire to the north with 88 artillery shells.  Damage and casualties in the north is unknown.  It is important to remember that incidents between the two Koreas happen on a regular basis.  This particular attack is a little different in that it is the first time civilian targets have been hit; however, it is by no means the most severe attack to happen.  Please know that we are completely safe and sound here in Seoul!

Defense Minister Kim Tae-Young
resigned after criticism

Yeonpyeong Island after NK shelling

Two marines and two civilians
were killed on the island

In the aftermath of this incident, the President of South Korea has declared that more troops will be stationed in the maritime border region and Washington has of course declared its solidarity with South Korea.  Also, the Korean defense minister has resigned due to public pressure with regards to how the attack was handled.  The President has stated that, in the future, Northern aggression that targets civilians will be met with harsher retaliation.  Finally, the United States has deployed a carrier group, led by the USS George Washington, to the Yellow Sea.  The only other worrying sign is that the US Navy and the ROK Navy are scheduled to participate in military exercises sometime next week, and the government in Pyongyang has stated that they will respond to this "provocation."  I had scheduled a visit to the Demilitarized Zone next week, but in light of this latest news, I've decided to hold off on that particular trip.  I do not believe that the situation will escalate significantly, but I also don't believe we have seen all of the fallout from this incident.  I do want everyone to know that I am keeping an ear to the ground, but that I am currently completely safe!  I've registered with the Canadian embassy, so if there is any reason to leave Korea quickly, I'll have support in place.


Tonight, however, will be cause for celebration.  I've signed up to a Thanksgiving dinner, put on by the meetup.com group "Seoulite."  Originally, a few friends were going to come with me, but they unfortunately had to back out.  I guess I can share the bottle of wine I got us with some new friends I meet there!  I think it will be a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.  Can't wait!  Pictures to come!

빼빼로 Day!

Pepero promotional display in Lotte Mart in November

As I wrote about yesterday, November 11th is Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth countries.  Korea also observes a special day on November 11th: Pepero Day!

Pepero is a Korean confection, made of a cookie stick covered in chocolate.  There are a number of different flavours, but my favorite is definitely almond!  On Pepero Day, couples exchange boxes of pepero in order to show their affection.  Also, students will buy pepero for their teachers, and people often buy pepero for friends in their workplace.

Pepero is manufactured and sold by Lotte, a Korean company whose influence cannot be escaped in Seoul.  Everywhere you look, you will find items and services carrying the Lotte name.  Lotte Mart, Lotte Department Store, Lotte World (a huge indoor amusement park), apartment complexes known as Lotte Castle, hotels, insurance coverage, and even two baseball teams: the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan, and the Lotte Giants in Busan.  According to Lotte, Pepero Day was not started by them.  Rather, they apparently noticed a spike in the sale of pepero on November 11th, after which they encouraged the holiday with special gift packaging and promotions of pepero during November.  November 11th is considered Pepero Day because, apparently, the date "11/11" resembles four sticks of pepero.

Original pepero

Regardless of the origin or "legitimacy" of Pepero Day as a holiday, Korean couples and children have a lot of fun exchanging pepero and surprising friends and family with the treat.  I, for one, enjoyed receiving pepero from many of my students, and I even bought a couple of boxes to bring to work and share with my co-workers.  I wonder if something similar could be introduced to Canada?  I personally think that pepero (and/or pocky) should have more of a presence in my home country.  Perhaps Lotte could expand their operations even further?

Lest We Forget

Today is November 11th, and in Canada, that means it's Remembrance Day.  Well, strictly speaking, it's not Remembrance Day yet, because it's only still the 10th in Canada as I write this.  You see, the time zone thing is very strange.  I'm currently living in November 11th here in Korea, which means... whoa, I'm in the future!  This is incredible!  Let me see if I can get today's lotto numbers for people back in North America... okay, something's wrong there, the Lotto 6/49 website hasn't updated to today yet.  Wait... if I'm in the future, what happens to past me?  Could I conceivably meet myself and somehow screw up time?  What if I do something to alter history so that I'm never born?!?  Wait, it's only a sixteen-hour difference... but I could change things... oh, this is far too much power for one person to have... I can't...

Okay, sorry about that, I've now upped my meds, and can continue on in a semi-rational manner.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in
Ottawa on Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is observed on November 11th in order to mark the date of the Armistice following the First World War.  Historically, that war ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 when Germany signed the Armistice.  Remembrance Day is observed by the countries of the Commonwealth.


Traditionally, one or two minutes of silence are observed at 11:00 a.m. in memory of the soldiers who fought and died since World War One.  In Canada, official Remembrance Day ceremonies are held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, with the Governor General and other government representatives in attendance.  In Canadian schools, Remembrance Day assemblies are held, usually the day before Remembrance Day as the 11th itself is a national holiday.


A small red flower, called a "poppy," is worn on the left lapel during the two weeks before Remembrance Day, and on Remembrance Day itself.  In many of the battlefields of Europe, poppies grew, leading Canadian military physician John McCrae to author a poem entitled "In Flanders Fields."

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

      Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

Since the 1920s, poppies have been a symbol of Remembrance Day throughout the Commonwealth.

I hope that this post has been at least a little educational to my non-Canadian (or Commonwealth country) friends.  Tomorrow, I'll write a post about a special day that is celebrated in Korea, which also falls on November 11th.

Confession time...

During my time here, there are many things I've had to keep quiet about.  You know what they say, "when in Rome..."  Maybe they are a little less liberal here, maybe some things just aren't spoken about...  Sometimes I can't help but think things like, "we don't do that in Canada... how strange."  But most of the time, you accept things because that's the way they are done here, and after all, I am a guest, and I want to learn how Korea does it.

However, I can't keep silent on this issue anymore.  It threatens to come bubbling to the surface, and I feel like I can't be myself.  So, revealed here for all the world to see is my shameful secret, something I've only told a few, very close friends:

I don't like kimchi.

Korean kimchi

I know, I know!  It's shocking!  I can hear Koreans and fellow ex-pats alike, crying "how could you!"  "I thought I knew you!" and even "That's unnatural!"  I know, and I'm so very sorry.  I tried.  Oh, how I tried to like it!  Every day at the school lunch, I would take three or four pieces, slowly eat them, and try my hardest to hide my grimace as they went down.  However, last week, the kimchi tasted... different.  Almost as though it had gone bad.  (Of course, this is a very relative term, as kimchi is made of fermented cabbage.  Can fermented cabbage "go bad"?)  Since that one experience, I haven't been able to eat kimchi.  I do my best to hide the fact that there is no kimchi on my tray during the lunch break, but it's only a matter of time before it's noticed and commented on...

Radish kimchi

There is another variety of kimchi made of radish that is occasionally on the menu.  It is still not one of my favorite foods, but I can eat it.

The Koreans in my reading audience will tell you that it's very healthy, and that eating kimchi actually burns fat.  I know that can't be true, however, it is high in fiber and low in calories.  It is, in many ways, a good food, just one that I find myself unable to stomach any longer.  Besides, one study links kimchi to higher risks of developing gastric cancer.  So, you know, there's that.

There are many aspects of Korean culture and food that I am wholeheartedly embracing.  It just so happens that one of the most visible parts of that culture turns my stomach... to my Korean friends, and other kimchi sympathizers, I'm so sorry.  However, it leaves more for the rest of you!

Officially swearing off kimchi for the time being,
Dan.