While I wait of my DNA testing results, I want to share something more fun with you.
Now, I'm not much of a barfly, not a club rat, or any of those "cool" cliques. In fact, stay at home and crafting/reading are more along my idea of a "good time." So, when I want to get out of the room and have a change of scene, I like to spend time in cafes...and Korea is jam-packed with them..which is wonderful. They have the most wonderful "theme cafes" and I am going to work on go to as many as I can.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Family Tree DNA
Ok, so, following up on last post, I want to talk a little more about the DNA test itself.
The DNA tests for Korean adoptees and Korean birth parents are provided by a donation from Thomas Park Clement, who is himself a Korean adoptee. The kits are from Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) (www.familytreedna.com) which will analyze your initial results. You are then at liberty to upload your results to additional third-party family tree/DNA analyzing sites.
The DNA tests for Korean adoptees and Korean birth parents are provided by a donation from Thomas Park Clement, who is himself a Korean adoptee. The kits are from Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) (www.familytreedna.com) which will analyze your initial results. You are then at liberty to upload your results to additional third-party family tree/DNA analyzing sites.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
KoRoot
Edited August 24, 2016: To include posters about the Korean Adoptee and Birth Parents DNA project.
Again, its been a long time since I posted. I had the WORST summer camp of my teaching career here in Korea. Honestly, if I had not worked so hard, prepared so many materials, and spent so much of my own money on this camp I wouldn't have cared. However, during the entire camp planning process I was constantly being pressure to make the camp "fun and interesting" and add more activities...on a budget of about $100 which I was only allowed 40 of it because we HAD to have pizza on the last day...to the point where my job was passive-aggressively threatened if I didn't have a "good enough" camp. SIGH! But that is not the point of this post.
This post is to introduce you to KoRoot, a guesthouse here in Korea that is primarily for Korean adoptees. I've never stayed here, but my impression is it is more for long-term guests. So, I didn't make the trip for a place to crash. They also offer NGO services of adoptee issues, and currently are offering DNA testing for Korean adoptees who are long-term residents in Korea and Korean birth parents.
Again, its been a long time since I posted. I had the WORST summer camp of my teaching career here in Korea. Honestly, if I had not worked so hard, prepared so many materials, and spent so much of my own money on this camp I wouldn't have cared. However, during the entire camp planning process I was constantly being pressure to make the camp "fun and interesting" and add more activities...on a budget of about $100 which I was only allowed 40 of it because we HAD to have pizza on the last day...to the point where my job was passive-aggressively threatened if I didn't have a "good enough" camp. SIGH! But that is not the point of this post.
This post is to introduce you to KoRoot, a guesthouse here in Korea that is primarily for Korean adoptees. I've never stayed here, but my impression is it is more for long-term guests. So, I didn't make the trip for a place to crash. They also offer NGO services of adoptee issues, and currently are offering DNA testing for Korean adoptees who are long-term residents in Korea and Korean birth parents.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Hello, Strangers!
I haven't written much since I moved to Seoul. Not because my busy social life, but because my new school keeps me SSSOOOoooo busy. I've had a few other things going on, too...and I'll get to all that. So, if you are interested in catching up, keep reading. If you're only here for information on life in Korea, you'll have to wait for the next post. ;)
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Hell Joseon, Part 2
I honestly never meant to leave this one hanging so long. Long story short, I changed jobs and moved to Seoul and have had quite the adjustment period. But more on that later. Last time I talked a little about the Joseon Dynasty and the traditions that are still felt in Korea today. This time, I hope to cover what those traditions mean for young Koreans today.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Hell Joseon, Part 1
Hmm...I suppose I need to start this post with full disclosure. My opinion of this article is just that: my opinion. Even though I have done my best to look at this objectively, I understand that my perspective is shaped by my observations and experiences here. Even though I have not done complete and exhaustive scholarly research, I have thought long and hard about this and am not posting some knee-jerk reaction.
Also, after I started writing, I realized that this was going to be extremely long so I decided to break it into multiple parts.
Now that's out of the way, let's begin.
Also, after I started writing, I realized that this was going to be extremely long so I decided to break it into multiple parts.
Now that's out of the way, let's begin.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Adventures in Health Care
Ok, I will start this one with the "punchline"...mostly because I don't want anyone to go into this worried (which is so sweet, thank you!). I am "fine"...or at the very least don't have thyroid cancer.
On to the story...
On to the story...
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Getting My Korean On...Chef Style!
It's no secret...I love food. I love everything about it. It's one of the few things that is a full sensory experience. I love reading/watching shows about it...the history and culture of it...I love cooking...and I especially love eating.
I've really been trying to learn Korean recipes so I can take all the wonderful food that I love and share it with friends and family back home. There are a few basic cooking classes for foreigners (like the entire program only offers around 5 menu items total)...and only then you only get basic information about the dishes. However, there is one that is absolutely fantastic!
Food and Culture Academy is just wonderful. I especially like that they offer a well-rounded menu and also give the option to request off-menu items that you want to learn (time and scheduling permitting). The main instructor, Ellie, is fantastic...she's friendly and knowledgeable, generous with her time, and her English is excellent. It's a wonderful facility, clean and easy to find. They also provide a "photo area" so you can take pictures to show off your handiwork...and a dining area so you can enjoy your dishes. They also have hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) you can wear for pictures for an additional cost.
I've really been trying to learn Korean recipes so I can take all the wonderful food that I love and share it with friends and family back home. There are a few basic cooking classes for foreigners (like the entire program only offers around 5 menu items total)...and only then you only get basic information about the dishes. However, there is one that is absolutely fantastic!
 |
| With my fabulous instructor, Ellie! |
Food and Culture Academy is just wonderful. I especially like that they offer a well-rounded menu and also give the option to request off-menu items that you want to learn (time and scheduling permitting). The main instructor, Ellie, is fantastic...she's friendly and knowledgeable, generous with her time, and her English is excellent. It's a wonderful facility, clean and easy to find. They also provide a "photo area" so you can take pictures to show off your handiwork...and a dining area so you can enjoy your dishes. They also have hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) you can wear for pictures for an additional cost.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Hello Again!
It's been a long time, my dear readers. We have a lot to catch up on.
Just to quickly recap, this fall I was moved out of high school and had to split my time between 3 middle schools. Not just three schools, but 5 grades (and by extension, 5 textbooks)...all of which include a hefty daily commute. Now, I know a lot of Guest English Teachers (GETs) here handle multiple schools and grades and still have plenty of time to kill. However, getting all these lessons planned and prepped takes almost all my available time in the week. Not to mention, I prefer to be ahead of the school calendar by 2 weeks (just to give myself a little wiggle room), so having to start all over at new schools with new textbooks, for the better part of the semester I was barely hanging on. Plus, on top of my curriculum classes I also had a 2-hour after school classes...so on the days I had "after school" I would more or less have an 11 hour day, from the time I caught the bus to school, got through the regular school day, for through after school, and caught the bus home.
To be perfectly frank, I have been fairly miserable on this rotation. My new handler (main co-teacher) is a little pushy and demanding. Also, her English is not so great, so communicating with her is extremely difficult. As such, I try to only talk to her to discuss school business...even still we tend to have the same conversation 3 or 4 times before we get to an understanding. There's a few more frustrations about this situation, but at some point it just starts to sound like me whining and less like a frank discussion.
However, I do really like the other teachers that I actually teach with, and they have been nothing less than warm and supportive. This is particularly important because roughly half of the classes I taught this term couldn't have cared less if I was there or not.
To top off my "bad vibes" I was also extremely tired and around midterm exams, I was starting to have some other health problems. At first, I chalked it up to the stress of my new rotation, but even as the term wound down I was still constantly tired and frustrated. Finally, I decided I need to go see a doctor and it turns out I have thyroid nodule...which may or may not be affecting me (as of this post I haven't gotten the test results back)...and I will blog in more detail about this in a future post.
I feel like at this point you are tired of me whining about my life here and really, it is quite the opposite. I really do enjoy my job and if I didn't I would not spend as much time planning and prepping as I do. It's more like the slow grind of time getting to me. And enough of this "Debbie Downer" business...I will wrap up this post with some positive news.
This year, I have been offered and accepted a post in Seoul!
I am extremely happy about this news. Even though I will lose a little on my monthly salary, by the time I factor in weekly transportation costs here (roughly 15 dollars a week, so 60 a month) and the costs of traveling to Seoul for doctors, shopping, or just getting out of the countryside (a minimum of 25 dollar per trip, so if I go twice month, which on average I do, we are talking 50-60 dollars, plus the cost of staying over if I miss the last bus home) I will break even, if not come out ahead.
Thats my biggest news, and I have some more posts planned which I will get to in due time. I have quite a bit of desk warming and vacation time coming up, so hopefully I will get everything up here soon.
Until then!
Just to quickly recap, this fall I was moved out of high school and had to split my time between 3 middle schools. Not just three schools, but 5 grades (and by extension, 5 textbooks)...all of which include a hefty daily commute. Now, I know a lot of Guest English Teachers (GETs) here handle multiple schools and grades and still have plenty of time to kill. However, getting all these lessons planned and prepped takes almost all my available time in the week. Not to mention, I prefer to be ahead of the school calendar by 2 weeks (just to give myself a little wiggle room), so having to start all over at new schools with new textbooks, for the better part of the semester I was barely hanging on. Plus, on top of my curriculum classes I also had a 2-hour after school classes...so on the days I had "after school" I would more or less have an 11 hour day, from the time I caught the bus to school, got through the regular school day, for through after school, and caught the bus home.
To be perfectly frank, I have been fairly miserable on this rotation. My new handler (main co-teacher) is a little pushy and demanding. Also, her English is not so great, so communicating with her is extremely difficult. As such, I try to only talk to her to discuss school business...even still we tend to have the same conversation 3 or 4 times before we get to an understanding. There's a few more frustrations about this situation, but at some point it just starts to sound like me whining and less like a frank discussion.
However, I do really like the other teachers that I actually teach with, and they have been nothing less than warm and supportive. This is particularly important because roughly half of the classes I taught this term couldn't have cared less if I was there or not.
To top off my "bad vibes" I was also extremely tired and around midterm exams, I was starting to have some other health problems. At first, I chalked it up to the stress of my new rotation, but even as the term wound down I was still constantly tired and frustrated. Finally, I decided I need to go see a doctor and it turns out I have thyroid nodule...which may or may not be affecting me (as of this post I haven't gotten the test results back)...and I will blog in more detail about this in a future post.
I feel like at this point you are tired of me whining about my life here and really, it is quite the opposite. I really do enjoy my job and if I didn't I would not spend as much time planning and prepping as I do. It's more like the slow grind of time getting to me. And enough of this "Debbie Downer" business...I will wrap up this post with some positive news.
This year, I have been offered and accepted a post in Seoul!
I am extremely happy about this news. Even though I will lose a little on my monthly salary, by the time I factor in weekly transportation costs here (roughly 15 dollars a week, so 60 a month) and the costs of traveling to Seoul for doctors, shopping, or just getting out of the countryside (a minimum of 25 dollar per trip, so if I go twice month, which on average I do, we are talking 50-60 dollars, plus the cost of staying over if I miss the last bus home) I will break even, if not come out ahead.
Thats my biggest news, and I have some more posts planned which I will get to in due time. I have quite a bit of desk warming and vacation time coming up, so hopefully I will get everything up here soon.
Until then!
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