This is an interesting read. I've read it once before years ago and found it fascinating. Even though Kim Jong-Il is gone, this scooted back across my Facebook feed the other day and I very much enjoyed reading it again...it's an amazing article with a unique perspective of inside North Korea.
Read it here:
http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201306/kim-jong-il-sushi-chef-kenji-fujimoto-adam-johnson
Monday, October 27, 2014
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Friday Fives: Five Ways South Korean Culture and "Southern Culture" are Alike
It seems like a bit of stretch, but there are a lot of ways that my "new" Korean culture and my "old" southern culture are alike. True...the language barrier can be crippling sometimes, but day to day getting along hasn't been so difficult for me. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact the there are several similarities between the cultures. So, this week's Friday Fives is dedicated to my opinion on that:
1) Speak Politely to Strangers
There are several ways to speak to people in Korean: informal, formal, polite, honorific...it can be confusing. Most books for learning Korean start with the formal and polite tones. And honestly, most strangers respond positively to this and will typically use it to address you. And be sure to bow (it is a sign of respect/acknowledgement)...a little bow goes a long way.
1) Speak Politely to Strangers
There are several ways to speak to people in Korean: informal, formal, polite, honorific...it can be confusing. Most books for learning Korean start with the formal and polite tones. And honestly, most strangers respond positively to this and will typically use it to address you. And be sure to bow (it is a sign of respect/acknowledgement)...a little bow goes a long way.
Thursday Trivia: Top 10 Weirdest Places in South Korea
This could be considered a Media Monday category, but since Thursday Trivia is meant to be a "catch all" category it fits here, too. So, here are the top 10 weirdest places in South Korea. Let's see how many I can get to in my travels!
Link:
http://www.koreaobserver.com/top-10-weirdest-places-in-south-korea-24161
Link:
http://www.koreaobserver.com/top-10-weirdest-places-in-south-korea-24161
Word Wednesday: Vowels
So, vowels are considerably easier than consonants. First off, there are only 10 basic vowels. Which means there are some irregular vowels, but those are pretty easy to understand too. No fear, for today, we will just look at the basic vowels.
In Korean alphabetical order they are:
Easy, right? Well, easier, at any rate. :) My students told me that vowels order is one-plus-one...that is, the letter then the letter plus the "y" sound. For example ㅏis the letter (one) andㅑ is the letter plus the "y" sound (plus one). With me so far?
The story goes that Sejong and Company derived the vowel shapes from three components: sky (the "dot" because the sky is a sphere), earth (horizontal line because the earth is flat), and man (the vertical line, because men/humans stand upright). Over time the "dot" has evolved to a dash, but the concept behind it remains.
Now. moving on to pronunciation:
In Korean alphabetical order they are:
Easy, right? Well, easier, at any rate. :) My students told me that vowels order is one-plus-one...that is, the letter then the letter plus the "y" sound. For example ㅏis the letter (one) andㅑ is the letter plus the "y" sound (plus one). With me so far?
The story goes that Sejong and Company derived the vowel shapes from three components: sky (the "dot" because the sky is a sphere), earth (horizontal line because the earth is flat), and man (the vertical line, because men/humans stand upright). Over time the "dot" has evolved to a dash, but the concept behind it remains.
Now. moving on to pronunciation:
Tasty Tuesday: Japanese Snacks
No, it's not a typo.
Yes, I know I am in Korea.
I am posting about Japanese snacks because last week, the top students in the school went on a weekend trip to Japan. Then yesterday, two students in my first class of the day asked if we could have some time to have a small party so they could share some snacks they brought back for the class. Well, I thought that was so sweet and kind I had to say yes. They insisted I join in too, so here are my Japanese snacks in Korea.
Yes, I know I am in Korea.
I am posting about Japanese snacks because last week, the top students in the school went on a weekend trip to Japan. Then yesterday, two students in my first class of the day asked if we could have some time to have a small party so they could share some snacks they brought back for the class. Well, I thought that was so sweet and kind I had to say yes. They insisted I join in too, so here are my Japanese snacks in Korea.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Media Monday: The Honesty Experiment
This just warms my heart!
Granted Belif is a cosmetics company...one that markets itself on the concept of truthfulness. But, still, the experiment proves why I feel so safe and secure here. I won't spoil it, so give it a watch!
The Honesty Experiment:
http://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2014/10/south-koreans-are-tested-on-honesty-in-a-subway-experiment
Granted Belif is a cosmetics company...one that markets itself on the concept of truthfulness. But, still, the experiment proves why I feel so safe and secure here. I won't spoil it, so give it a watch!
The Honesty Experiment:
http://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2014/10/south-koreans-are-tested-on-honesty-in-a-subway-experiment
Friday, October 17, 2014
Friday Fives: Five Things I Have in Korea That I Never Thought I Would Own
1. A Rice Cooker
I mean, I always thought you could JUST. COOK. RICE. Before my return to the "motherland," I never really understood why you would even need something like this. But I get it now. You can make rice for the day in one go (or in my case, several days), it always turns out perfectly, and (especially for me) you aren't occupying your only stove burner with a pot of rice. Not to mention there are fancy versions that make more than plain rice.
2. An Electric Kettle
Because, again, I always thought you could just boil water. But again, when you only have one burner, then you hate to occupy it with the tea kettle. Plus, it is actually more energy efficient that boiling water the old fashioned way...and in considerably less time!
I mean, I always thought you could JUST. COOK. RICE. Before my return to the "motherland," I never really understood why you would even need something like this. But I get it now. You can make rice for the day in one go (or in my case, several days), it always turns out perfectly, and (especially for me) you aren't occupying your only stove burner with a pot of rice. Not to mention there are fancy versions that make more than plain rice.
2. An Electric Kettle
Because, again, I always thought you could just boil water. But again, when you only have one burner, then you hate to occupy it with the tea kettle. Plus, it is actually more energy efficient that boiling water the old fashioned way...and in considerably less time!
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