I get a lot of email questions, and I want to take a moment to address this one publicly because it has questions I've been wanting to cover in my blog anyway.
"Ok, so now I have a few questions for you... Do most Korean moms work? If they do work, do they tend to work shorter hours than dads? Are women as educated as men? If they don't work, are girls expected to take all the extra classes too? I've always been curious as to the cultural differences dealing with feminism. Heck there's even a huge difference being an army wife, than a "civilian"
Do the kids that go to college and get degrees, get jobs that pay well? How is the Korean pay compared to American pay?
Thanks,
Amy"
My reply:
"Women typically go to college here and work until they have their first baby. I have 3 or 4 kids who have a working mother, and their hours aren't quite as long as the dads (some dads work 100 hours a week)... but they are still long hours. Girls take just as many extra classes as men because they need them to get into college. Dating and courtship is rather picky here, so I imagine a girl needs a college education to "land" a guy with a high paying job.
Normally the parents of the mom or dad (rarely both) will move in to the home when the mother has a baby or by the time they are 5 or 6 to be taken care of and help the mother run the household. The majority of my students have Grandparents living in their house. A womans job here is to make sure her husband is "Taken care of" in all ways, and make sure the kids are doing homework. Kids here have no responsibility other than going to 12+ hours of school a day and all the homework accompanying that.
It's a really interesting culture, some things I love, some I hate. There is a LOT of spousal and child abuse here, which is considered a "family matter." There are no social programs for the poor, disabled, or women who are being abused. The government/law officials don't get involved. There is a high level of family obligation here, and a VERY high rate of suicide in result of failing your family. They block off common suicide areas, but people find new ones. It's crazy.
I'm not sure about average salary... but my friends boyfriend just went through a FOUR MONTH application process for one of the biggest companies here in Korea. He will make 35k I believe. 1500 people applied, only 27 were hired. 4 of the 27 were fired the first week. Getting a job here is NOTHING like getting a job in US.... they only hire in one season (around college graduation) so if you don't get a job then you have to take more college classes and wait for the next year to start applying again. Parents pay for college here, not the students... so they are anxious for their children to get a job to start helping them financially.
The job may not pay well, but the cost of living is relatively cheap EXCEPT for deposits on apartments. One of my students lives in a building called Star City and the DEPOSIT alone on his apartment was 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS! That's not to buy... just rent!! The rent is probably a few thousand a month on top of that. That is a higher end apartment, but the average apartment deposit (for lets say a small 2 bedroom apartment) is well over $50,000 dollars. This is why people live at home with their parents until they get married! One of my co-workers was just married and his wife moved in with him at his parents house until they can afford a deposit on an apartment.
There is your taste of Korean culture for the day! "
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Seoul City Tour
I'm soooo sad these are the final hours of my 3-day-weekend. Boooo!! Good thing is I have another one in two weeks. I can make it!
This weekend was rather uneventful, but today (Monday) was aweeeesome! Nick and I finally got up and out of the house early enough to get a full day on the Seoul City Tour Bus. We didn't have time to do everything we wanted, so we will definitely be doing this tour again. The tour is on really big nice buses with headsets explaining everything in English. The tour we were on (there are different packages) was the biggest with 27 stops. This tour covered everything from the Blue House (where the Korean president lives), to the giant markets, to the palaces, tourist spots (souvenirs and keepsakes), Traditional Folk Villages, shopping districts (everything from clothes, to 140 toy stores, food, movies, shoes, fashion shows, live performances... and more!), The N Seoul Tower (highest point in Seoul.... beautiful!), hotels, and historical sites.
We had an excellent time and finished our day out by having dinner with a friend at On The Border at COEX Mall (yummmmmm Mexican food!). I did a ton of shopping today, and bought some cool gifts to mail home to my mommy.
So, now that I explained what we did today... here are some pictures so you can absorb the awesomeness!
The first stop you will see pictures of is the Namsangol Folk Village. They had a huge Lunar New Year celebration going on today so it was even more spectacular than normal. We saw traditional Korean Games, food, and clothing. They also had a live performance using these crazy Korean instruments. They were pretty talented! The normal purpose of the Folk Village is to show people how Koreans lived hundreds of years ago. It's amazing that some aspects, like technology, have come so far. Other things (furniture, beds (i.e. floor mats), kimchi pots) haven't changed at all. Korea definitely has respect for their ancestors and culture. It's kind of nice that all these old buildings, palaces, and monuments are treasured and preserved here. I feel like in American we always want something more impressive, so we level old things to make room for new monstrosities. I love modern and swanky just as much as the next person, but sometimes preserving the past is important too.
Our next stop was N Seoul Tower. The bus, luckily, could drop us somewhat near the top of the giant mountain because it was a private tour bus (they stopped letting general traffic up in 2005 to preserve the mountain) so we only had to hike like 10-15 mins up the mountain. It was so steep and cold!! Once we got to the top we were surprised by an array of Lunar New Year activities and performances. There were games and fun things for the whole family! The second most impressive thing at the tower (which is the most impressive for obvious reasons) is the fence that surrounds the observation deck. This chain link fence is literally COVERED in thousands upon thousands of locks. Couples go to the Tower with two locks and write a message on them. They then lock the locks together and onto the fence. This is supposed to mean the couple will stay together. I'm not sure how this tradition was started, but I was blown away by the sheer amount of locks covering this fence. Amazing!
Our third stop was Insadong. Insadong is a shopping and eating district. It's loud and fun and full of tastes and smells. I enjoy it!! I will be buying all my souvenirs for friends and family there before I go home !
(Ok.... the pictures all loaded backwards, so they start in Insadong and end at the Folk Village.... SORRY!...)
This weekend was rather uneventful, but today (Monday) was aweeeesome! Nick and I finally got up and out of the house early enough to get a full day on the Seoul City Tour Bus. We didn't have time to do everything we wanted, so we will definitely be doing this tour again. The tour is on really big nice buses with headsets explaining everything in English. The tour we were on (there are different packages) was the biggest with 27 stops. This tour covered everything from the Blue House (where the Korean president lives), to the giant markets, to the palaces, tourist spots (souvenirs and keepsakes), Traditional Folk Villages, shopping districts (everything from clothes, to 140 toy stores, food, movies, shoes, fashion shows, live performances... and more!), The N Seoul Tower (highest point in Seoul.... beautiful!), hotels, and historical sites.
We had an excellent time and finished our day out by having dinner with a friend at On The Border at COEX Mall (yummmmmm Mexican food!). I did a ton of shopping today, and bought some cool gifts to mail home to my mommy.
So, now that I explained what we did today... here are some pictures so you can absorb the awesomeness!
The first stop you will see pictures of is the Namsangol Folk Village. They had a huge Lunar New Year celebration going on today so it was even more spectacular than normal. We saw traditional Korean Games, food, and clothing. They also had a live performance using these crazy Korean instruments. They were pretty talented! The normal purpose of the Folk Village is to show people how Koreans lived hundreds of years ago. It's amazing that some aspects, like technology, have come so far. Other things (furniture, beds (i.e. floor mats), kimchi pots) haven't changed at all. Korea definitely has respect for their ancestors and culture. It's kind of nice that all these old buildings, palaces, and monuments are treasured and preserved here. I feel like in American we always want something more impressive, so we level old things to make room for new monstrosities. I love modern and swanky just as much as the next person, but sometimes preserving the past is important too.
Our next stop was N Seoul Tower. The bus, luckily, could drop us somewhat near the top of the giant mountain because it was a private tour bus (they stopped letting general traffic up in 2005 to preserve the mountain) so we only had to hike like 10-15 mins up the mountain. It was so steep and cold!! Once we got to the top we were surprised by an array of Lunar New Year activities and performances. There were games and fun things for the whole family! The second most impressive thing at the tower (which is the most impressive for obvious reasons) is the fence that surrounds the observation deck. This chain link fence is literally COVERED in thousands upon thousands of locks. Couples go to the Tower with two locks and write a message on them. They then lock the locks together and onto the fence. This is supposed to mean the couple will stay together. I'm not sure how this tradition was started, but I was blown away by the sheer amount of locks covering this fence. Amazing!
Our third stop was Insadong. Insadong is a shopping and eating district. It's loud and fun and full of tastes and smells. I enjoy it!! I will be buying all my souvenirs for friends and family there before I go home !
(Ok.... the pictures all loaded backwards, so they start in Insadong and end at the Folk Village.... SORRY!...)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Snowy Days.....
There is something magical about being awake before the rest of the city. Watching the big fat puffs of snow dance their way to the ground. The snow is undisturbed except for the lone pair of footsteps meandering down the alley. It looks like a blanket that was lovingly wrapped up the entire city in it's soft embrace.
It's mornings like these I don't mind where I am. No work today, means no dealing with the people that have become the bane of my existence. Or.... person, rather. I get to spend the morning snuggled up in bed with my kitten and my boy. I'll watch a movie, perhaps read the rest of the book I've been putting off finishing. The grocery shopping has already been done and I don't have to clean yet because it's a 3-day-weekend. Today is about relaxation and enjoying Korea. We will go to the Mall and eat American Food (On The Border) and hopefully see a movie. We'll stop in some shops that we enjoy and take our time while doing so. I'll pray for the snow to stop at some point so we can go to the Folk Village to learn about the Korean traditions surrounding Lunar New Year. The city feels empty, most people go home for Lunar New Year or head to the East (to the beach) to watch the sunrise for the first time of the New Year. It's a tradition over here.
Continuing on with the person that has become a thorn in my side. Apparently I may have been lucky in the fact I've always had very even-keeled bosses. They were always (for the most part) supportive and understanding. They dish out a lot of positive feedback, and any criticism is always very constructive. Performance reviews are always laced with compliments, and the delicate relationship between employer and employee remains balanced. My new boss is emotional, whimsical, and unbalanced. What I am praised for one day is punishable the next. There is no consistency, things are thrown together at the last moment and everyone is supposed to change their plans 3-4 times a week to fit her new ideas. Taxing and aggravating are two words that come to mind when I think of work. It's a shame.... I love the students, but the adults make it miserable. According to my friend who worked there before me, the new boss didn't used to be like this. She got a promotion a month or so before I got here, and it's apparently gone to her head. She is changing at a very incredible rate. She was a lot different when I got here, and that was only a few months ago.
So, I don't know which is the more accurate portrayal of a boss figure. Am I fortunate in the fact I've always liked mine for the most part (long-term bosses anyway.... I had a few crazies in the nanny business that were verrrry short lived) or should a person typically hate their boss? Is it a right of passage for someone to turn from cool employee to asshole boss once they get a promotion? I guess I will keep my fingers crossed that my next boss is better.
Well, that's enough random thoughts from my head for one day. Enjoy your weekends!
xoxo
It's mornings like these I don't mind where I am. No work today, means no dealing with the people that have become the bane of my existence. Or.... person, rather. I get to spend the morning snuggled up in bed with my kitten and my boy. I'll watch a movie, perhaps read the rest of the book I've been putting off finishing. The grocery shopping has already been done and I don't have to clean yet because it's a 3-day-weekend. Today is about relaxation and enjoying Korea. We will go to the Mall and eat American Food (On The Border) and hopefully see a movie. We'll stop in some shops that we enjoy and take our time while doing so. I'll pray for the snow to stop at some point so we can go to the Folk Village to learn about the Korean traditions surrounding Lunar New Year. The city feels empty, most people go home for Lunar New Year or head to the East (to the beach) to watch the sunrise for the first time of the New Year. It's a tradition over here.
Continuing on with the person that has become a thorn in my side. Apparently I may have been lucky in the fact I've always had very even-keeled bosses. They were always (for the most part) supportive and understanding. They dish out a lot of positive feedback, and any criticism is always very constructive. Performance reviews are always laced with compliments, and the delicate relationship between employer and employee remains balanced. My new boss is emotional, whimsical, and unbalanced. What I am praised for one day is punishable the next. There is no consistency, things are thrown together at the last moment and everyone is supposed to change their plans 3-4 times a week to fit her new ideas. Taxing and aggravating are two words that come to mind when I think of work. It's a shame.... I love the students, but the adults make it miserable. According to my friend who worked there before me, the new boss didn't used to be like this. She got a promotion a month or so before I got here, and it's apparently gone to her head. She is changing at a very incredible rate. She was a lot different when I got here, and that was only a few months ago.
So, I don't know which is the more accurate portrayal of a boss figure. Am I fortunate in the fact I've always liked mine for the most part (long-term bosses anyway.... I had a few crazies in the nanny business that were verrrry short lived) or should a person typically hate their boss? Is it a right of passage for someone to turn from cool employee to asshole boss once they get a promotion? I guess I will keep my fingers crossed that my next boss is better.
Well, that's enough random thoughts from my head for one day. Enjoy your weekends!
xoxo
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The boat isn't rocking anymore....
My boss isn't being as crazy anymore (well, I'm keeping my head down and trying not to talk to anyone).... my tight rope is holding, and I'm juggling things the best I can, hoping not to slip. Wish me luck.
I wanted to take a moment to say how weird my grocery shopping experience was this weekend. I'm pretty acclimated to the shopping experience here, I know what to expect... or so I thought! Typically when you walk into the big grocery store (it's actually a department store) there is produce near the entry. It's a lot of familiar fruits and veggies, with a lot that are asian style which I don't mess with. After you venture through the ever crowded produce department you are thrust into the meat department.
The meat department is absolutely huge. There are 20-40 employees giving out samples, cutting meat, chopping at giant frozen tunas in the middle of the aisle, and stocking big cases full of meat. Not to mention the expansive seafood section which includes big tanks full of crabs, lobster, octopi, and other creatures. I typically buy some chicken breast, salmon, and ground pork at this point in the trip. I would prefer ground beef, but it's over 20 dollars a pound. Ouch. American beef is illegal here, they say the quality is too bad. So we eat Australian and Korean beef.... tastes the same to me! Actually, the korean beef is noticeably more delicious now that I think about it. Enough about meat.... let's head to the "foreign" section! The foreign sections is mostly comprised of sauces, some canned goods (I bought Healthy Choice soup and baked beans), pasta, pasta sauce, and random other things. It used to be the most exciting part of the store (things in English!!)... but that is not the case anymore! Ill get to that in a minute. After I scour for something familiar, it's time to hit up the dairy cooler! I don't like Korean milk, it's too sweet and thick for me, but Nick likes it so we buy it. The yogurt is thin and watery, so I don't buy that either. I did find cheese though! Only velveeta singles, but that is fine to make grilled cheese with in a bind. They carried some cheddar when I got here (which was kept behind lock and key) but that has since disappeared. I will keep an eye out for cheese!
Once I have my milk, produce, and meat it's time to head to the freezer section. This is where my big surprise came this week.... Korea officially has frozen meals now. WTF? My boyfriend calls this "Mission D cup" meaning, America is exporting unhealthy packaged meals to make asians fat (hence D cup) like Americans. Not only did I find frozen meals (which is really odd, considering Koreans don't typically have microwaves) but I found frozen pizza, frozen tortillas, chicken patties, cheese sticks, corn dogs... and an array of other familiar yet unhealthy food. I felt, if only momentarily, that I was back in the states. I did buy the tortillas because i was to make fajitas when I get my hands on the other ingredients, but I left everything else in it's rightful frozen place and meandered to the bakery. The bakery held some magical new discoveries for me as well. I found hamburger buns (which is awesome for when I make pulled BBQ chicken) and a big tray of fresh baked muffins! Blueberry! Banana! Chocolate chip! I was so excited. The bakery here is not superb but its sufficient. They have sliced bread, rolls, bagels in many flavors, some unfamiliar baked thingys, donuts, cakes, and random cookies that aren't real cookies. I live on egg sandwiches in the morning, so I'm very grateful for standard sliced bread.
I pick up odds and ends (tuna in the pouch, mayo, ketchup, pasta, dried fruit, peanut butter, and munchies) in the aisles and then my shopping for the week is done.
We walk to the store (the department store is actually in the basement of the mall), shop, check out the animals (hedgehogs!) and housewares, and take the bus back home in under 2 hours typically. It's a big change from hopping in my car and running to Safeway when I needed something, but it's manageable. There is a smaller grocery store across from my work that I shop at for a lot of produce and drinks (they have Minute Maid orange juice, yum) which cuts down on how much we have to carry on the bus.
So... there you have it, a typical trip to the grocery store and my new found Americanized purchases! I will have to cover free-samples and "freebies" another day. The things they give away here with purchases are so bizarre. I got some anti-wrinkle hand cream with my Philadelphia cream cheese the other day. I scored some hand sanitizer with my batteries, and even lucked into some household cleaner with my wine!
I wanted to take a moment to say how weird my grocery shopping experience was this weekend. I'm pretty acclimated to the shopping experience here, I know what to expect... or so I thought! Typically when you walk into the big grocery store (it's actually a department store) there is produce near the entry. It's a lot of familiar fruits and veggies, with a lot that are asian style which I don't mess with. After you venture through the ever crowded produce department you are thrust into the meat department.
The meat department is absolutely huge. There are 20-40 employees giving out samples, cutting meat, chopping at giant frozen tunas in the middle of the aisle, and stocking big cases full of meat. Not to mention the expansive seafood section which includes big tanks full of crabs, lobster, octopi, and other creatures. I typically buy some chicken breast, salmon, and ground pork at this point in the trip. I would prefer ground beef, but it's over 20 dollars a pound. Ouch. American beef is illegal here, they say the quality is too bad. So we eat Australian and Korean beef.... tastes the same to me! Actually, the korean beef is noticeably more delicious now that I think about it. Enough about meat.... let's head to the "foreign" section! The foreign sections is mostly comprised of sauces, some canned goods (I bought Healthy Choice soup and baked beans), pasta, pasta sauce, and random other things. It used to be the most exciting part of the store (things in English!!)... but that is not the case anymore! Ill get to that in a minute. After I scour for something familiar, it's time to hit up the dairy cooler! I don't like Korean milk, it's too sweet and thick for me, but Nick likes it so we buy it. The yogurt is thin and watery, so I don't buy that either. I did find cheese though! Only velveeta singles, but that is fine to make grilled cheese with in a bind. They carried some cheddar when I got here (which was kept behind lock and key) but that has since disappeared. I will keep an eye out for cheese!
Once I have my milk, produce, and meat it's time to head to the freezer section. This is where my big surprise came this week.... Korea officially has frozen meals now. WTF? My boyfriend calls this "Mission D cup" meaning, America is exporting unhealthy packaged meals to make asians fat (hence D cup) like Americans. Not only did I find frozen meals (which is really odd, considering Koreans don't typically have microwaves) but I found frozen pizza, frozen tortillas, chicken patties, cheese sticks, corn dogs... and an array of other familiar yet unhealthy food. I felt, if only momentarily, that I was back in the states. I did buy the tortillas because i was to make fajitas when I get my hands on the other ingredients, but I left everything else in it's rightful frozen place and meandered to the bakery. The bakery held some magical new discoveries for me as well. I found hamburger buns (which is awesome for when I make pulled BBQ chicken) and a big tray of fresh baked muffins! Blueberry! Banana! Chocolate chip! I was so excited. The bakery here is not superb but its sufficient. They have sliced bread, rolls, bagels in many flavors, some unfamiliar baked thingys, donuts, cakes, and random cookies that aren't real cookies. I live on egg sandwiches in the morning, so I'm very grateful for standard sliced bread.
I pick up odds and ends (tuna in the pouch, mayo, ketchup, pasta, dried fruit, peanut butter, and munchies) in the aisles and then my shopping for the week is done.
We walk to the store (the department store is actually in the basement of the mall), shop, check out the animals (hedgehogs!) and housewares, and take the bus back home in under 2 hours typically. It's a big change from hopping in my car and running to Safeway when I needed something, but it's manageable. There is a smaller grocery store across from my work that I shop at for a lot of produce and drinks (they have Minute Maid orange juice, yum) which cuts down on how much we have to carry on the bus.
So... there you have it, a typical trip to the grocery store and my new found Americanized purchases! I will have to cover free-samples and "freebies" another day. The things they give away here with purchases are so bizarre. I got some anti-wrinkle hand cream with my Philadelphia cream cheese the other day. I scored some hand sanitizer with my batteries, and even lucked into some household cleaner with my wine!
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