All Along I Was Your Home.

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After a hiatus of video making, I have compiled a commemoration of many hello and good byes with spectacular souls and grand moments.

all along I was your home

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After not making a video for two months, (because my summer totally rocked) I have finally compiled the wickedness that was my summer.

could you be loved...by a place?

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I certainly fell in love with the Philippines, and if I'm not mistaken, the Philippines fell in love with me.
Here's my journey over 7 amazing days in paradise with 3 rocking chicas!

I'm off chasing my own dreams...

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A month of fantastic firsts!
My first experience in Tae Baek...possibly my new favorite place in SK. My 24th birthday...first away from home. And Nick's first visit to Incheon.

I dont where Im going, I dont want to see

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May takes the cake as the best month in S.Korea...hand down!

gettin' my move on.

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Wow...it just keeps getting better. People are coming and going out of my South Korean life. And that's just how it goes here. Everyone has different contracts that start and end... possibly the day after you arrive, or months after...either way it's never easy saying good-bye. However, it's also great when someone you really connect with arrives. Of course this applies to everyone's life, so cheers to the coming and going flow that we call life! And to always making the best of what it has handed you at any particular moment, in any given place.

love touches us all

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I have discovered the secret to an excellent foreign-life experience...the more I see the people that make me happy, the less homesick, bored or antsy I will be. So this is dedicated to those who keep me smiling...you know who you are.

Music by JJ Grey and Mofro...and The Moldy Peaches

"You will always be surrounded by true friends."

There were many random things left in my apartment by the previous occupier, for example, a hula hoop, an exercise ball, two plants, paper lanterns from China, a life-size-penis-shaped bottle opener, a jump rope, a world map labeled in Korean...to name a few . But possibly my favorite was a tiny piece of paper that had been removed from a fortune cookie that simply said, "You will always be surrounded by true friends."

It has recently dawned on me that I have an amazing community in Korea. In just three or four short months a beautiful array of personalities surrounds me. And it would be safe to say no two are alike. I've always thought I possibly had some sort of magnetism for good souls, but it is certainly official.

The beauty of moving to a foreign land is that you befriend almost anyone that crosses your path, opening up your social life to supreme diversity. You want to leave all options open and build up a friend base, and ultimately a support group for what you know you will inevitably feel, homesick. When homesick moments arise, you know you can turn to these people to feel home again. They make you feel comfortable, like you maybe want to stay awhile and then you are reminded that home will always be there.

The one thing that is hard about my social situation in Korea is that people are always coming and going. Friendships have an easy option of being determined by contract length, vacations, or weekend getaways. But the good ones, I clench on to.

Today I had to say good-bye to a friend I had met just two months ago, his girlfriend I only met two weeks ago, and her sister who I had only met today. While these people hadn't been in my life a substantial amount of time, they made a substantial impact on my life. Although we live thousands of miles apart and it could even be years until the next time I see them, we shared something many people consider rare, a candid friendship made up of genuine people. And although, I've been told these sorts of situations are rare in one's life, I know I will always be surrounded by true friends...no matter which speck of Earth I have paused on.

The Honeymoon is sooooo Over.

Stage three here I am. My honeymoon lasted longer than most, I think, but after three and a half months it is surely over. My days as a laid-back carefree teacher are now over with the dismissal of my Indianian c0-teacher, the leaving of the Massachusetts-hailing head-teacher, and the arrival of a new Wisconsinite teacher. This makes me the most experienced English teacher after only arriving less than four months ago. My responsibilities have surely increased. Not only am I training, but I am now creating the listening CD's for our students, creating material for our textbooks and helping form the bridge between the boss, the Korean teachers, and the two English teachers. I guess, to be honest, my job has become a real job and not just a walk in the park.

Other than my job, I now feel the need to get out of Gyesan (the area of Incheon where I live) and venture out as much as possible. This means I try to get to Seoul as much as possible. If I can't get to Seoul I go to Yeonsu. If I can't get to Yeonsu I go to Bupyeong. And the list goes on. I'm trying really hard to get even farther now and see even more of Korea. Have I mentioned that South Korea is about the size of Minnesota...
This little travel trick is what is going to keep me going. As long as I am experiencing new things, I am enjoying life. Daejeon, Cheonan, Cheongju...here I come!

Check out a map of South Korea! Zoom In and Zoom Out

When did my name become teacher?

After three months of hearing Korean children scream, "TEACHER!!!" I finally feel like one. Or at least I finally realize that I am one. I have to say it is one of the best feelings I have felt. A few specific anecdotes have made me consider being a teacher forever...never subscribing to another desire in my employee career. Many of them come in the form of fantastic creative writing. My students constantly surprise me with their ability to express themselves creatively through their foreign language...and then I realize I may have something to do with it.

"Korea doesn't have any resources, so Korea made their people their resources."

"I can keep a promise, but I’m bad at keeping track of time. So I no longer make promises that are about time."

"My winter vacation was forty-two days short."

Their ability to write scholarly, sarcastically, or creatively isn't such as a surprise as their speaking. Our school largely focuses on writing, so while I am impressed with their writing, when developed and thoughtful sentences escape through their mouths, I tend to stop dead in my tracks...especially when they build one about me.

"Vanessa, you know a lot of Korean words, how did you do that?"

Me: "You know a lot of English words, don't you."

"Yes, but I have a good teacher."

After busting out my wallet to show kids what American driver's licenses look like...

"Vanessa, I respect you."

"I was just curious, who taught you English." ...good question. ha.

These few instances have been storms of thought and diction in a drought of English expression. Most of my students speak very slowly with very broken English. But, it is these breakthroughs that make me feel like maybe my job has merit and that to them I'm not just an alien-looking blonde speaking in a indecipherable language, but rather their teacher.

we've got no chance of recovery

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I don't know how much more enjoyable my life could get at the current moment and it is all thanks to the people I have met in South Korea!

“Man can not discover new oceans
unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

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we put our feet just where they had to go

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The Age Experiment

Background/Hypothesis

What's in a number? What's in an age? Is it possible to make yourself forget how old you are? Is it possible to change your age? Korean's are quite strange about their age, and by strange I mean different than I. It's impossible to tell how old they are in the first place, and then they go and change the reality of their age through a cultural aging process. It makes me wonder a lot of things. For example, are they more pro-life since they become age one at birth? And when are you really legally able to drink, or buy cigarettes, or participate in other stupid activities that we are allowed to do when our age reaches a higher number? What is considered an adult? All these contemplations brought me to even more thoughts about age, however, this time in a more global fashion rather than a Korean-American thought process.
Why do we put so much weight on the answer to the question, "How old are you?" As we get older does age become more important, or less? What age we are largely determines who we hang out with, or who becomes our colleagues. But does it also determine how we are viewed. The age old saying "act your age" has strange connotations. When people first meet they tend to inquire about names, jobs, hobbies, living location, and age. However, when people reach a certain age it is considered rude to ask. When we are very young we break our age down to the halves and three-quarter marks. But what about in our mid-twenties to mid-thirties, when age isn't too disgraceful or embarrassing yet?
I conducted an experiment...not intentionally by any means, but I soon realized that the situation I was in was perfect to answer all my questions. I happen to be going into a weekend trip in which I would be meeting many new people, potentially from all over the world. I would see how long it would take for people to want to know my age. I was curious how important my age would be, or how it would reflect on who I was. I wanted to know how old people thought I was. My hopes were that the question would never come up and I planned to not ask the question unless asked myself. Could we make it through a whole weekend without feeling the need to define our age differences?

The Results

I made it through an entire 42 hours without anyone asking my age. I was truly impressed. This is when my experiment took an interesting turn. I decided to say my Korean age and see the reaction. The inquirer told me that I seemed 20 or 21. To my surprise, I was offended. And I didn't think age mattered to me. Seeming two or three years younger than I actually was, made me feel self-concious and that maybe I was acting immaturely. Age was only commented on two other times throughout the weekend. I was actually surprised. I also happened to be hanging out with an extraordinary breed of people, travelers, doers, go-getters... Maybe they all felt the same way about age as I did, unlike my Korean co-workers or my friends still in The States. Maybe they all thought I was crazy. Whatever the case, I learned a lot.
I have a new approach to age living in South Korea; where age seems more of a creation than authenticity. So how old do you feel? When I was young I wanted to be older, because with age comes wisdom, but as I get older sometimes I feel girlish, particularly when I fall into my foolish ways.

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?

My New Language

Don't expect this post to be about how I am learning Korean, because I'm not. I've picked up the necessities to get me fed and transported, but unfortunately that's as far as it goes.

Instead my new language is terrible English. I have reverted to talking like my students instead of correcting them with proper English. They yell, "confused, spelling!" And I begin spelling, "c-o-n-f-u..," without even hesitating to tell them the proper sentence, "Vanessa, how do you spell 'confused'?"

I speak in fragments such as, "sit, quiet, writing not talking," "homework check," "friday no here." I do all of this while using as much body language as possible. I have invented a new language, or rather conformed to my students way of communication. I have done this in order to get through a day and the material I'm required to finish. When I don't dumb-down my English, I have 5-10 dumbfounded students staring back at me. Therefore, I work at an "English Academy," and if I were to speak in coherent English, no one would be able to understand me.

Now that this revelation has occurred, I'm going to do my best to be a more valuable English teacher. I've also taken up vocabulary expansion, and for the first time since fifth grade, I'm attempting to improve my spelling. It is amusing how becoming an English teacher is making me teach myself English in quite an indirect way. Now if I could only stop saying borrowed instead of lent...

Mr.Pizza "Made for Women"

Margaret and I were deciding what to get for dinner, when she kindly agreed to Mr.Pizza, even though she had been there for lunch. (I was desperately craving the pizza created just for women.) Margaret planned to order pasta, garlic bread, salad, or something of the vegetarian genre. I ordered my vegetarian pizza and so she was up to order. First she ordered garlic bread and asked if one of the pasta dishes could be made without meat. They refused, so she went back to the drawing board. She decided to eat some salad from the salad bar, so we ordered the option of "salad bar for two." We then went up to the salad bar and I grabbed a bowl off of a random table since there was only one at our table. After filling the entire bowl, we were informed that we were only allowed one bowl. We explained that we payed for two people, and then they explained that one bowl must be shared. I handed her my bowl and she threw away it's contents. Margaret continued to fill her bowl as I walked back to our table completely abashed. After she tried to pile two helpings of salad bar into one bowl, the waitress came over to inform us that they no longer had garlic bread. Margaret's dinner had been reduced to sharing a bowl of salad with me. As a result, next time we go to dinner she picks the place.

The Benefits of an Injury in S.K.

1. Handicap seating at performances

Just when I though lugging myself all the way to Seoul was a pain, I get a wheelchair, an escort (hot Brazilian one), a bathroom withOUT a massive line, and offered front row seats to Cirque Du Soleil. 
2. Skipping the lines at theme parks

Something I have only dreamed of doing...

3. Being brought sympathy gifts

Ice cream, chocolate, movies, a DVD player, pizza, kim bop... I suppose this is more correlated to having fantastic friends, but they are especially going out of their way to keep me comfortable.
4. Leeway to be late for anything

I hate being late, but since the broken foot it has become expected. I'm on crutches for Pete's sake!
5. Handicap seating on public transportation

If the seats are full, there's reserved seating for special people like me...I sit with the old, handicapped, pregnant and "weak."
6. Having a good reason why I didn't shower

It takes me twice as long to shower.  Showers are no longer enjoyable and therefore have become less frequent. However, if someone comments on my appearance, I have a good reason to not be "fresh."
7. Never being expected to stand

This is especially sweet in school. Every teacher gets sick of standing all day, but now my boss actually yells at me when I don't. 
8. "It's up to you."

A:"Where do you want to go tonight." 

B:"I don't know...It's up to the cripple."

I make the decision of how far I want to crutch around and therefore where we are going for the evening. 

19. My arms are BUFF!

After carrying myself with my arms for a month, my arms have never been stronger. The other day I found myself wondering, "Why does everything seem lighter?"

10. Reason to be lazy

I have no reason to make up an excuse for why I took the elevator, or why I'm the only one sitting, or why I stayed in all weekend, or why I'm turning into a hermit...

 

The Horrible Reality of an Injury in S.K.

1. Showering is no longer enjoyable.

First I must double wrap my cast in a plastic grocery bags, then I have to stand on one foot while my other foot is resting in the sink so water doesn't flow down on it.  I suppose this also means I have one stinky foot.

2. Not being able to explore.

It is extremely frustrating that I have not even walked around the area I live in. Sure I've seen the grocery store, local bar, and convenience stores, but only the necessities. I am dying to discover something fantastic all on my own.

3. Losing my independence

I have faced the cold hard fact that I am not physically stable, therefore if I want to venture somewhere it is imperative that I have a chaperon incase I fall and injure myself even more. The possibility of a "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!" scenario is very likely.

4. Being surrounded by mountains and not being able to climb them

One of the first things I loved about South Korea was that it has a big hiking community due to the mountains. Although it is likely that it will consist of me and the "old people," I was still excited to get out and experience some nature.

5. Living in one of the most highly populated areas of the world

Getting around on crutches is not easy in the 11th largest city in the world. Being pushed and bumped is a part of my daily routine. I have to admit, at first I was furious, now I expect it.

6. How exhausting it is to use crutches

As energetic as my being is, I have never been so exhausted after getting home from work.  Crutching from A to B can wipe me out. I feel like an old woman most of the time.

7. Shopping is a work-out

In order to grocery shop I have to bring my backpack since I can't push a cart or carry anything while on crutches. When I enter I have to explain to the security person that I'm not trying to steal anything, but that I simply can't multitask with crutches. (all with body language). Then I shop until I can't fit anything else in my backpack. Check out and then crutch home with a heavy backpack. Even though it's only about a block away, I work up a sweat.

Once I tried shopping for clothes and shoes at an underground market, and it almost put me into a clinical depression.

8. The inability to multitask

Sure, her foots broken, but she can still use her hands right? Wrong! My hands are doing all the walking and have no time to do anything else. How I long to be able to walk and put chapstick on at the same time, or open a door and get inside in less than 10 seconds. My hands are more excited to get the cast off than my ankle is to bend.

9. Public transportation was once my true love

I am such an avid public transporter, I haven't owned a car in two years. I love living in a city with an immaculate subway and now it is a pain to use. Only about half of the subway stops have an elevator which means I have to do about 48 stairs or more every time I exit or enter the subway. 

10. STAIRS