Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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?
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?
Friday, January 23, 2009
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...
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.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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
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
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
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
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
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."
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...
Saturday, January 10, 2009
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
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