Tag Archives: Korea

Screw Keys, Get a Keypad

Posted on October 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

I love having a numeric keypad to enter my apartment in Seoul. It’s superior to keys on many (if not all) levels. All I need to do to enter my apartment is punch in my four-digit code, and voila, I’m in! No hassles rummaging through my pockets or purse to find a key. No losing a key. No touching a dirty key. No fussy doorknob to deal with either. To leave my apartment, I press a button to unlock my door, and I’m out. Simple.

For extra privacy, there is the master lock. The master lock means that people cannot open the door from outside even if they punch in the code. So, if you don’t want someone entering your place when you are physically in your home, turn on the master lock. For example, the people who come to check my gas have to come into my apartment to read the meter. They have my code in their records and sometimes come in when I am not home. They always knock before they come in, but if I feel I need more privacy, I can turn on the master lock when I am home.

Keypads are not only great for security; they are also great for guests. With guests, no one needs to worry about making extra copies of keys or being home to unlock the door. Just give your guests the code. If you feel like you’re giving your code away too much, no problem. Change it.

The biggest drawback would be that many people still have key chains for their car keys. Since they still carry around car keys, they probably don’t see a problem carrying around house keys either. Even so, I still think numeric keypads are better alternatives to keys. Just make sure only you and your trusted confidants know the code.

Keypads may be pricier to install, but they are hassle-free. Maybe they will catch on one day, especially for people who don’t have cars. Perhaps a good business venture.

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Posted in Ideas and Biz, Korea

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Why Aren’t You in the Hospital?

Posted on September 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

No personal days. Forty plus hours a week, five days a week. Three sick days. Absent more than three days in a year? It gets taken out of our paycheck. Oh, and if we’re sick, we must bring in a doctor’s note to prove it.

My coworker last year had strep throat and tonsillitis at the same time. Pain, high fever, highly contagious, very low energy. She missed work for two days. The doctor said she shouldn’t come in all week. Our supervisors sent her threatening text messages to come in, telling her that it was not okay that she was gone. They asked for the doctor’s phone number because they didn’t believe she was sick (Believe me, she was.). Invasion of privacy much?

My coworker this year had pneumonia. She was pressured to come in, made to feel lazy. She had pneumonia. One of our supervisors asked her why she wasn’t in the hospital if she was so sick. She had gone to an American doctor, who gave her antibiotics and told her to rest and stay home. In Korea, when people are really sick, they go to hospital for a quick fix. Get an IV for a few hours, stock up on meds, and off to work they go, even if they feel horrible. Showing up sick in South Korea is a sign of true dedication and loyalty.

Want a personal day? Feeling exhausted? Need a mental break? Suck it up, drink some caffeine, and put on a happy face. No fooling around here. This is South Korea, where the word “hustle” is brought to a whole new level.

I get it easy. I’m a foreigner. By law, it’s illegal to overwork me. I also get five days off in winter, and five days off in summer. Most Koreans don’t get that kind of vacation. Most Koreans work way more hours than I do. It’s common for businessmen to work 12-hour days from Monday – Saturday. And then they sleep all day on Sunday. Wash, rinse, repeat.

How’s that for a cultural difference?

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Posted in Korea, Korean Culture, Teaching in Korea

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Stepping Into North Korea

Posted on September 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

A couple weeks ago, I briefly stepped onto North Korean territory while on a DMZ (demilitarized zone) tour. The DMZ is a buffer zone that separates North and South Korea.

DMZ

On the tour, we visited the the Joint Security Area (JSA), where North and South Korean soldiers stand face-to-face. We could only take pictures of specific areas, and we were being heavily watched by security cameras on both sides. The North and South Korean guards stood with clenched fists to be ready for combat in case something happened. They also wore sunglasses to hide their gaze. While at the JSA, we entered a small building that separated the Koreas– one side of the table was South Korea, and the other side was North Korea. We were allowed to step onto the North Korean side for a few minutes.

The big gray building in the back is on North Korean territory.

Left side: South Korea, right side: North Korea

In North Korea (Excuse my appearance. I had to wake up at 5am.)

Here are a couple more interesting parts about the tour:

* There was a strict dress code (no shorts, skirts, tops without sleeves, tops showing the midriff, provocative words, athletic clothes, stretch pants, military print, oversize clothing).

* Only our U.S. military tour guide could point with his fingers. Visitors were not allowed to point because it is seen as an act of hostility.

* We got to see “Propaganda Village” from afar. It’s a faux city that the North Koreans created to give off the image that they are a prosperous nation. No one actually lives there. Many of the buildings are just concrete facades. I got to look through a high power scope, and I saw no people and no cars.

Propaganda Village in North Korea

* We walked down and up a steep tunnel that the North dug to potentially invade the South many years ago. No pictures were allowed.

* We went to the last train station in South Korea that connects to North Korea. It is obviously not currently running.

Tracks to Pyeongyang (capital of North Korea)

South Koreans are optimistic that the two Koreas will reunite one day. Many believe that it will be in their lifetime. When it happens, it will be a huge financial burden on South Korea, so I am selfishly hoping it won’t happen when I am here. Chances are slim at the moment.

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Posted in Korea, Travel

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Homemade Air Hockey

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 1 Comment

Many students at hagwons in Korea don’t have a lot of time for creative expression at school. My particular students only get play time after they finish snack in the morning and lunch in the afternoon. This is the school’s policy.

I give my kids about ten minutes of play time during their gym class and sometimes a few minutes if we finish a class early. My school (and the parents) want the kids to be studying as much as possible, so play time takes away from that. If it were up to me, the kids would have more play time and less rote memorization and book work. I am a strong believer in making time for creativity.

It has been a real joy watching my students’ imaginations run wild during the little time they get to play. It’s so interesting to see what they come up with. Over the past couple of weeks, the kids have been playing homemade air hockey on the floor. They made mallets by connecting two blocks; then they used an extra block to serve as the puck. Above all, they didn’t know the word “hockey,” so they got to learn a new English word while having fun at the same time.

Here are a couple pics.

Playing makeshift air hockey

Playing makeshift air hockey

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Posted in Korea, Teaching in Korea

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French Bread, Trick Art, and Dog Cafe

Posted on May 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Spring weather finally arrived about three weeks ago. I am happy to say that I don’t need my winter coats anymore, and I can even walk around outside without a jacket during the day. Subsequently, I have been more active exploring and being outside.

A while back, Eric and I went to a French restaurant and fell in love with the bread they served. Since it was easily the best bread we had eaten in Korea (It’s hard to find great bread here.), we had to know where they got the bread. The answer: Guillaume.

Guillaume is a French bakery that rivals any good bakery back home. They have a large assortment of french breads, including olive bread, cheese bread, nutty bread, baguettes, croissants, pan au chocolat, you name it. They also have pastries, such as tarts, cakes, and eclairs. Additionally, Guillaume has a delicious brunch menu.

We decided to eat brunch there last weekend. And, we ate outside since the weather was so nice. If their bread was any indication of the quality of the brunch, then we would not be disappointed. Eric and I ordered set brunches, which came with french bread, soup of the day (potato leek), a main dish, and a coffee drink of our choice. We chose espresso.

Eric chose curry chicken crepes for his main, and I chose a bacon onion quiche. Both were delectable! As much as I love Korean food, it’s nice to have a change every now and then. Here are some pics.

French Bread

Potato Leek Soup

My Bacon Onion Quiche

Eric's Curry Chicken Crepes

Finished Espresso

This past Tuesday was a holiday (Buddha’s birthday), so we had the day off. Eric, Antonio, and I went to a trick art museum, where we posed with different pieces of artwork that look 3-D. Since it was raining and a holiday, it was super crowded with long lines. Still, a fun time. Here are some pics. Remember you can click them to view larger images.

 

And now for the dog cafe. Yesterday, I went to my first dog cafe. No, I did not eat dogs. Rather, I got to play with them! The cafe sold mainly beverages (shakes, tea, coffee, etc.) and of course dog treats for us to give the dogs. It was so great petting all the different dogs and hanging around them. They climbed all over the seats, tables, and window sills. And, if you had doggie treats, you were the most popular person and therefore swarmed by cute, slobbering dogs. The dogs were all quite gentle. I’m not sure where the cafe got a hold of them. People could also bring their own dogs to the cafe. I bet a dog cafe wouldn’t fly in the states, but if so, perhaps a good business idea. Here are pictures. Lots of pictures in my blog today.

There are many more recent pics in my Facebook albums. Seems like it will be another nice day today, so I better get my laundry done and take advantage of the rest of my weekend!

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Posted in Korea, Travel

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