Fried egg sandwiches, language lessons, and taekwondo.

It’s funny which memories remain with you after your childhood has been in the rearview mirror for a couple of years. Back in my early teen years, my dad went through a two-week phase where he ate a fried egg sandwich every night for dinner. This morning, we had fried egg sandwiches. Not just with plain white bread, with fried toast. Buttery, fried toast. Sweet, buttery toast. That’s been fried. Sweet goodness. Toast. With butter. Toasty toast.

Back to reality.

Though I’m slowly growing accustomed to Korean food, I’m learning to appreciate what I snubbed back home. Like fried egg sandwiches. My mother would say “Hey, do you want a fried egg sandwich?” And then I would say, “No, ’cause who wants egg on bread?” Well, I really enjoyed my egg on bread this morning and I’ll always remember the day I clamored for a fried egg sandwich.

This morning, all Fulbrighters began our language classes. I was placed in the beginner’s class, but that’s no surprise. It also helped that I worked to memorize Hangul , the Korean alphabet, before I arrived in Korea. This really helped in learning the proper sounds and words in Korean. Though I only know basic phrases, I know these intensive classes will really assist in my language acquisition. Language is a neat thing, and if you haven’t already, try to learn a new one. It’s never too late!

Today also marked the first day of taekwondo classes. I expected something along the lines of this:

If you haven’t seen the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, then the reference is wasted. Anyway, I expected a very strict atmosphere, but our Master is a really neat gentleman who wants to learn English and has taught Fulbrighters the martial art for 3 years. I look forward to studying the national sport of South Korea in a relaxed, yet professional, atmosphere.

Tomorrow, Mrs. Jai Ok Shim, the head of the Korean-American Education Fulbright Commission is coming for a visit. We also have a few more teaching workshops. I should also probably do laundry sometime this week. Overall, things are pleasant in this different kind of south.

-Sarah

PS: Enjoy some easy listening from one of my favorite artists, Sufjan Stevens.

Things to do in South Korea

June 17th, 2012

Just as I have a list for life, I have a list of things I’d like to do in South Korea.

1. Language lessons. In an ideal world, I’d become fluent in Korean. After orientation, I’d like to take Korean language lessons in my spare time so I can communicate more effectively with those around me.
2. Taekwondo lessons. There aren’t a lot of options for martial arts here in Kentucky, and since taekwondo is a national sport in South Korea, I definitively want to join a class.
3. Visit the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). I may be able to do this during orientation, as this is the area that straddles both North and South Korea.
4. Visit an amusement park. South Korea boasts Lotte World (one of the largest indoor amusement parks) and Everland (it has a section dedicated to American culture!). I love amusement parks, so naturally, I’d like to visit one abroad.
5. Go to Japan (and surrounding countries!). During my winter break, I’d like to take a round-trip ferry trip to Japan. Ferry travel is common in Korea, and one can go to China and Russia via ferry.
6. Take a bus. It is not unusual to take bus travel in Korea. From many major Korean cities, I could hop a bus (often called “Excellent Express”) and be anywhere in the country in just a few hours. I look forward to a bus trip.
7. Teach literature. There’s a chance over my winter break, I may get to teach a two-week class that I’ll design myself. Maybe I’ll talk about poetry or fiction writing. Oh the possibilities!
8. Attend church. Many people have asked where I’ll attend church, and for 22 years, I’ve probably missed less than 20 Sunday Mornings. My Christian faith is very important to me, so I’ll try my best to find a local church where I can attend and take Holy Communion.
9. Volunteer. In the past, many ETAs have volunteered in orphanages or women’s shelters. I would love to use my free time to help others while in Korea.
10. Overcome shyness. I’m shy, but occasionally, I’m overcome with very painful bouts of shyness. I figure that living in South Korea is the best place to overcome my fear of speaking to strangers.
11. Visit the city. We’ll be landing  in Seoul, but I’d love to visit the city throughout my year. For this small-town lady, the big lights sometimes beckon a little too strongly.

This is a brief list, but these are some of the activities I’d like to participate in while in South Korea. For those who have lived or been abroad for long periods of time, are there pieces of advice you’d like to share? If you’ve been to Korea, what are other activities I should participate in?

-Sarah