Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Just Keeps Getting Better
Opened my email this morning and found out I had been accepted to do some rugby development in Asia! Big shout out to my friend Travis for having the inside info in the rugby world in Asia. Very excited for this opportunity, which I'm sure will keep me busy with my teaching and writing! I'm hoping to balance my teaching experience with playing rugby a few times a week and coaching a day or two out of the week. Sigh..always seems impossible until it is done, but really looking forward to the prospect of adding another continent to my rugby experience!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
August To Do List ( I love lists)
 |
| compliments of the wondrous Travis Kelley |
1.Finish Packing!
2.Try Oysters for the first time in Brighton
3.Climb Arthurs Seat with a bottle of wine (and not fall 17 times again)
4.Hit on the 'sailors' at Gambrinus :)
5. Listen to "Seaside" on the Brighton Pier (I'm so corny, but I love the Kooks)
6.Stomach a Chartreuse bomb in the Globe
7. Finish a plate of fish and chips (not just the chips).
8. Hit up Pomegranate with the Boston wife
9. See "Punk Rock" by Simon Stephens at the Fringe Festival (featuring Will Merrick from Skins)
10. Live in the Spiegeltent for a day (Oh, the magic of a traveling circus tent).
11. Finish two pieces to submit as a guest travel blogger
12. Go to a Jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse, aka, korean skin scrubbing extravaganza)
13. Hop on a Seoul bus tour
14.Order a food at random from a menu in Korea
15. Find the nearest record store in Seoul and pick up the Bloc Party album :)
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Leaving My Guilt in America
You'll have to excuse the fact that this post doesn't have much to do with Korea, other than perhaps a bit of relief, anxiety and guilt about how I feel about leaving America.
In light of recent events I just felt I needed a space to make sense of my thoughts, if you will, clear my head.
The second I open a paper these days, check out BBC or log onto any form of social media- I can expect to see a tragedy, something sad, something that moves me and often I try not to let these things affect me.I am very sensitive, passionate and dare I say, hyper affected by the things I read and see, particularly human suffering. It is both a blessing and curse.
The shooting in Colorado gave me that feeling I am becoming all too familiar with: my chest became tight, my head under water- a bit dazed and dizzy like you feel after sitting out in the sun all day or holding your breath a few seconds longer than you should.I succumb to a sense of juvenile helplessness and a need to be told that everything is safe and fine. I immediately am taken back to gym class in 2001, September 11th. I just wanted to pick teams and play dodgeball, not watch the world change overnight. Except this time, instead of impatiently waiting for dodgeball to begin- I am celebrating a new career path, a big move to a foreign county and the prospect of making my travel writing a life long reality. I don't know how to feel. I am leaving America in less than 3 weeks, again. Why do I keep leaving if I love it so much? And I wonder why I feel so guilty. I don't think the guilt is mine. It's shared or maybe just misguided. I dont know what we are or where I fit anymore. We have become a gun culture. More than that we have accepted this violence as normalcy, this non-caring as the standard. We have also become a country that both bullies and fears and frankly I am terrified. It scares the shit out of me.
I hate to admit that sometimes I am afraid to live in my own country, sometimes my shadow casts me off. I find myself looking over my shoulder much more here, taking too familiar routes and settling in, in a way that makes me feel stuck and stagnant. It is this same familiarity that I love. It is the predictability, but it is also the people. We have an undeniable need to know why, to ask questions, but we also have a stubborn sense of pride that says we need to place the blame before we fix the problem. Maybe we are so far gone that there are no solutions. We come together as a people time and time again, when encountered with tragedy. We grieve, we feel and we understand each other on a level that we have never taken the time to understand one another on before. We forget the ideas that tell us our warmth and compassion betray us, and momentarily we are the same. I get a brief glimpse of the brilliance of the people, but also the pride I hope to feel again.I love this. And I really do love America. I love America, not for what it is, but for what I know it could be. I just hope that someday I will find myself back here and be able to sincerely call it home. I desperately want that.
In light of recent events I just felt I needed a space to make sense of my thoughts, if you will, clear my head.
The second I open a paper these days, check out BBC or log onto any form of social media- I can expect to see a tragedy, something sad, something that moves me and often I try not to let these things affect me.I am very sensitive, passionate and dare I say, hyper affected by the things I read and see, particularly human suffering. It is both a blessing and curse.
The shooting in Colorado gave me that feeling I am becoming all too familiar with: my chest became tight, my head under water- a bit dazed and dizzy like you feel after sitting out in the sun all day or holding your breath a few seconds longer than you should.I succumb to a sense of juvenile helplessness and a need to be told that everything is safe and fine. I immediately am taken back to gym class in 2001, September 11th. I just wanted to pick teams and play dodgeball, not watch the world change overnight. Except this time, instead of impatiently waiting for dodgeball to begin- I am celebrating a new career path, a big move to a foreign county and the prospect of making my travel writing a life long reality. I don't know how to feel. I am leaving America in less than 3 weeks, again. Why do I keep leaving if I love it so much? And I wonder why I feel so guilty. I don't think the guilt is mine. It's shared or maybe just misguided. I dont know what we are or where I fit anymore. We have become a gun culture. More than that we have accepted this violence as normalcy, this non-caring as the standard. We have also become a country that both bullies and fears and frankly I am terrified. It scares the shit out of me.
I hate to admit that sometimes I am afraid to live in my own country, sometimes my shadow casts me off. I find myself looking over my shoulder much more here, taking too familiar routes and settling in, in a way that makes me feel stuck and stagnant. It is this same familiarity that I love. It is the predictability, but it is also the people. We have an undeniable need to know why, to ask questions, but we also have a stubborn sense of pride that says we need to place the blame before we fix the problem. Maybe we are so far gone that there are no solutions. We come together as a people time and time again, when encountered with tragedy. We grieve, we feel and we understand each other on a level that we have never taken the time to understand one another on before. We forget the ideas that tell us our warmth and compassion betray us, and momentarily we are the same. I get a brief glimpse of the brilliance of the people, but also the pride I hope to feel again.I love this. And I really do love America. I love America, not for what it is, but for what I know it could be. I just hope that someday I will find myself back here and be able to sincerely call it home. I desperately want that.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
A Few Things...
1. My visa arrived on saturday!
2. I turned in my notice at work and I managed not to do the Bernie out the door.
3. My flights are booked.
4.My Korean language tutor is too attractive for words and it is super distracting!
5.I have one suitcase fully packed
6. I have literally listened to 2NE1 "I love you" and BigBang "Fantastic Baby" on repeat all week.
7. Several family members have asked me when I plan on seriously dating or getting married, since I am always traveling..
8. I don't plan on ever getting married ....just didn't make the cut for my bucket list.
9. I don't do serious and I plan on traveling a lot.
10. I was offered the opportunity to coach kids while in South Korea.
11. I accepted this offer.
12. Shit, did I just over commit?
13. Nope, I got this.
14. Orientation is in 32 days.
15. My Korean is getting better and I have learned phrases other than "what is that man's name?" and "How much?"
16. Last immunizations on July 24th! I AM A PIN CUSHION.
17. I have a horrible heat rash from this stupid weather and I can't focus on writing this semi coherent blog post because I am so damn itchy.
18. Hopefully Calamine lotion will help
19. Kimchi.
20. Kimchi
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Warning: Angsty, Insecure, Rant in..3..2..1
So what is the one thing you've never liked about yourself? Small eyes? Big Nose? Freckles? Acne Scars? Stretch Marks? Bad Teeth? Do you want to lose weight? What if you moved to a place where all of these treatments were readily available and perfection was encouraged? Now, if you're like me you're probably saying to yourself,' I'm not so bad, I would never do something like that.' Why pay to change who you are.?My question is, at what point do people stop feeling that way and if you have all the resources at your fingers tips to make a change, do you?
The Economist reported on global rates of plastic surgery earlier this spring, and South Korea topped the list for the most-cosmetically enhanced population in the world.South Korea has become so well known for it's plastic surgery that it sees an excess of 80,000 international arrivals a year, and with so many K-Pop beauties running around, who could be surprised? In fact, South Korea's perfectly primped pop stars are often considered one of the biggest factors in the increasing amount of plastic surgeries. Here are a few notable surgeries below:
A few weeks ago I posted a piece called "My Butt is Too Big For Korea," while it was humorous it is also a very big insecurity of mine. Well, not my butt, I love my butt. I mean my size.I am not big, I work out, I play rugby, I eat decently, but I will never be a "small girl." That being said, the idea of going into the doctor and coming out 20 pound lighter seems a bit absurd to me. Tummy tucks, lipo, electric accupuncture...all seem like temporary solutions when working out is an over all lifestyle choice. Choice. Isn't that what it all comes down to? For example, I choose to eat more carbs than any human should consume, stuff my face with gold fish crackers and then spend a few days feeling guilty but making up for it with fruit smoothies and salads. This clearly is not the best method, but you catch my drift, That doesn't mean it will be any easier being one of the bigger people in a country where thin is definitely in, or where homogeneity defines beauty. In the U.S we have a tendency to place a lot of emphasis on being "exotic" and on standing out. Here are a few Korean beauty standards:
1. Tanning is a no no! Pale skin is a must... Alabaster Chic, if you will
2. Small "cute" lips
3.Large eyes
4.High nose bridge, slender nose
5.Women- long legs, slender
6 Men- tall with lean Muscle
7. Double eye lids
And it seems that many people in Korea have no qualms about spending a pretty penny to fit this description.1 in 5 South Korean women in Seoul have had some form of cosmetic surgery. One can't help but notice how much less surgery costs in Korea compared to the U.S. Check out this price list from Iaan Aesthetic Clinic in Daejeon.
Upon speaking to a Korean friend, she said I should approach this topic from a completely different view. She said South Korea is a place where surgery is so natural that it is no longer taboo. If people don't like something they don't complain and agonize over it, they just "fix it." She pointed out the difference in overall health and lifestyle between the US and Korea. We have our own obsessions in America. Crazy crash dieting, Sensa, portion diets, Creatine abuse, cosmetic addiction, tanning and the "low fat craze." Livestrong compares the two diets "Overall, the Korean diet places great emphasis on vegetable consumption, and many traditional Korean foods are naturally low in fat. As a result, South Korea has a lower obesity rate than other countries in Asia. According to a 2002 article in the journal "Public Health Nutrition," the United States and Mexico have the highest obesity rates in the world (it should be noted that many nations in the South Pacific have since taken over the top places in obesity ratings); Korea and Japan have the lowest. The Korean diet has remained low in fat and high in vegetables even as Western culinary influences have been incorporated."
So not only will many Korean's be more attractive, they will also live much longer than I will...damn it! Oh well. Looks like I'm gonna slather on some BB cream, get my hair done and embrace my curves in Korea. After all, statistics tell me I wont live as long to enjoy them :)
I haven't even scratched the surface of this topic. I can feel an investigative journalism piece coming on!
 |
| Plastic Surgey Rates by Country |
The Economist reported on global rates of plastic surgery earlier this spring, and South Korea topped the list for the most-cosmetically enhanced population in the world.South Korea has become so well known for it's plastic surgery that it sees an excess of 80,000 international arrivals a year, and with so many K-Pop beauties running around, who could be surprised? In fact, South Korea's perfectly primped pop stars are often considered one of the biggest factors in the increasing amount of plastic surgeries. Here are a few notable surgeries below:
A few weeks ago I posted a piece called "My Butt is Too Big For Korea," while it was humorous it is also a very big insecurity of mine. Well, not my butt, I love my butt. I mean my size.I am not big, I work out, I play rugby, I eat decently, but I will never be a "small girl." That being said, the idea of going into the doctor and coming out 20 pound lighter seems a bit absurd to me. Tummy tucks, lipo, electric accupuncture...all seem like temporary solutions when working out is an over all lifestyle choice. Choice. Isn't that what it all comes down to? For example, I choose to eat more carbs than any human should consume, stuff my face with gold fish crackers and then spend a few days feeling guilty but making up for it with fruit smoothies and salads. This clearly is not the best method, but you catch my drift, That doesn't mean it will be any easier being one of the bigger people in a country where thin is definitely in, or where homogeneity defines beauty. In the U.S we have a tendency to place a lot of emphasis on being "exotic" and on standing out. Here are a few Korean beauty standards:
1. Tanning is a no no! Pale skin is a must... Alabaster Chic, if you will
2. Small "cute" lips
3.Large eyes
4.High nose bridge, slender nose
5.Women- long legs, slender
6 Men- tall with lean Muscle
7. Double eye lids
And it seems that many people in Korea have no qualms about spending a pretty penny to fit this description.1 in 5 South Korean women in Seoul have had some form of cosmetic surgery. One can't help but notice how much less surgery costs in Korea compared to the U.S. Check out this price list from Iaan Aesthetic Clinic in Daejeon.
Upon speaking to a Korean friend, she said I should approach this topic from a completely different view. She said South Korea is a place where surgery is so natural that it is no longer taboo. If people don't like something they don't complain and agonize over it, they just "fix it." She pointed out the difference in overall health and lifestyle between the US and Korea. We have our own obsessions in America. Crazy crash dieting, Sensa, portion diets, Creatine abuse, cosmetic addiction, tanning and the "low fat craze." Livestrong compares the two diets "Overall, the Korean diet places great emphasis on vegetable consumption, and many traditional Korean foods are naturally low in fat. As a result, South Korea has a lower obesity rate than other countries in Asia. According to a 2002 article in the journal "Public Health Nutrition," the United States and Mexico have the highest obesity rates in the world (it should be noted that many nations in the South Pacific have since taken over the top places in obesity ratings); Korea and Japan have the lowest. The Korean diet has remained low in fat and high in vegetables even as Western culinary influences have been incorporated."
So not only will many Korean's be more attractive, they will also live much longer than I will...damn it! Oh well. Looks like I'm gonna slather on some BB cream, get my hair done and embrace my curves in Korea. After all, statistics tell me I wont live as long to enjoy them :)
I haven't even scratched the surface of this topic. I can feel an investigative journalism piece coming on!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Before I Leave the Motherland
I mailed off all of my visa stuff today (more than mildly stressful). I checked and double checked to make sure everything was in the envelope. I hate sending my passport off, I always worry it will mysteriously disappear or be taken by the God of Important Paperwork. Just to be safe I used the USPS delivery confirmation service.
In light of all my angsty, stressing I decided to book myself a little trip with my friend Felicia....to Brighton, England! I'm excited to finally make it there, as I have been saying I would forever. Awesome beach, cute rugby players, fried boardwalk food and a bar/club in our hostel. Can't argue with that.
To Do/Intinerary
- Sometime next week: hand in my notice at work and try not to dance out of the building, smack papers out of anyone's hand or say "mail your own damn package, fools"
- End of July- Get myself some new teaching clothes and stop looking like a gutter slore
- Next week: pre-box my winter clothes so my mom can mail them over before it gets cold
- August 1st: Contact my credit card companies and let them know I'm outtie
- August: Set up an online account for my student loans
- August 7th- Fly to Edinburgh to meet up with Felicia
- August 10th- Off to Brighton
- August 12th-Back to Edinburgh for some general shenans and f**kery at the globe
- August 19th- Head to Seoul for orientation and try to fight the horrendous jetlag!
My year in Korea is quickly approaching and I cannot wait for my teaching adventures to begin.
Monday, July 2, 2012
So You Want to Be Epik?
I realized I never posted a list of requirements for the English Program in Korea. Whoops, my bad! For those who are interested:
Applicants must meet the following basic requirements to be eligible for the EPIK Program:
- Be a citizen of one of the 7 designated English speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa or the United States of America
- Have lived in one of the 6 designated English speaking countries for at least 10 years
- Have studied in one of the six designated English speaking countries from the junior high school level (7th grade)
- Hold at least a Bachelor's degree. One recruiting company, Korvia explains the details here.
- Be mentally and physically healthy
- Possess a good command of the English language
- Have a clean criminal record
- Have desire and ability to adapt to living in Korea
- Can you commit to one full year in Korea?
*This list should also include a TEFL certificate or other TESOL/CELTA certification. You don't need to have this before you apply, but you must complete it before you leave.
There are two intakes for Korea one in Fall and one in Spring, but it's never to early to begin getting your documents together and seriously considering why you want to go. For more information check out the Official Epik Site.
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