Get ready to be touched by the ending of this one ^^
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, I was in my senior year of high school. This has become painfully obvious to me as I receive email after email about my class reunion. Unfortunately, I'm half-way across the globe with no plans to return to MN this summer, so I won't be attending said reunion. I always thought I'd dread such a thing. You know, like in the movies when no one wants to go because they'll just see how hot the school jocks still are and have to feel bad about not being married with 2 kids and a dog or make up some fantastic fact about how they spent their ten years.
Well, as it turns out, I think I wouldn't actually go anyway, but for completely different reasons. I mean, honestly I have a great job making good money, I've traveled a LOT, I have wonderful friends and loved ones who care about me, I'm thinner than I was 5 years ago (no one is as thin 10 yrs later as they were in HS, are they?), and still feel no inadequacy about not marrying or popping out babies. I'm in a great position to enjoy a reunion with all the people who tripped my friends and I walking down "hick hall," called us horrible names outside the drama room, and made fun of us when we participated in the themed dress-up days. In fact, it might be interesting to see how the tables may have turned (or at least evened) over the past decade.
But at the same time, most of my friends from high school are a year or two older or younger than I am. I had very few close friends in my class, so have even fewer reasons to attend this class reunion. On top of this, the school buildings I spent 5 semesters in were entirely demolished over the past 4 years so there's no chance of returning home and walking through the old halls. Lastly, I'm not really interested in spending a whole night talking about myself with a guy who's just waiting for me to finish so he can talk about himself, then lather, rinse, repeat with the next girl.
So, in lieu of attending I've sent this photo collage for the organizers to include in their presentation of "then" and "now" pictures. The photos are from 2007 to 2009, but pretty much sum up what I'd tell you if you and I met at my reunion. (In case you're really interested in my past, here's another collage including Iceland, Norway, Thailand, NYC, and some family in Korea.)
1. At the Great Wall of China, Beijing, 2007 2. My sister Ellie and I, Phoenix, Christmas 2009 3. At the Statue of Liberty, NY, 2008 4. Boyfriend Deuk Kyun and I at Korea's green tea fields, 2009 5. My class on Halloween, Korea, 2009 6. In a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress), 2009.
Well, as it turns out, I think I wouldn't actually go anyway, but for completely different reasons. I mean, honestly I have a great job making good money, I've traveled a LOT, I have wonderful friends and loved ones who care about me, I'm thinner than I was 5 years ago (no one is as thin 10 yrs later as they were in HS, are they?), and still feel no inadequacy about not marrying or popping out babies. I'm in a great position to enjoy a reunion with all the people who tripped my friends and I walking down "hick hall," called us horrible names outside the drama room, and made fun of us when we participated in the themed dress-up days. In fact, it might be interesting to see how the tables may have turned (or at least evened) over the past decade.
But at the same time, most of my friends from high school are a year or two older or younger than I am. I had very few close friends in my class, so have even fewer reasons to attend this class reunion. On top of this, the school buildings I spent 5 semesters in were entirely demolished over the past 4 years so there's no chance of returning home and walking through the old halls. Lastly, I'm not really interested in spending a whole night talking about myself with a guy who's just waiting for me to finish so he can talk about himself, then lather, rinse, repeat with the next girl.
So, in lieu of attending I've sent this photo collage for the organizers to include in their presentation of "then" and "now" pictures. The photos are from 2007 to 2009, but pretty much sum up what I'd tell you if you and I met at my reunion. (In case you're really interested in my past, here's another collage including Iceland, Norway, Thailand, NYC, and some family in Korea.)
1. At the Great Wall of China, Beijing, 2007 2. My sister Ellie and I, Phoenix, Christmas 2009 3. At the Statue of Liberty, NY, 2008 4. Boyfriend Deuk Kyun and I at Korea's green tea fields, 2009 5. My class on Halloween, Korea, 2009 6. In a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress), 2009.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
And now for some more pop songs! (AKA What spring sounds like)
T-ara (read "Tiara") - I'm Really Hurt (내가 노무 아파)
2AM - I Did/Was Wrong (잘못했어)
If you're interested here's the Drama Part 2 of 2AM's I Did Wrong video.
Avril Lavigne - Alice (Underground) Just a link for now. The actual video is hard to find and this one has disabled the embed function.
2AM - I Did/Was Wrong (잘못했어)
If you're interested here's the Drama Part 2 of 2AM's I Did Wrong video.
Avril Lavigne - Alice (Underground) Just a link for now. The actual video is hard to find and this one has disabled the embed function.
Friday, April 9, 2010
On Open-Minded Korea
Korea? Open-mindedness? Those of you who live here may think I'm making a joke here, but I'd like to invite you to open your mind to this perspective.
Since moving to Korea, I've had multiple opportunities to be told I am crazy, irresponsible, or out of control; to be laughed at, ridiculed, re-educated (in the proper way!), or outright shunned. I won't go into the personal details of most of these occasions but on most of them just what you expected had happened. Someone called me crazy, taught me a lesson, or laughed at me.
More recently though, I've taken note of a change. Or, more precisely, a change occurred without me really noticing at all. Lately, I have had more of these chances to be called a whack-a-doo, but have been met with very different results than what I (and you, c'mon, be real) expected. I have in fact been told what I'm doing is understandable, acceptable, even cool, interesting!
Some sort of shift towards greater acceptance, openness has begun slowly grinding it's gears in Korea over the past 8-10 years as it did in the US during the 60's. I see fewer and fewer married by age 25 housewives of the 90's (equivalent to 50's American gals) and more unwed 30-something ladies pleased as peaches to live independently. Men eager to woo a woman, start a family, and father heirs have given way to those who move away from the parents, start their career, and find their priorities lie in a more solo vein. This is just the beginning of the changes I've marked. Along with freedom from familial obligations, a new-found desire for education, independent financial strength, and sexual liberation.
It is this sexual revolution that is most outwardly visible in the culture. From explicit hip-hop blaring out of shop doors to pop stars appearing on cable TV wearing very suggestive clothing and young girls imitating them, anyone who's lived in Korea will tell you it's a curious thing: The seemingly open sexuality is juxtaposed with a prudish attitude towards actual sex and PDAs. Young couples (who often still live with their parents) feel forced to make out in secret, private places like singing rooms and DVD rooms, and rarely show affection beyond hand-holding in public.
Although this is still true, now that more youths are moving out of their parent's home, they create a private escape for themselves and whomever they wish to share it with. Even though it's still occurring under wraps, this setting would be more permanent and stable. I'd argue that unmarried couples would begin to feel more comfortable with their... extra-curricular activities. That's gotta have an impact on how young people think about sex and openness. I also can't help but think this has some tiny connection to the recent influx of us wild, no-limits foreigners. We're here to teach English or practice our business trade, but inevitably, we make an example of our culture and behavior.
Whether I'm responsible in some small way or not, I have to say these changes seem long overdue. Those of you who know me personally also know I'll welcome freedom from conservative pressures on young people any day!
Since moving to Korea, I've had multiple opportunities to be told I am crazy, irresponsible, or out of control; to be laughed at, ridiculed, re-educated (in the proper way!), or outright shunned. I won't go into the personal details of most of these occasions but on most of them just what you expected had happened. Someone called me crazy, taught me a lesson, or laughed at me.
More recently though, I've taken note of a change. Or, more precisely, a change occurred without me really noticing at all. Lately, I have had more of these chances to be called a whack-a-doo, but have been met with very different results than what I (and you, c'mon, be real) expected. I have in fact been told what I'm doing is understandable, acceptable, even cool, interesting!
Some sort of shift towards greater acceptance, openness has begun slowly grinding it's gears in Korea over the past 8-10 years as it did in the US during the 60's. I see fewer and fewer married by age 25 housewives of the 90's (equivalent to 50's American gals) and more unwed 30-something ladies pleased as peaches to live independently. Men eager to woo a woman, start a family, and father heirs have given way to those who move away from the parents, start their career, and find their priorities lie in a more solo vein. This is just the beginning of the changes I've marked. Along with freedom from familial obligations, a new-found desire for education, independent financial strength, and sexual liberation.
It is this sexual revolution that is most outwardly visible in the culture. From explicit hip-hop blaring out of shop doors to pop stars appearing on cable TV wearing very suggestive clothing and young girls imitating them, anyone who's lived in Korea will tell you it's a curious thing: The seemingly open sexuality is juxtaposed with a prudish attitude towards actual sex and PDAs. Young couples (who often still live with their parents) feel forced to make out in secret, private places like singing rooms and DVD rooms, and rarely show affection beyond hand-holding in public.
Although this is still true, now that more youths are moving out of their parent's home, they create a private escape for themselves and whomever they wish to share it with. Even though it's still occurring under wraps, this setting would be more permanent and stable. I'd argue that unmarried couples would begin to feel more comfortable with their... extra-curricular activities. That's gotta have an impact on how young people think about sex and openness. I also can't help but think this has some tiny connection to the recent influx of us wild, no-limits foreigners. We're here to teach English or practice our business trade, but inevitably, we make an example of our culture and behavior.
Whether I'm responsible in some small way or not, I have to say these changes seem long overdue. Those of you who know me personally also know I'll welcome freedom from conservative pressures on young people any day!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What in the world is happening?
In Korea, I have a limited set of resources for world events at my fingertips. Of course, I can always search the internet for the latest information on current goings-on, and I do. The difference from my life in the US is that I don't have newscasters boring a hole in my head with the same newsreel everytime I turn on the TV or radio. And to be sure, I'm pretty lazy. I'd rather not spend my break times at work watching video news on the web or sorting through network websites for articles. (And I quite dislike reading news articles on the computer.)
Aside from all this, I have been watching CNN intermittently for the past few days to get updates on the latest in world terrors. First was the attack on two stations in Moscow's underground by a pair of female suicide bombers. As of a day ago (according to this AP Report), 39 people were killed and 71 were hospitalized after the two Chechen rebel attackers entered the subway and detonated vests filled with steel bolts and wire.
Really? Bolts?? Reports are saying that women of Islamic militant groups from the Northern Caucasus, called Black Widows, have initiated other attacks on Russian targets to avenge the deaths of loved ones. But I can't see how 39 innocent business people, children, or housewives out shopping have anything to do with those women's lost family members.
Secondly, I heard from MSN Home yesterday that 9 people from a Christian extremist group were arrested for selling pipe bombs in connection with an attack plot. Allegedly, they had planned to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral "in hopes of touching off an uprising against the U.S. government." The group is called the Hutaree, and it seems they've been in the woods in Michigan training and learning how to make bombs for the past 2 years. MSNBC Article: 9 Arrested in Michigan
So far, there have been no victims of these bombs (that we know of), but this is scary stuff. Making and selling munitions in rural MI? And, I'm pretty clever, but even I couldn't imagine bombing the funeral of an officer I'd killed in order to cause a rebellion.
ABC News Blogger Marisa's Musings on these two (among other) issues
Now how can anyone honestly feel the least bit justified to fear, insult, hate, or distrust those who come from outside? People, foreigners whom we don't know? To all those living in the midwest, look around you. You may be living next to a "terrorist." You live in Melbourne? LA? Shanghai, Saskatchewan, Sweden? South Korea? Terrorists. I'm just saying, the news lately has reminded me that the last time I worried about a "terrorist" threat from within was probably 1995 (Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols). There have also been various school shootings since then with victims numbering around the single digits to the 20s. Think long and hard next time you pull your handbag closer while passing someone who looks different from you or is speaking another language. Consider the recent goings-on next time you warn your children to be wary of trouble; remember that strangers are strangers no matter where they're from, but also that good, kind, warm people also come from everywhere.
Aside from all this, I have been watching CNN intermittently for the past few days to get updates on the latest in world terrors. First was the attack on two stations in Moscow's underground by a pair of female suicide bombers. As of a day ago (according to this AP Report), 39 people were killed and 71 were hospitalized after the two Chechen rebel attackers entered the subway and detonated vests filled with steel bolts and wire.
Really? Bolts?? Reports are saying that women of Islamic militant groups from the Northern Caucasus, called Black Widows, have initiated other attacks on Russian targets to avenge the deaths of loved ones. But I can't see how 39 innocent business people, children, or housewives out shopping have anything to do with those women's lost family members.
Secondly, I heard from MSN Home yesterday that 9 people from a Christian extremist group were arrested for selling pipe bombs in connection with an attack plot. Allegedly, they had planned to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral "in hopes of touching off an uprising against the U.S. government." The group is called the Hutaree, and it seems they've been in the woods in Michigan training and learning how to make bombs for the past 2 years. MSNBC Article: 9 Arrested in Michigan
So far, there have been no victims of these bombs (that we know of), but this is scary stuff. Making and selling munitions in rural MI? And, I'm pretty clever, but even I couldn't imagine bombing the funeral of an officer I'd killed in order to cause a rebellion.
ABC News Blogger Marisa's Musings on these two (among other) issues
Now how can anyone honestly feel the least bit justified to fear, insult, hate, or distrust those who come from outside? People, foreigners whom we don't know? To all those living in the midwest, look around you. You may be living next to a "terrorist." You live in Melbourne? LA? Shanghai, Saskatchewan, Sweden? South Korea? Terrorists. I'm just saying, the news lately has reminded me that the last time I worried about a "terrorist" threat from within was probably 1995 (Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols). There have also been various school shootings since then with victims numbering around the single digits to the 20s. Think long and hard next time you pull your handbag closer while passing someone who looks different from you or is speaking another language. Consider the recent goings-on next time you warn your children to be wary of trouble; remember that strangers are strangers no matter where they're from, but also that good, kind, warm people also come from everywhere.
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