Strange English Signs in Korea

One of the most consistently entertaining things about living in a country that doesn't speak English is the English. The signs are sometimes so funny that you can't believe someone didn't catch it before it made it to the printing room. Bad English is everywhere in Korea: on t-shirts, on posters, on TV, in songs, in movies, in national parks, on official monuments, in government pamphlets, you get the picture. Once a friend of mine sat across from a couple on the KTX wearing couple t-shirts that had arrows pointing to the partner with the words "loves the cock". When he asked to take a photo of them, they smiled and gave the classic "victory" sign. There's gotta be some victory in there somewhere.

So, as an English teacher, should I be concerned about all of this bad English infiltrating the minds and culture that I am there to nurture, right?

Nope.

I just take photos of it.

Where is the best of the worst English you've encountered?

Natural Risk-Takers

Sitting in the Porter lounge at Billy Bishop airport in Toronto, my flight to Boston cancelled and rescheduled 5 hours later, I pull up some readings for my online masters program. This week we are discussing how to teach listening:

"Those who are cautious need to be encouraged to take risks and to make inferences based upon the words they have managed to identify. Natural risk-takers need to be encouraged to check their guesses against new evidence as it comes in from the speaker. And all learners need to be shown that making guesses is not a sign of failure: it is a normal part of listening to a foreign language"

('The Changing Face of Listening', by John Field, English Teaching Professional 6 1998)

"Natural risk-takers". The idea that some of us are naturally predisposed to a life of risk. 

As a traveller, I often reflect on situations where I ought to have made different choices than I did. Should I have hopped in that car with the man who worked in the Underground in London? Should I have drank that mysterious cloudy alcohol in Turkey, given to me by a person whose name I didn't know? Should I have slept alone in all those airports? Should I have had that Chai tea with that stranger in Kuala Lumpur? Should I have pulled out my camera and taken that photo of the 'no photo' sign at the border? Should I have gotten on that bus without checking that it was the right one, not knowing it would drop me off in the dark next to a garbage dump at midnight? Should I have made those choices? Should I have taken those risks?

Should you really have trusted me with all your worldly belongings?

Maybe not. 

Maybe I shouldn't have gotten drunk with my roommate and spontaneously booked that one-way ticket to London back in 2006. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Korea without knowing anything more than the voice of my boss. Maybe I shouldn't have held my camera in one hand while trying not to fall on that slippery border crossing above a rushing river. Maybe I shouldn't have had that lemon shake that tasted a bit funny. Maybe I shouldn't have sat on the stairs of that train carriage. 

Maybe I shouldn't have talked to that guy at that party. 

But, what if?

If I hadn't booked that ticket to London, I wouldn't have travelled those 22 countries in 4 months, and I wouldn't have learned that I could travel alone. If I hadn't gone to Korea, I wouldn't have spent 4 of the happiest years of my twenties making friendships and memories that will last my lifetime. If I hadn't filmed that border crossing, I wouldn't remember how unsafe that bridge actually was. If I hadn't had that lemon shake I wouldn't have gotten traveller's diarrhea... okay so that was one risk I shouldn't have taken, but it was so thirst-quenching! If I hadn't sat on the stairs of the train carriage I wouldn't have dropped my purse and leaped off the moving train (James Bond style) to get it, but I also wouldn't have learned that a train in Burma will stop for that one idiot traveller who jumped off.

If I hadn't talked to that guy at that party, I wouldn't be sitting in this airport lounge now, with him at my side, waiting to board this plane to Boston. 

In language learning, in travel, in life, we take risks every day. We have heard that getting in a car presents more risk than boarding a plane.

I'm not encouraging wannabe travellers to adopt a risk-taking attitude, or that natural risk-takers make better travellers. No, not at all. What I am saying is that our lives are made up of the sum of our experiences. And the experiences that we have are, sometimes, the direct result of the choices we make. Risk-taker or cautious, we are all making choices every day that shape the direction of our lives.

While we're getting deep, I'll also share that I suffer from overconfidence, a trait that can make or break a person, almost literally. Over the years, and throughout my travels, I have tried to keep my confidence in check, and to recognize when a particular situation merits more logical reflection than an impulsive choice. As I inch closer and closer to my thirtieth birthday, (pause for reaction), I am learning to balance my personal, educational, and professional life with my natural tendency to throw all my eggs in one basket, or (more literally) throw all my savings into a 6-month trip through South America. Trying to see the whole damn world while keeping my head on straight.

It is gonna take more than a few risks to get me there, or perhaps it will just take a few more cancelled flights.

Thoughts from Korea

Diary entry:

I've been in Korea for 4 days now, and I've hardly slept a wink. Jetlag seems to be hitting me pretty hard this time around, so I am trying my best to adjust to the time here. At first I was insomniac for 2 nights, barely sleeping more than an hour. But, it's getting better slowly, as I woke up at 4am yesterday and 5am today.

I arrived in Seoul and spent my first night with my friend Yoomi, sharing her one-room apartment near Seongsin Women's University in central Seoul. Yoomi and I originally met in Toronto in 2008, when she was a student in my Beginner level class. We have become really close over the years, so it was really nice to spend those first few hours back in Korea with her. She even had made vegetarian pizza from scratch for me when I arrive at her place. 

The following day we walked around Myeongdong together and did a little shopping. My luggage didn't arrive with me on my flight from Detroit, so I bought a few necessary items to survive until my bag would be delivered (which happened on Sunday night at 1:30am, but that's another story).

On the way to meet my friend for dinner, something amazing happened. I was transferring trains in the subway, and someone behind me said "Kerri?" It was surreal, to hear my name in such a crowded place. My first day in Seoul, and I ran into my good friend Hyojin! We couldn't believe the chance, in a city of 10 million...

That night I met up with my old friend and fellow Youtuber Stephen for Mexican food in Hongdae. He took me to his favourite bar, Thursday Party, and it was full of foreigners. I think there might be more foreigners in Seoul now than there were in 2012... but I don't know any numbers. It was fun to hang out there, but I tend to prefer the quieter more local feeling bar scene in Hongdae. 

The next day, after an insomniac night, my friend and former student EunJu called me and we met up for coffee and breakfast near Ewha University in Seoul. It was so great having a coffee bun from Paris Baguette (some things never change). EunJu is an ambitious traveller, visiting India 3 times by herself, so we had a really satisfying conversation about travel, happiness, and our memories.

That afternoon I took a bus to Changwon to visit an old friend and to pick up a guitar and a suitcase that I had left behind when I left Korea in 2012. Actually, when I left Korea then, I was certain I would return within a few months, so I left a lot of important things here in Korea. I left them with my Korean boyfriend at the time, who is now my ex, and who at the time of breaking up told me he would throw my belongings into the trash. Needless to say, it was very relieving to see my luggage and guitar as I had left them, in the hands of a good friend. A big part of the reason for my trip here now is to bring those things back with me, and in a way to close some chapters of my life here in Korea. 

After Changwon, I took a bus to my old stomping ground, Jinju! I met my former boss and my friend Seongmin for lunch. It was great to see my boss, as she is an amazing woman who helped make my time at Jinju Kyodae very rewarding. I also had a fun time catching up with Seongmin. Seeing both of them, I realized it's wonderful to see people that you love doing well in their lives. 

Now I am preparing to return to Seoul to visit with a few more friends before I fly to the Philippines for a week. I can't wait to sit on the beach and get back into scuba diving. Luckily, I'll have one more week in Korea before I return to Toronto at the end of the month. I know the beach will be great, but part of me will be counting down the days to Seoul again. 

From Jinju,

Kerri

Guest Post: Volunteering in Western Kenya

My good friend visited Kenya a few years ago, and when I asked her to tell me all about it, before anything else, she grinned and replied "you'll have to see it for yourself."

Since that conversation, Kenya has become somewhere I want to go and stay for a while. The way of living, the food, the natural landscape, and the music allure me. Though I have visited other countries through which the equator passes, I have still yet to set foot in the African continent. Lucky for us, former English teacher in Korea turned blogger Natalie over at Live Teach Alaska has written up a guest post all about her time in Kenya. Here she shares her stories from her time volunteering in the Muhuru Bay area in Western Kenya. Take us into the bush, Natalie...

After six hours of driving over the uneven dirt roads of the Great Rift Valley, my team and I arrived in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, in the dark of night. Our van pulled into a tiny compound with three mud huts on the shore of Lake Victoria. Sleepily, I grabbed my suitcase and headed into my designated hut. I turned on the light, which was but a small, dim bulb at the apex of the triangular straw ceiling, and watched in horror as a carpet of insects scattered towards the walls. Shooting towards me was a creature several inches in length that closely resembled a white scorpion (though I still don’t know what it was). I screamed, my husband raced in, shouted, “Oh my God!”, and attempted to squash the Godzilla bug with a broom.

This was my first experience in the Eastern African Bush. After finally settling in that night, I was destined for one week of plastic bag showers, second degree sunburns, and toilet troubles. However, I can confidently say it was all worth it. My trip to Muhuru Bay truly changed my life.

I traveled to Kenya with eight family members and family friends to volunteer at Mama Maria, a fledgling clinic in Muhuru Bay. On our second day in the village, we were unexpectedly invited to a funeral. Despite our protests, we were seated as guests of honor and watched as family members of the deceased mourned by openly wailing.

After the funeral, we sat down at the feasting table and shared a plate of ugali with the people of the village. Children hid behind trees and rocks, staring and smiling at us.

A plate of ugali: maize cooked with water

The next day, we took a small fishing boat to visit a village on the other side of the lake. Despite the very poor living conditions, the villagers flocked over to greet us and show us around. A little girl took my hand as we were shown inside the huts of several of the village people who proudly showed off their pots and pans.

Later that week, we traveled to the only school in Muhuru Bay to teach a lesson about dental hygiene. Because the people in Muhuru Bay brush their teeth with tree bark, standard dental care was foreign knowledge. We passed out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss and showed them how to properly clean their teeth with a toothbrush.

A few days before the end of our trip, we heard about two girls who had fled Tanzania with their father to live in Muhuru Bay. The two girls we met had albinism and were forced to escape from their home because witch doctors were hunting them for their arms and legs. In Tanzania, it is a widespread belief that albino limbs have magical healing powers. The two little girls, ages 3 and 5, were scabbing all over their bodies due to terrible sunburns. We drove out to meet them and brought hats, sunscreen, and two goats for their family.

Although my first trip to Kenya wasn’t glamorous, it was extremely eye-opening and has changed me in so many ways. Witnessing a different culture, getting out of my comfort zone, volunteering, and giving to others made for a trip I’ll never forget. If you ever have the opportunity to travel to the African Bush, I would highly recommend it. I assure you, you will walk out of the experience a different person. 

You can follow Natalie’s adventures in a native Alaskan village at: http://www.liveteachalaska.com/

Or join the conversation at: https://www.facebook.com/LiveTeachAlaska  

The likely (and less likely) things I miss from Korea

I've been away from Korea for 4 months now, and I constantly think of things I would love to be able to do if I were in Korea still. From naked scrub-downs to weddings to tears to taxis, here's a list of all the things I miss about Korea:

1. I miss jjimjilbangs

The jjimjilbang is a place of magic, where you can sit in a sauna, soak in hot baths, sleep overnight, and have a facial and a full body scrub down all for less than 30,000 won. After living in Korea for 4 years, I've really embraced the culture of daily exfoliation and scrubbing. I have the exfoliating cloths that they use in my own shower, and enjoy doing it myself, but I usually shell out 18,000 won a month to have the amazing ladies scrub me down. Now that I'm travelling, I don't have access to the amazing scrubbing women, nor to the saunas of Korea. I've tried going to spas to find similar treatments, but everything is far too expensive, and just not the same as Korea. Sigh, my skin needs a good scrub.

[Sidenote: My Korean friends often laugh at me when I say "jjimjilbangs", because I have added the plural "s" to a Korean word. Most Koreans have never heard this word used in English, and laugh hard when they hear it with an "s" at the end. So I implore you to make them laugh, and use the word "jjimjilbangs" next time it comes up.]

2. I miss weddings

My good friends Evan and Rachel just tied the knot in Seoul this weekend. My other friend Himchan (in the above image) married his sweetheart in June. The longer I live in Korea, the deeper my friendships become, and the closer we get to the perfect marrying age. When I first moved to Korea, I was missing my friends' weddings from home, but now that I am away from Korea, I am missing my Korean friends' weddings too. And there's just something about the performance and efficiency of Korean weddings that makes me really love them.

3. I miss my job

I was very lucky in Korea, as I was hired by Jinju National University of Education as one of their conversation instructors in 2010. As soon as I arrived on campus, I was greeted by bright smiles of the students and staff of this small university. Not long after, I felt like I was a part of the small community, and saw a few students and staff become truly close friends of mine. I worked there for 2 years, watching freshman grow into responsible sophomores, watching seniors take on their first teaching jobs, and watching my friendships with co-workers blossom into friendships for life. Upon finishing my contract, I had farewell dinners with students where tears were shed, tears of joy for being grateful to have met, but also tears of having to say goodbye. I am still in contact with a few students, and can't wait for the day when I can visit them again on campus and see how much they have grown.

4. I miss Asia

When I wake up in the morning in my apartment in South Korea, I feel happy to know I am in Asia. Whenever I've been away from Korea for a while, upon arriving back at Incheon airport, I feel like everything is in order again, like I'm in the right place in the world. Now that I've been away for 4 months, and that I'm not sure what my next job will be, I'm fantasizing about flying back into Seoul and starting a new job at a university there.

5. I miss sidedishes

When you eat in a restaurant in Korea, even when eating fast food, your meal is served with sidedishes. Sidedishes usually include kimchi, seaweed, mushrooms, cabbage, fish cakes, and other surprises. When you finish a sidedish you like, it will be refilled free of charge. I love this culture of generosity and sharing, and I long for Korean sidedishes everytime I eat a meal here in South America.

5. I miss the Youtube Community

It's no secret that Youtube is a big part of my life. As a big part of my Youtube life exists in Korea, a lot of my good friends are fellow vloggers. When in Korea, I love collaborating with other vloggers, and featuring them in my videos. I also am a co-organizer of the Seoultube community get togethers, and I am sad to say that I won't be in Korea for the upcoming Seoultube annual gathering in October.

6. I miss taxis

As I am travelling now, taxis are a very common mode of transportation for me. We take them from the bus stations to hostels, and sometimes take them to and from destinations in the city when we don't know the way. However, South America is known for its dodgy taxis and for scamming tourists, and so taking taxis can be a challenge. In Peru, I asked my local friends how to find a safe taxi, and was advised that the locals just look at the driver and try to choose taxi drivers with kind faces. Alone at 9pm as a female in Lima, it's hard to find a taxi driver with a nice looking face. When I stand on the street, gazing into the distance for a taxi, I miss the safety of Korean taxis, and how cheap they are. If only I could bring Korean taxi drivers and prices to Bolivia...

7. I miss set prices

In South America, and in particular in Peru, it seems that prices are nearly always double or more for tourists than they are for locals. Consider Machu Picchu: entrance for foreigners is 128 soles, nearly 8 times the price that Peruvians pay. My Peruvian friends also told me that many shopkeepers will simply double the real price when I ask, simply because of the way I look. Another example is the price of the taxi that I took to meet my Peruvian friends: I paid 20 soles on my way there (a price which I agreed to), and my Peruvian friends negotiated a taxi for just 8 soles for the same route back home. I don't mind paying a bit more as a tourist, though, since I am a guest and I don't speak enough Spanish to negotiate prices. Though price changes happen in Korea sometimes too, I still miss being in a place where I know the approximate price and value of things, and also in a place where many prices are fixed.

Korea may not win on the clean air scale, and might not be tops on the personal space scale either, but it has a lot of great things going for it. The above are just a few of the many things which make my life in Korea very comfortable and enjoyable.

All of the photos in this post come from Expatkerri's Instagram.

big in granada

big skies

big avocados

big trees

big colours

big friendships

Just two days into Granada, Nicaragua with my beautiful travel partner Brenna, I can't help but feel we're at the beginning of something amazing, something life altering, something unforgettable, something big.

This morning over breakfast, we discussed an idea I've wondered about before. Whether you travel for a week or a month or a year, after the travels are over you feel a specific range of feelings when reviewing your photos.

It's easy to think of the pictures from early on in the trip as being less informed and lacking the worldly wisdom of later pictures - your clothes tidy and clean, your skin unworn and not yet blazed by the sun.

Around the middle of the trip, the photos are happy and care-free: the mark of a traveler truly amid the journey, thinking neither of the beginning or the end of the travels. For me, this is where I usually find my favourite travel photos.

When it comes to the final pictures of the trip, they seem to hold the knowledge, sadness, and already nostalgic feeling of a trip coming to an end. Sometimes you even stop taking pictures for days at a time.

Every trip has a beginning, a middle, and an end. And though this trip through central and south America together begins now for us, it's hardly the beginning of our journey as travelers together: we've traveled Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Japan, Thailand, Burma, and South Korea together.

And it's certainly not the end.