Time Travelling

Have you ever made one of those decisions or commitments where immediately following setting it in stone, you begin to wish you could get in a time machine and undo what you just did? 

Yup. My life this week. 

Nothing has been confirmed about said commitment yet, but I am just now realizing the repercussions to what I just signed on for. As most of you know, this fall I am student teaching/ interning at WV high school. I love it. I mean I really really love it. At first I was completely unsure and not confident in my choice of profession, but I love my kids/ mini adults. I shouldn't call them kids. Most of them are legal. Anyways, I was approached this week about an opportunity to sub for 3 weeks for another English teacher in my hallway. She had to take a leave of absence for personal reasons and her kids really need someone consistent in their classroom. Voila! Me. I had to interview this morning for the position and should hear back by tomorrow. I am excited about the chance to get experience and GET PAID for it, but I am sad because I will be leaving my wonderful seniors for juniors and sophomores. 

Also didn't think about how I would be at WV all day every day and how that would affect Kaleb's mobility in getting to class. I won't get done at WV till 4... Kaleb has a class at 3....I have the only car....we are a 20+ min walk from campus: Problem. 

I am not totally regretting volunteering to apply for this position, but I am nervous. I have decided though that if I get the job and for my future classes I am going to make them call me Kim Sunsangnim. (Basically this is Teacher Kim in Korean) I love it! 

KCD introduces Korean Dramas!

Now I have allotted Fridays to be known now and forever as Korean Culture Day or KCD. On these days I shall share amazing tidbits that I have learned about Korean culture. Today we will begin with Korean Dramas. This topic could easily cover an entire blog in and of itself. Maybe I will start one that reviews the various dramas I have watched....anyways off topic! Korean dramas. Yes, these are magical things that will suck you in and steal your soul. I first started watching Korean dramas because I wanted to learn more about the culture and hoped to pick up some more of the language. I was pulled in almost immediately. Korean dramas differ from American dramas in that they are actually good. All of the dramas I have watched have amazing plots. They literally are so angst ridden and culturally frustrating at times that you want to rip your hair out, but they have their moments of hilarity where you are crying you are laughing so hard, or their moments of heart rending sorrow where you curse the world with the characters. I have never been as emotional invested in a TV series as I am now in Korean dramas. And these dramas are not all romantic comedy/ sappy crap either. They have some excellent crime dramas, family dramas, regular comedy and coming of age stories.

Another interesting thing about Kdramas are that they are internationally famous. Among China, Japan, Phillippines, Thailand, and other Asian countries, Kdramas are known for their superior quality. They are starting to become more recognizable here in America too. I saw some of the dramas I had watched on Netflix the other day. Very exciting. I would recommend them to everyone. They are a fantastic insight into a different culture. Some of the dramas that I recommend in a heartbeat are the following: (in order of my favorites)

1. Secret Garden (2010)

2. You're Beautiful (2009)

 

3. Personal Taste (2010)

 

4. Hello My Teacher (2005)

5. Coffee Prince(2007)

Those are just my Top 5. They are the ones that I would recommend to the beginner Kdrama viewers out there. They are light and fluffy with just enough angst to worry, but not to want to jump off a bridge over. (Trust me...there are some dramas out there like that...cough cough Boys over Flowers)  Series usually run for about 16-20 episodes at 1 hour each. So so good. 

New Word

So K taught me a new word in Korean. Dongsaegi. It means "pooper". Why did he wait so long to teach me this word?! This is probably the most exciting word in Korean I have learned in a long time. Minus all the dirty words. Those are always fun. In any language.

Anyways, this post is brought to you by the word dongsaegi. And the number 8.  I am already looking for ways to introduce my new word into conversation. 

Behold....I am a feminist.

Let the mutters of indignation start now. Feminists really do have a bad rep. I read a quote on Facebook a couple days ago on one of my friend's statuses. It read as follows: "Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” - And this was quoted by a leader of a church! When I read quotes like this coming from prominent church leaders, it makes me wonder from what planet are they from. If I ever met a woman who was a feminist like this, she would be a sight to behold. What a fearsome creature she would be!

Now I am not one of those bra burning crazy radical feminists who would be happier forming a world of Amazon women and using men only for reproduction and pleasure. But there is a subtler brand of feminism and this is the school of thought I prescribe to. And honestly, it is more outrage at how women were treated in the past rather than the present. Although, I had to force myself to listen to a misogynistic male in my philosophy class last night that I would have LOVED to hand over to the Amazons. I just feel that women have been undervalued for anything but housekeeping and childbearing. There is more to life than that for men and as such, should be the same for women. Feminism started out not as a "anything you can do, I can do better" type of mindset, but as women wanting their voices heard and considered as well. This was striven for whether it be in literature, politics, or everyday lifestyle. Even though equality is on a more even ground, women are still not taken as seriously in areas such as the workplace. I know this cannot change overnight, but I do believe in standing up for women's rights. Go me. That is all. Do I have crazy eyes now? Don't think so.

If I have to burn a bra, it might as well be lacy.

Back to the misogynist male from the other night, he used my favorite accusation about women being lower than men...the good ol' Eve is the reason for Sin argument. Really? Really? And where was Adam during all of this?  We know he was right there next to her. Did he do anything to stop this? Nope. Just as guilty. Really this argument holds not bearing and I want to chuck a Bible at people who use it. Sigh. Rant over. I was just reading some literature on feminism and then saw that quote on Facebook and felt compelled to say something about it. Not that I really have a plethora of readers who actually care about my feminist leanings. Maybe I will go burn a bra.

On a happier note-- this weekend has been proclaimed Chattanooga weekend! K and I really need to get out of Cleveland and out of our apartment. Life on the home front lately has been stressed. Husbands are bizarre creatures that require sensitive care. How you advert disaster one time is totally different the next time. Luckily adaptability is one of my strengths.  Anyways----> this weekend...Barnes and Noble!! I am going to have to reign it in with my book buying. I can go slightly crazy. Ah well, we may end up starving, but at least it will be in the pursuit of knowledge.  

Stagnation....the smelly fridge kind

Weeeel, I have been feeling that wanderlust itch. The need to pick up and move somewhere new. Certainly not inspired by the fact that a lot of my friends and acquaintances have finished with college and gotten real jobs and moved to new cities. (cough..Anna) I just feel like my life has been put on hold and I am just sludging through grad school.  While I love love love the academic setting and am definitely committed to lifelong learning, I really am ready to move to the next stage. Not like children next stage...don't get excited readers. Children scare the willies out of me. I want an adventure.

That is something that has been on my mind a lot recently. Kiddos...children...spawn. I have always thought that naturally  I wanted to have kids. Perhaps I do. However,  I can't picture myself as a mother. At all. Shouldn't you be able to picture that? I don't even have that burning desire to have them. Most moms I've talked to mention that they have always wanted/dreamed/ imagined having kids and that they couldn't imagine not having them. Not me. I've never felt that way. Is that a sign that I shouldn't have kids? I know Kaleb wants to have kids and I'm cool with that. He isn't pushy about it at all. I definitely have like 5+ years before it becomes an issue. 5+ years left of freedom. Maybe that mindset is what is wrong. Maybe I shouldn't view children as a loss of freedom. But isn't that what they are? I am probably pissing off all of my "mom" friends, but let me explore my feelings. I am honestly not judging women who have kids or want to have them. I just am thinking through my feelings on the matter. Possibly the thing that scares me that most is having to be responsible for shaping a small being's worldview and taking care of them. You are shaping a life. How you raise them directly impacts how they live their life. Unfortunately, I can't even keep a bamboo plant alive.

I suppose one day I will want a baby, but right now I want to enjoy life and be free to spontaneously pick up and move. Hop countries and have adventures. There is plenty of time for childrearing later. I want to live first.

I might have to duck rotten fruit after posting this entry. 

But why is everything rotten?

 Today is all about getting used to Korean culture. Being married to one, I have regular mini-culture shocks. For instance: Kimchi. It stinks. If you do not know what kimchi is, it is a Korean staple for every meal (EVERY MEAL...even breakfast.) and it is basically rotten cabbage that has been lathered and drowned in spicy peppers and stuff. Koreans honestly believe, and I was told this in Korea, that if something is rotten it is healthier/better for you. Oh, excuse me, I was raised being told if something goes rotten...you NEVER eat it.  Now, I have been married for over 8 months now and I dated Kyounghee for two years before that. I am used to kimchi. I even like to eat it. <---it is an acquired taste. But on Sunday I think I bought the wrong tub of kimchi at the little international market in Knoxville. The tub said kimchi sukbak. Apparently the word sukbak makes it different from regular kimchi. I get home and start to prepare it. It is not rotten cabbage. It is rotten radishes with a few leaves of rotten cabbage and these mysterious slimy grayish green things that reminded my of squished eyeballs and almost made me throw up when I touched it. Come to find out they are, and I quote from the ingredients...."fish parts". For the love of God...why? Rotten fish parts. Surely that is not ok to eat. But no, Kyounghee scoffed at my squeamishness and happily munched away. I had to leave because the slimy eyeballs were staring at me and mocking. Ergo..mini-culture shock. I foresee a horrible future pregnancy when we live in Korea. I am going to be throwing up over everything. Beautiful.

So that is a  little insight into the daily workings of my cross-cultural marriage. Sound fun? 99.9% of the time, it is. Yesterday just so happened to be one of those 0.01% days. And if you are brave enough to eat da rotten kimchi....make sure it is cabbage kimchi and not "fish parts"/eyeball kimchi. You have a better chance that way. 

Row, Row, Row your boat

 Well, after over a month and a half of absolutely no rain in Cleveland, TN, God has opened the floodgates. Literally. There is a lake in front of our apartment that was not there before. And it has no intention of stopping until Wednesday. Joy. At least I do not have to student teach tomorrow. I don't think I have posted since I started student teaching so I suppose I can talk about that. I am observing and teaching a 12th grade English class at a local high school here in Cleveland. I am honestly terrified of it and the students. Most days I wonder what in the world I have gotten myself into. I've been told numerous times that once I am alone in the classroom teaching that I should expect to go home crying everyday. Uplifting, right? My mentor teacher is great though. She is really honest about the profession and I appreciate that. I would rather she tell me how hard it is going to be rather than sugarcoat it. Plus she has a fantastic sense of humor and I love our planning period together! The students themselves are typical seniors. COMPLETELY UNMOTIVATED. And I have no idea how to motivate them into wanting to learn about literature. My respect for teachers has multiplied a MILLION fold.

Kaleb and I are starting to plan our fall break trip. Everybody say yay!! We really need a vacation. We haven't gone away somewhere together since our honeymoon. We are thinking about DC if we have the monies, but if not, then we are daytripping it to Rock City, Lookout Mt, and/ or possible Six Flags and Stone Mt in GA. I'll keep you posted on that. My Korean study has been pretty lame lately. Kaleb takes joy in reminding me of that almost daily. As if I didn't have enough pressure over my head, learning one of the hardest languages in the world so that I can stop feeling guilty about not being able to converse with my in-laws is something I DON'T need. blah. Anyways, I need to stop being lame and just commit 30 mins a day to it. Easier said than done. Maybe instead of blogging......