Thursday, June 13, 2019

Final Celebration Post

Thank you!













































I want to start by saying how grateful I am to have gotten to share this experience with all of you! I hope it was beneficial and that you learned something new about South Korea. We both worked hard these last ten weeks so I appreciate all of your enthusiasm and interest in my study abroad adventure~

To recap a little of what discussed on Wednesday, I want to reiterate and encourage you all to always try! Put the effort in, try new things, and make things happen for yourself. Always advocate for yourself. South Korea has been full of surprises. Like I mentioned, I am the minority here. I don't speak the language, but this is not to say that I don't get treated favorably. I would attribute my successes here to going out of my comfort zone and getting what I need when I need it. 

My life advice: Surround yourself with positive people! Friends come and go, but the important ones will stay or even return later on. While living abroad, I had to figure out where I fit in socially. I had to remind myself that not everyone would match me or my efforts. I had to accept that even if I made an effort to meet new people and invite them out, I could not force anyone to be my friend. I knew a relationship would be successful when the person put just as much effort into making plans as I did. Do they invite me to dinner? To study? Do they stop to chat? Are they supportive? Do they remember the things I tell them in conversation? Give love to those you care about! It may sound corny, but don't be afraid to show people you care. Give the love and attention that you want in return. This may be a more adult concept, but me and my friends are constantly hyping each other up because we believe in each others capabilities. We are all beautiful, capable, and worthy people. Remember to love yourself and love those around you. 


My favorite music: 
Korean: Offonoff, Haon, Sik-K, DPR Live, Crush, Dean, Colde, Jay Park, Jooyoung, and BTS. 

Spanish: Christian Nodal, Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, Maluma, Ozuna, Nicky Jam, Gerardo Ortiz, Calibre 50, Joan Sebastian, Ramon Ayala, Chayin Rubio, etc.


Teachers I remember from Ron Russel Middle School (Please forgive me if I my memory fails me!!):

  • Mr. Stump (Math)
  • Ms. Koskela (Social Studies and Language Arts
  • Mr. Parker (Social Studies and Language Arts)
  • Mr. DuPont 
  • Mr. Long (4th grade teacher at Earl Boyles) (I heard he was the Principal or Vice Principal of RRMS)
  • Mr. McNeal (Physical Education)







Image result for south korean flag































Keep working hard, everyone! I hope to see you all next year when I go visit 😄

Sunday, June 2, 2019

This Isn't Casper the Friendly Ghost

Hello class,

It is week 10, which means that this journey is almost over for both me and you! 

For our last regular post, I wanted to show you:


Traditional Ghosts of Korea

Korean ghosts are characterized by their death, meaning that they died for a certain reason. Their stories can be explained by Han. Because every ghost has their own story and reason for remaining on Earth, they cannot disappear until their Han is released. The name for Korean supernatural mythology is seolhwa, which means "tales". These tales can be divided into three categories: shinhwa meaning "myth", cheonseol meaning "legend", and mindam meaning "folklore". Most of these ghosts are considered shinhwa. Shin refers to ghosts and monsters. A Gwishin is a ghost or spirit trapped in the living realm because of unfinished business. They cannot move onto the afterlife until this unfulfilled task (Han) is fulfilled (released). 

In today's blog, I will refer to Confucianism, which has cultural influence from China. Korean Confucianism is a belief system that continues to heavily influence the society today in terms of their moral system, way of life, social relations between young and old, hierarchy, and legal system. If you remember what I have written on Korean age and social hierarchy, most of that is based in Confucianism. Many of these ghosts stories are based in Confucianism because their stories are considered guides for people to live their life correctly. Now, let's get into a few of the different types of ghosts!


Myeongdo and Taejoo

These are the ghosts of children who died before the age of 3. Girl ghosts are called myeongdo and boy ghosts are called taejoo. These names are representative of their inability to speak properly since they died so young. People who have seen myeongdo/taejoo ghosts say that they make blowing sounds to try to get your attention. It is believed that they become ghosts because they want to keep living and receive love. Fortunately, it is believed that they still ascend to the afterlife after a certain amount of time.


Mogdal Gwishin

This is the ghost of a man who did not get married in life. He is left with Han because he did not get ancestral rites since he did not married. This ghost could have also died from lovesickness. They are usually harmless to the living, but will cover the heads of those who angered them with a traditional rice filter, which curses the offender to die of disease. 


Cheonyeo Gwishin

This is the ghost of a woman who did not get married. In Confucian Korean tradition, it is the woman's duty to serve her father, husband, and sons. If she dies before being able to do this, she is left with han and is tied to Earth. These ghosts are the most famous and usually seen wearing a white hanbok called "sobok" which is usually worn during death. They also have long black hair because tradition says that single women should always wear their hair tied up. 

These ghosts are said to be very angry and bitter. They haunt the villages and towns of their former families. These ghosts also hate marriage and try to sabotage weddings. If the marriage is successful, they move on to haunt the couple's family, sometimes even causing them harm. If a Cheonyo Gwishin meets a Mogdal Gwishin, they may get married and stop bothering the living. Ancient Shaman rituals can also be held to unite two ghosts so that they stop tormenting the living. 

It is believed that you could prevent an unmarried women from becoming a Cheonyeo Gwishin by burying the body in a place that many people visit or bury the body in male clothes to confuse it. 

Image result for mogdal gwishin


Dalgyal Gwishin

These are ghosts of people with no descendants, but what makes them scary is their appearance and what they do to the living. This ghost is called an egg ghost because it is a head and hair without ears, eyes, a nose, or mouth. Some even lack arms and legs! They are said to be the most frightening and dangerous Gwishin. If seen, it is said that people can die instantly, but they are generally considered an omen of death. 


Mul Gwishin

These are the ghosts of people who have drowned. They reside near bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and even bathtubs. You would know if it was a Mul Gwishin if they have wet clothes and super long arms! They are stuck on Earth due to their unexpected death by drowning. These ghosts are thought to grab onto unaware swimmers and drag them underwater using their long arms. Mul Gwishin are never fully seen, only their arms or head have been briefly spotted above the water. 


Mythology

I hope I did not scare anyone with all of this talk about ghosts. I want to remind you all that these are traditional stories passed down through generations and there exists many variations of the same story. They are stories, myths, tales - not based in fact. There are people who believe in ghosts and others who are skeptical. These traditional ghost stories serve as models of behavior designed to guide the Korean people in their actions. There are more kinds of ghosts that represent a punishment for how a person lived their life, but I focused on the more better known ghosts. There are also other entities such as Korea's grim reaper, goblins, shapeshifters, etc. Many Korean dramas have been based on traditional Korean ghosts such as: Oh My Ghostess, Goblin, and Master's Sun. The way they depict mythological creatures in K-Dramas is much more happy and lighthearted! If you're interested in learning about other mythological creatures, I recommend you do a google search because it is really interesting! 


Questions:

Are there any ghosts or ghost stories that are popular in your family? Please explain. 
Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
Do you think these ghosts are scary? 


I'm excited for our end of the year celebration!

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Photo of the Week

I love sharing my food with you all! This is Rabokki (ramen teokkbokki), cheese fries, and grapefruit ade! 

Monday, May 27, 2019

I am how old in Korea?!

Hellooooo!

Today we are going to discuss the topic of Korean Age.

I don't know if any of you have heard of Korean age, but basically, you turn one year old on the day of your birth and you get one year older on January 1st of the following year. In South Korea, this is referred to as "man" age. Korean age is used in everyday life here, but official documents adhere to international age. I knew about Korean age before coming, but I didn't think it would be as important as it is!

Why do they count age this way?

They count age this way because they believe that the nine months in the mother's womb must be counted. That is why a newborn's 100th day is so important! It technically completes one full year of life. The one hundredth day party is called baegil janchi






















Everyone Asks My Age!

You know how people usually refrain from asking an adults age because it could be seen as rude? That is not the case in South Korea. People here ask about age and marital status before having a proper discussion in order to use the appropriate level of Korean language. The Korean language strictly reflects the relationship and hierarchical order between two people. I have heard the expression of South Korea having a vertical hierarchical system while the West has a horizontal one. This suggests that people are spoken to with equal respect in the West, regardless of age or social standing. The vertical system in South Korea is based highly on your job position, age, and level of education. If someone is older, in a higher position than you, or both, you would need to speak to them using honorifics. This means that most words and phrases can be said two ways, informal and honorific.

I cannot speak Korean well, so this does not apply to me so much in the sense that Koreans do not expect me to adhere to the rules of hierarchy, especially if we are having a conversation in English. It's just not possible. However, I still refer to my Korean professors as Seonsaengnim because it is the honorific teacher. Always try to be respectful when referring to your teachers! When I go out with new people, they usually ask what year I was born. While we don't speak with honorifics, it is impolite to call someone by there name! So you must know someone's age to know what is appropriate to call them. I'm usually older, so the girls call me unni (older sister of a female) and the boys call me noona (older sister of a male). 

The Basics

Unni - older sister of a female
Oppa - older brother of a female
Noona - older sister of a male
Hyung - younger brother of a male

Yotongseng is the word for younger sister, but usually girls would just say the name of their younger female friend when referring to them. 

In a formal setting, refer to anyone and everyone as first name + ssi. In a formal setting, you would call me Marisol-ssi This is appropriate unless it has been specified that you can call the person by their first name. If a person has a specific title, you would call them by their title followed by nim. Remember seonsaengnim? Seonsang means teacher and nim is the formal ending. 

I have heard many people say that they do not agree with Korean hierarchy because they believe respect should be earned. Here in South Korea, you show a submissive type of respect to your elders and seniors. You are expected to do things for them and show respect at all times. If you're out to eat, you would serve them their beverage and set the table. Table setting is important! You wait for your elder to be served before you eat. If you're out eating Korean barbecue, you would do all of the meat cooking. However, the seniors are expected to pay. As a senior, you take care of your junior financially. 

What is your Korean Age?

Are you having a hard time figuring out your Korean age? Let me help! If you have already celebrated your birthday this year, add one year to your birthday. If you have NOT celebrated your birthday yet, add two years to your birthday. How old would you be in Korea? My international age is 23, while my Korean age is 24! Wow, that makes me feel old! 😅 

Try this:
(Current year) - (Year of Birth) + 1 = Korean Age

If you're still confused this quick video will help!


Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Photo of the Week

I conquered a mountain! Gwanaksan! I climbed, literally climbed, 629 meters 😮 

Monday, May 20, 2019

Akarakaaaaa!

Hello 😁

I hope you all had a great week! Let me tell you what I did this last Friday, May 17th!

Akaraka!!!































It is tradition in South Korea for universities to hold Spring festivals. Yonsei University is well-known for it's Spring festival, Akaraka! Students wear their blue Yonsei t-shirts (with club, sport, or major studies affiliations) and gather to cheer in the outdoor amphitheater. The festival is held to celebrate Yonsei's school spirit and the rivalry between Yonsei and Korea University, which has been going on since 1956. The schools are very competitive with one another and even hold a Yonsei-Korea sports competition in the Fall. The competition is very friendly though! Yonsei and Korea university students can be seen at both Akaraka and Ipsilenti (Korea University's festival).































The festival is more than a pep rally, it's a whole party! Before the concert begins, the event is opened up with performances by the many clubs on campus. I didn't see this for myself, but many people were gushing over this guy who played his saxophone and rapped on stage. Afterward, the school's cheerleaders lead the audience in song and dance of the Yonsei Cheers. Yonsei University is unique in that they have many cheers that students can sing along to with each having it's own unique dance move. All of the students know the songs and dances because this is what they are taught during freshman orientation!! Yonsei's school spirit is no joke. Check out the video below. Notice how active the audience is and the synchronized movements of the cheerleaders right below the stage. They guide the dancing and help keep the energy up!



Want to try one of the cheers? This is the main cheer that was repeated over and over again at the festival. In the YouTube video below, the first 20 seconds is this cheer! Listen and then try it for yourself!



Akaraka


Akaraka! Akaraka (Ara) Ching Akaraka (Ara) Cho
Akaraka (Ara)
ChingChing Chochocho
Lalala Sisboombah Yonsei Players Lapla
Hey Yonsei Yeah!


The Concert


Yonsei is known to have a great line-up of famous music groups and performers, but people don't know who is performing until they go out on stage! In past years when they would announce the line-up, people would sell there tickets for hundreds or even thousands of dollars online! The school didn't think it was fair, so they stopped announcing the line-up. This year, we saw TWICE, Beenzino, Zico, Red Velvet, and IU. Tickets are really hard to get because so many people, including non-students, want to attend. I was one of the lucky ones. As an international student, we had an application period followed by a lottery system that randomly chooses the winners. I was a "lottery winner". My roommate didn't win the lottery ticket so she ended up waiting in line for six hours during the first-come-first-serve ticket sale. This goes to show how hard it is to get a ticket to this event.




The video above is of the final artist to perform, IU. She had a lovely voice and interacted very well with the audience. The local students love her, no doubt about it! All of the cell-phone lights in the audience made the amphitheater look so beautiful!!! It must have been such an amazing view for people near the stage. If you're interested in seeing any more of the performances, there are many videos of Akaraka on YouTube, especially for the TWICE performance. The end of the performances was commemorated with fireworks followed by more cheering! Below is a clip of more song and dance. I left somewhat early because my friends got hungry, but the cheering continued until about 11 pm.




My overall impression of Akaraka was positive. I am envious of the amount of school spirit that Yonsei students have for their university! It was an amazing event to experience and I have no regrets about going. I'm grateful for the local students for being so friendly and welcoming to international students and including us in the singing and dancing. It was a memory that I will cherish forever 💙

Recap

What do you think of Akaraka? 
Would you like to go to a spirit festival like this?
Would you sing and dance with the local students?
Have you ever been to something similar? Like a Blazers or Timbers game?




Monday, May 13, 2019

Do you like asmr?

Hello!!! This week I have a special treat! I prepared the interview with a Korean middle school student! Unfortunately, this assignment proved to be somewhat difficult due to the language barrier and my limited knowledge of the education system here in South Korea. Thankfully, I am in a club that pairs me up with a Korean "mentor" (it's Mentor's Club) and my mentor was able to help me get the interview questions answered and gain some knowledge about a South Korean middle school student's life! My mentor's name is Kim Sung-Gyeong and her best friend is a teacher. We went out for lunch together and I asked her if I could ask one of her students a few questions. I am a bit sad that she was not able to get a picture of our interviewee, but I think it is necessary to be understanding in situations like this. As a teacher, she may not have been comfortable asking, the student may not have been comfortable with getting her picture taken, and her parents may not approve if her picture were to be taken. I will make do with what I have. I hope you enjoy it! I found her answers to be very interesting! Ryoo Hae-won ~ Female ~ 12 years old ~ 7th Grade
1) Where do you live? What is your house/apartment like?
I live in an apartment in Euijungbu-si. Uijeongbu
2) Where do you go to school? I go to school at Chunbo Middle school. (www.chunbo.ms.kr) (Middle school in South Korea usually goes from 7th to 9th grade, and students enter at about 12 or 13 years old and graduate at 15 or 16 years old. I found the picture on Chunbo middle school's facebook page!)
La imagen puede contener: 5 personas, multitud e interior
Assembly in session at Chunbo Middle School. 
3) Do you do any after school activities? Clubs? Or sports?
After school, I usually go to private academies to learn more. Right now I am attending math and art classes. (It is common for elementary, middle, and high school students to take additional classes outside of their required public education. Academics are very competitive in South Korea and parents prepare their children for college starting from a young age. They are trying to do their best as parents, but some people, especially from other cultures, may view this as extreme.)
4) What do you kids wear to school?
We wear a school uniform and gym clothes for physical education.
5) What do you do in your free time?
I like reading books and listening to the music.

6) What kind of music do you listen to? What books do you read? What do you watch on tv? Do you like kpop and anime? I like a k-pop! My favorite singer is Bolbbalgan4. I like reading fantasy novels. I enjoy entertainment shows like KBS's The Return of Superman. ("The Return of Superman" is a reality show featuring celebrities and their families. The men are left with their kids for 48 hours and are tasked with various activities assigned by their wives. The wives have 48 hours to enjoy time to themselves and relax. It is very well enjoyed by families in South Korea. Watch the one-minute clip below!)
7) What do you worry about and think about? Do you have plans for the future?
I worry about what I want to do in the future.
8) What is considered cool right now? What is trendy?
YouTube is really popular. I watch make-up tutorials, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response: relaxation from sound), and slime-making videos. 



This is Ryoo Hae-won's favorite YouTuber! YouTube videos of people eating is really popular in South Korea. This would be an example of ASMR as well. What do you think? Do you watch ASMR videos on YouTube?
9) What is your favorite food?
Tteokbokki. (her and her friends love this, especially sinjeon tteokbokki, which is just spicy rice cakes with cheese on top.)

10) What do you do when you spend time with friends?
I chat with my friends. End Those were the questions that I was able to get answered. I hope this gave you an inside look into the world of a middle school student in South Korea! From my perspective, she studies hard, enjoys socializing with friends at school, and watches YouTube, reads, and watches "The Return of Superman" in her spare time. What did you think? Do the students in South Korea study a lot? Is their food odd? Does the show sound interesting? Would you like it if you were required to wear a uniform to school (not including PE)? These are example questions so do not feel the need to answer word for word. Please give me your honest opinion! I look forward to reading your comments ~