My name is Marisol Rodriguez and I will be your reporter from South Korea!!! I hope you are all excited because I am going to work hard to help you understand Korea, the people, and me. I'll start off by telling you all a little about myself. You might find that me and you are not that different. I went to Ron Russell Middle School too (I probably still live in your neighborhood haha). Ethnically, I identify as Mexican-American and I am the youngest of four. Growing up, I went to church, took road trips with my family, and every Sunday my parents would get together with our godparents and play domino while me and my cousins road bikes and asked for money to go to the mini mart. I am hoping that some of you all can relate.
Photo: MHCC Graduation '16In terms of my education, I graduated high school in 2014 from David Douglas High School and began my college educated at Mt. Hood Community College. I graduated with my Associate's Degree in 2016 and then continued my education at Portland State University. Here I specified my undergraduate major to be Environmental Studies because I believe that helping people starts with protecting the environment. Anyway, I was a few months away from graduating from Portland State University when I decided that I wanted to study abroad.
What better way to see the world than to study abroad! What I think is even cooler, is that I get to experience a foreign school and the dorm life! I don't live in the dorms at PSU because I live with my parents 😇. I've been here in South Korea since February 22nd and it has been a truly worthwhile experience. Just like college, financial aid, etc, etc, there was an application process, but when it comes to getting what you want - do not be afraid to put in a little effort! It will be worth it. I won't lie, there have been some really tough moments, like when I missed my connecting flight from Vancouver B.C. to Seoul. That was stressful. I cried. Have you ever wanted to just give up when life got really hard? Because that is how I felt. Unfortunately, that experience affected me a whole week into my trip. I had a hard time adjusting. I kept having some really negative thoughts like, “Why am I here?” and “What would happen if I just went home?” and so on. But guess what happened? It got easier. I took things one step at a time, kept myself busy, and figured out how to navigate my surroundings. Most importantly, I had a really great support system. My family talked me through my airport endeavor and checked in with me after. This whole time I have been in Korea up until now, my partner has been there to offer me kind words when I'm not feeling too great as well. He just went to Navy boot camp a few days ago so for the first time we won't be in contact for two whole months! We can write letter though, so I'm excited for that. The timing of things has been working out really well recently. I'm feeling good about my classes, I know how to move around the city, and have made friends. But...things may not always go so smoothly. Like right now, I am trying to figure out how to protect my face from the pollution because it's making my skin dry and giving me acne!!! You would think that you wouldn't get acne in your twenties, but some people do. *sigh*
If things get hard, can I ask y'all for advice? Midterms will be coming up in the next few weeks. Want to know what classes I'm taking? Aside from Reporting Live, I am taking: Understanding Korean Culture, Korean 1, Culture and Cognition (psychology), Society and Human Behavior (psychology), and Environmental Law and Diplomacy (law). I like to joke and say that I'm learning two new languages this term - Korean and Law. Heheheh… As I mentioned earlier, I am over a month into my semester abroad. It has been really interesting to take classes at a foreign university and explore a country like Korea. If you thought Portland was big with ~690,000 residents, Seoul (South Korea's Capital city) is home to ~9.77 million people as of 2017. Now, I get overstimulated easily and start feeling anxious around a lot of people so I was worried about coming to a megacity like Seoul. I'm surprised to say that once I figured out how to navigate the subway and got used to the "public norms" as I like to call them, my social anxiety improved. Some of the public norms include: -Squeezing by people without saying "excuse me" -being quick to get a seat when one opens up on the bus/subway -scanning your card before your bus stop so that your exit is speedy -watching for your bus, because it WILL leave without you -you are expected to give up your seat for your elders I include this because I have heard a lot of people say that this is "rude", specifically they say that about the squeezing past people without saying "excuse me". Really though, the culture here is very fast paced and people work a lot too! With such a dense population, it's hard not to be bumping into people on the subway or on the bus. In terms of general attitudes, I have seen all kinds of people. Some people have looked me up-and-down, others stare, I've gotten scolded for touching a mannequin (oops?), but then there are other people who have been SO friendly. They ask where I'm from, what school I'm going to, if I like it in Korea, and then they wish me to have a good trip. The point of this is to say that no matter where you go, you will meet friendly AND rude people. I try to remind myself that I don't know what they're going through or what kind of day they are having so I shouldn't take it personally. Plus, I probably won't ever see them again! When it comes to visiting another country, you can't control their beliefs or attitudes toward you. It's better just to smile and move on. :) OKAY! I'm not too sure what else to write about, but I want to hear what you all are interested in learning. In the comments section tell me: *A little about yourself (whatever your comfortable sharing and what your teacher finds appropriate) *What you know about South Korea *Your interests (history, science, culture, art, music, etc.) *Questions for me (Did I miss anything? Did something not make sense? Are you interested in knowing more about me? Is there anything that you want to know about Korea?) I look forward to meeting you all!
Greetings Marisol! Today was our first day back after spring break and I look forward to communicating with you and learning more about South Korea. Mr DuPont was so excited to learn that YOU were our blogger! He says you were (are) a really great student!!
ReplyDeleteWe have 35 students in this class period and we will visit your blog once a week – usually on Wednesdays. This is a 6th grade science and social studies and we integrate most of our topics under common themes.
How do humans adapt to live in different environments?
How do different environments impact the way people, plants, animals live?
How do humans impact ecological cycles? What positive impacts?
What are the “consequences” of technology – positive and negative?
How can we use technology to address problems faced on our planet - clean water, enough food,
We love maps and learning about geography and climate of the places we investigate. Students are currently investigating Ancient Civilizations of the Western Hemisphere Inca, Aztec, and Maya) and characteristics of civilizations. Early cities, formation of government, development of language, public works projects, arts and engineering, religion, and culture. Ethnobotany (6th grade version) where foods we eat come from, agriculture.
Students are interested in social justice issues, the role of men and women, and social class. We are a high poverty school and many of my students are trauma impacted. We have a high achievement level, great attendance, and our students are pretty well behaved. We have high expectations. Many think that only rich people get to travel but several are from immigrant and refugee families so we are “Internationally” diverse – 56 languages spoken at our school. I have several students with family connections to South Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam.
They are also 11 – what is middle school like? After school activities? What do kids wear, do, listen to, read, watch, worry about, think about, plan to do? What is cool there – social media, place to shop, fads? Sports? Of course they will want to know about kpop and anime.
Do they have stores like we do?
How do you travel around the city?
Are there American businesses in the city?
Do people go out for American food?
What do people eat at home or does everyone eat out?
Where do you live?
It's great to meet you, Ms. Bland! I'm looking forward to this experience as your reporter. I remember Mr. DuPont! How exciting. I'm so glad to hear that one of my past teachers is connected. That is one of the reasons why I was hoping to get assigned to RRMS.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like there will be a lot of overlap between your class and my curriculum. Particularly, I am referring to human adaptation, the consequences of technology, and geology and climate! I will do my very best to supplement your curriculum and provide interesting topics for your students. Also, please do not hesitate to provide suggestions if I could improve or if there is something you would like to see sooner rather than later.
I'm excited to interact with the class! I definitely agree that traveling is not reserved to the rich. When I was in middle school, I had no idea where I would be in eleven years, but look at where I am now. I'm a first generation college student of immigrant parents, studying abroad in South Korea.
I hope to address those last questions next week and during my "interview" blog post. So stay tuned!
I look forward to the next ten weeks!!!
-Marisol
Hi my name is Nalanie
ReplyDeleteI like K-Pop
What type of food do you like to eat from there?
Hi, Nalania! Nice to meet you :)
DeleteI like Kpop too! Who's your favorite group? I like BTS and Blackpink.
I don't eat meat so there's not a lot I can eat, but I LOVE pajeon (green onion pancake) and bibimbap.
Nalanie* I have so many groups I like and listen to but my ultimate is BTS
DeleteKimchi is really good I realy like it and I want to try tteokbokki so I hope I will sometime during the summer
Hi my name is Alexa.
ReplyDeleteAt home,I like to play my violin.
A question to you, What kinds of food do you eat in South Korea?
Hi Alexa! The violin is a great instrument! I was on band at RRMS and played the trombone.
DeleteHere in South Korea, I like eating kimchi pancake, green onion pancake, and bibimbap.
Is there any foods that you don't like?
DeleteI also like Kpop. I like Bts, Blackpink, and red velvet.
It is cool that you played the trombone BTW.
hello, my name is sydney.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy drawing, its therapeutic for me. i also enjoy hiking for the same reason.
what are some of the native plants in south korea?`
Hi, Sydney! Drawing is a really great hobby, especially if it is therapeutic. I haven't gone hiking in Korea yet, but I plan on hiking to the top of Bukhansan very soon.
DeleteI don't know much about the native plants, but their national flower is hibiscus syriacus. South Korea is also very famous for their cherry blossums.
Hi, my name is Maylen.
ReplyDeleteI play the violin.
Do you speak korean?
Hi, Maylen. How many years have you played the violin?
DeleteI'm in Korean 1 right now! So I am currently learning. I know the Korean alphabet, Hangul, and some vocabulary so far.
Hi, my name is Katee. I like to play soccer and I like to hang out with my friends. I would like to know how hard it is being away from your family for that long.
ReplyDeleteHi, Katee. I like soccer too. Do you get to play soccer with your friends often?
DeleteBeing away from my family is hard. Especially because it is my first time being away from home. It helps having friends here because we can talk and keep each other company. I also call and video-chat with my family, so that makes it a little easier being so far away for this long.
hello i am marcus weer and i like the color blue and i hav 6 sibles
ReplyDeletehi
DeleteHi, Marcus! Blue is my favorite color too. I only have three siblings. They are all older than me.
DeleteHi, my name is Esther.
ReplyDeleteI like kpop.
Do you like Kpop? :D
Hello, Esther.
DeleteI do like Kpop! I also like K-RnB. My favorite Kpop group is BTS and my favorite K-RnB singer is Jooyoung.
Who are your favorite Kpop groups?
Hi my name is Allen.
ReplyDeleteI like hanging out with my friends and playing basketball.
What kinds of food do you eat in South Korea and what it's like and if it's related to for example Japan,China and other Asain cultures.
Hi, Allen! Basketball is cool. I used to play a lot when I was younger.
DeleteI eat a lot of vegetable-based foods usually like bibimbap, green onion pancake, and kimchi pancake. They also make what they call an "egg roll" which looks and tastes like an omelet. It is really yummy! They have all kinds of food here though.
I don't think I can really compare South Korea to China or Japan myself. Especially because I haven't gone to either of those countries yet. I will say that Korea is very unique! Like other Asian countries, they have a very rich history that has greatly influenced their current customs and norms. :D
Hi, my name is Daesha and I enjoy going outside when it's sunny. I also like my band class because it's fun. What is your favorite food to eat? How is it in Korea? Do you like korea or america better?
ReplyDeleteHello, Daesha! I love sunny weather too. It makes me happy. What instrument do you play?
DeleteMy favorite food to eat is tostadas. It's a crunchy tortilla with beans on top. You can also add toppings. It might sound really simple, but that is what I love about it. Pinto beans are a staple food for me.
Korea is really fun. The people are really nice and there is a lot to do. I would say that I like the America's better, but that it because I know the language and I am closer to my family. South Korea is definitely a place that I would visit again!
Hi, my name is Bryan Castellanos. I like to play nba 2k19 and I like playing basketball. One question I have is what food do you eat in South Korea
ReplyDeleteHi, Bryan! NBA nk19 and basketball sound like they go well together.
DeleteI eat a lot of different foods. When I go out, it depends on what I'm craving, but I'll usually eat green onion pancake, kimchi pancake, or taco bell bean burritos.
Hi it's great to meet you! My name is Alketa.
ReplyDeleteI play the viola and want to become an orthopedic surgeon.
What is the government like there and what are your favorite places to visit in South Korea?
Hi, ALketa! It is great to meet you too.
DeleteWhoa! That is an amazing goal to have!
The government is very organized! I'm currently in the process of getting my Alien Registration Card, actually.
My favorite places are the Han River for the view and Namdaemun Market for the shopping. Sinchon-ro is also really fun because there are always street performers there on the weekend.
hi my name is ricardo and how is korea and what is the best place
ReplyDeleteHi, Ricardo. Korea is beautiful! The city is huge and the people are really nice here.
DeleteI don't know if I can say what the best place is, but I like Sinchon street because it is close to my school and it has everything! Shopping, street food, restaurants, performers, and coffee shops.
hi my name is kobe, I am wondering how it is in south korea, and what do you eat on a daily basis? if you eat sushi every day do you get tired of it?
ReplyDeleteHi, Kobe! At first, it was hard for me to figure out what to eat. I started cooking and usually make my own food like beans and rice.
DeleteI have only seen a few sushi shops, but since I don't eat fish, I get something called Kimbap. Kimbap is rice and veggies rolled in seaweed. They can make it with beef, chicken, or other meats, but I get it with just vegetables!
Hi, my name is Kiara.
ReplyDeleteI like to hang out with my friends and go on my phone.
How was your experience ar RRMS.
What is your favorite thing to do on your day off?
Hi, Kiara!
DeleteWhen I went to Ron Russell, I got my first phone and it was a flip phone! The LG Razor.
I loved middle school! My teachers were really nice, I was in band, and I loved hanging out with my friends! My favorite time was lunch/recess because I got to talk and hang out with my friends.
Right now, my favorite thing to do is going out with friends. I am meeting a lot of people so we look for new restaurants to try or new parts of the city to explore.
Introduce yourself: Hi, my name is Hunter. I like playing Street Fighter and dragons.
ReplyDeletewhere is one place you like to go there
Hi, Hunter! Street Fighter is cool. I used to play Mortal Kombat on the Nintendo 64 a lot when I was younger.
DeleteI like to see new places in South Korea, but my favorite place is Sinchon Street because it is close to school and has everything I need.
Hi my name is Eh KA PAw
ReplyDeleteI like staying home and being lazy.
Do yo like North America better or South Korea
Hi, Eh Ka Paw! I'm jealous because I like to nap and be lazy too. I watch a lot of Korean dramas when I'm being lazy.
DeleteI would say that I like North America better, personally. My family is from Mexico so I like being closer to my them and being able to travel to Mexico.
also I like tteokbokki rice cake right its sooooo goood i make it with gochujang its so spicy and delicious.
DeleteHello my name is david friyuk and i like basketball and i like video games do you eat cockroaches
ReplyDeleteHey, David. Nice to meet you. What's your favorite video game?
DeleteI have never tried cockroaches, but I have tried crickets. Not my favorite, but it was covered in chocolate! I also do not eat animals, including insects, so I don't think I would try cockroaches if I had the chance.
hi my name is Natalia i love listening to kpop music and love the color Yellow :P have a good day .... ;-;
ReplyDeleteHi, Natalia! I like yellow, it's a very happy color. Who is your favorite Kpop group?
DeleteThank you! You have a good day too!
hello, my name is paymoo
ReplyDeletei like to sleep and watch youtube although i do hang out with my friends
my favorite thing to eat would be rice and beef or pork and i also like turkey gravy
Hello, Paymoo! I can relate. I watch youtube before bed if I have time.
DeleteWhat kind of pork do you like? My favorite was fried pork skins!
i like all types of pork
Deletehi, my name is Deanna,i like to go to different places and explore other places.I like how your not afraid to talk about yourself and what you have been through on social media unlike me.i like how you express yourself in your writing.Do you like living in seoul?
ReplyDeleteHi, Deanna! I encourage you to travel when you get the opportunity, even if it's a nearby city. (:
DeleteThank you so much! You're so sweet. It's not easy...of course, I'm afraid of being judged, BUT I also think it is important for you all to read emotions and understand that it's okay to have feelings. I'm glad you can hear my voice through my writing!
I do like living in Seoul. It's an enormous city, but that means that there is more people to meet and more things to do :D It's easy to get overwhelmed, especially being here for so long. I have to remind myself to enjoy the time that I have, because this too, will end.
Hi, my name is Malakai Saechin and i want to know what kinda food you eat in South Korea? I like playing a lot of sports i play football and basketball. I also love playing games. What things do you like to do?
ReplyDeleteHi, Malakai! Believe it or not, Korea has all kinds of food! Restaurants from all over the world. The other day I had pizza and just not, I had a tomato mozzarella sandwich. In terms of Korean food that I like to eat, I like green onion pancake, kimchi pancake, tofu stew, and bibimbap.
DeletePlaying sports is fun! I like to go to Jujitsu classes when I have time. I usually go hiking with friends when I'm in the USA too. Here in Korea, I'm usually doing homework during the week, but over the weekend I usually look for new places to explore. The cherry blossoms are blooming so I might go see them on Saturday if I'm lucky.
hi my name is adina I like to watch netflix i also like sleeping in.
ReplyDeleteHi, Adina! What kinds of shows do you like to watch on Netflix?
DeleteHi my name is Josh
ReplyDeleteI like playing basketball
Hi, Josh. Basketball is a fun sport. Who do you usually play with?
DeleteMy name is jonathan and I am mexican and I like playing football and basketball what doe south korea look like
ReplyDeleteHi, Jonothan. I identify as being Mexican too. I hear the weather is getting nicer in Portland so you'll be able to play outside more!
DeleteSouth Korea is very clean! It has tall buildings everywhere, a lot of people walking in the street all the time, and lots of cars and busses. There are also a lot of trees planted on the sidewalks, like in Portland. When you go to busy parts of the city, there are statues, neon signs, and very modern looking buildings.
My name is Alex and I used to live in Ireland. I like to play basketball, and I like to eat Takis.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex! I hope to see Ireland for myself one day! Did you grow up there?
DeleteI like takis too, but I am more of an extra hot, hot Cheeto person.
Hi my name is Raquel i also traveled to mexico and i am mexican but i wasn't born in mexico but i was born in oregon.What kind of food do you eat in south korea?
ReplyDeleteHi, Raquel! Do you like visiting Mexico? I wasn't born in Mexico either. I'm like you, born in Oregon.
DeleteI eat all kinds of food as long as it doesn't have meat or fish. If it's Korean food, I like bibimbap, green onion pancake, or tofu stew. If I'm eating in the dorm, I'll make myself some rice and beans.
Hi my name is Austin
ReplyDeleteI like playing with my dog Grace
Who was your favorite teacher when you were here
Hi, Austin! I love dogs! I have a dog named Bella at home. What kind of dog is Grace?
DeleteI don't know if I should be naming favorites....But I liked my homeroom teacher, Mr. McParker or another teacher who was there, Ms. Koskela. Mrs. Garcia was amazing too! She was my band instructor. I would say that all of my teachers were really great when I went to RRMS.
Grace is an mini australian shepherd
Deletehi my is jada one thing about myself is the i like to eat ramen noodles do you eat bugs in korea
ReplyDeleteHi, Jada! I'm glad that you like ramen noodles because they eat a lot of ramen here in South Korea. When I go to the mini mart downstairs, there's a whole wall of ramen noodles! So far, I haven't seen any places selling bugs, so I would say no. What they do love, is grilled meat. Everyone likes meat here. :)
DeleteHi my name is Anandi and I used to live in Arizona but I was born in Oregon. Iḿ going to turn 13 next month. Whatś your favorite food in South Korea?
ReplyDeleteHello, Anandi! I've only driven through Arizona and I remember it being so hot! Did you like living there? Happy early birthday! You're going to be a teen.
DeleteMy favorite Korean food is what they call "Jeon". It's a savory, fried pancake with vegetables. My favorite one is either the green onion pancake, or the kimchi pancake.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSomething I found interesting in your blog is what kind of of food you eat. what is your favorite past time there
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Alex.
ReplyDeleteI like playing soccer and basketball.
What is your favourite food in the world?
Hi this is Malakai from period 4/8 and my interests in South Korea is the fruit it looks fresh when i actually look at the picture. Something about my self is that i like alot of sports.
ReplyDeleteI like sushi, I usually like going to a restaurant called osushi and its very good.
ReplyDeleteSomething i know about south korea is that they are very advanced in technology.
One of my interest are science, and would like to be a biologist some day.
Something I would like to know about south korea is why did they split up in two and how did they decide who got what land.
hello my name is paymoo and im lazy but i do work on my work i would read a book if i can't sleep in class or just space out or i'll just do the work to read
ReplyDeletei know seoul is the most populated city
i'm interested in history because i want to know what they used to cut,fight and hunt with
how did they think of making there food in south korea? and why did they think it was a good idea?
Hi this is katee and something about myself is that i love to play soccer. I really like that you include pictures of Korea because its nice to actually visualize what it looks like. I think that having a mask would seem uncomftorable but if it helps my health i would do it.
ReplyDelete