Messages from Fans

I wanted to share another message from a 19 year old girl that I met. I'll give you the pretense under which we met, as I think this is a typical Korean Saturday. I met Kwon Ji-Na around 9pm on a Saturday. I entered into a friend of a friend's house. I saw this other little girl running around, Ji-Ni, not to be confused with Ji-Na. Ji-Na was studying for her college entrance exam. I thought this was her house, but no. She was studying at 9pm with her tutor. Her tutor told me she also has a piano exam in January and forced her to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and a Korean written song. She was very good. I jumped around with the tutor's real daughter, Ji-Na on a mattress and looked at a nice rock collection. In the typical Asian fashion fruit was being cut up and shoved in my face to my delight. This is my favorite part; sweet persimmons and a nice, crisp Asian pear.
Anyway, here is what Ji-Na had to say after our meeting. Look at how rich in text language Ji-Na's email is. And I must say, she described me down to a T ^_^. I swear this should be under the 'missed connections' label on craigslist:

Hi Samantha!

I'm Kown Ji Na

Now, I'm very happy because I known you and I be write for you. Please understand to my english conversation. I can do read but conversation is so difficult to me. When I talk, I'm not think word. So I embarrassed each time. And I don't know difficult english word. T_T

When I saw you, you very looks like kind and stylish. You so pretty.^^* I feel as sister to you. I want to be friendly together. An, I can see that you are smart, bright and your effort. ^-^ You speak korean is surprise to me. very good^^ Just three week.... You excellent !!

I want to keep meeting and connection. Thankyou read this letter and write letter to me ago.(Jiny is not my sister of the same parent. Jiny is Sunhee's daugther. I'm just student.. ^^;)

Have a good night~!^^

Naked Sam I Am

On my journey to becoming Korean, I decided the only way I could really do it is to be naked with my Korean female counterparts. Really put it all out there in the most basic form. I had heard about the bathhouses here and they intrigued me. I wanted to visit a Russian bathhouse in Brooklyn, but never got around to it. There was a Japanese bathhouse not too far from my cousin, Chris, in San Francisco that I also did not get the chance to visit. Part of the reason though, was because I didn't know the proto-call. I wanted someone to go with me who had previously been there to show me the ropes. I don't mind being creepy with my clothes on. Without your clothes, it's a whole different ball game. What if I did something that was considered rude and improper? I admit it! I didn't go in the states because I was scared!

But now I found someone that had been there and was willing to take me, John Mensing. He was originally from the Midwest and started a huge squatters movement in Williamsburg, Brooklyn before it became hipster central. He was also ran for council representing Williamsburg and Fort Greene. Pretty cool stuff. I went to visit his house (this is the soup I made at his place after we went shopping. The kimchi was a gift from his friend) and have him show me around Samcheonpo. Below is part of my ride on the bus. It took me about 45 minutes from Jinju to get to Samcheonpo.


To the good stuff...
The place we went to was beautiful. It was right on the coast where I could see Namhae, which is part of a small island chain. Time had passed so quickly. By the time we arrived it was already midnight. I walked in and took off my shoes and put them in locker, 333. I didn't see any naked people at this point. I admit I was a little disappointed, but again, this was also just the check-in counter.
I took the clothes they gave me. If you look in the picture you will see people in orange and red. I was wearing the red outfit. No, it is not like a prison jumpsuit, it's more comfortable and stylish. I was told that the saunas and baths close at midnight. Since I arrived so late, I would have to wait until morning to see naked people. I was a little disheartened as you can imagine. But I went to the 3rd floor to change into my "spa clothes". I met John down in the main Zzimzilbang, which is the common room where men, women, and children sleep on the floor in one big room. Sound crazy? It was. There were also about 8 upside U-shaped domes in the wall where people could sleep. It looked like a mini catacomb.

They also had saunas on the Zzimzilbang floor. I took a book in one of them and read for a bit. It was hot and I was sweaty, but it was so relaxing just lying on the warm stone floor. There was a tiny pillow the size of a brick that I rested my head on. The ceiling and walls were made of stone. Breathing was truly a pleasure. Anyone can enter these rooms, but I think because John and I looked so foreign, people would peer in through the window and then decide to go to a different sauna. There were four saunas that anyone could go into, but everyone had to have their clothes on on this floor. You could even sleep in the sauna if you could stand the heat.

Drifting in and out of sleep at 1am I went to take a walk outside. My body welcomed the cool night air on my skin happily. The view was spectacular and to top it off, no lie, someone was playing the flute in that little cabana in the picture. I took my ponytail out and felt like Mulan. I just needed a sword to cut off my hair and join the army to save my father from having to fight the Huns. I didn't have one, but I did have a sweet potato and a knife to peel a persimmon. I had to settle with that. The persimmon became my hair and I peeled off the skin in one fell swoop. I split it with John and continued to take in the view. The moonlight was shimmering on the water. The guy with the flute was on his break and just as I bit into my sweet potato (of course I had to bring lots of food on this little excursion) he started again. The explosion of flavour and sound made the moment unforgettable.

I counted the number of bodies lying in the Zzimzilbang, 52. There were women and children and babies, fathers and couples and singles. It was a beautiful thing to see. They were all sleeping on a brick-sized and shaped pillow with a thin (and I mean 1/4 of an inch thin) mat underneath their bodies. The room was warm, so there was no need for a blanket, although some did wrap one around themselves I think out of habit. The same way some people sleep with a sheet even when it's sweltering outside. I used to do it because I was afraid monsters would attack me if I didn't have that protective covering. My body had a really hard time adapting to this sleeping style, but eventually I feel into a sleep looking forward to bathing naked with Koreans.

My goal was realized at 9:07am. I took off all my clothes and stepped past the point of no return. I was in the bathing room. Naked people were everywhere! To the left, to the right, on the ceiling, on the floor. There were older women, babies and mothers and teens. It was so nice to see all walks of life. The mothers with their babies were especially beautiful to me. There was no pointing or snickering or bashfulness. It was just beautiful. I even was able to go outside naked and sit in a bath that was facing the water. Here I was, the naked Sam I Am.

There was a cold bath when I first walked in (20 C). Then the sauna that was (77 C). Just a tip, never ever, ever jump in a cold bath and then go into a wood sauna that is 77 degrees Celsius (that's 170.6 degrees Fahrenheit)! I could not breathe. The air was being forced out of my body and with each inhale I felt a warm, burning sensation in my throat. I exited in a hurry after 15 seconds. There were 5 other baths, each with varying temperatures. My favorite was the salt water bath at 44 degrees Celsius or 111.2 F. There was a wormwood bath opposite of the salt water bath and next to it was a heated bath with jets. The window were fogged, but I saw that if you just splash a bit of water on them, they clear up and you can see the island chain and the beach below. Literally breathtaking. After getting out of that salt water bath, I almost fell down because I was so dizzy. I hobbled over to an area of warm stone you can lie on. Ooohh did that feel nice. I saw a few girls staring at me and when we caught eyes they jumped into the bath next to me. The mothers weren't scared to let their kids run around. There was none of this hide your child from other's eyes. I just can't see this working in the States. It's too crazy of a concept for people to wrap their minds around. Although the comical thing is even though there are no stones left unturned in this room full of women, outside of the walls, men and women alike do not show any type of cleavage or their shoulders. It is an interesting change of scene.

After an hour of splashing, watching, relaxing, breathing, and walking my fear and insecurities I had about my body went out the window, if I may speak figuratively. It was the first time I really felt comfortable in my own skin. But I do have to say...naked, naked, naked, naked, naked, naked, naked. haha!

I kissed a Korean baby...and I liked iiittt

Katy Perry thank you for your inspiration. After this, I wanted to sing and this song came up:

I kissed a Korean baby and I liked it

The taste of her baby formula
I kissed a Korean baby just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind

It felt so wrong

It felt so right

Don't mean I'm in love tonight

I kissed a Korean baby and I liked it

I liked it

My goal was to hold a Korean baby. It was attained last night. I went to a teacher's house, Bae Hyo-jin. This was the same guy who wrote the email to me in my previous post "Messages from Fans." He picked me up from my school and invited me to meet his wife and baby girl. I thought my cousin Thomas was chunky when he was a baby (which he definitely was), but this little girl had the biggest cheeks I have ever seen. Since Koreans count the 9 months in the mothers stomach as 1 year, she is 1 year and 4 months. By western standards, she is just 4 months old. We were all sitting on the floor after dinner drinking strawberry smoothies and eating hard persimmons. Bae Hyo-jin's wife was feeding the baby and she farted. He pointed at his wife and said jokingly, "It was you, wasn't it? Get out." Everyone lauged, except for the baby of course, because she couldn't understand. She is a baby! Hyo-jin asked how to say fart in English, so I told him it was fart.

His wife put the baby in the crib and started one of those things that hangs above and spins while playing a song. It was funny because the song tune that was playing was "How much is that doggie in the window?". Do you guess remember this song? "How much is that doggie in the window? The one with the waggily tail. How much is that doggie in the window? I do hope that doggie's for sale." Look at how America is subliminally trying to cultivate everyone from infancy into English-speaking monsters! Just kidding...

We ordered food for dinner and Hyo-jin and his wife apologized for being rude. They said they should have had a meal prepared for me. I said, "You're so right. What's up with the poor hospitality? You pick me up from school and you are going to drive me to my house without a home-cooked meal in my tummy! My goodness if you think I am ever going to step foot in this lovely apartment with a clear view of the mountains and moon at night, SIR, you are sadly mistaken!" After that they understood that next time they better have cooked. I don't care that Hyo-jin's wife has to tend to the baby and clean the house. She should have a pipping hot meal on the table. Korean people are so barbaric! :)

I was sleepy, so I ordered Hyo-jin to drive me home. His loving wife gave me rice that was freshly harvested by her parents. Their gift appeased my hostile nature after my poor treatment at their home. I'm going to try to meet with them next week. I want to make some red-bean soup for them and show them how it should be done.

*disclaimer: I hope no one takes me seriously! If they do that's hilarious.

Combating stereotypes

The New York Times came out with an article about racism in South Korea. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/world/asia/02race.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

If you don't have the time to read the whole thing. I will just give you a brief summary:

Korean society is changing rapidly. Learning English is a national obsession. South Koreans supply the third largest group of foreign students in the United States after the Indians and the Chinese. Yet, the nation that has been proud to say that there people are homogenous, is not so homogenous anymore. Because of this, the subject of race has evoked malicious sentiments by some. Korean men who see Korean women with foreign men tend to shun them. Racial slurs are thrown around when mixed couples are seen. And while South Korea is obsessed with learning English, these prejudices remain despite the fact that many foreigners are partly responsible for boosting The S. Korean ecomony. Good thing there is little to no racism in the US nor are sterotypes applied since we are the melting pot of the world... or is there?

Me: Hi Sonny, it's Sam. Texting from the future. This is my google number. You can text me here :) send me your email address
Sonny Uppal: Sam who?
Me: What! I leave the country and I'm forgotten that quick!
Sonny Uppal: I figured you'd be trapped in a POW camp by now. The kind without internet
Me: haha! I like Korea. I the one in charge of all these little mongrols.
Sonny Uppal: Good to hear. How's Kim Jong-il doing? Has he made you his love slave yet?
Me: you are just ridiculous!

Messages from Fans

This is a real email from someone I work with. I am so surprised at the level of English he has:

im Hyo-jin do you realize me? ^^; i work at the administration office of Gon-myoung middle school. i want to be your friend. if you mind i want to teach Korean to you. and i want to learn English ^^. so . after school, shall we have study time? with me about at pm 7:30 on wednesday(november 4) in this week. im want to talk with you.it is not serious talk but easy pleasant talk. if you want i will go any place that you want to have lesson with me by my car. if you not have time or are busy in this week. im alright in next week or other day. and i nearly finish my work at pm 6 so after that time i have free time everday except tuesday everweek. because i play volleyball on tuesday.^^: please send me your answer by e-mail or my cell phone or phone text.

Have a nice day! see you~

I am posting this not as a joke or to make fun. I did find this hilarious, but in it's own right I find that this is amazing. I can understand everything he is trying to say. "Do you realize me?" Isn't it funny how direct translations work? It just goes to show how you really have to work at another language to understand the context. Memorizing individual words only goes so far. My students told me that ^^ is text language that means-"I'm happy". It's like our smiley face :) Wow, just look at how different symbols are used in text language from culture to culture. Fantastic!

I am meeting him today for "not serious talk but easy pleasant talk ". :) or ^^

Size does matter!

If you visit Korea, bring your own towel. The blue towel is the one that was given to me. It's supposed to be a shower towel. And yes, if you were wondering what that tiny object was on top of my shirt, it is an iron. Nevertheless, it is a steam iron. I have yet to use it for fear of the length of time it will take to do one shirt. I'll let you know how it goes in the near future.

A few other quirky and interesting things I have noticed about the Korean people is that they brush their teeth after lunch. It doesn't sound that weird, but seeing all of the tooth brushes and cups in the school bathroom threw me for a loop. I just rinse my mouth with water and call it a day after lunch. I don't know what they think.

And ladies, although this may not look like a toilet you want to use, it less strain on the legs! Most of us are taught to squat above the toilet in public places. What I have found from doing that besides stronger thigh muscles is that it is uncomfortable. Having the toilet on the floor is actually not that bad. Admittedly though, I still opt for the regular toilet. I guess habit has gotten the best of me.

The last image I wanted to leave you with is not a spoof on the phone company commercials about raising the bar. I just wanted to leave you with this image and say, size does matter. Which product is from the US? Any guess as to why more Americans are obese and have the highest rates of Type II diabetes than any other country in the world?

Ah, the land of mass and over-consumption. Gotta love it.

Visiting my tennis coach's house

I felt like a foreign monster. I got into the backseat of my tennis coach's wife's minivan. Bak Hang-suk's (coach's wife) two kids immediately went to the front. I mean really! It was 5 degrees (C) outside so I had legwarmers, shorts on top of them, three shirts, a sweatshirt, a blue, gray, and red scarf wrapped tight around my neck, and a large black headband. So what I got into the minivan with my racket preventing me from getting in the door the first time around? Is that really a cause for her two small kids, Kim Dae-hyun and Kim Gab-bin, to run into the front seat with a look of terror on their face like I was going to kill them?

Bak Hang-suk had to sooth her daughters' cries by saying, "Son saeng nim" "She is a teacher". Her efforts were futile. I just looked scary and ridiculous to these two little tykes. Oh my goodness, they were both so cute though. I just wanted to eat them, just not in a monster-ish way.

I took off my shoes before stepping on their floor when I got to their house. Bak Hang-suk had tea boiling as soon as we got in. She is such a good wife. I'm trying to find myself a husband that will do the same. Nebi, get working. She gave myself and the coach, Kim Kyu-min a cup. *Just a side note: In Korea, the woman does not take the family of the husband (Kim being the man's family name). Instead they keep separate names. The kids are the ones that take the father's family name. Hence, Kim Gab-in and Kim Dae-hyun, while the wife's name is Bak Hang-suk.

So, where was I? Good husband hunting, tea. Oh yes! We began the lesson. I just wanted to go over some basic phrases. I started off with formal phrases then went to informal expressions like, "It's a pleasure to meet you." "It's nice to meet you." "What's up?". Then Kim Kyu-min repeated me. We went on like this, but the real learning starts with getting used to the different sounds. We have the ability to hold a conversation and I told him even if his grammar is not 100% correct, do not be afraid to speak. It is the only way you will learn.

Time was nearing an end. I heard the kids splashing around in the bathtub. Right before I was about to go Gab-in runs out of the bathroom decidedly I guess to confront the monster, me. She is about 4 years old. What bravery, what courage, WHAT! a naked little girl. She runs over to the table with her towel around her and then she says, "O pa", and rips her towel off for the world to see. I started laughing. Kim Kyu-min told his daughter in a nice voice to go put some clothes on. I said, "It's ok to be naked." He got embarrassed and his cheeks turned red.

Gab-in wasn't done yet! She comes out of her room this time dressed and has the towel over her head. She heads straight towards me. I was wondering if she was going to try to headbutt me. So I got ready to take her down if need be. I have to look out for number one. Haha, she stopped right in front of me and takes the towel off her head. Then she puts it on and this time I take it off. She starts cracking up. I put the towel on my head and she reaches for it. We both had a nice laugh at this silly game. It reminds me of the pillow game I played once. Pillow game you ask? Yes, I asked too. You sit in a room and close your eyes, only one person has their eyes open. That person is the one with the pillow. The point is to throw the pillow at the unsuspecting people who have their eyes shut and watch their reaction. Sounds ridiculous right? It is, but so fun and scary.

I get ready to leave and finally the two kids show me their acceptance. They say, "AnnongheKaseyo" or "leave in peace (the literal translation)" and they bow their tiny little heads. I can't wait to go back tonight.