On tragedy

Sorry guys. It's been a minute, Korea's been going through some things right now. For those of you who don't know, the Sewol ferry sinking as left Korea in a state of mourning until May 11th. At that time I will resume my blog posts.

Thanks.
Imani

On the Phantom of Daegu

There are very few things in life that get me going as much as musical theater and ballet. From Rent to Into the Woods, musicals are my jam (pun intended). Naturally, when I heard The Phantom of the Opera's English speaking troupe was in South Korea, I jumped at the opportunity.

Actually, that's not the whole truth. When I found out about The Phantom of the Opera in Daegu I was excited, but unwilling to shell out $60 for a ticket. (I know, I know, cue tomato throwing)

However, with some much needed budgeting and extra shows added to the circuit, I was able to make plans to see the performance. I've never been so rewarded for money spent in my life.

I first watched The Phantom of the Opera when I was in highschool.I opposed watching it as our girls movie night feature, but ended up obsessed with it. Aside from the theatrics, jokes, and costumes, I loved the songs. From "the Music of the Night" to "Masquerade" The Phantom of the Opera has some of the best songs of any musical I've ever seen. Lord Lloyd-Webber knows how to write, and every score in Phantom is a hit. Did you know that The Phantom of the Opera's Broadway revenue is only surpassed by The Lion King's?

I booked the tickets online for myself and some friends, and then we picked them up the night of at the venue. Keimyung University's Art Center is a gallant building, and that night it was decked out in Phantom memorabilia, including a rhinestone covered replica mask. After getting some snacks and medicine (I had a headache), we headed into the show.

me and the infamous mask

The first half of the show flew by. By the time intermission came, every one in my group (except for my male co-teacher) was feeling sorry for the Phantom. I mean, he's just a guy, with a mask, standing there asking a girl to love him. It's hard not to empathize.

Deciding that we could really couldn't see that well from our *ahem* nosebleed seats, my friend B decided to rent us some golden viewing glasses. Subsequently, our collective classiness level went through the roof. We were real ladies (and gentlemen) of the the theater. If only I had some sparkling beverage to accompany me, it would've been perfect.

After intermission, the story line got a little darker, and the phantom changed from hopeless romantic to "man, there is something wrong with that guy". The phantom had reached creeper status, which was disappointing. In addition, when his mask was pulled off, he was hideous-a point emphasized by my male co-teacher, who was already anti-phantom. Whatever, he's still a sweetheart in my eyes.

Post show we went around the Keimyung Art Center taking pictures and discussing the actors involved. The phantom was a clear favorite. Overall everyone was satisfied the with the performance and had a great time! 

the PHANTOMOFTHEOPERAISTHERE

classy ladies

Have you seen a live musical before? Would you see one in South Korea? Let me know what you think.

Much love

xoxo

Imani

On spring in Korea: Visiting the ENT

I know very few people who struggle with allergies and sinuses the way that I do. Even as a kid ear infections were a common occurrence, and asthma plagued my every activity. It's no surprise then that I would suffer from allergies in Korea. In addition to regular spring blossoms, Korea is also a host country for yellow dust from China. Dust is a catch-all term for pollutants such as dirt, trash, and even sand particles. Recently these factors cause me to visit my good friend, the ear, nose and throat doctor.

there he is! 

I entered the clinic at around 5 pm, I had left right after school to make sure I could still attend my taekwondo class. I walked into the lobby and it was a ghost town. I didn't even see a secretary! 

uh...hello?

so sparkly clean

                                                             

free coffee, tea, and rice candy

After making myself comfortable, the secretary came from the back and signed me up to see the doctor. Approximately ten seconds later I was ushered in to see the good doctor.

The best part about this ENT has to be his equipment. He has all these scary looking tools to poke and prod at your sinuses. In addition, there's this cool gadget that he sticks up your nose and takes photos with! Gross! 

When he finished his examination he explained to me in broken English (and aided with my broken Korean) that I did not have sinusitis. He wrote me a prescription for some mucus-aid and sent me down to the pharmacy.

I paid for the examination ($4) and then made my way downstairs to the pharmacy. With a nose spray, saline solution, several days worth of mucus-aid and Zyrtec for a month, the grand total ended up being $7. That's right, $7. In total (for those bad at math) I took a bus to the doctor for 90 cents, got examined for $4, and loaded up on drugs for $7.

D.A.R.E would be upset

Sometimes the health care in Korea can't be beat.

Much love,

xoxo Imani

On the next step

Something peculiar is happening nowadays with my friends in the EPIK program. There's this air of pressure and uncertainty about what the future holds. There were worries last year as well, however, they were mostly just musings on what the next year would hold. No, this year is decidedly different. There are people actually applying for graduate schools, teaching programs, and actively searching for jobs.

To those keeping score, it's April in South Korea. Those leaving at the end of this February EPIK contract have nine months to create and execute a plan to avoid going home with nothing to do. Nine months, or roughly 270 days (not that I'm counting) to make a decision that will alter the courses of their lives.

Luckily, having already graduated college, the options are practically limitless for EPIK teachers. Here's an overview of the choice that are available to people who complete the EPIK program. Note: most of the women I know share similar passions for both travel and social services. This list may be biased towards those options.

Graduate school. Ah, the steady stand-by of institutionalized education. Graduate school is something most of the people here have already attempted to do, or have planned to accomplish after EPIK. some people in the EPIK program joined specifically to finance their degrees. Graduate school is a great option and investment if you have a defined career path in mind. I would warn against spending the money on graduate school if you've yet to decide exactly what you want to do with your degree. The cost--upwards of $50k--is not something to be taken lightly.

Continued teaching. Whether you travel to another country (Spain, United Arab Emirates) or stay in South Korea,you'll find that spending at least two years in the EPIK program qualifies you for a wide range of job opportunities. Some EPIK graduates have gone on to university positions in Korea, jobs that have vast benefits and decent pay. Others have taught in Spain, enjoying paellas and siestas for years. A drawback to Spain is that your pay will have to be subsidized with either private tutoring or your EPIK savings. The UAE is considered the number one place for those that plan on making a career teaching English abroad. The pay is spectacular and the benefits rival any country in the world. However, be prepared to spend at least two years in the UAE, as most programs require a longer commitment.

Volunteer work. Teaching in SE Asia is a rewarding experience, and wanting to continue this feeling of goodwill and change a popular sentiment I hear from friends in the EPIK program. There are plenty of options for volunteer work. Some take you to a certain country or region for several weeks, others, like the Peace Corp, place you for several years. Be warned that volunteering for a short amount of time usually costs money, and many have reported feeling under utilized. On the other hand volunteering for several years, especially in the Peace Corps, is a serious endeavor that requires a lot of thought and planning (and lack of showers).

Regular work. The EPIK program provides some teachers with their first taste of a real paycheck, apartment, and bills to pay. Some people came to get teaching experience, so they could better find a job in their home country. Some people just needed a break before joining in corporate "rat race". Either way, these people are ready to make some money in their field of choice. With the economy finally on the upswing, people from the EPIK program will make competitive candidates for their careers.

Finally, I'd like point out that none of these choices are mutually exclusive. Some people volunteer when they have a regular job. Others travel and then go back to graduate school. Some people even come back to Korea for a life long ESL career. The common theme here is choice. After the completing the EPIK program you have a unique experience that can be applied toward whatever your heart desires. As for me, well, can you guess what choice(s) I'll make?

xoxo

Imani

On Korean culture: How to find an Oppa

I have a confession to make. I've been trying to find myself an oppa (Oh-Pah-오빠) for the past year, despite not knowing exactly what it entails. You've probably heard the term in that crazy popular song...you know, this song. 

Why do I want one? I blame the K-dramas that I've watched. These Korean soap operas tend to have similar set ups:

We open on a girl, not the prettiest in the world, but she's cute. She's just woken up, and her alarm didn't go off because she forgot to set it. What a klutz! Then, when she arrives to school, she races through the hallways and crashes into the boy. The boy is suave and well groomed. He's the son of some sort of hotel tycoon (like the board game!), and he's a brat. Over several hour long episodes these two get closer and closer and he begins to walk with her to school, protect her from bullies, and pick at her like an older brother. He's successfully become her Oppa.

what a nice oppa!

Now, by traditional definitions, oppa is the term that younger sisters use to refer to their older brothers. However, lately the term is used to refer to any older, caring man in a woman's life. This includes her crush, her best friend, her actual brother, her brother's friends, etc. In fact, it's become so convoluted that Eat Your Kimchi did a sketch on it.

Most of the girls that use the term oppa in regular conversation are of a similar disposition. They're flowery, bubbly, puffy-cheeked women who successfully look like/are high school girls. Their hair is pigtailed and curled at the end, their eyes are big and doe-like. These girls have wrote the book on how to look young and adorable.

Additionally, when women actually say the word oppa, it's with this distinct, whiny voice that seems out of place for anyone over the age of 7. It's also accompanied by some sort of request or demand. For example: "Oppa~~~ buy me an ice cream!" "Oppa~~~ I want that designer purse!" "Oppa~~~ carry me!". And it works! 99% of the time (numbers!) these girls get exactly what they want from this guy.

Interested? I was curious to say the least. How exactly does one go about finding this oppa character? In school, I've already acquired several Noonas (the femal equivalent of an oppa for all intents and purposes). Yet, I haven't been in a situation yet that would make an oppa relationship possible. I have a few foreign males who I use the term on, despite their protests, but no one that takes on the caring responsibilities that really defines what an oppa is. 

So while I can't really help you find an oppa, I can tell you what not to do.

You shouldn't:

1. Wear pigtails out in public. Not everything transcends language boundaries, and being a 6 foot black woman with pigtails just doesn't work.
2. Use an aeygo (eh-yeg-gyo-which means cute) voice. Again, not everything translates. Speaking already broken Korean in an insanely high crackly voice is NOT CUTE.
3. Stalk potentials. This should be pretty self-explanatory.
4. Wear school girl-like outfits. I received tons of compliments when I did, but I'm still going to advise against it purely on the grounds that grown women should not wear short skirts.
5. Don't stalk potentials. Again.
6. Definitely don't repeatedly mention the phrase "you're like a brother to me" in an attempt to elicit the response "oh, like an oppa!".
7. Do not imitate the way the Korean girls say the word oppa while they can still hear you. Not that I've done it, I just feel like it would be awkward. 
8. Don't ask your Korean teachers for help. They'll be amused at your optimism, but that's about it.
9. Again, don't stalk potentials.
10. Lastly, try not to make intense eye contact with every oppa-looking boy that passes your way. You're gonna scare someone.

the original oppa

I wish I could be of more help. Hopefully this will at least familiarize everyone with the term oppa. Feel free to use this term in everyday conversations or with loved ones. Not everyone will understand, but it's the thought that counts, right? 

xoxo

Imani

On holidays in Korea: Black day strikes again!

Today is April 14th, also known as "black day" in Korea. This is the day where all those unable to participate in Valentine's day (Feb.14th) and white day (March 14th) meet up with their similarly solo friends and celebrate (?) being uncoupled. People usually celebrate "black day" by eating a Chinese-Korean dish named Jjajamyeon. 

Before we got into it.

Why eat Jjajamyeon? There are tons of theories floating around but the most popular one I've heard is that the gooey, blackish brown paste that covers the noodles is known for getting stuck on your teeth. This unappealing side effect makes Jjajamyeon the perfect anti-date food. It's like saying "hey I'm not getting kissed anyways so I might as well eat these garlic sticks!". Mmm, garlic sticks.

Mmm...MSG!

For the blog, not because of crushing loneliness, I decided to go to my local Chinese restaurant with my beloved co-teacher. She's married, but took one for the team in the name of solidarity. The food was delicious, although very oily, as Jjajamyeon is want to be. 

Ah Bang Gung...My local Chinese joint

After saying goodbye, I ran into some of my 6th grade girls walking down the road. 

"Have ya'll eaten?" I asked, my lazy southern drawl coming forth.

"No, teacher!" they replied, innocently enough.

"I just at Jjajamyeon!" I said with a smile.

"Oh." that didn't sound good.

"Oh?"

"Teacher is solo?" why are they being so hesitant?!

"Yes...?"

The look of pity that flashed across their faces made me feel like I was some sort of lost puppy drenched in rain.

"Imani Teacher...FIGHTING!!!" which, in a sense, means "Good luck finding a man. We're rooting for you!"

'

Not knowing how to respond, I walked away with a silent agreement that the next time I celebrate "black day", I'll keep it a secret. 

For all the "solos" out there today, keep your head up, order a big bowl of 'myeon and relish the fact that you don't have to share with anyone.

xoxo,

Imani 

On spring on Korea: to Gyeongju and back again Part 2

My friends and I recently traveled to Gyeongju one cool, rainy weekend. Here's the rest of the photos we took while riding our bikes and exploring the park.

walking to the park 

it seems that there are no people here. this is a lie.

the park

an ajumma planting something in the field 

I'm in a tree!

The water wheel! You'll find this on most maps of the area.

Have you been to Gyeongju? What would you recommend people to do there?

Much love,

xoxo Imani

On being black in South Korea: love or the lack thereof

"Assume you're the rule, not the exception"-Greg Behrendt.

I knew when I moved to South Korea that certain things would be different. I had read the blogs. I had visited Eat Your Kimchi hundreds of times and listened to all their advice. I was prepared for all the absences and hardships that come with adjusting to the Korean lifestyle.

What I wasn't prepared for was how foreign women in South Korea (especially black foreign women) don't expect to date. Like, ever. In fact, whenever I've brought up the issue of the lack of dating with groups of women, there's at least one person who sums it up with "Honey, this is South Korea!". Hmm. That's strange. Why in the world does it matter where we live? We are college educated, wonder-lusting, women of various backgrounds and ethnic groups. In my group alone we have women of Jamaican, Indian, European, and mixed descent. There must be some concrete reason why less than 1% (random numbers!) of  them will end up in meaningful relationships. 

In fact, I've never felt that I was undesirable until I moved to South Korea. I mean, I've started following 

blackgirlsrpretty2 just to make myself feel better! 

Then I started thinking...what about the men? Good question. Let's look at the three types of men available in South Korea, and why it can be hard to date them.

NOTE: This is just my opinion. I know several successful couples from each of the groups I'm about to mention. . 

Other foreign teachers: 

These men seem like the most attractive option on the outside. However, I wouldn't be writing this post if it was easy to date one. What I've found is that while most of the women here are on some sort of spiritual, mature, "Eat. Pray.Love" journey, some of the men here are doing the complete opposite. They're here to party, to sleep around, and to relive college that just happens to be in another country. It's feels as though some of the men are working backwards in terms of maturity, while some of the women are here are primarily trying to better themselves.

Let's say we find a mature foreign guy... He's got his priorities in order, he's handsome, he's got a great sense of humor (etc.) He's Mr.Right, you just know it!Well, so can all the other foreign women, and Korean women.Korean women seem to adore foreign men (this will have to be another blog post) and the men don't seem to mind.

So now, instead of outnumbering available men 5:1, it's 5,000:1. These odds are not "ever in your favor". This pushes black women even further down the totem. I think it goes 1) Korean women 2) White foreign women 3) Ethnic foreign women. Statistically speaking, you're better off looking for:

Native Korean men: 

Why wouldn't you try a Korean guy? Be open to the possibility. Wait, I was wrong before! THIS is the most attractive option. Why not find yourself an Oppa?There are literally millions of Korean men in Korea, tall Korean men, short Korean men, big, small, funny, handsome or cute. What's your flavor? The point is, options are seemingly limitless! Well, sort of. First off, cross off any first-born son on your list. Most likely these men are expected to carry on the family line. Hint: not with a foreign woman! Secondly, cross of majority of men for the fact that they won't approach you. Why? Well, it's not really the culture here for men to just walk up and hit on a woman they find attractive. In fact, it seems to be considered strange. 

The majority of Korean men that will hit on you in a bar or at a cafe are:

1. Jay Park wannabes. with the assumption all Ethnic women are video vixens,or
2. General creepers, who've seen Gossip Girl, and assume all American/ Ethnic women are easy sex, or
3. Just wanting to practice their English

In addition, if you can get past all these hurdles, there are still plenty of cultural hurdles to cross. Especially if you're a IEW or independent Ethnic woman. What if you want a guy that gets Fresh Prince jokes, or knows every Kevin Hart joke? In that case you might want:

American Army men:

These big, burly, standards of Freedom are another pool of men to try and date. They get it! They're a fresh breath of air, and most likely prefer IEW to Korean women! What a perfect solution. Except... most of these men are in relationships, some of them are even married. That won't stop them from pursuing you, but buyer beware! I've had several friends get involved only to find out that not only were they not the only woman, they weren't even woman number two or three! 

So, there you have it. An extremely generalized view of the men available to date and love in South Korea. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from being a romantic in this country, I just want to assure some pretty girls that though the dating climate in this country can make you feel unwanted or "unpretty", you are fabulous. 

Much love,

xoxo Imani

On how the EPIK program saved my life

I didn't plan on coming to Korea.

In fact, if you traveled back to 2010 and asked me what I planned to do with my life, I'd say enthusiastically "I want to go to graduate school for human resources and work as a consultant, and eventually a human resource manager!". Money, money, MONEY!

What follows is an extremely simplified version of my choices leading up to living in Korea. 

Step one in my masterful plan is was to get into grad school, but applying late and lazily cemented my rejections for me. 

With that path differed, I found employment as a movie theater employee, then hourly manager at a company I had worked at for several years. A year later I was co-running my own store and hating it. Working 60+ hours a week can make anyone miserable.

Things all came crashing down when I got so sick at work we had to call an ambulance. I didn't have sick days and I just finished a 7 day rotation, I was exhausted and had the flu. That was my wake up call. 

While recuperating, the question came up that I will never forget: What would you do for a living if all jobs paid the same?

I had to make a change. I was working myself to death, and why? I was a young, intelligent woman; I had options. I began to look into some of them online. That's when I did some internet research and found the EPIK program.

I met every qualification, and I was willing to learn.

Thus we skip forward several months, several hundred dollars, a mailing scare, and a Skype interview- I was in! 

When I landed in South Korea my world shattered. I felt like I was dreaming. I remember remarking to one of the girls I landed with that this was "completely unreal" and could she pinch me? Everything was different, the air, the people, the language on the signage leading out of the airport. 

I spent the first several months in what can only be described as culture shock. Things went by in a blur, everything was a new experience. I got sick a lot. I studied Korean. I made a group of wonderful girl friends.

Most importantly, I started learning about myself. 

With a steady job that ended early enough in the afternoon for me to have hobbies, I was able to start concentrating on what I liked to do. I found movies online, I traveled with my friends, and I started taekwondo and Korean lessons.These were nothing compared to the fact that I discovered "Hey! I like my job!". 

After working with EPIK for several months, I began to narrow down what exactly I liked about my job; I enjoyed helping my kids and seeing them grow. More specifically, I liked helping the kids that had holes in their shoes and the lowest level of English. These kids often turned out to be the most willing to learn, and had the best attitudes about trying to speak English. 

I'm still working on translating this into a career, but at least when I go back to school it will be for Social work, with a specific goal of helping children in need. Without the EPIK program, none of this would be possible. 

For anyone on the fence on applying---do it! Even if teaching's not your thing, you're bound to learn about yourself and experience a whole  new culture in the process.

So, let me ask you, what would you do for a living if all jobs paid the same?

On spring in Korea: To Gyeongju, and back again! Part 1

It's April in Korea, and you know what that means!

showers!

Cherry blossoms! If you're anything like me, and watched too much Ouran High School Host club and other romance animes, you know that cherry blossom season is the season for love and bicycles.

and honey sempai

I accomplished one of those things! 

My girlfriends and I decided to take a voyage to the lovely city of Gyeongju. It's known for lush gardens, picturesque landscapes and bread. It's the perfect place to scratch your itch for both carbs and pretty things.

First-How in the world do you get there?

The easiest option (in most opinions) is to take the KTX from DongDaegu station to Gyeongju. However, the KTX station is a ways off from downtown Gyeongju. The more convenient way is to take the bus from Seobu Bus Terminal. The bus drops you in a pretty central location, about 5,000 won away from downtown Gyeongju. Which is exactly what we did.

to get to the terminal by bus or taxi check this out:

http://globaldaegu.blogspot.kr/2012/07/seobu-bus-terminal.html

"The easiest way to get to Seobu intercity terminal is using subway line no1. You can take the exit number 3 when you get off at Seongdangmot station and it’s right next to the gate."

That's directly from the globaldaegu site and it worked fine for the girls. I opted to take the 618 bus from Seobu Market. It took about 30 minutes but dropped me within walking distance to the station. I had to cross the street twice, but it was really simple.

The hardest part was actually getting on the bus. The bus station sells tickets, not seats.

huh?

This means that you basically buy a ticket and wait in a line for the bus that you want to take. Unfortunately for us, by the time our last member came to the station, we were so far back in line that the 10:20 bus filled up before we could get on. We had to wait for the 11:00. 

Word of advice, get in line early.

11:00 came slowly as we stood outside waiting for the bus to pull up. When it did we were almost the first people on the bus. All 5 of us rushed to the back and sat down. Good thing too, because the bus was soon so full that we had people sitting at our feet.

 

Yes, that is a Korean man sitting right at my feet, and an aisle full of Korean women.

An hour+ later, we made it to Gyeongju.

After dropping our things off at our hostel, we decided to get some grub at my favorite place in South Korea, Bbasak! 

Bbasak has two things on the menu; dongkatsu and udon. The dongkatsu is hand breaded by a burly man in the front of the shop. You can watch them make your order while you wait. And you will wait. 

It's worth it, however, for the food that does come out. 

Is that rice shaped in a heart? Yes, yes it is. 

After stuffing ourselves with fried pork, we decided to walk to the bike park. Pictures coming in the next section!