By now, we've all heard about the tragic sinking of the ferry that took hundreds of lives with it, as well as all of the shameful screw ups before and after the incident--the lie that everybody was rescued, the delayed response by the captain, the captain abandoning ship, wrong bodies being sent to families, and the Vice Principal's suicide. It's been one terrible revelation after another.
This past week, some of my students expressed frustration that their Sports Day was cancelled due to the fact that the country is in mourning. They asked why they're being punished for the mistakes of the ship's captain. I can understand their frustration; cancelling the festivities won't bring back the dead; and Sports Day has nothing to do with the accident. Above all else, though, they're just kids, and kids want to have fun. They're sad about the lives lost, but they know there's nothing they can do about it.
What I'm having more difficulty accepting, however, are the sentiments of some of my fellow foreign teachers. Not only is Sports Day cancelled, but many festivals have also been postponed, and celebrations for Buddha's birthday next week have been scaled back. Many teachers are upset about these changes and feel that the country is unnecessarily overdoing it on the whole mourning thing. Some even expressed frustration with having to teach on Friday.
That latter sentiment is the one that really irks me. Whether it's said as a joke or a genuine frustration at the idea of having to teach, that is such a self-centred and hurtful thought. Parents have lost their children, boys and girls have lost their siblings, and you've lost your Friday of desk warming. My heart goes out to you. God knows we work so hard, we could really have used that afternoon of respite from the grind of lesson planning and teaching.
And if it is intended to be a tongue in cheek joke, as in, "Gawd, I can't believe I have to teach today" *exaggerated eye rolling* then that's piss poor taste humour and you should check to see if your heart is still beating.
As for the issue of whether or not Korea's mourning too much, I don't think that's the case at all. This is a country that values respect and family over everything else. It is at the core of their being. I think the extent of their mourning shows their amazing capacity to love. It also shows how much they honour and value those lives that were lost. And the fact that the captain was evacuated first because he's older and therefore has to be respected shows a flaw in their value system, which I think has shaken Koreans up. They fucked up--badly--and now they're paying for it. Their grief, guilt, and shame must be immeasurable.
(Bit of a tangent here, but)...when the Twin Towers went down, the NFL postponed the games by a week. Football and 9/11 have nothing to do with one another, and yet people needed to mourn. Things will eventually go back to normal, but hearts need to heal first.
I leave you with this heartfelt message:
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140422001304
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Bamboo
I've lived almost my entire life in Toronto, yet last year was the first time I ever explored the rest of Canada (aside from trips to Montreal and Gaspe with Art). I've been doing the same thing here in Ulsan; with only 4 months left, there are still several things I've yet to see, such as the bamboo forest near Taewha River Park. Finally checked that off the to-do list thanks to Adrienne and her friend Suvasha.
So whilst standing beneath a surprisingly clean and troll-free bridge, Adrienne spotted a dude who yanked a giant stick out of a bush. She walked over to him to hand him some leaves that had fallen, and in the process, made a new friend with her impressive Korean skills. The guy even bought the three of us coffee from a woman passing by. Soon, an old man on a bike stopped to join the conversation, and a couple people walking by stopped to stare at the old gentlemen conversing with three foreigners.
After a while of standing around and talking, he led us on an impromptu tour of the park. He explained (to Adrienne, who then translated for us) that he was responsible for maintaining the park and feeding the animals. The first place he took us was a bird feeding area. He led the way carrying a gigantic bag of popcorn. He was like the pied piper, leading his army of birds with a trail of popcorn. When he finished, he signaled for them to fly away, and they created a giant wall of flapping wings. It was like a scene out of Hitchcok's The Birds. The sound of a thousand flapping wings, their frenetic energy, their sheer numbers, and the very real possibility of being pooped on all made it a very surreal, but terrifying experience when they shot up.
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Next up, he took us to a sign beside a shed, from which he pulled business cards for us. The sign featured historical information about the park, as well as a picture of a young and handsome fellow feeding the birds. Apparently he's been doing this for a while. One picture featured pigeons in a formation of the number 2002 in celebration of the year Korea was awarded the World Cup. Adorably, the guy seemed to relish telling people passing by about the American, South African, and Canadian he befriended, one of whom speaks Korean.
After a lengthy tour that lasted close to half an hour, of which I understood nothing, we had to say goodbye to our new friend.
We moseyed along the Taewha River, stopping to pet the occasional dog (including the most beautiful bulldog I've ever laid eyes on), marvel at the tiniest skateboards I've ever seen, and watch some kids play soccer with a couple adults who were not at all merciful.
Although the sky was cloudy all day, it was still a beautiful warm day that reminded me just how beautiful Ulsan really is.
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| Adrienne being Adrienne |
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| I believe that there are victims of countless unsolved murders buried within the bamboo forest. If you listen closely at night, you can hear their cries. There also may or may not be snakes. |
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| Just off to the side of these flowers is where I destroyed Adrienne not once, but twice at a race to see who could roll down the hill first. Wasn't even close. I think I rattled a few brain cells loose though. |
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| Wishbone tree |
After a while of standing around and talking, he led us on an impromptu tour of the park. He explained (to Adrienne, who then translated for us) that he was responsible for maintaining the park and feeding the animals. The first place he took us was a bird feeding area. He led the way carrying a gigantic bag of popcorn. He was like the pied piper, leading his army of birds with a trail of popcorn. When he finished, he signaled for them to fly away, and they created a giant wall of flapping wings. It was like a scene out of Hitchcok's The Birds. The sound of a thousand flapping wings, their frenetic energy, their sheer numbers, and the very real possibility of being pooped on all made it a very surreal, but terrifying experience when they shot up.
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| Que? |
After a lengthy tour that lasted close to half an hour, of which I understood nothing, we had to say goodbye to our new friend.
We moseyed along the Taewha River, stopping to pet the occasional dog (including the most beautiful bulldog I've ever laid eyes on), marvel at the tiniest skateboards I've ever seen, and watch some kids play soccer with a couple adults who were not at all merciful.
Although the sky was cloudy all day, it was still a beautiful warm day that reminded me just how beautiful Ulsan really is.
Korean wedding
On Tuesday I was invited to my Vice Principal's wedding, but unfortunately I had to turn down the invitation because I had to teach the Saturday program at Oksan Elementary School. I asked around online to see if anybody was interested in making some extra money by covering for me, but had little success--either they weren't eligible because they didn't work for the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education, or something came up, or they just lost interest. Thankfully, Saint Zak of the Church of Awesomeness offered to cover for me as a last resort if I couldn't find anybody. Sure enough, come Friday, I had to give him the bad news.
So I arrived Saturday afternoon at the soccer stadium, which apparently also features a wedding hall. There was a room just to the right of the entrance where a bunch of girls were dancing a routine. I didn't see any familiar faces from school, but I walked in anyway and just enjoyed the performance. One poor girl tripped but thankfully recovered before doing any damage.
Once they were done, I walked out and walked into a familiar face. She guided me across the hall, where I saw the rest of the crew. Several of them had been assigned to count all of the envelopes containing monetary gifts. (It looks like the newlyweds scored big.)
I walked into the room where the "I do's" were going to go down, and it looked like the location of a fashion show, complete with a runway and everything. There were also a cellist, a violinist, a pianist, a singer, and a dude who played a cylindrical saxophone.
After about 15 minutes, the show got underway. It started with the mothers of the bride and groom walking down the aisle, all decked out in the traditional gear. I almost didn't even recognize my VP because she was so dolled up and had her hair all did. Next, the bride was walked down the aisle by her pops. (I think it's kind of foolish for a woman to be walking in a dress so goddamn big that she needs a servant walking behind her to carry the tail of the dress so that it doesn't drag along the floor, but that's just me.) People did their best papparazi impression and snapped photos galore as they made their way to the front. The priest spent about 15 minutes talking. (I caught an "Amen" and a "Gamsahabnida," which means thank you.) Next up, was some music. The strings played a tune, then a dude serenaded the couple. (Halfway through the song, the singer handed over the mic to the groom, who begrudgingly accepted it, and then proceeded to sing with a voice that sounded like a dog being beaten by a stick. The crowd had a good chuckle, and he seemed to be laughing along as well. Korean Kenny G wrapped up the musical portion of the festivities. The last thing they did before turning to walk back down the aisle was hand over a bouquet of flowers in thanks to both sets of parents. Then the priest said a few more things before the newlyweds led the procession down the aisle, followed by the mothers and then the fathers.
The entire thing took no longer than 30 minutes, and then the room cleared out immediately. There was no reception afterwards, which depressingly also meant there was no food, there was no "You may now kiss the bride" moment, no speeches, nothing. The only thing they did was take a picture with all of the family members after the crowd had left.
While it looked rather lavish, the whole affair felt pretty impersonal. The thing that irked me the most was the two photographers and the videographer. They were completely up in everybody's grill. While the mothers lit some candles after walking down the aisle, they were mere feet away from them; when the priest was speaking, they were right beside him. One of them even tripped over the runway while the priest was talking; it was a slight distraction. Nonetheless, I'm glad I was able to go. I was really grateful that the VP had even invited me, because she's such a lovely lady. Even though she doesn't speak any English, whenever she speaks to me, she always speaks with a very genuine and sincere smile. I would've felt bad if I turned down her offer.
Thanks again, Zak!
So I arrived Saturday afternoon at the soccer stadium, which apparently also features a wedding hall. There was a room just to the right of the entrance where a bunch of girls were dancing a routine. I didn't see any familiar faces from school, but I walked in anyway and just enjoyed the performance. One poor girl tripped but thankfully recovered before doing any damage.
Once they were done, I walked out and walked into a familiar face. She guided me across the hall, where I saw the rest of the crew. Several of them had been assigned to count all of the envelopes containing monetary gifts. (It looks like the newlyweds scored big.)
I walked into the room where the "I do's" were going to go down, and it looked like the location of a fashion show, complete with a runway and everything. There were also a cellist, a violinist, a pianist, a singer, and a dude who played a cylindrical saxophone.
After about 15 minutes, the show got underway. It started with the mothers of the bride and groom walking down the aisle, all decked out in the traditional gear. I almost didn't even recognize my VP because she was so dolled up and had her hair all did. Next, the bride was walked down the aisle by her pops. (I think it's kind of foolish for a woman to be walking in a dress so goddamn big that she needs a servant walking behind her to carry the tail of the dress so that it doesn't drag along the floor, but that's just me.) People did their best papparazi impression and snapped photos galore as they made their way to the front. The priest spent about 15 minutes talking. (I caught an "Amen" and a "Gamsahabnida," which means thank you.) Next up, was some music. The strings played a tune, then a dude serenaded the couple. (Halfway through the song, the singer handed over the mic to the groom, who begrudgingly accepted it, and then proceeded to sing with a voice that sounded like a dog being beaten by a stick. The crowd had a good chuckle, and he seemed to be laughing along as well. Korean Kenny G wrapped up the musical portion of the festivities. The last thing they did before turning to walk back down the aisle was hand over a bouquet of flowers in thanks to both sets of parents. Then the priest said a few more things before the newlyweds led the procession down the aisle, followed by the mothers and then the fathers.
The entire thing took no longer than 30 minutes, and then the room cleared out immediately. There was no reception afterwards, which depressingly also meant there was no food, there was no "You may now kiss the bride" moment, no speeches, nothing. The only thing they did was take a picture with all of the family members after the crowd had left.
While it looked rather lavish, the whole affair felt pretty impersonal. The thing that irked me the most was the two photographers and the videographer. They were completely up in everybody's grill. While the mothers lit some candles after walking down the aisle, they were mere feet away from them; when the priest was speaking, they were right beside him. One of them even tripped over the runway while the priest was talking; it was a slight distraction. Nonetheless, I'm glad I was able to go. I was really grateful that the VP had even invited me, because she's such a lovely lady. Even though she doesn't speak any English, whenever she speaks to me, she always speaks with a very genuine and sincere smile. I would've felt bad if I turned down her offer.
Thanks again, Zak!
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| People didn't come to see the back of this guy's head. |
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| Korean Michael Buble |
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| Saxomaphone! |
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| Daddy speaking from the heart. I actually thought he was going to tear up for a bit. |
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| They're so happy! I think... |
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| And just outside... |
Daejeon
I made an impromptu solo trip out to Daejeon last weekend, which is about 3 and a half hours from Ulsan. It's basically halfway between here and Seoul. After doing some quick research, I found a couple sites of interest worth checking out: Dunsan Grand Park, Bomun-san Mountain, and Uam Historical Park. With a vague outline of a plan in mind, I set off for the day, slightly later than I had initially hoped for, but still excited for some traveling.
Unfortunately the website I got the bus schedules from hadn't updated their information, and so when I arrived at the bus terminal at 8:40 expecting to catch the 8:50 bus, I found out that the bus had actually already left at 8:30, which meant I had to wait until the 10:00 bus.
Fast forward several hours later, and I found myself at Daejeon Bus Terminal. The ladies at the Tourism office were exceptionally helpful in showing me where my potential sites were on the map, as well as how to get there. Uncertain as to whether I'd have enough time to see everything, I made an executive decision and headed for Dunsan Grand Park.
It was definitely the right call. As soon as I got off the bus, my eyes were drawn to a large grass area littered with interesting art sculptures.
I checked out a couple art museums (I can't help it) that were right beside each other--the Daejeon Museum of Art and the Lee Ungno Museum. The latter was closed off for the most part for some reason, but there was a small exhibition downstairs of interesting (and some not-so-interesting) photos (including three that were sectioned off behind a mysterious black curtain, which featured three tall black and white portraits of women urinating. I guess porn is art now.)
The Lee Ungno Museum was much more interesting. It's named after a famous visual artist who was born in 1904. I immediately fell in love with the guy after I read about the first piece. Apparently this guy was imprisoned in his 60's for 2.5 years for his participation in something called the East Berlin Affair, and went on to produce over 300 pieces of art during his time there. He believed in love for people and hope for the future, and so facing solitude and loneliness, he turned to his art to keep him human. The guy had to resort to using toilet paper, rice paste, and soy sauce for ink. Friggin' MacGyver over here. Many of the paintings from this period made up his Abstract Letter Series, which featured shapes that resembled letters and positioned in such a way as to vaguely suggest some sort of story and sometimes carrying a political message.
My favourite thing about the museum was that you could download an app that offered you a free audio tour of several of Ungno's pieces. Thankfully after my visit to both museums, I didn't feel compelled to buy a large art piece bigger than my luggage like I did last time. Though if they had small postcards of certain pieces that featuring some of these chickens, I definitely would've snagged one.
After the art museum, I checked out the Arboretum nearby--it was like being in a tropical rain forest--and then I just strolled around the park for a while taking in the beautiful scenery. There were kids racing remote control cars around a track, couples and families riding bikes, rollerblading, and skateboarding, kids playing on the playground, a little girl watering flowers with her water bottle. It was a happy day under the sun.
By the time I was done exploring the park, it was already 6:00, which meant I wouldn't be able to see any other sites before the last bus that left for Ulsan at 7:30. I was more than happy with my day under the sun, so I got on a bus and headed back to the terminal. I'm so happy the weather has finally warmed up, because I'm looking forward to more weekends like this in my last four months here.
Unfortunately the website I got the bus schedules from hadn't updated their information, and so when I arrived at the bus terminal at 8:40 expecting to catch the 8:50 bus, I found out that the bus had actually already left at 8:30, which meant I had to wait until the 10:00 bus.
Fast forward several hours later, and I found myself at Daejeon Bus Terminal. The ladies at the Tourism office were exceptionally helpful in showing me where my potential sites were on the map, as well as how to get there. Uncertain as to whether I'd have enough time to see everything, I made an executive decision and headed for Dunsan Grand Park.
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| First impression of Daejeon: wtf? |
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| To The Future |
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| Family |
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| Oh God! |
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| Kang Heejoon |
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| Souls Without Home on their Way |
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| Toward Cosmos |
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| This tells the story of some professor back in '93 who, during the opening ceremony of the Taejon Expo, reflected on the tragic loss of the tree that was removed from the construction site, which had provided him with the insects needed to complete his research. After standing in a trance for a while, he eventually realized that the aunts had actually survived and were now feasting on him, just as they had feasted on the tree. Instead of freaking out, he just stood there and took it in a weird moment of serenity. |
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| Daejeon Museum of Art |
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| Rhythm |
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| Fessura |
I checked out a couple art museums (I can't help it) that were right beside each other--the Daejeon Museum of Art and the Lee Ungno Museum. The latter was closed off for the most part for some reason, but there was a small exhibition downstairs of interesting (and some not-so-interesting) photos (including three that were sectioned off behind a mysterious black curtain, which featured three tall black and white portraits of women urinating. I guess porn is art now.)
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| This was a cool little box with its lid propped open, and inside it had this colourful design that was reflected in the mirror and created a kaleidoscope sort of effect. |
The Lee Ungno Museum was much more interesting. It's named after a famous visual artist who was born in 1904. I immediately fell in love with the guy after I read about the first piece. Apparently this guy was imprisoned in his 60's for 2.5 years for his participation in something called the East Berlin Affair, and went on to produce over 300 pieces of art during his time there. He believed in love for people and hope for the future, and so facing solitude and loneliness, he turned to his art to keep him human. The guy had to resort to using toilet paper, rice paste, and soy sauce for ink. Friggin' MacGyver over here. Many of the paintings from this period made up his Abstract Letter Series, which featured shapes that resembled letters and positioned in such a way as to vaguely suggest some sort of story and sometimes carrying a political message.
My favourite thing about the museum was that you could download an app that offered you a free audio tour of several of Ungno's pieces. Thankfully after my visit to both museums, I didn't feel compelled to buy a large art piece bigger than my luggage like I did last time. Though if they had small postcards of certain pieces that featuring some of these chickens, I definitely would've snagged one.
 |
After the art museum, I checked out the Arboretum nearby--it was like being in a tropical rain forest--and then I just strolled around the park for a while taking in the beautiful scenery. There were kids racing remote control cars around a track, couples and families riding bikes, rollerblading, and skateboarding, kids playing on the playground, a little girl watering flowers with her water bottle. It was a happy day under the sun.
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| A rare sighting. |
By the time I was done exploring the park, it was already 6:00, which meant I wouldn't be able to see any other sites before the last bus that left for Ulsan at 7:30. I was more than happy with my day under the sun, so I got on a bus and headed back to the terminal. I'm so happy the weather has finally warmed up, because I'm looking forward to more weekends like this in my last four months here.
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