Well the ‘end of semester’ is upon us. The ‘talent show’ ( The Stone Soup- Kindy Award winning play ;) will be performed this Thursday and my 55 report cards are finished! I can’t believe I really did that many--- the comments took forever! What is even more surprising to me is that I teach about 63 different students a week—I hope my teaching skills are growing… though I have to admit I have been feeling a bit stretched all over the place and I am not sure I am doing a ‘great’ job at anything----- but tomorrow is a new week… right?
So School has been busy and my social calendar has suffered a little. I partly blame the weather too as it is pretty cold (only -18 max… usually -10 so nothing compared to you tough SASKATCHEWANIANS) but it is cold for walking around everywhere… often I just want to get home and hibernate… how lame!
Luckily we have had more “house parties”… by that I mean college dorm-style apartment parties with the Ansan personalities. I have been here for almost 6 months and it is interesting that only in the past two weeks have I gotten to know a couple more people better. My school has a ‘social conflicting’ schedule compared to many of the other schools… as we finish at 6:00 pm. Many of the schools start in the afternoon and finish at 10:00. This means that when the other schools are ready to fraternize I am usually dead tired because I wake up at 5:00 a.m. No matter, I feel I get out enough and socialize enough ;)
The two social stories worth mentioning are two completely different polar extremes.
The First was celebrating Waitangi Day (like a “New Zealand Day—but instead of celebrating their Independence (they don’t celebrate this day like we do) they celebrate the signing of the Maori treaty. Our day did not represent this so much. We were in Itaewon, Seoul at various pubs. It was ok but interesting in a social experiment type of way. What type of person goes to a place like Korea to teach/ or work?
Well all sorts really…
• Middle Eastern & Indian ‘Industry’ workers – who are making good money… doing what sort of Industry?—I am not entirely sure!
• Women sex trade workers- from Russia or Thailand—if you are blonde in Korea many think you are a Russian prostitute… (Are you excited Sasha? -you’ll be fine there are blonde teachers here too)
• Some African men that I also have no idea what they are doing here--- other than the few that seem to run hair salons and restaurants in Itaewon
• The GIS – army men and women… that you can spot from a mile away--- now I am being stereotypical—but they are often wearing American “Thug” get up
• The English speaking social misfits—who don’t really feel at home in their original country so they come to Korea – where not feeling ‘at home’ is an Expat norm
• And then some wanderlust open-minded people who feel they could learn a thing or two while earning a buck. ( I fall in to one of the last two categories ;)
It is interesting when all of us ‘Immigrants’ (I do hold a card you know) sit together at a bar… you never know what you are going to get.
First of all, there are accents galore… a Nigerian Man, speaks to an Irishman, while a woman from Manchester orders a drink for her Korean girlfriend. The Aussies and Canadians are playing some wild darts in the corner while a Kiwi man drunkenly mumbles to himself alone at the bar. The GIS are smoking Cuban cigars and their rowdiness only subdues long enough to ‘not so subtly’ check out the girl that walks past. Some East Indian men and Turkish men are playing a game of pool next to some Korean men who are discussing the new high tech cameras they have just purchased. While some scantly clad American girls sip martinis at the bar eyeing up the GIS.
The Koreans also know that they are guaranteed to find a foreigner at these spots. On more than one occasion I, as well as my friends, have been photographed for various websites—to promote tourism or to try and launch a new school. The latest photo shoot was shot at the pub and involved me holding a Kleenex on my face to pretend I had a cold…. so strange I know. I also learned (from eavesdropping ha ha) about a guy who stars in a Korean program similar to the Discovery Channel program “odd jobs” only it involves him, a Canadian, doing odd Korean jobs (fishing etc.)--- apparently it is a real comic hit in Korea.
Yes, the Itaewon Pub life is definitely a different sub-culture in itself. It is one of the few places in Korea where I feel diversity is strong and because of it everyone belongs. A round of drink also gives one the chance to really hear the ins and outs of living in this interesting place. I can’t even divulge anymore … you will just have to come on over and be the wide-eyed Canadian/American sipping your drink of choice.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Grocery Shopping
This is an Ode to the CoOp--- I do miss your wide aisles, beautiful displays, nice smells, and smiling faces!
These pictures don't do "weekend" grocery shopping justice. The amount of people make for some aggressive 'elbows out' shopping. I hope you think of this next time you feel a little pushed around at the store! (Also note the diversity! ha )
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentines Day
Hi Dad…. This is for you (he is prolly the one and only who checks this site daily)
So today is Valentines Day. Before you ask, I will inform you now I have no Valentine loves over the age of 12 years old… so don’t ask ☺
Interestingly though, Valentines Day is celebrated differently in Korea. It is still fairly commercial but not near to Western Standards. The only corporation really raking in the dough, is the chocolate companies. Man o Man… I may have seen little action when it came to Christmas gifts but I am drowning in Chocolate after today!!!!!!!
This was a surprise as my Korean Valentines introduction began this morning at the gym. I am friends with the Korean, front desk man, (Thomas) at the hotel where my gym is located. He came up to see me after my workout and told me that it was Valentines Day. He showed me that Minnie (gym girl) had bought him chocolates. He then seemed a little let down that I did not do the same. Ha! Sorry bud I forgot…. and we are literally just friends [odd friends… mostly consisting of me waking him up (he sleeps ‘on the job’ at the front desk) when I enter the hotel at 6 am and then him walking me home after my workout…. So casual friends.] We talked about how Valentines Day in Korea means that the women buy the men Chocolate… it is essentially a man’s day, hence my surprise at receiving anything from my students today. (Could it be that report cards are next week? … only joking).
And to throw in a little Wikipedia;
“It has become an obligation for many women to give chocolates to all male co-workers. [this is the case in South Korea as well… I did not follow this… oops] In Japan this is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), from the words giri ("obligation") and choko, ("chocolate"). This contrasts with honmei-choko (本命チョコ); chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); from tomo meaning "friend".” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day
Before everyone begins to throw out the (indeed) cries of chauvinism… women have no fear… your day is a month later in Korea. The fourteenth of March is “White Day.” This day is all about the woman. Men are to buy woman candy. I stuck up my nose a bit claiming that men got the better deal when it came to receiving chocolate v.s. candy and all the female teachers agreed…. A man must have set these ‘rules.’
I continued this ‘special day’ talk with my Korean Teaching partner…. She went on to tell me that actually every fourteenth of the month is a ‘special’ day for couples.…I wonder if this is so that men have an easier time remembering…. It is similar to the idea of a monthly anniversary but this way all your ‘buds’ have to do the same thing on the same day… You know if you mass all the South Korean Male brains together they may just have a chance at getting it right! (clearly only joking… who is the chauvinist now?)
Ok here goes..
*May 14th- Rose day—couples buy each other roses.
June 14th- Kiss Day- ha I hope this happens more than once a year!
July 14th- Silver Day- couples buy one another silver…. Usually rings
August 14th- Green Day- I laughed out loud at this one… it is ‘Walk in the forest day’
Funny because of the lack of forests… I can maybe find one but I will have to ride the subway to get there… and how random is a scheduled nature walk!
September 14- Photo Day- After living in Korea this is no surprise to me… this day does not mean bring out the disposable honey… it means professional cheese ball photos in which they pale out the skin… everyone is obsessed with looking whiter!
October 14- Wine Day- Hopefully they splurge and buy an import!
November 14- Movie Day- Maybe a “DVD BANG”?—a DVD bang is a private room with a big TV (often flat screen) where one can rent/watch a movie on ‘yummy’ vinyl futons. Young teens go there to literally “bang” but bang in Korean means room… ohhh sometimes I heart Korea… jokes can be so easy… but the ‘banging" on wipe down vinyl does make sense as there is no privacy when you live in a small apartment with your whole family.
December 14- Hug Day- I was filmed by some Korean teens hugging this Korean boy for school (literally they were in uniform… I wonder if this was why?)
January 14- Nice Words Day- To mark the new year you are supposed to say kind words to one another
*February 14- Valentines Day
*March 14- White Day
(* mean the days that are taken seriously- my Korean teaching partner only follows these)
And I saved the best for last… I hope you wondered why I started with May….
April 14- BLACK DAY---- On this day those poor people who did not receive any chocolate on Valentines Day or Candy on White Day are to go out to dinner alone. They are then to order something black to eat… usually “ja jung” (some Korean word I probably say wrong but like dark black curry sauce on rice) and eat alone. HAHAHAHAHA
I can’t wait to sit alone with my black saucey rice and the moment to come when I look across the restaurant and into the eyes of a tall handsome stranger… we lock eyes and our heart’s will skip a beat… and then neither of us will breathe as we scope out the dish that sits before the other… and the two of us will breathe a sigh of relief… two lonely souls have at last found one another!!! It’ll be a “BLACK DAY MIRACLE” HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!
Cherrio… I will write an actual journal of my life happenings soon!
So today is Valentines Day. Before you ask, I will inform you now I have no Valentine loves over the age of 12 years old… so don’t ask ☺
Interestingly though, Valentines Day is celebrated differently in Korea. It is still fairly commercial but not near to Western Standards. The only corporation really raking in the dough, is the chocolate companies. Man o Man… I may have seen little action when it came to Christmas gifts but I am drowning in Chocolate after today!!!!!!!
This was a surprise as my Korean Valentines introduction began this morning at the gym. I am friends with the Korean, front desk man, (Thomas) at the hotel where my gym is located. He came up to see me after my workout and told me that it was Valentines Day. He showed me that Minnie (gym girl) had bought him chocolates. He then seemed a little let down that I did not do the same. Ha! Sorry bud I forgot…. and we are literally just friends [odd friends… mostly consisting of me waking him up (he sleeps ‘on the job’ at the front desk) when I enter the hotel at 6 am and then him walking me home after my workout…. So casual friends.] We talked about how Valentines Day in Korea means that the women buy the men Chocolate… it is essentially a man’s day, hence my surprise at receiving anything from my students today. (Could it be that report cards are next week? … only joking).
And to throw in a little Wikipedia;
“It has become an obligation for many women to give chocolates to all male co-workers. [this is the case in South Korea as well… I did not follow this… oops] In Japan this is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), from the words giri ("obligation") and choko, ("chocolate"). This contrasts with honmei-choko (本命チョコ); chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); from tomo meaning "friend".” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day
Before everyone begins to throw out the (indeed) cries of chauvinism… women have no fear… your day is a month later in Korea. The fourteenth of March is “White Day.” This day is all about the woman. Men are to buy woman candy. I stuck up my nose a bit claiming that men got the better deal when it came to receiving chocolate v.s. candy and all the female teachers agreed…. A man must have set these ‘rules.’
I continued this ‘special day’ talk with my Korean Teaching partner…. She went on to tell me that actually every fourteenth of the month is a ‘special’ day for couples.…I wonder if this is so that men have an easier time remembering…. It is similar to the idea of a monthly anniversary but this way all your ‘buds’ have to do the same thing on the same day… You know if you mass all the South Korean Male brains together they may just have a chance at getting it right! (clearly only joking… who is the chauvinist now?)
Ok here goes..
*May 14th- Rose day—couples buy each other roses.
June 14th- Kiss Day- ha I hope this happens more than once a year!
July 14th- Silver Day- couples buy one another silver…. Usually rings
August 14th- Green Day- I laughed out loud at this one… it is ‘Walk in the forest day’
Funny because of the lack of forests… I can maybe find one but I will have to ride the subway to get there… and how random is a scheduled nature walk!
September 14- Photo Day- After living in Korea this is no surprise to me… this day does not mean bring out the disposable honey… it means professional cheese ball photos in which they pale out the skin… everyone is obsessed with looking whiter!
October 14- Wine Day- Hopefully they splurge and buy an import!
November 14- Movie Day- Maybe a “DVD BANG”?—a DVD bang is a private room with a big TV (often flat screen) where one can rent/watch a movie on ‘yummy’ vinyl futons. Young teens go there to literally “bang” but bang in Korean means room… ohhh sometimes I heart Korea… jokes can be so easy… but the ‘banging" on wipe down vinyl does make sense as there is no privacy when you live in a small apartment with your whole family.
December 14- Hug Day- I was filmed by some Korean teens hugging this Korean boy for school (literally they were in uniform… I wonder if this was why?)
January 14- Nice Words Day- To mark the new year you are supposed to say kind words to one another
*February 14- Valentines Day
*March 14- White Day
(* mean the days that are taken seriously- my Korean teaching partner only follows these)
And I saved the best for last… I hope you wondered why I started with May….
April 14- BLACK DAY---- On this day those poor people who did not receive any chocolate on Valentines Day or Candy on White Day are to go out to dinner alone. They are then to order something black to eat… usually “ja jung” (some Korean word I probably say wrong but like dark black curry sauce on rice) and eat alone. HAHAHAHAHA
I can’t wait to sit alone with my black saucey rice and the moment to come when I look across the restaurant and into the eyes of a tall handsome stranger… we lock eyes and our heart’s will skip a beat… and then neither of us will breathe as we scope out the dish that sits before the other… and the two of us will breathe a sigh of relief… two lonely souls have at last found one another!!! It’ll be a “BLACK DAY MIRACLE” HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!
Cherrio… I will write an actual journal of my life happenings soon!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The Hair Raising Adventure!!!!
It has been five months, which means it was long past time to get my hair done. I decided to ask my friend, Minnie, who works at the gym for help. Her English is ok (not really the greatest) but her friend was a hair dresser, and Minnie’s great, so I decided... why not?
Minnie met me at my school and we walked together to her friend’s tiny shop. It was cute and plain ... a couple hair dressing chairs... some mirrors... nothing special but nothing scary. Well I told them how I wanted blonde highlights... first of all blonde is not a colour... it is called “yellow” to most Koreans... hahah... ok so I want ‘Yellow” highlights. The little hair dresser is playing with my hair all the while talking back and forth with Minnie... while I wonder 'what on earth' they are saying. Minnie tells me that this hair dresser wants to do a “test” on a piece of my hair. I say sure... so she proceeds to cut... yes that is right ... CUT a chunk of my hair off the back of my head... like a long chunk at the base of my scalp... AHHHHHHHHH she then wraps it in tinfoil with dye (ie bleach). “Ohhhh dear where on Earth am I???” are my thoughts... but I tell myself it is only hair... “It will be fine.”
So the “test” piece works and turns a nice colour. But the idea that I want highlights all over my head is not really working out for me. She (the hair dresser) keeps grabbing the red underneath... a layer of colour I have ... and talking Korean. Apparently I will not be getting Highlights!!!... Ok so Minnie tells me we will make this “yellow.” The hairdresser then puts the colour all over the previously red chunks.... she then wraps it in tinfoil and pins it up... and finally throws a piece of saran wrap on my head... hahahahhahah.... makes sense to make it hot... but not what happens in Canada!
By this time 2 more Korean girlfriends are hanging out too. They are nice girls and one of them also works at the hotel (where my gym is) but I don’t know her as well. So time is up and we unravel and check the colour... well when I saw it I was like AHHHH this is too much "blonde!!!" I started thinking about how I will look like a skunk so I started to change my mind. It is too ‘punk rocker’ almost... like not the pretty highlights I had first envisioned. I then start trying to explain lets just “re-dye it red”... I don't like the style anymore... everyone thinks I just don't like the colour of the blonde... which of course I don't... it is actually yellow (not Korean 'yellow'... Canadian yellow!) with red patches!!! At this point all the Korean girls are freaking out... I am actually calm I am just trying to communicate what I want but no one can understand me or seems to be listening... they are discussing the problem colour of my hair amongst themselves.... ohh and there are these electronic dictionaries out... and I mean it is clear that the colour of “yellow” with orange patches looks horrendous in everyone’s mind so we all know something has to be done. Well because the language barrier is getting me ‘no where fast’ I end up letting the hair dresser add more bleach. The Korean’s have decided that the colour just needs to be ‘fixed’.... meanwhile I am thinking ‘gawd this is gonna suck to try and cover up’... because I know that bleach strips pores which means the colour I am already planning on putting in at home to 'fix' it won't hold... so ya it ends up looking awful.. I smile to the poor hairdresser and say ‘it’s fine’...then go home... I think maybe if i just add some red I have in my apartment it will cover up some of this ‘yellow’ so then the colour is not so overpowering. I then proceed to add a couple of streaks... well the streaks are bright red and look like Barbie got shot in the head... I then put my hood on walk to the market and buy 'black' dye! The box hair dye is of course all in Korean and not just a regular looking bottle of mix. So I pray I mix it right and then proceed to cover up the top half of my hair in black... most of the blonde but not all... all the while praying my hair doesn't fall out... and my bathroom looks like a war zone... Now that the dust has settled and the bottles of dye laid to rest, I now have mostly black hair with yellowy blonde streaks underneath... ahhahahaha it is a little ‘skunkish’ but much less than before!!!! ohhhh kOREA KOREA!!! Korea has now taught me that I don't look good with yellow (but who does?) or black hair!
ok lots of love... I hope you got a laugh
and BONNIE (the best hair dresser ever!!! Who works at Wired) I miss you!!!
XO me
Minnie met me at my school and we walked together to her friend’s tiny shop. It was cute and plain ... a couple hair dressing chairs... some mirrors... nothing special but nothing scary. Well I told them how I wanted blonde highlights... first of all blonde is not a colour... it is called “yellow” to most Koreans... hahah... ok so I want ‘Yellow” highlights. The little hair dresser is playing with my hair all the while talking back and forth with Minnie... while I wonder 'what on earth' they are saying. Minnie tells me that this hair dresser wants to do a “test” on a piece of my hair. I say sure... so she proceeds to cut... yes that is right ... CUT a chunk of my hair off the back of my head... like a long chunk at the base of my scalp... AHHHHHHHHH she then wraps it in tinfoil with dye (ie bleach). “Ohhhh dear where on Earth am I???” are my thoughts... but I tell myself it is only hair... “It will be fine.”
So the “test” piece works and turns a nice colour. But the idea that I want highlights all over my head is not really working out for me. She (the hair dresser) keeps grabbing the red underneath... a layer of colour I have ... and talking Korean. Apparently I will not be getting Highlights!!!... Ok so Minnie tells me we will make this “yellow.” The hairdresser then puts the colour all over the previously red chunks.... she then wraps it in tinfoil and pins it up... and finally throws a piece of saran wrap on my head... hahahahhahah.... makes sense to make it hot... but not what happens in Canada!
By this time 2 more Korean girlfriends are hanging out too. They are nice girls and one of them also works at the hotel (where my gym is) but I don’t know her as well. So time is up and we unravel and check the colour... well when I saw it I was like AHHHH this is too much "blonde!!!" I started thinking about how I will look like a skunk so I started to change my mind. It is too ‘punk rocker’ almost... like not the pretty highlights I had first envisioned. I then start trying to explain lets just “re-dye it red”... I don't like the style anymore... everyone thinks I just don't like the colour of the blonde... which of course I don't... it is actually yellow (not Korean 'yellow'... Canadian yellow!) with red patches!!! At this point all the Korean girls are freaking out... I am actually calm I am just trying to communicate what I want but no one can understand me or seems to be listening... they are discussing the problem colour of my hair amongst themselves.... ohh and there are these electronic dictionaries out... and I mean it is clear that the colour of “yellow” with orange patches looks horrendous in everyone’s mind so we all know something has to be done. Well because the language barrier is getting me ‘no where fast’ I end up letting the hair dresser add more bleach. The Korean’s have decided that the colour just needs to be ‘fixed’.... meanwhile I am thinking ‘gawd this is gonna suck to try and cover up’... because I know that bleach strips pores which means the colour I am already planning on putting in at home to 'fix' it won't hold... so ya it ends up looking awful.. I smile to the poor hairdresser and say ‘it’s fine’...then go home... I think maybe if i just add some red I have in my apartment it will cover up some of this ‘yellow’ so then the colour is not so overpowering. I then proceed to add a couple of streaks... well the streaks are bright red and look like Barbie got shot in the head... I then put my hood on walk to the market and buy 'black' dye! The box hair dye is of course all in Korean and not just a regular looking bottle of mix. So I pray I mix it right and then proceed to cover up the top half of my hair in black... most of the blonde but not all... all the while praying my hair doesn't fall out... and my bathroom looks like a war zone... Now that the dust has settled and the bottles of dye laid to rest, I now have mostly black hair with yellowy blonde streaks underneath... ahhahahaha it is a little ‘skunkish’ but much less than before!!!! ohhhh kOREA KOREA!!! Korea has now taught me that I don't look good with yellow (but who does?) or black hair!
ok lots of love... I hope you got a laugh
and BONNIE (the best hair dresser ever!!! Who works at Wired) I miss you!!!
XO me
Saturday, February 2, 2008
End of January
Life lately has been not too exciting. Very crazy with work, report cards are coming up again, making final tests, the dreaded kindergarten talent show, and a new semester starts in March. I have had trial classes with these Korean babies... 4 year olds... who know no English and I have to teach with the moms/grandmas in the room in the hopes that they will like what our school has to offer and send their babies to our Hagwon (school). I could elaborate on the workings/ disorganization of the above but I will leave it to your imaginations.
Otherwise, I have been missing home a bit again. Mostly all you wonderful people. It is interesting the lack of real communication one has when they do not speak the language. I miss those random real conversations that one can have throughout a day. My friends here are lovely but we do eat, sleep, work, breathe together so at the end of the day there are moments where we just sit together and really have nothing left to say. We know it all! ha!
Yet it is motivation to go out and ‘do’ more in order to have new events/personalities to talk about. Roberta and I recently had a big Saturday where we went to see the Van Gough exhibit in Seoul. We actually went to the wrong Museum by accident (thinking we had the correct one) and toured around and then found the art gallery with Van Gough. The exhibit was everything I could have hoped for! (Impressionist painters are my favourite). We toured the galleries and marvelled at the paintings through the 14209093209858 Korean heads that were also admiring his work. It was spectacular nonetheless. From there we headed to Dongdaemun a crazy street shopping area of Seoul crowded with the oddest bits of clothing. Dog hair clips (think something a child would wear but 28 year olds wear them!), next to piles of shoes, next to (apparently legitimate yet questionable) hiking gear.... you name it... and it is here. Ohhh and the ‘delicious’ smell of simmering silk worm larvae.... mmm mmm mmm.... yeah no ... but it is sold on multiple corners as a snack. Does anyone want me to send some?
Finally, we finished in Itaewon (foreigner area) for some Mexican food and found Holly (Incheon Kiwi) and Camille at the bar. Good times and random meetings were had.:)
Otherwise, I have been missing home a bit again. Mostly all you wonderful people. It is interesting the lack of real communication one has when they do not speak the language. I miss those random real conversations that one can have throughout a day. My friends here are lovely but we do eat, sleep, work, breathe together so at the end of the day there are moments where we just sit together and really have nothing left to say. We know it all! ha!
Yet it is motivation to go out and ‘do’ more in order to have new events/personalities to talk about. Roberta and I recently had a big Saturday where we went to see the Van Gough exhibit in Seoul. We actually went to the wrong Museum by accident (thinking we had the correct one) and toured around and then found the art gallery with Van Gough. The exhibit was everything I could have hoped for! (Impressionist painters are my favourite). We toured the galleries and marvelled at the paintings through the 14209093209858 Korean heads that were also admiring his work. It was spectacular nonetheless. From there we headed to Dongdaemun a crazy street shopping area of Seoul crowded with the oddest bits of clothing. Dog hair clips (think something a child would wear but 28 year olds wear them!), next to piles of shoes, next to (apparently legitimate yet questionable) hiking gear.... you name it... and it is here. Ohhh and the ‘delicious’ smell of simmering silk worm larvae.... mmm mmm mmm.... yeah no ... but it is sold on multiple corners as a snack. Does anyone want me to send some?
Finally, we finished in Itaewon (foreigner area) for some Mexican food and found Holly (Incheon Kiwi) and Camille at the bar. Good times and random meetings were had.:)
Things I have learned While Teaching Elementary Science
The Date marking the Beginning of the Seasons is Cultural
Everyday our Kindergarten classes do a message book (think school agenda). There is a line where the students circle the season. Well come September the students were circling “Fall.” I was new and was taking over so I “let” them circle Fall. Then once the end of November hit I took over my other kindergarten class for message time. They had begun circling “Winter” with my Korean teaching partner but hadn’t been doing it for long. I said “no it is still ‘Fall’ ” and told them it wasn’t Winter’s “Birthday” till December 21. I did not go into the whole idea of the Earth orbiting the sun and the four equal points at which point we judge the Earth’s position-- when the sun is tilting the furthest from the sun it is winter (winter solstice)... closest it is summer (summer solstice) and the mid points are spring/fall equinox-- (equal think not much tilt action). We use this science to calculate the seasons and how many days are in each season. ‘We’, in North America, have an “Astronomical” opinion of when the “beginning” of the seasons are.
I talked to Roberta about this season dichotomy and she agreed with me and said that her Korean partner was doing it ‘wrong’ too. hmmmm “silly Koreans” we think.... then I was teaching science and reviewed my whole astronomical point of view while at the same time looking for things to do for “Lunar New Year” which for South East Asia is in February.... hmmmm so if their New Year is different then perhaps... their seasons are different. I decided to do some research. So it turns out Koreans aren’t “silly” the date for the beginning of the seasons is just “different.”
Eastern Asian (for sure Chinese/Korean), as well as, some Irish Cultures follow a “Traditional” vs “Astronomical” system. It turns out that in this Traditional view, the seasons begin at the cross-quarter days. The solstices and equinoxes are the midpoints of these seasons. Each month has different symbols that have to do with the weather patterns, work related to the season, or traditional animals. It is all very interesting but too much to summarize here... google it if your interested. :)
So, according to Traditional reckoning,
• Winter begins on 5-10 Nov, Samhain, 立冬
• Spring on 2-7 Feb, Imbolc, 立春
• Summer on 4-10 May, Beltane, 立夏
• Autumn on 3-10 Aug, Lughnasadh, 立秋
And, the middle of each season is considered,
• Mid-winter: 20-23 Dec, winter solstice, 冬至
• Mid-spring: 19-22 Mar, vernal equinox, 春分
• Mid-summer: 19-23 June, summer solstice, 夏至
• Mid-autumn: 21-24 Sept, autumnal equinox, 秋分
So of course Koreans aren’t “silly” they are just different. Yet those Aussies and Kiwis well they make me laugh because they take the easy/ laid back way out in everything.... Turns out they follow a third system the ‘Meteorological system’ to recognize their seasons. Wikipedia states that the Meteorological system is “reckoned by temperature, with summer being the hottest quarter of the year, and winter the coldest quarter of the year. Using this reckoning, the Ancient Roman calendar began the year and the spring season on the first of March, with each season occupying three months.”
So, in meteorology for the Northern hemisphere:
• spring begins on March 1,
• summer on June 1,
• autumn on September 1, and
• winter on December 1.
Conversely, for the Southern hemisphere:
• summer begins on December 1,
• autumn on March 1,
• winter on June 1, and
• spring on September 1.
So in Conclusion, Koreans are traditional, North American’s scientific, and the Aussies/Kiwis well they just step outside with their beer and if it becomes piss warm in 15 minutes then they conclude it’s summer and if it stays cool 45 minutes well of course it’s winter. Easy Peasy ;) hahahaha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season
Everyday our Kindergarten classes do a message book (think school agenda). There is a line where the students circle the season. Well come September the students were circling “Fall.” I was new and was taking over so I “let” them circle Fall. Then once the end of November hit I took over my other kindergarten class for message time. They had begun circling “Winter” with my Korean teaching partner but hadn’t been doing it for long. I said “no it is still ‘Fall’ ” and told them it wasn’t Winter’s “Birthday” till December 21. I did not go into the whole idea of the Earth orbiting the sun and the four equal points at which point we judge the Earth’s position-- when the sun is tilting the furthest from the sun it is winter (winter solstice)... closest it is summer (summer solstice) and the mid points are spring/fall equinox-- (equal think not much tilt action). We use this science to calculate the seasons and how many days are in each season. ‘We’, in North America, have an “Astronomical” opinion of when the “beginning” of the seasons are.
I talked to Roberta about this season dichotomy and she agreed with me and said that her Korean partner was doing it ‘wrong’ too. hmmmm “silly Koreans” we think.... then I was teaching science and reviewed my whole astronomical point of view while at the same time looking for things to do for “Lunar New Year” which for South East Asia is in February.... hmmmm so if their New Year is different then perhaps... their seasons are different. I decided to do some research. So it turns out Koreans aren’t “silly” the date for the beginning of the seasons is just “different.”
Eastern Asian (for sure Chinese/Korean), as well as, some Irish Cultures follow a “Traditional” vs “Astronomical” system. It turns out that in this Traditional view, the seasons begin at the cross-quarter days. The solstices and equinoxes are the midpoints of these seasons. Each month has different symbols that have to do with the weather patterns, work related to the season, or traditional animals. It is all very interesting but too much to summarize here... google it if your interested. :)
So, according to Traditional reckoning,
• Winter begins on 5-10 Nov, Samhain, 立冬
• Spring on 2-7 Feb, Imbolc, 立春
• Summer on 4-10 May, Beltane, 立夏
• Autumn on 3-10 Aug, Lughnasadh, 立秋
And, the middle of each season is considered,
• Mid-winter: 20-23 Dec, winter solstice, 冬至
• Mid-spring: 19-22 Mar, vernal equinox, 春分
• Mid-summer: 19-23 June, summer solstice, 夏至
• Mid-autumn: 21-24 Sept, autumnal equinox, 秋分
So of course Koreans aren’t “silly” they are just different. Yet those Aussies and Kiwis well they make me laugh because they take the easy/ laid back way out in everything.... Turns out they follow a third system the ‘Meteorological system’ to recognize their seasons. Wikipedia states that the Meteorological system is “reckoned by temperature, with summer being the hottest quarter of the year, and winter the coldest quarter of the year. Using this reckoning, the Ancient Roman calendar began the year and the spring season on the first of March, with each season occupying three months.”
So, in meteorology for the Northern hemisphere:
• spring begins on March 1,
• summer on June 1,
• autumn on September 1, and
• winter on December 1.
Conversely, for the Southern hemisphere:
• summer begins on December 1,
• autumn on March 1,
• winter on June 1, and
• spring on September 1.
So in Conclusion, Koreans are traditional, North American’s scientific, and the Aussies/Kiwis well they just step outside with their beer and if it becomes piss warm in 15 minutes then they conclude it’s summer and if it stays cool 45 minutes well of course it’s winter. Easy Peasy ;) hahahaha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season
The Man in the Moon is Cultural
The Man in the Moon is an example of pareidolia. This changes from culture to culture some cultures perceive the silhouette of a woman, a hare, a frog, moose, buffalo, or a dragon in the full moon. During Elizabethan England, the spots of Moon represented a witch carrying sticks of wood on her back, or an old man with a lantern. This was even illustrated by Shakespeare in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. In Chinese culture, the rabbit in the moon is pounding medicine. Finally, in Japan and Korea, popular culture sees a rabbit making mochi and tteok (sweet rice cake-- sold everywhere on the streets).
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