16May201408May2014

Things I Learned from Pre-Schoolers

Private academies, known as ‘hagwons’ in Korea, are rip-offs when you really think about it. While students pay a bunch of money to get a head start on their education, we as teachers get an education too, completely for free of charge. I have learned a lot from children, and you can too, if you only care to watch and observe them as carefully as they observe you. Here are some things that I have learned (or tried to learn) from preschoolers:

My first class in Korea - pre schoolers — My first class in Korea

Be Patient

Kids can be frustrating to teach, but at the end of the day, they are only kids. To survive as a teacher, you must learn to have an incredible amount of patience. A student might do something wrong a dozen times before they get it, but hey, that’s life and you are hurting them as much as yourself if you get angry about it.

From their perspective, they have an immense amount of patience for you too. They listen quietly, stop at your command, deal with your weird adult mood swings, and still love you when the bell rings. Follow their lead and have a little more patience when they stare at you blankly for the tenth time in a row. If you apply this to your every day life, you might find yourself happier, too.

Forgiveness Makes YOU Happy

Forgiveness is something that adults have a lot of trouble with. We tend to hold grudges about even the dumbest things. In the most extreme cases, we sometimes hate a person without even remembering what they did to us.

Pre-schoolers have this one figured out. When someone bothers them, they cry, say sorry, and are best friends within minutes. Kids are happy because they don’t dwell on every time someone tattled on them or called them ugly.

Maybe it’s just childish innocence, but they also forgive YOU whenever YOU chastise them unfairly. Every teacher makes mistakes and I am sure every one of us has a story about yelling at a student that probably didn’t deserve it. You might have been frustrated or just having a bad day, but the bottom line is, when they see you the next day, they still greet you with a huge smile.

Perhaps adults should take note. I read a quote that went something like, “forgiveness isn’t about making someone else feel good, it is about giving yourself peace of mind,” and I couldn’t agree more. If you forgive someone that doesn’t really deserve it, it will not affect them whether you do it or not. But believe me, it will make YOU a whole lot happier.

Be Positive, About Everything

Kids cheer about everything. You can show them the most boring activity, like tracing the letter A one hundred times and they will cheer at the sight of the paper. Sure, they prefer to play, as do adults. However, they seem to have discovered that it is better to be positive about everything than to pout.

Adults whine far too much. Work is too long. Breaks are too short. Food is too salty. Food is not salty enough. Dexter is not on until next week (bit of a dated reference, I know). Seriously, the whining can get more and more ridiculous the older we get. If we learn to act a little more like children, maybe someday we will get our food and proclaim, “Yay asparagus,” and actually mean it.

Making Others Feel Special Makes you Feel Good Inside

Everyday when I walk by my classroom, even if I just saw my students 5 minutes ago, they cheer uncontrollably. Now, if an adult did this, they would be outcast as the weirdo of the group. There is no doubt that cheering at the sight of each other is a bit strange, but there is something to that. I, and every teacher I have ever talked to, feel good when we hear the happiness in a classroom’s heart. Children are constantly trying to cheer us up and feel good because it makes them feel good.

As adults, sometimes we forget that small things. A smile, a ‘hello’ in the morning, or a ‘how is your day going’ really goes a long way.

Working Hard is Cool

When pre-schoolers pick out their favorite student in class, they will almost always pick the kindest or the hardest working student. Hard work is cool, and while it is something that is still prevalent in much of the world, it seems to be losing its cool factor in some aspects of society.

Adults boast about how little effort they put into their jobs, their relationships, or pretty much anything in their life. Somewhere along the line, being lazy became the new cool. While I appreciate the art of efficiency, this does not equate to laziness. Ashton Kutcher really drives it home with this speech.

Some People are Sensitive, and That is Okay

Adults have a special way to deal with people who are overly sensitive, AVOID! Our spider-sense goes crazy and we quickly label them as weirdos and crazies which don’t make it into our inner circles.

Pre-schoolers however, handle things much differently. They end up apologizing more often, even if they don’t feel like they did anything wrong. Sometimes, there is no absolute right or wrong and it is a person’s feelings that are important. While I am not suggesting that we tolerate every over-emotional nut who hasn’t gotten it together by adulthood, it might do everyone a little good to offer a bit more sensitivity to those middle of the road people you typically don’t have time for.

First Impressions are NOT Everything

First impressions are something we are taught since before we even know the word ‘impression.’ In high school, college, and job interviews, it is those first few seconds that are forever tattooed on the other person’s mind. Is that fair?

Pre-schoolers often have a cry baby or two in the beginning of the year, but no one judges them for it. While everyone considers it too childish to cry by the end of the year, they haven’t been shunned for something they did so long ago.

I think the key is getting to know someone. We judge on first impressions because we don’t take the time to allow that person to adapt to being around us. While I probably am not going to convince any employer to give me a second, clean slate interview, it might be a good strategy to keep an open mind until at least the end of the interview.

Use Your Talents for Good

Sad to say, the smartest, richest, and most successful people we know, are not often the most giving and kind people in our lives. Many times, people hoard any special talent, skill, or fortune them may have, completely opposite to what pre-schoolers have taught us.

A 5-year old genius is usually trying his hardest to help his friends become successful too. He or she gets how to do everything, but that is not enough. They see joy in helping their friends succeed. Maybe we too can find some joy in using our own super powers for good. Stop being selfish and help your buddy color that page… I mean… get ahead in life.

Helping is Enjoyable

We often think of helping others as a task, something that we do because we have to, not because we want to. In American society for example, we dish out “community service” as an alternative to jail time for those who have committed a crime.

Children see things much differently. To them, being the ‘clean up helper’ or the ‘book distributer’ is a reward. They see joy and pleasure from helping others. Maybe if we stop thinking of helping as a chore, we too can be as happy as them.

Small Talk is Important

Have you ever listened to what children talk about? Let’s be honest, it is not the most interesting conversation in the world. While they are not going to debate about politics or reminisce about the finer things in life, they are experts in small talk.

Small talk is an art that sadly dies the older we get. If you are one of the few who have talked to someone about the weather in the past week, pat yourself in the back! Small talk builds relationships and bonds with other people which can be mutually beneficial in the future. Like a 5 year old, you might have nothing to say, but say it anyways.

Try, Try, Try, Try, Try and Try Again

We live in a society of quitters… we really do. I bet everyone reading this has quit at least one thing this year. Personally, I quit learning to play the piano. While I am not proud of this, it is a fact of adulthood that we quit when something gets hard.

Little kids never quit. They will try a million times and fail before they throw in the towel. I don’t know if it is an “I have nothing better to do” attitude or a fear of personal shame, but I have rarely seen any child say “nope, couldn’t do it.” Maybe if we acted like kids, we’d get more stuff done!

Just Share

Yes it belongs to you and yes you really don’t want anything to happen to it. Sound familiar? Adults are so possessive of their material belongings which is the complete opposite of what we teach kids. While I don’t suggest lending things to someone you know to be unreliable, it doesn’t hurt to share sometimes.

Just Dance, Shamelessly

Shame is one of those things that hold us back more than anything. Shame in dancing is probably the worst kind that exists. Sometimes, it is great to just let loose, no matter how ridiculous you may look. Pre-schoolers are not concerned about having the right moves, what their friends would think, or who they are out to impress. They want to dance because it feels good. I wish we thought the same way.

Your Friends Move, Life Goes On

I remember when I was younger thinking I would be completely devastated if I lost my elementary school friends. I thought the same thing in middle school, high school, and even after college. Many people never move on or take risks in life because of a fear that they will lose their closest friends.

Pre-schoolers don’t have much of a choice in this regard, but they handle it quite well. When someone announces that they will be leaving the school, odds are, they will never see their classmates again. Well, good luck, live goes on. In a few days, everyone is back to normal and has gotten over it.

While I don’t suggest that we become cold-hearted, in today’s world, it is really hard to completely lose touch with someone. If you are meant to be friends, the friendship will continue no matter what. Don’t let that fear hold you back from greater, personal growth.

Just be There for Someone

This is probably the biggest advice I should take myself, but it is so hard to know when it is okay to be there for someone. Sometimes we feel like we are not close enough to a person to offer condolences or comfort them in times of need.

Pre-schoolers have this one to a tee. It doesn’t matter how close you are, just be there. Seriously, if I ever lost someone I loved, I wouldn’t be complaining about “you’re not close enough to give me a hug.”

This list are just some of the things I feel like pre-schoolers are trying to teach us and am in no way saying I have mastered them all (not even close). Like everyone, I am sometimes too stubborn or prideful to learn the lessons I should. However, if we stop to listen, maybe we can learn a thing or two.

Sidenote: This marks the longest it has ever taken me to finish a post. It has stalled on and off for almost 8 months.

12May201413May2014

Nami Island is just THE WORST!

Julio Moreno South Korea nami island, namiseom 2 Comments

If there is something that Nami Island has taught me, it is to never trust a Korean with travel suggestions, even within their own country. Alright, that is pretty harsh, but it is true that Nami is one of the worst places to visit in all of South Korea, despite being a local favorite.

Nami Island or ‘Namiseom’ is situated in the middle of the north Han River near Gapyeong city and was artificially created after the construction and subsequent flooding by the Cheongpyeong Dam. It was then turned into a sort of amusement park with metasequioas, hi-rail bikes, and even ostriches in a little coral.

This one should be investigated for overloading too. This can't be legal. — This one should be investigated for overloading too. This can’t be legal.

Why do I hate Nami so much? Read more →

08May201405May2014

10 Korean Words You SHOULDN’T Directly Translate

Julio Moreno South Korea, Top 10 Style Lists Korean words 28 Comments

Despite its resemblance to Chinese at first glance, the Korean language is actually not pictographic at all. It is comprised of an incredibly easy to read phonetic alphabet of 21 vowels and 19 consonants with rules which can be thought of as easy start, but very difficult to master. While reading Korean and saying basic phrases may seem simple, using your trusty translator is not always the wisest move. As with every language, culture and context comes into play and ignoring these could get you into a lot of trouble. Here are ten words where you should probably dig a little deeper before blurting out their direct translations:

10) Brother

Direct Translation: Hyeong / 형

While ‘hyeong’ could be a possible translation for the word ‘brother,’ this is one of those cases where culture matters. For starters, there are a number of ways to say this word depending on who is talking. A male speaking to his older brother would say “hyeong” while a female would say “oppa / 오빠.” The terms for brother only apply if speaking to someone older than you, as someone younger would be addressed by their first name, or “dongseng” (literally: younger sibling) by either sex.

While this is easy enough to remember, it gets more confusing. Korea is a communal culture where the lines of family are extended to broader terms than they would in the English speaking world. Consequently, any slightly older male figure that you respect or is family would (and should) be referred to as Oppa or Hyeong. This leads to very confusing conversations where people refer to countless males as their brothers, leading you to believe they have an extremely large family.

9) Friend

Direct Translation: Chingu / 친구

How many friends do you have? If you are speaking in Korean, you likely have a lot more than you would expect, and not necessarily people you like. You see, while the Korean word chingu includes that 1st grade buddy you have known for 20 years, it also includes everyone else in that classroom, whether you like it or not.

This word ties back to this list that explained how age works in Korea. In brief, you are born at 1 and add an additional year to yourself every New Year’s Day, with your birthday having no effect on your age. Everyone who is the same age, consequently born on the same calendar year, is chingu. This leads to very strange phrases such as “I never liked that friend” or people yelling out “friend” upon meeting someone new and learning their age.

So, if you were born on January 1st and you meet someone who is born on December 31st of the previous year, they are referred to with this honorific word for brother, despite them being only a day older than you.

8) You Are Welcome

Direct Translation: CheonManeyo / 천만에요

Whenever someone thanks us, we feel that the most polite thing to do would be to say “you are welcome.” If you think about it though, this is kind of odd and redundant. Someone does something good, so we show appreciation, and it is only polite to show appreciation for the appreciation?

For this reason, although the word exists, it is almost never used in Korean. Throw around CheonManeyo’s around and you are likely to get blank stares or the polar opposite, appreciation for your appreciation of the appreciation! A more common response is a simple ‘Ne’ which means yes, but many more things… which leads to…

7) Yes

Direct Translation: Ne or Ye / 네 or 예

As your ears are first getting accustomed to listening to Korean, you might think that Koreans are extremely agreeable people. They seem to say ‘ne’ for EVERYTHING. In fact, there could be entire conversations with ‘ne’ as the only word spoken in response. While ‘ne’ literally means yes, it is far more diverse than that in Korean.

Ne can mean: “Yes, I agree, really?, awww, okay, let’s do it,” and so on. To add to the confusion, the length of the ‘ne’ also has meaning, with a longer ‘nnneeeeeeee’ generally being more polite.

6) Goodbye

Direct translation: Annyeonghi Kaseyo / 안녕히가세요

‘Goodbye,’ much like real estate, is all about location, location, location. While in English, we have made it so that any two people talking to each other can end their meeting with ‘goodbye,’ the situation of the ‘goodbye’ is important in Korean.

If you are the one staying somewhere, and the other person is leaving, ‘Annyeonghi Kaseyo’ is correct, as it literally means “go in peace.” However, if you are the one who is leaving, you would say ‘annyeonghi kyeseyo’ which literally means “stay in peace.” The logic of just copying what the other person says doesn’t work here as the verb “ka” means to go, and if you are in a convenience store for example, the clerk isn’t going anywhere. If this is too much to remember though, a long ‘nnnneeeeeee’ is also acceptable!

5) I Hate

Direct translation: Shiro / 싫어

Would you like some pizza? “I hate it!” How about some pasta? “shiro!” These responses seem a bit extreme in English and are mostly associated with the rant of a 5 year old spoiled only child, but they can be completely normal responses in Korean.

You see, in Korean, there are different words for ‘hate’ to be used when talking about a person or a suggestion. In this case, the direct translation of “I hate that idea” is more appropriately translated as “I really don’t feel like it” or “I am not in the mood for that.” While this, combined with item #7 might lead you to believe that Koreans are very bipolar people, rest assured, it is all a misunderstanding.

4) Hard (having a hard time)

Direct translation: Himdeureo / 힘들어

“I am having a hard time with…” is easy enough to translate into “Blah blah blah himdeureo.” However, if you attempt the reverse, you start running into some problems. As mentioned in the introduction paragraph, the Korean language is simple and complex at the same time. There are no articles (a, the, an) and phrases can often be trimmed down for fluency of speech.

Translating “I am having a difficult time at home” from Korean into English turns into “I am hard at home” or if you take out the ‘at home,’ simply “I am hard.” This would not be as ‘big’ of a problem if there weren’t countless innuendos associated with this phrase, and a plethora of follow up inappropriate comments.

3) My / Our

Direct translations: Nae or Uri / 내 or 우리

Whether we realize it or not, we are a very possessive society. ‘MY wedding,’ ‘MY father,’ and even ‘MY meal’ are phrases which aren’t said in Korean as often as they are in English because of the cultural difference of communal thinking mentioned earlier. Instead, often times the word ‘uri’ meaning ‘our’ is used to express that something is shared and not personally owned.

While weddings and fathers are not things that really come up every day (in terms of possession), claiming something to be YOUR meal is not only strange, but can lead to unintended faux pas. If you are in a Korean restaurant and desire a soda for example, you should probably ask anyone else if they want the same flavor because whether you like it or not, you might be forced to share. Use ‘my’ tactfully to avoid cultural insensitivity.

2) Crazy

Direct translation: Michin / 미친

“Girl, you are so crazy” is something English speakers would say without thinking twice. It is almost said in appreciation for someone who is bold enough to do something spontaneous and unusual. However, saying this to a Korean person, especially a girl (and heaven forbid, someone you are dating) is asking to get your head cut off. Michin is the literal translation of crazy, which is to be insane. To call someone crazy is questioning their sanity and can be extremely offensive. Unfortunately, in this case, sticking to the English word will do you no good as most Koreans will recognize the word and associate it with “michin.” Better think of something else, but don’t call someone crazy, or they will actually turn crazy on you.

1) Eighteen (18)

Direct translation: Ship-pal / 십팔

This one is a little tricky as the actual translation is not the problem, but the pronunciation. The number eighteen is pronounced Ship-pal. While a Korean could probably pronounce it correctly, our poor Anglo vocal cords are wired a little differently. Unfortunately, if you say this number with even the slightest error in pronunciation, it sounds an awful lot like the F word in Korean (shi-bal / 씨발). It is actually so similar even amongst Koreans, that ’18’ is often used as slang on chat rooms and video games to replace the F word. Do yourself a favor and avoid the need to say 18 in Korean, it just isn’t worth the risk.

Now is probably a good time to mention that I am just a beginner in Korean. While I did cross reference this with a Korean speaker, let me know if you find any mistakes. Also, share if you know any other words which you probably should not google-translate!

06May201406May2014

10 Korean Experiences and their Unusual Alternatives

Julio Moreno South Korea, Top 10 Style Lists things to do in korea 2 Comments

First off, hello everyone! It is good to be back in Seoul!

Seeing how most of my readers are from the US, I’ve focused most of my ‘Korea posts’ on what I would like to show a visitor with a limited amount of time. I wanted to do something a little different this time. This is a list of Korean experiences and how to take them to the next level. While some of these might be normal to expats already living here, I hope they too can agree that these can give an insight into Korean people and culture.

10) Live in an Apartment

For the better part of my four years here, I have lived in an small, but cozy apartment. While it felt completely normal at the time, it wasn’t until coming back to Korea without a job last week that I experienced what most of you might in terms of accommodation: a guesthouse/hostel. Apartments will let you see the tiny places people live in, sometimes with entire families. The good news is that you will have control of your very own “ondol” or floor heating system. Even the cheapest apartments have this wonderful invention that makes your feet nice and toasty in the winter months. Read more →

27Mar201421Jul2021

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

Julio Moreno South Korea, UNESCO World Heritage Site crater lake, natural sites, UNESCO, volcano, world heritage site 6 Comments

https://national-parks.org/south-korea/hallasanVisited: July 2011, July 2013

Site Type: Natural

Inscribed: 2007

Background and Opinion:

Jeju Island is a dreamland for many Koreans. It has a mythical feeling like nothing else on the mainland, and its fame alone is the reason that Seoul to Jeju is, by a large margin, the most traveled air route world with entire airlines dedicated to cheap airfare to the island. All this begs the question: Is Jeju Island all it’s cracked up to be? I firmly say, there is nothing else like it in South Korea.* (but with a huge asterisk)

[For more information on South Korea, check out the free South Korea Travel Guide!]

The Volcano

Jeju is a volcanic island that was created with the formation of the highest peak in South Korea – Mt. Halla. It is no longer active as the lava tubes that fed it dried up with the last eruption over 1000 years ago. One of the coolest things to do on the island is scale Hallasan to view the lake at the top.

Jeju Island - Hallasan — At the top of Hallasan

Halla National Park has waterfalls, lots of mist, deer, reptiles, and (depending on where you are in your hike) real space to feel the nature around you.

The Beaches

The beaches in Jeju are fantastic, but the best ones are not the ones locals frequent. I don’t know if it is in the culture or what, but there is a general Korean belief that if many people go there, it MUST be good with the opposite also being true. I made the mistake of going to the recommended beaches first, and found them to be nice but unbearably crowded. For the best results, take a scooter or car out and drive along the coast until you find a good beach.

Jungmun Beach is pretty, but during the summer, too crowded to do anything.

Hamdeok Beach is much closer to the airport and has an amazing color. It is also not very crowded, and doesn’t have very strong waves. This is by far my favorite beach in Jeju-do.

Samyang Black Sand Beach is interesting if you have never seen a dark black sand beach. It is said that the sand is good for the skin, too.

Lava Tubes

As part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, how could you skip this. The lava tubes are sets of underground caves where lava used to flow and directly feed Halla Mountain.

Sunrise Peak Ilchulbong

This volcanic cone sits on the eastern part of the island. I’ll be real and say that the top looks NOTHING like the pictures. It is definitely not as green or even grassy for that matter. Nevertheless, it is a great hike that takes about an hour. You can get great views of the village below from the top.

From the top of the sunrise peak. — At the top of the sunrise peak.

Olles

There is a network of hiking trails around most of the island known as Olles. The hikes are mostly good and are not as crowded as you might expect. There are more than 10 total trails that start immediately after the previous one ends, giving you the freedom to hike as much or as little as you’d like.

Waterfalls

There are three main waterfalls on the Southern part of the island: Cheonjeyeon, Cheonjiyeon, and Jeongbang.

Cheonjeyeon is near Jungmun beach and is by far the best one. It is a deep blue and you are allowed to dip your feet in the water to refresh yourself.

Cheonjiyeon is absolute garbage. Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but it is paved all the way from the entrance giving it a completely unnatural look. There is also a ridiculous amount of lights, it is incredibly crowded, and you don’t even get that close to the actual fall. You will see crowds of people making a line to pose next to it from a distance. This is another one of those “if its crowded, it must be good” moments.

Jeongbang is a waterfall that drains straight into the ocean. It is very tall and not crowded at all. It is definitely worth the short hike down.

The Tourist Traps (That pesky asterisk!***)

It is time to talk about that asterisk in the beginning of this review. Jeju is pretty awesome, but is filled with ridiculous places, too. The Teddy Bear Museum, Chocolate Museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Miniature Land (or something to that effect), Love Land, Trick Art Museum, you name it, Jeju has tons of what we call in the west, a “tourist trap.” Given all of the natural beauty around, it is like placing one of these in Yellowstone National Park…WHYYY!!! Before going to Jeju, locals recommended all of these and if you did that, you might have a negative perception of Jeju as well.

I do shamefully have one tourist trap that I love though, and that is the Maze Park. It looks like it is straight out of Harry Potter 4 as you have to find your way out or be lost forever!

The first time took me a while since I decided to do it without a map.

Evaluation

1) Completeness / Preservation (13/15): It is remarkably clean and Halla Mountain had no trash whatsoever. There is recent development, however, that could negatively impact its natural beauty.

2) Extensiveness of the Site (12/15): It is big quite big, but you can see most things in about three days if you rent a car or scooter.

3) Natural Significance (13/25):

4) Personal Impact (9.5/15):

5) Logistics (6.5/10): Jeju is probably the only place in Korea where public transportation is not the way to go. The buses are not very frequent, and don’t go everywhere. It is best to rent a car or scooter and explore the island on your own terms.

6) Uniqueness (8.5/20): Realistically, volcanoes and volcanic islands are a dime a dozen.

Combined Score: 62.5/100

Is this a good score? Find out how it compares in our rankings.