An-ni-yo Mu-te : No, I can't speak

Can you speak Korean? 

That is the most common question that I get asked when I tell people that I work in a Korean online English company as an EIA (online English teacher).

I am listening to an mp3 for learning conversational Korean and I can't remember the things that is being said. I think my brain is not capable of learning any new language, even if it's something that I watch and hear in interviews. It's like the language block is literally in my head and I can't make my brain remember anything.

Now I can understand why my students are so embarrassed. In their head they can hear the words well. But when they open their mouth, the word doesn't come out just like the one you intended it to come out as. I can even hear my Americanized accent butchering the Korean word shamelessly.

I know a little bit of Japanese but it's like those phrases and sentences are vaulted up in some part of my memory and the only way to coax it out is with sushi. And we all know I am watching what I eat now. *so not true* It comes alive when Eiga Sai is around the corner and the rest of the year it's locked up and kept from my daily life.

I bought some flimsy Korean booklet for 140 yesterday. I had wanted to buy the Making out in Korean book but it was more than what I planned to shell out for a book these days. So I ended up with said crappy book and I haven't opened it yet. I was saved by my friend J who sent me some torrented mp3s. ^.^ But she only sent me Unit 1 and 2 since gmail can only take so much. ^.^ But one unit is enough to give me a negaspazz.

But it's time to fix up my resume and boast my skill set. I would have to practice typing blindly and speaking with sense.

My students would have the funniest, most patient student this coming days. I am always like this when I am trying to make them feel my love on the last few days. I remember getting so many claps and commendations before I left some other company. The last company promoted me before the end came near. It's a good idea for me to have fun and give my best so that things won't be awkward when I leave.

And who knows, I could come back. But not likely.

Anyway, some day I pray, I can watch Korean dramas and movies and pick up more than what I used to. Like how I am with Jdramas and movies nowadays. I want to be able to ignore the subtitles too. ^.^ At least most of the time.

11/11/11 : Happy Pepero Day!

These binary days, as I call 'em are a big deal for high school students. Today, 111011 is their college entrance exam day. Super stressful if you are familiar to how much those guys study for this exam. The pressure is so heavy that some have may snap at the very day of the exam. I would be too if I was in that situation.

Still the fun thing about the binary days is that it's so binary...the 10th is hell and the 11th is fun since it's Pepero day. Granted that this is just a way to sell more pepero but college exams are just tests too, right? (I kid, I kid of course).

People treat this day pretty much like a teenage version of Valentine's day. Giving pepero is a sweet gesture.

I super love the pepero kiss game

Chuseok jal bo nae sae yo!

One of the few things that I like about my job is that there is Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving either in September or October. The longest one that I experienced was almost an entire week of holidays. But of course we didn't have off all week but it was long. Most of the students didn't want to attend class so I breezed by that time last year.

As far as I know Chuseok is akin to Christmas, harvest festival, All Soul's day and family reunions rolled into one. Kids get money from the adults. Adults give their elders money, gifts of food and meat and whatever they can think of giving. And everyone who is in Korea needs to go to the house of the oldest living relative usually the grandparents to gather and offer prayers to the ancestors. They clean out the tombs of the deceased and the men do the ceremony. This is their traditional role in the whole thing.

It's Calvary as far as the wives, daughters, aunts, mothers and nieces are concerned. They have to clean after everyone, cook the food, prepare the offering and watch the menfolk do nothing but play cards, drink, talk or watch television. A married woman visits the husband's family first on the actual day. And depending upon what they talked about, they can visit her family after the actual day.

Kinda reminds me of our more traditional families as well. But it's a little different in my family since in my family the men cook better than the women sometimes. So I grew up seeing men and women huddled up in the kitchen, husbands carrying on with the wet market shopping and all of them making great feasts together. So I said to myself, I really should marry someone like my dad who is a great cook (when he gets around to doing it). I dated a guy like that before, I even dreamt about him last night. In the dream he said, "You promised your life to me, remember?" But I realize that those dreams happen whenever I have someone that I really love and am happy with in my life. So I take it as a sign that my inner demons and demon guides are acting up. This means that Ico is now considered as a rival to my affection. I need to remember Ne Sarang to be more careful and to wear a cross too.

Going back, I think Chuseok is a time to rest and be with family, so despite the fact that I might have movies that I want to watch that are playing this weekend, I think I will go home. It's my dad's birthday tomorrow. So it would be a nice surprise if I am home. I can also go see my friend and support her with the USANA thing and be her testimonial for her business meeting.

I wanted to spend the time in the city and write, get my BIR ID and all that stuff but I think spending a couple of days to help my friend and see my family wouldn't hurt.

I just need to check the schedule for the Cine Europa movies so I can plan out what I would watch on Monday and Tuesday. Then I will try to get a BIR ID on Tuesday. The SSS one would just have to wait. I can go there after shift some other time. I hear it would be too difficult to do so but I can try.

+++

Our boss gave out sungpyon. I got a green one! Cutie. I think this violates my no rice diet but hey, it's the holidays. I can make an exception.

rice cakes

Can I bring him home instead?

Tell it to the Marines

I heard from a student that Hyun Bin enlisted yesterday. I googled it as fast as I could and saw the pictures of my latest oppa teary-eyed with a military haircut. Whenever I see soldier I remember the guys from my short time in ROTC UPLB. I remember how some of them became professional soldiers. Some of the became part of the Army, Marines and the Air Force. I have always had a thing for men in uniform so I know that Hyun Bin becoming a Marine would just increase his "market value" when he gets back.

Article about it here 


I was about to mention a common Korean man's dilemma when he leaves for the army, that his girl would not be there when he comes back. I was wondering about his girlfriend but it turns out they haven't been together since January. Kuddos to their PR peeps since they handled this very well. 

Still they do look good together.

Still. It's *tee-hee* worthy that he is single when he comes back. *echoes* Free for all!~


Article about that here

ESA Moment : Red Bean Soup Day

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/12/115_36486.html

http://newasiancuisine.com/4736-sweet-red-bean-soup.html

My student Mr. Bond. (three guesses what his English name is) told me about Dongji Patjuk. You can read here what the myth about it taken from. The thing was that he didn't know about it as well. He found it interesting so he shared the information with me. He said patjuk drove evil spirits away. Cool, beans vs.ghouls. Kinda made me think of plants vs. zombies. ^^

I wanted to tell him about the Filipino food that people believed is a good source of energy or made us strong. Yes, you are right, the BALUT. But I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell the man about a food that would probably make him expel his lunch so soon. ^^

CULTURE OVERLAP: People, Koreans and Filipinos alike use food as a means to benchmark a holiday. Although the lugaw or a ginataang munggo would probably closer to the red bean soup than balut, it still makes the latter fit the "gives special energy" category. We believe that specific kind of food can make us healthier or stronger than usual. But in the long run it's a healthy diet ensure just that, with or without the red beans or the aborted ducks. ^^

Happy Pepero Day!~

Aren't they just so BIG and oh so Sweet? I want one too, Rain Oppa!

Happy Pepero Day, teachers and students!

Don't forget to give your honeys or kiddies pepero today! 

Sweets for my sweet day!

I would love to eat pepero with Oppa this way. Gyah!~