Quick note from Taiwan:
Yesterday, when Claire and I were wondering around one of Taipei's famous night markets, we found a massage parlor that specialises in giving the famous Taiwanese foot massage where you're howling in pain one minute and then giggling like a fool the next. Because it was Claire's last day, and because we already splurged on a delicious $80 meal, we decided to splurge a little more by tacking on the shoulder massage to our foot massages.
There are no words to explain how amazing that massage was...maybe just sounds. All I will say is this: They could have killed my entire family in front of me and I would not have cared.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
My Korean friend told me he thinks I have a drinking problem...
...and then went on to tell me the time he finished off nine bottles of soju and blacked out (I tap out after two or three bottles). I met June over the summer on the beach, where he was piss-drunk and was well on his way to finishing five bottles.
I've come out to my first Korean the other night, but this was after a few pitchers of beer and a few strong orders of long island iced teas. I only did it because I was getting annoyed with the amount of questions he was asking about what kind of girls I was into. I kept saying that I was just really picky.
"Picky? Like...fat? You like fat chicks?" June said just before he bloated his cheeks and held his arms away from his sides like a fat person is forced to do everyday.
Korea in a lot of ways is like America in the 50s with regards to Koreans' opinions on gender, sexuality, nationality, mental health, etc. But at the same time it's rapidly changing, and moving progressively forward, especially with the younger generations. Unfortunately it's really easy to forget that. I'm always told I should be careful with whom I discuss various 'controversial' topics, such as sexuality, etc., because Koreans can be very conservative and the like--and because of this--and because of the homogeneous setting--I end up pigeonholing all Koreans.
June is an example of where some of Koreans stand: he's open minded about sexuality and knows Korea isn't the be-all and end-all of his existence. June knows gay people actually exist--unlike a lot of Korea who think the very thought of two men or women fucking is so absurd and thus conclude there aren't any fags or dykes in Korea. (He apologised to me because he felt bad that I thought I couldn't come out to him sooner--though he did have to reiterate that he /wasn't/ gay.)
June also wants to get out more and travel. He did a brief Euro trip, where he was able to see some of the world through his own eyes instead of through a mediated image. (He also got to experiment with a few drugs abroad, and is jealous of the lenient laws against pot in Canada.) Because of the homogeneous culture, most Koreans only know Korea and couldn't care less about what the rest of the world has to offer because, well, Koreans do it best. But, again, that's slowly changing; even my director at my school said he is going to make sure his kids venture forth and engage the world instead of just Korea.
Though at the same time...Korea is insanely fascinated with and focused on Western culture because of its strong permeating abilities, and at times aspires to be more Western. Eye surgery is prevalent here, a long with other plastic surgeries. The 'white' look is put on a sexy pedestal, and I've seen many attractive Korean women with butt-fucking-ugly white men. (I feel like this is worth mentioning: At the Pusan International Film Festival, I saw Korea's first animated feature, and it had many, many elements of the Warner Bros. cartoons I've come to know and love. The hero, who was Korean, looked like he had some eye surgery done.)
Other culinary cultures have made there way into Korea, but a lot of times the food has been "Koreanized." I've had sushi with kimchi and ketchup. And because Korea is in love with their sweet tooth, a lot of the food is sweetened, like a few curries I've had.
For those of you who have seen Old Boy: DID YOU KNOW THEY'RE MAKING A FUCKING REMAKE WITH WILL SMITH?! Fuck Hollywood in the eye. Mirrors is another Hollywood remake of a popular Korean movie, and it premiered here. What a fucking slap in the face to Koreans. Hollywood is also remaking Let the Right One In. Ugh. Anyways. Yeah.
I've come out to my first Korean the other night, but this was after a few pitchers of beer and a few strong orders of long island iced teas. I only did it because I was getting annoyed with the amount of questions he was asking about what kind of girls I was into. I kept saying that I was just really picky.
"Picky? Like...fat? You like fat chicks?" June said just before he bloated his cheeks and held his arms away from his sides like a fat person is forced to do everyday.
Korea in a lot of ways is like America in the 50s with regards to Koreans' opinions on gender, sexuality, nationality, mental health, etc. But at the same time it's rapidly changing, and moving progressively forward, especially with the younger generations. Unfortunately it's really easy to forget that. I'm always told I should be careful with whom I discuss various 'controversial' topics, such as sexuality, etc., because Koreans can be very conservative and the like--and because of this--and because of the homogeneous setting--I end up pigeonholing all Koreans.
June is an example of where some of Koreans stand: he's open minded about sexuality and knows Korea isn't the be-all and end-all of his existence. June knows gay people actually exist--unlike a lot of Korea who think the very thought of two men or women fucking is so absurd and thus conclude there aren't any fags or dykes in Korea. (He apologised to me because he felt bad that I thought I couldn't come out to him sooner--though he did have to reiterate that he /wasn't/ gay.)
June also wants to get out more and travel. He did a brief Euro trip, where he was able to see some of the world through his own eyes instead of through a mediated image. (He also got to experiment with a few drugs abroad, and is jealous of the lenient laws against pot in Canada.) Because of the homogeneous culture, most Koreans only know Korea and couldn't care less about what the rest of the world has to offer because, well, Koreans do it best. But, again, that's slowly changing; even my director at my school said he is going to make sure his kids venture forth and engage the world instead of just Korea.
Though at the same time...Korea is insanely fascinated with and focused on Western culture because of its strong permeating abilities, and at times aspires to be more Western. Eye surgery is prevalent here, a long with other plastic surgeries. The 'white' look is put on a sexy pedestal, and I've seen many attractive Korean women with butt-fucking-ugly white men. (I feel like this is worth mentioning: At the Pusan International Film Festival, I saw Korea's first animated feature, and it had many, many elements of the Warner Bros. cartoons I've come to know and love. The hero, who was Korean, looked like he had some eye surgery done.)
Other culinary cultures have made there way into Korea, but a lot of times the food has been "Koreanized." I've had sushi with kimchi and ketchup. And because Korea is in love with their sweet tooth, a lot of the food is sweetened, like a few curries I've had.
For those of you who have seen Old Boy: DID YOU KNOW THEY'RE MAKING A FUCKING REMAKE WITH WILL SMITH?! Fuck Hollywood in the eye. Mirrors is another Hollywood remake of a popular Korean movie, and it premiered here. What a fucking slap in the face to Koreans. Hollywood is also remaking Let the Right One In. Ugh. Anyways. Yeah.
Greetings, hello, good morning, hi, etc
Korea has only one greeting, "anyeong hasaeyo," which can mean hello, good morning, good afternoon, hi, and so on. It is also said when one is asking "how are you?" and when replying with "I'm good!"
On the flip side, Korea has two ways of saying good-bye: one is said when you're staying, and the other is said when you're leaving. The literal translation is either, "bye, I'm staying," or "bye, I'm leaving."
On the flip side, Korea has two ways of saying good-bye: one is said when you're staying, and the other is said when you're leaving. The literal translation is either, "bye, I'm staying," or "bye, I'm leaving."
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Taejondae
One week ago a handful of us went to explore the beautiful cliffs of Taejondae, which also houses the most southern point of Busan.
Here are some pictures:
Not so early risers
Jump shots while waiting for everyone to arrive at Busan station
Here are some pictures:
Not so early risers
Jump shots while waiting for everyone to arrive at Busan station
45-minute bus ride filled with disgusting and obscene 'would-you-rathers.' Conversations have dived into the obscene realm here because it's just assumed no one in earshot can understand you. It's going to be weird coming back to Canada where everyone can understand you and where you can understand everyone around you.
The southern most tip of Busan!!
The southern most tip of Busan!!
On the subway ride back from these cliffs we were sitting three and two on either side of the train. A Korean man started talking to Alyssa and me, asking if we were movie stars from somewhere in Europe. We told him we were all English teachers from Canada, motioning to our friends on the other side. He looked across the subway to the three dreary hikers, and then back us with look of visible disdain. Before darting out of the subway angrily he said, "you, you look like movie stars. They look like Gypsies!"
I had a very, very lazy weekend due in part to late, late nights. I think I spent more time in bed than out, and with everyone I knew doing the same, it made it that much harder to get out of my cozy nest. Because you're not supposed to drink the water straight from the tap here (due to it being saturated with heavy metals), one of the worst things after a night of drinking is waking up with out an ounce of drinkable water in your apartment. That happened to me today.
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