Dora in Korea

I’ve mentioned before very briefly that I teach in a private, after-school academy in South Korea.

The school has always been trying new things to either attract new students or keep the students they have here. Several months ago, a committee of the Korean and foreign teachers went into our meeting room to watch various children’s TV shows. The modus operandi being: Let the kids watch a fun show to keep them excited about coming here.

What show did we decide upon? What show was the best to help keep 1^st through 3^rd graders excited about coming here? What show had the best combination of flashing lights and pretty colors with educational value? What, dammit, what?!

Dora the Explorer.

Let that sink in a moment. I’m teaching English to grade-school aged children in South Korea, and we’ve decided to use Dora the Explora’ to help them with their English. It’s a good show for that age group, a good choice, except these children have nearly no exposure to Spanish.

But, that’s not it! We’ve got to also come up with questions and give them a pop quiz on what they’ve seen in the episodes. After all, wouldn’t the mothers complain if we just. once. a. week. let the kids relax and have some fun?

Who was given the arduous and mind-numbing task of sitting through the episodes and writing quizzes? Who lucked out on the workload lottery? Yours truly.

I watched five DVDs of Dora during planning time over a period of a few weeks, then typed up quizzes based on their academic levels. After slogging through it, I completed a great many quizzes for all three levels who’d partake in the weekly activity.

I even developed how the class is to be taught, allowing time to pause the show to ask questions from the pop quiz, and check answers at the end of the class.

When the first class came around to actually use my project, it was given to a class that I didn’t even teach.

I was nervous that everything would go alright. I did my best to instruct the others on how to do the “movie class”, I made sure to print out the syllabus for it and copy for everyone.

Where’d the rubber meet the road? The class went by fairly well, but with a few complaints from the kids.

a) The language on the quizzes wasn’t simple enough…

b) Do we have to learn Spanish too?

In addressing the first point, it must be said that it is supremely difficult to dumb down one’s word usage. (Especially when you’ve spent 16 years of your life learning the language and honing your vocabulary skills well enough to be considered well-learned.) It is difficult to dumb down language to an understandable level to the lowest skilled students without making what I liken to “caveman” English. Caveman English would change a sentence like:
“Where do they find the ball?” into “Where is the ball?” into “Where ball?”

In my revisions I’d choose sentences which were more like the central one. But, for the low level classes, even that is too difficult for them. (And certainly had me ask why we’re showing them a video if they don’t understand what’s going on…)

A decent work-a-round was decided; I’d simplify the questions AND my Korean co-teachers would provide translated questions written in Korean right along the English questions.

For upper level classes, providing Korean along with the English would detract from the challenge of learning. With younger students, even if their own skills with Korean weren’t good it’d at least give them a chance.

To answer the second complaint, No. It was just left at that as well. No further explanation would be given, other than, “Enjoy the class.” There have been episodes that we’ve used which have been nearly been Spanish lessons with little English. Too late to change now?

Now that a few quarters have passed, I finally get to “enjoy” the fruits of my labor and teach the class. For being a class revolving around the adventures of Dora and pals, the students are super psyched every Wednesday.

Music Update

Wesley Willis is a musician from Chicago, whom if it weren’t for the internet, I’d never have heard such amazing tracks as Suck a Cheetah's Dick, Rock and Roll McDonalds, or I whupped Batman's ass.

All of his songs contain simple synthesizer beats, and simple bass/instrumental parts, and the lyrics are almost all sung in the same formulaic stanzas. It’s worse than pop music in its’ arrangement, but what makes Willis’ work stand out isn’t the vulgarities he’s spewing, but the almost sing-song manner he goes about it.

His music is bizarre, to say the least.

I hadn’t known until I did a little research: many of his songs were written to exorcise personal demons whom in paranoid schizophrenic episodes would torment him. Music was what got him through those experiences.

He had a cult following in the mid-late 90s, as file-sharing sprung up and people shared his music across the world wide web. I hadn’t been introduced to him until a few years ago. It was my girlfriend who reintroduced me to his works. I’m a bit of a late bloomer to be a fan of his music. Like Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain, Willis is a dead musician. There’s not going to be anymore music by him unless someone ghost-writes or ghost-produces some music for him.

I see his fame and work as the last of a dying breed of musical expression. While he was often seen as a novelty act, and even appeared on Howard Stern (You can't find the interview on YouTube anymore...) Willis’ music defies traditional conventions of what music ‘should be’ and just is its’ own creature lurking in the underground of the internet and countercultural music scenes. 

At least this interview's still out there on the web. 

Rock over London, rock on Chicago, Wheaties breakfast of champions!

Weekend Update

Hello loyal readers,

What has been going on behind the Blog Fortress' sturdy doors? Not a whole lot. I've been working during the weekdays, and busy on the weekends.
As mentioned in a prior update, my minecraft castle's complete and monster-proof, but I've started another, more ambitious, larger project. I'm building a model castle, as well as exploring the caverns deep below said castle. Other things of note to follow:

Recently, I joined goodreads. Which potential stalkers should take note, is a website devoted to ranting and raving about books one has read, or wants to read. Join it, literacy is sexy.

This weekend's been light in terms of going out on the town or partying it up. Friday night, myself and six other foreign expats fell upon something so beautiful it'd make a statue of Mother Teresa cry; Dino Meat, a Korean BBQ buffet. For the low, low, (ok modest price) of 14,000 Won each, you can take your pick of a variety of beef or pork galbi, samgyeopsal, sausages, and even burgers. In Korea, you have a grill on your table, and you can cook the meat as little or as charred as you like. At Dino Meat, you can even get up with your plate and grab more meat for the grill, at no extra charge. For any lover of Korean BBQ, this is a must eat!
After we'd had our fill, several beers and some soju, we were gently encouraged to go as it was 'closing time' soon (Other, Korean diners stayed and hadn't appeared to have been notified of closing time,) we went to Arts Center, in Incheon, for drinks.
Some in our party complained that it was racist for them to tell us it was time to go, and hell, maybe it was. Not knowing the language it's hard to tell if they had or hadn't informed the other patrons about closing time. The other group of patrons looked like they were finishing up as well, though. Having worked in the culinary field, I can sympathize. Who wants to be stuck working until 11pm on a Friday night while everyone else is out on the town? They started cleaning off the other tables, and it was clear to me, that like us, they had other places to go afterwords.
I've been a "vet" of expat life for almost three years. There are tons of ways in which I, the outsider to Korea has felt stepped on, ignored, or straight up victimized. But that's not my point. Being here, and any time something lightly steps on the bounds of treating me like a second class person; I can only think of the 'foreigners' in my home country, who may or may not know enough English to have a clue what's going on, and whom elements of my own culture have sought to alienate.
I realize that compared to many migrant workers, I've still got it a lot better. I don't have to send loads of each paycheck home to support my family among other things. While I do get the occasional stare-down on the subway, or on the street, I've hardly gotten the kind of anti-immigrant fury my own country seems to have against people from different countries who've left their homelands to try and make a better life for themselves.
But then again, I've had to jump through a number of bureaucratic hoops just to get in. I needed to prove I had a legit college degree, get an HIV/AIDS test, get a criminal background check, get a drug test, meet with a diplomat at the Korean embassy in the US, and get a work visa that's linked to my work. Most of the people who've migrated to the US probably haven't gone through all of that. If I'm wrong, please inform me.

My job is teaching Korean school-children the English language. Which I take seriously, is not manual labor. I can say in full confidence that in the private sector, of after-school academies, are businesses far before they are schools and places of learning.
Any one could read through a plethora of teacher complaints found on this website to see the nasty side of the ESL world. My post isn't one of those, although I certainly have a few complaints of my own. 
Before I get lost in another tangent: being a vet of the ESL world has done a lot of good for me, and really opened my eyes to the world, and what it's like to try and immerse oneself in a foreign culture. The supposed racism encountered Friday night just reiterated for me that no matter where you go, there are always good people, bad people and jerks. While my friends may say otherwise, all I saw was a kitchen crew just wanting to call it a night so they, too, could go out and get some drinks.

Later that evening, we went to Arts Center, and got ourselves a few drinks, had good laughs, told stories, and enjoyed each others' company. We even went to a noraebang, (singing room, ie karaoke) until late/early AM.

Upon re-reading this, I think I didn't do Dino Meat enough. The meat was delicious, and I can't believe I ate as much as I did, except when I think of how great it was. The restaurants and culinary culture will be missed whenever I find my way back home.
I think something that's stalled me from making a blog update about the food is that after two years of being here, it's not so new and different to me anymore.
When I first came here, I turned my nose at people who'd eat a pizza or a burger instead of chamchi bokeumbap, or buddae jjigae. Why eat western food, when I came to Korea to try new things! What a stupid sentiment! I'm glad I grew out of that way of thinking.
Call it lazyness, but here is the wikipedia page on Korean food. Enjoy! I hope to have made at least one of my readers, who's not in Korea, have their mouths a-watering. I can get to most of the foods listed in that link in under 10 minutes walking.

Today, or Sunday (for those of you who are having Saturday still) has been a lazy day enjoying a few cups of coffee at a nearby coffee shop, retiring back to my warm apartment, ordering Dominoes, playing games and watching the snow cascade down in flurries.

 Until next time, keep it real, Internets

Slow Cookers & You, a PSA

I have only briefly mentioned it, but I'm an English Teacher in South Korea presently.
Ooh ahh! Alright.
In most teacher's apartments, you have a gas stove and a microwave. This may sound strange to say, but it is rare for someone to have an actual oven. Living and working abroad in this country has given me an appreciation of the privilege of having an oven. I also miss having a wider selection of cheeses, bacon, and other general western foods at the store.
I accept that in Korea, where cheese just isn't a part of the traditional culinary history, it's not going to be cheap or readily available like it is back home; but that doesn't save me from missing it.

Having been abroad for a few years I have locked in on a secret: Get a slow cooker / crock pot if you don't have an oven. Instant Ramen and Instant Curry is best left for those weeks when the budget's tight, and with produce cheaper than eating out every meal, it's a good choice.
It's as simple as preparing veggies, meat and dropping them into a slow cooker before work. When you get home from work dinner is ready. Plus you've got leftovers for slow days at work if you've actually got the time to microwave and let cool a meal in-between classes.
I purchased my slow cooker from an electronics mall in Yongsan, Seoul for 40,000 won (roughly $35USD at the time of this writing) a few months ago, and it has been a worthy investment. I've saved money on meals that would have been spent at a restaurant, and had meals which were as close to home-cooked as I can get.
While the directions and manual are all in Korean, it is easy to deduce which setting is equivalent to how many hours of slow cooking, as a handy table in the manual shows. Knowing how to "spell" Korean words and look up their meanings on a cell phone dictionary doesn't hurt either.
But enough about that, this is the part of the blog where I give back to my fans for putting up with my posts regarding games. Have a recipe:

Veggie Curry
Ingredients: 1-2 Carrots, 1 Onion, 2 Potatoes, a handful of Cherry Tomatoes, 1 Cucumber, and 2 Bell Peppers.
Spices/Sauces: Sri Racha sauce (use a glass bottle of it, not the "Cock Sauce" with the rooster on it, it will be thicker and better for slow cooking,) and 1 can of Coconut milk.

First, peel the Carrot(s). Save the peels. Then chop Carrot(s) into wedges.
Slice the whole Onion.
Peel the Potatoes and then cube them.
Half the Cherry Tomatoes.
Peel the Cucumber if desired, and chop into thin slices.
Slice the bell pepper into either "O"'s or thin strips. (I prefer strips.)

Lay the Onion slices at the bottom of the crock pot.
Add half of the ingredients.
Pour the Coconut Milk evenly into the crock pot.
Add the remaining half of the ingredients over the layer of coconut milk. 
Pour a liberal or conservative amount of Sri Racha sauce over the top. More will be spicier, and less will be milder, etc.
Now you saved those Carrot peels right? Put them on the top of everything.
Close the lid and turn on your crock pot.

Let cook for 7~9 hours on a low setting in your crock pot. Serve with rice.


If you want to add meat like chicken breast, go on ahead. I would recommend pan searing it before putting it into the slow cooker to help trap moisture within the meat.

For awhile I'd eat dinner from cheap restaurants near me because I couldn't be bothered to spend 10~15 minutes doing prep, then 15~20 minutes cooking the food on my stove before it's actually ready. Right after I get home from work? Hell no, I'd have to really want something to actually get motivated to make it.
I've heard other expats say they don't have time to cook or prepare their meals as well. But that's just silliness and lazy. All of the prep in the veggie curry recipe can be done in less than 15 minutes, and with a slow cooker, there's few dishes to clean after the slow cooker's done.
The most complicated recipe I've undertaken involves marinading beef overnight in the fridge. Prep for that meal could be stretched to maybe 20 minutes if you were watching TV while you prepped. With a slow cooker, you just go about your business. Return later and the food's done.

While I've had a slow cooker in the US, I wasn't sold on getting one while in Korea until my girlfriend got one. She made a very delicious and nutritious curry and with the next paycheck, I got a slow cooker, too. It has made simple meals more flavorful than cooking with only a frying pan on a gas stove.

A return to my "post"

Well there, I haven't been doing a good job of keeping up with this blog.
Like the stick of bamboo in a dish next to my window, a blog needs attention or it will wither and die. I'm not going to water my laptop, however...

I finished my Nanowrimo project, and made it above 50k words. (50,433 to be exact.) I'm glad that I made the effort and hammered out that many words, but I know my story is missing key elements. What elements? It's missing a conflict to make it interesting, ie. Man VS Nature, Man VS Self, etc. So upon reading it, the novel is like a bunch of interplanetary freighters hanging out and weighing the pros and cons of doing illegal salvages or smuggling or legitimate jobs. I made an effort to give each character a back-story, but in doing so I made a monster out of one minor character's back-story. But the characters were poorly written and the plot is convoluted.
Perhaps next month after I've settled back into the run of things at work I will engage my free-time into editing and streamlining my nanowrimo into a coherent story.


But wait, Blogger, wasn't that over at the end of November? What the hell have you been up to for nearly one month after the Nanowrimo?
Well, if you look at this blog, you will see that I spent Christmas through New Years in Bali.
Ok, but that only covers the last few weeks. What about December? What were you doing with your time? Why weren't you making rocking posts about your Dwarf Fortress?
My inner dialog/readers sure can be hard to please!
In December, I did the following: a) prepared things at work so when I took a week off to vacation in Bali, things would run smoothly for my substitutes. b) In basking in the creative glory of finishing the Nanowrimo, I found another gaming addiction: Minecraft.
If you haven't clicked on the link, I'll give you the rundown.
Minecraft is a block-survival game. Everything in the world is a block, players, monsters and animals. During the daytime you get to build your shelter, but at night the world is swarming with monsters out to get you. There are two things you do in the game: mine into the earth for supplies to build awesome constructions and craft items and tools with aforementioned supplies.
I truly enjoy Dwarf Fortress, which is free to play by the way, but Minecraft is in 3D and far more visually appealing. Here is a set of photos of my first castle to demonstrate that point. Minecraft does have a price, roughly 14$US when I bought it before it went into Beta, and has frequent updates which I get for free since I bought it in its' alpha phase.

'Nuff about games. Onto my other subject, books!
I broke my ankle in late July. In the hospital, I had been reading a paperback version of "The Pillars Of The Earth" by Ken Follet. I was later gifted a Kindle, which I have been reading numerous books on. It took a long time to read "World Without End," also by Ken Follet. I enjoy his writing prose and ability to give life to his characters.
During my stay in Bali, I had time to read some other books, like "The Game" by Jack London, and "The Road" by Cormac Mccarthy. I've also started reading "SuperFreakonomics" which is the sequel to a book I read for a class in college.
At my home in the US, I've got a full bookshelf, chock full of books I want to read and have read.
As an ESL teacher in South Korea, I've got few affordable options for English books; especially non-NY Times Bestsellers. There are a few decent bookshops in Seoul, but the mark-up on new books is considerable. The Kindle is a godsend, as I can get many books that I want to read on demand through a free 3G wireless network, (you of course pay Amazon.com for the books). Many older books are public domain and I can get for free, so awesome news for me as I want to read some of the Classics.

That's what's what. Until next time, keep on keeping on.