Amanda Takes Off...

Give me your
banana
Let me taste
your
banana
nyum nyum nyum nyum

The ad started airing Saturday and I kept straining my ears each time to make sure I heard it correctly. Olympus wants your banana with help from the band 요조.

Good Man says the lyrics include slurping sounds. He says the song isn't bad, though. He says, "It's about a not fully yellow banana, and it goes into your mouth—"

This is where I broke into a fit of airy giggles.

"And nobody knows how time goes so fast."

I'm still giggling.

This weekend was a rather low-key affair. Good Man, who is usually a bad son, was being a good son this weekend, so we didn't meet at all.

Good Man, like most single Koreans, lives with his family (primarily his mother and sister since his father works abroad). If I didn't understand Korean culture, if I were an outsider looking at a friend who was living here and dating Good Man, I'd wonder what the hell she was thinking, (seriously) dating a man who still lived at home.

As a related side note, despite Thursday's high about studying Korean, Friday I crashed. I started Sogang 3A and I've got to wonder if I'm ever going to break through the low-intermediate level. When I first started studying Korean, progress was so, so visible. But now it's much slower and I feel a bit frustrated with that. Also, I'm concerned about losing my Korean level when I go back to the States because I don't know anyone who's kept up their learned-abroad foreign language after moving back to the States.

The thing is, I actually do want to learn Korean. In order to survive in Korea, you really only need to get though Sogang 1B, in my opinion, though lots of people do fine getting through the level that 1A would put you at. Heck, lots of people learn only Bar Korean and do fine (so they say; the funny thing is that my bar Korean isn't great because I don't go to bars a lot!). I know that I won't have nearly as much an opportunity to use Korean in the States, and I know that in my field, being bilingual in Korean wouldn't be very useful.

But I am no longer learning Korean because I need to but because I want to. I enjoy learning it, I like being able to write short stories in it. I like being able to read stories (albeit easy ones!) in Korean. Most of the time I like to be able to communicate with the people around me (though lately my neighbor has been bothering me and I've been pretending I don't understand her).

Also, although I know the following are probably considered poor reasons to learn a language, I want to be able to speak with Good Man in front of my family without them understanding us. (Yes, that makes me sound evil, but I own it.) I don't want to come across as some twit who lives abroad for two years and who can't communicate in their Other Country's language! Finally, I never became fluent in either Spanish or Swedish and I don't want to be one of those monolingual Americans.

But I can't even get Good Man to speak Korean with me. Actually, that's not entirely true. We've done it a bit. At first he spoke too fast. Then he spoke word-by-word-and-it-was-too-choppy. Now he's figured out this really good method where he speaks slowly in phrases, in chunks. But since my level is still fairly low, we usually switch to English. This is usually my fault because though he'll slip into English, if I stay in Korean, he comes back. But what happens is that I slip into English and stay there.

So all of these things came together this weekend to make me feel frustrated and a bit pessimistic about learning Korean.

I was chatting with Good Man online and I told him why I was frustrated about Korean. He promised

I will practice Korean, but I will not tell how to download TV in your PC

Later, we were chatting in English and I expressed frustration with his living situation. In the middle of my complaining, he said "한국어로 이야기하자." Let's speak Korean.

I stared at the screen. Oh now that's just not fair! We always hash things out in English. But hey, if he wants to do that, OK. Always hashing things out in English isn't really fair, either.

I wrote back "더 어려워! 하지만—" It's too hard! But—

I told him what I wanted to in spelling-error filled Korean. He said something sweet in Korean in return and all my frustration went away.

I believe Good Man when he says sweet things to me, in whatever language, flawed or perfect. But why, when I'm upset, does it sound so much sweeter in Korean? Is that why he wants to speak English all the time? Does it come across differently?

"사범님, 천번 했어요." Sabumnim, I did one thousand.

"천?" One thousand?

"네." Yes.

"아만다, 이천 해요!" Amanda, do two thousand!

I wrinkled up my nose. "아마 할 수 없어요—" Maybe...that's not possible.

"화이팅!" Fighting!

"하겠어요!" I'll do it!

Master appeared while I was on 1,200. When I was done, I let the rope fall from my hands. It flew to the floor.

"이천이나 했어요!" I did two thousand!

"하겠어요!"

(As a side: Good Man said that the correct thing to say would have been "이천 번이나 했어요!" (이)나 is a marker attached to numbers that are larger than you would expect. I learned this in Sogang 2B and thought, When in the world will I ever use this?)

I am wide awake now and I think tomorrow morning I may be in for a tough time getting out of bed...

(한글)

Conversation with my coworkers at lunch yesterday.

"Amanda, is your boyfriend the eldest son?"

"Yes, the only son."

"Oh," knowing glances between women about being in a relationship with the eldest son, "Is he a good son?"

I laughed, "No. He says he is 'a bad son, but a good boyfriend.'"

Cool Co-Teacher touched my arm and said, very genuinely, "Oh, that is very good! A bad eldest son is the best to marry, because he will put you first. A good son puts his mother first. You should marry him."

I laughed, "Is your husband a good son?"

"Ummm, not too much, but sometimes. I wish he were a little more bad."

Another coworker struggled to find words in English (we'd been speaking in both languages). "Yes! Um—him, don't let go! OK?"

I finished The Little Prince yesterday. I was very excited to do so, as this is only the second (chapter) book I've ever read in another language (the first being Pippi Longstocking in Swedish).

When I finished it, I still had ten mins left to my subway ride, so I thought about how I read the book. When I first started reading it, I was focussed on how much I didn't know, how much I didn't understand. Around chapter 4 (a very long chapter—for this book, which has very short chapters) I thought, "This is too hard, I should quit." But I was determined not to.

At some point, I started focussing less on what I didn't know and more on what I did know. I started enjoying it and not worrying about what I didn't understand. Oddly, the last chapter, which was probably the least concrete of all the chapters was the easiest for me to read.

I also have a copy of this book as a graphic novel, which I started reading today. Now this is interesting because it's been rewritten and simplified a bit. That whole fourth chapter doesn't even seem to be in it. I hope the water pill seller is... In any case, I am really enjoying this book because the pictures help me keep my place and the dialogue is entirely in Banmal, which is good for me to read.

I am writing down words and grammar patterns I don't know or find remarkable. I am not writing down every word I don't know, just the ones I want to. Some come up multiple times, but I'm still not sure of the meaning. Some (사막, for example) I've already figured out, but I learned from the book. Some are compound verbs that I figured out but wanted to mark anyhow. Some are words that I think are just fun to say (쓸쓸하다). I've noticed some grammar patterns that I learned in Sogang (and wondered, "When will I ever use this?") and some that I'm curious about. I'll be posting about these things on my Korean language blog.

I'm in another excited phase of learning Korean. I have technically made less progress in this language than in Spanish (I'm finishing 2B, which would be two semesters of Sogang) and I took two years of college Spanish. Wait. Actually...I think the Sogang course is three or four hours a day and my Spanish class was only one. Well, now, that might be the difference. Still, I studied Spanish for two years in college, which was apparently the "fluency" level (meaning it was the foreign language requirement of every college my friends or I went to) and got Bs. I was never anywhere near as functional in Spanish as I am in Korean.

And I never even dated any hot Spanish-speaking men.

Had I known Good Man was around, I would've started studying Korean years ago! ㅋㅋㅋ

I wasn't feeling well Friday, so I stayed home. Today my Cool Co-Teacher said, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I slept a lot Friday."

"Yeah, you still look a little pale. But it's OK. It makes you prettier looking! Really, you are prettier today because you are still so pale looking."

Hanbok Shopping

아싸!

Although a hanbok is...ah...not the most flattering garment on Western females, I have decided that I want one as a souvenir of my time in Korea.

Good Man decided that since he's an adult man and his 24-year-old hanbok doesn't fit, it was time for him to buy one as well.

Where will I wear this? I have no idea. I don't care.

Since Master's Wife's Mother used to make hanboks, she told us to go to Gwangjang market. Good Man and I told Jennifer and Sung Hyun of our plans last time we met and invited them, too. Unfortunately, Sung Hyun had to work, but Jennifer came out, which was so nice. (And slightly weird. We've never met without both of the people in both couples there.)

광장 한복 시장

We went to the market, which none of us had been to before. It was great fun as there was a large flower market (though it's probably not the flower market) there and all of the sights, smells, and sounds of a market.

We called the number of the hanbok shop and the man came and met us, which was fantastic since, in traditional market fashion, there were hundreds of hanbok shops in the building. We never would've found him.

Good Man's Hanbok Colors

The hanbok man that worked with us was awesome. He was so friendly and gently steered us towards good choices. Good Man's hanbok will be these colors. The pants will be blue, the shirt white, the jacket peach brocade. That golden patch will be on the center front of his jacket.

My Hanbok Colors

My hanbok will have a blue jacket and pink skirt and bow. (No, I can't believe it either. Yes, I think it will look lovely.) It will have white trim on the sleeves and neckline and be embroidered with flowers that have both the blue and pink in them.

I wanted purple, but the man wouldn't let me get it because purple is a funeral color! Well I sure as heck didn't know that, so I'm glad he gently steered me away from that.

I told Good Man I would look like a pregnant mushroom and asked how to say that in Korean. "임신한 버섯일 거 같아?" He just looked at me and said, "But how can a mushroom be pregnant?"

Jennifer Wants Aqua

Jennifer wasn't buying a hanbok, but we got the man's business card for her for the future. She's already decided on her jacket color.

After choosing hanbok colors, I got to get my shoes. And my shoes are...red. Red silk and rubber shoes. With a pink and blue hanbok. Red silk and rubber elf shoes, because the toes point up. It's the Korean way.

My "I can't find big enough shoes but I will endure blisters for a month to make these fit" Converse size is 250 mm. My "Wow, I almost found the right size and All-Stars are loose-fitting" Converse size is 255. Well to my utter shock, they had size 260 slippers. My big toe is still a little smooshed, but I'm sure they'll be fine after wearing them around the house for a few hours. In fact, I am very tempted to pick up more elf shoes to wear with some of my Vietnamese silk clothing.

Jennifer and I joked (quite seriously) that Koreans can throw together colors we'd never put together and when they do it in silk in a hanbok, it suddenly looks really good together. It's like Korean magic.

I didn't realize that shoes and socks were included in the hanbok price. All told the jacket, skirt, underskirt (which acts as a bra and binds your breasts flat!), socks and shoes—all done in silk and made to fit me—came to much less than I expected. I was relived when the price was quoted. Interestingly, Good Man's hanbok cost more than mine!

After buying hanboks, we shopped around the market for a bit. Jennifer and I squealed when we passed the black market PX goods, and we both bought Western goods. Jennifer and Good Man battled a crazy (plant) pot seller lady and I picked up dried kiwi. After shopping, we went and had some tea and coffee together.

Jennifer and Me

Good Man took some great photos of Jennifer and me. When I looked at this photo full sized, I realized that we have nearly identical eye colors. Her eyes are a bit more blue, mine are a bit more green, but the similarity was surprising.

Tea. Leaf.

I could see a lone leaf on a branch reflected in my tea. Taking this photo was an exercise in patience and balance.

Good Man

Good Man swears he wasn't bored, but he looks like he's thinking, "Ladies, please, please stop talking. Please."

A wonderful Saturday. I'm very excited about picking up my hanbok on May 10th! And I'm glad Jennifer was able to come. It was nice to have her there since Good Man is slightly colorblind.

Last weekend Good Man flipped through television stations. He momentarily settled on a show called 아프리카 in Korean. Africa. It had another name in English, which we saw at the end of the opening credits (A Long Way or something similarly bland).

I actually tried to read the subtitles in Korean for a few moments. He turned the station. I looked at him.

"Was that a Chinese drama, subtitled in Korean, set in Africa, with an English title?"

Good Man nodded and laughed.

"Damn. This planet is small," I said.

A few months ago, Whitey asked for my Korean study methods. A few days ago, I discussed the same thing with Jennifer.

I use the Sogang books. I like these books for a few reasons: they focus on common language (-yo form first instead of starting with -sumnida, like Yonsei does), translations aren't provided right next to the text (my eye naturally drifts to English), and they progressively get harder (level 1A, for example, translates everything in the appendices, whereas 2B only includes scripts and translations for the listening portion).

These books have 3 practice dialogues, a reading section (with follow up questions), and a listening section (with follow up questions). There is also a workbook.

I usually take about a week per chapter. The first day I make flashcards, using the vocabulary lists and grammar points at the end of the lesson. I also read through the dialogues and reading section. The second day, I practice the dialogues, hopefully with Good Man, so I can make inappropriate sentences. The third day, I do the reading section and answer the questions. The fourth and fifth days are usually workbooks days. The sixth day is the day I do the listening section. The seventh day is a slip day/review day/self-assigned writing (or blogging) day.

I sometimes take longer than a week, as I have with this chapter, but my general study order is still the same. I have found, over time, that this works best for me.

I usually review the flashcards every day. I review them once or twice Korean to English first. If I know Korean to English, they go into another stack. That stack I study English to Korean once a day. Once I know a card English to Korean, it goes into a third stack. The third stack is not studied every day. I study that stack after two days, maybe after three or four. Although I'm constantly adding cards to that stack, I keep making the length of time between reviews longer and longer until I'm pretty sure I know the words. Once I know the words, I wrap the stack up, date it, and file it. I review the stack again after one week, two weeks, and a month. I tend to keep about two weeks worth of cards in one stack. If I ever get the card wrong, it goes back to the second stack until I know it again. It's not at all scientific, but I've sort of figured out how long it takes before I know a card. It's my version of the Leitner System.

The flashcards I make must be unusual, because they confuse everyone else the first time they see them. I write the flashcards so that you turn them over top to bottom, not side to side. This makes it easier to hold them while standing on a subway train. I also color-code them. I will add a stroke in green above a ㅈ that sounds like a ㅊ. I will write a ㄹ over the ㄴ in green ink in the word 살날 to remind me of the shifting sound. I'll circle irregular endings in red to remind myself to drop the ㅂ (for example). When I'm writing out grammar patterns, I'll write an example of irregular verbs in red to help me remember them.

While I'm doing this, I'm also reading Korean books whenever I want. As a teacher, I know about the zone of proximal development. But I find Korean books that are just at or just above my level can be a bit boring. So usually I read whatever I want and don't worry about it. If the book is too hard (like The Little Prince, which I'm reading now), I read it chapter by chapter in English first. I tend not to worry about the words I don't know. I just read for enjoyment.

Now that I'm nearly done with The Little Prince, I found a copy of it as a graphic novel. I plan on reading it solely in Korean because the pictures provide such good support. I will probably choose 5-10 vocabulary words/grammar patterns in each chapter to add to my flashcard stack.

If I'm reading a book closer to my level (like the Once Upon a Time in Korea book), I will pay more attention to grammar and vocabulary, taking note of problem areas.

I tend to read stories I like over and over again. I know young children do this when they're reading, too. I guess I'm like a child that way. But if I like a story, I'll practice reading it again and again for fluency and enjoyment. I'll also read out loud to practice my pronunciation.

In fact, I find moving my lips slightly when I read in Korean helps keep me on track. I hate doing it because it makes me feel like a young child, and I can't remember the last time I had to do it in English, but right now my level is low enough that I need to do it. (For the record, when I teach, I let kids move their lips, whisper read, use their finger to track, whatever. I don't care, as long as they're reading.) I only tend to move my lips when I'm reading something difficult; when I'm reading at my level, the mouth stays shut.

I write in Korean whenever I feel like it. I try to write using only words and grammar patterns that I know, though I will look up a new word if necessary. I usually have Good Man look over my writing. Sometimes I have someone else look after it too, since Good Man is not very picky about markers and the like.

I practice speaking mostly at taekwondo. Good Man and I have agreed to speak Korean once a week, but we haven't been very successful at it yet.

I also make goals to keep track of what I'm doing. This year my primary goal is to study through 3B. I'd also like to read Pippi Longstocking in Korean by the end of the year.

I really did not want to go to taekwondo last night. But!

I went! When I got there I didn't even look at anyone else. I went to open the closet door and heard, "Amanda!"

I looked and it was Studious! I haven't seen him in a very long time, probably a year. "[Studious]! 오랜만이예요!" Long time, no see! He giggled and we faced each other and I know Koreans don't hug, but I didn't care, I hugged him and he hugged me back.

Amanda Eonni's little brother started bothering us. "Is she your friend? How do you know each other? When did you see each other?" and so on and so forth. We both just ignored him and caught up.

He's going to the military soon, he'll be a general solider. He's also earned his 3rd dan. I got his new phone number and we promised to meet before I leave and before he starts the military, but I'm not sure it will happen.

Still, I was so excited to see him. I miss my boys. A lot.

I went to the doctor today for that pulled muscle. He had to take X-rays, so he asked, "Are you pregnant?"

"God! I hope not!"

He got a bit flustered and said, "I don't mean that you are...I mean, you're not married, I know, but I have to ask everyone."

I nodded, "I know! I was serious! I hope not!"

Good Man came over tonight and we watched a downloaded TV show on my computer. He gets to this show in some convoluted way, and I have no idea how he does it.

"Hey, I need you to show me what to do in case you break up with me," I said.

Good Man laughed and I defended myself. "It's a good thing I learned how to mostly do my websites on my own...cause then [AE] broke up with me and I needed to do it without his help."

Good Man laughed and then slowly shook his head. "I don't want to tell you," he said, "cause I don't want to break up with you."

On the way to Master's Friday night, we passed some Free Hugs women near the subway station. I figured they wouldn't mind if I took their photo, and I was right.

Free Hugs Women, White Day

After I took their photo, one woman ran up to me and hugged me. (I was holding my lens cap in my hand, hence the odd shape.)

After Hug One

After she did, the second one did. I don't think the third one really wanted to be there.

Hug Two

Saturday night we went to Santa Lucia's for Italian. I had no clean clothing, so I wore one of the dresses I got in Vietnam. It was a bit warm, so my regular winter coat was too heavy. Yet the lightweight jackets I have are all training jackets. So I was girly from the waist down and sporty from the waist up.

Good Man

Good Man took this photo. An "Amanda Look," don't you think?

An Amanda Look

I shot this photo of two lovers. I like the contrast of the guys hanging out, the kid looking at ice cream, the restaurant employee working...

Lovers I

This shot was purely accidental. I was holding my camera in my hand at my side, randomly shooting.

Lovers II

This one was taken in the elevator.

Suspicious Good Man

Sunday afternoon, walking to the subway station, I paused to take some photos.

Reflections I

Reflections II

Soft Focus

Good Man has been working too much lately. (What else is new?) He was in Busan from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon this week. I wasn't sure when I was going to get to see him again, so I started calling him my Weekend Boyfriend.

Thursday night I talked to Jennifer, who asked if we were doing anything special for White Day. Jennifer digs romantic holidays. Good Man and I bought each other cheese and RAM for our birthdays and didn't even exchange Christmas gifts, so of course I said, "Nope, nothing special."

But Friday evening, I was having dinner and drinks with Master and Sabumnim the Man, so we could become friends. I really wanted Good Man to come.

Good Man returned from Busan around 4:30, came to my house, took a nap, and then headed to taekwondo with me. Although he won't admit it, I know he just wanted to get home, change his clothing (Busan was an annonved-at-the-last-minute-no-time-to-pack trip), shower and sleep. But instead he went with me. Good Man is a Very Good Man.

We got there late, so I didn't play soccer with the rest of the class, but we chatted with Master. Master had invited his brother's family and a hubae (junior classmate) as well.

Master's Brother walked in and introductions were made. He said to Good Man, "You speak Korean?"

"Yes."

"Oh, wow. Good."

I laughed and said, "He's Korean!"

Master's Brother looked so surprised. "Really? You're Korean?" It seems that Good Man was dressed "like luxury," so Master's Brother thought he was...Chinese? Korean-American? Japanese? I have no idea.

Master's kids were being wonderful, like always. When their cousin showed up, Master's Son ran up to her and sort of followed her around. I think he's got a little crush on her. I was hanging out with Master's Daughter cause she's so darn funny, clinging to me, whispering things I couldn't understand. At once point I said in Korean, "I speak English." I switched to English. "I speak English."

I knew she wouldn't understand; she's only 3 Western age. But I wish I had a video camera at that moment. Her eyebrows knitted together just a bit, then she managed to raise both eyebrows out to the side. The look on her face said it all. "What the heck did you just say?"

Dinner was huge. We had jokbal, bosam, and tangsuyuk (with the side dishes that those main dishes entail), a large bowl of fruit cocktail that kept getting refilled, mandu, apples... Master's wife just kept preparing more and more food. At one point Master said, "Stop cooking!" But she didn't.

The entire evening was, as always, wonderful. But there are two points of conversation I'll hold in my heart for a long time.

At one point Good Man and I were talking. I was telling him how Master met his wife, how she waited for him when he was in the military, how she went to a women's college. Master asked what we were talking about. I said, "Remember when we were drinking 동동주?" I explained what we were talking about.

Master was surprised that I remembered the conversation so well. I said, as best I could, "You had a lot of love in your voice. So I thought your wife was very lucky."

Master grinned and his wife blushed a bit. I think those two really, really love each other and have a good marriage. It makes my heart happy to see them.

At one point, Master started talking to Good Man about something. My name kept coming up, but apparently I misunderstood the whole lecture (Good Man said so later). I left the room for a few minutes and came back to find Master toasting Good Man.

"Did he just give your his seal of approval?" I asked Good Man in English.

Master shook his head, "Amanda, it's a secret!" He made Good Man promise it was a secret.

"Um...Master, when I talk to my mom, she always says, 'Does Master like Good Man? If he does, then I like him...'"

"Ah, yes, OK!"

Master's seal of approval. I couldn't ask for anything more.

The rest of the weekend was nice, too. We watched Juno and went to a nice Italian restaurant near my house. It's on the 42nd (top) floor of a building and overlooks the city, so it's quite pretty. A nice brunch this morning followed by a bit of Korean practice on the subway (where I accidentally said someone had "multiple personalities").

Really, the fact that Good Man joined us even though he hadn't been to his own house since Monday morning—so much better than any candy, toys, or notes Good Man could have given me.

This afternoon it started raining, a light, drizzly mist.

Walking from school to my bus stop I passed two kids playing a computer game outside of the stationery shop. Their huge umbrella dwarfted them and I thought the scene was perfect for a picture.

I had to back up again a wall to get the photo. I took one photo and a man in a truck nearby rolled down his window.

"What are you doing?" he asked in Korean.

"Taking a photo," I said sweetly, while taking a second shot.

"Why? Who are you? What are you doing?" he said very angrily, aggressively.

Note that this man (and the woman in the truck next to him) had not told me who he was. He had not identified himself as a parent or anything of the sort. I looked at him and said, "I'm taking a photo. It's funny, because the umbrella is so big."

"You can't take pictures!" He started shaking his fist at me, about eight inches from my face.

"Why?" Before he could answer, I suddenly got very mad.

My schoolyard's wall was 150 feet away. I have walked up and down that same street every school day for nine months. I have never, ever seen another identifiable foreigner in that part of town. Most of the shop owners (including the one at that stationery shop) know who I am. I get free food sometimes, because I am Amanda Teacher.

The Pakistani sock seller knows who I am. Halmonis have watched me scold middle school boys who have yelled at me for free English practice. The ice cream shop woman has watched kids run out of her shop to yell, "Amanda Teacher! I love you!" I've brought students into shops and bought them pencils, practiced English with them.

Just yesterday, the pizza truck guy, Strawberry Guy, and a random old woman who spoke flawless English and lived in the States 25 years ago, and I all had a twenty minute conversation in the middle of the street. In Korean.

The two kids playing video games are first graders at our school. I teach their sisters, brothers, cousins. These children are playing games in public. There was nothing wrong with my photo at all.

Before he could answer, I said, "I am a teacher. I teach there!" I pointed. "I like photography. Every day this year I am taking one photo. This is a nice picture."

As soon as I said I was a teacher, they started to back down a bit. Luckily (and unusually!) I had my name card. It doesn't have my school on it, but it clearly states my name, degree, and graduate university in both Korean and English. Since I have my M. Ed, it shows that I am a "real" teacher and not just some fresh-college graduate here because I couldn't get a job back home. I thrust a name card in his hand (with one hand tucked under the other arm, as I am polite to older Koreans, even when I'm angry) and shot two more frames.

Then I walked away. The woman in the truck got out, went to tattle on my completely legal and appropriate photography to the woman in the stationery shop. I left.

And as I was coming home, I got angrier and angrier. What in the world did I look like I was doing? Who did they think I was? Would I have been bothered were I Korean? Would I have been bothered had I been using a tiny point-and-shoot instead of a DSLR? And who were they? Why were they getting mad at me?

Rest assured: had they identified themselves as the children's parents, I happily would've identified myself, shown them the photos, offered them prints. But as far as I know, these were just two creepy adults watching kids play video games. (I have never, ever seen adults watching their kids at these gaming spots. Never.) Also rest assured that there are many, many photos I have not taken in this country, the homeless woman being only one, because I didn't think they were appropriate. Photos I have wanted to take.

Young children are grabbed by strangers in this country. On the bus, on the subway, on trains. They are picked up by strangers, and this is considered completely fine. Yet I take a photo in public, in a neighborhood where I am (or should be, if they've been paying any attention!) known, where you can't even identify if the children are male or female and some random Koreans get upset about it?

Children Under An Umbrella

Since my second dan test, I've been asked, by five different people, a variation of this question:

You're still doing taekwondo, even though you already did your second dan test?

What an odd, odd question.

I went to taekwondo last night and tonight. Last night I managed to pull the inside of both thigh muscles, doing—of all things!—a grapevine across the floor. I also managed to jam my toenail against the top of my shoe when I was trying to put it on, and a bruise mysteriously appeared on my shin.

Hmm. Why am I still going again?

Imagine, if you will, a qualified, sassy teacher who has not been paid on time or in full even once since starting her job (3 months earlier). Other coworkers have essentially quit (she would find out later that they were out 11 and 8 million won each). Our heroine is overworked and unpaid. She's not scared of her boss, she's not worried about her visa.

She goes to work one day and sits in the office. She refuses to work.

Confused Foreigner (me): I'm not working until I have all of my money.

Desperate Crazy Boss Lady: If you don't work, I'm not going to pay you!

Confused Foreigner: When I do work, you don't pay me!

Desperate Crazy Boss Lady: I know!

Confused Foreigner (bursts out laughing): Uh huh. I'm going. Call me when you can pay me.

Desperate Crazy Boss Lady: But I need you to work! I need the parents to think I have money!

Confused Foreigner: My ex-coworkers have told them! They know you don't have money! The jig is up!

Desperate Crazy Boss Lady: But I need you to work! We can make them think we have money.

Confused Foreigner left and went to watch a Kukkiwon tourney.

I just wrote a post detailing why I'm so frustrated today, but scratch that.

Yesterday, in taekwondo, I was having a heck of a time with some kicking drills. We had to do a roundhouse, then a spinning roundhouse. I said to Sabumnim the Man, "다리들이···소주를···마신것 같아요." It seems like my legs have drunk some soju. But I was thinking while speaking, so it came out like "Leg plural marker object marker...soju subject marker...drink past tense seems like..." Sabumnim the Man burst out laughing.

Tonight I got to class and found out we'd be playing soccer outside. Unfortunately, it's a bit too cold for my Raynaud's Disease. I said, in Korean, "Um, it's cold." He scoffed and I said, "No. Um...OK. Blood vessels." He didn't understand me, so I pointed to the vessels you can see in your wrist. "Blood vessels...usually, when it's cold, they are like this," I said. I made an O with my fingers. "But mine are like this." I made a tiny O. "And...um..." How do you show a rash? I tapped my face with my fingers and said, "Puh puh puh puh." He stared at me. I thought. "Red! Red! Ahh! I don't know doctor Korean." But he understood, so I went on. I put my hand on my chest and faked breathing problems. I finished with, "And I don't have a training suit. Is Master here?"

Master was downstairs, so he loaned me a training jacket and things were well.

A footprint someone left inside the studio window last night.

Text message to multiple people sent around 10:30 tonight.

Some crazy "blind" man is walking through the CROWDED number 2 subway cars. I want to push him. How evil does that make me? What circle of hell does that put me in?

Because of space constraints, I didn't mention that he was screaming-singing in tongues. While hitting people in the legs and poking people in the butts with his cane. For a blind man, he was remarkably good at getting the perfect spot on someone's butt.

Tonight's taekwondo class was good. Sabumnim the Man is a good instructor I think. I was running with the last group of students, so it was Amanda Eonni, her little brother and me. While the two lines of students in front of us had to sprint the floor twice, he told us to do it only once. No way. I am not a child. I can do two sprints (even though I hate sprinting with a deep passion). He thought I didn't understand, but I well understood. He tried to catch me and I said, "No, I am an ajumma," meaning, "I am not 9 years old. I can do this." But I used the lowest form of Korean. Ugh.

He grinned and said 화이팅! and I went off. When I returned I said, "And, I'm sorry. 'I am an ajumma.'" This time I used the correct form. He grinned.

Last night he showed me a different method to finish off Koryeo. I was laughing inside. This man just watched me get a poomse certificate and now he wants to change my form? But I've gotten used to new instructors and slightly different methods, and rather than fight it, I've decided to tuck all those stylistic things under my hat. Besides, his method makes the ending feel more powerful.

Last night I worked on poomse a bit with Amanda Eonni and her brother. They're both red belts, so they should be testing for black soon. But they are so sloppy and lazy! And I don't mean typical childish laziness, I mean...ugh! Amanda Eonni was doing scissors blocks with open, floppy hands. She was doing the weakest punches ever. It was making me crazy.

I dragged her to the edge of the studio and said, "You are 1 gup! Why are you like that? You don't want a black belt?"

She shrugged and I suddenly realized I had gotten myself into giving a pep talk. In Korean. Paging Amanda Teacher. This just in. You're an idiot. But I'd already jumped in the deep end. I said to her, "You're a 1 gup. You don't do scissors block like this. You need to have power! Be strong!"

When a senior is speaking to a junior—especially for a scolding—the junior does not make eye contact. She was looking at her hands and shrugging. I decided to switch tactics. "Little Sister...we don't have many girls here. Only [Crybaby Gold Medal Girl] and me. I want a sister." Then I remembered she has a sister, who's also 1 gup. "I want your sister and you."

She shrugged and we went back to our forms. But this time around, she did put more effort into them.

After class tonight, Master showed me how to do formal big and little bows. For the big bow, women place their right hands over their left hands at just under eye level, elbows out to the side. Then they slowly start to bend their knees. In one smooth, slow movement, they slide one leg in front of the other (I suspect the right leg, though Master said it doesn't matter; I will check with his wife), cross at the ankles, and sink all the way to the ground in a crossed-leg seated position. You lower your hands (I'll have to check how much) and I'm sure you lower your eyes, too. You then get back up without touching your hands to the floor.

I was wearing...well-fitting jeans. Rather than sink to the floor, I plunked to the floor. And then I looked at Master. "일아날 수 없어요." I can't get up.

Luckily, Master couldn't either. Guess I still have my "Amanda, you very Korean" credibility.

Next Friday, Master and his family, Sabumnim the Man and I are going out for dinner and soju with Master. It was my idea. I sent him a text message, "우리는 새남자사범님하고 소주를 미셔 야해요. 그럼 우리는 친구가 될 거예요." He laughed and agreed and set the date for next week.

We should have soju with New Man Sabumnim. Then we will become friends.

Walking to the bus stop, my Strawberry Guy stopped me to chat. He gave me two gul and tried to sell me some tomatoes. Then he tried to sell me these small orange things the size of shooter marbles.

I asked what they were and he gave me one. I started to peel it and he shook his head, no. He picked off the stem end, then polished the fruit on his jacket. He popped it into his mouth and chewed. I expected him to spit out the skin, but he only spit seeds into his hands. Weathered hands, I suspect they're always slightly dirty.

I followed his lead and popped the fruit into my house. One bite and I felt my cheeks twist.

"읗...읗 살탕! 살탕 필요해요!"

He looked at me, "Sugar?"

I nodded. This fruit was much too sour. He gestured for me to spit the fruit out a few feet away, behind a car. I did so and he just laughed.

Never take fruit from strangers.

I went to taekwondo for the first time since the test tonight. I told Master I was busy with school, but that wasn't it. I was afraid I'd cry if I came to class.

After class I said, "관장님, 금요일에 Good Man하고 가속 버스를 타고 있었어요. 그리고 울고 있었어요. Good Man의 스위터 가슴 눈말 많이 있었어요." Master, Friday Good Man and I were riding the express bus. And I was crying. The front of Good Man's sweater had many tears on it.

Master looked a little surprised, "왜요? 심사...good!" Why? Your test was good.

"통일을 미국에 가지고 가고 싶어요..." I want to take Tongil to the States with me.

Master grinned and nodded, then tried to lighten the mood. "초대하세요... Invite us, please.

At the Dunkin' Donuts at Nambu Bus Terminal.

"Good Man, what kind of coffee do you want? Latte?"

"Yep."

A few moments later, I was ready to order, but he was eying juice, so I wanted to make sure he still wanted coffee. "Cafe latte?"

"Yes."

A few moments later, "How about a grape juice," he asked.

"OK, but you still want cafe latte?"

"응."

I put the tray on the counter and said, "오렌지 주스, 포도 주스 하고 케페 라테." Orange juice, grape juice, and a cafe latte.

Good Man looked at me. "Why did you order a cafe latte?"

I stared at him. "You just told me you wanted one! Three times!"

"No," he shook his head.

"Yes!"

"Oh."

This weekend Good Man and I headed to Jeonju to see some friends of mine. We had a great time and I ate the famous-for-reasons-I-can't-figure-out-Jeonju bimbap. Photos are in the gallery (I finally got some great market shots!), but here are a few of my favorites.

Spring is Here

I like this photo—which I obviously took in front of Good Man, though he didn't notice—best in black-and-white. My nails were short for my test.

Together

I have always wanted to get market shots, but markets are usually so crowded and the ajummas glare at you... But Jeonju market wasn't very busy, and I finally got some good shots, including some shots of what I call a "fish kite."

Fish Kite

After the market and dinner, we went to a bar. I was so tired, I was just leaning into Good Man, resting. At one point we were talking very close, quietly, and this photo was shot. Last year, Master and I had drinks together. He talked about his wife the way any woman would want to be talked about by her husband behind her back. I immediately thought of that when I saw how Good Man was looking at me in this photo.

In fact, we were scolded for being a bit too close by Friends' Friends. It didn't stop us, though...

Talking

Good Man spotted this woman and has some lovely, lovely photos of her in the gallery.

Smoking Woman

Sunday morning, I took this photo. It breaks so many rules of composition, yet I love it.

Good Man

More photos are in the gallery, including photos of the best (or possibly worst...) advertised lingerie store I've ever seen.

Jeonju Weekend Trip

Second Dan Test

Photos are up in the gallery.