I'm a horrible blogger.

I used to be much better about blogging. Apologies for my lack of updates.

Not exactly sure what I should be updating about... if you're my close friend and/or if you have Facebook, you probably already know how I've been doing. So instead, I'll just do some random fun facts about me/Korea for those too lazy to stalk me.

1. I've been learning Korean. I think I'm learning a lot for a beginner... its honestly easier for me because I have a background in speaking an Asian language.. and Korean is very close to Chinese, so the prounciation is easier. One thing I've been able to enjoy a lot here is the sense of anonymity. Because I am Asian, I can blend in pretty well and if I'm walking around with headphones I don't get too many gawkers or stares.. (unless my students see me, in which case I'll know they go to my school and I can wave hello) I've been mistaken for a Korean on multiple occasions but it doesn't bother me as it gives me an opportunity to practice my Korean.

2. The Daejeon Office of Education is offering all Native English Teachers a chance to learn Taekwondo, so I've signed up!! I'm pretty excited for it but I haven't started classes yet. The one negative thing about it is that the studio is very close to my house, and therefore, very close to my school. The son of the owner is actually one of my students. I'm not sure how many students at my school take Taekwondo, but I'm sure it will be interesting for them to see me make a fool out of myself...

3. I'm going on a Temple Stay this coming weekend. I'm pretty excited about it so maybe afterwards I'll have the time/concentration to write a blogpost about the experience. Basically a temple stay is when you visit a Buddhist temple and spend a night there with the monks. You get to see how they live, and participate in meditation activities (some in the wee hours of the morning...) and take some time to think spiritually about your life.

4. School is going well... I'm getting the hang of working with all my teachers, fitting in to the culture of the school(s), and planning lessons without procrastinating. There are still the random spontaneous schedule changes or lack of communication/info... but I try to just go with it and take all things in stride.

5. One random fact about Korea that I found very interesting and cool... is the many ways that it's environmentally friendly. I just learned about what composting was about a few months before I left, but they do that here, everywhere. You're required to separate your garbage, aside from simply the recycling, you also separate your food trash. There is a separate bucket for that outside each building and they collect it in order to make feed for livestock in farms or something (don't quote me on that). Also, in most grocery stores and also large shopping markets, they charge you for plastic bags and they're also very stingy with it... it encourages you to bring your own or simply not use a bag.

Seoul (10.02-10.04)

A little belated, I apologize. But here is my update on my trip to Seoul. =)

It was an amazing time - Seoul is huge and beautiful and crowded and packed full of foreigners. Actually, when I first arrived at the station, walking out onto the street I got so excited because it was such a bustling city... it reminded me of home! Sometimes when I've been away from a city for a while, seeing crowded sidewalks and people rushing to get to where they need to go makes me nostalgic. Not that Daejeon isn't a city; it's crowded here as well and congestion is a nightmare... maybe it was just the fact that I was in Seoul that also got me excited. However, by the end of my weekend I was extremely happy that I did NOT live in Seoul and I was very excited to get back to home sweet Daejeon.

(Friday)

We arrived in Seoul at around 5pm... had just enough time to get to my hostel in Hongdae, drop off my stuff, and help my two friends find a motel to stay in. We tried to do some exploring and check out this electronics market, but by the time we got there it was already closing, so we headed back to Hongdae for some dinner. Hongdae is an area by Hongdik University (Hongdik Daehakgyo) that has a ton of bars and clubs. That night we went to a bar and then a club called nb2 (or noise basement, I'm pretty sure..). It was fun but the club was extremely packed and I did not enjoy getting pushed around so much.

(Saturday)

The next day, we woke up, grabbed some breakfast/lunch, and headed to Insadong to see the National Palace (Gyeongbukgung). Because it was Chuseok, admission to the palace and the museums inside were free. The palace was huge and had a backdrop of some pretty hills... after walking in, it was like stepping outside of Seoul and back in time. We took some photos with guards, explored/played, and visited the Folk Museum (also for free). Apparently there was a pretty lake somewhere on the grounds, but we missed it. =(

After that, we went to the open market in Insadong. They sold a lot of crafts and souvenir items there, I was tempted to buy a lot but I knew I would have tons of time to buy things for my friends and family back home. We walked a lot at this time: from Insadong all the way south toward Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market (I know this means nothing to you if you don't know Seoul, but trust me: it's a bit of a walk). We passed this bridge with a small stream under it, with a stone path, benches to sit on, and rocks to climb. This must've been my favorite place in Seoul. It was so random, I didn't expect to see it in such a busy and crowded city... it's times like this - when out of nowhere you see something that's a part of nature exist somewhere you never expected it to, and to be able to peacefully step away from the sound of horns honking and foreign languages and the footsteps of millions of people heading this way and that, and instead listen to the sound of flowing water... okay I'm getting philosophical on you, so I'll stop!


Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market is a shopper's paradise. Especially a bargain shopper. Especially a bargain shopper who does not mind buying fake designer goods at dirt cheap prices. There is just so much around you. The area is a pedestrian strip, with many reputable clothing stores around (i.e. Forever 21 - biggest one I have ever seen and the only one in Korea... needless to say, I will be back there soon), and then vendors with their stands on the street selling watches, purses, jewelry, hair clips, FOOD, etc... it's definitely a stop on everyone's list when they visit Seoul.

Myeongdong

Following this, we met up with some friends in Itaewon - the "foreigner" district with tons of international cuisine. We went to a Thai restaurant and my friend Chriselle got to take a picture with a famous actor who owned the restaurant (first thing every Korean told me when I mentioned his name.. "Did you know he's gay?!".. still a taboo in Korea but awesome that a celebrity came out and is still famous). Itaewon is great if you're missing home.. but the minute I stepped out of the subway system it was like I wasn't in Korea anymore. There were foreigners everywhere. I love traveling and I love meeting people from all over the world, but for me, living in Korea feels different. I don't want to be around foreigners all the time. I want to meet Koreans, make lasting friendships, share in their culture. So I guess Itaewon wasn't my favorite stop in Seoul.

That night I was planning on going up to Namsan Tower but it ended up raining when we got there... so that was out. Instead we walked around an empty Myeongdong (completely different without all the stands and crowds at night), and found a shady cafe/bar to chill at for a while. Then back to Hongdae where I got to see some old orientation buddies before I called it a night.

(Sunday)

Our train was scheduled to leave in the evening on Sunday, so we had plenty of time to explore all the outdoor markets. Tried hitting up Dongdaemun but it was half closed since it was the Sunday after Chuseok... Myeongdong and Namdaemun though were open and busy as usual so I spent my afternoon haggling with my two friends for cheaper prices and cutting deals with the shopkeepers. Purchases of the day: a bag and sweater.

All in all, my trip to Seoul was great. I got to see some old friends from Orientation, which was all I really wanted to do. I'm looking forward to going back for more shopping, hanging out, and hopefully visiting some old friends from the US who are living there now.

well, it's about that time.

This week is going to be an easy week for me since there are midterms at my school and Friday marks the beginning of the Chuseok holiday - the Korean version of Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to it because I'm going to Seoul that weekend... it will be pretty void of native Koreans (all traveling to small villages/towns to visit their families), but a ton of EPIK teachers that I met at orientation are planning to head over there. I'm looking forward to seeing what cultural events they have lined up, and if the stores will be open at all on Saturday.

Since I have no classes this week and no need to plan any lessons (if I were smart, I'd be planning future lessons anyway...), I guess it's about that time to do some reflecting on my time here.

Culture shock?

It exists... I don't know if it's had much of an impact on me, though. I want to say I've settled in nicely. Honestly, living abroad in Greece may have prepared me. Greece and Korea are totally different countries but it's surprising how many things here remind me of Thessaloniki. For example, the showers? I'm used to showering in a 4x4 bathroom with no shower curtain and the mirror and sink right next to me. Small apartments? I shared one with another person. Foreign languages, signs, miscommunication... it's probably easier for me to adapt here because, well... everything's Asian. It doesn't necessarily look foreign to me, and more importantly, I don't look foreign to them. It's interesting when Koreans realize I am in fact, not Korean... they get a kick out of it, I think. I had been curious to see what they think of the fact that I'm of Chinese descent, but overall, everyone has been super nice and friendly... and they enjoy it when I practice my Korean with them.

One thing I have thought about here is how my fellow, non-Asian friends are adapting to Korea. Because I don't get stares or people pointing to me, I feel pretty inconspicuous at times. If I did, would I be adapting as well as I am now?

Teaching

For the people who knew me at Northeastern, I would say that planning lessons is a lot like planning workshops. Except I'm planning them every week. And instead of the very organized breakdown (I'll be in charge of this part, and it will take about 8 minutes, you be in charge of this..), it's very touch and go here. I am becoming very flexible with changing my lessons at the last minute, or putting something together 10 minutes before my class. I don't know if these lessons are helping my students, honestly. I'm torn between planning a "fun" lesson, and actually teaching them something. I think I've been able to incorporate both but it's been hard to determine the students' level of understanding. Most of the time, they just pretend to understand. This makes me wish I saw them more than once a week.... and that I wasn't hindered so much by school curriculums and co-teachers.

My co-teachers are great, but that's another interesting part of lesson planning. I work with so many of them, and they all have different styles. One will be on top of it all, e-mailing me frequently, checking to see we're on the same page. One will give me the lesson that morning, and I'll just wing it until I get the hang of it. One will just defer to me so I'll have to put the entire thing together. Throw in a language barrier and it makes for an interesting work environment.

Friends

I'm very happy with the group of friends I've made here. Honestly, without that type of network and support system, I can see people here having a hard time. Not only do we share school stories, lesson plan ideas, and meals... but we're sharing this new experience together (not to sound corny, haha). Again, makes me think of my last experience abroad, and how much the people around me impacted it. As much as I wish my friends and family back home could share this with me... at the end of the day, I can say one word to a friend here and they'll know what I mean.

K-pop

I don't know if I expected this to happen, but I am actually getting into K-pop!! Haha, it is just toooo catchy. A co-worker at my school gave me some popular songs, and I've been hearing them everywhere I go, and thinking, "Oh! I know this song!" Before you know it, I'll be able to belt out these tunes at noraebong... just you wait.

eleven days in

Hello friends and family =)

So, it has been eleven days since I arrived in Daejeon. I didn't count the time I was in Jeonju for Orientation because honestly, we were all coddled during that time - everything was done for us and it didn't really FEEL like I was in Korea. Since then, however, I have moved into my new apartment, I have begun teaching, and I have been exploring Daejeon whenever I can.

All in all, I am extremely happy with my city and my schools. I have a great social network of fellow teachers that I hang out with most weekends, either going to dinner or trying new things (more about that later). I have SIX co-teachers (seven if you include the Japanese language teacher I work with), which makes lesson planning a little difficult, but we are working it out, slowly. As for my students, it varies throughout the day. Once day I will have a difficult class, but the next time I have them, they're different. I've only had most of my classes once or twice so far, so I'm keeping an open mind. They way I feel about it, is that for these students, they see new English teachers every year, and they won't warm up to a new one right away. After a few weeks, they might start to open up more, after seeing me every day and interacting with me. Already, I've noticed that every day is better than the day before, in terms of interacting with students. I'd have to say that at Sungduk, my most difficult classes are two 2nd years, and at Jaun, its the 3rd years. Which makes sense, as the older they get, the less likely they are to care about learning a language they barely use anyway.

I've put up photos of my apartment on facebook, so you can check that out there. It's not very big, but it's big enough for me. When I first moved in, it was a MESS, but after an entire day of cleaning and supply shopping, its definitely become more home-y. I am obsessed with keeping the floor clean (because Koreans sit on the floor all the time, and my only table is a "floor table" that's only about a foot off the ground, so I'm always on the floor), so I vacuum my floor at least once a day.

This past weekend was a very Korean weekend, haha. On Saturday, I went shopping downtown for some random house things with a friend, and that night, we met up with the "Daejeon crew" (this is what I'm going to call everyone I met at Orientation because we had "classes" together and now try to get together every once in a while) and went to this places called News.. its basically a booking club I guess? What you do is the guys and girls come in separately and you have to order these expensive drinks and snacks and the waiters come around and take the girls to other tables to chat up with guys... and you can decide if you want to stay or go back to your own table. It's almost like speed dating, except the waiters take care of everything.... haha. Very interesting and awkward. Don't worry Mom and Dad - I did not participate in this part of the evening ;-) However, on stage there were these crazy performers, sometimes a DJ, or a solo singer, or this crazy dancer with this huge bobblehead on. Yeah, kind of hard to explain - you really had to be there!!

To try and give you a glimpse of what this place was like, here are some pictures: (ALL photos in this post courtesy of Melissa P. - I did not break out my camera at all this weekend!)




On Sunday, about the same group of people (a little less than the night before) met up for lunch, and we went to a jjimjilbang!! A jjimjilbang basically translates to "hot room" and its a Korean spa... you walk in to the girls or guys' locker rooms and everyone's basically just hanging out, walking around naked (gender segregated, of course). At this particular jjimjilbang, it cost us 6000 won (under $6), and there is no time limit. Inside, there was a public bath area, with showers and steam rooms, and jacuzzis of different temperatures, with about a hundred women just showering together, including children and grandmothers!! It was a little awkward at first, and we sidestepped the public bath. We were all given the same shirt and shorts to wear, and walking into the unisex common area, there is this big open space where u can grab a mat and sit and hang out, maybe watch the movie on the projector, take a nap, eat some snacks, etc. They had a game room, gym, restaurant, massage room, manicures/pedicures, snack bar, pc room, and areas with human sized cubbies that I guess you crawled in to nap. And there were about five or six different saunas with different themes and temperatures. One smelled like cinnamon, which I enjoyed a lot. Another was the "salt" room, and the floor was littered with rock salt and had a huge blanket over it. Another was just for women, and it had these heating lamps on the floor that I guess you laid on to relieve cramps. They also had the "ice room," where you could go to cool off, and lastly, they had this SUPER HOT sauna, that was - I'm not kidding - 109 degrees celsius!! I couldn't believe how hot it was in there, I was only in it for about five minutes and I started to get a headache. Meanwhile, we overheard some of the ajummas and ajossis (old ladies and men) complaining that it WASN'T hot enough!!

A really cool thing we did at this spa was something called "doctor fish." Basically there was this pool with tiny fish in it, and you dip your feet in and the fish eat the dead skin off your feet. It was so weird!! I couldn't stop twitching the first five minutes, cause I could feel their tiny mouths on my skin... after a while it just felt like the tingling you get when your feet fall asleep. We paid 3000 won for half an hour (a little under $3), and my feet actually felt pretty smooth afterwards!





Finally, after hearing that our guy friends explored the public bathing area in their locker room (I actually had a random laughing fit in the middle of one of the saunas, thinking about our friends frolicking in the nude - "we weren't frolicking!!"), the girls decided that we must try it as well. After getting over the initial awkwardness of being naked in a room with a hundred other naked women, we explored the different jacuzzis and steam rooms, including this one that would shoot a strong jetstream of water on your back (kind of like water massage), another room where you could rub bath salts on yourself, a room for foot baths, and an area with cold water - including a section where the water was literally as cold as ice!! It was definitely an interesting experience, and four hours later, we all emerged feeling completely relaxed and refreshed.

However, now that the weekend is over, it's back to work! Tonight I am signing up for Korean language classes at Chungnam National University, one of the schools close to where I live. This will give me even less time to unwind after teaching during the week, but I'm really excited to improve my Korean!

Peace&Love,

Katherine

My schools

I've got some downtime so I thought I'd write about the schools I'm teaching at.

I'm teaching at two different middle schools, Sungduk Middle School, and Jaun Middle School. They are both very close to where I'm living, which is called Sinseong-dong. Sungduk is only a 10 minute walk away from me, and Jaun is a 10 minute drive, or 15 minute bus ride. I haven't ridden the bus to Jaun yet, I've gotten picked up and dropped off the only time I've been there.

I'll be working at Sungduk on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with five classes each day. I'm teaching the 1st and 2nd grade in the middle school (which translates to the 7th and 8th grade), seeing the second grade once a week, and the first grade twice a week. At Jaun, I'm teaching four 3rd grade classes on Wednesday, and three 2nd grade classes on Friday. Each class is 45 minutes long, and there are about 30-40 students in teach class.

Sungduk is an older school, at the top of a hill, and is currently under construction. I officially start teaching on Monday, even though I've been to the school already. The interior looks like a cross between modern and traditional design. For example, the wooden floor and sliding wooden doors look like the interior of an old Asian house... but on the fourth floor there is a brand new English Lab complete with a touch screen blackboard, and virtual studio (which I cannot wait to use!!). I am so baffled by the breadth of technology that is offered in Korea, and especially in its schools. Jaun Middle School is actually near a military base, so the school is for children of families working for the military, or government. Jaun also has an English Center, but it's not as pimped out as Sungduk. However, it makes up for it by being basically, a brand new building, with huge hallways and all new furniture, desks, etc... and a super friendly and outgoing staff.

Onto the staff...the teachers at Sungduk are a lot older than me, there is only one teacher who is close to my age, and she's a year older. Most do not speak English well, or are just afraid to speak to me. There are three teacher offices, and the one I'm in has three out of the four co-teachers I'll be working with. They're really nice and friendly, but they're also very, very busy. At Jaun, I think there are three teacher offices as well. The two co-teachers I work with are in my office, as well as four or five extremely friendly, enthusiastic, young, outgoing teachers. Their English is very impressive, and they take every opportunity they can get to speak to me. When my co-teachers are busy, there's always one or two other teachers in the office that want to chat. I've noticed they've even started speaking English to each other in the office, in an effort to include me. I can't wait to get to know these teachers better.

All in all, I'm very happy with my schools. I haven't begun teaching in Sungduk yet, so I'll hold off on an update about classes and students.

Finally, an update!

Hello friends and family!

I am in Korea safe and sound and have been here for the last ten days. I apologize for waiting so long to update my blog, but everything has gone by so quickly and I’ve had so much to do; I knew I wouldn’t have time to write everything I wanted to. So I saved it all for when I finally made it to Daejeon.

To start, the total travel time from New York to my orientation site at Jeonju University, in Jeonju City (including wait time) was about 27 hours!! Jeonju University is a really nice university. I don’t know how old it actually is, but they were in the process of building new dormitories, and we got to stay in one! The facilities were really nice, and we were fed a lot during that week of orientation. The one downside was that it was EXTREMELY HOT the entire time (except for a few days).

Honestly, orientation feels like a blur. We were busy from the moment we got up in the morning, up until dinnertime – with lectures, meetings, Korean lessons, etc. I attended about 14 lectures total, ranging from things like the Elementary School curriculum, to classroom motivation, and to adjusting to life in Korea.

I also met a lot of wonderful people! My roommate, Chriselle, is awesome and I’m so sad that we are no longer together (she is in Gyeongbuk, a nearby province). The first night we arrived, we went out to a nearby bar and had soju and beer. I have gone out almost every night, to explore downtown, hang at the local bar, or go to norebong.

On Sunday we had a bit of a respite, for a field trip to a Hanok Village (traditional village) and Keumsan Temple. I was one of the class representatives for the group going to Daejeon, so I got to mix a HUGE pot of bibimbap for lunch! (Jeonju is famous all around Korea for their special bibimbap. To see a picture of me doing this in an article for the Korean news, click here)


Above is a photo of some of my new friends, with the dormitory building in the background. We were all spending so much time together that it was hard to believe we only met days ago. Honestly, it felt like freshman year all over again: living in dorms, going to the dining hall together, going to class. And yesterday when we finally had to leave each other and go to our respective cities, we were saying goodbye like it was the end of freshman year! The last ten days was truly an amazing experience, and I hope to see many of those people again.

After the end of orientation, we all boarded our buses, and the Daejeon group (almost 70 of us) went to meet our co-teachers. Our co-teacher is like our lifeline in Daejeon: they help us settle in, they introduce us to our school and our city, and they also help us with things like getting an Alien Registration Card, a cell phone, and utilities. I have two co-teachers because I will be working in two different middle schools: Louise and Ms. Shin (or Hyun). They are so sweet and nice. One of the first things they told me was that my apartment isn't ready yet (the old teacher moves out on the 31st), so I was going to stay with Louise for a few days. I didn't mind because I actually expected much worse.

Louise is in her 30s and is married and has a four year old son. Their apartment is SO NICE, and they have been so welcoming and hospitable!! So far she's paid for all my meals, and tries to make sure I'm comfortable constantly, and tomorrow she's taking me and another teacher to visit a nearby temple. Also, another co-teacher is taking me to see a soccer game!!

Tonight a bunch of the EPIK teachers got together for dinner. It was really nice to see some familiar faces, even though it's been only a day since we split up... being in a foreign city and especially for me, not really having my own place yet, really throws you off... so seeing everyone and sharing stories really made me feel at home.

So while I'm not completely settled in yet, I am definitely being well taken care of... so no worries!! I will update my next post with more info/pictures of Daejeon and (hopefully!) my new apartment. Until then, be safe, and love you! =)

the air is thicker now

it's starting to get harder to breathe.

anyway, im listening to some melancholy music so my mood is the same.

39 days

T-minus 39 days until I board a plane headed for the other side of the world.

It's weird that when I'm about to leave on a lengthy journey, leaving behind all my friends and family, and when I should be soaking up every possible moment with them...that it's the time when I feel the most alone.



"Be happy about your growth, in which of course you can't take anyone with you, and be gentle with those who stay behind...Seek out some simple and true feeling of what you have in common with them, which doesn't necessarily have to alter when you yourself change again and again.

...Don't expect any understanding; but believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it." - Rainer Maria Rilke

waiting!

TO DO LIST:
1. finish up personal projects like scrapbooks and photo albums
2. wait for contract and province placement from korea
3. see family/friends as much as possible
4. wait for contract and province placement from korea
5. create program manager binder and possibly plan event for work
6. wait for contract and province placement from korea
7. put together graduate school application for next year
8. wait.... OH, you get the point! =(

another one

Another quote I really like. Definitely more relevant to my current situation...

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain

I am thinking about myself twenty years from now. And I know what she would say.

Saw this quote on a student's binder today and I really liked it:

Seduce my mind
and you can have my body.
Find my soul
and I'm yours forever.

gradu-ma-cating.

First off, having officially finished school five months ago, commencement this past week was a little anti-climatic. But, I guess spending five years working toward this moment meant I could manage to wait a few more months. With my diploma already in my possession, a semi-temporary job, and working plans for the next year, actually graduating seemed sort of... redundant. But celebrating Senior Week with my friends, remembering freshman year, and having my parents come up to celebrate in all my glory; well, that was pretty nice.

Graduation was really for my parents, not for me. I had forgotten that I was their firstborn and that I was graduating from college. Technically the first in my family to do so (do cousins count?). They were so excited for this moment, that my dad wore a suit, my mom dressed up, and they even did a little fashion show for me at the hotel the night before the ceremony. Too cute.

And thinking back now, on that weekend, I'm sure the general theme around the school and with parents were "I'm so proud of you." Yes, the parents were proud of their kids for completing school, for working hard and getting a diploma. But now that I think about it, I am proud of you, Mom and Dad.

I'm proud that I have you as parents, that you love me the way you do, and that you have supported me through so much. I am proud of you for realizing that you can take a step back and still let me shine, that you don't need to hold my hand through everything, and that we can laugh and have fun together. I am grateful that you let me decide where to go to college, and what subject to major in, even if you never really understood it. I am grateful to you Dad, for all the college visits we made senior year of high school, and for liking Northeastern as much as I did when we first came here. I am grateful that you two always forgave me when I forgot to call, and that you called to check up on me as much as you did (even if I didn't appreciate it at the time). So, while you may be proud of me for graduating college, I am even more proud to have you as parents. Thank you.

yum yum.

Thanks to K and P for the yummy desserts yesterday. Your timing was belated (date auction was last semester!) and yet also convenient (graduation just passed). But your thoughtfulness was just right. =) Also way to go on making me and L paranoid for about 15 minutes about whatever tricks we thought you had up your sleeves.... haha.

politics.

[click here for original article]

Obama the first Asian-American president?

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Barack Obama made history as the first African-American president but in his first 100 days he has also shown himself to be America's most Asian leader yet, community members say.

Obama appointed a record three Asian-Americans cabinet members and quickly focused his attention across the Pacific. He invited Japan's prime minister as his first guest and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went to Asia on her maiden trip.

At home, Asian-American leaders have welcomed signs Obama will take political risks to revamp the immigration system, whose rigid rules and creaky pace are blamed by many in the community for tearing apart families.

"In a nutshell, he has done more in 100 days than the last administration has done in eight years," said Representative Mike Honda, who heads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Honda, a member of Obama's Democratic Party, told AFP he expected the president to take up immigration reforms after May.

He also applauded Obama for signing a measure giving nearly 200 million dollars in back pay to aging World War II veterans from the Philippines, who fought alongside US forces but were stripped of benefits in 1946.

Obama through his background "understands what it means to be inclusive and to be on the other side," Honda said.

"It just makes me smile and makes me proud that we have someone like him as the American face," said Honda, who was interned as a child in a World War II camp for Japanese-Americans.

Obama has a deep personal connection with Asia, having spent part of his childhood in Jakarta. His sister is partly of Indonesian descent; her husband in turn is of Chinese heritage.

"Sometimes I jokingly say that this is the most Asian-American president that we will have," said Helen Zia, a prominent Asian-American scholar and activist.

"He recognizes what it means to be bicultural or bilingual -- that it's something we can contribute to America rather than being seen as a potential enemy or alien," she said.

She said there was "poetic justice" that one of the Asian-American members of the Obama cabinet, Steven Chu, heads the Department of Energy.

In 1999, the then energy secretary, Bill Richardson, accused Taiwanese-born scientist Wen Ho Lee of stealing secrets from Los Alamos National Laboratory -- the birthplace of the atomic bomb -- to give to communist China.

Lee spent nine months in solitary confinement before the government dropped all charges against him other than carelessness with sensitive documents.

To the dismay of some Asian-Americans, Obama initially named Richardson to be commerce secretary. Richardson bowed out due to an unrelated controversy and Obama replaced him with Gary Locke, a Chinese-American.

The other Asian-American in the cabinet is Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, a retired general.

In foreign policy, Obama has moved quickly to assure Japan that it is a cornerstone US ally and pledged to develop a broader relationship with a growing China.

"Much of our American history and policy-making has emphasized relationships across the Atlantic," Zia said. "But we know that this will be the century of the Pacific."

Bob Lee, a retired telecom executive and former chair of the Committee of 100, a Chinese-American group, said he was encouraged by Obama's early dealings with Beijing.

He was hopeful that Obama would disagree "collegially" when disputes crop up with China on issues ranging from the environment to human rights.

"Every Chinese-American I know is very loyal to this country," Lee said. "But when there are problems between China and the United States it creates a very concerning picture as it spills over onto us."

Asian-American representation is also growing among Republicans. Voters in Louisana last year elected Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao as the first Vietnamese-American member of Congress.

The conservative southern state also has an Indian-American governor, Bobby Jindal, seen by many as a rising star in Republican politics.

"When growing up as an Indian-American, there were two choices -- to be a doctor or an engineer," said Sanjay Puri, chairman of the US Indian Political Action Committee.

"But now it's really become cool to be in the political environment."

musings.

"Every woman has the exact love life she wants." - from "The Wedding Date"

I wonder if that's true?

Yes, most girls know what they're "like." The mistakes we make, we make over and over again; maybe out of comfort, fear of the unknown, or just a simple self-fulfilling prophecy. We are all so different, and yet we're all the same. There is a "me" that I am comfortable with... I know what this me would do in this situation or that situation. Whether or not it's something that I actually want to do is a different story.

Time and time again, we will say one thing but believe another. We make excuses for why we do the things we do, and they are not only a way to explain ourselves to others, but they're our way of keeping ourselves in denial. Sorry boys, but most of the excuses/reasons we have, aren't for you, they're for us. No wonder we're so confusing. =/

Like even now!! I am pretty sure I do not have the love life I want. I know I could change that.... but I'm not gonna. Because even if I'm unhappy (which I'm not), even if I'm lonely (only sometimes), even if I know how to change things... I am too comfortable in my current state, in following my well-traveled paths, and too afraid of the unknown to break this paralysis and do something about it. =( oh well.

love.letter

Oh, John Liu, you!

1. Extremely proud of Councilman Liu for getting national media attention on SNL's Weekend Update.

2. I love receiving e-mail updates from his listserve, and I'm not even a constituent!!

3. Is it me or has there been a lot of news/incidents lately involving Asian Americans and/or Asian American issues? Binghamton ACA, LA retreat, Tufts KSA, and also this... P.S. If you don't know what I'm referencing, google it. You need to know.

medium.

"Time is priceless, yet it costs us nothing.

You can do anything you want with it, but you can't own it.

You can spend it, but you can't keep it.

And once you've lost it, there's no getting it back.

It's just gone."

family.

Bought the coat. Yay =)

Today I called my parents to talk about my potential abroad opportunities. It still surprises me how forward-thinking my parents are. I've been in a lot of discussion groups over the years about Asian parents, and the unrealistic expectations they set for their children. Some stereotypes include:

- strong focus on school, and school only
- very strict, don't care about what you want, only that you do what they want
- get a career in medicine, law, or some other prestigious field

When I talk about the "stereotypical Asian parent," it's easy to see some of these qualities in my own parents. However, I've learned over time that my parents are the complete opposite. They have been so supportive of me over the years: when I told them I wanted to major in Political Science, when I told them I wanted to work in a non-profit, when I told them I wanted to study abroad in Greece, when I told them I wanted to spend yet another year abroad. I know what they want for me: they want me to have a secure job, live in New York (preferably as close to them as possible); they want me to get married to a nice Chinese guy, etc. But at every turn, when I present them with what I want, they don't flip out and forbid it. They accept my decisions, trust that I can take care of myself, and are simply there for me. It's crazy to admit that I haven't been completely appreciative of this.

I am so glad to have such awesome role models in my parents. They genuinely want me to be happy, and support me in whatever I do, even when I know it may not make them happy. My mom really wants me to move home. She's been waiting these past couple of years for me to return to New York. And it breaks my heart that I may be postponing that for another year (especially because I really want to move home). But being apart from them has actually strengthened our relationship over these years. I'll admit, spending a year abroad really scares me, but knowing that my parents will be there for me, to support me, makes making this decision a whole lot easier.

laugh.lines

I was looking at a picture on msnbc.com when I noticed Obama's laugh lines, namely, the wrinkles around his eyes that become more apparent when you smile. I love these lines. Society today is all about hiding wrinkles, but these are wrinkles that I hope to have and will wear proudly. To me, it means that you laugh a lot. That you smile a lot. They remind me of my grandmother's wrinkles, and every time I think of her face, she is smiling. Not a demure, shy smile, but smiling with all her teeth out, the wrinkles around her eyes deep set, looking almost like she has held her face that way for years. Even when she was sick, even when things were not going well, she always had a huge smile for me.

I like the way Obama looks when he smiles/laughs. He looks trustworthy. He looks trusting. Someone who can release so much positive emotion can't possibly be faking it all the time.

wish.list

London Fog Double-Breasted Trench Coat, in black

celebrating.earth

This weekend, in honor of Earth hour, some friends and I turned off our lights and sat in the dark, talking to each other by candlelight. It was sort of new at first, our self-induced blackout; noticing how people always look more attractive by candlelight, trying to decide if we should play games, share ghost stories, or just nap. We sat around in the living room: K drifting in and out of sleep on the couch, P on the floor playing with candle wax, A and I snuggling in our blankets. L eventually came up from downstairs and sat with us too. We had about ten candles scattered about, and it made the room look different, almost magical, like we were in another time.

Eventually our talk began to drift back and forth, between random and amusing subjects. We tried to tell stories. We talked about our plans for the week, about our friends, and then to more complex conversation topics, like our place in the universe. Our words drifted in and out of the ever present silence, and at times we would simply stop talking and just sit there, thinking, looking. Our Earth hour began to stretch out, and when it came time for it to officially "end," we continued sitting there, in the dark, reluctant to turn on the lights and break this eerie peace. As it got later, I started to blow out a few candles, making the room even darker. Soon we would barely be able to make each other out. And eventually, Earth hour became Earth 4-hour.

It's interesting how time passes by both slowly and quickly while you're in the company of friends. We didn't talk about anything mind-blowing. We didn't reveal our darkest secrets, or goals or fears. We talked about everyday things, almost inconsequential, sometimes enlightening, but mostly ordinary. Things that could've been talked about on a regular day. But that night, it felt different. It wasn't the conversation that was important. It was the time spent, being in the presence of each other, and enjoying simply that, without the accompaniment of music, or television, or alcohol. People say we hardly ever make "face time" anymore, and it's true.

smiles.

Today was a good day at work.

It didn't start off so great...B was being difficult and didn't want to go to tutorial. I had to chase him down and talk to him for 15 minutes. It breaks my heart because he is one of my secret favorites. He had been doing so well with coming to class, not putting up a fight...I was so proud of him! Today I brought him to the office and showed him that he was failing his math class. After this, he finally went (about half an hour late), and had a pretty good session.

In the afternoon, I come into Codman expecting a typical tutoring day. I find out that all the tutors in my group were absent...and I had to divide 6 students between 2 people! This makes me nervous because I know E works better one on one. I'm not looking forward to working with three students at one time...luckily, one of the kids was absent. So it was just S and E. Still not ideal but I could handle it.

I was surprised to find that with S at our table, E was working so much better than usual! Maybe he wanted to show off to me. Or he didn't like talking to her. Either way, he worked quietly and diligently and even showed his work (a task I know he hates doing). At one point though, I confused him by teaching something completely wrong. =( Fail me. Fortunately, he was pretty forgiving...went over it again, and at the end of the session, I gave him a similar problem. He got it right, and was so proud of himself! And I was so proud of him. He could tell because I gave him one of the highest grades I'd ever given in tutorial, and he left with a smile on his face. What a nice way to end the day. =)

ugly.

Could you imagine what your life would be like if you were ugly? I don't mean unattractive. I am not talking about beautiful or not beautiful, I am talking about the physically hideous, the tragically morbid. If people cringed at the sight of you, if they were scared of you, made the effort to stay away from you...would you be able to face the world?

I was watching the most recent episode of Grey's Anatomy the other day. The medical case was of a guy who was missing 77% of his face, including his nose and his lips. He was horrible to look at, but I couldn't look away. He was surprised by his online friends, who he had been chatting with for over a year. They came to wish him luck before his surgery to get a new face. He freaked out, and didn't want them to see him like that. They were supposed to see him with his new face.

I'll be honest with you, I cried during this episode. I picture his face in my mind now. I imagine living like that, being afraid to step out of the house, being afraid to even look in the mirror. How do you face the world when you're faceless? You couldn't feel his pain but you could definitely see it... by your own inability to look away, your need to stare to see if it's real. Or maybe you do need to look away, because it is just so grotesque that you can't bear to believe it. Either way his existence is something that you have never considered. You could never imagine being in his shoes, and you would never want to.

But when his friends came back...when they looked him straight in the eye and said "I see you"...When they leaned in and kissed the only part of his cheek that wasn't bloody flesh... I know this is television, but I sincerely hope that there are people like that in this world. I hope that there are people with so much compassion, so much sympathy in their hearts, that they can look beyond the ugly and see the beautiful.

We pass these people on the street every day. The smelly homeless man, sleeping in the corner. The "wack-job" talking to himself on the T. People who are damaged: physically, emotionally, mentally. We look at them and we judge. It's in our nature, no matter how bad we feel for them, that is what we see. If you were to stumble upon a man missing over half his face, how would you react? How much more would you affect his life if you stopped to look into his eyes, his heart, and see the person within?

what.do.you.want.

I suppose it seems like a really simple question. What do you want? But ask anyone this, and you'll find out it's more complicated than that.

What DO you want? What do *I* want? It seems lately that people around me are more and more unsure. And that's the worst, isn't it? If you knew what you wanted, the question would be Now, how do I get that? But when you don't know what you want, when you can't even formulate an opinion, a thought, a preference... it's so paralyzing and creates such a paranoia that whatever you decide, whatever step you take... might, might, might be the wrong one. And that's a risk no one wants to take.

..............

I have about four weeks left of work. I am counting down the days until I do not need to wake up at 5:30 in the morning anymore. I miss being in college. I miss sitting around in the student center, and running into people. I miss wearing jeans.

the.future.

I don't think I've ever had so many options available to me. After graduating college, you really do have the world ahead of you, and you can choose to go down a certain road, or you can choose not to. Right now I have a very secure safety: home. I am very happy with this safety, I even feel like if I were to choose this safety, I would be happy with my life. However, there are a couple of unknowns that I want to explore.. that may be worth choosing.

I am thinking of going abroad again. No surprise, since I loved it so much the first time. I am looking for teaching experiences, specifically, because I am finding more and more lately that I enjoy it. I wonder if I'll be sufficiently capable sometimes, but I enjoy it.

So, I've applied to a program in Hong Kong. I am thinking of applying to a program in Korea. If I get an e-mail about a teaching program somewhere else, I'll probably apply there too. My point? My point is I have a couple of graduate school applications sitting in a folder that I have yet to touch. But I get an e-mail about a program in Korea, and I immediately consider it. It's obvious, isn't it? Maybe I'm not yet ready for my safety.

This makes me excited.

a.year.ago

A year ago I learned more about myself than I thought I could.

A year ago I was traveling the world, soaking in as many sights, sounds, smells and tastes that my body only remembers as a soft shadow of its past.

I wish I could shed the layers that time has blown over my skin so that once again I could relive the feel of the black sand under my toes on the beaches in Santorini, the cold snow falling on my face on the peaks of Mount Olympus, the smell of meat cooking on a spit just steps from my apartment, the slow hum of voices surrounding me, so musical in its foreign-ness and yet so comforting all the same.

a.new.day

When I was younger, I liked to write in my journal. Often. Most of it were rant entries; I’d complain about stuff that happened to me that day, or why does nobody get me?!?! Other times I’d speculate and daydream and fantasize about various things. Most of the time they were gossip-y entries; a detailed account of he said/she said and the drama that ensued.

Either way, I loved writing in my journal. What’s more, I loved reading my entries years later. It gives me an idea of the kind of person I was, and the kind of person I am now. Most of the time I think to myself, I can’t believe I said that!! Or, Man, I was stupid at that age, haha. But either way, by reliving the inconsequential drama of my past, by reminiscing of good times or bad times, and by feeling embarrassed or proud of myself years later, it all serves as a reminder to me...of me. This is who I am, these are the actions I’ve taken, and these are the experiences (however happy, hurtful, memorable or those I’m dying to forget) that shape the person I am today. And I cannot deny that whether or not I’m grateful for them, I do have them.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I used to write in my journal… and I don’t anymore. Maybe I don’t want to record my life for fear of what I might think of myself later. Maybe the invention of the internet, and xanga, and facebook, means I don’t have to. Either way, I think I’m going to give it another go.