In other news....its still cold

After taking a little break from writing this blog, due to a little Christmas trip home, I figured it was about time I updated everyone on the popular converstational topic of Korea's weather conditions. Lets face it, weather is what everyone talks about, no matter what hemisphere you're in at the moment. As the world has started using the weather as a medium to communicate its anger to us (rather vigourously), people are experiencing abnormal rain, snow, ice and for the fortunate ones...sun.

The extreme ice and snow in Ireland at Christmas, which was beyond normal awful winters, hindered travel, driving and basic functioning. Under the influence of this crazy weather pattern, I in turn became under the illusion that Korea would be as cold as always but still quite stable. Alas, stable it was not.

I landed into Seoul Incheon airport on Monday January 4th to the worst snow fall in Korea in 70 years. The city was cuddled into a white blanket. The roads were indecipherable from the footpaths and road crossings were simply undeterminable. Coming from Ireland, where everything was cancelled, postponed or closed because of the weather, I became hopeful that my school would not be open.............eh? NO! It turns out Korea is perfectly capable of functioning in such conditions, much to my jet-lagged dismay.

2 weeks on and much of the snow has decided that it quite likes Seoul and would like to stay for the rest of the winter. The footpaths are still white, the parks and fields are little snow angel heavens and many rooftops are still virgin territory, waiting to receive their first footprints.
The 1km wide Han river was and remains frozen over from edge to edge. It resembles the Bolivian salt flats in some places. It is astounding to see and imagine the process by which so much water surface can freeze and not melt under the daily sunshine.

As temperatures have started to rise this week, more than likely in anticipation of another snowfall, it becomes natural to be excited by any temperature above 0 degrees. With -21 being the coldest we have experienced this winter, the spring warmth is hotly anticipated.

Beware...the power of the ajumma

Its not often that a day would pass in the life of a citizen of this fair country, whether Korean or foreign, that one would evade the wrath of the 'ajumma'. A being so powerful, that it will leave dispair and wonderment in its wake.
To the mere persecuted common creatures of society such as myself, the 'ajumma' and the power that follows her is an entity that warrants awe and envy and in this instance; an attempt at an explanation and description of their existence. I find that to delve into an exploraion of this social phenomenon may spark off a certain debate as to the commonly overtly discussed sociological issues in modern Korean society. I'll try to do so without too much disdane to society or boring opinions :)

1) What is an 'ajumma'?

The word 'ajumma' is often used to address a woman of marritable age and she would more than often work in or run a business. There is a stereotypical aestheitc image of an 'ajumma' which is a woman of short, stocky build who wears trousers in outrageous plum colours and has tightly permed hair. I'm not too sure where this stereotype emerged from and I can't find any reference to its origin but I assure you, stereotypes are there for a reason....... and the fact is that such a stereotype fits in with the commonplace judgement of people by their appearance.....
....... it even may be a case of the chicken and the egg here.
The term ajumma is shortened from the original 'ajumma pama' which identifies these individuals with their 'pama' or permed hair. It is, in all of its elements; a label. A label which omits negative conotations to most people. The fact sadly is, that 'ajummas' are busy hard working women, women that care not for themselves but for their families.

2) When can I call someone 'ajumma'?


The word conjurs up confusion and bewilderment in the face of foreigners in Korea. When do you call somebody 'ajumma'? and 'When do we encounter a situation where we deem it ok to address someone as 'ajumma'? We find ourselves working on our concept of age and the traditional binary of old and young. If an ajumma is simply a woman of marriage age and 'older' than you, then wouldn't it be ok to use it many circumstances? Its the pre-determined linguistic baggage associated with the word that causes us to pause and more than often not use the word.
It is also used to call women when in a restaurant, but it is better to be sure of their 'ajumma' status beforehand as you may cause offence...... of course.

3) Why such negative connotations?


It is probably fact that the permed hair and stocky nature of the 'ajumma' have not resulted in her being the bum of many jokes in Korea. Nor is it the fact that they run and work in businesses. It is more than likely their persistent elbows. Their elbows of stainless steel. They will not think twice before knocking you out to take what was presumed to be your seat on the subway. They may stare at you with eyes of a similar steel to persuade you to give up your already coveted seat. And believe me, they are a 'they', an entity of their own. By themselves they may be frightening and powerful but as a group........ ....... ........

4) Can I keep one?

Altough the stereotype of the ajumma is on a large basis outdated, their existence is futile in the functioning of Seoul. I would like to have my own ajumma, as for all of their previously mentioned bullish features, they are a wonder. They will help you and always remember you. The ajumma is an ultimate cog in society and should be admired and respected as such. But, keep those elbows to yourself.

“It doesn't matter if the water is cold or warm if you're going to have to wade through it anyway”

I didn't intend to steal the enlightened words of french philosphy but I find myself brimming with uncertainty as to my feelings of extreme winteryness. No matter how grim, its necessary that we bite on through.
I'm very much a summer person and to this fact have always denied the winter of my love and affection. The beach to me is much more appealing when you're not wrapped up in 4 layers of acrylic and your nose isn't on the verge of sky'rocketing off your face. Things generally seem much more accessible in the swealtery months of summer. Although I approached this Korean winter with an open mind, the constant warnings from fellow waygooks in Seoul about the miserable endless days of this season, breached my mindset and scathed my optimism.
However, in the early days of winter (and i stress 'the early days' as I may feel the need to retract statements in the coming months) I find myself developing a little affinity for a wintery Seoul.
Now, don't get me wrong, its not the chill that runs up your spine while sitting in class, nor is it the constant battle with correct footwear and foresight for cooler nights. Its the character and atmosphere that develops in and around people when the weather changes so drastically.
It doesn't matter if its cold, we still haveto live it. And when I ask any of my students which season is their favorite, more times than not, their answer will be winter.
As it stands, I'm enjoying the underfloor heating in my apartment, the yellow leaves strewn halfhazourdly across the path by ruthless trees, not needing an excuse to curl up on the floor and watch an old movie with a bowl of popcorn and the positively accurate portrayal of 'pub weather'.
Although it will get colder, kimchi jegae will still get warmer, underfloor loveliness will get more and more attractive and the blossoms in Spring will never look so beautiful.
All that said, the summer will be welcomed with open arms.

Halloween

Ok, so it came close to Halloween Day in education land. Although growing up in Ireland we always had bonfires or went 'trick or treating' with our friends I have had the opinion of late that said traditions were dying out. Maybe I thought this stemmed from a general fear, fueled by an over protective state combined with a cynical notion that such traditions became boring and simply uninventive in the minds of 21st century childers. Halloween, to the naked 'non english teacher' eye doesnt seem to exist at any enormous rate in Korea. Altough its hinted at, there aren't any traditions of celebrating this pagan festival. Unless, that is, you attend a Hagwon and expect your native teachers to enteratain and scare you.
It wasn't until I was entrusted with the organisation of the festivities in school that I came upon one startling fact......... I whole heartedly fail at the challenge of putting 2 and 2 together and getting 4. This is why....you can ask most people what country they think of when Halloween is mentioned or where they think most traditions come from....and they will say...the USA...?? maybe?
Dopey here would have also said this until I realised that it infact comes from Ireland, an old Druid practice in the festivals on Samhan. Aware of most of these old Irish festivals, I was very aware of Samhan and its beliefs and parallel ideologies with Halloween. This is not a blog on the history and traditions of Halloween but on the inate cynicism to assume that anything big and commercial originates in America.
Now, don't get me wrong, the commercial side of the celebration does come from our marketing transatlantic cousins but all the symols I associate with Halloween; lanterns, fire, costumes etc. are part of the Samhan tradition.
And..it was only after I realised this that my boss assigned me to the festivities as she was already aware of the origins of the celebration. Doh! All this aside, two days of singing songs, running with apples and spoons and playing some substituted games, scaring and scarring Kindergarten kids managed to beat some of the cynicism out of the celebration. It was a cultural experience for the kids involved and Halloween, as it stands, can provide some easy lesson plans!!

She eats Kimchi she cant be sick!!!

It would be rude to write a blog based primarily on South Korea (well for the time being anyway) and not to mention the scientific phenomenon of Kimchi. To the simple western eye, this may look and taste like pickled cabbage in a spicy red pepper paste but on further examination, this magic piece of vegetable engineering is in fact a medical and psychological marvel.

A little introduction if I may.....

Eating in South Korea is a foodies dream, its all about barbecuing meat [galbi] at your table, covering it in samjang (hot pepper paste) adding it in some onions and wrapped in a leaf of lettuce. Its quite a group affair and it will inevitably involve drinking lots and lots of beer [mekchu] and another staple; soju, a rice wine that resembles Mr. Muscle but by god its good. Aside from galbi, the sushi is mouth and eye-watering good, in fact anything you will find, apart from bundaegi (silkworm larvae) is yuuhuuuhuuumm. On most of these royalesque food outings you will also be granted a bowl of kimchi in some vegetable shape or form. The fact that it is actually cabbage seems to be uninterpretable by candy baring kindergarteners and children of the veggie hating age groups. Man, this stuff is better than a snickers.

Kimchi not only ensues godly health in Koreans that otherwise would be crawling with flu, it also has an astounding and unnerving affect on the elderly men and women [ajummas and ajashis] that roam the family marts, street corners and busstops. To avoid the use of the word crazy, as it is a little frowned upon on these shores; extreme, unwitting and noticeable eccentricism can be used to describe some of these scary and amusing societal beings. Its the kimchi, the magical pickled vegetable and without it, South Korea would resemble a siberian city, void of madness and entertainment. And to be honest, its taken me.

Rock Scissor Paper

I have been living in Seoul now for 6 months. 4 of these 6 have been spent teaching English in a private language acaedmy (Hagwon) in Bangwha Dong in eastern Seoul. I never imagined myself as a teacher and always consiously avoided doing the teaching postgraduate. I never felt i had the patience or motivation to stand in a class and try to inform these young minds ( I can be patronising because they won't be reading!!). However, as i sit here and look back at my employment history since graduating with my undergratuare and before, the majority of the work that I have done has involved teaching in some shape or form, now how does that happen?

Saying that, its not altogether unenjoyable. There of course is the cliched feeling when you see your students progress or when your kindergarten kids grow up before your eyes. Also, its mildly entertaining to live and work in a society that seems to be formulated solely on the result of 'Rock, Scissor, Paper'. Without too much exaggeration, such a primeval game can solve the most severe of conflicts in and out of a classroom. I wonder and often visualise what it could be like if the Korean heads of the North and South met and solved their grievances over a 'best of 3' ka-wi-ba-wi-bo session!.

Now that would actually merit a Nobel Peace Prize!