Change Is In The Air

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher

This week marks the beginning of the new school year for students in Korea. For me, it means new students, a new schedule, and new co-teachers. I have a few mixed emotions about it all, but I'm sure everything will be fine.  

Since I got here in October, I've had three of the best co-teachers that I could ask for! They have always made me feel welcome and appreciated. The past few months with them have been a real blessing for me. I knew before I came here that I'd be working with Eujin, my good friend from when I lived in Tongyeong before. In addition to Eujin, I also work along side of Minie and Karen. Each one of these ladies has been ever-so-helpful in making my time at Tongyeong Elementary enjoyable! They are such sweet people!

The sad part of the week is that my good friend/co-teacher, Eujin, has moved to another school that is about 2 hours away...boo. While I'm really happy for her, I'm really sad for me. Eujin is definitely the closest friend that I have here, so it's going to be quite different not seeing her everyday. We've known each other for a couple of years now and she played a very important role in me coming back to South Korea.

So, Eujin will be replaced in our office with another teacher at our school, and as I type, I am waiting to learn what my new assignment will be. I don't know yet who I'll work with in the classroom or what grade I'll teach...I'll find out soon, I think. Change is upon us...

How to Calculate Your Age in Korea

Editor's Edit: 
Simple formula: Korean age = (Current year - birth year) + 1 year for gestation
[Your Korean age changes with the new year!]


Original post:

Me: Hello!
Them: Hi! What's your name?
Me: Sara
Them: Nice to meet you. Where are you from?
Me: USA...Texas, do you know?
Them: Ahh, Texas. Bang, bang! How old are you?
Me: In Korea, I'm 29, but at home, I'm 27.

Almost inevitably, within the first three questions of meeting a Korean, I am asked my age. Yes, it's very common here...and no, it's not offensive. For Westerns like myself living in Korea, we get used to it and it just becomes apart of the introduction process.

The tricky part about it all is figuring out your 'Korean age'. 'Korean age'...you might ask! Yes, 'Korean age', I say. Koreans don't count age the way that we do in the States, or in most other places in the world for that matter. 

When I first arrived in Korea, I could not figure out how it all worked...but after a while of being here, I think I finally have it down. So this blog is to inform you of how to figure out your age if you're in Korea. Most younger Koreans that I meet will specify 'Korean age' and 'international age'...so I'll do the same for this demonstration.

How to Figure Out Your Korean Age:
Step 1: When you're born, you are already one year old.
Step 2: When the new year comes (some Koreans use solar, other lunar), add 1 year. You stay this age for the entire year. So when your real birthday comes, you can celebrate, but you don't actually turn a year older. Also, because of this, your 'Korean age' will either be 1 or 2 years more than your 'international age'.
Step 3: Repeat step two every year.

Here's an example...I'll use my birthday and age for this demonstration:
International age: 27
I was born on September 2, 1983, which means I have been on this earth for 27 years, and I will turn 28 on September 2 of this year. (I'm pretty sure we all understand this way.)

Korean age: 29
When I was born on September 2, 1983, I was 1 year old. On January 1, 1984, I turned 2. Fast forward a few years, and on January 1, 2011, I turned 29. I will spend all of 2011 being 29.

Most people think, 'Oh, just add a year'...but that doesn't work, unless your actual birthday is on January 1. Since my birthday is in the later part of the year, I spend the greater part of the year with my 'Korean age' 2 years greater than my 'international age'.

So these days when I meet someone, I usually assume the age that they tell me is 2 years older than their 'international age' since we're still in the earlier part of the year.

Another interesting thing about age in Korea is that all of your classmates are your same age ('Korean age' of course)....which means that they were all born in the same year. So in my example, everyone that I graduated with from high school would have been born in 1983. Obviously, this is not true since this isn't the way we do it in the States, but in Korea, it is the way it's done.

In short, if you were born in 1983, your Korean age is 29. If not, maybe this blog has helped you figure out how to calculate your Korean age!

And since I don't have a picture for Korean age, I'll leave you with a picture of Angela...the sweetest and cutest girl on the Korean peninsula!!

Flat Stanley Takes Tongyeong - Part 2

It's been a busy week for Flat Stanley and me, and we've taken a lot of pictures in Tongyeong so we can share them with you! Instead of posting them all on here, I've put them on my photo site for you to browse through! So have a look and see Tongyeong, South Korea, for yourself!

Link to Photo Site

Flat Stanley Takes Tongyeong - Part 1

This week, I have a very special guest visiting me in Tongyeong (통영)...Flat Stanley!! The HR Director at my last job, the Hilton, asked me to show Flat Stanely around for her son Jacob. He arrived on Monday and we're having lots of fun already! Here is a little look at our first two days together (I'll be using FS for Flat Stanley):

FS getting a look at how elementary school students in Korea live at Tongyeong Elementary School (통영초등학교)

He attended the 6-8 class with me

FS enjoying lunch in the cafeteria at school...and yes, they eat spaghetti with chopsticks!

 FS tried some custard-filled 'fish bread' (붕어빵)

Taking the bus down to the harbor

FS loved the views of at the harbor

And enjoyed the Turtle Ship (거북선)

FS taking a stroll through the fish market

And finally, some delicious gimbap (김밥) and kimchi (김치)!! Yum!!

 The first two days have been fun...more adventures in Tongyeong for Flat Stanley to come!!

Japan - Randoms

This blog concludes my Japan series...and it's full of all of the random things/events from the trip that didn't quite fit into the other categories! So here goes!!

Jill & Mikey's kids are absolutely adorable!! I took them a few Korean gifts and here they are with their new umbrellas!

On my first morning in Otsu, we saw this on our way to the train station. These creatures, called a Tanuki, are outside of lots of businesses and they are said to bring luck to the business. I actually ended up buying a small one to take home just because I thought it was so cute!

One evening during my trip, Jill took me to a local tea shop for some amazing tea! I've never been much of a tea drinker, but that place might have converted me!

Jill looking ultra proper with her tea!!

When Kami & I were in China a couple of years ago, we ate at place that we thought was Chinese food, but it ended up that it was actually a Japanese fast food place! Then Jill told me about this place that she loved to go, and I instantly knew it was the same place!! So one night, Jill, Mecailin, and I enjoyed the deliciousness of Yoshinoya!! Yum!! (Kami, be jealous!!)

After Mikey's game on Sunday, we met up with some of the Lake Stars and their girlfriends at Kippers for some good laughs! Here are Jill & Mecailin with two of the girlfriends, Mayu and Wakana!

I love this picture, minus Wara's crazy face in the corner!!

Hilarious!! One of Jill's super-cute boots was already splitting away from it's sole...and on this night, it went all the way!! Jill was trapped inside the table so she thought she'd crawl under to get out...but her boot was not having it! Here's the final result...so funny! (Sorry, Jill!)

Two of Mikey's teammates, Yu & JoHo. Yu was cracking me up when he was trying to read some phrases from Jill's Japanese phrasebook. And JoHo is quite stud for Japanese basketball fans...and he was on the West all-star team with Mikey, too!

Another one of Mikey's teammates, Gary, was having so much fun with Camdon...and sugaring him up for the night!

This sign made me laugh at McDonalds!

Have I mentioned how adorable Jill and Mikey's kids are!?! Mecailin and Camdon are so precious, and I was so glad I finally got to meet them!! Jill & Mikey are such fabulous parents and it is clear to see how much love there is in their family! So these next few pictures are all about them...I just want to share their cuteness with you!!

Thus ends my vacation to Japan...boo!! Usually after vacations, I'm excited to go home, but this time, I was having so much fun that I wasn't quite ready to leave!! It was an amazing trip and I truly enjoyed every minute of it!!

Back to reality, I suppose!

Japan - Hikone Castle & Shabu-Shabu

On Wednesday of my trip to Japan, one of Jill's friends, Sachiko, volunteered to show me around her town of Hikone.So I took the 45-minute train ride to Hikone from Otsu to meet up with Sachiko. Hikone is most famous for Hikone Castle, which was our focus for the day. It is one of only 4 remaining original castles in Japan and it was a really beautiful site. Here are a few pictures from our day at Hikone Castle:

One of the moats around the castle

The long, uneven steps up to the main part of the castle

The castle's bell...it is rung everyday at 6am, noon, and 6pm for the city of Hikone

Me with the castle

There was some leftover snow on the castle, which was really beautiful!

Inside the castle building were some old logs taken from other castles to building Hikone castle

The steps going up to the top were super steep!

A view of Shiga Prefecture's highest peak

A garden next to the castle...in the spring, it's full of cherry blossom trees...I imagine it's amazing!

After lots of walking around, Sachiko and I had worked up an appetite! Sachiko suggested Shabu-shabu, which I thought was a fabulous option!! This was actually one of the few meals I ate out while I was in Japan since Jill was so kind to cook every night while I was there. I loved getting some Western-style meals, and let me tell you, she is a wonderful cook!!

Our Shabu-shabu spread! Yum!

Sachiko with her meat...ready to boil!

Put the raw meat in the boiling water...swish it back and forth...

Take out the cooked meat...dip it in your sauce...and enjoy!! So delish!

As Sachiko and I were walking around, she kept telling me out beautiful Hikone is in the spring with the cherry blossom trees and in the fall with the changing leaves. I still thought it was quite beautiful with the settled snow, but I might just have to return oneday to see the other season!

More pictures to come!!

Japan - Kimono Day

On Tuesday of my trip to Japan, one of Jill's super sweet Japanese friends (Michi) brought over some kiminos for us girls to play dress-up!! I was so excited about this day because I love traditional dresses! In Korea, I think hanboks are fascinating, and in Japan, it's all about the kimono! I never really realized how much work went into putting on a kimono, but after about an hour of getting all dressed, I got to see how much time in takes! Joining us was Chass, one of Mikey's teammates' girlfriend (did you get all that!?). We had a really good time and I loved all of the funny stares we got on the street as we were taking pictures!! So let me show you!!

Michi getting Jill all squared away in her kimono (sorry about the closed eyes Jill!)

Mecailin looks sooo pretty in her kimono!!

  The funny socks that they wear with their kimonos.

All of us in our kimonos!! I love this picture!!

Jill with Michi...she is so kind to share her culture with us!

Jill & Mecailin looking so beautiful in their kimonos!

I love this picture of Jill! And it lets you see the back of her kimono.

 Jill took some pictures of me and did the editing to make me beautiful!! Thank you for the pictures, Jill!

Mine is a wedding kimono so there are so many bright colors!

Posing in the kimono!

I think this one is my favorite!

After we were done taking pictures, Michi told us that she was giving us these kimonos!! I couldn't believe it!! So I am now the proud owner of a kimono, complete with funny socks and shoes, plus a handbag!! Michi was so sweet to share her day with us and I really feel very thankful for her kind and generous spirit!