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market and classroom

I started a tumblr a few weeks ago (liking the hi-res photos and simple layouts) and have since been neglecting this ol’ wordpress. Being pretty lazy about blogging as it is I imagine that this site might not get updated much since I’ll be committing my scant resources and time to the new flavor of the week. That said I will attempt to keep here an abridged collection of photographs and other digital nonsense which I find amusing.

a few new things

nikon fe2 slr w/50mm 1.4 nikkor lens
dry winter skin which has me itching like a mangy dog
a penchant for markets, especially garak, which i have been wandering through weekly during winter-schedule lunch breaks

My January schedule has me working 60 hour weeks, leaving me a crumpled mess by evenings, and a catatonic zombie by the time the weekend rolls around. I haven’t been out as much as I want, and haven’t had the time (schedule+terrible weather) to get out and shoot. I usually don’t bring a camera to school, but have lately because I acquired some new gear. Here are some bw shots of the people I see the most.

Filed under: 35mm, Uncategorized Tagged: 35mm, fe2, fuji superia, hagwons, nikon, seoul, South Korea

Review: The Ultimate Tech Guide for Travelers – Anil Polat

If you’re traveling anywhere in the world, tech likely travels with you. Where can you get internet access, and how can you ensure your data stays safe? What about encryption, using Tor, wiping your data remotely if your device is stolen, and a hundred other things?

Before starting the popular travel blog foXnoMad, Anil Polat was paid to hack into a company’s systems and make their security better. Today, he’s well-known as an expert on travel and tech, and helping people travel smarter. “The Ultimate Tech Guide for Travelers” gets you started whether you’re coming to Korea for a year or backpacking around Europe.

“The Ultimate Tech Guide for Travelers” starts off helping you pick out a laptop. Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you probably know some of the computer terminology already; if you don’t, Anil explains it without embarrassing you in the process. From there, the book goes into backing up your data – something this blogger needs to do more often. While some solutions require money, the e-book points out dozens of free solutions as well. That’s repeated throughout the book, as Anil points out plenty of free alternative programs to those costing money. You’ve probably heard of some of them, but there are plenty I hadn’t heard of before reading.

While the e-book’s focus on security, proxies, and encryption makes sense if you’re traveling to countries where the internet is censored or restricted, my wonderful readers in Korea might wonder if they need the advice. Sure, some people might need it to keep themselves anonymous – you, however, might want to use a proxy to score some online video or watch Hulu (things only available with an American IP address). Also, hackers and data collectors are everywhere there’s a computer, so keeping track of your security is prudent anywhere you go.

The last chapter – Ultimate Hacking Secrets for Savvy Travelers – talks about everything from using the Pirate Bay to tethering (connecting your phone to your computer for internet access). He links to many other resources, including good guides for jailbreaking an iPhone or rooting an Android device, and ends with a reminder that “working well with technology is to make it work for you.”

As one of those classic ‘buy the book and get something else free’ ideas, you get 6 months of Anil’s personal tech support. He won’t help you reinstall an operating system, but getting helping with anything talked about in the book is fair game.

Get your copy of “The Ultimate Tech Guide for Travelers” – it ain’t free, but it’s money well spent.

Disclaimer: Chris in South Korea received a complimentary review copy of ‘The Ultimate Tech Guide for Travelers’, and there are affiliate links in this post.

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks): How do I rate destinations?

This post was originally published on my blog,Chris in South Korea. If you are reading this on another website and there is no linkback or credit given, you are reading an UNAUTHORIZED FEED.

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Vacation Tips

I meant to throw up another post in addition to this one, but I’ve been far too busy this week finishing up English camp and and preparing to take off for vacation.

My school has allowed me to leave the plantation for a couple of weeks and I’ll be spending that time in Thailand. The cold in Busan has been annoying as of late so the beach and sun will be a welcomed (and much needed) change-up.

I’m normally horrible at preparing for trips. When coming to Korea, I barely made it out of the country on time on account that on the day of my departure, I was still bringing clothes and other crap from my apartment to stash in my mother’s basement. I didn’t call my bank to notify them that I was coming to Korea until I was about to board the plane. I still have yet to suspend my cell phone account. It’s that bad.

Getting prepared for Thailand has been somewhat different though. To my own surprise, I’ve been able to take care of all the loose ends in fairly organized fashion, and since I’m proud of myself for doing so, I thought I’d share a few tips on vacation preparation for those planning on jumping ship for vacation. Keep in mind these are all things I almost never do, so I’m probably the wrong person to be lecturing on the subject. Nonetheless, it’s my blog and I need to write about something before I go on my two-week hiatus.

#1 Sure Up the Money Source
This may seem like a no brainer, but I’ve read several accounts of people taking off from the peninsula and having absolutely no access to their money once they’ve reached their destination. If you’re bringing along your Korean bank card, make sure your shit will work in OUTSIDE of Korea. Many bank cards are completely useless once yo leave the peninsula, but several banks offer global cards that at the very least will allow you to withdraw money from the ATM in another country (usually you won’t be able to make purchases with it). I bank with KEB and had my co-teacher call them several times yesterday to make sure my card would work in Thailand. After reading a few threads on Waygook.org and Koreabridge.com, I was convinced I had nothing to worry about. Still, I wanted to double check. Turns out the card I had wasn’t going to work, and with only a half an hour till the bank closed, I had to run back home, grab my passport, and get to the bank to exchange my normal card for a global card. I made it there just as they were about to close the front gates. Payday is coming up and I would have been shit out of luck had I not double checked. Of course you could avoid this whole dilemma by transferring money to your account from back home, but if payday will occur after you depart for vacation and you have no way to set up a scheduled transfer, you might still be screwed.

#2 Clean Out the Refrigerator
Trust me, you do not want to come back to an apartment that smells like old man farts. Look in your fridge and take out anything that could (or as in my case, already has) gone bad. There is no point in holding on to those few extra oranges that will only be rotten by the time you make it back. If you really want them, take them with and eat them on the plane.

Don’t want to waste food that you’ve spent your hard earned money on?

Start eating that shit early in the week before you leave so you won’t have to toss anything out. This tip may be mute for some, because obviously not everyone cooks (a good idea considering how it’s often cheaper to eat out), but if you normally keep your fridge stocked, make sure you empty it before leaving, along with the trash.

#3 Wash the Clothes
No point in having to go commando for a day due to a shortage of clean undies. Do yourself a favor and throw in a couple loads of laundry before heading off. Now for some of you, this might not be an option. You may not even have clean clothes to bring WITH you on vacation, but if you’ve already picked out your vacation wardrobe, take some time to wash up the clothes you are leaving behind. If nothing else it will make your apartment look cleaner and should you fail to clean the out the fridge the smell won’t be compounded by stinky laundry–not that your dirty laundry stinks in the first place.

Yes I know all of this is common sense and probably does not need to be mentioned, but I have suffered from not doing one or all of the tips mentioned above so it comes from the heart.

I could go on and on with other tips (originally, I wanted to do a list of at least five), but I have a flight to catch and I still need to swing by Family Mart to pick up some plane snacks.

I doubt I’ll be posting while on vacation so this might be the last you hear from me for a couple of weeks, but then again you never know. I might decide to pop in to let you know I’m still alive and haven’t been arrested.

Ciao,

Kimchi Dreadlocks

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.
-
Henry David Thoreau

{Things of focus lately}

1. friendships

the people in my life that inspire, humor, love, and motivate me are crucial to my being. i do my very best in expressing to them daily that they hold that importance to me. but lately i have found it to be quite disheartening how others don’t reciprocate. i had such an incredible group of girls in tennessee that i really fear may never be matched. one that i could always count on taking me out for an adventure, and strong drink. she was capable of always making me laugh. another one that would give me the more motherly approach but always met my needs with creative inspiration and advice. another that was the same sort of emotional person i was, she looked on the deeper side of things, and not only did we have the same taste in a lot of things, but we were able to save one another by lessons we had both already learned. i try not to focus on it. missing them. really wanting that face to face coffee conversation. but i noticed when i am around my friends here, it just isn’t quite the same. they aren’t seeing that part of me that i must have left in tennessee.

2. who i am today

i changed at some point into a much stronger and wiser version of my previous self. i found stillness and a way to cultivate quietness in my mind. i feel that i can always find something good out of even the worse situations. but i still need to work on a lot of things, really truly forgiving people, and moving forward with that. trying not to understand others actions but just love them regardless. not letting the small things that people say bother me. that is something that must be a vice of mine. i don’t hold on to it for very long, but i am a bit sensitive.

what i want to say with all of this, is that it really does a great heap of good to reflect on these things. to write them down. talk about them. and try to work on them. there seems to be no point in mindless actions and words. if you feel things {like i do, in a very strong way} then let that be a positive aura that you create and can share with others.

Pictures from the Orange County Buffet in Dongnae. I often feel...

Pictures from the Orange County Buffet in Dongnae. I often feel cheated eating at buffets in Korea, because they lack two essential items: (1) unlimited free soda and (2) ice cream for dessert. Who cares if you can cook unlimited amounts of beef at your table if you can’t refill your soda five times at the fountain? Also, who wants to eat toast for dessert?

Sheesh, Korea, you do me wrong.

But, yet, I can’t quit you.

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About

Hi, I'm Stacy. I'm from Portland, Oregon, USA, and am currently living in Busan, South Korea. Check me out on: Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Lastfm, and Flickr.

How to Nail the Phone Interview

After a recruiter or school receives your resume, they will want to schedule a phone interview. (If there is no phone interview, it’s probably not worth pursuing). Besides your resume, the phone interview is what will determine if you get a job. The majority of phone interviews are not a typical job interview, so it’s good to know what to expect.

It Will be Late

Of course, the phone interview will probably be scheduled late at night, from 11 pm – 3 am. The important thing to do is be as available as much as possible. Otherwise the job may fill up while they are trying to schedule a convenient time for your interview. Make sure you have access to a relatively quiet place, and where you get good reception. Also, check to make sure you have the correct time conversion as well.

It Will be Short

Unlike most job phone interviews, this one will be really short. How short? A typical interview will be 15 minutes long (although I’ve had a few that have been less than 10 minutes. In that brief amount of time, recruiters are not looking at what you say, but how you say it. So, it’s important to speak as clearly as possible. Enunciate words and do not speak too fast, or too slow.

They Will Ask (A Few) Questions

During the interview, you will talk to either the director of the school, or the person in charge of hiring. After they give you a brief introduction about the school, they will ask you a few basic questions about the school. Here are a few questions I was asked during the interview process:

How did you hear about our school? Be as honest as possible. If you heard great things about the school online, say that. If you were recommended from a friend, that’s even better.

Why do you want to come to Korea? It’s good to list a few “PR” reasons here. “I’ve always wanted to teach children,” and “I am interested in learning more about Korean culture” are good responses. I did a combination of both in many of my interview answers: “I love to travel and teach, and it seems that South Korea would allow me to pursue both opportunities.”

Why do you think you will be a good teacher in Korea? Emphasize good qualities that you can list from your resume. For example, you could say, “I love teaching and working with children,” or, “I have previous teaching experiences.” I talked about my previous tutoring positions and working as a dance coach.

Moving to a new country is a big adjustment. How good are you at adapting to a new situation? Talk about a time in your work or school experience that shows you are capable of adapting quickly to a new situation. If you have traveled extensively or studied abroad, both would be great examples.

Don’t Ask (too many) Questions

In many Western countries, it’s a good idea to ask questions. In some ways, asking questions shows that you are paying attention and interested in a topic. This is not the case in South Korea. Although it is good to ask one or two questions, do not ask too many questions directly to our prospective employer. Asking too many questions shows some employers that you are inept and unable to perform a job. Ask 1-2 questions, and leave the rest for recruiters afterward, or within an email exchange. here are some good questions to ask:

How many hours a week would I be teaching?
How many foreign (as in Western teachers) will I be working with?
What is the age range of my students? (If not posted online)

After the Interview

It’s not necessary to send a follow-up thank you email. Most of the time, you should here from the school within a few hours or days. If you have not heard from a school in almost a week, email the recruiter or the contact person.

From there, it’s time to negotiate a contract!

Shanghai Living: Jade Buddha Temple, Former residence of Mao Zedong and Contest winner!

Wow it is hard to believe that it has been almost two months in China. Soon it will be Spring Festival here. Spring Festival is China's biggest holiday. I am looking forward to the time off and checking out some things. Travel may be impossible during this time as everyone is travelling in China at that time. I will check out some more things in Shanghai and possibly buy a motorcycle. Ok more than likely I will buy a motorcycle, as long as it stops snowing.

Enjoy the video!

100K hits

Yesterday night, the hit count on this blog's overperforming sitemeter clicked past the 100,000 mark. An arbitrary value perhaps, but this little blog author welcomes any excuse for a celebration.

A big thanks go to you, the readers, for all your kind comments over the years, as well as all of the people who have been a part of life worth posting about. Of particular mention is my wonderful wife, who is currently 5 months pregnant and looking after herself in Seoul until February, when I return. I'll continue to blog for the foreseeable future and will try to make it more interesting and informative as time goes on.

Here's to the next 100K!

Korea Is A Safe Haven...For International Child Abduction. Not Good.

Korea Faces More International Child Custody Controversies
The Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a multilateral treaty, which seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of abduction and retention across international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return. The "Child Abduction Section" provides information about the operation of the Convention and the work of the Hague Conference in monitoring its implementation and promoting international co-operation in the area of child abduction. (Hague Conference on Private International Law, a global inter-governmental organisation.)
This is a list of Hague Abduction Convention Countries. Conspicuous by its absence? South Korea. This is going to be a huge problem for Korea. First, it is well-known that interracial marriage is increasing in Korea and abroad. The reason? Koreans are migrating to other countries for work and education. It is inevitable that people meet their spouses through "non-traditional (whatever that means)" methods. Second, the divorce rate in Korea is rising. If you put the first and second facts together, then it is mere common sense that suggests that the children of interracial couples, or couples whose home country may be different from one another, will be subject to extreme controversy.

Individual Stories Are Making Headlines, One Case at a Time
Last week, in The New York Post, this dramatic story appeared regarding a child hidden in Korea by the father in Korea. This is not the only story of its kind. Earlier in the year, a slightly different case was made public, and attracted a great amount of notice.

Other countries who have not ratified the Hague Abduction Convention have been widely criticized. The most obvious example: Japan has also not ratified the Hague Abduction Convention, despite international criticism. While Korea allegedly recognizes foreign decrees of law, the New Yor Post article strongly suggests otherwise. The mother had a decree from a U.S. court, but Korean law enforcement officials were of no help to her as she struggled to locate her child in Korea.

How Korea Handles These Cases Will Be An Important Litmus Test
One of the central ideas of the Seoul Gyopo Guide is that Korea has an outmoded social and legal system, which is not in step with other areas of its rapid development. There are undoubtedly countless other stories like the two that have been mentioned: it is a certainty that many more exist, and have not yet received any publicity. There has been the suggestion that Korea would eventually adopt the Hague Abduction Convention. However, that has not been the case, yet. Even if the Hague Convention is adopted in Korea, it is not clear that Korea will enforce the Hague Convention. Korea has had an exceptionally poor record with respect to following international norms in many areas that interface with the law. Perhaps only extreme amounts of negative publicity will force Korea to conform to international standards. Time will tell, but one thing is almost a certainty: the number of cases will inevitably rise, given the social trends within Korea (more divorces), and the great number of Koreans with experience living outside Korea. How Korea handles this area will serve as another litmus test in determining whether or not Korea is continuing to join the international community.