It’s time for…more Korean stories!!! I love story telling. I
may need to implement this into my classroom so you guys aren’t my only outlet
of storytelling! Until then though, here I go!
Everywhere we go, and I literally mean every single place,
Koreans stop and tell Kiyana she’s beautiful! It is so funny and awesome! Her
school even calls her Miss America…how great is that?! We were told several
times in orientation that Koreans often see foreigners and compare them to movie stars and other famous people they're familiar with. It's just so funny to me! America is such a melting pot of people, we're not surprised at all when we see someone who looks different than we do, but here, if you don't look Asian, you stand out like a sore thumb! Foreigners are often stared
at, especially if you are extra ‘strange looking’ to these Koreans. Some things
on the list of those ‘strange’ qualities are: Blonde hair and blue eyes…check
and check! So I knew I was in for some staring, but honestly, it doesn’t bother
me at all. In fact, I love it. Haha If I see someone staring, I love to wave
and give them a big hello!
With all that being said, I bet you can guess who I run to on the streets when I need directions. Yep, that's right...anyone that looks between the ages of 8 and 18. haha This brings me to my first Korean story of the day. The other day, I was desperate for some chicken fingers and french fries. The night before my chicken cravings I was in a cab on the way home and he was taking me a different way than I normally go. I noticed a Lotteria I had never seen, but knew I was getting close to home! Lotteria is basically the McDonlads of Korea, except delicious! My heart was overwhelmed with joy and now you know why I all of a sudden had a craving for those delicious chicken strips!! So I go home and make a plan to set out alone the next day to find those chicken strips while everyone else is at school. The next day I looked it up on my phone and see that it's not too far from home, so I set out with my phone map in hand. About 20 minutes later, I realize I can't read maps that are written in Korean. Language barrier-58 Kyla-0...still. haha (and before you think I'm an idiot for not being able to follow a blue line on a map, 1. Android maps are weird and 2. Korean roads are even weirder) So here I am again with that lost foreigner look on my face, standing patiently at the crosswalk waiting for it turn green. All of a sudden these two adorable little boys, one is probably 10, the other about 6, turn around and say, "Hello!!!" And just like that, it was like God wanted me to go to Lotteria for those chicken strips! So I obviously I jump on this opportunity like there's no tomorrow and say hello back. I follow that up with, "uh...lotteria...uh...ahdesayoh?"(Where is Lotteria?) After a couple of confused looks and attempts at speaking Korean again, we're all on the same page and I'm trying to get directions from this little heaven sent angel. He points and says straight and left. YES! I can do that! I'm bowing graciously and thanking them over and over when the older of the two boys says something to the younger one and he runs off. Then the older one motions me to follow him and walks me to Lotteria!!! Oh my gosh. These Koreans and their willingness to help this chicken loving white girl! I'm pretty sure I'm never going to stop being amazed at this.
Story number two... So Emilee was coming over to my house last Friday for the first time ever. Since we just learned that I can't read Korean maps and street names, I obviously couldn't tell her walking directions to my house. I can physically get you there from almost anywhere, but I can't tell you how to do it. haha So we had a plan to meet at a store called Diaso so I could help her find my house. On my walk to Diaso, these two girls in their school uniforms stop mid conversation to stare at me as I'm walking by. I notice this staring and wave to them and say hello. They excitedly wave back and say hello. After that, one of them shouts, "Your shoes are beautiful!!!" The second girl follows that up with, "And your face is beautiful!!!" Score!! Beautiful shoes AND face! I love Korea! So I'm on cloud nine for the rest of my walk to Diaso, I beat Emilee there and do a little shopping while I wait. On our way home we take the same path I was just on a few minutes before. I was secretly hoping those little girls would yell "You're beautiful!" at me again, but they did me one better! As we get closer and closer, they start waving again and I tell Emilee these are my friends I made on the way to Diaso. They run to us and ask to take a picture! So here we are, all four of us posing for a picture in the middle of the sidewalk in Gunsan! hahaha It was about as weird as it sounds and I loved every second of it! After two pictures, the girl gets a phone call, pausing our mini photo shoot. But it wasn't over because they told us to wait. We are all four awkwardly standing there while she ignores her brothers phone call, so we make small talk with these Korean girls. Turns out they were 17 years old. One asked if I had a Facebook, but the other one hit her and said no. Guess that wasn't a good question? haha I was down for new Facebook friends..maybe next time. hahaha After a couple of seconds of awkward silence, they ask us if we've seen the movie Taken 2 because they love the dad in the movie. Looks like Liam Neeson has a couple of 17 year old Korean girl fans! So random! After that, they said bye and ran off. I guess the photo shoot was over? haha
The next day in Buan, our group of friends are at 7 Eleven getting some snacks. Emilee and I are standing towards the door, trying to get out of the way of the cash register. In a minute, a Korean boy, probably around our age, walks up to us and says, "Hello!" I say hello back and ask him, "How are you?" He shakes his head and says no English, laughs awkwardly and leaves. About 2 seconds later, he comes back in the store with his cell phone out saying, "Picture? Picture?" haha Of course, Emilee and I accept and take a few mirror pics in 7 Eleven with this random Korean guy, then he says bye and is on his way.
Oh, Korea! You just never know with this place. The randomness keeps me going and makes me want to stand out on the sidewalk all day just to see what people will say to me! Maybe I'll give it a try sometime. That's all for now! I miss you all and remember, Korea thinks you're beautiful!
This is just a little side note. I feel like pictures make blogs better, so here is your pictures of the day. Koreans are so obsessed with their looks and are always dressed to the nines. There are mirrors everywhere in Korea and these people don't hesitate to stop and check themselves out in the middle of a public place. In the very rare scenario that there are no mirrors around, these people use their cell phone cameras as mirrors. Today one of my sweet, quiet, angelic second graders was about 40 minutes early for class and I caught her checking herself out on her camera on her phone. After she caught me watching her, she wanted to take pictures, so here we are! She's so sweet!
They also do this thing with their hands. I've seen it in Kpop music videos, but I'm not sure the purpose. Maybe it's like a cooler version of a peace sign?
-Kyla
With all that being said, I bet you can guess who I run to on the streets when I need directions. Yep, that's right...anyone that looks between the ages of 8 and 18. haha This brings me to my first Korean story of the day. The other day, I was desperate for some chicken fingers and french fries. The night before my chicken cravings I was in a cab on the way home and he was taking me a different way than I normally go. I noticed a Lotteria I had never seen, but knew I was getting close to home! Lotteria is basically the McDonlads of Korea, except delicious! My heart was overwhelmed with joy and now you know why I all of a sudden had a craving for those delicious chicken strips!! So I go home and make a plan to set out alone the next day to find those chicken strips while everyone else is at school. The next day I looked it up on my phone and see that it's not too far from home, so I set out with my phone map in hand. About 20 minutes later, I realize I can't read maps that are written in Korean. Language barrier-58 Kyla-0...still. haha (and before you think I'm an idiot for not being able to follow a blue line on a map, 1. Android maps are weird and 2. Korean roads are even weirder) So here I am again with that lost foreigner look on my face, standing patiently at the crosswalk waiting for it turn green. All of a sudden these two adorable little boys, one is probably 10, the other about 6, turn around and say, "Hello!!!" And just like that, it was like God wanted me to go to Lotteria for those chicken strips! So I obviously I jump on this opportunity like there's no tomorrow and say hello back. I follow that up with, "uh...lotteria...uh...ahdesayoh?"(Where is Lotteria?) After a couple of confused looks and attempts at speaking Korean again, we're all on the same page and I'm trying to get directions from this little heaven sent angel. He points and says straight and left. YES! I can do that! I'm bowing graciously and thanking them over and over when the older of the two boys says something to the younger one and he runs off. Then the older one motions me to follow him and walks me to Lotteria!!! Oh my gosh. These Koreans and their willingness to help this chicken loving white girl! I'm pretty sure I'm never going to stop being amazed at this.
Story number two... So Emilee was coming over to my house last Friday for the first time ever. Since we just learned that I can't read Korean maps and street names, I obviously couldn't tell her walking directions to my house. I can physically get you there from almost anywhere, but I can't tell you how to do it. haha So we had a plan to meet at a store called Diaso so I could help her find my house. On my walk to Diaso, these two girls in their school uniforms stop mid conversation to stare at me as I'm walking by. I notice this staring and wave to them and say hello. They excitedly wave back and say hello. After that, one of them shouts, "Your shoes are beautiful!!!" The second girl follows that up with, "And your face is beautiful!!!" Score!! Beautiful shoes AND face! I love Korea! So I'm on cloud nine for the rest of my walk to Diaso, I beat Emilee there and do a little shopping while I wait. On our way home we take the same path I was just on a few minutes before. I was secretly hoping those little girls would yell "You're beautiful!" at me again, but they did me one better! As we get closer and closer, they start waving again and I tell Emilee these are my friends I made on the way to Diaso. They run to us and ask to take a picture! So here we are, all four of us posing for a picture in the middle of the sidewalk in Gunsan! hahaha It was about as weird as it sounds and I loved every second of it! After two pictures, the girl gets a phone call, pausing our mini photo shoot. But it wasn't over because they told us to wait. We are all four awkwardly standing there while she ignores her brothers phone call, so we make small talk with these Korean girls. Turns out they were 17 years old. One asked if I had a Facebook, but the other one hit her and said no. Guess that wasn't a good question? haha I was down for new Facebook friends..maybe next time. hahaha After a couple of seconds of awkward silence, they ask us if we've seen the movie Taken 2 because they love the dad in the movie. Looks like Liam Neeson has a couple of 17 year old Korean girl fans! So random! After that, they said bye and ran off. I guess the photo shoot was over? haha
The next day in Buan, our group of friends are at 7 Eleven getting some snacks. Emilee and I are standing towards the door, trying to get out of the way of the cash register. In a minute, a Korean boy, probably around our age, walks up to us and says, "Hello!" I say hello back and ask him, "How are you?" He shakes his head and says no English, laughs awkwardly and leaves. About 2 seconds later, he comes back in the store with his cell phone out saying, "Picture? Picture?" haha Of course, Emilee and I accept and take a few mirror pics in 7 Eleven with this random Korean guy, then he says bye and is on his way.
Oh, Korea! You just never know with this place. The randomness keeps me going and makes me want to stand out on the sidewalk all day just to see what people will say to me! Maybe I'll give it a try sometime. That's all for now! I miss you all and remember, Korea thinks you're beautiful!
This is just a little side note. I feel like pictures make blogs better, so here is your pictures of the day. Koreans are so obsessed with their looks and are always dressed to the nines. There are mirrors everywhere in Korea and these people don't hesitate to stop and check themselves out in the middle of a public place. In the very rare scenario that there are no mirrors around, these people use their cell phone cameras as mirrors. Today one of my sweet, quiet, angelic second graders was about 40 minutes early for class and I caught her checking herself out on her camera on her phone. After she caught me watching her, she wanted to take pictures, so here we are! She's so sweet!
They also do this thing with their hands. I've seen it in Kpop music videos, but I'm not sure the purpose. Maybe it's like a cooler version of a peace sign?
 |
| Silly hand thing..not really sure! |
 |
| Kyla Teacher's attempt at cute Korean girl pose...fail! Also, I'm not sure why she keeps doing that face..funny little girl! |
-Kyla
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