Culture Shock... or Poke Really

People asked how it’s like being back in the US and my initial response was “it just feels like I was on a long vacation.” However, as time passed, I gained appreciation for some things …

1. People’s EYELIDS – they are so big here! Maybe I should get the surgery!
2. My 730sq ft 1br apartment – my bed isn’t in my entry way (like in Flag) and my bathroom isn’t also my shower (like in Korea)
3. Space in General – sitting on couches, not floors, sleeping in a separate room than your living room, not dealing w/ traffic everywhere
4. Fresh Air – the first couple times I ran here, my lungs hurt. I think the clean air was trying to sieve its way through the smog in my lungs.
5. Being able to speak at a 27 year old English Level. I went to McDonalds during my layover in Chicago and it took me a minute to realize I could just say what I wanted verses being really short and pointing to the menu

When I was 12, I was in SHOCK. When I went back when I was 20, it was a JAB. Now, I feel like it was just a POKE.

The Before and After

Holy Crap! It’s been 5 months since I landed on American soil!

In the first 24 hours I drove my car, got a trendy new cell phone, and ate a delicious chipotle burrito… life was GOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Seeing my family and friends back home for the first time in a year made me incredibly happy… and I put my birth family’s picture on my cell phone so I didn’t forget them and could see them everyday, too.

Now that I’m back, I am all about being Asian – which is different from before.

Before, I wouldn’t order the “Asian Oriental Salad” at the restaurant b/c I thought it was a cliché. Now, I still haven’t ordered one but he if it sounds good one day, I’ll go for it.

Before, I didn’t even open the menu at the Korean Restaurant b/c I always ordered the same thing. Now, I look at the menu and it takes me a while to try and narrow it down to one entrée to eat.

Before, I stayed away from “Asian looking dresses” b/c I didn’t want to look TOO Asian. Now, I try to seek out Asian looking patterns.

Before, I just drank my beer as soon as it arrived. Now, I am all about a group "cheers" before taking a sip.

Before, I would just say “that’s nice.” Now I say “that’s bery bery nice-ah” – I love speaking Konglish now :)

Before, you wouldn’t catch me in a Konglished shirt. Now, I wear my “The Shinin Out Like Stars” and “ABCDER” shirts with pride.

Before, I didn’t care about wrinkles. Now, I put my eye cream on every night (thanks to my friend Hyun Joo for purchasing it for me).

Before, I didn’t feel a need to associate with other Asians. Now, I want lots of Asian friends.

Before, I didn’t notice or care if I was the only Asian in the crowd. Now, I notice Asians around me and if it’s just me representing.

Before, I knew I was Asian. Now I’m proud of it.

The End Has Come ...

Pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

This Year Around the World…

2008 Beijing Olympics

North Korea threatens the World

The Swine Flu Pandemic

Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Ed McMahon died

In Korea …

Yuna Kim tore it up in the Figure Skating World

Dokdo Island’s ownership battle between Korea & Japan

Former Korean president commits suicide

50,000 Won Bill was introduced

In My Life …

Became a proud Korean-American-Adoptee

Developed a relationship with my Korean Family

Can finally say I have true Korean friends

Bottom Line ...

After 378 days and 27 years, my Seoul has is filled with answers and perspective.

안녕하세요 대한민국

Goodbye Korea .. We'll Meet Again!

My Favorites...

Name: Ruby (left)

American Age: 7

Years at ECC: 3

Highlights:

1. She is proud of her “recorder” looking instrument in her hand. She serenaded us in the teachers room

2. While I am teaching a lesson, she’ll feel the urge to come to the front of the room, do the splits…. And go sit back down

3. Her pencil case is a fuzzy lion with red all over its face b/c she puts “lipstick” aka red pencil all over its face during my lesson… oh and the fuzzy lion has an opening in it’s butthole for children to stick the pencils through if they’re too lazy to open the zipper.

4. She tries to use her smile to avoid answering questions but I’m not phased by her cuteness ... most of the time

5. She’s really good at air jumping rope in place

Name: Alice (right)

American Age: 7

Years at ECC: 4

Highlights:

1. She gives me hand massages during class

2. We have snorting wars

3. She has a band aide on her cheek like Nelly because apparently a glue gun attacked her

4. She thinks she’s fat so she jumps rope everyday

5. She checked out a book titled “The Best Teacher Ever” so she could read it and then tell her Korean elementary school teacher how he could be the best.

6. She asked me “Meghan Teacher, why don’t you have blue eyes because you’re American person and American person has blue eyes?” … I said I was Korean and stupidly tried to explain adoption.. then she said “You must’ve studied English a lot because you’re a good speaker”

If they're not at ECC next Tuesday... it's because they're in my suitcase :)

How Many Tears?

With t-minus 10 days left.. I have opened the flood gate and am hoping I wont be a complete mess by the time I leave.. my eyes are already squinty enough and tear filled, poofy eyes wont help my image or my eye sight! But I think it's going to be inevitable...

I had my first goodbye this week with my Korean friend. I cried and it was contagious. Me crying with 2 Koreans and a white girl... doesn't sound like me huh!? They gave me a korean/english book called "Courage," some very Korean stickers and post-it notes, and a pair of really cute earrings. They are so sweet and I told them they were making me "more girly than I ever thought I could be"!

I tried to go to Dr. Fish one last time, but it closed :( It was a sad realization and a sign my time has come to an end.

I just hung out w/ birth father and Ju Hee. Only 1 bottle of soju this time so he was more pleasant. I am going to miss them so much. I held back the tears this time, but our last meeting is going to be a doozie I think..

My last 10 days consist of 4 meetings w/ brother, 2 w/ birth mother, 1 w/ birth father and Ju Hee, 1 w/ Betsy and Gary, 1 w/ my Korean friend Min Jeong, 1 w/ my Korean friend Hye Jin, a theater performance, a work party, a foreigner friends’ party, sad goodbyes, packing, cleaning, and a manicure.

This whole leaving thing is going to be harder than I thought...however, after all the goodbyes I am going to do, I cannot wait to throw out some long awaited "hello's" to my American family and friends.

Side Note: "Meghan Teacher is pretty. Meghan Teacher is pretty and ugly." "Why am I ugly?" "Meghan Teacher hair is pretty but Meghan Teacher is ugly because peach skin is pretty and your skin is DAAARRRKKK." -------- says the 6 year old Korean Boy.

Thank you Korean boy for adding to my already diminishing self-esteem! haha.. and shame on you Korea for instilling such crap into the innocent little minds of your youth!

Soju = The Root of All Evil

Soju = W1,000 green bottle of alcohol and a good friend of my Birth Father’s (and thousands of other Koreans and foreigners).

Friday Night = Getting first hand-experience of what it’s like having an "alcoholic" parent.

Birth father was happy… drinking… saying “I like you very very much” and hugging me which was not a new sight for me. The difference was when he was raising his voice at Ju Hee and her friends and making a scene. He was trying to force beer upon them and making them pour soju shots for him. I guess he was pissed because he found cigarettes in Ju Hee’s room and decided to let everyone in the restaurant know.

Then, he was slowly passing out, dropping food on the floor, and raising his voice again when he got a 2nd wind. I was embarrassed and annoyed. It got worse when he put a piece of meat and some spicy looking vegetable between his chopsticks and put it to my face and said “MOGO (eat).” I said “no too spicy” and he said “MOGO” again and I said no and we went back and forth for a few seconds until he was getting forceful and almost angry. I finally ate what I could out of his chopstick and the rest fell on my pants. I was PISSED!

After dinner, he was stubbling around outside. I ended up walking him home. He bought some random street food, went into a dry cleaner’s store that I don’t think was his usual place, wanted to stop at the store to buy beer and I said no. I steered him home and he wanted me to sleep in the same bed. That didn’t happen. Then he managed to get himself undressed, went to the bathroom, and passed out in his room (at 9:30pm). After he was asleep, I “snuck out” of the house and met back up with Ju Hee.

The night was salvaged by hanging w/ Ju Hee’s friends. We played pool, raced through the alleyways, and were home by 1:30am. Birth Father had no idea where his daughters were… great parenting huh.

In the morning, nothing was said. He made breakfast like nothing was wrong. He drove me home and I asked what he was doing with his friends he was meeting at 2pm and he said with a smile “drink alcohol” …

Now, I can see why my birth mother and brother don’t speak to him. It breaks my heart that my sister has to deal with this alone. I hate that he decides to meet his friends and drink at 2pm on Saturdays and let his 14 (American age) yr old daughter roam around Seoul unattended … and then yell at her for cigarettes and getting bad grades… And that he has been great to me for the last 11 months and this is one of my last memories with him. I still care for him and hope he figures life out and realizes he’s problem is hurting and pushing away those who love him.

If only I could tell him what I really think………………………. But I can’t.

Slow and Steady... FINISHES the RACE!

12-Weeks of Training ... CHECK!

Pre-Week Prep … find a sleeveless tank top. I went to E-Mart (like Super Target) and tried on two Adidas tank tops because I wanted to “look good” to “feel good.” Too bad size 100 was still a little too tight. I thought I lost hope until I browsed the underwear section only to find a Men’s “Energize” Running Tank Top! It wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, but I ended up saving W20,000 thanks to me being an extra largee..

Day before Race … I took Betsy and Sarah with me and we stayed in a hotel about 10 mins away from the start line. We laid by the pool and carbo-loaded with spaghetti for my pre-race meal. We were back in the hotel by 8:30pm because it would be an early morning.

RACE DAY … We arrived at the park at 7:15am and were over an hour early. Before the race, there was some stage entertainment. A Violinist and Dancers, 5 dancers dressed in Dodger Jerseys, and an Aerobics Instructor to assist in our pre-race warm up. I checked out the competition… some really young kids and some really old guys. My two goals were simple – don’t stop and don’t come in last!

Then approximately just over 1,000 people (93% men) lined up for the 10km Course and off we went. During the race, I rocked out to some oldies but goodies, said “are you f-ing kidding me” out loud as a woman cuts me off when it was completely unnecessary, and was entertained by drummers around each bend and a girl rollerblading while eating ice cream.

1 Hour 2 Minutes and 6 seconds later… I crossed the finish line!! (20 minutes earlier than my dry run at week 6).

THOUGHTS… What a great 12 weeks. When I got to Korea, I could barely run 30mins without stopping so I am proud of myself and it was a great experience. I said before it would be my first and last.. but I may have to take that back!

Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

LIVE!

Pictures:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Seorak Mountain

A weekend getaway to Seorak Mountain in Gangwon-Do (about 4hrs east of Seoul) was a great break from the polluted, populated city life. My friends, Sarah, Nick, Erin, and I hiked to the Ulsanbawi Peak of the Mountain which was about 1hr40min one way on Saturday and went on a “leisure” walk to a small waterfall on Sunday. We went through a tour group called Adventure Korea so there was about 40 people from all over Korea with us.

Besides the hiking…
***I kept catching myself using improper grammar and thinking “god I need to get outta here before I revert to a kindergarten level English speaker”
Example: “Betsy boughten her first hair straightener”

***I was embarrassed by the guy on our trip from MN who introduced himself as “Dick from Uranus” on the bus

***I took as many deep breaths as I could because it wasn’t air filled with kimchi, soju, fish and sewer.

More Pictures:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Fukuoka, Japan

Day ONE Checklist
1. Get screened for the Swine Flu at the airport (fill out a survey)
2. Get a mug shot and fingerprinted at Immigration (everyone had to)
3. Go to the Sega Game Complex
4. Bow to the porcelain god and puke in their toilet
5. Sleep 4 hours and wonder if I did have the swine flu
6. Feel better and limp to a baseball game because I have 2 huge blisters on my foot
7. Watch a baseball game by myself and go back to the hostel
8. Get a good night’s sleep

Day TWO Checklist
1. Wake up feeling good but cant walk because my left foot is now swollen and pussing and wicked painful
2. Go to a pharmacist instead of a doctor and get antibiotic cream, a Band-Aid, and a smile
3. Walk about 2hours with 2 socks on my left foot and a shoe on my right
4. Get mad after finding out that capsule hotels are only for men
5. Find a pair of Y210 ($2) slippers and be blessed with comfort
6. Eat sushi, pizza, a taco, pasta, and ice cream at a buffet for Y1,480 ($14) and decide if my stomach was mad at me again. (It wasn’t)
7. Go into the side alleys and wonder why prostitution is so “out there” in Japan
8. Spend $10 playing pachinko (like plinko) and wonder how to win
9. Crash a wedding at a shrine by taking pictures of the traditional wear
10. Slurp up some delicious and apparently famous Fukuoka “Ramen”
11. Meet up with a friend of a friend to show us the nightlife
12. Steal a beer mug with Japanese writing
13. Walk around forever finding my accommodation
14. Sleep tight on a comfy Japanese mat and down comforter in a traditional Japanese-style house

Day THREE Checklist
1. Eat something fatty to cure the hangover- Wendy’s is a good choice
2. Dissect a “fried squid ball” and be thankful I didn’t eat it
3. Visit some temples and take pictures
4. Stand on a stair to try and see a parade from the Hakata Donkatu Festival
5. Reach into my pocket only to find a Y5,000 bill ($50) that I picked up at the bar
6. Head to the airport and take a nap
7. Treat my friends to dinner with someone else’s money
8. Hope my slippers will make it to my officetel. (They did)

A little bit of adversity and adventure to make it a great trip to Japan!

Pictures! http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Koreans are KrEaTiVe!

1. What has bean paste inside of it and is eaten as a tasty dessert?
2. What is pressed together and put on a stick and sold on the street?
3. What is mixed with a liquid concoction and drank for health and is called Shikhye?
4. What is popped that you snack on at a bar while drinking a Cass or if you're on a diet?
5. What can be curled up in a ball and filled with meat, kimchi, or tuna?
6. What is every street vendor’s product covered in a spicy red sauce?
7. What is wrapped in seaweed with vegetables and meat?
8. What can you put in a pan of meat broth and eventually scrape off and enjoy?
9. What do most Koreans eat for breakfast along with kimchi?
10. What can you get drunk off of for only W1,500?

The W500 answer: RICE!

For most of the creations, rice is pressed together and called “ddeok” and that is the staple for almost all the rice innovations. This food never ceases to amaze me. It morphs into different forms for different occasions and different taste buds. The Koreans are such innovators!

P.S. Don’t worry… it comes white and sticky as us Americans know it… minus the soy sauce!



For more "rice" go to:
http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Just Call Me "Extra Largeee"

Shopping in Seoul SUCKS… and here’s WHY:

First of all, they have either size 0 because 90% of the woman here are petite without boobs or guts… or they have size 16 because oversized shirts are a fashion trend here. I fit in neither.

Second, depending on where you are, you can’t try things on. My birth mother bought me 3 shirts today and only 1 I’ll actually wear in public.

Third, last time I went shopping, I had to by XL jeans… that was a self-esteem booster.

Fourth, the sales people follow you around the store with good intentions, but it’s annoying and you feel pressure to buy something.

Fifth, a shirt looks cute from afar and then I realize it has a huge picture of Mickey Mouse on it.

I now have an unexpected longing for the MOA (Mall of America).

(guess which ones are mine! hehe..)

Birth mother and I went shopping today. I loved it when she bought pants and shoes a couple sizes smaller than me. That was another self-esteem pick me upper. She paid for everything which I didn’t want but I never win that battle… and deep down I’m glad since only 1 of the shirts will be a keeper. We went to the Ewha Women’s University area and shopped till we dropped. Then had dinner at “Steak Billy” where Korean women were dressed in pink dresses, white aprons, and bonnets on their head. I am still trying to figure out what nationality they were trying to portray.

All in all, it was a good day and we even had mini-conversations which broke some silence.

To cap the night off, we parted ways and I got a public "goodbye" butt slap.

27 Going On 14...

To start off the day, I went on a field trip.

I watched 9 little kids to make sure they didn’t slip.
We learned a lot and played in the park.

I was ready for bed before it was dark.
At 5 o’clock I went shopping for dinner.

I was making spaghetti which doesn’t make me thinner.
To my b.father’s house I went to cook the food...

Even though I wasn’t really in the mood.
I was greeted by my sister and 4 of her chingoos (friends).

They are underage so there wasn’t any booze.
They watched in awe as I made spaghetti...

And kept asking me when it was going to be ready.
We tried to speak in each other’s native tongue.

It actually turned out to be quite fun.
We slurped up the noodles and ate the bread.

Then we chatted on Ju Hee’s bed.
I felt like a teenager giggly and shy.

It was kinda fun...I’m not gonna lie.
We went to a Noraebang and sang with all our might.

They gave me the mic but I put up a fight.
Those girls can sing, it’s definitely a fact!

They make Britney sound like a disgrace of an act!
I finally sang, despite my fears.

I’m glad they were polite and didn’t plug their ears.
We drank water and they ate dried fish.

They offered it to me, but it's not my fav dish.
This Friday night was a blast.

It made me think of my childhood past.
Rockin’ on the starstage, singing a tune...

And my mom was asking me to stop…SOON!
Thank you Ju Hee, you are so cool and so neat.

Spending time with you tonight was such a treat!

(my younger sister, Ju Hee and I)

Pictures/Videos:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Pop Goes My Bubble

Never in my life has my personal bubble been flirted with, picked on, beat up, and smashed to death.

It was confirmed today that my bubble has officially been popped and I don’t even flinch at those “used to be” or “could be” awkward/uncomfortable situations.

Tonight, I went against the Korean definition of beauty and went to the tanning booth. I was put behind a curtain and given a kitchen towel size towel to take my clothes off and put my tanning lotion on.

It was obvious my bubble was popped because ….

It didn’t bother me that the curtain separated me and a lady getting her nails done…

Or that when I was topless, a worker just came right in asking for my name and phone number for her records…
Or when she asked if she could lube up my back (which was actually handy)...
Or when she pulled down my underwear and put lotion on my ass (as if I couldn’t reach it)…
Or when I walked through the curtain in my kitchen towel covering my upstairs and my underwear (thank goodness I wasn’t wearing a thong) covering my downstairs through the nail salon to the stand-up tanning booth.

I guess living in a city of 14million people crammed into a small space will pop your personal bubble and force you to just roll with the punches sometimes.. and I am actually thankful… so THANK YOU Seoul, Korea.

Side note to cap the night off – Before all this, I had to pee in a shower aiming at the built-in tile canal on the floor. I was thrown off and didn’t know which way to squat – towards the washing machine or away- I chose looking away.

After tanning, I put my socks back on and they were wet. I was thinking, “god, did my feet sweat that bad today?” Then I shamefully realized… I think aim was a little off in the shower… Let’s just say it was a moist walk home.

Ya win some, ya lose some… and this time, the shower won.

Live from #408

Pictures and more Videos:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Birthday Party Crasher ...

Weddings weren’t enough so I decided to crash a 1 year old baby’s birthday, too.

First birthdays are as big or bigger than a wedding. Apparently mom’s are more competitive over this than that. Why are they so important?

Because long ago, babies would often die before they were 1 year old so if a baby makes it to its first birthday, it is a big deal. Traditionally, guests would give gold jewelry to the baby but since these days gold is so expensive, money is substituted.

This was a YBM ECC Receptionist’s son’s birthday. It was at Ocean Star Seafood buffet (most bday parties are at a buffet restaurant). There are a couple traditions that happen at a first birthday party.

1. The baby’s future is read depending on what object it chooses from a tray– money (it’ll be rich), toothbrush (it’ll be a dentist), ball, computer mouse, etc… you get the idea.

2. The guests eat a rice cake so the baby will live a long life

I put my ticket on the ball and he chose that. Whoever’s ticket was in the golf ball glass was put in a raffle… and then I became a winner! I was excited because I don’t normally win stuff at these kinds of events!

I opened the gift and … don’t be jealous … it was a 6-pk of KLEENEX!

Then I choaked down the rice cake that looks like chocolate but really tastes like a goowy clump of dough covered in brown powder. I washed it down with some iced tea and tried not to throw it up… this kid better live a real long life.

On my way out, I was given two hand towels with the baby’s name and birthday on it.

I walked home in a light sprinkle of rain with my tummy full of free food and beer, two baby towels, and my 6pk of Kleenex.

Another cultural experience in the books and this one came with gifts! It was a win-win evening!