The Push to Be White
I faced the camera with the air of someone awaiting a root canal. Always preferring to be behind the lens rather than in front of it, and liking to capture the spontaneity of life in my pictures, I loathe posting for photographs. As I stared down the photographer, a cluster of students shuffled themselves around, [...]
What to Know Before Coming to Korea
Even the inexperienced traveler could tell you that there are some significant differences between Asian culture and Western culture, and although I’ve lived in Seoul for over five months now, I still feel as though I understand the tip of the iceberg, and may never fully understand the Korean mentality. It is with the hope [...]
Thoughts from a Nation Builder
In light of President Obama’s recent State of the Union Address (which can be found here, and is well worth a viewing), I thought I would toss in my two cents about the Korean education system, which was highlighted in his speech. For those just tuning in, I am currently teaching in Seoul, South Korea [...]
Language and Our World
As an individual with a degree in linguistics, it goes without saying that I am fascinated by language use around the world. I love exploring the field so much that I asked for permission to write a thesis on the future of multilingualism in the United States in addition to my senior year course load. [...]
Our Global Community
I had about seven different ideas for what to write about this week, but after a thought-provoking New Year’s Eve discussion about xenophobia (which may or may not have been assisted by some $1 bottles of Soju) and re-watching this video for probably the hundredth time in my life, I’ve decided I want to write [...]
The Foreigner’s Guide to K-Pop
For those of you who have not had the joy of being exposed to K-Pop (Korean pop music), this upbeat genre features both male and female groups which generally have around five fiendishly attractive performers, and a group leader. While Korean music hasn’t cracked into mainstream Western society yet, it is a cultural phenomenon that [...]
Discovering the Beauty of Dependence
I had a revelation yesterday. Well, actually it began last Friday. Well, actually I’ve been piecing things together for the past several months, but didn’t begin to articulate it until yesterday. I was taking the subway home after a department dinner with my school when I began reflecting on my life in Korea, and how [...]
So You Want to Teach English…
Though it may have never been a job that you’ve considered, or even have any experience in, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), can be a great way to earn a living overseas, and see the world. Because of the strong presence of English in today’s business, scientific, and political world, the demand [...]
The Media and Our View of the World
The media is a really beautiful thing. TV news reports, magazines and papers allow us to understand events transpiring in every country, despite our current location. One glance at BBC’s website can tell me more than I ever cared to know about giant panda breeding, cricket scores, and discovered works by a renowned poet I [...]
Working Overseas – The Unexpected Complications
It probably goes without saying that I love to travel. I love being able to slip in and out of cultures, explore new countries, and meet people with life experiences entirely different from my own. I want to hear new languages swirling around me, see how boyfriends and girlfriends interact in public, and find the [...]
