The Index, a Year in Seoul at Ewha Womans University

August 25, 2012 – July 13, 2013
Number of classes taught	4
Number of new preps for these classes	4
Largest class size	103 students (all first-year)
Smallest class size	3 (all graduate students)
Number of male students taught in these 4 classes	2
% of persons encountered every weekday who were male	1
# of countries represented in my classes	16, from France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, China, The Netherlands, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, The Philippines, USA, Finland, Nigeria, Poland
Number of pounds lost	5
Space, in square feet, of living arrangements, approximately	289
# of sermons preached	6
# of books read	15
Best one read	Cloud Atlas
Longest one	Game of Thrones (five vols.)
# of months lived without a car, a cell phone, keys, and a stove to cook upon	11
Of these four, the one missed the most	The stove to cook upon
Most paid for a large box of Quaker Oatmeal	$19.00
# of pictures taken	2915
# of Buddhist temples visited	15
# of Christian churches visited	6
# of times visited the world’s largest (in membership) church	2
# of Hikes taken with the Seoul International Hiking Club	25
Most famous person I met in Seoul	Jane Goodall
# of people for whom I was named “godfather”	1
# of courses I proposed to teach for the International Summer School at Ewha, July 2014	4 :)
Dear Readers, Friends, Family, Thank you for your reading and your comments. I hope this year has been for you, as it has been for Grace and me, a wondrous, magical and most restful year. Marc

NATIONAL TREASURE No. 1

Namdaemun (Korean=남대문 / Chinese=南大門) or "Great South Gate" is one of eight gates that allowed access to Seoul during its Pre-modern period. Over 700 years old, this gate has served as a key symbol of Korea, for citizens and expats alike. (Thought-exercise: Can you name a structure you see often that is over 700 years old?)

The picture just below shows the gate about 100 years ago. Until 2008, it was the oldest structure in Seoul made of wood.

Imagine the national horror when, in 2008, an arsonist, upset over what he felt was unfair treatment in a business deal, entered the structure at night with some flammable liquid and a lighter, and caused this: 

Rebuilding began very quickly:

Finally, this past April, Namdaemun opened again.

Views of the side-wall:

One may go into the gate itself, look up, and see colorful pictures of traditional dragon figures.

Wherever we went in Korea, we witnessed dedicated efforts to keep historic treasures in good repair. National Treasure No. 1 is a good example of "visible history".

Marc

North Korea, an Update

I understand from US news sources that the North Korean "Question" dominates the news stateside. From the ways this story is reported, it seems that we are on some brink of Armageddon here.

To bring some necessary balance, let me offer a few mitigating remarks. These are my notes from remarks made this morning in my faith community - www.ilcseoul.net - by Foreign Ministry Spokesman CHO, T'ai Yong. Just below is a picture I took of him this morning, but you can also see another picture of him by clicking here.

 
1. The North Korean situation is on news-shows here every day. It is the topic of many conversations. While South Koreans take the North Korean dictator seriously, we do not see much evidence of folks changing their daily habits.

2. No one here is hoarding, practicing civil defense measures, running the banks, or acting like it's the end of the world. Just not happening.

3. Korea and its allies are still on high alert.

4. Dictator Kim in North Korea is not expected to do anything dangerous; he's not crazy, but he is young.

5. The South Korean policy remains one that (1) pressures and (2) seeks dialogue, to create mutual confidence.

6. Since this current "crisis" has gone on for an extended time, it is difficult to envision face-saving solutions to this situation.

7. Bottom line: the situation is "safe and stable." (Or in the words of my students, "I'll start to worry when the US Embassy says to worry.")

Now in my own voice, I feel led to respond to the an unfortunate editorial in the NYTimes on Saturday. Jeremi Suri argued for a small, strategic bombing of NK as "the best of bad options on the Korean peninsula." Written by one who claims expertise in diplomacy, it is actually an example of an impatient author, who does not understand the nuanced accents of diplomacy. If he got his wish, then my life here in Korea would be more endangered!

The unforeseen and unintended consequences of such a bombing would last far longer than this current crisis, and the USA would suffer, in injured, limping diplomacy, well into the next generation. The damage to Koreans' chances to reunite their nations would be pushed back years.

Can you say, "Bay of Pigs," Mr. Suri? 

Peace, actually,

Marc

What's Up With North Korea?

"The moment of explosion is approaching fast. No one can say a war will break out in Korea or not and whether it will break out today or tomorrow." - KIM Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea, 4 April 2013

President PARK Geun-Hye, 61 years old, 11th president of South Korea, first female in the post; assumed leadership two months ago; daughter of the well-known, but either well-loved or well-hated dictator in the 1960s and 1970s, PARK, Chung-hee, assassinated in 1979.		Supreme Leader of North Korea KIM Jong-Un, 29 or 30 years old; assumed leadership in December 2011. Son of last leader, and grandson of North Korea's founder and most famous leader: KIM Il-Sung.
On the surface, Kim uses a page from his late father's playbook: Scare the Western world with nuclear desctruction threats, in exchange for a desired outcome. This time, has Kim broken new ground? So what’s happening in North Korea? Why this latest episode? Why is it going on so long this time? Do we need to worry like our news sources tell us?
Q: Is the North Korean leader crazy?	A. Maybe not. He's inexperienced, and in a hard situation. He’s also had a protected life behind elite schools in Europe, and in front of way too-many video game screens. One Thesis: The world is now his video game, and like a teenager addicted to the screen, he doesn’t know when to call it quits.
Q: Do we take him seriously?	A: Yes and No. YES, taking him seriously is what he wants, so listening to him could inhibit his desire to do anything more crazy. NO, his abilities to deliver WMDs is there, but not impressive. He would be able to inflict significant first-strike damage. Within a few minutes of that first-strike, however, his abilities to wage further warfare would be rendered zero by the USA. But if we don't take him seriously, expect more craziness.
Q: Is there a chance of nuclear strikes?	A: Perhaps. However, according to some analysts, playing the nuclear card is a way to divert the average North Korean from focusing upon her empty stomach or his thin wallet.  Playing the nuclear card makes for bad brinksmanship as a foreign policy. Will someone send him the story in translation: Peter and the Wolf?
Q: What is the opinion of North Korea about South Korea.	A: I think it is pretty good. Read on.
Q: What is their opinion of the USA?	A: Since the USA has maintained the division of North and South Korea through treaty and military forces, I think the real enemy is the USA.
Q: Will there be armed conflict or war?	A: Don’t think so. My Korean associates and friends are not worried. There are no calls to civil defense or citizen-preparedness.
Q: Then why is this happening now?	A: THE Question! The best response I have heard is this: While this is clearly instigated by the North, the two new leaders need each other at the beginning of their tenures at their nations’ helms. Each is being heavily watched by hawks in their OWN administration for signs of weakness. Thus, each leader provides the other with the chance to look strong in front of her/his generals, military, and people.  Rule One: Don't ever lose face in front of your peers.
Q: What does KIM want?	A: Respect from the world, and respect from his comrades in his country. I don’t know if he’ll ever know respect when he gets it….
Q: Why is this crisis going on so long?	A: He’s young, the screen of his game does not tell him to shut down and give it a rest.  His opponent in South Korea is female. We don't know what his relationships are like to women around him. How long before he can declared his face is saved?
Q: Anything else?	A: Just this: North Korea is China’s proxy, however tortured that relationship is; and South Korea is the USA’s proxy, however strained that history is. The real-politik game is between China and the USA. I do not worry about waking up as nuclear ash as long as China and the USA are still talking.
Bottom Line: We are not too worried over here. I’ll let you know if that changes.

Thoughts? Objections? Hope you find the "Comments" Box!

Marc

Kimchi - The National Food

Some readers will have already had some experiences with Kimchi. The taste is either unforgettably stupendously wonderful, or really bad. I've heard very few neutral on Kimchi's taste.

You'll find kimchi at every meal...

Kimchi is on the lower left side; it's reddish/orange.

A real short definition of Kimchi is "Spicy pickled cabbage" and definitions are quick to add that it is the national food or dish of Korea. A closer look shows more texture:

Thanks to http://www.myhealthguide.carlyucaangay.com/health-food-how-to-make-kimchi.html

There are many kinds of kimchi, from the refreshing summer dish called "Water Kimchi" which is thin-soup like, and may even contain apple slices, to the heavy-on-the-anchovy variety. Some make it very spicy hot. Every family has its favorite style, and often it is made at home. Because of its very intense smell, one that WILL leak from whatever airtight container you have it in, many families have a dedicated Kimchi refrigerator.

See international Pop Music star from Korea: PSY selling Samsung kimchi refrigerators; it's worth the watch - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgxgql7T2dc.

In this convenience society, you can buy it already made for about around five dollars a pound, give or take. Or you can make it yourself. Home-made, it takes weeks to make a batch from beginning to end. But, since Kimchi is fermented, it keeps awhile without artificial preservatives.

One website (http://gastronomyblog.com/2010/11/13/how-to-make-kimchi/) has these ingredients for regular Kimchi: 

• 2 heads Napa cabbage
• 2 cups sea salt
• 8 cups water

For kimchi marinade

• 1 cup sweet rice powder
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup coarse Taeyangcho red chili pepper powder
• 5 ounces garlic
• 10 ounces Asian pear, peeled and quartered
• 9 ounces onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 ounce ginger, peeled
• 4 ounces Fresno chilies
• 2 pounds radish, julienned
• 4 ounces minari
• 4 ounces red mustard greens
• 4 ounces Korean chives
• 4 ounces green onions
• 1/4 cup Korean anchovy fish sauce
• 3/4 cup Korean salted shrimp sauce
• 4 ounces fresh shrimp, chopped
• 4 ounces Korean salted shrimp

This month I am a student in a 4-hour-per-day Korean class, one that includes two field trips. A couple of days ago, we went to a Kimchi-making activity. It was a highly abbreviated Kimchi-making session, in which all the advance preparation was already done, and all we had to do was the final mixing.

Enjoy the pictures. (In this room, the main language is Japanese; there were two men, one from Australia and one from ... well you know.)

That's mine, on the right.

One of my teachers is on the right.

FYI, I have found a mild form of this very kind of Kimchi at Ingles!! If you are in Asheville, you can find GOOD home-made Kimchi at Kim's Oriental Food and Gifts, 5 Regents Park Blvd., near the separation of Patton Avenue from I-240, Asheville. Let them know I sent you! 

Bon appetit!
Marc

Short Korean Lessons

This post will interest the linguists. It coincides with my taking an intensive Korean language course during February here at Ewha. Here I depict and picture two words through which my English readers may find some deeper-reaching lens into today's Korean thought world.

First, Woori (우리)

Literally, it means "ours". I wonder if Western, native-English speakers (and I am one!) will ever "get" this concept-word. In East Asian/Confucian culture in general, and in Korea specifically, "me," "mine" and the "self" are second-fiddled to the collective "we" and "ours." The splinter of self usually snags the larger fabric of a collective society. 

Perhaps you may feel more confident when you bank at "Our Bank" (below)... 

... Or (above) put your money in "Our [Bank's] Investment and Securities" 

(Look for the "우리" in these pictures)

"Our University," in this case Yonsei University, one of the top three in the nation.

Above: "Our distinctive Kalbi," a kind of steak. 

I feel better shopping at "Our Agricultural Marketing Center". It feels to me that there is a collective trust and integrity to the establishment.

I need help with this one from a native speaker: "Our Wheat" is somehow connected to a National Policy which, I presume, guarantees its safety.

The last picture is of a nearby chicken restaurant: 

"Our House of Chicken Crackers"

I am told that when a man introduces what a Westerner would call "his" or "my" wife to someone, he really introduces her here thus: "Meet our wife" (The situation is not reversed, however: She cannot introduce him as "Our husband.")

The good news: Woori (우리) conveys a sense that we are all in the same chain of responsibility, so what you do to one link affects everyone else. 

The bad news: One Korean national (a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology) heard that I was considering this blog, and mentioned right away that when she heard Woori she felt more able to hide from responsibility behind the anonymous face of the crowd. (Can anyone say, "Ring of Gyges"?)

Woori: It's all a collective "We." This is hard to "get," but worthwhile to meditate upon! 

Second word - 이야기: "Story" or "Conversation"

This word can also indicate "tale," "narrative," "history," "talk," "topic" and "statement." I notice this often in signage, but I am not sure I understand it all the time:

I love it, but what does it mean?

Above and Below are from the same "Beautiful Tea Museum" in the Insa-Dong district. 

Storyways are everywhere for the traveler: in rest stops, train, bus and subway stations.

Do I understand why "Story" is so prevalent in business and public conversation? No! I call upon my Korean readers to offer their ideas.

And finally, one more picture, that incorporates both words: "Our + Story"

May our stories be good ones!

Marc