my ode to journalism

I couldn't leave journalism without one last Big Story. Okay, so it didn't end up being much of a story, but when the newsroom was hopping and no one knew where the next funnel cloud would whip up, it was at least the possibility of a Big Story and a reminder of one of the things I'll miss the most.

There's nothing I've found in my quarter-century of life quite like the feeling of a buzzing newsroom - the excitement of being at the center of information during a moment when lives are being changed, and the charm of experiencing that amid a collection of intensely curious people.

These are folks who pursue challenges as a trade ... no wonder so many are reluctant to give up on the cantankerous industry. And as much as newsrooms can resemble some caricature sketch, loaded with exaggerated personalities and eccentric quirks, they've also been full of people I'm thankful to know. People who have challenged me and taught me. People who have inspired me.

When I leave journalism next week, it will be with no small amount of nostalgia. But it will be with a headful of lessons and a heartful of gratitude. Not to mention more than a few inspirations for that novel I may write one of these decades ...

But it's time to move on. Vaya con Dios, journalism.

Korean culture 101

Some do's and don'ts I've learned over the past week from a Korean friend, a Korean waitress and program organizers:

1. Generally, instead of a handshake, give out a business card - using two hands, thumbs on top and fingers together underneath, with elbows bent. Receive cards the same way.
2. When handing someone a cup of tea, however, use one hand and touch the other hand to the inside of your elbow. (Things other than business cards or teacups are still a little murky.)
3. When entering a room with a group of people, walk in most senior to least senior (rank or age), and walk out in reverse. Never turn your back when leaving a room; instead, back out.
4. The most senior person eats first, decides when phone conversations are over and shakes hands first (if there are handshakes).
5. When dining with seniors, turn away from the table to drink (any drink), and cover your mouth as you sip.
6. Women should always cover their mouths when they laugh.
7. Bow in greeting; the more senior the person in rank (and possibly age), the deeper the bow.
8. Never curl a finger to call a person to you; instead, turn your hand palm down and sweep at the air.

And that's definitely only the beginning of the culture list.

Now, few of these things are expected of tourists, but as someone living in the the country and working in a prestigious position (yes, teaching - can you imagine?) with Koreans, these are mannerisms I will need to adopt. I'll keep you posted on how that goes ... but you can imagine that it won't be smoothly. :)

Also had a full Korean meal for the first time in my life this week - much to the amusement of my friend who dined with me, the waitress and the other patrons in the place (all Koreans). My tentative "thank you" in Korean - the only phrase I eventually mastered that evening - brought huge guffaws ... not quite sure what I said - and it's probably better that way. As far as the food, I guess I'd envisioned something more similar to the other Asian styles I've tried ... but it was totally unlike any other genre and quite tasty. Plenty more about that in the months to come, I'd imagine.

under construction

UCCS just posted a bunch of photos of construction at the Daegu English Village site - click here for more. I think they were taken during a trip this winter, but it's still exciting to see something a little more concrete than architects' drawings with a mysteriously transparent clock tower ...

The enormity of being part of the founding of such a program freaks me out no little bit sometimes, but the opportunities should be equal to the challenges. 20 American teachers have been hired now, they tell us, and I think most of the village staff is also in place. Although it still doesn't feel quite real, it's becoming more apparent every day that it's actually going to happen.

Meanwhile, construction continues on this blog, as well - I've added a whole bunch of stuff on the sidebar at right. Let me know if you're having more trouble loading this site than others or if things are displaying correctly ... still working out the kinks.

And a packing question: Does anyone have suggestions of American trinkets to take for thank-you gifts or rewards for students?

Colorado hail, Korean heat

Dime-sized hail today in Colorado - it's bouncing like popcorn on the green grass behind my house and slipping down the chimney to sizzle on the fire. Almost got caught out in it with nothing but my iPod (and my clothes, thank you very much!) - ouch. I started wondering about precipitation in Korea (I'd heard about temperatures - hot, swampy summers, in Daegu at least, and anyone who's ever watched M*A*S*H knows about the bitter winters), did a little looking and stumbled across some a couple interesting pages about Daegu. Thought I'd share for any of y'all thinking about visiting, or who are just curious:

• www.sri2006.org/useful/daegu.php
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daegu (Generic Wikipedia disclaimer: This is a publicly edited page, so take any facts found here with some degree of skepticism)
• www.dalseo.daegu.kr/eng/html/sub01_04.html

explain fully

I love bureaucracy ... when I don't hate it. It's just endless fodder for amusement.

Exhibit A) American Family Insurance has just informed me that I will have to pay a deductible if a volcano or earthquake levels my Colorado condo. They sent me a whole letter just to tell me that.

Exhibit B) Korean visa application Question No. 19.

This picture is tiny, I know, but hopefully you can just make out Question No. 19, right above the penny - the one with the box stretching to the bottom right of the frame: "[Hangul script] Purpose of entry (explain fully)." And then not even a thimbleful of white space. Heck, they took up most the explanation possibilities just by telling you to do it.

Of course I won't explain fully, I'll just squish "teach English" in my neatest, 3-point handwriting and be done with it, but it still cracks me up.

click here to see your future

There they are: my new co-workers, or at least the first four to get their biographies submitted (I'm in the ranks - whew! must not be too behind). The program organizers have started to populate the teachers' Web site with pictures and bios, and it's a strange sensation looking over those unfamiliar faces.

I have to admit that they're a little scary ... these world-traveling academics. Not quite sure how I fit in the ranks - just hoping that the slackers' profiles (17 more to come, I think) won't be nearly so impressive. :)

stamps and hand cramps

The world's roads are lined in paper.

I am in the middle of killing a small forest to convince my country, my host country, two sets of employers, my grad school, my bank and my property managers that no, I am not an drug dealer or communist spy, and yes, my plan is a flawless one. The first bits I'm fairly certain on, at least.

Hollywood keeps promising an era where one iris scan and a few keystrokes will give you access to anywhere you're authorized, but I'm telling ya, people, we are far from that day. This is still a world of fuzzy faxes and nonstandard passport photos. Oh well, at least the countries I'm dealing with this time have straightforward procedures, if not exactly simple ones. And if something goes wrong, I suppose I could always try that whole "look into my eyes" thing at customs.

And then there's the decidedly disconcerting feeling of signing your life away on papers that look like a muddy-footed robin tromped on them. Don't worry - the hangul (Korean script) is only in logos or accompanied by English translations - but it's still downright bizarre to think this garbledy-gook actually means something. The first time someone sent me an e-mail with hangul terms, I burst out laughing. It was as if someone had said, quite earnestly, "Oh you have to try awjvoeksoflkf... and the poekjvoek is really great but skip the slkdfov ... oh and don't miss the fjowebvo with lots of rejobiejof." Except weirder, because they're symbols that I can't even sound out yet, so they don't seem like words at all. (One of the actual quotes: "I want to recommend that you have to have korea food such as 삽겹살, 불고 기, 김치, 비빔밥.")

Anyway, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one dead tree, so I better get back to it.

one ticket to Korea, please

*Note: This was a post I wrote before leaving but never quite got around to hitting the "Publish" button ... anyway, here it is months later, but in its chronological spot.

Sometimes when I say I'm moving to Korea, people look at me like a two-headed calf at a Kansas roadside attraction. Sometimes I get the cocked head and skeptical "Why?"
Now to be fair, most raised eyebrows at this statement accompany huge smiles and enthusiastic exclamations. But to those few who just can't understand why the heck a perfectly nice gal on the verge of old-maid-hood would pick up and put off any sense of permanent community to anonymously wonder a strange land ... I'm with ya. At least some days.

Some days I think I'm freaking crazy to leave this great place and the wonderful people here. I wonder how much I'll mourn my space, my in-house washing machine; I already dread the incomprehensible grocery trips and mystery cafeteria food. Some days it hits me how absolutely little I know about what I'm getting myself into. I have no doubt that in my sweeping schemes of adventure, I'm just a stupid rich American bound to spread my ignorance worldwide and chronicle the ordeal in oblivious, self-important anecdotes.

But today, like most days, is not one of those. Today I'm tired of watching life tick by in section deadlines, and I say bring it on. I've worked years to establish a resume and stable finances, and it's time to face down a little mystery. Today I'm scared I'll wake up tomorrow 20 years older and none the wiser, paralyzed by inertia.

Blame my friends - the ones who send me stories of Baghdad children, Peruvian ruins, Alaskan fishermen, Mexican tennis teachers, Chinese junk ships and Vietnamese old women. Blame my family, who started feeding me romantic tales of life abroad about the same time as hard foods. Blame the fool-headed books I read. Blame naive me, who couldn't quite get the travel itch entirely knocked out by a rough scrub in Europe.

Am I a fool? Unquestionably. But hopefully I'll be one who knows what kind of fool I am.

blog additions

You'll notice I added a couple images, and also note the "chatterbox" on the right column - feel free to leave me travel suggestions by putting in your name and comment and hitting "post."

There are also now buttons at the bottom of each post to quickly e-mail whatever ridiculous thing I've said to your cousin in Taiwan or whomever.

More changes to come eventually ...

program info

I've put a link to the basic program info (including some pictures of the area and architects' drawings of what the village is supposed to look like by August) at the right side of this page. Also, I plan to do some major surgery on this site over the next few weeks, so don't be shocked if it looks significantly different the next time you stop by.

Have a great day, all!