Happy New Year 2007, originally uploaded by ik007y.

Happy new year.

I will be 32 tomorrow, according to the Korean age system, which I really hate. It makes me one or two years older than American people. If you live in Korea, you are one year old when you are born and get one year older every January 1st. As long as I stay here, I decided to follow the American age. Okay, then my age will freeze as 30 until my birthday. Haha.

When I was in 20s, I thought that there will be nothing to be happy in 30s. Hmm, I don' know what is special in this age compared to 20s yet. I guess I will figure out my 30s was special and unforgettable when I become 40s...

2007년 운세

* 운세총론
연소한 청춘이 붉은 티끌을 밟으니 보기에 좋고 아름다움이 큰 시기입니다가운이 대길하여 자손이 영귀하고 명성이 높아지는 년도입니다괘를 얻기는 맹호가 수풀 밖으로 나오는 길운을 얻었습니다상대할 자가 없으니 도처에서 권리를 얻고 의인이 되면 주변에서 칭찬이 끊이지 않습니다사람이 나를 찾으니 지위와 능력이 크게 됩니다때에 맞추어 단비가 내릴 것이니 곡식들이 또한 풍성해져 부를 크게 키울 수 있군요관록을 얻거나 횡재의 기운이 있으니 신수가 좋고 복록이 쌓여 인기가 많아집니다조상의 덕이 큰 시기니 어른을 보는 마음으로 주변 사람을 대하시기 바랍니다모두가 좋은 인연이니 겸손을 아끼지 않으면 평범한 사람도 자신에게는 귀인이 될 것입니다땅과 하늘의 기운을 받아 잉태하니 새 식구가 들거나 자손에 대한 소식이 있습니다가정이 화평한 것도 또한 경사 중에 경사입니다손님이 많이 드는 시기이니 할 일도 많고 준비해야 할 일도 많습니다분주함이 곧 재물이 될 것이니 시간을 낭비하지 마시기 바랍니다.

* 재물운

한 번은 크게 모험을 하게 되는 시기입니다중요한 결정을 내리게 되는군요다행히 길성이 비추어 월덕과 천을을 수반하였으니 좋은 결과가 기대 됩니다횡재성 재물 보다는 일이 크게 번성하여 얻게 되는 재물이 많을 것입니다본업으로 얻는 수익보다 가외로 들어오는 수익이 더 크니 주객이 전도되었어도 재물이 쌓여 즐거움이 크겠군요의인이 들어 손실을 막아주고 생활이 바뀌어 절약이 많아 집니다그래도 나가는 재물은 많아지니 들어오는 것이 커서 남는 것이 많을 것입니다.

* 직장사업운

관록이 커지는 시기이니 직장에서는 승진 수가 있고 사업적으로는 기초가 튼튼해 질 것입니다영업쪽에서는 큰 성과가 있어 계약을 많이 하게 될 것이며 장사를 하시는 분은 대인이 많이 들어 인심을 크게 얻을 것입니다버리고 얻을 것이 있으니 가만히 앉아 있으면 될 것이 없음을 명심하시기 바랍니다활동 폭을 많이 넓혀야 하니 관리 보다는 외부로 움직이는 일을 하시는 것이 좋습니다경쟁이 붙어도 나의 기운이 강하니 자신을 가지고 임하셔도 좋습니다매사가 그르침이 없을 것이니 가는 곳마다 좋은 인연이 있어 어려움을 풀어 줄 것입니다

* 가정/건강운

가정의 화목이 길성의 시작인데 올해는 위아래가 화합하여 뜻을 한데로 모아 길성의 기운이 처음 부처 좋은 시기입니다가족 중에 근심 있는 사람이 없으니 모두가 자기의 역할을 제대로 이루기 때문입니다화합하여 나아가면 문제가 없으니 혹여 근심이 생기면 반드시 가족과 함께 의논하시기 바랍니다아래 사람에게도 배울 것이 있으니 올해는 아랫사람이 경사를 전할 것입니다건강은 위 아래 모두 조금씩은 걱정을 해야 합니다큰 병이 아니라 잔병치레가 있으니 환절기나 유행성 질환에 조심하시기 바랍니다

* 대인관계운
호인을 만나 큰 도움을 구할 것입니다먼저 도움을 청하지 않아도 알아서 사람이 드니 나의 능력과 여력을 사람들이 알아주기 시작합니다매사가 기쁨이 넘치는 관계이니 도움을 받으면 후 일에 도움을 주게 될 것이고 도움을 주면 크게 되어 돌아 올 것입니다애정이 각별하여 좋은 인연이 들것이니 마음에 사랑이 싹 틀 것입니다보기만 해도 좋은 인연이니 문제가 없다면 배필이 될 것이니 그렇지 않을 경우 일에 지장이 가지 않도록 조금은 경계를 해야 겠습니다

I went to Atlanta and Great Smoky Mts National Park last weekend. After coming back home, I found Gu-wol got sick from the stress in the boarding as he shed a lot and eliminated watery poop. After he recovered from the sickness, my husband got cold. Runny nose, body aches.
Now Gu-wol and my husband came back to the normal life, playing with balls and chasing each other. But I AM SICK! On a Christmas eve, I was lying down on bed for hours, blowing my nose, and coughing. To make me feel worse, it is raining and cloudy. What a gloomy chirstmas.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

After the ed tech course that I took this fall semester, EME 5405, finished, I decided to keep blogging my learning and living in the new country. My intention at first was to keep me updated with new technology by blogging the articles, web-sources, or whatever that relates to technology. But after the course, my decision became kind of lost. I know it always happens unless somebody grades me. To boost my first resolution, I searched blogs to find one relating to educational technology, and I found one educator's blog in the UK- http://teaching.mrbelshaw.co.uk/
As I looked into popular blogs, I realized that they use http://www.flickr.com/ for their photos, and so does he, belshaw. So I registered in and logged in to try. I do not know yet what advantages it have compared to other photo websites. I may figure out later.

Ever since I knew the blog world in English, my personal habit in the Web has changed. I used to use Cyworld.co.kr to share my photos with my friends and family in Korea, use a blog service of naver.com, which is one of the big portal sites in Korea, and upload some photos in freechal.com community only for my father-in-law. My photos are messed up, here and there. Now I blog here, and upload my photos still in Cyworld.com or naver.com. Is it time to consolidate into one place? settle down in one place for writing and sharing? Hmmm... Don't know yet which site is perfect for me.

While local portal sites in Korea such as naver.com, daum.net, which are providing all the web services, news, blogging, photo albums or sharing, and so on, just like yahoo.com, are strong in Korea, specialized service providers, such as blogger.com for blogging, flickr.com for photo sharing, and so on, are strong or the up-to-dated trend among English users in the Internet. Is it right?
Anyway, now my web surfing is not limited to the Korean sites, but also to the English sites. Information and knowledge became more enormous than before. I am glad about that, and at the same time, feel overwhelmed.

The book, "Marley and Me" that I ordered online last week, finally arrived today by mail. I began reading it as soon as opening the mail package and cannot stop reading.
Those who never had a beloved pet as a forever companion would never know how much joy they bring to the families.

The following is the excerpt of "2006 Florida Pet Pages" that I deeply feel ditto.

What Dogs Do For Us
- Catch Frisbees. (My puppy catches balls or toys, instead.)
- Keep a night when your home alone from being truly lonely.
- Listen to our singing.
- Treat us like celebrities when we come home. (Totally!!)
- Warm up our beds on cold nights.
- Make our hearts move vigorous.
- Alert us to the arrival of the mail. (My puppy lets me know someone bangs on the door, but hides behind me. LOL.)
- Help us live a little longer.
- Make us smile. (All the time. That's why I luv ya, Guwol.)
- Agree with everything we say.
- Warm our knees with their chins.
- Provide a use for old tennis balls.
- Signal when a thunderstorm is coming. (Do they? I didn't know!)
- Help lower our blood pressure.
- Test how fast we can run.
- Keep the squirrels from overtaking our yards.
- Teach us the meaning of unconditional love.

미국오니깐 사람들이 자꾸 "한국"에 대해 물어본다.
한국의 교육은 어떠니? 미국은 어쩌고 저쩌고 어쩌고 저쩌고 한데, 한국은 어떠니? 한국의 음악은 어떠니? 한국도 크리스마스 지내니? 한국도 기독교를 믿니? 기타등등 기타등등...

교수 파티에 초대되었을때, 음식을 준비해오지 못하면 식사 중에 같이 들을수 있는 그나라 음악을 가져오면 좋겠다하였다. 그래서, 음식을 하기 싫어하는 나는 열심히 음악을 찾아야했다. 다행히 이전에 숙명 가야금 연주단의 음악을 들은적이 있어, 음악 파일을 급히 찾아 씨디를 구웠는데...
그 와중에 여러 퓨전 국악을 접할 수 있었다.

이렇게 난 미국에 와서야 한국의 것을 찾기 시작하고, 한국의 것을 좋아하게 됐다. 국악이라면 지루하기 짝이 없는 음악으로만 생각되어 왔는데, 국악 퓨전의 선율은 너무 아름답다...

(한글로 쓰니 이렇게 빨리 쓸수가... 역시 난 한국어가 좋아...)

I was invited to my professor's house party today. International students from different countries - Taiwan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Korea brought foods so I could try new dishes. One special event was 'henna painting' by the daughter of the Pakistan students, which was so beautifully hand painted on the hands.

One of the Americans, who is half-Japanese and half-Caucasian, was hilarious. She knew about Korea a lot, liked to watch Korean dramas- she knew "내 이름은 김삼순", "대장금", "겨울연가" and so on. Furthermore, she knew "the fantastic couple" will be playing soon. - and shared her experience her visit to Korea. One bizarre experience in Korea, she said, was that a taxi driver picked up another passenger on the way going to the hotel. A stranger was sitting next to her. She firstly thought that he was picking up his friend or somebody he knew. I laughed a lot. Haha. ;-D
I also hated whenever a taxi driver picked up another passenger on my way. She must have shocked. LOL

American parties and Korean parties are different in some ways. At first, we have a party at home only at special occasions, such as after you move in a new house, and after you get married. Secondly, we do not ask guests to bring foods. The host usually prepare all the dishes by herself and the guests usually buy some gifts. Since I do not enjoy cooking, when I am invited to a potluck party, I feel pressured.

When I learned a potluck party in this country, I thought that it is a good idea when we throw this type of party on the 제삿날 (on the traditional holidays.) because the first son's wife has all the responsibility to prepare foods for more than ten family members, sometimes twenty, including the extended, which really makes her so hard, exhausted, and sick.
We call it "the holiday disease" that women usually suffer from before, during, or after having the big party on the holidays. It is from the old tradition way back more than hundred years ago. I don't think it is fair that only women are working so hard, especially the first son's wife in a family, for providing foods to her husband's families. Culture is not static, but fluid. If it is unfair to the minority (which is women in this case), we should change.
I would offer this idea to my brother when he gets married, so his wife should prepare foods for us on the holidays. I do not want her to feel miserable whenever the happy holidays are coming.

Who said that Florida is warm all year around? It is 40' F. The lowest temperature today was 27' F (= around -2' celcius.) It is cold to death. :-(

Oh, my god. I am almost crying.
I cannot believe my eyes. How could the Chinese government massively kill innocent pets? It hurts me so badly. The length of the dogs in the Four Urban Zones in China should not exceed 38cm. Otherwise, they are cruelly beaten to death by the government law whatever they are owned by people or stray. Visit here for the detailed information and sign up the petition to ask the Chinese government to adopt rabies prevention.

On the last day of the "literacy, family and culture" course, we watched a touching movie at http://www.teachermovie.com/ .
Some of the students were crying while and after watching it. I almost cried, but held back.
Did I have such a inspiring teacher in my life? I don't know.

"On the very day, she [the teacher] quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children." - From "The Teacher Movie"

This book that I have read in the Literacy, Family and Culture course is about school experiences of people from diverse ethnic groups, such as African American, Asian America, biracial America, European American, Latino American and Native American. Twelve stories were written by different authors having different races, background, and school experience. Many of the writers in the book speak from socially subordinate positions.

As a third person who grew up in a different country so did not have school experience in this country, the stories in this book were shocking to me especially when they revealed that how they were suffered from discrimination in the school system just because of their skin color and their language.

I know that people in this country are very sensitive in discussing about races or ethnicities. But as Broutte pointed out, "differences between cultural groups have important social and educational implications." I would recommned this book to who are interested in multicultural education, even to Korean educators while the stories are what's happening in the U.S. This book is worth reading.

"Wake up, wake up, IK! You should go to black friday shopping. "

I will stay up all night. Otherwise, I won't be able to get up that early. One hour and a half to go. But I am very sleepy.

Thanksgiving is the day that family get together and have a big dinner, turkey. I don't know why. I felt like I had to do something with my family, but my only family,my husband just slept, slept, and slept, which made me so mad.
He and I had a small dinner, a beef curry, which does not sound thanksgiving at all. Whatever...
I may try turky next year if I still stay here.

This semester will end three weeks later. Wow, already! I took one online course, the Internet in K12 Instruction, and one traditional course, Literacy, Family and Culture. Both courses are very interesting that they opened my eyes into the world that I did not know before.

My online course just finished last weekend, and now I have one course be finishing soon. That course requires me to write a response to reading every week, so this is an ongoing assignment. In addition, the synthesis paper is awaiting that should be turned in by Dec 8th, which kind of worries me.

Believe it or not, I have never written a synthesis paper before in my college years in Korea. Perhaps because my major was physics so the assignments were mostly about solving the questions rather than writing papers. Or perhaps because writing was not emphasized in education at that time. I don't know.

It has not been long since I learned academic writing because I had not learned until I came to the States three years ago. My college never taught me a college-level academic writing even in Korean. In my high school, I just learned ABOUT writing, but never actually wrote. What a ridiculous! Also, academic writing in Korea and in the States would be much different. For whatever reasons, my lack of prior knowledge on academic writing in English made me sometimes embarrassed with writing assignments. My first writing assignment in the master's program at the university was to write a response to reading an article. I was not sure what to write: write my thoughts, my opinion to agree or disagree, or my summary?
Anyway, to my surprise, my papers got all As so far. I just did my best not to be left behind.

As time passed by, rather than complaining differences between two countries' education, I began to blame my prior teachers or schools in Korea for not teaching me well. What did they teach me? What did they let me write? What did they let me THINK?? What chances did they give me to read? What freedom did they give me in learning?

Although cultural and educational difference shock me from time to time, I enjoy learning everything new here. The courses here make me think and think and think. (Now my brain found its work to do. ha ha.) Even though the synthesis paper is a little daunting, I am pretty sure that it will teach me something in writing and thinking at the end. How lucky I am!
Last week one of the American students in the classroom asked what Asian students think about education in their countries to compare to education in the U.S. It was a pretty tough question to answer, but it is true that something wrong is going on in Korea as the Korean education do not teach students to think, and makes the smartest students become just average.
I wanted to ask back to the American students what they think about their education. But time was running out, so I couldn't.

Guwol likes to run, but because of my lazeness, he could not run as much as he wanted. I felt so sorry about that.

Yesterday I finally took him to the Kanapaha park to let him run. It was a such a beautiful day with warm sunshine and a little breeze. I found a place where people did not come and let him to run off-leash. I threw the ball that he was chasing to retrieve to me. He was a like a little retriever! Haha. :-) (He does not have any single drop of a retriver blood.)

When I was playing with my puppy for a while, I noticed that some people stopped walking or biking to watch my puppy to run and take the ball back to me. I was proud of my puppy. Go, Guwol!!

Recently I happened to know some interesting blogs written by Americans who are living in Korea. It is like the opposite of my life, living in America as a foreigner. As I experience culture shocks in this country, they also have the same experiences. Their stories sometimes make me laugh, nodding and telling to myself that that must have been weird to them.
One more interesting thing to read their stories is that I can be updated with what is going on now in my country, where I left about three years ago, in the eyes of foreigners.

A world is becoming so close. People are moving across borders for whatever reasons. Living in a new country as a foreigner is not always fun or happy, but knowing different cultures is a worth in this globalization. After all, different people and cultures exist in the world. What bothers understanding different people in the different world?

I used to feel uncomfortable with so many sexual scenes or comments in the television. But you know what? When they do those freaking stuff, I now just laugh. I began to accept that they and I are different.

"It was apparent that colored people in the United States had been brainwashed into believing the standard for beauty was measured by the appearance of White people. " (Boutte, Gloria. (2001) Resounding Voices, p112, Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.)

This comment attracted my attention, thinking that 'yes, it is still apparent that colored people in the world wide has been brainwashed into believing like that, I guess.' Some Asians get the plastic surgery to look like the white. Media such as TV, the Internet, commercials keeps conveying the message of that the beauty is the appearance of the white or the white like, such as long legs, big eyes, fair-skinned, bigger nose, and so on.

What is the standard of beauty? What is the beauty of the East?