During pre-service training, we learned about some important customs in Zambia such as funerals, marriage, headmen/chiefs, etc, to prepare us for life here. With 72 tribes living harmoniously in one nation, the customs vary wildly - not only between tribes, but within villages. So my limited experience attending two funerals in Northern Province cannot be … Continue reading A Bemba Funeral in Zambia
Perhaps Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, wouldn't rank high on our list if it hadn’t been for CouchSurfing. The city is chaotic, noisy, and overwhelming. But staying with Phuoc and his family for four nights made our stay in HCMC memorable. We got along well and spent a lot of time together touring the city, eating local delights, playing card games, cooking together, practicing English, and even doing exercise videos! We wish we lived in the same city as Phuoc because we loved spending time with him.
Ever since reading Memoirs of a Geisha as a teen, I was fascinated by the mysterious lives of geisha. The descriptions of fine silk kimono were palpable and I wanted to touch and wear one myself. Well, I finally had the opportunity to do so in Nagoya!
When you live in a new country, rather than being a tourist for a short-time, you learn so much more about the culture and can dig deeper into the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here are 10 things I learned about South Korea from living there for three years.
Lately, when I walk around the streets of Asia (currently Thailand), I come across things that I first found strange and photo-worthy, but now it has become the norm. I often need to take a step back and realize that some things that are normal* in Asia are so foreign for westerners. Likewise, there are behaviors that westerners engage in that people in Asia would find insane. Here are some cultural differences that people who stay extensively in Asia would find normal after a while.
An Irish expat living in my town put together this video to capture the place that I've been calling home for over two years. Beautifully portrays this wonderful city of Gwangju. Proud to be an active member of this community.
As the years after college creep on, I’m seeing less photos involving red Solo cups and empty beer cans on a Wednesday evening. They have been replaced with staged engagement poses, overly priced rocks on fingers, and babies eating/sleeping/being cute/totally unaware of what is going on (okay, I do like to look at cute squishy … Continue reading Here Comes the 신부: Attending my First Korean Wedding
Me: (examining the seating chart before the students came in for the first class). Oh, I like Eunho! Coteacher: Me too. His face is so white. Erm... I just thought he's charming kid and an active participant?
One day, a woman asked me a question while waiting for the bus. Presumably, it was a question about which bus went where. I answered to the best of my ability and then said, "한국어 잘 못해요" or "I can't speak Korean well" and she gave me the typical "wait.....what?" look. Then it was the … Continue reading Random Korean Interaction #5: Lady from the Bus
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