Engrish #3: The Movable Stick

“Happiness is homemade” is an apt motto for someone who loves to bake at home~~ Whether it’s sugar cookies, focaccia, biscuits or pizza dough, every now and then I find myself in need of a rolling pin to get the job done.

When I first got to Korea, it took quite awhile to get access to an oven, and even longer to find baking supplies. I didn’t give up, however, and at the end of my hunt, I was not only rewarded with a rolling pin, but a great Engrish sighting as well!

And now I present to you a Korean rolling pin, aka THE MOVABLE STICK!

Engrish #2: The Crappy Crab

A visit to any stationary store in Korea is just so full of hilarious Engrish examples, that it’s difficult to choose a favorite! But here is an all-time classic that I wanted to share with you. It’s the tale of a crappy little crab.

What you see is a pistachio nut, proudly proclaiming that he is a literally a little piece of s***. But WHY?! you may wonder~~~

Oops, I lied…

My last post on Dec. 4, 2012 did NOT signal my return to blogging :)! The holiday season, my brother visiting from the United States, LASEK surgery and recovery….well, time got away from me! Here goes to a new attempt to post more frequently!

Freedom! and my return to blogging…

I’ve fallen off the blogging radar this autumn because I was juggling a lot of commitments at once, including several big curriculum development projects (my freelance job), a short-term teacher certification class (CELTA) and graduate school applications. Things have finally wound down and I’m enjoying the new freedom in my schedule. I’m also hoping to start addressing the huge backlog of blog ideas and topics stored in my noodle, so stay tuned!

Mascot Mania #3! Buddha~~

“Mascot Mania!” is a series which features some of the “mascots” I’ve seen in Korea. Unlike in the United States, mascots in Korea are not limited to schools and sports teams. You’ll find mascots/characters for just about everything in Korea, from products, organizations and even cities! Clearly, ”cuteness” is a cultural value that reigns supreme in this country~~

Hmm…I can hardly imagine a cute cartoon Jesus character being featured as prominently as these Buddha/monk characters! You can see these cuties everywhere in the spring during the celebration of Buddha’s birth. 

Mascot Mania #2! Yang Yang City

“Mascot Mania!” is a series which features some of the “mascots” I’ve seen in Korea. Unlike in the United States, mascots in Korea are not limited to schools and sports teams. You’ll find mascots/characters for just about everything in Korea, from products, organizations and even cities! Clearly, “cuteness” is a cultural value that reigns supreme in this country~~   

“Yang Yang, the Pine Mushroom Capital”

While Americans may be used to the idea of city specific slogans (e.g. I went to high school in Placentia, “A Pleasant Place to Live”), and state nicknames (I hail from California, “the Golden State”), Koreans take it a step further with city mascots/characters. The mushroom mascot above is for the city of Yang Yang.

Mascot Mania!

“Mascot Mania!” is a series which features some of the “mascots” I’ve seen in Korea. Unlike in the United States, mascots in Korea are not limited to schools and sports teams. You’ll find mascots/characters for just about everything in Korea, from products, organizations and even cities! Clearly, “cuteness” is a cultural value that reigns supreme in this country~~   

While Americans may be used to the idea of city specific slogans (e.g. I went to high school in Placentia, “A Pleasant Place to Live”), and state nicknames (I hail from California, “the Golden State”), Koreans take it a step further with city mascots/characters.

I’m baaack~~~!

Dear readers!

I cannot believe over a month has whizzed by since I last blogged. This past month has been quite hectic since I’ve started a new job while also having to meet three major deadlines for some freelance curriculum development work. Another key development that has really kept my hands full is my newly rescued foster dog!

 

Taking care of Hoochoo and my resident dog, Webby, has been TONS of work–but it has also been very rewarding. I’ve started a new blog, I Heart Webby, to better catalog my doggy adventures. If you’re a fan of furry four-legged friends, then I hope you enjoy this new blog!

Shoe Thieves — Beware!

Korea is a “floor-oriented” society. That is, furniture and bedding in Korea has traditionally centered around  a culture where people are seated or lying down on the floor. It is not surprising, then, that in Korea you have to take off your shoes when you go indoors.

Of course, many Koreans use tables and chairs now, as well as beds. However, the tradition of taking off your shoes indoors is still a steadfast rule for homes. With businesses and restaurants, you just need to take a quick glance at the entry way to get your cue. Is there a pile of shoes and/or a shoe closet? Then take off your shoes…

BUT BEWARE!

“Womanhood: Navigating the Toxic Waters”

It is interesting to think how there are different “species” of creatures in different environments. Now that I’m living in Seoul, these sea monsters would all emphasize extreme thinness rather than sex appeal…

Jenny Lee's Jottings

A wonderful art professor introduced me to a good introductory art therapy book called Art is a Way of Knowing, by Pat B. Allen. Since then, art therapy has had a profound influence on my life as I try to work out various issues and problems.

This collage is a piece I did while I was an out-patient at an eating disorder clinic. In the bottom left corner, you can see an adolescent girl who has the daunting task of trying to navigate the toxic waters of our current media-laden society. Suffice it to say, the waters are not particularly inviting. We’re tadpoles completely immersed in messages regarding the absolute necessity of being sexualized females. If we never leave these waters, how are we to learn differently–that our self-worth doesn’t have to be a collection of breasts, butts and exposed torsos?

The frog in the upper right corner…

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