Bibimbap october 2016

Bibimbap a

Teachers Magazine Jeollanamdo • Volume 4 • Issue 2

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EST. 2013 • Volume 4 • Issue 2• October 2016

For questions and comments concerning articles please contact the writer via their emails listed at the end of their articles

For general inquiries contact: BibimbapNews@gmail.com general managment

Chris Devison chrisofficeofeducation@yahoo.com Dinh Nguyen d11nguye@gmail.com Lindsay Ross Ross6520@gmail.com copy editor

Colin Bishoff art director

Dinh Nguyen production team

Chris Devison Dinh Nguyen Joe Campbell Elizabeth Anne Susan Sahab Lindsay Ross Colin Bishoff Madeleine Grace photographers

Dinh Nguyen Joe Campbell Susan Sahab

The Editorial Team

{bibimbap{

Chris Devison is the Provincial Coordinator for the Jeollanamdo Language Program. He has lived in South Korea for almost 10 years, and has spent six of those years in his current position.

Aside from assisting public school teachers with their contract and school life, he has a keen interest in health and wellness.

Having lived in both Western and Eastern cultures, he has a strong understanding of the healthiest practices of both worlds.

Before coming to South Korea, Dinh Nguyen was a Canadian journalist. He has 6 years experience as an editor, reporter, and desktop publishing designer. After obtaining his CELTA in 2012, he moved to Yeosu to follow his passion for teaching and traveling.

He also holds a CELTA YLE, and has completed two DELTA certificates. He is the co-founder of ESL Nomads.

Shortly after completing his English degree at the University of Georgia, Colin Bishoff moved to South Korea in 2015 to pursue his dream of experiencing Asian culture. He has a passion for his native language in both its written and spoken forms, and he greatly respects the difference between a dash and a hyphen. An avid runner, Colin can often be found winding his way alongside the rice fields of glorious Yeonggwang.

Lindsay Ross is a Canadian teacher living in Mokpo. After getting her bachelor of education in 2011, she taught with JLP for four years at the middle and high school levels. She now works at a university in Naju. Among other articles, Lindsay researches and puts together the event calendar and Korean language sections for Bibimbap.

Elizabeth Anne has taught at all levels in public schools in South Korea since 2002, and at an International School on China’s east coast. While at University she studied Food Science, Nutrition and Biology in addition to Elementary Teaching. She grew up in multi-cultural New Zealand which influenced her to explore other cultures and food.

Madeleine Grace is an EFL teacher in Yeosu. Prior to pursuing teaching, she earned a BFA in Photography and Design. She has worked for JLP since 2015 and worked at a private academy prior to that in Mokpo. Her journey to EFL teacher includes traveling to Dubai, Nepal, and several other countries to research ESL and EFL professionals. She also has earned her M. ED in ESL Curriculum Design.

Susan Sahab is an English teacher in Hwasun and is currently starting her second year in Korea. As an Art History major, she is passionate about both the historical and aesthetic significance of art and photography. Her passions include photography, music, cooking, and illustration. In an attempt to continue her art while teaching, in her free time she teaches traditional art classes at the Gwangju International Center and tries to shoot as often as possible..

front and back cover photo :

Dinh Nguyen

All non-credited photos are used under public domain

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After completing his degree and travelling around Canada extensively, Joseph Campbell recently moved to South Korea to teach English and immerse himself in a foreign and fascinating culture.

He is always looking for something new to learn, and you won’t find many topics that don’t interest him.

Behind the cover

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Upcoming holiday and event calendar

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Understanding your students' learning styles

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Korean education system through the eyes of a student

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Letter from the Coordinator: About the provincial summer camp

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Photo essay: Biking through Jeollanamdo The Recipe Box: Vegetarian Pad Thai Healthy Musings: A look at one of the oldest full body healing systems

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Upcoming holidays and events dinh nguyen

Holidays October 31 Halloween

October September 3 - November 30:

Busan Biennale (부산비엔날레; Busan)

November 24

Thanksgiving (U.S)

September 9 - October 30:

Hongseong Namdanghang Port Jumbo Shrimp Festival (홍성 남당항대하축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

September 24 - November 13:

Mindung Mountain Eulalia Festival

(민둥산억새꽃축제;Gangwon-do)

September 24 – November 13:

Korean Folk Village Historical Drama Festival (한국민속촌 사극드라마축제; Gyeonggi-do)

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September 30 - October 30:

October 8-30:

(서울국제공연예술제; Seoul)

(안면도 백사장대하축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

Seoul Performing Arts Festival October 1-16:

Jinju Namgang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival (진주 남강유등축제; Gyeongsangnam-do)

October 1-23:

Busan One Asia Festival (부산 원아시아페스티벌; Busan)

October 1 – 30:

Sanjeonghosu Lake · Myeongseonsan Mountain Eulalia Festival 2016 (Gyeonggi-do)

October 1-31:

Korea Grand Sale (코리아그랜드세일; Seoul)

Anmyeondo Beach Shrimp Festival

October 15-23:

Yeongju Punggi Insam Festival (영주 풍기인삼축제; Gyeongsangbuk-do)

October 19-23:

Icheon Rice Cultural Festival (이천쌀문화축제; Gyeonggi-do)

October 20-23:

Jeonju Bibimbap Festival

(전주비빔밥축제; Jeollabuk-do) October 21-22:

Jeju Olle Walking Festival

(제주올레걷기축제; Jeju-do)

October, Novemeber, and December October 21-23:

October 28-30:

(남도음식문화큰잔치; Jeollanam-do)

(대전국제와인페어;

Namdo Food Festival

October 21 – November 6:

Hampyeong Grand Chrysanthemum Festival

Daejeon International Wine Fair Daejeon)

October 29:

(대한민국 국향대전; Jeollanam-do)

Chuncheon International Mime Festival

October 22-25:

(춘천 마임축제; Gangwondo)

Daejeon Science Festival

November 18-22:

Gwangju World Kimchi Festival (광주세계김치축제; Gwangju)

December 7-11:

Seoul Design Festival (서울디자인페스티벌; Seoul)

Compiled by Lindsay Ross If you would like to have your event listed in Bibimbap, please contact: Ross6520@gmail.com

October 29 - November 7:

(대전 사이언스페스티벌; Daejeon)

Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival

October 22:

(마산 가고파국화축제; Gyeongsangnam-do)

(부산 불꽃축제; Busan)

October 29 - November 6:

Busan Fireworks Festival October 27-31:

Jeongeup National Bullfighting Festival (정읍 전국민속소싸움대회; Jeollabuk-do)

October 28-30:

Yeoju Ogok Naru Festival (여주오곡나루축제; Gyeonggi-do)

October 28-30:

Geoje Island Flower Festival (거제섬꽃축제; Gyeongsangnam-do)

November 4-20:

Seoul Lantern Festival (서울빛초롱축제; Seoul)

November 4-7:

Cheongsong Apple Festival

Jangseong Baegyang Maple Festival

(청송사과축제; Gyeongsangbuk-do)

(장성백양단풍축제; Jeollanam-do)

November 4-6:

October 28 - November 6:

Suncheon Bay Reeds Festival

Seosan Chrysanthemum Festival

(순천만갈대축제; Jeollanam-do)

(서산국화축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

November 18-20:

October 28-29:

Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival

Jeong-dong Culture Night

(파주장단콩축제; Gyeonggi-do)

(정동 야행; Seoul)

November 18-20:

October 28 - November 6:

Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival (익산천만송이국화축제; Jeollabuk-do)

October 28 – November 6:

Seosan Chrysanthemum Festival (서산국화축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

Geumgang River Migratory Bird Festival (금강철새여행; Jeollabukdo)

November 18-20:

Gunsan·Seocheon Migratory Bird Festival (군산-서천 금강철새여행; Jeollabuk-do)

5 dinh nguyen

Maximize your students’ modalities An intorduction to understanding your students' learning styles.

madeleine grace english teacher

S

omething that tends to fly under the radar, but is crucial to student success, is designing lessons that provide a method of learning catered to all three major learning groups or modalities.

These three groups are Visual, Auditory, and Tactile/Kinesthetic learners (commonly referred to as VAK or VAKT). As we progress in our education and in life, the method we lean towards becomes clearer, and in turn, we favor learning from the teachers that teach to our modality.

Knowing the different types of learners in our classrooms can significantly help both with engaging students and with lowering classroom management issues. It is unreasonable to expect teachers to gear every lesson toward all three groups, and this list does not even touch on students that have learning disabilities. However, what knowing the modalities will enable us, as educators, to do, is to plan lessons that will help more students in each class learn most effectively.

usually succeed in traditionally-run Korean classes because of the “I teach; you learn” mentality. Auditory learners often have extensive speaking vocabularies and tend to play with words in singsong or rhythmic ways, create nicknames for everyone/everything, and talk about themselves/read out loud.

Some methods that might work to better engage auditory learners include: playing rhyme games during class, working with spelling in an oral manner, helping students verbalize problem-solving methods, and allowing them to write from dictation.

more easily from movies or videos, difficulty taking notes during verbal lectures, the tendency to have a very balanced presentation when writing, and a knack for catching typos.

Methods to try with visual learners include displaying the highlights of a lecture in a background PPT, using closed captions on videos, providing a notes page at the start or end of class, and allowing the use of a dictionary.

Tactile/Kinesthetic

Visual Learners

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Tactile/Kinesthetic learners may respond well to tracing letters and words with their fingers when learning new vocabulary, or tapping/clapping while spelling or reading. Allowing these students to switch positions in their chairs and using physical movement to teach motion-based words (action verbs, prepositions, etc.) are other strategies to consider.

To find out more about VAK/ VAKT complete a Modalities Inventory by clicking here.

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners tend to do very well in lecture-type classrooms.

Students who are auditory learners

kinesthetic learners may include: exhibiting restlessness during class (e.g., taking little to no notes), being “clappers”/”poppers”/”tappers,” and acting out when not allowed to move or have a physical outlet (e.g., doodling in a notebook) but focusing best when allowed to do so. These students also tend to be very skilled when taking items apart and putting them back together again, and they generally thrive off movement-based class work.

Students who are visual learners tend to thrive off what they can see.

For this reason, learning from PowerPoints and textbooks is often more impactful than listening to spoken lectures. Visual learners do better when free-studying or copying down notes presented in a PPT or on the white/blackboard. Key characteristics of these students include the need to have the textbook open while listening to lectures, the ability to learn

Tactile or Kinesthetic learners tend to have the hardest time in traditional classroom settings: the more restricted these students are, the worse they tend to learn or behave in the classroom. Learners in this group are simply not going to be successful if they are forced into classes geared toward auditory or visual learners. The characteristics for this learning group do tend to stand out the most. Characteristics of tactile or

Wanted Volunteer photographers and writers. If interested, please contact: BibimbapNews@gmail.com

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Rust in the cog The Korean education system and culture through the eyes of a first year high school student

김은성

high school student

With support from:

Christine Stonos english teacher

“E

xpress your morning with one word.”

Tiredness.

“How do you feel with your school?”

Pressure.

My day starts at 6:30 a.m. I wake up, put on my school uniform and then walk to school. Step by step a hard tiredness stamps through me.

To me, morning is just a symbol of the tiredness I feel in my day. I get up early and stay late at school. I just sit and listen in class. Moreover, it’s hard to find someone to talk deeply about something because most students are tired. Many people say (teachers, parents, elders) that this is my moment.

It is a good time but I don’t know.

I can’t understand what people are talking about because I’m not happy.

The Korean education system is one of the more difficult ones to understand and accommodate, especially for foreigners from the West.

As a Korean student at Gwangyang-Eup Girls High School, I wrote about the Korean education system from my perspective.

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Korean high-school students will go to school from 7:50 a.m. and have regular classes until 6:00 p.m. But we also have night self-study classes from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Most Korean high school students get home at 10 p.m. This means that we are in school for 14 hours a day.

I go to bed so late because of class that it’s difficult to understand what I learned.

During summer and winter vacation we go to school as well, but with shorter hours (from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Students’ real vacation (when we don’t go to school) is only one week. If you are a third year high-school student, you will also go to school until Saturday and on some holidays.

There is a different grading system, also. While I have heard that other countries use a grading system where getting an ‘A’ means you got over 90 per cent of the work right, in Korea it is a ranking system where only four per cent of students can get an ‘A.’ Not only is my absolute score important, but also others’ relative scores. If I get 99 per cent but four per cent of students get 100 per cent, I can’t get an ‘A.’ It’s so hard to share true friendship because it’s all about the testing.

There are historical reasons why students in Korea study really hard, and why it has only started to change a little now. It is because it’s hard to change a system which has been strongly maintained for several years.

Moreover, it makes good results.

South Korea ranked 3 out of 76 in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Global Education Rankings released in 2015.

Reading Performance

Math Performance

Science Performance

1. Japan 2. South Korea 3. Ireland 4. Canada 5. Netherlands

1. South Korea 2. Japan 3. Switzerland 4. Netherlands 5. Estonia

1. Japan 2. Estonia 3. South Korea 4. Finland 5. Canada

Top 5 rankings for reading, math and science performance from the study conducted by OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Conducted in 2015 and released in 2016. Click here to find out more.

I think for many foreigners the Korean Education system is just too different to understand.

Students don’t have to attend high school if they don’t want to. We only have to go to school until the end of middle school.

Though most students still do.

But, just treating this culture as incomprehensible is not right because it definitely has a historic reason.

After the truce between North and South Korea, South Korea’s situation was worse than North Korea’s. There were no resources and South Korea had no power to develop itself because Korea had just escaped from colonization and fighting each other. South Korea had many problems building their own government and experienced a lot of confusion. They had to make something out of nothing.

The only thing that South Korea had was its people.

Thousands of people went to other countries (like Germany) as nurses and miners and sent the money back to Korea. This made the Korean economy live. To develop the country, parents sacrificed themselves for their children’s education.

South Korea was far behind other countries in every way, so Koreans had to study much more than other countries. South Korea developed a lot and fast.

But this education culture makes the students and the next generation sad. The system encourages sharp competition with friends; the social mood is that if we don’t go to college, we are treated like failures. This makes students feel choked.

South Korea’s main cause of juvenile death is suicide (depression from the education culture).

I am a Korean student, so I already experience this education culture, and I can see it changing. I am only in my first grade of high school.

Even though I am just joining that huge studying world, I am already exhausted from fierce competition and an oppressive mood. I think we are competing, not studying.

Most Korean students study hard even if they haven’t thought about what they really like, how they want to live, and what they want to be. So I feel enormous doubt when I study.

We memorize and have a test before we know why we should study the subject.

High School Grade Level

Subjects

1st grade

Students are given 14 textbooks.

• Korean (2) • Mathematics (2) • Science (1) • Society (1) • English (2) • History (1) • Technology & Home Economics (1) • Chinese (1) • Physical Education (1) • Art (1) • Music (1)

2nd grade *students are offered two track options for courses

3rd grade

Liberal Arts Courses

Natural Science Courses

• Probability & Statistics • Calculus 1 • English • Korean History • East Asian History • World History • Law & Politics • Economics • Social Culture • Korean Geography • World Geography • Ethics & Thought • Life Ethics • Art • Music • Physical Education • Additional language class

• Korean • English • Probability & Statistics • Calculus 1 • Calculus 2 • Geometry & Vector • Chemistry 1 • Chemistry 2 • Earth Science • Physics 1 • Physics 2 • Life Science 1 • Life Science 2 • Korean History • Art • Music • Physical Education • Additional language class

High school students illurstrate their thoughts and feelings about the South Korean education system. provided by: lauren ha

Prepare for College Scholastic Ability Test.

What final goal makes students study so hard? It’s because of college. In Korea, the college name is deeply connected with getting jobs, and academic sectarianism affects that a lot. Therefore, studying hard leads to a good university and finally leads to a good life. It’s enough for students in other countries to study hard, but in South Korea, students must study fiercely.

This culture causes more conflict in society instead of cooperation. The most upsetting problem is the disappearing of questioning and debating. It has started changing. We have started working more with each other—listening, talking and questioning—but it’s unusual for us, so we feel uncomfortable and

bad about it. I’m so curious to see what will happen to the competitive studying.

South Korea developed a lot in a short period of time and has made incredible results. Korea is a great country that made something out of nothing and to continue this we must study fiercely.

But now, for South Korea to take one’s place in the world, Korea should think about its students carefully. We should raise real students who lead in the 21st century, and for that we should change our bad habits. Of course, it will not be easy to change old customs, but we should change step by step.

Now we should deeply consider what is realistic when it comes to studying.

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The JLP English immersion camp

An opportunity for students and NESTs to devlop their langauge and teaching repertoire. from early morning until nighttime.

Despite the hectic schedule, however, both the staff and students always seem to enjoy the experience, and it’s not uncommon to see teachers or students leaving their campuses with teary eyes.

Letter from the Coordinator

W

ith over a thousand students enjoying a week of learning in an immersive English environment, this year’s provincial summer camp was once again, a success.

The camp, which is a partnership between the Jeollanamdo Office of Education, the Jeollanamdo Education Training Facility, and the Jeollanamdo Provincial Office, is divided into levels.

It offers Grade 6 elementary and Grade 2 middle school students a chance to improve their English skills with a team of Native English Speaking (NEST) and Korean English Teachers (KET).

The camp is designed to resemble a school. It includes a full staff, from a principal right down to four assistant helpers. Within the actual camp are ten booths covering among other things, topics such as cooking, art, and sports.

Daytime classes focus on using authentic language in practical situations, while additional evening activities concentrate more on team-building and confidence-boosting exercises.

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As you might expect, the schedule is demanding for teachers and students alike, with an early start and a packed schedule throughout the day. The students, especially, are pushed to their English limits, with lessons running

Beyond the obvious advantages of a week’s worth of English immersion, the camp benefits the students in ways they likely would never imagine. This is not to minimize the positive impact that the intensive level of English instruction and practice surely has on students’ overall English abilities, but rather to stress that it is the confidence the students gain in using English throughout the camp that is the real game-changer. Indeed, teachers at the camp have the distinct pleasure of witnessing a remarkable transformation as students who enter the camp nervous and shy in their English abilities become increasingly more comfortable and even eager to speak English as the camp progresses. The experience also helps to personalize English for the students, thereby giving them a reason to want to study English more. Furthermore, the boost in confidence and increase in motivation students gain throughout the camp will surely benefit them in their future classes, band , and in their future careers.

This year, for the first time, we had four Japanese students attend the middle school camp, and the crosscultural exchanges between the Japanese and Korean students were amazing to witness. Through a sharing of cultures and a development of international friendships, cultural barriers and misconceptions about the other’s culture were successfully knocked down and forgotten. In addition, the

use of English as a medium of communication offered an authentic incentive for students to continue using English outside of class. Witnessing the students communicating with each other in these naturally-occurring situations easily demonstrated the benefits of having a camp with students from various cultures. Plans to expand the number of Japanese students for next year are already in discussion, and the management side of me is even now imagining a camp consisting of students from additional Asian nations.

We had just over a hundred positions for NESTs to fill this year, and we can expect the number to be more or less the same next year. With the cooperation of your schools, hopefully many of you can plan your summer vacations so as to include this camp and still be able to travel. And at 140,000 KRW a day, the extra money surely will be helpful!

To gain further insight into the dayto-day workings of the camp, I interviewed both a NEST (Sarah Furlotte) and a KET (Minji Kim) of Haenam Middle School about their experiences at the camp. Here’s what they had to say about their overall impressions of camp: Sarah’s overall impression was very positive. She found that the students were able to learn English in a more relaxed environment and noted that the camp provided an opportunity for students to use the language they had already learned at school in more authentic settings. She also thought the camp helped to break down the students’ inhibitions and thus made them more comfortable with speaking English.

Sarah spoke positively of the inclusion of Japanese students, as well, noting that the difference in language encouraged the students to speak more English and also helped foster a better sense of international awareness among the students.

She also liked the camp’s inclusion of a homeroom, which she thought provided the NESTs with the chance to really bond with their students—something that is often difficult during regular school.

things seemed disorganized at times.

Minor drawbacks notwithstanding, she wished the future teachers the best of luck at the upcoming camps.

As the coordinator of the province, I am very proud to be involved in such an outstanding project. As Sarah said, it is experiences like these that

are the most rewarding. I’m already looking forward to what next year’s camp will bring, particularly with its inclusion of more Japanese students.

Hopefully, many of you will be eager to be involved in what will surely be a memorable experience and possibly even a highlight of your teaching career in Korea.

She felt that the camp could be a very rewarding experience for passionate teachers but warned it might not be the best option for those teaching only for the money. She further explained that the camp schedule was quite demanding and is possibly even more emotionally than it was physically exhausting.

Teachers were constantly busy talking to students and other teachers and spent almost all of their time facilitating activities or planning and preparing for lessons and events. Nevertheless, Sarah felt that it was these challenging experiences that were often most rewarding.

Minji’s experience was largely positive. She particularly enjoyed meeting the other schools’ NESTs, as this provided her with opportunities to practice speaking English. She praised the camp’s evening activities for giving the students a chance to actually play and have fun. The teachers’ evening activities, she said, provided a nice break and time to socialize, though she sometimes felt too tired to participate.

Minji was also impressed by the immersive nature of the camp, noting that since daily classes were conducted only in English and without any translations, all input was entirely in English and was therefore great for the students’ listening skills. Additionally, the inclusion of specialized subjects gave students a chance to learn about a range of topics they might otherwise have never been exposed to, as many of these classes fell outside the regular school curriculum.

Minji agreed that the inclusion of the Japanese students was an added bonus to this year’s camp, remarking that the language barrier forced the students to communicate in English more and provided a great opportunity for them to learn about each other’s culture. Had the camp consisted entirely of Korean students, she said, they would have continuously reverted back to their own language.

Overall, Minji thought the camp was great, but she did comment that the schedule was intense and that

11 dinh nguyen

Photo Essay

The cyclist's Korea

Through backroads and hidden beauty, Joe Campbell shares his biking adventures

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By Dinh Nguyen

T

o the traveller with a searching gaze, there is hardly a more compelling landscape than that of South Korea.

Comprised of roughly 70 per cent mountainous country and another 22 per cent of arable land, the Korean peninsula offers views that are often expansive and breathtaking. 전라 남도 (Jeollanamdo,) in particular, is covered in farmland, but it is also home to a number of breathtaking national parks, including Wolchulsan and Jirisan. All this combined results in a landscape that is both pastoral and majestic, and, thanks to the extensive road network in South Korea, it has never been more accessible (for better or for worse).

As far as cycling is concerned, Korea’s many rivers offer exclusive bike roads, bicycle passports, rest stops, and detailed route maps.

But if all that sounds a little too straightforward for you, rest assured: the rest of Korea beckons.

As long as you are comfortable sharing the road with cars, there is a practically endless supply of routes available to you, from perfectly paved farm roads to gnarly mountain passes.

I spent two years in 전라남도 living in the small farming community of 구례 (Gurye), just 10km from the base of 지리산 (Jirisan), and right next to 섬진강 (Seomjin River). I invite you to join me among the rice paddies, river valleys, and mountains that make up this county and the many surrounding it. I invite you to experience Korea from the seat of a bicycle; to get upclose and personal with all your senses and all that Korea has to offer.

For me, there has never been a more compelling means of exploration than cycling, and I hope to share some of my enthusiasm with you.

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Page 12 and 13 (previous page) Top left: A foggy fall morning on the outskirts of Gurye. Autumn tends to be a pretty foggy time of year in Korea, so extra caution is in order, especially when cycling on road shoulders. But this shouldn't deter anyone, because the views are worth the trouble.

Top right: A semi-isolated river bike path near Gurye. bottom: A hazy sunset from the paragliding fields atop Osan, just outside Gurye-eup.

Current page Bottom left: A meandering country road near 죽곡면 (Jukgokmyeon), southwest of 곡성 (Gokseong).

Left main: One of the many farm roads surrounding 구례 (Gurye). This one travels between 구례 and 화엄 사 (Hwaeom Temple), and offers a stunning view of rice paddies in the area.

Right main: A bridge over 구만제 (Gumanjeh), in between 구례 (Gurye) and 산동 (Sandong). These reservoirs are quite common near farming communities, as they feed the extensive irrigation network that runs through the rice paddies.

Top right: Riding into the sunset (towards 월등면).

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Top left: An early morning view from a small hill behind 월등면 (Woldeungmyeon). It often only takes a few minutes of climbing to really appreciate the tranquility of the Korean countryside.

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Top right: Looking out from a small hill behind 구례 (Gurye). Technically, this hill is more of a walking path than a biking path, but if your legs are up to the task, the short but difficult climb will bring you to one of the most expansive views that 구례 has to offer.

Bottom right: A section of the biking road along 섬진강 (Seomjin River) that is exclusively designated for non-motorized transport. Aside from the odd clueless tourist or wayward farmer, it is a peaceful road in sight of the river and지리산국립공 원 (Jirisan National Park).

Bottom left: Nestled into the roadside foliage southeast of 구례 (Gurye).

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Left: As Korea is covered with mountains, it’s not uncommon for roads to go directly over them rather than around them. Since there’s often no way to avoid at least a little hill, I’ve learned to love them and the beautiful perspectives that they reveal.

Top right Looking down from 성삼재 (Seongsamjae), the principal mountain pass of 노고단 (Nogodan).

Approaching this summit from either the north or the south is no easy task, but the reward – an impressive lookout towardsmountains, rivers, and rice fields – is worth it. bottom right: A small river path on the outskirts of 구례 (Gurye). Cycling infrastructure has become a big part of Korean cities — even the smallest ones.

While in the larger cities there is often a lot of competition for space, in the smaller towns it is easy to find small paths that are almost empty of cyclers.

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A snapshot of the roads Joe has cycled on, in and around Jeollanamdo. The darker the shade, the more travelled the road.

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Pad Thai Sai Kai A vegetarian Pad Thai

The Recipe Box

Ingredients

Elizabeth Anne

P

ad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish that is a common street food in Thailand. Key ingredients include rice noodles, eggs, tofu, and various vegetables and spices. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Don’t let this humble description fool you: Pad Thai is more than just a streetside snack. It’s also a chef favorite in high-end restaurants, several of which have developed their own special Pad Thai sauces and garnishes. A delight to both local and international tastes, Pad Thai was listed at Number 5 on the World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods in a CNNgo readers’ poll in 2011 (click here).

•

100g flat rice noodles, soaked in water

•

2 tbsp. pickled radish, chopped

•

2 eggs

One of Thailand’s most famous national dishes, Pad Thai was first introduced by Vietnamese traders to the city of Ayutthaya during the Ayutthaya Kingdom and was later altered to reflect Thai flavor preferences. During the 1940’s, the Prime Minister revived the dish in order to promote Thailand’s rice-based culinary traditions, which stood in opposition to the wheat-based noodles that were popular in China.

•

2 tbsp. water

•

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

There is a nice mix of tastes and textures in Pad Thai Sai Kai. In a single dish, you will encounter the soft texture of the rice noodles, the refreshing cr unch of the mung bean sprouts, and the piquant taste of the pickled radish. Twirl your fork and mix in some chili flakes, and you have a taste sensation!

• 1/4 cup sugar

•1

tsp. shallots, chopped.

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1 tsp. garlic, chopped

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20g firm tofu, diced small

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70g bean sprouts, trimmed

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1 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed (optional)

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4-5 tbsp. Pad Thai Sauce.

Pad Thai Sauce (sweet, sour, and salty): • 2 tbsp. water • 2 tbsp. light soy sauce

• 1 pinch salt • 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced (the substitute for 1/4 cup tamarind sauce)

Directions 1 Make the Pad Thai sauce in a small saucepan by combining all of the sauce ingredients and stirring continuously until it begins to thicken. Set aside.

2

Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a wok or shallow frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots, stir in the soaked noodles, and cook thoroughly. Sprinkle some water into the wok/pan and stir-fry the mixture until the noodles soften. Remove mixture and set aside in a bowl/colander above a pot of hot water to keep warm.

4

Turn up the heat! First add the bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Then toss in crushed peanuts (if using) and stir-fry.

5 Transfer the noodles to a serving plate and top with the egg, tofu and bean sprout mix.

6 Garnish with additional bean sprouts, chili powder, and a lime or lemon wedge. *(You can add additional fried tofu on the side, as well.)

3

Add another tsp. of oil into the wok. Add the tofu and pickled radish and cook thoroughly. Add the Pad Thai sauce and stir. Pour in the remaining oil and crack the eggs into the pan. Scramble lightly until almost cooked.

21

An introduction to Ayurveda

Developed in India, Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems.

Healthy Musings Chris Devison

A

yurveda originated in India thousands of years ago as a source of medical treatment. Since that time, it has become a common form of alternative medicine throughout India and has continued to gain ground elsewhere in the world. Today, it is a growing form of non-traditional care, and its implications have become evident even in Western medical practice.

Ayurveda teaches that people are unique and that each individual must reach his or her own state of balance in body, mind, and spirit. It focuses on eliminating imbalances as an attempt to remove a problem. Thus, according to Ayurvedic principle, the body can naturally heal itself once the imbalance has been eliminated.

Ayurvedic remedies focus on combining opposites to help balance the body. For example, if someone has issues with being too hot, he or she should focus on doing things to make the body cooler. Such changes might be in relation to food, daily routine, sleep, or lifestyle choices. In this particular case, the problems should subside once the body has been cooled.

Ayurveda consists of three constitutional principles, or doshas, and these are used to determine which dietary and lifestyle choices a person should make in order to achieve optimal health. These constitutions, which are defined by the earth’s elements, are Vata (Space and Air), Pitta (Fire and Water), and Kapha (Water 22

and Earth).

Each of the constitutions has specific problem areas related to particular functions of the body.

For example, those with Vata imbalances are known to have issues regarding movement. Specific complications vary from person to person, but common ailments include respiratory and bowel malfunction as well as problems with motility, urination, and/or menstruation..

People of the Pitta constitution most often experience imbalances in transformative functions—that is, difficulties occur in those areas of the body in which one thing transforms into something else. Common areas of trouble include digestion, metabolism, and temperature maintenance.

Finally, Kapha—as what forms the substance of the human body— regulates the body’s structure. An imbalance in Kapha can therefore lead to issues of weight gain or other problems with the body’s structure or internal organs.

People can be dominant in one dosha, be a combination of two dominant doshas (bi-dosha), or be balanced among all three (tri-dosha).

By focusing on ways to balance the dominant dosha(s), the body can work to heal itself more effectively.

A person’s dosha is determined by numerous factors, including stature, skin type, hair type, temperature preferences, likes, dislikes, appetite, and ability to handle stress. Visiting an Ayurvedic doctor for an examination and evaluation is probably the best way to determine one’s dosha constitution, though there are also a number of tests available online. As with all self-diagnostic tools, however, it is important to choose only

from reliable sources. An incorrect diagnosis could easily lead a person to believe he/she has a dominant dosha which in fact he/she does not.

As a result, focusing on the incorrect dosha might actually cause this person’s body to become even more imbalanced, thus leading to further complications.

I have a dominant Kapha constitution. Those of us with this constitution tend to gain weight easily and have difficulty losing it. We tend to have oily skin and need to focus on cooling our bodies. We need regular, vigorous exercise, but also plenty of rest. Indeed, as the sleepiest of the doshas, we require ten hours of sleep at night to function best.

Kaphas, in particular, are known for having issues with digestion, and for this reason, we should focus on eating a heftier lunch and a smaller dinner. Breakfast may be light or skipped entirely. Meal timing is also important, and dinner, especially, should be eaten relatively early to counteract the tendency of our digestive systems to slow down in the evening. We should avoid sweets and oily foods—including nuts, which are

often believed to be healthy for most.

Foods that are bitter and astringent (e.g., foods that make the mouth dry) are generally best.

By focusing on our constitutions’ requirements, we can begin to put our bodies into a better balance. Of course, this is easier said than done, and good habits like these can be tough to follow. In my case, my job often puts me in a position where it is tough to sleep enough, so getting adequate rest is a particular problem.

Add to this my tendency to reach for something sweet whenever I haven’t gotten enough rest, and it’s easy to see how even small things can add up to throw my system off balance.

Although this may be a complicated way to look at health, it is my hope that, by examining ourselves and investigating further, we can apply these principles to formulate and improve upon our own health plans.

Essentially, then, we should each strive to build a plan based on the resources we have available and then tailor this plan to suit our own individual needs.