Bibimbapjuly 2015

{bibimbap{ A Healthy Mix of EFL Teaching Resources, Information, and Korean Culture

Volume 3 • Issue 2

How does culture and emotion affect students' learning? page 6 Great camping spots in Jeollanamdo

page 20 1

EST. 2013 • Volume 3 • Issue 2 • July 2015

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

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 recently completed the CELTA YLE, and is working on his DELTA. He is also he co-founder of ESL Nomads.

Copy Editor, Edward Chaney worked for the Hayden's Ferry Review, a literary journal published out of Arizona State University (ASU). He was exposed to the Jeollanamdo Language Program during an internship with ASU’s MTESOL program. Since then, he and his wife has moved to South Korea, and will be finishing up their first year come April.

copy editor

Edward Chaney edwardtchaney@gmail.com art director

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.

Dinh Nguyen production team

Chris Devison Dinh Nguyen Edward Chaney Joe Campbell Kenny Short Kevin Flynn Lindsay Ross Richard Tang photographers

Richard Tang Joe Campbell front cover photo :

Richard Tang

back cover photo:

Richard Tang

All non-credited photos, courtesy of creative commons.

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For over a year, Kenny Short has been a Native English Teacher in Yeosu. Prior to his time in South Korea, he has taught English in Colombia, Guatemala, and Seattle. He is currently completing his K-6 teaching endorsement through the online teacher training program, Teach-Now. Kenny is interested in student-centered teaching methodology, ed-tech, and ed-policy.

Kevin Flynn is an Elementary School Teacher in Mokpo who has lived in South Korea for 3 years. He obtained his B.A in Speech Communication in New Jersey, U.S.A, and is currently studying for his masters in Speech Pathology. Kevin likes to use his creative energies to inspire students to learn. He also coordinates the English program at the local orphanage with fellow teachers.

Lindsay Ross is a Canadian teacher in South Korea. After getting her bachelor of education in 2011, she moved to South Korea, and has been living in Mokpo since. She has taught at the middle and high school levels. Among other articles, Lindsay also researches and put together the Holiday schedule and events calendar for Bibimbap.

Starting off in Hong Kong with a Canon 550D, Richard Tang ventured out to experience Asian culture. 3 years later, he is now carrying his Olympus E-M10 across South Korea. As a NET and photographer, he hopes to share the views and culture he experiences with anyone who is interested.

Behind the cover

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Upcoming holiday and event calendar

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How culture and emotion can affect learning

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Teaching tips to combat the "pali pali" culture

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Letter from the Coordinator: Why, and how, our co-teachers use the NEIS system

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Photo essay: Turning leaves into green tea

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Dining with Dinh: Simple summer desserts

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Great camping places in Jeollanamdo

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Healthy Musings: Working out a routine

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Upcoming holidays and events Holidays

June 19 – August 30:

Aug 15 Liberation Day

(에버랜드썸머스플래쉬&썸머나

Sep 30 Chuseok Substitute Day (May be at the discretion of schools) Oct 1 Armed Forces Day Oct 3 National Foundation Day

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July

Jul 17 Constitution Day

Sep 26– 29 Chuseok

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Summer Splash & Fantastic Summer Night

July 16 – 26:

July 24 - October 4:

(부천국제판타스틱영화제; Gyeonggi-do)

(동강국제사진제; Gangwon-do)

July 17 – 26:

Ulsan Shipbuilding & Sea Festival

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

이트; Gyeonggi-do)

July 10 - 19:

Boryeong Mud Festival

Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival

(보령머드축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

(부여서동연꽃축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

July 22 – 26:

July 10 – 15:

World Taekwondo Culture Expo (세계태권도문화엑스포; Jeollabuk-do)

Daegu Chicken and Beer Festival (대구치맥페스티벌; Daegu)

July 23 – August 11:

Pyeongchang Biennale

(평창비엔날레; Gangwondo)

Dong Gang International Photo Festival July 24 - 26:

(울산조선해양축제; Ulsan)

July 24 – 26:

Ansan Valley Rock Festival (안산밸리록페스티벌; Gyeonggi-do)

July 24 – 26:

Geumgang Water Festival (금강여울축제; Chungcheongnam-do)

Oct 9 Hangeul Day

July 14 – August 4:

Oct 12 Canadian Thanksgiving Day

The Great Mountains International Music Festival & School

July 24 – 28:

(대관령국제음악제; Gangwon-do)

Geochang International Festival of Theater

(목포항구축제; Jeollanamdo)

(거창국제연극제; Gyeongsangnam-do) July

Mokpo Port Festival

July 24 – August 9:

July

Korean Expressions:

29 – August 2:

July 30 – August 3:

Visiting the Hospital

(영월동강축제; Gangwon-do)

(함양산삼축제; Gyeongsangnam-do)

What do you need?

July 31 – August 6:

어디가아프세요? (eo-di-ga ah-peu-sae-yo?)

(정남진장흥물축제; Jeollanam-do)

I came (to the hospital) because…

Yeongwol Donggang (River) Festival July 30 – August 2:

Pohang International Fireworks Festival (포항국제불빛축제; Gyeongsangbuk-do)

Hamyang Wild Ginseng Festival

Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival

August

I have a headache 머리가아파서왔어요 (meo-li-ga ah-pa-seo was-seo-yo)

August 1 – 9:

August 22 - 30:

(강진청자축제; Jeollanam-do)

(충주세계무술축제; Chungcheongbuk-do)

August 1 – 8:

August 25 - 30:

I have a stomachache 배가아파서왔어요 (bae-ga ah-pa-seo wasseo-yo)

(춘천 닭갈비막국수축제; Gangwon-do)

I have a fever 열있어서왔어요 (yeoliss-eo-seo was-seo-yo)

Gangjin Celadon (Pottery) Festival

Busan Sea Festival

(부산바다축제; Busan)

August 6 – 9:

Busan International Magic Festival

(부산국제매직페스티벌; Busan)

August 7 – 9:

Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival

Chungju World Martial Arts Festival

Chuncheon Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken) & Makguksu (Buckwheat Noodles) Festival

August 27 - 30:

Goesan Red Pepper Festival

(괴산고추축제; Chungcheongbuk-do)

August 27 – 30:

Yeongdong Grape Festival

(인천펜타포트락페스티벌; Incheon)

(영동포도축제; Chungcheongbuk-do)

August 12 – 16:

August 29 – September 6:

The Great Battle of Hansan Festival

(통영한산대첩축제; Gyeongsangnam-do)

Muju Firefly Festival

(무주반딧불축제; Jeollabuk-do)

September

August 12 - 16:

Bucheon International Comics Festival

(부천국제만화축제; Gyeonggi-do)

August 13 – 16:

Muan White Lotus Festival

(무안연꽃축제; Jeollanam-do)

August 13 – 15:

Jecheon International Film & Music Festival

(제천국제음악영화제; Chungcheongbuk-do)

To list upcoming events for your organization, please contact Lindsay Ross or:

Allergy 알레르기(al-lae-leu-gi) I am allergic to peanuts. 저는땅콩알레르기있어요 ( jeo-neunttang-kong allae-leu-giiss-eo-yo) check in/get admitted 입원하다(ib-won-ha-da)

Please change my sheets. 침대커버바꿔주세요 (chim-daekeo-beobagweo-joo-sae-yo)

check up for insurance 공무원신체검사서가필 요해서왔어요 (gong-moo-won-shinche gum-sa-seo-gapilyo-hae-seo was-seo-yo)

Take your medicine 30 minutes after eating. 약은식사후 30분뒤에드 (yak-eunshik-sa-hoosamship-boon tui-eh teusae-yo)

Seoul International Dance Festival need a

Dinner/Evening 저녁 ( jeo-nyeok)

I have a cold 감기기운있어서왔어요. (gam-giiss-eo-seo wasseo-yo)

(평창효석문화제; Gangwon-do)

(서울세계무용축제; SeI

Lunch 점심( jeom-shim)

I was admitted (to the hospital). 저는입원했어요. (jeo-neunib-won-hess-seo-yo)

medication 약 (yak)

September 30 – October 18:

Breakfast/Morning 아침(ah-chim)

I have a cough 기침있어서왔어요 (gi-chimiss-eo-seo wasseo-yo)

September 4 – 13:

Hyoseok (Author/Literature) Cultural Festival

Before you eat 식사전(shik-sa-jeon)

After you eat 식사후 (shik-sa-hoo)

Please bring me new (patient) clothes. 새환자복주세요 (saehwan-ja-bokjoo-sae-yo) check out/get released 퇴원하다(twae-won-ha-da) I was released (from the hospital). 저는퇴원했어요. ( jeo-neuntwae-wonhess-seo-yo)

by lindsay ross ross6520@gmail.com

bibimbapnews@gmail.com 5

We feel, therefore we learn

The Emerging Science of Culture and Emotions in the Classroom.

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dinh nguyen

A

t our orientation in Gwangju, many of us JLP NET’s were introduced to the cultural framework of Geert Hofstede, who, according to Chris Devison, characterized Korea as “collectivist, slightly feminine, having large power distance, and a strong avoidance of uncertainty.”

Among the many implications that this unique Korean cultural makeup has in our English classrooms, Chris pointed out that, “What your students have learned when learning Korean is part of their identity and eliminating it completely may give the impression of threatening their identity.” Another important implication is that, “Korean students also have a strong avoidance of uncertainty and ambiguity. This causes them to seem quiet and shy as they prefer not to ask about the unknown and even try to avoid it if possible.” At one point or another, we have all found ourselves frustrated with these sorts of Korean cultural elements at play in our classrooms.

Indeed, as Western Waygooks, we experience the cultural effect on education in Korea more acutely than the most native Koreans. We are, perhaps, more able to compare and contrast against what we know of and experienced in our schools back home, as students and/or teachers. In addition to what we intuit about the cultural effect on the education systems and learning styles here, there is an emerging body of research that confirms and potentially clarifies the results of that effect.

At the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, Professor Mary Helen ImmordinoYang is in the midst of a five year study of Latino, East Asian, and bi-cultural students to see how culture affects the

dinh nguyen

social development of the adolescent brain. Half way through the research period, Immordino-Yang claims there are already two big takeaways about learning; first, Immordino-Yang says:

“Traditional

educational approaches think about emotion the way Descartes did; emotion is interfering with your ability to do well in school, to think rationally. Neuroscience is showing us that that is absolutely not the case—when you take emotion out of thought you have no basis for thought anymore. So we’re trying to understand how socially constructed emotion shapes learning, academic development and identity.”

Second, Immordino-Yang says:

“There were no differences at all in how

much these young adults’ brains were activating when they responded to our emotional stories—and no differences in the strengths of emotions that participants in the different cultural groups reported [...] But there was a strong cultural difference in how patterns of neural activity corresponded in real-time with participants’ experience—in how people became aware of their emotion.”

In other words, emotions play a big role in how we all learn, regardless of

cultural or linguistic backgrounds, and yet those backgrounds do have a differing effect on our awareness and outward expression of those same emotions we all feel.

Based on my background teaching in Latin America, Korea, and the U.S., these preliminary results of Immordino-Yang’s research rung true to me, and so I became interested in hearing how or if this study resonated with some of my fellow English teachers here in Yeosu. So I asked them. What follows is an abbreviated version of some of the highlights of that discussion.

How Do You Say ‘Emotions’ in Korean?

Many of the teachers I interviewed expressed bewilderment at the fact that emotions were once thought to have no role in learning. Most seemed to believe that, across cultures, emotions play a significant role in learning, but that student emotions in a Korean classroom differ significantly from those in Western classrooms. For example, Alison Pirtle (Nam Elementary) said: Continued on page 8, see

Knowledge is emotional 7

According to Immordino-Yang: “What we find is that among the EastAsian American kids, it’s the kids who are not particularly sensitive to their heartbeats who are saying they strongly hold Asian values, whereas among the Latino kids, it’s those who have a better ability to feel their heartbeats who are saying they strongly hold Latino cultural values.”

In other words, a person’s cultural identity may affect their sensitivity to or awareness of their own physical and emotional state.

One teacher, Melody Peters, who teaches at Buyeong Elementary, went a step further regarding emotions in our English classrooms, and brought the conversation back to us as Western educators and cultural ambassadors in Korea:

richard tang

Knowledge is emotional Continued from page 7

The Elephant in the Room “I find that it is more difficult here to identify the students who are experiencing big, emotional issues in Korea, than it is in the U.S. My lack of understanding the Korean language probably has a lot to do with that, but I also think it’s their lack of outward emotions as well. Back in the States, it’s often easy to identify students who are having emotional issues due to personal problems. Here, though, it seems that students internalize their problems so it’s harder to identify a student who really needs emotional support (Alison Pirtle).”

The emerging results of the Immordino-Yang study confirm this anecdotal observation about East Asian students. In a cultural identity test, students are asked to monitor their heart rate after performing a simple exercise.

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“The biggest thing in any classroom in Korea is that to the students we don’t just teach English, we ARE English. We can have the best resources, technology, and curriculum, but if we don’t show up emotionally, if we don’t see ourselves as the biggest asset in their learning, then we offer little chance of the students to emotionally connect with the language.”

In the end, Immordino-Yang puts her study’s implications for learning fairly succinctly: “We’re learning that what’s happening on the outside—the same story, the same lesson— can be interpreted differently, experienced differently, by different learners. So we really need to start to unpack the roles of school culture and individual variability when we think about how children learn. We need to understand that the way kids feel matters.”

Not surprisingly, this is where my conversations with my fellow NET’s on this subject got a bit more critical of Korean and Confucian culture. Issues like the singular adolescent pressure of Suneung (수능) were mentioned, large class sizes, the lack of differentiation in instruction and too much rigidity in the curriculum.

While the most watched TED Talk of all

time is Sir Ken Robinson’s on creativity and schools, John Palmsano (Shinwol Elementary) wrote about Korea: “Creativity isn’t reinforced as much as it is back home. Asking [students] to be creative with or modify their use of our language is something out of reach of all but the most advanced elementary speakers.”

Lastly, the Confucian undercurrents in modern Korean society are significant. Its emphasis on family and social harmony are evidenced positively here by the Han River Miracle and the high level of personal safety we all feel walking down the street.

“It ensures that Korea is a strong society and community by ensuring everyone’s survival and collective success. The teamwork of Korea astounds me.” writes Ryan Hedger (Yeosu Information Science High School). The downsides, as we all know, are rigid social hierarchy, lack of individual identity and one-size-fits all solutions to all sorts of problems ranging from safety to English language acquisition.

In spite of the significant strengths of Korean culture, the questions that the Immordino-Yang study presents for Korean society and education remain: Is that initial progress and success brought about by Korean culture and the education system now being impeded by those same forces? Is it necessary to improve the quality and style of education in Korea in order to leverage student emotion? How can the strong and proud collectivist culture of Korea, which has assured their sovereignty and exported wonders across the globe, accommodate the unique learning needs of individual students in the education system? Should Korea even care about a Western academic study on culture and learning?

My answer to those questions are “yes,” “yes,” “I don’t know,” and “definitely!” But, of course, I’m the one working in a foreign culture here. kennyshort@gmail.com

Further Readings (links): GOOD Magazine USC Rossier School of Education

9 richard tang

Creative methods in the classroom Critically thinking about teaching critical thinking in South Korea.

O

ften as NET’s we hear the cop out from frustrated teachers that their students lack creativity; that critical thinking skills are few and far between in a student’s arsenal of study habits, or that their students can not follow a creative mindset during their lessons. I am here to tell you that Korean students are in fact very creative.

As a guest teacher in this country, it is not only our job to teach English but to also introduce our culture to our students.

As curious as they are about speaking English, they also want to know about you and your culture. What are the students like in your native country? What do they learn?

How do they learn, and so on? On the flip side of this, we must be cognizant of Korean culture: by learning about Korean hobbies, this will help us hone in on trans10

ferring themes from their hobbies lesson plans to help lesson plans flourish.

Think back to the earliest times where you learned, used and strengthened your critical thinking skills. Most likely you will remember two types of ways you developed your critical thinking skills: Math word problems and open ended questions. These represent two types of critical thinking: one where there is a solid definitive answer that one must use their intelligence to get to and another where there is a multitude of reasonable answers.

To critically think, time should be given in ample amounts for the student to come to a conclusive answer. In Korea, time is often sparse due to schedule changes, societal pressure to do well, and Korea’s overall “palli palli” (quickly quickly) attitude. When fact checking through English comprehension questions or helping students remem-

ber vocabulary, through often dreaded rote memorization techniques, there are a few good practices I can share with you to help your students critically think and stay active during your lessons.

Preface your questions with actions or other tasks A favorite of mine to do with Elementary level students is to use the TPR method (Total Physical Response). An easy example of critical thinking techniques in the classroom is to have your students compete to answer questions you have about the topic at hand. This could be as simple as asking a topical question and stating “The first student to stand up/dance/show a pencil” can answer the question first. Most students have learned this type of exercise with the “nunchi” game, but this English variation can be molded into vocabulary phrases or actions which fit you lesson’s demeanor.

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Positively reinforce your student’s actions with adjectives.

language to try to place the incentivized English into their vocabulary.

Students and people alike thrive off of praise. It feels good to feel good. While praising your students, you can come up with several ways to describe their progress through out a lesson and even the school term.

Make more things randomized

Using terms like “great” “good” and “excellent” are boring. Simple vocabulary is essential for a young ESL learners but throwing in one or two key phrases (like, “That was amazing!” or “spectacular”) even if sporadically used in normal conversation will spark more interest in your students. In your units, you can make a language chart of one or two phrases that the students can get points for if they use the phrase/vocabulary in class. Students will think critically and play with the

I have a mug in my classroom that always has blank pieces of paper in it. The students know this cup and they get excited when it is used in lessons. While versatile, as it can be used to pick students, make vocabulary random, or decide the outcomes of games; it is a facet of my class that the students look forward to. It makes things random.

This randomness promotes critical thinking. One day, I might review colors with my 3rd grade students and one student picks a paper from the cup. They know that if they are wearing whatever color is on that paper then they have a chance to be involved in activities or answer questions first. Another time, with my 6th graders, I might tape pieces

of paper to the bottoms of their chairs with cause and effect sentences. At the end of class, if they can find their partner in the class who matches up with their sentence part then, they receive points or a reward.

kbetter1@gmail.com

There are many ways we as teachers can combat a lack of critical thinking in our students. Being aware and teaching your own culture can make your students engage in a further pursuit of cultural knowledge, and hopefully, incentivize them to improve their English ability. This article is a toe in the ocean for possibilities to help critical thinking in ESL. I'm a firm believer that if a student is thinking critically – even if their answer is far from the expected answer – don't stop them!

Rather, inspire the student to stretch their imagination further. " If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking. " George Patton 11

Why we use the NEIS system

Learn about, and how, to do what your co-teachers do on behalf of you when it comes to sicks days and vacation.

The system itself is not English friendly. Your co-teacher should be registering you or, at the very least, helping you through it. It is likely that he or she is already looking after this without you even knowing it. They are also responsible for registering and creating your ID and password.

There are two main types of leave you can apply for. The first is 조퇴 (unpaid leave). This however will resultsin a deduction in your pay. For every eight hours accumulated, you will be deducted one day’s pay.

All of your absences must be recorded. This includes, but is not limited to: medical appointments, vacation, business trips, visiting your travel school, any early leave, late arrivals, sick days, or any other reason you might have to leave school; including times when your principal directs you to go somewhereor to stay home.

not result in a loss of pay or vacation days (which cannot happen anyway). Remember Article 14(4) states that the principal can allow you not to come or to leave school under special circumstances and these should not be considered vacation days or result in deductions.

The issue is that many of the reasons why you might need to leave school should

Letter from the Coordinator

T

he NEIS system can seem a little complicated at first but, as there are only a few things that really apply to the NESTs on there, it is actually quite simple to manage.

The school is technically responsible for our safety during the working hours of our contract. If we were to get hurt, the school can be held legally and financially responsible for us or. And at the very least, it will reflect poorly on the principal; and, in Korea, that is about the worst thing that can happen.

This liability can be rather complex; involving our contracts, workers compensation, health insurance, and some Korean cultural differences thrown in to discombobulate things. All these variables make it a little unclear for exactly how and why, but there are some precautions that we or the schools should take. In the event of an accident, and by taking these precautions, we can avoid any legal issues, blame, or liability falling on someone whom it really shouldn’t.

The way we do this is through the NEIS (National Education Information System) Portal (전라남도업무포털). See here.

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This may help you ( see here).

It is for registering when you go to your travel school, but leads you along the right path for the registering for the others too. Thanks to a former teacher, Shinner, for making the file.

We need to apply for leave using one of the other options so we are not deducted.

In the case of when you are being told to leave early you should use 기타 (general).

It is a little vague, but there is a section where you can write the reason for leaving- school’s birthday, field trip etc.

Using the “general” option will ensure that you are still paid and that the school cannot

“

“

All of your absences must be recorded. This includes, but is not limited to: medical appointments, vacation, business trips, visiting your travel school, any early leave, late arrivals, sick days..

deduct from your monthly salary , or vacation time.

Another common option is근무지 내출장 (business trips)which can be used for work related absences.

Lastly, one more important option is 병가 (sick days). This is used for whne you are ill and for any medical appointments.

Medical appointments will result in a deduction of a sick day for every eight hours accumulated, equaling one sick day used. Keep in mind the contract allows for eleven paid sick days so it’s not until after those initial eleven that there will be any deduction in pay. There are many more options, so be sure to ask your co-teacher to help you with them.

By registering with NEIS, we are protecting our schools and ensuring we get paid for leave when we are entitled to them. Some schools are going to go by the books, registering everything you do, which I feel is best. However, I know some other schools will likely be neglecting to do so, in an attempt to lessen the already burdensome load of paperwork they have. Some may be registering you without you even knowing. If you wish to learn whether you are being registered or not, and if you are not, to begin being registered, talk to your co-teacher. chrisofficeofeducation@yahoo.com

From the Jeollanamdo Office of Education’s 2014 Contract: Article 14 (Paid Leave) (1) The Employee shall be entitled to a vacation period of up to 32 days (inclusive of weekends and national holidays) during the Term of the Employment set forth in Article 5 hereof. The Employee may take up to twenty-four (24) winter vacation days and eight (8) summer vacation days. If the requested vacation period interferes with the smooth operation of the programming of the school or institute, the Employer and the Employee shall negotiate an alternate vacation date(s) during the vacation.

(2) The Employee shall apply for and obtain the Employer’s consent to take any paid leave a minimum of fifteen (15) calendar days in advance of the requested date of leave.

(3) The Employee shall note the difference between school vacation and Paid Vacation days; the Employee is expected to fulfill normal working duties during the school vacation period unless the Employee has received prior approval for Paid Vacation or Unpaid Leave during the school vacation period.

(4)During the school semester, the Employer may allow the Employee not to come to work on the day(s) when the school is closed for in-semester school holiday(s), school anniversary day(s), etc., and these days will not be considered part of the Paid Leave set forth in the forgoing clause(1).

(5) Regardless of the number of days over which the Paid Leave falls, eight (8) accumulated hours of Paid Leave shall be counted as one day. This includes tardiness, early leave, other absences during the work day and/or half-days of Paid Leave. A total of less than eight (8) hours will not be counted.

Chris Devison is the Provincial Coordinator for the Jeollanamdo Language Program. He has lived in South Korea for almost 10 years.

He also writes a health column for Bibimbap.

See Page 11.

If you a a question you want answered in this column, feel free to contact via the provided email.

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photo essay

The green tea process It takes more than hot water to make a good cup of tea. See the harvest through a camera lens

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joe campbell photographer

A

t a tea plantation between Gokseong and Namwon, Jeollanamdo, leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant are harvested for much of South Korea to enjoy.

Green tea can be broadly classified into two kinds: tea that grows in direct sunlight and tea that grows in the shade. This tea was the latter kind.

The tea farmer inspects the quality of his tea.

Late April/early May is the “first flush� season for tea harvesting, and its crop tends to fetch higher prices than those harvested later in the spring and summer months.

joe campbell

Continued on page 16

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joe campbell

Continued from page 15 Green tea is typically steamed or pan-fired.

Both are done to stunt the tea's oxidization through the maillard reaction. Pan-fired and roasted tea also adds a smoky flavour to the end product.

A porcelain bowl is heated to around 300F, requiring roasters to exercise extreme caution when tossing the leaves. Multiple layers of gloves are worn to avoid getting burned.

joe campbell

This process is repeated several times to ensure that all the leaves reach the minimum temperature of 150F to control oxidation.

The tea is then aired out and dried.

In between pan-firings, the leaves are separated and rolled for several minutes to encourage oxidization.

courtesy: 최아리

joe campbell

The tea leaves will get a chance to sit before it gets roasted. Different types of tea are created through the oxidizing process. Black tea is usually dried out in a manner which encourages full oxidation. Green tea, on the other hand, is least oxidized.

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joe campbell

After being roasted and rolled, the green tea is left in baskets outside for the final drying stage. It will soon be ready for consumption.

joe campbell

Through different processes, a variety of distinct green tea can be created.

Here, they are molded into pucks and stored in barrels. The tea will be fermented to create a stronger but slightly less fresh flavour.

joe campbell

After a long process, the green tea is finally ready for packaging.

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Dixie pop desserts

Make Elegant Summer treats using paper coffee cups and wooden chopsticks. dinh nguyen writer

S

ummer is coming. It’s almost time to reload your ice-box arsenal with frozen treats. This year, instead of hitting up the one-plus-one ice cream sales, you can try making your own deserts with what you already have laying around: Dixie cups (paper coffee cups), disposable chopsticks, and common foods.

Dining with Dinh (Dinh Nguyen)

Whether it’s for self-gratification or showing off at a rooftop BBQ, I like to have an array of ice cream float pops, fruit sorbet, and yogurt bars stocked up to help combat the summer heat and humidity. These frozen concoctions are so easy to assemble; you may find it even easier than leaving your house to pick up treats at the store.

Ice Cream Float Pops!

You will need:

Traditionally, this summer treat was made with root beer; but,while it is rare to find root beer in South Korea, the variety of “ades” available here does make for some interesting flavours. I like to experiment with different ice crea flavours as well; and when I really want to treat myself, I use Haagen Dazs.

• 1 Paper coffee cups

• Vanilla ice cream

• Pop/soda of choice

•Disposable chopsticks

Alternative:

Switch out ice cream for strawberry or plain yogurt, and pop for juice or lemonade. If you don't have ice cream, condense milk may work as well.

Directions:

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1

Make a small cut (0.5 to 1 cm in length) anywhere on the cup’s opening. This will make it easier to remove your treat once it’s finished.

2

Divide the cup into three. Fill the bottom third with ice cream. Pour the pop or soda of your choice into the middle third.

3

Put the cup into your freezer for 45 minutes.

Remove the cup and fill the top third with ice cream.

4

Insert the wooden stick and return the cup to the freezer until its contentsare completely frozen.

5

Remove cup from freezer, locate the cut in step one, and use it to unwrap the dessert.

Note: Be sure to push the stick through the pop/ soda layer to insure that everything will be held together when it’s finished. dinh nguyen

Fruit Sorbet Pops

Yogurt Bars

Directions:

This treat is easy to make with seasonal summer fruits. I usually make this with whatever fruit and juice I have laying around in the fridge and you can too!

If you love yogurt and fruit, this is another easy way to enjoy them together. It also makes for great on-the-go treats, and is an excellent addition to any breakfast.

Same as Ice Cream Float (make a small cut).

You will need: • 1/3 cup diced kiwi • 1/3 cup diced watermelon • 1/3 cup diced pineapple • 1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice or orange juice • 6 Paper coffee cups

Alternative: instead of using juice, you could instead puree one of the fruits to use as a base.

You will need: • 1 6 Paper coffee cups • Yogurt of your choice • 1 tbs honey (if yogurt is unsweetened) • Diced fruit of your choice (strawberries and peaches work well)

In the Dixie cup, combine the honey with your desired amount of yogurt and diced fruit.

Insert a stick and put it all into the freezer until everything is completely frozen.

Remove cup from the freezer, unwrap the treat and enjoy!

Directions: Same as Ice Cream Float ( make a small cut).

In a bowl, combine the diced fruits together.

Fill 3/4 of the Dixie cups with the mix of fruits.

Add 5-10 tablespoons of juice to each cups.

Insert a stick into the fruit/juice mix and put it into the freezer until everything is completely frozen.

Cut here

dinh nguyen

19 dinh nguyen

Great places to camp in Jeollanamdo

A selection of southern camp grounds and beaches, and how to get to them by bus. lindsay ross

Myeongsamshimni beach in Wando is a great place to set up camp. Top and bottom right photos: Gokseong Boo-eong-i Owl Camping grounds, Jeollanamdo.

lindsay ross writer

C

amping isn’t something that seems widely advertised in Korea, but it’s definitely something you should consider trying during your time here.

First of all, camping season (just like the other rigidly-defined seasons in Korea) is pretty much exclusively July and August. You may find that a lot of regulated campgrounds

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tend to keep their doors closed (meaning no washrooms or showers) until camping season begins. These regulated campgrounds also tend to require a reservation and may cost around 10,000 won per night. During camping season, these paid campgrounds are those which fill up the earliest, the fastest, and to maximumcapacity.

A peaceful retreat into nature can’t always be expected when camping in Korea. The cultural

difference regarding personal space exists in camping, just as much as it does anywhere else.

An alternative is to find a forest or a beach and pitch a tent. Another good idea would be to consider going when it isn’t peak season. In Jeollanamdo, the variety of landscapes is endless. Forests or beaches are more likely to be free of charge and free

of the feeling that you are taking refuge in a crowded shelter. These places are less predictable, so the best rule of thumb is just to be respectful of land that you do not own.

If you leave your tent, consider leaving your phone number visible on your tent just in case you have set up in a location which is, for whatever reason, contested. You never know.

남–사구미”(Haenam – Sagumi) bus. You’ll be on the bus for almost 2 hours before getting off at “송호하차” (song-ho ha-cha).

You also could take a taxi from the bus terminal but it will cost around 30,000 won.

Some recommended camping spots:

Located east of Gwangju and north of Suncheon, this river-side campground requires a reservation (probably more than a month in advance), and has access to adequate washrooms and electrical outlets. While it gets busy on weekends during the camping season, there are many trees which make it easier to define your personal space. This sounds so anal but it is so necessary.

Myeongsashimni Beach, Wando (완도명사십리)

A great beginner spot, this beach is often devoid of crowds or many other overnight campers. You do not need to make a reservationand you have access to clean washrooms and showers, but no electrical outlets.

Over the past couple of years, they have constructed some white buildings along the beachwhich separate the forested/camping area from the beach. Simply wander behind these buildingsand you should be able to find a home for your tent.

Boo-eong-i (Owl) Auto Camping, Gokseong (곡성부엉이오토캠핑장)

Getting there: This campground is most easily accessed by car. If you don’t have a car, consider renting one. You could take a bus and taxi, but it will be expensive. The bus terminal is about 45 minutes from the campground which may cost you around 25,000 won. ross6520@gmail.com

lindsay ross

Getting there: Take a bus from Mokpo to the Wando bus terminal. From the terminal, you can take a 10,000 won taxi to “명 사십리” (myeong-sa-shim-ni).

Mosageum Beach, Yeosu (여수모사

금해수욕장)

Try camping right on the water at asemisecluded beach with access to cafes, restaurants and shops. You don’t need to make a reservation, and you have access to bathrooms but no showers. There is the possibility to fish nearby or, if you are feeling brave, there are also some small cliffs you can jump off of.

Getting there: Take a bus to the Yeosu Bus Terminal. From the bus terminal, take bus #7 to “오천동”(oh-cheon-dong). You’ll be on the bus for about 45 minutes. From the bus stop, walk about 400 meters toward the beach.From the bus terminal, you could also take a 10,000 won taxi.

Ttanggeut, Haenam (해남땅끝) Located on the beach, this is a campground that is literally “the end of the land” of mainland Korea. It requires a reservation and there are clean washrooms nearby, but no access to electricity.

Getting there: Take a bus to the Haenam Bus Terminal. In the bus terminal, look for signs pointing toward the (numberless) “해 lindsay ross

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Urban Hardcore Outdoor Training

A workout routine in preparation for the Spartan Race.

up before starting and I’d like to mention that during some of the obstacles you can expect banging yourself up a bit. I have a nice collection of temporary souvenirs on my body from some of the obstacles, but, to me, that’s part of the fun.

Healthy Musings

I

n preparation for the Spartan Race, my friends and I decided to take our training to the next level and intensify our exercise routine. Living in the city of Mokpo, we weren’t blessed with the beautiful surroundings and natural obstacles that nature provides us, so we had to take advantage of whatour urban surroundings offered. Luckily, it turned out that we didn’t need to look any further than a few blocks from my apartment. Normal, everyday structures that we pass daily on our commutes turned out to be excellent training obstacles when sandwiched between track jogs, sprints, and apartment stairwell climbs. When we compiled these together, this workout turned out to be a full body, high intensity, heart pumping, sweaty mess; everything you want in a great workout.

I’ll admit, this workout was a lot more difficult than I expected. Our heart rate varied in speeds, from those comparable to a light jog to heart thumping madness, leaving us wanting to quit.Luckily,the three of us were too stubborn for that. The obstacles and runs each had a unique purpose; some designed to offer a rest or to focus on a specific fine motorskill such as throwing a spear, while others were designed to push our endurance to their limits on the stair climbs and sprints.

Before I get into the breakdown of this routine, it is recommended that you warm 22

Okay, let’s have a look. Below you will see the routine with a brief explanation of each exercise: Stairs 1 up /1 down ( 16 times) We ran a total of sixteen flights straight up and back down. A great way to get the heart thumping.

Tire or Fireman’s Carry/ Spear throw 100m / 5 throws We originally started dragging or carrying my spare tire approximately 100 meters or so, but found it easy and also too time consuming offering us an unwanted rest when preparing and putting the tire away.

A great alternative was the fireman’s carry, draping someone over our shoulders and running with them. Upon completion of the weighted carry, we did the spear throw.

We each had five attempts throwing at a target using a “medal road” at a range of about thirty feet or so. This focused on using our fine motor skills while our heart was pumping.

Incline“Swing” Pushup / Knee-Ins 20 sets Starting in the pushup position with your feet elevated in a swing, complete one pushup. After returning to the starting position, bring your knees in towards your chest. When you return to the starting position again, you have completed onerepetition.

Laps 5 laps Next, we darted over to the track a couple hundred meters away to do 5 laps. However on the way there, we added in some obstacles.

These included: jumping through two swings, crawling under a slide,and hurdling a set of iron bars; all found in the playground in front of my building. In the back of the building, there were some trees on the way to the track which we used to weave in and out of, working on our agility while running. The track, located at a nearby elementary school, was smaller than a standard Olympic track at about two hundred meters a lap. We ran at a pace just a little faster than a jog to keep our heart rates up.

Burpees 20 sets What can I say, burpees: nobody likes them for a reason; they are tough. A great way to increase your heart rate.At this point, you should really be feeling the workout’s intensity.

Pull Ups / Dips/ Obstacle Bars Failure X2 A quick jog from the track lead us to the soccer pitch which has a set of high iron bars for pullups and a dip station.

A quick set of pull-ups followed by doing dips to failure was a great way to incorporate some compound muscle work, helping to develop strength and endurance. We also used the dip bars to climb over, mimicking climbing over a wall.

70 per cent Intensity Laps 2 laps After another quick jog back to the track, we cranked up the heartrate by pushing ourselves to approximately 70 per cent of our maximum heartrate for two laps.

Push Ups 20 sets

arrive, its sixteen stories up and then back down the stairwell.

After completing the laps, we dropped for twenty pushups. It gave us a chance to catch our breath before our next run.

Obstacle Walls 3 sets

Sprint Lap 1 lap This is only one lap, but done at full intensity. You should really feel the air in your lungs and be pushing yourself to the max.

Bear Crawl Half field Our hearts were really pumping by this point and things were getting tough. Using the artificial turf field in the center of the track, we drop to our stomachs to do some bear crawls for one length of the field. These can be tough, but the idea is to keep going, no matter how slow.

Jog Laps 5 laps As soon as we finish the crawl it is time to bring our heart rate down a little with a nice jog around the track for five laps.

Walking Lounges Field length Once again, we used the field to complete walking lounges, one leg after the other until we crossed the entire field. Your legs will begin to feel like jelly at this point in the routine.

Pole Jumps 10 sets At the end of the field, at the main school building, there was a guard rail at about waist height. We used this to jump over, back and forth, ten times. There are many alternatives that can be used for this: jumping a pole held by a partner, long jumps, or jumping any fixed structure you can find.

Stairs 1 up / 1 down Next is a quick jog back to the apartment making sure to hit all the obstacles we did on the way to the track - swerving through trees, hurdling iron bars, crawling under the slide, and jumping through the swings. Then when we

I wasn’t sure what to think about this one when my training partner suggested it, but I was glad he did. There are 3 structures. The first two you must climb over and run up the third one with the slanted wall. Once at the top, we shimmied down the pole next to it. This gave us great practice climbing over walls and obstacles, and was really a challenge, especially after the stairs.

Laps 5 laps Things are winding down now and it was time to bring our heart rate back to a normal level. We hit the track again for five laps at a rate a little faster than a jog.

Front and Side Rolls 11/10 sets Again taking advantage of the artificialturf we move on to forward and side rolls. Things tend to get a little dizzy here. We complete ten forward rolls, diving ones if you can, and then ten side rolls mimicking rolling under an obstacle.

thing. Your entire body will be sore and you will have a completed a short (approximately forty minute) and intense workout, pushing yourself to your limits.

As you can see, we took simple everyday objects and incorporated them into our workout.

There was no need for a gym membership or any fancy equipment. In fact, the only thing we used that was,technically, workout gear was a medicine ball which could have been easily substituted. Use this routine as a guide to help you design your own course. Have a look around your apartment area, be creative, and don’t be afraid to test some things out to see if they might work as part of a routine. I’m sure you won’t need to look far to put together a solid regime.

Finally, I’d like to give a quick shout out to my training partners,Gaz DP and Kris S, for sweating it out with me through multiple grueling workouts and for Gaz’s initial insight on the development of this program. I’d recommend training with a partner when you can, as each comes with their own strengths and will help you to push you to do more.They will take you out of your comfort zone where the best gains are made. Your workout will become more of an event, something you look forward to, and less of a burden. Good luck! chrisofficeofeducation@yahoo.com

Laps 2 Finally, its two laps to wrap things up.

These can be done at a slower pace as a cool down or, if you still have energy left, at a sprint to push yourself even further. If you sprint them however, keep in mind, you should take some time to cool down too.

Abdominal Work To finish up, we focused on our core. First, using a medicine ball we did, medicine ball slams, side throws, and sit ups; tossing the ball back and forth to a partner. These can be done by throwing the ball against a wall if you are alone. Next, we moved to Russian twists and then assisted leg raises. With a partner pushing your legs down, you are required to focus on controlling the negative of the movement, further increasing the difficulty of the exercise.

Upon completion of this routine, you should feel that you have accomplished some-

chris devison

23 chris devison

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