Joseph Kony is the number one wanted criminal on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) most wanted list for his crimes against humanity in Central Africa. He is a rebel leader who abducts children and forces them to kill or become sex slaves. He is a man who needs to be taken down and it will happen this year: 2012.
Watch the video to learn more and see what you can do to help the international effort to stop this despicable man from causing harm to children, their families, and all of humanity.
KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Do all these people really work here?
One thing I know for sure is that way too many people work at Home Plus. What I can't figure out is why. Just browsing around the electronics section, you'll get two or three people buzzing around, invading personal space, and speaking in rapid Korean. Even if I was attempting to understand them, I would never be able to.
After living in Korea for seven months, I find myself looking, while simultaneously pretending not to look, as I walk slowly past so no one will come up to me. I only do this if I'm not intent on actually buying something. I see it as a way of saving everyone's time. It's a kindness, really.
For those of you that don't know, Home Plus is a massive big box store that sells everything from groceries to running shoes to books. It's convenient to have everything in one place but it's not like your typical big box store. There isn't just one set of registers where you can buy everything. There are larger areas and smaller booth-like areas. The "booths" are each manned with anywhere from one to four employees. In the large more normal-to-me areas, there are people standing in the aisles waiting to help you. This makes for a lot of unnecessary employees milling about with nothing to do, which I find extremely overwhelming. If you go in on a weekday afternoon, you can actually expect to see more employees than customers.
When we first moved here, I thought, "What are all these people doing just standing around? What are they doing?" Then I walked into a "booth" area to look at something and one shot up to me, standing right at my elbow, smiling and talking in Korean. "Ahhh, I understand. They work here!" I tried to convey what I wanted with a series of gestures and smiles. After about 20 minutes of "talking" to multiple employees, I finally bought the face powder I needed.
I am successful at this type of communication only about half the time. When I can get my point across, I feel very happy and proud of my interpersonal skills that can somehow transcend language barriers. Go me! When I'm unsuccessful, I usually end up trying to explain myself to more and more employees who congregate to try and help me. They are so thoughtful and try so hard. I know it's my fault we can't communicate because I'm in their country and can't speak their language. I always smile, bow and say thank you in Korean (one of my few words) even if I walk away from the exchange empty handed. I then avoid eye contact with every employee I see, which is almost everyone in the whole store.
I understand that people need to be there to help customers but why are there two ladies standing in the shampoo aisle? Do people really need help picking out the right shampoo and conditioner? Maybe they're there to put things in your cart for you. I still don't know.
After living in Korea for seven months, I find myself looking, while simultaneously pretending not to look, as I walk slowly past so no one will come up to me. I only do this if I'm not intent on actually buying something. I see it as a way of saving everyone's time. It's a kindness, really.
For those of you that don't know, Home Plus is a massive big box store that sells everything from groceries to running shoes to books. It's convenient to have everything in one place but it's not like your typical big box store. There isn't just one set of registers where you can buy everything. There are larger areas and smaller booth-like areas. The "booths" are each manned with anywhere from one to four employees. In the large more normal-to-me areas, there are people standing in the aisles waiting to help you. This makes for a lot of unnecessary employees milling about with nothing to do, which I find extremely overwhelming. If you go in on a weekday afternoon, you can actually expect to see more employees than customers.
When we first moved here, I thought, "What are all these people doing just standing around? What are they doing?" Then I walked into a "booth" area to look at something and one shot up to me, standing right at my elbow, smiling and talking in Korean. "Ahhh, I understand. They work here!" I tried to convey what I wanted with a series of gestures and smiles. After about 20 minutes of "talking" to multiple employees, I finally bought the face powder I needed.
I am successful at this type of communication only about half the time. When I can get my point across, I feel very happy and proud of my interpersonal skills that can somehow transcend language barriers. Go me! When I'm unsuccessful, I usually end up trying to explain myself to more and more employees who congregate to try and help me. They are so thoughtful and try so hard. I know it's my fault we can't communicate because I'm in their country and can't speak their language. I always smile, bow and say thank you in Korean (one of my few words) even if I walk away from the exchange empty handed. I then avoid eye contact with every employee I see, which is almost everyone in the whole store.
I understand that people need to be there to help customers but why are there two ladies standing in the shampoo aisle? Do people really need help picking out the right shampoo and conditioner? Maybe they're there to put things in your cart for you. I still don't know.
Monday, February 27, 2012
My Favorite Place in the World
One of the hardest questions any traveler gets asked is, "What was your favorite place?"
My first time out of my native country was with the Semester at Sea program in college, where I visited 10 countries in 100 days. Every country was so different and offered commendable, praiseworthy, and completely unique experiences. I truly loved every country but always got asked the same troublesome question: "What was your favorite place?"
How could I pick just one?!! Every place was so jaw droppingly different from home. How could I compare the time I saw a family of elephants walking along a mountain range in the twilight of South Africa's wilderness with the time my friends and I let our drivers have a break while we raced each other and peddled them to our destination in Burma?
As much as I tried to explain this over and over, it seemed that few people understood where I was coming from. Either that, or they just were trying to be nice and weren't really looking for an hour long speech about how every country is amazing in its own right.
I soon thought of a suitable answer to this ceaseless inquiry that I would spout off from memory whenever someone posed it to me. That way, I didn't get annoyed and angry when people were trying to be nice to me and hear about my trip. It went something along the lines of, "Oh, that's such a hard question! I loved them all....but if I had to pick a place I could see myself living in, I would say South Africa or Japan." Ugh, just typing that made me bored.
More than a few years later, I now have a real answer for this question. When people ask me what my favorite place in the wold is, I say "Monet's garden!" with a gracious smile.
Visiting Monet's house is like a dream. It's the most beautiful place in the world. Now when I get asked this horrendously tedious question, I instantly get reminded of it's beauty and grace and instantly forget my frustrations.
My first time out of my native country was with the Semester at Sea program in college, where I visited 10 countries in 100 days. Every country was so different and offered commendable, praiseworthy, and completely unique experiences. I truly loved every country but always got asked the same troublesome question: "What was your favorite place?"
How could I pick just one?!! Every place was so jaw droppingly different from home. How could I compare the time I saw a family of elephants walking along a mountain range in the twilight of South Africa's wilderness with the time my friends and I let our drivers have a break while we raced each other and peddled them to our destination in Burma?
As much as I tried to explain this over and over, it seemed that few people understood where I was coming from. Either that, or they just were trying to be nice and weren't really looking for an hour long speech about how every country is amazing in its own right.
I soon thought of a suitable answer to this ceaseless inquiry that I would spout off from memory whenever someone posed it to me. That way, I didn't get annoyed and angry when people were trying to be nice to me and hear about my trip. It went something along the lines of, "Oh, that's such a hard question! I loved them all....but if I had to pick a place I could see myself living in, I would say South Africa or Japan." Ugh, just typing that made me bored.
More than a few years later, I now have a real answer for this question. When people ask me what my favorite place in the wold is, I say "Monet's garden!" with a gracious smile.
Visiting Monet's house is like a dream. It's the most beautiful place in the world. Now when I get asked this horrendously tedious question, I instantly get reminded of it's beauty and grace and instantly forget my frustrations.
Monday, February 20, 2012
A Day in Tuscany
One summer when I was in college, I spent a few weeks living on the island of Corsica. It was not the best of experiences, actually it might have been my worst time abroad, ever, but it was an experience nonetheless. One of the best parts of that time was being able to see Italy for the first time.
I took the ferry from Corsica to Livorno. Livorno is a little sea town with nothing particularly amazing about it. I visited a couple old Catholic churches and saw some old statues guarding barren piazzas. My favorite part of this sleepy town was the few canals it had. It was wandering along these waterways that I found this rendition of, what I can only assume to be, the boogeyman.
Another small treasure of Livorno was the very yummy pizza I ate at a little place on the other side of the piazza from my hotel. The pizza oven was a commanding view inside the restaurant and took up quite a bit of room. I could see the pizza chefs sliding out pizza after pizza while I sipped on my carafe of red wine. It was so good I ate there twice and I only stayed in Livorno one night!
The next morning I took the train to Pisa. While riding the train, I met a very nice gentleman from Tunisia who spoke French, Italian, and English. At the time, I'd never even thought about the tiny African nation. In fact, I didn't really know where it was exactly but now looking back, I wonder if he played any part in the uprising that started a revolution.
I arrived in Pisa early in the afternoon and couldn't check into my modest hotel until late in the afternoon. I decided to wander around the city while always walking in the general direction of the hotel. I went shopping for a while along the beautifully paved streets. What a difference Pisa was compared to Livorno! Just a short train ride away and here were beautifully renovated old buildings, pedestrian streets lined with fancy shops, and pots of flowers everywhere.
A summer storm came along and I stopped at a little restaurant to eat lunch while I waited for it to pass. Although the rain didn't let up after over an hour, I decided it was time to find the hotel and ask if I could check in early to free myself from my luggage. Thankfully, I had brought an umbrella but it was summer so I was wearing a dress and sandals. This is when I got lost, had a break down, and got my faith in humanity revitalized, all in less than an hour.
I was trying to stay dry, hold onto my luggage (which was an abominable bag I've since gotten rid of), look at a map, and navigate an ancient city definitely not built in a grid like pattern. I was alone and feeling very down. Speaking zero Italian, I tried to stop every person who looked like they spoke English. No one had heard of my hotel. I was getting desperate and trying not to cry when I heard some Americans talking a covered but open air restaurant. I must have looked really pathetic because they instantly invited me to join them and bought me a drink with the promise that they'd help me find my hotel once I've calmed down and the rain stopped.
It's was a kindness I'll never forget. Just them telling me that it would be okay was immensely reassuring. It turned out they were from California too, and after talking for a bit I was feeling so much better. Not only did I finally have someone to talk to but I also had a whole day of fun planned with them by the time the rain stopped. We found my pitiful hotel down a dark alley. I checked in and dumped my bags quickly before heading back out to explore with my new found friends.
We visited the leaning tower, of course. Why else go to Pisa? My friends had rented a car and planned on driving to a fortress town for the late afternoon and dinner. I was welcomed along and so we drove through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to a small town crammed onto an even smaller mountain. The town was magical, like something straight out of a fairytale, but what I remember most was the drive, for it was even more majestic. It was everything you would think the Italian countryside should look like. There was golden sunshine, rolling hills, cypress trees, olive groves, grape vines for days, tiny villages, and waves of gleaming grasses swaying in the wind. I sat in the car gazing out the window, so thankful for the generosity of strangers and the beautiful world around me.
I took the ferry from Corsica to Livorno. Livorno is a little sea town with nothing particularly amazing about it. I visited a couple old Catholic churches and saw some old statues guarding barren piazzas. My favorite part of this sleepy town was the few canals it had. It was wandering along these waterways that I found this rendition of, what I can only assume to be, the boogeyman.
 |
| hide yo' kids |
 |
| view from my hotel room in Livorno |
 |
| graffitied train in Italy |
A summer storm came along and I stopped at a little restaurant to eat lunch while I waited for it to pass. Although the rain didn't let up after over an hour, I decided it was time to find the hotel and ask if I could check in early to free myself from my luggage. Thankfully, I had brought an umbrella but it was summer so I was wearing a dress and sandals. This is when I got lost, had a break down, and got my faith in humanity revitalized, all in less than an hour.
I was trying to stay dry, hold onto my luggage (which was an abominable bag I've since gotten rid of), look at a map, and navigate an ancient city definitely not built in a grid like pattern. I was alone and feeling very down. Speaking zero Italian, I tried to stop every person who looked like they spoke English. No one had heard of my hotel. I was getting desperate and trying not to cry when I heard some Americans talking a covered but open air restaurant. I must have looked really pathetic because they instantly invited me to join them and bought me a drink with the promise that they'd help me find my hotel once I've calmed down and the rain stopped.
It's was a kindness I'll never forget. Just them telling me that it would be okay was immensely reassuring. It turned out they were from California too, and after talking for a bit I was feeling so much better. Not only did I finally have someone to talk to but I also had a whole day of fun planned with them by the time the rain stopped. We found my pitiful hotel down a dark alley. I checked in and dumped my bags quickly before heading back out to explore with my new found friends.
We visited the leaning tower, of course. Why else go to Pisa? My friends had rented a car and planned on driving to a fortress town for the late afternoon and dinner. I was welcomed along and so we drove through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to a small town crammed onto an even smaller mountain. The town was magical, like something straight out of a fairytale, but what I remember most was the drive, for it was even more majestic. It was everything you would think the Italian countryside should look like. There was golden sunshine, rolling hills, cypress trees, olive groves, grape vines for days, tiny villages, and waves of gleaming grasses swaying in the wind. I sat in the car gazing out the window, so thankful for the generosity of strangers and the beautiful world around me.
 |
| Tuscany |
Friday, February 17, 2012
Say it Like it is, Korean Style
Koreans are not scared to tell you that you are ugly, fat, or that you look really sick. It's not to say that Koreans aren't nice. They are some of the kindest people I've encountered. They will usually follow up that "you look really sick" statement with a thoughtful, "Are you okay?"
Why don't they skirt around the truth? They simply don't consider it rude to tell a friend something that is true. Actually, it's expected of a good friend to tell you the truth about your physical appearance. When discussing the issue with some of my lovely Korean co-workers, one said, "I would be angry if my friends didn't tell me I was getting fat." To which another said, "That's love!"
Their bluntness can be off putting when you're not expecting it. I laughed once because something was so straight forward and rude by American standards and it was just stated casually by one of my Korean friends. It totally caught me off guard and made me think--two things that always happen when living or traveling abroad.
Being forced to compare your culture against another is all part of the experience. Why do we do the things we do? This question is rarely addressed while living in your native country day to day but is examined practically every day while on the road. It's what makes travel so great. Travel makes you question not only all the new experiences and customs around you, but also all the "normal" things you do.
Travel gives you a unique perspective into your own life. Is shaking hands better than bowing? Are forks better than chop sticks? Should we be more direct and less comforting towards our friends' physical appearance?
All are questions I never thought twice about before, but now that I'm living in a different culture, they come up frequently. Examining your life through the eyes of a foreigner will make you not only more open minded, but more compassionate, patient, and understanding towards everyone around you both at home and while traveling.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell any of my friends, "You're getting fat; don't eat that cookie in your hand," but at least I won't be offended if a Korean friend says it to me. Maybe I'll actually hug them because then I know we're besties.
Why don't they skirt around the truth? They simply don't consider it rude to tell a friend something that is true. Actually, it's expected of a good friend to tell you the truth about your physical appearance. When discussing the issue with some of my lovely Korean co-workers, one said, "I would be angry if my friends didn't tell me I was getting fat." To which another said, "That's love!"
Their bluntness can be off putting when you're not expecting it. I laughed once because something was so straight forward and rude by American standards and it was just stated casually by one of my Korean friends. It totally caught me off guard and made me think--two things that always happen when living or traveling abroad.
Being forced to compare your culture against another is all part of the experience. Why do we do the things we do? This question is rarely addressed while living in your native country day to day but is examined practically every day while on the road. It's what makes travel so great. Travel makes you question not only all the new experiences and customs around you, but also all the "normal" things you do.
Travel gives you a unique perspective into your own life. Is shaking hands better than bowing? Are forks better than chop sticks? Should we be more direct and less comforting towards our friends' physical appearance?
All are questions I never thought twice about before, but now that I'm living in a different culture, they come up frequently. Examining your life through the eyes of a foreigner will make you not only more open minded, but more compassionate, patient, and understanding towards everyone around you both at home and while traveling.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell any of my friends, "You're getting fat; don't eat that cookie in your hand," but at least I won't be offended if a Korean friend says it to me. Maybe I'll actually hug them because then I know we're besties.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Odongdo - A Day Trip to Yeosu
Over the Lunar New Year holiday, we took a day trip to the coastal city of Yeosu. It's only about 25 minutes on the train from Suncheon and is the home of a lot of islands both big and small as well as the next World Expo. We heard from our coworkers about a great little island to visit that you can walk out to on a bridge and decided to check it out. It's called Odongdo or Odong Island.
Upon walking out of the train station, you are cast immediately into the expo area. This will be great once the expo is open but kinda sucked for us because we had to walk all the way around it on some sketchy will-be-sidewalks-one-day paths to get to our destination. We took a short cut through the construction site and got told, very politely, that it was dangerous and we had to get out. The walk seemed to take forever but the buildings under construction look like they're going to be very cool. Spencer was very worried about their upcoming deadline of opening day, May 12, 2012, and kept saying, "The buildings aren't even finished!"
About thirty minutes later, we finally got to the bridge. The ocean was deep blue, gorgeous, and dotted with islands in the distance. It was a very nice winter day, perfect for a stroll.
The island is very small and easy to navigate via a series of wooden pathways. There is a lighthouse, a couple snack shops, at least one souvenir store (we only went in one, there might have been more), a cave, and many places to head down to the rocks to be near the water.
Upon walking out of the train station, you are cast immediately into the expo area. This will be great once the expo is open but kinda sucked for us because we had to walk all the way around it on some sketchy will-be-sidewalks-one-day paths to get to our destination. We took a short cut through the construction site and got told, very politely, that it was dangerous and we had to get out. The walk seemed to take forever but the buildings under construction look like they're going to be very cool. Spencer was very worried about their upcoming deadline of opening day, May 12, 2012, and kept saying, "The buildings aren't even finished!"
About thirty minutes later, we finally got to the bridge. The ocean was deep blue, gorgeous, and dotted with islands in the distance. It was a very nice winter day, perfect for a stroll.
The island is very small and easy to navigate via a series of wooden pathways. There is a lighthouse, a couple snack shops, at least one souvenir store (we only went in one, there might have been more), a cave, and many places to head down to the rocks to be near the water.
 |
| The walking paths are very nice. |
 |
| our first view of the lighthouse |
 |
| Cave of Dragon |
 |
| There were a few men fishing from the rocks. Spencer took this picture and I absolutely love it. |
 |
| There is a little museum and you can go to the top of the lighthouse but, sadly, both were closed the day we visited. The car belongs to the person who lives on the island to run the lighthouse and their house is to the left. |
 |
| There were some great old trees, spritely bushes, bamboo... |
 | |
| ...and one very silly tree |
Monday, February 13, 2012
2011 Recap Photo Extravaganza!
The adventures of 2011 began with our wedding on May 21st in Modesto, California. It seemed like the first half of the year was just leading up to this moment.
Next came our amazing three week honeymoon in Belize.
During our stay in Belize, we took a day trip to visit the Mayan ruins at Tikal.
We got home from our honeymoon and two weeks later, moved to South Korea.
After only a month in Korea, we had our first week long vacation, which we spent in Hong Kong.
It's a gorgeous city.
We started exploring our surroundings.
Jinju Lantern Festival
walking around Suncheon
yum
Took the fast train to the big city.
Katie came to visit us for Christmas and we had such fun.
We took our second week long vacation in Japan.
We brought in the new year in Tokyo.
Here's to another year of enjoying the ride while exploring the world! Happy 2012 my friends!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)