Across the Pacific and back... and somehow married along the way...

We just got back to Korea after a wonderful whirlwind visit to California. Highlights:

1. Delicious food to tide us over until the next visit: burritos, Ethiopian food, fromager d'affinois, my dad's cooking, Jay's mom's baking, cakes by my mom and sister (birthday) and Julie (wedding), Chinese food, really nice Italian food, an amazing dinner at Chez Panisse, another amazing dinner at Vivify, Vietnamese dim sum, tons of root beer for Jay and salt&vinegar chips for me... Yeah. We were well fed. And cultural variety resulting in incredible amounts of delicious food is very very wonderful. We have been spoiled.

2. My birthday. I'm now a quarter century old and clearly have to get my butt in gear to get stuff done before I'm "over the hill".

3. Seeing friends and family - in Berkeley and in Mount Shasta. Especially when...

4. We got married. It was a very wonderful ceremony that was thrown together at the last minute. Hosted by Jay's parents in Mt. Shasta, it was very intimate and warm and we couldn't have imagined a better ceremony/gathering. With very few exceptions, the people we invited (by phone or e-mail) with just a few weeks' notice were able to make it. Some had to travel across the country and we felt incredibly lucky to have them.

5. We got our visas in SF. New non-crappy jobs!! Yay!!!!!

6. We had nearly a week-long honeymoon in San Francisco. We walked around the city, ate yummy food, read good books, relaxed, biked along the coast and across the Golden Gate Bridge, and saw Wicked (which was incredible and we're still listening to the soundtrack non-stop).

Now we are back in Bundang and getting ready to move into our new apartment in a few days. Our jobs start in March and our visas are already in order, so we are not very stressed out at this point. We're looking forward to starting a new year fresh. I've had a couple days to organize photos and so albums are now up for:

-Around Seoul: some new night shots

-Taebaeksan: a day trip we took with Grace and John, some wonderful Korean friends

-Our last months at LRDS: catalogue, remember that there were good bits, and move on

-Around Sunae and Seohyeon: new images from eating chicken galbi for dinner with Cynthia and Young-min

-Along the Tancheon: new winter shots

-Around Berkeley: new Marina photos and pictures of the beautiful flowers my dad bought for my birthday

-Mt. Shasta: a few new snowy images of the mountain

-Pre-Wedding Spa: my mom and Jay's mom took the ladies to the spa for massages/facials/pedicures/manicures. 'Twas lovely and fun!

-Our Wedding: photos by Aleisha Bradley, Jim Black, Carrie Noel-Nosbaum and Kathy Koger. Printing is enabled, so the album is password protected. Just e-mail us or anyone in the wedding party for the password :-)

-SFO: Late images from last June when we left for our second job in Korea. Note that Jay lost a hat within the span of about 10 minutes.

-Our honeymoon in San Francisco: Golden Gate Park, our bike ride, and around SF.

One more note, for those of you who were at our ceremony, apparently two geese landed on the pond as we exchanged rings. (Thank you Mona and Mary for the notice!) We were surprised and amused to hear this. The first thing we thought of is the traditional wedding/housewarming present in Korea: two wooden ducks. So we wondered what the symbolism of geese is. Here are some of our findings (ie the first few sites from a google search):

[from here]:

The animal symbolism of the goose hasn't got its full honor. Too often in myth and lore we see the goose representing silly attitudes or lazy dispositions.

On the contrary, the symbolism of the goose is quite inspiring.

When we consider the goose never leaves one of its own kind behind, we begin to see the goose in a different light. Just like the US Marines, "Semper Fidelis" (always faithful) is the motto of the goose too.

Geese annually migrate to warmer climates during the winter. Should a goose become injured during this trek, another goose will leave the migrating flock to stay with its fallen comrade. The goose will stay with the injured until he has recovered or until its final breath. Nothing silly about that.

Indeed, this kind of valor puts the symbolism of the goose in a far different light. Here are some attributes of the goose:

• Communication
• Determination
• Fellowship
• Teamwork
• Confidence
• Protection
• Bravery
• Loyalty

Geese are incredibly gifted navigators and instinctively know the way across the long haul to warmer climates. They forge ahead with confidence and bravery.

Further, geese have intricate methods of communication - not only do they sense when their brethren are in trouble, they also work as a team to communicate warnings, as well as messages of prime landing sites.

Geese are also fiercely protective of their young - often presenting an impressive thrashing display to would-be predators. These scare tactics often work to protect goslings from attack.

Those who have the goose as their animal totem need not worry if they are silly or lazy. This is far from the truth. In actuality, those who are kind, loyal, and brave-hearted attract geese as their totem. Those with the goose totem are the clear communicators, true-blue defenders and compassionate keepers of the community.

Lessons we all can learn from our totem geese include:

• Remember your roots - don't forget the people who helped you along the way
• Follow your gut - rely on intuition and instinct in order to get where you need to be
• Communicate your needs to others - no one can help you if you don't speak out
• Protect that which is most valuable, but make sure you have your priorities straight (meaning, be sure you're protecting that which is worth protecting)

[from here]:

Goose: Celtic Symbolism

Goose, Gèadh, symbolizes parenthood, productive power and vigilance. Geese are excellent “watch dogs” and highly protective of their territory. Goose brings creative and constructive power to people and shows it’s possible to be both grounded and spiritual in daily lives. She also represents wisdom, new beginnings, happiness, inspiration, communication, protection, bravery, loyalty, practicality, determination, fellowship, teamwork and confidence.

Goose: AmerIndian Symbolism

Keywords are the call of the quest and the trek to legendary places. Cycles of power are autumn, the full moon and the winter solstice. Goose symbolizes fertility and fidelity. Goose represents the Sacred Circle, its life cycles, and family. She teaches people respect for tradition and authority and how to break free from ruts and soar into new patterns.

Goose: Other Symbolism, Superstition and Lore

• Ancient Greeks saw her as Hera’s emblem, a representation of love and being a good wife.
• She was a messenger of good news and symbolic of inspiration, light and marital happiness to the Japanese and Chinese.

So there you are. Interpret as you like. We were rather pleased :-)

Be well. More updates to come when we move to our new home!

Love,

JJ

Our last few days in the States and a note on the North

We've signed year-long contracts with a school in Korea. We sent our documents to Korea for the school to initiate the visa process. When their half was finished and they sent us our visa issuance numbers, we drove overnight from Mt. Shasta to Berkeley, slept for a few hours, dressed up all nice and took our passports and paperwork to the San Francisco consulate. Despite the hassle of new procedures that weren't necessary a couple years ago (background checks that must be notarized and have an apostille, in-person interviews at the consulate), we were surprised by the speed with which we received our visas. Although interviews are technically required now, since we were not first time applicants and we apparently didn't look murderous, the woman we spoke to simply told us to come back in 2 days to pick up our visas. No interview necessary. I'm not sure if it was our appearance, our experience, or the fact that we'd used some hangeul (Korean writing) on our applications... But we certainly weren't going to complain!

We are in the Bay Area now and pretty much packed - all our suitcases are maxed out at 50 pounds each (United Airlines' maximum allowance for free luggage) and we've just left a few articles of clothing out for our last weekend here. On Sunday afternoon, we'll fly out of SFO and (after crossing the international date line) arrive on Monday evening in Incheon.

Because of some attempted sabotage earlier in our job search (we worked for such lovely people...), we're not willing to post information about our new school or location until we arrive, but we're very excited about it and we'll hopefully post updates in the next week or so. We've been in contact with a current teacher there and it sounds like a good fit for us (though a lot of work). But hey, after a 10-month vacation, we should be plenty rested!

At the moment we're working on studying some Korean and getting ready to teach and live in Korea again. We're excited to return and see old friends, explore a new area, enjoy Korea, and get back to teaching. Of course, after such a long break, we're also a bit nervous about getting back into the classroom. Luckily, since we're arriving late on Monday, we probably won't start teaching until the next Monday, which would mean nearly a full week of observation. If we do in fact start teaching the day after we arrive.... We'll be too surprised to get nervous :-)

On a more serious note, I know that the Koreas have been in the news a bit recently. The North is (as always, it seems) being a bit impulsive, and the former South Korean president committed suicide last month. We've received a few concerned e-mails and calls from worried friends and family about returning to that region of the world. In response, I would like to point out a few things. First, North Korea was launching test missiles before we first went to South Korea in 2007 and yet our year there was uneventful. In fact, the South seemed relatively unperturbed by the launches. Second, North Korea's closest allies, Russia and China,joined the other members of the UN Security Council in unanimously imposing sanctions on North Korea after their recent nuclear test. 

In addition to an underground nuclear test, missile launches, and the capture and sentencing of 2 American journalists to 12 years in labor camps, the North routinely threatens to attack anyone who does not bow to their demands. The escalation of their rhetoric and actions is most likely a response to the new South Korean government's harder stance against (and discontinued aid to) North Korea and the ailing health of Kim Jong Il. It's a country of millions of people who are, for the most part, starving. The government clearly has no diplomatic tact whatsoever, and threats are a childish response to a difficult situation. However, childish and wacky as Kim Jong Il and his family may be, we do not believe that they are suicidal or stupid. They know that attacking South Korea would put them in an immediate war against South Korea and all its allies (including the U.S.). That's why they haven't attacked for years. Now more than ever, at a point where even their closest allies are disapproving of their actions, any attack against the South would be short-lived, disastrous and costly for the North, not to mention idiotic. More likely, they are just vying for attention and posturing in order to gain some sort of leverage to demand more international aid. 

We don't think that traveling to and living in South Korea is any more dangerous than it was a few years ago. In fact, given some of the crazy and scary things that have been happening in the U.S., it may be safer than staying here. To tip the scales a bit more, there are people in Korea that we love, places that we miss, and an amazing culture that calls to us even in our dreams (I may be so deeply in kimchi withdrawal that it affects my sleep). 

So, dear friends and family, don't worry. Things look crazy in the media. They always do - it's how newspapers sell, after all. Bad things happen all over the world, but it's not a reason to hide out at home. The actual risk of going to Korea is far lower than the risk involved in visiting many other places (some of which we have been to in the past few months). We'll keep an eye on the situation and we'll keep you updated as much as possible. Also, if you want to come see things from the other side of the pond (no, the other pond. The BIG one), we're always happy to introduce people to Korea :-)

We're excited to continue our Korean adventure - Part 2 commence!

-J&J

A quick update

Hi all. We're back in the States again, working on getting back to Korea in the next month or so. 

After spending a couple days in Panama City, we flew into Bogotá, Colombia. It was beautiful and very, very cold (thanks to the elevation). The plane barely descended below cloud level before we landed.  We stayed in a cute hostel in La Candelaria (a district of downtown Bogotá), where the owner's cat had just given birth to a litter of kittens! Photos to come eventually, but suffice to say we were very entertained.

Also, we got a private double at the top of the hostel that looked out over the rooftops of the surrounding area and the city. One whole wall was a giant window (not so great for privacy, but good for views) with a huge platform to sit on and a hanging chair to read in. We had a lovely few days in Bogotá, although we did spend a significant amount of time running away from pretty amazing thunderstorms.

When it was time to fly home, we took a taxi to the airport, enjoyed our last super-fresh tropical fruit juices (although I rather doubt the fruit came from Bogotá), and flew into Miami. Our luck had us at a hostel on Ocean Drive in South Beach so it was an interesting (if sensory-overloading) welcome home. We had a couple days to find non-travel clothes and wrapping paper, then flew to Minneapolis/St. Paul to visit Jay's uncle Joe, meet up with Jay's parents, and go to Steph's wedding. Jay, true to tradition, got terribly sick right before we flew into Oakland and spent the first few days at my house (including his birthday) throwing up. Fortunately, he got over whatever it was (which wasn't malaria) and is all better now. We spent a few weeks here in Berkeley, then he headed up to Mt. Shasta to be best man for Keith and Lisa's wedding (yay!). 

So now we're with our respective families, waiting to return to the land of delicious kimchi. Yum.

There are thousands and thousands of photos and probably nearly 100 movies to filter through, but we'll post links when they're up. :-)

Preparing for South KoreaBerkeley, California

Our visas are ready, our tickets are purchased, our bags are (somewhat) packed... Jay and I are leaving in less than a week to spend a year in South Korea - in Ilsan, a suburb to the Northeast of Seoul, in the Gyeonggi province. We don't speak Korean to any usable degree, we have never been to Asia before, and we haven't met the people responsible for sending us there.

We will be teaching English for a year at a private school, which will pay for our airfare and provide us with housing. It would be an absurd lie to say I wasn't nervous, but, at the same time, I am tingling with excitement. Once again, I have the opportunity to travel, to learn a new language, and to experience a new culture... Why wouldn't excitement be the most noticeable emotion?

Right now, Jay and I are both trying to see our friends and families for a bit longer before he comes down to the Bay Area and then... we're off! Updates will be forthcoming, once we're across the Pacific.

Back in the Bay AreaBerkeley, California

Interestingly enough, after returning from Valparaíso, Chile, Berkeley seemed sparkly and clean in comparison. Now, returning from Germany, I’m struggling to come to grips (again) with the homeless population, with the smell of too many cars, and with the considerable decrease in general prettiness (in strictest terms) from shiny Munich.

The other extreme is taken by Palo Alto, the suburb where I grew up. This rich community of Stanford-alumni or Stanford-bound is laid out by an oppressive city ordinance requiring every house to follow the uniform tree regulation of its street (when our house’s oak tree died, the city refused to allow us to plant a willow tree in its stead, as that would have destroyed the unity of Greer St.). The result, of course, is a very lush suburb (especially in comparison to urban Berkeley), further highlighted by the range of shiny expensive cars driven around by the locals (public high school students driving brand new Mustangs and Porsches? You’d better believe it.)

I always feel out of place in Palo Alto now. Partially, this is due to my frustration at having taken this extremely privileged community as the “norm” when I was in high school (I recall temporarily resenting the fact that my parents gave me the used minivan when I turned sixteen, instead of buying me a shiny new car like all the other kids). While I appreciate the education, opportunities, and friendships that growing up in Palo Alto afforded me, I regret that I was drawn into that culture without even knowing it. It saddens me that my parents had to deal with another Palo Alto snob as a child, when all they wanted was to give me a good education.

I now occasionally refer to Palo Alto as the “shiny city” (so named for the spotless streets as well as for the shiny new cars. Karin, our wonderful neighbor in Palo Alto, once said that it was as if there was a little old lady sweeping up after everyone in Palo Alto). So, if I mention it again (which I’m sure to do), you’ll know what I’m talking about.

It’s strange, associating “home” with Berkeley and Valpo and LC and Munich (well, Jay) all at once. Strange, and disconcerting at the same time. I feel as if I’m not really here. I can see my hands in front of me, and they’re cooking something in the Berkeley kitchen, but if I turned around, the Valpo dining room could face me. Or if I pass through that door, Jay could be sitting on the chair playing guitar. Or if I barge into the hallway brandishing a tube of toothpaste, I can wage a playful war with Rigel (my first year roommate at LC). All my memories are trying to coexist, to meld the places into the time that I feel they must have occurred in. In the space of two years, could I really have been in all these places? Plus the traveling with Carrie in Latin America? And with Jay in Europe? And with my dad in London? And with Julia to the coast? Realistically, it doesn’t add up. If everything happened “just yesterday”, then clearly they must all be in one place.

Either that, or I have a wicked-fast method of rocket-based travel.

In the time remaining in CA (about 1.4 weeks), I need to somehow (a) get my knee fixed by a chiropractor (b) get my yearly physical (c) make an appointment and get all four of my wisdom teeth removed (d) get a cellphone (e) somehow get down to Santa Cruz to see Leoni and (f) figure out what I want to write my honor’s thesis on.

Oh, and pack for my final year at LC. You know, seeing as my flight leaves on the first of September. Arg. Maybe I can finish knitting that haltar top and reading the pile of delectable for-fun books in that time too? And sleep? Sure I can. Maybe. Hm.

Desolation Wilderness trek of doomDesolation Wilderness, California

As we have done every year since… well, since I started college, my mom and I (and Julia as of last year) go on a summer backpacking trip for a long weekend. Two years ago it was to Butano State Park near Pescadero (Californian coast), last year it was to Five Lake Basin within Tahoe National Forest (Northern Lake Tahoe), and this year it was to Desolation Wilderness, in Southern Lake Tahoe. First let me state that “Desolation” refers not to the dearth of people (the trail was in fact a disturbingly popular one), but to the plethora of granite slabs that we had to traverse in our trip. Lovely.

For anyone who knows the area and/or cares, our planned trip was to go from Bayview at Emerald Bay over Maggie’s pass (a horribly steep climb when you’re just getting used to the feel of your equipment and the altitude increase from the Bay Area), and down to Dick’s Lake to camp the first night. We did this without dying, so “Success!”. The next day, we made our way up Dick’s Pass (during which Julia’s feet blistered over and I became increasingly dizzy as we gained altitude), down the “Scenic Route” (to be fair – quite pretty views), and on to Gilmore Lake for lunch, and then to either Heather Lake or neighboring Aloha lake to camp. We decided to push past both lakes, over Mosquito Pass, to Clyde’s Lake for the night instead. This would have been fine, but I had accidentally not moved my Arch support/insoles from my running shoes to my hiking boots, so my feet (and, soon after, my knees) were in intense pain for the later portion of this hike. Additionally, Clyde Lake did not offer much in the way of campsites, and we pitched our tent between a family with 2 cute little girls and 2 llamas (what?!) and a pair of older men who were attempting to fish on the lake. Both of these groups were within 15 feet of our tent.

The next day, tired and sore, but also not enjoying the trip as much as we had in the last year, we decided to do the last two days’ worth of hiking in one day, marching about 10 miles of steady flatland at a fast pace (barring the frequent river crossings, where everyone but me slipped at least once) and then had to climb up for pretty much the rest of the trip, most of which was over granite and in direct sunlight. At the end, we had to go back down from Maggie’s pass (a downward slope that Julia veritably skipped through, while my mom and I leaned on our poles and coaxed our crappy knees to make a snail’s pace). In the end, we finished the hike a day early, got a reward of being able to wash our hair in the closest public bathroom (at the ranger station), massage our miserable feet, and head off towards home, in search of food on the way (and non-iodized water, of course!)

Now, however, two weeks after our trip of some-glory-but-mostly-mosquito-bites, my knee still isn’t properly aligned, but rather clicking at every move (and aching whether or not I move it). Seriously, who decided that a 21-year-old woman should suddenly inherit an 80-year-old body? This is just silly.

A slightly-less-biased review of my year in MunichBerkeley, California

Now that I’ve been in the states for about three weeks, it seems time to re-examine my experience in Munich. I stand by the statement that Bavarians in Munich are simply unkind and not at all patient with foreigners who do not have perfect Bavarian accents, which seems strange for a city that is over 40% comprised of foreigners.

Additionally, I maintain that the quintessential German pastimes of drinking beer, eating processed meat, and smoking do not appeal to me, and cannot possibly be good for their health. Nor can, for that matter, the orangish skin tone that locals are so wont to achieve through their many hours of sunbathing in the English Gardens. I also loved the English Gardens above all other places in Munich, but sun screen is always a requisite for lying in the grass for hours at a time in the summer. It’s a wonder that no one notices when their skin progresses from “healthy tan” (oxymoron though that is) to a strange rubbery orange. Oh well.

Furthermore, the school system really did suck. For a school ranked as one of the best in Europe, it was shocking to note how little work was actually involved in the classes. The grade was based upon a single test or a single paper, following a semester in which the students would lead the class every day by giving a dry, monotonous, memorized presentation for the hour and a half of class. Only the really good professors gave any input at all. Most just sort of checked of days as the semester progressed.

However, to be fair, I gained a lot from my time in Germany. For all the depression and frustration and insecurity that Munich bestowed upon me, my time there also gave me a chance to get to know Jay better. Even to the point of having our relationship develop into one of the closest and most honest friendships I’ve ever had, as well as what has become by far the most loving relationship I’ve experienced (not that there’s a whole lot of room for comparison, but still). Jay alone has far outweighed the negative aspects of my time in Germany, and I really cannot stress enough the fact that, despite how frustrated I may have been with Germans, I do not regret my time spent in Munich.

In addition to my Jay, there was of course the added bonus of being in Europe, and therefore able to travel through various cultures in a relatively short distance and with reasonable ease. Every one of the countries I visited (possibly excepting Swizerland because Geneva was ridiculous) was a unique and treasured experience. From our struggles to purchase food and train tickets in Bulgaria without speaking a word of the native language, to trying snails in Paris, to the eye-opening experiences of pushing my cultural boundaries in Turkey and Morocco, the traveling I was able to do in Europe was simply amazing. And it resulted, of course, in a greater lust for travel – once I discovered that Morocco and Turkey were not the bastions of American-hategroups that our guides had implied, the list of “reasonable/safe travel destinations” increased dramatically.

So despite the depressing winter and the unfriendly locals, despite the detrimental effect on my respect for academia, and despite my personal distaste of the local cuisine (and air), this year in Europe was in many ways a productive experience. Still, were I to move to a German-speaking city again, I would opt for Vienna over Munich.

Uuuuugh.Berkeley, California

Oh my god I'm home.

And jetlagged, after 3 legs of sleepless, stressful flights.

more on this tomorrow.
Californian air is the best thing ever.

Pre-departure commentary: Berkeley, California

The month in the US is almost over, and I'm already packed and ready to leave for Germany. Alright, I have to finish packing and clean my room before leaving for the airport at 9 in the morning, but the sentiment remains: I feel like I've had very little time here in California. It is very surreal traveling like this - getting used to a certain place, a specific community and routine, and then packing up and moving to a different country, language, community.. I feel like I have three separate lives: One in Portland, tenuously kept alive by e-mails from the swim team, the LAS list, and Jon Eldridge's constant Opportunities and Announcements updates; one in Berkeley, with Jules and my family; and one in Chile, with Carrie and Stephanie (although she left before I did) and Marcelo and my host family and Steph and Carrie's host families..

Traveling is wearying in many ways. Not from jet-lag or otherwise physical weariness, and not mental weariness from functioning in a non-native language, although both are prominent factors in living abroad. More than anything else, I am emotionally exhausted from having to pull up all my roots and relocate every few months. It is saddening to know that the lives I adopt, the habits and routines I become accustomed to, even most of the relationships created abroad, are all temporary. Certainly, I incorporate foreign-influenced customs and quirks into my life upon returning: Spanish has become my automatic language when I don't understand what someone has said - I don't think we have to read very far into that to find the psychological implications - and the addiction to lemon and salt as a salad dressing (or as a snack) shows no sign of diminishing. And the best friends are always willing to put in the effort to stay in contact, but something always seems to get lost between the boarding gate and baggage claim.

I don't know exactly what is lost, and I don't know exactly what remains, but I know a different person will enter Germany in a couple of days than the person who set foot in Chile six months ago. Jules said once that she thought I was "softer", Martha commented that I seemed more willing to go with the flow, Carrie thinks I go out more often, and Jorge jokes that my dancing has certainly improved. So has my Spanish, as my host family pointed out. I agree with many of these observations, but they aren't what I would have highlighted as the most prominent differences. I am "softer" in the sense that I am older, by more than 6 months, it seems. I feel calmer, perhaps - more relaxed, emotionally wiser, and less self-conscious but at the same time more confident, assertive, and more brutal in my honesty.

Most helpful for my trip to Germany will probably be the decrease in self-consciousness and the increased confidence; I am willing to go exploring alone early on, before my program starts, which I probably would not have done alone in my first week in Chile, although my Spanish was better then than my German is now. As to language skills, I got over a lot of my inhibitions in speaking last semester: I know I am going to stand out as a foreigner, but I won't get any better at speaking if this fact prevents me from speaking at all. So I have a funny accent and limited skills. Well, my German is probably better than the Spanish skills of most Germans, and my English is at least as good as theirs.

(2) Having classes that I (hopefully) have to put some serious thought into besides memorization

(3) Speaking (after learning) German again and

(4) Developing my fourth life

...because what good does it do to look back?