no degree

quick update: teach with 2 years of undergrad.
http://www.talk.go.kr/
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the laws are changing soon, you wont need a degree to teach english in korea. discussion on esl cafe.

Update: From the APC website: *Update on degree requirements:As of September, 2008 some provinces in Korea have arranged for an exception to the education requirements for the E-2 visa. Due to very high demand for English native speakers to teach in public schools, those with with two years full-time post-secondary study at an accredited university, community college, or vocational school in an English-speaking country are eligible for teaching employment visas. You must meet all the other visa requirements and your employment prospects will be limited to public schools in participating provinces only. We do have access to teaching positions in the public school system and we welcome applications from those interested in this new program.

global village center

i dropped into the global village center in itaewon yesterday. it's next to the international clinic.

i was greeted with a super friendly hello, like the girl got up out of her chair and smiled big and cheered, "hello!" from across the room. :)

they had free internet access and some english books (fiction & non fiction) to loan, also for free.

they offer a lot of services for foreigners: help get a cell phone, help get an international drivers license, how to prepare your resume, translation services, how to separate your trash (you can get fined if you dont follow regulations), how to get a credit card, how to do your taxes, etc. I think any question a foreigner has, you can ask them.

i think these centers are all relatively new; most articles ive seen about them were written within the last couple of months. there are several locations, i know of one in yeonnam, one in yeoksam, one in seocho, one in inchon, one in itaewon, i think this here is their main website... at least, the logo looks the same. actually try this link, it's the sitemap and i think it's easier to navigate.

just in case

here in korea, i dont go around saying im a proud american, but i do say southern cali is my home and i do miss it sometimes.

i dont know much about the american military, but i do know that if north korea goes crazy and invades south korea, the american military here will come find and save me b/c im american. well, they're supposed to, anyway, so long as youre registered with the american embassy.

i of course have issues w/my country and some of our practices. but despite what your politics are or if you agree w/what america is/does, i think it best to register with the american embassy when you get here, just in case. if youre not on the army's list when they come in saving people, they cant help you. then wont you feel pretty silly?

boryeong mud festival

in case anyone was wondering what's going on in south korea, that would be the Boryeong mud festival this coming weekend. and in case anyone was wondering if the Supa Dupa Fly Seoul Sista would be going, that answer would be Hell No.

hair

the number one question i get from sistas in cyberspace:

where can i get my hair done?
discussions going on on facebook and myspace.

this was never a question i had before coming here b/c i had locks at the time, and later sported a twa. for years now, my regimen consists solely of conditioner and baby lotion.

my hair history is different from most, perhaps. my father is black, my mother is philipino. my father being a man knew nothing about hair, additionally he was overseas when i was young, so my early years were spent with me thinking i was philipino. i didnt know black culture. i didnt grow up with the black american dichotomy of "good/bad" hair, didnt have that acculturation of altering one's hair, thus grew up with natural hair. i got my first perm (chemically straightened my hair) when i was 17, stopped when i was 20. started locking at 21. cut it all off for good at 31.

is it coincidence that every sista i know here keeps natural hair? i know of a few who braid, a couple who occasionally flat iron, but no one i know does perms. i dont think any of them ever would. im glad for it. this is how we can make changes in our culture: each of us one by one can make the choice. i would never call a sista out who does have straightened hair, although i do secretly question them in the back of my mind if they are rbg, if they love themselves. same thing when i see a black man with a non black woman: i would never say anything to him, but in the back of my mind, i am critiquing him (even tho i myself am a product of a biracial marriage, trip out).

do you know of the korean monopoly on the black american hair market? at first i was mad at korea, but now i am just annoyed at my people. it's up to us, we can choose what products to buy, where to buy them from. click here for the hair documentary by aren ranen, or better, buy the dvd at http://www.blackhairdvd.com. i really really really wish aron was black, tho, that wouldve been so cool. ah well. unrelated, here is my favorite hair blog: http://www.roshini.net

Fan Death

direct link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmoWMHFLaE

please go to youtube and comment on my friends video^^

housing

what will your place look like? think smallish. lots of people post photos of their place, so do a google image search for officetel, or korea apartment.

here are pictures of an officetel bedroom and bathroom. officetels are one big room and a bathroom. so, first two shots are of the same room, and then the bathroom... yeah... more info here. and watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj5ELBlYFbE

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