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Are E-products really more expensive in Korea?

KB Discussions - 10 hours 7 min ago

Well are they? Mac computers generally are not... PC's are not... TV's?Log in
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The Best Hoedeok in Busan

Koreabridge - 10 hours 11 min ago

The Best Hoedeok in Busan

I LOVE Korean street food, and I especially love Hoedeok. I mean honestly, what's not to love about fried dough filled with seeds and nuts and sugar and spices that get all melty and gooey? With so much potential deliciousness on the line, it's of the utmost importance that you find a good Hoedeok place.

Just in case you didn't already know where to go- the best Hoedeok in Busan, as told to me by Koreans - so it must be true (also all the other Hoedeok I've had don't compare to these ones, so that also makes it true) is in Nampo-dong at the top of BIFF square. Just look for the place with the line. They also have some pictures on their cart showing how they've been recognized on TV for their awesomeness.

There is almost always a line, but don't let it deter you, it does move pretty fast. Also don't be fooled by the impostors further down the hill closer to the subway, there is a reason they have no line, they just aren't as good. Every person I've taken, since I was taken, agree after they bite down into the warm dough that the line is worth it. You can do it! You can make it through the line and come out the other side with deliciousness. I promise.

There's a map in the 'location' part at the bottom of this post so you can also enjoy the deliciousness.

Trust me, they're worth it.

From Busan with Hunger Pangs and Hoedeok Love,
Jenna

From Busan with Love
Jennaslesinski.blogspot.com

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[Día Mundial del reciclaje Invitación ] by [Lic° William Vegazo Muro]

Puentes al Mundo - 17 hours 14 min ago

Este 20 de mayo desde las 12:00 Lima Quito Bogotá estaremos conversando acerca del día Mundial del Reciclaje , junto a José Rodriguez, oportunidad en la que presentaremos el Proyecto ganador de un premio en Argentina sobre el Reciclaje del Aceite. Los esperamos

1:13 minutes (1.12 MB)

Dia del Maestro: Cancion Soy Rebelde en voz de Luisa Cuevas

Puentes al Mundo - Wed, 05/16/2012 - 23:43

Les presento esta cancion muy especial "Soy Rebelde" en la voz de una de mis alumnos de 5to de primaria desde Los Angeles, California.

2:34 minutes (601.39 KB)

korean public school-year calendar 2012?

KB Discussions - Wed, 05/16/2012 - 20:04

Just looking ahead at the remainder of this year and trying to plan some things...I was wondering if any of you out there (especially public school EPIK people) might know the official calendar days for schools in Korea? I know this year that most students are having their summer break July 23-August 17. I was hoping that someone could tell me the remaining official days off for this year: Chuseok, other holidays, and winter vacation days.

I appreciate the help...thanks.

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Study Korean in Busan? Help?

KB Discussions - Tue, 05/15/2012 - 21:45

Hi guys! I would like to study Korean for one year in Busan.Does anyone have some recommendations? I could not find any reviews of these schools.So the main question is which school should I choose, and why? Thx! Kyungsung University - Korean Language CenterRegular Programhttp://ks.ac.kr/korea/ Pukyong National University BusanKorean Language Programhttp://www.pknu.ac.kr/jsp_eng/admission_c.jsp Pusan National UniversityInternational Language InstituteKorean Language Programhttp://ili.pusan.ac.kr/_English/2001001.asp Pusan University Of Foreign StudiesKorean Language Education Program for Language Learnershttp://klce.pufs.ac.kr/english/sub02.html KLIFFKorean Language Institute for Foreignershttp://kliff.co.kr Dongseo UniversityKorean Language Programhttp://uni.dongseo.ac.kr/eng/?pCode=1306835160Log in
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Transmitierra 2012: Con las Panteras Verdes desde Bankok

Puentes al Mundo - Tue, 05/15/2012 - 21:43

Cerramos nuestro radio maraton con esta intervencion de la profesora Gabriela Jimenez desde la escuela internacional en Bankok Tailandia. Ella y sus alumnos del club ecologico Panteras Verdes nos comparten las iniciativas ambientales en su colegio y ciudad.

26:46 minutes (6.13 MB)

wart removal

KB Discussions - Tue, 05/15/2012 - 17:32

I have a small wart on my hand and was wondering where to go to get it removed. Should I go to a skin care clinic or just to the hospital?

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Acupuncture near KSU

KB Discussions - Tue, 05/15/2012 - 14:31

Hi

Im wondering if anyone knows of a clinic that provides acunpuncture in or near the Ksu area.

Thanks

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Quiet bar in Kyungsung

KB Discussions - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 22:56

I'm looking for a quiet, well lit bar in Kyungsung that also has some decent beers available, either in bottles or on tap. Does anyone know of such a place?

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Transmitierra 2012: Entrevista Mª Magdalena Galiana Lloret (Mada)

Puentes al Mundo - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 20:26

En la hora 12 de nuestro radio maratón hacemos contacto con Maria Magdalena Galiana Lloret Autora y Directora de Radio Solidaria Amiga Online. Hablamos sobre aspectos de la Radio Escolar y tambien sobre la ecología en este día de la Tierra.

Escuchen a Radio Solidaria Amiga como parte de TransMiTierra 2012: Entrevista Energia Sostenible Para Todos

34:49 minutes (7.97 MB)

Modern Design Museum: Hidden Gem in Hongdae

Koreabridge - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 19:11

Modern Design Museum: Hidden Gem in Hongdae
As I found myself on the edge of Hongdae, further away from the bustling restaurant, cafe and club streets near the station, I wandered up a hill. On my phone was a map I downloaded that had highlights one could find in the area.  If you happen to be looking closely at this map then you could have found me in the B1 section. The main part of Hongdae being in the D2-1 quandrants. I saw something up there that said "Modern Design Museum" and so headed in that direction.  After coming to the end of a steep hill I noticed clearly a building marked with that name, and looked suitable to house the attributes of design.  I walked up to the cafe entrance and saw a sign which read, "Push red button for museum entrance." (Yes, in English.) I must have been in Wonderland as there was no one around, and a red button beckoning me. I pressed, waited a while and proceeded inside the cafe. I was greeted by a young lady who asked for 5,000 Won, and showed me up the stairs to the 1st gallery. The Modern Design Museum is arranged in such a way that you can get a very good idea of how design entered and endured through Korea's modern history. You'll see that the use of design from the beginning was for filial and political use, mostly. But as time went on and Western culture seeped in more, the elements and "things" of design permeated it's way into the culture.
Before entering the actually gallery you are greeted by this small guest table, with stamps and postcards for sale. I left a little something behind for their pleasure.
The gallery space is sectioned off into different time periods but mostly categorized by how design had an affect on Korea.  Section 1: Inception Stage (Introduction of Western modern culture...) 1876-1910 The first area you walk in to is full of small photos, pins and memorabilia that any antique enthusiast would roll over in glee about.

Mostly, you could tell, they were trying to show the earliest form of how Korea was promoted to the world. The use of small flags amongst others represents this, which you can get a sense for in the following slideshow.   The incredibly delicate and historic looking photographs were very illuminating. This is an archive definitely worth checking out in your free time. It gave me a greater sense of this country's history. Section 2: Stationary Stage (Slump of Korean traditional culture and the beginning of the corporate) 1910-1945 The next section featured more commercial type items, like postcards and newspapers. Here you got a feel for the propaganda machine in high gear.

  It was fun to see familiar things yet in an older light, such as these traditional playing cards.
Everything had this real used feel to it and the collection was very well put together, organized on view in such a way you could really grasp the concept. These dolls, scene behind glass and featured in a traditional style book case, were ultimately captivating.
  Section 3: Incubating Stage (Begininning of understanding the design usefulness) 1945 - 1961 / Section 4: Early developing stage 1961 - 1976 / Section 5 Developing Stage: (Systemizing design and development through international sports)1976 - 1988 / Section 6: Take-off stage 1988 - 2000 / Section 7: Maturing stage 2000 ~ One moves on from the second floor to the third where they start to enter a part of Korean history where things move upward economically and the role of design becomes more important towards developing an international image.

Everything from small tin-toys, to rice-cookers and TVs seemed to infiltrate themselves into Korean households. It was actually kind of humorous because I could have sworn I've seen some of these old items at use in some places. But all together I really enjoyed this section because it gave me a broader sense of how Korea developed into it's modern self today. I also started to see how important household appliances are and their significance in the change of a traditional society into a modern one.

From rotary phones to keyboards and wireless phones, it seems the conveniences of today opened themselves up to Korea, just as it had everywhere else.

When you get to the final room, the one with sports paraphernalia (the 2002 World Cup), you come to a full understanding of how design made its way through Korea's tumultuous modern history.

After I left the gallery space and headed back down to the cafe, I couldn't help leaving inspired. I mostly feel an affinity to the early postcards that were on display. Already I have inspiration for some new art works. Let's hope I don't take too long to create it.

I purchased a few postcards, said my goodbye and went on my way. But I am here today to tell you to check out this museum. For several reasons:

It's a hidden gem amongst the glut of cafes, couples and Hongdae crowds.
Since it is a hidden gem you likely will find yourself as the only person viewing the place. I was there on a Sunday afternoon, and was the only one. Otherwise, you won't find yourself fighting for elbow room here.
The cafe looked very inviting.
There is a park nearby, worth exploring.
The history! By golly... this place will give your head a swirl.

Directions:

View 근현대디자인박물관 Modern Design Museum in a larger map

Step 1: Go out exit 8 and face this way:

Step 2: Make your way to the rotary:

Step 3: Go left and head towards a street you can take on the right, that features a Family Mart.

Step 4: Find the road on the right that has the Family Mart.

Step 5: Head down the road, alllll the way to the end. You will pass cafes and boutique clothing shops. Plus the Prince Coffee Shop drama place.

Step 6: Find the crosswalk, cross it. Once on the other side make a little U-turn to find a road that is going uphill.

When you see the following, then you know you are in the right spot!

foreignerjoy.blogspot.com

Profile My Artwork Photography JoyTube ExpatAbundance

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Facebook Groups related to Korea (Updated)

Koreabridge - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 11:11

Facebook groups related to Korea
If you have any additions to make, please comment below with the name and URL of the group.
Nationwide Busan Daegu Daejeon Gwangju
Incheon Jeju Seoul Ulsan Other Areas

Nationwide

Busan

Daegu

Daejeon

Gwangju

Incheon

Jeju

Seoul

Ulsan

Other Areas

Facebook Groups related to Korea (Updated)

Aulas Innovadoras: Elaboracion de Material Multimedia con Nicky Lagunes

Puentes al Mundo - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 07:03

Les presentamos nuestro programa piloto de Aulas Innovadoras iniciativa de Encuentro Tijuana
Conexión para los docentes y sus inquietudes

Nicandra Lagunes Castillo (Nicky) desde Xalapa, Veracruz, México.
La maestra Nicky Lagunes estudió la Licenciatura en Educación Primaria y la Maestría en Educación, y obtuvo la Certificación en la Norma técnica de competencia laboral del Estado de Veracruz: Alfabetización Digital, (código: NVTIC007). Actualmente cursa la especialidad en competencias de información y tecnología aplicadas en educación. Es integrante del Comité Técnico que elaboró la Norma Técnica de Competencias Laboral del Estado de Veracruz.
Es docente de posgrados y formación continua y se desempeña en el área de diseño instruccional y de contenidos de cursos, talleres y diplomados presenciales y en línea. Asimismo, ha tenido participación del programa formando formadores. De enero de 2008 a la fecha, es responsable del proyecto uso pedagógico de las TIC de la Dirección de Educación Normal del estado de Veracruz.

Su presentación como parte de Encuentro Tijuana - Conexión para los docentes y sus inquietudes que se llevo acabo el 20 y 21 de abril, 2012.
El uso del Software JClic como apoyo en el aula
Twitter: @nickylag

Los esperamos el segundo domingo de cada mes a las 10 a.m. Mexico D.F. 15 GMT hora universal en los estudios de Aulas Innovadoras en Puentes al Mundo. Un saludo cordial del equipo de Encuentro Tijuana: Ana Cristina Borquez, Daniel Mocencahua, Blanca Parra y en apoyo tecnico Jose Rodriguez.

37:46 minutes (8.69 MB)

KMK: Lady Gaga Concert Experience

Koreabridge - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 05:00

KMK: Lady Gaga

On March 28th Lady Gaga descended upon the citizens of Seoul like some intergalactic Madonna searching for her brood of little monsters. Of course the arrival of anything unfamiliar or foreign stirred up the hornets nest of angry ajummas on the lookout for a scapegoat. Lady Gaga took on the sins of every imagined ill afflicting Korean society by bringing her Born This Way concert to the land of the morning calm.

Hordes of “Christians” protested the concert even managing to elicit a ban of fans under the age of eighteen from attending. Railing against Gaga’s supposed “promotion” of pornography and homosexuality don’t these folks have nothing better to do than trod on other people’s freedom of expression and right to exist? If they had actually stuck around an saw Gaga’s concert they would have realized she’s about as racy as a PG-13 movie. I’ve seen more skin at the beaches here in Korea or from a half dozen K-pop acts than on her stage.

Her arrival should have been met with open arms not a fist. She’s an A list act who chose to not only perform in Seoul ( a city some other big names somehow avoid) but to also kick off her world tour. Though part of me wishes she’d started somewhere else before Korea just so the kinks could have been worked out. A few of those mentioned by concert goers include the mass of bodies one had to forge to receive an over 18 wrist band; the horrendous 12 hour wait some endured for the special monster pit section; but besides those two quibbles my one big gripe was actually the venue itself. Olympic Stadium is a monolithic monstrosity of concrete and steel from the eighties. It’s sheer size overwhelmed Lady Gaga. Her whole performance rests upon a backbone of stunning visuals and images that dazzle. For the folks in the sitting sections circling the stadium as well as the people in standing section B she was little more than a firefly buzzing in the distance.

However, if you were one of the lucky ones in standing A or the coveted monsters pit, then you were treated to a spectacle worthy of any sci-fi fantasy epic. She entered on a mechanical “horse” escorted by lithe human bodies, she strutted with a keyboard headpiece with guitars as adornments, she rocked out on an over sized Harley Davidson that somehow she became part of. In other words she put the show in showstopper, but only if you managed to be within 200 feet.

Moral of the story? Buy great seats, stay home and watch the videos or have “creative” friends (hey Joe) who know how to work their way to the main stage.

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Dear Korea #066 - Unintentionally Funny

Koreabridge - Mon, 05/14/2012 - 00:01

Dear Korea #066 - Unintentionally Funny

Okay readers, let me start off by saying I AM VERY SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE. If you would like to continue reading to find out why, feel free. If not, please enjoy the comic, and I apologize once again for the lack of comics over the past month or so. I hope this one is funny enough to make up for it.

Anyways, before I give my explanation, let me explain the comic. Since I’ve come to Korea, I’ve seen so many random shirts that say the most hilarious things on them. It makes me wonder if people are even aware of what they’re getting into when they purchase and wear said clothes. What makes it even funnier is when you see the children’s clothes with very adult quotes on them. Some of my favorites include:
“I support Desert Storm.”
“Congratulations on not being pregnant!”

Really, I guess it’s not too different from when non-Chinese people get tattoos of Chinese characters on their bodies. When comparing the two situations, I think I’d rather have a silly shirt over something permanent. What are some of the funniest shirts you’ve seen during your time in Korea (or anywhere else)? Please do share!

As promised, here’s a brief explanation of what’s been going on to clear up why I’ve been missing. First off, my computer died in a very horrible way. When you have a comic that is completely done on the computer, that’s not good news. Not having the time to get it fixed right away, I had to wait until someone was able to take it to the service center to get it fixed for me. I ended up losing my hard drive, along with a lot of important stuff I had on it. I am happy to say that they were able to save the older Dear Korea files (meaning that making a book is still possible!), but it’s taken me a long time to recover all of the programs and extra files I needed to actually create the comic. Needless to say, that experience was not fun. Thank goodness for Korea’s great and affordable services!

Second, I started a new, full-time job at an animation company. Great news, right? It’s been a thrill to work at such an amazing company, but the amount of time and work I’ve been putting into it has taken a toll on everything else. Up until recently, I had mostly been working part-time at different jobs while spending most of my time doing freelance at home. As busy as all that kept me, I still had time to work on other projects (such as this comic).

The issue now is that I don’t seem to have nearly as much time to dedicate myself to things outside of work. That being said, I would hate to have to stop doing Dear Korea, especially since this comic has some of the best readers in the world. With that in mind, I am regretful to say that this will now be a bi-weekly comic. It may go back to being updated on a weekly basis if I can manage to find a better way to do things (not having internet at work has made things really difficult), but I’m afraid that I won’t be able to keep up with the old schedule at the moment. I sincerely apologize, and I hope everyone can understand that this was not an easy decision for me. What can I say? I love receiving weekly feedback ♥

Anyways, though it wasn’t as brief as I thought it would be, I hope this all explains my absence, as well as the change in schedule that will be starting from today. Thanks for reading!

Jen Lee's Dear Korea

This is Jen Lee. She likes to draw.
She also likes green tea.

Got any questions, comments, or maybe even some delicious cookies you want to send through the internet? Feel free to contact us at dearkoreacomic at gmail dot com.

You can also leave comments on the comic’s Facebook Page!

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Foreign Women Dating Korean Men: We are not sluts

Koreabridge - Sat, 05/12/2012 - 16:42

Foreign Women Dating Korean Men: We are not sluts

This is a response to my post, "Foreign Women Dating Korean: Are We Sluts?"where I tried to address the issue brought up on another person's blog about how some foreign women felt when approached by Korean men. The main issue, I feel, was do the actions of foreign woman have an affect on the mindset of Korean men or are Korean men just men? The main idea being that there are several foreign women bloggers who write explicitly about their relationship and adventures with Korean men, and some of the comments they receive. Dating in Korea, is one of the main examples.

I have to admit that for a while there my opinion was that if foreign women open themselves up in a sexual way easily and quickly to Korean men, that the majority of Korean men will think foreign women to be easy sexual partners. I think what mainly drove this opinion was fear that when I faced the Korean dating scene I would not compare to other foreign women, and be disliked. However, I am here today to tell you of my changed opinion and to back it up with experience. I think it is important for foreign women expats to understand that the dating scene in Korea is no different than that in their home country. And that the opinions of Korean men are shaped by their experiences with foreign women, but that in the end they are individuals still making their own choices.

Last September I was thrust back into the single world, after ending a two-year relationship with a Korean guy. Again I found myself heading to the Online dating sites to find someone new, and I what I discovered is that a lot had changed in the two years since my absence. Keep in mind, I do not go to clubs or bars where other foreign women pick up or get picked on by Korean men. So my perspective is solely from the shy-non party-girl perspective.

This time I used several dating sites beyond the usual Korean Cupid, and some social networking Apps. In this case I was able to "meet", through digital means", many Korean men. The ones I ended up meeting in real-life were fewer than those I talked with online. Since I am 30 the age range of men I talked with were from 27 to 35 years old. Through all this I noticed that they had experience talking with foreign women online, and some had more experience meeting foreign women. It depended on which site or App you were using, but there tended to be genuine men looking for genuine experiences. However, there were a group of men who asked typical sexual questions and eventually out right asked for it.

Never once did I feel like these men thought foreign women were sluts, but rather were each individuals looking for a certain something. Whether it were sex, friendship, language exchange or a relationship it was made clear either by their profile or through chat. Never did I get a response like, "But foreign woman want sex, why not you?"

Because of my recent experience of using online dating and meeting a few guys for dates, I can say that Korean men don't see foreign women as sluts. I think, however, that there are a lot of lonely Korean men out there that because of their status and other reasons haven't had success dating Korean women. Therefore, I have found that some Korean men are turning to foreign women because of the "freedom" they feel. It can be easily accounted for that dating between Koreans can be a casual thing, but more often than not it tends to be a serious matter. For example, some Korean men can be rejected simply on their blood type or their height. Whereas, foreign women can be picky, I do believe we tend to lean towards the personality when choosing a partner and not cross-examining everything about the other person.

In the end, I strongly feel that both men and women are free to date whoever and however they please. Certainly, the Korean dating scene is a unique experience and makes living in Korea more dynamic. But one shouldn't be concerned that certain actions of foreign women make Korean men think that all foreign women are the same.

I especially wanted to write this response-post, because my original post has garnered a lot of hits over the months. I wanted to make sure people understood where I stand on this subject today. I hope I have made myself clear and I am open to any thoughts about what I have said. Lastly, I have a new person in my life, but things have just begun. I hope this new relationship lasts so that eventually I can bring up our fun adventures together.

foreignerjoy.blogspot.com

Profile My Artwork Photography JoyTube ExpatAbundance

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Missing post

KB Discussions - Sat, 05/12/2012 - 16:02

Recently there was a post on here about someone having the record length of time for teaching without a visa. Well now I cannot find it. Has anyone one else seen it or know who it was that wrote it?

Thank you

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Where the Wild Things Are

Koreabridge - Sat, 05/12/2012 - 15:43

Where the Wild Things Are

I love the book Where the Wild Things Are, I have since I was little. I remember when my Kindergarten teacher read the book to the class, I also remember that I was convinced that it was a book written by her husband since both their last names were Sendak.

To honor and remember the awesomeness that was Maurice Sendak's literary legacy, I decided yesterday's Current Issue class would be a great way to introduce some of Mr. Sendak's Wild Things to some of my Wild Things.

My "Current Issues" class- which is a current events class that usually gets passed up for coloring or random fun time on Friday, was used for a great purpose this week.

My class, along with the other kindergarten classes, spent the afternoon in Orion class for a story and a craft.

First I read them Where the Wild Things Are, although the kids were more interested in the pictures- but they're 4 and 5 and who doesn't love awesome pictures at that age. And really if you're going to go crazy over children's lit pictures, these are some great ones to demand to see up close (again and again).

After the story, I had the supplies ready to make "Wild Thing" masks. I had also made myself a Max crown in case a few of the kids wanted to make those instead. It turns out that EVERYONE wanted to make crowns, so that's what we did. (If you want to make your own 'Wild Thing' Masks, or 'King of the Wild Thing' Crowns for your kiddos or a class full of kiddos- I've put some how-to's and a list of supplies at the bottom of this post.

I didn't expect them to be so popular so I didn't have enough yellow paper for each kid to get two sheets. When dealing with a room of kids ages 4-6 telling them that some kids have to have white crowns instead of yellow because there isn't enough yellow paper is not an acceptable answer- so instead everyone made half yellow, half white crowns! YAY!

Even when things are equal, in Kindergarten you still get those looks, as kindly demonstrated by Allie. I was very thankful that we had so many helping hands with the little ones. I think all the crowns turned out really great.

Some crowns embellished. (My co-worker Anne is right, our friend Johnny always gives the best faces in pictures.)

Where some went the more traditional route (Philip is also famous for giving crazy faces).

Holly got really creative and made two crowns, the one she made out of scraps, and the much more 'abstract' crown which was the remnants taped together.

Holly and the finished product- much more Little Mermaid, then Where the Wild Things Are, but still really awesome and super creative.

Those are some hard working "Wild Things".

So THANK YOU Mr. Sendak, for having a profound impact on my childhood and the childhoods of so many. I'm glad my own 'Wild Things' could meet you and be impacted by you, if even in a small way. You will always be fondly remembered. Thank you for so many wild rumpuses!

For the King of the Wild Things (Maurice Sendak 1928-2012) with Love,
Jenna

How To:

"King of the Wild Things" Crowns:
What you will need:
-2 sheets of paper per child (or inner child- 3 if your inner Wild Thing has a really big head)
-scissors
-glue, tape, or a stapler
-crayons or markers (optional)
-your imagination
-any embellishments you want to add to the tops of your peaks or the brim- feathers, cotton balls, faux fur would all make great additions

Now these crowns are super easy, and there is no wrong way to be a Wild Thing. So you can go the traditional route and cut a zig zag pattern into your paper- I made my peaks intentionally uneven to look more childlike and wild. Or you can cut out triangles and glue them together to form a crown like Holly did.

Then check the fit and secure the crown with a staple, glue, or tape, and go run wild!

"Wild Thing" Masks
What you will need:
-a half a paper plate per child
-crayons or markers
-string or elastic
-scrap paper for horns, beaks, ears, hair/fur, or other Wild parts
-glue to stick on the scrap paper
-any embellishments like faux fur, yarn, cotton to make your masks even more wild.

Mark the back of the paper plate half for each child's eyes and cut out the eye holes (you may need to help with this- I've also found that triangles make for good eye shapes that are easy to cut out). Let your kiddo go to town on decorating the front of the mask using Where the Wild Things Are for inspiration, if needed. Once finished decorating the front and the glue is dried measure how much string or elastic is needed by having the child hold the mask up to their face and wrap the string around the back of their head. You can either then staple the string to the inside of the mask, or punch a small hole on each side of the mask then thread the string through the whole and knot it to hold in place. Put them on and let your wild rumpus start!

Reading the book and doing one of the crafts took my 11 4-6 year olds about 45 minutes (with the help of 5-6 adults). ENJOY!

P.S. While looking at my schools library for their copy of Where the Wild Things Are, I found one of THE best children's books at my school the other day The Big Orange Splot, one of my most favorite books when I was a kid! Way to go individual creativity!! My school is officially a lot cooler now that I know they have this book.

From Busan with Love
Jennaslesinski.blogspot.com

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KAs@Work: Kevin Ost-Vollmers of Land of a Gazillion Adoptees

Koreabridge - Sat, 05/12/2012 - 07:05

KAs@Work: Kevin Ost-Vollmers of Land of a Gazillion Adoptees

When it comes to online communities for adoptees, Land of a Gazillion Adoptees (LGA) is at the top of the list. LGA is an adoptee-centric blog based out of Minnesota, and at the helm of operations isKevin Ost-Vollmers, LGA’s founder.

No stranger to Korean Beacon readers (see our feature on Minneapolis and St.Paul), Kevin talks with us about LGA’s framework and goals, his upcoming projects, Minnesota’s strong Korean adoptee community, and his thoughts on the changing adoption discourse.

Tell us a little about Land of Gazillion Adoptees. How did it come to be, who makes up the team, and what is LGA’s mission? How is it different from other adoption-related organizations?

I call Slanty of Slant Eye For The Round Eye the Godfather of Land of Gazillion Adoptees (LGA). After encouraging me repeatedly over a four month period to write something for him, Slanty planted another seed: “Dude, you should totally start your own blog.” So, after a short test run on Facebook as a person/entity known as “Land of Gazillion Adoptees,” I launched LGA in June of 2011.

Since launching, the LGA team has grown. The blog has two editors – Shelise Gieske and me. The hope is to add a third editor by the year’s end. Additionally, the blog has six regular contributors; A.J. Bryant (Indian adoptee); Aaron Cunningham (the only nonadoptee); Farnad Darnell (Iranian adoptee); Nisha Grayson (Indian adoptee); Jared Rehberg (Vietnamese adoptee); and P. Teal(Korean adoptee).

How is LGA different from other adoption-related organizations?

Unlike most other adoptee organizations, LGA is a for-profit company, the purpose of which is to offer a wide array of adoption-related products and services with the end goal of:

elevating the impact of adoptee lead organizations, programs, and projects;
elevating the stature of adoptees in the adoption community and in the wider community;
enhancing relationships adoptees have with some of their natural partners, i.e., first/second/third generation immigrant populations and people of color from other communities.

I believe it’s safe to say that LGA has obtained some success. However, I can only take a small amount of credit. LGA, similar to other adoptee organizations, is driven by collaboration. The blog, for example, is a community space we (Shelise, the contributors, and I) build with others, in particular adoptees. The anthology LGA is co-publishing with Vietnamese adoptee Adam Rebholz, of CQT Media & Publishing, will be a book we produce with some outstanding writers. The soon-to-be-launched Watch Adoptee Films (WAF), a subsidiary of LGA, will be a partnership between Jared Rehberg, Bert Ballard, and me.

from top right: Shelise Gieske, Jared Rehberg, and Nisha Grayson

LGA has different media components (blog, podcasts, film projects, etc.). Why did you decide to incorporate all of these elements? Which media tools have been the most effective for LGA’s mission?

Because I have a short attention span? Just kidding…

I’m a huge music guy. One of my all-time favorite Rock Gods is Damon Albarn of Blur, Gorillaz, Rocket Juice & The Moon, etc. He collaborates with so many people! On top of that, he utilizes all types of artistic media, and the results are spot on 99.9% of the time. Seriously, how awesome is “DoYaThing,” a Gorillaz ditty featuring Andre 3000 of Outkast and James Murphy of LCD Sound System?

Believe it or not, Albarn and other artists who thrive on the collaborative/multi-media approach inspire much of what happens at LGA, and the fruits of the approach aren’t so bad. For example, Shelise Gieseke took over half of the blog in January. Since then we have covered a pretty expansive range of topics, talked with all types of adoptees, adoptive parents, first parents, and adoption “establishment” figures. These conversations were blasted out into the world through podcasts, traditional text interviews, written personal narratives, and videos.

As a result, we saw the blog’s viewership reach new levels – minimum of 10,000-25,000 unique visits in March. Not so bad for a “niche” blog, right? Time will tell what media tool(s) work the best for LGA, but right now the combination of different media components to “tell the story” is the name of the game for us.

Visit: www.landofgazillionadoptees.com

You’ve had the privilege of meeting and interviewing many Korean American adoptees. Are there any in particular whose stories stood out the most?

Indeed, I’ve had the great opportunity to talk with a number of Korean American adoptees in the past eleven months. The conversations have all been compelling, and they give me a great deal of pride; I’m really proud to be a Korean adoptee because our community is kicking some major ass.

Some people consider Lee Herrick, whom Jared Rehberg interviewed, as the “Godfather of Adoptee Poetry.” How cool is that?! Tammy Ko Robinson, Tobias Hubinette, Kim Stoker, and Jane Jeong Trenka were all instrumental in bringing forth much needed adoption legislation in South Korea. Major props to them! And you know what’s the icing on the cake? They’ve gotten under the skin of some old timers in the US adoption agency community.

I recently had a heated (and wine/beer infused) conversation with Nancy Fox of Americans for International Aid and Adoption. She said to me, fingers wagging: “They [Tammy, Tobias, Kim, and Jane] have sentenced Korean kids to death in institutions! You have sentenced the Korean kids to death in institutions for supporting them!” This from a person who has been known to treat “radical adoptees” as individuals unworthy of her time. Well, apparently they’re worth her time now. Hehehe! Minnesotan Korean adoptees represent!

Historically, the state that I live in has been considered an “adoption hub” because of agencies like Children’s Home Society & Family Services and Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota. Together, these agencies have placed tens of thousands of adoptees with families. However, these days one would be hard pressed to argue against the notion that Korean adoptees, in collaboration with other adoptees with different backgrounds, set the tone.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to do some name dropping of well known Korean adoptees who just happen to live in the lovely state of Minnesota: Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, JaeRan Kim, Kim Park Nelson, Hei Kyong Kim, Julie Hart, Kari Ruth, Ami Nafzger, Sun Yung Shin, Mayda Miller, Jennifer Arndt-Johns, Kyan Bodden, Lisa Medici, Brooke Newmaster, David Moschkau, Judy Eckerle, Deborah Johnson, Katie Leo, and Sun Mee Chomet.

With all that said, the conversations that stand out are the ones that remind me that a lot of work remains to be done for the adoptee community. It’s sobering to hear Joy Lieberthal, a veteran of adoption, talk about her clients, who are mostly kids and teens. It’s startling to hear Melanie Chung-Sherman, another veteran, talk about adoption disruption cases, i.e., “rehoming,” she sees on a monthly basis. It’s infuriating to be talking about adoptees, such as Russell Green, who are at the risk of becoming deported out of the US because of mistakes made by adoptive parents, adoption agencies, and state and federal governments.

left to right: Lee Herrick, Jane Jeong Trenka, and Kim Stoker

You’re doing a tremendous job at bringing new voices and views to the adoption discourse, as well as highlighting the many accomplishments and projects by the adoptee community. Since you started LGA, do you think adoption narratives have become more visible and included within the “Korean American experience”?

No. Absolutely not. For one, the increase in presence of the Korean adoptee experience within the broader Korean American experience has been going on for quite some time. For another, LGA frequently features adoptees who are not Korean.

With that said, I think LGA has played a small, yet significant role in elevating the voices of Korean adoptees within the “adoption establishment.” For example, in a March LGA podcast, the President and CEO of Joint Council on International Children’s Services, a DC Metro-based organization with influence, went on the record saying he would work with the adoptees (many are Korean) who have been pushing for legislation to end the US practice of deporting international adoptees whose naturalization paperwork were not properly finalized. Since the podcast, the President and CEO of the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has agreed to offer NCFA’s support for an adoptee lead effort.

McLane Layton, who is widely considered the “architect” of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, has expressed interest in joining the “coalition” as well. And Adam Pertman of the Evan B. Donaldson Institute, Parents for Ethical Adoption Reform, Ethica, and the Korean Adoptee Adoptive Parent Network (KAAN) have all asked to be kept in the loop.

Interesting mix of individuals/organizations willing to play support to adoptees, right? Would this have happened last year about this time without LGA’s ongoing efforts to elevate the voices of adoptees? Maybe. Maybe not. In the end, what matters most is stopping the deportation of international adoptees once and for all.

You’ve been instrumental with raising funds for KUMFA/Heater, and have been very vocal about the lack of benefits for single mothers in South Korea. How do you think the lack of support for single parents effects adoption rates in South Korea and elsewhere?

The lack of support for single parents plays a pivotal role in adoption rates in South Korea (and beyond). In a recent Facebook thread, Jane Jeong Trenka, who currently lives in SK and works closely with single parent organizations, offered the following: “Probably most Korean single mothers are ready to take care of their own if they are given the encouragement and financial support to do so (as they are at Aeranwon, where I think 80-85% keep their babies). Most are given a snowball’s chance. You try raising a newborn on $44 a month while your breasts are leaking milk.”

The unwillingness of the “progressive” adult adoptee community and the “adoption agency” adoptee community to talk with each other also plays a pivotal role. Because of our size and diversity of thought, the Korean adoptee community is in many ways heavily fragmented. I believe this fact holds us back from accomplishing much more as a group. Nevertheless, it doesn’t have to be this way. Imagine if the Tammy Chus, Tobias Hubinettes, and Jane Jeong Trenkas of the world joined forces with the Kathy Saccos, Melanie Chung-Shermans, and Joy Lieberthals of the world. Damn! Think about what a “supergroup” like that could accomplish with single mother organizations, Korean adoption agencies, and sympathetic members of the South Korean Assembly!

Yes, I know. Total pipedream.

Are you working on any other projects for LGA or another organization?

Yuppers. As I mentioned earlier, LGA is co-publishing an anthology this summer that will focus on the idea of “adoptees as parents.” The list of writers is hot: Bert Ballard, Susan Branco Alvarado, Stephani-Kripa Cooper-Lewter, Lorial Crowder, Astrid Dabbeni, Shannon Gibney, Mark Hagland, JaeRan Kim, Jennifer Lauck, Mary Mason, Robert O’Connor, John Raible, and Sandy White Hawk.

Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, Watch Adoptee Films (WAF), a subsidiary of LGA, will launch mid May. The purpose of WAF is to make adoptee-centric films available to a broad audience. Some films we will be showing are Adopted and Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam. We’re in touch with other filmmakers and should have confirmations from them very soon.

Lastly, any advice for someone trying to start a similar endeavor?

Know your five-year plan. Be fearless. Take risks. Laugh at yourself often. Enjoy clean hair.

Land of Gazillion Adoptees
www.landofgazillionadoptees.com
Follow LGA on Facebook
Look out for LGA’s upcoming projects, Watch Adoptee Films and the “Adoptees as Parents” anthology.

Koreanbeacon.com

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