A Sad Day for Pakistan, and Soju 101

me and Usman میں آپ سے محبت کرتی ہوں


Before discussing the light-hearted events of my week, I want to take a moment to express my condolences to the people who were attacked on Saturday. The news reports that a mass suicide bombing has killed over 50 people at a Mariott hotel in Islamabad. Among the dead are one American citizen and the Czech ambassador to Pakistan. Foreigners from many countries, including Germany, Morocco, and Britain, were injured or are still missing. This is a tragedy for the world, not just for Pakistan. I want to express my sadness and sympathy for those who were closely affected by this terrible misfortune. I am so very sorry.

Despite the tragic nature of this past week, with hurricane Ike destroying so much in the US, and the attack in Pakistan, there are many things I was able to enjoy this week in Korea. For instance, we had a lecture from Dr. Steven Jordan, KAIST School of Business Associate Professor of finance; give some insight into his research on the “Historical Perspective on International Evidence of Long-Term Reversals in Finance.” You’re probably thinking the same thing I did – um, huh? At first I had no idea what he was talking about! As the lecture continued, I was able to understand his reason for researching the topic, and why it is so applicable in finance and business today. Basically he compared different data sets relative to financial performance of the stock market and investments. Initial research showed that long-term reversals of financial performance exist, and as a result, affect the legality of the way financial investors do business. That is, if the market is consistently showing long-term reversals in market fluctuation, then there is some consistent measure of predictability, and if this information is used in future trading, could be considered inside information, not available to the public but understood by those in the financial world. If this assumption was proven true, it could change the way people invest from this point onward. Dr. Jordan focused his research on both international and US historical data, and rather than use a short time period, he focused on the long-term data available. Given this new perspective, Dr. Jordan was able to show that using international data and a long-term spectrum of statistics gives some proof that in the long-term, financial reversals do not exist with any liable regularity. Anyway, the lecture was really insightful and informative, and I appreciated the time he spent in delivering his message.

On a more humanitarian note, I will be assisting some local volunteers this Saturday in their efforts to support the homeless community with necessities. The Daejeon Homeless shelter owns a chestnut field, and cultivates the nuts and uses the proceeds to keep their center open and to buy food and clothing for the needy. I’m excited…I have no idea how to pick chestnuts! I’m really pleased to branch out into the local community in service. In my experience, when you are in the service of others, you can always make good friends. The weather has been perfect for the past week, so spending time outside is something I really look forward to as well.

This week in pictures: I thought it would be interesting to show you a Korean McDonalds menu. Big Bulgogi burger….mmm? Who knows. That corn salad just screams "fast food," doesn't it?Local street vendors selling Korean snacks. I've never tried any of these things, just because I have no idea what's in them, and it's probably going to stay that way. I take one look at dried out squid jerky and my body and brain go into flight mode. Walking around the streets here is always entertaining, I love taking pictures because it's all so colorful and vibrant.And finally, I'm going to educate you on the traditional Korean alcohol known as Soju(pronounced like so-jew) and Korean dining. Soju is low-grade liquor made from rice. One bottle costs about $1-3. It tastes similar to cheap vodka, and has pretty much the same effect. Anything else, any other type of alcohol, is SO overpriced. My first experience with soju was unforgettably painful – I couldn’t eat or even SMELL food for two days, and my head ached so badly I vowed never to touch the stuff again. So just like anything, taking it in moderation is a good rule of thumb. One thing I really love about this place is the Hof and Beer restaurants. They are located on every block of the city, and each one is like a little party room with a theme. The music is always good and loud, the food is “interesting,” the views are spectacular, and the service is so cool. But the best part is that the staff never hurries you to leave, in fact, they expect you to sit there all night drinking and having a good time with friends. Every seat is a booth, so you always have your own private space to enjoy with friends. After you are seated, they always bring out several little dishes of completely random snacks (anything from tiny radish cubes to salted seaweed paper), and take your order. After you order, they bring you your receipt and then - imagine this - leave you alone for the rest of the night! If you need anything, you just push the little buzzer located near the table, and they come immediately to see what you want, and then they add it to the receipt. No need to tip, no pressure to order anything, no rude service! Korean dining is so great!!! Pictured above - an interesting dish of watermelon, honeydew, canned peaches, apples, bananas, whipped cream, raisins, and tomatoes.

Thanks to all of my family and friends for checking out my blog and keeping tabs on me! I like hearing your thoughts and welcome any advice or questions you have. Let me know if there's anything you want to see, and I'll find a way to post it here! I’ll write again soon, so until then I miss you all and I hope you are thinking about coming to Korea now!!!

The First Chuseok, and My Own Ajumoni

Today is Chuseok holiday! For Koreans, this celebration is the equivalent of an American Thanksgiving in many ways. For three days, people travel back to their homes in the country, leaving the city and all of the trappings of metropolitan life behind. They give thanks for the harvest moon and the plentiful crop that allows them to enjoy this holiday with traditional feasting. In the city, there are festivals and activities that people can share together. But unlike the States, Koreans also celebrate Chuseok to honor their ancestors with traditional ceremonies. Both the old and young come together to visit and provide care to the graves of their ancestors. It’s a time of remembrance, and the solitude over the city is at times tangible.
As a special gift, the university, together with Nuri Hall, provided its students with a traditional Chuseok gift, called Songpyeon. As you can see, they are crescent-shaped little glutinous rice cakes. Inside of these, you will normally find some kind of savory filling - mine had something like peanut-butter, it may have been chestnut paste but I’m not sure. Anyway, the little crescents are steamed over a layer of pine needles and then given as gifts during the holiday.


It makes me sad to be here during a holiday and not be able to celebrate with my family. I went to Gapcheon river yesterday to study and take my mind away from being homesick. I’ve been thinking about my family a lot lately, since baby nephew Preston is due today, and the lonely feeling is beginning to set in. What is a beautiful moment at the river, and the wind blowing the clouds across the sky, without someone to share it with? And suddenly...I had a new friend! My very own ajumoni! A beautiful Korean woman on a bike slowed down next to me, and to my complete shock, said, “ah, hello! Are you a student here?” I was completely caught off guard, and so I answered using the best broken English I could. “Yes, student.” Fortunately, she speaks English very well, and was very interested in having a good conversation at length. If there’s one thing I know, Koreans love to take their time with conversation. I’m coming to realize, to my satisfaction, that patience is not just a virtue here, it’s a way of life. My ajumoni wanted to know everything about me, and in turn, expressed many of her own wishes and opinions. She graduated from the top university in Seoul many years ago with a bachelor’s degree. She then went on to work for Daewoo for 5 years in accounting, until she decided to start a family. She has two sons; both are very dedicated to their education, and therefore live on campus at their respective institutions. With both sons away, she tells me, “I have empty bird’s nest syndrome.” And so we have become instant friends, maybe more out of necessity than anything else. I can’t wait to visit her home, just a few minutes’ walk from Nuri hall. She has promised to teach me all things Korean, including how to prepare and make Kimchee, speak Korean, and anything else I want to know. In turn, I have agreed to meet her every Sunday evening at the river for a little exercise.
I know what you all must be thinking, right? Someone is looking out for me? Well, maybe they are. All my love….