Teaching in Korea with Access South Korea Now

Jennifer McMaster's Intro Video

Here is a video that one of our former teachers and current MVP staff members made about her experience working in Korea and working with ASK Now:

Noraebang Medley Amazing Scavenger Hunt Race 2009

Here is a medley of performances at the 2009 ASK Now-ETO Amazing Scanvenger Hunt Race. As part of the event, teams had to sing a song at a Noraebang (singing room) and the score that they receive at the end of the song was added to their point total.

Overall, it was a great day and the teams did a great job of entertaining us!

Visit ASK Now for more about teaching in Korea

Very Funny Experience from one of our Teachers

Hello Jason,

I'm fine, thank you! How are you? I'm trying to teach my students other words besides "fine" such as, good, great, ok, fantastic, so-so, doing well, fabulous, not good, terrible, terrific.............ANYTHING besides "fine". "I'm fine, thank you" seems to be hard wired into their brains. However, I was able to teach one student to respond with " I'm absolutely fabulous!"

I didn't go site-seeing very much in the winter, so I don't have that many pictures. I do have some interesting stories though..........

For example, in my early experiments with soju back in January, I met with some friends and had one bottle too many, but felt ok. So, rode the subway (made it just fine), then rode the bus, and missed my stop by a couple. I went ahead and got off the bus, and thought I would just walk the rest of the way home. During my walk is when the soju really hit me and I fell down in the snow a couple of times, then I passed a place with a big, fancy, and bright neon sign. It looked magical because, as you know, there are not very many big bright neon signs in Seoul. Anyway, it looked like a bar, so for some reason I thought if I stopped and had a beer it might sober me up. I have no idea why I thought having a beer would sober me up.

Well, I went into the place at about 12:30 am and didn't see a bar just a desk and a hallway. But there were many beer signs and bottles of alcohol. So, I asked for a beer and they laughed at me, but I didn't understand why they were laughing. They finally agreed to give me a beer and took me to a room with a large sectional sofa, a big table, a giant tv, and a giant remote control! I remember thinking "how cool my own private tv and sofa to sit and drink my one beer." I also remember playing with the remote and asking if they had The History Channel.......unfortunately they didn't. Then they asked if I wanted a girl to keep me company........I thought "sure, why not?" Then they asked if I wanted two......again I thought "sure, why not?".

After that I had a few more beers and only remember bit's and pieces, like talking away to the girls as if they understood everything I was saying, and then stumbling around town trying to find my way home. The last thing I remember was seeing the sunrise as I finally found my apartment. The next morning I woke up on the floor in the kitchen with a receipt for 175,000 Won and a headache. As you may have guessed by now, the place wasn't a bar. It was a singing room. I didn't even know singing room places existed.

Anyway, I learned two lessons:

1. Don't drink more than 3 full bottles of soju.
2. If you do drink more than 3 bottles of soju, don't explore new places without a guide.

Jason W.

ROK Talk Episode 3

Episode 3...We have a Name! from Jason Cresswell on Vimeo.

Our name has been decided!

In this episode, bad blooded dual citizens live in Hanok with women who can't drive. Or something like that.

www.asknow.ca

Paintball April 25

info coming soon to events page. went today to scout. looks fun!

Flash Mob In Daegu

Here is a fun video of a flash mob in downtown Daegu. The foreigners in that city know how to have a party! Promoting a new magazine about Daegu as well. Check it out.

Teach in Korea

Short Skirts, Bribery, Crazy Canadians and Good Burgers

Episode 2 of the show is up!

Beta Version Episode 2 March 20 2009 from Jason Cresswell on Vimeo.

Update from Melissa in Gangneung

Here is the latest installment from our guest blogger and ASK Now rep Melissa Steach currently in Gangneung. Enjoy!

I went skydiving for the first time last year. It was a Friday morning in California and like most every day it was a great day to be outdoors. For years I'd listened as others talked about jumping and said, oh hell no -- not me. But this morning was different. I had the day off, it was lovely and what the hell else had I to do but... jump. I made no phone calls to boast my plans. Instead I turned off my cell phone and drove.

As the plane climbed to the required height so did my confidence. Sensing that all I had was the big German whose lap I was now strapped to and the slim but real possibility that this jump could be my first and our last, I relaxed. It was then that I understood how when facing great fear a person can shit their pants: When your mind accepts the plain fact that in this moment you have absolutely no control, the body lets go as well. Kneeling down beside the gaping door of the tiny shuttle I looked at the miniature land below, said a prayer and fell into air. As instructed, my body bent backwards spooning the German and like flying squirrels we screamed, squealed and laughed for what felt like a lifetime of free fall. With my tug, our chute opened silently. Our speed slowed without aggravation. I gasped. My god it's beautiful were the only words I uttered the entire way down.

Spring has broken from Winter's ground. My daily hikes have replaced my morning yoga. It seems that people aren't the only life forces I'm interested in meeting these days. On Monday I met a lovely tree named Magnolia. Tuesday I spied a bunch of shy violets. By Wednesday I'd run into some flirty yellow buds and on Thursday I made the acquaintance of a Maltese named Boris. He in turn introduced me to his caretaker Sally, a young woman from California. We hit it off immediately and made plans for me to join she and her friends for some home-cooked Indian cuisine and knitting. Upon learning that I grew up in Alabama -- Sally pronounced that I will meet her expat friend from Montgomery and so it unfolds...

By Saturday I was off to Seoul. The city was aflutter. Like bees to honey the boys buzzed and the girls dripped. My five months of feeling sexually invisible instantly combusted. Women of every ethnicity strutted down the streets of Itaewon and I joined in the parade. Dinner was followed by dancing with friends and the young morning found us all at a Reggae club. Though a sudden rain had set in, no dimmed spirits were witnessed. We winded and grinded and all out stirred it up. Evidence of our joy marked by a cycle of condensation and sweat on the club windows. The owner / bartender was an unusually tall, but typically friendly Korean. The Filipino waitresses were a cocktail of bubbly personality, shiny eyes, hair and teeth. The establishment wife was an undeniably delightful drunk. The Africans were obviously so, yet distinctly Korean, switching languages as easily as they swayed to Bob.

After no more than a few hours sleep at the jjimjilbang, I awoke tired but relaxed. I was eager to discover what Sunday's jump would show me. My second free fall was tandem with a friend I'd made when last in Seoul. He treated me to his favorite restaurant and introduced me to one of the city's walking river paths. Sitting along the bank, I listened as my new friend shared with me, I watched children playing in the spray that drifted from the fountain. I could feel the setting sun blow warm against my skin, it's breath setting in motion the relaxing of my muscles like an expertly crafted line of dominoes. Reminded of the fifteen minutes I'd spent in awe and silence when it seemed I could touch the earth's curve -- My god it's beautiful were the only words I uttered the entire way down.

Melissa Steach

www.asknow.ca/melissa

They're looking for my ride...

...but I'm on da bus!

South Korea to Host 2022 World Cup?

It's way too early to tell what the results will be, but South Korea is bidding on the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosting. I will say that the 2002 tournament was one of the funnest times I've had in this country. Renting a car and traveling around with my good friend Dave and his dad Mario was a highlight. We went to several games and toured around the whole country for the month.

So, if Korea wins the bid for 2022, it could be a 20 year anniversary for us! Anyone up for a roadie?

Jason

www.asknow.ca

Win an Ipod by Naming our Show

Hello!

We are starting a weekly show where we will review what's happening in the news in Korea as well as upcoming events etc...It will be pretty raw and perhaps even offensive at times. We have modeled it after the DiggNation format. Anyhow...we are holding a contest for a name. The winner will get a free Ipod. Please have a look and email your suggestion to noname at asknow.ca

This is our "Beta Version" of the show, so look for an improvement in quality and content as we move along. Enjoy!

Jason
www.asknow.ca

Beta Version Korea Talk Show from Jason Cresswell on Vimeo.

Cute Korean Video

Here's a cute video I came across while checking out Vimeo, a replacement for Youtube that might allow us to post longer videos...yes, we have some stuff brewing. Anyhow...enjoy this one.