skryfblok

Yesterday Morning's Read

2012-01-27T11:09:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Poletsi, Limpopo

2012-01-27T11:05:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Shongweni Farmer's Market, Hillcrest

2012-01-25T14:51:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Cattle, Pinetown

2012-01-25T14:46:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Naruto Meets Retro Cowboy Yuppy

2012-01-23T17:05:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

'n Ware verhaal

2012-01-22T23:36:00.001+02:00

Gister in Mtunzini het 'n moffie met dieselde naam as een van my broers 'n kobra probeer vang en is deur die slang gepik. (Ek dog kobras spoeg, maar dit daar gelaat.) Die moffie is in 'n kritiese toestand in die hospitaal. Hy is die lover van 'n bekende geskiedkundige se seun wat ook ietwat van 'n geskiedkundige is. Die geskiedkundige se gay seun wat ook ietwat van 'n geskiedkundige is, is die eks man van 'n beroemde Afrikaanse romanskrywer. Die beroemde Afrikaanse romanskrywer het eenkeer 'n seminar voorgedra in Potchefstroom wat ek bygewoon het terwyl ek nog Skryfkuns gestudeer het. Die beroemde Afrikaanse romanskrywer se gay eks-man het op 'n keer 'n ding aan die gang gehad met SAL se voormalige senior lughawe bestuurder vir kliëntediens. Die voormalige senior lughawe bestuurder vir kliëntediens wat lank terug afgetree het en al in Frankryk in die tronk was omtrent dwelmhandel, sit voor my met net 'n handdoek om sy lyf en gesels oor die goeie ou dae. (Glo het Frankryk se tronke heerlike kos.) Hy het nie genoeg petrol om huistoe te gaan nie en het twee laaities by hom. Die twee laaities lê langs my en slaap op matrasse. Die een is 'n "rent boy" met 'n lae I.K. en 'n mond-abses. 'n Mond-abses is nie ideaal as jou werk oraleseks behels nie. Die ander een is 'n heroïen-verslaafde met gang tatoos op se lyf en 'n sigaretskyf agter sy ge-pierce-de oor gesteek. Daar's ook 'n hond. Eintlik twee honde, maar die een lê binne langs die "rent boy" en die ander een is buite. Die hond wat binne is, is inteligent en hou ons met nuuskurigheid dop. Aan die anderkant langs my sit my vriendin. Ek en my vriendin (my best friend) sit en wonder hoe dit is dat die moffie wat dieselfde naam as een van my broers het en wat die kobra probeer vang het en deur die slang gebyt is en nou in kritieke toestand in die hospitaal lê, veroorsaak het dat die afgetrede gay SAL senior lughawe bestuurder vir kliëntediens, die "rent boy" met die mond-abses en die heroïen-verslaafde ons naweek binnegeval het. Ek en my vriendin het 'n afspraak gehad om oor "verwyt" te gesels, maar daar is nie nou geleentheid daarvoor nie. Ek het bietjie verwyt daaroor.

Ek verstaan hoekom die beroemde Afrikaanse skrywer wat getroud was met die gay seun van 'n bekende geskiedkundige, en wat op 'n tyd 'n seminaar oor romanskryf in Potchefstroom gegee het wat ek bygewoon het, skryf. As jy deur sulke vreemde dinge omring word, is daar min maniere om daaruit sin te maak. Skryf, hoe onsamehangend ookal, is een manier.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Walking Along the Beach, Durban

2012-01-21T16:24:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

"Book of Books" Exhibit, National Library, Cape Town

2012-01-19T16:38:00.001+02:00

A photo of one of the pages from an old Bible on display at the "Book of Books" exhibit at the National Library, in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible (1611-2011).

Some trivia: the first English translation of the Bible was done in most part by John Wycliffe in 1383. It was a handwritten translation. In 1525 William Tyndale completed and printed a Bible for the "common man", which was smuggled into England from Germany. Tyndale was eventually arrested and burnt at the stake in 1536. King Henry VII ordered that the English Bible be used in all the churches in England sometime after 1539, so that ever Bible did become accessible by the "common man". King James I resolved that a proper translation was needed, and a panel of translators was organized in 1603. The King James Become was published in 1611.

Bible were published in South Africa from the early 1800s, with translations into many of the indigenous languages.

The Society of True Afrikaners was founded in 1875 with the purpose of translating the Bible into Afrikaans. The first complete Afrikaans Bible was only published in 1933 with a revision in 1953, known as the Afrikaans Old Translation ("ou vertaling") and considered one of the best translations of the Bible into any language. A new direct translation is currently in the works.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

"Louis Botha: Boer, Krygsman, Staatsman"

2012-01-19T15:51:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

The Rear of Table Mountain as Viewed from an Obscure, Abandoned Tragic Light Intersection

2012-01-18T21:39:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Gatsby's

2012-01-18T01:38:00.001+02:00

A Gatsby's is a long bread loaf (imagine a French baguette, only thicker), filled with slap-chips (french fries), vegetables and other toppings of your choice (eg. curry, beef, chicken, vienna sausages). This Capetonian fast food is too big for a single person to consume alone; instead it is enjoyed by three or four friends. l had a quarter Gatsby's, enjoyed it thoroughly, and was satisfactory filled.

An inexpensive lunch for a group of friends; a high kilojoules feast amongst friends that do not care if you gain weight or not.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Venus oppie platteland

2012-01-18T01:27:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Vintage Pop

2012-01-18T01:26:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Fish & Chips

2012-01-18T01:17:00.001+02:00

The best value for money I've had on my trip in South Africa so far: hake and chips for only R19,95; that's less than $3! Enjoyed, Capetonian style, with ginger beer.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Muizenberg Station

2012-01-18T01:13:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

At Muizenberg

2012-01-18T01:12:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Blomme in blikbekers

2012-01-18T01:11:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Statue of Jan Smuts in Front of the National Art Galary, Cape Town

2012-01-18T01:07:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town

2012-01-15T15:17:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Monkey in a Tree

2012-01-15T15:16:00.001+02:00

Me in a tree, at the Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Lemon Meringue at Rhodes Memorial Restaurant

2012-01-15T15:15:00.001+02:00

An exquisite lemon meringue with vanilla ice-cream, garnished with mint and drizzled strawberry sauce, at the Rhodes Memorial Restaurant, Cape Town.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Thoughts on Cape Town

2012-01-14T22:16:00.001+02:00

I've often been told what a great place Cape Town is, but have had few opportunities to acquant myself with the Mother City. All I knew from my very limited prior visits is that I'm not fond of the Cape's weather and that the flora is not to my liking -- a prefer the more lush broad-leaf greenery of South-Africa's sub-tropical East Coast.

However, over the past few days I've spent with my brother, I've slowly come to appreciate what Cape Town, as a city, has to offer. It is a vibrant international city with a remarkable mixture of antique and modern design. I'm yet to visit the museums, galleries, or arthouses (that's planned for either Monday or Tuesday), but even from just walking passed galleries and designer shops, one can get a feeling for the creative spirit of the place. Another thing that has really impressed me is the public transportation system. It is still far from what I'm used to in South Korea, but compared with the rest of South Africa the new system of busses and trains are pretty impressive. I can only imagine how much it would have improved in a few years (when I may consider returning more long-term to South Africa).

The greater Cape Town area also contains three big universities: The University of Cape Town, which is positioning itself as the greatest university in Africa; Stellenbosch University, a well established international university; and the University of the Western Cape, a self-proclaimed "people's university" that counts such renound figures as Antjie Krog as one of its faculty. Not to mention all the other smaller colleges -- all potential places for me to work. (I actually received a job offer at the natural therapy mission station at Helderberg College during my trip last year when I visited, but since I was still at the beginning of my new contract at the university I work at in Korea, I didn't really considered it seriously.)

Cape Town also offers a variety of recreations that I'm interested in. There are plenty of theatres, cinemas (including art cinemas), and live music venues. There is also a variety of martial arts, but also opportunity for me to open a martial art centre of my own. Although there are both Taekwon-Do and Hapkido gyms, the is enough seperation between them for me to find my own niche as a Korean martial arts instructor (teaching ITF Taekwon-Do, Hapkido and Yusul). Furthermore, Here is an active Parkour community for me to join. Dane Grant, the "Father of Parkour in South Africa", who introduced me to Parkour some years back, relocated to the Cape. There is also scuba diving opportunities, although I'm not too keen to swim in the icy Cape waters.

With all this in mind, I have to consider Cape Town as a possible destination after my time in Korea comes to an end. Cape Town is also one of the hot spots for Koreans visiting South Africa, making it a nice transition zone, lest I become a little "homesick" for Korea.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

A View of the City from the University of Cape Town

2012-01-14T17:25:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Egyptian Geese in Wynberg Park, Cape Town

2012-01-14T15:03:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

A Rough Pencil Portrait of My Brother Looking Pensive

2012-01-13T19:20:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Timbaktu Cafe

2012-01-12T22:17:00.001+02:00

Timbaktu, a nice Ethiopean café in Cape Town, with a very pleasant vibe, enhanced by ethnic jazz and Africanesque decor.

It is part of the Pan-African Market in Long Street. Visit the market's website: www.panafrican.co.za

A great place to enjoy exotic food, African arts, crafts and artifacts.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

My Brother and I Enjoying Indian Cuisine in Cape Town

2012-01-12T13:35:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

One Reason I Like Hong Kong

2012-01-07T14:33:00.001+02:00

Hong Kong has the most wonderful mango and coconut based deserts that create orgasmic chemical reactions in your mouth. It is the type of tastes that can make friends out of enemies.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

A Cityscape, Hong Kong

2012-01-06T19:24:00.001+02:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Contemplations in Hong Kong About "Home" and Things I Miss

2012-01-06T19:17:00.002+02:00

My annual visit "home" is a strange journey, for in South Africa I do not have a "home" in the traditional sense of the word. It is probably better to say that their are homes, in the plural sense, but that is not a complete truth either. Rather, there are many people in whose homes I will make myself at home for a couple of days at a time, until I return to my "home" in my guest country. Thinking about this "home"-topic, I always think of the essay "Nowhere Man" in which the author admits his strange impartiality to all places, never a patriot of any place, but also at home everywhere. I resontate with that -- I feel equally at home and foreign, equally comfortable and uncomfortable, where ever I go. Another half truth, of course. There are places where I'm more comfortable (or uncomfortable) than others. I'm definitely more comfortable here in Hong Kong than I was in Kungmin, Mainland China; defintely more comfortable in Seoul, Korea than I am in Johannesburg, South Africa; definitely more comfortable in Potchefstroom than I am in Cape Town; definitely more comfortable in Luang Prabang, Laos, than in Polokwane, Limpopo; definitely more comfortable in Harajuku, Tokyo than in Bangkok, Thailand; more comfortable in Bangkok than in Richardsbay, KZN. If being "at home" equates the place you feel comfortable, then there is little doubt that homeliness is a very relative concept.

In my little 3m x 4m room here in Tsim Tsa Shui, in Kowloon, Hong Kong, I'm pretty comfortable with my wi-fi, double bed and cozy duvet, my tablet, and books (both paper books and electronic books: philosophy, short stories, martial arts, religious, poetry). The fact that the shower's water is not as boiling hot as I like it, is probably the only discomfort I'm experiencing at present.

"I'm a citizen of the planet" sings Alanis Morissette.

I decided to visit Hong Kong again because I've missed it. I've longed for it as for an old friend I haven't seen in a long time. It happens. As an expatriat people often ask me if I miss South Africa. An honest answer is no. I miss people in South Africa, I miss the energies of specific places in South Africa, but I do not miss South Africa as a whole. I miss sitting in a coffee shop in Luang Prabang, but I do not miss Laos. I miss feeling at home amongst the freaks in Harajuku, but I do not miss Japan. I miss that little jazz cafe in Apgujeong (Seoul) that closed recently; I miss my childhood friend Keith McKenzie with whom I was only friends for a year; I miss some of my Taekwon-Do students that I ony taught for a couple of months; I miss Jackie Horn, another childhood friend whom had the most beautiful singing voice; I miss my mother in front of the organ; I miss the big bath tub I had in the commune I lived in during the final year I worked on my master's degree thesis; I miss taking drives from Richardsbay to Kloof, Pietermaritzburg, with my friend Garnet that now lives in the UK; I miss dancing on New Year's Eve with my brother's ex-girlfriend; I miss the trees I climbed in as a child; I miss all my cats that had lived up their nine lives; I miss easy access to deep one-one, face-to-face, conversations with my best friends; I miss double cream Greek style yogurt; I miss innocence; I miss my grandmother's apricot jam tarts; I miss kissing soft lips; I miss characters from The Death Gate Cycle; I miss the smell of horses; I miss the old lady that made chamchi-kimchi bokkembab (Tuna and Kimchi stir fried rice); I miss the feeling of a man's stubble on the back of my hand; I miss South African achar in red pepper oil; I miss the Chonin Exam in Naruto; I miss drinking chocalate milk while sitting on the beach in Mtunzini; I miss smelling a women's neck; I miss my childhood flights of fantasy when I imagined myself being a unicorn, or a black panther, or an elf; I miss eating whitebread peanut butter and apricot jam sandwiches with a glass of freshly milked milk; I taking swims in the farm dam with my dog Tiga; I miss seeing flying peacocks (we had peacocks on our farm when I grew up); I miss thunderstorms in the Transvaal; I miss hugging trees while I still was a pantheist; I miss writing songs on my guitar; I miss running and sliding on a rugby field on a winter's morning when it is covered with frost; I miss taking piano classes; I miss getting excited about the actual good news of the Gospel with someone else that really get's God's character; I miss eating mango and coconut desert in Hong Kong (the last one was a lie since I've had it two times since being in Hong Kong -- that was part of the reason for coming here again); I miss the beautiful summer clouds and sunsets in the Laeveld; I miss playing Legos; I miss Dawie, Die Kabouter; I miss dancing with my mother in the kitchen; I miss the excitement I felt when I learned about Postmodernism and recognising myself in it; I miss; I miss lying on the roof of our farm house and looking at the stars; I miss the overlapping character sketches in Catch-22; I miss being able to do the splits; I miss a world where some people do not try to controll or rule over other people; I miss bunny chows; I miss working on my fantasy-adventure novel "Lightning Twins"; I miss first snow, first blossoms, first kisses, the first shaky steps of a toddler; I miss such things.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Teaching Research Methodology

2012-01-06T18:33:00.001+02:00

After last semester ended I began teaching a winter class -- Research Methodology -- on the day after Christmas. The class is basically a guided course in the writing of a literary research paper. Within the span of one week (Monday through Friday) I facilitated about 20 students to choose a topic, narrow it down to a research question, adapt it to a thesis statement, develop an outline, find sources, and write the first draft of a short literary research paper. Over the weekend they had to expand on the paper, edit it, and hand in their final paper on the following Monday. In other words, they wrote a short, but nevertheless complete, research paper on a literary topic of their choosing from start to finish in exactly one week. With the right guidance (see how I'm blowing my own horn), it can be done.

That evening and most of the following day I spent grading those papers, for I had little time to spare, because on Tuesday night I went to the airport. Early on Wednesday I was off on a plane and currently find myself in Hong Kong. One more day and then I'll hop on the plane again, destination South Africa, for my annual "visit back home".

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

South African Friends in South Korea

2012-01-06T17:53:00.001+02:00

Over the last three weeks Franco and Vickey, friends from South Africa, came to visit me in South Korea. This had been the first time that anybody from my home country came to visit me in my guest country; that my South Africa world overlapped with my Korea world. Having lived in Korea for nearly five years in all, this simple visit felt significant, some how.

During the three weeks I tried to show them a kaleidoscope of what Seoul, South Korea's captical, has to offer. I would have wanted to show them of Korea in general, but unfortunately my work responsibilities did not allow. When they came I was busy with final exams, the following week I graded exam papers and the final week I started teaching again -- I taught a winter class in Research Methodology.

I'll try and list as many places as possible of things that I can remember that we did. Their first day here, I took them to Gangnam, which is a very well off part of Seoul, with some of the more interesting modern architecture. We went to the Kukkiwon so I could show them how Taekwondo examinations are done en mass; afterwards we went to a Mexican restaruant that I enjoy. South Africa does not have real Mexican food, so I really wanted them to taste the good vegetarian option that Mexican food could provide. (Like me, they are mostly vegetarian.)

The following day I took them to another part of town, quite opposite in character of Gangnam -- the backstreets of Dongmyo and Dongdaemun, known as the market area of Seoul. We walked down grimey alleys, waded through underground clothes shops, and made our way through clothing markets. We also went to the Seoul Folk Flea Market, where you can literally buy anything from a stuffed crocodile, to second clothes, to photos of the dictator-president Park, to dildos, to snow cloves, to abacusses, to tea pots, to buddha statues.

Other markets we went to were the underground market at Express Bus Terminal, the Yongsan Digital / Electronics Market (we got a bit lost on that one), and also some upmarket malls.

For food we had Mexican (twice), Indian (twice), Malaysian, Italian, and of course Korean. We went to some small mom & pop type Korean restaurants, to hidden Korean vegetarian buffets, to Chinese-Korean fusion restaurants, and to university cafeterias.

For entertainment we went to a DVD-bang (which is a very small personal theatre where you can watch a DVD of your choice) and to IMAX theatre. We went to a jazz cafe (they sang mostly golden oldies that particular night). We also had some separate fun on occassion too: They went to the zoo and to the Seoul Tower, while I went snow boarding and martial art training.

Franco has returned to South Africa this past Sunday. Vickey is still in Korea. She started working as an English teacher / missionary worker and will stay in Korea for a year. Franco plans to come visit again in a couple of months.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Men in Skirts

2012-01-01T17:25:00.000+02:00

In ages past men wore skirts, and I must confess that I like them. Was it not for my job at a conservative university, and were I to have been in a more creative career, I would definitely have enjoyed a much more artistic expression in my daily wardrobe, including some wrap-around skirts and kaftans.

Artist and fashion designer Rick Owens sports interesting skirts and kaftans for his Summer 2012 Men Collection.

Read more at 1883 Magazine about other designers that are putting men in skirts by Chad Burton, another blogger from Korea.

North Korean (Satirical) Artists

2012-01-01T08:21:00.000+02:00

I once, in person, saw a large painting of white tigers basking in the winter sun on top of Baekdu Mountain, in North Korea. The exquisite painting was by a North Korean artist. I was struck at the talent and beauty that can be found in a country that is otherwise so terribly deprived.

There are two controversial Korean artists who had both defected from North Korea and now live in South Korea. Both were trained as North Korean propaganda artists and when the came to Korea they turned their propagandist style into dramatic satire against their former government.

The first is Seon Mu (Sun Mu), who uses a pseudonym lest North Korean spies should leak his identity to North Korea and his family (parents that are possibly still alive in the North) should be tortured on account of him. Sun Mu is known for his "Happy Children" series in which he depicted North Korean children in obvious displays of "conditioned" happy-acting, that is part of the daily life in Korea. You can visit his blog (in Korean) to see more of his work. An interesting aspect of his work is his use of nudity. All displays of nudity in North Korea are illegal as it is associated with American imperialist decadence. Showing nudity, therefore, not only celebrates his own freedom from the oppressive regime he grew up under, but also mocks the Pharisaic morals of the dictatorial North.

Another originally North Korean artist that defected to South Korea is Seong Byeok who attempted to escape from North Korea but was captured and put into work camps. He attempted again, fortunately succeeded and made his way to South Korea where he now works as an artist. He gained international recognition after his show early last year called "Forever Freedom", of which one painting displayed Kim Jong-Il is a cross-dressing Marilyn Monroe, mocking the late North Korean leader's love of cinema. Seong Byeok is set to exhibit in the USA this year. See his website here.

2011 in Retrospect

2011-12-31T12:24:00.003+02:00

It is time to take inventory of the past year. (See summaries of 2008, 2009 and 2010.)

January / February

The year started somewhat traumatically as I was involved in a car accident while I was in South Africa; thankfully nobody was seriously injured. During my time in South Africa I enjoyed spending time with many family and friends, some of whom I hda not seen in many years. The fruitful quest in search of my grandfather's grave in an old cemetery in Johannesburg was especially memorable.

March

In March there was a terrible earthquake that caused the terrible tsunami that destroyed large areas of Japan's eastern coast and resulted in the explosion of nuclear reactors. Japan took the brunt of the tsunami, saving Korea from any ill-effects. At a personal level, March was much less volatile. After working on the day of my birthday, I went to an excellent bakery and enjoyed exquisite pastries and deserts.

April

In April I started my Afrikaans poetry blog, Ingelegde Lywe, with focus on love and erotic poems.

Nothing else much happened. I did do some touristy things in April, such as visiting Seoul Tower, watching the theatre performance Jump! (for the fourth or fifth time), and hanging out in Insadong.

May

A most memorable thing in May was the Lantern Festival Parade (which coincides with Buddha's birthday) that I went to see with some friends whom I hadn't seen in years. Another memorable random day was when I went with my Taekwon-Do instructor and another friend to meet some high level Taekwon-Do people. That wasn't the memorable thing; the memorable thing happened later when we went to the Han River and found this strange bridge with a glass floor on which you can stand (or lie) and look at the river below.

Because of the car accident earlier the year I started going to a chiropractor again on account of acute back ache. It helped a lot—it also forced me to practise more Korean as the doctor is even worse at English than I am in Korean.

June

June was a much more active month for me. I went paragliding, went to the port city Mokpo where I had some of the best vegetarian food I've ever had at a little place called “Waltz Vegetarian Buffet” and also went for a weekend to Jeju Island.

I was also asked to give a speech on poetry and Christianity; I focussed on the value of Mythos and the Numinous.

In June this blog reached its 1000th post.

July

I travelled to three countries: Thailand, Laos and China. From Thailand I flew to Laos, crossed the border by bus into China, back again by bus to Laos and then by plain back to Thailand. During the Laos-China trip I had a wonderful experience meeting with Sabbath keeping Hmong Christians. It was an enriching and humbling experience. For my second journey in Thailand I just relaxed, first in Bangkok, then on an island (Koh Samui) where I hanged around and went scuba-diving, and back in Bangkok again, exploring Thailand's jazz spots.

August

In August I went to the Taekwondo Hall of Fame ceremony to support my instructor and other acquaintances as they receive awards. I was very surprised when I was also awarded with a citation.

September

It may not sound particularly noteworthy, but it was a life enhancing discovery for me: I started making nut milks.

October

With the cooler, more pleasant weather I enjoyed more trips around Seoul, enjoying the Gangnam Fashion Festival, a trip at some of the palaces, and a trip to the Blue House, the Korean presidential residence. I also went to a Fantasy Festival where I ended up being a model to be sketched with two other French models for one of the live-drawing sessions.

Not to be forgotten is my backpack that I lost, with nothing inside missing. This was soon to be followed by another miracle.

November

Early in November my car in South Africa got stolen. Miraculously it was retrieved, and with value added. The thieves actually spray painted my car, so that when the police got it back, it is now worth more than when it got stolen! I can only praise God for this.

December

Friends from South Africa came to visit me. This has been the first time for people from my South Africa life to enter my Korea life. For some reason, it feels like something important. Since they have been here I've been all around Seoul, doing and seeing a myriad of things and enjoying Korea again with “new eyes.”

...ooOoo...

This year it felt as if I really settled into living in Korea. I remember at the beginning of the year how I seriously considered leaving Korea by the middle of next year, maybe relocating to Europe, but as the year progressed I became more and more comfortable in my life here. My work has been a good blend of stress and enjoyment. I truly enjoy most of what I'm doing. I definitely do not think that I will want to stay here indefinitely, but for now I am happy. For much of the year I've been contemplating about my future plans—what will I do when my contract expires at the middle of next year? Will I renew? It's still too early to answer that question. I do know, however, that I would not mind staying on in Korea. At the beginning of this year, shortly after I arrived back in Korea after my trip to South Africa, I caught myself calling my apartment here in Korea “home”. I do feel it.

In 2011 I've made some new friends, learned some new lessons, and reminded myself of some old ones.

What will 2012 involve? The world economy will continue it's uncertain downward spiral. There is likely to be a war (between America and allies with Iran and allies) with the potential to escalate to global proportions. But before WWIII occurs, I'll be teaching new subjects that I'm looking forward to teach. Next semester will be a hard semester because I'll be teaching extra hours, but I look forward to the new classes and expanding my knowledge and skill set. I hope the global elite's plans for world domination will not hinder me to see the next Batman film (a little shallow, I know), and afterwards I will join the millions and millions of people that will resist their psychopathic ambitions. I haven't decided what my involvement in the protest movement will be just yet; in the meantime I'll use my vocation as a teacher to get my students to think for themselves, to question the status quo, and to value the great principles: Love, Hope, Liberty!

Maya Angelou

2011-12-29T07:48:00.000+02:00

I've mentioned before that my favourite poem in English is Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise". This year, while teaching 19th & 20th Century American Poetry I got to spend some time with Angelou's work again. The poem that my students seemed to like the most (based on the amount of essays that focussed on it) is the poem "Africa." It is quite a striking poem in which the African continent is anthropomorphised as a beautiful woman who is metaphorically ravaged by colonialists, who also "took her young daughters / sold her strong sons / churched her with Jesus / [and] bled her with guns". The poem ends with the woman "rising", "although she has lain" and "now . . . striding", suggesting that she refuse to submit and give up hope, but instead rise above her oppression and adversary. Like "Still I Rise" the poem shows the victim rising above her situation. The poem that really stood out for me this time, however, was "Phenomenal Woman". It might be because many people have asked me in recent months about my ideal woman, and while ideally a good figure does score some points, it is more her confidence in herself--her at homeness in her body--that makes a woman sexy. The poem "Phenomenal Woman" really captures this.

I just now saw this interpretation of Oprah Winfrey of "Phenomenal Woman" and "Still I Rise". Phenomenal! In the YouTube video below, Oprah starts to speak at 2:45 and begins with the excellent performance of parts of the two poems at 3:30.

The Canadian actress/singer Amy Sky did a pretty good job of putting "Phenomenal Woman" to music.

It is difficult to speak about Maya Angelou and not mention her poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". Do read it. It is beautiful.

Queen Elizabeth II's 2011 Christmas Message

2011-12-26T17:33:00.001+02:00

There is much that can be said about Britain, and with ever decreasing favour. However, I have a soft spot for Her Majesty the Queen.

I keep Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558-1603, in high esteem. She was one of the first rulers who considered religion a personal act between man and God and worked towards Freedom of Religion in a time when "heretics" were routinely excommunicated and / or burned at the stake. Queen Elizabeth I may have been "only a woman" and ruler of “half an island” as Pope Sixtus V referred to her, but she stood her ground against the Pope and the Holy Roman Empire, before whom many a king had bowed the knee, and withstood Spain and France. The England of today, including the Common Wealth, that enjoys its great freedoms of religion, speech, and conscience would not have been had it not been for this wonderful woman. Even the attacks of religiously-aggressive atheists like Richard Dawkins would not have been conceivable was it not for the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I who believed in religious tolerance.

It might be because of this endearment I have to Queen Elizabeth I that I'm curiously open to her name-bearer, Queen Elizabeth II, particularly to her annual Christmas Message. And what a beautiful address this year's Christmas Message was! She emphasized the value of family and friendship and man's need of a Saviour and forgiveness. Keep in mind that the annual Christmas Message is the only time the Queen is allowed to freely speak her mind. At all other times she is restricted by “advisers” on what she can or cannot say, but the Christmas Message is thoroughly her own. Imagine that you have only once a year the opportunity to freely speak your mind. Certainly at this opportunity you would share the things that are most important to you.

I highly recommend you listen to Her Majesty the Queen's 2011 Royal Christmas Message.

Since I don't really keep Christmas, this will probably be my only Chirstmassy-post for the year. The Queen's message of family, friendship and forgiveness is also my wish for you all.

Jack Parrow, Katie, Mmê Emily and The Help

2011-12-21T12:57:00.000+02:00

In a recent post about Afrikaans rap and Hip-Hop music I mentioned how I'm not a big fan of the Afrikaans rapper Jack Parrow. But let me not be a spoil sport for others that enjoy him. Someone just now showed me the video below of a help (maid) in South Afrika, most likely working for a white family, and listening to the Afrikaans rapper on television. Watching her do her work with that amount of enjoyment she derives from Afrikaans rap will bring a smile to anyone's face and is possibly the best marketing for popular alternative Afrikaans music I can imagine.

It also made me think of Koos Kombuis' Afrikaans song "Katie", in memory of the maid that worked for his family and helped raise him. In the lyrics of the song he proclaims that their maid "was not merely a maid / but also a mother" [my translation] to him. In the video below Christo Wolfaardt does a rendition of the song "Katie".

This song by Kombuis is one of his most famous, probably because it resonates with so many white South Africans that grew up with an "Ousie" (Afrikaans word derived from "ou suster", meaning older sister, and used to describe a maid or house help). For many white South Africans of around my generation "the maid" was more than just another worker; for many of us, our Ousie was a second mother.

Me and my "mother" Emily.

Mine, was definitely a second mother. She worked for our family for 27 years. Her name is Emily but I often called her "Mmê Emily". Mmê is Sesotho for mother. She is actually ethnically Zulu, but the area we lived in was predominately Sotho, so she spoke Sesotho to me. The name I use and which all my family and friends use is a Sesotho name and was actually given to me by Mmê Emily.

She is retired now and currently lives in the Sebokeng-area, Vaal Triangle. The last time I visited her was in 2008. I hope to go visit her again next month, God-willing, when I visit South Africa.

Recently I watched the film The Help (2011), based on the 2009 début novel by Kathryn Stockett. The Internet Movie Database gives the following synopsis: "An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960's decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis," and gives it a rating of 8 out of 10. The American Film Institute listed the film as one of the ten films of the year. For people like myself, coming from a white family, who grew up with a nanny who is a person-of-colour, the film was particularly touching. Although the set-up in America and in South Africa worked differently, the similarities are enough for South Africans to also appreciate The Help, and appreciate our helps, as I appreciate my Mmê Emily.

Salvation by Spam

2011-12-21T05:05:00.001+02:00

I saw the picture below on a social network site and then thought of something I wrote a couple of years ago somewhere else. Since the two compliment each other so well, I thought I'd post them here together.

Email this to 15 people and God will love you more.

Email has become the next bondage to works-religion. Almost daily I get (Christian) emails telling me to forward this to people and I will be blessed. Here’s an example:

Pass this message to 15 people except you and me.
Don't ignore and God will bless you.

So if I do not send irritating time consuming emails to other people God will not bless me? In other words, I have to work (send emails) in order to gain God’s favour?

Christianity is unique among the great religions because it is centred upon the idea that salvation (i.e. God’s favour) is not because something we do, but due to something God has done. The greatest struggle for many Christians is to accept God’s love and saving provision. Not to try and save ourselves, but accept God’s salvation on our part.

These chain-letters also usually make emotional manipulative appeals to make you feel guilty. For instance in the letter already quoted, the author pretends to pray for me. Included in that prayer is this sneaky manipulative sentence:

I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those that don't believe.

By proximity of the sentences I am to deduce that if I “delete [the email] without sharing it with others” then I do not know God intimately and do not believe. Apparently ones relationship with God depends on whether or not you “share” these irritating emails with other people. So the more you spam other people’s mailboxes, the closer you are to God?!
Call me paranoid, but I think that these emails are a ploy of Satan to get Christians to doubt in the faithfulness of God. Getting us to doubt in God’s complete salvation. Getting us to subtly try and contribute to our salvation – thereby insulting our Lord and Saviour by insinuating that His saving sacrifice was insufficient.

To become perfect I still need to send this to 15 more people.

The text focussed on religious emails that do the guild-tripping trick, but they are not the only ones to do so. Many other emails and social network posts use emotional appeals to make you feel guilty less you also copy-and-paste the emotionally charged request. Chain letters showing dying babies and telling you that for every email sent a few cents will be donated to the suffering child are equally manipulative and utterly bogus. Emails are not "tracked" in this way, and if they were it would be an illegal infringement of your privacy. No money will be paid to the dying baby through your email forwards.

As the picture above says, if you want to make a difference, make a tangible one. Go volunteer. Send actual money to an actual charity.

Do not forward me your guild-tripping devil-spawned messages! I just delete them and do not feel guilty for doing so at all. In fact, I sometimes even take the time to "Reply to All" in which I tell you and the other friends you sent your stupid email to, just how silly you must be for believing in such nonsense.

Adds About Dictators

2011-12-20T17:49:00.000+02:00

North Koreans weeping over the death of the "Dear Leader"

2011-12-20T06:15:00.000+02:00

Kim Jong-Il's Death, America and World War III

2011-12-19T17:16:00.000+02:00

At noon today the official North Korean news agency announced that the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il, has died. The North Korean newscaster was dressed in clothes of morning as she revealed that the “Dear Leader” had died on Saturday, 17 December, due to extreme psychological and physiological fatigue while doing on site inspections—something he was known for doing quite frequently—at 8:30 in the morning. The North Korean newscaster announced that he died of “physical and mental exhaustion.” The exact cause of death is myocardial infarction, a heart attack. This was determined during an autopsy that was performed on Sunday. He was 69 years old (70 years in Korean counting). North Korean citizens broke down weeping at the news, according to pictures from the Chinese news agency. China is North Korea's greatest ally. The funeral is set for next week, the December 28th or 29th.

Although the South Korean government has declared a state of emergency, the second highest security level, I have spent much of my day in the streets of Seoul and can attest that the average South Korean citizen does not seem too concerned. This is in high contrast to how American citizens reacted upon the announcement of the death of their bogeyman, Osama Bin Laden, earlier this year. In South Korea there are no obvious cheering in the streets nor cowering in the corners. People are just going on with life as normal Although online video sites do have news videos about the North Korean leader's death, the news is shared with local entertainment videos of participants in the pop idol show Kpop Star.

Asian markets seem more concerned than South Korean citizen as Asian currencies dropped at the announcement, but Asian markets have always been nervous.

So what can we expect? For the time being, I think, not much. It is very unlikely that there will be any uprising in the North. Since Kim Jong-Il suffered a stroke in 2008, the North Korean regime has been preparing for his eventual death. Also, although he died Saturday already, the party only made the announcement two days later, giving them enough time to prepare for any unwanted reaction from the people. The South Korean government's state of emergency is more for political display than anything else, since it is highly unlikely the North will do anything to stir up further animosity until after its mourning period. Apart from the immediate mourning period, which will last until around Thursday next week, Korean's also have a special mourning ceremony 100 days after the day of death. Furthermore, Kim Il Sung's Centennial is coming up next year. Plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, has been put into motion for quite some time now.

North Korea is practically a cult-state devoted to Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il. Kim Jong-Il's third son Kim Jong-Eun has been groomed as the successor so plans to “enthrone” him will also take up focus. The next couple of months we can expect North Korea to be completely internally focussed with the mourning of Kim Jong-Il, the centennial celebrations of Kim-Il Sung and the successor ceremony of Kim Jong-Eun.

That is at least how I see things play out, unless there are any outside interferences and the only powers that could / would cause “interferences” are China who isn't likely to do anything, Japan and Korea who prize stability in the region more than anything else, and the United States. America has its focus divided elsewhere and would rather not thin their attention any more than it has too. In any case, China will not stand idly by if America were to make a move in North Korea. North Korea serves as a strategic buffer between America's heavy presence in South Korea. A move by America on North Korea is too close for comfort for China.

Speaking of the United States and it's divided attentions... Both the USA and Russia have naval air carriers and other military presence in Syrian waters, what can only be described as a under-reported stand-off. China and Russia has blocked United Nations Security Council efforts (i.e. US military) to interfere with Syria. China has announced its allegiance to Iran.

It is well known that America feels the need to invade Iran because of Iran's nuclear ambitions. (That is, at least, the cover story. The truth is more probably America's hunger for oil or using war as a economic stimulus.) However, the American people are waking up to the fraudulent wars their government is waging. Although war is likely, it is unlikely that America will make the first overt move. Instead we are more likely to see them bite at the heels of Iran until Iran gets so irate that it loses its temper and make the first strike. This will, of course, give the Military Industrial Complex that runs the show the excuse to go to war with Iran. For this scenario to play out will require quite a number of months of agitation, so we can probably expect it to happen later, maybe September, October, 2012. That is unless they pull another false flag event like 9/11. With US presidential elections coming up we may first see some “soldiers coming home” rhetoric in action, which was a promise Obama made during his presidential race. Either way, it is plausible for Obama to stay on as president. He has been heeding the commands of his international banker masters quite well. But it doesn't matter. What we can be sure of is that unless Ron Paul or a completely different third party candidate suddenly become exceedingly popular and wins the upcoming election, the banking elite will just replace Obama with one of their cronies—it doesn't matter the party. The Republicans and the Democrats are merely to sides of the same proverbial coin—a two headed party.

Back to the probable war with Iran later next year. Such a war has so many parties involved that it can easily escalate to a global conflict—a Third World War. Unfortunately, with technology as advanced as it is, a Third World War will be a rather messy affair which could easily involve bioweapons and nuclear / hydrogen bombs.

Then, let's not forget the predicted high solar activities predicted for next year. And for those that do not know, sun storms are closely related to natural disasters such as earth quakes and unusual weather here on our planet.

But, in the meantime, enjoy the festive season. It ought not be too volatile. The “fun” is all scheduled for later in 2012.

Vyf dinge wat ek by my ma geleer het

2011-12-18T15:40:00.002+02:00

'n Mens is nie aldag bewus van die waardevolle lesse wat jy deur die jare by jou ouers geleer het nie. En om eerlik te wees, die trauma-geïnduseerde amnesia wat met my ouers gepaard gaan maak dat ek nie juis veel van my ma kan onthou nie. Gevolglik is ek opgewonde wanneer ek wel 'n paar positiewe herinneringe kan onthou. In elk geval, hier volg vyf dinge waarin my ma geglo het en wat ek as waardevolle lesse by my ma geleer het:

“Vra is vry, en wyer daarby”

Dit was een van my ma se gunsteling spraakwendings. Ek is seker dat die idioom “vra is vry, en wyer daarby” selfverduidelikend is: Daar is geen skade om te vra vir, oor, omtrent, of na iets nie. Die ergste wat die ander party kan doen is om jou versoek te wyer, so daar is nie veel te verloor deur te vra nie, maar daar is altyd die potensiaal om iets te win. Selfs die Bybel por ons aan om te vra (Markus 11:24).

Veg gravitasie

Wanneer jy gesigroom aanwend, vryf dit op, nie af nie. Gravitasie trek die heeldag alles af, moet jy nie nou ook dinge begin afwaarts vryf nie. Soos ek ouer word kom ek agter dag dinge begin sak en het ek nou besluit om die beginsel ook in my daaglikse afdroog roetine toe te pas na ek gestort of bad het. In plaas daarvan dat ek “afdroog”, met ander woorde die handoek afwaarts oor my liggaam vryf, maak ek nou gebruik van “opdroog”—ek vryf die handdoek opwaarts oor my lyf.

Iets anders wat my ma ook vir my genoem het en waaruit ek as 'n man nou nie juis persoonlik veel baat vind nie, maar dalk van my vrouelesers wel kan, is dat “borste moet ondersteun word”. My ma het sterk geglo in bras wat die borste behoorlik ondersteun en die effek van gravitasie teenwerk. Klink sinvol.

Worry nie oor wat ander van jou dink nie en wees proaktief

My ma was nie 'n skaam mens nie en het glad nie omgegee om uit te staan of in die kollig te wees nie. Sy het kanse gevat, haar stem laat hoor, en was nooit bang vir verkeerd wees nie. Om aksie te neem is beter as om te kwyn voor die vrees van wat ander mense van jou mag dink. Sy was proaktief. Uit die krygskunste kan ek die beginsel beaam: aksie is inherent vinniger as reaksie. Wees 'n aksie mens, nie 'n reaksie mens nie.

Musiek het voedingswaarde

My pa hou nie van musiek nie. Ek vind dit uitermatig weird dat 'n mens nie van musiek kan hou nie. My ma, aan die anderkant, was 'n groot musiekliefhebber. Om haar was daar nooit nie musiek nie. My ma het van alle musiek gehou: Country musiek, rock-en-roll, klassieke musiek, boeremusiek, koortjies en lofliedere, popmusiek, selfs die metal-goth waarna ek as laattiener geluister het, het sy saam met my geluister. Sy't gesing, klavier en orrelgespeel en ons kinders aangemoedig om ook musiek deel van ons lewens te maak, want musiek is so nodig soos kos. En nes kos, het sekere kos meer voedingswaarde as ander. So luister na 'n gesonde verskeidenheid!

Waarde word nie net in geld gemeet nie

My ma het waarde gesien in enige iets wat handgemaak is, waaraan iemand tyd spandeer het. Massageproduseerde, masjien gekoekiedrukte produkte het min waarde in haar estimasie gehad. Iets wat die produk is van iemand se persoonlike swoeg-en-sweet, se bloed-en-trane, was outomaties meer werd vir haar. 'n Kranklike houtgekerfde stoeltjie was vir haar van meer waarde as iets wat dubbeld soveel werd is in geldelike terme. Daar's baie waarde in die “personal touch.” Tyd voeg ook waarde by tot iets. Natuurlik was enige oudhede en antieke dinge van hoë waarde vir haar.

Goeie lesse, dink jy nie?

Aegyo: Korea's Cute Coquette

2011-12-16T09:05:00.000+02:00

In Korea there is something called "aegyo". They translate it as charming, which is definitely not the best translation. Aegyo is basically when an adult acts childlike in order to come over as cute. It is usually done by women, but men sometimes do aeqyo too, particularly in the early stages of a romantic relationship. Aegyo is basically acting cute coquettishly. This is probably a good translation for aegyo: "cute coquette." Korean women usually do aegyo to break her male target's resistance as she manipulates him to do her will.

I get that aegyo is cute. I also like cute things -- a cute kitten can melt me in a second. What I don't get is why aegyo is sexy. Korean men actually thinks it is sexy when their girlfriends act like little girls. Personally I'm completely put off by it. I find the nagging-manipulation of aegyo, like any type of emotional manipulation, distasteful. Also, that men should find such childlike behaviour sexually exciting borders on paedophilia, I think. (I cannot help but wonder if there is a correlation between child sexual abuse and a culture that views childlikeness sexually attractive. I couldn't find much information on the topic; this post by The Grand Narrative may be a start.)

As I mentioned earlier, aegyo is not exclusively used by Korean women. Korean men also do aegyo, as the videos below demonstrate.

However, male aegyo sometimes works the other way. Instead of an adult trying to act cute, a young man could act more mature, self-confident or tough towards a female that is his senior. The following video illustrates this:

I've often been asked about my interest in Korean women and why I don't yet have a Korean girlfriend. There are different reasons, but one is that I really do not find aegyo sexually attractive. On some isolated occasions I thought it cute, and can appreciated it as an interesting cultural phenomenon. However, sexually it is a turn off for me. I definitely find mature women attractive, not little girls.

A bad aegyo moment. Sorry.

But, let me not be too hypocritical. I've done aegyo myself on occasion, because I know the results it gets in this culture. Also, apparently I speak Korean very cute. The reason is two fold. First, my Korean ability is quite elementary so I end up sounding a little like a toddler clumsily putting together sentences and we all know how cute that can be. Second, I used to learn much of my Korean from women, so I ended up speaking like the girls whose intonation I copied. Therefore, I'm often doing aegyo without it being my intention. I've started watching how Korean men act tough in Korean films and have tried that instead, but from the reactions of some of my students I think it came across as the reverse aegyo that men sometimes used, which I spoke about earlier. While I'm not a fan of aegyo, I catch myself sometimes being an aegyo culprit.

Guan Yin

2011-12-12T14:51:00.000+02:00

In the Oriental religions, the bodhisattva (enlightened one) I find the most attractive is Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Her full name Guanshiyin means “Observing the Cries of the World.” She is, therefore, ever presently compassionately aware of all the suffering that occurs on the Earth. Her male counter part is likely Avalokiteśvara. His name suggests the “One that looks upon the world with compassion.” There is a Buddhist story of Avalokiteśvara's efforts at trying to free people (sentient beings) from samsara (the cursed cycle of re-incarnation). The Buddha of Infinite Light (Amitābha Buddha), seeing Avalokiteśvara compassion and sincerity, gives him multiple heads to better observe the suffering of the people, and bestows him with a thousand arms and hands so that he can better reach out to all the suffering.

The video below depicts the Thousand Hands of Guan Yin. It is a riveting performance by a troupe of deaf and mute Chinese women. Looking at the grace and precision with which these “disabled” women depict Guan Yin, one might be tempted to think that there is indeed some divine compassion at work here.

I think what I like about the mythos of Guan Yin is that it captures a key aspect of how I understand God to be. God is ever compassionate, ever merciful. There is no suffering that God is not painfully aware of. When we suffer, God suffers. Not in a pantheistic sense, but very much in a Parent-child sense. When a loving parent sees her child suffer, she is personally hurt by her child's pain as well. In this festive season we are reminded of the Suffering God; the God who “became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood” (John 1:14, The Message); the God that came to live and suffer as we live and suffer; not a far off deity, but a God that is intimately acquainted with our predicaments.

The first time I heard of Guan Yin was in a song by Alanis Morissette called “Citizen of the Planet” in which she sings: “I'm a citizen of the planet / My president is Kwan Yin”. It is a song I associate with. As a traveller of the world and as an expatriate, I agree that my “Patriotism [has] expanded by callings from beyond”. I'm no longer bound by a narrow minded xenophobic patriotism, but by a more open view -- one that is hopefully driven by compassion.

"Sir, you look like Mitch."

2011-12-12T06:02:00.000+02:00

Jesse Tyler Ferguson
(Image Source)

versus

“Who is Mitch?”
“Mitch. Mitchell from Modern Family.”
“NOOOoooo!!! I don’t want to look like Mitch!!!”

Or something to that effect is how a dialogue went between one of my students and I this morning. Now what I find quite curious about her statement is the peculiar timing. I usually have a stubble. I’m not fond of shaving, so I just use a clipper to quickly spruce my beard to a two-day trim. This morning I actually shaved properly, splattered toner and moisturized. “You look ten years younger,” is what a colleague told me. Why the student should compare me with Mitchell on this particular day is unusually baffling. Not only is Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the actor that plays Mitchell Pritchette in the TV-series Modern Family, my senior by a couple of years, on this particular day we look a decade apart.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson
(Image Source)

versus

So let’s compare Mitchell and myself. He, is older. I'm younger. Okay, just three years younger, but still. Mitchell is out of shape; I'm not. Yes, I'm no beefy hunk either, I will admit it, but I'm not sagging -- yet. He has an unfortunate sense of style. I may not be a fashion slave, but I do have a sensible aversion of checkered clothes. He has what one can obviously refer to as a ginger beard, while I usually display an auburn stubble. He is evidently gay, with the fame and salary that warrants the paparazzi's attention, while I'm questionably bi-sexual with neither the fame nor the salary to have strangers take pictures of me without my shirt on. If I want shirtless pictures of myself on the Internet I have to take them and post them myself.

So what do the character Mitchell and myself have in common that causes my student to "compliment" me as Mitchell's doppelgänger? Mismatched red hair? He is a strawberry blond, while I'm more of a light auburn. A fair skin? Pink cheeks? A slowly receding hairline? Jobs that require talking? (Mitchell is a lawyer and I'm a literature lecturer.)

I guess in Korea all Caucasian gingers look alike. ;-)

(Suid-) Afrikaanse Rap

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000+02:00

Ek kan nie sê dat ek noodwendig 'n aanhanger is van rap is nie. Wat ek bedoel is, ek is nie 'n super fan nie, is nie ophoogte met al die nuutste albums nie, en hou nie trek met al die nuwe kunstenaars nie. Terselfde tyd kan ek ook nie sê dat ek geensins na rap luister nie. Ek was ook opgesweep met Eminem en terwyl ek nie tans juis na hom luister nie, het ek waardering vir sy sosiale kommentaar. Ek luister ook graag na K'naan -- was bewus van hom sedert sy album "Dusty Foot Philosopher", voordat hy 'n fenomeen geraak het tydens die sokker wêreldspele met sy "White Flag"-enkel. Dan is daar Kanye West. Ek het twee van sy albums, die nuutste een waaroor ek nie huistoe sal skryf nie, maar ook die vorige een 808's & Heartbreak, wat ek beweer 'n baanbrekersalbum in die Hip Hop-industrie is.

Wat Suid-Afrikaanse rap betref, Die Brasse vannie Kaap het my regtig opgewonde gehad en ek mis hulle nogals. Hulle het inderdaad 'n verskil onder die Kleurlinggemeenskap gemaak en was sonder twyfel baanbrekers in Afrikaanse kontemporêre musiek-industrie.

Na Die Brasse het ek eintlik min Afrikaanse rap gehoor. Ek het bewus geraak van Jack Parrow en Die Antwoord (soos almal maar), maar nie juis met enige intensie om hulle musiek op my speellys te hê nie.

Onlangs het ek bewus geraak van nog 'n Afrikaanse rap-groep, Bittereinders. Wat 'n bevange naam! Hierdie is wel 'n groep waarvan ek meer wil hoor en beplan om hulle album te koop wanneer ek volgende maand Suid-Afrika toe gaan.

As jy op YouTube soek na Afrikaanse rap kry jy 'n klompie videos van skoolkinders waarvan hulle eerste taal nie Afrikaans is nie, maar wat vir 'n projek hulle gunsteling rap songs in Afrikaans moes vertaal en voordra. 'n Vyfhand vir die onderwyser! Dit maak my uitsien na al die Afrikaanse musiek wat nog voorlê!

Ou Blog

2011-12-07T06:56:00.000+02:00

Die eerste keer wat ek Korea toe gekom het, dit was rondom 2006, het ek ook 'n blog gehad--destyds nog met Yahoo! 360. Ek het daardie blog toe gemaak nadat ek hierdie huidige een begin het. Ek het wel 'n rugsteun gemaak van die oorspronklike blog en het nog meeste van daardie inskrywings. Dis interesant om my oorspronklike reaksies omtrent Korea te lees. Sien byvoorbeeld een van my eerste inskrywings hier onder:

Orals is trappe. Baie trappe. 'n Mens begin om roltrappe te waardeur in Korea. Hierdie roltrap is in een van die moltreinstasies.

Of hierdie inskrywing wat ek oor my eetgewoontes in Korea gemaak het:

Ek het hierdie week vir die eerste keer wat ek hier is vleis geëet. Van my studente het my uitgeneem vir ete en al die disse het vleis gehad. So toe kies ek maar 'n tofu-bredie met stukkies beesvleis. Ek wou hulle nie in die gesig vat en glad nie eet nie. Gelukkig is my benadering nie 'n wettiese "geen-vleis" kwessie nie, maar eerder 'n "gesonde leefstyl" beginsel. Omdat daar soveel soja produkte hier is, is dit maklik om vegetaries te lewe. Ongelukkig is daar nie 'n verskriklike groot variteit groente en vrugte nie (en boonop is die goed so duur), so ek sal nie heeltemal vegan kan gaan terwyl ek hier is nie. Ek het regtig gehoop dat ek sou kon.

In somertye het die Koreane baie koue disse. Nie koud soos ons het nie—regtig koud! Die kos word op ys gesit. Ek het nog net een so 'n dis gehad, pasta met kimchi. Ek verkies maar warm kos, of ten minste kamertemperatuur kos, eerder as half gevriesde goed.

Ek raak stelselmatig gewoond aan die Koreaanse kos, maar dis steeds nie na my eie smaak nie. Tradisionele Suid-Afrikaanse kos is ook nie regtig na my smaak nie... ek eet nie graag vleis nie, geniet nie pap nie en drink nie bier nie.

Ek wens dat ek net meer gewone vrugte en groente hier kon geniet. Maar elke keer wat ek R18 vir 'n appel moet betaal wil ek die horries kry. Een van my gunsteling skrywer het die volgende te se: "Money spend on nutritious food is never wasted." Ek probeer nog daardie woorde ter harte neem.

Vegan Coconut Cake

2011-12-03T05:56:00.000+02:00

A while back I found a nice vegan clementine and cranberry muffin recipe by another Korean blogger. I had neither clementines nor cranberries, but I did have blueberries so I winged the recipe and made a blueberry muffin mix instead. I also do not have muffin pans, thus my muffin mix became a cake mix. Neither do I have cake pans -- I just have glass containers that are oven resistant. Any way, the small blueberry cake came out quite nice.

Then I experimented with a chocolate-walnut cake. I had made walnut milk the night before so used that, with some crushed walnuts, and a couple of heaped table spoons of cocoa powder, to characterise the rest of the ingredients. When it came out of the oven I melted chocolate truffles over the top as the icing. It was absolutely deliciously decadent!

Vegan Coconut Cake

Today I decided to make a coconut cake. I wasn't sure how it would come out, but it came out surprisingly well, although I did have to bake it longer than the previous cakes I made. Luckily I kept tabs of the ingredients so I can share the recipe.

Dry ingredients:

2 cups of flour
1/2 a cup of coconut shreds
1/2 a cup of sugar
1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet ingredients:

1 tin coconut milk (i.e. two cups)

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Mix the dry ingredients together. Then add the coconut milk and mix well. Poor into a greased pan and bake for around 40 minutes, or until a testing utensil (e.g. knife -- I use a chopstick) comes out dry.

I topped my cake with condensed milk, but I'm sure you can find a vegan alternative instead.

It is not a very big cake. Maybe four big slices, so great for a small group of friends or a nuclear family.

Enjoy it with fruits and Rooibos tea!

Ho-ddeok

2011-12-02T17:28:00.004+02:00

A short video I took of ajumeoni (Korean aunties) making ho-ddeok, a sweet pancake filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and crushed nuts and other secret ingredients.

The music is by Kang San Ae.

Classes Next Semester

2011-12-01T10:07:00.000+02:00

(Image Source: University of Texas at Austin)

I received the list of classes that I'm most likely going to teach next semester.

19th Century English Romantic Poetry
British & American Essays
English Prose Reading & Response Writing
English Short Stories
Literature & Visual Arts (Shakespeare Films)
Intermediate English Listening & Conversation

My basic contract requires me to teach twelve hours a week. I'm usually teaching fifteen or sixteen hours. This coming semester I'm requested to teach eighteen hours! The reason is that our department is losing three lecturers. One resigned, one was fired (or rather, his contract is coming to an end and the department chair told him that his contract will not be renewed), and another is going on a research sabbatical. With three less lecturers, us remaining professors need to carry the extra burden.

The problem, however, is that this will again prevent me from doing any research of my own. The maximum a typical university lecturer teaches is twelve hours, usually less, with the assumption that they will also work on research and writing academic papers. Since I'm consistently teaching over twelve hours, my department does not expect any research output from me. And, of course, the extra hours I'm teaching count as overtime for which I get extra money, but unfortunately I'm not doing much for my academic career apart from gaining teaching experience in a variety of subjects. While this is a good way to solidify my base as a well rounded English literature lecturer, it is not doing much for my scholarly career.

I'm teaching two new subjects next semester: Prose Reading & Response Writing and Short Stories. While I look forward to teaching new subjects, it means a lot of extra preparation, compared with classes that I have taught before. We have also chosen a new textbook for the Listening & Conversation class, so this class will also require extra preparation. The idea of teaching six overtime hours and technically three new classes has me exhausted just thinking about it. I had hoped to enrol into an official Korean language learning course next semester, but that seems unlikely now.

In the liminal space between the end of this semester and the beginning of next semester I will be teaching a Winter School class: Research Methodology. Again. Every time I teach I'm told that it will be the last time the class is taught. I really hope this will indeed be the last time. Although it is only a one credit course, it is terribly time consuming and needlessly stressful.

My knorrige Koreaanse kollega

2011-11-29T16:54:00.002+02:00

Daar is 'n knorrige Koreaanse doktor in die Engelse departement waar ek werk. Die eerste jaar wat ek hier begin werk het, het ek gewoond geraak daaraan dat hy heuwige humeuruitbarstings het tydens departementele vergaderings. Ek is bly om te rapporteer dat hy intussen aansienlik stiller geraak het en hy nogals lanklaas so 'n uitbarsting gehad het. Dis natuurlik ook effe senutergend wat 'n mens kan nie help om te wonder of die spanning intussen ontploffingsdruk opgebou het nie, en die volgende uitbarsting tot waansinnige bezerktheid gaan lei.

In elk geval, die Koreaanse doktor is bot. Hy ignoreer almal en die kere wat hy sowaar met my 'n uitruil van sinne gehad het (ek wil dit nie 'n gesprek noem nie), kan ek letterlik op my vingers tel. Wanneer ons verby mekaar loop of onsself gelyktydig in die sekretaresse se kantoor vind ignoreer hy my eenvoudig soos 'n koning die tuinjonge.

My moeder het vele male aan my 'n staaltjie vertel van my tweede oudste broer wat dit moeilik gehad het onder een onderwyser in hoërskool. Om een of ander rede het die onderwyser net 'n gly gevang in my broer en die lewe vir hom baie ongemaklik gemaak. My moeder se raad aan my broer was om die onderwyser met volhoubare vriendelikheid te behandel. Haar praktiese raad was om die onderwyser altyd en met 'n breë glimlag te groet. Glo het my broer die raad geneem en uit sy pad uit gegaan om dit te doen. Selfs wanneer hy die onderwyser van ver af gesien het, het hy gretig vir hom gewaai en geglimlag. Ons moeder se wysheid het glo vrugte afgewerp, want volgens haar was my broer en die onderwyser later dik vrinne. Ek besluit toe om ook haar raad te volg en begin toe 'n veldtog van vriendelikheid teenoor my knorrige Koreaanse kollega. Elke dag as ek hom sien gee ek hom 'n groot gulle glimlag met 'n gepaardgaande “Good morning,” Good day,” “Good afternoon,” of “Hello” (afwisseling is goed, alvorens dit eentonig raak). Ondanks my hardste pogings het hy my bly ignoreer. Partykeer, as ek hom onkant gevang het, mog hy moontlik 'n “Annyong haseyo” (hello in Koreaans) gemompel het.

Ek was byna gereed om tou op te gooi totdat ek uitvind dat een van my ander nie-Koreaanse kollegas glad nie die stiltebehandeling ontvang nie. Ek gaan steek toe by hierdie kollega op om uit te vind wat hy anders doen. “Nee,” sê die kollega, “wanneer ek hom sien, groet ek hom in Koreaans en gee aan hom 'n klein buigie.” Ek kon dit nie glo nie, die knorrige Koreaanse kollega wil hê ek moet vir hom buig en in Koreaans groet. Ek is toe sommer vies toe ek dit hoor en alles in my skop daarteen om hom die plesier te gee.

Ek is glad nie suinnig met my Koreaanse respek nie. Ek groet in Koreaans met die eervolle buigingtjie aan allerande mense: die tannie by die bakkery, die busdrywer, die mannetjie agter die kaartjietoonbank by die flieks. Hierdie is mense wat laer in die sosiale werksklas is as ek—'n universiteitsdosent—tog gee ek nie om hom hulle met oordrewe respek te behandel nie.

Die eerste ding wat my irriteer van die situasie is die verwagting dat ek hom in Koreaans moet groet. Hierdie is allermins die Engelse departement. Vir watter rede moet ons in 'n ander taal kommunikeer in die Engelse departement? Hy is allermins 'n doktor in Engelse letterkunde en is die taal totaal magtig. Daarbenewens is daar drie ander Koreaanse dosente in ons departement van hoër portuur as hy—die een was 'n akademiese dekaan, die ander eertydse departementshoof van die Joernalistieke department, en die derde is tans die departmentshoof van die Engelse departement—wat my gedurig in Engels groet en geensins van my verwag om voor hulle te buig nie. Ook gee ek nie om om vir hulle die nodige knik van die kom of lyf te gee nie, en doen partykeer so heel natuurlik en gemaklik.

Die blote verwagting van die knorrige Koreaanse kollega dat ek aan hom sulke Koreaanse respek moet wys—respek wat ek met oorgawe aan meeste Koreane wys—maak dat ek dit glad nie vir hom wil wys nie. My respek is iets wat ek vrylik gee; dis nie afdwingbaar nie.

Met na betragting dink ek dat die heuwige rebellie in my nie bydrae tot 'n Christen-karakter nie, en dat ek die geleentheid kan gebruik om nederigheid te beoefen. So ek het intussen begin om hom in Koreaans te groet (in die Engelse departement!) en 'n knik van die kop te gee. Voorwaar het hy intussen begin om my terug te groet in Koreaans (in die Engelse departement!).

Noudat ek hom die respek gee wat hy so graag na smag, word ek nie meer geïgnoreer nie. Dis nie asof hy skielik met my begin klets nie, maar ten minste groet hy my ook nou terug. Maar o, dis moeilik. Ek doen dit met knersende tande!

"If you don't use it, you lose it."

2011-11-27T17:22:00.002+02:00

I'm so frustrated with my deteriorated drawing skills!

I've committed for an art exhibit for the House of Sharing. The exhibit is to take place in less than two weeks (December 10), but I'm still struggling to do what I want to do. I have a very clear idea in my mind's eye, but it would seem that my skills have eroded too much for me to make my mental image manifest on paper.

I can't believe how difficult it is -- when did I get this bad?! I've been drawing from as long as I can remember, and went on to study Graphic Design. During my studies I realised that I'm not interested in working in the marketing industry, so I continued to study English Literature and Creative Writing afterwords. Since I've finished my master's degree in Creative Writing, I started working as an educator. I'm currently focussing on English poetry and writing. Obviously my work do not require me to draw pictures, so I haven't been doing much of that over the last couple of years. It has been about ten years now since I graduated from my first degree in Graphic Design. Since then I haven't done many art projects, and have only drawn on occasion. I didn't realise that my skill have wasted away so dramatically until I started working on this project.

The art exhibit will focus on the so-called "comfort women". These were (Korean and other Asian) women that were kidnapped by Japanese soldiers and kept as sex slaves during WWII. I'm planning five drawings of which two are Japanese soldiers: male nudes holding weapons (a rifle with bayonet and a sword, respectively) in phallic positions. The idea is to associate the phallus as a weapon of war.

I've managed to scribble an okayish first draft of one of the figures, but the second one just keeps alluding me. I'm not getting the proportions right. Even in the above picture the one leg's thigh is too long. The two figures I'm planning are supposed to be positioned on the left and right of another drawing, based on the one below, which will be the central piece, focussing on the Samurai, the most iconic of Japanese symbols.

The other two drawings of the five picture set will be the bloodied flags of Imperial Japan and Korea, positioned above and below the picture above. Or that's the plan. If I can't get my the drawings done within the next few days, I may have to withdraw from the exhibit.

I know I have been neglecting sketching--and art in general, I just haven't realized how much I have neglected it. As the saying goes, if you don't use it, you lose it.

President Lee Myung Bak's Eyes

2011-11-27T11:25:00.000+02:00

I'm yet to talk to a Korean that like the current president, Lee Myng Bak. Honestly, I really don't know how he got elected. But that's not the purpose of this post. Instead, I want to share two sets of pictures of President Lee with two female Heads of State.

Yes, Lee Myung Bak is staring at the butt of Yulia Tymoshenko, the previous prime minister of the Ukraine.

Yes, Lee Myung Bak is staring at the boobs of Julia Gillard, the incumbent head of state of Australia.

Sneaking peeks is one thing, but to gawk is quite another. And a completely different kettle of fish is when one head of state blatantly objectifies another head of state. Goodness, these were official inter-governmental meetings, not encounters at a night club!

Der große Fürst Michael

2011-11-26T09:54:00.006+02:00

"Michael, the Archangel" by Celia Fenn
Daniel 12:1a: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people...”

A theologian friend and I have been speaking about the possibility of Jesus also being Michael, the Archangel. He says that most of evangelical / protestant Christian tradition interprets Michael to be a manifestation of Jesus—and also that he disagrees with the possibility of Jesus being Michael on account of Hebrews 2 that states God has not subjugated the world to come under any angels, but under Christ alone. I disagree with my friend on both points.

First, I don't believe that most of Christianity holds the interpretation that Michael and Jesus are the same being. The Catholic tradition do not hold this view and I know of very few evangelical / protestant interpretations that equate Michael with Jesus. There are only two denominations that I know of that makes this assertion, and both are generally considered sectarian. Now let me stop here for a moment. Just because something is believed to be “sectarian” doesn't by default mean that the belief is false. When Galileo Galilei proposed heliocentrism, instead of the earth as the centre of the universe, he was called a heretic. Heretics, although in the minority, i.e. sectarian, are sometimes correct.

My second disagreement with my friend is not that Jesus must be Michael, but that Hebrews 2 does not trump the possibility for Jesus to be Michael. The Bible is filled with theophanies. A “theophany” is an appearance of a deity in a tangible form. From the Torah (Old Testament) we learn that God spoke with Adam and Eve, Cain, and Noah and his sons, although a specific manifestation / appearance is not mentioned. However, for Abraham and Sarah it seems that God manifested God-self as the Angel-of-the-Lord, an angel that speaks as God in the first person, i.e. God. God originally met Moses in the form of a burning bush. The Israelites encountered God as a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. The Holy Spirit (one of the three persons of God) manifested in the form of a dove at Jesus' baptism. There is therefore many examples of theophanies so that Jesus appearing as the Archangel Michael could be just one of these instances. The appearance of Michael could easily be a Christophany—which is a theophany of Christ. After all, the name “Michael” literally means “Who is like God?”. And we know from Hebrews 1 and other texts the answer to that question: Jesus Christ. If Michael is a Christophany, I cannot see how it clashes with Hebrews 2.

On a side note, the prophet Daniel described Michael (in the text quoted at the beginning of this post) as the “prince” of “thy people.” I think “prince” is an unfortunate English translation of the Hebrew word “śar” [שׂר], from which Russian derives the term “tzar”. I much better prefer the German translation: “der große Fürst Michael”—the great Force Michael. Fürst (or the Afrikaans “Vors”) better captures the Hebrew word “śar”: a great power, or force, the power that will protect you, keep you safe, one's steward. This, to me, is a comfortable description of Jesus as the protector or saviour of God's people; the One that fights on their behalf.

"Archangel Michael" by Luca Giordano

That there is a close relationship between Michael and Jesus we also learn from Revelation 12, where “Michael and his angels” fought against the “dragon . . . the ancient serpent, he who is called Devil and Satan”. Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven. Immediately after this a great voice in heaven is heard saying: “Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast out . . .” There seems to be a link between Michael casting out Satan and the “salvation” and “authority” of Christ.

If Michael is indeed a Christophany, it would seem that Michael is the battle-title or warrior name for Christ. Michael is the one that battles Satan, the Prince of Evil (symbolised by the Prince of Persia in the Book of Daniel). We see this in Daniel 12, in Jude 1, and in Revelation 12.

Does believing or not believing in Michael as Jesus affect any core Christian doctrine? Yes, if we believe Jesus to be merely a created angel. But this need not be the case. Michael could just be a Christophany, in which case the deity of Jesus is not questioned, and therefore no core Christian doctrine is affected.

Is "I Am What I Am" Blasphemous?

2011-11-26T07:57:00.001+02:00

I've come up in defence of Lady Gaga's song “Judas”, which many people consider blasphemous. I even enjoy Marilyn Manson's song “Eat Me, Drink Me”, which I'm sure other people might find blasphemous too. (No the song is not making reference to Jesus' invitation; it actually alludes to Alice in Wonderland.)

The song that really makes my hair stand on end is probably not one that most people would raise and eyebrow over, and I doubt it's intention was blasphemous. It is “I Am What I Am”, originally from the Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles (1983-1987), but made famous by Gloria Gaynor. Some might be mistaken to think that it is because the song was written by a gay man, Jerry Herman, or taken up by the gay community as a gay pride anthem, that makes me think of it as blasphemous. That's not it at all.

Rather, it is the hook of the song “I am what I am.” This is practically an exact quote from Hebrew: אהיה אשר אהיה, which is commonly translated into English as “I AM That I AM” or “I AM What I AM” or just abbreviated as “I AM”. It is a quotation from Exodus 3:14, one of the most famous verses in the Old Testament (Torah).

“I AM What I AM” is God's name for God; this is what God calls God-self. The expression is not merely an ambiguous self-description, it is the most sensible description that a perfect and perfectly self-sufficient entity could describe itself as. There is nothing else higher, or remotely equal to God. Even the term “God” is an inferior construct. God, therefore describes God-self by God-self: I AM What I AM. This expression is one of the seven holy names for God in the Torah.

Is it any wonder that when I hear Gloria Gaynor sing “I am what I am,” that I cringe, and when she follows up with “I am my own special creation” and so equating herself to the Creator that I flinch? Of course, these are all associations in my own mind, coming from my own interest and knowledge in philosophy and theology.

Unlike the Church and religious people that have many opinions about what constitutes blasphemy, the Bible (i.e. Torah), only truly has one thing that is really considered blasphemous and that is equating oneself with God—setting yourself up as God. When Jesus described Himself as the “I AM”, in other words equating Himself with the God of the Old Testament that spoke to Moses, the Jews wanted to stone him because they believed it to be blasphemous. One of the reasons Jesus was crucified is because he basically proclaimed that He is God, that He is the “I AM”.

I don't think Jerry Herman really intended to write a blasphemous song, but I just can't help to make the association when I hear the words.

One of the comments that got the most thumbs-up for John Barrowman's rendition of “I Am What I Am” in the YouTube video above is: “Some people hate that he's gay. I hate that he's so g*d damn perfect.” I agree.

The song teaches an important principle: it is important to know and accept who you are. Millions of people live unhappy lives because they feel uncomfortable in their own skins, uncomfortable with themselves, uncomfortable with who they are. The song declares that your “live's a sham” until you make peace with yourself. I understand this. And I accept that there is a truth in that. For that reason I also like the song. I used to suffer from low self-esteem too, so I know the truth to this.

Still, whenever I hear someone sing it, I cannot help thinking of a puny little human being declaring him- or herself to be the Great God Almighty—the Self-Sufficient, Uncreated, Infinite, I AM.

So is the song “I Am What I Am” blasphemous? Probably not any more than Frank Senatra's “My Way”.

20 More Things I'm Thankful For . . .

2011-11-24T18:06:00.002+02:00

I cannot believe that it is that time of year again—Thanksgiving. I still remember the list of 51 things I'm thankful for that I made in 2009. In fact, I can actually still remember the bakery where I sat and composed that original list. If I were to make such a list again, I doubt it would differ much from the previous one, since I'm still thankful for practically all of those things. So instead of starting from scratch and repeating things I've said before, I'll just add to it.

52. I love poetry. I love to write it and I love to read it.
53. Nut milk. I used to drink soy milk all the time but then someone told me that too much soy products is not good for you because of the high levels of natural oestrogen in soybeans. This led me to search for other milk alternatives, so I began making my own nut milks. It's wonderful.
54. Basil. I love it fresh or as pesto.

A Samsung Galaxy Tab
smartphone, like the one I have.

55. Communication programs and apps such as Skype and Whatsapp and KakaoTalk and all the other things I use to communicate with the people I love. I'm excited about the use of Twitter in the Arab Spring revolutions.
56. Smartphones are changing everything. The ability to just quickly look up anything—that constant connection to the Information Highway is terribly satisfying.
57. I've had some great martial arts instructors and martial art friends through the years. I've had some bad ones too, but I'm thankful for the great ones.
58. Ondol, Korea's underfloor heating, is just plain wonderful. Korea is freakin' cold in the winter, but if you have functioning ondol one's apartment is always warm and cozy.

Kurt Vonnegut,
Sci-Fi Author and Thinker

59. Kurt Vonnegut.
60. Torrents and Miro.
61. While I'm looking forward to teleportation one day, in the mean time I'm really thankful for airplanes.
62. Nice plants in my apartment.
63. Providence.
64. I'm really thankful for Pastor Dan Smith's grace centred sermons.
65. Lemons.
66. Long holidays. Although my annual vacation time is fixed, it is nonetheless wonderful having such long vacations—about three months of paid vacation per year! You can't beat that.
67. I'm constantly reminded what a great privilege it is to be bilingual. It makes life richer. It expands your horizons.
68. Blogging and bloggers.
69. Mandu, or Korean dumplings, is one of my favourite Korean foods. You can buy them frozen and then just steam them. I don't eat mandu that often, but today, when I had nothing to eat, I quickly took some frozen mandu from my fridge, steamed it and it was ready within five minutes.
70. I live in an apartment on campus, where I work. It takes just five minutes from my house to my office.
71. From my apartment to the closest bus stop takes 15 minutes by foot and then another 15-20 minutes by bus to the closest subway station. I'm exceedingly thankful for the campus bus that runs from campus to the subway station. It is during the vacation times or on weekends when the campus buses do not run that I realise how much I appreciate them.
72. That ice drifts, rather than sink, is something I'm thankful for.
73. I don't use it every day, but I'm really happy that I have an oven.

Antjie Krog, South African
Poet and Author

74. Antjie Krog.
75. My first, and so far only, schrink—Okkert Kotze, I think that's his name, it's been a while—(and probably his supervisor under whom he practised) helped a lot!
76. My X for reminding me that I'm a man.
77. Ludolf Bezuidenhout, a childhood friend, who befriended me when I had no friends, and later saved my life. I'm sorry I couldn't save his.
78. Those ladies with their sexy voices that I love so much: Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Ella Fitzgerald, Penny Sue, Sarah Vaughan, Tori Amos, Mahalia Jackson, Reana Nel, Fiona Apple, Edith Piaf, Dido, Amy Winehouse, Alison Krauss, Diana Krall, Amanda Strydom, and the list goes on.
79. Having a friendly dojang (martial art gym) here in Korea where I can train and teach, with a very accepting and caring kwanjangnim (gym owner) that values me.
80. Clean drinking water.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:44:00.000+02:00

Image Source

To all my American friends the American readers of Skryfblok, may you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving, shared with those you love.

Wangdda -- Korean Outcasts

2011-11-24T08:39:00.000+02:00

Image Source

I have two wangdda in some of my classes this semester. A wangdda 왕따 is a type of social outcast in Korea. (The Japanese equivalent is lijime.) In a group orientated society, being a wangdda is unimaginably hard. To become wangdda could be quite arbitrary like being bullied at school usually is. In general, however, any sign of being a little different, could have you ostracised. What bothers me though is that I always thought wangdda to be children's phenomenon. Korean school children would pick out a student and bully and ostracise the child.

I never expected it to continue into adulthood. The two wangdda are not bullied, but they are completely ignored. While this ought not generally be a problem, it is whenever I require students to do group work. I would assign these students into groups, but find that the other students completely ignore them. Once the groups had to do presentations and I think I heard this one group actually telling the one student not to come to class during the next class. I might be mistaken because my Korean is not that great and I wasn't standing close to the group when they spoke, but that is what I thought I heard. It is a big challenge to teach a class where such covert ostracising is occurring, especially a skills oriented class like Conversational English that constantly require pair work and group work.

In an individual society it is difficult to be ostracised, but individuality is often celebrated so that once you are an adult, it becomes okay. I remember that in school I was sometimes ostracised for being the weird, sensitive, artistic boy. As I got older it became easier, and by the time I went to university I found out that there were many other freaks just as weird as me and I made a great group of odd and creative friends. In Korea it is different. There are not that many subcultures and students that stand out as individuals are actually quite few. In fact, I often encourage and compliment any students that show originality and uniqueness, since these are values that I treasure and are probably undervalued in Korea. There's a famous idiom in Korea: The nail that stands up gets hammered down. I try to build up those lonesome nails; hopefully they'll survive the hammering if someone valued them enough.

Read more about wangdda here,

What's in a Name?

2011-11-21T12:21:00.001+02:00

Image Source

One of the first Korean friends I made was a student of mine that I taught English at a language institute in 2006. His name, Jun Hyun-Jin. Recently Jun Hyun-Jin suddenly became Jun I-Sum. Why? Well apparently the Korean Sound Wave Name Institute convinced him that his name Jun Hyun-Jin is full of bad luck. If he kept his name, they told him something to the effect that he will suffer from serious ill health later in life, he'll get a terrible wife, have weakly children, and never advance his career. They suggested he change his name to avert these travesties and proposed the name Jun I-Sum, which he did. I don't know how much he paid for their services, but he paid over $1000 to have his name officially changed.

Personally I think it is all hogwash and suspect that it is not much different from numerology or other such superstitions.

Then again, there is much to be said for a name. Would Oprah have been the success she is today were her name Mary-Sue? Would Madonna have been equally iconic if she was known by her middle Louise instead? Or if she hused her family name and was known as Madonna Ciccone?

In the Bible, names often carry meaning, usually describing the character of the person. Bible characters would sometimes undergo a name change. Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Isaac. Simon became Peter. Saul became Paul. The name change often signalled a character change.

I once had a friend who were verbally and physically abused by her father. As an adult she decided that the negative associations with her name--her father always shouting her name--disturbed her, so she took up another name. She wanted a unisex name so we decided on Toni. With her new name, signifying a new start and a strong character, Toni was able to commence her journey of recovery after years of abuse.

Similarly, my younger brother who has a four syllable first name that people always mispronounce decided to shorten his name to a two syllable name. Later still, his friends adopted a one syllable nickname, Nate, which most people now use. While I liked the two syllable name, Nethan, I also like the name Nate. These days I see that he use different versions of his name, the original four syllable one, the two syllable one, and the one syllable one, in different situations, to good effect.

I'm sure that my own name also had an influence on who I am today. My real names are proper English names. However, our nanny gave me a Sesotho / Tswana name, which ended up becoming the name my family used. I grew up with an African name, which always made me stand out within white contexts. I'm sure this must have had an influence on how people treated me, and how I interacted with people. (If you want to know my name, you can see it on my poetry blog: Ingelegde Lywe.) In Korea my name is very similar to a common Korean name 상국, so that Koreans always ask me after I introduced myself to them if it is my Korean name, then I always have to explain to them, no, it is an African name, I am from South Africa. It has become such a trite routine, that I am shocked when it doesn't happen. Since my name sounds Korean I have opted to use 이상구 Lee Sang-Goo as my Korean name.

Image Source

While I still think that the Korean Sound Name Wave Institute is a sham, I agree, that there is much to be said for a name.

Korea's Drinking Culture and Why I'm a Teetotaller

2011-11-19T08:22:00.000+02:00

Saturday night and Sunday I spent with a group of mostly Koreans and some foreigners at a martial art excursion. This had not been my first such an outing with Koreans, so I expected there to be a lot of drinking and therefore prepared myself psychologically for it. As I am a teetotaller, I need such preparation. In general, teetotallers are a minority, but here in Korea with its extreme drinking culture teetotallers are almost non-existent.

Sometimes they start 'em young.
Image Source

If you do not drink in Korea, you are practically ostracised, for almost all social outings include alcohol. Somebody that doesn't drink with the group is considered unsociable and rude. I remember one occasion where I joined a group of Koreans and when I refused to drink I was basically told to leave by one person. Another senior Korean with whom I have close ties came to my rescue and persuaded them that I should stay since I am his “chinggu” (friend) and explained that it is part of my “religion,” which is a half-truth. However, I'm sure that had it not been for me being a foreigner I would either have needed to leave in shame because of my insult for not drinking with them, or I would have had to conform and drink with the group. I have met some “teetotaller” Koreans in Korea who would accept one drink and drink a little of it, just so that they do not come across as insulting. Some Koreans that do not wish to drink come up with stories like being sick or that they are taking medicine with which they are not allowed to use alcohol. However, even with some people showing the medicine as proof, I've witnessed the extreme pressure they receive to drink at least half a glass of soju. While foreigners can get away with not drinking, they will often experience severe pressure and may find themselves indirectly ostracised for being unsociable.

A drunk Korean passing out in public.
Not that uncommon a sight, actually.
Image Source

There are some Korean subcultures that do not drink, whom are part of so-called sectarian faiths such as Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons. Because these Koreans are part of their own communities they at least have a social life. Koreans who do not belong to such religious persuasions are, as I mentioned already, ostracised and struggle to make friends. Even Koreans from these religious groups have a hard time, particularly in their work place. It is customary for colleagues to go drinking together after work, and refusing to do so, particularly if one's senior or boss suggested the drinking, is considered terribly rude, and even disrespectful. In that sense, not drinking could sometimes cost you your job.

Bottles of soju -- Korea's most famous
alcohol comparable to vodka.
Image Source

Had drinking in Korea merely been one or two beers, it would not have been that bad. Unfortunately Koreans take social drinking to the extreme. Drinking often involves drinking games and other group-pressure drinking. Hearing Koreans shout “one-shot”, i.e. gulping down your glass in one go, accompanied with the encouraging cheers, is not unusual. One's ability to “take a drink” is equated with being “strong”. I guess this is not a uniquely Korean thing, but in Korea it really seems to be a continued test and senior citizens going out with their friends do not seem to take it any lighter than when they were youngsters drinking themselves into a stupor. Seeing old Korean men ridiculously drunk is as common as seeing dead-drunk college boys.

Two older Korean friends passed out on the street
together after a night of heavy drinking. Or, at least,
that's my assumption of this picture.
Image Source

There is a small movement amongst upper class Koreans to drink wine. Since whine is so expensive, and since it is enjoyed slowly, wine drinkers tend to drink far less. Wine drinking in Korea is in many cases just for pompous show, like wearing a very expensive name brand suit, and going to art exhibits just for the pretence of appreciating art, but at least wine drinking is giving a way out to some Koreans who would like to socialise without getting completely knackered.

Soju advertisements usually involve a
sexy Korean woman, showing lots of skin
and curves, that enjoys to drink and party.
There is undeniably a sexual connection
made with drinking soju.

The thing that disturbs me the most about Korea's terrible drinking culture are the associated ethics that go with it. When Koreans misbehave while drunk, they are often excused. This is often true even when laws are broken. Here's another example of the shady morality of a drunken culture. So I once went out with a mixed group of foreigners and Koreans. One foreign girl got terribly drunk and started to behave awfully bad. She also became a danger to herself; constantly falling about and hitting her head. She refused to lie down and rest. Two Korean guys told me—and I think they are from different parts of Korea so this must be a common sentiment—that if she was a Korean girl they would just knock her out. They actually showed me the points where they would hit her. Being a martial artist I recognised the pressure points (temple; side of the neck; and somewhere else I'd rather not mention) and realised that these are indeed points to knock someone out with, so they are actually talking from experience. Did you get this? In Korea, it is common and acceptable to hit a rowdy drunk Korean woman unconscious. Eventually the foreign girl in our group did go to sleep without being knocked unconscious. The next morning she had no recollection at all of the previous night. Of course, nobody was angry with her for her misbehaviour—she was drunk after all. But the thing that disturbs me is that she could have been taken advantage of, i.e. raped, were she amongst a different group of people, and she would not have been any the wiser the next day. I'm wondering how often this sort of thing actually happens in Korea. In a culture where ridiculous amounts of alcohol consumption is socially acceptable and even socially encouraged, where drunken misbehaviour is excused, and where knocking out difficult drunk women is common (something I reconfirmed with some of my male students), taken advantage of an unconscious woman while you are drunk yourself, doesn't seem far fetched to me at all.

Luckily for this girl, Korea
is relatively safe.
Image Source

So why don't I drink alcahol? There are a couple of reasons really. The first reason I do not drink is as a statement. It is for the same reason I do not smoke. My father did. He smoked and it made him stink and I swore that I would not be like him. There was also a patch during which he drank and became aggressive. I remember clearly how my brother and I would hide (and sometimes throw away) his whiskey because of how we hated the way it changed his personality. It took him a while, but he eventually realised the negative impact his drinking had on us, so he stopped excessive drinking. I respect him for caring enough for us to choose us over the bottle. Nonetheless, the negative associations with alcohol was set, so I also swore not to be like my father, who continued to drink socially. Second, many people on my maternal side of the family are alcoholics. In particular my uncles, one of them my godfather whom I always looked up to. I saw how the drink had destroyed both their lives and their families and it disgusted me. It also came as a revelation to me that since I take after my mother's side of the family, I probably have a predisposition towards becoming an alcoholic myself. I know I have an addictive personality, so I'm not taking any chances. Later, when I became a Christian and accepted the scripture that says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and that therefore healthy living is part of our act of worship, I decided to live a healthy life style. This is in part the reason why I'm a (flexible) vegetarian, why I avoid frequent consumption of caffeine, why I exercise even though I often do not feel like it. Finally, I honestly do not like the taste of alcohol. I once tried to drink Amarula Cream, thinking that I'd at least enjoy the taste since a like fruity, creamy stuff. I do like cherry liqueur dark chocolates after all. Regardless, I had to boil the Amarula Cream for quite some time to get rid of the alcohol taste. Last year I was in a hotel by myself and there was beer in the bar fridge. Being alone I thought I'd just try it a bit--I'm far from anybody who knows me, nobody would know. I took maybe two sips and can still honestly say that I really dislike the taste. If it is indeed an acquired taste, it is a taste I'd rather not acquire.

I'm not against people temperately consuming alcohol. There are many people who seem able to enjoy it in moderation only. Although I do not, many of my friends enjoy a drink on occasion. I am, however, against drunkenness and am definitely against Korea's excessive drinking culture. I strongly believe that Korea would be much better off without this element in its society. It is complete nonsense that a person cannot have fun without alcohol, that one cannot be sociable without drinking. And if it is the case for some timid people who needs the bravado of the bottle, the severe price Korea and its families are paying because of alcohol is not worth it.

In this post I focussed on a very negative aspect of Korea, sure. There are, however, many other positive things about Korea otherwise I would not have lived here for nearly five years now. Korea is cool.

3 dinge

2011-11-18T17:24:00.000+02:00

Ek het die onderstaande vrae op 'n ander blog gesien en is toe sommer lus om ook die speletjie te speel.

Noem 3 dinge waaroor jy mal is op die oomblik:

Antony and the Johnsons' "Hope There's Someone"
Okkerneutmelk
Mohisme

Noem 3 dinge wat jy vir jou 20 jarige self sou wou sê as jy kon terugreis in tyd:

Oor 'n jaar gaan jy deur die slegste tyd in jou lewe gaan wat jy jouself kan indink. Jou pa gaan in 'n rooftog in die kopgeskiet word. Jou ma gaan uiteindelik aan haar terminale siekte sterf. Jou beste vriend gaan te verlief wees om jou te ondersteun. Al jou finansiële ondersteuning gaan eensklaps verdwyn. Jy gaan bottels by die kafee moet ingee om 'n brood te koop. Jou meisie gaan die daaropvolgende jaar in 'n motorongeluk sterf. Jou ander beste vriend gaan in 'n koma wees. Jy gaan aan intense depressie lei. Ondanks dit alles gaan jy van die waardevolste lewenslesse leer wat jy moontlik ooit sal leer. God gaan 'n werklikheid vir jou word.

(Okay, dis meer as drie dinge . . . ek kan dit seker afkort tot: daar lê groot stront vir jou voor; jy gaan daaruit leer; God gaan wesenlik word.)

Wat is die 3 (of meer) dinge wat jy voor jou siel weet jy eintlik behoort aan te werk wat jouself aanbetref:

Gaan slaap om hemelsnaam vroeër!
Luister met belangstelling na jou broer.
Maak flippen tyd vir Koreaanselesse.

Waarvoor is jy bang:

Rotte. Hulle kan 60cm hoog spring—hoog genoeg om jou aan jou knaters te byt. Hulle kan deur rioolpype swem tot in jou toilet en jou knaters byt terwyl jy op die toilet sit. Hulle het lang tande.

Wat maak jou kinderlik opgewonde:

Poësie en 'n mooi metafoor.

Watter 3 films wat jy onlangs gesien het, het 'n impak op jou gemaak:

Warrior
In Time
The Help

Noem 3 goeie gewoontes:

Drink water.
Lees gereeld en wyd.
Koop nie emosioneel nie.

"Across the Universe" and Other Cravings

2011-11-18T06:20:00.000+02:00

I've been in the mood again for one of my favourite movies, Across the Universe, lately. I wrote about it before. The video below is a scene from the movie in which Evan Rachel Wood covers the beautiful Beatles' song "Blackbird".

Whenever I crave for something, be it food, or music, or visual stimuli, I always wonder what is the cause for the craving. You see, our cravings are signs that our being has a lack of something. As you probably know, I'm mostly a flexible vegetarian so I almost never eat meat, and don't enjoy red meat and if I were to eat it, it has to be cooked very well done. However, on occasion, once a year maybe, I may suddenly crave medium done red meat. What this tells me is that my body is lacking iron. Usually when I take an iron supplement or just eat some spinach the craving disappears. The same principle applies to other cravings in our life. What I'm wondering is, what is it in or about Across the Universe, that my soul has a need for?

Two Lies and a Truth

2011-11-17T16:51:00.000+02:00

Following are ten sets of Two-Lies-and-a-Truth about me. Can you guess the Truths?

1. At a time as I child I considered becoming _______ when I grow up:
A. a policeman.
B. a porn star.
C. a horse trainer.

2. I dream of one day learning to:
A. fly a helicopter.
B. juggle.
C. cook Korean food.

3. I once considered studying:
A. Nano-engineering.
B. Biochemistry.
C. Criminology.

4. I'm sad when:
A. babies are born.
B. my baking flops.
C. my pens run out of ink.

5. I'm secretly a fan of:
A. Justin Bieber.
B. Robbie Williams.
C. Apple products.

6. An instrument I would like to own is:
A. a saxophone.
B. a theremin.
C. a xylophone.

7. A piano style I would like to master is:
A. jazz piano.
B. classical piano.
C. acoustic piano.

8. Poetry I wish I could write better is:
A. political poetry.
B. limericks.
C. psalms.

9. The fruit I consume the most is:
A. tangerines.
B. apples.
C. bananas.

10. My hair that bothers me the most is my:
A. grey hair.
B. nose hair.
C. shoulder hair.

"You Owe Me Nothing in Return"

2011-11-15T17:37:00.000+02:00

Alanis Morissette's song "You Owe Me Nothing in Return" effectively summarises how I understand love in a relationship ought to be. It describes an unselfish version of love -- "the only kind of love as I understand it that there really is." Unfortunately there are so few people mature enough, and secure enough, to understand and want such a love and a relationship based on such a love. It requires complete trust of and faith in your partner. It also requires self-assurance. There is no room for self-pity and insisting in your partner fulfilling your selfish needs.

I hope to one day find a person to share a relationship based on such an understanding of love. And I hope that when I find that person that I will have grown adequately to present my partner with this type of love in return.

"You Owe Me Nothing In Return"

I'll give you countless amounts of outright acceptance if you want it
I will give you encouragement to choose the path that you want if you need it
You can speak of anger and doubts your fears and freak outs and I'll hold it
You can share your so-called shame filled accounts of times in your life and I won't judge it
(and there are no strings attached to it)

You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give
You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have
I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege
And you owe me nothing in return

You can ask for space for yourself and only yourself and I'll grant it
You can ask for freedom as well or time to travel and you'll have it
You can ask to live by yourself or love someone else and I'll support it
You can ask for anything you want anything at all and I'll understand it
(and there are no strings attached to it)

You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give
You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have
I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege
And you owe me nothing in return

I bet you're wondering when the next payback shoe will eventually drop
I bet you're wondering when my conditional police will force you to cough up
I bet you wonder how far you have now danced you way back into debt
This is the only kind of love as I understand it that there really is

You can express your deepest of truths even if it means I'll lose you and I'll hear it
You can fall into the abyss on your way to your bliss I'll empathize with
You can say that you have to skip town to chase your passion and I'll hear it
You can even hit rock bottom have a mid-life crisis and I'll hold it
(and there are no strings attached)

You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give
You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have
I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege
And you owe me nothing in return

11.11.11

2011-11-11T16:44:00.000+02:00

November 11 (11.11) is Pepero Day in South Korea. A Pepero 빼빼로 is a "cookie [stick] dipped in chocolate", a favourite snack in South Korea and Japan, where it is known as Pocky. Pepero Day is somewhat similar to Valentine's Day, but instead of chocolates, roses or other typical Valentine's Day gifts, the gift of choice is Peperos.

This year, however, November 11th is extra special in Korea as children born will have identity numbers that start with "111111". To ensure that their children have a sestet of ones in their identity numbers many pregnant mothers have gone out of their way to get c-section surgeries scheduled for today. According to Reuters, c-sections scheduled for 11 November 2011 is up by 20% from usual. (I'm obliged to a South African friend for sending me the link to the news article.)

Speaking of South Africa, annually on the weekend closest to 11 November, South Africa celebrates Poppy Day. It is in remembrance of those that died and fought in battle during World War I, World War II and other wars. World War I ended at the eleventh hour on 11 November 1918 when Germany signed the armistice. In South Africa it is known as Poppy Day because poppy flowers are traditionally sold as part of fundraising initiatives by the South African Legion to help veterans of war. The poppy was chosen because it grew on the battlefields of Flanders (Western Front), where many soldiers died. A poem written by Colonel John McCrae (a Canadian medic) brought wider attention to the poppie connection.

In Flanders Fields -- John McCrae

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place;wait and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead, short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields!

The red poppie became the symbolic flower of remembrance.

In South Africa Poppy Day remembrance ceremonies are held on the Saturday nearest 11 November and some services are also held on the adjacent Sunday. It is not a national holiday, so I'm not sure how many people actually observe it, but it's function is similar to Remembrance Day or Armistice Day celebrated by countries of the Common Wealth and Veterans Day in the United States which is also celebrated on November 11th. South African's typically use Poppy Day to remember South African soldiers who died in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Border War, as well as surviving veterans of war. Ceremonies are typically held in Cape Town and Pretoria.

November 11 is also Nigel Tufnel Day kept by the cult following of the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. This day was chosen because of the recurrence of the number 11, which became a significant number in the movie, based on one particularly scene in which the character Nigel Tufnel explains how they can turn the volume of their amplifiers "up to eleven", making them "one louder" that other bands that can only go up to ten. The quote "up to eleven" has become pop-culture idiom, suggesting that something is done better, beyond it's expected limitations. I'm not sure exactly how one celebrates Nigel Tufnel Day; I guess you make sure to do something "up to eleven."

Also from popular culture and linked with 11 November 2011 is the movie that is supposed to have been released today, 11-11-11. While it may have gone on circuit in other parts of the world, I didn't see it showing in Korea (I went to the movies today). Then again, I'm not particularly interested as I avoid horror movies; this film was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of SAW II, III and IV, none of which I've seen. On the other hand, I do like science-fiction films and this is a sci-fi horror. I'll wait a bit and first see how it rates on RottenTomatoes before I make my decision.

On a more philosophical note, 11 November is the anniversary of the death of the Christian philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, the father of Existentialism. Existentialist thought was most notably expounded upon by later philosophers like Friedrich Nietzche, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre, but it was Kierkegaard that first focussed on the human dilemma of freedom of choice and the existential angst this causes. He wrote about it in his book The Concept of Anxiety. One example in which he explains this angst requires us to imagine a man standing on the edge of a very tall building and looking down. The man experience two kinds of fear: "the fear of falling, and fear brought on by the impulse to throw himself off the edge. This second type of fear, or anxiety, arises from the realization that he has absolute freedom to choose whether to jump or not, and this fear is as dizzying as his vertigo" (The Philosophy Book, p. 195). In short, Kierkegaard argued that apart from the freedom to be born, God endowed us with free choice. Because making life-altering decisions always cause much angst in me, I'm quite attracted to the Existentialists. Kierkegaard died at the young age of 42 on 11 November 1855.

11 November 2011 is also a day on which New Agers celebrate "Interconnectedness Day", with heavy focus on the Green Agenda. Previous such Interconnectedness Days were celebrated on 10 October 2010 and 9 September 2009. I guess next year on 12 December 2012 will be the last year Interconnectedness Day will be celebrated in a very very long time.

On a personal note, my first best friend, Matthys du Preez, and I used to celebrate 11 November as our friendship day. I can't remember exactly what the reason was that we chose this day as our friendship day, but we celebrated it as a birthday. Matthys was literally my first friend. I cannot recall any friend before him. Our parents were friends and because we were of the same age we naturally became friends. We also went to the same elementary school (a "plaasskool") together. We grew up on farms in the same farming community and there was only one elementary school where all the children in the community went -- a little school with hardly 300 pupils. We were so close in personality that many people mistook us as twins, to our delight -- I guess the fact that we often dressed alike contributed to it. We often finished each other's sentences and my mother told me that we seemed to communicate telepathically as we would sometimes just look at each other and seem to know what the other was thinking. Unfortunately my first best friend moved away when we were about 11 years old and due to the distance our friendship waned until we completely lost contact. In recent years I've started to increasingly think about my old friend. I was able to look him up and sent him an email with the hopes of meeting with him at the beginning of this year while I was in South Africa, but he didn't respond to my email. I guess he's not as sentimental as I am about those early years. In our late teens, early twenties, we both lost our mothers to illness. I think we could have been a great comfort to each other had we stayed in contact. I sometimes wish I could have been there for him during that time of loss and during other trials he may have experienced as a child. I have fond memories of our friendship and I remember quite distinctly the good and caring friend he was. I am very blessed with some great friends in my life. I have, in part, Matthys to thank for that. Because my first friendship had been such a very close one, that has become my expectation of a real friendship. Matthys' care and loyalty as a young boyhood friend inspired me to become the same type of friend later in my life.

Happy 11 November, for whatever reason you decide to celebrate it.

My kar is gevind!

2011-11-11T09:44:00.002+02:00

Wie sou dit nou kon raai?

Ek het verlede week gerapporteer oor my kar in Suid-Afrika wat gesteel is. In die skrywe het ek genoem dat "if it is found I doubt will be worth more than its value in scrap, for the robbers will strip it down to its frame." Ek was verkeerd. Die kar is vandag gevind en die skelms het sowaar waarde toegevoeg tot my motor!

Hier is die kort e-posboodskap wat ek van my broer se lewensmaat ontvang het. (Haar seun is 'n polisieman.)

Ek hoop ek bring baie goeie nuus. My seun het vandag in Orange Farms gewerk en soos hul ry, sien hy 'n blou golf van voor af aankom en besluit om hom af te trek en doen die nodige ''chassis'' en enjin nr toetse oor polisie radio. Daarna bel hy my en vra vir kenmerke en ek noem 'n hele spul goed en hy antw...mamma ek't die golfie gekry. Hy't 2 gearresteer. [Jou broer] gaan mre oggend voertuigtak toe in Vereeniging. Die kar is oorgespray, volgens [my seun] lyk die kar mooi en daar is 2 nuwe mags agter op, maar daars nou 'n ander injin in, 'n passat enjin. So ja, sal jou weer na more op hoogte hou. Prys ons Hemelse Pappa...dankie Jesus.

Hoop my boodskap bring 'n glimlag op jou gesig.

Ek was in die versoeking gebring om te dink dat die rede hoekom ek my rugsak, wat nou die dag verlore geraak het, weer kon opsoor te make het met die veilige hawe wat Suid-Korea is; en dat ek nooit weer my kar sou sien nie omdat Suid-Afrika so 'n kriminele plek is. Die onwaarskynlikheid om my kar weer terug te kry is 'n wonderwerk en dit herinner my dat my rugsak, met al die waardevolle items wat daarin was, wat ek terug gekry het ook 'n wonderwerk is en nie eenvoudig met Suid-Korea se veiligheid te make het nie. Ek het allermins gebid! Alhoewel ek al baie dinge hier verloor het en weer terug gekry het, het ek ook al duur dinge hier verloor en nooit weer terug gekry nie.

Wenke vir die skryf van gedigte

2011-11-08T06:39:00.000+02:00

Image Source

Ek het verlede semester 'n kort seminaar gegee in die skryf van poësie. Hier is drie (en twee-derdes) van my hoofwenke:

Maak abstrakte stellinge konkreet en konkrete stellinge interesant (deur die gebruik van beelde en simbole -- vergelykings en metafore).
Kommunikeer gevoel, maar vermy sentiment en clichés.
Vermy (eind-)rym, tensy die gedig dit vereis. (Betekenisvolle binnerym skep 'eenheid' in die gedig en is wenslik. Daarinteen laat gedwonge eindrym die gedig na 'n 'rympie' lyk -- definitief onwenslik!)

Lekker skryf!

Sien my gedigte-blog: Ingelegde Lywe.

Kommunikasie is uitputtend

2011-11-07T16:20:00.000+02:00

Is moeg.

Het sopas terug gekom na 'n kuier met 'n Koreaanse vriend. Sy Engels is so beperk soos my Koreaans. Jy sal nie glo hoe uitputtend dit is om in twee gebroke tale te kommunikeer nie.

Ek het die vriend seker 'n jaar en 'n half, moontlik twee jaar, gelede laas gesien. Volgens hom het my Koreaans baie verbeter. Persoonlik dink ek dat ek net 'n paar bywoorde by gekry het.

Dankie tog vir vertalende woordeboeke!

Where's Mandela? And What's Up With Prince Charles?

2011-11-04T15:06:00.000+02:00

Associated Press -- Source

When was the last time former president Nelson Mandela was seen or heard from? In what condition is he? Is he even still alive? Let me know, I'm really curious and concerned.

A few days ago Brittain's royal couple, Prince Charles and Lady Camilla arrived in South Africa. They are on a five day visit in South Africa. Yesterday they met with Mandela's wife Graca Machel but not with Madiba. I find it curious. Yes, former president Mandela is sickly and weak, but ever the more reason for Prince Charles to at least drop in and give his old peer a nod, for surely he is unlikely to see Mandela again. Unless, of course, the reason he is not visiting with Mandela is not because Mandela "is not receiving visitors," but because he cannot receive anybody since he had passed away. Yeah, all conspiracy theory stuff, but there would be good reason for the powers that be to keep news of his passing hushed for the time being. In politics timing is everything!

Regarding the royal visit: The comments I read under some [1, 2] news reports of Charles and Camilla's visit was most unfavourable. One person said that they are "as exciting as a bar of soap", another wrote "who cares?!", another suggested to get "eggs and naartjies ready" presumably to throw them with, and yet another suggested that they "go back to their island." Gathering from these and other even less flattering comments, it would seem that the average South African is not too keen on the English royals.

The prince is spending much of his time in South Africa talking about climate change (his favourite topic) and economic ties between South Africa and Britain. On Sunday he will depart for Tanzania, which is another African country like South Africa with very strong trading ties to China and lots of local Chinese investment. Maybe his visit to South Africa had more to do with concerns about China's foothold in Africa, than anything else. As I wrote last month, the ties between South Africa and China is much more sinister that we are led to believe.

Car Got Stolen

2011-11-03T17:05:00.001+02:00

Isn't it ironic how my previous (Afrikaans) post was about how much I miss the farm ("Die plaas"); i.e., how I miss South Africa, and then I get the news from my brother that my car in South Africa got stolen yesterday. Now foil this against the post I wrote on Monday ("Lost & Found") about losing my backpack with all its valuables inside here in Korea, but getting it all back intact--not a dime missing. While the possibility of getting things back in Korea is quite high, the possibility for the same thing happening in South Africa is pretty darn small. I have little hope that my car will be found and if it is found I doubt will be worth more than its value in scrap, for the robbers will strip it down to its frame.

Admittedly, it is not a terrible loss for me personally. Since I live in Korea and only visit South Africa for a couple of weeks per year it is not as if I'm using the car regularly. Okay, so it wasn't an expensive car. As a rather old Volkswagen Golf, it is considered an entry level car and is probably worth less than R10 000, based on today's exchange rate that is less than US$1300.

During my 2009 visit in South Africa I lost a tyre after
I hit a pothole. It was a lovely day to change a tyre,
and I didn't even get robbed, raped or hijacked.
One has to count one's blessings!

Nonetheless, it is still a loss. It is something that belonged to me and that was taken away from me. Furthermore, I lend my car, which is pretty light on fuel consumption, to my brother whom is going through some financial difficulty. So not only was I stolen from, those I care for are inconvenienced by this crime.

Now here is the truly disturbing thing. I am thankful that my brother was not in the car when it was stolen, because hijackings in South Africa often lead to the murder of the victim. I am thankful that my family was not harmed and weighed against their lives, I'd gladly give up a car. What is sad about it, is that South Africa is such a criminally violent place that when your car gets stolen without someone being injured or killed in the process, you consider it a blessing. "Hey, my car got stolen. Nobody's dead. What a blessing!" Sadly this is not a joke. I spoke to a South African friend a week ago, who told me of a friend of his who was stabbed to death a few days earlier. The robbers took his cellphone. In South Africa a life is worth a cellphone! For South Africans such crimes are so common that we forget that it is actually abnormal. We live there without thinking it strange. Here in Korea I enter my apartment and immediately lock the door behind me. The force of habit. Most Koreans don't bother. In Korea I'm the strange one for being so over vigilant. In the martial art class when I teach self-defence they think my techniques are overly excessive and I guess in a country like Korea it probably is.

Die plaas

2011-11-01T09:46:00.001+02:00

Pierneef, "Plaas naby Derdepoort"
Beeldbron: Litnet

Ek wou 'n skrywe geskryf het oor my verlange na die plaas vandag, maar toe onthou ek dat ek reeds so 'n skrywe gemaak het sowat twee jaar gelede. As ek vandag die skrywe sou skryf, sou dit basies 'n woordelikse herhaling gewees het van wat ek toe geskryf het: Ek verlang na die plaas. Die plaas bestaan nie meer nie. Daar is dus geen lafenis aan my verlange nie.

In die verlede, nadat ons plaas onteien is, het ek darem weekliks 'n draai by een van my vriende wat ook toe nog op plase gebly het, gaan inloer. Op 'n Vrydagmiddag het ek saam met Howard die beeste gaan haal en kraal toe gejaag of oor 'n naweek het ek by Jaco gaan kuier en ook so tussen bees of skaap gaan stap. Vandag bly albei van hulle in dorpshuise.

My broer bly op 'n plot. 'n Plot is seker beter as 'n dorpshuis omdat daar darem diere op die plot is: perde, hoenders, honde. Maar 'n plot is nie 'n plaas nie en ek verlang na die plaas. Groot oop stroke veld. Doringbome. Reuse bloekoms. Klipperste klip. Rooi grond. Suid-Afrikaanse blou hemele. Kiewiete wat raas as jy verby stap.

Ek sit in my kantoor in Korea en merk vraestelle. 'n Kantoor is beslis nie 'n plaas nie. En Korea se plase is nie soos Suid-Afrika se plase nie.

Invention Idea: Clothing Database and Clothes Personificator

2011-11-01T07:23:00.000+02:00

So I have a lot of clothes. Not ridiculous amounts of clothing, but enough so that I sometimes forget to where certain items, partly because I haven't truly looked at these items in a while and thought about wearing them.

So here is my invention idea: I want to invent a little microchip to embed in each clothing item, which will record the frequency with which I interact (i.e. take out of my closet and look at, and / or actually wear) each item. The information will then be stored in a database, which I'm sure will reveal certain trends. Obviously certain clothes will reveal to be seasonal--I'm unlikely to touch my winter clothes during high summer.

It will also show the clothes I hardly wear.The reason could be threefold. Some clothes are used for exclusive events. Take my suits, for instance. I have three. My black suit is something I'd only wear to a very formal night time event, or maybe a funeral. My other suits are also used for formal occasions such as banquets, when I give a special talk, when I attend ceremonies, etc. Secondly, it might be that the clothes don't fit me. I'm not speaking merely of size, but also of style. Finally, it could be merely that I've forgotten about certain clothing items and for that reason I do not wear them, or they have gotten too old, worn and tattered to wear. In all but the case of special event clothes, I ought to get rid of the other clothes--those that are too old, don't fit me, or don't fit my style.

Furthermore, the embedded chip could act to "personify" the clothes. Were I to look at the database I could see which clothing items I am neglecting. The neglected items could possibly show up in the database as feeling depressed, they may even send me a text message to my cellphone or a tweet enquiring why I'm neglecting them. Other clothing items could complain that I wear them too often. Certain pairs of socks that I wear often could, for instance, complain that they feel over used and that I will wear them out if I continue like this. They could do an online search and suggest me certain brands of socks that are similar in fabric and style.

The clothing items could also take note of which combinations (specific items or colours) I often wear together. Amongst themselves they could come up with possible other workable combinations that they could suggest I try. The yellow tie could possibly tell me that it would also be a good match with my navy blue shirt, so I don't always have to don the orange tie. The brown jersey could say that it would work equally well with that blue shirt, so I should give it a try, rather than always opting for the brown jacket.

So there is my invention idea. Anyone of you is welcome to take this idea from me on condition that you always supply me with a workable and updated version of the invention for personal use.

A Video for Halloween: Allison Schulnik's "Mound"

2011-10-31T12:55:00.000+02:00

Mound by Allison Schulnik from garaco taco on Vimeo.

Lost & Found

2011-10-31T04:48:00.002+02:00

Image Source

Last night coming back from hanging out with my writing crit-group (we watched Zombieland since it's Halloween), I had to transfer from one subway train to another. Half way to my destination on the second train I realised that I had left my backpack on the previous train. A sense of dread got hold of me. In my backpack I had my (expensive) camera, a credit card, my ID-card that is linked with my Korean visa, nearly $300 in cash, and exam papers of my students.

I began to pray fervently. Utmost in my thoughts were the two cards and the student exam papers. The camera can be replaced, but the credit card can easily be exploited long before I can cancel it and I need my ID-card to cancel it. Also, the exam papers are irreplaceable and a dreadful mistake like losing my student's exam papers could seriously affect my job.

It was already very late so I wasn't sure what to do, but I eventually decided to just turn around and go back to the station where the previous train would finally stop. I got there just before midnight, likely close to closing time. After some searching I found the Lost & Found Office. My backpack was there with nothing missing.

While sending up prayers of praise I thought about how different Korea is from South Africa. There are many bad things I can say about Korea, but Koreans are far less likely to steal than the average South African. I've lost a number or things before, and got them back four out of five times, because of the honesty of the average Korean.

My negligence didn't come cheap, however. Because it was so late I missed the last train home so I had to find a motel to sleep over at. It cost me nearly $50. Had I known the area I probably could have found a jjimjilbang (sauna) to sleep at for far cheaper, but unfortunately it was way after midnight and I had to get to bed.

Dropbox and Evernote

2011-10-28T07:17:00.000+02:00

There are two online storage applications that I've started to use that have influenced my life for the better. Now we know that the whole world is eager to transit their data to the "cloud". I still have my reservations about this, especially considering the solar storms predicted for 2012 by a NASA study, which could wipe out our online data. So for the time being I will still have the bulk of my data backed up offline. Nevertheless, the ease of having your data online is of great benefit, especially when you are constantly moving between computers--at your work, your home, during transit--as I do. We all know the frustration when you suddenly need to access information that is on your home computer but you are finding yourself at your office. This need not be an issue since data stored in the "cloud" makes geography irrelevant.

Dropbox is a good solution. It provides you with 2 GB of free space. You can upload data to your account and it is available for you to access anywhere you have an internet connection. It is a great way to backup your most important data. For instance, I use it to backup my student's grades. You can also make certain folders within your account accessible to other people, so it is a wonderful way to share data with other people.

Evernote is equally impressive. It is basically a tool for keeping notes, but notes can be defined beyond mere text--it could include online links, parts of webpages and even photos you snapped with your smartphone. For instance, you could take a photo of somebodies business card or of a poster you saw on a lamppost or of a restaurant menu. Evernote automatically recognises the text in the photo and index it for you so when you search for something in your Evernote notes, even the text in your photos are retrievable. The great thing about Evernote is that it comfortably works on your computers and mobile device and periodically synchronises the notes on your computers and mobile device. That means that when I get an idea while sitting on the subway I can quickly enter it onto my mobile device and when I get home the information is waiting for my on my home computer.

Grappling Photo Series

2011-10-24T17:19:00.000+02:00

While searching for some other photos in my 2009 folder I came upon these photos that I took during a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training session. I thought them to be nice and decided to share them here.

Ancient Korean Colours and Patterns

2011-10-23T12:53:00.000+02:00

Self-Portrait: Fighter

2011-10-22T17:36:00.000+02:00

Kakashi and Giraffe Sex Still Skryfblok's Top Posts

2011-10-22T14:32:00.000+02:00

A statue by Belle Brooks, inspired by the search
for "giraffe sex" on Google that has gone
viral. (Image Source)

A year ago (to the day) I wrote a post on giraffe sex. It was basically an experiment to see if it would increase page views to my blog. It actually worked. The search term “giraffe sex” is the second most popular search term that bring viewers to my blog, that is according to Blogger's statistics. Google Analytics describes it slightly differently, saying that the actual keywords “giraffe sex” is the tenth in traffic ranking and “giraffe” fifth. Be that as it may, it is obvious that people with interest in giraffes (and giraffe procreation) quite frequently land on my blog. According to Google Analytics the keyword “Kakashi” is still by far the most frequent entrance to my blog and Blogger's statistics concur that “Kakashi Hatake” is the top search term for people to land at Skryfblok.

To all the Kakashi Hatake fans, here's a naked picture of Kakashi in the shower! (Lol, this is bound to shoot up visits! Nothing like sex to boost traffic, as the giraffe post experiment proved.)

Image Source

Other favourites are “Andy Lau”, “do mermaids exist”, and “body painting.” Other posts that is a gateway to my blog are the one I did on the physical differences between Koreans and Caucasians and the post in which I announced my new (Afrikaans) blog Ingelegde Lywe that focusses on poetry, particularly “liefdesgedigte” (love poems) and “erotiese verse” (erotic verses).

Japan earthquake and tsunamie, March 2011
Image Source

There were two distinct spikes on my blog, one in March 2011 and the other in May 2011. The first spike was because of the earth quake and resultant tsunami in Japan in March. The pageviews jumped with nearly 2000 from January and February. I wrote two posts on the earthquake. The first an Afrikaans post in which I announced the earthquake's occurrence on the day (11 March 2011). The second a few days later in which I explained why Korea was spared from the tsunami that followed the earthquake.

Image Source

Traffic went down with about a 1000 views in April but went up again with another thousand in May. I'm not too certain about the reason for the May spike. I wrote a couple of controversial posts that month. For instance I wrote about how Google tailors our search results; I wrote (favourably and sympathetically) about Lady Gaga's song “Judas” and her struggle with sin; I wrote with disgust about the pleasure people derived from Osama bin Laden's death; I announced that Armageddon would not happen on Saturday, May 21st; I laughed at the release of Obama's Birth Certificate; and I gave a link and feedback about the talk I gave about Christianity and Romantic Poetry. Any, or maybe a combination of these posts could have caused the increase in page views.

While Blogger's statistics show a slow but steady decline in traffic since May, Google Analytics tells a different story. According to Analytics visits have nearly double from May to August. There has been a slight recession of late, but of course the month is not yet at an end so the statistics are a little fuzzy for October. In July and August I went on holiday so I posted some photos of my trip in Laos, Thailand and China. I can't think why such photos should increase views to my blog, however. There are hardly anything else I think noteworthy, apart from, maybe, my “Kukkiwon Gangster” photo, which is slightly controversial, but only to those privy to the dark secrets of Taekwon-Do history.

Image Source

The bounce rate for my blog is pretty high, around 80%. People land here hoping for a website on Kakashi or giraffe sex or mermaids, and instead find a blog with over a thousand posts on very random topics. Disappointed they leave soon afterwards. Most of these people don't stay longer than 30 seconds. For a blog with no specific purpose other than logging my life and thoughts, this is not an issue. Were I trying to sell something (a product, or myself), a high bounce rate would have been a bad thing.

Image Source

Most visitors to Skryfblok are American. The second highest geography that visit my blog is South Africa. This is heartening as one reason I started this blog was to keep my friends and family who mostly live in South Africa up to date with my life here in Korea. It seems to be working. Of all the visitors from around the world most do not return; however just under 10% return to the blog; i.e. they are likely followers of the blog. Interestingly, most of these returning visitors are from South Korea and the second highest grouping of returning visitors are from South Africa. Does that mean that my social network in South Korea has surpassed my social network in South Africa? It would be a surprising finding if it's true, for I am still under the impression that I have far more friends in my country of birth than here in my host country.

Are you a fan?
Image Source

If you have read this whole post, give yourself a pat on the back, for you must definitely be either a real friend or a true Skryfblok follower to have read through all this boring and somewhat useless statistics about a rather purposeless blog. Lots of love to you!

Holding a woman . . . uhm . . . I mean a bottle

2011-10-22T12:12:00.000+02:00

"Black Bean Tera Tea"
Image Source

So yesterday I went to the movies to see this movie (오직그대만), and bought myself the tea advertised above. In Korea such cold unsweetened tea-drinks are readily available. In any case, while sitting in the cinema with my tea bottle in hand I suddenly became aware of the feeling of holding a shapely slim woman. That the tactile-sensory message of the bottle could communicate this with such force took me somewhat by surprise as I usually think of marketing in visual rather than kinetic terms. The tea is marketed for (Korean) women wanting to loose weight (it is high in fibre and low in kilojoules). In Korea it seems that there is a whole range of beverages marketed for women, using not only visual cues of shapely ladies, but also tactile cues in the form of shapely bottles. This particular bottle literally feels like a slim shapely woman. Now I don't know if a heterosexual woman holding this bottle in hand will get the same "feeling" as I did. In any case, for more on the topic of bottle shapes in Korean marketing you can read more at The Grand Narrative.

My Afrikaanse speltoetser-panarie

2011-10-22T11:43:00.000+02:00

Boer-in-Ballingskap het vir my hierdie skakel gestuur waar 'n mens 'n gratis Afrikaanse speltoetser en woordafbreker kan aflaai. Omdat dit 'n Pharos-produk kan 'n mens vertrou dat dit 'n goeie produk is.

Die enigste probleem is dat hierdie speltoetser werk in tandem met Microsoft Word. Ongelukkig gebruik ek nie Microsoft Word op my persoonlike rekenaar by my woning nie. Byna al die programme op my rekenaar is oopkode ("open source") gratis programme. Ek gebruik die Open Office-pakket as my woordverwerker. Ek het wel die Microsoft Office-pakket op my kantoorrekenaar, maar wanneer ek by die werk is, funksioneer ek eksklusief in Engels en het dus nooit behoefte aan 'n Afrikaanse speltoetser nie. So bevind ek my dan tans in 'n paradoksale-panarie. By die huis waar ek by tye 'n Afrikaanse speltoetser benodig kan ek dit nie gebruik nie, en by die werk waar ek dit kan gebruik het ek dit nie nodig nie.

Song's About the Craziness of Being In Love

2011-10-20T18:08:00.000+02:00

The song I wanted to included first is "It's Crazy" by Sarah Vaughan, but it seems I cannot find a YouTube version of it.

"Language Teaching Applied Linguistics Reading Pack"

2011-10-20T17:24:00.000+02:00

For my scholarly minded language teaching friends, here's a nice little research resource lasting for the next few months, thanks to Cambridge University Press.

Language Teaching (the Cambridge University Press journal) has put together a free trial 'Survival Pack', with MA and PhD students particularly in mind, featuring a selection of Timelines, State of the Art, and Survey articles, amongst others.

This "Language Teaching Applied Linguistics Reading Pack" can be seen at:

http://journals.cambridge.org/LTAPACK

The offer is valid until the end of May 2012. At some point, the offer may be updated with new material.

Please circulate widely.

Regards,

Melissa Good
Editor, HSS Journals
Cambridge University Press

journals.cambridge.org

Blue House

2011-10-20T08:37:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I visited the Blue House, the official residency of the South Korean president. I wrote a little more about the Blue House on my martial art blog: Soo Shim Kwan.

Myeongdong Fantasy Festival 2011

2011-10-16T15:55:00.000+02:00

Today I went to the 2011 Myeongdong Fantasy Festival. Myeongdong is a trendy fashion districts in Seoul. I went to a particular item on the fantasy festival list, namely a live drawing. Here's one sketch I made.

Since it was a fantasy festival I decided to dress in steam punk for the occasion. Coincidentally this matched with the clothes of the two models so I volunteered for one sitting.

Miyavi's "Requiem"

2011-10-13T16:35:00.000+02:00

Few artists have that mythical ability to reach inside your chest, take a hold of heart with both hands and just squeeze it till it oozes with emotion. It's a raw type of emotion evoked by a raw type of voice, like Skin from Skunk Anansie; or like Miyavi. Just listen to Miyavi in his "Requiem". Really listen. You don't even need to understand Japanese to feel the hurt, the longing.

O how I wish I could experience him live. No need for anything fancy. Just him and his guitar -- unplugged. Now that would be a memorable experience.

Gee Engels Oorsee

2011-10-12T16:49:00.000+02:00

Baie Suid-Afrikaners gee Engels in Korea. Dis ook hoe ek die eerste keer in Korea beland het. Korea is nie die enigste land waar Suid-Afrikaners Engels kan gee nie, soos hierdie onlangse skrywe in Beeld wys. Mense met gepaste grade kan byvoorbeeld in Georgië gaan Engels skoolgee. Die geld is bitter min, slegs R2000 per maand, maar verblyf en etes is gedek, wat beteken dat jy byna geen uitgawes het nie. Natuurlik gaan jy nie juis geld maak nie en is 'n plek soos Georgië eerder gepas vir mense wat bloot nuwe ervaringe wil beleef.

Many other places, particularly in the Orient are also open to South Africans to teach English. Japan is a great destination with a relatively high salary; unfortunately, Japan is a very expensive place and saving money there is more difficult. Some South Africans I know also teach in Taiwan. Teaching in Hong Kong in the public school system is a good option, but I'm biased towards Hong Kong, although I personally would not want to teach children. I know of people teaching in Saudi Arabia and surprisingly even educators (i.e. people with degree's in Education) that are welcomed into England, Canada, New Zeland and Australia.

Hoe het dit gebeur?! Ek het glad nie besef dat ek vanaf Afrikaans oorgespring het Engels toe in die vorige paragraaf nie. Hierdie is definitief 'n gevaar wat jy in gedagte moet hou wanneer jy besluit om oorsee te gaan Engels gee: dit kom ten nadeel van die ander tale wat jy magtig is. Ek funksioneer byna uitsluitelik in Engels en vind dat my vlotheid in Afrikaans baie aangetas is.

Wanneer jy besluit om oorsee Engels te gee, stel ek voor dat jy twee dinge moet bedink. Wil jy geld maak of wil jy nuwe lewenservaringe hê en jouself in die gasheerland se kultuur verdiep? Die twee is nie noodwendig in tweestryd nie, maar die kanse is goed dat jy in plekke soos Korea of Japan by harder en langer ure gaan werk (alhoewel jy meer geld verdien), maar gevolglik minder tyd gaan hê om te verdiep in die plaaslike gemeenskap. Daarinteen, opsie wat minder geld bied, bied baie keer meer interaksie met die plaaslike gemeenskap. Neem byvoorbeeld die Beeld berig hierbo. Slegs R2000 per maand, maar jou etes is in die huise en aan die tafels van die plaaslike mense.

Watse kwalifikasies het 'n mens nodig om oorsee Engels te gaan gee? Gewoonlik moet jy 'n vier-jaargraad hê. Daarby saam is dit verkieslik dat indien jou graad nie in 'n gepaste veld soos Engelse taal- en letterkunde of Onderwyskunde is nie, dat jy 'n sertifikaat in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) beskik. Nie alle lande vereis so 'n sertifikaat nie, maar dit sal jou aansienlik meer bemagtig en meer deure oopmaak indien jy wel oor so 'n sertifikaat beskik. Twee ander kwaliteite wat jy benodig is geduld en aanpasbaarheid. Ek het gevind dat Suid-Afrikaners inderdaad oor die algemeen oor meer geduld en aanpasbaarheid beskik as baie mense uit ander lande. Ek vermoed dat Suid-Afrika se multi-kulturele atmosfeer nogals daarmee help.

Rain Cast as Buddha

2011-10-10T10:54:00.000+02:00

On Sunday I went to the concert venue for Rain's performance. Unfortunately I came down with a bad cold / flu a few days before and while waiting there for the concert to start I just felt increasingly awful. Eventually the prospect of all that loud noise and bright lights and many people got the better of me. These are not things you want to experience while feeling under the weather. In the end I decided to go back home. A friend of mine did go and she said it was a great concert; it's a pity that I missed it.

Now what's this about Rain and the Buddha, you may ask?

Have you noticed how much Rain looks like depictions of the Buddha? The same serene smile, the pleasant narrow eyes, the slight pudgy nose, even similar big ears. Rain has really big ears! I'm of course referring to the younger slimmer (Indian) Buddha, not the older fat (Chinese) Buddha.

It's not that far fetched an idea that a Korean entertainer should depict the Buddha. After all, the Buddha have been depicted in many films before, including a Korean film from 1964 on the Seokgamoni Buddha (the Buddha at the moment of enlightenment).

Seokgamoni 석가모니 (1964)

Let us not forget that even Keanu Reeves played the Buddha once. In the 1993 film Little Buddha, directed by Bernardo Bertulucci, Reeves was casted as Siddhārtha Gautama, who became the Buddha -- the "Enlightened One".

Keanu Reeves in "Little Buddha",
in the role of Gautama Buddha.

Surely an Asian actor would look more like the Buddha than an Hawaiian, albeit racially mixed, actor like Reeves.

If you had to put Reeves and Rain next to each other and compare their characteristics, including acting abilities, they would probably come to a tie. They have even both acted in Wachowski Brothers' movies: Reeves in The Matrix films and Rain in Ninja Assassin. However, Rain will definitely get bonus points for being Asian, his bigger ears, and more serene Buddha-like smile.

If ever I had the opportunity to make a film about the Buddha, I'd cast Rain in the leading role.

"The Power of the Gospel" -- Ben Harper

2011-10-08T01:10:00.000+02:00

A Male Collection -- 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival

2011-10-07T15:25:00.000+02:00

I shot this at the 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival on 2 October 2011.

See Rain for Free

2011-10-06T11:41:00.000+02:00

Do you love K-pop? Would you like to see Korean superstar Rain 비 for free?

Question one doesn't really appeal to me, but as for the second question, yes I would. I don't like K-pop, to be honest, but I do like Rain. I've written about him a couple of times before on this blog (see for instance here and here), and would love to see his dance moves in action, and if I do not have to pay for it, even more so.

Well, this coming Sunday, October 9, Rain will be performing as part of the 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival's "Korean Wave" concert. The concert will be held in front of the east gate of COEX Mall at Samseong Station, Subway Line 2. It starts at 7pm and continues until 9pm. Better be early if you hope to get a good spot. It is free, after all.

"Sagi Musume"

2011-10-06T05:45:00.000+02:00

Kabuki, Japanese traditional "art of singing and dancing" started in the 1600s. Back then the performers were women who played both male and female roles. Unfortunately, with time, the all female ensamble started to supplement their income with prostitution. This resulted in the shogunate banning actresses from performing in these performances. The roles of men were taken over by adult men and female roles were replaced by young male actors. Unfortunately, again, the boys also became involved in prostitution, so finally all roles were replaced by adult males. This seemed to have reduced the instances of prostitution associated with Kabuki performances, although it did not completely eradicated it. However, the lack of feminine characters suddenly required the adult males to acquire tremendous subtlety and grace in order to depict female characters. This resulted in properly the most beautiful, tasteful, and graceful "drag performance".

I hope to have the opportunity to see a live kabuki performance one day. I'm particularly interested in the depiction of "animals" in these performance. As an example, look at the beautiful "Heron Maiden" dance in the video's below, in which the actor depicts the spirit of a young woman who was reborn as a heron because of bad karma. Instead of merely acting like an animal, these animal performances requires the most subtle gestures to enact the animal's character--the slightest twitch of a foot, or cocking of the head evokes the essence of a heron.

Modern Hanboks @ 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival

2011-10-05T15:26:00.000+02:00

I saw this beautiful collection of modern female hanboks (traditional Korean dress) at the 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival on Monday.

Former Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama / South Africa and China

2011-10-04T17:33:00.000+02:00

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama
Image Source

In the past I supported calls for South Africa supplying the Dalai Lama with a visa to visit South Africa. See here. My main motivation was the importance of freedom of religion and freedom of expression. The recent controversy leaves me slightly less sympathetic. The Dalai Lama was invited by former Archbishop Desmond Tutu to attend his 80th birthday celebrations. Tutu was born on 7 October 1931. My question must be, what was Archbishop Tutu thinking? He must have known that South Africa will again deny the Dalai Lama his visa, because of South Africa's strong ties with China. His invitation only brought humiliation on the Dalai Lama and put South Africa in a negative light. Or was that the purpose? The Dalai Lama gains much international sympathy from such China-related dismissals.

What I've mentioned thus far has probably been said by many other news analysts. So here are my two cents:

First, South Africa ought to give a clearer message as to why they are against the Dalai Lama's visit. At present we only look like a puppet of China, which, as the economic leader in Africa, we definitely do not want to come across as. Of course our camaraderie with China cannot be denied, but the government's media spin doctors can definitely come up with a better story. For instance, Tibetan Buddhism is surprisingly quite patriarchal and even misogynistic. Modern orthodox Tibetan Buddhism preaches that it is practically impossible for a woman to attain enlightenment. In future reincarnations they first need to be born as a male. Then there are the use of female sex “volunteers” by the highest level Lamas as part of their tantric practices. For more on this, read June Campbell's personal account as a Tibetan Buddhist insider. You can read an interview with Campbell here. If South Africa were to motivate its decision to deny a visa for the Dalai Lama on more grounds than just its ties with China, for example Tibet's religious subjugation of women, it would get much less backlash from the many South Africans who are looking favourably on the friendly Dalai Lama.

Second, it is not covered in the mass media, but on more than one account have I heard of military bases (at least two that I know of) manned by Chinese soldiers in South Africa. What is the purpose of two Chinese military camps on South African soil? One estimate that I recently heard of counts the number of Chinese soldiers in the thousands. Now this is something we South Africans ought to find much more disconcerting than South Africa's denial of the Dalai Lama's visa. Is South Africa in some greater Chinese grip, something much worse than mere economic relations, than most of us are aware of? This is the real story that needs to get media attention.

Things like Information Security Bill gets a much more sinister tone if scene with the aforementioned as a backdrop.

Manhunt International 2011 -- Seoul, Korea

2011-10-04T10:17:00.000+02:00

Currently Gangnam, a district in Seoul where I used to live, is hosting their annual Gangnam Fashion Festival. Fashion shows ran this past weekend and will continue over next weekend. Part of last nights line-up was the peacock parade of "Manhunt International". I wasn't going to take pictures of this section, but the battery of my friend who went with me to the fashion show ran out, so she asked me to take photos for her. Well here are the pictures of the global male beauty stereotypes for your viewing pleasure. I wasn't able to snap a picture of all of them, but these are most of them. There are more photos at the official website, including mugshots of each contestant and an opportunity to vote for your favourite.

Honestly, some of these guys do not reflect the countries they are from at all. Take for instance the guy representing Kazakhstan--he is the one in the green jacket. He has blond hair and bright blue eyes. Not what I would think a representative of Kazakhstan's handsome dark haired and some what Asian looking men.

In the photos below the pageant contestants are seen in their national costumes. Honestly, some of these costumes were quite outrageous. I added captions for the countries that I can remember.

Australia

Angola

Costa Rica

China

England

France

Greece

Hawaii

Hong Kong

India

Japan

Kazakhstan

Macedonia

Mongolia

Pakistan

Singapore

South Africa

Thailand

Korea

The final pageant for Manhunt International 2011 will be held in Central City, Seoul, on 10 October.

Zahara's "Loliwe"

2011-10-02T22:20:00.002+02:00

South African Xhoza singer Zahara performs her title song "Loliwe", from her recent album in the video below. The song is causing a lot of buzz in South Africa. In part because of its beautiful melody and Zahara's rich vocal quality. However, it is not only the aesthetics of the song that is causing the talk -- it is the confusing lyrics. The narrator in the song tells her audience to wipe the tears from their faces because the train is coming, the train is coming, "loliwe", but then the lyrics make a strange turn in the bridge, saying that heaven is only filled with Christians, so if you want to go to heaven you should pray.

Since the album is not a gospel album, it would seem that the lyrics are somewhat insensitive, even, hyper liberals can argue, politically incorrect as it clearly suggests that there is no salvation for anybody of a different faith. The lyrics are further confusing as the connection with the coming train and heaven is never made clear. Is the train a reference to the Second Advent in which the living in Christ and those that died in Christ are spirited away into heaven -- transited to heaven in a metaphorical train, like Elijah in a flaming chariot (II Kings 2:11)? The coming train is obviously meant to be good news, for it is the reason why they should wipe away their tears and stop crying. But why are they crying in the first place? Are they the one's that should pray? Are they crying because they are not going to heaven? If so, why should the announcement of the coming train be of comfort to them?

Any Xhoza readers or other South Africans of this blog that can help to decipher the song?

Update:

I just saw in the comments under another "Loliwe" related YouTube video one YouTube viewer translate the section in question as: "in heaven only the holy ones stay there so if you also want to stay [then you should] pray". Since it is a native speaker's translation, I assume it is much closer than my assumption that it was only Christians staying in heaven. But myself and others are still confused about the connections between the crying people, the coming train, and heaven.

Seoul Tube & Gangnam Fashion Festival

2011-10-02T20:56:00.000+02:00

Saturday I went to Seoul Tube and mingled with a great bunch of Korean and expat in Korea vloggers. On Sunday I went to the 2011 Gangnam Fashion Festival at COEX.

On both days I took videos with the intention of editing them into something to upload onto YouTube and then embed here. Unfortunately I recently had some serious hard drive problems, forcing me to format my computer and installed a new version of Windows. This resulted in me loosing some programs -- including the only video editing program that can handle my camcorder's file types.

Hopefully I'll get a substitute soon enough.

"Those who inherit the Will of Fire" by Toshio Masuda

2011-09-30T15:18:00.000+02:00

Toshio Masuda's "Those who inherit the Will of Fire", which he composed for the Naruto anime-series, is one of my favourites. I can still remember the goosebumps I got the first time I heard it. It is a beautiful fanfare mixing classical instruments with Japanese traditional instruments. Listen to it with your volume up high.

Bid vir jou vyande

2011-09-30T11:47:00.000+02:00

Ek werk by 'n Christenuniversiteit. Daar is baie godsdiensgefundeerde universiteite in Korea. Die feit dat my universiteit 'n Christenuniversiteit is, het sekere implikasies. Onder andere word daar van my verwag om my klasse met gebed te open. Baie van die studente is nie protestants nie (in Korea word daar—tereg—onderskeid getref tussen protestantse Christenne en Katolieke Christenne). Buiten vir 'n paar Katolieke Christene in my klasse, is daar ook Boedhiste en ateïste. Daar word van die studente verwag om respekvol te wees tydens die opening van elke klas; gelyktydig probeer ek ook hulle resprekteer deur nie onnodige lang of dogmatiese gebede te bid nie. My tipiese gebed lui iets soos volg:

“Dear God, Thank you for loving us. Please be with us during this class. Please also be with our families and friends. In Jesus' name—Amen.” Soms maak ek my gebed telegrammaties kort: “Dear God, Thank you. Amen.” Die studente lag gewoonlik hiervoor. Ander kere bid ek langer, veral as daar spesifieke behoefte is; byvoorbeeld wanneer die studente 'n toets gaan skryf, of 'n voordrag moet lewer, of moeg en/of honger lyk—dan bid ek vir kalmte, fokus, krag, uithouvermoeë of watookal die situasie vereis. Ek probeer om nie tot 'n rympie te verval nie en die gebede altyd opreg en relevant te hou.

Maar dis nie waaroor ek eintlik in hierdie inskrywing wil praat nie. Ek wil eintlik praat oor iets wat verlede week met my gebeur het. Ek's nie een van daardie Christene wat alewig die stem van God hoor nie. Ek kan nie met oortuiging sê dat ek al ooit die Stem van God as 'n duidelike vibrasie van klankgolwe wat bons teen my oordrom ervaar het soos party ander Christenne blykbaar gereeld beleef nie. Die naaste wat ek daaraan gehad is wat ek bloot “indrukke” sal noem. Ek het die “indruk” gekry dat die Heilige Gees iets vir my probeer kommunikeer. Selfs hierdie “indrukke” is aansienlik minder as wat party mense glo het, so wanneer ek wel sulke “indrukke” kry probeer ek om daarna te luister. Ek wens ek kan sê dat ek meer gehoorsaam daaraan is, maar ek weet dat dit nie altyd my reaksie is nie.

In elkgeval, nou die dag, terwyl ek my gebedjie aan die begin van 'n klas sê, toe kry ek 'n “indruk.” Die indruk was iets aan die hand van: “Hoekom bid jy altyd vir julle familie en vriende? Dis maklik. Jesus sê dat jy moet ook vir jou vyande bid.”

So deesdae probeer ek ook om vir my en my studente se vyande te bid. Ek moet eerlik wees en sê dit kom nie natuurlik nie. Eerstens omdat ek nie juis vyande het nie. Daar is nie spesifieke mense met wie ek in vyandigheid is nie en nagte oor wakker lê nie. Daar's dalk 'n klompie mense waaroor ek nou nie juis gaande is nie, en dan is daar die politici vir wie ek min ooghare het, so ek gooi hulle maar almal binne die “vyande”-kategorie. Oor die algemeen kom ek redelik gemaklik oor die weg met meeste mense. Ek is redelik “laid back.” Maar dalk is die gebed nie vir my nie. Dalk is dit vir my studente en hulle verhoudinge, hulle familie en vriende en vyande. Ek weet nie presies hoe my gebed insae het in iemand anders se vyandige-relasies nie. Ondanks, ek probeer nou maar ook vir ons vyande bid.

Jesus se uitdaging—nee, opdrag—om vir jou vyande te bid, om jou vyande selfs lief te hê, oortuig my van die bonatuurlike aard van hierdie religie. Dit is 'n absoluut onnatuurlike ding om te doen. Dit is daarom 'n bonatuurlike vereiste—iets heeltemal buite die natuurlike aard van die mens. Dis 'n goddelike karaktereienskap, sulke onvoorwaardelike liefde. Daarom is dit ook slegs God wat ons met daardie vermoeë kan bemagtig. Die dan, dat ons daarvoor moet bid.