A few of weeks ago, when I tweeted I was undergoing a job interview in Korea, I got a response from Dave of The Longest Way Home about doing a post on ‘Surviving a job interview in Korea’.

At first, I laughed at the idea and then later, I thought…well, why not? 

“K******** University wants you to contact them ASAP about a job position. Please call them; they are a very good university.”

That was the message I got from Eun-Hyung, my Korean co-teacher, last April in India.  It was a university job I had applied for long before I left Korea. The position started March 1st and it was for a full-time lecturer in the Media Arts department, teaching Video and Animation. At the time however, my commitment was travel and my Yoga TTC program, so I’d written them to keep me in mind for future openings.

They did.

But when you’re hobbling solo through India with dust, heat and craze at your back, the last thing you want to respond to life beyond traveler’s overwhelm. Reluctantly, I dropped the ball.

This past November rolled around and the university contacted me, again.  This time, by email.  There had been many candidates vying for the job; but they were looking for the right person.  They were convinced I was the one.

This time, the timing was perfect.

Can you get a  job teaching something besides English?

Most foreigners in Korea teach English.  As a foreigner, getting a job offer to teach a specialty aside from English is unlikely.  Not impossible. It’s just not a job that you’ll find commonly posted for non-Koreans. Finding a position, which allowed me to teach my skill of expertise (video & media arts) was a rare instance. I’d still be teaching in English in a way, but as a prerequisite studio course the focus was split.

What makes a good candidate?

I won’t profess to know what makes a good candidate for a university job, since I already failed two university job interviews. Could be appearance, qualifications, degree background or whether you can balance a ball on your nose. With my recruiting university, their “right candidate”, fell order like this:

•  1.  The ‘right’ schooling (my graduate school in the U.S. was known and well-aligned with their school)
•  2.  Impressive career background (I had a background in Television, Video Production and the Arts)
•  3.  A year’s experience of teaching in Korea
•  4.  A fantastic phone referral from my co-teacher.

What happens on your first interview with a Korean college?

For Korean colleges, the first interview is to win department approval. But when Korea’s not sure if they want you, they make you jump through the hoops of ‘song and dance’.  You gotta sell yourself.

Here’s some of the things I’ve had to do for other colleges:

1. Prepare and perform a 5 minute lesson plan for a mock class (you may or may not advance notice for preparation)
2. Interview in-person.
3. Be ready to answer questions, such as: 

Why you want to teach English in Korea?
Why you think you’d be a good candidate if your background isn’t in teaching or English? 
How would you handle a class in which some students know absolutely no English?
How would you deal with students who are unmotivated to learn?

How do universities interview you when you’re their favorite candidate?

When Korea knows they want you, it’s like being recruited as a star athlete. No tryout or audition. You don’t have to sell them on why you should get their vote. They already know. 

Thus, I was able to do a Skype interview with the department and was given one question.  The next day I received an email acceptance letter, then handed to the administration office for the process of collecting extra documents such as proof of work, credits, etc…

Rather than be cocky however, a year in Korea conditioned me to err on the side of safety. With Korea, there are many “surprise reveals” at the last-minute.

How to read when Korean universities are silent?

Westerners have a tendency to think of silence as a sign of ‘disinterest’.  For Koreans, silence is like waiting at a traffic signal. At any moment the light could turn green, so you keep your foot hovered over the gas pedal.

For some time, all was quiet. Aside from knowing I was their favorite candidate, I didn’t know much else, about my competition or the position. Salary, housing, vacation time, hours of in-class teaching vs studio time, extra responsibilities of the department… the terms of employment weren’t given to me nor was I receiving answers for my query.

An email arrived on January 3rd stating that my second interview would take place on January 12th with the head of the university… in Korea. Five or six other candidates were CC’d on the email, as well. This was my first time making it to the second round. 

Wait. Rewind.

Interview in Korea?  …In 9 days?!

A round trip ticket to Korea, hotel and transportation… all paid for by the university.

Life was moving faster than I could digest it. Free trip to Korea? I felt weighted. I still didn’t know the terms of employment and within that pocket of silent wait, doubt entered my mind and I drafted alternate plans for 2012. Really good ones! A speedy return to Korea was starting to lose its focus. I was starting to feel dazed by my surrounding decisions.

Knowing I may ultimately need to change my dates, I booked a flight with Korean Airlines. I’d used them before and had to change my flight, so I know their service is top-notch. They won’t charge you a fee if you have to change your flight! No change fees, free in-flight meals, individual TV sets, great hospitality plus two free luggage check-in pieces! Airlines don’t get any better than Korean Air!

When I stepped off the plane, two curious-looking gentlemen greeted me– Prof T.H.L.  a young, quirky-looking video professor, fluent in English and Professor P., a kind and soft-spoken professor and head of the department. Tired from the long flight and lack of sleep, I mustered the enthusiasm for a greeting.We chatted in the car; and I realized they were immediately likeable.

The two men drove me to The Prince Hotel to check in. They walked me to my room, then bid me a goodnight, informing me they’d come to pick me up for the interview in the morning.

The second interview: meeting the President

One of the most prestigious universities in the city, the first campus was impressively large and upright. As one of the top ten most beautiful colleges in Korea and film location of K-drama Boys over Flowers (it was the elite high school, where the top 1% of the wealthiest Korean families attend), it definitely earned its model ranking. It’s red brick western style buildings stood regal, commanding a sophisticated academic presence, reminiscent of an Ivy league college. With soft rolling hills and tightly manicured lawns, the campus held a distinct air of brevity and sunshine. A practically squealed in my seat, driving through it!

We drove up to the President’s building. It stood tall, quiet, intimidating, academic.  I entered the office, flanked by my two department guardians. Foreign candidates of other departments, filtered into the waiting room, wearing razor-sharp suits; each, accompanied by a Korean professor or dean from the hiring department. A Berliner sat next to his Korean attendant for the German department, a Filipino woman sat in wait next to her Korean counterpart for the nursing department…

Then it occurred to me… this interview was IT. I was IT and the only. And there were no backup candidates to replace me if I decided not to take the job. This interview was for each department to get Presidential approval!

Inside the president’s office, the nerves melted away my surroundings. Separated by a long wooden table, three distinguished Korean men sat across me. The president looked like a Korean Roger Moore. Dignified. Neither smiling nor frowning. 

What was my career experience previous to teaching?

What was my proudest career achievement?

Why do I like Daegu?…

Frankly, I’m bad at job interviews. I don’t give smart answers. I give honest ones and my brain was like a waffle… solid, but spongy with very shallow potholes. I was sure I made a bad impression.  After my interview, Professor P disappeared in to the President’s Office. In five minutes, he emerged victorious. I got the job and the two professors whisked me off to celebrate the victory with a sushi lunch!

Finally, the Terms of Employment

Usually, knowing your salary and benefits comes before the last interview, but meeting with the administration was our next stop.  There, the head administrator laid out the terms before me. They were sparkly. Great salary, paid vacation of 3 months, 4 weekly classes, free housing, a requirement of one annual solo exhibition of my work for teacher’s performance. Paving a road to a career in academia came with a handsome package…

If I chose to take that road.

 Meeting with the department staff

The following week I was still in Korea, so I was invited to meet the department staff. Four male professors welcomed me in the faculty lounge and gave me a grand tour around the Media Arts building. We ended with a friendly chat over coffee at a café. This introduction was different from my first welcome to Korea. I really experienced that Korean hospitality I used to hear others talk about.

Everything in the picture appeared perfect!  A prime job at a university, working alongside cool co-teachers, my very own office (with a door), inspiring future artists as well as, developing my own work towards a solo exhibition. It wasn’t Seoul, but maybe that wouldn’t matter. My ideas were racing with lightning speed and excitement. This could work fabulously!

But just one thing burdened me … those alternate plans gave me a sharp tug.

Countdown to a final decision

I asked for a week to make my decision. Start date is March 1 and if I accepted the job, the visa process had to start on the spot. Everyone had hoped for a confirmation sooner, but sometimes, even perfect choices doesn’t make the decision-making process any easier.

Please don’t assume to know my answer just yet.

Actually, this post isn’t really about surviving a university job interview. It’s about surviving a decision.

 
How to get to Korea:

Who to fly with:

Korean Airlines (website) 
Free in flight meals, personal tv sets, care package (slippers, tootbrush and toothpaste, water bottle), 2 free luggage and no change fees.

Rental phones in Korea: 

SK Telecom Roaming (website)
Low Fee of 3,000w/day+ low rates on useage  (texts or calls)
*SK telecomm can be found in Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport and Busan Airport.

Where to stay in the city:

Prince Hotel Daegu (website)
1824-2, Daemyeong 2-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu
Ph :82-53-650-5217
Less than 5 minutes walk from Myeongdok subway station, Line 1.

How to apply for a university job?

Each university has their own prerequisites. Some want a TOEFL certification, a degree in English or Business or 2+ years teaching at a college level, etc… Most require an MFA degree for consideration.

In general, here’s what to expect:

1. Submit cover letter, photo and resume
2. Fill out an application (in one case, I had an application which was 8 pages full of essay questions!). Sometimes, they’ll request you use their online application and just a head’s up– Korea uses mostly PC and Internet Explorer (too bad to Mac and Safari/Firefox users). 
3. Submit transcripts, copy of passport and documents via mail (or via email, if the school is cool)

No matter how much you’d like to selfishly keep good places from changing, development in the name of progress is inevitable. With growth and the popularizing of travel comes the stampede of  crowded tourist buses, over-worn backpacker routes, souvenir shops clamoring for the sell and then comes the irritating habits of tourists…

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6 annoying habits of tourists:

1. Dude, put a shirt on it!

I don’t care if it’s a vacation, honeymoon or even it’s just too damn hot; there’s no excuse for inappropriate attire and bad etiquette, when you’re in a “conservative” country.

Advice: Read up on the customs of the culture and show the locals of the place (and yourself) a little respect. For ladies, micro-skirts, stringy tank-tops, exposed boobies (even if they’ve got a tiny piece of fabric over them that you might call a bra) don’t fly, if the local women feel ashamed bearing their shoulders! Put a shirt or shawl on it. For guys, shirtless, man-boobies and you’re not even a mile near an ocean? Give me a break!

2. Enter the paparazzi.

Paparazzi have infamously bad reputations. They’re always getting in front of people’s faces and shooting off high-beam flashes, such that their mere presence is an imposition. There’s nothing wrong with being a sentimental click-happy tourist, but “flash”-happy paparazzi tempt a slap.

I’ve witnessed solemn local ceremonies (i.e.  monks receiving alms in Luang Prabang), where travelers took snaps, but didn’t check their flash bulbs at the door. The locals were in the middle of their worship and clearly disturbed by the jolting intrusion, but were helpless to do or say anything.

Advice: There’s a time and place for flashes; solemn ceremonies and religious prayers aren’t it, unless your camera is invited. Learn how to turn off your camera flash (in many cases, the photos turn out much nicer and more natural). If you want a close-up; invest in a zoom lens or better yet, support local tourism and buy a postcard !

3. They have this thing called sunscreen…

Bronze may be beautiful but lobster red? Western tourists adore sun worship and thus, some trade in sunscreen for the quick crisp-to-peel. That’s one sure way to exfoliate.

Advice: It’s called SPF 30; SPF 50-75 if you’re Asian whose worried about getting darker.

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4.   I  own these two seats, but my cheap ass paid for one.

Nothing is more annoying than seat hogs! You’re on a 14-hour bus and lucky you, no one is sitting in the seat next to you. When more passengers board the bus, does that mean you have to move your bag and give up that free seat next to you? Of course, you do. Did you pay for one ticket or two? I was on a most uncomfortable bus ride, to the border crossing of  Cambodia. Everyone squeezed into compact spaces, as two travelers sprawled out to hog the extra space. GRRR!

We all know how it feels to give up that extra seat, but faking that there’s someone sitting next to you or refusing to budge with a pout, just makes you a first class jerk. That open seat next to you was never yours to begin with, unless you paid for an extra ticket!

Advice: Don’t be a jerk, give the seat up. Karma will be good to you in the next lifetime.

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5.  I am experiencing this special moment… along with hundreds of others!

Sometimes, you want to believe your travel experiences are personal, special… and they are! But these days, you’ll have to stray far off-the-beaten-path to escape the stranglehold of tourism; in fact, the trodden path has gotten so popular, it’s formed a queue!

Advice: Crop the crowd out of your picture and let your friends and family back home believe it was a quiet and revelatory moment for you. In some way, it still was!

6. It’s just SOOO cheap!

I was in a restaurant in Cambodia and a waiter handed a couple their bill. Apparently there had been 4-5 drinks to the tab but the bill barely made it to $4. The man, donned a haughty and smug attitude, “This is it?! This country is so cheap, things are practically free!” His megaphone mouth was earshot of the Cambodian waiter and nearby tuk-tuk drivers, who turned to notice.

What a creep.

In Cambodia, laborers work hard and live off an average of 40 cents a day. In Laos, many children are unable to go to school because $5 /year tuition is expensive. As a westerner traveling developing countries, prices can feel cheap compared to prices we’re used to paying in the west; I often have to bite my tongue. But to bullhorn it before hardworking locals is insensitive, obnoxious; not to mention, it parades the idea that all tourists are rich.

Advice: Try to curb your enthusiasm about things being “cheap” in front of locals.

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What are some of your pet peeves about tourists and tourism?

As a travel blogger, I have a behemoth heap of posts in my archival bank. Sadly however, a blog post only has a firefly’s lifespan. Once it’s had its run, it folds into the blog tomb, awaiting a Google search to resuscitate it.  A lot of hours (days even!) of laborious writing, photo uploading and video editing for a very short parade.

When Megan of On my way RTW tagged me on Tripbase‘s My 7 Links project, I was both, honored to be counted in as a member of the travel blogging community and thrilled to share some of my favorite pieces. So if you missed some of these posts the first time around, here’s your second chance! From a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with the endearing madness of honking motodops and tuk-tuks as inspirational backdrop, I write for you …

My 7 links:

My Most Beautiful Post

Jeju’s Olle Trails: Reading its secret Love Letters

Everyone should experience the magic of awakening to the eternal spring of a love letter and Jeju Island’s Olle trails (inspired by Spain’s Pilgrim Trails) conveys just that. I’m not sure if this is my “Most Beautiful” post but the experience was certainly one of the biggest romances of my year, such that it inspired my Love Letter project.

My Most Popular Post

Finding love in the Korean Love Motel

This competes in the daily ranks with my post about the Korean bathhouse; and honestly, I think it’s because sex, naked and Koreans appear in the search tags! There’s a lot of mystery and gossip around Korean love motels as being seedy places to visit in Korea. This past year, the topic of ‘Korean love motels as brothels’ even drew heated controversy at a Formula One international racing event when event drivers were wrongly housed in its suspect variants. For tourists and expats however, love motels (and bath houses, for that matter) are well-worth the second look into quality, as they offer practical, affordable and fun means in Korean budget holiday gems.

Deep thanks to Daegu Pockets magazine for publishing it (it’s my first article in print!), to fellow K-bloggers for linking to it and The Korea Times for quoting from it (even if at the time, I wasn’t sure if the latter was a good thing) .
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My Most Controversial Post

“You Ugly American”: Is America a country that people love to hate?

Why is the world still hating on Americans? Aside from my article about love motels, this is my next most controversial post. Meeting small-mindedness and stereotypes on the road, when we should be bonding as a travel community, really steams me! I’m fed up with ugly American stereotypes still existing and if you’re American, you should be too.

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My Most Helpful Post

Photo from ‘Getting my hair done at a Korean beauty salon’.

Expat Life & Teaching in Korea series

Without a doubt, my most helpful posts are my survival guides for living, eating,working and playing in Korea. A lot of empathy goes out for my fellow inmates, errr… expats in Kimchi-land and I get a lot of hits and comments from those curious about Korea or who are here for the job of teaching English. If you read the ESL forums, you’ll get the feeling that Korea is one of the countries foreigners love to hate on. Why is that? Well, things in Korea doesn’t always make a lot of sense to westerners. From tackling culture shock, work issues, cultural misunderstandings and attempting to build a lifestyle that you won’t always have translation help for, Korea is a safe and technologically-advanced country in many ways; but that doesn’t deem it as an easy country for foreigners to adapt to. Alternately, it also doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying!

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

8 ways I stay warm during winter in Korea

What lengths would I go through to survive a Korean winter? When I wrote this, I felt a bit awkward revealing some of the silly things I did to stay warm, but thanks to my fellow readers, I didn’t feel left out in the cold alone. I really didn’t expect the amount of hits and responses it’s gotten.

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A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved

Lessons of a first-time Solo Traveler in India

I’d say many of my India posts like 5 Travel Must-Haves for India and the like… The one that’s been greatly gyped of attention however, is my post on lessons from my first solo trip there. I lost my solo traveler virginity on this trip! Though a bit scruffy in writing, it bore my very first GRRR and from it, sprang wonderful lessons of being alone on the road for the first time. At the time of post, I didn’t have any readers but my mom and dad –and though they definitely count big time in my book– they’re not really going to need to use the advice I’m sharing. Y’know?

The post I am most proud of

Haeneyo: The Last Generations of Korean Mermaids

I’m not sure if this is my proudest post, but it always surfaces first in my mind. I had learned of Jeju Island’s mythic haeneyo (aka mermaids) before moving to Korea; and thus, I was really proud with my quest and actual discovery of them. The haeneyo are an older generation and dying tradition of women divers whom continue to dive and whom I find truly remarkable. Special thanks to Daegu Pockets magazine for printing it in their December 2010 issue.

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Other people I’m tagging for this project are:

Kelsey of Drifting Focus, Laura of Gringation Cancun, Feather Ives of Vegan Around the World, Josh Johnson of Travel Media Ninja, Jack and Jill of Jack & Jill Travel the World.

The following post has a sponsored mention:  Looking for special deals and cheap holiday packages for exotic destinations such as Greece.  Check out cheap flights to Corfu and visit the second largest Ionian Island in Greece.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Dear Love,

It’s taken me a long time to get to this point of updating you. I apologize…

I’m in my 5th month of traveling and this is what I’ve come to know:

The goal of blogging-on-the-road is a massive beast!

Not a simple task. It’s not that the countries I’ve traveled after India weren’t as amazing, but I’ve quickly learned that it’s nearly impossible for me to take you through my journey as I’m experiencing it. So I’ve decided to detour from my chronological mission of posting only India (Look out- I may get messy!)

While I’m super-excited to share all that I’m learning about impromptu trip planning and treading the waters of long-term solo travel — aka I’m basically getting my ass kicked — writing and posting pictures demands a lot of time, energy and a consistent internet connection.

Usually, it’s two out of three that I don’t have.

Life is teaching me to live by the day. But this is still work.

Challenges:

•  Money:

No telling how long my journey will last, so I try to travel, live and sight see cheaply to stretch funds; although the occasional splurge is necessary and quite nice.

•  Homelessness:

It’s hard to gauge what country (or city) I’ll be in from day-to-day, so most of my hotels are found after I step off the bus. I point to a budget name in my guidebook and have the driver take me there– then I do my neighborhood hotel search on foot. I can sleep in a tin can if it’s been scrubbed clean but most places run pretty budget basic & after days of not having white sheets, a firm mattress and peace of mind comforts of room cleanliness… I’m tempted to spit on myself for being a budget backpacking traveler!

•  Itinerary:

I plan my days either the night before or …that day. It’s all dependent upon energy.

•  Possessions:

The only time I despise travel is when I’m violently aware of the fact …I’ve become the sherpa of my house. It’s made me empathize with snail life (no wonder those things travel so slow).

How hard is a drifter’s life? Coming from a structured world, it feels like a vigorous workout!

I want to make each day of my travel freedom count, but there are still times, my freedom can feel like a curse.

Obviously there are times when having so much travel freedom stresses me out. This kind of freedom is not natural- we weren’t born into the wild but into structured lives of domesticity. Sometimes, I don’t know what to do with it. It feels like a curse.

Yet, it’s as if I were a dying man– I want to exhaust these days and live them fully, so that I’ll not have regrets. Whenever I’m about to curse this journey’s intensity, its need for responsibility and vision (even when I’m making drifter choices) and the raggedy toll it takes on me, I try to remember this.

Some day, I’ll look back on this freedom and wish I were living it again.

Feeling spotty,

GRRRL

Related articles

• Love Letter #11: Life is a Stage (grrrltraveler.com)
• How to travel solo in India: Interview with Chiaki Nakashima (grrrltraveler.com)

What does the idea of “a solo woman traveling in India” surface for you?

When I met Chiaki, we were both, waiting for the local bus to our yoga ashram. A Japanese waif of gentle yogic smiles, she challenged my notions about what it is to be a solo female traveler in India. Chiaki didn’t boast the extensive list of a world traveler, nor was she avoiding the challenges of navigating the Indian terrain in the way a native would; she was tackling India solo in calm stride.

How the hell was she doing it?

Her courage inspired me and I wanted to know.

You see, although I’ve spent the last two years working towards the goal of becoming a solo traveler, I’m not always 100% convinced and comfortable with going solo. In fact, I feel like I’m still trying to figure it all out. And in a challenging country such as India, where the chaotic culture can feel taxing and the sea of staring men, intimidating; I’ve had moments, where I’ve wanted to hide under a rock, until I found energy to deal with daylight again!

Chiaki has graciously allowed to be my first interview, so here we go…

Tell me a bit about yourself:

My name is Chiaki Nakajima. I’m from Japan. I’m 31 years old. I’m a macrobiotic teacher, yoga teacher and English assistant teacher.
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What was your first big solo trip?

After I graduated from college, I started traveling by myself from Oregon to New York for one month. First time I didn’t speak much English so it was difficult, but people helped me a lot.
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Since then, what other countries have you traveled by yourself?

China, Japan, Mexico… now India.
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What inspires you about solo travel?

When I travel by myself, I can meet many people and I like it.

Everything that happens has meaning. Maybe someone you pass on the street and never talk; the people I meet are very important. I think– maybe there is a meaning.. a connection. Maybe I have to learn something from them.

I can find the essence of my life from the people I meet.

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What is the most difficult part of solo travel for you?

Hardest thing for me is language. Countries with people who don’t speak English or Japanese, I find hard. I have to figure out, “What happened?” “What’s going on?” “What should I do?“   Also when I don’t see anyone around, that makes me worry. People are my friends.  Could be anybody… (laughing)

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Are you the type of traveler that has to plan things or are you comfortable with winging it?

Yes, (winging it). If I go to a country, I feel like I’m not deciding anything; something else is deciding for me. In a way, I do plan– I want to go here, here,… here; but I don’t make specific plans– what time I’m going to do (an activity) , what I will eat, etc…

|  Here I don’t like to make plans; not this country. India is difficult. I can’t plan anything here. If I make plans, things change a lot. Things are messed up; it’s always something- engine problem, something broken, etc… It’s  the culture, maybe. |

.Chiaki shops at vendor stalls in Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

As a female solo traveler, do you trust your travel instinct?

I trust myself a lot.  I’m a girl so I have to be careful. I’m not going to go out very late at night. I have to be careful but I trust myself, not to meet bad people. That’s what I trust. I try to feel something about energy, environment, person… Good energy, that’s an important thing. If something has bad energy, I stay away from him/them.

I also believe in the power of thought, power of mind (and that) the inner mind radiates outside. You understand? For example, maybe you think– I don’t like these people or that person very much. Maybe they don’t like me very much. When I think something, maybe that person feels the same thing.  So I try to have positive thoughts when I go into situations.

| Everyone has their own glasses and everything has a color. Maybe you have red glasses, I have green glasses, they have black glasses. People have their glasses.  |

Maybe things happen, like a bad car accident. So maybe I say, “Oh, it’s not a big problem”, but you think “Wow, it’s a big problem!” Things happen a lot in this country, not only car accidents. Many things happen in front of me– maybe a  rickshaw-wallah is talking to me and everybody stares; maybe some people I’m saying” No, no, no…” and others I’m enjoying (their company) because they’re not bad.

Everything is from here. (Chiaki points at head). Everything must be clear. Open mind.

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How do you trust things will work out?

I believe, everything happens for a reason but in a positive way. If I can’t get that train, then I think:

“Maybe there’d be a train accident. Something bad (would have happened to me had I gotten on).”

In Japan, this creates a big problem. If you don’t show up at a certain time, then people say, “Why? Why you didn’t come?“. India, is not like that. If I don’t show up at the ashram by tomorrow, maybe the ashram people understand me– there’s no train.

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So say you arrive at  train station and ..

No seat for me?

Exactly.

Then I ask someone,” What should I do?” (laugh)

Maybe take the next train, take train the next day or stay here one more night… People will help. I know someone will help me out or take me to the next place.

.At the train station, checking in on her “wait list” status.

Okay, so hotels… do you have fears about traveling late at night and not finding a  place to stay?

Here (in India) I don’t have to worry about it. Everywhere I visit… the cities, there are many hotels.
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But you’ve given yourself a daily budget…

Ah yes, in India, a place that’s a little expensive is okay for me.  Japanese yen…  If I need, I will pick the more expensive place, not a 100 rupee place. I have to be safe. If money helps, I will pay. (laughing)
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When you travel, do you have to compromise your macrobiotic diet or beliefs about food?

In India, the food is (generally) good. It’s vegetarian; I’ve not had a problem with it. But yes sometimes, it’s difficult.  If I know a country has only meat and fast food, I’m not going to eat that kind of food. I’d carry vitamins, some powders from Japan and something like Umeboshi plum, which is very good food for the body. It keeps the blood healthy and is good to carry anywhere. It  never spoils; it’s fermented food, so your intestine environment, your blood stays good.

What do you like about traveling in India?

Some people don’t like India; some love India very much. In Japan, people told me many bad things. So when I came I thought, “I  have to be very careful in India”. But since I came to India, I’m  enjoying. I feel light… alive.  In Japan, there is already a way. Everything is clean, set up, organized. This country? No. Everything is messed up, not clean, unorganized, no traffic rules… nothing. Here, I have to negotiate prices and live a basic life– eating, washing, sleeping, walking… and walking (laughs).

|  Here, it’s like I have to make up the road by myself. I’m surviving. |

In Japan, I don’t have to worry about things; I don’t have to negotiate. Prices are always $100, $500.. so okay, I pay. But in India, everybody has different price. In some way, it makes sense… some people have lots of money and can pay more. But if you think it’s expensive, you don’t have to buy it. That’s it.

It’s exciting, an adventure. Sometimes, it makes me tired (laughs).
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How tell me something yogi cool- what can yoga teach us about travel?

Yoga is not only for travel. My life is yoga practice and it’s a practice for surviving my life!

A lot of times, I think about the future and I worry; it may not even happen. But you have to be (present) with your mind.

Always mind go away– future, past– not stay here. That’s why we practice pranayama (breathing); so mind comes back to body. That’s why we practice asana- bring mind back here to concentrate on pose and posture. That’s the practice.

NOW creates your future. If you concentrate on Now, it’s going to make your future better. So don’t worry about future. Stay here. Now. Try not to (let) mind go away. Always hold inside of the body. That’s the yoga practice.

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Do you have advice for solo travelers in India?

Don’t make plans. Enjoy yourself. Open the mind.

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We all have this idea that Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns have very stoic , temperate and reserved personalities. Afterall, walking Buddha’s Middle Path (of compassion), doesn’t exactly lend itself to the appearance of being excitable, emotional or argumentative. Yet, monks have their moments and in their monk clan, they reveal themselves to be absolutely human when it comes to “the art of debate”!

Watching Tibetan monks in debate-mode challenged my hypothesis that a monk’s life must be lived in compassionate … complacency.  In fact, it revealed the opposite– that a monk’s life can be filled with passion!

When I accidentally stumbled upon Tibetan monks in debate practice at the Dalai Lama’s temple in McLeod Ganj, I stood mesmerized… From starvation strikes, monks in self-immolative acts of protest (sadly, there was a rally and fast over a recent death of a young monk, who set fire to himself in demonstration over China’s occupancy a month ago. Unfortunately his protest went unnoticed by the media) and now this… It seems, Tibetan Buddhism stem from a fiery and defiant heart. Perhaps it has something to do with Tibet’s violent upheaval by communist China, that Tibetan Buddhists have long been prone to having to fight for their culture, land and existence. Or maybe its the rebellious and the un-toppled strength of Tibet’s spiritual faith that has itched communist China’s nose in the first place.

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If you’re ever in the midst of this practice, it’s delightfully entertaining to watch the monks have fun and here’s how it works–

One monk/nun poses the test question and the other monk must answer (generally, the latter is in a seated position, while the former is standing). As soon as the testing monk asks his question, he claps his hands at the sitter and the sitter must respond. Sometimes, the tester goes into rapid fire and this is where it gets heated, fun and fervent.

Below are a few 1-2 minute -”rough cut”- videos to give you an idea of how it goes:

Tibetan Buddhist monks in debate practice at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala.

The impression I got was that the two elder monks were debating over something, which had to do with their pupils.

Child monks debating in a monastery in Nubra Valley, Ladakh

Below is an additional video of some of the monk activities in McLeod Ganj.

Picture of the Karmapa as a boy. (Dharamsala, India)

Who are we seeing? I asked

The Karmapa.

My party of yogi friends chimed in.

Who?

The name didn’t stir recognition for me.

His  gaze was intense for such a young-looking face.

Piercing. Penetrating, as if he could see right into you…

Standing in the long queue, I could feel the excitement around me. He was just in the next room, visible through the open door.

The foreign traveler in front of me was so in awe and smitten that she bowed her way all the way while backing out the door!

A little excessive, I thought. After all, he wasn’t Buddha! Still, a part of me wondered if I should follow suit. How does one address or approach a Karmapa Lama? Bow profusely, prostrate myself, fold my hands in simple Namaste prayer ? I had no clue.  Had he been the Dalai Lama, I still wouldn’t know how to respond. Except for “Thank You, Mr. Holiness.”

My dad later advised me that I should have said, “Hawaii sends their Aloha!“. Typical Hawaii delivery. Something my older sister might say being the spokesperson of our family. Coming from me, it’d sound like either a groupie or a lei greeter at the Honolulu airport.

The temple and resident area of the Karmapa.  Gyuto Ramoche Monastery

Ogyen Trinley Dorje didn’t look supernatural (a pbs video here).

He looked human, a handsome young man in his mid 20′s with interests in video games and The World Cup– only difference being, he was reincarnated 17 times and found through prophesy of the preceding Karmapa!

I wasn’t sure if I was a believer though… we all know about the Dalai Lama, but who is this Karmapa Lama?

In Tibetan Buddhism, the Karmapa and Dalai Lama are of a different lineage and separate spiritual leaders, entirely. The Dalai Lama is the leader of Tibetans, while the Karmapa is “the spiritual leader of the buddha’s activities” . Still, the similarities are confusing to a non-Buddhist, like myself. Both have been reincarnated and have been said to have left clues to be found in their next incarnation. They’ve also both, fled Tibet and now live exiled in Dharamsala. The age gap resembles a father and son relationship and it’s said the two are close. But unlike His Holiness, it’s said the Karmapa’s movements in India are extremely  limited and tightly scrutinized by the eagle eye of India’s government. As the second most powerful Lama, he poses a threat to the China.

Photo credit (above): From The official website of the Karmapa

Inside the main shrine room of Gyuto Ramoche Monastery

My turn was next. I approached the Karmapa…

Truthfully, I had a hard time looking him directly in the eye. I felt shy.  I opened my wrist and he plopped a thick bright red cord on it.  A blessing.

As I left, I felt funny. Heady. Light-headed. Abound with positive spirits.

The next ten minutes felt like a mystical phenomenon–  I was outside with friends and yet, it was if his image was stamped in my third eye, …as if the Karmapa’s presence was with me! Another one of my friends, Maria, confirmed having a similar experience. Wow!

This will definitely be a memorable visit –it turned me, a Doubting Thomas into a believer!

People outside the visitor’s hall

Group picture

Information:

The official website of the Karmapa (click here for his teachings and schedule)

What photos have the most meaning for you and does having your picture taken, have meaning for you?

I was wandering through the town when a moustached Indian gent recognized the camera strapped around my neck. He wanted me to take a picture of him in front of the town’s central bathing ghat, so I did.

He wasn’t a local resident of this town but made a special pilgrimage to visit and pay his devotion to the temple.

“Very handsome. You have very strong eyes.” I said, showing him his picture, watching his stern face transform into a smile. Seeing people’s’ faces light up, when they see their faces on the camera viewfinder gives me such a kick!

“Strong”, he repeated with pride.
He called the rest of his tribe to get their photos taken too. Before I knew it, I had become the family portrait photographer.
Each person I snapped, I showed them their picture. Over and over, the same transformative effect.

“Beautiful”, I said after clicking after some of the ladies.

They teased each other, mimicking me… “Beautiful.” You could tell they felt the meaning of the word.

Beautiful.

For folks in developing countries who don’t travel through life with DSLRs slung around their neck snapping photos of themselves, seeing their image before them can feel like a magic act. The most they may have might be a photo for their passport book, maybe an old school picture.

My big “uh-oh” came when they wanted copies of the photos I’d taken. No one spoke strong English and from what I gathered, no one had an email address. Instead, they were writing me their home address. Uh-oh.

I’d been in this scenario before of getting an Indian address and not getting the correct format. The last thing you want to do is promise something you can’t deliver!  Indian addresses are confusing to westerners; they don’t have house numbers. How the postman finds his delivery, I’m not sure. Moreover, to mail a bunch of printed photos from half-way around the world? Mailing things to India can be expensive!

The family solicited the help of an older, educated friend to use his address to receive mail from. I crossed my fingers. Then, they took me with them to have free temple food ( click here to read my experience).

The next day, I found that the town had a local photo developer. Three hours and at 6 rupees a print, I had prints for each person at a cost that was unfathomably cheap!  The local post office wasn’t far, so immediately after retrieving my prints, I rushed them (I was leaving that day!) to get weighed, stamped and mailed.

The Gokarna post office

Weighing my envelope, India style

Signed, sealed and stamped!

Starting your career as a family portrait photographer in a developing isn’t a lucrative job, but it might be your most memorable and meaningful one!

Tips to remember about ethics and photographing in a developing country:

* Be respectful, don’t be a photo jerk.
You’d not believe how many click-happy tourists fail to be respectful when snapping locals.  You may want that perfect close-up shot but the difference between being an obstacle vs. being a witness is big. When shooting daily events, there’s a time and place for flash bulbs; be discerning.

Good rule of thumb: Put yourself in other people’s’ shoes– if the shoe were on your foot, under the given circumstance, would it create annoyance for you?  If the answer is yes, then back off. Use your zoom lens or experiment with turning your flash off (in the latter case, sometimes the shot is better without it).

I was in Luang Prabang, witnessing the monks take alms. Some tourists ran in front of the monks to get closeups, while also using their flashes!  Imagine it being 5 AM, still dark and having paparazzi flashes go off in your face as you’re performing your spiritual practice. Not cool.

Tourists stalking a potential photo-op situation.

*Ask permission to shoot
Not everyone wants their picture taken and if someone doesn’t, you have to respect their situation. Otherwise, certain situations call for consideration. Photo ethics are a gray zone for tourists & photo hobbyists and it depends on what you’ll be using the photos for. If you’re using your photos professionally, you’ll definitely need a photo release from the subject you’re shooting. If it’s for your trip photos and your Facebook account, you’ll have to weigh the situation.

For instance, if I shoot from a far distance and not creating annoyance, then I feel I’m fine. But if I’m shooting at close range or want a portrait, I’ll ask for permission.
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.* Show your subject their photo.
People in developing countries are especially appreciative to see themselves in a photo; so if you take one, feel free to share it with them! This is a great way to interact with locals, as well. Rural folk don’t always have photos of themselves (less a mirror) and the camera itself, are a strange device to them. Sometimes, being shot can give people a feeling of being beautiful or famous.

* To pay or not to pay?
Decide in advance how you want to handle this type of exchange.  To pay with money or candy can feed the problem of begging in a developing country and some touts (children and adults) use click-happy tourists as a mark. In such cases, the line, “Take my picture” is followed by a harassment for currency. This is not a positive exchange I’d support (but this is me) and in such cases, I immediately delete their photo.

If you plan to make money off of a person’s image however,  payment of some sort is considerate and signed permission is necessary. If the picture is for personal reasons,  find creative ways of “exchange”: show people their photos, mail them their photo (even a xerox printout can be nice), chat with them for a while and maybe share snacks  you have.

* Email your subject their photo.
The easiest and cheapest way to deliver a photo is via internet. However if you’re in a rural area, English-speaking literacy and internet aren’t always accessible. To ask for email and a Facebook account will obviously garner confused responses.

* Mailing your subject a print.
In some cases where you’ve photographed a group, it’s not realistic to send each person their photo; however, you can at least send one person the pictures. They can decide how to distribute the photo or make xeroxes (such was the case in the photo below). One of the women (below) had a son who had an email address. I emailed her the pictures.

Look for photo developing shops. It was surprisingly easy for me to find photo shops in a town, even as small as Gokarna and get a one-day turn-around in prints. I saved myself photo developing costs and exhorbant mailing expenses which I might have encountered had I done this in the U.S.

Also keep in mind, receiving mail may not be a common event for some folk. Get a local address and double-check if it’s correct. My family (at the top) had an English-speaking friend, who agree to use his own address. When I went to the post office, I confirmed the correct format for mailing before sending it off.

* If you promise a photo delivery, try your best to keep your promise.
Folk in developing countries tend to take your word for truth, expecting a promise is a promise. This is how they do their own dealings. If you can’t deliver, don’t make a promise; always tell the truth.

Do you have any memorable or meaningful travel photo stories? Any tips for photographing in a developing country?

The Lockets of Love oracle : A Promise for Endless Love

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”
- Lao Tzu

New Year, New Me ? Not exactly.

In 2010, I started my gap year with a Korea-bound work contract and hoped the change might spark new realizations of my future. While I love expat life and find joy in teaching English in Korea, the same old career dreams and callings prevail as well as, the yearning for extended travel. With 2011 on the rise, I get to wondering:

What if my old and new self aren’t so different?

While my expat life may be coming to an end and I may not have a clear vision of what my future yields, there’s one only one certainty to arriving at where I need to be:

Take one step and put one foot in front of the other.

Travel Destination 2011: Falling to Love

As I said before, trusting the unknown has been my main lesson and especially with solo travels. However, knowing what to trust is still a bit hazy. Too often, we end up trusting our logic, fears and worries. Meanwhile, the clichés of following your heart, dream or intuition while inspiring, are still a vague apparatus.

With my mom bedridden with the Korean cold, this New Year’s Eve I made a pilgrimage to see my oracle high upon the mountain, where my first memory of falling in love with Korea began.

I wanted to know…

1)  Where was my 2011 travel destination bound for?

2)   How would I continue my travel dreams and what purpose could it serve if only for me?

Namsan Seoul Tower

The Lockets of Love oracle : A Promise for Endless Love

Fall in love.

…The oracle said, as I looked out over the flickering city lights of a wintry Seoul.

Love is where dreams happen and take shape.

You may know this love feeling– it’s either fevered and ecstatic as if chasing a drug or chill and poetic as if quietly following one’s inspiration like a trail of rose petals and butterflies. Pursuing love is to tail a calling into the unknown, into the mystery of life, into curiosities… until you fall… to love… your destiny.

Is falling in love is scary? Yes. Does it sound like a crazy thing to do? Of course! Love is worrisome with no foreseeable destination; it has unfathomable highs and bottomless low. But, the bottom line is…we still want to do it anyways!

And with that, my oracle said-

So do. And this 2011, do it brilliantly.

NYE Countdown at Bosingak Temple

Happy Shiny 2011 to all.

Living abroad?

Nothing like it.

I’ve made new friends and found a strange new world abroad that I’ve called home for almost a year. Overcoming the various roller-coasting battles of culture shock, food obstacles, a new work environment and an unhelpful colleague, I’ve found my own ways of coping and getting by in Korea and often, without the luxury of  Korean translations.  It’s surmounted into one exuberant exclamation…

I’ve survived!

The Biggest Lesson I’ve Learn so far:  Trust the Unknown

All artists envision their creation, before putting chisel to stone or paintbrush to canvas. Sometimes, the vision is complete; other times, its vague but  powerful enough to pull your steps towards your goal. If there’s a lesson I’ve learned  from all my travels, living a freelance lifestyle in New York City and moving abroad to Asia, it’s definitely trust! Living in Korea solidified that fact for me and taught me to loosen up… a bit. 

5 Ways to Develop Trust as a Traveler:

1. Use your intuition & risk committing the cultural faux pas

When is it proper to shake hands or bow? Or how do you remember to say-

Annyeonghi keseyo

Annyeonghi kaseyo

(Both mean “goodbye”, but differ according to situation)

Sometimes, it all jumbles into brain-tied confusion.

Being a foreigner is being an alien who’s landed in the bubble of a strange world.  So with foreign customs and cultural etiquette, I’ve learned to trust what intuitively feels correct. If I’m too confused, I cover my bases and do both!

You could be a clumsy ass spreading laughter. Or maybe you’ve stirred a reaction as offensive, as passing gas in a crowded room.  Trial and error. Live and learn. What can you do but shrug it off with laughter.  Life is too short.

2. Ask for help and forgiving your own helplessness.

Adapting to a foreign country, I can’t be as independent as I am in my American lifestyle. It’s not my native environment and I don’t always have full control over the simplest things of my life. For instance,  I’ve had Korean salespeople at Lotte Mall  fill out forms as if I were an illiterate! 

Me: (pointing at the hieroglyphic word on an application for a department store point card)

Saleswoman:   Irum.  “Name“

Me: (pointing to the next word)

Saleswoman:   “Address”….

Me: (opening my iPod for the hangul version of my address and slowly writing it down. It will take ages with my speed.)

Saleswoman:   Here, I will write it for you.

However, reliance on others isn’t a bad thing. As a solo traveler and woman, getting to be a damsel-in-distress feels good, now and then. It makes me feel like a woman; something I don’t always get to be when I have to do everything on my own.

3. Trusting the “way things are done” in another country.

Protocol exists everywhere. You won’t always know what it is or how to go about it, but the invisible wires holding up a support system are there. With time, you learn to see more proof of evidence to string your theory of how things work. Meanwhile, as a traveler, you’ll need to seed your intuition and gauge whether something feels right or not. However, in dire times, you won’t have much of a choice.

In Korean society, trust is the operative word. It’s one of the few countries, where you can leave your purse in shopping cart and come back to it 10 minutes later, without anything missing. That’s just how the society is. Within my first week of work, I had to release enough confidential information to tempt identity theft! All the things I was taught not to give to strangers, …erase. My choices: trust my Korean colleagues with my personal information or don’t get paid.

Other occasions, I’ve had a salesperson at a Frisbee/Apple store offer me the use of his credit card, when I didn’t have a Korean credit card to make an online store purchase.  I’ve also had a bank representative at my bank, tell me that the only way to close my account and transfer my money abroad, is to “ask a friend for a favor” and do it for me.

… All I would need to do is give them my bank book, pin number and a copy of my passport!

But all this, is the Korean way.

4. Unspoken understandings and going with it

Every country has a way of expressing itself through unspoken understandings and there’s always deeper cultural catalysts, which you, as a foreigner, will not know about. It will present frustration and misunderstandings in your relations with native country folk. This can’t be helped. The best things is to raise your antenna, try to pick it up and flow with it.  If this fails, then apologize for your ignorance as a foreigner.

I’ve asked questions to my Korean co-teachers and not gotten answers. How can someone pretend to not hear a question you’ve directly asked to their face? It happens. It was very frustrating to feel ignored, until I realized, my Korean co-teachers simply didn’t know how to respond. It was easier to pretend not to hear me.

Another time, I was on the bus with expat friends. They were talking loudly and laughing and bothered Koreans would turn to give me a scalding look and speak something in Korean to me. They didn’t cast this evil eye to my friends, who looked Caucasian. Instead, I got dealt the punishment. Me, the Asian, whom they thought I was a fellow countryman. They assumed I knew Korean etiquette.  In defense, I’d shrug my shoulders and say very enunciated English, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re saying to me.” When they realized I wasn’t Korean, they apologized and dismissed it.

5. Finding a supportive community

It’s likely, the expat and travel community will be your main home support network. I’m not saying don’t make friends with locals. On the contrary, definitely make friends with locals, so that you gain friendships and a richer understanding of the culture! But while you’ll experience many acts of extraordinary goodwill and kindness from locals of the country (and it is possible to befriend them); there’s a brick of a cultural and language barrier to break through first.  In the meanwhile, your fellow expat and travel community is your best translation resource, with which you’ll share many useful tips and gems of information.