WHAT TIME IS IT?
About Me
- Keena
- Hometown: Detroit, MI;, Current Location: Seoul, South Korea
- Welcome to my blog. I hope to share my experiences as an American living overseas in Seoul, South Korea. It promises to be filled with surprising adventures. Please feel free to comment, ask questions & sign my guestbook. I hope that you will come back often to see what my crusade to the East brings.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
I owe....so off to work I go!!!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Lifestyle Differences
I thought it might be interesting to chronicle a few of these differences that I have found along the way. Therefore, for the next several days, I will attempt to properly examine a few of these differences. Feel free to read them, add your opinions, or ask questions via comment. Keep in mind that while some of these differences are major, others don't matter in the grand scheme of life....BUT, they are interesting just the same. I believe that in order to understand a culture, you have to understand some of the REASONS why the people behave as they do.
So sit back, read on & enjoy! This should be good...
Thanx, K
P.S. Don't forget to comment, it's nice to know that people are actually reading this stuff!Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Shot that was Heard...Around the World?
Since I have been in Seoul, I have been trying to understand the people & the environment that I am in as best as I can. In an effort to stay close to the pulse of Seoul, I try to read the newspaper everyday. The content viewed in some of the articles, never ceases to amaze me. Remember, Seoul, S Korea is a major metropolitan GLOBAL city, trying to be EVERYTHING for EVERYBODY in business. Today while surfing the Internet trying to find 'something' in Korea, I came across an on-line edition of an English Daily Newspaper, The Seoul Times. Now usually, I read either the Korea Herald or The Korea Times, but news is news, right? WRONG!!!!!!!!!
Can someone tell me, WHAT BLACKS HAS HE BEEN TALKING TO? I have some black friends..., and I NEVER, NEVER heard anybody wonder out loud about our [blacks] close relationship to Apes. Perhaps this gentleman has some kind of connection to the black race that I am not privy to?
Some of you might think that I am making to much of a big deal about this BUT I am a offended that they would even run such a story. How insensitive! Even though his story is trying to give the perception that they are trying to eradicate racism, it really is adding fuel to an out of control fire, where people believe that visual differences can be justified. What happened? Did no one realize the vision that Dr. King had for America, for the world?????
But, since we are on the subject of racial injustice, what is the deal with skin bleaching here in Korea? I don't know why, but I have come across this service in quite a few of the dermatological & beauty enhancement websites & locations here in Seoul. I was talking to a person here the other day and they began to tell me how Korean women attempt to bleach their skin because being "lighter" is the preferred tone. WHAT??? You have got to be kidding me...I hope that this is a serious untruth. But when I look at the make up available at most counters, quite contrary to the US, you don't find bronzing powders to give you that sun kissed look in many places (if any).
Based on these findings I must ask, "Is it a conspiracy around the globe?" Who is the masked person who is going around leading people to believe that the fairer your skin tone the better? Now I understand that in the American black (or AA) community we have long standing reasons behind why some people believe that fairer skin complexions are superior (even though it still does not justify this ridiculous viewpoint). I did not realize it existed in other cultures as well.
For those of you that don't know, in the black community during the times of slavery, fairer skinned or bi-racial slaves were given preferential treatment and allowed to work in better conditions. They were placed in the slave masters homes instead of the back breaking labor witnessed in the fields. Making a huge difference between these "field slaves" & "house slaves" has continued to influence the mindset of many Blacks in America. As we have struggled with our identity in America, we have continued to feed this divisive mechanism subscribing to this elitist point of view.
As a fairer toned black woman, throughout my life I have had to deal with many a shrewd comment regarding my melanin-challenged skin. To me even the mere discussion of the differences in skin color is wasteful, but they continue to surface in discussions. If obviously, there are no intellectual, or true physiological differences between these self-divided groups aside from pigmentation, why does the discussion continue?
Upon closer review of the subject matter, I have also heard that the same type of divide exists around the world in places such as Brazil, Mexico & India. In these countries I have seen a rainbow of beautiful skin tones. Therefore, I must ask, when will this madness stop?
If we keep looking for reasons to justify the divide, we will never be equal or free as people on Earth. Did anyone learn from the death of Dr. Martin Luther King? or the teachings of Gandhi? When, ...if ever, will the world realize that the story of life is much bigger and can be much better if we view the world with more than the things that we see with our eyes?
Just a thought for today!
K
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
SeOUL Searching
Why must one travel so far away from home to feel this way?
What way you ask?
Kind of invigorated...perhaps even free. I have not yet been able to put my finger on it....the actual reason escapes my grasp. But whatever it is, it is very liberating...even kind of surreal. Coming to Seoul has given me the opportunity to get my mind together. To find some solice...To put things in perspective. Now don't get me wrong, I have not ascertained the true meaning of life or anything that deep. Nor have I decided to make Seoul my new home. I am just feeling myself over here, & I like what I feel.
While at home in Detroit, I feel like I have many responsibilities, with my family, & friends. Don't get it twisted, I wouldn't take anything for these special folks that I love very much. But the situation I am currently in feels kind of liberating. Being far, far away is kind of nice. Imagine living a life where you don't have ANYONE depending on you...it's cool if only for a little while.
It may sound kind of selfish, but it is the real deal. Therefore, I just have to take a moment & thank God above for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me. 'Cause right now, I am basking in his glory!
Keena in front of the Pacific Ocean
Keena at Gyeongbok Palace [Seoul, S Korea]
Friday, March 28, 2008
How I Spent Easter Sunday....
SEOUL FASHION WEEK
Some of you out there are not really concerned with the whole fashion scene. Clothing is a merely something you were to prevent streaking your co-workers and neighbors while you perform your daily tasks. Well, I am almost the opposite of that: I LOVE FASHION...and most of you reading this know that fashion is my THING! I love every aspect of it, designing it, wearing it, putting it together and even selling it! So to get an opportunity to attend this event was a real treat for me.
For those of you that still don't know what Seoul Fashion Week means, let me explain. In most fashion centers like NYC, LA, Milan & Paris fashion weeks are held several times a year to introduce the upcoming fashion designers collections for the upcoming seasons. Over the last month or so, designers have been showing their fall collections. These overly publicized media events are a way for designers to give a preview of their collections to the highly sought after leaders of the fashion industry (i.e. media, buyers, celebrities).
How many times in life does a regular person get to attend such a coveted event? Almost never, that is why I was sooooo excited to be there. Now don't get me wrong, I would have been excited to get in the door and view the show from the nearest exit, but on this particular adventure,...I had the HOOK UP!
As you know, since I arrived in Seoul, I have met so many interesting people. One such individual is Regina Walton (feel free to check out her blog too!) She is Los Angeles, CA native and expat who has lived in Seoul for the last 6 years. She is one of those sisters who just likes to take the world by storm. The UCLA alum has a law degree & just finished her Master's Degree in International Studies in Korea, all while teaching at Ewha Woman's University and writing for The Seoul Times (WOW!). So when I tell you she is a woman on the move...I mean it!
I had even checked out her blog when in America & thought it was pretty cool account of an AA women in Korea. At that time, I had no idea that we would get a chance to interact. One night after a viewing of a bi-lingual production of the Vagina Monologues & a meal at the local Tex Mex restaurant with mutual friends, we struck up an interesting conversation. We had talked sparingly throughout the evening, but when I volunteered to be the one to give Condaleeza Rice a makeover, we were tickled for the rest of the night. Speaking of fashionably challenged prompted a discussion of current fashion. Being the avid newspaper reader I am in Seoul, I started talking about the upcoming Seoul Fashion Week I had recently learned of....she then casually told me,
"Oh yeah, I know, I will be covering that"
WHAT?!? Fashion week!!! You have got to be kidding me!
Anywho, one thing lead to another & it lead to me chillin at the fashion shows this past weekend! I met some really interesting folks & got to get out and do what I like most, PARLAY with the people (to parlay, is a colloquial describing how to talk or engage in spirited conversations with really COOL people; derived from the french verb parler-to speak)
Keena at Seoul's Fashion Week (notice the press pass!!! I keep telling everyone...I'm famous in Korea....You just gotta luv it!)
Seoul's emerging fashion market
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Living in Seoul: It's Free...But It Will Cost You!
In order for you to understand this a lil better I have included the prices of some everyday items that you can find in the US to compare them with prices in Seoul:
How much is Gas?
This is the first question my cousin Dre asked me when he spoke to me. At the time, I really couldn't answer his question. Although I had seen several gas stations, there was no need for me to use them personally and I hadn't quite gotten my arms around the exchange rate yet and the liters to gallons conversion at one time was a bit much. So it took me a little time to even figure it out.
Currently the US is feeling the effects of an unstable economy, that is in recession (I believe that we are not headed for a recession, we are in a recession, check out the definition in the link). This has impacted us significantly at the gas pumps. According to the Bloomberg report, the average gallon of gas was currently spiking at a record of $3.26 per gallon (3/24/08)! This situation can cause tremendous grief on the pockets, especially for you high styling SUV drivers. Ouch! That hurts :(
For the record, gasoline in almost every other country aside from America, is typically notated in liters instead of gallons.
~A liter is equal to .26 gallons (almost 1/4 gallon)
~A US dollar is equal to about 980 Korean WON (1000 Won =$1.02)
Therefore,
~Regular unleaded gasoline costs 1,569Won/Liter
~Which translates to 6,276 Won/Gallon
~Which translates to $6.40/gallon..., and we thought it was expensive in the US!!!!!
During my first visit to the grocery market in Korea, I was convinced that I was going to buy so many fruits & veggies because during this adventure I was gonna lose weight buy eating healthy, ...right? Much to my dismay, I noticed that the fruit of my choosing was extremely expensive. I just could not believe that I saw a container of strawberries, not even a quarter (1/4) of a flat for 16,000 WON ($16.50 US).
Ice Cream
Let me tell you about one such Korean experience:
It was Saturday afternoon, and my friend & I were walking around Itaewon after having lunch. We came upon a trailer where a gentleman was selling fresh strawberries for a good price. The aroma of these strawberries was almost hypnotic. Due to high price of strawberries in the market, we decided to buy some and were determined to make strawberry shortcake later that evening. As my friend & I parted ways, we decided to meet later that evening at my apartment for dessert....right? WRONG there was one small problem.
One day while walking to my apartment, I came across a beauty product store. They seemed to have everything to do with making oneself beautiful, make up, perfume, facial moisturers & masks, etc. As I looked around the store, I came across the hair products. There were bottles of all shapes and sizes, and of course none of them looked familiar. A closer look would immediately prove worth my time. I located a small (very small actually) bottle of Paul Mitchell conditioner. I was excited & began to thank Jesus for my good fortune. My diligence had finally paid off!