This is a test. https://youtu.be/BRmz0dQCdAc?si=YXgBIaiMG76WML0D
Author: Frank Remmy
I am a dedicated and competent person who brings out the best in what I do. My passion for technology and being social drives me forward. I am also a good team player and I'm never afraid to learn new things. I enjoy excelling at what I do and always strive to learn and do more to better myself and the world - one word at a time.
A Return to Korea
After I left Korea and was back in Canada, I wanted to see places I had been told about by my Korean students while I was teaching in Seoul. I can still remember being told that Namdaemun Market had over 10000 vendors and that Changdeokgung Palace was only recently opened to the public so it was called The Secret Palace. I planned a vacation for me and my husband in October 1999 by looking at a Lonely Planet book. There were no internet apps in 1999 like there are now. Naver Maps or Google Maps did not exist.. I used my (paperback, of course) Lonely Planet Guide to South Korea to find out where the hotels were and if locations were even accessible by bus or train.
I had to choose places to go that would fill in 12 days of travelling. I felt that Gyeongju was a must, as we could see Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto nearby. Seokguram Grotto intrigued me very much since it housed the most beautiful Buddha in Asia, my guidebook said. I decided to stay in Busan for 2 nights so I could go to Beomosa Temple and the Geumgang Fortress that were nearby. In Seoul, I planned to go to the Seoul Zoo, the War Memorial Museum, Changdeokgung Palace, Namdaemun Market and also Namhansanseong Fortress in the Southeast. I wanted to get photographs of two of the old Seoul gates as well. I had already seen the North and South ones.
On our trip, we could do almost everything as planned. We couldn’t make it to the Geumgang Fortress Wall outside of Busan. However, I found a nice little temple with a traditional thatched-roof building in it while we were trying to find the fortress. Also, two goats came to the road and watched us while we were lost in the countryside, so I loved our Busan stop. While we were looking at the old West Gate of Seoul, we were urged by the Japanese Prison Museum staff to go to tour the museum and it was excellent, with realistic displays in the original red brick buildings. There was no Lotte Tower in Seoul and we couldn’t buy a coffee in Busan, but it was an authentic trip with many added surprises and it gave us wonderful memories. Even now, we think of being on the roof of the inn we stayed at in Gyeongju and having it all to ourselves that night, drinking rice wine and looking at the lights on the mountains.
(Please check my other blog posts for details and photos of this Oct. 1999 trip by hitting the orange “Blog” button on the homepage.)
Everyday Life for Me in Karak-Dong
I had to get up very early if I wanted a shower because there were always 12 or more people living in the “residence” of the building I lived in. The number of people would change often, depending on how many new foreign teachers or live-in Korean students there were. There was one bathroom for the men and one for women. I found it so hard to get accustomed to the fact that the Korean men didn’t shut their bathroom door, so women could see them using the urinal. Where I stood having my cigarette, I often saw the men using the washroom. That never would have happened in Canada, so it always shocked me. Anyway, after about a month of living at my institute, I resigned to taking a shower around 9 o’clock in the evening even though I wanted a morning shower. My days were very long while I was teaching.
(About washrooms in 1997: many public bathrooms in Korea were unisex and used by both men and women back then. It wasn’t like the West.)
Most days started with me going down to the floor below me to teach a class in the actual institute section of the building. Early classes were set up to accommodate Korean people who wanted to learn English before they went to work, as many students at my institute were adults. After teaching for an hour or more(one or two classes), I had to hurry down the street to the Karak-dong subway and take the subway across Seoul to another class. Sometimes I went to Yeoido and sometimes to inside Incheon limits in Bucheon. After that, on many days I took the subway back across the city to SongPa Gu again, for the Aju Middle School class, and then had to go back across Seoul to Karibong for my LG class. Thank goodness I’d get a drive home from my LG student, Lee SuIl most of the time. I had to try not to feel resentful toward my boss for expecting me to complete such a heavy schedule.
***Please press the “BLOG” button or the “READ MORE” button on my homepage page to see many more of my stories about living and teaching English in Seoul.
Exploring Korean Landmarks: Temples, Palaces, and Mountains
One of the greatest joys of living in Seoul was the opportunity to explore its rich tapestry of history and culture. On weekends and holidays, I would set out to discover the city’s iconic sites-each one offering a glimpse into Korea’s vibrant past. Gyeongbokgung Palace, with its grand gates and colorful guards, quickly became a favorite. I remember wandering through its spacious courtyards, imagining what life must have been like during the Joseon Dynasty. The restoration work underway in the late 1990s only added to the sense of revival and pride that seemed to permeate the city.
Tranquility in the Temples
Seoul’s temples offered a peaceful escape from the bustle of city life. Chogyesa and Bongeunsa, with their ornate lanterns and incense-filled air, became sanctuaries where I could reflect and recharge. I was often struck by the contrast between the ancient temple grounds and the modern skyscrapers just beyond their walls. Climbing the steps of Guryeongsan, I found breathtaking views of the city below-a reminder of how tradition and progress coexist in Korea. These quiet moments among monks and worshippers gave me a deeper appreciation for the spiritual side of Korean culture.
The Lasting Impact of Exploration
Every adventure, whether a solo stroll through a palace or a group hike up a mountain, helped me understand Seoul in a new way. The city’s landmarks were not just tourist attractions; they were living symbols of resilience, beauty, and change. Each visit left me with stories to share and memories to treasure. Looking back, I realize that exploring these sites was as much about discovering myself as it was about discovering Korea. The sense of wonder and curiosity I felt then still inspires me today, long after I’ve returned home.
Teaching English in Seoul: Lessons Beyond the Classroom
I usually taught adults and teens. Most people like me lived at an institute, but those instutes were private schools for preschool kids and the teacher would have a class or classes of screaming kids all day long. My school made contracts with companies for an English teacher to meet with a number of their employees for a specified number of weeks.
Sometimes my boss’s main assistant, Miss Park, would come upstairs to the residence to inform me I had a new class or a on-time class. A Korean staff member always had to escorts me to the class on the subway or bus so I’d know how to get there.
***UNDER CONSTRUCTION***
When I first arrived in Seoul, I had no idea about Korea at all. I was at the mercy of Koreans who were strangers to me, to teach me how to function in public and help me to take the subway and even to shop in stores.
I was absolutely terrified of the suhway before I used it. My hometown was small and any subway was 800km away, in Montreal. The TV shows and movies I had always seen were from the US and subways were always depicted as being crime-ridden and dirty. I remember dreading going on the subway. Soon after my arrival in Seoul, a Korean man who worked for my boss(a “recruiter”, who was a liason between foreigners and Korean companies) had to take me on a subway ride and explain to me how it went. I couldn’t believe it! The Korean subway was very safe and clean! One thing I noticed was that everybody was so calm, quiet and orderly. Hardly anyone spoke and usually everybody slept.
The Commute: A City in Motion
Traveling to different schools and institutes across Seoul gave me a unique perspective on the city. Every subway ride was an adventure, from the early morning rush to the late-night quiet as the city settled down. I grew to love the rhythm of Seoul-the way the city pulsed with energy, the sound of vendors calling out in markets, and the quiet moments on temple grounds. Sometimes, my Korean colleagues would invite me to local restaurants, introducing me to dishes I never would have tried on my own. These shared meals became some of my fondest memories, filled with laughter and stories that bridged our cultures.
Finding Community and Connection
Teaching in Seoul was challenging, but it was also deeply rewarding. The students’ curiosity and determination inspired me every day, and their kindness helped me feel less like an outsider. I learned to appreciate the small victories-when a shy student spoke up in class, or when I could order a meal in Korean without hesitation. Over time, Seoul began to feel less intimidating and more like a second home. The friendships I made, both in and out of the classroom, are memories I still cherish, reminding me that sometimes, the best lessons happen outside the lesson plan.
Arriving in Seoul: First Impressions in the Late 1990s
Landing in Seoul for the first time in the late 1990s was a leap into the unknown. Coming from a quiet corner of Atlantic Canada, the city’s endless movement, neon-lit streets, and the hum of unfamiliar language felt overwhelming. There were no smartphones or social media to bridge the gap with home-communication meant queuing at public pay phones or paging friends, a far cry from today’s instant connections. The city was undergoing rapid transformation, with modern buildings rising alongside traditional markets and palaces, and the air was thick with both excitement and uncertainty.
Navigating Culture Shock and Everyday Life
Adjusting to daily life brought its own set of challenges. The food was unlike anything I’d tasted before-spicy kimchi, bubbling stews, and street snacks that were as mysterious as they were delicious. At first, the language barrier made even simple tasks daunting, but Seoul’s residents were endlessly curious and generous, eager to share their culture and help a foreigner feel at home. The late ’90s were a time of economic change and growing affluence, but also of intense drive-Koreans were working hard to build a future, and English education was exploding, with private institutes springing up everywhere to meet the demand.
Discovering Seoul’s Heritage: Gyeongbokgung and Beyond
One of the highlights of my time was exploring Seoul’s historic sites, especially Gyeongbokgung Palace. In the 1990s, the palace was in the midst of a massive restoration project, gradually reclaiming its former grandeur after decades of neglect and destruction. Walking through its gates, I could sense the layers of history-echoes of royal processions, the resilience of a nation, and the hope for renewal. These experiences, from teaching in bustling classrooms to wandering ancient palace grounds, became the foundation of my memories of Seoul-a city where tradition and transformation went hand in hand.
Classic Editor Post Test
Il y a des disques qui s’écoutent et d’autres qui se ressentent, des œuvres qui ne se contentent pas d’exister mais imposent une présence, une intensité, une nécessité. Tenir appartient à cette dernière catégorie. C’est un EP sous tension, où chaque pulsation électronique semble contenir un
frémissement, une faille prête à se fissurer, un élan sur le point d’exploser.
igsh=N2x5NzVodWIwbXBx
La musique de Soky ne caresse pas, elle traverse.
L’électropop ici n’est pas une simple esthétique, mais un terrain d’expérimentation, un espace de friction où la voix se heurte aux machines, où les textures sonores semblent constamment osciller entre le contrôle et la rupture. Tout dans Tenir parle de transformation, d’un équilibre fragile entre résistance et abandon. Les
base entendi les synthes stient, les mots
Après nous avoir captivés avec « Béton de pacotille », morceau hypnotique dénonçant notre rapport à la nature transformée, Soky continue d’explorer les métamorphoses, celles du corps, de l’esprit, du monde qui nous entoure. On retrouve ici une artiste complète (auteure, compositrice, productrice), qui façonne son univers sans compromis, portée par des influences allant de Björk à Étienne Daho, en passant par Portishead.
https://youtu.be/118ciikdj_o?si=ozdtLq5gv485097Z
Dès le morceau-titre « Tenir », on sent une urgence, une tension maîtrisée qui guide l’ensemble du projet.
La voix, souvent aérienne mais toujours affirmée, se fraie un chemin à travers des textures électroniques tantôt éthérées, tantôt acérées. « Rien de pire » plonge dans la matérialité du corps, tandis que « Mangeuse d’oiseaux » libère une féminité sauvage, indomptée.
Même la pochette raconte l’histoire d’un visage en fuite. Un regard qui refuse de se fixer, une lueur rouge qui serpente autour des yeux, comme une cicatrice lumineuse ou un dernier signal avant le basculement.
À la fin, le rework du morceau-titre par le Collectif Scale vient comme une ultime déflagration, tout se dépouille, ne reste que l’essence pure de ce cri silencieux.
Tenir est un disque qui laisse des traces, pas des mélodies prévisibles. Un premier EP qui ne se contente pas d’exister, mais qui s’imprime, et dont on est certain qu’il fera des adeptes.
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The Art of Connection
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Beyond the Obstacle
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