The Ridgeback Review: Confucianism & Stuff

Korean language class is moving right along. The instructor is called Won Shin and is very nice and giggles just like my friend Jen Profit Geer. Adorable.

Won Shin pointing to vowels

I can spell my name in Korean and sound out some words. Just last week, I was able to decipher the title of a movie I was scouting, "Chronicles of Narnia." I changed the channel with pride.

Fellow students

I am also a recent recipient of my Cross Cultural Training certificate. It was a day-long training that, among other things, explained why Koreans think of us they way they do and vice versa. The reason, you ask? Short answer: Confucianism. Another blog, another time.

Highlight of the training? Actually, the thing that sticks out in my mind the most is sad. Used to be, when they sold dog meat at the markets, they would post a picture of the dog next to the product. Before they killed the dog, they would beat the dog. The angrier the dog looked in the photo, the more "stamina" the meat had to benefit male sex drive, and the higher the price. Sick. On so many levels.

Our instructor Unwha is Korean by birth, raised in the US and Panama, graduate of Pepperdine and Seoul National Universities, married in her late 30's and is seven years older than her husband. She has no children and doesn't plan to have any. She owns her own business and rescues dogs from shelters in her spare time. As you might imagine, she is an anomaly in traditional, male dominated, Korean culture. I liked her immediately.

Thinking...

And thinking...

I was thinking...

Have you been curious about what I have been up to in flower arranging class? I bet!

Last week, I was forced to use carnations, red ones at that, for an arrangement. I do not like carnations.