10 Minutes Meal...

.....yes and yet HEALTHY!

It never took more than 10 minutes. Cost a fraction of what you'd pay at a restaurant in Seoul. A simple cup of noodles at 7 Eleven here costs about $2 US.

It is great that I like Kimchi and on top, I have always got a regular supply of homemade Kimchi(Korean pickle) by my friend's mothers which of course is different in taste, texture and quality. The ones served in university cafetarias' are nothing but an unbalanced combination of salt, red pepper powder and cabbage.

Quality of food served at a restaurant can be determined only by the quality of Kimchi served there. If they are not serving a good Kimchi then it means that they can NOT serve a good meal!

JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

1: School of Business Faculty Openings at SEJONG University, Seoul, Korea

To maintain our excellence, the Sejong University School of Business, located in Seoul, South Korea, is seeking academically qualified faculty.

The School of Business invites applicants with outstanding academic accomplishments for full-time faculty positions in all areas including Marketing, Finance, Management/Organizational Behavior, Information Management, Accounting and other business-related areas.

Visiting as well as tenure track appointments will be considered. The positions require a doctorate/terminal degree from an accredited institution. Salary and rank will be commensurate with education and professional experience. Housing and a travel allowance may be provided. Native English speaking abilities are preferred.

Please submit a complete and current curriculum vitae as well as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email address of references. Send a cover letter of interest and the above materials to:

Dr. Theodore Wallin, Dean of Graduate School of Business
Sejong University 98 Gunja Dong, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul, 143-747 Korea
E-mail: towallin@sejong.edu Homepage: www.sejong.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-3408-3046, +82-2-3408-3990 Fax: +82-2-3408-3400


2:PENN PROGRAM ON DEMOCRACY, CITIZENSHIP, AND CONSTITUTIONALISM
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - 2011-2012 Academic Year
Application Deadline: March 18, 2011

The Penn Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism (DCC) invites applications for a one-year DCC Postdoctoral Fellow in any discipline whose research is pertinent to the Program's 2011-2012 theme, "Corporations and Citizenship." The Program welcomes both empirical and normative scholarship, focused globally or on particular nations, regions, or communities, that explores the various ways that modern corporations are acting and should act as legal and social citizens, as well as the implications of modern corporate statuses and conduct for democracy and constitutional governance at local, national, and international levels.

Eligibility is limited to applicants who will have received their Ph.D. within five years prior to the time they begin their fellowship at Penn (i.e. May 2006 or later). Application deadline: March 18, 2011.

For guidelines and applications, see the School of Arts and Sciences website [http://www.sas.upenn.edu/deans-office/DCCApplicationGuidelines] or write Office of the Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 1 College Hall, Rm. 116, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6377. For more information on the Penn Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism, see the DCC Program website, [http://www.sas.upenn.edu/dcc/] or contact DCC Program Chair Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, rogerss@sas.upenn.edu.

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

3: Assistant, Associate or Full Professors - Political Economy & International Relations, Humanities & Social Sciences

Zayed University, a premier university in the United Arab Emirates, is an innovative institution based on an international model of higher education. With 750 faculty and staff serving 5,900 students across two main campuses - as well as satellite locations - in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the University prepares graduates to become leaders in government, business, civil society, and family life. Zayed University is fully accredited in the U.A.E. as well as by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in the U.S.A.

The Opportunity

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for a position in Political Economy and International Relations of the Middle East and/or Arab Gulf States for the International Affairs stream of its International Studies program. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in political science, political economy, international relations or a closely related field. The capacity to teach and research in an interdisciplinary environment is highly desirable. Evidence of teaching ability and experience is important, including potential to supervise Capstone thesis projects. The teaching load will also include one or more courses in the Colloquy on Integrated Learning, the University's core curriculum.

The Requirements

A Ph.D. from a recognized university.

The Benefits

The University's benefits package is highly attractive, with competitive salaries free of tax in the United Arab Emirates, housing, a furniture allowance, annual vacation airline tickets for the employee and immediate family, educational subsidies for children and subsidized healthcare for the employee.

To Apply

Please visit our website http://www.zu.ac.ae and click on 'careers' to be directed to our Employment website. In addition to completing the online application form, attach a cover letter and a current CV, the names and contact details of three referees, a statement of undergraduate teaching philosophy, and a statement of scholarly and creative interests, particularly as they might apply to the Middle East, and as to how they might involve undergraduate students. If possible, also include student or departmental teaching evaluations. The review of applications will begin February 1, 2011.

Itaewon Islamic Street in Seoul

A consumer shops for fabrics at Step-In, a clothing and fabric shop on Itaewon Islamic Street.
Salam Bakery, a small store on the left side of the road leading toward the Seoul Central Masjid in the Yongsan District, was crowded with customers last Thursday afternoon.

Among those waiting were two Muslim men from Sudan in line to purchase bread and a Korean couple with curious eyes who were gazing at the baklava, bite-sized cakes made with nuts and honey.

“Non-Muslims interested in ethnic food also come to my shop,” said Jinee Jung, who runs the bakery specializing in Syrian-style cakes. “Still, the Muslims living on this street or those who pass through this street to pray at the mosque are my major customers. My bakery sells them halal confectionaries, which Muslims can buy without fear of violating Islamic law.”

“Halal” is an Arabic term that means “permissible” under Islamic law and includes objects or actions. The rules about food are probably the most familiar to non-Muslims.

Among these, the most rigorous rules for food are applied to meat. Halal meat excludes pork and many other sorts of meat and, in addition, requires that rigorous procedures for slaughter be followed, such as a quick killing to minimize the animal’s suffering.

To make the bakery’s halal cakes, animal oil and other animal ingredients are avoided or used sparsely in the bakery’s recipes.

“This is the busiest season for us,” Jung said. “During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk. They tend to eat more pastries and sweets at night than on ordinary days so I will keep the shop open for 24 hours a day during Ramadan, although I will let my chef, who is from Damascus in Syria, rest during the day because he cannot eat or drink during that time.”

Ramadan began on Saturday and continues for about a month.

Across the road from the Salam Bakery stands Salam.com, an electronics store that deals in various electronics goods, including a cell phone with an alarm set to ring for daily prayers.

There are also several travel agencies here, with signs in Korean and Arabic, and sometimes in English.

Further along the street there is a clothing and fabric shop called Step-In, whose Afghan owner welcomes anyone who steps into the store. In front of the store, mannequin heads wearing hijab, or head coverings, and pretty shoes are displayed.


A customer browses through the books at the Islamic Book Center. Lower right: Workers at Salam Bakery put out Syrian and Turkish cakes.By Jeon Min-kyu
One of several grocery stores on the street has a sign that says “We now have halal duck.”

This Islamic world in central Seoul is commonly called Itaewon Islamic street. The street started with a few grocery stores and restaurants selling halal food near the Seoul Central Masjid, the mosque established there in 1976.

Because of the halal food regulations, eating is not an easy job for Muslims in Korea, where the percentage of the Muslim population is not very large.

“I’m nearly becoming a vegetarian, living here,” sighed Shiraz Subeh, an Ewha Womans University student from Palestine. She had come to the Seoul Central Masjid for her daily prayers, which is one of her obligations as a Muslim. The mosque has a separate area where women can pray.

The shops on Itaewon Islamic Street have met the nutritional needs of many Muslims in Korea. There is a butcher selling halal meat next to the entrance of the masjid, as well as several grocery stores and restaurants in the neighborhood.

“We can do our five daily prayers either at the masjid or at home, but I come here from time to time to pray, to meet friends and to shop in the neighboring stores,” Subeh said.

But there is much more here than food.



Subeh and her friend from Kyrgyzstan, Nazik Sultanbekova, who is also studying at Ewha, dropped by the Islamic Book Center to purchase a copy of the Koran in Spanish for a Spanish-speaking friend.

Muneer Ahmad, the bookstore’s chief executive officer, said he opened the store three years ago to increase awareness about Islam among Koreans and the larger foreign population.

“Many people may misunderstand, but Islam emphasizes open-mindedness, tolerance and peace, and many Muslims are open-minded,” he said. “I am from a Muslim family in Kashmir, India, but I have not become a Muslim just because my parents are Muslim. I read the scriptures of various religions and then I decided to be a Muslim.

“I recommend that people do the same to become familiar with the similarities and differences between different religions and to gain a true understanding of them.”

The bookstore has Korean and English translations of the Koran and other Islamic books. For English-speakers interested in studying Arabic there are books written in both English and Arabic.

There are many things to learn on this street. Most of the Muslims here are kind and eager to tell people who ask about Islam. Ahmed, the bookstore owner, and Jang Sun-kyung, who were at the mosque to pray, were two such hospitable folks. Jang, the former head of the female devotees’ group at the masjid, converted to Islam after spending 20 years exploring other religions. Her story is rather unique because, unlike many other Korean converts to Islam, Jang came to Islam without having traveled to the Middle East.

The number of Muslims in Korea is gradually increasing, because more Koreans have become interested in the religion and the culture. The number of workers arriving here from Islamic countries is also increasing. The Korea Muslim Federation, which has its headquarters in the masjid, estimates there are about 35,000 Korean nationals who are Muslim, in addition to the many other Muslims among the foreign population.

Credits: This article was published in JoongAng Daily.

Tips for Students in Korea

There are a few things I would like to recommend to students who are already in Korea or are planning to study here:
1) Learn Korean, try your best and do NOT take it for granted.
2) Korean language proficiency can open many doors of opportunities which you'd miss otherwise.
3) Hang out with Korean students or the lot who do not mind speaking Korean - it is hard to find such people because the natives indulge themselves in practicing English - more often than not.
4) Choose a major - which interests you & you are passionate about.
5) Korea is becoming more diverse in the choice of schools for kids from Pre-school to High School - which wasn't true a few years back... therefore, if you have kids - it should not be a big problem to find a school of your choice and in your budget (for people in doctoral, post-doc or research programs).
6) Get yourself enrolled in extra curricular activities - martial arts, music, painting and many other choices provided by the Korean government, NGO's or universities themselves.
7) Stay positive.
8) No matter what religious background you have or what sort of baggage of restrictions you have in terms of food choices or interaction with people - Korea has it all.
* Itaewon (Line6) is an area where you can find all sort of groceries from around the world-including 100% Halal food @Foreign Food Store. This store also owns Foreign Food Restaurants located on the same street. Itaewon has the highest number of halal food restaurants in Seoul and the cost is reasonable.
* Haehwadong(Line 4) -has a street market every Sunday specializing in Filipino goods-give it a shot.
* Dongdaemun (Line 2,3,4,5) - has pretty much everything from huge shopping malls to street markets. It is also considered as the center of whole sale vegetables and fruits markets as well as an area specializing in clothing, footware, leather products and the biggest socks making center in Asia.
* Jaegi Dong" near Cheongneangni (subway line no:1) is another interesting place to explore. It has fruits and veges usually sold in a slightly bigger quantity but at a really low rate. In such a case you can split the price and the produce between freinds. This area is the main supply center to the entire Seoul.
9) You can also volunteer - there are many options like orphanages, old age centers, foreign community centers, translators, teaching positions for the underprivileged children at various schools, cultural exchange teachers and so on. Options may be available within your field of study as well.So stay informed.
10) Avail the option of internship - both paid/unpaid as well as domestic/international- which is provided by almost all universities during the term breaks. It is a good way of networking as well as future job prospects.
11) Seoul's student neighborhoods and areas of activity are:
- Sinchon (line:2) center of learning with four major universties (Ewha, Yonsei, Hongik, Sogang) with a student community of about 200, 000 bustling with a great number of restuarants, cafes, clubs, book stores, libraries and shops.
- Second area is again Haehwa : it has International Student Hostels etc.so again, it is good for the people with budget & a willingness to try fusion culture.
- Another area is Gangnam (line 2) and Sadang also on line 2....a huge number of students hang out there - a real treat indeed.
- Seoul has about 56 universities in all and the list is long. All university localities have their own distinct culture and budgeted outlets...do your research.
12) Seoul in particular and Korea in general has the highest number of Womens' universities and among them Ehwa is considered as one of the oldest women's university of Asia. If you have reservation to study in a women's university then there is a plenty of choice for one to choose from.
13) There used to be an option of National Insurence but now it is being replaced by AVG, ask your admin office - it is important because medicare is very expensive, one trip to a doctor would cost you minimum 50 dollars (US). If you do NOT have any health insurence than you have a choice of 'absolutely free' medicare at any of the Migrant Centers in and around Seoul. Please call first before heading out. Oriental medicine, dentistry and general medicine are the areas that they cover.
14) Last but not the least, contact:'Seoul Global Center for Foreigners (SGC)'. It is the best source of information and on top, they are extremely efficient. You can either visit SGC personally (it is located near the City Hall on line 2, exit 5)or can check their website at http://global.seoul.go.kr


ENJOY YOUR STAY AND ALL THE BEST!
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Korea and Taekwondo

It all starts with : Mind, Spirit and Body.. Please click on the image to have a readable image :D If you want to know more about Taekwondo please visit the site below:

http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr

Taewondo is a national sport of Korea. Children start learning it from kindergarten and by grade 5, almost all of them have black belts which is a mandatory part of their curriculum, irrespective of gender.

http://www.wtf.org

It does not stop there but many universities have undergraduate/graduate programs. Among them Kyunghee University (KHU) stands out. It is considered the top universities in the world to impart specialized education on Taekwondo where you can persue a Doctorate in this sport the only university that offers the program. They have state of the art facilities and generous funding by the Korean government. KHU also offers short courses in different spheres of Taekwondo. For more inforamtion visit:

http://www.kyunghee.edu/international05.php

Kyunghee has many former and current World champions, Olympic and Asian Champions in their faculty and student body.

If you visit Korea, you can call their office and personally visit the facilities and see the demonstrations etc.

For more click on the video below:

Korean Hospitality

It was a New Year Eve and Esther invited some friends over to her place. I don't know her well except that I met her at the Civic Center in Unjeong Dong once - this happened in August 2010.
I also found out that we have a common friend-Jiyoung-she came to pick me up from my place on a really cold and windy day and as is said: the rest is history!
:-)
Met great people, had delicious food and the view from her house was awesome.
Thanks Esther and Jiyoung Shi.
고마워요!

My street and neighborhood in Bundang!

It is was one of the most beautiful places I have lived thus far!
All my neighbors were extremely helpful and were much concerned about me - on how I would coup with the harsh weather conditions here. Unlike other places, this residential area was built in the 1970s. In a Korean perspective, it is was a 'very, very' old housing facility. It had no state of the art heating facilities. Ondul (traditional floor heating technique) was one of the choices but for that, we had to contact an agency which would help fill up tankers at the backyard with Gasoline. This whole engineering extravaganza would lead to the heating of the floors. For heating up one room would cost about 300$ (US)if one uses it 24 hours a day/month.
The Ondul option here had nothing in common with the same Ondul options we have in newly constructed apartments/housings - which works great with the touch of a button. The heating bills though are overwhelming.However, it is one of the most scenic landscapes that I have lived thus far. My mother still misses those times we used to walk around and enjoy nature at its best.
Korea ranks third in the world for the most expensive cost of housing, where as New York City ranks 28 in the world and takes the top notch in the US.

Quote of the Day!

"To get anywhere in life you have to follow a road …To make anything happen, you have to walk through the crossroads."
— Moris Moriset

American Pakistan Foundation!

Need of the hour....
A fair share of Pakistan's brain drain is now a part of the American mainstream.
Finally in 2009, the American Pakistan Foundation ( http://www.americanpakistan.org/) came into being and for more on that follow the link below, an article in Washington Times:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/25/a-foundation-for-the-future/

Study in Korea and the Scholarships available.

It has been a while that I am in Korea and through all these years - I was and still am studying. I studied Korean language at Kyunghee University (http://www.kyunghee.ac.kr/). In my very first year in Korea, I got a fullscholarship at Korea University in their Masters program in Korean Studies. I instead chose to study Asian Studies Program and then International Studies/Political Science.
Anyone who is interested in Korean language and culture or to study for any disciplines in science, technology, arts and humanities - I would recommend the following websites. I am sure that you can find something that suits your credentials.
The websites below offers hundreds of options for researchers and prospective students in 11 different languages:
http://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/
My second recommendation would be NIIED-offering undergraduate, graduate and post graduate opportunities with full cover including a 750$ /month stipent.
http://www.niied.go.kr/NIIED_ENG/NIIED_MAIN00/main_winter.jsp
Korea Foundation's support of Korean Studies overseas can be found in detail at the website below:

http://www.kf.or.kr/

Some of the other universities that one can check out for sure include:

http://www.kf.or.kr/

http://www.yonsei.ac.kr/

http://www.korea.ac.kr/

http://www.sogang.ac.kr/

http://www.kyunghee.ac.kr/

http://www.kaist.ac.kr/

These websites have a lot of information to persue ones' golas and dream.

Sunshine and Snow

Inside AKS..

A clear blue sky after heavy snow that lasted all night!

Food during heavy Snowfall

Hot soups and the side dishes ward off cold!

Kalbi Thang & Aal Thang - back to back!

Hot soups and the side dishes ward off cold!

This picture was taken on a very/snowy/cold day. This food really brought us back to senses..

The restaurant from the outside

Aal Thang and grilled pollock with lemon and ginger pickle along with sidedishes

LOOKING BACK AT 2010

A YEAR IN REVIEW-2010

SOME MEMORIES ....

2011 in Bundang!

2011 started with a white blanket of snow!

Campus looked liked a snow globe decoration!

Within a few hours it changed into blizzards -

I hope that 2011 turns out to be peaceful and progressive year for everybody.
I hope that it is full of brighter days and beautiful smiles around the world.

I hope that people can achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams.

I hope we find happiness in small packages.

I hope that we grow by being tolerable and patient of the differences between and among us!