“Rainwater Doctors” Program Launched in August

The second Rainwater Doctors Program was launched in August to promote the use of rainwater harvesting facilities according to building type and function, and to inform citizens who want to reuse rainwater but are not sure how. The Rainwater Doctors appointed this year will carry out their duties from August 2014 to June 2016, and the program will be operated through voluntary participation and talent donation by citizens.
A rainwater harvesting facility is an eco-friendly technology that allows the reuse of rainwater. After all the rainwater is collected in a tank on the roof of the building, it goes through a simple water treatment process and can be used for various purposes, such as watering vegetable gardens, landscaping, and cleaning bathrooms and floors in buildings. However, the facilities are not yet widely used, since most citizens are unfamiliar with and inexperienced at maintaining and using the facilities.
The Rainwater Doctors will serve as consultants, providing detailed information on rainwater harvesting facilities and helping those citizens who are unfamiliar with reusing rainwater.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government expects that the rainwater reuse system will be great for urban farmers who know that rainwater is better for agriculture than tap water. Also, the city government hopes that this measure will help Seoul become a healthy water-cycle city cycle.

Italian Mountaineer Conquers K2 without Oxygen Reserves

Tamara Lunger, one of the seven women on a K2-climbing mission, reached the top of the 8,611 metres high mountain on July 26, that too without an oxygen reserve.
Ms Lunger had been dreaming of climbing 8,000 metres plus peaks since she was 15 years old.
“I guess one of the reasons why I chose to climb K2 was because it is the hardest to conquer,” said 28-year-old Italian mountaineer, who scaled her third 8,000 metres plus mountain.

Ms Lunger had been training for the climb since a year.
When it came to K2, she and her team members went up as an expedition without porters, and carried their own gear. This is what made climbing hundreds of metres of steep slopes harder.

Her team leader, Giuseppe Pompili, who also climbed K2 without supplemental oxygen, bagged his third 8,000 metres plus mountain. In 2006, Pompili became one of the 150 climbers to have conquered the seven highest peaks in the seven continents. Today, a little over 350 people have accomplished this feat.

Read more here.

Read Tamara's blog here!

Source: Dawn and Tamara's blog!

Korea Post Issues Pope Francis Stamps

On the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Korea starting August 14, Korea Post has released its “Pope Francis' Visit to Korea Commemorative Stamps” !

Google Celebrates Korea's Liberation Day - 광복절 (Gwangbokjeol)

광복절 (Gwangbokjeol)  by google!

Korean Independence Day–광복절 (Gwangbokjeol)–is celebrated on Aug. 15 each year. The literal meaning of "광복절(光復節)" is "the restoration of the light. I wrote about it here!

Save Arturo - the polar bear!

SIGN THE PETITION  HERE!

A Greenpeace petition to move Arturo from his current home has already gathered nearly 200,000 signatures.
Argentine professor Fernanda Arentsen said: "You can see he is going crazy. He moves the way polar bears do when they are suffering a lot of stress.
"He has been filmed rocking back and forth in a way that signals distress. It breaks my heart to see it.
"I'm from Mendoza. I know how hot summer is. There is no way for him to escape the heat."

Google Celebrates Pakistan's Independence

Google Doodle on Pakistan Day is an interesting landmark from Islamabad.
Celebrating the 68th Independence of Pakistan, Google has posted a doodle on the Pakistan homepage. The doodle features the blooming flower-shaped Pakistan Monument located at Shakarparian -a small hill near Zero Point in Islamabad, Pakistan. This monument is a national monument that represents the country's four provinces and three territories.

Before an architect was finalised to design this monument, a competition was held among notable architects during General Musharraf's government.  Arif Masood's plan was selected for the final design.

The four main petals of the Pakistan Monument represent the four provinces -Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh - while the three smaller petals represent the three territories - Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Prayers for Pakistan!

Maths World's "Nobel prize" goes to Maryam Mirzakhani

 

 

A woman has won the maths world's "Nobel prize" for the first time. Maryam Mirzakhani of Stanford University, California, will receive the Fields medal tomorrow at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Seoul, South Korea.

The medal is awarded once every four years to at most four recipients, who must be aged under 40 at the start of that year. All the previous 52 Fields medalists, dating back to 1936, have been male.

Mirzakhani, who is Iranian, studies the geometry of moduli space, a complex geometric and algebraic entity that might be described as a universe in which every point is itself a universe. Mirzakhani described the number of ways a beam of light can travel a closed loop in a two-dimensional universe. To answer the question, it turns out, you cannot just stay in your "home" universe – you have to understand how to navigate the entire multiverse. Mirzakhani has shown mathematicians new ways to navigate these spaces.

Mirzakhani first attracted international attention as a high-school student in 1995, when she was the first Iranian student to achieve a perfect score in the International Mathematics Olympiad.
For further details read here.

Malala and Justin Bieber Talked on FB

'I can't wait to meet her in person and talk about how I can support her and the @malalafund. #love': The 20-year-old, who is a very generous supporter of dozens of charities and causes worldwide, revealed he's eager to throw his substantial weight behind the 17-year-old's Malala Fund

An Apartment to Share near Korea Univeristy from August 24th.

Jia is looking for flat mates and she posted about it below!

Rooms:	3-5
Address:	서울시 성북구 하월곡동 90-723번&#5 (Seongbok-gu, Seoul)
Features:	Fully furnished, Service charges included, Parking, Garden, Lift / Disabled access, Security service, Balcony / Terrasse, Cellar

Price  450,000won

Contact  Jia Kim ,   Cell Phone: 4917630573395

 I'm Jia. I’ve been living in Berlin for a year and will be back in Seoul this August to finish my degree in Korea University and I’m looking for some nice people to share my flat with.

In the northern part of Seoul, I have a lovely flat with 3 rooms, two bathrooms and a big kitchen and a living room. The flat is on the 11th floor. There are big supermarkets such as E-mart (2min walk) and there are restaurants near by. You can go anywhere in Seoul with the subway and bus. The subway is 5 minute walk from the flat and the bus station is right in front of the flat. Korea university is within 10 minutes by bus.
I have a big TV that you can watch any kind of movie you want, ( there are hundreds of free movies you can search and choose on the TV). And there are two air conditioners in the flat. I'm living with a small poodle and a cat. They are very friendly to people and give a warm atmosphere among the house.

Brief introduction of the owner Jia:

I'm 23 years old university student. I speak fluent English, Korean, and some German. I’m studying to become an ethologist and a researcher to study animal behaviour in Africa.

I love animals, and spending time outdoors. I have rescued dogs and cats, as well as guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and other pets. I horse ride whenever I can. I adore travelling, and it has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I would love to experience places I have never been before, and experience other cultures. I have traveled extensively in Europe and North America. I am positive minded, friendly, and enthusiastic. I like to laugh and enjoy good times with friends and family. I’ve been living in a shared flat since I was 16 with more than 6 people sometimes, and I had a great time with them. so I'm familiar with living with lots of people. I really enjoyed the company as well as having my own privacy and respecting the others. I am constantly looking to improve myself, and happily accept constructive criticism.

I’m looking for two people to share the flat with. I would prefer people with similar age (between 23 to 28)

If you are interested and have any questions, please send me a message. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Jia

Jung Yunho in ‘The Night Watchman’

Member of K-pop duo TVXQ -  Jung Yunho appeared as an actor in the MBC drama “The Night Watchman” on Monday.

Jung plays the role of Moosuk, one of the greatest swordsmen in the Joseon Dynasty.

“The Night Watchman” is broadcast every Monday and Tuesday on MBC.

SOURCE

Itaewon - New Trendy Place to Unwind

Well, I can't believe that Itaewon has taken a 180 degree turn in terms of popularity among Korean youth. Until late 2000s it was a  place that Koreans hate to visit and it was left almost entirely to the expats. The  article below tells a different story about Itaewon:

Where is the hottest spot for young people in Seoul at the end of the week?
KB Kookmin Card analyzed the spending habits of 4.2 million of its travel card users on Friday evenings between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. in February and March of this year. Itaewon subway station was the most frequented stop. On Friday evenings, 10,883 of its travel card users disembarked there, a 2.4-fold increase from other weekday periods.
Itaewon is especially popular among young women.
Itaewon has become a top spot to enjoy a second round of drinks after dinner.
One of the main attractions of the area is the recent explosion of unique bars and eateries there.
Park Jeong-lim is one of a number of single 30-somethings who has grown tired of partying in the student-friendly Hongik University area. She now prefers spending her Friday nights at more sophisticated haunts in cosmopolitan Itaewon. 
"The Itaewon area has begun offering an ever-more eclectic mixture of unique restaurants and bars in recent years, making it the place to go on a Friday night," said Choi Chang-ryong at KB Kookmin Card.

South Korea’s webtoons: going global

 Lee Eun-Seok woke up in the middle of the debris and looked for survivors but it was no use. Seoul had already turned into a huge hive, infested by giant hornets.

So goes the story in Hive, one of the “webtoons” that have become hugely popular in South Korea and which are poised to become the country’s next booming export, according to some bullish forecasts.

The growth of smartphones and South Korea’s world-leading internet speeds have spurred the rapid take-off of these digital comic strips, which are downloaded from the internet and scrolled through on a smart device.

According to KT Economy Research Institute, South Korea’s webtoon market, with 6.2m readers a day and 140,000 cartoonists, was worth about $96m in 2012. KT predicts that it will grow to $290m by 2015 as webtoons tap into new revenue streams through partnerships with producers of movies, dramas and online games.

As of 2013, the global comic book market was worth an estimated $8.8bn according to Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), while the digital comic book market was worth an estimated $1bn. The biggest comic book market in the world is in Japan, worth an estimated $3bn in 2012, followed by the US at an estimated $600m.

More Details here!

Shahrukh Khan as Goodwill Ambassador of Korea

 The King Khan could introduce you to Kukkiwon, the world famous taekwondo academy, Psy of Gangnam Style fame and K-pop, the mouthwatering Korean barbeque. To South Koreans, the actor could teach their first cricket team a thing or two about the business of the game — maybe organize the first match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Koreans. And, perhaps, open Bollywood to a new part of the world.

Khan as a public diplomat and an ambassador of India’s soft power is not hard to imagine. But only if the man can tear himself away from tinsel town to walk the talk. The South Korean government had to pursue Khan for over two months before he agreed to officially accept the offer. They ideally want him to visit South Korea before the maiden visit of their president Park Geun-hye.
Source!

When is Eid in Korea 2014?

EID MUBARAK  or (이드 무바락 여러분! )

In many Muslim countries Eid  is celebrated with the sighting of moon in Saudi Arabia including Korea. Hence, this year, it's going to be celebrated on 28th. July, 2014.

 Eid prayers (congregation) will be performed at 10:00 a.m  in the Seoul Central Masjid, Itaewon.

On Eid, Seoul mosque gets crowded because it caters to not just Seoul area but all adjacent small cities and towns in Gyeonggi province so try to get there early to find a place inside the mosque.

In case, you have not been able to pay Zakat and fitra yet then it can be donated to the mosque which will use it through Korea Muslim Federation, either contact the  office located next to the prayer hall or use the donation box at the entrance of Women's prayer room..

Samina Baig - Successfully Completes 7 Highest Summits in 7 Continents!

The last leg of this adventure took the siblings to Russia to attempt Mt.Elbrus!

Samina's bother Mirza Ali Baig wrote on his blog:

"..... very delighted to share the great news of Mt.Elbrus summit!
Me and Samina reached the summit at 9am local time, thus the adventure diplomacy, gender equality, women empowerment project came to an amazing end(ing) with great success!
Samina became the first Pakistani and the first Muslim woman to climb the seven summits in record age of 23 and in record time..."

Congratulations Samina Baig and also Mirza Ali Baig!

Teen Pilot Haris Suleman Died in a Plane Crash

Haris poised to become the youngest commanding pilot to fly around the world died in a crash Wednesday off the coast of American Samoa.

The plane carrying 17-year-old Haris Suleman, and his father, Babar, crashed just after takeoff in Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa, reports Fox  59. They actually took off at night and that was risky.

The father and son set out to spend 30 days flying to cities across the world. According to the Indy Star, the two left their home in Indiana on June 19. The progress of the Sulemans could be followed on Haris’ @worldrounder Twitter feed and on the blog Around the World 4 Education. The trip would take them to 21 different cities.

On the Suleman’s blog, Haris writes that he hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps and go into engineering at either Purdue or the University of Texas. When asked what he would be doing after the journey was completed, Suleman said he was going to take the SATs.

On Babar Suleman's facebook page, he wrote:

• Babar Suleman Eddie Gold, I think Haris likes Pago Pago..... 

The pair were flying in their private plane in a round-the-world trip for charity. The charity in question was Seeds of Learning, according to media reports, the two had raised $500,000 of their $1 million goal.

The famiy was eagerly waiting for their return before Eid, it is such a tragic loss, prayers for the bereaved family and may God bless their souls. Special prayers for Babar Suleman - who is missing!

Haris wrote about their trip in Huffington Post HERE. In a post he wrote:
  
"...Although I am a little bit nervous, I can't imagine a better way to spend my summer. If all goes well, I will be going back to school for my senior year with some tall tales to tell!"

Babar Suleman's blog: flyaroundtheworldin30days.com chronicles their journey in detail. Read it HERE.. Babar Suleman in his first post  - Birth of an Idea writes:

"PROLOG: September 5, 1971…..Sargodha Train station…. early morning, Chenab Express train unloading a bunch of very young, aspiring fighter pilots, in the incubation phase…pre-cadets…piled off the train, dumped their luggage into a 3-ton military truck and clamored into waiting blue Air Force buses for the ride to Pakistan Air Force College Sargodha….. a ride of their life time……. to be assigned to their houses or squadrons…. a new beginning … to boldly go where they had not gone before…. a little apprehension, a little fear and a whole lot of excitement at what lay ahead…. yes I wanted to be a pilot ! A fighter pilot ! …but what did that mean…."

Source 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/23/haris-suleman-teen-attempting-world-flight-record-killed-in-plane-crash/

Jobs for Pakistanis in South Korea (EPS Workers)

First of all, click HERE  (official website of Korea to hire unskilled workers through EPS) and then HERE (news article in a leading Pakistani news paper)!

I have often been asked on how to get a job in Korea - it depends on many factors but first and foremost, one's country of origin, Korean language proficiency and then their educational background.

Everybody would have heard of teaching positions in Korea but almost all sorts of jobs are there and yes, it's competitive and there are limitations. 

Pakistan is among one of the 15 countries from where low skilled or unskilled workers are hired under Employment Permit System aka EPS to work in South Korea in small and medium sized industries in sectors such as livestock, agriculture, fishery, construction, etc. Applicants must fulfill the following conditions according to the EPS website:

• Person aged between 18 and 40
• Person who passed EPS-TOPIK
• Person who fits for medical checkup decided by Korean government
• Person with no criminal record in relation to serious offence punishable by imprisonment
• Person who does not have previous record of deportation/eviction order from Korea
• Submit Job application form and necessary documents within the valid term of EPS-TOPIK (2 years)
  ※ If valid term of EPS-TOPIK(2 years)　has expired,　candidate shall pass EPS-TOPIK again.

Every year, a quota is set by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) Korea, to import these EPS workers. This quota is further distributed among EPS member countries with respect to the percentage of illegal workers from that respective country. If illegal workers ratio is high , lesser workers are imported and if the ration is low then higher number of workers are imported. Hence, one MUST return to their native country.The returnees can always apply again and usually are preferred over the new workers.

Minimum wage per hour for 2014 is set for about 5USD per hour or 5,210 won per hour. Under the Labor Standard Act of Korea, all workers are eligible to get this amount irrespective of their nationality.Moreover, all workers are eligible for 4 major kind of insurances once they enter through EPS, More on this: click HERE.

Job seekers for Korea must reply on EPS website, HRD Korea and Overseas Employment Corporation only. No  other agency or person can help you get the job. If anybody claims - report them to police and do NOT give money to anybody for seeking jobs. Such people are FRAUD!

Korea has MOU with the following countries:
Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, China, Cambodia,Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Timor-Leste. 



Sources
https://www.eps.go.kr/ph/index.html

http://www.minimumwage.go.kr/eng/sub04.html

http://www.helloeps.com/tvrkmwbyjwesgxjqrcr8/

http://www.moel.go.kr/english/main.jsp

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/afcdefd4-1c1c-11e3-b678-00144feab7de.html#axzz38Nz0fhDX

WIN A TRIP TO KOREA WITH BUZZ KOREA!

TO:UR IMAGINATION WITH BIG BANG!

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS: JULY 16 TO AUGUST 31, 2014.

FOR DETAILS CLICK HERE OR  VISIT BUZZ KOREA WEBSITE.

Peshawari Chappal vs."Robert" Sandal - A Controversy

Sir Paul Smith, the well-known British designer behind the popular label,  launched a high-end sandal earlier this summer that looks like the Peshawari chappal, a popular shoe worn by millions of Pakistani men on formal and informal occasions. A pair that costs between 10USD to 15USD  has a price tag of about 600USD .

Colonizers had the mentality and  the metal to rob nations of their freedom, of cultural heritage and it hasn't stopped even in the 21st century. Old habits die hard!

When the shoe originally went up for sale, there was no reference to Pakistan or Peshawar (the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, formerly the North-West Frontier province), where this design originally originated from!

Paul Smith’s current listing for the chappal previously known as Robert no longer sports the name “Robert,” and now features on overt reference to being “inspired by the Peshawari Chappal.”

"JERKS" is the right word for this company - shame on them!

Pakistani Siblings on an Expedition to Climb Seven Summits on Seven Continents

 Pakistani mountaineers Samina Baig and Mirza Ali successfully scaled Mount Mickenly (Denali) the highest mountain of North America on 28th June 2014 at 7.20 pm local time. Mirza Ali wrote on his FB page that :

 " .....  it took us 15 and half hours for return climb! after having extremely harsh weather for .nearly five days at Camp IV 17200ft. it was just one day weather window and the Mountain and nature was very kind to accept us to be on top of the mountain otherwise the weather situation was extremely harsh and unpredictable."

The sister-brother mountaineer duo, which hails from Shimshal in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), has been on an eight-month expedition to climb seven summits on seven continents since the end of November 2013.
They successfully climbed the 6,962-meter Mount Aconcagua in Argentina in December 2013 to complete the first leg of their expedition, which aims to promote gender equality and world peace.

They have covered six continents and only the last leg of their expedition is remaining!

Wish them the very best!