A Super Positive Woman Ever from TV show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

One of DSKUSSS members love to watch TV sitcom shows. She found one great show to watch and she wants to share the story a little bit and tries to explain why she is into it. Read this writing and let us know what you think of this sitcom! We are welcome to any comments :-)

A Super Positive Woman Ever

from TV show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Communication and Media Studies

A new TV sitcom came up in 2015. In the show, there is a super positive and fun women who try to keep having hope no matter how she has been through tough situations. Her name is Kimmy Schmidt who left the miserable life in Indiana state and moves in New York. When she was in Indiana, she was kidnaped by a cray cult leader who insisted the doomsday of the world is coming soon. Then, she kept living her life in a bunker of a basement for 15 years. Whenever she wanted to go out, the leader warned her that the world has been vanished and they should live in the bunker forever. Luckily, after the 15 years, the rescue team who has looked for this woman and other missing people found them and Kimmy finally saw the sunlight. From then, the media could not get their eyes off them, they called them “mole women”, and all people in American felt pity for them. Since Kimmy is very positive and independent, she abandoned all the life in Indiana and decided to start over her life in a new place, New York.

The episodes of season 1 deals with how she lives in the new world. Since she is innocent and positive, she turns typical New Yorkers who only cares about themselves into better people that cares other people. Her roommate and her employer were selfish and only cared about their life. However, they started to involve Kimmy’s life as the episode goes. The episodes are full of fun and ironical situations and these make people laugh and smile. If you want to know how a positive person can change the world, this TV show could give you a clue! Please enjoy it!

Giving Tips in America

It is unfamiliar for Korean to give a tip when you go to restaurants or beauty salons etc. However, in the states, there is culture that gives a tip when you get a service. Please read this and get some tips on how to pay the tip in the states! Let us know, if you have any thoughts or opinions through comments!

Giving Tips in America

Jungwon Lee

Dept. of Global Studies

Pusan National University

Whenever Koreans travel U.S. and dine in nice restaurants, most people worry, thinking ‘After finishing my meal, how much tips should I give to the waiter or the cashier?’

A tip, also called a gratuity, is a sum of money customarily tendered, in addition to the basic price for a service performed or anticipated. Tipping is a widely practiced social custom in the U.S. It is known that the practice of tipping began in Tudor England. By the 17^th century, it was expected that overnight guests to private homes would provide sums of money to the host’s servants. Soon afterwards, customers began tipping in London coffeehouses and other commercial establishments.

Tipping by definition is voluntary. In restaurants offering traditional table service, a tip of 15% of the amount of a customer’s check is customary when good service is provided. Higher tips may be given for excellent service, and lower tips for mediocre service. Some restaurants kindly show how much tips should the customers voluntarily pay. However, if it is not indicated, people should calculate the tips by his or her own and that could be annoying. In the case of bad or rude service, no tip may be given and the restaurant manager may be notified of the problem. Tips are also generally given for service provided in golf courses, casino, hotels, concierge, food delivery, taxis, spa and salons. This etiquette applies to bar service at weddings and any other event where one is a guest as well. The host should provide appropriate tips to workers at the end of an event; the amount may be negotiated in the contract.

Well, Tipping culture is new to us Koreans because we just pay what says on the bill. So Koreans might get a little bit stingy when giving tips. However, in America, when we don’t add tips, we would be easily regarded as cheapskates. Some servers who work in American restaurants may behave rudely to Koreans because they know that the tipping culture do not exist in Korea. On the other hand, some cities in the U.S. tried to implement the ‘no tipping policy’. They changed their former tipping policies by charging 15% higher prices to cover paying higher wages to staff. Also, they informed their customers that they don’t need to leave extra at the end of their meal.

 

Tipping culture in America is difficult to catch up, and sometimes it is hard to understand. However, like the old saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” indicates, it would be best if we accept one of the U.S. culture and be smart travelers!  

American Classes in My Room; Coursera

Are you interested in MOOC? If you are, you maybe heard "Coursera". This is one of the biggest MOOC sites. If you aren't, you can know what it is through this writing. One of DSKUSSS members explains why this site is convenient to use. Please, read this and let us know what you are thinking through the comments!

American Classes in My Room; Coursera

Soeun Kim

Pusan National University

Polymer Science and Engineering

Have you ever imagined that you are taking popular classes in U.S with famous professors? You might think it is only in your dream. However, there is one way to make your dream real. Coursera, one of the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) sites, can let you bring the American campus into your own room. Coursera is a pro-profit company that offers MOOC, and works with universities to make some of their courses available online. You can take courses from Harvard, Princeton, Wharton and so on, which are considered as foremost schools.
   This brilliant site, the Coursera was founded in 2012, by computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University. At first, Coursera had few lectures, but now, they provide more than thousands courses and have over 13 million users from 190 countries.

Even there are many users, as the Coursera is based on online services, it would be hard to motivate and maintain the users who take the courses. However, it is said that the users are consistently motivated in the Coursera. How? There is a huge difference among other online lecture sites, “Certification system”. They give the option to pay a fee to join the “Signature Track”. Students on the signature track can receive verified certificates, if they take all of the courses, quizzes and other assignments. This system can make students self-motivated, as they can get certification by participation to the courses.

Through the Coursera, you can take any courses you want. You can learn Marketing from Wharton, Humanities from Harvard, or Thermodynamics from MIT. I believe that the Coursera made a campus without borders. At the same time, they made another way of educational opportunity. Why don’t you try to catch this great chance? Turn on the Coursera, and bring the world campus into your room!  

The Last Lecture, Commencement Speech

One of DSKUSSS members brought a new article on the commencement speech! University students in the states usually graduate on May and June. So, on these months, lots of commencement speeches come out to the world. Some of them will be remembered as a master piece! Now is the time to listen to our member's thought! If you have any comments on it, feel free to share your ideas!

The Last Lecture, Commencement Speech

Soeun Kim

Pusan National University

Polymer Science and Engineering

May and June are the time of graduation in the U.S. At this time of the year, hotels around the school are fully reserved of students’ family.

However, there is one more popular ceremony in graduation day, the commencement speech. It is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university. A commencement speech is typically given by a notable figure in the community, during the commencement exercise. The person giving such a speech is known as a commencement speaker. Very commonly, colleges or universities will invite politicians, important citizens, or other noted speakers to come and address the graduating class. Then, why is the speech popular?

 This is not because the speakers are popular or famous, but the speech itself can be a compass of the life not only for the graduating students, but also others. The speakers who come from many fields tell us their wisdom of life, and encourage us to do something. They tell us not their success, rather, the failures they made. The students can learn some lessons from their failures and how they overcome the adversities. That is why the commencement speech is considered as the last lecture of school.

There are lots of good commencement speeches. Many times, they were the lighthouse for people, and touched them. For example, at the Stanford University in 2005, Steve Jobs made a speech for the graduating students. He emphasized, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” This sentence became popular over the society and moved the people.

The graduation is very important for the graduating students as now they have to move out to the “real world”. Before the one step to reality, the last lecture of the school could be their supporter of great helps. 

Drinking Culture: How’s the Difference between the U.S. and South Korea?

Have you ever wondered how much different drinking cultures in Korea and states? Here is an article that one of DSKUSSS members wrote! Drinking cultures are also a way to understand another culture. This article makes you understand the differences! Also feel free to share you thoughts on this through comments.

Drinking Culture: How’s the Difference between the U.S. and South Korea?

Jungwon Lee

Dept. of Global Studies

 Pusan National University

             

Saying or hearing a sentence “Let’s have a drink!” is not at all unfamiliar. Good news is often celebrated by a group of people having a few drinks, and when people are highly stressed, they try to get rid of their stress by drinking nice can of cold beer. An American pianist, comedian, and actor Oscar Levant once said, “I envy people who drink. Al least they have something to blame everything on.” Buying someone a drink is a gesture of goodwill because it may be an expression of gratitude, or it may mark the resolution of a dispute. Like this, the culture of drinking is a huge part of our lives since a very long time. However, especially in this webzine, the difference of drinking culture between the U.S. and South Korea will be explained.

The U.S. is a country of strict rules on alcohol. If one goes to the market to buy liquor, he or she has to prove their identification that th

ey are over 21 years old. This is because of adolescences’ numerous eventful accidents. However, in some states, alcohols are allowed under 21 only for medical purposes. Thus, the U.S. is very sensitive about the alcohol issue, and penalties are also very strict. On the other hand, in South Korea, people can buy alcohol when they are 19 years old or over.  

Another characteristic is that in the U.S., the amount of liquor that can be sold to one person and the area allowed to drink is restricted, especially strong drinks like vodka or tequila. Because U.S. is such a big country, the alcohol laws are different from state to state, but for example, if one does not abide by the law in Illinois, then he or she may go to jail for a year or could be fined up to $2500 or more. However, South Korea is more generous in this area. The allowed amount of drinks that can be sold is not limited, and people can drink almost at any place where they do not give harm to others.

Lastly, Koreans usually drink outside with their colleagues and friends. Many Koreans dine and drink alcohol together after they have finished their work or classes. Also, university students go to MT(membership training) every semester and make new friends during playing games and drinking. Koreans mostly drink soju(a distilled Korean beverage containing ethanol and water) and beer. However, Americans usually invite their friends or neighbors to their houses, and enjoy drinking at home.

We can’t say which country’s drinking culture is better or not. Most people from both countries enjoy drinking, and they also developed their own style of drinking. They also know that too much drinking affects their health and can lead to serious diseases like liver cancer. Thus, cheers to a healthy and fun drinking culture!   

Lessons from Leslie Knope and Sheryl Sandburg: By Watching ‘Parks and Recreation’

The TV sitcom show, 'Parks and Recreation', stimulates one of DSKUSSS members. She loves to share her feeling and thought on this show with you. Let's see what she learned from the show! Please let us know your thoughts through comments. Enjoy reading! :-)

Lessons from Leslie Knope and Sheryl Sandburg:

By Watching ‘Parks and Recreation’

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Communication and Media Studies

The sitcom of ‘Parks and Recreation’ is fun. However, it also gives you a lesson. Especially, if you are a woman, you can understand what I mean. The main character, Leslie Knope, is a government officer who works at the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee. Ever since she started to work, she has been through lots of ups and downs. Sometimes, she meets good people who continue being her friend for the life time. From time to time, she fights all matters like financial problems and lack of interests by citizens in Pawnee, it is hard to make the project related to parks real. These situations are exaggerated by her friends who are so wired and dramatic all the time and these make viewers laugh. Through 7 seasons, she has become the national politician, friend, mother, and wife.

Leslie is passionate and confident. This character naturally reminded me of Sheryl Sandburg who is the CFO of Facebook. Sheryl is well-known for her passions on the women issues, specifically gender equality. Sheryl and Leslie have several things in common. They are so passionate on what they want to do. They seem not to know the word ‘give-up.’ When they face some issues, they are eager to find the way to solve the problem. Also, they share what they think with friends, families, co-workers. It means that Leslie and Sheryl make sure their idea be understood by their friends. So, they start to make supporters who help them do a job. Then, they solve the problem and share the victory with the people they love and care. These process keeps me think how I should do when I get a job as a woman.

The situations comedy seems to give us only laugh but this is not true. In the sitcoms, many precious lessons that people should know exist. In the “Parks and Recreation”, I am so happy to say that I could learn how to be a successful and happy woman. Hey, girls (also boys)! If you have time and if you want to be like Leslie or Sheryl, start to watch this show. It will give you tremendous wisdom for your life. I bet You would not regret!

DSKUSSS Webzine from Paris: Cliché on France regarding Speaking English

One of our members went to France as an exchange student. Since she really loves to share her thoughts in there and she sent DSKUSSS a piece of writing in a letter format. She was especially surprised at the fluency of French people's English speaking. What a interesting! Read this and share your thoughts through comments. Also, thank you Hyunji Yoo for your love and care toward DSKUSSS.

DSKUSSS Webzine from Paris:

Cliché on France regarding Speaking English

Hyunji Yoo

Global Studies

Pusan National University

Greetings from the city of light and love, Paris! It’s not just because I was a president of DSKUSSS before, I feel a huge love and passion whenever I think about DSKUSSS. Plus, I feel grateful to say hello to all DSKUSSS members and fans of DSKUSSS.

Before I arrived at the ground of Paris, I have been heard a lot of times that French people only speak French. Since I was not confident in my French, I was almost afraid of my life here even before it started. “Je sais pas! (I don’t know)” was my premier idea on France and French in general. However, this typical cliché on French was destroyed as I live here mingling with French friends. So far, I’ve never had a serious problem because of the language – of course, there exist some exceptions in the supermarket and my accommodation though. Beyond my first expectation, they have spoken English pretty well.

Throwback my past experiences with them, I think I would be more fluent in French if they could not speak English. Unfortunately, I could not achieve my original purpose to be like a Native French speaker but I at least knew how much they have passion to have a willingness to communicate through English. They recognize English as a global language and feel it as a necessary, or mandatory to live out in this century.

If you have been hesitant to visit France or European countries due to linguistic problems, forget about it and just come! Like my stereotype on France was broken down, you will fully enjoy the culture itself.