About this blog - *Updated* (March 17th, 2010)

Updated Sept. 9th, 2010

Purpose

In this blog, I feel I have an outlet, where I can express my views and opinions on issues or events going around in this world that in the absence of this blog, I feel I otherwise would not have. I mostly write about issues that I feel strongly about. I usually relate it to my own personal life experiences either in  school or not. Sometimes, I write about what I feel I like to share. At other times, I find myself too busy to write anything at all or with nothing I'd like to share. My views are not written to be as provocative as possible; it's just the case that I might have views that might not always be right in the middle. However, I try to defend or justify my views as I best can.

I write a lot about Korea as I find a lot of interest in that country for its own sake -- something that may not be shared by others in general. The country has such a strange history -- same borders, same people for so long that it has led to the development of rather peculiar institutions that I believe are unique to the Korean peninsula  Sometimes, I feel this is something that is relevant to a larger audience (Sometimes not). I wrote a series on my personal experiences that I feel have strongly shaped who I am today and how I view the world and Korea in particular.

Forming Views on Korea, Part I : People

Forming Views on Korea, Part II : Reading, Korean Language

Forming Views on Korea, Part III : Life as an Illegal in South Korea

Forming Views on Korea Part IV : Formal Education and of a Lifelong Love

Forming Views on Korea Part V : My family

More

While I haven't profited from this blog nor do I expect to anytime soon or ever -with such a niche audience, I do reserve the right to change my views in light of new information. In particular, I also reserve the right to be wrong and to change my mind in light of new information. Postings on this blog may not be reprinted or reused in full without my permission  --  Sometimes, I post entire essays. I do give permission and encourage others to expand upon my postings or reprint short excerpts of my postings provided that the author of the posting and the name of the blog are cited.

About the name of this blog

Stella Kim, who is now a UC Berkeley  alumnus first started and created the DeCal, an accredited student-led course, entitled "Breaking Down Borders: North Korea."

--Joe Chang

This blog -- two months on...

Updated 3/17/2010


Purpose

In this blog, I feel I have an avenue outlet, where I can express my views and opinions. I mostly write about issues that I feel strongly about. I usually relate it to my own personal life experienes either in  school or not. Sometimes, I write about what I feel I like to share. Other times, I find myself too busy to write anything at all. My views are not written to be as provocative as possible; however, I might come off as combative at times.


I write a lot about Korea as I find there's a lot of interesting things going on in that country for its own sake -- something that may not be shared by others in general. The country has such a strange history -- same borders, same people for so long that it has led to some very peculiar things.  Sometimes, I feel this is something that is relevant to a larger audience. I wrote a series on my personal experiences that I feel have strongly shaped who I am today and how I view the world:

Forming Views on Korea, Part I : People
Forming Views on Korea, Part II : Reading, Korean Language
Forming Views on Korea, Part III : Life as an Illegal in South Korea
Forming Views on Korea Part IV : Formal Education and of a Lifelong Love
Forming Views on Korea Part V : My family

About the name of this blog

Stella Kim, who is now an alumni at the University of California, Berkeley, and who first started and taught the DeCal entitled Breaking Down Borders created the name Breaking Down Borders. I took her DeCal twice before I first facilitated a DeCal with the like name. Nonetheless, those views and opinions and the like that I post are my own and have always been my own, unless otherwise cited. The curriculum of the current DeCal in its current form was created from scratch in the fall semester of 2008 and most of the ideas presented in the DeCal can be found throughout this blog.

More
While I haven't profitted from this weblog nor do I see it being a profitable venture anytime soon -- such a niche audience, I do reserve the right to change my views in light of new information. In particular, I also reserve the right to be wrong and to change my mind in light of new information. Postings on this blog may not be reprinted or reused in full without my permission (usually the author -- me) --  Sometimes, I post entire essays. I do give permission and encourage others to expand upon my postings or reprint my postings provided that the author of the posting and the name of the blog is cited.