A Cultural Experience

I've seen some crazy things in Seoul, notably right outside Seoul Station, which is the only place where you really see homeless people. It's pretty much the town square area of Seoul, where people with everything and anything to say come to. I thought I'd seen it all.

But this one takes the cake....



I'd like to say this picture just speaks for itself and leave it at that, but my curiosity led me to check out their website. Apparently it's a social advocacy organization called the WTA (World Toilet Association) dedicated to the global proliferation of high quality sustainable and sanitary toilets. It started off as a national organization simply to improve the quality of toilets in Korea. Now they have expanded their outreach into the world specifically the 3rd one...

From their website: "2.4 billion people do not have access to any type of improved sanitation facility. About 2 million people die every year due to diarrheal diseases; most of them are children less than 5 years of age."

and..

"Promoting a new wave concept of 'Beautiful Toilets' and 'Toilets as a cultural' place is also one of our aims."

http://en.wtaa.or.kr/site/wta/wtavision.htm

Blink.

Today in one of my Middle School classes, a student called George Bush a "modern day Kennedy." I understood what she said, but I thought I must have heard wrong. Upon seeing the confusion on my face, she developed a frustrated look on her face and then said to me "Teacher do you know JKF? I mean he's like JFK today."

My feeling of confusion turned into a half state of awe and half state of disbelief, but upon recollecting her earlier comment that she liked George Bush, it all made sense. She also said at one point in the class that she liked Kim Jong-Il more than the current South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun because Kim is a stronger leader. I have to keep reminding myself of the obvious fact that Koreans are just as ideologically diverse (and internally polarized apparently) as anyone else.
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When I told a Korean English teacher about this however, she said Middle Schoolers were too young to understand...... Korean politics much less American politics, and that she couldn't have possibly meant what she said.





Anyway here's some pictures of out Mexican Halloween because we couldn't find traditional Thanksgiving food...

Walking the Footsteps of an English Teacher in Korea

Check out this musical portrait that my roommate and I did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO9trdGlaV8

It's best viewed not as a full screen.

Happy Chuseok Everyone

Thank God for Roseanne Arnold

My high school class is by far my favorite...for the simple fact that it is a small class, the students are the most respectful, and they know the most English. (One day I printed out Green Day lyrics, and we just talked about them) Usually I'm up for a challenge, but after a entire day of kids screaming, saying Bye-Bye as soon as I enter the room, barely understanding a word I say, and probably talking in Korean to each other about me behind my back, it's very refreshing.

So in my high school class today, we talked about their upcoming harvest celebration Chuseok and compared it to American Thanksgiving. There were many similarities. Both holidays are dedicated to family, food, and giving thanks. They showed me some Korean food, so I returned the favor and told them about American Thanksgiving traditions: turkey, stuffing, football, and family arguments.

There apparently aren't any songs for Chuseok, but as I was searching for youtube videos for our Thanksgiving song We Gather Together, I came across a Thanksgiving special from the TV sitcom Roseanne. Within five minutes, Roseanne was stuffing a turkey, another character was going to the store for some cranberry sauce, John Goodman was practicing football moves in the house wearing a football jersey, and all the characters were complaining about other family members.

After sharing the Roseanne episode with my students, I realized how much of my American culture I simply take for granted. It's so easy to dismiss our holidays as come corporate scheme to keep us shopping compulsively. But even something as simple as a white sweatshirt with a turkey on it (which Roseanne was wearing in the episode) is a cultural artifact. This year, I am not going to be able to celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving with my extended or even immediate family, It saddens me a little but the fact that I know I will miss it is a quiet reminder of how American I really am.

I also introduced my students to wikipedia, which apparently has not hit Korea yet since they had not heard of it. I amused them when I demonstrated that anyone can edit an entry by changing the word Canada to Korea in a section about Canadian Christmas (before changing it back). It was a great lesson in American internet culture and also the reliability of websites in the English.

For what it's worth, right now--wikipedia says Virginia (at Berkeley Plantation) was the first place where Thanksgiving was celebrated. Who knows what it will say tomorrow!

Cultural Days

Because of my talent and versatile ability to plan adventures in different countries among my close circle of friends here (or perhaps just my tendency to not get too drunk the night before), I have been named the Minister of Culture. We have decided to make Sunday “Cultural Day.”

There is always the risk of Culture Day devolving into the practice of going to a new bar or even an old bar and ordering a new drink, but thankfully we haven’t reached that point yet.

Here are some instances:

A. Chinatown
B. Youngsan
C. Busan
D. Baseball Game
E. Tiger World
F. Wolmido
G. Pentaport Rock Festival

This last Sunday, however, given that half of the group was out of town and the rest of us were pretty tired, “Cultural Day” ended up as one guy and I just ordering a new type of Pizza. Usually we order the Bulgogi pizza (which is beef, corn, and peppers), but this time we decided to switch it up and get one with beef, king crab with a cheddar cheese stuffed crust. We decided not to take our chances with the sweet potato pizza.

I really need to start taking more risks...

A Night in Korea

Here is another video my roommate made.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RGaac2vL6T0

Granted, this doesn't happen every night..or any night really for me. I tend to be a little more low-key. But I thought it was interesting footage that he spliced together.

Live from the Classroom...Uncensored

One of the ways we teach is to present English conversations for them to study. The book I use includes two main characters (Andy and Euri) who have conversations back and forth such as "Hello Andy." "Hello Euri" Where is your mother today?" "She is at the supermarket." "What will she buy?" "She will buy apples."

Usually the kids have to recite and memorize the conversations; for some classes, however, I have them write their own conversations using the Andy and Euri characters. This gives them an opportunity to think in English and to be creative in the process.

Some days of this exercise are better than others. I probably don't even need to mention that many of my students are better suited for comedy than English study.

Here's a sample:

Andy: Let's go see the gorillas.
Euri:Your face is a gorilla face.
Andy: You're very crazy.
Euri: No, but let's go see the crazy monkeys.
Andy:Shut-up you have a crazy gorilla face!
Euri:False, crazy boy.

Andy: Wow! Look at the gorilla!
Euri: Where?
Andy: Hoho, you're stupid.
Euri: AWW.... Hey, look at the monkey!
Andy: Where?
Euri: Hohoho you too are stupid.
Andy: ...............
Euri: Hoho Bye stupid Andy.

Andy: Let's go see a tiger.
Euri:What?
Andy:What? Let's go see a tiger.
Euri: What?
Andy: You're very very crazy!
Euri: What?
Andy:Go away!
Euri: What?

Andy: Let's go to the zoo!
Euri: No I don't want to. Let's go to the restaurant!
Andy: Hey I don't like restaurants!
Euri: Ok you go to the zoo.
Andy: Ok, goodbye stupid woman.
Euri: Goodbye crazy man.


In an upper level class, I added a third character (the zookeeper) and even gave them a story scenerio (Andy and Euri start to feed the animals and the Zookeeper tells them no). This was also a class that I banned the following overused words: stupid, crazy, childish, childlike, stonehead, and shut-up.

Here's a sample from that class, a dialogue where Andy and Euri actually persuade the zookeeper into letting them feed the animals:

Andy: Let’s go to the zoo!
Euri: Yes! Let’s go.
Andy: What’s your favorite animal?
Euri: I like the elephant.
Andy: Really?
Euri: No. Just Kidding!
Andy: So what is your favorite animal really?
Euri: The desert fox.
Andy: I brought a scorpion. Let’s feed it!
Euri: Ok!
Zookeeper: Stop!!
Andy: Why?
Zookeeper: Because I said so!
Andy: Let’s go to another zoo.
Euri: Ok. Good idea.
Zookeeper: Wait. I’m sorry, you can feed the fox.

The 31 Day Ordeal...

As the unusually long rainy season comes to a close (well almost), the curtian falls upon another unusual occurrence. It was little over a month ago when the Taliban took several Koreans hostage. Since then, it has been a long reoccurring nightmare for the families and for the entire country.

Interestingly enough, the first day I picked up an English newspaper in Korea was the day the hostage situation first began. Since then, I gauged a variety of reactions from South Koreans I talk to daily. Many Koreans I talked to one-on-one blamed the hostages themselves for not listening to the South Korean government (who warned them against going to Afganistan) and causing a national emergency. It’s worth noting that now that the hostages are finally returning home, they are not being treated as heroes. They have had to apologize to their fellow Koreans for how much of a liability they have been for the entire country and perhaps the world

I also witnessed a protest against America at Seoul Station for its misplaced priorities and (in the protestors’ minds) generating the sorts of responses that terrorists resort to all around the world.

Here's a picture from that protest:






But then there was that one unspeakable possibility… to talk and negotiate directly with the Taliban. I first heard this perspective by a high-ranking individual at the school where I work and sort of shrugged it off as if it would never happen. A few weeks later, it became a reality.


Yes South Korea negotiated directly with the Taliban. Some may say that this was giving into the Taliban and empowering a terrorist agenda, but I see it a different way. Believe it or not, the Taliban has to deal with public relations just like any other organization, and after a while it just was not good for their public image to keep these Koreans, while demanding things from the Afghan government, about which the Koreans could do nothing. If you look at what the two actually agreed to (withdrawal of South Korean peacekeeping forces by the end of the year, ban on Christian missionaries, and removal of NGOs in the area), you will find it not much different than what the South Korean government would have done anyway (or so it claims).

The only missing pieces of the puzzles are the rumors circulating around (by the Japanese press and others) that the South Korean government paid a hefty ransom for the return of the hostages.

Wait..it’s raining again….

Rain on the Brain

Today it's raining hard. There is thunder. I want sun. But today it is raining.

Usually August is not the rainy season. Up to July is rainy season. This year is strange.

And it's not normal.


The above was written by one of my students, but I thought it succinctly summed up my thoughts.

See the Movie D-War.....

Normally, I don't recommend B minus action/fantasy thrillers. Usually, I'd ward off viewers from a movie like D-War that at best comes up as a manufactured cult flick and at worst come up as a decadent-on-arrival ripoff of Godzilla. I'm the type of moviegoer that appreciates a good storyline, a clever script, and interesting relationships between characters, none of which this movie has.

But if you get a chance, see this movie!!

Yes my friends, after witnessing this low concept/high-tech piece of work in IMAX near the Seoul Yongsan Electronics Mall (how appropriate since it's one of the best places to purchase electronics on the planet), I feel obliged to recommend this movie to you.

Why?

Because of the history behind it: At 30 million U.S. dollars, D-War is the most expensive Korean movie ever made. It's also the first to be marketed towards the United States. It is written and directed by a Korean (Shim Hyung-rae) but has Hollywood actors and is completely in English except for a small part about the real Korean legend, on which the movie is based.

And that small part...the flashback into Korea's past... is the reason why this movie is worth seeing. The action/battle scenes of present-day L.A. are brilliantly constructed and the computer animation is beyond belief (think Godzilla + Lord of the Rings...one of my students actually used that analogy herself), but the most exciting scenes are the flashback scenes. If you see this film, you'll catch a glimpse of the Korean culture, you'll hear a little of the beautiful Korean language, and you'll find Hollywood actors talking about Korea as if it were THE PLACE to be obsessed over. I suppose Japan has been doing this for years with movies like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, but now it's Korea's turn and you won't be disappointed.

South Korea is the only country in the world (except for the United States and India) that has more domestic (homegrown) films than international films on their market. Even if you don't like films like D-War, you have to admire the ambition to plunge head-on into the American market. All Korean films are not like D-War; they have smaller budgets, are more artsy and have much better storylines. Unfortunately, until I learn more Korean, I can't see too many of them (no real demand for English subtitles here obviously).
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I asked my students in one of my classes (If you didn't know already I'm an English teacher in South Korea), whether they think the movie will do well in America or not. Their opinions were mixed: three thought it would, two thought it wouldn't and two were unsure. I told them we shall see.

And so we shall.......

It's coming to American theaters September 13.

Pictures Killed the Blogger Star

Once I started posting pictures here, my blogging skills got a little sluggish, so I think from now on I'm only going to post pictures rarely or in bulk.

With that said, here are some pictures from the Suwon Fortress (built to keep out Japanese invaders):









Here's the national flower of Korea: the Mugunghwa or Rose of Sharon



And on we move to Baseball-- the American-imperialist Korean pastime. Actually baseball is not that popular in comparison with soccer, but the people that are into baseball are REALLY into it. If you think that chants are uniform at a Virginia Tech football game, come hear hundreds of voices (not to mention the various noisemakers) speaking as one. Here are some shots of a baseball game in Seoul...






Yeah...some Christmas in August celebration. Don't ask..


And finally, here's a picture of me introducing my half-Mexican half-Spanish roommate to a Mexican restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul



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Next blog= D-War: the most expensive Korean movie ever made. Will it do well with American audiences? Check back to see this American in Korea review it.

Tea, Rain and Meditation

Last week, I had a 5 day weekend and a 2 day workweek as part of my summer vacation, so I decided to travel to Bukhan-san National Park right North of Seoul ('San
is the Korean word for mountain). After assessing the many options I had for entering the park, I decided on coming in from the East side (near Dobongson-san), where there was not only a mountain top but several Buddhist Temples along the way.

Once I arrived at my subway stop, I couldn't find the transfer bus I read about on the net anywhere. When I finally found the bus, I literally rode it for a single step (about 20 seconds) and that was the end of the bus route. So I blew a buck, but at least I traveled in the right direction.

I entered a ranger's station, tried to talk to the ranger in Korean, but he preferred to speak to me in English. He helped me plan me my hike out. A few steps later, I reached my destination.



In a drive to protect their wilderness areas, the Koreans use cartoon characters as rhetorical gestures to persuade people to stay on the trail....kind of like Smokey the Bear, but they're everywhere.
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If you notice, in that last sign it says "No dump garbage." Part of me (my Yang) wanted to ask the park if they were hiring for proper English editors, but the other half (my Yin) was just happy they got the point across.

The first temple along the way was dedicated to a famous woman:







Many women were meditating there, and there was a gift shop (unfortunately everything was in Korean). When the Seoul Buddhist English Library opens in the next few weeks, I hope to learn more about it because not every day do you see Buddhist shrines in honor of women.

I trucked on...eventually finding a trail of lanterns leading upwards where there was apparently a chanting ritual occurring. Naturally, I followed.



And followed.....



Until I eventually reached a meditation chamber


I couldn't figure out where the chanting was coming from (I later found out it was a recording), but I decided to take off my shoes and sit and count my breaths for a few minutes. The place was so peaceful and secluded; I never had a meditation experience like it.

I must have done something right (or wrong) because almost immediately after... it rained.
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Rain poured. And I was still not yet at the top.

But I had come so far already, and I was not about to turn back.

Probably a bad move. Don't know why I did it. Probably the yang...the alpha-male hidden deep inside of me.

Needless to say, when I came to the top, dark clouds covered any good view.

But here's my apex:




And as soon as I ventured back down, it started pouring.

Mountain hiking in Korea is no beginner's sport. There were times I had to hold onto a slippery railing with my hands and brace my feet. It was scary, exhilarating, and tiring all at the same time.

Like any "come-down" period, the time was heavy. And the pounding bang-bang of the cistern upon the earth only added to it.

As if on cue, the rain died down when I reached my last temple:



Who were these figures? Were they all monks that died in a storm much like the one of which I had just been a part?

When I reached rock bottom, I decided to satisfy that pesky alpha male inside of me by eating grilled eel (which is very popular among Korean men and is believed to be an aphrodisiac due to its rich content of zinc).

A few days later in Seoul, I found this interesting Tea and Meditation shop, where you can order tea and then pick from a selection of audio/visual meditation sessions. I chose a music meditation called "Strengthening Your Resolve." I don't know if it was the tea or the meditation but whatever it was, it did wonders.







As I put this meditation experience side by side with the one before the rain, an interesting palette of contrast comes up. One side is carefully orchestrated but soft, serene and peaceful; the other is natural but loud and heavy.

It's worth considering...
Which is the Yen?

And which is...

The yang.

Watch Out!

I seriously saw a person texting on a cell phone while driving a motorcycle today.

That is all.

Seoul Saturdays Saga Part Two

I don't want to make this a political blog, but something happened in my school I worked with that reminded me of the hotly debated topic of Feminism in America.

So one day, I instructed my students to write about their favorite sport, and one girl proceeded to say that she didn't like sports and thus couldn't write one. I motioned jogging with my arms and said "you don't like..?" and with a similar look on her face, she responded "I don't like to exercise."

I decided to get creative... I positioned my hand as if I had a remote in it (Keep in mind, these kid's English skills were limited) and said "Do you like television?" She said "Yes!" So I responded "FINGER EXERCISE!! THAT'S YOUR SPORT" and then the girl beside her wrote "mouth exercise" on her paper, so I rolled my eyes and said "Ahhh...you like to talk."

These girls weren't the only women in Korea that don't like sports; just about every Korean girl I talk to doesn't like sports or excercising. I think in America we forget that our country is a lot more Feminist than it sometimes appears. Title IX policies have stimulated interest in women's athleltics . Don't get me wrong; in certain ways Korea is very progressive in regards to women's issues. You'll find women professionals everywhere, which sometimes comes in conflict with the Korean tradition of drinking everything your boss pours for you at work meeting meals. (I was reading an article about that the other day)

Interestingly enough though, the lack of interest in athletics for women doesn't necessarily correspond with poorer health. There are no fat Koreans (or not many at least).

Speaking of women's issues, I went to the Folk Museum...this place..


where my Korean friend pointed me to an exhibit of a women's daggers. She explained to me that not long ago, Korean women kept these daggers around them at all times in case a man who was not her husband tried to take advantage of her. The dagger was supposed to protect her against the man, but if she did not succeed, she was to kill herself with it because she was tainted.

I don't really have much more to say, so I'll post pictures of the rest of things I saw that lovely Saturday:


Changdeokgung Palace

More Pictures from Changdeokung:



These spikes under the rooftops are so birds do not make nests...





And then I ventured off to the artsy district near the Anguk station. Korean art exhibits in Seoul are so progressive and illuminating. One was a painting blended with holograms and everything. Can't take pictures in the galleries but here's some pictures of the "mall" of art galleries and little trinket shops.






From the top of the staircase, it's flowers all the way down...

Would the Real Korea Please Stand Up?

As I am writing this, the Taliban is holding a busload of South Korean Christian missionaries hostage. From what I understand, they were only planning to be there a week or so and were doing more service work than proselytizing. Even so, both the South Korean government and the Afghan government have warned Christian missionaries to stay away from Afghanistan especially the Southern area for fear of their safety; now the Taliban is using them to force the South Korean peacekeeping troops out of Afganistan. The South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has said that he already planned to withdraw them by the end of the year.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2878299

On the subject of Christian missionaries, I encountered some of them in the foreigner's peoples' republic of Itaewon tonight.

Hmm.. I might as well tell the story of my day backwards.

Before leaving Seoul and returning to my home in Gamdan, I spent some time in Itaewon, which is right by the military base and has an interesting blend of Korean, Western and even Middle Eastern restaurants and shops. It's a great place, and you'll always find something interesting (I found a Mexican restaurant where inside a black guy was talking to two white girls in French), but it has a reputation for being a bit seedy. I didn't walk but a few blocks before a woman popped out of a door and tried to grab me to get me to go into a place called "Peach Phuzz." Nope didn't do it, and I don't think I missed anything.

So back to the Christian missionaries (in Itaewon, not Afghanistan), there they were in Itaewon with acoustic guitars singing Christian songs in Korean. They were probably there preaching against the evils of exploitation, excessive alcoholism and debauchery. Reminds me of my days back in the historic Carytown district of Richmond, Virginia where Southern Baptist groups were doing the same thing. Goes to show that sometimes, the farther you go, the closer things remain.

Before Itaewon, I had just come from the National Theater, where I was expecting to see a free cultural performance outside. There was none but there was the musical production of Cats and an exhibit about the history of the National Theater. But after hearing the Jellicle cats song repeated over and over again, I had to get out of there and fast.

On my way to the National Theater, I had decided to bypass the busy streets and subways and walk through Namsan park (the Park where the Seoul Tower is) to get there. Big Mistake. This "park" ended up being a mountain, and I had already walked a great deal already.

The place I had come from was Yongsam electronic market...except there was so many electronic markets around it was hard to tell which one was the electronics markets. Picture . Floors and floors were full of cell phones. Other floors had monitors and cpu units. Still others had DVDs (mostly illegal) and video games. The deals were great; the appliances plentful, but I had walked so many miles (actually I hadn't walked yet only taken the subway..the walking came later chronologically meaning earlier in this passage) for a single item: an American plug adapter: 40 cents.

The day was partly cloudy and there were a few raindrops here and there. I decided to declare Saturdays: Seoul Saturdays because I was such a short way from the city, and there was so much to do.

I woke up.

National Lawmaker's Day

On Monday at the school I work at, I was welcomed by a lovely surprise. There was no school on Tuesday because it was National Lawmaker's Day (as the students translated for me, the official translation is Constitution Day). The holiday celebrates the selection of the first members of the South Korean National Assembly. Imagine if we had a day celebrating our politicians. I could never imagine that happening. I'd be willing to bet that we're more likely to have an equivalent to "Guy Fawkes Day" where we'd burn effigies of our politicians than celebrating their accomplishments. I mean we do have the 4th of July, but that's more of a celebration of rhetoric and a military declaration rather than policy making.

Oh! Just read on Wikipedia that 2007 is the last year of South Korea giving their workers a day off on Constitution Day. I guess every nation-state's glorification of democracy has an expiration date.

So on my day off, I explored some of the more secluded areas of Seoul. I found some very interesting museums. The museums were all cheap if not free, and usually they give you free tea for making your way up there. The two museums I stepped inside were the Buddhist Art Museum and the Silk Road Museum. At the Buddhist Art Museum, the woman at the front desk gave me postcards as a "present." Point of advice for traveling: always say you're a student. The deals are better. I'm planning to be a "student" until I grow gray hairs; maybe even then I'll still say I'm a student. Some of the places give you the discounted rate until you're 25... guess I'll have one more year to enjoy that privilege, just like being on my mother's health insurance.

On my journey to the remote areas of Seoul, I found the most picturesque areas of the city. Too bad I don't have my memory card for my camera yet. The blend of the traditional and cosmopolitan elements of the city was beyond belief.

YouTube Video of Where I Live

My roommate made this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0oY9xDIaec

The Wild Goose-Goose Chase

Here's my story of Woodstock '07- Incheon City:

It was my first weekend after a full week's worth of classes. So off I went (on a bus) to downtown Incheon City (Bupeyong district) in search of a bar where foreigners hang out called Goose Goose. Once I reached my stop, I couldn't find Goose Goose. I asked around, but no one could really help me much (One guy did dial the Korean equivalent of 411 for me though). What was odd was there were places called "Western bars" on every street corner, but once I stepped inside of them, there were no actual Westerners to be found (I later learned that 'Western bar' is simply the label given to places where a lot of beer is served)

I eventually ran into an actual bar for Westerners called Woodstock with the logo of the Woodstock festival outside of it. There, a Canadian told me where Goose Goose was. Goose Goose had more Koreans than foreigners, but there were English speaking people there to talk to and share experiences with. One guy worked at an English Village, which are pretty much educational theme parks for kids to visit for weeks at a time, so they can catch a glimpse of what it's like in an English speaking country. Judging from some of my first week mishaps, I can only say that I wish there were some Korean Villages back home that I could have visited before coming here.

When "I finally made it back to Woodstock" (the bar), I spent a short time listening to some Doors tunes and looking at the Woodstock memorabilia before leaving to catch the last bus. The final spectacle of the night was seeing two Korean girls fighting by pouring flour over each other. What an "enriching" cultural experience.
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Speaking of Woodstock, there's a festival coming up called the Pentaport festival featuring Muse, The Chemical Brothers, Damien Rice, and several others. Hopefully, I'll be able to round up some camping gear in time, so I can see Koreans that are as excited about Western progressive music as I am.

Squid (Ojingeo)

The squid that I mentioned in my last post was dried squid..kind of like squid jerky. Just thought I'd clear that up.

Jumping Headfirst into a Giant Underwater Pit Blindfolded

Today was a big day, so I'm going to make this a two-parter.

Part 1: First day of teaching

The title of this blog post says it all. Schools in Korea are so different than in America. They actually go to three different schools: Korean, English, and either music or martial arts I believe. Instead of the kids changing classes the majority of the time, we do. In my seven hour work day (2-9 PM), I have about ten 30-minute or 1 hour classes.

My first class was.. well interesting. I had the kids recite a story and play hangman, and then I looked at watch and it was apparently time to go. After I said my goodbyes to the students, the teacher sitting in said to me "But Peter...you're not finished yet..."

The clock was wrong. What came next was at worst a disaster and at best a light farce. Picture a series of hello/goodbyes leaving the room/coming back, and you'll come to close to what "we" all experienced. The next few classes were a little better. I was amazed how much better I got as the time progressed. The classes went by so fast I didn't really have any time to mess up too horribly. The principal of the school recommended a "trial and error" approach my first week, and that's certainly what happened. What was extremely weird is they had a new teacher observe me ON MY FIRST DAY TEACHING. I guess they expected me to be an expert after my first class.

In one class (no joke) I had to teach the kids internet lingo, emoticons, and proper chat room etiquette. Who would have thought that our 14 year old girls would be models of imitation? Some classes are great because all they are are Free Talking periods. That's when you get to really connect with your students. I figure after a whole year of this with some of the students, they'll be much more fluent and comfortable with the language. I would like to say the same about Korean on my part, but considering this is my first time being exposed to the language ever, it might take a little more persistence..... which brings me to part two:

Part 2- Operation American for Sushi- FAILED

I thought after my first day, it would be a good idea to reward myself with some Sushi at a local Japanese restaurant (since I had already had my fair share of Korean food). I looked around town and finally found a place that was clearly Japanese. The waitress was wearing a komono, and there was Japanese writing everywhere. I looked at the menu (completely in Korean) and could not find the characters for sushi anywhere (if such characters actually existed). I asked the waitress for Sushi and she just gave me a weird look. Then I asked for Sake, and again I got the same strange look. I finally settled on Soju and some meal consisting of Squid and peanuts.

I was expecting some noodle dish or something with peanut sauce and pieces of squid, but what came out was literally one huge cooked squid and a handful of peanuts under it. I tried to cut it and eat it with my chopstix, and THE WOODEN CHOPSTIX BROKE!! The waitress came over and showed me that it was supposed to be finger food. Ooops...

At that moment, I felt like the American equivalent of Borat. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs: I AM THE QUINTESSENTIAL STUPID AMERICAN, which would have certainly added more absurdity to the blend of the traditional decor of the restaurant and the cheesy Asian techno-pop music at high volume. But however delightfully Borat-esque the situation was becoming, I decided to do what any sensible person would do: finish the meal and get the hell out.

On my way back, I stopped by the place with the only English menu in town: Baskin Robbins. The taste, atmosphere of the joint was distinctly American. I hope my quick almost instinctual decision to come there wasn't sign of homesickness. In any case, if it weren't for the couple of smiling Koreans that said "Hi!" (in English) to me on my way back, I might have considered the night a total bust.

Happy Birthday to Me (saengil chukha hamnida)

Anyone who knows me knows that I like my actual birthdays to be very low key. Usually this involves doing something that I've never done before (or haven't done in a while) without inviting the world or plummeting myself to alcohol rock bottom.

Fortunately, this year was no exception. My roommate (a Hispanic Coloradan), a South African Jewish guy, two Korean women, and I took the Subway to Incheon City, where we visited Chinatown and the General McArthur Statue in Freedom Park. We were going to go to a Buddhist shrine, but that was before we realized that it was on the other side of country.

On the way there, I taught one of the Korean girls the world 'telekinesis.' (My students that I start teaching Monday probably won't be ready for that word yet). After telling her the word and putting in into context, she proceeded by typing it into her phone, looking up the meaning (the phone has an English dictionary), and putting it into her new word database. Yes, my friends, when it comes to technology, the far East has us beat.

Early to bed; early to rise for my first day of teaching.

Lost and Out of Translations

I've been asked to write about my plane ride over, so here goes the departure:

The date was July 4th. The time was too early to remember. As I removed my shoes, removed my laptop from my messenger bag, and emptied out my pockets for the airport security checkpoint, I could not help smile at the irony of spending my country's Independence Day leaving it behind. There would be no fireworks for me that day, only a 5 hour plane ride to San Francisco followed by an 11 hour plane ride to Incheon City, near by eventual destination and right out of Seoul.

I flew United Airlines, so I can't say much about experiencing Korean culture on the plane. I will say, however, that on the plane ride from San Francisco to Incheon, they fed us not one, not two but three times (little did I know that all that food would be a sign of sustenance for times to come..). We were flying across the ocean most of the time, so there was not much scenery. I did catch some glimpses of Japan from my window seat though, and I probably don't need to mention that it simply consisted of city-mountain-city-mountain, etc. with nothing in between.

The airport I arrived at was beautiful. Multicolored lights made up the directory signs, and there was almost a Feng-Shui quality to the arrangement and architecture of the building. I sometimes wish American airports were as aesthetically appealing as other airports abroad. Perhaps it would diminish tension, reduce the risk of terrorism, and lighten up the environment so much that people would never find anything to be angry about at airports

Or not...after picking up my luggage, and making it past customs, and finding there was no one to meet me (which was so different than my mental image of an Asian man in a business suit with my name on a big card), I became extremely stressed, and the pretty airport did nothing to eliminate my tension whatsoever. Was I at the wrong airport? Did I arrive late? Was I even supposed to come to Korea? Luckily though after making a few [wrong] phone calls and preparing to page someone at the information desk, a man came up to me and pronounced my name totally wrong, but at that point I was so relieved...he could have called me Snow White and I wouldn't have cared. My skin color obviously was the dead giveaway. I was never so happy to be white in my life. On the ride over, the cab driver didn't speak English well and I didn't speak Korean well, but we had a fun time practicing back and forth with each other. He told me my ride would be about a half hour. I sat back and enjoyed the scenery...

The time had come. The moment had peaked. I was now...the foreigner.

West Side Story in Korea (a song)

Inch'eon City is on the West Side of Korea...Northwest actually. I live in Gamdon, right outside Inch'eon and close to Seoul. Apparently, it is a farm town in the "middle of nowhere," but there are flashing lights everywhere and most places are open 24 hours. To me it's like a mini Las Vegas.

So here's my song about Korea. This is rhetoric more than anything else. Some of these experiences I've had; some I haven't yet. I'll yet you figure out which is which. I'll provide a glossary at the end for unfamiliar words.

(sing to the tune of 'Maria' from West Side Story)

The most wondeful taste of kim-chi in mass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
The most plentiful rounds of Soju and Cass.
Korea, Korea, Korea, Korea
Korea, Korea

Korea, I've just reached a place called Korea.
And suddenly I've found how full nights on the town can be.
Korea, I've just kissed a girl in Korea.
I'm eating kimbop rolls, I'm wandering in Seoul, I'm free

Korea, stay here long, and you'll never get homesick.
Stay here short, you'll be leaving your home quick
Korea, I'll never stop loving Korea.


kimchi- cabbage with red pepper seasoning, very popular Korean side dish
Sojul- most popular Korean drink, a cross between sake and Vodka
Cass- Korean beer
Kimbop- Korean sushi
Seoul- capital of South Korea

Do It!

For those of you that have ever wondered whether living out of the country for an extended period of time would be a good idea or not, I have two words: do it. Trust me, you'll thank me later. I've just arrived in Korea, and I could not be more content.

Living here...I feel like a king. The people here are wonderful , the food is inexpensive and tasty, and the experience could not be more valuable. The language is a little hard to learn (ok maybe a lot), but it's ok to be the token American screwing up at every corner and barely remembering anything correctly..as long as you try and never give up.

There are so many opportunities out there like the Peace Corps and ESL programs (English Teaching in a foreign country), which I've divulged into. Instead of doing something with the government or a big organization, I've gotten involved with GoodDay Korea, a private company that finds schools with demands for native English speakers and individuals like me to fill them. English teachers here come from all over the world, and I've already met people from England, South Africa, the UK and New Zealand, as well as the United States. If you can find a good deal, they'll pay for your plane ride, apartment, almost everything.

When the free market competes over your fresh blood and affluence, you win.

Here

Here in Korea.