Due to snow. Really?? This is Minnesota! Shouldn't the structures here be built to deal with blizzards and tons of snow? Well, I guess the thing is getting a bit old...
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Really Really Ugly
Almost 3 weeks ago, I was in a taxi headed home from the bar around 1:30 am on a Friday night. We had dropped off my friend at her house, and it seemed the driver was alright - not sleepy, drunk, otherwise distracted. Despite this, he somehow managed to drive off the side of the road into a light pole at a higher-than-posted-or-even-necessary speed.
I didn't lose consciousness or anything, but I hit my head pretty hard. On the center console perhaps. Or the door. Something solid. I got out of the cab and tried to make sure I was alright while assessing the scene, and phoned my friend to get some English contact about what to do. I was pretty panicky I think :( Another taxi stopped just as my driver called the police so they proposed I get a ride to the hospital. I didn't want to wait for an ambulance (plus I wasn't sure how the costs would work out), and I arrived in the hospital 10 minutes later. I stayed overnight, had enough x-rays to kill a small rabbit, and received normal results in a CT scan. My ankle was sprained (again... surprise surprise), my face badly bruised, and my left eye swollen shut. The coming days would reveal a deep, painful bruise on my knee, sore limbs & joints, a great limp, and rapidly darkening double black eyes. Hot.
Aside from the ankle and bit of soreness, I felt fine so I really considered myself lucky. I stayed home from work for a week so I could hold the ice pack to my swollen face and pop Tylenol ER after every meal. Some of my friends suggested I try to sue the pants off the driver, but his car insurance has paid for everything from my hospital admission through my follow-ups. My school paid for my sick time, so I haven't had any inconveniences. I felt it would be more trouble than it's worth to try to sort out translation or English legal services. (Most cases I've read people only do that if they've broken bones, suffered long-term effects, or at least spent more than a week in the hospital.)
I have a lot of photos I took and I'm thinking about putting them in a big, ugly collage and post it here. I'm not sure if you want to see it though!
I didn't lose consciousness or anything, but I hit my head pretty hard. On the center console perhaps. Or the door. Something solid. I got out of the cab and tried to make sure I was alright while assessing the scene, and phoned my friend to get some English contact about what to do. I was pretty panicky I think :( Another taxi stopped just as my driver called the police so they proposed I get a ride to the hospital. I didn't want to wait for an ambulance (plus I wasn't sure how the costs would work out), and I arrived in the hospital 10 minutes later. I stayed overnight, had enough x-rays to kill a small rabbit, and received normal results in a CT scan. My ankle was sprained (again... surprise surprise), my face badly bruised, and my left eye swollen shut. The coming days would reveal a deep, painful bruise on my knee, sore limbs & joints, a great limp, and rapidly darkening double black eyes. Hot.
Aside from the ankle and bit of soreness, I felt fine so I really considered myself lucky. I stayed home from work for a week so I could hold the ice pack to my swollen face and pop Tylenol ER after every meal. Some of my friends suggested I try to sue the pants off the driver, but his car insurance has paid for everything from my hospital admission through my follow-ups. My school paid for my sick time, so I haven't had any inconveniences. I felt it would be more trouble than it's worth to try to sort out translation or English legal services. (Most cases I've read people only do that if they've broken bones, suffered long-term effects, or at least spent more than a week in the hospital.)
I have a lot of photos I took and I'm thinking about putting them in a big, ugly collage and post it here. I'm not sure if you want to see it though!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
October, the good part
Ah, Halloween! My favorite major holiday. It's an excuse to dress like a freak, animal, slut, or some other guise and run around town doing whatever you want ~ what could be better?! In past years I've dressed in varied costumes; princess, gypsy, Barbie, black cat, rock star, belly dancer, Madonna, mermaid... you get the idea. Since I was little my costumes have run the gamut from those I (or my mother^^) put together from things I owned or could make easily, like the princess, gypsy, cat, Madonna, or 2009's Dr. Frank N. Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show; to straight out of the package - the belly dancer, mermaid, and Jane Jetson in '07, complete with wig and boot tops.
Then this year, I decided it was time to really exploit my untapped art skills. Now, it should be known that when left with a paper and markers or crayons, I'll usually draw things like kindergarten fish and flowers, or abstract patterns. To say I'm creative is a huge stretch. But I did get the idea for 2010's Halloween costume from an all text webpage of costume suggestions and carried it off without help from anyone else!
I decided I'd be a kissing booth! So I set off to the post office to get a box, and the stationery store for some sticky label paper to make what would be my most creative (and cumbersome) Halloween costume yet.
My night was very interesting in this costume! I had many many propositions for kisses, on the cheek, on the lips, some people even kissed the box! I got 4 phone numbers! I guess it comes with the territory, haha! Plus I got to spend time with all my favorite girls in Korea. It's become a tradition to do Halloween in Seoul with my old friend Jill and her girls so I started there in Itaewon.
After dinner, some drinks, and a good bit of dancing, I headed out to Hongik University to meet my best Busan girl (also in Seoul for the weekend) and a couple mutual friends. They had some excellent costumes, but unfortunately we all neglected to get pics together.
Then this year, I decided it was time to really exploit my untapped art skills. Now, it should be known that when left with a paper and markers or crayons, I'll usually draw things like kindergarten fish and flowers, or abstract patterns. To say I'm creative is a huge stretch. But I did get the idea for 2010's Halloween costume from an all text webpage of costume suggestions and carried it off without help from anyone else!
I decided I'd be a kissing booth! So I set off to the post office to get a box, and the stationery store for some sticky label paper to make what would be my most creative (and cumbersome) Halloween costume yet.
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| Kissing booth, before |
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| Kissing booth, after |
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| Jill, Katie, Shauna, and I in Itaewon, The Loft |
After dinner, some drinks, and a good bit of dancing, I headed out to Hongik University to meet my best Busan girl (also in Seoul for the weekend) and a couple mutual friends. They had some excellent costumes, but unfortunately we all neglected to get pics together.
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| Angela (best Busan girl) as Korean mask/totem pole |
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| Klaralyn, Viking goddess |
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| The Kiss-box with Gaga, Hongik Uni. |
Thursday, November 4, 2010
October
September is a delightful month in Korea, what with the arrival of winter vegetables, the warm-ish weather hanging on, and the intense blue skies! I'm uploading some beautiful new photos from September so you can see what I mean. I spent some days indoors watching bands play, but I also went outside to the park in Gijang, re-visited my favorite temple, the seaside Yonggungsa (dubbed the "temple on the rocks"), took an evening coastal cruise, and cooked at home more.
Then October brought more blue skies, busier days at work (save last week^^), and some big events. PIFF, BFF, Halloween... The Busan Fireworks Festival was one notable experience for me. I did NOT attend this festival in previous years, intentionally, so as to avoid standing for hours in the cold amid the crazy crowds which pour down to central Busan. But this year my friend got tickets to a nice 2nd-floor buffet where we could escape the crowds, sit in the warm, and still look out the opened window-walls. I was in!
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| Poko Lambro plays at Vinyl Underground, Busan |
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| Yonggung Temple, Busan |
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| Park in Gijang at dusk |
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| Busan night cruise aboard the Nurimaru |
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Upside of Public School
So my last few days at work have been pretty great! A couple weeks ago, I heard that the teachers had planned a hiking trip with dinner on Friday, 10/29. I already had plans for dinner (and wanted to get ready for Halloween^^) so I couldn't make it; I was told in that case I could just leave school at 2 pm Friday with the other teachers. Then on Thursday before Halloween, I got the news that we would have Monday, Nov. 1st off from work since it's my school's Foundation Day! Happy Halloween indeed.
In addition, upon returning to work Tuesday we found out Wednesday and Thursday this week would be rehearsal days for some sort of school festival coming up. So the students are running about the halls, in and out of the auditorium, practicing their routines and how to sit and all that. I was told I'd be helping to herd them around and keep them in line during this time, but haven't left my warm chair yet :) I do love this place sometimes! It makes up for all the extra B.S. of being the only (or one of only 2) native English speakers in the whole school, or the times I hear my friends complain about their co-teachers (I've been very lucky in that respect as well, though).
In addition, upon returning to work Tuesday we found out Wednesday and Thursday this week would be rehearsal days for some sort of school festival coming up. So the students are running about the halls, in and out of the auditorium, practicing their routines and how to sit and all that. I was told I'd be helping to herd them around and keep them in line during this time, but haven't left my warm chair yet :) I do love this place sometimes! It makes up for all the extra B.S. of being the only (or one of only 2) native English speakers in the whole school, or the times I hear my friends complain about their co-teachers (I've been very lucky in that respect as well, though).
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Films from PIFF
I think last year I posted a bit about the Pusan International Film Festival, so I thought I'd take a moment to write to you today about this year's offerings. I attended 13 movies this year (couldn't top my number from 2009). Some of the highlights were seeing a Korean actress who used to be very famous, an old Spanish film by director Carlos Saura, one international short film competition, a great South African film on the outdoor screen, and downloading some flicks I didn't get to see during the festival!
Kim Ji-mi (Jimi Kim)
Born in 1940 in Daejeon, South Korea as Kim Myung-ja, this amazing woman acted in romance, drama, and even a few comedy movies from 1957 to 1992!! That's 35 years for all you math majors out there! I saw two of her films featured at PIFF this year. (I've read she starred in ~330 films and appeared in over 700 during her career!)
HanCinema's article on Kim Ji-mi at 2010 PIFF
The First Stone (couldn't find a website)
This was an interesting Iranian film about a man in a small village who decides to unconventionally buy a gravestone for himself. He goes into the city and spends a month's wages on an extravagant huge headstone which is then idolized by his fellow villagers, his children, and eventually his wife. Other families begin to follow suit and some even copy the inscription on the hero's original stone. This movie offers a very different view about life, death, and what's important while we're all here on this earth.
The Bang Bang Club
A great South Africa-Canadian project which tells the story of the true-life Bang bang photographers, young men who rush into intense conflict in civil-war-stricken S.A. to document the horrors. Starring Ryan Phillippe and Malin Akerman, it involves a little love story, a little politics, a good bit of action, and a lot of heart. Plus it's a beautifully shot film.
How I Ended This Summer
This one I had to download since I couldn't get a ticket. It came highly recommended, and in the end, I liked it. It's a Russian film set on a polar island with lots of technical stuff going on. Stick through this somewhat slow, quiet film to be rewarded with a great story about the relastionship between two isolated men who rely on each other in different ways. Not just another nearly homoerotic bromance~ this one gives a heartfelt perspective on dealing with loss and loneliness. Worth a watch.
Short Film Showcase 2
The best film from this lineup was a Philippine short called "P" which featured characters with P-names, lots of p-words, and those words' definitions containing many p-words. It was actually laugh-out-loud funny! Another from Taiwan, called A Mind of My Own, was about a young girl who has long been in a coma when her spirit leaves her body and meets with the other coma patients' spirits. It really wasn't as hokey as that sounds... really. I was even a little teary by the end. It was sweet.
Others I wanted to see, but couldn't get a ticket to:
All About Love, Raavan (aka Raavanan), Late Autumn (2010 remake), Rolling Home with a Bull, Kites, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Ordinary Days, and Kabuki-za: Final Curtain. Look them up :)
PIFF 2010 English website
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| Kim Ji-mi (김지미) |
Born in 1940 in Daejeon, South Korea as Kim Myung-ja, this amazing woman acted in romance, drama, and even a few comedy movies from 1957 to 1992!! That's 35 years for all you math majors out there! I saw two of her films featured at PIFF this year. (I've read she starred in ~330 films and appeared in over 700 during her career!)
HanCinema's article on Kim Ji-mi at 2010 PIFF
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| Kim Ji-mi, circa 1975 |
This was an interesting Iranian film about a man in a small village who decides to unconventionally buy a gravestone for himself. He goes into the city and spends a month's wages on an extravagant huge headstone which is then idolized by his fellow villagers, his children, and eventually his wife. Other families begin to follow suit and some even copy the inscription on the hero's original stone. This movie offers a very different view about life, death, and what's important while we're all here on this earth.
The Bang Bang Club
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| The Bang Bang Club |
How I Ended This Summer
This one I had to download since I couldn't get a ticket. It came highly recommended, and in the end, I liked it. It's a Russian film set on a polar island with lots of technical stuff going on. Stick through this somewhat slow, quiet film to be rewarded with a great story about the relastionship between two isolated men who rely on each other in different ways. Not just another nearly homoerotic bromance~ this one gives a heartfelt perspective on dealing with loss and loneliness. Worth a watch.
Short Film Showcase 2
The best film from this lineup was a Philippine short called "P" which featured characters with P-names, lots of p-words, and those words' definitions containing many p-words. It was actually laugh-out-loud funny! Another from Taiwan, called A Mind of My Own, was about a young girl who has long been in a coma when her spirit leaves her body and meets with the other coma patients' spirits. It really wasn't as hokey as that sounds... really. I was even a little teary by the end. It was sweet.
Others I wanted to see, but couldn't get a ticket to:
All About Love, Raavan (aka Raavanan), Late Autumn (2010 remake), Rolling Home with a Bull, Kites, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Ordinary Days, and Kabuki-za: Final Curtain. Look them up :)
PIFF 2010 English website
Thursday, October 21, 2010
At work
Oh, wow, where have the days gone?! I'm now at work, with about an hour to spare before I head home on a Thursday afternoon. I like Thursdays. I finish teaching at 12:10, eat lunch, then I'm free to prepare all the things I'll need for upcoming lessons. Today, I've been extra-specially productive. I made a worksheet for a song I'll teach next week, a PowerPoint for my game tomorrow, word cards for the next lesson in 4th grade, uploaded a TON of photos, texted a few friends, arranged my trip to Daegu this weekend, emailed my recruiter about a 6-month job, double-checked the post office's hours (so I can send my sissy a box), and written to you! All of this while watching the shows I miss from the US. I've been downloading a lot, like Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Project Runway, Weeds (♥), Modern Family, Dexter, Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, Big Love, Mad Men... I've really gotten into a LOT of new shows lately! Comedy, drama, reality... fact is, it's all WAAAY better than what's on the tele here. I'm so tired of CSI.
The photos I uploaded were loooooong overdue, even longer than this message! I took over 300 photos at the World Firefighter Games in Daegu. After critique, I chopped it down to ~230. I know ~ it's a lot to take in, but it really was an amazing 3 days! If you take a little peek at my recent Korea set on Flickr, you can see the collection at a glance.
I'm so glad it's Thursday with half an hour to go, and I'm REALLY glad tomorrow's Friday with a great Daegu weekend ahead. This evening I'm off to the post office, the bank, then a university to volunteer for English group. Tomorrow evening I'll be at the beach in Busan for the Fireworks Festival, then north on the train late Saturday morning. Be back with you soon!
I'm so glad it's Thursday with half an hour to go, and I'm REALLY glad tomorrow's Friday with a great Daegu weekend ahead. This evening I'm off to the post office, the bank, then a university to volunteer for English group. Tomorrow evening I'll be at the beach in Busan for the Fireworks Festival, then north on the train late Saturday morning. Be back with you soon!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Fall??
I just wanted to let you all know that today was the start of the Korean Thanksgiving holiday, Chuseok. This 3-day holiday sometimes falls over a weekend, thus allowing school children and people such as myself only 1 or 2 days off, but this year it has really worked in our favor. September 21st-23rd being the awkward Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday that it is has prompted universities to allow a full week vacation. Also, many public schools are either offering the Monday or Friday off to make a nice round 6 days free! I myself worked yesterday and have now begun my loooong weekend. I plan to spend a couple days in Daegu with friends, then the weekend will be in Seoul to shop, dine, drink, and visit some more!^^
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| This is why I have train tickets |
Also in this short note, a weather update. It has been a strange few seasons here. I'm even more convinced than before that the world is ending. First off, the winter brought the first snow Busan had seen in 3 or 4 years, Seoul got a TON of snow, then after a warm stretch it even snowed in April!! Spring was the rainiest non-rainy season on record and remarkably hot. Summer was actually not as hot and much drier than everyone expected.
Now here we are, September 21st. Most would say this should be fall.
It's currently 81 F, feels like 84 with a humidity of 73%! At 11:45PM!! We hit a high today of 88, feels like 95. The forecast for tomorrow says it will be a bit cooler. Thank heaven for that.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Summer Activities
Now that I have a moment to write, I'll catch you up on the summer activities which kept me busy.
In June, I was teaching my school's summer camp and spending most afternoons at the beaches in my area. 20 minutes south from my house by bus is Haeundae Beach, the most well-known and most visited beach in the country. I only went a couple times - it gets a bit overwhelming. The peak vacation period is July & Aug, so during June it was still bearable.
There's also Song-jeong Beach only 15 bus minutes, Il-gwang is close enough for a bike ride, and then Im-rang just a 10 minute bus north of me. These are all much quieter, family oriented lovely little beaches. Trade the Starbucks for a ma & pop kimbap shop and bring your own mat to lay on!
Then July brought another summer camp for the county area I live in. This one brings in teachers from the Toronto area to lead the classrooms in Western-style ESL learning, as opposed to their usual EFL learning in their native country. Over 3 weeks of 3.5-hour morning classes, the students formed a close bond with us and we saw great improvement in their English usage skills. Throughout the course, they learned about Canadian culture and history, read, wrote, played new games, and even learned songs which were performed at the closing. On the last day all our kids threw a party for my co-teacher Jason and I, complete with cake, silly string, shrimp crackers, and a bunch of lovely gifts & notes.
August brought a lot of music, the Busan Rock Festival, Smashing Pumpkins, one of my fav Busan bands Poko Lambro, and salsa dancing on the beach. The Rock Fest was held at Dadaepo Beach and was my first visit to that southern area of Busan. I got to enjoy some great lesser-known Korean rock bands in an exciting, high energy atmosphere, with one of my best friends in Korea. Then my buddies from Daegu and I headed to Seoul to see the Smashing Pumpkins, who I've been listening to for over a decade. The band's members have changed over the years (with only Billy Corgan remaining out of the original members), but they still rocked the house down.
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| Haeundae Beach - Peak season, from the sanity of an A/C coffee shop! |
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| Im-rang Beach in the country north of Busan |
Then July brought another summer camp for the county area I live in. This one brings in teachers from the Toronto area to lead the classrooms in Western-style ESL learning, as opposed to their usual EFL learning in their native country. Over 3 weeks of 3.5-hour morning classes, the students formed a close bond with us and we saw great improvement in their English usage skills. Throughout the course, they learned about Canadian culture and history, read, wrote, played new games, and even learned songs which were performed at the closing. On the last day all our kids threw a party for my co-teacher Jason and I, complete with cake, silly string, shrimp crackers, and a bunch of lovely gifts & notes.
August brought a lot of music, the Busan Rock Festival, Smashing Pumpkins, one of my fav Busan bands Poko Lambro, and salsa dancing on the beach. The Rock Fest was held at Dadaepo Beach and was my first visit to that southern area of Busan. I got to enjoy some great lesser-known Korean rock bands in an exciting, high energy atmosphere, with one of my best friends in Korea. Then my buddies from Daegu and I headed to Seoul to see the Smashing Pumpkins, who I've been listening to for over a decade. The band's members have changed over the years (with only Billy Corgan remaining out of the original members), but they still rocked the house down.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Change of Attitude
What a busy summer. I've really only had time to do things, see people, and sometimes photograph them. But absolutely not enough time to organize, edit, and upload those pictures, or to write about it. Sorry.
Well, now it's September and though I anticipated a slight reprieve, none has come yet. I'm bringing you this brief update to let you know I'm changing my tactics for this blog. I will no longer wait to have a free hour to write a long post about my life, since those free hours just don't come along anymore. Rather, I will be posting short snipits and when possible photos to tell the story of my life. Hopefully before the week is up, I'll bring you some pictures that are on backlog from July and Aug. Also, I'll renew my subscription on Flickr so I can upload the hundreds I have taken during that time. That may wait for the weekend though~ I've got a lot on my plate right now!
New semester at school
Volunteering to teach Uni kids 2 hrs a week
Studying Korean
Studying English/GRE
Planning final summer fun
Taking care of the house that's been neglected during previous summer fun
Maintaining relationships with family, friends, loved ones
Eating
Sleeping
Finally, ***ing. (undisclosed as of yet^^)
Well, now it's September and though I anticipated a slight reprieve, none has come yet. I'm bringing you this brief update to let you know I'm changing my tactics for this blog. I will no longer wait to have a free hour to write a long post about my life, since those free hours just don't come along anymore. Rather, I will be posting short snipits and when possible photos to tell the story of my life. Hopefully before the week is up, I'll bring you some pictures that are on backlog from July and Aug. Also, I'll renew my subscription on Flickr so I can upload the hundreds I have taken during that time. That may wait for the weekend though~ I've got a lot on my plate right now!
New semester at school
Volunteering to teach Uni kids 2 hrs a week
Studying Korean
Studying English/GRE
Planning final summer fun
Taking care of the house that's been neglected during previous summer fun
Maintaining relationships with family, friends, loved ones
Eating
Sleeping
Finally, ***ing. (undisclosed as of yet^^)
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| Me with my Korean girls at the hometown bar, Haeundae Busan |
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| Busan Lotte Giants b-ball game |
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| Me and Stephanie with our game attire on! |
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| Salsa dancing on Haeundae Beach, Busan |
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| Before the Busan Rock Festival at Dadaepo Beach |
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Beavermidji
If you're from northern Minnesota, live in Bemidji, ever lived in Bemidji, know anyone living there, etc you may have already heard about this. If not, well, here you are.
Yes, that's right folks. Those are beavers. Beaver sculptures to be exact. And here's a close-up.
This final beaver sculpture is part of the city's annual Bemidji Sculpture Walk and was the subject of a recent controversy centered around it's portrayal of the female form. The sculpture's artist, Deborah Davis, said she didn't intend her work to be sexual or offensive in any way. Unfortunately, Bemidji city manager John Chattin decided last Thursday to remove the statue after receiving about 20 complaints. 20? Out of over 15,000 people residing in the area?! That's what a lot of my friends and I said over the past few days on social networking site groups dedicated to reinstating the sculpture, Gaea, to her place among her beaver friends.
In the past, the city has displayed art portraying male genitalia without incident, and the decision to remove this statue was made by one man who refused to explain how he came to the decision or what kind of pressures brought him to it. I guess those 20 complainers had a lot of pull with him. All the same, we in favor of freedom of expression were heard; this Tuesday she was replaced! Welcome back, Gaea.
Also, leave it to the City Pages to post this tongue-in-cheek article announcing Gaea's return.
Yes, that's right folks. Those are beavers. Beaver sculptures to be exact. And here's a close-up.
This final beaver sculpture is part of the city's annual Bemidji Sculpture Walk and was the subject of a recent controversy centered around it's portrayal of the female form. The sculpture's artist, Deborah Davis, said she didn't intend her work to be sexual or offensive in any way. Unfortunately, Bemidji city manager John Chattin decided last Thursday to remove the statue after receiving about 20 complaints. 20? Out of over 15,000 people residing in the area?! That's what a lot of my friends and I said over the past few days on social networking site groups dedicated to reinstating the sculpture, Gaea, to her place among her beaver friends.In the past, the city has displayed art portraying male genitalia without incident, and the decision to remove this statue was made by one man who refused to explain how he came to the decision or what kind of pressures brought him to it. I guess those 20 complainers had a lot of pull with him. All the same, we in favor of freedom of expression were heard; this Tuesday she was replaced! Welcome back, Gaea.
Also, leave it to the City Pages to post this tongue-in-cheek article announcing Gaea's return.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Hello again old friends. Family. Folks. Fellows.
I've been away for a long time and I truly apologize for my absence. If you've ever had a blog, you know there are just some times that nothing exciting happens for a bit, you figure you'll wait to write until your next _____, then maybe some bad stuff happens that you don't want to write about just yet or you're sick or busy or all of the above. As more time passes you feel that once you do write that next entry it had better d*** well explain your absence, and make up for the words missing and time lost.
Well, I can't promise that. I will tell you that I have been sick, busy, and some bad things have happened. As of yet, I'm not interested in delving into those details as it's summer and we should all be in our best spirits (maybe I can maintain mine as well if I don't dwell). I will also say that I've chosen to write at this very moment because I feel regret about neglecting my responsibility to write to you, because I've resigned myself to being sick for a while longer (as prescribed by my doctor), and because whatever bad things that I have the power to resolve have resolved. The remaining negativity is outside of my jurisdiction to control and I've decided to accept that, however hard it may be.
OK, on to happier topics. I will have 2 weeks vacation in August and still have no concrete plans. I'm hoping to find a friend to sightsee more of Korea with, and possibly spend a few days in Japan. I can only go so long without true Japanese ramen noodles, fresh sushi, and draft Sapporo before I start to wither a bit. The ferry from Busan, coupled with a 7-day unlimited bullet train ticket is marginally cheaper than a flight to Tokyo, and almost as fast. Of course, I'm talking about the 3-hour high-speed hydrafoil trip to the southwestern port city of Fukuoka, a vastly different city than Tokyo. Fukuoka is cute, safe, and moderately more affordable but in fact, I've been there twice and never Tokyo, so who knows? I just may need to get my flying fix after all.
In other news, it's July. Did you get the memo? I just canNOT believe where the time is going. I mean, I feel like I've only just moved to Busan when in fact I've been in this city for just over 10 months!! I now live in a small country area north of Haeundae Beach (part of Busan) and at the end of August, I'll be moving into a new apartment closer to the beach and inside the city. I will need to take the bus everyday to get to my school but it's worth it to me to be closer to where my friends live.
Before that time, I have some busy weeks coming up. This weekend, as you know, was Fourth of July. This holiday has been a source of some sadness for me during my time in Korea. There are rarely, if any, fireworks. No fry bread for "indian" tacos, no lakes with docks and pontoon rides, no traveling carnivals with rides to make the change fall out of my pockets and the bottom out of my stomach. It's usually the mid-point of the rainy season, overcast, and just a typical weekend. This year was no exception.
It's Monday afternoon now and I'm leaving work, on my way to more bad news unfortunately. But I'll be sure to write more soon.
Promise.X
View one of my pretty photos "On Black"
I've been away for a long time and I truly apologize for my absence. If you've ever had a blog, you know there are just some times that nothing exciting happens for a bit, you figure you'll wait to write until your next _____, then maybe some bad stuff happens that you don't want to write about just yet or you're sick or busy or all of the above. As more time passes you feel that once you do write that next entry it had better d*** well explain your absence, and make up for the words missing and time lost.
Well, I can't promise that. I will tell you that I have been sick, busy, and some bad things have happened. As of yet, I'm not interested in delving into those details as it's summer and we should all be in our best spirits (maybe I can maintain mine as well if I don't dwell). I will also say that I've chosen to write at this very moment because I feel regret about neglecting my responsibility to write to you, because I've resigned myself to being sick for a while longer (as prescribed by my doctor), and because whatever bad things that I have the power to resolve have resolved. The remaining negativity is outside of my jurisdiction to control and I've decided to accept that, however hard it may be.
OK, on to happier topics. I will have 2 weeks vacation in August and still have no concrete plans. I'm hoping to find a friend to sightsee more of Korea with, and possibly spend a few days in Japan. I can only go so long without true Japanese ramen noodles, fresh sushi, and draft Sapporo before I start to wither a bit. The ferry from Busan, coupled with a 7-day unlimited bullet train ticket is marginally cheaper than a flight to Tokyo, and almost as fast. Of course, I'm talking about the 3-hour high-speed hydrafoil trip to the southwestern port city of Fukuoka, a vastly different city than Tokyo. Fukuoka is cute, safe, and moderately more affordable but in fact, I've been there twice and never Tokyo, so who knows? I just may need to get my flying fix after all.
In other news, it's July. Did you get the memo? I just canNOT believe where the time is going. I mean, I feel like I've only just moved to Busan when in fact I've been in this city for just over 10 months!! I now live in a small country area north of Haeundae Beach (part of Busan) and at the end of August, I'll be moving into a new apartment closer to the beach and inside the city. I will need to take the bus everyday to get to my school but it's worth it to me to be closer to where my friends live.
Before that time, I have some busy weeks coming up. This weekend, as you know, was Fourth of July. This holiday has been a source of some sadness for me during my time in Korea. There are rarely, if any, fireworks. No fry bread for "indian" tacos, no lakes with docks and pontoon rides, no traveling carnivals with rides to make the change fall out of my pockets and the bottom out of my stomach. It's usually the mid-point of the rainy season, overcast, and just a typical weekend. This year was no exception.
It's Monday afternoon now and I'm leaving work, on my way to more bad news unfortunately. But I'll be sure to write more soon.
Promise.X
View one of my pretty photos "On Black"
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, I was in my senior year of high school. This has become painfully obvious to me as I receive email after email about my class reunion. Unfortunately, I'm half-way across the globe with no plans to return to MN this summer, so I won't be attending said reunion. I always thought I'd dread such a thing. You know, like in the movies when no one wants to go because they'll just see how hot the school jocks still are and have to feel bad about not being married with 2 kids and a dog or make up some fantastic fact about how they spent their ten years.
Well, as it turns out, I think I wouldn't actually go anyway, but for completely different reasons. I mean, honestly I have a great job making good money, I've traveled a LOT, I have wonderful friends and loved ones who care about me, I'm thinner than I was 5 years ago (no one is as thin 10 yrs later as they were in HS, are they?), and still feel no inadequacy about not marrying or popping out babies. I'm in a great position to enjoy a reunion with all the people who tripped my friends and I walking down "hick hall," called us horrible names outside the drama room, and made fun of us when we participated in the themed dress-up days. In fact, it might be interesting to see how the tables may have turned (or at least evened) over the past decade.
But at the same time, most of my friends from high school are a year or two older or younger than I am. I had very few close friends in my class, so have even fewer reasons to attend this class reunion. On top of this, the school buildings I spent 5 semesters in were entirely demolished over the past 4 years so there's no chance of returning home and walking through the old halls. Lastly, I'm not really interested in spending a whole night talking about myself with a guy who's just waiting for me to finish so he can talk about himself, then lather, rinse, repeat with the next girl.
So, in lieu of attending I've sent this photo collage for the organizers to include in their presentation of "then" and "now" pictures. The photos are from 2007 to 2009, but pretty much sum up what I'd tell you if you and I met at my reunion. (In case you're really interested in my past, here's another collage including Iceland, Norway, Thailand, NYC, and some family in Korea.)
1. At the Great Wall of China, Beijing, 2007 2. My sister Ellie and I, Phoenix, Christmas 2009 3. At the Statue of Liberty, NY, 2008 4. Boyfriend Deuk Kyun and I at Korea's green tea fields, 2009 5. My class on Halloween, Korea, 2009 6. In a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress), 2009.
Well, as it turns out, I think I wouldn't actually go anyway, but for completely different reasons. I mean, honestly I have a great job making good money, I've traveled a LOT, I have wonderful friends and loved ones who care about me, I'm thinner than I was 5 years ago (no one is as thin 10 yrs later as they were in HS, are they?), and still feel no inadequacy about not marrying or popping out babies. I'm in a great position to enjoy a reunion with all the people who tripped my friends and I walking down "hick hall," called us horrible names outside the drama room, and made fun of us when we participated in the themed dress-up days. In fact, it might be interesting to see how the tables may have turned (or at least evened) over the past decade.
But at the same time, most of my friends from high school are a year or two older or younger than I am. I had very few close friends in my class, so have even fewer reasons to attend this class reunion. On top of this, the school buildings I spent 5 semesters in were entirely demolished over the past 4 years so there's no chance of returning home and walking through the old halls. Lastly, I'm not really interested in spending a whole night talking about myself with a guy who's just waiting for me to finish so he can talk about himself, then lather, rinse, repeat with the next girl.
So, in lieu of attending I've sent this photo collage for the organizers to include in their presentation of "then" and "now" pictures. The photos are from 2007 to 2009, but pretty much sum up what I'd tell you if you and I met at my reunion. (In case you're really interested in my past, here's another collage including Iceland, Norway, Thailand, NYC, and some family in Korea.)
1. At the Great Wall of China, Beijing, 2007 2. My sister Ellie and I, Phoenix, Christmas 2009 3. At the Statue of Liberty, NY, 2008 4. Boyfriend Deuk Kyun and I at Korea's green tea fields, 2009 5. My class on Halloween, Korea, 2009 6. In a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress), 2009.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
And now for some more pop songs! (AKA What spring sounds like)
T-ara (read "Tiara") - I'm Really Hurt (내가 노무 아파)
2AM - I Did/Was Wrong (잘못했어)
If you're interested here's the Drama Part 2 of 2AM's I Did Wrong video.
Avril Lavigne - Alice (Underground) Just a link for now. The actual video is hard to find and this one has disabled the embed function.
2AM - I Did/Was Wrong (잘못했어)
If you're interested here's the Drama Part 2 of 2AM's I Did Wrong video.
Avril Lavigne - Alice (Underground) Just a link for now. The actual video is hard to find and this one has disabled the embed function.
Friday, April 9, 2010
On Open-Minded Korea
Korea? Open-mindedness? Those of you who live here may think I'm making a joke here, but I'd like to invite you to open your mind to this perspective.
Since moving to Korea, I've had multiple opportunities to be told I am crazy, irresponsible, or out of control; to be laughed at, ridiculed, re-educated (in the proper way!), or outright shunned. I won't go into the personal details of most of these occasions but on most of them just what you expected had happened. Someone called me crazy, taught me a lesson, or laughed at me.
More recently though, I've taken note of a change. Or, more precisely, a change occurred without me really noticing at all. Lately, I have had more of these chances to be called a whack-a-doo, but have been met with very different results than what I (and you, c'mon, be real) expected. I have in fact been told what I'm doing is understandable, acceptable, even cool, interesting!
Some sort of shift towards greater acceptance, openness has begun slowly grinding it's gears in Korea over the past 8-10 years as it did in the US during the 60's. I see fewer and fewer married by age 25 housewives of the 90's (equivalent to 50's American gals) and more unwed 30-something ladies pleased as peaches to live independently. Men eager to woo a woman, start a family, and father heirs have given way to those who move away from the parents, start their career, and find their priorities lie in a more solo vein. This is just the beginning of the changes I've marked. Along with freedom from familial obligations, a new-found desire for education, independent financial strength, and sexual liberation.
It is this sexual revolution that is most outwardly visible in the culture. From explicit hip-hop blaring out of shop doors to pop stars appearing on cable TV wearing very suggestive clothing and young girls imitating them, anyone who's lived in Korea will tell you it's a curious thing: The seemingly open sexuality is juxtaposed with a prudish attitude towards actual sex and PDAs. Young couples (who often still live with their parents) feel forced to make out in secret, private places like singing rooms and DVD rooms, and rarely show affection beyond hand-holding in public.
Although this is still true, now that more youths are moving out of their parent's home, they create a private escape for themselves and whomever they wish to share it with. Even though it's still occurring under wraps, this setting would be more permanent and stable. I'd argue that unmarried couples would begin to feel more comfortable with their... extra-curricular activities. That's gotta have an impact on how young people think about sex and openness. I also can't help but think this has some tiny connection to the recent influx of us wild, no-limits foreigners. We're here to teach English or practice our business trade, but inevitably, we make an example of our culture and behavior.
Whether I'm responsible in some small way or not, I have to say these changes seem long overdue. Those of you who know me personally also know I'll welcome freedom from conservative pressures on young people any day!
Since moving to Korea, I've had multiple opportunities to be told I am crazy, irresponsible, or out of control; to be laughed at, ridiculed, re-educated (in the proper way!), or outright shunned. I won't go into the personal details of most of these occasions but on most of them just what you expected had happened. Someone called me crazy, taught me a lesson, or laughed at me.
More recently though, I've taken note of a change. Or, more precisely, a change occurred without me really noticing at all. Lately, I have had more of these chances to be called a whack-a-doo, but have been met with very different results than what I (and you, c'mon, be real) expected. I have in fact been told what I'm doing is understandable, acceptable, even cool, interesting!
Some sort of shift towards greater acceptance, openness has begun slowly grinding it's gears in Korea over the past 8-10 years as it did in the US during the 60's. I see fewer and fewer married by age 25 housewives of the 90's (equivalent to 50's American gals) and more unwed 30-something ladies pleased as peaches to live independently. Men eager to woo a woman, start a family, and father heirs have given way to those who move away from the parents, start their career, and find their priorities lie in a more solo vein. This is just the beginning of the changes I've marked. Along with freedom from familial obligations, a new-found desire for education, independent financial strength, and sexual liberation.
It is this sexual revolution that is most outwardly visible in the culture. From explicit hip-hop blaring out of shop doors to pop stars appearing on cable TV wearing very suggestive clothing and young girls imitating them, anyone who's lived in Korea will tell you it's a curious thing: The seemingly open sexuality is juxtaposed with a prudish attitude towards actual sex and PDAs. Young couples (who often still live with their parents) feel forced to make out in secret, private places like singing rooms and DVD rooms, and rarely show affection beyond hand-holding in public.
Although this is still true, now that more youths are moving out of their parent's home, they create a private escape for themselves and whomever they wish to share it with. Even though it's still occurring under wraps, this setting would be more permanent and stable. I'd argue that unmarried couples would begin to feel more comfortable with their... extra-curricular activities. That's gotta have an impact on how young people think about sex and openness. I also can't help but think this has some tiny connection to the recent influx of us wild, no-limits foreigners. We're here to teach English or practice our business trade, but inevitably, we make an example of our culture and behavior.
Whether I'm responsible in some small way or not, I have to say these changes seem long overdue. Those of you who know me personally also know I'll welcome freedom from conservative pressures on young people any day!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What in the world is happening?
In Korea, I have a limited set of resources for world events at my fingertips. Of course, I can always search the internet for the latest information on current goings-on, and I do. The difference from my life in the US is that I don't have newscasters boring a hole in my head with the same newsreel everytime I turn on the TV or radio. And to be sure, I'm pretty lazy. I'd rather not spend my break times at work watching video news on the web or sorting through network websites for articles. (And I quite dislike reading news articles on the computer.)
Aside from all this, I have been watching CNN intermittently for the past few days to get updates on the latest in world terrors. First was the attack on two stations in Moscow's underground by a pair of female suicide bombers. As of a day ago (according to this AP Report), 39 people were killed and 71 were hospitalized after the two Chechen rebel attackers entered the subway and detonated vests filled with steel bolts and wire.
Really? Bolts?? Reports are saying that women of Islamic militant groups from the Northern Caucasus, called Black Widows, have initiated other attacks on Russian targets to avenge the deaths of loved ones. But I can't see how 39 innocent business people, children, or housewives out shopping have anything to do with those women's lost family members.
Secondly, I heard from MSN Home yesterday that 9 people from a Christian extremist group were arrested for selling pipe bombs in connection with an attack plot. Allegedly, they had planned to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral "in hopes of touching off an uprising against the U.S. government." The group is called the Hutaree, and it seems they've been in the woods in Michigan training and learning how to make bombs for the past 2 years. MSNBC Article: 9 Arrested in Michigan
So far, there have been no victims of these bombs (that we know of), but this is scary stuff. Making and selling munitions in rural MI? And, I'm pretty clever, but even I couldn't imagine bombing the funeral of an officer I'd killed in order to cause a rebellion.
ABC News Blogger Marisa's Musings on these two (among other) issues
Now how can anyone honestly feel the least bit justified to fear, insult, hate, or distrust those who come from outside? People, foreigners whom we don't know? To all those living in the midwest, look around you. You may be living next to a "terrorist." You live in Melbourne? LA? Shanghai, Saskatchewan, Sweden? South Korea? Terrorists. I'm just saying, the news lately has reminded me that the last time I worried about a "terrorist" threat from within was probably 1995 (Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols). There have also been various school shootings since then with victims numbering around the single digits to the 20s. Think long and hard next time you pull your handbag closer while passing someone who looks different from you or is speaking another language. Consider the recent goings-on next time you warn your children to be wary of trouble; remember that strangers are strangers no matter where they're from, but also that good, kind, warm people also come from everywhere.
Aside from all this, I have been watching CNN intermittently for the past few days to get updates on the latest in world terrors. First was the attack on two stations in Moscow's underground by a pair of female suicide bombers. As of a day ago (according to this AP Report), 39 people were killed and 71 were hospitalized after the two Chechen rebel attackers entered the subway and detonated vests filled with steel bolts and wire.
Really? Bolts?? Reports are saying that women of Islamic militant groups from the Northern Caucasus, called Black Widows, have initiated other attacks on Russian targets to avenge the deaths of loved ones. But I can't see how 39 innocent business people, children, or housewives out shopping have anything to do with those women's lost family members.
Secondly, I heard from MSN Home yesterday that 9 people from a Christian extremist group were arrested for selling pipe bombs in connection with an attack plot. Allegedly, they had planned to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral "in hopes of touching off an uprising against the U.S. government." The group is called the Hutaree, and it seems they've been in the woods in Michigan training and learning how to make bombs for the past 2 years. MSNBC Article: 9 Arrested in Michigan
So far, there have been no victims of these bombs (that we know of), but this is scary stuff. Making and selling munitions in rural MI? And, I'm pretty clever, but even I couldn't imagine bombing the funeral of an officer I'd killed in order to cause a rebellion.
ABC News Blogger Marisa's Musings on these two (among other) issues
Now how can anyone honestly feel the least bit justified to fear, insult, hate, or distrust those who come from outside? People, foreigners whom we don't know? To all those living in the midwest, look around you. You may be living next to a "terrorist." You live in Melbourne? LA? Shanghai, Saskatchewan, Sweden? South Korea? Terrorists. I'm just saying, the news lately has reminded me that the last time I worried about a "terrorist" threat from within was probably 1995 (Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols). There have also been various school shootings since then with victims numbering around the single digits to the 20s. Think long and hard next time you pull your handbag closer while passing someone who looks different from you or is speaking another language. Consider the recent goings-on next time you warn your children to be wary of trouble; remember that strangers are strangers no matter where they're from, but also that good, kind, warm people also come from everywhere.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Pop singers turned advertisers
And I bring you yet another pop song, this one by the boy band sensation 2PM. This song, like so many these days, was made for a product, for a television commercial. If you like this one, follow one of the links at the bottom to see more pop ads. Enjoy them^^
More like a music video (all cell phone commercials):
Big Bang feat. 2NE1 - Lollipop / Director's Cut Version
Girls' Generation - Chocolate Love
Big Bang - Ice Cream
More like a commercial:
Big Bang - Baskin Robbins 1 / Big Bang - Baskin Robbins 2
Lee Min Ho feat. Dara (of 2NE1) - Cass Beer commercial
DongBangShinKi feat. Girls' Generation members - Let's Haptic phone commercial
Big Bang Hite Beer commercial / Making of the video (with full song, lyrics)*
This one is actually pretty cute: Rain, Shin Min Ah, & Jang Dong Gun - Na Dap Gae
*Funny thing, there are 5 members in Big Bang, but one was missing here: Only 4 were of drinking age when they made the commercial!
2PM - Crazy4S (Spris Commercial)
More like a music video (all cell phone commercials):
Big Bang feat. 2NE1 - Lollipop / Director's Cut Version
Girls' Generation - Chocolate Love
Big Bang - Ice Cream
More like a commercial:
Big Bang - Baskin Robbins 1 / Big Bang - Baskin Robbins 2
Lee Min Ho feat. Dara (of 2NE1) - Cass Beer commercial
DongBangShinKi feat. Girls' Generation members - Let's Haptic phone commercial
Big Bang Hite Beer commercial / Making of the video (with full song, lyrics)*
This one is actually pretty cute: Rain, Shin Min Ah, & Jang Dong Gun - Na Dap Gae
*Funny thing, there are 5 members in Big Bang, but one was missing here: Only 4 were of drinking age when they made the commercial!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Fan Death
Ask a Korean!: FAN DEATH IS REAL
Right, well, if you've lived in Korea you may be familiar with the concept of fan death. Most of us foreigners just dismiss it as hooey - so did the Korean, who later did his research and blogged about it. It's more than an interesting and informative read.
Right, well, if you've lived in Korea you may be familiar with the concept of fan death. Most of us foreigners just dismiss it as hooey - so did the Korean, who later did his research and blogged about it. It's more than an interesting and informative read.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Uploading...
So, I am now sitting at work uploading photos like crazy. There are a few excuses I could give for my absence recently, but I'd rather not be like that. Instead, I'll just offer you an update on my life.
It's only just been sunny the past 2 days - that's after more than a week of cloudy, rainy, and bitterly cold days. Very unusual for Korea, even more so for Busan. I worked for a whole 3 days before classes started to be cut in favor of end-of-year festivities and preparations. Class president elections, graduation practice, movie showings, classroom cleaning, old-book-recycling and -new-book-acquisition... The list goes on. So, last week I taught 10 of my 21 regular classes and 2 of my 6 afterschool classes. We had a long weekend for the Lunar New Year holiday (aka Chinese New Year), then this week I have taught 0 classes so far! I have had to come into work and "desk-warm" (mainly consisting of watching movies/uploading/downloading/facebooking/blogging/a little desk cleaning). Might have 4 on Thurs/Friday, but I kind of doubt it. Next week I'm off work entirely~ yessss!
So, last weekend commenced with a dinner and singing room outing on Friday night, then an early morning train to Daegu for the Seollal (Lunar NY) holiday. Spent most of Saturday eating, as per usual on this holiday and went out for beer and more food later with a bunch of Koreans who didn't speak much English. Humor ensued.
Unfortunately, this Seollal fell on Feb 13-15th which meant I skimmed over Valentines day this year. Just as well I guess, in Korea V-day indicates the time when girls give to boys. A month later, 3/14 is White Day, when boys give to girls. Won't miss that one! ;)
On Sunday it was back to Busan for a quick rest before round 2 with a friend at his gramma's place. All the aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents from his mother's side were there, and we ate all day then drank beer at night again. Swear I gained measurable weight over those 3 days... His grandma did give me some Seollal money, as is the tradition with the grandchildren!
And with that passes the last big holiday of the 2009-10 holiday season. Next one to look forward to I guess is my birthday, which is Children's Day in Korea; great because I always have a day off school! But, this year it's a Wednesday. >.<
Til the next interesting thing happens, hang in there; after all, spring is almost here!
It's only just been sunny the past 2 days - that's after more than a week of cloudy, rainy, and bitterly cold days. Very unusual for Korea, even more so for Busan. I worked for a whole 3 days before classes started to be cut in favor of end-of-year festivities and preparations. Class president elections, graduation practice, movie showings, classroom cleaning, old-book-recycling and -new-book-acquisition... The list goes on. So, last week I taught 10 of my 21 regular classes and 2 of my 6 afterschool classes. We had a long weekend for the Lunar New Year holiday (aka Chinese New Year), then this week I have taught 0 classes so far! I have had to come into work and "desk-warm" (mainly consisting of watching movies/uploading/downloading/facebooking/blogging/a little desk cleaning). Might have 4 on Thurs/Friday, but I kind of doubt it. Next week I'm off work entirely~ yessss!
Unfortunately, this Seollal fell on Feb 13-15th which meant I skimmed over Valentines day this year. Just as well I guess, in Korea V-day indicates the time when girls give to boys. A month later, 3/14 is White Day, when boys give to girls. Won't miss that one! ;)
On Sunday it was back to Busan for a quick rest before round 2 with a friend at his gramma's place. All the aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents from his mother's side were there, and we ate all day then drank beer at night again. Swear I gained measurable weight over those 3 days... His grandma did give me some Seollal money, as is the tradition with the grandchildren!And with that passes the last big holiday of the 2009-10 holiday season. Next one to look forward to I guess is my birthday, which is Children's Day in Korea; great because I always have a day off school! But, this year it's a Wednesday. >.<
Til the next interesting thing happens, hang in there; after all, spring is almost here!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Back and finally resting
I've been back now for almost 3 weeks. I'm surprised by that fact actually, as it's gone by so quickly. I've been busy I guess. Upon returning from the US, I rested for a couple days and repacked for a week on a hillside with 100 winter English campers. I had no TV and very limited internet access during that time, but luckily was so busy I rarely thought about it. The facilities were alright, though I had to wake up extra early if I wanted a warm shower separate from the students, and the curriculum was more fun and less grueling than I expected. I also couldn't have asked for a better Teaching Assistant, Scott.
With a schedule from 9am to 9pm, you'd think you'd be exhausted - and I was, honestly - but classes included clay art, dance, pop-up cards, a quiz show, and board games alongside the usual pronunciation, letter writing, speaking, reading, and drama classes. (I lump drama in with the other dull subjects because it was just too difficult for the kids. I mean, the same plays as the middle schoolers used the week before?? I don't think so. Little 3rd-6th graders just can't memorize that much, nor do they have the attention span to want to!) But, as I've said, I was happy with how the week went over all. There was a good mix of fun and non-fun stuff, some cool activities, and the kids got to speak a lot of English.
Scott & Sonja's (self-named) English Student Army shortly after receiving their diplomas
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Performed by Scott & Sonja's English Student Army at Gijang County Winter Camp 2009
Then after all that, not realizing how tired I was, I quickly dropped my things at home and took the train to Daegu to visit a friend for the weekend. BIG mistake. I was only viable company on Friday evening before the crash. All day Saturday I felt icky and that night I had planned to return to Busan to sleep it off, until a friend phoned and said she'd unexpectedly be in Daegu, and did I want to show her around my old stomping grounds? Well, of course! I'm always up for a party, plus I wanted to see these girls. So, although I was having a terrible night waiting to feel better and instead feeling incrementally worse, there I was out on the town. Whatever, I'm young right? (Yeah, right! Everyone I meet these days is like 20.) Finally, Sunday saw me on the train back home and falling asleep by nine.
This week I'm only teaching 1.5 hours on Mon, Wed, and Fri, and though I've been asked to "desk-warm" at my school the rest of the school day, there's no one there and nothing to do so I've been coming home after my class. The real kicker is that the office is basically the same temperature as it is outside with no hope for that to change until the semester begins again on Feb. 8th. Those of you who know me at all can attest: my absolute least favorite state of being is cold. So, until something more exciting happens, I'll wave goodbye.
(In the future, look for: DMZ tour, diving with sharks at Busan Aquarium, more articles published, and of course tales of misadventure in ROK!)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wherever you go, there you are. (Where in the World 2)
Sorry to have kept you all in suspense! I'm safe at home in Korea and generally very happy about life. My visit to Arizona was a great boost for me and it was amazing to be able to spend all that time with my father and sister.
To pick up where we left off, the drive out to the Hot Springs turned into a rocky dirt path and dad didn't want his car to suffer the last 5 miles of the road. So we turned around and walked around at Lake Pleasant instead. A nice afternoon which we capped off with another trip to the sushi bar.
We met my Korean friend in LA (he just moved there to go to college), went shopping, and ate some yummy Thai food before the big party. We all had a great time that night, stumbled back to the hostel at 2:30, got up in the morning and went exploring for New Years Day excitement. Typically there's nothing open, but around Santa Monica and Venice Beaches we found a bit of entertainment.
Overall, it was an excellent trip. Though I did have the worst trans-pacific flight on record, and trust me - I know what I'm talking about. I've now made that flight seven times. I love flying. I love meeting new people, and am pretty understanding of people's quirks and habits.
This time, my mistake was clear. I had arrived in LAX over 3 hours before my connecting flight with a need to check in. I was first in line to get my boarding pass, and like usual I was busy checking my paperwork, assuring that my baggage was checked through, figuring out the security checkpoint, and finding my gate. Too busy to ask for the aisle seat I wanted. (Damn that poor memory of mine...)
To pick up where we left off, the drive out to the Hot Springs turned into a rocky dirt path and dad didn't want his car to suffer the last 5 miles of the road. So we turned around and walked around at Lake Pleasant instead. A nice afternoon which we capped off with another trip to the sushi bar.
Another day, the three of us visited the Phoenix Zoo, though unfortunately many of the exciting animals were put away for whatever reason. Somewhere in this trip, New Years had to happen - Ellie and I booked tickets for a very hot looking party in LA and made a reservation at the hostel in Hollywood! About half-way there, we realized that was the first road trip we'd ever taken together, surprisingly.
We met my Korean friend in LA (he just moved there to go to college), went shopping, and ate some yummy Thai food before the big party. We all had a great time that night, stumbled back to the hostel at 2:30, got up in the morning and went exploring for New Years Day excitement. Typically there's nothing open, but around Santa Monica and Venice Beaches we found a bit of entertainment.Shortly after returning to Phoenix, my sister left to meet her man in Denver and embark on her "real" vacation in Puerto Rico (*lucky duck!!!*) and my dad and I were left to pack up and say sayonara to ours. We did allow ourselves one more touristy moment: Taliesin West is located just outside of the city. Pronounced "tal-ee-EH-sin" this is the name of a winter house Frank Lloyd Wright designed for he and his wife. He also started a school of architecture where he would bring students each fall.
Overall, it was an excellent trip. Though I did have the worst trans-pacific flight on record, and trust me - I know what I'm talking about. I've now made that flight seven times. I love flying. I love meeting new people, and am pretty understanding of people's quirks and habits.
This time, my mistake was clear. I had arrived in LAX over 3 hours before my connecting flight with a need to check in. I was first in line to get my boarding pass, and like usual I was busy checking my paperwork, assuring that my baggage was checked through, figuring out the security checkpoint, and finding my gate. Too busy to ask for the aisle seat I wanted. (Damn that poor memory of mine...)
So because of that one small error, and the fact that I was on what was probably the oldest plane in Asiana's fleet, my flight sucked. So. Bad. My in-flight entertainment worked only intermittently, my overhead light never worked (so I couldn't even read), and the people around me were pretty ridiculous.
I was so happy to get off that plane, onto the KTX, then into my bed at home I can't even tell you! It took me almost 4 days to really recover from the jet-lag, and all my photos are trapped on my laptop (with which I can no longer connect to the internet, for no apparent reason), so please give me some time. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I post all the evidence :)
In the meantime, let me link you to my recent published articles. I wrote about Busan for my friends up at Daegu Pockets Magazine: Battle of the Bands, my favorite bar/restaurant, and a great sauna here. Flip to page 13, that says 2 days and 1 night in Busan. Enjoy!
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