Seoul and back in 365 days

Ate a taco, got sunburned

Mon, 06 May 2013 22:21:26 +0900

bestmistakeyet:

Good Cinco de Mayo in Korea

Olivia Munn on her own mother: the original Tiger Mom

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:28:25 +0900

Olivia Munn on her own mother: the original Tiger Mom

Since I didn’t have time to do all this a few weeks ago...

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:29:00 +0900

Since I didn’t have time to do all this a few weeks ago with packing and sorting everything else out, since I have time now on my Euro Trip (trademarked, yes), I want to upload the last few photos of my last weeks at my hagwon, etc.

Incheon I love you, but you're bringing me down

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:08:00 +0900

Incheon I love you

but you’re bringing me down

Incheon I love you

but you’re making me frown.

Like a dog in a cage

such a delicious young age.

Incheon I love you

but you’re bringing me down.

Incheon you’re safer

and I’m wasting my time.

Unlike Songtan

you’re perfectly fine.

But they’ll shutter their stores

to Hanguk troubadours

Who’ll soon be cops

to never touch a crime.

Incheon your rank

Oh, your standing water filth.

You’re streets always jammed

with 20 year old milfs.

So the pasty collect

I mean all disrespect.

In the PC rooms

where their virginities lie.

Incheon I love you

but your pushing me out.

The taps running dry

and I’m starting to pout.

Like a booking club brawl

over in the next stall.

Incheon I love you

but you’re grossing me out.

Incheon I love you

but you’re bringine down

Incheon I love you

but you’re making me frown.

Like a twist-turn of heart

Gmarket, just wait till we part

But you’re still a cess pool

filled with grandmas and clowns.

And oh,

take me off the no-fly list

back to the place where I exist

yes back there, I do persist.

Maybe you’re wrong

and maybe I’m right

Maybe you belong

and maybe I’m shite.

Maybe you’re right

maybe I’m wrong

and just maybe you’re right.

And oh,

Maybe lovers are all now through

and now theres nothing there for you

and soon you’ll be alone.

But maybe they’re wrong

and maybe I’m right

and just maybe their wrong.

Maybe she’s wrong

and maybe I’m right

and if so here’s your song.

some old haunts

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:52:57 +0900

some old haunts

Will you....

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:03:13 +0900

broaddiscourse:

remember me when i’m gone?

Will I linger in your thoughts, will you wonder what could of been If I stayed along,

If I dont go quietly into the night.

We're all running away from something: Part 2

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 09:54:18 +0900

The idea that there is that much to do and see in Korea is somewhat bogus. People will come here to escape whatever is ailing them. Whether it is a recent divorce at the age of 40, or the inability to settle down and live out their 20s wandering the globe until they’re 30, there is always something to run away from. Whether you’re at crossroads in your 20s and you don’t know what else or you’ve been bouncing around the world for the last five years of your life and can’t figure out when to stop, there will always be a reason to not look back and see what started your walkabout. Or if you are sent here to clean out your system of all the drugs, booze, and whatever else debaucherous lifestyle choices you’ve made, a flight to the Philippines, Vietnam, or Thailand is insanely cheap and easy to come by.

Or you can travel to the homeland of most recent love of your life and see what it was really all about, hoping to wipe clean the image of her face, still tattooed on the inside of your mind, by surrounding yourself with her country women, hoping that they’ll be the laser surgery you need. You can try to run from all these things but where ever you are is where these problems will be. This last case is particular is most hilarious to try and understand.

This person, lets call him Jim, had traveled to Korea to get away from it all as well as travel around Korea and really “get into” the culture just like every other cliché that the mass of teachers during their first months will spew. It was quite hilarious because at the hagwon he worked at, he met none other than the cousin of the girl who had, just years ago, understandably, spurned his love.

The sheer hilarity of this “coincidence” only goes to show that traveling far and wide will get you nowhere closer to sorting out whatever is going on up there (yes, I’m pointing to your head) or there (uh huh, that’s your heart I’m pointing at). Running away and postponing real life is only a temporary solution to massive complexity that is the journey of life but how long can you afford to be taking detours. Teaching in Korea may be a decent, respectable scapegoat, but deep down, you know what you have to do.

Teaching in South Korea: We're all running away from something.

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:03:03 +0900

There is no more perfect escape from one’s problems than to travel halfway around the world and take a job that you were never truly qualified for in the first place. The fact that you may have traveled outside of the US is most likely a minor, necessary qualification, but for the most part the requirements are quite low. Have a Bachelors Degree? Check. No felonies on your record? Check. Living and breathing? Check. There you have it: a means to escape whatever needs to be left back home.

I take these observations from my own self and from those who I have gotten to know here. It is extremely unlikely that they will ever read this or that anyone reading this will know any of them either, so I think it is pretty safe to bring these shadowy details into the light. Really, it is nothing so terrifying, only things which most people wouldn’t care to share unless substantially intoxicated.

As a child, most have probably ran away from home at one point or another. Whether it was to a friends house to sleep over with vows of “I’m never, never, never going back.” Or maybe just a few hours one cool summer evening, with a Jansport backpack stuffed with all the essentials of a adolescent child, this experience is not lost on me. And what does this have to do with teaching in Korea? Exactly everything.

The fact of the matter is that there are plenty of other reasons to come to Korea to teach other that running away and those are the only reasons that I hear day in and day out. Or there has to be no reason at all: the idea to grab a job that pays much better than slaving away at your local Starbucks or waiting tables at Applebees is a much more attractive option. Oh, and you do get to do a bit of traveling as well, see new cultures, discover new cuisines, and meet hundred of new people, most of which are doing exactly what you’re doing: running away.

There is the constant veneer of the fulfillment of this grand life: traveling around the globe, seeing things people back home will never see, trying things you would never have the chance to do again, and so on and so forth. Maybe I’m a stick in the mud, but the natural attractions and “must-do, must-see” things here in Korea is quite minimal. Yes, there is the DMZ, which can frighten the beejezus out of you when you hear the instructions from the Major and look across at the North Korean soldiers, standing silent, stone-faced, and battle-ready. And of course, there is nice climbing culture to dive into as much of Korea is mountainous. Besides that… Beaches? Minimal, though it’s a peninsula. Ancient artifacts, temples, and fortresses? Not since the Japanese occupied the country for hundreds of years previous to the 1950s.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done all that I could do here. Skiing, camping, hiking, DMZ tour, visited the rebuilt, freshly painted temples, bought a motorcycle, had a phone stolen (twice), and have seen plenty of sunrises after 12+ hour escapades in Seoul. I’m sure there is more to Korea than that, but during my time here, I’ve known little else. Which leads me back to the idea of running away…

I wish my job didn't exist, Part 2

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:51:50 +0900

I once asked one of my students, who what I would equate to a sophomore in a US high school, how many classes she had. She answered at first with an, “I don’t know.” After some more prying, she thought about it a little more and answered with, “uhm… 14?” Fourteen classes. Yes, nearly double what I took in High School (8). Now sure, New Mexico doesn’t have the best education system around and the US public schools have been lacking in math and science and who knows what else for a while now but FOURTEEN CLASSES seems like overkill. Granted they do not have 14 classes a day, five days a week, but it still seems like overkill.

And yet I must contradict myself. The reason why they must take 14 classes during their normal school hours and then attend 1, 2, or 3 hagwons AFTER school, is because of the intense competition to get into one of the SKY Universities. Seoul National, Korea, or Yonsei Universities are equated to our Ivy League schools in the states. If high school students don’t get stellar scores on their college entrance exams, then these universities will not even take a glance at them. A point is made that if you do not graduate from one of these universities that you will never find a job at one of the major conglomerates or Chaebols here in Korea, which is a basic dream job here. Samsung, LG, Daelim, Hyosung, and so many others are the driving forces in the Korean economy and have helped the country turn into what it has become today.

But I digress, as usual. I only mean to say that I wish my little elementary students and mid school students would have more time to enjoy being kids. I wish they all played soccer in a city-league, or were able to go on long, cross country trips with their parents, or volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, or at least be shown that there is something else to life besides studying constantly. Maybe its a Western idea that the good life is based on the mean while it is more acceptable here to be stupendously fantastic at one or two aspects in ones life but I can’t see the virtue in that as much as I can in my own Western thinking. And maybe that’s what it is: a difference in culture. Whatever it is, I could go on for pages and pages about this, but in the end, its seems a redundant conversation. Culture. The way things are. Tradition. These are the inexplicable rationals that make most actions and beliefs seem necessary and normal. I can only hope that they will change, for the children’s sake.

I wish my job didn't exist

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 10:55:39 +0900

Yes sure, this seems like a foolish and naïve thing to say during a time of a global economic depression but most of you who are reading this haven’t had the job that I’ve had for the eleven months. Yes, my 365 days in Korea are winding down as I pack up my boxes and figure out the logistics of my upcoming trip to Europe, I look back on a few topics that I wish I had written about before. One of these is the fact that though my job pays me a decent wage, is somewhat enjoyable when not stressful, and has me surrounded by some of the cutest and most adorable little children on the face of the Earth, I cannot help but wish that my industry would not exist in South Korea.

It is the glowing faces of the children that I see every afternoon as I walk into work and that I see running into class with little packs of ramyun as the bell rings that make me feel this way. These little children are not yet 7 or 8 (Korean age) and they are already learning another language. This is a great skill to have and to start to work at, especially at a young age, but to make it an afterschool activity is unnecessary. I will admit that at these ages, they are learning nothing more than three and four letter words and phonics. Most cannot spell their own English name, which makes for a very entertaining game of “guess who” come grading time. So yes, sure, that isn’t so bad.

Fast forward a few years to the 10 year olds and 12 years olds, just about to enter into mid school. From what I’ve learned, elementary school is the time for the kids to enjoy life, have fun, play sports, and do other things besides go to school and study for a cumulative fourteen hours a day and thats a low estimate. Yes, in middle school is when the scholastic weights start to weigh down. Maybe I was just a lackadaisical student in my day, but it wasn’t till High School for me, and I want to say most teenagers in the US, that I started to get my s*** together.

PSY- Gangnam Style

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 16:31:49 +0900

PSY- Gangnam Style:

A hilarious take on the younger generation in Korean culture. English lyrics are posted below:

Oppa is Gangnam style
Gangnam style

A girl who is warm and humanle during the day
A classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee
A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes
A girl with that kind of twist

I’m a guy
A guy who is as warm as you during the day
A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down
A guy whose heart bursts when night comes
That kind of guy

Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Source: LYBIO.net

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

A girl who looks quiet but plays when she plays
A girl who puts her hair down when the right time comes
A girl who covers herself but is more sexy than a girl who bares it all
A sensable girl like that

I’m a guy
A guy who seems calm but plays when he plays
A guy who goes completely crazy when the right time comes
A guy who has bulging ideas rather than muscles
That kind of guy

Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two
On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two

You know what I’m saying
Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

So those who don’t care much for football/soccer, Park Ji...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:05:15 +0900

So those who don’t care much for football/soccer, Park Ji Sung is the closest thing to a national sports hero that South Korea has. Also, I will bet, on the HUGE popularity of the sport over here (though the kids call it soccer which is strange, because God knows the USA didn’t bring it over… or did they?) that Park is a main driver of such a overt desire to play the sport. And now the the once mighty Park has been traded from Manchester United to Queens Park Rangers. I’ll give it till August till they QPR jerseys start to litter my classroom.

K-Town: Not exactly Korea

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:58:05 +0900

K-Town: Not exactly Korea:

Just when I thought I was having Jersey Shore withdrawals…

So for the last 15 minutes of class time, I brought my XL2...

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:08:59 +0900

So for the last 15 minutes of class time, I brought my XL2 students to the window so they could try and describe for me the scene they saw below, which was filled with puddles and soaked Koreans. Some of their answers were quite puzzling, for instance the woman who was not dressed well must be mean or the couple walking and holding hands was bad because they tried to cross the street NOT at crosswalk.Overall it was a nice change of pace the rain brought a great feeling. Too bad it won’t leave till I do.

Clara C (Clara Chung) with Fish. Yes, this is relevant because...

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:00:23 +0900

Clara C (Clara Chung) with Fish.

Yes, this is relevant because she’s Korean… and attractive.

Jungwon Valley and the ride home

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:59:53 +0900

Jungwon Valley and the ride home

Jungwon Valley Picture Set #2

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:31:04 +0900

Breakfast from the neighbors

Jungwon Valley Picture Set #2

Jungwon Valley Camping. There’s nothing I can say that...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:51:31 +0900

NY woo

Jungwon Valley Camping.

There’s nothing I can say that the pictures don’t already. An amazing place up in the mountains near Yangpyeong south of Seoul. Marvelous

Everland!!! (Everland-uh, if I may) To those who may not know...

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:18:09 +0900

not endangered anymore

My favorite fantasy animal: a Liger

Everland!!! (Everland-uh, if I may)

To those who may not know what Everland is, it is the Korean version of the ranch that Michael Jackson used to own. They just dropped the “N” and it seemed to work. Sorry, I jest. It is more of a Disneyland equivalent or a Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. The latter, I am sure not many people reading this have ever heard of, but Everland was really quite similar. There was as a water park, a few tall roller coasters and “big people” rides, plus many rides and attractions for the little kiddies too.

The park was great and the T Express roller coaster was really spectacular, especially at night.The only drawback for me, if there was one, was the included zoo built up as a safari, which had some downright sad looking animal-occupants. Not any place for lions, tigers, a liger, and bears. Pretty sure they’re at least well fed. Long story short, I had a great time with my friends there. Woooooo Everland!

Sound of Music sing-a-longs. That is what is up.

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:15:39 +0900

Sound of Music sing-a-longs. That is what is up.