Cute Koreans

So the first round of testing is complete. I had to fail so many students, just because Pagoda's attendence policy only allows for three absences--not four, not five. Oh well. Better luck next time.

The job has been dominating my time. If the schedule wasn't enough, the planning, beauracrasy and happy time with mates after work and on the weekends makes Pagoda number one. A few times a week, I am able to break away and go hiking in the mountains. Seeing plant life and smelling dirt (vs. smog) is somehow comforting. I am really excited to get out of town next month. I am planning a weekend excursion to Seoul. A little travel time is just what I need. I have met several nice local's, however it is difficult to spend any time touring around the city.

It is interesting, the duality of this culture. Students will tell you one thing if they want to impress you, or they think you are not aware of what is happening. On the other hand, they act completely differently once they are comfortable. Today in one of my classes, we were talking about what kind of person would make a good roommate. One of my students said a husband, then openly flirted with me in class. It felt pretty good to get hit on. The others in the class picked up on this and chimed in to help, or tease her when appropriate. I behaved professionally, but it was hard to keep a straight face. She was serious, as most Korean women are, about marriage. I said I wasn't in a hurry. She launched into a speech on her ideal man, all the while reading me and changing her story based on my reactions. I asked if she wanted to be friends. She said, "Yes, as long as you take me on dates." Everyone laughed. Too funny.

Cheap Thrills

This past Saturday, I went second hand shopping at a co-worker's appartment. Since my appartment is barren, I thought this a perfect opportunity to pick up a few things at highly discounted rates. And right I was. This Saturday, a friend of a friend will deliver two dark (almost navy) royal blue chairs, a pink panther toaster oven, a coffee pot (or perculator as it was called), a big blue core ball complete with foot pump, and dumbells with some weight--all for the low low price of 130,000won. The fact is, just the two appliances, bought new in Korea, would cost upwards of 90,000won.

After the wheeling and the dealing we all went out to eat at a Turkish restraunt near the national university. The food was good--it wasn't Korean. Comfy couches and bold near-eastern colors gave the place a darkly sedative warm feeling. They also rent huka's. I'll definately go back, if I can find it again.

We then road the cable car up and hiked down Geumgang Park Mountain. Out the windows of the car a view of the entire city reveals hazy white buildings with interspused clusters of towers in a valley surrounded by steep green hillsides and a beautiful view of Gwangan Daegyo (Bridge). Nobody stood next to us during the ride: they were all bunched in the lead half of the car. At the top we sat on the rooftop of the bar/canteen and and had a Hite (Korean beer add s to the begining of the name). We paid a short old man as he brought three 750ml bottles and a few side dishes--Koreans love side dishes and serve them with everything. After enjoying the view, we jumped on hopped down the mountain. Two ornate, brightly painted temples accent the nature that surrounds them. Fortunately my camera batteries died after my picture was taken. Tired, riding the busy subway home, I stretched out over the seat next to me and smiled. What a fun day.

Timing is Everything

During my Tuesday/Thursday night level 3a class, we were discussing the topic 'Us and Them'-- stereotypes, diversity, etc. I had the perfect opportunity to get a snapshot of a Korean's view of different groups and the outside world. They picked up on my enthusiasm and curiosity and had many lively debates and discussions, including one about common Korean views of their home country. As I was bringing the class to a close, a student asked me if I had heard any stereotypes about Koreans. One is that Korea is a country of drunks. I have to admit that my first night here, I jumped over a passed out man in a stairwell wearing a tie, getting poked by the cops while I was trying to get out of the Rob Roy. My second night here at least eleven stumbling people ran into me on the street. Last Thursday, my first 7 am start time, I struck out early to get some breakfast. Venturing out a little ways into residential neighborhood, I walked by a man in a suit passed out on the sidewalk. Without the examples I said that I had heard Koreans drank alot, but my friend told me it is a drinking culture. Friends go out together after work to blow off steam. We do the same thing, it's called Happy Hour. They laughed.

But he pressed on asking if I had heard anything else. Well, what I had heard from Americans mostly consisted of my former neighbor's wild stories. There was no way that I would share any of those with a class of rich kids, buisness professionals, and a federal prosecutor. They caught me, I blushed and the lawyer called me out. "Your body language suggests otherwise." Two minutes left... Another student piped in and asked if you could be arrested in America for drinking--what an angel. I briefly explained underage drinking and public intoxication. The prosecutor told the class, "We have the same laws in Korea, but they are enforced differently." And class was dismissed.

On the way home, I shared my experience with a weathered cynical co-worker who said, "I leave that lesson for the second to the last day of class, and I don't hold back. That way, our evaluations are already turned in, and we can all go out for coffee the next day."

The City I Live In

Koreans are obsessed with age and looking young. Older people get botox injections in their hands so they won't be as wrinkled. So, I decided to search out a gym. Short on cash my first few weeks here, I decided that it is the quality of the excercise that counts, not the facility. Pushups and sit ups are one way to stay fit, but I crave cardio. So I have been jumping rope in my apartment. I feel sorry for the poor sap who lives below me, lol. One of my co-workers, a Scot, told me there is equipment in the mountains, just sitting there for anyone to use--for free. So I decided to go hiking. I love the outdoors, and thought it would be a good way to see more of Busan. Lo and behold, there it was, complete with a few really massive Koreans.

People crowd the streets of Seomyeon, Busan’s business district, every afternoon around four o’clock. As you weave the gantlet, trying to get to work, passersby take no evasive measures whatsoever. They bump into you and each other like birds into a freshly cleaned patio door. As the local’s feet continue treading forward, an agile lateral motion restores the flow for another five steps until the next person walks into you. You don’t have to say sillye hamnida, or anything. Just keep pressing forward.

Last Saturday it rained. It was more of a light drizzle than rain. You could easily make it to where ever you were going on foot without getting completely soaked. I decided to go to the Rob Roy, my local bar (they have Hennessey), for nightcap. As I strolled along the brick side walk enjoying a change from the upper sixties sunny days that we have had since I arrived, and dodged all the designer umbrella wielding pedestrians, everyone Korean gave me a seriously grave concerned grimace. When I got to R.R.’s I asked Shin, the hottie bartender that speaks a little English, what’s the deal. She asked, “You don’t have an umbrella?” No, I replied. “The rain is toxic…unhealthy?” I suddenly realized that rain knocks the pollution out of the air; and believe me, you can taste industry in the air. I was told that every spring, huge sand storms blow in from China and coat everything in thick yellow dust. You have to wear a mask outside. Regardless of being on the coast, Busan has enough traffic to give the city the ‘LA Haze’. Shin went to the back, and after some digging, found a J&B promotional umbrella and gave it to me. She told me it was the owner’s, and laughed.

Shop till you Drop

Buying anything in Korea is quite the adventure. Just walking out the door you have to be ready to face life for the first time, over and over again. Eight different K-POP songs blast fron twelve different directions as people (I think) ask me what I am looking. By the blank and amazed look on my face they must know I am a Newbe. I am a deer looking into their headlights. I see the 'Oh there goes another expat who has no clue' look all the time. I went to the LOTTE department store to realize not only is shopping a huge and favorite past time in Korea, but everyone goes to the same places at the same times. With bodies pressing in on all sides. I put my wallet in my front pocket, only to have have a secuirty guard pass me two seconds later holding a sign with bells on it that says 'watch for pick pockets'. Trying to find the Homever (think Walmart), I had to walk on the street with insane drivers buzzing and honking at me. Just finding the store in the highrise took almost a half hour. The host gave me a deep bow, and I stopped to return the respect. A group of teenages behind me giggled and broke out into conversation. I have fund that it is always best to pay, or try to pay as little as possible. The subway is a busy underground mall. Following the advice of the guidebook I decided to buy an automatic paycard. The machine asked how much money I should pay. So I put 20,000 won in to the machine--thinking I was buying a card with 20k on it. The card popped out, then another, then another, then another etc. until I had ten cards. How was I supposed to know you had to buy the card, then put money on it. So I found the information desk and explained my situation. By the smiles, I could tall they had seen this before. The official kindly refunded the money for nine of the cards. I almost have the numbers down well enough to understand them when I hear them at the normal rate of speech. Next, directions.