Hey, What Can I Say?

I've been working like a dog since my return from Thailand. Korean work culture is insane. No rest for the weary! LOL

Burnout?

I'm really starting to feel the burn, and I have two Saturdays left to work. Thank Goodness! I have been spending entirely too much time at Pagoda. Attempting to navigate passive aggression and office politics are so much worse than this job could ever be. To combat this, I'll spend more time mingling in other cliques. In fact, the job is starting to grow on me. I'm not sure if teaching is my bag, though; yet for now, it's great. My life gets more organized every week. I still feel like I'm being pulled in multiple directions, yet now I've learned to research and discover; so I read and scheme nightly. "The joy is in the journey," they say; and I bought the ticket so I should take the ride. As a teacher, I'm wondering whether there is a point where you can disconnect from the job. I know vacations exist in some parts of the world, but do they recharge a drained soul? lol. I know. I know. Don't act so dramatically. Oh well, my travel plans are starting to get me pumped and excited. I'm gunna do it, man--four countries in one year. Maybe next year, I can get to three or four. Saving is key. Keeping my sanity without spending money is paramount yet impossible; thus I think the true technique is managing spending. I have already established a tight budget, but I think I can pull the belt one notch tighter. Is is ever enough? Hell no. But one investment, I have once again been considering, is my health (thanks Mom). Exercise is free and I should take full advantage of this fact. I have been working out, but my lackadaisical attempts are futile. Well, such is life. PS. I ate dog last week. Check it out on youtube "almightysephano"

Hair Cut

I'm sitting in a Korean hair dressers, surrounded by hot girls. I had three dressers and two shampoos. They are looking at me and giggling. You have to love the service here. I should ask one of them out to dinner. Ah.

Too Long

It's been way too long since I've written. Well, the biggest hindrance has been problems with my computer. Now that I think it's all be hind me and can breath a deep sigh of relief. What else is new?? Not to much. I miss everybody from home. I'm finally getting into the groove of the job. and that's about it. Peace and Love everyone. more to come.

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."