Recently, while pretending to teach English speaking skills to middle school students, I have taken to posing questions to the entire class and then seeing how long it takes for someone besides me to break the silence. Unfortunately, I have the attention span of a gold fish and I am not able to actually time the silences. However, once I waited five minutes, because I looked at the clock at the clock shortly after I asked the question and the started writing what was the first draft this particular blog entry. This question had been posed to an individual student, Seok Min, whom I specifically picked because I actually though he come back with something and I had already picked on Jae Hoon too much. Sometimes, while I am waiting the middle school students to answer questions, I totally zone out, I start daydreaming or planning my evening or thinking about Big Bang, or I fantasize about being able to sing the Korean version of Insomnia at noraebang. (It’s never going to happen because Whee Sung can barely do it, the rapping part is too fast, but I can dream.) I suddenly surface and realize that I have been standing in front of a room of teenagers, some of who are staring oddly at me, but most of whom have taken this opportunity to start a text message conversation with friends stuck at a different hagwon. In Seok Min’s defense, the question did have something to with beauty contests being sexist. (I don’t write the books, I just teach the books.)
In the middleish of July, the Korean government made a step forward in the right direction concerning the over education of the children and decreed that no child is allowed to be at school past 10:00 pm. Good for the kids, good for me, bad for every single hagwon, especially the less important ones like piano hagwons. They only time that many children have in their schedule for something like piano lessons is when English, math, and science hagwon has finished. I don’t care what adults get fucked over because of this law, I fully support it. In fact, if the government decided tomorrow (or Monday rather) that all hagwons should be closed and made illegal, I would happily pack my bags and go home. I think this education is sick and the generation of children who have been raised in this environment (to which I willing and knowing contribute in order to make money and have “adventures”) are going to be fucked up. But I digress. This law means that I get out of school a full twenty minutes earlier. Now the last class ends at 9:40, of course I have been at school earlier to make up for it, but I would rather be out at 9:40. However, this twenty-minute shift has completely screwed up the schedule. It has taken a full week to get used to it, figuring out what time classes start and end and when is the best time to use the washroom without having to wait in line. I feel depressed that twenty minutes could affect me so. I think I am getting old.
Back to middle school students and how much I hate them and love them all at the same time. I spend most of my energy (and anger*) on the more responsive and less well behaved elementary students and don't the energy to get angry at them, so when they misbehave I usually laugh. Actually, the middle school students are not better behaved, just quieter and sneakier. They get so annoyed when I wake them from their oh so necessary mid-class naps, shooting me dirty looks and angry sighs (how dare she try to make me learn? the bitch!). They also don’t appreciate when I tell them to put away their MP3 players or cell phones as if I should allow texting in class (and basically I do, if they would try to hide it better, I wouldn’t bother calling them out). After I told John (I use his English because I can’t pronounce his Korean name) five or six times to put his way and then he used it again, I flipped out a little, what could be so important? What are you , 15? No, teacher, 16. OK, sixteen-year-olds do have important things to do. Yes, very important, teacher. I told him that if I saw it again, I would take it way. There were only five minutes left in class. At least he was trying to hide. Kroos (he picked it himself, I think it is his rapper name) wasn’t trying to hide, but at least he only needed to be told three or four times. Yun Young was passed out the entire class. I’m an ineffective teacher.
*We are one week into a new semester. I decided that this semester, until I leave, I am going to be happy teacher not angry teacher. I am trying to patient and fun with even the most heinous of elementary classes. I almost lost it one class, but managed to pull through with only raising my voice a little bit. I am not going to let the little douche bags get me down.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Her Florid, Indecent Mouth!
First, I would to apologize to Big Bang*. Drunken Tiger could never replace you in my heart. You are much better looking and your music is much catchier. I didn’t mean I what I said in the last post, I was just trying to be extreme. Please forgive me. Also, I really like when G-Dragon wears his longish hair in the top knot; it’s my favourite hair style on Korean guys.
Pretty much all of my students cheat while taking their vocabulary quizzes at the beginning of class. I let them unless they are being stupid obvious. Then I have to tell them to books away or take away the nifty little cheat sheets they have created. When I first arrived in Korea, I was amazed when some students would point at a cheating student and say “cunning”. Such a sophisticated word for such low level students. Later I discovered that actually they are using the Korean word for cheating or copying. I was considerably less impressed.
And I have some very sad news to report. Tasha, my best teacher friend at Kang Tae Woo is leaving. Her and her husband are moving outside of Seoul, so it would be too for for her to travel to work there anymore. Friday was her last day. After work on Friday, our boss took all the teacher out for dinner, partially as a goodbye for Tasha and partly as a celebration for the end of intensive (back to regular afternoon even schedule next week, and once again Sally has fewer classes and a better schedule than me). Gone are the days of soju and samgupsal; he took us to a restaurant in HomePlus, Ashley Grill and Salad. It was a salad buffet. A salad buffet people, it wasn’t even delicious. Although there was tiny little pieces of cheese cake. We didn’t even get alcohol, not so much as bottle of wine to share between the eight of us. It was really lame. He just wanted something fast and cheap. He’s married now and has a kid on the way. He is much less fun than before. I want raw fish or samgupsal for my last day. I bet I only get a lunch at someplace lame. Anyway, Tasha is gone and school is not going be as fun because I won’t be able to talk with Tasha. She was funny and told me intimate details of her life. I am going to miss her a lot. She is one of the more interesting people that I have met in my life. She was also the most excited about this...
Something every exciting happened a few weeks ago and I totally forgot to mention the occurrence. Don’t too jealous or excited but I saw Rain. Bi. It was awesome. Bryan and I were hanging out near Seoul City Hall, just walking and talking, nothing special. Up ahead we noticed a large gathering of people. There are often street performers in this area so we decided to check it out. As we got closer, I noticed how oddly quiet everybody was and how there seemed to be not much going on. Then I noticed the big lights and assumed photo shoot. I was curious to see who it was, but didn’t expect that it would be someone I know. I stood on my tiptoes trying to see around the people in front of me and just as I was losing my balance and had to come down, I caught a glimpse of Rain! I exactly told Bryan and then I pushed in a bit to get a better view. He was doing either a photo shoot or filming for a CF (what commercials are called in Korea). We only caught the end of the event. When it was finished, he waved and bowed at me then took off real fast bodyguards close behind. The whole thing was cleaned up almost immediately and except for the wet pavement (some sort of effect I assume) one would never have known that Rain had been there. I texted everybody I knew would care (including Tasha) and quickly received a bunch of jealous responses.
A couple weeks ago I discovered that the coffee shop from First Shop of Coffee Prince exists and is in Hongdae. Next week I’m going try and get Sarah to come with me to find it. She likes K Drama’s almost as much as I do and is therefore the most fun person to take a long. I’ll make it a facebook event and invite her. I hope it’s like the drama and only handsome boys work there.
*This a the Japanese version of the song. I have not been able to find the Korean version.
Pretty much all of my students cheat while taking their vocabulary quizzes at the beginning of class. I let them unless they are being stupid obvious. Then I have to tell them to books away or take away the nifty little cheat sheets they have created. When I first arrived in Korea, I was amazed when some students would point at a cheating student and say “cunning”. Such a sophisticated word for such low level students. Later I discovered that actually they are using the Korean word for cheating or copying. I was considerably less impressed.
And I have some very sad news to report. Tasha, my best teacher friend at Kang Tae Woo is leaving. Her and her husband are moving outside of Seoul, so it would be too for for her to travel to work there anymore. Friday was her last day. After work on Friday, our boss took all the teacher out for dinner, partially as a goodbye for Tasha and partly as a celebration for the end of intensive (back to regular afternoon even schedule next week, and once again Sally has fewer classes and a better schedule than me). Gone are the days of soju and samgupsal; he took us to a restaurant in HomePlus, Ashley Grill and Salad. It was a salad buffet. A salad buffet people, it wasn’t even delicious. Although there was tiny little pieces of cheese cake. We didn’t even get alcohol, not so much as bottle of wine to share between the eight of us. It was really lame. He just wanted something fast and cheap. He’s married now and has a kid on the way. He is much less fun than before. I want raw fish or samgupsal for my last day. I bet I only get a lunch at someplace lame. Anyway, Tasha is gone and school is not going be as fun because I won’t be able to talk with Tasha. She was funny and told me intimate details of her life. I am going to miss her a lot. She is one of the more interesting people that I have met in my life. She was also the most excited about this...
Something every exciting happened a few weeks ago and I totally forgot to mention the occurrence. Don’t too jealous or excited but I saw Rain. Bi. It was awesome. Bryan and I were hanging out near Seoul City Hall, just walking and talking, nothing special. Up ahead we noticed a large gathering of people. There are often street performers in this area so we decided to check it out. As we got closer, I noticed how oddly quiet everybody was and how there seemed to be not much going on. Then I noticed the big lights and assumed photo shoot. I was curious to see who it was, but didn’t expect that it would be someone I know. I stood on my tiptoes trying to see around the people in front of me and just as I was losing my balance and had to come down, I caught a glimpse of Rain! I exactly told Bryan and then I pushed in a bit to get a better view. He was doing either a photo shoot or filming for a CF (what commercials are called in Korea). We only caught the end of the event. When it was finished, he waved and bowed at me then took off real fast bodyguards close behind. The whole thing was cleaned up almost immediately and except for the wet pavement (some sort of effect I assume) one would never have known that Rain had been there. I texted everybody I knew would care (including Tasha) and quickly received a bunch of jealous responses.
A couple weeks ago I discovered that the coffee shop from First Shop of Coffee Prince exists and is in Hongdae. Next week I’m going try and get Sarah to come with me to find it. She likes K Drama’s almost as much as I do and is therefore the most fun person to take a long. I’ll make it a facebook event and invite her. I hope it’s like the drama and only handsome boys work there.
*This a the Japanese version of the song. I have not been able to find the Korean version.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
I Am Your Star Captian
My love for the boy bands of K Pop may have just been replace with the hip hop/ rap “artists” of K pop. Drunken Tiger eats children like Big Bang for breakfast. He’s not even good looking, but he can cuss up a storm and the chains; Chains are badass. He's so sexy. Also, my boss really likes Drunken Tiger. I wish I could post a picture of my boss so that you would all know how super this is. He’s a small man who smiles a lot.
Last Friday I was invited to some real hot yoga with some friends at a jjimjilbang. I met them at their hagwon, only about 20 minutes from me. We walked into the market area and then turned into what seemed liked a random building in the market, the jjimjilbang. This being only my second jjimjilbang experience, I was a little apprehensive. After paying my 7000₩ and collecting my clothes and towel we walked into roomful of naked women. Quickly changing into the jjimjilbang clothes, I was warned to remove my regular bra (I brought my sports bra) and underwear (commando!) because the sweat was going to intense (and it was). We climbed the stairs out of the lady area and into the common area. I was once again amazed at the calm atmosphere of the common area. The lights are kept low. There are many people sleep or quietly chatting with friends. A number of people were watching Boys Over Flowers reruns on the big TV. There a few people in the massage beds and on the massage chairs. It all just looks so comfortable and relaxing. All the women are in pink, all the men are in blue and all the children are in red. It is like utopia. This jjimjilbang also had two restaurants in the common room, giving you more than just ramyeon and hard-boiled eggs to snack on.
We started we in the sauna that was 70°c. I got a little light headed as soon as I walked in the scorching heat and I started sweating immediately. We stared with a few way poses and stretches. It quickly go to be too much for me, so of you may know that don’t handle intense heat to well. I’m so weak. I managed to make it the first break without being too passy-outy, we got some water and relaxed than went back in. I had to get out a little bit before the second break. Then we hung out in the cold room for bit and went to the 50°c sauna, a few more poses and break. Then we went to the salt sauna and hug out in the salt. We lay down in the in the sat rocks. Apparently they are supposed to draw out the seat even more, which was good because I wasn’t totally drenched in sweat already. I have never actually been sweater or smellier in my life. There was not a single dry spot on my clothes. The sweat was dripping for face and even my arms were all beaded with sweat. It was kind of cool. WE back to the 50° sauna and finished up our yoga. The whole process took about two hours. After the yoga part was over, I had to prepare myself for the naked part.
Back in the change room, I purchased the necessary shampoo, conditioner, and soap (there were many choices for each) and bravely descended the stairs in to the shower room. I took a deep breath and I walked into the shower room and was confronted with many a naked ajumma. I suddenly felt considerably less intimidated. I chose a spot to remove my clothes and timidly started pulling them off. Once the clothes actually came off, it wasn’t so bad. Everybody was naked and I was with a group of foreign folk so I wasn’t a freak show alone. I found a shower spot and stared to shower. No problem, expect when I almost bumped into two girls trying to share shampoo. No touching well naked! After showering, I spent some time in a hot tub with some very strategically placed jets and then in the bigger cold pool. It was lovely to be naked and fully immersed in cool water. I imagine that it would much like skinny-dipping but without the risk. I guess not as fun, but still pretty good. I have never been skinny-dipping.
Finally, it was time to scram. Amber and I had to meet Sally in Hyehwa to see public enemies. Because I’m a bad friend, we were already two hours later than expected. We left at a good time though, because plenty of attractive young folk were coming pouring inside. Jjimjilbang are a popular safe place for the youngish of Korea to hang out with friends of both sexes. They will often stay for night or late into the night, along with the drunken businesses people* who have missed the subway home.
I liked Public Enemies, but it was kind of bummer. I don’t like when movies make me all sad.
A small gym update because I work out everyday now. No jokes. In two weeks I have only missed three days, which includes two Sundays and the Friday that I did hot yoga at the jjimjilbang. We picked a good gym because it is never busy, which is especially good because if there are ten people in there if feels really crowded. It’s a small gym. There is one older man that walks on the treadmill in sandals. A younger guy who walks alone for a long time but very quickly on the treadmill. There a couple of young guys that don’t some to do much except sit and chat with each other. They occasionally take breaks to pretend to lift some weights. There are a couple of older ladies that could kick my butt with both hands tied behind their backs. They wear gloves when they use the weight machines, not to be sanitary, but to be tough. They scare me. There is only sweaty body builder who likes to look at himself in the mirros during and between lifing sessions. He also grunts a lot. There is one younger girl who seems to have never learned that she should wear a bra while working. Sports bra, regular bra, any bra. She also likes to be naked in the change room to show off her hot body to Sally and I.
Last Saturday, Song Min’s (the trainer) family visited. He doesn’t look very old but he is already married and has two adorable little children. The younger one is pretty much brand new, and the older one, a little boy, is literally just a tiny Song Min. They were trying to play squash for a while. It was cute. Yesterday, Song Min was wearing really tiny shorts. They kind of made me uncomfortable but I just couldn’t look away. He showed us the bicep curl machine. Today I could barely lift my arms above my head. I’m so weak.
*I have had to teach many a unit about “jobs”. I try to make an effort to teach politically correct and non-gender specific titles to the children. However, the books don’t like to help on this one. I end up teaching waitress, waiter, businessman, stewardess, etc. What I want to teach is server, flight attendant, businessperson, etc. It is frustrating to teach them bad stuff, but it would also be very confusing for them if I deviate too much from the book. Also, I try hard, when playing “the action game”, to make sure that boys have to be nurses sometimes, too. They always fight me, but I always make them do it or sit down.
More about teaching... recently I have been coming down really hard on kids for speaking too much Korean in class (mostly because they make jokes about me that I can't understand) and I have made many rules about no Korean in class. Every time I yell at them for speaking Korean I have this horrible sensation of guilt and I all I think about is residential schools and how am participaiting in the destruction of Korean culture. I am basically a really bad teacher and a bad person, but I have been making it up to them in the past week by playing a lot of games. I am trying to be chill teacher not angry teacher. I find this to be exceedingly difficult.
Last Friday I was invited to some real hot yoga with some friends at a jjimjilbang. I met them at their hagwon, only about 20 minutes from me. We walked into the market area and then turned into what seemed liked a random building in the market, the jjimjilbang. This being only my second jjimjilbang experience, I was a little apprehensive. After paying my 7000₩ and collecting my clothes and towel we walked into roomful of naked women. Quickly changing into the jjimjilbang clothes, I was warned to remove my regular bra (I brought my sports bra) and underwear (commando!) because the sweat was going to intense (and it was). We climbed the stairs out of the lady area and into the common area. I was once again amazed at the calm atmosphere of the common area. The lights are kept low. There are many people sleep or quietly chatting with friends. A number of people were watching Boys Over Flowers reruns on the big TV. There a few people in the massage beds and on the massage chairs. It all just looks so comfortable and relaxing. All the women are in pink, all the men are in blue and all the children are in red. It is like utopia. This jjimjilbang also had two restaurants in the common room, giving you more than just ramyeon and hard-boiled eggs to snack on.
We started we in the sauna that was 70°c. I got a little light headed as soon as I walked in the scorching heat and I started sweating immediately. We stared with a few way poses and stretches. It quickly go to be too much for me, so of you may know that don’t handle intense heat to well. I’m so weak. I managed to make it the first break without being too passy-outy, we got some water and relaxed than went back in. I had to get out a little bit before the second break. Then we hung out in the cold room for bit and went to the 50°c sauna, a few more poses and break. Then we went to the salt sauna and hug out in the salt. We lay down in the in the sat rocks. Apparently they are supposed to draw out the seat even more, which was good because I wasn’t totally drenched in sweat already. I have never actually been sweater or smellier in my life. There was not a single dry spot on my clothes. The sweat was dripping for face and even my arms were all beaded with sweat. It was kind of cool. WE back to the 50° sauna and finished up our yoga. The whole process took about two hours. After the yoga part was over, I had to prepare myself for the naked part.
Back in the change room, I purchased the necessary shampoo, conditioner, and soap (there were many choices for each) and bravely descended the stairs in to the shower room. I took a deep breath and I walked into the shower room and was confronted with many a naked ajumma. I suddenly felt considerably less intimidated. I chose a spot to remove my clothes and timidly started pulling them off. Once the clothes actually came off, it wasn’t so bad. Everybody was naked and I was with a group of foreign folk so I wasn’t a freak show alone. I found a shower spot and stared to shower. No problem, expect when I almost bumped into two girls trying to share shampoo. No touching well naked! After showering, I spent some time in a hot tub with some very strategically placed jets and then in the bigger cold pool. It was lovely to be naked and fully immersed in cool water. I imagine that it would much like skinny-dipping but without the risk. I guess not as fun, but still pretty good. I have never been skinny-dipping.
Finally, it was time to scram. Amber and I had to meet Sally in Hyehwa to see public enemies. Because I’m a bad friend, we were already two hours later than expected. We left at a good time though, because plenty of attractive young folk were coming pouring inside. Jjimjilbang are a popular safe place for the youngish of Korea to hang out with friends of both sexes. They will often stay for night or late into the night, along with the drunken businesses people* who have missed the subway home.
I liked Public Enemies, but it was kind of bummer. I don’t like when movies make me all sad.
A small gym update because I work out everyday now. No jokes. In two weeks I have only missed three days, which includes two Sundays and the Friday that I did hot yoga at the jjimjilbang. We picked a good gym because it is never busy, which is especially good because if there are ten people in there if feels really crowded. It’s a small gym. There is one older man that walks on the treadmill in sandals. A younger guy who walks alone for a long time but very quickly on the treadmill. There a couple of young guys that don’t some to do much except sit and chat with each other. They occasionally take breaks to pretend to lift some weights. There are a couple of older ladies that could kick my butt with both hands tied behind their backs. They wear gloves when they use the weight machines, not to be sanitary, but to be tough. They scare me. There is only sweaty body builder who likes to look at himself in the mirros during and between lifing sessions. He also grunts a lot. There is one younger girl who seems to have never learned that she should wear a bra while working. Sports bra, regular bra, any bra. She also likes to be naked in the change room to show off her hot body to Sally and I.
Last Saturday, Song Min’s (the trainer) family visited. He doesn’t look very old but he is already married and has two adorable little children. The younger one is pretty much brand new, and the older one, a little boy, is literally just a tiny Song Min. They were trying to play squash for a while. It was cute. Yesterday, Song Min was wearing really tiny shorts. They kind of made me uncomfortable but I just couldn’t look away. He showed us the bicep curl machine. Today I could barely lift my arms above my head. I’m so weak.
*I have had to teach many a unit about “jobs”. I try to make an effort to teach politically correct and non-gender specific titles to the children. However, the books don’t like to help on this one. I end up teaching waitress, waiter, businessman, stewardess, etc. What I want to teach is server, flight attendant, businessperson, etc. It is frustrating to teach them bad stuff, but it would also be very confusing for them if I deviate too much from the book. Also, I try hard, when playing “the action game”, to make sure that boys have to be nurses sometimes, too. They always fight me, but I always make them do it or sit down.
More about teaching... recently I have been coming down really hard on kids for speaking too much Korean in class (mostly because they make jokes about me that I can't understand) and I have made many rules about no Korean in class. Every time I yell at them for speaking Korean I have this horrible sensation of guilt and I all I think about is residential schools and how am participaiting in the destruction of Korean culture. I am basically a really bad teacher and a bad person, but I have been making it up to them in the past week by playing a lot of games. I am trying to be chill teacher not angry teacher. I find this to be exceedingly difficult.
Monday, August 17, 2009
I look Once More, Just Around the River Bend
IA about a week ago, the manger of my school came up to me while I was sitting at my desk. He picked up my calendar and pointed to August 16. Do you want to go rafting on this day? He asked. All of Kang Tae Woo campus’ can go on this day, no money. Unable to provide me with any further information, he still needed an immediate answer. Sure! I said, a little bewildered.
And so, bright and early Sunday morning, 6:00 to be exact, I crawled out of bed and reluctantly started to get ready for the day ahead. Unfortunately, the night before, I went to Hongdae, just for supper, but got a little carried away in conversation and wasn’t able to get on the last subway that actually got me home. I had to get off about seven stops away. I ended up walking to next subway stop and then waiting about 15 minutes or longer before I finally got a taxi to take me home. I didn’t get home until after 1:00AM, making the early rising rather difficult.
Uncertain of exactly what to wear or bring, I packed bag. I had no idea what to expect. I met Crystal, one of the Korean teachers in front of the school. We were the only two from our campus that could be convinced to go. We had to take a cab over to the Junggye campus to catch the bus and meet up with people from the other campuses. The bus was supposed to leave at 7:20, but due to someone’s birthday party the night before, a bunch of people showed up really late and we didn’t actually leave until 7:40. We made one stop to pick up the folks who live down in Gangnam, including Kang Tae Woo, and then headed east, I think, out of the city.
The bus ride was about four hours long with one rest stop. We arrived at the river; I think it was the Donggang River. As we crossed the bridge we saw scores of folks in PFDs (because they are different from life jackets) hanging out on the river bank, some were being forced to do jumping jacks before they could get in the boat.
Once we arrived at the head quarters, were all giving our own PFD and a helmet, to protect us from all the super dangerous rapids we were about to encounter. After we got back on the bus, Kang Tae Woo brought his daughter over to Crystal and quickly said something to her in Korean and pushed his daughter forward and pressed a hair tie into Crystal’s hand. He wanted her to tie up his daughter’s hair because he didn’t know how. After we finished rafting and showering, I saw him ask a different girl to tie it again. Three handsome young boys joined us on the bus and we rode out to the starting point. We were given some instructions in Korea. Crystal vaguely translated it to be something about being safe. OK.
At the starting point we were divided into groups of 10, 10, and 9. Despite a solid effort on my part, I was once again grouped with the super annoying guy from the Girum campus (FUCK!) and I was in a raft with Mr. Kang Tae Woo and his two children and I was separated from Crystal. Furthermore, all the cool kids ended up in one raft with the really cute guide (they were all pretty cute, but he was cutest. The guides made us do stretches and jumping jacks before we were allowed to get on the raft.
The guides were awesome. Tanned and muscled from paddling all day in the sun, funny and entertaining, not just making sure we get from point A to point B without drowning, but making sure we laugh while we do it. Also, they had really nice legs. It was funny watching them flirt with cute Korean girls, tossing them around and what not. I wish I were small enough to be tossed around in the name of good fun. We didn’t really experience any sort of deadly rapids, but we did get pushed in the water a few times and we did stop once to play games on the rafts, like that game I used to play on Nintendo, Snoopy Olympics, where Snoopy and French Snoopy battle on the boat to see who can push the other off. Just like that, expect with annoying white guys and handsome Korean guys.
The actual rafting only took about two hours and the break was about half an hour long. The scenery was beautiful; there were mountains all around and big cliffs on one side of the river. The trees were full and green. It was almost breathtaking. Apparently this area is one of the most beautiful areas in Korea.
After the rafting, we had an opportunity to take a shower. I was prepared to do so, physically (I had brought soap and shampoo) and mentally (ready for public nudity) but then I walked in the shower room and realized I was not prepared for the sheer number of naked women. I think I can now handle the naked part but I am not ready for the naked in small places and touching part. I decided to forgo the shower this time.
After the showering and changing, of which I did neither, we again boarded the bus for lunch. Once again, despite a solid effort on my part to avoid him, I ended sitting across from the annoying guy from Girum. Aeeessh!!! Besides being loud and saying embarrassing things and doing embarrassing things, he has a bad mealtime habit of being vocally vegetarian. We get dude; you don’t eat meat. What does he expect during communal meals? This is Korea; everything has meat. Why must he act surprised every time that there is only meat? And then he was complaining about lack of beer choices, he only drinks Cass because it’s delicious and not Hite because it is like horse urine. First, I would not call Cass delicious by any stretch, although better than Hite, I agree. Second, Hite is only marginally worse than Cass and everybody I know still drinks it if there is nothing else and doesn’t really complain too much. Finally, he’s an ass and can do no right in my opinion. Fortunately, he was lured to another table by grilled kimchi halfway through the meal. At which point, I quickly invited someone else over to fill his spot. A guy who has been here for three months and has only had traditionally Korean food once! Dude is missing out. Seriously,
We had a number of choices for the meal, a couple of tables had samgupsal and some other grilling meats and there was also a chicken and potato soup option. I didn’t realize that we had options and choose the chicken and potato soup unwittingly. Good choice though, much healthier than the samgupsal and still quite delicious. Also, the side dishes were awesome and we were eating under a trellis with real grape bunches hanging down off the vine and we ate some of the grapes, still a little sour but good.
Finally we boarded the bus and began the five hour bus ride home, Sunday night traffic into Seoul is real bad and it always takes longer than getting out. I was a little exhausted girl before I was finally able to shower and climb into my bed.
And so, bright and early Sunday morning, 6:00 to be exact, I crawled out of bed and reluctantly started to get ready for the day ahead. Unfortunately, the night before, I went to Hongdae, just for supper, but got a little carried away in conversation and wasn’t able to get on the last subway that actually got me home. I had to get off about seven stops away. I ended up walking to next subway stop and then waiting about 15 minutes or longer before I finally got a taxi to take me home. I didn’t get home until after 1:00AM, making the early rising rather difficult.
Uncertain of exactly what to wear or bring, I packed bag. I had no idea what to expect. I met Crystal, one of the Korean teachers in front of the school. We were the only two from our campus that could be convinced to go. We had to take a cab over to the Junggye campus to catch the bus and meet up with people from the other campuses. The bus was supposed to leave at 7:20, but due to someone’s birthday party the night before, a bunch of people showed up really late and we didn’t actually leave until 7:40. We made one stop to pick up the folks who live down in Gangnam, including Kang Tae Woo, and then headed east, I think, out of the city.
The bus ride was about four hours long with one rest stop. We arrived at the river; I think it was the Donggang River. As we crossed the bridge we saw scores of folks in PFDs (because they are different from life jackets) hanging out on the river bank, some were being forced to do jumping jacks before they could get in the boat.
Once we arrived at the head quarters, were all giving our own PFD and a helmet, to protect us from all the super dangerous rapids we were about to encounter. After we got back on the bus, Kang Tae Woo brought his daughter over to Crystal and quickly said something to her in Korean and pushed his daughter forward and pressed a hair tie into Crystal’s hand. He wanted her to tie up his daughter’s hair because he didn’t know how. After we finished rafting and showering, I saw him ask a different girl to tie it again. Three handsome young boys joined us on the bus and we rode out to the starting point. We were given some instructions in Korea. Crystal vaguely translated it to be something about being safe. OK.
At the starting point we were divided into groups of 10, 10, and 9. Despite a solid effort on my part, I was once again grouped with the super annoying guy from the Girum campus (FUCK!) and I was in a raft with Mr. Kang Tae Woo and his two children and I was separated from Crystal. Furthermore, all the cool kids ended up in one raft with the really cute guide (they were all pretty cute, but he was cutest. The guides made us do stretches and jumping jacks before we were allowed to get on the raft.
The guides were awesome. Tanned and muscled from paddling all day in the sun, funny and entertaining, not just making sure we get from point A to point B without drowning, but making sure we laugh while we do it. Also, they had really nice legs. It was funny watching them flirt with cute Korean girls, tossing them around and what not. I wish I were small enough to be tossed around in the name of good fun. We didn’t really experience any sort of deadly rapids, but we did get pushed in the water a few times and we did stop once to play games on the rafts, like that game I used to play on Nintendo, Snoopy Olympics, where Snoopy and French Snoopy battle on the boat to see who can push the other off. Just like that, expect with annoying white guys and handsome Korean guys.
The actual rafting only took about two hours and the break was about half an hour long. The scenery was beautiful; there were mountains all around and big cliffs on one side of the river. The trees were full and green. It was almost breathtaking. Apparently this area is one of the most beautiful areas in Korea.
After the rafting, we had an opportunity to take a shower. I was prepared to do so, physically (I had brought soap and shampoo) and mentally (ready for public nudity) but then I walked in the shower room and realized I was not prepared for the sheer number of naked women. I think I can now handle the naked part but I am not ready for the naked in small places and touching part. I decided to forgo the shower this time.
After the showering and changing, of which I did neither, we again boarded the bus for lunch. Once again, despite a solid effort on my part to avoid him, I ended sitting across from the annoying guy from Girum. Aeeessh!!! Besides being loud and saying embarrassing things and doing embarrassing things, he has a bad mealtime habit of being vocally vegetarian. We get dude; you don’t eat meat. What does he expect during communal meals? This is Korea; everything has meat. Why must he act surprised every time that there is only meat? And then he was complaining about lack of beer choices, he only drinks Cass because it’s delicious and not Hite because it is like horse urine. First, I would not call Cass delicious by any stretch, although better than Hite, I agree. Second, Hite is only marginally worse than Cass and everybody I know still drinks it if there is nothing else and doesn’t really complain too much. Finally, he’s an ass and can do no right in my opinion. Fortunately, he was lured to another table by grilled kimchi halfway through the meal. At which point, I quickly invited someone else over to fill his spot. A guy who has been here for three months and has only had traditionally Korean food once! Dude is missing out. Seriously,
We had a number of choices for the meal, a couple of tables had samgupsal and some other grilling meats and there was also a chicken and potato soup option. I didn’t realize that we had options and choose the chicken and potato soup unwittingly. Good choice though, much healthier than the samgupsal and still quite delicious. Also, the side dishes were awesome and we were eating under a trellis with real grape bunches hanging down off the vine and we ate some of the grapes, still a little sour but good.
Finally we boarded the bus and began the five hour bus ride home, Sunday night traffic into Seoul is real bad and it always takes longer than getting out. I was a little exhausted girl before I was finally able to shower and climb into my bed.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The First Five Times
I promised myself that after Bryan abandoned me, I would get a gym membership. I am now a proud member the Myung Sung Sports club. Thursday after work, Sally and I descended into the depths of our building to check out the health club. A few months ago I learned that there was a pool and gym and golf in the basement of the school building. I was shocked to think that a pool could just be down there. Thursday, while checking out the gym I finally saw this huge pool. The pillars of the building actually take up a lane of the pool. I wonder if this is a good idea. I digress. We found the gym area of the health club and the receptionist gave us a pamphlet outlining services and fees. We took the pamphlet back up the teachers room and had one of the Korean teachers translate. For the rather steep fee of 70,000₩*, we learned we could get access to the gym and to the sauna, but not the pool or golfing. As someone who can only just barely stay afloat and who hates golf, this is OK, but Sally was bummed about the pool; she is a swimmer.
We decided to look around a little bit more before we settled for this place. A few blocks away on the fourth floor of building which also has a a convince store, a pharmacy, a glasses store, and Korean traditional doctor and a couple of restaurants and an apartment building, we found a another gym. We took the elevator to the fourth floor and stepped into a remix of the Boys Before Flowers theme song** and gym full of extremely fit men. It was three in the afternoon. Is that weird to anyone else. Eventually we figured out that also for 70,000₩ we could work here and this one didn’t appear to have a sauna and was way busier than the basement gym. We choose convenience and didn’t bother to look anymore. Basement gym it is.
Friday after work, we once again descended into the depths and paid for a one month membership at the Myung Sung Sports Club. The receptionist gave us keys and showed us to the change rooms. After we changed, we tentatively entered the gym. It was pretty empty, only a few guys who look like they work out to much and one lady I wouldn’t want to fight. Sally stared with the treadmill and I tried out a bike first. The bike wouldn’t turn on so I moved over to the step machine. This action immediately brought the trainer out who wanted to show me how to use it. Unfortunately, the trainer doesn’t speak any English. He started pointing at the buttons on the stepper telling me what they were for, like Enter and Quickstart. Sir, I can read English. This drew the attention of one very short, muscular, and sweaty body builder (who had his shorts rolled up so he check out his leg muscles while he worked). They assumed (incorrectly) that I didn’t know who to work the machine that was in English. The body builder made me prove to him that I could do it. He said show me, so I showed him and they finally left me alone. I was sweating and I had even started my work out. Nobody bothered Sally on the treadmill.
After about four minuets on the step machine I was bored and wanted to switch but I was too embarrassed so I stuck it out for 21 more minutes. I guess embarrassment and shame is one way to stay motivated. After I found Sally and I some towels at the front desk, we decided that it was enough for day one.
We left the gym and the trainer said hi to us as we exited. I think that is the only English he knows.
We are going back today and we are going to get him to show us the weight machines. Ask before he awkwardly intervenes. We will have him demonstrate and then maybe he’ll leave us alone.
Sally compared starting at this gym to starting a new job. It is going to be hellish and awkward until we get used to going there and they get used to having us there. Eventually, it won’t matter anymore and we’ll become comfortable. I hope that happens sooner rather than later.
*I just made a shortcut key for ₩, control+4. Now I don’t have type won. Only, I’m not sure if it supposed to come before or after the number.
**The link is the original version not the remixed version I heard at the gym
We decided to look around a little bit more before we settled for this place. A few blocks away on the fourth floor of building which also has a a convince store, a pharmacy, a glasses store, and Korean traditional doctor and a couple of restaurants and an apartment building, we found a another gym. We took the elevator to the fourth floor and stepped into a remix of the Boys Before Flowers theme song** and gym full of extremely fit men. It was three in the afternoon. Is that weird to anyone else. Eventually we figured out that also for 70,000₩ we could work here and this one didn’t appear to have a sauna and was way busier than the basement gym. We choose convenience and didn’t bother to look anymore. Basement gym it is.
Friday after work, we once again descended into the depths and paid for a one month membership at the Myung Sung Sports Club. The receptionist gave us keys and showed us to the change rooms. After we changed, we tentatively entered the gym. It was pretty empty, only a few guys who look like they work out to much and one lady I wouldn’t want to fight. Sally stared with the treadmill and I tried out a bike first. The bike wouldn’t turn on so I moved over to the step machine. This action immediately brought the trainer out who wanted to show me how to use it. Unfortunately, the trainer doesn’t speak any English. He started pointing at the buttons on the stepper telling me what they were for, like Enter and Quickstart. Sir, I can read English. This drew the attention of one very short, muscular, and sweaty body builder (who had his shorts rolled up so he check out his leg muscles while he worked). They assumed (incorrectly) that I didn’t know who to work the machine that was in English. The body builder made me prove to him that I could do it. He said show me, so I showed him and they finally left me alone. I was sweating and I had even started my work out. Nobody bothered Sally on the treadmill.
After about four minuets on the step machine I was bored and wanted to switch but I was too embarrassed so I stuck it out for 21 more minutes. I guess embarrassment and shame is one way to stay motivated. After I found Sally and I some towels at the front desk, we decided that it was enough for day one.
We left the gym and the trainer said hi to us as we exited. I think that is the only English he knows.
We are going back today and we are going to get him to show us the weight machines. Ask before he awkwardly intervenes. We will have him demonstrate and then maybe he’ll leave us alone.
Sally compared starting at this gym to starting a new job. It is going to be hellish and awkward until we get used to going there and they get used to having us there. Eventually, it won’t matter anymore and we’ll become comfortable. I hope that happens sooner rather than later.
*I just made a shortcut key for ₩, control+4. Now I don’t have type won. Only, I’m not sure if it supposed to come before or after the number.
**The link is the original version not the remixed version I heard at the gym
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Marry Me John, I'll be so Good to You.
I noticed a building in my neighbourhood that contains four “special establishments” and a church. Korea continues to rock my socks.
I discovered recently that my students are not calling me a whore, “hor” is merely an expression of surprise. It shouldn’t surprise me that the non-word vocalizations should be different in Korean than they are in English, but it kind of does. I have had to learn a whole new vocabulary of vocalizations. “Yah” instead of “hey” to get someone’s attention or to yell at your little brother when he hits you. “Aieesh!!!” to express anger. “Azzah!!” to express happiness or excitement. I died in Super Mario, “Aieesh!!” I finished the game, “Azzah!!” I have also had to learn that I can’t use others, sssshhhh means nothing to my students.
A few times I have become very upset with students because of something I misunderstood. Do-Ick used to yell “Same Same” every time he wanted my attention and would continue to yell until I yelled back, “Wait!” One day I lost it on him, tearing my hair out, “that is not my name!!!” Same is a short version of teacher. Sorry Do-Ick, but only a little sorry, you should learn patience, you’re not the only student. Another time, playing the picture game Seok-Ho would yell “Circle Circle Circle” for everything that was being drawn. “Seok-Ho, if you yell circle one more time you are not allowed to play anymore!” Actually he was yelling his name, Circle sounds like Seok-Ho with a Korean accent. I felt real bad about that. Aieesh.
Since Bryan left and I have to find ways to entertain myself during the evenings. I have been taking walks along the canal path with about a thousand others. The path has two separate lanes: one for bikes and one for feet. I see families out for a walk, I see young girls holding hands and giggling. I see couples trying to play badminton on the courts beside the path. I see dads chase their young children on the track. I see guys trying to show their ladies how many pushups they can do. I see ajummas and ajoshis on the public workout equipment. I see people walking their dogs and I see people carrying their dogs. There are running clubs and walking clubs and biking clubs. At a few places are there fit young women running dance and aerobic classes for the ajummas. Tuesday, they were line dancing. Wednesday, it looked like interpretive dancing. My head was full of anticipation to see what Thursday would bring. Alas, the ominous clouds cut my walk short. I didn’t want to get caught in the rain. It might make me go bald.
Just like before Bryan was here, I don’t know what to with my time. Early in the eveing I am sleepy and look forward to going to bed, but then bed time roles around, or at least the time that I deem appropriately late enough to considered a grown up bed time and suddenly I’m wide awake and hungry. I can’t concentrate on a book and I don’t want to blog, I am too lazy to try studying Korean. I bought the book that the Seoul National University uses to teach Korean. I hope that I can make good use of it and that I will find it useful. There seems to be a lot of Korean in the book, especially considering that it is a book for beginners, but then I remind myself, that this is Korea after all and a lot is expected from students. Of course the university program is going to difficult. I want to know a lot more Korean for round two when Bryan and I come back for a year or two.
I was not looking forward to Bryan leaving. Luckily, I had a few days of vacation just before the day of extreme sadness and sorrow. Unfortunately, so did the pretty much the rest of Korea. It was ok, though, the rest of Korea didn’t interfere with our plans too much. Bryan and I decided to travel down to Busan for our last weekend together in Korea. We left after I was done work on Thursday afternoon. We took the 5:30 KTX to Busan and arrived at 8:30. We checked into the same hotel that we stayed in the first weekend, conveniently blocking out the bed bugs from the previous visit. I am please to report that we enjoyed a bedbug free Busan this time around. After we settled in and sat in front of the aircon for a while, we took the subway to the Haiundai Beach. We walked to the beach from the subway, marveling at how different it was during this nationalish holiday. The beach had basically turned into a night club. The sheer number of beautiful young boys and girls was a little over whelming. It seemed like everybody was out to get some. The skirts were short and the vests were ironed and all were a little drunk. And yes, we saw girls navigating the sandy beach in minis and high heels, the highlite of Bryan’s trip to Korea. I’m not sure what to make of it.
We walked around the beach area trying to find a restaurant that still looked a little hopping, most people had already moved to drinking on the beach by this time. All I wanted was some raw fish. The place we had been too the last time we were in Busan was already closing up and so were all the surrounding places. We finally had to go directly to the beach to find what we wanted. The ajummas and the ajoshis were all beckoning us from their patio’s and we finally had just to go with who was the loudest and most abrasive. The ajumma brought the menu to our table, assuming we wanted Fish BBQ, she first pointed to that. We told her we wanted raw and she pointed at the raw, the cheapest of which was 70,000 won. Bryan and looked at each other in a moment of panic, as much as I hate leaving a restaurant once we are sitting, that is a lot of money to pay for one meal. She saw our look of horror and immediately knocked 20,000 won of the menu price. It was still a little rich for our blood, but we decided to take it. Hungry and desperate.
The ajumma had seated closest to the beach, perhaps as advertising that her restaurant was foreigner friendly. However, it was also the closest to the three drunk guys with a number of empty soju bottles on their table. As we sat down, they eyed us. They paid close attention to what we ordered and our soju and our beer. They were very interested. It was inevitable. Bryan is just to good looking for his own good.
The ajumma who called us into the restaurant didn’t trust that we would know what to do with the food that we ordered and hovered to close for comfort. Nobody could leave us alone. Everybody was in our business.
After the plate of raw fish came out and we had eaten a bit and the broiled fish that comes as a side dish came out, and we hacked into it to get at the little bit of meat available, after we had only had less than one bottle of soju and one beer between the two of us, one of the three men suddenly decided that he was drunk enough to strike up a conversation with us. It started as they usually do, “Where are you from?” and then he told Bryan that he was very handsome and asked if we were a couple. Again, if this had happened in Canada, one would assume that this man was hitting on Bryan, but in Korea, it just means that he wants to be friends or that he thinks Bryan is interesting. It doesn’t have anything to do with sex. He told me that I was beautiful too, just for good measure. Two hours, more soju, and a lot of hand holding later, we had discovered that they were architects that had working on buildings in exotic places like Dubai. Two were 30ish and one was 37. One gave Bryan his card. He liked Bryan a lot and he wanted to me give him English lessons. He was really really drunk. The older one disappeared at some point in the night. Nobody but Bryan and I seemed concerned. The embarrassed friend who was slightly less drunk had to act as an interrupter. He was so embarrassed about his friend. He kept rubbing his hands on his face just like a rabbit does and apologizing. It was really cute. Eventually he convinced his drunker friend to leave. It was 2:30 AM and they had to work at 8:00.
Bryan and I walked around a bit more, then decided to buy a picnic mat and joined the youth on the beach. We sat with a bottle of whisky and watched the drunken antics of those around us before we caught a cab back to the hotel, donating our 3000 won picnic mat to two matless girls. It was a lovely night.
The next day we did more shopping, finished up Bryan’s souvenir shopping and sock shopping. He bought a lot of socks. I purchased the ugliest most awesome New Balance shoes. I have no more excuses to not work out. Except the whole being horribly afraid of trying to find a gym and actually go there regularly. (I do not look forward to all the staring that is going to happen, but Sally and I bought a gym membership, more blogging to come.) We went back to the beach in the eveing for more raw fish. This time we went back to a place we knew and had a much better and way cheaper meal than the night before. Although, slightly less entertaining, only slightly though, we witnessed a drunk woman who lost her shoes at restaurant rag on the ajumma in charge, who didn’t seem to give a damn, while the embarrassed offspring and husband hovered in the corner.
We didn’t know what to do during our second last night together in Korea and just bought some junk food and hung out at the hotel. Saturday morning, after we checked out of the hotel, we dropped our bags off at Busan Station and then we wondered around a bit more. Taking it all in.
We returned to Seoul on the 3:00 KTX getting home in time to finish Bryan’s packing before we headed out to meet friends for Bryan’s last night in Korea. I had to make an effort to not cry into my dalkgalbi. Then more of an effort not to cry into my beer at the hof that followed. We eventually ended up at FF because we always do. We danced a lot. Out on the street, getting some air, Bryan and I ended up talking to another Canadian couple from Toronto. The boy was leaving in a couple of weeks to attend Berkeley and the girl was staying another year. The boy told me that he was glad to be leaving because he doesn’t like Korea very much. He was otherwise nice, but I say good riddance, if you cannot appreciate Korea, then you do not deserve to be here. I wish him luck though, I really do.
Sunday morning came all too soon and it was time to get to the airport. We stopped for one last coffee at Gloria Jeans Coffee and then got on the airport Shuttle. We rode in almost silence for two hours and arrived at the airport too quickly. The wait for the check-in wasn’t too bad. We met a nice couple from Seattle that had been visiting their English teacher son. At the check in the lady told Bryan that he had to go through security almost right away. I did my best to not weep; I didn’t want him to weep either. We had our final hug over the gate and then he was gone. As soon as he walked through security I darted in the nearest bathroom and cried hard for about ten minuets. I gathered myself and got on the bus for home. My apartment, not ours anymore. It’s lonely without him.
The past three months have been the perhaps the best in my life. I have had so much fun with Bryan here. Almost everyday was an adventure. I cannot wait until we come back to Korea together.
I discovered recently that my students are not calling me a whore, “hor” is merely an expression of surprise. It shouldn’t surprise me that the non-word vocalizations should be different in Korean than they are in English, but it kind of does. I have had to learn a whole new vocabulary of vocalizations. “Yah” instead of “hey” to get someone’s attention or to yell at your little brother when he hits you. “Aieesh!!!” to express anger. “Azzah!!” to express happiness or excitement. I died in Super Mario, “Aieesh!!” I finished the game, “Azzah!!” I have also had to learn that I can’t use others, sssshhhh means nothing to my students.
A few times I have become very upset with students because of something I misunderstood. Do-Ick used to yell “Same Same” every time he wanted my attention and would continue to yell until I yelled back, “Wait!” One day I lost it on him, tearing my hair out, “that is not my name!!!” Same is a short version of teacher. Sorry Do-Ick, but only a little sorry, you should learn patience, you’re not the only student. Another time, playing the picture game Seok-Ho would yell “Circle Circle Circle” for everything that was being drawn. “Seok-Ho, if you yell circle one more time you are not allowed to play anymore!” Actually he was yelling his name, Circle sounds like Seok-Ho with a Korean accent. I felt real bad about that. Aieesh.
Since Bryan left and I have to find ways to entertain myself during the evenings. I have been taking walks along the canal path with about a thousand others. The path has two separate lanes: one for bikes and one for feet. I see families out for a walk, I see young girls holding hands and giggling. I see couples trying to play badminton on the courts beside the path. I see dads chase their young children on the track. I see guys trying to show their ladies how many pushups they can do. I see ajummas and ajoshis on the public workout equipment. I see people walking their dogs and I see people carrying their dogs. There are running clubs and walking clubs and biking clubs. At a few places are there fit young women running dance and aerobic classes for the ajummas. Tuesday, they were line dancing. Wednesday, it looked like interpretive dancing. My head was full of anticipation to see what Thursday would bring. Alas, the ominous clouds cut my walk short. I didn’t want to get caught in the rain. It might make me go bald.
Just like before Bryan was here, I don’t know what to with my time. Early in the eveing I am sleepy and look forward to going to bed, but then bed time roles around, or at least the time that I deem appropriately late enough to considered a grown up bed time and suddenly I’m wide awake and hungry. I can’t concentrate on a book and I don’t want to blog, I am too lazy to try studying Korean. I bought the book that the Seoul National University uses to teach Korean. I hope that I can make good use of it and that I will find it useful. There seems to be a lot of Korean in the book, especially considering that it is a book for beginners, but then I remind myself, that this is Korea after all and a lot is expected from students. Of course the university program is going to difficult. I want to know a lot more Korean for round two when Bryan and I come back for a year or two.
I was not looking forward to Bryan leaving. Luckily, I had a few days of vacation just before the day of extreme sadness and sorrow. Unfortunately, so did the pretty much the rest of Korea. It was ok, though, the rest of Korea didn’t interfere with our plans too much. Bryan and I decided to travel down to Busan for our last weekend together in Korea. We left after I was done work on Thursday afternoon. We took the 5:30 KTX to Busan and arrived at 8:30. We checked into the same hotel that we stayed in the first weekend, conveniently blocking out the bed bugs from the previous visit. I am please to report that we enjoyed a bedbug free Busan this time around. After we settled in and sat in front of the aircon for a while, we took the subway to the Haiundai Beach. We walked to the beach from the subway, marveling at how different it was during this nationalish holiday. The beach had basically turned into a night club. The sheer number of beautiful young boys and girls was a little over whelming. It seemed like everybody was out to get some. The skirts were short and the vests were ironed and all were a little drunk. And yes, we saw girls navigating the sandy beach in minis and high heels, the highlite of Bryan’s trip to Korea. I’m not sure what to make of it.
We walked around the beach area trying to find a restaurant that still looked a little hopping, most people had already moved to drinking on the beach by this time. All I wanted was some raw fish. The place we had been too the last time we were in Busan was already closing up and so were all the surrounding places. We finally had to go directly to the beach to find what we wanted. The ajummas and the ajoshis were all beckoning us from their patio’s and we finally had just to go with who was the loudest and most abrasive. The ajumma brought the menu to our table, assuming we wanted Fish BBQ, she first pointed to that. We told her we wanted raw and she pointed at the raw, the cheapest of which was 70,000 won. Bryan and looked at each other in a moment of panic, as much as I hate leaving a restaurant once we are sitting, that is a lot of money to pay for one meal. She saw our look of horror and immediately knocked 20,000 won of the menu price. It was still a little rich for our blood, but we decided to take it. Hungry and desperate.
The ajumma had seated closest to the beach, perhaps as advertising that her restaurant was foreigner friendly. However, it was also the closest to the three drunk guys with a number of empty soju bottles on their table. As we sat down, they eyed us. They paid close attention to what we ordered and our soju and our beer. They were very interested. It was inevitable. Bryan is just to good looking for his own good.
The ajumma who called us into the restaurant didn’t trust that we would know what to do with the food that we ordered and hovered to close for comfort. Nobody could leave us alone. Everybody was in our business.
After the plate of raw fish came out and we had eaten a bit and the broiled fish that comes as a side dish came out, and we hacked into it to get at the little bit of meat available, after we had only had less than one bottle of soju and one beer between the two of us, one of the three men suddenly decided that he was drunk enough to strike up a conversation with us. It started as they usually do, “Where are you from?” and then he told Bryan that he was very handsome and asked if we were a couple. Again, if this had happened in Canada, one would assume that this man was hitting on Bryan, but in Korea, it just means that he wants to be friends or that he thinks Bryan is interesting. It doesn’t have anything to do with sex. He told me that I was beautiful too, just for good measure. Two hours, more soju, and a lot of hand holding later, we had discovered that they were architects that had working on buildings in exotic places like Dubai. Two were 30ish and one was 37. One gave Bryan his card. He liked Bryan a lot and he wanted to me give him English lessons. He was really really drunk. The older one disappeared at some point in the night. Nobody but Bryan and I seemed concerned. The embarrassed friend who was slightly less drunk had to act as an interrupter. He was so embarrassed about his friend. He kept rubbing his hands on his face just like a rabbit does and apologizing. It was really cute. Eventually he convinced his drunker friend to leave. It was 2:30 AM and they had to work at 8:00.
Bryan and I walked around a bit more, then decided to buy a picnic mat and joined the youth on the beach. We sat with a bottle of whisky and watched the drunken antics of those around us before we caught a cab back to the hotel, donating our 3000 won picnic mat to two matless girls. It was a lovely night.
The next day we did more shopping, finished up Bryan’s souvenir shopping and sock shopping. He bought a lot of socks. I purchased the ugliest most awesome New Balance shoes. I have no more excuses to not work out. Except the whole being horribly afraid of trying to find a gym and actually go there regularly. (I do not look forward to all the staring that is going to happen, but Sally and I bought a gym membership, more blogging to come.) We went back to the beach in the eveing for more raw fish. This time we went back to a place we knew and had a much better and way cheaper meal than the night before. Although, slightly less entertaining, only slightly though, we witnessed a drunk woman who lost her shoes at restaurant rag on the ajumma in charge, who didn’t seem to give a damn, while the embarrassed offspring and husband hovered in the corner.
We didn’t know what to do during our second last night together in Korea and just bought some junk food and hung out at the hotel. Saturday morning, after we checked out of the hotel, we dropped our bags off at Busan Station and then we wondered around a bit more. Taking it all in.
We returned to Seoul on the 3:00 KTX getting home in time to finish Bryan’s packing before we headed out to meet friends for Bryan’s last night in Korea. I had to make an effort to not cry into my dalkgalbi. Then more of an effort not to cry into my beer at the hof that followed. We eventually ended up at FF because we always do. We danced a lot. Out on the street, getting some air, Bryan and I ended up talking to another Canadian couple from Toronto. The boy was leaving in a couple of weeks to attend Berkeley and the girl was staying another year. The boy told me that he was glad to be leaving because he doesn’t like Korea very much. He was otherwise nice, but I say good riddance, if you cannot appreciate Korea, then you do not deserve to be here. I wish him luck though, I really do.
Sunday morning came all too soon and it was time to get to the airport. We stopped for one last coffee at Gloria Jeans Coffee and then got on the airport Shuttle. We rode in almost silence for two hours and arrived at the airport too quickly. The wait for the check-in wasn’t too bad. We met a nice couple from Seattle that had been visiting their English teacher son. At the check in the lady told Bryan that he had to go through security almost right away. I did my best to not weep; I didn’t want him to weep either. We had our final hug over the gate and then he was gone. As soon as he walked through security I darted in the nearest bathroom and cried hard for about ten minuets. I gathered myself and got on the bus for home. My apartment, not ours anymore. It’s lonely without him.
The past three months have been the perhaps the best in my life. I have had so much fun with Bryan here. Almost everyday was an adventure. I cannot wait until we come back to Korea together.
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