A Surprise Night Out

After class Friday night Dong-il invited me out for a drink. We went to the usual spot where, after some conversation he convinced me I just had to see a Korean night club. It was pretty upscale, a live boy band in white suits. They kept taking their jackets off and dancing all sexy like. We didn't stay long. After we went to another place filled with foreigners normally except it's summer and alot of the teachers are travelling in other countries plus it was pretty late. Met a c-r-a-z-y Irish man who imformed my rather bitterly that he'd overstayed his visa by "mistake" and the school was making him leave in a weeks time. Then he announced: "And now I've told ya I don't wanna talk about it for the rest of the night." ooook.
Later he asked where I was from and said: "Your not a Bush fan are you?" He was so tightly wound I couldn't resist pushing his buttons just a little teeny tiny bit more and told him: "yeah, he's the best! I totally agree with him going into Iraq and Iran!"
Well didn't that just set him off. Went on about American and the "bloody English" oppression for hundreds of years blah, blah, blah, until finally the owner told us he couldn't take it anymore.
Went back to the table of people I'd met before 2 American girls around my age; friends who'd come to Busan together and an American guy around 25. Anyway, we chatted and such and I ended up dragging my sorry self home just before dawn. Teaching a bit today and then I am napping!!!

Korean. Yeah, that's gonna happen.

So, I, being the eternal optomist, bought a book to learn Korean. Yeah, that's gonna happen! Well, it makes me feel a little less guilty just having one anyway. Read a whole chapter though!

Mr. Shim asked me out for drinks after class one night and I took the liberty of inviting another student in the class as well, Alex. So we went out to this place after and had a couple of drinks. Alex is a military prosecutor so I pumped him for interesting stories about cases he's working on and he told us one about a soldier who wanted a high quality talking parrot but his parrot was a cheap one. He puts an ad on the internet wanting to swap parrots but lies and say's his parrot is a different type, higher quality, better. you get the picture. Someone responds to the ad and they switch parrots. Soldier gets away with it and does it again. Swaps parrots with somone else; and a third time until finally he gets caught. Ha! Stranger than fiction my friends!

Also, bought some TESL books complete with articles to make my classes easier.
So now all I have to do is photocopy an article from the book now. It's a lot better than searching for news articles on the web every morning; they're usually too difficult anyway.

Saturday was a little rough. Only one student out of the class showed up for the make-up class (it was a hot saturday) and it was a two hour class instead of one. Sweet girl but young and shy and I always have to tell her to speak louder because i can barely hear here. Plus, it takes her what feels like ten hours to answer, so I felt like pulling my hair out. Then I had another make-up class and one of the students in that class is very similar. Ask a question. no answer. Ask again. blank stare. "Do you understand the question?" I ask.
"yes." She says, like I'm stupid for asking her. (incidently it was a yes or no question). I swear every single thing she says takes what feels like hours to spit out.

I tried really hard not to let my annoyance show but in the middle of the third straight hour of this I groaned and muttered...just a little.

Now that I have my work visa I have to apply for my Alien Residence card which takes about a week to process. And then it's all finally done!

In Her Shoes

I spent most of the weekend doing absolutely nothing except reading that novel "In Her Shoes" the one that they turned into a movie with Cameron Diaz. Finished it in two days, true I was half way through already but nevermind that. It was a good book, I got misty near the end when she gives the wedding speach and I laughed all the through practically. Wanted really bad to buy a DVD player, the Alias Season 4 and the movie of In Her Shoes but I have to wait until payday. Oh, it was killing me! So I decided to read the book instead, having forgotten I brought it along with me and it turned out better for me I think.

So now, the long weekend is over and classes begin again today. a little happy about it, gives me something to do.

Did some grocery shopping at the place next to my building which is awesome! They have everything, even Nutella, french bread, red wine from Chile and everything else. It's great. So lucky to have gotten a place next door to it. Oh, also went to see Pirates of the Cariebbean on Saturday night after Kelly and I both decided we weren't up to going to the pub.

So, all in all it was a laaazy weekend. Very nice. I got an email from Canadian Connections finally and they offered me a job teaching ESL in Korea. 5 weeks vacation! More pay. Grrrr. I only get 7 days -- and not in a row -- here. So I wrote them back they can find something like that for me next year. So, likely I won't be working at this school, everything is good except the vacation time. We'll see but I"m already scheming.

Oh, also, joined the gym on Saturday, worked out on the treadmill. They have t.v.'s on the treadmills, excellent. And lots of American movies. Watched Spy Game while I worked out.

Made spagetti Sunday as well. Tasty.

Hope your all doing well. Thanks for the emails. Keep it up! xoxoxo

Washed up Jelly fish
Keeps the people away

The Jellyfish and the Visa

Went to Japan on Thursday Morning. Took the Hydrofoil boat which was impressive. "Jet engine technology" causes it to hover over the water so there's no swaying back and forth for hours on end. And it's really fast. We were whipping by other boats.

It was clean and comfortable, two floors and they even had a little snack bar.

Japan was super hot; of course I wore my jeans -- having changed into them on the super airconditioned boat -- so when I got off I DIED. it was in the 40's. I waited about 30min in that heat for the bus. found the hotel without a problem though and after checking in took off in search of the Korean embassy. The underground was insanely HUGE. It was a transfer station so they had an underground shopping mall (no exaggeration) which I had to walk to the end of to grab the train.

Getting to the station was fine but then I had to walk at leaste 20 min from the station to the embassy and it was BLAZING hot; mid afternoon heat. Did I mention I was wearing jeans? Ugh! My legs were sweating! Eeeew! I was just itching to peel them off and run down the street nude and insane with sunstroke.

The next morning at luch in the hotel restaurant I met one of the Canadians I'd seen at the embassy the day before; she wanted me to show her how to get there by subway since she thought it would be good to see the underground.

After picking up our Visa's we had 2 1/2 hours to kill before the ferry and decided to find the beach. It was practically empty save for ten people hiding in the shade of trees at the edge of the beach and one or two lone Japanes men suntanning.

After checking out the water I understood why. It was pretty polluted and there was Jelly fish washed up all over the beach. At first, I didn't know what they were: I though it was a piece of plastic. Then Agatha poked a stick through one of them. oh! surprise. It was dead but definately not a piece of plastic.

There were live ones swimming in the ocean so I didn't go in past my ankles. Couldn't remember if they have little stinging tenticles or not...have to look that up.

Just got in last night. It's Saturday morning here and now I have a long weekend because there's a national holiday on Monday. Will hit the beach today? Think I'm going to check out an Irish Pub tonight with Kelly.

It's hot but the clouds are coming in and the wind's getting strong. Loving that breeze!

Fukukoa Rebooked

Tomorrow I try again to make the Visarun to Japan, return Friday. From what all the foreigners tell me Japan is a very clean place -- it's against the law even to drop cigarette butts one the street. Of course super modern too. We'll see. Anyway I'll only be there one day and night.

I hear another typhoon is coming soon too. Apparently, they have 4 or 5 around this time of year. Joy of joys.

For the first 4 hours of classes only 2 students showed up for class the other night of the typhoon. Can't say as I blame them.

Classes are going really well. I'm really enjoying teaching these students. The other day taught them Dido's song "White Flag" -- they asked to learn a song. And I was kinda shy to give it to my last two classes of only men but they really enjoyed it! They said it was a very "Eastern Idea [of love]" refering to the part where she will always love him but will say nothing. And they were open and serious; told me of similar love experiences they had had in their lives.

Well guys, send me lots of emails don't forget!

Fukouka and the Typhoon

Went all the way to the Ferry Terminal by subway this morning only to discover the obvious -- ferry boats cancelled due to the Typhoon that they said was coming for a few days now. The wind and rain are really something else, I've never seen anything like it before.

On the return trip I didn't use the umbrella as it kept turning inside out on me on the way over so I got soaked. The Koreans kept staring at me and pointing at their umbrellas as if to say : "use an umbrella dummy". I just smiled. Thank God the rain is warm! Rebooked for tomorrow but it may not be any better then either. we'll see. So today I have to teach, Mr. Cho called the students to tell them the cancelled classes are back on. Given the weather I wonder how many of them will show up...

Yesterday afternoon I took myself to the movies and watched Superman Returns. Next week I think I'll watch Pirates of the Caribbean II. If I don't go to the beach that is...

I know the band!

Last night I went to a bar called OL'55 near Kyungsung University because Gino, my coworker was playing bass in a band there that night and invited me to swing by if the mood should strike. I was pretty impressed with myself because I found it all by myself. Took the subway to Kyungsung university and then went into aninternet cafe, searched until I came across a foreigner site that gave directions -- and they were right on! So, I was pretty happy. Gino was a little surprised I think 'cause he asked howI found the place. Casually I said: Internet. But really I was surprised I found it myself.

Anyway, it was my first time in a long time going somewhere like that by myself and I felt a bit of a heel most of the night. I introduced myself to a couple of guys sitting and chatting and we had a good talk for a while, both teachers here (isn't everyone?) one from Australia and another from Vancouver. The lead singer, Mike, was also from Canada -- thunder Bay to be exact. They were really good.

Took a taxi home in torrential rains, that in and of itself was interesting. Haven't seen it rain like that in a looong time. But the Cab driver and everyone else didn't bat an eyelash, I guess it's all just part of the Monsoon Season which I've never experienced until now. It rains everyday without exception; though some days it will clear up for a while. So right now, most days are grey and cloudy and sometimes even cool. Of course, everyone has umbrella's and at every place you go in they have plastic bags just to put your umbrella in so it doesn't drip all over.

Right now I'm at a coffee chain called "Holly's Coffee" strangest thing, just wanted to order a regular, simple, everyday coffee and I couldn't! Everything else you could want or imagine: cafe Latte, americano, caramel macciato etc. but can't order coffee. Anyway, got the latte and have to say it's quite nice.

Last night ate at Pizza Hut; they've got a naughty new pizza where the crust is cheese filled pizza sticks! My mouth watered but I ordered the pasta.

Visa

My Visa pin number came through yesterday! I'm on the way to officialdom. Just a little skip over the pond to Japan on Monday for the Visa and the deal is sealed.

They are paying for the trip and the hotel. Should be interesting, traveling by ferry. They emailed me maps, directions, pin and reservation numbers to everything.

Haven't been doing too much these last few days besides teaching, eating and sleeping. Oh, except yesterday I found the Starbucks (sorry Louise), and a pizza place. After 5 days of Korean food it was a little slice of heaven. But there are a lot of foreign restaurants here, anything you could want is at your fingertips: TGI Fridays, NY Steakhouse, Baskin Robins, etc, etc. It's deadly expensive in comparison to Korean food but Korean food is excellent anyway so I have no problem eating it 9/10 times.

Went to the school earlier yesterday and met the other teacher Michael who they for some reason I've yet to figure out all call Gino. He's quite cute.

Mr. Cho said I go to Japan Monday by way of Ferry and return Tuesday. Have to Work the next two Saturdays to make up for the days I missed. Grrrr.

"Teaching"

Yesterday was my first day of "teaching" and I say that lightly. Turns out my classes are conversation classes -- even the ones that aren't are. They give us books but no one wants to use them and they just want me to bring in articles about whatever and discuss them for 50 min. It's a chance for them to practice speaking English with each other and a foreigner. I feel as though I'm here a little for show and not much more.

Anyway, the students are lovely. Unlike the Chinese they are very talkative and generally confident yet humble. They know exactly what they want out of the classes and my job isn't exactly tough. In two of my classes yesterday only one student showed up so we just chatted each other up for a while. Alex was very interesting; a former prosecuter now military judge. He had some stories to tell.

The streets were really busy last night; vendors opening up shop on the sidewalks, cars parked in the street. Saw some hippie foreigners selling hippie jewlery; bought a coffee, much too weak. Once again hurting for the real thing, but I did spy a Starbucks yesterday...soon.

So I am "teaching" from 2pm - 9pm M-F with a one hour lunch break inbetween. 6 classes, 50min long each. The time goes by pretty fast; it hardly seems like work at all -- and I get to stand at the board. Yesterday, the students all listened attentively and took notes as I explained how to order at Starbucks -- I'm changing the world!

Yesterday was a great day. Went to Church with Kelly. It is a huge church with multiple services going on at once -- we of course attended the english one and it was great. Similar to the one in Langley, BC I used to go to.

Afterward we grabbed a taxi to Huandae beach and walked and talked. The water was surprisingly cold, still people were swimming, though the Koreans swim with their shirts on...strange. There were a ton of American G.I.'s playing volleyball, frisby and just sunning themselves. We gawked a little. There's a five star hotel on the beach that Kelly said President Bush stayed at last year; the Korean's aren't fond of him either.

Kelly headed back to church and I stayed on at the beach for some hours afterward. Went to this little restaruant on the boardwalk but they wouldn't let you sit and just order a beer you had to order a $30 appetizer as well. Well, that wasn't happening so at the next place I just sat down and got into the same situation with the owner until i said "beer" in Chinese (it's similar in Korean) and she was chinese so she chatted me up and let me stay there for a drink. Three american G.I.'s walked by and wanted to do the same thing -- jut order some drinks. When the Chinese owner kept pointing at photos of food and the G.I.'s didn't understand anything she called me over to interpret. In the end, they agreed to sell them beer but they couldn't sit and drink it they had to take it to go.

They didn't. But they were pretty pleasant with me and we chatted a bit, met up with them later again on the beach, threw the frisby with them and chatted some more. Eventually, they left to hit the casino. Asked me to go with but I didn't. Anyway, one of them gave me his phone number, said to call him later that night to meet up with them wherever they were partying at. I didn't. Cute guys definately but quite young.