Japan

Japan...Well, it was fantastic. It was very different from my trip to Thailand, which was also most wonderful. Thailand was about having a crazy good time in Bangkok and relaxing in the paradise that is Ko Phi Phi. Japan was full of sightseeing and learning about Japanese culture. As much as I adored my trip to Thailand, I did not walk away thinking that I learned a great deal about Thai culture. I learned that Thai food is scrumtrulescant, that Bangkok is sadly yet also delightfully seedy, and that when I elope with Leo, we will run away to Ko Phi Phi. The focus was on relaxation rather than education. I walked away from Japan in love with their culture and eager to build a time machine to return to Edo period Japan and become the first samurai geisha.

Let me start with the Japanese people. I know there are nice and difficult people no matter where you go in the world, but the Japanese seemed to be particularly friendly and welcoming. Perhaps I have been in Korea for too long and have just found too many occasions to become frustrated by the locals, but the Japanese stood out as less aggressive. True, we required more help in Japan since we were in an unfamiliar country while Korea has become second nature, but we consistently met some of the kindest and most considerate people I've encountered in my travels (both in Asia or back home). Also, no one in Japan ever spat at me and said, “Welcome to Japan”.

While we were in Kyoto, we focused on traditional sights and saw a few temples and a castle. My Buddhist temple stay in Korea sparked an interest in Buddhism so seeing all of these amazing Buddhist temples was a perfect way to continue learning about the religion. Although each temple shared the same features, I never felt bored or that I was seeing a series of replicas. They each had something unique that kept it exciting. Nijo-jo was the only castle we saw and we were able to actually go inside and walk on the nightingale floor, which squeaks at the faintest step to warn the shogun of assassins. I felt like I was in old Japan, which is why I kept my numchucks on the ready. I also received my favorite souvenir at the castle. There was a group of Japanese schoolchildren and one young boy approached me for an interview about my trip to his country. His English was limited so he received a great deal of help from his friend. It was adorable. Then, the cuteness reached epic proportions. When he was finished with the interview, he thanked me by giving me a brochure about Kyoto...which he made himself. This was too much and I nearly vomited chunks of “awww”. I will treasure this gift forever.


After good times and good food in Kyoto, we took the bullet train to Tokyo, passing Mount Fuji along the way. I love Tokyo. It's fun. It's clean. It's beautiful. It's easy to get around. There are so many different interesting areas and I believe that we hit up all the good ones. Ueno provided us with a lovely park and museum as well as a market (I love Asian markets). We had a crazy night amidst the lights of Shibuya (I woke up on the floor of a PC room...raging night in Tokyo, check PLUS). I spent many, many yen in Asukusa, which also had a very lively temple. We checked out the sights of modern Tokyo in Shinjuku AND I found a watering hole where one of my heroes, Mr. Anthony Bourdain, once wet his whistle. Akubara was anime and video game central. Harajuku is where we found stylish Tokyo youth. We did a lot. It was fun but tiring. SO, our last day in Tokyo, my favorite day, was one about relaxing, being entertained, and celebrating a trip well done.


Our last day in Tokyo was a day of Japanese theater and spa. When we first got to Tokyo, Carolyn and I got tickets to see Kabuki theater that Monday. We briefly touched on Kabuki theater in Dramatic Analysis class back at university. I admit, before I started my adventures in Asia, I had little interest in Asian culture. However, Kabuki theater was one bit of Asia that had sparked my interest back in my schooldays and there was no way, regardless of how much yen it cost, that I was missing the chance to see authentic Japanese theater. I would have brought shame upon myself. The ticket covered two performances, the first a full length play and the second a dance performance. Kabuki surpassed my expectations. It was beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen in a western theater. The traditional kabuki costumes were gorgeous. The actors' movements were what fascinated me most. To me, it was extremely expresssive yet in a constrained manner. Oooohhhhh, it was good. Experiencing the combination of traditional costumes, music, and customs all on one stage was a great cumulative way to end such a cultural trip. Goodness, theater is great. After the theater, we met with our other travel companion, Joseph, and headed to the spa and bathhouse. It was my first time in an Asian bath (they have them in Korea as well) and I was a little nervous about the required nudity. However, after a few minutes, I got over it and enjoyed the hot water and general lethargy. Sooooooooo nice. It was the perfect way to end the trip.


So, my advice is to go to Japan. I think you will like it.

Home Stretch

Two and a half months left. Whoah. I meant to focus this blog on the pure joy that I feel over the thought of returning from whence I came. However, I also feel, for the first time, a little sad at the thought of saying goodbye to my life in Korea. I am rather certain that these next couple of months will fly at an increasingly fast rate. Strange. Even stranger perhaps is that I often forget that I am so far from home and every day is just a typical day in mytypical life. I do think that I might miss you, Korea...but not nearly as much as I miss my home.

Anywho, back to the pure joy bit. The thought of being home soon makes the little demons inside of me dance their pagan dance everyday. I, of course, expect to have some sort of BLOW OUT when I return, so if you are reading this and think that I might enjoy your company, keep your schedule clear around the late beginning/early middle of February 2011. There are an insane amount of things that I miss and must do upon my return. These are the top ones that first pop into mind...

-Baths.
I can spend an hour in the bath. Easy. Candles. Bubbles. Music. Probably a glass or three of wine the first time (to celebrate, of course).

-Sandwiches
I'm going to have a sandwich festival. Others are welcome to join but, really, they will be superfluous. First, I will go on a shopping spree at Domick's and make it rain dolla, dolla bills at the deli. Next, I'll hit up Jimmy John's and Potbelly. When in Minocqua, it'll be all about the grouper sanwich and the french dip at the Thirsty Whale. Korea does not do sanwiches and their attempts at them are abysmal. ABYSMAL.

-Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
I'm eating the entire thing.

-Englishee!
English everywhere. Hell yes. I will almost always know what is going on around me. I suspect that it will be a sensory overload. I am accustomed to walking down the street and not being able to understand what is being said around me or what I read. Everything is a blur. I suppose this is what it feels like to be a baby or a dog...or entirely inebriated.

-Fresh Air
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE.

-Stars
They still exist, right?

- BEER.
Korea has the most terrible beer that has ever touched my sweet, sweet lips and I intend on drinking my weight in proper brews. I shall consume any and every tasty beer in sight.

-Driving
I hope that I don't kill anybody the first time I get behind the wheel again. Even if I do, it will still be cool to drive again.


Ok, now let me turn to what I will miss about Korea. Obviously, the friends I have made here are at the top of the list, but there is also...

-Shopping
Anyone who really knows me from back home knows that I generally don't like to shop. Maybe it's because I'm frugal or maybe it's because it just bores me. Not the case in Korea. I could shop all day everyday in Korea. It's insanely cheap and I seem to always want EVERYTHING. And sometimes, that's exactly what I get. I believe that my wardrobe has doubled, perhaps tripled in the past 10 months. I also love the outdoor shopping shopping areas, even in the winter. They have the perfect combination of shopping, food, and liveliness. AND, if you're extra lucky, you may stumble across an ajumma (older woman) fight.

-Food
I am desperate for the food back home but I will, of course, miss Korean food. Galbi (MEAT!), mondu (dumplings), kimbap (like sushi, but Korean style), and Dak Galbi (a fanastic chicken dish) are the dishes that I shall miss most of all. Don't get me started about how sorely I will miss street food in Seoul. I really don't want to talk about it. I will be losing a part of me. However, I think I'll be ok without the kimchi.

-SOJU
Yes, I have been steering clear of the demon booze these days...but its soooooooooooo cheap. I like knowing that if I want to, I can kill all of my brain cells for under 3 dollars. Its a nice feeling.

-The Kids
Overall, the kids that I work with are rather fanastic. I like 'em.

-My Apartment
It may be small, but I have succesfully created a warm, cozy home away from home.

-Sylvester
After 5 months, Sylvester is still very much alive and he doesn't seem to be going anytime soon. He amazes me everyday with his survival skills. He's my little miracle. No other fish of mine has ever made it past a month or so. I don't know what will happen to him when I leave but I hope that someone kind will see to his care. No singers, though. Sylvester only likes it when I sing to him.

Oh, Korea. Being in Korea has been just like dating someone. I dated Korea. First, it was really exciting and as we got to know eachother, I was constantly discovering new and interesting things. And Korea and I are so different and I often seem to end up with guys that are somewhat opposite of me. Things were good for a while. Functional and often fun. Then, I started to pay more attention to the things about Korea that I don't entirely admire or that irritate me. I also began to feel smothered. Korea was just always there and needing something from me. So, I needed some space and went to Thailand. Now, Thailand was something new and it was also insanely beautiful and charming. I realized that there are other fish in the sea and I broke up with Korea. BUT, we still had to live and work together so things were awkward and tense for a bit. Luckily, we got past all that and although we know that we ultimatley aren't a good match and aren't meant to live our days out together, we are still friends and I appreciate the things that intially drew me into the relationship in the first place. Despite the homesickness and the deep desire to return home, Korea will always have a special place in this black heart of mine.


Oh, I will also miss silliness like the above picture.

Thailand

At the end of September, I went on a most magical vacation to Thailand. It was a rather bipolar trip. First, we spent a couple nights in Bangkok, which was wonderfully strange, somewhat chaotic, and extremely seedy. Then, we flew to Phuket and were ferried to Phi Phi Island, which was obnoxiously beautiful. I believe that I took more photos during my one week in Thailand than I have in my entire stay in Korea thus far. Let me quickly recap some of my favorite moments of the trip....
- The Food
I feel as if I could eat Thai food everyday for the rest of my life. It was the opposite of not delicious. Pad Thai and yellow curry were my favorite dishes. Also consumed were red and green curries, papaya salad, and lots of spring rolls (not really specific to Thailand, but still delicious). And let us not forget the beautiful breakfast buffet that our resort on Phi Phi Island catered every morning. There was no sleeping in during our island stay because my dear friend/roommate Lindsay and I take buffets very seriously. Food everywhere. When we got back to Korea, nothing else seemed delicious. Yes, I like Korean food. I might even love it. But I want to marry, impregnate, and grow old with Thai food.


-Khaosan Rd, Bangkok
While in Bangkok, we stayed right in the middle of Khaosan Rd, which is teeming with shopping, food, bars, and very strange people. During our nights in Bangkok, we stayed on this road and shopped, ate, drank, people watched, got fish massages (TWICE), and I even rescued a lady boy from some jacka** foreign man who wouldn't let go of her purse. Khaosan road reminded me very much of Duval street in Key West but on crack or shrooms. I'd love to go there again.

-Longboat ride through the canal of Bangkok
This was perhaps my favorite part of the trip and an amazing way to see Bangkok. Also, Anthony Bourdain did it on his show, so I KNOW that is was the thing to do. The best part was when our guardian angel pulled up on his floating market, which was loaded with fruits, vegetables, and BEER. Bless him forever.









-Pool Bar.
Yesssssssssss.



-The general beauty of Phi Phi Island
These photos will never do it justice but they will have to suffice for now. The picture in the middle is a lagoon where we swam and the one on the bottom is a bay where my beloved Leo filmed "The Beach". I could feel him in the water. I have many more to share if the reader wishes to ever see more.













-Our resort's attention to detail




Thailand was fantastic. Go there if you can.

Photographs that I was too lazy to take...

No, I have not taken many photos during my time here. I am just not a picture taker. I don't like lugging the thing around, worrying about smashing it, getting it wet, turning out incriminating photos, blah, blah, blah. Also, when I'm having a good time, I want to enjoy the glory of the moment and not break its flow for documentation. HOWEVER, I have friends who DO like to take photos, so I spent a little bit of time going through facebook and stealing their work. Here is what I found....

This first batch are photos of me teaching my Shakespeare class from awhile back. I know this because I haven't worn pants in MONTHS.







These are pictures of some of the classrooms in which I teach. Thankfully, we no longer have classes in the bus...what a DUMB idea. Also, note the ever sexed student (major props to my friend/coworker Keri for snapping this photo)...yes, Koreans love to wear apparel that contains any English. Whether they know what it actually says or not is absolutely irrelevant. I have also spotted many young students sporting Absolut Vodka shirts and other garments of the boozy nature.










THESE I ACTUALLY TOOK! They are from a lantern festival in...April? May? Yeah, one of those months. It was a very fun, very cultural day. Plus, I ate McDonald's chicken selects, which are always delicious.







And thhheeeeeeessse last three are from my recent rafting trip. It was beautiful trip.





So, there you go. Photos.

6 Months In...

I am six months into my contract. It is going by rather quickly and I feel that these next six months will be an even faster downhill ride. Since my last post not much has happened. It has been a wonderfully fun summer, perhaps too much fun. But these days, I have been trying to cut my body and liver a break and have attempted to take it easy...though, in Korea, this is more than often not possible. The only super exciting thing I have done since Mud Festival has been the rafting trip I took part in last weekend. LET ME TELL YOU, it was wonderful to get some fresh air and escape the toxic Incheon air. Also, there was water and LOTS of it. I love water and I love being in my bikini so it was a beautiful way to spend the day.

Other than my trip, there is not much to report. Life seems to be just that nowadays-life. I go to work. I have some giggles. I feed Sylvester (who is, amazingly, still alive). I do some chores. I drink some wine. I tell a child that I will kill him/her (usually him). I try to stick to my workout routine. I eat. poop. sleep. Just like a baby.

About 6 months ago, I blogged about my goals for Korea...let's see how I've done so far and remember that I still have 6 months to not accomplish them all...

1. "Be named teacher of the week"
Point for me. I have been named teacher of the week three times since I started working here. Done and done.
2. "Get in the best shape of my life"
Another point for me. I remember that a smart ass little girl named Julie initially prompted me to take on this goal. As I recall, she thought teacher to be "fat". Well, little Julie, I have definitely lost a few and tightened up. Also when a Korean friend sincerely and confusedly asks you, "Elise, you drink so much beer, but you're not fat. Why?", you figure that you must be doing something right. I was in the best shape of my life probably when I was 7, so I'm not going to say that I am absolutely on the top of my game. BUT, I feel good, I think that I look ok, and you can SUCK IT, little Julie. Suck it.
3."Speak a decent amount of Korean"
HA!
4. "Read most of the books on my shelf"
When I get home from work, my brain and body are tired and all I want to do is watch South Park. Since I have been here, I have only read three and a half books and I don't foresee the reading rainbow getting brighter anytime soon . Anyway, it's the children who need to be literate and the teachers who should get to watch crude cartoons.
5. "Hike a Korean Mountain"
More points for me. I have hiked a couple of mountains, most notably a really big one in Jeju. I don't remember it's name. Trust me, it was big. Just ask Gail.
6. "Learn to cook a Korean dish or two"
POINT. I have actually become rather famous for my kimchi fried rice around these parts. I am also REALLY good at mixing soju with just about anything.
7. "Make one child cry"
I did make one girl cry the other week. Unfortunately, she was crying because she was going to miss me. Those are not the kind of tears I was going for. Minus point.

Six more months to go.

What I miss most right now are bubble baths and decent beer. So, please, send me Leinenkugel bubble bath. Also, a bathtub.

Utopia

At Mud Festival 2010, all I could keep thinking is, "This is the way I was meant to live". Spending the weekend barefoot, in a bathing suit, covered in mud, swimming in the ocean, lying on the beach, and often with a drink in hand was nothing short of utopia. And when it ever became somewhat necessary to wear actual clothing (say, in a restaurant), all I felt compelled to opt for was a ridiculous short sleeved, Homer Simpson hoodie. No pants. No problem.

Let me give you a quick recap of the festivities....

Friday Evening...
-We arrive in Boryeong around 10 pm, settle into our hotel room, have a couple drinks, and head out to the beach and boardwalk.
-We walk the beach for a bit. Oh, how I love big bodies of water. The beach is very pretty and very clean. And, most importantly, I finally breathe some fresh air. Fresh air nonexistent in the Incheon/Seoul area.
-We have a delicious dinner on the boardwalk, in which we consume fresh shellfish/clams cooked right at our table. After the seafood, we decide to sample the chicken ass. At first, I was not a huge fan of chicken butt, but it shortly grew on me. Yummy(ish).
- We head back to the hotel for some rest because there is a big day in store.

Saturday...
- We awake and see that it is a little drizzly and dreary outside. I am not even slightly worried about this minute detail.
- I cook a Korean convenience store breakfast for my roommates. We feast on beef jerky and pepper jack cheese stick omelets with a side of canned fruit cocktail. As I am cooking, Linsday is preparing the Malibu Rum coffee. It is a beautiful breakfast. We play some silly games as we eat and drink and then head off to the festival.
- We reach the beach. I am buried in the sand. We slide down a water slide. Clearly, we are not close enough to the mud yet, as the slide is mudless. Still, it is fun.
- We reach the mud. There are mud pits, slides, painting booths, events, blah blah blah, stationed all around. We mainly hit the mud pits, which are actually rather dangerous. Mud covered monsters welcome you into the pit and then body slam you into the depths of the grime. There are mud fights and wrestling everywhere. It is aggressive, dangerous, primitive, and wonderful.
- Throughout the day, we go back and forth between the mud and the ocean. One of the most lovely aspects of the festival is that you can get as beautifully muddy as your heart desires but then quickly run into ocean, have a little swim, and clean up.
- We meet up with some other friends next to the big stage that is set up for musical performances. We spot a young man who has fallen asleep amidst all of the excitement. Let me note that he is absolutely passed out up against the stage and is right next to the blaring loud speakers. But this does not awaken the little angel...therefore, he absolutely deserves to be buried in the sand.
- We start to head back to the hotel for some rest. However, I am far from ready to rest and decide to use this alone time to swim my little heart out in the ocean. I swim for awhile until the Korean police/beach guards decide that the water is too dangerous for swimming. Let me note that, by American beach standards, the water was nothing to worry about. There were a few waves. That's about it. The problem is that most Koreans don't know how to swim/are terrified of the water/the elements. Therefore, I had to suffer due to their lack of aquatic skills. Not fair.
- As I sadly start to head back to the hotel, I run into John, one of my friends/roommates. He suggests that we rent an inflatable rowboat. I am, of course, on board with this notion. We row, some (me) better than others (John). Unfortunately, the beach guards approach us on their jet skis as they are SCREAMING at us to get out of the water. We are in a boat, aren't we? There's nothing to worry about...or so I thought (right before we capsize).
- We make it back to the hotel, regroup, refresh, and head back to the beach to meet other friends for dinner. We have another delicious dinner on the boardwalk, this time with sam gyup sal, fatty pork that you cook at your table. It is an extremely enjoyable meal with good meat, good drinks, and lots of laughs.
- We take a stroll down the boardwalk, having lots of silly fun along the way. Two of my girlfriends and I eventually sit down on some huge steps to the beach and watch the fireworks.
- We decide to give the rowboat another shot. As the beach guard sees us carrying the boat to the beach, he firsts asks, "Swimming". I reply, "No, boating". The Korean beach guard replies back with "Dangerous". I explain to him, "Koreans, swimming, no. USA, swimming, good" and proceed on my merry way. As Linsday and I were thrown out of our little boat by the fury of the sea, I think "Wow, for once, a Korean policeman was actually being helpful".
- Since we are unable to enjoy the boat in the ocean, we enjoy it on the sand. It almost feels the same. A couple of friends who just arrived in Boryeong meet us on the beach and we have a brief sand fight.
- We head back to the hotel. Goodnight.


Sunday......
-We awaken and spend the morning in the same manner as the previous. The only difference is that we prepare soju boxes after we have polished off the Malibu. A soju box is like a juice box but for adults or misguided youth.
-The weather today is BEAUTIFUL. It is sunny and hot but there is a slight breeze that keeps you cool enough. Most of the day is spent on the beach. I spend most of my time swimming.
-We return to the mud. The mud pits are more organized and less dangerous today, perhaps because there are more children and families around(though, some parents thought that it was fine to let their little girls join in on the mud pit battles yesterday...unbelievable). At one point, our mud pit is cleared of all others and Linsday, Stella, and I are asked to stay in and hounded by about 12 photographers who keep telling us what to do. "Slide in the mud!", "Now, jump!", "Now, eat the mud!". I felt like Heidi Klum. Only less stunning and more muddy. In the second mud pit, we insist that everyone stops what they are doing and play duck, duck, goose. For some ungodly reason, they listen to us.
-We end the day at the beach and then head to another wonderful Korean dinner. This time, we sit on the floor, which is always very festive and usually very uncomfortable. However, I am in such high spirits that I am completely ok with the floor. It is at this dinner where we all notice how insanely sunburned we are. Joe and Bill have it the worst. I do not look too good myself. It's hilarious. Hilarious and painful.
- We drive home and the dream is over.

Mud festival. To this little mud solider, it will forever be remembered as the most glorious of weekends.

The Fun Scale

I have been very busy these days. Luckily, I have been busy with FUN rather than WORK (though, nonstop working will return once more in September...hooray). Let's start with the Fourth of July. I was really sad to be missing the Fourth in Minocqua, even though I usually work on the Fourth anyway...usually the double shift. HOWEVER, celebrating my nation's freedom in Korea was actually absolutely delightful. Fellow teachers and I had a barbecue on the top of our apartment building. While it is rather dirty up there, the view of urban Incheon surrounded by pretty, pretty mountains compensated for the general dirt and grime. What did NOT compensate for the filth was the scorching hot sun. Fortunately, we battled the heat by running to Homeplus and purchasing a decent number of water guns. Water gun battles ensued...over and over again. I fell three times. Fell hard. Once flat on my back. Wasn't sore in the morning though because I am a beast. After we ran out of water and realized how much extra spirits we had left over, the water gun fight turned into a booze gun fight, with each gun featuring a different spirit. It was disgusting. It was fun. Bam! Beer in yo face! Bam! Soju attack! Bam! Taken down by Makali (a white rice wine)! However, one fierce warrior took it a step too far when he decided to incorporate red wine into the battle. Game over. We ended the evening by shooting some fireworks off and NOT getting arrested or even approached by the police. It was all safe fun. All in all, although I was away from my beloved USA, it was a great Fourth of July celebration. God bless America.

On the other end of the fun scale is my infected cut. One Saturday evening, as my friends and I were departing Seoul, I fell into a ditch while attempting to enter a cab. NOT SO MUCH MY FAULT. The cab driver parked next to this scary, deep, wide, dirty ditch, because Koreans can't drive or even park properly. If you read this and think, "oh goodness gracious, what a stereotype!", then you have obviously never lived in Asia...or on the U of I campus. ANYWAY, I fell into the ditch and cut my leg. I knew it wasn't good, but since Donna Tolish trained me to never seek medical attention, I figured that I would survive. A week and a half later, it was looking nasty, so I first checked with the ICEV nurse. She gave me a look of disgust and insisted that I go to the hospital that very day. I went the next day and was officially told that it was an infection and was then given an injection in the a** and some antibiotics. I just pray that it is healed by.......

MUD FESTIVAL!!!!! Mud festival is next weekend. It is exactly what it sounds like and I might pass out with excitement when I get there. And I WIL be there, infected wound or not.

Now that the fun scale is now back on track, I will let you know that THAILAND is also in my near future. September 19-26 will be a week of beautiful beaches, hopefully lots of coconut rum, swimming, delicious food, lady boys, and screaming at children not because they are talking when teacher is talking but because their sand castle got in the way of my rum soaked stumble into the sea.

Last note- Sylvester and Fluffy are somehow still alive.

This is What Has Been Happening To Me...

Here is what has happened since the last time I blogged....

-I finished teaching Saturday classes (for now) and therefore am VERY, VERY happy. If I ever have to teach another internet class from my home at 9:00 on a Friday night again, I will dunk my head into a bucket of acid. You want to know how I coped with that abysmal situation? I drank wine during every session and rarely wore a bra. That made me a little more happy and a little more comfortable.

-My family came to Korea for a visit. T-Bone, the Wyotch, Rachie, Gay-Gay, and EC accomplished quite a lot and, although Rachel would perhaps disagree, we covered a vast amount of sightseeing spots. It was lovely to have them here. Although, Gay-Gay and I were rather tired by the end of it so we started to make our own fun while being melted by the Korean sun at some palace. More to come on that in the future. Highlights of the trip include some beautiful sights at Jeju Island, the most insane bus ride I ever have or ever shall experience, watching the World Cup in Itaewon, and, of course, watching August Rush in our hotel room (it's a beautiful film).

-I have started teaching English to Kindergartners once a week. They are obnoxiously cute and it shouldn't be too difficult for me to smuggle one into my bag and take it home. They are small and my bag is big.

- Work is actually going down the sh***er. Upper management is just awful. Money hungry. Absolutely not in touch with what it is like to actually teach at ICEV. Thank god that I really like my fellow teachers and also sometimes really enjoy the children.

- I bought two fish. Their names are Fluffy and Sylvester. They are the most boring fish I've ever met. I'm thinking of flushing them not because they are dead or dying but because neither of them possesses a personality.


And that is what has been going on in this segment of my adventures.

Working Hard for the (wine) Money

Today is my first day off after a thirteen day work period. I normally just work Saturdays, teaching for the Saturday program, but we had an overnight last weekend which meant that I had to work on Sunday as well. By day seven, I began to loose my voice and the remaining week of teaching was somewhat challenging. I felt like Ariel in The Little Mermaid when her voice was taken by the sea witch...only the sea witch was ICEV and rather than receiving a new pair of legs, I received overtime pay...which will go towards the purchase of lots and lots of wine (as it always does).

Although working thirteen days straight is not super fun, I enjoyed the overnight. I went on my first field trip (as a teacher, not as a human)! We went to a little amusement park called Aiins World, where they have models of famous landmarks from around the world. I chaperoned my grammar class, which is comprised of a very lovely group of little Koreans. After the field trip, we went back to ICEV, where we had some activities and held class. However, the kids were a little too pumped up to have a full lesson, so we took a quiz, quickly discussed adjectives and then proceeded to the gym, where they played dodge ball. Watching a bunch of children hurl balls at one another makes for more fun than a 80 minute grammar lesson.

ANYWHO, here are some pictures from the overnight. These are the same kids that I have been teaching every Saturday for the past 8 weeks. I have them for three more weeks. While I am excited that I will not have to work the next weekend program, it has been nice having the same students consistently (versus the main program, where it's a new group every week). Still, as much as I like these kids, I WANT MY WEEKENDS BACK! BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I apologize for referencing such a lame song in the title of this blog. It's all I've got right now.

Students of the Past and Present

Soooooo, today was a little rough at work. Just a little. My Shakespeare boys were naughty, I had to give THREE red stamps (which are like the Scarlet Letter of ICEV), and my students' English level is super low. The concept of choosing an English name was waaaayyyy over their heads. I had to name many of them. Mostly because the boys were picking names like :"Julie" and "Judy" and the girls were choosing names like "Chris". Although, RC Robo was able to name himself. Clever kid.

ANYWAY, although this week might be rough, when I arrived home tonight, I came across some letters that past students have written me. They are too adorable to not share. Here are two of my favorites....

This one is from Sally;
"Dear <3 <3 ET Teacher" (that is what the students call me)
"Hello. ET Teacher I am Sally. How are you. I am very happy. I Love you ET Teacher. I like ET Teacher...I'm very thanks for you. <3 <3 <3
Bye Bye.
ET Teacher...
from: Sally

This one is from Clara;
"Hello! Elisa teacher. I'm your student, Clara. I'm very thank you for you. <3 Because you was teached us for 1 week. <3 So I'm very thank you for you. <3 I think I was greedy for you. So also I'm very sorry for you! But I can't forget you! Because you're my teacher. I think you're greatest teacher in ICEV <3. I hope you will get gold medal for teacher! Thank you!! teacher! I can't forget you!
-Clara-

Well, Clara, I didn't win a gold medal but I DID win teacher of the week that week (I can now check that off of my list of goals!) AND a 10,000 won gift certificate to the cinema! So thanks for your support, dearest Clara!

I do not see teacher of the week in my future for this week...these kids give me a bad feeling. I feel many red stamps and am warming up my vocal chords for when I have to pull out the "teacher voice". However, while not every week will be golden, I will keep in mind that for all the bad students I encounter, I encounter about five times as many Sally and Claras.

The Point System

I've decided to keep Korea and Elise on a point system. Whichever party has the most points when I leave wins.

Korea + 1 point for having buttons on the tables at restaurants.

Korea -3 points for squatters/public toilets where you have to squat.

Korea +2 for your barbecue, where you wrap your delicious meat, garlic, and whatever condiments you so choose in lettuce.

Elise +1 for being the most polite person on the subway.

Elise -1 point for one time accidentally sitting in the area reserved for the elderly, handicapped, and pregnant.

Korea -2 points for producing a Korean version of the musical Legally Blonde...it just doesn't translate.

Elise +2 points for your dedicated support of Korean street food.

Korea +3 points for providing Korean street food.

Elise -1 point for Elise's stomach, who has already often suffered from indulging in too much Korean street food.



Current score: Korea 1, Elise 1

This Post is Dedicated to My Father

There are several adventures/experiences/opinions that are on my blogger agenda. However, all comes second to this hot topic, which I felt needed immediate blogging attention.

I doubt that this topic is exclusive to Korea. I'm sure you could come across a similar situation in the states, perhaps at the Costco or Sam's Club. Regardless, it is a situation that I felt was worth discussing.

I bought what I thought was a pack of butter from the grocery store. The packaging led me to believe that there were, of course, four sticks of butter enclosed. "Oh, how well stocked I shall be for topping popcorn and sauteing vegetables," thought I.

What I received, rather than my four normal sticks of butter, was one ENORMOUS BUTTER STICK. I named him GIGANTOR. He will be delicious.

My father will be dying of envy when he reads this.

Don't worry Pops, I FedExed you your own GIGANTOR earlier this day.

The Good and the Bad of Korea (Part 1)

Good :)

Nanta- I went to the theater this past Sunday evening and saw a truly wonderful and entertaining show, Nanta (which mean's "Cookin'" in English). It is extremely famous and popular in Korea. It is one of those shows in which the actors play music using everyday objects as instruments, like Stomp. In this case, knives, pots, pans, and things of the sort are used. However, in the end, they use regular drumming instruments and just go to town. The whole show was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had in a theater. ALSO, I was dragged onstage (they target foreigners). The audience was split into two teams and I was brought up to cook for my side, the blue team. I, of course, WON. Duh.

Pagers- In many restaurants and bars in Korea, there is a button you press to page your server. It's perfect. In one bar, they even have a buzzer at each seat so that the server knows exactly who to go to. So, you never have to be thirsty. Ever. The Thirsty Whale needs to get in on this idea quickly.

Recycling- The Koreans are very adamant about separating the trash and recycling. In fact, I was walking around a shopping area in Seoul, eating some ice cream, and I decided that I was finished with the ice cream. I went to the entrance of a store, where I saw a trash can. Before I could place my trash in the can, an employee came out of nowhere, took my ice cream and walked away. At first, I was certain that she was suffering from ice cream envy and taking my sweet treat to the employee lounge to finish it off. However, a friend informed me that I was about to place my food trash in a non-food garbage can. There is also a recycling center outside my apartment, where there is usually an old man on duty to make sure that everyone recycles properly. Good for Korea.

Street Food- I've mentioned street food in other posts but I just need to reiterate how much I love the culinary street fare, especially on a night out. Deep fried squid, deep fried sweet potatoes, stuff on sticks, rice noodles in spicy sauce, wraps filled with goodness, blah, blah, blah. Half the time, I don't even know what I am shoving down my gullet, but I always enjoy it. And for only 1,000 or 2,000 won (1 or 2 bucks)!

Eat, DRINK, and be Merry- Along with the endless sea of food available on the street, it is legal to drink on the street. It's like being in Key West, only you aren't on vacation. You are just living your life. Your booze soaked life. God Bless Korea.

Saving Energy- If you drive around Seoul or Incheon, the desire to save energy is not very easy to see. It is a very industrialized area. HOWEVER, in almost all buildings, heat is not used throughout. For example, the hallways of my school are not heated. Yes, this makes for a cold walk from class to class, but it is a mild moment of inconvenience that saves money on the heating bills and, more importantly, energy. Also, Koreans do not use dryers. They line dry their clothing. What patient people.

Bad :(

Saving Energy- I don't have a dryer! I need that pair of underpants NOW!

Female Attire- Korean women, especially around my age and perhaps a little younger dress up and/or wear super trendy clothing ALL THE TIME. At first, I found this to be a good thing and was really into their fashion sense. Now that I realize how much time they into their appearance, it has become tiresome. They also (and I am barely generalizing at this point) wear high heels in all situations OR they wear some type of platform shoe. Many also dress overly feminine. Lots of bows. Lots of frills. And the SKIRTS. The SKIRTS and SHORTS are what get me. There can be a blizzard destroying the streets of Seoul, and a large percentage of the young women will still have their asses hanging out of their skirts or shorts. I can't go on, I have too much to write on this topic. Next time you see me, just ask me about it.

Pushing- Koreans are pushers. Especially the little old ladies. Ooooooh, they are aggressive.

Crowds- Korea is crowded. Very crowded. Combine the crowds with the pushing and things can get very hairy.

Apartment Pics

Here are some recent pictures of my apartment. Things have changed a little since the video tour, such as the acquirement of my Korean throne and the flowers I stuck to the wall. I was very against stickers on the wall, but I have not been able to find any decent prints and I think that they actually look alright. If you don't like them, then fly your behind to Korea and put up some wallpaper for me, ok?! Also, bring me some goods from Pottery Barn because I don't care for the majority of my furniture. Still, I am grateful to have made it from a room with just a bed and one dining room chair to the fully furnished, much more cozy habitat you see now...and all I have had to purchase is some flower stickers, a mirror, and a picture frame! The rest was looted or garbage picked. Bless Korea.

Also, I KNOW that one of the pictures is not placed in the correct way but after two times of trying to fix it, I GAVE UP. Enjoy it, anyhow.