Groovy in Gangwon-do

"It's the Principle!"

2011-01-28T02:05:00.000-08:00

A dollar isn't a lot of money. Most of us make app purchases on our phones without thinking twice if it's 99 cents. Around Christmas time, we're most than willing to part with a spare dollar or two for Salvation Army. Hell, the constant up sizing of burger combos cafe lattes doesn't even cause me to think twice.

I think one of the reasons for this is that I know that we're all getting ripped off equally. Sure, the venti is x amount more, but it's clearly posted on the menu. Living in Vietnam is a different story altogether. For whatever reason, some (I really want to emphasize this) vendors, taxi drivers, etc. feel as if it's their right, nay, duty to squeeze as much money as possible from tourists and expats. This really isn't new to anyone who's been to a developing country, but the constant nagging feeling that I'm constantly getting ripped off is a large part why I'm leaving the country. I've had to blacklist so many of my favorite places just because I found they've been adding a foreigner tax to my bills. This is unacceptable in my eyes and would gladly go out of the way for 'honest' service. Referring to a previous post, this is where having a local girlfriend comes in handy; she'll know what the real price is and will feel even more offended if they are subjecting her to the extra premium just because she's dating a foreigner.

A few friends of mine here have conflicting opinions. One says that although she knows she's getting ripped off, as long as the transaction itself is enjoyable, she'll put up with it. Another says that this is Vietnam's way of getting back at her for France colonizing the country. I call BS with both and say they're just selfish. Therefore, I'm effectively banning all developing countries from my list of places that I would consider living. The last straw was when a police officer stopped me and wanted a bribe because I didn't have motorbike license. Sure, I was technically in the wrong, but I wasn't doing anything wrong; I was driving as sane as one can in Vietnam and wearing a helmet. $25 later I was on my way, seething all the way to bar until I could wash down the bitter taste of corrupted communism.

On Dating Foreign Girls

2011-01-27T05:02:00.000-08:00

As romantic as meeting and falling in love with somebody on vacation or abroad is/can be, there are reasons why most these relationships are just on borrowed time.

1) Language
Not being able to carry a conversation does make one think outside the normal coffee/dinner date that is oh-so-comfortable in one's home country. This is partly why people are so attracted to each other; the last 10 dates they've been on have probably been boring, uncreative, and generally forgettable. However, after the initial novelty wears off, the sheer frustration of trying to communicate even the simplest things (ESPECIALLY on the phone) is headache inducing and can trigger unnecessary arguments/fights (which are also unsatisfying because nothing gets resolved due to, you guessed it, the language barrier).

2) Culture
The amount of impact this has varies from the difference in countries, but when people's core values are different, that makes for an unhappy future. For example, being from the states, a secure future is almost guaranteed as long as one puts in the hard work. Although people do aspire to more, it's more or less ingrained that there will be food on the table and a bed to sleep in at the end of the day as long as good decisions were made. In Vietnam, people aren't so lucky. Higher education is still a privilege and I've heard from multiple students that you have to bribe your way to a decent job. With such a huge contrast, it's not surprising that most people in Vietnam put financial security before love when getting married. Although it does happen in the states to a much lesser and more subtle degree, most of us can't bring ourselves to marry someone based almost solely on the prospect of a better life.

3) Geography
Again, this can be a non-issue, but after spending the last 2 1/2 years of my life on the opposite side of the world from my hometown, the arguments about getting married, setting down roots, and raising a family are bound to be heated. Where are we going to live? What is the other person going to do if they don't know the language (there it is again) in the other person's country? How often are we going to visit?

There are a host of other problems, but I'll have to avoid them before spilling too many details about my dysfunctional love life. Although I may seem cynical about the entire thing, they can be thrilling, but aren't as rosy as movies make them out to be. Logical thinking says that a relationship with another Westerner would be more fulfilling and less stressful, but I'm bound to date a native in the next country I sell my soul to (which is looking like Korea or Malaysia at the moment).

Will Be Back in May!

2010-03-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

Between 2 jobs and 2 online classes, I need all the time I can get. I'll still take the occasional picture during this sabbatical, but I should be all caught up and ready to go once May comes around.

Day 54 - 72: NA

2010-03-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was backed up with school work and insanely busy helping with preparations for my sister's wedding so there will be at least 2 breaks of photos when I look back at the end of the year. Let's hope I don't make a habit of this...

Day 53: Unexpected Surprise

2010-03-14T23:57:00.001-07:00

I was originally trying to find a better view of some clouds and stumbled onto this part of town that I haven't seen before. Sometimes things don't work out like you plan, but end up okay anyway. The wide angle lens I bought really justifies its price tag after taking shots like these.

Day 52: Half-way Committed

2010-03-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

This picture would've been much better if I got closer to the ground, but I wasn't about to lay on the wet concrete in the rain. I guess that's what separates the amateurs from the pros; they do whatever it takes to get the shot.

Day 51: Ghost Town

2010-03-14T23:54:00.001-07:00

The students were on vacation yet I still had to show up. I dig how the light from the windows blows out part of the picture.

Day 50: Stained Glass...

2010-03-14T23:53:00.000-07:00

...windows are expensive aren't they?

Day 48: A Korean Wedding

2010-03-14T23:51:00.001-07:00

Day 48: More Snow

2010-02-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

I'm moving to a warmer climate after this contract is up.

Day 47: A Rare Sight

2010-02-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

Where are the kiddos?

Day 46: Valentine's

2010-02-21T18:33:00.000-08:00

Guys have it easy on Valentine's Day here. Girls give guys candy and we reciprocate a month later on White Day. However, I got off the hook this year because V-Day coincided with Lunar New Year, which is a much bigger deal.

Day 45: I Hope...

2010-02-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

... that's snow at the bottom...

Day 44: A Growing Hobby

2010-02-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

I wish I started cooking earlier. Although it may not taste better than fast food, at least I know what's in it.

Day 43: "No Parking"

2010-02-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

Koreans are pretty bad drivers as it is (when judged against American standards at least). Now imagine when you can't see the lines on the road or in the parking lot. Needless to say, I'm glad I don't drive here.

Day 42: Powder

2010-02-21T18:23:00.000-08:00

I really don't know which weather I hate more; the blistering Texas heat or the unrelenting Korean winter. After only 2 years of really experience snow, I already hate the stuff. The only thing that it's really good for is snowboarding and snowball fights. In all other instances, it's just a pain. But I guess everybody stateside found that out this year as well.

Day 41: Irony

2010-02-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

So I finally get into the habit of having my SLR with me, and of course I forgot to put the CF card back in after uploading pictures. Therefore, this is my latest picture in it's 3 megapixel glory. We've been getting a mix of rain/snow the last few days and I'm hoping it'll last until the weekend so I can get some time in at the mountain. After this winter, I somehow think that I won't have as many chances to go riding...

Day 40: So a Lion, an Alligator, and an Umpire Walk into a Bar...

2010-02-09T04:24:00.000-08:00

Day 39: Definitely Monday

2010-02-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I like macro photography is because it's easier (for me at least) to create an interesting picture out of nothing. Manipulating the angle or light on an object is something that can be easily done whereas trying to find a unique angle against a landscape requires a helicopter. However, others have done it so there's no reason that I can't get better at it.

Day 33-38: Reset

2010-02-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

I should have know that this wouldn't be easy. Last week I was really backed up with homework and the last thing I wanted to do was pick up my camera, much less go looking for an interesting shot. To have a realistic shot at finishing Project 365, I have to embrace one of its core ideas that quantity is better than quality with the hope that a few will shine through the rest. However, this contradicts my nature of being a perfectionist and I'll just have to get over the fact that not every picture will be great (or even good). I really need to start thinking of this in terms of baseball; where else can you miss 7 out of 10 times and still be considered exceptional?

You guys might also start seeing a lot more iPhone pictures in the future. Although I'm trying to make it a habit of carrying my SLR with me everywhere I go, "the best camera is the one you have with you."

Day 32: 8 AM

2010-02-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I had to go back to work today and the only thing that makes it more tolerable is coffee in the morning. This shot looked a lot cooler in my head and when I got behind the camera I remembered that my apartment has an amazing view of the friggin' parking lot. Sounds like a case of the Mondays eh?

Day 31: Smile! It's Burning!

2010-02-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

My last attempt at light painting failed spectacularly so I thought it was about time to try it again with my new tripod. I don't have any LED pens/lights at the moment so this was 'drawn' with with lighter. There have been some incredibly creative shots done with light painting, but I'll need a bit more equipment (a flash) before I can start getting some really good shots. In the meantime, this was a fun little experiment and I think the signature at the bottom was a nice touch.

Day 30: If Only...

2010-02-01T07:20:00.001-08:00

... that said "dollars" instead of "won".

Day 29: Midnight Oil

2010-02-01T07:17:00.001-08:00

I think this time I really have bitten off more than I can chew. In addition to my normal job and my night job at the library, I picked up two online classes as well as have a few big projects that I can't wait to finish. The next six months are going to be rough but hopefully it'll be worth it.

Day 28: Slow Day

2010-02-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

Yup, it's a wall. Yeah, it's a pretty crappy/boring picture. We all have our days. =P

Day 27: Catch 22

2010-02-01T07:03:00.001-08:00

Do you slowly peel off band aids or do you just rip them off? I fall into the latter and choose to endure a 3 minute bike ride in the freezing cold with wind ripping at my face rather than a 10 minute walk. I didn't have to deal with it for the last 3 weeks, but unfortunately, vacations have to end some time.

Day 26: Stability

2010-02-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

I really didn't want to buy any more stuff/equipment while living abroad because it makes moving that much more of a hassle, but I convinced myself that I needed a tripod to open up some possibilities with my shooting. I finally settled on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 with a 488RC2 Ball Head after a bit of research. Unfortunately photography is one of those categories where the old adage, "you get what you pay for" definitely applies. Although I paid an arm and leg for it, I don't have any regrets and wouldn't exchange for the more affordable, aluminum version.

Day 25: Chicken Stir-fry with Noodle Salad

2010-01-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

Despite not having easy access to ingredients, I really dig this cooking stuff. =)

Day 24: If All Else Fails...

2010-01-26T06:31:00.000-08:00

... put your soaked device in a bag of rice. Really, I was just looking for an excuse to have an Apple-related photo. I'd like to think that I'm different from those other annoyingly ostentatious Mac fan boys, but I'm pretty stoked about this tablet announcement tomorrow. I've wanted a Kindle for a while but have been holding off to see what Apple has up its sleeve just in case it's better.

Day 23: Indulgence

2010-01-26T06:30:00.001-08:00

I'm on a pretty strict diet right now to go along with my rather strenuous interval training. However, once a week, I get to cheat on my diet with whatever I want. This particular week I chose my hands down, favorite Korean dish, 감자탕 (gam ja tang), which is basically a pork bone & potato soup. Although the Korean BBQ may look more appetizing, but you won't be disappointed if you try it. The best part is after you finish eating the soup, there's an option to use a bit of the remaining soup to make a friend rice and man oh man is it good.

Day 22: Nap Time

2010-01-26T06:13:00.000-08:00

After relying mainly on public transportation for the last year and a half I've come to two conclusions.

1) As much as I like being environmentally friendly, I want my own means of transportation, whether it be a car or this really sweet bike I've been eyeing. Although, the buses here are clean, efficient and inexpensive, there's nothing like the freedom of going wherever you want, whenever you want.

2) With Pzizz, I nap at just about any time I want. It's pretty sweet.

Day 21: Envy

2010-01-24T08:50:00.001-08:00

My 30D has been aging relatively well the last few years. It's a little hefty, but feels solid. The shutter is loud, but has the sound of quality instrument. Nothing tinny or hollow here. However, these new batches of dSLRs have me green with envy because of one reason; HD recording. Although I'm just starting to get my photography legs, just knowing I have the ability to toy around with cinematography would be nice.

Note: Close followers will notice the break in pictures. Unfortunately my CF card whiffed on me and now I have to play catch for the pictures I lost. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later and it's a good wake up call to import photos often.

Day 20: Symmetry

2010-01-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

This shot actually consists of 30 tea lights, even though you can only see clearly see one. I experimented with a bunch of different layouts and came out with many shots I liked. However this one stands out among the rest for its simplicity and focus.

Day 19: One for Every Occasion

2010-01-24T08:37:00.001-08:00

Last year I was retooling my wardrobe and went a little overboard on watches. Within a few months I went from having none to 3, justifying each successive purchase with versatility (the watch one the right has a black leather band). Although I'm set for now, I'm still waiting for the day when I can finally afford an Omega.

The picture isn't nearly as sharp as I'd like it to be, but there are some pieces of equipment I'd rather not buy abroad just because it'd be a huge hassle to take home with me. However, I may just have to bite the bullet for the sake of tack sharp photos.

Day 18: Grilled Lemon & Herb Chicken with Mash

2010-01-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

I was in such a hurry to eat that I didn't really take my time composing the picture. It still looks good though doesn't it? ; )

Day 17: Passion

2010-01-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

I already did a football shot, and hopefully I'll be able to do 3 more. It's 1:25 am right now and I'm going to drink coffee until 7 am if I have to in order to watch Dallas vs. Minnesota.

Day 16: Alpensia at Night

2010-01-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

It's not that bad, is it? =/

It's getting harder and harder to come up with ideas and it's only been 2 weeks in. What's even worse is that I'm on vacation now, so I don't know how on earth I'm going to be able to keep up with this once work starts again...

Day 15: Harder Than It Looks

2010-01-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

We've all seen sports pictures where player is caught in perfect focus right before a juke, jump or jab. Seeing these on a regular basis gives a false impression of how difficult this shot is to pull off. After trying for about an hour and only getting back blurry images, I gave because of the cold. Next time I'll have to pack some sort of hand warming device and maybe a tripod to get the panning just right.

Day 14: 손담비 (Son Dambi)

2010-01-17T07:54:00.000-08:00

I know, I know... the guitar shot has been done to death, but managed to add something fresh to it. Seeing as how I bought the guitar in Korea, I thought it would only be appropriate to give it a Korean name. Therefore, the lovely instrument you see is named after the incredibly beautiful Son Dambi.

Day 13: -30 Something Degrees

2010-01-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

That's how cold it was at the top of Yongpyeong with the wind chill. I learned the hard way how snowboarding keeps you (relatively) warm and how pressing a shutter button does not. Despite wearing gloves, my fingers were lost all feeling after a few minutes out in the cold. In those conditions, the Texan in me came out and said to hell with it and just started snapping away hoping to come away with a good shot. This is by far the best picture of the bunch, but many of them were too washed out, which is another sign that I need to shore up on the technical side of exposure and whatnot. Starting with the manual (blasphemy!) wouldn't be a bad idea...

Day 12: Layers of Light

2010-01-12T11:14:00.000-08:00

Do you know that phrase, "it's better to be lucky than good"? Well, today's picture certainly epitomizes it well. I absolutely love this picture except for the white squarish glare underneath the water drop. I tried to recreate the picture with every lightning and angle combination I could think of but finally gave up. Although this can be easily fixed in Photoshop, lightning is definitely one of my weak points that I need to improve. Maybe once I have a better grasp on it, I'll try this one again.

Day 11: Plan B

2010-01-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

What started as an experiment in slow shutter photography ended up as a tribute to bokeh. I started trying to light paint with Christmas lights but that failed miserably due to the lack of control with a string of lights and the shots were a blurry mess. I'll have to get proper LED lights for my next attempt, but the Christmas lights inspired the shot you see above. My photojournalism TA was an ardent champion of alternative light sources and his preaching really stuck with me. Although these pictures may be harder to take, they almost always stands out.

Day 10: To Do List

2010-01-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

I promise I'll start taking pictures of things OUTSIDE my apartment soon. =) I stayed in all weekend signing up for spring classes mainly to get on deferment for my student loans. The exchange rate still isn't where I want it to be so I want postpone making payments for a little bit longer while it recovers. I'm also genuinely excited about the classes I'm signed up for, web page programming and design communication. Hopefully by the end of the semester I'll have enough know how to make my own website for promoting/showcasing my photography.

Day 9: Winter Socks

2010-01-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

Right off the bat, I just want to clarify that I do not have a foot fetish. Secondly, I hate to disappoint you but that's not my foot. =P

Honestly, I took this without looking through the viewfinder. My girlfriend and I were horsing around after she got her new Canon T1i (yeah, I'm jealous) and came out with this shot. Although this picture isn't very good, I still like it for some reason that I can't quite put my finger on. The composition is terrible; the subject is dead-center of the frame. The background is noisy. Any thoughts?

Day 8: Tools of the Trade

2010-01-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

I must confess that I didn't go anywhere today and just looked around for something to shoot. You have to admit though, a little change in perspective makes for a more interesting photo.

Day 7: School Pride

2010-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give my school a little extra support before the big game. Hook 'em horns!

Day 6: Exhausted

2010-01-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

After a pre-breakfast workout followed by running errands until 6pm, I was running on vapor by the time I got home. This picture was definitely composed and I was too exhausted to make it look more "natural". Although I still like the original idea of just dropping/shedding items carelessly in a weary state, I knew going into this challenge that not all pictures were going to be winners. However, I think I'll give this shot another try before the year's up to capture what I had in mind.

Day 5: OCD

2010-01-05T04:45:00.000-08:00

Today I started my 3 week vacation... by cleaning. I received my care/Christmas package in the post and one of my gifts warranted a rewiring/reorganizition. When it comes to wires, each one has to be the perfect length or they get coiled and strapped by the greatest and most humble of all organizational tools, the twisty tie. One thing led to another and I finished cleaning my entire apartment which was the inspiration for this picture.

Everyday I take my laptop to work and when I bring it back home, plug in the 3 cables you see in the picture. After being fed up with wires constantly falling behind the desk whenever I'm in a rush, I came up with the following simple solution: after plugging in all 3 wires, twisty tie them so they stick together. In addition to never having to hunt for cords again, the uniformity of the wires is a nice touch. To most, this entire post will seem odd and pointless, but the neat-freaks out there will understand ever word.

Day 4: The Only Good Thing About Winter

2010-01-05T04:21:00.000-08:00

On Monday, I watched snow fall all day for the first time in my life. Walking to work was more like trudging as the snow came up to my shins. Sidewalks were nowhere to be seen and unattended cars were trapped in tiny forts of snow. However, if you're crazy enough so barrel down a mountain with a wooden plank strapped to your feet, this is absolute paradise. In addition to riding the Rainbow course for the first time at Yongpyeong, I was able to grab a few shots of the resort while they were grooming the runs.

Day 3: PC Load Letter?

2010-01-03T01:29:00.000-08:00

Living abroad can be a frustrating affair. Today, the last straw was my machine machine that decided to give me an error and soaking wet clothes (there's usually a spinning/pressing process that leaves that merely damp). Doing laundry is already frustrating enough during the winter because it takes 3-4 days for clothes to fully dry, but having to hand-squeeze the remaining water out of my clothes to top off all the other frustrations wants me to get on the first plane back home.

Day 2: Smile! It's Snowing!

2010-01-03T01:02:00.001-08:00

Although I've seen my fair share of snow over the last two winters in the coldest part of Korea, whenever 5-6 inches falls overnight, the native Texan in me comes out. Needless to say, I went to the mountain and got some good runs in.

Unfortunately, this picture was taken with my point and shoot. Although the best camera is the one that's with you, I remain a camera snob and wish I could take my SLR with me everywhere I go. Although this usually isn't too much of a problem, the thought of a wipeout while snowboarding with my camera scares me as well as my wallet. Right now Canon has a very capable P&S with its S90, but at that price I'd rather tough it out with my existing P&S/iPhone and spend the money a new lens or flash. It looks like I'll be side slipping the entire way down if I ever bring my SLR with me on the slopes.

Goodbye 2009... Day 1: Momentum

2010-01-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

I can say with utmost confidence that my decision to re-sign for another year in Korea has been one of the worst of my life and I'll never again make a decision motivated almost entirely by money. That being said, I've decided to stick around, make the most out of the situation and will hopefully come out ahead in 8 months when I finish my contract.

As you can already tell, I'm eager to leave 2009 behind and start fresh with a new decade. After watching a few inspiring commencement speeches (Steve Jobs, Mike Judge), I came to a few conclusions about my own life.

For the last few years I've been hesitant to wholeheartedly pursue a career with the excuse that "I don't know what to do with my life." Although there's some truth in that, a more telling version is that "I'm too scared that the things I want to do in life will not make enough money and will not provide the job security that I want." After making a decent salary for the last few years, I started to realize how much money I really need, and it's not a lot. Also, in Jobs' speech, he says that "the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." Helping drive the point home further is another poignant quote from Jobs...

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become."

Coming from one of the premier innovators of the decade gives the old cliche of doing what you love a lot more validity (to me at least). Furthermore, if things don't end up working out in the end, at least I can say I tried to follow my dream/passion, and that sits better with me than slaving away at a job that I hated just to pay the mortgage.

Also factoring into my inability to choose a career is the fear/paralysis that my first choice won't be the 'right one', and I'll waste time going through all the possibilities. Somehow, I thought that the decision would just become clearer with time.

"You've got to find what you love. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know it when you find it."

Ironically, I wasted more time waiting around for an epiphany the last few years rather than just choosing one of my many interests and running with it. Experience makes things easier to understand, not time. Starting this year, I'm going to stop waiting around for the right circumstances/perspective and just jump into it. If I put in enough time, I will most certainly (at the very least) find out how much I truly love/hate writing/photography/etc.

Both speakers' recollections of their crooked paths to success also eased my anxieties. Judge's beginnings as a physics major and its related jobs provided material for his later comedic success. Job's choice to drop out of college yet still taking classes that interested him led to the multitude of available fonts in all computers today. Those are just a few examples, but the point being that you can see how everything fits together looking back, not forward.

"You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

Although neither Jobs nor Judge really say anything new, I finally took the message to heart and feel inspired for the first time in long time. When I started this blog, it was originally intended to recount the interesting events that happened to me while teaching abroad. However, as time went on, I found writing in my moleskine was a much more theraputic outlet because I didn't have to censor myself. I finally stopped posting on a regular basis because the thought of rehashing the same material felt tedious.

However, with a new year (and decade) comes change. Although I will still occasionally post about my life here, a majority of the content will be pictures from my attempt at Project 365. Accompanying each picture will also be a short description that (hopefully) keeps my writing chops in shape or, dare I say, improve them. So without further ado...

Day 1: Momentum

This picture is inspired by an article I read on Lifehacker. The article outlines a very simple yet effective way to achieve a goal. In a nutshell, by slowly working towards the ultimate goal everyday, you'll get there a lot faster even if it's only 5 minutes. "Inch by inch, anything's a cinch." Marking off each day also provides more motivation to keep the streak going. If you've gone 20 days in a row jogging, dragging yourself into your trainers will be a lot easier knowing that you'll have to start from Day 1 if you skip today. I highly recommend trying this on one goal at a time ("chase too many rabbits and you catch none"). This website has some very good yearly calendar templates to help get you started.

Time > Money

2009-10-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

We all know how important money is starting out of the gates. When we were kids, we needed that dollar to buy candy, a baseball card, or some pogs off a classmate. And although we're told repeatedly by either our parents, lectures, and cliches, many of us don't realize just how important our time really is until later in life, when time becomes more scarce.

When I was offered a side job teaching at the library 4 hours a week, I took it without thinking twice after seeing the salary. After almost a year of putting in 44 hours a week, I'm not so sure anymore. The class meets twice a week, and both of those days I pretty much have no time for anything other than work. I definitely would not give the class up, but if for some reason it was canceled, I wouldn't be too distraught.

That, however, hasn't been the biggest problem I've been facing when trying to manage my time. An even bigger obstacle is my inability to simply say 'no'. My desire to make everybody happy makes turning down invitations extremely awkward and rare. A few drinks here or a movie there really adds up. Only after being financially comfortable have I started to place as much (or more) value on the time I have outside of work. Steeling my nerves to turn down further invitations is the fact that my friends/girlfriend clearly know of my goals and still try to pull me away from working on them. This can be seen as genuine friends just wanting to spend time with me, but I think real friends help you achieve your goals, not distract from them.

September & October in a Nutshell

2009-10-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

The main reason that I haven't been updating this blog is that I've been writing in my paper journal religiously, and the thought of essentially rephrasing the same content makes me extremely lazy.

To sum up the last 2 months, things haven't been very smooth. September could easily be in my top 5 of "Worst Months Ever" and I was seriously considering getting on the first plane back home. Everything that could possibly go wrong was getting in line and kicking me in the crotch. Although most of the issues have been resolved, the biggest issue still remains; I'm not getting along with my co-teachers. At the root of the problem they refuse to do their share of the lesson planning. This is especially infuriating when CT sleeps at work because he only teaches 11 hours a week.

With work becoming an increasingly frustrating affair, I'm getting much better of leaving work at work. Before, I would plan lessons and worry about how lessons would go at home, but realized I shouldn't beat myself up over this (especially since my CTs aren't).

Moving onto a lighter subject, autumn in Korea is absolutely gorgeous. I took a short hiking trip last weekend and took some great pictures of the foliage at one of the more famous mountains in the country. I've got a little post-production to get done, but rest assured, they'll be posted soon enough.

Top 5...

2009-08-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Things I Missed About Korea (in no particular order)

Bibimbap and other generally healthy Korean food
17 Tea
My apartment
Not having to tip
Free to dirt cheap shipping on everything

Top 5 Things I Miss About America (in no particular order)

The convenience of everybody speaking English
The convenience of my car
The convenience of being able to buy seemingly everyday items such as whole wheat bread and turkey
Sportscenter
Being able to use my iPhone

1 Year Later

2009-08-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I'm on my 2nd week of vacation back in the states and I have one more left before flying back to Korea. On the 13 hour flight back to Texas, I read my first completed moleskine between naps, and realized that I made the right decision a year ago.

First of all, the FAA never called so I would be miserable working at AT&T if I didn't pack up and leave. Not only that, changing environments really did wonders for me in terms of motivation and growth. I was too comfortable with my life and wasn't striving for anything more. I am still foolishly clinging to the belief that I am meant to do something great in my lifetime, and being thrown into a different culture provided a different perspective and lit a fire under me.

There are numerous knocks on Korean culture that I can list off the top of my head (extremely patriarchal, superficial, sometimes just plain loony), but I really identified with it. There's a constant air of respect that one has to show to elders & superiors that's forgotten or nonexistent in the US. Its quite obvious to notice because there are different speech styles depending on the level of formality. The constant bowing should also tip you off as well.

What really changed me over the last year were all the people I met. When in the US, you more or less have complete autonomy of who you want to spend time with. However, if you're suddenly in a country where (usually) only other foreigners speak English, chances are you're going to spend time with them. And so I made friends with people that I don't think I would've under normal circumstances in the US based solely on our common language. Listening to their beliefs and ideals didn't exactly change mine, but allowed me to view them from a completely new and fresh point of view.

All of this has culminated in me being more confident in the person that I am. I don't think I've changed dramatically in the last year, but I carry around less doubt these days. Heading into Year 2, I don't have the same type of excitement I had when I first left. Some of my friends that are staying are transferring to different cities, but everything is going to remain exactly the same for me. But with that familiarity, I won't have to spend time adjusting, and just get to work. And really, that's what I need to be doing.

Kim Tae Woo - Memory & Remembrance

MC Mong - Indian Boy

2NE1 - I Don't Care

Brown Eyed Girls - Abracadabra

Girls Generation/SNSD - Genie

Mudfest, Vacation!

2009-07-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I went to Mudfest on Korea's west coast with a few friends. Although it was really fun for the most part, the housing I got set up in through a friend was pretty terrible. Imagine the stereotypical frat house party where all its occupants have a spring break mentality, and that's where I was staying. All my time away from the house was great, and unfortunately do not have many pictures due to mud's ability to ruin cameras.

Today is the last official day of classes and I have a summer English camp next week. I renewed my work visa yesterday and it's kind of surreal to believe that it has already been a year since I first got here. In all likeliness, I'll be staying another, and in my gut I feel okay with that. I fly back home in 10 days to visit family and friends in Texas and am looking forward to a nice, long, relaxing (and hopefully productive) break. The last few months have been probably the most eventful of my life, and I need a little time to take it all in as well as recover before heading back to the grind for another year.

I never really got around to my big, reflective, 24th birthday post, so I'll probably just combine it with my one year in Korea post whenever I get around to it. More likely that not, it won't come before vacation starts. Stay tuned though folks.

Should I stay or should I go?

2009-06-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, I’ve been wrestling with my decision to stay and teach in Korea for another year. A few months ago, the decision was pretty cut and dry, but a good amount has changed since then. The biggest factor is my new co-teacher. Teaching with her is just not as enjoyable and I don’t feel like I’m getting anything accomplished with the way she teaches and runs the class. However, I don’t really have a right to criticize because she’s the one with 4 years of teacher training and a degree in Elementary Education, not me. Also, with a good amount of my close friends leaving, I also am getting the itch to move on with my life as well. Being the list-maker that I am, I sat down and wrote out the pros & cons of leaving/staying.

Staying (pros)

This is one of the easier jobs I’ve had in my life. If I stick to the letter of my contract, I’m merely an assistant teacher and the duties outlined for me are pretty minimal. The salary is decent and the stability is rock solid. Not to mention the 5 weeks of vacation each year, this is a pretty sweet gig. Probably the most important pro is that another year will give me more time to think about & develop my interests and skills for a future career, while still saving a ton money.

Stay (cons)

As previously mention, the job satisfaction/challenge aspect is somewhat lacking. Again, I have no background or training in teaching English, so if my qualified co-teacher says her method works, I just have to learn to accept it. I’ve set many other (maybe too many) goals that I can work on while I’m here, so the need for accomplishment/challenge can be fulfilled in a different areas of my life other than work. The N. Korea stuff is bothering me a little bit, and the currency fluctuation of the South Korean won is a little annoying, but those are relatively minor issues.

Leaving (pros)

Although I want to move on, I have no idea what to move on to. I still have yet to find a real passion. Granted, this is something that probably takes a significant amount of time as well as trial and error, but I’m still directionless at the moment. The idea of graduate school intrigues me, but again, I don’t know what type of degree I would go for, and would rather not spend too much money on a degree I don’t end up using.

Leaving (cons)

The biggest thing I’m afraid of is not being able to get a decent job if/when I go home. Before I came to Korea, I was working a terrible retail job at AT&T hawking (i)phones and I definitely do not want to go back to that. By the same token, if I’m not working, I’ll probably do the most economical thing and move back in with my parents. That in itself is almost reason enough not to go back.

After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to stay for another year, unless the FAA accepts me into their air traffic controller program. I’m not terribly crazy about being an ATC, but the salary is high enough to pay for flight school so I could eventually be a pilot. Having made a decision, I feel infinitely better because I can stop worrying about it. I’ve made up my mind and can now concentrate on doing what I need to do here, instead of wondering what my life would be like if I went home. If/when the FAA calls and accepts me, I’ll deal with that bridge as I cross it.

Shanghai, Gyeongju, & a Few New Teachers

2009-05-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

China

About a month ago I went to Shanghai for 3 days with a few buddies to check out the sites. Having the 2nd stamp in my passport was pretty exciting, and there should be a lot more coming this year (tentatively planned: Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam).

Me being the genius I am, forgot that my Leatherman multi-took (i.e. pocketknife) was in my messenger bag (I carry it with me everywhere). So after putting my things through the x-ray machine, the worker very politely asked if she could look in my bag. I said sure, to which she promptly replied with a very incriminating, "what is this?" while holding my knife. I completely freaked out, but was luckily able to throw it in a checked bag. *whew*

After arriving in China, things once again a little more interesting. In my passport picture, I had a buzz cut. To say the least, it looks very different now. Entering as well as leaving China, immigration was pretty tripped up matching my face to my picture. The best part was when she wanted to see my ears. I really enjoyed this because before leaving the states, I wanted to come back as a different (more specifically, better) person, and am glad that it's happening at least a little bit.

After checking into our hotel, we braved the rain and toured a little bit of the city. We saw the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and got our fill of authentic Chinese food. The tower was just what you'd expect from any other tourist attraction, and eating something other than Korean food for a change was a nice change of pace.

The next day, we went to Yu Gardens and shopping for souvenirs. Again, Yu Gardens was nice what you would expect from a tourist attraction; picturesque, crowded, and very neutral (a little boring). Shopping on the other hand was a lot more interesting. My entire time in Korea, I've always been the first to be approached when I'm with foriegners. In a stark contrast, all the vendors completely ignored me (thinking that I was Chinese) and bothered the 2 friends I was with instead.

Bargaining is a big part of shopping at independent shops in China. Personally, I'm terrible at it. I hate the hassle and always think I'm getting ripped off. Luckily, a friend I was traveling with lived in Beijing for a year and haggled like a professional for everything I bought. I ended up with half a carry-on of souvenirs that I got for dirt cheap. At night, we missed the last tour of the Bund, so we ended up just walking around the river. A little time passed and we searched in vain for a decent bar to drink at. For whatever reason, we could not find a decent bar in all of downtown Shanghai. Granted, it was Golden Week and we did no previous research, but all the bars we found were half empty or extremely expensive. If there was one disappointment in the entire trip, it was the nightlife.

On our last day, we saw a temple (I can't remember the name) and headed back to the airport. At the temple taking pictures, I realized that although architecture and nature are beautiful, I think photographs of people are much more interesting and is my preferred subject to shoot. All in all, Shanghai was a nice, short, unexpected trip. I probably won't head back anytime soon, but I still want to see the Great Wall in Beijing and Hong Kong sometime. Head here for all the pictures from the trip.

Gyeongju

One day after getting back from China, I went on another 3-day trip, but this time to Gyeongju (a former capital of Korea) with my 6th grade students. I saw a lot of museums and temples, but the most enjoyable part was hanging out with my students. I think talking to them outside of the normal classroom setting increased the rapport between us and it's been showing during classes since. Also, I drank every night on that trip with the vice principal and other teachers that came on the trip. My ability to drink a good amount of soju got me a lot of respect during that trip. Head over to my flickr page for pictures.

Old & New Co-Teacher

The day I got back from Gyeongju, my co-teacher (CT for future reference) got a call from the Office of Education and she got word that she was being transferred the next day. As you can imagine, this was a pretty big shock to all of us and I was pretty upset for a while. Although she had only been at my school for 2 months or so, we established a pretty good relationship and were settled into a comfortable teaching groove. However, I talked to her recently and she's enjoying her new school and class, so I guess things worked out for the best.

The new CT was terribly shy at first but has since opened up. Her English isn't as good as my old CT's, which makes communicating a little more difficult, but overall, things worked out well enough. Her teaching style is a little different from my old CT's though, and I've been having a little trouble adjusting. First of all, she likes to take a more dominant role in the classroom (which is totally understandable, b/c I'm technically only supposed to be an 'assistant teacher'), so although my days are little easier now, I'm definitely more bored. Her discipline style is completely different. Whereas my old CT was very strict, the new CT is pretty relaxed. I'm still not used to it, but the classroom is more hers than mine so I guess I'll just have to accept it.

Misery Loves Company

I apologize, but I have to rant about this. Whenever your down in the dumps, its always nice to have somebody to share your woes with. However, recently a handful of people I know have been taking a new twist on this old idiom. I've been pretty happy with my life in general lately, and they've been trying to knock me down by critisizing me to make themselves feel better. First of all, it's not my problem that you're life sucks. Take some responsibility and do something about it. Secondly, if you're really my friend, you should be happy that I'm happy, and keep your trivial, misguided criticisms to yourself. Take a look in the mirror before you're so quick to judge.

Quick Tidbits

- I got my 2nd new haircut in as many months. It's a little more conservative than my old one and I'm diggin' it.
- Next week, the Office of Education is taking all native English teachers in the area (11 total) to Jeju Island, which could best be described as Korea's equivalent of Hawaii. Not only is it paid for, but I get Thursday & Friday off. Needless to say I'm a happy camper.
- I've been seeing a local (Korean) girl lately. Although it can be a bit frustrating at times because of the language barrier, not being able to speak each others' language is actually a lot of fun. My Korean has also been advancing at a pretty good pace since I starting hanging out w/her.
- I've been pretty sure the last few months, but I put in my request to renew my application for another year. I really like the situation I'm at now, and even though I'm in the sticks, I enjoy it. It'll also be nice to teach the same kids for another year. It's pretty much a sure thing, but I get my official new contract sometime in the next few weeks.

K-Pop

A few new #1's have hit since "Sorry, Sorry". Here's a quick rundown...

Lollipop by Big Bang & 2NE1

Again & Again by 2PM

Fire by 2NE1

Black Day

2009-04-17T01:41:00.000-07:00

Korea's amount of romantic holidays puts America's emphasis on Valentine's Day to shame. In addition to Valentine's Day, there's also White Day, Black Day, and Peppero Day. Here's a quick rundown of how it works...

Valentine's Day (2/14) - girls give guys chocolate to declare their crush

White Day (3/14) - guys give chocolate to girls to declare their crush

Black Day (4/14) - singles get together and have jajjangmyeong (a chinese dish of noodles in a black sauce) to celebrate/mourn being single

Peppro Day (11/11) - Peppero is a snack which is best described as a straight pretzel stick usually covered with chocolate (similar to Pocky sticks). Similar to Valentine's day, Peppero Day is on 11/11 because "11/11" looks like 4 standing Peppero sticks.

I was supposed have a bowl of jajjangmyeong this last Tuesday, but was too busy teaching my class at the library. It was a shame too, because the stuff is really good. =P

A quick review on what's been going on in the wide world of K-pop. A while ago I posted the Wondergirl's song "Nobody" that took a stranglehold of this entire country.

Even more popular was "Gee" by SNSD. To save you the trouble of counting, there are 9 members. After 8 or 9 weeks on top, it finally fell to Davinci's "8282". I don't really consider that one a true #1, so I'll let you youtube it if you're interested.

The latest #1 is "Sorry Sorry" by Super Junior and I've been explaining what 'shawty' means to my students for the last 2 weeks. To save you the trouble of counting, there are 13 members. Enjoy and best of luck getting these out of your head.

Catching up!

2009-04-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog, it was to tell about my experience teaching in Korea. However, because it's becoming increasingly likely that I'll be here a while (as well as moving onto a different country before moving back to the good ol' U.S. of A.), this is going to be my all-encompassing blog, not just posts about Korea (although it was starting to lean that way anyway).

I'm also setting up a sister blog documenting my quest to complete 101 things in 1001 days. I think it's a good exercise that adds more flexibility to the traditional New Years' resolutions thanks to the added time to make adjustments. I highly recommend giving it a shot, and I'd love to read your list if you end up making one.

Haircut
When I came to Korea, I was sporting the haircut that served me well since college; the buzz cut.

After 5 months without a haircut, 2 1/2 hours getting my hair permed, some parts straightened, and a little taken off, this is what my hair now looks like...

What do you think? I definitely dig the difference and that seems to be the popular consensus with my friends, family, teachers, and students as well. I miss being able to roll out of bed in the morning and just go, but I think the trade off is worth it. I already have an idea for my next do, but it's going to be hard to part with this one.

Birthday
I'm one year closer to that dreaded quarter-life crisis that is 25. My actual birthday and party the following weekend was great, with the lone exception of the loss of my beloved iPhone. No use crying over split milk though, so I'm not too distraught over it (after about 10 minutes of non-stop cursing that is). The new one is going to launch in June so that'll help ease the pain. Festivities included the standard fare of dining and drinks, but I was especially touched when my students gave me cards and a present. Gotta love the little guys, even if they are monsters on occasion. The one standout from the night was that I was picked to be apart of the live show we went to, Cookin'. It was a ton of fun being a part of the show and I'm now stage-married to some random girl in Korea. We look cute together don't we?

Cherry Blossoms
Spring has officially kicked off here in Korea, and it's about time after 5 excruciating months of winter. To commemorate the occasion, all the teachers at my school went to a neighorboring city to check out the cherry blossoms. Although they're beautiful during the day, they're absolutely haunting at night. I'm planning on teaching in Japan after this, so I should be able to get my fill after seeing them for a few years. I'll post a link to some pictures as soon as I have time.

Romance
One last thing I do want to mention but not in too much detail is that I've been having an office romance with a teacher at my school. But because of the potential consequences, we decided it wasn't worth pursuing at the moment. It's all too bittersweet, but one of us have a good chance of landing in a different school at the end of the semester, so if it's meant to be, it'll happen then.

That's going to wrap it for this episode. I still have to sit down and write my reflective, more-serious-than-it-should-be post about turning 24, what has changed in the last year, and what I want to accomplish in the upcoming one. Once the ink is dry in my moleskine, I'll adapt the entry and post it here.

Dinner Etiquette

2009-03-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

(It's Japanese, but most of it applies to Korea too)

1) Slurping is totally fine.
2) I think Korea is the only Asian country where it's impolite/rude to hold the bowl in your hand. This took some getting used to...
3) You're never supposed to pour your own drink.
4) Meals are definitely not a talking affair. When I first arrived I took my time eating only to look up and see everybody else had finished.

6 Months Already?

2009-03-01T01:22:00.000-08:00

I'm still having trouble grasping the fact that I've been here that long. Every year seems to pass by faster than the one before, but it feels like I'm going to hit a record pace this time around. Much of it can be attributed to working full-time (and then some) as well as usually packing my weekends full. I really think I've been doing a lot more "living" since I've gotten here than my last few years of college. But then again, everything was still new and I wonder how it'll be in the upcoming months when much of the novelty has worn off.

Getting some business out of the way first, my co-teacher and liaison teacher (she also teaches English as well as helps/translates for me if I have any problems) both have new positions. I met the new English teacher on Friday and she seems very shy and less fluent than my previous co-teacher. To be fair, the first day can be a bit overwhelming and she did recently have dental work done, but I'm already missing my former co-teacher. The poor communication could prove somewhat problematic but I've gotten the hang of teaching the last few months so I don't think anything too tragic will happen. The schedule is still tentative even though school starts on Monday (Koreans are horrible at planning/scheduling), but it looks like I'm going to keep my 4th-6th grade classes. I'm also thinking about getting my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) so that my lessons and classes will go smoother. I'm supposed to be an assistant-teacher: ideally, I'm just there so the kids can hear native English. Unfortunately, all too often I'm left to teach the class solo. Graduating with a sociology degree, I have zero background in teaching so a crash course on the methodology would do wonders.

Coming to Korea instead of waiting around for an air traffic controller (ATC) position was definitely the right thing to do. Not only because the FCC hasn't been hiring ATCs due to the recession, but because I'm finding out a lot about myself here. It's corny I know, but I feel like it is worth mentioning. Meeting diverse people from around the world is helping me figure out where I fall on the spectrum, which solidifies the idea of who I am. I don't think I'm undergoing any sort of radical change while I'm here (well, except for my hair), but I'm carrying around less doubt these days. The cumulative effect is that I'm becoming much more comfortable in my own skin and have stopped trying to be things that I am not.

I'll leave you guys with a link to my finally updated Flickr account. More sets to come as soon as I find time to upload them!

Truth Through Cliches

2009-02-17T22:32:00.000-08:00

I’ve always fallen on the more responsible side when it came to anything. Instead of letting it ride on one more bet, I’d just call it quits and stay ahead. From the moment I started planning my budget around my current salary, the ultimate number I would look at is how many years it would take to finish paying off my student loans. A rather hefty amount that I’d rather not divulge (it’s A LOT =/ ), I want to get it paid off ASAP.

However, in the wake of two new unexpected sources of income, I’m starting to worry about it considerably less. Having never made more then $10/hour before this job has made me prioritize money over time in the past. Being busier than I’d like has made me realize just how important time is and that money will come and go. Paying off my debt in 3-4 years would be an incredible accomplishment, but I’d rather put some of that money towards making priceless memories (or at least creating the opportunity for them) that I’ll never forget.

My ambitious goal to be rigidly strict with my saving and get my loans paid off in 3-4 years has turned into a much more flexible “sometime-before-I’m-30” plan. All too often I get into the mindset that life is a race and falling behind is indicative of failure. But what’s finishing first if you don’t have any fun along the way?

Updating!

2009-02-09T04:12:00.000-08:00

I wonder how good this blog would be if I actually updated the thing. Anyhoo, my vacation has come and gone, and I’m back at work. The entire month of February, I don’t have any classes and am supposed to be lesson planning, but English teachers use the same lessons every year so I’m essentially sitting at my desk for 8 hours each day. Hit me up on AIM or Type Racer. =P

The vacation was (sadly) somewhat forgettable, but very productive in terms of studying Korean and working out. Thanks to what hopefully will be first of many windfalls of 2009, I was offered to teach an English class at the local library at a rather large salary on top of what I already make. So staying in the country was a pretty good decision after all. I definitely got antsy while all my friends were traveling over this last break, so I will most definitely start traveling on my vacation from here on out. I’m going to Japan to hike Fuji sometime in August if anybody wants to join me. =)

That pretty much wraps it up. There are a few things that aren’t really worth mentioning (yet ^^) and probably even more that I forgot about, but things are going good here. The weather is starting to warm up (30s-40s) and the locals say spring is just around the corner (whereas sometimes it’ll snow into April). The Australian Open got me itching to play tennis again and I can’t wait for the snow to melt to start hitting again. I also bought a guitar from my buddy, and hopefully will FINALLY learn how to play it this time around.

In 2 weeks, I’ll have been here 6 months. Has it really been that long already?

Korean Ingenuity

2009-01-23T09:20:00.001-08:00

This is how Koreans move in.

2009-01-10T19:00:00.000-08:00

"If you don't know what you want," the doorman said, "you end up with a lot you don't."

- Chuck Palahnuik, Fight Club

This is one of my favorites quotes from the Fight Club novel that didn't make it to the movie. For me and most other men, the temporary fix to boredom, restlessness, and/or emptiness is electronics (I wonder if it's the same with women and clothes?). Buying a trendy phone, a bigger TV, or the newest gadget that I suddenly couldn't live without boosts my mood with relatively no effort required. After all, swiping a credit card is a lot easier than putting time in at the gym. In theory, the practice makes sense; when things get stale or aren't working, shake it up. But what happens when there's nothing left to buy? Once the novelty high wears off, you're back to where you were, albeit with more versatile solutions to modern day living. Despite my meager salary, this unlikely scenario actually surfaced as I now have everything I want (within reason). With substantially less money being spent towards electronics, most of my discretionary income goes to my student loans, which is only faintly satisfying because debt is infinitely more vague and intangible than a big screen TV (another reason buying things is so addicting).

Which leaves me surrounded in a sea of wifi-enabled devices with the same goals and resolutions from the last few years. Since these goals have remained relatively unchanged, I’m going to assume that they are things I actually want. However, looking at the list I (again) feel overwhelmed and think how great it would be if I could just go to Amazon.com and add "fluent in another language" or "creative photographer" to my cart. Hell, I'd get free 2-day shipping because of my Prime account. I guess this is why most lottery winners usually don't have happier lives, just easier ones; you can't buy the stuff that truly matters. Now that the stupidly obvious realization that 'material things don't lead to lasting happiness' has sunk in, I know what I really want in life. At the very least, I know what won’t make me happy. Consequently, maybe this is the year that I'll actually cross some things off my list. And who knows, maybe all those fancy gadgets might actually help get me there.

2009!

2009-01-01T03:09:00.000-08:00

Catching up from last year, Christmas was great. Most of the native English teachers from my province got together and had a Jinbu Christmas consisting of dinner and holiday movies. Opening presents with my family via Skype did induce a bit of homesickness, but that was to be expected. Here's a picture of the Pyeongchang-ians that were able to make it (Adam was snowboarding for lunch but returned later)

Miraculously, my usually strict school gave me this entire week off before my winter camp next week. I forgot my camera at a friend's apartment, so I'll upload pictures from New Year's Eve later. Festivities included a pre-party at friend's place, the Warehouse (the favorite bar of foreigners in Gangneung), and watching the first sunrise of 2009. Supposedly the beaches are packed with people every year, but it wasn't that bad this time around because it was so FRIGGIN' COLD. Bonfires were up, and it looked like a scene from March of the Penguins. Despite the numbness in my toes & fingers, the sunrise was gorgeous.

Looking forward to 2009, I'm (unfortunately) carrying over many my resolutions from the previous year. I won't bore you with the details, but the one notable addition is that I want to start keeping a closer eye on my finances. This has been my first "real" job with a grown up salary, and even though I've been pretty good at saving money, I still am not sure where a lot of it is going. Speaking of which, my contract expires this September, but at this point I feel like resigning for another year. I still don't have a clear idea of what I should be doing or what I should be studying if I go back to grad school, so having more time to figure things out won't hurt. 8 months is a lot of time for things to change though. Winter vacation is only a week away now, and it looks like I'll be staying in Korea. Tentative plans include snowboarding, Seoul, and Jeju (best described as their Hawaii) for a Lunar New Year Fire Festival.

Happy New Year everybody; I hope this year is better than last and the best of luck with your resolutions!

It's Christmas Time!

2008-12-14T04:22:00.000-08:00

This post is about 2 weeks late, but I've had my hands full. The academic year is starting to wind down (their winter vacation is the long one) so things are going into cruising mode. The kiddos have finals on Wednesday and Thursday, but after that, it's pretty much fun and games until the last day of school. Why they just don't let them (and us!) on vacation early is beyond me, but that's the way it is. Essentially, I have about 2 days of teaching left, and I'm done until March. Lots of facebook updates made me realize that this is the first time in a while that I haven't been cramming for finals (I hope all of you in school did OK!).

In another act that defies logic here is that elementary teachers don't teach the same grade every year. I guess it's to round out their experience with all ages, but the "American" style where a teacher sticks with the same grade makes more sense to me. This affects me in follow ways...

1) I may have a new co-teacher next year. This is awful because I actually like my co-teacher. She shows up to class. She thinks teaching English is important rather than a waste of government money.

2) I'm pretty comfortable teaching 4th-6th grade and would rather not be switched over to 1st-3rd. All specifics get hammered out in February, so we'll see where the chips fall.

Although it's only been a few months, it's come to me that the hardest part about teaching isn't getting them to be quiet or figuring out what's going on in their heads, but saying goodbye. It's hard not to get attached to the kids that you teach, see, and play football with (that's right, football =P) everyday. If I knew this is what it felt like, I would've made a better effort to visit some of my old teachers when I had the chance.

Switching gears, Christmas time is the first time I've really felt homesick. My town has lit some trees and put up some wreathes, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas here. What really started the whole thing is that I saw the Hershey's commercial they've been playing for years when watching football (online of course). If my winter vacation started Christmas Eve, I'd book a flight home in a heartbeat, but unfortunately my vacation doesn't start until the 29th. If would've been awesome too, because the flight would've only taken about 2 hours due to the time difference. To ease my guilt and help get into the Christmas spirit, I went a little overboard with Christmas gifts this year. Giving does make me feel a lot better for whatever reason, and it's only money. What's money compared to happiness?

One last thing worth mentioning is winter vacation itself. The previously mentioned SE tour has been downgraded to a maybe for various reasons, but I'll decide for sure this week. If I do stay in the country, I'll probably pick up an extra English camp for money, and do a little sightseeing domestically. Either way, I'm really looking forward to some time off.

Take care of yourselves and Happy Holidays!

SNOW!

2008-11-20T03:48:00.000-08:00

Not much to update, but I felt obligated to post since it snowed for the first time today. I'm sure I'll get sick of the stuff soon enough, but I'm psyched about snowboarding and my first Christmas.

Other than that, things are going good. "Same same" as the Koreans say. However, most of the the time, it's "same same, but different". Yeah, I know; a lot of things over here don't make any sense.

For the K-pop fans, this is the new 'it' song. We have a school concert of sorts tomorrow and one of the neighboring schools that's participating is doing the dance from the music video. During the rehearsal, pretty much all the girls at my school danced with them. Even some of my boys can do the dance...

The following has NOT been Photoshopped in any way...

2008-11-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

So I'm in the 3rd floor teacher's lounge during our 20 minute break and my co-teacher asks me for a favor. Apparently the principal is taking an English class and wants me to do his homework for this week because he's too busy. Sure, not a problem. I start doing his test, and all of a sudden break out in uncontrollable laughter. Of course the principal and all the teachers shoot the 'wtf' look in my direction. What caused this random burst of hysterics? This...

Seoraksan Attempt #2

2008-11-10T04:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Mother Nature,

I know humans as a whole are being jerks about global warming, pollution, and robbing you of natural resources, but you didn't have to take it out on us. We really wanted a relaxing, introspective hike up one of South Korea's most famous mountains, but you decided that it should rain instead. Please don't blame it on Lil Wayne; I know it was you. The trip to Seoraksan is too far for 2 weekends in a row, so please don't make it rain this weekend when I try and hike Odaesan.

Thanks,
An Avid Recycler

Despite another failed attempt, the weekend was still a success. Instead of hiking up Seoraksan, I explored Sokcho for the better part of Saturday. The coastal cities are really a sight to see. Usually sandwiched between beaches and mountains, it's hard not to love these places. And of course, there's no shortage of fresh seafood. Sokcho is actually home to one of, if not the, most famous fish market in Korea. Although the rain put a halt to the hike, it created the perfect backdrop for the rest of the day. There's nothing quite like eating steaming hot clams/mussels and stuffed squid on a cold, dreary day.

The gang getting breakfast waffles and a decent cup of coffee.

I don't know if this was allowed because I got a lot of looks from the locals.

Sitting down to seafood at Depohan (sp?).

Squid stuff with rice and other goodies. Looks extremely disgusting but is so delicious.

The biggest crab I've ever seen in my life.

Halloween & Flesh Eating Fish

2008-11-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

Halloween was, in a word, crazy. I had a lot of fun until I had too much to drink, and we'll just leave it at that. The next day after the hangover passed, we went to great little place where fish actually eat the dead skin off for your feet. I've never had a pedicure before, and my first one was quite bizarre. I'm actually quite tame in the video, but when my feet first went in, the sensation is quite odd. It's EXTREMELY ticklish and the actual sight of it induces non-stop giggling.

It's becoming increasing clear that I won't be coming home for Christmas. Winter vacation doesn't start until after Christmas, which was the whole point of visiting. Also, with plane tickets bordering just south of $2000, it'd burn a hole in my pocket. I'll spend Christmas on Skype and be semi-present. This arrangement does free up 3 weeks of my vacation, which I plan to tour Southeast Asia. Here are the 3 big places I want to see...

- a tiger petting (not a typo) monastery in Thailand
- Angkor Wat in Cambodia
- Ha Long Bay in Vietnam

I'm finally getting around to organizing pictures from the last 2 months (has it been that long already?) and should be uploading them very soon. I hope everybody had a Happy, hangover-free Halloween!

Edit:

Here's a much more amusing video showing what it was like when I first put my feet in the pool.

My "City" (part 2)

2008-10-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a panoramic picture of my town, nicely stitched together with Photoshop on my new MBP (*^^*). Head over to Flickr if you want to see the annotated version.

Square Pegs & Round Holes

2008-10-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

Some people hate onions in their cheeseburgers. Some can only drink their coffee black. As for me, I like my tennis in one flavor; singles. Seeing as how Koreans only play doubles, I'm hanging up my racquets until i get back to the states.

Pressing the Reset Button

2008-10-20T02:05:00.000-07:00

"If you're coasting, you're either losing momentum or else you're headed downhill."
- Joan Welsh

All to often, we fall into a routine with habits that control, or at least impact, our lives to a great degree. Not all routines are created equal, and unfortunately, I've been in a reactive one for the last few weeks. Instead of deciding what I wanted to go do for any given day, my mindset would focus on what had to be done. By merely surviving the day, I began to feel a general sort of helplessness that slowly accumulated to a really terrible day. While there is something to be said for spontaneity, I believe direction and purpose should be taken in much higher doses. Having (finally) realized all of this, shutting everything down for an introspective weekend was greatly beneficial.

I cleaned my apartment. I got my finances in order. Most importantly, I sat down and reflected on my goals; what I've accomplished, what I didn't, and what pitfalls led me to failure. Having written goals and figures to look at makes them infinitely more real than vague thoughts in one's head. Doing all this has allowed me to be in the driver's seat, and in effect, live a more proactive and fulfilling life. After all, coasting isn't how one should spend their life.

One Month Down...

2008-09-25T04:05:00.000-07:00

... eleven to go.

Although it's only been a month, a very strong connection has developed to these kids. I always thought it was a little weird when teachers referred to their students as "my kids," but I definitely understand it now and have said it a few times myself. I'll probably only be here for a year, but I often wonder how these kids are going to turn out in the grand scheme of things. From what I hear, teaching high school is more fun just because you can communicate so much more with them, but being assigned to an elementary school has really been a blessing. I don't think I've ever used "cute" and "adorable" more in such a short time period. Field Day is tomorrow and there are a few dances/games lined up that I'll get on tape to show you what I mean.

Life outside of school is starting to settle into a comfortable routine. Weekdays usually consist of tennis (which may turn into badminton once it starts snowing), learning Korean, making lesson plans, photography and reading. Doubles is still not my cup of tea, but I'm starting to get into a good groove on the clay. If I were to not learn another word of Korean, I could easily survive the rest of the year without too much hardship. However, because everybody here makes such an effort to speak to me in English, I feel as if it'd be rude (and/or extremely arrogant) not to reciprocate.

The lack of spontaneity during the week is made up for on the weekends. There's always a festival to check out, mountain to climb, new city to visit, or a going away/birthday/etc. party to attend. And of course, once it starts snowing I'll be spending a good amount of time at the local (~20 mins away) ski resort. I am somewhat nervous about the winter though. Texas winters haven't really worked my tolerance for the cold...

Sometimes I'll start to daydream and wonder what it'd be like if I took a different route in life. Although it can be productive, it's usually just a waste of time thinking of the things that could have been. I'm quickly learning that the best route is the one I'm on, because frankly, it's the one I've got. Going with this teaching gig is already starting to mirror my decision to study sociology instead of journalism in college; although it may not be the most prudent choice, I'm learning more about myself than I ever would have if I went straight with the FAA.

Teaching & the Apartment

2008-09-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

First off, here's a video of my apartment. Sorry it took so long but I've been busying adjusting to life here and with work/school stuff.

Before mentioning work, I have to mention that Koreans are a very different in that where Japanese are very strict and regimented with their schedules, Koreans are extremely laid back and flexible (I was told about my welcoming dinner an hour before it happened). From what I hear about JET, the teachers are given an exact schedule of everything they're supposed to teach and on what day. It's the complete opposite here, where I'm given free reign to teach the kids whatever I want. Having complete autonomy with lesson plans is definitely a luxury, but at the same time it's difficult to decide on a subject, especially since I don't know what they've already learned.

I'm teaching at 2 different elementary schools at the moment. At Jinbu Elementary, I teach 4th through 6th grades, and the madness is kept to a relative minimum since I co-teach my classes with the Korean English teacher. We make the lesson plans together and her presence keeps the kiddos in line (corporal punishment is acceptable here. I have yet to see it, but the threat of it is very real).

It's at Do Seong Elementary where things get sticky... At Do Seong, there are ~27 students total. The classes are separated by 1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, and 5 & 6th. In a single class period, they expect me to teach both lessons in half the amount of time that's usually allotted. This could be a terrible situation, except that there's very little accountability on either my side or the students. There is no standardized English testing for elementary students or any sort of "teacher evaluation" (that I know of at least), which is great because I can concentrate on teaching instead of worrying about my job.

Onto actually teaching, it's surprisingly enjoyable. The kids are absolutely adorable, and if I'm doing a good job teaching, they're having too much fun to act up. With most children, energy with contagious. So if I walk in with a lots of energy, a big smile, and really get into the lesson, they will follow suit. For anybody that actually knows me, this is not my normal comfort zone. I'm usually very laid and relaxed, so being high-energy in the class can be a bit draining by the end of the day. The kids are very respectful and them bowing to me when I walk around school/town never gets old. All in all, things are great over here. There are a few things I definitely miss from the states (football for example), but I knew I'd be giving up some conveniences when I signed up for the gig.

More regular updates to come now that I'm settled in! One last thing I want to mention, this song is the hottest song in South Korea right now. At the festival in Jinbu a few weeks ago (pictures to come soon), a group of mothers recreated the video, the 50+ year old captain of the tennis club has it as his ringtone, and one of the singers has her own reality show. When I do the "one more time" motion from the video in class my kids go absolutely nuts.

Best Commercial Ever?

2008-09-09T02:42:00.000-07:00

Koreans sure do love their...

Korean Culture Clash #1-13: Honesty, Recycling, and Tiny Towels

2008-09-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

Korean Culture Clash is a segment to document all the differences that I've noticed since arriving in Korea. Something worth mentioning is that I'm in a 'rural' area, so some things may be different in the big cities like Seoul or Wonju.

1) Korean women keep their own name after marriage, but their children take the father's family name. Although keeping one's name after marriage is seen as very liberal and progressive in America, Korean women hold a very subservient place in society. From what I hear, the times are changing and they are quickly acquiring more equality.

2) This is definitely a nightlife culture. Because children usually don't get done with after-school lessons and such until 8PM or so, you can usually see children (not teenagers) walking around the city at 11PM and nobody raises an eyebrow. By the same token, women walk around at night and feel perfectly safe, which is a huge contrast from what its like in the States. Sociological theory suggests that violence/rape crimes against women stem from dominantly patriarchal societies, but that just isn't the case here. It may be because I'm in a city that's considered 'rural' and its similar to the US where people are generally more nice and kind in the country.

3) Koreans don't use shower curtains so water goes everywhere. Bathrooms are usually just a shower head with a drain in the middle of the floor.

4) Children have to take turns cleaning the classrooms/restrooms/school. I think this is a great idea that teaches responsibility and character no matter what socioeconomic class they are from.

5) Wednesdays are half days for elementary school. They go to 4 classes and have the rest of the day off to study. I think a majority of them stick with it as well because I only saw a handful of children at the playground after school let out for the day.

6) Recycling is huge here. You have to sort your trash into 6 different containers/bags. One of the Americans in my apartment complex didn't know when he first arrived and the management was pretty curt with him because they had to sort his trash until he figured it out. The weirdest thing about the recycling here is they don't flush TP. Yeah, it's kinda gross. Also, you're charged $.05 at the supermarket for every plastic bag you use. I know Whole Foods did something very similar this year and it would be infinitely more environmentally friendly if every supermarket in the States pushed reusable alternatives like Korea does.

7) The bath towels here are tiny. Think twice the size of a gym towel and you can get an idea of what Koreans use to dry themselves. Its was weird at first, but not a big deal to get used to. Still, I brought my own.

8) Nobody uses a dryer for their laundry. After the wash cycle is complete, clothes are hung to dry. I'm sure this saves quite a bit of electricity and makes things easier for their power grid.

9) I wear flip-flops at school. Really. When teachers enter the school, they store the shoes they wore in a drawer, and change into school-supplied, ridiculously padded, incredibly comfortable slippers for the day. Its hell for anybody that habitually wears mismatched socks, but makes standing and walking around all day a lot easier.

10) Every month during the 15th through 19th, I check my gas meter and write down and report what the odometer is at. While this may not be the case at every apartment complex, I think it shows how honest the people are here. Another example is that there are many bicycles around town that nobody locks theirs during the day.

11) Koreans are terrible drivers by American standards. Red lights seem almost optional, a parking space is wherever your car will fit, and there are many blind turns around town that severely need yield signs. However, car crashes seem to be infrequent here, so they have a system that works.

12) Metal chopsticks are the norm here. Initially I was a snob about it claiming that rounded, wooden chopsticks were superior. They are definitely easier to use than their metal cousins, but at least Korea isn't facing the deforestation problem China is caused by wood/bamboo chopsticks.

13) They use the metric system here. Meters, kilograms, and Celsius...its a pain but I'm sure I'll get used to it just like everything else.

My New "City"

2008-08-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Its actually more of a town than city. Jinpu is the name, but a quick Google search doesn't really bring anything up. I think that's the case with just about everything in South Korea except Seoul. Regardless, the best way to describe the town is quaint. It has a good amount of shops and whatnot, but no shopping centers or an E-Mart (Walmart equivalent). There are 3 ski resorts within an hour, and the Pyeongchang province lost the bid to host the Winter Olympics the last few times by a vote or two. Everything's within walkiing distance, but I'll still get a bike while I'm here. I'm tempted to get a scooter also because if I ride one anywhere else, I'll be ridiculed mercilessly.

My liason teacher (she co-teachers a class and helps us get acquianted here) speaks decent English for an elementary school teacher (most speak almost none) so I caught a big break there. I also saw my apartment today and its pretty good in comparison to what I've heard other people are getting. It has a Western style tub in the bathroom and mold isn't a problem there (its somewhat common in older Korean buildings).

A different teacher at the school has been taking us (me and the other native English teacher assigned to my school) around the city and I'm really diggin' it. Her English is pretty good, but we still have to look up words every once in a while. Again, there's some difficulty, but we're able to communicate despite the language barrier. Everything's been great so far, so I'm obviously still in the "honeymoon phase" as they referring to it at orientation.

One weird thing worth mention; apparently I look like a famous Korean ping-pong player. One of the Korean girls at orientation mentioned it as well as a guy that worked at a carnival. It's good because I look like somebody famous other than Lou Diamond Phillips, but bad because people will expect me to speak Korean. I don't think the language will be too hard to get a hold of once I have more learning materials, but I'm pretty much in the dark until then.

A Fresh Start

2008-08-28T04:32:00.000-07:00

The flght from the states wasn't bad at all. On the American Airlines leg, they gave up my seat because I was almost late and was reseated next to a very interesting person that made the flight go by pretty quick. Serendipity at it's best. Flying Korean Air was incredible. Each seat had built in screens that had movies, games, and the like. I'll upload pictures later to prove that I'm not BS'ing, but I watched Iron Man on the way over. The flight attendants have a very classic look and were very attentive. It's really night and day between their service and the service that's provided by AA. The whole time I kept wondering what Korean Air's 1st class is like if I was pampered that much in economy.

Orienation thus far has been pretty fun meeting new people, usually over drinks. Soju tastes like rubbing alcohol, but Korean beer isn't that bad. There are people from just about every English speaking country in the world and it's fun mingling with different cultures. The once revered Bristish accent sounds pedestrian now, believe it or not. On a seperate note, I made an ass of myself in front of the entire orientation group karaoking (Buddy Holly is pretty hard drunk), figuring why the hell not. I already made a big leap from my normal self doing this thing, why not run with it?

The scenery here is incredible. It's mostly mountains and I'm sure I'll be sick of it by the time I leave, but I'm still in the honeymoon phase. We climbed to the top of a pretty high local one and the view is AMAZING. Standing atop a mountain and being able to take everything in incredible. Again, when I'm on my own computer (I'm at a "PC Room", basically an internet cafe without wifi) I'll upload pics & videos.

I will most likely be going to Pyeongchang, a rural area that's bidding to host the next Winter Olympics, but I find out for sure tomorrow. I won't be in the same area with my old college roommate, but I figure everything happens for a reason so I'll just go with the flow. Orientation ends tomorrow and I'll also be making the move to my apartment. I'm keeping my expectations low, but if they say "...and here's your outhouse," I'll be on the next flight back home. As enjoyable as orientation has been, I've been anxious to get settled in and to get started on work.

The most jarring experience thus far is walking through the town and not being able to speak a lick of Korean. Not being able to speak the language really opens your eyes. The worst part is when they keep trying to explain/gesture what they're attempting to get across, and you still have no idea. I need to start hitting the Korean textbooks hard. The people I've encountered thus far have been generally friendly and is a nice change from the asshole Americans I encountered at AT&T. Although its very early, this next year is shaping up to be a great one.

The Night Before...

2008-08-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Because I procrastinated on my packing, plans for my final night in the States were scrapped. The worst part about packing? The paranoid feeling that you forgot something really important. The bright side is that as long as its not something as monumental as say, my passport, being abroad for a year would warrant purchasing whatever item I forgot to pack.

How am I feeling? Tired of folding clothes, but otherwise the same. There's just the faintest bit of excitement right now, but I don't think it'll really hit me until I land in Korea. We'll find out soon enough...

T-minus...

2008-08-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

2 weeks.

One last week of work and one week of packing. As fast as the days go by working real hours, I know the final week before I leave is going to fly by ever faster. Maybe its just now starting to hit me of how big of a deal this is. I've been seeing this whole thing from a somewhat casual point of view, but an entire year away from just about everything I know is potentially life changing.

And that's the whole point.

I did something very similar in '05 when I moved to Austin for school. Living on my own I developed beliefs, values, and morals that were authentic to myself, not just what my friends & family believed. However, this is exponentially bigger. Although it doesn't quite fulfill my dream of completely starting over somewhere nobody knows me (my old roommate is there), it comes close enough. Whether you believe the 'self' is found or made, adventures are the fast track to self discovery. I have a good idea of who I am, but am hoping this next year will put everything into greater focus.

Almost Lover

2008-07-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover

"Almost relationships" are always the hardest to look back on just because they usually end right as they're getting good. Without going through all the fights and arguments, you'll always think of what could have been. Even though my head can list the numerous reasons why it would never work, that stubborn old heart refuses to let go. The worst part is that every time her name is mentioned, you have to feign indifference when you really want to know what she's up to.

Sliding Doors

2008-07-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I haven't actually seen the movie, just an entertaining spoof done by Frasier. Nevertheless, I still love the concept; seeing how a single decision leads to alternate paths. More than ever, the two roads ahead had never been so divergent.

Plan 1) Teach English in Korea

Plan 2) Stay in the States and start a career as an air traffic controller

After much deliberation and going back and forth one too many times, I'm confident that at least one year in Korea is the best choice. Although I'll be making a significantly less amount of money, I have the rest of my life to work. Taking a page out of my late brother's book, adventure will take precedence over prudence. I'm sure that I'll be happy with either decision, but I was caught up on which one will make happier. As always, I've been thinking too much. Still, it'd be very cool to see how much different my life would be if I took the other route.

As far for preparations, I just have to finish getting a criminal background check and I should be set on paperwork. Thanks to some newly added red tape, a trip to Austin may be necessary. Darn. =P One last Mexican Martini before heading off should do me some good. One question that is bugging me; does anybody know if the iPhone 3G works in Korea?

The Why

2008-06-12T02:43:00.000-07:00

After having absolutely no luck finding a job after graduation, I turned to the other side of the world and found a job teaching English in Korea through my old roommate Huy. Turns out networking is everything. I leave towards the end of the summer and will be gone for 1 year at the least, 2 if I like it over there, or 4 if McCain gets elected. I'll be in the Gangwon-do province (before you ask, Seoul is in a different province), but that's everything I know right now.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. I never got to do the study abroad thing, so I'm looking forward to the prolonged culture shock that's typically associated with it. The salary is pretty decent considering they pay for housing, and I'll be rooting for Samsung, Hyundai, and all the other major Korean companies while I'm over there so my paycheck will actually be worth something when I wire money back home (gotta start on those student loans). Being in that area of the world, I'll be a short hop to Japan, skip to Australia, and jump to New Zealand.

The downsides? Obviously I won't be able to see family and friends often. The only other thing I can think of is that I won't be able to watch the Cowboys live, but thank God for DVRs.