Thank you so much for making my dog a robot

Well, 'tis the end of another insane weekend.  For one, it looks as if North Korea invaded.... yet kept all damages and destruction to the confines of my studio apartment.  I love being in Seoul because it automatically means that your apartment becomes a hotel on the weekends- this weekend I housed no less than 8 people- which was amazing but definitely left my apartment looking like a crack den.  I'm talking broken wine glasses, posters falling off the wall, empty bottles and candy wrappers everywhere, heaps of blankets, old pizza boxes.. you can imagine.  Also, out of the 8 people sleeping here, I knew 6- the other 2 were random spanish-speaking koreans.

I guess I haven't written in a while so I can do a quick catch up.  Last weekend I went to a rock festival in Daejeon.  It hadn't been my original plan, but was still tres awesome.  I had intended to go to a jazz festival on Zara Island.  I woke up early saturday morning and trekked across the city to the Dong Seoul bus terminal- only to find out that the buses were sold out until 530 PM.  I knew that there was a smaller bus station not too far, so I headed over there.  Directions on the website said to go to "Jamsil Station, Exit 9, and take bus 7000."  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well I get to Jamsil Station and there was NO exit 9.  After trying every other exit, I realized that there was also no bus 7000 either.  I was frustrated and exhausted after spending all day looking for a bus that didn't exist, so I headed home to make a new game plan.  I never, ever thought I would say this- but I (just a little tiny bit) missed Penn Station and all it's English speaking glory.

I made some phone calls and decided to go to this rock festival in Daejeon instead.  A girl that I went to college with lives in Daejeon.  She sang a capella with my roomate, so I actually knew her quite well, in a stalker "i've-been-to-every-one-of-your-concerts" kind of way.  What are the chances that someone else from your 3,000 person college lives in the same little country in East Asia, right?  I met up with her and her friends and had an amaaaazing time.  I wish i hung out with this girl for all of college!  We listened to shitty rock and drank shitty Korean beer for hours, until the concert got shut down.  It was supposed to go until 6 AM but something happened and they had to end it early.  So, we went to Noribang!  (Noribang=kharaoke room).  I've actually been avoiding noribang since I've been here.  You know.... the whole tone deaf thing.  People have been shocked when I've told them I've made it over a month without going to noribang.. you know how asians are about their kharaoke.  But as it turns out, it is SO much fun.  They have the most ridiculous songs.  After kharaoke, Megan and her friends were exhausted and ready for bed, so I met up with my friend Liza.  Since neither Liza nor I live in Daejeon, we had crafted this master plan of staying up all night and taking the first train home in the morning.  We hadn't factored in the fact that the concert would end about 6 hours early, so we spent the rest of the night sitting on the steps outside a 7-11, drinking beer, eating fried dumplings, and talking about life and love and everything in between (a drunk guy was passed out in between us, which sort of ruined the moment, but whatever).  I finally made it onto the 6 AM train, in my sequined covered shirt surrounded by men and women in suits. 


This week trickled by.  Minutes felt like hours and the weather is starting to get colder.  But, my kids did have a few good lines.  The project we were doing started out with them naming things they want to change about themselves- it was a pretty depressing project that I wish would be eliminated from the curriculum.  These kids are 8 years old!  They shouldn't already want to be skinnier and richer.  Anyway, they then had to pretend that they met a wizard who changed the thing about them that they wanted to change the most... and write him a thank you note.  Here are two of my favorites:

Dear Wizard, 
Thank you so much for making my dog a robot because robot makes food.
It does my homework.  I go to school in the robot.  It’s very fast.
Love,
Kevin

Dear Wizard,
Thank you so much for making me god because I want to make my world
and make my people and make many slaves.
Love,
Jin

Clever, right?

So finally Friday rolled around.  I hadn't had a great week, so being the amazing friends they are, MJ and Johanna jumped on a bus after work to head to Seoul (they live out by the DMZ).  We got ready and headed out to Hongdae.  We met up with a bunch of friends and danced the night away.  At around 4 am we decided to stuff someone's backpack with beers and snacks and head to a "luxury noribang" place.  The outside legit looked like a palace.  The inside was beautiful... there was a clear plexiglass floor and underneath there was a dollhouse world.  It sounds weird now that I'm describing it, but I promise it was cool.  The Koreans we were with (that we met on the street and spent the whole night hanging out with, obviously [???]) totally sang Korean Pop.  They danced like K-Pop stars too.  It was spectacular. 

Here's Aaron and I singing a duet.  He was Eminem and I was Dr. Dre.  And yes, that's our friend Steve sleeping in the background. 

After noribang, I obviously invited all 8 people I was with to come sleep at my little studio apartment- I really am such a sucker when it comes to inviting people to stay with me- remember the Danish guy?  I didnt even know him and I invited him to stay at my house for a night on his way to NYC.  He stayed for a WEEK.  I couldn't get him to leave.  I wouldn't have even minded if he wasn't such a dousche bag about everything.  He never even thanked my mom!  Anyway, we all woke up on Saturday- everyone except MJ and Johanna groggily stumbled out and made their way home.  The 3 of us spent the rest of the day snuggled up watching Summer Heights High, giggling about the night before and complaining about our hangovers.

Sunday, I did a 10K race here in Seoul!  There were thousands of people, and everyone was wearing neon yellow shirts.  It looked awesome, and the route was really cool.... it was along the river at sunset.  Really gorgeous.  I actually didn't even know I could finish at 10K but MJ and I ran it together.. we did it in an hour flat!  I'm really proud of us.

Cool, eh?

Some of my friends before the race!

As for this week, halloween is coming up!  We aren't allowed to really celebrate in school (apparently parents would complain.. how sad is that?) but we're going to do a little something at the end of the day on friday.  Then I'll be heading to Sokcho to hike, go to the beach, and celebrate halloween with my friends!

Ta-ta for now!

Doris wants to be a dancer

Here is a video that we made in class last week.  I think they did a pretty good job and it looks like they had fun with it!  Also.. I hope the sound works better on everyone else's computer because it's pretty bad on mine. Let me know.

         

For Your Confusion

TGIF, once again.  I would be much more content if: a) I were out doing something fun instead of writing this blog, and b) my sheets were dry.  I washed them this morning and they're still draped over the drying rack, as damp as the day they came out of the machine.  Granted, that day was today, but it was HOURS ago so I really wish they would be dry already.  What this does mean though, is that I washed my sheets.  High five, Mom!

Today, for the first time in my life, I MADE A BOY CRY.  Granted, this boy was about 15 years younger than me, but still.  Yes, I made one of my students burst out into tears and sob. 

Additionally, thank god physical abuse is A-OK here.  I make it sound like I'm whipping them- I'm not.  In the states, if you even pat a student on the shoulder, you risk being accused of sexual harassment.  But as I get more comfortable teaching here, I also get more comfortable with pushing them away from my desk when they're being nosy or  giving them little smacks on the head when they're trying to fool around.   Apparently they still use "love sticks" in public school, so I'm tame in comparison.  Anyway,  today I grabbed a student by the arms and dragged him across the floor.  Literally mopped the floor with his body.  He was playing with some other kid while another group was performing and they WOULDNT STOP.  I probably shouldn't have done that, considering my classroom is equipped with CCTV.. which is regularly watched by the owner of the school. Ooops. 

Also, for anyone who knows me, my singing voice isn't that good.  To be more accurate, I'm completely tone deaf.  During my evaluation today, my head instructor told me to be more energetic during the kindergarten class.... (energy.. woof).  Before today, I would just stand there while they listened to the songs about goats and yams and a big man named dan who opens a map on his lap.  Today, I decided to spice it up sing and dance during the song.  Not just a little bounce up and down... a full blown, arms swinging, legs kicking dance with the song being sung at the top of my lungs.  My class HELD THEIR EARS and said "teeeacherrrr Nooooo Stooooop." 

Also, I hate after a long day of classes when the kids' Konglish voices get stuck in my head!! All I can hear echoing is "Teacha, finish-EE.." and "Teeeeacherrr-uhhh."  It drives me crazy!! It's like they use their asian accents to mock me.  I'm not saying that to be mean... I'm positive that they all know how to speak correctly, because they do it when they need to (like.. when they're being graded on their speaking).  But other times, they purposely do this Konglish thing because they think its funny!  And maybe it is a little bit.. but boy, does it get stuck in your head.

Also, all the teachers were mixed up about what we needed to collect and what we didn't... so our Korean branch manager sent out a message titled, "For Your Confusion." 

Today I opened a bank account (I think I did.. but none of it was English so I could have very well just donated my money to the bank).  On my way home, I walked past the hospital and there was a group of men standing out there smoking, in their hospital gowns and with their IV poles still drippin'.  I wish I had my camera.

Tomorrow I'm off to a jazz festival at Gulla Gulla island.  (it's actually zara zara island, but whatever).

Ta- Ta!

Global Gathering, etc.

So... this weekend was A-W-E-S-O-M-E, in capital letters with hyphens in between them.  It seems as if every weekend that passes just keeps getting better and better.  The themes of this weekend were "jager," "dancing" and "hot british guys."  What more could I ask for?

My classes Friday went by as slow as molasses, but it brightened up my day to hear my youngest level students say things like "my uncle wears my underwear" (the original sentence was "my uncle wears red underwear").  After classes I rushed over to Hongdae to meet a stranger for dinner, which obviously turned into staying out until 5 AM.  I swear, that place is a black hole.

Saturday night was the long anticipated Global Gathering.  It was everything I've ever wanted and more.  We headed to Hongdae in the afternoon to pre-game with rounds and rounds of jager bombs (Like.. where are we? jersey?).   There were free shuttles from Hongdae but we had the brilliant idea of taking the subway.  If you're ever going to global gathering in seoul.. do. not. take the subway there.  It brings you no where near the park you need to be at.  We wound up walking down rape road for about half an hour until we found the concert venue.  But alas... we found it!  We arrived right when Justice started playing.. they were amazing.  Fat Boy Slim played next.. he was sick... I had no idea he was so good, since the last time I heard anything of his was "praise you" from the cruel intentions soundtrack.  But yeah, he played an awesome DJ set, and we continued to drink jager into the night. 

whoever's idea it was to hand out those glow sticks was a genius

So that's about it! I can't believe I've been here for a month.  I don't have the "I just got here" excuse anymore, so I really need to get my shit together to a) learn Korean, and b) get more than one set of silverware for my apartment.

very ugly. very stoupid. like banana

I dont have anything too new and exciting to report.  Having a job sucks.

I joined a gym a couple days ago... the eliptical looks like it's from 1980. And the best part? The gym has one of those "work out machines," in which you just stand there, wrap the chord around you, and it jiggles your fat.  People use it!  There was not a minute that thing wasn't in action.

this is what i'm talking about.

Also, I made the huge (fairly common) mistake of giving my phone number to a church group.  I really need to stop giving my phone number out to whoever or whatever wants it.  This is worse than the time I was living in NYC and gave my number to the creepy old guy who worked at dunkin donuts by my apartment.  The circumstances weren't really fair.. it was really late at night and he caught me at a weak moment when I needed a bagel.  Being the only bagel source in the area, I had to be nice to him.  After he called, since he had taken advantage of my vulnerability and obtained my phone number under false pretenses, I labeled him in my phone as "do not answer" and didn't pick up when he called every. day. for. a. week.   I really kicked myself in the arse, because after that, whenever I needed a large iced coffee, I had to get my roomate Lindsay to go in and get it for me while I hid around the corner.. or I had to go like 5 blocks down to the other dunkin donuts.
Anyway, a couple weeks ago when MJ and I were drinking wine down by the river, a woman from the eunpyeong chuch saw us and figured our souls needed to be saved (she was probably right).  Anyway, she came up to us and gave us some packages of tissues with bible verses on them.  And who doesn't like free tissues, right?  She told us that we should come to church the next day.  For some reason, at the time, we were like "yeah!! we'll totally wake up on sunday morning and go to church!! Great idea!  We'll meet so many Korean friends!" I gave her my phone number and that was the end of it.  Since that day, two weeks ago, I have gotten constant text messages and phone calls asking me to come to church and bible studies.  I'm not exaggerating.  I'd check my phone after work and have 7 missed calls.  They'd call and text me at like.. 7 AM. It didn't matter what day it was or what time it was.  It's interesting how aggressive they are about Christianity here.. because the presbyterian church i went to back in new brunswick had the sweetest, least pushy congregation I've ever met (not like I've met a lot of congregations, but you get the point).  These evangelists are ALL over the place, trying to push their religion on everyone.  It gets awkward.

This week has been a good one at school.  I'm getting the hang of things and am a lot more comfortable teaching.  It also helps that I now know the kids by name, so I can call on them when they aren't paying attention.  On a side note, I remember when I was in grade school, I was SUCH a nerd.. I would pretend I wasn't paying attention so that the teacher would call on me and I would know the answer.  God, I was so lame.  Anyway, this week, the kids are learning all about detectives.  We're doing a Creative Thinking Project in regard to detectives, which the kids have been working on all week.  The assignment was:
You are a detective, but you are not popular like Sherlock Holmes.  Create an advertisement to introduce yourself.
The instructions were easy after I slowly explained, in detail, what an advertisement was, and EXACTLY what they were supposed to do.  Everyone understood... or so I thought.
One of my brilliant students handed this in: An advertisement for...... a monkey.  A fucking monkey.

Also, at the end of class if we have extra time we always play hangman.  The kids are so funny because instead of guessing logical letters like vowels, they always guess "x", "q","h".. those letters that no one ever uses. It's hilarious.


Anyway, that's about it for the week.  Nothing too exciting.  I've been addicted to running, which is something I never thought I'd say.  I love this area because there's great places to run.. along the river is my favorite.  The weather has been gorgeous so I've been trying to soak up the outdoors while I still can.

OH how could I forget about this?  Clinx toothpaste... IT'S ANTI- CALCULUS!

Anywayyy...  This weekend should be pretty epic.. Saturday night is Global Gathering.  A huge outdoor music festival that happens in a bunch of places around the world.  All night dance party.  I CAN'T WAIT.  Saturday can't come fast enough.

Becoming less confused every day

Korea is awesome!! I was a bit homesick last week but that has completely gone away.  I'm having a great time.  The week ended well and all the movies we made in class came out without too many mistakes.  I'm still not totally comfortable teaching but I'm getting the hang of it.  

Anyway, this past weekend was AWESOME.  Thursday I met up with a Korean friend that I worked with at Saatchi.. he lives in Seoul and doesn't start his (amazing) job until December.  It was so good to see him!  We had an awesome dinner in Hongdae then met up with some of his friends and went to a few different bars.  I had a great time.  I love going out with Koreans because they can actually speak the language and not just point to random stuff.

Saturday, I headed out to Cheorwon in the Gangwando province.  MJ works at a public school out there and one of her friends put together a huge rafting trip.  Saturday night, we stayed in a pension... which are just houses that they rent out.  You can either rent out the whole thing or just a couple of big rooms, and everyone sleeps on mats on the floor.  We had a big BBQ.

Sunday we woke up and went white water rafting.  It was cold but a lot of fun! And so beautiful!  It was "the grand canyon of Korea." 

After rafting, we went home, took warm showers (MJ's doesnt get cold after 3.5 minutes like mine does) and ordered pizza.  And then Chinese food.  It was pretty excessive. haha. I'll be full for the rest of the week. 

snuggling and watching Zoolander

It was a great weekend, and  I made some reallllly awesome friends, which is the best part of it all.   I'm looking forward to next weekend because a lot of people are coming into Seoul for Global Gathering... which will be epic.  But for now... back to the grind!

PS- Did you notice that whenever you listen to the postal service, you think that all of your electronic devices are going off? He has so many background noises that i always think my phone is ringing or my gchat is going off or something.