Lately

I loaded new pictures on my Flikr page. There are some from the DMZ, and other random things here in my life. There are some new things to report, but I have no motivation to write them. I feel that some of my classes are quite mentally draining, and sometimes I come home and don't want to do anything that stimulates my brain. One class in particular has seven 6-year-old boys. They are adorable. However there are 2 in the class that take all my attention and patience that I have stored for the whole day. The last two days I've taught them, I leave the class at the end feeling like the worst teacher in the world, and a bad person. They've driven me to drink. One of them for sure has ADD, and the other, well, he could have ADD also. He speaks to me in only Korean, but he doesn't understand that I don't speak it, but that's not why he might have ADD. The other classes are good, nice students, but very challenging to manage. I have a bully situation in one class, for example.

The last few weeks have been quite busy. Katherine visited, I went to visit her, Christmas shopping, visiting friends, getting ready for Japan. I can't believe we are leaving in 3 days. I also feel sad that I am not with family and friends for the holiday. I did not think it would be this hard. I am glad that Denise and I are taking advantage of the time off, and I definitely feel like I need a holiday. Several people I know will be in Tokyo the same time as I, so it will be so exciting to meet up. One friend is from here, another is Miss Veronica Ebbs-Canavan. Veronica and I worked at the Westin Grand together back in the day. We were the only two female bell staff for the longest time. Should be great.

I had a dream last night that Frank was here. In my dream he ran out of my apartment and down the hallway into Denise's apartment, because he likes to run into other people's houses anyway. I woke up form my dream with my big heavy blanket on my chest, and I thought it was Frank. Instant sadness. I saw a Westie the other week. Its the first one I've seen one in 3 months.

All the dog owners out there, hug your dog for me.

One more thing...

Although the bus incident was highly annoying and inconvenient, my day was quite exciting because I bought a ticket to Japan. Denise and I are going to Tokyo for Christmas, from the 22nd to the 26th. Our plan is to spend Christmas day at Mt. Fuji, and then drink copious amounts of sake to numb our sad feelings of missing Christmas with family.

Bus 603

I did it again. The situation was not a severe as the first time. I was still in a densely populated, urban area. My keen sense of direction kept me in line with what part of the city I was in and a vague distance that was travelled. I was more angry because I was really hungry, and wanted to get dol-sot bibimbap (for those of you not versed in Korean cuisine, it is rice, egg, seaweed, lettuce, mushrooms and deliciousness in a hot stone bowl) from my favourite local eatery. The bus dumped myself and one other man at a terminal-like thing. I walked about 10 blocks in the direction I sensed my neighbourhood was and then took the subway 2 stops to my station. It really wasn't too bad. I had my ipod and I got a picture of the world's longest escalator. Today's lesson: don't take the bus alone.

I'm sitting in the teachers' room at my school next to a propane heater. Its been very cold here lately and I don't think the building has very good insulation, hence the cold in the teachers room. About 2 weeks ago, this huge heater arrived and we all hover around it as if we were around a fire. But I noticed a funny smell within a few days, a funny smell that was similar to gas. Well today, I finally said something about it being really dangerous to burn propane in an enclosed space because people die. Some of the other teachers looked at me with disbelief. I don't think anyone knew that. Then someone told the head teacher. Her response was, "Oh I know, but just open the door or something." Uhhh, ok. The door goes to another indoor space though. And do you care that there are 100 children in the school right now? I guess not. I'm laughing on the inside at the situation just to see what will happen. I mean we all know how to trun off the heater. But will we actually get a replacement? One that doesn't kill?

On another note, the foreign teacher situation is drastically changing in Korea. When I arrived, it was possible to get a job without a visa. A person has to pick up their visa from a foreign country, any country. So a school would often send that person to Japan when their visa was ready, for a "visa run". Since the pedophile was arrested in Thailand, and among other things, the rules have changed. Before an applicant even applies for a visa, they are subject to a criminal record check, a drug test and an interview with the Korean consulate in the country of origin. Then they have to wait and get their visa from the consulate. Its not a bad thing if you are just at home waiting for a job. But if you came here on your own and then found a job, you'd have to fly all the way back home to get the visa and then fly back again. Its a big deterent to coming here and then finding a job. And all the other requirements one needs to go through will probably decrease the number of applicants and subsequent foreign teachers in Korea. I'm not sure about Japan, China or Taiwan and how they are doing things, but it will be more of a hassle for people wanting to work here.

DMZ - this is a loooong post

Yesterday I went to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. It was an organized tour through the USO. I went with Leesa and her parents, who are visiting from Vancouver.The bus left at 7.30am from Seoul. We all had to abide by a dress code and bring our passports. The dress code was to wear runners, no sandals, and appropriate clothing, pants, a t-shirt. Runners were necessary in case we had to run. We had to provide our passports when we registered for the tour and when we were on the bus.

The DMZ is only 45km from Seoul. The tour consisted of three parts. The first part was to Camp Boniface and the Joint Security Area (JSA). We arrived at the Camp, which is a UN camp, and all the UN personnel that work here live in the camp. There are about 700 people, mostly from South Korea and the US, and a few from Canada, Australia, NZ and the UK. Our guide, (insert military rank here) Rashkin said that he and all the other soldiers working in the JSA are much more highly educated and trained than other military officers. They must have immaculate civilian and military records to be even considered for those positions. He also said that the SK personnel are educated abroad and are more educated than he is. Once we arrived at the camp, we left the tour bus and boarded another bus from the UN. We drove to a debriefing building where we saw a slide show about the area and the reason why the JSA is there. They talked about the most recent violent events from the last 30 years. The first major one was in 1976. A work crew was sent by SK to a spot to trim an alder tree that was obstructing the view UN personel. NK soldiers came over and started interrogating the workers. Two US military personnel stepped in and ended up getting murdered with the axes that the workers were using. Four NK soldiers were also killed. After this, it was decided that neither party could cross over onto the other party's side. The other occurred in 1984. A Russian civilian was visiting the north side and ran across the line and through a building on the south. A gunfight ensued. I believe some NK soldiers were killed, but the Ruskie survived.

After the slide show, we got back on the buses and headed the central part of the town of Punmunjom (the de facto city established after the war, right on the border). Freedom Hall is the building that was supposed to be used for talks between the two parties, but has never been used for that purpose. The bus pulled up to this building and we got out and lined up. My group went outside to the back of the building, where we could see the North Korean security building, several guards, watchtowers and many security cameras and sound devices. Six JSA soldiers are on constant watch to the North. Between where we were standing were 3 smaller buildings and a road. The small buildings are used for any negotiations between the two sides. While we were standing there, a guard from NK came out of his building and watched us with binoculars. We were not allowed to make any gestures towards them as anything could be used as propaganda towards SK. We then went into the small building. Half of it belongs to NK and the other half the South. Three guards are in this room at all times. At one time, there were only 2, but some NK soldiers tried to pull an SK guard through their door one day. Everything about this area and this room are operated with a strict routine, from locking the doors, to the guard changes. All activity within the room is monitored by both countries with sound and video equipment.

We left the building and got back on the bus. We traveled to a lookout point where were could see a large panoramic of NK. The first major part is the Propaganda Village. This looks like a medium sized town, with several buildings and a very large flag pole. The town is mostly deserted however. Kim Jung-il broadcast 10-12 hours of propaganda through the town. Another part was a tower on a hill that we could see in the distance. This tower is to block all radio, television and cellular signals from entering North Korea. This lookout was also one part of the JSA that was surrounded by NK on three sides.

After this we went to The Bridge of No Return. I think it was when the DMZ was established after the Korean war, that all people living within this area were brought to this bridge and given the opportunity to choose which country they wanted to live in, but when they crossed over into that country, they would never be able to return. This was the site where the axe murders occurred.

The buses then left this area and we headed back to the camp. The area between the camp and the Freedom Hall was an area that we were not allowed to take any pictures. We crossed through a massive tank wall and saw the electric fence that runs along the actual border. There is barbed wire fencing running along all roads and around all rice fields. The area is heavily land mined and is considered extremely dangerous. Rashkin joked about not seeing any three legged dear lately. But really, its true and one way to know that there are plenty of mines left.

We got back onto the regular tour buses and then travelled to a South Korean army lookout. It was a public facility so there were lots of regular tourists. By regular tourists I mean Koreans. I don't think that they are allowed to go on the tour through the USO, because of you know, issues.

The third part of the tour was to visit the 3rd Tunnel. This tunnel was found in 1978 and built by NK. Its now a pretty sophisticated tourist attraction. We saw a video about the DMZ and the effort towards peace between the countries and eventual reunification. After was a small exhibit about the Korean War and recent conflicts between the two countries. Then we went into the tunnel. It was 1.5 km long. We had to walk down a long platform to get to it, and I felt really claustrophobic once inside. We had to wear hard hats because the jagged rocky ceiling of the tunnel could be pretty dangerous if one walked into it too fast. We walked to the end of the tunnel, where SK had constructed 4 barricades, so no one would be able to get through on either side. We weren't supposed to bring our cameras here either. I did anyway and got some candid yet blurry shots. We got back on the bus and headed back to Seoul. The bus was playing a video about the Korean War, that was clearly from an American perspective. It had some good information, however it was corny.

The whole day was definitely the coolest thing I've done since I've been here. It was a very surreal experience. Once we were back in the city, I felt strange knowing how close the conflict is to the city. It is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Not because of the ongoing violence, but the potential for danger and violence. As the DMZ is 4 km wide and nearly 260 km long, with no human activity within it for the last 50 years, it is one of the most protected natural places in the world.

During the whole day, two things would not get out of my mind. The first was the movie Team America: World Police, because its the best ridicule of Kim Jong-il anyone has ever done. The second thing is that with all the talks and the media coverage about the two countries getting along and talking peace and rainbows and butterflies, I just don't buy it. When we were traveling to the 3rd tunnel, we learned that a 4th tunnel was found in 1990, and SK suspects another 20 more tunnels exist. That last tunnel was found only 17 years before. A dictator in a communist country with that much military power does not just give up. Kim Il-sun was in power for so long, but Kim Jong-il has done his own stuff, like nuclear testing. I just don't trust the situation. One other thing we learned was about defectors, or people that try to get into SK. Rashkin said a few years ago, 2 young boys, about 14 years old, were washed down the river that flows into SK before going to the ocean. These boys were given the choice of staying in SK or going back to the North. They chose to go back. Turns out that if the NK government finds out about anyone defecting, they arrest all remaining family members and send them to a type of concentration camp that mirrors hell, with no chance of getting out. In the reading I've done since I've been back from the tour, I've learned that North Korea has the 4th most powerful army in the world. Kim Jung-il was the minister responsible for the military before he succeeded his father as the leader, and during his time in that position, he was said to have ordered a bombing in Rangoon, Burma in 1983, that killed 15 visiting South Korean officials. It is also believed that he directly ordered a bombing of a Korean Air plane, killing 115 people in 1987. Kim Jong-il has also appointed himself to two positions that make him the leader of the government, the military and the country. However he does not hold the title of President. By not being President, he is exempt from calling elections that would possibly end his dictatorship. Kim has also spent $20 million on importing 200 luxury Mercedez Benz sedans. He is an avid film and music fan. He has been married once, a marriage he was forced into by his father. That marriage produced one child, and he has 3 other children by two misstresses.

Today is the last day of the semester and I am elated. I don't believe it phases the students because they still have to come to school on Monday. THe only thing they're excited for is a weekend without homework.

Last weekend, Katherine visited me once again from Cheongju. She arrived Friday night. Saturday was a Christmas shopping day so we hit the usual shopping places. For some reason, neither of is were in the mood to shop. Katherine was sick and I think I was overwhelmed. After wandering for a while, we headed to Sinchon to a cafe called Dr. Fish. This place has a pool in the middle where you can put your feet in and small fish eat the dead skin on your feet. Yes, fish eat the dead skin from your feet. I heard of this for the first time this summer. A friend went to China and has the same experience. So why not try it ourselves? Well, we both couldn't get over the tickling of the fish when they nibble on the bottoms of our feet. We giggled and clung to each other while the Koreans looked at us with annoyed looks. We eventually got used to it. My feet were a bit softer but I think I'd have to have them in that pool for much longer to make a real difference.

Saturday, we partied in Hongdae again and on Sunday we headed to the horse races. This course put Hastings Park to absolute shame. It was massive and extremely busy, with little black heads everywhere. We headed to the foreigners lounge. There were brochures and diagrams on how to bet and we were very impressed on how foreigner friendly it was. Its a beautiful location. Its quite far south of the city, and mountains surround the entire track. The sky was clear and blue and it was cold. We headed home after 4 races.

Wednesday night I met up with a woman who is friends with my old Keith Road neighbours, the Lewis'. Minjung lived in Whistler and Vancouver for a while, and is now living and working in Seoul. We went for coffee and got to know each other. She has excellent English and is a very lovely person. It was nice to hang out with someone from here.

This week has been really busy at work. As it is the last week of the semester, we've had to do report cards, tests, evaluations, awards, etc. Its nice to know I will have a fresh start next week. And by fresh start I mean being able to lay the smack down with my students on the first day. I'll never forget my first day of teaching, as I stood at the front of the room, not having a clue what I was doing, and the students KNOWING that they would be able to get away with anything. Not this time, children. Also at school, two male foreign teachers have been added to the staff. Before it was all women but one, and I could always sense the drama and estrogen up entering a room. I have always worked with mostly men and been one of one maybe two women on the team and I've had more fun.

And tomorrow, Saturday, is something that I've wanted to do since I arrived: the DMZ. The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is north of Seoul. I have to adhere to a dress code and bring my passport.

Over and out. Check back in 24 hours.

Rain

Today I walked to work and along the way, it started to rain. It has rained a bit since I arrived here. I though that Koreans were used to rain and I think they are. But when it started, everyone started running like it was Armageddon. From building to building they would run. People were gathered in doorways looking up at the sky so maybe if they looked long enough it would stop raining. Everywhere I have been, there are umbrella vendors, so what's with the running? I just cruised through it because to me its nothing, but everyone else looked at my like I had 5 heads.

Yesterday was American Thanksgiving and to celebrate, some friends and I went to the USO Canteen for a turkey dinner. The USO (United Services Organization) is near the military base. Anyone can go in and have food. The prices are in American and its really cheap. We went for lunch. It was phenomenal. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie. So good. We had to work after and the triptofan hit us all like a pile of bricks.

The feel of the weekend is not truly conveyed without a photo...



I don't know his name but it looks like it should be Candy.

There are new pictures on Flikr...see link on the right

I felt the need to get down with my bad self this past weekend, so I did.

Last Thursday and Friday, my school had level testing for the students. For the students, its very stressful as it determines if they can move up, or if they have to repeat that level again. There is intense pressure from their parents and from their peers. I had no idea what to expect. But it was very stressful for teachers also. There was no actual teaching for us, which was great. But for 2 days, we were distributing, collecting and marking listening, grammer, speaking, vocabulary and level tests for all of our students. We each have 12 classes, so there was a lot of paper. By the end of work on Friday night, we needed booze. Lots of it. Denise, Steph and I went for dinner and had delicious sumgupsal (sort of like bbqd bacon) and beer. We headed to the local Canadian pub called Beer O'Clock for the rest of the night. We chilled there with some more cocktails and some shooters. It was a great way to end the week.

Saturday, I was hurting a little. But after 3 bottles of juice, I was good to go. Denise and I met up with a guy she met here named King. He's in the military and is really nice guy. He's been here for 2 months and has only been in the military since April. He's originally from Atlanta and is 22. He used to work for Bad Boy Records, but felt he wasn't learning anything there so he moved on.

He hasn't seen much of the city, so Denise and I took him to some of the more popular areas. I realized that I am fascinated with military life. I was asking him so many questions about how he got in and the way things were in everyday military life. He works in human resources at the base. Everything is structured, with curfew, rules, chores, procedures, etc. Duh, I mean how else would it be. I got so much info from him, so here are my favourite parts:

- One random story that came up was about him and his friends were out partying and one guy took a pee in a bush. He didn't get caught, but if he did, then he would be sent to military jail for 1 year.

- It takes $85,000 to initially train one soldier. This covers lodging, clothing, basic training, food, medical and dental insurance, you get the picture. I asked him about soldiers being discharged and its not something that is done lightly because of the investment that is put in.

- King was recently in the hospital with penumonia. Military medical coverage is unreal. There are all the things that one would expect from insurance. There are bonuses like having one plastic surgery procedure of your choice for free. When he got his wisdom teeth out, the bill was $4000, but he paid nothing. While he was in the hospital, King said he could order whatever food he wanted. Not hospital food, but basically any food that he could get on base. They have pizza places, Burger King, other burger places, pubs, Korean places, chinese food, italian food. Everything.

Anyway I thought he was really awesome and he said that if Denise wanted to visit the the base, I coud come too. Wooo ooo!

Saturday night we headed back to Beer O'Clock because there was a big bachelor party coming into town. Trevor, the bar owner, told us this the night before. It was a single girl's dream. Denise and I were 2 out of 5 women. The rest of the bar was full of guys. Turns out there is a supply of eligible bachelors here. We stayed there for a while then headed to the clubbing part of town called Hongdae. It was a great night. Denise and I met so many people and it was really fun to go party it up. I hadn't done it in a while.

Sunday was a write off. I loved it. I watched 3 movies and had a huge nap. Back to school yesterday and the retardeness of level testing.

A Date....With Myself

On Sunday, I took myself on a date. I woke up at 10 and bought myself a coffee. Then I went for a seven hour walk. I walked from my house to Yeouido (the Manhattan of Seoul), to Yongsan (the US military area) then to Sinchon (a trendy clubbing area). For those Vancouverites out there, its like walking from Heather and Paul's house, over the Second Narrows, into downtown, through the West End, around Stanley Park and then to Park Royal. Sounds crazy but it was so much fun. I had my ipod, my camera, a map and unlimited time. It was nice to see the city from street level, as I always take the subway. It was a beautiful day. I took the subway home on the last part, bought myself a bottle of wine on the way home and made myself pasta for dinner. I sure know how to treat a lady.

Its funny how some things are normalizing. Motorcycles on the sidewalk, normal. Kids at school on Saturday, normal. Drunk business men sleeping on park benches at 5pm, totally normal. Come on, who isn't tanked at 5? Well me for sure because i'm guiding young Korean minds. Underwear vendors in the park, normal. Kids playing basketball at midnight, normal. Women wearing facemasks and giant visors, normal. I've become accustomed to people staring at me. If they don't stare at me now, I think, what's wrong with me?

I'm content and pleased with the way things have worked out. I have a good job. I'm meeting lots of people. Some might say I'm making a difference through my work. I suppose, but I think many of my students will seek therapy in a few years. I have so much time to myself. Sometimes I feel a little bored, but I have not had this much time to read, watch movies and learn things in so long. Some travel plans are on the horizon. Maybe Japan for Christmas and Bali for the lunar new year in February.

Flikr page

Instead of posting photos on this page, they will all be on my Flikr page. Its easier to use, for me and I can most more than this allows. There is a link at the top right side of the page. Most are from Seoul, but there are some of home too. Enjoy!

The things I learned today

1. I really love coffee.

2. In Korea, the police have the right to come into any club or bar and do random blood testing. If they find any illegal narcotics in anyone's system, that person will be arrested.

3. There are a lot of weird foreign teachers living in Seoul. A LOT.

4. Will Farrell is THE funniest man on earth.

5. Doodling with a gel pen is better than doodling with a ballpoint pen.

6.The recent news of the Canadian teacher arrested in Thailand for child molesting has impacted the impressions of foreign language teachers with parents and students.

7. In 2 months, I have taken 1500 photos.

8. There is a non-existent supply of eligible bachelors in Seoul.

The first bike accident

Today I got hit by a truck.

Denise and I were riding to school on our regular route, which consists of 3 crosswalks, a park and a walkway. The only real road interactions are the crosswalks. Let me first say, if I haven't already, that Korean drivers are insane. Running red lights, driving really really fast, cutting people off, not stopping for pedestraians, swerving lanes, motorcycles on the sidewalks. I'm surprised I haven't witnessed an accident yet.

Anyway, we came to our first crosswalk. Denise mentioned that there was a truck going the wrong way. I saw it and it was actually backing up. He stopped so we started to cross. Then he decided to go anyway and was coming right for me. He kept going and hit me. My bike hit the ground. I was actually not hit, just the bike. My first action, when the truck was still moving, was to put my hand on the truck, because, you know, maybe I could stop the truck from moving. Anyway, Denise was pissed and threw her bike down on the ground and started giving this driver guy a piece of her mind, hands in he air, yelling. It was classic. He had gotten out by then and a small crowd had gathered. I can't remember what I said but I know that I wouldn't repeat it in front of small children. But it is highly unlikely that anyone around us even understood what we were saying. I was totally fine though, just a little shocked. The retard who was driving looked more worried because we were foreigners.

Its funny now, looking back. Denise stood up for me like it was nobody's business! She doesn't hold back. And my sweet bike is fine.

Movie Recommendations

I've seen some pretty awesome movies since I've been away: on the plane, all the pirated DVDs, the movie theatre. I can't even remember the last time I've seen this many films.

Here are some that I highly recommend. For those who know my sense of humour and whatever, then you can thank me later.

Shooter - Starring former original boy toy, Mark "Marky Mark" Whalberg. This military thriller is about a retired Marine Corps guy who get royally f %^*# d by the US government. Yes, probably not what you go see in the theatre or order on digital cable, but it is AWESOME. It made me want to be an assassin.

The Ex - Also something you probably groaned at when it previewed. Starring Zack Braff (he must have written some of it too because it is witty), it is about a husband dealing with his wife's high school ex-boyfriend, while he and the ex work for her father's ad agency. I saw it on the plane and I laughed out loud. Several times, by myself. Go get it.

Derailed - Starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen. I watched it with Denise and we were stressed out the entire time. You know those movies that you yell at the screen because you can't understand why the character is choosing to go up shit creek. But I loved it at the end. Its a gooder.

You, Me and Dupree - eh, skip it and instead watch Wedding Crashers AGAIN, because its that funny.

Syriana - Another rad movie about the corrupt side of the US everything. Don't consume alcoholic beverages or watch it with someone who talks because it requires all your attention. When its over, you'll think a third time about driving your car to the corner store.

Love Actually - If you are PMS-ing and looking for an intentional cry, this is for you. Very touching, Hugh Grant is hot and clever and the film gave me the warm fuzzies.

Blood Diamonds - Very moving. A tear rolled down my cheek, I won't lie. Love the acting, the story, the message. Leo D is not one of my favorites, but he does a stand up job.

The Last King of Scotland - its good.

Clearly I'm just watching the big films from LAST year. But with rampant piracy all over Asia, I will be able to spoil all the good ones for you soon. That's all for this week's edition of Movies Not To Miss. I will update in another 2 months. Maybe.

I'm sick

It started last Thursday with a sore throat and a raspy voice. Teaching aggravated the situation. By Friday morning I felt a fever coming on. I laid low Friday night. I had a pretty busy weekend, just checking out the city. My cough got worse and worse. By Monday morning, my voice was gone, I felt like crap and I was coughing up my lungs. My throat was sore from coughing so much too. On Tuesday at work, I was coughing so hard, I threw up. I had to leave my class unattended for about an hour. But there are no sick days at my school, so when I was done, I rinse all the eye makeup off that was running down my face, and got on with the teaching. Why hadn't I been to a doctor yet? Well I remember having something like this in that past and seeing a doctor, and getting the old "its a virus and there's nothing we can do". So I just went with that. On Wednesday I felt less barfy, but the cough was terrible. On Thursday morning, I realized it was time to see a doctor because I was coughing up blood.

There's an international clinic 3 blocks from my house. I went in, registered or whatever and saw the doctor, who spoke english. She asked me a bunch of questions. She asked me about shots or a shot. I haven't had any shots in a while, but later, someone told me that they administer medication in a doctor's office by a shot. Ah yes, I remember now Leesa telling me about her doctor experience. When they gave her whatever shot she got, they spanked her ass before they stuck the needle. That was all I could think about after that, sitting in the doctor's office.

Then I went to a small room and they gave me a breathing mask with steam and put some drops into some reservoir. I breathed that in for about 4 minutes, got my prescription and left.

The prescription was for 2 days. I got 3 little packets of pills for each day, breakfast lunch and dinner. Each packet had 4 pills in them. I got 3 packets of cough syrup (individual doses are in little packets, so cute!) for each day and then some other pills to take right before bed. It was a lot of medication.

I have to go back on Monday morning. I don't know what I have but I guess the closest thing would be a lung infection. It doesn't help that all my students are sick, as are half the teachers I work with. I feel better, however the mornings are the worst. I wake up a few times in the night from coughing. I feel sorry for my neighbour.

Writer's Block

I think of things to write ALL the time, on the subway, riding my bike, shopping, lying in bed waiting to fall aleep. When I sit down to actually write, I can't remember any of it. So I'll just try and think of things I have done in the last little while.

In addition to the cool Buddhist experience last Sunday, I went to the COEX Mall and the Aquarium. This mall is apperently the biggest mall in Asia. Its mental. We didn't even see all of it because we just kept going around in a circle. But we did go to the aquarium that is in the mall. It was amazing! I felt like a kid again. There were mostly small fish, but then there was a huge shark tank at the end which was definetly a highlight. We (Denise, Mike and Beth) sat in front of the shark tank for about 30 minutes and had beers that we snuck in. The sharks were huge. Lots of scary ones with ugly teeth and there was one with a saw like form on the front of its head. There were massive turtles and some other funny looking fish. It was so much fun.

There was also another trip to Costco last week. I picked up some food and other necesities. We hit the food court for hot dogs, which were delicious. At the condiment counter, we picked up the usual relish and ketchup and at the end of the table, there was a onion mill. A giant tub that rotated and distributed chopped white onions. Pretty cool for people that like onions. As we walked through the food court looking for a table, we realized that people were only eating onions. They got a heap of onions onto a plate, then doused it with relish, ketchup and mustard, and then dug in with a fork. Done. A whole plate of that. The lesson for that day was that Koreans really like free onions.

I've gotten everything I need for my apartment. The only thing I didn't have for a while was a tea pot and a plant. So now it feels like home.

One weekend, Katherine Mulski came to visit. I went to high school with her and she is doing a practicum in a town about an hour and a half from Seoul. Her practicum involves teaching teachers how to implement english curriculum in their classrooms. She is a teacher in Canada also. She is only here for 4 months so she is busy trying to pack it all in. We had one of the busiest weekends I've had since I've been here. Saturday was shopping in Namdaemun Market and Meyong Dong. Both are huge trendy shopping areas. I tried to find some cheap eye glasses but couldn't find any frames I liked. I was a succesful day. On Saturday night we went for a going away dinner for Lindsay and then partied in Itaewon. I left Kat to watch the Rugby World Cup game at about 2.30 am and went home to bed. Then she rolled into my place at 7am. Sunday was another day of shopping in Itaewon and Insadong. Unfortunatly we ran out of time in Insadong so she's going to come back another weekend and we'll tackle that place. We got some Christmas shopping done, I bought a dress and a toque. But we were so friggin tired by the end of it.

Tea with a Buddhist Monk

Today, the plan was to go to the old part of Seoul, as there are lots of traditional houses and buildings there. There aren't too many old buildings because of the war. Instead we (Leesa, Michelle, Gillian and I) decided to do one of the walking tours in the Seoul Lonely Planet book. It was nice out and hey, when in Rome.

Attraction 1 on the walking tour: taking pictures of taking pictures (Michelle, Leesa, Gillian)

A man saw cameras and wanted in on the action (Michelle)

Side bar: Gillian is from Scotland and has been in Korea for 2 months. Leesa met on her on Facebook and she also teaches English. She is really nice and cool and I've hung out with her a few times. Thanks for making new friends, Leesa!

Vancouver didn't make the cut

Attraction 2: closed (Michelle)

The tour started at a subway station and wandered through a very artsy part of the city. The first sight on the tour was an old watchtower, which we took pictures of from accross the street. Next was an english bookstore that was closed. Third item on the tour was a Buddhist temple and shrine. We went inside. There was a cool shop on the main floor that sold prayer beads, rugs and books. At the back of the building was a small room for prayer, meditation and chanting. The walls an ceilings were painted with ornate designs of turquise, white, red, orange and blue. The floors were wood and we had to take our shoes off before going into the room. The front of the room had large figures along the wall. Massive bouquets of orchids were placed along the front ledge of the room. It was so beautiful. I took picures, even though I wasn't sure if I was aloud.

Changing trees

We wandered upstairs to the second level. There were a few closed doors, but nothing really to see. Then a man came out of one of the doors and he asked us if we had any questions. We wanted to know if we could go to the third floor and if we could take pictures. He said yes and yes. Then he brought us into one of the rooms on the second floor that is used for meditation. It was very plain, with a few candles and mats on the floor. He asked us if we knew how to meditate, we said sort of. Then he asked us if we would like to meet the monk that is in charge of the temple. Uh yeah! He went away for a few minutes, came back and told us it would be a few minutes and if we wanted to go upstairs to the main shrine, he would come to get us. So we did. We only spent about 5 minutes upstairs then he came to get us. He was Korean but spoke very good english. He asked us where we were from. Canada, Canada, Canada, Scotland. He said he spent 3 months in Toronto and he has been to Vancouver.

The shrine on the main floor

Huge orchid bouquets

Orchids are everywhere

This man, we never asked his name, now that I think about it. Lets call him Mr. Park. Anyway, he led us down a hallway and into a room where the monk was sitting at a low table with cups, tea pots and fruit on it. He was wearing a grey robe. We stood in front of him in a row and Mr. Park arranged cushions in front of each of us and taught us the traditional bow one must do when joining a Buddhist monk. Its 3 bows. Hands in prayer position, bend at the waist, hands and then knees down on the cushion. Forehead to the cushion. Flip hands so palms are facing up, then back to standing position. Then we sat cross legged in front of the monk and we learned about the lotus position. It hurt, but after much practice, I think I could get it. The monk made us tea and Mr. Park said we could ask him questions and he would translate. We asked about meditation, and Mr. Park said that this monk was a meditation master. He told us about the mind/body connection, enlightenment, breathing. We were in the room for about 45 minutes. It was very cool. Except all of our legs were cramping up because us westerners are not used to sitting on the floor for long periods of time.

Then we went into another room, with no furniture, just mats. We learned about posture and more about breathing. Mr. Park and the monk told us about cause and effect (karma), how we will bring good things to our families, cities and countries through meditation. We can meditate anywhere, and it takes lots and lots of practice.

We said goodbye and thank you to Mr. Park and the monk. They were so kind and hospitable to us. And we felt so special! I don't think its too common for foreigners to go into a temple, and get a personal lesson about meditation with the temple's master.

Outside the main shrine

We quickly went upstairs to the main shrine. It was amazing. Three large gold Buddhas were at the front of the room. It was a large room, and again, the ceiling and walls were covered with these painted designs. There were mats on the floors, and candles all along the back wall of the room. So beautiful. I got some pictures and then my camera battey died. Then a man came into the room and said we weren't allowed to take pictures. OOPS!

It was so cool! We left the temple about an hour and half after we entered. We felt so grateful for the experience. I think we will definetly go back to meditate.

It was raining outside as we continued our walking tour. We made it about a km down the road, then the rain turned to monsoon status. We ducked into a cafe and had a snack and figured out what to do. As we headed back to the subway stop, the rain got even harder. We called it a day, and decided to continue the tour another time.

I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV

I discovered a new medical condition yesterday.

Name: Purse Shoulder
Cause: Heavy purses, carried on either shoulder. Can be aggravated by sleeping on that side of the body.
Symptoms: Pain in the shoulder and neck, tightness, knots, tingling fingers, headaches.
Treatments: Minimize the crap in one's purse, limit acquiring new items when away from one's dwelling for significant periods of time. Robaxacet Platinum, or any other type of pain releiver available. Ignore recomended daily dosage, keyword: recomendation. Massages regularly from a certified professional. Retail therapy should be avoided.
Possible side effects: dry mouth, dizziness, fatique, a burning sensation when ingesting fluids, hair loss, eye twitching.

Teaching Strategies

I feel more comfortable with teaching lately. I finally got everything done for my classes including planning, marking, writing report cards and having everything inputed to the computer system.

Some of the kids are really awesome. They are smart, funny and eager to learn. Some of them drive me to drink. I find that making fun of them every now and then keeps them laughing and gets their attention. I often make fun of myself, or I will say one of the few Korean words that I know. I hate the term "shut up", but its something they understand and for some reason think its hilarious. A good punishment is having them stand in front of the class holding books about their heads. I've even heard of making them hold downward facing dog for 15 minutes.

My students eat weird food and make me try their new snacks all the time. They write in their diaries every week and ask me questions, like what is my favourite season or what did I do on the weekend. They mix up their words and have names like Eunice, Albert and D.P. They are amazed at the speed at which I can speak English, and laugh at me when I try to speak Korean.

Learning the Language

Last week I was extremely productive. I became an official alien, I opened a bank account, I got a multi-entry visa, I did a wire transfer, learned Korean and caught up all my work. I feel so much better.

I was an unofficial alien since my arrival. I had to have a visa to get into the coutry, and because I'm employed, I needed an id card. I had to visit the immigration office to apply, leave them my passport, wait 10 days and then go back to pick it all up. I needed my id card to get the bank account, get paid and get my multi-entry visa. The visa I got in Vancouver was for one entry. So if I want to do any travelling in the area, I need to get another permit. At least all the stuff is done though. The process was not too bad compared to getting a Canadian Passport or getting some of the things Brendan Baker needs in the UK .

Learning Korean was quite easy. And by learning I mean learning the alphabet. I can now read signs and stuff, I just don't know what a lot of the words mean. However Korean, or Hangeul, is a young language. Many of the words are modelled after english pronunciation. For example computer is cam-pu-ta. Guitar is gi-ta. Town is ta-un. Since I learned that helpful tidbit of indformation, if a Korean dosen't know what I am talking about through my excellent miming skills, then I just break down the syllables and get rid of the l's. Done.

The alphabet was easy to learn. Its about memorizing the letters and then understanding how sounds are put together. I bought a book called "How to learn the Korean language structure in 40 minutes". It was just that. After more studying I can advance to another book that will help with vocabulary.

The funny thing about going to a foreign country for me is that I have tried to use words in other forign languages that I know. I have used "oui" and "et". I tried to buy "huevos" one day. I tried to order "agua" also.

All in all, I can get by with what I know already. Thank you, I'm sorry, come here, hello and goodbye, yes, no, not me, how much, some food items, some numbers and prices. I can even pick out words when I hear Koreans talking.

The subway

My first package contained...

The local people

Introductions

I keep mentioning random people all the time so I thought I would make introductions. If I haven't mentioned them, it means that I meant to, I just met them or they will be mentioned.

Leesa: I met her in my second year at UNBC. She dated the guy accross the hallway form me in residence. She was the instigator for teaching in Asia. Seeing her in Seoul was the first time we'd seen each other in 3 years. Leesa is a teacher in Canada too. She likes meeting new people, travelling and visiting the immigration office.

Denise: Teaches at my school and lives down the hall from me. Also a proud owner of a new bike, Denise is from Halifax and is a great teacher. Our shared interests: movies, sum gup sil (Korean BBQ), wine, learning Korean and riding our bikes. We have a secret bell signal too.

Michelle: Leesa's friend from the Education Program at UNBC. She has been in Korea for about one month. I met her then. She lives in Bundong, about 1 hour from my house on the subway. Originally from Quesnel, BC.

Stephanie: I never meet any other Stephanie's and here is one at my school, hence my new name Sam. She's from Pittsburg and is the only American on our staff. Steph is also a teacher at home and is hilarious. She is my new walking buddy.

Mark: Michelle's new friend. I met him when we were visiting Michelle in Bundong. Michelle met him 4 days before that. He's from Toronto, is a fantastic photographer and likes The Daily Show.

Lindsay: The only Brit on staff, Lindsay is from Newcastle. She's been here for 3 years, teaching at Lass, but is leaving Korea on October 31st. She's someone I would have liked to work with for much longer. She's going home for a visit and then is going to India for a month. After another trip home for Christmas, Lindsay will teaching in Columbia for 2 years.

Alicia: Leesa's co-teacher at her school. She's from Ohio and just adopted a little doggy.

I think that's all. If there are new mentions, it's safe to assume that they're a new friend.

Last weekend in Bundong

Last Saturday, Leesa and I went to a place called Bundong. It was about an hour and a half from my house on the subway. I'm sure the bus is faster, but I will never take the bus again.

Her neighbourhood is very rich and very nice. She lives in an amazing building with tons of security and has a really nice apartment. We got there just after noon. We dropped off our stuff and then went for a walk around the river and to Central Park. This park was amazing. There were old temples and a traditional korean house. There was a small hill that people could hike up. Halfway up was a cemetery. All the cemetaries have giant mounds, and I guess they are like tombs. We got there just in time to see the sunset. It was beautiful. We finished walking up the hill to find an outdoor gym. There were probably 40 different machines scattered amongst the trees and big spot lights everywhere. Lots of men were working out. But it was in the middle of a forest! We just stood there and watched them for a while because we couldn't beleive the randomness of the whole thing.

We turned around and went back to the main area of the park. It was now dark, and all the bridges around the pond were lit. The lights turned from red to green to purple to orange to blue. One of Michelle's friends, Mark, was with us and is a wicked photographer. He has a sweet DSLR camera, and I was trying to learn as much as I could from him. He passed on a few pieces of information which were quite helpful.

It was now dark and we were hungry. We walked back to Michelle's neighbourhood and had Korean bbq for dinner. Then we hit the soju. Soju is like vodka or sake, but not as strong. It is served cold and consumed in a single shot. One can mix it with juice if they wish, but real Koreans just knock it back. So "when in Rome" Michelle and I knocked back a bottle wth dinner. We went to her apartment after to get changed to go out. We had more soju, but this time we mixed it with aloe juice. Delish. After a few rounds we headed to an irish pub called Dublins. Some guy from Facebook organized this "Bundong Social Club" and planned a pub night, so we went. It turns out that the Bundong Social Club is made up of all the socially inept foreigners. It was totally fun though. Leesa started talking to one guy for a while. He had grey hair and was tall and lean. He had grey "pedophile" eyes. So we called him Stephen Harper.

We lasted a few hours. The walk home was interesting. Some bad decsisions were made, like eating McDonalds. Leesa and I decided to entertain some Koreans in a park. The pictures are not flattering. When we got back to Michelle's, the three of us fell asleep on her double bed. We slept the opposite way with chairs to hold up our feet. It was surprisingly comfortable.

On Sunday, we wandered. I was hurting pretty bad. We saw some kids practicing their dance moves near a mall. They were really good. The weekend came to an end. We got on the subway to get back to the big city. I was exhausted. I can't wait to go back.

Bus 6637

Tonight I got lost on the bus. I went grocery shopping after work and took the bus home, normally a 5 minute ride. I stayed on after my regular stop so I could go around the loop and get off on the other side of the block. It went to the end of the block and turned in the other direction. I thought, ok I guess I will get a bit of a tour and find out where the bus goes. The bus crossed the river, into a totally different part of town, and kept going and going and going. I saw the a last guy get off and then it was just me and the driver. Then I saw the bus yard, and the driver opened the door, indicating that it was time for me to get off the bus. It was 11 when I got on. I had all my groceries. Just before we got to this place, I saw farmland, and greenhouses. Not something I have seen in any part of the city ever. I could smell manure. I couldn't see a building or a city light at all. So I shit myself a little, then regrouped, grabbed all my groceries and walked about 1 km to a gas station. The attendant didn't understand my "taxi" and telephone gesture to the ear with the hand. He said "Keep walking. Straight" Aweomse, thanks. Then I saw another gas station another km away and around a corner. This attendant was sooo nice and helped me flag down a cab. I told the cabi in my limited korean where to go. Normally, a smart person would have gotten their alien card already, and just shown it to the cabi without having to say anything. But not me, I like to be different. The cab driver was extremely kind. With my poor Korean and his limited English, we managed to have a conversation.
"England?"
"No, Canada"
"I am 61 years old."
"I'm 27 years old."
"WHAT! 27 and not married!"
"Nope. Single."
Good talk. He spoke better English than my Korean though. I made it home. Turns out I was only about 20 minutes away from my house in the cab. It was a $15 ride, a huge relief. I walked in my door at 12.45.
The moral of the story is don't assume a bus will do its loop at 11.00 at night.

a month already?

I've been here for one month. It feels like much much longer. And at the same time, it feels like one day. Teaching is improving. Some homesickness has kicked in. The weather is changing. I miss home. I miss friends, family, CBC radio, Vancouver rain (yes, its true), Bean Around the World coffee, creamo, Frank.

My one source of live english radio is the Armed Forces station. Its run by the American military. I get a kick of the ads the most. "Choose your friends wisely, or they might sexually assault you" is one of the best. Because its your fault if you get sexually asaulted. There's one narrated by a female "therapist type" who has to remind men that if they buy a drink for a woman at a bar, that doesn't mean the she is "his" for the evening. Also, if a woman dresses in a way that is risque, then she is not "asking for it". And another, with a catchy jingle about how the Curfew Police know your neighborhood, "so don't bother hiding somewhere after curfew, because we WILL find you anyway." Sucks to be them.

I'm reading "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews. Its about a teenaged girl, growing up in a Mennonite town in the prairies. Its very cleverly written, and very funny. I'm about halfway through and I appreciate the familiarity of the story. I want to pick up the book about Mao next. They sell an English copy at the bookstore nearby. One of the most appealing things about the book is that is not for sale in China. If anyone has any book suggstions, let me know!

Some shout outs. Happy birthday to Grandad, Young Grasshopper (J.McG.), Tyler, Denise Teacher, an early one to P.Diddy (daaaaaaad), and Andersson. Congratualtions to Captain Andrew Martin and Constable Annemarie Unheim.

Sunrise. October 4

Tip #1

Next time you have the urge to eat peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon, try it with a chop stick. Its different. And it feels like you're camping.

Another Korean Holiday

An interesting week...its not even over.

Work has been really stressful. A foreign teacher got fired on Monday (it was his second day). He looked like a child molestor anyway, so its a good thing. But the really bad part is that they gave me 3 of his classes. I now teach 12 classes in total. I don't even think I took 12 classes at a time in anything in my whole life. Now, most of the people I've met here would say that it doesn't matter how many classes they teach, because it is all so easy. I don't know if its only my school, or only me, but I was already feeling very overwhelmed with the 9 classes that I had, so this was an overload. It not just the teaching, its also marking tests, marking diaries, creating word tests, photocopying, marking homework, entering lesson plans into the online system, entering grades into the system, writting report cards and planning every class. Its tough. I had a bit of a meltdown on Tuesday. I was mostly just so pissed off at the situation.

I had yesterday off. Hurray for Korean holidays. It was a welcome break, from the 3 days I have worked in the last 2 weeks. HA! I played tourist again. Leesa and I went to the Prison Memorial/Museum in the northwest part of the city. It was totally heartbreaking.

This wasn't a prison for criminals. It was for Korean Independance protestors from the early 1900's, who stood up against the Japanese during 2 different invasions. I almost couldn't look at certain displays. Both men and women were prisoners. They were brutally tortured. The women were also "sexually tortured". Nine of the 15 buildings were still there. The cells were small. There was a Leper building and an execution building. I will post photos soon. It truely was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever seen. I didn't realize there was such resentment against the Japanese but I can now see why.

We then wandered around one part of the city called Hongdae. Its very funky...lots of shops, nightclubs and restaurants.We saw a very very cool art gallery, and got some free schwag (posters and post cards). We had sushi (ironic) for lunch. It was some of the best sushi I have ever had. We then headed to Leesa's neighbourhood to see her insane grocery store (E-Mart) and then a movie. It was a great day off.

Then back to work today. I felt way more comfortable with the three new classes. I know it will be even easier as time goes on. I also asked my employer for an advance. Korean people get paid once a month, and I was getting down to the last of my funds. They said no. I was pretty shocked (and pissed) because a lot of people I know here have received an advance from their schools when they've asked for it. Plus I have already worked for a whole month. I will get my revenge somehow.
I arrived in Seoul 4 weeks ago today. I can't believe its been that long. It feels like one week. The weather is turning into sweatshirt weather, which is much better than the "sweating from walking 2 blocks in the humidity" weather. Leesa reminded me that this weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. We are going to the Rocky Mountain Tavern for poutine to celebrate.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Censorship

Since I started this blog, I have been torn between what I really want to say, and what would be more appropriate. I like to think of myself as a smart adventurous young woman. I have opinions based on my experiences and my culture. I like to be an observer of humanity.

What I want to say does not fall anywhere between denying the holaucast or popularising polygamy. Seriously people. My opinions of religion, travel, world affairs, the media, Vancouver, 9/11, family, comunism, art, relationships, etc, differ from many, I'm sure, and the last thing I want to do is preach. However my views have shaped who I am.

It is particularly interesting for me living a completly different part of the world. Or am I. This may sound odd, but living in Vancouver is almost like living in a small part of the rest of the world everyday. Minus many many things of course. I'm glad that I'm from a city where less than 50% of the population speak English in their homes. I'm glad that I'm from a city that can host the world through the Olympics. I'm especially proud to be from a country that values diversity and is not afraid to question and challenge the things that are laid out in front of us. Despite all these wonderful things, I felt the need to leave the complaining about the Canada Line, the Olympics and construction. All of which I support whole-heartedly.

What am I trying to say? I'm not really sure. Perhaps I will just dance to the beat of my own drum and write about whatever I want. Perhaps I will not say it, but show my experiences through the lens of my camera. And then maybe tomorrow I will simply write about some new nifty Korean product I found.

War Memorial of Korea

Leesa and a Black Hawk


Weapons of Mass Destruction


A photo of Canadian soldiers playing hockey during a break. The photo is signed by Jean Chretien.


Seoul in 1952

My Students

A Day at the Park

Chuseok in the City

My friend from UNBC, Craig Johnson, and I


The Newfoundland flag in the Rocky Mountain Tavern

An Accidental Walking Tour

As we tried to find a market one day, and instead, went in the absolute wrong direction. I was a good thing because we found the Canadian Embassy, and saw a really nice part of the city.

The last day of vacation before going back to work, but only for one day, and then its the weekend. It was pouring rain this morning, and Leesa and I went to the immigration office. We need to register and get our alien cards. It was chaos there. The process went surprisingly fast, but the building was packed with people. I think it was the most crowded area I have been since my arrival. I didn't have enough paperwork, so now I have to go back on Monday. However it is easier than trying to get a Canadian passport these days.

The War Memorial Museum yesterday was very interesting. Korea has a long history of defending itself from Japan and China, who have always tried to take over the country. It seems that Korea, being in the middle, was a desireable peice of land for them. Half of the museum was about the last 3000 years and the various groups that have invaded. The second half was about the Korean War. I didn't know much about this peice of history and it was interesting seeing it from their point of view. There were lots of photos, weapons, newspaper articles and re-enactments. Outside were planes, tanks, helicopters, a submarine, boats and trucks. Another part of the museum was dedicated to the Korean Marine Corps and their role in today's conflicts. Much of the exhibit expressed the desire from the people for the two countries to be reunited. Its hard to say what will happen.

The other day, we were trying to find a market and ended up getting lots. It was good that we got lost because we stumbled upon the Canadian Embassy. It was closed for the holidays, but we were very excited.

Everyday

On Vacation

Its Korean Thanksgiving and I've had the last 5 days off. Its been great. The city has totally emptied out and its a bit eerie with the streets being so vacant. Denise's (friend/co-teacher) friend Shelby is visiting from Kuala Lampur, and Leesa arrived last week. We've all been playing tourist and enjoying the lazy days.

I went to Leesa's house on Saturday. She lives in an older part of Seoul, on the other side of the city from me. As I have seen more and more of the city, I realize that the area I live in is very unique. It is the second richest neighbourhood in the city. The streets are clean and safe. The parks are always full of children and families playing and getting their excercise. Expensive boutiques line the streets and large 40 storey apartment buildings are everywhere. Most of the kids I teach have only their fathers working and their mothers stay at home. This environment has jaded my view of the city and is not completely representative of Seoul. Leesa's neighbourhood has winding alleyways and older apartment buildings. Stores are tucked everywhere. There is less affluence and less extravagance. I love her neighbourhood because of the character. Two blocks away is one of the best markets I've been to since I've been here. With only a few clothing stores, most of the shops sell live seafood, kimchi, steamed dumplings and other delicacies for immediate consumption, bottled ginseng and every vegetable imagineable. There is a university near her also.

In our adventures, we have spent lots of time in the foreign area, Itaewon. People from all over the world live and work in that neighbourhood. Leesa and I had dinner at a french bistro one night and an Indian one the next. Nightclubs and bars are everywhere. The US Military base is close by too so GIs spend lots of free time there. Last night we went to the Canadian pub, the Rocky Mountain Tavern, for wings and beer. It felt like home. I met up with my friend Craig who has lived here for the last 4 years. He loves it and can't see himself moving back to Vancouver. After 4 hours at the pub, it almost felt like we had left Seoul altogether.

Denise and I have been biking lots. There is a great pathway system that runs along the river, through the parks, and along most of the canals that run through the city. It was busy one morning and every single person stared at us like we were freaks. In fact wherever I go I am stared at. When a group of us are out its even worse. It gets quite uncomfortable when we're on the subway and men won't stop staring at us. Yesterday we had to change seats because it was so bad. But most of the time an assertive "what are you looking at?" quite loudly puts them back in their place.

Today Leesa and I are going to the War Memorial Museum. Most people have to go back to work tomorrow, but I have one more day off. Back to work on Friday and then another weekend. Life is tough. However this is the last hilday we have until Christmas Day, and then it is only the 25th that we have off.

Mom and Dad booked their tickets to come and visit me on March 5th. I'm very excited and can't wait to show them the city.

This Week in Pictures

Eating dakgalbi and wearing aprons


Denise and a beer, sitting outside the Family Mart (in our apartment building)


Namdaemun Market on a Saturday


A protest outside Namdaemun


Insadong, one of my favourite areas so far. Very artsy, lots of tea shops and artisans.




A different night, again, having beers in front of the Family Mart and eating delicious food (some had pizza, some had Korean food)