New Schedule, 3 Day Weekend

My schedule has been completely changed as of tomorrow. I will no longer be teaching Science. I only had one class before, but I really liked my Science class. I got Language added to my arsenal. Thanks. I'm not much of a fan of the semantics and technicalities of language. I learned more English grammar because of Spanish class than I ever learned in an English class. Anyway, my Tuesday/Thursday schedule remains the same. The nice thing is that I now have a prep period everyday but Wednesday. I have two on Tuesday to make up for that though. The reason we are switching the schedule is because BIS hired a new teacher because our grade 2 classes are getting too big and too crazy. The new teacher will only be part-time and work Monday, Wednesday, Friday and is taking some of my most hated and most beloved classes. However, all the current teachers are dealing with the same situation. I had also planned two of the classes I lost until December so it kind of makes me feel like my work was useless. I have however designed and new lesson plan sheet which is much more efficient and visual than before.

Other than that, nothing else in the way of news. We have a three day weekend coming up because of National Foundation Day on Friday. It'll be nice to have a 3 day weekend, but other than dinner with friends on Thursday night, I don't have much planned. Maybe the HiSeoul festival, maybe palace tours, maybe a walk through Olympic Park. Perhaps swimming laps in the Olympic pool or checking out the shooting range? Who knows, but I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend and the weather looks promising thus far for a relaxing, outdoor weekend.

Noraebang

Last night was another Spanish meetup and some new people were there, which was really nice. We went to a restaurant in Sinchon that had separate conference style rooms that you can rent out, have some food, drinks and a meeting all at the same time. It was pretty kitschy, but fun. After dinner, a group of us headed to Hongdae for some dancing. On the way to the bar, Tinpin, we encountered a stand where a woman was selling cocktails in a bag. It was like a Capri Sun, but for adults and at 3,000W a pop, hard to pass up. After we hung out at Tinpin for a bit we decided to head to a noraebang. A noraebang is a karaoke room people can rent out with their friends and you can sing to your heart's content. They have a ton of songs in English, including recent hits and old ones too. I sang a lot of songs! Loren and I belted out, "Hey Jude," Megan and I sang "Goodbye Earl" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." I decided to solo on "Mmmbop" and "Don't Bring Me Down." It was so much fun! Afterward we hit up the street food where I tried tteokbokki for the first time, it was very spicy, but incredibly tasty.

Picnic, 6am and Crying Kids

Last Sunday, after a super crazy Friday/Saturday, Loren and I had a picnic lunch by the Han River. It was a gorgeous day, it was pretty warm but a great day nonetheless. After lunch of ramyeon (라면), kimchi and kimbap we walked along the river and eventually found a deserted area by the National Assembly Building. It was a perfect day to walk around a part of Seoul I hadn't really explored yet. After we walked our way through the National Assembly complex, we went to a small park where people were riding bikes, roller blading and enjoying a Sunday afternoon stroll. It was a peaceful way to end a crazy, yet fun weekend.



My weekend, as mentioned above was crazy. I met up with Loren and his visiting friends in Itaweon. Itaewon is the foreign part of Seoul, where it feels like you are walking into America. I kid you not, English is heard everywhere and there are a ton of foreigners. I had been trying to avoid Itaewon, but in the past week I had gone 3 times (once for dinner/drinks with Loren, dinner with Kristen and then out on the town with Loren, Colin, Jesse, Sandra and Woon Ha). Anyway, Friday night I met up with everyone and we went to a few bars, had a few drinks and it was 3:00 before I knew it. However, the night didn't end there. Sandra and I decided to head to Gangnam (where I live, sort of) and go to this huge club, NB (Noise Basement). There were a gazillion people there and it was incredibly hot, but the DJ was awesome and I danced more than I think I have in my entire life. We finally parted ways at about 6am! I'm not sure I've ever been out that late before, but it was fun. I didn't wake up until 4p on Saturday!

This week is going quickly, it is almost Wednesday here and I am tired already. The kids seem to be on sugar highs 24/7 and they have decided not to listen anymore. I've sent more kids out in the past few days than I have in almost 2.5 months. Today a little girl broke down in tears when I sent her out for cheating. It was a spelling test that has absolutely no effect on her grade and she was cheating. She is new to the class, but seriously why must an 11 year old cheat on a spelling test? She was bawling and I didn't feel bad. I shouldn't either, she should have thought about getting a 0 and her mom getting mad before she decided to cheat. I'm not perfect by any means and I probably did far worse at age 11, but still. It's not my fault she made a poor decision. Other than that, my previously "worst" kindergarten class is becoming my favorite. Ever since I started teaching them reading 3 days a week they have become much better. They still struggle with reading (especially the two boys, Danny and Mike for those of you who have seen the picture), but they try hard. I've never had to teach anyone to read before, but it's hard work. In a way, it's my favorite though. Progress is easily tracked when someone is learning to read. The kids have a field trip on Friday so I have the morning off, that'll be nice. October 3rd is a holiday so that means one more 3 day weekend!

My thoughts on American Politics...

I thought I'd take a brief moment to discuss American politics. First off, I am very happy that I am half a world away from the debacle that is known as American politics. To me, politics have generally, and will always be, a popularity contest. Not the same type of popularity contest that exists in high school or even college because clearly nobody cares who the smartest, best looking person is. Which in a way is good, but also bad. The issues one faces while the president of student council are far less appealing nor important as one faces while the President of a country. I don't think deciding on prom decorations or service projects rank too high on the list of a country. A President must deal with the failing economy, endless and unnecessary wars and a slew of other problems, including health care and education. I know I mentioned that being the smartest doesn't matter, but I'm not sure I could back someone who finished near the bottom of their class. At the same time, it doesn't matter where one went to college. Prestigious Ivy League or not, the name of a school on a resume doesn't necessarily mean one is qualified for a job. Unless it's Hamburger University and you wish to manage a McDonald's.

Another thing that shouldn't matter is experience. In the case of the President of the United States, experience in politics or foreign policy may actually be a bad thing. Look where "experience" has gotten us in the last eight years. America needs someone with a new look on things, a new agenda. We need to start over. A myriad of problems exist within our 50 states, but we are so focused on other things, in other countries. Obviously we need to be aware of potential threats and what is happening around the world, but we also need to focus on our people. I think we need someone who can bring America back to it's people and start helping the world instead of trying to impose our ideals upon it. We need to be more globally aware, but sometimes we need to see America for what it really is. Education is failing in rural areas because jobs are being lost, whole cities are shutting down because of shifting economic priorities and large corporations need to be bailed out by the Federal Reserve. I would be the first person to tell you that I want to change the world and I want to help as many people as I can, but what if America becomes one of the countries we hear about on TV all the time. The countries without clean water, basic daily needs. This already occurs in many places throughout the country. However, we can't do anything or expect help when we are so self-centered. When did America stop being "For the people, by the people" and start being "four people, how can we buy people?"

Living abroad has made me more aware of America's perception to the world. We aren't as popular as many of us believe. America isn't the greatest or grandest country in the world, nor do we need to be. We just need to be a country that we started out to be. Opening our arms to people looking for a better life, working together to form a more perfect union. It seems that we have lost our way over the last several hundred years. I know that the world changes and I am thankful for that. I am also thankful for the way America has changed, but we still have a lot more changing to do. We can't go back, but why stay in a rut?

They look so cute...

Just a few of the kindergarteners at the park last week (click it to make it bigger). I'm not sure what they are doing, but I found this on my school's website and had to share with everyone.
Dylan, Mike, Rachel
Jessie, Lauren, David
Claire, Isabelle, Danny, Analise

Just in case you missed it...

I just watched, and re-watched (4 times) the Tina Fey as Sarah Palin SNL skit. I love it.



And my favorite (relatively recent) Weekend Update with Tina Fey. Bitch is the New Black.

Chuseok

This weekend is Chuseok (추석), or what most Americans refer to as Korean Thanksgiving. However, Chuseok is a time when Koreans go back to their hometowns to pay respect to ancestors and take care of their burial sites and offer them the harvest. It seems really interesting to me and while I was in Damyang and Boseong last weekend I saw my share of burial sites. All of my students were revved up yesterday and today in anticipation of a three (or more) day weekend. Yesterday I recieved a case of SPAM from my school as a Chuseok gift. Its the thought that counts right? Koreans have a special place in their hearts for SPAM as it seems to fly off the shelves and I've seen many a Korean with an identical case in their hands. I've thought about carrying a can or two with me at all times in case I run into a homeless person. I've never eaten the stuff, but I don't really feel like trying it now, I mean Korea has so much more to offer than SPAM (but it is in budae jjigae and I'm sure on some toasts and who knows what else). Today I got even more gifts. Right away this morning one of the Kindergarteners (Jessica) gave me a present (which later revealed chopsticks and a spoon) that said, "I <3 you to Refsland from Jessica." I also got honey rice cakes, songpyeon (송편), the traditional rice cake of Chuseok, a box of muffin like cakes from another student (Dayna) and a piece of potato pizza from Mr. Pizza (surprisingly delicious by the way). The best gift of all is a three day weekend though.


After work I went to COEX because I wanted to buy a Korean book from Bandi & Lunis. I found the one I was looking for and I think it will help me learn Korean and I am going to devote at least 45 minutes a day to the book and it's accompanying CD. The book is in a series and once I finish one, I'll move on. Part of me is afraid to learn Korean because I don't want to lose my Spanish, but at the same time, I have been reading Spanish newspapers online and I frequently talk to myself in Spanish. I should be ok and with Spanish group once a month I should be able to retain the majority of my Spanish, I've gone longer than a year or two before.

Tomorrow I am planning on meeting up with some people from a "New in Town" group to go on a cruise of the Han River at night and then out to dinner afterward. I think this will be fun and a river cruise has been on my list since I arrived in Seoul. It will also be good to meet some more people.

Damyang and Boseong

This past weekend I went to Damyang and Boseong with four other people. Two of the people, Kristin and Loren, I had met at the Spanish group two weeks ago. We were met in Damyang by Nate and Courtney, whom I had never met but they were awesome company. At 9:00 on Saturday morning Loren, Kristin and I got on a bus headed for Gwangju, the capital of Jeollanam-do province. We didn't spend much time in Gwangju because we were headed for Damyang and the bamboo forest. When we got to Damyang we found a place to stay for the night, left our backpacks and headed for the forest. It was a gorgeous day, nice weather and the bamboo forest was incredible. It was so nice to see nature again, we saw banana spiders all over and trees and amazing views of the surrounding mountains. After wandering around the forest for awhile it was time for some food and we had read about a place that served daetongbap (see left), rice cooked inside of a hollow bamboo stem and the rice takes on the subtle flavor of bamboo. It was very good and served with about 10 different banchan or side dishes. The lunch was very good and afterward we decided to walk around by the river and we found a serene sculpture park with frogs and flowers and people reading in a little pagoda-esque gazebo. I would have loved to curl up with my latest read (Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris), but I didn't have it with me and time didn't necessarily allow. The walk along the river became a peaceful stroll and it sparkled in the diminishing sunlight. We found a place to walk across the river on stones and saw a white heron (maybe a crane) and some geese or swans of some sort and it became apparent to me that Korea is a beautiful country. Outside of the hustle and bustle of Seoul lies an abundant source of traditional Korea, an untouched mecca of language, food and housing. No sky high towers or foreigners (I believe we were the only 5 in town that night) and a sense of the way things used to be and will always be.

After our river walk, we headed back to our love motel (don't worry, it's not as sketchy as it sounds) and chilled for a little while before deciding on dinner. We decided to have samgyopsal (삼겹살), a thick cut pork, not unlike bacon, that you grill right at the table along with garlic, mushrooms, onions and shrimp (I've been told shrimp isn't necessarily the norm). We also threw some kimchi (김치) on the grill. After it's all cooked the pork is placed in lettuce and all the grill stuff is added plus spicy bean paste and an array of other things. Each wrap can be the same or different. I opted for the different option, but it was very tasty and the first time I've had bacon in probably 18 years, I have been missing out. To top the meal off we also had bamboo soju to commemorate the bamboo forest and when that went dry we had normal soju.

On Sunday, we went boarded a bus to Boseong where the green tea plantations are. The drive there was as gorgeous as I had hoped. Winding roads through rural areas, shallow river beds and sun soaked farms. Everything was so green and fresh and the random chilies drying in the middle of the road made for interesting attractions. Boseong itself was marvelous. The green tea fields were high up on the side of the mountain and the trek was well worth the final result. The view was amazing and it smelled wonderful. I took many pictures, but none of them can do an actual trip any justice. It was an amazing sight. The fields themselves were flanked by Cyprus trees and what I believe were bonsai trees. The whole atmosphere was peaceful and we topped it off with a lunch of bibimbap (비빔밥) with green tea rice (nokcha bibimbap). After a day of bus trips and green tea amazement, it was time to board one more bus back to Gwangju and then another back to Seoul.

I think I could have stayed in Boseong for a few weeks, maybe a few months, but not permanently. As much as I love nature and a great view and amazing experiences, I have grown quite fond of Seoul. I proudly call my apartment home and I see Seoul as my city. Whether in my neighborhood or traveling around, Seoul is an adventure waiting to happen. The weekend trip was nice, to be free of smog and thousands of cars and funky smells made me appreciate the beauty of this country and the world, which is exactly why I embarked upon this journey in the first place. People are simple outside of Seoul, English isn't spoken in the small towns, but we ran into plenty of kind, Korean people who helped us find our way. Hand gestures and body language spoke volumes this weekend and a simple smile can go a long way. I am falling in love with this country more and more everyday and now I know why Korea is truly sparkling.

Weekend and Holiday Plans

This weekend was pretty awesome. I met up with a few people from the Spanish group from the previous weekend and we checked out a Latin American art exhibit at Deoksugung Palace. The exhibit was awesome. Pretty small collection, but it showcased some of Frida Kahlo's early works and a few Diego Rivera's. Some of my favorite works were from Fernando Botero and Wifredo Lam. After seeing this collection I wanted to hop on a plane to Argentina (where most of the collection hailed from). I will be going back there at least once more before it leaves in November.
The palace itself was small and relatively untouched. The colors were faded, but I liked that. It showed the palace as it should be after thousands of years. The area surrounding the palace is City Hall and the location of the beef protests right before I arrived in Seoul. It also where I happened upon the Chili Festival two weekends ago. It is quite beautiful and a 15 minute walk down the street lands you at Gyeonbokgung Palace and the area surrounding Cheonggye Stream.

We found a place for lunch and I had the best bibimbap ever! It was a cheese, vegetable and meat deal that tasted very similar to Mexican food. It was fantastic. The place was aptly named Bibimbap and I wish I remembered how to get there from the subway, but I know I could get there if I walk around again.

On the way home, on the subway, a group of school girls got on. After they talked to the most adorable baby they said hello to me and asked if they could talk with me. Of course I said yes and they asked me bunch of questions and I them and we had a short little conversation in English. The girl who did the most talking (while her friends giggled) even thanked me for letting her talk to me. Just another day in Korea.

After I got back from the exhibit, I chilled for a bit and then I went to COEX to meet up with another friend from Spanish group. We ate dinner at On the Border so I got yet another Spanish food fix. This time I had a chicken taco, rice, black beans and 2 cheese and chicken empanadas, and a margarita of course. No pictures of that, but it was pretty tasty, a bit more expensive than Korean food, but I suppose its ok to eat Western once every 2 months (not including McDonald's, I consider that global food...haha). Anyway, I didn't do much on Sunday besides go to the gym for the first time and it was awesome! I went again tonight after work and I am going to make this part of my daily routine. Tonight after working out I went to the restaurant in the bottom of my building for madu rameyon (ramen noodles with madu dumplings) it was pretty tasty. I mean I know I love mandu and rameyon is delicious as well so put the two together and you've got a winning combination.

In other news, I think I have my Christmas holiday plans all figured out. I just need to check on a few things and buy tickets/make a lodging reservation. Otherwise its looking like Indonesia, a few days with Molly who is teaching in Bandung and then a few days on my own on the beaches of Bali. I had thought about Beijing, but the tourist visa stuff is more of a hassle than I want to deal with right now and it's cheaper to do one country. I will make it to Beijing (and other parts of China) before I leave Korea, but the more I thought about a Christmas/New Year's vacation the more I wanted to be warm and it'll be about the same temperature in Beijing as Seoul. Right now I would be happy with cold, but come December, I'll probably want a break and a tan.