The Interview

Alright, Meg's voice has primarily been silent up to this point. I asked Meg the following ten questions:

(1) Meg, tell me what is your most memorable moment in Korea?

My favorite moment has been the dinner party with our work. It was a great way to introduce us to the Korean way of sharing a meal. There is nothing better than literally sharing a great meal with amazing people. In fact, I enjoy every opportunity I get to have a traditional Korean meal. There is something about everyone eating from the same dish that I really enjoy.


(2) What is your favorite Korean food?

My favorite is Dak galbi. It's a chicken dish served with vegetables in a spicy sauce. It's cooked right in front of you and absolutely mouthwatering.



(3) How do you like teaching?

Teaching is challenging. It is definitely a learning process for both the children and myself. I enjoy it now because I am in Seoul. It is not something I would see myself doing forever.


(4) What age do you enjoy teaching the most?

I connect better with the higher level kids who are about 14 years old. There are only 2-3 kids in these classes so each one gets a lot of attention. Also, I enjoy talking with them and am amazed with how intelligent they are. If I had it my way, I would only teach these classes. Teaching the lowest level kids can make me want to pull my hair out some days!


(6) It must be hard being (usually) the only female, how do you handle all the testosterone?

Well, having 3 brothers, I am pretty used to being the only female. However, the initial group of guys I was hanging out with here were definitely different than my usual crowd of guys I am used to. Let's just say they have a lot of testosterone. Now that I have met some more people, I feel a lot more comfortable. It's all about getting to know as many people as you can so you have options. I was a little frightened at first that I was going to be spending everyday with the same group of guys. I do have my Korean friend Julie to save me and I am extremely grateful for her friendship.


(7) What places are you looking to explore outside of Korea on this trip?

Of course I would love to go to as many Asian countries as I possibly could. If I had to narrow it down, it would definitely be China and Japan. I really want to take a trip to the Great Wall.



(8) What have been your favorite Korean "tourist" places?

My favorite place has been Seoul Tower. From here, you can get a panoramic view of the entire city. It really is a chilling feeling looking out at such a colossal city and realizing you actually live there. I have heard it's even better at night so my next plan is to get up there to see the city all lit up.


(9) How have you found Korean people? Are they friendly or rude? What do you think?

I think they are extremely friendly and curious. The Koreans I have met that speak English have been really helpful and are always asking me if I am taken care of or need anything. Like all big cities, I do feel they are rude when it comes to driving. Also, the fact that they have no concept of standing in line kind of gets to me.


(10) What is your biggest pet peeve on the other side of the world?

My biggest pet peeve deals with the restrooms. First of all, 80% of the time there is no toilet paper in public restrooms. I have grown accustomed to carrying my emergency baby wipes with me. Many times the restrooms are located outside in a separate building, or at least a little ways from wherever you are. If there is toilet paper, the dispensers are located on the walls before you get anywhere new the restroom or toilet. It's kind of awkward for me to grab my toilet paper before I enter the stall, basically displaying to everyone what is about to take place. It is not uncommon to find the men's and lady's toilet in the same vicinity. For example, I ran into John Roe last night in the bathroom while I was washing my hands. Only in Korea will I ever bump into John in the restroom. Some of the restrooms only have these floor urinal type things, we like to refer to them as "squatters", and no "sit down toilet". I'll sign off with that thought in your heads....

(- equals Editors Note)

-A quick story based on this pet peeve. John, Doug, and I were out getting some food. It was late at night, so we were the only people in the joint. John left the table to go to the restroom. We were eating at a hole in the wall, worse than the Peanut. The bathroom is outside in a separate building. Lets just say John came to the place with two socks, and left with one. "It just hit me. When you got to go, you gotta go." Those were his famous last words. He also ran into the problem of not locating the toilet paper before heading into the restroom. This was also down over a "squatter."

-- I have always been a fan of delegation.* A blog that writes itself, I think I am going to do this more often! Maybe a weekly guest, with Meg coming in and writing every other week. This could be the start of something.


*Everybody has a childhood story that pretty much sums up their personality, this is mine: I was at Nanny and Popa's house and they assigned me the task of raking leaves. People have called me a lot of things, but I have never been called a diligent worker. I floundered out there in the lawn, toiling between work and play. Two doors down was my friend Lance and across the road was my friend Jessica. I soon got them to participate in my chore, and before you know it, Lance and I were jumping in the piles of leaves that Jessica was raking. Procrastination, laziness, and somehow always having friends to help you out for no apparent reason is the summation of my personality! So thank you, for anyone that has helped me live my motto, "Think smarter, not harder."

The Games

The best teaching tactic I have been using to date is rewarding the children with a game for good behavior. At the end of a class, if the kids have participated, then we will play a game.


Nothing gets the energy level up in a room quite like a good game. The winner of the game usually receives a prize like no homework or reduced homework. I get my love of games from the All Time Gamer, Nanny. If our lesson is on numbers, then I will play this game called three, six, nine. It is a counting game where you count upwards. Every time a three, six, or nine is mentioned the student must clap their hands instead of saying the number. So 33 will get two claps and 34 would get one. 44 would be said, 44. Get it?



The younger kids love it, but the older ones, well, they're a bit too cool. If it is on food, I'll play "Going to the Grocery store I'll get apples, bacon, carrots, doughnuts..." One student names a food item starting with A, the next student has to say the first student's item plus a food item starting with the letter B. These simple games allow the students to open up.


Like everything, it is a double edge sword. Students now expect a game. They pack up their belongings with like 5 minutes left in class. That is my new pet peeve by the way.* I tell them they have to earn the Game, it is a Reward for good behavior. The reply I get is, "Hangman. Hangman." Give them an inch and they take a mile. I am sure that teaching over here will help me become a better parent, because I'm already learning the psychology of kids.




*We are videotaped. All day every day. In my office, there are three video cameras. 1/2 of my waking hours are spent on camera. (I am beginning to think I might be the Truman Show. Taking the time to write these blogs is a big joke to you, because you're watching me live!) I have heard of teachers writing Air Conditioner on the whiteboard. Seconds later the AC in their rooms will click on. Office assistants will swoop in and confiscate cell phones from students who have been secretly using them. This is all heresy though, I've yet to witness any of this. Parents do often watch their children in the classroom, and for that reason I hate when students assume class is over. It sends a horrible message to the parents. Parents are the clients, and our boss does everything to appease them. This is a business after all, and the only way to get on the bosses bad side is if you receive parent complaints.




We are supposed to give detentions out to students who don't do their homework. I usually do, barring some extreme circumstances. (For example, a dog eating your homework does not count, but taking a test to get into high school does.) Whenever a student does not do their homework, I give them the opportunity to make it up in class. They usually have to answer three to five questions in a row, correctly. The students who are on what I have dubbed "The Hot Seat" really pay attention, because an hour detention is on the line. The rest of the class is paying attention as well because they want to see if their buddy has detention or not, and they may try to help their friends. It is a much better learning atmosphere, if you can believe it. I've had screams of joy and frustration from this game.



Now I've added a "Shot Clock" so the students only have ten seconds to find the answer and tell me. I don't even have to countdown, the other students take care of that for me. I tried to hum the Jeopardy theme, but no one seemed to get it. Go figure, right. This method is in between torturous/cruel and very practical. It makes students think fast under pressure, and I have also seen the amount of homework assignments incomplete drop drastically. You don't get many second chances in life, but in my classes you do.

I have now been reviewed twice by my company stooges, once by a foreigner peer, and by every one of my students. I'll get back to you with the results when I receive them. I might need to find some new tactics!

If anyone remembers good childhood games feel free to comment on them, but they must be somewhat educational. Heads up 7 up does not count.

The Randomness of Korea

How does hot dog fried rice sound for lunch, found in your local convenience store? Disgusting at first, but intriguing none the less. Lets just hope the hot dog is not a Hot Dog, if you know what I mean. How about shrimp flavored potato chips? I have already jumped off the cliff and had a shrimp burger, which was awful. More like a lump of sloppy breading and fake shrimp. These items will shock you into buying them, today Meg got a cranberry and chicken salad sandwich.
"Cranberries on a sandwich, I reckon I'll take the big one." In my head, I was picturing Sling Blade and it was funny. Hopefully someone gets it.


Let's just get random for a little bit. Caution, this post is going to jump around a little bit. By now you should be used to my free associative writing style anyway. I've never had writer's block because of this style, so please bare with the confusing webs I might spin.

Random Things

(1) Koreans are scared of the sun, you should know this by now. Check out this visor:



This is a common visor worn by Korean women. Their Marketing Campaign should read: "Blue Collar meets practicality in this stunning new fashion statement from the streets of Korea. Don't leave home without your Welding Visor (C)! Coming to a store near you, fall of 2008 ("Welding Visor (c) will not be held responsible for any sun related injuries.)


(2) How about a game where children stick their fingers up some one's butt, and follow the ass their fingers are up. Takes "goosing"to a whole new level. This game is literally translated shit needle. It resembles follow the leader, with one stellar twist. I have only heard of it; I have yet to see it. During the second week of class, a teacher said, "Don't be too offended if a kid gooses you. It happens." Lets hope not.

(3) How about the lost art of chivalry. Well, since over 60 percent of Korean men have admitted to affairs in their relationships, they better make it up some how. Here is one way: men carrying a woman's purse. Not an uncommon sight at all. Meg, don't get any ideas. I never signed up to be a porter, unless you tip me. I'm free for negotiations anytime during work.








(4) Here's a weird idea. Koreans think that you have to beat the heat with heat.

Koreans eat hot soup in the middle of the afternoon on a muggy 90 degree day. Hot Tea for me, no I like innovation and ice was invented for a reason. Does the same concept apply to cold weather? If so, you can see me with Baskin Robbins in the up-coming frigid months.

The Walking Tour

After an always eventful Friday night, Meg and I were off to a free walking tour. My sleeping pattern has taken a hit in Korea. I have no consistent pattern as of yet, last night I was up till 5 in the morning. Dealing with students for a full day keys me up. I need hours to unwind. My job is not stressful, although this week I am going to be observed every class I teach by Koreans, which I am not excited about. Just dealing with the kids gets me worked up. Back to my point, my mind is in a 100 meter dash mode till like 4 a.m. every morning. This city never sleeps either, so it feels almost normal to be up late.



The beds over here are three inches off the ground. Half the size of a normal bed mattress. To say that my bed is comfortable would be a stretch for even the strongest of imaginations. In fact, my bed is harder than a typical dinning room table and not as straight. It's comparable to camping without a tent, on rocks, while your cold and wet, and... well you get the point.



Seoul is a humid and hot place in the summer. In a stuffy apartment, you need an air conditioner. The air conditioner just so happens to be right above the bed. So cold air will blow on you while you sleep. I don't like cold air blowing on me, cause I always wake up with a sore throat. If this one isn't obvious enough, when I turn the AC off I wake up sweating. Many nights I struggle juggling between the two options. Moving the bed just puts me right in the path of the sun, so that is not a viable option either.



Bright and early, on a Saturday morning, with little sleep, Meg and I headed out for an adventure. You could say that I was a little testy on this rainy morning. Well Joe cheered me right up. Joe was our volunteer guide. He had a real passion for Korea. It also turns out that he went to the University of Missouri. It really is a small, small world. He took us through a Korean park that was once a Japanese Garden. Japan pillaged Seoul in the early 1900's up to World War II. Many of Korea's monuments have been destroyed, and that is hard for an American to relate to, at least it was for me. The park was small, and I was at a loss to pay it the proper respect it deserved. As a park it was less than impressive visually.



This park is where the Japanese played and planted their cherry blossoms during their imperial rule of Korea. Atrocious war crimes were committed on the Koreans during Japanese rule. Horrible crimes like: mass executions, women raped by the army, villages burned to the ground, and human experiments performed on live Koreans. It is because of America that Japan is no longer here. That's why I am celebrated here and Japanese are hated. It is why an old, old man went up to my friend John, and told him "You are beautiful." I am on the other side of world, where you ended up as a child after digging a big hole in your backyard, and I am beginning to understand the hardships of war and imperial rule. As an American, I'm so fortunate to have never known the hardships felt by so much of the world. I criticize our government so much, (they deserve a lot of it) but I can tell you Korea is happy that we came to their aide. I can tell you Joe is named after George Washington. A Korean named for an American President! I'm happy to say I would not be here, if my grandpa didn't put his life on the line for Korea. I'm also glad to say Koreans are happy for his service too. There is a lot of emotion tied to that park.



Deep breath, next we went to Seoul Tower. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Tower The view from a top that hill was amazing. Seoul according to Wikipedia is the second largest city in the world. There is no skyline, it's more like a sky of buildings. There are as many skyscrapers here as homes in Kansas City. I was beginning to feel like a celebrity at this point. A couple asked Meg and I if they could have a picture with us. Just randomly.











Then we went to an old Korean village. I painted a Korean flag at a side booth, and a woman wanted to get a picture of me. Next I was watching a Korean woman pound rice with a huge mallet into rice cakes, and another woman wanted to get a picture of me pounding the rice. This is the closest time I will ever get to rock status, and I loved it. Meg and I had a wonderful day. It was a free tour, hell, Joe even bought us a Korean cookie proving that the best things in life are free.

The Food

After being booed off the stage with that first poll, I will think of more challenging questions. I just wanted to get a feel for the application. A yes/no question also caters to everyone. No one has yet to comment/guess about the weird food items I've scarfed down either, so I give up. I can't force anyone to comment, I am not the government, haha. Maybe the first political comment mentioned, but not the last! S. Korea will beat Canada, so I get to rub that in all my Canadian friends' face.

Alright, Meg and I went to a Tuna house with our boss Sung-Me. It was 20 dollars for all you can eat Tuna. This is not like the 79 cent Chicken of the Sea canned tuna that turns your body into a mercury field either. This is prime sushi tuna.*

*Koreans don't like to waste any part of their food. I have now had bone foot chicken twice. Which is essentially chicken feet in a spicy chili paste, once on accident and once on purpose. The head of a fish is the center piece in a soup. They eat caterpillars in their cocoon stage. Not only that, these bugs are sold on the street, meaning they're really popular. Believe me, they're not that good. They use chicken guts in dishes, and chicken butthole. I don't' want it, but I probably already... (I can't even finish the sentence!) The diversity is amazing too. I've had pig stomach and quail eggs in one night in one meal.

So we're eating the different cuts of raw tuna. All the cuts basically taste the same to an untrained pallet. The best food item of the night was smoked tuna ribs. It tasted more like the salmon back home. Then Sung-Me asked the sushi chef if he had anything special for us. We had tuna caviar wrapped in lettuce. Then he brought us out tuna tongues. I felt like a Native American carving out a buffalo tongue with my spear eating a raw tuna tongue. A real I'm a caveman moment, not to say Native Americans are caveman, but eating a raw tongue to me just seems a bit barbaric or at least very carnivervous (sp?). Why eat a raw tuna tongue you ask, well "When in Korea..." The only noticeable difference was that it was a little bit more watery, and I have better bragging rights.

The next dish that was brought to us was Liquid Eyeball. I am assuming it was a crushed tuna eyeball mixed with soju. (because it is cheaper than water, actually I don't know why it is mixed with soju) We had a big shot of this cloudy beverage and downed it like pros. For those of you keeping track, that is raw tuna tongue and tuna eyes. Not bad for just being over here a month.

The Best Sport Ever

I have decided to pay homage to the best series of the 90's; Seinfeld. From now on, every blog will start off with The... and then the rest of the title.* Here is a good list of the top five episodes:

1. The Merv Griffin Show- Why is the late show going to Conan O'Brien, every Seinfeld fan knows that the true host should be Kramer with Newman as his sidekick.

2. The Contest- Who can refrain the longest? A tale of abstinence.


3. The Bubble Boy- A classic fight over a game between George and the BB

4. The Parking Garage- The guys can't find Kramer's car and get into a series of adventures that results with authority intervention.


5. The Sponge- Are you sponge worthy?

*Seinfeld's reasoning behind the title names was to get the writers to concentrate on the script and not some clever cutesy title.


I said a good list because comparing the best Seinfeld episodes are like comparing a Fillet Mignon to fresh cold water lobster once you get to be great it gets pretty tough to judge. I should just talk about those five episodes for a blog post, because I am sure that would be more fun to read. But I got something that happened to four of us that was amazing. You know the names, me, Meg, Zach, and John.

It was a dark and stormy Saturday night. The four of us were headed to a language exchange program party. The venue was a cafe, where Koreans go to meet and hopefully speak with foreigners. It is a free exchange of languages. The Korean helps the foreigner with Korean and the foreigner helps the Korean with whatever language he/she speaks , usually English. The price was fifteen dollars for all you can eat and drink. We were on Zach time, so of course we were over one hour late. This means that the main entrees were gone, even the scraps were picked over, but there was a bar to relieve our suffering.

My first impression was, "Damn, I just wasted 15 dollars." We were in a hot, crowded, and dingy cafe. All the seats were taken, so we had to stand up the entire time. Plus no food! This is a prime reason why first impressions are so often wrong, within minutes a Korean offered Meg and I a chair to just talk with his table. A few minutes after that some Korean guy stole Meg from our table. They were really outgoing which is great, because the Korean population is usually reserved and timid around foreigners. Maybe the all you can drink social lubricants are to blame, but I met so many different wonderful Koreans this night. After sitting at the table for about 30 minutes, the organizer grabbed a microphone and wanted the party to get into teams for a flip cup tournament; I love flip cup.

Flip cup is the best drinking game ever. If curling is a sport, then in my opinion Flip Cup is as well. Flip cup is basically a team based relay. You have a cup of beer with about three or four ounces of beer in it. The object of the game is to drink the beer as fast as possible, and then place the cup "mouth up" on the lip of the table to be flipped. You flip the cup so that it is right side up. Your next team mate goes, only when the cup successfully lands right side up. The first team finished wins. Simple, right? I have loved this game since the first time I played at Meghan's house sophomore year. No other game is as intense, involves so many people, and is so easy to learn as Flip Cup. The team camaraderie is amazing.

I went and got Meg and John to be on our team. I tried to get Zach, but I guess he felt like he had a better shot with other team mates. I told then, "You made your bed..." John got his friend, and Meg got a fella named Ricky. We were set to do battle. This was a single elimination tournament.

Round One- This game has some strategy to it. We had two Koreans on the team who had never played before, so we peppered them throughout the lineup. Ricky, a Korean, was going to lead us off, which turned out to be a great decision. Cause he was great! Meg was next followed by Julie. John and I brought up the rear with John being the anchor. The first round was tough. Ricky struggled and Meg was just as bad. The other team had a commanding lead, and Julie was up. I remember thinking, "She's never played before. I JUST wanted to make it out of the first round. We're done for. " Julie made it on her first try. I followed that up by making it on my first try, and then John made it on his first try seconds before the other team flipped their last cup. We had a 4X400 America vs. France comeback. We were excited, look at our faces. After every win teams would chant their Team Name, pound the table, and celebrate wildly. Actually, maybe that was just us. Zach's team won too.

Rounds 2 and 3- We started to get rhythm during these rounds by completely demolishing the global foes, Dream Team II style. There were a lot of people competing, and the entire crowded bar was spectating. Every time the organizer called my team I was overwhelmed with butterflies.* This was a intense tournament, and we were playing people from around the world. With the Olympics going on, everyone was in the spirit. If you lose once, then your team is out. I can't capture the moment justly with words. Zach's team one as well.

*Here is Korean people in a nutshell: After every team win, I could see Ricky go to an empty table and practice. In the middle of a party, Ricky was practicing his flip cups skills. He didn't want to let us down. That is Korean people, diligent hard working people willing to make sacrifices.

We were now in the championship versus Zach's team. Zach said, "I wanted to play against you guys to make it more interesting." Wow, did it ever! Now is the point where I should build to the climax. I don't know, really set the stage of the championship. I should tell you that ever body was on there feet. I should probably tell you that Zach was a motormouth of trash talking. But my hands are cramping, and heaven forbid I get carpel tunnels syndrome for writing a blog about Flip Cup! We completely destroyed Team No Name. (Zach's Team) It was a best of three series, and we took it easily. The reason of course was Zach. It took him ten tries to flip his cup right side up. Both Games! He lost it for them! Not that I am complaining, because the five of us won $100 for winning the championship. $20 dollars a piece! What a great night, who says you can't get paid for doing what you love. Which brings me to a new conclusion, my top job in the world would be a Professional Flip Cup athlete.

Where art thou readers?

Housekeeping- Ten posts into this adventure and already the readers have gone silent. Except for a couple of faithful roommates, I have been receiving crickets on my latest entries. To make this more interactive, there will be a weekly poll. Everybody needs to participate. Also, I have added a subscription link at the bottom of the blog. I think that if you subscribe you will receive e-mail notifications whenever I post.


A little thing...
One of life's little joys back home for me was catching green lights. Waiting for a stoplight is never fun, but it is tolerable for the times you fly through the lights. It's also a pleasure, because my biggest pet peeve is to be waiting at a light for no reason. For example: a car takes a right on a red light, so now the lane is empty. The light still registered the car and gives the empty lane a green light. You were driving to the light and now have a red light for an empty line, thus wasting your time and gas! Needless!



Here I am never in a car, and when I am in a car it's a taxi. Apparently, traffic laws are merely suggestions for cabby's. They are above the rules. Anytime I am in a cab we'll go through reds at high speeds. Near death experiences are the norm in a cab. I buckle up not as a precaution, here if I am not fully harnessed I will die, similar to a looping, twisting, head rattling roller coaster ride. Buckling is mandatory. I have even begun to look at cab rides as roller coasters. Dan, a friend of mine has been in two car accidents in Asia, both occurred when cabby's ran red lights. One time was a pretty minor accident, but I use the term minor loosely because the car was still destroyed. Dan hit his head on the window pretty hard. The second was major. Requiring surgeries and he even suffered a severe concussion. He thinks that the concussion has led to him being more emotional and even depression, which is a symptom of concussions. A pretty crummy deal. Although the cabby's are horrible drivers, and I have already confirmed the Asian stereotype on their driving skills, Dan's case is isolated. So don't worry! What's the point of life without a little risk? I can tell you this, whatever destination I arrive at I appreciate a little more and have just that much more fun. * So I never get to appreciate catching traffic signals.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowfish#Human_Interaction. Speaking of risk, Zach has had blowfish before, and I can not wait to try it. He says that every one in seventy five will poison you. Any food you eat has the potential to be fatal, I just saw that the FDA recalled 1.2 million pounds of beef!! Just think of how many cows that is!! Our food system is awful, guess how many times I have had fast food over here. ONCE! That's right I have only had french fries once in a month. I'll stop my rant on America's food system before it really materializes. Back to blowfish, knowing that one and out of every seventy five fish can possibly take your life, wow, that's living! Think how much you would appreciate that delicacy, just from the simple fact that you SURVIVED. I had TWO very unusual food items, and in attempt to get some comments from you, I will leave you a couple hints. Try and guess what I had. Good Luck!

(1) I had these two items in a tuna house.

(2) One was a delicacy.

(3) The chef brought the other one out especially for us. It was a liquid.

Okay the joy of catching green lights has been replaced by catching elevators. You would not believe how much of my day is revolved around catching elevators. I have meant to count how many times I ride an elevator each day, but I keep forgetting. I would guess around ten times or more. The majority of buildings I'm in are skyscrapers. My apartment has four elevators that are consistently going the opposite way I need to go, or they are ten floors apart from me. I'm always waiting. That's why when you catch an elevator on the same floor as you, going the same way, I know I will have a good day. Oh, the little things in life...

The Song

Here is the video of "We Didn't Start the Fire". A history of the US, just click the link below. Here are some Crazy Party Pictures too. http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f061977fb2f7ba36d74d&page=1&viewtype=&categoryviewkey=f061977fb2f7ba36d74d&page=1&viewtype=&category=

Pusan

Here is picture of Meg and the big bosses from the Crazy Work Party #2. Just look at the drunk finance officer.
On to the next story...

Meg and I got a nice little surprise just two weeks into our Korean adventure. We were thrilled to learn of an upcoming holiday break. We received two days off sandwiched around the weekend. We embarked on what every American living in Korea would do; a road trip. The list of characters embarking on the destination include Zach, John, Ryan, Dave, Scott, Steve, and Dan. 3 people were from Kansas, 2 from Missouri, 2 from Vancouver, 1 from Michigan, and 1 from Ohio. Can't you just smell the rivalries? All we needed were some Duke and North Carolina fans, throw in a couple French Canadians for good measure, for a script fit for Hollywood. Meg was the only female, bless her heart. At times, there was a lot of male bravado thrown about. Besides that, it was an amazing trip.

In Korea, there is only one summer destination to get a tan and lay on the beach for a nice relaxing weekend. That place is Pusan or Busan.* We took a bus at 1:30 in the morning on Friday and arrived at 6:00 a.m. Friday morning. I can honestly say that we were the first ones on the beach, because people leaving the beach from the night before do not count. One couple, in their Sunday's finest, was soaking wet leaving the beach. It's such a shock to see a woman wearing a dress and heels just get done swimming!

We too must of been a sight to see; weary, hungry, and sweaty. Zach visited this Korean paradise before and quickly found us a place to eat. It was a hotel that has an all you can eat western breakfast buffet. It was glorious. Bacon, Sausage, a rice egg vegetable dish, chicken wings, (I know its not your typical breakfast buffet item, but delicious none the less) multiple types of eggs, Texas toast, pineapple and orange juice. I thought it was an oasis at this point. I was so hungry that as I was eating my stomach was growling.

*Koreans can not say their P's and B's. P and B is not a letter in their alphabet. They say something in between a P and a B. Koreans, for instance, call Zach Jack, because they can't say Z''s either. Some signs would have Busan and some would say Pusan. You would think that they would just get uniform and pick one!

I was by far the darkest man of our group, and I still insisted putting on sun screen. I have been burnt too many times before. I'd rather run from a 2000 lb rhino in the sweltering heat for 12 miles, then have to go through three days of intense sun burns. The men of our group refused to put sunscreen on. In Korea, you don't see the sun as often as you do back home. It usually seems to be overcast, there are skyscrapers everywhere to obstruct the sun's rays, and we're in the middle of the rainy season. I think these guys were just happy to get out there. They ended up frying like a turkey during a Nebraska Missouri game.* That also proves my point of the testosterone levels on this journey. These men had no logic. They were one extreme, on the other side of the spectrum there were the Koreans. The Koreans looked like they were hiking Everest, completely decked out in winter gear covering themselves from head to toe. Beach workers had gloves on, wide brimmed hats, scarfs, and long sleeve shirts and pants; it's safe to assume they take sun protection seriously! Meg and maybe like three other brave Koreans were clad in bikinis. Last year, around this time, we were in Spain at a topless beach, but it's not a big deal there because every beach is topless. Here, you would be lucky to see any skin period. Just look at that guy below! How do they swim, you ask. Well they just jump right on in, fully clothed. I am not kidding.

*During the Nebraska Missouri game last year, I was a part of one of the greatest tailgates ever. My roommate Scott deep fried two turkeys. I can't think of any words to use to describe the sensation of eating a perfectly fried golden brown turkey. I can only give you the recommendation that every Thanksgiving for the rest of your life you need to fry your turkey. It was that good!

Our hotel had a stunning view of the beach and the sea. The water was calm. The sand was a bit rocky, but I'm not complaining. It was a wonderful atmosphere. To get outside of a huge city and be a part of nature makes you appreciate the natural wonders even more. This peaceful oasis was still Korea, and that means a lot of people. And I mean a lot. I mean that you can't throw a football it's so crowded. I mean that there are more people on the beach, then there are in Columbia Missouri. SO it Can't be that Natural! The picture below was taken at a beach that's called, "the Miami Beach of Korea" and I would call it "Utterly insane." That picture gives you an idea of how crowded it was that day, but you still have to stare into it to realize the depth of umbrellas. Each umbrella is home to at least two people. You have to multiply the umbrellas in the picture by 5 for the entire beach.

That night we had sushi. Everyone has had sushi or California rolls, but have you ever gone to a fish market and stared into the tanks full of fish and said, "I'll take this one, and this one. No not that one, the fin on that guy is messed up." A lady sweeps up the fish that you select and puts them in a bucket. See below for our tasty selection. Minutes ago these fish were swimming freely in their little tanks. I have never had raw fish before, and my first experience was seeing those fish gasp for oxygen when they were in that bucket. They did not die in vain though. Wow, sushi is awesome. Raw fish with a dash of soy sauce and wasabi is amazing. There is no seaweed, rice, or other fillers to dilute the freshest of fresh seafood. Raw fish that died literally seconds ago wrapped in lettuce is so good! We had fish head soup for an encore. I think I will draw a line with fish heads. A couple of nights out on the town, and more time on the beach made for a fabulous vacation.

I will post the two other pictures when I go to work on Monday. I deleted them somehow, sorry.

P.S. Go CHIEFS. First game of the year was a victory. I miss football so badly, and it was probably just a crummy ol' preseason game. I hope that Brodie turns into the real deal this year.

Crazy Work Parties II

The long awaited sequel (if long awaited is three days) is finally coming to a theater near you. After long negotiations with the star of the last party, Meg, I am pleased to present the second part. She wanted more money for her next performance. Jokes aside, the history of sequels better than the originals has this post doomed from the beginning, so I do not blame you for skimming or even skipping this one. That being said, what movie sequels are as good as the originals? The Godfather sequel is always mentioned. Any nods for Toy Story II? Terminator II was better in my opinion. That's all I can come up with though, and I just spent the last ten minutes of my life to come up with those three. Meg even told me Toy Story! Those ten minutes could have been dedicated to some poor Korean student struggling with nuances of the English language. Shucks! Anyways, on to the story or as I say crazy work parties.

News throughout the office spread like wildfire all over our building. People were jealous of all the fun we had. Math and science teachers wanted in on the action, which I can't say I blame them. Company paid food and beverage, the companionship of me, and Meg's singing would drive anybody into fits of jealousy. The other departments pestered management into a repeat of the previous party. When I got word of another party, I screamed A-ssa! Which means YES or is the equivalent of Johnny Drama's "Victory" yell. Instead of just the English department celebrating, the entire building was going to be apart of the festivities. The company owners and the executive team were also going to take part of the happenings! My hagwon (academy) is fairly large, but the owner owns more than just mine. I don't know how many more he owns, but I know he also owns another successful franchise called Avalon. This guy employs a vast amount of foreigners and is worth a cool million dollars easy.

My boss told us that we could not simply repeat what happened the week before, partly because she might of been the drunkest of us all, but mainly because the big bosses were coming to the party. We also had to work the following morning at 12:30 in the afternoon, so it is safe to assume Olympiad didn't want the students saying, "Teacher, why do you smell like my father after a hard night of soju? Why do you look so sleepy?" There was not going to be a trip to the noribong, we were not going to push the call button every thirty seconds, and we certainly were not going to take shots. This was not a loosen up the tie meal. My expression has always been, "When in Korea" so I was just excited for another great meal. I didn't even call Zach (who had the following day off) or John* to partake in what was about to ensue.

*John was aware of the situation. He knew that the CEO was coming, yet he seemed to think that the CEO's presence would not act as a deterrent at all to a great time. He said, "You'll have as much fun as the other night." I didn't agree, in fact, I thought it would be impossible.

The venue was the same pork house. Except this time almost every patron was apart of our party. The English department setup shop in the exact same row, in almost the exact same order too. I am superstitious so I was happy to see that. "Maybe if everyone sits in the same seat, then the night might be like last week." That was my thought process anyway. The math and science departments had other rows lined up about 25 people deep. This was a pig house so the food was the same as before. A minor disappointment until I took my first bite, and remembered how good pig meat (fat) can be. Armed with coke and water, I prepared for a nice relaxing night of good food and exciting Korean friends.

Have I mentioned that Koreans may have an alcohol problem? I am smiling because the first 20 minutes went by and everybody was looking around the room watching everybody else. Then the first penguin jumped in and ordered a beer, and all of a sudden it was a feeding frenzy. Call buttons were being slammed, drinks were being poured, and craziness was upon us. This time was even more special because of the big bosses appreciation towards the foreign workforce. The CEO led the charge by proposing a toast. I have no idea what he said, but I loved it. Remarkably the CEO, flanked by his other executives, walked to all the other tables pouring and taking shot after shot. There must be something about the hierarchy in Korea always overindulging more than anyone else.

Korean men are very touchy feely, and I mean with other men. It is not unusual to see to older men holding hands; they are always hanging on each other. This behaviour is intensified with the consumption of alcohol. The financial officer was smashed. He grabbed my hand from across the table and in broken English said, "If you need anything, let me know." That simple sentence looks easy, but for a drunk person speaking a second language this simple task took a translator and about ten minutes. Keep in mind, I am hanging my lanky frame right over the grill. It was ten minutes of torture, finally I said, "I get it. Thank you!" I think Steve had a similar experience with this guy.

After sharing drinks with the big guy, you would think that everyone would call it a night. If you thought that, then I am not informing you enough about Korean culture. We were at a noribong in ten minutes! Now, I'll just silence your question right now: Meg did not bust out We didn't start the Fire. The only let down of the night was a string of disappointing performances in the noribong. The microphone was in my hand a lot, and that is never a good sign. I can't carry a tune to save my life. In a hypothetical situation, say some perverse killer was holding you over a cliff and would drop you if I could not carry a tune, then you would be falling off that cliff.* After all I am the son of Jan, and lets just face it, our family is not going to win any music awards anytime soon. All of the foreigners tried to serenade the big boss, but I think we needed John. John might of been the glue that held us together, and in his absence our performance dipped.

*That sentence came directly from seeing The Dark Knight, which I will say is better than the original as well. I actually saw the movie after writing the first half of this blog, so that is why it wasn't originally included. It is rumored that Heath Ledger was so in tune with his character, The Joker, that it drove him a little nuts and lead to his demise. I just saw the damn movie, and I am already throwing out hypothetical psychopathic situations! I understand what Heath was going through on a small level. The Joker was a very good villain. I am to tired to think of the top five best villains in Hollywood history, except to include The Joker and the man with the bad haircut in No Country for Old Men.

Learning from the other night, we went our separate ways right after the noribong. The next morning brought little pain. I think that I was saved because of the three pounds of pig I consumed, or it could of been that greasy kimchi. One of the Koreans took a nap in the common room, and she happened to be the same Korean dancing on the sofa singing her heart out to some pop song. I think that the liquid courage rearing its ugly head for her in the morning. Another equally brilliant night paid for by the company has me feeling great about my decision to come here.

Due to the mild success of this blog, Zach has offered up an alternative blog and a challenge to me. It's hard enough to find time to keep up with the posts, so I think the more the merrier. I'm typically about ten days behind posting of when the actual event occurred. I miss some things entirely. I have never even got the chance to post about Guam, which truly deserves time given to it. Even though I could use my first mover's advantage to squash you, Zach, I am not going to do that. Instead, here is a link to Zach's blog
http://zachtime123.blogspot.com/