Korea Life Blog - Cats Update

It's funny how animals, much like humans, pick a spot and settle there. It's been almost a year and all the same cats still live out behind my apartment building. You'd think with all the freedom they have to roam, they'd search out a better spot than this. But for some reason they love this building, this small area. Between me feeding them and the other sources of food such as restaurant garbage, they have plenty to eat and they also have shelter. I guess that's all a cat needs and there's no reason to move on.



Now that the weather is getting warmer, at almost any time I look outside, one or two are hanging out. When I leave here, I will really miss this. Here's the "kitten" now grown up already and I'm pretty sure pregnant. She's got a quirky personality and the cutest meow of the bunch. Whenever she sees me at the window she meows for 5 minutes until I go outside and feed her. She used to run away. Then slowly over the months she got more comfortable and nowadays she rolls all over affectionately, letting me pet her. She used to gobble the food right down as soon as I set it out. Now she seems more interested in getting pet.



Fat Cat. He loves lounging around in the sun. He also loves being pet and rolling all over in the dirt. What a simple life. The oddball is still living with the orange cat family.

Today I felt a little bad. I only had hard dog food to give them. They've grown to accustomed to it but I usually top it off with a can of tuna or some decent leftovers. Without anything else, I fried up a big omelot. I'm not sure how much they liked it. At first they took a few bites and then laid down by my feet. I'm sure it'll be all gone later, though.

I'm surprised my neighbors haven't complained yet. However, everyone besides me goes to work early and comes home late. I'm the only one in the building during the day. The cats are usually quiet and not around later at night so most of my neighbors probably don't even know they exist.

Korea Life Blog - A Walk in the Country

Saturday afternoon the spring weather was perfect. Julie and I decided to take a walk through the countryside behind my home. We started by walking up behind the small university and came to the top of the hill overlooking a wide valley. Julie commented about how "messy" Korea is. Down in the valley: miscellaneous factories with bright blue roofs, a couple of old apartment buildings here and there, a restaurant, a small farm, a school. It seems they just pick a spot and build whatever at random without no thought of organization or aesthetics.

For some reason there was a fence around the university preventing people from walking down into the valley. However we found a way over it and headed down the hills through the woods.



We came across this secluded graveyard. A nice place to spend eternity, I guess...if you don't mind the ceaseless rumblings of the many factories down to the left. I wondered how they carry the bodies up here. There's no real path either way and the one that is there comes out into someone's backyard which you have to jump down a bit to get to. The other way leads back to the fenced university or down steeply into a heavily wooded valley. It's hard to imagine a funeral procession anyway you look at it.



While not sure, Julie, smart as she is, surmised this graveyard to be of a wealthy family with each generation buried further down the hill. At the top would be the great, great grandparents, then their children on the next level, etc. I wondered, as smart as I am, if these were all the victims of the hwasung city murders. Let's get out of here! Looking back, maybe we should have just read the tombstones and found out...

We continued down until we came to the road, the only choice we had. We spent the rest of the walk trying not to get hit by cars, breathing in dirt, and looking at endless garbage lining the side of the road.



At first I was excited to see these deer. I hadn't seen one since back in New York. Then the site broke my heart. These deer are being used for their antlers which are ground up and used in some kind of traditional medicine. It's hard to see in the picture but every deer's antlers have been sawed down to small stumps. I imagine the deer just sit here year after year having their antlers removed and making babies. I wanted to run down and cut open the fence. Oh well, I sighed. Such is the cruelty of man. At least they have a little room to run around and enough to eat. They probably wouldn't survive in the countryside around here anyway.



This has to be the most pathetic "supermarket" I have ever seen. Julie and I couldn't stop laughing. I'm not sure if it's open for business but judging from the mop there, someone has been cleaning up recently. Maybe that someone lives here too. What a life!

Later we came to a small lake. I didn't take a picture because it was depressing. It was literally full of garbage. The shore was cluttered with every kind of bottle, can and packaging you can imagine. I reflected on what modernization is doing to our world and how sad it is. We can send high-tech vehicles to Mars, yet we can't make biodegradable containers? Julie said that if she were the earth, she would think humans were cancer and want to kill them all. I agreed the world has too many people, even out here in the country side there were people and cars and garbage everywhere. Everything is dirty wherever you go. I remember sitting on one the beaches in Geoje-do and feeling so sad looking at the mounds of garbage washed in all over the shore.

Why don't we teach kids things like don't litter rather than x-y=28371? Looking around, I got the idea there should be declared "national clean-up day" in Korea in which all classes are cancelled and every student is required to pick up at least one bag worth of garbage from the environment. Of course everyone else would be encouraged as well. I'd love to participate in such an event, wouldn't you?


Eventually we made it to the dubu place we took a taxi to before. Just click on the link; we had exactly the same delicious meal again.

Korea Life Blog - Photo Contest

Sorry for the lack of a credible update here tonight. I spent some time organizing and editing a few pictures for the new Korea photo contest being run by Lemon, a moderator on the Korea job discussion forum. While I don't consider myself to have any exceptional talent with photography, I decided with a little encouragement to give it a shot. If you haven't seen the contest yet, check it out. You should recognize my photos, all of which I used before on this site. Here's a sample below. Click on it to go to the contest.

Korea Life Blog - HardyandTiny

This is why it pays to check your referrer's log once in awhile. If you like beautiful Korean girls, click below to be transported to HardyandTiny's eye-popping blog. I'm just afraid my males readers won't come back.




Update: This website has longer exists as of 5/25/04.

Korea Life Blog - Kalbi Delight

Julie got paid last week and took me out for a wonderful kalbi dinner near her new apartment in Song-nae. She's moved there to be close to her new job teaching kindergarten. After her ex-boss played the typical bait and switch(starting her off with a relaxed schedule, then after a month adding a 2 hour long class three days a week without extra pay) she did something I respected her for: she took her money and quit. A few days later she found a higher paying job and new place to live.

The restaurant:


The only two people working here were the owner and one helper, probably his daughter. He did all the preparation including bringing out the hot coals and and running the cash register. He never smiled and looked like a scrooge, but then again, I can't imagine the overhead and stress of starting a new business in a new building in a new area of Seoul.


The meal:


Unless you're a vegetarian, is there anything better than a kalbi dinner? It's not only delicious but the process of cooking and eating is also so enjoyable. Because of the lack of help, the service was a little weak but the food was damn good. Notice the suction fan hanging over the table. Most of the newer meat restaurants are using these. I don't know - I guess they help a little but they're unsightly, obtrusive and block your view across the table.


The KLB kalbi gif movie:

Now click here, sit back, relax for awhile and get ready for a shocking kalbi visual experience you won't ever forget.

Korea Life Blog - A Great Week

Monday is normally easy, but now it's even easier. My first class at 4:10 is cancelled. I was told as I was walking into the classroom. So I went back home, hung out, did 10 sets of 30 pushups, and then went back for my last elementary class at 6:00. There's only three kids in that class and they have no book. They played hangman and bingo for talent stickers while I hung out in the back and wrote in my journal. Then I listened to Windy for an hour and went home.

As I was walking out, one of the teachers stopped me. Usually when this happens the news is not good. However, this time the teacher told me there's no school tomorrow. I'm not exactly sure why, but who cares! That's the best surprise I've had so far. After Friday, Tuesday is my second hardest day of the week with most of my worst classes. I couldn't believe it. I feel like I'm on a 4-day weekend now. Not only that but Friday my classes are cancelled for Sticker Market. I just go in and eat deokboki and play with the kids as they trade their talent stickers for toys and stationery items. That makes fourteen cancelled classes for the week. Assa!

Korea Life Blog - Korean War Museum


Here finally are the pics I took from the Korea War Museum in Yongsan-Gu. Julie and I went there a few weekends ago. Rather than posting a documentary though, I suggest you go and see the place for yourself sometime if you can or search around the web at some of the many sites.

While there are a couple of oddities, overall it's really an amazing and comprehensive place. The pictures below are only a fraction of what's there to see.



The good old friendly US government hard at work next door to the museum. What is this place? Anyone know?



You know you are there when you see this massive statue. It's hard to tell but the visitor walking there was eating an ice cream.



Above the main entrance are the words "ONLY STRONG NATIONAL SECURITY CAN GUARANTEE PEACE" - so don't go getting any heroic ideas.



Just one of many walls memorializing the names of Koreans who died in the Korean War. It certainly puts the numbers into perspective. All you can do is stand there shaking your head in disbelief unable to comprehend why.



The names of some Americans who gave their lives to defend complete strangers halfway across the world.



And a lot more of their names. They are listed by state. I knew before how many had died, but seeing this made my eyes water - it really hits you hard. Guys just like me but 10 years younger out there shooting each other and dying. To think of how little I had lived by 18 years makes me sad for them. For some chilling statistics check here.



There's more to the museum than just the Korean War. It showcases displays from all the aggressions that have been made against Korea. It's a testament to national spirit that the little country has survived, honestly. Why don't boats still look like this?



Hold the camera just right and you now have a copy of some cool artwork.



One of many scaled models of Korea as it looked in the past. I want it to look like this now, truthfully - just as long as the internet is still available. Some of these buildings would make cool pc bangs and board game cafes.



I can't remember exactly, but I think this display depicts the liberation of the Koreans after the Japanese occupation.



There are several war scene displays like this one complete with lights and sound effects.



One large room is full of these highly detailed life size models of life as it was for the poor common people during the Korean War. As you can see, life was hard. I can almost hear the young people of today wondering, where are the department stores, handphones, deokboki ajummas? Nightmare!

I think these scenes are powerful and speak for themselves:











This part was one of the let downs. Right in the War Museum they hold other events like this one, some kind of freaky circus for kids about the human body. It was totally out of place and shouldn't have been there.



The other let down was this. Both Julie and I were shocked. It's The War Game Room. Can you believe it? You walk around seeing the horrors and realities of war, and then they have this.



Is there anything more disturbing than this? Oh boy! Time to fly around and kill people. Wow! I love this museum. War really is fun!



Back outside, Julie gets asked to take some family's picture. Say kimchi!



Stone sculptures like these line the walls behind the benches out front. We sat down for awhile and then headed out for dinner.

Julie was happy to leave. Seeing all the horror and hardships, she felt pity and a deep sadness for her country. However, both of us agreed that we are very lucky people to live in this day and age, that we haven't had to suffer, that because of those who fought and suffered we are free. We all need that reminder now and again. That's why places like this exist. To honor those who sacrificed and to remind us to be thankful for what we have.

Korea Life Blog - Delivery Diva


Look at all the stuff this guy delivery guy was able to get on his scooter. It was funny watching him weave down the busy street with those two giant packs of toilet paper up top. It kind of gave me an idea. Super Scooter. A super market on 2 wheels. No crowds, no hassles, no ajummas yelling at you through a microphone.

Korea Life Blog - Please Eat Here!



This must be one of the most degrading jobs in the service sector besides cleaning the squatters. How would you like to be the guy or girl who has to stand outside and urge people to eat at your boss's restaurant. It's not as if you're getting a commission. In fact, if you're successful you're just creating more work for yourself - more tables to clean, dishes to wash. If that was me out there, I'd be whispering to everyone, "My boss ran out of chicken so he's using the rats he caught in the kitchen last week." Either that or, "We're closing early, today. Sorry folks. Nothing to eat here, please move on."

This guy in the picture, as you can see by how far open his mouth is, was literally screaming at everybody nearby. It was so loud and annoying I felt the urge to snap his picture and make fun of him on my website. I'm not sure if he's really enthusiastic about his job, or if it's a way to vent of all that inner frustration. Anyway, it can get a little daunting walking down the street in Sinchon with all the workers outside yelling at you like this. My favorite is when you just finish a meal, walk outside, the the guy next door is yelling at you to eat more at his place.

Korea Life Blog - Reminder

In case you don't read comments or haven't noticed, I've been updating The Windy Times and Geoje-do Part 6. Check them out if you're bored.

Korea Life Blog - Punch the Foreigner Game


Is it me or does this look like a large American saying the Pledge of Allegiance? What better person than to punch as hard as you can! Could they make the nose, mouth and chin any bigger? It must be a foreigner!

Korea Life Blog - Tattoo Removal (2)

Only read this post if you want to see KLB guy without his shirt on.



Here's my tattoo a couple of days after the second surgery. As you can see, it's still very red. Instead of having a black cross, I have a blood red cross on my arm, great! All I need now is some chains and a big knife. It's already scabbed up, flaked off and turned to pink since this picture. No sign yet of the black ink, but it should return faintly in a week or two. It didn't seem all that noticeable before this second surgery, but the doctor still claims it will take three more visits to fully eradicate the bugger. We'll see how it comes out this time. I may not even bother. I'm sure they just want to get as much money out of you as they can. The surgery takes less than a minute, zap, zap, zap: that'll be 80,000 won please. What a ripoff! I should say though that it's totally worth it to me. I've been ashamed of this thing since I got it 10 years ago.

Afterward I got a little carried away taking pictures of myself without a shirt. The last six months at the gym and now endless pushups and curls at home is finally paying off. Except for my stomach, I'm almost back to where I was before I broke my right arm last year. I'm also growing a beard, what do you think:



Julie likes it. She says I look like I come from the mountains. I kind of like it too, but it's a little annoying at work. My coworkers keep asking me what's wrong and "why don't you shaving?" And my students have to point it out seven times/minute and try to feel my face.



I told you I went overboard. I don't look like a rugged mountain man - I look like a creepy convict from state prison. Back up, Leroy! I ain't nobody's bitch. Seriously, it's hard to believe I only weighed 65 kgs less than 2 years ago. Now I'm at 80.

Korea Life Blog - New Poll (8)


There's a new and exciting poll to take. Here are the results of the previously exciting poll:

Marriage Poll

my wife is korean 62 (30%)
my husband is korean 13 (6%)
we're both korean 13 (6%)
neither of us are korean 22 (10%)
im not married but want to 44 (21%)
no way - never going to marry 33 (16%)
i wish i never got married 8 (3%)
i'd like to strangle my spouse 7 (3%)

202 Total votes

There seems to be a lot of people who married a Korean girl. Congratulations to all of you. A lot other people want to get married. It's a little disturbing that 7 people are considering stangling their spouse.