Korea Life Blog - JongnoGuru Weekend


I hung out this weekend with my friend known in certain prestigious circles as JongnoGuru. He has two homes in Pyeong Chan Dong, a nice suburban area which is right next to Gwang Hwa Mun, just 5-10 minutes by automobile.


Though the bigger of his two homes was an investment and needs some work, the one he lives in now is very nice. I did a poor job photographing the house itself. I'm not sure he would want his house posted all over my sight anyway and he can do that later when he gets his own site up and going. Instead, I took some decent shots of the scenery and the surrounding area. Unfortunately it wasn't a sunny day and my batteries were almost dying, but take a look anyway:



These photos were taken from JongnoGuru's roof. The pictures don't really do the scenery justice. Sure, it still looks nice, but it must look even better on a sunny autumn day.



Yes, some people in Korea still live in houses. With a few exceptions, most people in this area live in them. From what JongnoGuru tells me and Julie as well, some of the richest people in Korea live here including Korean movie stars and foreign diplomats.



You may recognize these mountains behind his place. You can see them from Gwang Hwa Mun. JongnoGuru said Pyeong Chang Dong is the path the North Koreans took during the failed assassination of South Korean President, Park Chun Hee, in 1968. The "Blue House" - Korea's White House is located just over the hills on the other side of The "JongnoGuru House." The 30 NKA army men infiltrated the border (guarded by the US) and made there way through the forested mountains and then were spotted by a woodcutter, whom incredibly was let go. South Korean security forces were alerted and the unit was stopped not far from Park's house. In all, 28 North Koreans were killed, 2 escaped and one was captured alive. In case you don't know, that's the assassination attempt that led to a counter plan to kill Kim Il Sung which became the focus of the movie Silmido. Of course, the attempt was never carried out.



JongnoGuru is the only person I've ever met in Korea who owns a yard, though others do in this area as well. His neighbors used to have a yard but they built an addition to the house to get rid of it. I have a lot of respect for Jognroguru. He's worked very hard to make it to where he is and in a few more years he will control a vast and mighty empire. Perhaps even run for office here. (Click on the photo to supersize this charming photo.)



Not the best shot of me here but I'll leave it in anyway to give you an idea of the magnificent scenery in the area.



He's pointing to this bunch of temples in the distance. As I said, beyond them is the Blue House so there's a lot of armed guards in the hills back there. Lately they haven't had much action, but not long ago a wild boar was on the loose and the guards chased it down and shot it to death. I wasn't surprised so much that they shot it, more by the fact there was a wild animal still around in the first place. Hard to believe this was a land of wild tigers at one time. Now there's very little wildlife left in the country beyond birds and squirrels.



Korean roofs are usually flat like this and they make a great place to hang out. You could have a nice barbecue up here, but after a few drinks you'd better take it downstairs. Not to safe with no railing.



Later we had pizza and sat out on the open patio, drank a few cold beers, talked a lot and looked at this nice scenery. It got to late to take the last subway home so the guru and his girlfriend suggested I stay there, which I did.



The next day JongnoGuru got out the spare *scooter for me (what a nice guy to keep one on hand for his guests!) and we zipped through the hills all day passing by all the rich people's homes. We didn't stop often and my batteries were pretty much gone by this time but it was a great time. This is a shot from a temple atop one of the hills. If you look very closely up to the right, almost directly under the mountain peak, you can see a house which JongnoGuru calls the "Jules Verne" house as it looks like some kind of deep see vessel. We took a ride over there and the house is obviously expensive but gaudy and to me, an eye-sore. In the driveway: a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus SUV, and an Audi, all shiny and brand new. Also a couple of big dogs to scare people away.


*I just thought of something and I should have gotten a picture...I wonder if people who have never been here are imaging us riding through the hills on a scooter like this. (click) Well, in Korea a scooter, or auto bike as they sometimes call them, looks like this (click).



Just one of many temples hidden away in the hills around Pyeong Chan Dong. This was the last stop. There was a free spring water tap here and a mean looking ajushi greedily filled at least 10 large bottles and then a huge plastic barrel.

Well, that's it for now. I had a great time and will be going back soon with Julie. I can't wait to get her on one of the scooters. Thanks JongnoGuru!

Korea Life Blog - Thanks Everyone


Wow, I'm truly thankful for all of the comments of condolence for Aunt Izzy's departure. I read every comment and was touched and appreciative. Only one heckler!

I spent the last few days with “JongnoGuru”, an occasional poster on Dave’s ESL Café who owns a house (or two) in Pyongchang-dong nearby Gwang Hwa Mun, in northern Seoul. It's a surprisingly unique suburban type "dong" (town) with actual houses and very few apartments, lots of temples and nature and right next to the heart of the city. Lot of comfortable people nestled in the area. Today we spent the afternoon on motor scooters zipping through the hills and viewing the sites.

I took loads of pics, but I haven't checked them over yet. I just got back and probably won't make the update until tomorrow, but I wanted to stop and thank everyone here for all the nice comments of sympathy. It's hard to feel too badly because Aunt Izzy lived to be 89 and had such a warm and charming personality and positive outlook on life. I don't want to remember her as someone I should have written more. She was in my thoughts every day and always will be. I have wonderful memories and am thankful for those.

Just a quick thank you to Joel for this plug for my book. A bunch of other bloggers have mentioned it as well, some of which I added to my links section. It's getting harder and harder to keep up with everybody nowadays. I remember way back when there was only a couple of us, now with the ease of setting up and maintaining a blog getting easier and easier, there's a flood washing over the net. I'm lucky to have such a great group of fans and regular readers. See you soon.

Korea Life Blog - Isabelle Gardiner


It would be a lie to say I wasn't a selfish person the first time in ages I went to visit my aunt Isabelle. She lived an hour's drive from my apartment when I went to SUNY Oswego in NY. She was related to my grandmother in some vague way, and though we weren't blood related she was always called "Aunt Izzy." I always knew she was close but I didn't go see her.

My girlfriend had just dumped me and I was down in the dumps. I was hopelessly depressed. I didn't want to be around pretty much anyone. During that miserable period of my life, somehow I remembered Isabelle. One day, at my wit's end, I simply got in my car and went to visit her. She lived in an old rundown trailer in the country across the street from a beautiful apple orchard:



She was overjoyed by my arrival. I still remember it. She was writing a check for $10 in response to a "sweepstakes"...one of those letters that prey on the elderly and anyone else with the suggestion they may make it rich. This letter was worded carefully so that she was sure she'd win if she sent the money. Money she could use to make everyone happy. And $10 to Isabelle was by no means a small sum. For years she had sent me a Christmas card with a one dollar bill stuffed inside. Same on my birthday. Always these cards included a hand written letter about the weather and about her latest ailments.

At that time she was around 85 or so. She had very little. Her husband died from emphysema at the young age of 45. He smoked liked a chimney, as Mom remembered. Isabelle stayed faithful to him after he died. She told me how a young man used to come visit her with flowers. She'd let him sit on the sofa until he got bored and then we would just leave. Eventually he gave up, she said. "And I was glad!"

She lived on Social Security and other social benefits us Americas are lucky enough to have. She had a nurses aid who checked in every week to clean, pick up groceries, and even do her hair.

Though she didn't have much, what she had was enough for her. She always had plenty of food on hand, usually sandwich meats and a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables. Especially potatoes. She loved boiled potatoes so much. With lots of butter. She loved all foods. Eating was her favorite hobby. And she insisted on preparing my lunch while I relaxed in front of the TV. I let her cook for me, though it was a struggle for her to get around, because it made her feel so good and important. I washed all the dishes.

We would sit and talk for hours. She had quite a sense of humor and I could make little jokes about her weight or about anything and it would get her rolling. She made me laugh too. She was amazingly with it for her age.

That first time I visited her, I could barely think straight - I was so caught up in my heartache. But I felt peaceful with Isabelle, just laying there in her small trailer and relaxing. From that time on, I visited her several times a week. When the hurt wore off from my relationship, I still visited her. Isabelle, an 85 year old woman, became my best friend. For over a year we spent a lot of time together. We went out to a nice dinner on my birthday and had delicious steaks and she insisted on paying, which almost made me cry knowing how much money that was for her. I used to drive her to the graveyard so she could talk to her husband and leave fresh flowers. Sometimes I'd just drive her around the countryside. It wasn't easy for her to get in and out of my compact Honda, but I helped her and she enjoyed it so much. There weren't many people in her life anymore, except a kind neighbor that checked in on her once in awhile. I realized she was lonely when I looked at her notebooks. She kept a journal for the past ten years. Every entry was pretty much the same: "I woke up at 11 and had a tomato sandwich. Sunny day. Ate a nice dinner - ham and boiled potatoes. Jean came by for a short time and watched TV. I went to bed at 12 AM."

She cherished the fact she was independent. But when she fell down one day and couldn't get off the floor and was stuck until someday came by, her remaining few friends convinced her that was enough. She had to go to a nursing home. She was allowed to take just a few things - a sad affair for her as she was a child of the Depression and never threw anything away.

She was also very sad when I told her I was going to Korea, but also she was glad for me. I felt guilty to leave her. I promised to write her letters all the while, a promise that I never kept. In a day and age when we're so used to simply getting online and writing an e-mail, writing by hand has become a rarity. I wrote her maybe three times. I have no excuse.

The last time I went home, I broke my arm and ended up staying for quite awhile. When I was able to drive again, I started to visit her in the nursing home, a rather dull and depressing place. A scary place. A prison. The last time I saw her was Easter of 2003. She was so happy to hear I would come. I was the only person who did.

She shared a room with a dying woman. Her life's possessions had dwindled down to a small collection of letters and a few photos. She had just a bed and a small TV. But she was ever cheerful. I remember how hard I laughed when she told me how one of her dresses went missing and a few weeks later she wheeled down the hall and passed another old lady wearing her dress. And the woman denied it, even though it had Izzy's initials embroidered in the collar! She never did get the dress back and she even thought about a lawsuit for $15. At first I thought she was serious, until she winked at me.

Isabelle died this morning. She was 89 years old. Her heart simply stopped beating and it was very peaceful. I feel guilty for not keeping in touch more. But I'm also very happy for her. She lived a long, simple life and was very happy with so little. She was the most heartwarming person I've ever met. I love her.



This is Isabelle Gardener, the kindest and gentlest person you could ever know. The smiley pin on her sweet dress speaks volumes about her charming personality.



We were together in this photo on Easter of 2003. We had a wonderful afternoon and I was sad to say goodbye. It was the last time I ever saw or spoke to her. I miss her so much and wish I could have spent more time with her.

Korea Life Blog - Ads Every Day Ads!


No matter how many advertisement ads I take off my door, there's always two or three more by the end of the day, and usually from the same places. We must have hundreds of these already, though I usually throw them out. I used to throw all of them away before I moved in with Julie. Now we keep some and order once a pizza one a month if that. It's really annoying and shouldn't this be illegal? The worst is when they put an actual sticker on your door that you can't get off without a lot of effort. If I were Korean I'd call up and raise a fit, but I rarely see anyone complain...I guess it's just part of life here.



Here's what's on my door just hours after I threw several away. How many damn restaurants can there be around here? Competition is cut throat.



Look at this ad for fried chicken. They're even advertising draft beer delivery...actually, wait. That's pretty cool...maybe I'll keep this one.


Not only this, but at least twice a week somebody bangs on my door trying to sell a fan. Now I keep my door open most of the time and the fan is in clear view, but still they run up and down ringing the door bells and banging, including mine. Sometimes it's early and I'm asleep. So I'll go to the door in nothing but boxer shorts and my hair's standing up and I'll start speaking English really fast. They usually say "Ashii," (in English that means something like, "ahh, damn"...) and head to the next door. Sometimes they continue the sale in Korean.

Korea Life Blog - Steak and a DVD Player


Yesterday was a really nice day. I sold several copies of my book, received a donation, got a bunch of nice e-mails, and several astounding comments about how I inspired people to come teach in Korea. I must say, I am really thankful for all the feedback I get. Thanks everyone.

Then Julie and I decided to have a nice dinner. I haven't had a steak in over a year so we decided on TGIF down the street. Most of these pics speak for themselves and need little commentary. Here's what I got:



This is the "Surf n' Turf." The steak is a NYS (my home state) strip. I thought "turf" usually means lobster, but these shrimp were pretty damn good. The whole meal was great, but then again I was starving and haven't had a meal like this in so long. I never go to these chains in America because I dislike the homegenization of restaurants and try to support local diners and small places. Not to mention the food is overpriced. This meal wasn't too bad. 32,000 won (like 26$) which included soup, salad, bread, and cola. The only thing that was disappointing was the potato itself. Tasted pre-processed.




Julie got the London Broil set for around 28,000. She loved it.




Nice shot here of the salad. No fruit! Excellent blue cheese dressing.




Broccoli and cheese soup. Small but good.




Mostly everything including the restaurant is identical to back home. But here's something you won't see there...kimchi and sweet pickles.




A not-so-great photo of the menu, but you get the idea...



Another menu shot. This is what you see when you sit at the table.




Julie snuck this picture of me. I was so hungry and everything looked great.




Here's Julie avoiding the camera as usual. She looks thrilled that I have to document everything we do together. Well...almost everything.




I swear I look like a different dumbass in every photo. Are you one of those people too? This does not look like me. Or...does it?...scary! Julie cut my hair, by the way. Not bad for free. I'm terrified of Korean shops ever since the last time I walked out almost bald. And you know with my forehead that's not pretty.



The meal ended up around 50,000 won ($45) total, no tipping :D We saved 20% with Julie's KTF phone benefits. The places was jammed pack and it was only a Wednesday. It won't be long before Koreans are as fat as us Americans. I ate a ton of butter, cheese, sour cream, etc.




Later we stopped at Walmart. I can't believe I'm plugging Walmart and TGIF. However, this was a pretty sweet deal for 89,000 won (About $85).




Korean electronics come with batteries and cables. I forgot if they do back in the states. I just remember buying something and cursing because I need to go back out for a cable or whatever, but I can't remember what it was....(getting old).




Here we are, the greatest movie ever made. Rocky 1. The only Rocky movie in my opinion. I can watch this once a week and I never tire of it and usually I have wet eyes at the end every time. What a symbolic story of personal triumph.




Here's our set up so far. I almost laughed when Julie got our satellite TV installation bill: 2,500 won (less than 2 bucks!). We get buckets of channels for about 15 dollars/month. When nothing's on, usually on the weekends or late at night, we can watch Rocky, Sanford and Son, Slingblade, Cast Away, and other favorites I have now. Somehow, I'm not sure Julie will like Sanford and Son.

Korea Life Blog - Dinner


I guess we're going to Outback after all tonight so check this post later. I'm bringing my camera. Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?

Korea Life Blog - Waiting Around


Sent off a bunch of resumes and talked to some recruiters yesterday. They're pretty much all the same:


Shawn: Hi, I'm looking for a job.

Recruiter: Oh, sure! We have lots of jobs. Can we meet you tonight?

Shawn: Just a minute. Where are the jobs? What's are they like?

Recruiter: What?

Shawn: I have my own apartment. Do you have anything in Bucheon City?

Recruiter: That's OK, we get you housing money.

Shawn: But do you have anything in my area?

Recruiter: Um, maybe...

Shawn: I'll send you my resume on e-mail.

Recruiter: OK. We call you back.


They don't even want to know anything about you. They want you to travel to go meet them somewhere then offer some crummy job on the other side of the city and collect their 1,000,000 won($850)fee from the hagwon.


Now that my book is done, I have nothing to do except wait for recruiters to call and send out more resumes. I haven't seen many job ads anywhere near my home lately. Looks like I'll have to do some travelling to work. Sometimes I miss the ease of working in Nowhere-dong, 3-4 classes/day and right across the street. However, I don't miss that awful town though.

In the meantime, I've been reading book after book. I just finished Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, and vow never to eat at a fast food chain again. Now I'm halfway through John Grisham's The Rainmaker. I saw the movie awhile ago and really enjoyed it. I'm not much into fiction these days but they carried it across the street at the bookstore so I picked up a copy for around 10,000 won. As per usual, the book is much better than the movie. What I hate about reading a book after seeing the movie is you imagine the actors instead of the character's in the writing. I keep picturing Matt Damon and Danny Devito running all around Memphis.



Another thing I've been doing: crossword puzzles. They really help to improve your vocabulary and when you have your own book you can cheat if you get stuck. They also pass a lot of time, especially on a long trip.


And then I stand here in front of the window waiting for Julie to come back and looking at the scenery:










Tonight we're going to eat a nice dinner together somewhere. Maybe more saeng galbi or perhaps even a nice steak/lobster dinner at Outback. I don't particularly like that place but I haven't had a steak or a real burger for that matter in a year and a half and she's got a discount card through her phone company.

I'll try to post the pictures later or early tomorrow.

Korea Life Blog - Korea Life Blog Shares


Every once in awhile I check my referrer log. Today I found an interesting link:


Blog Shares

Seems my blog shares are fairly competitive in Korea...

Korea Life Blog - E-Sam Job Offer Rejection Letter


After talking it over with Julie, we decided that the E-Sam agency is not reliable and that I'd be taking a serious risk working for such an inexperienced outfit and experimental program. It didn't occur to me until the last meeting that this operation is basically a startup business by a couple of Korean guys and an Australian ex-hagwon teacher. I wish I had a scanner so that I could post the lengthy contract here. There were a couple of things I almost missed that when I saw made me hit my hand on my head. My favorite clause, in addition to the 200,000 won security deduction each month (that would leave the salary as low as 1.6) for housing had I required place, was the last one:

11. Termination of contract

This agreement can be immediately terminated by the employer [E-sam Agency] if there is sufficient evidence that the teacher has defaulted on the obligations [and there's a ton of them] as specified in this agreement. In the case of receiving two warning notices for neglecting his/her duties or if the teacher is unable to perform his duties [God forbid I get the flu!] the contract shall be terminated. In this situation the employer has no obligation to provide the cost of the return ticket to the teacher [that's fine, unless you're in your 11th month] OR THE SALARY FOR THAT MONTH.[my caps, WTF????] The teacher will be discharged at once WITHOUT ANY PRIOR NOTICE [my caps, again, WTF???]. Not only this, but section d of the same clause:

In case of termination before the completion of one year [in other words, even during the very last month] the salary for that month will not be given [I can't believe they're even printing that again] and [now get this] he/she is to give the employer the equivalent of a one-way airfare [that they don't even offer up front to anyone, so I don't get it - what? are they going to use the ticket to flee to Sydney with all the teachers' unpaid monies?], expenses (recruiting and visa) and should give one month notice prior to the termination date.[Um, yeah, OK, I'll give you a month's notice so you can take all my money for that month and make me give you even more in hopes that you will write me a "release letter."]

Here's what I wrote to them today:


Hello,

I want to thank you for your time, but after careful
consideration, I decided against taking either job.
(they had offered two, both well over an hour from where I live)
There are several reasons for this, but it basically
comes down to the fact that you require excessive
responsibility for an insulting salary. Also there is
not a chance in hell I would sign that contract the
way it is written now. Two warnings for any reason and
"the employer has no obligation to provide the salary
for that month." Among other dubious clauses that one
takes the cake.

A five day unpaid orientation and a probationary
period that can lead to even lower pay and a weekly
meeting at the head office on Saturday and on and on...
I don't know what you are thinking, honestly. You'd be
better off taking people with no experience right off
the plane so you can take advantage of them.

Shawn Matthews


I don't know why the government trusts these shady inexperienced startups to handle the foreign teacher programs. I tell you, it looks like this new program is not going to be any better than the last one. See this article.

It's back to the drawing board today. The main problem I have, OK-besides being picky because I have a brain and know when something is fishy and not just taking any job and thereby perpetuating bad deals, is that I have my own place and the area I live in. We decided to live here because it's very nice and inexpensive and not too far from Julie's job. However, it's pretty far from most parts of Seoul where the bulk of jobs have been advertised. While there's a lot of hagwons right around the corner, I don't know how to get a job at one without just going to them. Usually the schools don't expect that, as I found out when I tried that before, and they already have teachers or they use a recruiter. I guess maybe I'll have to use one as well this time and I'm waiting for a couple to get back to me. There's no immediate hurry. My visa is good until late October.

Korea Life Blog - Haircut


The beautiful cocker spaniel has gotten a complete shaving. Poor little guy. Apparently they cut the hair because he was too hot. Ironically the weather has been cool since his haircut and now he's just bald and ugly.



I was lying down and just wearing boxers before a shower. I had the door open and was on the phone when the dog ran in like this, jumped on me, freaked me out as I didn't recognize him, then stole my wallet and ran down the hallway. I had to hang up and quickly get dressed and retrieve the wallet from the owner. It was pretty funny.

Korea Life Blog - David Romance


David Romance, who made a donation to my blog a ways back from Canada (see here, came to Korea to visit his friend and then gave me a call. He's 26 and studying for his MBA back in Toronto and is visiting Korea for a few weeks, then a week in Thailand and another in Tokyo. He wanted some chicken and beer so Julie and I took him to our favorite place near Songnae Station.



Here we are enjoying our huge glasses of beer. The chicken was really good too.

Afterward we took David for his first experience at a DVD bang and he wonders, as do I, why such a concept isn't spreading like a wildfire in our culture. Some have argues that'd be illegal, but I don't see how since you're technically renting the movie...they "bang" is just presenting a comfortable and private place to view the rental. We decided to watch a Korean movie called "Old Boy" which had gotten great reviews but which all three of us thought was terrible, horrendous, atrocious. It was one of the worst movies I've seen in ages. We should have showed him a more traditional Korean movie like Chiburo (The Way Home) or something of that nature. Oh well, we still had a good time.

Korea Life Blog - Photobucket


For the past few weeks I've been unable to FTP to blogspot to add photos. I e-mailed Blogger Support awhile ago and they said they're working on the problem. In the meantime I started a Photobucket account and have been linking the photos through them. Today I got this e-mail:

Your photobucket account has exceeded 2,000 Megabytes of bandwidth this
month. In order to keep this site free and highly reliable to everyone,
We cannot offer unlimited bandwidth. If you would like to donate or
purchase additional bandwidth, please see http://photobucket.com/donate.php. You can also limit your bandwidth by scaling down your picture size and limiting your direct linking. If your account exceeds 2,500 megs of bandwidth, direct linking will automatically be disabled for the remainder of the month.

Admin
Photobucket.com
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was quick. I guess more people are viewing than I thought. If I planned to stay with them I would donate and get more bandwidth but once I can FTP back to blogspot I won't need them anymore. So until that time, if some photos don't appear, you know why.

By the way, I've gotten a few e-mails from people in Korea who say they can't comment on my blog or see the comments even. If you're still viewing my site through the proxy link I posted before, just type in the direct address again now that the block has been lifted: http://korealife.blogspot.com.

Korea Life Blog - Bait and Switch


I got the old bait and switch routine today at the contract negotiation. The salary mysteriously dropped by 200,000 won (about $165) per month from the advertised offering. This is what happens when you deal with an "agency". Apparently I'd be working for them and not the actual school district. Great. They told me, as if this would be of comfort, that everyone will be making the same pay. When I asked who would make the higher end, they pulled out this crap (for the first time)that only "head" teachers will make that much, which is a bunch of BS as I'm the only teacher they've found with a relevant degree and lots of experience.

Now get this: there's a week-long unpaid orientation - which I could deal with if the pay was as advertised for the salary - but there's also a month long probationary period where, if students quit (this being an after-school program) or give me a bad evaluation, I'll make even less money: 200,000 won less! If that were to happen, and who knows, even if you do teach well some students' parents may send their kids back to a hagwon anyway, or if the kids don't rate you well because you teach too much or they don't like your big forehead, then that would make a total of 400,000 less than what they said the pay would be. I understand the incentive-to-do-well concept, but it should be a bonus up and beyond your salary, not a possible large deduction from an already lowered salary. Ridiculous!

The whole thing made me angry, really. I had to travel all the way to the last few stops on the Bundang Line (2 1/2 hours from my apartment) to their makeshift office (in the back of some hagwon) for them to tell me the name of the public school which, by the way, is also over an hour from where I live, and give me a contract that didn't even need to be signed today. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes. As if they couldn't have simply called or sent an e-mail.

Well enough ranting and raving. It's just I've been sitting here with false expectations for well over a month now, wasting savings and turning into a bum while waiting to start this job. I really hoped that working in a public school would be a positive change, a good opportunity, that I'd actually take the work seriously - after all the endless clowning around at dubious hagwon routines - and feel good about being a teacher for once. That was my honest intention. Now I just don't know. I have to give them my answer by Monday. Perhaps I'll just call their bluff and command the original offer and none of the BS. I bet they're just playing a hand to try to make more money from me. They do say they desperately need qualified teachers to make a good impression on the school/parents so that more students will take the classes. If they rebuke my demands, in my opinion it'll be their loss, and for me, it'll be back to the drawing board....yet again. Sigh.

Before I sign off, don't get me wrong. I love Korea and living here has been a wonderful experience overall, but I've just made some mistakes (who hasn't?) wasting my time and have gotten worn out a little after four jobs at the kiddy schools. There are other options out there. It's just taking more time than I thought to find them. When you watch the news every night, though, and have visited several 3rd World countries, you realize how lucky you really are and you don't take things too seriously or get down for long. That's my opinion anyway. Most ills, I have found, that aren't of a physical or deeply mental nature, are mostly illusionary. And with that, I will fix up a nice dinner now, perhaps with a glass of wine, and enjoy the rest of the night.

Update: The contract, it gets worse. I'd have to attend a weekly meeting (can even be on Saturday) at the agency's head office. I'd have to submit to them weekly and monthly plans as well as make placement tests and examinations and grades and monthly reports for the parents...Ok that's not too bad, again if the salary was right, but I'd also be required to report to work 90 minutes before my first class even starts for a meeting with the Korean teachers, whom I might add have turned out to be MY assistant and not the other way around as stated before. And the final clause: two warnings for any reason and they can terminate me. Also, I love the clause they put in about "duty of secrecy" where I'm not allowed to discuss any details of my job with anyone. I guess I've already failed that one. Only one more warning left...

Korea Life Blog - Sex and the City


When Julie used to come over in Nowhere-dong and watch this show I couldn't stand it. "Huk!" I would say. (Huk! being a manly version of chi!) "Who the hell watches this crap?" Just as I couldn't stand lying on the floor. "Huk! Who the hell lays on the floor!"

Now every Tuesday and Wednesday we lay on the floor and watch Sex and the City back to back. What's come over me? The floor is comfortable and I find myself sad Carry and Aidon didn't get married and that Big has now moved to California, leaving behind a couple of airplane tickets in case Carry gets lonely. And Miranda just had a baby, Samantha caught her lover cheating and that nutcase Charlotte is, well, annoying and plain off her rocker. It's the end of Season 4. Season 5 next week.



A shot of Sex in the City with Korean subtitles. In this scene Carry gets a rash after trying on a wedding dress for fun. I like how they tell you what season a show is in here (see upper right corner of the screen). They do that with most re-runs like ER and Ally McBeal (no, I don't watch those shows...huk!).