Feliz Navidad!

FELIZ NAVIDAD hasta el otro lado del mundo!!!! I hope that everyone had a spectacular Christmas! (In reference to the photo, this is how Korea celebrates Christmas).

A Season Sprinkled with Cheer

I hope I am finding everyone in good spirits amidst this holiday season :) I'm sure the malls and storefronts are decked out to the max. However, I hope that the "Heck, I don't care what I get him/her, I just need something in a box and with a bow!" vision that dances in our heads (yes...like sugar plums) has been postponed, until about the 24th.

Although I did toy with the notion of returning to the states to gather my gifts with haste beneath our fake pine (pre-lit, of course) in little Wooster, reality kicked in. I have only eleven days off of work and do not want to spend $2,000. Nonetheless, I have a hair appointment made on the 26th and think that is the perfect way to my spend Boxing Day (Canada). I plan to lay like a sloth in my bed and watch Yuletide movies while wearing my pajama pants made of a fleece fabric covered in presents. Last night, I snuggled up and watched The Polar Express, it almost made me believe in Santa Clause again...even though I made the naughty list when I fought my sister for the dvd and yanked it from her white-knuckled, kung-fu grip while packing my bags (sorry Rach).

Just about a week ago, my friend, Darcie and I spent a Sunday afternoon in making Christmas cards for fellow teachers and family at home. Through the duration of Love Actually and Elf and a corn and cheese pizza (odd and Korean, yet delicious), we knocked out our Christmas correspondence!

The new teacher from Toronto, Greg, and I took an adventure to the ritzy area of Seoul last weekend, Apgujeong. In this blog entry are several photos of stores and interesting sightings in the area. Due to my bulging salary and the exchange rate that gets worse by the day, I was able to pace myself in my purchases.

I have had a few holiday surprises already this season. First of which, one of my new students is a frequent pee-er. As I helped dear Sally change out of her urine-soaked knickers, I reconsidered all of the twists and turns in my life and wondered 'Why me?' A second surprise was that my newly ordered light pink, fitted sheet for my new bed blew off of my roof top clothes line as it was drying. The floor of our roof is scum, hence my new sheet was stained for life and so I had to toss it. The third holiday surprise must be my favorite, just wait. As I was laying like an infant and asleep by at about 9 p.m., my obnoxious Korean cell phone awoke me at 11:30 p.m. If only I had my retainer in that night, I would not have answered. Jehan, who I dated over the summer, had called me from Karachi, Pakistan. He is from Pakistan and is spending Eid with his mother and working on business accounts for a couple of weeks. He called to tell me that his mother had taken him to meet a potential bride and he thinks he's going to be engaged in a couple of days, and married in a couple of months, obviously. He requested my best wishes, as I was groggy and still half-asleep. I wished Jehanzeb the best, thought a little more about if my parents ever were to pick out my mate for life, craved some 'nog, and then passed out again (in my present pants).

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season (packed with joyous surprises like mine!)

Banana Bucks are For the Weak

Season's Greetings! Since it is now December and I have not blogged in about two weeks, it is now Yuletide! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, particularly my family who hopped south to Florida this year. Heck, I now have high hopes for a beach vacation next year. Veracruz, Mexico perhaps?

The fellow teachers and I spent Thanksgiving together and indeed did get our hands on a turkey and stuffing, provided by U.S. military personnel. It was a great time to see all of the teachers. My mother sent an excessive amount of cheese a little over a month ago and it was certainly polished off at this gathering.

I have now spent five full days with Armadillo class. I have nine students and each of them are ridiculous in their individual ways. My Armadillo running crew consists of Rex, Sunny, Denis (the Koreans omitted the second n...I think I'll use his name on Rhyming Day), Teddy, Amy, Jina, Sally, Sarah and Eugene. Rex is a hellion and is deterred from heinous actions via bribery. Our kindergarten utilizes the falsified currency of Banana Bucks. The students save their banana bucks to purchase items such as Hello Kitty pencils and erasers at the end of each month. I remember this method from when I was young...of course I never cared whether I was showered in the currency of a given school, for it was not recognized by the United States government and I already had all of the Lisa Frank school paraphernalia I could weasel my mother into buying for me each school year. Alas, I have found Rex's weakness.

Denis is the tiniest little child I have ever seen in my life. These students are six years old in Korean age, but that means they are about five years old, western age (don't ask, but Korean age is about a year older then the age system most of you are familiar with). Denis looks like a new born. No joke. On his first day of school, he did not have an English name. By default, the power was bestowed upon myself to name him and I picked Simon, naming him after the movie Simon Birch. Apparently the name "Simon" did not tickle his fancy as much as my own and he came to school the next day as "Denis." Yes, Molly Rutledge, I said D-enis. Like I said, I eagerly await Rhyming Day. He speaks neither English or Korean and makes awkward cartoon sounds.

Teddy is my favorite little boy and his photo is at the top of this entry(aside from Huey from Hippo class-- please see video). He is so caring and plays with all of the students at play time, regardless of their popularity standing in the class. Ah Teddy is precious. He also speaks the most English out of the pack of Armadillos, so maybe that's why we seem to have hit it off.

The girls in the class are still identifying their personalities, but when they surface, I will certainly update everyone! Thus far, we have covered Aa, Bb, and Cc. I dream of apple, book, cat. I must say that I am desperate for conversation at an adult level and cannot do this for more than a year! If you are familiar with the movie Billy Madison, well, if given enough time, I will turn into Ms. Lippy, just wait.

Enough of my job. Seriously, I really miss the adult world. Mer1 left for Wooster, Ohio yesterday and I already miss her so much! We went out for a final hoorah on Saturday evening and it was joyous. Her replacement, Greg, came out with us as well. The nice lad from Toronto has altered the female dominated workplace a bit, but it will definitely be for the best. It is Wednesday night and I am over the "hump" of the week, thank goodness. I hope everyone is doing well this holiday season and I send my love from Korea!

Armadillo Class and Kim Jong Il's Countryside

Much has happened in the past week and highlights included my finding out that I will be switched to a full-time kindergarten teacher as of December, I came down with the second round of the deathly cold and have been left without a voice, and the DMZ tour I took with several friends (and contrary to what I so excitedly anticipated, Kim Jong Il did not greet me with open arms at the border).

First of all, I did not plan to be hailed as the Queen of Sheeba upon signing my first contract after completing a Bachelor's of Arts from the "Jesuit University in Cleveland," but this sudden job switch has left me a bit dissatisfied with my employer. After I decided that I needed a little stint abroad after graduation, I became co-teacher with some high school friends over here in Seoul. I came into the job with an open mind and with the view that it will be temporary until I return to the states to pursue a career more closely related to my areas of academic concentration. I have become settled in my ways (in terms of living, teaching, etc.) and on Monday, I was notified that I am going to be working as a full-time kindergarten teacher in Armadillo class as of December (when Mer1 leaves for home).

Since I began teaching, I have been working predominantly with older students who range from ages seven to about twelve, specifically from the hours of 11:30 am to 7:20 pm on a daily basis. In December, I will work longer days and with students who have never spoken English in their lives. It is not a surprise to me that this happens [not to me though! ha ha], but I thought I would at least have been asked of my comfort level with the change. I studied Political Science with a concentration on Latin America and it is quite obvious that I am a much more qualified candidate than those who have studied teaching, to teach "fresh out of the womb" Korean children how to speak English. As you scoff at my realization of how the real world functions, I will be over here adapting to the new change and learning to teach my little army of Korean kindergartners with their Hello Kitty pencil cases and lunch boxes :)

After the surprise at work, came the surprise victory lap of horrid cold. I was very sick about three weeks ago and this heinous bug has resurfaced. The trip that Carly, Darcie, Imee, Mer1 and I took to the DMZ yesterday probably did not help. Saturday was a very cold and rainy day in Korea. The five of us met at the United Service Organization (USO) at 7:15 am to catch our bus to the DMZ. I do not think I have been up that early on a Saturday since my sister, Rachel, and I woke up early to hurl damn newspapers on our neighborhood paper route when we were kids. The bus ride took a little over an hour and we stopped at Camp Bonifas, (located 2400 meters from North Korea) where we all exited our bus and boarded buses belonging to the military. Once we were on their buses, we were driven to the UN Security Building at Panmunjeom. We walked by this building and it hosts communication amongst the UN, North and South Korea. There were about five buildings. Three were blue buildings constructed as temporary buildings for talks between the north and the south in the 1950's. The buildings have remained in tact and are still used today.

The soldiers in the photos are all South Korean soldiers. Each male in South Korean is committed to two years of military service before the age of 30. Because of this, it is usual for men not to finish university at the age of 27 or 28.










Some Koreans I have spoken with have alluded to the potential unification of North and South Korea in the next ten years. After our tour on Saturday, it is very hard for me to see that happening anytime soon. North Korea has recently shown increased military power, making the south much more apprehensive to take any promises made by the North Korean government as sincere. The unification between North and South Korea would pose a significant threat to the free market economy of South Korea. South Korea's population is more than 48 million and North Korea has a population of more than 24 million people living under a communist dictatorship. South Korea is accepting of expatriates of North Korea and provide them with a haven once they safely arrive, however the North Korean government does all in its power to keep North Koreans in the country. Many families have been separated by the divide more than fifty years ago and if North Koreans attempt to escape to South Korea and are caught, family as far as three generations back are sentenced to death. South Korea even constructed a beautiful building for families to be reunited and that building has not been used for it's intended purpose due to the lack of cooperation from the north.


The building directly across the border had one North Korean guard visible to us on Saturday. On the tour, we were told not to point or make inappropriate gestures towards the north. There is one building to the far right of the three blue buildings that has curtains and is called the "Monkey House" because North Koreans would meet inside the building, close the curtains and make gestures such the slitting of the throat toward American and South Korean governments.
Darcie, myself, Mer1 and Imee stood beside a South Korean guard in one of the UN Security buildings. The flags of all countries who have been involved in talks were present in the room and had to be encased as of 2001 when immediately after 9/11 happened, North Korean soldiers went in the building and used the American flag to polish their boots.

North Korean building on the border. This building was originally only two stories high and when South Korea constructed a building directly across from it that was a bit taller, North Korea added the third story so their building was even taller. It is difficult to see, but on the first story out front, on the left, is a North Korean soldier standing his post. Many watch towers are spread throughout the DMZ and can overlook the military mobilization of the opposite country, in so far as about 24 km. The DMZ was an excellent area to see and I learned much more about the tension between North and South Korea. I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone who visits Korea. I hope that everyone has an excellent upcoming week and stay warm!

America!

First and foremost, I want to thank my family for sending me necessities which included: five pounds of swiss cheese (in wheel form), two pounds of smoked cheddar, two packs of corn tortillas, yellow rice, yogurt covered pretzels, chocolate, mints and Pringles potato chips. If you thought that I would get skinny while I'm over here living the Asian dream on rice, octopus and kimchi, don't hold your breath. I do not plan to ditch my American-ness so readily. As of now, I am listening to Fergalicious which always reminds me of how my brother loved to shake his rump when that jam came on. Unfortunately, baby Chris grew up a little bit and now seethes of inappropriate humor and sarcasm. Yes, Fergie, cheese and sarcasm are bits of American culture that I have found myself missing lately (well Fergie, not so much, but it's kind of a blast from the past).

Also in regards to American culture, I should probably touch base on the election which happened last week. I will be upfront and state that I have been registered as a Republican voter ever since I have been old enough to vote. More than anything else, my conservative approach stems from my preference for conservative economic policy. That being said, I want as little government intervention in personal finances, financial institutions, etc. I appreciate a free market and oppose increased taxes (as do many Americans). The American tendency is and has been to acquire as many material belongings, regardless of how much money exists in the bank account. Loans, credit, and leases are some "options" which have only perpetuated this American attitude. This attitude alone has obviously attributed significantly to the economic meltdown in the U.S. The irony of the bailout of the banks is that of course these institutions were not given specific caps of the amount they could rake in each year by the government, however when they teetered bankruptcy, it all of a sudden became the burden of taxpayers.

A Korean friend of mine who has just relocated back to Seoul after living for nine years in the U.S. and worked as an accountant said that loans for homes are rather uncommon and certainly not of the magnitude as in the U.S. Credit is becoming increasingly popular in Korea and to attract the right mates, the women over here must have their $2,000 hand bags (purchased via credit cards). American tendencies circumnavigate the globe and some of those tendencies may be detrimental to societies and economies. I could go on and on, but I have learned a lot over the past couple of years from my parents and their emphasis of living within your means and because of the loans I have taken out to go to a private university that was not as exciting or demanding as I thought when I was 18 and "ready to take on the world."

That being said, I voted absentee and I voted for John McCain. This was a ground breaking election and although the candidate that I did not vote for won, I am prepared to see how America will move forward as of January 20th, 2009. I want to see Mr. Obama steer America in the right direction, a path opposite from the current administration. The American people have been dissatisfied with the status quo and wanted a blantant change. I am eager to see what change transpires, how we are percieved by the rest of the world and to hold Mr. Obama to his inspiring words.

Godspeed America, and I hope all that jazz is turned around by the time I return :)

"Special Autumn Trekking"

Over this past weekend, Mer1 and I traveled with the "Adventure Korea" group to Uljin in Gyeongsangbuk-do. What an experience, let me tell you.

Per the text of the Adventure Korea website, Mer1 and I were to board a bus on Saturday, November 1st at 7 am. The birthday outing of a fellow teacher, and consequently Halloween, accounted for our Friday evening activities. Due to the fact that oftentimes Friday evening activities nonchalantly fade into the wee hours of Saturday morning...we missed the bus. Yes, Mer1 and I missed the bus that Kriss Kross rapped about in 1992 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUx3ENL-RQ). I was a young lassie, about six years old, when that hot track was released and could (and can!) entirely relate to hard knocks such as frequent tardiness.

My alarm sounded at 5:45 am... in a lethargic, yet logical manner, I promised myself five more minutes of rest. I did not wake up again until 7:08 am and at that time, I thought 'heck, what can I do now?' and went back to sleep. Mer1 woke us both up again at 9:45 am and droned on and on and about enfuriated she was that we had slept past the departure time of our $85 trekking trip. She contacted the leader of this trekking escapade and low and behold, we were able to take a series of trains to meet up with the group, which was about 6 hours south east of Seoul.

We packed our bags for one night and headed to the bus station. Mer1 and I caught bus that left at noon which was headed in the direction of our final destination. After hopping about three buses, we finally found ourselves in a shady bus station and waiting to be picked up by the hotel manager at 7 pm. We arrived at the "hotel" before the rest of the granolas, ahem, hikers in the group. The group had done an hour hike that afternoon but said that Mer1 and I had not missed much. We had dinner together at 7:30. Dinner consisted of pork on the grill (really fatty bacon) and the other typical Korean side dishes (which I really don't know what they are). I had a very nice time at dinner and we met some really nice people. I spoke with Lauren from Canada and her boyfriend, John, from England, about the presidential election. Pascal from France, who is a research fellow in Seoul, joined our conversation and acknowledged France's unbridled support for Senator Obama. I swear, these discussions always seem to find me but I get really excited to discuss American politics with people from all over the world.

We all finished dinner in about one hour and two ridiculous French boys, Remi and Charles, who are studying a semester in Korea for their MBA's coralled a group of us out to engage in a bit of norebong (Korean Karaoke). I must say that my two favorites of the evening entailed "Milkshake" by Kelis and "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. After some soju (choice Korean beverage) and songs, Mer1 and I decided that we really needed to get some sleep for the next day's journey...especially because we had missed the bus that morning. Our "hotel" was up a hill about a quarter of a mile away. We finally reached our humble abode for the evening and it was locked. The theme of the trip: "A day late and a dollar short." Then, we noticed a door bell and I laid into that bell like there was no tomorrow. After a continual push of the bell, an old man dressed in a brown suit and burnt orange polo came to our rescue. We entered the building, made it to the elevator and saw the man cuddle back into his "night watcher" couch turned bed.

Of course when we arrived to our room on the 5th floor, our random third roommate was nowhere to be found. A key was vital to achieve sleep that evening, therefore we found one of the two trip coordinators wandering through the hall in a rather inebriated state. I realized that this little man's English was extremely limited when I tried to explain that we did not have a key and needed help getting it from the night watcher. I grabbed the cuff of his little cute child's NY Yankees jacket and led him back downstairs where he hopped the front desk to get our key.

After we finally got our key, Mer1 and I scurried up to room 504 and went to sleep because we knew a full day was to come. The coordinators knocked on our door at 5:45 am in case we wanted to use the [public] sauna before the hike. So I snoozed some more. Anyway, the leaders knocked on our door again at 6:45 to get ready to leave for our hike at 7:30.

The group arrived at the trekking venue at about 8:30 am. Initially, it was a paved route and I thought that the trip was perfect for pansy such as myself. In time, I had to sling myself over rocks and jump over rivers...not ok. The scenary was absolutely beautiful and it was so nice to get out of the Seoul smog! The hike was nice, but I really enjoy focusing on people and their personalities. Two individuals in particular stood out to me on this journey. Joey from England was 31 years old and I had met him at the Karaoke bar the night before the hike. I knew that Joey like to wet his whistle, but this soul was "pissed" (British terminology for drunk) the entire trip. Prior to the hike, we stopped the bus for people to buy food, water, use the restroom. Joey came out from the convenient store at 8 am with some beers and a bottle of soju. Throughout the hike, Joey was boozing. After the hike, Joey purchased more alcohol for the ride home. On our way home, I was resting and listening to my ipod and I heard a huge 'thump!' I looked up and Joey was "tossed" out of his bus seat and laying in the aisle with his bottle of soju in hand. Needless to say, Joey was one of the most colorful characters on the trip and it would not have been as enjoyable without him.

The other individual was some red headed girl. I never knew her name or where she was from, but I knew that the lights were on and nobody was home. For the purpose of my story, she will be referred to as Pony Girl. Mer1 and I first met her at the hotel. The initial red flag was when we wanted to buy beverages at the hotel and she had suggested that we try the wine, for she had already drank three bottles alone in her room. When we got to the hike, we took a group photo and this girl was standing behind me. She asked if it was alright for her to include her My Little Pony doll with us in the photo. I was at a loss of what to say so I told her that Pony was more than welcome. Later on in the day, Pony Girl included her pony in every picture ever taken. Even on the way home, she had the pony riding in the very front of the bus with the bus driver...

All in all, I was very ready to arrive back to the comfort of my own apartment! It was a fun experience and an enjoyable weekend :)

I Will Not Spend Another Halloween with Rooney and Paul

I am writing to you all on this fine Hallow's Eve. It's been a day full of irritations and I needed to relieve part of by tension via writing and the other by spending much needed time with the girls. I do want to say that I am still going strong with dwindling funds (such a fun experiment) and I await being paid tomorrow! Today began with a fantastic workout at BR. Nothing clears my mind like a nice bout of physical activity. After that, I got home, showered, listened to my daily CNN podcast and went on my way. Being that our school hosts MWF and T/Th. classes, of course as teachers, we were to bring Halloween apparel to school to dress up on both Thursday and Friday. Now I am not sure when my enthusiasm for Halloween ceased...but it did...maybe about 10 years ago. Mer1 and I hit up some costume shops last night and I opted for the crown with hot pink gems and pink feathered scepter. For the duration of my childhood, I would accept nothing unless it was in the shades of hot pink or lavender. I momentarily regressed to my childhood and purchased these fabulous items for $6. Today, I was a princess (probably for about the 5th or 6th Halloween of my life).

Anyway, after my feelings of giddiness and nostalgia had subsided, I was kind of ticked that I had to show up in costume today, but whatever, it was all for the kids...and I was a princess! I arrived to work and had a bunch of report cards to work on and the day went rather smoothly. The final class I taught tonight is meant to facilitate a positive "learning environment" to two of the most idiotic children I have ever dealt with in my life. This class causes me to contemplate the idea of procreation and why it is done (specifically in these cases). Rooney is a festively plump young lad who comments on his love for chocolate cake and KFC, reads texts about puppies in monotone, belts out Korean pop songs and plays on his cell phone throughout class. Paul is Rooney's sidekick. Paul has a lisp and cannot say "is" for the life of him. We have practiced time and time again, but it has not registered. If either of the boys uses English terminology such as "Sex," foul word for female, foul word for crap, or a reference to male genetalia, all attention is lost to a howling laughter which continues (every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:40 to 7:20 pm) until the end of class.

After I left school, I entered the metro. It is very popular in Korea for people to begin boarding the train prior to those who need to exit are able to exit. Immediately after dealing with the spawn of Satan, Rooney and Paul, of course I was trapped on the metro by every Korean living in Seoul. Apparently the most popular theory is that the way to efficiently achieve full metro car capacity is to cram bodies into the car, rather than allowing some to exit, which of course would enable more room for travelers. I finally arrived home safe, sound and distraught to do laundry before my weekend travels. The other teachers and I plotted a reviving evening of watching Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. Once I made it to Mer1's room with the girls, all was right with the world (and I loooove Hocus Pocus!!!).

I will briefly recap on last weekend, which entailed a trek up some mountain on Sunday that Mer1 knew about. To be honest, I have no idea as to what it's name was and I just go where I am taken.

See, it was great! It was a spectacular view and huffed and puffed my culo (behind) all the way to the top! I even occasionally rock out the Korean Victory sign (not to be confused with the hippie peace sign, although there are similarities).

There was a lot of meditating in different parts of the mountain as we were climbing up and the area is known as a place for Shamanist ceremonies. The weather was brisk that day but the layers of clothing were definitely shed and we schlepped ourselves up the mountain.

The photo on the right was taken of Mer1 during our "sit and eat cookies" break. Imee (aka Mama Hen) was thinking ahead to bring snacks for the tired little hikers.

The photo on the left is of Mer1 and Imee at the top of the mountain on this ridiculous sized and awkwardly shaped rock. Imee and I have midget legs and had to shimmy down on our buns, whereas Mer1 used her lanky legs to zip on down by foot. In addition to our hiking escapade last weekend, Mer1 and I went to a party for international people living in Seoul to drink soju and speak English with Koreans. We met some rather hilarious characters and most definitely plan to return to such gatherings. All in all, the last week as been great, but as usual, has flown by so fast! I must now get going and prepare for my trekking expedition for this weekend. Photos and details will be posted soon! I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend and I appreciate your messages and e-mails :)

Club Caliente and 'Rita Night

After a long week of teaching my precious and trying students, I have a Friday night full of finishing a book and lounging in my pajamas. I did not have a chance to write last week, but the teachers and I had a wonderful Saturday night out at a venue called Club Caliente. I was getting a bit homesick for some Latin sabor (flavor) and so las mamacitas (+Alejandro and Paul, two other teachers) ventured to the oasis. We all had a really great time and margaritas were only $5.50! The bar was predominantly comprised of U.S. military personnel due to it's proximity to the base. Mer1, Darcie and I met a Johnny from Moca, Puerto Rico and Rafael out of the Dominican Republic. They were decent guys and immediately after they told us that they lived on base, my reply was something along the lines of "Wow! I have been trying to get on base, I want to eat some Taco Bell!"

Inappropriate as usual and I'm sure you are all shocked by my behavior. Rafael then got his friend Travis on the phone who is from Ohio (like the three of us). For some bizarre reason, Rafael attempted to summon us on a trip to the DMZ with he and Travis (it was midnight, mind you) to watch the OSU and Michigan game. Thank God for Mer1 and her logic, with a smooth and flawless response of "Maybe some other time, not tonight."

After getting a peep at the Latino population of Seoul, it was time for delicious street snacks! A South East Asian vendor had the BEST chicken kabobs I have ever tasted in my life. This phenomenal snack wrap consisted of chicken seasoned to perfection, succulent lettuce, homegrown tomatoes and dressing wrapped up in warm rotis (Indian tortillas). At that moment, I felt as though I had hit the peak of my life and as the last morsel of my snack wrap was gobbled, I would face a perpetual and steady decline. (Just so you know, I have had a wonderful week and that was just the drama queen in me talking). After the kabobs, Mama Hen (fellow teacher, Imee, who always takes care of us when we lack sense) said it was time to go home. Mer1, Darcie and I hailed a cab and were hauled home, which in retrospect, was probably a better alternative to the DMZ...

Early in the week, Mer1 and I booked seats on a trip to Uljin in Gyeongsangbuk-do, (about a 4-5 hour bus ride outside of Seoul) where we will be doing some "Special Autumn Trekking." Mer1 really would like me to tap into my earthy, liberal, flowers in my hair, hippy side. Let's just say that it does not exist, but a trek through some woods with crazy foreigners sounds delightful. I will just need to bring a water bottle so my throat doesn't get parched. This endeavor will take place on Saturday, November 1st and we will return home on Sunday evening. I am excited to get out of the city and check out the surrounding greenery. This may sound incredibly odd to my parents (particularly my father...in his Keen sandals) who took us on a few daring/outdoorsy vacations and my adolescent hostilities had surfaced in [minor] fits of rage. To this day, those adventures are referred to as "Richard Simmons Vacations" in the Denbow household. I have climbed the godforsaken sand dunes of Michigan, white-water rafted the New River, seen the moose of Maine and ridden the ponies of West Virginia. Yes Mother and Father, I am sure you cackle as you read the descriptions of our experiences... and I'm going to go do all that jazz again next week!

As I may have previously relayed to you all in a discreet manner, I love Mexico, anything associated with Mexico and particularly margaritas. Thursday was margarita night at On The Border. Apparently this restaurant is a chain and in the U.S. but I have never heard of it until now. One Thursday each month, the restaurant has a special where you pay 25,000 Won ($25... well until the world markets crashed and got completely charred, so now equivalent to $18.25) for unlimited margaritas and a dinner buffet. I had to meet up with my running crew after work but just in time to order tortilla soup. Only 30 minutes were left of the buffet so Mer1 ordered 12 margaritas (it's ok, there was a precise ratio of one drink per person) to our table to achieve the "bang for our buck." It was a great night out, especially because the teacher that I had taken the place of had just rolled back into town from the U.K. He fled the land of J.K. Rowling and Hugh Grant to come back and kick it with the Samsungs.

That being said, I've had an eventful week and tonight has been perfect to lay low and unwind. A Korean teacher has rallied Mer1, two other Korean teachers and myself to attend some international club party tomorrow evening. I have 40,000 won (previously $40, now $29.21) to live on until payday so I better take it easy. Ramen doesn't taste so bad I guess.

Samsung Boys

Korean men. I have sworn to myself up and down that I will not prance home with a Korean man in tow, feel free to peruse my following explanation:

*Take note that I love my two Korean boys, Nam Wang and Kookno Lee, very deeply. None of the following text applies to my boys, for they are perfect in every sense.

**Although politically incorrect, my friends and I refer to the young Korean adult male populace as "Samsung boys." We reside in a society of vast homogeneity. We are still relatively new to the area and all places/people/text look the same. Please excuse this misstep and do keep in mind that humor is what salvages me from the occasional moments of disillusion.


I go to my neighborhood gym, BR, generally in mornings. After finishing my time on the elliptical trainer this morning, I decided to hop on the bike and peddle it out for a bit. Directly in front of the bikes are treadmills, each with personal televisions. A Samsung boy was walking on a treadmill and watching what initially appeared to be a sports broadcasting show. There was a brightly colored colored desk (like they have on Sports Center) with two announcers on the left hand side. It differed slightly from Sports Center being that on the right side, there was an avid "gamer" battling it out on a computer. Yes my friends, there is a gaming channel on the Korean cable network. In essence, you sit and watch a sleep deprived Korean with dark-framed spectacles (so popular over here) and a CamelBack filled with Mountain Dew hash it out on screen . The cameras pan from the two announcers describing his moves play-by-play to the actual game screen itself. This must be a hit among the Samsung boys...hot.

I hate the man purse. Nothing is worse than a decent looking [straight] man traipsing around with a purse. The young men of Korea aspire for nothing less than to appear as though they belong on the cover of GQ. I am certainly game for admiring a nice pair of jeans on a guy from afar, but it's another story when the shirt cuffs must match the shoes, man purse and belt. For various reasons, I have concurred that the "man's man" does not live in Korea. Men's dress suits also have a hint of metallic over here. On the first day, I wanted to know why all of the men wore damn sparkle suits. The contrast of fashion has been addressed in conversation with my American friends and one of them prefers the "slightly feminine" male fashion sense. I am not progressive enough and do not like guessing games, I want men to dress as men.

Now, although I may not be blatantly peeking at the older generation of men over here (these are not Samsung boys...we're talking 60's +....the BINGO players), I think they have lost all sense of sight. The elders love to pair striped blazers with plaid dress shirts and then maybe top it off with a pair of preppy seersucker trousers. The conflicting patterns and colors distress me on a daily basis. I can't handle it. Are they blind?!?!

Short-sleeved dress shirts and skinny ties. I have a disdain for short-sleeved dress shirts...like is it really that hot outside? Can you seriously not suck it up and roll with full sleeves? I would prefer for them even to roll up the cuffs only if absolutely necessary . Those shirts remind me of the Wonder Years and the Brady Bunch, I just hate old stuff like that. The skinny tie...hm why are some Samsung boys still wearing their "training ties" from first communions? Get rid of them.

Highlights of this post: I have a serious distaste for: men who watch video gamers for pure enjoyment, wear man purses, sparkle suits, short-sleeved dress shirts and skinny ties. I have relayed my rant and if you catch yourself breaching any of my preferences, please plan for an alteration of your lifestyle prior to August 25, 2009 (kidding....but like seriously, think about it).

The Phallic Stage

Well my friends, it has been quite a week over here in Seoul. The other teachers and I had to teach a bit extra this week because Darcie came down with bronchitis and was out of commission for about three days. Thankfully, she is coming around and will be back this week. Because she was out and one of the classes that she teaches is Huey's class, the other teachers were able to experience my favorite student. On the first day, Maria had the pleasure of teaching Huey. Now Maria has only heard my rendition of Huey up until this point and had never personally experienced his ridiculousness. Immediately after she entered the classroom and before the wonderful world of phonics commenced, Huey revealed himself. According to Sigmund Freud, the phallic stage of the Psychosexual Stages of Development occurs between the ages of 3 1/2 and 6 years. In this phase, both boys and girls, focus on the penis. It is a crying shame that societal values have Huey caged up in his jeans embroidered with dancing teddy bears. Freudian theory claims that this behavior should be wrap up in about the next year for my dear Huey. The bizarre thing is that I am the only teacher who has not witnessed Huey's phallic stage and each day I am thankful.

On the second day, Carly was granted the fine opportunity of educating Huey's Hippo class (each kindergarten class has an animal name). Although there are three additional students in this class, all attention must be focused on Huey keeping him in his chair and his teddy bear pants. Now while Carly taught Huey's class, Huey wrote the word "Prologue" on the dry erase board with a highlighter. First of all, I am sure that 7th graders would have a problem spelling this word. We have concluded that Huey is a genius. Although, he seems to have hyperactive tendencies, sings songs while I am teaching, runs around the classroom, dances and plays with Hot Wheels toy cars all around the room, he is able to spell Prologue.

Aside from Huey, the weather has gotten much cooler lately and it has been so nice to sleep with the windows open! My weekend was rather uneventful. Carly and I went to eat at a really good Indian/Nepali restaurant called Yeti near our apartment building on Friday night after work. I had to get my curry fix for the week. Carly had never smoked hookah and so we got a strawberry flavored hookah after dinner which was a nice way to end the week. When I got home, I found Sister Act on television and that concluded my Friday night. Last night Meredith T., our friend Kim and I had some cocktails on the roof and it was gorgeous! I really need to take some photos of the view we have from our roof and it is beautiful especially at night.

This morning was nice because my family and I hopped on Skype and because my sister was in on a Saturday night studying for midterms, we hit her up on the conference call as well. Of course all of Rachel's friends paraded into her dorm room so we had to greet about 20 sophomore students at Ohio University as I was still in my pajamas with wild hair. One of the friends in her hall is Korean and ventures to and from Seoul on a regular basis so I'm planning to get some hot spot tips from Ken. I had to hassle my mother this morning to begin a care package for the oldest Denbow child living overseas. Among the items requested were The Office, season 4, corn tortillas, Amish cheese and an assortment of baked goods. I eagerly await the arrival of this package and if you do happen to see Dave or Carol loitering around Wooster parts, please be so kind as to remind them of their sad, lonely offspring wandering the streets of Seoul in hopes that she will someday recieve a small parcel from her loving family in Wooster, Ohio.

Well that about sums up my week and I just got in from dinner with Meredith T. and Imee (another teacher from Chicago) at Casa Maya which was a so-so dining experience but pricey and their "queso mixto" had a poor consistency and was very stringy. After dinner we went to The Coffee Bean Co. to continue our high calorie spree weekend and discuss plans for next weekend. Our plans apparently include Club Caliente in Itaewon, and by the sound of the name, it should be a rip-roaring good time.

Anyway, I miss you all very much and enjoy the e-mails! Keep them coming because I love hearing what everyone is up to :)

Peace from the East,

Mer

A Poolside Weekend

The weekend was entirely relaxing due to the fact that Meredith T. and I basically spent it poolside at Hyatt Seoul. Rockin'. Thursday night consisted of me FINALLY getting the eye-brow wax that I have been looking high and low for and then shopping for $25 corn tortillas and cheese to FINALLY get a quesadilla in this land.

A friend of ours who used to teach a spinning class we took at our local YMCA one summer came to Seoul with her husband, brother and sister-in-law after spending a week in Vietnam. Because Meredith T. and I had Friday off from teaching, Patrice was very kind as had us to her hotel for massages in the spa. Our appointment was at 1:30 p.m. and we arrived about 15 minutes early. After signing in, we were instructed to select the music we preferred during the massage and the flavor of tea for after. We opted for the "calm" selection and Meredith T. chose Ginseng tea and I chose Chamomile. After the deliberation and execution of those decisions, into the massage room we were escorted.

The decor consisted of tan, green and cream colors and it was very relaxing. There was a full bathroom through one door where we were to change into our robes and paper underwear (yes, paper... basically imagine the paper hair caps worn by lunch room ladies and then turn that into something with two leg holes). After I excitedly hopped into my paper panties and robe, I was ready for business. We went into the massage room (there were two tables and two masseuses, we're still not sure if they thought we were a couple because we share the same first name...?) and were told to ditch the robes. Although this was not public nakedness per se, Korea seems to run rampant with public shower/changing/bathing facilities. Now it was one thing to scamper around a hospital in a cotton candy pink robe and it's another to be hustling around in paper skivvies and not knowing half of the people in the room. Meredith T. says that I will get used to this lifestyle... I think not.

Patrice registered us to have a full body scrub and full body massage and it was delightful! The ladies were very strong and I think I walked out with a bruise or two. After the two hour treatment, in came our tea and a homemade fruit and granola snack, it was really delicious! After the massages, we changed and headed out to sit by the pool. A sudden thirst came over us and we had to order some champagne to wet the old whistles. After some time, Patrice came back to the hotel from her outing with their friends and we met by the pool. It was wonderful to see her and catch up! Then we went into the hotel to have some pre-dinner cocktails and met with Jill, Patrice's sister-in-law and Young, Patrice's friend who lives in Seoul. After drinks, we dined in the hotel restaurant which was upscale Korean cuisine. Our dinner included tofu, green peppers, beef sirloin, chicken, scallops, asparagus and mushrooms. It was all very good and I'm sure that my bran flakes and yogurt will just not taste as delicious anymore.

After dinner, Meredith T. and I headed back to our apartment building and called it a night. We're getting old! What early-twenty year old girls head in for the night on a Friday at ten or eleven!?! We had to do so because Patrice invited us to use the gym and pool at the Hyatt on Saturday while they were out seeing more of the city. We got an early start and had to stop by 7-11 to load up on pool necessities (see photo: bottles of water, etc.). Saturday was a full day of fun in the sun and European men thinking they were still 21 and prancing around in speedos and gold necklaces with their white chest hair fluttering freely in the Seoul sun.

After a beautiful and relaxing weekend, it's back to a five day work week (ahhh!) and of course with my favorite student, Huey. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I will post soon, promise :)

I'm Rich [insert text]!

Praise Sweet Mary Magdalene for I am no longer living penniless in foreign lands! Yes my friends, a jingle in my pocket is what I have and I am ecstatic [for the time being...until loan amounts are deducted]. Here is how the first paycheck was cashed in (in the past 12 hours):

1.) Curry. I could eat curry every day for every meal but my lack of culinary skills have limited that possibility. After school last evening, a fellow teacher and friend from Minnesota, Carly, and I ventured to pluck our hard-earned won from the ATM nearest to our apartment building. We ran into a restaurant called "Curry Rice," which sounded legitimate and was a good choice. Toward the end of our dining experience, I noticed the fine trinkets they had on the wall...

Please notice that at "Curry Rice," their decor is "pro" Indian culture, be it the culture of those actually from India, as well as American Indians.

2.) I love bufandas (scarves, for the non-native Spanish speakers). After my Indian/American Indian meal, Carly and I roamed the streets of Hongdae (our neighborhood) in search of coffee. On the way, I met Sue peddling scarves sculpted by his own hands. Sue was a man in his mid to late thirties. He donned sparkly stone-encrusted, Bvlgari glasses and had some serious blonde locks. Sue spoke wonderful English and had spent much time in NYC. In time, a young child hopped out of Sue's scarf van. Sue said, "Ah, meet my son, he is so cute, he travels with me to sell scarves!" Wow. I did not see having a child, particularly offspring, as a potential characteristic of this man. Anyway, Korea rocks and I bought two of Sue's scarves.

3.) Gym membership! Yessss. Although I trek it everywhere under the sun over here , I wanted to get a gym membership to use in the mornings before I teach. The gyms provide clothing for members over here... no, no, no. I hold the same view about public clothing as public shoes. I just don't do it. I was the only person in the establishment wearing my own clothes and with obnoxious red hair. I'm sure the people of Korea think I am crazy and from some hidden jungle. In addition to the typical machines that I have ever been used to, this place has a "jiggle belt" contraption. I only use the word "jiggle belt" for that is what my parents have called it and mocked for years. Apparently it was popular and phased out by the 80's in the states, but who knows, maybe that is why Asians are so thin, they use these damn jiggle belts.

Witnessing Johnny Mac and Barack from Afar...

After a relaxing weekend, I'm ready to kick off another week! I actually only have a four day work week due to a national holiday on October 3rd and I have absolutely no idea what it is for, but I'm fine with that.

The weather finally changed on Friday so it is now brisk, which I prefer to sweltering heat. On Friday evening, I laid low and was able to catch up on reading and get to bed early after a long week. I woke up on the earlier side on Saturday to do a Skype call with my friend Anant who is studying in Boston and then to witness the first presidential debate. Although I was not expecting a whole lot other than perpetual slams from each participant, I was excited to be doing something "American" from abroad. I could not see a blantant victor and found faults with both sides. It was interesting to me that McCain did not once look at Obama and that they both put so much effort in painting themselves very different individuals but said many of the same things. However I will not bore you all with what I assume you are already tired of, but it was very nice to see and I found a spectacular stream at www.nytimes.com.

After watching the debate, I wanted to hear what my dear grandmother in Ashland, Ohio had to say (and after calling my friend Anant, I was on a Skype roll) about the election and we had some catching up to do. Grandma filled me in about the new spouses we have in the family. Cousin Brady married a Filipina and his sister, Leah, is headed to Veracruz, Mexico to begin building a house with her boyfriend, Saul. Grandma Shirley said that it is nice to have some "different" ones in the family these days, and it was said in nothing short of a positive context. After that statement, she asked if we would have a Korean in the family too... I let her know that when I do reach the "marrying age," that I certainly hope to add to the diversity on our family tree :) I was also able to catch Grandpa Dick (aka Tricky). He seemed to be in high spirits and asked what the heck I eat over here in Seoul. I let him know that the cuisine is relatively decent although I have not yet taken much of a liking to the national speciality, kimchi. When Koreans ask if I like kimchi, my response goes something like "No. It is rotten cabbage doused in spice," yet then I try to compensate by expressing my love for rice or saying that Seoul is a beautiful city...irrelevant but I'm really working on tact.

After my multiple calls to friends and family in the states, I went for a walk by the Han River. It is very near our apartment building and the weather has been gorgeous! Later that evening, Meredith T., Darcie and I met up with my friends Nam, Lee and Hazel (all of whom I know from D.C.), other teachers from our school in the Mapo area and a friend of mine named Jayoung who I met at a yoga class. We went to a bar in Itaewon called "Bugalow," where the theme is rather tropical, including sand, tiki torches and cabana style structures. It was a very nice time and the drink of choice was the Mojito Diablo. Delicious. Anyway, it was very nice to see my friends because I know they are so busy with their jobs in the banks during the week.

All in all, I had a very nice and relaxing weekend. This is going to be a fabulous week because I am getting paid (I'm really needing the $$$ at this point!) and we are off on Friday. Also, I am not sure how to post photos on my blog, but Darcie is a web genius and that project will be pursued soon, I promise!

A Trip to the Hospital and my Language Exchange

Well it is another "run of the mill" type week for me at work, but I seemed to have neglected all blogging responsibilities for the weekend. I was justified in the fact that I was sent to the hospital by my employer to endure urine and blood tests, in addition to a wonderful EKG scan and chest x-rays. As exciting as that sounds, I was able to check out the healthcare industry in South Korea from a consumer standpoint.

Last week, I arrived to work and saw a map with a Post-it strategically placed to where my eyes would immediately notice on my desk. It was a map to the medical establishment I was to have my examination. For this examination, I needed $92, my passport and a passport photo. This examination is preliminary to all people living in Korea in order to obtain resident-status documentation. The clinic opened at 8:30 a.m. so we got a move on at about 8:00 a.m. to avoid the waiting that I presumed would take place in a less than privatized atmosphere. Of course I didn't have a passport photo so I utilized a photo booth in the metro station near my house. I was a bit unkept(it was a Saturday morning). The photo turned out a notch below "attractive."

Anyway, after my photo was out of the way, Maria and I were on the train to the clinic. After dealing with the language barrier and finally finding the correct desk to deal with our business, I had to change into a cotton candy-pink robe and navy blue sandals. I Hate public shoes. After a bit of hesitation and then a deep inhale, I sunk my toes into the public sandals and went to urinate into two tubes. I hated the public shoes and the cotton candy robe, but I was totally prepared to pee on command. No problem.

I tossed my samples into the basket of everyone else's samples and went to wait in line to have my sight and other measurements taken. In this setting, each patient carried their own information folder to each station and individuals were called accordingly. This system was very efficient, much more than I am used to in the states. In the states, each patient receives his or her own medical examination room, but it seems like I always wait about 20 minutes just for the doctor. After my vision test, I was shuffled over to blood pressure and blood extraction. I waited on a nicely upholstered bench for my chest x-ray to be taken [in my robe and shoes that everyone and his brother have worn]. The doctor was a small and humorous character. I entered the x-ray room and he told me to inhale, hold it and then he took the x-ray before I exhaled. We seemed to have some issues with my hair and so he brought in an obnoxious white and gold trimmed scrunchii to keep my hair out of the x-ray (to all medical professionals: since when do hair cells get in the way of x-rays?!?!). After the x-ray, I was strapped up to an EKG machine and when it was all over, I ran like hell.

Three hours later:

I met my "Language Exchange" partner at the metro station closest to my humble abode. Needless to say, I joined www.mylangaugeexchange.com per the advice of friends and had really no idea as to who I would be meeting on the site. I meandered to the station and I met my friend, Won. Won is in his thirties and is hilarious. It was raining and Won drove, so I went to get in what I thought was the passenger seat of his car and I think he is the only Korean who opts to drive on the right hand side. So after the logistics of his car became clear to me, we went to get a cup of coffee and engage ourselves in conversation. I do hope to learn a bit of Korean in time, but I was more interested in the societal infrastructure, culture and politics of Korea so we talked a lot about those issues. Won wanted to meet with an English speaker to practice speaking and he particularly expressed a desire to maintain it for business purposes. After coffee, we had dinner at a Korean restaurant in Itaewon (the predominantly international area of Seoul). Dinner was interesting for it entailed excellent Korean BBQ, some Merlot and a very old and drunk Korean man who was later taken out by the police. Every town has one of those, regardless, it's good entertainment.

After dinner with my new language exchange friend,Won, he dropped me by my house and of course I had to get ready to go out with my friends. Meredith T., Darcie and I met up with the teachers from our other school branch in our neighborhood. Later in the evening, we ended up at a really great hookah bar called Brickx. It is in the basement and lit all over with mainly candles. It has a great South East Asian feel and very good music ranging from Indian with an electronica twist to downtempo/chill. After such a long day and hookah, we called it a rather early evening and headed home.

All in all, it was a very nice weekend and topped of by a dinner on Sunday night with my dear friend Nam Wang. Nam and I went to Yeti, an Indian and Nepali restaurant. They played Bollywood on a large screen, so it was very difficult for me to concentrate on dining with well-endowed Indian men shaking it on the big screen... Anyway the Tandoori chicken was tremendous and I plan to return.

I hope everyone is having a great week and I will try to update more often!

And This Too, Is My Life

Today we took our children on a field trip. Let me preface this story and define the infrastructure of the institution by which I am employed. Sogang University is ranked as the fourth or fifth university in terms of prestige in South Korea (so I am told). Sogang University developed a curriculum and texts to teach the English language to the youngest South Koreans. Private people begin branches of these SLP (Sogang University Language Program) "hagwons" as private businesses. Mr. and Mrs. Yang opened our school (their second) because so many students were enrolled in their first branch. Our school hosts kindergarten classes from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. each day. Hagwons are schools (aside from the schools which the students normally attend) which specialize in areas such as foreign language, math, science, chess (!?!?!) and art. After our kindergarten ends, we teach older students from from 3:00 to 7:20 p.m. I only teach two kindergarten classes, but I work mainly with older students who have all ranges of English fluency.

My daily work schedule is from 11:30 am to about 7 p.m. (which is so fantastic and I will be unable to last in the real world). I teach two kindergarten classes each day and was asked to come along to help with the kindergarten field trip to "Play Museum" today. I was specifically invited to monitor a wild child, his name is Huey. Ironically enough, Huey is my favorite child in the entire SLP kindergarten. First of all, Huey has the largest head I have ever seen on a child. Koreans are known for their large craniums...but this child is five years old and is growing per ounce of kimchi consumed. Secondly, Huey has the most precious little smile (/hellacious grin). Oh my goodness. While teaching Huey's class, he dances, twirls, sings, scribbles, strategically places stickers throughout his academic materials. Yes, he's a bit on the hyperactive side and that was certainly the case at "Play Museum." Everything Huey could touch, he did it in a matter of 25 seconds. He was so sweaty from running all around the place to lay his stout little fingers on each toy in the museum. He ran over a little Korean boy with an Amish-style bowl cut about five times and it's horrible, but I smiled inside.


An additional highlight of the trip included a little boy named Toby. Each day, Toby's mother dresses him up in suspenders and a tie but he perpetually has a dissheveled appearence and his suspenders hang by his knees. Toby did forgo suspenders today, but wore these dapper little patent-leather penny loafers with blue teddy bear socks...but on the opposite feet. I have already decided that my son will be dressed as Toby, but probably act like Huey.

At lunch time, I settled down with the class of four and Huey was as dossle as a sedated lamb. He lives with his grandparents and grandma packed a sweet little lunch for a hungry baby Huey. He was eating kim bop (basically sushi excluding the fish), Korean "Funions" and Korean "Sour Patch Kids." After lunch, we all piled into our obnoxious SLP buses and shipped out. After all of that fun, I had five more classes to teach and finally ended my day tonight at 7:30.

Thank God tomorrow is Friday.