Gyeongju and beyond

Last weekend I went to a city called Gyeongju. It's an hour north of Busan and much smaller. It was the capitol of the Shilla Dynasty which ruled for over 600 years. Needless to say the city is a living history museum full of burial mounds, temples, and plenty of boulders with carvings of Buddha and various mythological characters. I went with my good buddy Jen, her math teacher friend (Meekyung), and Meekyung's group of friends. Heading into the weekend Jen told me that this group of friends were a bunch of music enthusiasts who were either meeting up to play music or just talk about it. Also Saturday night was apparently going to be a heavy night of soju drinking. Live music or not it sounded good and I already liked these people. We took the bus which was cheap, a whole 4,000 won (less than $3). When we got there we quickly discovered that this 'group' was not meeting for the purpose of sharing their love of music at all. These guys were hardcore Korean history buffs in their spare time. One of them actually worked with historic preservation. They all met online on some hisory group website. They all live in different parts of Korea. Every once in a while they meet to geek out on Korean history as one big collective of history nerdiness that far surpasses my passion for history. Together they made a Voltron history nerd.

To you readers who don't know what Voltron is: An eighties cartoon based in the future where a group of five guys who fought evil in their large cat shaped space crafts. When they really needed an extra crime fighting boost they would join together as one really large human shaped robot that had amazing ass kicking abilities.

We spent a lot of time checking out historic sites that mainly consisted of eroded carved rocks and free standing statues. These guys took pictures of these carvings and statues like a photographer would a model in a Playboy photoshoot (I wouldn't know, I only read the articles). I didn't get it. These things aren't moving. Meekyung said that these guys had all been to Gyeongju a million times. Did they just then remember to bring their cameras? Somehow I doubt it. With each click of the shutter I became more and more perplexed. But I found their love of history endearing. I wish that I had a single passion for . . . anything really, like their passion for Korean history. I would like to add that it was about 25 degrees and really effing windy. I wore my Michelin man down jacket, a really warm hat, thick socks and still froze. It wasn't the "Oh its cold and I'll get used to it soon enough," kind of cold. This was some serious polar coldness. The wind wouldn't subside and cut through my jacket like I was wearing fishnet body suit (weird, why would I do that? but the metaphor works). A couple times Jen, Meekyung and I ran for shelter in the car while these guys clicked away making sure to get shots of various angles for their amassing collection. Man could you imagine being a child to one of these guys and sitting through a slide show of one of their trips?

"Here's photo 53 of the eroded pegasus at sight number 4A. I don't think you could see it very well in the last 52 shots but here you can almost make out his head. The sun was hitting it just right here and I managed to climb on this rock which gave me a fantastic . . . "

"Ah c'mon dad can't we eat dinner yet? I'm really hungry. We see the same things every year yet you insist these pictures are better than the last."

"Shut your hole son. These ARE better than the last! We only have 246 pictures to go. Eat some kimchi or some squid jerky. But don't spoil your appetite. Your mom's prepared your favorite kimchi soup. Now this is the first photo of the buddha to the left of the pegasus at sight number 4A . . . "

Yeah that would be a bad scene for sure.

NO THANKS!

So I was hoping that these history nerds had a wild side to them and we were still going to do the soju craziness. Nope. But they did make us a traditional chicken dish similar to my beloved Jjimdaak. This group had been together for a while. You could tell by their cooking chemistry. Meekyung was incharge of making rice. Two guys prepped vegies. One guy was in charge of preparing the chicken. They tenderized the chicken with Coca Cola! Makes sense I guess but I've never seen or heard of it before. One guy made sure there was enough dishes and set the table and cleaned up the kitchen and dining room as things got messy. There was no arguing over who did what as far as I could tell. They worked together, again like Voltron. This dish was stewy with bits of sweet potato, carrots, onions, lots of chicken, and was filled with these chewy rice sticks. You should have seen the size of the bag of kimchi they bought for the weekend. It was about the size of a football. How much kimchi CAN you eat in a weekend. I mean . . . really? We had barely put a dent in the bag when the icey weekend came to an end. One of the guys wrapped the bag up in a few plastic bags and took it home. I could only imagine his car stank to high heaven when he got home. One of the main ingredients for kimchi besides the cabbage itself and chiles is fermented anchovie sauce - I.E. the Nar Nar, which is also why its key to have your own kimchi fridge.

We had some wine with dinner and one of them just got back from North Korea. He brought a bottle of fermented Mushroom alcohol that was suprisingly not too bad. I was worried about trying it. To me the thought of mushroom alcohol sounded downright vile but it wasn't. It reminded me of a mx between brandy and vodka with a hint of mushroom. We all had a shot of this with dinner and that was about the extent of the night of crazy drinking. After dinner Jen and I retreated to the other room and played cards as Voltron cleaned and carried on in the next room. Jen made a comment that felt like we were like little kids. It was so true. Things ran smoothly and fast paced with these guys, aside from the long winded photoshoots. Only two of them could speak decent English so most all of the weekend was spent being clueless to any planning or conversation.

My vocabulary is steadily coming along but I'm not even close to conversation yet. I think that day will come when the world's slowest snail completes a super marathon in the middle of the Serengeti. Thats about how fast I feel like I'm learning. I'm trying, I really am, but without structure and tests its hard to motivate sometimes. The sounds you have to create to make these words are completely new as well and hard to master. Patience is key here.

We were just along for the ride. Which was fine. Its nice to do that everyonce in a while. Besides most of my weekends are spent hanging out with mostly foreigners while most of my Korean interaction is limited to storekeepers and coworkers. This was a welcome change of pace for a weekend. I also discovered that I do like being in control of my traveling time or at least have some say on the events of the travels. But this was only for a day and a half.

Sleeping as the Koreans do is only somewhat comfortable and done on the floor with a thin pad. To their credit they do have an amazing floor heating system called "ondol." I think its amazing and wish that America would wake up and smell the "ondol." It seems like it would be an efficient way of heating the home since heat does rise. It makes for walking around in your socks a warm, toasty affair. So they have no qualms about sleeping on the floor because of this. Yes its warm and cozy, but only cozy in a warm way. I'm not used to the 'firmness' of the thin-pad-on-floor routine. Its kind of rough, or hard if you will.

The next morning we had rice, kimchi, and Ramen for breakfast. That was hardcore, a far cry from my usual peanut butter and jelly on toast or banana with whole bran flake cereal. Never in my life would I have dreamed up such a menu for breakfast, nor will I attempt to repeat it if I can. Next trip like this I'm bringing emergency apples and a breakfast bar ( I did find some - not tasty like the Nature Valley bars but they do the trick). This was followed by more outside coldness and picture taking at burial mounds and other sacred sites. Some of them were hidden deep in the forest on big hills. We did manage to do a bunch of hiking this weekend.

Gyeongju is great. Its a small town compared to its neighboring big brothers, Busan and Ulsan. Its really open, mountainous, natural beauty everywere, and the traffic wasn't scary. I can't wait to go back when its not so darn cold and go for a hike and . . . rent a bicycle and go for a ride!! Its hard to develope a town thats mandated to preserve whats left of their Korean heritage. In the past Japan was a big jerk to Korea. They invaded, raped, pillaged, destroyed, burned and defaced much of Korea's historical anything. I keep comments about Japan or sushi to a minimum when I'm around Koreans. There is an underlying resentment for Japan I think equal to or possibly greater than Ireland's dislike of Britain. The past is set and stone and its hard to forget when the evidence of the bully is right in front of your face everytime you want to check out something historical. Most old temples have an informational sign that generally start out like this:

"This temple was rebuilt in 'x' year. The original was burned by Japan in the invasion of 'x' year during so and so's reign."

Man thats rough. A lot of sculptures at burial mounds are missing heads.

It wasn't the weekend I was expecting but it was informative and different. I would provide some more of the history but I have a hard time remembering Korean names of anything so my rants would sound vague, ambiguous, and would go nowhere fast. So I'll spare you the slide show and the kimchi breakfast.

I'll buy her for a dollar!

Um were to begin.  Its been far too long.  Things have happened, my mood in a more pleasant place.  I've been thinking that my ranting and raving on this blog has been a way for me to cope with living here.  Now that I finally feel like I'm settling in here (almost four months later) I don't have the crazy erge to rattle off nonesense on "Paddling along in Korea."

Oh by the way:  The title of this blog is a reference to stories from my good friend Sam.  I was on an epic rafting trip with Jason, Nathan, and Sam.  We put in at Warm Springs and floated down the Deschutes all the way to the Columbia in four days (100 river miles!).  It was amazing.  I think it was the previous summer that Sam led rafting trips down the Deschutes one time he had some Korean tourists in his raft.  He said that they were the worst paddlers ever.  For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of rafting . . . When you are in a raft you must paddle when your guide tells you to.  Its kind of important to avoid being stuck on a rock, popping your raft, to position yourself in the rapids so you don't flip, things like that.  Now back to the epic trip with the buddies . . . This was my first rafting trip and I wasn't such a good paddler right out of the gate.  Sam said I paddled like one of his Korean tourists.  We had a huge cooler we kept in the middle of the raft where we kept our food and beer (mostly beer though).  After the first day into the trip the cooler had a name . . . Korea.  During the mellow parts of the river we would sit on top of the cooler where you couldn't really paddle effectively.  So when you wanted a break you went to Korea, hence the name.  Were we being bastards using Korea in this reference . . . yeah maybe.  But it sure was funny.  I wasn't sure how this teaching gig would go.  I knew things would be fine, but only after getting my paddling under control here.  I think I'm getting my stroke down and floating along fairly well now.  YES!

Boring blog update version:

During the weekdays I go to school have classes and spend loads of time on the computer reading the news, talking with people here and at home on gmail chat, and finding out information on how to be a better teacher.  I've even come to studying bits and pieces of grammar.  But don't expect to see any significant changes here though ;) Then I go home and head to the gym.  I miss my rigorous workout schedule I had at home and my bike the most.  So I've been spending loads of time at the gym lately and have been feeling increasingly more amazing and more like myself.  Exercise is my key to happiness I've found, no matter where I am.  Then I go home make dinner and chill out.  On Mondays I have my music meditation class, which is where the Tiger vision happened.  Some weeks I get together with some people from my building and watch a movie on Jen's huge ass flat screen hdtv (42 incher).  Not too exciting really but its nice to have a lot of down time.  I need to start painting again but most of the time I'm too bushed after school, the gym, and a full belly.  Soon - my famous last words.  Oh and I'm beginning to train for some runs coming up in the spring.  I think there are a handful of 10k's and a marathon or two.  My goal is to do two 10k's and get a PR in a half marathon . . . maybe even a marathon but that'll depend on if I can be fit enough before the weather gets unbearably hot and sticky.  We'll see.  

End of the boring part . . . hopefully.

I bought a date.  Huh?  "Bought a date," you ask.  Well its getting close to Christmas and a bunch of foreign teachers put together an auction to support an orphanage.  So I went with a few friends.  The entrance fee was about $8 and of course went towards the orphanage.  But it included some snacks and a 'free' drink.  I had a few drinks before showing up to the event . . . this will come in handy for my spontaneous behaviour later in the evening.  Guys and girls were being auctioned off as potential dates.  All the money goes to the orphanage.  The guys were a hot commodity selling for about 300,000 won (about $220) or just a little less, while the women were not so spendy ranging from 80,000 to 200,000 won.  All of the guys were Westerners while some of the women were Korean.  The dates were set up with donated dinners and activities from sponsors.  The bidding begins and is about to finish when the last 'date' gets up on stage.  Her name is Maggie.  She's friends with my group of cohorts who begin pushing me to bid on her.  I have to admit that I had no intention on bidding on anyone.  I was happy to give my $8 to charity and call that my menial good deed for the day.  But Dave, Scott, Jared, and Jen were all saying, "C'mon man do it! Do it! Do it!"  So I did it.  I was mistaken in thinking that they were going to help finance this decision.  There was no talk of it.  I just thought they would because they were pushing me so much.  I bid and I bid and I won.  Maggie and I are going either windsurfing or kayaking (possibly both? I don't recall) and dinner sometime this spring when it warms up.  It cost me 135,000 won (about$100).  Part of me feels silly for spending the money, but the bigger and better part of me says its going to charity.  After the auction was over I couldn't believe what I just did.  But then that feeling was quickly replaced with a warm fuzzy feeling like I helped a child or two with no parents for Christmas.  How was this money going to be used?  Are they getting a sweet Christmas gift?  Is it going to help pay the heating and electricity bill?  I don't know.  I'm not standing on top of a mountain thinking that I made such a huge difference.  But I've been working on becoming less selfish here for the last couple of years ever since a few of my friends blatantly pointed out that they felt I was a bit selfish.  I have been, but would never admit it to myself.  So since then I've been trying to work on it.  Its not easy to change part of your personality.  Its a slow process like losing hair which unfortunately I'm doing as well, probably with more success.  But I'm making progress . . . slowly.  Along these lines I tried to find cool gifts for people for this xmas.  I've been kinda bad about returning from my trips empty handed.  I go to people's places and they have this or that hanging on their wall or whatever.  

"Hey thats cool.  Where did you find that?"

"Oh my so and so got that for me when he/she went __x__ place."

"Oh wow.  Thats really cool."

But not me.  I've not really done that.  Sorry guys.  So I'm getting you close family members something nice from Korea.  

Back to the 'date.'  I'm not in it hoping that Maggie and I will hit it off.  I'm happy to have given some cash to the kiddies.  I'm sure we'll have a good time doing what ever it is that we end up doing but thats all.  This is a new feeling for me.  I kind of like it.

Fly death trap . . .

I mean my apartment.

Some people have issues with cockroaches, lizards, flies, fleas, ants, mosquitos, rats, opossums, or any combination of the above. Cockroaches and rats might have to be the worst. But who's to say? I think it depends on sheer numbers. An ant here and there, eh no worries. A streaming highway of them in and out of the cupboards might be a bit nasty. A cockroach everyonce in a while? Sure the suckers are grosse but herds of them? Eeeewwwww grody. Each nuissance comes with their own problems:

Ants - Stay out of my damn sugar!

Flies - Swarm around and obstruct the view of my breakfast.

Cockroaches - Go crunch when you smash them with your Emeril Lugassie saucepan and then scurry away to bother you another time.

Mosquitos - Covered that one already. But just to be sure - prevent you from sleeping, instilling fear in your tired mind.

Lizards - Drink your beer.

Fleas - Don't even think about wearing sandals until they're gone.

Rats - Scamper around in your heating vents like they've seen the movie Aliens a few too many times.

Opossums - Well I have to say that I've never really had an issue with the ugly likes of these guys. But I'm sure they have been a nuissance to someone . . . somewhere.

So my issues with the mosquitos are thankfully long gone. However on their way out the door they passed the baton to my new roomies, the fruit flies. I made the mistake of throwing food scraps in the garbage for . . . hmm k well I can't lie. I've been throwing food scraps in the garbage since day one here.

A little side note to those who are not here. Trash and food scraps are kept seperate, always. Unless you are a foreigner and resist. The severe lack of space in Korea keeps the recycling, composting, and garbage services at an exceedingly high level of efficiency, even better than Portland (which I thought set a precedent for a lot of cities in the States). Even coffee shops recycle their coffee cups. Meat scraps are not kept seperate from plant scraps in the compost though. It all gets thrown together.

So I have wisened up and now seperate the food from the waste like I should have been doing from the start. Since then I've noticed a significant drop in the fly population . . . after three weeks now. Jesus. I'm serious. So you are thinking, "Jason, c'mon get some bug spray and be done with it." Yes I was thinking the same thing. Its just that Korea doesn't have the same eco and health friendly restrictions on products that the states have. I was worried that spraying down my small studio would not only put the kibosh on the flies' health but my own as well. I've scoured the store shelves looking for cans of Raid with little black silhouettes of flies on them, despite my fears of the toxic chemicals. But I've come up with nothing. Instead I have become a cleaning fanatic even more so that I was before. So now my place is spotless which I've been hoping would help my situation. Some nights, as a form of entertainment I go fly hunting in my kitchen. Sometimes I imagine myself wearing camo purchased from the army surplus store close to my building. Then I quietly shuffle about the kitchen wearing my camo and my WWII issue Russian helmet with my hands poised, ready to clap. Clap! Clap! "Dammit!" This only lasts for a short while, until I get one or two of the little suckers. Then I take off the rediculous attire and return to the book I'm reading.

A couple nights ago my friend Jen came over for a monthly plate of nachos (the ingredients are expensive but I'd go crazy if I didn't get my fix of beans, (fake cheese), and tortilla chips everyonce in a while). She brought the math teacher from her school who is hilarious and speaks amazing English. They couldn't help but comment on my fly fiasco every once in a while. They soon became a topic of conversation. Two days later Jen calls and said the math teacher had a present for me. Can you guess what it was? Hmm . . . well it was fly tape! I was so excited to paste it all over my studio. My kichen now looks like Henri Matisse went psycho and scattered fruit themed band aids willy nilly on my kitchen walls, cupboards, and fridge. Its on now bitches!

"C'mere you want some of this? You too? Yeah c'mon!" - Vasquez

Its been almost a week now and my tape bears no victims. No tumble weed, nothing. For days I eagerly checked the tape when I woke up, got out of the shower, got home from work, when I got back from the gym, and before going to sleep. Still . . . nothing.

The Score

Day one:

Flies:1

Me: 0

Day two

Flies: 1

Me: 0

Day three:

Flies: 10

Me: 0

This day, while making my morning coffee I caught one of my little buddies circling my head. After swatting at it a few times I watched as it approached a strip of tape. It landed right on it! Victory! You're mine now little man! I could swear it knew what was happening and looked me in the eyes as it promptly freed itself from my fauvist fly trap.

"Game over man!" - Hudson

So I don't know what the deal is? Are Korean fruit flies more tenacious and smarter than their distant North American cousins? Does my tape give off a bad aura? Are these hippy flies? Should I make a fly trap that involves a big glass jar with an enclosed speaker playing Grateful Dead tunes? God I hope not. My pseudo hippy days are over and I can only take so much GD at a time. Thankfully there is a silent glass jar version that Brittany recommended. I'm going to try that.

To be honest I never really had problems seeing my breakfast do to a cloud of swarming flies. That would be too nasty, borderline Stephen Kingish. But they were pretty bad for a while. Worse than I've ever dealt with before. But their numbers have slowly been dwindling, no thanks to the damn tape. I know this whole post has been dedicated to flies, wasn't it nice? ;) I'll write about big grandiose trips and cool cultural things in the future. But, that is, unless I develop a lizard problem.

"They mostly come out at night . . . mostly." - Newt

All quotations from the movie Aliens.

Life happens

Things happen and time passes. I get sick. You get sick. The car almost hits the adjacent car in the next lane. The mini scooter is still lying down on the electrical pole outside my building. The kimchi somehow majically got better at school.

I feel better.

One day I'm a fantastic English teacher, the next I'm wondering how its possible that I could call myself an English teacher.

I go to Seoul, you go to La Bonita to get a burrito. One could say one is more exotic and "cooler" than the other. But is it? I'm in the position to argue that point untill the cows come home. I'll wait till the last one stops mooing too. You better be ready, especially after a few more months pass.

Last week I sent a "I hate Korea and how do I deal with this," to a really great friend. Did I mean it? Yes . . . and no. I haven't heard from him and I think I know why. He knows me too well. Either that or he's really effing busy. Its probably a combination of the two.

Its only been just under two hours since I posted this and I just heard from him. Thanks buddy. I always value your wise observations. You are more right than wrong in just about everything.

But like I said I'm getting better. We have ups and downs. The world is filled with lefts and rights, 'commies' and democracy. Whats better than the other? Who's to say? Can we consult the Dahli Lama for that? Jesus? Lao Tsu? I don't know and frankly if you tell me one thing is "better" than the other I may raise my eyebrow at you and . . . back to that cow thing. I'm still an optimistic. I'm still overly optimistic. But I may question you now more so than ever. I may wonder what your motives are for your rants and raves. I'm not taking shit for granted these days. I figured this out in college but now its being shoved down my throat here in Koreatown.

I'm thinking about joining the modern day 'pirates' off the coast of Somalia. They just hijacked the largest ship in the sea. Yes people, some smart, not so nice 'pirates' out of Somalia, just hijacked a Saudi Arabian super tanker carrying $1 million worth of liquid gold. These 'pirates' have a network. The exfishermen know the sea, the men weilding the guns are ex tribal headmen fighters, the guys with the computers are hackers, know GPS, and I'm imagining have the technilogical knowledge akin to the guys from The Italian Job. They have hostages. They are asking for $2 million in ransome money. According to the BBC, in the past they've been getting their money. They've been so successful that there are now splinter groups of pirates and different pirate clans. The hostages are the best treated in the history of hostage taking. That last statement might be an embelishment but you get the picture. I saw pictures and they look nothing like Johnny Depp. Scary these guys are and if I don't play my cards right they may make me walk the plank; either that or just take me hostage and feed me duck a l'orange.

In the mean time I've slept in and had to take a friggin expensive taxi ride to school. I make it to school in time, no biggie. I saw a traditional Korean dance performance at one of the fanciest performing arts centers I've ever been to ( the Schnitz has more charm though in its old fashion style). The colors of the dance uniforms and traditional Hanbo are more brilliant than I've ever seen before in clothing. The dances are well choreographed and tell stories. One was a young maiden who was to marry a suiter. Once she found out he had a lame leg she refused to marry him. So he married her more amicable step sister. The two were the happiest couple in Korea. The moral of the story . . . be nice. The audience clapped at odd times. I clapped during the not so odd times . . . to me that is.

What am I getting at? Where am I going with this? I dunno. Nations around the world are ensconced with their own way of doing things. During the last two weeks I've recieved a host of suggestions, ways to take care of myself while being sick. Don't drink cold water. Don't shower (the wet hair will lower your immune system). Drink plum juice (good for the throat). Drink bitter strange Korean herbs (which actually help I think, but are freaking nasty). Go to bed with the heat on so I sweat myself to sleep. But here is no different than Guatemala. They had their own set of nutty rules. One of them was drink Chamomile tea (good for the throat). Which I eventually fell in love with and is one of the few teas that I actually enjoy. I'd rather have a fine cuppa joe thanks. In America, we consume massive amounts of vitamin C and can't stop drinking water, hot or COLD. So everyone has their own ways of treating maladies. I'm just glad that no one suggested leaches. I might have to go home if I heard that. People have their own ways of living. People have their own routines. Its not just varied between cultures. Its varied between people. I know this comes as no suprise to you people but I just feel like I have to express this right now. Now. Now is the time. Things are changing. People are being born.

The oldest person in the world just died. He was an Indian man (with the dot not the feather) who died at the ripe old age of 138. Can you imagine? When were you born? This man was born in 1870. Fucking hell. Just to put things into perspective he was born just eight years after Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. He saw the end of the Ottoman Empire. The end of English colonization of India. Henry Ford mainstreamed his Model T in 1912 (I believe released it in 1908). This man was 32. I'm not even 31. Oil wasn't even discovered in the Middle East yet. This man was alive to witness the inventions such as blue jeans, Coca Cola, the telephone, and George Eastman's camera. Now we have the iphone. Spinoffs of blue jeans are selling for $100's of dollars. We just discovered stars orbiting other planets last week. When he was alive the Catholic church was still holding a 500 year old grudge against Galileo becuase he found celestials orbiting Jupiter (on my long to be birthday in St. Mark's square;) and stated that the Earth was not at the center of the universe. Suprise, suprise, suprise! The church finally pardoned him in 2004. And now planets orbiting other planets?! The Creationists are still in denial.

We change. I change. You change. My skin is growing another layer on top of my epidermis. I'm getting tough. I'm fed up with being the nice guy. If you want nice then go somewhere else. I'm done with the lip service. I'm done appeasing to the masses. Don't get me wrong. I'm still Jason. I'm just hardened now. I wanted to be friends with my students in some sort of Michael Scott way from NBC's The Office. Now I demand respect. Or at least yell at the students until I get silence for about thirty seconds. You better listen or else! I know this should have been established from the start. To my defence I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Also to my defence . . . I still don't. Also in my defence I just listened to a teacher last night tell me how the students from my area are especially bad, worse than other areas in Busan because of their socio-economic background. The parents are blue collar workers at best and work around the clock. The students study for hours and hours but aren't pushed like the other students from other areas. Those kids go to another school once they're done with public school. So actually I don't which is worse, kids who are unruly and have lots of energy or kids who are sleeping in class because they go to school for no less than twelve hours a day.

People go to Bali for the beaches and the nice people. People go to Australia for Ayer's Rock, the Coral Reef, kangaroos, and with a slight of luck one will see a panda quietly hiding among the bamboo. People go to Mexico for the beaches, brightly colored robes and rugs, to visit Mayan ruins, to party, and the food - don't forget the food. People go to England to see the birthplace of the Beatles and the Industrial Revolution (maybe just history dorks), Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Tate, and the London Underground. There are reasons why people go to these places. There are reasons Lonely Planet sells more travel books for countries in Europe than Korea. There are reasons why I've only met two or three people that have been to Korea (before arriving here of course). Things are different here. I'm different now because of this difference. I still have yet to figure out if I like Korea or not. But I'm keeping an open mind.

I'm keeping myself entertained. After four years since doing so I'm recording songs again (though very rough but still . . . ). My guitar is crap but to make up for it I'm actally writing lyrics to go with the songs. I'm writing poetry again. I'm reading the news like I was text books in my University days (back when I was a kid . . . ). I'm reading books just a tadd slower. I have ideas for inventions and have been teaching myself physics. I thought I'd never be doing this . . . teaching myself physics. C'mon, who does this? I'm becoming more disciplined than ever before. I'm sick of being just someone. I'm sick of being sick. I want to live. Carpe freaking diem. Einstein dropped out of high school. He taught himself physics. He was denied his first application to become a professor because he dropped out of said high school. He was accepted only after out physicksing (I know its not a word . . . deal with it) other professors. I know the details are hazy. Sorry thats my shitty memory for you. But I'm not making crap up. I'm also not comparing myself to Einstein. Thats ludicrous. I would be losing my mind if I were doing that (SEND RAMBO!!!!!!). Tanto where are you? What's that Lassie? Timmy's caught in a well? Ha! Lost you there for a sec. Nah . . . I'm fine.

Its been way too long since I've posted. Sorry, not to you guys, but out loud to myself. I needed some introspection. What I got was forced, shoved down my throat. For those of you who I have actually had close contact to lately . . . I do apologize. I've been far too negative lately and whiny about being sick. Sick and staring at the walls . . . thinking. Thinking far too much. Checking my email too much, hoping for a 'hi'. I spend far too much time thinking about home, missing poeple. Too much time alone is no good for the noggin. I spend too much time spent in self loathing mode. I need to redirect this misguided energy and focus on something else . . . like that dang invention or a song or a painting or just . . . stop.

I know I said I wouldn't apologize anymore. Sorry about that . . . hehe.

"My coat is black . . . NOT!"

Sacha Baron Cohen you are amazing.

Good night people. I'm going to under sleep again. I need to stop doing this. Luckily I only have two classes tomorrow. Speaking of which . . .

Has anyone ever looked up the history of Thanksgiving? Just to see what actually happened? Apparently some people are confused as to which tribe the Pilgrims actually met that fatefull spring and taught them how to live before they were stabbed in the back. I'm not going into details right now 'cause I need the sleep. But just spend fifteen minutes and look at a few sites. Its funny to see the variance between stories and the way people word their stories as well. There are subconscious reasons for choosing your words. In history and reportive writing there are deeper meanings behind the words we chose to use. Just be careful people, is all I have to say.

Sweet dreams.

Oh and Jared . . . in case I haven't told you Q Tip just came out with a new album, The Renaissance. Its amazing. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This posting is a bit schitzophrenic. But it is about as clear of a painting as I can present to you about my mindstate lately.

Robbin Williams once said,

"Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

I'm a schitzophrenic

and so am I."

Love you all,

Jason

Obamanos

First of all . . . thank goodness, thank Obama, thank you America for looking the problem in the eye and doing something about it.  I feel a bit hipacticritical saying this because I was a dummy and didn't get my absentee ballot in time.  Anyways . . . I'm glad.  I know he's not going to 'change' things drastically, immediately, and I'm not sure how much change will actually happen.  I mean this with the upmost optimism but I'm just trying to be realistic.  He does not walk on water but his presidency is sure to bring America out of the tailspin its been traveling on for the last 8 years.  

The BBC online coverage was far superior to the NyTimes sadly enough.  So I got to see the events through the eyes of the Britons.  Man they didn't hide the fact that they were all for Obama at all.  It was very interesting and comedic at times.  Some reporters were at McCain rallies talking to folks.  One specific interview went something like this:

Reporter: How do you feel about the prospected results?

Farmer:  Well its sad to see and I'm quite scared of what might happen.

R: How do you feel about the state of the economy now, America is borrowing money from China and other countries to stay afloat, and facing increasing unemployment rate.  Aren't you worried about the condition of America and your job?  Do you feel at all it might be a time for some change?

F: No.

Wow very biased indeed.  Some of the analysts they interviewed were great as well.  Some of them were even comparing him to Kennedy.  No holding back in British tv.  I would have hated watching it though if I batted for the other team.  Ok so that last statement about 'batting for the other team.'  I hope Obama is right.  I hope he can bring this country together.  I feel this damn place has been run by a bunch of uber right wing nutties for too long.  I have nothing against republicans, nothing at all.  They have different views on things just as much as the next guy, or my current Korean bretheren.  I just want to say this that I'm not a fan of uber left wing politics either.  Living in Eugene for those 4 years and taking an environmental science class at PCC Cascade definately opened up my eyes to some off the wall lefty theories.  I just want to be proud of my country again.  I'm sick and tired of feeling like I should have bought a Canadian flag every time I leave the country.  I refuse to 'cause I am proud to be an American.  I do like the 'American Dream'.  Being in other countries where the very essence of that dream could be nothing more than that . . . a dream.  It is possible to get ahead.  It is possible pick yourself up from the bootsrtaps, work hard, and attain prosperity.  Its not going to be easy.  If you want easy enter in a basketball game with a bunch of Korean middle school kids.  Barack HUSSIEN Obama congradulations for being the first African American president.  

For a second I got a little teary eyed watching his speech.  But it could have been the great package of love I recieved from Vieve today as well.  Talk about goodies.   Coffee, peanuts, peanut M&M's, magazines, cards, don't forget the love, and much more.  Thanks Vieve I just wanted to give you a public shout out.  Woot woot!

On a much different note:

Imagine a scene out of any mad scientist movie . . . I'm thinking of Young Frankenstein.  Gene Wilder running about the lab with his crazy eyes, frazzled hair, and test tubes of god knows what bubbling.  The scene is dark, dreary, and filled with mist or smoke or what ever that is . . . Ok so those test tubes with the bubbling . . . now imagine those are inside your stomach.  You can feel large 'bubbles' moving this way and that in your tummy.  OOhh my stomach shouldn't feel like this but it does.  The bell rings and now I have to teach.  Oh man I have no idea what I ate but this business has got to end.  I've been illin for three days now.  Here is a bit of comedy that likes to shine on my life in all ways that are embarrasing yet kinda funny, in hind sight.  So I share them with the masses:

I swallow my pride and tell one of the co-teachers that I'm not feeling well towards the end of the day yesterday.  

She says to me, "Whats wrong?"  

"Um I'm kind of embarrassed to say really."

"Are you suffering from diarrhea?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Oh would you like some medicine?"

"Oh we have some at the school?"

"Yes, let me get you some."

"Okay, yeah that'd be great."

I go to my office to do a few things and then head to the main teachers' office.  To my suprise I see two school girls giving a set of pills to Ms.  Yoon, my helpful teacher.  

"Oh Jason, here are the pills.  Please give those to Jason."  

I couldn't believe she sent students to get diarrhea medicine for me.  The girls give them to me wearing Mona Lisa's smile.  They were surely holding back laughter.  ''Thank you." I say to the girls.  They quickly ran away and began giggling before they left the office.  

"Thank you." I said to Mrs. Yoon.  By now she too had a smile on her face.  Yes thank you for making me feel all the better for revealing this embarrasing situation to you.  Next time I'm keeping it to myself.  Its just a matter of time before my students will  extend their sentences with the following:

"Oh teacher, bery handsome diarrhea man."  Can't wait.  At least they're learning something.

Today I went to school only to teach one class and then get a costly taxi home.  I've spent the day watching election coverage and Lost In Translation.  This movie BTW has taken on a whole new level of meaning for me.  Its based in Tokyo but I swear it looks just like Korea.  During some of the street shots I kept waiting to see something I recognized . . . "oooh, oooh, that's my favorite bookstore!"  But the emotion of feeling like you have no idea whats going on in a place where so much is happening is captured in this movie to the "T".  For those of you who haven't seen it before DO IT!  There is this beautiful scene where Scarlet Johanson takes a train to Kyoto and stumbles upon a traditional Japanese wedding in progress.  There is no talking the whole sequence, just the music from one of my favorite bands, "Air."  The title of that track is aptly named, "Alone, in Kyoto."    

Nighty night folks.   

Oh and I learned that only 28% (BBC coverage) of US adults have college degrees.  HOLY MOLY!  I thought there were way more.  Education is a good thing.  Too bad so few of us actually get one.  

The urban mosquito

The thought of mosquitos only existing when its hot out I know now to be a farce.  They don't care, at least not here.  They also don't care if I live on the ninth floor.  You think of mosquitos and you think of a warm summer night out camping.  You look just above your head and can see a shape shifting, polka-dotted mass of mosquitos hovering, waiting to strike.  You don't think anything much about it 'cause you put on some repellent and thats that, right?  At home in the summer you hang outside for beers and bbq and you have to be careful not to get bit too much before you remember to put on that repellent.  But you don't really want to because soon you will be safe inside and don't want to stink up the house smelling like OFF.  Well being indoors in Korea is not a haven, safe from the wrath of the mosquito, not in the least bit.  A few nights ago I woke up to that pestering bbbbzzzzzzzzing about my right ear and then it stopped.  "Where did you go you little fucker?"  I waved my arm about like man suffering from sleep deprivation and sudden bout of turrets.  I try to fall back asleep.  Bbbbbbbzzzzzz . . . stop.  "You sonofa . . .,"  followed by more frantic waving.  Bbbbbbzzzzzzz . . . stop.  By now I'm angry and nothing will put me to sleep except for the satisfaction of seeing his smashed, blood filled body between my fingers.  But I can't be bothered to get up.  I also know by now that mosquitos over here have the quickness of most flies.  The mosquitos back home are sloth-like.  You can nail the suckers fairly easily, with satisfaction every time.  But here they sense your giant hand coming and speed away with passed down ninja abilities.  The little shits.  This is what I call the urban mosquito.  Maybe they have their own mini mosquito Starbucks and fuel up before the evening starts.  Or maybe they just hit up the people sitting outside Starbucks before making the long journey across the street and up to my room.  "Hey guys!  This one had a grande quadruple latte!!"  "This one had a steamer, don't bother with him!  I'm heading right over, mister quadruple latte and then I'm headed across the street to pester that white guy with the kimchi in his fridge.  Doesn't he know that he's supposed to have a seperate fridge for that stuff?"  I was in and out of sleep for hours.  The next day I looked like the zombie in my halloween presentation I've been giving to my first graders this week.

I wonder if urban mosquitos have their own hipster versions?  What about metro-mosquitos?

Speaking of Halloween!  I'm showing the Charlie Brown's "The Great Pumpkin" to my first graders.  I'm stoked.  I'm sure they won't understand most of it.  But I'm going to write down a simple synopsis  and give it to them before the screening.    Then I'm going to have them read it before and after watching the show.  There are great scenes with little to no talking like my favorite where Snoopy gets on the roof of his dog house and has the whole dream about being a flying ace in a war (I'm still a kid).  Its great too because this week I gave a big talk about Halloween and then discussed jack-o-lanterns.  The opening scene to "The Great Pumpkin" is Lucy and Lionus picking out a pumpkin and then carving the sucker up.  Oh yes, good stuff.  

Turkey stuffed

I'm in pain as I sit here, unsure of what else to do with myself because I stuffed myself to the gills. Its kinda like an earache, toothache, migraine, or *insert your own pain here. Its like all these, except it was self-imposed and delicious. The others can't be averted. This, I could have, but did I?

I don't know what to do with myself. Shall I lie down? No, I'll just be staring at the ceiling. Do I watch a movie? Nope can't do that either. I'll just be focussed on how icky I feel. What to do, what to do. So I'm here complaining about my gluttony. But oh man was it good.

One of the music teachers at school took me and four other teachers from my school out for dinner. We went to, I think, one of the nicest Korean restaurants in town. I also think we ate no fewer than 7 courses. The nature of the traditional Korean meal promotes itself to nibbling. Side dishes, or banchan, make up most of the meal while other side dishes are just bigger than others. Such dishes include kimchi (of course) dried mystery fish with 'special' sauce, squid with 'special' sauce, fresh raw mystery fish, grilled pork, whole cooked mystery fish (which you just tear into with your chopsticks), ground sesame seed paste tastiness, baked mystery fish with 'special' sauce served over mystery bean sprouts, some sort of fresh salad, more squid served in a yummy brine, fried clear noodles, broccoli with 'special' sauce, teeny tiny anchovies in 'special' sauce, brined lotus root, and the list goes on forever. So if you think Thomas Keller is unique for his tasting menu at the French Laundry, think again. But the guy is a genius chef, I'm not knocking him for his abilities as a chef.

Real quick to all of you in Portland - GO TO CAFE NAVARRE! Its just off of 28th and Burnside. Navarre offers fine French cuisine at an affordable price and has a tasting menu. You can order whole portions from anything on the menu such as entrees, apps, ect. or you can order half portions and have it be a tasting menu of sorts. I'm converted after being here for a while. What's the fun in having a huge plate of one kind of food when you can sample and nibble on bits and pieces of tasty goodness. Also a plus from Navarre is that you won't be trying mystery fish or 'special' sauce. You speak the language and can therefor know what you are eating! Wow what a concept.

Oh buddy, still so full. This was a night where I was gonna head out running and then do some yoga. Yeah, no I did just the opposite. I stuffed myself inappropriately full, turkey stuffed if you will. Then if that wasn't enough, she invited us back to her house for tea and fruit. I think we were seriously surrounded by food this evening for four straight hours. This was just a random Wednesday evening as well. No special occasion at all. Koreans like their food possibly more than I do.

Speaking of inappropriate . . . I get a ride to school every morning from a real nice guy. I can't remember his first name so I still call him Mr. Che. I think he sets his car to "inappropriately hot" every morning before I get in the car just to watch me sweat. There are windows in the car and I do roll them down. BUT Koreans have a funny thing about tunnels. They believe the air is somehow stagnant within them and never gets recycled. "Air is bad." Is what I hear. So up the windows go. This wouldn't be that bad, but you see I live in a mountainous area with lots of tunnels. You might even go so far as to say there is a 'sequence' of tunnels that line our route to school. Right before I begin dripping with sweat just sitting in the car on the way to school we finally exit the tunnel system and I'm free to roll down the windows again. Yay!

Other weird things . . .

During dinner the music teacher asked if she could take a picture of me. I said, "Sure of course you can." Then she proceeded to tell me that she works at another middle school. She works at an all girls middle school and said that her students wanted a picture of me!? What? But this was after the picture was said and done. Oh man I'm just Jason, dude. I'm being stuffed at your house and you are taking some kind of crazy, quasi, celebrity shots of me. Very interesting indeed.

Visions

Today in music meditation I had a vision. I would describe my state of being while this happened about halfway between consciousness and a dream. This is what I saw:

I'm standing on the beach of a small island wearing (no joke) nothing but a loin cloth. I'm thin, but strong from weeks or perhaps months of eating nothing but gathered fruits and vegetables, fish which I catch from the sea, and climbing coconut trees to gather, well, coconuts (duh). The sand was shimmering white. Its texture very fine, almost silky to the touch. The skies were blue as blue as they can be on a hot summer day. The sea looked as though I was somewhere in the Caribbean. Its color a turquoise blue. The island I was standing on had a circumference so small you could walk around in fifiteen to twenty minutes.

I could hear the calls of passing seagulls. I could hear the waves gently crashing upon the shore. The water was rolling over the sand and then made a light popping sound as the water receded. It left behind small bits of bubbly foam. The sun reflected off of the water as it slowly was absorbed into the sand. The wind was warm yet cool at the same time. It was just windy enough to rustle the leaves of the coconut trees and the nearby bushes. The foliage carried a clean scent mixed with the salt of the sea air. The smell was so refreshing and cleaner than anything I've ever smelled before.

I was standing still for the whole dream staring at a white Siberian tiger. He was standing about fifty feet away from me. I was not afraid of him, nor was he to I. It did not make any aggressive snarls or gestures. It just looked into my eyes and stared. From time to time he would calk his head like cats or dogs do sometimes when you look at them. He waved his tail to ward off unwanted bugs. From time to time he would look down to the sand and lick his dried lips. The blink of his eye was slow and almost welcoming. I could see small grains of sand were stuck to his fur as clear as the period at the end of this sentence. We stood there for most of my vision. Trying to understand each other in some sort of other-worldly telepathic sense.

The parts of my vision where I wasn't standing there staring at him I would be sitting within the interior of the island and look over to see him observing me through the bushes. A large leaf fell over his left eye. He stood still. The buzzing of a passing fly came and went. It was as if he were just watching over me like a protector or some sort of guide. The two of us were alone on this island. Then I woke up.

Am I to learn from the Tiger? Am I the Tiger? Who is; why . . . the tiger?

Entering into this dream memories from the last year rushed through my head, particularly those from this time last year:

Sitting in the basement of Neubergher Hall printing out articles and chatting online to Tami while she was at the helpdesk or making plans for the fakesgiving trip to the beach.

I was still feeling amazing from my experiences in Guatemala. At this time hearing Kim Carne's "Betty Davis Eyes," would still bring me back to sitting on top of that mayan temple in the middle of the jungle. The guides brought a small radio to the top and this song played, among others. This song was one of moms favorites when I was a kid. But I have to admit that I never liked it so much, not until Guatemala.

Cycling to and from school and swimming in the PSU pool.

Passing silly notes back and forth to Brittany in Ottoman History class.

Reading in the park blocks and watching the autumn colored leaves fall around me.

Playing cribbage and guitar with Sam.

There were more things I thought of but these are the really vivid ones I remember before the vision began to happen. These memories were so vivid it felt like I was next to myself watching them happen. Then waves of energy began to flow from my chest and out through my arms, legs, and head. It was like a tingling sensation that ran through my body like a tennis ball through garden hose. I felt as though if I opened my eyes I could watch it happen. Next thing I knew I was on the beach with the tiger.

BTW this whole post may sound cheesy but, HEY YOU, READING RIGHT NOW!!! YES YOU! This was a dream/vision ok? So leave me alone! After I wrote this and was wandering around the grocery store I thought about how cheesy this may have sounded. I'm sure you were waiting for me to mention the half naked Indian guy wandering around Jim Morrison's vision quest or the Space Coyote Homer saw from the Simpsons. No this was the real deal. I wasn't feeling so hot today about being away. So when I saw this . . . I was a little touched and even perhaps a little emotional, maybe moved by this. So cut it with any snide comments about the cheese factor. AIGHT! thanks. I've never had something like this happen before. I've had out of body experiences and hmm, well, lets just say I've had deep moments of thought before in the company of good friends. But I've never once had a vivid experience such as this where I could touch, smell, taste, think, hear, see . . . use all of my senses in a dream like that, ever.

Milos yours is an Elephant. Is mine a tiger? Remember that painting we saw at the new brew house on Powell? I kinda want it now . . . only seriously.

Pick and Roll

I'm prisoner to my school at the moment. Miles away from anything, even a subway station. Other public school 'native speakers' are going home at noon. Everyone, except for me. Since monday the kiddies have been taking their midterms. The school has never been so quiet. This means that I don't have any classes. Just lounging and coming up with the lesson plan for the last two days of the week. Not bad, not bad at all. So I've spent most of my time chatting online to hot babes, I mean friends with gmail accounts (AHEM for those of you without!), keeping up with the elections, and marveling at the state of our economy. As we speak the value of the Korean won is going down the tubes. When I arrived the exchange rate was about 1,000 won to $1. Now 1,000 won gets me a whole whopping .78. Great. Effing sweet. So much for paying off the loans in a hurry. Anyways back to my current hostage situation. For the past two days we've been getting off at 12 and heading home. Not today. Nope. I never know who is going to give me a ride home. Its always changing. So I stay in my office until someone says "Hey we are leaving . . . Now!" So twelve rolls around for me today, then 12:05, 12:10, and by 12:15 I sauntered over to the teacher's offices and asked my co-teach, "Um is anyone leaving early today?" As I asked the question I felt like I already new the answer. Looking around the office I saw that no one was in a hurry to go anywhere. "Is today a full day?" "Yes it is. We all stay." MMMMkay, alrighty then. Well I guess I should eat lunch then. Thanks for letting me in on that wee bit of news. Remember what I said about communication here at work? Yep still non-existant. Well there are ways to cope with this . . . stay on top of EVERYTHING! ASSUME NOTHING! This is a battle field and I'm a lone soldier, wait, like . . . the Lone Ranger! Hells yeah. Except i'm not wearing that fruity red scarf around my neck. Hate those things. Where's my trusty steed? Oh yeah both of them are in Jenjen's basement. I miss both of you wheeled beauties. Well when I start including Tonto in the rest of my blogs you'll know that they haven't released me (pssst SEND RAMBO!). K so I had lunch and I thought I had till then to do all my work. Needless to say I'm sitting here in my office writing this blog in retaliation "Hi ho Silver, awaaaay!"

So I haven't really said much about school life since the dreaded first week. I thought an update might be appropriate.

So my classes . . . um, well they like to stare at me, a lot. I come into class and ask "How's everybody doing? How was your weekend? What did you do last night?," all depending on what part of the week it is. The best responses I get are usually (insert quarter here) "I'm fine thank you. How are you?" I was told when I arrived at the school that these are low level students and I shouldn't expect much from them. I still want to disregard that statement, but its becoming harder and harder as time progresses. I'm optimistic that these kids can learn some English. I just have to make it fun for them. The English curriculum in Korean public schools revolves around repeating and memorizing useless dialogues. Its really rough to watch. The teachers know its boring but to some this is a tried and true method for learning Englishee (as my students call it). Yeah there might be some merit to it but I wouldn't give that merit too much weight, maybe about a pound (and thats being generous).

Speaking of staring . . . in one of my classes today three kids in the front row decided to entertain themselves by staring a hole through me. I think they were having an unprecedented staring contest by seeing who could stare at me the longest. Thanks. This doesn't help with the teaching. I tried ignoring them. But out of the corner of my eye I could see the unmoving whites of their eyes as they stared into the back of my head through my nostrils. Oh yes the classroom antics. 

I remember when I used to do this with the substitute teachers at Alameda. I also remember thinking back then that of all the possible jobs in the world I would never become a substitute teacher because of all the junk they have to put up with and I was only in fourth grade.

I'm in full charge of coming up with lesson plans and have free reign to do whatever I want to do, for the most part. So it is difficult to come up with lesson plans that still include the material in the book and that won't bore my students and me to tears. Last week I did a segment on Korea's first astronaut (Yi So-Yeon) and then introduced the names of the planets in English while drawing silly pictures of the planets on the board and trying not to laugh when they would say Uranus (I know, I know, I'm thirty and this is still funny to me, but whatevs). The other week included a chapter on MLK and was about equality, segregation, discrimination and the such. So half the class was devoted to this and then I introduced the whole third grade class to Sly and the Family Stone's "everyday people." The song is about equality and I thought it would be a great excuse for them to listen to one of the greatest funk bands of all time. I liked it when my Spanish teachers would bring in songs from Latin America, even if I didn't like the song.

So those are the two most recent and best of my lesson plans thus far. I am still trying to figure out how to make the lesson plans for my first graders amusing. Their level is really low and I'm feeling limited to what I can do with the class. I'm sure there are millions of possibilities but I'm still figuring that one out. I've been spending hours online scouring esl websites and teaching forums for things to do. The problem is that most 'beginning level' games and activities is still above these kids' level. But I'm still looking.

I teach the first graders with two different co-teachers who really don't care what I do. But as I said before these guys are challenging for me but I'm having a hard time coming up with stuff to do. But these kids are more willing to engage in activities and are more lively as a class than the third graders. There is an opening activity I tried last week based on the idea of "Find someone who . . . fill in the blank" and then get their signature. This is theoretically a great activity because it promotes real life situation to talk with other students in the room and gets their minds thinking in the target language. I found out that this doesn't work in my situation and I think I lost some hearing in the process. The kids weren't speaking in English. The room resembled popcorn kernels in a hot pan of oil *poof *ping *pop as they tugged at each other's shirts, all while screaming and squealing like no other. Oh buddy. During the last class and fourth run of this lesson of my co-teacher and I looked at each other in utter disbelief. This was Ms. Ha, the very soft spoken teacher. She said something to me. I couldn't hear her over the raucous so I leaned in for a better listen. "I don't think the kids are using English." Yeah, no kidding. I didn't think they were communicating in Korean either. I thought they were imitating dolphin calls.

So for the most part I have to really focus on eliciting answers out of these kids. I have to make things as simple as humanly possible for them to get them to say anything other than:
"I'm fine thank you. How are you?"
"Do you hab a girlprend?"
"Teacher bery handsome." "Handsome man." (they love this one for some reason)
"How are you today?"
"Hi teacher!"
and I'm sure there is one or two more but I can't remember them at the moment.

I can only imagine what it would be like teaching a room full of students who actually signed up to take English. S Korea made english a compulsory subject in 1997 and aims to increase English curriculum in the public school system in the years to come. The program is called the English Program In Korea or EPIK, which is modeled after Japan's Jet program. But unlike the Jet program, EPIK is very young and the administration is still working out the kinks. They really have only had 'native speakers' in Busan for just over five years now. There is a whole other set of private schools and 'institutions' called Hogwans that use 'native speakers' as well. I am the third 'native speaker' at my school and it feels good to know that just recently these kids might possibly feel like they have a reason to learn English. The school was making it compulsory for them anyways, might as well shove an English speaker in front of them. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but the vast majority of these kids come from broken, low-income homes. Most of these kids' futures are already set because they have to remain close to home to take care of their parents or are not expected to move away to pursue an 'American dream' type of life. So a lot of them have little motivation for learning English when they might never leave the small neighborhood of Bansong. I don't mean to be a downer here this is just how it was explained to me and I'm noticing it to be true. There are, in fact, a lot of really bright students who do help the others and I believe that a lot of them will go far in life. I'm also sure that their study in other subjects is of way more value to them than Englishee.

Did I mention that my computer at work is in Korean. I hate this thing. Just trying to use power point is a challenge. Its as slow as the hills too. I tried doing stuff on my computer but it wouldn't connect to the internet here at work for some reason. I tried to ask the TA guy but Mac's are foreign here. Not too many people use them. People have loads of Samsung PC's though, go figure.

The most challenging thing is not making the lesson plan. Its actually in the classroom. I have to be so into what I'm teaching them, so animated and so willing to bend over backwards to get them interested in what I'm teaching them that they actually stop talking to each other and listen to me. I have to get them all to repeat after me. I have to get them to speak up when I ask them to read something aloud or answer a question. Man this is difficult. Its really interesting because this is challenging to me in such a different way than school or cooking ever was. This gives new definition to challenging. Now when I have an interview and they ask me to describe a 'challenging' situation and describe to them how I mitigated it I don't have to dig. I don't have to make something up. I don't have to embellish a situation. I just have to recall any given day teaching. But I like this. I like the challenge. I am looking for ways to become more creative here and within myself. This is a year of their education and I want to stick out to at least a few kids as Mr. Brown or Jason the American teacher who made English fun or not nearly as painful as it was with most teachers.

I now would like to attempt to explain what I call the "Korean Pick-and-Roll". For those of you who are basketball fans you can skip the beginning part of this:

The pick and roll is a move used in basketball used to get rid of a defender and open up the guy with the ball for a free shot. In this case there are two sets of two, each offensive player has a defensive player. The offensive player that doesn't have the ball stands close to the guy who does have the ball acting as a human wall (generally behind the defensive player). The guy with the ball then runs around his motionless teammate and ideally the defender of the guy with the ball smacks into the human wall and can no longer defend said ball handler. This play, when executed correctly, works amazingly well for opening up a free shot. I hate to say it but Malone and Stockton were amazing at this. I know, I know, two sheisty players but they used this all the dang time and they were amazing at it.

K with that said:

Koreans use this on a daily basis when walking on the sidewalk, or anywhere for that matter. They don't team up with others though. This is the magic of the "Korean-pick-and-roll." They do it all on their own! What power they harness! Or maybe they have some sort of telepathic powers that I'm unaware of. They communicate with each other so in reality it doesn't look like they move out of the way for each other but, they just know . . . I, on the other hand, am but a naive young man who gets the Karl Malone treatment every time I need to buy some milk.

I've actually seen two males run into eachother and one literally pivoted and rolled right off the other's chest. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw this as I was in the back seat of a car. I turned in my seat craning my neck to watch expecting to wtiness a fantastic yelling match as they got up in eachother's grills. But nothing happened. They got into their respective cars like nothing happened and off they went. This is normal?!!!!! WTF? How many times have I almost been mowed over by cute little old ladies just walking to the store? This is now beginning to make sense to me (sort of, lets not get carried away here).

What it all boils down to is their concept of space and the firmly established heirarchical system

of people on the food chain. I'm the one that gets eaten. I feel like an Untouchable in India, an injured gazelle in an African savannah. I'm not going to make huge generalizations about 'Asian' culture here so I'm just going to mention Korea and what I've witnessed thus far. So there is a maddening amount of people here. A 'plethora' of people if you will and a high populaion density right? K well growing up in an environment like this you just don't have the same concept of space as us 'Mericans (I know I keep saying this over and over again like an old man with Alzheimers in my posts but there is reason for this! I just can't seem to wrap my noggin around this quite yet). So this combined with the heirarchical system where old people get upmost respect and you get older men and women that walk down the street like they own the place, fair enough I suppose. They have their system and we have ours. I just don't get it. What confuses me to no ends is that little kids and people of my age or just a bit younger than me seem to display the same attitude. Do you think that they actually feel that they are of higher status than I ?Maybe I do look like a gazelle? Or is it the telepathy thing and the kids just work in greater numbers? Beats the heck out of me.

My ass has finally completey healed thank god and I'm back into the trail running! YAY!!! In the states if you are trail running you basically have the right of way, or at least it seemed. I always gave right away to runners when I was walking anways. Other people were always very generous with their space (hey wait a second, I think I just stumbled onto something . . . !) and politely would step aside to let me pass. Its kind of like, "Hey he/she is working hard to be in shape. Go you guys!" Here they just don't give a rats ass. You could be Buddha himself going for a run here and you still wouldn't exist in their eyes. I feel like I'm playing frogger here. I'm leaping, dodging, and narrowly missing trees to get out of the way of 'native hikers' (ha!) that wouldn't move for the world. When I'm running towards a group of people through a vacant street in the park no one makes a move to let me through. Its like a game of Red Rover. "Red Rover, Red Rover lets knock Jason over!" They don't budge until the very last second and they barely move at all. I would call it a slight shift of the shoulder more than anything. Even when I'm approaching someone from behind they don't seem to be paying any attention to the world surrounding them. I'm no ninja when I run. At the moment I'm fairly out of shape and I'm huffing and puffing quite loudly and my feet are making this 'clump, clump' on the ground. I THINK I'm pretty audible. But aparently not. People keep on keepin on and sometimes even move in the way. Now I don't mean to come off like I'm bitching and the whole world should look out for yours truly. Its just a huge cultural difference and one that I'm really, really struggling to figure out. It gets to the point where sometimes I have to try not to let it piss me off. I clearly do more walking than running but when I run the ole Pick and Roll routine is exaggerated because, "I'm trying to move here people!" Ok maybe these are bad examples. . . here's one: Dave and I are waiting for the elevater in this gigantic department store. There is maybe a foot between us and we are just being quiet minding our own business. Then this woman in her mid thrities talking on her cell phone plows her way through the small gap between us. She does this with enough force to knock us aside as we stared in amazement at eachother. She didn't look back or anything. Can you chalk that up to heirarchy? How about beeyotchery?! She's been watching too much Utah Jazz footage I think.

Yeah and then why don't we take this to a whole new level and add the fact that sidewalks are not a sanctuary for walkers. You have to be on the lookout for passing scooters as well who take on the same "get out of my way" attitude as everyone else. The scooters really get to me. They haven't run over me . . . yet. I've heard this is nothing like India or Mexico city. This is a childs playground with the cushy ground mats compared to other big cities. I'm just glad I'm starting off on the toddler level.

The joys of trying really hard to be culturally understanding and acceptable. When do you learn to let go of what you learned and to accept a new way of doing things and when do you say "I hate you Karl Malone!"

My picassa web album link

For you folks who don't have a Facebook or Myspace account here are my pics thus far.  Not too many I know but there will be more to come, I promise.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jasontbrown99/NewAlbum92808312PM#

Nighty night.

Jason

Kimchi madness

So the amount of foreign friends I have now officially is larger than the amount of Korean friends.  This is both a good thing and a bad thing.  Bad: I'll not be learning as much Korean via immersion or maybe just not as fast as before.  Good: Um everything is good about meeting more people I think.  Its nice to have conversations with people that are, funny, fast, fluid, and we have a similar sense of humor.  I was worrying that I may forget how to use prepositions (the, a, an, and the such).  My sentences were becoming a streamline of verbs, nouns, and me motioning the action with mighty intent and expressive eyes.  "Me go here.  Fast.  Now.  Where I find immigration office?"  My beard was growing back and all I needed was a club made from a tree branch and an orange cloth of some sort draped off my right shoulder to complete the Fred Flinstone scene I was sliding into.  But alas I had my teacher training workshop this last week.  It was actually really useful.  New games and activities were presented to all the "native speakers" as they like to call us.  "Uh, me native speaker.  Me no like kicmhi.  Only chicken."    It also gave me newfound confidence in my teaching watching some of the example videos they showed us of a good "native speaker" teacher.  Man was he bad.  

I'm really tired but just wanted to say a few things before getting some Z's.

So there were some "native speakers" at the workshop that have been teaching for years.  To some this was their fourth or fifth workshop.  I was speaking today with one of my co-teachers about this phenomenon and she said that they were attending so many workshops because their teaching marks were really low.  Now really, 'cause these teachers had no idea why they were attending so many workshops.  Yes instead of actually telling these people they suck they just assign them to more workshops!  Apparently some teachers, when they went to reapply for their jobs were denied the job because they did such a poor job.  Now logistically this doesn't sound too shocking but these teachers were none the wiser to their school's perception of their teaching abilities.  This seems strange to me.  But maybe I'm a weirdo.  

I just had an amazing home cooked meal from some of my closest Korean buddies.  I hate to admit this but I still can't pronounce their names correctly and still have a hard time remembering their name from time to time . . . kinda like now.  Yep I'm an ass.  This language is no joke folks.  I can't wait to get back to learning Spanish.  After trying to learn Korean (or Hanguel as they say it) most languages seem like a walk in the park.  K that was a tangent, sorry.  So dinner, yes.  We had roasted mackerel, two kinds of kimchi, marinated eggplant, some kind or shark jerky stuff that is apparently really special, rice, and goodness.  It was really amazing.  But the most amazing part of the meal was that I learned that my host has a refrigerator completely dedicated to kimchi!  And this is no small fridge either.  It takes about a month for the kimchi to fully ferment so you always gotta have some in rotation I suppose.  They are so serious about this stuff over here its amazing.   See you have the traditional kimchi made with a cabbage/bock choy sort of plant, you have the radish variety, the more soupy kind of both of these, and the list goes on and on.  I think there are actually over 300 different variations of kimchi and there is always a small dish of at least one kind at every meal.  Her kimchi was absolutely the best I've had thus far.  Maybe there is something to be said for kimchi made in small batches.  The stuff served in restaurants and at school is not that great and generally has some fish rankness to it.  

Some new korean words of consequence:

yok - subway station (very important since I live right above Jangsan-yok) it took two and a half weeks to learn that small, vital bit to add on the end of my directions to taxi drivers

pull-bul-I-yo - I'm full (good to know 'cause Korean friends will otherwise stuff you silly)

a-ssah  - their equivalent to "rad" or "awesome"

Nah-nun Jason im-ni-dah  - My name is Jason.  (my first full sentence!)

ko-gee   - fish

soh  - cow

dah(k)  - chicken (you can barely hear the k on the end of that; and chicken is a very important word, c'mon!)

twe-dgy  - pig

mul - water

and yeah, can you tell how incredibly slow this is coming along . . . ?  there are probably a few others but this is the majority of what I know.

OK REALLY FREAKY !!!! This just happened as I'm typing this.  I think Spiderman or someone trying to be Spiderman was just tapping on my window.  I live on the ninth floor and there's no ledge.  My bed is next to the window.  I'm almost positive it was my window 'cause it was really stinking loud.  The hair on the back of my neck is still standing on end.  I have those rings of adrenaline running through my body.  I don't want to look over at the window even though I know no one is there.  Do I have to go lay down soon?  Where's my bow-staff or some ear plugs and a blindfold would work nicely as well.  The curtains they bought for me are kinda see-throughish.  Thats what I get for picking out the sample in a huge book.  The lights coming from the elevator hallway in the adjacent building light up my room as I lay in bed trying to sleep.  Okay I just looked.  No more Spiderman, at least for now.  

Oh yeah and I've joined a music meditation class that meets every monday!  So far I've only been to two classes and its been really nice.  The class begins with the master giving lots of info to the other students while I sit there and stare at the wall.  Some of it gets translated to me from my friends but its kind of like the scene from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray is in that commercial shoot and the photographer goes on and on for about three or four minutes and his translator says "Turn to the left."  So I think I'm missing a few details here and there.  But I'm supposed to be meditating anyways, right?  Then upon my fellow students que we pull out the large pillows and lay down.  The master turns off the lights and turns on the music.  So far the music has been a mix between what sounds like Japanese old time music with the flutes and hand drums and some Indian percussion music.  The music lasts for about ten minutes or so and its pretty great really.  I have yet to fall asleep during class but give me some time.  Then we go and have acupuncture!  Yeah buddy!  Acupuncture is great.  So I've only done this twice ever but it feels really great.  Well not at first, but after a while I get soooo relaxed.  They also put on these heated blankets on your belly as you lie down for the treatment.  I told them that I've been having a hard time sleeping and my right hand has been really shaky since showing up so this time the needles were way deeper than last time.  Initially it didn't feel that great but once the deep breathing began my right arm actually had this weird shifting thing going on.  It felt like all this pent up energy was suddenly leaving my arm through the contact points.  Cool stuff.  I'm going to read up on this soon.  If any of you know of any solid links about acupuncture I'm all ears (well eyes I guess).  

And just briefly some things that have made me happy recently:

I just bought a cheap guitar.  Its actually really nice for about $110.  I brought some theory stuff from home with me.  I aim to be really diligent about practicing and finally becoming good at this danged instrument.   I took a number of years off there for a while and have been really excited about getting back into it just before I left for Korea.

I now have a small table for my computer.  Its red and was really cheap.  Now I don't have to shuffle my stuff around every time I want to eat something in my place.  Its the small things in life.

There is an international film festival coming next week.  I bought a few tickets to some shows.  Hopefully I wont fall asleep during the movies.  I made sure they were early screenings.

Oh and I'm going to Seoul next weekend!  We have three days off and I'm heading up there with some of my new buddies from the workshop.  We are taking the KTX train which has a top speed of 255 Km/hr or something ridiculously fast like that.  Lets see you tap on that window you freaky deaky Spiderman.  Speaking of which . . . I gotta hit the sack.  Good night folks.  

Love ya,

Jason

ps.  If you are feeling so inclined I would like to add:

Cumin and or some taco seasoning 

and Hoody's peanuts (its the red bag -salted and roasted-) New Seasons has them in the produce section (fyi)

if you feel like sending me a love package.  I could send some kimchi in the mail.  Its an acquired taste.  Or so most of it is.  YUK!  I'll stick with the home versions thank you.  

Toodaloo!

Out of the woodwork . . .

NOTE:  This blog may contain Too Much Information (TMI), depending on you.  To others this may be fairly entertaining.  Now that I have your undivided attention I shall continue J

So this park . . . k well I was strolling along close to where this public pool is supposed to be (I probably walked right past it but didn’t know ‘cause I can’t read a dang thing over here) and I found this walking path.  Hey, well, I like to walk so I just followed the sucker for a while.  Next thing I know I’m following this path along a gulch.  This was a nice change from the car and scooter dodging I mentioned in the last post.  Part of the beauty of the path is that it is made from the same cushy material school running tracks are made of.  Rad.

I’ve noticed that only older people hike in Korea.  Older people and kids who play in the streams to keep themselves entertained because their parents or grandparents dragged them out to go hiking.  

At the end of this gulch I found this park where people were milling about, children were playing everywhere, and old folks were just relaxing.  A small  reservoir akin to the ones at Mt. Tabor provided the water source for this gulch.  Just on the other side are these huge metal sculptures of waves.  On the other end of the park is a huge cement ampitheater.  “Why always with the cement here?”  This was on the other side of this road that headed further into the park.  OOoooooh where does this go?  This road went directly into the heart of one of the coolest parks I’ve ever experienced.  There are miles of heavily wooded trails meandering through the hillside.  There is a rather large stream that flows through the center.  There are Buddhist temples that speckle the forest, and lots of people.  People are taking a break next to the stream, sleeping on picnic benches, taking a break underneath these gazebo-type structures (that have a Korean twist to them of course),  walking on the trails, walking in the street, and are working out at the “physical park.”  Yes at the end of the road there is a “physical park” where people can hoola-hoop, do pull-ups, there are benches are designed for sit-ups, benches designed for push-ups, all sorts of rings for pulling and pushing, and there is even a water fountain complete with cups to drink from.  Eureka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I just found heaven.  This morning I was thinking about how city-arrific this place is.  I was thinking about how much longer it was going to be before I had a meltdown from being surrounded by too much cement, cars, scooters, and people.  But this place has just cured me from any worry.  There are miles and miles of trails to be ran; workouts to be had; hours to be spent by the stream reading, relaxing, and talking to my new friends.  And thankfully there are bathrooms.  This bit of information would have come in real handy earlier in the day . . .

 

I have not been regular here.  Not in the least bit.  Traveling does a number on my system.  The lack of sleep, the nervous tension of wondering if things are going to work out, the crazy change in diet, and lack of working out.  Yes I am excited for the day things return to normal . . . whenever that may be.  Ok so I started my wandering today with a rather large, spendy cup of coffee from the Bucks.  (Real quick on a side note:  I did find that they do sell a reasonably priced French Press so I’ll be buying one of those soon enough!!!!!)  Ok so I drink this huge cup of coffee.  I find this trail and get excited.  I begin to walk faster and faster.  I’m going uphill faster and faster.  I’m so excited to find a place where I don’t have to be doing any intense urban running (I’ll explain that later.)  All of the sudden my stomach turns.  Oh shit (no pun intended)!  Um I have no idea where I am nor have any knowledge of any bathrooms.  There are loads of people everywhere.  I can’t just walk off the side of the trail a short ways ‘cause there may be people there too.  So I begin to sweat more than I already am (humidity generally ranges from 80-95% here and its still about 85˚).  I’m unable to walk fast.  “Houston we have a problem.”  Oh man Tom Hanks where are you to save me.  Batman, Superman, Ironman, I don’t care who you are just give me a hand . . . or some tp.  This woman toting a hiking stick and a bright pink sleeveless capeline shirt passes me.  Thankfully I remembered to bring my pocket phrase book.  To get her attention I say to her “Anonghaseyo,” as I reach for my trusty book.  I fumbled through the book looking for that sweet, sweet phrase, “Where are the bathrooms?”  My hands were trembling and drips of sweat where creating damp circles on the pages of my book.  I still didn’t find the phrase when I looked up and all I could see was the bright pink shirt walking away from me.  “Um, excuse me . . . this is urgent,” as if she could understand me now.  Like the panicked, sick look on my face and clear, fast English was going to make her turn around.  She turned the corner and was gone as fast as she appeared.  I’ve noticed that either Koreans act only in two ways towards me:  They either want nothing to do with you even if you directly engage with them; or they are the most generous, most helpful people in the world.  I experienced both sides of this spectrum today.  She clearly was of the unhelpful camp. 

 

Oh man its serious now.  I’m approaching critical mass.  I’m having massive stomach pains.  I look into the bushes for a place to go.  Oh I think I found one!  Wait, what the hell . . . is that a tent?  Are people camping here?  Does this really surprise me by now?  Jeez.  I keep walking, slowly.  I can’t make it back.  There is no way.  Another man is coming.  I contemplated just shitting on the trail.  I’m going to be seen anyways.  He disappears.  I’m at a place now where I think I can walk deep into the woods and not be seen.  Okay I’m making a break for it.  1 . . 2 . . 3 . . GO!  I’m off crunching small sticks, walking through the most thick, intense cobwebs I’ve ever known.  How are the spiders here?  I don’t know, poisonous?  I hope not ‘cause I gotta take a shit.  The bushes were thick.  Small thorns that apparently grow on vines were digging into my legs and hands as I tried to free myself from them.  Who is watching this by the way?  I thought for sure an old couple were watching me struggle off the beaten path in a frenzy.  But I didn’t care.  I keep pushing my way through countless cobwebs, which are now hanging from my unshaven chin.  I’m bleeding.  I’m in pain.  So I do my thing.  I keep my head down, just in case someone is watching.  I don’t want to know.  When I return to the trail I have sticks and leaves hanging from me.  I’m dripping with sweat.  My legs, arms, and hands all have small trickles of blood.  I feel sooo relieved but totally ridiculous. 

I’ve noticed that most Koreans don’t sweat a whole lot.  Nor do they drink the amount of water I do.  I drink the stuff constantly to keep from passing out.  One teacher at school even remarked to me “Do you always drink that much water?”  I just filled up my Nalgene for the third time at the water cooler in the teachers’ main office.  I think they just have efficient bodies for this part of the world.  Maybe I don't know  . . . k

So I'm sweaty, covered in blood, and look like I've been rolling around in the bushes for some time.  I start heading for home 'cause now I want a shower.  I find the stream to wash my hands.  Then I find this Buddhist temple?!  Wha?  En Serio?  Wow this park is pretty cool.  I walk around it briefly and head for home.  Just beyond the temple I find these elusive bathrooms.  Not only are they the CLEANEST public bathrooms I've ever seen here but they also have these cool stalls where you just pop-a-squat and hover.  They are these ceramic u-shaped holes in the ground where you do your business.  And did I mention these bathrooms were clean?  Man someone is laughing at me somewhere . . . Okay so THAT episode won't happen again.  I continue walking down the path and this man with glasses approaches me.  I don't remember how we began talking.  It was something like, "Excuse me are you having a good day?"  or something really kind like that.  We began talking and I spent the next hour with him chatting.   I asked him some cultural questions that I've been wondering about since arriving.  Like "Why do some people wear particle filters over their mouths?  Is the air here really that bad?"  He doesn't think so and some people are just paranoid or he still has yet to figure it out.  I asked him questions about where to find a guitar and some other things.  Turns out he studied in the states for ten years.  Taewan Kim (or Dave) got his masters at University of Colorado in Boulder and got his PHD in International Relations in DC.  The guy is really cool and laid back.  He's married and has three really adorable kids.  He lives remarkably close to me as well.  He invited me over for dinner.  (Insert the last blog here.)  

When I see Dave he's worried because he had just gotten into a big fight/discussion with this wife because he invited me over for an inpromptu dinner.  He had told her that I am a cook and this made her worry.  I suggested that I buy something for dinner.  I bought ice cream and a Frappachino as per Dave's suggestion as a token of good will for her troubles.  "This will be nothing special," he kept telling me.  "I'd rather it be that way," I told him.  I was sooo exited to be trying a typical home cooked Korean meal and I've only been here for less than three weeks!  I tried lotus root (which looks like brown wagon wheel pasta), small crispy sardines (which are apparently high in calcium), fried spam (Hawaii and Korea love Spam; I have no idea why), marinated potatoes, steamed rice, and . . . I LIKED THE KIMCHI!!!!!   Usually its made with this rancid fish sauce stuff which is the nar nar.  But his stuff was void of any rancid fishiness.  Yay!   After going to his house for dinner with his family I feel like I've known him for a while now already.  We hit it off well and his family is really warm and welcoming.  His wife was still a little put off do to the suddenness of it all.    After dinner Dave told me some of the finer intricacies about tea as we ate fresh pears and apples.  He tells me black tea wasn't around until the English brought tea from China to England on their boats.  During the long journey the tea fermented and turned black.  Also he said that most tea comes from the same leaf, there are just different variations.  There are the raw, half fermented, and the (really) fermented leaves.  We had some of the half fermented leaves some of his university students brought from China.  It was delicioso.   Dave ended the night by taking his daughter to buy her a new Nintendo DS.  Funny enough cause I tried to buy one at McDonalds last Friday night.  

I had had a few drinks and Dave, Lindsay and I were in the mood for late night eats.  Mickey D's here is open 24/7.  I still hate to support them but when I've got the urge for late night eats and something familiar they do the trick quite nicely.  They had some kind of promotion for cheap Nintendo DS's and I thought I could buy one there.  Dave's kind of sold me on them . . . its the Mario Kart and the free endless games you can apparently download from the net onto you system.  So, to Dave's suggestion I asked for one.  "They're cheap here man you should get one!"  "I'd like a Spicy chicken combo meal and a Nintendo DS please."  The girl behind the counter just shook her head.  She crossed her fingers to make an 'x.'  "We no sell here."  She said.  dangit.  Maybe next time.

Oh so the uber urban running.  Yeah dangerous.  I don't recommend it to the kiddies.  Its fun though.  But I'm just worried about being nailed by a bus, taxi, scooter, or running over anyone myself.  The streets and sidewalks often have potholes or are really uneven.  People just do their own thing milling about.  No one is watching out for me.  So I have to take to the streets a lot.  People stare even with more intensity.  I don't dare run across streets with out the signal.  I tried that once and almost got nailed by two speeding scooters one after another.  Sometimes I feel like Jerry Rice running through the neighborhoods of Haeundae.  Except I'm not as cool as Jerry Rice and not nearly as fast as Jerry Rice.  But hey . . . whatevs.  I want to attach a camera to my forehead and make a video of this.  I think it would be fairly entertaining, especially if I played it back at four times the speed.  It would be like those cool bike messenger videos of New York or San Francisco.  Those are sweet BTW,  those videos.  If you like biking in any way check one out on You Tube.  Those fools are crazy, makes me feel like a sissy in Portland.