Let's Party Like Its 2009!

A predictable title for what is now becoming my bi-annual blog post, I know. But predictability seems somewhat appropriate for what has been a fairly unsurprising, uninspiring festive season.

I find myself in Korea, which at this time of year is ironically soulless. Don't get my wrong, I join in with everyone else back in the UK in having a whinge about the Xmas lights going up the day after Halloween and women buying turkey's and family size Twiglet tubs in June. But when its not there I miss it.

This year I went with my friends to the Seoul Millennium Hilton hotel for the lunch buffet on Xmas day. The food was tasty and plentiful but, like many Korean attempts at interpreting western culture, it just wasn't quite right. Their cardinal sin was providing no roast potatoes whatsoever (which almost forced me to make a sharp exit). They did however have an array of seafood, salads and cheeses for starters, and more desert options than even my mum provides. And yes, I did try most of them.

New Year's eve was good fun. A fair few of us met in Itaewon, in a fairly trendy little establishment called Bricx. Beers were drank, conversation and merriment were had, Auld Lang Syne was sung, and taxis were got home. A pleasant, but uneventful night.

Ah well. The holiday season in Korea isn't all that bad. I could be in far worse places. Basra, Helmsland Province, and Mogadishu spring to mind. And at least I don't have to deal with credit crunches, or the something like 1 in 3 chance I'll be stabbed on the way home from my Xmas party by a knife wielding teenager who already has 2 asbo's and 3 demonic offspring to take his place when he finally hangs up his hoodie for the last time.

Please excuse me. I just came over a bit Daily Mail for a second there. Let's resume normal service shall we?

So, now we're in to 2009 and its time for those inevitable thoughts about plans, hopes and aspirations for the coming year. I didn't make any new year's resolutions as such, but there are a few things I'd like to do at some point this year. Number one on the list is give up smoking. And I'd like to do that sooner rather than later. I just need to set a date and get myself mentally prepared for a couple of weeks, like I did last time.

The second thing on the list is to travel some more. Now I'm in Korea until October so that one might stretch into 2010. But some of it could happen this year as I may well go somewhere like Thailand or the Philippines for a month or so before heading home to Blighty. That way I'd get home around the right time for Xmas. Anyway, that's a long way away yet.

Of course I have some more general aspirations that I assume are shared with almost everyone else in the western world. I want to make a bit of cash, get a bit healthier, and meet a significant other (preferably a gorgeous, smart, millionairess, michelin star chef... hold on, shit... I'm describing Nigella Lawson!).

And perhaps, dear readers, I shall even update this blog a bit more frequently... but I wouldn't bet even your now worthless negative equity mortgages on it.

TaeAn

Last weekend, I finally got out from the belly of the smog choked beast that is Seoul. My hagwon (school) has an annual tradition of heading out to a beach or moutain for a workshop, team-bonding exercise. I must admit to being a little apprehensive, with 'team-bonding' conjuring up visions of David Brent going home to get his guitar before launching into Free Love on Free Love Free Freeway. Another thing putting a slight damper on my enthusiasm was the fact that our west coast destination was the sight of one of Korea's worst oil slicks only a few months ago.

I needn't have worried. Our pension was a lovely wooden building, looking across the expansive mudflats, over the handful of islets, and out to the Yellow Sea beyond. We had one pension for the boys and one for the girls; each containing one bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenette/living area, and a balcony.

In the afternoon we took a stroll down to the beach on the other side of the peninsula. My visions of an ecological hell were thankfully unfounded, with no sign of any oil anywhere. Instead, I found a picturesque little beach backed by pine trees. Also behind the beach, was a small farm settlement whose name translated as 'No Crime Village'!

In the evening, we had a barbecue and some drinks outside our pension. Unfortunately there were no burgers or chicken so we had to make do with Sang Yap Sal, the fatty bacon type thing that Koreans love. We chatted, played a few drinking games, and had a very good evening in the fresh air. I even managed to catch the second half of Spain v Sweden to round off a nice night. Next morning it was time to trudge back to Seoul and rejoin the 20 million strong collective. I'll have to get to the coast more often.

This weekend I'm going to see the South Korea v North Korea World Cup qualifier, so I'll try and get some pics and a match report up if I can find my missing camera charger.

One year...

Oops, it's been nearly three months since my last post. How did that happen. Well to be honest I haven't got much to say at the moment. The long, cold Korean winter means everybody pretty much hibernates for a couple of months. I've been working, then hitting the town at the weekends, but that's about it.

I did manage to get out of Seoul and do some paintball a month or so ago which was good fun. It was interesting to see how Korea is outside of the big city and seeing the Han River completely frozen over was very impressive. I'll get some photos up of the day if I can get hold of any as we did look pretty funny in our Rambo gear.

One important milestone has passed recently. On the 13th March I had been away for one whole year. One complete calenday year without setting foot on British soil. I wonder if that makes me a real ex-pat?! Speaking of time, I've now got only 4 1/2 months before I do walk on that green, green grass of home again. I'm looking forward to a little UK holiday!

Now spring is here I'll be looking to get out of Seoul a bit more, and perhaps see all those sights around the city that I haven't yet visited.