Well, that's it now. No more holidays until Christmas, ouch! Chusok was a fun three days off. There was a lot of partying and even a bit of sightseeing thrown in. I managed to get over to a different area of Seoul called Insadong where there are some quaint little tea shops. Tea shops are a traditional Korean place which sell tea of all different flavours. I had some lemon flavour and it was pretty nice, although it did taste a bit like lemsip! Insadong also has a nice little park containing a war memorial and an 600 year old pagoda.
This week we had another public holiday on Wednesday which was a nice suprise. I don't really tend to know about the holidays until a day or two before so its always nice to have the good news that I don't have to work the next day! The Tuesday night was someones birthday so I ended up going out to Hongdae and Sinchon. Sinchon was another new place for me and it seemed like a lot of fun. There were lots of mad little bars and the streets were lined with high buildings and neon signs.
Wednesday was another fun day as it was the birthday of the owner of my local bar. There was a private party for him from 5pm with free food and booze. Wahey. Unfortunately, after the previous nights activities I didn't manage to drag myself down there until 10pm!
On Thursday it was quite depressing to realise I'd had my last day off until 25th December, but on the brightside, hey, it was only 2 days until the weekend! Saturday was a good day, I met up with a girl I used to work with back in London who is also out here. It was great to see a familiar face again, even though we didn't know each other all that well back at work. We went over to Sinchon again at night and it was even madder than before. The top 2 univerities in Korea were having their equivalent of the Oxford v Cambridge boat race day, but here they play each other at football, rugby, ice hockey and basketball instead. There were thousands of students out on the streets, one lot dressed in red and one lot in blue. Songs were being sung and conga lines snaked down the streets but nothing was too rowdy and there was absolutely no trouble, as there almost certainly would've been in England!
As for my Korean, its picking up ever so slightly. This month I've learned:
Win chuk = left
Orun chuk = right
Chingu = friend (I think!)
Mek ju = beer
Dak = chicken
Dok = rice cake
Chi geh = soup
Dweji = pork
Yok = subway station
Hmm, writing it down has made me realise that at least half of my Korean skills are food and drink related! I'm really going to have to diversify. I also need to learn to read a bit I think. Wish me luck with that!
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
Seoul, Smog and Soju
The time in Korea is really flying now. I've been here over 2 months already. It almost feels like home now, but with a slight twist - a bit like looking through the looking glass at a world you know to see a slightly skewed version looking back. Sometimes I can forget where I am as most of my friends are westerners over here for the same reason I am, but other times it can seem very alien.
I've been having a lot of fun since I came back from Japan. My school threw a welcome dinner for me and a new American teacher. It was good to get to know some of the Korean teachers better and to see how they enjoy a night out. We had some nice food and then proceeded to get stuck into the soju. It ended up with the woman boss proclaiming the benefits of the female orgasm and the American teacher vomiting in the gutter. Thankfully (as everyone who reads this know well knows) I can hold my drink and was heralded as an 'English Gentleman' by all my workmates... hmm, they'll soon learn!
I've seen a few new areas of Seoul, but not enough really. I'm planning to get out and about alot more in the next couple of months as the weather has lost some of the relentless 100% humidity of the late summer. Apparently it should be nice now until possible December and then it will turn icily cold. I'm also aiming to learn a lot more Korean as up to know I only have the following:
An yan eh seh oo = hello / goodbye
Gam sa han mida = thank you
Hanido Juseoo = one more please
Yogio = here (politely)
Agymar = old lady
Agyshe = old man
The last two might seem weird terms to learn but they are used quite a lot here. Because Korea is a confucionist society there is a lot of respect for the old and they are kind of used to describe someone whose the head of the household. So our landlady is the house agymar, and the shop round the corner is referred to as the agymar shop because its an old lady. Anyway, I'll put some more terms up once I know them!
Last week I had a fun day out. It was a stag do for an aussie bloke I know out here (also called bachelor party or bucks night depending which country you're from). We went to the horse racing track and then out in Anyang where we gave him a few suprises. I can't really mention them here, law of the stag and all that! No stripper though, not really the done thing in Korea.
The job is going pretty well, and I seem to be quite good at it as it unexpectedly turns out! Some of the kids are really cute, but of course on the flip side some are little gits. I'm getting better at being able to control and discipline the kids too which makes the lessons run smoother, and I'm also learning some fun games which helps them to enjoy the lessons, which again, makes it all run smoother.
The week after next its Chusok here, which is the major public holiday in the year and means I get 3 days off, woohoo! I think I'm going to use it to see a bit more of Seoul and do some of the touristy stuff that I haven't really bothered with up until now. I'll report back then with some hopefully interesting info.
I've been having a lot of fun since I came back from Japan. My school threw a welcome dinner for me and a new American teacher. It was good to get to know some of the Korean teachers better and to see how they enjoy a night out. We had some nice food and then proceeded to get stuck into the soju. It ended up with the woman boss proclaiming the benefits of the female orgasm and the American teacher vomiting in the gutter. Thankfully (as everyone who reads this know well knows) I can hold my drink and was heralded as an 'English Gentleman' by all my workmates... hmm, they'll soon learn!
I've seen a few new areas of Seoul, but not enough really. I'm planning to get out and about alot more in the next couple of months as the weather has lost some of the relentless 100% humidity of the late summer. Apparently it should be nice now until possible December and then it will turn icily cold. I'm also aiming to learn a lot more Korean as up to know I only have the following:
An yan eh seh oo = hello / goodbye
Gam sa han mida = thank you
Hanido Juseoo = one more please
Yogio = here (politely)
Agymar = old lady
Agyshe = old man
The last two might seem weird terms to learn but they are used quite a lot here. Because Korea is a confucionist society there is a lot of respect for the old and they are kind of used to describe someone whose the head of the household. So our landlady is the house agymar, and the shop round the corner is referred to as the agymar shop because its an old lady. Anyway, I'll put some more terms up once I know them!
Last week I had a fun day out. It was a stag do for an aussie bloke I know out here (also called bachelor party or bucks night depending which country you're from). We went to the horse racing track and then out in Anyang where we gave him a few suprises. I can't really mention them here, law of the stag and all that! No stripper though, not really the done thing in Korea.
The job is going pretty well, and I seem to be quite good at it as it unexpectedly turns out! Some of the kids are really cute, but of course on the flip side some are little gits. I'm getting better at being able to control and discipline the kids too which makes the lessons run smoother, and I'm also learning some fun games which helps them to enjoy the lessons, which again, makes it all run smoother.
The week after next its Chusok here, which is the major public holiday in the year and means I get 3 days off, woohoo! I think I'm going to use it to see a bit more of Seoul and do some of the touristy stuff that I haven't really bothered with up until now. I'll report back then with some hopefully interesting info.
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Going Japanesy
I`ve had a weekend of fun in Osaka, Japan. I had to go over to get my work visa for Korea as you cannot get it inside the country. It`s all the better because my school paid for the flights and also gave also me $300 spending money. Furthermore, they arranged it so I could stay over the weekend to get more time here. Shame eh?!
I arrived on Friday morning after a disgustingly early start and went straight to the consulate. It took literally 5 minutes to hand in my application and then I was free for a whole weekend in Osaka! Next step was to find a hotel. Easier said then done. Three and a half hours later I was finally checked in to a place a little more expensive than I had been planning to pay, but at that point I just wanted a shower and a bed and I would`ve probably sold my soul to the devil to get them.
After a bit of a sleep I went out to explore some more. Its quite overwhelming walking around Japanese streets on your own. Its hard to tell what all the buildings are as obviously the writing is in Japanese, but also there are many different establishments in one building. After a bit of a walk I stopped for some Japanese food, something quite similar to the Galbi restaurants we have in korea where you barbecue it yourself at the table. Delicous! After a little stroll I came across the first pub-like buildings I`d seen. Joy of joys it was indeed a pub! I popped in for a drink and got talking to a Spanish guy who said I was the first westerner he`d spoken to in 10 days in Japan. I can understand how it would happen as there aren`t many of us about.
Next day I got up for a day of sightseeing. I started off at Osaka Castle which was a once a stronghold for a ruler of Japan (I think). Its a huge place and very beautiful. There are a couple of moats with some sort of red plant floating on the surface, giving it a quite otherworldly appearance. There are also plum and peach groves and a few gardens dotted about. Very serene. Next stop was the Umeda Sky Tower. This is one of the tallest buildings in Osaka and has a viewing platform on the top. I timed my arrival for around sunset so I could get both day and night views. I`m glad I did as the view was awesome. Especially when the sun had just gone below the horizon and the sky was red and pink.
I arrived on Friday morning after a disgustingly early start and went straight to the consulate. It took literally 5 minutes to hand in my application and then I was free for a whole weekend in Osaka! Next step was to find a hotel. Easier said then done. Three and a half hours later I was finally checked in to a place a little more expensive than I had been planning to pay, but at that point I just wanted a shower and a bed and I would`ve probably sold my soul to the devil to get them.
After a bit of a sleep I went out to explore some more. Its quite overwhelming walking around Japanese streets on your own. Its hard to tell what all the buildings are as obviously the writing is in Japanese, but also there are many different establishments in one building. After a bit of a walk I stopped for some Japanese food, something quite similar to the Galbi restaurants we have in korea where you barbecue it yourself at the table. Delicous! After a little stroll I came across the first pub-like buildings I`d seen. Joy of joys it was indeed a pub! I popped in for a drink and got talking to a Spanish guy who said I was the first westerner he`d spoken to in 10 days in Japan. I can understand how it would happen as there aren`t many of us about.
Next day I got up for a day of sightseeing. I started off at Osaka Castle which was a once a stronghold for a ruler of Japan (I think). Its a huge place and very beautiful. There are a couple of moats with some sort of red plant floating on the surface, giving it a quite otherworldly appearance. There are also plum and peach groves and a few gardens dotted about. Very serene. Next stop was the Umeda Sky Tower. This is one of the tallest buildings in Osaka and has a viewing platform on the top. I timed my arrival for around sunset so I could get both day and night views. I`m glad I did as the view was awesome. Especially when the sun had just gone below the horizon and the sky was red and pink.
In the evening I headed out for a big night. I started off at a bar I`d been to the day before. I sat at the bar and met up with an American girl and a couple of Japanese lads. Their group were off to a club nearby and the asked if I wanted to join them. It was a hip-hop club which I don't like usually but it was fun, especially when two Japanese rappers were on stage! I had a good night and didn't get home til the wee hours.
The next day I didn't do much at all and all too soon Monday came around and, after picking up my visa it was time to go 'home'. Japan is an amazing county, it shocks all the senses at once. I think I'll be back.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
A bonafide Engish teacher
The last week has seen me really settle into life in Seoul. I'm finally off the couch and into my own bedroom. It's the biggest and best room in the apartment and even has an ensuite bathroom.
More importantly I've got a job! I now work at Jumi's Natural English (JNE) School, teaching kids aged 7 to 15. I went in for my first day yesterday to observe some of the classes taken by the Korean teachers. Teaching the young ones seems to be a lot of fun as it is just a lot of games and roleplays, but teaching the older ones is OK too as they can have real conversations with me. Although, being teenagers, they generally stay quiet and sullen!
The bosses seem pretty nice. One of the directors bought me lunch after I'd signed my contract, and I think they were quite impressed by how much I like their Korean food, even the holy Kimchi that I mentioned in my last post!
Overall it seems that life is going to be pretty sweet over here. I should be pretty well off as Korean private schools pay their foreign teachers well, and the cost of living is relatively low. For example, the rent on my apartment is less than 400 quid a month - and that's shared between 3 people!
The next step is going to be to start learning a bit of Korean I think. Its essential to do so as simple things become hard to do if you can't read signs or ask directions etc.
More importantly I've got a job! I now work at Jumi's Natural English (JNE) School, teaching kids aged 7 to 15. I went in for my first day yesterday to observe some of the classes taken by the Korean teachers. Teaching the young ones seems to be a lot of fun as it is just a lot of games and roleplays, but teaching the older ones is OK too as they can have real conversations with me. Although, being teenagers, they generally stay quiet and sullen!
The bosses seem pretty nice. One of the directors bought me lunch after I'd signed my contract, and I think they were quite impressed by how much I like their Korean food, even the holy Kimchi that I mentioned in my last post!
Overall it seems that life is going to be pretty sweet over here. I should be pretty well off as Korean private schools pay their foreign teachers well, and the cost of living is relatively low. For example, the rent on my apartment is less than 400 quid a month - and that's shared between 3 people!
The next step is going to be to start learning a bit of Korean I think. Its essential to do so as simple things become hard to do if you can't read signs or ask directions etc.
Friday, 20 July 2007
Seoul
Well I've finally arrived at my ultimate destination and have been here for nearly 2 weeks now. The job hunt is going OK and I have two possibilities in the pipeline. One is at a very good school where I can make plenty of money, the other is at slightly less money but less hours and much less formal. I'm going to try and go for the latter.
Seoul itself seems like a good place to live for the next year. There are loads of young ex-pats living out here which makes for a thriving social scene. I think it helps me a lot having Martin and Baldy out here as I've kinda slotted straight into their group of mates. They can also tell me where everything is and give me tips on what to look for in a job etc. I'd imagine it'd be pretty hard to come over here on your own not knowing anyone.
I have got a pretty cool apartment sorted out with Baldy, although I'm still sleeping on the sofa at the moment! One of the housemates moves out next week so I'll have my own room at last. Most people who come over are provided with housing by the schools where they teach, which amounts to little more than one room incorporating bedroom, living room and kitchen in one. My apartment is much better than that, with a big lounge and kitchen area, 3 good size bedrooms, a laundry room and a bit of outside space ideal for BBQs.
In the 2 weeks I've been here I've been out on the town a few times. There seems to be 2 main areas, though I'm sure theres more places I haven't been to yet. the first is Itaewon which is near to where I'm staying. It was originally set up for the GI's from the American army base just round the corner, however they're not allowed out after 11pm now after a bit of trouble in the area so now its the ex-pats playground. Its a bit cheesy really, because of all the western amenities and food places you can't always tell you're in Korea. It also has a slightly sleazy side in some parts. The other place to go out is Hongdae which is definitley my favourite by far. Its a lot more upmarket and cutting edge than Itaewon thanks in part to being located near a big university. There are live bands and other cool music in trendy bars that aren't very expensive. Ideal! We had a great night out there last week and another one is planned tonight.
One thing that's definitely unique about Korea is its cuisine. I absolutely love the traditional Galbi restaurants. The meat is brought out to your table raw and cooked on a barbeque set in the middle of the table. You then take pieces off and place them in a lettuce-like leaf, add some of the side dishes, then wrap it all in the leaf and shove it all in your gob in one go. It's really tasty and sociable too. While I'm on the subject of food I can't not mention Kimchi. All Korean food comes with side dishes, even if you order a soup you'll get lots of little plates of veggies and dips. These vary but the one thing you're guaranteed to get it is Kimchi. Its a type of cabbage and is usually slightly pickled. Its not bad actually but the Koreans go mad for it. They say it can prevent or cure all kinds of illnesses and health problems from heart disease to cancer to bird flu! Its almost like a sacred food.
As I said, I'm off to Hongdae tonight so I'm sure there will be more fun and frolics to report on shortly!
Seoul itself seems like a good place to live for the next year. There are loads of young ex-pats living out here which makes for a thriving social scene. I think it helps me a lot having Martin and Baldy out here as I've kinda slotted straight into their group of mates. They can also tell me where everything is and give me tips on what to look for in a job etc. I'd imagine it'd be pretty hard to come over here on your own not knowing anyone.
I have got a pretty cool apartment sorted out with Baldy, although I'm still sleeping on the sofa at the moment! One of the housemates moves out next week so I'll have my own room at last. Most people who come over are provided with housing by the schools where they teach, which amounts to little more than one room incorporating bedroom, living room and kitchen in one. My apartment is much better than that, with a big lounge and kitchen area, 3 good size bedrooms, a laundry room and a bit of outside space ideal for BBQs.
In the 2 weeks I've been here I've been out on the town a few times. There seems to be 2 main areas, though I'm sure theres more places I haven't been to yet. the first is Itaewon which is near to where I'm staying. It was originally set up for the GI's from the American army base just round the corner, however they're not allowed out after 11pm now after a bit of trouble in the area so now its the ex-pats playground. Its a bit cheesy really, because of all the western amenities and food places you can't always tell you're in Korea. It also has a slightly sleazy side in some parts. The other place to go out is Hongdae which is definitley my favourite by far. Its a lot more upmarket and cutting edge than Itaewon thanks in part to being located near a big university. There are live bands and other cool music in trendy bars that aren't very expensive. Ideal! We had a great night out there last week and another one is planned tonight.
One thing that's definitely unique about Korea is its cuisine. I absolutely love the traditional Galbi restaurants. The meat is brought out to your table raw and cooked on a barbeque set in the middle of the table. You then take pieces off and place them in a lettuce-like leaf, add some of the side dishes, then wrap it all in the leaf and shove it all in your gob in one go. It's really tasty and sociable too. While I'm on the subject of food I can't not mention Kimchi. All Korean food comes with side dishes, even if you order a soup you'll get lots of little plates of veggies and dips. These vary but the one thing you're guaranteed to get it is Kimchi. Its a type of cabbage and is usually slightly pickled. Its not bad actually but the Koreans go mad for it. They say it can prevent or cure all kinds of illnesses and health problems from heart disease to cancer to bird flu! Its almost like a sacred food.
As I said, I'm off to Hongdae tonight so I'm sure there will be more fun and frolics to report on shortly!
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Koh Samui
I've been on Koh Samui for 5 days now. It's a nice island but the weather is overcast so I haven't been able to go to the beach at all which slightly defeats the object of being here! Oh well, of course I've been continuing the party where I left off on Koh Phangan instead. The Thai islands really are a hedonists playground, I've started calling it the Costa Del Asia! It's so unlike the rest of the region, it's almost like being at home with all the fast food outlets and shopping precincts.
Today is the last full day of my travelling circuit. I can't believe its gone so fast. I fly off to Bangkok tomorrow night, and straight on to Seoul from there. It'll be good to see my friends again, although the prospect of actually working for a living again is slightly daunting! Although, if I'm lucky it won't seem too much like work and might only take up 4 or 5 hours of my day.
Today is the last full day of my travelling circuit. I can't believe its gone so fast. I fly off to Bangkok tomorrow night, and straight on to Seoul from there. It'll be good to see my friends again, although the prospect of actually working for a living again is slightly daunting! Although, if I'm lucky it won't seem too much like work and might only take up 4 or 5 hours of my day.
Sunday, 1 July 2007
Ko Phangan
Ko Phangan is the maddest party island on Earth. It's official. Nothing can touch it when the full moon party is in full swing. It makes Ibiza look like a February afternoon in Margate.
I arrived on Tuesday evening and got myself a bungalow on a beach called Ban Tai, 4km out of Hat Rin where the full moon party is held. The next morning that decision seemed slightly pointless as it p*ssed it down with the hardest rain I've ever seen for hours. I didn't mind too much really though as I slept til lunchtime anyway.
Around 3pm the rain subsided a bit and I headed into Hat Rin to meet Adrian. Since there was nothing else to do we thought we may as well go for a beer! All the bars in Hat Rin play movies and sitcoms all day so we ended up swigging a few Beer Chang's watching Family Guy and playing some pool. Later on we met a few more Irish lads and headed down to the beach where the real action goes on!
There are bars all along the beach front, blaring out house and hip-hop all night long. We wandered among them drinking our buckets. There were 5 of us originally, but each one of us ended up wandering around alone talking to random people, which is what I think every other person on the beach was doing too. I also managed to lose my flip-flops somehow!
Next day I managed to scrape myself out onto the beach in mid afternoon for a bit before heading back into Hat Rin. I didn't bother buying anymore flip flops as I'd probably just lose them again anyway. I won't bother to describe the night as it was pretty much a carbon-copy of the previous one (except without the distraction of shoes!).
The next day was Friday and the night of the big full moon party. Woohoo! I got into town about 5pm and met with Adrian for a few warm up beers. It was a real struggle after the previous 2 nights but we forced ourselves. We decided a bit of sea air might help so got down to the beach early, bumping into the other Irish lads on the way. It was only about 8'0'clock so we chilled out with a couple of beers, all swearing not to buy a bucket before 11pm. We lasted until around 10.30 which I think was a good effort!
By that time the beach was absolutely heaving. There were estimated to be around 10,000 people there, but there may have been more as this month was the full moon party's 20th anniversary celebration. The bars seemed to be playing their music louder than ever and it was deafening. Everybody was covered in flourescent bodypaint and jumping around like mad people - it was fantastic. The party went on and on and on. Everybody seemed to be wearing a lot less clothing and crashed out bodies were starting to appear on the beach! The sun came up and still everyone was going. Of course we'd all lost each other but we bumped into each other intermittently before staggering off again.
I finally went home exhausted about 7 or 8am. Adrian was out until 12 but he'd passed out sleeping for a few hours on the beach (losing his wallet in the process). I took a disposable camera out so I'm looking forward to seeing what I've managed to take on that! The next day was obviously a train wreck so I'm not even going to go into how bad I felt...
Off to Samui tomorrow to meet the other lads. I've also started applying for jobs in Korea. Scary stuff that... I could potentially be working in a couple of weeks time!
I arrived on Tuesday evening and got myself a bungalow on a beach called Ban Tai, 4km out of Hat Rin where the full moon party is held. The next morning that decision seemed slightly pointless as it p*ssed it down with the hardest rain I've ever seen for hours. I didn't mind too much really though as I slept til lunchtime anyway.
Around 3pm the rain subsided a bit and I headed into Hat Rin to meet Adrian. Since there was nothing else to do we thought we may as well go for a beer! All the bars in Hat Rin play movies and sitcoms all day so we ended up swigging a few Beer Chang's watching Family Guy and playing some pool. Later on we met a few more Irish lads and headed down to the beach where the real action goes on!
There are bars all along the beach front, blaring out house and hip-hop all night long. We wandered among them drinking our buckets. There were 5 of us originally, but each one of us ended up wandering around alone talking to random people, which is what I think every other person on the beach was doing too. I also managed to lose my flip-flops somehow!
Next day I managed to scrape myself out onto the beach in mid afternoon for a bit before heading back into Hat Rin. I didn't bother buying anymore flip flops as I'd probably just lose them again anyway. I won't bother to describe the night as it was pretty much a carbon-copy of the previous one (except without the distraction of shoes!).
The next day was Friday and the night of the big full moon party. Woohoo! I got into town about 5pm and met with Adrian for a few warm up beers. It was a real struggle after the previous 2 nights but we forced ourselves. We decided a bit of sea air might help so got down to the beach early, bumping into the other Irish lads on the way. It was only about 8'0'clock so we chilled out with a couple of beers, all swearing not to buy a bucket before 11pm. We lasted until around 10.30 which I think was a good effort!
By that time the beach was absolutely heaving. There were estimated to be around 10,000 people there, but there may have been more as this month was the full moon party's 20th anniversary celebration. The bars seemed to be playing their music louder than ever and it was deafening. Everybody was covered in flourescent bodypaint and jumping around like mad people - it was fantastic. The party went on and on and on. Everybody seemed to be wearing a lot less clothing and crashed out bodies were starting to appear on the beach! The sun came up and still everyone was going. Of course we'd all lost each other but we bumped into each other intermittently before staggering off again.
I finally went home exhausted about 7 or 8am. Adrian was out until 12 but he'd passed out sleeping for a few hours on the beach (losing his wallet in the process). I took a disposable camera out so I'm looking forward to seeing what I've managed to take on that! The next day was obviously a train wreck so I'm not even going to go into how bad I felt...
Off to Samui tomorrow to meet the other lads. I've also started applying for jobs in Korea. Scary stuff that... I could potentially be working in a couple of weeks time!
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