First month

Besides working my schedule, I've been branching out a bit and trying to explore more of my new home city. Busan is weird and I think I'll be enjoying the weirdness for quite some time.

Last weekend, Michelle and I hiked around Busan's tallest mountain: Geumjeong. It had a gondola thing that took us to the top where we wandered around trying to find a big ass fortress that was at the top. It couldn't have been that big a fortress since we couldn't find the damn thing. It was fun to wander around at the top though. There were small monuments and statues everywhere and a bunch of strange restaurant/tents that served noodles at the top.

At the bottom we found a Buddhist temple that we explored a bit and a really strange 'fitness park' of which there are tons in Busan (There is one on the mountain behind my flat, I'll write more about it when I get pictures, you have to really see it to comprehend the weirdness).

And this weekend we went with some coworkers of mine on a boat cruise around Busan harbor. Besides being cold and foggy it was an amazing day. The beach we left from was really cool and will be great in the Summer (though we hear it's insanely crowded). We watched a man make a huge sand sculpture of Buddha on the beach which was pretty impressive and then headed up the pier to the tour boat. It was only an hour cruise and would have been nicer if it was clear but it was still fun. For half of the ride we were followed by a large flock of seagulls which would dive down and catch food that people tossed into the air. This one nearly took my finger.

After the cruise we went for to a delicious Thai restaurant which I'm sure I'll never be able to locate again. Then we went to the university area and met up with a dozen other foreigners and went out drinking. It was nice to meet new people and there were even some Americans in the group. So far it's been all Aussies, Canadians and Kiwi's. Everyone was really cool and it's always great to hear stories from people who have been here for awhile. We stayed out till 3 or so drinking and playing cards. Twister was also brought out (the bar had a bunch of strange games) but that dissolved into a Judo lesson that ended in someone seriously hurting their shoulder.

All in all, I've really enjoyed my first month here and I predict that I'll enjoy the next 11. I know that the bet based on my previous abroad ventures is that I'll only last 6 months but I think Korea is a good fit. It's common to talk to teachers who have been here 3, 4, 5 years. Some lifers too that have been here for over a decade. In Prague we were impressed to meet people who had lived there for more than a year. I need to get on my language and find a few more extra curriculars but so far it's been great.

New Schedule

Hey. It's been a little while since I've posted but I've been busy teaching, exploring and fighting the man.

And anyone who has fought the man knows that the man is tenacious, a fighter who won't back down. Strong, proud and not unlike that big fish in The Old Man and the Sea (which I read on the Metro this morning).

The man, in this case, is my director who imposed upon all of the foreign teachers at my school an unfair and rather shitty new schedule. We all knew that Winter intensive was over last week and we were promised a lighter schedule in the new semester. When, Monday morning, we were given our schedules we were surprised to discover that all of us are teaching more classes than ever. I'm teaching 9 classes a day compared to the 7 I was teaching before. I'm ok with teaching 9 classes a day as long as they are real classes. My schedule had 12 "special classes" a week which I later found out were private lessons with the director's son! This, my friends, is some bullshit. Also, I volunteered to work the 1-9 shift so I wouldn't have to teach kindergarten and would have the advanced students. I really like my classes but I work 1-9 with NO BREAKS! I was given no time during the evening to, you know, eat dinner, relax, not have erasers thrown at my head. This I complained about pretty quickly and I get a new schedule today that I've been promised will have at least one period for dinner.

I was told this is all temporary and will only last till the end of this month, when we'll be given a easier schedule. I'm not sure how this will be accomplished since two Korean teachers quit this month and one is leaving March 1st. According to the two teachers who have been here for 9 months, this is the fourth time they haven't received what was promised. There could be quite a few people leaving if promises aren't kept next month. I'll keep you posted.

I get paid for this?

I really love (most) of my classes. There are a few troublesome classes (Purple class) but mostly they are all so cute that you can't get too mad when one of 'em runs up and punches you in the nuts. Examples:

We have a big birthday party every month for those kids whose birthdays all fall in that month...

The ubiquitous nose picking

Graduation day. They reminded me of owls dressed in their graduation gowns.

Extremely portable these Korean kids.

Fukouka

I spent last Thursday and Friday in the beautiful Japanese city of Fukouka with some coworkers of mine. We were only there long enough to pick up a Korean work visa and see a bit of the city but we all left feeling a bit disapointed to be teaching in Korea instead of Japan. It's definately on my list of countries I want to live\teach in. Pictures below:

The view from the 3 hour ferry ride to Fukouka.

Me in our hotel room sampling the free robes and checking out the *ahem* extensive porn list.

My Canadian coworker Adam and I at what turned out to be a $160 traditional Japanese meal. It was delicious.

Trying to catch peanuts with chopsticks.

After dinner, we wondered over to a bar called The Happy Cock. I drank lots of cheap alcohol and felt horrible the entire day afterwards. This is on the bus to the embassy.

It was a fun, though short, trip that I hope to make again soon.