The story of one slighty nutty actor's journey through the far east.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Merry Christmas from the other side of the world.
Anyong Hasseo and happy Holidays from the Land of the Morning Calm.
I'm sorry for the lack of updates in recent days. I'm afraid that I'm running without internet of my own and wireless in this country seems to be a fickelt mistress. At times its there to support you in your communicative endeavours, while at other times it kicks you out on your ass and leaves you out in the cold, laughing while you you watch helplessly as your record collection goes flying from the third story window.
So I'm a teacher now, "James Teacher" to be precise. I teach kids of all ages, ranging from grades one and two in the morning, and grades five to seven in the afternoon and evenings. The picture above is my grade one class, the "Lion King" class (Hey, I didn't name them) and they're my favorite morning class so far. They've got a lot of energy and are really keen on learning. Though they yell and goof off a lot and are sometimes dificult to keep in line, but they are still pretty rockin!
Take this little Dude for example. His name is Hung Jun, and to be honest he's kind of one of my problem kids but I freaking love him. He just has so much personality to him, even at his age, and he's really adorable.
For Christmas I've done a few things to keep myself busy, I had a christmas sweater and yankee swap party on Tuesday, it was great time and I was "Lucky" enough to walk home with about a dozen cans of a no name Spam (Yay joke gifts. Pictured Below is myself and Tony, a fellow New Brunswicker as we show off our sweater love.
Christmas eve I went out to dinner with my co-workers and some friends, then came home for some canadian edition Cranium and hot chocolat, and then yesterday Paul (Our NEW new teacher,) and I went over to Fred and Emily's for a great Christmas feast (Stuffed chicken and potatoes and carrots) and that night we went down to the Speakeasy, this great little foreigner bar here, and met a whole whack of new people, one of them I've actually met before, at STU. But more on that later, My wireless has been good to me so far and I'd like to get this posted before it dies on me. I love all of you guys and I miss you so much!
Till Next time!
J
Friday, December 19, 2008
Keep an open mind, that's all I can say.
I don't think this country is ever going to stop surprising me.
I went out for a walk between my evening classes tonight in hopes of finding some supper, preferable something portable and, as I am alone, something for one. I decided to try the street foods. I can't remember the Korean word for these guys, but its the same principle as the Fry Truck that hangs out downtown near the bars, except they're cleaner, nicer and generally have better food.
I was walking down one of the main streets of of my district and across the road I spotted an Ajuma (Old Lady basically, I'll go into this more later) with something steaming and I could see little sticks. Sticks are good, I thought, that means I can carry what I buy and eat it that way.
Well I walked over, pointed at this rectangular meat on a stick and asked if it was chicken, Or at least I think I did, but I'm not sure if I succeeded as I'm pretty sure what I got was fish. But this was a possibility I expected. What I did not expect was when she took the four meat stick things I was buying , dropped them into a bag and promptly removed my sticks! She then poured a cup of the broth this stuff was simmering in, into the bag, tied it off and passed it to me. I asked for some chopsticks (Read: I pointed and made sad gestures) and walked back to school. So here I was thinking I was getting some sort of a meat on a stick, and instead I find myself eating some sort of a soup, but it is tasty!
Anyways, off to class! I will try to give a longer and more complete update on what I've been doing when I have time.
Jamie
I went out for a walk between my evening classes tonight in hopes of finding some supper, preferable something portable and, as I am alone, something for one. I decided to try the street foods. I can't remember the Korean word for these guys, but its the same principle as the Fry Truck that hangs out downtown near the bars, except they're cleaner, nicer and generally have better food.
I was walking down one of the main streets of of my district and across the road I spotted an Ajuma (Old Lady basically, I'll go into this more later) with something steaming and I could see little sticks. Sticks are good, I thought, that means I can carry what I buy and eat it that way.
Well I walked over, pointed at this rectangular meat on a stick and asked if it was chicken, Or at least I think I did, but I'm not sure if I succeeded as I'm pretty sure what I got was fish. But this was a possibility I expected. What I did not expect was when she took the four meat stick things I was buying , dropped them into a bag and promptly removed my sticks! She then poured a cup of the broth this stuff was simmering in, into the bag, tied it off and passed it to me. I asked for some chopsticks (Read: I pointed and made sad gestures) and walked back to school. So here I was thinking I was getting some sort of a meat on a stick, and instead I find myself eating some sort of a soup, but it is tasty!
Anyways, off to class! I will try to give a longer and more complete update on what I've been doing when I have time.
Jamie
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Kids say the darndest things....
Oh wow, I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time.
Today was my first day teaching a whole day of classes, but my second day teaching most of the kids in my afternoon school. I'm not sure why but for some reason EVERY class in the afternoon decided today would be a great day to grill James Teacher on his personal life. For the most part I answered the basics but stayed away from any long discussions and went to the text book.
But my last class this afternoon was different. These kids are fun and they are smart! Like they're eleven years old and can spell the word "extraterrestrial" in a language they only started learning six years ago (By the way Whit, Lindsay, one of the girls goes to Songwon and knows you two). So when the questions came out I decided to use the oportunity. Instead of trying to pull them back to the subject at hand, I let things roll and asked them to try again if their grammar or structure was wrong. They asked me about my parents, my country. And then came the question that everyone asks: Are you married?
Being 23 and single in North America is normal, here its effin wierd! The kids are so amazed by the fact that I do not have a wife and children. They asked me if I had a girlfriend. Any other class I would have said "No, now open you books to..." But like I said we were having a great conversation so I said "Not now, I used to"
Bad idea... but I didn't know it
They asked what her name was, and I told them. They asked why we weren't together, I seriously glossed over the answer and they took it, so one bullet dodged. They asked how she cut her hair and if she was pretty, I explained and said yes.
And then from the back of the room, comes the meek voice of Minnie, one of the most innocent girls you will ever see...
"Teacher! Kate is... sexy?"
I lost it, I couldn't keep a straight face and just fell against the white board laughing.
So this is my life for now... at least it has its entertaining moments. Time to go back to class,
Catch you guys later!
J
Today was my first day teaching a whole day of classes, but my second day teaching most of the kids in my afternoon school. I'm not sure why but for some reason EVERY class in the afternoon decided today would be a great day to grill James Teacher on his personal life. For the most part I answered the basics but stayed away from any long discussions and went to the text book.
But my last class this afternoon was different. These kids are fun and they are smart! Like they're eleven years old and can spell the word "extraterrestrial" in a language they only started learning six years ago (By the way Whit, Lindsay, one of the girls goes to Songwon and knows you two). So when the questions came out I decided to use the oportunity. Instead of trying to pull them back to the subject at hand, I let things roll and asked them to try again if their grammar or structure was wrong. They asked me about my parents, my country. And then came the question that everyone asks: Are you married?
Being 23 and single in North America is normal, here its effin wierd! The kids are so amazed by the fact that I do not have a wife and children. They asked me if I had a girlfriend. Any other class I would have said "No, now open you books to..." But like I said we were having a great conversation so I said "Not now, I used to"
Bad idea... but I didn't know it
They asked what her name was, and I told them. They asked why we weren't together, I seriously glossed over the answer and they took it, so one bullet dodged. They asked how she cut her hair and if she was pretty, I explained and said yes.
And then from the back of the room, comes the meek voice of Minnie, one of the most innocent girls you will ever see...
"Teacher! Kate is... sexy?"
I lost it, I couldn't keep a straight face and just fell against the white board laughing.
So this is my life for now... at least it has its entertaining moments. Time to go back to class,
Catch you guys later!
J
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Oh the geekiness!
I don't think I need to worry about being disconnected from home, even with the prospect of no phone line until tomorrow and no internet hooked in for a few days. Why: Well A: because I've got some amazing friends that will let me use their computers and their phones. But even if its 4 in the morning I can still get online...how? The PC Bang.
(Korean lesson: Bang means room. So if you hear someone say NoraehBang, as an example, it means "singing room" but there is no Korean word for "PC" so it's PC Bang)
You will see these places everywhere! the two letters "PC" big and coloful, normally with a floor number beside it. These neon signs have become both an annoyance and a godsend because they are one of the only signs I've been able to understand from the start, but they are everywhere!
I only stepped into one once before this moment. On my first night. Because when I tried the computer in my Motel room and everything was in Korean, I walked into the first PC Bang I found, looked at the poor sixteen year old behind the counter (Poor because he looked terrified by the white boy, and because he was working at 4 am! when the hell do these kids sleep?!) and I said "English?" And he shook his head and that was it, I decided to return to my sketchy but clean Motel and try to crack the computer code. And I did. I still can't read the stuff, but I can make keyboards make english and I can muddle my way through changing websites.
But not I've got a break between 5 and 6 before my next class and I've just been moved into my new place, so there is no internet for me. But I was sitting in the teachers office (yeah, we all share one, its cozy) and I looked across the road out the window and saw "PC." Why not, I thought, and walked over to do a little updating.
First of all the price: It isn't bad, at basically a dollar an hour, it isn't fantastic either. But this place is insane. I should have realized how geek centered Korea was when I saw that there are not one but TWO networks dedicated to Starcraft (okay one plays Warcraft sometimes) But these are high quality machines, top of the line monitors and chairs that look like I should be a starfleet captain to sit in. THIS is what Korean kids do all the time!? How are they not huge!? I mean if America (Canada included) had these kind of places our children wouldn't be fat, they would all be morbidly obese.
That little rant aside, they're comfy, have a smoking and non smoking section and are quick enough that I can keep up with the world back home until I get settled in.
Well time to go back to teaching, catch you guys later.
J
(Korean lesson: Bang means room. So if you hear someone say NoraehBang, as an example, it means "singing room" but there is no Korean word for "PC" so it's PC Bang)
You will see these places everywhere! the two letters "PC" big and coloful, normally with a floor number beside it. These neon signs have become both an annoyance and a godsend because they are one of the only signs I've been able to understand from the start, but they are everywhere!
I only stepped into one once before this moment. On my first night. Because when I tried the computer in my Motel room and everything was in Korean, I walked into the first PC Bang I found, looked at the poor sixteen year old behind the counter (Poor because he looked terrified by the white boy, and because he was working at 4 am! when the hell do these kids sleep?!) and I said "English?" And he shook his head and that was it, I decided to return to my sketchy but clean Motel and try to crack the computer code. And I did. I still can't read the stuff, but I can make keyboards make english and I can muddle my way through changing websites.
But not I've got a break between 5 and 6 before my next class and I've just been moved into my new place, so there is no internet for me. But I was sitting in the teachers office (yeah, we all share one, its cozy) and I looked across the road out the window and saw "PC." Why not, I thought, and walked over to do a little updating.
First of all the price: It isn't bad, at basically a dollar an hour, it isn't fantastic either. But this place is insane. I should have realized how geek centered Korea was when I saw that there are not one but TWO networks dedicated to Starcraft (okay one plays Warcraft sometimes) But these are high quality machines, top of the line monitors and chairs that look like I should be a starfleet captain to sit in. THIS is what Korean kids do all the time!? How are they not huge!? I mean if America (Canada included) had these kind of places our children wouldn't be fat, they would all be morbidly obese.
That little rant aside, they're comfy, have a smoking and non smoking section and are quick enough that I can keep up with the world back home until I get settled in.
Well time to go back to teaching, catch you guys later.
J
Anyong Hasseo! (Translation: Hi!)
Well hello everyone, greetings from a really strange land on the other side of the world.
I'm updating from the faculty computer at my afternoon school, So it won't be a very long or complete update, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until I get set up in my new place for a more complete update.
Living in Korea is hard! I want to put this out right now that it doesn't matter how much prep you put yourself through, it is rough. I'm not saying it's insurmountable or that its something I can't do. I don't know the answers to these yet. But it is dificult. Furthermore for those considering coming, if you can come with someone that you care about and trust then I reccomend it. I think having that other friendly and familiar face would make all the world of difference. You would still cry and feel lost for the first bit I'm sure, but I don't think you would feel as alone.
That said I don't want to make it sound all bad in my little window I'm giving right now. My director is fantastic and the people I work with have been wonderful to me, and the kids, while a handful are absolutely adorable. I tried to put up a picture, but no such luck for now.
More from me later!
Jamie
Well hello everyone, greetings from a really strange land on the other side of the world.
I'm updating from the faculty computer at my afternoon school, So it won't be a very long or complete update, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until I get set up in my new place for a more complete update.
Living in Korea is hard! I want to put this out right now that it doesn't matter how much prep you put yourself through, it is rough. I'm not saying it's insurmountable or that its something I can't do. I don't know the answers to these yet. But it is dificult. Furthermore for those considering coming, if you can come with someone that you care about and trust then I reccomend it. I think having that other friendly and familiar face would make all the world of difference. You would still cry and feel lost for the first bit I'm sure, but I don't think you would feel as alone.
That said I don't want to make it sound all bad in my little window I'm giving right now. My director is fantastic and the people I work with have been wonderful to me, and the kids, while a handful are absolutely adorable. I tried to put up a picture, but no such luck for now.
More from me later!
Jamie
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