Christmas week

Monday: Christmas presentation rehearsal with kindergarten. Try to convince Jae-Hee that dancing the polka in front of large group is not scary. Squeeze 9 small children into puffy penguin costumes because my 10th, Jae-Hee, didn't buy my speech, dance the polka...stop to squeeze two out of penguin costume to pee...back into costume to finish rehearsal. Rest of day spent giving unit tests to middle school kids while I map out tropical getaway.

Tuesday: Christmas presentation at Cultural Arts Center followed by more tests. Celebrate last class with coworkers.

Wednesday: Brunch with Tessa, Carrie, Lindsay. Pack for Thailand. Jump on airplane with Naz. Nothing but smiles.

Thursday: Arrive at 1:35 a.m. Christmas morning to a car service, which will take us to our hotel...that offers 24 hour massage.

Friday: Travel to south of Thailand, rest on beach, lay in hammock, roll over, massage, return to my hammock, eat food, go for swim, massage after strenuous swim. Merry Christmas to me.

world of pain

I found a youtube video of the academy I went to for Capoeira. This was my class and the guy in green pants is the one who made me play with him...umm, keep reading so that doesn't sound weird. It starts off slow but keep watching... my instructor is at the end in a white shirt, pretty much just kicking and slapping everyone. Andy is in it, too. Only white guy with long hair.




I wish I could say I brought a world of pain to the guys in my class, but unfortunately I am referring more to the pain ripping through every muscle in my body. I went to my first capoeira class and loved it, but ended up getting my butt kicked in a martial arts class where no one actually kicks each other.

I went to watch and was told I wouldn't be pressured into participating. Liars! I met up with Andy and only 5 steps out of the subway station he tells me he has an extra pair of pants for me in case I decided to not be a wuss. When I met the instructor I thanked him for letting me watch and he said, "you aren't watching, there's no watching."

I looked around at all of the guys, only guys, and mentally turned around and went home where I martial arted my own butt for being such a wuss. So I put on the white pants and joined the boys club. Brutal.

We went over the basics practicing each kick over and over in front of the mirror. In between each move we did a different push-up. Ten regular, then 10 clapping, then 10 dropping to your elbows and back up. I felt like G.I. Jane but with no upper body strength or awesome haircut.

When we were finished with the mirror the mats came out and we all lined up to do rolls, then cartwheels, then one-handed cartwheels, then front and back walk-overs, then handsprings. Much to my surprise, and surprise of the guys (which I have to admit felt really good to my ego after those shameful push-ups) I am still able to do all of those things.

The only part that is still very intimidating for me is at the end when you "play" capoeira. If you look it up you will understand, but basically its like a battle, similar to breakdancing, between two people. You use the kicks and flips but there is never any contact (on purpose). Everyone else is in a circle singing in portuguese and playing instruments. When you feel like it, you can cut in and challenge one of the people playing. I was too scared, but they eventually forced me to get up and join. I was horrible and embarrassed, but I tried it. So fun to watch two people when they are good, though. At the end of class the instructor said something about gymnastics then gave me a thumbs up and told Andy to bring me back, which was nice.

As soon as I regain the ability to dress myself again, I fully intend on doing just that.

p.s. the protestors who can't ruin christmas

Thailand is back on and I now wake up every morning with the beach on my mind. I even taught my class the Christmas Vacation Happy Dance. It similar to the Friday Happy Dance we do each week, but with a little more hip and a lot more jazz hands.

Iv'e got moves you've never seen

And really neither have I. But I am hoping to acquire them when I go check out this capoiera class with my friend Andy. He is already really into it and asked me to come watch. We both figure because of my gymnastics I will at least have an advantage in learning. To be honest, I have at one point in my life been able to do some of what is in this video...but at what point in my life I will not mention. I'm pretty sure the only evidence at this point that I was ever a gymnast is in my height.

Cathedrals

this is for you today. the words are beautiful. listen.

bring on the care packages

My Thai trip is officially canceled. My travel buddy backed out, which is understandable given the recent political upheaval, but extremely frustrating for me. Anyone interested in Cambodia? Ech, as much as the idea of staying in Seoul for my only 2 week vacation sounds relaxing, I'd rather pass.

I'm sure it will all work out for the best, and if I can get my money back from the travel agent I'll at least have some more money for travels after Seoul.

Now if you will excuse me I have to look into buying bricks of gold before I lose all the money I'm making here to the horrible exchange rate. Bahumbug.

Oh, before you all think I'm about to throw myself off a bridge, I saw Jens Lekman this weekend and realized life is worth living. The venue was small and packed, but we got a great spot and after the show he hung out for a while.

According to the Korean newspaper, Jens not only brought a great show to Hongdae, he brought some "indie cred", too. Indie cred. Indie. cred. Did I mention Korea's top notch journalism.

And now, for the man we have all been waiting for...Jens Lekman...the man responsible for bringing hipsters to Hongdae:

Rubber Seoul

I will be volunteering with The Little Travellers organization here in Seoul for World Aids Day. Tessa introduced them to me and I'm pretty excited to be helping out. The event is in an area of Seoul called Hongdae, the university area, and we will be joining another great organization called Grassroots Uganda.

Here is some information from their website:

The Little Travellers HIV/AIDS Initiative is orchestrated by a group of ordinary people, who really want to do something to ease the burden of HIV/AIDS & poverty in Africa. This is a true grassroots project: the initiative got its start at the University of Manitoba in 2005 after a few curious beaded dolls - lovingly made at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre in South Africa - were discovered to have stowed-away in the luggage of an unsuspecting volunteering returning from the Centre.

The dolls, affectionately named "Little Travellers", were recognized as an opportunity to raise money and awareness for the plight of the crafters, all of whom are affected by HIV/AIDS, and others that the dedicated staff at the AIDS Centre work tirelessly to help.

State of emergency

State of emergency at Bangkok airports

Thailand's government has announced a state of emergency at Bangkok's two airports where thousands of anti-government protesters are camped out.

The Thai government has declared a state of emergency after thousands of protesters took over both Bangkok airports yesterday. About four months ago the Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began protests in an effort to pressure Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government to resign.

A state of emergency gives the government the right to restore order, suspend civil liberties, ban public gatherings of more than 5,000 people and control some media reports, specifically those it believes would cause panic. The government is insisting that the military will use only peaceful means to remove protesters.

There is also rumors that a military coup is being organized. The Thai army general made a plea to the government to hold elections to end political protests but was denied. Now, reported tank movements within the city, as well as the use of the air force and navy, raised speculation that the army was preparing to intervene against the government.

The reason I post this is that I have, for the first time in my life, bought myself a Christmas present. Guess what it is. Come on...I bet you can't guess!

A ticket to Thailand! My present to myself was a 2 week vacation on the beach with nothing but a hammock, a book and the ocean. I had no idea when I talked to the travel agent that he had included a nicely wrapped hand grenade.

The trip is in three weeks and I'm sure by then the airports will be open. I'm told the government has already taken steps to move flights, which are currently non existent, to another city.

Yesterday Grace threw up on me during lunch. I will go to Thailand, even if I have to kick Wongsawat's ass myself.

Well, him and his army.

Note: Don't freak out. I won't go if it's too dangerous. But I expect a lot of care packages if my trip is canceled, people.

Halloween

GDA Halloween: Left to right, maggie, meghan, naz, me, jill, katherine, pajai, adam, craig and daryl.

Snow white for Snow White class, Lion for Lion King class, and a little princess kitten.
This is Sally. I am putting her in my suitcase and taking her home with me. That is an eyeball in her hand.

It's Party Time: I was in charge of the dancing game. I played the music and we all danced until I stopped the music then everyone had to run and find a number to stand on. I picked a number from the box and that person got a prize. Everyone got a prize, and no one seemed to notice that I was looking at the numbers as I chose them. They were all just as shocked as the next that they WON!
Superman.
Skeleton.
Bunny.
Yeah. I don't really need to comment here.

I am hoping to join Pure Yoga, but the website is in Korean. This could prove to be a challenge, but I know where it is and I figure yoga is the same in every language. I'll be able to understand the instructor by the way he guides my legs and arms into the correct position. And he'll be able to understand me by the way I wince and cry in agony.

kaboom

N Korea issues warning to South

North Korea has threatened to reduce South Korea to rubble unless it stops what the North calls a policy of confrontation.

The harsh attack came after citizens from the South sent anti-government leaflets over the North in balloons.

The latest leaflets made allegations about the North's leader, Kim Jong-il.

Speculation about the leader's health has been rife since he failed to appear at a series of nation-praising events in recent months.

"The puppet authorities had better bear in mind that the advanced pre-emptive strike of our own style will reduce everything ... to debris, not just setting them on fire," the North's military said in a statement to the official KCNA news agency.

"It will turn out to be a just war... to build an independent reunified state on it," it added.

Military talk

Military representatives from the North and the South held a rare scheduled meeting on Monday, at which the North complained directly about the leaflets.

Analysts say the North refrained from bellicose military threats while it was receiving regular aid from the South.

But the current government in Seoul, led by President Lee Myung-back, has been taking a harder line, amid questions over whether the South's so-called "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with the North was working.

President Lee has advocated tying aid to progress on the North's nuclear disarmament.

The South says the leaflet campaigns are nothing to do with the government.

But the North's military statement said the acts of non-government organisations were "nothing but premeditated operations" against the North.

Leaflet balloons

Many batches of leaflets have been sent from the South over the years.

Activists had recently sent a new batch of tens of thousands of leaflets, attached to balloons, despite warnings from Seoul not to do so.

The leaflets were printed in waterproof ink on plastic sheets and carried the names of South Korean civilians and prisoners of war believed to be held in the North, as well as a family tree said to chart Kim Jong-il's relationships with several women who bore him children.

A North Korean defector now leading the leaflet campaign in the South, Pak Sang-hak, has reportedly said he has no plans to stop sending the airborne messages.

US and South Korean officials say Mr Kim may have fallen seriously ill in August, raising questions about leadership and also about who is making decisions about the country's nuclear weapons ambitions.

Hiking Mount Bukansan

The mountains that surround the city. I have stared at these from the city for three months and finally made it Saturday. We left around 8:30 am . My coworkers Meghan, Daryl, Craig, and me.THE TIPPY TOP: I saw a lot of rock climbers dangling from the side. Got a little itch to try it out now.
Autumn in Seoul.

THE FIRST FEW STEPS: It was pretty crowded on the mountain and at times people were crawling over each other. Really, actually, heels in your stomach, "speed! speed!", walking sticks jabbing your feet, crawling over each other. But honestly, that is a typical day anywhere in Seoul, at least getting knocked to my back in the woods promises a nice view.
OUT OF SHAPE: A very quick break. 30 minutes into the hike we sat down...and watched about 30 elderly men and women run past us at lightening speed. When I saw the woman with a toddler strapped to her back, I put my water away, got up, and carried on. We didn't take many breaks after that.
THE TOP IS WHEREVER YOU WANT IT TO BE: By this point it was raining pretty hard. An old man, upset seeing me soaked to the bone, offered me his raincoat. Meghan and I opted out of the last 100 feet of the hike because it was nearly straight up using rope on very slick rock. But the boys were intent -- to them the top was the entire point of going. As we waited on more sturdy ground, a man mentioned to us that this was a dangerous stretch, but if we got over this part, the top was only an hour away. Ugggggggggggh. When the boys returned walking proud, we patted them on the back, said good job, and never said a word.
5 HOURS LATER: Craig likes to thumbs up everything. Not sure if he was exhausted from the hike or what, but he's not looking at the camera. I wore that hat the entire way home because it rained the last 2 hours and however goofy I looked with the hat, the hair was worse.

By the way. It's Sunday now, a day after the hike, and I can barely walk down the stairs. My knees ache and my calves have turned to stone. I do have to say, though, that I was in heaven. I couldn't feel my hands, and my muscles were quivering...but I was finally on a mountain. I haven't seen a tree in a very long time. Rain and all, it was a beautiful day.

tourist

here you go. this is me being a tourist. i hate these photos but, ehh. this is one of the biggest palaces in south korea and it was really beautiful. the pond behind me was filled with goldfish, all of which were nearly jumping out of the water begging for food. they were like little puppies. fuppies? i was with bart and jane and it was the dead of summer. but a great day, nonetheless.

Victory hug

The moms and teachers took the blue team to victory!

Field Day

Warning: What you are about to witness is the single most adorable child in the entire world. So cute, in fact, you may fall over. This is 5-year-old Alex running his heart out on the blue team.

Note: The red team going backwards at the end of the video. Also note the screaming teacher. Sorry about that, I was really excited.

The way baseball should be

victory is sweet, even deep in the cheap seats

Da Bears.




The Doosan Bears are now my favorite baseball team. I will soon buy the jersey and hat, just to make it more official. But until then, I am announcing it so we are all clear. The Doosan Bears are my favorite baseball team.

Why, you ask? Well, for starters, what other baseball team has cheerleaders? What other baseball stadium sells dried squid to snack on and is BYOB? I went to my first game Saturday night. The stadium is surrounded by mountains and its beautiful. The weather is starting to cool off, and the air is crisp and smells like fall...instead of pollution. This game was just what I needed after an overwhelming week.

And playoffs are just around the corner. My friend Scott said last year he dressed up like Santa Clause and rushed the field to second base. Who knows, if we win this year I may just have to find a Mrs. Clause suit.

The cheerleaders.

The fans.

alive and well

This is for my mom and dad. My mom keeps asking if I am eating alright and if I have enough money. This is my fridge. It is well stocked with lots of healthy food options. I can even afford the fancy mushrooms. I am brushing my teeth and cleaning my room. I don't make my bed, though. I still just don't see the point.

BRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Metal bands in Korea. Who knew there was a subculture of Pantera loving, black eyeliner wearing, plaid skirt and converse donning, long haired, tattooed , freaks? I did. I knew they were out there. This weekend I found them with Naz, who finally arrived all the way from Denton, Texas. We met up with three of her Denton friends who are already living here and heard about the CD release of a Korean death metal band.

People sat silently on the floor in between sets and stood a comfortable distance apart from one another bobbing their heads obediently to lyrics like, "BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH, DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!"

It was a no smoking facility and no liquor. Oh, and kid friendly (at least I figured since my view was blocked at one point by a 5 year old on his daddies soldiers.) Perhaps instead of Eentsy, Weentsy Spider this week, Ill teach my kindies some Pantera.
This is the color of my seoul.

Working miracles

I found a $1 store in Korea. For $1 I bought sticky wallpaper to put in my kitchen. See that bottle of wine on the counter... that used to be water!
This is my nook. I quit TV and have since inherited a free guitar, table, and several books.

unplugged

I'm turning off my television, limiting my computer to school and music, and trying to rest my brain.

I will now sit and eagerly await the moment when my muscles unclench and the scattered matter inside my head slows to a quite hum.

This could take days.

the kiddos

Jun-Han. He is crazy!

This is May. She is also crazy. And a little handful.

Today we were supposed to go on a field trip to the aquarium, but it rained. The parents didn't want their kids stepping onto a bus exposed to the poisonous rain, so instead they stepped onto a bus and went to GDA. When I finally wrap my brain around that one, I will explain what that means. As you can see, some of the kids were a little upset. I decided to let them play with my camera to cheer them up. May took this picture of Jae-Hee crying. When Jae-Hee saw how sad she looked, she started laughing.

This is Sharon. Two seconds before this photo she was crying, most likely because Jae-Hee was crying. We got the camera and she cheered right up. I said smile.
Then I said silly face. She is still learning English.

here we go

On my way home from the gym, where I just got my very own membership, I decided it really was time to exit "vacation mode" and enter into my new reality here in Seoul. I keep saying this, but I am surprised how easily I have accommodated to Korean life - the food, the job, the friends. Walking home I realized that I really haven't had that culture shock moment I'd expected.

My guts, however, have been singing a completely different tune. I won't sing it for you now, but I did sing it...and dance it...to a complete stranger.

I took my guts to an herbal pharmacy full of mystical remedies and was welcomed by an older woman. I pointed to my angry stomach and began grunting, pouting my lips, puffing out my cheeks and waddling around like a bloated penguin- generally trying to get the point across that I was in agony. She watched patiently and quietly until I was finished with my little constipation dance, then asked if I had been eating a lot of bread of drinking too much beer.

"Sometimes," she said, "that can cause some intestinal problems and those foods should be avoided."

Before the red in my cheeks could reach their full brilliance, she cracked open a bottle and a pouch of grain and forced it down my throat. She didn't charge me. (Perhaps it was the humiliating bowel dance I did.) She just told me to hurry home and go to bed within the next 4 hours.

Not entirely sure what is about to happen to my body. Not entirely sure what it was I ingested. All I know is the next time I walk into a pharmacy with an ailment, Ill ask if they've ever lived in New York for 10 years and speak perfect English. Spare me the shame.

UPDATE: it worked.

when texas meets korea

Jane came to visit last week and I had such a great time with her and her friend Bart. The perfect pair to wander around seoul with and discover what an amazing city I now live in. It was painfully hot, but amazing. I will post more but wanted you all to see a peak at the temple. I thought it was beautiful and so quiet sitting in the center of such a busy city full of noise.

snow white class

This is my Snow White class. They are the first level of kindergarten meaning when they started school at GDA a few months ago they had never heard English. I have been told by other teachers that most of them cry the first week. I adopted them after the crying, and right around that point where all they do is repeat what I say, then say no.

For example: Teacher- "Grace, please sit down and be quiet."
Grace- "Grace, please sit down and be quiet," arms folded in protest in the corner of the room. "NO!" It's pretty awesome.

Top, left to right: Alex, Jun-Han and Jae-Hee. Alex is just about the cutest boy that every existed. He wears suspenders that tug his pants to his navel and after he uses the bathroom, has bits of shirt hanging out. Jun-Han is like a rubber band. He can't sit down and he can't control his enthusiasm, or boredom for that matter. Yesterday when I told him we were going to make chickens and pigs and hang them on the wall, he lept into the air, arms waving, and shouted "oh boy, oh boy!" Jae-Hee is shy but sweet. She is just getting comfortable with English and that deer in the headlights look I saw the first week is starting to fade.

Bottom, left to right: That is Grace. Grace always has an ouchy that "hurts many so bad a lot, teacher!" and always has to pee. She knows more English than most of the kids and is younger, but somehow only manages to utter three bits of vocabulary: no, pee-pee, and MINE! Next to Grace is Alex. He looks scared.

the pentaport festival

Saturday was one of Koreas biggest music festivals - the Pentaport Rock Festival. Tessa, Frannie, her boyfriend David and my co-worker Craig all took an hour trip to Incheon (just outside of Seoul) in hopes of rocking.
David was pretty intent on rain boots because he said the word was funny and thought it would be even more hilarious if we all wore them. It was pretty likely it would rain so I was inclined to go along. We stopped by several stores on the way and couldn't find any to fit our giant foreigner feet, so we gave up and decided to rock without.
When the cab dropped us off, much to our surprise, the rain boot gods had lined up rain boot vendors down the sidewalk leading straight to the festival. I was hesitant to spend $15 on the off chance it would rain but decided to go along. Plus, I found some really cute white ones that I figured Id get some use out of.
So we took our cute boots, stepped into the festival, and I immediately sunk 3 inches into the ground. It wasn't raining, but it had earlier that day. As you can see from the photo, this is what happens when it rains in Korea. And this is what happens when I decide I really wanna see the band up close.
Koreans, as it turns out, go absolutely wild for just about anything with the words rock or party in the invitation.
The shows were amazing, the food was interesting, the cocktails were in plastic bags and I was rolling in the mud until 4 a.m. One thing I can say is when you get knocked over in a mosh pit in Korea, everyone stops to help you up, which was nice. Wish I could have found someone to help me with laundry the next day.

My apartment

In the back left you can see the black gate that leads to my apartment. Through the soju, that is. This is basically like sake and Koreans drink it like water. Walk down the entrance and to the left and this is the patio area. Last night we barbecued and drank soju till 5 a.m. When I woke up I drank a gallon of water and swore Id never drink soju again. Tonight I'm going out with Tessa and Frannie. I will probably drink soju.

The hood: Seocho-dong

This is a street in my neighborhood. Lots of little family restaraunts, grocery stores, dry cleaners, clothing stores and my personal favorite...dorinbongs! That's karaoke in Korean.