Buseok Biz-nitches

I think I'm finally starting to blend in.

pronounced "boo-sock"

Lip My Stockings

 Sophia Coppola's Lost in Translation is one of the reasons we came to Asia.   This is one of my favorite scenes...

Hot for Teacher

To be quite frank, I’m the hottest thing in Yeongju.  No, really. 

Jessica and I are celebrities here.  Hollywood stars.  Some would say…actually most would say…that Koreans find white, western people attractive.  In a general sense.  But I don’t believe it.  I know jealousy when I see it. 

There was the time back in the fall when I was riding home with several teachers from school.  Ralph, the special education teacher was driving.  You may remember him from here.  The previous foreign English teacher was apparently a hermit of sorts.  She didn’t interact and socialize with the students or teachers when it could be avoided.  Sensing that I was more open to conversation than others, Ralph says to me in a very genuine tone, “I would like to get alone with you.” 

Several nights ago, Jessica and I made a new friend who is studying English.  Later in the evening we were introduced to her parents.  We met them in their local shop, where apparently they’ve made it big in the octopus business.  Hee Jeun told her father that I am running in a 5k race at Sobaek Mountain in April, as he is a runner also.  The octopus proprietor looked me over and said to his daughter “he has a very good body.”

If you got it….you got it.

Seoul Weekend

Jessica's birthday was Saturday March 5, so we spent the weekend in Seoul.  A few photos for you viewing pleasure....

We spent Sunday afternoon in an area of Seoul called Insadong.  Kinda traditional.  Kinda touristy.  Kinda traditional in a touristy kinda way.  This sign was at the entrance to a traditional looking functioning temple right in the middle of tall city buildings.  You don't want to get on the bad side of a monk, so we used the side doors.

High heels.

Larry, Moe, and Curly.

One of many paintings on the outside of the temple.

We watched this man outside the temple gates drink half a bottle of Soju in one gulp.  Soju is a Korean liquor.  One bottle is 19.3%.  He poured out the rest of it.

We had tea with my friend Adam Shaw from high school.  He's in the Air Force, stationed in Osan, just outside of Seoul.

6 months

I graduated college 7 years ago.  May, 2004.  I remember my aunt and uncle taking me to dinner as graduation drew close.  They live in Hendersonville, NC, not far from the campus.  The only thing I remember about our conversation that night was my uncle asking me if I had any job prospects lined up.  No.  Should I?  I haven’t graduated yet.  Commencement is two weeks away.  I haven’t planned past this evening.

For many people, college is the primary formative period of life.  You establish who you are.  What you’re going to be.  Where you’re going.  I’ve even heard you make your lifelong friends in college.  This is where you become an adult.  At least you’re supposed to.

These past 7 years…

bad decisions.  wasted time.  failed plans

…have been my formative years.  I can look back, especially at the past 2 years, and see my progression.  My metamorphosis, if you will.

Maybe I’m behind schedule.  That’s OK.  I know where I’m (we’re) going.

As of today, Jessica and I have lived in Asia for 6 months.  I feel like we can do anything at all.

                                                               ...and we plan to.

Update...

• The new school year began last Wednesday.  It wasn't quite the return to work that I had expected.  In a week I have yet to have a full day of classes.  According to my co-teachers, the manager of the English center hasn't finalized a schedule yet.  Seriously?  We've been out of school since December 23.  Maybe there's more to making a schedule for 3 teachers than I realize.
• Jessica started a yoga class.  It meets 5 days a week in the evening.  She's enjoying it but she's sore.  Really sore. 
• On Saturday we will have been in Korea for 6 months.  We're working on our plan for what to do next.  Jessica's boss wants to meet with me today to try to persuade us to stay in Korea a little longer.  We'll see how that goes.

Graduation

Here's a few shots from Kindergarten Graduation for Jessica's students at English Island Academy.

Weekend 3.0

I'm now convinced that my old manager Betse trained every Starbucks employee in Korea. 

We spent the weekend in Seoul to celebrate Jessica's birthday on Saturday.  Every time we go to one of the big cities we make our way from the bus station directly to Starbucks.  Seriously.  And every time, without fail, this is the scenario....

I order the dark roast coffee of the week.  Jessica orders a hazelnut frappacino.

Them: "Uhhhh.....(looks at the menu).....hazelnut frappacino......uhhhhh........no."

Me: "Do you have caramel frappacino?"

Them: "Yes."

Me: "Do you have hazelnut latte?"

Them: "Yes."

In a matter of 7 seconds I have managed to navigate a language barrier and establish the fact that they have 1) frappacinos, and 2) hazelnut syrup.

Me: .....(holding a pretend cup)....."caramel frappacino".....(pretend to pull something out of my pretend cup)...."caramel no, hazelnut yes".......(pretend to put something new into my pretend cup).

Them: "Ahhhhhh......yes!"

I've done this same song and dance so many times I could do it in my sleep.

The Korean baristas have always been extremely happy to make what ever drink we ask for once they realize that they have the means to make it.  It's not their fault really.  Like I said, my old manager apparently taught them the same thing she tried to teach us: Don't give the customer what they want, but what you want to sell them.

Asia....you're the best!

Check out the artwork of Hong Kong artist Dorothy Tang.

Be careful what you wish for

If you’ve ever traveled abroad or read this blog, you know the routine.  You make a trip to the store.  All you want is something simple.  Shampoo.  Coconuts.  Matching underwear.  The cashier will not sell you the item.  She says something to you in Korean.  You obviously don’t understand.  She repeats herself.  You obviously still don’t understand.  You leave empty handed and frustrated.  It’s like that song.  The one that never ends. 

This is what I assume is usually happening: the cashier is trying to tell us about a “buy one/ get one free” deal on Coconuts.  Or maybe if you buy shampoo, you get a bottle of conditioner half price.  Quite possibly she’s desperately trying to tell us not to wear matching underwear.  I’m sure the cashier always has the best of intentions.  But it’s still frustrating.  When I worked in similar jobs in the US and I was confronted with the same situation, I handled it differently.  The scenario generally involved a Hispanic person, and their English wasn’t the best.  Instead of trying to explain to them that they could upgrade their Chick-fil-A combo for only $0.40 and receive large fries and a large drink, or maybe that Starbucks is offering a deal too good to pass up on those dried out, bland scones, I would simply let the transaction go.  I would only give them what they asked for.  I didn’t want to confuse and frustrate the customer.  Even though they missed out on something beneficial, they left happy. 

I’ve always complained that the Korean cashiers at Homeplus should do the same.

Last Friday my wish was granted.  Jessica and I were in Andong for a movie.  From experience, we know that the next available train to Yeongju leaves the station at 2:15am.  Therefore, after the movie lets out we make our way to the bus station.  It’s a little more expensive, but buses make regular trips to Yeongju.  The movie let out around 11:45pm, and we waved down the first taxi we saw. 

“Bus-uh tuh-mi-nal, gah-ju-say-yo” I say to the driver.  And away we go.  The new bus station is on the other side of town, maybe 20 minutes.  We arrive, hand the driver 10,000 Won for his troubles, and exit the car.  There are about 10 people waiting, and the next one in line hops in the taxi after us.  The station is dark, and we walk inside to find it closed. 

Taxi drivers commonly know bus and train schedules.  They make most of their money driving newly arrived passengers to their destinations, and circling back to the station to retrieve new patrons.  Our driver was no different.  He knew the bus station was closed.  He knew those white people in his car were clueless to the fact.  But he drove us anyway.  Never did he try to explain that there were no buses.  At first I was a bit irritated because now we would have to spend another 10,000 Won to get back to the train station.  But then I remembered all those times at Homeplus when we left without what we came for and no clue as to why. 

So to that Korean taxi driver who took our money and kept his mouth shut: Thanks a million.