So I have now been living abroad in good 'ol Seoul for over 6 weeks. It is so crazy to me how fast the time is flying by here. I think back to when I left the hurricane and earthquake ridden mid-atlantic August 29 (shout out to my Dad for turning the big 7-0 that day) and now I feel more comfortable living here and think that when I do go back to the states that its going to more of a culture shock than when I stepped out in the arrival area jet lagged out of my mind at 5am in the Incheon airport August 31. There is so much you want to experience and see here because you just want to take it all in that it becomes difficult to reflect. But reading my blog posts I can tell how much I have adjusted not just to the culture, but to this situation that is completely not the norm for me (I didn't have any room left in my luggage for the safety net). For a guy that watched ESPN like it was his job to now not having seen one game or Sportscenter since I have been here I really don't miss it (yes this is really Walfred Dennis Kemppainen writing this). I check my highlights, follow games on ESPN gamecast and just go about my day. I try my best to keep up with everyone back home, but at the same time as much I miss everyone (and I miss ya'll very much) I keep telling myself, ''You are living in Korea! How many people can say that?! This is what you have been talking about for many hot minutes. Live it up''. Thinking a year ago I was returning from another out of control trip from Vegas, hitting up the Mt. Vernon wine festival, Garlic festival, and being a college football tailgating ho to now eating live octopus, partyin' until the sun comes up on the regular, and experiencing the other side of the world with some of the best people that I would have never met if I just played it safe. It definitely feels good when you take that chance and it doesn't smack you in the face Rick James style, but rather it has a more comfortable Cliff Huxtable feel to it.
But I digress ya'll want to be able to put stories to all the pics you have been seeing (gotta play to the audience).
Since last you read I have now become official in Korea. No more dirty won. Its a clean living. I got to work as soon as it opened on the 10th, got my receipt to get my ARC (Alien Registration Card), asked for directions really quick and made the trek down to immigration. I would have gone with the other new teachers, but I did not need turn my passport in on the same day. I missed that note in the teacher's room as I was working hard (its okay to laugh, I am as I stroke the keys) for the money in my room on the 6th floor (penthouse). So I went solo down to immigration, and aside from going to the wrong floor it was incredibly easy. I walked in, took a number, fingerprints and I got my ARC in under 15 minutes (DMV could learn alot from Korean Immigration). So now that I had my card I still had to keep focus as I was having my first open class (its their version of a parent-conference where the parents observe the class for the first half and then you talk to the parents with the school president translating during the second half ). But before that I had to open my bank account as it was payday! I did alot of signing and smiling, and next thing I knew I had a balance book and check card. But it was no time to celebrate as I had to prep for open class. Luckily, it was one of my better classes so I wasn't too worried. I made a review game called Chupa Chew Review (chupa chews are cheap mexican lollipops that the kids love) to be able to show off the kids speaking prowess for their moms. The point of open class is to have the children speak as much as possible because the parents want to hear them speak English. It is more of a showcase for the students and you are pretty much just the MC. I was really proud of my kids as they knocked it out of the park going over the stories and speaking with confidence whether it was answering questions or making fun of me (which happens frequently). The class usually lasts 30 minutes and then you go talk to the parents, but I had wanted to teach for the full 40 minute block to make sure we got the game in. Afterwards it was time to sit down and hear about my performance and tell them about their child's progress. Sitting in a room discussing each child with the all parents in the room you have be careful how you talk about the kids so as to not embarass the child's parent in front of the other parents. There was a lot of head nodding, smiling, and then translation. I just made sure to make good eye contact and speak with confidence giving an honest and constructive evaluation (thank you to Radford Comm School and mental health experience). It was a positive exchange as the parents were aware of their children's strengths and weaknesses. They had some nice things to say about me so I left the room letting out a big sigh of relief, but knowing I have 5 more open classes with 2 in less than week. I have heard horror stories of parents bringing the pain on the teachers so I am staying ever vigilant of such parents in the upcoming weeks stepping into my classroom. Along with open classes mid-terms are coming up next Wednesday, Thursday so the stress level has crept its way up and up as we need to get these kids prepared. Fortunately here at WILS we have a very strong team all with different strengths that you can lean on when you feel overwhelmed. The teachers are constantly busting their asses working all hours in and out of school (work hard, play hard). We teach for roughly 7 hours a day, but then add in the prep time before and after class makes it easily a 12 hour day. Being in such tight quarters at school, with kids running around like crazy you would think there would be nervous breakdowns all over, but I have seen that the more hectic it gets the more the teachers step up not only for themselves but for everyone else. Sitting in the teacher's room prepping for class you will see someone making a quiz or supplemental material and then giving it to another teacher or an idea for a class. It is a sight to see how on point it is around here, and no matter how overwhelmed you might become at any given moment someone will be there to help you out. The work ethic is quite infectious. I see someone rockin' a class and I just wait for my chance to get in classroom and keep the same high standard.
Enough about work. So last Friday, when I was still an illegal, a bunch of us went out for dinner and then off to a soju tent. Nothing new, been to a couple here. But then we decide to take this night to a HO...NOTHA...LEVEL with some live octopus. It is ordered and shortly their after a plate of squirming tentacles appears. As I stare at these wrestling tentacles on their last limbs it was brought to my attention that only 2 people died from eating these in the last year. So with that reassurance and assistance from a teacher who has a better chopstick game than yours truly a tasty tentacle had been inserted in my mouth. With a video camera all up in my grill I threw it back and wouldn't you know it was not going to go down without a fight. It clung to my cheek and then did a Macho Man (RIP) off the top rope elbow drop onto one of my molars. That tentacle did not know that the Escalade was a sea creature free ride and before he had a chance to say seafood is murder I dropped the top jaw on him again and again until there was no more life left swallowing the little guy. It actually didn't taste all that bad. Really salty. So with that off my bucket list it was back to something more familiar....drinking. After many bottles of soju and beers we played a quality game called Game of Death. It is a pleasant little game with chopsticks, chanting, pointing, and drinking for one lucky person. As that became old hap we decided it would nice to play, ''Who do you think is most likely''. Its a good way to see how these people you have been talking to really percieve you. Yeah I got pointed at alot. In a haze sometime around drunk thirty our group begins to break off and some of us go in search of a hookah bar. Much to our chagrin it is closed and so our group becomes smaller. Now I am with a teacher from another hag-won and we decide it would be a good idea to go to the Family Mart and go drink with the Korean businessmen sitting outside drinking. I can't really tell you much of the conversation but I know I made it home safe. I woke up the next afternoon finding out that I wasn't the only one that felt a little more than tipsy from the tent, but we all were like, ''Oh I couldn't tell you were that drunk at all. Did I pay?''. Good times. I recently had received a package from my parents and it had a new HD camera in it, but I left it at school. Well hungover and all I grabbed my trusty gatorade and made moves to the school, got my camera, attempted to make plans as I had internet access, and went out for dinner. After enjoying my favorite dish dakgalbi and good conversation it was already time to get ready for the next night (that will happen when you wake up at 1:30pm). Seeing as how my phone ran out of minutes I had to resort to the old school way of knocking on doors. Within an hour plans were made, a group assembled, and it was time to hit up Itaewon. It was a pretty good night as we had Thai at this ultra sexy place and then bar hopped Itaewon. Shots and shenanigans all over. Some places were poppin' while others less much to be desired, but atleast I was in good company where there never was a shortage of fun. We ended up at Bungalow swinging away shooting the breeze. I was enjoying my Makers and Ginger along with car bombs which the bartenders were thoroughly entertained as I downed each with Usain Bolt speed.
We have now reached Sunday where the newest teacher Alissa and I had to brave the subway for the first time without assistance to meet up with some other teachers to check out palaces and the sights of Insadong. We crushed it, got their early, and checked out what the buzz was all about (now I had been to Insadong before but it was the day I arrived in Korea so it felt more like a dream). The Goodwins met us and we were off. Taking pictures, taking in all the sights and finding out it was Letter Day celebrating the Korean King who developed Hangul. People were all over asking us to write in Korean or writing our names in Korean. It was a festive atmosphere full of good street food, conversation, and randomness. It was quite a day walking all over the tourist areas of Insadong and then going to the shopping area. We walked a good long ways seeing all sorts of sights and as tired as I was it was definitely worth it. I've never been one to pass or give up on a good time.
So after a nice solid weekend it was time to get myself connected. As my phone had run out of minutes and the kids were always making fun of it I felt it was time to step back into the smartphone world. Instead of going with someone I thought I could do it on my own. I made my over to the LG store after work and let the game of charades begin. I point to the new LG LTE 4G and the Samsung Galaxy 2. I try to figure out which one is better, but I get a blank stare so I add a shoulder shrug and an awkward grin blankly staring back. Eventually I settled on the Samsung Galaxy 2 after a couple rounds of charades and for the next 15 minutes all I heard was, ''Name, sign'' and then he wrote down how much it was a month telling me to come back tomorrow night when it would be ready. We agreed on 7. I said, ''am'' and he nodded. No it was definitely 7pm as the store doesn't open until 10 and I teach 'til 9:30 MWF. So I tried once again Thursday morning and the game of shadow puppets continued with entire staff as they tried to explain insurance to me. But we made all it through. They got the sale and I got the phone. It is nice here that you don't pay for the phone and then the plan instead you get the phone and as you pay your bills you are paying for your phone at the same time. So now I am back and running, connected to the world once again. Two things I really like about the phone is I can type in a name of a song put mediafire at the end of it and it dl's straight to my phone as well as Kakoa Talk which is a free text service on Android and Iphone you can use all the world. So if you want to get at me my name is Wally K.
So now it is Friday and Mother Nature decides it wants to rain. I remember I left my umbrella at the school so I try to tough it out, but I make it a 100 feet tops and am soaked. I remember that the 571 bus has a stop right in front of the school. I get on thinking nothing of it dl'ing music and zoning out. All of sudden we start crossing the Han River and going by World Cup stadium which I thought was okay we'll just loop back around. Wrong! People kept getting off the bus and I kept thinking where am I?! About 2 in for a 10 minute bus ride I get dropped off at the bus depot and the driver is looking at me like what the hell are you still doing here. He tells me to get on another bus...I think. I sit on a random bus and I try to tell the new driver I need to go to Mok Dong, WILS hag-won. As he starts heading the road someone in a Yale shirt spoke English and asked me where I was going. Just then I remembered I had a card made with the school address on it. He showed it to the bus driver and I was all good. Passing the World Cup Stadium again, crossing the Han again, and my building I was at WILS 3 hours later (I was informed I got on the wrong 571). So all that extra time I had to prep for my next open class and make quizzes was gone. But have no fear I got in the zone and pumped out all the work, cause there was no time to do anything except get it done. I got through my open class and all the other classes making it to a much needed weekend. We hit up a good 'ol meat dinner and then Garten Bier where we enjoyed many too tall beverages and then was serenaded by a friendly Korean gentleman. He initially broke out into a German drinking song and then without missing a beat went right into ''Memories'' from Cats. It was classic. His friend and wife did not seem to appreciate it as much as we did as they pushed him out the door. That was enough for one night. Saturday was suppose to be a day going to the cosmos fields around Gimpo airport where there are fields of flowers and temples. Well having the best intentions doesn't mean things will work when Mother Nature decides to be taking a turn to Negativetown. It was windy and raining. We all tried to meet up but it was a no go. I drowned my sorrow in a honey tea and super club at Kates. I had to refocus and get my mind right for the night. I headed down to Reisha's room where we began to talk about Halloween plans. We discussed costumes as she figured out she could be Rihanna, I was drawing a blank. And then out of nowhere it happened. I could be a Thundercat! With that weight off my shoulder we needed to discuss location. There had been talk about this Halloween Bash with a 3 hour booze cruise and open bar in Hongdae. I just happened to look at the Facebook page and see that the guys in charge of it are selling tickets in Hongdae for the night. So Reisha and I start texting away testing the interest waters. We make the plan to hit up Hongdae, but the weather is wicked outside. Crazy lightning show. I decide to go to Homeplus and look for a fold up table to play beer pong and flip cup, but as I become frustrated not being able to find this elusive item I head to one place where I know I will find something, the alcohol aisle. I decide an impromptu bubbily session needs to happen. I grab some bottles and now head back to the Tower to get the party started. So it was a nice chill night in the Tower with the 6th floor crew and Corynn. There was mention of going to Hongdae every so often, but then one look outside that was not going to happen. Luckily we just had to go down to the Family Mart if we ever ran out of spirits. Many hours as well as ridiculously good conversations later I was out like a light. I woke up to a beautiful sunn day and had the best of intentions to make the most of it. Instead I spent it catching up with some of you wonderful folks reading this epic right now. But at nightfall it was on. The Goodwins challenged me to a game of badminton. I couldn't let the Tower down. I snagged a fellow Tower tenant, Corynn (Chupa Chew Wooo!) and hit the Paris Park battlefield. After a rough start the Tower pulled out the victory. After a win what would one do for celebration.......work on the random workout machines in the park of course. Gotta keep the hips streamlined.
Now its another Monday. Midterms are Wednesday and Thursday, open classes are happening all day everyday. The days of going and grabbing drinks right after work regularly have been replaced by staying late at the school making plans and tests for the day. Can't be the weak link. So on that note I gotta get on making a review for open class so my teenagers can dazzle their parents with their English proficiency. Until next time wish nothing but the best for everyone!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Welcome to the World of Wally
Well Wally fans since your last reading things have continued to just get better and better here in good 'ol Seoul. Your boy, as of a couple weeks ago, was getting incredibly homesick as I felt as I had plateaued on my progress here. But I can safely say that is certainly not the case any longer (as if you couldn't already tell from my pics, haha). I have partyied until the break of dawn on more than one occasion this weekend alone. Gotta love 4 day weekends based on mythical half bear/gods forming a nation. Give it up for Foundation Day! But I digress....So a couple weekends ago we decide to go to the wonderful world of Hongdae (I misspelled this in the last post. I live in the Hyundai World Tower, but choom in Hongdae). We proceed to hit the dance floor at Bar Zen. Once they finally stop playing K-Pop it was all good rap from old West Coast to today. It is so funny watching Koreans get so hyped for a song and then not know the words. The Stanky Leg and Cupid Shuffle came on and I was trying to do the dance, but they just didn't know. After becoming frustrated with that side of the bar we moved on over to the other side got a table and bought of bottle of Crown (Yeah Mike Lawler. I am getting on your level). As I'm bumping into everything trying to get to our table (Korea is not made for people over 5'5) I say to everyone that Journey needs to be played right now. And sure enough it came on and I was belting it out. This might be the night that I permanently blew out my voice. It has not been right since. I am constantly raspy and it really is killing my nore-banging....and makes it difficult to teach as well, but nore-banging more importantly. But back to the bottle of Crown. So Mike (another WILS teacher) and I are led to believe that will be sharing this bottle with two of the other teachers. Wrong! 'Ol sneaky Reisha takes one shot and then hits the dance floor never to return and Corynn dips out. Well you all know I am no quitter. As Mike and I proceed to crush that bottle I see he has stop responding to me and has this look of fear in his eyes. At that point I knew he was in trouble as he darted for the water closet. Luckily he got it together and it was a false alarm. So we called it an early night (4am). I came stumbling out of the club as what can only best be described a drunken robot toy soldier weaving from side to side arms out straight. There is a picture of me ordering a kabob. People told me I said it was delicious. So from that weekend I gained a hangover and a renewed confidence in myself to make it here in Korea (I also got a sweet pair of Ray Bans somehow).
So during the week two new teachers arrive. We decide one night after work to hit up Mok Dong in search of fried chicken. We come across one place and I'm like, ''Can't be too bad its got a frog drinking on it''. So we go in and Jenn thinks she asking for chicken when in fact she continually demands that she gets beer. From that point on I now know ''hof'' means beer, not chicken. Well aside from that the fried chicken was no good. All bones. We proceed to find more food as that meal did not do the trick. We search and search and low and behold behind the Tower is an inflatable chicken pointing for us to go down some steps. So of course we did. We came across the BBQ Home and it was bangin'! We got the bbq cheese chicken which was in a sweet and hot korean sauce that was so good. After many pitchers, soju, and my ramblin' Dave and Jenn had to take a cab to their place as the buses and subways had stopped running for the night (my bad Goodwins). But now I know I have a local bar to escape to after a long day.
Fast forward to the next weekend. One of the teachers had mentioned to me that the local soccer team, FC Seoul, was having a Foreigner's Day. Free food and beer. So we all ordered tickets and an old familiar face, Abel Garrido of Radford Theta Chi fame, came down to hang with your boy. Two Theta Chis in the USA is trouble enough having two on the other side of the world that's just fucking awesome. So we roll like 16 deep into the World Cup Stadium site of the 2002 World Cup final which at the time was the most watched event on TV ever with just over a billion people. So you know for me it was really cool to be there and soak it in. I embraced the local team and got a hoodie and scarf to go along with my wicked awesome feaux hawk. We get into the game and it was a blast. The fans were going crazy, fireworks, constant chanting. It helped that they were playing the next to last place team in the K-League so there was a lot to cheer about as they won 4-1. All goals were scored by waeguks (foreigners). A hat trick from a guy from Montenegro and 1 from a Colombian. It was awesome to be there with the teachers bonding and for me to actually see some sports as I haven't seen any since I have been here. Suprisingly I have not gone into shock over this. After the match it was decided we should hit up a river cruise as it was only 7:30 which is much too early to go to Hongdae. So we subwayed our way to the point and waited for the cruise enjoying each other's company and lots of soju and beer. The cruise was very nice riding seeing all the scenery. I start zoning out, as I so often do, just thinking to myself, ''I really live here. This is so wild''. Once the cruise was a wrap we sat around trying to decide when to make our move to Hongdae. Some of our group breaks off for the evening while others get their potraits drawn. I stick to the soju. Finally after long ridiculous conversations we hit Hongdae and back to Bar Zen. We get a table, bottle, (yeah Mike) and proceed to choom it out once again. Many ridiculous pics are taken which barely breaks the ice on how out of control this night was (like I said in my last post this is only a blog to incriminate myself not others). I'll just say I was on big brother watch for the remainder of the night. We end up McDonalds where I stare at the menu not being able to decide what I want to eat. So you all know what I did?! Bought the whole damn menu for $14 and ate it all. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa buddy! So after recovering from that weekend it was another week of educating the Korean youth. One of my new student''s mothers brought me gourmet cupcakes that looked like works of art. I didn't want to eat them they looked that good. But I crushed a couple of them and they were excellent. The rest I gave to other teachers (if you want an A in my class don't bring sweets. Give me dakgalbi) More importantly it was Buck's last week before going back to grad school in London. For those that don't know Buck, which most reading probably do not, he's a kid who knows how to have a good time. He makes me look tame....at times.
So now this past week the last teacher arrives. We also have two teachers, Buck and another who is going to retire in the Phillipines leaving. We had a goodbye for the latter at the president of WILS place. This was my first homecooked meal since leaving the states and it was soooooooooooooooooooooo good. So good it hurt. So while I am stuffing my face I strike up a conversation with the new teacher Alissa. She goes on to tell me she's from Fairfax and went to UVA and I talk about something about school, family, acting a fool in Charlottesville and what not (you all know I am a rambler). Well I bring up my cousin somewhere in the conversation and immediately she was like, ''How do you know Sarah-Elizabeth'' to which I politely reply that she is my cousin. We have Thanksgiving at her place every year. Well I come to find out that Alissa's sister is sorority sisters with Sarah from VT and now roommates with her in Arlington. Sarah had told her that her cousin was going to be teaching English in Korea. Of all the dinner tables in Korea, haha.
Now we have reached this weekend. The 4 day weekend of Foundation Day and with it being Buck's last weekend and Alissa's first weekend you knew it was going to be a loooooooong weekend (one which my bank account really does not appreciate, but when has that ever stopped me from having a good time). While pregaming waiting for the right moment to strike Hongdae I come walking in to the room hearing people saying ''I don't know if I'm ready to enter the world of Wally'' to which I Buck reply ''Yeaaaaaa buddy get it in!'' Yes people I have arrived. We go out rockin' Hongdae at Ho Bar III (Ho means good in Korean. Get your minds out of the gutter people) and knocking back some crown and cokes, irish car bombs, just chooming the night away. Then it was off to FF which they say stands for Funky Fresh, but I would have to say it should stand for Frat Fun as it looked exactly and felt like the Pumpkin House at Radford. Well you know I jump on stage and just start revving up the crowd belting out classics like Welcome to the Jungle and Otherside by the Chili Peppers acting a crazy fool. Many shots later we take the party to the streets and a game of Danger Can breaks out. After our heads stopped hurting and I eat a couple gyros we wander the streets in search of a nore-bang. Somewhere around 5am we find one, our group holding now at four strong. Soju and beer in tow we hit the booth and sing it out. I try my hardest to sing Journey but as I struggle to get a note out it just isn't happening and I have to be saved by others so as to not have my score be incredibly low. So with no voice we walk out of the norebang to a bright new sunny day. Still in shock by the light of the sky we go to McDonalds where I proceed to berade the French soccer team for surrendering the 2006 World Cup. I had to apologize for my remarks soon after. Nothing like going to bed at 8am. The weekend still in diapers so on Saturday night we decide instead of going out to have a chill drinking night in the Tower or what I like to call Tower Hour(s) A night of drinking games?! This was right in my wheelhouse. I proceed to do my normal routine of buying a ridiculous of booze; soju, magguilli, beer, wine, and vodka. I roll into the party and realize we don't have any cards. No worries. I can just go downstairs to the Family Mart and grab a pack. I snag a Gatorade as well and next thing I know I'm $20 lighter. I look at the register and then the cashier. I see my card getting swiped and I am just in shock at what just happened. I look at the cards in a plastic case wondering how in the fuck they cost $20! And then I read the side of the pack. They are odorless cards........Oh now I get it. So word to the wise for everyone out there. Don't get odorless cards! So after I drink a little vodka sprite to recover from my shock I proceed to begin the night of drinking games with Up and Down the River to Fuck the Dealer to Kings and then to Asshole. I definitely was in my element explaining these games. Nothing like a good game of Kings to get to know your fellow teachers. So we party into the night and morning getting into all sorts of ridiculousness and pictures. Great people make for incredible nights. I find myself wandering from the park with a beer in hand to once again being at McDonalds. This time I say to myself that I do not want hotcakes so some friendly folks decide to order for me and get 5 mcmuffins, 5 hash browns, and 5 ojs. Exactly what I wanted and I ate it all. Perfect cap to another night and saying bye to Buck who had to fly that morning to get to class on Monday. Donkey punch!
We finally arrive to last night. I think to myself that it is going to be a relaxing Sunday night. Go out for some delicious dakgalbi and hit up Little America better known as Itaewon. I attempted to gather up a big group but to no avail due to moving issues, hangovers, and lack of communication as my phone ran out of minutes and the internet crapped. But no worries as Reisha and I hit up the dakgalbi joint and then went to Garten Beir where I got a beer that would rival Sir Bob when he's not six to midnight. I chug that back and then we go off to Itaewon to meet up with some of her friends. I look around and feel like I am back in the states. I decide on a pub called Baby Guinness. I am sipping on my beer yawning away enjoying people watching as a bunch of Irishmen are getting all sloshed. Reisha's friends arrive and it was on from there. One Irish Car Bomb lead to a jager Bomb to crown and cokes. People were buying drinks for the whole bar but then it closed. A bar closing before 2 in Korea? This isn't America. So we move onto the next spot which was awesome, Bungalow. You go in and you just feel infinitely sexier. The music is on point and there is a room with sand and swings. Such a hot place. Well I look on the menu and what did I see, A MAKER'S AND GINGER! I couldn't believe my eyes. All this time I have been drinking jack and cokes because they didn't know what bourbon was. And they had captain and cokes too (I'm looking out for you John). But unfortunately the bar closed on us so we kicked it to Club Zion (Shabba!) As I look around I notice I'm the only person in the bar of caucasian descent. You know that didn't stop me as I was all up the dance floor channeling my inner Pal Wiley and Ashley Carter. After much dubstepping we pushed on to Hongdae. Little did we know we got a stunt driver from the Fast and Furious as our cab driver as she was flying around cars, crossing yellow lines, and speeding like it was her job. Well seeing as it was 5:30am and the club closed at 6 we still hit up Club Naked got on the floor fighting the exhaustion. With the sun rising once again riding back on the bus to the Tower I realize I have it really good here. Great people and an awesome city. I am very lucky to be at WILS. Talking with other teachers at other schools they say that they aren't as tight so to have the group we have at WILS that hangs out is awesome and I am very appreciative. Living away from everything you've known forces you to grow as a person whether you are aware of it or not. What you are familiar with is so far gone you have to learn to make decisions without the influence of those who have helped make you who you are up to this point. Instead you are put in a new environment having to rely on people you've never met who have different views and life experiences that you take in as you begin to understand something outside of your own way of thinking. Even with a majority of the teachers being from VA and/or having gone to UVA we all are very different people, but being here where you are out of your comfort zone you learn to come together. Its such a surreal yet incredible position to be in, which is exactly the reason I wanted to come here. I needed to be able to see if I had the chops to make it on my own. Try something that was going to challenge me and put me in uncomfortable situations where I can't just sit back and think everything is going to work itself out. And so far I think I have faired quite well for myself. I haven't forgotten where I've come from but I am learning from this experience to make me who I want to be.
Hopefully this entry has sparked ya'lls interest and makes you want to come on out. The door is always open. I still have another night before school starts back up so who knows what could happen. Right now I am sitting downstairs in the PC Bar clouded in smoke with everyone playing Starcraft and the guy beside me is train smoking like a champ and then proceeds to hack up a lung and spit into the ash tray. I'm so fortunate to be sitting one partition away. But anyway........ Until next time keep your feet on the ground and keep raising your glass. Gun Bae!
So during the week two new teachers arrive. We decide one night after work to hit up Mok Dong in search of fried chicken. We come across one place and I'm like, ''Can't be too bad its got a frog drinking on it''. So we go in and Jenn thinks she asking for chicken when in fact she continually demands that she gets beer. From that point on I now know ''hof'' means beer, not chicken. Well aside from that the fried chicken was no good. All bones. We proceed to find more food as that meal did not do the trick. We search and search and low and behold behind the Tower is an inflatable chicken pointing for us to go down some steps. So of course we did. We came across the BBQ Home and it was bangin'! We got the bbq cheese chicken which was in a sweet and hot korean sauce that was so good. After many pitchers, soju, and my ramblin' Dave and Jenn had to take a cab to their place as the buses and subways had stopped running for the night (my bad Goodwins). But now I know I have a local bar to escape to after a long day.
Fast forward to the next weekend. One of the teachers had mentioned to me that the local soccer team, FC Seoul, was having a Foreigner's Day. Free food and beer. So we all ordered tickets and an old familiar face, Abel Garrido of Radford Theta Chi fame, came down to hang with your boy. Two Theta Chis in the USA is trouble enough having two on the other side of the world that's just fucking awesome. So we roll like 16 deep into the World Cup Stadium site of the 2002 World Cup final which at the time was the most watched event on TV ever with just over a billion people. So you know for me it was really cool to be there and soak it in. I embraced the local team and got a hoodie and scarf to go along with my wicked awesome feaux hawk. We get into the game and it was a blast. The fans were going crazy, fireworks, constant chanting. It helped that they were playing the next to last place team in the K-League so there was a lot to cheer about as they won 4-1. All goals were scored by waeguks (foreigners). A hat trick from a guy from Montenegro and 1 from a Colombian. It was awesome to be there with the teachers bonding and for me to actually see some sports as I haven't seen any since I have been here. Suprisingly I have not gone into shock over this. After the match it was decided we should hit up a river cruise as it was only 7:30 which is much too early to go to Hongdae. So we subwayed our way to the point and waited for the cruise enjoying each other's company and lots of soju and beer. The cruise was very nice riding seeing all the scenery. I start zoning out, as I so often do, just thinking to myself, ''I really live here. This is so wild''. Once the cruise was a wrap we sat around trying to decide when to make our move to Hongdae. Some of our group breaks off for the evening while others get their potraits drawn. I stick to the soju. Finally after long ridiculous conversations we hit Hongdae and back to Bar Zen. We get a table, bottle, (yeah Mike) and proceed to choom it out once again. Many ridiculous pics are taken which barely breaks the ice on how out of control this night was (like I said in my last post this is only a blog to incriminate myself not others). I'll just say I was on big brother watch for the remainder of the night. We end up McDonalds where I stare at the menu not being able to decide what I want to eat. So you all know what I did?! Bought the whole damn menu for $14 and ate it all. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa buddy! So after recovering from that weekend it was another week of educating the Korean youth. One of my new student''s mothers brought me gourmet cupcakes that looked like works of art. I didn't want to eat them they looked that good. But I crushed a couple of them and they were excellent. The rest I gave to other teachers (if you want an A in my class don't bring sweets. Give me dakgalbi) More importantly it was Buck's last week before going back to grad school in London. For those that don't know Buck, which most reading probably do not, he's a kid who knows how to have a good time. He makes me look tame....at times.
So now this past week the last teacher arrives. We also have two teachers, Buck and another who is going to retire in the Phillipines leaving. We had a goodbye for the latter at the president of WILS place. This was my first homecooked meal since leaving the states and it was soooooooooooooooooooooo good. So good it hurt. So while I am stuffing my face I strike up a conversation with the new teacher Alissa. She goes on to tell me she's from Fairfax and went to UVA and I talk about something about school, family, acting a fool in Charlottesville and what not (you all know I am a rambler). Well I bring up my cousin somewhere in the conversation and immediately she was like, ''How do you know Sarah-Elizabeth'' to which I politely reply that she is my cousin. We have Thanksgiving at her place every year. Well I come to find out that Alissa's sister is sorority sisters with Sarah from VT and now roommates with her in Arlington. Sarah had told her that her cousin was going to be teaching English in Korea. Of all the dinner tables in Korea, haha.
Now we have reached this weekend. The 4 day weekend of Foundation Day and with it being Buck's last weekend and Alissa's first weekend you knew it was going to be a loooooooong weekend (one which my bank account really does not appreciate, but when has that ever stopped me from having a good time). While pregaming waiting for the right moment to strike Hongdae I come walking in to the room hearing people saying ''I don't know if I'm ready to enter the world of Wally'' to which I Buck reply ''Yeaaaaaa buddy get it in!'' Yes people I have arrived. We go out rockin' Hongdae at Ho Bar III (Ho means good in Korean. Get your minds out of the gutter people) and knocking back some crown and cokes, irish car bombs, just chooming the night away. Then it was off to FF which they say stands for Funky Fresh, but I would have to say it should stand for Frat Fun as it looked exactly and felt like the Pumpkin House at Radford. Well you know I jump on stage and just start revving up the crowd belting out classics like Welcome to the Jungle and Otherside by the Chili Peppers acting a crazy fool. Many shots later we take the party to the streets and a game of Danger Can breaks out. After our heads stopped hurting and I eat a couple gyros we wander the streets in search of a nore-bang. Somewhere around 5am we find one, our group holding now at four strong. Soju and beer in tow we hit the booth and sing it out. I try my hardest to sing Journey but as I struggle to get a note out it just isn't happening and I have to be saved by others so as to not have my score be incredibly low. So with no voice we walk out of the norebang to a bright new sunny day. Still in shock by the light of the sky we go to McDonalds where I proceed to berade the French soccer team for surrendering the 2006 World Cup. I had to apologize for my remarks soon after. Nothing like going to bed at 8am. The weekend still in diapers so on Saturday night we decide instead of going out to have a chill drinking night in the Tower or what I like to call Tower Hour(s) A night of drinking games?! This was right in my wheelhouse. I proceed to do my normal routine of buying a ridiculous of booze; soju, magguilli, beer, wine, and vodka. I roll into the party and realize we don't have any cards. No worries. I can just go downstairs to the Family Mart and grab a pack. I snag a Gatorade as well and next thing I know I'm $20 lighter. I look at the register and then the cashier. I see my card getting swiped and I am just in shock at what just happened. I look at the cards in a plastic case wondering how in the fuck they cost $20! And then I read the side of the pack. They are odorless cards........Oh now I get it. So word to the wise for everyone out there. Don't get odorless cards! So after I drink a little vodka sprite to recover from my shock I proceed to begin the night of drinking games with Up and Down the River to Fuck the Dealer to Kings and then to Asshole. I definitely was in my element explaining these games. Nothing like a good game of Kings to get to know your fellow teachers. So we party into the night and morning getting into all sorts of ridiculousness and pictures. Great people make for incredible nights. I find myself wandering from the park with a beer in hand to once again being at McDonalds. This time I say to myself that I do not want hotcakes so some friendly folks decide to order for me and get 5 mcmuffins, 5 hash browns, and 5 ojs. Exactly what I wanted and I ate it all. Perfect cap to another night and saying bye to Buck who had to fly that morning to get to class on Monday. Donkey punch!
We finally arrive to last night. I think to myself that it is going to be a relaxing Sunday night. Go out for some delicious dakgalbi and hit up Little America better known as Itaewon. I attempted to gather up a big group but to no avail due to moving issues, hangovers, and lack of communication as my phone ran out of minutes and the internet crapped. But no worries as Reisha and I hit up the dakgalbi joint and then went to Garten Beir where I got a beer that would rival Sir Bob when he's not six to midnight. I chug that back and then we go off to Itaewon to meet up with some of her friends. I look around and feel like I am back in the states. I decide on a pub called Baby Guinness. I am sipping on my beer yawning away enjoying people watching as a bunch of Irishmen are getting all sloshed. Reisha's friends arrive and it was on from there. One Irish Car Bomb lead to a jager Bomb to crown and cokes. People were buying drinks for the whole bar but then it closed. A bar closing before 2 in Korea? This isn't America. So we move onto the next spot which was awesome, Bungalow. You go in and you just feel infinitely sexier. The music is on point and there is a room with sand and swings. Such a hot place. Well I look on the menu and what did I see, A MAKER'S AND GINGER! I couldn't believe my eyes. All this time I have been drinking jack and cokes because they didn't know what bourbon was. And they had captain and cokes too (I'm looking out for you John). But unfortunately the bar closed on us so we kicked it to Club Zion (Shabba!) As I look around I notice I'm the only person in the bar of caucasian descent. You know that didn't stop me as I was all up the dance floor channeling my inner Pal Wiley and Ashley Carter. After much dubstepping we pushed on to Hongdae. Little did we know we got a stunt driver from the Fast and Furious as our cab driver as she was flying around cars, crossing yellow lines, and speeding like it was her job. Well seeing as it was 5:30am and the club closed at 6 we still hit up Club Naked got on the floor fighting the exhaustion. With the sun rising once again riding back on the bus to the Tower I realize I have it really good here. Great people and an awesome city. I am very lucky to be at WILS. Talking with other teachers at other schools they say that they aren't as tight so to have the group we have at WILS that hangs out is awesome and I am very appreciative. Living away from everything you've known forces you to grow as a person whether you are aware of it or not. What you are familiar with is so far gone you have to learn to make decisions without the influence of those who have helped make you who you are up to this point. Instead you are put in a new environment having to rely on people you've never met who have different views and life experiences that you take in as you begin to understand something outside of your own way of thinking. Even with a majority of the teachers being from VA and/or having gone to UVA we all are very different people, but being here where you are out of your comfort zone you learn to come together. Its such a surreal yet incredible position to be in, which is exactly the reason I wanted to come here. I needed to be able to see if I had the chops to make it on my own. Try something that was going to challenge me and put me in uncomfortable situations where I can't just sit back and think everything is going to work itself out. And so far I think I have faired quite well for myself. I haven't forgotten where I've come from but I am learning from this experience to make me who I want to be.
Hopefully this entry has sparked ya'lls interest and makes you want to come on out. The door is always open. I still have another night before school starts back up so who knows what could happen. Right now I am sitting downstairs in the PC Bar clouded in smoke with everyone playing Starcraft and the guy beside me is train smoking like a champ and then proceeds to hack up a lung and spit into the ash tray. I'm so fortunate to be sitting one partition away. But anyway........ Until next time keep your feet on the ground and keep raising your glass. Gun Bae!
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