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!
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