Scenes from the game last Saturday

Last Saturday, we watched the Korea versus Swiss game at World Cup Stadiun in Daejeon. The game was displayed on the stadium screens at four in the morning. We arrived the night before at midnight. From time to time while we were waiting, cameras on the field would display members of the audience on the big screens. We were frequent choices due to our novelty (read: westerners).

Tremendous

Danger

Oh, so sleepy

Birthday Pix

The cake my school bought me.

Three of my co-teachers...I have no idea what they are doing with their arms.

Yep, we eat our cake with chopsticks.

Mmm, cherry tomatoes on cake...of course!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am now 33 in Korean years.

Absolutely Drenched

It started raining this evening, not an oh I can do without my umbrella rain, and not a flash flood, but a medium-paced steady thick-dropped rain. I initially figured I could walk through it home, but within half a block I was soaked through. The weatherman was saying the beginning of the rainy season is coming, and it will last several weeks. The question is is this how it is, and does it stay this way consistently. If so, the outdoor activities we were planning are going to require a wetsuit.

Hangook Kwan (한극관?)

Before I came over here, we all tried out Korean food at Hangook Kwan in St. Louis. Some things tastes a little bit different here, but it was more-or-less the same. Anyway, it was delicious.

How can you resist?

한글

Today I begin my first real push to discern order from the written chaos around me. Up until now I hadn't thought it'd bothered me that much, but just a few symbols easily digested, and suddenly the power of literacy sets it claws in me.

There appear to be only 34 characters in Hangul, and the phonetic construction is highly regular...none of this ghoti business. Heck, I'll have it down in no time.

To suddenly be able to order food by sound, not pictures (For some extremely frustrating reason Koreans don't always seem to understand when you point to something on the menu, even if it's a picture. Sometimes a circling motion helps, but not always. I just don't get what can be more clear than actually touching what you want with the tip of your primary digit.), to be able to use the bus system, to hike and know where you're going and where you've been. The very universe unfolds.

Kids

Pretty steady rain today. I think I'm doing a better job at controlling my classes. Discipline is the hardest part. It's just not reasonable that someone should want to act like an idiot for a full 45 minutes, but I guess that's how kids are. On the other hand, when you do finally punish them, they seem to take it in stride, and behave better next time. It's just my least favorite of duties. And that's part of the reason I like the junior high kids, because they're just more reasonable...and much more interesting in regards to mental content. I have heard some say they are remote, but in my class that's not the case at all. We sit back, use the book as a guide, and learn how to talk to each other. If anything, they have quite a bit to say. Far more "original material" than the younger kids.

(Infectious) Pride

How to even begin to explain this...

Every single pair of red horns is a fan...and there were FAR many more red horns than these pictures would imply....

OHHHHH!!! PIZZAKOREA OHHHHH!!!! PIZZAKOREA!!!!

KOREA BEATS TOGO! [clapclap-clap-clap-clap!!!!!]

Breathe

Wow, I just had a student totally break down on me because I told her she had to go to study hall/detention because of her test score. Even after I changed the decision, she still kept sobbing. The pressure on these kids at times is pretty intense. Of course, the other two students who failed pretty much didn't care. Punks.

World Cup

Korea vs. Togo tonight. We're going to go watch on a big screen at some park. Should be nutz.

Layin' the smack down at a singing room

Neighbor's dog

Sitting on my little dogshelf

Gyeryongsan

Now that's a big drum

Oh, the brutality

Gongju

Panch'an

More Samgyupsal (fat bacon), and a typical quantity of side dishes.

Hike

That afternoon, starting from my apartment, I took about a three and a half hour hike south and back.

ATMs

The ATMs here primarily only allow transactions from Korean banks; however, the bank near the school has an ATM Unfortunately, they were closed by the time I visited them today, so Tremendous took me to Costco today because you can get money from American accounts out of their bank machine
Costco is like a big American
where we ate pizza, and a kind of with Italian-spiced chicken and cheese. It was pretty
buying because Thunder, Roast Beef, and Miss Crispy are arriving tonight

Views from the pedestrian bridge to Costco...

Kimchi Pots

Saturday, June 3rd

The following several blogs took place beginning on Saturday, June 3rd, and continuing through the evening of the 6th/7th, during which time friends of Tremendous and myself visited.

Steamers Madness

Welll....there won't be any updates today - go Australia! The world seems locked in this World Cup mania. Aussies versus Japan was rather exciting (esp. because Korea HATES Japan, not to mention our aussie and kiwi friends over here), but watching America versus Czech Republic leaves something to be desired. Anyway, I'm rooting for England. Bugger off if you're not. Peace out.

Pics

By the way, you can click on the pictures for fuller-sized versions. Just thought I'd mention it....

Update

Okay, I’ve basically got my blog up-to-speed as far as my first week or so goes. I need to go back and touch up some things, but the bulk is there. Tomorrow, I’ll focus on when Tremendous' and my friends were here recently, and bringing things all the way current.

Yudeungcheon

Just got back from a nice long walk around the Yudeungcheon Stream. I'd meant to head west, toward hills, but after I crossed the bridge over the stream, my pedestrian options got a little bit riskier. I was hesitant to head down to the stream because there were a lot of folks around, and besides stares, I was reluctant to have someone stop me during "my physic." But, once I got down there, the smell of the marshy river, the cool breezes blowing over me (it's been quite hot), and the overall activity of the people put me in a wonderful state of mind. The track alongside the river itself is spongy running track material, and very pleasant to walk on. There were still stares, but this was a very private or family or friend-oriented Sunday thing to do.

I've seen these before, but the picture didn't come out - they're outside kid-sized arcade games. I think they're free. Anyway, I took a break from the trail to get some liquids, and saw this little guy playing on one.

The stream is quite marshy - lots of ducks and other waterfowl. You can make out some cranes in this picture.

On my way home, I snapped a picture of the building I work in.

Korea Time?

I'm changing my blog to "Put Off Shoeses." "Korea Time" was just a spur of the moment name that never really meant anything, and I feel like this new phrase seems to encapsulate many aspects of Korea for the (mid)westerner at once. I credit WT, for noticing its Korean-ness and bringing it to my attention in the first place. You can go to the old blog here: http://koreatime.blogspot.com/.

Rosey reception

I had noticed several rose bushes blooming around Dogtown before I left. When I arrived in Korea, I found blooming rose bushes in abundance.

Good class

One of my best classes. I've got them again this term.

Views from my window

The Way the Bathroom Works

First of all the entire bathroom is the shower. Plastic sandals are provided for standing on the wet floor. When I go to take a shower, first, I turn on the hot water for my apartment. Next, I turn the knob to direct water from the faucet to the shower head. I shower, hose down the toilet and sink, and all the runoff goes to a drain under the sink. I use a bleach foam spray every so often.