One student (girl) shot another student (girl) between the eyes with a dart gun on their way to my school.
I had to confiscate a syringe from a student. She and some other girls had filled it with water and were shooting it out the window.
At the end of class, a Korean teacher returned said syringe to the student.
“Sign this.” No explanations given, or questions allowed. (I declined.)
At 2:09pm being told, “You’ll teach Christmas songs today.” In my 2:10pm class. I started asking 2 weeks earlier if this would be something they wanted me to do, and they looked at me like I had two heads. I’m good, but I can’t pull recorded music or written lyrics out of thin air.
Running out of paper for the copier and printer. I guess we’re not…doing…activities…today?
Blowfish.
The inspiration.
31 December 2009
New Year's Eve in Daegu (Part II)
Megan Preece.
Megan Preece is an avid photographer who also teaches English in Daegu. Her photographs of our New Year's Eve experience are far better than the ones I took on my camera phone. Please visit "Megan Preece Photography" on Facebook for more samples of her work, and for contact information.
Amanda and Kristin.
Amanda.
Jasmin.
Gunbae! (Cheers!)
Jasmin and Kristin.
Kristin and Carly.
Edwin and Kristin.
Ethan and Terry.
Fireworks over the pagoda.
More amazing fireworks.
Me.
Kristin.
Kristin.
Shy Dave.
New Year's Eve in Daegu (Part I)
Times Square, New York.
For New Year's Eve, I met up with a group of new friends for dinner at a galbi (meat barbecue) place downtown. We met more people afterward for some drinks at a tiny Korean bar, then headed to the park for fireworks, the countdown, and traditional gong ceremony. It was a great night, and totally surreal.
Dave, Megan, me, Ethan, Terry, and Kristin at dinner.
Ethan and Terry at galbi.
Kristin and Carly at dinner.
Me, Dave, and Carly.
Everyone at the tiny bar.
Amy and Carly with a friend at the Korean bar.
Dave put on some kid's gloves he found with idiot strings, which was good 'cuz he kept wandering away. Then he confused and scared some Korean girls when he almost clothes-lined them.
Megan, Kristin and I.
Amanda (with her Jug O'Wine) and Jasmin in the park.
Pagoda and gong in the park.
Fireworks.
Fireworks and the blue moon.
Amanda in the park.
Me in the park at midnight.
Dave in the tree.
Bell in the park.
Lauren Antonia and Anna in the park.
Amanda and Jasmin.
Dave and Edwin at Commune's Bar.
Dave, me and Megan.
Amanda, Jasmin and Kristin.
Edwin and Kristin, and Megan photographing the photographer.
Amy, Jack, and James at Commune's.
Me, Jack and James at Commune's.
Amy at Commune's.
Commune's decorations.
One of the bands that played at Commune's.
This is what my dog looked like in person, too, when I finally got home. He was bouncing around so much that you could hardly see him. I think he missed me.
Me and the blue moon at home.
For New Year's Eve, I met up with a group of new friends for dinner at a galbi (meat barbecue) place downtown. We met more people afterward for some drinks at a tiny Korean bar, then headed to the park for fireworks, the countdown, and traditional gong ceremony. It was a great night, and totally surreal.
Dave, Megan, me, Ethan, Terry, and Kristin at dinner.
Ethan and Terry at galbi.
Kristin and Carly at dinner.
Me, Dave, and Carly.
Everyone at the tiny bar.
Amy and Carly with a friend at the Korean bar.
Dave put on some kid's gloves he found with idiot strings, which was good 'cuz he kept wandering away. Then he confused and scared some Korean girls when he almost clothes-lined them.
Megan, Kristin and I.
Amanda (with her Jug O'Wine) and Jasmin in the park.
Pagoda and gong in the park.
Fireworks.
Fireworks and the blue moon.
Amanda in the park.
Me in the park at midnight.
Dave in the tree.
Bell in the park.
Lauren Antonia and Anna in the park.
Amanda and Jasmin.
Dave and Edwin at Commune's Bar.
Dave, me and Megan.
Amanda, Jasmin and Kristin.
Edwin and Kristin, and Megan photographing the photographer.
Amy, Jack, and James at Commune's.
Me, Jack and James at Commune's.
Amy at Commune's.
Commune's decorations.
One of the bands that played at Commune's.
This is what my dog looked like in person, too, when I finally got home. He was bouncing around so much that you could hardly see him. I think he missed me.
Me and the blue moon at home.
30 December 2009
Topics: Ages in Korea
In Korea, when you are born, you are 1. They don’t do 1 month, 2 months, 6 months, like we do. You’re just 1. At the start of the new (lunar) year, you are two, regardless of when your birthday is.
For example:
If you are born on January 1st, you are 1 the day you are born. At the beginning of the new lunar year (this year it was February 14th), you would turn 2. So a baby born on 1/1/10 would be 1 for six weeks, and then turn 2. The age wouldn’t change on January 1st, 2011 like it does at home; the child would be 2 until Lunar New Year’s 2011 (in March, I think).
One of the teachers I work with says she’s 32 and older than me, however she was born in December 1979, and I was born in May 1978. (I told her to move to the States and she’d get younger!)
For example:
If you are born on January 1st, you are 1 the day you are born. At the beginning of the new lunar year (this year it was February 14th), you would turn 2. So a baby born on 1/1/10 would be 1 for six weeks, and then turn 2. The age wouldn’t change on January 1st, 2011 like it does at home; the child would be 2 until Lunar New Year’s 2011 (in March, I think).
One of the teachers I work with says she’s 32 and older than me, however she was born in December 1979, and I was born in May 1978. (I told her to move to the States and she’d get younger!)
29 December 2009
27 December 2009
Topics: Bathrooms in Korea
For those of you who are unaware, Korea still primarily has “squat toilets,” which are basically a ceramic hole in the ground that you “squat” over to do your business. As part of Korea’s rapid modernization over the last few decades, Western “sit-type” toilets have been installed in modern buildings, department stores, and restaurants catering to Western tourists and teachers. However, most older buildings (which are cheaper for hagwons to rent) have not been converted. They likely won’t be, as Koreans see a functional system already in place, and don’t see any need to “waste” the money. In a few decades when these buildings are demolished, the new builds will be modern. But I won’t be here.
There is a waste basket next to the toilet. This is for used paper. Yeah, I make the same face. After you finish…using the paper…if there is paper…you deposit it into the basket. Many people have told me that the plumbing systems weren’t designed for paper disposal, so those who use it must use the basket.
You may see the same two problems in the previous paragraph that I keep coming back to. 1. If poo will go down, surely biodegradable paper will. 2. Those who use it. Yeah, there are people who don’t. Which brings me to my next point. If you want toilet paper, you must bring it with you, as this is often another cost the building owners don’t want to take on. There are actually vending machines outside the bathrooms in subway stations and department stores that sell packets of tissue for your use. (They also sell other hygiene-related products, from breath mints to condoms.)
So you must enter the bathroom prepared.
After your toilet business in concluded, you go to the sink and use soap (of questionable effectiveness) and cold water to wash your hands. They don’t know what a “paper towel” is here, and are mostly appalled when you suggest a disposable hand-drying solution. So, often there is no way to dry yours hands except by wiping them on your dirty clothes. The really nice department stores like Dong-A and Debec have UV light or quick-air dryers, but at most places (including my schools) you are out of luck.
And how do you accomplish the “act” while using a squat toilet? There are two main skills you must master: balance and aim. In the absence of one or both of these skills, you must be able to remember to pull up your pant legs (while pulling down the rest), and not to wear sandals. :)
At my schools:
There is a waste basket next to the toilet. This is for used paper. Yeah, I make the same face. After you finish…using the paper…if there is paper…you deposit it into the basket. Many people have told me that the plumbing systems weren’t designed for paper disposal, so those who use it must use the basket.
You may see the same two problems in the previous paragraph that I keep coming back to. 1. If poo will go down, surely biodegradable paper will. 2. Those who use it. Yeah, there are people who don’t. Which brings me to my next point. If you want toilet paper, you must bring it with you, as this is often another cost the building owners don’t want to take on. There are actually vending machines outside the bathrooms in subway stations and department stores that sell packets of tissue for your use. (They also sell other hygiene-related products, from breath mints to condoms.)
So you must enter the bathroom prepared.
After your toilet business in concluded, you go to the sink and use soap (of questionable effectiveness) and cold water to wash your hands. They don’t know what a “paper towel” is here, and are mostly appalled when you suggest a disposable hand-drying solution. So, often there is no way to dry yours hands except by wiping them on your dirty clothes. The really nice department stores like Dong-A and Debec have UV light or quick-air dryers, but at most places (including my schools) you are out of luck.
And how do you accomplish the “act” while using a squat toilet? There are two main skills you must master: balance and aim. In the absence of one or both of these skills, you must be able to remember to pull up your pant legs (while pulling down the rest), and not to wear sandals. :)
At my schools:
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