Playing Favorites

Since I've been back, people have been asking me what my favorite country was among the ones I saw on my way home. India has always been the easy answer.

India is a land of contrasts with its fabulous sights and foods(!!), along with some of the kindest people to be found, while also being a seemingly directionless and perplexing experience. The pros of the country make it a favorite on their own, but it's not the prestige. What makes it tops is that it's the Wild West of my 8 year old mind.

The Wild West explanation might be best illustrated in an anecdote.

I am in Fahtepur Sikri, a 30 minute bus ride outside of Agra (home to the Taj Mahal). A lack of signs and people put my ability to even get to FS in serious jeopardy. I did make it though and had a wonderful day jumping around Mughal ruins. As 5 o'clock approached, I made my way to the bus station to catch the last bus back. Sadly, after an hour of losing precious rupees to a 12 year old arm wrestling champion I realized that this bus wasn't coming. What did the Good Word have to say about my predicament? I found out that there's a bus that comes a quarter mile down the road (rather cryptic no?).

This kid took some cash off me

On my way over I picked up two Chinese girls (I shared a bus ride up with them and figured they might want to get back as much as I did) who had the same goal in mind; they looked more lost than I and were still holding on to the fast fading light of plan A. I convinced them to follow me in an attempt to find a bus I couldn't count on; just like that I had formed a posse. Talking to locals along the road, I had a rough idea of where to wait for this bus. Was there a bus stop or at least a sign that said where to wait? Of course not -- this is India without direction. I set up shop at a (reverse?) fork in the road where two highways merged with no idea from which direction the bus might appear. I was also feeling the heat from the embers of ire from Chinese girls who at this point must have been trying to recollect the early plot developments of the movie Hostel so that they could compare their situation accordingly. Now, let me say that the bus did make its way down the road; we flagged it down as if we had just robbed a bank and were looking for a getaway as cars whizzed by us. The day was won.

What I love is that I didn't remember this story until I stumbled onto it during conversation about my travels with my Aunt Pat three weeks after I had already been home. I preface by saying that most people know I like to spin a story. I can recall stories from the 7th grade with a depressing level of detail. I'm likely to bring one up readily without provocation or a sensible segue. The reason I couldn't remember my day on the highway is because in India it's par for the course. The events that day didn't differ much in difficulty from the one before it or the one that followed. India was my favorite because I forget the stories that would be the belle of the ball anywhere else. I loved Spain -- I'd move there in a heartbeat -- but it was so easy that aspects of it couldn't be anything but comfortable. And to those who say India is too hard? "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard ... is what makes it great." - Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own

My Mom says that you should never end with someone else's words, but MAN Tom Hanks was great in that movie!


Honestly, the adventure is what really cemented the trip. The country of India -- where I felt lost plenty of the time -- is where that adventure shown through the most. My experiences there will keep me excited for my next trip and the one after that.

On Home

I am back -- Ahh!!  Most people have been asking me "How does it feel to be home?" (and when they aren't asking I'm probably subconsciously turning over the same thing myself).  My answer runs the gamut based on how well I know them, how much I really want to get into the subject, and how much I think they really want me to get into the subject.  So my answer can range from "good" to "weird."  The truth, though, is that it's more of a fusion of both making what I like to call goodly weird. 

Let's start with the weird and work our way to the goodly.  Since coming home, I feel as though I've spent a lot of time looking for a life I misplaced.  I have a sneaky suspicion I won't be finding it either.  While life isn't "the ragged edge of the universe," it's no longer "the warm center of the world."  If you suspect that my situation is akin to the world traveling, forward-thinker returning to the backwood talk of hometown prospects, you would be wrong.  It's just that I haven't quite found my place yet and my brain never seems to let it be.  I know there's a small hole in the boat somewhere but I can't seem to find it. 

The goodly follows the people.  Truth be told - aside from the occasional Jack in the Box daydream - I never much got homesick.  I got people-sick and often I got dog-sick.  So, being around my family, friends and pets has been wonderful.  I realize that I won't be able to give adequate space to this paragraph.  It's much easier to dwell and write on the things that are off kilter rather than what's in harmony.  I can say that it feels warm and familiar and that most of you will know what I mean without my having to use hyperbole.  The best I can do is underline the word that really counts!

So this is where I am: attempting to put static words to dynamic feelings.  I'll let you know how it goes!

All´s Well in España

I think God, or whoever, let´s say the Muse of Karma keeps a special eye over me.  I spent most of today in awe of myself -- perfect hair day with my new interwoven-gray/red Spanish fisherman's sweater, navy chinos rolled up and gray vans sporting a devilish grin that says "hola" with all the flare of Cirque Du Soleil--  the world just right and with me in it.  There had to be some justice levied for this ridiculous level of narcissism.

The last hour I´ve been clumsily searching for this damned `Geographic Club´, taking immediate and wrong turns eagerly as if I was a dog impatient for a treat (taken from a journal entry, and tonight is chilly too to put it in perspective); the prize cannot come soon enough.  By the way, there is a special frustration for knowing where you should be, topographically speaking, looking at the cross streets and not seeing either on the map within an 8 block vicinity of where you want to be.  I hope my earlier transgressions might have been soothed by the fortune of my night.  I have also found myself at odds with every object I come into contact with.  I knock over change trays without caution, run into things and sport a confused look of dread that says "I´m lost."

After finally getting to my destination, I end up sitting at a cool but mostly empty bar drinking a frothy, but mostly empty, 8 dollar Murphy´s Irish Red.  I sip out of determination rather than enjoyment in the hopes to validate this long pilgrimage.  Even in the barren wasteland of beer that is South Korea, I would´ve found abstinence and turned down a Murphy´s for that much money.  In fact, I would´ve guffawed at such a prospect as this.

I must say, though, the enchantment I have had today extends beyond just myself.  I´ve been bowled over by the beauty of my surroundings all day.  I s´pose that´s what Madrid´s Jardines del Buen Retiro is liable to do. Beautiful parks and people, men and women; mortal, marbled and plastered.  I think Madrid´s parks would drive an atheist mad.  Of everything magnificent - myself included - it pales in comparison to the weather.  Today´s weather provided the stroke for which every other element has realized its potential.  To quote Haruki Murakami, it was "the scratchy stuff on the side of the match box", giving light to the park, myself and all its inhabitants.  It was the perfect collaboration of a warm, high sun, starkly differentiating itself from the cloudless blue sky, with a cold breeze on a cool day.  Though I doubt fall in Korea will ever be topped, I tip my hat to you, Madrid.  It was the perfect, most perfect landscape to finish The Pillars of the Earth for the second time.  I might have wondered the same thing about the Taj Mahal, but how can one not feel a higher presence on a day like today? Be it whoever, wherever or in whatever form, these being the minor details of a grand, peace treaty (can´t wait to find out from my Mom whether it´s `whoever´ or `whomever.´ My 16-year conquest to avoid permanently learning this rule of tongue wages on).

Let me tell you about the highlight of my day.  I took such joy in walking by two friends who were presumably meeting again with a long stretch of time in between.  They hooted, dance and spun towards each other´s arms.  It was quite the Love Actually airport moment, and somehow I felt like a member of their reunion.  Somehow I remembered that my Mom, as an English teacher, used to give a particular assignment that called for her students to choose a word, their favorite word, and give the full scoop.  I recalled her telling me that one of her former and favorite students chose joy.  Don´t ask me how or why that moment came back to me, but I thought; `this must be the realization of that word.´

Of course, it was more than mere chance that I took such a special interest in the this meeting when I´m due to arrive home in the US in only two days.  I just with I had the foresight and patience to dance and stride my way there.

The Gist

So I guess I'll shake this thing off now when I see fit.

Tonight I started to make a list of the "accomplishments" I've completed while on holiday in the hopes that when the details begin to slip my mind I will know where to find them. I assumed that once this list had been completed (it ranges from those of grandeur all the way down) I'd have a fairly descriptive view of my long road home to the US. This, however, was not the case a'tall. Getting hung up on the dirty details would be missing the wood for the trees. I won't include the list - partly to avoid embarrassment - but just assume it follows an Indiana Jones'ish itinerary, minus the Nazi's.

*Quick note! If this sounds too indulgent (your cue to stop reading), you can blame my out-there Murakami kick of late (currently his running memoirs). Though I guess you'd appropriately just blame me; at least now you know the reasoning.

This list of notes, my "accomplishments", may be neat details but only I know the full story. Taken separately, they relate to each other as much as blue does to red and fail to convey the big picture. The true accomplishment, above everything, is growth. They (details) may contribute to but don't constitute that growth. The fuzzy stuff that happened in between the respective bullet points was equally important, if not more, as the spotlight items.

My trip is a total workout; mind, spirit and body (lots and lots and lots of walking), but I can not describe the strength that I feel pouring into me every day. Lots, but not all, relates to self reliance.

Of course, this strength isn't a humanitarian cure-all; nothing is. But, it, travel, is inside of me and it runs through every part. Surging and strong, like a spotlight that is connected to my center and shines on every inch. This light scrubs away weakness, bitterness and ignorance. It finds the faults I didn't know I had - realizations that can be a humbling experience - before it attempts to clean the blemishes and leave them anew.

What I might be most grateful for is that the spotlight illuminates the things I hold dear too; who & what I truly love. This process has stripped down the walls and has been like a peek at the foundations of a house; what makes the Temple of Evan stand.

I realize in hindsight that Indy without the Nazi's might not make for a very compelling story after all. I also realize that if I'm going to refer to myself in the third person I'm going to need cooler coinage than the Temple of Evan.

Easy-E Out

La Taj Mahal

I suppose this thing was supposed to die a fiery death at the conclusion of my contract in Korea.  I have treated it thusly, though I thought I'd dust it off one more time considering the gravity of my surroundings.  After making my way through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand (and now into India), I have countless anecdotes of joy and misery alike.  From destitution to hand grenades, paradise to Viet Cong tunnels, there and back again, I can touch on most any topic.  However, the one that really counts is the Taj Mahal, and I couldn't help but write a lil' somethin-somethin while I was there! I also figured that this was the best way to simultaneously email my mother and the other two people who follow my life, and I am still holding on to the chance that I rename this blog "Letters home to Mom".

September 25th, 2010

I write this, not coincidentally, sitting under an arch at the back side of the splendid Taj Mahal. Ground zero is not the best place for a snapshot but all that seems arbitrary when put into greater context.  When you make your way, finally, to the beautiful Taj, and make contact (in bare feet) with the pure, smoothly white marble, a force seems to hold you in place. It is like stepping into a most gorgeous spider web.  You can't get away; nor would you want to (though maybe in a spider web, gorgeous and all, you still might wanna get away - no copyright infractions intended). Lest I digress!

After combing the inner halls, the best way to experience the Taj, me thinks, is to lie down.  Putting as much of yourself against the building as possible (you have to do this on the marble floors outside the dome rather than inside, that might be a problem!) allows you to hope, and at times with a bit of success, to be infused with the same genius that inspired and created it.  I feel an urge to reach out and constantly have my hands against some part of it the same way young lovers can't resist each others embrace.  I feel that if I push hard enough against it I might permeate its seemingly nonexistent cracks.  How could this structure have been built piece by piece?  How could one imagine that it existed in anything other than its whole?  I can't.  It seems as though it dropped from the heavens, instantaneously complete.  The pesky fact that it wasn't is a true testament to the best of man's virtue.

Anything I write, read or think (Bridge of Sighs, very good so far!, thanks Steve) here seems that much more important.  I believe that is called true inspiration.  The generous Taj Mahal offers this bond to anyone who seeks it.  I've long considered a solo journey to India the Everest of my travels, and if this is indeed the case, the Taj Mahal is the sweet summit.

The Last (& Greatest) Update from Korea

My last address to my closest friends in Korea:

i figured that if I had one last chance to make a cheesy, overly sentimental speech, i might as well write it down and make it count.  

In a year where we lived in a place where we never really knew what was going to happen next; whether it be exciting or scary, or frustrating, you guys were always HQ, home base.  While people came into our respective lives, and sometimes left just as quickly, you were always there, and it was comforting to know that you had to be there contractually as well because we all have been fiscally tied to Korea.

But really, what I'd compare it to is familiarity, and with that theme in mind I like to think of us in the context of noraebang (Korean karaoke).  I think about our lives in Korea as a drunken stay at noraebang, singing along to a foreign song we've only heard once or twice but now must recite, very much unlike "Total Eclipse of the Heart." That's the one joke I wrote into this speech.  *pause for laughter*  .. In that foreign song, however, where we dont really know that many of the words, the A-team is the chorus, always familiar and ever present.  Even when the singing got hard, and the lines before made us feel out of place, out of tune, or altogether lost, whenever the chorus comes around you can hit every note and drunkenly bust out every line verbatim.  i love you guys, a lot, and i'm just thankful you were there to sing with me into the late hours of the night.

Any changes listed in oh-rhan-gee

Pastiche`

It has been a while since I have last posted with any kind of regularity.  My journal & blog have largely gone neglected throughout this past June and for that I offer my apologies.  However, the 4th of July is upon us and this is a time to make resolutions and change the way we live our lives; that or fool about with low-powered explosives (I might be mixing up my holidays).

Reading, as it turns out, is what has kept me from consistent writing.  I've gone through some Nick Hornby, which I have really enjoyed, and I just finished up The Hobbit yesterday.  When I am not reading, I can probably be found watching "Breaking Bad" (almost done with season 3 and I'd highly recommend it to anyone).

There are three weeks left in the school calendar before the kids go on summer break.  I am trying to just enjoy my last remaining classes, which is not out of the ordinary for me,  so I guess I am trying to especially enjoy my last classes and soak it all in.  Inevitably, life abroad has had its up's and down's, but the happiness I got from my seeing my kids never wavered.  They make me smile and laugh every single day.  With their examinations coming up, even the 3rd graders are involved in some form of school and/or studying from about 6 AM - 11 PM every day with relatively few breaks.  Be thankful you grew up in the US of A -- I'd trade in the smarts for enjoying my childhood 7 days outta the week.

I, along with several rag tag individuals with a can-do attitude, started a short lived dance group coined "The Nicholas Cage Experience."  We had two practices, both held at a public train station with many-a-passerby, before we decided that this venture must be retired.  We will not sacrifice the namesake though.  I was "iced" three times last night, which has made for a lazy Saturday afternoon.  If you are not privy to "icing", worry not.



The NCE's routine -- picture 5 guys doing this at a train station in front of a mirror.  Our thoughts at the 1 minute mark (right before we gave up): "This gets really hard."

I have kept my eye on the calendar and am tackling the great adventure home (Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand to India, to Egypt, through Italy and France, then into Spain).  Save today, I've kept myself relatively busy with all that goes with these plans.


Lastly, I've been listening to "Oh, Sweet Nothin'" by The Velvet Underground a lot lately before I go to sleep:

the WC Experience

How American am I that I can sum up my World Cup experience before it's all said and done. I'll keep an eye on the games but my rooting interest has come to its conclusion.

Both the US & Korea have been eliminated from the tournament. The only silver lining is that I don't have to watch them play each other after all. Notable places where I watched the games:

• Korea vs. Argentina - Munhak Stadium (my prior blog post)

• USA vs. England - Rio's Bar in Incheon, with an equal mix of Americans on one side of the bar and Brits on the other
• USA vs. Algeria - The Americans packed into a bar called Red Dog, or Three Dog's, or something with a "Dog" in it that was next door to Rio's where all the Brits were watching England vs. Slovenia
• Korea vs. Uruguay - Joseph, Carmine and myself watched this game at midnight or so outside a TV shop along with one Korean man who was standing by himself in the rain before we arrived. This guy was awesome and we shared our umbrella.

The rest of the games were fairly in the norm as far as where I watched them. I saw the Donovan reaction video. It was pretty exhilarating and it seems as tho we took our soccer a little bit more seriously this go around.

How intense are Koreans about the World Cup? My favorite Korean fan was at a bar, watching the game in a hospital gown, in a wheelchair, and connected to an IV. As far as I could tell he was not drinking that night

South Korea vs. Argentina

Whelp, we lost..

caught the game at Munhak Stadium with about 30 friends or so (including mothers, coteachers & Joe's students). Obviously, being in a soccer nation, things are a little crazier here than compared to the US of A. People cheer as if we scored a goal just for crossing midfield, though through the first half of the game crossing midfield happened so few times I can see the point of cheering.

I took some photos but haven't done anything with them yet. I did, however, steal a photo from Joe of my friend's, coteacher's son who came to watch the game with us -- so adorable.

Reason 1 Billion I love Elementary Schools

Walking back to my classroom, peeked into violin practice-- saw a girl playing the violin (poorly, as elementary school muscial-talents dictate) standing up with rollerblades on.  I found this awesome.

Birthday & GRE -- Jai Ho!

Mea maxima culpa for going MIA on any updates!

First of all, thank you to anyone who had me in their thoughts on my birthday!! I was quite the facebook celebrity yesterday, and enjoyed opening my email to find 38 unread messages or something like that. The celebration was relatively muted considering that tomorrow morning (the 12th) I take the verbal/math portion of the GRE. It was a good day though and I am happy I got to spend a great portion of it at school around the kids I love. I was able to eat Indian with Steve & Nara too which made me quite happy!!

So now I find myself going to sleep at 8:30 on a Friday night so I can get to Seoul by 8:30 AM.

I am really hoping, almost expecting in fact, that my GRE test-taking experience will mirror that of Jamal Malik's in Slumdog Millionaire. I'll get a perfect score by being asked questions that each link to a poignant story in my past.

Hope that my test results will be described as "a buoyant hymn to life."

The PC Bang Marathon

I, along with my friends Joe & Carmine, ran a PC Bang marathon last night that lasted from 8 PM - 8 AM. I could lie and say this was to keep with Korean culture but it was mostly because ideas like this fit our personality too well. It was a rousing success, though difficult in stretches. Oh!-- We were able to do this because today local elections were held so we all had off work, in case you were wondering why a 12-hour computer game marathon would be held on a Tuesday night through Wednesday morning.

Because Joseph so aptly broke down the night, the rest will be courtesy of his blog post -- my changes in turquoise::
The PC Bang Marathon
by Joseph Gutierrez

• 7:15PM - I met up with Carmine and Evan at Burger King. Carmine had originally wanted to eat at the kimbap place to get something healthy, but Evan and I out-voted him.
• 8:00PM - We checked our phones exactly at the moment we turned on the computers, and it was eight, so the most daunting task of our lives was made with a cigarette in [Joe's] hand and my belly full of bacon double cheeseburger (the burger doubles for both Joe & I).
• 8:10PM - The first thing I did was install Google Chrome. There was no way I was going to put up with Internet Explorer for the whole night. I quickly got to checking my e-mail, blogging, and deciding my character build for Borderlands.
• 8:30PM - We got started playing Borderlands. If you know nothing about the game, you should check it out. It’s a first-person shooter with MMORPG elements.
• 9:15PM - I bought a cherry coke. (I went with Dr. Pepper)
  
• 12:00AM - Originally we had planned to take a break at midnight to get something to eat downstairs and meet up with some friends really quick. That never happened. We played straight through it.
• 2:00AM - This was the halfway point. None of us seemed tired, but Plans to meet up with anyone have gone out the window.
• 3:00AM - I started to actually start to get bored of the game, but since there’s nothing else I really felt like playing there, I keep on. It’s around this time that I notice that there aren’t as many people in the PC bang as I’m used to.
• 4:00AM - Someone in the PC bang had been playing [crappy] music the entire night. The bands on the playlist included Nickleback, Lee Hyori, and Hoobastank (go figure). It was at this point that the music started to get annoying.
• 5:30AM - This is where it starts getting hard to stay awake. I bought another cherry cola (DP) to help me stay awake. Despite being so tired and how comfortable the chairs are at Tera PC, it’s getting hard to stay sitting down.
• 6:30AM - It was at this point I realized that the girl behind us has been sitting there the entire time and has been on cyworld for most of it. It was getting harder and harder to stay awake.
• 8:00AM - We were all glad to see eight come around. The sad part was when we stepped outside and the sun was out.
• 8:10AM - I was in McDonald’s buying a bacon egg mcmuffin.

Completing the marathon was a success and I probably won’t be going back to a PC bang for a while. To be honest, I could probably do it again and it’s not like I’m boasting about it. The hardest part was just staying awake. If it went from noon to midnight, it wouldn’t have even been a problem. You might ask why I did this, but even I don’t really know why I set arbitrary goals and then feel accomplished when I complete them.

New Camera

Went to Namdaemun (in Seoul, a technology market) and finagled a new Canon 450D. Although I'm photographically illiterate, I'm an eager student. Joe & I will be going to practice soon but I have already taken a few shots that I've put on facebook here.

Because I got it on the gray market (meaning it was shipped in from Hong Kong), it came at a steal deal combined with said finagling.

looks exactly like this but says kissx2 since it's Japanese

Flies in Appleby's Eyes

On the way to the bank yesterday to unravel a mystery surrounding an exorbitant bill, I was struck in the eye by something larger than a gnat but smaller than a fly. Unrelenting tears sallied forth. Some quick notes I discovered on involuntarily crying:
- When you do it at the bank you look like you have money problems.
- When you do it in front of a public bathroom mirror you look like you have self esteem problems.
- When you do it on a train you look like you have loneliness problems.
- When you do it while ordering at McDonald's you look like you have eating problems.
- And lastly, when you are caught by a student, eating McDonald's alone and crying, you look like you have a whole boatload of problems. I was able to enjoy all these phenomena yesterday. When my student rolled into the foodcourt I thought I might be able to hide but then I remembered I was wearing my fluorescent hoodie..
It's like a game of Where's Waldo - can you find where I am hiding??

It took a while but I finally reached into my own eye and got it out.

Deokjeokdo

Camping was entirely miserable. We did an overnight this past weekend to an island an hour and a half off of Incheon and were greeted by never-ending rain, wind and cold. Let me illustrate how bad it was:
You know those dreams where you end up having a test you didn't prepare for, a paper due or lost a large sum of money and/or possessions but you wake up elated that none of this actually happened? Ok, Good..
I dreamt that night on Deokjeok Island that I was back in Incheon and had my bag stolen. In it were my Ray-Bans, passport, books, journal & health insurance. I woke up only mildly relieved because even though I had my bag, the sobering reality set in that I was still stuck on that island. That means I almost would have surrendered my most valuable possessions to get home.

My friend Tony from Wisconsin upon our return:
"I am going to kiss the ground in Incheon and never leave 'til my contract's up."


Hopefully I can plan a return trip soon when the weather is improved.

Brownsville Reporting at it's Finest

newsworthy

More Frost

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Korean Gems

Used Simon Says as a review for 3rd Graders in my open classroom and after class an old coteacher (Lt. Dike for any old readers) approached me:
Lt. Dike: "Evan, Who is Simon?"
Evan: "... umm.. what?"
Lt. Dike: "Who is Simon? Why do all the students listen to Simon?"
Evan: "... Simon is not a real person. It's a game we used in the last class."
Lt. Dike: "Oh, did you invent this game?"
Evan: "Haa.. No."


Two of my favorite students had a conversation about how many stickers they had collected (we give them out and after 2 months the student with the most is the winner).
S1: "Evan Teacher, I have sixteen stickers. She has one-seven stickers."
S2: "What is one-seven. I have seventeen stickers."

The open class went well. There were about 20 teachers who came to observe plus a video camera. The only thing that was weird is that of the 20 teachers who watched me, I know 10 or so well enough for it to be kinda awkward. Open classes are the only time I have to dress up so I was in the whole coat & tie. I guess I might've started looking a little nervous leading into it because as class was starting I turned to one of the 3rd grade girls and she gave me a double thumbs up and said "You look great!" -- I guess she realized I needed the quick pick-me-up.

Today I start studying for the second portion of the GRE. I spose I have a tendency to mention when I have a big occasion coming up but never let anyone know how it went. The written portion of the GRE went well and I'll be looking forward to seeing my score. Also, went to the Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival for Buddha's birthday last night and had a ball of a time there. Pictures should come soon but my camera died early into the night.

My Uncle Jay and Aunt Pat are coming to Korea tomorrow to see me and maybe, just maybe my cousin (their son Steve) too.

What I'm Listening to

It's been a soundtrack heavy couple of weeks:


Dexter Soundtrack: My favorite for any particular show
Blood Theme
so wonderfully eery
Photos
Kind've reminds me, at the 1 minute mark, of the song they played on the OC whenever Ryan was about to hit someone.
Main Intro - Morning Routine


Last Samurai - Way of LIfe
good soundtrack for a subpar movie. I think they are recycling it for the Karate Kid so I guess that will be elements of a good soundtrack in two, separate, subpar movies.


Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas
Shawshank Redemption Soundtrack


Open class tomorrow = Coat & Tie, principal and vice-principal observing, and a boatload of expectations. Bring it, "Cuz I love- my- job- .. Hoorah"

Poetry in Motion

I remember the precise moment I came across Emerson's Success. I found it in a “Peace and Nonviolence” course during senior year in high school. It was late morning and as I was getting ready for lunch and lazily flipping through the textbook, I found this boxed, pink excerpt. We passed right over it as far as class was concerned. I had seen the poem in passing a few times but doubt I had ever taken the time to read it. I did, however, take the time that day, and I read and reread and reread. Since that day, all those years ago, it has served as an absolute truth for me. People go their whole lives struggling to determine why we are here and what we ought to be doing. I was fortunate enough to have my answer fall into my lap at age 17.

It's felt like a vindication of the way I have been and am today. I would have a difficult time calling that poem anything other than religious doctrine. The only two distinct memories I maintain from that class were finding Emerson and getting a grasp on Gus Leal, my future roommate. Though Success made the class worthwhile on its own, Gus provided the icing on the cake (I think he still owes me three "frog-skins," however). Anyhoo, this post is not about Gus, to the chagrin of many, nor does it center on Johnny Tillotson. The day I blog about Johnny Tillotson is the official moment I ran outta blogging material three years prior.

No, this post is about distinguishing between what defines me (as much as one thing possibly could) and what drives me (again, as much as one thing could).

What defines me is this poem. What drives me, especially as of late, is Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken. I know, I know -- I happened to pick two of the most famous poems around. Great minds think alike, I suppose.

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

________________________________________________

I am aware that there are two very different translations of this poem. One follows the literal interpretation in terms of self-discovery and individualism, while the other is an ironic take dealing with rationalizing our own personal decisions throughout our past to make peace with them. Using this poem as a driving motivation in life keeps me aware that if Frost's intentions reflect the latter explanation, it would put me in the subgroup of grooms and brides who dance to "Every Breath You Take" by The Police at their wedding. So be it. but let me quickly segue.(Condolences to any couple whose song is "Every Breath You Take" by The Police)

I know a particular girl who once told me, upon noticing me for the first time, that I appeared "too cool for school." This is something that has stayed with me for reasons less ego-driven and obvious than you might initially presume. It is not in my particular nature to burst out and be a huge risk taker and while I can only speak for my own nature, I would bet that I am not the only one who's in this lifeboat. If I appear TCFS, as the kids call it, it usually means I am out of my element (the aforementioned episode did take place in a math class) and have looked inward for solace. I know a few people, though, whose nature is to approach things with a healthy dose of reckless abandon, especially when out of their element. I deeply admire that quality and greatly wish I possessed it. I don't. A certain logic has always guided me that made this quality come a little harder -- though it has really shaped my Risk and Diplomacy skills so it ain’t all bad. The risks have always been slightly more calculated though slightly less rewarding, personally. This TCFS business is the personal illustration that kept me focused on veering away from it and kept me steadied on Frost.

I take The Road Not Taken as a muse. It is to me a melancholic challenge. It challenges me to choose the right way and to stick to that path even when the other is not lost. The awareness that we cannot take every opportunity opened to us is sobering. Making one decision closes us off from another one. It challenges me to succumb to the potential loss of cool-points in favor of decisions that keep me on my own path. I know quite well that the regret of not doing something far outweighs the immediate embarrassment of messing up. Practically everything I've learned in Korea has come through error.

Frost's work doesn't define me, yet. It guides me, and on a long enough timeline I won't have to approach things with a purposeful mind towards finding that path so much as letting it fall into place. I think in many ways it's already set in motion. I feel like I have always marched to my own drum; I'm just making sure the beat is in tune.

You can go ahead and listen to your friend Billy Zane; he's a cool dude. I'll be challenging Hansel to a walk-off precisely because he's so hot right now. If I end up with underwear riding high, I'll do so holding my head to match it.

Dexter

Finished season 1 last night.
Wow Sooooooooooooooo good

I have heard that 2 & 3 go a little downhill but I am still excited for them.
My mind has been on the show pretty heavily since I started watching it (4 days ago).

Probably tied in my esteem with Mad Men for the best intro for a show, which I know sounds goofy but that goes up against The Wire, Band of Brothers & The Fresh Prince of Belair - pretty stiff competition. Season 1's soundtrack is the best I've heard for a show too, though Treme might give it a run for its money.
Hands down, best finale to a season as well. It wraps up so, so so so, so so well.
All in all, if you haven't seen it, do so - you really ought to.

Defeat

Well.. my Spurs are out of the running for the 2010 NBA Championship after being swept by Phoenix in 4 games.  I had a bet running with Neil (my roomie from orientation) and will now be wearing a Randy Moss, sleeping bag sized Patriots jersey the next time I go out with him.  Had he lost (and this was a bet of who could survive the longest between the Spurs and Celtics) he woulda been forced to don a tight, sleeveless Spurs shirt for the night.  It is probably good this bet ended now because every round the stakes were going to go up.

At least we didn't lose to the Mavs.

People who know me can tell you that I take sports.. rather seriously.  This one isn't quite as bitter of a pill to swallow since I have been abroad all year.  It has been an interesting displacement in regards to sports.  I stay tuned in pretty well by maintaining healthy doses of PTI and ESPN.com -- maybe an hour a day or a little more when there are a few different sports running concurrently.  Concurrently, ergo, vis-a-vis... If you didn't understand that last part don't sweat it.  Anyway, being abroad has made me feel as if a fraction of me is paralyzed emotionally from both the ups and downs of my respective sports teams back home. 

Also, I always have had a soft spot for the Suns in theory.  Basically, they are a hard team to truly dislike, and I always tell myself that they wouldn't be a bad team to pull for if the Spurs were out.  What always follows, however, is that we play them and theory goes out the window as I realize that they really annoy me.  Not having been able to watch the game through any other means than Gamecast has kept that annoyance from surfacing so this one doesn't sting quite as bad as the others.

Of all the train stations in all the towns in all the world,

She walks into mine.
Koreans love clothing with completely inane slogans and sports teams.  New York hats with the Nebraska "N" and a slew of Jackie Robinson merchandise springs to mind.  Generally, being the avid man of sports that I am, I like to keep an eye out hoping one day I'll run into a Korean attired in something of personal significance to my rooting interest.  Early on in Korea, I saw a young buck with a San Antonio Spurs hat. Score!! You'd think so, but I was not fully engulfed in Korean nonsense at that point, and therefore, the gem was lost on me to a degree. 

Lost on me until yesterday that is!  I ended up coming up the steps at Woninjae Station where I live, and passed by a girl in a purple, acid wash sweatshirt with "Superbowl XXXI" blasted across it and a huge GB Packers emblem.  Alas, after running through the gamut of oddly colored Yankee, Red Sox & White Sox merchandise, I came across the holy grail of all finds.  And yes, the Packers should toy with the thought of ditching the green and gold for acid wash purple; it works.

Sadly, this approximate recreation took far longer than it should have to make:

Cannnnnnn you dig it?  

Meh.. the GRE

I will be taking the written portion of the GRE this coming Friday.  Originally, when I signed up for the GRE, I wanted to take about a month and a half to study for it.  The verbal/math portion of the test is on June 12th so when I looked into officially signing on my general goal seemed reachable (I signed up for it about 5 days ago).  What I was not aware of, however, was that in Asia one must take the writing portion of the GRE one month prior to the verbal/math.  This flies in the face of the American version of the test to prevent cheating (it was a bit of an epidemic in China a few years ago).  So I went from having 6 weeks to having 8 days because the last day to take the written portion is May 7th (I'll be there at 11 AM and ask for some good vibes if you are able to figure out the time change because Evan Don't Need No good vibes at  1 AM the next day ^^).  Korean, and generally Asian smiley by the way ^^ . 

The written portion is broken up into two separate essays.  The first is an "Issue" task where the test taker is given two general statements and tasked with choosing one and being either for or against it with a rainbow of possibilities in the middle.  You can take it at almost any angle as long as the logic flows smoothly and there is sufficient evidence to back it up.  The "Issue" task comes with a 45 minute time allotment.  The second essay is an "Argument" task where we are given a prompt and must critique it's soundness of logic, use of evidence and general efficiency. 

Today I spent my time on the latter half and because I (a) have no classes today, (b) feel deep shame over a lack of steady posts and (c) figured "why not?", I will upload a practice prompt and my general outline in regards to the "Argument" task.  I wrote an outline rather than an actual paper since none of my readers are GRE graders and I am not really focusing on polishing my writing at this point - that's what the blog is for!

::::PROMPT::::
Six months ago the region of Forestville increased the speed limit for vehicles traveling
on the region’s highways by ten miles per hour. Since that change took effect, the number
of automobile accidents in that region has increased by 15 percent. But the speed limit in
Elmsford, a region neighboring Forestville, remained unchanged, and automobile
accidents declined slightly during the same six-month period. Therefore, if the citizens of
Forestville want to reduce the number of automobile accidents on the region’s highways,
they should campaign to reduce Forestville’s speed limit to what it was before the increase.

::::MY OUTLINE::::

• Short timeline, 6 months, makes it difficult to gauge the true impact.
• +15% accident rate seems like a convincing statistic but doesn't shed much light.  Huge difference between +15% if we are talking about a yearly accident rate in the 300's and one in the 3000's. 
  
• Most importantly, (the bread and butter), speed limit goes up on highway, spike in accidents don't indicate where the accidents take place or the type of accidents that occur (things other than speed related?).
  
• Using Elmsford, a neigbhoring "region", helps to negate general seasonal changes as a result of this spike and serves as an efficient example in this regard.  One must exercise caution, however, when using a completely different region as the control for a study.  There is no indication of either region's greater historical trends in regards to motor accident history so it might be unwise to base a decision on Elmsford.
• Finally, switching back may intro more damage with two willy-nilly shifts in such a close timeline.  Drivers who might be adjusting to this new change must now readjust and this could cause accident percentages to further increase.  Also, there would be a reintroduction of whatever problems initially motivated the speed limit to go up 10 MPH in the first place (traffic??). 

So, hopefully I do well so I can go on to study that major in that place to get that job.  I'll replace the "that's" when I come up with a better answer.

How I Spend My Time

If one were to gauge my life and goings-on in Korea by my facebook profile (and the subsequent pictures tagged) they might be shocked and appalled. This post is to shed some light and hopefully calm a few people. Saying I have had a good time in Korea might mirror an Old School conversation:

Frank: I had an awesome time!
Beanie: I know that you had an awesome time. I think the entire town knows you had an awesome time.
[to Mitch]
Beanie: And wouldn't you want those times to keep on going?

Now that I have switched recently to a money-saving mode, I thought I'd fill you in on some of the things that actually keep me busy (what the fbook photos don't show you!). I have had the opportunity to focus on some new hobbies (and old as well) during my time as an Incheon resident.
I have written more often than I ever have before. This shows up in these blog posts of course but mostly in my journal. I find that living, traveling and operating on my own can serve up a little cabin fever but writing has helped to temper that. It was the number one item on my Christmas wish list and my parents certainly delivered. The first half of my time here I didn't have one but because the initial 4-5 months move so quickly, I didn't pine for one until my life slowed down and found a rythm.
Reading has also taken up a lot of my time. Like writing, these two didn't pick up until around the halfway mark. I have been flying through books (save John Adams which one does not fly through) and have really enjoyed having the free time to do so. The first time a family friend asked me "What do you do with your free time [besides the incriminating photos]?", my answer was something along the lines of "Uh.. Mmmm..". Now, I would cite reading and writing as my go-to answers. Take that illiteracy, reading and writing to save the day!! -- I have, as you can tell, become quite edumucated.
Alas, you might find yourself asking, "Evan really splits his time evenly between intellectual pursuits and those of a slightly less savory nature??" No, does that sound like me? I have been able to catch up on lots of television as well. I have plowed through Mad Men, Californication, and am currently watching The Pacific and Treme. I was going to put a review in parentheses next to each but I realized they would all say "wonderful" with The Pacific garnering a "wonderful -". I recommend them all. I am convinced Duchovny is the only actor who could pull off Hank Moody in Californication, and if you are of age.., you should most definitely watch it. Anyone else in that role would seem silly and contrived.

Ya Hank, get on with your bad self

Lastly, in keeping with the Evan you all know, I have spent a great deal of my time at PC Bangs (Internet cafes) catching up on good ol' video game time. With Starcraft 2 around the corner, I have my work cut out for me if I ever want to join the leagues of 4 notches below professional-level gaming.


Video games, television, reading & writing, and of course changing the lives of many Korean students. It don't get much better.

Muahahaha!!

Joseph Gutierrez brightens my day -- In keeping with the theme, here is a clip of Gladiator put on by Korean middle school students


They did Zoolander too - this stuff is great!!

what I'm listening to

The life of a teacher - at least this teacher - provides ample time to catch up on music. This is what's been on my list ::

A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation (Zeds Dead Remix)

Buona Sera - Louis Prima

Sunrise - Norah Jones


cheers to all!

My Mom Says I'm a Catch, I'm Popular

While hashing out the differences between elementary, middle and high school with some teaching friends I made about as good of an illustration as I could that balances both the power of description with brevity. It has been generally agreed to, by the way, that by the time kids in Korea hit middle school they are these professional students that move from class to class absorbing knowledge and not much else. They are academic warriors who are in class from 9 AM - 11 PM (or later). Due to the rigors of their schedule, their good humor and excitement has been mostly drained.

Luckily, I am an elementary teacher so none of the aforementioned drainage applies to me. My popularity at Hae Song Elementary School, especially in the cafeteria, is (*cue illustration*) not quite, but about two steps shy of Maximus' "Spaniard, Spaniard" reception when he walks into any stadium in the movie Gladiator.

In fact, it is scary how closely my life mirrors that of Maximus Decimus Meridius'.

• The Roman General phase = coaching swimming at Westwood
• Stripped of Power = Journey to Korea (stranger in a new land) .. let's ignore the whole family dying episode as to not take the wind out of my sails.
• The Gladiator phase = putting my finely honed skills teaching kids to use in a new medium (from swimming to the classroom -- war to gladiator)

See what I did there! Alright, so my life isn't really like Maximus' but we all need a little grandeur to keep us going and in my case I usually require a lot.


Credit to Nada Surf for title.

U Don't Have to Call

Yo after tonight
Don't have your lunch box around me
True playa for real


Shoe bag actually, but my kids have learned that they leave their shoe bag (in Korea we have our indoor and outdoor shoes) alone at their own peril.  Though my soccer skills are fairly weak, I summon the spirit of Pelé when there is an unattended shoe bag.  I make a mad dash through the halls with their belongings showing off every trick I can execute (of which there are few).  The kids seem to enjoy this almost as much as I do.

On a different, school related side note, I was taken a bit surprise by a recent game of kai-bai-bo (scissor-rock-paper).  I spend about a quarter of my time either doling out high fives or enthralled in the art of rock-paper-scissors.  To keep things fresh, I thought I'd change it to "rock-paper-punch" and faux punched a kid.  He thought this was hilarious and after a laughter break (because my jokes kill around the 4th graders) he decided to one up me by throwing down a "Rock-Paper-*#!@ You" with an accompanying hand gesture.  Obviously, the severity of certain insults don't always translate through languages so while he thought it was great, he wasn't really aware of what he was throwing my way. 

Let me say that I found it hilarious -- I mean that is one of the last things you'd expect in a game of kai bai bo.  I laughed very, very briefly.  I had to, in accordance with my better judgment but against my deepest wishes, explain in a stern tone why this was completely unacceptable.  He got the message though I'll admit I was ultimately defeated in rock-paper-scissors.

Teaching Decisions & My Life Visions

Rhyming took precedence here in regards to the title. It was either this or prospectus and trying to find a metaphorical use of rectus. My schedule hasn't changed in the past week and a half so I suppose I was due for another one. It seems as though I will be losing the aforementioned coteacher (Lt. Norman Dike - see video 2 posts below) in addition to my original co-teacher last semester. I currently have a set up where I teach 20 classes split between 3 teachers (14 with main, 2 with Mrs. Lim, my original co-teacher, and 4 with Lt. Dike). Currently I see 4 classes of 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th grade one time per week.
My new schedule would have me seeing 3rd grade, 6th grade and two of the 5th grade classes twice per week (as opposed to just once currently) while losing out on the other two 5th grade classes and the whole 4th grade entirely. They will also add two teacher's English conversation classes that I will do which will bump me to 22 but (a) this would've happened regardless and (b) after about two months all the teachers get too busy to go anyway.

There are pro's and con's to both scenarios: The 6th graders are my favorite class this year so seeing them two times per week would be stellar. On the other hand, the 4th graders are a close second for favorite status and not teaching them at all is a bitter pill. I call it a bitter pill despite having trouble with those classes (insert Lt. Dike) because I love those kids that much.
In this new scenario, all my teaching hours would be with my main co-teacher, Mrs. Kim. She is awesome and an excellent teacher. The plus of not having to rock out class with Lt. Dike is slighted by losing Mrs. Lim, who I absolutely adore. Mrs. Lim actually called my main co-teacher pleading to not lose me which really speaks to how well we get along. By the way, the Westerner who would take my place with the good Lieutenant would fit much better stylistically with her anyway because he's stockpiled experience and seems like more of a disciplinarian than myself.

All in all, it seems as though this trade comes out about even so I haven't been too high or low on it since finding out. I did propose, though due to scheduling it seems all for naught, that I trade the teacher's convo classes to get back with my original co-teacher. This would be trading in two puff classes for two real ones but would probably make things a lot easier for Mrs. Lim. Alas, it doesn't look as though it's meant to be.

- On to the Life Visions -I have been giving a lot of thought to my generalized plan of attack on life and currently I am thinking this (for any of you who have been asking or more realistically for no one who's been asking but certainly wondering)::

• Take the GRE this summer in KoreaFinish my contract at the end of August
• Take two months, roughly, to make my way back home and in doing so travel through Southeast Asia, India, Egypt, Southern Italy/France and into Spain
• Arrive to a crowd of adoring and longing fans in the US around the end of October. The term "crowd" is a flexible one and may unexpectedly transform into mob, small handful or smattering.
• Take two months for graduate school applications and enjoy the hill country with my parents and animals. "Grad school for what?" you ask -- excellent question but let's move on -- hurry, there's no time! -- loud noises and distractions.
• During these two months I hope to develop a hobby (Spanish or photography but leaning towards the former) and take frequent visits to Austin.
• A 6 month lease in the ATX starting at the beginning of January to run through the .. well, you do the math.
• Start Grad school for something or other in the fall of 2011.

I here there are some excellent graduate programs out there for prospective road pavers.


That's all for now! I'm off to have a The Pacific marathon at my friend Pat's house. I have heard mixed reviews but I'll let Tommy Lee Jones handle my rebuttal "I don't care."

Hey All

I know it's been a while since I've posted. To be honest, it has been a hectic couple of weeks and the most effort I've felt like putting into my blog involved the layout rather than the content. I am back, however, and come bearing a few notes.

It was my friend Brian & Alli's birthday this past weekend in Gwangju. I had volunteered a massive shift going into the week prior involving teaching 34 out of my 35 possible hours. I hit overtime after 22 so some of you might be thinking "Benjamin's!" but it's more along the lines of Hamilton's. It was an eventful weekend that allowed me to see some old friends who I hadn't in some time and on the whole I had a wonderful visit. Since coming home I've become sick again, as per SOP. I should be getting over that shortly though! Steve & Nara set the date and I have enjoyed watching the announcement video a few times now!! I'd also like to link to my friend Sid's longing thoughts on his time in Korea (though this is for the adults in the room so young'ins beware!).

Sid's blog post

I can relate to a lot of it and I haven't even left yet! By the way I think I just finished like 5 sentences in a row in exclamation so you know this guy's excited.

Some music I've been listening to --

Rocket Man - Elton John

Seen the Rain - CCR

Run Devil Run - SNSD


Elton has helped me get through some of these more hectic times lately so my hat's off to him. So much so in fact that sometimes I feel I have on a crazy pair of glasses and suffer from severe balding.

My Friday Co-teaching Experience

THIS video summarizes what I feel like every Friday in class. For anyone who's watched Band of Brothers, it's fairly similar to teaching with Lt. Norman Dike. Sabotaged at almost every turn. Trying to work out the kinks!! The first 3 minutes summarizes my entire experience but if you are short on time jump to 2:10. Those few lines can illustrate it better than anything I could say.

Band of Brothers

of course I would be Donnie Wahlberg in this scenario. His reactions & sentiments are fairly analogous to my own.

My St. Patrick's Day

I was thinking of the best onomatopoeia to describe my St. Patty's Day but I can't decide between "bleh", "yeesh" or "meh". After joyously pinching hordes of unsuspecting Korean students for their lack of green and general knowledge about the Irish holiday, it seemed as if the sky was the limit this time around.
It was going to be hard to top last year's celebration. I went and had a great swim practice at Westwood, got an early start on downtown Austin with Alex H. and Nick M. and generally lazed around all afternoon playing bocce ball at Joe's Bar (by Frank & Angies). This was followed by a bottle of wine at home with Emily after she got off work. I would tend to call it my best St. Patrick's Day yet. The road ahead for me this year was bound to be long and arduous if I was to make it the best.

First stop after school: a faculty dinner at a sushi place near where I work. The food was excellent and the soju flowed freely. I must say (imitating my mom), I had a really good time at this dinner. It was a "Welcome New Teachers" party which was great because it really highlighted my position as an old teacher. In welcoming those new to the Hae Song family, I realized that I had firmly made my claim. I didn't have to go into the dinner worried about all the right things to say or how to make the best impression. I was relaxed and felt like I was among friends, or at the very least people I see rather often. What was I saying about the soju flowing freely?? Oh ya.. it did! Early and often! The whole affair wrapped up around 8 PM (lasted about 3 hours).
The words that are many men's undoing: "I have enough time for a short nap." I woke up again, 8 hours later, at 4:30 AM. The night had completely passed me by and on top of it all I was restless and awake with 3 hours before I actually had to be up. Inane internet activity kept me busy but I was really excited about wearing a new St. Patty's themed UT hat (thanks Mom!) and paying dividends to my Irish ancestry. I'm sure I saved money, but at what cost?? Though I tried it probably figured as my worst SPD thus far.

Random Note -- my Girl's Generation trading card collection (yes, they take their pop groups seriously). I'll claim ownership but not the purchase. My friend Joe got these for me knowing my true love of SNSD (Girl's Generation).

Curriculum Changes - KR & AMR.

I posted the link (Cliff's notes)in my previous entry but in case you haven't read it there it is once more. This issue has actually been on my mind all day. I don't know how anyone could get behind the idea if the conversation for changes went something along the lines of "Let's try and detract from Thomas Jefferson's influence, shine the spotlight a little more on the militant side of the civil right's movement and try and justify McCarthyism a bit to give it it's proper due." You can't rewrite history to suit your purpose!

A Checklist of changes:

- Resistance to addition of more Latino figures as role models and leaders in Texas history

- A decrease in emphasis on separation of church and state and a questioning of the secular nature of the American Revolution

- A look at the more violent prone figures of the Civil Right's movement (along with a trumpeteering of Republican policy during the CRM)

- A less racist view of the Japanese internment camps during WWII - Hey, Italians and Germans were there too!!

- What about all the good things McCarthy did?

- Replacing the term "capitalism" with "free enterprise system" because as Terri Leo points out, “Let’s face it, capitalism does have a negative connotation. You know, ‘capitalist pig!’ ”

- A decreased view of Thomas Jefferson's works as an inspiration for revolution in the late 18th and 19th century.

- A more favorable view of Nixon's work with China (I actually don't have a huge problem with that)

History is not black and white and it certainly isn't always a matter of right and wrong. It's muddy and grey and that's the whole point. There are instances of complete heroism as well as instances of pure evil (though many times they are few and far between). The scarcity is what makes those instances so noteworthy. History is grey because it is affected by humanity's touch. All people can do is make the best decision with the information available to them. You hope that after your lot has been cast you end up on the bright side of history. If however, you do not, you must own that as well. Our history is not a collection of "what's?" but rather "why's?". "Why" something happened is the reason history lovers can debate, discuss and remain captivated by their passion.

I worry that this action by the Texas School Board of Education is rooted in a deep disorientation by members who have been poisoned by the recent, historical bickering. It is as if their best way to justify their cause is by tearing down the opposition. Like abortion, (yes, it's a bomb of a comparison) the standstill created has led to flat out name calling and takes people further away from intelligible conversation, much less any form of agreement. It just seems like everything got so personal.

If it were dreamt up by a group of people (as is the case) I suppose America could look as flawless as they choose. I would say that a predominant amount of my personal, memorable history comes with me far from my best. The stories I carry with me involve missing my mark, disappointment and poor decisions. It would be convenient but tragic if I could simply wave my hand and remember them a different way. I could put a nice bow on them all and admire the pretty picture. In that blissful picture, I would lose the truth, the lesson and the growth that came of it. In the very best of lights you could call the Texas SBOE's actions misguided. They aim to take away precisely what a completely pleasant story is in want of -- the truth, the lesson and the growth.

The errors they are bringing about in this whole mess are of the worst nature. This is because the worst mistakes are ones that affect those around them. We, as Texans, pay for these stupid amendments. They embarrass us and injure our reputation. They make us look ignorant and foolish. They will inevitably lead to a lot of misguided teaching as well if nothing is done.

What I'm listening to--

- The Oldboy soundtrack (which hasn't been working from American IP's)

- Shama Lama Ding Dong by Lloyd Williams aka Otis Day and the Knights

- Blame It On The Girls by Mika

- Lisztomania by Phoenix

by the way! I miss everyone very, very much!!

March 18th & St. Patty's

My St. Patrick's day seems like it will be rather muted. We have a party for new teachers tomorrow and I have been told thus far that it will run pretty late. I will probably hit the town after that but I do have school the next day and if I get out late it might just end up being tempered. I ought to sue on grounds of discrimination towards the Irish. Oh wait never mind-- frivolous law suits don't exist in Korea.

Shutter Island will be coming out on March 18th. This is coming at about a 3 week delay and I must say I am pretty psyched. I am a huge Dennis Lehane fan (along with Leo and Marty) and have read everyone of his books. The movie looks like it is trying to be scarier than the book was. Maybe I just missed that whole vibe in the book but it was never one of horror or chills. By Lehane standards, Shutter Island was just OK but I am excited nonetheless. Of course, I could have watched this movie the day it came out if I bought the DVD at the Yongsan technology market for 2 dollars. I built up enough patience to go for the movie theater experience. In case you were wondering, seeing movies in Korea is almost identical to back home and the prices are analogous too.

Oh ya, Emily linked this to me. Texas has decided to rearrange history which I fully and completely support. I have no problem with idiocy unless it is influential and comes from powerful places. Oh Texas, how I miss thee..

From the Belly of the Beast

From a journal entry dated March 11, 2010:

Coteaching -> Working our way into the flow of the school schedule. Always exhausted -- I think my sleep schedule barely worked without kids over winter break but now it's just ridiculous. Need more sleep! I now have 3 coteachers up from 1 of last semester.
by the way: writing this on the train on my way to trivia and am wondering how Koreans are so successful at getting smashed by 8:30 PM and then finding me on the train to sit next to afterwards.
by the way 2: trying to ease the odd balance between journal writing and blogging ... already am aware that this should go in the blog as well.
Anyhoo= 3 coteachers up from 1 but no afternoon program so my free time gets a nice and almost unwanted boost. Working as much as I did last semester was tiring yet fulfilling. I don't want to lose that sense of fulfillment.
Pleasantly surprised at how nice my handwriting is even when I write blind (aforementioned Korean man's head is extremely close to my lap) - Yes, I mean you crazy, old man. You probably can't read English and you almost certainly couldn't read Korean at this point either. He held my hand for like 30 seconds - I apologize, this is getting seriously derailed, everyone is watching me yet I press on. I can't help laughing either. His hand was large and soft.
Out of 3 new CT's, (Mrs. Lim, my old coteacher, is one of them), Mrs. Kim (my main) is awesome and really good at teaching English. It is her 7th year in the biz and 20th teaching in general. Ms. Jung I see on Fridays, and that has been an interesting adjustment as I adapt to new theories and ways! Life in Korea is one of adjustments. That's all for now, trivia time!

By the way in relation to the man on train:
During my time at Westwood I got a full array of compliments, far more often and far too flattering than I deserved. One of my personal favorites though was when someone told me I "had the patience of Job." I think tonight, with my new-found friend, I lived up to that billing! Sadly, I do not think a second date is in the works.

The Passing of Time

One of the more poignant happenings of late was my good friend Sid's departure from Korea. I was able to see him yesterday on his last night before his flight today (taken from March 4th journal entry). I must mention that I was able to slow dance with him to Andrea Bocelli's "Time to Say Goodbye" and then walked out the door to the ending theme of Top Gun -- a most fitting conclusion.
His going away has me thinking about my own impending finale. I can't believe it's already been 6 months; that I am halfway through teaching, through my time in Korea, through my friends and family for this year. I wonder about my return. I wonder about how this experience has altered me and how I will adjust to life back in the US. I even think about my capacity for adjusting to life back in the States and whether I will have an implanted feeling of restlessness. I have changed in many ways and hope that through the fresh circumstances of life abroad I have grown for the better.
Walking home, (again- transplanted from a journal) I thought about my probable inability to explain all the different things I've done and, more importantly, the way they affected me. (I must include this) I made myself laugh by momentarily thinking "I guess this is kinda like Nam." No, in fact, it is nothing like the Vietnam War. The thought was silly the moment I started it but I did get a good laugh out of it. I finished The Things They Carried today (a wonderful Vietnam book) and sometimes I can take on an odd sense of grandeur.
I think it's a hard thing to realize how special something can be in the midst of enjoying it. It's easy to get caught up in an experience and, like so many other things, find yourself bittersweet because it's gone by the time you understand what it was. I am amazed already by how well everything has fit. In a lot of ways, picking up and leaving was a bit of a selfish decision. It was a planned, honest decision, but slightly selfish at the same time. I'm purposely being vague here but I will say that halfway through I know my time in Korea has improved me and that I will carry that back to the people I love and wherever my next chapter takes me.

Tonsillitis

I have it

Hey Ya'll

sorry about mentioning new posts and leaving you with none. As it turns out I have had a run of pretty crummy luck this past week. I got a mild sore throat about a week ago that got gradually worse with time. I can't drum up too many sympathy points though because I have friends leaving Korea and have been out almost every night and have done a pretty poor job taking care of myself.

Last night I skipped a good friend's going away party to try and finally kill this thing. I am waking up around 10 AM (after about 13 hours worth of sleep) and finding myself in worse shape than ever before. I have already called my coteacher to let her know that despite my best efforts I will be relenting to the treatment of a foreign hospital. This should be fun!! I went on WebMD and I really can't figure out what this is. It has closed up almost completely today and I really can't do much of anything without it hurting. It's by far the worst sore throat I've ever had so I am really hoping I can get into a hospital today (it's a national holiday here so I wonder how many will be open).

Vacay

I was in Busan this past weekend and wrote a vague and poorly written synopsis - coming soon to a city near you!!

To quote the wise Samuel L.
"Hold on to your butts."

since this is just a filler I thought it might be nice to throw in this observation--
How awesome is it that of my 16 followers one is myself (done by accident) and two are my mom!

Don't Tread on Me

No taxation without representation, I do declare.

The Backdrop:

I received and paid for my heating bill in these past few days but it turned out to be an exorbitant fee. I have on good word that I was not unjustly charged and that it comes at a fairly standard rate. The only problem in my particular situation is that (a) I have no control over when my heat is turned on or off and (b) the heating in my apartment works poorly and I really don't have heat at all. They could just make a number and I'd be essentially forced to pay it without even having the ability to influence the price.
My thermostat has actually been punched through the wall which coincides with my current predicament. One might wonder why I have not complained to apartment management. Well~ I have!! After inspection and through translation I was told that "There might be a problem with the pipes. We could try and investigate and repair but there is a chance that your apartment might blow up."
As you can imagine, though I don't think I was actually given a choice (nor should I have been), I passed. I sit here now dejected and despaired, a young man of 23 who has no choice but to pay King George's ransom.
A bright note is that it actually got over 60 degrees today - still trying to find out what land I stepped into where this happens. Should come crashing back to reality soon!

Yes, I watched the John Adams series on HBO and yes, it was quite good!

woo hoo some more!!

A few bits and pieces ::
- My Uncle Patrick is in Spring Branch with my parents this week and I was able to Skype with him a little bit!!
- Finished Catch 22 -- it was fantastic and I think I need to read it again quite soon.
- My friend Ben will be the new Okey Dokey (private academy) English teacher at Hae Song so I will be seeing him every day. Okey Dokey is their program's nickname.

woo hoo!!

I got Rosetta Stone up and runnin' --

Italian, Spanish & Korean with the emphasis being Korean of course!!

An Entry from my Memoirs

Dated 4 February 2010

I can not figure out if the women who work at McDonald's at the E-Mart food court (where I frequent for grocery shopping and snackery) gawk at me because they think I'm a handsome foreigner or if they do it because they think I eat at McDonald's too much.

I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle leaning towards the latter. They have shamed me from consuming McD's.

K-Pop

The big song in Korea right now is "Oh" by Girl's Generation (aka So Nyeo Shi Dae or SNSD). I guess I never really explained the Korean music business but I think I mentioned that a new hit will be played ad nauseum. The music biz in Korea is faaaaaaaaaaar less varied compared to the US.

SNSD is a group of 9 girls who were all signed at an early age, given dance and singing lessons, and then placed into a group by their record label. It's not quite the garage band scene associated with many American groups. There will only be 5-10 different music groups on the radio. This means that when a new hit comes out you hear it, a lot! Fortunately, I enjoy about 95% of the songs that come out so it's not that bad for me. If you give them a listen I am sure you will find them pretty catchy:

Oh by SNSD

Gee by SNSD (older song by Girl's Generation)

Fulfillment

I have had an excess amount of free time these past two days. I don't see the 5th graders this week freeing me up to teach one class per day. We are in the closing stretch of school before a 2 week break and the start of the new year. Yesterday I spent a whole lotta time doing a whole lotta nothing. Today my official list of things I needed to accomplish to feel like I didn't waste my day are as follows:

- Figure out my vacation schedule for the foreseeable future

- Make a blog post

- Take a nap

As far as I'm concerned, when 33% of one's list of objectives includes a nap it doesn't get much better.

Yes, I checked the vacation schedule and the blog post speaks for itself. The nap did NOT in fact occur. Listening to the Gladiator soundtrack and discovering that Leon (The Professional) was on youtube took precedent.

here's the scoop on los campamentos de invierno

I have actually completed two of the three camps taking place during the winter season. I started with 6th graders on the first and took 5th graders the second go-around. The last week of February will be our last camp held for 4th graders. A lot of the other EPIK teachers have had to make everything from scratch and run it themselves. I on the other hand have the benefit of coming into a team of English teachers and a school that had been previously running them. This meant my responsibilities fell to planning 2 subjects (of 4 total) and running the orientation. Matthew, who ran winter camps last year, gave me one piece of advice before he finished his contract at Hae Song. "Focus on having fun," he said to me, "don't worry as much about the English." I did just that! He was right too by the way because with two 75 minute lessons a day if you just focus on having fun the English follows in line rather nicely.

Orientation consisted entirely of goofy ice breakers and was crazy easy. I chose my words carefully just there because I did in fact teach them .. gasp! .. using crazy as an adjective to mean "very." They really enjoy using the phrase "that __________ is crazy crazy" (No worries, they know it's slang and that they should only use it when addressing their elders, principals and other people of influence - har har).

I've mentioned this a few times but for the sake of everyone hopping in now - Matthew and Blair left school at the beginning of January thrusting me into the role of longest native-English speaker at Hae Song. Janice, the head of the English Dept. left about a month before they did and now Amy our teaching assistant has gone too. I used this influence and divine power to swing my choice of winter camp classes. I didn't want to be greedy so I only asked for PE but (you can tell by the pictures!) I got cooking too. This really gave me a carefree two weeks consisting of cupcakes and capture the flag. I had a wonderful time doing it and it was a pretty drastic change up in terms of work load from what I've been used to. In fact, since about Christmas my schedule has been pretty easy-peasy. School will be starting up at the beginning of March and I'd tell you a schedule if I had one but I don't so I won't. I am relying on the oft-reliable fact that I won't know my schedule until a day prior of it starting.

If there was lots of word repetition and generalized general silliness throughout this post you can blame it on my current reading; Catch 22. How did I go this long without reading this book!?!