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."