Been too long in Korea yet somehow not long enough

Been far too long since my last post. I have been putting the finishing touches on my Japan blog as I feel that I should post it before I head back there (which will be in two weeks :) ). I am super excited because my sister Johanna is coming to visit me, and she's bringing among other things, her husband, my Pat's jersey (even though its cursed), several pounds of Mexican rice, as well as her husband Keith!

Couldn't be more pleased with the state of events in Korea right now. Which is why I claim that I have been far too long in Korea. I have started to think like a Korean. I wonder when I will get my next batch of Kim chi, TKD consumes my life;one day I will be good I swear, and of course I find less and less things that would have originally shocked me. For instance they serve Ice cream in condoms in this country. Take a few seconds and process that. Ice cream. Condoms. Together in a tasty chocolate treat! Also I see gochu drying on the side of the street and I think it's gochu season already? Rather than why are they putting vegetables on the side of the street, or as Landon noted cabbage on the floor of a stairwell.

Also, and well this is not a bad thing just something that I had not anticipated in the slightest when I was coming over here, I love teaching my Kindy kids. They are all spectacularly funny and brilliant little beings with terrific personalities. Even the ones that make me want to bang my head against the wall, or curl and cry in frustration (talking to you Pluto ;) ) are all worth the effort and toll it takes out of me. Who knew that I would be fond of little children? I always thought they were annoying and a waste of time, and I still believe babies are, but I am now confident in saying that kids. Well kids are alright. Its interesting, and perhaps it is because the children are so receptive and inquisitive about my life at least more than most people in K-Town, that I find myself truly missing them when I haven't seen them in awhile. Maybe its just Korea, maybe I should think about being a teacher for more than a stopgap, or maybe I just don't know, but I am fairly certain I'm like one of those annoying parents that always talks about their kids, because I for sure know they are always near the top of what I want to talk about. Funny how being a pseudo-parent does that to you. So without further ado some shots of the kids.

Lisa modeling her sock puppet

Brian has to be one of my most emotional children.

What is there that I can say about Johnny. Oh yea biggest handful at ECC
5 months running. Congratulations Johnny you surely have earned it.

Sweet little Tiffany always a little scared of new things.

These pictures were taken during a drama contest, from left to right
Sophia, Daniel, Tiffany, Lisa, Jeremy.

I don't remember the song they were singing...er pantomiming Milli Vanilli style

This is Karen, who sabotages me by saying "Teacher big hug please!"

Saturn Class: I think it was put best by Landon "Even I think they're cute and I'm a heartless bastard!" (Left to right: Jess, Angel, Rachel, Joseph, Taylor, Jade, Karen, David, Bianca, Stuart)

All my charges.

Lastly, some fantastic works of art. The kids were coloring so I decided that I would also color. I used chiaroscuro to give definition to the whale while also giving a nod Monet and his peers with my impressionist piece of a seaside sunset. Landon also did a top notch 3-d representation of the death of the dinosaurs. Hold on I think I hear the Louvre calling, Until then pasties...

Will Out

A side note...

As of Saturday I have survived and thrived in Korea for 6 whole months. Go me.

Only 4 1/2 years in Asia left...

Brain failure...

Too much to say no energy to do it. I have to finish what has become an epic post on my trip to Japan, at least before I return in a month. I would be a lot closer but stupid Blogger deleted a post that I spent 2 hours working on so I have been boycotting it since then. Also this has been the longest week in Korea yet for a multitude of reasons. Let me just give quick recaps and then go more in depth tomorrow when I have slept.

1st. This was the last week for several of my co-workers and friends and I have now found myself in a position that instead of the rookie I am the sage veteran. How the hell did that happen? I wish those that have left the best of luck in the world and I am sure there will be times that I miss their carefree attitudes but for now bon voyage and enjoy the next chapter in your lives friends.

So since this was a transitional week at school it only makes sense that it would coincide with evaluations which are the most depressing, time-consuming, and crappy part of my job. Normally it takes me forever and a day to write out these evaluations and as of this posting it has taken forever and 3 days! Maybe I should lift my embargo of doing work at home, but I really think that 10-12 hour days 5 days a week is enough without bringing my work home. Naturally since evaluations are due and I am trying to help the newbies one of the teachers is out for the week with H1n1 or for those not doctors swine flu. Let me clarify this, she did not and does not have swine flu but one of the kids that she teaches tested positive for it so it was a precautionary move. This meant that everyone had extra classes! Joy! Essentially it meant that anytime that I had for figuring out what was going on during the week was shot to hell and I was running to catch up. At least this miserable week is over (even though it felt like a month) and I will be going on vacation soon. Which leads to my next problem...

I have been informed by my company that due to the global pandemic of H1N1 that should I leave the confines of Korea I will most likely be quarantined for 7 days during which I am not allowed to work. This really blows because I am going to Japan with Johanna and Keith (her husband) at the end of the month. Now the worst part about this is that I don't have to miss any work it is completely up to the school whether or not I do and I will be in many a long and drawn out conversation with my superiors explaining to them that I can and should work provided that I am healthy. The reason that I am so upset about this is that Japan has very similar statistics with the illness as Korea but since I am leaving the safety of the peninsula I essentially screwed. Well perhaps I can defeat them with logic and reason, but as Landon and I have noted on many occasions that logic is not par for the Korean course. In fact one is better off throwing it out the window and trying something ludicrous. Good thing I dropped that logic class in college or I'd be really screwed. Ok pasties I'm tired and I have an ever busy week ahead of me (seems to be the story of my life) so I am going to bed.

Until later
Will "brain dead" out