...Children's Day

April 24-May 5

Survived the toga party…barely. Took it easy and did stupid stuff Monday before some meetings and our book group (we read “Comfort Woman,” by Nora Okja Keller—very good) got together for a gosh-darned decent discussion. Had a brew at the pub (they’re getting better every time I visit—hooray for Hooney, our brewmaster/manager/partier!).

Tuesday, went to nearby Geumchon (15 mins on bus—also where train station to go to Seoul is) with Kiwi neighbor David to do some exploring, and found a bank that exchanges and wires money, a big market, and other fun nooks and crannies. Bought lots of snacky unidentifiables, all of which turned out to be yummy. Soccer practice at 6:15 (wow…I’m REALLY BAD!), and then the movie “Cipher,” which was really fun, if I do say so myself. If you’re a watcher of many movies, add it to your netflix list.

Wednesday, meetings after classes, then threw a soccer party b/c we didn’t have our regular Wed-night access to the field. Oooof. It went late. Thursday saw a show that the “production company” (separate from us) created…and it was painfully, awfully bad in every way. I sent a bunch of notes to our head curriculum guru, who knows it’s lacking big-time, and she seemed receptive to them. We’ll see. Went to a birthday dinner w/in walking distance.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday…mostly teaching and taking it easy after work. We had a meeting for our summer season planning, and have since found out that we probably won’t be able to do any of it b/c we won’t have enough teachers to cover classes—which we knew and had told them before we went and created the darn thing, but had been told not to worry about. Grrrr. Many had put MAJOR hours into the project and are unhappy, to say the least. So typical of this place, alas.

There was a big international debate forum here all week, and I was invited by Anne to dinner with two of the professors from Seoul (a Brit and an American) for dinner. Nice to meet new faces!

Monday, I had finally had it with my hair and went to Ilsan (day off) (45 mins by bus) for a cut (hooray!) and some wandering/shopping. Of course, I ran into people from EV! Got home too late to get to a discussion group on Korean shamanism. Next time. Tuesday I ran before going to Seoul with Elana for some shopping, and we got some great buys (soccer cleats for $17, shinguards and socks for $6 total, etc). Came home via dinner (a Korean teacher’s bday) in Ilsan and a quick grocery run.

Wednesday I FINALLY wrote some postcards, biked, ran to the post office, had lunch with Anne and then took care of stupid stuff until our soccer game (our kits arrived today and mine is the wrong size and has the wrong number…oy!). I kicked the ball in the RIGHT DIRECTION several times and otherwise distracted the other team (and some of these guys have played professionally, mind you) by running at them with full-throttled speed and screaming (think “Braveheart”). It’s my “distraction” strategy. I think next week I may try singing at them operatically… Stopped by a “NY Party” for a glass of wine, rejoined the soccer peeps at the pub, headed home.

Thursday: classes, a meeting on what might hopefully happen at Heyri Art Valley’s new theatre space that might include us, and a seminar on “Classroom Management” that I sort of led. Nothing revolutionary, but we at least realized what other things we need to discuss as a group. One of the apartment buildings had a party for a teacher’s birthday, so only the choir organizer and I showed up for chorus—which was great, because we got to do some actual singing beyond baby steps. Then we hit the party--a pajama-themed fest, where we got to meet the most recently arrived Russians and Ukrainians…it’s like Chekhov on crack here…

Friday is “Children’s Day” in Korea, which is huge to begin with—and is ENORMOUS here—and we are absolutely swamped. Wanda is gonna lose it, and soon. I designed my own lunch break so I could hit the gym for a moment of sanity, only to realize that it’s closed b/c of the national holiday. ARGH! So I’m catching up here before heading back into the swarms of kidlets and photo-happy parents. And all this is before hosting a “Cinco de Mayo” party that someone else is really throwing (she has a teensy apartment). Don is arriving sometime this evening with his serape and a bunch of Mexican beer…

Saturday (after work) Anne is having a party, Sunday (after work) we have an EV-wide BBQ…
We’re getting our first taste of the humidity here, and it’s gonna be ugly when it hits full-force!

Fun cultural stuff:
Water coolers—little paper envelopes instead of cups

On the subway stairwells it’s keep to the left and there are arrows and smiley footprints to guide you. The stations and trains are immaculate and you can also buy all kinds of stuff underground. You buy a ticket or a pre-paid card, and swipe it on your way in AND on your way out—it’s SO easy to misplace the darn thing in transit… Rides are super cheap: 800 Won per trip unless it’s really far, and then it’s a tiny bit more, but just around a dollar total. Special music plays when approaching a transfer station. It’s all pretty civilized…except for the throngs of people at rush hour who all seem determined to plow into you…

Happy Cinco de Mayo!