Last night I met a girl and fell in love only to find out she had a boyfriend :(

Okay, I didn't really fall in love last night, but I was floored by this girl. She was Korean by ethnicity, but Canadian by culture and upbringing. A perfect combination of personality and beauty. Damn...haha.

News

Sometimes fake news is better than the real news...

Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: The 1993 Taurus

My Favorite Korean Commercial

This is my favorite commercial on Korean TV right now. It's so catchy!! Believe it or not, it's for cash loans...can you see the relation? I can't. It's only 20 seconds of your life, so check it out :)

http://video.naver.com/2009061114000889462

Some Details of my Christmas Trip

This is a note that my travel buddy wrote to his friends about our upcoming trip to Nepal. He knows the details, so I just borrow what he wrote. I don't know anything I just give him the money.



"Hey,

So I wanted to let ya'll know what my next adventure will be. This Christmas, me and 2 other guys will be going to Nepal to hike to Everest Base, Gokyo Lakes, and try to summit Island Peak. It will be an amazing trip, where we will see another 4 8,000m peaks. We will be able to see Everest (world's highest), Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Makalu!

It will take us about 18 days to complete the whole trek and we will be staying in tea houses along the way instead of camping. In Nepal they have a lot of little towns along the way that you can stay at. In these tea houses, you sleep on beds and get your food made for you from the person who owns the tea house. It's quite nice!

We will start by flying into a town called Lukla. From there we will hike up to Gokyo lakes which are some really high altitude lakes near Everest. From there, we will cross the Cho La pass (over 5,000m), and go to Everest Base Camp. From Everest Base Camp, we will hike up a hill nearby called Kala Pataar. From that vantage point you can see Everest really well. That again is over 5,400m.

Finally, as we hike back down the valley, we will sidetrack to go to Island Peak. Island Peak is a Himalayan Peak at over 6,145m and is what it is. It's a mountain that is an island among the greatest mountains in the world. This will be our first ever attempt at mountaineering and luckily it's one of the easiest mountaineering peaks out there. Basically, we trek up the mountain until we reach a headwall. We then latch into ropes with harnesses and climb up a steep (50% or more) section of about 100m. Then we climb a narrow ridge to the summit! From the summit we will be able to see Makalu very well, along with a beautiful mountain called Ama Dablam.

Anyway, I'm super stoked for the trip. I'm hoping the weather will hold up for us. As you know, December/January is the heart of winter and it will be cold there. Especially when we try to summit the peak, it will be really cold. Some estimates that it could be -15 to -20F. So we'll see if it will be possible. I'm just praying for no snow. That could halt our attempt at the summit.

Just wanted to write this note to let ya'll know what was up. 

As for safety, Nepal is safe for hikers and tourists."

Exciting!

Swine Flu

The number of high school students makes up half of our school population. The high school has eight confirmed cases of Swine Flu and four pending. I'm not for sure how many are in the middle and elementary schools. Numerous international schools and Korean public schools are being shut down. There is talk of the same for us. Though a few days off would be nice it only means that we will loose one of our breaks in the spring...I definitely don't want that to happen!! Let's hope for the best.

Update on Decisions

No official decision has been made as to where I will be next school year. I have spoken with my school and we came to an agreement that I will be looking for a new placement elsewhere and they will be looking for my replacement. If both of us are unable to find what we are looking for, then I will remain here in Korea for one additional year. At this time there are not many counselor positions posted in Europe, but I did find one in Warsaw, Poland, and I will send them my information. Poland is cheap, developing, beautiful, and has great access to so many places...

Better Late Than Never

Going to China's capital city over its 60th year celebration made for an interesting, people-filled trip. Our flight was delayed 5 hours, which meant that we arrived at night on Oct 1st. Due to the massive celebration of Communism and all the fun festivities that entailed the subway line that we needed to take was closed. So we followed the masses into more masses into even more masses of people. I have never felt so out of place. After walking around aimlessly for nearly 2 hours we managed to get a taxi that could take us near our hotel. I say near our hotel because our hotel was located in an area that was blocked of to the public because of the celebration. We were not allowed to cross. After finding someone that spoke both Mandarin and English we were able to borrow a phone and contact the hotel. Another 1.5 hours passed and we were finally allowed to go to our hotel. Night 1 over.

Day 1 stuck in the airport for an additional 5 hours. One of hundreds of thousands of people walking the streets.

Day 2 consisted of a 2.5 hour, lightening fast, wild taxi ride to a drop off point on The Great Wall of China. We chose to do a 10K hike on the wall from one point to another. Spectacular weather. Spectacular scenery. Greg is a soccer player and pretends to be a tough guy, but I had to listen to him whine about carrying a small backpack for 5K (the easy 5K). It was a great hike. For Night 2 we went to one of the foreigner districts in search of a quality brew. Success. Wandered around with some people from the Philippines, Chicago, and LA.

Day 3: Tiananmen Square Attempt 1. Due to the national holiday, the number of people at the historically significant landmarks was insane. We walked around for a few minutes, then bailed. Went to the Temple of Heaven instead. Less people, but still thousands. Met up with Sue and her friend Jooyoung for the late afternoon and into the night. They took us to the Silk Market, an art district, a jazz club, an awesome restaurant, and a couple other great spots. It's so great having a local to show us around. Went back to the hotel and watched soccer.

Day 4: More walking and more pictures at The Summer Palace and the back streets. Night 4 we went to an English pub and then ventured out to a China night club. Danced. Danced some more. Met a group of Koreans and hung out with them. Kinda funny how we gravitated towards them.

Day 5: Tiananmen Square Attempt 2. Just as crazy as the 1st attempt. Braved the crowds. Had random people come up and take their picture with me. Funny. Walked around for several hours before heading to the airport to catch our 7pm flight home.

Beijing was great! I want to go back. So many different vibes to experience. Despite the absurd visa price, China, "I like you and hope to see you again!"

Click on the picture below to go a small photo album of the trip.

China

A Preview To My Nepal Trip in December/January

December 20 - January 9th I'll be in Nepal with two friends that I went to India with last year. We are doing a trek to Everest Base Camp and on our return back we'll attempt to summit Island Peak (20,305 feet tall). This is a video of what we'll be doing.

A Gift

Today I met with a mother of a new student that I worked with. The student started about 6 weeks into the school year and I had to spend some extra time trying to get things sorted out for him. His mom wanted to stop by work today and say hello to me. We chatted for a few minutes, talking about his opportunities at our school, how he's doing, etc. And as the meeting wrapped up I was given a gift. It was a fancy gift. I received a Coach passport holder. This is a gift that my ex-girlfriend would be excited about, maybe even proud that I own a designer accessory. It was a thoughtful gift from that mother. Thanks.

Cycling and Eating

I think last Saturday will probably go down as my best day (or most American day) in Korea! I woke up at 6:30am and drove an hour north to Hwajeong Mountain to meet up with another 30 mountain bikers plus their wives, girlfriends, friends, etc. Despite being surrounded by like-minded people and enjoying a great day of riding the best part of the day was what came after putting in the miles. Jerry, who heads up each weekend, brought two of his coworkers that are from some southern state. They brought their red Chevy, and their SMOKER! While we were out riding they were preparing a feast of smoked meats, vegetables, salads and much more. There was a total of 75 lbs of meat...all from the USA. After a morning of hard riding we were treated to a most amazing meal! I sat and ate smoked pork, smoked sausage, corn on the cob, garlic bread, Doritos and drank good beer. It was a perfect day!! I also met a fellow Mizzou grad who was there the same time I was...small world.

Beijing It Is...

Yesterday I purchased my ticket to Beijing for $250...what a deal, but the visa for US citizens cost $130 (ouch!).  My friend and I will be staying in Beijing for 4 nights and we'll be minutes away from The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and many other great places.  A short bus ride and we'll be at The Great Wall.  Five-star hotels are only $80-$100 per night.  It should be a fun and relatively cheap trip =)

Good News

We just received word that we will be allowed to travel over the Chuseok holiday (Sept 30-Oct 5).  I haven't bought the ticket yet, but I will be headed to one of three places in China: Yanji, Beijing, or Shanghai.  I'd like to go to Yanji because I will actually be able to step foot in North Korea, but I will be with 20 coworkers - something I don't really want.  If I went to Beijing I'd get to see the Great Wall of China plus some other cool sites.  And outside of Shanghai are some beautiful mountains.  Hmmmm...where shall I go?

Blah Blah Blah

I haven't posted anything substantial for a while now because I feel like I'm having more "I hate Korea" days than "I love Korea" days. The way of life here, the normal Korean behaviors, the typical Korean "friendship" are driving me crazy. I keep telling myself that I shouldn't be mad because it's just the way things are here. Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad, or wrong. So I'm trying to keep a positive attitude when things piss me off.

Despite being perpetually irritated and tired my life is pretty good. Here is what has been going on or coming up:

- I had a custom 3-piece suit made along with a couple of shirts. Things fit better when they are made specifically for me/you.

- I've been riding my mountain bike a decent amount. Last Saturday I rode the bike for about 4.5 hours with a big group of expats and then afterwards we ate American food and drinks such as Johnsonville Brats, Doritos, Sam Adams and much more. I met another rider that lives about 10 minutes from me. He is originally from Montana. We will be riding together. I am going to build up another mountain bike for the fun of it.

- One of my best friends here moved back to the states yesterday. It's sad to see him go, but he is one that I'm sure I'll stay in touch with.

- My week-long, swine flu vacation was quite relaxing. I slept, rode, watched a ton of movies, went on a couple of dates and didn't do any of the work that I needed to do.

- I won't be able to travel anywhere during Chuseok (1st week of October) due to the dumb quarantine policy that is now in effect. If you leave the country you cannot enter a school for 7 days once you return to Korea.

- I'm going to the beach this weekend with some friends and to meet up with some others. I'm excited to blind people with my white body...ha.

That's about it =)

Swine Flu aka Foreigner Flu

On Sunday evening (Aug 23) our school was shut down by the Korean Ministry of Health due to 1 confirmed case (and 7 pending) of H1N1, aka Swine Flu. Our school will be closed for 1 week and the situation will be reassessed as to whether or not the closure will be extended. I am happy and healthy, and now kind of lazy. I guess I am on vacation...again =)

A Few Pics and Words

The "Soda" Club

Every couple of weeks we get together for "sodas" and we cook for each other. This night we had dinner at Mikki's house. She cooked a great mixture of Korean and Western food. She knows I'm picky. In the pic: Me, Mikki, Melissa, Greg, Tiffeney.

Celebrating Melissa's birthday. She's from Honduras and was so kind to bring back some Honduran cigars =)
My beers are getting ready for a long plane ride.
This weekend some friends and I went to a show called "Breakout." It was a breakdancing musical comedy. Very cool! The first week of school went pretty smooth. Not too much going on right now. There is a trip to Yanji, China coming up at the end of September over the Korean Chuseok holiday. Yanji borders N. Korea. I'm trying to get signed up for a 4 day trip, but I don't know if I'll get a spot.

I started listening to a guy named John Legend. He's been around for a while, and I wish I heard his music a long time ago. Check out the album "Evolver."

I'm a Fake!

The story behind the title of this post isn't that great, but thought I'd put it in here. In April of 2008 I had Lasik surgery. I was tired of wearing glasses all the time, so I decided to fork over $1700 and experience some mild discomfort (I hate anything being near my eyes) to fix my vision. It has been worth every dollar!!! But there was a small part of me that missed wearing my glasses when I had to meet with parents, give presentations or wear a shirt and tie. I thought the glasses added some intellect and made me look older. I'm 29 now, but still pass for a few years younger...so I'm told. Anyways, this summer I took my old glasses in and had them put in non-prescription lenses. Last Friday was new student orientation. Over the previous two weeks I did not wear my glasses when meeting with parents...well, in fact, I didn't wear them at all. For new student orientation I had to wear a shirt and tie, so I put on my glasses as well. No one here has seen me with glasses, so it felt a bit odd, especially when people would say, "Oh, I didn't know you wore glasses." I would reply, "Well I don't wear them that often." =) Lots of people liked my look with glasses. I feel like a fake. But so many people in Korea wear glasses even when they don't need them, so maybe I can justify my actions by saying that I'm just trying to fit in with the people I'm surrounded by =)

Boring post huh!

On another note...I've been riding and swimming a lot! The Koreans at my local bike shop invited me to ride with them...we'll see how that goes. There is a new staff member at my school who is my Chinese twin. He rides and swims...how great! It's been nice having someone to swim laps with and push one another.

I'm down to 7 beers from the States. I cooked fajitas twice last week and will be cooking for a couple friends on Thursday. I'm becoming domesticated. But instead of ironing my shirts I decided to pay someone to do that for me (it's only a dollar per shirt).

(2nd) Home Sweet (2nd) Home

I've been back in Korea for 7 days.  The flight and bus ride back home were smooth.  Korean Air remains my favorite airline.  Good entertainment, good food considering it's on a plane, friendly service, and hot flight attendants!  I'm all settled into my apartment once again.  This time I brought with me my favorite beers, Kool-Aid, fajita and taco seasonings, and a few other things to enjoy.

Saying my goodbyes for a 2nd time was not fun.  I will say it is much easier leaving the country when you aren't leaving a girlfriend behind.  And goodbyes are also much easier when you make them brief.  There was no standing around this year.  Nevertheless, it was still hard to leave home again.  It's difficult at times being torn between the comforts of home, family, friends and a lifestyle of new/different experiences, travel opportunities and change.

Thanks to mom who did some work for a guy that got a 75% discount at Fedex, he hooked me up and shipped my bike to Korea.  It arrived a day after I did.  While putting it together I messed up a piece of it, so my riding has been delayed a week while I wait for a new part.  I'm soooooo excited to have one of my bikes here.  It will allow me to do some exploring, connect with a different group of expats and Koreans.....and improve/maintain my health.

I have some amazing trips planned for this year, but will wait to write about them until the time nears.  Work is work, but whatever =)

Pics from Colorado. By the way I'm back in Korea...

My nephew, Derek, looking cool while supporting Walt's Bike Shop!
My cousin and I after some 4-wheeling.
Part of the family before a nice hike.
Good view.
One of the many reasons why I like to hike...you don't those views from the bottom.
The Entertainment

Colorado, etc.

This was written a few days ago.  I now have 5.5 days left in the states.  I will post some pics of Colorado once I get back to Korea (I forgot the computer cable for my camera).

I’m down to my final 1.5 weeks of my vacation/visit back to the states.  Time has gone by way too fast, and that is an understatement.  Right now I’m in Buena Vista staying in the “Cozy Cabin” with my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law and my niece and nephew (3.5 and 1.5 years old respectively).  This has been an up close and personal time with the family and life with kids.  All I can say is that it must be different when you have your own kids.  Time in Colorado has been pretty fun.  Hiking, rafting, ATVing, eating, drinking (Bristol’s Compass IPA), and relaxing on the “Cozy Cabin’s” rear deck, which looks out onto the Collegiate Peaks.  Buena Vista is an amazing place and each time I visit, its beauty always leaves me in awe.

Coming back to the states was somewhat anti-climactic.  I arrived in the Atlanta airport and I thought to myself, “Welp, I’m home” and that was about all.  Immediately, the most notable difference was how diverse the US was compared to where I’ve been living.  And it was a bit weird not being surrounded by Koreans...that will soon change.

Being back in Kansas City has been bitter-sweet.  Spending time with family and friends has been refreshing and life-giving.  I am a fortunate person to have such great people in my life, and I do my best to remind myself of that fact each day.  Due to my surgery I ended up spending much more time at home with my parents than I had originally planned.  It’s been good there.  But prior to surgery and once off the pain meds I’ve been able to spend a good amount of with my friends.  I have felt loved!  But the life I left on July 29, 2008 no longer exists and that has been tougher to deal with than I thought.  Each restaurant, bar or place that I’ve visited, whether solo or with friends, something has been missing and that will be the case for an indefinite amount of time.  I didn’t expect things to be placed on hold while I was gone, but I also didn’t expect things to feel and be so different.  I’ve been overwhelmed with emotions, and thoughts, and memories.  One of my goals this past year has been to live in the moment, live in the here and now, rather than holding onto and being plagued by my past or always looking to the future for life “to fall into place.”  I feel like I’ve been rather successful in doing so, but my time in Kansas City has proven to be quite difficult in living out that goal.  I am trying!  =)

Here is a brief heads up for what I’m thinking about doing after year two of my contract in Korea.  Despite missing family, friends, and the comforts of home (the word “home” is becoming more loosely defined) I enjoy living overseas.  This last year I have felt alive.  I am a different person.  Being overseas and the opportunities/experiences that come with it tap into a part of my personality that needs to be stirred.  So this upcoming February I have plans on going to London to attend another international school recruitment fair.  At this fair I will have the chance to interview with European and South American schools.  My goal/dream is to land a job in: 1) Switzerland, 2) Austria or 3) Spain.  I think working in any European country would be amazing, but those are my top three picks.  My choices for South America include: 1) Brazil, 2) Argentina, 3) Chile or 4) Peru.  Working, living and playing in Europe would be a dream come true, but I also believe that doing those things in South America would stretch and challenge me to a greater degree and would most likely be more of a learning experience for me.  Anyways, those are my thoughts for now.  Things could change.  I’m open and flexible to what may come my way.  I will take hold of Korea for what it's worth over this next school year.

During my last few days in the states I will over-indulge in the things that Korea lacks.  I will eat, drink and be merry!  I will embrace the fleeting moments with family and friends!  I will be thankful for the present! 

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well I've been home for just over 2 weeks.  I have over-indulged in all things I've missed!  I spent last in Washington DC attending a conference for work.  I met some great folks, which may end up being great connections for future international jobs...if I decide to go that route.  While in DC I was able to see a couple of friends that I haven't seen in over a year.  I attending the 48th Annual Congressional Baseball Game.  It's the Democratic congressmen versus the Republican congressmen.  In other words, it's a bunch of old people playing baseball, and it is hilarious.  The played at the Nationals' stadium.  

I'm back in KC for about 2.5 weeks and then I'll be going to Colorado for 1.5 weeks in July for a family vacation...1st one ever!  In 2 two days I will be having surgery on my sinuses and having my tonsils removed (which I guess is a big deal at my age).  So unfortunately I will no long be able to indulge in good food and beer for a number of days...damn!  Oh well, this surgery should benefit me in the long-term.

My family and friends have been wonderful to me since I've returned!!  Thank you all!!

Home

Today was our last day of school! I made it!! Nearly one year of living in Korea has come to an end and in 48 hours I'm headed home =) I'm quite excited for 18 hours on a plane...seriously, I am.

See You Soon, Friends!

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Last weekend I went down to Taejeon (1 hr 45 min bus ride) to say my hellos/goodbyes to some friends that work at my sister school.  I have three close friends there that I have not seen much this semester due to a busier work schedule.  It's that time of year where everything is getting wrapped up and people are preparing for summer, for next year, for the next chapter of life, etc.  Last week I said goodbye to couple of friends that I made here in Suwon.  They were English teachers with one year contracts, which just finished.  They are back in Colorado =)  This weekend I said goodbye to my friend Jen.  She's Canadian-Korean and her 2 year contract finished up this year and she decided to return to Canada rather than signing on for another year (I don't blame her).  Jen became a close friend of mine this year through many visits to Taejeon, Suwon, and Seoul.  We also spent 2 weeks together traveling through Thailand and Indonesia.  She will be missed, but I look forward to visiting her in Canada.

Oh, and if you've never heard David Gray's song "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye," then you should check it out.  It's a great song and has nothing to do with this post other than the title.

Doctor Visit

Last week I visited a Korean doctor. For the past several months I've been experiencing some symptoms on a regular basis (nearly everyday), but I didn't really want to visit a doctor here in Korea. After much contemplation I decided it would be best to visit a doctor and see what's going on with me. Here are some of the symptoms I experience:
- love for skinny jeans

- love for stiletto heels

- love of straight, black hair and brown eyes

- tolerance of broken English

- tolerance of fickleness

- ability to withstand countless stares when walking with a Korean girl

- immunity to whiny voices

- lack of interest in caucasian girls

I know a majority of these symptoms do not appear to be life-altering, or distractions in one's daily life, but in my case they are. Anyways, I explained to the doctor what was going on with me. Within minutes, the doctor diagnosed me with one of the worst cases of "Yellow Fever" that he had seen in the last decade. I felt relieved to be able to put a name to what I've been experiencing. The doctor reassured me that there was no need to panic, and that "Yellow Fever" can actually enhance one's life. So I left the doctor's office embracing my "sickness," and committed to making to the best of my situation!

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/20/11-asian-girls

Sappy

It's kind of late and I'm in a sappy mood.  Guess what I do when I'm sappy...?  Sometimes I run. Sometimes I read.  Sometimes I write.  Sometimes I talk to others.  But most of the time I listen to music.  Death Cab for Cutie's music never fails to meet me where I'm at.

Random Stuff

Last weekend I went to a rural part of Korea and spent the night with a Korean family at their Ginseng farm. I've been to a couple Korean baseball games. They are filled with entertainment! I had an "I Love Korea" moment on Friday night. I finished the book "Three Cups of Tea."  You should read it.  Six weeks till I come home.

Being silly!
Ginseng Farm
Korean family.



Me, Sunny, Will
Doosan Bears Baseball Stadium

Those Bastards!!!

Someone stole my credit card information! The other night I was working on the computer and started receiving emails thanking me for my order, or saying that my order was being processed. Right around the same time the credit card company called to report some suspicious spending. I confirmed that the purchases being made were not being made by me. So this is what "I" purchased:
- 2 auctions on Ebay...I don't know what they were
- urban clothes from DrJays.com
- clothes from zazzle.com
- online web hosting space from 2 different companies
- something from Cyber Health
- Berry Acai drink and some type of tea
- Theft Identity from LifeLock, Inc.

The total amount spent was just over $1000. Since it is fraud I will not have to pay, but some of the orders were already shipped. The funny thing is everything was shipped to my residence back in the states. So the thieves were kind enough to at least send me what they bought =) Anyways, thanks Nate for returning the packages when they arrive! But if you want some FUBU gear, then have at it =)

Another Look At Korean Life Through A Music Video

Things I'm Excited For....!!!!!!!

Here is a list of things that I'll get to enjoy in 8 weeks:
- seeing and spending time with my family
- seeing and spending time with my friends
- riding my mountain bike at Landahl Park
- trap shooting with my dad
- eating home-cooked meals with mom and dad
- grilling hamburgers in Brookside
- sitting on a front porch or back deck
- personal space
- the English language
- walking at Loose Park, on the Plaza, or on the Trolley Trail
- walking across a street without the fear of dying
- being around people with the ability and spatial awareness to walk in a straight line
- hopefully a Royals baseball game
- a family vacation in Colorado where I will get to see by bro, sis-in-law, and my niece and nephew
- fresh air
- driving
- laying on a couch that my legs do not hang off of
- Shawnee Mission Public swimming pool
- beanbag toss
- Charlie Hoopers, Houlihans, The Flying Saucer, Panera Bread Co., Jardines, Barnes & Noble, McCoys, 75th St. Brewery, Cuppinis, Baja 600, Jacob's Well
- Boulevard, Sierra Nevada, Blue Moon and many others
- movies with no Korean subtitles
- walking down the street with a smile and not being look at weird for doing so
- saying hello to strangers and the greeting being returned
- no kimchi

Absence has made my heart grow fonder.

Philippines 2009

Welp, I'm back from the Philippines and once again I've enjoyed another great trip to a beautiful country in SE Asia.  At this point in time I'm not really in the mood to write a lot about my trip.  I had an amazing time, but there a definitely some conditions and cultural norms that are quite saddening.  

Over the past few months, especially when traveling, I've wondered a lot about my role as a person in the grand scheme of things, how I fit in it, and what sort of difference I want to make. My heart is constantly pulled in numerous directions.  I enjoy the comforts of my lifestyle that I have here in Korea and the life I left back in Kansas City.  I want to get married and have kids.  I want a house.  I want a "normal" American life.  Etc.  But at the same time I have such an adventurous spirit that seemed to disappear over the last few years while living out the "normal" American life.  My heart is also pulled towards a more humanitarian direction.  A large part of me wants to give up my comforts and pursue a life of helping those in the greatest need.  I don't know which direction I will go.  I want happiness, but it's difficult for me to be truly happy when I know others don't even have the basic necessities to live.  

Anyways, that is a brief tangent, but something that I think about quite often.

Here is a link to some pictures from the Philippines:  

http://picasaweb.google.com/darby80/Philippines#

Broken Bones

Each Saturday, both the girls and boys soccer teams have a game. Here is a picture of what happened to one of the guys playing. A clean break of the both the tibia and fibula. He and the goalie collided and this was the result....


The guys won 3-1 and the girls won 2-1.

Tacos!!!

This past Saturday we took our girls' soccer team to play a Department of Defense school at Osan Air Force base. This was the 1st time the girls were exposed to the "American mentality" of sports. There were a lot of Osan parents and students that came out to watch the game. The fans were rowdy and their players gave our girls an ear-full of F-bombs. It was somewhat humorous. We got smoked, but it was a good experience for our girls to play a tough team.

Visiting a military base was a treat. For 4 hours I did not feel like I was in Korea. I saw cars made in the US and there was a variety of Western restaurants. Everyone spoke English! My buddy and I ate Taco Bell before the game (9:45am) and then after the game we treated our players to a meal at Taco Bell. Ninety USD feeds about 14 girls! I ate again. My Taco Bell experience included: 3 soft tacos, 1 chalupa, 2 gorditas and a Dr. Pepper. Gluttony. I felt disgusting, but I still loved it. Back in the states I didn't really care for Taco Bell and most other fast foods, but when you don't have access to them anymore, you end up craving it. So I went all out!

Sometimes I flash dolla billz, sometimes I flash soft tacos!  We are tough...don't forget! =)

Two weekends ago was our school's winter formal dance.  A few of us spent two days decorating for the dance.  Thankfully I was given a task, which required no interior design skills!  Anyways, here is a picture with the soccer team.

Brief Update

Our girls soccer team is 3-1-1, which is a huge improvement from the previous 2 years where they had never won a game! The level of competition and commitment to sports programs is quite different than in the states. No parents attend the games. The girls don't care if they miss practice or miss a game, which can be a cause of great frustration. But I'm just trying to accept that this is a difference that exists and that I need to accept it.  Despite the times of frustration, the girls crack me up all the time...they are a fun/funny bunch!!

I just purchased a plane ticket to Cebu Island in the Philippines for April 4-11. My coworker/friend Greg and I will be doing a few days of relaxing and a couple days of river climbing and canyoneering. I'm excited for the warm weather and the beach!!

Third quarter ends this Friday, March 20, which means the school year is nearing its end. I hope to book a flight back to KC around June 11 or 12 with a brief layover in Hawaii. I will have to return to Korea around July 24 or 25.

Mother Nature's Strip Tease

I've never been to a strip club. But two weeks ago I witnessed Mother Nature's version of a strip tease! Mt. Kangchenjonga is nicknamed "The Elusive Peak" because a majority of the time it is covered in clouds. Nevertheless, we ventured off hoping to catch the peak unveiled.

It's hard to describe the Himalayas. I guess what you need to do is take the superlatives of the most amazing words, apply them to the Himalayas and then you have a partial description, which does not do them justice. But you have a taste!

Waking up at 4:45am and hiking up to a view point to catch the sun rising behind the mountains was something I was looking forward to. I didn't know that I should have prepared myself emotionally for the moment I first saw the snow-covered mountain tops. Hiking at dawn, wearing headlamps, and rounding a bend, I looked north and saw the silhouettes of the mountain tops that I've dreamed of seeing for so long. Honestly, I was caught off guard.

I was overwhelmed by it all and couldn't get a good hold of my emotions. I laughed out loud, shed a few tears, and continued hiking upward.

Thirty minutes later we were at Dzongri Top ready to continue watching the sunrise.

There were plenty of clouds in the sky, but our guide estimated that the winds were gusting around 80km/h, and that the sky would clear. Despite the initial clouds we still had amazing views of a majority of the peaks. The skies cleared after a while...except for over "The Elusive Peak." We continued waiting, the wind kept blowing, but the only clouds in the sky remained over Mt. Kangchenjonga. We waited for nearly 2 hours hoping to catch a view of the top, but were only rewarded with fading glimpses of its lower, north face.

This whole process was repeated the next day with the same result. As some clouds cleared, more rolled in from the backside of the mountain. The moments when we thought we may get to see it were only a tease. Despite not seeing the fullness of Mt. Kangchenjonga, the trip was a success. All of us handed out our dollar bills and departed satisfied.


That, my friends, was Mother Nature's Strip Tease.

Pictures From The Trip

Here are a couple links to photos from the trip:

http://picasaweb.google.com/darby80/Himalayans2009#


http://web.me.com/ericm.george/Travel/My_Albums/My_Albums.html

Frustration

Today was one of those days.  A day where I kind of hate Korea.  I miss my friends and family back home, but I'm definitely not homesick...I enjoy being here most of the time except for when the little things add up.  Today I was almost hit by a car while I was walking across the street at a crosswalk.  The driver ran a red light and nearly hit me and 3 students, so while he passed I decided I would punch his car.  He stopped and rolled down his window and started yelling at me. He was yelling in Korean, so I don't know exactly what he was saying, but I have a good idea =).  This evening I had an appointment in Seoul like I do every Thursday.  Traffic was horrible due to the rain, plus I didn't know it was going to rain, so I didn't have my umbrella, so I was looking like a wet dog by the time I got on the bus.  Because of the traffic I nearly missed my appointment, but thankfully I made it.  After my appointment I always go into Itaewon to eat some Western food, and then I take a taxi back to where I catch the bus to return to Suwon.  It is quite the process getting anywhere via public transportation...especially when you live outside of Seoul.  Anyways, after eating dinner in Itaewon I hopped in a cab and told the driver where to go.  He ended up taking a route that I've never seen before and wanted to drop me off at a place I did not want to get dropped off.  I told the cab driver another landmark and he got me there.  The cab ride cost twice as much as usual.  I missed the bus that I planned on taking, so I had to catch the next bus.  When I got on the bus I went to the back where there is normally more room, but instead I was greeted by a Korean man that had too much Soju and spicy chicken.......he was puking his guts up into a plastic bag and the bus reeked of the partially digested combo of Soju and spicy chicken...disgusting!!  Dude, if you're going to be stupid and drink yourself sick at least take a taxi, so others don't suffer because of your stupidity.  At 11pm traffic was still a nightmare!  But I was on the bus and I had a seat, so I turned on my music and tried to relax for the extended, smelly bus ride home.  I got home a midnight!

Ok, my bitch session is over.  Please pardon the language in the picture, but it's  how I feel tonight.

My Trip

So I'm back from my trip to the Himalayan mountains and I'm wondering how I should write this post. Here's a brief rundown of my days away...

Day 1 Feb 20: Ater work two hour bus ride to Incheon Airport. Six hour flight to Bangkok. Five hours of sleep in a hotel
Day 2 Feb 21: Two hour flight to Calcutta, India. One hour flight to Bogdogra, India. Six hour jeep ride to Yuksom, India. Arrived at our destination at 10pm.
Day 3 Feb 22: Started the Dzongri Trek. About 5 hours of hiking to our first night on the trail. Weather started at about 80 degrees and ended up around 40 degrees.
Day 4 Feb 23: A very short day of hiking to small village of about 13 families. A day of relaxing, reading and farkeling
Day 5 Feb 24: A long day of hiking up to Dzongri (~13000 ft). First night here we got about 6-8 inches of snow. 15 degrees.
Day 6 Feb 25: Woke up at 4:45am to hike up to Dzongri Point (14000 ft) to catch the sunrise over the mountains. Hoped to see Mt. Kangchenjonga (it's spelled so many different ways). Clouds cover the mountain.
Day 7 Feb 26: Again, woke up at 4:45 am to hike up to Dzongri Point (14000 ft) to catch the sunrise over the mountains. Hoped to see Mt. Kangchenjonga (it's spelled so many different ways). Once again the clouds covered the mountain. Did a day hike to an alpine lake. More snow. Started back down.
Day 8 Feb 27: Finished the Dzongri Trek at noon. Went to a couple markets. Six hour jeep ride back to Bogdogra. First shower in 7 days =)
Day 9/10 Feb 28/Mar 1: 3pm flight from Bogdogra to Calcutta. Eight hours of hanging out in Calcutta. 1am flight to Bangkok. 8am flight from Bangkok to Seoul. Arrived back at my place on Sunday evening at 7:30pm.

Now to briefly elaborate...

I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to go on this trip. It's not everyday that a dream comes true, but over the last week I had the pleasure of living out one of my dreams - seeing the Himalayan mountains. There were 5 of us in our group and we were taken care of by 5 Indians (1 guide named Phurba, 2 cooks, 2 porters). Our guide was the only Indian with us that spoke English, so unfortunately we didn't get to know the others that well...just a bunch of smiles and hellos back and forth! Our hope was to see Mt. Kangchenjonga, the 3rd highest mountain in the world, but knew that it all depended on Mother Nature as to whether or not we'd get to see it. The hiking wasn't too difficult as we didn't really have to carry much and the mileage wasn't too much either. We had plenty of down time, which I spent playing "Farkle," reading "Eat, Pray, Love," "The Road," and "Three Cups of Tea." I've never played so much "Farkle" in my life and we taught our guide how to play as well...he loved it and I left my "Farkle" game with him, so he could play it with other groups and the guys in his crew. We were in bed at 8pm every night because you can only read and play "Farkle" for so long. The nights were cold, but my sleeping bag did a good job keeping me warm. We were served amazing food, meal after meal. I didn't shower for 7 days and didn't smell that bad either =) Our group got along well. India is an extremely poor country, but the people are friendly...even when they're not trying to get something out of you. I thought I felt out of place in Korea, but that feeling was much greater in India. While in Calcutta I had several kids come up and introduce themselves to me because they wanted to shake hands with a foreigner...the kids were hilarious! I plan on going back to India. I will post a link to my pictures very soon...

Valentine's Day

Last year I spent Valentine's Day eating some great AMERICAN food at Avenue's Bistro in Brookside.   This Valentine's Day was spent with 5 coworkers and what started off to be a slow night ended up being quite fun!!  We started off at a Japanese restaurant and ordered a lot of sushi and sake.  I've only had sushi once before, but I'm starting to like it...I think.  We spent a couple hours at the restaurant and then headed to the "Symphony."  Symphony is an upscale noraebong (karaoke bar).  For those of you who know me, you probably know that I can't sing. I'm not being humble here.  I really can't sing, but here in Korea that doesn't stop me from having some fun and making a fool out of myself (I'm very good at that)!  Here is a list of songs that I remember singing (if you want to call it singing): Hungry Eyes, Eternal Flame, Gangsta's Paradise, Like a Prayer, I'll Be Missing You, With or Without You, Wonderwall, Hero.  Yes, I had a mic in my hand for all of those songs, plus some others but I forgot what they were.  We stayed at the noraebong till about 1am and then headed to a dance club called "Lounge 3."  I'd never been there and when we arrived we were the only people there, but were promised that by 2am the place would be bouncin...the promise was upheld =)  We were solo for a while, but then came the Korean masses.  The music was amazing and the remainder of the night/morning was spent on the dance floor =)

This is me at the Japanese restaurant.  This is a fish that I did not want to eat.  But I lost a farkle and therefore I had to eat the head of the fish.  Gross!

A Korean dude on a custom motorcycle!

Greg and I singing "With or Without You" or "Hero" to the ladies in our group!

Same Same

My Himalayan Trip

This upcoming Friday, February 20th I hop on a plane with a final destination of Bagdogra, India. From there I'll be on a bus to Sikkim, India where I will start a 6 day trek in the Himalayan mountains. Sikkim is nestled in between Nepal (to the north) and Bhutan (to the south). I am going with 4 other people that I do not know, but they work at my sister school, so hopefully they will be a fun group! We will be doing a route called the "Dzongri Trek" where we will get to see the 3rd highest mountain in the world, Kanchenjunga! The highest altitude that we will be hiking at will be around 15,500 feet, but Kanchenjunga's elevation is 28,169 feet. Wild!!

Going to the Himalayan mountains has been a dream of mine for many years. Simply put, this trip is a dream come true for me and my excitement is unmeasurable!! This trip is also a bit different than what I'm used to in terms of backpacking or roughing it. We have to use an outfitter to go where we are going, which means we will have our own cook, guide and a yak to carry most of our stuff. We will not really be roughing it that much at all =)

I will be taking a lot of pictures, so like I did for my Christmas trip, I'll include a link to my photo album for you all to enjoy!



Somewhere in Sikkim, India.
Kangchenjunga
This is the route we will be on. We'll be going from the south to the north.

Life In Korea Via Rappers

This is a video made by some English teachers here in Korea. It's hilarious....and very accurate!!!!  Korea is so hard to describe, but these guys nail it!!

Backfire

Back at my last job as a school counselor I was also the assistant coach for 3 years for the boys swim team and the girls swim team. Coaching added quite a few hours to my work week (weekend) and some stress as well...there was always drama with the swimmers or their parents. So when I came to my new school I said to myself that I was here to enjoy and explore another country/culture and not spend all of my time working. Thus far I have done a good job at that. When I came here I kept my mouth shut that I have experience in coaching swimming, therefore I escaped coaching middle school swimming. (I know, I'm a bad employee). Now Spring time is rolling around, which means high school soccer season is starting. My closest friend here at work is the Head Coach for the girls soccer team. The first 2 people that said they would be his assistant coach ended up bailing. I told him if he couldn't find anyone else to be his assistant coach, then I would do it. Well, he couldn't find anyone else, so I am now the assistant coach for the high school girls soccer team. WTF?! =) If I would have coached swimming I could justify not helping out with soccer, but since I avoided the swim season I feel somewhat obliged to help out now. So in my attempt to avoid coaching, I am now coaching a sport that I am relatively unknowledgeable about. That's what I get!! =)

Not Much Going On

In my attempt to update this on a regular basis, it's time for a post even though there's not much to write about at this moment.  Last week I had 3 days off plus the weekend, so a total of 5 days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.  This is a huge holiday in Asia.  In Korea, pretty much everything shuts down for 2 days.  I went up to Seoul several times over the break and it was dead!  Originally I was supposed to spend this break in Tokyo, but I spent way toooooo much money on my Christmas trip, so I opted to stay in Korea and relax...and it was great.  In 3 weeks I leave for my India trip.  I'll write more about this trip as it gets a bit closer to departure date (Feb 20).  Like I said, there's not a whole lot of new things going on right now...

This is a gift from my Korean buddy Sam. He's a graphic design student at a local university and he has his own line of clothing called "Mating Heroes." He makes some pretty funny shirts and this is one of them. I have the pleasure of wearing this shirt around...haha!


Min Hyung (friend I met back in KC) and I hanging out at one of my favorite places in Itaewon, 3 Alley Pub.

Clarification

So I received a bit of feedback from my "An End To Every Beginning" post and it seemed like what I intended to communicate was not was received on your end.  That was not intended to be a depressing post by any means.  The 2008 year brought with it a lot of great experiences, but was coupled with its difficulties as well.  There are many things that I will take with me from 2008, but there are also many things that I am leaving behind.  I'm relinquishing control in  areas of my life where things are out my hands, but also taking control of other areas that are my responsibility.  I'm letting go of a lot of unhealthy/unrealistic expectations that I place on both myself and others.  I'm doing quite well these days.  Sorry for the confusion there...Thanks for your concern =)

Dating In Korea

If I had only one word to describe dating in Korea it would be - AWKWARD. If I had only two words to describe dating in Korea they would be - AWKWARD and CONFUSING. And if I had only three words they would be - AWKWARD, CONFUSING and HILARIOUS. AWKWARD and CONFUSING are experienced throughout the date, whereas HILARIOUS is experienced afterward when I'm going home laughing to myself at how AWKWARD and CONFUSING that date just was. Are you following me...? =)

Despite the risk of sounding shallow at times I will continue with this posting =) Over the past couple of months I have been on dates with 11 different gals. Ten of them were Korean and one was from the states. Some of the Korean gals lived abroad and some had never left Korea...this makes a lot of difference. Dating in a foreign country makes things interesting for a number of reasons. 1) The language barrier. Never have I had to repeat myself so many times and never have I had to say "what" so many times. 2) The cultural differences. The way people approach dating is different here. A majority of people live with their parents until they are married, so by in large most everyone still lives at home with their parents. US (Western) culture and Korean culture are at opposite ends of the cultural continuum 3) The way people communicate is different...my dry sense of humor is beyond understanding here. 4) Most of the time I don't have a clue as to where to go for the date. Back in the states I could always come up with some good date ideas, but here, I'm lost. As a result I end up looking indecisive and clueless. 5) Eating with Koreans can be disturbing. It can turn an attractive girl into somewhat of an animal. Slurping, chomping, and chewing with your mouth open is culturally acceptable. Yuck! Ha! Those are my Top 5 reasons why dating in Korea is AWKWARD, CONFUSING and HILARIOUS.

Not only are the dates interesting, but so is going about getting a date or getting turned down for a date. Ha =) I'll share a brief story to illustrate how Korean girls are confusing. One nightI was playing pool with a couple buddies. We asked two Korean gals if they'd like to join. They accepted. We ended up playing pool with them for nearly 2 hours. (Side Note: their English was good). My partner and I talked and laughed the entire time...things seemed to be going well. I told her I'd like to take her out sometime. She said "here's my number, give me a call and we'll go out this weekend." We continued playing pool for a bit longer, then it was time for me to leave. I said I'd give her a call and set something up for this weekend...you know...because it seemed like I had the go ahead. It was at that time that she turned to me and said, "I'm not into you." (almost like the popular book title) I was like, "Huh?" Again, she said, "I'm not into you." I laughed, threw my beer on her and left. Just kidding. I just laughed and then left. 2+2 did not equal 4 that night. It made no sense. She made no sense. All signs pointed to yes. My buddies got a good laugh out of that!! =) Anyways, that is just one example. I have plenty more awkward stories.

I've had a couple 2nd dates and even a 3rd date, but it all stops there thus far. Trying to really get to know them and them getting to know me is difficult mostly due to the language and cultural differences. But Korean girls are BEAUTIFUL (except for when eating) and, well, I guess that's why I keep trying. Call me shallow, but hey, I gotta do what I gotta do...I'm here for a while. Ha!

Who will end up next to me...? It's a mystery =)