So, my few fellows -
I am only re-iterating the self-evident truth that I am on hiatus for the moment.
Please excuse any disturbances to your psyches in my absence. ^-^
I have been and go off to continue an epic battle in my on-going war with bureaucracy.
This long and harrowing ordeal involves all kinds of dramatic action, tense negotiations, obstacles at every milestone along the path, and - of course, as every good action flick should have - an endless paperchase spanning and re-spanning half of the Seoul metropolitan area.
As a side note, it kind of bothered me for a while that my blog title is quite cliche and banal. In the end, I think I've decided to accept it as a reflection of myself. I have always been one for cliches. I'm a sucker for them because my tendency is to take them at face value, without the context of usage and history. I take those words and those situations as they are, as though it were the first time. And when any cliche is looked upon like it is new, it is compelling and beautiful. Cliches have become such because they sparkled so brightly the first time around, people just couldn't forget and let them go.
Perhaps it is only my own folly and rationalization of the mediocrity and un-originality of my nature, but I look the same way at people. I tend to trust as though it were my first time meeting a friend and until that trust is violated in some way, that connection remains a live-wire with zero-ohms of resistance. Even if it is cut, if that cut end is replaced, the current floods just as strong as it once did. Nonetheless, if an electrical current meets resistance in another part of its path, it cannot but get dammed up. The same is true of my love for people.
Funny, how I keep repeating words I've spoken to people already. I seem rather stuck, or like a skipping cd (for the sake of updating that particular cliche ^-~), in the same digital groove of how I relate to people. Maybe it is stability and constancy in one sense. Maybe it is stagnance in another. I don't know.
Huh, now that I've gone ahead and done exactly what I said I *wasn't* going to do - I've never been able to keep my mouth shut for long - I'm back off to clash blades with the gremlins that think they run democracy and snick some fingers off of the offensively shackling appendages we affectionately call red tape. Along with my trusty, almighty paper-shredder I will conquer the many-headed Medusa that is bureaucracy and rid the world of all that is interminably slow and superfluous!
...except for those damned documents I need to, you know, get a cell phone and, oh, not get arrested for existing illegally and the like --
Gallantly,
Seoul Searching
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
A Study in Solitude
Salutations, from inside my head.
From morning til night, for the last two days I have spent 90% of my time breathing the occasionally air-conditioned air of a single room. I watched the overcast sky turn from a bright, chalky white to a heavier ash grey that deepened into a shade that lies somewhere between violet and indigo on the rainbow - all through the scribble-ridden window. My subconscious noted that I was beginning to dislike the never-changing building front that my window looks out on and stopped registering it.
The last time I spent this much time in a room alone, I ended up a sniveling, shaking mess in the middle of the floor. I desperately fought for breath and frantically searched through my contacts list for someone, anyone I could call.
Not in the area
Not in the area
Busy
An acquaintance
Another acquaintance
Pre-occupied with boyfriend
Too far away
Pre-occupied with girlfriend
Bogged down by too many troubles
Away
Never answers
Busy
All the way through the list.
Again.
And again.
My eyes swam, stopped on one name that might, possibly, have the patience for me and might, just might (1 in a 1,000,000,000th of a chance) come. I called him and couldn't say a word. I simply let my quiet hiccups speak for me. "Are you...crying?" His incredulous voice asks, heavy with concern. If I asked you to ask nothing, just hold me as I cry...would you let me? My voice is barely a whisper, the rasp of Velcro across wool. "Of course." His earnest reply was all I needed. Salty streams became rivers down my face, became warm honey that filled the aching cavern that had dug itself into my heart. Thank you.
I spent much of my early youth being unbelievably dependent on those I cared about and those who I trusted cared for me. While all these people did care for me deeply, I was like a parasite, needy for emotional attention as badly as a spoiled dog for treats. I was a roller coaster of extremes to boot.
I'm infinitely glad that, in the four years since, I have found, two days in, I am still standing (or sitting, rather) and unscathed - for the most part, anyway. I can't deny that there is an echo of that lonely void lingering from the call of my extroverted, social nature. I have learned at least a little from the time I've spent on my own, with no phone or internet connection, scrubbing surface after surface, dish after dish, pot after pan, about the serene, slightly melancholic satisfaction of alone time. Like the finest green tea, it isn't complete without that slightly bitter edge. An acquired, complex taste, you learn to appreciate that tinge and learn to hold it on your tongue. However, this is about as far as my appreciation for the more complicated adult emotions reaches.
The more I learn about the intricacies of the adult psyche, the more I fear becoming a part of it. Why do we have to make our relations and our lives so unnecessarily more complicated than they already are? I'm beginning to understand why people are, at first, surprised at my simplicity and my honest attempt to be genuine. As I grow older, the more people tell me to reign that impulse in. Watch what you say. Watch what you do. You're no longer a child. If being an adult means putting on a mask along with my clothes in the morning and changing that mask out for different-coloured ones and different-shaped ones to match the various occasions, then...I want no part of it.
That is what my heart screams even as I get dragged into that adult world we call society and the work place. The best I can do is try to be true to myself to the greatest extent that I can and not be penalized for it. The caution that barricades my words and actions feels like a pen, a cage, but for now at least I can breathe. Maybe, I'll learn to work my way around this barrier and manage both worlds somehow. Until then, like my citizenship, like my age, like my life purpose, I am held in a strange limbo.
After the better part of two days with minimal human contact, my throat will be sore tomorrow after work because my voice will be alarmed at the overuse after such a long stretch of silence. Nonetheless, my heart will be lighter for having interacted with the students that, as jaded and as apathetic as they are at such a young age, still cling to a certain beautiful simplicity purely by the virtue of the fact that they are children.
Less is most definitely more,
And infinitely complex is the beauty of simplicity.
Always,
Seoul Searching
From morning til night, for the last two days I have spent 90% of my time breathing the occasionally air-conditioned air of a single room. I watched the overcast sky turn from a bright, chalky white to a heavier ash grey that deepened into a shade that lies somewhere between violet and indigo on the rainbow - all through the scribble-ridden window. My subconscious noted that I was beginning to dislike the never-changing building front that my window looks out on and stopped registering it.
The last time I spent this much time in a room alone, I ended up a sniveling, shaking mess in the middle of the floor. I desperately fought for breath and frantically searched through my contacts list for someone, anyone I could call.
Not in the area
Not in the area
Busy
An acquaintance
Another acquaintance
Pre-occupied with boyfriend
Too far away
Pre-occupied with girlfriend
Bogged down by too many troubles
Away
Never answers
Busy
All the way through the list.
Again.
And again.
My eyes swam, stopped on one name that might, possibly, have the patience for me and might, just might (1 in a 1,000,000,000th of a chance) come. I called him and couldn't say a word. I simply let my quiet hiccups speak for me. "Are you...crying?" His incredulous voice asks, heavy with concern. If I asked you to ask nothing, just hold me as I cry...would you let me? My voice is barely a whisper, the rasp of Velcro across wool. "Of course." His earnest reply was all I needed. Salty streams became rivers down my face, became warm honey that filled the aching cavern that had dug itself into my heart. Thank you.
I spent much of my early youth being unbelievably dependent on those I cared about and those who I trusted cared for me. While all these people did care for me deeply, I was like a parasite, needy for emotional attention as badly as a spoiled dog for treats. I was a roller coaster of extremes to boot.
I'm infinitely glad that, in the four years since, I have found, two days in, I am still standing (or sitting, rather) and unscathed - for the most part, anyway. I can't deny that there is an echo of that lonely void lingering from the call of my extroverted, social nature. I have learned at least a little from the time I've spent on my own, with no phone or internet connection, scrubbing surface after surface, dish after dish, pot after pan, about the serene, slightly melancholic satisfaction of alone time. Like the finest green tea, it isn't complete without that slightly bitter edge. An acquired, complex taste, you learn to appreciate that tinge and learn to hold it on your tongue. However, this is about as far as my appreciation for the more complicated adult emotions reaches.
The more I learn about the intricacies of the adult psyche, the more I fear becoming a part of it. Why do we have to make our relations and our lives so unnecessarily more complicated than they already are? I'm beginning to understand why people are, at first, surprised at my simplicity and my honest attempt to be genuine. As I grow older, the more people tell me to reign that impulse in. Watch what you say. Watch what you do. You're no longer a child. If being an adult means putting on a mask along with my clothes in the morning and changing that mask out for different-coloured ones and different-shaped ones to match the various occasions, then...I want no part of it.
That is what my heart screams even as I get dragged into that adult world we call society and the work place. The best I can do is try to be true to myself to the greatest extent that I can and not be penalized for it. The caution that barricades my words and actions feels like a pen, a cage, but for now at least I can breathe. Maybe, I'll learn to work my way around this barrier and manage both worlds somehow. Until then, like my citizenship, like my age, like my life purpose, I am held in a strange limbo.
After the better part of two days with minimal human contact, my throat will be sore tomorrow after work because my voice will be alarmed at the overuse after such a long stretch of silence. Nonetheless, my heart will be lighter for having interacted with the students that, as jaded and as apathetic as they are at such a young age, still cling to a certain beautiful simplicity purely by the virtue of the fact that they are children.
Less is most definitely more,
And infinitely complex is the beauty of simplicity.
Always,
Seoul Searching
Monday, September 5, 2011
Korean Business Socialization
Good Just-Barely-After-Noon!
At least that's what time it is as I start this entry...haha.
So, on Friday night, I went to my first 회식 or Company Dinner. These are notorious in Korea and Japan for being places where businessmen (and women) have a generally drunken good time to relieve their stress from a long week or month's work and create some camaraderie - entirely at the Director's expense. However, these dinners are not all just good and fun, as you might imagine. In Asian culture, there are some serious rules to drinking culture.
If your superior offers you a drink, it's close to offensive to refuse. Also, they remember this later (even if they got smashed) and it can prove potentially detrimental to either your career, or at least your mental well-being while in your position. There's a lot of thought that goes into one's actions in a setting like this for everyone but the boss. It's really rather unfortunate, but there's quite a bit of catering to the boss's whims and people finding ways to avoid drinking as much as they're asked to (such as throwing the contents of a shot under the table) or keeping one's shot glass filled with water and pretending to be drunk.
I was mercifully safe from most of this because I'm the youngest in my cohort, and a girl, and a pastor's kid. I was asked to have a customary shot with the Director and the Vice-Director and the Head-Teacher. Other than that, I was pretty much left to my own devices. I had a few shots with the teachers as well, but I had about a third of what most people were having. I still had something along the order of 10 shots of soju. I was generally okay and sober for most of the night, but man. People were both wasted as well as acting wasted.
Also, I noted that one form of showing your juniors that you care is by not forcing them to drink? The Vice-Director, who is a woman, came around and poured us drinks, but then simply left the table. The teacher sitting next to me told me that she she's showing that she cares by allowing us to choose whether to drink or not. Strange, this drinking culture.
Anyhow, there was lots of eating and drinking, then everyone decided we were going to "Yi-cha" or second round. We headed for a nearby no-rae-bang, or kareoke place. We booked a room and the teachers went around each singing a song or so. However, very soon after we arrived at this place (by which point our Director was very thoroughly drunk, which I was told was a dangerous state for him to be in as he had a tendency to turn violent), we lost about half of our party. I was rather confused, but one of the teachers led me out and told me that some of the others had gone to a club in the area and to go with them. The only people left were the company superiors, pretty much. So, he took me to the club, paid for me, and I met up with the other younger teachers there.
We didn't really spend that much time there, but I ended up walking one of the new teachers home, all the way to his room, before coming home to my own room. And yet...the end of this story is yet to come:
I was not only slightly inebriated, but also incredibly tired. I must've sat on the toilet with the intent to go to the bathroom...and then fell asleep leaning against the wall! I woke up the next morning at around 7 a.m. very tired and stiff from sitting in my cubicle-sized stall/bathroom for hours.
After all this, I went to hang out with Sara again and we spent a good last weekend together exploring Korea doing touristy things.
In the end, I think it was a good experience for me, but it looks like I'll be doing a lot of taking care of people when these dinners come around. I don't think I'll need to be as scared of it as I thought, but I don't know if it'll be as enjoyable as some people think it to be. I wonder what other experiences I'll have while I'm here...
Earnestly,
Seoul Searching
At least that's what time it is as I start this entry...haha.
So, on Friday night, I went to my first 회식 or Company Dinner. These are notorious in Korea and Japan for being places where businessmen (and women) have a generally drunken good time to relieve their stress from a long week or month's work and create some camaraderie - entirely at the Director's expense. However, these dinners are not all just good and fun, as you might imagine. In Asian culture, there are some serious rules to drinking culture.
If your superior offers you a drink, it's close to offensive to refuse. Also, they remember this later (even if they got smashed) and it can prove potentially detrimental to either your career, or at least your mental well-being while in your position. There's a lot of thought that goes into one's actions in a setting like this for everyone but the boss. It's really rather unfortunate, but there's quite a bit of catering to the boss's whims and people finding ways to avoid drinking as much as they're asked to (such as throwing the contents of a shot under the table) or keeping one's shot glass filled with water and pretending to be drunk.
I was mercifully safe from most of this because I'm the youngest in my cohort, and a girl, and a pastor's kid. I was asked to have a customary shot with the Director and the Vice-Director and the Head-Teacher. Other than that, I was pretty much left to my own devices. I had a few shots with the teachers as well, but I had about a third of what most people were having. I still had something along the order of 10 shots of soju. I was generally okay and sober for most of the night, but man. People were both wasted as well as acting wasted.
Also, I noted that one form of showing your juniors that you care is by not forcing them to drink? The Vice-Director, who is a woman, came around and poured us drinks, but then simply left the table. The teacher sitting next to me told me that she she's showing that she cares by allowing us to choose whether to drink or not. Strange, this drinking culture.
Anyhow, there was lots of eating and drinking, then everyone decided we were going to "Yi-cha" or second round. We headed for a nearby no-rae-bang, or kareoke place. We booked a room and the teachers went around each singing a song or so. However, very soon after we arrived at this place (by which point our Director was very thoroughly drunk, which I was told was a dangerous state for him to be in as he had a tendency to turn violent), we lost about half of our party. I was rather confused, but one of the teachers led me out and told me that some of the others had gone to a club in the area and to go with them. The only people left were the company superiors, pretty much. So, he took me to the club, paid for me, and I met up with the other younger teachers there.
We didn't really spend that much time there, but I ended up walking one of the new teachers home, all the way to his room, before coming home to my own room. And yet...the end of this story is yet to come:
I was not only slightly inebriated, but also incredibly tired. I must've sat on the toilet with the intent to go to the bathroom...and then fell asleep leaning against the wall! I woke up the next morning at around 7 a.m. very tired and stiff from sitting in my cubicle-sized stall/bathroom for hours.
After all this, I went to hang out with Sara again and we spent a good last weekend together exploring Korea doing touristy things.
In the end, I think it was a good experience for me, but it looks like I'll be doing a lot of taking care of people when these dinners come around. I don't think I'll need to be as scared of it as I thought, but I don't know if it'll be as enjoyable as some people think it to be. I wonder what other experiences I'll have while I'm here...
Earnestly,
Seoul Searching
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Fearless Fangirl
Hello again!
How've you all been? I hope this finds you well. I've had some interesting adventures with our very own, harmless warrior, Sara Davidson. ^^
This weekend, I figuratively called Sara up (because I don't yet have my F4 visa and thus my alien registration card, which would enable me to buy a phone...) and proposed that we hang out for the weekend instead of just on Sunday, as previously planned.
Now, I previously had an inkling of what her life had been like for the last week or two she'd been in Korea. Nevertheless, I still managed to be blindsided when I lost my footing and found myself hurtling down the rabbit hole of Korean fangirl culture.
We began the weekend with me taking the wrong direction at one of my three transfers on the subway, after having woken up and left my house twenty minutes later than I'd intended and meeting up about an hour later than originally planned. Despite this, we had a good time taking the subway to NamDaeMun, one of the big marketplaces in Seoul and both a large tourist attraction as well as a local frequent. All of our subway adventures seemed to overshoot by a stop this weekend. -_-; We wandered around the marketplace (NamDaeMun is all street market for about a 5-block radius) and had KalGookSoo, yummy noodles in a warm soup, and HoDhuk, a warm, fried, honey-filled pastry-type thing.
Then, including subway mishap, we went off to InsaDong, the traditional district in Seoul, and there were lots of Buhddist temples, gates, and shrines to visit, as well as the traditional palace (which we didn't end up having time to go to), -- and InsaDong Street. There were lots of little stores and stands that sold traditional tea wards and other ceramics, and Buddhist merchandise. The place was lined with traditional souvenirs of fans, tableware, lacquered boxes and utensils, and all kinds of historic memoirs you could imagine! There were entire stores of traditional papers, brushes, signature stamps, and inkwells. In addition to all of this madness, there was street food that contributed to the air of tradition and nostalgia: traditional taffy-like candy in pumpkin, rice and ginger flavors as well as a sort of toffee-like snack made from sugar and baking soda. After picking up some of the street food, it was about time to run off to our first time check.
Now, the time check was at 8:30, but we were going to stop by Sara's hostel room/tent first and then head over to Gayang and the SBS studio. We had a hilarious subway ordeal trying to get to said time check and were almost late, but we ran and made it just in time! XD
What is a time check, you ask? I really should let Sara explain, but on her behalf...
A time check is a part of the process fangirls go through to get into the pre-recording session their favourite idol group/star will perform before an actual music show, in this case SBS's Inkigayo. There is a list one must sign up on, hosted by the fan club of that group, in Sara's case ELF for Super Junior, as early as possible. This sign-up list is run-through at each of the different time checks. The ELF representative/volunteer will call each name on the list (in order, so you must remember your number) beginning from the time the time check is scheduled to be. If you are late at all and do not respond when your name is called, they cross you off the list and you have lost your place and must join back at the end of the line. There are three or four time checks until the time SBS will let fans in to see the pre-recording. Only ELF has time checks throughout the night and wee hours of the morning. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, perhaps to prove just how hardcore you are?
Our time checks were at 8:30pm, 4:00am, and 7:30am and then people would begin to enter a few hours later.
This, if you can imagine, would result in crowds of fangirls sleeping outside the SBS studio on cardboard boxes, newspapers, and picnic mats all Saturday night and well into Sunday morning. Sara, a new friend we met, and I ended up hanging out and napping at the nearby 24-hour HomePlus, a large grocery store chain. Talk about feeling like a homeless bum, haha.
I parted ways with the girls briefly to visit a nearby church for a couple of hours and then met back up with them a bit later for the real show. Sara finally met back up with me (getting around without a cell phone is painfully difficult, by the by) and we stood in MORE lines by ticket number to get into the show. We ended up being separated because of our ticket number, much to my dismay, I'd kind of wanted to see Sara in her fangirl state of mind, but alas! It was not to be~ When we finally got in, I ended up being at the very top in the very back and without a real seat. Nonetheless, the seat was still pretty decent because the studio was tiny! The place was packed with something like just over 500 people, but I was still within decent distance of the stage and could see faces and see what was going on.
The show itself was rather interesting, despite the screaming fangirls and fanboys and...fan-ahjusshis (middle-aged men). It was kind of wild to see, directly in front of me, people and the live version of a show that I'd only seen bits and pieces of on my little computer screen in an even smaller window on Youtube. I wasn't utterly blown away like some of the people were, but it was definitely an experience I'll remember. Also, as a side note, Kim Heechul of Super Junior was having his last performance before going off to mandatory military service and by the time SuJu came on stage to perform, there were all matter of screaming, sobbing fangirls filling the room. It was mildly intimidating.
Post-show, hordes of fangirls/fanboys lined the street and entrance to the parking lot to see the vans of their favourite stars as they passed by. Also, the wealthier Japanese and Chinese (foreign and consequently more desperate) fans line taxis up ready to tail after the vans. Something like 80% of all these people were ELFs waiting to see SuJu off. Idol stars, knowing this, customarily roll their window down half-way to wave or stick their heads out. They also drive about three lanes into the road, off of the sidewalk, to avoid getting totally mobbed by rabid fangirls. Today, however, probably because it was Kim Heechul's last live performance, they mobbed the van at the red light anyway, running into the road and around stopped cars.
After this roller coaster of a journey, Sara and I headed back to her hostel and I had the intent to hang out with her, but she was entirely too exhausted and we ended up taking a short nap. Then I went on my way home, which took an inordinately long time. The subway was inexplicably delayed and the trip took something like an hour to an hour and a half. Once I returned to my home station, I walked out of the station only to realise that I didn't remember the directions back to my residence! I ended up wandering around, carrying all my stuff, for another half-hour or so on the streets of Ilsan. I definitely passed out pretty much as soon as I got home.
Since then, I've mostly been staying at home and going to my workplace for continued training. Oh! I'm teaching my first class tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous, but I hope it goes alright. Also my first "company dinner," which has its own connotations and meanings here in Korea. Namely, people get wasted and it's generally rowdy and crazy. I'm more nervous about that than the class. -_-; I hope I get through this without making terrible social mistakes, like refuse alcohol too much to the point of offending a superior or something. Oy vey, wish me luck!
I hope my lovelies have a wonderful day/night, wherever you are! I love you muchly.
Sincerely,
Seoul Searching
How've you all been? I hope this finds you well. I've had some interesting adventures with our very own, harmless warrior, Sara Davidson. ^^
This weekend, I figuratively called Sara up (because I don't yet have my F4 visa and thus my alien registration card, which would enable me to buy a phone...) and proposed that we hang out for the weekend instead of just on Sunday, as previously planned.
Now, I previously had an inkling of what her life had been like for the last week or two she'd been in Korea. Nevertheless, I still managed to be blindsided when I lost my footing and found myself hurtling down the rabbit hole of Korean fangirl culture.
We began the weekend with me taking the wrong direction at one of my three transfers on the subway, after having woken up and left my house twenty minutes later than I'd intended and meeting up about an hour later than originally planned. Despite this, we had a good time taking the subway to NamDaeMun, one of the big marketplaces in Seoul and both a large tourist attraction as well as a local frequent. All of our subway adventures seemed to overshoot by a stop this weekend. -_-; We wandered around the marketplace (NamDaeMun is all street market for about a 5-block radius) and had KalGookSoo, yummy noodles in a warm soup, and HoDhuk, a warm, fried, honey-filled pastry-type thing.
Then, including subway mishap, we went off to InsaDong, the traditional district in Seoul, and there were lots of Buhddist temples, gates, and shrines to visit, as well as the traditional palace (which we didn't end up having time to go to), -- and InsaDong Street. There were lots of little stores and stands that sold traditional tea wards and other ceramics, and Buddhist merchandise. The place was lined with traditional souvenirs of fans, tableware, lacquered boxes and utensils, and all kinds of historic memoirs you could imagine! There were entire stores of traditional papers, brushes, signature stamps, and inkwells. In addition to all of this madness, there was street food that contributed to the air of tradition and nostalgia: traditional taffy-like candy in pumpkin, rice and ginger flavors as well as a sort of toffee-like snack made from sugar and baking soda. After picking up some of the street food, it was about time to run off to our first time check.
Now, the time check was at 8:30, but we were going to stop by Sara's hostel room/tent first and then head over to Gayang and the SBS studio. We had a hilarious subway ordeal trying to get to said time check and were almost late, but we ran and made it just in time! XD
What is a time check, you ask? I really should let Sara explain, but on her behalf...
A time check is a part of the process fangirls go through to get into the pre-recording session their favourite idol group/star will perform before an actual music show, in this case SBS's Inkigayo. There is a list one must sign up on, hosted by the fan club of that group, in Sara's case ELF for Super Junior, as early as possible. This sign-up list is run-through at each of the different time checks. The ELF representative/volunteer will call each name on the list (in order, so you must remember your number) beginning from the time the time check is scheduled to be. If you are late at all and do not respond when your name is called, they cross you off the list and you have lost your place and must join back at the end of the line. There are three or four time checks until the time SBS will let fans in to see the pre-recording. Only ELF has time checks throughout the night and wee hours of the morning. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, perhaps to prove just how hardcore you are?
Our time checks were at 8:30pm, 4:00am, and 7:30am and then people would begin to enter a few hours later.
This, if you can imagine, would result in crowds of fangirls sleeping outside the SBS studio on cardboard boxes, newspapers, and picnic mats all Saturday night and well into Sunday morning. Sara, a new friend we met, and I ended up hanging out and napping at the nearby 24-hour HomePlus, a large grocery store chain. Talk about feeling like a homeless bum, haha.
I parted ways with the girls briefly to visit a nearby church for a couple of hours and then met back up with them a bit later for the real show. Sara finally met back up with me (getting around without a cell phone is painfully difficult, by the by) and we stood in MORE lines by ticket number to get into the show. We ended up being separated because of our ticket number, much to my dismay, I'd kind of wanted to see Sara in her fangirl state of mind, but alas! It was not to be~ When we finally got in, I ended up being at the very top in the very back and without a real seat. Nonetheless, the seat was still pretty decent because the studio was tiny! The place was packed with something like just over 500 people, but I was still within decent distance of the stage and could see faces and see what was going on.
The show itself was rather interesting, despite the screaming fangirls and fanboys and...fan-ahjusshis (middle-aged men). It was kind of wild to see, directly in front of me, people and the live version of a show that I'd only seen bits and pieces of on my little computer screen in an even smaller window on Youtube. I wasn't utterly blown away like some of the people were, but it was definitely an experience I'll remember. Also, as a side note, Kim Heechul of Super Junior was having his last performance before going off to mandatory military service and by the time SuJu came on stage to perform, there were all matter of screaming, sobbing fangirls filling the room. It was mildly intimidating.
Post-show, hordes of fangirls/fanboys lined the street and entrance to the parking lot to see the vans of their favourite stars as they passed by. Also, the wealthier Japanese and Chinese (foreign and consequently more desperate) fans line taxis up ready to tail after the vans. Something like 80% of all these people were ELFs waiting to see SuJu off. Idol stars, knowing this, customarily roll their window down half-way to wave or stick their heads out. They also drive about three lanes into the road, off of the sidewalk, to avoid getting totally mobbed by rabid fangirls. Today, however, probably because it was Kim Heechul's last live performance, they mobbed the van at the red light anyway, running into the road and around stopped cars.
After this roller coaster of a journey, Sara and I headed back to her hostel and I had the intent to hang out with her, but she was entirely too exhausted and we ended up taking a short nap. Then I went on my way home, which took an inordinately long time. The subway was inexplicably delayed and the trip took something like an hour to an hour and a half. Once I returned to my home station, I walked out of the station only to realise that I didn't remember the directions back to my residence! I ended up wandering around, carrying all my stuff, for another half-hour or so on the streets of Ilsan. I definitely passed out pretty much as soon as I got home.
Since then, I've mostly been staying at home and going to my workplace for continued training. Oh! I'm teaching my first class tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous, but I hope it goes alright. Also my first "company dinner," which has its own connotations and meanings here in Korea. Namely, people get wasted and it's generally rowdy and crazy. I'm more nervous about that than the class. -_-; I hope I get through this without making terrible social mistakes, like refuse alcohol too much to the point of offending a superior or something. Oy vey, wish me luck!
I hope my lovelies have a wonderful day/night, wherever you are! I love you muchly.
Sincerely,
Seoul Searching
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Testing...Testing 1-2-3
Hello my lovelies, ^.~
So...my first blog post while in Korea.
Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted any sort of blog or other text online aside from messages, emails and such.
I arrived safely (on the 24th of August at 4:35pm to be exact) and was picked up from the airport. I had a rather awkward 40 min. van ride to the hagwon, or academy, to see my boss and to receive notice of my housing. About 99% of the ride there was in total silence with only background music of some acoustic covers of Beyonce. I didn't know whether it would make the driver guy uncomfortable to try and make conversation like i normally do or just continue in silence and refrain from bothering him. Were it not a work setting, I probably would have pushed for some conversation, but I honestly didn't know how to handle this situation and he felt pretty closed. He was nice and well-mannered and polite, but felt closed. In this case, I took my mother's advice and kept my mouth shut. I still question whether that was the right thing to do...
I really should be sleeping now because I have to see Sara Davidson tomorrow morning, but I HAD to at least do a first post by the end of today. ^^
When I arrived at the Ilsan M-Poly school's office, I was told I would have temporary housing until my apartment freed up in about a week, 9/2. I'd had prior notice of this by email, but then we got to the place and I came upon, essentially, a dorm single. With about a foot less space on all sides. Plus a bathroom - within that space. The bed is right next to the foot-and-a-half-wide closet is right next to the bathroom/stall (toilet, sink, shower head all in one!) is right next to the desk with a small TV monitor and an Ethernet cable over a little fridge. In the middle of that panoramic layout is about 2 square feet of floor space - most of which is taken up by the desk chair and my luggage. Haha, so I was told today that I'm actually staying here until the 6th instead of the 2nd, as I was previously told. I guess it's about time I actually unpacked my stuff. ^^;;
I'm going to be glad when I'm actually moving into my apartment. This place isn't bad, but I can't control the temperature and such. I don't mind being cramped a bit. Rachel An adjusts pretty quickly, eh?
The day after I arrived, I pretty much just walked all around this area of Ilsan. There's Lake Park (direct translation) just across the street from this large building I'm in (and directions in Korea are done by buildings, by the way, not street names. Interestingly enough). The park is green, goes all the way around, as well as through, the lake and is a nice, long track. I reeaally enjoy being right across the street for it. So far, I've gone out walking/jogging every morning! The rest of Ilsan, is pretty much like a small, slightly cooled-down cross-section of Seoul. It's busy with lights and signs and tall buildings and many little stores and restaurants, but it's not quite as packed.
My first day at work...
I'm starting with a few unpaid days of training (written into my contract). However, my full training period is 2 weeks. My first day was pretty much just observing other teachers teaching classes and then doing a little one-page reflection at the end of the night. It seems like the work nights are going to be kind of long and rather tiring, but I guess I won't be taking too much work home - or so I sincerely hope.
The teaching staff seems very casual and nice. Well, since most of them are American, Canadian or Korean-American, that would make sense. However, I'm still totally unsure of how I'm supposed to behave towards my superiors. We go back and forth between English and Korean, casual talk and formalities, and I don't know what the expectations are! I'm sure that'll be something I have to watch out for since I don't think enough before I say things. At any rate, I'm tentatively looking forward to working at this place. I just hope that I have time to do some of the other things I wanted to do while in Korea.
Also, just a side note: I am currently residing a few blocks down the street from the Ilsan MBC broadcast studio. I really wish I could do an internship there, but the chances of that are about a zillion to none. ㅠ-ㅠ In any case, I'll have to figure out what I can do in my "free time" after I've settled in a little. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to having a good time at least this weekend with my crazy, but adorably lovable friend Sara! ^-^ Thanks to everyone who's been wishing me well and God bless~
Sincerely,
Seoul Searching
(hint: this is pretty much what the title means, but with a twist ^^)
So...my first blog post while in Korea.
Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted any sort of blog or other text online aside from messages, emails and such.
I arrived safely (on the 24th of August at 4:35pm to be exact) and was picked up from the airport. I had a rather awkward 40 min. van ride to the hagwon, or academy, to see my boss and to receive notice of my housing. About 99% of the ride there was in total silence with only background music of some acoustic covers of Beyonce. I didn't know whether it would make the driver guy uncomfortable to try and make conversation like i normally do or just continue in silence and refrain from bothering him. Were it not a work setting, I probably would have pushed for some conversation, but I honestly didn't know how to handle this situation and he felt pretty closed. He was nice and well-mannered and polite, but felt closed. In this case, I took my mother's advice and kept my mouth shut. I still question whether that was the right thing to do...
I really should be sleeping now because I have to see Sara Davidson tomorrow morning, but I HAD to at least do a first post by the end of today. ^^
When I arrived at the Ilsan M-Poly school's office, I was told I would have temporary housing until my apartment freed up in about a week, 9/2. I'd had prior notice of this by email, but then we got to the place and I came upon, essentially, a dorm single. With about a foot less space on all sides. Plus a bathroom - within that space. The bed is right next to the foot-and-a-half-wide closet is right next to the bathroom/stall (toilet, sink, shower head all in one!) is right next to the desk with a small TV monitor and an Ethernet cable over a little fridge. In the middle of that panoramic layout is about 2 square feet of floor space - most of which is taken up by the desk chair and my luggage. Haha, so I was told today that I'm actually staying here until the 6th instead of the 2nd, as I was previously told. I guess it's about time I actually unpacked my stuff. ^^;;
I'm going to be glad when I'm actually moving into my apartment. This place isn't bad, but I can't control the temperature and such. I don't mind being cramped a bit. Rachel An adjusts pretty quickly, eh?
The day after I arrived, I pretty much just walked all around this area of Ilsan. There's Lake Park (direct translation) just across the street from this large building I'm in (and directions in Korea are done by buildings, by the way, not street names. Interestingly enough). The park is green, goes all the way around, as well as through, the lake and is a nice, long track. I reeaally enjoy being right across the street for it. So far, I've gone out walking/jogging every morning! The rest of Ilsan, is pretty much like a small, slightly cooled-down cross-section of Seoul. It's busy with lights and signs and tall buildings and many little stores and restaurants, but it's not quite as packed.
My first day at work...
I'm starting with a few unpaid days of training (written into my contract). However, my full training period is 2 weeks. My first day was pretty much just observing other teachers teaching classes and then doing a little one-page reflection at the end of the night. It seems like the work nights are going to be kind of long and rather tiring, but I guess I won't be taking too much work home - or so I sincerely hope.
The teaching staff seems very casual and nice. Well, since most of them are American, Canadian or Korean-American, that would make sense. However, I'm still totally unsure of how I'm supposed to behave towards my superiors. We go back and forth between English and Korean, casual talk and formalities, and I don't know what the expectations are! I'm sure that'll be something I have to watch out for since I don't think enough before I say things. At any rate, I'm tentatively looking forward to working at this place. I just hope that I have time to do some of the other things I wanted to do while in Korea.
Also, just a side note: I am currently residing a few blocks down the street from the Ilsan MBC broadcast studio. I really wish I could do an internship there, but the chances of that are about a zillion to none. ㅠ-ㅠ In any case, I'll have to figure out what I can do in my "free time" after I've settled in a little. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to having a good time at least this weekend with my crazy, but adorably lovable friend Sara! ^-^ Thanks to everyone who's been wishing me well and God bless~
Sincerely,
Seoul Searching
(hint: this is pretty much what the title means, but with a twist ^^)
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