Beijing : Chinese New Year

In Canada, flying used to be a common part of my working and personal life, but since coming to Korea, I hadn’t left the country in 11 months had developed a horrible feeling of cabin fever. So, the pleasure, excitement and thrill of taking a trip to Beijing was that much more appreciated and need. Oh, and how can one pass up Chinese New Year in China!!??
I didn’t believe it was possible to pack so much into such a quick trip.. but 5 days later, I’ve come home having climbed the Great Wall, explored the Forbidden City, stood in Tiananmen Square, watched New Year fireworks, visited the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Llama Temple, Watched a acrobatics show and martial arts performance, took part in a tea ceremony, rode a rickshaw through the ancient part of town, danced with Mongolian performers, bargained for cheap goods, and flew business class.
Though I may have hated touring in sub-zero temperatures, the experience was amazing and well worth every toe I froze off in the process.

The Name Game

Students at academies are usually given English names for the convenience of their teachers. When students arrive in my class without, I usually let them choose, and if they want I will give them a list of options on the board. This has enabled me to have almost all my best friends in my classes, and it’s a pleasure to see them week after week when they’re living oceans away.

Last semester, a student arrived in my class and claimed to not have an English name. After making a list of options, “Steven” was welcomed into MIP4. This student is a little odd, and quirky, but is certainly entertaining. A couple weeks later, Steven was in the staff room claiming to be “feeling dark” and being a “dark angel”. While he conversed with Kate I learned a number of things : Steven used to be Kate’s student, Steven used to go by the name Maximus, Steven is in fact a girl. SHIT! I felt horrible, there really was no way of knowing, so I quickly just resorted back to the name Maximus, and so she been called ever since. Until last week that is, when she bolded exclaimed she would now be known as “Strawberry Fresh Maxi”….. I almost think Steven is better…

Trooper

This evening I was taken out for dinner with my student Ellen and her non-English speaking mother. I had planned to meet them at 6:30, and at 4:30 I woke up from a day of napping on my floor and was still feeling the ill effects of the previous night. I cursed myself for poor decision making and spent the next couple hours trying to feel alive and get ready for what was ahead. Being the anti-socialite that I am, I was really concerned about trying to make conversation and using my student as a translator between the mother and myself. But the conversation side of things ran smoothly and what I should have been concerned about was their choice of “traditional Korean food”. Korean style is to have many dishes all over the table, and everyone shares the food, and both Ellen and her mom were excited for me to try it all. The plates kept arriving, and about 90% of them were heaped with various forms of seafood. I wanted to be a good sport, and didn’t think it would be appropriate to express my dislike of anything fishy. So, I toughed it out, tried everything that was there and played an hour long game of mind over matter. Some bites required a chaser in the form kimchi, and some pieces could easily be camouflaged and hidden in my bowl of rice, all the while my stomach wondered how I could be so cruel. But I managed, I’m alive and I played the game well enough that they requested for me a doggie bag of seafood Korean pancake… mmmmm....

Recap

I will admit to being disappointed in myself for my lack of blogging these past few months. This doesn’t mean that the winter months have left me completely bored and lonely, though they have perhaps slowed things down a little.. and maybe made me a little lazier. However, there’s still been time for adventuring:

1) Attending a coworkers wedding: an opportunity to experience the true Korean ceremony, which involved sharing shots of Soju with the bus driver at 2pm.
2) Working Christmas day, but still managing to celebrate the holiday festively: a virtual present opening with my parents and siblings, a wonderful Christmas breakfast and afternoon with Lynn, and a delicious traditional dinner with fellow foreigners.
3) Welcoming 2008 in a typically outrageous fashion: ringing in the New Year in the back of the cab, obnoxiously screaming at passers-bys and harassing the cabdriver, and all this before we even made it to the bar for the real gong show to begin.
4) Partying with my director and learning the secrets of his past: his #2 hit on the Korean charts in 1997, his attempt at Priesthood, and his childish personality that had frolicking around the department store and spending money on an air rifle bb gun (and plenty of drink, food and norae) instead of paying us on time.

More unforgettable experiences to appropriately conclude 2007, and welcome 2008!

Simple Pleasures

“If all the snowflakes were chocolate bars and milkshakes
Oh what a wonderful snow fall it’d be.
Standing outside with my mouth open wide,
ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah”

Few things excite me in quite the same way as the first snowfall. Sadly, however, I live in a part of the country where such weather is rare, a sad reality for someone who gets so much enjoyment out of it. However, on the way home from the bar last weekend, a wonderful thing happen. Snow – big, fluffy flakes.. it was beautiful! However, my desire to frolic in the night snow fall was hindered by the amount of soju I had consumed .. sadness. But, then yesterday I was granted a second chance. On my way to the subway it started flurrying. As people stepped out of stores, they had confused looks on their faces, some looked up, quizzically, as though questioning what was being thrown at them. Kids looked excited, one child put out his arms and began spinning, screaming and looking up at the sky. It was fabulous, and I could definitely feel his excitement. So I stuck out my tongue like a small child and caught for myself a Korean snowflake. Delicious.

Just Go With It

It seems a mis-truth leaked to one of my classes prior to today, and though I am uncertain of where said rumour began, I do know that the outcome today was well received.

Walking down the stairs to one of my elementary school-aged classes, one of my students ran up and motioned for me to hurry to class. Upon nearing the doorway I saw that the lights were turned off and was expecting a prank that I wasn't so sure I could handle, but in fact, there was nothing malicious about their intentions...instead, I was greeted with a chorus of 'happy birthday', a cake on my desk with candles, presents, and a confetti firecraker! It was amazing, and the kids were SO excited that they had succeeded in surprising me. I didn't want to break their little hearts, and it seemed a shame to do so, so I played along. I celebrated my non-birthday birthday, by eating cake, talking about my birthday plans and playing games all class.

I wish I'd thought of this sooner!

Deck the Halls

The first week of December marked not only my 9th month in Korea, but also the beginning of the holiday season. Being my first Christmas away from home, I wanted to make my apartment as festive and homey as I could. With a scented candle burning and Christmas music playing, I decorated my standing plant with bulbs and lights, surrounded it with the presents my mom had sent from home, set out a bowl of candy canes, hung snowflakes from the ceiling and my stocking above my (makeshift) tree. My apartment felt so good to come home to, and I was prepared to celebrate the holidays alone.

I should have known that nothing is ever as good as it seems, still I wasn't prepared for the surprise I was hit with last week Wednesday… I would be moving. It was a heartbreaking transition, leaving my cozy apartment… home for the past 9 months, and packing up my life. I arrived here in Korea with a suitcase and a backpack to a spacious apartment with only a bed, desk, chair and microwave. However, knowing so many people who left before me, I have accumulated enough to make my place a comfortable haven, and moving a bit of a nightmare. But, now that everything is said and done, the new digs are great, the location is convenient and my Christmas decorations are back up and looking wonderful. Feliz Navidad!