Filed under: General Nonsense
I want to go home. I’m hesitant to express this particular emotion lest people conclude that I’m unhappy, lonely, made a mistake coming to Korea, or not strong enough to complete my commitment. None of those things are true, but I don’t want to be afraid that from time to time I’m ready to pack my bags and head back to Canada. Actually, more often than “from time to time” lately.
Spring has arrived in Korea. Gorgeous fragrant vibrant flowers line the streets, trees, and sidewalks. I love the smell of the warm breeze. I get to walk every day in beautiful weather with my beautiful wife to a job… that I don’t like. Before I came here I was worried about how I would deal with kids, cause I’m not great with kids. I surprised myself in this area. I would be a much better clown now than I was in 1998, clenched fists and jaws being forcibly shoved onto stage while being mocked by a puppet show in front of terrified, screaming children. Tangent. I certainly don’t have the warmth and patience of Thea, but when the kids aren’t acting like monkeys, I have a really good time with them.
The other teachers are great, too. More on that later.
I’m just tired of business coming before education, the culture of non-responsibility, and the desperation to project a positive image. I suppose it’s ironic that I’m afraid to post my discontent with Korea in fear that it will make me look bad, but something I’ve really noticed about this country is it’s desire to appear more powerful, rich, stable, advanced, and perfect than it actually is (bearing no resemblance to its communist cousin to the north, I’m sure). What’s with the fear of appearing flawed? This same obsession is mirrored in the “school” that we work for down to the students.
Students get so embarrassed when they make a mistake and shocked when I admit that I don’t know the answer to some intricate, obscure grammar rule (notice how I made sure that my lack of knowledge only applies to the intricately obscure… I am well versed in the simply renowned). They’re ridiculously competitive and delight in each other’s mistakes.
Anyway, it’s getting late. I don’t want to go to bed… and wake up and go to work. But I should mention that Thea and I went camping with some of our coworkers this weekend, in a campsite in the middle of Seoul beside the Han River. I’ll post pictures soon. Needless to say (what does that mean?) the neighbourhood around our apartment is more picturesque than the sparse withering trees adorning the refugee camp that we stayed at on the banks of the most polluted river in the world. I exaggerate. I hear the Hudson River is quite dirty. The subzero nighttime temperatures gave me an excuse to cuddle my usually-standoffish wife, but her constant convulsing was soon joined by my own and we just prayed for sweet cold death to take us. And then the sun came up and we were roasting in our tent. Ah… Korea.
We just killed a large cockroach. Sitting on the couch and enjoying some illegally-downloaded TV, my wife casually rested her head on my shoulder. The new angle afforded her an ample view of the ceiling and she screamed upon viewing the writhing antenna and appendages scurry upside-down towards us. I sprayed him with a generous amount of Lysol while Thea perched on the bed, a backup of Febreeze in her trembling hands. Anyway, he’s dead. And our room smells like a fresh spring morning… on the mountainside… in bare feet.
A couple weeks ago we were having dinner with a few of the other teachers from our school. Someone asked another couple, living-together-but-not-married, when they were getting married. The reply was along the lines of we-don’t-see-how-it-would-be-different-so-why-bother. It made me wonder about why people get married, and what the difference is, especially if you don’t believe in God. Marriage isn’t about the tax benefits or any legal documents, but rather a declaration before God and everyone else important in your life that I-want-my-life-to-be-permanently-enlaced-with-this-person. No Plan B’s. No foot in the door. I’m not into the idea of the better half, but prefer two whole people becoming a bigger, better whole. Like mashing two colours of Play-doh together.
Although, Thea probably wishes my Play-doh didn’t snore so much.
Filed under: General Nonsense
I got so caught up in this Facebook thing that I forgot about my poor little blog. Facebook is more fun. I’m now best friends with countless people, many of whom I can’t recall ever speaking with. Dangling preposition. Watch it dangle.
We’ve booked a long-weekend-trip to China for mid-July. It’s exciting that we’re going to actually take advantage of our multiple entry visas. We’re going to see the Great Wall… of China. And some forbidden city that can’t be all that forbidden if it’s on a tour.
Finally, here are some pictures I found on Facebook of our dalliance with paint-balling back in the fall.
Filed under: General Nonsense
Althea and I attended the Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul yesterday. I posted some pictures over on Facebook.
Incidentally, my sister sent me a picture of herself that includes a picture of her favourite doll, Antha. As a young boy I was forced into an arranged marriage with this doll, ceremony and all.
You can see her on the far left.
In church on Sunday the pastor referred to someone’s enthusiasm as being “more infectious than HIV.”
Seriously? This is the most appropriate comparison you can come up with? His enthusiasm is more infectious than the human immunodeficiency virus. Regardless of the virus’ deadliness, it isn’t even that contagious when compared to the common cold. Wouldn’t the common cold or the flu be a more apt and light-hearted analogy? Even the bird flu would at least be trendier. HIV is so 1993.
Since the post is already slightly off-colour, I might as well mention that someone reached this blog through Googling “diarrhea picnic.” Shwat?
