It's been a while since I last posted. First off, Thank you to everyone who suggested topics for further posts. I will be cover all of them in the coming months.
I think my lack of interest in posting is actually me just not being surprised by anything here any more. It used to be that every time I saw waiters in costumes serving ridiculous food I had to snap a picture and make a comment about it, but now it all seems sooo....normal? I have been here for near 7 months and I think I have finally Koreanized.
What's new? Well I'm taking Korean lessons because of an interesting situation just the other day (zoom in to shimmer fade)
Setting: Class Room on Parents day
William Teacher: ....Wow class wasn't that a great story?!
9 eight year old students + parents: ............ (stare back blankly)
William Teacher: (Don't panic they are just nervous because their parents are there....just go slow...Ask a question!) Ummmm so What food did the fox eat in the story?
Students: ...............
William Teacher: Ok ummm did he eat .......uh pizza?
Students: ........no?
William Teacher: (thank god! ok roll with it....) noooo he didn't eat pizza, did he eat chicken?
Students: .....no.
William Teacher: (ok one more and your on a roll then hit them with the real question and they'll answer hahaha You are awesome, such a good teacher! now to wow the parents...use a little korean hehehe ya that's what I'll do cause I am awesome.....have I been silent this whole time...oh no uhhh just say something!) kgonamja jamchilul mogkolei?
9 eight year old students + parents: ........ (blank stares and mild laughter)
William Teacher: (roll with it...its ok uhhhh I KNOW use MORE Korean! that will surely fix everything) jamchi mashesio, nonun jamchi joahani?
9 eight year old students + parents: ......... (horrified looks and a lot of red faces)
It got a little fuzzy after this I at least stopped attempting Korean which was for the best because I later realized my attempted conversation and my actual conversation were ever so slightly different.
What I TRIED to say:
kgonamja jamchilul mogkolei? Did he eat tuna?
jamchi mashesio, nonun jamchi joahani? Tuna tastes delicious, Don't you like tuna?
Now to understand the issue here is a quick vocabulary lesson CHamchi= tuna
Jamchi= a vulgar word for the female reproductive organ.
So lets replay this conversation that I had with a room full of 8 year old children and their conservative parents.
kgonamja jamchilul mogkolei? Did he eat a female reproductive organ?
jamchi mashesio, nonun jamchi joahani? female reproductive organs taste delicious, Don't you like female reproductive organs?
If you haven't figured out the WORD it rhymes with cussy hagina or even HUNT! yaaaaa so I'm taking some lessons and thinking about staying for a second year, but don't worry I'm sure I will make a whirlwind tour of the states between contracts. So that's my life in a nut shell. Hope everyone and everything is well.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
HELP
After 160 day and 24 posts my well runneth dry.
I am still enjoying writing this blog and would like to continue but I have run out of topics, this is where YOU come in....What would YOU like to read about?
Will
I am still enjoying writing this blog and would like to continue but I have run out of topics, this is where YOU come in....What would YOU like to read about?
How can you say no to that face?!
Please feel free to ask a question or suggest a topic by simply clicking the comment button below. Don't forget to add your name so I can give credit where credit is due. Will
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Maybe it's not so bad
So Steve leaving us hanging high and dry last week was unpleasant but overall it hasn't been that big of a deal. Joe and the Korean teachers really stepped up and made it less painful. I still had to drag my butt out of bed at 8am, with a cold, on a Saturday, to chaperon a field trip to Suwon fortress, but it turned out to be pretty cool. There were a ton of exhibits and cheap souvenirs the only downside were all the kids....what a drag! They were actually all ridiculously cute and fun as seen in the next picture:
On Sunday I also, finally, ate the forbidden meat. I had Boshintang (dog meat stew), and it was delicious. That's right, it wasn't just good, or ok, it was delicious! I know what your saying, "freak, sicko, ewwww, I had dogs I could never!" The truth is I grew up with dogs my whole life and I loved them very much. Maggie was the best dog, she loved us, and we loved her. Man....talking about dogs is making me hungry.
Oh and a quick what the K#REA moment....that's a live lobster in a claw machine.... If you have to ask if I played...YOU DON'T KNOW ME.
They found a hill to slide down...it was hilarious until the crying started.
On Sunday I also, finally, ate the forbidden meat. I had Boshintang (dog meat stew), and it was delicious. That's right, it wasn't just good, or ok, it was delicious! I know what your saying, "freak, sicko, ewwww, I had dogs I could never!" The truth is I grew up with dogs my whole life and I loved them very much. Maggie was the best dog, she loved us, and we loved her. Man....talking about dogs is making me hungry.
How can you say that doesn't look good?
Oh and a quick what the K#REA moment....that's a live lobster in a claw machine.... If you have to ask if I played...YOU DON'T KNOW ME.
That machine got at least 5 bucks out of me....I will win.
Friday, April 8, 2011
This day will be known as
F.U.C.K. Day (Foreigner Unhappy with Current Kareer Day) April 7th 2011
Steve is my co-worker who has been less than satisfied with LCI. It has come to my attention that he has in fact become so dissatisfied that he purchased a plane ticket and will be leaving tomorrow. He "has written a note to our boss" but he's left Jessica and I to cover his S.H.I.T (Stuff He Isn't Tying-up). His S.H.I.T includes a field trip this Saturday, "open class" (parents come in to see their kids in class) next week, Oh ya and all his classes every day 8 hours a day. Steve will be forever synonymous with F.U.C.K.
My LCI time will surely be defined as Pre-Steve-Leaving and ASS (After Steve Skedaddled)
1 A.S.S.
The full implications of what has occurred truly dawned on me today.
It has been awkward at LCI, we are covering classes and telling parents that Steve's Grandma and or Grandpa died (I have heard both stories). I have a field trip to Suwon traditional village tomorrow with twenty students....so that should be fun. F.U. Steve (Fuck yoU.....I ran out of clever acronyms)
Steve is my co-worker who has been less than satisfied with LCI. It has come to my attention that he has in fact become so dissatisfied that he purchased a plane ticket and will be leaving tomorrow. He "has written a note to our boss" but he's left Jessica and I to cover his S.H.I.T (Stuff He Isn't Tying-up). His S.H.I.T includes a field trip this Saturday, "open class" (parents come in to see their kids in class) next week, Oh ya and all his classes every day 8 hours a day. Steve will be forever synonymous with F.U.C.K.
My LCI time will surely be defined as Pre-Steve-Leaving and ASS (After Steve Skedaddled)
1 A.S.S.
The full implications of what has occurred truly dawned on me today.
It has been awkward at LCI, we are covering classes and telling parents that Steve's Grandma and or Grandpa died (I have heard both stories). I have a field trip to Suwon traditional village tomorrow with twenty students....so that should be fun. F.U. Steve (Fuck yoU.....I ran out of clever acronyms)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Pespective Changes Everything
....It's true, look a little closer at something or from a different angle and boom that "smokin'-hot-10" is a six foot tall tranny named Earl. I'm not saying he/she isn't still a "10" but... he/she is different, lets leave it at that.
For you I have a series of pictures that at first may seem mundane but look a little closer and witness the magic of Korea.
A little back story to get us started. Keith visited me this last week and, from what I remember, we had a good time.
We went to a baseball game:
For you I have a series of pictures that at first may seem mundane but look a little closer and witness the magic of Korea.
A little back story to get us started. Keith visited me this last week and, from what I remember, we had a good time.
We went to a baseball game:
Looks like a normal game right? Well that's because you didn't look to the right...
Yes, those are cheer leaders :) But don't forget about looking to the left...
That's a dude with a newspaper hat....and no one was staring at him, well besides me.
We went to a cool art exhibit:
Cool I love flamingos! ya me too....
Are those hands?!?! WTF (wrong trippy fowl)
Ahhhh back to the subway, the orderly, always-what-it-seems-subway:
Ohh where are we going today?
Hmmmm lets just zoom out a little....
Well that's just not nice.
(if you don't get this one...you are one)
Dinner all this subversion is making me hungry. (that segue was really thin...sorry)
Dinner:
Ya we eat with our fingers a lot but that's not that weird...
Until you add the magic of THE MOVING PICTURE...and Ke$ha
And lastly, an appearance from my good friend Keith, I'll let him explain why he made this list:
Well that sounds completely normal, and if I may say so myself, that statement was looong overdue, but....I still think we missed something....
In the re-edit Keith has even more revelations about himself to share with everyone but, strangely, still sounds just like him.
Hope you enjoyed this little trip through the Korea-ZONE......
Monday, March 21, 2011
Why Will America Never Win?
If you don't want to read the whole post, probably because your American, the answer is, because we are lzy*.
So sayeth thy book of idioms:
"I have always dreamed of ___________"
Being the excellent, thought provoking, engaging teacher I am, I ask "what have you always dreamed of?"
Student A"I have always dreamed of getting good grades on tests"
Me "ummm ok good, but you can really shoot for the moon here....Anything"
Student A "I have always dreamed of getting into a good high school"
Me "ooooook lets shift gears here. Go crazy, like, I have always dreamed of owning my own jet!"
Student B "I have always dreamed of getting into a good college!"
Me "ok so let me explain this again....anything....you can dream of ANYTHING, whether it can happen or not, there is no limit but your imagination" **
Student A "No I just reallly want to get into a good high school"
Me (face in hand sighing in exasperation) "you guys need better dreams"
Student A "ya, Korea kinda sucks"
ME "??????????????"
Student A "all we care about is school"
Me "??????????????"
Different class talking about our schedules:
Student A "I go to 12 schools"
Me "ha no, you mean to say I have 12 classes"
Student A "hmmm no I go to 12 schools"
Me "like LCI *** is a school"
Student A "I know"
Me "and you go to 12 like LCI"
Student A "ya"
Me "really"
Student A "ya"
Me "really really"
Student A "ya, Math, Science, Tae Kwan do, 2 English, Chinese, Korean, Baduk, Piano, Study Session, Art, and History"
Me "......when do you sleep"
Student A "at night teacher" (completely missing the sarcasm)
Student B "How many schools did you go to teacher?"
Me "one"
Class "mmmmmm" with a knowing nod.
So I ask you:
How do we win in the global race if this is what we are up against? They are pumping out multi-lingual-artistic-ass-kicking-machines, we produce high school graduates 82.5% ****of the time.
Tell Me what You think, leave a comment, that is if you feel up to it...
*(I saw that typo but the backspace was ALLLL the way over there so I'll just put the "a" here)
**(by the way this is the highest level class in the school and they are fluent in English)
***(that's where I work)
**** wayyyyy higher graduation rate than I thought it was but I was too lazy to get a more embarrassing statistic about the US.
So sayeth thy book of idioms:
"I have always dreamed of ___________"
Being the excellent, thought provoking, engaging teacher I am, I ask "what have you always dreamed of?"
Student A"I have always dreamed of getting good grades on tests"
Me "ummm ok good, but you can really shoot for the moon here....Anything"
Student A "I have always dreamed of getting into a good high school"
Me "ooooook lets shift gears here. Go crazy, like, I have always dreamed of owning my own jet!"
Student B "I have always dreamed of getting into a good college!"
Me "ok so let me explain this again....anything....you can dream of ANYTHING, whether it can happen or not, there is no limit but your imagination" **
Student A "No I just reallly want to get into a good high school"
Me (face in hand sighing in exasperation) "you guys need better dreams"
Student A "ya, Korea kinda sucks"
ME "??????????????"
Student A "all we care about is school"
Me "??????????????"
Different class talking about our schedules:
Student A "I go to 12 schools"
Me "ha no, you mean to say I have 12 classes"
Student A "hmmm no I go to 12 schools"
Me "like LCI *** is a school"
Student A "I know"
Me "and you go to 12 like LCI"
Student A "ya"
Me "really"
Student A "ya"
Me "really really"
Student A "ya, Math, Science, Tae Kwan do, 2 English, Chinese, Korean, Baduk, Piano, Study Session, Art, and History"
Me "......when do you sleep"
Student A "at night teacher" (completely missing the sarcasm)
Student B "How many schools did you go to teacher?"
Me "one"
Class "mmmmmm" with a knowing nod.
So I ask you:
How do we win in the global race if this is what we are up against? They are pumping out multi-lingual-artistic-ass-kicking-machines, we produce high school graduates 82.5% ****of the time.
Tell Me what You think, leave a comment, that is if you feel up to it...
*(I saw that typo but the backspace was ALLLL the way over there so I'll just put the "a" here)
**(by the way this is the highest level class in the school and they are fluent in English)
***(that's where I work)
**** wayyyyy higher graduation rate than I thought it was but I was too lazy to get a more embarrassing statistic about the US.
Friday, March 11, 2011
My New Everything
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
Oh David Bowie you lyrical genius! (pretty sure that is the first time any one has written Bowie and genius in the same sentence) Bowie had it right, time is changing me, but I'm not so sure about that "don't want to be a richer man" thing, otherwise he was on the nose. Truth is this post has absolutely nothing to do with me changing and becoming a different man/boy. It is more about me getting my new apartment, my new classes/schedule, and new happenings.
I am finally moved into my new apartment. I'm really happy with the place besides the mold, the creepy yellow wall, and the thermostat that went kaput. The Ansan Cribs video summed up all that there is to be seen, minus my awesome new art.
As far as my new schedule goes it is a lesson in stupidity mixed with frustration and a little pinch of grueling death march. I now work eight and a half hour days 5 days a week. This might not sound that bad BUT JUST WAIT:
Those 8.5 hours are "in class time" so that translates to "8.5 hours of screaming children"
I have a "lunch break" 80 minutes into the day, and I tend to spend it at the computer trying to figure out lessons for the rest of the day, then we plow through the rest of the day with 5 min off between 80 minute classes.
And lastly my classes have been split in such a way that I now have 2 classes every 80 min block and that means more names, more weekly plans, more grades, more tests, and more hassles.
On the plus side I am making a boat load of cash and I got to play Bananagrams the other day with one of my more advanced classes, though......
And as far as the rest of my life here is a quick overview via pictures (cause frankly it's easier than typing)
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
Oh David Bowie you lyrical genius! (pretty sure that is the first time any one has written Bowie and genius in the same sentence) Bowie had it right, time is changing me, but I'm not so sure about that "don't want to be a richer man" thing, otherwise he was on the nose. Truth is this post has absolutely nothing to do with me changing and becoming a different man/boy. It is more about me getting my new apartment, my new classes/schedule, and new happenings.
I am finally moved into my new apartment. I'm really happy with the place besides the mold, the creepy yellow wall, and the thermostat that went kaput. The Ansan Cribs video summed up all that there is to be seen, minus my awesome new art.
Found on the side of the road...My guess is the honeymoon is over.
Those 8.5 hours are "in class time" so that translates to "8.5 hours of screaming children"
I have a "lunch break" 80 minutes into the day, and I tend to spend it at the computer trying to figure out lessons for the rest of the day, then we plow through the rest of the day with 5 min off between 80 minute classes.
And lastly my classes have been split in such a way that I now have 2 classes every 80 min block and that means more names, more weekly plans, more grades, more tests, and more hassles.
On the plus side I am making a boat load of cash and I got to play Bananagrams the other day with one of my more advanced classes, though......
......I was feeling a bit frustrated at the time.
And as far as the rest of my life here is a quick overview via pictures (cause frankly it's easier than typing)
Another less than good day spurred my creativity.
On a lighter note, one of my kids shoes says "booby" hehehe
Here is a portrait of me drawn by Ryan with the confusing title "Ryan is a william"
An average "neighborhood" in Ansan
A dead fish I found outside my front door.....Oh Korea
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