So as I'm typing this and I'm in class with my students and carrying on a conversation on FB's instant messenger.
"But Oscar, aren't you supposed to be teaching, how are you doing these things at the same time?"
I'm glad you asked. Well it's simple. After being gone for 3 weekdays from work and Songtan, I came back to find out I'm on a final exam schedule starting tomorrow. That means that this upcoming Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I have half-days were I get to leave at lunch time. Because these kids have some not-so-exciting exams the other English teachers and I decided to allow all English periods to become study time. Having just come from a "I just took my comps for grad school" world, I understand. I'm having dinner at a new place with the other English teachers today so I'm looking forward to that. I like seeing my collegues outside the workplace...I have that habit at every job.
Well let me backtrack to those 3 days I've been away from work. Well I guess I wasn't really away from work because it's part of my job. I was at a GEPIK teacher training retreat with the other teaching abroad teachers by Pyeongtaek, not far from where I live at all. Getting there I thought it was a nice place, but it's not what you see, it's what you feel that left me with a huge impression of the facilities. The training center looks nice, like a non-fancy hotel of sorts, and it reminded me of the Cross Cultural Retreats that I used to go to with CSUDH's Multicultural Center. The nature was there...but that was also part of the problem. It's been very humid this week, and let's face it, in LA humidity is a non-issue. So it was hot and sticky. Each room was equipped with A/C's that I thought would be my salvation, but because these machines had a mind of their own, their functionality was very limited. So it was hot in the room (but not where the workshops were held, functional A/C's were there). Well hot weather and humidity means sticky skin, which means bug bait. I still have this bug bite on my finger, which I must say looks a little better than before, but I'm still super tempted to scratch. The 2 bites on my back and the one on my side are still there and I feel them, but they are not scratch-worthy. A fellow teacher who lives nearby, Audrey, got bug raped, especially on her foot. I felt so bad for her and how much it swell up. So those were the downsides.
This is a signal that this paragraph will be about the positive aspects of this retreat. Well some of the workshops were indeed useful, while others would've been a heck of a lot more helpful had they been given before I hopped on the plane here. The best part was getting to meet people. I met some awesome people in my area that I could find convinient to hang out with, and people in other areas I wouldn't mind meeting up with if the occasion called for it. I can say I liked 96% of the people I met there (good stat). Now for the awesome part. This training center has coffee/tea machines at every turn. That's awesome in and of itself. What made it more awesome was the fact that they were all free and unlimited. I think I've had dreams about this kind of stuff happening. It made me happy.
Quick recap
Good: people, coffee, ping pong tables, activities, Korean performers, Tae Kwon Do session
Bad: no A/C in room, bugs, greasy breakfasts
Next week some of the other teachers and I have made it a point to watch Knight and Day. First Korean movie watching experience....at least in a theater.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Cardboard Boxes
Not too long ago I read a novel called Cajas de Carton (cardboard boxes) that told this story about a boy whose family was moving to California from Mexico in order to pursue the "American Dream." He recalls once watching the comedian Cantinflas on tv and how he said people in the states just sweep money off the sidewalks. His family, much like him, has this fantasy of what life would be like in "el norte." Long story short the boy and his family go through one disappointment after the other in California as they go from job to job and the boy goes from school to school. The book made me feel bad because of what was happening to the boy and his family, but that's when you know that something has been written well, when you can take something away from it.
Well today I walked into a Mexican restaurant that I have had my eye on since I've arrived here in S. Korea. I made it my mission today to check it out. The intriguing part of it for me is that outside the restaurant there is a picture of the cooks and they all look Latino, a rarity back home. Back home let's face it: the Latinos are cooking the Chinese food and the Japanese people own the Mexican food place. If you don't believe me then I dare you to head to the Del Amo Mall food court and prove me wrong. Alas I digress. This sprung up even more curiosity to want to check this place out even more. Right off the bat, the restaurant looks authentically Mexican. I've seen other Mexican food places here, but this was an actual Mexican food restaurant. The staff is really nice and the owner came and asked me if everything was ok. He asked me in Spanish. I must say it was nice hearing Spanish coming from anywhere other than my iPod.
I asked the man where he is from and he told me the capital of Mexico. We then get into this conversation of where I am from and where my parents are from and what I'm doing in Korea. I then asked him for his story... When he was younger he wanted to start his own business. He went to the bank and asked for a loan. The loan was granted to him but he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Some thieves mugged him not far from the bank. They took everything he had, including the money he had just asked for. He had nowhere to go but to start over. He then saw a newspaper ad that read that a cook was required but in another country. Right away he jumped at the opportunity thinking he was heading to the US with this job. When he heard it was in Korea he was baffled at first as it's halfway across the world and he wasn't sure what would be in store for him. Since he had lost everything and literally had nothing to lose, he agreed to it. He worked as a cook in Korea for years and saved up enough money to open a restaurant and the Osan Airbase's Main Gate. He says it's funny how things turn out because as an older person he says he couldn't be happier.
I heard his story and was like "WOW" in my head the whole time. It's funny how the American dream ended up being the not-so-American dream and that it turned out well for him. That's the power of immigration for you. Also, as a plus, he had some great music playing, mostly MJ (Rock With You, Scream, and Bad).
==========================
Work is going well. My tenth graders (which is the majority of my students) had speech all this week. The theme was to tell me (and the class) about their goals and dreams. It was great hearing them speak not only in English, but to express their aspirations. Granted I haven't been at this job for very long so it was nice to get to know them on a personal level because now I have a sense of who they are and what they stand for. I had everything from students who wanted to be teachers, army soldiers, fashion designers all the way to students who wanted to be blues musicians, interpreters, and CEOs. One speech that stood out in particular may seem bad but it made fiscal sense.
This one girl went up and said that she wanted to own a tobacco company. I was thrown back immediately because I was like, "Tobacco company? This girl is twisted." But right away she jumped into the defense of her honor and said that she doesn't like smokers and she knows cigarettes are bad. She then went on to make a defense for her decision to own a tobacco company. She said how people who use cigarettes will use cigarettes anyway. People pour tons of money into the tobacco industry and there are some people you just can't make quit. Because people pour money into this industry she went on to joke how she likes money so that's why she wants this business, but that she would then donate some to charities. I know some of you are still morally on the fence about this one, but I'm grading her on her speech and she did one hell of a job.
Nothing an extrovert like me likes more than hearing students speak out. It's funny because I've always been an extrovert, especially a chatterbox. That's been the case since first grade when Ms. Arabe at Norwood Elementary told my mom that I do well in my work and tests but that I had a tendency to talk to everyone, all the time. I'm a social person, that's just me. But I've always recognized that not everyone is like that and that people use other modes to express themselves other than their voice. They write, paint, draw, dream, etc. That's not to say that I'm always "on" as I do enjoy my time alone. I guess that's the thing. When I'm with people I like to make the best of being around people, and when I'm alone I enjoy that time too. It's that whole multifaceted individuals thing I wrote about earlier. Oh extroverts, or as a friend of mine told me once "exoskeleton." Glad I corrected that one before that person let the world know of their love for exoskeletons, might think they were some kind of weird bug lover or something.
Well today I walked into a Mexican restaurant that I have had my eye on since I've arrived here in S. Korea. I made it my mission today to check it out. The intriguing part of it for me is that outside the restaurant there is a picture of the cooks and they all look Latino, a rarity back home. Back home let's face it: the Latinos are cooking the Chinese food and the Japanese people own the Mexican food place. If you don't believe me then I dare you to head to the Del Amo Mall food court and prove me wrong. Alas I digress. This sprung up even more curiosity to want to check this place out even more. Right off the bat, the restaurant looks authentically Mexican. I've seen other Mexican food places here, but this was an actual Mexican food restaurant. The staff is really nice and the owner came and asked me if everything was ok. He asked me in Spanish. I must say it was nice hearing Spanish coming from anywhere other than my iPod.
I asked the man where he is from and he told me the capital of Mexico. We then get into this conversation of where I am from and where my parents are from and what I'm doing in Korea. I then asked him for his story... When he was younger he wanted to start his own business. He went to the bank and asked for a loan. The loan was granted to him but he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Some thieves mugged him not far from the bank. They took everything he had, including the money he had just asked for. He had nowhere to go but to start over. He then saw a newspaper ad that read that a cook was required but in another country. Right away he jumped at the opportunity thinking he was heading to the US with this job. When he heard it was in Korea he was baffled at first as it's halfway across the world and he wasn't sure what would be in store for him. Since he had lost everything and literally had nothing to lose, he agreed to it. He worked as a cook in Korea for years and saved up enough money to open a restaurant and the Osan Airbase's Main Gate. He says it's funny how things turn out because as an older person he says he couldn't be happier.
I heard his story and was like "WOW" in my head the whole time. It's funny how the American dream ended up being the not-so-American dream and that it turned out well for him. That's the power of immigration for you. Also, as a plus, he had some great music playing, mostly MJ (Rock With You, Scream, and Bad).
==========================
Work is going well. My tenth graders (which is the majority of my students) had speech all this week. The theme was to tell me (and the class) about their goals and dreams. It was great hearing them speak not only in English, but to express their aspirations. Granted I haven't been at this job for very long so it was nice to get to know them on a personal level because now I have a sense of who they are and what they stand for. I had everything from students who wanted to be teachers, army soldiers, fashion designers all the way to students who wanted to be blues musicians, interpreters, and CEOs. One speech that stood out in particular may seem bad but it made fiscal sense.
This one girl went up and said that she wanted to own a tobacco company. I was thrown back immediately because I was like, "Tobacco company? This girl is twisted." But right away she jumped into the defense of her honor and said that she doesn't like smokers and she knows cigarettes are bad. She then went on to make a defense for her decision to own a tobacco company. She said how people who use cigarettes will use cigarettes anyway. People pour tons of money into the tobacco industry and there are some people you just can't make quit. Because people pour money into this industry she went on to joke how she likes money so that's why she wants this business, but that she would then donate some to charities. I know some of you are still morally on the fence about this one, but I'm grading her on her speech and she did one hell of a job.
Nothing an extrovert like me likes more than hearing students speak out. It's funny because I've always been an extrovert, especially a chatterbox. That's been the case since first grade when Ms. Arabe at Norwood Elementary told my mom that I do well in my work and tests but that I had a tendency to talk to everyone, all the time. I'm a social person, that's just me. But I've always recognized that not everyone is like that and that people use other modes to express themselves other than their voice. They write, paint, draw, dream, etc. That's not to say that I'm always "on" as I do enjoy my time alone. I guess that's the thing. When I'm with people I like to make the best of being around people, and when I'm alone I enjoy that time too. It's that whole multifaceted individuals thing I wrote about earlier. Oh extroverts, or as a friend of mine told me once "exoskeleton." Glad I corrected that one before that person let the world know of their love for exoskeletons, might think they were some kind of weird bug lover or something.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
"But what's happening to you right now, precisely at this instant, belongs only to you...Own It."
So my friend Nancy gave me this great book called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future... by Michael J. Fox (aka the eternal optimist). I only brought 2 book w/ me here to S. Korea, this one and the Sarah Silverman autobio I mentioned in another blog. Well first off I found this book to be amazing. Fox may not have gone to college, or even graduate from high school but I could relate to him in a way that I think most people could. Growing up isn't something you learn from books and tuition, it's something that happens because of how your surroundings, family, friends, and loved ones affect you and the way you think. However, once you've grown up and figured out who you are and the person you want to be there's something that only you can bring to the table. It's funny because I had a conversation with someone last night about how human being are multifaceted creatures that cannot be placed into just one category...as much as societal pressures try to label. Because you have a special formula that makes up who you are, you are able to take yourself and what you represent with you at all 
times, whether you are at home or somewhere distant. And I quote "You can't change the essential nature of a place, don't count on the place to change the essential nature of you." I concur. I'm me and you're you. It doesn't matter that I'm in South Korea at one moment and South Long Beach the next, I am still me wherever I go. I will learn things from these different environments but changing these places to suit me would require something that is not natural and having the place change me means that I haven't been able to figure who I want to be yet. There's another quote I really like and it goes like this, "Wherever I go, I bring myself. And so far, it's always been a roundtrip." This totally reminded me (English major sinking in) of the hero's journey. You go somewhere distant and you learn and discover new things only to return home and apply everything you have learned. In regards to mentoring others, "Whatever it is they teach you...pass it on." Needless to say, thank you for the book Nancy.
In terms of life and times in S. Korea, it's been going pretty well so far. I've learned where new places are, some of the restaurants, and discovered other things here and there thanks to the befriending and welcoming nature of some of the other English teachers, both from my school and other schools. A special thank you to Mr. Lee (my coteacher) and Lizelle (teacher at the middle school next to my school). I actually have three days off work next week because I have to go on a training retreat that my teaching abroad program is sending me to. The elementary teachers already went and I've been told of some of the highs and lows. I will be packing my earplugs (Thanks Felicia). I represent secondary education, so our training may be tweaked compared to what they had.
I've gotten to know more things on my own as well, especially stores where I can get what I need. Again, this sense of being "spoiled" comes into play because I was fortunate enough to get placed in a super Americanized part of Korea, so my adjustment period was a hell of a lot shorter than those staying in other regions, but it's not like they have it bad or anything like that. Someone even said yesterday that Songtan looks something where someone just took a big chunk of the USA and decided to place it there. But it's been cool leaving Songtan and discovering parts of Seoul (especially Yongsan...I like it a lot there) and new parts of my region as well.
I was glad to know that my brother got his graduation present and that my dad got his father's day present (of course a late delivery from my mother is to blame for the gift's tardiness). I talked to Julie (my niece) today although I don't think she was in the mood for a phone call. Thank goodness for Facebook and Twitter (and Blogger too). I have to credit social networks for allowing me to stay in touch with you all.
Well that's all for now I suppose. See you next blog!
times, whether you are at home or somewhere distant. And I quote "You can't change the essential nature of a place, don't count on the place to change the essential nature of you." I concur. I'm me and you're you. It doesn't matter that I'm in South Korea at one moment and South Long Beach the next, I am still me wherever I go. I will learn things from these different environments but changing these places to suit me would require something that is not natural and having the place change me means that I haven't been able to figure who I want to be yet. There's another quote I really like and it goes like this, "Wherever I go, I bring myself. And so far, it's always been a roundtrip." This totally reminded me (English major sinking in) of the hero's journey. You go somewhere distant and you learn and discover new things only to return home and apply everything you have learned. In regards to mentoring others, "Whatever it is they teach you...pass it on." Needless to say, thank you for the book Nancy.In terms of life and times in S. Korea, it's been going pretty well so far. I've learned where new places are, some of the restaurants, and discovered other things here and there thanks to the befriending and welcoming nature of some of the other English teachers, both from my school and other schools. A special thank you to Mr. Lee (my coteacher) and Lizelle (teacher at the middle school next to my school). I actually have three days off work next week because I have to go on a training retreat that my teaching abroad program is sending me to. The elementary teachers already went and I've been told of some of the highs and lows. I will be packing my earplugs (Thanks Felicia). I represent secondary education, so our training may be tweaked compared to what they had.
I've gotten to know more things on my own as well, especially stores where I can get what I need. Again, this sense of being "spoiled" comes into play because I was fortunate enough to get placed in a super Americanized part of Korea, so my adjustment period was a hell of a lot shorter than those staying in other regions, but it's not like they have it bad or anything like that. Someone even said yesterday that Songtan looks something where someone just took a big chunk of the USA and decided to place it there. But it's been cool leaving Songtan and discovering parts of Seoul (especially Yongsan...I like it a lot there) and new parts of my region as well.
I was glad to know that my brother got his graduation present and that my dad got his father's day present (of course a late delivery from my mother is to blame for the gift's tardiness). I talked to Julie (my niece) today although I don't think she was in the mood for a phone call. Thank goodness for Facebook and Twitter (and Blogger too). I have to credit social networks for allowing me to stay in touch with you all.
Well that's all for now I suppose. See you next blog!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Pride for bro & LA, bank!, and S. Korea v. Maradona (no bueno)
So these past 24 hours (or so) have been pretty cool. My topic for this week with my students is American universities. One of the most popular ones that the students seem to have background knowledge about is Harvard. Harvard is part of my lesson but with each period that I repeat information about Harvard I find that it is geographically unpleasing. You see Harvard is in Boston. Boston is the home of the Celtics. The Celtics suck. Itso facto Harvard sucks (only in this respect).
Yes, very proud to be an Angelino because my LA Lakers won the championship. It was an edge of your seat, glad I too
k a lunch break at a restaurant with ESPN, biting your nails type of game. Wish I had brought my Laker stuff aboard with me. Still proud of them from a distance, that game was intense. Leave it to the Lakers to go all the way to game seven in the series. Loved going to the parade last year with my twin Etna, wish I could go again, but I support from the east.
Well speaking of pride my brother graduated from high school today (or yesterday, this time difference thing, geez). I am extremely proud of my little brother and everything he has accomplished. I am very proud that he will be starting college in the fall. Funny thing is that I was talking to a childhood friend on Facebook and he is going to CSUDH at the same time as my brother. My old friend saw my brother at orientation and when I came up in conversation he found out I was in South Korea. Pretty funny in my thoughts. According to my brother Suzy, my old boss at OSL and my friend, recognized my brother as my brother as she bore witness to our resemblance. Suzy is great and really helpful, thanks from a distance. Yeah it sucks I wasn't there for his graduation, but in all light to the past he wasn't there for my high school graduation either, or my CSUDH graduation. Ok, I promise to make it to his grad school graduation as he was able to do the same for me. Proud of you bro!
I'm really excited too because I got a bank account here in Korea today (I needs to gets paid). It's from a very exotic named bank, very eastern, perhaps you've heard of it? Citibank? Yes yes, here goes the "way to immerse yourself in the Korean culture" lecture once again. Sorry, well not really sorry, but I like seeing things I can familiarize myself with and that I know I can use when I return to LA. So yes I have a Korean Citibank account, of course here they just call it a Citibank account.
Speaking of all things Korean, how intense was that game against Argentina? Four to one, wow. Maradona is legend, I'm not the biggest devout soccer follower and even I know you don't mess with that team. It's no wonder there was no betting amongst the teachers when it came to this game. At one point while watching, Korea came really close to scoring a point but the ball had just missed the bar to make it inside the net. At that exact moment my neighbor, whose presence I just realized, hollered like money, or wolf, or that crazy cat lady from The Simpsons. It was loud and caught me off guard. Well Korea lost and the next day it was hard to come by a person who was wearing a red shirt to show their support for their "Shouting Korea."
Well that's all for now, stay tuned.
Yes, very proud to be an Angelino because my LA Lakers won the championship. It was an edge of your seat, glad I too
k a lunch break at a restaurant with ESPN, biting your nails type of game. Wish I had brought my Laker stuff aboard with me. Still proud of them from a distance, that game was intense. Leave it to the Lakers to go all the way to game seven in the series. Loved going to the parade last year with my twin Etna, wish I could go again, but I support from the east.Well speaking of pride my brother graduated from high school today (or yesterday, this time difference thing, geez). I am extremely proud of my little brother and everything he has accomplished. I am very proud that he will be starting college in the fall. Funny thing is that I was talking to a childhood friend on Facebook and he is going to CSUDH at the same time as my brother. My old friend saw my brother at orientation and when I came up in conversation he found out I was in South Korea. Pretty funny in my thoughts. According to my brother Suzy, my old boss at OSL and my friend, recognized my brother as my brother as she bore witness to our resemblance. Suzy is great and really helpful, thanks from a distance. Yeah it sucks I wasn't there for his graduation, but in all light to the past he wasn't there for my high school graduation either, or my CSUDH graduation. Ok, I promise to make it to his grad school graduation as he was able to do the same for me. Proud of you bro!
I'm really excited too because I got a bank account here in Korea today (I needs to gets paid). It's from a very exotic named bank, very eastern, perhaps you've heard of it? Citibank? Yes yes, here goes the "way to immerse yourself in the Korean culture" lecture once again. Sorry, well not really sorry, but I like seeing things I can familiarize myself with and that I know I can use when I return to LA. So yes I have a Korean Citibank account, of course here they just call it a Citibank account.
Speaking of all things Korean, how intense was that game against Argentina? Four to one, wow. Maradona is legend, I'm not the biggest devout soccer follower and even I know you don't mess with that team. It's no wonder there was no betting amongst the teachers when it came to this game. At one point while watching, Korea came really close to scoring a point but the ball had just missed the bar to make it inside the net. At that exact moment my neighbor, whose presence I just realized, hollered like money, or wolf, or that crazy cat lady from The Simpsons. It was loud and caught me off guard. Well Korea lost and the next day it was hard to come by a person who was wearing a red shirt to show their support for their "Shouting Korea."
Well that's all for now, stay tuned.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Big S and the Queen B
Before you go any further, this is a book review, not a look into my life in S. Korea. Sorry Pati, I know you want to see the next "capitulo" of my S. Korean "novela." Stay tuned for more on that later...
So I did as I told myself I would on Wednesday, I started and finished The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by the incomparable Sarah Silverman. In this autobiographical book she talks about a lot, and to be honest it made me respect her more as an entertainer and person. From talking about how Elvis Presley "saved her life" to being the first author in her publishing company to write her own foreword and "midword," this book really delivered. My favorite part was when she talked about a homeless man who used to stash knives all over the city while she worked at a comedy club passing out fliers. I flashbacked to one of my favorite characters on her show, a homeless man who takes her under his wing when Sarah becomes homeless. It's nice to see that she draws her comedy from her real life.
And for anyone who has ever seen Jesus is Magic (a masterpiece film), then you'll also see how some of the jokes from that movie draw from her experiences growing up. My favorite part came when she addressed her "run-in" with one Ms. Britney Spears and how in fact she never had a "run-in" with her. I remember how Sarah got loads of bad press for her skit after Britney bombed at the 2007 VMAs while ill performing "Gimme More." Sarah made jokes that referred to how Britney has already accomplished everything she's ever going to accomplish and how her cute kids came out of an even cuter coslopus (Chelsea Handler term). People starting crapping all over Sarah because she has kicking Britney when she was down and how Britney had heard her act and how she had the jokes in her mind during her performance and that's one of the reasons (out of many) of why it didn't go so well. Remember? Well Sarah never even rehearsed her jokes, MTV trusted her and said "just be funny" and about kicking Britney while she was down, Sarah was backstage during the performance, she didn't even get to see it. Well it was good for her to explain herself and address problems she's faced in her career. And if you ask me, Russell Brand isn't anywhere nearly as good as the Big S.
Another highlight of the book was how she addresses the way adults talk to kids, adult should know better. I agree. I remember teaching one of my friends something and yelling at said person because said person wasn't getting it. Person said, "Oscar why are you so impatient? How do you work with kids?" It sounds pretty intense but it was actually a light-hearted comment we both laughed about. My response was that kids don't know better, I expect more from adults. Adults should know better, and that's exactly what Sarah addresses here. She explains how a mother once went into a furious rage wondering who wet one of the sleeping bags during her child's sleepover party, and Sarah intelligently notes that if she had kids at her home for a sleepover and found out that one of them had wet the bed that she would want to play it off cool to not further embarrass the child instead of making a big deal out of something and possibly setting up the child for a barrage of humiliation to an already sensitive situation. Agreed. And once she was in the lobby at her therapist's office (Sarah was diagnosed with depression as a child), her therapist hung himself, complete suicide, and his officemate went up to Sarah and yelled in her face that this therapist had just done. Screaming in a child's face about death...not so smart. So yes, Sarah and I agree on a lot of things, and this book was a great way to spend a pretty uneventful Wednesday.
Phoebe, this is one for my book recommendations.
Link to Sarah's intro about Brit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNMy0zRCpGE
So I did as I told myself I would on Wednesday, I started and finished The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by the incomparable Sarah Silverman. In this autobiographical book she talks about a lot, and to be honest it made me respect her more as an entertainer and person. From talking about how Elvis Presley "saved her life" to being the first author in her publishing company to write her own foreword and "midword," this book really delivered. My favorite part was when she talked about a homeless man who used to stash knives all over the city while she worked at a comedy club passing out fliers. I flashbacked to one of my favorite characters on her show, a homeless man who takes her under his wing when Sarah becomes homeless. It's nice to see that she draws her comedy from her real life.
And for anyone who has ever seen Jesus is Magic (a masterpiece film), then you'll also see how some of the jokes from that movie draw from her experiences growing up. My favorite part came when she addressed her "run-in" with one Ms. Britney Spears and how in fact she never had a "run-in" with her. I remember how Sarah got loads of bad press for her skit after Britney bombed at the 2007 VMAs while ill performing "Gimme More." Sarah made jokes that referred to how Britney has already accomplished everything she's ever going to accomplish and how her cute kids came out of an even cuter coslopus (Chelsea Handler term). People starting crapping all over Sarah because she has kicking Britney when she was down and how Britney had heard her act and how she had the jokes in her mind during her performance and that's one of the reasons (out of many) of why it didn't go so well. Remember? Well Sarah never even rehearsed her jokes, MTV trusted her and said "just be funny" and about kicking Britney while she was down, Sarah was backstage during the performance, she didn't even get to see it. Well it was good for her to explain herself and address problems she's faced in her career. And if you ask me, Russell Brand isn't anywhere nearly as good as the Big S.
Another highlight of the book was how she addresses the way adults talk to kids, adult should know better. I agree. I remember teaching one of my friends something and yelling at said person because said person wasn't getting it. Person said, "Oscar why are you so impatient? How do you work with kids?" It sounds pretty intense but it was actually a light-hearted comment we both laughed about. My response was that kids don't know better, I expect more from adults. Adults should know better, and that's exactly what Sarah addresses here. She explains how a mother once went into a furious rage wondering who wet one of the sleeping bags during her child's sleepover party, and Sarah intelligently notes that if she had kids at her home for a sleepover and found out that one of them had wet the bed that she would want to play it off cool to not further embarrass the child instead of making a big deal out of something and possibly setting up the child for a barrage of humiliation to an already sensitive situation. Agreed. And once she was in the lobby at her therapist's office (Sarah was diagnosed with depression as a child), her therapist hung himself, complete suicide, and his officemate went up to Sarah and yelled in her face that this therapist had just done. Screaming in a child's face about death...not so smart. So yes, Sarah and I agree on a lot of things, and this book was a great way to spend a pretty uneventful Wednesday.
Phoebe, this is one for my book recommendations.
Link to Sarah's intro about Brit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNMy0zRCpGE
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
So bored I could blog
It's Wednesday, and my Wednesdays thus far here have been out of the ordinary hump days. My first Wednesday here I didn't teach. I was taken to the GEPIK orientation to meet other teaching abroad teachers and learn more about the program. This kept me from meeting my Wednesday batch of students.
Well my excuse this week for not being able to meet my Wednesday students is that they all have to take mock final exams today that will help them prepare for the actual finals. In other words, I don't have them at all again. When I asked my co-teacher yesterday on what I should do on Wednesday he said "Enjoy it." Hmmmm... 8 hours all to myself. Thank goodness I have a computer here (2 actually) and that I brought my Ipod and the book Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman. It's like the plane flight over here all over again. Have to find ways to entertain myself.
I'm almost done with my lessons for next week too, so it's not like I haven't taken a shot at getting ahead. Also, there's some kind of video game competition happening in the auditorium. Yesterday it was the high school students turn and today it belongs to the middle & elementary school students. For those of you not on my Facebook, the auditorium is right next to my classroom. It's not too noisy, but I do hear the occasional shout or holler. Again, thank goodness I brought my Ipod touch and thank goodness it has speaker installed in it already. Way to block out the noise.
Well that's all for now. Nothing that new. The English teacher from the middle showed me a pretty cool coffee house at the main gate that I will now have to frequent, it was pretty good.
GO LAKERS!!! (you guys better bring it today)
Well my excuse this week for not being able to meet my Wednesday students is that they all have to take mock final exams today that will help them prepare for the actual finals. In other words, I don't have them at all again. When I asked my co-teacher yesterday on what I should do on Wednesday he said "Enjoy it." Hmmmm... 8 hours all to myself. Thank goodness I have a computer here (2 actually) and that I brought my Ipod and the book Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman. It's like the plane flight over here all over again. Have to find ways to entertain myself.
I'm almost done with my lessons for next week too, so it's not like I haven't taken a shot at getting ahead. Also, there's some kind of video game competition happening in the auditorium. Yesterday it was the high school students turn and today it belongs to the middle & elementary school students. For those of you not on my Facebook, the auditorium is right next to my classroom. It's not too noisy, but I do hear the occasional shout or holler. Again, thank goodness I brought my Ipod touch and thank goodness it has speaker installed in it already. Way to block out the noise.Well that's all for now. Nothing that new. The English teacher from the middle showed me a pretty cool coffee house at the main gate that I will now have to frequent, it was pretty good.
GO LAKERS!!! (you guys better bring it today)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Tap on the shoulder
I'm so proud of me, I did everything on my list from my last blog. Self kudos. The handyman came in today and fixed the lighting in my bedroom and installed a new washing machine, he said it was time to retire the one that was originally given to me. Good news is that it's green. The bad news was that I had to figure out how to use it as the set up for this machine is a wee bit different. Luckily I figured it out and did a test run with some towels.
Yesterday was a pretty cool day. I went back to the Yongsan station in Seoul and I did it myself. It was pretty cool, and since this mall is pretty huge I explored parts I hadn't seen the first time I was there. I found a Gap and had my venti iced soy vanilla latte from where else but Starbucks. Went back home, and watched Korea play Greece. I placed some won (Korean currency) on this game, so I had to stay tuned to see if I won (past tense of win). I wish I could remember what box I filled in on the betting table against the other English teachers, but I digress. When Korea scored the first goal I was taken back because fireworks were going off a couple of blocks from me like it was freaking fourth of July at Huntington Beach. When Korea won, well, you can imagine it was fireworks galore. I took some video (will post later). Earlier I had bought a red Korean team t-shirt which I will sport later today.
I'm going to let this load of laundry finish then I'm off to the Osan base for some serious McFlurry buying and maybe some Popeye's for dinner. If it's any consolation to any of you who feel that my dieting practices do not fit the mold of Korean culture then you'll be glad to know that I eat Korean food everyday from Monday to Friday at the teacher's cafeteria and that I really enjoy it.
Peace, out to explore.
Yesterday was a pretty cool day. I went back to the Yongsan station in Seoul and I did it myself. It was pretty cool, and since this mall is pretty huge I explored parts I hadn't seen the first time I was there. I found a Gap and had my venti iced soy vanilla latte from where else but Starbucks. Went back home, and watched Korea play Greece. I placed some won (Korean currency) on this game, so I had to stay tuned to see if I won (past tense of win). I wish I could remember what box I filled in on the betting table against the other English teachers, but I digress. When Korea scored the first goal I was taken back because fireworks were going off a couple of blocks from me like it was freaking fourth of July at Huntington Beach. When Korea won, well, you can imagine it was fireworks galore. I took some video (will post later). Earlier I had bought a red Korean team t-shirt which I will sport later today.
I'm going to let this load of laundry finish then I'm off to the Osan base for some serious McFlurry buying and maybe some Popeye's for dinner. If it's any consolation to any of you who feel that my dieting practices do not fit the mold of Korean culture then you'll be glad to know that I eat Korean food everyday from Monday to Friday at the teacher's cafeteria and that I really enjoy it.
Peace, out to explore.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
"It's a pretty F'd up custom"
Hello all,
Well the last 48 hours have been tiring and at the same time fun. This Wednesday our libriarian took me all over the place. I went to immigration to register for my alien card. It should be here in ~2 weeks. I know where I want to bank, there's a Citibank near the base, so it's good to have a place where transferring US fund won't be a hassle.
After I was taken to immigration I went all over Suwon for an orientation with the other teach abroad teachers in my program. Since we got to the city early we went to visit one of the historical sites, this huge defense wall that's about 200 years old. I was in awe. I wish I had brought my camera and at that time I hadn't figured out how to use the camera on my cell phone (now I've learned). Also, I know I've been bad about taking pictures, but cut me some slack, it's my first week. I have a whole lot of weeks to take pics around here.
So I made it to the orientation where I met a lot of great people. It was great seeing people who are on the same boat as you, English speakers living in the east. I've added some of the new people I've met on Facebook, and hopefully we stay in touch seeing how there's comfort in knowing you can vent and compare experiences with others. In the sense of networking the orientation was really helpful and I enjoyed everything everyone had to say.
Yesterday, Thursday, was my busiest teaching day. I taught 6 consecutive periods and my only break was lunch. Me feet are still bitching and moaning about it. But after work the other English teachers had a sort of welcoming cook-out for me held at the house of a retired English teacher from the same high school. It was nice seeing people outside of the school and sharing stories. Mr. Lee, my coteacher, and I were talking about some Korean mannerisms, almost like Korean table ettiquette 101. And it's not like I HAVE TO know these things because people don't expect it from me, but I find it nice to learn. At one moment he was teaching me about receiving a drink from an elder and he was like "It's a pretty fucked up custom, but we still just do it." I loved it! Hearing a Korean-born English teacher drop the F bomb was like a hug from baby Jesus.
The cook-out went well and again, it was nice seeing everyone outside the norm workplace.
Today is Friday, holler! Two more periods to teach and then the weekend is all mine.
Notes to self:
-Try and take pictures
-Pray that the load of laundry I left in the machine is washed and ready (and I didn't mess up because the buttons here are different)
-Finish unpacking (Yes, I still fish for clothes and other things inside my luggage)
Have a good weekend other hemisphere!
Well the last 48 hours have been tiring and at the same time fun. This Wednesday our libriarian took me all over the place. I went to immigration to register for my alien card. It should be here in ~2 weeks. I know where I want to bank, there's a Citibank near the base, so it's good to have a place where transferring US fund won't be a hassle.
After I was taken to immigration I went all over Suwon for an orientation with the other teach abroad teachers in my program. Since we got to the city early we went to visit one of the historical sites, this huge defense wall that's about 200 years old. I was in awe. I wish I had brought my camera and at that time I hadn't figured out how to use the camera on my cell phone (now I've learned). Also, I know I've been bad about taking pictures, but cut me some slack, it's my first week. I have a whole lot of weeks to take pics around here.
So I made it to the orientation where I met a lot of great people. It was great seeing people who are on the same boat as you, English speakers living in the east. I've added some of the new people I've met on Facebook, and hopefully we stay in touch seeing how there's comfort in knowing you can vent and compare experiences with others. In the sense of networking the orientation was really helpful and I enjoyed everything everyone had to say.
Yesterday, Thursday, was my busiest teaching day. I taught 6 consecutive periods and my only break was lunch. Me feet are still bitching and moaning about it. But after work the other English teachers had a sort of welcoming cook-out for me held at the house of a retired English teacher from the same high school. It was nice seeing people outside of the school and sharing stories. Mr. Lee, my coteacher, and I were talking about some Korean mannerisms, almost like Korean table ettiquette 101. And it's not like I HAVE TO know these things because people don't expect it from me, but I find it nice to learn. At one moment he was teaching me about receiving a drink from an elder and he was like "It's a pretty fucked up custom, but we still just do it." I loved it! Hearing a Korean-born English teacher drop the F bomb was like a hug from baby Jesus.
The cook-out went well and again, it was nice seeing everyone outside the norm workplace.
Today is Friday, holler! Two more periods to teach and then the weekend is all mine.
Notes to self:
-Try and take pictures
-Pray that the load of laundry I left in the machine is washed and ready (and I didn't mess up because the buttons here are different)
-Finish unpacking (Yes, I still fish for clothes and other things inside my luggage)
Have a good weekend other hemisphere!
Monday, June 7, 2010
The New Puppy
So I'm in my second day of teaching. Getting through my lunch break here then I have one more period to teach. I know I know, I thought I wasn't teaching until later, but because the semester here is nearing an end, they need someone to close off this semester of English classes.
The way classes work here is different from America. I teach more like mini-seminars. The kids are set apart in groups by grades and by proficiency levels. I teach 19 groups in total, which means I actually "teach" for about 19 hours a week. Each group is maxed at 20 kids, which means sometimes I get less than that, which I am fine with. Each period is 50 minutes long, and the kids take 6 periods a day much like in American schools.
The week is about introducing myself. So I've gone ahead and presented them with a PowerPoint about me (my favorite topic if I do say so myself), my hobbies, schools, likes, and tastes in movies, music, books, and television. Most of the things I have found are things the kids here can relate to (i.e. The Simpsons).
These kids have been really nice, even the ones who aren't in my class that I see when I walk the halls. This isn't my first time in a classroom so I know it may very well be the "honeymoon phase" where all the kids get to play with the "new puppy" they just got (and not be so impressed to walk, feed, or bath it after two weeks). But William (past teacher) said he really enjoyed it and that's why he stayed for three years.
I'm really craving a McFlurry, which in Korea, have real fruit in them (not just Oreos). Might go get one by the base when I'm done here.
Tomorrow is a big day. Mr. Lee, my co-teacher, takes over my classes (which are only three) because I have quite a bit to do. I have to register for my alien registration card at immigration and then head over to an orientation for teachers in my program. There I will meet teachers who are teaching abroad, like myself, in different parts of Korea. I've heard this is a good way to get to know people I can relate to.
Well my next batch of kids is coming in about 10 minutes.....write to you later!
The way classes work here is different from America. I teach more like mini-seminars. The kids are set apart in groups by grades and by proficiency levels. I teach 19 groups in total, which means I actually "teach" for about 19 hours a week. Each group is maxed at 20 kids, which means sometimes I get less than that, which I am fine with. Each period is 50 minutes long, and the kids take 6 periods a day much like in American schools.
The week is about introducing myself. So I've gone ahead and presented them with a PowerPoint about me (my favorite topic if I do say so myself), my hobbies, schools, likes, and tastes in movies, music, books, and television. Most of the things I have found are things the kids here can relate to (i.e. The Simpsons).
These kids have been really nice, even the ones who aren't in my class that I see when I walk the halls. This isn't my first time in a classroom so I know it may very well be the "honeymoon phase" where all the kids get to play with the "new puppy" they just got (and not be so impressed to walk, feed, or bath it after two weeks). But William (past teacher) said he really enjoyed it and that's why he stayed for three years.
I'm really craving a McFlurry, which in Korea, have real fruit in them (not just Oreos). Might go get one by the base when I'm done here.
Tomorrow is a big day. Mr. Lee, my co-teacher, takes over my classes (which are only three) because I have quite a bit to do. I have to register for my alien registration card at immigration and then head over to an orientation for teachers in my program. There I will meet teachers who are teaching abroad, like myself, in different parts of Korea. I've heard this is a good way to get to know people I can relate to.
Well my next batch of kids is coming in about 10 minutes.....write to you later!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
First weekend here
Well as read in my last post I found many things that told me I'll be fine here. And now this weekend is winding down and I've learned more and more about Korea I know that I will definitely be fine.
In the morning I got a call from the previous teacher who had my position at the high school I work at, his name is William. William told me that if I wanted to he would show me around and give me an "American survival" type tour around here. He met me at my place and we headed to the train station nearby. There he helped me get a T-Card, much like those used in the public transportation system in Boston, and load it up. We then took the train straight to a part of Seoul. We went to the Yongsan station. This is no ordinary train station. It is a ~7 floor mall with everything any American will really ever need. Starbucks, has it (even had my grande iced vanilla soy latte!), KFC, has it (I had lunch there), IMAX theater, has it. The place is full of people from all around the world too (mostly Americans and Canadians) so everything is super easy to do there. We then took a taxi (still super cheap) to Itawan, which is really reminiscent of downtown LA. I felt at home here. They have everything there: Mexican restaurants, Dutch bakeries, Dunkin' Donuts, Cold Stone, and the list goes on and on and ON!
He taught me how to take the train back home, as he had a different stop as mine. I really appreciated what he did for me, and he told me what he has learned in the four years he has been here (and counting). He also gave me some pointers about the school.
I then headed back to the "main gate" to pick up some essentials and to pick up my dinner at McDonald's. Why assimilate to a culture that's already assimilated to you?
My weekend is now coming to close and now I know how I can spend my weekend from here on out. I have to create a quick PowerPoint for work right now and then catch some Zzzz's because tomorrow I introduce myself to the students.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
first 2 days (or so) in Korea
Well I'm finally here.
(didn't feel like proofreading by the way)
Well what can I say about this place except that I think I will most definitely survive.
I got here at 5:30 in the morning yesterday from a flight that went well. To my left was a guy who this was a connecting flight for as he was going to go study abroad in China as he's a student at University of Texas. To my left was a fellow 49er, yes folks, a CSULB student who was studying there for a semester and is now returning home.
Well I got picked up from a school representative who took my straight to my apartment. From Seoul to Pyeongtaek is a 40 minute drive, not too bad. I got shown my place but I only had enough time to leave my luggage there as the school teachers and principal wanted to meet with me. I met with the principal in his office where I met the main office staff, just a quick hello.
I then went on to visit the English learning floor of the school, which is on the 5th floor of the building (I know, stairs galore). There I met the other English teachers (Korean-born). All of them speak English very well and teach different aspects of it. I am there to teach the speaking portion, articulation mainly.
I asked questions about the last English teacher and they had a Texas-native male in his 40's who was a "big guy" in their words. He taught at the school for three years though and is now teaching in another school in Korea, so obviously he enjoyed the opportunity. There is a middle school next to the high school where the English teacher is from South Africa. I am supposed to meet her but have yet to do as such.
I then came home, where I was supposed to settle in, nap, and set-up my laptop to email my family and update the social networks. Well because I didn't have the network key, I had to go back and walk from my place to the school which is about 5 blocks (not too bad).
The English teacher assigned to show me around, Ms. Han, got me the network key, but told me it was best for me to stay at the school so her and a colleague could show me around the city.
So they did. The showed me what called "the main gate" which is not far at all from my place and it serves as the epicenter of the U.S. Air Base.....more on that later. Then they took me to the market to get some groceries and other essentials.
I came back to my place, took a shower, and power napped. Let me tell you about my place now. It's a one bedroom furnished apartment comparable in size to any one-bedroom apartment in LA. I have a kitchen with appliances and a dining table. The bathroom has a everything a normal bathroom would have and I have a washer/dryer. My bedroom has a desk, dresser, TV stand, TV on the stand, the Internet lines, and my king sized bed. I'm not a fan of the brand-new bedding they bought as the colors are not of my test. I must make it a point to replace them when I can. So all in all my place is a normal run of the mill apartment.
After I power napped I watched TV (I think Ugly Betty was on) and went back to bed. Saturday morning I went to the school as the main English teacher (and my co-teacher for the classes I am going to teach), Mr. Lee, took me to the local hospital to get a physical and make sure I am in good health. The hospital was normal and everything they asked me to do was routine. Nothing strange there. Mr. Lee then drove me to McDonald's (yes you read correct, the land of golden arches) so I could get some breakfast and head back to my place. Today, Saturday, I have made it a point to get to know my community and here's how that goes....
The city. I WILL SURVIVE HERE, TRUST ME!!! I live down the street from a U.S. Air Base station known to the locals as "the main gate." I got there by taxi which takes $2 to get me there. That's right, two freaking dollars! I can't even get an American taxi to open the door for me for two bucks. So I get to base station which is located by the "downtown" of the city I live in. Let me tell you that all the comforts of home are here. The people to start off with: I think I've seen more American people in this city than I see in LA. There's everything here: Popeye's Chicken, McDonald's, Baskin Robins, 7-Eleven, Nike Store, Adidas store, and the list goes on and on. I pretty much spent the day here getting to know my surroundings. Me not knowing Korean is not a problem here as all the business owners speak English. I got my cell phone set (I'll forward all you my info later) and did some shopping for essentials, including outlet converters and the electric outlets here are a bit different. But yeah, even the guy who sold me my cell phone today is from Texas. I then bought some things like bread and cookies to take back home to eat later. This place takes like 15 minutes to walk to and like 1.5 minutes by taxi. So yes, it's not even like I moved to a foreign country, I feel like I moved to another city in the US that happens to have a larger Asian population, that's it. I even had lunch next to a couple who live in the same city as I do who are from Florida and like it here. It even reminds me of Boston at times.
My complaints about this place are small. First, the humidity is something I need to get used to because LA is so dry. It reminds me of when I went to Missouri. The couple from Florida don't mind the humidity because they are used to it. Next, is the fact that I need to learn new forms of measurement including Celsius and kilometers. My last complaint is .... well.... that was it. Complaint time is over.
So just so all you know, family, friends, and loved ones....I will be fine. It's nice here and the students here are respectable of their teachers (I know, shocking). I will post when I can post. I haven't really had a chance to take pics, but as soon as I do I will post.
Also, a friend from CSULB is in Seoul right now and I may meet up with him next weekend so he can show me the capital. It's 1:30pm on Saturday here in Korea. I think I will nap and finish watching "Face Off" on TV (which by the way they don't censor the F word here, awesome!). Peace and love.
-Osc
(didn't feel like proofreading by the way)
Well what can I say about this place except that I think I will most definitely survive.
I got here at 5:30 in the morning yesterday from a flight that went well. To my left was a guy who this was a connecting flight for as he was going to go study abroad in China as he's a student at University of Texas. To my left was a fellow 49er, yes folks, a CSULB student who was studying there for a semester and is now returning home.
Well I got picked up from a school representative who took my straight to my apartment. From Seoul to Pyeongtaek is a 40 minute drive, not too bad. I got shown my place but I only had enough time to leave my luggage there as the school teachers and principal wanted to meet with me. I met with the principal in his office where I met the main office staff, just a quick hello.
I then went on to visit the English learning floor of the school, which is on the 5th floor of the building (I know, stairs galore). There I met the other English teachers (Korean-born). All of them speak English very well and teach different aspects of it. I am there to teach the speaking portion, articulation mainly.
I asked questions about the last English teacher and they had a Texas-native male in his 40's who was a "big guy" in their words. He taught at the school for three years though and is now teaching in another school in Korea, so obviously he enjoyed the opportunity. There is a middle school next to the high school where the English teacher is from South Africa. I am supposed to meet her but have yet to do as such.
I then came home, where I was supposed to settle in, nap, and set-up my laptop to email my family and update the social networks. Well because I didn't have the network key, I had to go back and walk from my place to the school which is about 5 blocks (not too bad).
The English teacher assigned to show me around, Ms. Han, got me the network key, but told me it was best for me to stay at the school so her and a colleague could show me around the city.
So they did. The showed me what called "the main gate" which is not far at all from my place and it serves as the epicenter of the U.S. Air Base.....more on that later. Then they took me to the market to get some groceries and other essentials.
I came back to my place, took a shower, and power napped. Let me tell you about my place now. It's a one bedroom furnished apartment comparable in size to any one-bedroom apartment in LA. I have a kitchen with appliances and a dining table. The bathroom has a everything a normal bathroom would have and I have a washer/dryer. My bedroom has a desk, dresser, TV stand, TV on the stand, the Internet lines, and my king sized bed. I'm not a fan of the brand-new bedding they bought as the colors are not of my test. I must make it a point to replace them when I can. So all in all my place is a normal run of the mill apartment.
After I power napped I watched TV (I think Ugly Betty was on) and went back to bed. Saturday morning I went to the school as the main English teacher (and my co-teacher for the classes I am going to teach), Mr. Lee, took me to the local hospital to get a physical and make sure I am in good health. The hospital was normal and everything they asked me to do was routine. Nothing strange there. Mr. Lee then drove me to McDonald's (yes you read correct, the land of golden arches) so I could get some breakfast and head back to my place. Today, Saturday, I have made it a point to get to know my community and here's how that goes....
The city. I WILL SURVIVE HERE, TRUST ME!!! I live down the street from a U.S. Air Base station known to the locals as "the main gate." I got there by taxi which takes $2 to get me there. That's right, two freaking dollars! I can't even get an American taxi to open the door for me for two bucks. So I get to base station which is located by the "downtown" of the city I live in. Let me tell you that all the comforts of home are here. The people to start off with: I think I've seen more American people in this city than I see in LA. There's everything here: Popeye's Chicken, McDonald's, Baskin Robins, 7-Eleven, Nike Store, Adidas store, and the list goes on and on. I pretty much spent the day here getting to know my surroundings. Me not knowing Korean is not a problem here as all the business owners speak English. I got my cell phone set (I'll forward all you my info later) and did some shopping for essentials, including outlet converters and the electric outlets here are a bit different. But yeah, even the guy who sold me my cell phone today is from Texas. I then bought some things like bread and cookies to take back home to eat later. This place takes like 15 minutes to walk to and like 1.5 minutes by taxi. So yes, it's not even like I moved to a foreign country, I feel like I moved to another city in the US that happens to have a larger Asian population, that's it. I even had lunch next to a couple who live in the same city as I do who are from Florida and like it here. It even reminds me of Boston at times.
My complaints about this place are small. First, the humidity is something I need to get used to because LA is so dry. It reminds me of when I went to Missouri. The couple from Florida don't mind the humidity because they are used to it. Next, is the fact that I need to learn new forms of measurement including Celsius and kilometers. My last complaint is .... well.... that was it. Complaint time is over.
So just so all you know, family, friends, and loved ones....I will be fine. It's nice here and the students here are respectable of their teachers (I know, shocking). I will post when I can post. I haven't really had a chance to take pics, but as soon as I do I will post.
Also, a friend from CSULB is in Seoul right now and I may meet up with him next weekend so he can show me the capital. It's 1:30pm on Saturday here in Korea. I think I will nap and finish watching "Face Off" on TV (which by the way they don't censor the F word here, awesome!). Peace and love.
-Osc
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
30 minutes until I head out
Yes ladies and gentleman, that's right, in 30 minutes I will be at LAX ready to head out into a new phase in my life.
Passport, check!
Ticket, check!
Everything from the list is packed, check! (exception of my laptop which I am using at this moment)
Yes folks I'm ready to depart. A 13 hour flight might turn most people off, but in this scenario my glass is half full. Lately I've been telling people that as I've gotten older I find the idea of email and cell phones more and more irritating. There's a big part of me that doesn't like being reachable. It's that same part that cringes everything my Blackberry pings.
So I am so happy to report that my phone is now under a prepaid plan, so calling me should be only in dire cases (i.e. your missing limbs) and texting me is not possible as that service has been shut off.
Bon voyage to you all and I shall post once I have settled.
Passport, check!
Ticket, check!
Everything from the list is packed, check! (exception of my laptop which I am using at this moment)
Yes folks I'm ready to depart. A 13 hour flight might turn most people off, but in this scenario my glass is half full. Lately I've been telling people that as I've gotten older I find the idea of email and cell phones more and more irritating. There's a big part of me that doesn't like being reachable. It's that same part that cringes everything my Blackberry pings.
So I am so happy to report that my phone is now under a prepaid plan, so calling me should be only in dire cases (i.e. your missing limbs) and texting me is not possible as that service has been shut off.
Bon voyage to you all and I shall post once I have settled.
Today is the day
So I'm heading to the airport in a couple of hours (9.5 to be exact). Last day in LA, crazy! I'm going to run around town and do some things, then basically leave. Yesterday was my last day at Sylvan, yes after 4 years.
A lot is changing, and things are bound to change more and more with this experience.
A lot is changing, and things are bound to change more and more with this experience.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Bound to Leave
So today I spent part of the day packing and the other half with one of the closest friends I've ever had. It's weird packing up your life for 6 months to go somewhere you've never been to but are more than excited about what awaits.I've heard things from all types of people familiar with Korea. This includes past visitors, Korean citizens, and people who have taught abroad. The great thing is that they have all come to the same consensus that S. Korea is a great place to be and that I will enjoy myself. 0.00% of the comments I have gotten from these people who have been in S. Korea has been negative.
Two pieces of luggage, that is all. That is all I am allotting myself to take. I have packed nessecities and have figured that if I can't find it over there it's not like I can't do international shipping from my favorite shopping websites. ***cough Target cough****.
By the way, these two pieces of luggage are horribly heavy. I hope that the school representative who is picking me up is ready for some heavy lifting.
I'm as ready as I'm going to be....I think. Of course I will miss many people. It has been great being able to spend quality time with my family and friends as I celebrated my graduation for my Master's degree and my soon to be departure. Hope to blog & vlog about my journeys.
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