Some weird happenings

I'm not exactly sure what it is but the weird Koreans always seem to find me. I don't know if it's my shaved head or what, but they always seem to find me and always cause a scene. I've told you about the creepy lady at a store here downtown and how she thinks I'm Michael Phelps and thus wants to fuck me. Well, there's been some others recently. Four to be exact. What's the saying? It comes in threes..but I was on a roll

The first is a dude that Heather and I ran into while exploring the Hampyoung Chrysanthemum Festival. We were walking around and taking pictures of the Namdaemoon structure. When we noticed a group of people sitting around. We happened across them, just trying to walk by, but one guy, drunk, was really enamored by me. So much so that he got up and wanted to take a picture with me. Which is normal. But this got weird when he started trying to kiss me. I pushed him back, his friends held him back, his wife even beat the shit out of him, but he still persisted. Heather and I made our break for it and thought we were finally rid of him, until we were on a bridge and he reappeared, still hell bent on kissing me. I held him at bay telling him to keep moving and when he didn't listen to me or his wife yelling at him in the background; she roared and tackled him away from me and literally dragged him off.

The second was a older guy at the bank. I was at the teller getting my updates done on my bankbook and getting my number changed so that my new cellphone will get messages when I use my check card, essentially the debit card of Korea, when this older dude came up to where I was standing and tried to shove me aside so that the teller would help him. When I didn't budge as easily as he thought I would, he got pissed and started yelling at me for being a foreigner and not having the right to stand in his, a Koreans, way. The teller and I told him to wait, but that made him even more pissed off and physical. The bank tellers here work by number, you take a number and when that number is called it's your turn. This guy didn't have a number but thought that he was entitled to the teller over me because he was Korean.

He grabbed me by the shoulder and tried pushing me aside even more, so I reversed his grip, grabbed him by the back of the neck and kicked his knee out so that he lost his balance and had no choice but to stumble away from the teller. Now he was really pissed but some of the managers of the bank came over and escorted him out. He stood outside of the bank for a good amount of time ranting and raving about the injustice but the rest of the Koreans outside that he was trying to start a rebellion with just ignored him. When my business was done and was leaving one of the managers walked to the door with me just incase the dude was there and tried something. Luckily, he had moved on.

The third was a kind of a double happening. I was taking out my recycling one night and when I was sorting my plastics from my glass the janitor of my building came out and started yelling at me about something. When I told him that I didn't understand, he got louder and angrier. So I just made fun of him without his realizing it. Finally he got so fed up that he tried to take the box from me but when I refused to give it to him and told him that it was my box, he got really confused and dumped all of the plastic and glass onto the ground. I took the opportunity to bounce. While in the elevator, another man came in while I was entering and saw me back knuckle the button to my floor. He was very impressed by this, so much so that he asked my apartment number and tried to kiss me. Already on edge, I pushed him back and said "try to kiss me again and I'll punch you in the throat." He blinked a lot quickly hurried out of the elevator.

The most final and most recent one was when I was at the store the other night. I was there getting my stock of water and juice and was at the cashier behind the dude. He was middle aged and looked like he didn't have a decent place to go, but he was determined to buy his soju, the Korean vodka. It only cost him 2 thousand won, or roughly about 2 dollars. He tried paying with 2 cards, both were denied. Then he pulled out a wad of cash and flipped through it, grumblingly. He looked around and saw me, pocketed the wad of cash and started to ask me for money. The cashier, a nice, young woman was calling to him trying to get his attention back to her. But he was, once again, determined to get me to buy his soju for him. Logic and reason, unknown. But he finally left me alone after much of my telling him to "fuck off", the cashier begging him to come back to her and the manager of the store coming over to stand 'intimidatingly' behind the cashier. The dude paid for his soju and stumbled up the stairs.

I paid for my things, the cashier being very apologetic about the man, I just smiled and told her that it was okay. But when I got up the stairs and outside, the fucker was waiting for me. He persisted to demand money from me and tried to take my bag for himself. I kept walking, making him follow me and since he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, just on rambling on how I needed to give him my money or my drinks, I led him into the back of a car. He hit, fell and I kept walking.

Life changing event #5

Helicopter ride!! What an amazing experience! It was the perfect day for it too, hot, so with the doors off we had amazing air circulation, and it made for much better photography! A little hairy at parts when you lean over and there's nothing but your seatbelt to keep you from falling about 400 feet. Or when you accidentally stick your elbow out just past the doorway and 11o mile an hour wind hits it. Other than that, it's the coolest thing ever!

My dad and I were driving to Redwood to drop off some old mowers and we passed Maxson Airfield, I mentioned that it would be cool to take the helicopter tour. So on our way back, we stopped in and signed up for the ride. The ride itself was half an hour and it felt like it was 10 minutes. But damn, what a view! Seeing the river from such a long way up, you really get to see what the river is like and how islands are formed.

As you can see, the top of the rock is not even half of the real rock. The rest of it, like an ice berg, lurks below. This, for those that don't know, is a shoal. Basically it's a rock that comes out of nowhere in the middle of the river, to claim your lower unit, prop, or underside of your boat.

The other thing that is cool about being up so high is that you get to see things that you normally don't get to see when you are on the surface. Like this old dock crib. This dock was around long before the existing dock and boathouses ever existed but as time went on and the people moved, the dock was removed, but the crib remains.

There are so many other things that were awesome about this flight but they would make this post way too long, so I'll just leave you with the words of, if you ever get a chance to take a tour in the air around, do it. You won't regret it. It really is life changing when you get to see something from a totally different perspective.

Life changing event #3

So, a few days ago my cousins and I went kayaking around an island called Grenadier, it's a Canadian island with a golf course and is the summer home of the owner of Zippo lighters. On that eventful day, my cousins and I decided to go around the island. We started early and made our way over glassy water. It was pristine and just plain gorgeous.

Later in the day we found ourselves in a bay for our lunch break. It was much needed for the rest of the trip was insanely windy. At this bay we noticed a strange looking buoy, it turned out to be marking a sunken ship. After exploring it while in the kayak I decided that it would be cool to return to with a boat that could better fight the wind; so a few days later, my parents, brother and sister in law and their two boys all made the venture down to find the sight again.

We did and thought that it was the coolest thing, looking over the side of the boat to see what we could of this mysterious ship. We left the sight, saying "we are definitely coming back here with our snorkels." Well, like always, the intentions are there but things start happening and the time to do it runs away.

But, not today. My dad and I were thinking of what to do, the projects around the house are done and it was too beautiful of a day to sit around. So, at my mom's advice we made the venture back to the sunken ship with our snorkels. It was awesome!! It was extremely mysterious and creepy. Swimming over the ruins, we (my dad and I) realized that it wasn't just a small sailboat that sunk but a real, actual wooden ship. What this ship was before it crashed, we can't figure out, but it has all the tell tale signs; wooden decks, ribbing, and pointed bow and stern. But the thing that baffles us is the giant metal tank that seems to be at the bow of the ship. It's so big that part of it protrudes up and is close to the surface of the water, very dangerous. There were parts that you could stand on, ribs that were sticking upward, the tank, and other random sections of decking.

It really was the coolest thing. Life changing.

Life changing event #2

The second event on the list is something obvious but at the same time amazing. Have you ever wondered where osprey's get the sticks to build their nests? This question has bugged myself and my dad for a long time, but last week the bugging question was answered.

We were floating along and watching some Herons when we noticed an osprey flying in. We couldn't tell where it was heading because it was controlling its flight like it was going in for a landing. But, it wasn't slowing down. It was heading right for a dead part of a pine tree; we were there thinking, "well it can't land there" SNAP The osprey took the top of the tree right off, a good 4 foot stick.

Sitting there jaw open, watching the osprey carry its stick off to the nest, we couldn't believe what just happened. All these years wondering, answered in a single act. Life changing.

Life changing event #1

A new series spawned to replicate the series of things that are awesome about Korea, but now applied to river life.

Life on the river is a life of bliss and beauty. The river itself is something of wonder as it is 1/4 of the worlds fresh water, constantly flowing. But the things that really get me about the river is all of the life that it supports. The fish, insects and most importantly the birds.

There is a whole plethora of fowl that use the river as their home and source of food.

The first event that I'm going to blog about are the loons.

Loons are probably one of the more majestic birds that dwell on the river. They are huge, weighing up to or slightly more than 10lbs. The loon is a bird with a song that everyone knows and loves to hear.

On my kayak paddles around the river I have come to see many loons. They are a lot more tame than they used to be, so now I can get some great shots of them. Though recently, while paddling around I have seen events with the loons that many don't get to see. Either because they are too busy driving around on their jet-skies or "penis boats" so they don't stop to see what the river really is.

While kayaking around I have seen a mother loon on her nest, blended right in with the rocks that I didn't even notice she was there. It wasn't until I unknowingly got uncomfortably close that she shot off her nest and feigned injured to draw my attention away. This was such an awe to see that I sat jaw-dropped for a good 2 minutes.

Then the other night, I was out enjoying the nice evening and up I came upon two more Loons. But these guys were being very distant and making a point to keep that distance. I got as close as I could, and noticed that momma loon had two little babies on her back. This is the common loon mothering, she will carry them on her back and daddy will guard/hunt. It's a real relationship, raw and clean, right in front of you.

Can you slow down your normal life so that you can see what's all around you?

The River Rat returns

After two years in Korea the Traveling River Rat returns to familiar seas.

Living on the St. Lawrence River for over 20 years, I finally left for S.Korea. While in S.Korea I met awesome people and often talked about my life on the river. After 2 years there, I started to miss things that I used to find fun, but also tedious.

Like kayaking, I've always loved to do it, but never really appreciated the grace that goes into it and that it is the prefect way to see the river. When I decided to come back to the river after 2 years in Korea, I promised myself that I would no longer take living in such a glorious place for granted. That I would take my sense of adventure and exploration and apply it to my summer.

I'm proud to say that I've kept to my promise (even amidst the killer jetlag that has me getting at most 4 hours of sleep a night). But I've been pushing through it and getting out on the river and doing what I've been wanting to do for a long time.

One of the missions that I set myself on, is to get the ultimate shot of the iconic Blue Heron. While I've been successful on some fronts I still think that I can do better. And my mission is going to be a tough one, as the heron is a skittish bird and takes flight over the smallest noise. But its not in my blood to give up, so my mission continues.

One forth of the worlds fresh water flows as the St. Lawrence river. It's amazing to think about and even more awesome to be on. The past two days of kayaking around have been my greatest bliss. When I'm out on the river, I am in just pure heaven. I've seen some pretty awesome things in my travels but so far, nothing can really compare to being in a kayak, gliding along the water's surface; among fish, bugs and the abundance of birds that call the river home.

I missed the river, I missed the wildlife and ecology that surrounds the river. Living and watching nature happen right infront of you, is more of an education than any book can teach.

Destination: Heaven

Place: Mt. Halla, Jeju, South Korea.

Height: 1950 meters

Length: Gwaneumsa Route: 6.8km

Time: 8-9 hours. I did it in exactly 8 hours

Condition: Trail - grueling Mine - exhausted.

Trail: Straight up, nonstop. Rugged and ever changing.

Purpose: To see the Heavenly Lake that awaits those willing to risk life and limb.

Mission: Complete.

Mt. Halla, the highest mountain of South Korea and the one that dominates the island of Jeju, is not a mountain to take lightly. Located in the center of Jeju island, Mt. Halla is a sight to be seen. But what is more than the mountain itself is what the summit holds. The carter lake. The soul purpose that many are drawn to attempt the climb.

While I was preparing my adventure to Jeju, I came across pictures of the famed Baengnok (뱅녹) Lake. From the moment I saw it, I knew that I wanted to see it with my own eyes. So after a few days of roaming around Jeju island and seeing waterfalls and temples. I took a day of rest on Sunday and then on Monday, I got up early for the adventure that still has my legs fretting any type of climbing.

The climb started out relatively easy, but about half way there, the trail started to incline, steadily. And a short km later, I was huffing and puffing trying to catch my breath. But I was determined to get to the top, so on I pushed. And as I passed Koreans on their way down, I was greeted with smiles and cheers. When I reached the first check station, I took a 10 minute break for a snack of snickers, an egg sandwich and some beef jerky and a ton of water.

Then, after talking to some Koreans about myself and why I was hiking, I pressed on. The trail really took a turn for the wicked. And the more you tried to go up, the more the mountain seemed to pull you back. Like gravity was trying to throw you down. And not to mention that the high you go, the thinner the air. But not long after the first rest station you clear the tree line and this is revealed. At this sight, you almost want to say that it is enough. It can't get prettier than this.

Let me tell you that it can. And it does.

This is not the summit. But we are on our way. Like something out of a fantasy movie or video game this stunning scenery hits you. And as you almost collapse from fatigue, exhaustion and overheating, the mountain throws you a favor and it starts to lightly rain. A welcomed sign from the Gods that they favor your endeavor. So I picked myself up and continued on, letting the rain cool my body and catching what I could for hydration.

Then I found a second gift, pure, drinkable, mountain stream water. It was perfect timing too, because my camel pack was dry and my water bottle was on its last leg. The clear, clean, crisp mountain water truly was a gift from the Gods. Because as I drank it, I could feel my energy return. I also came to find out that drinking this water adds 100 years to your life. Just like a video game.

The final push. Now, you are over 1000 meters high, you are exhausted from the 6km you've just pushed yourself up. And now you have .8 more to go. Do you decide that this is it, you've seen enough? Do you give up so close to your goal? No! The mountain is testing you, don't let its ever increasing trails and thinning air detour you. Push! The reward is waiting! Steel your resolve and swallow your pride, Heaven is waiting! This is what I heard in my head as I took one last break and gulp of fresh mountain water. Cracking my neck and repeating Niche in my head "What doesn't destroy me only makes me stronger", I got my final wind. And to Heaven, I climbed, almost could call it crawled.

But when I broke the summit, I could feel the grueling agony of the hike lift. All when I saw this:

There is it folks, the crater lake. The grand prize for killing yourself. I still feel like a part of me is still there, marveling.

focus your mind, you must

I read an article earlier, saying that gamers have a better chance at controlling their dreams. Read the original here.

It basically states that people who play games have a better chance at entering "game mode" when in a dream and thus be able to control what happens. It's more prominent for people that have nightmares, since nightmares/night terrors are what cause insomnia and/or other sleeping disorders. Playing a game before sleeping can give your brain a better chance at seeing the nightmare as a game, and thus treat it like one, giving you the control.

Now, here's what I think, this is just me and what I have noticed about myself. I agree with this article. I'm not promoting gaming or saying that I am a die hard gamer, far from it. But I do enjoy the occasional God of War slaughter fest. What I agree with is that the subconscious is a place of flux, constantly sending signals around the brain and picking up on the smallest memory to blow up into a dream. Now how the dream turns out is never predetermined. It's a dream; and dreams are not real.

I have been able to do this far before gaming was cool. Not because of my gaming but because of my discipline. Through my training in karate, yoga, meditation and exercise I have not only gotten my body to be strong, but my mind is fully aware. I've gotten all senses working together and I can isolate when one is needed more than the other. This comes in handy when I'm dreaming as well because no matter how "real" the dream is, I can always find something off about it and thus get control of it.

Dreams are an important part of our nights rest, if its interrupted then our whole day is thrown off. So, we have to do what we can to get control so we can have our full nights rest. Be it games, discipline or just being so bad ass that your dreams know better than to bother you.

When Koreans are angry

Disclaimer: This post contains foul language. If you have never heard/read the word fuck before. You have now.

Recently, I have enjoyed riding my bike to and from work. It's been a great way to enjoy the night and see Gwangju. As well as challenge your reflexes to keep up with Korean traffic. Every now and then you have to be the one paying attention because people on the sidewalk/street aren't. I am usually pretty aware and can dodge and weave my way through traffic easily. But every now and then a car or a person decides to cut across traffic without warning. Which usually incurs me to yell "Watch the fuck out!!" or "Pay attention, ass hat!!" And this is usually over as quickly as it happened; I ride on and they stand around looking confused.

The other night I was riding back from work, annoyed with myself that I didn't foresee the rain coming, and there is nothing worse than riding your bike in the rain. So I was already in a "leave me the fuck alone" attitude. So, as my luck would have it, or at least Murphy, as I am riding up near Chosun University I happened across two lovers completely oblivious to the world around them.

So there I am, cruising toward them ringing my bell frantically and they weren't budging. Finally I slammed on the breaks just in time to avoid hitting them and because of which, I said my usual phrase, "Get the fuck out of the way!" thinking that it would be the normal case of them looking surprised, moving aside and the affair being over. But nope, this guy understood me. So as I pushed past him, he started shouting, "HEY!" and trying to grab me. He missed (Luckily for him) I just kept riding with him in the background yelling "HEY!!" And since I didn't respond or whatever he wanted, he threw his umbrella at me.

First, it's hilarious, because what the hell could an umbrella do? Especially since it was one of those dinky ones.
Second, who throws an umbrella?
Third, big mistake on his part because his umbrella quickly became my umbrella. I happend to look back and saw the umbrella sailing toward me, so I yanked it out of mid air. As I rode off, I heard him yelling even more, so I just yelled back, "Thanks for the umbrella!" I didn't keep it though, it wasn't worth it, so I tossed it back.

I'll admit it was probably not the best way to handle the situation, but hey, when the moment happens, I just kinda act.

Attending a Korean Wedding

This past weekend I was lucky enough to visit a Korean Wedding. It was awesome! Quick, but awesome!

My Korean co-teacher Christy got married! Something very exciting since it's a time of celebration and pure, white joy!

Prior to the wedding I was full of questions about it. Trying to compare a Western wedding to a Korean is like comparing a crotch rocket to a moped. Western weddings being the moped. The most surprising thing about Korean weddings are how quick they are.

It was literally, in and out.

Here's a break down of how it went:

Arrival, take some photos and talk to the Bride and Groom.

The wedding.

More posing and photos.

Huge buffet.

2 hours later, finished.

That's it. Cut and print.

Having been in attendance to a number of wedding back in the states, I was kind of expecting the elaborateness. But I got ahead of myself and was surprised and impressed by the promptness. The only thing that I disliked, was that they were clearing the chairs while the ceremony was still going on.

But, can't hold that against an amazing day for an amazing event.

It literally was the perfect day/setting for a wedding. Set amongst and within the grand Mt. Muedung - what more can you ask for?

Seriously though, could you ask for a better backdrop than this?

A beach maybe, but then you have to worry about seagulls. And seagulls poop on you, and who wants that at a wedding?

If you ever get a chance to check out a wedding here in Korea, do so. You'll enjoy it. It's a magical time AND free booze! How can you go wrong?

A look back - 2 years in Korea

It's hard to comprehend really, even though I'm at the end of my second year in Korea, I still kind of feel like i just got here. It's isn't until I look back at old photos or really think about it; do I realize how much has happened and how much I have changed. It's amazing really, to think that two years ago I didn't know how to cook - and now I make breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself every day and night. I have even gone as far as making a Turkey dinner and a king crab (Thanks extend to my lovely girlfriend for all her help). As well as hosting numerous other dinner parties. A look into what I make: Cajun Green Beans - pan fried beans with a blackened cajun seasoning. Cajun Salmon - salmon steak with cajun seasoning. Mac&Cheese - pasta varies, but I grade cheddar cheese onto a plate and then crush garlic into it and mix, then when the pasta is cooked I stir in the garlic cheese. Stir fried rice - Cook rice in a rice cooker (or boil in a pot) and then in a bigger, bowl shaped pan, add some butter and then the cooked rice; stir for five minutes. Cajun chicken - same as the salmon, just with chicken. Cheeseburgers, eggs and various other delicious dishes.

I have also discovered a talent in photography. Something that I have always enjoyed - but in these past two years I have gained two really good cameras and have thus found that I really do have an eye for it. Now I have my own photo blog: atravelingriverrat.tumblr.com and am an expat photographer for a friend's online newsletter: http://saykimchirecruiting.com/newsletter/
Photography for me has become a great way to capture moments that normally would go unappreciated. Also its an amazing way to show what artistry I do have. I can't draw to save my life, but give me a camera and I'll capture a moment for you.

I have also seen a difference in my body. After two years of going to the gym - I have never been in this great of shape. I look and feel strong. The biggest and greatest reminder is when I try on clothes. Usually and for the longest time, I have been a "small", now I don't fit into Korean clothes because my shoulders are too broad and I am finding myself buying mediums or larges in Western clothing.

But the greatest achievement that I can see from all of this is my teaching. Looking back to when I started and then at what I am doing now - I can't help but realize that it's no wonder why my students have grown so much. I have put a stop to their Konglish (English - Korean words). Gotten them to understand the difference of scared/scary, excited/exciting, dead/die/death, and the most important, sick/hurt (all words that in Korean, are the same so students would use the wrong word in their sentences). I have even started lessons of my own; Mythological, metaphorical and even lectures (dictation). I think one of the other things that I have been able to do, albeit very minimal in the grand scheme of things but still is an accomplishment for my school, is to wash away some of the attitude that foreign teacher time is "play time". Because of myself and the other foreign teachers, we have established that even though we don't give as much homework as the Korean teachers, it's important to pay attention to us, because we are native and we know what the hell we are talking about.

So all in all, it's been a great two years! And as much as I am excited for my short sabbatical back home, I'm equally excited for my future adventures when I return!!

Con Artist

One random morning I was sitting at the bus stop by myself, minding my own business and enjoying the warm weather. As I was relaxing and spacing out I saw a man walking towards me. He was obviously not Korean, but I couldn't place exactly where he was from. He was also donning the appearance of a traveler. Being the observer that I am, I saw this guy coming and could tell that he was up to something, I think it was his eyes.

Turned out that he was Mongolian. Usually that isn't anything out of the ordinary but the oddity continued. As he and I were exchanging small talk, he came to the crux of our chat. He was selling socks. Socks that would help him pay for this college tuition at the local public university. The odd thing that caught my attention was this: he was a college student going around selling socks to pay for his tuition, the socks he was selling were still in the packaging that they come in from the store! He was buying them and reselling them for a higher profit. CON!!

He came on strong and impressive with his strong English accent, but I saw though it. After his pitch, I asked "If you don't have money to pay for college, how are you affording socks?" I could tell that he didn't expect this, so his immediate reaction was shock and embarrassment, which turned to aggression. He actually tried to force me to buy his socks, by yelling. As he continued to press or beg, I just kept saying "Give it up, your bluff is called. Move along." After a quick stare down, he grabbed three pairs out of his bag and politely handed them to me with a bow and walked off.

You can meet the most random person at the most random times. Just be sure that if they are Con Artists, you have your wits ready so that you can see through the con.

The magic of cooking

Food has been something that we all strive for and cannot live without. I'll admit that for many years I took the process and preparation of food for granted. I didn't really consider the work or effort that needs to be put into it and when I did, it confused me so I went for the easier options. It was lazy, I know, but I didn't really know what I was doing and when I looked at a kitchen..I just didn't know where to begin.

Even through college, I got by on the main idea that I could just go to a restaurant and get what I wanted and be done with it. But the lesson learned there came after college, when I was graduated and thus in the working market, that little thing called money. Where does it come from? How do I get it? What do I do with it? These questions ran through my head once I was out in the world and needing to provide for myself. I finally learned how to fry an egg and low and behold the doors opened. I quickly realized that frying anything else is just as easy as the egg; and for the easiest thing to make in the world, all I needed was boiling water. Gaining these two things in my cooking experience, gave me the slow confidence I needed to expand my cooking trials.

I was slow at the beginning, there's no question about that. But it was through my wonderful girlfriend, that taught me many different things of how to prepare and how to cook multiple things! If it wasn't for her I would have never even thought about doing some of the things that I can now cook in the kitchen. And because of all that, the kitchen is no longer a scary place! So much so that she and I have taken on some of the more challenging culinary feats. Among some the common dishes are chicken (cooked in cajon seasoning), green beans (my speciality are the beans fried in a cajun butter), rice (cooked in a rice cooker then lightly fried in a pan and mixed with seasonings) mac&cheese (cheese is grated with garlic and then stirred into the pasta), couscous, salmon (cooked the same as the chicken), and hamburger (cooked with crushed garlic).

From those we have opened the door further and tried some of the more tasking challenges. The first one was a Turkey.

There is a foreign mart here in Gwangju and with its growing supply of food has made it easier to be able to get some of the western foods that we miss. And every year they order Turkeys, so this past year we decided to try our hand at cooking one. It was a great success! As you can see it came out golden and cut like butter! It was a real confidence booster and defined that I was no longer an amateur in the kitchen. Not to say that I'm a professional, far from it.

But cooking the turkey and having turn out as well as it did, really made the kitchen a home for me. Since then cooking everything else became seemingly easy. So we decided that we were going to try something else. Something that we've been thinking about for along time and finally had an occasion worth it. This past weekend was my girlfriend's birthday and a very good Korean friend of ours, so I decided to treat them to that something that we've been thinking about cooking; a King Crab.


Now, it was as easy as boiling water and then putting him into it. But that was just the prep work. The real task came afterwards when it was done and I had to separate the legs from the body. Not something for a weak stomach. But the end result were succulent crab legs that rival the taste of a lobster. The treats of the night did not end with the crab, we also oven roasted french fries and cocktail shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce. Amazing! As seen here:
What a table spread! haha!

It's been a great 2 years of learning and I'm looking forward to the other tests that we can try out and add to the lists of success. And on that next test, it would be great if you could all join! Cooking is really an amazing experience!
What would all like for dinner?

Why Korea is awesome

Despite the tone of my last blog, I'm not at all unhappy or enraged by my life here. It's actually amazing! That one was more of a rant inspired by perceptions of myself and my progression as a teacher and person.

Now I would like to share something pretty amazing; which is the epitome of why Korea is an awesome place.

While I was eating dinner durning my break today, I went to my normal 킴밥 (kimbab - the Korean fastfood), to get some dinner. I've been going there for a while now, off and on, depending on schedules and occasionally I talk to the owners. But today, I guess I went at the right time or it was just my lucky day, but while there a group of about 8 high school boys walked in. At first they went about their business, ordering what they wanted to eat and talking amongst themselves. As I sat eating and watching TV, I could hear the boys talking and encouraging each other to be brave enough to talk to me. Finally one boy swallowed his pride and choked out "Hi". When I responded with a kind, but strong "Hello", I washed away a nervousness that was filling the room and I was bombarded by the two stronger English speaking boys.

The first question was the one that is always on the front of the minds here, "Where are you from?" Normally, after some time here, that question gets redundant and irritating. But when used in proper context and when asked if its okay to be asked that question, its not so bad. Upon telling them "America" I was again bombarded with shouts of "OBAMA!" "NEW YORK CITY!!" "MICHAEL JACKSON!!" and so on. But it was all in good fun. We talked for a while about different things, but the majority of it was them asking if Korean companies were popular in America and how their Japanese competition compared. I let them know that Samsung was losing to Sony for electronics, at which they were sad and expressed it with elaborate hand gestures. When I told them that Korea was becoming better in the car industry, namely Hyundai and Kia, they went apeshit. It was hilarious.

One of the bigger, shyer boys brought me water three times in the midst of all this.

Turns out that they are about to head to America in a few short months time and were wanting to know about things to look for and what not to do. The "middle finger" was the main one, I told them that they wouldn't die from it, but it would draw unnecessary attention. These two boys were like the comedians that you can see here. They played off each other perfectly, making fun of each other and correcting each others sentences as we talked. Sometimes I threw in some advice for them, mostly when they neglected the verb. In the meantime of these two boys talking up a storm there was third quietly eating. At one lull in the comedy, he leans over and in perfect English asks "Are umbrella's gay in America?" When I told him that "no, they weren't", he nodded silently and went back to his meal not to say a word again. But one of the first two boys caught some of it and went on to ask about wearing pink shirts and white pants. I sadly had to leave to go back to work but they quickly jumped up and asked it was okay to take my picture, when I said "sure" they surrounded me and took multiple pictures changing between their cellphones every shot.

Whenever I spoke they would practically jump the table in order to get closer and listened with the utmost intent. I just wish that my own students cared as much as they did. They cared so much about their English that any little piece of advice that I gave them they quickly absorbed it and practically learned it right then and there. It's these little rare occasions that can make the stay here worth all the time and stress.

No hesitation: Thoughts after 2 years of teaching

Being a teacher is definitely a difficult job. There's a lot of things that one has to think about and be careful of so that one doesn't look bad or erase the student's respect. Most of the time it can be as simple as trying to think of what to assign for homework. But every now and then there are moments that define the role of being the 'Teacher' and set how the students view you. It's an important thing because if you come across as lenient too early then the students can be more likely to take advantage of it and getting control of the classroom thus becomes difficult. But the opposite is coming across as overly strict, so much so that you are branded "dictator" by some of the more clever students and then the only reason they do their homework and listen is out of fear.

I have spent the past two years trying to find the middle ground and often finding myself asking the question, "is there a middle ground?" I believe that there is but it doesn't come miraculously or suddenly. It comes after a fuckload of work and stress. It comes after months of routine and information pounding so that the students can at least retain some of it. As teachers one has to set side personal self-esteem and expectations of how students "should" act. A teacher needs to have a firm foot on the rules of the classroom and really set the line of Teacher - student. When that line becomes skewed or absent, that is when the students start thinking that they can get away with being punks or shitheads. Once that happens, its difficult to reestablish yourself and get the 'respect' back.

Respect, is probably one of the most important things a teacher demands and the most difficult thing a student can give. It's not something that should be assumed will automatically be given, it's something earned. Earned through perseverance of your lesson plan, no deviations and ultimately - no hesitation. An absence of these is when you start to see attitude shifts and/or slacking. The most important thing that I've learned after two years of teaching and standing infront of that classroom is that one cannot hesitate to do what needs to be done to set the record straight of who they are and who you are. It can be as simple as raising your voice to let the students know that its time to be serious or it can be as extreme as taking whatever they are playing with away. The damned important thing is that you cannot show remorse or regret of doing it.

A raised voice does not have to be anger, but it has to be loud and firm enough to not be yelling but a bellow. It lets the students know that play time is over. If you have unruly students that push the envelope behavior wise, then a slap on the wrist won't cut it; it may the first time, but the second, third, fourth and fifth, is them taking advantage of your unwillingness to do what needs to be done. There shouldn't be a second time at all. The first time they make a behavior mistake, fucking end it. Do not hesitate to make them understand that it was wrong and make the regret that action or attitude. Yes, they may cry or get upset, but that is what it takes and they will respect you as a teacher for being firm.

It's not about being their friend, it's about making sure they understand where the line is.

Burger deliciousness

Upon coming to Korea I didn't think that burgers would be something one could get easily. I was surprised to find out that the idea of a burger rested in the realm of fast food. Burger King, McDonalds and Lotteria hold the monopoly as the Korean burger. Disappointing to say the least and for a long time I went without even eating or thinking of a burger.

Then one night, a few months back, my girlfriend mentioned Kraze Burger to me. My whole world changed. I could now get a real burger! Our first adventure to Sangmu was an adventure to say the least, it was our second time to use the subway here in Gwangju and thus it took some figuring out. But we got to Sangmu but we still didn't know exactly where Kraze Burgers was hiding. We eventually stopped into a Starbucks to ask for directions and the people there were really helpful, they directed us across the street and right to it!

On our way across a foot bridge and down the street we found numerous other little restaurants and stores. Then we found the shining beacon that is Kraze Burgers. It's right at the end of the street in the same building as a VIPS, and across the street from a Megabox. It is a magical place that has a great menu; a variety of burger styles and even a 'create our own' as well as different styles of french fries and Sprite. I was very excited when we got there, it had been a long time since I had a real burger and I wasn't disappointed.

After a few months of going to Kraze we started looking for other restaurants. One main place is TGIF that is located at U-Square Bus Terminal. But it is still a trek to get there. So with Kraze way over in Sangmu and TGIF at U-Square, it was starting to get to be an expensive trip. Then through the awesomeness of blogs we found another restaurant here in Gwangju that serves burgers: The Lemon Table.

Lemon Table is located downtown next to Geumnamro Park. If you are walking around in the middle of downtown, head to the street where Zara and ABC are located and there is an alley way next to ABC that will take you down and on the side there is a series of dry-cleaners and when you come to the end of the alley you will be next to a park, Lemon Table will on your right.

This restaurant is small, quaint, and awesome. The burgers there are equally delicious, grilled to perfection and served in four different ways. Like many Korean dishes though, they tend to drown their meat in sauce, so it is best to order the sauce on the side.

Along with great burgers, Lemon Table also has really good tea and also serves something rare to Korea, Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew.

For those that like cooking and are adventurous enough, you can take a two hour train ride to Daejeon which is the home of a Costco. For a cheap 35,000 won you get a Costco card which then gives you free reign to all that this wondrous Warehouse has to offer. It is a mere 3 minute walk from the SeoDaejeon train station to Costco and once inside you will be surprised by the grand scale compared to that of E-mart or Homeplus.

Here in Gwangju we have a foreign market that gets the majority of their food from Costco, so we decided to go check it out for ourselves one weekend.

One thing that drew me in was the rumor of hamburger meat. After scouring the vastness of Costco, we finally found the food and there was A LOT of food. It was all food from the west that we had gone near a year without seeing. We finally found the meat section and there it was, ground beef for a cheap 6,000 won. I jumped on that like a nerd on a math puzzle.

As awesome as Kraze and Lemon Table are, nothing beats a homemade burger. If you are here in Gwangju, South Korea, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to Kraze Burger or Lemon Table. You will be glad that you did.

Japanese Ramen in Korea

Being the traveler that I am, I have tried many varieties of food. I also have traveled the lands of Japan and Korea and thus know the importance of one main Asian staple: ramen.

However there is one thing very different about real Japanese ramen that puts it on a whole other level: the noodles used are real noodles.

These are not the packaged kind that you find so much of in America, which is high in sodium and calories. Even still, it is a staple that many Asians love and in Korea it is a very popular favorite. After exploring many parts of Japan, I grew accustomed to the awesomeness of Japanese ramen and its many different advantages. It could function as a midday snack, a high-calorie lunch and even a late night drunken snack. (The best one).

So when I chose to come to Korea, I was excited to be somewhere that would have ramen in abundance. Much to my disappointment it was the packaged kind. Throughout the months I slowly became to it and forgot about the Japanese style. Then on a fateful trip back to Japan with my girlfriend, I rediscovered the greatness of Japanese ramen (and she discovered it). We were then

disappointed when we came back to Korea and had to suffice with packaged ramen.

Then just this past week, Heather (my girlfriend) was looking online at some blogs from people that are here in Korea or have lived here. Through one blog she found a place in my neighborhood (Bong Seon Dong) that served Japanese style

ramen! We discussed it and that same night we talked to a good Korean friend of ours about it and found out that it was closer to my apartment than originally thought and it is called "Izakaya".

This place was such a great find! It was a real difference from the normal Korean venue of restaurants. The man there, JJ speaks English and is used to a foreigner crowd. He welcomes you with a smile and helpful information about the food. This is definitely a place that we will go back to and one that I really recommend to anyone reading this and is in Gwangju. It is a great place, reasonably priced and friendly.

To get there, you can take the 59 away from downtown to its last stop (near EMart in Bong Seon Dong). Across the street should be a large complex with a Gran Piatto. Take a left at the light past the Gran Piatto and walk down this street (should take about 10 minutes). The Izakaya will be on your left at the end of this street, in a round building next a cell phone store. There is a Tour Le Jours across the street from it. The restaurant is called Ramen Mandang (라맨 만땅)

Hope to see you there!

Michael Phelps

This is probably one of the oldest stories I have, and probably one of the best.

A co-worker, her boyfriend at the time, myself and Heather are downtown winter shopping. It's our first real time to go explore the many different stores that downtown has to offer, so we're following Simon (our Chinese friend) as he took us to several places. A shop called "The Bazaar" which is completely dedicated to jeans. IFU (or as I call it: the I F-U) mall, which is many floors of different clothing brands. Ben Sherman (RIP - This store and it's glory burned down one night). And then the "Chinese character store" as I've dubbed it.

Here's where the story gets interesting. Because this store is great, lots of stuff and for cheap. It's a great men's store with a sister store just down the street. However, the men's store is special. Because it has an obstacle. This obstacle is "THE CREEPY LADY". I have no idea who she is, but she looks like a ghost because of the ass load of make-up that she wears. You can ask any foreigner here that has gone into that store and just say, "the creepy lady" and they'll automatically know who you are talking about.

The first time we go into the store she greets us and seems friendly, but she sees my shaved head and immediately asks if I know Michael Phelps. I say I know of him, but she takes it that I am him. Thus starts the creepiness. At first it seemed innocent and kinda cute in a Korean association kinda way. But she won't go away! And now she's excited so she can't form her thoughts properly and was stuttering the entire time. We finally break away and go upstairs. We spent some time up there and when we came back down I was distracted by some cool looking jackets so I branched off to check them out. MISTAKE. Because, like a ninja, she appeared out of nowhere, still muttering and stuttering about Phelps. (This was after the last summer olympics so he was big news at the time). I tried to remain cool and calm but she got uncomfortably close and tried whispering something into my ear and when she realized that I didn't understand I saw her hands motion to her crotch.

When that didn't fly, because the expression on my face was more of panic than it was excitement or joy. She reached for my crotch! I knocked her hand away and quickly pushed my way past the numerous Koreans blocking me from my group and we high-tailed it out of there.

I'm still gun-shy to go into that store alone....