First off, it's the transition into a new school year. New school year means new teachers...foreign and domestic. Friday marked the end of our schools year, and I found out that about 10 teachers were leaving. Most teachers only stay at a school for a maximum of 4 years before having to teach at a new school. I really don't understand the reasons why, because they might have to change their commutes and sometimes their homes if the commute is too unbearable. For others it works for the best - the new school is closer to home. They do have choices though - and since it's the same for other schools, odds are they'll get a position within a 20 minute commute if they wish.
Our school held a going away party. 4 of my favorite teachers (the ones my age, and one who is older) all are leaving. These are the ones I talk to at lunch, and enjoy the most - yet, go figure, they are leaving while the ones I dislike the most are staying. Cruel world....
At dinner we enjoyed the typical grilled delights such as samgyeopsal and pork ribs, but also was treated to.....duck! It was amazingly delicious. (I'll admit, when they first said we were having "BBQ duck", I misheard the accent and thought they said BBQ dog!) I'm glad I was mistaken!
I'm also saying goodbye to some close foreign teachers as their contracts end in March. So that's sad, but I'm hoping to meet some new people, as I've seen some newer faces around. Hopefully they are the friendly open-minded kind unlike a lot of foreigners I've been running into or hearing about lately.
Side Note of Ranting: If you are reading this and planning on coming to Korea, please be courteous, respectful, and open-minded about things. The last thing people like me want to hear is constant complaining about Korea. If you dislike it -- LEAVE. Do it for the sake of the students, teachers, peers, and the general public. Don't come here if all you want to do is drink and party cheaply while maintaining a decent paying, relatively easy job. Korea doesn't need more "drunken frat boys" - that's what the U.S. military presence here feels like to the Koreans and it's not liked.
Another thing I'm not really enjoying this time of year is the weather. It's one thing that the weather is similar to New England (albeit not as nice), but similarly to back home it is temperamental. It can be blistering cold and windy one day, snowing or rain the next, and then days like today are unseasonably warm. If Forrest Gump was from Korea, he would say it's "like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gunna get."
The worst thing about this is you can't really make plans to be outdoors during the winter. But, that's ok, because there's never anything to do in the winter. It's probably the worst time to come up with date ideas besides dinner and movies. (Yes, feel bad for my girlfriend that I can be completely unoriginal for date ideas).
Since we were going to be in Hongdae on Saturday evening for a friend's going away party, we decided to just spend time in the city before-hand. Hwayoung took me to a very famous noodle restaurant in Insadong. It was dirt cheap, but scrumptious! Homemade noodles, and mandu (dumplings)! Two of my favorite things here. They were so good - and it was worth waiting only 10 minutes in line for.
Afterward we walked more and got some really good coffee around Insadong and took the same route as our second date, remarking along the way about how we remember doing this before in October, but it felt like we've known one another for 2 years. ^^
After buying some treats to send back home (yes, Mom and Dad expect a package in about 15 days), we headed off to Hongdae early in hopes to maybe go bowling. Instead we played pocket-ball (pool). Hwayoung is becoming addicted to it and I'll admit I am as well. I think we're both improving greatly at the game.
That night we met up with our friends and enjoyed more galbi (grilled meat), some drinks, and then...NOREBANG! (Karaoke room).
We sang our lungs out for the rest of the evening - Just a fun Saturday all around.
Sunday was filled with watching the Olympics - we saw Korea win more medals in short track and speed skating - mostly won by high school students -- good for them, no problem.
When it comes to the Olympic spirit on Korea, I do have some gripes though.
I have no problem rooting for Korea, even if the US is competing against them. In cases such as Apolo Anton Ohno (Korea's arch-enemy next to Kim Il Jung) I can still cheer on Korea. (for some reason Ohno comes off as an egotistical jerk to me - and I can't really tell why).
However, here's my beef. The announcers on SBS (the Korea channel covering the Olympics) were saying (in Korean) that "Korea is the best" and no one can beat them. Sometime U.S. announcers wouldn't say as it sounds arrogant and unprofessional. The also were questioning Ohno's every move. They were saying things like "Look at Apolo, he just wants to touch the Korean skater in another illegal move like he did in the other race". Korea is dead set against him as they believed he cheated his way to the gold medal in 2002 by using "Hollywood acting" skills and causing the Korean skater to be DQ'd.
I don't know, you be the judge.
The act in question is at the 4:13 mark, and then replayed
By the way - keep your eyes open for Kim Yuna! She's going to be great and possibly will bring Korea it's first gold medal in figure skating!
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