"Closer to the Edge"

My current contract will be ending in a short time, and my future employment in a Korean public school is pretty much up in the air until August or September (supposedly).

I will be throwing up some random posts in the next few months, but I am planning on ending "Gung-ho for Gunpo" this summer.

Over 180 posts in 2 years is not too shabby. I laugh when I look back and read some of the stuff I wrote when I first arrived in Korea (how amazing things were at first!) That is, not to say that things are not amazing any longer - just in different ways.

I noticed my readership has definitely been on the decline as well. I even wonder if anyone besides a few close family members and friends read it any longer.

I'm still debating starting another blog next contract - and if I do, I might focus it more on the expat community here instead of my boring ol' life.

Thanks for reading - and stay tuned.

And enjoy these pictures overlooking Gunpo/Uiwang I took a few weeks ago.

"Notification Mystification"

Here are some examples of what teaching in Korea can be like - specifically in regards to trying to debate issues with your Korean co-teachers.

Lunch with your Korean Teachers

Honestly, I've had similar conversations with some Korean teachers at lunch on occasion - specifically those who cannot speak English that well (they just want to practice). But, I usually get the same question from my head teacher every time we go out to eat as a group. "Nick, what is your favorite Korean food?"  I want to yell "YOU ASK ME THIS EVERY TIME WE EAT TOGETHER! OF COURSE I LIKE MANY DIFFERENT FOODS AND I AM SICK OF LISTING THEM FOR YOU AS I USUALLY DO!" - But then I just list them as usual anyways because I'm polite and patient with her. She really shouldn't be a head teacher though. The "last minute" section was spot on. My teachers never tell me about anything until the last minute. Once, we had a soccer game scheduled where I was told I was supposed to play - but I wasn't prepared (I wore dress shirt/pants/shoes). As it turned out, the game was canceled anyways...which they didn't learn about until the last minute as well. For some reason with schools - being prepared in advance does NOT happen.

Overtime Pay and Citing Your Contract

I've never really had this issue with having to cite my contract. Maybe once or twice when discussing length of time with camps or with reimbursments that my contract states. This one is a bit over the top - but I wouldn't be surprised if others actually have had that conversation. I love the ending though...

I hope you got to laugh about it as well!

"Drivin' Around in my Automobile"

This weekend I had the opportunity to see some amazing vehicles at the Seoul Motor Show 2011 (more accurately at Ilsan's KINTEX center).

It was VERY crowded - this photo only shows about 1/8 of the building:

The venue was huge! They really packed in a bunch of great cars into one area with some really cool designs and features. There were a lot of energy-efficient cars Hybrids, Electric, and even pedal powered. The also had sections for automotive parts and future technology, and a handful of motorcycles.


Here are some of the pics (granted many have models in them). This being my first motor show, I shouldn't have been too surprised that all the guys with their huge DSLR cameras and lenses were clammoring around taking more photos of the models than the cars.

Chevy

 

The Chevy Mi-Ray Roadster - yeah, we'll probably never see that on the road.

(This is where your bailout money goes)

BMW

Hyundai

KIA

 

 SsangYong (I think)

 

Samsung - SM3

Audi e-tron

Nissan Cube

Infinity

 

Porche Carrera GTS

  

I saw this a few years ago - basically it's an electric motorized bicylce that recharges as you pedal. Apparently it can reach up to around 50mph (bike down hill and on flat land - use the engine for uphill) Sounds good to me!

Honda
CR-Z - I love my Hondas!!

 

Mini-Cooper
Don't worry - there were a handful of male models as well. I like Minis

Subaru Concept - it belongs in Shuttle Bay 1

 

Even the Tata and Daewoo Commercial vehicles had models

Overall it was a cool event to see, a bit exhausting after pushing through crowds, but worth it.

"I'm Singing in the (Radioactive) Rain"

My co-teacher warned me on Wednesday that I really should bring an umbrella to school the next day because it was going to rain..... radioactive rain .....

In fact, many teachers were murmuring about how the rain was going to be dangerous because of radiation could carry-over radioactive particles from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

Too bad the radiation isn't any more harmful than the radiation you get by flying (if even that)

But that didn't stop the citizens of Korea blowing things out of proportion (as usual) when it comes to health issues (Do you recall the H1N1 freak-out?)

I don't get this society sometimes. H1N1 was a big deal, true. In 2009, my school was so scared to infect or spread H1N1 that they canceled our annual school celebration/talent show. Yet, the didn't cancel school...where those kids see each other every day.

Koreans are scared to die in their sleep from fan death, that they are mandated by the government to put timers and labels on electric fans, so you don't fall asleep while the blades "cut up all the oxygen molecules and suffocate you in your sleep".

Yet, it's perfectly normal to see health hazards on a daily basis that aren't dealt with. Motorcycles driving recklessly on sidewalks, people smoking indoors in restaurants, extreme alcoholism, buses and taxi's whizzing through red lights, guys hanging off a roof with rope to paint the side of a building, electric wires  wrapped around poles so low that a children can reach them.

I love this country, but sometimes I just scratch my head about all the conflicting ways of thinking.

The rumors were so bad about this radiation that more than 130 elementary schools shut down (the government had to come out and reassure the public that everything is fine).

Parents were not happy as they fear for the safety of their children:

As per this AFP article:

Complaints from parents mounted on the website of Seoul city's education office, which refused to cancel classes and called for a calm response to the fears.

"Please order class cancellation. I'm worried to death about my kid and can't sleep," said one posting.

 I'm sure they're scared for their kids safety. I just wonder where that concern is while they're walking down the street letting their kid stray off in all directions. Or where that concern is when they let their kindergartener walk to his academy alone through the busy shopping areas around me. (Little kids are always running around without their parents).

(don't get me wrong there are plenty great parents out there. I'm just commenting on this land of opposites that drives me crazy from time to time.)

 Korean Parenting Fail