Personal Space

Eric and I had dinner in Idae last week, which is the area around Ewha Women's University.
We saw this sign for a bar. It has no relevance to anything. I just liked that they have a picture of a drunk pint of beer chugging soju.

Teaching school here, I'm struck by the different comfort levels with touching and personal space, displayed by students and teachers alike. Last week, two students in my class started having a head fight, which consists of pushing your foreheads together as hard as you can until one person gives. Of course, boys fight everywhere, but the head fight, where their faces are in about 1/2 inch of each others, looks very odd from the outside. Eric and I get a lot of askance glances when we do it in public.

Later that day, one of my students fell asleep in my class (this happens pretty frequently; all the kids stay up until ridiculous hours studying). So, my co-teacher for that class, Yeong Deuk, started giving this kid a really aggressive back massage. All I could think was, 'wow, this would never fly in the U.S.'

My School & Yeoinaru

Since Eric posted a bunch of photos of his super awesome high school, I thought I should put up a few of my middle school as well.
Here's my school. Most Korean schools have a big dirt field instead of a lawn. I guess it's easier to maintain. Also, many of the teachers park there so it's easier to not have a lawn.

It is L-shaped; here is the view of the other wing. My office is on the very end in the "English Plaza."

My school also has a back courtyard which is very pretty. This seems to be where the teachers take smoke breaks during lunch.

This past weekend was more relaxed. After going to Itaewon, the foreigner neighborhood (Eric needed to by shoes and it is the only place that carries size 10 and above),we went to a park at Yeoinaru that looks out over the Han River.

The park faces north, toward the center of Seoul. You can see the mountains by Eric's apartment in the distance.

Eric was a little put out with my camera-taking skills.

That is about it, so I'll leave you with this picture from Insadong at a free soju-tasting event.
The one on the far right is George Wahington.

College Land

Thanks to rowing, I was on a different time schedule in college. Even after I stopped, I still woke up early every morning. Since everyone else in college stayed up until 3 a.m. and woke up at 11, I often left out of synch.

But, I thought, once we're out in the real world, I won't have to adjust.

Ironically, the entire country of Korea is on college time. The drinking culture here (which is 7 days a week until at least 1 a.m., if the bar downstairs from me is anything to go off of) fosters going to sleep late and waking up late. I understand now why Korea is know as the 'land of the morning calm.'

I tried to buy some milk before work a few days ago but the only things open before 9 a.m. are tiny mini-marts full of Pocky and instant meals. Bakery employees give me odd looks when I come to peruse their empty shelves at 7. Dunkin' Donuts doesn't even open until 8.

I can see why so many new college graduates enjoy Korea - it's a very gentle transition into the real world. The post-baccalaureate program of Korea. I could have the college experience I missed out on during college. Should I be getting on board with late nights and alcoholism?

Can I Have Your Number?

I have a phone! It is beautiful. Eric and I got matching ones (they were the cheapest).

Now that I have one, I realize that Koreans don't, as a country, love cell phone charms. Phones here come with universal adapters, which you can hook onto your phone. Then, should you drain the battery watching television on the subway (and generally about half the subway car is people watching TV), you can stop by your local convenience store for a recharge. Nice.

Visiting Namsan Tower or We Are Disgusting

Last Saturday, Kyeong Ran and the head teacher at out school, Mr. Shin, invited Eric and me to Namsan Tower. It is a huge tower on one of the taller hills in Seoul, and it has a 360 degree observation deck, so you can see the entire city.
This is Namsan Tower, looking up from the base. We had to take a tram up the hill to get to here first.


Here are Eric and me standing on Mongmyeoksan Beacon Tower, located at the foot of Namsan Tower. In the 19th century, the smoke stacks on Mongmyeoksan (which we are standing next to) were lit up to warn of attacks.

Lots of couples put locks on the chain-link fence that surrounds the base of Namsan Tower as a symbol that their love will last forever. Kyeong insisted that we buy a lock from the gift shop since it is tradition. I suspect she just likes taking lots of cheesy couple shots of us.

Proof positive.


Here is our lock. Aren't we too cute?


Up on the observation deck, each window has the names of different cities that, when looking out that window, you are pointing directly toward.
Here are Eric and me in front of the San Francisco/Los Angeles window. We were very excited.

Finally, here are Kyeong and Mr. Shin.
Don't they look nice? They are nice. Super nice. And very responsible. They keep me from getting lost and wandering into North Korea.