Strange Place, Good Place

Korea. Strange place. Good place. Strange Place. We take the good with the bad and mix all things in between. We love kim-bap (korean sushi: think seaweed wrap, sticky rice, egg, ham, noodles, pickled radish, and perhaps some cooked tuna with a dab of mayo), the nearby beaches, hookah bars, and the few other expats we are finding who are tuned into our wavelength. The neon lights are growing on us, and we think norebangs (karoake rooms) are absurd--but still always end up there at 4 in the morning with God knows who, God knows them, and I do too. We speak in the first person plural here in Korea because we'd probably do the same weird ass thing if we were back home. Why change such subtle oddities of character?

Some things are meant to be preserved intact.

Other things are meant to be changed.

And things are changing. While I am doing my best to get out and about here in Korea, as I'm sure most of you have seen I've been up the coastline to Samchaek, rural home of a one Penis park, I've traveled to Busan, the really awesome city that is just south of here. I've been around Ulsan a bit too, gotten out to some nice beaches, and hiked around a teensy bit. However, for the most part, I spend the majority of my time alone. And it's pretty great. I only work about 30 hours a week so that means I get to read/write/watch movies/make stuff/take pictures/wander around for a pretty good chunk of my week. It's cool, and it's cultivating in me this really great sense of self reliance.

Teaching. Holy crap I spend all my days with kids aged 5-14. It's really kind of hilarious to reflect upon considering how much I used to loath children when I was younger. I'm not going to bore anyone with the psych rundown behind that--but if you know me--then you already know what my I'd say haha. I'm so predictable. But so are a lot of aspects of life, so I suppose there's no reason for me to be exempt.
Any who, I freaking love the kids. I dunno what it is, maybe it's the new semester, maybe it's that I'm becoming more accustomed to teaching, but I've really been loving the kids and enjoying teaching lately. I feel much more familiar now and attuned to what the children need from me, and what will stimulate them and interest them so that our lessons aren't sheer drudgery and a waste of everyones time. Though there are some classes where the kids really just outright don't want to learn. Those classes are somewhat upsetting, but there are enough kids that are genuinely interested in the learning process to make it all the worthwhile.
Oh children. We're all just big children with gangly limbs and subtle creases at the edges of our eyes.

I'm positive there's a bunch of other stuff I'd like to babble on about regarding Korea, but honestly I can't really remember at the moment. I need to start jotting down more notes of things about Korea that I want to reflect on. Till next time all. Till next time.