KOREA Week IX Review

Tues, June 30, 2009 at 11:39pm

Nothing major to report from from last week. I did more laundry, cleaned my apartment, exercised, and otherwise fought the humidity that has settled upon the land. It's brutal, but nothing unlike Northern Ohio this time of year. I have been trying to regulate my sleep schedule by avoiding afternoon naps whenever possible. Last week, I napped only Monday and Tuesday, and remained awake throughout the day Wednesday and Thursday. Frequent trips to Starbucks and lots of green tea assisted with this effort. Surprisingly, however, I still cannot fall asleep before 1am at the earliest. It really sucks, but at least I am starting to accept this as part of my life in Korea.

Classes continue to go well. The students are all great, and I have asked them for their feedback on the classes. Almost all agree they do not like the textbook and everyone prefers open dialogue in class. Additionally, since many students often complain about not having the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom, we have started meeting for coffee and relaxed conversation in a non-classroom setting, usually Starbucks or Hollys Coffee. Also, some students have asked for my help with their English resumes, job applications, and most recently, a college entrance essay. I, of course, am happy to help and pleased they ask me for assistance.

Another student from Business English class, Geon Woo, treated me to lunch on Monday and introduced me to his family. He and his wife lived in Boston for many years and both speak English very well. He says they may return to the U.S. as his book publishing/distribution company continues to grow. Interestingly enough, their daughter was born in the U.S., thus making her a citizen of the U.S. with all the added benefits. Both Geon Woo and his wife have offered to help me learn Korean, and suggested we meet every Monday for lunch. Not a bad offer, which, I will probably accept.

Friday - no school so I slept until almost 3pm and later traveled with U-Jin and her boyfriend to Insadong, traditional Korean neighborhood in North Seoul. There are many art galleries and tea houses located in Insadong, surrounded by numerous stores selling traditional Korean goods at cheap prices. This is a great place to purchase Korean gifts for family and friends back home, so I will definitely be returning soon. We also visited a really cool knife/sword gallery located in the basement of a building in Insadong. (www.knifegallery.co.kr) On display were countless pieces of medieval weaponry, samurai swords, movie relics, every type of knife imaginable, as well as modern-day military equipment and commando gear for sale. Most cool. Admission price only 1,000 Won.

After the knife gallery and spicy pork dinner in Insadong, I traveled to Itaewon, American neighborhood of Seoul, for Friday night hashing. The group met around 8pm at a popular ex-pat bar, and once assembled, we ran the steep hills and back alleys surrounding Itaewon. There were six of us running all out, dodging people, cars, scooters, and each other. Great fun accompanied by some amazing views of the Soeul skyline all lit up at night. The best part of the run, however, was the final 1km dash through an area of Itaewon appropriately named "Hooker Hill". Here, friendly women wearing next-to-nothing lingerie loiter in front of back alley bars and practically drag you into their establishments for, "just one drink" or so they claim. Unconfirmed rumor has it, lonely men can receive oral servicing for a mere 50,000 Won, and just about anything else for 100,000+ Won. Unfortunately, if this is a bargain, I will never know.

Saturday - I slept until 11am and met new friend Gemma (pronounced "Jemma") for 12pm hiking date. I was introduced to Gemma through my contact at the Sanbon Library, Park So Young, and this is the second time we have hung out together. She is 33 years Korean age, unmarried (which is rare for a Korean girl her age), and is an English teacher at a local hagwon. Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, and we enjoyed the view from atop SuriSan while she helped me with my Korean studies. The afternoon with Gemma was enjoyable, the hiking was good, and we had naeng-myeon dinner together after the hike. Naeng-myeon is a seasonal dish made with cold beef broth, thin buckwheat noodles, sliced pear, sliced cucumber, and hard boiled egg. It's rather delicious, especially on a hot day. Later this week, Gemma and I have lunch plans with Park So Young prior to my Thursday class at the library.

Sunday morning - I returned to Seoul for 11am hashing. We met in Nambu, a neighborhood in Southeastern Seoul, and one hour train ride from Sanbon. Sunday was the 500th hash celebration of the Southside group, so we were treated to a rigorous one hour run through hilly neighborhoods and semi-mountainous terrain. The weather was most humid so I was sweating profusely throughout the run and the hours following the trek. After the hash, several of the group taxied to a bar in Itaewon for beers and nachos. Most surprising part of the day, however, were the two Americans smoking a joint outside on the patio. I have read that marijuana is illegal in Korea, punishable by visa revocation and deportation, but apparently it's anything goes in Itaewon!

Next weekend I am scheduled to travel to Boryeong with the hashing group for the infamous Korean Mud Festival. (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=580007) All the Korean tour books insist this is one of the best yearly festivals, and a must for foreign visitors. Traveling with the hashing group provides cheap accommodations and some decent folk to hang with.

Other happenings this week:

The free internet connection in my apartment continues to get progressively worse. This is most unsettling for what is considered to be the most wired country in the world. Bullshit, if you ask me. So, I continue to spend my days at Starbucks or other wi-fi (pronounced "we-fee") venues in Sanbon. I will most likely end up purchasing some type of monthly service for perhaps 30,000 Won/month to avoid the mounting frustrations and increasing Starbucks allowance.

I have been studying hangul, and currently, I have learned approximately twenty of forty characters in the Korean alphabet. Included in my repertoire is the Korean version of the ABC song, "Ga, na, da, la, ma, ba,sa, ah, ja, cha, ka, ta, pa, ha." I am almost certain to get a laugh from any Korean if they hear me singing this. It's also fun to try and pronounce Korean words using my understanding of these twenty characters. Last week, students took me to a bookstore and helped me select a set of children's flashcards and a children's hangul writing book to aid my efforts. Soon, I be fluent. Or so I hope.

My chopstick skills have become quite good, and I'm pleased to announce I have become a connoisseur of kimchi. Apparently, there are over 180 different types of kimchi, and as near as I can tell, kimchi refers to any type of pickled and/or fermented vegetable. The most famous type, of course, is the fermented cabbage with garlic, salt, and spicy red pepper. Sometimes this is served as large leaves of cabbage that are cut with scissors at the table by the waitress or dinner host. Other types include pickled radish, cucumber, beets, and a variety of other vegetables. At least one type of kimchi is served with every meal and is always served cold. Koreans truly believe that kimchi is good for health, contains many vitamins and fibers, and regular doses will help prevent illness. I have also read reports that suggest kimchi is one of the world's healthiest foods, and is proven to help prevent cancer, in addition to providing up to 80% of daily vitamin C consumption. Crazy. Some of the cheaper restaurants may serve kimchi that is grown and imported from China, and most Koreans do not care for this. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I may be able to tell the difference, and if correct, I agree with the Koreans. Chinese kimchi is bitter and has a heavy vinegar taste to it. Not good.

That's it for now. More stories later this week.

KOREA Week VIII Review

Mon, June 22, 2009 at 11:51pm

Friday night I returned to the wonderful Indian restaurant with Monica for late night dinner after classes. We shared two curry dishes, one beef and one lamb, and a spiced chicken dish. All fantastic. She is 31 years old Korean, a teacher by trade, and has studied English in San Diego and London. Korean age is approximately two years older than "American age" because Koreans count age starting with conception and every child is born at age one. So, I am actually 33 years old in Korean. Bummer.

After saying goodbye to Monica, I returned to my apartment and contemplated meeting friends at either Jacks Bar or the Pirate Bar. Instead, I opted for something I have been wanting for weeks; a late night massage from a 24hr parlor located in my building. To clarify: this was the Thai "sports massage" and was non-sexual. The famous Korean massage, sexual in nature, is about 150,000 Won, or so I have been told. Instead, and for only 70,000 Won, I was treated to almost two hours of a fully clothed Korean woman twisting my body into a pretzel and beating me with her fists. Strange as it may seem, it was enjoyable. After the massage was finished at around 4am, I laid on the massage bed in a semi-lucid state and fell asleep for an hour. This must be acceptable because the Korean women did not wake me and smiled approvingly when I got up to leave. Worth every Won.

Saturday it rained hard throughout the day. Plans to visit Seoul with U-Jin and her boyfriend were cancelled, so I used this opportunity to sleep more (8 hours Friday night + 2hr nap Saturday), do laundry, and clean my apartment. I also spent some time with my landlord, Mr. Ahn, who used to live in L.A. and speaks very good English. He informed me the school has hired a new Japanese teacher, and she will soon occupy the studio apartment next to me. This proved to be the perfect opportunity to exchange my hospital bed for a more traditional bed from the storage room, so I no longer have the geriatric features of my previous bed. Not to disappoint any fans of the hospital bed, but I now sleep a little lower to the ground and I have a firmer mattress. Sorry Japanese girl, but I was here first. Enjoy YOUR new bed!

This may surprise many people, but Saturday is actually the first time I have done laundry since arriving in Korea. When preparing to depart, I recognized I did not want to be overburdened with laundry, so I packed enough underwear and socks to last me two months. Seriously, my plan worked well and I was down to my last two clean pair. Unfortunately, there is no dryer on the premises so my apartment looked like a proverbial chinese laundry Saturday afternoon and Sunday with underwear and socks laying throughout, in addition to numerous t-shirts, shorts, etc. I was later told there are clotheslines on the rooftop of the building for drying purposes, which obviously, are used only in sunny weather. My mistake.

Saturday night I was treated to chicken dinner with student Lyn and her friend Nina. Lyn's parents own and operate a restaurant in Sanbon and, in addition to chicken, the three of consumed mass quantities of beer and soju. In all seriousness, these girls can drink and it was a struggle to keep up with them. I felt like an on old man trying to compete. We actually drank what is called so-mak, a popular Korean drink with shots of soju added to our mugs of beer (mak-ju).

Unfortunately, so-mak provides severe hangovers, as I learned Sunday. After popping many Advil and taking a long hot shower, I telephoned Tiann and the two of us ventured into Seoul for lunch. I've been hungry for mexican food and there's a restaurant named Tomatillo Mexican Grille I read about and have been wanting to try. Their menu is very similar to Qdoba and we indulged ourselves with burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. Check it out: www.tomatillo.co.kr After lunch we traveled to Cheonggye Stream and we later walked maybe 10km to Itaewon, the American neighborhood of Seoul for steak dinner at the Rocky Mountain Tavern followed by ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. All good. Best part of the day, however, was me vomiting in the train station on the way to Seoul. Good work Ethan. Apparently the train ride was a little too bumpy for my dehydrated and sensitive 33 year old Korean stomach..

KOREA Day 54

Fri, June 19, 2009 at 11:59pm

Classes continue to get easier as month two progresses. The articles I select and the topics I introduce for discussion improve each day. Daily reading of The Korea Herald helps greatly with this effort. Also, in each class the students have agreed to prepare presentations, and they seem to enjoy this. Memorable presentations this month include the ever popular Kimchi, Green Tea Production in Southwestern Korea, Makgeolli (Korean rice wine, 20-25% alcohol), Current Conflicts between Japan and Korea, and select others. While the students may be nervous speaking in front of the class, they all agree the presentations help overcome their hesitation and become better speakers. Many have pulled me aside afterwards to thank me for this. We have also introduced new business ideas an prepared sample business plans in class for discussion purposes. It's fun to see the students become so involved. One of their ideas, to sell coffee, tea, and ramen noodles atop SuriSan, is actually a fantastic idea. Someone, of course, would need to hire a sherpa to trek the product and water for preparation up the mountain, but there is currently no competition, no license is required, and the numbers we generated demonstrate low product cost and strong profits.

The conflict with my hagwon appears to have been officially resolved. The school has agreed to provide me with National Health Insurance and Korean Pension, though I have yet to sign insurance or pension documents, and I wonder if the school is disheartened by my persistence with this issue. In exchange for this, I have agreed to deduct two days salary from my next paycheck to cover the two days I was absent during my sickness. Remember, they had to hire a substitute teacher to cover my classes one day, while James merged our classes the second day. It is a small concession on my part toward our agreement, and a minor contribution toward a positive relationship with the school. I truly hope this matter is behind me so I may concentrate on other tasks. I trust the school feels the same.

Sadly, I did not have the mouthwatering steak dinner I so hoped to enjoy this week. I could not bring myself to pay 30,000+ Won for a questionable piece of meat with an uncertain cooking temperature. Plus, early dinner with James before class was not the time or the company to drop this kind of money. Sorry James. Steak dinner will have to wait for another night, preferably spent with a beautiful Korean woman and bottle of red wine. Other memorable meals this week; relaxing dinner after class Monday with Monica (fellow Korean teacher - Week V Review), solo "working" lunch at the Indian restaurant Wednesday, Thursday night barbeque (samgyopsal) before class with James, as well as multiple trips to Dunkin Donuts for morning breakfast and Baskin Robbins for late night ice cream. All delicious or ma-shi it-tta (Korean).

Other activities this week include; accompanying Tiann to Anyang for Tuesday night meeting with two Korean girls. Anyang is a neighboring town only two subway stops away, or 10 minute bus ride, or 5,000 Won taxi ride. I was his wingman, and the four of us visited the NoraeBang until 2am. Both Korean girls were hairdressers, and it was obvious they were more into us as exotic foreigners than as individuals. Regardless, it was fun.

B.H. helped me locate a tailor so I could have a pair of pants adjusted. I have lost weight since my arrival in Korea and the pants were about two inches too big in the waistline. The weight loss; I attribute some to regular exercise, but mostly my diet. Since students are always eager to learn differences between the U.S. and Korea, popular discussion in class is the major difference between Korean and American foods. The biggest difference I can explain; Korean foods do not use cheese, use very little dairy, and other than rice and noodles, there are few carbohydrates. No breads, no sandwiches, no potatoes. Most foods are relatively healthy, are cooked in little oil, and prominently feature many fresh vegetables and a wealth of spices. Koreans, in general, do not like greasy or oily foods. As an example, Korean pizza contains little cheese. Korean pizza also contains a bunch of really weird toppings not worth mentioning.

Another observation: Koreans really are terrible drivers. I have witnessed several insane driving acts, including numerous bus rides from hell, and taxi drivers with little to no regard for adherence to traffic laws. I always make sure to wear my seat belt whenever I ride in a car, and hold on firmly during bus rides. It's the only way. Strangely, children do not sit in child seats in this country. Instead, they sit on parents laps in the front seat, sometimes the drivers seat, or are piled on top of one another in the backseat. I am not exaggerating. It's stupid. Fortunately, I have yet to witness an accident, but I'm sure they happen. They must.

There are also thousands of scooters piloted by suicidal Koreans delivering noodles, pizza, fried chicken, McDonalds, and other food items. This is perhaps the craziest example or horrific driving. They are literally everywhere and have no absolutely no regard for traffic laws or signals. They will jump curbs and ride past you at breakneck speeds on the sidewalks. They stop briefly at intersections, then dart out into traffic. It's insane. I was told the Korean noodle they carry gets soggy after only ten minutes so they must rush to deliver. While this excuse may hold true for the noodle, I am not convinced of it's relevancy for the pizza, fried chicken, and McDonalds. Either way, I find myself wanting a part time job as a delivery driver. I think it would be great fun!

No classes this weekend, and apparently, Monsoon Season in Korea has officially begun. I have been told this brings frequent afternoon rains and the famous hot, humid summer weather. Per the current weather forecast, this may wreak havoc on my weekend plans, though, similar to other weekends, I plan on catching up on lost sleep. This past week, especially with the sudden rise in temperature and humidity, I find myself increasingly tired. Example; Thursday night I received only four hours sleep, which is average for me, and Friday afternoon I took three naps totaling an additional five hours. This left me fully charged for Friday night activities, and Saturday, I hope to return to Seoul and visit a museum or art gallery with U-Jin and her boyfriend. Sunday morning hashing is always a possibility, though if anything like past weekends, I may decide to sleep instead.

Cheers! (Gun-ba)

KOREA Week VII Review

Sun, June 14, 2009 at 9:17pm

The weekend was good. Friday night I met John at the Pirate Bar for a few rounds of darts. Nothing too late, for I had Saturday morning class and wanted a good night's rest. Saturday class was uneventful. Three students showed, including two of my new students from weekday classes. We discussed popular Korean vacation spots (one of my favorite topics), learned some new expressions, and read an article on Seonyudo, a garden isle in the Han River.

After class, I met friend and favorite student B.H. for a pre-arranged trip to Seoul. His daughter, U-Jin, another student of mine, and her boyfriend also joined for the day. This was actually, the first time B.H. and his daughter's boyfriend have met, so it was an important day for them. I believe, my role may have been to help ease any tension or nervousness, or provide some comic relief to the day. Either way, it was good.

We traveled to Beomgye, neighboring town located two subway stops away, for lunch. Lunch was Tofu Jjigae (spicy soup), with sides of char-grilled pork and hamburger meat, and steamed rice with black beans served in individual stone pots. The soup was good, and the hamburger meat tasted fantastic. U-Jin told me they mix a rice cake into the hamburger meat to add flavor and help with the consistency. Seems different from what we are accustomed to in the States, but it worked well. Outside the restaurant there was a crowd gathered watching a pack of B-boys, Korean breakdancers, which was great fun to watch. It's a big thing in Korea, but unfortunately I have yet to see this in Sanbon.

After lunch we continued on the subway toward downtown Seoul and Namsam Mountain. Namsan is referred to as the Heart of Seoul, for it's a large mountain (260 meters) and park located in central Seoul. At the top of the mountain is Seoul Tower (236 meters) with an observation deck and tremendous views of the city. Seoul is an amazingly large city and continues on as far as the eye can see. One of the best features of the tower are the Men's room urinals, which look directly out toward the West. Nothing like a great view as you relieve yourself.. We rode a cable car to reach the top of the mountain and an elevator to the top of the tower. It was a little hazy this day, but still made for good viewing.

After Namsan we traveled by taxi to Cheonggye Stream, another popular Seoul attraction. I read that the stream was restored in 2003 to it's current condition and is a total of 6 kilometers in length. It runs East-West through the center of the city and reminded me very much of Cherry Creek in Denver. There are paved walkways on either side of the stream and fantastic laser light shows at night. It's really cool. Sadly, there were many police in riot gear gathered in the large area above the stream. Apparently, there were political demonstrations earlier in the day; more fallout from the death of former President Roh. There was also a photo exhibition of the Korean War with a small memorial to the fallen Koreans and U.S. servicemen during this conflict. It was sobering to see the photographs, and strangely, made me feel proud to be an American surrounded by so many Koreans. Despite the heavy U.S. presence in South Korea over the past 50+ years, I understand South Koreans are very grateful for U.S. assistance. Obviously, the outcome of their civil war would not be the same without U.S. and U.N. involvement. Interestingly though, B.H. told me the younger generations in South Korea do not share the same resentment toward the North as the older generations. I guess this is to be expected, but it was interesting to hear his views nonetheless.

We had squid dinner in a neighborhood apparently famous for squid dinners? Squid dinner consisted of cooked squid served in a fiery red pepper sauce (most hot), squid pizza with potato, shellfish soup in a clear broth with onions, and steamed rice. It wasn't as bad as it may sound, except for the red pepper sauce, which was among the hottest dishes I have tried in Korea. I am not exaggerating when I say we were all crying at the table from the heat of this dish. Seriously, it was kinda funny to see three Koreans and their American friend all sharing a good cry together over squid dinner.

The subway ride home to Sanbon was just over an hour from our location in central Seoul. We were all very tired from the day, and it was good to arrive home around 10:30pm. For the first time in weeks, I went to bed around 11pm Saturday night and slept hard until 10am Sunday. I also Skype'd with Ben and Danielle and had a three hour nap Sunday afternoon. It was wonderful! Later in the day, I watched a pirated copy of Gran Torino, shopped for groceries at E-Mart, and prepared for this week's classes.

So, in other words, it was a relaxing weekend just like I had intended. Most enjoyable. Korean style..

KOREA Day 47

Fri, June 12, 2009 at 7:04pm

There has been a disturbance in this force this week. Long story short; my school recently refused to provide me with the Korean National Health Insurance and Korean Pension. Both of which are, according to Korean law, provided to American teachers as part of an agreement between South Korea and the U.S. government. I suspected something was up when I was sick two weeks ago, and the school informed me at the time that my health insurance was not yet completed, so I had to pay extra at the hospital and pharmacy. Since this time, I have voiced my frustration and have been working diligently with my hagwon (Korean private school) to finalize details concerning health insurance. This, unfortunately, led to a series of disagreements about the specific type of coverage that is written in my employment contract versus what is mandated in Korean law.

In spite of the recent misunderstanding, my school continues to be a decent place to work and they treat me well. Please do not read too far into this; I like it here very much. This situation would not be nearly as unsettling if I had not previously familiarized myself with every facet of teaching in Korea, Korean employment guidelines, and popular "deceptive hagwon practices", etc. It's just a part of the experience, and unfortunately, it's common for many hagwons to attempt to save money wherever possible by this type of action.

So, as of Friday, the school has agreed to provide me with Korean National Health Insurance and, I hope we will soon finalize the Korean Pension arrangements. I have spent the better part of this week making many telephone calls and sending mass emails attempting to resolve the matter in a professional manner, and convincing the school that I am correct about the Korean law. This is where communication with other foreign teachers and doing my homework prior to coming to Korea has paid off for me. Strangely, and fortuitously, my horoscope late this week read as follows:

The legal system will work in your favour today! Your efforts on this issue have finally come to fruition today. However, you may find yourself drained of energy even though you have emerged victorious. Recognize that this is a time to be happy and to feel relieved. Your legal matters will begin to be less burdensome for you from this point forward.

Hopefully this assessment proves true. If not, and absolute worst case scenario, I may be left with no other option than to find another teaching job. Luckily, there are several jobs at all times to select from, and currently being located in Korea is helpful so I can schedule in person interviews with prospective schools. I have posted my dilemma on a Korean teacher's website (Dave's ESL Cafe), and have received many responses thus far. The responses vary, but all agree I am correct about both the health insurance and pension, and tell me not to back down from my position. Feel free to check out their comments. My posting is listed under Esparrow1 or "I'm Being Mislead about Health Insurance and Pension."

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewforum.php?f=3

Other highlights this week include:

Wednesday was pay day! I purchased new sunglasses to replace the two pair I managed to break since arriving in Korea. Bonus; I received a 20% discount from a student who works at the optical shop. I am also considering treating myself to a steak dinner at Marvin's or Outback Steakhouse. Cost is probably around 20-30,000 Won, but I haven't had a good steak since Ohio.

I started my weekly volunteer gig reading to children at the Sanbon Library every Thursday. This week, there were over 30 small children accompanied by their mothers. I read a total of six short children's books in 30 minutes and received a standing ovation when finished. I can honestly say I never expected I would be doing such a thing, in Korea of all places, and without a damn fine reason for my involvement. Still uncertain how and why I am doing this, but the kids and the parents seemed to really enjoy.

I almost went to the Philippines this weekend with Alvin and Tiann. Alvin located cheap round trip airfare to Manila (300,000 Won) and reasonable hotel accommodations, but unfortunately, the flight schedule interfered with Friday night class schedule, and if I left Saturday a.m., I would only be able to spend around 36 hours there. Plus, in order to make class early Monday morning, I would have to take a taxi from the airport to Sanbon instead of the shuttle bus or subway, which adds another 90,000 Won to the cost. Big disappointment, but instead I am making travel preparations for June 26-28, which is a three day weekend.

It's been a long week. I teach Saturday class, but otherwise I am looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend. Plus, my sleep schedule is still messed up. No matter how hard I try I cannot fall asleep before 2am every night. It sucks.

I really hope to connect with some friends and an elusive parent this weekend via Skype. You know who you are, so please try me when you can. It will be good to talk with each of you.

Love from Korea.

KOREA Week VI Review

Mon, June 8, 2009 at 1:10am

Health conditions continued to improve on Friday and over the weekend. I took two naps Friday, organized my teaching materials, and managed to squeeze in a haircut late in the day before evening classes. Each class has brought new students into my life, and I am excited to learn about them and their reasons for studying English. I have also prepared a syllabus for each class this month, and I am most excited by the added organization to my life and my classes. Month two of teaching will be a major improvement from the nervousness and inexperience of the first month.

Friday night I visited the pirate bar, lonesome for some interaction outside my apartment/school. The pirate bar was relatively quiet for a Friday night, but it was good to connect with the folks from my last visit there (remember the Norae Bang experience? Neither do I, but I was reminded of this by a photo of me wearing a pink wig with microphone in hand). Apparently, many Americans living in Sanbon have recently been sick. I learned this from John, new friend who has taught in Korea for many years now, and has a medical background in the U.S. prior to this. Unfortunately, he told me it is virtually impossible not to frequently get sick in Korea and I should be prepared to battle illness, often the same illness, on a regular basis. Great news!

To support his comment, he offered the following explanations: 1) Asia has new virus strains our Western immune systems are not accustomed to battling. 2) Viruses are stronger here. 3) Korea is not as sanitary country as the U.S. For instance, it is rare to find soap in a public restroom, food is communal and shared at the dinner table, there is bad pollution, people spit all over the place, and things are just dirtier here. I know it seems hard to believe for such a developed country, but I'm totally serious. Also, there are more people congested into a much smaller geographical area. Interesting thoughts, and I would invite anyone with a medical background, or more knowledge of this subject than I, to offer any comments or suggestions to support or disprove his theory. Until then, I am preparing an all out boost to my immune system via mass vitamins, supplements, anti-oxidants, and numerous bottles of hand sanitizer. Frequent exercise and healthy eating habits, apparently, are just not enough.

Saturday morning, I had previously agreed to meet James at 720am outside the Sanbon subway station to depart for Everland, Korean amusement park. Feeling tired from the night before, I hit snooze several times before finally jumping from bed in a slight panic when I realized I had probably hit snooze one to many times. So I hurried to get ready, grabbed what I needed for the day, and bolted for the station, texting James on my way out the door to assure him I was on my way. But when I arrived at the station, he was nowhere to be found. It wasn't until I began to telephone him to inquire his whereabouts, when I realized the time was actually 630am, instead of 730am. A serious oversight on my part, and I cheated myself out of a much needed extra hour of sleep. Smooth move Ethan.

At 720am, James and I finally met and traveled to connect with Mina (Japanese teacher from school), Melissa (our super cute school secretary), and Melissa's two older sisters. Everland is advertised as South Korea's largest theme park, and the 10th largest amusement park in the world for attendance. There are many obvious similarities to Disneyland, though I have never actually been to Disneyland to confirm this. (http://www.everland.com) Total travel time to Everland was maybe one and a half hours, and full day's admission to the park was 35,000 Won. We watched an exotic bird show and rode many rides throughout the day, including the T-Express, advertised as the 6th longest wooden roller coaster in the world. It was no Gemini, but was a pretty good roller coaster. Melissa's younger sister is a sea lion trainer at Everland (no joke), so we were granted special access to the sea lion show, and got to meet Charlie, one of the stars of the show. Sea lion show was most bizarre (it featured a medieval Korean theme), but was perhaps my second favorite part of the day, next to the T-Express. The only unfortunate part of the day was when I accidentally sat on my sunglasses, snapping them in half. Otherwise, it was a long, yet fun day. We were all worn out when we left the park, and it was after 10pm when I finally returned to Sanbon.

Monday marks the start of my seventh week in Korea, and following last week's illness, I am excited to renew many goals for myself. I am also excited to receive my first paycheck on Wednesday and replenish my bank account. I truly believe I have accomplished much in only six weeks and managed to live relatively well with a limited supply of cash. As far as I am concerned, June is only beginning, and I am just getting warmed up. Stay tuned for more adventure.

Tonsillitis Day 6

Thurs, June 4, 2009 at 11:50pm

Thursday: I slept roughly 10 hours last night, from 1230-1030am. Much needed and much deserved. I awoke with a slightly sore throat that quickly went away after I spent 30 minutes or so flushing the mucus buildup out of my system. Once again, sorry to be so graphic, but the good news is I continue to feel better.

After breakfast, I headed to the Jim Jae Bang (Korean sauna) to help sweat this evilness from my system. Since today was my first Jim Jae Bang experience, I will share with you some observations. First of all, it's located in the basement below the subway station, so it's only a two block walk from my apartment. Cost of admission is 7,000 Won, which includes shoe locker (located outside Men's locker room) and large clothes locker (located inside Men's locker room). At this rate, you may stay as long as you like, and it is open 24 hours. Apparently, many people will relax and sleep here after the bars late at night when the subway stops running (12am-6am), though I was told price may increase to 9,000 Won during these hours.

Inside the Men's locker room are standard accommodations found in any upscale Men's health club; television, snack bar, barber shop, plenty of fresh towels, etc. Beyond the locker room is the actual sauna; a large tile room filled with many stand up and sit down showers to the left, massage tables and lounge chairs to the right, three steam rooms, and seven water filled pools. It is customary to shower upon entering the room and before using any of the saunas or pools. Each steam room varies in temperature from 58C - 100C (136F - 212F). I spent maybe ten minutes in the 58C room, laying flat on the stone bench, before retreating to the cooler waters of one of the pools. Since everything is written in Korean, I could not determine the difference between the many pools, other than the noticeable temperature. Two of the pools, however, had a noticeable fragrance added to them, perhaps eucalyptus or lavender water? Not sure, but I managed to sample them all. Each of the pools was warm, except one, that was chilled. This, I later learned, is for cleansing yourself after the warmer waters or sauna experience. Apparently, it's good for your skin pores to open and close repeatedly to help flush out dirt and remove toxins. There are coarse wash towels provided next to the stand up and sit down showers. This, obviously, is to help exfoliate the skin. The sit down showers have a small plastic stool and it's just like it sounds, you sit your ass down and wash yourself. Nothing glamorous.

So after two hours spent relaxing in the sauna, I emerged feeling refreshed and invigorated. Honestly, and in spite of the close proximity to twenty naked Korean men, I felt extremely clean and healthy leaving the Jim Jil Bang. A tremendous bargain for 7,000 Won, and any time of day, in my opinion.

Thursday evening I resumed teaching. My voice has returned for the most part, a little husky at times, but I am pleased to be back in action. I taught two classes this evening and got to know the two new students in my Business English class. I was curious to learn the school brought in a substitute teacher yesterday to handle my classes. Apparently, he was/is an American named Tony? I didn't know American ESL teachers worked on standby or substitute taught in Korea, but it's good to know this service is available if needed.

After overcoming my first Korean sickness, I am left with the following thoughts on what may have caused the evil tonsillitis: 1) not enough sleep last week or unhealthy sleep schedule, 2) unsanitary Korean dining practices, 3) kissing strange women in a foreign land, 4) or perhaps iron deficiency? Tiann actually mentioned the iron deficiency in serious discussion last weekend (prior to diagnosis), after I mentioned I felt I had a strong immune system because I exercised regularly and took Vitamin C tablets. He said that is not good enough without healthy iron consumption. Now I am not a dietitian, and normally, I would consider this not to be relevant to my dietary habits, except I have eaten beef only 2-3 times in 5 weeks spent in Korea, because I mostly eat pork. So, he may have a point, and I should probably eat more red meat or consider iron supplements if my diet is to remain the same. As for the other possible causes, well, there's not much I can do about this, other than try for more sleep each night..

Tonsillitis Day 5

Weds, June 3, 2009 at 11:57pm

Wednesday: I can feel myself starting to get better. I actually slept last night, free from the 30-45 minute intervals I have been accustomed to the past three nights. I will admit the mass quantities of drugs I am taking provide me with night sweats and crazy, very intense dreams. I am still coughing up lots of flem, but with every cough, I feel a little better. Most importantly, my throat is not as bad as the past three days. At this rate of recovery, I fully expect to be back in the classroom tomorrow.

I visited the Korean rice porridge restaurant, Bonjuk, for take home lunch today. This time I tried the pumpkin porridge, which was an excellent selection. Cost of porridge lunch was 7,000 Won, but a generous portion was provided along with the standard side dishes. I also had a bottle of Gatorade with lunch today to help replenish missing electrolytes.

This afternoon I slept between 1-6pm, and then showered and cleaned the apartment. My eye looks much better, so I did not feel the need to visit Dr. Joe's today. Besides, I have spent enough time and money in neighborhood doctor's offices this week.

It's now 12:10am and I am signing off to go to bed. I told the school I may be available to teach in the morning, but they told me to "take a rest" and perhaps I can return to class tomorrow night. At this point, I just want to get out of my apartment and get some exercise. Hopefully, my condition continues to improve overnight and tomorrow I can do just that.

Tonsillitis Day 4

Tues, June 2, 2009 at 11:51pm

Tuesday: Still not feeling better. I couldn't sleep worth a damn last night and kept waking up every 30-40 minutes coughing. Because of the nasal drainage, I can't sleep face down, and as a result, my throat gets incredibly dry during sleep, which forces me to wake up gasping for air and cough. Also, whenever I cough I am producing mass amounts of flem so I have to constantly get up to spit into the toilet. Sorry to be graphic but it sucks.

I visited Dr. Jang's ENT Clinic again today. No change in diagnosis, but he provided me with an extra four days of medication and another shot in the ass. Not sure why after only five weeks in Korea I have had two shots of medicine in my ass, but a little troublesome from where I sit.. Dr. Jang's is located in the building across the plaza from my apartment, so it is very convenient. Also located on the same floor are Dr. Kim's Dental Clinic, Dr. Joe's Eye Clinic, and the pharmacy. I believe I spent approximately twenty minutes at Dr. Jang's and the pharmacy, including travel time to/from my apartment. Today's cost of Dr. Jang and the pharmacy was 33,000 Won, which brings the grand total of this complication to 113,000 Won.

James offered to teach my classes for me today. This seemed to work out well, considering his classes are held at the same time as mine, and perhaps the same level or only one level difference between them. He is a generous dude and I appreciate all his help. While discussing my health matters with the school administration, I ran into several of my students arriving for class. All were very concerned about me and shocked by my appearance (unshaven and look like I just got in a fight). I was told the school called students to inform them James will be teaching their class today/tomorrow, so several students also texted me asking if I am okay. And to make matters worse, or add to the fun (depending on how you view things), my right eye is super red, puffy, and swollen. If I were a betting man, I would wager money on pink eye prognosis, so I purchased some eye drops from the pharmacy and will visit Dr. Joe's tomorrow if this does not improve.

The school sent me over some Korean rice porridge this afternoon, which actually tasted good, and was a nice gesture on their part. I located the store's website (http://www.bonjuk.co.kr) and was able to navigate to the porridge menu, located on the middle house. It's similar to cream of wheat with a variety of toppings, and the obligatory side dish of kimchi. Breakfast today was instant oatmeal, some honey filled cookies (also delicious, especially when served warm via microwave), and a banana. I was told to drink warm tea, but I must admit, this does not feel good on my throat. In fact, it leaves my throat dry and pains me to drink. So, I have found that the best drink for my throat is chilled Aloe juice. Yes, Aloe is not only for topical applications after a sunburn, but makes for a delicious drink that is very popular in Korea. It usually contains some Aloe pulp, which, in my opinion, is an added treat, and most soothing to the throat.

I slept most Tuesday evening; 7pm until just after 12am. This is perhaps the best sleep I have had in days. It's now 12:55am Wednesday and I have consumed two bananas, my five pills, two types of cough syrup, and I am preparing to attempt to sleep some more. Congestion has improved some. Cough is still bad. Throat hurts. My temperature is 98.4. And, if you're wondering, outdoor temperature is 75.2 F. Indoor temperature is 81 F.

Off to sleep some more. Or so, I hope..

KOREA Week V Review

Mon, June 1, 2009 at 11:51pm

The weekend, it pains me to report, was not as pleasant as I had hoped.

Currently, I am suffering day 4 of a nasty cough and sore throat. The sore throat I experienced two weeks ago returned late Friday and became progressively worse over the weekend. Friday night I killed off the Robitussin I brought with me from the U.S., and I consumed mass quantities of cold/cough pills purchased from a local pharmacy on Saturday. I also purchased (and have consumed 3 bottles as of late Monday) a delicious cough syrup which tastes like a fusion of maple syrup and root beer. It's damn good.

Because the true nastiness of this sickness did not start until late Sunday night, I was able to participate in several pre-planned events Friday night and all day Saturday. Considering my condition late Sunday and Monday, perhaps this was not the brightest thing to do, but it's important to note two things; 1) I felt only mild discomfort Friday and Saturday, and 2) I checked my temperature each day before leaving the apartment. This being said , Friday night I met up with Monica, a 28 year old Korean teacher from my school, and we drove her car in to Seoul for late night Vietnamese dinner with a friend of hers. Pho noodle dinner was fantastic, and Seoul remained bustling well into the early morning. After dinner, we strolled around the streets of Apgujeong (trendy shopping/restaurant neighborhood located South of the Han River) and sat outdoors sipping coffee/tea at Tom N Toms Coffee, a 24 hour Korean coffee chain. It's amazing how massively large Seoul is. Imagine the size and sprawl of New York city combined with the mountainous topography of San Francisco or Seattle. The area is connected via numerous highway systems, subway lines, bridges, tunnels, etc. One way trip to Seoul was only 45 minutes with little traffic, similar to subway travel time, though I have been told this trip can be 1.5-2.0 hours with heavy traffic.

Saturday morning, I had plans to meet B.H. at 8am for a day trip to Daebu Do, an island located approximately 40 minutes West of Sanbon in the Yellow Sea. After confirming with B.H. and informing him of my sore throat earlier that morning, we met at the subway station shortly after 8am and took the train to Oido, the final stop on the #4 Line. Train ride to Oido was maybe 40 minutes, as Sanbon is located half-way between Oido and Seoul. Since Oido is a coastal city, we had to take the 790 bus to Daebu Do via a long man-made causeway, similar to something found in the Florida Keys. I have attached a map link below and if you zoom in close enough you can see the causeway and bridges that connect the islands. After the 790 bus, we took another bus to the Western-most island (Yeong Heung Do) and spent the majority of our time here. Total travel time one-way was around 1 hour 45 mins.

http://www.maplandia.com/korea-south/kyonggi-do/oido/

During the first bus ride, B.H. met another Korean man and together they shared a lengthy discussion in Korean. I, obviously, had no clue what they were talking about, but it turns out the man lives in Sanbon and owns/operates a "pension" (small resort hotel) on the Western-most island. Graciously, he invited us back to his Hawaii Beach Pension, which we, of course, accepted. There, we sat on the deck with our new friend, Mr. Chew, and had coffee, ate melon, and enjoyed the view. His property looks North, toward Incheon Island and the airport, but unfortunately, it was hazy so we could not see Incheon very well. There were, however, many large fishing boats and container ships we could see off in the distance. The Yellow Sea, unlike the Sea of Japan, has a famous tide, which was enjoyable to watch lower during the five hours we spent there. After two hours at Mr. Chew's, B.H. and I thanked him for his hospitality and left to find lunch. A short walk down the road we found a large bay with several stores and restaurants. Lunch was a bubbling clear broth soup with shellfish and noodles, a Daebu tradition, or so I have been told. It was quite good, and was not spicy; a welcome relaxation for my throat. After lunch, we visited a large indoor fish market and patiently waited for the 790 bus for the return trip home. On the train back to Sanbon, I do believe, we both took short naps. Another beautiful day spent with good people. Total travel cost was perhaps 10,000 Won round trip.

Saturday night, Alvin telephoned and we agreed to meet for dinner. He also was suffering from sore throat and minor congestion, so we shared a bottle of brandy from E-Mart in hopes of ridding ourselves from the congestion. Tiann (Alvin and Marcus's teaching partner from KOREA Week II Review) also joined us for dinner. The teachers from their academy live just one floor above their school and in single apartments on one floor, similar, but different to a college dormitory. Later that night, Chrissy and Kelsey, two other teachers from their school, invited the three of us to join them on the roof of the building, along with two of their friends. So, late Saturday night the eight of us sat listening to music, drinking wine and brandy on the ninth floor rooftop discussing teaching English and life in Korea. It was a fun night. The stars, unfortunately, could not be seen from Sanbon.

Sunday, I laid low for the most part until around 10pm, when my discomfort worsened and I registered a temperature of 101.2. This, combined with reports of 10-15 American ESL teachers in Seoul testing positive for swine flu, prompted me to visit the hospital. The hospital visit was approximately 30 minutes including the one block walk from my apartment. Diagnosis at the hospital was tonsillitis, and I was given a shot in my left ass cheek (no joke) along with a 1 day supply of medication. I am extremely pleased to have a Korean-English dictionary built in my cell phone, because the communication without this was near impossible. Total hospital cost including medicine was 45,000 Won. The best part of the visit, however, was the pharmacy. Since many Koreans often have difficulty pronouncing and distinguishing between "f" and "k" sounds, I was only slightly caught off guard, yet very amused, when the pharmacist, attempting to speak English, told me one of the pills was for my "cock" instead of my "cough."

I awoke Monday with very little to no voice. Fortunately, school was closed (previously scheduled administration day, not because of my illness) so I used this extra day to recover. After finishing the last of my medication Monday afternoon, I sought a second opinion at a local Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. He confirmed the tonsillitis and prescribed me with an additional two days worth of medication. I was also told to revisit the hospital if my condition does not improve by Wednesday. Great, two more days of this shit.. Cost of ENT Doctor and medicine was 25,000 Won.

As of late Monday; I remain without voice, popping medication like candy, and wishing for better conditions. Total cost of tonsillitis, including hospital, ENT doctor, and medicine is 80,000 Won and climbing. Although I really do not care at this time, I sincerely hope my voice returns for class tomorrow morning or else I will be teaching classes silently via written words on the dry erase board. The cough syrup, however, is so good I saved my Monday night dosage to accompany my dinner; Baskin Robins vanilla yogurt and green tea ice cream. Seriously, it tastes that good.

My temperature, as of 12am Tuesday morning: 98.9. Congestion: mild. Cough: unpleasant. Throat condition: still sore.