Haven't had much motivation to write lately, just been enjoying my time. I'm sooo glad winter is pretty much over as the cold weather has been such a drag. The winter here is too cold and too long. I used to love cold weather when I lived in Chicago but now I hate it.
Work is going fine, but I'm looking forward to finishing my contract and finding another job. I'm tired of living in Suwon, I'd rather live in Seoul. Suwon is a mid-sized city but with Seoul so close there really isn't much to do here. A lot of the foreigners who live in my building will be leaving soon. With schools having a hard time attracting new teachers it might be a while before I see some new faces. I don't mind though, I didn't move to Korea to live in a college dorm anyway.
Well, that's it for now.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Don't really feel like posting
I don't really feel like posting much these days. Now that I'm living here I'm also not really following many blogs from ESL teachers. I guess it's time for another break.
My posting style has changed lately, it's become more personal and not about activities or culture. It's also become much more negative. Just keep in mind that 95% of the things I experience over here do not end up on this blog, especially the good things. As much as I rant on here sometimes, I'm generally not a negative person.
Anyway, break time.
My posting style has changed lately, it's become more personal and not about activities or culture. It's also become much more negative. Just keep in mind that 95% of the things I experience over here do not end up on this blog, especially the good things. As much as I rant on here sometimes, I'm generally not a negative person.
Anyway, break time.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Oh the stories I could tell
Some of the people who come here are just plain weird. I've hinted at it before but never really written about it. The stories I could tell about these people would probably not be believed anyway, so I will give you the watered down versions. On the surface these people are actually very nice, and that's really all you need to function here in Korea, after all Koreans don't really know how we're supposed to act anyway. Get under the surface and you're opening up a whole can of worms.
Some of the people I've met...
This particular person is extremely friendly, and I generally like him. Some of the strange conversations he's had with me and other people include: instead of teaching people English we should hire dolphins and teach people to speak dolphin. His solution to make the world a better place includes getting a machine gun and killing the bad people? I'm not sure how he came about that brilliant plan.
The next person will do anything, and I mean anything if someone challenges him to do it. I won't go into the details but he told me a story that would make your teeth hurt if I told you. He is incapable of standing up to peer pressure and will literally risk his life because of peer pressure. Oh, and he's obsessed with his height. He's stopped talking about it recently but he used to always complain that everyone here is taller than him. Oh, he used to complain about fat chicks with the guy I'm going to talk about next, until he got a girlfriend who is on the heavy side.
The next guy is probably the biggest misogynist I have ever met. I have NEVER had a single conversation with him where he did not bring up his favorite topic "fat chicks". The only time he stops talking about it is when a girl he is interested in enters within earshot. He's incapable of looking me in the eye for some reason, every time I talk to him he has to look away from me. He's never said a single nice thing about anyone here. Oh, and he loves to complain about his roommate. It's kinda funny though, if you're a male in your 20s and you come here agreeing to have a roommate, you are an idiot.
This last one is a girl. First time I met her she told me not to crack my knuckles because it would cause arthritis. I told her that was just a myth and she freaked out...here are some of my favorite quotes from that conversation. "I'm a scientist I majored in biochemistry". "Go ahead and challenge me I used to work in a lab". "Every time you crack your knuckles a little bit of liquid escapes from your bones and thats what causes arthritis". Needless to say she has some serious issues.
These are just a couple of the foreigners I have to deal with. My Korean friends are always wondering why I enjoying spending time with them and not the foreigners. I just tell them they are younger than me, or they always want to go out drinking and I don't. I don't tell them the real reasons...I'm too embarrassed.
Some of the people I've met...
This particular person is extremely friendly, and I generally like him. Some of the strange conversations he's had with me and other people include: instead of teaching people English we should hire dolphins and teach people to speak dolphin. His solution to make the world a better place includes getting a machine gun and killing the bad people? I'm not sure how he came about that brilliant plan.
The next person will do anything, and I mean anything if someone challenges him to do it. I won't go into the details but he told me a story that would make your teeth hurt if I told you. He is incapable of standing up to peer pressure and will literally risk his life because of peer pressure. Oh, and he's obsessed with his height. He's stopped talking about it recently but he used to always complain that everyone here is taller than him. Oh, he used to complain about fat chicks with the guy I'm going to talk about next, until he got a girlfriend who is on the heavy side.
The next guy is probably the biggest misogynist I have ever met. I have NEVER had a single conversation with him where he did not bring up his favorite topic "fat chicks". The only time he stops talking about it is when a girl he is interested in enters within earshot. He's incapable of looking me in the eye for some reason, every time I talk to him he has to look away from me. He's never said a single nice thing about anyone here. Oh, and he loves to complain about his roommate. It's kinda funny though, if you're a male in your 20s and you come here agreeing to have a roommate, you are an idiot.
This last one is a girl. First time I met her she told me not to crack my knuckles because it would cause arthritis. I told her that was just a myth and she freaked out...here are some of my favorite quotes from that conversation. "I'm a scientist I majored in biochemistry". "Go ahead and challenge me I used to work in a lab". "Every time you crack your knuckles a little bit of liquid escapes from your bones and thats what causes arthritis". Needless to say she has some serious issues.
These are just a couple of the foreigners I have to deal with. My Korean friends are always wondering why I enjoying spending time with them and not the foreigners. I just tell them they are younger than me, or they always want to go out drinking and I don't. I don't tell them the real reasons...I'm too embarrassed.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Blah
I knew it would happen sooner or later, and I knew it would happen around the four month mark. The newness is completely gone and now things are starting to get on my nerves. I am no longer living in paradise. As much as I love the complexities of Korean culture, sometimes things just really confuse or piss me off. I even briefly entertained the notion of moving to another country to teach. Then again I must remember that I am currently in the "everything is awful" phase of culture shock. One thing I am quickly learning is that during these first couple of months everything is either really good or really bad. There seems to be a very small middle ground. Some days are the best in my life, some days are completely terrible. These mood swings are very annoying as I am used to a secure and stable life in America.
It's odd though, even as bad as things can get, my life is still much better than the secure and stable one I lived in America. As long as I am able to put things into perspective then I should be fine. Writing helps to organize my thoughts. When I started this blog entry I was pretty depressed over recent events, but I feel much better about things now. I have only been here four months and I must remember two things: culture shock, and I will stumble along the way. I will make mistakes but I will always pick myself back up and turn things around.
You might be wondering what brought this on. It's just a combination of things, women problems, culture shock, and minor work problems are the main things. I am learning so much though, all these problems are worth it.
One very important lesson I have learned is about expectations. Don't have expectations, they only get in the way. Enjoy something for what it is, not what it could be.
It's odd though, even as bad as things can get, my life is still much better than the secure and stable one I lived in America. As long as I am able to put things into perspective then I should be fine. Writing helps to organize my thoughts. When I started this blog entry I was pretty depressed over recent events, but I feel much better about things now. I have only been here four months and I must remember two things: culture shock, and I will stumble along the way. I will make mistakes but I will always pick myself back up and turn things around.
You might be wondering what brought this on. It's just a combination of things, women problems, culture shock, and minor work problems are the main things. I am learning so much though, all these problems are worth it.
One very important lesson I have learned is about expectations. Don't have expectations, they only get in the way. Enjoy something for what it is, not what it could be.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Just stuff
For todays post readers I will just talk about random things in no particular order.
This evening I've been thinking a great deal about the movie "Office Space" and about my life this past year. When I first watched the movie Office Space I really didn't enjoy it much. It wasn't very funny, frankly it was boring. I was still in college at this point and hadn't really worked in a big office environment yet. I really didn't appreciate the beauty of the movie. Fast forward a couple of years and now its one of my favorite movies of all time. If you haven't watched it I really recommend it. When people ask me why did I come here, I usually ask them if they have watched the movie Office Space. That movie was my life before coming here. The main character hates his job, his girlfriend is psycho (broke up with mine about a year before coming here) anyway to make a long story short the main character learns not to care about his crappy life and just enjoy it, eventually he follows his dream and ends up as a construction worker but the point is, he's happy. The movie is full of quotes I think about often, here are a few of my favorite:
Peter Gibbons: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime; so where's the motivation? And here's something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Slydell: I beg your pardon?
Peter Gibbons: Eight bosses.
Bob Slydell: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled; that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.
Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man.
Peter Gibbons: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.
Peter Gibbons: Well, not all chicks.
Lawrence: Well, the type of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.
Peter Gibbons: Good point.
Lawrence: Well, what about you now? what would you do?
Peter Gibbons: Besides two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Well, yeah.
Peter Gibbons: Nothing.
Lawrence: Nothing, huh?
Peter Gibbons: I would relax... I would sit on my ass all day... I would do nothing.
Lawrence: Well, you don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Take a look at my cousin: he's broke, don't do shit.
Bob Slydell: You see, what we're actually trying to do here is, we're trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work... so, if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Bob Slydell: Great.
Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up.
Michael Bolton: Peter, you're in deep shit. You were supposed to come in on Saturday. What were you doing?
Peter Gibbons: Michael, I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.
Anyway, now that I've posted half the movie's dialogue go and watch it.
This brings me to another topic. Last Friday I went out for drinks and food with my friends Sun and this other Korean I work with. Anyway the three of us are almost the same age, and we all have similar personalities. We're also at the same points in our life and each of us has been thinking a great deal about our futures lately. My Korean friend has been wondering what he's going to do about his job, if he wants to get married, where he will live. Sun has been very worried lately that she will end up an old unmarried woman, shes 27 western age (29) Korean and has been under a great deal of pressure from her family to get married soon. I'm also wondering about my future but in a different way. The 3 of us were a bit gloomy when we were talking about our futures but when it was my turn I decided to try to cheer everyone up. I just came right out and said "I have no idea what my future holds and thats exactly how I like it". I proceed to tell them I treat my life like an adventure, if I'm unhappy with something in my life I think about it, then I change it. I hated my life in America, so I came halfway around the world to start a new one. I told them I don't care when I get married or what country I live in. I could leave for Japan in one year, end up living in Korea for ten, move to china, or go back home. I have no idea and that makes me happy. I haven't planned out my life. I try to leave every door open that I can and when the time comes I just pick one and end up some place new.
Anyway, that's it for now, later!
This evening I've been thinking a great deal about the movie "Office Space" and about my life this past year. When I first watched the movie Office Space I really didn't enjoy it much. It wasn't very funny, frankly it was boring. I was still in college at this point and hadn't really worked in a big office environment yet. I really didn't appreciate the beauty of the movie. Fast forward a couple of years and now its one of my favorite movies of all time. If you haven't watched it I really recommend it. When people ask me why did I come here, I usually ask them if they have watched the movie Office Space. That movie was my life before coming here. The main character hates his job, his girlfriend is psycho (broke up with mine about a year before coming here) anyway to make a long story short the main character learns not to care about his crappy life and just enjoy it, eventually he follows his dream and ends up as a construction worker but the point is, he's happy. The movie is full of quotes I think about often, here are a few of my favorite:
Peter Gibbons: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime; so where's the motivation? And here's something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Slydell: I beg your pardon?
Peter Gibbons: Eight bosses.
Bob Slydell: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled; that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.
Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man.
Peter Gibbons: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.
Peter Gibbons: Well, not all chicks.
Lawrence: Well, the type of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.
Peter Gibbons: Good point.
Lawrence: Well, what about you now? what would you do?
Peter Gibbons: Besides two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Well, yeah.
Peter Gibbons: Nothing.
Lawrence: Nothing, huh?
Peter Gibbons: I would relax... I would sit on my ass all day... I would do nothing.
Lawrence: Well, you don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Take a look at my cousin: he's broke, don't do shit.
Bob Slydell: You see, what we're actually trying to do here is, we're trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work... so, if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Bob Slydell: Great.
Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up.
Michael Bolton: Peter, you're in deep shit. You were supposed to come in on Saturday. What were you doing?
Peter Gibbons: Michael, I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.
Anyway, now that I've posted half the movie's dialogue go and watch it.
This brings me to another topic. Last Friday I went out for drinks and food with my friends Sun and this other Korean I work with. Anyway the three of us are almost the same age, and we all have similar personalities. We're also at the same points in our life and each of us has been thinking a great deal about our futures lately. My Korean friend has been wondering what he's going to do about his job, if he wants to get married, where he will live. Sun has been very worried lately that she will end up an old unmarried woman, shes 27 western age (29) Korean and has been under a great deal of pressure from her family to get married soon. I'm also wondering about my future but in a different way. The 3 of us were a bit gloomy when we were talking about our futures but when it was my turn I decided to try to cheer everyone up. I just came right out and said "I have no idea what my future holds and thats exactly how I like it". I proceed to tell them I treat my life like an adventure, if I'm unhappy with something in my life I think about it, then I change it. I hated my life in America, so I came halfway around the world to start a new one. I told them I don't care when I get married or what country I live in. I could leave for Japan in one year, end up living in Korea for ten, move to china, or go back home. I have no idea and that makes me happy. I haven't planned out my life. I try to leave every door open that I can and when the time comes I just pick one and end up some place new.
Anyway, that's it for now, later!
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