ballade of a complete flop

Check out this cell phone charm!!!

2007-12-30T22:40:00.000+09:00

Christmas in Korea

2007-12-27T00:09:00.000+09:00

…was absolutely wonderful!!!

I really was not looking forward to the holiday season being away from home…I thought I’d be sad…all of us teachers thought the same. But it turned out to be one of the best days in Korea so far. We were lucky and had the day off from work. We were actually supposed to work…a lot of teachers at other schools had to work, but we whined, begged, kicking and screaming NOT to work…and got the day off!!!
So the five of us, Stephanie, Leanne, Daniel, David and myself spent the day sightseeing around Seoul. We started off at a wonderful ‘tofu’ restaurant and then made our way over to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

We got there just in time to watch the changing of the guards…and Leanne realized that all of the guards were tall and all the same height…David mentioned that it is the same at the Arlington Cemetary. I thought that was an interesting bit of information.

As Stephanie always says…”GOD!!! Korean kids are so cute!!! I want to eat them all!!!”
Then Carol says…”Yeah…and then they grow up and look like me! EWWW!!!! HA!”

Inside the walls of the Palace.

“La Mujares” Photo by David Alvarado.
So…David is the only one in the bunch that is not a teacher…he is a photographer for the US Army…and a fucking amazingly, brilliant, awesome photographer!!! Thanks to him…he got us all into the US Army base here in Seoul…and we had a fucking amazingly, brilliant, awesome American style Christmas dinner that night!!! All you can eat buffet!!! You have no idea how happy us teachers were to eat good ole American food!!!

I had ham, turkey, roast beef, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, beef casserole, cheese casserole, potato salad, cucumber salad, stuffing, veggies…THEN for dessert I had apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, carrot cake and coffee mousse cake. Personally…I thought the carrot cake was the best!!! OH!!! I can’t believe I almost forgot!!! I also had kimchee too!!! HA! I wanted to eat more…but I had already unbuttoned the top button…the middle button…and aside from taking off my pants to make more room…I just couldn’t take another bite…then the guilt set in…GOD! I shouldn’t have had that last piece of cake!!! ; )

We all spent the subway ride home telling each other our new diets for the new year…Stephanie is giving up all sugars from her diet…Leanne and Daniel are going to the gym…and I am going to…hmm…never eat that much again!!!
Anyway…moving on in our day….

Notice the holes in the rice paper door? Back in the day…people would poke holes to get a peek of the newly weds…on their wedding night!!! Some of the doors had A LOT of holes!!! HA! : ) Guess…the more holes you had on your door…the better?

This little girl was absolutely adorable…she was hopping around like a bunny!!! Again…Stephanie, “Get in my belly!”

So…Steph, David and I all took the same picture!!! David on his Nikon D200, Steph on her old, weird ass looking Canon, and me on my point and shoot. Stephanie is now yelling, “This is MY shot people!!!!” (It’s really hard to hang out with photographers sometimes…)

The palace feels like a never-ending maze…around each turn another beautiful building, wall or door.

I wanted to take more pictures…but I had no more memory on my card…and was editing and deleting photos at this point to make room for more!!! I got to the point where I couldn’t part with anymore photos…so my visual diary ends here…

After the palace we walked over to the “Blue House” which is where the president resides…yes…I know…funny…

Then made our way over to the Army base for dinner…stuffed ourselves silly, went home…that was our day…

Taean Oil Spill

2007-12-22T23:34:00.000+09:00

check out the link below for pics of how it was before...a lot has been cleaned up since...
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/articleslideshow?articleId=USSEO37024620071208&channelName=worldNews#a=1

an article...
http://www.physorg.com/news116407357.html

It's not easy to hula-hoop

2007-12-18T00:21:00.000+09:00

ready...

...get set...

...go!!!

so...americans...they jog...lift weights...take a yoga class...koreans love to hike...as i've mentioned before and hula-hoop as a form of exercise...hmmm...strange...but loads of fun!!!! (quite tiring too!!!)

soul searching in seoul...part one:

2007-12-11T01:18:00.000+09:00

Went hiking this morning…woke up early…got my gear…put my headphones on…and rocked out to Social D…made the short subway and bus journey to the mountain just outside of Seoul. It’s been my little new ritual…
Soon as I get to the beginning of the trail…I always turn off my music…and try to take in my surroundings…get all ‘zen-like’ …try to absorb the beautiful scenery around me…but I mostly get absorbed by my own thoughts…
Like…there was this old couple in front of me…(by the way…hiking is HUGE here!!! And VERY popular by the elders here!!! It’s like…in America…the old folks go to Florida and play bingo…well…here…the old folks get all decked out in mountain gear…like they are trekking the Himalayas or going on an expedition on Everest…and the cutest is when they wear matching ‘couple’s hiking gear!!!’) so…anyway…cute old couple in front of me…and the trail is quite difficult…I’m already sweating…can feel the annoying boob sweat trickle down…ew!!! So not comfortable! anyway…I digress…
And I was listening in on their chatter…so cute…and was thinking…as I was hiking up alone this really steep part…quite challenging…with ropes to help you get up…and it’s even more difficult as the trails are all snow or ice-covered...that when I am that old…I hope that I too will be wearing a hot pink “red face” mountain gear (they have ‘the red face’ mountain gear here…instead of ‘the north face’ get it? Its so funny!!!} and my unfortunate significant other will be wearing the male matching version hiking up this trail together…and I’ll get to talk his ear off…
Which got me to thinking…for some reason…the promises we made to each other when I was younger with my best guy friends in high school…two actually…of how we’d marry each other if we were still lonesome and pathetically single at 40…Anthony is now married and Brandon…well, I have not heard from him since I went to college…but…either they’ve failed to keep their promises…or I’ve thus far fulfilled mine.

note:pics are taken with a small Nikon 4 mega pix point and shoot camera...thanks to Barbarella, i have a camera...thanks to Korea, i want to take pics again...so i don't want anymore crap about how much my pics suck!!! YOU GOT THAT!!! : ) cheers!!!

rock sculptures...my dad makes these too...i always thought it was some weird thing that only my dad did!!!

drinking cups...fresh mountain water is amazing!!! one of the things i loved about Macedonia... :)

shoes outside a temple

the old gate to 'South Fortress' built in the "Three Kingdoms Period."

"South Fortress" wall

OH MY GOD!!! Carol LOVES Karaoke!!!

2007-12-02T22:24:00.000+09:00

this is seriously the most embarrassing picture...more than the picture with all that crap on my face!!! but i thought it would make some of ya laugh... all the teachers and i love karaoke!!! we are CRAZY about karaoke!!! oh my god! i can't get enough!!! we were out till 4:30 in the morning! had no idea it was that late!!! it's so cheap too!!! 20 bucks for the room for the whole night!!! i can't wait to go again!!!

My Poor Glider...

2007-11-11T22:47:00.000+09:00

Hey guys!!! Went flying today...nothing to eventful...just happy that i got out! quite cold now! did four extended, quite turbulent sled-rides. check out the video...the launch is small...and today was a slow day!!! can you imagine on a busy day! yikes!

my glider is getting old...boo-hoo...i'm so so so so sad!!! it's my first baby!!! my instructor repaired a hole in my canopy and he is bringing my glider to a factory here that will replace, inspect, test and write up a report on the condition of my glider...for about 20 bucks!!! sweet!!!

we also spent some time reknotting my lines to the line loops as such...figure 8's(on the right in pic1 and left in pic2)...he explained that on stronger days...this is much stronger and safer... that's it...nothing too eventful... getting cooler...brrr...

Hospital

2007-11-07T12:01:00.000+09:00

Hey…so sorry I have not written…I have been quite busy these days with new things going on at the school…meeting new teachers and getting around the town a bit more and plus…a nice experience with the hospitals here already!!! I had been feeling strange pains in my abdomen and thought nothing of it…but the pain travelled to my back and knew it was my kidneys…the strangest, very uncomfortable, painful feeling in your back.

Anyway…the first night I went to the emergency room…the doc told me all these tests he wanted to do…and because I don’t have insurance…he warned me that it would be a bit expensive…so I told him that I feel better and want to go home now!! HA! (Of course…I didn’t feel better!) He didn’t want me to go either so he wanted to at least check me on the sonogram free of charge…everything looked okay but he told me if I get a fever or chills, or if the pain worsens to return immediately.

The next evening…the pains get worse, much worse…so I go to the hospital again…and now they want to admit me for 5 days!!! But I insist that they just give me some medicine and let me go!!! Long story short they do just that…but not after getting all these tests done…x-ray, sonogram…which was so funny!!! The doc wants to do another sonogram to make sure that I don’t have stones and we go to open the door to the room and he immediately shuts the door and apologizes and tells me to have a seat and wait…then I hear him yell to his staff, “Where is the sonogram machine?” About 10 minutes later…they wheel that thing in!!! HA!

They poked me in the ass twice!!! And I have a nice long cut running along my ass cheek…as the nurse told me to relax…so I move my hips to relax, but did not know she was in the process of poking me and the needle went scraping across my skin. Ouch!

That’s the problem…all the doctors refuse to speak English…this whole country tends to be that way…as they are a bit shy and embarrassed to speak. Regardless of the fact that I was upset and a bit panicky…because I did not understand exactly what was going on…they did not speak any English…all the medical books are in English…I took a peek at the computer all the doctors use and all their diagnosis’s and notes are in perfect English…they just don’t want to speak it!

Another issue I have with the hospitals here is how dirty it is…they told me to lie down on one of the emergency beds…and I COULD NOT find one without any blood on it!!! I lied down on one that had the least amount of blood on it!

They gave me two infusions…one yellow and one clear cocktail! The clear one they give to everybody! I swear…Korean men drink so much!!! I think they get wasted then they walk into the emergency room to get one of these infusions…then sober up a bit and go home!!! I saw several business type looking men…walk in…get their infusion…walk out…even have a cig in the meantime…walking around with their bag and IV in hand!!! One guy was so impatient…he started to take out his own IV and started to bleed all over the place…the nurse runs over and takes it out for him…then he just walks out!!! And the sheets did not get replaced. (shiver)

Well…I am fine…been taking medication…done with that…and feel better…but as soon as I feel some pain or get a fever…I’ll be back there. Well…gotta run…sorry I have not written and will write again soon…have so much to tell you guys!

My Little Monsters aka My Students

2007-10-13T22:56:00.000+09:00

I walk into class yesterday wearing a skirt and one of my students looks at me and the first thing she says is, “Teacher, your skirt is ugly!”

Ahhh…I love the honesty of Koreans…they start at such a young age!

Anyway…here are some pics of my two favorite classes…they are so hyper and restless…and to this day I have at least one student a day fall out of his chair. I had my first girl fall out of her chair today! It's so funny! It never gets old! The look on their faces when they hit the floor! HA! I know...I'm evil! : )

Most of my students have English names…as I’ve mentioned before…there is Mickey Mouse…who now goes by Sponge Bob…and Sammy Poo, remember him? He now goes by Ala. Don’t ask…I have no idea! I started teaching a new class that puts my schedule to 6 days a week…and I may have some future strippers in this new class…have two girls and their names are Cherry and Star!

The kids in these pics are 9-11 Korean years old…which means that they are 7-9 American years old. First of all…when you are born in Korea you start at One (1)…not zero as in most parts of the world. Plus…you turn your next age on New Year’s Day. So...essentially, the whole country celebrates their birthday on the same day!

So, here’s the math…if your actual birthday has passed this year…add 1 year to your current age…if not…add 2 years. So, for instance…my birthday was back in June…so I would only add 1 year…which then makes me 30…and I would turn 31 on New Years. Which is so strange…that I am about to turn 31 here in Korea, but I’m 29 in America!

Everyone here goes by that system. DUDE…I refuse to acknowledge this system…no one is going to deny me of my last months in my 20’s!!! HA!!! I’ve even seen on the application I filled out to open a bank account here with the option of circling lunar or solar years for your age. Not sure what that’s all about!

Anyway…finally went out to my first Korean bar with the other teachers after work and saw many young ladies smoking! One of the other Korean-American teachers told me that yes…it is correct that young ladies should not smoke, but that is only outside...she tells me that as long as there is a roof, or some sort of covering over your head, it is okay for a woman to smoke! Huh? Okay! Strange…so strange…

Drinking here is extremely cheap!!!! We were 7 and drank beer all night and ordered some appetizers (you have to order appetizers if you want to drink at many of the bars here) and our bill ended up being $9 a person!!! NICE!

Well...going flying tomorrow...more eating and drinking!

Till next time…

Korean “Rock Soup”

2007-10-08T23:59:00.000+09:00

So do you all remember that one story we were told as children…about ‘rock soup?’ Well…if not…I’m not going to tell you…

Anyway…I don’t know what part of paragliding I like better…the paragliding or the eating!!! HA!!! JK!!! But you all know me and my insatiable appetite!!! As my good friend Jay says every time I announce I am getting hungry…he says, ”Uh-oh! Gotta feed the tapeworm!”

Well…one day after a great day of flying…we all go out to dinner…it is a time for pilots to get together and talk about their flights, to compare notes and to get drunk and have fun!

When you go to a traditional Korean restaurant, you MUST take your shoes off at the door. The floors are immactutely clean and the place is lined with tables that are only several inches off the ground.

That cylindrical ‘thing,’ made of bamboo, on the wall is an ‘air conditioner!’ Let me explain…back in the day in old school Korea, you would sleep with that thing with your arms and legs wrapped around it…which would allow air to circulate around your body and keeping you cool…preventing direct contact of sweaty skin on sweaty skin. Pretty clever, eh?

Eating in Korea is extremely cheap! I’m talking traditional Korean cuisine. And ‘soju,’ which is Korean rice wine is EXTREMELY CHEAP!!! Which is not always a good thing as that is all they drink here and they drink massive amounts of soju like it is going out of style!!! Coupled with the fact that most Asians are known for their lack of tolerance for alcohol…not such a good combination.

One thing I quite enjoy about drinking in Korea is the process of drinking…tiny little shot glasses are handed out to each drinker and several bottles are laid out on the table and one individual will pour soju for the others…holding the bottle with two hands, while the recipient also holds his glass very gently with two hands as well…never one…using both hands is proper etiquette…showing respect for one another. After all the drinks have been poured…he will hand the bottle to someone else who will then pour for him. You don’t pour your own drink. It’s nothing special…but I find it quite lovely…the whole process.

The dish we ordered that evening is called “bu dae jigae.” It is a stew with EVERYTHING! It contains many Korean ingredients, such as mussels and shrimp (seafood is wonderful and in abundance as it is a peninsula) mushrooms, cabbage and other leafy greens, and ingredients indigenous to Korean cuisine, PLUS baked beans and spam!!! HUH?!?!?!?!

One of the pilots explained to me that back during the Korean war, there were naturally a lot of Koreans that did not have enough to eat and would hang around American bases stationed in Korea. They would rummage through their garbage looking for food and would collect anything that was edible, which would include leftover scraps of meat, such as spam and baked beans! They would then take their findings and make a stew out of it.

And that was what we had that evening…an absolutely amazingly tasty, more refined and heartier version of what many poor and starving people were eating back in the day during the Korean war.

Another wonderful day of flying...and eating!!!

Flying happily ever after...

2007-10-05T00:35:00.000+09:00

This past Wednesday was another Korean holiday…I’ve been told that the lunar calendar is quite good this year with more holidays than usual! So went flying again…to another site about 2 and ½ hours away from Seoul to Munkyeoung. Stopped by a rest area which was the most entertaining rest area I have ever seen packed with nice shops, restaurants and a batting cage.

As I’ve mentioned before, they recycle EVERYTHING!!! Garbage cans are clearly labeled and the whole rest area is very clean.

We arrive in one vehicle and our gear arrives in another.

The landing zone is already packed with pilots taking advantage of the day off and a break from the rainy day in Seoul only a couple hours away.

Each site I visit is more beautiful than the last one. The landscape breathtaking…and now I was seeing in person all the images I had seen on oriental wall scrolls and paintings with Chinese calligraphy and landscapes that adorned the walls of my house growing up.

On my second (out of 3)flight I was so overwhelmed by my emotions…I have been flying on and off for 5 years now…not as good as I should be…and usually spend more time making sure that I am doing everything correctly than really observing my surroundings…but it was during this flight…which was extremely mellow…and as I was just floating through the air…I realized that I was absolutely completely relaxed for the very first time…and found myself just looking left, right, up, down and behind me…not concerned with ‘flying’ if that makes any sense…just taking in the beautiful view before me. This was so important to me as I felt that I had definitely reached some kind of milestone in my flying career.

Everything from that height is just so peaceful… the land below me looked like a giant quilt…soft like a quilt too with all the gentle rolls and wrinkles…until you hit it that is…and I do like to spend more time with my head in the clouds than my feet on the hard ground…but eventually you have to come back to reality…come back to earth…

Fortunately I was greeted by the cutest little puppy!!! Couldn’t get enough him…he was so cute I just wanted to eat him up!!! Just kidding!!! : )

But instead…we went to the restaurant at the landing zone and had ‘kimchee jigae’ which is spicy cabbage stew and my absolute favorite!!!

At the end of the day…two ‘soon not to be solo’ pilots came flying into the landing zone…took off their gear and got married!!!

It was a good day…with a good hopefully happily ever after ending.

2007-10-04T23:26:00.000+09:00

Bugs on Rodeo Drive?

2007-10-01T22:21:00.000+09:00

The weather was crap yesterday…so I did not end up going flying. Decided to walk around my neighborhood a bit more…find some place to go jogging…and ended up on a busy street that they call here “Rodeo Drive!” It is a place for shoppers…heaven for the hard-core and seriously dedicated shoppers…with a hefty size wallet! Which means…hell for me!!! I hate shopping!

The street is lined with one store after another…the shops spill out onto the sidewalk and street…with racks and racks of clothes that crowd the sidewalks. Plus, other street vendors have their little trucks and tables set up as well, selling every kind of clothing and accessory imagineable. Of course…these street vendors are much more affordable…and quite enjoy browsing and buying from them.

I’ve already found certain vendors that I continue to buy from…jeans and stuff from these ladies in the subway (they don’t annoy the crap out of me like the department store ladies do…that come over and breathe down the back of your neck, saying, “may I help you?” or “try this on,” “oh! that looks nice!” “oh! you should buy this!”…blah blah blah! Drives me nuts!)…socks and stockings from this old grandma who has her things laid out on the floor on a piece of cardboard, in the subway right before the turnstiles (she doesn’t rip me off) and bananas from this man who parks his truck on the corner street (1-2 bucks for a bunch of bananas!!! Can’t beat that!)

One food vendor was selling those little seashells…what are they called? The name slips my mind…they look like extremely miniature versions of conch shells…

He was also selling something else that resembles…ew!!! The creepy-crawlies!!! I have no idea what they are…they may not even be bugs! I just couldn’t tell!!! But they look nasty. They must be good as there were many people waiting to get a paper cup full of both these things. I was watching the others eating and realized that I must have been standing there for a moment too long…quite possibly with my mouth open…so…I took out my camera and took a picture and quickly walked away!

Maybe by the end of my trip I will try them… (shivering in disgust!) and maybe I’ll try dog too…(again…shivering in disgust!) never say never, right?