Watch, then Chew

          The morning after my stomach is unsure of itself.  "What was that!" it gurgled.  Simultaneously my breath said the same thing maybe it was the clove of pickled garlic, I think, that I ate.  It is the morning after a fellow teacher's going away dinner at a sushi restaurant where the tall, moderately inflexible, and novice chop stick fumblers struggle.  Kirsty and I joined our Korean counterparts to a meal where dishes were many and compact much like the housing in the country.  The seemingly endless courses were accompanied with seemingly endless questions of; 

What is that? 

And this is? 

Wow that's hot. 

I dip it in which sauce?  

Its OK to spit it out?

The latter question was in regards to this piece of 'food' that had odd tiny purple cone shaped somethings jetting out in various directions along its periphery.  It was kind of crunchy for a moment and then it was like chewing on a rubbery piece of wood.  I tried to man up but maned down when the look on my face garnered looks of defeat.

So, I now have a rule when eating abroad with country nationals - Wait till something is tried before trying yourself.    

Too, I learned that one is not allowed to pour their own glass of XYZ alcoholic drink and that you are to use two hands.

Another question was, "What do I do when I go to the bathroom?"  My shoes were left at the door as is custom.  "Man, I hope Koreans are not sprayers."  Funny the things you don't consider until you are in the situation.  Luckily the bathroom was quite tidy.  However,  it was only when I was leaving the bathroom that I noticed the complimentary shower shoes.  Which upon a return trip were worn and covered all but a 1/3 of my foot.

No doubt I am still vary gracious for the wildly cultural meal and drink, but my stomach left the restaurant, and continued the morning after, with mixed feelings of fullness and uncertainty.  

Korea is Cute

This is not Belize. This is not Peace Corps. Korea is nothing I have ever seen before. Everything seems so different. Admittedly after the Peace Corps experience this seems easy. I have never seen so many people in one place, there is a neon light bulb for every person, anything we need seems to be within 5 minutes, walking, but most noticeable and most frustrating is the grocery store. I, Kirsty, we, can't read a lick of Korean and nothing much is in English or any other language. Too is the jet lag. After about a week I think I am nearly over it. The 27 hours of transit did not help. Neither did going to Scotland for 11 days from the U.S, adjusting to the time change there and then heading to Korea for another, radical, time change. For the first three days I could only sleep for three or four hours at a time and my entire body ached.

Though this is different, it does not mean that is bad. This experience is wild.

Kirsty and I live in a small town of Ochang outside of Cheongju which is about 2 and half hours south of Seol, I think. Ochang is, as we are told, a new city. We were also under the impression that it may be a bit rural. It maybe rural, but not to a Westerner's standards. To my western eyes we live in a city. To my small town USA eyes we live in a large metropolis. Huge apartment rises dominate the skyline. However the city planning and zoning was/is impeccable. Everything it seems is a five minute walk. Work, bank, Kirsty's potential dojo sp? - in the same building. Two convenient shops less than a minute. Restaurants, mainly Korean and three pizza joints five minutes or less. Clay tennis courts, a golf range (Asian style), Internet shops, pool halls, etc. etc. - a stone's through. Luckily Kirsty and I do not live in the sci-fi ish apartments, but just on the skirts in a small apartment building on the first floor.

Life, outside of the culture shock and jet lag, for the first week anyway, is easy. The climate has been fare. Absent is the sweating I would do every hour of nearly every day in Belize. There are smooth and wide roads. I have hot water in my apartment though I have to push a button to turn it on. I even have a washing machine!!!

Work is something else. We started the day after arriving! No training. We teach from 2:30 to 8:00 at night to very small class sizes, between 5 -12 students. The Korean teachers are nice people and the director has been very accommodating. Though it has seemed a little disorganized to what we are teaching. I am learning what classes I am teaching on a daily basis and where the class is in the book. The idea of syllabi and planning seems foreign for the first week.

Me - So what do you want me to do today (first day).
Director - Do you know magic?
Me - uhm no.
Director - Hahaha.

So for the first couple of days they just wanted us to introduce ourselves and play games with the kids. My students learned how to play memory, Go Fish, and hang man. They are amazed at my modest shuffling skills. Not one of them can shuffle which is depressing. Even though the kids are respectful, hard working, and cute. Which I have to say kind of sums up this country and experience, from what I know of it - cute.

As everything is new and exciting and wild and cute I still think of Belize every day. I miss it and have the fondess of memories and am very appreciative of my friendships that I have made Belizean, American or otherwise.

Evidence of such can be found in my Wednesday/Friday 2:30 class with five Kindergarteners named Frank, Joe, Micah, Matty, and Mike- all names of friends from my Peace Corps group. Also, you will see Shella and Jenny in my other classes. Giving my students English names may be the funnest part of my job.