I'm leaving on a jet plane

--actually I've left. This will be my last post.

So of course the final 7 days have been manic. I took to split-shift sleeping as I juggled the influx of farewell dinners, the overdue packing and a final week at work.

• On Monday Ju Young and I spent quality shopping time revelling in the Forever 21 goodness
• On Tuesday Chris ventured up to our neck of the woods to join Kathryn and me for noraebang
• On Wednesday - suffering somewhat from sleep deprivation - David came over for extensive beer consumption
• On Thursday - developing some attractive coughing and spluttering - I bid farewell to co-workers Olive and Miye over a traditional galbi dinner
• On Friday Taera and I bonded at Thuy's leaving party, followed by losing my voice completely at Caliente

So naturally my body wasn't particularly impressed with this excessively active social life, especially amongst the packing/chucking/trips to the bank/post office. The 2nd anniversary party of You Can Dance Studios was a beautiful event, and the perfect opportunity to get dressed up and say goodbye to all my friends in Korea. Unfortunately by the end of the night my tonsils were throbbing in despair and I had to make my early exit once the party moved on to the Hard Rock Café. It was disappointing to have to give the farewell hugs amongst the loud music and buzzing atmosphere, but at least we'd taken some gorgeous photos to commemorate.

So Sunday I spent rushing to and fro giving Kathryn the remains of the boxes wanting to be sent to the UK as whittling my life down to 20kg had proved to be a little optimistic. It was 6.30pm as I was finally giving the final polish down of the bare apartment, careful not to swirl any dust about as I gently closed the door behind me. Having an 8am flight the next morning, the buses wouldn't be running early enough for me to get to the airport on time, so Ju Young kindly offered to give me a place to stay and a lift in the morning.

As I took the suitcase out of the taxi in Itaewon waiting to meet Ju with her car, I couldn't have had a better surprise to find every one of my closest friends waiting for our final dinner. We grabbed a table for 12 at Outback Steakhouse and followed it up with what was essentially our own private party at America Latina. My 'one last dance' with all my favourite dancing men (and girls), including an impromptu Columbian salsa class by the owners, was really the perfect end to an amazing year (and 4 months) in Korea.

Of course the final post is going to be difficult to write. It's impossible to express all the emotions of leaving such a life behind. It really has been a rollercoaster of a year, but not one I would have traded for anything. The things I've done...the foods I've eaten...but most importantly the people I met.

I tell you what, if this year hasn't done anything else to change me, I've taken to embracing my soppy emotions without excessive coatings of sarcasm. Perhaps the UK will change that again. ㅋㅋㅋ...

Forever 21

The streets of Myeongdong are arguably one big fashion store. Clothes, shoes and accessories are on sale at cheap-cheap prices without having to step foot in a shop. But - and I've griped about this before - where are the size labels? Where are the dressing rooms? How do you know what you're buying is going to look as good on you as it does on the hanger?

Bring on Forever 21. An clothing chain with stores across North America, it opened its doors in Seoul last October. Recommended by many international friends I was yet to experience its delights, but last night, in need of a dress for You Can Dance Studio's Gala Event this weekend (that's my advert), I dragged fashion-frenzied girlfriend Ju Young to check it out with me.

We were not disappointed.

That's three floors of ladies clothes, systematically arranged across the store, presented in an easy-to-browse fashion, ranging in sizes from XS to L. And get this. A floor dedicated to trying on, with a lounge area kitted out with large sofas outside the fitting rooms. Ju Young and I spent a good 2-3 hours in this shop, taking advantage of said fitting rooms and clothes. And at affordable prices, too. Not like the $5 t-shirts of the street sellers, but one hopes for a better quality of garment in exchange.

Doesn't sound any different to shopping trips of my past. But this is Korea. Shopping like this isn't quite as rife, and we need to revel in its goodness!

Orientation

Friday was potentially my last day of teaching - ever. I got the kids to write thank you letters to their teachers, and even made one of them cry when I pointed out her mistakes. An excellent finish, I'd say!

Yesterday Chris, Marie's boyfriend, future co-worker and my replacement, and I were forced to sit through an excessive number of speeches as the new parents were called in for "Orientation Day" while the children met their new teachers. I wasn't aware the kindergarten offered so much that could warrant so much talking. We, too, had to give our part (translated line by line) in explaining the English curriculum, but it seemed we were really only asked to sit out the rest as an exercise in parading the token foreigners. Oh yes. The snide comments will ride out til the end!

In the evening I took the subway all the way down to Suwon to meet my extended Korean family for a final dinner. Everyone was in good spirits, the food was good, and I was honestly surprised that I'd forgotten this tradition of giving money. It was also nice to have an idea of the conversation flitting across the table this time too, and to do some final bonding my with cousins and their kids. [I do notice the won is horrendously weak at the moment, which isn't wonderful timing for sending home my final pay packet...]

So now that it's actually my last week in Korea, it seems every man and his dog wants to see me. Which is lovely, of course, but rather limits my events to "...and then I met --- for our last farewell..." Given that I'm meeting Alex for lunch and heading over to Subok's jazz gig tonight, there'll be more.

Dinner, A Missing Child, and Farewell Speeches

Having not ever been part of any ladies sports teams (or any sports teams for that matter), the high-rising oestrogen level at the dinner table tonight was beyond that that I've previously experienced.

Despite the layers of food that kept appearing, the evening took a distinct downturn when a mother phoned to complain that her child had walked home alone at the carelessness of the kindergarten teachers. Whether the teacher on duty really had seen the supposed older brother, or whether the child really did brace the streets of Seoul alone, or whether some lies were told along the way, the blame had to placed somewhere. There followed a good half an hour of silence around the table as the director was forced to listen to the reprimands of the distraught mother.

So whether it was the previous atmosphere, or emotions generally running high, or the end of year sadness, there was barely a single teacher out of the twelve females present who didn't fight the tears as they thanked everyone for a wonderful year. Despite the earlier angst filling the room we managed to leave on a happy note, with previously unformed friendships peaking as four teachers, myself included, will leave the school. I didn't manage to say my proper goodbyes at graduation due to a mix-up with speech giving, so I was glad to have had my chance to thank my co-workers for inviting me into their family. I was also glad I wasn't the first to shed tears.

I was not, however, glad to have acquired this fish bone in my throat.

The Beautiful Store

Korea has this kind of ingrained dislike of used goods. Second-hand furniture/electronics stores are around, but charity shops for the little things aren't such a well-known concept.

The Beautiful Store, first opened in 2001 and now with locations all over Korea, offers an opportunity to buy and donate second-hand items. Part of the Beautiful Foundation, the Beautiful Store aims to encourage a culture of recycling and sharing. Donated items have to be small enough for one person to carry, apparently they clean and repair everything they receive, and all proceeds go to charity. It's where all my junk acquired over the last year is going.

Apart from my books. What The Book - a second hand book store in Itaewon - will buy your old English books off you dependent on quality and nature of the book. You can get store credit to use on other second-hand books, or receive 50% of the amount in cash. You can also buy online. I might have given a shining advert for the Beautiful Store just now, but why give when you can sell? :D

Identity crisis?

This is a post that I began to write on the 22nd April, 2008, following a lengthy discussion with a then-close friend who happened to be both Korean and gay. There was a lot more that was I wanted to comment on (e.g. religion, economy, prostitution, Western influences), but the post was never completed. I would like to note that having further observed Korean society and culture since these initial thoughts it's difficult to know my current stance on these issues. However in the interests of completion of the blog I post it now - unedited from what I originally wrote - intended as a reminder of the various thoughts I've had over the year.

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Korea: The Land of the Morning Calm. Or at least, that's what it was nicknamed as a loose translation of Joseon - the ancient ruling dynasty of Korea. Nowadays with the influx of a changing economy, fast paced lifestyle and Western influences, such a name is no longer appropriate. The government have thus rejected the old slogan in favour of something more appealing to the generations of people to come: "Dynamic Korea".

But even though Korea has changed drastically in the last century, there appears to be a battle between traditional values and the lives that people attempt to live. Opinions and beliefs about their own country are certainly varied among the people of Korea.

Of course, I'm just a foreigner. I've only lived here for six months; I cannot imagine that I could have any kind of authority on the subject. What are to follow are merely my observations as I live day-to-day in this ever-changing country.

Family values

Traditionally, parents were to look after their children well in exchange for the promise that they would be well looked after in their old age. These days there is such a emphasis on following a career that people are sacrificing family commitments for money. Young people are moving further and further away from their home towns in order to pursue a career, and in the same vein, are marrying later and having less children. Improved healthcare has meant that the older generations are living longer, and with Korea having the lowest birth rate in the world, alarm bells are ringing in the most hazy of minds.

Women’s position in society has moved from a home-making mother to a career hungry beast. She may or may not get married; if she does she may or may not have children; and if she does that, then she may only choose to start her family in her 30s rather than her 20s. This doesn’t seem at all removed from the culture many of us are familiar with at home. But throw in a few social/traditional values and problems begin to arise.

Most parents wish the best for their children. But if that means sacrificing their own beliefs, here they may be willing to sacrifice their children instead. Arranged marriages are still common, even if it is just the merging of two families by ‘introductions’ [incomplete].

Many old people may insist that there are no gay people in Korea. There are no official laws against homosexuals here, but that doesn’t mean to say that it is accepted. Far from it. The fact is that it is such a taboo subject that it is not even considered.

Marriage in South Korea

Economy of South Korea

Korea: Infected, Detected, Rejected. Troubling treatment for foreigners with HIV/AIDS

Graduation

It's difficult to be quite so glib this year round. The concept of graduation for kindergarten might seem farcical to we who don't even celebrate the end of high school, but that didn't stop the notion that the children I've been playing with day -in-day-out for the last year are off.

The year is over. The tears have rolled. It's time to move on.

Musical English

Yesterday the whole school congregated for the end-of-year performances they've been rehearsing all semester. Some were decidedly better prepared than others. The costumes made up for any lack of flair the actors may have been blessed with, however:


I'm so tired. Marie left today to go back to Australia for a holiday, so I did a double load of teaching today. It's graduation tomorrow. I'll be staying in tonight preparing my speech.

Locked out!

When I returned home after an excellent farewell Vietnamese dinner with Ryan and his wife in the south of Seoul, buzzing from all the delicious food and lugging a Korean tea set that I received as a lovely parting gift and will add wonderfully to my 20kg weight allowance, I realised I didn't have my keys. I'm reasonably impressed with myself that after nearly 18 months of living here, this was the first (and most definitely hopefully only) time I've misplaced my keys and forbidden myself entry to my apartment.

What is more, is that despite having lived here for nearly 18 months, and only ever nearly needing it, I've never been in the knowledge of the phone number of office tel guy - nor do I know where he lives. Luckily - not quite having the courage to knock on any of the doors of my adjacent strangers - my next door neighbour happened to be popping out. She called the guy for me, who was thoroughly irritated, and I spent the best part of forty-five minutes with her while the guy was - undoubtedly not without annoyance - having a new key cut for me.

Perhaps I could have been inside a lot more quickly if he knew I had a spare key inside, but it gave me an opportunity to get to know my next door neighbour. Just a year older than me (the hierachical nature of the language dictates you get this kind of information quickly in Korea; I still barely know the ages of many of my Western friends here) she was in the midst of a mammoth origami session as she was making individual wrappings for individual chocolates to go in an amazingly ornate box for her boyfriend for Valentine's day. She's been at it for the past month. Actually, it shows I've not been shopping lately as I haven't noticed any pro-Valentine's day merchandise around, but on reflection I'm sure it's out there in abundance.

So the best was made out of an inconvenient situation - we exchanged numbers and movie opinions; I am just pretty amazed I've lived here so long and practically not even seen another person go in or out of their rooms, let alone conversed with them. Lucky, eh.

Sledding and Sleeping

It's not just me for whom this year is coming to an end. The kids had their graduation field trip yesterday near Children's Grand Park at a temporary sledding slope. It was really good fun, but highly tiring. Normally I can play with the best of them, but a couple of hours' exhilaration sliding down the slopes in over-inflated rubber rings really took it out of me. I was only able to scramble through the bouncy-castle obstacle course once. Many of the kids were going through for more, five or six times. Either I'm too big, or I'm too old. Or just too tired. A sad realisation!

I know I only have a few more weeks left in Korea, and I want to make the most of the time spending time with the people I love. I definitely feel in a state of limbo; the school year is coming to an end so work isn't as occupying as usual, but it's a little early to start the physical pack up unless I want to spend the next three weeks in a bare apartment, and meeting people for 'final goodbyes' seems far too sad and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for that finality to really kick in! So it's quality time all around; last night the gang met up in Suwon to spend a quiet night in at Subok's place; tonight it's down to Sanbon for movies and sleeping at Robin's. I love sleeping, and it's always more fun to wake up to animated brunches and good company.

The 2008 Centre Georges Pompidou Exhibition "Heaven for Artists"

Being a Sunday afternoon midway through the running of the exhibition, of course it was like battling rush hour subway traffic trying to get a glimpse at any of the paintings.

Maybe best just to see them in Paris.

Granola in Korea

It is difficult to find certain foodstuffs that one might be used to at home. Good cheese is one. Branston Pickle might be another. Custard might be another. Granola is definitely one of them. [1]

Apparently you can find it in Costco - an international hypermarket of which many foreigners are admittedly members - but if this isn't convenient to you, and granola is on the list of things you miss from home, there is a potential solution.

Post - a Korean cereal brand - have brought out "Almond Cranberry Granola". Containing a full 30% granola, it's almost like the real thing.

It isn't bad.

[1] So actually we don't really have granola in the UK, rather favouring muesli as a nation instead. Also, not everyone likes it.

Essential Korean For Foreigners

Besides hello, goodbye (not many of which really grasp, there being different forms depending on who's leaving and who's staying), thank you, and tuna kimbap please, there are some words and phrases that, by living in Korea, are unavoidable. These include:

바보 [babo] : a fool. Can also mean stupid, silly, an idiot, a dunce, a dumb bunny. My worst experience with this word was having a kid in tears self-declaring himself a 'babo' because he couldn't do my worksheet.

아줌마 [ajumma] : aunt. This can be a derogatory term for an old lady. Galbijim states, "The stereotypical 'ajumma' image is that of a short, stocky, tough old woman who wears purple pants and permed hair, and has sharp elbows on the subway." I can't put it any more eloquently than that.

미치다 [mitchida] : to be crazy. As in mad, insane. Pronouncing "you're crazy" to somebody (even if you innocently mean "enthusiastic") can be wildly offensive. My students have taken to asking me, "Mary Teacher, are you crazy?" Cheeky buggers.

가위 바위 보! [kawi bawi bo!] : rock, paper, scissors. This game is the Korean teacher's God-send. Used by children and adults alike, it is the ultimate decider and can appease the most tense of disagreements.

Got any more to add?

Happy Lunar New Year

I've taken on some extra part-time work this week, so have been forced to favour my computer screen this long weekend rather than partake in extended family rituals this year.

This also means that instead of gorging myself on festive foods indoors, I've experienced the one time of year that Seoul closes down. Shops and restaurants might be open on Christmas Day in Korea, but the 24-hour convenience lifestyle is annually renounced for the first day of the year by the lunar calendar.

This year that day is today, Monday 26th January.

One thing that the second national turnaround does give, is an excuse for establishments to keep their excessive Christmas decorations up a little longer, much to the horror of Korea's western residents. Although the shops are shut, Yongsan's CGV was screening some films which gave me the perfect excuse to dust my camera and snap some shots at the I-Park Mall - hence the unseasonal photograph.

Subok and I checked out Changeling, and despite craning our necks to view the big screen from the second row as we battled all the other cinema-goers on this national holiday, it was an excellent choice. Definitely recommended.

Blogging about blogging

What is it that we expect from an expat blog? New experiences, cultural observations, day-to-day life in a foreign country, perhaps. Things that surprise us, things that annoy us, our jobs, our friends. But when one has been in a country for over a year and the daily routine doesn't differ that much from one day to the next, it rather leaves a void for potentially bloggable subjects. I guess this is the part where it's less of a "cultural experience" and more of a "life". Not that we're not always living, of course. But that's not my point.

I guess it doesn't help that Marie is counting down the days until she flies home to Australia for a couple of weeks before the beginning of the new school year in March. It rather puts my imminent departure to the UK at the forefront of my mind, which is now a mere five weeks away. I do suppose that the fact that I'm looking forward to going home is a sign that I've made the right decision. It doesn't necessarily mean I'm looking forward to leaving, mind you.

Not that I'm particularly making the most of my final weeks in Korea. The pro-active-me would be ticking off all those niggly bits of sight-seeing that I've been wanting to do. The apathetic-me is quite happy embracing solitude and the warmth of the indoors. Because how often in life do you get to do that? And I did take a brief/thorough look through my guidebook for anything pressing I've managed to miss in the last 15 months. Nothing is jumping out at me.

So the daily routine is sitting all right with me at the moment. Of course the prospect of work is never particularly appealing, and this week has certainly dragged. But perhaps it takes a while to readjust to the 9-5 routine. Perhaps the promise of the end of the school year in just three weeks time allows us to wish away the time. Regardless, kids are dropping off classes like flies, and I'm reasonably certain it's the pressures of school life and the end of term that are to blame. So guilt-free I can enjoy classes where all the children fit round a 12-seater table. And hell, if the teacher is nodding off by the end of the day, it's little wonder the kids aren't too motivated for a hardcore lesson on vowel sounds.

But it's probably not healthy to spend all your time alone. Especially when you're inclined to thrive on human contact. In the past five days I've chatted with Marie, imparted knowledge on the children, exchanged necessary information with other co-workers, and greeted the man at the grocery store. Recluse is a term I've been using a lot lately. But I'm fine. (Would I be writing this if I wasn't? Would I be writing this if I was?)

We may be inclined to write about the fun times, the annoying times, the interesting times. But non-descript times are inevitable. Do they not deserve blog posts too?

Whiling away the winter weather

So rather than brace the zero degree temperatures (which admittedly really aren't that cold, and definitely preferable to the -14 of last week, rather showing that I'm not really English anymore) I've found a new source of entertainment. Don't get too excited. I replaced the batteries in my television remote control. Yep, that's right. My excuse for lack of blog posts is I've been watching TV.

When I think about it, that's six months of MegaTV (Korean on-demand service) I've been paying for but not taking advantage of because my remote was dead. So I could say that I'm just getting my money's worth now. I even skipped salsa class on Saturday for it. But one needs nothing time once in a while. Right?

Well, I did go to a ballroom dance workshop on Sunday. All is not completely lost. And this weekend is Lunar New Year, which translates as a 4-day-weekend. Watch this space for non-TV related blog posts. :|

Back to work

Unfortunately we all have to go back sometime, and it's not like I'm actually teaching until Friday...I just feel my time doing nothing could be spent so much better away from my desk...ㅠ.ㅠ...^.^

But my last few days have been wonderfully productive in my doing nothing; an excellent recovery from an excellently relaxing holiday. Gosh, life is tough sometimes. I wish it were just a tad warmer to enjoy all the freedom outside without the promise of flaking skin and matted hair...

(Let's see how many blog posts arise from whiling away the hours at work this week ;-) )

Back in transit

The last couple of days of our holiday were wonderfully relaxing. We spent Wednesday in FRIM - the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. Unfortunately our taxi driver thought he'd make a few more pennies out of us and dropped us at the far edge of the forest, leaving us to wander around before finding both the information centre and the fact that we'd missed the opportunity to walk on the canopy walkway. Still it was nice to take a wander avoiding leeches and mosquitos and enjoying the greenery just a step outside of the big city. We headed for Berjaya Times Square in the afternoon to try out the "Premiere Class" cinema: a screen dedicated to couples kitted out with two-seater chairs only. If I'd have been in the UK I'd have definitely complained about the level of air-conditioning though; I think all three couples who'd gone to watch "Bedtime Stories" (quite amusing by the way) came out of the film shivering.

After a brief wander round Merdeka Square in the hottest midday sun we'd encountered all holiday, yesterday we went back to Times Square to get our fill of indoor amusement park. We weren't overly impressed that one of the attendants fell asleep leaving us battling with the centrifugal force(-? I'm no physicist) of Ooert's Express (right) for a good ten minutes. But it was quite novel to ride a rollercoaster over the top of a huge department store.

So I'm back in Beijing airport after a sad final parting and a six hour flight from KL waiting out the seven hours until my connecting flight to Seoul. It's -13 degrees outside, but this time I brought gloves to the computer to save my freezing fingers. It's been a truly wonderful holiday...and it's just another four weeks of teaching the kiddies before the pack up and goodbye from Korea!

Singapore

Not fancying a long bus journey, we took an even longer 7.5 hour train journey from Singapore to KL yesterday. We forgot to buy food, so by 9.30pm we were pretty hungry. We just checked into a cheap hotel near Sentral station and went for a delicious Indian meal next door. After Singapore we are now able to fully appreciate Malaysian prices.

So the first thing that I found when we drove onto Singaporian soil was some twinge of longing in my heart as similarities with British road systems were overpoweringly apparent. In fact, I couldn't help feeling that Singapore was a hotter, more multi-cultural version of the UK. Everyone might speak English in Malaysia, but in Singapore it's the national language. Going out on New Year's Eve and hearing the distinct voices of British expats. It's not something I come across often in Korea.

So after a lazy morning on the first day of the year, we met Jaideep to take a lazy tour of the city. We took the "Duck Tour" - a half land/half water vehicle complete with cheesy tour guide and duck whistles for sale. It was good to get an overview of the city and some sunset pictures of the Singapore skyline from the river. We took in the less-extravagant-than-apparently-usual Christmas lights down the designer label Orchard Road before heading for the world's only "Night Safari" at the zoo: a chance to watch the animals sleeping in the most eco-friendly zoo a zoo can be. It was so good we spent the whole of the next day getting tired feet taking in the daytime zoo. Trying to imitate animals' natural habitats is inarguably exemplary, but it does mean that sometimes you have to search for a sighting in amongst all the greenery.

On Saturday we met Adeline, one of Ian's university friends, who gave us the most comprehensive walking tour of Singapore's cultural districts that we could have asked for. We took in Chinatown, the Arab quarter and Little India in a very thorough four hours. And to round it all off we spent the next day in Sentosa, Singapore's "best Thai beach outside of Thailand" [Jaideep]. Just as I was beginning to shake off the feeling of artificialness of Singapore prompted by staying at Clarke Quay - rows of sparkling trendy bars on the riverfront - Singapore's contrived manufactured beach resort certainly sparked it up again. But we had fun going round the unimpressive aquarium and taking the trip up Singapore's symbolic Merlion. There was a really poor laser show that inspires wonder at whom it is that buys the DVD.

So that was Singapore. Certainly I have mixed feelings about it. Clean and safe, for sure, with an excellent zoo and great night life. People are friendly and everyone seems to mix well despite differences in their cultural backgrounds, but artificial is definitely a word to describe it. And expensive. Malaysia really is comparable heaven for the back pocket.

And we're down to the last few days before the holiday ends and work begins again for the year. Today we spent an excellent three hours in Petrosains: a fully interactive science museum sponsored by Petronas, before taking our free tickets up to the Skybridge of the towers. Malaysia sure is proud of its oil.

Happy New Year!

So yesterday we made it to Singapore ready to see the new year in. Jaideep gave us the local's tour of Clarke Quay, taking in the end-of-year fireworks display, the huge mobs of people attempting to cross the city, and of course the lychee martinis and Flaming Lamborghinis. It was great to meet his friends and family and spend some time with a close friend in his own city.

Happy new year to all, wherever in this world you may be!