Welcome to Dongmakgol.

Getting the first post down, even if it's not much, should help to get back into this. After all it's as much for me as it is for you. I'm still working around Seoul at the same kindergarten. Awfully easy to get used to life here and not have bigger aspirations. Bills are low, jobs are plentiful and decent, considering. Just like home only different.

My first 8 months here were much more fascinating but it's been 14 months total here and it's what I'm used to now. I've mentioned before, I've never had any experience being part of the American workforce and am a bit frightened by that prospect. Along with the rent and car payments that would come with living back home. I shouldn't feel this way I think but, if I went back home I'd sense the competition and pressure to "make something" of myself and make decent money. Here, it's extremely simple to just try to enjoy your life.

No plans for the future... I just teach 30 hours a week and try to enjoy my hobbies and hang out. I busted my knee playin basketball back in October and I'm hopin rehab will get it back to the way it was pre-injury. The more I do the less I think it will ever be normal again. But if that and a 2 minute graduation speech to the parent's of my kids are my biggest worries then life can't be too shabby.

Also I think I'm becoming the Lamar Odom of a foreigner trying to speak Korean. Some guy on espn.com wrote Odom was either the best bad player or worst good player in the NBA. You get the idea. Maybe. The tendency of Koreans to tell me I speak really well if I spit out a few broken sentences might have to do with this perception.

What can I say about living in this place? It's just life no matter where you live it. If I'll think up anything else that sounds cliche I'll get to posting them.

The Man Comes Around.

So I'm teaching kindergarten in the Seoul area. Alright so far, tiring but sometimes pretty fun. Got to take some pictures of the kids (cute) and school (big money) so I can put them on here. Quite a responsibility for my 23 year old person being the sole caretaker of 7 year old kids 5 hours a day... might not be a perfect fit for me but I'll take it. They cry, they pick their noses, they hug me for no reason. I'm with the same kids each day, every day... I'll miss'em whenever I go.

Trying to figure out how much I want to pursure studying Korean. My level is at the point I can survive but if I want to reach the next level I'll have to step it up. But on the other hand I really want to learn Spanish before I settle back in Florida so...

Anyways, Corea is cool (ugh).

Like whoa.

Currently in Bundang, finished up a camp in Pyeongchang and lookin for full time work. Semi-interesting stuff later when I make time and get the internet hooked up at home.

Don't Stay Home.

I delayed having to make a decision about what I'm doing next by signing up to work a 2 week summer camp in Pyeongchang. It's cool I'll be able to see another part of Korea. I've lived in a small city for 8 months. I'll live in a town for a few weeks. Then try out a suburb of Seoul (probably).

Doesn't bother me I don't know much about the town or the job, it's just for 2 weeks. After all I flew here, across the States and the Pacific and hardly knew what I was getting into. No regrets.

I gotta buy a nice bike. W350,000 or about there. I've been the white guy on the old bike that's too small for him getting all the long looks from the locals recently.

So it's just been lots of bike riding and hanging out with friends and a bit of studying recently. I seriously promise pictures and stuff in the future, I'm gonna be seeing 2 new places and doing 2 new jobs in the next month after all.

One of my favorite pictures from church...

Now, random pictures that maybe maybe maybe are of mild interest.

An alley! Wow!

The view from a friend's apartment.

Dam.

아녕, 미미

So I spent the past few days in Chuncheon. Hung around with some Hawaiians and Californians, funny the place I meet the most West Coast people ever is in Asia. Nice city, bit bigger than Gangneung and a bunch of colleges around too. Hard Rock Cafe (not the real thing, they just stole the name) there has a University of South Florida plate hanging on the wall too, go figure. Plenty of open space around like this city. Important cuz I've started riding my bike more and if I move to Seoul I might aim for something around the city instead. Ilsan, Bundang. Nice suburban type areas with parks (hopefully) to ride around in the new bike I'd buy.

2 job interviews there, offered both jobs... turned one down and thinking about the other. The one I turned down seemed ok really except the hours (9 to 6) were longer than most jobs like this. Almost a split shift, really. And with kindergartners. Funky contract. Why work 9 til 6 when I can find one working 4 til 10? Next job was ok too but I sense more entertaining would be asked of me. 1 guy had been there just a bit and one class was already roughing him up. And many weekends I wouldn't get off 2 days in a row.

I head to Seoul tomorrow (if my old boss gives me the money he owes me before I go) and try to get a decent job with a decent apartment (AC required). The one that looks most likely is west of Seoul and in a big city, I'm looking for anything around Seoul that isn't west and more suburbia.

I really look forward to changing now, need to start getting some more cash flow and change of scenery. The people I've met here are great and I wouldn't be mad if a nice job fell into my lap here but... I really need to know what I'm doing next. Sometimes I don't know what I'm doin tomorrow but hey... Wish me luck...

Tape 2B.

So my options are... pursue a contact here in Gangneung that may or may not lead to a full time job. Take a part time job here that's been offered. Wait around for a job in Chuncheon. Immediately take a job in Seoul and start work next week... or hang around and wait for a better job in Seoul.

I'm leaning towards waiting for a better job in the Seoul area. It'd be a bit costly but I could rent a room here for a couple weeks to put all my stuff in and be free to do whatever I want in the next few weeks. If I'm lucky I could time my hiring so that the school could pay for the visa run and not me.

Where should I go in this section of the country anyways? I've seen Gangneung and the nice areas around it I guess. And Chuncheon. I've been dying for a vacation but now it's here and I don't have quite enough money to do what I want so I need to work a bit more then take some serious time off. Spain or Mexico anyone? And of course home to see the family... don't get me wrong, this free time is awesome but... maybe there are some Korean classes around I can take? Hmm.

Need a haircut. Need an umbrella. Need to find a job. Need to meet some more people or something. Need to get a bike... but if I move to Seoul...

Random pictures!
Woke up early the other day and strolled down to this bridge along the river... i lik tis pictar.
A shot from the bridge down the river in the downtown direction.
Trying to sum up my part of Gangneung in one picture...
And the new profile pic that I'm sending to schools so they know I've got that American look to keep them happy.