Faust, Midas, and Myself.

If anything I've learned in my time in Korea that I've got to keep looking forward so I don't regret too much of what I did in the past. It's a slow revolving door here, people coming and going... people seeing what Korea has to offer then moving along. I'd like to think relationships in life might mean more when it's all said and done. The level of emotions that we can feel and express... the development of our souls... it's too high for me to accept the fact that it all ends when the heart stops.

Pure Magic.

I'm entering the 4th year of my term in K-Vegas. I've lived the country life in Gangneung, suburban life Korean style in Bundang, and now... enjoying the rush hour in Seoul where the bodies of 5 people might be rubbing up against mine at any one time on the commute on the subway. I got an overpriced apartment in Sadang, south of the river. But at least it's close to the "coolest" part of the city that I never go to, Gangnam.

Life can be a bit isolating for a foreigner at times even in the biggest city in the country. There are alot fewer foreigners around than I thought there would be when I first moved here. But there are two main reasons that have kept me interested in life here. One is that I've met some good friends through work and around and also I got a couple American neighbours (a rarity in this area).

The other is variety in my work. Teaching the kids 30 plus hours a week was kind of wearing on me for the past couple years. So now I teach kids about 20 hours a week and the rest of my work time is spent teaching businessmen one on one, general and business related conversation. My Econ degree is coming in handy after all! The freedom I have now in my life in general is great and I'll keep on this way til things fall apart.

Believe Dat.

So I was trying to get a job with the US government. It's incredible the amount of jobs available with them, in all locations. They all require that you apply for them over the Internet, from the $7 an hour jobs all the way up to over $200k a year. Interesting to note that most of the Korean posts are for Osan or Kusan. Yep, the Yongsan base must be on the way out, they don't seem to be staffing that one too much.

Anyways take a look at the USA jobs site and see what you can find. They're quite particular about requirements and as one may guess it seems like it should be all done by the book. Having done some military service or be already working for the government seems to help alot too! I think to make it work for me I'd have to head back to the States and start some trainee job.

There's always the Foreign Service. I am applying for the test and that seems like a long shot too. It's just nice to know that there are options out there.

The Sweet Escape.

Wow, my cat has the life. I even gave her the upgrade to the special crystal kitty litter, not that old sand stuff. Her Korean is native but if I could just get her English a bit better she could do some private lessons, too. Put her to work.

Oh, and the litter really does hurt to step up. Such sacrifices I make for her.

Knowledge.

Finished my year in Bundang, back in the States and spent a few weeks hanging out with a friend in England. Eagerly awaiting... what might happen next... hopefully it will involve Seoul. Apparently this blog still gets visited by people and comes up on a google search for Gangneung stuff so... read up! If something halfway good happens and/or I get back into blogging you'll see.

Big people. Myspace! People speaking Spanish everywhere! Stuff bigger and cleaner than I remember it being. Crazy amounts of stuff for sale everywhere. Wow, America.

I did it my way.

I enjoy avoiding the rat race by living here. I guess I will have to face up to it some day. I mean, I still do work Monday through Friday but you get the point. There's a more intense rat race here I think but I feel disconnected from it.

Got to check out a temple or castle or something soon, just because the Korean tourism agency doesn't pump out tons of advertisements in English to the few thousand native English speakers out here doesn't mean the stuff isn't out there...

Happy Teacher's Day!(Korea) Happy Mother's Day!(USA)

I got some rockin flowers and some hand made soap among other stuff from the kids today. Soap smelled like lime. The little girl that gave it to me thought I didn't open the package it came in. She came up to me a little while after she gave it to me, took it from my hand, put it on the ground and opened it, laying the soap and all the little shiny packing stuff all over the ground and running away. Hey! At least they've learned the phrase "When you drop it, please pick it up." pretty quick.

Kids are kids anywhere of course. Every once in a while I catch myself, can't really believe I'm in another country tryin to teach these tiny kids English 5 hours a day 5 days a week when they should be out playin with their legos or shooting squirtguns at each other or something. They sure learn quick though. We have this yoga class, there was one point we were supposed to be "rolling like a ball", one kid takes it to try to roll like a boulder and bumps off everyone around him... He was testin my patience just a bit by this point and I half-kidding said, "June, please stop acting your age." I only said this to him once. Then about a week later he repeats it to me. He doesn't really know his ABCs and he's not one of my more diligent kids, but this is what he remembers... ah well.