Weekends in Korea

#20: Koreans use their hands when they talk so much more than Americans. In Korea if you tap your index finger on top of the other index finger it means no. If you make your arms into an X that means no. I make those motions probably 20x a day. The kids understand that it means no and to really send your message home you repeat the motion over and over again. It has become such a way of teaching that the foreign teachers find themselves doing it even when we are not teaching.

#21: When Koreans speak to other Koreans they sound pissed. Really pissed. Like someone just had sex with their wife pissed. They talk really fast and the combination of hand motions and loud voices makes the foreigners take notice. I have seen a few who can talk calmly but the majority of them just can't do it.

Saturday was our very first Pohang Beerball League (AKA PBL) game. Yes we call it PBL. We're really cool like that and it's ok to be jealous. After more than an hour in a taxi trying to find an open field which included our driver yelling out the window at random passerbys, cabs, cars and teenagers on bikes for directions. Cabbies here love to yell and use their horns. alot. Ours was definately no exception. 1 hour later we finally found a field that was perfect. After splitting up the teams the game was on but we had a little problem. Part of the team was from South Africa or England so therefore did not know the rules and part of the team was sloshed. Definately made for an interesting game. We rounded out our first game with zero injuries so I would consider it a smashing success. We are still in the process of finding appropriate names for each team and until that happens our current name will not be found here. Let's just say it's a little vulgar for certain readers. It's definately "Colorful" as my mom would say.

This weekend was exactly what I needed. It was relaxed and let me really unwind for my first time here. I did my first load of laundry (yes I can do my own laundry Mom), tried a new kind of rice (ended up being purple) and spent time around Pohang with new friends.

Tonight we are going to see Alice in Wonderland (again) and hit up the town for some of Korean's finest food. Ok maybe not finest but better than what I can do in my shoebox of an apartment. Not a bad Sunday afternoon.

Soccer Goalie...Me?!

#18: Korean schools are nothing like American schools. Specifically private schools. At times private schools run more like a business than a school. If ONE student isn't having fun and threatens to quit...the entire cirriculum is changed so that that ONE student has a good time and stays. Entire lessons are changed around ONE student. That shit would never fly in the States. You don't want to learn your ABCs today? Go home. Not here. You dont want to learn your ABCs today? Let's have a party and play games instead.

#19: Koreans are attracted to other Koreans for very different reasons than Americans. In America people are thought to be attractive because of the overall appearance, personality, etc. In Korea it is the small things they look for...like the shape of their eyes. A Korean friend of mine told me that he likes girls with big eyes. More specifically he likes Koreans girls with big eyes. Not so easy to find in Korea.

Good news! Mom found my charger to my camera and is sending it to me in a package this week along with everything else I forgot. HOPEFULLY I will have it by St.Pattys day but definately by next weekend. Ironically enough there are all kinds of foreigner sports leagues here. As many of you know I have played softball since I was in elementary school so that was a no brainer on signing up for that league. The league that I have been peer pressured into that is NOT my forte is soccer. Soccer requires skills like coordination and agility...skills I do NOT possess. My friends are convinced that I would be a "kick ass" goalie. They don't really have any specifics on WHY I would be a good goalie but who knows. Maybe I will shock and stun everyone with my raw talent of being able to block all of the shots and make a professional career out of it. Ha. Don't bet on it. My goal for the season is to block as many shots as I can without getting seriously injured and ending up in the hospital. Stay tuned.

It is FINALLY the weekend. No tiny Koreans for 2 whole days. Plans include my first trip to the big open market downtown, first softball game for the league, Alice in Wonderland (yes i'm watching it again) and who knows what else. It should be a weekend full of fun. Fingers crossed!

Oh and thank you all for the amazing comments. It has helped so much by letting me know that what I write actually is being read by my family and friends at home. It helps me feel more connected somehow. Love you guys :)

First Full Weekend in Korea

#7: Koreans do not believe in trash cans. At all. When I take out my trash from my apartment I literally walk down my steps, out my front door and place my trash on the side of the road next to the other bags. That is their version of trash cans. No joke.

#8: Koreans have zero personal space. If you are an American be ready to be jostled, pushed, shoved...it's not considered impolite in their culture. They are the kind of people that they know where they are going and if you are in their way then too bad for you.

#9: Koreans clean up after you. At home when you eat lunch you are expected to clean up your mess...put away your dishes...wipe down the sink. Not in Korea. At least not in my school. After we have lunch all we do is put our dishes by the sink. They wash and clean it for us. They take out our trash. They make you tea if you are staying late working. They have so much hospitality that it makes America look positively awful. Take notes Americans.

It's hard to believe it's been 4 days since my last post. There has been so much that has happened that it's hard to start. I'll give the cliffs note version so as not to bore you all too terribly much. Get some coffee or your drink of choice. This could take a hot minute.

Friday I went out for my first foreign bar weekend experience. I got pleasantly buzzed and decided it would be a good idea to try and get home myself. At 5am. Bad life choice. I got into the cab, said where to go, paid the driver and promptly began my walk to my apartment. Or to where I thought my apartment was. I'm pretty sure I took a wrong turn somewhere because I got lost. Really really lost. I made a few phone calls but as soon as I connected with someone my phone died. Awesome. I tried to go into a GS Mart (kind of equivilant to a baby CVS) and they didn't speak any English and couldn't help. I get into ANOTHER cab and he takes me to the wrong address and tells me to get out. 3 cabs later (yes that's right...it took 3 more cabs to get me home) I am finally at home. Never again will I try to get home by myself again...or at least I will wait until i've been here for more than a week. Lesson learned.

Saturday we went and saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D. Holy shit it's amazing. It was my first 3D movie...yes I know I was the one person in the entire world who never saw Avatar in 3D but guess what? I've survived. The movie had amazing graphics and twists that I would have never thought possible. If you have the time go and see the movie. Let's just say that i'm pretty positive I have my Halloween cosutme picked out already for this year. It's going to be epic.

Sunday I was taken on my first real outing of Home Plus. It is sort of equivilant to an American Walmart of sorts but imagine it being 5 stories high and jam packed with everything from fruits and vegetables of all kinds to pillows and linens. It was overwhleming to say the least. I will be frequenting Home Plus often for the bits and pieces to finish up my apartment. It is bare to say the least. I got a bed, tv and that's it. No bookcases or tables or tv unit...nada. I've got some purchasing to do. I also cleaned it from top to bottom. It needed it in the worst way. Pictures will be posted as soon as it's finished.

All in all my first weekend in Korea was a smashing success...a little jarring and overwhelming at times...but a success to say the least. Be on the lookout for more updates. I've got a feeling i'll be writing much more very soon.

P.S. I joined a gym today and it feels awesome to be working out again. PLUS it's cheap and no one there talks to you/hit on you because they can't speak English. Definite bonus.