Weekend, Part 1

Long weekend here in Korea, due to Chuseok. No major travelling for me, would have been a nightmare. On Saturday, I went to Gwangju, to buy some Korean language textbooks, and then to see Bangkok Dangerous at the cinema. On the way, when I was waiting for the bus as Jangseong, a bus from Seoul arrived.

Just to give you an idea of the traffic. A direct bus from Seoul to Jangseong takes 3 hours and 15 minutes. So, if the bus left at 8:00 am from Seoul, it should have arrived in Jangseong at 11:15. Not this weekend. The 8:00 am bus arrived at Jangseong at 3:20. That's an 8 hour 20 minute bus ride!

That is why I don't travel during Chuseok!


So, like I said, went to watch Bangkok Dangerous at the cinema. Just as the number came around to go to the box office to buy the ticket, the staff had a laugh at the girl behind the counter who was going to have to serve the foreigner. All I had to do was say "안녕하세요" (hello) to get the usual 한국말 잘하시네요 (you speak Korean well comment). Must have totally blew her mind when I told her which seat I wanted, and told her that I prefer to sit close to the screen. Then I went to buy the popcorn. The guy that served me didn't do the usual quick bow, he did the "if the counter wasn't in the way i'd be on my knees" bow. After I bought some popcorn and some cider, he said to the other guys behind the counter "I haven't bowed like this since I was in school" (that's what I thought he said anyway). He was being overly respectful.

After that, i found a Holly's Coffee cafe, and sat down with a Iced Green Latte, in which the next morning, didn't agree with me. I brought my computer with me so that I could chill in a coffee shop before the movie, but with going to downtown, and then going to Sangmu, it was just easier to wait at the cinema and play Spore on my iPod. It's the first time an Iced Greet Tea Latte has disagreed with me.

Sunday - just hung out at home. Decided to go though a bit of my stuff, and throw a few things in the direction of my suitcase, since they will be going in the suitcase in 34 days time. For about 20 mins in the morning, I was thinking to myself, did I take my blood pressure meds or not, and I seriously had no idea. I decided not to take them, just incase I had already taken them. But, just incase i didn't i decided to keep up the water intake (that helps) and just take it easy. Eventually, it got boring, so I went out to find some dinner. What was open in my town: A restaurant. The Family Mart. 3 bars. The 3 PC bangs. The billards halls. The bakery. That was about it. So, not many options. Decided to get Dolsotbibimbap, which made be very full, and on the way home, I checked out the mini festival that was at the middle/high school in town.


A couple of ex-students (now in high school) saw me, and said hi. I saw the Hapkido teacher there too, and said hi. I was there for about 5 minutes, but it was a bit boring.

It still baffles me. I'm in a country that is one seventy-sixth of the size of Australia, but with a population that is over 2 times the amount of Australia, and I feel lonely. So, I just left. One thing that did cheer me up was a surprise call from HP. You know you've got good friends when they check up on you because they think you're lonely.

I'm thinking about going into Gwangju tomorrow again, since staying home for a 2nd day in a row would turn me in-fucking-sane! Might go and see 울학교 이티. I'm not 100% sure on the plot, but I think a ganster has to infiltrate a high school, by impersonating as an English Teacher, to find out some shit about some kids doing bad shit, or something or rather.

Like I said, it will get me out of the house ^^

Konglish

A few highlights from the I love Konglish group on Facebook:




Fuck Chuseok! (aka, I'm Angry!)

There... I said it. Fuck Chuseok. Chuseok, especially this year (because two of it's days are on the weekend), is yet another waste of a holiday. Koreans can't organise anything, but when it comes to holidays (and fucking foreigners over), they actually plan and do something about it. Yes, I had "Koreans" and "plan" in the same sentence!

Holidays in lieu, people!

Now that that's out of the system, I just wanna say a few things.

Koreans normally want foreigners to have a good impression about their country. If they don't know by now, when foreigners go back home (and become normal people again), they talk to other people and tell them about their experiences - good and bad. Most likely, they will talk about how someone at their work fucked them over in some way shape or form. I'm not sure of the stats, but I would think that "enough" foreign English Teachers here have been fucked over by their boss or fellow employees at some stage. This week, the week before Chuseok, I have had a few friends receive some serious fucked overage from their boss.

Sure, not everyone is like this. Just enough of the people here to make me paranoid about finding a person's ulterior motive, when I meet a Korean person. It's been hard for me to make decent Korean friends here (maybe my standards are too high, but I'm not going to lower my standards), but I have made some, and when I leave Korea, I will miss them a lot. They're the ones that made Korea an enjoyable and decent place for me. The ones who didn't, they can get fucked too.

So, my (rhetorical) question is: How are foreign workers meant to have a good impression about Korea, when, eventually, your boss is gonna fuck you over?

Chuseok also has the nickname of "Korean Thanksgiving". I know that some of my friends, including me (I've had a shit week too, but nothing compared to what some of my friends have had to deal with) have had a shit week, so they won't be doing much thanking regarding Korea.

There are times when I think of one scene in Red Planet which really describes my feelings about Korea sometimes. Just before Gallagher (played by Val Kilmer) blasts off from the surface of Mars, and says:


"Fuck this planet!"


36 days to go.

39 to go

I find that as my last day of work gets closer, my tolerance levels are getting lower. I just hate people doing stupid things. Here's a few examples.


The air conditioner is on, but the door is wide open.


I always seem to be the only person who refills the photocopier.


Being so lazy so that you can't pick up your own rubbish, and not having respect for the people who use/own the building and have to clean it up.


Putting tape over buttons will stop children from pressing them. Not!


Having to explain to students that the Korean made text book has errors, and therefore using more time than planned, so that it slows everything down.

40 to go...

Went to Daegu and Busan, to catch up with a few friends before I go. I can't meet up with everyone... If I don't meet up with you before I leave... well (sorry to he harsh), but deal with it *^^*

Here's a couple of photos from the weekend:




I have mixed feelings about why I'm leaving. I'll be honest - all things said and done, I like Korea, and I will miss it. I just really hate my job, and stuff to do with "English". I'd be happy working in a restaurant waiting tables in a 갈비집 for 6-12 months, coz it's something different. Lol

Meh... as long as I get home safe, it'll be all good ^^