Attitude is your most Priceless Possession

It's been 2 Years!!

2011-03-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 years since my last post on here, since I started running the hash, bought new lenses for my camera, changed a few jobs, neglecting this site for what seems like forever! Oh I also met Vivian, my girlfriend...
who is now my fiance:)

Hash Runs 3.26

2009-03-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

For the last month, I've been going on these cross country runs through villages outside of Taipei. The group is called the Hash House Harriers and it's been around for years.
So first a couple of runners (called hares) run out first with some flour and mark the trail. Flour is easily washed away by the rain later. The trail is marked but there are also some checkpoints which means at that point there could be a few directions in which to go. You have to yell 'Are you?' which means 'Are you on the trail?'.
The person ahead should say 'On On' which means 'Yes, I'm on the trail'.
Every Sunday afternoon this is done and I look forward to it every week.

Makes me Feel Good 2.17

2009-02-16T09:28:00.000-08:00

Every time I get one of these posted, it feels great! At the same time, I'm wondering how many people post pictures to this site. All that aside, it's nice to be on here quite regularly. (To the right, on the Taiwan pic of the day)

This was taken on Chinese New Year, and her and a friend were so kind to let me take a few shots of them.

Back in Taiwan 2.16

2009-02-16T04:39:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would update this blog since it has been a while.
Nothing much to write about Taiwan except the school is ok, nothing special at all and it's turning out to be the same as any other school I've worked at in Korea, except in Korea I had a lot more control of the classes.

Thailand was cool, met my Uncle and Aunt and Mom and Dad. Chiang Mai is a nice city in the north part of Thailand. It's like Bangkok on a smaller scale. Next time though, I will make sure to go to an island to relax and get out of the city.

Bangkok 1.19

2009-01-19T02:43:00.000-08:00

The light to turn right turned green. Right around the corner from Khao San Road, Bangkok. The driver of the taxi turned and as I looked to my left, a car seemed to be going quite fast while heading straight toward us. It all happened in a moment.
After seeing where the car ended up, I was surprised we weren't in a much worse condition. The window that my head and hand smashed against was opaque and luckily it was not broken.

The car spinned about 3 times and surprisingly did not flip over. I picked up my phone which fell to the floor and walked out. Only my nose was bleeding. The taxi driver's shrieking voice is still in my head, as well as the last thing I remember Thomas saying, "Jesus fucking Christ".
From nowhere, an Italian woman took over, told me to sit down and with a soothing voice told me she is a trained massager and knows where the pressure points are to stop the bleeding. I sat and thought at that moment how much I wanted to talk to Vivian, just to hear her voice....

No Snow 1.6

2009-01-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

It's the first winter in a VERY long time that I haven't seen any snow! It has been a bit chilly and even though I don't have a winter jacket with me, I refuse to buy one. I'm in Taiwan!
For Christmas, our school only had 1 day off, but the rest of the Taiwanese staff had to work. It felt a bit strange, it was business as usual that day.
For New Years Thomas, John and I went to a nice party in a hotel presidential suite. The fireworks at Taipei 101 were very close and even though I didn't have a great view, I saw them later on youtube.
I had a nice break last week, 4 days, but the nice thing about this month is working just 11 days and then I'm off until February!!

This Christmas 12.23

2008-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

In Taiwan, it feels even less like Christmas than in Korea. Aside from the usual George Michael song you'll hear this time of year, it's business as usual for everybody. It will pass as just another day for people in Taiwan. Some of us will get together on Christmas Eve and have some food and drinks, with a friend of ours from Texas acting as chef for the evening.
Even though it's just 1 day, I'm looking forward to it....

and a short video from Danshui that I just finished editing the other day...

Danshui 12.12

2008-12-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, I met a couple of people I know from Hong Kong in downtown Taipei. We went to a Korean Food Restaurant and on Sunday went to a place called Danshui, on the coast. A really nice place and I recommend anyone going to Taiwan to go there. Here are some pictures of the place, I also got a sketch done of myself.

My Travels this year 12.3

2008-12-02T01:03:00.000-08:00

I was looking through some of the videos I took in the past year. I realized that I could put something together that shows what I've done and where I've been. From Korea to Holland and back to Korea, then to Taiwan. And more recently to Thailand. It's amazing what kind of things you can see in each country and I'm grateful I will always be able to see this, unless my computer crashes or the worldwide net does....

A Million Stories 11.23

2008-11-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking at this picture and wondered, is that man sad? He's pretty old, maybe he's a lonely man, without much of a family left or none at all. He must have a million stories. Will I have that many stories when I get to be his age? Will I make it to be that age? Getting to be that old scares me in a way but would be kind of cool to share with other friends, all the stories and memories of 10, 20, or 50 years before. Bottom line is, I see this guy and it makes me feel young and realize that there are so many things left for me to do before I reach that age.....

Longshan Temple 11.22

2008-11-21T21:26:00.000-08:00

I've been to this temple a few times, it's a famous one in Taiwan. There are always lots of people and last Sunday there was a huge fashion show and people crowded around to watch. The place has really developed since I first came here a few years back when Paul and I came for a short vacation. There are a few markets in the area, actually I think it's just one big market.
I remember it was pretty hot then but that was October. It has been a little cool here lately but today it's warmed up nicely to 28 degrees! That's more like the weather I came here for!

The Weekend 11.21

2008-11-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

Needless to say, the weekends are always a blessing. Been looking forward to this one since Monday morning when I woke up. It's always nice to see the students, they do make the days more pleasant. I've pretty much settled myself in comfortably in the job now and I realized a few weeks ago that I'll have 16 days off in January for the break! Very nice to have that. I've already booked another trip to Thailand. The weather there should be a nice change to what it is here right now. It's dropped off a lot and actually surprised me. What about all the palm trees around here? How will they survive? I can't believe it's almost December!

Ying-ge, Taiwan 11.2

2008-11-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

The weather is still pretty hot. Went out with John today to a place outside of Taipei called Ying-he. To be honest, all places in Asia look the same after a while but a few areas are a bit quiter and seem to have more fresh air. We stopped at this place that reminded me a bit of Insadong in Seoul. They had a lot of pottery shops and this one place gives you some dishes after you eat there. I had a bowl of spicy noodles and got to take home a nice bowl.
There were also quite a few violinists, mostly young girls playing and trying to fill up their violin cases with coins...I should have thrown in a few now that I think about it...they were pretty good.

Loved Ones 10.28

2008-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

There are times in our lives when we reflect upon the past, present and those important people in our lives. I have heard some bad news, not so good news from a lot of people the last couple of days and it's made me realize how much more important friends and family become as you get older. To those close to me, my friends and family, I am thinking of you all right now...

A better weekend 10.27

2008-10-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend. Watching the football of course was the usual highlight of the weekend with Liverpool moving into first place with a wonderful performance! On Saturday, John, Tom and I went to Brass Monkey first and watched the Man Utd game. It was a pretty good game with Man U drawing. Everton totally outplayed them in the 2nd half.
After the game we went to a house party where we met some people from all over, Honduras, Slovakia, Chile and Russia.
It was nice to get out. All of last weekend I was kind of sick and during the week for a few days as well. I'm back to 100% almost so it's back to exercising as much as possible....

Memories of Siam 10.15

2008-10-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

A few more pics in Thailand with this one overlooking the Floating Market. There are many of them in Thailand. This one was about 60 km from Bangkok.

Bangkok was formerly known as Siam and it is still under rule of a King. Once in a while, maybe every day, they will play the National Anthem. They do this where large groups of people gather, at concerts or at parks. People stand up and listen to Thailands National Anthem.

Thai literally means 'free' so they are 'free people of the land.'

We stopped at a temple on the way to the market. And then at a restaurant by the river.

With May next to the river...

4 Days in Bangkok 10.14

2008-10-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up on Thursday in Bangkok. The main purpose of my trip was to get my visa renewed. I got all of that done on Thursday because Friday was a holiday at the Taiwanese embassy. Thai food is great and I made sure I tried as many of the foods as possible while I was there. On Thursday night I met May and her friends Nom and Nong. We went to a night market and then to a huge outdoor cafeteria area where they had some bands playing and football being shown on the bigscreen behind them. Got myself a couple of knock off Liverpool shirts as well!

Friday was great too and we had some great food, saw the University and the big football stadium where all the international games are played. Went to a great place at night too, the people I met were so friendly and the music was live and good, mostly English songs including Amy Winehouse. Took a ride in a Tuk Tuk, rode a few of the really old buses, with no a/c, just wide open windows. The driver of the Tuk tuk was a bit crazy although we got to our destination ok!

On Saturday, May and I and her friends went to the floating market and walked around. Hard to believe it was still sweltering hot in October, even throughout the evening! We went through a small village and basically just hung out, trying some local food and enjoying the atmosphere of a traditional part of Thailand.

A very surreal weekend to say the least...

It's Official 10.5

2008-10-05T03:36:00.000-07:00

I will be going to Thailand and going to make a nice little vacation out of it too! To be honest, I was trying to plan a trip there anyways because it's a long weekend here. Also trying to get the school to pay for the flight or at least part of it because it really wasn't my fault and the school really didn't know what they were doing. They will show their true colors about the situation and maybe make a quick decision of whether to stay here or not. To be honest, I really like Taiwan, the food, the people and the friends I have made. The school is a different story. They are demanding in a ridiculous way, wanting us to work on weekends sometimes, taking parents sides and not sticking up for the teachers. I actually feel sometimes they think I have never taught before. They sometimes ask for my advice and then don't even do anything about it! Why even ask me?
When it comes to marking the kids work, they expect us to check and sign every page, a bit ridiculous really. They ask for advice and do something the opposite and it is really getting on my nerves.
I am trying to just do the work I have to do, making sure the kids are having fun and learning at the same time, what I have been doing for years in Korea and a few months here.
"We have our first exam and a lot of teachers will be looking forward to seeing the results, so please make sure the students get enough review for the exam." One of the many silly things I hear every day....
Ofcourse, I thought, you think I want them to fail?

This should be a nice vacation and well needed....

European Nights! 10.2

2008-10-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

Watching football live European football is fantastic, much better if you're actually in Europe though. Getting up at 2:30 in the morning is just not the same, although I actually woke up earlier to catch the BBC commentators and interviews before the matches. Then was lucky that they showed the Liverpool-PSV game! I thought I would be really tired today at work but it was a great day thanks to a great win by Liverpool, the 1st goal by Kuyt, Keane getting his first goal for Liverpool and then Gerrard scoring a rocket for his 100th! A memorable game and one for the trivia buffs later...

And....I could end up having an extended holiday! I was told today that my work permit is all ready after 2 months of waiting. My visa was extended a few weeks ago but today I found out that I might have to leave the country and get my residence visa before coming back. A little more complicated than that but that is basically the story of my life this past year. I have a few choices, Hong Kong or Macau. The thing is, HK is expecting a typhoon Monday and Tuesday is a National holiday there. Next Friday in Taiwan is also a National holiday so if I'm allowed to wait it out and leave next Thursday, I hope to be on my way to Thailand for an extended weekend! I'll find out more tomorrow.....

Getting to know it 9.21

2008-09-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing more by the day how much Taipei is westernized in a way that doesn't damage its own culture. There is an area near Taipei 101 that has an amazing coffee shop/pub/dj/restaurant bar. I was thinking when I was there that if somebody comes to visit that I'd take them there. I would even say that it's just as or even more 'developed' than Seoul.
Yesterday I had some Japanese food, Taiwanese and Mexican Quesadillas...ones that are much better than the ones you get at Geckos Pub in Seoul, if you've ever tried them there. Thomas, the guy I work with and I, went to this great pub for watching ALL sports but on a Saturday they have the football games on, and I mean ALL of them. You can easily watch 3 or 4 games at a time. A great place. And by the way, Gerrard was robbed!!!
I met a couple of guys there, one of them who works as a Marketing Consultant for 7-11s in Asia and his son is working for an Aerospace company in Holland. We talked for a while and he said to me,
"If I were you, I would learn the language here...it will benefit you for the rest of your life!"
He also added,
"It's only advice if it's taken."
So, I'm going to take his advice.....

September BBQ 9.20

2008-09-20T05:04:00.000-07:00

Got up pretty early this morning...glad there are so many Starbucks around but found a good coffee in a can that competes with a latte grande.
Had a coffee then I met Ariel and we got on the shuttle bus with some other people from her company. We headed to Tauyuan County where there was a huge park where people go in groups to have bbqs. After eating some food for a few hours, I met a couple of Filipino dudes who were still enjoying some food but also had some cold beers. I moved to that table and enjoying the sun, had a few Tsingtaos and thought it was a much better atmosphere than last weekend...
On the way back, the bus stopped at a light just long enough for me to get this woman showing me the bird, though I'm sure not on purpose...

Rain's Over 9.17

2008-09-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

The rain has stopped and now it's back to hot muggy weather. I don't mind though, it's much better than the rain. On Sunday, I met with a couple of girls and we talked about life and drank and ate lots of food. I told them a lot of stories about my past life in Korea and some past relationships. They seemed quite interested in them...

The past weekend in Taiwan was the Moon Festival but because of the typhoon, a lot of the festivities and bbqs were cancelled and put off until this coming weekend. So, I'll be going to a bbq this weekend in Taoyuan so looking forward to going to another city and trying some different food. Most important though, getting some pictures with my new camera so I don't have to take pictures inside of wine bottles slowly emptying...

Another Typhoon 9.12

2008-09-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

I got sent home early today. The government issued a warning to cancel all classes at schools and have everyone go home. So far it's just been raining on and off although a while ago it really poured. I was hoping it would be delayed and classes Monday would be cancelled but there's still time for that.
One of the other things in Taiwan is the receipts you get from everywhere, any store, they all have a number on the top of it. Every few months there is a lottery for one of the numbers and you can win some big money. Some people I've talked to have won too so I'm keeping every receipt now. I found this out after a couple of weeks here...unfortunately after I threw a bunch of them out. Now I keep them in a jar...and I'd like to keep filling that jar and see what happens. I've already decided that I'd quit my job and move to Thailand for a stint if it's a substantial amount....

Name that Fruit 9.12

2008-09-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about Taiwan and I'm sure other tropical like countries is the fruit. Yesterday my director gave all the teachers some of this fruit called 'Pamelo'? Not sure exactly but it tastes a bit like grapefruit, the skin is really thick and it's not too easy to eat. Tastes alright though.
I also got a new camera the other day but haven't had too much time yet to play around with it. I hope I'll be able to get out and practice with it more this weekend.

Pepe and Fernando 9.9

2008-09-09T01:17:00.000-07:00

This is a great interview taken with Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina, both Spanish and playing for Liverpool. They seem like very ordinary people and also remind you of how cool the supporters are in Liverpool.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161213080908-1221.htm

Dutch Arrogance 9.8

2008-09-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Even after the Euros where Spain won it, one of the most exciting teams there was Holland. I SO wish they could have done more in that tournament. But even though some of the goals they scored were class, this one here is got to be one of the best goals ever scored by the Dutch! C'mon Oranje! C'mon....still gives me goosebumps watching this!

A bit of Chinglish 9.7

2008-09-07T02:17:00.000-07:00

I find that most of the signs are pretty well written in English. You find the odd one like this that are a little funny.

What's going on down there? 9.3

2008-09-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

I guess the one thing that gets me in Asia is the number of dark alleys everywhere. They are dark and mysterious and I am fascinated with every one of them. I expect to see something happening like a fight or a drug deal that I can catch on camera but it never happens, but don't worry, when it does, you can catch it all on here...www.notoriousdav.blogspot.com

I feel I haven't got out as much lately to capture any political events on camera or just some scenery in Taiwan, though. In August, I had some pictures chosen for a website here, Taiwan Picture of the Day, but I don't think they were great. I was just submitting them for fun, to see what would happen. It was great to have them picked though!!

Well so far, the first week in the new semester has gone alright. This school's a bit different than some school's in Korea I worked at. Also, in Taiwan, they encourage the teachers to talk with the parents as much as possible. But it's the same when it comes to it being a 'business' first and then a school. Students here have to pay for a full semester instead of month to month. At the end of the day, it's not too tough of a job. I've had worse. I always think of that job I had in Gangnam on the weekends, 4 straight classes, 80 minutes each with a 5 minute break between classes. And the annoying bell! Stu knows what I'm talking about.
No bells here!

Summer Camp is Over 8.30

2008-08-30T02:19:00.000-07:00

For the past week, my internet has been on the blink and I haven't had much to write about anyways. I spent 3 days in Hsinchu, about 20 minutes on the High Speed Rail away, for training. There were a few great trainers who got everyone participating, working in some groups with each other and trying to do something artistic. But there were another few speakers who just liked the sound of their own voice, so they were very boring and made me want to stand up and yell that they were.

I forgot though that last Sunday was great. I met up with Vivienne and Christine again and we first went to a concert at Chiang Mi Shek Memorial Hall and then had some tofu at a nearby place. We went to Ximen again, a great area. Actually the week went by pretty quick and it seems to be getting cooler as well.
I took the opportunity of one of the boring speakers this past week to try and learn some Chinese useful phrases and even how to write my name in Chinese. It's a pretty cool looking language or character system, whatever way you look at. Much more cool looking than Korean.:) Another thing I like about some of the Taiwanese people is the way they are much more open minded to foreigners than Koreans were, in general.

Bulgogi and Bibimbap 8.21

2008-08-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

I met a couple of new friends last night and we went to a Korean Restaurant. We ordered some beef ribs, sliced marinated pork, kimchi stew and mixed rice and vegetables in a hot pot. It wasn't too bad considering I haven't had any korean food in the last few months.
It was a really great evening and the two women I met, Vivienne and Christine were very delightful to spend time with. We could talk about anything and it seemed like I had known them for a long time. Very special people indeed.
We were in an area of Taipei called Ximen and after dinner we went to the local Starbucks.
It was really windy because a typhoon was close to the shores of Taiwan again. It would have been nice to have the day off today, I think I've needed one but the great time I had last night made today go by pretty quick today...

Cooler Air 8.19

2008-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

There's a typhoon on the way. You can feel it in the air, it actually feels normal. It's nice because I found a running track close to my place, it's just a 5 minute walk away. Had a nice run there today, but I'm pretty tired now. Here's another picture chosen for the Taiwan picture of the day. I had 2 more chosen last week. It's a nice feeling but I'm sure they're just short of good photographers in Taiwan.

Ghost Money 8.18

2008-08-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

The past week I've noticed a lot of people having these fires in steel canisters. I found out the other day that it is Ghost week and people in Taiwan throw paper money in the canisters. They also have a bunch of food, ginseng, apples, other fruits and stuff on a table with sticks of incense burning from them. The whole purpose is to get rid of ghosts of the relatives and other people from their family who are now dead.
Today, I took a long walk not too far from my house. Even though it was raining most of the day, a lot of the sidewalks are covered, so you can keep dry. It's nice because you don't have to deal with umbrellas everywhere. I saw a lot of these fires in canisters today with people throwing in their yellow paper money.

Most of the people couldn't speak any English in this area. It's in Taipei County so there are still a lot of people who have never even met a foreigner. They are very friendly and welcome to having their picture taken though.
Actually my main purpose was to go to the Lin Garden Estate nearby. I tried to get into the one gate which I thought was the entrance. The gate was only letting people out and I asked a man if he knew where the entrance was. He wasn't sure but about 10 minutes later he caught up to me and said to me out of breath, "I'm sorry but the Lin Garden has closed for the day. Please come on another day during the hours of operation." I said, "Thanks for letting me know."
He was sweating when he walked away.

Ni Hun Pyow Liang! 8.11

2008-08-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

I went to the hospital to pick up my health check report today. I'm finding that the buses and subway are more convenient than people make it out to be. Taipei is a lot smaller than Seoul and it doesn't take as long to get places.
Well I cleared the health check so I'm now officially 'ok' to work in Taiwan. I'm not sure what makes you 'not ok' to work here.
When I went to the hospital to pick it up, the woman asked me to fill in the other 2 forms which were incomplete. While I was filling it in, she kindly taught me a very useful Chinese phrase: "You're beautiful."

New Favorites 8.8

2008-08-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had a great day with the kids here. They are energetic yet polite. One of the kids makes horking sounds once in a while so it feels like I'm back in the land of the Morning Calm. Don't know why it ever got that name by the way.
I have to admit, I have been working harder than in Korea but the parents appreciate it and they show it too. They proved that today by bringing in some of their friends' kids to the school. We had an Open House at our school since it was just recently opened. Even though most of it was a disaster, especially the Science class, the director was happy and so were the kids that came to observe and participate. The little things that were so forgotten by Koreans are not here. In a non condescending way....

Sometimes, everybody Hurts 8.7

2008-08-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

There are just some times when you can't help being in an atmosphere that is just depressing. Some people dwell on it and even thrive being depressed, maybe wanting to get attention from other people. I try to empathize with their situation or what they're going through, but it seems like they just don't want to be helped.
Go ahead, be depressed, just don't do it when I'm around or spoil the mood. Life is too precious to dwell on sadness or ex girlfriends and boyfriends. Getting dumped or being broken hearted is part of the cycle of life, it happens to everyone.
Just deal with it!! Enough said....remember the title of this blog, so vital with what makes you and how healthy you want to become or continue to be in your soul or in your mind.

EE, Er, San, Suh, Oh......8.5

2008-08-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

So far, I can count to five in Chinese, though it doesn't help a great deal. I guess it will help me out a little bit like when I'm getting a coffee I can say 'er' sugar.
Last night I went out with a friend who has a nice camera. I traded with him for a while and started to get a feel for using an SLR camera. My finger was sore after an hour. We took a walk through a night market. It was hot out last night but the last week hasn't been near as hot as the first 2 weeks I was here.

On the weekend I started playing with a new soccer team. All the guys on the team are Brits except me and an American. It's a good bunch of guys and we won 6-4. After the game we went to a place called Carnegies and I had an English breakfast. It was huge and they have it on the menu until 5 pm! One of the guys asked me how the sausage was but I didn't know what to compare it to!

I also went for a health check at the hospital and thankfully for one of the kind nurses there led me in the right direction. I went there Saturday morning to avoid a big lineup. Every foreigner teaching in Taiwan has to have a physical examination which also includes an x-ray and a blood check. I'll get the results next week...

Typhoon Day 7.29

2008-07-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

Well, on my first day of school, I had the day off. I got the call on Sunday evening, it was my director.
She said that the government demanded all schools in Taiwan close because of the warnings of a typhoon. It actually wasn't that bad but they have to take precautions because it can get dangerous. So, I had the day off...kind of a nice start!
I also had a picture chosen for 'Taiwan Picture of the Day', one that I took the other night at the market. It will be on Wednesday's pic of the day and you can check it out here:

http://fotozon.com/daily/taiwan/

Convenience 7.26

2008-07-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

So far, I've learned a few things about Taiwan and how it's different than Korea. First of all, Taiwanese people don't like to be called Chinese but they're not defensive about it. Compared to Koreans they're not loud or noisy most of the time. They are very kind as well, not that Korean people aren't. The habits I think that differ are that the drinking culture, staying up late and usually being loud. Koreans are like this, Taiwanese not so much.
One thing that is really crazy but also convenient is the amount of 7-11s and Family marts everywhere! If I were to guess, I would say there is a 7-11 every 3 minutes, on almost every corner!
Last night, I walked down the street to the market near my place. I had my first watermelon juice iced drink. Refreshing it was and it surprisingly kept me cool for a while! Here are some more pictures from the market.

Kids ride on scooters a lot with their Mom or Dad.

Lots of different types of food at the markets in Taiwan. Can you guess what those are above?

A woman selling fresh fruit, 35NT for 1 bag or 3 for 100NT. They have fresh mangoes, peaches, pineapples, and lots of other exotic fruits.

A New Place 7.21

2008-07-21T01:10:00.000-07:00

Looking for places today in Taipei County. It's very close to Taipei and also to the MRT, the high speed rail or subway, metro, tube, underground, whatever you want to call it. Most of the places are furnished and half the price of the ones in Korea so I'm happy about that already. Yesterday, I went for a walk, was going to meet John and Emily at a Starbucks but found a couple of parks on the way there. I decided to walk in and take a look. I walked by a couple of times before but didn't stop because I was in a rush to get somewhere cool. People were sitting around and looking hot, some were exercising though. By the time I walked through the 2 parks, I was soaked so I just went to the nearby Satarbucks, ducked inside and chilled out for a while.

Saturday 7.19

2008-07-17T23:42:00.001-07:00

Today is the first day of the new school I'll be working at. Spot on so far. Everybody has been nice and polite, not pushy or stressed out and trying to rush things. It was actually the Grand Opening and I've just been doing some level tests and getting to know some of the students and their parents. Most of them have been pretty nice but not saying things like, "Please teach my son/daughter well." Or, "Welcome to Taiwan", or "Do you like kimchi?" Those are some of the questions that didn't bother me at first went I went to Korea but after 8 years did. None of that so far.....

Well, when I was in Holland, I went with my Mom and Dad to my Pake and Beppe's gravesite. (my Mom's parents) They were buried together, my Beppe passing away 2 years ago last month. As small and boring as it is in Holland at times, it is a nice, quiet place and so different than Asia. I guess one of the biggest things is that there in Holland I am treated like anybody else and not a visible foreigner like in Asia. As much as I try to blend in, it just doesn't happen!

The Rain Stopped 7.17

2008-07-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Just as I was going to post this, the weather outside reminded me of the day I filmed most of this video. It was raining that day in Groningen and it looks the same now here in Banchio, a little overcast and windy.

Xie xie! 7.16

2008-07-16T03:27:00.000-07:00

So far , the only word that's been useful is 'Xie xie' (Thank you). It's useful but it's pathetic really. It feels like I'm in Korea again for the first time so today I decided to try and learn some useful expressions in Chinese. That way I don't have to use so many gestures or point at a picture and say 'I want that'.
It is hot here but it looks like it will rain soon. The sooner the better, anything to make it a few degrees cooler, if that's possible.
It's a cool place though, Taipei, the palm trees outside blowing from the strong typhoon winds that are on the way....

Fish Galore 7.15

2008-07-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Made it to Taipei. Very hot here but it was expected. In fact, it's just a bit hotter than Korea but I already had over 5 days of it. But it's different here because the streets are full of scooters and bikes. To be honest, everything here looks the same as Korea except the signs are in Chinese. I met my director and her husband, very nice people and to be expected on the first day. We had a coffee and talked about everything, very open-minded people.
Later, they dropped me off at my friends place and we went to a great outdoor fish restaurant and had salmon, tuna, oysters and shrimp and washed it down with some Tsingtao beer, big sized bottles. Price-1050 dollars!! Not too bad!

Just Visiting 7.12

2008-07-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Korea for a few days. It's nice to be back here temporarily without the worries of going to work. The last couple of days were nice in Holland and my Mom and Dad and I went to my uncle's house in Leek first. Leek is near Groningen and it's a fairly big city in the north part of Holland. My uncle Piet showed us around some parts of Groningen I've never seen. It was a nice day there. Unfortunately the weather for the last couple of days there it rained, just like it's doing here now in Korea.
When I arrived at the airport, I met Billy who was taking off to L.A. so we sat down and had a coffee and a few speculaas cookies I brought with me. It was different, meeting my friend at the airport who was going in the opposite direction but nice to see him for a while before he left. I'm seeing a lot of people for what could be a long time or a short time. The thing I'm realizing more and more now is that leaving Korea will be very good for me.

Last Day 7.9

2008-07-09T00:42:00.000-07:00

It's one month today since all the excitement. That day, back in June, waking up and the first priority being to get a ticket to Holland as quick as possible and later that day watching Holland thrash the Italians 3-0.
Going back to Korea today for a 5 day engagement with friends and might see Billy at the airport to welcome me and to see him off. Looking forward to the new adventure in Taiwan. It seems more and more every day that the decision I made to go there is becoming a smart choice.
So, I am leaving the country which my roots come from and is and will always be in my heart. I will be back someday of course, but for now, the past month will become memories.

Groningen People 7.3

2008-07-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Groningen is the capital city of the province with the same name. It's a university city, about 180,000 people living there. It's bustling with people on market day, with one being a goods market and the other a fish market. There are thousands of chairs and small tables all aligned so you can people watch for hours.

I met my Dad's uncle's granddaughter and a friend of hers last Thursday and we had lunch, which for me consisted of a large beer for 3 euro 65, a bit pricey but worth it in the sun.

We went for a short walk but most of the afternoon I spent walking around, going to the wall to get a broodje croquet, and ducking into the odd store to cool off in the a/c.

It's a city I would recommend to anyone, just as nice as Amsterdam, maybe better because it is more of an innocent city, not scarred by the thousands of tourists that Amsterdam gets everyday. I hope to make it part of my travel plans before the end of this trip.

Canalland 7.2

2008-07-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have been pretty busy, biking, eating bread, planning the next transition to Taiwan. It looks like it will be happening soon with a side trip to Seoul on the way there. Looking forward to it just like I looked forward to going to Amsterdam. For such a famous city, it's actually quite small. I enjoy seeing all the different people there and all the cafes. The weather has been great the whole time I've been here but yesterday was almost a reminder of what temperatures I have to look forward to. It reached about 37 degrees here yesterday which was very hot for Holland. That's nothing compared to what I'll have to get used to. Bring it on!

Amsterdam 6.20

2008-06-20T01:36:00.001-07:00

Tuesday was a great day, hot in the boat with a nice breeze, on the canals of Amsterdam. In the morning after I arrived in Amsterdam, I took the same route Paul and I did when we were here last year. Even went to the same restaurant for lunch and had a couple of 'vasjes' of beer. Had more than a couple actually and then went on a boat ride. By the end of that ride I had to use the toilet in a big way! After that, I was off to meet my cousin, but before that, I stopped at a pub nearby his place. At 2:30 in the afternoon it was already hopping with people talking about and getting ready for the Holland vs. Romania game. The vasjes were going down too easily, too early....I needed a break. I met Jan Theun, had a couple of coffees and discussed the past year or so...he had a music exam so he went there and I had a much needed siesta!

We met later on and watched the game together in the Nieuwmarkt. It's one of the areas of Amsterdam with a lot of cafes and pubs. There were quite a lot of people there but the atmosphere wasn't quite as electric as it was during the France-Holland game but it was pretty good!!

The next day, I walked around the city, which, believe it or not, is not very big. I decided to do some people watching and take some pictures of them. The above picture was inspired by Billy Gomez. These next ones are all in the same area.

Friesland 6.15

2008-06-15T01:12:00.000-07:00

I can't say I really miss Korea. Billy said to me today, "You must really miss Korea!"
But to be honest, I haven't really had much time to think about it. I'm still doing the same things, listening to World Soccer Daily, daily, watching football (which starts at a normal time) 6pm, not the normal 1:00 am and 3:30 am like in Korea.

I've been biking around the province of Friesland and listening to my football podcasts and figuring out where to go next. My week is planned from Monday to Thursday already. I did meet a great woman just before I left too but we're in different countries now. She was someone I would definitely continue to date if I was in Korea still.
But all the horking, getting bumped into, excessive honking of horns, annoyances like that are not missed at all. The only things I miss are my friends, the food, and some of the kids I taught. Other than that, I have really enjoyed my new adventure!
I started making this next video before I left Korea, it makes me sad to see these kids that I miss but I will see them again one day!

Biking around is something I haven't done in a while but it's nice to see the nature and the farms and it's amazing to see all the clouds in the sky.

Yesterday, I biked pretty far, over 20 km. I know some people bike more than that on a daily basis but a lot of people also drive everywhere. I can understand because it can rain anytime and it seems to every time I go for a ride.
But as long as the Euros keep going and Holland does well, I am totally comfortable being here. It kind of reminds me of the atmosphere during WorldCup 2002 in Korea!!

A Fast Transition 6.10

2008-06-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then Monday morning. I will remember those days for a very long time. Emotionally draining. Quick and forceful changes though can be better than slow, indecisive ones. For me, leaving Korea has always been a difficult one, the number one reason being I've gotten too comfortable living there. Paul and I talked a lot about the advantages of leaving and why, only in one country, why either of us have lived in Korea for so long. Getting too comfortable.
But after a few days of being able to think it over, thinking of what all my other options are and could be, it's all very exciting and new! I miss my friends a lot of course but I hope we have the opportunity to all meet again in another country and even better, live in the same area again!!
About a week ago, I met Rob, Chris and Dan in downtown Seoul. I wish Paul, Billy and Ryan were there too. Dan was interviewed by a news reporter and I managed to get him on video here. You're a star Dan!!

Great Arrival 6.10

2008-06-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

I arrived at 6:50 pm in Amsterdam, made it to my sister's by 9:10, in time to watch Holland score the first of 3 goals against Italy. It was a great start to this sudden new episode in my life. Oranjeboom!! A video of the players the day after a great win!

5 Days To Go! 6.2

2008-06-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

With only 5 days to go until the Euros start, there was some bad news that Ryan Babel will be out of the squad due to an injury he picked up in training. He'll be missed but there are some quality players still available. Here's a video of Netherlands vs the Czechs in a game in 1980.

Lee Myung Park Protest 6.3

2008-06-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing a lot about the protesting going on in Seoul so I wanted to see for myself. I went there on Sunday where there also were over 12000 people. This is some of what I saw there.

The Vulture Chomp 5.28

2008-05-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight will not be forgotten as the guy with the pimple on the cheek very suddenly went for a chomp on some chicken. The chicken which was probably glad it was already dead and deep-fried. But...

....As I was walking towards the place where I was looking forward to a cold beer, I had many thoughts...about love and what it represents....

I love it when plans come together.....

I love being busy but getting everything done......

I love all my friends and what influence they have had in my life....

I love when people realize when you're hot (temperature wise) and try to make a difference.....

I love seeing people love each other genuinely and show it......

I love listening to music and walking as you watch people....

I love orange.....

I love a cold beer on a hot night....

I love the fact that I'm thinking of my ex-girlfriend and at the same time enjoying my life more than ever....

I love my life right now....

May 28, 2008

1992 Final 5.19

2008-05-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

A Great win by Denmark in the final of Euro 92. They beat Holland in the semi-final and one of the reasons they made it so far is because of the goalie, and narrator in this video, Peter Schmeichel, also one of the best goalies I've ever seen!

20 Years Later 5.19

2008-05-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

It was a great team and a great win. This year is possible! Check out the video of the Euro 88 win! In Dutch too to add a little flavour...

Back to the Present 5.19

2008-05-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

On the weekend, Chris and I took the bus to Ulsan on Saturday afternoon. Rob met us later on because he needed some more sleep and Paul met us later in the evening because he had some classes in the afternoon and he flew in later.
It was a great bus ride there, comfortable and Chris and I had a great conversation about life in Korea, life in general, and life through dreams, which he has a lot of. It was probably the best part of the trip to be honest.
The main reason we went there was to go to Dan's (a friend of ours from Ulsan who now lives in Seoul) wedding. It was in a nice church, the only problem was that it was so hot and the service was long compared to most Korean weddings, over an hour. After that, we had to walk about 15 minutes to the restaurant. It was pretty good food.
It was good to see some old friends and just as nice to get on the bus again to get back home.
Going back there now is like going back to the past, nice to remember with some good memories. To experience it is a different story...I know now what Chris means when he says that you can't really go back to a place you left.

Teacher's Day 5.15

2008-05-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

To be totally honest, I can hardly wait for Tuesdays and Thursdays to end. One class I have is just dreadful! It's a one on one class, a nice boy but at the end of the day, a one hour class with him is the last thing I want to do and it kinda makes me look forward to getting home and having a glass of wine. With that being said, I have to admit that's what I did tonight but not before going to another class first. I have 4 classes with a kid this week only, and he's preparing for a test to enter a foreign school. Pretty easy stuff knowing I won't be seeing him again so no pressure.
On the other hand, I have a great class on the other days and this girl joined about a month ago. She is polite, smart and just adorable! All the other students are too but she's just got that extra cuteness in her.
Today was Teacher's Day and one thing I've noticed here compared to Ulsan is that it is not that big of a deal here anymore, not sure if it ever was actually. I remember my first Teacher's Day in Ulsan though and all the gifts I got, the socks, handkerchiefs, handwritten cards and rice cakes. Not that I need all those things but very few students said anything about it. I think part of it has to do with is that it is Family month, Children's Day, Parent's Day, and Buddha's Birthday all in the same week and then a few days later is Teacher's Day. Oh well, for all those times I feel unappreciated, there are students like this that make it all worthwhile!

The Chinese and their Flags 5.1

2008-05-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest video I made of last Sunday's events.

Olympic Torch Lighting 5.1

2008-05-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

For the last week or so, I've been getting my Macbook back in order, downloading stuff and getting some video when I have time. I have a new video editing program so have been learning how to use that as well. Also, trying to get some things arranged for the summer. I'm planning on going to Canada and Holland so getting the dates arranged to go with everyone else will be a little difficult.
Last Sunday, I was in Seoul near City Hall. I was planning on going to Deok Su Gung which is a temple right across from City Hall. As soon as I got off the subway, I heard and saw thousands of Chinese people shouting and waving their flags. There were also hundreds of journalists getting pictures of the event which was the Olympic Torch Lighting for Beijing 2008. A lot of people were shouting, "Welcome to China", and "Go China". There were also a few people wearing "I love Tibet" and this didn't go too well with all the prideful Chinese who chased them into a corner and started yelling things that were not coherent. It was somewhere around that point when a young girl said to me, " America is your father!"
Here are some pictures of the event. To see a video, go to the links on the right...

Toto 4.11

2008-04-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a wonderful week in Korea, great weather, new transitions, and met some great new people. Last Saturday, Paul and I went to a great concert, listened to some great music by Toto, a great band from the 80s. Their most popular song is 'Africa'. After, we met some friends, great guys, Geoff and Richie from Liverpool and Dan from Manchester and watched some football and listened to each other banter. I made this short video of last weekend, before and during the concert.

8 Years 4.7

2008-04-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

On this day, April 7th, 2000, I arrived in Korea for the first time. Time has really flown by and I have a lot of sweet and bittersweet memories of this country so far. The weather now is fantastic and everything everywhere is so spring like.
Time to celebrate...

Hasselbaink 4.5

2008-04-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will play in a match with Cardiff against Barnsley. He's been around for a while and this could be his last chance at any silverware. He hasn't really won anything except the league with some team in Portugal. He's been the leader in a couple of different leagues. I hope he scores a couple and goes to the final in the FA Cup. Here's an interview with him. In Dutch though, and even if you can't understand Dutch, I'm sure you'll get a word or two in it.

Nagoya 4.2

2008-04-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last Month, I went to Nagoya, Japan. Been there twice now and it's a cool little city, although there are about 3 million people living there. A lot of the people living there work for nearby companies, the big one being Toyota. These are some of the sites I saw on a beautiful day in March, about 3 weeks ago.

Forgetful 3.29

2008-03-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

You meet some people in your life that are unforgettable. Compare that feeling of grogginess in the morning after an extraordinary night out, the smell of your friend's shoe that lingers, or more pleasantly the thought of your first love after a glass of wine or two...and the smell of her.....reminiscing the first touch, the first feelings...
Not sure if the word 'love' should be mentioned but after meeting a person like that it reopened some sliding doors of the past..how languages play a part in our everyday lives, why certain people deserve so much attention, where that waiter was with the wine for so long, and why they ruined that classic Zeppelin song!
At the same time, I tried to think of a million reasons why not to just tell her she is the most attractive woman I've ever met, let alone the one I've most connected with! I wasn't worried at all about the results, the reactions from her or the problems I might have just caused by saying that...and hopefully the song blaring away by the nearest speaker would have drowned out what I was thinking, even though I shouted it!
Realizing that thinking and not acting was a much better option at this point, I decided to act on that very decisive thinking and leave the joint we were in. Not sure what she thought at all, but in her eyes, to me what I saw was most important....
At least I thought I saw something....

Back to the Hangul 3.27

2008-03-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

I registered for the KLPT Test for the end of April and since I did, decided I should start studying for it. I have two books to go through before April 27th which gives me 31 days. I know how the test works, what I have to do to do well, how to study for it, and what areas I have to improve on; it's just a matter of doing it.
Last weekend, I got out to see some of the sites in Seoul. Some of them I've seen before but some I haven't. This is a statue of King Sejeong (above) who invented the Korean Language Hangul over 500 years ago. This is near the temple called Deok Su Gung and it's right across from City Hall in Seoul. To be honest, I enjoy seeing the temples and stuff but after going to some of them they start to look the same and they're not as magnificent to look at as when I first came to Korea. Looking at people is more interesting, in all aspects. The good looking young women, the ugly people, the kids that are cute, the kids that have no manners and are noisy, the vexatious older men horking and spitting, and the group of older women that seem like they yell at each other when they're having a conversation. (see Billy's Blog: other pics for some good examples of some faces)

This is a view inside Gyeong Buk Gung Palace.(above) It is the most visited in Seoul and on this day here were visitors from Northern China, Philippines, Japan, and I even saw a few groups of European tourists. And below is the pavilion where they used to hold a lot of parties. I think it looks nicer in the winter when the pond around it is frozen and there is a layer of snow on the roof.

A Great Day except for the minor incident which gave me something to write about...! 3.20

2008-03-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

Not sure where to begin. Some days are better than others. Today was a most magnificent start to the day. I woke up before my alarm, which doesn't happen often. I was exhausted and I'm sure it was because of the fumes in the bathroom. Yesterday while I was out, a couple of guys came and were supposed to repair the bathroom floor. It looks like they just poured a gallon of white paint and just spread it around with chopsticks! Anyhow, it looks bright and smells new but last night I'm sure that the fumes made me sleep much easier and deeper.
Getting back to today. Whenever I am in a great mood, which is easy when we have weather like today, clear, sunny and about 18 degrees, it's so easy to see who is not but also see how catchy it is when you are smiling and being happy. I know it sounds a little clammy but it is so powerful.
Today, as I was running to get a train, I collided with a guy that got in my way, and almost knocked him over. He didn't look up and didn't say anything but I yelled he was a twat. Realizing that I might of said that too loud, I just smiled at the people who were suddenly looking at me. I was more angry at the fact that the great mood I was in was broken for a few minutes....

Japanese Art 3.12

2008-03-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, when I was in Nagoya, I went to this museum to see the Japanese artist Hokusai. There were a few other painters at the time he was doing his works that were quite inspired by his stuff, one of them being van Gogh. His most popular works being 'The Big Wave' and many others being with a view of Mount Fuji in the background. I like this one, out of a couple of hundred I happened to see in the place.

First Class Service 3.10

2008-03-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

The trip to Nagoya was wonderful, too fast, and tiring. I realized at the airport that my trip was being cut short by 12 hours due to some lack of communication and flights. But in the end it couldn't have worked out any better. On the return flight to Korea I got bumped up to Business Class on a first class Airline, Japan Airlines, which I will definitely fly with again!

Nagoya is very similar to another city I've been to a few times in Japan, Fukuoka. It has covered shopping streets going for blocks, and everything is small, organised and clean. I happened to run into this do it yourself laundromat on a side street and in Korea they are rare. Maybe in Japan they are rare too.

Also found this coffee shop where I could relax for a while after a lot of walking. They had a few of these lazy-boy chairs so I was able check my email and enjoy a coffee on a very comfortable chair.

Dutch Pride 3.6

2008-03-03T20:29:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I posted anything about Holland, the football, or any news of football at all. One of the greatest anthems in the world, and still gives me goosebumps. They always sing their hearts out when it's the WorldCup, don't they?

This last goal was from Dennis "The Menace" Bergkamp, on of the best strikers in the world and in this game and with this goal, proved it!

Laundry 2.27

2008-02-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

Today was a long day and tiring. It felt like I was going 90 mile an hour all day but in the end it went by pretty fast. After making, giving, marking tests and commenting on students' behaviour for the past 3 months, it's hard to believe that time has come and gone so fast. It snowed again yesterday and I wanted to get up early to take some video but I enjoyed staying in bed instead. I managed to get a few pictures though and am still amazed at how small everything looks from 14 floors up!

A few weeks ago, I met Paul in Jongro, downtown Seoul and in this one park there are a bunch of old guys that always get together and just hang out and talk. I asked one of my students what the one guy was saying and he was talking about how women don't do much these days except a little laundry and then just go shopping.

More Snow 2.25

2008-02-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a very strange week, weather wise. Very cold, then warm for a few days, then cold again, then it snowed almost all day. I don't mind it too much though as it adds some variety to everyday life here. One of the things I've been doing a lot lately is playing screen golf with Ryan. It's quite fun and even though it's not real, I know that it's helping my game. If we were to go outside and play on a real course now, we'd probably play very well. We're starting to play the more difficult courses with longer holes and more difficult greens. That's one of the things I will be doing more regularly this trip back to Canada.

Born in 2000/2.13

2008-02-13T23:30:00.000-08:00

I've talked about these kids before. They really are a great bunch and the fact that they are all beginners makes it more of a challenge to teach. They have all improved in different areas. The class started with one student, Jenny, and now there are 7 altogether. This is by far the most exciting class and most energetic and also the biggest. Here are most of them. Oh, and by the way, they were all born after I arrived in Korea for the first time. I find that a little amusing.

They're a happy bunch!

The Snowy Day 2.11

2008-02-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, it snowed quite a bit and it hasn't snowed much since. It was nice and I especially like when the snow has just fallen. It gives it a very peaceful affect. Unfortunately, it doesn't last very long and the next thing you know, it has all melted.
This next video made me appreciate the falling snow, if just for a short time only. It was taken about a month ago.

Chinese New Year 2.10

2008-02-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

5 days sure flew by fast! Chinese New Year has come and gone once again. The first day was great! I took a walk to the park while it was nice and sunny and it almost seemed like spring. Gareth, a friend of ours from Ulsan, who is originally from Manchester, came up to Seoul to meet up with Paul and I. He's a Man City supporter by the way. We were going to watch the International friendlies with England and the Swiss and the Holland vs Croatia games but they were on way too late. England ended up winning and Holland tore apart Croatia anyways so both positive victories.
I'm just watching the Manchester Derby now and before the game they had a 2 minute silence to honour the Manchester United players that died in the 1958 Munich disaster. Lots of people were worried that during the silence some hooligans would start chanting or ruin the memorial by doing something stupid. Manchester City just scored, 1-0. Darious Vassell!
Fortunately, nothing happened and it was a successful 2 minutes of silence. UNfortunately, the commentators on TV did NOT understand the meaning of SILENCE and just talked continuously either not understanding the meaning of a minute of silence or just not giving a shit. Pretty sad really considering they are supposed to be professional sportscasters.

On Thursday it was a nice day as well and as Paul and I were taking the bus back to Bundang, I had a few minutes to get a few pictures of the War Memorial in Seoul.

Crowds 2.5

2008-02-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

Perhaps if you've lived here, you've experienced the annoyances of strolling around Korea. Today it seems as though I experienced them all. Let me tell you about them briefly because as common as they are here, they are sometimes easily forgotten. As I was leaving one of my classes today and walking down the street, a gentleman was walking in a path straightforward in a direction that would cross my path. Without even stopping he kept on walking, didn't pause, and almost walked right into me if I hadn't of stopped very suddenly and LET him walk in front. Without even a pause or any kind of polite gesture, he continued forward on his mission. I shook my head. Now if I could put you in that exact situation not once but at least 20 times in one day, you would probably find it very disturbing.
Not even a minute later as I was walking towards the subway when a guy (not even considering the word gentleman) was trying to clear his throat so it seemed. He made a cross between someone trying to sniff and some animalistic sound of vomiting. I wasn't so sure so I stepped out of the way just to be safe. The fact that he probably thought it was publicly acceptable was disturbing.
And when I did manage to make it to the subway and got on, almost immediately was shoved out of the way by another guy, for the only reason I could see was for him to just go stand in another area of the subway.
Oh well, those kinds of things happen in a city with a population of over 10 million and people rushing to get places.

I enjoyed walking around Myeongdong in Seoul and actually saw a lot of happy people. They're much younger of course and it was on a weekend so almost everyone was happy anyways.

Disciplined 1.28

2008-01-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

In all the years I have taught here in Korea, there haven't been too many classes as well disciplined as the class I have now, 3 days a week. These kids know the drill every day and are ready for a daily spelling test, some of them getting 100% on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure Billy trained them to be like that too. They are quite a lot different than some of the other classes I have and it is pretty noticeable which of the kids have a good upbringing and who will be successful. It's pretty much all of them in this class.

Jenny

Amy

Annie

Britney

David

John

Struggling Voices 1.24

2008-01-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I met Billy and we went to downtown Seoul. At first, we were just going to walk around with Billy experimenting with his camera and taking hundreds of pictures and myself taking a lot of video. I managed to get a lot of the area in downtown Seoul and we happened to come across this Protest for Human Rights. Press play below....

The Diet 1.23

2008-01-23T23:00:00.000-08:00

For the past 11 days, I've been on a diet. To be honest, this is the first one I've ever tried, at least for this long. I've been eating less at one meal and also exercising once again. It's a nice groove to be in. After 11 days, I have a couple of days off then it's back on the 11 days again. I've dropped a couple of kilos and I'm starting to feel lighter. It is true what they say, a combination of diet and exercise is the key to weightloss. All those times when I was running 5km a day did me nothing because of everything I was eating in between.
The temperature has dropped off quite a bit since then. It snowed for a few days as well so it was looking nice and clean and pure. Above is a view of outside my apartment after it snowed a few weeks ago.

Foxes Wearing Tiger Masks 1.20

2008-01-20T06:40:00.000-08:00

I've seen a few protests in Korea but none like this and with such emotion. It's different when you know what the protest is about and I'm glad I found out afterwards exactly what they were against. There are over 400,000 Migrant workers in South Korea with most of them enduring very hard conditions, conditions most Koreans would not settle for and who rely on these people to do these so-called "Dirty, Dangerous and Demeaning" types of labour. Many of these Migrant workers are struggling to achieve more rights and with protests like these, they hope to get their message across.

As one confined Migrant Worker recently stated: "Korea is very advanced in terms of Science and Technology, but it is very backwards in terms of Humanity and the Rights of People."

If you've ever been to the Southern United States, you have seen how some whites are still racist towards the blacks. It's the same with Koreans to these Migrant Workers.

January 20, 2008

Hyundai 1.16

2008-01-16T23:45:00.000-08:00

I've been walking a lot lately to and from the school but the last couple of days, especially today it was almost unbearable. I could feel my legs start to freeze, even though I was walking very fast.
Ryan and I played another 18 holes of screen golf tonight and we both played pretty well although Ryan did much better than me. It's pretty nice that even during a -10 degree day without the windchill factor, you can play a round of golf at 9pm at night.

A lot of the apartment complexes in Seoul have these huge rocks in front of them with the name of the apartment engraved into them. This particular one is Hyundai Apartment Complex, with the first part, Hyundai, in Chinese and Apartment written in Korean. There are many with the same names because of the success of the Hyundai company. I liked the look of this one because it was all lit up for the holidays.

Common Sense 1.15

2008-01-15T13:00:00.000-08:00

One of the more used electronic devices in Korea is the GPS. They are used very often and I'm not sure they are so good. I agree that for long distances they are very helpful in finding a place you want to go to. In Korea though, there are a lot of undeveloped areas and roads and because a GPS will direct you to get there the quickest way possible, but sometimes you will end up in the middle of nowhere.
Yesterday I was driving with this guy to go to an interview and he used the GPS. He even told me that he doesn't look at the road or road signs usually because he's always looking at the GPS screen! The same situation happened a few weeks ago driving with another guy. He didn't know the area very well and he missed a turn. Next thing you know we are in an alley in the middle of nowhere. I told him that he was relying on that machine and not using his common sense.
"What's that", he asked.
"Exactly", I said politely.

Classes 1.13

2008-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

I guess it's true that most male teachers prefer the girls or female students. They are much calmer most of the time and they don't get out of control as much as the boys, and especially not as dirty as the boys, although there have been some exceptions. I have some great boy students too. They just take a lot more work and discipline.

When the students are concentrating on their work and doing some writing exercise, I sometimes back of when I first made the decision to come here to teach. Knowing that I will not be here for what seems like not very much longer, I am appreciating every day I can spend with the students.

I find that I am putting the books away and just chatting with the students more and more every day. They enjoy asking a lot of question as they are very curious little creatures.

The gift of being able to speak the most universal language in the Universe is a wonderful thing to have. I have met so many wonderful people during my stay in Korea over the last 7 years. I know the next 5 months will fly by so I want to enjoy them to the fullest.

Snow 1.11

2008-01-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

It's my best friends birthday today, January 11th.
Paul and I met while we were both working for the City of London, back in 1994. I heard him talking about football and the team that he was playing for needed some players. I said I was interested and he was really cool about it, not asking how good I was or who I played for before, although he could have. We came to Korea together in 2000 and although Paul went back to Canada for 3 years and missed the WorldCup 2002, we kept in touch and he came back here and eventually we both came to Seoul.

Screen Golf 1.9

2008-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of weeks, I've been playing a lot of screen golf. It's pretty realistic and fun. Some of the courses are harder to play than others like Pebble Beach. The ones in Korea are a little wider and you're less likely to go out of bounds.
Tonight, Ryan and I played 18 holes so I'm pretty tired but I played my best yet. We played a pretty wide and an easier course than we've been playing so it was good for our confidence. Friday we'll be playing again for Paul's birthday.

One of the nice things about screen golf is that you don't have a lot of walking and you can actually sit down between shots. But one of the nicer things about real golf is you can witness real scenery and that's one of the great aspects of walking 9 or 18 holes.
But living in Korea and the fact that it's January make it extra special to be playing, computerized or not.

Seorak Mountain 1.8

2008-01-08T23:55:00.000-08:00

Some more pictures of the Seorok Mountain trip. This is a trip that Rob, Clement, Paul and I took about 3 years ago during Chuseok. The four of us took 3 days and went to Wonju, Chuncheon, Sokcho and Seorak Mountain. It was a great time driving through the northeast part of Korea.

A bar in Sokcho. Not sure if we went here or not.

The view from the Motel we stayed at. It was a great place with a great view and had a roof too.

A tower near Wonju I think. (above) A cable car going to a peak of Seorak. (below)

Before we climbed the mountain, still all smiles.

Nostalgia 1.7

2008-01-07T23:55:00.000-08:00

I found a flash disc yesterday and was looking at a lot of the pictures I've taken in the past. Some of these were taken about 3 years ago, maybe even longer. I was feeling very nostalgic while I was jogging last night listening to one of my favorite U2 songs. I was looking for some pictures and videos of my ex-girlfriend but that moment passed and I found some other pictures instead. They brought back some good memories of Ulsan. Another reason to take a trip back there soon. I did live there for 5 years.

There are a lot of great places to see in Korea and over the years I've had the chance to see a lot of it. Since I have decided temporarily that I'll be here until the end of May, I hope that some of us will be able to take a few more of the road trips that were so great and memorable.

At the end of the day.....

Paul while we were relaxing during our roadtrip to Seorak Mountain.

And more recently, yesterday, I got my hair cut and I got it dyed. It seemed very 'yellow' to me at first but I got used to it. It was great today at school because the students loved to see it, something very different to them.

Gangnam 1.6

2008-01-06T23:55:00.000-08:00

I spent most of the weekend in Gangnam. Gangnam means 'south of the river' and it is actually a very large area but near Gangnam Subway Station there are a lot of restaurants, bars, clubs, and A LOT of people. Usually catching the last bus means standing for 20 minutes but the ride is usually pretty quick. After I finished my classes on Saturday, I went with a couple of teachers and we had some spicy seafood and noodles with some sake at a Japanese style place.
We talked for a while about teaching, the school, and some of the students that we teach. We also had a few bottles of soju which goes really nice with spicy food and hot soup.

I went back again today to meet a few of my students that I taught a while back. They are both working at the same company and are in their mid twenties. At first, it was just the two of us so we had lunch at a Japanese noodle place but actually had a dish that is very popular in Japan. It's a dish with rice with beef on top garnished with a little ginger and those small onions.
I enjoy talking with them. Their English level is pretty high and they're great to talk with. We are hopefully going to get together again soon and either drink some wine or go skiing, or both.

KNVB 1.5

2008-01-05T23:55:00.000-08:00

My mom sent me a package which I got about a week before Christmas. One of the things in it was this chain with the pendant of KNVB, the symbol of the Dutch Football Team. It means the 'Koninglijk Nederlandse Voetbal Bond'.

Earlier on today, after getting a coffee, I came back and saw another advertisement on my door. There are always about 3 or 4 of them on the door but today there was one of them that caught my eye and didn't make it to the bin. It was an advertisement for a gym which for 100,000won includes sauna, the health club, unlimited golf and a free lesson as well. I'll join there on Monday.

Grandparents 1.4

2008-01-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

I had one class today that didn't start off too well, the students were tired and not much in the mood to study Grammar. I guess the positive thing that came out of the class was that we finally managed to go through a few exercises and then we just put the books away and talked. We somehow got on the topic of families and grandparents.
The rest of the class turned out great and we talked for about 20 minutes. They enjoyed talking about their grandparents and their parents too so they were happy. One of the students, James, which adds a lot to every class, is going back to Australia next week. His sister, who is in another one of my classes is also going to Australia and I'll miss both of them. They've only been in my classes for a month but they will be missed, especially their unique accents.
Talking about grandparents brought a little tear to my eye. All my grandparents have passed away. James said that one of the girls was lucky because her great grandparents are still alive and she knows them well. He said he never met his great grandparents. Both his great grandfathers passed away in their early fifties.

I guess the best thing that came out of that class today was that the students were able to express themselves in a very natural way and that is much more fun for them than studying Grammar. Besides, they'll be forced to study a lot more of that when they get to Middle School.

Documentary 1.3

2008-01-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Last night, I started watching a very disturbing video of North Korea. I finished watching it today with a student who was also disturbed and it was just before lunch. I would suggest watching it on a strong stomach. I'm not sure how old the documentary was but it looks about 10 years old, maybe more. It's a 45 minute video but if you can download it, it's worth the watch.

http://documentaryvideos.org

Copy and paste the above link in your browser and go to the right of the screen, scroll down to
'Children of the Secret State-North Korea'

Young Minds 1.2

2008-01-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

I got a great e-mail from a friend today and part of it said this:
"I know that a teacher can sometimes be the one person in a child's life that believes in them and feeds their imagination and I don't think that can be done enough."

It was great to hear (actually, to see) and made me think once again that what we do for the kids here, teaching them a second language the best we can, actually does benefit them a lot and they really look up to the teachers. And for now, I have made some temporary decisions for the coming year. They may change of course but I figure that with an action plan laid out then it's more likely to happen.

It's also great to hear everybody's resolutions for the New Year. One of mine is to do something positive everyday and then write about it on here. We'll see how it goes...

Toy Cars 1.1

2008-01-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is the view I saw on Christmas Day. It was such a beautiful day, about 5 degrees outside. Since then, especially the last couple of days, it's dropped down to about -10 degrees. It feels like about -20 with the windchill and if you've ever been to downtown Toronto, pretty much a normal winter day there but a little colder than normal here. During the winter here in Korea there are usually 4 days of cold and then 3 warm days which means that tomorrow should be the last of this cold spell.

On Christmas Eve, Tony, Rob and Paul had their usual arguments about stuff. One of the arguments was that Tony bought Rob, Paul and I toques with AC Milan logos on them. Paul asked him nicely why he bought them and why he should wear it because he's a Liverpool supporter. Tony forgot that after 7 years of knowing Paul that he was in fact born in Liverpool and was a Liverpool supporter. It was an absent minded action from Tony I must say. But we all know it was the thought that counts.

On Saturday, December 29th, we all went to a Morrocan Food Buffet. It was great to have everybody there but unfortunately we couldn't all sit together because the Ambassador of Iraq and all his colleagues were having a huge meeting and dinner. We had to wait for a table but once we did, we all enjoyed a great feast! I'm not sure of the names of all the dishes but I will remember one of them, Fal Fal which is a red pepper stuffed with rice and vegetables. They were tasty! There was also curry chicken, roast lamb, roasted potatoes, and so much more and it's making me hungry again just thinking about it! We stayed for a couple of hours and just stuffed ourselves.
It was so good that we went again the next night but this time just Paul, Chris from Preston, and I.

Above is a picture of Richard. He's from Nigeria and he's a great guy. I think he enjoys Korea for the most part but at times it's difficult for him. The other night he wanted to go to one of his favorite clubs but wasn't allowed in because the sign on the door said 'No Nigerians or Pakistanis Allowed'. He's a great guy and I hope that one day I'll be able to see him in his native country.

Later on that night it snowed heavily but just for a short time and it melted pretty quick. It cooled off very quickly after that and we enjoyed the rest of the night inside watching football in Hollywoods, pretty exciting games and lots of goals.

Seoul Lights

2007-12-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!

Gifts We Possess

2007-12-19T21:59:00.000-08:00

I enjoy Tuesdays and Thursdays a lot. I have one class in particular where one student (Nick) and I pretty much just talk about anything from politics (very rarely) to fruit, which could be political too depending which province of Korea you're from. But naturally some people like to argue about anything and the price of fruit going up and down constantly could be a choice topic of debate. As for myself, I just like to eat the stuff, especially tangerines. This time of year they are the cheapest around here and you can buy a dozen for about 1700 won. For conversions check out XE.com-Full Currency Converter for a current conversion into your own currency.

So today, Nick and I discussed the Election yesterday which is officially finished now. Lee Myoung Park was elected as the President of Korea. Only 60% of all voters participated and he got about 47% of the majority. It might not mean a lot to most of you who the new President of Korea is.....I care though...I lost 5000!! To a 12 year old!

First of all, Mr.Lee, (he's not officially President yet) has been involved in numerous scandals and a recovered videotape released the day before the election proved that he lied to the Korean people....already! Enough of that....we never dwell on those topics for too long.

After that we talked about how there are so many things that he wants to do and that there are also so many things that I want to do as well. Eating better, exercising more (or just exercising), studying more Korean, drinking less, quitting smoking, Oh...DONE THAT!! 7 months tomorrow, By the way!

Point being, we enjoy discussing all these things and try to motivate each other.

Christmas Dinner and Golf

2007-12-18T07:15:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days again. It snowed, got sunny and warm, then windy and cold, then just stayed like that. It's still not at all bad, just a little nippy at night. A week to go until Christmas and even though it doesn't really feel like Christmas yet, you can see a lot of the lights at night at the shopping centers.

A friend of ours, Dan, had a Christmas dinner on Saturday and cooked a turkey, and made some stuffing and mashed potatoes. It was a nice feast and to top it off, we went and played screen golf afterwards. It was a good time, although the longer I played, the worse I got! I can hardly wait to try it again though!

Back to the Basics

2007-12-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

I started working with Billy again at my old school last week and it's going well. That was after I bought a bag of coffee.

The weird thing about it is it's so quiet at times compared with the school I worked at before. It's a lot more casual too and I've had to step it up a bit and start giving the kids more homework. At the same time though, I'm enjoying being a lot less strict with them and just talking with them more. It was funny because I asked one of the students what she did over the weekend and she said she made a 'muffler'. It took her all weekend to make it too!

It's nice to be back there even though it might not be for too long a time.

This video below is the latest one that I've finished. The music in it is by Ilanois. My cousin in Holland plays in that band and I wanted to use the music for this one.

Dutch Out Already?!

2007-12-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, the Euro draw is complete and although a bit surprised and disapointed at first, I think this is a great opportunity for Holland. They will play games against Italy, France and Romania (who beat them in qualifying). They are already underdogs as World Soccer Daily's Steven and Howard already commented on their show as well as a poll taken on ESPN Soccernet. That's great and I'll tell you why!

First of all, VanBasten has already decided that after Euro2008, he will retire. No pressure to win, he's done after the tournament anyways. Could be a definite plus. They are already underdogs. Great! Most tournaments they're automatically one of the favorites! When was the the last time they weren't one of the favorites of a tournament? 1974??

Let's also remember that a few players were missing the last couple of games for the Dutch. VanPersie and Robben were both injured and VanNistelrooy wasn't in the team for the first half of qualifying. Seedorf will make a difference and still has it in him to win another championship, this is VanderSar's and Van nistelrooy's last major tournament and I'm sure they would like to finish in style!

Let's not count them out just yet!

What's your purpose?

2007-12-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

"Why are you taking that test?"
"Why do you need to learn Korean?"
"You don't need to learn Korean."
"Are you going to live here forever?"
"Are you married to a Korean?"
......are few of the many questions I've gotten from people over the last 6 months. My favorite one is "What's your purpose for taking the Korean Test?" I have to admit, it made me stop and think. That was before the test. I got my result back today and it was just what I needed to kickstart me to start studying again!

Saturday Nov.24

2007-11-26T06:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a video of 2/3 great goals from Liverpool! Gerrard and Babel. Kuyt's was a little lucky!