a memory of childhood

One of the sadder posts to date, but it ends well. I try to keep the blog relatively upbeat. Harry one of my younger students was beaten up by an older boy and was crying. He's a little awkward and heavy for his age. Very shy and always a little sad. He reminded me of a kid long ago, who was shy and awkward. A kid who used to get picked on and beaten up. I comforted him as best I could in Korean and he just gave my legs this huge hug. I gave him / his parents Master Kim's number and offered to help him with his studies. The big problem kid in the hogwan now has the fear of god when I scolded him in korean. I could never abide by bullies. Unfortunately the competitive nature of Korea pushes the kids very hard. Kids here go to school, then academies. They are always hungry and tired. I thought back to the huck finn adventures of my childhood playing in the ocean, running in the swamps, climbing trees. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Today is also parents day in Korea. So thanks Mom and Pop, for giving me all those great memories, giving me a foundation to build from and freedom to fly, freedom to make mistakes and have victories. I hope I am half the parents you are.

stuff for walls

This weekend was fun, went to SOngtan for a new pipe. A bit pricey but worth it. Had mexican food, actually made by Mexicans. There is an airbase near there, the Airmen are fun. They saw me speaking Korean and asked me a ton of questions. some were genuiniely interested in being polite, then went to a nightclub in Suwon called Shampoo, danced my legs off. Let the hair out. Had good Galbi (pork ) and pretty much chilled with the Surly crew. Saturday we went back to Suwon and get a gaggle of foreigners.

ALso met a trio of military guys hell bent for trouble. I sent them to the pink light district and was hoping the MP's would find them.

Well, I finally broke down and got some more things to put on my walls, they are laminated korean maps and language lessons that break down the syllable blocks . Not quite the decorating I wanted to do and my old interior decorating boss would break into hives. But the cell is looking a little less transitory. I spent the day in. I was going to go to the lantern festival inSeoul but my back was killing me so I decided to stay in a be a slugabed. I also got floor sitting mats just in case I invite one of Byeongjeomers to eat here. It can be civilized. Going to do a little food shopping.

Be safe

S.E.T.I. or all alone in the night

On my way to the family mart to get a soda, I was stopped by a group of kids yelling "WEYGOOKIN !!!" I responded Ai Ni yo, Hangeukin, ha susuisunida chalheyo ( I am Korean and I speak Korean very well ) I left them stunned. But I learned a long time ago what it was like to be an alien. I still think about what's out there, what our planetary community it like. With ex astronauts saying we are not alone. I wonder what would happen if they did come. Would we as a species act the same way as the Koreans do. Would we embrace them, would they enslave us, would we turn on ourselves. Human nature is predictable. I would still like to be alive if we ever do meet them and say " I was there the day we were no longer all alone in the night."

my pet and Aesop's revenge

As you know I have been considering a pet, so today I asked the students what kind of pet I should get. They suggested

koala
crocodile
shark
elephant
pig
tiger - Ana suggested a baby tiger
horse
fox
lion
eagle
bear
wolf

I was thining of a cat, I explained my chip(home) was chokum(small)

The old tales of the lion and the big wind, the mole and the seed, the fox and the crow, the tiger and the rabbit. Are in some of the units I have been teaching. The younger students like it when I change voices and punch the stories up a bit. I got to explain about fables. How all stories wherever they are from have similar themes. They got it. I hope if I leave them with anything it's that something different is not to be feared. I know many of my kids will never leave Korea and after so many years of compulsory English in public school they'll grow to resent it. I got to do a little Shakespeare today too. Good day overall.

quick update

A few good things

David one of my best students I met his parents. I said in ok Korean, he is smart and polite. David replied so are you teacher.

Cindy another on my gems, always hugs my legs. Gave me another little note saying Thank you teacher.

My interview/test are going well. Thinks are chrping along. Brought a pair of escrima sticks Master Kim found for me to the hogwan, they may prove useful. ( Sardonic laughter )

Jhang Gun Punches Submarine

Well it was an interesting week, I may have to jump hogwan's. After doing research into my contract and Korean labor law. I did my research before I got here, GnB is a reputable school but the franchises individual owners make the decisions. So that's been my week, training, writing, and all in all being good. Looking into my TESOL certifications. The expectation of me to be teaching in Korean has killed me the most. And according to my sources it shouldn't be happening.

When I get paid in May, negotiations with my boss. My services are in demand here.

As to the title of my blog, My students, the ten year olds are well behaved and adore me. They had an assignment to draw sports. My students drew a bunch of pictures of me in various action poses, punching submarines, killing sharks, jumping out of planes. Looks Like I've become Doc Savage. They are the ones that call me by my Korean name.

The weekend was fun

Officially Extra Terrestrial

I finally got my alien registration card so I am not a registered alien. Feel like the mutants in Marvel comics protesting the mutant registration act. But now I at ;east have credible Korean ID and don't have to carry my passport with me.

why-people, poison water and stickage

Well it's Monday, damn, back to invisibility but I managed to score two pair of escrima sticks so I can have my proper morning work out. After taping them up , reading and writing it was almnost like being back in Brooklyn.

Wei = why
Weigookin = foreigners or foreign people

We are now officially the Why People, and again some informational discrepencies have made my a little surly. Like just being told not to drink the tap water because there is ARSENIC in it. I've been drinking it for three months now and that may account to why I've been feeling like hell scrambled.

I'm also learning the Korean phrasing for "What can you do?" and "Minor" I guess I just miss my dad.

full moon in hwaesong

The moon shines bright calling to the cannines tattooed on my soul. The fox, the wolf, the hound, the coyote - the cunning, the teacher, the loyalist and the trickster run through the Byeongjeom night. And for this night I run with the wild hunt. It is there where the mountain of glass that haunts my dreams stays, between the dreaming and the dead. My borderlands, my road of shadows.

Finally pay day and plans to go out to the Crazy Duck take form. I am very tired the week was exhausting. But things are taking shape. The Korean sword form is going well and helping me read/write the language. Been writing, finally have the letters ready to go out and the money to mail them. I have been looking into my post Korea plans and hope to save money if worse comes to worse. I resuced Soy who returned to us ( Tuesdays, Thursdays , Fridays ) after locking herself in one of the unused classrooms to get breast milk for her little one. The last few classes on Thursday and generally I can coast through Friday's none the worse for wear. I ran into Soy's mother who invited me to some grand picnic in the far future. I miss my family, my friends, the ramblin rovers and the circle. I have written a few poems since I've been here and I am planning on putting up bits of my new fiction. I am cleaning up a few plays for submission and I had to cannibalize an old group of stories to fit into the Glass Mountain. I may have to put a glossary in the back of it. The moon is full and I walk under the alien stars of the shadow road. Still wrestling with bad insomnia and I am missing the sorceress who has my heart the most. I had a long walk and talk with a few decades old ghosts and we came to terms. You can only hold onto memories so long before their sweetness turns to poison. The warrior poet stars to speak again, in fits and starts. But his parries, strikes and thrusts are clean even though his prose sometimes lacks definition.

favorites and folktales

Well I had a few moments between the waves of chaos to write a few notes.

One was the revelation of some Korean superstitions around the word Sa, Sa=death, it is also the number 4, which is why four is considered unlucky.

My students keep changing their English names. One asked me for my full name. So now some want middle names as well. I was playing favorites today.

I've been reading many Korean folktales and they have been finding their way into my thoughts. Many tales of lost love, hauntings, valiant deeds and monsters. Pretty much my taste.

I was teaching a fable based on the old chinese fable of the woman who lived a good life and wanted to see heaven and hell. So death takes her to hell first. The is a sumptuous feast but all those seated at the table were starving, monaing and miserable. To thier hands were bound twenty foot long chopsticks and the couldn't reach their mouths and were fighting and poking each other with the sticks. Then she asked to see heaven, And much to her suprise she saw a table, with a great feast, but all those at the table were bubbly and happy. When she asked why heaven and hell looked the same Death answered. Look closer. And those at the table in heaven were feeding each other. The definition of goodness and kindness.

I had a good day of classes, My 3 favorites are Anna, Cindy and Alice. Anna always try to speak english with me and always finds words like smart and respect to use in reference to me. Cindy just adores me and likes to hug my legs. And Alice her partner in crime has a better vocabulary than I do.

I been working on Glass Mountain (my adventure novel ) and what is probably my last play Slayin Dragons. The two may become one and create the live radio theatre piece I always wanted to do.

no longer illiterate

Well had my first hardcore lessons in reading Korean. Thanks Ed, Mira, and Samantha. All are part of a joint effort to get me reading which has been vastly improving my korean. The rest of the week turned to plans of a coup de etat with the teachers under the Big Nym finally organizing to make conditions better. Anytime you throw an american in the mix we form a union. Been trying to make my apartment liveable. It's looking more like a dojong than a place to live. Need to put something on the walls. Mostly my walls are covered with maps and korean language lesson. Can't wait for my certifications, just to have a ranking here. Soon escrima sticks. And Scott happy.

the feral hobbit workout

Long hard April babbo(fools) day

It was a long slog through the trenches of Mordor. My students were good. My problem class calmed down after a scolding from Captain Scott ( the Big Nim , cause I can't for the life of me remember the proper Korean for his title.) Been in the nasty habit of pluralizing Korean. Weygooks as opposed to Weygookin. And a weird English suffix brought about by the 7 months of seven day weeks working with Kevin Carlson, the interior designer . The suffix -age. If you need curtains you need curtainage, blinds blindage, a dresser dresserage. That an my own old slang Golden ( very good ) have worked their way back into my speak. 9 days and counting until I get paid. I have been saving but very little. I hope to do better this coming month.

As for the title of this blog entry. I was contemplating a gym membership. But it occured to me between the pass ball game I play at the end of classes, dodging korean drivers, ducking landmines of innuendo, I have kept in good form. And with the training as well as hitting a plateau in my current Korean studies. Learning to read soon. I understnad more than I can speak. Which comes out in the weirdest of situations. I am studying hard. Looking into my certifications. But the biggest workout is the kids.

The hobbit curl - where the kids want my to life them and fly them around the room like superman.
The hanging hobbit - when groups of them grab onto my elbows as I lift them off the ground.
The hobbit press - the pushing up and off of a mob of candy deprived Sacksville Bagginses
The Treebeard shuffle - When I walk with them clinging to my legs.
The Hobbit/Troll ultimate megasonic wrestling - when an entire class of the ferals tries to arm wrestle me "at once"
The Uruk drag - when a few refuse to budge and with cries of Andei ( No way/No ) and I am forced to drag them and my poor passball around class

Such is my life as it is.

I miss my girl so much.