Interesting Story and Some Pictures

Well, I survived another fire. Sunday night the restaurant/pub place we go to on Sunday nights for trivia went up like a torch while we were there. Apparently a grease fire in the kitchen, and by the time everyone had started rushing for the exits, flames had engulfed a big portion of the place. We basically had to run through the fire to get out the only exit, which was right next to the kitchen. A couple minutes later--thankfully after everyone had gotten out--the gas line in the place exploded and the whole pub was engulfed in blue flame. By the time fire crews had gotten there the place was basically a total loss. Fortunately, everyone was okay and the people in the apartments above were able to make it out as well (the whole building filled up with black smoke). It was pretty scary, and brought back a lot of memories I've been trying to forget. (For those of you who don't know, my college apartment burned up in November 2006, and a year later, my best buddy Peter--who was living with me at the time of the 2006 fire--died in a house fire.) I'm tired of fires.

Anyways, on a lighter note, things--Sunday's events aside--are still going swimmingly here. My schedule has filled up quite a bit, as I took on some intensive classes in addition to my regular teaching schedule. But that just means more students to get to know and love--plus more treats and juice boxes that they bring to me in the office. I gotta figure out how to get some video on here: the adorable tiny girls who sing me duets, the uncontrollable kid who practices taekwondo on his desk (and often on the other kids in class), the little geniuses whose English skills you'd have to see to believe--these are the experiences I most want to share... they crack me up.

Kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, I just booked a trip with some friends to Beijing for the Chinese New Year this weekend. I have off Monday and Tuesday next week (the biggest vacation I'll have for months), and came across a great last-minute travel package. So I figure why not? I won't have too many chances like this in my life.

Here are some more random pictures, too:

Me at the top of Jangsan Mountain with Busan down below.


Zen rock formation thingies on the way up the mountain. My neigborhood is in the background.


Me and some friends at a Golbi dinner. As well as some nice drunk Koreans who were sharing our table--I bet you can guess which side was theirs.

Bob and I near Haeundae Beach. "LOOK!"

Alright, back to prepping for class. Love!

Observations

2009. Another year has arrived. I can't believe how quickly they're starting to fly by. (I can't believe how quickly my time here in Korea has already flown by.) It's weird to say that I can remember things from twenty years ago. I'm feeling old, though at the same time still so young. There's a lot still in store for me, and I can't decide whether I'm more excited to get to the new, or relish the "now," though I suppose the now is still relatively new, so I'll stick to the latter.

Happy New Year, everybody. The holidays were unlike any I've had in the past, though not in necessarily a good or a bad way. Just different. I'm happy, so why dwell on the "what if?"

I've been reflecting a lot on my time here so far, and the things I've noticed in my interactions with my new home. Here it goes:

---Koreans are incredible. Sure, I've met many other waegooks (foreigners) whose opinions differ, but I haven't had anything but amazing interactions with the natives. I learn so much from them and they learn a lot from me, whether on the street, in school, or in restaurants. I've never been treated with such hospitality and interest. It boils down to the simple fact that if I show them respect, it's returned--often tenfold.

---There are no less than 50 restaurants within a three-block radius of my apartment. Most of them serve nearly-identical menus. Of these 50, I'm able to order at about 8 of them. I need to learn how to read food menus. But of those that I know, I love them all.

---The food is amazing. Every dish I (usually "we") order is served with a huge variety of side dishes, always tasty as can be. I was expecting to be eating a lot of (cooked) fish here, but I'm yet to find a place that serves it--other than fish head soup. Beef, chicken, pork, and octopus seem to be the staple proteins. Of course, there are the raw seafood places, but that's more of a specialty kind of thing, as it costs quite a bit more than I'm often willing to spend.

---Kimchee--the Korean national food, made of fermented cabbage and who-knows-what-else--is ubiquitous. Most of it is good, though some of it I can taste more of the fish guts it's rumored to be soaked in. I'd say only about 25% of the waegooks here eat it. I like it--especially considering Koreans tout it to be the reason they're all so healthy here.

---There are a zillion mopeds and scooters on the streets. It's the vehicle of choice for food delivery guys, as well as anyone else who doesn't want to obey traffic "laws." The scooters can bypass traffic by simply zooming up on the sidewalk and cruising through pedestrians on the sidewalk with their fingers on their horns. I've learned that when I'm walking on the sidewalk and hear a "beep beep" of a scooter, I'd best not move, lest I lose an arm to a pizza delivery guy doing mach 3 down the crowded sidewalk. At first this was quite disconcerting, as I'd always tried to hop out of the way, but now I realize the drivers are incredibly adept and maneuvering around stationary obstacles, hence the reason Koreans freeze as well, and I haven't seen any sidewalk carnage yet. Yet.

---On the concept of traffic laws, they don't really exist. Cops here don't give traffic tickets, and everyone seems to take full advantage of this. Cars can fly through red lights at their own risk, drive up on curbs whenever, stop in the middle of the road, make life-threatening u-turns, whatever. My first few taxi rides (which I spent white-knuckled, clinging to my seat for dear life) taught me this. But I'm yet to see a single car wreck, so it appears they all know what they're doing, and what the appropriate risks to take are. I'm yet to catch air in a taxi; can't wait for that day.

---I talk to myself more than I ever thought possible. Granted, I'm alone more than ever in my life, so rather than get ready to commit myself, I'll consider it somewhat normal, given my circumstance. Plus, I have some really good thoughts and ideas that I can always agree with.

---I had a McDonald's burger the other day for the first time since being away, and holy blingblong was it delicious. I was lost, starving, in a land of unreadable menus, when, up ahead (at first I thought it was a mirage) were the magnificent golden arches. A Big Mac has never tasted so glorious. And it gave me the strength (or maybe sense of direction) I needed to make it the full three blocks home (hey, it's easy to get lost here.) Whoof, that was a close one....

---I got a computer and internet, and wow is it saving me from the monotony that is Korean pop music. I dare you to look up the Wonder Girls. No, don't.... crap, just typing that got their stupid hit song stuck in my head.

This post is getting too long; there are lost of other things I wanna say, but they can come at another time. But lastly, "thanks's'much" (that's for you mom) to everyone that sent me gifts and letters. Cheese, chocolate, cookies, updates: these are things I also miss more than I ever thought possible. Sure, Korea is great, but it's always give-and-take no matter what, I suppose. I love you all. Please keep in touch -- I love receiving the emails and letters. anderson.tyrel@gmail.com.

I hope all is well with everybody, and let me know if there are any sorts of things you'd like from Korea. I'd love to send some knickknacks to anybody who wants 'em.

Much love --- Tyrel