Sharks, follow my trail.

These pictures are from my recent trip to Japan. All I want to...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:39:00 -0500

These pictures are from my recent trip to Japan. All I want to say about this is that I would strongly recommend anyone who is given the opportunity to visit Tokyo to do so. It is an absolutely amazing city! (Godzilla is sooo nice!)

There’s something about the amazing juxtaposition of having something like the Imperial Palace, where the Imperial family actually lives in this life of isolation and secretivity amidst a huge sprawl of just breathtaking modern buildings that creates an amazing sense of wonderment. The city just felt so alive. There’s so much to see and I had way too little time, but it was excellent. It’s genuinely a world class city and so inspiring to spend time in.

This is awesome for so many reasons. Obviously, it’s...

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:58:00 -0500

This is awesome for so many reasons. Obviously, it’s something near and dear to my heart (I have a cousin who married a french Canadian Mountie). Similarly, I also appreciate it for the sheer nostalgia value that it possesses.

These heritage moments are so hilarious and I think that actually watching these moments on TV is one of the few cross-cultural shared experiences that I’ve been able to identify as being really ‘Canadian’ for people in my peer group who were raised in Canada. “But I need these baskets back!” Anyone?

Anyway, I just wanted to post this because it’s something that we as Canadians really should celebrate (“it” being cheesy, poorly written TV spots). But in all seriousness, as the debate really heats up in Australia and the United State, I hope that at least some people in those countries can feel inspired and validated by the standards Canada has set in terms of marriage equality. Hopefully one day the people of Australia can watch a one minute spot featuring a gay surfer being surprised by a gay kangaroo farmer down on one knee.

This video is “My Lady Story” by Antony and the...

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:22:00 -0500

This video is “My Lady Story” by Antony and the Johnsons. I chose to share this video as a dedication to International Trans Day of Remembrance or Week of Remembrance in some places. It’s an absolutely beautiful song that can be enjoyed standing alone, but it also makes me think a lot about the specific experience of trans people which is an experience that I think cys-gendered should consider so that we can do what we can to help our trans brothers and sisters.

I think that as a community we should make every effort possible to be conscious of, fighting for the rights of, empathetic to the diverse needs of, and celebrating the individuality of all members. However, there are times when we also need to acknowledge the pain or strife of those in our community. There are many reasons to have a Trans Day of Remembrance.

The Centre for Women and Trans people at my alma mater has many events planned for the upcoming week and they explain explains:

“The Centre for Women and Trans People will commemorate this year’s Trans Day of Remembrance by offering a full TransWeek of Remembrance for Two Spirit, Intersex, and Trans people, and all who have been impacted by anti-trans violence and discrimination. A week is not enough – together let’s continue to actively resist violence and celebrate trans lives always. The Centre is honoured to be part of this work and hopes everyone has a chance to create a space for the remembrance of community members hurt or lost, and to collect and share in our own personal reflections.”

My friend Tina recently told me about a famous South Korean entertainer named Harisu who happens to be transgender. I’m really happy Tina shared this story with me. She told me that a few years ago there was a documentary in South Korea about Harisu. It talked about her career, her life, her struggle, her family, and her marriage to a South Korean rapper. Tina said that before she saw the documentary she didn’t really understand what it meant to be trans. She also talked a lot about how much the documentary and specifically, Harisu’s journey and her struggle really opened her eyes to the experiences of trans people. She said it made her so much more understanding and that the documentary really put a human face to an experience that I think a lot of people don’t make enough effort to empathize with. I’m amazed that Harisu had the courage to tell her story in a country like South Korea which, as I’ve experienced first hand, is quite conservative.

So I guess, this post is an inspiration post about Harisu. Learning her story also made me feel a little more comfortable as an LGBT person living in South Korea. So, if she’s reading this blog (I know, no one is…)thanks for all you’ve done. Also, thank you to everyone who works to create equality in the world. No one can do it all, but we can all do something.

Poutine is a wonderful and blessed thing that is truly lacking...

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:14:00 -0500

Poutine is a wonderful and blessed thing that is truly lacking in my life at the moment. I miss all the wonderful, unhealthy, messiness that is poutine. There are a few spots in Seoul where you can find it (I’d personally recommend Yaletown in Sinchon) but I have a feeling it’ll taste even better on Canadian soil. If I was flown home right now, eating poutine would be privileged above all other activities. My apologies to my friends and family for that last comment, but honestly I’d walk over most of you to get to a quality plate of poutine right now (this may be influenced by the fact that I haven’t eaten in almost 2 and a half hours [can you imagine?].

This post is an Oh, Canada post. As a Canadian, I think our nation has many things to celebrate; universal healthcare, marriage equality, subsidized post secondary education just to name a few. Similarly, there are many things about Canada that, living abroad, I really miss. There are some more poignant qualities of Canadian life that I miss and hope to one day have the courage to write about. However, for now I’d like to stick to something near and dear to my heart: unhealthy food, my obsession with food, and all the Jennifer Anniston spinsteresque qualities that accompany said obsession with most things deep fried.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to experience one of the...

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:22:00 -0500

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to experience one of the many amazing festivals Korea has to offer. This one was the Seoul Lantern Festival. My friend and I strolled along the chongey chong (certainly not the spelling [also, I usually call it the chimichanga because it’s easier to remember]) river and checked out a few dozen lanterns constructed solely of paper.

In true Korean fashion, we of course had to wait in a half an hour long line before we could access said stream, but it was worth the late. Amazing craftsmanship and picture taking opportunities (said picture taking opportunities of course in no way lead to excruciatingly irritating bottle-necking of pedestrian traffic of course).

As per most things in Korea though, once we could see through (both figuratively and literally) the 8 billion people, it was quite the spectacle.

You can see more pictures on my facebook page.

I’m not really sure how to categorize this post. I guess...

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:59:00 -0400

I’m not really sure how to categorize this post. I guess I’m going to put it under The Ridiculous or the Great (though not mutually exclusive), however, it is neither. Actually no, the senator in the video, Gretchen Whitmer, is great. I’m inspired that she had the courage to speak so frankly about this bill. The purpose of the legislation, which passed (http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/michigan-gop-pass-bullying-bill-giving-license-to-bully/politics/2011/11/03/29580) is difficult to understand and very saddening to me. It’s also very disappointing. Do I think that a piece of legislation can bring an end to all forms of bullying? No. Do I think that a piece of legislation can help to reduce bullying in our schools? Yes. Do I think this piece of legislation will protect vulnerable students from bullies? No. Do I like posing questions to myself on a blog that no one is reading? Yes.

Personal questions aside, I don’t understand how the Michigan Senate could have missed the mark so significantly when drafting this bill. I suppose we just have very different marks. I do believe that governments should work to protect their citizens, however, it’s not the only way the most vulnerable in our societies can be protected. We need to educate. Though a better drafted anti-bullying bill could aid in quests to educate young people about the effects of bullying, Senator Whitmer and the publicity she has received show that even in the face of defeat, we must never give up the fight (poor choice of words? Perhaps.)

The irony of the language in this legislation is also worth mentioning. I would really like a senator from Michigan who voted in favour of this legislation to explain to me an incident where bullying is “moral”.

Moral: of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical

Bully: a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

I do fully understand the legislation’s intended purpose and I’m sure in some sort of Orwelian double think kind of way they all know the ridiculousness of this language as well. However, without it they would have to acknowledge the human rights of the people they’re not willing to grant those rights to (see:the LGBT community).

In an attempt to add some positivity to this story, I hope that what this bill creates is more Gretchen Whitmers in the world. People who can identify and quite eloquently explain why something like this bill is so problematic and have the courage to have their voices heard.
You may have lost this battle Gretchen, but I am confident that, one day, your voice and your message will prevail.

I’ve been reading some articles lately debating the merits...

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:12:00 -0400

I’ve been reading some articles lately debating the merits of keeping our national animal the beaver. First, Senator Nicole Eaton suggested that we change it to the polar bear, and now there’s an article in the Huffington Post where the author suggests the Canada Goose is a more appropriate symbol of his suggested aspirations for our great nation; monogomous (???), loyal, brave, and hard to intimidate.

I’m gonna have to strongly disagree with both suggestions. In my opinion, we should keep it the beaver. Living abroad has really made my level of patriotism increase…perhaps even to a chauvinistic level. As a result I am currently almost blindly proud of all things Canadiana. One thing I’m really proud of about the Canadian people is our modesty (see: irony). In all seriousness though, I think one great attribute of most (there are certainly some acceptions) Canadian people is that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. This is precisely why I think we need to keep the beaver our national animal: we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. Canada is a land full of brilliant comedians, sprawling wilderness, and poorly chosen town names (try explaining to someone that you’re from the Dublin that’s near Stratford and pretty close to London and then say that you’re not from the UK). We need to celebrate both our achievements and our flaws to maintain our balanced, accessible, generally jovial national personality.

Maybe this ability to laugh at ourselves comes from our humble roots. Our country was explored not because of war, not due to some divine religious right, or some quest for fairer sea travels…but to make hats! Not just any hats either, but hats out of Beaver pelts. I therefore think it’s only fitting that our national animal remind us of our humble roots and all the amazing qualities of Canadians that may or may not be a result of these roots, rather than prescribed (and I’ll say it, obnoxiously American sounding) aspirations. Let’s keep Canada a comedic, clever, industrious, and proud country that I think is very well represented by the low brow double entendre joke about the beaver that I’m almost avoiding making right now.

So, this is Kimbap. I would describe it as the Korean version...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:06:00 -0400

So, this is Kimbap. I would describe it as the Korean version of a sandwich. Not in flavor, but in accessibility and convenience. It’s everywhere.

Here’s an easy recipe if you’re interested in making it, or if you just want to check out what the ingredients are like you can see them here as well:

http://koreanfood.about.com/od/riceandnoodlerecipes/r/kimbap.htm

The one in the picture is Tuna Kimbap, of JamJi Kimbap in Korea. I would describe it as infinitely better than normal Kimbap…mostly because there’s mayonnaise in it. Right now, I love smothering it in sweet sweet spicy Kimchi.

New Beginnings

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:15:00 -0400

I decided that I need to make this second attempt at having the same blog, (it’s like I found a lost pet…not like I’m lazy) a positive one. As a result, it seemed quite fitting that my first post be a Positive Kimchi. Also, after a couple of sleeps I’m realizing how stupid that name is and how much I would make fun of someone else if I saw that blog title on their blog. That being said, I’m not someone else and since clearly (just check my grammar) I’m not big on editing, I don’t have to read this blog again. That being said, I’m hoping I’ll be inspired in the next couple of weeks and come up with a new title.

Anyways, since the no one reading this is likely in a hurry, I should keep this post going. So this post is actually going to be quite easy for me. In celebration of the fact that this is my second post in one week, I’m going make this blog all meta and shit and choose kimchi itself as this posts “Positive Kimchi”. Are you following.

If you’re not sure what Kimchi is, allow me to explain. It is essentially Korea’s national food (maybe officially an not essentially…). It consists of fermented cabbage that is then smothered in a spicy red pepper saucey thing called “saal”. I think it’s called saal, I’m not really sure how you would Romanize it, but it’s something like that.

So for the first 11 month or so that I was here I wasn’t entirely convinced that this dish was even edible. Early into my journey here my Aunt Joanne sent me an article telling me that the always reliable and reputable Dr. Oz had named Kimchi as a “super food”. I guess that means it’s really healthy…or it fell in a vat of radioactive waste and now fight crime, I think it’s the former though. This essentially confirmed my childhood suspicion that most things that are really good for you are awful (see: exercise, a balanced diet, abstaining from huffing etc.) However, my feelings over the past couple of months have changed. I swear to you, I never thought I would ever be able to think of Korean food as more than an inconvenient filler. None of the flavors really did much for me (with the exception of BBQ, that was love at first bite [call back, what?]) now, however, I thoroughly enjoy most Korean food and there have actually been moment where I have craved Kimchi. For the past couple of weeks I’ve actually been thinking about how it could improve classic western food. I’m thinking some sort of primavera pasta to start (they’re both red) and then moving onwards from there. If this happens (spoiler: it won’t) I’ll let you know.

So, I guess this post is about both Kimchi and Korean food more generally. However, if I use Korean food again (I will, 78% of my brain capacity is spent planning what I will eat) please don’t come down hard on me for it. If you get a chance, try some Kimchi. If you like it right away, that’s awesome (a little weird, but awesome). However, if you think it tastes like pickled fish socks that some mixed with tobasco sauce some one had left out in the sun, that’s okay too. I do think though, that it will grow on you.

Alright, that’s all for today. I’m gonna update with a picture of my current favorite thing to eat Kimchi with shortly.

I'm BAAAAACK!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:11:38 -0400

I think I should change my posting formula to always include, “well this is embarrassing…” at the beginning of each post. I think it will add some unity to this otherwise completely illogical spattering of posts.

In actuality, I think I do need to create some sort of formula for this blog. As you can all clearly see, I have epically failed in my attempt to keep anyone up to day in the going ons of my life. In my defense, I think it all boils down to the fact that I am, in fact, an epically uninteresting person. Sure I have some interests, but I really don’t think they are blog worthy…unlike the many other relevant, captivating, and noteworthy blogs online. www.kimjongillookingatthings.tumblr.com *

As aforementioned, a blog is a sacred and exclusive medium where people can express themselves profoundly. Without some sort of guiding purpose, the pressure to measure up to other prestigious blogs such as www.lesbianswholooklikejustinbieber.tumblr.com ,* has proven too much for me. As a result, I have decided overhaul this entire enterprise. From now on I will attempt to complete three types of blogs per 2 weeks(or a longer amount of time I will determine in six months when I return to this thing and realize I’ve yet to update it). In no particular order, here are the blog templates you can now look forward to seeing on Seouldecision from now on.

Blog Type #1: Positive Kimchi

A “Positive Kimchi” post will be a blog that informs my public about something from the week that makes me happy that I am living in South Korea. “Be where you are”, is a favorite quote of mine from the constant therapist in my life Mary Anne Van Bakel, and I’m really trying to take this to heart. As a result I’m going to try my hardest to find one thing in this little patch of earth that really makes me appreciate where I am.

Blog Type #2: Oh, Canada.

An “Oh, Canada” post can be one of two things. Either an example of my complete ability to actually fully process the things my mother says, aka a post about something I’m missing about Canada or when read with a different inflection, something I currently find humourous about Canada ( in this curcumstance, the blog type title should be read like, “Oh that Canada, when will he learn [chuckle chuckle].

Blog Type #3: The Ridiculous or the Great (though not mutually exclusive)

A “The Ridiculous or the Great” post will be something, likely taken from pop culture, that I currently find funny, strange, sad, excellent, awesome, horrifying, reminiscent of Tori Spellings glory days playing the role of Donna Martin, confusing, inspiring, positive, or….nice.

Alright, wish me luck, lets see how this thing goes once again. I think like a Pavlovian Dog, I should be rewarded each time I accomplish the feat of posting a blog…so please praise me**.

*I would like to clarify that think Lesbians Who Look Like Justin Bieber and Kim Jong Il looking at things are both great blogs.

**I would also like to clarify that I do in fact understand that no is actually reading this.

Bubbles

Tue, 03 May 2011 22:51:32 -0400

So tomorrow, May 5th, is Children’s day in Korea. Basically its a day off school and the idea is that all the kids get to do something fun. I think it’s a pretty good idea and something fun to celebrate. Youth are our future. Just ask Madonna.

Anyways, because of this we celebrated Children’s day today at school. We’re having a potluck, decorating umbrellas (don’t ask) and generally just having fun. To kick things off we took the kids to a park and made giant bubbles with them. It was hilarious and so much fun. All the kids had a blast and really enjoyed themselves. They are so amused by everything so with minimal effort they just explode with excitement (there should be pictures on Facebook shortly).

However, I had a quick reminder of where I am today. We had finished our bubble making activities and were scheduled to pile back into the giant van we took to the park when we heard a noise. I was walking the kids back from the bathroom when the siren started actually. Thinking it was an opportunity to drill home a little more English I asked, “What’s that noise?” (imagine the voice of an extremely condescending children’s show host who’s bitter about his current situation asking that question to properly put yourself in the picture.) The kids responded together, “it’s a fireman. A fireman.” “That’s right!” I said a fireman. When we got back to where my director was he informed me that I was wrong. He was really nice and non sholant (too lazy to look that up) about it and said it was actually the sound of an emergency drill and we would be able to go back to school until it finished. I had been told before that during these drills traffic stops completely and no one is supposed to move. So, we made our way to the play ground and I played my fear away.

In actuality I wasn’t so surprised by the drill as I was by my own reaction. I’d never really experienced anything like this (I know they happen all the time here, but I’m always in class so I never hear them) but it didn’t really phase me. Obviously, I’m sure it was just a drill and there is nothing to worry about, but if this had happened five months ago I’m certain I would have peed my pants just a little. I guess the safety bubble of Canada might be starting to burst around me a little but. As a Canadian we are so protected from the reality of armed conflict which is almost everywhere in the world. I’m glad I’m learning new things but I’m also so glad to be from such an amazing country.

This is what the inside of my head looks like all the time.

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:34:23 -0400

This is what the inside of my head looks like all the time.

3 Months later.

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:33:35 -0400

So it has been one trimester (I think, I don’t really know how much time a trimester is, but I like the word [someone can wikipedia it and correct me if they’d like]) since I last posted on here and I’m a little embarrassed. I had really hoped that I would post a lot more frequently (or at all) and I haven’t. I’d like to first apologize to both of you that may have at some point read my blog. Second, I’d like to make a new empty promise I’m bound to break. I’m going to try for the next month to regularly post Top 5 or 10 or whatever Most _________ lists of things that have happened to me so far in Korea. Basically I figure this will make things easier as I’m sure I can find an online cosmo quiz that will convey anything I want to and just copy paste my answers onto this blog.

So, I guess my first Top 5 or 10 or whatever __________ list will be The Top 5 Best things I’ve done For my own Sanity in the past three months (thank you Comsmo UK September 2008).

#1 I went to Taiwan. This might be the coolest thing I’ve done since moving to Korea. The country was absolutely amazing and the company was great. I went with my Friend’s Nick and Lauren and we met a fellow traveler Michelle who joined us on our adventure. The country was beautiful, the air was fresh, the people were so friendly and so nice. Michelle told us that Taiwan is often referred to as Asia’s hidden secret and I would have to agree. In true Luke fashion I knew nothing about Taiwan before deciding to go there and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Check out my facebook for some pictures. Also, I hope to do a post (spoiler: I won’t) dedicated just to Taiwan so you can (re: can’t) read more about it there in the future.

#2 I quit smoking (sorry Mom and Dad). I didn’t smoke very much, but I did a little. For my new years resolution I gave it up completely. A friend at work told me a couple months later that I looked 5 year younger (I’m assuming I still look rough for my age) but I’ll take it. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and I’m pleased with the results (I still sometimes drink beer out of an ashtray and stir my milk shakes with 3 Marlboro milds taped together with a nicorette patch, but I regress).

#3 I started taking a Korean class. Now, I should explain that I have made very little actual progress when it comes to speaking Korea. However, I’ve been so frustrated lately with the language barrier and decided that since I’m the one who moved to Korea, I really only have myself to blame so I need to do something to remedy this situation. Like most things I do, it just makes me feel better about myself for making the effort, rather than supplying me with any ability to say…ask where the bathroom is.

#4 I found god. Just kidding, but I did find Costco, and it’s brilliant. I really Costco a whole lot in Canada, and now that things like dill pickles and salsa are hard to come by, Costco is like an old friend you liked a fair bit that you meet in a foreign country and enjoy more because there are fewer familiar things around you.

#5 I watched Mean Girls. It’s a great movie.

Alright, well I’ll see you all in approximately 5 and half months when I realize that I’m heading home in two weeks and haven’t posted a Cosmo quiz in five and a half months. Thanks for reading Debbie and Mom, I’ll talk to you both this week.

Eat, Drink, Sleep: a divorcee’s trials and tribulations in Thailand.

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:28:04 -0500

Chapter 1: Learning in Bangkok

Okay, so as you all know I’m not really a divorcee, but I thought I should at least be obvious about ripping off that shit show of a Julia Roberts vessel. Also, I didn’t travel to several countries, I only traveled to Thailand but it was incredible.

Right after work my co-worker Julia and I raced to the airport and boarded our flight to Bangkok. We arrived early in the morning on Saturday and made our way to the hotel near the airport we had booked for the night. Leaving the airport in Thailand was one of the coolest feelings ever. Still having the shakes due to my fear of flying I had forgotten that Thailand is a very warm country. After leaving the frigid streets of Seoul, stepping out of the airport felt like stepping right into an easy bake oven. Not only was it warm, but kitschy and exciting too. Thank god for the heat, because it completely distracted me and allowed me to forget the fact that this just so happened to be Christmas day. This combination of heat and sensory overload seemed to be the perfect cocktail to defeat homesickness.

After catching some sleep, we decided to take a shuttle back to the airport and then from there make our way into Bangkok and meet up with our friends who were already there. One thing I had heard about Thailand but wasn’t fully prepared for was the English proficiency there. It’s amazing. Coming from a country where I could vocally talk about a colon cleanse in the middle of a busy subway car with absolute security that 98% of the people around me have no idea what I’m saying, it was really nice to be able to ask for something without playing a game of charades for it, which can get rather exhausting . (It should be noted here that I fully recognize that if I want to be able to order extra mayonnaise on something or ensure that my meal is eel-free, I should figure out how to do so in Korean. Because I have not done this I resign myself to charades and own all exhaustion associated with it.) After a few quick questions from a few different counters we were on our way to Bangkok.

One thing we were told over and over again was that it is very easy to be taken advantage of in Thailand. People will try to sell you things and you always have to barter. If you refuse to barter you can bet your going to be ripped off. Seeing as I have the street smarts of a hamster raised on brie and water crackers I suspected I wouldn’t always be getting the “best” deals in Thailand. It didn’t take long before the kindness of a stranger stepped in and affirmed this for me. Julia and I decided to wander around the area of our hostel (we stayed in the Backpacker’s district). We were only a few blocks away when we found a really cool Buddhist temple and started walking through it. Beautiful gold statues of Buddha littered the hallways as incense filled the air with a very holy scent. About twenty minutes into our self guided tour we found a small shrine and asked ourselves out loud (thank you Korea) who the shrine could be for. A man behind us overheard and stepped in to narrate this self guided tour for us. He explained that the shrine was for the brother of one of Thailand’s first kings. The man was a war hero and people to this day would lay out flowers and light incense and candles to honour the man. Before we had time to thank the man, a group of Thai students approached us and asked the man to ask us if we could help them with a school project by speaking English to them. We of course obliged and answered their several rehearsed questions. The man at the temple was proving to be an excellent translator and friend for us. We explained that we only had a few hours before we had to meet our friends and asked if he could suggest some things in the area that we should see. He pulled out a map and a pen and started figuring some things out for us.

Before we knew it Julia and I were in the back of a tuk tuk (see: glorified golf cart that passes as a taxi in Thailand), zooming through the streets of Thailand on our way to a one hour boat cruise our new friend had landed for us at half the going rate. Our tuk tuk too was only also a steal, costing us only a dollar. Julia pulled out her camera and we decided to expose just how stupid we are by taking excited pictures of ourselves in the back of the tuk tuk. Before we knew it, the ride was over…it seemed to be a pretty quick ride. We exited the tuk tuk and our driver was so kind as to walk us to the peer and arrange the boat ride for us. We were told it would cost 1500 Bahts. Julia was quick to point out that we have been promised 1300 Bahts, but I of course hushed her saying, “who cares, its the difference of like on dollar.” She shrugged and we both hopped into our long tail boat, ready for our exciting trip through the canals of Bangkok.

We sat down and I once again reiterated to Julia how cool this was, and mentioned something about still not really being able to grasp the conversion rate from Korean wons to Thai baths.

“Yeah…let me think…”she said, “F*&#, you idiot, we just paid fifty dollars for this boat ride!”

“No….” I responded in a confused manner. “Oh….wait, yup, yup we did.”

My only reaction was to start laughing uncontrollably. This reaction is partially due to the fact that my understanding of money is on par with a spoiled toddler who has not yet learned to count, and remembering our conversation with the kind man we had met in the temple.

………….

Him: “So what have you guys seen in Bangkok so far?”

Us: “Nothing really, just this temple.”

Him: “Oh, have you ever been to Bangkok before?”

Us: “No, never!”

Him: “How long have you been here?”

Us: “One hour! We’re extremely tired and dim witted!”

Him: “Can I take advantage of you financially?”

Us: “PLEASE!!”

………….

While that may not be verbatim its not far off. Needless to say, we both quickly made a note of exactly how the Baht worked and decided to trust exactly no on for the rest of our trip. I’d like to say I feel like I really learned from this experience. I hope that maybe as a traveller I did, but I’m heading to Taiwan in February and I’ve already packed a t-shirt that says, “Naive” on the front of it, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Blog like no one's watching .

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 09:45:43 -0500

I’ve been wanting to post about this for some time, but wasn’t really sure how to approach it. I’m going through something that I’ve never experienced before and it is a very specific situation. The thing I’m not talking about is the tension between North and South Korea. Things go up and down and back and forth extremely quickly. Since I’ve been here I’ve been aware of the threat the North poses, but I was really forced to confront it a few weeks ago when the North bombed a South Korean Island. The reason I’ve been avoiding blogging it is that I don’t want to freak anyone out (myself included [see: avoiding behaviour]). However, I’ve decided that I just need to blog about it and get it out….like no one’s watching.

No more than a week before this event I was out with with a couple Korean friends and they asked me if I feel safe in Seoul. It was an interesting question but I wasn’t sure what exactly they were referring to. But, it really made me think about this. I tried to answer them as honestly as I could. I told them that on a day to day basis I feel extremely safe. The crim rate in Seoul is extremely low and as a foreigner you’re essentially left alone most of the time. It seems like almost every person you see as an active contributor to society in a really good way. I told them that I always felt safe in Toronto, although there were a few areas I stayed away from mostly, but in Seoul I probably feel even more safe….except for one thing. Then I launched into explaining that there are days when I can’t stop thinking about the North. That there are days when an uncomfotable awareness looms over me. They looked very surprised. Smiling kindly, Cindy responded, “you have no reason to worry about that.” She was being completely sincere, and I appreciated that. However, this is so brand new to me. I realize, being here, that I am so lucky to have been born Canadian. Out international reputation is phenomenal and we are so free from any real threat of violence. I want to believe Cindy, but I still have a keen awareness that perhaps having not experienced a lack of threat she may be mistaken.

Considering everything that’s happened in the last few weeks I do still feel safe. There were of course a few days when I really didn’t. I now check the news hourly and just try to stay as aware as I can. It can be tough to think about some days, but I think it is also making me grow up a little in a strange way. I’m realizing the world can be scarier than you think. I also ask people about it constantly. So far, I’ve found that the vast majority of Koreans share Cindy’s sentiment. So far I do to.

I really like this country and I really love the kids I work with, and I hate to think that anything could happen to make their lives tough. I’m not sure how to articulate it, but as much as I get nervous about myself there’s something about seeing the kids everyday that really makes you think about the situation in a bigger way. I don’t pray, but I really hope things calm down soon.

Well, I’m not sure if this made any sense or if I got anywhere with my thoughts about the North, but it was therapeutic. I have to remember that I can’t control a lot of things, but I can control my own decisions. I’m trying to be responsible with my decisions and how I feel about the threat from the North, and so far the only decision I can make is to keep on going.

How do I look like you?

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:00:00 -0500

Believe it or not this is not in any way a race related post. This is going to be a quick post about being frustrated. I’m not sure how much most people have heard about fashion in Korea, but in my opinion not enough. Everyone looks stupidly cool all the time. Also, everyone is always effortlessly put together. This is highly frustrating for some one who is at their core a deeply jealous person when it comes to strangers. Everywhere you look someone is wearing something that both at the same time makes no sense and seems completely practical and awesome(a floor length distressed green parka for example). However, Korean’s seem to be some sort of genetic anomaly where in everything fits them perfectly. Now, I’m not suggesting that I have in any way graduated to the point where it would be at all acceptable for me to wear said parka, but currently I can’t even find a pair of jeans that fit. I just caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror in the new jeans I was really content with buying this weekend, and my already awkward body by western standards is only amplified in this Korean garb. So, I guess what I’m saying is that I guess I’ll have to continue to look like a foreigner, which I suppose is for the best. That likely means that I’ve nipped this need to look like my surroundings in the bud; before the eyelid surgery I was planning. (okay so it’s a little race-y but that wasn’t my intention.)

My contribution to speech class...

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:40:00 -0500

So every month I’m given something called research to do at school. Basically each foreign teacher is given an allotted amount of time each week to work on projects that are shared by everyone at the school. These include making worksheets, making tests, preparing pictures, etc. My main task is working on something called speech class. Its a pretty cool assignment as most of the time I’m just given a few topics, like winter or sports and then make a quick worksheet that gets the kids to draw a picture and write a few lines about the topic. However, I can also write a one page speech about this topic so the kids can read it aloud and work on the understanding and pronunciation. This month one of the topics I’ve been given is “The Universe”. I decided it would be hilarious to attempt to write a speech about the Universe. Literally the vastest subject possible. I turned to familiar university friend wikipedia and began to translate this jargin into something a seven year old who doesn’t speak English can understand. So just to remind you, I don’t understand 90 percent of what’s written about “the universe”. The kids don’t understand 90 percent of what a good English teacher says, and I would say my English functions at about 65 percent. So, I invite you to enjoy what is almost certainly the most dumbed down description of “the Universe” in the Universe.

Hello everyone,

today I would like to talk to you about The Universe.

The Universe is a very interesting subject to talk about. Scientists have spent hundreds of years trying to understand what the universe is. Most people understand the universe to mean, everything that there is. This includes, all of the planets, all of the stars, and all of the galaxies. A galaxy is a grouping of millions of stars. The galaxy that our sun is in is called, the Milky Way.

A very long time ago scientists believed that the Earth was at the center of the universe. They believed that everything in the universe moved around the earth, but the earth stayed still. Now we know that the Earth is also moving and that the Earth is not at the center of the universe.

A “light year” is a way of measuring distance. One light year is the distance something could travel if it were moving as quickly as light can move. This is very fast. Scientists believe that the universe is so big that if someone wanted to go from on side to the other, they would have to travel for 93 billion years at the speed of light. Another interesting this is that the Universe is always expanding and getting bigger.

The universe is a very interesting subject and scientists learn more and more about it everyday. If you like this speech you should study more about the universe because there is much more to know.

Thank you and have a nice day.

If you have time, check out the wikipedia page to see if you can pick out the pieces that I stole and then mutilated.

Kaitlyn, this one’s for you. I’m not sure what to...

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:48:29 -0500

Kaitlyn, this one’s for you. I’m not sure what to say about teaching other than, it’s great. I should further articulate…it’s great now. It’s such an amazing experience and I truly enjoy the kids so much. I think more than that, I really like who I am with the kids. You can’t get mad at a kid (yes you can, but you try not to), you can’t hold a grudge against a kid though. It’s amazing.

That being said, it started out really tought. I was completely thrown in to a situation I am in absolutely no way qualified for. Those who know me know I don’t exactly deal well with change, and this has been a giant change, but it’s really feeling worth it now.

There was an incident in my first week where my director sat in on one of my classes…it was a disaster. I truly expected to be able to charm my way out of the situation, but to no avail. I looked at him, half smiling and half showing absolute remorse and managed to stutter out, “I’m really sorry, it’s just that I’m so brand new to this, I really don’t know what I’m doing.” There was a pause, and then he finally retorted with absolute sincerity, “I don’t understand…you shadowed Freddy Teacher for 2 days, how can you not know what to do?” Aparantly it should have been that simple. Well I wouldn’t say that it feels that simple just yet, but it does feel that natural.

It’s a really great feeling to walk to work, some days having just skyped with the cutest kid in the world (Harriett) and feeling nothing but homesick, and then right when you walk in to the building some adorable little kid literally glows with excitement and yells, “Good morning Luke Teacher!” (read that as if a small child is playing an insane soldier in some sort of war epic) It really puts you in your place. It makes you go, stop whining. Embrace this (not the kid, that’s weird) and really enjoy this experience. Not to say it’s always that easy, there are times when I give kids a full on scowl when they scream my name at the wrong time, but for the most part it’s really awesome.

Anyways, those three little walking antidepressants are Lyn, Julie, and Jade. You’re not supposed to have favorites…but come on.

Also, there’ll be more pics of my class on my facebook soon, so check it out.

A brief introduction: My first month here

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 03:59:35 -0400

So my plan was to start blogging right away and keep at it. As you can see that didn’t happen. However I had good intentions (note my first blog post from the airplane). Well one month has gone by and I really can’t believe it. Some days it feels like just yesterday that I was at the airport in Toronto ready to depart for Chicago, Dad was holding one of my suitcases, Mom was checking my flight itinerary, and Jeff was curled up like a small child sobbing due to my imminent departure. Other days it feels like I’ve already been here for a year and I can barely remember the pattern Jeff’s runny mascara tears were making running down his face. However, all and all I’m really enjoying myself and experiencing a tonne.

I read in my Lonely Planet book before I got here that Seoul really was a city that never sleeps, and I can attest to that. It seems like shops are open at all hours, people are out at all hours, and no one ever sleeps. Its certainly the most caffeinated culture I’ve ever experienced. At the same time, people take any opportunity to catch a quick cat nap that they can. Just last night as I was riding the subway to a friend’s place I looked around my car and counted at least ten people, ranging in age from 17 to 60, full on passed out on the train. It’s really amazing and shocking to see this so commonly, also shocking that no one around me was in any way phased by so many people sleeping. I understand it though, no matter where you go in the city there’s always some sort of festival to see, some cool restaurant to check out, or some trail or park to explore.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I got here, but I will say that I’ve certainly not ceased to be overwhelmed almost daily. Sometimes it’s a really great thing, like on my second day here when I approached the subway system for the first time and a friendly stranger walked up beside me and offered to share his umbrella so we could both be sheltered from the rain. However, there have been really hard times too, like when after a 16ish hour flight I was dropped off at my apartment (which really I quickly dubbed “Baghdad”) with essentially no resources to get me anywhere. But everything that happens still makes me step back and think, “wow, I’m really doing this aren’t I?”

Anyways, I guess this posting is meant more as a long overdue introduction to the blog and from now on the posts should come much more frequently. My plan for this week is to figure out how to post the brief video of me zip-lining and tell you about how I bartered with a shop keeper for my first time ever today! It was pretty pathetic, but I’m proud.

Also, if there’s something you want to know, just post on my facebook your query and I’ll try to create a post about it!

Like at first bite...

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:28:45 -0400

I need to start this blog post with a disclaimer: I normally try to shy away from puns whenever possible. For the most part I find them anywhere from mildly displeasing to down right offensive. However, I was inspired by the choice of an older Korean man sitting across the aisle a few rows up from me. You see I am one of the few passengers of this bowing 747 without a personal television in front of me. As a result I have been forced to steal images from those around me. I was interested to see what this Korean man would choose to begin his flight with…and immediately disgusted when he touched the screen in the area which chose, “Sex and the City Two: The three old prostitutes and their malnourished mule take Dubai.” However, similar to Jennifer Anniston when facing her fascinating image as a pathetic cat loving spinster (the guy right next to me is watching “the Breakup”), I am attempting to embrace my surroundings and let the horribly pun heavy show where four women try again and again to find satisfaction in any superficial meaningless crap they run into inspire me. Thus, the title of this blog post.

I’m not sure how eating on a thirteen hour flight works exactly. I would likely know if I wasn’t enthralled in a story about a New York City police officer embattled in a corruption scandal playing on my iPod when the lovely and perfectly put together flight attendant made the announcement explaining exactly how eating works on a thirteen hour flight, so I’ll just have to roll with it. However, I did get to have my first experience with Korean Cuisine despite my ignorance regarding when and how frequently we’ll be eating. The dish I chose was called Bimpimbop…I think. I had a choice between Potato and Beef stew (A classic Casey and Mary Anne Van Bakel meal) or this interestingly named Korean dish I had received rave reviews about from my future friend Ashley. (I’m not psychic, however, I’ve only communicated with the extremely helpful Ashley Bruxer via e-mail thus far, so until we meet in person she will be deemed a future friend). Naturally, I went with the Bimpimbop. Not only because I’ve made the decision to try to immerse myself in Korean culture as much as I can whenever I get the opportunity, but also because often beef and potato stew is bland and uninspiring. Bimpinbop, however, is far far from bland and uninspiring. It’s quite difficult to explain what it is exactly. I guess it ends up being sort of like a stew. The ingredients are ground beef (or a close cousing), some steamed and flavoured sprouts and other vegetable looking things all in the colour grey. The meal arrived on my plate in pieces; a bowl of said ingredients, a pouch of rice, a tube of spicy Korean pepper sauce (when I say tube, think travel toothpaste), some delicious spicy sweet pickle looking things (I promise when I return to Canada I’ll know the names of at least five things I eat), and a small bowl of seaweed soup. As I looked down at my tray I realised, I really wasn’t sure how to tackle this meal at all. A kindly flight attendant must have seen my confused distress and she quickly presented me with a small instruction manual and said, “this will teach you how to eat.” I felt both reassured and completely lost at the same time. In classic Luke fashion I glanced at the manual, saw the word pour and begin covering the grey vegetables and beef-like meat in my cup of seaweed soup. “There, that looks better” I thought to myself. Next, find a home for the rice. Oh, step one clearly indicates that the rice is to be poured onto the grey vegetable medley and the soup is obviously a side dish, perfect, my first Korean meal is ruined. “No” I thought, “persevere.” Those who have ever witnessed my eating habits likely know that food is my one friend in life I turn to most consistently in times of stress, or anger, or sadness, or happiness…okay any emotion really. And now, in this time of complete emotional chaos, I thought I may have just broke my emotional crutch in half, but I figured the Bimpimbop could be salvaged. I decided it was probably best to actually follow the instruction manual word for word. Essentially, all the instruction manual indicated was to pour everything (except of course the soup) into one bowl, mix it around, and eat it. I ordered a Korean beef from the flight attendant, started mixing, and took my first bite. It was delicious! It felt soft and clean in my mouth, and the flavours were strong but really good. It was, of course, spicy but also savoury and the pickle like objects I put on top gave it a really nice sweet edge. Bimpimbop was a success! And now, I’ll know what to order when I inevitably have my first of likely many emotional breakdowns during my adventures in Korea!