The Dance

"Life's a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow. Don't worry 'bout what you don't know, life's a dance you learn as you go."

This is a quote from one of my favorite country songs of all times, whenever i'm having a rough day I listen to this song and suddenly I realize that i'm dancing with two left feet instead of floating about like a princess. I've been burdened for some time about what to do with my life next, i'm approaching 7 months in Korea here in the next week and it's a little terrifying. I vividly remember (well..it WAS only 4 months ago...) month 3 and thinking I couldn't WAIT to be done with this contract so that I could move on. After having lived here for some time I realize that I really do enjoy Korea, the culture, the food, the language, and most importantly my job. However, I don't find Korea to be that beautiful, or inspiring and it's stupid easy to live here; I want something a little more gritty I believe. So after some serious inner thinking i've made a decision: I'm going to Japan! I have some time off in February and my friend is coming in from the states so i'm going! I don't really know anything about Japan currently so i'll have to do some research but if anyone has any suggestions let me know!! I won't be staying as I have responsibilities in Korea, but i'll be there for a while to assuage my travel bug.

Anyeong!

Murmur mur mur mur...

I have an extremely sweet female student that I frequently run into while walking to and from school, she's a little roly-poly-esque but she has an open, honest, amicable face and her personality is absolutely to die for. The only problem is that she murmurs, has a slight stutter, and only speaks to me in Korean. None of these are really problems on their own, and i'm certain that when talking to others she enunciates clearly enough for them to understand but when she speaks to me in a tongue that is so unfamiliar to me, I find that I absolutely cannot understand even a word of what she says to me. Now, i'm not claiming that my Korean is very good, in fact it's quit dismal, I do however, manage to understand by listening carefully and clueing into key words that I know, like "Bap-rice", "Mogo-eat", and "Bali-hurry". I ran into her in the hall today and she escorted me to the teachers office; the entire time it took for us to traverse three floors, and two wings of the building she was murmuring energetically towards me. I tried my hardest to understand her, but sadly I could not. We finally arrived at the teachers office, I took a last look at her, smiled, and said "Chalga-Bye", she positively beamed up at me and responded, "Bye teacher!" Clear as day, no murmur, stuttuer, or Korean in sight. GAH! If only that clarity had been displayed 5 minutes earlier!

This is a brilliant example to me that my students care about me, want me to speak Korean, and just really want to spend time with me. Perhaps i'll have to grace the halls with my presence more often. ^.^

Also, I was sitting at my desk when one of my co-teachers, who speaks no English, came up to me, motioned at cup and said "come." I picked up my cup and obligingly followed. She led me to the teachers room where she began spooning rinds of orange (I think?) and honey (I think?) into my cup, she filled up the water heater and then dumped hot water over the top of the whole thing. "Youja Cha" i'm not sure exactly what it is, the side of the jar said "Honey and pine needle tea" but I don't see any pine needles....

Anyeong!

In Which the Octopus Makes a Great Escape Attempt.

Last night I went to dinner with one of my korean friends, he took me to his friends seafood restaurant. Now, seafood in Korea can be very interesting, my fish always have the bones and skin intact, and when frequently I feel as though the food i'm eating is still alive... so needless to say I was a little apprehensive about this seafood.

Seafood restaurants in Korea are interesting, they often have giant fish tanks in front of them displaying that days catch, which is cool until you realize that the cute little octopus swimming around is most likely going to be your dinner.

We entered into the restaurant and my friend ordered something, it was all in rapid fire Korean with words I didn't know so I just sat smiling, expectantly awaiting whatever was going to happen next. The first course was boiled mussels with spicy peppers, which was delicious. There was a spicy red sauce that you could dip little guys in that only added to their already delicious flavor....mmmmm. Following this the waiter brought over a gigantic metal tub filled with mussels, clams and all manner of seafood that I have never had the opportunity to try. I got really excited as the guy inserted the big metal tub into the center of our table and lit the gas stove beneath it. he left the lid off and walked away. I was excitedly examining the contents of this tub, already entertaining thoughts of the deliciousness I was about to enjoy. Suddenly the waiter returned and stood at my right shoulder, I got a glimpse of a red basket when something large whooshed past my right ear, I started and glanced at the guy then followed his arm to observe him place a LIVE octopus in the center of the metal tub and slam the lid shut. My mouth fell open and my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

A live octopus had just landed in my dinner and I didn't quite know how I felt about it. I glanced at the guy and he laughed outright at the shocked expression on my face. I shook my head and tried to compose myself. As I was doing this I heard a noise and glanced down at the table, my chopsticks were sitting on the table next to the edge of the lid. I squeaked and jumped back in my chair, sticking out from under the lid of the metal tub were tentacles! The damned octopus had crawled its way up the side of the tub and was attempting an escape with the assistance of my chopsticks. The waiter banged the lid of the tub on the tentacles and they were quickly retracted. He than placed a pot on top of the lid and smiled at me. My face was frozen in a mixture of terror and horror.

A few minutes later the guy came back and mimicked to me that the octopus had gone to heaven and that it was done! He lifted up the lid and I slowly peaked into the tub. Sure enough my dear friend the octopus was pink and ready for eating. The guy picked up it's head, took a pair of scissors and chopped off it's head! Placed the head in a separate bowl and began cutting up the tentacles. He was about halfway done when he took a tentacle piece, dipped it into sauce and fed it to me. I hesitated for a split second, "When in Rome" was all I thought as I shut my eyes and chowed down.

Turns out octopus is actually delicious.

The guy finished cutting up the tentacles and turned to the head, he cut all the skin off the brain and removed chunks of head and brain, placed them in a special tub and stuck them back into the metal tub, but not before offering me the special first bite of brain. Yes, octopus brain. How could I say no? So I shut my eyes yet again and chowed down. Turns out octopus brain is also delicious.

I am thankful that I now know that I enjoy octopus, I will just hope that in the future my meals come to me fully cooked and don't make any sort of escape attempt...

Anyeong!

Computer Tales

Today was exasperating. I want to show my kids parts from "The Grinch" which is the Jim Carrey version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", however, it turns out i'm computer retarded. I used to think that I was well versed in the twisty manner of computers. I spent much of my adolescence busily deleting important files and accidentally crashing the home computer (that actually happened and twice I had to reboot the entire system...whoops!) When you do things as asinine as that eventually ( I would hope) you learn what to do and what not to do. It's basic math, even a mathtard like myself can figure that equation out.

However, when I got to college I realized that I was far too sophisticated for the dreary, downcast, and aging PC so I upgraded to a Mac and have never looked back; until I moved to Korea. Here all the computers are PC's and i'm forced daily to have a relationship with one. My computer and I have a very straining relationship on both of our behalfs, because once again i'm that snot nosed little punk 15 year old trying to figure out daddy's big toy. It's not that I forgot how to use a PC during my two year separation from PC's, quite the contrary, I remember almost everything that I knew and things are just as easy to operate as before...except that my entire operating system is in Korean.

Awesome.

So i'm learning how to operate a PC in Korean almost purely on memory and it's definitely taking it's toll, especially on those days when I forget where things were. Four times this week i've had a visit from schools computer technician, the other day I accidentally pressed something and my computer threatened to terminate the network all the computers are on...Whoopsies! So he came, fixed it, gave me a strict scolding in Korean, and then left. I'm still unsure of what I managed to do to create such tramatic consequences, but needless to say i'm still "walking quietly" when I use my computer.

Anyway everyday that I come to work I find myself mastering yet another program, for instance i've just re-remembered how to make images move about in PowerPoint. What with my new remote clicker system i'll be able to move about the room as images pop up on my computer! woo hoo teacher me! My students will be reduced to sitting, huddled in their seats in perpetual fear that I may call on them, or discover their stash of hidden comics.



Wish me luck!
Anyeong!

The Perspective

I have started another blog! Woo! This one will be dedicated to the photos that I have been taking/will take while here in Korealand. This blog is brand new so please excuse the lack of photos, but don't worry! It'll surely have photos in due time! The first post and the first few photos are up and can be viewed at: mollyjonesperspective.tumblr.com

WHEW. Good things coming.

Anyeong!

Testing

"Teacher! Teacher! Last question answer?!"

"What was the question?"

"Umm..." Squinches eyes up in thought, "Uh...answer food?"

"Well what was the question?"

"Thanksgiving...umm...important?"

"You mean Thanksgiving is most importantly about...?"

"Yes!"

"What do you think the answer is?"

"Food?"

I shook my head slowly "Try again."

"Umm...Health?"

"Nope, one more try."

"Teacher! Mulayyo(I dont know)!" I smirked back at my girls a little giggle forming in my throat.

"Teacher! Ah! Family?"

"Yes! Thanksgiving is most importantly about family!"

"TEACHER! UGH! Hard question!"

Ha ha I love test week.

Anyeong!

The Jong

I'd like to introduce to you a new character in my life, Jong pronounced Joang (In Mollyworld phonetics that is). I met Jong one dark and windy night at a boxing club in downtown Daccurri, because of where I live, if I want to do things like, box, I have to leave the sanctity of my prized, yet tiny, neighborhood and venture into the larger world of Masan or Changwon. I went to this class hoping that I would fall in love with boxing and be able to destress with a little skull bashing. Sadly, a week after I discovered this gym and it's wonderful boxing, the gym closed down, the owner moved to China, and that was the end of that. The boxing may have ended at this point, but Jong, aka Puma, was inserted into my life with a finality and stickiness that I never could have forseen.

Jong has black eyes, the blackest eyes i've ever seen, black hair, he's as tall as me, and weighs half as much. He used to hold the Asian 110lb boxing title when he was young but a tragic bout with a Phillipino knocked his brain askew inside his head (most unpleasant) and also took his boxing title. Years of boxing, dodging, and striking have caused him to move like a cat, couple this with his only being 110lbs, and the black hair and eyes and you'll understand why Emily teacher has dubbed him "Puma".

Puma does a variety of things in his spare time from being a full time electrician and  teaching uncoordinated English teachers boxing, he also beat boxes, yes beat boxes, plays the guitar, and practices slight of hand magic tricks. The magic tricks are a perplexing phenomena to me, who does that anymore?! Anyway, Puma and I decided one evening that we should have dinner together! He came and picked me up (in his vibrant yellow car, of course) and off we went! We arrived at this really cute little restaurant that serves Japanese/Korean fusion food and located in a really quaint alleyway (aka dark, smelly, and full of puddles but endearing nonetheless). We had a delicious dinner of Shabu Shabu, which is a giant pot of boiling broth loaded with green vegetables and mushrooms. You take the thinnest pieces of raw sliced beef and drop them into the broth then devour when hot and juicy aaaaahhhhhh. After all the beef is gone you add noodles and then slurp up the spicy and steeming deliciousness that is called soup. My favorite meal by far in Korealand.

After dinner, we were both sitting happily engorged when he said, "I work on trick, watch." I smiled politely and looked at him expectantly; he straightened up in his chair and placed both his hands in front of him. I smiled, he smiled back, and then he began flourishing his hands about, slowly and methodically opening and closing them. A coin appeared in the left hand, transferred to the right hand and then disappeared, and in its sted was a gold and gem glittering band. I clapped and he handed me the golden item, it was an attachment for a phone (in Korealand it's all the rage to have innumerable shit dangling off the side of your phone). On the front side were little golden tiles, and on the tiles were the letters M-O-L-L-Y. Attached to the front was a tiny golden crown and inside the crown was a tiny diamond. I had to firmly berate my smile for threatening to become a giggle. I exclaimed loudly about how lovely the present was and how sweet Jong was while he beemed at me from across the table.

There are many things that I love about Korealand, they are too inumerous to name at this juncture but I will say this, Korean men are very sweet, a little behind in terms of womens rights at times, and most definitely drunks on the whole, but sweet nontheless. I have never been given a gift by slight of hand trick, i'm certain I will never, ever, forget that.

Anyeong!

The Taught Teacher

Rarely is the sweet sound of teaching , a phrase I would use. When I think of teaching, of teachers, of being taught I instantly clam up. My body tenses, my mind instantly engages in diversionary tactics, and I begin pining for the end of the lesson. Why does this happen? How could I possibly have allowed myself to think in terms of "the end" of education? I have chosen a life path that will perpetually force me to learn. I am also extremely curious about languages and culture so again, the learning. Not to mention I'm a teacher. WTF?
Today Eunyeong began teaching me Korean, simple phrases like, "See you then!", "What time does it start?", "How about going to...?", and "See you then!" These are all extremely important and beneficial to my existence in Korean, yet I find myself tensing and glancing at the clock like I have a twitch. It's embarrassing, unprofessional, and downright rude.
Apparently nows the time to start undoing those wrongs I learned in college. *sigh*
Anyeong!

Running Robot!!!

"This weekend Dakota is running 80km in a big race in California! I'm really nervous ad excited for him!"

Eunyeong-"OOOH! He is a robot! A running robot!"

We were playing 20 questions, I was thinking of apples, I told the students that I was ready for the first question. The first question was this, "Teacher, does it kick girls?"

Boys.

Anyeong!