Looking back on some posts, I feel like I've been a bit Debbie Downer about this fine country I live it and I'd like to rectify that. This is the first in a many-part series about things I love in/about Korea.
On Sunday, my friend Tony and I went to the jjim jil bang because I am convinced jjim jil bangs have special healing powers and I was getting over the last of my bronchitis.
(Side note: jjim jil bangs are like saunas but oh so much more. They've got karaoke rooms, a gym, sleeping rooms, sweating rooms and you hang out in it wearing special pajamas. I LOVE jjim jil bangs and they are, without a doubt, what I will miss most about Korea when I finally leave.)
Towards the end of our night, we were in this oxygen room chilling out and these two little kids came in with their mother. The older boy was about 7 and his brother was probably 3 or so and they were both super adorable. We waved hello to them and made silly faces at the 3 year old and they took that as invitation to come over. 7 year old started showing us his collection of trading cards and Chinese study cards and the 3 year was joking around with cushions and in general, being super cute. We ended up spending about 20 minutes playing with them and it was such a nice time. I adore kids at that age, there's nothing sarcastic or surly about them, they're just happy and sweet.
After, when we were in the taxi back home, Tony and I were talking about how that could never happen in the US or Australia. As soon as the 3 year old started climbing all over us, the mother would have grabbed them away or something but it's so normal to take care of/play with other people's children. I noticed that at my school's sports day. Kids are totally at ease with other adults and parents took care of the kids around them, regardless of who's child they actually were.
I really love that about this country and I told my adult students about Sunday. They said its because of what Koreans call 정. It's pronounced "jeong" and it's difficult to put into English but basically means the friend-love that binds everyone and everything. My student James said he and his pen have 정 because he has used that pen for over a week and now they have a relationship. It's kinda like the opposite of 한, which is the collective sorrow/shame Koreans share because of how many times their country has been invaded/colonized.
So that is one of the things I love about this country, the trust and shared love that they have for one another. Most of the time, us foreigners are excluded from it but when we are included, it's the best.
Tuesday 9 June 2009
Saturday 6 June 2009
Ode to Boney M
Picture this: Seoul, early 2009. Nicole and Charles are at Studio 80s, drunk and looking to dance. Charles goes to the DJ, shouts something in his ear and comes back, grinning. A few minutes later, Nicole hears the crazy drum beats that she now knows signal the beginning of one of the greatest songs ever recorded, "Rasputin."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvDMlk3kSYg
Seriously, how did I live nearly 28 years without Boney M? Why are they virtually unknown in the States?? I urge all of you out there to get their greatest hits album, you will not be disappointed.
Thursday 4 June 2009
Bronchitis Sucks Balls
Who the hell gets bronchitis in June?!
I thought I was hungover at first. I went to dinner with some friends on Thursday night and ended up having a few glasses of white wine (it was a gorgeous night, I cannot be blamed) and I ended up having no voice on Friday. Didn't help that I had to teach 7 hours then went out to the bar then met up with a friend and stayed up very late only to get up and day booze all damn day on Saturday...it was a fun weekend. Sunday, I felt awful and I couldn't talk. Pretty soon, my breathing was becoming labored and I figured it was just my asthma so I went to the ER with my friend.
Oh, man. This was, without a doubt, one of the worst experiences I've had in this country. The male nurse was the biggest asshole ever who clearly did not like foreigners. He took blood from my wrist without explaining what he was going to do. It HURT!!!! He wiggled the needle while it was inside me and it hit bone. I was yelling in pain (Steve was shushing me....) and I was freaking out after that. I refused to let them do anything else to me and just used the breathing machine. After I was done, they didn't check my breathing again or anything, just told me to go home and come back the next morning to the clinic.
The rest of my experience has been fine but man, was I pissed about the ER visit. My wrist is still bruised and why WHY on earth would a nurse draw blood from there when I have perfectly good veins near my damn elbow? Anyhow, got x-rays done and the diagnosis was bronchitis. I've been taking anti-biotics since Monday and seriously, they made me feel overall worse but my breathing is a ton better. I really hate anti-biotics but I understand that's what you need to do for bronchitis. I get tired so easily so I have to rest a lot and its really frustrating. Work is absolutely exhausting and I've had to leave work early the two days I've worked this week. Sucks balls.
This weekend will be spent doing fun and sober activities. Not sure what those are yet....
I thought I was hungover at first. I went to dinner with some friends on Thursday night and ended up having a few glasses of white wine (it was a gorgeous night, I cannot be blamed) and I ended up having no voice on Friday. Didn't help that I had to teach 7 hours then went out to the bar then met up with a friend and stayed up very late only to get up and day booze all damn day on Saturday...it was a fun weekend. Sunday, I felt awful and I couldn't talk. Pretty soon, my breathing was becoming labored and I figured it was just my asthma so I went to the ER with my friend.
Oh, man. This was, without a doubt, one of the worst experiences I've had in this country. The male nurse was the biggest asshole ever who clearly did not like foreigners. He took blood from my wrist without explaining what he was going to do. It HURT!!!! He wiggled the needle while it was inside me and it hit bone. I was yelling in pain (Steve was shushing me....) and I was freaking out after that. I refused to let them do anything else to me and just used the breathing machine. After I was done, they didn't check my breathing again or anything, just told me to go home and come back the next morning to the clinic.
The rest of my experience has been fine but man, was I pissed about the ER visit. My wrist is still bruised and why WHY on earth would a nurse draw blood from there when I have perfectly good veins near my damn elbow? Anyhow, got x-rays done and the diagnosis was bronchitis. I've been taking anti-biotics since Monday and seriously, they made me feel overall worse but my breathing is a ton better. I really hate anti-biotics but I understand that's what you need to do for bronchitis. I get tired so easily so I have to rest a lot and its really frustrating. Work is absolutely exhausting and I've had to leave work early the two days I've worked this week. Sucks balls.
This weekend will be spent doing fun and sober activities. Not sure what those are yet....
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