나는 마신다

I was reminded tonight of one of the many reasons why I looked towards Asia as a fascinating and inspiring place to inhabit. On my way home from work, calmy waiting for my bus to jaunt me back to my apartment, a ludicrously soused and fuddled middle-aged Korean businessman sauntered down the lane in a haze of his own making, looking idle and pleased. Abruptly, he encountered a group of sociable teens just finishing their oppressive daily academic routines. He stumbled over to them, and mumbled something incoherent to what he must have considered the alpha male. The alpha male smiled, and bowed slightly. The businessman was in luck. And he swayed there for a while, inept, absent-mindedly entertaining and conversing with his temporary chums. Then the students explained to him that their time was at an end and that they must depart back to their respective homes. He smiled at the wall, then patted the alpha male affectionately. The businessman was then solo. He looked around and gesticulated grandly (in his own unique way) at his reflection in the windowpane of an adjacent bakery. Realizing the window posed no immediate threat, he crudely stepped into the shop and swayed on his heals while pointing at empty shelves and smiling primitively.

I can remember similar situations at home, but where the encounter between different age or social groups became a clash of ego and bravado, ending in either macho insinuations and insults or else in a pathetic, drunked melee. Getting blasted after work in Korea usually leads to comical and warmly received attempts at menial communication or else minor physical collapse. The satisfaction of night after night witnessing girls under the aged of 10 walking home after 11pm in almost complete safety, is very reassuring that something is being done right here. That coupled with the fact that no student has time to fight or drink because education is a 15 hour daily marathon. I suppose there are ups as well as downs.

en garde

좌측에 더 많은 것.

Lately in Korea, the cycle of nature has entered Monsoon season. This is no trite distinction nor mere label, but a title that describes the fact that it doesn't simply rain during this time, prehistoric watertables are replenished. Case and point: it's been raining for just shy of 7 days straight. The Yangjae chon (stream) and the Hangang (river) have both flooded their banks to the point at which they have been seeping onto roads and swamping local hiking paths. Being an ever-prospective pseudo-photographer, I desired visual evidence. Unbeknownst to me, I had manhandled my camera the evening previous, effectively forever preventing basic system functions. This came as a very great shock to me. As a re-cap, things went about like this:

Friday - went to sleep

Saturday - briefly left my cell phone in a bank whereby a young Korean woman immediately scoffed it, met up with several Korean friends, received information concerning the graphic design exhibition two days hence, called my phone and encouraged a suitable meeting place to relieve an unknown Asian female of her hostage, ambled my way to Carne Station for Charles teacher's birthday, ate and drank and generally made merry with the boss et al, somehow shuffled into cabs and began a torrential tour of waterlogged Seoul ending at club Cargo, stumbled inside, misplaced my bag (on my back), later again misplaced my bag (unfortunately not on my back), paid for one round of drinks, woke up 20 kilometres away in a different suburb in the makeshift bed of Tomek's apartment. Evidence at once pointed to excess and significant beverage abuse.

Sunday - awoke bereft of all nominal motor skills, was forced to deal with the night before's indulgences, fell into the open doors of a bus, awoke at the right location through sheer cosmic will, shuffled again into a club, this time for Trendkill! Korean Metal Music Festival!!! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! a local friend responsible for the promotion and general knowledge concerning Korean metal offered information pertaining to all that is desireable in that illustrious, grand field of excellence.

Monday - found my way to the Art Sonje Centre, located the graphic exhibition I had been invited to attend, had dinner with my friend Luna, traveled home and fell asleep circa midnight.

...and so now my narration continues. Forced to snap pictures via cell phone, I captured a fairly good impression of the unnatural appearance that can be found throughout many city locales. And then, for some unknown reason, it stopped raining. For a little bit. President Roh has labeled the aftermath oif this event a national disaster, given that so many citizens have lost their homes, and others have lost their lives. It is a topic that I have felt is integral to fostering a sense of humility and empathy in the lives of the students I teach, as so much of their time is wrapped up in affluence, luxury, and pressure to achieve test scores. But life goes on. And so after 1 day of work, only 3 remain until a bright crescendo of freedom comes into full frontal view; a beautiful event offering significant refuge from the madness and sweetness that is Korea on the lush shores of Koh Phangan, Thailand. There will be great rejoicing.