thoughts

5-15-11
I am always amazed at how many foreigners marry Koreans. The new teacher at school who replaced the guy that died (hit by a train), article
his wife is Korean. The last intensive semester at school back in January I taught the credit class which is a required class at school. Supposedly we alternate credit and Kelp, which is the extra study class, not for credit. Credit class is 3 weeks and the Kelp one is 4 weeks. And also, the credit class starts immediately after the spring semester whereas Kelp waits for 2 weeks or so. So, this summer I have about a month and half break, beginning July 11. That is a long time. Oh and it’s paid vacation. I want to visit an old friend. I met a couple of Japanese guys in Seoul awhile back. I want to hang out with them.

5-31-11
Reflections on Heilein books. In the book “Glory Road,” Oscar had his whole life planned out after high school. One thing happened to him after another, whether it was the “fairy godmother” or the “practical joke” department. The “unwar” prevented him from receiving university scholarships. He went with Star and Rufu on an adventure. At the end of the book, Oscar is in Nevia, where Star is the leader. He gets bored, with only studying and training to fill his time. He finally leaves Nevia to continue his journey. He says he might come back to be with Star. It goes to show you after a long journey or adventure, it’s hard to settle down and live a non-adventurous domesticated life. Oscar wants to walk down the “Glory Road” again and slay some dragons.

Thoughts on returning back “home.”

I do feel like Korea is my home, although I’m living a counter culture lifestyle. It’s easy to make everything in my apartment American and familiar to me. I don’t watch Korean tv, basically because I don’t understand it. The shops always have it on, and it seems they have the same shows. Being in the states, everything seemed so foreign to me. I forgot how to go places and was amazed at the selection at the grocery store. My students tell me they want to go to America. People here think that life is somehow better in America. I find it odd, because when I ask them if they want to stay there, they invariably say no. I read an article in a magazine here about a guy going back to Canada after several years. I agree with many of his sentiments. He lamented that people were obsessed with trivial things, like weather and politics or news. For some reason, life seems more real when out of the bubble, that is the U.S. My Korean language partner asked me what I knew of Korea before coming here. I said I just knew about the Korean war. People from other countries, mainly the least well known countries learn about different countries.