Talking to Myself

Kim Jong-il lookalike falls on hard times

2012-01-16T00:06:00.005Z

I am a little late writing up on this but saw it a few weeks ago in the Guardian. Briefly summing it up, a South Korean shopkeeper made a nice side living impersonating the now former North Korean 'Supreme Leader' until last month and now is at a loss, perhaps in more ways than one.

An interesting quote in the article, "I feel very empty, as if a part of me died." Another article on this with more quotes and tracing the origin of his 'double life' can be found in The Daily Mail. Of all the looks to cultivate, Kim Jong-il wouldn't be most peoples top of the list.

I have always found lookalikes a most bizarre type of jobseeker. Being paid just because you often faintly resemble someone else but don't have their talent is for me a bit of a con but at least it puts bread on the table. In the UK we've had a plethora of them over the years but I didn't know they had them in Asia.

I find it a bit distasteful that someone could profit from impersonating (unless in a comic way) someone who is responsible for thousands of deaths. I didn't even know you could get away with doing this kind of think in South Korea anyway. But just for what purpose would you hire a Kim Jong-Il lookalike? To tour factories and dispense advise? Where was the demand? Perhaps he has a son who could join the family business like Kim Jong-Un.

Korean man taken hostage in lottery scam

2012-01-13T20:49:00.005Z

Yesterday my wife was checking the spam folder of her email account when she alerted me to one in particular. The email, directing us to Singapore where upon arrival and after providing details etc etc, she would be in line to receive money from a relatives will. These emails are the scourge of the inbox but are easy to identify and easily dismissed. But nobody falls for those emails right? Wrong.

A South Korean man has fallen for one such scam. Worse still he turned up in South Africa in person with his daughter on the belief that he would be picking up millions of dollars and was then taken hostage. Thankfully he was rescued but was so ~~embarrassed~~ "traumatised" that he declined to testify in court. It is easy to ridicule someone for falling for such a story but you have to feel sorry for this mans ordeal.

BBC commentary of Kim Jong-il's golf world record

2011-12-21T14:58:00.003Z

Finally proof of Kim Jong-il's world record round of golf - audio found here. Bookmaker Paddy Power thinks this round will forever remain unbeaten! "The world has lost a golfing legend. We're 1,000,000-1 for any PGA player to beat Kim Jong-il's record round of 38 under."

But what odds on the "Great Successor", Kim Jong-Un, toppling his fathers achievement? Now we really know why those 'five million' North Koreans in Pyongyang were really crying. The golfing world mourns.

In the gym with Kangaroos

2011-11-15T21:31:00.004Z

Recently I joined a gym in the city centre. I'm enjoying it so far but haven't been of late due to travel plans and illness. After a few days away I settled down on an exercise bike yesterday and started to pedal. Seconds later a slow stream of men in 'better shape than me' started to enter the building.

After a while I twigged that they were the Australian rugby league team - the Kangaroos - who are in the country for the Four Nations tournament. A few went for the weights and the running machines but most of them started on the bikes, on either side of me. I continued to peddle away but it definitely put me off as they weren't even breaking sweat despite generating a lot of power and speed.

I can testify that they are all big blokes and I wouldn't like to be the one who spilled their pint! I am hoping I can use the chance encounter as inspiration to work harder and get fitter.

Off to Amsterdam

2011-11-06T23:50:00.002Z

I seem to be out of the habit of writing of late (largely down to computer issues that have now been sorted). Soon to be corrected I hope. In a few hours my wife and I are off to the airport for a flight to Amsterdam. We got the flights quite cheaply with Easyjet and the cost of the hotel is actually higher than the plane tickets.

It's my first trip to the Netherlands and although we're only staying two days we're hoping to try and pack in as much as we can. The transport system seems to be quite easy to navigate so we can see quite a few things during our stay. I don't know enough about the city and country as I think I should. Time to educate myself. I'm crossing my fingers in the hope that I can try some new beers. I will now only drink Heineken at gunpoint!

If the job situation doesn't change in the next few months I may try and get one or two more cheap flights although that will depend on funds. I'm enjoying the availability of cheap air flights and a wider choice of destination that I had in Asia. Although Europe is not as exotic as Asia can at times be, it is where I am from and I hope to get the chance to explore my continent more.

Off to Spain

2011-09-28T10:13:00.002+01:00

I've not been updating this blog lately due to the fact that I haven't been doing much, so have had little to write about. Today that changes as my wife and I are off to Spain. We're going to the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria) for a week. It's our second wedding anniversary so we're taking a trip to celebrate and to relax. I've never been to Spain and even though the area we'll be staying in isn't so representative of Spanish culture and life I can't wait. More to write about when we come back.

Fingers crossed for Daegu

2011-08-26T22:08:00.005+01:00

Tomorrow marks the start of the World Atheltics Championships in Korea and I'll be glued to my TV, time differences permitting. I am delighted that Daegu, where I lived for over five years is hosting the event. In fact I am still amazed and impressed that they actually won the bidding. I would never have believed it possible when I first arrived in 2005. Although I wish I could be there in person watching the events it is the impact on the city that I would have taken more of an interest in.

I hope the area gets a boost from the visitors that will be arriving. I don't know if it will change 'anything' but it can't harm Daegu to have some tourists and have locals exposed to people from other nations that aren't English teachers. There are some tremendous people in the city and I hope they make an impression on those coming to watch the athletes and help further promote Koreas image worldwide. Perhaps it will help attract visitors for the Winter Olympics in 2018 in Pyeongchang too.

Rioting in Manchester

2011-08-10T09:59:00.005+01:00

Whilst London burned on Monday those living outside the capital wondered if the rioting would escalate and spread to the rest of the country. And it did. I live in the Northern Quarter in Manchester city centre and last night rioting/looting took place in the city where I live. At various points in the evening they ran past the area where my apartment is though thankfully caused no damage. From what I could see around 90% of them were under sixteen but there were adults who are basically career criminals amongst them.

The damage and trouble was not as bad as that in London over the past few days thankfully but today Manchester wakes up to a ransacked city centre hoping that the worst is over and that it never happens again. Attention turns to why it happened, how to prevent it happening again and why the hell the police couldn't stop a whole lot of what was going on.

I woke up and went for a coffee today and had a walk round the immediate area where I live. Thankfully there is not one single window smashed or any sign of damage as people go about their daily life and hope for normality but walk a minute or two nearer the city centre and that is not the case as shops were looted, windows smashed and places set on fire. I still feel safe as does my wife though I am disgusted that this has happened and also that more people weren't arrested at the time and police didn't prevent more damage. People are asking themselves is this the end?

Step by step

2011-07-29T14:23:00.003+01:00

Up and running and online. Slowly the red tape that we have encountered seemingly everywhere is starting to unravel. It looks like my wife now has finally set up a bank account too. I am still frustrated at how long things can take but at least now I know not to expect anything different in the future.

So now what? Well I'll leave that for another day!

Life in the slow lane

2011-07-26T14:10:00.004+01:00

Still without Internet access at home but it's coming any day now. I'm told. I've spent the past week or so being driven mad by red tape and mixed messages from the bank, my broadband supplier, Manchester City Council and by the company who I pay electric bills to. Life in Korea was much simpler than things are right now. Things are slowly improving I think.

Life is a not moving at a fast pace right now. With no Internet or TV as of yet I find myself listening to the radio a lot, watching films and reading books. It's a hard life eh? It is great to relax and have the freedom of no financial 'sword of Damocles' hanging over me. I have been a little lazy though. When I am online I will be able to do more research especially on travel as I look to explore both my country and continent with my wife. There are plenty of things to look forward to.

City life

2011-07-16T12:18:00.003+01:00

Two weeks ago we moved into our Manchester city centre apartment. We're very happy with our new flat, the layout and the location. In fact the location probably couldn't be better. Still we are without the Internet and it will be another two weeks before it's up and running.

You never really notice how slow things can be until you have seen it done another way. I am finding a few things a little too different from Korea. I guess I'll just have to get used to it for now. Life is very expensive in the UK these days but despite this we're trying to explore our surroundings.

Big day today

2011-07-01T09:15:00.004+01:00

After a few weeks of searching it looks like we're going to move into an apartment today in Manchester. We're signing the contract later today and handing over a lot of money for rent - six months plus a month's deposit. The figure is so high because a) I am currently unemployed and b) I haven't live in the UK over the past three years so effectively have no landlord references.

A world away from my days as an ESL teacher in Korea where my rent was either payed by my employers or part funded when I lived in a bigger place. At least by paying such a high figure I won't be thinking of how I'll be able to afford the rent.

So I'm out of the bubble. For how long who knows, possibly forever but we'll see where we are and how my wife and I feel at the turn of the year. There is some reverse culture shock that I'm not ashamed to admit to. Though I've been back a few times over the past five and a half years some things are different and take time to get used to or accept.

Despite having some money in the bank, lots of free time and away from Korea's withering Summer heat I am having some stress - all of my own making though. The armbands have been removed and I am swimming in the deep end right now for the first time in a long time. Having to make decisions and choices where previously my only worries were what to do at the weekend or what to eat for dinner. I am reminded of the expression be careful what you wish for.

An example of irrational stress is setting up broadband access. Where as before it would be done quickly and to hell with the cost, now I have had to shop around and it looks like I have to commit to an eighteen month contract when I am not 100% what my situation will be then. I cannot sign up for broadband yet as I don't have an official address and as such I don't have any paper or records detailing where I am moving to (hopefully today!).

I will feel a lot better when I am settled in my new place. The location is great for us and hopefully we can make it feel homely very soon.

Small update

2011-06-18T10:19:00.003+01:00

I haven't updated my blog for a while but will be getting round to posting some stuff soon. I've been back in the UK now for nearly two weeks and I'm trying my best not to make any conclusions but that is proving hard. There are lots of things that I'm enjoying but inevitably several things that I have not or maybe never will come to terms with. Overall I'm enjoying my 'break' and loving being with my family again.

This box and that box

2011-05-30T17:38:00.005+01:00

Packing, packing and more packing. That's where we're at right now. I feel like we're packing everything but as my wife just pointed out to me, I've only lived here just over five years but she's lived here all her life. Putting it like that then I understand her wanting to take a lot of things. We're sending so many boxes that the post office are coming to us to pick things up. You'd never get that back home.

Recently my co-workers have been pointing out to me it's my last this and my last that. It's true a lot of the things I've been doing for seemingly ages are coming to an end day by day but to be honest today as I finished my classes I felt very little. Nothing was at the back of my mind saying "I wish I was staying". Bearing that in mind I feel very calm and relaxed. Perhaps that will change tomorrow but with just four classes I doubt it. I know some of my co-workers are jealous of me leaving. They'll get there chance too one day!

Last week I picked up my final wage. For a few weeks we've been low on money due to a few unforseen expenses. My final pay packet was a lot more than I'd calculated. Either I got my sums wrong or they did. Either way I was delighted when the money came in as we've been able to buy a few extra things and take a bit more money away with us to Hong Kong. In about forty eight hours from now we'll be setting off for Busan to Gimhae airport. The end of a long journey is finally in sight.

Asking about 'my' pension money

2011-05-24T06:52:00.004+01:00

Today I went to downtown Daegu to the pensions department (don't know the actual name) to ask a few questions. Usually around this time in an ESL teachers contract you go there to sort out your pension and pick up a significant amount of money which you've been paying and had matched by your employer.

Being from the UK I knew that no such pension agreement existed but I still went with my wife to see where I stood, because I have been paying contribution for forty four months and that's a lot of money not coming my way. And the answer is this - There is still no pensions agreement between Korea and the UK. This means that as things stand the money I have paid into the system is not mine and I am not entitled to get it back. I am not entitled to it now and I am not entitled to it even when I retire.

We spoke to a nice lady there but she wasn't much help. In fact to get answers to our questions she had to make a series of phone calls. Until some kind of agreement is made between the two countries I will not be able to get to 'my money'. Even if an agreement happens I do not know if things will be backdated. We were told that the only people from the UK that can get the pension money are E8, E9 and H2 visa holders.

I asked if, 'I cannot get the money who gets it and where does it go?' The answer was complicated because it was translated through my wife but she said the answer does not make sense and seemed to suggest that the money will not stay in the system but instead go elsewhere. I was unsatisfied with this answer. I left with more questions than answers so I'm going to write to my local MP when I get back home.

Crocs in the classroom

2011-05-22T10:16:00.006+01:00

My favourite part is the shoes were over two sizes too big for him and clearly weren't his.

Open classes coming up: Teach like Tyra

2011-05-22T09:31:00.004+01:00

Last week I got my final schedule at work. I only have seven actual working days left so I knew whatever it would be like wouldn't really matter but luckily it's the best timetable I've ever had whilst teaching English here.

From having no breaks for about three years, gradually I've been given one or two until lately I've had four. Due to some of my classes being combined and students levelling up I now have six breaks a week (each class lasts fifty minutes so a break is a huge deal). The last few days couldn't be much better.

Having said this my schedule is really unfair for everyone else and I have said as such to my manager (even though I am delighted with the 'time off' I've been given by her). I have six breaks whilst two teachers have none and most of the others have two which makes you wonder why couldn't they have been shared out. I don't feel guilty as it's not me who has done this but it's wrong. I only benefit from this for a few days but the teacher who replaces me will have over two weeks of a fantastic schedule which is the unfair part.

Aside from that, my last week is open class week at my academy. This is where parents can come and watch their kids classes in action. Two of my classes on my last day are free for my students parents to come in and I am expecting the majority of the parents to do so. Not ideal as a) my mind will not be on teaching so the quality could be low and b) as it's my last day the class will only represent the way the classes have been taught and not what the new teacher is going to do. No big deal especially as I can put my feet up on my newly acquired breaks.

A few weeks ago we got this advice from my real boss - my foreign manager.

Nothing conveys a warm welcome and excitement better than a smile.
-Smile from ear to ear and smile with your eyes
-When speaking to the students give them a smile.
-Have a smile in your voice

Thank you very much Tyra Banks for your pearls of wisdom. I guess we know which show my boss watches.

Things I'll miss about Korea: The weather

2011-05-19T12:31:00.005+01:00

One of the reasons that I'm leaving Korea is the weather. I can't go through another Daegu Summer - it's just too hot - but paradoxically I'm going to miss the weather here.

My gripe is with the Summer heat. I'm from an island where sunny days are valued highly and any hint at high temperatures gets people excited but here it really is too hot for me. Or rather it's too hot to be teaching in. If I didn't have to work in the heat I'm sure I would really appreciate Summer here.

Being from the UK and in particular the North I am accustomed to lots of rain and ominous grey skies that dominate the seasons and affect peoples mood. Here it really is much brighter. I don't know the statistics but it just feels like there is more sun light all year round and it really improves the way you feel. Also it doesn't rain much in Korea and when it does I actually appreciate and enjoy the change it brings.

In general Winters are colder than back home and there isn't much snow but at least it doesn't rain like in the UK. I don't enjoy Winter much here because of the absence of colour but Winter is distinct from the other seasons.

Spring and Autumn often feel the same but both signify welcome changes from the cold or the oppressive heat. They are my favourite seasons as they provide the most colour and give comfortable temperatures. A Spring beer outside a convenience store is one to be enjoyed.

Korea and Koreans often talk about this country having four distinct seasons and only now have I begun to appreciate them. I hope Manchester is kind to be when I move back home and gives me a Summer that I've been looking forward to for a while.

Yesterday at work in pictures

2011-05-19T06:03:00.005+01:00

How not to spell my name. Yet another variation

Marking a students homework, this boy gives the middle finger in his notebook

The lift at work

Mister Gavin (in Korean) but not in English

A boys glasses

Things I'll miss about Korea: Safety

2011-05-17T13:12:00.005+01:00

Something rather less tangible that I will miss is the relative safety here. Of course with the North Korean situation you cannot say this country is so safe but this is only a background danger.

Having lived in the North of England I can clearly say that South Korea is far, far safer. Back home crime affects so many people that it's likely that if you've not been the victim of a crime you are in the minority. Here I walk the streets at all times and feel safe. There is none of the aggression that you can feel in the UK. You take it for granted but the fact is this country is much safer.

Of course there is crime here. Back in 2008 someone burgled my flat but left most of the things that I thought were important. Crime here is less on the surface and I am oblivious to most of it because it is less visible. People stop their cars, leave their engines on and go into the convenience store to get something. That would NEVER happen back home because someone would take the car. I don't feel as if anyone would even consider mugging me but in England I know I will need my wits about me and be careful with possessions such as phones, cameras and MP3 players. I am going to miss this security when I leave.

Things I'll miss about Korea: The internet

2011-05-16T14:32:00.004+01:00

With just over two weeks left here I've recently been thinking about the things I will miss when I leave here. Of course there's the money, the relative freedom my job affords me and lack of pressure in my life. But there are lots of small things that make life here so enjoyable.

First off is the internet here. It's damn quick. The other day I downloaded something at 7.6 mB/s which is very fast indeed. After a while you take for granted the excellence of the internet in South Korea. As someone with a degree in Computing I spend a lot of time on the laptop and I am really going to miss the speed and connectivity of the place when I go.

So many shops and houses have WiFi so I can use my Ipod touch as a mobile device in so many places. I know it won't be the same back in England. Also there are thousands and thousands of quality PC rooms that offer round the clock internet access at high speeds should you need to use them, all cheap prices. The UK is geting better but by comparison it really lags behind Korea.

Food for thought

2011-05-12T03:43:00.000+01:00

The other week I spent twenty four hours basically fantasising about food. What I'm going to eat when I get back home, where I'm going to go etc, etc. I was in a daze for a while, not quite hallucinating but transfixed. I even made a list, and it's a long one.

I really like Korean food though and it's availbility and the longer I've been here the more I've grown to love it. There's a wide variety of dishes that I enjoy eating even though I am not as adventurous as many of my co-workers. I'm going to miss a lot of the things I eat week by week here but it will be great to be able to return to my former habits.

Not surprisingly my students have a lack of knowledge about what Westerners actually eat. When I ask them what they think my favourite food is their guesses are usually pizza, hamburger, hot dogs and fried chicken, essentially the majority of the fast food served here under the Western banner.

One of my former managers at my current academy told me she lived in London for one year studying English and said the only thing to eat there is fish and chips.

Rainy day in May

2011-05-12T03:37:00.000+01:00

Yesterday it rained a lot.

Throwing stuff out into the street

2011-05-10T14:36:00.004+01:00

I don't know what it is like across Korea but I do know that in Chilgok, Daegu, crap is thrown in the streets throughout the day, every day. This being the latest development over the weekend on my street. Obviously people were moving out of their apartment and it was only there for forty eight hours but it was still there for everyone to see and someone must have thought it was OK to do this.

Don't touch that

2011-05-09T15:19:00.004+01:00

The only way word to really describe today really is humid (습기있는). My classrooms have no windows and when the heat starts to go up everyone suffers. Today was really bad, almost but not quite insufferable.

Adding insult to injury was the fact that our manager has placed huge new air conditioners in the hottest rooms but we're not allowed to use them right now, and I don't know when we can. Not good for me and certainly not good for the students.

After the (yellow) dust has settled

2011-05-09T04:58:00.005+01:00

I have mentioned Yellow Dust before but not provided pictures. It's diffcult with my limited camera skills to take a photo of something which is hard to see. However after the dust settles you can see what has been swirling around. Here are some pictures of what Yellow dust looks like afterwards.

Being careful

2011-05-06T17:33:00.006+01:00

I am finding the last month in Korea more difficult that I'd anticipated. Not professionally (work is going OK because right now I have lots of breaks) nor emotionally (I'll be back with my wife of course in the future because of her family). A few things are sapping my energy though. I am tired a lot more than normally.

A number of surprise expenses have affected how I wanted to finish my time here. I'm having to make some snap decisions on things I would just buy if I wanted to. Do I really need that coffee or that beer? Poor planning from me on not covering all eventualities but these expenses keep cropping up.

I am not broke, yet but I have to be more careful than I'd like. My final wage is supposed to be coming my way on May 26th and I'll be alright because I have come coins to cash in and also some English money to exchange should I really need to. I will be doing either or both of these as late as possible but this also means that my last few day will be very hectic because it'll be then that I can buy and do some important things that I need to.

On a side note, the weather is slowly warming up. Tomorrow is supposed to be around 27°C. From time to time I catch myself thinking whether or not I am doing the right thing by going when I am. The fast approaching Summer and it's temperature increases are perhaps natures way of reminding me that it absolutely the right time to be leaving.

Korean beer: Last throw of the dice

2011-05-03T14:27:00.004+01:00

I am a beer drinker. I like my beer and am always happy to sample something new. Before coming to Korea I had read that the country is a nation thats likes to drink and have a good time. It's true, people here love having fun and equally love their booze. Just one thing, the beer is very poor.

I have gone through periods here where I would drink it often in a bar and those where I would only touch it just to be sociable with co-workers. I would never buy it to drink it at home. There can be no defense, it is just bad - in total contrast to the Japanese who have some fine brews. I think things will change over the next ten years when Koreans realise what they've been drinking is essentially an inferior copy of American brands like Budweiser and Miller, the kind that are unversally regarded of as low quality. I think tastes will start to change farly quickly judging on the availability of higher quality beers in the supermarkets.

I just bumped into a co-worker in the local store. I was buying a few cans of Japanese beer (Asahi Premium) when he suggested I try a new Korean beer, OB Golden Lager. It is only 1,350won so I decided to give it a go. A lot of foreigners who I have met in Korea have defended the beer but I think they are either seduced by the cheap price or don't know better. Was I about to be seduced by it's taste?

On the positive side, the initial taste is OK. It also looks better with a slightly richer colour. On the negative side, it does not taste 'good'. There is no unpleasant after taste but then again there is no real after taste. Like most beers here it is quite weak bordering on watery and doesn't taste like the 4.8% it claims. It doesn't drive you away from it but doesn't make you feel like drinking another. OB Golden Lager is the best Korean beer I've had. I hope that will change as the years go by.

No masking this

2011-05-02T02:57:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I stayed in for most of Sunday barring a quick trip to the local shop. I did have one of the windows open for a bit though. Perhaps a mistake, today I'm feeling it a little in the chest. Yesterday and today has seen Korean blanketed in 황사 (Yellow Dust). I have heard it's the worst case of this for some nine years or so. It doesn't last for very long but it is unpleasant and can leave anyone affected by this a bit sick with a sore throat or affected breathing. I won't miss it when I leave here. I feel sorry for those in China though who have to put up with worse conditions than here in Korea.

Today my wife and I had to go out so we covered our mouths as best we could but we looked different from everyone else we saw. Usually when Koreans have an excuse to wear a mask they're all over it like a fat kid with cake but not today. People are walking around as if it's normal - and it is not, though I guess people are just used to it now. I'm very surprised. Korea is replete with masks especially in the Winter time or days when the air quality is poor. If I had a mask today I'd wear it. It is a sunny day, it's just that the Yellow Dust is blocking the sunlight. The best thing to do when this strikes is to stay indoors and drink plenty of water. I can't wait to get back home for the cleaner air.

1 month to go

2011-05-01T06:32:00.005+01:00

So one more month left in Korea. I finish my job on May 31st but will be leaving for Hong Kong in the early hours of June 2nd. Happy to be moving on, it's time but of course with mixed emotions. I have been busy of late and unable to write much here but will be addressing that soon. Recently I've finished taekwondo after some eighteen months or so, begun the long packing process and have been met with a series of unepected and unwelcome bills to pay. And of course 'teaching'.

Last week one of my external hard drives broke and I have so far been unable retrieve most of the information but luckily I have got a lot of the important stuff like photographs backed up elsewhere. I did lose a lot of things that I had been saving though. Today is supposed to see swathes of yellow dust sweep across Korea so I will be putting my feet up inside. I am very excited about this month and the future ahead of my wife and I. We're hoping to have a fun and relaxing last month in Korea.

Ticking along

2011-04-25T06:44:00.003+01:00

Today is my penultimate series at my academy. Luckily my schedule has hardly changed and it's the best of any of the teachers. I still have four proper breaks in the week but one of my classes has been replaced with a brand new one, the lowest level we teach. I am hoping to have a lot of fun with them but expect to be very tired.

For the past two weeks the Middle school classes have been a series of tests for them and afterwards we would go over some of the answers. This changes today and we go back tothe normal reading classes where the students didn't do enough studying beforehand so find the class very difficult. I only teach two Middle school groups a week. Halleujah.

Shaking my head

2011-04-24T08:13:00.003+01:00

Just back from a hike with my wife, and a nice hike it was too. We're trying to cut down on any excesses before we leave and to lose some weight. It's not going to be easy but if I cut down on the booze then I think it's possible expecially if we exercise more.

On the way to our hike we passed a petrol station (gas station) and a guy there was smoking close to where they pump the petrol (not in the shop/booth). I was fuming - pun intended - bcause I've seen this too many times for my liking. I don't go past these places every day but I've witnessed it far too often. I just don't know why some people here do it.

Starting to pack

2011-04-18T05:37:00.003+01:00

With just over six weeks to go we've started to get cracking on the things we need to do before we depart Korea. Over the weekend we bought our plane tickets and last night we started packing. It's going to take a while to sort everything out so why not start now?

There are several ways of posting things and we're going for two options. The first is to send some things by EMS which is recorded delivery that requires a signature. You also get a text message when the package has arrived at its destination. That is a bit expensive but ensures your package gets there within a week. My wife be sending some of her clothes, bags and shoes I think this way. The people at the post office told us the maximum weight of a package by EMS is 10kg and that would cost 87,000won which is roughly £50. I think that is more than reasonable.

The other way we will be sending things is by boat. This can take between thirty-ninety days but is much cheaper. Packages start from a 2kg box costing 12,000won and go up 2,000won per kg. We packed a 13kg box like this last night which should cost us 34,000won or £19. I think I will be sending some books and asorted items that way in order to have a fairly light suitcase for travelling.

One of the things I'm looking forward to doing is throwing away a bunch of clothes that I've been wearing for the past three and a half years. I feel like I've been wearing the same clothes every week so it will be great to get home, buy some new things and look different to the 'Gavin teacher' role that I play five times a week. I've already set aside the things I am going to throw away in June from the clothes I will be taking with me.

This morning I booked our hotel for Hong Kong. It's been an exciting few days without actually 'doing' anything.

Gentlemanly Korean notebook

2011-04-18T03:30:00.001+01:00

No turning back

2011-04-16T16:31:00.004+01:00

Today we dropped by a travel agen that we've used several times and bought our plane tickets for the UK. We got a good price that I was more than happy to pay. It's now official, we'll be leaving Korea on June 2nd.

We're headed to Hong Kong for a few days before arriving home. I'm in desperate need of a holiday so a few relaxing days will do me the power of good. In an ideal world we'd be sunning ourselves on a beach in somewhere like Thailand but funds are a bit limited and there's plenty of time for that in the future.

So just over six weeks to go. Time has been flying by lately. It feels great to be leaving though. Something to look forward to. I'll be leaving Korea on good terms. Now our attention turns to dealing with the mountain of stuff we have in our apartment that we need to bring to England. You really do accumulate a lot over the years.

Thinking time

2011-04-13T03:25:00.003+01:00

Last week at taekwondo the Master asked me what I job I was going to do when I go back home in June. I told him I don't know. He asked if my family was rich and of course I said no. He then laughed, but in a good way. He must think I'm crazy to leave my job. So what am I going to do when I go back home? I don't know. It's a question I have been putting off for over five years. The plan has always been to stay here just that little bit longer. But for a few years now I've known that I will be going home at some stage. That time is almost here. I don't know what I want to do but I know I need some rest. I'm all played out right now. Excluding the National holidays (some of which I don't even get in my contract) I think I've had less than twenty days off in the past three and half years. I would like to take some time off from working. The economy in the UK is pretty bad right now. People are struggling for jobs. This is one of the reasons I've delayed coming home. I've been able to put some money away so that my wife and I will have a bit of a cushion and don't need to start working straight away. Having said that I don't want to see all that money just evaporate. One option would be to go back and study, maybe to do a Masters. That would take a one or two year commitment with no promise of a job and I may not be able to take that gamble. I've got some thinking to do.

Paying goodbye

2011-04-07T06:27:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I went to taekwondo and paid my usual monthly fee of 60,000won (£34). This is, I think, the last month I'll be doing taekwondo here, or perhaps anywhere. I now won't be here for the June test. There is little point me training in May because Diana, my training partner is changing branches this month so she won't be there and as I'm not taking the test I won't feel good practicising for something that I won't be able to do. Perhaps this is short sighted of me.

I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, I've been doing some form of martial arts in Korea for three and a half years. I've done OK, got three black belts and learned a lot and had fun every single day. My body has taken a beating at times though. When I did hapkido I used to wake nearly every morning with aches and pains and it would always take a few minutes for my body to adjust. My feet will enjoy the rest too. So many times I've hurt them, split open my toes where they join my foot (which is painful) countless times. I won't miss the bruises either.

But I will miss the people I have met, trained with and had fun with. I will miss the routine, the discipline and the thrill of impovement. I've been lucky enough to see a different side to Koreans and enjoyed their hospitality and friendship. It's been a big part of my days for the past few years. Something to look forward to. Something to aim for. Time is often your enemy in Korea. As a teacher you have too much of it so need to try and fill it productively and I think I have. I'm hoping the next three weeks will be good. After that I will be busy planning my move.

Almost, but not quite

2011-04-04T12:31:00.004+01:00

A nice gentle opener to the class.

Me: "What pet would you like?"

Student: "I want a pet square."

Me: "....."

Student: "I want a pet square. They live in the trees."

Me: "Oh, you want a pet squirrel!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday. One study sentence was 'We pull into a gas staton for some fuel'

Me: "What is fuel?"

Student: "Car..... yummy yummy"

Cheeky landlady

2011-04-03T09:05:00.006+01:00

My wife just got a call from our landlady asking us if we could lend her two million won (£1,142). After my wife politely told her we could not she then asked if she could borrow one million won (£571) instead. Staggered at this request, my wife again exaplained that it would just not be possible. This comes the day after we paid the rent. I've had bad landlords here in Korea but this takes things up a notch.

Spousal visa success

2011-04-01T15:05:00.003+01:00

Relief and joy. They were the overwhelming feelings today in Seoul. We headed there early to get the results of her spousal visa application. And my wife now has a two year visa for the UK. I was pacing the corridor as my wife was in the Visa centre opening her package and we got the result we were desperate for. Much to our surprise the visa was processed within 24 hours of it arriving in Manila. Now we can plan ahead for our future. We've already started looking at flights home.

So, two months to go. Time is slipping away very quickly and I'll be back in the North of England in just a few weeks from now. In truth I am happy to go but know I will miss the place which has been my home for over five years a lot. I have taken my job as far as I can as things stand. I am tired of the work and need a break, need a challenge and importantly a change of scenery. We're both very happy with today's result and can now move on to stuff like sending things back to the UK. But I don't think things will take too long to sort out. I think my next few weeks will be a lot of fun. How can they not be with this beautiful weather?

Back to Seoul again

2011-03-31T14:29:00.002+01:00

Today we got an email from the Visa centre people telling us that our application has been pocessed already. We don't know if we're successful yet as they cannot tell us over the phone or via email. So tomorrow in the morning we're making the trip up to Seoul just one week after handing in the documents.

We're amazed at the speed of it all. The application only reached Manila on Monday and already the result is in and my wife's passport is back in Korea. Do we take it as a good sign? We're finding it difficult to take it any other way but of course we can't be overly confident. Both of us feel that we put forward as compelling a case as we could. At least we won't be left dangling for a month waiting for the results.

Today I saw my wife nervous so the first time. She's shown no stress up to this point where as I've been the one fretting over things. Today for a few minutes she showed me her worries. Thankfully it didn't last long as she is back to her normal, cheerful self. I have found it difficult at work though with my mind on more important matters. There really is no great Plan B. Fingers crossed, eh.

Meaningful breaks

2011-03-29T04:53:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was the first day of the new series at work. New students in some cases and a slightly different schedule for me. From having no proper breaks for a long time, last series I was given two by my manager, now because some of my classes have merged due to students levelling up into other classes I now have four proper breaks in a week. This makes a big difference as classes last fifty minutes. I am hoping it will improve my teaching as that has got slowly worse over the past few weeks.

Last night in my break I was able to do a lot of preperation for Wednesday classes for the rest of this series. I will actually be able to use my breaks more productively - whatever that may turn out to be. Right now my schedule is the best it has been during my three and a half years at my academy. I don't know if this will last but it is very welcome. I only teach two Midle school classes now while one of my co-workers has six. As I am leaving in nine weeks it may be difficult for my manager to give me any new classes. We shall see.

Playing the waiting game

2011-03-28T03:53:00.007+01:00

On Friday we headed out to Seoul to hand in my wife's application for a spousal visa for the UK. I thought we had to go to the British Embassy but went to the British Visa Centre instead. We arrived ten minutes ahead of the appointment and I was politely informed that I would not be allowed in. Despite having my British passport on me, only applicatants were allowed inside.

I was told that it would take about twenty minutes to sort out the documents so I went for a coffee in the building below. I took nearly an hour. This made me a bit nervous as naturally you consider if anything has gone wrong. When my wife appeared she was in a good mood. She told me that the staff were very friendly and helpful and that the woman who aided her commented on how well laid out our application was. We take this as a good sign but are trying not to read too much into it as they aren't the people assessing the application.

This morning my wife received a text message confirming that the application has arrived in Manila where the application will be dealt with. I think the process may take a month or so don't know for certain. We've tried to put forward as compelling a case as we could. I feel that there was very little more that we could have done. Now we just have to wait for the result and try not to spend too much time thinking about it.

Nearly there

2011-03-22T15:58:00.003Z

Light at the end of the tunnel. We have nearly, but not quite, finished the application for my wife's spousal visa. I've found the process very stressful at times but we're nearly there. I hope to sleep soundly tonight for a change.

We're just adding the finishing touches, have a few things to print off and one document to collect and we're done. Then we head to Seoul on Friday to hand everything in. We've given it our best shot and there is little else we think we could do.

Tomorrow we have to sort everything out into it's rightful place but we've collected nearly everything we need. Today we finished the actual application form (it is done online). Right at the end you get the amount you need to pay. And surprise surprise, it's gone up. The application fee is 1,425,000won which is roughly £775. Money well spent of course if the application is successful.

Email from the British Embassy in Seoul

2011-03-19T04:47:00.004Z

When one of your neighbours has problems it is only natural to consider if these might one day affect you. Living in South Korea, the situation with North Korea is always in the background but you build an immune system to the 'threat'. Now with the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan causing massive nuclear problems your mind turns to the possible scenario of it affecting us here.

I feel safe. I do not worry. My co-workers consider if any radiation could drift over here but I feel unqualified to talk on the subject - a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. From all the literature I read it does not seem possible that we will be affected. But I am out of my depth on this one. I am not concerned but do check the news as often as I can.

I receieved an email from the British Embassy here in Korea, as did anyone who is registered with them as a British National living in Korea. Here is an extract:

"We are continuing to follow developments in Japan closely and reviewing our advice to British nationals in the Republic of Korea. We will monitor the situation closely over the weekend.

...Our travel advice (for Japan and Korea) is kept under constant review, and is directly informed by the best scientific advice. Current assessments suggest that the situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan is extremely unlikely to pose an environmental risk to countries outside Japan, but the UK Government is continuing to monitor developments closely. As such, we have not changed our advice for British nationals living in the Republic of Korea. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (www.kins.re.kr) assesses that the risk of radiation movement from north east Japan to the Republic of Korea to be very low. Radiation levels on the Korean peninsula currently remain normal."

Being a teacher here means I am afforded the luxury of a decent salary and given the opportunity to save money. Should the situation become significantly worse and affect Korea I am lucky enough to be able to buy a plane ticket out of here for my wife and myself. One can only feel great sympathy for those in Japan and what they are going through and consider yourself fortunate enough not to be on the sharp end of this tragedy.

Classroom trend

2011-03-17T04:35:00.000Z

From time to time you notice kids pick up habits or do things that they see others do or say. Recently a bunch of my students - in different classes - have been zipping up their hooded tops right to the top making them look like they are in a multi-coloured moving body bag.

It's a bit strange but my students seem to get a real kick out of doing it even if half of them actually manage to get the zip stuck leaving them breathless and in a panic.

Even one of my co-workers has started doing it.

Pencil case invite

2011-03-15T05:59:00.003Z

Proving your relationship (for visa)

2011-03-14T13:52:00.004Z

For the spousal visa application to the UK you have to try and provide evidence of your relationship. Examples include photos, emails and phone records. As we have lived with each other for over a year we don't email each other or really need to phone. We have lots of photos and have begun the ~~'exciting'~~ costly process of printing these out and putting them together.

We also have some MSN records of when we began dating and also up to the time where we moved in together. These records are incomplete but cover a period over around eighteen months. I hope these will help with the application. I managed to save these from my old laptop before the screen died however I was unable to open them at all or they were unformatted on any computer I tried it on.

Yesterday I tried opening the files on Microsoft Excel and thankfully it worked though everything needed formatting properly. It took me hours to sort it out but it's just about done and my wife will print the pages and pages of it out this week.

The process is ticking along and we're gathering a lot of the things that we may or may not need. It is time consuming and a bit stressful but it will be worthwhile. We've just confirmed the time and date for handing in the application. You need to make an appointment at the embassy because they have to take fingerprints for the person applying. Exciting and nervous times ahead.

Three guests

2011-03-14T04:04:00.003Z

One of my students brought three hamsters to class last week - they don't look like hamsters to me though. The class ended and she whipped them out and cuddled them as the rest of the kids gathered round. Where was she hiding the pets? In a pencil case.

Partner teacher stress

2011-03-08T15:13:00.008Z

My worst student who I will refer to as 'Child Y' (which stands for, "Child, WHY do you keep doing this?") is giving one of my partner teacher's a lot of stress. Ever since we moved into the new building and his class changed into a smaller one he has become a real pain. Disrespectful, rude, arrogant, a bit of a bully and in general very poorly behaved. But only in my class, not my Korean partners.

I have discussed the matter several times with my partner and yesterday things seemingly reached a tipping point. In my class he upset another student. I dealt with the issue but the boy seemed to take no notice of me, however the upset child showed no signs of distress at all so I thought no more of it. I am told now that the boy went home and cried.

Of course my partner got a call from the mother today and she complained understandably. Then, my partner contacted the mother of 'Child Y' to tell the story and to basically complain about her boys behaviour, again. The mother of 'Child Y' then proceeded to moan, shout and complain about all this and ultimately seemed to blame me but in the process giving my partner a lot of stress. Thankfully my partner wasn't taking this lightly and argued our corner.

They talked for twenty minutes and seemingly got nowhere. The problem is that in the Korean teachers class he behaves but in the foreign teachers class - not just mine but the others that have taught him - he behaves terribly. We talked it over for a quite a long time but it was clear my partner teacher was really angry and stressed out. The simple fact is that now if he steps out of line in the he will be punished in the form of detention, called jaeshi at my academy. In fact if he continues I will just refuse to teach him, things are close to reaching that point. Students like this really stick in your throat because 95% of the rest behave fantastically. I wonder who he gets his behaviour from.

Visas and hair colour

2011-03-08T14:06:00.004Z

Day two of the process for gathering documents for my wife's visa and it's going OK so far. There is little that I can do to help my wife with regards to some of the things she needs but I am there for her if she needs any help or advice.

I've been able to set the ball rolling on acquiring some of the things I need including bank documents from the UK and information regarding my employment. Also I've been working on getting a letter from my brother guaranteeing accommodation should we need it. Tomorrow I am off to the bank for more statements and also to ask a former employer for some help with a kind of reference.

I am finding it a bit stressful but things like this do tend to cause me more concern that others. Luckily my wonderful wife does not worry about things as much as I do. Hopefully my concern over the thoroughness of the application makes sure everything has been done to be successful. I look forward to the process further advancing my greying hair.

Visa hunt begins

2011-03-06T13:19:00.006Z

Today my wife and I sat down to figure out everything we need to collect for her spousal visa application for the UK. We've known for a while what we need to sort out but it's been good to put it down on paper and get ready to cross everything off as soon as possible. Looking at the list we can get most of the things quite easily though one or two will take more time and effort.

The application needs to be perfect otherwise we will probably either need an interview or worst case scenario is that the application to be turned down. The cost of applying for the visa right now is 1.35million won which is roughly £750 or $1,200. If the application were to be rejected we would need to pay the same just to apply again.

Short back and sides

2011-03-03T05:02:00.003Z

Over the past few days I've noticed a bunch of my students had new haircuts. It clicked after a while that they were all kids who were set to start Middle school very soon, in fact I think most of mine started on Tuesday.

The boys with haircuts all looked like fresh military recruits while the girls who all had long hair had theirs snipped to a much shorter length all because their school requires them to have shorter hair. I don't know if this is nationwide or just a Daegu thing. None of them like it and a few boys had their hoods covering their heads which kind of made it worse because everyone knew what was going on and it made them look a bit soft.

Over the years several of my students who are girls have complained to me that they have to have shorter (though not short) hair. They feel it's unfair. My first thought is to feel sorry for them and have a bit of sympathy. I asked my wife for her opinion and she just said she was "used to it," and I taker this as meaning she doesn't care. For the boys it is perhaps a bit over the top. The kids who now have very short hair didn't exactly look like Billy Ray Cyrus.

Your hairstyle forms part of your personality and helps define your individuality and thus must represents a loss them. Perhaps it is their school's way of making them know that they all equal but also must all act the same way. It's probably just because it's something that has been there for a while and they just don't want to change.

The haircut is not the only change they'll have. From my experience several of them are in danger of losing some of their personality for the next six years as they have to cope with a stream of exams and flow of pressure from school/parents/social expectations. From being carefree children they may now turn into zombies whose only joy comes from the PC room or their phone. I wish them all well and hope they will enjoy growing their hair back as soon as possible

Three months left. Plan A underway

2011-03-01T05:14:00.004Z

And we're onto March. I now have three months to go before my contract ends. Time has been passing rather quickly of late, the seasons are changing and moods are improving at work. Things have been going well lately but this month is a big one. My wife finished working yesterday but it's not just me with the busy schedule.

My wife and I are starting the process for her spousal visa application for the UK. We're about to put together a list and then over the next few weeks we'll be ticking off the things we need before hopping up to Seoul to hand in the paperwork. The things we need won't be difficult to get but after that we'll be relying on sound judgement from the people in charge. I don't anticipate any problems but we have to make sure everything is perfect with the application.

Timely break

2011-02-28T14:11:00.005Z

Today was the first day in a new series. These run over four weeks then go onto the next set of four weeks. Being the first day everyone was a bit busier than normal so I came in a bit earlier. On my desk was a schedule updated from the one I got last week. I now have two extra breaks, the last class on Tuesdays and Fridays.

My mood was great all day and I hope it was passed onto my students. It's going to be a great help because I am pretty tired of the work I'm doing and as I'm leaving soon lack some motivation. Also a lot of my co-workers have breaks where once we had none so I'm pleased for them too as it gives us all more time to sort out the things we need to. I'm really looking forward the break as it replaces a class with just three Middle school students.

Laptoe woe

2011-02-28T02:38:00.004Z

My laptop has effectively died over the weekend. While it still works, the screen has broken making it basically impossible for me to see anything. The problem started three months ago and got steadily worse. Being away from home I am bound to my laptop as my primary source of entertainment, information and contact with the 'outside world'.

With just three months to go before my time is up in Korea I won't be buying a new one until I get back home to England. I hope this will partially liberate me from an over reliance of computers but I doubt it! Luckily my wife has a laptop which although is old and creaky does work.

Night out with co-workers

2011-02-25T13:15:00.002Z

Wednesday was a works night out and the first we've had in months. There was no special occasion apart from the fact that we've not been out on one for a while. I think most of us had a very good time and we all think we should do it more often.

There's been a lot of stress at work this year especially for the Korean teachers and we all let off some steam. We went to a new restaurant and had a selection of meat dishes washed down with booze. There are a few newish teachers at my branch and it was good to get to know them even if I felt a bit worse for wear the next day.

Taekwondo with kids

2011-02-21T04:41:00.000Z

It's finally dawning on me that if I want to get my 2nd dan taekwondo black belt I'll have to do it largely by myself. It is a similar story to when I got my hapkido 2nd dan as the motivation has to come from within to improve but there are some differences

Two weeks ago our class time changed from to 1:40pm. This is good and bad. Good because there is no excuse to not go to class unless I am very sick. In fact my body is fully awake by that time I am ready to go. Bad because we will be training with kids.

Before the time change we had the Winter vacation where we trained at 11am with the kids because school was closed for a month or so and we hardly did any training. We played a lot of fun games but there was no intensity and naturally the kids don't and probably cannot take the classes seriously. I admire my taekwondo Master for his patience! It was cold at the time so I didn't mind too much. Vacation is over but we're still practising with children.

For an hour the kids are running around, playing shouting and being kids. I once had a dog that in the evenings ran around the house tiring itself out. This is exactly what the kids at taekwondo are doing. I half think that their parents send them there so that they can burn off all their energy making them manageable in the evenings.

This is OK, but class is now very difficult. The warm up has changed from fifteen minutes of good stretching to five minutes. My body needs a lot of daily stretching otherwise I will pull a muscle or just not be able to move freely so to counter this I am stretching first at home. The kids also don't respect your space when you are practising.

The intensity has gone. As most of the children don't take the class as seriously as I do so we are not pushing or being pushed hard enough. It's a fine balance that our Master has to find. I need to improve technique now but it's not been happening lately. I am now hearing what I heard a lot in my second year of hapkido, "self training." This is fine but difficult when a bunch of kids are running all over the show and throwing balls and bumping into you. At least I have the motivation to improve and a goal to reach for. If I get the chance to take the test AND pass then I will feel like I've earned it.

Sleeping more, time to go?

2011-02-20T04:46:00.005Z

Recently I've been waking up late almost every day and it's been screwing up my days. I'm normally a light sleeper but not any more I guess. I am normally someone who gets up between 9-10am but over the past week it's been an hour or three extra hours of sleep and I don't understand why. I'm not overworked, not mentally or physically tired and there is nothing stressful going on with me right now. Perhaps I am just tired of being an ESL teacher in Korea.

Chocolate Day

2011-02-15T16:25:00.005Z

Yesterday I got chocolate from some students. All girls because yesterday was Valentines Day and in Korea it is not uncommon for girls/women to give boys/men some chocolate. On White Day (March 14th) it works the other way round but with candy. A gift from a kid is fairly rare for me. I get gum or small snacks from time to time (Koreans are often willing to share food) but chocolate or anything else is something I don't usually get, nor do I expect any gift.

I don't teach Kindergarten, am not female, don't teach in a public position and am not a pushover with my students. From my experience of five years in Korea it is those teachers who get gifts so to get something was a nice surprise because it was unexpected and probably undeserved. Some kids here are really generous, interesting, wonderful children and it is those that I will miss when I leave and not the chocolate.

Snowy day in Daegu

2011-02-14T04:30:00.004Z

Snow once more again in Korea. Today's TV reports claim that some areas have snowfall up to 50cm. Not so bad here in Daegu but it's stuck and is heavier than I have seen in previous years - over the past twelve months the snow has been much heavier than it was when I arrived in 2005.

The younger kids are finishing school about this time so hopefully they can enjoy the snow while it lasts. I nipped out for a few photos and it's already turning to slush. Maybe this is the last snow I will see in Daegu whilst I am here.

One of my c0-workers is currently making the long journey back to Puerto Rico for a vacation whilst three more are back in the office today. Puerto Rico, China, Vietnam, Daegu. I really could do with a holiday.

8 days a week

2011-02-12T05:35:00.002Z

Nipped into my regular coffee shop today and noticed it's opening times. They do work hard in Korea!

Lunar New Year in Busan (part 2)

2011-02-08T16:30:00.001Z

Spending the night at a hotel was a great idea. The original plan was the sleep at the house of my wife's aunt. Given that there would be eight adults and a very young child and very little space there would have been no way I would have slept more than two hours. I got much more than that and felt refreshed as we checked out.

We then headed to the aunts house again. Even though I had just eaten breakfast and we had insisted in a phone call that we wouldn't be eating we were met by a table full of food. I am not really a morning eater and still rarely eat breakfast but this time I made a big effort as once again food had been cooked specifically for me. I tucked into some samgyetang and some galbi (before 11am). This time there was no beer but they did try to get me to crack open a bottle of red wine which I politely declined.

After watching a bit of TV everyone got ready changed and we headed off. I didn't know the plan but found out we were headed towards the Haeundae area which has one of the best beaches in Korea. We didn't go on the actual beach but we walked around Dongbaek park and enjoyed the fine Winter weather which was warming up. It was good to get around Busan after the previous day spent inside. Once again, the baby was the star of the show.

We headed to the two cars we were in and I thought we would be saying goodbye but they suggested we head to a temple and we agreed. The temple name was Yong Kung Sa. I got into the car an agnostic but got out an atheist. I was led to believe it would be a fifteen minute trip but it was nearer to ninety minutes and I couldn't wait to get out, but it was no ones fault as traffic was just very bad where we were headed. I really didn't want to go around a temple but we did and I soon felt a lot better.

The setting was good, a temple on the coast but it was, perhaps predictably, a bit too crowded. I would recommend anyone with spare time in Busan to check it out. If you are a Buddhist or just have a liking for old buildings then it is worth seeing. I have read it is over one thousand years old. For me though I am all templed out after living in Asia for five years.

The sun was setting and we parted ways but not before we were given a lift back to Haeundae. there was a bar I wanted to go to and we made our way to the Wolfound pub which originated in Seoul but has now expanded to Busan. I was starving at this point and gagging for a beer. I chugged down some cider and ale and ate the best fish and chips I've had so far in Korea - not much competition but it was good. The prices for everything seemed to be higher than in Seoul which was disappointing.

I left Busan wanting more which is always a good thing. Wanting more time in Busan, more time off work because I feel done now there and more time with my new family. I hope I can meet up with them somewhere soon.

Lunar New Year in Busan (part 1)

2011-02-06T05:56:00.000Z

Busan was really busy over Lunar New Year with traffic sprawling all over the city as people were travelling to meet their families. My wife and I arrived at her aunt's house at around 4pm and I was so tired from the (short) travelling that I felt like I'd been on a plane. Her aunt was waiting for us with a big smile, just like her sister always is (my wife's mother). We entered the house and were greeted by two of my wife's cousins and her uncle.

The first thing we did when we got there was say happy New Year and then my wife got ready to bow to her aunt and uncle. This is part of Korean culture and tradition where younger members of the family bow to their elders and is called Seh Beh. She actually got me to do this with her (a bit strange as it was only the second time I'd met them and I'm not Korean) but I went along with it because my wife wanted me to. It only took five seconds and was painless. to my surprise her uncle gave my wife 50,000won and then her aunt gave the same to me. I didn't feel like I deserved it but declining the gift may have been offensive.$0D A
And then we sat down to eat. My aunt and one of her bousins had prepared some food and then added much more over the next six hours. I was very grateful for the food on offer, some of which my aunt had made specifically for me. It didn't take me very long at the house to see just how generous this family is. I also felt very welcome and never felt awkward, which was a slight worry beforehand.

I had some beer with her male cousin as we continued to eat and watch TV. The aunt continued to get me to eat as much as I could fit in my mouth. To refuse the food on offer would have been very impolite I feel. Quickly the aunt found out that I like pears and peppers. I soon joked that if I ate any more I would turn into one. After eating and drinking I was very full indeed. All this was done whilst sitting down on the floor and my knee took a bit of a battering.

A few hours later the youngest cousin and her husband arrived (from Seoul) with their two year old baby daughter who is as adorable as any baby could probably ever be. Everyone watched the baby being a baby and we continued to watch TV and eat and drink and talk. The youngest cousin has a husband who speaks good English which I appreciated greatly. Not long after 10pm the oldest cousin, who I have seen the most arrived with her husband, also from Seoul. They sat down to eat and drink and relax. The oldest cousin's husband also speaks good English. We talked more and drank more without getting drunk. I felt very comfortable during all of this.

Later that night the baby performed the Seh Beh to all the family including my wife and I. It was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen and everyone opened up their wallets gladly to give the baby some money.

I learned some new Korean words over Lunar New Year. Perhaps I will get the chance to use them again. I didn't take any pictures of my first day because it didn't feel right. I'm new to the family and wanted to be as unobtrusive as possible. I would have liked to have taken a few snaps but I'll leave that till next time, whenever that is. Here is some of the vocabulary I learned.

Seh Beh - 세배 - bow performed to elders

Imoh - 이모 - aunt

Imoh Boo - 이모부 - aunt's husband

Sa Chon - 사촌 - cousin

Jo Kah - 조카 - niece/nephew

Yobo - 여보 - darling/honey (used between a husband and wife)

The hospitality extended to us was amazing. At no time did I feel unwelcome and I hope that one day we can reciprocate with at least some of them. I'm lucky to have such a great extended family. At around 11pm we headed to our hotel and of course one of the family drive us there. We were both tired and wanted to be fresh for the next day where we would meet the family again.

Meeting family in Busan

2011-02-02T13:16:00.004Z

We're headed to Busan tomorrow. It's the big day of the Lunar New Year celebrations and my wife and I are visiting her aunt and uncle. Also coming are my wife's cousins. She has four, all roughly around her age. Today we went shopping for a few gifts. Some ginseng for her uncle and aunt, some "facial mist" for the woman and we also got some wine for her male cousin and the husbands of her cousins. I don't think they are expecting anything but they were so generous at our wedding we are happy to get them a little something.

I've met one of her cousins (and her husband ) twice before and most of the rest of the family when they came to our wedding but it'll be the first time seeing one of them. I'm a little nervous because not many of them speak English and I don't know what we'll be doing but the last time we met it was a happy occasion and I'm hoping this will be fun too. We booked a hotel for the night and will try to explore some parts of Busan that we haven't seen before.

Timely Lunar New Year gift

2011-02-02T13:02:00.005Z

Yesterday came and there were no gifts at work. Strange I thought because we usually get something small at Chuseok and Lunar New Year - the two biggest holidays in Korea. Over the years I've been given toiletries, green tea sets, and one time even seaweed (which my wife loved). I know a lot of teachers around Korea get similar presents and there are plenty of stories of people getting boxes of tuna or Spam, which is very popular here.

This year though we did pick up something from work, just not wrapped up. I checked my bank account today and found an extra 100,000won (£55) deposited yesterday from my employers. Another thing I'll miss about the company I'm leaving soon. This came at such a great time for me. Shame Mr Taxman is picking up most of this.

Four to go

2011-02-01T05:19:00.004Z

Only four months left as a teacher in Korea. My time here is nearly over and I think the remaining weeks will go very quickly. Until recently I had mixed emotions but not now. I'm done. Tired and demotivated but I'll be trying my best until I finish. I really need a break from teaching.

Today's weather is wonderful. A big contrast to the previous weeks. It's sunny, warm and it feels great to be outside. Hopefully it will continue and Spring will be here shortly. One more day of work before Lunar New Year.

Tax breakthrough

2011-01-31T16:34:00.004Z

Today was the deadline for the tax payment I have somehow incurred and I missed it due to a small communication problem with work. However, there has been a breakthrough on this as instead of paying it all in one go it will be broken down into two instalments which means I will not be left short of money for February. There will be no problem with missing the due date.

I'm very pleased with this and once more the company I work for has helped me out when I have needed it. I think I've been lucky with who I've worked for in Korea as I've heard many horror stories from teachers who haven't been so lucky. I will turn up at work tomorrow with a big envelope full of money and will repeat this in one months time. It's given me some breathing space and my mood has lifted.

Today was also the first day since my wife left her job. She met her old boss for lunch after he told her he had something to talk about. She will now work for her old company again, part-time, for a month starting next week. Her hours are good and she won't be teaching so the job is fairly easy for her. I'm surprised at this but pleased that she will be earning a bit of money whilst still having a lot of free time.

A few minutes ago we finalised out plans for Lunar New Year and booked a hotel for Busan where we will spend two days visiting family and relaxing. We are lucky to get a cheap hotel at such late notice. I can't wait for this break.

Running on empty

2011-01-31T04:39:00.003Z

New week, new series at work, no difference to my schedule. Thankfully I only work two days and then it's Seolnal (Korean New Year). I have a five day weekend to look forward to and hopefully recharge my batteries.

I do need a few days off. Currently I only have breaks on a Wednesday. We received our schedule for the new series last week. I was eagerly anticipating it hoping for a change but no, still the same. A few teachers have breaks on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. The schedule is unfair but I do not know how it is put together - though this is of course not the fault of those teachers getting breaks.

If some teachers are to have breaks then it has to be spread around to the others eventually for it to be fair in the long term. Next months schedule will be interesting as the disparity cannot continue for much longer. It's hard to live up to the owner's awesome expectations when there is no time for a breather.

I am thankful that the next two days are very easy. I have zero planning to do as they either require no preparation or are classes I prepared for last year. With a lot of teachers leaving the peninsula over Korean New Year it's safe to say nobody wants to be working! The weather warms up a bit over the next few days so the break will see a nice respite from the cold.

Taxman blues

2011-01-27T15:22:00.003Z

Hitting the bottle and enjoying some Jack Daniels and coke. And with good cause. I have found that when I ask my students the question "Is a surprise a good thing or a bad thing?" they always say, "It's a bad thing." Yesterday they were right.

I received an email from work basically telling me that there is a shortfall in the amount of tax I've paid over the past twelve months - a period in which my wage has not increased at all. Fair enough, we all have to pay tax and I have no objection to this because Korean taxes have been very low during my time here compared to taxes back in Britain.

And then I read how much I have to pay. I won't post the exact amount but it's considerably higher than I would have imagined. My taekwondo partner Diana received a similar email but with a much lower amount to pay back - you double hers and then put a zero on it and you have mine. I was shocked and still am but, of course I have to pay this. And again, if that's what I have to do then I will but in the email I got from my employers it stated, "You must give the (figure I owe) to your branch manager before next monday (January 31th). If you don't mind, please give this ASAP"

The issue is not that I have to pay this but why has the amount not already been taken out of my salary in 2010? I am not an accountant. This is not my field of expertise. It is complicated even though it has been explained to me. But, why have I been given only five days to pay this? Why do I have to pay this in cash? Part of me wants to roll up to my branch with a wheelbarrow full of coins and say "There you go." But I won't. Right now I have very little in the bank due to sending money home recently. Luckily pay day is tomorrow. I have enough to cover this but I will be left short in February.

Since yesterdays email I have been in contact with one of my managers. She replied to my concerns and although she stressed I have to pay this, she is trying to get it either delayed or at least broken down into instalments. If this can happen I will be a much happier teacher than I am right now.

I am trying not to be in a bad mood at home and at work. It's not going to break me but the timing is appalling. Today I was not as I should be in the classroom. I was a little irritable and showed signs of it getting to me. This is unfair on the students. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow. It's not the worst news I've ever had so I am very philosophical. It is only money. These things are sent to try us. Back to my whiskey and coke.

Do some people really have no opinion?

2011-01-26T04:08:00.003Z

Yesterday in my last class of the day I asked the innocuous question, "What do you think about people who are not from Korea?" I wasn't asking a loaded question and would have accepted almost any answer like, "They are rich," "They are ugly," "They are big." All I wanted was the girl to say something because I wanted the class to have a decent pace.

After five minutes the girl still hadn't said anything even though she understood what I had asked. For some of my students asking them a question they didn't expect is the worst thing you can do because it means they actually have to give you an opinion and show imagination. Perhaps I should have moved onto the next question but I wanted this girl to answer because she really needs to practice her speaking and as the class only has four students it gives her a great chance to communicate with me.

After a while I asked another student to ask her the same question in Korean and she came out with "I don't think about." This was after I had wrote on the board the number of people who live in Korea, both North and South and also the fact that there are over six billion other people on the planet who are not Korean. I also mentioned that there are over two hundred countries that are not Korea, such as America, China and England. I didn't make fun of her or raise my voice and I tried to encourage her to come out with something.

I realise the question was a broad one but was hoping this would give her the scope to come out with an answer - or at least lie to me with a good sentence! It really frustrates me when my students show such a lack of imagination because Koreans are not like this. They really aren't. They have opinions and thoughts like everyone else and are creative, industrious and innovative people. I refuse to believe that she does not have an opinion on people outside of Korea. If I had said, "What do you think about people from Japan?" I would have at least got an answer even if it would have been the one her family have told her to think.

IELTS test, Uzbekistan food and Russian beer

2011-01-24T05:42:00.001Z

My wife has been so busy this month. Every day she has to get up early to make the hour long bus trip to work to teach Winter camp. Despite this, she has been studying for an IELTS test - an internationally accepted test for English proficiency. Over the weekend she went to Busan to take the General test.

Unfortunately there was no test taking place that weekend in Daegu which meant that she had to get up at 4am to get ready for her 6am train to Busan on Saturday. She had to be there before 9am to take three parts of the test, listening, reading and writing. Worse though was the fact that she had to make the same trip again on Sunday for the speaking part which she tells me took only fifteen minutes. Understandably she was tired all weekend.

Because of her busy schedule my wife doesn't know how well she did. If she thinks she can get a better score she can always take the test again but will have the benefit of being able to have studied longer for it. The test costs around 200,000won or £110. She took the General test but there is also a harder one, the Academic test. Ihe difference between the two is the Academic one is to prove that you can study in higher education (where only English will be used) and the General is more to prove your ability and we're using this for proof of her level when we apply for her visa for England.

She had no idea what time she would be arriving back in Daegu but thought around 3pm or after. Luckily the test finished fairly quickly so she made it back before 2pm where she met my co-worker Ivan and myself. I would have gone with her to Busan but because there was no way of knowing beforehand what time the test would be over we decided there was no point me going with her just to be sitting around for a few hours.

I met Ivan downtown and took him to the Uzbekistan restaurant, Samarkand. I told him not to expect too much but at least have a beer. He said some of he food reminded him of food he tried on a trip in Europe but not as good. I tried mainly the same dishes as before but also tried a meat and spice filled pastry.

This time the service was better and the portions were back to normal but the meat in the pastry and the dumplings was still a little fatty. The kebab style meat I tried again was really, really good and by far the best dish I've tried there in my three trips. Alas there were no talent contests on the TV that I'd seen before. Instead we were treated to a series of Disney cartoons in Russian and Tom and Jerry.

Thinking that this may be my last chance to sample the beer here I had two. There were three choices, Baltika 3, 6 and 9. Ivan went for the lighter 3 but I tried the 6 for the first time. It was dark and reminded me of the Japanese stout by Asahai you can get here, but at 7% was much stronger. It went down well but I didn't go for a second. Instead I went back to the stronger Baltika 9 which is a hefty 8% lager. I may go back again before my time is up, just for the beer because at 5,000 for a 500ml bottle it is good value here.

In, On, At

2011-01-21T03:48:00.003Z

Prepositions of place. Everybody understood the grammar but I threw in some examples before asking for some students to make their own sentences.

Me: "We are in the classroom," "He is at the door," "She is on the chair."
Student : "Gavin teacher is in the nightclub!"

Some perspective on this cold weather

2011-01-20T04:43:00.004Z

Right now as I check the weather it's 0°C. I went out a few minutes ago to buy lunch and it didn't feel cold. Tonight it may get to -8°C which is a big improvement on last weekend. I've never known it to be so cold in Winter here. Is my memory deceiving me or is this much colder than Winters past? I'm feeling lucky not to be living in Seoul though where it's been even colder than here in Daegu.

Summer again tricked me into relishing the prospect of Winter time. For three to four months in Korea I pine for the cooling of the temperature and when it hits me hard in December/January I curse my luck. I feel like I'm wearing more clothes than ever before. Scarves, hats, gloves, ear muffs and a sweater pretty much all the time. The wind really bites. What doesn't help is the constant tales of co-workers going off to sunnier climbs in two weeks. People are going to Hong Kong, Vietnam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico! I'm really hoping it warms up soon because I'm staying in Korea then.

Putting some perspective into this, I got a message today from one of my friends working in Nunavut, Canada (up North). He tells me on a good day it's -15°C but today is going to be around -60°C. Just thinking about that makes me feel not so bad after all.

Observation again

2011-01-20T04:23:00.003Z

Another observation today, this time from my branch Manager. She is new to my school but not the company. I can't say if she's good or bad at her job, just that things have been less organised since she started. However, she started as we were moving buildings so she's had to deal with a lot of new situations.

At the same time as the building move and manager change we stated teaching some different classes. We've now moved back to teaching Middle school students reading classes. So far, so bad. It's got nothing to do with the students but the articles we're covering are either too hard, not relevant to the kids or both.

So of course, the manager is watching only reading classes this week - watching my worst/funniest student. The lessons are fairly easy to teach but you do need to plan a bit more in order to give the students as much guidance as possible. It will take a few months to get into a grove but I think the classes are OK. I am not concerned about how my class goes as I am doing what we've been told to do so far but I'm hoping for feedback this time.

Decisions, decisions

2011-01-15T08:42:00.003Z

This week one of managers emailed me asking if I was 100% leaving my job at the end of May. She needs to look for people to fill my job and was just making sure that I was definitely not re-signing. I emailed her back telling her that yes I will not be staying here any longer teaching.

I'm excited about going because it will be time. There's just one small thing that is on my mind now. A seed was planted a few weeks ago and grew this week in my head. What about taekwondo? The earliest possible date for the 2nd Dan black belt test is the end of June, that will be one year since the 1st Dan test. You cannot take the 2nd test until a year has passed. I had earlier written this off as something that I am just not going to be able to do but now I am not so sure.

After my contract finishes we plan on having a two-three week vacation in Asia before going to England (her visa permitting). If I came back from the holiday in decent shape I would have one week to train for the test but would I be able to pass? Discussing this with my wife, she seems to be OK about this right now but because she is sick we haven't had a proper discussion yet.

I am hoping to talk to my Master next week to ask a few more questions and gauge his opinion about how he thinks my training is going and if it will be worth my while doing the test. I have a decision to make because this is my final chance, realistically to get another black belt. They take years to do in England and realistically it's unlikely. This would be a chance to get a fourth black belt in Korea and I would really like the chance to at least try.

Wednesday makes a comeback

2011-01-13T03:42:00.005Z

For most of the past twelve months, Wednesday classes have been a troublesome experience. From teaching lessons that were too high for the students level, having parts of the classes dedicated to repeating some sentences that the kids only saw for a few seconds and also the repetition of material that makes you feel like you only just taught that to the same bunch of students two months ago. Oh, and no breaks. And classes are just thirty five minutes.

Every Wednesday was a struggle to teach. It just didn't fit in with the rest of the things we taught in the week and I think nobody took it very seriously, including students. I used to joke that the week ended on Tuesday because Wednesday classes 'didn't count' and Thursday/Friday classes were very easy to teach.

Now the schedule has changed. Firstly I get two breaks which helps a lot. I can prepare stuff for the rest of the week or just take a breather. The curriculum has changed and I am using some new, perhaps better books and it finally seems like some of my students can really do the levels they are in - they're doing great. Also I have got some new classes and some great new kids. It really makes a difference to be teaching somebody that you haven't taught many, many times before - all my cynical kids have moved to Middle school classes. I can now enjoy Wednesday's and hopefully the kids can too. Wednesday's are back.

20 weeks left

2011-01-12T04:29:00.004Z

A quick check of the calendar this morning and I see that I've twenty weeks left working in Korea.I say a quick check but it feels like I've been checking it all the time for about eighteen months or so. That may read as if I desperately want to go or I hare it here. Well neither are true. I love a lot of how my life goes by here and I've liked Korea pretty much since day one back in 2005 but the job is sapping my energy a bit and twenty weeks from now will be a good time to say goodbye to 'this way of life'

I went to the coffee shop today for an hour after taekwondo and sat thinking about how things are going. I will miss a lot of the things I take for granted and come across every day. Thinking positively, these will change to a whole bunch of new things and I'll develop a new daily routine back home. The winter has been a cold one so far and not enjoyable. The move to the new workplace has helped brighten up my mood though. I think I will feel better once the holidays come round in February. My wife leaves her job in three weeks time. The countdown really is on.

Never trust your students

2011-01-11T06:08:00.002Z

After a few cancellations I had my final observation from my manager two weeks ago. She arrived before classes and would be watching my first. I was happy with this as it was a lesson I had taught the previous day twice so I knew what I was doing. And because they are one of my youngest but brightest, enthusiastic, creative and are enjoyable to teach. Yes they were my favourite class.

I rolled into class expecting everything to go well. I did everything the manager wanted which was basically repeat, correct, give everyone their chance to speak and try and make the class fun. And then I was thrown under the bus by the students.

Betrayed by five boys who should know better and who I've always tried my best to help whist making every class as enjoyable as I can! Perhaps I exaggerate but they really let me down and embarrassed me with their bad timing. So what did they do? Mocking me, parroting me, making ridiculous sentences and shouting out answers when it was someone else's turn, making fun of my questions and the repeating we did. I am relieved that there was no contract riding on this.

Doesn't sound like much but it was obvious at the time that they were doing this deliberately for a joke. All of those things they had never done before and won't do again. There was also little I could do because the previous branch manager had watered down the teachers capacity to deal with things like this. I let them know several times that this was out of order as I tried to manage the situation. If the manager was not watching me, then I would have dealt with this easily but I didn't do it so well because quite frankly I was shocked at their behaviour.

With about fifteen minutes left the manager left and the atmosphere changed. They stopped being silly as they knew I was not happy with them. Oh students! After the class I let them know they had done something wrong. I didn't punish them or shout at them but I was really disappointed. Now the class has changed. Three of the five have moved to another group and someone else now has the 'pleasure' of their company and I am left with a great bunch of kids again.

Otherwise the class went OK. Despite one horrible grammar explanation of mine I did what was wanted from the particular class. I didn't expect a good write up but I could live with that as I'm going in a few months. got the evaluation last week and it was not as good as my previous one but was probably better than average. I got some decent comments and the evaluation was positive and fair. But never trust your students. Et tu brute?

Allergic to work?

2011-01-10T03:18:00.006Z

Sick again. No surprise really as I've been sick on and off now for about three months. Nothing significant just a bunch of colds that come and go straight after each other. This is worst so far though. I have the usual runny nose, sore throat but now I have a headache. A headache that only occurs when I move, or exert myself physically, e.g. blowing my nose or coughing. The headache is quite violent but goes away seconds later

I'm a bit weak but nothing serious, it's just the headache which is slowing things down. I could really do with taking the day off work but can't afford to and I actually do like working. Today is going to be a sit down and just be there in the class kind of day. Fingers crossed my students take the hint and behave.

My wife took me to the doctors today. We tried a different one for a change. I've been going to an English speaking doctor for five years but my wife has no confidence in her. I've been a few times over the past few months with the same symptoms and just been given cold medicine.

This time the doctor said, yes I do have a cold but also probably an allergy to something. This backs up what a pharmacist said a few weeks ago. This would explain the ongoing runny nose and sneezing I've been going through. I'm going to have to try and delve deeper into and have some tests this but probably not till the weekend as my wife is very very busy at work right now. The doctor also told me I should try not to speak, which is impossible with today's classes!

**Update**

Just hours after taking the medicine the headache was gone which seemed like a minor miracle. God bless Korean doctors and their prescriptions! However as I got home from work I found my wife in bed, very sick so perhaps I've either given my cold to her or I'm going to get hers any day soon.

Boys and girls

2011-01-05T14:02:00.001Z

Recently one of my elementary grade 5 students revealed that she had a boyfriend. The others in the class made fun of her but not to the point of upsetting the girl. I suggested to them that maybe they were jealous of her. One actually admitted it. The girl has now broken up with her boyfriend and seems happier than ever but before that happened one boy wrote down what he thought about her relationship.

Motivational letter from the boss

2011-01-04T15:00:00.002Z

"Although we have many great teachers that have done very well in their classes, I regret to inform you that some classes have fallen short of my expectations..."

Last night all teachers got a letter from the company owner. Due to the move, things not being ready, hassle on the first day of the session and a very cold building the mood wasn't great. Then we got the letter. I was going to type it all out and post it here but it doesn't read as bad as it first did, though it was not as 'good' as the one we got over two years ago.

I am guessing some classes not meeting expectations are from other branches and not necessarily ours because he hardly ever comes to our branch though perhaps this will change now. There are no threats, no warnings and no consequences for not doing what they want. The letter adds that the owner will push branch managers harder which basically means that we will be observed more and more often. Here is my favourite part of the letter.

"When you teach an awesome class, you can see the satisfaction in your students' eyes and know that you have done well. If you have seen beaming pleasure in your students' eyes, then you know what it means to have taught an awesome class."

I don't have any problem with the owner and he is entitled to do whatever he does because it's his business. He has been generous a few times with things like my Christmas bonus. Teachers at my academy are on a good wage for an ESL teacher in Korea and the job is secure. Also, the structure of classes and preparation for us foreign teachers means that we prepare little and the classes are relatively easy to teach once you know the format and have some experience. We got a lot out of the job considering what we have to put in.

It would be told we're doing a decent job for change but I won't hold my breath. The letter adds that prizes for teachers winning best teachers at the end of the year (December 2011) will go up. Perhaps it would have been better to say, OK, if standards go up, everyone gets a slice of that cake instead of a select few hogging all. In fact there are many ways to give teachers beaming eyes of pleasure.

As I am leaving in a matter of months it does not concern me. It's too late in the game to be changing things around for me. That sounds good, leaving soon if five months away is soon. In fact it sounds awesome.

New building, same job

2011-01-03T14:27:00.006Z

Today was the first day teaching on the new premises. It's a new building, literally next door to the one we used to work in. New building, new classes, new students, new Manager and the first day of the new session. Things were a little difficult for both teachers and students but these things will get ironed out as they go on. Here are my first impressions.

I know it's Winter but the new building is damned cold. Cold classrooms, cold teachers room and freezing stairs. I think everyone will be bringing at least one extra layer of clothing tomorrow. I know one co-worker wore gloves and most of the Koreans wore coats up to and inside the classroom. This is probably one of those buildings that are cold in Winter but boiling hot in Summer. After work we were greeted by yet more snow. Four times I think this Winter and it's probably going to stick so it's not going to be warming up at work any time soon.

It's a new building and it shows. Parts haven't been finished and dust is prevalent on the stairs. Classrooms and most of the rooms on the two floors we occupy are finished and look good but others parts don't including the lift. These are minor details though and do not affect the job.

Yes there is dust in some places but the rooms that we prepare in, use the computer in and teach in are a lot superior to those we used before. For a start they are clean, with no graffiti on the walls. It feels good to teach in a fresh environment. How long will it last? I've lectured all my students on how they must not write on the walls. A small downer is that all the whiteboards, desks and chairs are from the other building so they have the dirt, markings and probably chewing gum that students 'love'. Also the clocks in my two classrooms don't work.

A lot of people were unprepared today which is mostly due to the move. Not everything was where it should be and some teachers were lacking a lot of the materials. I came in a little earlier than normal and was lucky that today's classes involved very little preparation. Also with two new teachers starting today the staffroom was more chaotic than usual. I got lost twice in the building and kids were walking around a lot looking for classrooms. A few of my students hadn't done the homework too which didn't help either.

The teachers room has been split into two. By that I mean that the higher level teachers have a room on the 5th floor and everyone else is on the 4th. Our room is smaller than before but with less people feels better and has more space. However, one teacher heard a rumour that this will change soon and everyone will again be in the same room. I cannot see how this will work, it is simply not big enough.

For me, classes went fairly normally just at a slower pace. I like the new building but it really is very cold and the Korean female teachers seem to really hate this aspect. Everyone was glad the day was coming to a close and then just before the last class we all got 'a letter' from the company owner...

12 hopes for 2011

2011-01-01T08:11:00.001Z

Back to five months left in South Korea after extending my contract by a month recently. I'm excited about this year which is the year I am set to return home. I've been back a few times since leaving over five years ago but this time I am returning permanently.

Even though I'm going home I am taking a bit of a step into the unknown. There are a lot of things that I'll be doing that I haven't before with responsibilities on my mind that have never troubled me before. I'm thankful to have an amazingly supportive wife and together I'm sure this year will be fantastic.

My 2011 targets

Be a better husband for my wife at a time when she needs my attention, love and support. Moving to a different country won't be all plain sailing for her.
Help my wife get the visa she needs for living in the UK. There are some things I need to do and they seem to be straightforward but are essential.
Save a decent sum of money over the next five months. Again, this comes under being a better husband and being more financially responsible for the both of us. We're on target to meet the figure I think we will need to support ourselves for a while in uncertain times.
Try and not let my teaching deteriorate. The end is nigh! I have seen so many teachers just not try as they come closer to leaving. I'd like to be fair to my students.
Push myself at taekwondo and finish on a high. I think I only have two or three months left there so I'd like to improve my kicking and push myself more.
Have a few holidays and spend some time on a beach relaxing, enjoying the sun and Summer because I haven't done that here in a long time. When my time is up there will be plenty of time (if not money) for holidays but we really need a few weeks relaxing.
Leave Korea and the ESL teaching world for now to settle back to life in England. No more extensions now and no more living in a bubble. I'm looking forward to finally having a nice family Christmas back in England.
Find a decent apartment in city centre Manchester. I've checked some prices and they're affordable so we'll see what comes up. A city centre pad is what we need because we'll have all the transport links and my wife can gently ease into life in a city I know.
Lose a bit of weight and exercise more often. Perhaps a pipe dream but I would like to lose between 5-10 kilograms before I arrive back home.
Leave Korea on a positive note with no regrets and no bitterness. Many of my former co-workers have left on a sour note and have negative images and thoughts in their mind. I would like to go feeling appreciative for what this place has given me and feel positive about the times I'll be returning with my wife in the future.
Explore my country in more depth than I have previously and show my wife around the UK. Money may be tight at certain points and exploring my homeland may be a better alternative to expensive trips abroad.
Get a new job if possible. I have no idea what job I want. It's a clean slate but I wouldn't rule out some kind of teaching.

Handy Christmas bonus

2010-12-31T04:16:00.002Z

New Years Eve and it's going to be a busy day at work. Next Monday it's the start of a new month's session, new students and new classes for me with significant changes to Middle school curriculum. Also we're moving to a new building and we have a new manager. We have to move some of our stuff out of the old building into the new one tonight after work. My co-workers are very unhappy about this as none of us can figure out why we couldn't just do this before work today and not after.

Still, I'm in a very good mood - despite almost everyone at work being sick now, including me. Tomorrow is the start of a new year and I've enjoyed 2010 a lot. On reflection I didn't do too many things but I've had fun in my own way. I know that time is winding down for me in Korea but I don't feel in any great rush to do anything or see anywhere. I've had my chance to do and go to the things I've wanted and now my focus is on finalising our exit and saving as much money as we can.

And work gave me a great boost last weekend. At the Christmas Party the owner handed out a lot of cash prizes. Myself and a few others who have worked at the company for three years or more were given one million won. that works out at just over £550 at the moment. I'm very thankful because it has come at a great time. My wife is leaving her job at the end of January so that will be one less income for the remaining months left. She's had a lot of stress this year at work so it will be good for her to have a change of pace. The money comes in very handy right now. I feel lucky to have a stable job at this moment and will miss the relative ease of it and the money when I am back home.

So what have we done this year? We had our 'wedding' in May, managed to save a decent amount of money and I got to know my Korean mother in-law a lot more, I passed my taekwondo black belt tes t after taking it up only seven months before, went home to visit family and friends for a week. I kept my sanity and had a lot of fun in a job that is mentally tiring and felt a lucky man being married to my wonderful wife. I missed some of my targets for the year though but that means I have so many for next year, a huge year for my wife and I.

Students make me laugh

2010-12-30T13:39:00.003Z

I had a great day in the classroom if not at work in general. I can't remember how long it's been since I laughed as much as I did today in all my classes. Right at the end in my lowest level of Middle school the boys were pulling all sorts of tricks. Making fun of the others and really causing me to burst into fits of laughter.

The class objective was understanding and using simple past tense sentences such as;

I ate steak,
We watched TV,
She played tennis

Student: "xxxx xxxx ate viagra"

He repeated this several times throughout the lesson which blew the mind of the boy he was talking about because he had no idea what was going on. On paper it doesn't sound so funny but in practice it was. The class didn't recover and we had a vast array of jokes and physical gags all of which made to a great end of the day for me and for that class as I won't be teaching them again.

Korean notebook riddle

2010-12-30T04:27:00.004Z

I continue to enjoy the notebooks my students bring to class. This has no spelling mistakes but has the usual positive messages. What are these pink dreams? After yesterdays class about wishes I am hoping that my students really do have better dreams than to get a new pencil case.

Daegu snow snaps

2010-12-28T05:12:00.004Z

Woke up to some delightful snow this morning. It's snowed a few times this Winter so far but I think today's was maybe the heaviest I've seen in Daegu in my fives years here. It was still falling as I headed to taekwondo so I stopped to take a few pictures but didn't have much time but enough to take a snap of the person plowing on with their daily exercise. After the session finished the snow was melting and the roads were swamped with slush but two hours later and it started to come down again a bit. how much more snow will we get this Winter?

Christmas wrap-up

2010-12-27T05:56:00.001Z

Back to work after a good Christmas in Korea - my 6th in a row. You know it's never going to be the same as back home but my wife and I had a lot of fun. We now look forward to next year and all the excitement and challenges it will bring.

So no days off for me. Unluckily Christmas fell on a weekend this year so we were given no time off at work. I'm OK with that. They pay me very well and if I have to work when others don't so be it. There'll be plenty of time to relax when I'm done here. Having said that, I am knackered and could do with a small break. Luckily there's a five day weekend coming up at the beginning of February.

I had a very good Christmas eve at home with my wife. I often enjoy this day more than the 25th. I drank a little too much though and watched a film afterwards so only had about four hours sleep. I was a bit hungover all through Christmas Day. My mother in-law came round for most of the day. I made Christmas dinner as best I could and it tasted not too bad. Turkey will taste wonderful next time though. My mother in-law ate all the food on her plate and said she liked it which made me feel very happy.

At 4pm I made my way with Ivan to my work Christmas party at the Interburgo hotel in Daegu. I wasn't going to go but was persuaded by my now ex-manager on Thursday. After some brief introductions everyone tucked into the buffet dinner. It was better than I expected and both Ivan and I went back for seconds. Afterwards I was stuffed and the party went on.

The room where we were was very big, and had around two hundred people there, mainly Koreans because it was pretty much compulsory. Most of the Korean staff at my workplace made it and it was good to see them in a different environment. Then came the talent show. It consisted of around fifteen or so acts of varying quality broken down into two categories which often merged, musical performers or comic performances.

The good ones were very good especially a very pertinent work themed version of the Twelve Days of Christmas and one comic skit that envolved chewing gum which I won't forget in a while. We had a brief break from these acts which was filled by a professional musician playing I think the clarinet. He was fantastic and well worth however much he was paid. I wish I had videoed this.

The 'talent' acts went on a bit too long and many people were glad when it ended. The owner of my academy chain then gave out a LOT of prizes, namely money. Through a translator it was claimed that he was spending 600million won (over £300,000 ) of his own money on this day, of course not just prize money. Everyone who entered the talent contest was given money, and then came prizes for employees given for various reasons.

I think maybe 10-20% of people in attendance won something. We were told that if you weren't there you wouldn't get your money. Harsh but those were the rules and you can't argue with that as the owner was very generous on the day. A few people from my branch won money including the receptionists and I think I did too (they got my name slightly wrong when they read it out).

Last Thursday I left my ipod at work and went back to collect it and my manager told me I should go to the party because I would maybe get something. I couldn't read her properly but decided to go just in case. Good job I did as every foreign teacher who has worked there for three years or more was given a prize. A nice Christmas Day gift for me and my wife, but I'll believe it when I see it this Thursday come pay day. I'm not counting it till I've got it

The party ended late but I had fun regardless of what I think I had won. I got a taxi home and told my wife the news and we watched some TV and relaxed after a long day. The holiday wasn't over though as on Boxing Day we met our good friends in Busan, Ian and his wife Nari. They came over from England to spend a few weeks here with family and friends and we caught up with them on a frosty Sunday. We didn't have a lot of time together so had a quick bite to eat before heading for the warmth of a bar.

Time went quicker than we wanted but again we had a great time with our friends. We got back to Daegu to be met with the aftermath of snow. Daegu's drivers could not handle the partially icy roads and there were no taxis to be seen at the train station. When we got home we enjoyed the warmth of our apartment to end our Christmas 2010.

Give me present!

2010-12-23T03:59:00.001Z

"Teacher, give me present." That was a popular line yesterday from my cheekiest of students and I think I'm going to hear it quite a bit today and tomorrow too. The reminder of what time of year it is. I gave a few kids chocolate and snacks if we played a game and will probably do the same again in some classes if they behave. I have to work on Christmas Eve and everyone will be on autopilot that day but it's expected that most of the kids will come to the academy.

It hasn't seemed like Christmas yet here in Korea. Perhaps I am more isolated in Daegu than those living in Seoul but with just two working days left to go it's only just started kicking in. In general I don't think Korea fully understands Christmas but it is trying. It feels more like a couples holiday here rather than a loving, family occasion.

There are much fewer advertisements trying to sell you products and thank god there are NO ads selling toys, which seem to start running on TV back home from August. In fact I don't think I've ever seen a (non-computer) toy advert here in my five years - another great plus point Korea has and that I will miss when I return home. The lack of snow perhaps continues to lessen the festive mood.

At the weekend my good wife finished decorating the apartment. She always does a much better job than me so despite not having a tree this year our place feels cheerful enough. Tomorrow I am making a Costco run, stocking up on some booze and getting all the Christmas food. My mother in-law is coming round on Christmas Day and will be trying some of my cooking. She is always making food for my wife and I so it will be nice to be able to offer her something for a change. I wonder what she will make of it.

You don't know my name

2010-12-22T15:07:00.003Z

Another student mistake over my name. How can you mistake Gavin for Gival? I applaud this kids imagination and wonder if any more will leap out at me before my time is up here. I think this is almost as bad as the time my now ex co-worker thought my name was garden.

When your pension isn't really your pension

2010-12-21T13:31:00.005Z

Not surprisingly, because it happened twice before, my observation was delayed due to my manager having a meeting yesterday. I will now be watched next Tuesday which probably works out better for me because I can have a trial run of what I'll be teaching on the Monday.

At work though I was met with more news. The foreign teachers all received a letter from the National Pension Service - A guide to the National Pension for Foreigners. The letter included information on how much you and your employees have paid so far, how to claim this and other stuff.

For the record, I have known that I will not be getting any of this money since 2005 when I first started teaching in Korea. This is because my country, the UK does not have a pensions agreement with South Korea. I don't know why but it doesn't. Other countries that supply teachers here such as Canada and the United States all have agreements that mean everything paid in goes back to the teacher when they leave. In some cases double the amount. A quick glance at the list of those countries that do have agreements and Hungary, Slovakia and Romania jump out.

After yet another search on the internet to check whether or not things have changed it seems clear that this is dead money and I will never see it again in my life. It would appear that I cannot even transfer this money into a pension in the UK. After working here for a while I have paid a significant amount that would be a godsend if I ever saw it again. A conservative estimate is that it would be five months rent for the place I want to live when I go back home.

Even though I have known this for a while, when you see exactly how much money is there for you but you can't claim it it feels pretty sickening. I'm still full of Christmas cheer though and and going to reach for a beer right now to prove it.

Observation day

2010-12-20T03:33:00.003Z

Today I am being observed again. Every year we have two observations from our real boss, a Westerner who evaluates teaching staff, handles curriculum, deals with teaching questions and also has a significant say on contract extensions.

This is my third manager and I have to say the previous one was great at her job. I think I am biased because she gave me some good marks on the evaluations especially my last one which I do not think is possible for me to beat. I don't know the new manager well so it's a bit of a step into the unknown. The mantra that she is looking for though is repeat, repeat repeat. I can do that.

Half of me feels that I shouldn't be observed because I've been here a long time and am leaving in five months so there is no carrot of a contract being dangled before me. But being observed from time to time is a good thing. All teachers are prone to fall into habits whilst teaching and some of these can be bad. I know that I do some things that head office doesn't necessarily want me to so it's healthy to get back to basics and spend more time preparing.

I didn't sleep too well last night. I'm a little nervous and I know that doesn't make sense. Perhaps nervous is not quite the right word. There's a little bit of apprehension and excitement which I hope will give me the energy to do well. I've built up enough credit to last me for my remaining time here but I do want to show what I can do. Who wants to look bad in front of their boss? Also, as I've got the most experience at my academy shouldn't I be the one who can do this easily?

I don't like being watched though. I'm not the same person when someone from 'outside' is in the classroom. Neither are the students. I like to joke around in class, have fun with students, tease some and in general like to make the kids feel so relaxed that they can express themselves without being nervous. I don't think that will be possible today.

My previous manager would ask what class I would like to have observed but that's not the case today. I know it's one of the first four but more likely not my first class. Over those four periods I teach two lessons twice so preparation is not an issue. Classes one, two and four - no problem, great kids, enthusiastic and fun. Class three, oh dear. There is one boy who is considered to be the worst student at my academy and though I like him, he causes trouble, distracts others and worst of all speaks Korean a lot.

At least there is no pressure on me so this should make me feel relaxed when the time comes. As long as I try my best, prepare and don't make any big mistakes things should be fine and whatever will be will be. I'll be glad when it's out of the way and can move on with my remaining five months. However, we have a new manager at my branch and it's a certainty that she'll be watching everyone's classes over the next few weeks too.

On a side note I won't be going to the big Christmas party that my academy is holding. A few months ago It was suggested that it would be mandatory but in the end that didn't turn out to be true. After some thinking on the matter I decided that going would be OK and maybe fun so I asked if my wife could go with me, as did a lot of other teachers at other branches. On Saturday we got an email telling us that nobody is able to bring a partner.

I understand that and accept it after all my wife doesn't work at the same company as I do so why should she get a free lunch etc, etc but letting everyone know just one week before Christmas is poor. It would have been nice to have gone with my wife because she knows a few of my co-workers and some staff at other branches but it's not to be. Now we're going to have a nice Christmas at home with me cooking and I think we're going to have a great day of eating and drinking.

That's not how you spell Richard

2010-12-16T14:36:00.008Z

One of my students is having a lot of difficulty with spelling week in week out and there is very little I can do to help him other than to point out the mistake and correct it, which I always do and he always ignores. I am sympathetic with todays big spelling mistake - Richard - because many Koreans pronounce it RE-CHARD. I think he is in the wrong level for now so I need to help him as much as I can.

Daegu in top 10 places to visit (2011)

2010-12-15T13:22:00.006Z

I have just come across a Rough Guides list of the top 10 places to visit in 2011. And Daegu is on it. Of course the list contains places a little out of the ordinary and off track with none of the usual suspects being mentioned. There have been a lot of changes in parts of Daegu since I arrived here and most of them are certainly for the better. It is an improving city and will host the 2011 athletics World Championships so is hoping to attract more people to the area.

I have lived here and worked here for about five years so I am happy with the place and feel comfortable. My wife and her family are from here too so that's another reason to like here. This city has given me a lot to be thankful for. But, I would struggle to recommend it to a visitor no matter how much I like it because there is little to do and little to see when you consider other places in Korea and of course other countries just a few hours away. Perhaps I am missing something.

Delaying the inevitable

2010-12-15T04:26:00.002Z

My plans are always changing it seems. Last week we got a bill that we weren't expecting for about 1.2million won (£650). This tipped us over the edge and it didn't take much thought to decide to stay another month, providing work would agree to it.

I emailed the woman in charge and she got back to me very quickly and confirmed that it would be OK and then sent me my amended contract. I'm happy to have got this sorted out so quickly and feel lucky that they just agreed it basically on the spot. This is my final extension and there is no turning back when this contract is over.

Working one extra month (May) doesn't bother me one little bit. May is a great month here. Fine weather, sunny skies and not too hot so I'm going to be ending on a high note, hopefully. After finishing up we hope to have got my wife's visa by then and set off for a few weeks of travelling before heading home to the UK.

Tasty Korean duck lunch

2010-12-11T14:39:00.000Z

Today some of my co-workers, past and present and myself met up in Chilgok to go for lunch. Instead of having a normal Korean meal we went near Palgong mountain for duck. Today was a bitterly cold day and I didn't know what I was expecting. Would it taste great or not? I decided not to eat beforehand so that I would be sure to be hungry.

It only took fifteen minutes by car to get there and just minutes after arriving the duck was ready to eat. It looked fantastic and smelled great too. I haven't eaten duck many times but knew this would be delicious and it was. As well as the meat It was filled with rice, some ginseng I think and ginko plus some kind of nuts. I also enjoyed the side dishes especially the cabbage soup.

We ordered two ducks, one for each group of five and I wish we'd ordered more, so nice it was. I definitely want to eat this again. Along with the meal we had some dongdong ju - which is similar to makgeolli (alcohol made from rice) but this has some rice floating at the top. It hit the spot after a while. When the meal was over we all relaxed before playing a game - 007, or gong gong chil bang. The game has a simple premise but after drinking more of the dongdong than anyone else ju I started screwing up and took some hits on the back but so did everyone else. I had a lot of fun and a great lunch . I hope we can do this again some time soon.

Taekwondo hockey

2010-12-10T03:53:00.004Z

Back from taekwondo today and I had a great time. After warming up the Master said we could play a game for twenty minutes or so but this went on to last the whole class. We played hockey but with an inflatable ball with unpredictable bounces and used kicking mitts instead of hockey sticks. Sounds like it wouldn't work but we had a blast - wish I had pictures. It was an all body workout and I was shattered when it was over. Times like this are the little things I will miss when I leave here next year.

Snowing in Daegu

2010-12-08T13:50:00.006Z

The first snow of the season today. I actually thought it was raining so I ignored the window but was happy to hear of the snow when the classes had finished. As usual most of the students were so excited that they ran out of the academy when things were over and started enjoying this rare treat. I had a quick walk round before it began to melt and took a few snaps. Tonight feels very Christmasy.

Paper hazard

2010-12-07T13:39:00.007Z

Another day and another paper cut as blood was drawn at work once more. Over the past year or so I have been prone to slicing open my fingers in all manner of inconvenient places. It never used to be this way. Photocopying, checking books, sorting out tests all hold major hazards for my fingers these days. A minor quibble of course and these happen in many, many jobs but I'm just fed up of foolishly cutting my fingers week after week.