The Last Goodbye

I just passed through Korean passport control and had my passport stamped for what may be the last time here in Korea.

Last night, I returned from my travels through SE Asia and stayed with a couple friends in Busan.  One of those friends was really the first friend I made in Korea.  We noted last night how our conversations are always weighty—not necessarily serious, but about substantive things.  He challenged me a lot in my faith and my worldview.  He’s Canadian (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and he constantly challenged the American-centric views that I brought with me when I arrived in Korea.

He was also the one that opened my eyes to Geoje’s amazing beauty.  With his car, we were able to explore the nooks and crannies in Geoje that I would have never been able to find or experience if it hadn’t been for him.

We discovered a dead whale on a deserted Geoje beach, ate whale meat (not the same one we found), and ate dog-meat stew.  There was actually an ongoing joke comparing him to John Locke from Lost for his connection to “the Island.”  Geoje would have been entirely different if it wasn’t for his friendship.

Then, I got to know his girlfriend who became his fiance and then his wife.  The past two weeks, I’ve been so overwhelmed with the experience of travel, that I haven’t reflected much on what I’m leaving behind.  Late last night we were catching up, my friend asked how I felt about leaving Korea.   It really made me think about it.

It’s too easy to say that I’m “going home” in returning to America.  Korea has been my home for the past two years.  My heart has become attached to my friends, my students, my co-workers, and my church family.  I’ve become so used to the green mountains surrounding Gohyeon, and seeing the sea almost everyday that its hard to adjust to life on the plains.

Korea will always be some sort of home.  No, I’m not simply returning home.  Instead, it might be better to say that I’m returning to my first home.

A Week of Goodbyes: Thursday

Today I began my week of goodbyes with my last Thursday at school.  (My final "last" day is October 15th).

Tuesdays and Thursdays at my school are more laid back.  On these days, we have elective courses with smaller classes and, for the most part, more motivated students.  I teach three grammar classes and a kindergarten class.  One of my grammar classes is made up of 11-13 year olds.  They are good enough at English that they I can joke with them and them with me.

For example, they asked me if a new teacher would come when I left.  I told them that the school was looking at a Canadian teacher.  One girl said, "Canadians are kind."

Then I said, "Yeah, but watch out if you accidently call them Ameicans."

Then we joked about how I had my head bitten off on a few separate occasions here by accidentally referring to a Canadian as an American.  So, if there is a new Canadian teacher, and you read this, sorry if they do it just to get under your skin.  Its mostly my fault.

Then, I went to a movie at the newly re-opened CGV and then to Homeplus for the last time.  I can honestly say I will not miss Homeplus one bit.  First, I never got used to the "greeter" who greets you loudly using a microphone/speaker setup!  I don't want it to be announced that I'm coming in.  A simple welcome would be nicer.  Then, a couple things I was looking for were out of stock.  This lady started pushing me in the line.  Finally, right when I got checked out, another customer stole my shopping cart (I put in a 100 won deposit).

While I won't miss the shopping experience at Korean megastores, I will definitly miss my students.

America!

It has been 26 hours since I left my hotel room in Korea. Three flights behind me and one still ahead, I am incredibly thankful to be back. I made it in time for a BBQ holiday and just after the oppressive heat of Missouri's summer has past.

During my layover in San Francisco, I made a B line to a Mexican food place. I had a huge burrito with real guacamole, and black beans, and salsa. Man I have missed Mexican food. After I visited my bank's ATM (such a joy to get US dollars from a machine!) I spoke to the lady at the food counter. She had a Spanish accent! Yeah!

All around me there were English conversations--too many to listen to. I'm so used to tunning out the Korean spoken around me that I forgot what it's like to understand what people are actually saying! I forgot what its like to be able to focus my hearing on differing conversations and hear and understand what they are saying.

In Korea, I usually only start trying to understand what people are talking about (in Korean) when I hear my name in the conversation. The way most of the people in the school system treat me in much like Buster in Arrested Development.

There's a great episode titled "Bringing up Buster" where there are several instances where two characters are having pretty harsh discussion about Buster and then the camera pans out to show that Buster is right there in the same room. Below are highlights from that episode. Fast forward to about the 1:00 mark to find the first example and then 3:00 to see the other. Again, imagine me as Buster and my Korean handlers as Buster's family.



Now, I'm at some cheesy sports bar at the Kansas City Airport waiting for my final flight right into Joplin. I'm loving me some free wi-fi, my Sam Adams, and some famous Aurthur Bryant's KC style barbecue.

Yes. It is good to be back.

To Korea on our 1 year annivesary

My dear Korea,

I love you, but I think we need our space. This isn't a breakup, just a "break."

We've had our good times and our bad. I think we've both changed over the past year and now is a good time to spend some time apart to reflect. Lets face it, we've been around each other nearly 24/7 for almost the entire past year.

You know I'm not ready for a permanent arrangement--that was never part of the deal. Nevertheless, when I spent some time with Taiwan and Japan you became jealous (especially Japan). Don't you remember how much I missed you though?

You have to admit that there is a big communication problem. I've been trying to learn your language, and been trying to teach you mine, but lets face it, we often don't understand each other.

I was talking with Moon, yes the one to whom I've been elicitly teaching English. She asked why I wanted to leave you. I was shocked. Call me a mama's boy, but I long for my motherland. America (Migook) is far away and I long to be back.

I prepared a short list of the things I miss:

• relative anonymity
  
• speaking English however damn fast I want to speak it
• the Dollar
• seeing proper English on signs
• English newspapers
• trips to Wal-Mart at 2 in the morning
• sidewalks not covered with women selling fish and lettuce
  
• people that I look up to (literally not necessarily figuratively)
  
• Mexican food (and Taco Bell too)
• rednecks
• not being giggled at when I walk into a store
• kids not coming up to touch my arms because their hairy
• personal space
• not being bumped into and pushed around
• other bearded men

Let's face it, there are things that you can't offer me. Give me a month to gather my thoughts and clear my head. I'll be back, I promise. Please understand.

Love,

Joshua

July 4th in Korea

The Fourth of July is just like every other day in Korea. What was I expecting? I've spent two other Fourths outside of America, but both times, I was surrounded by other Americans. We celebrated together, even if we were away from our homeland. This fourth, I didn't even see another American.

I did read a small passage from a English education text for teachers. It made me very homesick:

"Festival in America. It is celebrated as America's birthday. The Declaration of Independce was signed in Philadelphia on July 4th 1776. It is the day Americans celebrate their freedom. It was John Adams who said that July 4th should be celebrtated with parades, shows, games, and good food.

The first official 45th of July party was 1777 in Philadelphia. Warships fired a 13 gun salued in honor of the 13 states. The soldiers paraded through the streets. By the mid 1990's [sic] the annual 4th of July picnic was an American tradition. People grill BBQ or hot dogs, and eat corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, chocolate cake and homemade pies. Some famileis make their own ice cream. There are activities such as watermelon- eating and pie-eating cotests. Celebration ends with fireworks."

Happy Fourth. Watch some fireworks for me!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I'm traveling to Geochang today (Christmas Eve) to visit some fellow English speakers. Then, Christmas Day, I'll be heading up to Seoul for some R&R before report for my English camps the first of the year.

I won't be able call anyone since I'll be away from my computer, but it'd be nice to hear from you. Give me a call at my US number 573-234-6217. That will go through to my cellphone here. Love to hear from you.

Thankful

All through last week, I've had students tell me what they are thankful for--but was able to avoid the question myself. Now, I know:

I'm thankful for my health (even when I'm sick).
I'm thankful for my family (even when we are not on good terms)
I'm thankful for my friends (even when we are thousands of miles away)
I'm thankful for my salvation (even when I feel lost)

Thanksgiving Abroad

So, I've partially recovered from what I believe to be poisoning from some bad shellfish. Anyway, I stayed in bed all day Friday, got a full nights sleep Friday night, and was ready for my turkey on Saturday--well kinda.

So I still felt kinda cruddy, but I hadn't eaten any real food for almost two days and I was ready for some Thanksgiving fare. I took the bus for the 2 1/2 hour trip to Changwan and met up at a the very nice apartment of another English teacher. Its amazing that we all game over on the same day, are doing roughly the same jobs, but our apartments are so different. Her kitchen/dinning room was about the size of my whole apartment. In addition, she had an office, a bedroom, and a loft. I have to admit I was a bit jealous.

When I arrived, I found the trained chef in our group working on some side dishes, and another American expatriot fussing over the Turkey, which was being prepared in a convection oven--a little larger than a microwave.

Unfortunately, as time for the meal approached, I felt less well. When it came time to plate up, I only could stomach a tiny dallop of mashed potatoes, a small piece of turkey, a bit of cranberry sauce, and a roll. I think it was the first time in memory that I could see the bottom of the plate, much less have more plate showing than food.

Despite the fact that I didn't feel "stuffed" (the sensations from my innards couldn't really be described wit the word) I did enjoy the day. I was gathered around some of my English community here in Korea, met a new friend, and got off the island! Then, to my horror, I got back to the bus terminal where I had arrived only to find there were no buses back! My friend who has already been her for a year, took me to his nearby city and the bus terminal there. I was lucky to catch the last bus back to Geoje.

Dog Penis 2: The Gay-bool Strikes Back

To be fair, I'm not sure if it was the 개불, gay-bool (the seaworm that literally means "dog penis" in Korean), or any of the other exotic foods from last night that did it, but I am damn sick today. Throughout the day today, I fought off waves of nausea and made it through school. I could feel myselft getting sicker on the bus ride home. When I landed in my apartment, my body revolted against the remains of those sea creatures inside of me.

So, I've come up with a simple statement to keep in mind before eating gay-bool:

You may get the gay-bool on the way in,
But, the gay-bool may get you on the way out.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Put on your Sunday best kids, we're going to Home Plus!"

Home Plus, one of the megastore chains in Korea, opened their new store about a mile from where I live. I was very excited about this store opening. The opening brings the possibility of me getting those things are my wish list. I thought about writing a Rosie O'Donnell style poem, but thought better. All of their banners said they'd open today, the 26th, but when I scoped it out last night, there were still workers putting up marble panels, wiring lights. In addition to the workers still working, the entire ground floor was completely bare, with no finished floor. When I arrived today, I realized that the lobby will be rented out to other smaller stores--that is when the building is finished.

The building is about six stories tall, however, the actual store is completely below ground. Most of the upper levels are for a huge parking garage. The lowest level is the discount floor. It's as big as a Wal-mart Supercenter. The employees wear "Home Plus" vests over their street clothes--much like American discount stores. On this bottom level, the alarm clock lady--yes that was the only thing she was doing--helped me pick my alarm clock.

The next level up, just below the ground, is the nice department store area. This is the level where they sell the nice clothes, furniture, electronics, etc. The employees are all dressed very nice. Today, crowds of people were on the discount level, while employees easily outnumbered customers on the department store level. There, I tried in vain to find an electrical adapter. I also found out that the movie theater that is in this huge complex won't open until the 28th; I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an American movie or two.

So, I found this "peanut spread." It was only $1.50. It is nothing like peanut butter and that's all I'm going to say.

Why I'm not where you are...

Jonathan Safran Foer's second novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has a series of chapters titled, "Why I'm not where you are." One of the chapters begins: "I lost my love and my punctuation in the firestorm of Dresden." the chapters are letters that a man writes to his wife trying to explain why he left her, the women he loves. This story is paralleled with the story of a nine-year old son of a 9/11 victim. I highly recommend the book.

I was chatting with a friend the other night about Foe'rs writing, and it made me think of this. I wonder if this blog isn't my way of trying to explain why I left. I don't know if I'm doing a good job.

I left a lot of things unsettled back in America. There's this whole thing with my dad and his new wife. And between my mom and my brother. And friends.

Life here in Korea has its ups and downs--mostly ups. I'm adapting well, and am looking forward to the rest of the year.

However, there is still nagging attempt at explanation: Why I'm not where you are.

9/11/06 abroad...

This is my first September 11th away from the United States. It was a strange being away from home. The day passed like a normal day in Korea. I consumed as much American internet news as possible, read about the ABC movie controversy, the president's plans for the day, had my own moment of silence, and then watched a clip about how the lease-holder for the WTC site ordered the WTC 7 ordered the building destroyed. World Trade Center 7 was a 47 floor skyscraper in the World Trade Center complex. It was the first building to be re-built and is not part of the master-plan for the WTC rebuilding and memorial.

I am not a conspiracy nut. I don't believe in a US government connection to 9/11 any more than I would blame it on the Jews or Bush himself. The evidence we have had in the past, coupled with the new video Bin Laden planning 9/11 have cleared the point in my mind. However, what the heck were they doing having these buildings pre-wired for explosives? I don't get that at all.

The 9/11 Commission didn't look into the WTC 7 collapse because there was no loss of life. The building collapsed about 6 hours after the towers collapsed. I don't understand this, but there are many questions that aren't being answered.