Evidence

The following video confirms my earlier posting regarding the intelligence level of some of my students.  In this little clip Heather and JiAhn are attempting to play a game of Paper, Rock, Scissors--which might I mention, is a Cat Class favorite.  In the video Andy, the infant in my class (I think his mom and dad lied on his birth certificate to get an early start on his education) is well aware of the winner of the PRS battle, but JiAhn and Heather are absolutely clueless. In this relatively simple game, JiAhn thinks paper beats scissors.  Then later Heather just decides to hold her hand out in paper, and Tweedle Dum throws out a matching paper 3 or so times, all the while Andy (the infant) is aware of the correct winner and correct English name of the game...baby genius.

Brilliant.

The Boy with the Sharpie Tattoo

I’m no stranger to bizarre things happening in bars.  Working as a bartender throughout college I witnessed many odd behaviors, outbursts and an enumerable amount of embarrassing moments.  Nearly every shift we’d dub someone Patron of the Night.  This title would most often go to the drunk girl crying in the corner, or the person grinding on a pole while simultaneously using it as a brace to keep upright, but sometimes someone really special would come along and change the game completely.  There was one evening in particular where a young techno loving gentlemen came in with a group of lady friends and proceeded to fight with inanimate objects and shoot fake arrows at my co-worker and I.  You had to see it to really appreciate the beauty and creativity of this lad’s dance moves, but let me just say, it made an impression and i’m reminded of him every time I see a bow and arrow (not as if that’s often). I don’t know if anyone will ever top that individual, but last weekend while a group of us were out in Itaewon, someone came close. Very close.

Upon arrival at The Wolfhound, everyone hustled to the bar to snag pints of specially priced Red Rock, I however, having drank a considerable amount of soju on the cab ride over, opted to wait it out for a bit.  Once situated I naturally took a look around the bar to survey the patrons and almost immediately I was struck by the vibe a young Korean man was putting off from the bar.  Dressed in all black with his back  towards the bartender, both elbows overconfidently placed atop the bar ledge, beanie pulled down, eyes focused outward.  It was easy to see that he was trying to channel some sort of Korean James Dean, badass and mysterious, but it just came off looking awkward, forced and intense.  Strange vibe and all, I didn’t think much of it and went on conversing with my co-teachers.

After some time had passed I grew thirsty and decided to go get a beer.  I headed to the bar and quickly walked to the first opening I saw.  As I stood waiting for the bartender to acknowledge me, I looked to my right and noticed that there standing next to me was the Korean wannabe Brad Pitt from Fight Club.  After a few seconds he introduced himself.
“Hello.  I am Jin.  Where from?”
“Hi. Lydia. From America.”
“You teacher?”
“Yeah I am.  I teach......” And that’s when something odd caught my eye.  On both his arms, which were now place in front of him on the bar, were markings, at first glance they looked like sleeve tattoos, but as I looked closer, cocking my head to the side to get a better look, I realized that the markings were not made from tattoo ink, but from sharpie ink.  At this point Jin realized that I wasn’t concentrating on our conversation, because I was curiously and confusedly staring at his arms, then a creepy smile took over his already slightly creepy face, as if to say “yeah you like those?”

As everything fell into place, my confusion turned into giggles then quickly turned into booming laughter when I started to make out some of the things he’d written on his arms.  There were math equations, elementary drawings of animals, words like “strength” and “honor” and i’m 99% sure he had e=mc2 written on his wrist.  I’m still kicking myself for not getting a photo to document the greatness of this kid’s attempt at awesomeness, because describing it really doesn’t do it justice.  I’m talking full on, hand to shirt, writing, drawing and scrawl.  Use your imagination--then double it.

What I did next was beyond mean, and I feel bad about it, but like a giddy child with no sense of personal space or right and wrong, I licked my thumb and attempted to rub off one of his “tats”, completely forgetting that he was a real human being with boundaries.  When he realized what I was doing and snapped his arm back I came back to reality, said, “oh my god i’m so sorry”, grabbed my beer and took off.

I was still in shock when I arrived back at our table, partly because of his tattoos, but mostly because of my behavior.  And now looking back I can’t help but wonder what is more strange, a dude who sharpies on tattoos in an attempt to look badass in a bar, or a girl who, after a few drinks, develops turrets, licks her thumb and attempts to rub marker off a complete stranger.  Jury is still out, but I hope Jin found whatever he was looking for.

“Your daughter...she’s...she’s so creative. So so creative.”

There are a number of things that i’ve learned from being around children and “teaching” for these past few months.  First and foremost, I really don’t know what i’m doing.  I often think to myself as i’m preparing a lesson, or doing something that doesn’t require my full attention, how funny it would be if people knew how much I make up on the spot, or how everything feels a bit like a leap of faith, because i’m never sure if what i’m doing will pan out.  The fact that Cat Class is communicating in English and seem to have learned a significant amount is still baffling to me.  It’s also a fact that not a day goes by that I don’t become a devout christian for about 20 seconds and thank Jesus that I teach kindergarteners, because i’m pretty sure that if I were teaching older kids they’d see me for the sham that I am, and berate me with their words and i’d be ridiculed daily.

Next I realized that my job title should probably be something more like “preventer of complete and utter chaos” rather than “teacher”.  It seems that what I spend most of my day doing is keeping these tiny humans under some sort of control.  In psychology I remember learning about this thing called “the Id”, which is basically that instinctual drive to find pleasure and avoid pain.  As you grow older, people learn that you have to live within boundaries and completely giving into your Id isn’t possible, because instant gratification and living on impulse isn’t possible (some people take this to heart more than others).  I’m no expert so I don’t know if it’s all kids this age, but the member of Cat Class really haven’t grasped the concept of delayed gratification and patience is still very much a word, not a practiced virtue.  I’m in no way saying I don’t understand how this is so, because at 24 i’m still trying to get a grip on both those things.  Maybe they’ll get the hang of it earlier in life then I did, but for now it’s pretty entertaining to watch the Cats struggle with even the most simple of patience requiring tasks....


Note clever little Lara, placing the cookie in her napkin and then putting the whole napkin wrapped cookie in her mouth.  Ah K, Lara, you win.

Probably the most shocking thing i’ve learned from teaching is that some kids are just dumb. Clearly I didn’t come into this expecting every child to be a miniature Bill Gates, or well on their way to a full ride at an Ivy League or MIT, but I guess I wasn’t prepared for such a discrepancy in ability and overall intelligence.  Now i’m not saying that the less then stellar kindergarten students of the world won’t turn out all right, I myself was in the lower reading level for most of my elementary school years (difficulty sounding things out and telling left from right).  I wouldn’t be shocked if Ms. Walker or Mrs. Carlton thought to themselves, “Oh that poor little Hu girl, she’s really gonna have a tough time, that one”, I wouldn’t be shocked because that is exactly what I think about a couple of the little birds in Cat Class. But then I have to take a step back and put myself in their miniature shoes, which are more than likely on the wrong feet, because although it’s not scientific, in my experience, shoes on the wrong feet is a sure fire sign of a lesser intelligence, and realize that they’ll probably turn out alright, and if they don’t, hopefully they inherit some money or marry well.

Below is a picture of Heather and JiAhn, or Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee as I like to call them, holding cakes they made in art class of edible and inedible objects.  Surprisingly both of them have their slippers on correctly.

Next we have a couple pictures of the two little ones right after I discovered that they had eaten a significant amount of the edible AND inedible decorations that were hot glued to the cake.  Their faces really say it all....

halfway around the sun

In some ways it’s hard to believe i’ve been living here for 6 months.  Part of me feels the same as I did when I arrived here--alien and out of place.  Yet so much has changed in my time here.  It’s hard for me to believe that I was scared of the subway, the streets seemed overwhelmingly frightening and I couldn’t figure out how to eat a decent meal without a guide only a few short months ago.  So much good has come out of growing comfortable and finding my feet, but the novelty of my life here has most definitely worn off and there are many things that have made it difficult during these winter months.  This is not to say that I don’t still love and enjoy it, it’s just coming to the realization that it’s not all bad food, poorly translated signs and a big joke for me to laugh at.  But i do still laugh at it. Most of it that is.

Some of my life as of late...

The food has grown on me and by grown on me, I mean i’ve learned to stomach it and enjoy it - sometimes and moderately.  I eat kimchi.  I eat squid and octopus.  The abundance of seaweed is still a little disconcerting, but i’m living with it.

I walked outside this weekend and for a moment...just a moment...I think the sun warmed my face.  If this really happened and wasn’t just a figment of my imagination, things are looking up and there is a light at the end of this frozen, frigid, drafty, inescapable tunnel.

Cat Class got a new member the day we returned from Christmas vacation.  He cried for 3 days straight. And when I say he cried for 3 days straight, I mean this child cried for 6 hours straight, from 9am-3pm continuously for 3 whole days.  At one point I sprinted out of the room and cried a bit myself.  Thankfully, he’s doing better now and has turned out to be quite the little sweetheart.  It was a terrible start, but things are looking up for Henry.  Here’s a video from one of his first days in class.




A while back I lost my coat and i’ve been searching for a new one all over Seoul, but it’s become very clear to me that people here have T-Rex arms.  This is in no way an exaggeration.  I have actually pointed this fact out to numerous other people and many of them also agree that, proportionately, Koreans as a race simply do have shorter arms.  I’d be happy to place a wager with anyone who disagrees with me.  I’ll gladly video document my trials and failures of coat shopping for anyone who cares to lose a bet.  

Putting up the double peace sign started as a joke, but it’s become my standard move in photos, thus proving that Koreans are rubbing off on me far more than i’m influencing them.  God knows i’m speaking more like a Korean child then a college educated American these days.

These past two months haven’t been a cake walk here, but hopefully the food will continue to sit well, the sun will keep getting warmer, Henry will save the crying for times when Lena teaches, i’ll find a jacket that hits below my forearm and the peace sign heyday ends. Here’s to hoping.

Kid Art

At this moment, I don’t believe there is a place that could possibly be colder than it is here in Seoul.  Earlier this week it was colder here than it was in Moscow, Russia. Yeah. Russia.  Currently I’m in my apartment, floor heat cranked, space heater on blast and oscillating, leggings, sweaters, hat and wool socks on my body.  Before this I’d never given much validity to seasonal depression, but being here has given me reason to reconsider.  Maybe living in California for the past 5 years has made me seriously weak when it comes to dealing with anything below 50 degrees - or maybe that’s what I tell myself as to not feel bad about continuing to whine about my frozen situation.  If I were to write a recap of my life at this point in time, it would read simply as incoherent and angry ramblings, because no matter what I try to think about, or write about, my thoughts always seem to revert back to my disdain for the weather or my growing case of cabin fever.  

So! Here are some more kid drawings, because even thought I live in a frozen tundra with no happiness and overwhelming gloom, the kid’s art always makes me laugh.  

 For some reason every drawing this kid makes has the crazy meth addict coming off a 5 day binge eyes.  WoongJay gave this to me after he’d be sitting in timeout.  I think this was his way of saying ‘i’m sorry’ and/or i’m going to kill you....with my legs...cause I don’t have arms.  

I really don’t know what David was going for here....

I feel like someone’s parents aren’t enforcing age appropriate television.  

Ryan’s happy dinosaur.  

Heather is still trying to figure it all out, but at 6 months in i’m not sure she’s going to. 

“Leedia teacha! Pwesent!”
 “Aww thanks Ryan! Who is this? Who did you draw?”
“Des es Leedia teacha.”
“Ah. It’s perfect. Thanks buddy.”

Thailand Part 2 - The Crash

I heard a lot about the “Koh Phangan tattoos” before heading to Thailand.  Mopeds are the most convenient and cheapest way to get around and scooter novice backpackers, hopped up on Chang and Thai whiskey, often make the poor decision of getting on their bikes, which often results in a crash, which often results in some sort of painful physical marking, hence the term “Koh Phangan Tattoo”.  I’d been mentally preparing for the dangers of Thailand scooter driving, drawing upon all my past knowledge of 2 wheel vehicle navigation and safety - I was confident that i’d come out on top, successfully avoiding becoming a statistic or “oh you should see what happened to my friend on the island” type of story.  And i’m happy to say, I did just that.  I followed the rules of the road, and while I was in control of the scoot, there were no crashes, not-a-one.  But I wasn’t the only one operating the blue scooter from Golden Hill Resort.

I don’t blame him.  I really don’t.  It’s easy to get the gas and the brake mixed up.  People do it all the time. You get situated on the bike, half asleep girl on the back, groggy because it’s 7am and the decision’s been made that going on a journey to get breakfast sounds better than simply walking up and ordering something from the kitchen, and it just happens. You turn the right instead of squeezing the left.  Easy mistake.  I’m assuming Saba was eyeballing the best route to take to get up the unpaved and treacherous terrane of our bungalow’s driveway when he gunned the gas like we were in a motorbike drag race.  Before I even had time to react I was sailing through the air, barreling toward one of the people doing yard work on a patch of grass, below a coconut tree.  After we hit the bump that sent me flying, Saba was able to regain relative control of the bike, staying on board, just clumsily and ungracefully tipping over the bike.

This little mishap left a scrape on my leg and ended up costing a bit of money when we returned the bike later that week, but all things considered we made out pretty well.  There were no broken bones, the damage costs weren’t outrageous and my leg has more or less healed.  Nothing permanently harmed or broken - except maybe Saba’s scooter driving ego...I think that may be gone forever.

Thailand Part 1 - BAM! You’re welcome Bangkok.

Coming back to Korea after 8 days in Thailand has been difficult.  These past two days in the minus 15 degree weather/reeling off the high that is traveling to a foreign place and doing whatever you want, whenever you want, has left me dangling on the ledge of depression, questioning why I even liked it here in the first place.  I’m sure Korea will gain its light back, but right now the pictures and thoughts of Thailand are still in the forefront of my mind and all I can think about is getting back there. It was a truly amazing week and knowing that i’ll go back there as soon as possible will get me through these cold couple of months ahead.


My time in Bangkok was more like a stop off.  Our flight arrived at 5:45 and we got to Koh San Road at about 7pm.  This was after I told my good old buddy old pal, Saba, that we’d be there at 2:45 - I’m still sorry about that.   Once the 3 of us arrived (Steph, Karin and I) we threw our backpacks in our rooms and headed out to do some shopping.

...As it turns out i’m the worlds worst barterer.  If I were taking the easy way out, i’d blame the sizable Changs for my poor addition and subtraction skills, but i’m not gonna do that, it was completely and utterly my inability to undersell these Thai people.  Especially when they were continually calling me “friend” and telling me that they’d “give me good deal”.  I guess I believed that while I was sifting through the racks of sweat shop clothing, that they’d marked up 300%, we’d had some sort of connection and surely they weren’t gonna rip me off.  Saba stood back and watched this amateur American tourist hour a handful of times before he stepped in.  After I offered an honest looking Thai woman 1200 baht for 3 dresses priced at 350 Baht each, he put a stop to the slaughter and from that point on all negotiations were discussed with him first.  All in all, i’m sure Thailand economy is thankful for my visit to the vendors, as I did leave with a whole new wardrobe - a wardrobe that’s going to lie dormant in my Seoul apartment until the frost melts and the blistering heat returns.  None the less, it was fun.

It’s no surprise that Bangkok is a complete tourist trap -these people make a living of ripping off wide eyed fools like myself.  However I wasn’t expecting the in your face aggressive nature of it all.  The physical pushiness of Korean people is quite different from the verbal sort dealt with in Bangkok.  Saba had been there for a couple days already, thus knowing not to entertain their offers with even the slightest glance, but this proved to be another failure for me.

Whenever one of them would walk up and say “tuk tuk?” then whisper “ping pong show?” i’d always lose a bit of focus and look at them in what must have signified interest, because then once again Saba would have to step in and shoo them away.  I don’t know what kind of look I was giving these people, something tells me i’m not the typical ping pong show frequenter, so i’ll need to figure it out and correct that behavior before my next trip.  If I hadn’t been with someone else, along with paying a few Thai people’s mortgages, i’d also have the images of a ping pong show burned into my memory.

The next morning at 5am Saba and I headed to the airport to catch a flight to Surat Thani and then hop on a catamaran that would take us to Koh Phangan (also known as Heaven).

Tough time at the airport.

More to come.....