Great Day

Busan has an awesome hiking culture - the city is literally surrounded by gorgeous, epic, emerald mountains; it's like living in some secret, protected 'dent' in the world. Any given day you're sure to pass countless tiny packs of old Korean men and women, decked out in full hiking gear (walking poles included) hustling their way to the next mountain. Despite their age, any one of them could surely kick my butt...those people mean business.

Around 9am today my friend and I trekked over to Jangsan mountain (about a 15 minute walk from my apartment) to the trail entrance, and started to make our way to the top. I have been on hikes before, but this one was definitely a trip. Make no mistake, Korean hikes are not comprable to Canadian hikes. Back home, this thing would be Everest. Any true hiker living in the Bu would call me lame for marveling at Jangsan (it's outdone by so many others here) but compared to Ontario, this thing was Everest.

This hike itself was a purely 'Korean' experience - difficult to describe - Korean experiences are something that just can't be explained. Over the course of 5 hours I witnessed countless 'adult playgrounds' (a popular fad here, where awesome and fun workout equipement is placed in random areas throughout the city), buddhist temples, grandma & grandpa hiking groups (faster than me, at the ripe old age of 25), and one 70-something man walking that damn thing without shoes. At one point my friend Tom and I had to lay on a bunch of rocks for an apple break, and just laugh at everything we'd witnessed pre-noon today.

Anyway, I will post mountain pictures as soon as I have them. It definitely won't capture the beauty (and height!) of that monster, but I promise to take any of you for the journey if you visit.

Enjoy your Saturday, Canada. Thinking of you all!

xo, b.

Savage Night

Parties in Busan don't finish until well into the next day. And I don't mean the wee hours of the morning, I mean 9,10,11am the next day. This is mainly due to the fact that bars here don't close, they stay open until the last, demolished guest is ready to stagger on home...or, in some cases, the nearest park bench.

Needless to say, last night's St.Patty's celebrations were nothing short of crazy. And the place to be? Busan's favourite foreigner hang-out and only Irish Pub: Wolfhound.

I love Wolfhound because once you're inside, it's identical to any other pub I'd find back home. The food is delish, and it's a rare English-only zone - great for those times when I find myself in serious need of a break from the constant buzz of Korean. My coworkers and I stop by each Monday night for cold beers and half-priced chicken tenders, gotta ease into the workweek.

The stories of Wolfhound are legendary. Those four walls have seen more crazy crap since that place opened 6 months ago than most bars will see in a lifetime. Just the other Sunday during a ritual beer-ing session (dubbed 'Sunday Fundays') I watched a guy pay his friend $50 to pull his pants down and allow him to fire 3 darts into his bare butt. I'm still cringing. This is the side of Busan that makes me wonder...

Last night was right up to par. I stopped in for literally 2 minutes after dinner with some friends, but promptly left because I just couldn't take it. It was only 11pm but people were already getting naked. That place was going to be trouble. Sure enough, I woke up this morning to a facebook status update from Wolfhound stating: cracked couches, tables broken, ran out of Guiness and Cass, plumbing effed, police came...thanks for coming. Savage night.

Bleh. I had way more fun picking wedding colors with Rhi at 1am.

Still Kickin'

For those of you who were worried, yes, I'm still alive. And, I'm sorry for almost falling off the face of the planet the last few months.

With regards to the recent news about Japan, all I can say is that everyone I know in Korea is safe and sound (thankfully). I didn't know any of the foreigners who had been visiting at the time of the tsunami, which is unreal to me because my friends take weekend trips by ferry over there all the time. The whole thing happened right after 'spring break' for the public school teachers here, so they were back in the country already.

I'm happy with the action that Korea has taken to aid the tsunami relief efforts, though I have to say that it is somewhat surprising. I really don't want to blog about it, but Korea-Japan relations are historically strained, to say the least. Since moving here, I have learned much about the way that the Koreans and Japanese think about one another. If you are curious to know more, send me an email. I'll happily share, in private.

Ok I really hope everyone is well back home! Miss you all & I promise to write again soon.

b.

Lemonade

For a number of reasons, the last week and half have been rough. I won't go into detail, but I will take a lesson from my wonderful, hilarious, and loving cousin Konrad, and do my best to put a little positivity back into the world instead. On that note, please see below for a short list of 5 things that have recently brought a smile to my face.

5) Louis C.K.
Lately I've come to appreciate the hilarious talents of Mr.Louis C.K., a crass, inappropriate, offensive and politically incorrect American comic, in case you aren't familiar. I highly recommend YouTube searching "Louis CK + Shameless" if you want to enjoy some high quality stand-up comedy that's sure to save you a few ab workouts at the gym this week.

4) Pizza School
Finally. I've been searching for a decent pizza joint for the past 5 months, last night I found it. Niki took me to some hole-in-the-wall place called 'Pizza School' (oh ya, the name left me with some doubts) about a 30 minute walk from my apartment. Turns out, it's awesome. I paid a meer 5 bucks for a delicious, authentic pizza, sans strange Korean toppings (like corn, hot dog, etc.) and imitation cheese that I usually find here. In case you ever find yourself roaming the streets of Haeundae with a craving, do yourself a favour and track down Pizza School. Order the Hot Chicken - it's the bomb.

3) Scholarships
Today my friend Tom got news that he's being awarded $120,000 in scholarship money to attend law school back home in the States next year. No one deserves it more.

2) Spring Weather
The last few months have been freakin freezing here (record lows for Busan, figures) but the Korean weather experts agree: warmer weather is just round the bend. Canadian or not, I will never enjoy being cold...it ties with 'nauseous' as my #1 least favourite sensation. I hope that everyone back home will soon be enjoying the same fate. If not, please forget I mentioned it.

1) New Horoscope Signs
Apparently the entire Zodiac calendar has been redesigned, and everyone's sign has changed? I heard this today. If that's true, I shall be eternally grateful that I'm not one of those people with their Zodiac sign tatooed on their body. For a few days back in high school, I was considering it.

Tomorrow's Friday everyone:) Love you all and I'm thinking of you...

Couple-a-Guys

Korean architecture can be difficult to describe. Busan in particular exudes a bizarre sense of chaotic conformity that leaves outsiders scratching their heads. At first glance, daily life here seems inconsistent and unpredictable, and yet, it leaves the definite impression that everything you see, smell, touch, observe, is in its rightful place; if things seem odd or out of order, it's intentional.

During his visit Tyler came up with probably the most accurate explanation for this particular Korean phenomenon. He figures that Korea was built by 3 different types of people: the artists, the military, and (my favourite) a Couple-a-Guys.

The Artists: I don't consider Koreans to be an overtly artistic people, in most cases utility and efficiency trump the aesthetic. That said, Busan does maintain a unique sense of beauty. The overwhelming streets make it easy to miss the handful of thoughtfully-crafted buildings, towering gracefully above. Their angular lines provide stark contrast to the boxy appearance of neighboring structures, offering a rare glimpse into the more vulnerable aspect of Korean culture.

The Military: This is probably the most dominant architectural component to Busan, particularly when it comes to places of residence. Most apartments here are rigidly structured groups of buildings; their identical rectangular shape placed row after row in perfect military formation, differentiated only by the massive block numbers painted boldly to the side wall. It is structured, organized, and efficient living at its finest.

Lotte Castle apartments, across the street from where I live.

Couple-a-Guys: "Hey! Uhhh..this wall needs some plastering, can you guys do it?" (pointing to 2 scruffy-looking guys, walking down the street)

"Yeah, sure!" (they nod, walking over)

"Great, thanks! Have you plastered a wall before?"

"No. But...we'll figure it out."

That's a Couple-a-Guys construction, right there. This was an ongoing joke of Tyler's during his stay, once he points it out its easy to see, a Couple-a-Guys' handiwork is everywhere. The haphhazard, slap-some-glue-on-it-and-call-it-a-day approach to city planning makes walking the city streets a constant adventure. You're forced to watch your step to avoid potholes and slightly exposed electrical wires that lurk round every corner. See below.

Couple-a-Guys electrical handiwork. Classic.

5, 4, 3, 2...

The weekend countdown is one of the teachers' favourite activities at school. Luckily, focusing on your upcoming Sat/Sun festivities isn't difficult in Korea - by midweek you're surrounded by many physical reminders of the better days ahead.

In pure Thursday celebration, I've compiled a short list of my top 3 favourite Korean reminders that the weekend is near. Enjoy!

3) Crazy Cab Rides
After our weekly meetings each Wednesday night, the 4 foreign teachers at school treat ourselves to a shared cab ride home. It's faster, warmer, and cheaper than taking the bus. Each week we take turns directing the cab driver to "Spongey" mall (kiddie corner to our apartment building). We rotate only because it would be totally unfair to force the same person to provide English direction to a Korean cab driver week after week...directing cabbies here requires patience, to say the least. You must repeat the name of your desired destination over and over and over again, until the driver finally nods with enthousiastic understanding and says something like "Ahhhhh! SPONGEY!" ...exactly the way you said it to them, nine times prior. Niki does the most hilarious impression of this experience; I am currently in negotiations with her to allow me to videotape it and post to my blog.

2) Thirsty Thursdays
'Oh Thursday, how I love you. You are so sunny, and loving, and... Hey! what the heck is that on the ground???!!! EW!' That pretty much sums up my weekly Thursday morning walk to the bus stop. I begin each Thursday happy and relieved, excited for the weekend ahead. And then I see it: a big old-fashioned pile of some drunk Korean businessman's Wednesday night dinner, caked to the sidewalk. It's called the one-too-many mekju (beer) syndrom, and it happens every single Thursday. Apparently Korean businessmen consider Wednesday a party night, and they leave their soju-soaked dinner on the sidewalks to prove it. I don't particularly enjoy this sight, but I take absolute comfort in the fact that it means the weekend is near.

1) The Sound of Silence
Near the end of the week at school, the kids' energy levels lower drastically. They literally tire themselves out to the point of exhaustion. It's glorious. An air of quiet calm fills each classroom, and I can hear myself think again. To top it off, Sally changes our daily school bell to a kindie-version of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence". It's odd, hilarious, and strangely appropriate. The only unfortunate part is the fact that I had to remove the song from my Ipod about 2 months into my Centum School employment... an unfortunate Pavlovian syndrom has developed.

Happy Almost Friday, Canada :)

Canadians drinking Belgian in Korea

It's a big fricking deal when a new 'foreign' restaurant opens in Haeundae. Online chat forums explode with the anticipatory chatter of excited expats, searching for a bit of dining variety in our otherwise limited international menu. If you have a hankering for something more than traditional East Asian or cheap n' easy American cuisine, don't come here.

And so it goes, over Christmas I found myself eager to visit a recently-debuted Irish pub in my area. A few of us stopped in one night, to see what all the online fuss was about. Despite the rave reviews, I found pretty much what I expected: an American-style pub, playing host to (what was probably) the entire foreign-teaching crew left in Busan over the holidays. Zero Koreans, save the handful of employees working the bar.

.

Walking in, the place was instantly English, instantly young, and instantly overpriced. We sat down to a few pitchers of Hoegaarden, that cost us $35 a piece. Ouch. The company was great though :)

Brianna's boyfriend Matt with our delicious Belgian selection... in a Korean pitcher, no less.

Absolut What?!

'Country of the Month' is a popular class at school. Each month, a new country is featured; the kids learn all about the particular geography, culture, food, people, etc. This month's country is Russia.

I teach 'Country of the Month' to my New York class, a group of very intelligent 7 year olds. At the start of a each month, we always begin with the basics: where is this country? What are the people like? Can you find it on the world map? Let's brainstorm! You get the point.

After the first class each month I usually get the kids to write a few basic sentences about what they've learned so far. Afterward they have a chance to add a picture to their writing. It could be anything they want, as long as it's a picture related to the country of discussion. Thankfully, the Korean teachers at the school always prepare picture collages showcasing each country, so the kids have an idea of what to draw. In this month's case, the Russian-themed collage included things like: classical ballet, matryoshka dolls, and...vodka? A little odd, but then again this is Korea. Drinking culture here isn't exactly backroom, bottom shelf material. I could let it slide...if the story ended there.

Collecting the kids' work at the end of class, one of the girls handed me this:



In case you're unclear, the picture reads: Absolut Viagra.

My eyes popped out of my head. "Jenny! Where did you learn this?!!" Confused, she pointed to one of the Russian picture collages strewn across her desk. I snatched up the paper, skanning desperately for the vodka image.

Yup. There it was, in plain old black & white: Absolut Viagra. Turns out, one of the Korean teachers had unwillingly included a bogus internet image that someone had posted online as a joke. Unfamiliar with Viagra, the teacher assumed it was the vodka brand name.

Yup, I thought, this one's definitely not goin home to Mum and Dad.

"Quack, Quack"

Trekking round Busan the past 4 months, I've witnessed my fair share of interesting culinary delights. While most authentic Korean food is amazingly delicious, there are certain delicacies that rub me the wrong way. I know of at least 3 restaurants within 5 miles of my apartment that must be strictly avoided... let's just say that the dark meat served there sure ain't beef.

And so, Christmas vacation included many delicious, mystery-meat free meals. My personal favourite? A massive plate of lean beef or chicken galbi (korean barbeque) served with a healthy dose of spicy kimchi and a few bottles of ice cold Hite. Nothing beats it.

One day last week, after an hour-plus hunt for a cheap & easy dinner spot, Tyler and I dipped into a typical hole-in-the-wall galbi joint about 5 minutes from Haeundae beach. After skimming the menu we thought it best to double-check our meat selection with the waiter before ordering. An easy going twenty-something kid greeted our table; we looked on as he listed the various grilling options showcased on the menu, "...pork...chicken...dog..."

I almost bolted for the door. Fortunately, Tyler's ability to comprehend a thick Korean accent is greater than mine, after a brief moment he replied, "Umm...do you mean, dog ruff ruff, or duck quack quack?".

A knowing smile crept across our waiter's face, "Quack, quack."

Phew.

Photo-op en route to dinner.

Hot off the grill...duck on the left, pork on the right.

(Bottom left) White radish, lettuce & onion salad.

(Top left) Squid, pickled white radish, soy & hot sauce.

p.s. the duck was great.

The Problem With a Week:

...it's not enough time to fully recharge, and just enough time to realize how much you dread going back to work. I survived school today, but barely. I already miss last week's days of 10am sleep-ins and breakfast in bed.

Christmas vacation was low key and wonderful: exactly what I wanted. Tyler and I had chance to do a few touristy things, and a lot of hanging out and eating delicious food...I figure it was a successul holiday because I sent Tyler home craving salad and water, I don't blame him.

First stop was the Busan Aquarium, a major tourist attraction located right on Haeundae beach. Tyler and I met up with Brianna and her boyfriend Matt to check out some strange and unusual sea creatures. My favourite part of the day was watching Tyler refuse to touch one of those weird sea cucumber looking things I first encountered at the market a few months ago, because he had nowhere to wash his hands after. That's my boy.

Me and Tyler on the Haeundae boardwalk, winter styles.

The penguin exhibit. These guys were awesome!

This one little dude liked hanging out right by the glass wall of the exhibit. He was definitely the extrovert of the group.

Love at first sight. I actually started to worry that this penguin was trying to steal my boyfriend. Is it normal to be jealous of a bird?

Long-necked turtles. It was hard for me to get a clear picture, but these guys were crazy! Their necks stretched on forever.

More snake-turtles.

Aquarium wall. This was cool, about 2 stories high.

Zebra Eel. This guy reminded me of the crazy Sand Worms from the Beetlejuice movie. Rhi, you can appreciate this.

My personal fave. This fish was wicked-cool; he looked like a cartoon character, swimming by the glass and staring people in the eye.

Hahaha, his expression totally reads, "How you doin'?". I felt like he was skimming for babes or something.

GIANT monster crabs, they were the size of a small child. I must have stared at them for 5 minutes straight. Imagine running into one of these in the middle of the ocean at night.

Creepiest part by far was the Grandaddy crab, hiding out in the background, staring us down and (I'm pretty sure) plotting our deaths.

Jellyfish tank, one of Tyler's favourites. It was also hard to get a clear pic of this tank, and impossible to capture how beautiful and delicate these things look.

Giant stingray, floating through the world's longest glass tunnel.

Look how big!

I find this video so hilarious... you can see Brianna grab hold of one of these things for just a second, before realizing how disgusting it was.