Everyone Here is Extremely Gruntled

Wow, it's been a long time since I updated the blog, huh. I've finally been settling in to the teaching routine, now that busy season is over, I'm finding myself with a bit more free time. I've taken advantage of some of that time to explore Suji - get to know some of the shops, get to know some of the neighborhood. I haven't had the presence of mind to bring along my camera yet, but that will happen soon I'm sure.

I've found that teaching, while quickly becoming part of my routine, is never old hat. The kids always find new and interesting ways to either keep me on my toes (literally) or surprise me. These surprises come in both good and bad flavors, and the resulting variety tells me that this job will continue to challenge me throughout the year.

One thing that I've found interesting is the weird subtle ways I've been indoctrinated, both by others and by myself, into the culture of being in South Korea. As for myself, I've ceased thinking of myself as a stranger here - what were formerly "residents of Suji" have become my neighbors and friends. When my students ask me where I live, I have stopped saying "Minnesota" and started saying "behind Sing Sing Mart," which I guess is something of a local landmark because it's the only explanation that has gotten a recognizable response. I've compared with my students living arrangements, discussed favorite musical instruments and Beethoven pieces, and even had an in-depth discussion with one particularly bright student about the relative merits of the theories of civilization developed by Spengler and Toynbee. The TOEFL tests that I've been teaching are a fantastic opportunity to continue to learn outside of school - their subjects are specific, sometimes archaic, and usually interesting. I have learned about palmistry, tracing the evolution from dinosaurs to modern birds, and school uniform policy in Korea (and how it differs from Japan). Fascinating stuff!

Another major indoctrination into Korean culture has come through my doorbell. Just this morning, in fact, I was awoken by the rather loud chime from a blissful slumber filled with strange visions of an alternate-universe Seoul. A fast-talking Korean voice answered my groggy "hello?" from the other side of the intercom and, thinking he sounded a little bit like my boss, who is supposed to show up at some point to check my cable connection (it's been out since I got my internet installed)(yeah I know, whine whine, right?), I quickly threw on a shirt and opened the door. A fast-talking Korean man shoved a large, heavy box into my hands and showed me the address on the packing slip. From in between the hangeul characters I did indeed recognize my street address and apartment number. Thinking it was some sort of care package or something important (like maybe a new cable or box or something like that) I took the box from the deliveryman and muttered one of the few words I've managed to completely learn ("thank you") and closed the door. I opened the package with as much curiosity as my groggy self could muster, thinking for an excited second that it was full of owls, but in fact it was some sort of skin care package. Three different kinds of soap and lotion and a loofah. So I guess I'm set in that department. I might end up passing the more, uh, feminine products around to the Korean teachers at work. Or I might keep them. I'm out of control.

A second, earlier doorbell experience has me still scratching my head a little bit. This one was about two weeks ago, about 3:30 in the afternoon. I was preparing for class, actually, sitting at my computer composing a sample response for one of the TOEFL exams I was teaching that night. The door chime rang, and I went over and opened the door. Two 30-something Korean women were standing in the hallway, carrying a number of pamphlets and a bible. One of them seemed quite surprised to see a young white man answer the door, but she said something about a "bible study." Feeling accommodating, I let them in and we sat on my floor. Their English was only slightly less limited than my Korean, so it was extremely difficult to communicate so the whole thing mostly consisted of them pointing out various passages in the bible and me reading them out loud. I couldn't quite make out the thrust of their particular brand of Christianity - something about God being both a man and a woman, but having a separate female side, and then something about Jesus' second coming being from the East and then finally something about God actually being an Eagle? I might not be getting that all right. It was pretty difficult to understand, but I must admit they had some pretty solid evidence.

Then one of them pulled out her cell phone and soon I was talking to their colleague who spoke better English and they were asking when they could meet me again, and I started getting very evasive and eventually I had to tell the dude I was uncomfortable with discussing religion and I was very comfortable with my religion (whatever that is) as is, etc. etc. When I was finally able to hang up, the two women had grasped that I wasn't interested in studying the bible with them any further. One of the women (the one who spoke less) started pouting at me, trying to get me to believe their religion by being cute, I guess. They continued to make really sad faces when I politely ushered them out the door and they were muttering to each other in Korean.

Well, that should do for now. I will return with (hopefully) some pictures and a few stories of the nightlife in Suji.