Awesome Cup

I've been reading my previous posts and I have to say I'm a big old negative Nancy. It's boring and uninteresting honestly. So hey, I'm gonna start posting now! Actually, some stuff has been happening lately. Let's talk about Korea.

Last weekend the World Cup started. Now, I'm not a particular fan of soccer, or really a particular fan of any sport, but I always love epic competitions. So yeah, I'll watch the Superbowl. I'll semi-follow the Stanley Cup. I'll catch a little bit of March Madness. And, of course, I'll watch some games during the World Cup.

This year is particularly crazy, mostly because I'm not in the States. It's almost foreign to me how much Americans don't care about soccer (er football, whatever). Wouldn't they be, at least a little? In my opinion, the World Cup is one of the most epic competitions there is (next to the Olympics). It's country pitted against country in a game that literally everyone and their grandma plays at least sometime in their lifetimes. It's the most natural venue through which a person can express their national pride, and I know for a fact that Americans don't lack any of that.

But I digress. At risk of sounding somewhat racist, Koreans are by nature pretty competitive when it comes to most things. So it was no surprise how intense things got around here once the game between Korea and Greece was on. I was walking through Seomyeon (the biggest district around here) doing some errands, and literally every Korean I saw on the street (or in a restaurant or bar) had their heads turned towards the TV. It was almost eerie how silent everything was.

So when Korea won 2-0, things got pretty out of hand. I ended up in the Kyungsung University area, and the streets were packed with drunk college kids celebrating. Literally the whole intersection was blocked off by Koreans singing and dancing. There was even some dude dancing on top of a moving bus (shirtless). It was, in a word, awesome. I've never seen so many Koreans go crazy before. Unfortunately it didn't last long; the police came by and ruined everyone's fun.

Later that night was the U.S. vs England game. That game was probably even more intense. I was stuck in a bar, shoulder to shoulder with about half Americans half English. And man were the English putting on a party. They had about 5 different songs that most knew by heart. There was facepaint, there was flags, there was of course lots of drinking. Americans were there to cheer as well, but I felt we just didn't have the intensity that the English had. All we could do was chant "U-S-A." No fancy songs or comradarie to really speak of. Which in retrospect makes me feel a bit disappointed. I wish Americans had more enthusiasm for a game that literally the rest of the world worships in one way or another. But it's not in our culture, I suppose (if we even really have a cohesive culture).

So yeah, the World Cup. I feel pretty lucky to be in another country for it, especially that game between the U.S. and England, a matchup which hasn't happened since the 50's. Lot's of friendly good fun with people from all over the world.

I think that's one genuinely good thing I'm going to take away from this country, when I look back upon it in retrospect. Just the loads of different people I've met from all over the world and the differing personalities that come along with it. It's enriching to have your eyes opened like that. You no longer rely on abstract stereotypes when viewing different nationalities; you have actual experiences that you can draw from.

I shall post more. Maintain positivity.

Whimsical

I'm posting on a whim.

I'm sitting in the teacher's room waiting on my next class. I do that a lot actually. Lot's of down time with this job since I basically teach only 3 kinds of lessons per week.

Sounds boring? It usually is. Korea's been interesting but a lot of it (typical for most ESL teachers) is just this. Sitting at my desk surfing the interwebs. Which is probably the thing I hate the most about this country: my job. Yeah, in general it's pretty entertaining to hang out with Korean high school students day-to-day. But it's the same shit, every day, over and over and over again.

HI BRIAN

I LOVE YOU

HANDSOME GUY

HELLO BRIAN

I used to be friendly about it. I used to say "Hello! How are you?" and shit like that. But when you hear these same greetings day in and day out, you get to a point where sometimes you don't even respond.

I suppose this is what celebrities have to deal with.

My job is pretty unsatisfying. I guess it has to do with the fact that roughly half my classes are not interested in being in school, much less learning English. But it's more than that, I guess. I don't think I'm cut out to be an educator. I cannot imagine doing this as some sort of career. Maybe if I taught something that was interesting, like some sort of science class. But then I remember my science classes in high school, especially chemistry with Mr. Hardin and how all he did all day was yell shit like GET TO WORK. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to yell at kids all day. It's tiring.

So I'm approaching the point of not caring. I basically have three to four more months of this job and I'm gone. For my after school class I'm showing the movie Iron Man. I wasn't given any sort of direction on what to teach (this is usually the case), so fuck it. LET'S WATCH IRON MAN KIDS.

Yesterday I got foot inserts. They're custom made to support my feet because apparently my arches collapse as a I walk. It explains a lot, I guess. The doctor took an x-ray of my pelvis last week, and apparently one side is 5 mm lower than the other. Which I guess is the reason my left leg will sometimes go numb (among other back problems).

The foot inserts seem to be working. I'm so fucking relieved. My back is feeling better already and I feel like I could start exercising in a few weeks. It has been literally 2 1/2 years since I've done anything active. I can't wait.

The weather is getting really nice. I feel like, maybe things will get better? Yes, they will, they have to.

These past 8 months (holy shit has it been 8 months?) have been really trying. This has been the hardest thing I've done in my life, which I think is part of the reason I stopped posting. Living in Korea, it's like living in Oz. Or taking acid. Or being stored in a glass jar. It's so fucking weird here sometimes. Actually, weird isn't the adjective. It's not weird anymore, because I'm used to it. It's normal. I'm even starting to automatically emulate little Korean mannerisms. I'll do that little "uhh" or "mmm" thing when I'm responding to someone. Or I'll reflexively nod/bow to older people. Holy shit. I'm becoming Korean.

But I'm not Korean. I get stared at everywhere. And the people who don't stare are usually the braver type who will scream HIII or HELLOOO to me on the street. HI STRANGER. Jesus. I know I'm white and tall and dress funny, but I'm also a person. Can I please feel normal, please? Pretty please? This is what I mean when I say I feel like I live in a glass jar. I'm under all kinds of scrutiny. I feel like the thinking goes: "Look at that waygook. What will he do next??" Like I'm some sort of endangered species. Which makes me feel all sorts of pressure, because I want to set a good example. I know there are plenty of foreigners who act like complete douches in this country. I want to be a counter-example. I also just want to be a good person. But that's hard to do when you're not allowed to feel normal.

Good rant, huh? There will probably be more.

Wipe Away That Silicon Dust

What's that? I'm posting again? Yes, yes I am.

So it's been a grand total of 5 months since my last entry, and I don't really have a satisfying reason as to why. I guess, in truth, I just didn't feel like it.

Why? I don't know. I used to write a lot. But it's tapering off, I suppose. That need to say things in this way feels old and worn-out.

Maybe it'll come back. Maybe it won't. Maybe I'm just sick of the same old story.

I think I'll have the motivation to write about some Korean stuff. Let me collect my thoughts.