Nampo-dong: A Photo and Videographic Retrospective

      Brandon, Quentin, and I spent one of our days in the Nampo-dong and Jagalchi districts. Famous for it's open-air fish market and enormous Lotte department store, we made sure to take it all in as the fishermen's ships docked, unloaded the day's catches, and the masses purchased whatever they needed. As previously shown, Jagalchi never disappoints when it comes to odd delicacies. This time was no different.

A giant shark's head

Sifting through the morning's squid haul

     While in the Lotte department store, we were able to view a water show that is held every hour, on the hour, eleven times a day. It consists of falling water from over six stories with images projected onto the water, synchronized to music, and falling letters that spell out "Busan" and "Lotte." It's quite impressive and I can't even imagine what it takes to engineer something like that.

P.S. - I think it's a safe assumption that Quentin enjoyed his new found wealth due to the exchange rate.

Christmas Night: A Photographic Retrospective

      Here's the revisitation of our Christmas night for 2012. We wandered around Nampo-dong and engaged in hugging Koreans as previously told.

Dashboard Confessional

      It's 32 degrees outside. A light rain plucks down on the windshield as I look past it and out to the blanket of snow on the ground. At some point it must've been below 32. The world is pitch black except for the flickering of lights – caution lights, street lights, head lights, tail lights – it doesn't matter. I can't tell what time it is. I mean I know what time it is, but I wouldn't be able to tell otherwise. It's so dark that it could be 2 or 3 in the morning. A random body or two ambles along like a zombie and I wonder why anyone would be out right now. It's so silent that I'm almost lulled to sleep but a heavy breath fogs my view through the windshield and I remember I'm not alone. I've been up since 4 this morning completing all of the pre-flight rituals with Brandon and Quentin and have just said my goodbyes to them at the airport. They are returning to America and I am in a taxi heading back to my apartment.

From Up Here

       I know, I know, I know...you're wondering where are all the updates are of Brandon, Quentin, and myself.  I promise that they'll be many more once they leave and I sink back into my pit of lonely despair.  Until then  however, we're living it up and I'm loving every moment of it.
      There have been past conversations with my coworkers and other expats about moments when you forget you're in Korea.  I have never experienced that feeling.  Home is such a warm, comfortable state for me that I don't think I'd confuse it for any other place - until two days ago.  Sitting around with Brandon, listening to Quentin tell a story, and all of us eating, I momentarily lost track of where I was.  It seemed like we could have been in any restaurant back home...truly something I miss and now appreciate.
      It hasn't all been perfect however.  I'm battling a recent and surprising attack of the hives.  I've been violently breaking out in an allergic reaction and can't figure out what my trigger has been. So that's led to trips to the hospital and emergency room, unfortunately during Brandon's and Quentin's time here.  More on that later though...

Merry Christmas!

      The first complete day spent with Brandon and Quentin was a great one.  And while it definitely didn't feel like a Christmas day, we did our best to make the most of it.  We hiked, laughed, ate, ate, and ate, and tried to capture the essence of Christmas the best we could.  We found an area that had traditional Christmas decorations set up and, along with thousands of Koreans, made our way through it to take in as much as we could.  I personally loved it.  It was that heavy dose of Christmas that I'm sure you've been experiencing back in the States since the day after Thanksgiving.  Koreans seemed amazed by every moment of the spectacle.  The lights, decorations, Christmas trees, and ornaments are things that they just don't have so EVERYONE had to take pictures of themselves amongst it all.
      One thing that I found particularly interesting were these two parallel lines of young Koreans (teens and 20-somethings) that were easily a mile long.  People were being funneled in between these lines and offered "Free Hugs."  So as you made your way down the corridor of eager Koreans, you were wished merry Christmas and hugged by every guy and girl there.  Brandon actually denied a guy's hug offer and decided to remain on the outside while Quentin and I hugged and high-fived our way towards the end point - an enormous Christmas tree made out of lights.  No reason for me to be a grinch!

Merry Christmas to Me

      Technically, Christmas isn't for another 30 minutes over here in Busan, South Korea but look what I found at the airport and just tucked into bed.  

      It's been five lengthy months in waiting.  I believe this is the longest I've ever gone without seeing my brother since he was born.

Lesson Learned

      As I write, Brandon and Quentin are somewhere over the Pacific Ocean and only a few hours away from greeting me at the Busan airport. And (probably) as you read this on your Christmas Eve, they'll already be here enjoying some Christmas fun with me. Tomorrow's plan is to have a Christmas breakfast of their choosing, whether we go eat somewhere or prefer that I cook for them. Afterwards, we'll hike over a few peaks and then climb along the jagged coast of the East Sea. And as for Christmas night, we'll head to a main shopping district which is traditionally decorated for this time of year in order to see the lights and trees (something far too few and far between out here).

      From there each day holds the promise of excitement and wonder. The sights, food and drink, experiences, music, and general camaraderie should be more than enough to entertain for their duration here. Obviously writing won't come as frequently as I'd like it to at first, but I'll do my best. Rest assured however that afterwards will be filled with entry after entry and photo after photo of what transpired.

      Anticipating their arrival has forced me to clean my apartment which was a good thing because you'd have looked at it and swore I was hunkering down for the (failed) apocalypse. I promise it was only in that condition due to the fact that I was on my death bed.

      I feel as though I've recovered now and have found out what the culprit was. The last meal I ate before becoming sick was at a buffet – not anything delicious like Shoney's breakfast buffet, but a typical Korean buffet. One dish that it included was rotten fish on the bone...and this was no accident. Koreans purposely left fish flesh out and exposed for who knows how long to rot. I tried it before knowing what it was. I didn't think anything of it afterwards though; we've already discussed the list of peculiar things I've eat out here. I mean if one can handle their jellyfish, chicken feet, and pig hide, then what's a little rotten fish? WRONG! Don't do it guys, it's a terrible trap. Lesson learned indeed.

12/21/2012

      I apologize but this will be a brief entry. As the sun has set here in Korea and darkness is cast upon the land, it will soon rise back home and bake Louisiana in its warming glow. Treasure it because the world has not expired. It is not the end of days. However, I do wish I could say that all is well. You see, I spent all night experiencing the Mayan Apocalypse in my stomach. Instead of peaceful slumber, I got to void my stomach's contents every hour, on the hour. No fun. No fun at all. And to add insult to injury, my bathroom is so small that while my head rested on and arms hugged the toilet, my torso and legs were strewn into my living quarters. Once I realized there was no end in sight, I crawled down four flights of stairs and hailed a cab to the hospital. I even paid the guy double what I owed because I couldn't wait for change.

      Straight to the emergency room I went where you'd think my horrific journey would final be over. Nope, remember that we speak two different languages. The most I could do was lay myself down on a cot and gesture that I'd been violently throwing up. After a shot in the hip (from which my foot is now numb) and two IV's that had to be poked numerous times into my arms (because the nurse could find the veins), I was finally able to sleep for a few hours while rehydrating.

      Don't worry Pat and Kenneth, I purchased a couple bottles of Korean blue Power-Ade and am praying that it does what it does best. I returned home to ironically watch the movie "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" and will ask only this - if it were to all end today, what would you wish you'd have done?

The Presidential Election

      Fresh of the heels of the United States of America's presidential election, the Republic of Korea has just had their own chance to speak up and elect their future leader. In a historic moment, the first female president in this country's history has just been elected. I've tried my best to keep up with this interesting event despite the language barrier.

      Conservative presidential candidate, Ms. Park Geun-Hye, will now be taking charge of Asia's fourth-largest economy. The last numbers that I saw showed that Ms. Park won 51.6 percent of the vote in what was a tight race against her competition Mr. Moon Jae-In, a liberal. It was reported that more than three-quarters of eligible voters turned out to vote despite the below freezing temperatures.

      Ms. Park will take office for a single, five-year term in February 2013 and will face an immediate challenge from a hostile North Korea, who just recently put a satellite into orbit and fired off long-range missiles. She'll also have to tackle the economy, where annual growth rates have fallen two more percent from a 50 year average of 5.5 percent. The country is also grappling with income inequality, angst over education, and employment prospects for its youth. Apparently it's just as hard to find a job out here after graduating college as it is back in the States.

      Here's where things get interesting. Ms. Park is the daughter of the late military strongman-turned-president Mr. Park Chung-Hee, and will return to the presidential palace where she served as her father's first lady in the 1970's after her mother was assassinated by a North Korean gunman.

      The legacy of her father, who ruled for 18 years and transformed the country from the ruins of the 1950-1953 Korean War into an industrial power-house still divides Koreans. Older, conservative voters credit him with promoting rapid industrialization and laying the foundations for today's powerful economy. Others have not forgotten his ruthless crackdowns against opponents, some of whom were tortured or executed, and blame him for delaying the arrival of democracy. Her father was also assassinated and his rule ended in 1979.

'Tis the Season...for Art

      I was fortunate enough to sync up with Quentin, my close friend who is coming to visit me along with my brother Brandon for Christmas, via Skype over the weekend. As always, the chance for conversation is something I appreciate but was particularly grateful that he commented on my art and the fact that I'm drawing more frequently again. I took that as a huge compliment and am glad that I'm able to do so much.  Not because it was assigned to me, but because I simply need to get what's inside out. I've started a fourth drawing in my black ink series and while I don't believe that any of my works are ever complete, I now have three that I wouldn't mind showing.

      The idea of an art show while in Korea is something that intrigues me greatly. But I don't know what I hope to get out of it. It's not about selling these pieces; I couldn't care less about the money. How about the exposure and generating a buzz around my name? Nope, I'd rather just be a wallflower and not be recognized. Maybe I'd just like to see how they're received. Are there other's who gravitate to the same things I do? Or enjoy the things that I find comfort in? Honestly, I'd say it's more about just having an outlet for my feelings, particularly the negative ones. That makes sense, right? Negative emotions get worked out through the visual arts or perhaps music and the artists feel better afterwards. Not the case here.

      After investing several hours over each of the last few weekends, I've actually found myself more depressed. It then dawned on me that to create these works, I've obviously had to confront certain issues in my life. And upon that confrontation, I wasn't allowed to just ignore things, glance over them, or bottle issues up. The opposite was true. They needed to bleed out freely onto the paper; that seemed to be the only way to create honest work. At the end of each weekend, I was left exhausted and broken, miserable and tortured. What's left behind though are some genuine, forthright, and authentic pieces, each one full of heart.

It all falls down at once

And I try to get some sleep

But the comforts of this bed

Have all been shattered to pieces

Young love,

I believe you know me better than most.

And in spite of real distance,

I feel you'll always be close.

      On the separate topic of the Christmas season, Korea is finally starting to show its spirit, however feeble it may be. There are a few decorations popping up at cafes around town and I've run across the occasional small, artificial tree. Also, an inflatable Santa Claus greets me as walk to and fro my favorite cafe to draw. There is one district quite a ways away that is decorated much more akin to Christmas back in the States. Ironically enough, it's a large shopping neighborhood. The reason for the season is consumerism, of course! I haven't made it out there yet as I've decided to save that trip for Brandon and Quentin on Christmas night.

      This Wednesday is the presidential election and it's been promoted much more than Christmas has out here. Imagine that back in the States. The election being more popular than Christmas. And that statement isn't meant to say that this election is insanely popular, it just shows how diminished Christmas is. Anyways, the fun begins in one week!

Things I Like About Korea: Part I and More Random Musings

      Today is 12/12/12. Is there any significance there? Nope, not for me at least. I just felt like writing the date because I won't get that chance again for another 100 years. I do love the symmetry of the day, month, and year though.

      Speaking of dates on the calender, let me segue into the importance of age here in Korea. First, I'll preface this by saying Korean age can be a year or two older than age in America. When you are born in Korea, you are one year old, not zero. Secondly, you age one year not on the day you were born, but on the Lunar New Year which is on the full moon in January. So lets say that Lunar New Years is on January 28th and a child was born on January 27th. On the 27th, they are one year old and the next day, they turn two years old. That's right, a two day old baby is two years old by Korean standards. That's why asking someone's age is very misleading out here. It's better to ask what year they were born in.

      So onto the importance of age. Koreans believe that there is some universal bond between those born during the same lunar year. If I meet a guy who was born in 1983 then we're immediately great friends. If I meet a girl born in 1983, we're instantly compatible and they'll usually want to go on a date. If you are older than someone, even by one year, then you are a respected elder and there are numerous social graces to show this respect (like accepting and giving objects to the elder with two hands, never just one or pouring their drinks and giving them their chopsticks at the dinner table). If you are younger, even by a year, and talking to a girl, chances are she'll consider you too young and immature to even contemplate dating. Curious enough, all of my closest Korean friends are 18 – 24 years old (Korean age that is. Who knows how old they actually are, I can't keep up with the odd aging system here). I guess I'm just breaking the mold and bucking tradition.

      Now, what I like about Korea. It's no secret that I'm the number one fan of Korean food. I'd actually love to move back home and open an authentic Korean restaurant in New Orleans (C with a circle around it*). I can see it now...all the hipsters who shop at Urban Outfitters and keep Rock-N-Sake open would pack my place every night! The similarities between both Cajun and Korean cuisine (i.e. spicy, garlic, onion, seafood) would allow for a smooth transition for all the naysayers. I'd invent a new genre of food...Casian!

      Here's the kicker. Korean restaurants have incredible service thanks to a brilliant invention called 저기요 or the "jeo-gi-yo" button. Simply by pressing the button found on the table, your specific table number is flashed on a screen in the restaurant and you're greeted by a chorus of "Nays?" (which means "Yes?") as every available waitress comes to your aide. Want to order? Need more water? How about a beer or some soju? Just press the button. On the off chance that you're in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that doesn't have these magnificent buttons, just say "jeo-gi-yo"and you'll get the same response. It's a beautiful thing and just goes back to the ideals that Korea places the utmost importance on – efficiency and effectiveness.

*That's the official symbol for Copyright.  Now you can't steal my idea before I come home and implement it.

Christmas Presents in Winter...and Spring?

      As of this moment, I have 9 more days of school until my winter vacation. This is the first vacation our school has had since the middle of July. Personally I feel that that's far too many consecutive days of school but a business is a business, and it must make money. I was told a few weeks ago that I'd have December 19th off due to Korea's presidential election. The exciting news is that there's the very real possibility that Korea may be on the cusp of electing its first female president (despite her father being a not-so-popular president in the 1970's). The bad news is that I no longer have the day off. The school's director called around to other hagwons (private schools) after catching word that a one or two of them will remain open. Once again, being a business, she decided to cancel the holiday and remain open as well. If I were one of the Korean teachers I'd be highly upset that my right to vote was taken away from me. Besides, isn't democracy what separates us from North Korea?

     The five days off for winter will be incredible in their own right however. Coupled with the fact that my brother and our friend will be joining me out here makes it all the better. The potential for good conversation, uncontrollable laughter, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences keep me longing for Christmas Eve - the date they arrive. It'll make for a fantastic Christmas present. And as if that isn't exciting enough, good fortune will shine on me once more in the Spring when I receive a special visit from my mother. That's right, all my persuasive attempts have paid off. She'll get to experience what Korea has to offer from March 25th until April 1st. Unfortunately I will be working during this time so she won't be able to see as much as I'd like her to. However, she will get to experience the education system out here by accompanying me to school. For this, I have apologized in advance.

Ahh, So this is that Thing Called Winter

      Guys and gals, it's cold. Like really cold. Really, really cold. I know that may not mean much coming from a Southern boy who's only experienced one winter outside of Louisiana, but I don't know that I've got much of a fan base out of St. Charles Parish (I don't know if I have much of one in St. Charles Parish either) so I'm willing to make that claim. The rain started a little before lunch today and within the hour, it had turned into some rather large snowflakes flurrying through the skies. Unfortunately none of it stayed on the ground but that didn't stop me from quickly taking the elevator down to the first floor and running around outside in it as if I were a little child, even if it was only for five minutes.

      Here's a picture of Seoul which got considerably more snowfall yesterday that we did here on the coast. Maybe there'll be more to come in time for Christmas.

I Subscribe to this Belief

Here's a quick weather update: It has been in the 20's every night this week and a chance of snow is forecast for Saturday. Seoul is already blanketed by fresh powder. This could be an interesting weekend.

      In other news, I been slowly working on some of my drawings. This is actually a good thing as I have the bad habit of frantically scribbling and over-doing many pieces. I, amazingly enough, haven't ruined these...yet.  I truly believe to appreciate art one must view it from a distance, and then up close.  There are numerous unique elements that become visible from both vantage points.

      I once read that "...art is meant to disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed." So which are you?

Young love,

I believe you know me better than most.

And in spite of real distance,

I feel you'll always be close.

Insight?

       So my current struggle is the debate of what this site should contain and what is its purpose. Yes, I did the cliched thing and started a blog because I was moving to South Korea. Did I intend for it to be some sort of written testimony of the country itself? A History or Travel channel documentary? Or perhaps it was meant to be an open journal. A digital facsimile of the paper and pencil I use to write down ideas, songs, poems, and sketches. But does the public want to read my personal, manic ramblings? Do I want the public to?

      Up until this point, I'd say it's been a fair share of both. Equal parts chronicling the experiences that South Korea offers and my personal journey through the ebbs and flows of living on the other side of the world. Are these two ideas so contrasting that one is better than the other? Or do they work well together, perhaps even needing each other?

      I'm not sure if I have a preference yet as to which I think is more successful or which I prefer to write about. I love discovering new things here and the immersion into daily life that one wouldn't get by merely vacationing here. With that being said though, I have to take the good with the bad. And when the bad happens, things become emotional and personal. That's what leads to writings that have so much to do with my person (music, art, food, misery, joy, homesickness, independence) and less to do with Korea itself.

      The most that I can hope for is that someone out there takes the slightest interest in my experience through my writings, photos, and, maybe one day, videos (hopefully). Honestly, I prefer things flowing organically so I'm not bothered by the polar opposites of the spectrum being explored and published to the world (or lack thereof) through this site. As always, I'll apologize for the lapse in entries but thank you for bearing with me.