Still working

Yet again I thought I was finished in the school only to have it all changed completely.

The pic of the week shows the view from my window, as the evening sunlight catches the apartments opposite. The brown area behind the trees is a soccer pitch which I overlook.

School
-----------
Everything is a bit disorganised at the school. I went in on Friday, for my 'last day', and then the asked me if I'd stay another month. They've guaranteed me work up to 26th September, and 'maybe longer', so I decided to stay.

I have had other offers, but I'm not that mad about working with kids, and I am going to look for a university job. Most university recruitment is in February, so I'm just looking to do temporary work until then.

So all of this means a quick trip to Japan this weekend, because my visa is up on 4th September.

Olympics
---------------
The kids asked me how Ireland was doing in the Olympics. This was before the boxing medals, so we had a grand haul of zero. They fell about the place laughing. "Are you not in it?" they asked. I said we were, we're just not great without the drugs. Well, no, I didn't say that.

It's been difficult to catch any athletics on the Korean TV coverage, as they concentrate on sports that feature Korean athletes. So it's lots of table tennis, badminton and taekwondo.

I was out walking the other night, and I could hear lots of cheers all around from the various apartment blocks around me. It was South Korea's surprise win against Cuba in the baseball final. They've done really well, and have ended up in 7th place on the medal table.

Hangeul
-------------
Hangeul, or 한글, is the script used to write Korean. It looks scary, but it's actually quite phonetic. It's made up of symbols for consonant sounds (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ) and vowels (ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅗ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ,ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅛ, ㅠ). They combine by stacking them in boxes for each syllable, so you get something like 소유진 비하발언.

As it's phonetic, I've learned off the symbols, and can now read what it says. I may have no idea what it means, but I can say it. You often discover that the words are English. Like ai-i-di kon-sul-ting is ID Consulting, and outside my apartment, the ta-i-uh sign is tyre.

I can read the train stations now, which is probably the handiest use of it.

Western names
--------------------------
When I lived in Dublin, I didn't like that all the Chinese had western names. I didn't understand why people should have to change, and take names so removed from their own culture. But, I have to say that in teaching, I'm really glad of it. Korean names are so difficult, so classes of Harry, Sam, Danny, Sue, Sara (1), Sara (2) and Sara (3) (Sara is popular) are so much easier. You also get to name the new students, so you feel like they're yours.

Koreans have problems with L and R, because it's more of a blend between the two in Korean, so whoever named one of my students Lara must have been having a laugh. They say Rara, Lala, Rala, and everything in between. When I call her name she never realises it's her.
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Well, that's it for this week. I've been struggling to book the trip to Japan this weekend. But a Korean friend of Clara's in working on it now, so I plan to go by train and ferry to Fukuoka on Saturday.

Until next week,

안녕히 가세요

Éamon

Today's headline in The Korea Times: S. Korea, China to Expand Military Exchanges

Liberation day

Friday was a bank holiday here. It was Liberation Day, which marks the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945.

The pic of the week shows my apartment building. My apartment has the three windows just under the black mansard roof and to the right of the tree.

Endgame in the school
---------------------------------------
On Tuesday, they told me in the school that the new teachers were arriving at the weekend (I'm just a temporary replacement until they get here). This just gave me two days notice at the school, as Friday was a holiday, and meant leaving the apartment on Sunday. However, by Friday all had changed. They weren't coming this weekend, and so I've had a reprieve.

The Road to Nowhere
-------------------------------------
On Thursday, they invited me on a school trip on Friday, the bank holiday. I was told we were meeting at 7.20am, going for dinner and would be back by 9. I assumed they meant breakfast, and thought that it was us taking the kids away. It turned out that it was an away-day for the teachers, and 9 meant 9pm. We met at 7.20, left at 7.30 in a minibus, and headed into the most enormous traffic jam of my life.

We crawled out of the city, as all 12 million people seemed to have chosen to leave at once. Our destination was 1 and a half hours away. But with the traffic, it took us 10 hours. I'll repeat that, 10 hours. In a minibus. To do a journey that usually takes 90 minutes. We arrived just before 5.30pm having left at 7.30am. It was a nightmare. I honestly couldn't believe that no-one suggested turning back. It seems the Koreans are not for turning

When we got there, it turned out to be a picnic by a river. We had a good evening, but it wasn't remotely worth the 10 hour journey. We left for the return journey at 11.30, and I was back here at 1am.

The Wolfhound
-------------------------
The Irish bar in Itaewon is called The Wolfhound. They show all the GAA matches, which are on at 10pm or midnight. So we went down on Saturday to watch the annihilation of Dublin by Tyrone. The pain of the defeat was made worse in the bar by the sheer glee of the representatives of the other 31 counties. And the of the Koreans, it has to be said.

My favourite part of the night, though, was when An Nuacht came on afterwards, just before the link was cut. It started with a big picture of Ronnie Drew, and Clara said loudly 'Oh my God. Fidel Castro is dead'.
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Well, that's it for this week. There's probably just one week of the school left, and I'll use the time to search for a permanent job. I feel a bit better about the school, because the other teachers told me on the away day that the kids really love me. Plus the kinder class this morning didn't go so badly. I even managed to keep most of them in the classroom.

Until next week,

Éamon

Today's headline in The Korea Times: Korean Duo Wins Badminton Gold

Hi Seoul Festival

The weather for the past week has been great. It's been very hot. Sunday was 35 degrees, but felt like 42, apparently. All last week, it was sunny with blue skies. It rained a little yesterday, and it's been a little cooler since.

The pic of the week shows Clara, Norah and Sarah at the Hi Seoul festival which we went to on Sunday.

Hi Seoul Festival
----------------------------
This is a free festival put on every year in a park by the Han river. Clara prepared a picnic and we had a fantastic day. There were traditional bands, people on tandems, people with homemade planes crashing into the Han, gymnasts spinning under hot air balloons, jazz, brass bands, and it ended with a couple of very spectacular shows on the main stage. One was a macnas-type display with huge fish puppets and musicians playing violin and guitars while spinning around the stage suspended on wires. Then there was a monster ballet, where the story was told with a mixture of dancers and JCBs, with the ballerina's and JCB drivers taking the applause together at the end. The opening ceremony of the Olympics wasn't in it.

The Korean War
---------------------------
Before I came here, M*A*S*H was the only thing I knew about the Korean war, and it turns out that that was really a parody of Vietnam but they had to change the location. I've discovered a little more about it now I'm here, mostly
from a trip to the war museum. At the end of World War II Korea had been liberated from Japan by the Allies. Russia controlled the North, above the 38th parallel (the 38 degrees north latitude line), and the US controlled the South. Both put governments in place. Then in June, 1950, the North invaded the South in a surprise attack. The superior forces of the North quickly gained control of most of the South, until a UN force drove them back. After a period of gains and losses for both sides the South then got the upper hand, and gained most of the territory in the North. Then Chinese troops poured across the border and fought on the side of the North.

Eventually both sides were in stalemate, and a de-militarised zone, the DMZ was set up, and that remains the border between the two states. Officially, the war is not over, and both sides are on ceasefire since 1953.

So older people here lived through the war. Seoul was evacuated twice, and people had to live in refugee camps in Busan. Now the living conditions between the wealthy South and impoverished North are incredibly different.

On the city tour, they refer to Korea as the world's last remaining divided country!

They've tried to get closer, particularly during the administration of the last South Korean president. Tourists can even go into certain parts of the North from the DMZ. A couple of weeks ago, though, a woman from Seoul was on a tour in the North, and was shot by a North Korean soldier in unexplained circumstances. So tensions right now are higher.

Bush was here during the week. There were demonstrations both pro- and anti-, but the heat seems to have gone out of the American beef issue.

Bakery bag of the week
----------------------------------------
I came home the other day from the bakery, and noticed this written on the bag: This fresh dessert with original goodness and flavor that something delicious for every one and sweets make a very special. So there.
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That's it for this week. Work is going fine, except that the kindergarten classes are doing my head in!

So until next week,

Éamon

Today's headline from The Korea Herald: Park Tae-hwan wins silver in 200-meter freestyle

Folks,

I'm writing on a really beautiful Sunday evening. The sun has shone all day, and I was out in the local park earlier. It was very hot, but now I have my fan on and it's cooler. The weather has alternated between hot days and some really rainy days. Like everywhere I've been, people tell me the climate has changed.

The pic of the week shows some 'soldiers' (or actors) from the changing of the guard in Deoksu Palace. They're inside the palace on a break while the main ceremony goes on outside.

Job
-----
Things are going fine in school. This was a three day week, because the kids were having their 'summer vacation'. Although at only 2 days it's nothing to write home about. Our type of school is called a Hagwon, and is a private school that kids go to after their regular school. I'm enjoying it, but I don't know that the kindergarten level would be something I want to continue. I was doing The Hokie Cokie Song with them the other day, and while on 'you put your left arm in, your left arm out' I was thinking; remember, I've got an MBA!

Beef Protests
-----------------------
When I arrived there were protests against the decision to lift the ban on American beef. It's a nation very prone to protests. They had candle-lit vigils at the city hall. The reason is that they are sure they'll get CJD because of Mad Cow Disease (or Crazy Cow Sick, as one of Clara's students called it). The president has had to sack government ministers and reshuffle the cabinet, and they have put some restrictions on the imports. The protests have died down now, but Bush is here this week on his way to the Olympics, and I expect it's going to heat up again.

The Subway
---------------------
There's an amazing subway in Seoul. It's got eight lines that they criss cross the city with hundreds of stations, so you're never far from one. What amazes me is that it was only started in the 1970s, but you'd think it was as old as the London Underground. It's also very cheap. It's 45 minutes from Clara's to here, and that costs just 63c. You can get a virtual money card, called t-money, which you load with cash on a machine in the station. You just place it near the card reader as you go through, you don't even have to take it out of your wallet. The cards can also be used on the bus. If you transfer from subway to bus you're not charged on the bus, as it's a continuation of the journey you've paid for.
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Well, that's it for this week. I'm back at school in the morning, so I'm going to take things easy tonight.

So until next week,

Éamon

Today's headline on The Korea Times: Koreas Engaged in War of Rhetoric

Working with Cinderella

Well, apologies that I haven't updated you for a few weeks. I've had computer problems.

On the positive side, I've got a temporary job while I sort out the situation with my visa. It comes with an apartment, so I have my own place, for now at any rate.

The pic of the weeks shows the three of us who lived together until I moved. I'm with Clara and Norah at The Wolfhound Irish bar on the night of Norah's birthday.

Computer problems
----------------------------------
Our internet connection in Clara's flat was always dodgy, because we were just picking up a signal from outside. But then I had a problem with my computer as well, and I had to get it fixed. It's a new PC, and is under warranty, but I would have had to send it back to Ireland, and been without it for weeks. It cost nearly €160 to fix.

New Job
--------------
Norah sent me an email from a recruitment agency that were looking for someone as an emergency replacement in a school in another part of Seoul. I got onto the agency and they set up an interview. I met the head teacher, Scarlet, and the boss, who believe it or not is called Cinderella. I find it so difficult to take it seriously when people are telling me things like 'I have to get a medical for my visa, and Cinderella is going to pay half the cost'.

I'm teaching kids, 80 minutes Kindergarten in the morning, and 4.5 hours Elementary in the afternoon. I've never taught kids, and I thought this would be a good way to try it out. It's just for 2 months. If I don't like it, I'll look for something else as my permanent job.

Apartment
-------------------
The great thing about the job is that in addition to relatively good money, there is an apartment. I'm in the area of Sinpung, which is south of the Han river, and about 50 minutes from Clara by subway. The apartment is fine. It's 3 minutes walk from the school, and has two bedrooms, internet and cable TV. I moved in on Wednesday, so I'm still exploring the area to get to know my new surroundings.

Visa
-------
I'm still getting conflicting opinions on the visa situation, but my own feeling is that I'll still have to return to Dublin. My first step is to look for a permanent job, which I will start this week. Then I'll need to talk to my prospective employer about how we will handle the visa.

Strange English
----------------------------
One thing I've noticed is how funny some of the English is that you see on signs, menus and t-shirts. Near my new apartment there is a hair salon, with the sign on the window 'Gabriel Hair - for the glory of the lamb'!
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Well, that's it for this week. I'm heading off now to go over to Clara's, because my father is just back from a month in Ireland.

Talk soon,

Éamon

Today's headline in The Korea Times: 2nd-Quarter GDP Growth Falls to 4.8%

A Spanner in the Works

Well, it was all going so well, there had to be a spanner in the works somewhere. I knew that I've have to leave Korea to apply for my visa. The only problem is that now I've discovered where my application has to be made from. Dublin.

The pic of the week is the pagoda in the lotus pond at Gyeongbuk Palace here in Seoul.

The Job Hunt
----------------------
I was talking to the recruiter who made contact with me before the last post. In the middle of the conversation, he asked me if I knew I had to go back to Ireland to get my E2 visa, the one for foreign language teachers. I nearly fell off my chair. I'd never heard it. I talked to a few people over the weekend, and they all assured me it couldn't be true. But I've checked it out, and it seems to be. So once I get a school I'll have to try to negotiate with them over the air fare. Most schools will pay for people to travel from their country to Korea, and then either fly them home at the end of a contract, or give them a round trip if they're staying. So I might see if I can get the round trip up front or go halves on the fare or something. I just wish I knew it a month ago!

They also told me I needed the original copy of my degree (which I have) and a police report to show that I have no convictions (which I have - the report, not the convictions) and the transcripts from my university (I didn't even know what they were). He explained that the transcripts are the details of your coursework and results during your degree. I have been on to Trinity about getting them, and they'll take a couple of weeks. They have to be in a sealed envelope, with a university seal over the actual envelope seal, and if they're opened before they get to immigration they're invalid. They're certainly taking no chances.

So, this has put a delay on getting a job for now. Once I know that the transcripts are in the post I'll start applying. In the meantime I'm checking the websites to see what's available.

Getting used to Korea
-------------------------------------
There are a few things that I'm just getting used to. The first is that talking Spanish to Koreans doesn't achieve anything. Obviously my brain is wired with the assumption that if people don't speak English, the foreign language is Spanish. I've been saying si, no, and gracias since I got here.

Another cultural difference is that you take your shoes off everywhere. In anyone's house are apartment, old style restaurants, temples and palaces, off they come. I have a pair of laced trainers, and I'm going to have to get something that's easier to put on and take off, because I'm taking ages everywhere. I have to say I like that people take them off in a house or apartment, because when you think of it we're all bringing dirt in from the streets on our shoes.

Seoul Tower
---------------------
One of Clara's friends is a guy called Conor, from Belfast. His mother and sister were here on holidays, and just left on Sunday. On Saturday night we went with them to the revolving restaurant in Seoul Tower. It has a wonderful panoramic view of the city, and does a full 365 degrees over the three hours that the multiple course dinner is served. We arrived at 7pm, and left at 10, so we had seen the city change from daylight to the beautifully lit city at night. This is truly a night city, and the transformation is spectacular. I'd highly recommend it to everyone that visits the city. At 87,000 Won it's way more expensive than any meal I've had since I came here. But when I worked it back to euro it was less than €54, which given that we had lots of courses, a seabass main course and plenty of wine, is probably cheaper than you'd get in most restaurants in Dublin.
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Well, that's it for this week. I've just bought a fan to cope with heat and humidity. My computer says it's 28 degrees, but feels like 32.8. I wonder how it knows.

Until next week,

Annyong,

Éamon

Today's headline in The Korean Times: President Lee Replaces 3 Cabinet Ministers

Trip to Busan

Folks,

Greetings from Seoul on a sunny evening. It's 27 degrees, with humidity at 69%. Yesterday, it was lashing rain, with humidity at 100%, so this is a lot better. We are heading into the monsoon season, so I can expect more rain and higher temperatures.

The pic of the week is taken from the Busan tower, and shows the view over the port area of Busan, where we were last week.

Apologies for the delay in this weeks email, but we don't have an internet connection in the house, so we have to rely on picking up a signal from outside, which isn't always available. I know I'm also behind in replying to emails and Facebook messages, so please bear with me!

Busan
-----------
Clara had a few days off, so we headed to Busan on the high-speed KTX train, which travels at 300kph. The journey is 3 hours, and we arrived on Saturday night. We met up with Paul, who I worked with in Costa Rica, and his Costa Rican girlfriend, Esperanza. We stayed in Haeundae, which is where Paul and Esperanza live, and the most popular beach in Korea. It wouldn't be the best beach in the world. It's fine, but it makes me think that beaches are not the strong point of the Korean experience.

It was also much colder there than in Seoul. I had to wear my jacket out every evening, which I don't do here.

We stayed at a love motel. They're popular here because most young people live at home, and it's difficult to have somewhere for your loving. I don't think they're designed for brothers and sisters travelling together, though. The guy on reception seemed most put out even at the request for a room with two beds. That said, the facilities were excellent. It cost just €18 for the room, and we had a PC with internet access, a TV and DVD player with a DVD library downstairs, coffee and water, and a large jacuzzi bath!

First impressions
------------------------------
My first impression of Korea is how safe it is. Having come from Costa Rica where everyone is so crime conscious, it's amazing to come to a city where people leave down their bags to go off to look at timetables in the train stations. I saw a guy unloading boxes of trainers to a shoe shop, and he just left the boxes piled outside on the footpath while he transferred them into the shop. People leave mobile phones on tables, I took a beer from a fridge at an outdoor food stall, and practically had to wake up the owner who was dozing in front of a TV. Girls travel alone through the streets late at night without a concern.

The other thing you notice is how technologically advanced it is. The city lights up at night in neon and huge TV-screen style advertising hoardings. On the subway almost everyone is glued to some sort of technological device, reading email, playing games, accessing internet or watching video. I'm in my element with my little iPod which I was normally too shy to use in public in case it looked like I was showing off.

Job hunt
---------------
Before I'd even started looking for a job this week I was offered one. It's teaching elementary school kids, and it's located a little out of the city. The pay is on the lower end of what I've been told to expect, but it includes accommodation. The recruiter said that the school is looking for an emergency replacement, and that I could take it for the moment while I got something else. I decided not to take it, because I've only just started the job hunt, and I feel that I should know more what's on offer before making a decision. It would be perfect if I needed to work straight away, but I'd rather put my energy into getting the right job. And I have enough money to tide me over for the moment.

Social life
----------------
The social life here is certainly hectic. The bars open all night, and there have been many weekend nights that we've been home well after sunrise, at about 7 o'clock. I'm realising that at my age it's difficult to sustain that for too many nights on the trot, but I'm enjoying it all the same. After the busy weekends, I like to have a quiet week, and some nights I've even managed to do it.
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That's it for this week. I'm planning a quiet weekend, with a rooftop barbecue at a friends house on Saturday, if the rain holds off.

So until next week,

Annyonghi kaseyo,

Éamon

Yesterday's headline in The Korean Herald: Consumer Prices Jump to 10-Year High