Rant and Rave

O.K. Y'all,

I need to rant and rave right now. I feel that I am privelaged to do so now that I've been here for almost two months. The good, the bad, the ugly. I have seen it all. There is so much good here in Korea. I truly love this place and the craziness it has done to my reality. After all, doesn't reality need to be tested every few years. What would it be like without a true test of time and space? Conformity grows upon us all, but changing that bottom line routine of life that we all get accustomed to is such a great thing. I know that there are many people I know and have come across that have been doing the same Goddamn thing for decades or more. Routine becomes comfort, comfort becomes routine; throw an ax in the mix for once and a while, and we see how things really are. For example, my life before this was a complacent and yet unglorified life of the Long Island suberbs and unemployment. Even though I had experience and a Master's Degree, I couldn't get a job teaching. Ironic, yes, especially as an unemployed English teacher.......lol. Well, my whole life and everything I know was left at J.F.K..........A 21 hour plane ride and a different culture, language, place, job, and future was what I finally found after taking what I refer to as a "Ballsy" move. Whether I feel so now or not, this was the best move of my life. Here is the "rant" and here is the "rave". Funny how the word rave finally sunk into my brain.

Rant- The rant includes the shock of the culture. For instance, the recycling. I have never been a true fan of recycling. Here, it is basically the only thing that you better do all day or you're landlord will kill you. I have had some death threats. When I first got here I was actually throwing out "garbage;"You know, plastic, glass, food, liquids ect. Here, it is at the utmost importance that you throw each into a different bag that needs to be seperated by your landlord. Which means my landlord goes through all my shit. Poor bastard. It's quite annoying. You can't throw away any food waste that may be helpful and edible by livestock. You must clean out your dirty salsa bottle when to be disposed. These guys are f-ing Nazis about the whole procedure. I really don't like it. I think that these guys know every little detail about my poor and overfed life. I have been yelled at by my Nazi landlord for not putting the right waste in the right bag. He was nice enough to tell me in Korean how to do things, but guess what, I didn't understand a word as he was mimicking different bags and places. By the way, when you don't really understand a language, mimicking really doesn't work. I've tried it.

Rave- I want to rave about the students I am teaching and the job I have. It is tops! These little Korean students are so smart, so cute, and so curious to learn. They make my day everyday, and I've actually taken the job as serious as I can. I do a lot of prep work, and I make sure I edit every single thing they write in their notebooks. They are so impressionable, and they truly like Chris Teacher. I actually come home from work and analize my mind and outline the details of successes and failures of my students. Which ones are verbal, which ones are better writing, which ones are shy but skilled, which ones are duds. I have them all, but I love them all. Yes, even the duds. Because the duds are still smarter for trying to learn another language and failing, than American students who don't even try back home. Which is many. I know.

There's so much more positive than negative over here. I really miss all my family and friends so much that it impacts my sleeping and reality. However, I am truly living over here. I am on my own. I am making things happen. I am bettering myself. I am not sure that could be the possibility back home at this particular moment. My wings are spread and I am flying. The breeze feels good upon my face.

Oh yeah,............please post something if you care about me. I'm not gonna be a little baby about it but it only takes a few moments to show me you actually give a damn about me. Write something. I know you know how to use a keyboard and internet. I'm all alone over here and I could use your friendly words of "hello" or "I'm actually reading your blog every once in a while." You know, communication.....after all, that's what it is all about right...........................................................................................................................................................................

PS-If I see another Jackie Chan movie on Korean TV I am going to commit Harry Carry (Japanese sword through the gullet for the layman)