Bobert.

So I've begun my teaching fiasco thing. It's a lot of fun, and I''m teaching kids that range from 1st graders to freshmen. It's really interesting to know how students brains work, to know that it's much more easier for them to attain information if the lesson is taught with Korean integrated with English, rather than full on English itself, which is what I was employed to do.

Damn, these kids are hella annoying too. None of them listen at all. Except for past 5th grade, then kids start to get the hang of not pissing people off, but under that? My God, I just wanna punch some of them in the face and tell them who's boss.

Anyhow, Funny story to tell ya'lls.

Before we begin, to the non-Korean background audiences, the word Bap, very similar in pronunciation to the name Bob, means food.

So in my best fifth grade class (my favorite class), the students actually listen and respond, and actually study. There's this one kid in the back (whom I will refer back to very soon) who's the cutest thing on the planet, really shy, and at first I thought he was a year younger, studying up, due to how small he was. The rest of the class is fairly rowdy, but regardless, they study hard and they're smart so I let them. Anyways, we're learning about restaurant conversations and what to say when to order, etc. etc. and I'm going around the class, asking everybody what their answers were. It eventually came to the kid in the back of the class, whose name is Robert (the kids choose their own English names). When it came to Robert, I asked him what his answer was, and right after that, I proceeded to ask if I can call him Bob.

The kids in the class were in riots, they were howling and hooting, that his name sounded like Bap, so essentially, they all called him food.

Robert didn't respond for a bit and just bowed his head down, staring at his paper, no more than 2 inches away from his face.

I asked Robert what was wrong, saying "What's wrong, Bob?" Again, the class is uncontrollable. AT this point, it wasn't a joke, I didn't mean any offense at all, and he's still sitting in the position he just was.

Eventually some girl leans over, angles herself to see his face, and yells "I THINK HE'S CRYING!"

And that's exactly what Robert proceeds to do.

So now I'm freaking out, I have no idea how to handle this situation. I just made this undeserving, timid, fragile kid cry. I go over up to him and I'm saying sorry like crazy. I even offered to buy him a meal. That was pretty stupid of me because then that's just like saying a promise I can't keep. I'm so stressed out, the kids are all laughing and making fun of how I'm such a horrible person, I'm actually feeling like this horrible person, and there is poor little Robert, bawling his eyes out; his paper covered in tears.

Well, eventually Robert calms down and I'm finally able to breathe. Long story short, he forgave me and class continued as usual, but boy was this an experience for the future if I ever do end up teaching or do something of the likes.

Even though it's pretty hectic, this teaching job is sure fun, and I'm thinking about considering it after college, but for now, I'm taking things day by day. Korea just keeps getting better and better.

임진각

Man, I should've updated earlier. I went to this place on the 25th of June and haven't updated till this much later.

A few of you probably have no idea what ching chong business this entry title is called. It reads Im-Jin-Gak, the tourist site no less than 7km away from the Military Demarcation Line (DMZ). Surprisingly, it really wasn't entirely what I thought it'd be like. I always pictured the area, even the tourist area, to be all desolate and packed with soldiers, guarding their posts. But it's really pretty cool looking, with the tourist building itself having a fairly modernized architecture look. Basically, right after you get your ticket (which you need a passport for some strange reason), you walk into this small area before the actual DMZ itself, with a few attractions themed with unification. There's a small bridge titled The Bridge of Freedom, where at the end a fence marks the start of the DMZ. This little bit of fencing, which is probably no more than about 3 meters wide, is filled from top to bottom, side to side of ribbons, leaflets, posters, anything that relates itself to the unification between North and South Korea. We just so happened to visit on 6/25, the start of the Korean War itself, and as the 59th anniversary, they unveiled this train that was bombed on the night of the North Korean assault. Personally, I didn't really agree with them bringing the train up, they should leave a landmark like that at its original location, but oh well, too late.

Man, I should really post pictures. I wish I could but I don't have anything to upload it with (aka no usb cord)

Regardless, after the mini tour at the beginning, we take a bus into the DMZ itself. It's heavily guarded and the only things that can go inand out of th DMZ are the buses, which upon entering, need a lot of inspection by the ROK (S. Korea) soldiers. Anyhoo, after the first checkup, we went to this cave/tunnel that was dug by the DPRK (N. Korea). These tunnels were about 450meters deep and spanned a few kilometers, maybe a couple of miles. Height was about 1.9m and same goes with the width, so walking through these tunnels were a bit uncomfortable, having to be ducked over a little and walking forward. So, these tunnels were made at an attempt to infiltrate and attack the ROK, but the ROK found out what was up and went in there and blocked the area entirely. The DPRK tried covering it up, saying that they were digging a coal mine, and covered all the rocks with black paint, but of course, that clearly wasn't the intent of the situation. There are a total of four tunnels like this one found, and there are probably more to come, but hopefully they just unite both Koreas and just end all of this.

After this, we went to a little museum. It basically told you about the four tunnels, and efforts beforehand that the DPRK made to take down ROK but they were all foiled. Pictures would really capture what the bulk of the museum was all about, but unfortunately, I don't have that now. I will hopefully soon and they'll probably go on Facebook as well.

The bus then took us to this place called Dora Station, a train station that is the most northern station in the ROK. The train station is not connected to any other train station in South Korea, but rather is a symbol of future hopes that the two Koreas can unite and be peaceful together. To be blunt, I originally thought that it wouldn't be a great idea joining the two Koreas, but now I see that they truly do need help and it's pretty scary and sad knowing what general idea of the lives they live, but not knowing specifically of what poverty they are suffering.

After Dora Station, we go to this little village located in the DMZ where people obviously live. This village is extremely small; the entire population of students in the only elementary school is only 67, the middle school is even less, 54, and high school, only 72. Anyways, this place is where they make everything related with beans. Beans galore, tofu beans, red beans, soy beans, whatever the like. We visited the small restaurant and ate fresh tofu, something you can't do in America because the tofu is shipped, and that's probably extremely unhealthy for anyone to eat tofu that's that "fresh". The village smelled like cow-poop. It was pretty convenient.

And that was it. The tour lasts for about 3 1/2 hours and it was a hell of an experience. The pictures here are absolutely powerful, and I really want to upload some but that probably won't happen soon ;__;

Internet Cafe's

Posting from one. Pretty weird. It's basically the size of two high school classrooms, filled only with gigantic, fast-as-hell computers. There's at least 50 where I'm at.

They also even have these weird couple spots.... for like, a couple to stay in. Talk about the most exhilarating date ever. You'd have to be REALLY in love for that.

in other words, julie and drake could probably go to one and be fine with it, even though julie's hate for games is pretty unnoticeable.

Some girl just said "don't make me put my glasses on, otherwise I'll dominate you."

No one in Korea really plays console games. Xbox360s, PS3s, Wii's are virtually nonexistant. It's all about the PC games. Starcraft still does populate and dominate the gaming market. It's pretty amazing how a game made a decade ago is still that popular.

I leave for Seoul tomorrow. The first day's gonna be pretty AWESOME, as its gonna be spent with nothing but relatives. From wednesday on out, I probably won't be updating as often as I am now, because I'll probably be roaming the streets of Seoul the entire time, visiting a club here, and taking a sip of a drink here. No worries, I won't abuse that right though.

Although, it is pretty freaking cool to be legal. I don't have to worry about having my ID checked, because I'm of age. I can enter clubs because I'm of age too. It's pretty radical. You have to be 19 to enter clubs, buy drinks/cigs/anything of the likes that you'd need to be 18 in USA to buy. But even though I'm 17, Korea doesn't really care about the exact date you were born, but rather the year you were born in. As a late 1991 baby, I pass on as an 18yr old, so it works out pretty well. If you're still fairly lost at why I still can enter clubs even though I'm technically 18 in Korea, it's because Korea counts ages a bit differently. When you're first born straight from the womb, you're 1, rather than USA, where you're technically 0 when you come out of momma's belly. So that makes me 19, which makes me legal, which makes me happy.

Damn, I'm gonna like Korea a lot.

Drake, if Janie reads this, tell her I'm not a bad kid pls. Also, Janie, I'm not a bad kid.

Gas Prices are cheap....?

So, I noticed that gas prices here are about 1600won, roughly $1.50. I asked my older cousin what was up with the gas prices, and I told him how cheap USA's were compared to that. Turns out, gas prices there go by the liter, not by the gallon. There are about four liters per gallon, which means they're paying about $6.00 per gallon. Amazing. Good thing all the cars there are basically all hybrids. 50mpg city is the USA's 30mpg city.

So yeah, a cousin of mine around my age took me out for a nice, healthy drink and beef. Boy was it tasty. I had an amazing time, and if this is just the beginning, then I know Korea will be so awesome.

Augh.

So far, my journey in Korea is a lot of fun.

Except not really.

To start things off, the plane rides weren't that awful. I got a little bit of indigestion on the 13hr flight to Korea, but the stewardess gave me a sprite with like, 20030984 carbonation tabs in it so it'd break down the food a bit easier. I had major gas, not the one from downstairs, but I kept burping literally every 15 seconds for about 30 minutes. The lady sitting next to me basically had the same problem, except instead of burping, she had to pee. It was sort of annoying, but oh well. At least Yes Man, Valkyrie and watching re-runs of Man Utd. play random teams on the little TV made the plane ride a bit more enjoyable.

I arrived in Korea at 5AM. I still have a bit of jet lag; I wake up at about 6:30. But I went to go see my grandmother, who was healing from a stroke she recently suffered. Her symptoms was that she could not move her right arm, speak, or swallow, and some of her memory is gone as well. Thankfully, she's recovered A TON, she can move her right arm a little bit, she can say a few words but it's still fairly unintelligible, and she's been able to eat very soft foods such as yogurt. According to the docs, the progress she's made is almost unrealistic and her will to continue is extremely strong, so things are looking pretty good. It was kinda bittersweet meeting her though, when she first saw me she just kept crying, and seeing her sorta made me sad as well, but it was really astounding how much she's healed up and the progress she's making is great too.

Regardless, my aunts are all pretty cool, they all buy me food :D. If I return fat, well, too bad.

큰아빠 (uncle) is mad at me because I didn't sleep over at his house... and so is 기운형 (cousin).... they're all butthurt, who cares, they'll get over it some day. Besides, 2고모's (2nd aunt) hotel is so nice.

My suit is hella boss.

Korea airs porn 24/7. It's weird and corrupt as hell. Like, normally as a guy I'm like "Holy shit, sweet, free porn." But it's kinda fucked up how they don't even bother to even censor it or even put it at night times. But oh well, fuck censorship anyways, it was never a good thing to start off with. Although, they should make it at least PPV to make some bank from it.

Every city in Korea is essentially a New York. It's just packed into the size of Utah.