September 26th, 2010 Sunday
Nothing really new to report. Just another run of the mill day in the life of Korea. I have felt like I do need to keep people updated though. Its my hope to write more and go into more detail with events that are unfolding here.
I just got back from Chuseok, a Korean holiday that's celebrated to remember the ancestors. It entails a big feast. We ate rice cakes, pork, beef, fried food, and assorted vegetables as well as fish! Most of this was in preparation for ceremonial purposes. The ceremony involves dressing up in our Sunday clothes bowing for 5 minutes, and then changing back into our street clothes and eating. ( I personally feel ashamed since I have no real reason to bow and don't understand it at all) I was taught to hold no prejudices but the fact of that matter is I am forced to do it with no regard to my cultural background. Who is more wrong? When in Rome...bullshit on tis one. Americans allow outsiders to believe whatever they wish that's why we are a conglomerate nation and thats why we hold that all values are equal. NOT HERE and that's why I refuse to live here much longer.
Lets see.. Chuseok held in Gumi of course. Sadly her father had to work the entire time I was there so I had a limited visit with him. I played GoStop with my wife and her mother. Other than eating a lot and partaking in these activities I slept a lot to. I did this because the conversations were all in Korean and with 12 other family members that I won't know for much longer. I actually don't want to know them either since in Korea its just an obligation factor to nod my fucking head and say hello I really hate it.
The conversations were My wife and I and our future, My brother in laws up coming wedding plans (november 14th) and family feuds. My brother in law has many things to do and the family is up in arms about it.
Anyways now I am waiting to go back to work tomorrow, enjoying the beach for the last few warm days of the year and waiting for something to happen next.
I am anxious for October.
Other news I just finished working my Saturday program at YBM that was great- I had 2 adult classes and 3 kid classes for each Saturday. I am tired of it actually. It being teaching that is. I also finished my first month at MLS or will be in the next few days. MY 6 to 8pm gig is going well but just a little bit boring for me. i will be interested to see Michelle my boss tomorrow.
I found an old planner of mine at YBM and will write a post to follow this with more detail about information in there shortly.
Sorry but Korea is so boring either that or I am boring too. will write again very soon
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please explain more about this game GoStop.
ReplyDeleteWhen did your hate for Korea happen? We thought you loved it there which was why you decided to marry and build a life there.
When/if you leave will your wife be coming with you and where will you go?
Yeah but in America, you have to say the pledge. you have to stand for the anthem. sure, you could choose not to, but ppl would judge you for that here too and you do it b/c it's a cultural 'norm.' It sounds like you just hate everything about Korea and are starting to nit pick a bit about the little things. You live in their country so you have to adjust accordingly...I feel like if you keep w/ this attitude, your marriage is going to fall apart....
ReplyDeleteIf I knew you and considered you a friend, if you responded via an email or actually responded to my questions etc to you I may respect that.
ReplyDeleteFrankly International marriages are tricky simply due to cultural differences but that being said we can overcome anything. America is better for me and Korea takes some getting used to, I never wanted to make Korea a full time commitment and I wanted my wife to understand me more. Maybe I feel the situation is unfair but time will make it better. I don't need to say the pledge anymore we aren't in grade school. I won't expect my wife to be singing America the beautiful or do the pledge of allegiance or vote etc etc I think her values don't need to be compromised like that nor should mine. Katherine- bluntly get a life i don't know you you never give me any hint of who the hell you are and you don't really help. If you want to help why dont you write me an email palmdawg03@yahoo.com and tell me what you do, and things about you that could put you on the same even playground as me. I feel like you think you are better than me and therefore are in some sore of superior position than myself. i am not being critical of you but I don't know why you get off saying things that are just inflammatory and often don't make a lick of sense. I want your reply NOW
wow--that was more than a little rude, both blog post and comment response. It wasn't more than a month ago that you were begging for any sort of response to your blog posts and now you are upbraiding Katherine for not responding to you in your preferred medium. To put this bluntly, I've watched a downward spiral over the last few months going god knows where. I'm not surprised you complain of having no friends. If this blog is any reflection of how you've become in real life, I wouldn't want to be around you either. I read it and see an ignorant unreasonable person, unwilling to make the slightest compromise (obligated to nod your head and say hello--really how difficult is that?) What I've found is what people see and how they handle the world around them is usually a reflection of something inside themselves.
ReplyDeleteYeah, to piggy back off Bryant, you say you want readers, so I read. You say you want comments, so I comment! Then when nobody comments you whine about it on your blog. Why should I have to comment via email? Most people comment on blogs ON THE BLOGS THEMSELVES. I don't know anybody who comments on a blog through an email. A blog is a public forum and you need to treat it as such. I told you, I am a public school teacher in America. Why do you need to know my life background in order for me to comment on your blog? If you don't want the public involved in your blog, you should use something like facebook where only people you want to read read. I certainly could care less if you respect me or not. You don't even have to read my comments much less respond to them! And I'm pretty sure from your other real friends comments above that I'm not the only one who thinks you are troubled at the moment and FAR too negative (and borderline racist) toward koreans and korea......
ReplyDeleteIt is true that I don't particularly like all the customs or traditions found in Korea. No one ever told me I had to like them all. I can respect Koreans for Who or What they are. In other words,I have no ill will over anyone or anything that happens here. That being said I shouldn't have to change my lifestyle just because I am in Korea. Respect goes two ways and unless I am wrong on this point both of you should back off.
ReplyDelete1. My "real friends" wtf is that- I have plenty of friends I work with people I live around people most of my REAL friends unfortunately happen to be in America go figure I lived there 20 some years. As far as me being racist check out my facebook profile. Gee I don't know but I have many friends throughout the world and I don't see colors.
If I was in Whitefish Montana surrounded by pompous self righteous rich white people who acted like they were superior than me I think I would write the same way. I hate people who think that they are superior in any way.
all you people say is negative things. I think if you want the real scoop contacting me some way else is better. Anyone who really knows me wouldn't call me racist.
I started a blog to get general feedback from anyone while that's true I figured most people wouldn't want to waste time writing negative provocative comments.
I am troubled~ i am in Korea and I actually just want to leave to see my family, feel more comfortable, and find a career path. I don't have much friends here and it isn't because of my attitude its due to my working hours, the fact that they (koreans) went back to America, etc. Right now I am working and living in Korea and trying to make the best of it.