After I left the classroom, I found Mr. Kim in an office and asked him what was going on. I had come for an interview and a tour, not to teach. I wasn’t ready to teach. I didn’t want to teach. I didn’t know how to teach. I needed training,…
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Korea 013 – Munhwa Language School
Two hours later solely due to my own efforts, I found myself in John Valentine’s office, out of breath and suffering from shin splints. I had subsequently gotten lost in underground Seoul so badly that I began to think of myself as the human gopher, constantly popping up from a…
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Korea 012 – Spinning Koreans
THE MUNWHA AND KIBUN Every day that I hung out with the tourist/travellers made it more difficult to look for work. I pretended to myself that I was here only for a short time and would soon join the migration of backpackers on to the next stop on the Asia…
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Korea 011 – Seoul and the Inn Sung Do
THE INN SUNG DO The Ajimah at the Inn Dae Won was glad to see me back and put me back in my old room. The Inn Dae Won hadn’t improved in my absence, but at least it was familiar. In fact, it felt almost homey, and I began to…
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Korea 010 – Kyongju & Pusan
The next day, I went to Kyongju by bus. The Koreans are very proud of the ancient city of Kyongju and the past glory it represents. Kyongju, I was told by a Korean man on the bus, was home to twenty five National Treasures, thirty five Treasures, and over sixty…
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Korea 009 – Train to Taegu
I finally reached the train station only to find another vast expanse of wide roads, elevated access ramps and thousands of vehicles blocking my path. There was no way to get across except for once more to go underground. By now I had discovered a technique. Before going down the…
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Korea 008 – Going South
GOING SOUTH My second morning, after another wet and frustrating encounter with the shower from which I emerged rather dirtier than when I had entered, I packed my belongings and then slipped my arms through the heavy shoulder straps of my backpack. I was leaving on a trip to see…
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Korea 007 – The Bathhouse
THE BATHHOUSE When I woke up the next morning, my room was still pitch black and I was chilled to the core. I was disoriented at first but slowly realized where I was. I lay there a while listening to the sounds outside my room, the sounds of Korea and…
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Korea 006 – Ajimahs and Salarymen
AJIMAHS AND SALARYMEN Sleep didn’t come easily that night, tired as I was. I thought about Robert and Charles and Ajimahs and Salarymen. At the time of course I didn’t realize it fully, but I had had a glimpse into one of the key defining characteristics of Korean society: its…
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Korea 005 – Charles and Coffee
My reverie was interrupted suddenly by the arrival of Charles from London, England. He was about 38 years old and to my eyes one step away from a hospital bed. He was gaunt, red eyed and a sickly yellow-white in complexion. The way he moved, he seemed split between manic…