Mahal na Kita, Boracay

In my penultimate post of 2013, I mentioned jetting off to the Philippines for Christmas vacation. What you may not know is the absurd, incredible, and life-changing experience that I had on my Southeast Asian excursion. Such an absurd, incredible, life-changing time was had that I will now and forever refer to the pre-Christmas period as B.B. (Before Boracay) and post-New Years Eve is known as A.B. (After Boracay). Yeah. That’s what’s up.

And goodness me, did I need an absurd, incredible, life-changing experience in Southeast Asia. For a multitude of reasons that I will only list here as “life’s little quandaries”, my stress levels had skyrocketed out of orbit in the weeks leading up to my departure. December was a roller coaster of highs and lows, and I was ready for a week of straight wins.

Thankfully, my final two days of school before departure were dreams, filled with gingerbread houses, Christmas carols, ornament-making, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. That being said, I can’t say that I wasn’t thinking, “please get me the derpity-derp-expletive out of this country” as I shivered in the cold for the (25 minute late) airport shuttle.

With my main Busan girls, Jess, Maddie, and Kendall by my side, along with fellow teachers, Nate and Kat, I boarded my AirBusan flight and awaited touchdown in Cebu. At that point, literally anything would have lit my eyes up like, well, a child on Christmas Eve, [Note: Our flight was really on Christmas Eve night] so when the Cebu skyline began exploding with red and green fireworks at midnight during our descent, a true sense of mirth began to soften my jaded heart. We were on Philippine soil! We had finally made it!

After passing through immigration and picking up the baggage that only I had made the mistake of checking, we hopped into a shuttle and proceeded to our accommodations at Tr3ats Guesthouse. The ride there was surreal: it was after 1AM, and the streets were packed with men, women, and children; the sights and sounds of Roman candles and Christmas cheer reflecting and echoing off the humble tin roofs of Cebu. 45 minutes later, upon reaching Tr3ats, our faces fell, as the guesthouse was located in the heart of a rather slummy area [Note: The neighbourhood caused some alarm at 2AM, but was actually super charming, borderline beautiful, during the morning hours].

After check-in, the girls and I settled into our digs for what we hoped would be a peaceful nights sleep before another flight the following day. Unfortunately, slumber never came. Situated on the top bunk, I tossed and turned, trying to discover a way to position my lanky limbs and cursing the long slab of wood at the end of the bed that made stretching out my legs virtually impossible. Our room was also stationed next to the lobby (read: lots of foot traffic), our neighbours decided to try their hand at film critiquing into the wee hours of the morning, and once they stopped, they handed the reigns to the “Obnoxious Carriage” over to a flock of roosters who further destroyed any hope of rest. While all of these nuisances increased the amount I yawned the following day, we were treated to a cute, if not slightly meagre breakfast on the rooftop with a beautiful view of the surrounding area. This is still all to say, I didn’t write a wholly positive review for the modest Tr3ats Guesthouse on TripAdvisor.

As we shuttled back to Mactan-Cebu, the excitement was palpable. A quick hour-long flight later, and we had reached the tropical island paradise of Boracay! Maddie and I peeled off from the rest of the group who were staying in a different hostel than us. [Note: There are three “stations” that comprise Boracay’s largest beach (“White Beach”). Maddie and I were staying at the Isla Gecko Resort, in the heart of station 2, while Jess and Kendall were staying approximately 15 minutes away, at a resort called Orchids, in station 3]. Our journey to Isla Gecko was a small pilgrimage, consisting of a 2 minute taxi ride to the boat terminal, a 25 minute jetty ride to Boracay proper, and finally, a 15 minute shuttle to our resort.

The streets of Boracay, compared to Busan were a total game-changer. The main road was packed with brazen trikes and motorcycles veering this way and that, with pedestrians fearlessly striding into the heart of traffic for a mango shake across the way. Eventually, Maddie and I reached Isla Gecko, and were greeted by Mark and Andrea, son and daughter to the lovely owners of the resort.

Isla Gecko’s location in the centre of an uneven and rugged alley was truly its only downside. The lobby was cozy and inviting, with a well-stocked bar, and speedy wireless Internet. Beyond that, the staff were so incredibly friendly and accommodating. I really can’t stress this particular point enough – the staff always held onto our key to save us the minor annoyance of carrying it with us to the beach everyday, let us monopolize their telephone for an entire morning to switch our flight, and even dealt with the most unfortunate of “toilet accidents”. They are truly angels. We love you, Isla Gecko!

The resort had recently undergone major construction, adding a third floor and a beautiful rooftop. The aesthetic was a perfect intersection of modernity and what I will coin “rainforest chic”, bringing forth an intimate union of ivory and polished wood. Perhaps the cutest touches were the things that didn’t immediately look out of place – like the bamboo banisters and tiny geckos crawling across the walls – but made you smile as you did a second take. Our room was spacious and meticulously clean, with a double and single bed, and a television that gave us insight into Filipino popular culture (for example, Filipinos seem really love Will Smith – he was on almost every channel). This is all to say, unlike Tr3ats, I sang praise for Isla Gecko on TripAdvisor. If you’re ever looking into Boracay, book at Isla Gecko – you won’t regret it.

Our first night in Boracay started with a Christmas buffet, where my girls rocked full vegetable plates, while I opted to gorge myself into a full “carb coma”. Shortly after, we were digging our feet into the sand, smoking shisha, and swaying to a live reggae band at the delightfully ambient Bom Bom Bar. The atmosphere was precisely what I had envisioned when I made the decision to book this vacation (read: sweaty bodies writhing on white sand to good music). Once we were finished with our shisha and the Bob Marley stopped, we took a quick dip in the ocean and hopped over to an unknown, transient club installation on the beach next door. The roof was made from differently sized, pastel umbrellas and the DJs were spinning pulsing electronic music. Bizarrely, there were local children (read: toddlers) sleeping in the sand on the outer edges of the club, a truly conflicting visual while you’re wordlessly grooving to electronica. In the interest of maximizing our Boxing Day beachy times, the girls are I headed back to our respective hostels at around 1AM, with smoky lungs, full stomachs, and swelling excitement for what was in store for our first full day in Boracay.

Crispy, tender, burned skin. That’s what our first full day had in store. Well, at least for me. In a stunning example of what I call “Classic Dylan”, I overestimated my mortal abilities, sat in the sun for 7+ hours, applying only conservative amounts of sunscreen, and paid the ultimate price when I was transformed into only the most terrifyingly reddish lobster-human hybrid. At first, I was just “Dylan Tomato Teacher” and that was fine. I’d been there a dozen times during beach season in Busan. But then came the peeling. Austin Powers in Goldmember levels of peeling. Then the forehead blisters appeared. The situation escalated faster than I could slather copious amounts of aloe vera across large areas of my body. I was even too sore for a $6 massage, one of the few certain items on my pre-departure Boracay bucket list. The sun had knocked me down a number of pegs – so many, in fact, that I treated myself to both ice cream from McDonald’s AND a 4-pack of cinnamon buns from Cinnabon in  the span of two hours. #Dark times that I hoped would transition into a dark, leathery hide. [Note: I was tanned for a brief period, but upon returning to Korea, it faded almost instantly. Still conducting tests to determine if there is *actually* bleach in the water here. Will inform].

We closed out Boxing Day with a gorgeous sunset sail and another dinner on the beach. This dinner is noteworthy as it was my first Filipino foodie experience (I ordered the delicious chicken halang-halang, a saucy dish with ginger and coconut milk). Afterwards, we opted for an early night to nurse our wounded flesh and egos in front of our televisions in anticipation for island hopping the following morning.

With the help of our contact at Azzuro di Boracay, B-Boy, we managed to find a relatively cheap “island hop”. The trawler ferried us one full revolution around Boracay, where we snorkelled and explored the westerly Puka Beach. The excursion was a slight bust for two reasons: The first, of lesser importance, was the stormy weather that hit once we arrived at Puka. Luckily, the beautiful “Squidward” provided a temporary distraction and forever changed how the girls and I look at Armani speedos. The second, of greater importance, was the gaping wound I received after repeatedly dragging my foot across coral and rocks whilst snorkelling. I’m making this sound slightly dramatic here, but in truth, I was so unfazed by this situation at the time that I didn’t visit a clinic until 72h after the accident. By this time, my foot had swollen to third-trimester-pregnancy levels and was oozing a white liquid, not quite unlike the coconut milk used to prepare the chicken halang-halang. This was likely due in large part to my lack of prejudice when it came to walking through dank, nasty alleys and spilling rum and cokes into the open wound, but you know: YOLO.

Eventually, I had enough sense to visit a clinic for some piece of mind. Unsurprisingly, the doctor informed me that my foot was infected, inquired how I was still mobile, and scolded me for not wearing shoes. After a thorough cleaning and dressing of the wound, I was treated to a tetanus shot, and a prescription for both topical and oral antibiotics. The entire experience left my tanks pretty empty, and when the girls found me in our hotel room, I was pretty beat down. Perhaps Jess described the situation the best: “I will never forget the visual of you lying in bed with a wrapped up, disgusting foot, no voice, peeling dead skin everywhere, and Cinnabon icing all over your face.” A wholly accurate depiction of my haggard, mid-week Boracay self.

After a quick catnap, I was back in full form. Despite still hobbling like Mulan’s father and only being able to wear loafers on the beach (derp), my mind was at ease. I was ready to face another day of relaxation and another night of… ahem, “millennial fun”.

And boy, did we have a lot of “millennial fun”. From Friday until Monday, the girls and I dressed in only our most eye-catching get-ups and hit the White Beach strip for food and fun. Each night started with happy hour specials, animated conversations, and hearty Filipino, Mongolian, or Mexican cuisine. Gradually, we would make our way to one of the numerous night clubs, often frequenting our favourites, Exit Bar and Epic. These nights were complete with regrets about generously redistributing drink tickets to the already inebriated, perfectly timed compliments about button down shirts, Marlboro-induced raspiness, “The Succubus”, early morning motorcycle selfies, disappearing ambivalence about Jennifer Lopez’s recent musical endeavours, and of course, the red bedsheets that changed my life. [Note: I acknowledge that all of the above is vague; deliberately so.]

Personally, I was really lucky to meet someone who melted my heart from the moment we locked eyes on each other. I was truly thrown a life vest on December 27th and I’ve been weak in the knees and and pitter-pattering ever since. Mushy, mushy, mushy. Mahal na mahal na mahal kita, baba. Thank you for always turning down service water, grooming me like your pet, and coining my personal brand, “Graceful Arrogance”. I’ll see you in 6 months. #BoracayOrBust

The girls and I were also really fortunate to link up with a pack of Australian boys from our hostel whom we immediately clicked and partied with for the duration of the week. These boys provided us with endless entertainment and could always be counted on for providing an absurd story or laughing fit.

Oh, and how we laughed. The girls and I had a bad habit of forgetting that we were no longer in Korea, where we talk in depth about topics that would make most people turn away in disgust. Given that the majority of the population in the Philippines speaks English, we had to make sure to put a filter on ourselves. The best moments were when the girls and I would be doubled over laughing about our TOTALLY inappropriate reactions to funerals, heart attacks, and dead pets, or when someone would wonder aloud, completely deadpan, “How long do you think we could actually talk about poop for?” or when we would simply recount the best moments from the night before (“Did you, did you have prawns for dinner?”). Kendall, Jess, and Maddie: You are seriously the most special girls. There are few things better than the three of you.

Our last night and day in Boracay were pretty bittersweet. We started at Epic with shisha and then headed to Summer Place to close the night out. In the morning, I shared a last brunch with my baba, strolled around Boracay one last time, bought some last minute souvenirs, said goodbye to the staff at Isla Gecko, and walked to the main road to hail a trike. Pulling away was really difficult – I really felt like I was leaving the biggest part of me behind. The trip had been a total whirlwind, running the emotional gamut from total exhaustion to sheer, unadulterated bliss. More importantly, I felt completely different. I felt liberated. I somehow felt like a friendlier person. I felt inspired. So many people have told me since my return to Korea that it’s simply a product of the island, the “vacation illusion”, but why should that make the feelings any less true, right?

I’m not going to lie: Readjusting to life in Korea has been a bit rough. The air is dry here and the quality of English compared to the Philippines is less than perfect (and that’s even being generous). My hagwon is in full stress mode: graduation pictures, play practice, song practice, every single day. I’m scrambling to finish all the things on my to do list that I foolishly left until January. Five and a half months into my contract and I’ve truthfully began to feel the slump I was warned about.

But, in those moments when I’m feeling like I couldn’t possibly handle another day in the R.O.K., I just put my hands up in the air, close my eyes, and whisper either “Boracay 2013” or “uh huh, honey!” and I’m transported back to that absurd, incredible, life-changing experience once again. I’m hopeful this system will continue to work until August. My current plan is to return to Boracay once I’ve completed my teaching contract, which means six more months! After that point, I am leaving everything else up to fate. Allowing Boracay Island speak to my innermost desires and going with it. Or perhaps something a little less “New Age”.  Again, will inform.

Don’t forget, everyone: Breathe life, love life, trust life, and of course, namaste.

Christmas cuddles with my angel pies

The sandiest Christmas yet!

My beach babes

Welcome to Glazedville, Population: Me

About that life ~*~

The dangers of arriving at dinner two and half hours BEFORE happy hour ends…

My angels and I chasing the sunset

Just look at that ravaged face

Underwater camera? #Blessed

Bless you, Boracay

Billowing smoke for our last night

Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

It seems unlikely that I am the first foreigner teaching in Busan to weep over the end of beach season, but that doesn’t mean it’s any easier to let it go. “How will I possibly spend weekends? Where will I get my stunning views of the water now?”

Eventually, these questions began to seem pretty trivial given the beautiful landscape of Busan, and even more trivial when I Googled “the best attractions Busan has to offer” and came across the beautiful Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple, located on the East Sea.

After a strenuous hike up Jangsan Mountain and (another) night out in KSU the day and night before, Matt and I met up with Mary bright and early Sunday morning at Haeundae Station and caught the bus toward the temple. This was actually my first time taking a bus in Busan, and quite possibly, my last. The stops are reliable enough, but the driver’s ability to man the wheel were slightly reminiscent of Leslie Mann in The 40 Year Old Virgin, and reified that I am a subway/taxi person.

After approximately a 25 minute bus ride, we were let off in an oddly suburban area; however, a large granite stone with “Haedong Yonggungsa Temple” let us know that we were in the right place. After a short 5 minute walk, we approached a tiny market. Tempting aromas and the sound of shrill Korean floated around the tight space, as tourists stuffed their faces and bartered for tiny trinkets.

Shortly past the busy market were the expected and the unexpected: a line of life-size statues of the 12 zodiac signs with kneeling practitioners of Buddhism offering prayers represented the former; a towering ivory pagoda established for the purpose of “traffic safety prayers” represented the latter.

Like the inquisitive tourists/goats we are, Matt, Mary, and I followed a long line of people down a seemingly never-ending flight of stairs towards the rocky coast of the East Sea. Note: Upon researching further for the purposes of this blog, I learned that there were in fact exactly 108 steps, a sacred and recurring number in Buddhism. As we worked our way down the steps at a glacial pace, we caught a quick glimpse of the striking coastline, which illustrated exactly why this temple is a top tourist destination in Busan. The water is an absurd, almost unimaginable shade of cerulean, made even more pristine in juxtaposition to the craggy rocks.

One way to take your mind off the long line is a coin launching bridge called the Lucky coin divination. Simply take a coin from your pocket and try to launch it into the basins below. Be careful not to launch your smartphone into the gorge below like the foolish gentleman just out of frame in the picture above.

The intricately designed temple and various shrines at Haedong Yonggungsa are stunning, especially to those unfamiliar with Buddhist temple architecture. Other highlights include a pair of life-size golden pigs, and two giant golden statues of Buddha, including a Movember themed one that I will be modeling my lip sweater after this year.

Additionally, there is a nice, albeit somewhat informal path that leads to the Busan Fisheries Science Museum and allows you to walk around the coast of Busan. According to the maps, this hike around the seawall can take approximately 10h. Note: The girls and I attempted this hike northward last weekend and it is somewhat haphazard. Try a mountain trail instead.

Overall, the Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple is one of the most awe-inspiring sites I’ve visited so far in Busan. I have every intention to visit again. During Buddha’s birthday. With a professional camera. At sunset. How’s that for wanderlust?

Directions
To get to the Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple, take Line 2 (green line) on the Busan Subway to Haeundae (stop 203). Go out exit 1 and take Bus 181 until you get to Yonggungsa Temple (located on the right side). The temple is 5 minute walk from the bus stop. Admission is free, but bring money for the market!

Entrance to the temple

Lucky Coin Divination

Pretty temple

Buddha and his mo

Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda

My derps and I

Dudley the Dragon (named by me)

Busan International Film Festival

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Red carpets and talent and world cinema, oh my! The 18th Annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) took place this year from October 3rd to 12th and I was wholly excited to have the festivities unfolding around me (I work around the corner from the Busan Cinema Centre, the essential headquarters of BIFF) and to experience my first ever film festival.

The first film viewing I attended was a South African film titled Durban Poison, at the CGV Theatre in Shinsegae. Given that the ticket was purchased for me last minute, I didn’t have much time to research the film or director, so I walked into the dim theatre with no expectations. This ended up working in my favour because I wasn’t disappointed (just annoyed) when the film turned out to be a colossal waste of my time. The premise was simple enough: a gangster and a prostitute fall in love, take to the open road, commit some brutally heinous crimes, are arrested, and then retell their story to the police officer on the case. The film is told in a non-linear fashion, which I normally love (hello, LOST, anyone?) but in this case, many of the flashback scenes felt superfluous and seemed to drag out the relatively short 94 minute film. I began to expect a slow build-up with a big payoff at the end, but it never arrived.

As a rule of thumb, if I’m thinking about all of the things I could have accomplished in lieu of watching a film while the credits roll, it’s safe to say I won’t recommend it to others. I scoffed at the notion of staying for the panel discussion after the film finished, but was told that the director, Andrew Worsdale, seemed slightly intoxicated, inarticulate, and almost bored with his own work. I can’t say I blame him on the intoxication front – had the concession stand offered super-sized flasks, I likely would have purchased two and stolen my neighbour’s cup holder for the occasion.

Final thoughts on Durban Poison: Whoever claimed that this film was reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde needs their head examined. If I hadn’t been amongst mixed company, I would have left the theatre about 25 minutes in. It’s not even worth the effort to give a double thumbs down. Spend your money on Cass and double fist instead.

Determined to not feel slighted so early into BIFF’s run, I began searching for a suspenseful thriller. I opted for a thriller because I wanted a film in stark contrast to Durban Poison – a quick, unpredictable pace; a protagonist whose well-being I actually cared about; and the potential to cause me actual stress (all the best movies can do this – read: Argo and Gravity). Eventually, I settled upon a South Korean film, Intruders, by the acclaimed Korean director Noh Youngseok. His first film, a comedy titled Daytime Drinking, was hugely popular in Korea in 2008, and I was intrigued to see how a popular comedy director’s style would translate into a thriller. I eagerly purchased a ticket for the film showing at the Busan Cinema Centre on the second Thursday of the festival.

The premise of Intruders was a simple murder mystery. The protagonist, a 30something year old writer from Seoul travels to a quiet, remote cabin to finish a script, but instead has a few disturbing run-ins with some locals and later houses a group of (wholly unsympathetic) skiers. After a member of the ski troupe is savagely gutted, the film becomes a heart-racing, hands-over-your-face, jump from your seat whodunnit. The film was incredibly well-paced, often hilarious, and totally unpredictable, capturing and holding my attention for the entire time. Once the film concluded, I had an intense feeling of satisfaction. I excitedly stayed for the panel discussion and along with two other English foreigners, was graciously provided with a translator (the panel was conducted in Korean). The director acknowledged that the film was a vast departure from his freshman effort, and revealed that Intruders was inspired by events in his own life. The panel was super informative and I wish I had been brave enough to ask a question, but I left the theatre excited that my entire BIFF experience had not been a total bust.

Final thoughts on Intruders: Filled with lots of foreshadowing and red herrings, Intruders is evocative of a Hitchcock film or an Agatha Christie novel. The perfect balance of comedy and terror, this gripping thriller is not recommended for those who have recently chugged a 2.0L water bottle – you will not want to leave to relieve yourself. See this film when you can (but good luck because it is not online anywhere)!

My experience with BIFF was slightly hot and cold given that I was only able to watch two films, but I don’t feel as though my experiences were necessarily unique. Film festivals will always need to fill screens and seats, and not every filmmaker will be able to churn out a film that every person will enjoy. There were some disappointments (anticipated films such as The Fifth Estate and Prince Avalanche selling out in minutes, only being able to purchase tickets in person for film showings on that day, an apparent lack of evening screenings, etc.) but overall, BIFF offered great exposure to how directors from other countries approach and deconstruct the film genres of the day and was a great excuse to watch something other than The Perks of Being A Wallflower on my laptop.

18th Annual BIFF Recap:

Durban Poison (South Africa): 1 star (★)
Intruders (South Korea): 5 stars (★★★★★)

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) occurs every year during the first and second week of October at select theatres throughout Centum City (Line 2, stop 206) and Haeundae-gu, Busan.

Durban Poison

Intruders

BIFF Boy

Jangsan Puppy Cafe

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

If forced to compile a list of “The Best Things About Korea”, mine might look a little absurd. That’s because most of the best things here are a bizarre and fascinating variation of what is already familiar to life in Canada.

A perfect example of said “bizarre and fascinating variation” is the puppy cafe. Korea takes your daily caffeine habit to the next level, asking “why just drink your soy latte when you can drink your soy latte and THEN get your face licked by a bounding black lab?” An age old question, really.

A stroke of good fortune with my hagwon placed me in an apartment complex five minutes away from the Jangsan Puppy Cafe, otherwise known as Angel D.O.X. After 6 weeks in Busan, I figured it was time to take full advantage of my close proximity. Fuelled up from a Saturday morning of beach yoga and sundubu jigae, I headed to the Jangsan Puppy Cafe with Jess and Maddie, and our two friends, Maritza and Steph, who were visiting from Canada at the time.

The ground floor of Angel D.O.X. is a pet shop, equipped with everything a dog owner could possibly ever need and everything a prospective dog owner could ever want because THERE IS A GIANT GLASS WALL OF ADORABLE, TINY, YAWNING AND GENERALLY DERPY PUPPIES LINING THE FRONT OF THE STORE. After bowing to the cashier who graciously mopped our melted hearts off the floor, we ascended the flight of stairs on the left and were immediately greeted by a roaming black pup and an indifferent Siamese cat. Peering around the puppy gates, the five of us were thrilled to see a half dozen lapping dogs milling about the cafe’s open space. We knew we were among good, albeit furry, company.

Angel D.O.X. is a perfectly economical way to kill a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. The fare is 8,000 won (approximately $7.50CAD) to enter, and that includes a hot or cold drink of your choice, (they can make any espresso-based coffee, tea, etc.) an unlimited buffet of pastries and desserts, and the opportunity to play with approximately eight dogs. There is a sizable playpen where the dogs hang out with patrons (read: lovingly maul the patrons) and a half dozen picnic-style tables next to the large windows which offer a lot of natural light. There is even a sink to wash your hands in between playing with the dogs and eating your pastries, as well as a (likely suicidal) cat with dyed paws that struts around the cafe, hating life.

The best part about a visit to Angel D.O.X. is that there are no pesky poop bags, no groggy 3AM dog walks around your local eco-park, and no guilt for locking the poor canine in a cage when you just need a break after work. Puppy cafes are truly the best of both worlds. Note: I did, however, sit on the ground and slide my hand through a puddle of dog urine for a hot sec – truly the only downside of the entire visit. Accidents happen, people!

Beyond being cute and energetic and amazing, numerous studies have cited dogs as a form of stress relief. Dogs are basically furry angels, providing serotonin overdoses, one unhealthy world citizen at a time. Dogs do the body good, so what other reason do you need to walk, skip, or run down to your nearest puppy cafe?!

Directions
To get to the Jangsan Puppy Cafe take Line 2 (Green Line) on the Busan Subway to Jangsan Station (stop 201). Go out exit 3 and the cafe is directly across the street from Tous Les Jours.

Jess getting cozy with a dog named “Nipz”

Slobbery selfie

Comedy, tragedy

Same

Little Boo

Safe to say I was the happiest boy in all of Busan that Saturday

The happiest boy in Busan

YoMoSoFlow Playlist

I hate November; I loathe it with every fibre of my being. Everything about it feels so gray and gloomy. November for me is sort of like the middle child between the eldest, October, with its colourful foliage and cool breezes, and the youngest, December, with its commanding white, snowy majesty. It seems to read “middle child inferiority complex” all over its sullen face. I actually already documented my disdain for November during my senior year of university for a Montreal-based online magazine, Leacock’s (read here), so you know that I am a true November abolitionist, in favour of striking it from the collective consciousness altogether.

However, much like the approach I employed two years ago, I am choosing to embrace this misunderstood, penultimate, Gloom of a month. Beyond establishing an actual blogging schedule and reading more, I have multiple projects and activities I’m working on during November.

Practicing our setu bandha sarvangasana or bridge pose in front of Gwangan Bridge

First, alongside Jess, I will be doing a 30 Day Yoga Challenge. Both of us purchased a 1 month YogaGlo subscription, a fantastic website that allows you to make selections based on style, level, duration, and even by yoga instructor. My goal is fifteen 30 minute flows and fifteen 60 minute flows for the month – almost a full day of yoga. I’m *so* excited to get my asana on!

Brittany Teacher examining my beautiful handiwork…

Second, I’ve taken up the noble sport of knitting. I visited a yarn store in Gupo Market last weekend and bought some (admittedly weak) chenille fabric to make a scarf for the impending Busan winter winds. I’ve already managed to mess up my stitches and the scarf is riddled with holes and is generally imperfect, but I’m choosing to look at the holey mess as a metaphor for my life: a work in progress. Plus, it’s got this joint Slytherin-Ravenclaw sort of vibe, meaning I’ll wear it whenever I’m feeling ruthless or crafty and will pair it with a cloak or a wry smile.

Memories of the 2012 dad-stache in the beloved #Br0Mansion

Third, for the fourth year in a row, I will be sporting the always stylish dad-stache as a Movember participant. Now, in the past I’ve focused more on simply growing the moustache for two simple reasons: first, it brings awareness to a great cause; second, it allows me to explore the limitations of my hideous facial hair over the course of a month where the mockery I endure from others is more tolerable than in any other month. This year, I’m making an active effort to raise some funds (read: SPAMMING YOU ON EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL IMAGINABLE). If you’d like to donate to me as an individual, please check out my personal “Mo Space” here; otherwise, I really encourage you to donate to someone. Everyone knows someone affected by cancer so help spread the word, donate some chump change, or join the cause as a MoBro or MoSista!

Let’s explore nature instead of our esophageal limits!

Finally, the girls and I are engaging in the hottest new trend: autumnal sobriety! #SOvemBER will be an entire month dedicated to 2.0L bottles of water, protein shakes, and good old-fashioned, non-spiked, virgin orange juice. We’re opting for breezy, power hikes around the Busan seawall and temple visits as opposed to inebriated stumbles around KSU and toilet visits. See you in December/the Philippines, alcohol.

So, in the spirit of (YO)ga, (MO)ustaches, and (SO)briety, I’ve compiled the YoMoSoFlow playlist. These six remixes will last for a 30 minute flow and are the perfect motivation to get your asana on. Namaste!

Reachin’ for those November goals, y’all

Playing House – Active Child ft. How To Dress Well (Houses Remix)

Sweet Talk – Jessie Ware (Saux Remix)

Lion – Four Tet (Jamie xx Remix)

Youth – Daughter (Alle Farben Remix)

Tennis Court – Lorde (Cymbol 303 Remix)

Ride – Lana Del Rey (Barretso Remix)

Busan International Fireworks Festival

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

When I first arrived in Busan, a departing teacher from my hagwon mentioned her most unforgettable moments from her 16 months in Busan. “Oh, and do not miss the fireworks festival at the end of October,” she said, “it’s one of the best events of the year.” I eagerly stored this little nugget of information away in my travel notebook, added it to my Bucket List, blinked my eyes, and somehow ended up three months into the future, on a chilly October evening BECAUSE TIME IS MOVING AT WARP SPEED.

This past Saturday marked the 9th Annual Busan International Fireworks Festival, one of the most popular tourist attractions and busiest nights of the year. The fireworks show takes place at Gwangalli Beach, incorporates the second largest bridge in all of Korea (Gwangan), and leaves the general population of Busan in jaw-dropping, fly-catching awe. Having spoken to multiple people about what a sardine can the beach turns into every year, Jess, Maddie and I began to reevaluate just where we would go to view the show. The idea of being pushed and shoved and stepped on by hoards of ajummas was not super appealing to any of us.

Luckily, we stumbled upon a solution to literally elevate ourselves out of the masses: ascending 40 minutes up Mount Geumnyeonsan, a mountain chain offering a stunning panoramic view of Gwangan Bridge and the surrounding area (check out some visuals on Busan for 91 Days).

Unsure about exactly how busy the mountain would be, Maddie, Jess, and Mary got a head start and secured a prime area at the observatory atop the mountain. The latecomers, including Kendall, Terri, Claire, and myself followed about 30 minutes later. This turned out to be a blessing and a curse: not knowing any better, our foursome opted for more rugged terrain and took the path through the forest as opposed to continuing up the paved road. Given that I was in skinny jeans and brogues, I prayed to Meryl that the inevitable thigh chafing and baby toe blisters would be vindicated once our ascent was complete. However, the blessing: the trail was truly serene and offered fantastic views of Busan throughout the hike. Certainly a hike I would recommend with a professional camera.

Eventually, after nearly 40 minutes of our faux-barbershop quartet that panted, grunted, moaned, and snarled instead of harmonizing, we reached the observatory. Our little group of seven munched on snacks, rehashed evenings in Busan, gossiped, and hid our frozen bodies beneath blankets – it was essentially a sleepover atop Mount Geumnyeonsan.

After nearly 2 hours of waiting and several false alarms (read: test fireworks), the show began. Peering out from the lookout down onto the city, lit up and pulsing, was so awe-inspiring. It also put me in a very silly mood, although, this could be attributed to the mass amount of candy I consumed directly before. To give you an idea: I was that obnoxious foreigner “oooohing” and “ahhhhing” when shrimpy, unimpressive fireworks would go up and also the dude loudly singing the Bellas’ final performance from Pitch Perfect. At the end of the night, I had fun and that’s what matters, right? *silence*

Having watched The Busan International Fireworks Festival from what felt like the top of the world, my former coworkers’ attestation that this was one of the most unforgettable nights of the year was so incredibly authentic. The city is abuzz, whether on the beach, on the mountain, or from an apartment complex. If you happen to be in Busan in late October 2014, add it to your Bucket List, too!

Directions
To get to Mount Geumnyeonsan, take the Busan Subway Green Line (Line 2) to Geumnyeonsan Station (stop 210) Mountain Station. Walk straight out of exit #3, and turn right once you hit the McDonald’s, away from the beach. It is about a 15 minute walk from Geumnyeonsan Station to the base of the mountain. The ascent is about 40 minutes.

My pretty angels up on their cloud

My little Chico chicka and I all bundled up

Fireworks over Gwangan Bridge

Sitting with the best seats in the city

Bijindo Island

This is a Korean Bucket List post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Oh, look! Another blog post themed “Holy Moly, These Experiences Were Multiple Weeks Ago And Yet I’m Only Getting Around To Writing About Them Now!” Oy gevalt.

That being said, I am writing this post with such enthusiasm that I’m almost certain my Korean co-teachers are shooting me icy glares in the staff room for typing with such force. But guess how little I care? I care so little that I could be mistaken for Meryl Streep as she gave her 2012 Best Actress Oscar speech for “The Iron Lady”. We’re talking “But, whatever” levels here, people.

So, why the enthusiasm? It’s because I get to relive all of the memories of a magical, deserted island that I visited at the beginning of September called Bijindo!

This brief weekend sojourn to Bijindo transpired pretty organically: One day, in our (Matt Corby-themed) Facebook thread, Maddie and Jess suggested taking a weekend trip somewhere in Korea and subsequently posted a link to this CNN article describing a beautiful island off the southern tip of Busan “where time stops”. The descriptions and photos of Bijindo in the article made the choice to visit an easy one (i.e. ‘A powdery white strip of white sand tethers two ends of Bijindo together’ and ‘Locals call the island “Miindo”, which means “beautiful island” (no brainer)’).

Before the girls and I knew it, we were on the metro to Sasang, on the bus to Tongyeong, in a cab to the Tongyeong Ferry Terminal, and finally, on the ferry to Bijindo. The day was a little stormy and gray and I remember thinking, “well, this is just going to be an expensive way to get soaking wet.” Once we set foot onto the island, this annoyance immediately dissipated. A tall red lighthouse and a tiny village greeted us as the rain began to come down. After wandering around the first tiny village, a kind local pointed us to a paved path leading to the second inhabited village on the island. Donning the McGill poncho that I received nearly 5 years ago (almost to the day!) during frosh, the girls and I began the trek to the other side of the island.

Despite the rain, the walk was an enjoyable one. We passed several small gardens and fields with crops that smelled of black tea with butterflies flitting about with wet wings. Eventually, we entered the second village in search of a pension. One of the first buildings we came across was a beautiful villa style building called The Sea Pension. We were informed that a room was ₩120,000 (₩40,000 each between the three of us). Our modest, but homey room had a spectacular view of the mountain at the other end of the island as well as the beautiful pension courtyard below. After drying off, taking a few iPhone selfies, and settling into our digs for the next 24 hours, the pension’s innkeeper prepared a delicious BBQ meal for us in the pavilion below. [Note: There are very few places to eat on Bijindo. There are a couple of bungalows that sell beer, water, chips, ramyeon, cookies, and other rations, but I would recommend bringing enough food for the duration of your trip!] Afterwards, we equipped ourselves with our cool weather gear (the rain had finally stopped at this point) and cameras and ventured off into the great unknown.

Wandering around the village was a peculiar experience – there was literally one road in the entire village; dozens of abandoned, peeling, and decrepit bungalows; former public buildings with large gates barricaded not with deadbolts but by large boulders tied with a rope; and a giant trash heap housing a family of puppies, henceforth known as the “Trash Puppy Family”.

After exploring the village and watching some of the locals performing their daily fishing and farming duties, we headed toward the beach to watch and photograph the sunset. A spectacular moment where I believe we all felt as though we could get used to the island life.

In the evening, the girls and I made ramyeon, watched some Korean game shows, had some heart-to-hearts, and then called it an early night in anticipation of the sunrise the next morning.

4:30AM rolled around too early and perhaps if we had any Internet service on the island, we would have known that the sun didn’t actually rise until closer to 6AM… but up we rose like zombies to descend the hill into the village. We explored a few of the docks and patiently waited for the sun to rise, as a half dozen ajummas and ajusshis walked by to get an early start on their trawlers. Just as exhaustion began to set in, Mr. Golden Sun began to peak out from behind the numerous rolling mountains. Rather than do an injustice to how magical this moment was, I will simply let the photos below speak for themselves.

After a 3 hour nap, the girls and I rose yet again to get in a quick hike up the towering mountain laid out before us. More tea and vegetables fields greeted us as we began the winding ascent, more colourful butterflies, and craggy rocks, and general island majesty. We even came across some (creepy) grave sites and a beautiful temple tucked away off the beaten trail. Since checkout was just before noon, we were without enough time to make it to the peak but found time to bathe our salty bodies in the crystal clear water.

Quick showers, last minute packing, and a heartfelt thank you to the staff at The Sea Pension and we set off yet again to the first village of Bijindo. While we waited for our ferry to arrive, the girls and I reflected on our pasts and futures in Montreal and Toronto, and I was suddenly very happy to have grown so close with both Jess and Maddie in such a short amount of time. So often we never really appreciate the circumstances in which we become to kindred to others. Jess and Maddie: I am so fortunate to have your friendships on this crazy Korean roller coaster ride. Love you both, my prettiest pussies!

One small heart attack later (we thought we had missed our ferry) the three of us sat at the stern of the vessel and watched the island become smaller and smaller. As a kind Korean man snapped a photo of us on my disposable, I couldn’t help but realize that this photo will likely be hanging up in my room in Toronto next year, then in a photo album in my first house, and eventually will become a faded and distant memory of that first weekend in September when I was freshly 23 living abroad in Asia. “One day that will be bittersweet,” I thought, “but not today.”

Travel Information:

Take Line 2 (green line) to Sasang (stop 227). Exit the metro and enter the Sasang bus terminal (Sasang Station). Buses usually leave from Sasang to Tongyeong every 10-20 minutes, take less than 2 hours to Tongyeong, and cost approximately ₩20,000 for a round trip. Take a 10 minute cab ride through Tongyeong to the Ferry Terminal. Ferries to Bijindo leave from the Tongyeong Ferry Terminal three times a day at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. It’s a good idea to bring your passport number as they request it for the ferry ride. Round trip tickets cost approximately ₩15,000 ($13.50) and take about 50 minutes.

Special Edition Taylor Swift “Red Lighthouse”

A view from the top

Just three monkeys, derpin’ about

The Sea Pension

~Live, Love, Laugh~

Won’t you come on out to play?

Namaste

On our hiking grind

Bye, bye, beautiful Bijindo

Trash Puppy Family needs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Just a millennial abroad

Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun?

The setting sun over Bijindo

The Weeknd(s)

Guys, I have been having a time in South Korea.

I mean, I work hard during the week to shape the next generation of Korean minds, it only seems fair that I should play hard in the playground that is Busan, right?

And what a playground it is! If you suck at geography, Busan is located at the southernmost tip of the Korean peninsula and is the second largest city in South Korea with a population of about 3.6 million in the metropolitan city proper. The city is all beaches and mountains and Starbucks and gimbap shops on every corner and general delight.

But in actual reality: HOW HAVE I POSSIBLY BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS / 87 DAYS? It’s so absurd to think about.

Anyway. I had originally planned this blog post to be about my first two weekends in Busan and then that gradually stretched to include the first five… and now 6 weeks later this blog post is feeling a little moot BUT it’s half-written and I am not a quitter and WOW my writing has taken a dip LOOK AT THIS RUN-ON SENTENCE. Okay. Proceeding now…

Weekend 1 (August 2nd-4th)

After a week of adjusting to the minor culture shock I experienced upon arriving in South Korea (read: naively thinking that a large metropolitan would have more (proficient) English speakers than I actually encountered) and exploring Haeundae-gu, I met up with some beautiful McGill friends also teaching in Busan, Jess and Maddie. It was the most surreal experience greeting (and bear hugging!) them outside of the Gwangan metro station. Although I haven’t been nearly as culture shocked as I was in Europe three summers ago, it was definitely nice to see some familiar faces!

The girls and I headed to a cute little Korean BBQ place in Gwangan called Sorrei, and Jess was sweet enough to cut and cook our entire meal. This dinner was also supremely educational, as the girls schooled me in Korean culture. Highlights include learning to yell “yeogie” (which means “here”) at any server in your general vicinity when you need more food or water, and the girls’ mantra of “Just Get Weird in Korea” (i.e. Saying “saranghae”, which means “I love you” in Korean, to cab drivers/total strangers, smiling like escaped mental patients at small children in the streets, etc.)  Accepting that I’m essentially a zoo animal for the next year in Korea has been quite liberating actually, and I’ve found that there’s nothing better than making a happy little ajumma or ajusshi beam with your silly antics in the streets or on the subway.

After my education and an extremely heavy meal at Sorrei, we proceeded to drink at the 7/11 across from the beach. This may sound bizarre, but 3 months later I still love it (despite the cold). The girls concocted a delicious jungle juice, comprised of Cass beer, various Korean brand energy drinks, and soju, a native Korean liquor similar to vodka but made from rice, wheat, or other starches. After some McGill-based gossip over two Dixie cups of jungle juice each, the girls and I headed over to the Kyungsung University (KSU) area (big foreigner hub) surprisingly tipsy. Our first stop was Eva’s Ticket, where I met new friends David and Dylan (henceforth known in this and all future blog posts as “Chocolate Milkshake” and “D-Emu”) and subsequently destroyed their undefeated regulation beer pong record with Jess. It was a momentous occasion, that I apparently celebrated by buying flaming shots for everyone in my general vicinity (I completely don’t remember this, but I did eventually pay the $60,000 (KRW) tab for it like a good boy).

After some stunning digestive pyrotechnics outside of Eva’s (I hope you all get this reference from my favourite 90s film) and A MELON POP (otherwise known as the best popsicle ever invented) we headed to dance at a club called Blue Monkey and ended the night with a shwarma reward in the heart of KSU. A successful Friday night in Busan…

… Followed by a throbbing head and severe dry-mouth Saturday afternoon. The girls, being such little smarties, took me to Spaland for some much needed rejuvenation. This being my first time in a jjimjilbong I had no idea what to expect, and was even more confused when Jess and Maddie dropped this line: “Oh, just get completely naked in the baths. Like.. you’ll look weirder if you don’t. Okay, bye! We meet you in the lobby in 45 minutes.” Following the girls’ clear instructions, I stripped down and followed the (naked, Korean) masses into the baths where I was greeted by well, nudity. Slightly jarring at first, but you sort of just slip into the baths (either sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride) of varying temperatures and make uncomfortable eye contact. Despite the flopping genitals you’ll encounter at every corner, it’s actually supremely relaxing to melt into the baths, close your eye, and let the flowing water heal what ails you (9 times out of 10, it’s soju).

Our Spaland regimen is pretty typical these days: The girls and I part ways to do the gender segregated baths for about 45 minutes, throw on our BALLIN’ Spaland outfits and meet in the lobby, then check to see what film is playing in the cinema room, hit up the massage chairs (which are $2 for 20 minutes?!?! It’s literally robbery…), maybe grab a drink or some patbingsu (aka the BEST DESSERT EVER INVENTED containing ice shavings, sweet red beans, condensed milk, ice cream, etc, etc.), hit some of the sauna rooms, foot baths, and sometimes dinner in the restaurant. Spaland is approximately $14 CAD to enter (14,000 Korean won) and then any purchase you make with the little bracelet key they provide you is paid at the fare adjustment bureau after you leave. These days patbingsu and the massage chairs are non-negotiable, so you’re looking to spend at least $6 CAD, so $20 altogether with the entrance fee. That’s like two drinks on a Saturday night y’all and at least I’m doing my body good, right?

On the Sunday, the girls took me to Haeundae Beach for my first time, introducing me to a couple of new friends, as well as Mr. Haeundae who is somewhat of a Busan celebrity. He sports a banana hammock, is absurdly tanned, and is constantly surrounded by a swarm of ridiculously ripped Korean dudes who are more oiled up than my pores post-Spaland sauna.

The minor culture shock I had experienced only 6 days earlier had dissipated almost as quickly as it had set in after this first transitory weekend into Busan life, thankfully. To close the weekend out in ~lols~fashion, we hit TGIFridays, “just because”, with a few friends and then headed home for an early night before my first official day of school the next morning!

Weekend 2 (August 9th-11th)

After my first week as “Dylan Teacher”, I was ready for some rest, relaxation, rejuvenation, and raring fun. I met the girls before their YogaGLO at Gwangan Beach, and rented a small umbrella since Mr. Golden Sun was sizzling. This was an incredibly exciting weekend because it is when I met the lovely Miss Rose Duggan for the first time! Rose is Jess and Maddie’s friend (first, chronologically) who, at this point, was trekking across southeast Asia and decided to stop in to Busan for a quick hello. We grabbed lunch at Sharky’s on the beach and were served by the epically awkward/causally rude Aussie dude who will forever be a reminder that “just drinking water isn’t going to pay his daughter’s tuition”.

After the girls left for yoga, Rose and I got the opportunity to get to know each other, our mutual acquaintances in Montreal and Toronto, and general derpy stories (more from me than little Rosiepoo, but you know). In addition, we saw some spectacular Busan beach wear (read: a Speedo, paired with an ascot and arm sleeves only) and a Korean couple taking a romantic, late afternoon walk… with their pet snake. This is Korea, y’all, where the motto is “BECAUSE, WHY NOT?”

Later that night, we headed to Seomyeon (another large nightlife hub in Busan) to predrink at Chocolate Milkshake’s stunningly large, well-stocked apartment. The Grey Goose and soju was mightily flowing, to say the least. Afterwards, we headed to Haeundae for a little Thursday Party action, before heading to my first Korean club, Tao. Club Tao is situated just off of the beach, nestled in behind the Paradise Hotel. The actual club is a series of multilevel platforms packed with the claustrophobic and “two left footers” combined, winding balconies with wallflowers perched upon them, watching the festivities unfold, and the heart of darkness – the club’s epicentre, where the girls and I obviously positioned ourselves for a night of fun. Despite being told otherwise, the girls and I kept on climbing on top of the platform at the front of the club, entered numerous VIP lounges and helped ourselves to drinks, and generally wreaked havoc. I could tell you more about this adventure, but for those of you who know me, simply ask to see my iPhone camera reel the next time I see you.

Sunday morning is now known as “The Day I Woke Up In An Elevator In A Building I Didn’t Live In”. That’s pretty much all I have to say about that. The weekend ended as all the best weekends do: declining an invitation to lay hungover at the beach with friends, eating ice cream, hungover, with the Real Housewives of Vancouver in bed. YOLO.

Gwangbokjeol (August 15th)

After only 8 days of properly teaching English at my hagwon, I was surprised with my first (of many) Korean public holidays, Gwangbokjeol, which is Korea’s Independence Day from Japanese colonial rule.

The girls and I headed to Songjeong Beach for what was intended to be a day of some rest and relaxation in the name of Korean liberation under the sizzling sun. Instead, we unleashed our inner contortionists and performed some acroyoga for the locals. This was my first time doing any sort of yoga and was pleasantly surprised by the results. This is undoubtedly the weekend which sparked my interest/obsession in/with yoga.

Weekend 3 (August 16th-18th)

My third weekend in Korea was spent with the girls in Seoul. Given that this was my first real experience travelling in Asia, I was excited to say the least. Not so excited, however, to arrive at the KTX train station but 6 minutes before our train left (sorry again, Jess and Maddie). Once we arrived, we headed straight to Myeongdong, one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul (Fun fact: Myeongdong apparently houses the only Forever 21 in all of Korea. Neat!) In Myeongdong, we met up with Chris, another McGillian, who was visiting his brother and the homeland.

After some lunch, we explored Myeongdong and then headed to the beautiful Cheonggyecheon Stream. We listened to some Koreans playing guitar, watched children running around carefree, and had some heart-to-hearts. This was such a serene moment and definitely my favourite memory of Seoul.

Afterwards, we met Chris’s brother, Justin and their mom for dinner in Insadong. The food was delicious (the Im family knows how to pick incredible dishes) and we got to talk to Mrs. Im about her experiences growing up in Busan and how it has changed.

Once parting ways with Justin and Mrs. Im, Maddie, Jess, Chris, and I headed to Itaewon for some casual drinks and stumbled across a Canadian bar with some incredibly obnoxious patrons. We ended up just playing Heads Up! for the majority of the evening, and hopping from pub to lounge to pub.

At the end of the night, we said goodbye to Chris, and headed to Jess and Maddie’s favourite jjimjilbong in Korea, Dragonhill Spa, slightly inebriated. We stayed the night in the spa because yes, you can do that at select spas in Korea. This turned out to be the worst nights sleep for me, but it was way cheaper than a hostel, so, pick your battles. We woke up and did the baths and then headed back to Busan on the fast train at midday. Given that I was only in Seoul for about 30 hours, I am looking forward to heading back in 2014 at some point, likely for Ultra Music Festival!

Weekend 4 (August 23rd-25th)

After three weekends in a row of late nights and “living while we’re young”, the girls and I agreed that a little geriatric living was in order. On Saturday morning, in the pouring rain, we headed to yoga in Seomyeon. This was my first proper yoga class and I was slightly worried about being that sweaty guy, that gassy guy, that uncoordinated guy. Luckily, I was only 2/3 (I’ll leave you to guess which). This is also the first time I met our beautiful yoga instructor, Amanda, who is the sweetest woman alive. She has offered free yoga classes for the last five months, is sweet and encouraging, and always comes to massage everyone, no matter how sweaty they are (read: me) during savasana. She is sadly leaving Busan this Saturday to head back to America, but Amanda, if you’re reading this, I love you and am going to miss you an absurd amount!

We ended up grabbing sushi at Sushi Berry in Dongbaek with some fellow yogis, Nate and Kat, who will be joining the girls and I in the Philippines over Christmas break! Afterwards, we headed to a DVD bong, which is a private screening room with blankets and pillows and likely the bodily fluids of Koreans who have used it before you because APPARENTLY these rooms are used for hookups frequently. After the DVD bong, we met with Nate and Kat once more at a delicious hibachi chicken joint called Tango. After too many breadsticks, salad, chicken, and pickles, we called it a night.

To be frankly honest, I don’t remember what we did on the Sunday. There’s a pretty good chance though that it was the beach or Spaland. When in doubt, you know?

23rd Birthday (August 27th)

My birthday fell on a Tuesday here and I really didn’t feel like making a huge thing of it so I kept it hush-hush from my co-workers. After feeling a little gloomy, I told my kindergarten class and they freaked out and started singing happy birthday to me which melted my heart into a thousand pieces. After work, I headed to Hwamyeong, where Jess hosted Maddie and I for a Mexican fiesta. The girls then surprised me with a delicious mug cake (Jess’s special recipe!). Even though my birthday was low-key, I really felt the love and bless from the key players (read: PLAYAS) in Busan. ~mush~

Weekend 5 (August 30th-September 1st)

The last weekend I shall record in this blog was the weekend we celebrated my birthday. The girls and I headed to Gwangan for our regular 7/11 patio times with jungle juice and hung around by a couple of the bars there. The night took a turn for the weird when we were introduced to a guy who shall only be referred to as “Crazy Egg”. Like so many foreigners here, he wasn’t fantastic at picking up on social cues and couldn’t tell that we were trying to escape his wrath for the majority of the evening. Eventually, Demu, Jess, Maddie and I escaped back to Hwamyeong at 6AM.

In the morning, we attempted to fall asleep in a DVD bong with lunch. Our mistake was selecting The Chronicles of Narnia: The Dawn Treader which has the LOUDEST SCORE KNOWN TO MAN, making it impossible to sleep. Another Sunday had come to a close.

Now that you’ve been caught up on these cultural things that I do on a weekly basis and these neighbourhoods you’ve never heard of, I will unceremoniously bid you adieu because the ‘i’ key on my keyboard has fallen off and is boiling my blood. Keep an eye out for LOTS of blog posts this week. Annyeonghi haseyo!

14,000 won has never been so worth it

On the long trek to find the one umbrella-less strip on all of Haeundae Beach

Pre-gaming like we’re back at McGill, Chez David

En route to Club Tao

Showering my babies with alcohol

A little bit of acroyoga at Songjeong Beach

Balancing one of my main b1shes

Toothily excited for some Korean dessert

This is how terrifying I look when I eat patbingsu

Exploring Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul

Perfect day is perfect

Gwanghwamun Square

Playing our new favourite game, Heads Up! – thanks Ellen!

McGill takes Seoul

Just another beachy day, featuring Rose!

Adding a little bounce to the otherwise motionless beach

Baby’s first yoga class

23rd birthday celebrations in Hwamyeong

Gwangalli’d

Pre-drink chez David

Gold Star Songs

Life is a meritocracy. Or at least in my view, it should be. Down with the monarchy, nepotism, or any other system that propels, promotes, or advances an individual or group for a purpose other than ability or achievement.

I believe the notion of a meritocracy has become more acute over these last five weeks as an English teacher, where I’ve wielded (minimal) authority over young students. If my students do their work, they are rewarded accordingly. Stickers, candies, and praise are showered upon those willing to participate, engage, and behave. It is those students who shall inherit the earth, my earth (and yes, I just made a Kanye West “I Am A God” style metaphor to really drive my point home, get over it).

To return to the idea of a meritocracy: I was (and certainly still am in a number of ways) the “entitled millennial” we all read about in TIME, Forbes, Mashable, etc. It was this notion that was the impetus behind the creation of this blog. I graduated from a good university, (mostly) went to and engaged in my lectures, completed my assignments, was heavily involved in student life, and graduated in the traditional four year time span. As a result, I felt I was owed something along the lines of “swanky corner office on the 45th floor in the big city, followed by an evening of overflowing cocktails at various lounges overflowing with like-minded yuppies”, for my hard work during those fond university years.

Look at the hope in those eyes!

This sense of entitlement, this claim to the so-called “postgraduate promised land” consumed me for an entire year, where I struggled telemarketing, selling software I knew little to nothing about, and dripping sweat while preparing various Japanese dishes. All difficult tasks to master in their own respects, but quite unfulfilling.

It was at this point that two things happened simultaneously. First, I ditched the notion that I was owed anything for working hard for four years upon the realization that the rest of my life will (and should be) about meaningful, hard work. Second, I decided to analyze both my past experiences and my strengths to determine what would I truly enjoy doing as a career (even if only in the short term). It wasn’t long before I arrived at the answer: teaching. I mean, I had worked at summer camps in Ontario and Quebec nearly every summer since the age of 14, and I already had experience teaching English for a summer in Germany and Spain, so it sort of seemed like a no-brainer; I almost kicked myself for not arriving at this conclusion 6 months earlier, but when you are completely overtaken with the entitlement plague, two of the symptoms are blurred vision and a cloudy mind.

After lots of preparation and red tape, we fast forward 7 months later to me, comfortably typing to you from my school in Busan. One of my favourite students just ran by the door, but not before stopping and saying “hi Dylan Teacher!”

I am not exactly positive if teaching as a profession is something I will want to do beyond 2014 when my contract is finished, but I am certainly not discounting it. At this stage, I’m excited to see what teaching will teach me about myself and my strengths and the ways in which I’ll grow over the next 11 months. I’m hopeful the entitlement plague may be eradicated.

Star up, star down: All in a day’s work

This finally brings me back to the original idea of a meritocracy. My students who misbehave usually receive 3 simple warnings before I move their star down on the Star Board. The Star Board is essentially the cover of People magazine in any given class – it tells you who is the most relevant, and who holds the highest status. I’ve gotten into the habit when rewarding my students with a “star up” by saying “A Gold Star for you, [blank]!” in a goofy voice, despite the actual stars being orange, green, pink, or blue. Derp.

Oddly enough, this morning on the metro to work, I noticed that four of the top played songs in my Recently Added folder (otherwise known as the “NEWBZ” playlist) all contain the word “gold” in their title. This was completely coincidental – I discovered one from an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, one from an episode of Orange is the New Black, one from Pitchfork, and one from HypeMachine. All four tracks are completely different in rhythm, tempo, and feel but usually boost me from a silver to a gold star day.

I truly hope the same is true for you. Enjoy!

Rust or Gold – Jill Andrews

Gold – Wake Owl

We Are Golden – Young Wonder x Black Light Dinner

Glitter and Gold – Little Daylight

Hi from Dylan Teacher!

Before you start reading this post, thinking, “wow, this is Dylan’s first post in over a month”, let me just say that I am right there with you and realize that I have neglected Millennial Abroad, like a career-obsessed parent and their latch-key child. Blogging was just so much easier to accomplish in Brockville during those pre-departure days. Chalk this one up to Busan being infinitely more interesting than Eastern Onterrible.

While these next few weeks show no signs of slowing down, I’ve challenged myself to expend more energy maintaining Millennial Abroad (read: at least one post a week). A boy can only eat so much delicious Korean BBQ, sunbathe on so many beaches, and obsess over so many episodes of Orange is the New Black.

I thought an appropriate (first/substantive) topic to blog about would be my occupation as an English teacher, given that’s my primary purpose for relocating to South Korea and where I spend the majority of my time, week-to-week. Without further ado, I will now attempt to describe the first four weeks in the life of my alter ego, “Dylan Teacher” as thoroughly as my limited simian brain can muster. Off we go.

Neighbourhood

The LCI Kids Club logo – “Learn English, Learn the World”

I am working full-time as an ESL teacher at a hawgon (private academy) called LCI Kids Club in Centum City, a fantastic urban development in the heart of Haeundae-gu (‘gu’ means ‘district’ in Korean). Centum City is an absolute dream location. It’s fabulous, chic, and it bustles and rustles with yuppies, fashionistas, and families alike.

Perhaps most notably, Centum City is home to the Shinsegae Centum City Department Store, otherwise known as the largest shopping complex in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. In other words, I scored a teaching contract in one of the foremost areas of Busan and I am super blessed because I am able to frequently stroll through Shinsegae drooling over Armani watches and Prada suits, while wearing $12 loafers from H&M.

The LCI Kids Club elevator, otherwise known as the slowest moving elevator in all of Busan

Shinsegae has over 700 stores, a full-sized ice rink, a CGV Theatre, a four-story golf driving range, a park on the roof, and most importantly, Spaland. If I haven’t already filled you in on Spaland over iMessage, Facebook messages, or Whatsapp, it is a fantastic oasis where this millennial enters most Sundays, a groggy, incoherent, hungover mess, and emerges a refreshed, invigorated, functional member of society, ready to face another week of school. [I will discuss Spaland at length in a future blog post.]

In addition to Shinsegae, Centum City is also home to BEXCO (The Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre, an international convention centre with 8 floors), Dureraum (the Busan film center for Pusan International Film Festival or PIFF), the Busan Design Center, the Lotte Department Store – the list just goes on and on.

The view of Centum City from the Centum Makus building that houses LCI is fantastic: towering skyscrapers and (mostly) clear skies for as far as the eye can see. If you’re in the right classroom at the right moment, you can even see Gwangalli beach. What a sweet life it is.

Classes

No rest for the wicked

My day is broken up into two halves. In the mornings, I teach kindergarten students who are 5-7 years old in Korean years, meaning they are 3-5 years old in Western years. [To be quite honest, I set a reminder in my iPhone to research the Korean age reckoning system weeks ago but have yet to venture down Wikipedia Road. Soon.] In the afternoons, I teach elementary and middle school aged children, between the ages of 6 and 14.

Every school day begins at 10AM. Typically, I have five 35-minute classes in the morning with my kindergarten (or kindy) students, except for Mondays and Wednesdays when I have a crucial break during fourth period. I often take this opportunity to refuel with a soy caramel macchiato, because, if you weren’t aware, working with young children can be absolutely-frickin’-exhausting. In the afternoons, I have two to four 50-minute classes with my elementary and middle school students.

LCI Kids CLub classroom

I teach a variety of classes to my kindy students, including Verbal Academics, Writing, Arts, Story Telling, Picture Story, Musical, and Science.

Verbal Academics focuses on learning vocabulary for a specific unit and asking and answering questions in full sentences. For example, this session we are learning about “Places We Can Live”. My kindy kids (usually) pick up vocabulary words very quickly, but need encouragement to speak in full sentences (i.e. “Do you live in an apartment?” and having them answering “Yes, I live in an apartment” instead of simply “yes”.) This is one of my favourite classes because I teach it to the lowest level English speakers who are coincidentally the most adorable as well. They hang off my arms and legs when I walk into class and yell “teacher, teacher!” and are so eager to show me what little English they know that I often have to mop my melted heart off of the floor. The cutest thing is when they have something really important to tell me but can’t form the proper sentence and what follows is a sequence of jumbled half-English, half-Korean usually followed by a giggle or high-pitched “teacher!”

Slaving away in Writing Class

Writing varies from class to class, depending on their age and English level (1, 2 or 3). I teach from a textbook that focuses on listening exercises, word scrambles, fill-in-the-blanks, and basic letter writing. The majority of the students in my classes are super competitive and always scream out the answer, even when I’ve asked another student who has patiently raised their hand. I usually put on my stern teacher face, but in reality I’m happy to play some part in crafting another generation of SUPER KEENERS. The one thing I do often forget with my kindy kids is how low level they are, so on days when I have not caffeinated myself enough/am in a bad mood, I will poke a little fun at my kids. For example, one of my students the other day wrote “Me sleep on the house”. Beyond the obvious correction of the misused personal pronoun “me”, I proceeded to draw the little tyke sleeping on top of a house to really drive the point home. Silly Dylan Teacher elicited some laughs and, in my opinion, taught a very valuable lesson in the process. I make sure that snark is a key element of my teaching personal brand in every class.

Ajima the Spider

Arts is probably my least favourite class for the simple fact that quickly after explaining the art project, the class switches gears to “watch Dylan Teacher frantically scramble to assemble said art project for 9 different children in 35 minutes to the sounds of said children exclaiming ‘Teacher! Help!’ in the whiniest (but cutest) voices ever”. In addition, there have been too many art projects where my ego has been bruised after incorrectly assembling an art project designed for a 6 year old. Alas, I did make a pretty ballin’ spider for myself (see below) in one art class that I have named Ajima (which also means “mature, older woman” in Korean – don’t read too much into that).

Letting Youtube tell the stories

Storytelling can be fun, but it totally depends on the class (read: any class larger than six is usually a struggle in keeping the attention of all the children). The key to storytelling is picking books with interesting enough pictures to then ask the children questions about because to be frankly honest, they are not listening to the actual content – they are looking for Dylan Teacher to speak in weird voices for the gremlin and the scary lion and for some crazy watercolour paintings. A quick anecdote: The most ridiculous I have felt since arriving in Korea was in storytelling class with my second year kindy students. I noticed the school library had a book by Will Smith titled “Just The Two Of Us”. Little did I know that this was not a story adaptation of the beloved 90s song but rather the lyrics simply implanted in a 13 page storybook. The only thing funnier than reading “Ha ha, I wanna kiss you all the time / But I will test that butt when you cut out of line, tru dat” is reading said prose to a group of seven year old Koreans who literally have no idea why you are doubling over in laughter at the front of the class.

Somehow, I will never forget the “Phone Box” picture story…

Picture Story focuses on one of the primary things I disagree with when it comes to the Korean school system: passive memorization. The premise of this class is that there are two sets of cards; one set that tells the story, one set that has corresponding pictures. The kids basically memorize the story and then match the pictures to the sentences. I don’t really think it adds much to the otherwise strong curriculum and we focus on the same picture story for an entire month, so it can be difficult to find creative ways to teach it every class. This class, truthfully, often devolves into games of hangman where I encourage the proper spelling of vocabulary learned from the picture story.

Musical is one of my favourite classes (and not just because it’s a lot of self-learning)! The kindy kids get so into the musicals, and it’s so adorable seeing them act out the scenes. Each student portrays a different character and reads/sings along with a CD for the first two weeks. After those two weeks, we switch the CD off and it’s time for my little baby birdies to fly free. We are currently working on a Hallowe’en themed musical that the kindys will act out in October and I have already told my Wisdom Class that we will have the best musical of all the classes (I also may have muttered “or else” at the end of that sentence, but as if my kids understood *that* part, right?!)

My boys killin’ it in Science Class

Science is usually a simple experiment that only serves to remind Dylan Teacher that he was a social sciences/humanities student. We usually discuss the experiment and run through the 5 W’s before I begin assembling the students’ work. A quick anecdote: in my Star Class, which are my two youngest students, we learned how light worked. After assembling the tiny lights, my two little boys ran around the classroom with their lights shrieking “angel, angel!” They also made their two lights “kiss”, complete with puckering noises.

My afternoon classes are more advanced and focus heavily on writing and speaking. Given that my afternoon students are between the ages of 7 and 14, I expect more from them, which is often a lot of pressure to place on young kids trying to learn a new language. I really try to remember myself struggling in French classes this time last year when my students have difficulty understanding concepts or write an incoherent sentence. My afternoon classes include Verbal Academics, Writing, and Science, just like the morning, but also included Picture Description, Report Writing, and Debates.

Happiness Class making my heart swell

Picture Description is pretty straightforward: we supply a workbook with a series of different pictures, and talk about what we see. After compiling a list of 15-20 new vocabulary words, my students have to write a series of sentences describing what they see, in as much detail as possible. I have made a really marked effort these past three weeks to correct the students work *with* the student, as opposed to simply marking independently and giving the book back to the student to rewrite because I noticed a lot of the same mistakes week-to-week. It’s too early to say, but I really feel as though the students are benefiting from this new system. I’ve already seen vast improvements and more creative sentences as a result!

These kids go *apeshit* over their stickers

Report Writing and Debates are very similar. Depending on the level of the students, we supply newspapers (Kinder Times, Kids Times, and Teen Times) to the students. Each class, we select a new article to read and discuss. We focus on the 5 W’s and new vocabulary words in Report Writing, while we focus on intellectually stimulating conversation in Debate class. The students are then responsible for crafting a proper essay, with three arguments to support their thesis. It is seriously so refreshing after a morning of speaking in broken English to very young kids, to be able to hold a conversation with students who prove that the system works. One of my students used the word “contentious” last week and it seriously brightened my day.

Pay close attention the the track listing…

Another interesting way we try to teach English to the older students is with pop songs. At the beginning of every class, the students select two songs from a CD to listen and sing along to. Listening to a group of ten year old Koreans sing “Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack”, or “You’re from the 70s, but I’m a 90s bitch” literally never gets old.

Discipline

Discipline within my classes is an everyday struggle. I have mentioned this point to many friends who have inquired what teaching in a foreign country is like: when you’re trying to explain something to a young child in their native language, they can at least comprehend what you are saying, even if they don’t understand your rationality. Trying to discipline kids and explain to them what they did wrong when they don’t speak your language is nearly impossible, because they don’t even comprehend what you’re saying, let alone your rationality.

Students who misbehave lose stars or go “star down” (according to my students)

I think before coming to Busan I had this romantic vision of a sea of obedient young Korean students, expectantly waiting for me to enter the classroom with toothy grins and a big “hello teacher!” in unison. Don’t get me wrong, this is quite often the case – my kindy kids will run up to me and kiss my hands, pat my arm and leg hair (which they are OBSESSED with), and hug me. However, there will be days where I leave my classes hoarse from shouting, quivering with rage. Students who speak Korean after I’ve told them a dozen times that we only speak English in class. Students who say “no” when you ask them to take out their books. Students who showboat and misbehave simply for the attention. Students who fight over the most petty things with other students, be it an eraser, how to pronounce something, or the colour of something in a book. There have been days where I have sat down in the bathroom stall alone between classes just to absorb the quiet.

Beware Dylan Teacher if you break the rules

That all being said, most days I realize that my experiences are not unique. Every single teacher, parent, grandparent, babysitter, older sibling, librarian, or daycare owner has dealt with this, and if anything, I have more respect for that list of people as a result. Weirdly enough, I also have more respect for children. There’s nothing more rewarding than entering a classroom where you know a troublemaker is waiting for you and expecting the absolute worst, only for the bell to ring 35 minutes later, and the student worked quietly, or actively participated in classroom discussions, or provided the right answers to your questions. At the end of the day, the pros far outweigh the cons of the job.

Co-Workers

I have really fantastic co-workers. Everyone was super helpful during my first week when I was completely overwhelmed by the rows and rows of textbooks, teaching schedules, and the often finicky copy machine. I work with three foreign teachers (from the USA, Chile, and Ireland – we’re a diverse bunch) and nine Korean teachers. My head teachers – Lauren and Esther – are incredibly sweet, and encouraging, always willing to patiently listen to any questions or concerns. It’s such a happy and welcoming environment to walk into every day, I feel very lucky to work with the team that I do!

Special Events

Friday August 16th, 2013 – Kindergarten-wide Water Fight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday August 23rd, 2013 – August Birthday Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall Impressions

Starting a new job anywhere is an adjustment, whether in your home country or abroad. I have been incredibly fortunate to find year-long employment in a place where the elevator doors open and I find myself greeted by a sea of smiling children.

It’s still crazy to think that I have already taught for 5 weeks. I am so excited to see what the next 47 weeks have in store for me!