homework sucks

I hate assigning homework. I'm only JUST NOW getting the hang of it because i realize that i'm not really assigning homework for the childrens sake, as much as i'm assigning homework so the parents have something to harangue their kids about. I've gotten complaints from the office about students not being assigned homework. And it's true, I fucking hate homework. I've hated it since I had to DO homework, and I still hate the idea that someone is supposed to be doing work at home for nobody's benefit but their own... and i am FORCED to punish them if they decide not to benefit themselves. But that's school.

I have a website where I can upload homework assignments online. That is purely for the parents to check, then rummage through their kids' backpack looking for results. It's INHUMANE.

[an essay, by Jenny]

Some people prefer traditional style of Korean restaurant and the other prefer fusion style of Western restaurant. There are good points and bad points for each restaurants. Compare those two different styles of restaurants and describe which style of restaurant you would like to invite your friends or family?

To. Dad
Hello dad. You're like traditional style food. and restaurant. But I don't like there. Because Korean restaurant toillet is dirty. Korean food tasty is so so.
Dad, I like Western restaurant . Because Western restaurant food delisous. Stake and spargaty, cheackn. Oh It's delishous.
Dad you don't like Western restaurant, But dad fusion style food is delisohs.
Dad bye bye.
From. Jenny

Pretty obnoxious to tear apart a little girl's letter to daddy with my red pen, but she's gotta learn somehow. Apparently all of the Koreans think Western food is fatty and bad for them. And that Korean food is healthy and filling. Eh, let them think whatever they want. I can tell them that I'm not fat like most Americans, but that's about it.

SPICY

Kiwon's dad (who will henceforth be referred to as "my Korean dad") took me to the grocery store last week and hooked me up with consumables. We got a variety of stuff, including SUPER SPICY RAMEN. I was worried about it being too spicy, so we got medium hot and MEGA HOT. Also picked up a sample of plum juice/tea (which is fantastic) and a Korean rice wine, which is supposed to be like Sake. More noodles, spaghetti sauce, green beans, tuna, and cereal. Also got milk and bread and soup.

Out of all of these groceries, I enjoy the green beans the most. As some of you may know, I enjoying popping open a can and immediately going to work with a fork. This is the taste of home that feels good to indulge mostly because it's healthier than the #2 tastiest item from the shopping cart, SPICY RAMEN. Here, it's spelled rameon, and the noodles are sometimes thicker, and sometimes there are two packets of flavorings (one dried veggies, one MSG powder). There is a simple, delicious spiciness to these noodles, and the faster you eat them, the spicier they are. Best to let 'em cool a bit, then bulldozing em into your mouth by putting your lips to the bowl. It's spicy that will linger on the corners of your mouth after you're done. Peanut butter crackers and milk get rid of that pretty quick, though. The soup i got comes in pouches - boil water, drop in the pouch for 4 minutes, take it out and snip it open for delicious 'baked potato' or 'cheese and broccoli'. I've also got quaker oats oatmeal variety pack which has been providing a consistent breakfast every morning.

Now that I look at this, i boil water for every meal, ha! Too bad it takes fr'ever on the dopey little pot i have. Should have brought my teakettle.
Speghetti
Oatmeal
Ramen
Soup
...PB&J
Ok, so not everything i eat is boiled first. At least it's not 100% bread like it was in Columbia, eh?

I'm down to my last 5,000 won. That's not a lot. I've now got enough food to get me to and from work every day of the week, and the only real problem with that is walking in the cold...which is literally up a hill...and therefore, inversely up a hill on the way back. That's for the best, seeing as I don't get outside to run around and there isn't a whole lot of room in my apartment for anything other than pushups (yessssssss). So walking to work has me burning a dozen calories or so everyday, which is good because i've gotten my appetite back. The problem with THAT, is that ramen is not filling, and green beans only do so much to provide genuine nourishment.

I'm more worried about cabin fever. I've already watched all of my DVD's and movie files on my computer, and there's no internet signal in my room strong enough to keep me entertained. I am constantly invited to go out to bars and such, but have constantly (and responsibly) told everyone that I HAVE NO MONEY AND CAN NOT AFFORD ANYTHING LET ALONE ENTERTAINMENT. Rough going, but payday is the 10th. We'll see how long i last without going totally bonkers :P

my room is only twice as big as the elevator I HAVE TO use

I think it's pretty safe to say that I don't really enjoy going out to clubs or bars. Itaewon is the "westerner" place in Seoul, there are lots of US military guys hanging out down there because that's where the base is. And bars exist to show you a good time... and then exploit every dollar from your pocket. I don't like it. I can buy my own beer for less, drink it as fast or as slow as i want with friends. BUT I HAVE A TINY ROOM. So it's not really convenient to hang out at home, because it's not at all enjoyable to sit in a small room 8 floors up with dirty laundry everywhere.

Also, my room is currently occupying a caged animal. A coworker, Steve, is in Egypt for his week-long vacation. He called me on hurriedly on Saturday to ask if I could watch his pet bunny while he was away. I wasn't keen on the idea because small caged animals don't really do it for me, in terms of owning a pet. Ha-sown had a couple ferrets, and the smell is all i needed to convince myself that it would not be a fun practice in animal keeping. But so far, the bunny is cute and fairly quiet (except for scratching around its cage every once and a while). The only shitty thing is that it's sick. The reason it couldn't stay at the veterinarians office was because it has a stomach parasite, which could get the other animals sick. Steve assured me that humans were immune to the parasite, but i still have to give the tiny little animal medication twice a day. It's a POWDER, which i mix with water, then inject into it's mouth with a plastic syringe (no needles). So yeah, I got to do that this morning and the little girl squirmed around like a... well, like a wild animal. It's ok, i can deal with it, but now Steve owes me.

I still do not have internet in my apartment. I am punching in the letters you're reading at Holly's Coffee, which is where i'm a frequent visitor. They never make me buy anything and i've been coming in here for a solid 2 weeks now. I really just hate coming down here because it means getting into the elevator. I hate walking all the way down the hallway, and then standing there for up to 2 minutes just to get OUTSIDE. Kiwon's family lives on the first floor because Mike, the dad, is afraid of heights. I really wish i didn't have to wait on my floor for a stupid elevator. It tricks my mind into wandering when i wish it didn't... don't really know how to explain how it perturbs me.

I think I could enjoy the Soloville room more if i could get internet, but as it stands, i leave my room to do ANYTHING other than sleeping, bathing, and eating. Literally. So my room's a mess and i don't care because i'm only AWAKE in that room for a few hours a day. And now there's an animal up there. Maybe a cat would be nice, but i think it'd die of boredom.

rhythm instruments are dangerous

This weekend marked the 23rd birthday of fellow Mizzou graduate and Korean adventurer, Jennifer Agnew. We have discovered that even though we were never friends back home in Columbia, that we are pretty good friends here in Seoul. She lives in a smaller part of town, Guui, and I'm jealous if not only for the higher volume of SKY. I'm in a very big, tall, busy part of town, and skyscrapers cover up most of the horizon. Mountains show a conservative backdrop between towers, but catching an eyeful of sky when I was in Guui felt good.

Friday marked the beginning of the festivities for her birthday, with a round of charades after the all-you-can-eat-all-you-can-drink buffet. Our group (which dwindled from about 25 to about 14) headed to a bar called Beatles. They played vinyl and took NONE of our requests. After that we went to the karaoke room nearby, called Norebon (singing room). I have a bruise on my hand from smacking the tambourine all night.

The next day ended with me being so hungover, I could not surface from under my pillow until 6-7pm. The Soju here is absolutely evil. You don't realize how drunk you're getting, and then you're just hungover beyond reason. There is cheap beer everywhere, so from this point onward, I am swearing off the nasty rice-wine. It's never treated me well, and I am not ok with an abusive relationship. Especially since i'm leaving in ...countdown... 11 months.

i own 3 spoons, 4 forks, and 20 chopsticks

[Evan sez: 10 pair chopsticks]

Kiwon's parents live right across the street from my school. MJ,the mom, has a brother who is a vice president of a giant departmentstore (think Macy's + Sears + Food Court + Schnucks + NICE Restaurants all stacked on top of one another. HUGE.) and they have bought me a new mattress because my current one is giving me back pain every morning and keeping me up at night. I am deeply humbled by this because it is a really nice mattress. They said it was their way of thanking our family for putting up...err, i mean taking Kiwon into our family. They tell me he misses STL a bunch. God, they took me out for the best Japanese food i have ever had.

6 course lunch (salad > sashimi > sushi > soup > rice dish > fruit for desert). It was incredible. Besides the raw fish texture (i kept my gag reflex in check for the entire meal. a truly inspiring performance as i was constantly on the verge of dropping my jaw open and rolling my eyes into the back of my head while my tongue catapults the raw fish out of my throat) it was delicious.

My address is as follows:

Evan Watters

Room # 807, Solo Ville 1623-3,

Seocho1-dong, Seocho-gu

Seoul, Korea 137-878

Kiwon's dad wrote it down for me after verifying the zip code(there's no 'Z' in the Korean language, therefore "gip code"). This year will be their 20th wedding anniversary. I spent most of Saturday with them looking for a new mattress and having them show me a bit around town and also their home. There is a bitchin' picture of Kiwon in a taekwondo uniform. Also one of him horseback riding on Jeju Island, a pretty sweet vacation spot where they have a condo! I'm invited to all of the family activities if I have time; i'm already ready to get out of town. There are so many buildings it's like a maze instead of a city.

I'm still considering getting a pet cat, but costs for something like that will have to come after a few steady paychecks. I miss Sketch. I've nearly gotten over my cold and have been eating healthier than a pure ramen diet, which is what Kiwon's mom was afraid of, ha ha ha.

Actually, Kiwon is right(...!), the Korean ramen here is exceptional compared to our dirty bricks and dust we call ramen. It's still bricks and flavor packets, but it's

BETTER. Spicy is my fav. so far.

[Evan sez:The above is entirely taken from an email to my parents. Original text follows.]

There was a dead calico on the sidewalk this morning. It looked as cold as I felt.

The tuna with rice dish (cham chi dup bob("bop")) is easily my favorite meal here. Yesterday Zack, Bobby, John, John, and I walked around their gigantic COEX mall. There's a big movie theater, subway station, bus station, hotel, and aquarium located in this sprawling metropolitan hotspot. Stores seen list as follows: Evan Records (music and movies), Aniliving (anime and other cute stuff) paired with the Nintendo outlet (6 DS demos), Sanrio outlet (i almost vomited), and another really touristy store where everything i saw was pretty ...well... touristy. Got postcards. I also hit up their arcade. Most of the games were in english, and it was only 500 won (50 cents) to play anything. House of the Dead 4 was intense. And they had Tetris. TETRIS.

One other thing. They had Sbarro. I got a slice of supreme and a slice of pepperoni. It was greasy fantastic delicious. I miss the nastiest foods in the states. Had a dunkelweisse at Beer Factory with Bobby, Zack, and Jennifer Agnew. We then went from Gagnam (pronounced kacknem) to hongdae for some more drinks and FREEZING OUR ASSES OFF. This place is going to be really nice after it warms up. I really despise going out into the cold unless it's a short walk and a fun time. Hitting up several bars ends up wearing me out and stringing out a lot of cash in the process. Maybe i'll find my own way to have fun around here, but right now i'm relying on other people for socially exciting endeavors.

a Whopper® is still a Whopper®

Burger King next door
Whopper®, french fries, orange soda.
Happy fat tummy


Burger King is the closest food place to our school.
The fast food kingdom of America has it's it's straws in several beverages.
Still, french fries are guilty pleasures at their greasiest. That meal felt good.


I met Kiwon's parents yesterday and set up a date with them on Saturday. They are going to come take a look at my office-tel and "see what I need" rather than trusting my judgement. There is no doubt that they will take care of me, they are very kind. We have plans to visit the furniture store (for a new mattress), check out the Taekwon Do academy (like, the arena where they compete in the martial art), maybe swing by one or two other tourist attractions, then after lunch maybe make it to their home so I can look at Kiwon's baby pictures (betcha $10 he was a chubby rugrat). I'm happy to have someone interested in my well being other than a coworker or employer.

Also on Saturday, i'm meeting up with Jen and a few other teachers to go check out a local brewery. Amount of time spent around kids (kids/hr) should equal an appropriate amount of beer. Today, i had 3 classes (14 + 13 + 8 = 35 kids)and was at school for 7 hours.

35 / 7 = 5 beers

Of course, a normal class day is determined for a minimum of 3 beers. I admit my formula may not work for everyone. The number of kids per class is almost arbitrary compared to some hours. But I have no doubt that a 3 beer minimum is something we can agree on. It's Korea. A beer(Korean quality) is like 75 cents any day of the week.

My bed sucks.
I don't sleep well.
Spicy ramen here is amazing delicious.