the b-sides

2+ months of rain gives even the busiest people too much time to think, think, think. And that's what I've been doing. My apologies - I've been told I should be letting my fingers hit the keyboard to relay my mind's findings, but it seems as though everything that was once mysterious to us has become so normal it's barely worth mentioning. I've developed so much of a routine over here that I forget people might still be slightly interested in the daily goings-on SoKo. I'm runnin' out of ideas to make these blogs even the least bit interesting, so this one's in a soundtrack form. We'll call it a b-side, I guess. It's an exclusive, but it's probably dull. It might be a hit, it might be a bag of shit. In any case, its as close as I can bring you to "the big picture" about life in a little city on the other side of the world ...here are the tracks:

1. Porcelain - Moby
This one has absolutely no significance whatsoever...Just thought it'd be a cool intro.

2. Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
If you can actually decipher what Kiedis is saying, you end up hearing some pretty meaningful lyrics:
Choose not a life of imitation / Distant cousin to the reservation ...Pair that up with a quote from the movie The Beach: "I just feel like everyone tries to do something different, but you always wind up doing the same damn thing"...and you'll have the reason the majority of foreigners are currently residing in South Korea. We're all in search of something a little more unique, a little more beautiful, a little crazier. Whatever reservations we had, we left 'em at home. This world we love / the trains we hop / to be part of the wave / can't stop .... But travelling does quickly morph into an addiction that is unstoppable, or at least not easily satisfied. You end up with an incessant desire to see more, do more, try more - because the chance may never come again...

3. Tripping Billies - Dave Matthews Band
The chance may never come again. So, Eat drink and be merry / for tomorrow we die. Carpe Diem, etc, etc. So why would you care / to get out of this place? I can see how some people never leave Korea ... It's a laid back lifestyle, an extension of university disguised as the start of a professional career. What's not to love? But to every thing there is a season, and I think for a lotta people a stint in Korea is best short-lived. Life is short, but sweet for certain - and a prolonged stay in SoKo is guaranteed to sweetly but significantly shorten any life span.

4. Inaudible Melodies - Jack Johnson
"Life goes by so fast that if you don't stop to look around, you might miss it." - Ferris Bueller
So slow down, everyone you're movin' too fast ... One of the things Korea teaches you is to appreciate the little things. Like A&W Root Beer. And lime juice. And peanut butter. And it teaches ya to slow down & pay careful attention to detail - especially with the language. Most Korean/English words end in a vowel - E-Mart is "E-Marta", Homeplus is "Homeplusa", etc. but I can't even count how many times a Korean has repeated back to me what I'd swear was the same thing I just said. Our biggest trouble has been our subway stop: We're at Bojeong [pronounced Bo-chung], but there's another stop on our same line called Bokjeong [Bok-chung]. If you don't practice accurate intonation and pronunciation you can end up on the other side of the city staring at a W58000 cab fare [or in a frantic sprint for your life when you realize you don't have that much money]. Nothing is more frightening than being yelled at in a language you don't speak. Nothing.

I wish they could believe in things that never made the screen ... I hope everybody gets the chance to experience another culture at some point [and not just as a tourist]. See the parts that are never shown. Resist traveling the world only to check into a hotel with "all the comforts of home." [that's The Beach, too]. Live, and learn. Compassion is the route to social justice. Patience is probably in there, too. So yeah, slow down, look around. Listen.

5. A Long December - Counting Crows
In retrospect last December was a long one - last Christmas, a teeny bit tainted by the looming fear of the great unknown ... But that's not why this song is here. It's solely because of this line: I can't remember all the times I've tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they pass ...We're approaching the 8-month mark yet New Year's still seems so recent in our minds: Being introduced to strangers from around the world who would soon become some of our best friends. It's no cliche - time really does fly when you're having fun. But just about every foreigner you meet over here has an eventual expiry date, and you gradually become accustomed to casual goodbyes [including those uber awkward "re-goodbyes"]. So, like the sentimental cheeseball you are, you try to hold on to the moment, because trying to slow down time is about as easy as successfully clenching a fist full of sand ...And the days go by so fast.

6. Mushaboom - Feist
Alright, so if we can't hold on to every moment, we can collect 'em. We'll collect the moments one by one / I guess that's how the future's done ... Likewise, my favorite author wrote, "You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back and a pattern seems to emerge. And if you project forward from that pattern, then sometimes you can come up with something." Gather the moments, save 'em, reflect on 'em, and devise a game plan. Gotcha. I guess that's how the future's done ...

7. Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
This one is more of a tease, than anything. Here comes the sun in South Korea can be likened to "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" ...It's been raining since mid-June yet every Korean swears it will end in "two weeks." Always two weeks. Julie and I are now just crossin' our fingers for one more month. Never underestimate how much rain can take out of a person [especially one who is as sun-obsessed as myself]. On the plus side, we did exchange our free umbrella for a bigger, better free umbrella ...And we're still so much in awe of the freakin' generosity over here. The other night when Julie & I tried to leave a restaurant, the owner forced us to sit down to give us free dessert. It's a tough life over here, really.

8. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard - Paul Simon
The "six-month funk" isn't a myth - it's true. The six-month mark more often than not indicates the mid-way point of a Korean contract, and it's the time when people kinda find themselves in a bit of a homesick groove. For me, the 6-month point marked the mid-way point between the perpetual vacation that is South Korea and the rest of my career. If Korea is a temporary suspension of real responsibility, the 6-month mark is a reminder that the clock is tickin', and facing the "real world" is a chore that's inevitably creeping closer and closer each day. I'm on my way, I don't know where I'm goin' ...Where am I going? What am I doing? And why do I have a sudden craving for a Corona?

9. Don't Panic - Coldplay
Don't panic - check. Great advice, but not why this song's included here. It's these lines: We live in a beautiful world ... Yeah everybody here's got someone to lean on ...We do live in a beautiful world, but sometimes it has it's ugly parts, even [especially?] in Korea. The words "lean on me" are more than just an offer - they're a necessity. Having a friend to share the experience with really makes the difference between insanity and composure in a foreign country. It can be sooo frustrating trying to communicate in a language you don't speak, and when things go wrong - despite your best charade performance - sometimes it's just really reassuring to have someone there who feels the anxiety, too. My advice to people considering teaching in South Korea: Grab a friend before you grab your plane ticket.

And that's all she wrote ...[since julie just informed me that i've become her sappy self, i think it's about time to end this thing, save my dignity].

Keep on rockin' in the free world [read: stay south of the north].

Peace, love & hugs.